Remarkable Quotes from the Fifty Cent Party: Anti-Jasmine Revolution Tweets
Since the first tweet calling for “Jasmine Revolution” protests went viral on the Chinese Internet, the Chinese state machine has gone into overdrive to prevent this imagined uprising. Among other visible measures such as arresting activists, censoring the Chinese Internet, and sending police to every designated “protest” site, Chinese Twitter users have noticed that suddenly a new group of Chinese Twitter accounts opened and became active during the last week. Some of these accounts have forged the names of activists and even included avatar photos of dissidents and activists. Most of the messages sent from these accounts, which have been tracked and compiled by other Chinese Twitter users, include pro-government comments typically sent by the so-called 50 Cent Party. CDT has translated a selection of these tweets:
@kesen7 ???: ???“?”??????????????“??”???????????????????????????????????????????????? 8 hours ago
@kesen7 Li Chenglong: America is such a “nice” country, while its own people enjoy the privilege of democracy, it acts like a dictator in terms of international relationships. It tries to “democratize” other countries, and become involved in their internal affairs as a pretext for one day ruling the world. What we can see is that America wants to “peacefully transform” us. The empire of the United States of America always wishes our destruction.@kesen7 ???: ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 8 hours ago
@kesen7 Li Chenglong: As the old saying goes, history can be used as a mirror. The Soviet Union was such a glorious country, but because the people were lacking firm resolve, the country eventually disintegrated. Look at Russia now, it has no money, no human resources, and no competitive technology. To see the rise of Russia again, we would probably have to wait for more than a hundred years.@kesen7 ???: ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????? 8 hours ago
@kesen7 Li Chenglong: Please shut up, Japanese parrot, don’t treat American daddy’s leftover as treasure. In a competitive international environment, if China can’t stick to its own development path, China will be thrown out brutally. We have our own people. Nowadays, whichever country America wants to destroy, it “democratizes” them; Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan are all successfully democratized, so what?@kesen4 ???: ??????????????????????sb???? 16 hours ago
@kesen4 Li Jianlong: Recently there were some police officers who told me not to participate in the “Jasmine” thing. I replied that only idiots would participate.@meimeib1101: ?TMD?????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
@meimeib1101: It’s all f* “floating clouds[1], politics is always uncertain, take a look at all the so-called “revolutions” in the thousands of years of human history, the ordinary people are always the ultimate victim. The only fact I care about is that I have both young and old in my family. The ordinary life I lead is satisfying. I am here only to “fetch some soy sauce”[2] but not to discuss national affairs. Politics is always dirty; politicians are all liars; you guys should know how to protect yourselves.@meimeib1101: ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?? 17 hours ago meimeib1101: Kids, I am more than forty years old, I think more or less you have heard about the event of our generation.[3] Seeing the internet full of these kind of thoughts, I start to remember how excited and passionate we were. However, this also reminds me how immature and inexperienced we were at that time. We were too young to understand what a society is, what a country is, and what politics are. Youngsters are allowed to be passionate and full of ideas, but beware of the self-destruction that goes along with it.
@meimeib1101: ??????????????????????????????????????????……??????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: If we are democratized, there will be bunch of groups. America would support one, Russia another and Japan another…haha. Chinese people are famous for being traitors who sell out the national interests, and Chinese people are good at fighting against each other. When the time comes, China’s history will repeat itself again.@meimeib1101: ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: It is much easier to talk about things online, then it is to actually put them into practice. There are more matters to consider. Although [China’s] standard of living has been criticized, what is a good standard of living? Wait until there is no stability in the country; there will be no food, no clothes and no job. Our very lives would not be protected!!@meimeib1101: ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago meimeib1101yuan: I am satisfied with the way things are. Does America have no dark side? Each coin has two sides, I am not willing to participate in any revolution which risks deteriorating my quality of life. What if I were to lose my life in the revolution? I am not that dumb.
@meimeib1101: ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago meimeib1101yuan: Only dumbasses would go “for a walk”[4], only idiots would go and lay flowers. Why leave the good life and go out into the cold and windy street. Wait until you are put in jail for the charge of social disturbance, you will definitely feel more satisfied then!
