Bishop James E. Walsh, d. 7/29 1981, was among the first group of #Maryknoll missioners sent to China in 1918. Having stayed on after the Revolution he was arrested in 1958, charged as a spy and sentenced to 20 yrs in prison. In 1970 he was allowed to walk free into Hong Kong.

Never bitter, he felt it was a privilege to share in the Cross of Christ. He believed the vocation of a priest remained the same under all circumstances. "If we start to pick and choose for ourselves, it is hard to tell if we are carrying out our vocation or running away from it.

As for the "enforced inactivity" of arrest: "suffering patiently borne is activity, so is prayer, or any kind of mental work--things which can be done in prison as well as anywhere. A priest does as much for his flock by suffering for them--and maybe he does even more."

In a lifetime battling the slave trade Wm Wilberforce constantly contended with the argument that slavery was a necessary evil—vital to the Carribbean economy. He worked for 20 yrs abolish the trade and another 25 yrs to abolish slavery altogether in the British empire.

When Trump calls unflattering Tweets "illegal" he invokes the ancient prohibition of Lèse-majesté, insulting the monarch. Thailand: "The King shall be enthroned in a position of revered worship and shall not be violated. No person shall expose the King to any sort of accusation."

In Saudi Arabia, actions that "threaten Saudi Arabia’s unity, disturb public order, or defame the reputation of the state or the king" are considered acts of terrorism, and may be punished by public lashing or even death.

Moroccans are routinely prosecuted for statements deemed offensive to the king. One year in prison for statements made in private, 3 years' imprisonment if made in public.

In 2019, Russia's Federal Assembly passed a law criminalizing fake news or insulting the Russian president or prime minister: up to 15 days imprisonment and a fine up to 30,000 rubles.