So, like, the whole MAGA movement is going around calling Democrats “socialists” and “communists” and pointing fingers at China as the “biggest threat” to the US. And here I am thinking, “Wait a minute, is Donald Trump the new Mao Zedong?” I mean, as someone who studies Chinese stuff like fiction, film, and culture, the political scene in America these days feels kinda like déjà vu from the days of Mao Zedong.
You know, back in the day in China, they had these things called “political purges.” It was like a trend, from the Anti-Rightist Movement to the Cultural Revolution. But I never really heard about that happening in American politics until recently. Like, when Trump started kicking people out of the Kennedy Center board and making himself chairman, it totally reminded me of Mao’s wife, Jiang Qing, taking charge of culture during the Cultural Revolution. And then you got guys like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio singing Trump’s praises like he’s some kind of genius, creating this whole cult of personality with those red MAGA hats, which are basically the new little red books. Some of Trump’s buddies even wear these lapel pins with his face on them, like the Mao badges from back in the day. It’s like history repeating itself, but in America this time.
The way Trump and his crew trash talk intellectuals and education and stir up political chaos is straight out of Mao’s playbook. And it’s pretty ironic that the same regime that calls China the “greatest threat” is adopting some of China’s worst political practices from back in the day. A couple of smart guys have already pointed out these weird similarities, but there’s one thing that really bugs me.
There’s this post by some FCC guy and a Georgia Rep wearing these gold lapel pins with Trump’s face on them. It’s like they’re trying to show their loyalty or something, but it just seems kinda off, you know?
In China, there’s this saying, “mingzhe baoshen,” which is basically about keeping your head down and staying out of trouble. After years of political movements that silenced anyone who spoke out, most Chinese folks have learned to just keep quiet. It’s like a survival tactic that’s been passed down through the generations. But now, I’m seeing the same thing happening here in the US, which is kinda scary.
There’s this crackdown on international students who supposedly support Hamas, and people are getting detained for protesting. It’s like our rights are being trampled on, just like in China. I never thought I’d have to tell my students to keep their heads down here in the land of the free, but here we are.
The parallels between Trump and Mao are getting too real, and it’s not a good look for America. We need to wake up and start fighting back before it’s too late.
