当下中国社会文明发展的瓶颈是什么？是中宣部（及整个宣传部系 统）。当下中国文明发展的绊脚石是什么？是中宣部。当下中国为邪恶势力和腐败分子撑 起最大最有力的保护伞的是谁？是中宣部。何以言之？谁都知道中国不是新闻自由太多， 而是新闻自由太少，试问是谁把本已少得可怜的新闻自由又来个缺斤短两、横挑竖扣？是 中宣部。新闻自由度是一个社会的文明度，西方先哲说，可以没有政府，不可以没有新闻 自由。中宣部以新闻自由为敌，连“新闻自由”四字都不许随意使用，这分明是对最起码 文明准则的公然践踏。中宣部已经堕落为当下中国最愚昧落后势力的堡垒，在他们弄权得 到快乐和贿赂的同时，党和政府的形象、国家的文明进步因此都付出惨重的代价。如果听 任其横行不法、擅权祸国下去，不仅它自身将沉沦到阿鼻地狱万劫不复，便是中国改革发 展的大业也将被大打折扣，中国的政治文明进程将被大大延迟，我中国几百万人文知识分 子亦且颜面扫地。因而我们必须奋不顾身，起而讨伐中宣部。
中宣部害的第一大病是工作方式巫婆神汉化。许多人都看过赵树理的《小二黑结婚》，现 在中宣部的工作方式堪比小二黑他爹二诸葛和小琴他妈三仙姑。在这两位大神眼里，今天 “不宜栽种”，明天“不宜出行”，后天不宜娶媳妇，大后天不宜嫁闺女。中宣部整治新 闻媒体不正与此德行类同吗？今天不许再提蒋彦永，明天不得反思非典，后天又有新禁忌 ，不得说媒体是“社会公器”，诸如此类。试问中宣部这些禁令都是怎么得来的？依据是 什么？比刘修德和三仙姑的“结论”科学多少？他们的“不许”，毫无根据，绝对想当然 ，绝对人治，绝对与人类基本文明准则背道而驰，与巫婆神汉违背基本科学常识属于同一 个级别。
中宣部害的第二大病是权威程度罗马教会化。如今中宣部实在太正确了，正确得跟欧洲中 世纪的罗马教会一样，势焰熏天，莫予毒也，炙手可热，谁碰到它都要被它烧糊半截，就 跟柳宗元笔下永州之野产的那种异蛇一样，触草木，草木尽死，咬了人，没治。我们不能 听任中宣部正确得像中世纪的罗马教会，我们不能听任中宣部部长神圣得像红衣大主教， 我们不能听任中宣部厉害得像永州的异蛇。新闻媒体监督这个监督那个，谁敢监督宣传部 ？“阎王叫你三更死，谁敢留你到五更？”宣传部门处分了那么多的记者、老总，没谁敢 吱声，难道宣传部永远正确吗？现在政府各部，无论依法行事的程度如何，总还有个法， 可是中宣部发号施令根本没有章法，混同于巫婆神汉顺口胡扯，悖逆最起码的人类政治文 明，而其效力却是金口玉牙！中宣部是目前中国惟一不依法行政的死角，是法律的太阳照 射不到的惟一的黑暗王国。中宣部是人民共和国最后一只黑箱，我们不能答应它平安而威 力四射地存在。中宣部害的第三大病是日本文部省化。日本文部省屡屡修改学校教材，篡 改侵华历史，把“侵入”改成“进入”。中宣部有过之而无不
及，凡历史上的罪错皆不许提，反右、文革、饿死几千万农民、六四、哈尔滨的宝马案等 等，皆成禁忌字眼。这一切已经令所有媒介和学术中人忍无可忍，令普通民众伤心欲绝。
中宣部害的第四大病是宪法杀手。言论出版自由是中华人民共和国宪法保障的权利，按道 理说，中宣部既然是中华人民共和国的宣传部，就应该是言论出版自由的捍卫者，而实际 上它却是宪法保障的公民言论自由权利的最大侵害者，整个一个精神屠夫。自己制定的宪 法，自己的政府职能部门不去努力保障它，却是千方百计地折磨它，践踏它，这在当今世 界上都是绝无仅有的。捍卫宪法，就不能不讨伐中宣部。
中宣部害的第五大病是背叛中国共产党的崇高理想，于行动上堕落为中国共产党的叛徒。 二十世纪四十年代向国民党专制统治抗争的时期，是中国共产党历史上最光彩夺目的时期 。有人将此期的重庆《新华日报》和延安《解放日报》的社论和一般言论文章择要辑为《 历史的先声》出版，竟遭中宣部查禁。这些文章言必称民主，言必称言论自由，是当时中 国最伟大，最能代表先进文化方向的文章，而今居然遭到中宣部的查禁，足见中宣部已经 如何深重地沉沦为共产党原初理想的敌人。每一个真正的共产党员，都应该鸣鼓而攻之， 决不可坐视中宣部再如此随心所欲地乱党祸国下去。
中宣部害的第六大病是冷战思维的衣钵传人。中宣部吹风，凡涉美国，必是敌意。“凡是 敌人反对的，我们就要拥护；凡是敌人拥护的，我们就要反对。”这至今仍然是中宣部对 外宣传和事关欧美新闻报道的指南。某出版社编辑报一个选题是《看美国人怎样治国》， 总编辑一看题目，急了，问：“你什么意思？”总编辑这话的意思是，美国人的政治文明 是不可赞美的。中宣部训话会一贯讲究的就是这样的导向。美国的政治文明是人类文明前 进的方向，当你把它诬为臭狗屎的时候，实际上你已嗅着向真正的臭狗屎靠近或正在进食 。心地光明磊落一些吧，中宣部！恢复正常的嗅觉，把狗屎称为狗屎，把香饽饽称为香饽 饽才是你的出路。否则必然身败名裂，自己将自己挂上历史的耻辱柱。实际上你已经声名 狼籍太久，赶快悬崖勒马。
中宣部害的第七大病是中央精神的克扣者、阻挠者，而不是贯彻者。媒介中人，特别是那 些常到中宣部“领旨”听训的媒体领导人称：你听中央领导讲话，中国一片光明，大有希 望，可是你一到中宣部听训，中国简直是乌云翻滚，魔爪横伸，整个感觉中央精神的头号 阳奉阴违者，头号克扣者，头号反对者，头号否定者，头号干扰阻挠者，不是台湾，不是 香港，不是贪官污吏，不是海外民运分子，不是美帝国主义，不是法轮功，不是六四死难 家属，而是中国共产党自己的中央宣传部。此时你禁不住产生今夕何夕的感觉，中宣部究 竟是谁的中宣部，它究竟是听谁的，今日域中，是光明的天下，还是黑暗的天下。笔者写 此文，正值2004年两会，这本应是媒体最活跃，中国人政治生活最自由的时期，可是你看 媒体被中宣部收拾得个个“清心寡欲”，家家跟素食者似的，会上谈的一些重大问题，修 宪、拆迁之类，都不许媒体自由言说，实在是与中央的中心工作对着干。
中宣部害的第八大病是冷血弱智病。日前与某杂志社一位朋友通电话，无意间谈到他们最 近一期杂志刊载的一组关于信访的文章。恰好我也看了这篇文章，他说：“这组文章影响 不小，连中宣部都打来电话了，说这是迄今为止关于信访问题最大的一篇报道。”我立即 回应道：“远远不够！应该做一期专号。你们这一期做的是什么呀？简直就是一趟浮光掠 影的信访旅游，把信访者的苦难当风景看，隔靴搔痒，太轻飘飘了。应该照着督促和帮助 政府彻底解决信访问题的方向去做，脚踏实地而不是浮光掠影，追根溯源，竭尽媒介之力 ，坚决挖掉导致信访现象产生和存在的各级毒瘤。前不久在网上我发表一篇《给温总理的 一封信》，提请并奉劝他们这一届政府，要拿三分之一的精力，解决人民群体幸福感指数 过低的问题。富裕固然重要，可是富裕而不幸福，人文环境不适合人类居住，有背政府初 衷，是国家的硬伤。上访就是这样一块硬伤，是老百姓幸福感的头号杀手。我相信温总理 能够看到那封信。信访的存在是我们不可饶恕的罪恶，居然听任它存在几十年，实在太罪 过！良心大大地坏了！”
听我此番话，这位朋友接着说：“中宣部的电话不是来鼓励的，而是来责备的。说这样报 道会影响社会稳定。”我心中顿时无名火起：“这种混蛋！简直是弱智！上访者个个都是 炸弹又能怎样？对于十三亿中国人民来说，毕竟是极少数，怎么可能影响社会稳定？何况 上访者十之八九都是蔫人，真正的暴烈之士根本不会去上访。长期听任上访的存在才是影 响社会稳定的头号原因，宣传部的此类责备又是导致上访长期得不到解决的根源。如果媒 体自由跟进，而不是像这样被各界宣传部的冷血和愚昧封锁，上访现象早他妈八百年就绝 迹了！”
形诸文字还客气了一些的，在电话里我跟泼妇和泼皮一样破口大骂，没有一点风度和修养 。我简直是出离愤怒了！报道上访怎么会影响社会稳定？不报道才会积累影响社会稳定的 因素。面对一个个悲惨的上访故事，你们居然能无动于衷，竟责备媒体报道太过，实在是 太铁石心肠！太愚昧，太冷血，太可恨了！这样的心智，这样的冷血，呆在如此重要的位 置上发号施令，怎么能不误我苍生，误我中华！
非典期间，在卫生部举行的那次究竟该如何公开非典疫情真相的研讨会上，有卫生部的官 员担心和盘托出真相会引起恐慌，我当即怒不可遏：“在座的不是都知道真相了吗？大家 不都好好的没有一个寻死上
