So, I missed a wonderful opportunity to listen to and chat with a colleague whom I much admire.
But my response to Bosco on Peking Duck didn't mention the visiting speakers issue. I figured my rebuttal of the main points in Bosco's vituperation dealt with his comment fairly effectively. Bosco's arrogance was mighty indeed, but not mighty enough to overpower plain facts.
This turned out to be a bit optimistic, however. It transpired that Burger, the Peking Duck blog operator, was great friends with Bosco — they frequently posted mutually supportive comments on each other's blogs — and appeared to regard him as a mentor.
One case in which Burger offers solace, after Bosco is assailed by a critical commentator on Bosco's blog, is illuminating.
At the time blogger Adam Morris had aroused Bosco's ire, Bosco had not been content to leave his comments on Morris's blog, but had also copied some of them to his own blog under the heading, "What's Up With the Attitude, Adam?" Included there was his assertion that
my students are not just "students." Each is handpicked to go into government service by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and spend four years immersed in world politics with many of the world's leaders and shakers coming to the China Foreign Affairs University to lecture them on many different world views.
This provoked a comment from an anonymous poster who identified himself as "a middle rank law enforcment officer." My CFAU story is evidently not the only time Bosco's complacent view of his students has been called into question:
one thing i want to tell you all:not all people can enter the forign affairs department,most of them are sons and daughters of very connected or highly corrupt CCP officer, SO NOW YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE TALKING TO,JOSEPH!!!HAHA
WHY NOT TALK TO SOME PEOPLE IN VILLAGE, PROFESSOR JOSEPH
WHY STAY IN BEIJING
WHY NOT USE YOUR TALENT AND TIME TO CONFRONT CCP MEMBER
WHY NOT TELL SOMETHING USEFUL TO YOUR STUDENTS
WHY NOT TELL TAIWAN PEOPLE THAT USA PEOPLE WILL ABANDON THEM IF THEY CHOOSE TO STAND UP
WHY NOT TELL IRAQ PEOPLE DEPOSING SADDAM IS A BIG MISTAKE
WHY NOT TO PETITION TO UN TO FREE SADDAM
IT IS HYPOCRISY,STUPID
Admittedly, this was less than tactful. But it is a fact that Chinese people with whom I discussed my negative CFAU experiences — in Beijing, Guangzhou and other places — frequently offered the identical remark: Most CFAU students are "sons and daughters of very connected or highly corrupt CCP officer."
Bosco's sarcastic response suggests his regard for his "elite" students was unperturbed:
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
that was one hell of a tale Uriel, thanks. Your relationship with Bosco reminds me a bit of my dealings with Andrew Sullivan a few years ago.
2 - Angelina Fiorentino
I would personally like to thank Joe Bosco for writing the fascinating book A Problem Of Evidence. I am glad someone had the balls to straight out say the truth about the Brown Family. (The Family Brown Ch. 12) I feel so sorry for Nicole Brown Simpson having been sold out by her family for OJ's money. And then they have the nerve, ESPECIALLY Denise Brown, to start a charity, that has been underfire by the IRS, under their murdered sister's name. Now she's the big DV expert? Denise Brown is the biggest phoney!
I have followed this case since the day I heard about the murders, I saw Denise Brown mouthing off to every tv show and the family selling Nicole's Diary, Nude Pictures (sold by sister Dominique), everything of Nicole's for In My Opinion, blood money!