@meimeib1101: ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: If this country, China fell into chaos just think how many Western countries, stinky Japanese, Indian bastards, etc. would be secretly laughing at us? I feel like we absolutely cannot let this happen. This isn’t like picking up a rock to hit one’s foot. Those people are messed up in the head.@meimeib1101: ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: I absolutely oppose this. While the Communist Party may be corrupt and may make mistakes, but are you people willing to say that your political party does not have any of those issues??! Can you say that you are so upright? Even if you were to claim this no one would believe. You should not steal this opportunity to seek power and authority which you use to exploit even further. You may be very smug about this but it is us ordinary people that will suffer.@meimeib1101: ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????! 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: People who are saying these things [encouraging a jasmine revolution] are totally evil. Their evil intentions are abundantly clear. Isn’t it the case that they themselves are attempting to be the rulers of China and then use their power to enslave us?! Don’t even think about it!!!@meimeib1101: ???????????????????50???????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: speaking from the heart, while it’s true that China has some inequities, when you compare China to how it was 50 years ago, you can only conclude that things have gotten better.@meimeib1101: ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago meimeib1101yuan: Imperialism has always been a paper tiger. You shouldn’t hope that they have any great contribution to our society. When the Eight-Nation Alliance swept into China [in 1900] they only thing they knew how to do was to plunder. Isn’t this abundantly clear? Is it possible that you haven’t seen their true faces!
@meimeib1101:???????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: The lesson from Egypt is abundantly clear. You can turn to America but when you are of no value [to America], it will cast you aside without pity.@meimeib1101: ?????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: Five-thousand years of Chinese history proves that China is best suited to a one party dictatorship. Multi-party rule will certainly sow chaos and change. Those who will suffer hardship and difficulty will be ordinary citizens!@meimeib1101: ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: I resolutely reprimand those who seek personal glory by betraying their country while acting sanctimoniously [about their actions]. [I reprimand] those who use the banner of change to splinter China. No citizens of China will tolerate such actions. You are not worthy to call yourselves Chinese. Stop tarnishing the motherland and get the hell back to America.@meimeib1101: ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: As a large country, learning how to bear this kind of pressure, how to develop better under this kind of pressure, even repression [thought not completed]. Taking to the streets to protest is not viable. It disturbs social order and is not beneficial to social stability.@meimeib1101: ??????30?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: After thirty years of reform and opening up, the ancient country of China is daily exuding the exuberance of youth. [China] has entered the critical stage of its reforms and development. China is currently taking the path of [becoming] a strong country and is developing the attitude of a great nation. Taking to the streets in protest is not a rational action. [People] should use legal channels to express the will of the people.@meimeib1101: ????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: Insane. [It’s like] they’ve eaten until they’re all plugged up; with nowhere to go to behave badly, they just vent randomly.@meimeib1101: ?? ??????????????????TM??????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: f***ing protests, go f*** your little sister, what f***ing garbage, what retards, don’t you have a brain?@meimeib1101: ???????????????????50????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ???? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: Whether or not these changes in government in some Middle Eastern countries are a good thing or a bad thing will be impossible to determine within the next fifty years. In the current stage, the only way to measure whether it is good or bad is to see how the people are faring. [People in] Egypt and Tunisia are currently licking their wounds; the order of people’s lives is in complete chaos. The pluralistic nature of the culture, the differences in religious belief—these cause every region to have different ways of living. One can only say that there is no one best way of living, there is only the way of living that suits people the best.@meimeib1101: ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: Reforms are necessary, progress is inevitable. Any system has its faults, there is no perfect system. However, what every system attempts to do is to continually improve upon the system, and eliminate unfairness and unjustness. America is this way and so is the Middle East. There is no need to tear down the relatively fair system that exists now and blindly copy the Western system. Remember, human culture is pluralistic.@meimeib1101: ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
meimeib1101: Those who are watching the jasmine revolutions often mistakenly think they are about producing a revolution. In actuality, this is not the case. This is just a game being played by the political big shots. This is just a redistribution of interests and a transfer of wealth into the hands of a relatively small group. Reforms must come step by step. Reforms require the people to have an awakening to the values of fairness, justice, and mutual benefits. Only this kind of reform is truly for the people.@meimeib1101: ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago meimeib1101yuan: Don’t be violent, don’t spill blood. The jasmine revolutions by using violence and spilling blood are proving themselves to be just another broken system. They damage a country’s assets and disrupt people’s ordinary lives and production without compensation.