吊投井跳楼吗？别以为我们比老百姓高明多少！现在就可以通知媒体，召开新闻发布会， 立即向国人公开疫情真相。”卫生部领导真是“从善如流”，第二天果然公开了疫情，就 是4月20日我们在电视里看到的张文康部长公开的那个来中国旅游很安全那个“真相”。 我插这个曲是什么意思是？是想说明，有些政府官员要比普通人懒惰得多，冷血得多，也 愚昧得多。他们大脑根本没有科学缜密思维的影子，完全是跟着愚昧的感觉走，跟着愚昧 的想当然下结论，做决策，下命令。口口声声为社会效益计，为国家稳定计，本质上是“ 误国误民，实乃千秋罪人！”
中宣部害的第九大病是庇护恶棍和腐败分子。年前各新闻媒体都传达了中宣部吹胡子瞪眼 睛转达的二十五个“不准”，其中一个“不准”是不准各家新闻媒体报道云南省委宣传部 长被“双规”的消息。为什么不准报道？说是这影响了宣传系统的形象。这个理由太邪恶 ！宣传部没有免于被监督的特权。不许报道云南省委宣传部长被“双规”，试问你代表了 谁的利益？你代表了“双规分子”的利益！这一“不准”，让新闻记者扼腕痛惜，让腐败 分子暗暗称快，这不是一个以宣传“三个代表”为业的机构可以说出口的话。真正是和尚 打伞，无法无天！请问一切正义之士：是可忍，孰不可忍？中宣部封杀无数新闻报道，每 一个报道里都是小民被欺；封杀一个报道就是纵容继续欺压小民，做恶人的帮凶。
中宣部害的第十大病是吃里扒外。新闻媒体被中宣部管得跟三孙子一样灰头土脸。你管他 就应该保护它，可是记者屡屡被打，从来没见中宣部站出来为记者说话，给记者撑腰。修 理记者的办法一套一套，层出不穷，可到记者需要你为他们鸣冤撑腰讨公道的时候，你乌 龟王八脖子一缩，生死由他去，屁都不放一个！
中宣部害的第十一大病，表面上的精神贵族，实际上的金钱奴隶，铜臭十足，金玉其外， 败絮其中。他们对新闻媒介的舆论监督随意叫“停”，冠冕堂皇的理由是“稳定压倒一切 ”，许多时候实际是权钱交易，是权力寻租，是受恶人之托，忠恶人之事，拿党和国家赋 予的媒介管理权为腐败分子减祸消灾，谋取私利。据一些大型网站和着名报刊的从业者介 绍，中宣部一些人常以宣传为名，指令媒体免费给一些文化商品做广告。媒体该收的广告 费免去了，可是广告主的广告费没有免，哪去了？进了“叫停”者的腰包。另据可靠消息 ，宁波普陀区曾拿八十万请中宣部摆平中央电视台焦点访谈。天津一个卫生事件的当事人 也曾拿出几十万元贿赂中宣部，求中宣部封杀中央电视台的报道。看起来是封杀一个报道 ，实际上就是庇护一群或一个恶棍，是延续一个灾难，是出卖党和政府的形象以换取非法 利益。最近，中宣部下令封死宝马案，凭什么？凭什么？凭什么？！有没有接受事主的黑 钱？我们不能不提出质疑。
中宣部害的第十二大病，嫉妒贤德，谁冒头就封杀谁，谁的正义感突出就“活埋”谁。现 在中国不能有畅销书，哪本书畅销接着必有中宣部跑步“灭火”。理由冠冕堂皇，内心阴 暗无比。封杀一本有创意的
走红新书，就是扼杀中华民族的创造力；摁下去一个有正义感的记者或学者或报纸，就是 摧灭中国社会的正气。当下中国社会，之所以精神创造力枯萎，道德沦丧，正义泯灭，邪 恶势力猖獗，正气弱如游丝，中宣部要负百分之九十九的罪责。中宣部败坏了中国政治道 德和社会道德。
中宣部害的第十三大病，中国弱势群体灾难的二级制造者。民工欠薪多年，为什么直到温 总理时代才真正着手解决？宣传部一向不许媒体报道，欠薪问题进入不了国人的视野，怎 么可能解决？上访为什么几十年不绝，有的祖孙几代上访，前仆后继，为什么？宣传部为 无数的罪恶捂着盖子。计划生育有多少惨绝的事，都因为得不到媒体的报道而屡屡重演。 恶人不怕见官，就怕见报，新闻媒体本来可以为中国人民做一万件好事，解决一万件灾难 ，只因宣传部愚昧落后的思维方式和霸道武断的工作方式，却有九千九百九十九件被勒令 禁绝，宣传部系统整个就是中国弱势群体灾难的延续者和二级制造者。
中宣部害的第十四大病，媒体老总们的是非感、正义感、文明感的戕杀者。每次听中宣部 训话归来，受训的媒体领导都大倒苦水，说坐在中宣部的会议室里简直是时光倒流，中宣 部的那套说辞实在太违背时代潮流。看上去他们好胳膊好腿去，好胳膊好腿回，没有半点 损伤，实际他们内心被大大挫伤，他们的是非感、正义感和文明感被中宣部的训话彻底地 损伤了。是非感的伤害是世间最大的伤害，正义感的被蹂躏是最残暴的蹂躏。
上策，撤消各级宣传部。美国有宣传部吗？英国有吗？欧洲有吗？都没有。谁有宣传部？ 纳粹德国有宣传部，而且曾涌现出一位着名的部长，就是戈培尔博士，“谎言重复一千遍 就会成为真理”这条谎言的发明者。国民党蒋介石统治大陆时有宣传部，当时的中心工作 是宣传“共产党共产共妻”，宣传朱毛的队伍是“共匪”。宣传部本质上是反马克思主义 唯物论的，它的核心工作是好事无中生有，坏事有中生无；好事小的化大，坏事大的化小 ；颠倒黑白，指鹿为马，不知客观为何物，与实事求是的精神背道而驰。殊不知宣传部这 种工作本身就是罪恶，就是灾难，就是政党和政府自绝于人民之举。中国政府如果说在国 际社会上形象不理想，应该首追中宣部的责任。它的工作性质和工作方式都与现代文明格 格不入。
下策，制定一部《宣传部工作法》，一切照章法来，不得再采用三仙姑式的巫婆神汉工作 法。允许其依照现有工作模式运行，但是必须设置监督环节，以节制宣传部的工作，不得 再正确得如同罗马教会。具体办法有四个：办法一，设立专门的学术研究项目，为中宣部 的功罪盘点，看看宣传部系统在过去的历史时期里都立过哪些功，犯过那些罪，哪些宣传 部长是中华民族的功臣，哪些是中华民族的罪人，功臣画进凌烟阁，罪人刻上耻辱柱。可 以倒着清盘，从现任刘云山、吉炳轩开始，依次丁关根、王忍之、徐惟诚等，顺着往上捋 。
办法二，建立宣传部工作日志制度。宣传部必须有清楚全面的工作日志，今天下了哪些封 杀令，明天举了哪些黄牌，必须笔笔记录在案，昭昭在册，以备查询，以备监督，以备日 后责任追究，以备日后历史的论功和定罪。眼下正流行的那种企图逃避责任追究和历史审 查，以电话下“禁令”，不留文字痕迹的鬼魅做法必须坚决禁止。一件坏事，新闻媒体正 准备暴光，宣传部的电话便斜刺杀来，高喊“刀下留人，不许报道！”研究者对此类情况 一定要格外注意，除了冠冕堂皇的“稳定压倒一切”之外，还要细心考察这背后还有没有 权钱交易？要追问凭什么你自告奋勇替坏人坏事捂盖消灾？鲁迅先生说：“我是不惮以最 坏的恶意来推测中国人的。”我们有理由不惮以最坏的恶意来推测宣传部的这种“叫停” 电话。一个‘叫停’电话，拿坏人多少贿赂？坦白从宽，抗拒从严，给我从实招来！
办法三，建立宣传部工作事故追惩制度。豆腐渣工程有责任追究制度，宣传部工作如果发 生失误，其危害比豆腐渣工程更大，故也应该有事故追究制度。一句话，意识形态的超级 豆腐渣工程危害更大，不能白白放过。当年的中宣部发动的许多反这反那的活动，现在看 都是笑谈，视为丑事，为什么不见有人为那些丑事、蠢事负责？
办法四，增加中宣部工作透明度，媒体随时将中宣部下达的各种“不许”指令刊登在报刊 上，或者发布上网。中宣部也有这样做的法定义务，让全国人民都来评价宣传部下达的这 些禁令哪些属于正确的，是功德，哪些是罪恶，是反文明，是伤天害理。各媒体老总，听 了中宣部的训话之后，凡觉得有违背起码的文明社会常识的指令，都应该自觉将其发布上 网。丑恶言行最惧怕透明。中宣部的跋扈和“常有理”也是被媒体老总们听完不当、不正 确、甚至反动的训话之后“秘而不宣”惯出来的。据一些老总讲，中宣部训话根本不讲理 性，不循文明常识，也不讲什么媒体责任，有时甚至迹近流氓无赖滚刀肉的腔调，充溢在 训话中的是酣畅淋漓的颟顸气和管人欲。中国新闻媒介体系如此庞大，而对中国社会进步 和中国人民的福祉贡献实在太少，祸根就是整个宣传部系统使出全幅力量，专以拖新闻监 督的后退，拉历史的倒车为职责。实在令人痛心！实在令人愤怒！
