perspective - The Da Shan rant

Professor Joseph Bosco severely attacks fellow blogger Life as a Rat for his rant at Da Shan. I agree with most of his arguments: you cannot attack the person behind a figure or cartoon and suggest he is the same as the person he wants to portrait.
The criticism of our rat does fit into a longstanding tradition among foreigners to get upset about Da Shan and it is important to describe that tradition.
First, the figure of Da Shan was the first 'foreigner' to show up frequently on CCTV after the events at Tiananmen Square in 1989 and was used in the political struggle at those time to suggest to a Chinese audience that the foreigners still loved China. That love was over for some time then and he was used by CCTV as a political tool. I personally would not hold that against him any more at this stage - although it should not be forgotten.
Secondly, he has been the typical foreigner as the Chinese love to see him. Just image one of the US networks would use a Chinese cartoon figure for the same purposes! The Chinese internet would be red hot with nationalistic indignation. The Chinese ambassador in the US would be called home!
I think it is a pity the Chinese get offered this simple cartoon as the picture of 'the' foreigner. I do not think it does a good service to CCTV. Otherwise I do not think any Canadian, US or other ambassador should be recalled because of any cartoon.