@meimeib1101: ??????????????????78????94??????????20???????????????????????????? 17 hours ago meimeib1101yuan: According to statistics, that thing in Tunisia has caused 78 deaths, 94 injuries and economic damage greater than two billion US dollars. Just look at it. Is it worth it? You troublemakers who are best pleased when there is no peace under heaven—cut it out immediately.
@meimeib1101: ?????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: What garbage, this jasmine revolution. Go die. Let the world have some peace and quiet.@meimeib1101: ????????????“?????”???????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: Silly, foolish people. What benefit have you gotten from participating in this jasmine revolution? You’ve been used as a weapon by others. What idiocy.@meimeib1101: ?????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101yuan: What you really should do is to go f*** your neighbor’s wife. Protests are pointless.@meimeib1101: ????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: Everyone calm down, just focus on cultivating a nice rose for your girlfriend. What bullsh*** jasmine revolution. Go f**** it.@meimeib1101: ?????????????????????????
meimeib1101: What are a bunch of kids doing with sh*** for brains doing protesting? Don’t make your daddy lose face.@meimeib1101: ?????????????????????????
meimeib1101: Stability is paramount. Let’s not allow ourselves to be seduced by foreign separationist forces.@meimeib1101: ?????18?????50%!???????????????????????????
meimeib1101: In 18 days of Egypt’s revolution their stock market dropped 50%. Is this making people happy? All you stockholders out there, don’t make such mischief blindly!@meimeib1101: ?21??????????????????
meimeib1101: It’s already the 21st century, what are doing trying to make a revolution. Are you trying to set society back?@meimeib1101: ??????????????????
meimeib1101: Everything will go well is one’s family in harmony. The bitter days of the Egyptian people are before them.@meimeib1101: ?????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: Stay at home, get on with your life. What “revolution” is this? It’s just a silly game.@meimeib1101: ??????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: Jasmine flowers have deadly powers.@meimeib1101: ????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: Who picked “Jasmine”? Does anyone agree? Does anyone approve? Messing around with these groups is just foolish, that’s all there is to it. In the end, you’ve still got to take responsibility for yourself.@meimeib1101: ?????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: You’re asking young people to go out and take part in China’s Jasmine Revolution, but you’d be better off praying for the food prices in their school canteens to soar: that’d be more attractive and influential to them.@meimeib1101: ????????????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: I wonder whether tomorrow some of the netizens taking part in this Jasmine Revolution and scolding the ignorance of the masses might realise, once they’ve gone, that their little game didn’t accomplish anything, and they’re the only ones who’ve been cheated.@meimeib1101: ??????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101: This Chinese Jasmine movement is a very artsy proposal. Nothing to do with revolution, it’s just a performance.@meimeib1101 yuan: ????????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101 yuan: Why can’t you just let the DSD, webmasters and police take the weekend off? Do you have to go through with this phoney “Jasmine Revolution”?@meimeib1101 yuan: ?????????????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
meimeib1101 yuan: The whole point of a revolution is to bring back a happy life, but our lives now are just fine. We’ve got a peaceful and prosperous society, who needs revolution?@sikaozhe ???: ???????????????????????????????? 17 hours ago
sikaozhe: Does China need a revolution? You people would just mess up China’s current rapid economic development.@leofreebug leofreebug: ??????????????????????????????????????????????? 21 Feb
leofreebug leofreebug: My web connection got cut off. I think this situation is getting out of hand. Who’ll take responsibility for talking this up online? If it happens that I’m arrested, who’s going to rescue me?@yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ????????????????????????????????????????????????