这些年新闻圈常用这个句式：“由于众所周知的原因，某报道夭折了。”什么是“众所周 知的原因”？实际就是宣传部从中横加干涉。因“众所周知的原因”而未能报道，实际上 是说虽然是公认的荒谬、愚昧甚至反动，可是也不能不听它的。这等于认可了宣传部拥有 了颠倒黑白、强奸公意、指鹿为马、不按常理出牌、践踏文明常识的特权。众所周知的荒 谬，而威力却如此之大，如此“神圣不可侵犯”，如此“不可向迩”，几十万新闻人，几 百万人文知识分子，没有人正面抗争哪怕半句话，实在是中国道德人格的耻辱！新闻圈里 的人都说：中宣部的权威只隔一层窗户纸，只是大家不愿捅破就是了。为什么不愿捅？是 不敢捅。为什么不敢捅？因为它太凶顽，它不讲理，更不讲法，好人不敢跟跋扈的恶棍较 真儿。他加害了你，你连说理的地方都没有，法院都怕它，不敢接你的诉状。这样的现实 助长了宣传部的行不由径，致使其肆无忌惮地祭起与人类文明背道而驰的各种邪术法宝来 。整个宣传部系统是中国新闻业正头顶上的一块乌云，是新闻记者的噩梦，它蔑视文明社 会的一切是非曲直，冒天下之一切大不韪。它是党和政府民意基础的最大淘蚀者，是党和 政府合法性的最大流失者，是中国弱势群体灾难的二级制造者。
中宣部为什么这么凶顽？第一，这是极左历史留给它的历史遗产。从王明、康生、姚文元 、张春桥时代以迄于今，中宣部一直享有道德和政治上的免责权。它做到哪儿哪儿是边， 即便事后证明宣传错了，鼓动歪了，“城头大王旗”可变，中宣部的地位却一成不变，什 么责都不用负，一不用反省，二不用忏悔，三不用问责。“反右”期间，“文革”期间， 以及后来中宣部搞的反这反那期间，抓意识形态的中宣部都红得像烙铁，毒得像异蛇，事 后没有谁向它“反攻倒算”追究其过失。政治路线变了，人事变了，中宣部作为一个机构 的红和毒却一直没变。中宣部从来没有得到清算，它的角色没有变，它的思维方式和工作 方式从未被触动，它的极左性、悖逆性从来没变。要像清算王明、康生、姚文元、张春桥 那样清算中宣部在过去历史时期的一切罪错！第二，这是继承前此意识形态衣钵的体现， 固守着与时代相背的国际冷战思维。中国媒体说美国至今抱着冷战思维不放，中宣部才真 正是冷战思维的烈女节妇。第三，把960万平方公里国土看成是一小撮人的禁脔，各种在 它看来不顺耳的发音器官都是没有发声资格的。须知中国是每一个中国人的中国，是全体 炎黄子孙的托身之地、庇护之所，任何异类，你是民运分子也好，你是六四流人也罢，都 是这片国土的合法继承人，都有平等地在这片我们祖先共同开发的老娘土上自由生活、自 由表达、自由言说的权利。我即便是不爱你中华人
民共和国，我也有在这片热土上生活而不去逃亡、不去坐监的权利，因为这也是我的祖产 。你中宣部部长的曾高祖在这片热土上耕耘过，他政治流亡者、持不同政见者的曾高祖也 在这块土地上耕耘过，爷爷们的孙子是平等的，是应该坐在一张圆桌边共商国事的。可是 中宣部是不许你这么看，这么说，这么商量的。
第一个理由，毛主席教导给我大无畏的英雄气概。“一切反动派，都是纸老虎。看起来反 动派的样子是可怕的，实际上并没有什么了不起的力量。从长远的观点看问题，真正强大 的力量，不是属于反动派，而是属于人民。”新闻圈早已在私下自由的场合称中宣部是当 下中国的“反动派”了。虽然“反动派”这个词有泛政治化倾向，有“历史问题”，不想 使用它，可是揆诸中宣部的种种行径，除了这个词，别的词真的很难表达。中宣部的反动 ，已经是“众所周知”的事实，是不背不盖赤裸裸的反动，是不折不扣的反动。
第二个理由，这是我的宪法权利。共和国里不应该有老虎的屁股，共和国里不应该有任何 免于诘问的圣物，共和国里也不允许有欧洲中世纪红衣大主教那样的圣人。
第三个理由，我比中宣部高明和文明。从上到下各级宣传部系统的工作，在我眼里就像一 个愚妄之人不可一世地叫嚣着走向结薄冰的深湖，又好比街头恶棍行横，却没人喝令断阻 。我是止不住要大叫阻止的。他们的行为是非理性的，不利于任何人。他们自认为“守土 有责”，是忠心耿耿为党和政府“看家护院”。在我看来，他们是陷党和政府于不义。他 们出台的每一个“不许”，都经不起推敲，都是愚昧的“结晶”，都误党和政府的事业。 报道上访会“影响稳定”就是最典型的例证。究竟会不会影响？多大程度上会影响？会怎 么影响？他们调查过吗？他们研究过吗？他们这个结论是怎么得出的？没有一点科学的影 子，全是愚昧！全是懒惰！全是冷血！
第四个理由，他们对人类文明常识的践踏令我忍无可忍。他们不许媒体用“公民”一词， 要用“老百姓”，不许“民主”、“自由”的字眼随意上媒体，宪法上可以用，十六大报 告可以用，普通人不能随便用，这分明是把“民主”、“自由”当摆设。这是什么性质的 问题？这是人类之敌、文明之敌、民主之敌、自由之敌！这是“敌我矛盾”！这是对60万 中国新闻人最起码的职业理念的践踏，是对几百万人文知识分子最起码的人文情操的蔑视 和挫伤。这种反对起码的新闻文明和政治文明的行径，充分说明他们不是党和政府的思想 卫士，不是“三个代表”思想的贯彻执行者，而是愚昧落后文化的代表者，代表着人类腐 朽没落的文化堕落沉沦倒行逆施的方向。
第五个理由是我有好生之德。我不忍心看着中宣部这个机构就这么自我毁灭，更不忍心听 任你们继续毁灭中国尚存的一息精气神。我必须像佛教大师那样对你们加以“当头棒喝” ：“休得无礼！不许走那条路！”
第六个理由，别的部和部长都可以成为媒体“挑剔”的对象，国家主席和国务院总理的工 作都可以“批评”，凭什么中宣部就不能被“说三道四”？司法部、公安部、铁道部、劳 动和社会保障部等等，及其部长，都受到过媒体的质疑和责问。特别是铁道部，年年像打 狼一样受到国人的围攻，说春运涨价实在可耻，是“大发中华民族团圆财”。中宣部每一 次发布“不许令”，新闻界都会经过一次全国范围的心灵折磨，整体地灰心伤气，骂骂咧 咧，痛不欲干新闻，然而却向来无人敢反问一句“你的‘不许’合适吗？你凭什么‘不许 ’？”如此不得人心，竟如此令行禁止，威力无穷，凭什么？凭什么宣传部就是猫，而新 闻媒体就是老鼠？谁给中宣部这样被监督、被批评的豁免权？
第七个理由，中宣部副部长吉炳轩是河南人，2003年底他一口气发布二十五个不准时，新 闻圈朋友聚会时总半真半假说“河南人都什么玩意儿！”一位级别挺高的新闻界朋友说： “春天他们这一届（中宣部领导）初上台时，加上正赶上非典，新闻宣传通气会上对媒体 老总还客客气气。现在，牛得很，凶得很，一点不客气！眼空无物，去听精神的仿佛都是 三孙子。”河南人抓意识形态让人不放心。向来中国灾难最重的是河南，河南灾难的总根 源是河南官方的意识形态过敏。1942年河南饿死一百万，二十年后的1962年，河南饿死人 更多，祸根都在地方行政官官迷心窍。河南的官员大多“忠心向上”。上边未必是那样的 意思，跟来跟去实际上是跟了魔鬼。上边有上边的事，他不会觉察你看起来跟上面，实际 上已经跟了魔鬼。于是你越跟越远，最后把自己跟成文明的罪人、精神的杀手。我不相信 中宣部发布的二十五个“不许”是胡主席指定的，我相信完全是中宣部自行拣选出来的。“疑人不用，用人不疑”，“放手让同志们发挥主观能动性”，于是中宣部把领导人 的信任做到于国于民有百害而无一利的程度。“防火防盗防河南人”，这令人痛心。我们 不能听任全中国的舆论环境都发生河南化。
第八个理由，这是我的一种文风自觉。梁启超把时务文体发展至极致，胡适把白话文张扬 到极致，徐志摩把新诗发挥至极致，鲁迅把杂文发挥至极致，李敖、柏杨、王朔、孔子、 孟子、曹雪芹、唐宋八大家各臻其极。他们的每一个极致都为汉语文和汉民族做出不可磨 灭的贡献。我也希望把这种不忌生冷的文风发展之极致，为汉语文和汉民族的发展略尽绵 薄。书生报国无长物，惟有手中笔如刀。
第九个理由，前辈的鼓舞。三百六十年前弥尔顿写了《论出版自由》，一百五十年前马克 思写了《评普鲁士的书报检查令》，一千五百年前骆宾王就写了《讨武照檄》，尼采说“ 上帝死了！”章太炎斥光绪帝是“载恬小丑”，梁启超嘲骂袁世凯“异哉所谓国体问题” ，五四先驱喊“打到孔家店！”张季鸾数说“蒋介石的人生观”，郭沫若叫人“试看今日 之蒋介石”，傅斯年写文章《这个样子的宋子文非走不可》倒“皇亲国戚”，前贤相望， 史不绝书，我说句“这个样子的吉炳轩非走不可”，或喊一声“讨伐中宣部”，较之这些 前辈，有什么大不了？实在小菜一碟。再者，新闻媒体上国外整天喊总统不称职，要下台 ，部长有劣迹，快滚蛋，我就不信中国人喊一句“讨伐中宣部”就是大逆不道，就该死罪 。不想当将军的士兵不是好士兵，不想当弥尔顿的知识者不是好知识者，我想做一个好的 知识者，我想做中国的弥尔顿，我想让这篇《讨伐中宣部》成为彪炳史册的历史文献，就 像《论出版自由》一样，就像《评普鲁士的书报检查令》一样。
