Legacy of Mao And Deng Has Not Lived On

It seems to me that all across campus, the mention of China and President Jiang Zemin's visit just cannot be avoided. However, as a Chinese American, I must say that I am bothered and uneasy about what some are saying.

I grew up in China and both of my parents suffered extensively throughout the Cultural Revolution as my family was labeled "blacks" and "capitalist-roaders." Yet, even with this past, I find myself speaking out about how people must look at the present situation with objectivity and reality before jumping on the band wagon in the name of human rights.

I have nothing against the people who are protesting human rights abuses. However, I am distressed by the fact that as soon as China and communism are mentioned, people conjure up images of a lone person standing in front of a line of tanks or a totalitarian government. What the students of Harvard have to realize is that even though the Communist Party has been in power since 1949, the legacy of Mao and Deng has not lived on. China and its government today are ever changing and very different than what it was. --Susan Yan Tang '01