August 15–17, 2026 | The Lawyers Said: “A City Council Is a Level of Government. Taking Legal Action Against It Is Extremely Difficult.”
First, About My Health
Over the past few days, the thing that made me stop and reflect was not the lawyers, and not the city government. It was one sentence.
Someone saw me and said:
“Wow, you’ve lost so much weight.”
When I got home, I stepped on the scale.
I had lost eight pounds.
I hadn’t even noticed.
To be honest, it shocked me a little.
These past few weeks, I have been staying up late. There have been too many things to deal with. I have articles to write, my company responsibilities to continue managing, and too many thoughts running through my mind. I have not been getting enough sleep.
To say there has been no pressure would not be truthful.
There has been a lot of pressure.
I am planning to see a doctor again in the next few days and get another check-up, just to make sure there is nothing else going on.
I am writing this down because I know many friends have been concerned about me.
When something needs to be said honestly, I should say it. When a doctor needs to be seen, I should go.
The Legal Path
The greatest pressure during this period has actually come from this part.
I have spoken with several well-known Western lawyers.
After these conversations, their views were generally the same:
Taking legal action could be a very long process.
A city council is a level of government institution, and taking legal action against it is extremely difficult.
I accept that assessment.
They are professionals. They are telling me the reality of the situation.
But there is one thing that has weighed heavily on me.
They do not fully understand the content of my article or the meaning behind the Chinese language used in it.
Some lawyers read the article, but they could not understand why such a motion was brought forward. At times, they could not even fully understand the background and context of what happened.
Naturally, their interest became limited.
Sitting there, I suddenly realized something:
On this particular matter, there are many things I understand better than they do.
That does not mean I understand the law better than lawyers.
Of course I do not.
What I mean is that the core of this matter is precisely about the original meaning of a Chinese-language article, the exact meaning of certain words, and the cultural context behind those words.
If someone cannot understand the original text, there is no way for them to properly evaluate it.
The motion passed on July 27 was based on an article that, as far as I understand, no one had read in its entirety.
Now, when I seek someone to defend me, I am facing the same problem again:
To understand this matter, they first need to understand the Chinese language.
What am I worried about?
I worry that this motion will continue to follow me.
Throughout my life, I have written articles opposing discrimination.
I have written that when politicians attack China, ordinary people of Chinese background may become the ones who suffer from anti-Chinese sentiment.
I have written that people who engage in racism often do not distinguish where you come from or what political views you hold.
I have always been someone who opposes racial discrimination.
Yet now, I have become the person labeled as someone who engages in racial discrimination.
That contrast is what has truly caused me sleepless nights these past few weeks.
Regarding the August 23 Event
On August 13 and 14, the city’s facility booking office contacted me twice regarding a gathering scheduled for August 23 and asked for more details.
Both times, I responded in writing:
I am not the organizer, and I do not have information about the details of the event.
I want to make this clear because it relates to a position that I must maintain.
I am not a politician.
I am an ordinary resident.
I work in real estate, I work on AI technology, and I write articles in my spare time.
I am not running for office, I am not supporting any candidate, and I am not campaigning for anyone.
This is something I have stated in every written response I have made since July until today.
That event was not initiated by me.
It was not organized by me.
I was not involved in any planning.
Many people simply felt they could not stand by and watch anymore, so they chose to stand up themselves.
I saw a sentence on the poster for that event:
“Today it is Jason Liu. Tomorrow it could be you and me.”
Those words were not written by me.
But I understand why people wrote them.
They were not only talking about me.
They were saying:
An ordinary resident wrote an article in his own language about voter participation. Without being notified, without being given an opportunity to explain his position, he was publicly condemned by a level of government institution and referred to a human rights tribunal.
The question many people have is:
If this can happen to him, could it one day happen to me?
That is their question.
And that is why they chose to stand up themselves.
It was not organized by me.
Messages From Around the World
Over the past few days, I have received more support than I can respond to.
Chinese communities from Australia, New Zealand, many parts of the United States, mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, Japan, and South Korea have sent me encouragement through comments, public accounts, and video platforms.
Many of these people are complete strangers to me.
These messages have been my greatest source of comfort during this difficult time.
I want to say this:
People with a true sense of justice, and people who are able to understand and empathize with what others are experiencing, represent the vast majority of overseas Chinese communities.
I know this clearly in my heart.
And I am deeply grateful.
Luxmore Realty | Jason Liu | Author of AI Economics
Infrastructure determines the ceiling; data determines the moat.