Well, if it is a pro-Democracy movement rather than an anti-China movement it should recognize Mr Ho's democratic rights, as an elected representative of his constituency. He appears to be as extreme in his views as many of the demonstrators are in theirs but real democrats would be defending his rights to express his opinions. Whatever happened to "I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it?" This quote, misattributed to Voltaire but expressive of his beliefs, is the essence of the democratic spirit and neither Mr. Ho nor his critics appear to subscribe to it. It appears as if the so called "pro-democracy" demonstrators, while representing a substantial proportion of the population of Hong Kong do not speak for the majority of Hong Kong's citizens; when, and if, that happens the local police will simply lose control of the streets and Beijing, to which Hong Kong is actually subject, will have to restore order. There is in reality no way the PRC is going to be dictated to by this former British colony nor hopefully, be provoked by Western meddling in this dispute, to intervene and act like the pro US government of India has in Kashmir. A peaceful negotiated solution is the only way forward and this is the line the Hong Kong government has taken.
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