Thursday, June 30, 2011

Earlier today MSNBC "indefinitely suspended" talking head Mark Halperin for an on-air remark he made about President Obama. This is what Mr. Halperin said:

"I thought he was kind of a dick yesterday."


I've never heard of Mark Halperin, I don't have a TV; I read that he is Time magazine's lead political reporter too. Well, I don't read Time either. I don't know what his politics are, I don't think President Obama's a dick--"kind of a dick"-- I don't know what President Obama did yesterday to be kind of a dick in Mr. Halperin's opinion.  I cannot imagine the President was crushed that "Mark Halperin" said he was kind of a dick yesterday.

Indefinitely suspended for saying the president was kind of a dick on one day?  Really?

Maybe it's the immediacy of television. You can't say things on TV that you can write.  I don't know, an indefinite suspension still seems overkill. Calling someone kind of a dick...well, kind of a d***, is pretty mild in my book, but then my book is filled with asterisks. 
你好朋友和敌人,


The People's Republic of Dungeon has released a new movie picture of its ownself called "Beginning of the Great Revival."  According to Amnesty International the gendarme have taken the precaution of forbidding any Hollywood releases from opening during its run to assure maximum viewership (viewership?).  Here's the trailer from YouTube. God, Mao was handsome. I don't know why in the period pictures he was always so fat. Didn't photograph well, I guess. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaH-zR6M50A



Monday, June 27, 2011

China's Great Wall of Silence



First time I've ever seen the above photo of Yaowu. Every other I've seen taken at this event is from an angle that has her on the right.

                                                                     
Yaowu, second from left.

China's Great Wall of Silence

                                                                 

It's been a year since I've written anything on the distinguished Chinese-American scholar, Weili Ye, yet when I google her name the third entry is last year's June 15 post here so that's good. When I google her alias, Ye Weili, the same post is the sixth entry. 

China's Great Wall of Silence

                                                                     
It's been a year since I've written anything on the distinguished Chinese patriot Song Yaowu yet her alias, Song Binbin, is seventh as a search term for people who land on this site. So I googled both. Using her real name, Song Yaowu, the first entry (republished by ObserveChina) and three of the next five come back to posts here. Using the Song Binbin alias one of the posts here comes up ninth on the first page. Unfortunately under her third, American name, Yan Song, there is nothing on the first page.


Photo: Song Yaowu and some fat guy, August 18, 1966. 

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Seeking the Soul

                                                                 
Ooo-eee. How'd you like to be that "Minister of Food?"  I bet that sumbitch never ate another egg as long as he lived.

Or the Minister of Transport?  You're in the middle of a war of survival, your country's an island; troops, fuel--and food--have the damnedest time getting in and out, and your Prime Minister declares you and your ministry are waging a "war on flowers" and brings this holocaust before the whole government!

There is little that is not known about Winston Churchill, including how funny he was.  I would guess though that among those things less widely known is the "funniness" that these communications show was so deep in his soul.  For Churchill was not intentionally being funny here, these were official State communications that he considered--and which undoubtedly were taken by the recipients to be--very serious indeed.

My guess is that these are not as widely known because they are from the appendices to Churchill's six-volume work The Second World War.  Six volumes.  The appendices.  They are from volumes three and four only.  The appendices to volume three are 156 pages, those in volume four 127 pages.  The entries posted here are from...an appendix in these appendices, found also in the other volumes, called "Prime Minister's Personal Minutes."

I intended to end this series on these minutes with those on the length of telegrams but couldn't resist appending the story about the iconic Karsh portrait.  I had intended to end with the telegrams because of the irony.  Churchill complaining about wordiness?  Six-volume Churchill?  One million word Marlborough Churchill?  The "Winston hours" Churchill who exhausted FDR?

Irony is unintended humor.

"Prime Minister's Personal Minutes" provide a candid view onto the soul of Winston Churchill.  We see him here guileless and caring: about eggs or flowers or ice cream because they would improve the hard lives of the British people. Time and again one reads of people who knew Churchill describe him as unusually without malice. "No man is a hero to his valet," is the saying but the people, even the unfortunate Minister of Food one imagines, who worked for Churchill loved him (Not so by contrast, those who worked for FDR). Guileless and sincere: one of Churchill's contemporaries said "Winston was often right but when he was wrong. Well, my God."  Sometimes wrong and stubborn. Always sincere. The "Moral of the Work," as Churchill put it on the frontispiece of each volume of The Second World War is:

In War: Resolution.
In Defeat: Defiance.
In Victory: Magnanimity.
In Peace: Goodwill.

Guileless and funny: Who doesn't like to laugh? Churchill was beloved for being funny.  The ironic eggs/flowers/ice-cream funniness is part of the soul of the English people it seems to me also. One thinks of "Janet! Donkies!;"  I think also of "The Poznan."  And one thinks of this English irony, not lost on Churchill, that in 1945 his Conservative party was defeated at the polls and he was turned out of office as Prime Minister.

Photo: Frederick Marquis, First Earl of Woolten, Minister of Food, egg hater.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Hu Jia Released

                                                         
Hu, one of the PRC's leading democracy, environmental, and HIV/AIDS activists was released by the fascists less than an hour ago after spending 3 1/2 years in prison for "inciting subversion of state power."