第十个理由，为后辈造福的欲望。拯救中宣部，为后辈开辟幸福自由的源泉。“公民”、 “民主”都成为忌讳，这灾难太深重了吧？何时是尽头？鳞介羽毛尚知为子孙计，何况我 圆颅方趾的人类？千人诺诺，不如一士谔谔；文王谔谔以昌，纣王默默以亡。
第十一个理由，人不亲行亲。你是抓新闻工作的，我是研究新闻工作的，新闻工作的抓法 也是新闻研究的对象。我们本是一家，共同对同一个“东家”的兴衰负责，那就是中华民 族。我们应以辐辏之势指向我们共同的轴心：父母之邦！炎黄之族！
第十二个理由，生态学的依据。螳螂捕蝉，黄雀在后，苍鹰更后。权力产生腐败，绝对权 力产生绝对腐败。中宣部如此绝对的权力为什么就没有监督？谁能保证它不腐败？它不以 权牟利？中宣部后面也应该“黄雀”，没人敢追问他打一个“不许报道！”的电话背后是 不是收受了别人的贿赂，这是生态学常识不能答应的。恐龙没有天敌，最后还是灭亡。大 家彼此应该“互相监督，切莫违犯了”。
第十三个理由，大不了一死，我还正不想活了。每听说中宣部又出台新“不许”了，我就 恨不得一口气把自己憋死算了。或者离圆明园、颐和园都很近，那里到处是荒林子，足以 把人吊死的树枝有一千万个不止，找个僻静之地，“自挂东南枝”算了，不看这个世界了 。这都是什么混帐“不许”啊！实在没什么法子让中宣部醒来呀！人固有一死，或重于泰 山，或轻于鸿毛。读研究生时一师兄常说：“司马迁写《史记》蛋砸三砖。”蛋砸就砸了 ，可你要不让他写《史记》，成吗？我想遍宪法、刑法、中华人民共和国各种法，讨伐中 宣部该不着死罪。既是“活罪”，就更没什么好怕。不就是蹲大狱吗？没准还捞个“秦城 待遇”。蹲秦城是以肉身存银行，有利息，不贬值。现在凡叫得上名字的老人物，有几个 没蹲过秦城？甘地说监狱是大英帝国免费的旅馆，住着很棒，一日三餐很省心。中国监狱 与大英帝国的监狱在这一点上文明程度一样，也是全免费的（曾经有一个时期不太一样， 枪毙一个“反革命”，那“反革命”的家属得拿五毛钱的子弹费，不然不得收尸）。不就 是性生活悬空吗？练“在狱出家功”可也。不就是吃不好吗？还能比上高中、上大学差？ 高中、大学时我就饿过肚子，没什么大不了。受过苦的人有担待。前几天看凤凰卫视，许 戈辉采访丁玲老伴儿陈明先生，说秦城伙食不孬。那是什么时候啊？正当物质匮乏。现在 ，全国人民都不挨饿，还能亏了秦城人？不就是可能挨点儿小打吗？我一受刺激容易休克 ，像有些昆虫的假死。一打，假死了，谅他再也不敢打第二次。话说过来，打死也没什么 ，孙志刚不是就被打死了吗？不死哪能成圣啊？中国人有个毛病，就是想成圣贤不顾老婆 孩子。这一点西方人更可取，想成圣贤就不成家，当年来中国传教的那些耶稣会教士就是 这样，“不婚不宦”。如果让我自己“定罪”，我既不该死罪，也没有“活罪”，讨伐中 宣部，推动中国当代社会文明，功劳反倒是大大的，大英雄一个，跟前面提到的诸位前人 一样，足以名垂青史。
第十四个理由，我对苦难的敏感度比较高，对不公正的麻木度比较低。上访和民工欠薪二 事，谁要说影响稳定，不能报道，我就特别痛恨。元旦那天，胡主席对全世界作个简短的 “新年献词”，呼吁、祝愿世界和平。听了我很生气。呼吁、祝愿什么世界和平啊，呼吁 拖欠的民工款全还了就行了！祝愿全中国的上访者委屈的心都得到平复就足够了！就功德 无量了！元旦那天夜里，我做个梦。我到颐和园游玩，一个人影都不见，一个大园子里就 我一个游客。我疑疑惑惑、意意思思地走，就这么来到十七孔桥上。低头一看，桥拱最高 处有一双鞋，鞋尖对着北边的石栏杆，放得特别整齐。人投水死了，剩下一双鞋，让人注 意。这是我见这双鞋子的第一个感觉。接着一个感觉是发现这双鞋竟是我自己的！我已经 投昆明湖死了。我不信我死了，我要寻找没死的证据。末了我发现鞋里有一封信，是写给 胡锦涛主席和温家宝总理的。信的大意是，你们为什么不下死命令解决民工欠薪问题？你 们为什么不壮士断腕下死力解决上访问题？今天我要死给你们看！明年再有欠薪，再有上 访，我在阴间决不饶恕你们！瞧瞧，我已经在梦里
“死谏”，以死抗议政府对上访和欠薪的麻木不仁了！
在中央要求各级领导树立科学的发展观。中宣部动辄以“影响稳定”为由封杀新闻传媒， 我们必须重新打量这个理由，培育起科学的发展观。据我思索，稳定有三种状态，一是常 态稳定，一是不稳定状态，一是超稳定状态。超稳定状态就是死态，就是化石状态。中宣 部现在搞的稳定就是超稳定状态，中国新闻媒体已经被它搞得化石般稳定。
以“影响稳定”为由封杀新闻报道的根源也有三个：一个是中宣部冷血愚昧，像报道上访 、欠薪会影响稳定，报道计划生育的野蛮做法会影响国家形象，诸如此类，都是愚昧冷血 造成的。如今关于欠薪的报道这么轰轰烈烈，不仅没有影响稳定，反倒国家因此稳定许多 ，政府因此亲和许多，这充分证明过去中宣部以“影响稳定”为由扼杀新闻监督的行为是 多么的愚昧和大错特错。它大大推迟了中国社会的文明进程，在世界国家之林为中国执政 党和政府抹了太多的黑。
再一个根源是中宣部权力寻租，这边拿了人家的钱，转脸就以“影响稳定”的名义喝令焦 点访谈或其他什么媒体不许报道。据可靠消息，没有中宣部摆不平、封不杀的媒体，只有 新华社的内参除外。所以给中宣部送钱免灾的恶人都知道，如果是被新华社内参盯上了， 上供中宣部也不好使。
被中宣部指控为“影响稳定”，从而加以封杀，对此我们要厉声问一句：“影响了谁的稳 定？”影响了国家的稳定吗？非也！影响了腐败分子的稳定！影响了宝马案肇事者的稳定 ！影响了云南省委宣传部部长的稳定！针对中宣部号称的“稳定压倒一切”，我们不能不 问一声：“谁的稳定压倒一切？”从中宣部叫“停”的一个个报道里我们看到，是腐败分 子的稳定压倒一切！是邪恶势力的稳定压倒一切！是欺压良善弱小的人的稳定压倒一切！ 是有钱给中宣部上供的人的稳定压倒一切！是克扣民工工资的工头的稳定压倒一切！是逼 迫苦难的人民群众千里万里走上上访路者的稳定压倒一切！
第三个根源是确实可能影响稳定，于是喊“停”。对此我们还要问一问：到底影响的是哪 一种稳定？是常态的稳定，还是超稳定？如果影响常态稳定，是该喊“停”。如果影响的 是超稳定，那是应该影响影响的，再不影响影响就死屁了，万马齐喑。什么是常态稳定， 什么是超稳定，什么是不稳定，必须有个科学的指标，而决不能允许像过去那样，跟着冷 血、愚昧、贪贿者的感觉走！中宣部对中国文化事业的管理，远远比三百年前的英帝国对 新闻出版事业的管理还要落后。对此我们不能无动于衷。
已经是数字化时代，中宣部的决策也要数字化。已经是透明的时代，中宣部的决策也要透 明化。找遍北京的街道，你看不见“中宣部”的招牌；拨北京的114查号台，你查不到中 宣部的电话；网上搜索“中宣部”，你得到的是空白。这是一个什么样的闭目塞听，以不 变应万变，悖逆时代而存在的“机关”！中宣部是地下党，还是黑社会组织？它为什么胆 敢这么无视公众对中宣部的知情权？中宣部早已不是党和政府的意识形态看门人，而蜕变 为有着独立经济利益的险要“机关”。它拥有对全国庞大的新闻业说一不二的“叫停”特 权，它安享着“说你影响稳定你就影响稳定”的鉴定垄断权和由此带来的谁也不知道究竟 有多少油水的非法利益。已经是听证的时代，中宣部每发一号，施一令，也必须建立在严 格科学理性的基础上。保守的，历来以极左闻名的，冷战思维孑遗的，谁也说不清它究竟 接受过多少黑钱，谁也说不清它究竟曾迫使多少弱者和受害者在媒体上失声的中宣部，该 彻底清算了！谁左谁当宣传部长的恐怖时代该终结了！
[本文原载《网路文摘》，作者是北大新闻传播系副教授]
micah@earthling.netAs translated at NorthSouthEastWest.
