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This is a poem that will be read and remembered by many. The author is a professor emeritus of physics at New York State University
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A Poem
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When we were the Sick Man of Asia, We were called The Yellow Peril.. h3 s O1 Q4 h4 S$ O" C$ ~" e8 @
' d4 q. O2 d) j% K( F When we are billed to be the next Superpower, we are called The Threat.% P' m4 P( D* L: V1 Z# u
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When we closed our doors, you smuggled drugs to open markets.) o4 a% T* K5 e; I! ]
% _# ~$ t9 |8 f( V When we embrace Free Trade, You blame us for taking away your jobs.
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[0 ]* |3 _) b5 h) G/ y When we were falling apart, You marched in your troops and wanted your
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z$ h: T! r. m& F" E7 x2 } When we tried to put the broken pieces back together again, Free Tibet you& J2 m" h1 H2 b: Z( F
screamed, It Was an Invasion!
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When tried Communism, you hated us for being Communist.% Y. R. g) n* {8 p2 W" O
$ X2 ~) n( a' k) ?3 y7 p4 O% A) H; l2 w When we embrace Capitalism, you hate us for being Capitalist.
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When we have a billion people, you said we were destroying the planet.7 T" I! R y$ Z+ g
9 N0 @2 g- u- e6 o$ ?" S8 h When we tried limiting our numbers, you said we abused human rights.
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When we were poor, you thought we were dogs.6 |9 x+ e6 {' p7 U! _" c
$ J5 d; B! _, a3 k When we loan you cash, you blame us for your national debts.
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When we build our industries, you call us Polluters.
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( D' |5 V( a( U: o; V2 H When we sell you goods, you blame us for global warming.3 k5 [! u. a0 J9 q: V
; D* d. [+ I4 I+ ^ When we buy oil, you call it exploitation and genocide.
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3 n7 L8 G- |# p. K2 }. @2 M& j5 u When you go to war for oil, you call it liberation.
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0 Z" o# _, |5 k, `5 I' @7 U& r( e When we were lost in chaos and rampage, you demanded rules of law.7 s' n0 g! d7 t: h
N1 O' k$ g- X' t: C5 Z When we uphold law and order against violence, you call it violating human
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When we were silent, you said you wanted us to have free speech.
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When we are silent no more, you say we are brainwashed-xenophobics.
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9 K5 ?8 w! G4 ~- a, ^. }( [5 m: n Why do you hate us so much, we asked.: @5 N) O& Y! u5 r; K
7 B2 x- h* G( x( R6 A3 p No, you answered, we don't hate you.2 |" G7 t) K. ]! G8 I4 g6 V% E/ K4 c2 b+ A
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We don't hate you either,
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2 Q$ z1 v6 x6 s: w But, do you understand us?& Z# S0 k: |- U# `7 h
, i8 E$ A ~9 u* v! x Of course we do, you said,
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We have AFP, CNN and BBC's...) A+ \ g" C6 Q
; Q7 Q% q: ]% W2 J K( B8 P- c, D6 h, f What do you really want from us?3 r# E, \: H% M5 g2 b1 ~
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Think hard first, then answer...
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Because you only get so many chances.
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Enough is Enough, Enough Hypocrisy for This One World.% v5 k+ j- s( w) z9 p! `# d- I
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We want One World, One Dream, and Peace on Earth.
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. ?5 V/ {2 n' D$ o This Big Blue Earth is Big Enough for all of Us.
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Duo-Liang Lin, Ph. D.( z% R$ N, Q% C/ J$ O
+ c0 [1 u3 a% G, o Professor Emeritus of Physics0 _# I3 g: {( r( s1 L6 P; s" T
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University at Buffalo& H p$ B6 T9 }( `. E' R, H
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State University of New York
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% [) ]$ L& e- z8 z4 v: U Buffalo, New York 14260-1500+ ~1 K! D$ s8 C5 l) V: _
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Email: DLLIN@buffalo.edu |
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