Now and then and now

Last week they were having a trade fair at the exhibition center nearby our office. On Friday Chinese Prime Minister Wen, and several heads of state from other countries came to visit the fair, so security was very high in the area.

Wen Jiabao Meets with Foreign Leaders Attending the 10th Western China International Economy & Trade Fair

A lot of traffic lanes were blocked and there were police everywhere. A lot of us weren't able to go to the office that day, so we had to work from home. I made a comment about politicians blocking traffic to some of my co-workers, and one of them asked me if this doesn't happen in the United States. I told him that sometimes a politician will do something like this, but they usually don't get re-elected if they do.

We also saw on the news about several people in the Obama administration praising Mao, which is really weird. Last week it was was Anita Dunn, who is the White House's communications director. Here's the story from the Wall Street Journal...

From Mao to Obama

Anita Dunn, the White House's communications director who has declared war on Fox News, came under scrutiny herself last week when it was discovered she had told an audience that Mao Tse Tung was one of her favorite political philosophers and quoted Mao on how to "fight your war." In her speech last June, after she joined the Obama White House, Ms. Dunn said the "two people I turn to most" were Mother Teresa and Mao Tse-Tung. She barely discussed the late nun, but waxed at length about the lessons Mao had taught her.

And then there was Ron Bloom, who is the new manufacturing czar. Here's the news story from the Washington Examiner...

Another Obama administration czar agrees - 'kind of' - with Mao

First, it was White House communications chief Anita Dunn telling a high school commencement audience that the murderous Chairman Mao was one of her "two favorite philosophers." Now, it's manufacturing czar Ron Bloom who it turns out "kinda" agrees with modern history's most prolific genocidal murderer that "power grows out of the barrel of a gun."

Were these people born stupid, or did they just get progressively stupider as time went on? Anyways, here's an amusing story about Obama and Mao in the People's Daily...

"Oba Mao" items popular with foreign tourists in Beijing

A souvenir shop in the popular Houhai tourist area of Beijing has recently become quite famous because it is selling products with the image of U.S. President Barack Obama's face imprinted over that of China's late leader Mao Zedong, CCTV.com reports.

Here is a rather good article about the dangers of maoism from BigGovernment.com...

Lessons From Chairman Mao

There is something tragic in man’s nature that an ideology which has been the scourge of the 20th century, inflicting misery and death upon hundreds of millions, still has so many adherents. China recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Communist Party. Although communism’s horror show continues to enslave a large portion the world’s population, many in our county are still sympathetic to this cancer. Its track record bears repeating, particularly to students, whose naïveté and inexperience leave them susceptible to dangerous belief systems.

If you want to read about the entire horror that was Mao I would recommend reading Mao: The Unknown Story.