For Americans liberty is in our blood.

This is a western benchmark of commitment to enduring USA freedom.

The Elks Club gained recognition for Flag Day during the Presidency of Woodrow Wilson. The stated purpose of the service I attended this year is to honor our country’s flag, to celebrate the anniversary of its birth, and to recall achievements attained beneath its folds. Further, the organization maintains: It is quite appropriate that such a service should be held by the Order of Elks, an organization that is distinctively American, intensively patriotic and without counterpart.

The Fraternal aims of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is to inculcate the principles of Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity; to promote the welfare and happiness of mankind; to uphold our country and its laws; and to quicken the spirit of American patriotism.

[1] Celebrating USA Flag Day–How Eagle River Elks Contribute 06/14/2021

General Reporting of the D-Day Commemoration

Each year as we commemorate D-Day, we are once again in awe of the enormous stakes of the Normandy invasion, and the raw courage of the men who participated. (Pres. Dwight) Eisenhower never stopped realizing the full extent of what he was asking his men to do, and (Pres,) FDR never wavered in his belief that it was the right course.

[2] D-Day 80th anniversary is powerful reminder that freedom requires eternal vigilance. Brett Baier, Fox News June 6, 2024

But Americans know freedom is not free and requires eternal vigilance.

PH Pushback Against On-Going China Aggression

The content below was originally paywalled.

No outside force will likely ever again take ownership of Philippines, but China’s bully behavior is starting to piss off not only Philippines, but most of it’s Asian neighbors as well. China was once the preeminent power in the world. Chinese leadership takes the long view that it will return to that position of world supremacy again now that it has caught on to how Capitalism works–as the greatest force for good in history–feeding millions of people who previously perished under other economic systems.

[3] Economic Reality for Alaska’s Asian Neighbors, DONN LISTON, June 9, 2024

MANILA/BEIJING – A Philippine group leading a civilian supply mission in the South China Sea delivered food and fuel to Filipino fishermen despite being shadowed by Chinese vessels, its officials said on Thursday, May 16, calling it a “major victory.”

A 10-member team was sent by the Atin Ito (This is Ours) group to the Scarborough Shoal a day ahead of a commercial flotilla of five commercial vessels and 100 small fishing boats that departed on Wednesday, May 15. Ultimately, the rest of the flotilla turned back without reaching the shoal.

“The mission achieved a major victory when its advance team reached the vicinity of Panatag Shoal on May 15 (and) was able to supply the fishers in the area,” said Emman Hizon, Atin Ito spokesperson, using the local name of Scarborough.

[4] Atin Ito Coalition calls civilian mission in West Philippine Sea a ‘major victory, Reuters, May 16, 2024.

Calling Out China Assaults

Video of June 11, 2024 Protest as witnessed by another Alaskan in Philippines, Eddie Burke.

Akbayan Party organized a protest against the continued aggression and harassment perpetrated by the China Coast Guard (CCG) against Filipino fishermen and troops in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The democratic socialist political party is calling on Filipinos from all walks of life to join the WPS (West Philippine Sea) Day of Action, to be held in front of the Chinese Consular Office in Makati on June 11.

“China’s shameless acts of harassment and blatant disregard for our sovereign rights in the area must be met with resolute defiance. We refuse to be intimidated. Our brave frontliners deserve unwavering support, not pillaging by foreign aggressors. This is not just an attack on our supplies; it’s an assault on our dignity as a nation,” Akbayan President Rafaela David stated.

USA Freedom a Stark Contrast with China CCP

By contrast, June 4, 2024 was the 35-year anniversary of the “people-power” protests against the slow pace of reform in China at that time. Issues were wide-ranging and included demands for economic liberalization, democracy, and the rule of law. While the protests were initially contained in Hefei…they quickly spread to Shanghai, Beijing, and other major cities. This alarmed the central leadership, who accused the students of instigating Cultural Revolution-style turmoil experienced previously under Chairman Mao Zedong…

Cultural Revolution, upheaval was launched by Chinese Communist Party Chairman Zedong during his last decade in power (1966–76) to renew the spirit of the Chinese Revolution. Fearing that China would develop along the lines of the Soviet model and concerned about his own place in history, Mao threw China’s cities into turmoil in a monumental effort to reverse the historic processes underway.

[6] Chinese Cultural Revolution, Britanica

In 1989 China President Deng Xiaoping warned that protestors were blindly worshipping Western lifestyles, capitalism, and multi-party systems while undermining China’s socialist ideology, traditional values, and the party’s leadership. Hence the crackdown and massacre.

[7] 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre

The Hong Kong Saga

Today a former taste of freedom has made one administrative region of China a contentious subject of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Hong Kong has an Area of 430 sq mi (1,114 sq km)–less than half of Anchorage Assembly District 2 which aspires to break away from that Municipality in Alaska.

One primary reason for a higher standard of living in AD2 is proximity to the JBER Military Installation. Anchorage was founded in the early 1900s as terminal for the Alaska Railroad. Military presence prevailed during WWII and afterward the Cold War against Alaska’s Asian neighbor, Communist Russia. As Anchorage neighborhoods have declined with general lawlessness encouraged by progressive policies and criminal-coddling courts, the military has moved north, where service families find wholesome living in Northeastern AD2, short of moving all the way to the Mat-Su Valley.

