Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Taiwan
October 25, 2021 4:12 AM - Season 8, Episode 27 - Subscribe
This week: police officers around the US threaten to quit rather than get vaccinated. And Now: The Weather Channel's Graphics Department Is Still Not Fucking Around. Main story: Taiwan, its history as an anti-communist tool by the West, its current-day democratic miracle, and its fraught relationship with Communist China. And Now: James Corden Loves Cinema.
Facts of the episode (I don't promise to do this every week because links take a lot of time to track down):
Facts of the episode (I don't promise to do this every week because links take a lot of time to track down):
- John Catanzara, president of Lodge 7 of the Fraternal Order of Police, issued a formal apology for comparing vaccine mandates to the Holocaust. (Chicago Sun-Times, August 27, 2021)
- One of Catanzara's predecessors, Dean Angelo, died of COVID-19 (Chicago Sun-Times, October 12, 2021)
- Since the pandemic began, COVID has been the #1 killer of on-duty law enforcement officers, and over four times as many have died from COVID than from gunfire. (Washington Post, October 14, 2021; Officer Down Memorial Page, time of writing)
- "Viral Video Shows Unmasked NYPD Officer Pushing Masked Commuter Out Of Subway Station" (CBS 2 New York, October 19, 2021) -- Of note, passengers who don't wear masks face a $50 fine
Yeah, along the lines of Nixon-going-to-China or T*** just being a fuckup and doing the right thing for all the wrong reasons.
However, with Ivanka's trademarks and T***'s business greed in China, I didn't expect him to fuck up that much as to openly recognize Taiwan.
posted by porpoise at 4:19 PM on October 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
However, with Ivanka's trademarks and T***'s business greed in China, I didn't expect him to fuck up that much as to openly recognize Taiwan.
posted by porpoise at 4:19 PM on October 25, 2021 [1 favorite]
I forgot to link the official YouTube upload of the main story: Taiwan (22 minutes).
posted by JHarris at 6:18 PM on October 25, 2021
posted by JHarris at 6:18 PM on October 25, 2021
I watched that several times and I am still confused as to what the hell Taiwan's status is. "Sorta a country?"
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:53 PM on October 26, 2021
posted by jenfullmoon at 2:53 PM on October 26, 2021
Precarious island nation believed by local superpower to be owned by them. cf Hong Kong for probable future.
posted by Marticus at 5:35 PM on October 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Marticus at 5:35 PM on October 26, 2021 [1 favorite]
Yeah, it feels like it's only a matter of time before China outright claims it. There are a lot of differences between Taiwan and Hong Kong though, I am not qualified to say what they all are, but one I can point to is that Hong Kong had a specific hand-over date, whereas Taiwan seems like it might last into the indefinite future. Or, it might not.
One definite thing is everyone is watching how China handles this. Their increasingly authoritarian handling of Hong Kong is not lost on the rest of the world, and China has several other particularly wealthy neighbors who might be swept up next.
posted by JHarris at 6:27 AM on October 27, 2021 [2 favorites]
One definite thing is everyone is watching how China handles this. Their increasingly authoritarian handling of Hong Kong is not lost on the rest of the world, and China has several other particularly wealthy neighbors who might be swept up next.
posted by JHarris at 6:27 AM on October 27, 2021 [2 favorites]
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posted by acrasis at 2:24 PM on October 25, 2021 [2 favorites]