Photo: Hu with wife Zeng Jinyan and baby daughter.
                                                     
You know how Karsh caught Churchill with this quintessentially Churchillian facial expression?   Snatched the cigar from his mouth right before he took the picture. 
Prime Minister to His Majesty's Representative at Kabul, 19 October 1941


"I have been much pleased with...you...but...you have sent 6,639 cipher groups.  The labour and cost of this profuse telegraphing


...choking effect


...such lengthy messages


...ought never to be forgotten.  Clarity and cogency...greater brevity."
Prime Minister to Sir Alexander Cadogan, 17 February 1941


"Please draw attention again to Mr. Eden's injunction against the length of telegrams..."
                                                                   
Prime Minister to Sir E. Bridges, for all concerned, 20 April 1943


                                           CHURCH BELLS


"The ringing of the bells to summon worshippers as described in my answer to Parliament to-day does not mean that the bells should be rung at odd times for weddings or funerals."



                                                         
Prime Minister to General Ismay, for the C.O.S. Committee, 14 April 1943


"I see no reason why the church bells should not ring on Sundays in the ordinary manner to summon worshippers to church. I recommend that this permission be given in time for the Easter celebrations this year."
                                                             
Prime Minister to Lord President, 6 March 1943


TRANSPORT OF FLOWERS


"I am distressed that your Committee should not have seen their way to agree to any relaxation of the ban on the transport of flowers...I recognize...present circumstances...special trains for flowers...surely some half-way house...


...your Committee


...immediate consideration


...flowers


...temptations to a black market..."
                                                       
Prime Minister to Minister of War Transport, 5 March 1943


"Thank you so much for helping about the flowers."
                                                               
Prime Minister to Minister of War Transport, 3 March 1943


"This note from your office about the ban on the transport of flowers...certainly does not give me what I want. I asked that some effort should be made to ease up this war on the flowers..."
                                                       
Prime Minister to Minister of Food, 6 December 1941


"Amid your many successes...the egg distribution scheme seems to be an exception."
                                                           
Prime Minister to Minister of Food, 7 July 1941


"I am glad that you are preparing for the American authorities an estimate of our full requirements of pork and dairy products, and that you have asked them for a greatly increased programme for eggs."
                                                                                                               
Prime Minister to Minister of Food, 2 July 1941


"I am glad that the egg scheme attributed to you was not actually the scheme you had in mind.
...
As to wheat..."
                                                                                                               
(Action this Day) Prime Minister to Lord Woolton and Minister of Agriculture, 14 June 1941


"I was very glad to hear from you that the twelve hens scheme would be abandoned in favour of 'No official food for more than twelve hens unless you come into the public pool.'  'Public chicken-food for public eggs.'


2. Have you done justice to rabbit production?
...
4. I view with great concern any massacre of sheep and oxen."
                                                                   
Prime Minister to Home Secretary, 2 April 1941


"I see a note in the Daily Telegraph that you are shortly going to make a statement to Parliament on the future of horse-racing.  Will you kindly let me know beforehand what you think of saying?  If anything were done which threatened to terminate horse-racing in time of war or ruin the bloodstock it would be necessary that the whole matter should be thrashed out in Cabinet first." 
                                                                   
Prime Minister to Secretary of War, 4 February 1941


"Please see the Times of February 4.  Is it really true that a seven-mile cross-country run is enforced upon all in this division from generals to privates?
...
Who is the general of this division, and does he run the seven miles himself?  If so, he may be more useful for football than war. Could Napoleon have run seven miles across country at Austerlitz?  Perhaps it was the other fellow he made run."
                                                                     
Prime Minister to Minister of Food, 21 March 1941


"I hope the term 'Communal Feeding Centres' is not going to be adopted.  It is an odious expression, suggestive of Communism and the workhouse.  I suggest you call them 'British Restaurants.'  Everybody associates the word 'restaurant' with a good meal, and they may as well have the name if they cannot get anything else."

Friday, June 24, 2011

O Canada

                                                                 
The people dearest to Americans in the whole world, just about the dearest people there are, are celebrating tonight.  Canadians are celebrating--what else--ice hockey. In late June. On May 19 the National Hockey League moved back to the Manitoba prairie after an absence of fifteen years. And tonight they got back their team's name. The Winnipeg "Jets" are reborn and The True North rejoices.

This is Public Occurrences.
                                                               
Prime Minister to Minister of Agriculture, 28 February 1943


"I am not satisfied that it would be a costly business to give the country more eggs.  And it is disturbing to learn that the new cropping programme may lead to a further cut in the present niggardly supply. 


The picture you sent me shows that it is more economical to import dried eggs...The picture is impressive, but would have been more relevant if I had suggested increasing the production of eggs by importing extra cereals. 


What I had in mind was the possibility of diverting a few hundred thousand tons...to hens at the expense of beef cattle.
...
Moreover, I am told that hens are better converters of protein...than are cattle.
...
If cereals were taken from the farms...fewer cattle would be fattened...I am concerned by the moral as well as the nutritional effects of the drastic reductions we have already made in...eggs.


I am greatly distressed...


...remarkable work you have done


...marred


...failure


...I wish I could persuade you


...overcome...difficulties


...entrenching yourself.


If you would like to come and talk to me, please do so."
                                                             
Prime Minister to Minister of Food, 22 September 1942


PROHIBITION OF THE MANUFACTURE AND SALE OF ICE-CREAM


"Without definite information as to the saving in transport and manpower, I cannot judge whether the destruction of this amenity was worth while.


I suppose the large numbers of American troops in this country will have their own arrangements made for them.  They are great addicts of ice-cream, which is said to be a rival to alcoholic drinks. 


