After pointing to China’s many human rights abuses, Maher reamed America’s elites for ignoring them in favor of money.
“America is not close to that, and it’s a cynical dodge to pretend that China’s sins should be overlooked because we all do it,” Maher explained. “No. In 1997, Britain returned Hong Kong to China with an agreement…from Beijing that Hong Kong could retain its free press, honest courts, and democratic government. Well, they lied. Democracy and freedom are being crushed there, and China doesn’t want anyone to talk about it. And because so much money is involved, no one does.”
“Two years ago, when the General Manager of the Houston Rockets, Daryl Morey, tweeted, ‘fight for freedom, stand with Hong Kong.’ He was forced to apologize,” Maher continued. “In America, we’re supposed to root for democratic government, not apologize for it. But the NBA has a television deal with China worth a billion-and-a-half dollars. So, LeBron James said Morey needed to be ‘educated on the situation’. The situation being, I’ve got some shoes to sell.”
“Kowtow is a Chinese word, but boy, Americans have gotten good at it. For years, Google proudly refused to kowtow to Chinese censors, adopting the slogan ‘don’t be evil.’ But the Chinese market proved so lucrative that, well okay, a little evil. That’s the deal China offers American companies and celebrities: We’ll give you access to our billion-plus consumers, as long as you shut up about the whole police state genocide thing.”
Read more: Bill Maher Says Companies & Celebs Decided To Become China’s ‘Bitch’
