In the Press: Professor Gordon Mathews's thoughts on Occupy Central

Professor Gordon Mathews

Professor Gordon Mathews shared his thought on the Occupy Central movement on facebook earlier this week.  It not only sparked heated discussion, but also drew the medias' attention.

"I am deeply upset about the Chinese government's decision to deny democracy to Hong Kong, and just wrote this to Benny Tai: "Some of us who are not Chinese are very willing to engage in Occupy Central. However, we are worried that, as foreigners, and particularly as Americans, we will be playing into the Mainland's propaganda. We don't want to be involved if we would hurt the Occupy Central movement. What do you think we should do? Benny, feel free to respond privately if it seems more appropriate, if you can find time to do so-- " I'll see what he says! What do any HK or Chinese readers of this think? Would an American getting arrested help or hurt the Hong Kong democracy cause in the eyes of the Mainland? 

If CUHK classes are shut down at the end of September, I will support the student protesters--I will film all my classes and put them on-line, and make sure that no one who is arrested and jailed will academically suffer for it, although I will also do all I can to offer my class for those who want to attend, and who aren't participating in the boycott: this is strictly a matter of free, individual choice, all the more, of course, for the many students who are not from Hong Kong. But I am still unsure as to what to do myself..."

Professor Mathews (1/9/2014), Original text and corresponding discussion 

The original status and discussion.
Photo Credit: Professor Mathews's facebook

Professor Mathews's view was quoted in 3 local newspaper:

「佔中和罷課浪潮將至，每人在多重身份裏掙扎。中大人類學系系主任麥高登（Gordon Mathews）苦惱得在facebook向佔中發起人之一戴耀廷查詢，外國人可否佔中？會不會被北京抹黑為外國勢力干預？他指不同膚色亦是香港人，對我城匹夫有責。面對有學生表明罷課，他重回教師角色表明會繼續授課，會錄影課堂讓學生網上補課，又呼籲學系寬鬆處理罷課學生...」

Apple Daily, Local News (3/9/2014), Full article (Chinese only) 

 「...中文大學人類學教授Gordon Mathews表明，對人大常委會決議感到極為不滿，支持學生的罷課行動，更希望能參與佔中。不過，作為外籍學者的他憂慮，北京斥外國勢力干預，已去信佔中發起人戴耀廷，徵詢其意見...」 

Sing Tao Daily, Local News (3/9/2014), Full article (Chinese only)  

"...On Tuesday a department head at Chinese University said Occupy Central would be a legitimate reason to miss classes. Professor Gordon Matthews said he will provide filmed lectures to help students who join class boycotts in protest at Beijing's restrictive framework for the city's political reform..."

South China Morning Post, Politics (4/9/2014), Full article (English only)