The step should not have been taken without the Cabinet having an opportunity to express an opinion."
                                                         
Prime Minister to Minister of Food, 16 July 1942


"Complaints reach me about your new plans for poultry rationing as they affect country-folk.  The hen has been part and parcel of the country cottager's life since history began. Townsfolk can eke out their rations by a bought meal.  What is the need for this tremendous reduction to one hen per person?  Anyhow, the Cabinet ought to have been informed."
                                                                   
Prime Minister to First Lord, 6 July 1942 (Copy to Minister of Works and Planning.)


"The Horse Guards Parade is not Admiralty property, and you should have obtained permission from the Cabinet before erecting the bicycle sheds which cover so large a space."

Sunday, June 19, 2011

"The Chinese Cultural Revolution," by Zhang Mu. Chapter 3.2-1

Take Two, trying just to publish the text. 



On September 9, 1966, Mao wrote on a document of Foreign Affairs Ministry: “come a revolutionization, otherwise it will be very dangerous” (referred to as “Sept.9 instruction”). The rebellers of Foreign Affairs Ministry set up a “Sept.9 Army Corps” and report to Zhou Enlai that they would hold a ten thousand persons meeting to criticize Chen Yi’s bourgeoisie reactionary route. On January 18, 1967, Zhou Enlai entrusted Chen Yi (minister of Foreign Affairs Ministry) to interview rebellion representatives of Foreign Affairs Ministry, Chen Yi said that the service of Foreign Affairs Ministry was decided by the party committee, but the rebellers might join the “surveillance”. On January 24, Chen Boda, Jiang Qing and so on attended the congress of criticizing Chen Yi in the People’s Great Hall. Under the instigation by Jiang Qing and Kang Sheng, Red Guards from Foreign Languages College and so on many times Rushed in Foreign Affairs Ministry to clutch Chen Yi to interrogate, Zhou Enlai arrived at the scene to protect Chen Yi. From May 16 on, many big-character posters and slogans appeared in Foreign Affairs Ministry: “Zhou Enlai is the bourgeoisie reactionary route's decision maker and performers, is not comrade of Chairman Mao and Vice-President Lin, is not member of Chairman Mao’s headquarters!” “Bombard Zhou Enlai is not bombard proletariat headquarters!”, “Bombard Zhou Enlai is the current movement general orientation!”......Mao thought it beyond redemption, on May 29 he hinted that could not bombard Zhou. From July 15 on, Foreign Languages College composed a “Army of Clutching Chen Yi”, arrived at the gate of Foreign Affairs Ministry daily, shouted to hand ove “three-antis element” Chen Yi to them, otherwise never retreated. Xie Fuzhi (vice-premier, minister of Public Security Ministry, Director of Beijing Revolutionary Committee) and Qi Benyu (Central Culture Revolution) and so on went to the gate of Foreign Affairs Ministry “salute” Red Guards” “revolutionary action”. On August 7, Foreign Affairs Ministry held meeting to criticizing Chen Yi, Wang Li (Central Culture Revolution) said that the Foreign Affairs Ministry should seize power and overthrow Chen Yi. This was afterward joked to call “Wang 87speech”. Several hundred rebellers rushed in the conference site to clutch Chen Yi, in order to prevent Chen Yi “to run away”, they deflated Chen Yi's automobile tires, Zhou Enlai arranged two company soldiers to come to rescue Chen Yi. On August 11, 1967, more than ten thousand people’s “meeting of interrogating the three-antis element Chen Yi” in People’s Great Hall, hosted by Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Foreign Languages College joined “Criticizing Chen Yi Connecting statin”, and “May 16 Army Corps” which was organized by Yao Dengshan. Chen Yi was force to bend his body, some people rushed to the podium to hit Chen Yi.On August 19, rebellers seized power of Foreign Affairs Ministry, the slogan “overthrow Liu, Deng and Chen” was sent in various countries' Embassy or Consulates. Ji Pengfei and Qiao Guanhua and other leaders of Foreign Affairs Ministry, were forced to Wangfujing street to send out "Combat Chen Reports", then were shut in basement to write “the self-criticism”.
 Because on August 22, a news “Hong Kong Factory had the labor dispute, Hong Kong authority sent police to suppress”, ten thousand rebellers held “denounce meeting” at the gate of  British in China Agency. Zhou Enlai urgently arrived there to stop the rebel till the night. but  the people crash in the Agency forcefully, set on fire and had burnt the office building and the automobiles.
State Council’s other Department and Ministry also were in rebellion. In Zhongnanhai rebellers clutched Liu Shaoqi, simultaneously rebellers proposed “clutch capitalist-roaders in Army”. Zhou Enlai sent Yang Chengwu to go to Shanghai to report Mao immediately. Mao did not give answer. Although Mao in Shanghai but knew from A to Z about Beijing’s situation. Mao in Shanghai said to the Albanian visitors: “Recently, our Foreign Affairs Ministry is lively, they want overthrow Chen Yi, Ji Pengfei, Qiao Guanhua, who can work as foreign minister and vice-minister? ....... Of Chen Yi, I am not pleased him, but to choose a foreign minister is also difficult! Therefore, I advocated that bombard him but not overthrow him.” But afterward Mao thought that “clutch capitalist-roaders in Army” to endanger his power, he uncharacteristically wrote on Wang Li’s “August 7 speech” manuscript “ it is a big, big, big poisonous weeds!” So, Wang Li, Qi Benyu, Yao Dengshan ended their political fortune.




