"Wo Ba Shi Li Gang" (My father is Li Gang), has recently become a new catchphrase in China. It is is used to shirk responsibility without any punishment. The saying was born out of terrible tragedy a month ago.
On 18 October 2 college girls were playing on the Hubei university grounds when a VW car hit them at full speed. The security guards saw the accident and tried to stop the intoxicated 22-year-old driver. He screamed at them "My father is Li Gang" was intercepted at the exit gate.
Ms Chen one of the girls didn't make it.
This kind of socio-drama happens daily in China. Privileged law offenders can escape the common law thanks to their "Guanxi" (Influential people they know). In this case
Li Qiming is the son of Li Gang, deputy police chief of the district police.
Most cases are not even know to the public due to censorship of the Chinese government.
The local school's news channel run a news bulletin, eventually it was picked up by the local media, but those stayed quit.
The death of Ms Chen became nationally know thanks to the Internet. Even Chinese authorities can control the news coverage, they can not control the millions of Chinese forums. And Chinese know they are dependant on these Internet forums for news-sharing outside the official channels, so it is commonly used among young and middle-aged Chinese. The Internet helped to built up this story to a nationwide hot issue. In this case the National Chinese TV couldn't stay silent any longer and they started to cover this story, partly though.
Li Qiming remains in prison and his father, Li Gang, has officially apologised for his son's behaviour.
Meanwhile the "normal" Chinese fights an unfair battle against corrupt government and favoured personnel.
Humour always helps to soften the unacceptable and Catchphrases as "My father is Li Gang" do this with a pinch of sarcasm.
Some pigs are more equal than others!
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| An art installation in Chongqing with the caption "Wo ba shi Li Gang!" |
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