Red Hot China
In the mid-1980s, when the Red Hot Chili Peppers were an unknown opening act, they were booed for their unconventional music. The lead singer once turned his back to the angry crowd, dropped his pants, and made a lewd remark about body parts. "Who are the real assholes?" he then asked. "We already have your money." And so it is with Red China. We can boo, hiss or holler about Tibet, child labor or lead paint, but the Chinese already have our money. And our technology. And our souls, as addicted consumers. Not that protesting is completely useless. At least it makes us feel better. But, as Václav Klaus suggested, what lesson can a country with one-130th the population teach China? The time for the West to protest was 30-40 years ago, before events reached the point of no return. Now we can only lament that no one is willing to be as frank as the Chili Peppers about our predicament.
Glossary of difficult words
Red Hot Chili Peppers - a successful alternative rock band;opening act - musical group or other performer who precedes the main attraction;
lewd - crude and offensive in a sexual way;
asshole - in this sense, a fool for having done something that turned out to be disadvantageous;
to lament - to express regret or disappointment over something;
frank - open, honest and direct in speech or writing;
predicament (with regard to China) - a difficult, unpleasant or embarrassing situation.