Sometimes coincidences can be astounding. Last night I read the children’s picture book “Growing Up Under a Red Flag: A Memoir of Surviving the Chinese Cultural Revolution” written by Ying Chang Compestine and illustrated by Xinmei Liu. It’s a powerful book about how civil liberties flew out the door when Mao Zedong took over China and unleashed his Red Guard to terrify civilians into submission. The text is informative, very accessible, and appropriately shocking.
Instead of wearing red MAGA hats, people were ordered to carry “The Little Red Book” with them everywhere, to wear Mao uniforms, buttons, and to conform to Mao’s decrees. Food and other essentials like soap and water became scarce. Ration tickets were issued, but there were no items on store shelves. The author’s father was arrested after a leader of the Red Guard moved into the study in their home (they had no choice). Things that were considered “Western,” like refrigerators and sewing machines, were destroyed.
Until Mao’s death, freedom had entirely disappeared. Universities were closed. In the Author’s Note, she explains, “Mao organized the Red Guard, composed of middle school and high school students. Led by Mao’s followers from the People’s Liberation Army, the Red Guard imprisoned and murdered millions of intellectuals, opposition leaders, and anyone who spoke against Mao’s ideology.”
In a newsletter today by Heather Cox Richardson, she writes, “On Friday, journalist Daniel Miller noted that purging the civil service is a hallmark of dictators, whose loyalists then take over media, education, courts, and the military. In a powerful essay today, scholar of authoritarianism Timothy Snyder explained that with the government firmly in the hands of a dictator’s loyalists, “things like water or schools or Social Security checks” depend on your declaration of loyalty, and there is no recourse. “You cannot escape to the bar or the bowling alley, since everything you say is monitored,” and “[e]ven courageous people restrain themselves to protect their children.”
In America, when one of the presidential candidates says that he’ll be a dictator “on day one,” people need to take heed. Dictators aren’t part of our constitution. Presidents are. And there are controls over presidents; they must adhere to the law; they are not kings. They can’t take over private companies and give them to their friends and relatives. Their children shouldn’t be part of their government, enriching themselves for performing unknown acts.
This book, aimed at children, should be a cautionary tale for all of us. We need to carefully consider what we want our future to look like. If we accept the American Mao, instead of carrying a little red book, we’ll likely all be forced to wear little red hats. In fact, the author writes on a recent social media post, “Given the rise of authoritarian leaders globally, I feel a deep sense of pride to have written such a timely book.” We should take notice.
Please note: This review is based on the finished hardcover book provided by Rocky Pond (Penguin), the publisher, for review purposes.