a tale of 2 cities, 2 police forces

Last week I listened intently to what was happening in my hometown of Pittsburgh as the G-20 meeting was held there. Protesters from around the US gathered in Pittsburgh to demonstrate their distrust of the financial leaders of the world's 20 biggest economies. I have my own issues with protest politics these days. (I don't really want to get into it.) When given the opportunity to speak and lay out an argument, the protesters are spot on. However, in big meeting situations like these, their points get lost as mainstream media attention turns to police force in riot gear and anarchist protesters in black masks.

Having grown up in Pittsburgh with a lot of friends still there, it was interesting to hear what the people of Pittsburgh had to say about this meeting. Through online status updates and tweets I am able to summarize the following points:

*Most people were pleasantly surprised at the lack of traffic in the city, despite having to take new routes to work.

*Many people were thankful for getting to work from home for a day or two.

*Some people took the time to go for a walk and talk to different groups and report online. One of my friends talked to anti-abortion activists standing next to Free Tibet protesters. He was not sure how either was exactly connected to the G-20. He offered to trade his free Pirates (baseball) shirt for a free Free Tibet t-shirt, but that did not happen.

*Some people were annoyed at the noise of helicopters and blamed it on the protesters. Others were disappointed about the image Pittsburgh was showing the world with their disobedience.

*Other people posted this as their status: To the people of Pittsburgh who are annoyed at the potential damage the protesters might cause, think about the damage the G-20 has already caused.

As I heard stories of downtown Pittsburgh being empty, having cleared out like a ghost town, I walked on the streets in Beijing to see a similar situation unfolding. I have been busy the last few days observing the world around me unfold as more police officers take the streets, more civilians wear volunteer security arm bands, more Chinese flags are hung from businesses and homes. I had a man knock on my door, offering a free Chinese flag for me to hang.

I won't lie; there is not really much of a comparison to make between a national holiday and an international financial meetings. No matter what one thinks of the protesters, what is lacking here are the voices of any protest at all. Instead, flags, national songs, and performances are celebrating the unity of a nation, masking the discontent of groups not included. I have a friend in Xinjiang this week. There is no internet at all there, nor can she send any text messages, both to prevent mass communication of messages.

UPDATE: After I wrote this, I saw this article in the NY Times. Perhaps its description of Beijing is more accurate than mine.