Began from July, 1966, all country formed a high tide of fighting “capitalist-roaders”,“reactionary academic authority” and “five kinds of elements”, many persons were killed, it was called “red terror” or “red August”. This time Mao frequently interviewed Red Guards, Mao once instructed: “the party's policies do not advocate beating. But carry on the class analysis about beating. beat bad guys who get deserve, bad guys beat a good man who is glory; a good man beat a good man both are misunderstood. From now on cannot beat again. Must present the facts, speak the truth.” On July 26, 1966, Peng Xiaomeng, a girl middle-school studentin front of Jiang Qing and more than 10,000 people on congress podium in Beijing University, beat Zhang Chengxian (leader of work team of Beijing University) with the leather belt, Jiang Qing said Peng was “little sun”. On July 28, 1966, Jiang Qing said to middle-school students of Beijing Haidian District, transmitted Mao’s speech “good man beat bad guys who get deserve”, in fact encouraged the youth to beat. Beijing's middle school Red Gguards (mainly “old Red Guards”, namely children of senior CCP officials) established “dare-to-die corps”, “ Red Guards Police”, private jails. Only in Beijing’s two middle schools, killed and injured to cripples more than 200 people (“five black categories members”, most were teachers). Red Guards of the Beijing Sixth Middle-school, to wrote “long live the red torror!” on the wall with the blood of the killed “class enemy”. On July 25, 1966, Liaoning University had labeled 409 “rightists”. On August 22, 1966, Mao issued a document “refuse to send out police to suppress revolutionary mass movement”, it stipulated: “do not permit by any excuse to send police to interfere, to suppress revolutionary students movement, all police do not enter the school, except the present counter-revolutionary, do not arrest anyone.” Because the most beaters were “five red categories” students, so it give a “legitimate basis” for the killers could be investigated.
According to incomplete statistics, in Beijing, in more than one months 1,772 people were killed, 33,695 households were confiscated family's property, 85,198 people were pursued out off Beijing. Because “revolutionary travel and contact” the “red torror” expanded from Beijing to all country. In January, 1967, Xi'an railway station was hanging “long live the red torror!” red big slogan. Many countryside had set up “Poor Peasant Supreme Court” for arbitrary killings.
On July 21, 1967, Jiang Qing and Kang Sheng made a name list of false charge against the CCP’s eighth session members of Central Committee. In August, Kang Sheng again made a name list of false charge against the third and fourth National People's Congress permanent committee members. Among 159 standing members of the 4th National Political Consultative Conference Committee member, 74 were slandered as the “spy”, “rebel”and “counter-revolutionary”. Various provinces and cities, there were massive injustice cases, several hundred thousand people were persecuted. “Inner Mongolian Popular Party Case” caused more than 346,000 people to suffer persecution, more than 16,000 people were persecuted to die; “East of Hebei Province case” caused 8,240,000 people to receive false charges, more than 2900 people were persecuted to die; Also had “Xinjiang rebel group case”, “Northeast gang to betray the party and the counter-revolutionary bloc case” and so on. Also tens of thousands of people were persecuted to die in the literary and art circles, scientific and technical circles and so on.


The following are captions to Mr. Mu's photographs. After reading them over I think there's sufficient information conveyed for them to be meaningful even without the photos.  



(1) On August 18, 1966, Mao first interviewed Red Guards, Peng Xiaomeng was arranged by the Central Cultural Revolution Group on Tian An Men rostrum to speak. On August 1, 1966, Mao wrote to Red Guards of Tsinghua Attached Middle School, in the letter Mao mentioned Peng specially Xiaomeng’s name. On July 26, 1966, Peng Xiaomeng, a girl middle-school studentin front of Jiang Qing and more than 10,000 people on congress podium in Beijing University, beat Zhang Chengxian (leader of work team of Beijing University) with the leather belt, Jiang Qing said Peng was the “little sun”. (2) Peng Xiaomeng afterward had also been interrogated. (3) “Beijing Western City Red Guard Police No.Tenth order”. Red Guard Police had some contribution to maintain order when Mao interview Red Guards, but they had many significant crimes in hitting “monsters and freaks”, “broken four olds” and so on. (4) On August 27, “Qinghua Attached Middle School Red Guards” beat Chen Yanrong to die, Chen was a worker, the crme was only he came from a “rich farmer” family. Red Guards wrote the “proof of getting the corpse” to Chen’s family members who must pay 28 Yuan and depending on this proof then could cremate the corpse. Chen’s was injured by the Red Guards who said that killing one of the “five black categories” was only a “28 Yuan money matter”. At the same day, in October, 1966, Beijing had 228 people were killed. CCP sent out the topic “hit the Old World completely” document, reported in 1966 summer Red Guards “broken four olds” got achievement, including many many confiscated the personal houses, gold silver, cash and other property, 1,772 people were killed.


(1) On June 1, 1966, People's Daily published “Sweeps Away All Monsters and Freaks”, wrote by Chen Boda (Leader of Central Cultural Revolution Group). It agitated to overthrow all. (2) Chen Xiaoyu, famous writer and reporter in People's Daily, in August, 1966, also inner the People's Daily agency clutched and fought the “monsters and freaks”, Chen Xiaoyu and Wu Lengxi and so on leaders of the agency were labeled the “capitalist-roader” and forced to kneel on the stage, received beat, spits, whip, on August 24 he suicide (the same day the renowned writer Lao She suicide). (3) “Long live the red terror! " Wuhan Workers Rebellion Army.1966. (4) “Long live great red terror! " Beijing Aviation Industry shool “Jinggang Mountains” fight team. August, 1966.



Picking up again now with the text in Chinese:

The ghosts worried to see that-- “Long live red torror!”

