On Monday, I did a post on Lang Lang, and his performance at the White House — a performance that was, at least in part, a political and propaganda performance. The pianist played an anti-American propaganda song known throughout China. Hu Jintao and the other Communist bigs were visibly moved and delighted. All the “patriotic Chinese” were moved and delighted. (“Patriotic Chinese” is the Chinese Communist Party’s phrase for those loyal to it.)
In addition, I mentioned Lang Lang in a post yesterday.
For the past week or so, he has been on a PR campaign, proclaiming his innocence in the White House affair. “Gee, I had no idea that the song had any political or propaganda associations whatsoever. I just like the pretty lil’ tune.” As a result, I keep getting mail that says, “Lay off the sweet kid, would you? He just loves China, loves America, and loves music.”
Uh-huh. I see that Lang Lang and his PR team have done very, very well. (I’m not surprised. I have heard from this team for many years, in my capacity as a music critic.) Even NRO readers are pleading his case. They have listened to NPR, and think they know about this matter. And if that’s true of NRO readers — how much truer is it of other Americans and Westerners?
The facts, as I understand them, are these. I am happy to be authoritatively corrected. Before the White House dinner, Lang Lang gave an interview to a Chinese television network. He said, “I thought to play ‘My Motherland’ because I think playing the tune at the White House banquet can help us, as Chinese people, feel extremely proud of ourselves and express our feelings through the song.”
He later wrote a blogpost: “Playing this song praising China to heads of state from around the world seems to tell them that our China is formidable, that our Chinese people are united. I feel deeply honored and proud.”
Oh, I have no doubt. After the dinner, when Chinese democrats and human-rights advocates blew the whistle on him, he and his team went on their campaign. To English-speaking audiences, he said, “Propaganda song? Anti-American associations? All new to me!” He has not said anything like this in Chinese. How could he? It would be completely absurd. It would mark him out as one of the dumbest Chinese on the planet — which he most certainly is not.
I refer readers to Matthew Robertson of the Epoch Times, who is all over this case. A meaty article is here. Other publications are not so interested in the matter — at least in the full truth of it. NRO readers can now return to telling me how Arabs have no taste for democracy, being born to be oppressed.
Over the years, I have come to this conclusion: One of the Chinese government’s greatest assets in the West is that we are very, very reluctant to learn much about China. We don’t wish to probe beneath the surface. We basically want to get along, take our Yellow River tours, and, perhaps above all, make money. This means turning a blind eye — millions of blind eyes — to the rest.
A final word about Lang Lang (to whom I have probably devoted as many words, over the last ten years, as I have to any musician): He is a Vice President of the All China Youth Federation. This is an important and longstanding component of the CCP, which has ruled China, dictatorially, for more than 60 years now. (Ten years longer than Castro and his Communists have ruled Cuba!) Here is the federation’s “basic task”: to “uphold patriotism and the banner of socialism, rally and educate young people from every ethnic group, encourage youth to study Marxism-Leninism, Mao Zedong Thought, Deng Xiaoping Theory, and Jiang Zemin’s Three Represents,” etc.
Next time I see Lang Lang, I might ask him about those three represents — sorry, Three Represents.
My word of advice: Never trust a communist and always assume they are lying.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLang Lang would or is a fine democrat. He is good a misdirection and blame shifting. Yes, the Obama administration is lame for not vetting the event but, still, the song was chosen in bad taste.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseLang Lang's conduct was bad bad. It is even worse that the guy apparently has residence in the United States. He should be deported immediately. The fact that he is now trying to hide the ball shows that he is a coward too and won't stand behind his (very obvious) political insult to the United States. Me no likey Lang Lang!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt could have been worse; Obama could have bowed to Lang Lang.
Oh my God! He didn't, did he?!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAmericans have a desire to be liked by other countries and I'm not sure why. It does nothing to further our national interests. Being feared or respected would serve us much better. Instead we pursue this strange course of trying to be pals with everyone including some of the most brutal and hostile regimes, like China. When Obama talks about restoring America's standing in the world, he doesn't mean that other countries are doing things that are consistent with our interests and security. What he means is that he thinks they like us better. And he's even wrong about that. Are we so insecure?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusewho gives cares?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOur response is easy. In her next speech re: China, Secretary Clinton should note that Hu Jintao is "is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being I've ever known in my life." Working in a Queen of Diamonds reference wouldn't be amiss either. Or a congratulation on the achievements of Communist culture, say Shostakovich's 5th symphony.
Of course, this crowd hasn't got that sort of subtlety.
It's a dictatorial mistake to imagine that besting the leader demonstrates the failings of the people. The insult here is to President Obama, in the assumption that he's too slow to get the joke, and that the anger of his eventual discovery will amount to nothing. But the failings of the republican government of free people are corrected far more easily than the central planners can imagine.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCorrection:
"My word of advice: Never trust communists and always assume they are lying."
