House of Eratosthenes

Lang Lang the pianist says he chose it. Chairman Hu Jintao recognized it as soon as he heard it. Patriotic Chinese Internet users were delighted as soon as they saw the videos online. Early morning TV viewers in China knew it would be played an hour or two beforehand. At the White House State dinner on Jan. 19, about six minutes into his set, Lang Lang began tapping out a famous anti-American propaganda melody from the Korean War: the theme song to the movie “Battle on Shangganling Mountain.”

The film depicts a group of “People’s Volunteer Army” soldiers who are first hemmed in at Shanganling (or Triangle Hill) and then, when reinforcements arrive, take up their rifles and counterattack the U.S. military “jackals.”

The movie and the tune are widely known among Chinese, and the song has been a leading piece of anti-American propaganda by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for decades. CCP propaganda has always referred to the Korean War as the “movement to resist America and help [North] Korea.” The message of the propaganda is that the United States is an enemy—in fighting in the Korean War the United States’ real goal was said to be to invade and conquer China. The victory at Triangle Hill was promoted as a victory over imperialists.

The 2012 Republican commercials practically write themselves.

I think among independent voters, the ones who decide our elections, there is a significant saturation of belief that America has been due for a dose of humility and I don’t know if that’s a majority viewpoint, but I do see it as an unshakable one among the people who hold it.

The message that needs to get out, I think, should be one of “Okay, assuming we had it coming…that’ll do. We’ve had enough of it.” I think most people would sign on to the idea that having anti-American songs played live in the White House, will suffice.

I’d like to hear that little jingle. On a GOP commercial, within the next twenty-one months, or else someone needs to go find a different line of work.

I’m no fan of Obama but this is too much. Who would recognize an anti-american ditty from 50 years ago? Would you? Would any Republican?

To me, this says more about the performer and Mr. Hu. Neither of whom have the grace to not insult their hosts.

If you want to take this to mean that the President or the US is not taken seriously by the Chinese or whatever, I would agree.
- Duffy | 01/24/2011 @ 08:44
Hey waitaminnit though Rob, this is Mister Styrofoam Columns we’re talking about. Mister Town Hall Meeting In Front Of Pre-Screened Pre-Selected Toadies Asking Scripted Questions With Planted Whores Pretending To Faint.

When it’s His own brand He’s promoting, He’s the greatest showman who ever lived. And He lives up to the rep.

Suddenly, His people cannot coordinate a simple ceremony to save their own asses…when it’s the country’s reputation on the line, as opposed to His own. Suddenly nobody can check anything out and nobody know what’s going to happen.

I understand where you’re coming from, if this was a simple oversight I might look past it because hey, things happen. But when Obama is selling Himself, things don’t just happen. Everything clicks along like a well-oiled machine. He has some ability to bring to situations like this, He just didn’t bring it.
- mkfreeberg | 01/24/2011 @ 09:42
But when Obama is selling Himself, things don’t just happen.

I’m with Duffy. You’re giving The One way too much credit, Morgan. I thought you thought he’s kinda dumb, eh? Which is it?
- bpenni | 01/24/2011 @ 13:12
Color me skeptical, Buck. I’m trying to envision what happens if we have a President Palin who allows the country to be insulted right under the roof of the White House…and when the critics materialize here’s Buck down in Portales fending ’em off. “Aw c’mon, I didn’t think she was qualified to get in there, I said so a zillion times but now that she’s in, back off you animals. She’s doing the best she can!” I’m having a tough time with that scenario. Had GWBush been so snookered, maybe you’d put up a defense like that. But it’s funny, isn’t it, how guilt varies according to who’s guilty.

The issue is not intellect, but vigilance. Holy Man has a real dividing wall here, a sort of a breakwater, and I find it to be constitutionally unhealthy. Obama represents Obama, and His nose is stuck way up in the air, always right about everything…bringing a gun to knife fights, I think He said. He travels abroad and represents the country, and suddenly He’s Mister Humble, bowing so often that it looks like He’s having some kind of a spine problem. This latest thing? It’s an example of just not caring. Not that, had Obama & crew understood what was going on with this musical piece, anyone would have objected much. Are you saying they would have, is that your point?

I will concede the point that Obama hasn’t always performed perfectly safeguarding His own personal rep. I’ll cut Him some slack on that, since we’re all human and we all make mistakes. (“It would cost…uh…it would cost…whoa, losin’ track of where I’m going here…”) No, I don’t think He’s dumb. I will say His intellect is vastly overrated. We tend to think of people as binaries — 0 or 1. He’s “got it,” she doesn’t…and I think you know which “she” I’m talking about…the truth is, people have aptitudes. And there is a reason a special word had to be made to describe this stuff. “Skills” doesn’t do the job, neither does “strengths,” or “talents.”

But when, in a certain situation, a certain person continues to bring zip zero nada to the table, it becomes reasonable to refudiate the explanation that He’s having some kind of an “off day”; eventually you have to conclude He doesn’t give a rip. Where’s the magnificent Obama speech — BEST WUN EVAR!!! — about how America has been given a bum rap about something, and it’s high time someone said a word in our country’s defense. Where is that? He’s had over two years to deliver one like that, plus all that time on the campaign trail. Don’t forget, now: This is supposed to be the Great Healer talking here.

He safeguards His own reputation in a manner entirely different from the way He safeguards ours. It’s high time He was called out on it.
- mkfreeberg | 01/24/2011 @ 17:44

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Chinese Piano Player Plays Propaganda Tune at White HouseSunday, January 23rd, 2011

Chinese Piano Player Plays Propaganda Tune at White House
Sunday, January 23rd, 2011