Who Needs Obama When We Have Google?

In his New York Times op-ed of today's date entitled "Google vs. China", Roger Cohen seems to approve of Google's challenge of Chinese censorship, although Cohen is careful not to condemn China too harshly:

"Openness for China is a means to an end — prosperity and development — but not a value. This is the Chinese paradox Google now appears bent on challenging. Google is right to do so."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/15/opinion/15iht-edcohen.html?hp

A pity that Cohen is unwilling to tackle China's oppression of its Tibetan and Uyghur minorities. Also no mention by Cohen of the fact that China executes more people each year than the rest of the world combined. But why should Cohen's silence surprise us, given his unwillingness to dirty his hands with Iran's horrific abuse of its Baha'i minority?

But did you happen to notice something else peculiar about Cohen's op-ed? There is not a single mention of President Obama's visit to China earlier this year, when Obama didn't dare whisper the words "human rights". Have we indeed reached a time when we must rely upon "profit-hungry" corporations, and not our elected officials, to protect freedom of speech and expression?

Instead of donating money for Obama's reelection, maybe the U.S. electorate should consider buying Google shares?