I recently posted on the abysmal state of environmental protection in Asia and the resulting human cost in premature deaths. Many probably wonder why Chinese people are not more vocal about this obvious (and potentially lethal) example of government neglect.

The answer is that they probably are, and the Chinese government is doing it’s best job of using legislation in hopes of restricting politically contentious discourse.

This article highlights the Chinese Communist Party’s most recent attempt to prevent free speech. The party is now trying to stifle China’s bustling micro-blogging industry, a main driver of transparency movements and organized political dissent in China.

By making users register their internet capable devices with their real names, combined with the possibility of legal recourse, the Chinese government is trying to strong-arm its opposition into silence.

As a blogger with socially conscious goals, obviously I have a problem with this.

“The authorities periodically detain and even jail Internet users for politically sensitive comments, such as calls for a multiparty democracy or accusations of impropriety by local officials.”

Thankfully I am blogging safely from New York, a global center of progressiveness and liberty. I hope one day Chinese citizens are able to voice their opinions as openly and without fear of persecution as American’s can.