What is the bottleneck in the cultural development of Chinese society? It is the Central Propaganda Department (and the entire propaganda system). What is the stumbling block in the cultural development of Chinese society? It is the Central Propaganda Department. Which is the largest and most powerful protective umbrella for the forces of evil and corruption in China? It is the Central Propaganda Department. Why do I say that? Everybody knows that China does not have too much freedom of the press; it is has too little. And who is trying to impose even more limits on the very little freedom of press? It is the Central Propaganda Department. Freedom of press is a measure of the development of civilization. Western philosophers have said that they can do without government, but they cannot do without the freedom of press. The Central Propaganda Department treats freedom of press as the enemy, and does not even permit the words "freedom of press" to be used freely. This is an obvious infringement on this most basic measure of civilization. The Central Propaganda Department has become the bastion to defend the most reactionary forces, allowing them to abuse power and practice corruption at the cost of ruining the images of the party and the government as well as damaging the civil development of the nation. If they are permitted to continue to ignore the law and to abuse their power, they will not only cause eternal damnation for themselves but they would also hamper the reform process, delay the development of political culture and to put the millions of intellectuals in China into shame. Therefore, we must rise up and criticize the Central Propaganda Department.
The first illness of the Central Propaganda Department is that they operate like superstitious old ladies and men who follow ritualistic behavior. Many people have seen Zhao Shuli's "Xiao Erhei gets married". The Central Propaganda Department operates just like Xiao Erhei's father Er Zhuge and Xiao Jing's mother San Xiangu. According to these two know-it-all's, one is not supposed to "plant seeds" today, nor to "travel" tomorrow, nor to "get married" the day after and so on. Is that not the same behavior that the Central Propaganda Department practices when it comes to controlling the news media? Today, you can't mention "Jiang Yanyong", tomorrow you can't reflect on SARS, the day after tomorrow there will be some new taboo to bar you from saying that the media are "social instruments", for example. What is the origin of all these bans? What are their bases? Are they any more 'scientific' than the "conclusions" coming from Liu Xiude or San Xiangu? All their bans have no basis, and are contrary to any civilized standards that are founded upon logical and basic humanistic values. In fact, they belong to the same class as traditional superstition.
The second illness of the Central Propaganda Department is the Vaticanization of their power. The Central Propaganda Department is as powerful and self-righteous as the Roman Catholic Church in the Middle Ages in Europe. Anyone who touches them will get burned. They are just like the exotic snake of Yungzhou described by Liu Zhongyuan -- when the snake touches grass, the grass dies; when the snake bites a person, the person dies. We cannot accept that the Central Propaganda Department is always correct like the Roman Catholic Church in the Middle Ages, we cannot accept that the Central Propaganda Department is as holy as the cardinals, and we cannot accept that the Central Propaganda Department is more potent than the exotic snake of Yungzhou. The Central Propaganda Department is watching the news media, but who is watching the Central Propaganda Department? "If the Emperor of Hell wants you to die at three o'clock in the morning, who would dare let you live until five o'clock?" The Central Propaganda Department has disciplined many reporters and editors, but nobody dares to speak up. Could the Central Propaganda Department be always correct? In other government departments, there are still different degrees by which they obey rules and regulations. Only the Central Propaganda Department has no rules or regulations. They behave just like the superstitious people who can say something that is against even the most basic human civic values but those words have the effect as if they were perfect. The Central Propaganda Department is the only dead spot in China that does not operate by rules and regulations; it is a dark empire in which the rays of law do not shine. The Central Propaganda Department is the last black box of the People's Republic of China. We cannot permit it to continue to exist peacefully with all those powers.
The third illness of the Central Propaganda Department is the emulation of the Japanese Education Department. The Japanese Education Department has repeatedly revised its school textbooks to change the history of Japanese invasion of China, replacing the word "invasion" with "entry." The Central Propaganda Department is even worse, because it does not allow historical errors to be mentioned. The Anti-Rightist campaign, the Cultural Revolution, the death of tens of millions of peasants from famine, June Fourth, the BMW case in Harbin, et cetera, are all taboo topics. All this has make it unbearable for people in the media and academia, and it is extremely disappointing to the people at large.
The fourth illness of the Central Propaganda Department is the assassination of the constitution. The freedom of public speech is a guaranteed right of the constitution of the People's Republic of China. Logically, the Central Propaganda Department is the Propaganda Department of the People's Republic of China and it should therefore protect the freedom of public speech. In practice, it is the worst infringer and the spiritual butcher of the freedom of speech that is guaranteed by the constitution. The constitution was created by the government, but here is a government department that does not try to protect it and instead does everything possible to trash it. This must be a rare phenomenon in the world today. To protect the constitution, it is necessary to criticize the Central Propaganda Department.
The fifth illness of the Central Propaganda Department is the betrayal of the high ideals of the Chinese Communist Party, thus becoming a traitor to the CCP by its actions. The period of the 1940s saw the struggle against the Kuomintang (Nationalists), and that was the most glorious time for the Chinese Communist Party. Some people have attempted to republish the opinion editorials and other articles from Chongqing's "Xinhua Daily" and Yenan's "Liberation Daily" but that was squashed by the Central Propaganda Department. Those articles advocated democracy and freedom of speech, and were the best and most representative of the cultural progress of China at the time, but they have been banned by the Central Propaganda Department. This goes to show that the Central Propaganda Department has become an enemy of the original ideals of the Communist Party. Every true Communist Party member should rise up and not permit the Central Propaganda Department to ruin the party and the nation.
The sixth illness of the Central Propaganda Department is that it is the inheritor of the Cold War. Anything that the Central Propaganda Department touches about the United States is always hostile. "Anything that the enemy opposes, we will support. Anything that the enemy supports, we will oppose." This is still the guideline of the Central Propaganda Department with respect to international propaganda and the guideline for western news reports. At a certain publishing company, a proposed project was titled, "How Americans run their country." When the editor-in-chief saw the title, he panicked and asked, "What do you mean?" What he meant was that it is not allowed to praise the American political system. The Central Propaganda Department has always said so. But the American political system is the way of progress, and when you say that it is a pile of dogshit, you are actually moving towards the real pile of dogshit or in fact you are actually eat from it. Let's get real, Central Propaganda Department! Let's recover your sense of smell and call everything by their proper natures, or else you will go down in disrepute and become a shameful name in history. Since you already have a bad reputation for so long, you should quickly cease before you fall over the cliff.
The seventh illness of the Central Propaganda Department is that it is the obstructionist of the spirit of the Central Government. According to the media, especially those who have to go to the Central Propaganda Department to listen to instructions: when you listen to the leadership of the Central Government, everything is bright and hopeful in China. When you listen to the Central Propaganda Department, you feel that there are dark clouds and evil actors everywhere in China, which is completely opposite to the spirit of the Central Government. The number one subversive, the number one opponent, the number one naysayer, the number one obstructionist --- it is not Taiwan, it is not Hong Kong, it is not corrupt officials, it is not overseas pro-democracy elements, it is not American imperialism, it is not Falun Gong, it is not the families of the June 4 victims, it is the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party. At a moment like this, you have to wonder what day is today, whose Central Propaganda Department is this, whose orders does this department follow, and whether this is a bright or dark day. As I pen this, this happens to be the time of the congresses of 2004 and this should be the time when the media becomes most active and the political discussion among the people should be most free. Instead, the media have been forced by the Central Propaganda Department to be void of any excitement. The issues raised at the congresses, such as the revision of the constitution and the problem of evictions were not permitted to be discussed in the media. This is completely going against the work of the Central Government.
The eighth illness of the Central Propaganda Department is that it is callous and feeble-minded. I was speaking on the telephone with a friend who works at a magazine, and we happened to talk about the collection of articles about petitions (信訪) that appeared in a recent issue of his magazine. I happened to have read those articles too. He said, "This collection of articles had some impact. Even the Central Propaganda Department called us to say that this was the biggest coverage so far about petition." I responded: "This is far from adequate! There should have been a special issue on the subject. What is this magazine issue of yours? It is like taking a tourist trip of petitioning, and treating the problems of the petitioners as vistas. This is like scratching a foot itch from the outside of the shoe. It is too light-weighted. You ought to pursue the path to assist the government to actually solve the problems of petitioning. It is necessary to have your feet on solid ground, as opposed to just giving a fleeting snapshot. It is necessary to get to the root of the matter and to use the power of the media to eliminate the various ills that are currently associated with the petitioning process. Some time ago, I published an open letter to Premier Wen on the Internet and I advised this government to devote one-third of its efforts to solve those problems that lower the collective welfare index of the people. Wealth is important, but wealth is not equivalent to happiness. When the human condition is not fit for the people, this is against the purpose of the government and damaging to the nation. The petitioning process is a sore point, and it is the number one problem of social welfare. I hope Premier Wen read that letter. The existence of the petition process is an unforgivable sin, and we actually permit this to exist for decades! This should really be on our conscience!"
After hearing my words, the friend said, "The Central Propaganda Department did not call to encourage us. They called to berate us because this was affecting the stability of society." I got quite angry: "Idiots! They are mentally retarded! So what if every single petitioner is a bomb that will go off? As far as the 1.3 billion Chinese people goes, this is still a very small number. How can they affect the stability of society? Besides, nine out of ten petitioners are reasonable people. The truly violent ones don't even petition. The fact that the petitions were allowed to go on for such a long time is the real problem. The Propaganda Department's admonishments merely cause the petition problem to remain unsolved at the root. If the media were allowed to follow up, as opposed to being cold-bloodedly and feeble-mindedly suppressed, the whole petition phenomenon would have f**king disappeared eight hundred years ago!"
I am more reserved when I write, but I can really curse like a bitchy woman or street thug when I speak on the phone. I was extremely angry! How is a news report going to affect social stability? Refusing to report on these issues is what will lead to social instability. Faced with one after another tragic petition story, they are totally unmoved and instead they admonish the media for saying too much. This is stone-hearted! Too stupid, too callous, too disgusting! With this sort of mentality and cold-heartedness in charge of this critical post, no wonder that it is hurting our people and our China!
