1 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,920 Speaker 1: On this episode of newts World. Journey to America with 2 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,600 Speaker 1: Newton Close to Gingrich will premiere on PBS and is 3 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 1: streaming on PBS dot Org and the PBS app. The 4 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:20,080 Speaker 1: film celebrates the achievements and shares the stories of nine 5 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: individuals from different backgrounds and periods who immigrated to our 6 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:27,960 Speaker 1: country in pursuit of the American dream. I'm joined today 7 00:00:28,000 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: by one of the people we feature in the documentary, 8 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: she Vanfleet. She grew up during China's Cultural Revolution before 9 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: legally immigrating in the United States. Her latest book, Maus America, 10 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: is available now. She welcome and thank you for joining 11 00:00:58,560 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: me again in newts World. 12 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me. 13 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: I think what makes you really remarkable is that you 14 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: were an eyewitness to Mao's cultural Revolution, and then you 15 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,760 Speaker 1: were sort of an eyewitness to what was happening in 16 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,240 Speaker 1: America and you managed to make sense of it. So 17 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: could you talk first about what was it like growing 18 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 1: up in China. 19 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,120 Speaker 2: Well, first of all, I have to say, watching that 20 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 2: remarkable film, I feel so honored and I feel I'm 21 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 2: disqualified because, yeah, including me with those extraordinary immigrants who 22 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 2: become American like Einstein, my goodness, But thank you so 23 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,040 Speaker 2: much for having me as part of that film. 24 00:01:39,520 --> 00:01:41,440 Speaker 1: I don't want to shock you, but as far as 25 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: I'm concerned, you are as important and as consequential as 26 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: Henry Kissinger or anybody else who's in the program. You 27 00:01:50,040 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: have really been very important in alerting America to what's 28 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: going on and what we need to be aware of. 29 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 1: So I'm just honored that you're with us because I 30 00:02:01,280 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: know how busy you've been and how much you've been 31 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: writing and speaking, and you know, you're a remarkable person. 32 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 1: I'm curious because I think this will really help all 33 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 1: of our listeners. What was it like to grow up 34 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:15,440 Speaker 1: in China under moul. 35 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 2: It's just difficult to just describe, But one word I 36 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 2: can use is to summarize is chaos. Just the day 37 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 2: that I remember that something was different, It's like a 38 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 2: day in the night, and memory before that was just 39 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 2: like a blurb, and everything after that was just a 40 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 2: world turned upside down. And as I described in my book, 41 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:45,239 Speaker 2: really soon after the culture I've started, in May nineteen 42 00:02:45,280 --> 00:02:48,799 Speaker 2: sixty six, the school was closed. There's no school why 43 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 2: because the kids altered the principal and the teachers, and 44 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,560 Speaker 2: it's just total chaos. We had nothing to do, so 45 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 2: as kids, we just went to the streets and every 46 00:02:59,760 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 2: day way witness struggle sessions, a term that more and 47 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:07,840 Speaker 2: more Americans are familiar with because that's going on in America. 48 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 2: And see those people that being paraded, and what's wrong 49 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 2: with them, Well, they are supposedly deemed as the enemy 50 00:03:15,960 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 2: of mouth. And so they include groups of people, not 51 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:22,880 Speaker 2: just the individuals who did this. If you belong to 52 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 2: the group, for example, if you belong to what more 53 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:33,519 Speaker 2: called reactionary intellectual authority, you're a bad guy. That include teachers, principals, professors, 54 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 2: anyone in the field of education are deemed as enemy. 