Xi Jinping, China, and the 'Right Side of History'

Visitors walk past a screen showing party boss Xi Jinping at the Museum of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, October 13, 2022. (Florence Lo / Reuters)

On Xi Jinping, Benedict XVI, William F. Buckley Jr., George Santos, Pelé, Tennyson, and more

Xi Jinping, the boss of the party that rules China, said that China is “on the right side of history.” Specifically, he said that China “unswervingly stands on the right side of history.”

This phrase has been around for a while: “right side of history.” As a rule, I think people mean one of two things: the winning side or the moral side.

In 2011, I wrote an essay on this expression, and concept: “the right side of history.” Beforehand, I consulted some of my favorite historians. Robert Conquest said that “right side of history” has a “Marxist twang.” Andrew Roberts called it “profoundly Marxian” — although the expression is used by people of varying political stripes.

“The whole notion is nonsensical,” said Richard Pipes. History does not have sides, although historians well might.

Better to be on the side of truth and good, than the side, or right side, of “history.” The PRC is a one-party state with a gulag. I don’t know what historians will say about this — it will depend on the historian — but such a state is, obviously, evil.

Isn’t it?

• Speaking of evil states and regimes: Sara Khadem and her family are trying to escape from Iran’s. She is a chess player, and she recently competed in a tournament without wearing a headscarf. The tournament was in Kazakhstan.

It would be dangerous — very dangerous — for Ms. Khadem to return to Iran. She, her husband, and their child will live in Spain, according to this report.

Sara Khadem is a brave, brave woman. She and her family will have to be very careful abroad — because the Iranian dictatorship has proven perfectly willing to abduct or kill Iranians who displease it, wherever they live.

Masih Alinejad knows all about this. (For a podcast I did with Masih in September, go here. She was then living in a safehouse.)

• A word about the late Benedict XVI. Over the years, people have asked me, “Whom would you like to interview, whom you have not been able to interview?” I have often answered by giving two names: those of Benedict XVI and Mario Vargas Llosa. With the pope, or retired pope, I would have liked very much talking about the Bible, music, Europe — and that’s just for starters . . .

• Another word about Benedict — I discussed this in a blogpost on Saturday: When the U.S. defense secretary, Leon Panetta, visited the pope in January 2013, the pope said to him, “Thank you for helping to protect the world.”

There was a man who knew what was what. Who had lived through a lot. And was wise about the world and its manifold dangers.

• Here is an article about the latest in the lottery biz — “Mega Millions” and all that. What a nasty, disgusting business, certainly for the government to be in. I hope people will turn against it, one day.

• A while back, I received notice from my state government that my driver’s license needed to be renewed. I decided to spring for “Real ID” — because we would soon need this kind of license to board a plane. Well, last week, I read this article by Jeff Jacoby — and now I feel like a chump. Will the Real ID plan ever be implemented?

If it is — I’ll be ready, I guess.

• “George Santos is a liar. George Santos is a ridiculous liar. George Santos is a habitual liar. George Santos is a liar who lies about things that it doesn’t make sense to lie about, apparently just to keep in practice.” So says Kevin D. Williamson (here).

Self-reinvention is a longstanding American tradition. But there is a gulf of difference between, say, Jay Gatsby and George Santos. Gatsby would say to our new congressman, “Good heavens, old sport, that’s just too much.”

More from Kevin: “. . . in the Trump years the GOP showed itself to be not a party infected by the occasional scoundrel and prevaricator but a party with a corporate commitment to the worst and most obvious kind of dishonesty, a party in which embracing lies and furthering lies became, perversely, a test of virtue.”

Correct. 100 percent.

• This, ladies and gentlemen, is one of the most remarkable stories you will have read in a long time. It’s from the Columbus Dispatch. It begins, “A chance encounter outside of an Indianapolis gas station started a series of events that would lead to the capture of a suspected kidnapper and the discovery of a missing 5-month-old baby . . .”

• Let’s pause to do some language. “A chance encounter outside of an Indianapolis gas station . . .” Do you like that “outside of”? Or do you prefer “outside”? “Outside an Indianapolis gas station”? I prefer “outside” — but “outside of” is not wrong. It’s ingrained in our tongue.

• Pelé, the great soccer player, has died at 82. I had an encounter with him once, at an international conference. It was a kick to see him (no pun intended). He was in his mid-sixties. And I got the impression that, if he had wanted to, he could have jumped over my head, from a standing start. I had a feeling there was great spring in those legs.

I will never forget spending a moment or two with him. What a gent he was. That was my impression: a gent and an athlete. He had such a serene, pleasant expression on his face.

• Night after night, I heard Stanley Drucker play. He was the principal clarinetist in the New York Philharmonic. He was a member of the orchestra for 60 years. I can picture him walking down Broadway, near Lincoln Center, with a big stogie in his mouth.

Drucker has died at 93. For his obit in the New York Times, go here.

• Let’s do some more language. A headline from the Associated Press read, “Trial in shooting of Megan Thee Stallion exposes misogynoir.” That last word was a new one on me. According to the article, misogynoir is “a specific type of misogyny experienced by Black women.”

• How about “dilly dilly”? Apparently, Senator Richard Burr (R., N.C.), now retiring, liked to tell his staff after a long day of good, hard work, “Dilly dilly.” So, in farewell remarks to him, Senator Mitch McConnell said the same.

See it here.

• Yesterday, New Year’s Day, I was reacquainting myself with the relevant poem by Tennyson. It is great — year in, year out. I will quote a little:

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

And so on. Marvelous.

• In the last few days, I’ve been thinking about Bill Buckley, as I often do. I have some tidbits to share with you. They won’t be for everyone. But those for whom they are not — can simply skip them.

When we say “happy new year,” we accent the second word: “happy new year.” Bill usually said “happy new year.” That was a curious thing (and quite old).

Relatedly: He was one of the last New Yorkers to say “Broadway,” when referring to the thoroughfare (though not the theater world). People in general say “Broadway.” WFB said “Broadway,” at least some of the time. Again, that was very old.

One New Year’s Eve, his household staff had the night off. So we drove into Stamford to get Kentucky Fried Chicken and bring it back. Bill loved KFC. Absolutely loved it. His wife, Pat, was a different story. But she put up with KFC on that one, unusual night.

Oh, he was so great. Just loved him.

• Care for some pictures?

A sweet, sweet Olds (and a biggun):