(Harbin Five Red Categories Juniors rebellion Congress Newspaper “Red Descendant” Editorial)
鬼见愁——红色恐怖万岁
(哈尔滨市红五类子弟造反大会会刊《红后代》社论)
我们高呼:红色恐怖万岁!
今天,我们搞红色恐怖,明天,我们还要搞红色恐怖,只要有不符合毛泽东思想的东西存在,我们就要造反,就要搞红色恐怖!
毛主席说:“革命不是请客吃饭,不是做文章,不是绘画绣花,不能那样雅致,那样从容不迫,文质彬彬,那样温良恭俭让。革命是暴动,是一个阶级推翻一个阶级的暴烈的行动。”我们要砸烂旧世界,要横扫一切牛鬼蛇神,要在全中国,全世界树立毛泽东思想的绝对权威,

就必须对一切旧的东西大杀大砍。文文雅雅、慢慢腾腾怎么能行呢!?怎么能在框框里干革命呢?!
有人一见到红色恐怖,听到我们喊造反有理,就胆战心惊、大发雷霆。什么“不按党的方针政策办事呀!”什么“这样太乱了吧。”统统都是胡说八道。天下,是我们的!江山,是我们的!我们翻身了,我们执政了。我们造了牛鬼蛇神的反,罢了牛鬼蛇神的官,专了它们的政,我们扬眉吐气了,谁敢在我们面前专横跋扈,不可一世,我们就叫它去见阎王。害怕红色恐怖的家伙们,实话告诉你们:对红色恐怖持有什么态度,是真假革命者的试金石。
我们是天生的造反者,我们是旧世界的批判家。我们的父兄,在战火纷飞的战斗岁月里跟着毛主席踏遍了万水千山,夺得了政权,打下了江山。今天,我们——革命事业的继承者,毛泽东思想的红卫兵,跟着最高统帅毛主席又燃起了无产阶级文化大革命的熊熊烈火。头可断,血可流,毛泽东思想不能丢!血未干,仇未忘,无产阶级专政不能放!上刀山,下火海,党的领导不能篡。我们红色的后代起来了,起来保政权、捍江山。
毛主席教导我们:“不止不行,不塞不流,不破不立。”我们造反是造定了,我们还要在红色恐怖的烈火上加油,烧!烧!烧!!烧掉旧世界,建立无产阶级的新世界,建立毛泽东思想的红世界。
造反有理!造反到底!
红色恐怖万岁!
一九六六年九月二十二日(哈尔滨市红五类子弟造反大会会刊《红后代》编辑部)

Below, citing to Dr. Youqin Wang. 
From May 1966 on, Red Guards carried on wantonly to persecute to the persons so-called “class enemy”, tyrannised, confiscated family's property, or killed. Large quantities of Chinese Communist Party senior officials (capitalist-roaders), senior intellectuals (reactionary academic authority) and “the five kinds of elements” (landlord or capitalist, rich pensant, counter-revolotionary, bad element, rightist) were suffered persecution to die. Beijing nearby Chongwenmen, a female landlord widow was killed with the boiling water by agroup of Red Guards. In late August 1966, Beijing urban district had several thousand people were killed by Red Guards. In this red terror, the “capitalist-roaders”, “reactionary academic authority” and “the five kinds of elements” the number of been killd is unable the statistics. The details may see Wang Youqin "The Great Cultural Revolution Victims”, Hong Kong Open Magazine Publishing House, 2004.



(1) Beijing Daixing County event
From August 27 to September 1, 1966, Beijing Daixing County took place the tragedy of collective slaughtering the “five kinds of elements” (landlords or captalists, rich peasants, counterrevolutionaries, bad elements, rightists); successively 325 people, the oldst was 80 years old, the youngest only 38 days were killed, among them 22 households were exterminated completely. The old age “five black categories” were killed with clubs, the babies and infants were splited in two half, the youth “five black categories” were locked up then slowly tortured to death as a "play" . (It recorded in “The Great Cultural Revolution Ten Years History", Tianjin People's Publishing House, September, 1986). The Daixing County slaughter event was not the isolated phenomenon in the Great Cultural Revolution, all around the country were happening similar tragedy.
(2) Hunan Dao County event
In 1967 year, in Hunan Dao County, everywhere were slogans of “utterly wipe out the black four kinds, guarantee the nation forever to be red” and the murder notices of the “Poor Peasant Supreme Court”, from August 13 to October 17, 66 days, involves 2778 households, altogether died 4519 people, among them 4193 were killed  and 326 were forced to suicide ...... The neighbor of Dao County in Lingling area’s counties also killed people: unnatural death 9093, amomg them 7696 were killed, 1397 suicide;


 moreover, 2146  injured or disabled. The oldest 78 years old, smallest only 10 days, the murder methods: by sword, gun, spear, club, water inundating, fire, buried alive, etc. And more than 14,000 people were persecuted directly implicating in the murder event. Only then in 1984, the authority gave a paper of “ rehabilitation written notice” with a little pension to the victim family members. Also more than 1000 slaughters obtained the “party and government disciplinary measures”, few were set imprisonment's punishment.
(3) Guangxi Binyang County event
In July and August 1968 (the event may be pigeonholed to “the second red torror”, but the country is huge, from Beijing come here need time), Guangxi Binyang County, arranged from the county revolutionary committee to the people's commune, listed “23 kind of people” (five black elements, those who befrore 1949 were Kuomintang gowernment stuffs, education-through-labor to release personnels, and so on), 3951 were killed or compelled suicide.

