The Images They Left Behind If There Was Nothing More That Could Have Been Done to Save Dr

.... 2 | THURSDAY,AUGUST 14,2014 INTERNATIONAL NEW YORK TIMES page two IN YOUR WORDS A struggle Would ebola drug have helped? The images they left behind If there was nothing more that could have been done to save Dr. Khan, then he on defining should certainly have been given the drug, as there would not have been a downside democracy in those circumstances. Putting aside all the arguments over whether the drug should have been administered, one can only admire all these amazing people who voluntarily put their lives on the line to help others. Selfless and truly inspirational. PETER SYMONDS, U.K. I think it’s obvious that they did the best Didi Kirsten they could. Hindsight is easy, especially for Tatlow people who don’t have to make the hard decisions. To blame those stuck in an impossible situation but just trying their LETTER FROM HONG KONG best to do the right thing is arrogant and ungrateful. If they’d given the drug to Dr. Khan and he had died anyway, what would Chan Kin-man, a prominent Hong the accusations have been? That Kong democracy activist, receives many anonymous threats. He has got- Americans are reckless with their drugs? ten a razor blade in the mail and mes- JENNIFER STEWART, CAPE TOWN sages like ‘‘Hunt and Kill Traitors!’’ Hacking attempts occur daily, often Based on the chronology of The Times from email addresses belonging to account, withholding the drug is not friends or students. Some threats are irrational. But failing to discuss the option unprintable, about what the sender with Dr. Khan is disheartening. He may well would like to do to Mr. Chan’s mother. have weighed the risk of his own life ‘‘This guy sent it to me twice,’’ said Mr. Chan, sitting in his office at the against the potential salvation of other Chinese University of Hong Kong, lives. In other words, he may have chosen where he is a sociology professor, to be an experiment pulling out a letter from a folder. ‘‘He GREG MANDEL, ATLANTA also likes my mother. Big fan of my mom.’’ Social research under microscope He laughs, wryly. Short of pulling the plug on the Internet, Mr. Chan is one of ‘‘The Three,’’ as the leaders of Occupy Central, a civil there really isn’t any way in this day and disobedience movement that is anger- age of keeping your private affairs, or even ing authoritarian China, are called in your personal identity, to yourself. So of pithy Cantonese, the language of this course, we shouldn’t be surprised about PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE COLLECTION OF BURKHARD VON HARDER, 2014 city. They want assurances that the the use and abuse of our data. Between city’s next leader, now chosen by an the government, the hackers and the COLD WAR SCENES display through election committee, be popularly nom- legitimate companies, everybody knows In 2010, in the Sept. 28, in an ex- inated and elected by universal suffrage in the 2017 election, or they will everything there is to know about us. west-central hibit titled ‘‘Cold Ukrainian city of War in a Trash Bag: lead a peaceful occupation of Central, That’s life in the 21st century if one is Vinnytsia, Burkhard Anonymous Ukrain- Hong Kong’s financial district, this connected, whether we like it or not. von Harder, a Ger- ian Photographs year or early next. J.H.M, TAIWAN man photographer From the Time of Seventeen years after Hong Kong and filmmaker, dis- the Cold War,’’ at was returned to Chinese from British See what readers are talking about and covered about the Galerie Chelsea rule, the city is a churning, quarreling leave your own comments at inyt.com 10,000 abandoned Sylt, in the northern place, where pro-Beijing forces deride black-and-white German village of democrats as lackeys of the United negatives that were Morsum. The States and democrats dismiss pro- IN OUR PAGES produced by series, ‘‘Hom- Beijing forces as Communist Party Ukrainian photo- mage,’’ is dedicated apologists. Many others, broadly want- International HeraldTribune journalists, prob- to prominent East- ing more democracy but less confron- ably from 1958 to ern and Western tation, wish everyone would calm 1889 Cabourg Still a Favorite Resort 1991, he said. With artists whose vision down. CABOURG The coast of Normandy, from the negatives, Mr. Mr. von Harder said Mr. Chan acknowledges that in the Cabourg almost to Trouville, is just now von Harder has cre- he saw reflected in face of implacable opposition from alive with gaiety and fashion. Three ated 12 silk-screen the decaying Beijing, the democratic question is di- prints that are on Ukrainian images. viding the city, instilling in some