During the period of the SARS outbreak, the Health Ministry held a meeting to discuss how to disclose the truth about SARS. Some Health Ministry officials were concerned that the revelation of the whole truth would cause panic. I was very angry and said, "All of you present here know the truth, right? But we are all doing fine as none of us have hung ourselves or jump out of a window, isn't that so? You don't think that we are better than the common folks! So let's notify the media and do a press conference to tell the truth to the people." The Health Ministry leadership actually listened to the advice and disclosed the state of the epidemic on the next day. This was the 'truth' that we saw on April 20th when Minister Zhang Wenkang declared on television that China was quite safe for travelers. What is the point of my digression here? It is to illustrate that some government officials are more lazy and callous than others. They don't own any sign of scientific thinking and they just follow their feeble-minded instincts and make stupid decisions. They claim that they are considering the good of society and that they are striving for social stability, when in fact they are guilty of hurting the people and the country!"
The ninth illness of the Central Propaganda Department is the protection of bad and corrupt people. A while ago, the various media received the twenty-five Don'ts from the Central Propaganda Department. One of the Don'ts is to ban all news media from reporting on the fact that the Propaganda Department Head of Yunnan Province has been subjected to the double 'discipline' (from the government and the party). Why was it not permitted to discuss this matter? Because it would affect the reputation of the Propaganda Department negatively. This is an evil reason! The Propaganda Department is not exempt from oversight. When you banned the reporting of the disciplining of the Propaganda Department Head of Yunnan Province, whose interest are you serving? You are serving the interests of those who are 'disciplined.' This Don't command caused sorrow among the reporters and elation among the corrupt elements, and this is not the proper function of any propaganda department. This is absolute lawlessness! I ask any righteous person whether this should be tolerated? The Central Propaganda Department has squashed numerous news reports. If each such news report is about little people being oppressed, then banning the report is to perpetuate the oppression of little people while acting as the accessory to the evil people.
The tenth illness of the Central Propaganda Department is to eat their own while placating the outside world. The news media are tightly controlled by the Central Propaganda Department. If you are going to supervise them, then you have the responsibility of looking after them. When reporters are attacked time and again, we never see the Central Propaganda Department stand up on their behalf. You have all sorts of ways of punishing reporters. But when the reporters ask you to stand up on their behalf, you are like a turtle retracting its head inside the shell and you don't even fart once!
The eleventh illness of the Central Propaganda Department is that it looks noble in spirit, but it is actually the slave to money. When they tell the media to cease and desist in their supervisory role, they give the seemingly fair reason of "Stability trumps everything else". Actually, most of the time, it is about the trading of power for money. They are taking the money from the evil people in exchange for the power vested in them by the government and the party. According to some media workers at the large websites and major newspapers, the Central Propaganda Department often instructs them to do advertising for certain cultural products in the name of propaganda. Thus, the media waived the advertisement fee even though the advertisers are still paying for the space. Where did the money go? It went into the pockets of the people who call the shots. According to reliable sources, the Putuo District of Ningbo City paid 800,000 yuan to ask the Central Propaganda Department to stop a CCTV special feature. In Tientsin, the principal in a public health matter also paid several hundred thousand yuan to kill off a CCTV report. Thus, killing off a report is actually protecting certain evil elements, thus perpetuating a particular evil. This is trading the image of the government and the party for some illegal profit. Recently, the Central Propaganda Department closed down the discussion of the BMW case. Why? Why? Why!? Were they paid off by the principal? We cannot help but raise the question.
The twelfth illness of the Central Propaganda Department is that they are jealous of the virtuous and the righteous. They will clamp down on anyone who dares to speak up. They will bury alive anyone whose shows a sense of righteousness. Right now, there cannot be any best-selling book in China. Any books that sells well will be quickly met by the Central Propaganda Department to "put out the fire." Their reason may seem fair, but the motivation is foul. To kill off a creative bestseller is to strangle the creativity of the Chinese people. To bring down a righteous reporter, scholar or newspaper is to suppress the sense of righteousness in China. To the extent that China is experiencing the drying up of creativity, the corruption of morals, the disappearance of righteousness and the rise of evil forces, the Central Propaganda Department must bear 99% of the responsibility. It is the Central Propaganda Department which has ruined political and social ethics in China.
The thirteenth illness of the Central Propaganda Department is that it is the secondary creator of the severe problems encountered by the weaker social groups in China. The problem of unpaid wages has persisted for many years. Why is it up to Premier Wen now to deal with it? Because the Central Propaganda Department did not permit the media to report on this issue. If the problem of unpaid wages does not enter into the view of the people, how can it be solved? Why have petitions gone on for so many years? Why do multiple generations of the same family have to keep petitioning the same issue? The Central Propaganda Department has been covering up for numerous criminals. There have also been many tragic stories about family planning, but they happen again and again because the media cannot report on them. The evil ones are not afraid of officials, they are only afraid of being reported in the news. The news media could have solved 10,000 problems and prevented 10,000 disasters. But due to the backwardness and heavy-handedness of the Central Propaganda Department, 9,999 of these reporters were suppressed. The Central Propaganda Department is the secondary creator and accessory to the disasters visited on the weaker groups in China.
The fourteenth illness of the Central Propaganda Department is that it is the butcher of the sense of fairness, justice and civility. Every time the media leaders come back from more Central Propaganda Department lectures, they complain that it was like going back in time in that meeting room. That standard drill from the Central Propaganda Department runs contrary to the current trend. Although the media leaders look as if they came back in one piece, they have actually suffered inside. Their sense of fairness, justice and civility have been deeply injured. To hurt one's feelings about fairness is the deepest hurt of all, to trash one's sense of justice is the cruelest hurt of all.
The first option is to eliminate all propaganda departments. Does the United States have a propaganda department? Does England have one? Does Europe have one? They don't. Who had a propaganda department? There was a famous propaganda chief, and he is Dr. Goebbels. He is the inventor of "When a lie is repeated one thousand times, it comes the truth." The propaganda department of the Kuomintang when Chiang Kai-Shek rule the mainland has its core anti-Marxist message that the Communists advocated "sharing the wealth and the women" and labeling the Zhu-Mao army as "communist bandits." The idea of a propaganda department is basically against the historical materialism of Karl Marx. Their core duty is to create something good out of nothing and to make the bad things go away. Good things get magnified, and bad things are shrunk. Black becomes white, white becomes black. Up is down, down is up. There is no such thing as objectivity. It is totally contrary to the spirit of pragmatism. Propaganda itself is evil work, it is a disaster, it is a way of alienating the government from its people. The fact that China does not have a good international image is the responsibility of the Central Propaganda Department, whose work philosophy and methods are inconsistent with contemporary civilization.
The second option is to create a "Manual of Propaganda Methods" and then everything has to be done by the book. No more procedures based upon unfounded beliefs that resemble superstitions. They are permitted to operate under the current model, but there must be oversight in order to ensure the Central Propaganda Department no longer works like the Roman Catholic Church. There are four specific methods. Method 1, set up a special investigation area in order to assess the rights and wrongs of the Central Propaganda Department in the past. To see which things the Central Propaganda Department did right or did wrong, to see what each Department head did good or bad. Let the good be praised and the bad be cursed. We can work backwards in time, from the current leaders Liu Qingwen and Ji Bingxuan and backwards in time.
The second method is to make sure that the Central Propaganda Department keep a daily log to list all its activities. For each day, there is a list of imposed bans and a list of warnings. Everything must be recorded for inspection, so that it is possible to determine responsibility at some future moment in time. The present process is most typically communicated over the telephone, and is designed to evade responsibility and the verdict of history. When something bad happens now, the Central Propaganda Department calls and orders no reporting to be done. Investigators need to be particularly alert about these types of situations, and to see if there is anything else behind the "stability above all else' claim. Was there any trade of power for money? What was the reason for volunteering to help bad people cover up their bad deeds? Mr Lu Xun said, "I don't mind looking at a Chinese person by assuming the worst about him." What reason do we have in not assuming the worst about the "stop order" phone call coming from the Central Propaganda Department? How much did you take from the bad guy to make that "stop order" telephone call? If you confess, the punishment will be lightened; if you insist on denying, the punishment will be severe; so speak the truth now!
The third method is to set up a system of accountability for propaganda work. For even a minor piece of construction work, there is a system of accountability. If propaganda work goes awry, the damage is much more severe than the minor piece of construction work, so there should be a system of accountability. To put it simply, the formation of consciousness is much more important than a minor piece of construction work and cannot be ignored. In the past, the Central Propaganda Department had initiated all those anti-something-or-the-other campaigns. Today, they are just jokes and scandals, but how come nobody is being held accountable?
The fourth method is to increase the transparency of the work of the Central Propaganda Department. The media can publish all the bans by the Central Propaganda Department anytime. The Central Propaganda Department has the responsibility of letting the people evaluate which of the edicts of the Central Propaganda Department are proper or improper, good or bad. When the media chiefs hear something from the Central Propaganda Department that they feel is contrary to civilized commonsense, they ought to publish it. Evil deeds fear transparency. The unreasonableness of the Central Propaganda Department so far has been heard by the media chiefs in communications that are deemed to be irrational, uncivilized and even reactionary and then only disclosed 'in confidence' to others. Sometimes, the lectures from the Central Propaganda Department are conducted in thuggish tones, filled with callous thoughts and manipulative desires. The Chinese media sector is a vast system, but its contribution to social progress and welfare has been limited severely because the Central Propaganda Department has managed to cause things to go backwards through its news control. This is saddening! This is maddening!