Mao wanted his emperor clan’s authority continued, only overthrew Liu Shaoqi and so on several people was not enough, must prevent China to present matters such as Khrushchev counter-Stalin, must grasp reliably the authority in his own persons. From September to October 1966, Xi'an and Taiyuan and so on cities the rebellers attack the CCP committee of provincial and city municipal,  Lin Biao wrote a report “deliver Chairman to read, the northwest situation endured the attention really”. Mao wrote comment on it immediately: “Comrade Lin Biao: This is the big good deed. The left wing needs to prepare to sacrifice several thousand people to receive in exchange for right wing tens of thousands people.” Because impossible completely wipe out all people in power, so  a part of leaders were labelled as the “capitalist-roaders”, other leaders were labelled as “left wing”, but who was the “capitalist-roaders” and who was “left wing”? The rebelles already splited up to different cliques and factions. Mao summoned that the rebellers to get great union, captured all levels of Party committee's power. Mao did not give attention to the situation of the chaotic nation and the hard living of the people.


Below, captions to photos. Amazing photos. 



On February 16, 1967, Heilongjiang rebellers seized power, after smashing the “Harbin People's Government” sign, raised up a Slogan “Break the old organization to establish the new political power! All authorities turn over to the red rebellers!” and a sign “Harbin People's Commune”. The “Commune Manifesto" declared: “Abolished all authorities of the original Municipal CCP Committee, Municipal People's Commune, all authorities turn over to the Commune”. Photo by Li Zhensheng.

Text:

In January, 1967, under the Central Cultural Revolution Group's instigation, all nation’s rebellers carried on seizing power greatly. On 10th, Heilongjiang rebellers seized provincial Party Committee's power. On 14th Shanxi provincial Party committee was seized power, on 25th People's Daily published “Great victory of the Shanxi Province’s proletarian cultural revolution”. On 17th Changsha Municipal Party committee was seized power. In Beijing, on 18th the national finance and trade system rebellers seized power, on 19th ministry of higher education, the CCP Central Propaganda Department, the CCP united front work department, the CCP organization department, Ministry of Culture and so on many central and Beijing City’s ministries were seized power. On 25th People's Daily published “Warmly cheer Guizhou revolution left wing seized the great seals”, People's Daily on February 1 published the editorial “Southwest Spring Thunder" eulogizes Guizhou’s seizing power once more. On January 21, Guangdong,provincial party committee was seizes power , on 26th Yunnan, on 27th Shandong and so on. On 27th, Nie Yuanxin and Kuai Dafu prepared to set up "Beijing Revolutionary Rebellion Commune”. Shanghai rebels and seizing power took place in February. Although on January 4 and 5th “Wenhui Daily” and “Liberation Daily" were seized power, and Shanghai’s rebellers attempted 4 times to seize municipal CCP committee's power, but encountered opposition by Zhang Chunqiao and so on, on 28th Shanghai's partial rebellers organized to initiate “Bombard Zhang Chunqiao”, and rebellers internal took place militant fight; Shanghai rebellers officially seized power on February 5, 1967. Mao and the Central Cultural Revolution Group intentionally said that the nation’s “seizing power” is “Shanghai January Windstorm”, because Jiang Qing conspired under Mao’s support in Shanghai to concoct to criticize drama Hai Rui Dismissed from Office to start the Cultural Revolution, so Jiang Qing’s “Shanghai Gang” set up “the first-class honor”, Mao set up Shanghai as the model of the Great Cultural Revolution, the revolutionary laurel crown presented for Zhang Chunqiao, Yao Wenyuan, Wang Hongwen et al. So called “Shanghai January Windstorm” was Mao’s important step to support and encourage them carefully to form a gang.
On February 5, after Shanghai rebellers seized power, it announced the “Shanghai People's commune” was established, Zhang Chunqiao was the director, Yao Wenyuan and Wang Hongwen were sssistant director. On February 7, Henan rebellers seized the provincial power and established “February 7 Commun”. On 16th, Heilongjiang rebellers seized power and established “Harbin People's Commune”. Mao questioned the name of the power, said: “If various provinces and cities are called the People's commune, what that State Council call? What the People's Republic of China call? This has question about changing regime, must change to China People's Commune? The president of PRC call China People's Commune director or Commune head? Follows on is also a problem: the foreign countries do or do not acknowledge. The Soviet Union will not acknowledge, because if they acknowledged that can bring troublesome to them, how come out a China People's Commune? It is not good ......it is better to call the revolutionary committee”. Afterward Mao’s these words were changed to “the revolutionary committee is good” and waspropagandized wantonly. On 23rd, Shanghai People's Commune renamed to be Shanghai Revolutionary Committee.  All of the country imitated this.

(1)    In December, 1966, in Shanghai, Wang Hongwen and the rebellers created all city’s stoping of railroad, public transportation, shipment, water supply and power, ten thousand people besieged Shanghai CCP committee institution, ten thousand people went to Beijing to complain on foot. On January 6, 1967, a congress of criticizing city CCP leaders was held. (2) On January 4,Shanghai “Wenhui Daily” was seized power, on January 5 “Liberation Daily” was seized power; on 8th, Map praised seizing power newspapers: “This is a class overthrowing another class, this is a great revolution ......Shanghai’s revolution forces get up, the nation is hopeful.” Shanghai cheered Wenhui Daily's new life. (3) On January 5, Shanghai 11 public organizations sent out “To make revolution, promote production, thoroughly smash bourgeoisie reactionary route newly counter-attacking”.



