China Rights Activist Beaten at Cemetery

Sun Wenguang, a retired Chinese professor, was beaten last Saturday because of his plan to commemorate the death of Zhao Zijang. After writing online that he would be visiting this pro-democracy activist's tomb, he was attacked by a group of men claiming affiliation with the Chinese government.
Some Chinese citizens are claiming that their government is waging a "campaign of terror" in order to suppress any pro-democracy celebrations. The attack of Sun Wenguang is reminiscent of the government's attack of student protestors at Tiananmen Square in 1989.
The alleged "campaign of terror" is a technique used to enforce public cooperation and to inspire fear of dissenting opinions. Agents of the Chinese government use bodily violence to influence the minds of the public. By creating an environment of fear and physical violence, the government ensures the continuance of its communist policies. Additionally, by eliminating or weakening the bodies of advocates of democracy (such as Sun Wenguang), the government attempts to silence their differing opinions. However, if events like this attack continue to be reported in democratic countries, the Chinese government's actions become counter-productive by inspiring sympathy for and giving a voice to Chinese rights activists.