Its ultra-leftist roots have not been purged. For many years, the newspaper circle uses the phrase: "Based upon reasons that are well-known to everyone, a certain report was killed off." What are these "reasons that are well-known to everyone"? This would be because the Central Propaganda Department interfered. To say that something was not reported due to "reasons that are well-known to everyone" is an absurdity; it is stupid, perhaps even reactionary, but it cannot be overturned. This means that the Central Propaganda Department has the right to say black is white and white is black, that it can disrespect public opinion, that it can say up is down and down is up, that it can change the rules of game at any time, that it can trample common civilized ways. This is absurd as everyone knows but it is so powerful and untouchable such that several hundred thousand news workers and several million intellectuals cannot say anything against it. This is the shame of the Chinese moral character! People in the news industry say, "The authority of the Central Propaganda Department is only as thick as a piece of window paper, but nobody wants to poke it open." Why won't anyone poke it open? Because they are afraid. Why are they afraid? Because it is too powerful, it does not reason and it obeys no law. So the good person does not fight the tough bully. If he hurts you, you have no recourse because even the courts are afraid of him and will not accept any complaints. This is simply going to encourage bad behavior from the Propaganda Department to continue its various devices that are contrary to civil norms. The Propaganda Department is like a dark cloud hanging over the head of the Chinese news industry. It is contemptuous of all the rights and wrongs in civil society, it is the worst eroder of popular opinion about the government and the party, it is the worst eroder of support for the legality of the government and the party and it is the secondary causal agent of disasters visited upon the needy groups in China.
Why is the Central Propaganda Department so vicious? First of all, this is the historical legacy of the ultra-leftist past. From Wang Min, Kang Xin, Yao Wenyuan, Zhang Chunqiao up to now, the Central Propaganda Department has always been spared any scrutiny both morally and politically. It may have done something which proves to be wrong afterwards, it may have encouraged the wrong things and it may have changed leadership, but its position has never changed. One, it does not need to reflect; two, it does not need to regret; three, it does not need to accept responsibility. During the Anti-Rightist period, during the Cultural Revolution and all the other anti-something-or-the-other campaigns, the Central Propaganda Department was always hotter than hot iron and deadlier than the exotic snake, but nobody asks it to recapitulate its mistakes. The political lines may change and the leadership may change, but the redness and the poison of the Central Propaganda Department never changes. The Central Propaganda Department has never been purged. Its roles has not been altered, its thought processes and operational procedures are untouched. Its ultra-leftism and extremism are unchanged. It is necessary to go over the historical mistakes of the Central Propaganda Department just like Wang Min, Kang Xin, Yao Wenyuan and Zhang Chunqiao have been criticized. Secondly, this is a system that has inherited its consciousness from the past. It is still fixated with the international Cold War mentality. The Chinese media say that the United States is holding on to the Cold War without letting go, but it is the Central Propaganda Department that is the true loyal widow of the Cold War. Thirdly, the Central Propaganda Department regards the 9.6 million square kilometers area of China as its own private domain and deprives the right to speak for anyone of whom it does not approve. China belongs to each and every Chinese person. It is the homeland of all persons of Chinese descent and we all share the equal right to inhabit this piece of earth that was developed by our common ancestors and we all have the equal rights to live freely, express freely and speak freely. Even if I don't like the People's Republic of China, I have the right to live here without going prison or into exile, because this is my inheritance. Your Central Propaganda Department head's great grandfather was a farmer on this earth, but so was the great grandfather of the political exile. The great grandchildren of these great grand-fathers are equal, and should be able to sit at the same table to discuss national politics. But the Central Propaganda Department will not permit you to read this, say this or discuss that.
First reason, Chairman Mao has given me the courage to be afraid of nothing. "All reactionaries are paper tigers. When you look at them, they look really mean. Actually, they don't have much strength. From the long-term perspective, the truly powerful force does not belong to the reactionary forces. It belongs to the people." Within the news sector, people have begun to refer in private to the Central Propaganda Department as the "reactionary force" in China. The term "reactionary force" has political overtones and historical connotations. Although I would prefer not to use this term, it is hard to use any other term given the types of behaviors that the Central Propaganda Department is engaged in. The reactionary nature of the Central Propaganda Department is "well-known to everyone", and it is of an overt and unambiguous reactionary nature.
Second reason, this is my constitutional right. The People's Republic of China should not have a tiger's ass, it should not have any sacred object that is above and beyond questioning, and it should not have saints like the cardinals of the Middle Ages in Europe.
Third reason, I am smarter and more civilized than the Central Propaganda Department. I look at the work done by the Central Propaganda Department from the top to the bottom, and I see a stupid and arrogant person who stubbornly walks towards the middle of a lightly frozen deep lake. It is like a street bully that nobody dares to tell to stop. I am unable to hold back and I must tell him to stop. Their actions are irrational and do not benefit anyone. They believe that they are the loyal guardsmen who are defending the country on behalf of the government and the party. I see them as doing wrong by the government and the party. Every single "Don't" that they issue does not stand up to scrutiny; they are all the crystallization of idiocies that damage the government and the party. The best example is when they say that a piece of reporting will "affect stability." Will it really affect stability? By how much will it affect stability? How will it be affecting stability? Have they investigated it? Have they researched it? How did they come to this conclusion? There is no hint of science, just stupidity! Just laziness! Just callousness!
Fourth reason, I cannot stand the way that they have trampled upon civilized commonsense. They will not permit the media to use the term "citizen" (公民). Only the term "common people" (老百姓) is allowed. They will not permit the words for "democracy" and "freedom" to appear in the media. Those two words can appear in the Constitution and they appear in the Sixteen Big Reports, but common folks cannot use it. This is obviously treating the concepts of "democracy" and "freedom" as purely decorative. What kind of question is this? They are the enemy of humankind, the enemy of civilization, the enemy of democracy, the enemy of liberty! This is the antagonistic conflict between enemies! This is an infringement of the most basic professional tenet of 1.6 million news workers, this is an insult and an injury to the most basic cultural attitude of several million intellectuals. This type of behavior goes against the most basic precept of media culture and political culture. This proves that they are not defending the government and the party, they are not implementing the "three representations". Rather they are representatives of backward culture, and they represent corrupt and defunct cultural downfall.
Fifth reason, I take pity. I cannot stand to see the Central Propaganda Department destroy itself, and I cannot stand to see them destroy the last surviving breath of spirit left in China. I must act like the Buddhist master and yell out the Zen cry: "Behave yourselves! Don't go down that way!"
Sixth reason, all other departments can be subjected to criticism by the media. Even the work of the Party Secretary and the Premier can be "criticized." But how come the Central Propaganda Department cannot be "criticized"? The Justice Department, the Public Safety Bureau, the Railroad Department, the Labor Department and the Social Protection Department and their department heads have been challenged and criticized by the media. In particular, the Railroad Department is hounded each year by the people, saying that ticket price increases during the Spring holidays were appalling ways of making profits on the back of the Chinese New Year. Each time, the Central Propaganda Department issued a "Don't" order to the media. Thus, the news media experienced once again the tormented disappointment and they are reduced to complaining on the sideline. Yet why isn't anyone asking, "Is your ban appropriate? On what basis do you issue a ban?" They are working against the popular will, yet they are so powerful. Why? Why is the Central Propaganda Department the cat and the news media the mouse? Who gave the Central Propaganda Department the waiver from oversight and criticism?
Seventh reason, the Assistant Head of the Central Propaganda Department Ji Bingxuan is from Henan province. Near the end of 2003, he issues a series of 25 Don'ts, the news industry workers joked that "People from Henan like to play games!" A person in a high position within the news industry said, "When the current Central Propaganda Department leadership first came in during the spring, it was the time of SARS so they were always very courteous to the editors at the communications meeting. Now they are bullies who are tough and rough. They don't see you and they treat the meeting attendees as if they were idiots. Historically, natural disasters have hit Henan province the hardest. In 1942, more than 1 million died from starvation in Henan. Twenty years later in 1962, even more people died from starvation because the administrators were horrible. The adminstrators were mostly loyal to the leaders. But they end up following the devil's path instead of following the leaders. The leaders have their own concerns, and they think you are following them but you have actually followed the devil. So you draw farther and farther away until you have become an enemy of the civilization. I do not believe the 25 "Don'ts" came personally from Chairman Hu. I believe that they were completely concocted by the Central Propaganda Department. "If you are going to employ someone, you should trust them; if you don't trust someone, you shouldn't be using them." "Let the comrades act flexibly in accordance with to what they can observe." Thus, the leaders of the Central Propaganda Department have turned the trust of the central leadership into all harm and no benefits. There is an old saying, "Watch out for fires, watch out for thieves, watch out for people from Henan." This is heartbreaking. We cannot let the entire environment of discourse for the entire country be turned into Henan style.
Eighth reason, this is about my own literary style. Liang Qichiao extended contemporary reporting to the extreme, Hu Shi extended the plain style, Hsu Zimo introduced new poetry, Lu Xun extended the essay, Li Ao, Pei Yang, Wang Yi, Confucius, Mencius, Cao Xueqin, the eight famous writers of the Tang and Song dynasties are all the tops of their fields. Each one of them contributed significantly to the Han language and they each made indelible contributions to the Han tribe. I hope that I will develop this particular fearless style of language to contribute my share to the Han language and the Han tribe. An intellectual has no earthly possessions to contribute to the country except that the pen in hand is as powerful as a knife.
