The Tale of Teacher Li and the Cartoon Cat

11 June 2024 By Johnber  

NewsTogether

 Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a dissident named Teacher Li. A dissident is someone who disagrees with the government. Teacher Li, however, was no ordinary dissident; he was represented by a cartoon cat on a social media platform called X.

In November 2022, large protests erupted across China. The people were unhappy with the strict lockdowns due to COVID-19. They were frustrated and wanted to express their dissatisfaction. Dissatisfaction is when people are not happy with something. During this time, Teacher Li's X account became very popular. He curated, or gathered and shared, real-time updates about the protests, police movements, and arrests. These updates came from ordinary citizens and were not shown on China's tightly controlled media.

Teacher Li's work drew a lot of attention from China's government. The government did not like what he was doing because he was sharing information that they wanted to keep hidden. The authorities started to harass Teacher Li and his followers. Harassment is when someone is repeatedly bothered or bullied. They even started to intimidate his family and friends back in China. Intimidation is trying to make someone afraid.

Teacher Li moved to Italy to study art. Despite being far from home, he continued his activism. Activism means working hard for a cause you believe in. The Chinese government began to use surveillance to watch him and tried various ways to find out where he lived. Surveillance is close and constant watching. They sent anonymous threats to him and even interrogated his parents. An interrogation is a long and intense questioning.

The authorities made allegations against Teacher Li. An allegation is a claim that someone has done something wrong, usually without proof. They accused him of working with foreign governments and engaging in espionage, which means spying. The harassment included sharing his personal information and sending him scary messages to wear down his nerves.

Teacher Li felt the pressure but remained strong. He knew that his work was important for the people in China who wanted to know the truth. The authorities' repression, or act of keeping people from expressing themselves, did not stop him. He understood that his government was driven by paranoia, a feeling that everyone is against you, especially because of an economic slowdown in China.

Teacher Li's story became known around the world. People admired his bravery and determination. They realized that he was not just fighting for himself but for all those who faced censorship and persecution. Persecution is cruel and unfair treatment because of one's beliefs.

Despite the dangers, Teacher Li continued to share the truth. He lived a difficult life, moving from place to place and facing constant threats. Yet, he did not regret his choices. His story is a powerful example of standing up for what you believe in, even when it is difficult.

Connecting School

World History

Soviet Union (1922-1991): The Soviet government, particularly under Joseph Stalin, heavily censored media and persecuted dissidents. The secret police, KGB, monitored and silenced those who opposed the government.

Nazi Germany (1933-1945): Adolf Hitler's regime used propaganda to control public perception and censored any opposition. The Gestapo, the secret police, brutally suppressed dissent.

China’s Cultural Revolution (1966-1976): Under Mao Zedong, the Chinese government targeted intellectuals, artists, and perceived political enemies. The Red Guards were mobilized to enforce strict ideological conformity.

Keywords

1. dissident: someone who disagrees with the government
   

2. censor: to examine and remove unacceptable parts of something
   

3. protests: public demonstrations expressing strong objection
   

4. curate: to gather and organize information
   

5. surveillance: close and constant watching
   

6. harassment: repeatedly bothering or bullying someone
   

7. interrogation: long and intense questioning
   

8. allegation: a claim that someone has done something wrong, usually without proof
   

9. espionage: spying
   

10. dissatisfaction: feeling of not being happy with something
    

11. intimidation: trying to make someone afraid
    

12. regime: a government, especially an authoritarian one
    

13. persecution: cruel and unfair treatment because of one's beliefs
    

14. transnational: extending or operating across national boundaries
    

15. repression: act of keeping people from expressing themselves
    

16. paranoia: feeling that everyone is against you
    

17. scrutiny: close and detailed examination
    

18. anonymous: not named or identified
    

19. platform: a means of communication or ____expression____, such as social media
    

20. taboo: something that is forbidden or not allowed