55 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 2: And that's what the kids went after. And then there's 56 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 2: other people. I did not know what was going on. 57 00:03:44,600 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 2: I just knew something just like a hurricane. They just 58 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 2: sweep through the country. And then the family and they 59 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 2: just kids were taught to turn in their parents. We 60 00:03:56,360 --> 00:04:03,080 Speaker 2: are out there looking for what called counter revolutionaries. The 61 00:04:03,160 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 2: only thing I can say is that just like today's racist, 62 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 2: we're looking for anyone that might say anything that is 63 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:17,760 Speaker 2: incorrectly in politically incorrect. Those people will be deemed as enemy. 64 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 2: Target of the Red Guards I was too young to 65 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 2: be a Red Guard. By I weitness all this and 66 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 2: that's why in twenty twenty I was like, oh my goodness, 67 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,720 Speaker 2: this is the rat play of what I experienced as 68 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,760 Speaker 2: a child. And it is exactly what it is. It's 69 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 2: America's cultural revolution. 70 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: To give our listeners a sense of what China was 71 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: like in that period. Even though your parents were part 72 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 1: of the cadre of the Chinese Companist Party and we're 73 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,479 Speaker 1: sort of a privileged class, could you describe what the 74 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: equivalent of privilege meant, because I think most Americans will 75 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 1: be shocked to realize how difficult and how challenging it was, 76 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: even if you were in a privileged group. 77 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 2: Yes, and I described And we have one and a 78 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:11,039 Speaker 2: half rooms for a family of five, and we are 79 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 2: lucky that we have a kitchen. It's just a room 80 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 2: and shared by four families. And we have a toilet 81 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 2: shared by again four families, and that is a privilege. 82 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 2: And a lot of people have heard about Lelly town 83 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 2: William and she was a candidate for Congress in the 84 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:35,159 Speaker 2: past election in New Hampshire. Her situation that the whole 85 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 2: building share an outhouse. That's how privilege I. 86 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:43,280 Speaker 1: Was when you think of that as being privileged, and 87 00:05:43,320 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 1: you also point out that you actually had an opportunity 88 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 1: to go to a boarding school and you lived there 89 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 1: six days out of the week. What was it like 90 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 1: to be a boarding school student in China in that period? 91 00:05:56,279 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 2: This is misleading. It's a boarding option for a regular school, 92 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 2: and if you just have to pay extra. There's no 93 00:06:03,400 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 2: such thing as like a boarding school is for the privilege, 94 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:09,840 Speaker 2: but you do have to pay extra. To me, it's 95 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 2: like an orphanage because for six days of the week, 96 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 2: I did not get to see my family. I did 97 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,440 Speaker 2: not get to see my parents. They were all busy 98 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 2: with whatever the revolutionary work. They were doing it out 99 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,960 Speaker 2: of town most of the time. So I remember asking 100 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,039 Speaker 2: just like an orphanage. And unfortunately, and I have a 101 00:06:29,040 --> 00:06:32,080 Speaker 2: good teacher who took care of me just because she 102 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 2: takes the liking of me and become almost like my 103 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,760 Speaker 2: shod mother. And that was a good memory compared with 104 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,599 Speaker 2: what happened after the Cultural Revolution started. 105 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: I didn't realize how young you were when the Cultural 106 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:46,120 Speaker 1: Revolution began. 107 00:06:46,920 --> 00:06:48,919 Speaker 2: I have to tell you, if I were just like 108 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:52,359 Speaker 2: a three or four years older, I will definitely be 109 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:55,200 Speaker 2: part of the Red Guards. I may just get myself killed. 110 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 2: That's how bad things are. And I think it's a blessing. 111 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 2: I was too young to be part of the real 112 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:04,719 Speaker 2: Red Guards, and they become a little Red Guard. 113 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 1: You first noticed that there was these huge posters on 114 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: the wall which denounced the teachers and the school administrators. 115 00:07:13,920 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: Was it sort of a deliberate effort to undermine the authority? 