Hong Kong is at the threshold of a revolution . No , I am not referring to the movement colorfully dubbed the `` Umbrella Revolution '' by the international media . True , having faced police tear gas and efforts to dislodge them , students and the `` Occupy Central '' group have captured and are holding parts of Hong Kong -- main thoroughfares in Central , Causeway Bay and Mongkok . And it is escalating . They are also demanding the resignation of the territory 's Chief Executive C.Y . Leung and a back-down from Beijing on their recently announced plans on political reform for 2017 . Orderly fashion . The revolution I am referring to is that of the silent majority , the nondescript middle-aged and conservatives who prefer change in an orderly fashion -- the segment usually ignored by the media and the `` haves '' of the society as `` aging and not sexy . '' You see , while as many as 70,000 students and `` Occupy Central '' group supporters occupy the streets now , only six weeks ago , 1.5 million Hong Kongers boldly came out from their cocoons to sign their names on a petition to demand peace and reject `` Occupy Central . '' That 's one in almost every five people in our city of seven million . The campaign was organized by `` The Alliance for Peace and Democracy '' of which `` Silent Majority for Hong Kong , '' a group I co-founded , is a member . So are all 1.5 million of us stooges of Beijing ? Hardly likely . We are just as diverse and politically divided as any silent majority group in other cities . The only difference is we came out before things turned ugly . We want peace and democracy -- universal suffrage in 2017 -- but we abhor and reject `` Occupy Central '' for trying to hold Hong Kong hostage in the fight for its brand of democracy . We believe political reform should be negotiated and then the people can decide for themselves , conservatives and progressives alike . After all , the pan-democratic group , which is backing `` Occupy Central '' to the hilt , is holding the trump card -- it has enough votes to veto any reform packages they deem unacceptable in the Legislative Council . Unwilling pawns . We believe `` Occupy Central '' and its vow to paralyze our financial center by occupation and blockages are for real , and it will hurt the middle class and common folks more than the wealthy . We do not want to be held hostage and be unwilling pawns in a political game , and we do not want the same fate as tens of millions in other parts of the world who suffer financial losses , injuries and even deaths in turmoil brought about by the politically aggressive and adventurous . Now that `` Occupy Central '' has happened , we are feeling the effects of its strangulation . The stock market is down , shops are closed , people 's daily lives are disrupted -- and this is just the beginning . Some say it is a small price to pay for `` true democracy '' — so why do n't we accept it for the good someone else is chasing ? Hostages are always told that and then left to suffer . But we are not hostages : 1.5 million people have said no already , and we wo n't sit and suffer . People are walking up to the occupiers and telling them to go home . The Alliance has openly asked for `` Occupy Central '' to desist from occupation of Mong Kok and Causeway Bay as a show of goodwill to the people . We are ignored . The silent majority 's anger and demands are a trickle now , but may turn into a tidal wave . The question one must face in a civilized and democratic society like Hong Kong , where guns are near nonexistent , is : the will of the majority or the ruthlessness of the minority ? We can not foretell the outcome . Hong Kong is a divided society now . But the minority can not hold the majority hostage , unless they surrender . Whatever happens , we hope it will be peaceful . A social revolution is brewing , and when it ends in success and peace , it may inspire a whole generation of the silent majorities in this world to think : what if we break our silence and control our fate .
Hong Kong 's `` silent majority '' want protesters to go home , says Robert Chow . The protest movement in Hong Kong, which began on June 4th after the government announced plans for a referendum that would allow voters to choose between full democracy and greater autonomy, has been met with fierce resistance from Beijing Protests will hurt economy , businesses and stock market , he adds . Ordinary people do n't want to be unwilling pawns in a political game .