Dear Google...

Dear Google,

I truly and completely appreciate your stand on censorship and am in awe that you are okay with losing all that business that you will in the biggest market in the world. Not to forget all those relationships with channel partners that is now on shaky ground.

In the argument between corporate finance and professional responsibility, you have put your own ethics before any business decision. Kudos to Sergey Brin for standing by the principles on which Google was started. Power to you Sir for wanting to “do no evil”. Furthermore, for prevailing on Schmidt et al; it must not have been an easy feat to achieve.

BUT, forgive my naiveté as I question your methods. Is it not wrong for you to break the law of the land? You entered into an agreement with the Government of the PRC. You agreed to abide by their laws, however archaic may they be. You have rightly taken a step back and evaluated your stance given the current environment and decided that you cannot operate in this manner. It is truly commendable that you did that. In my humble opinion, I believe that if you do disagree, you should withdraw from the country and bring down the google.cn website. By your actions, you are imposing your ideas (however wonderful they may be; and I do believe that they are) onto others. Look at Go Daddy, they have stopped registering “.cn” websites because they are not comfortable with the documentation that is required of them (i.e. from their customers) from the government.

Having spoken to a lot of Chinese friends of mine on the topic, I realize that they value the freedom of speech and yearn to have this essential right back in their home country. They miss YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and the other simple pleasures of life. As for my beliefs, I too value this imperative fundamental right and its importance to humankind. I thank the Almighty for having given me the opportunity to have been brought up in a free liberal country and for having given me the opportunity to experience another. I wish everyone has this right someday.

Mahatma Gandhi famously said and I quote “Be the change you want to see in the world”. I completely agree with these thoughts. It would seem like Google does too. It believes in the freedom of speech and would like to champion the cause, vociferously and possibly at great personal difficulty. All is well and noble with that. There is just one minor problem that I have: One cannot take up arms against injustice. Google should leave the country if it disagrees; it should walk away. It should fight for its cause and fight it should hard. It should merely do what needs to be done within the ambit of the law.

Just saying. These are my two cents.

Peace be to all. Google: 8th wonder of the world. China: Respect, awe and envy.