Difference between revisions of "Chinese Students and Scholars Association"

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The '''Columbia University Chinese Students and Scholars Association''' (official name: Columbia University Chinese Students and Scholars Association:
 
The '''Columbia University Chinese Students and Scholars Association''' (official name: Columbia University Chinese Students and Scholars Association:
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United for China's Peaceful Rising<ref>http://www.cucssa.org/read3.asp?id=1287</ref>) is a student club. It includes an "advisory board", which was, until recently, made up entirely of employees of a foreign nation's consulate. For that reason, the student club has been accused of being "an arm of the Chinese government" <ref>http://www.bwog.net/articles/falun_gong_web_salvos#comments</ref>.
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United for China's Peaceful Rising<ref>http://www.cucssa.org/read3.asp?id=1287</ref>) is a student club, recognised and funded by the [[Student Governing Board]].
  
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Recent events and efforts of the club have centered around clashes with members of Falun Gong and with other members of the Columbia community.<ref>http://bwog.com/2007/07/14/falun-gong-web-salvos/</ref> In fact, of the 10 items posted under "Lives in NYC" on the CUCSSA website, 9 of these 10 are attacks on Falun Gong. <ref>http://www.cucssa.org/anclass.asp?id=49</ref>. Since it is a recognized group under the [[Student Governing Board]], the organization appears to be a CU-funded arm of the Chinese Consulate focused on anti-Falun Gong manifestoes. And, during breaks from reprinting implausible copy from the Chinese Consulate, white water rafting.<ref>http://www.cucssa.org/read.asp?id=358</ref>
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==Presence and mission==
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Prior to 2007, the CUCSSA included an "advisory board", which was, until recently, made up entirely of employees of a foreign nation's consulate. For that reason, the student club has been accused of being "an arm of the Chinese government" <ref>http://www.bwog.net/articles/falun_gong_web_salvos#comments</ref>. After the shenanigans below, the club took on an OMA employee onto their board. The Chinese consulate officials dropped off shortly thereafter.
  
 
As of December, 2007, the CUCSSA appears to have revamped their web presence, possibly in realisation that the Cultural Revolution is over. They no longer identify themselves as "United for China's Peaceful Rising" (indeed, they appear to be in the middle of writing a new Constitution)<ref>http://www.cucssa.org/pub/modules/tinyd0/index.php?id=6</ref>. Also gone are the dozens of pages of attacks on Falun Gong, replaced instead by exhortations to "[g]et started to outdoor activiety (''sic'') and enjoy all the fun" <ref>http://www.cucssa.org/pub/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=94&forum=10</ref>. Whether this is a genuine realisation that Mao is dead or just a Hundred Flowers-style trap to draw out imperialists and reactionaries into the open before they are served with peoples' justice to build a new motherland on the principles of socialist labour, peasants' rights, and resistance to foreigners and petty bourgeoise capitalism is yet to be seen.
 
As of December, 2007, the CUCSSA appears to have revamped their web presence, possibly in realisation that the Cultural Revolution is over. They no longer identify themselves as "United for China's Peaceful Rising" (indeed, they appear to be in the middle of writing a new Constitution)<ref>http://www.cucssa.org/pub/modules/tinyd0/index.php?id=6</ref>. Also gone are the dozens of pages of attacks on Falun Gong, replaced instead by exhortations to "[g]et started to outdoor activiety (''sic'') and enjoy all the fun" <ref>http://www.cucssa.org/pub/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=94&forum=10</ref>. Whether this is a genuine realisation that Mao is dead or just a Hundred Flowers-style trap to draw out imperialists and reactionaries into the open before they are served with peoples' justice to build a new motherland on the principles of socialist labour, peasants' rights, and resistance to foreigners and petty bourgeoise capitalism is yet to be seen.
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Oddly enough, the CUCSSA's website appears to be [[w:Great Firewall|blocked]] in mainland China. Who knows. Their antics have probably embarrassed the real [[w:Communist Party of China|Communist Party]].
 
Oddly enough, the CUCSSA's website appears to be [[w:Great Firewall|blocked]] in mainland China. Who knows. Their antics have probably embarrassed the real [[w:Communist Party of China|Communist Party]].
  
