Recently, a netizen in Hunan complained that a 72-year-old elderly person was insulted by a letter and visit official who called him derogatory terms such as “old thing,” “old immortal,” and so on. The official response has been criticized as being wishy-washy.
According to the Hunan media platform “Xiang Wen·Complaints Express” on August 12th, a netizen filed a complaint that Wu Zhi, the secretary of the Xiangyin County Xinquan Town Discipline Inspection Commission, and the director of the Petition Office, openly scolded 72-year-old petitioner Li Xiangtian in front of the village committee office during a “follow-up visit,” using insulting terms like “old thing,” “old immortal,” and “muddle-headed.”
Ten days later, on August 22nd, the Xinquan Town government of Xiangyin County responded below the complaint. However, the response failed to mention the official’s insulting behavior. It portrayed the scolding as a “difference in subjective understanding” between the two parties, claiming it led to a “disagreement” due to “impatience,” and stated that the official had been criticized and educated, with a formal apology made to the elderly person.
The official response sparked heated discussions online, with many netizens expressing dissatisfaction, saying, “A superficial apology that lacks sincerity,” “If the roles were reversed and the official was insulted, what do you think would happen?” “Criticism and education are enough? Why not dismiss them?”
Some netizens also questioned, “Why is a simple criticism and education enough? Why wasn’t there a dismissal?”