116 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely, just as I said that, you become an enemy 117 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,800 Speaker 2: if you belong to a group of people, and Mao 118 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 2: deemed this group of people reactionary intellectual authority. And so 119 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 2: if you are part of that teachers, you have authority 120 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 2: over the students and the principles, you have authority over 121 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 2: the school. And they all become enemies automatically. It's not 122 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 2: individual base. It's never individual base. It's all group and 123 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 2: a group identity. Now we're all familiar with it. If 124 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 2: you belong to that group, you're doomed. And so they 125 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 2: become the initial enemy of the Red Guards because it's 126 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 2: most convenient. You know, the kids turned to their teachers 127 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,440 Speaker 2: because that's what they know best, and then they eventually 128 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 2: went to the others. And the highest level of authority 129 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 2: was the president of China, Luchauti. The Red Guards went 130 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 2: after him and held Througo session against the President of China, 131 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 2: and he eventually was exiled and died and in misery. 132 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 2: And that's culture Revolution. 133 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 1: As the Cultural Revolution was going on, lots of people, 134 00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:33,440 Speaker 1: I think something like sixteen million young people from the 135 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,560 Speaker 1: cities were sent out. Even Dong Chaopeng, who had been 136 00:08:36,600 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: a founding member of the Chinese Companist Party at one point, 137 00:08:40,080 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 1: found himself I think working in a tractor factory in 138 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:46,719 Speaker 1: South China. Mean, it really was a deliberate effort by 139 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,679 Speaker 1: Mau to create turmoil throughout the entire society, in the 140 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,480 Speaker 1: notion there'll be some kind of a great leap towards 141 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: a more perfect communist society. And you got involved in 142 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,400 Speaker 1: part in a program that was called up to the 143 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:03,080 Speaker 1: Mountains and down to the countryside movement. Now what was 144 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: that like and what was it like for you being 145 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:05,440 Speaker 1: in it? 146 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:11,199 Speaker 2: Yes, this is really Mau's way of getting rid of 147 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 2: the so called youthful idiots. Those were the young kids, 148 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 2: the Red Guards. It did what Mao wanted them to do. 149 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:23,720 Speaker 2: They destroyed the Chinese civilization, took down those in power 150 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:28,160 Speaker 2: who were supposedly the enemy of Mao, and then they 151 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 2: become a problem and Mao turned against them, and it's 152 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 2: always the case, and I really really want people. And 153 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 2: that left these activists to learn to know about this 154 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 2: historical fact. It happened over and over. So what did 155 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 2: Mao do to the tens of millions of Red Guards? 156 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 2: Send them to the countryside and told them, you know, 157 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 2: you need to go to the countryside and get you 158 00:09:55,040 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 2: re education from the peasants to be better communists. So that, 159 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:04,719 Speaker 2: of course, that's an excuse, and he wanted to get 160 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 2: rid of them because they become problems. But also there's 161 00:10:07,880 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 2: no economy. He destroyed the economy. There's no jobs, there's 162 00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 2: no nothing for the young people. So they were sent 163 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 2: to the countryside. It's for the Red Guards. But since 164 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 2: then all the high school graduates were set and I 165 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:27,600 Speaker 2: graduated from high school in nineteen fifty five, same thing. 166 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 2: Nothing for me. Sent to the countryside and I worked 167 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:33,479 Speaker 2: there for three long years. 168 00:10:33,920 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: What did you learn from It's an amazing experience and 169 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: you're now an American. But there aren't many Americans who 170 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 1: were sent to the countryside. So what was it like 171 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:48,080 Speaker 1: at a practical everyday life level to be in the countryside. 