Mao's America

1. The Chinese Cultural Revolution: A Personal Journey Through Tyranny

I was six going on seven when the Cultural Revolution started in 1966. It was a sudden thing, or at least it seemed that way to my almost-seven-year-old self.

Chaos and indoctrination. The Cultural Revolution, launched by Mao Zedong in 1966, plunged China into a decade of turmoil. It aimed to purge capitalist and traditional elements from society, creating a new socialist utopia. For the author, Xi Van Fleet, this meant witnessing violent struggle sessions, book burnings, and the destruction of cultural heritage.

Personal impact. As a child, Xi experienced the harsh realities of life under Mao's regime:

• Constant political indoctrination in schools
• Separation from family due to "re-education" programs
• Limited educational opportunities focused on Maoist ideology
• Witnessing the persecution of intellectuals and anyone deemed "counterrevolutionary"

The author's firsthand experience of the Cultural Revolution provides a unique perspective on the dangers of totalitarian ideologies and their impact on individuals and society.

2. America's Ongoing Cultural Revolution: Echoes of Mao's China

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would live to see a repeat of this in America, but that is where we are headed—and that includes Loudoun County, Virginia, where I now live.

Alarming parallels. Xi Van Fleet draws striking similarities between her experiences in Mao's China and current trends in American society. She identifies several common elements:

• The rise of "cancel culture" and public shaming
• Attempts to rewrite history and demonize traditional values
• The use of identity politics to divide society
• Indoctrination of youth through education systems

Wake-up call. The author's warning serves as a call to action for Americans to recognize and resist the creep of totalitarian ideologies. She emphasizes the importance of preserving individual freedoms, open discourse, and the foundational values that have made America exceptional.

3. Divide and Conquer: The Marxist Strategy in China and America

Marxism has proven to be highly adaptive. It quickly attaches itself to the host culture and mutates to something more potent and sinister.

Exploiting divisions. Both Mao's China and modern America have seen the implementation of Marxist tactics to divide society:

• In China: Class-based divisions (landlords vs. peasants)
• In America: Identity-based divisions (race, gender, sexuality)

Intersectionality as a weapon. The author explains how the concept of intersectionality in modern American discourse serves to create ever more specific categories of oppression, further fragmenting society and pitting groups against each other.

The ultimate goal of this division, according to Xi, is to destabilize existing social structures and consolidate power for those pushing the Marxist agenda.

4. Red Guards and Social Justice Warriors: Youth as Revolutionary Tools

To launch a revolution, one needs revolutionaries. Both Lenin and Mao won their violent revolutions by mobilizing the proletariat.

Weaponizing youth. The Red Guards in China and today's social justice warriors in America share striking similarities:

• Young, passionate, and easily manipulated
• Encouraged to challenge and overthrow existing authority
• Used to enforce ideological conformity through intimidation and violence

Consequences of unchecked zeal. The author warns that, like the Red Guards who eventually turned on each other and were later discarded by Mao, today's young activists may find themselves victims of the very movement they champion.

Xi Van Fleet's personal experiences with the Red Guards provide a chilling context for understanding the potential dangers of today's youth-driven social movements.

5. Cancel Culture: Destroying the Old World to Build a New One

Cancel culture in America is just another version of Destroy the Four Olds. It aims to cancel traditional American values and founding principles.

Eradicating the past. In both Mao's China and contemporary America, there are efforts to eliminate traditional culture and values:

• China: Destruction of historical artifacts, renaming of places and institutions
• America: Removal of statues, renaming of schools and streets, rewriting of history

Creating a cultural vacuum. The author argues that by destroying connections to the past, both movements aim to create a blank slate on which to build their new ideological vision.

Xi warns that this erasure of history and tradition leaves society vulnerable to manipulation and control by those in power.

6. The Assault on Family: Undermining Society's Foundation

Marxists are coming after our children. Marxists want to break up our family. This is not a hidden agenda. This is openly declared in Karl Marx's Communist Manifesto: "Abolition [aufhebung] of the family!"

Targeting the family unit. Both Mao's China and modern progressive movements seek to weaken traditional family structures:

• China: Promoting loyalty to the state over family ties
• America: Challenging traditional family roles and promoting state involvement in child-rearing

Long-term consequences. The author emphasizes the critical role of strong families in maintaining a free society and warns that undermining this foundation can lead to increased dependence on the state and erosion of individual liberty.

7. Religion Under Attack: Replacing Faith with Ideology

We should have learned by now that Communism is not against religion. Rather, it wants to replace religion.

Suppressing traditional faith. In both China and America, there are efforts to marginalize and replace traditional religious beliefs:

• China: Outright persecution of religious groups
• America: Promoting secularism and challenging religious freedom

New ideologies as pseudo-religions. The author argues that Marxist ideologies, including modern "woke" movements, function as replacement religions, providing a sense of purpose and moral framework while demanding unquestioning devotion.

Xi Van Fleet warns that this replacement of traditional faith with political ideology can lead to a loss of moral grounding and increased vulnerability to authoritarian control.

8. Education as Indoctrination: Shaping the New Generation

To create a new culture, our children need to denounce their past and heritage. That is the mission of the progressives.

Controlling the narrative. Both Mao's China and modern progressive movements recognize the power of education in shaping young minds:

• China: Rewriting textbooks to focus on Maoist ideology
• America: Introducing critical race theory and other ideologically-driven curricula

Long-term impact. The author emphasizes the danger of using education systems to indoctrinate rather than educate, warning that it can lead to a generation unable to think critically or appreciate their cultural heritage.

Xi stresses the importance of parents and concerned citizens taking an active role in preserving educational integrity and protecting children from ideological manipulation.

9. The Urgency of Preserving American Values and Freedom

Dear reader, this has been my warning.

Call to action. Xi Van Fleet's personal journey from Mao's China to America gives her a unique perspective on the value of freedom and the dangers of totalitarian ideologies. She urges Americans to:

• Recognize the signs of creeping authoritarianism
• Actively defend individual liberties and constitutional rights
• Preserve and promote traditional American values
• Engage in open, honest dialogue about the direction of the country

Hope for the future. Despite the challenges, the author expresses optimism that Americans can learn from history and resist the allure of destructive ideologies, preserving the unique experiment in liberty that is the United States.

Last updated: August 19, 2024