The Federalist: On New Year's Eve Worship the Communist Party

Monday, January 23, 2012

On New Year's Eve Worship the Communist Party

The Party and nothing but the Party.

Big Brother - The Chinese Communist Party is aggressively censoring TV, the internet and demanding worship of the Party.

The Communist Party issued "guidelines" that limit programming it deems too frivolous, too sexy or too irreverent.

Big Brother was at the biggest show on earth - the Chinese New Year's Gala broadcast on state controlled TV.

The show is CCTV's annual five-hour program of dancing, singing, comedy, magic tricks, propaganda and kitsch. CCTV claims that more than 90% of the Chinese population watches the show, making it by far the most popular in China and one of the most watched television programs in the world.

But in a growing crackdown, the Communist Party is censoring the Gala and all other programming on TV.

Last year, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television issued a series of guidelines that limit programming it deems too frivolous, too sexy or too irreverent, reducing much of CCTV's content to blandness.

This year, some of China's most popular entertainers have dropped out or refused to appear in the gala.

Communist propaganda from last year's show:

A singer in a low-cut red dress belted out "The Flag Is Brighter," with lyrics praising the Communist Party while dancers unfurled red banners around her.
Break-dancers dressed as migrant construction workers did a routine to a revolutionary ballad, "We Workers Have Strength."
Dancers dressed as Mongolians, Tibetans, Uighurs and other minorities twirled to a song called "Big Happy Family."

This is the most censored show on Chinese television," said Wu Renchu, a film critic based in Shanghai. He said the gala acts must go through three rounds of approval.

"There is more and more ideology and less entertainment. It is all about praising the achievements of the party and the nation. With stand-up comedy, you can't have anything that touches on the reality of life in China."

China's most famous female comic, Song Dandan, protested that she wouldn't appear on the gala "unless they arrest me, sentence me.... I really don't want to go."

Although CCTV's own research trumpets the more than 90% viewership statistic, a poll last year found the number closer to 70%, and another survey found that only about 15% of viewers liked the show.
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(Los Angeles Times)

See our related articles:

THE FEDERALIST - "China orders thought control."

THE FEDERALIST - "Communists cancel TV shows for being entertaining."

"We shall abolish the orgasm. Our neurologists are at work upon it now. There will be no loyalty, except loyalty towards the Party. There will be no love, except the love of Big Brother. There will be no laughter, except the laugh of triumph over a defeated enemy. There will be no art, no literature, no science. There will be no curiosity, no enjoyment of the process of life. All competing pleasures will be destroyed."

- George Orwell, 1984, Chapter 3

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Thomas Pinckney, Federalist

Commissioned as captain in the 1st South Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army. After seeing much action, he became an aide-de-camp to General Horatio Gates. He was captured by the British at the disastrous Battle of Camden in 1780. After recovering from his wounds, he was released in a prisoner exchange. In 1781 he fought under Lafayette in Virginia. Appointed by President George Washington to be the U.S. minister to Great Britain served as Envoy Extraordinary to Spain. The Federalist Party made him a candidate in the 1796 presidential election as the intended running-mate of John Adams. Served as Congressman and Governor of South Carolina. Served as a major general in the Army during the War of 1812.

Henry Lee III, Federalist

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Frederick Frelinghuysen, Federalist

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WILLIAM PATERSON, Federalist

James Hillhouse, Federalist

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Oliver Ellsworth, Federalist

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Robert Goodloe Harper, Federalist

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Jacob Read, Federalist

Alexander Contee Hanson, Federalist

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William Bingham, Federalist

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Ezekiel Whitman, Federalist

Whitman practiced law in New Gloucester, Maine and in Portland, Maine (both communities a district of Massachusetts until 1820). In 1808 Whitman was elected as a Federalist Congressman from Massachusetts and served one term. In 1816 he was again elected as a Federalist to the US House serving from 1817 to 1821. In 1819 he was a delegate to the convention that prepared the constitution which led to Maine's statehood. In 1820 he was elected as a Federalist Congressman from the new state of Maine serving until 1822. Chief Justice of the Maine Supreme Court from 1841 to 1848.

David Cobb, Federalist

Cobb studied medicine in Boston and practiced in Taunton, Massachusetts. He was a member of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress in 1775; lieutenant colonel of Jackson’s regiment in 1777 and 1778, serving in Rhode Island and New Jersey; was aide-de-camp on the staff of General George Washington; appointed major general of militia in 1786. Fought in the New York and New Jersey Campaign, the Battles of Springfield, Monmouth, Rhode Island and Shay's Rebellion. He served the Federalist Party as Lt. Governor of Massachusetts, President of the State Senate and Congressman.

Josiah Parker, Federalist

In 1775 Parker enlisted in the Continental Army. He was commissioned a major in the 5th Virginia Regiment in 1776 and became its colonel in 1778. His regiment served in Virginia under General Charles Lee and was transferred to George Washington. The regiment thereafter saw action at the Battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston. During Cornwallis's Virginia campaign in 1781, the notorious Colonel Tarleton ransacked his home. He was elected to the First US Congress from Virginia serving for twelve years.

William Stephens Smith, Federalist

Smith married Abigail "Nabby" Adams, the daughter of President John Adams, and so was a brother-in-law of President John Quincy Adams, and an uncle of Charles Francis Adams. Served in the Revolutionary Army as aide-de-camp to General John Sullivan. Fought in the Battle of Long Island, was wounded at Harlem Heights, Battle of White Plains, was promoted to lieutenant colonel at the Battle of Trenton, fought at the Battle of Monmouth and Newport. He was on the staff of General Lafayette, became an adjutant in the Corps of Light Infantry, then transferred to the staff of George Washington. Elected as a Federalist Congressman from New York.

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John Rutledge, Jr., Federalist

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John Sergeant, Federalist

Member of the Pennsylvania state house of representatives 1808-1810; elected as a Federalist to Congress and served from 1815, to 1823. Sergeant was a strong backer of Henry Clay's American System and the Second Bank of the United States, and even traveled to Europe to negotiate loans to the Bank. He was a strong opponent of slavery who voted against the Missouri Compromise. In 1826 he was an envoy to the Panama Congress. Elected to Congress as an Adams candidate 1827 to 1829. Failing re-election he became legal counsel to the Bank of the United States. Sergeant was the Vice Presidential running mate in Henry Clay's campaign on the National Republican ticket in 1832. Elected as a Whig to Congress serving from 1837 to 1841.

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Philip Barton Key, Federalist

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