It Came From The West

Well, if anything is going to get me in warmer water with the Chinese - er - "Hong Kong" government, it might very well be this post.

First, some background. Last year, during the run-up to the Olympics, people used the Olympic torch ceremonies as a world stage in order to protest China's handling of Tibet. It happened in every country the torch passed through and Hong Kong was nervous when the torch was on its way here.

They were so worried, in fact, that they refused entry to scores of people in an attempt to head off any disturbances. If they thought you might, in any way, use your time here to protest, you were sent packing before you could even get out of the gate.

Now, as all this was happening, I didn't agree with Hong Kong's stance on the subject but I could at least understand why they were doing what they did. And, to be honest, I really didn't care.

Fast forward to just a couple of weeks ago. I'm reading the South China Morning Post and I had to do a double-take. "Nah", thought I, "couldn't be. I must have read that wrong." But I hadn't read it wrong.

"Request for Mugabe family residency in Hong Kong approved"

That would be Robert Mugabe. Some call him the President of Zimbabwe. I, and sane people everywhere, call him a murderous, thieving psychopath.

Robert Mugabe took power in Zimbabwe, a country which, by African standards at least, was at that time very successful and prosperous, in 1980 and brought he country and its people to complete and total ruin. He stole everything he could get his hands on, killed whoever he felt like killing (and he felt like killing alot), caused his country to enter into hyperinflation, mass starvation, illiteracy, crime, disease, and well documented stone age medical care. That is, when stone age medical care is even available, which it is most often not.

Meanwhile, his daughter goes to a good school in HK (Chinese Univeristy of Hong Kong) and his wife is staying at the Shangri-la hotel and buying up everything on sale at only the most fashionable shops. Oh yeah- and they just bought a house in Tai Po worth 45 million dollars.

What the F@!K is his family doing here and why was this approved?!?!? What kind of message does this send to China's citizens and the world at large??? This guy should have nowhere to go. Nowhere.

Yet, here he is.

This is really, really creepy. His wife, Grace, known for her stratospheric spending, will be right at home here at Gucci and Tiffany's. Meanwhile, Zimbabweans will be starving to death back home. Nice. I would wonder how she sleeps but I'm sure it's soundly and on a golden gilded, diamond studded pillow.

The decision to let this bastard's family into Hong Kong could only have been made in Beijing. There is simply no other explanation for it. And it makes me really, really angry.

Mrs. Mugabe, by the way, has learned a thing or two from her husband. Seems she was coming out of her swank Hong Kong hotel when a photographer from the Times Online started snapping her picture. She had her bodyguard hold the photographer so that she could punch him in the face while wearing her massive diamond rings. The guy's face, of course, doesn't look so good. Police are said to be "investigating" but something tells me that nothing will come of it. You can read the story here.

This, by the way, is the second assault that Mugabe's people have been accused of. Another couple of photographers were reportedly assaulted by two women and one man while trying to take pictures of the asshole's new Hong Kong mansion.

So, the guy's family has only been here for less than two months and already they're on a crime spree. Fantastic.

The people in Beijing who made this decision should be ashamed.