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==Legal Threat==
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===Falun Gong===
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Recent events and efforts of the club have centered around clashes with members of Falun Gong and with other members of the Columbia community.<ref>http://bwog.com/2007/07/14/falun-gong-web-salvos/</ref> In fact, of the 10 items posted under "Lives in NYC" on the CUCSSA website, 9 of these 10 are attacks on Falun Gong. <ref>http://www.cucssa.org/anclass.asp?id=49</ref>. Since it is a recognized group under the [[Student Governing Board]], the organization appears to be a CU-funded arm of the Chinese Consulate focused on anti-Falun Gong manifestoes. And, during breaks from reprinting implausible copy from the Chinese Consulate, white water rafting.<ref>http://www.cucssa.org/read.asp?id=358</ref>
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On August 5, 2011, a bizarrely worded "legal threat" was sent to the administrator listserv of WikiCU. The threat is reproduced below:
 
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<blockquote>
 
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From: [Redacted]<br />
 
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Date: Aug 5, 2011<br />
 
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Subject: Unreal information of CUCSSA (DELETE)<br /><br />
 
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Hi,<br /><br />
 
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This is [Redacted], the Vice-President of Columbia University Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CUCSSA). I found this page http://www.wikicu.com/Chinese_Students_and_Scholars_Association in WikiCU. I and my friends are very angry, because all the description of CUCSSA is unreal and ridiculous.  
 
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<br /><br />
 
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You can find all information about CUCSSA by click our website http://www.cucssa.org
 
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<br /><br />
 
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We sincerely hope you can delete all the unreal descriptions. And we reserve the right to legal proceedings.
 
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<br /><br />
 
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Thanks so much.
 
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<br /><br />
 
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Best,<br />
 
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[Redacted]
 
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</blockquote>
 
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The threat had a few things wrong with it:
 
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* The description of the CUCSSA circa 2006, with all respect to the "very angry" friends of the esteemed Vice-President (or is it "Vice People's Deputy"?) is not "unreal and ridiculous". It is fully documented, fully sourced, and in some cases, includes screenshots of the CUCSSA's antics. The only thing "ridiculous" is the behavior of the CUCSSA leadership.
 
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* The threat to take "legal proceedings" is laughable and absurd.
 
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** First, for there to be "legal proceedings", there has to be "legal standing". In other words, CUCSSA must, as a plaintiff, prove injury that is "actual or imminent, distinct and palpable, not abstract". CUCSSA cannot prove injury.
 
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** Second, CUCSSA must prove that there is causation between the conduct subject to complaint and the injury. Assuming there is actually injury, CUCSSA cannot establish causality between the injury (probably reputation, etc.) and this WikiCU entry. It can easily be counterargued that CUCSSA's non-existent injury is a result of their own asshat actions, such as sending out implausible emails saying things like "sea of flags dyed by blood, to beat the cult's high spirit, to defend the reputation and dignity of the motherland!"<ref>http://www.ivygateblog.com/2007/07/columbia-student-group-may-be-overseas-extension-of-communist-regime/</ref><ref>http://wwwl.columbiaspectator.com/2007/04/23/protest-ensues-falun-dafa-discussion</ref>
 
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** Third, CUCSSA must prove redressability. Since the causation link fails, CUCSSA must also convince the court that shutting down WikiCU will somehow prevent their own leadership from acting like asshats.
 
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** Fourth, CUCSSA cannot be a plaintiff because it is not a legal entity with corporate personhood. It is a unincorporated group under Columbia University, and cannot initiate legal action or be the target of initiated legal action, because in the eyes of the law, it does not exist.
 
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** Fifth, WikiCU cannot be a defendant because it is not a legal entity with corporate personhood. Likewise, in the eyes of the law, it does not exist.
 
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** Sixth, it is conceivable that individuals affiliated with CUCSSA could sue individuals affiliated with WikiCU. But that never work, because, to return to legal standing, plaintiffs are prohibited from third party standing, with exceptions made under next friend doctrine for the cases of "infant or mentally handicapped" plaintiffs, for which CUCSSA might possibly qualify.
 
