Series of tweets on the anti-OccupyCentral petition campaign

Series of tweets on the anti-OccupyCentral petition campaign
Published on Twitter on 30 July 2014
Occupy Central with Love and Peace


We’ve noticed some gullible reporting on the anti-#OccupyCentral petition, journalism as unwitting amplification.  #ANTIOCLP 1/28

We’ve tried to remain silent, as we realize we speak from a biased position, but we think a few words need to be said. #ANTIOCLP 2/28

We appreciate any comments you may have; please call us out if we’re off the mark or unfair  #ANTIOCLP 3/28

As Benny Tai says, we respect anti-#OccupyCentral sentiment & recognize a substantial minority of HK ppl oppose OC, but... #ANTIOCLP 4/28

The anti-#OccupyCentral petition is not the way you would want to hold an election or any serious opinion survey. #ANTIOCLP 5/28

Children and non-residents can sign the petition.  There is no way to guard against multiple signatures by a single person.  #ANTIOCLP 6/28

Employers pressure employees & pro-#CCP orgs pressure beneficiaries to sign, ppl who don’t know what they are signing sign #ANTIOCLP 7/28

There is no reputable independent polling organization like @hkupop responsible for counting signatures #ANTIOCLP 8/28

There is no website tabulating signatures and open to public view or other transparent form of counting. #ANTIOCLP 9/28

Since it’s a public petition, all signatures should be made publicly available #ANTIOCLP 10/28

Journalists should ask to see how the numbers add up. The #OccupyCentral referendum was completely above board. #ANTIOCLP 11/28

The anti-OC petition statement is muddled: against #OccupyCentral & violence, for peace & democracy. What to make of this? #ANTIOCLP 12/28

Full text of anti-OC petition: 'I oppose violence. I oppose #OccupyCentral. I support peace for HK. I support democracy for HK' #ANTIOCLP

Of the 4 things, only one is definite, #OccupyCentral. The other 3- peace, violence, democracy- what do they mean? #ANTIOCLP 13/28

With the anti-OC petition, we are in the realm not of serious opinion measurement but of propaganda and cognitive dissonance #ANTIOCLP 14/28

Why did the organizers not simply present ‘I oppose #OccupyCentral’ for signature? At least, it’s clear what that means. #ANTIOCLP 15/28

What does it mean to be against violence& #OccupyCentral when OC is nonviolent, for ‘peace’ when OCLP means ‘love & peace’? #ANTIOCLP 16/28

And it is clear the ‘democracy’ the anti-#OccupyCentral campaigners have in mind is the kind ‘with Chinese characteristics’ #ANTIOCLP 17/28

But the petition had no definition of democracy so people see if it was that fake kind they were in favor of.  #ANTIOCLP 18/28

‘I am for democracy’ is like ‘I like blue’.  What shade? All? All equally? That’s why OC presented 3 concrete detailed plans. #ANTIOCLP 19/28

The Orwellian logic of anti-#OccupyCentral petition: Nonviolent OC=violence, democracy=fake universal suffrage, peace=obeying #CCP #ANTIOCLP 20/28

Apart from the anti-OC petition's deficiencies, where do #HongKong ppl really stand on electoral reform? Here’s our take…. #ANTIOCLP 21/28

The anti-#OccupyCentral petition is roughly indicative insofar as maybe 20-30% of #HongKong people are pro-#CCP #ANTIOCLP 22/28

On the other side, 20-30% of #HongKong people are strongly for real universal suffrage and are willing to fight for it. #ANTIOCLP 23/28

In between the pro-#CCP and actively pro-democracy groups are 50-60% of the rest of the #HongKong population. #ANTIOCLP 24/28

Most of the 50-60% in the middle want real universal suffrage- opinion polls from ’97 onward consistently show 60+% want that. #ANTIOCLP 25/28

But many who want real universal suffrage are uncertain of how far they would go to get it & susceptible to #CCP bullying.  #ANTIOCLP 26/28

The question is, when push comes to shove, which way will this pro-democracy ‘silent majority’ go? #ANTIOCLP 27/28

The #CCP calculates it can bully enough ppl into submission.  We hope HK ppl will act according to their conscience and beliefs.  #ANTIOCLP 28/28