Ninth reason, the encouragement of my predecessors. Three hundred and sixty years ago, Newton wrote "On the Freedom to Publish", one hundred and fifty years ago Karl Marx wrote "Comments on the Latest Prussian Censorship", 1500 years ago Luo Bingwang wrote "The Declaration to Fight Against Wu Zhao", Nietzsche said "God is Dead!", Jiang Taiyin denounced Emperor Kuangshu as a "little clown", Liang Chiqiao denounced Yuan Xikai as "that strange national problem", the May 4 progressives cried out, "Down with the Confucius shop!", Zhang Guiluan criticized Chiang Kai-Shek's views of life, Kuo Muyu asked people to "Look at today's Chiang Kai-Shek", Fu Shinian wrote the essay "This Song Tsewen must leave" to attack the 'royal' brother-in-law', ... , there are too many predecessors to be enumerated. Comapred to them, what is my little cry to say that "this Ji Bingxuan must go" or "Criticize the Central Propaganda Department!"? This is just small fries. Besides, outside this country, the news media always say that if a president fails in his job, he must quit. If a minister has bad results, he too must leave. I don't believe that a Chinese person who criticizes the Central Propaganda Department would get the death sentence for treason. If you don't to become a general, you shouldn't become a soldier. An intellectual who doesn't want to become Newton is not a good intellectual. I want to be China's Newton, I want this "Declaration against the Central Propaganda Department" to become a landmark historical document, like "On the Freedom to Publish" and "Comments on the Latest Prussian Censorship."
Tenth reason, the desire to benefit the future generation. I want to rescue the Central Propaganda Department so that it can be the source of happiness. "Citizen" and "democracy" have become taboo. Is this not a major disaster? When will it end? Even fish and birds know to worry about their descendants, so too must human beings. A thousand people acquiesce and that is not as good as one dissenter. Wenhuang was the one who dissented and therefore he prospered; Zhouhuang was the one who said nothing and therefore he met a bad end.
Eleventh reason, people in the same business stick together. You are a news gatherer whereas I am a researcher of news. I am interested in the process by which news is gathered. We are in fact one family, and we have the same responsibility about the welfare of our business, which is to serve the Chinese people. We should compliment each other to orient ourselves along our common axis: the Chinese nation and the Chinese tribe.
Twelfth reason, biological evidence. While the praying mantis is catching the cricket, the bird is not far behind, and then the eagle is right behind too. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. With so much power in hand, how can the Central Propaganda Department not be supervised? Who can guarantee that it won't be corrupted? Do they trade power for money? There ought to be a yellow bird right behind the back of the Central Propaganda Department, so that someone can ask them if this "Don't" order was issued on account of a payoff. This is unacceptable in the biological sciences. The dinosaur did not have a natural enemy, but it still became distinct. We should also be watching each other and not cross the line.
Thirteenth reason, at worst I'll die since I don't want to live anymore. Every time that I hear the Central Propaganda Department issue another "Don't", I wish I could kill myself. Or else go to Yuanming Yuan or Yiwo Yuan where there must be thousands of trees on which to hang myself so as not to look at this world anymore. It is always another "Don't"! Is there no way to get the Central Propaganda Department to stop? Some deaths are weightier than the Taishan mountain while other deaths are lighter than feathers. A fellow student when I was a researcher student once said, "When Szema Chin wrote "The Book of History", he broke eggs on bricks." When the egg is broken, it is broken. But can you stop him from writing the "The Book of History"? I have gone through the constitution, the criminal law code and other laws of the People's Republic of China. Criticizing the Central Propaganda Department probably does not merit a death penalty. There will probably be some jail time, but there is nothing to be afraid of. It's just going to jail, right? I might even get the Qincheng treatment. Going to Qincheng prison is just like depositing your body at the bank, you can collect interest and it does not depreciate. These days, who amongst the famous oldtimers have not stayed at Qincheng? Gandhi said that the prison is the free hotel provided by the British Empire, with easy living and three meals a day. The Chinese jails are just as civilized as the British jails in that both are totally free (at one point it was not the same -- every time they execute a counter-revolutionary by shooting, the family of the counter-revolutionary has to pay 50 cents for the bullet or else they can't take the body back for burial). Will my sex life be empty? There is nothing wrong about trying to live a monk's life in jail. It can't be worse than high school or university. When I was in high school and university, I was not eating enough and it was no big deal. People who have suffered before know what to expect. A few days ago, I was watching Phoenix Satellite TV and Hsu Fufei was interviewing Ding Ling's partner Chen Ming. He said that the food at Qinccheng was not bad. When was that? Those were the days of shortages. These days, nobody is starving in the country, so how bad can it be for the people at Qincheng? Will I be beaten a bit? I get into shock whenever I am excited, like the faked deaths of certain insects. So if they touch me, I'll pass out. I don't think that they'll beat me again. Besides, it is no big deal to be beaten to death. Sun Chikuang was beaten to death. How do you expect to become a saint without dying? Chinese people have the problem of wanting to become saints without being concerned about their wives and kids. Westerners are better because they realize that cannot have a family if they want to become saints, which is why those Jesuits who come to preach in China are not married. If I have to render my own verdict, it is definitely not a death penalty; in fact, there shouldn't even be any penalty. To criticize the Central Propaganda Department is actually a good deed because it promotes the development of civilized behavior in Chinese society. I should be a big hero, and be remembered as such in history just like the famous names that I have mentioned previously.
Fourteenth reason, I am more sensitive about pain and less insensitive about injustice. I hate to hear that the two issues of petitioning and back wages cannot be reported because they impact stability. On New Year's Day, Chairman Hu made a short congratulatory speech to the world to call for world peace. I was quite upset when I heard that. Call for world peace? How about just calling for the back wages to be paid up? How about wishing for all the injustices occurring on the petitioners be removed? On the night of New Year's Eve, I had a dream. I was in Yiwo Yuan and I did not see anyone there. I was alone by myself in the whole place. Then I came up to the Bridge of Seventeen Holes and I saw that there was a pair of shoes at the tallest point of the bridge. The shoes were pointing north, which indicated to me that the owner of the shoes had just jumped off the bridge. Then I saw that those were my shoes! I had just jumped into Kunming Lake. I did not believe that I was dead, so I started to look for signs that I was still alive. I found that there was a letter inside one shoe, from me to Chairman Hu and Premier Wen. The letter said, "Why have you not issued a firm order to pay the back wages to the laborers? Why did not settle the petition problem with firm resolve? So now I have to die for you to see! Next year, if there are still unpaid back wages and more petitions, I won't forgive you from hell!" See, I have already done my death petition in my dream to protest the indifference of the government about back wages and petitioning.
When the Central Government asked the various levels of leadership to set up scientific systems of development, the Central Propaganda Department used the need for stability to kill off media reports time and again. We must re-assess this reason and to foster a scientific approach to development. My thinking is that there are three types of stability: one is regular stability, the other is instability and the last is super-stability. Super-stability corresponds to death or ossification. The stability advocated by the Central Propaganda Department corresponds to super-stability. The media in China have become ossified.
There are also three reasons to kill off news reports because they might impact stability. One is the idiocy and callousness of the Central Propaganda Department. To say that reporting on petitioning and back wages would impact stability, that reporting on family planning would hurt China's image, etc, reflected the idiocy and callousness. The subject of back wages has finally emerged into the public forefront; not only has the country not become destabilized, it is actually more stable than ever and the government has become more likeable. This proves that the Central Propaganda Department was very wrong about using the stability reason to kill off so many news reports. It has delayed China's progress in civilization, and make China look really bad in the world.
Another basis is that the Central Propaganda Department is renting out its power. When it receives payoffs from one side, it will turn around and order special feature programs and other newspapers not to cover the subject. According to information and belief, there is no medium that the Central Propaganda Department could not take care of except for Xinhua's internal reference bulletin. Any bad person who pays off the Central Propaganda Department knows that it is ineffective when the Xinhua internal reference bulletin is in on the act.
When the Central Propaganda Department declares that a subject is closed because it may impact stability, we need to ask just whose stability is being impacted. Is it the stability of the country? Not at all. Rather, it is the stability of the corrupt elements! It impacted the stability of the BMW principals! It impacted the stability of the Yunnan Province Propaganda Department head. Based upon the Central Propaganda Department's "Stability above all", we ask whose stability overrides all else? Whenever the Central Propaganda Department puts a stop order on a news story, we see that it is the stability of the corrupt elements which overrides all else. It is the stability of the people who oppress little people which overrides all else. It is stability of the people who pay off the Central Propaganda Department which overrides all else. It is the stability of the sub-contractor boss who does not pay his workers which overrides all else. It is the stability of the people who forced the poor downtrodden people to travel thousands of miles to file petitions which overrides all else.
The third basis can actually impact stability. When we hear "Stop!" we need to ask, Which type of stability is impacted? The regular stability? Or the super-stability? If the "stop" impacts the super-stability, then it ought to be terminated. If that made no difference, it would be a disaster. What is regular stability and what is super-stability? There should be some scientific standards. We cannot act like before by just following callousness, stupidity and graft. The management of the Chinese cultural industry by the Central Propaganda Department is worse than the management of news publishing by the British Empire two hundred years ago. We cannot help but be motivated by that.
This is the digital age, and the decisions of the Central Propaganda Department should be digitized. This is the age of transparency, and the decisions of the Central Propaganda Department should be transparent. If you go through all the streets of Beijing, you will not see a sign for the Central Propaganda Department. If you call for directory assistance at 114 in Beijing, you will not find a number for the Central Propaganda Department. If you search on the Internet, you will draw a blank on the Central Propaganda Department. This is an organization that has shut off its eyes and ears and live against the changing times. Is the Central Propaganda Department an underground party, or an illegal criminal organization? Why does it completely ignore the right of the public to know? The Central Propaganda Department is no longer the gatekeeper for the consciousness of the government and the party. It has become a critical gateway that has its own independent economic interests. It has the sole right in the whole country to decide what the media can or cannot say. It has the monopoly power to decide whether what you say is impacting the stability of the country, and this has enabled it to accumulate illegal profits that no outsider can know. This is an age of accountability so that all the acts and deeds of the Central Propaganda Department must follow scientific principles. It is difficult to say just how much these ultra-leftist remnants of the Cold War era has gathered in terms of black money payoffs and the number of voices that they have suppressed as a result. The age of terror in which the leadership position of the Central Propaganda Department goes to most extreme ultra-leftists should be over!
micah@earthling.net