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US freedom of speech shows true face

NBA superstar LeBron James on Monday criticized Daryl Morey in public, triggering a wave of attacks in the US. Several members of the US Congress joined in, and American netizens also humiliated him. For example, James was portrayed as a person who pledges loyalty to the Chinese national flag embracing 100 Chinese yuan. Almost overnight, he became a typical example of those who "throw themselves at the feet of Communist Party of China money."

NBA超级明星詹姆斯日前公开批评莫雷，在美国引发对自己潮水般的攻击。多名美国国会议员加入了对詹姆斯的围攻，美国互联网上更是出现针对詹姆斯的各种羞辱，比如他被画成抱着100元的人民币向中国国旗宣誓效忠，他一夜之间成了“拜倒在中共金钱面前”的典型。

Such a scene impressed Chinese society deeply - "freedom of speech" in the US is indeed fake. It must be based on political correctness. In other words, as Morey's support for Hong Kong protests is in line with US political correctness, it should be categorized as "freedom of speech" which must be strongly defended. But James' criticism of Morey, which is not politically correct enough, has nothing to do with freedom of speech.

这个情景给了中国社会一个极其深刻的印象，那就是，原来美国的言论自由真的是假招子，它必须要以政治正确为基础。也就是说，莫雷支持香港示威，符合美国的政治正确，它就属于言论自由，需要受到强有力的保护。而詹姆斯批评莫雷，政治正确不过关，就与言论自由不沾边了。

James and Morey made pure comments, but the treatment they received was poles apart in the US. It was quite dramatic. The issue took place in the country which takes freedom of speech as a core value. The truth about it is now fully exposed.

詹姆斯和莫雷都是发表了纯言论，却在美国有了截然不同的遭遇，真是太富有戏剧性了。而且这是发生在有关言论自由概念核心地带的一个故事，就像是专门为了诠释美国言论自由究竟是怎么一回事而上演的一样。

Chinese people have another strong impression: Nationalism is on fire in the US. There is a major difference between patriotism and nationalism - the former is defensive while the latter is offensive. Public opinion led by US elites is falling out with China. They are showing a strong tendency to attack China and the "freedom of speech" has been used as a weapon.

人们还有一个强烈印象，美国的民族主义在越来越严重地燃烧起来。爱国主义和民族主义有一个重要区别，那就是前者有明显的防御色彩，而后者有着更多的进攻性。美国一些激进精英主导的舆论与中国杠上了，他们表现出主动出击向中国发难的强烈冲动，把“言论自由”也变成对中国实施攻击的工具。

These radical US elites are also hypocritical. They are sabotaging China-US relations and undermining international stability on the one hand, but glorifying their actions as "protecting freedom of speech" on the other. Double standards have distorted their moral compass. They are now defining "freedom of speech" with US national interests.

有意思的是，这些激进的美国精英还挺虚伪的，一边做着破坏中美两个大国关系、损害国际稳定的坏事，一边却要给自己立“保护言论自由”的贞洁牌坊。双重标准让他们的道义观十分混乱，但他们无论做什么都“浩然正气”的。如今他们正在把“言论自由”这个概念搞成很善于对美国国家利益察言观色的懂事的“机灵鬼”。

Geopolitical tensions between China and the US have intensified the two sides' conflicts over values, increasing the risks of China-US exchanges. Once dispute happens, it will be increasingly tough for both sides to maintain balance. World peace and stability requires Chinese and US societies to show tolerance while protecting their own value systems.

中美之间的地缘政治紧张加剧了双方的价值观摩擦，这使得在中美之间从事跨国交流的风险不断增高，一旦出现事端，把握平衡越来越难。世界的和平与稳定需要中美社会都在维护本国价值体系的同时展现出必要的包容。

It is not easy for both countries to do this. China's difficulties come mainly from the internet opinion, but there is no lack of institutional forces to manage them in Chinese society. However, the trouble in the US lies more in its system. The internet, mainstream media outlets, and political figures such as members of Congress have joined hands to crack down on buffers like James who tried to mitigate the NBA row.

做到这一点当然对中美双方来说都不容易，但中国的难度主要来自互联网上，中国社会上不乏对这种难度进行缓冲的机制性力量。而美国的难度是更加“举国体制”的，从互联网到主流媒体机构，再到国会议员这样的政治人物，联合打压詹姆斯这样在中美NBA风波中主动站出来的缓冲角色，他们编织的铁幕几乎没有缝隙。

NBA games were held as scheduled in Shanghai and Shenzhen, and Chinese internet giant Tencent also resumed live NBA broadcasts. But condemnation of James in the US has been continuing.

NBA的比赛还是在中国的上海和深圳如期举行了，中国网络巨头腾讯对NBA的转播也恢复了，而美国举国对詹姆斯的口诛笔伐却成为突出的长尾，把事情放到一起看，会形成额外的信息量。

The US is a country that puts great emphasis on politics. Its ideology is often extreme. American society ranks highest on exclusiveness of viewpoints beyond its "political correctness." The next time the US advocates "universal values" such as "freedom of speech" to the world, it should be honest.

美国这个国家超级讲政治，它的意识形态经常很极端，在容不下超出“政治正确”的不同声音方面，美国社会是这个世界上顶级的。美国今后再向世界宣扬“言论自由”等“普世价值”的时候，它首先应当做到诚实。

本文系环球网、环球时报英文网站社评。中文部分有删减。

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