government lets citizens investigate police scandal:

Man is in China prison. Man dies from mysterious head wound after playing game of hide and seek. Local police deny wrong doing. Citizen's suspicious, setting off a hyperbole of online speculations on veracity of police report. Local government, in an effort to be more open and transparent selects group of 15 netizens to investigate matter. "Randomly selected" netizens turn out to be former government employees. Investigations stonewalled by local prison. Efforts wasted. Still no one believes police report. Operation transparent - FAIL.

I've lived in China for quite awhile so things like this shouldn't surprise me as much as they do. Sometimes, I just feel like so many sweeping political decisions are seemingly made on whims and hurt feelings rather than actual, logical thought. One example is the countrywide ban on lip syncingfollowing the Olympic opening ceremony. Another is the tightening down on the entire music scene following Bjork's infamous "Free Tibet" debacle.

Lack of foresight and the ability to really think things through seem to be the two main components that torpedoed this particularly ingenious plan to win back public opinion. Let's be completely honest here - despite the Chinese government taking steps forward (or as some would argue, being dragged forward due to global and national pressures) in toning down the whole wrathful God approach to controlling its citizens - at its core, its still a ruling system that's mired in obscuring and oppression. There's a reason why so many people are deeply suspicious of it.

In this particular case, while it's kind of commendable that they wanted to give a little power back to the people; it's a bit inexcusable that they obviously forgot one crucial fact - either you are transparent or you are not. To do it halfway is worse than not doing it at all. Rather than being oppressive, you're being condescending. Rather than quelling, you give people false hope. Rather than changing opinions, you reinforce their fears, making them more sure than ever that you're guilty.

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