Mute

Wing Chan was born in Hong Kong, 1995. He was born a mute.

Mute (Adjective) - an absence of speech while conserving or maintaining the ability to hear the speech of others.

His mother and father, didn’t realize their boy was a mute until he was nearly two years old. It was the 1st of July, 1997, when Prince Charles stood on stage on live TV. The United Kingdom had handed the Island of Hong Kong back over to the People’s Republic of China. Wing Chan’s father was overly upset. He worked as a financial analyst for the Royal Bank of Scotland in downtown Hong Kong. As the crowd cheered on TV, the father banged the table causing the hot broth sitting on the table to catapult off and onto Wing’s head. Instead of letting out a curdling scream, Wing Chan let out a muffled scream and cried somewhat quietly. The doctor’s would confirm to Wing’s parents that their boy was a mute.

From that moment on, Wing’s parents prepared him for a very different life. His father would always warn Wing of the dangers of a communist country, while his more loving and tender mother would teach him how to be courteous in public without being able to speak. Life was more difficult for Wing. He wasn’t able to speak his mind growing up. The other children at school would take advantage of Wing, once they realized he was incapable of speaking back. He would also have a difficult time connecting with the girls in his class. He was a great listener, but couldn’t find a way to tell them how he felt. This one sided relationship perpetuated every chapter of Wing’s life. That is until on his tenth birthday, Wing Chan was gifted a computer.

The computer along with the internet became a gateway for Wing Chan. It was there, that he first found his voice among the chat rooms scattered across the web. Everyday he would go to school, where he was isolated because of his inability to connect with his peers vocally; but when he got home, he would enter a new world. Although this world was cyber, he felt more connected there than in the real one. Wing began to gain a notoriety online. His user handle @Outspoken_Dragon95 became an icon in the cyber realm of Hong Kong.

Wing would become a political activist, who learned to give a voice to the voiceless around the world, but more importantly in inner China. The mainland was cut-off from the internet he enjoyed under the “one country, two systems” treaty. Wing would use his privilege of freedom to speak for those who could not. His growing popularity would come to fuel a much bigger flame, he was unaware of at the time.

Behind the scenes, the People’s Republic of China had put communist sympathizers in seats of power on the island. The one who would set the first spark to the events was known as Secretary of Security, John Lee. He proposed a new bill in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, that would allow the criminals in Hong Kong to be extradited back to mainland China. This bill’s purpose was clear to Wing Chan. It was intended to silence the political voices in Hong Kong who had opinions that differed from the rule the People’s Republic.

Wing who had been born mute, had found his voice online; and now that voice was being threatened to be silenced by the Communist party. He would not be the only one who felt threatened by this encroachment on his freedom. Wing took to the chat rooms to express his feelings as “@Outspoken_Dragon95”. He spent all night typing up an article, referencing the history and dangers of silencing political diversity and the free speech of a nation’s citizens. Within hours of posting, @Outspoken_Dragon95’s voice would be heard all around the island.

Wing would hear about his article the next day in his office where he would answer customer service complaint emails. Hearing his coworkers speak about what he had posted, gave Wing a warm feeling he had never felt before. It stemmed from connection. What he was saying online was actually touching and impacting the lives of real people. Wing didn’t want to stop after that. Week after week, he would post a new article. With each one, the people of Hong Kong would be rallied into an echo chamber of freedom.

Although the chat rooms were Wing’s place to speak, he wanted other’s to have their voices heard as well. He would organize a physical protest to show the world, what the people of Hong Kong had to say. He took to the chat room to send out the word. “Gather on June, 9 2019.”

As the day came, Wing Chan made his way down to the Legislative Council Complex to protest the hearing on the bill. As he turned the corner, Wing would be surprised to see a sea of over one million people from the island already standing ready to make their voices heard. The sight brought a tear of joy to Wing’s face. His voice mattered, his voice made a difference, he was heard.

REDWRITER’s post story talks: We must stand with those who are silenced. Diversity of thought produces progress and justice. To silence those who disagree with you is to mimic the actions of historically evil movements and groups. Let us all come together and listen to one another. It is our differences that make us as humans better.

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