fears of weeks ago, but a few fishermen were chaos or of not being able to earn a daily here spreading their nets. Three weeks wage, in a place where about a million hence it will be again as deserted and si- people live below the poverty line. lent as ever. But during this brief period But long term, he believes, the wealth and aristocracy gather here, and greatest threat is a ‘‘fake democracy’’: countless health seekers and lovers of that Beijing would permit universal the seaside crowd the beaches, intent on suffrage but limit the choice to its own approved candidates. health and diversion. Some of the villas So he and his two colleagues, another which embellish these shores are university professor, Benny Tai, and the massive in their proportions. Rev. Chu Yiu-ming, are reaching out to leaders in Beijing in what they call 1939 Bastille Stone Found in House stage three of their carefully planned SENS Set in the wall of an old house in movement. (Stages one and two were Saint-Julien-du-Sault is a stone from the public consultation and an unofficial Bastille, one of the few authentic relics referendum on electoral reform. Stage four would be occupying Central.) of the grim fortress of which no vestige ‘‘We are sending out signals that we exists in Paris since its destruction in are willing to talk,’’ Mr. Chan said. ‘‘Only 1789 by the revolutionary masses. The if the dialogue is not successful, we will stone bears the following inscription in launch civil disobedience actions.’’ What Latin and French: ‘‘This stone has been they want is a sign from Beijing that it is taken from the ruins of the Bastille. Pa- willing to bring in ‘‘genuine universal triotism has dedicated it to a better use suffrage,’’ he said. The recent referendum, in which by placing it here to give to this square nearly 800,000 people voted, and a the sweet name of Liberty. In the second march of hundreds of thousands year of French liberty.’’ For several through the city showed substantial years, stones from the Bastille were support for a greater public role in very fashionable. Small fragments of choosing their leaders, unmediated by them were set like jewels and worn by the sort of election committee that has women in rings and necklaces. produced three chief executives approved by Beijing since 1997 but led to a political impasse in the city. Find a retrospective of news from 1887 to A separate referendum, organized to 2013 at iht-retrospective.blogs.nytimes.com register opposition to Occupy Cen- tral’s, said it had gathered over one million votes. Mr. Chan doubts that fig- ure but said he understands fears, par- ticularly among older people, who may Henry Stone, producer of the Miami sound, dies at 93 have fled turmoil in China and found a haven in Hong Kong. Understands — but doesn’t bow to. BY BRUCE WEBER ‘‘Hearts of Stone’’ by the Charms, Mr.Stone continued to record two other children to care for after the ‘‘I hope they can understand that we which reached No. 1 on several rhythm- rhythm-and-blues artists in the 1960s, stock market crash, placed Henry in an may create a short-term disturbance,’’ Henry Stone, who produced early re- and-blues charts. but he focused largely on recorddistri- orphanage in Pleasantville, N.Y., where, he said, ‘‘but that once we succeed in cordings by RayCharles and James A friend and confidant of James bution until several major labels de- having been inspired by the music of fighting for democracy, then we might Brown and whose Hialeah, Fla., com- Brown, who recorded for acompetitor, cided to distribute their own product, Louis Armstrong, he took up the trum- have long-term harmony for society.’’ pany, TK Records, wasafountain of King Records, Mr. Stone stepped in forcing him to set up his owncompany, pet. In Mr. Chan’s office is his latest book disco in the 1970s and the source of what when Brownhad a dispute with King. TK Records —named for Terry Kane, a He served in the Army during World purchase: ‘‘Democracy Challenged: came to be called the Miami sound, died Identifying Brownand his band as Nat sound engineer who built the recording War II, playing in an integrated band The Rise of Semi-Authoritarianism,’’ by Kendrick and the Swans (Nat Kendrick studio. Thecompany, which Mr.Stone that was based in Fort Dix, N.J. After his Marina Ottaway, an analyst of political OBITUARY was Brown’s drummer) to keep the ar- ran with Steve Alaimo, a former pop discharge, he changed his last name to transformations. Semi-authoritarian- rangement secret from King’s propriet- singer, grew to become one of the indus- Stone and began his professional life in ism may be what Beijing plans for Thursday in Miami. He was 93.

Load more