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* Finally, "we reserve the right to legal proceedings" is grammatically nonsensical. It should be "we reserve the right to '''take''' legal proceedings". Likewise, "I and my friends are very angry" is also wrong. It should be "my friends and I are very angry". Or "my friends and I are '''VERY ANGRY!!!!'''", you know, to show the angriness.
 
  
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Overall, the CUCSSA performed rather poorly with this attempt to exercise [[w:Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China|Chinese-style censorship of Internet content]]. Even in China, the Ministry of Propaganda has come up with far more creative and subtle ways to "guide public opinion", e.g. the [[w:50 Cent Party|50 Cent Party]], essentially paid bloggers and commentators to continuously trot out the government line, at 50 Chinese cents per cost, to bury by sheer volume any deviations thereof.
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===De-recognition===
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In March 2015, various Chinese and English media outlets reported that the University de-recognized CUSSA (interestingly, no campus publication ran the story). A Columbia spokesperson gave [http://www.forbes.com/sites/jnylander/2015/03/25/columbia-university-closes-chinese-student-organisation/ Forbes] the following quote: "Unfortunately, the ongoing violations of multiple financial and student organizational policies by CUCSSA persisted after the organization had been placed on probation, making the recent disciplinary action unavoidable."
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
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[[Category:Cultural clubs]]
 
[[Category:Cultural clubs]]
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[[Category:SGB groups]]

Latest revision as of 19:13, 27 April 2015

The Columbia University Chinese Students and Scholars Association (official name: Columbia University Chinese Students and Scholars Association: United for China's Peaceful Rising[1]) is a student club, recognised and funded by the Student Governing Board.

Presence and mission

Prior to 2007, the CUCSSA included an "advisory board", which was, until recently, made up entirely of employees of a foreign nation's consulate. For that reason, the student club has been accused of being "an arm of the Chinese government" [2]. After the shenanigans below, the club took on an OMA employee onto their board. The Chinese consulate officials dropped off shortly thereafter.

As of December, 2007, the CUCSSA appears to have revamped their web presence, possibly in realisation that the Cultural Revolution is over. They no longer identify themselves as "United for China's Peaceful Rising" (indeed, they appear to be in the middle of writing a new Constitution)[3]. Also gone are the dozens of pages of attacks on Falun Gong, replaced instead by exhortations to "[g]et started to outdoor activiety (sic) and enjoy all the fun" [4]. Whether this is a genuine realisation that Mao is dead or just a Hundred Flowers-style trap to draw out imperialists and reactionaries into the open before they are served with peoples' justice to build a new motherland on the principles of socialist labour, peasants' rights, and resistance to foreigners and petty bourgeoise capitalism is yet to be seen.

Oddly enough, the CUCSSA's website appears to be blocked in mainland China. Who knows. Their antics have probably embarrassed the real Communist Party.

Falun Gong

Recent events and efforts of the club have centered around clashes with members of Falun Gong and with other members of the Columbia community.[5] In fact, of the 10 items posted under "Lives in NYC" on the CUCSSA website, 9 of these 10 are attacks on Falun Gong. [6]. Since it is a recognized group under the Student Governing Board, the organization appears to be a CU-funded arm of the Chinese Consulate focused on anti-Falun Gong manifestoes. And, during breaks from reprinting implausible copy from the Chinese Consulate, white water rafting.[7]

De-recognition

In March 2015, various Chinese and English media outlets reported that the University de-recognized CUSSA (interestingly, no campus publication ran the story). A Columbia spokesperson gave Forbes the following quote: "Unfortunately, the ongoing violations of multiple financial and student organizational policies by CUCSSA persisted after the organization had been placed on probation, making the recent disciplinary action unavoidable."

References

  1. ↑ http://www.cucssa.org/read3.asp?id=1287
  2. ↑ http://www.bwog.net/articles/falun_gong_web_salvos#comments
  3. ↑ http://www.cucssa.org/pub/modules/tinyd0/index.php?id=6
  4. ↑ http://www.cucssa.org/pub/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=94&forum=10
  5. ↑ http://bwog.com/2007/07/14/falun-gong-web-salvos/
  6. ↑ http://www.cucssa.org/anclass.asp?id=49
  7. ↑ http://www.cucssa.org/read.asp?id=358
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