The world must not forget the international outrage that pricked its collective conscience two years ago.
It happened on the night of June 3-4, 1989 when tanks and troops moved into Tiananmen Square in Beijing and opened fire on peaceful protesters demonstrating for nothing more radical than a bigger voice in their own government.The memory of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of young idealists who died must be kept alive for as long as it takes to change the ugly mentality that produced this slaughter.
Obviously concerned about the possibility of renewed pro-freedom demonstrations in connection with the anniversary, Chinese leaders have stepped up security and surveillance measures. Such steps have gone so far as to try to curb or halt media coverage of the anniversary.
What futile folly.
Already, some university students have briefly displayed a banner in memory of their classmates who died in the military crackdown. Students also dropped leaflets urging students on Monday to wear white, the Chinese color of mourning.
Evidently the Chinese government still hasn't learned the old lesson that tyrants can kill people but they never can kill an idea - particularly the idea that people everywhere should be free to speak their minds and peacefully change their government.
Until that lesson is learned, China will face the possibility of more tragedies like the one in Tiananmen Square.