172 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:51,440 Speaker 2: Well, it's to be a peasant. And then what it 173 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:54,440 Speaker 2: means to be a peasant is to be at the 174 00:10:54,600 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 2: very bottom of the Chinese socialist utopia. That was like 175 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 2: a primitive condition, and all the peasants were landless because 176 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 2: their land was taken away by the state. So they 177 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 2: own nothing and they have no decision to make what 178 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:18,640 Speaker 2: to grow because it's not theirs. They become serfs, and 179 00:11:18,679 --> 00:11:21,920 Speaker 2: I become one of them. So what you do is 180 00:11:21,960 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 2: every day you would gather at what you call the 181 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 2: production team and the boss, the party boss, will tell 182 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 2: you what to do, and after the day's work you 183 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:39,440 Speaker 2: get work points and eventually you get produced or whatever 184 00:11:39,520 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 2: at harvest time. So we are all serfs slaves. 185 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: It seems to me you I had a chance to 186 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:05,640 Speaker 1: experience socialism and found that it just didn't work. 187 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 2: I learned that in the countryside because before I was 188 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 2: a kid in school and so what is socialism? I 189 00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 2: learned it firsthand in the countryside. So there's two ways 190 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 2: for you to make work points. One is by hours, 191 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:28,400 Speaker 2: so for example, weading, So today everyone will do the weading. Okay, 192 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:32,559 Speaker 2: so it's eight hours, and if you do anything or 193 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 2: not do anything. Chat your way through, no problem. You 194 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,600 Speaker 2: get eight points, and then some other time it's by 195 00:12:40,679 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 2: how much your hobbyist for example potato, it's by kilos, 196 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 2: and then no one will had time to chat. Everyone 197 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,320 Speaker 2: was working so hard to get as much as possible 198 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 2: because they get more points. So I say, okay, Communism 199 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,000 Speaker 2: is like you do whatever, you get the same result. 200 00:12:58,480 --> 00:13:03,360 Speaker 2: That is why communism doesn't work. Capitalism is like you 201 00:13:03,520 --> 00:13:06,760 Speaker 2: get paid for what you put in. Communism is you 202 00:13:06,840 --> 00:13:10,520 Speaker 2: get the same thing no matter how much you put in. 203 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:17,040 Speaker 2: So that was my really really firsthand experience understanding that 204 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:21,439 Speaker 2: socialism doesn't work. And that's what's happened in the city now. 205 00:13:21,440 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 2: People would hurry to go to work because you have 206 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 2: to clock in, say eight o'clock. Once you get there, 207 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:34,120 Speaker 2: drink your tea, you read your paper, because it doesn't matter. 208 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:39,199 Speaker 1: I really identify with the impact that you had learning 209 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 1: about socialism firsthand. I had the wonderful opportunity Henry Kissinger 210 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:48,000 Speaker 1: inviting me out to his farm in Connecticut and had 211 00:13:48,080 --> 00:13:50,640 Speaker 1: leak onon you as a guest that weekend, and the 212 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,679 Speaker 1: older statesman who had been the creator of modern Singapore. 213 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: We had a chance to chat privately. I said, I'm 214 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:01,079 Speaker 1: really curious, how did you know how to make all 215 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: of these decisions that worked and that led to the 216 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 1: rise of this amazing economy. And he said, well, you know, 217 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:12,160 Speaker 1: I was a student in Great Britain at the end 218 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 1: of World War Two, during the British Labor Party's Socialist 219 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 1: government with Clement Attlee as the Prime minister. And every 220 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: time I faced a problem, I would say to myself, 221 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,960 Speaker 1: what would Clement Attlee and the Socialists have done? And 222 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: I would do the exact opposite. And it worked because 223 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 1: every time I relied on incentives and I write on 224 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: people working hard. Somehow Singapore prospered. And I thought it 225 00:14:40,680 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 1: was a great illustration of how the principles of socialism 226 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: are the opposite of what really works. 