Love that Chinese and Americans are connecting, but don’t fall for CCP propaganda

For context, I’m an American HIV activist that did international public health work in China for several years between 2006-2009. I worked with grassroots queer and trans organizations to make sure their communities had HIV prevention materials and programs.

I am no fan of capitalism or western hegemony (why I subscribe to this group and other leftist groups) and I love the Chinese folks that I worked with while I was there. I feel deeply inspired by some of the early programs Mao instituted (Barefoot Doctors chief among them). But the rosy picture people are getting on Red Note about China being some sort of socialist utopia is way off base.

Since I left, all of the grassroots groups I worked with have been shut down by the government. You cannot organize on your own outside of the government. If they don’t like what you’re doing they shut you down immediately. Activist I worked with have had to keep making new online personas to talk to each other because they keep getting shut down by the government.

If you want proof, try posting about the Uyghur camps in the west. Try posting about the Dalai Lama. Try posting ANYTHING that has the term “human rights” in it. I guarantee you will be shut down immediately.

The U.S. is fucked and we have a LOT of organizing work to do here, but I believe the path forward lies in us talking directly to people from other countries - comparing our propaganda notes and doing our best to get to the truth of what is going on in any given situation and the points of pressure where we can organize together against BOTH of our repressive governments. I am very happy to see that happening on Red Note, but I believe it will be short lived - the CCP will not tolerate us talking to each other for long, and I’ve heard the government is working to build out an American enclave for Red Note to keep us from talking to each other just like our government has banned TikTok.

Don’t fall for their bullshit. The assholes in charge there are just as bad as the assholes in charge here. Build ties with people while you can and learn as much as you can. And then let’s find a way to organize together.