UPDATE: THIS JUST BECAME MORE SIGNIFICANT 🇨🇳🐾
2 days ago I posted that Chinese media were beginning to amplify Ruan Qilong’s “STOP ANIMAL ABUSE” message.
Now Hunan Daily / New Hunan has published an explicitly supportive piece.
And this is not some random animal account. Hunan Daily is the official newspaper of the Hunan Provincial Party Committee, and New Hunan is its flagship news app.
Their message is extraordinary:
“Opposing animal abuse is, at its core, about protecting not only animals, but the moral bottom line of our humanity.”
They describe Ruan’s action as basic human empathy for life, say athletes can use their platforms to speak on social issues, and conclude that sport contains not only winning and losing, but “human warmth.” The piece was also selected as a homepage headline.
Think about that.
Ruan spoke up against animal cruelty. People demanded he be punished.
Days later, official provincial Party media is publicly saying that opposing animal abuse is about protecting our HUMANITY.
This is not a new law. It is not victory.
But this is exactly how an issue becomes normalized and increasingly difficult to dismiss.
And if you’re wondering why this kind of mainstream support matters so much, see my comment below. There are still cases in China where people speaking up against animal cruelty are shut down or told, effectively, that animals have no rights worth protecting. That is exactly why changing the conversation matters.
And to all of you speaking up, raising awareness, sharing information, organizing, fundraising, everything…
KEEP GOING.
The conversation is moving. ❤️🇨🇳🐾