227 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:49,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, but in China it's just a few people. It's 228 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 2: really mao. He had his idea what should happen, and 229 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:57,360 Speaker 2: then that is the idea that everyone has to follow, 230 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 2: and it crossed the higher country. So it's a plan, 231 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:06,640 Speaker 2: not just planned economy, it's planned everything. And I always 232 00:15:06,720 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 2: tell people, you know, there's people knew there's no freedom 233 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 2: of speech in communist country, but there's no freedom of 234 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 2: thoughts and you can't even think certain way. And it's 235 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:20,960 Speaker 2: especially true for young people because we were never taught 236 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:23,640 Speaker 2: to think, and we could not think because we did 237 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:27,520 Speaker 2: not have any different sources of information. Were fed's one 238 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:30,080 Speaker 2: version of the so called truth, and that's all we 239 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:34,080 Speaker 2: knew and we just repeat. We could not think. That's 240 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 2: what Mau said. We have to unify our thoughts, not 241 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 2: just everything else, but even how you think has to 242 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:44,760 Speaker 2: be regulated. 243 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:47,960 Speaker 1: What was it like when Mao dies in nineteen seventy six. 244 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,480 Speaker 1: What was your personal reaction when you heard that Mao 245 00:15:51,480 --> 00:15:51,880 Speaker 1: had died. 246 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:56,760 Speaker 2: Oh, I remember, I aptly remember the moment. I burst 247 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 2: into tears, just like millions of Chinese. I thought this 248 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:04,240 Speaker 2: guy was falling. I just could not imagine a world 249 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:07,560 Speaker 2: without Mild because I grew up with like he was 250 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 2: everywhere he was just like everything we did has to 251 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:15,880 Speaker 2: be the correct one follow his instruction. I had no 252 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 2: idea what well becoming of us, and I feel despair 253 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 2: because I did not know better. It was devastating to 254 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:26,520 Speaker 2: me and I was seventeen. 255 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:32,400 Speaker 1: Dung Chahpeg Caesar's power and opens up China to the West, 256 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:36,040 Speaker 1: and I want to test something with you. Dung Champeg 257 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 1: is one of the original founders of the Chinese Communist Party. 258 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: He spends a year at London University in Moscow in 259 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 1: the twenties. Tell me if this is wrong. He's really 260 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 1: making the case we have to have a market economy 261 00:16:48,840 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: so the Chinese people won't throw us out. But it 262 00:16:51,360 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: was actually a step to keep the dictatorship, not a 263 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: step to unlock it. 264 00:16:55,560 --> 00:16:58,720 Speaker 2: Thank you, thank you. That's exactly what it is. And 265 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 2: people don't understand what he inherited from now was a 266 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:07,919 Speaker 2: total ruins. At that time, there's no economy, and the 267 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:13,160 Speaker 2: people were angry. People were angry about the rulers, and 268 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 2: they absolutely angry at this ideology called communism. So everything 269 00:17:18,920 --> 00:17:23,400 Speaker 2: was bankrupted, the country and the ideology. Doan shal Kin 270 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 2: his the sole goal is how to save the power 271 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 2: of the CCP. How to save not China, not Chinese people, 272 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 2: but power. He knew you had to do something drastic. 273 00:17:36,760 --> 00:17:40,119 Speaker 2: That was his black cat, white cat theory. He was 274 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 2: not interested in improving people's lives. He did, but the 275 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:50,400 Speaker 2: goal was to secure the power for the CCP. 276 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 1: But now, in the middle of all this, you decided 277 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:56,160 Speaker 1: to come to the United States. How did that process 278 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,200 Speaker 1: run when did you begin to think, gee, maybe I'll 279 00:17:58,200 --> 00:17:58,880 Speaker 1: go to America. 280 00:17:59,480 --> 00:18:02,880 Speaker 2: I think in the late nineteen seventies, the Chinese government 281 00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,560 Speaker 2: started to send Chinese students to study in the West, 282 00:18:07,080 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 2: and then eventually a lot of people started to apply 283 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 2: for themselves with a scholarship from America. And then eventually 284 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 2: I tried the same thing, and it's difficult. I met 285 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,560 Speaker 2: some Americans who came to teach in my university, and 286 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 2: I befriended one of them, and she's from Western Kentucky University. 287 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 2: She worked there, and she helped me to get assistantship 288 00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:34,439 Speaker 2: and helped me do everything. She was my sponsor. And 289 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 2: then I have to do my part, you know, to 290 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:39,399 Speaker 2: get the passport. It's not easy job, and to pass 291 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:43,119 Speaker 2: the total examination and that's required, you know, like an 292 00:18:43,119 --> 00:18:47,160 Speaker 2: English efficiency. And that's how I got here to America. 293 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: As I understand it, When you go to the American 294 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:54,600 Speaker 1: consulate in chang Dou to get a visa and they 295 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:57,120 Speaker 1: turn you down, what did you do? 296 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:01,639 Speaker 2: Then there was a policy. I believe that they only 297 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:07,800 Speaker 2: interested in same students. My major that I applied is English, 298 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:11,199 Speaker 2: and so for that, I think they don't want anyone 299 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:13,400 Speaker 2: to go there to study English. They want people who 300 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 2: stud math, you know, chemistry in or whatever. I think 301 00:19:17,160 --> 00:19:23,360 Speaker 2: there's something else. They don't want unmarried young women. They're 302 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 2: afraid that you might want to stay. And the truth 303 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 2: is that everyone would want to stay. But to me, 304 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 2: the motivation is I just want to get out of there. 305 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 2: I want to get all there so bad I would 306 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 2: do anything. 307 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:37,919 Speaker 1: So you get turned down, what did you do? Then? 308 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:42,639 Speaker 2: Well then you have another year. You can really apply 309 00:19:43,760 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 2: a year later. But back then there's no internet. So 310 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 2: I was smart enough to realize, hey, maybe I can 311 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 2: go to Beijing. And they did not know. I applied, 312 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:58,480 Speaker 2: so within I think two months, I got my paper 313 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 2: together and I went to Beijing. That was my lucky day. 314 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 2: That was my lucky day. That's the day after Thanksgiving 315 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 2: nineteen eighty six. I said, probably everyone was in good 316 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:15,200 Speaker 2: mood after you know, a day off, and so there 317 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,919 Speaker 2: I got my visa and oh my god. I just 318 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 2: never forget the moment. And when that young visa officer 319 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:25,000 Speaker 2: told me to come back in a wake, I was like, 320 00:20:25,600 --> 00:20:29,120 Speaker 2: maybe he made a mistake. So I basically ran out 321 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:31,920 Speaker 2: of it thinking he said, hey come back, let a mistake. 322 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:37,400 Speaker 2: It was so so, so so unforgetable moment that then 323 00:20:37,560 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 2: at that point I know I have a ticket to freedom. 324 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 1: That is a great, great story. And did you fly 325 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:45,880 Speaker 1: to America? 326 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 2: Yes? I did, And also I described this moment of 327 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 2: flying united. I did not have enough money and my 328 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:58,040 Speaker 2: uncle stepped in and helped me because he had connection 329 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 2: in Hong Kong. I asked, remember the moment, and this 330 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:06,920 Speaker 2: steward said, welcome aboard. She had this smile that I've 331 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 2: never seen in my entire life, such a big smile, 332 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,639 Speaker 2: such a big smile. I was like, Oh my god, 333 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:19,199 Speaker 2: I'm going to a great place. Everything started so perfectly, 334 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 2: and I can't never forget. I've never seen that kind 335 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:45,080 Speaker 2: of smile my twenty six years in China. 336 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:48,959 Speaker 1: You're so remarkable, and you were such a leader in 337 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 1: Walden County and trying to educate the school board and 338 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: the public, and then went on to make speeches and 339 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: be on TV and write books. You also did us 340 00:21:58,000 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 1: the great honor of participating in our new gingrich Smy 341 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: sixty documentary, Journey to America on PBS, which will stream 342 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: for free on pbs dot org and the PBS app. 343 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 1: The documentary celebrates the achievements of nine individuals from diverse backgrounds. 344 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:16,760 Speaker 1: You're one of them, and I want to share a 345 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:19,280 Speaker 1: sneak preview of journey to America. 