https://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2005/10/19/will-saddam-end-up-a-hero-the-view-from-china/feed/PJ Media is a leading news site covering culture, politics, faith, homeland security, and more. Our reporters and columnists provide original, in-depth analysis from a variety of perspectives.en-usSat, 13 Jun 2026 08:52:21 -0400<![CDATA[I feel lucky that I&#8217;m not big on hero worship, religious or secular. Unlike Bob Dylan, I don&#8217;t believe we all have to &#8220;serve somebody.&#8221; But there&#8217;s no denying the human need to follow leaders of some sort. This report on Sunni Arabs applauding Saddam on television yesterday is creepy. But this one on Chinese revering Mao in a new era of &#8220;Red Tourism&#8221; is downright scary. Apparently the Chinese masses don&#8217;t realize the Great Helmsman knocked off fifty million or so of their own, give or take the population of Texas. He&#8217;s just a jolly old figure in a blue cap. Part of the reason, I suppose, is willed ignorance but part is also that such works as Jung Chang&#8217;s Mao: the Unknown Story are banned in China. [Maybe Google will scan it and make it available to them on line.-ed. I&#8217;m waiting.] The results are opinions like this one expressed to The Independent&#8217;s reporter at the end of his article:]]>Wed, 19 Oct 2005 21:39:16 -0400<![CDATA[Roger L. Simon]]>https://pjmedia.com/roger-l-simon/2005/10/19/will-saddam-end-up-a-hero-the-view-from-china-n210082