(1)    On January 10, Mao instructed Chen Boda to draft the telegram to congratulate Shanghai rebels who seized power. On January 11 all country’s newspapers published the telegram of “CCP Central, State Council, Central Military Committee. Central Cultural Revolution Group”. In order to promote Jiang Qing's status, hereafter all the CCP documents were namely from this four signatures. On January 10 Zhou Enlai said “Central Cultural Revolution Group is Mao’s best general staff.” At the beginning of February, Mao said in expanded CCP Political Bureau meeting: “At present the Cultural Revolution Group has represented the secretariat”, completed the comprehensive Jiang Qing power authority. (2) Shanghai rebellers held the grand assembly celebration to have Mao’s support. (3,4) Rebellers after capture Shanghai's party politics power authority at first called the new power “Shanghai Red Paris Commune”, and also called “Shanghai People's Commune”.

Okay, that worked, sort of. The above constitutes the first part of Chapter 3.2, which I have designated 3.2-1. We will pick up next time with 3.2-2. 







"The Chinese Cultural Revolution," by Zhang Mu. Chapter 3.2

And then the images disappear. J Yep, pretty good. 



"The Chinese Cultural Revolution," by Zhang Mu. Chapter 3.2

You know that Larry David episode where he's lost and asks a guy for directions and the guy curses him out and David goes back to his car and his wife asks him how it went. "Pretty good; pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good." Here we have three-fourths of Mr. Mu's text, and most of his images. Pretty good. 







































Friday, June 17, 2011

It's the Economy, Stupid.

                                                                     
Over the years the title of this blog has stalked me like a debt collector. While confining posts, by and large, to Big Stuff and not indulging in little, teensie, weenie, stuff I have had to make only glancing references to some Big events, earthquakes for example. And when making those glancing references I have just written that since the title is “Public Occurrences” and an earthquake is a Big public occurrence, I was thereby recording that on such a date a ‘quake hit Haiti or Chile or Japan.

The most important public occurrence in the ten year existence of this latter-day Public Occurrences (the original lasted one day) has been Islam. We have covered that subject. The second biggest though, certainly since 2008, or was it 2009—see I can’t do this—has been the economy, the American economy, the world economy, The Economy.

That has not been covered here.

I can remember only two posts, one suggesting that New York Times columnist—and Nobel economics laureate—Paul Krugman visit a whorehouse to improve his mood, the second lauding President Obama on an unemployment report.  The reason there have been only two posts is because I’m in over my head here, or perhaps more accurately, because I’m in over my head here and I know I’m in over my head.

I cannot balance my checkbook.

The reasons for this post, which I hold constitutes a third post on The Economy, are a report today from the International Monetary Fund, via Reuters, that the U.S. and Europe are “playing with fire” on their budget deficits, and a report earlier this week (I think) that China is in danger of “a hard fall.”

Now they’re talking my language.

I have played with fire, last night I splashed my hand with boiling water. I was taught by my parents, or I learned “the hard way” that “playing with fire” is bad, it hurts. And, being a boy, I have had hard falls, fell out of a tree once, tippy-top. Boom. And so, it will probably not win me a Nobel Prize but I feel that—at this level—I can write intelligently about The Economy.

I hold that Greece is really playing with fire. Really, really, really, really. Playing with fire. Their budget deficit is too big. Really too big.  Greece…do something about that.

On China, some guy, I forget who, but really impressive credentials, flew into Shanghai. Said the shiny new airport was half-empty. Took the mag-lev train around town. Said the train was ¾ empty. Looked out the window of the mag-lev train. Said the new super-duper highways were uncrowded. According to this guy (it really was an impressive article) all this meant China was in danger of a “hard fall” because it had overbuilt. Chinese weren’t using this stuff. The commanders of the command economy have gotten way out in front of the foot soldiers…Actually,  I’m not 1000% sure how that adds up to a “hard fall.” I guess I don’t really understand what a “hard fall” is, economically.  I do suggest that Chinese start using the mag-lev.

And I read that President Obama’s stimulus plan is over this month, that all the good that it did for the American economy, and it doesn’t seem like it did enough, well that’s as good as it gets.  And I saw the movie As Good As It Gets. Really liked it. After the end of this month, which is in only 13 days, President Obama has got to try something else.  And I suggest he do that.

I have been following a little the budget negotiations between the White House and the Republicans in Congress on lifting the debt ceiling. The Republicans don’t want to do that. That has really gotten economists like me worried because if the debt ceiling is not lifted then we will go into temporary default on our financial obligations and our credit rating will fall and that’s playing with fire. And so I hope the Republicans do that—or maybe the White House should agree to the Republican spending cuts—both. I urge that the country not go into default.

All of this goes back to the housing “bubble” of a few years ago. Somehow it all goes back to that and I’ve read that home prices are still inflated which means there’s still something of a bubble out there and we need to pop that bubble.

In conclusion, The Economy is in bad shape. It is very fragile, it doesn’t seem to be getting better in a permanent way and we don’t have many good options. The world economy today seems to me to be intertwined in a way that Europe was when President Wilson warned against “entangling alliances," when in the summer of 1914 one little man can reasonably be said to have caused the whole damn world war, and now one little country, Greece, or some other little thing like an Icelandic volcano or an American housing bubble, or Shanghai mag-levs, could cause another Great Depression.  I don’t know how that could be.  I thought an intertwined world economy was good, that a European economic union was good.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

For Real?

                                                         
I would like to discuss reality.

Actually, I don't want to discuss reality but I feel compelled to discuss reality in the way I feel compelled to discuss things. A couple of centuries ago Dr. Johnson didn't want to discuss reality either and when informed by Boswell that Bishop Berkeley had written something questioning the existence of reality kicked a large rock and proclaimed "I refute it thusly!"  I have always thought Dr. Johnson's a convincing refutation of Bishop Berkeley.