Hindsight is 20/20. :P
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAmericans, like most normal people always believe the best in other people, even when the facts say otherwise. Tiananmen Square anyone?
I on the other hand believe that CCP would kill every last person in China to stay in power. That's how they roll.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMr. Nordlinger, thanks for standing your ground. You are quite right. No one should ease up on this "kid." 'Punk' maybe? He's NO KID at all. And he knew full well what he was doing. He could have played any one of 5,000 other pieces of music. I'd love to see a boycott to hurt his personal capitalist advantages.
Your larger point is our very real naiveté with all things Communist Chinese. Right on target. We seem to think that because they make everything for Wal-Mart and all Nike shoes that they're not so bad? After all, they did such a NICE Olympics....
Mr. Nordlinger, please help expose WHY we have our university campuses (more at the graduate levels, visiting professors, visiting scholars, etc.) drowning in mainland Chinese. They're everywhere and not just in the sciences and mathematics. Why? It's 1 out of every 14 people you encounter on the campus sidewalks, departing a seminar building or the libraries. (One ALSO sees the very at the better W. European universities.)
And their behaviors on these campuses are odd. An interest in campus life? No, not really. No awareness of campus life. Minimal real language skills (reading good, the rest? Or are they 'fooling?') Very limited travel in over a year (Aren't intellectuals and academics by nature very curious, exploring people?), no real, deeper friendships with American colleagues....They easily go 3-4 years practically anonymous -- and they want it so? (Those that finish their masters degrees and head onto the PHD work.)
It goes beyond bizarre. What is afoot? I guess we OWE? the Chinese access like this -- in these HUGE numbers of Chinese in and around campuses -- because of our debts?
These are the privileged from modern Chinese society, correct? We wouldn't be seeing any here on these shores that have not proven their firm Communist Party bona fides, right?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"My word of advice: Never trust communists and always assume they are lying."
Chrisboltssr, I wish I'd said it first, but it is best that it has been said so well and so succinctly.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse---"One of the Chinese government’s greatest assets in the West is that we are very, very reluctant to learn much about China. "----
Partly. One of the PRC's greatest assets in the US, is that we want to believe, against any and all evidence and rational logical thought, that foreigners are basically, "just like us" and want the same things that we do, never mind culture, religion, political systems, etc.
----"NRO readers can now return to telling me how Arabs have no taste for democracy, being born to be oppressed."----
Arabs have no taste for democracy, being raised in Islam and tribal culture to submit and to obey authority.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseImagine a pianist from Alabama breaking into a rousing rendition of "Dixie" while at a dinner commemorating Martin Luther King Day. Do you suppose anyone would believe his explanation that "it's just a good, old traditional piece of music. It meant nothing." I doubt it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI think it was Victor Davis Hanson who first pointed out that our friends no longer respect us, and our enemies no longer fear us.
It would appear that our enemies no loner respect us, either.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMr. Nordlinger, thanks for standing your ground. You are quite right. No one should ease up on this "kid." He's NO KID at all, and he knew full well what he was doing. He could have played any one of 5,000 other pieces of music. I'd love to see a boycott to hurt his personal capitalist advantages.
Your larger point is our very real naiveté with all things Communist Chinese. Right on target. We seem to think that because they make everything for Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart and all Nike shoes that they're not so bad? After all, they did such a NICE Olympics....
Mr. Nordlinger, please help expose WHY we have our university campuses (more at the graduate levels, visiting professors, visiting scholars, etc.) drowning in mainland Chinese. They're everywhere and not just in the sciences and mathematics. Why? It's 1 out of every 14 people you encounter on the campus sidewalks, departing a seminar building or the libraries. One sees the very same at the better W. European universities.
And their behaviors on these campuses are odd. An interest in campus life? No, not really. No engagement with campus life. Minimal real English language skills (reading good, the rest? Or are they 'fooling?') Very limited travel in over a year (Aren't intellectuals and academics by nature very curious, exploring people?), no real, deeper friendships with American colleagues....They easily go 3-4 years practically anonymous -- and they want it so? (those that finish their masters and head onto the PhD work.)
It goes beyond bizarre. What is afoot? I guess we OWE? the Chinese access like this -- and in these HUGE numbers of Chinese in and around campuses -- because of our debts? Is this some grand-scale deal?
Only the privileged academics from modern Chinese society, correct? We wouldn't be seeing any here on these shores that have not proven their firm Communist Party bona fides, right?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseReagan said......trust but verify
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis dumb 'ol retired G.I. gets it, but all those "smart people" don't?
Maybe they aren't as smart as they think?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHu and Lang Lang spell as H-LL for America
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHu and Lang Lang spell as H-LL for America.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI thought Lang Lang was a Panda.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse