The Biggest Lesson of Edison's Scandal is the Exposure of Hypocrisy

Source: Li Yi at Apple Daily

So Gillian Chung finally emerged to face the media and the public. She had to come out sooner or later because she does not want to give up her artist career and her company does not want to abandon a goose that lays golden eggs. She said that she was very naïve and very silly, but now she has grown up. In those few short sentences, she did not admit to any mistakes but she has practically admitted that the photographs were not the product of computer modification.

In truth, Gillian Chung had not been very naïve and she was not silly. Her image of an innocent little angel was posed. Two years ago, she cried publicly after the EasyFinder photos and said that she could not face up to young people who idolize her. Another time, she saw Cecilia Cheung and Nicholas Tse kissing and she said that she was disgusted and that she would never do that. She attended the <Chaste School Campus Inauguration> organized by the City of David Cultural Centre and stated clearly that she opposed pre-marital sex. While she was saying those words in 2006, she was also posing for those obscene photographs. In a comment left at Apple Daily, someone wrote: "We despise you not for your licentiousness, but for your hypocrisy."

This gets right to the point. In truth, Gillian Chung is not the only hypocrite. Her company Emperor Entertainment Group was also hypocritical. On the first obscene photographs appeared, EEG announced that these photographs were manufactured by "criminal elements" using "computer modification" and they filed a police report immediately. The Performance Artists Association was also hypocritical. During the EasyFinder episode, the Association was up at arms. In the face of these obscene photographs, the Association only said that "this was not just sad for the entertainment industry, but for all of the people of Hong Kong as well." The performance artists may be sad because they are afraid their own private affairs will also be revealed, but what has the majority of the people of Hong Kong got to be sad about? Why is there any need for the people of Hong Kong to be sad over the sorrows of a few individual entertainers?

The police were also hypocritical. Before the Obscene Articles Tribunal even made any classifications, the police arrested netizen Chung Yik-tin for posting one obscene photograph and remanded him without bail for eight weeks. This was clearly a case that the police was using to intimidate netizens from circulating the obscene photographs, but they claimed that Chung was involved in another fraud case. It is unprecedented for someone to be held without bail on two unrelated cases. This is the hypocrisy of law enforcement. Commissioner of Police Tang King-shing rendered an "interpretation of the law" when he claimed that possession of obscene photographs "with intent to distribute" is against the law. It was clear that the police wanted to intimidate people.

The hypocrisy of the police also showed up in that they knew that the obscene photographs originated from the computer of Edison Chen, but they still kept looking for the 'source' everywhere. Why not summon Edison Chen directly for interrogation and ask for an accounting to see if the photographs were taken secretly or with consent? To whom were the obscene photographs given to? How did it circulate to the outside? They knew where the source was but they didn't bother. Instead they went around arresting people all over the street. This showed that the police was unfair and hypocritical in enforcing the law.

Some of the media were also hypocritical. They raised the banner of morality. They condemned those who possess and view the obscene photographs. They even condemned the other media which reported on these obscene photographs for publishing edited versions. The exposure of the truth should be the duty of the media. It is especially important to expose the true faces of performance artists who pretend that they are morally upright or innocent little angles, so that the fans won't be fooled.

The storm over these obscene photographs revealed all sorts of hypocrisies. This may be the reason why "Kira" released more photographs each time that another hypocrisy was committed, including escalating the degree of obscenity. The storm over these obscene photographs tell us that some people think that they can do anything or tell any lies as long as they close the door and leave no material evidence (such as photographs).

What is hypocrisy? In law, this refers to acts or speeches that present a narrative that is inconsistent with the facts. Simply put, this refers to certain misleading or deceptive narratives. The series of hypocritical acts and speeches brought up by the obscene photographs lets people feel that Hong Kong has become a city of hypocrisy.

Fortunately, there are still some media that are awake and insistent on uncovering the truth. Fortunately, there are still the netizens, especially those who protested against the hypocritical police on the day before yesterday.