Putting your life on the line for a matter of principle

In Britain, this is a rare concept.

It was true in the past but there are few who will make a stand in the cold light of day to put their lives at risk.

One of the values of discussing philosophy with others in Ulverston is that it has helped me work out more clearly what my actions in every day life will be.

This is one of them.

If there is something I feel strongly about I am ready to die for it.

This could happen in the street with a gang of youths or as a result of upsetting powerful people.

Both at the moment are very unlikely scenarios but if the time comes and until then, I am ready to put myself at a disadvantage by speaking out here on this blog and elsewhere.

Below we have an example of someone who is clearly taking extreme risks for the ultimate benefit of those around him.

I believe he is worth supporting now:

Ai Weiwei is the most famous artist in China, best known for his iconic "Bird's Nest" stadium that was the focal point of the Beijing Olympics.

Ai has always pushed the envelope, both with his internationally-acclaimed art and with his outspoken criticism of the Chinese government.

But these past weeks have brought Beijing's harshest crackdown on dissidents in more than a decade. And on April 3rd, government agents arrested Ai at the Beijing airport and seized papers and computers from his studio.

We don't know where Ai is now. The Chinese government is holding him on flimsy charges of "economic crimes" -- an allegation often used to silence dissenters.

Twelve leading figures in the international arts world, including the directors of the Guggenheim, Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, and Tate Museum, have started a petition on Change.org demanding that the Chinese government free Ai Weiwei.

The regime in Beijing has proven largely resistant to pressure from foreign governments. But they've made a huge push to raise China's profile in the arts -- the government just finished building the world's largest art museum. Widespread condemnation, led by the arts community, may be our best chance to save his life.

Please sign the petition to free Ai Weiwei as soon as possible:


http://www.change.org/petitions/call-for-the-release-of-ai-weiwei

Thanks for taking action,

- Weldon and the Change.org team