Earth Quake in China and Protests

Today the police took away about 100 parents of children lost in schools that collapsed from the earth quakes. It is reported, they wanted the search to continue until all the bodies were found and that they were unhappy with the sub-standard materials of construction used in the schools. The Chinese government has been more transparent and open than normal during this crisis and they have made a big effort to deal with a difficult situation.

It turns out that they are still uncomfortable with protests. Also, since the Chinese government assumes the role of trying to take care of their people, and even tell them what that means, having them complain -- to have them have a mind of their own what is right and wrong -- pretty much flies in the face of the concept that the government knows best.

In the U.S., a private company would have built the schools. Hopefully to a better standard, but if they didn't (or even if they did) they could be sued. But in other ways, it is not that much different than in the U.S. Guess what, when our government screws up, they can not be sued. Not much different than the position the parents of the dead children in China find themselves. And, of course, the grief is the same.