Hong Kong Protests Need Political Leadership

At it happened: more than 100 arrests after march descends into violence and chaos on Hong Kong Island Online group Stand With Hong Kong has called on people to march on Sunday. It said people in at least 72 cities in more than 20 countries would demonstrate against totalitarianism over the weekend, in support of Hong Kong. .......

Having political leadership does not mean a top-down arrangement. It could mean two million Hong Kongers rapidly joining one political party or another and those parties holding internal elections to create leaders at all levels, from local to central. It definitely means party members getting together, discussing issues in person, and voting. It means the parties coming together to form a coalition. The party leaders could be the members of a council that oversees the movement with active near real-time feedback and negotiates with the authorities from Hong Kong to Beijing, and puts out periodic statements as necessary, not only externally but also internally. For example, it is important to say, let's not engage in violence and vandalism. That takes away our moral authority.