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: Marches can’t resolve problems, they’ll just give the government trouble, and affect the country’s development plan. I hope people can keep cool heads; don’t just parrot each others’ words.@yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????21 Feb
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: A lot of things can be resolved by peaceful means; why do we have to adopt extreme measures? Obviously, mass protests could intensify social conflict and stir up bystanders: there could easily be violence, leading to unnecessary harm!@yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ???????????????????????????
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: Every time there’s a political revolution, it’s at the expense of the common people’s happiness. Everyone’s got to open their eyes.@yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ?????????????????? 21 Feb
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: This is foreigners stirring up trouble again, getting Chinese to do their dirty work.yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ?????????????? 21 Feb
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: Most information online is false. It’s just rumours!@yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ??????????????????????????????????RT 21 Feb
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: I believe China can solve its own problems along the path of development, but that doesn’t mean we can’t head down a wrong turn at times like this.@yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ????????????????????????????????????? 21 Feb
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: The US sees China as its greatest enemy, and one way or another, they’ll sabotage our progress. Don’t be duped!@yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????21 Feb
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: America finished off the Islamic world, and punished the Arabs; that done, they did the same to Iranian muslims. And now, they’re paving the way for South East Asia. They’re really the bad apple, they’ll cast the whole world into chaos, dividing the world to conquer it, and muddying the water to catch fish.@yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ??????????????????????????????? 21 Feb
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: The Japs are watching China closely to see our intentions; we’ve got to keep an eye out for traitors.@yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ??????????????????????????????“??” ???????????????? 21 Feb
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: Whether a country is democratic or not, its stability is a contribution to the world — using the name of “democracy” to bring turmoil to another country is all about selfish interests.@yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 21 Feb yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: I’ve seen a story in the international news lately, about the upheaval in Egypt. My conclusion, in short, is that it’s been brought about by the Americans’ running dogs, and no good will come of it. Americans are the sort who’ll blow up the bridge once they’re across it themselves.
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini: ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????RT @js 21 Feb
yiwannianaini yiwannianaini Just as with the Ukrainian colour revolution before it, the West heaps praise on it at first, loudly proclaiming the democratic revolution … but within a year or two of the revolution, Ukraine’s in the same old slump, unemployment keeps rising, and the new government can barely rule. They’re too inexperienced, and in the end have no choice but to step down in favour of the old regime. A key problem is that there’s no political force at the moment that can unify Egypt, so this internal strife will continue. What chance is there of economic recovery?lesley_mo lesley_mo: ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????20 Feb
lesley_mo lesley_mo: Whatever Liu Xiaobo’s wife, Liu Xia, told her friend about being cut off for a long time from her friends and family, and her morale collapsing, her life looks very comfortable to me, taking foreign friends’ US dollars and enjoying life. No wonder so many people don’t really work and just make trouble here, because they can just live off of US dollars! Wow!wangwei7509 wangwei: ?????????????????? 20 Feb
wangwei7509 wangwei: Stay at home, get on with your life. What “revolution” is this? It’s just a silly game.wangwei7509 wangwei: ????????????15 ???????????????????????????????????????????????? 20 Feb
wangwei7509 wangwei: Those of you always going on about how bad the Communist Party is, why don’t you try governing 1.5 billion people for a bit? Winning the approval of the vast majority of people as they have is an amazing achievement! Not everyone gets along in America, either: why do you think there’s so much crime there?wangwei7509 wangwei ???????????????????????????????????? 20 Feb
wangwei7509 wangwei I’m just an ordinary guy, I can’t march, bringing the national treasure’s [5] attention on myself. They’d have me drinking Jasmine tea day after day till I had to spit it out.[1]“floating clouds”(fuyun): illusionary, unreal. [2] “fetch soya source”(da jiang you): people who use internet just to take a look rather than make a statement. [3] 1989 Tian’anmen Square student protest [4] “go for a walk”: “protest” is a forbidden word to use, instead, people use “take a walk” to imply assemble and protest. [5] DSD ‘s nick name.