346 00:22:20,359 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 3: Immigrants have come to America from around the world for 347 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:24,320 Speaker 3: many reasons. 348 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 1: Some fled famine, poverty, others sought religious freedom, and some 349 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 1: came for the possibility of a better life. 350 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 2: My name is Henry Kissing Jew and I came to 351 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:36,240 Speaker 2: America in nineteen thirty eight. 352 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 3: The promise of freedom and opportunity continues to be a 353 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:44,880 Speaker 3: powerful draw for those who make their journey to America. 354 00:22:45,160 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 1: What drew you to want to participate in the project? 355 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:51,200 Speaker 2: When you told me about this project, I said, yes, 356 00:22:51,840 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 2: I want to participant because I don't have an extraordinary story, 357 00:22:56,440 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 2: but I do have a story of my journey freedom 358 00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:05,359 Speaker 2: and how I get to feel in totally in love 359 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 2: with this country and how I understand what makes this 360 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 2: country exceptional. And that is such a journey. And that 361 00:23:13,760 --> 00:23:20,320 Speaker 2: is why in twenty twenty I really realized this is 362 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:24,480 Speaker 2: my payback time. I have been able to enjoy the 363 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 2: freedom and enjoying the opportunity and achieve my American dream. 364 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 2: It's more as it is, it is my American dream, 365 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 2: and I'm proud of it. And now I see this 366 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:39,159 Speaker 2: American dream dying. I see it the freedom, you know, 367 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:42,639 Speaker 2: slipping through our fingers, and I just feel like I 368 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:45,720 Speaker 2: have to I have to step up, and I have 369 00:23:45,840 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 2: to tell American people my story. And of course back 370 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:51,719 Speaker 2: then I did nothing that big. I just went to 371 00:23:51,760 --> 00:23:52,360 Speaker 2: the school board. 372 00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:55,720 Speaker 1: You were great in the show, and I should tell 373 00:23:55,720 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 1: people that there are eight other people in addition to achieve. 374 00:23:58,960 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 1: Athlete Henry Kissinger, a Jewish German American statesman, came to 375 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: the US in nineteen thirty eight, had a remarkable career, 376 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,479 Speaker 1: maybe the most influential Secretary of State in modern times. 377 00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 1: Tam Gafarian, who came to the US from Iran at sixteen, 378 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 1: now has Axiom Space, which is the largest private sector 379 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:24,960 Speaker 1: space company building an international space station privately the second 380 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 1: largest customer for SpaceX after the US government. He also 381 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:33,520 Speaker 1: is doing a great job with modular nuclear power. One 382 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,640 Speaker 1: of my favorite stories Hetty Lamar, who is a Jewish 383 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:40,679 Speaker 1: Austrian American actress. But more important, I knew that she 384 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: was an actress, and I'd seen her in the Bob 385 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:46,800 Speaker 1: Hope and Ben Crosby Road movies. What I didn't realize 386 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: was until we did research for the show. She was 387 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: an inventor who decided to try to help defeat German submarines, 388 00:24:54,400 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 1: and she invented a technological device which is in virtually 389 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 1: every cell phone in the world today, which just blew 390 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:06,400 Speaker 1: me away. Maria Dom we included she is a Russian American. 391 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: She was adopted from an orphanage. In two thousand and two, 392 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:13,399 Speaker 1: she became the first female graduate of the United States 393 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:16,639 Speaker 1: Marine Corps School of Infantry, which is quite an achievement 394 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: and shows that she's really committed. And then Callissa's favorite 395 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:24,960 Speaker 1: Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini, Mother Cabrini, who became only a 396 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:29,080 Speaker 1: saint Italian American, who fought her way to come to 397 00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 1: America in order to help Italian Americans who had come 398 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,440 Speaker 1: over here and who were poor. She founded the Missionary 399 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,359 Speaker 1: Sisters of the Sacred. She is in a shrine in 400 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:40,879 Speaker 1: New York City and was the first US citizen to 401 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: be canonized as a Saint. Albert Einstein, who what he 402 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:46,760 