China Censors Obama Speech

President's inclusion of communism as defeated ideology irks government
By Ambreen Ali,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 21, 2009 4:00 PM CST

Chinese censors clipped parts of Barack Obama’s inaugural address from yesterday’s live telecast, including his message for the world’s despots, the New York Times reports. The streaming audio translation was muted after Obama said “communism” in a sentence about using alliances and enduring conviction to defeat conflicting ideologies. The state-run station quickly cut from the speech to a stunned anchor.

Web users were outraged that Chinese translations available online also left out the offending word, along with an olive branch extended by Obama: “To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.” (More President Obama stories.)

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