The world has changed in the last couple hundred years however and those who may be termed the intellectual descendants of Bishop Berkeley have descended to make arguments which I view as similar. Has reality changed?

This dreary exercise is compelled by (1) an article today by former National Security Advisor Richard Clarke in the Wall Street Journal (2) recent articles on U.S. Congressman Anthony Weiner (unfortunate name) and (3) some article I read that was cited to in Arts and Letters Daily a couple of months ago. The subject matter of these disquisitions is, in reality, within the personal life experiences of the undersigned. We examine each of these in turn.

Congressman Weiner sent naked pictures of his own self and his own gentiles to women of the female persuasion via internet technology which was not in existence when Dr. Johnson kicked the rock. The transmission of these images is characterized as an extramarital "affair" as none of the recipients was Congressman Weiner's wife.

No. Upon information, belief and personal experience I hold that a necessary, but not sufficient, requirement for an extramarital affair is the use of the human sense of touch. That did not occur here, these "virtual" affairs were not affairs in reality. The rock is kicked. Boom. Done. Weiner.

Richard Clarke recounts the Chinese government's history of hacking into American computers, including the U.S. electrical grid and then writes:

"What would we do if we discovered that Chinese explosives had been laid throughout our national electrical system? The public would demand a government response."


Since I am an American I am necessarily included in Mr. Clarke's "we" and so I will answer his question: I would lay explosives in Zhongnanhai (easier). And they would go off.  That was our response to Islam's use of explosives on 9/11. That would be my response to Chinese explosives.

That is my answer to the question Mr. Clarke, what is your answer?  Mr. Clarke doesn't give an answer (to his own question) because it's not a real question. It is "real" explosives--like dynamite, nitroglycerin, jet fuel--Mr. Clarke is talking about, right?  No. That's not what Mr. Clarke is talking about:

"If, however, the explosive is a digital bomb that could do even more damage, our response is apparently muted--especially from our government."


A digital bomb. Mr. Clarke deliberately segues from "real" explosives to "virtual" explosives, whatever those are. Let me answer Mr. Clarke further.  Mr. Clarke, "real" people--the public and our governmental officials--distinguish between bombs that go "boom" (real) and whatever virtual explosives and "digital bombs" do because bombs that go boom, like the flying bombs on 9/11, kill "real" people and the public, our government and, like, the law, distinguish between acts that take life and those that do not.

Mr. Clarke never defines "digital bomb," never explains how it "could do even more damage," provides no evidence that when China "probed our electrical grid" it had "laid" digital bombs. Boom. Done. Clarke.

The Arts and Letters Daily link was to an article on "virtual friendships."  Now I can't find it but here is an article that looks similar (I have just skimmed it.) http://www.thenewatlantis.com/publications/virtual-friendship-and-the-new-narcissism. The gist of the article I read was that the various social media provide a beguiling intimacy that is no substitute for the real thing--sort of the flip side of Congressman Weiner's situation.  I think this is a better point.  That is, Congressman Weiner would never have gone into a male strip club and disrobed, but showing his weiner via text messages or the like gave the illusion of privacy. We all know that by now.  Some of us, like Congressman Weiner, still act.

A variation on this is that people who one interacts with on the internet may seem friendly but not be.  Again, this is not breaking news.  We have all read the stories of children getting lured, sometimes to their deaths, by other putative kids who turn out to be pedophiles.  The author of the article I read went further--(s)he argued that people who don't "really" meet cannot be considered to be friends, or in love.  I think I agree with the latter; I know I do not agree with the former.  I have been, and am, involved in email exchanges with lots of people.  On the China subject I have "really" met one.  The rest aren't friends?  No. How do I determine who I think of as a "friend" and who not?  Based on the quality and quantity of the--virtual--interaction.  Zhou Jineng from Red Art We've been emailing off and on (more off) for four years; he sent me Red Art. Never met him and probably never will. He's a friend for life! (Even though he referred to me, in Chinese, as an "honorable foreign devil.")  Another reader who I've emailed with some, Chris, to whom I dedicated a page a couple months ago, sent me a birthday greeting.  Meant a lot to me. He followed that up with a very touching email. A terrific friend. Really.

Boom. Done.

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Seeking the Soul


"I have a rendezvous with Death
And I to my pledged word am true,
I shall not fail that rendezvous."

World War I was the poets war.  

Poetry was the fashionable mode of expression by the soulful, whether in the arts, the trenches, or the centers of power. 

The summer of 1914 was remembered as a notably sublime time, a golden time.  And then...a wrong turn down a street... the gunman by chance there, and an assassination that rent the intricately woven fabric of all of Europe.

For all of Europe, and beyond, the summer of 1914 was the divide.

America was involved in World War I of course, my grandfather among those involved.  One hundred seventeen thousand American soldiers were killed, 206,000 wounded, my grandfather not among them fortunately.  But America was not involved in World War I until 1917. Grievous as those losses were Americans do not remember World War I as does Europe. Passchendaele, Ypres, the Somme--I doubt that one American in one hundred knows of them. "Armistice Day" is no longer celebrated alone, it is grouped into a remembrance of all veterans on the eleventh day of the eleventh month. 

France still has Armistice Day. 

One million four hundred thousand French military deaths, 1,700,000 total deaths, 4.29% of the population, over 4,000,000 wounded. 

World War I killed the soul of France. 

I think of France. 

More people in France read this blog than all but six other nations.  

I think of them.