Response: I got a call not long ago from my 5-year-old daughter's school. It seems that she refused to repeat the "Pledge of Allegiance" because she felt "it is a bunch of lies." Somehow, as a Blackfoot, she has a problem with the concept of alleging the actuality [the promise is a lie also] of "liberty and justice for all", "one nation indivisible" (She is a member of a nation within a nation and knows children of many other Indian nations) and she knows that whatever one's religion or concept of "God", supporting fascist dictatorships, overthrowing sovereign states, supporting torture and mindcontrol, imperialism and genocide in the Americas and elsewhere etc has nothing to do with any relgion's concept of "God" and "God's" Commandments (as articulated not as actually practiced)or a "nation under God". The actual pledge of Allegiance was written in 1893 by Francis Bellamy as an open instrument and attempt to do mass brainwashing in the school system. It is interesting how in the US so many point to "mass brainwashing" under "communism" while themselves being the most uncritical and Stepford-Wives-and-Husbands-like products of true mass brainwashing by the schools, churches, politicians and media of America. I asked my classes how many supported bombing in Yugoslavia, Kosovo etc?; those who supported it, I asked them to go up to the maps and show me the areas being bombed and not one could. BTW Henry, excellent selections from the Works of Chairman Mao to quote; I can't see even a sliver of "Mein Kampf" in any of them. Jim C -----Original Message----- From: Charles Brown [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 1999 10:51 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [PEN-L:8515] Re: Re: Re: Unions Weigh 'CHARLIE CHAN" dispute >>> "Henry C.K. Liu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 06/29/99 10:51AM >>> Typical. I suggested a comparison of Kennedy's campaign speeches to Lin Biao's preface to Quotations From Mao, Professor DeLong produced a Kennedy graduation address at Harvard on Robert Frost. Kennedy described through his adulation of Frost, an America I did not recognize in the 60s, nor now, nor do I see it going in that direction. (((((((((((((((( Charles: How about the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, recited mindlessly, daily by millions of school children about the same time as the Red Books ? How about if we get some of the nominating speeches at Dem and Rep party conventions ? How about George Washington never told a lie ? How about television commercials and their praises of commodities ? (((((((((((((((((((( Lin Biao wrote in his preface: > In studying the works of Chairman Mao, one should have specific > problems in mind, study and apply his works in a creative way, > combine study with application, first study what must be urgently > applied in order to get quick results, and strive hard to apply what > one is studying. > We have compiled Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung in order to help the > broad masses learn Mao Tse-tung's thought more effectively. > In organizing their study, units should select passages that are > relevant to the situation, their tasks, the current thinking of their > personnel, and the state of their work. It does not read like dictatorial oppression to me, as Professor DeLong claims. ((((((((((((((((((( Charles: So, what we have in the selective quotations earlier by Brad D. is a form of distortion by omission. To call the above "bootlicking " and adherence to an autocrat is a gross distortion. Charles Brown (((((((((((((( More to the point, let me quote directly from the Quotations From Mao: 17. SERVING THE PEOPLE We should be modest and prudent, guard against arrogance and rashness, and serve the Chinese people heart and soul. . . . "China's Two Possible Destinies" (April 23, 1945), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 253. Our point of departure is to serve the people whole-heartedly and never for a moment divorce ourselves from the masses, to proceed in all cases from the interests of the people and not from the interests of individuals or groups, and to understand the identity of our responsibility to the people and our responsibility to the leading organs of the Party. "On Coalition Government" (April 24, 1945), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 315.* The organs of state must practise democratic centralism, they must rely on the masses and their personnel must serve the people. On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People (February 27, 1957), 1st pocket ed., p. 8.* Comrade Bethune's spirit, his utter devotion to others without any thought of self, was shown in his great sense of responsibility in his work and his great warm-heartedness towards all comrades and the people. Every Communist must learn from him. .. . . . . . . . . . . We must all learn the spirit of absolute selflessness from him. With this spirit everyone can be very useful to the people. A man's ability may be great or small, but if he has this spirit, he is already noble-minded and pure, a man of moral integrity and above vulgar interests, a man who is of value to the people. "In Memory of Norman Bethune" (December 21, 1939), Selected Works, Vol. II, pp. 337-38.* Our Communist Party and the Eighth Route and New Fourth Armies led by our Party are battalions of the revolution. These battalions of ours are wholly dedicated to the liberation of the people and work entirely in the people's interests. "Serve the People" (September 8, 1944), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 227. All our cadres, whatever their rank, are servants of the people, and whatever we do is to serve the people. How then can we be reluctant to discard any of our bad traits? "The Tasks for 1945" (December 15, 1944). Our duty is to hold ourselves responsible to the people. Every word, every act and every policy must conform to the people's interests, and if mistakes occur, they must be corrected -- that is what being responsible to the people means. "The Situation and Our Policy After the Victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan" (August 13, 1945), Selected Works, Vol. IV, p. 16. Wherever there is struggle there is sacrifice, and death is a common occurrence. But we have the interests of the people and the sufferings of the great majority at heart, and when we die for the people it is a worthy death. Nevertheless, we should do our best to avoid unnecessary sacrifices. "Serve the People" (September 8, 1944), Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 228. All men must die, but death can vary in its significance. The ancient Chinese writer Szuma Chien said, "Though death befalls all men alike, it may be weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather." To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather. Ibid., p. 227.* To material like the above, Lin Biao wrote: "We have compiled Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung in order to help the broad masses learn Mao Tse-tung's thought more effectively. In organizing their study, units should select passages that are relevant to the situation, their tasks, the current thinking of their personnel, and the state of their work. It is our hope that all comrades will learn earnestly and diligently, bring about a new nation-wide high tide in the creative study and application of Chairman Mao's works and, under the great red banner of Mao Tse-tung's thought, strive to build our country into a great socialist state with modern agriculture, modern industry, modern science and culture, and modern national defence!" Now, it is interesting to compare Mao's praise of Dr. Bethune's to Kennedy celebration of Frost. (Bethune was a Canadian surgeon who helped the People's Liberation Army during the revolution.) Mao talked about: "We must all learn the spirit of absolute selflessness from him. With this spirit everyone can be very useful to the people. A man's ability may be great or small, but if he has this spirit, he is already noble-minded and pure, a man of moral integrity and above vulgar interests, a man who is of value to the people." Kennedy, on the other hand, talked about: "In America our heroes have customarily run to men of large accomplishments." Sounds perilously close to Fascism. Frost is a fine Poet. Yet Kennedy seems to me to be concerned with how to bake a fancier cake (even acknowledging that Frost was often skeptical about projects for human improvement), while Mao praised Bethune's spirit of a concern for saving lives of soldiers engaged in a liberation struggle. One may not necessarily be morally superior to the other, in a timeless sense. Yet, personally, I identify more with the mission of Bethune. But then, as Professor DeLong implies, in my admiration for Mao, I don't really have the sensitivity to appreciate the fine points of human aspiration. I am too fixated on mundane problems on the eliminating hunger rather than the designer dresses and French cousine of the Jacky White House Brad De Long wrote: > I didn't expect to be called a racist for daring to suggest that the > people of China deserved better than to be ruled by a boot-licking > theocrat like Lin Biao either... As I said for the nth time, it is your callous lampoon of Chinese language that was an racist act, not your disagreement with Lin Biao. Henry C.K. Liu