Speaker 1: knows of, came to the US in nineteen thirty three, 403 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 1: made remarkable contributions in physics. Zelmai Calili Zad is an 404 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 1: Afghan American first came to the US as a student 405 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: in nineteen sixty six, became a diplomat and foreign policy 406 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:01,680 Speaker 1: expert and was a US embass the United Nations, Iraq 407 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:06,800 Speaker 1: and Afghanistan. And finally Victoria Sparks, Ukrainian American, came to 408 00:26:06,800 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 1: the US in two thousand and was elected as a 409 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:11,760 Speaker 1: member of the US House of Representation Indiana in twenty 410 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:14,360 Speaker 1: twenty and it's still serving in the US House. As 411 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:17,200 Speaker 1: you look at all that she do you think stories 412 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:22,359 Speaker 1: like that can help others understand how important legal immigration is. 413 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 2: Absolutely, this is really what this film will do to 414 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 2: help people to understand that America is great because it 415 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:35,600 Speaker 2: has so many legal again, legal immigrants like those people 416 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 2: featured in the film, and they've done so much and 417 00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:42,280 Speaker 2: now we have La Mosque and the people like that 418 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 2: and helping America. Immigration is the key to the success 419 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:52,160 Speaker 2: of this country. But have to be legal, and what's 420 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:56,359 Speaker 2: going on today is we have this illegal invasion. And 421 00:26:56,400 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 2: I just don't think it's correct to use the word immigrant. 422 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 2: Is illegal when you come illegally, you're not immigrants. You 423 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 2: are really criminals because you'll break the law. And so 424 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,080 Speaker 2: I think that's so so important for people to understand 425 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:15,959 Speaker 2: we do not want to make this two thing together 426 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:22,399 Speaker 2: and legal immigration. America's success depend on more legal immigration 427 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 2: of people of all sorts of talents from all over 428 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:27,240 Speaker 2: the world. 429 00:27:28,119 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 1: I agree with you, and of course that's why christ 430 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 1: and I wanted to do Journey to America. And we're 431 00:27:32,560 --> 00:27:35,399 Speaker 1: very honored that PBS decided it was good enough that 432 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:38,360 Speaker 1: they're going to stream it for free on PBS dot 433 00:27:38,520 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 1: orgon the PBS app Sheep. I want to thank you. 434 00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 1: You are a remarkable person. You are the perfect person 435 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:49,919 Speaker 1: to have been in this particular program. You exemplify the 436 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: fact that people can come from anywhere and they bring 437 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,520 Speaker 1: with them talents and skills and insights, and they dramatically 438 00:27:56,640 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 1: enrich our country. As an American, you know that this 439 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:03,160 Speaker 1: is an amazing place, and I think you have certainly 440 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:06,080 Speaker 1: contributed to it. And I really appreciate you taking the 441 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:07,399 Speaker 1: time to talk with me. 442 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:10,240 Speaker 2: Oh, thank you so much. That's such an honor for 443 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:12,960 Speaker 2: me to be in that film and to be on 444 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:14,399 Speaker 2: the podcast with you. Now. 445 00:28:19,119 --> 00:28:21,199 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guest, shi Van Fleet. You can 446 00:28:21,280 --> 00:28:24,240 Speaker 1: learn more about the Journey to America documentary on our 447 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 1: show page at Newtsworld dot com. News World is produced 448 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 1: by Ginglish three sixty on iHeartMedia. Our executive producer is 449 00:28:31,320 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 1: Guarnsey Sloman. Our researcher is Rachel Peterson. The art work 450 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:38,760 Speaker 1: for the show Who's created by Steve Penley. Special thanks 451 00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:40,960 Speaker 1: to the team at Ginglish three sixty. If you've been 452 00:28:41,040 --> 00:28:44,000 Speaker 1: enjoying news World, I hope you'll go to Apple Podcasts 453 00:28:44,280 --> 00:28:46,720 Speaker 1: and both rate us with five stars and give us 454 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 1: a review so others can learn what it's all about. 455 00:28:49,720 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 1: Right now, listeners of Newtsworld can sign up for my 456 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:57,600 Speaker 1: three free weekly columns at gingwishree sixty dot com slash newsletter. 457 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:02,360 Speaker 1: I'm Newt Gingrich. This is neut World