Regarding the editorial "Hong Kong on the brink of a total breakdown" in the Nov. 19 edition, of course the police threat to use live ammunition is meaningless to protesters — the police have already fired live rounds at protesters.
Many of those on the front line are young people who see increasing encroachment on the city's rights and freedoms as bringing about the end of Hong Kong as they know it. As a generation that should be credited for their critical thinking and independent judgment, they foresee Hong Kong turning into a place at odds with the fundamental values they hold dear and one they can no longer call home.
Indeed, it is a generation that has lost confidence in the authorities in Hong Kong and Beijing. These protesters are not as naive as some make them out to be, and are not oblivious to the low prospects of having their demands met. However, if the outcome is going to be the same in any event if they give up, these youngsters would rather die fighting and show the world and future generations that they at least tried.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.