[8] The Promise of *EaglExit* DONN LISTON May 7, 2024

America Had Two Systems before our Tragic Civil War

Hong Kong population: (2024 est.) 7,541,000. Located on China’s southern coast, it consists of the island of Hong Kong and adjacent islets in the South China Sea (ceded by China to the British in 1842), the Kowloon Peninsula (ceded in 1860), and the New Territories (leased by the British from China from 1898 to 1997).

The administrative center of Victoria on Hong Kong island’s northwestern coast is also the center of economic activities. Hong Kong has an excellent natural harbor and is one of the world’s major trade and financial centers. It has many educational institutions, including the University of Hong Kong (1911). While under Chinese control, Hong Kong has experienced political unrest when its citizens have pursued democratic reform or felt that their autonomy was being threatened. Notable periods of widespread public protest occurred in 2019 and 2020.

[9] Hong Kong, Britannica

Prior to Hong Kong’s transfer to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, people in the territory were promised that rights and freedoms would be ensured under Hong Kong and international law. Over the next two decades, people used peaceful means to press for these rights, but the Hong Kong and Beijing governments have repeatedly backtracked. In February 2019, Hong Kong authorities proposed legal revisions allowing criminal suspects to be extradited to mainland China, where due process rights are routinely violated. This prompted massive, largely peaceful protests starting in June. While authorities scrapped the revisions, –they ignored other demands, including for an investigation into excessive use of force by the police–while imposing new restrictions on expression and assembly.

One Year in Philippines!

[10] Human Rights Watch Hong Kong

Most recently citizen protests have brought heavy-handed responses that demonstrating once again the clear difference between America and Philippines’ Republican form of government with guaranteed rights and freedoms compared to China’s autocratic rule. Lawmakers voted in favor of the Safeguarding National Security Bill, also referred to as Basic Law Article 23, at Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, on Mar 19, 2024.

The United States expressed concerns that the law would further erode the city’s autonomy and damage its reputation as an international business hub.

“It includes vaguely defined provisions regarding ‘sedition,’ ‘state secrets’, and interactions with foreign entities that could be used to curb dissent,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

[11] Hong Kong’s new national security law comes into force

HONG KONG: Three people were arrested for turning their backs and remaining seated when China’s national anthem was played prior to Hong Kong’s home World Cup qualifier against Iran, police said on Friday (Jun 7).

Football fans in Hong Kong used to boo the national anthem as a show of political discontent, but the government in 2020 banned the practice as part of a wider crackdown following huge protests in the city.

The three arrested were between the ages of 18 and 31. If convicted they face up to three years in jail and a fine of HK$50,000 (US$6,400).

[12] Hong Kong arrests three for ‘insulting’ anthem at World Cup qualifier

Freedom Rings in Some parts of Asia

USA and Philippines have fought side-by-side against aggressors to preserve freedom before. A coalition of Asian nations is now forming to stand together in this region against China aggression while China appears willing to team with bad actors, Russia and North Korea to try and intimidate its neighbors. This is unfortunate.

Human nature will always seek Liberty. It is time for China to seek peace among its neighbors instead of fleeting dominance in an ever more dangerous world.

References:

[1] Celebrating USA Flag Day–How Eagle River Elks Contribute 06/14/2021
https://donnliston.co/2021/06/quality-of-life-matters/

[2] D-Day 80th anniversary is powerful reminder that freedom requires eternal vigilance. Brett Baier, Fox News June 6, 2024
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/d-day-80th-anniversary-powerful-reminder-freedom-requires-eternal-vigilance

[3] Economic Reality for Alaska’s Asian Neighbors, DONN LISTON, June 9, 2024
https://donnliston.co/2023/07/economic-reality-for-alaskas-asian-neighbors

[4] Atin Ito Coalition calls civilian mission in West Philippine Sea a ‘major victory, Reuters, May 16,2024’
https://www.rappler.com/philippines/group-says-atin-ito-civilian-mission-west-philippine-sea-major-victory-may-2024/

[5] Group sets mass action against China’s aggression in WPS, Gerald Ticke, Palawan News June 5, 2024
https://palawan-news.com/group-sets-mass-action-against-chinas-aggression-in-wps/

[6] Chinese Cultural Revolution, Britannica,
https://www.britannica.com/event/Cultural-Revolution[6] 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_Tiananmen_Square_protests_and_massacre

[7] 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_Tiananmen_Square_protests_and_massacre

[8] The Promise of *EaglExit* DONN LISTON May 7, 2024
https://donnliston.co/2024/05/the-promise-of-*EaglExit*

[9] Hong Kong, Britannica
https://www.britannica.com/summary/Hong-Kong

[10] Human Rights Watch Hong Kong
https://www.hrw.org/blog-feed/hong-kong-protests

[11] Hong Kong’s new national security law comes into force

https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/hong-kong-national-security-law-comes-force-4215556

[12] Hong Kong arrests three for ‘insulting’ anthem at World Cup qualifier
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/hong-kong-arrests-three-insulting-anthem-world-cup-qualifier-4393656