The Volokh Conspiracy - If Chairman Mao Is Like Jesus to You,

then I don't care if you're offended. Here's an item from the Manawatu Standard (New Zealand):

A mob of angry Chinese students protested at Massey University yesterday after Chairman Mao was lampooned on the cover of the student newspaper.

Students likened the cover of Chaff, which this week satirises women's magazine Cosmopolitan, to the anti-Muslim cartoons circulated around the world in February.

Tempers flared outside Massey's library as about 50 Chinese Massey and UCOL students and a Chinese lecturer confronted Chaff staff.

Students said the issue is racist and the last straw, as many have also suffered verbal abuse on the streets of Palmerston North....

"Chairman Mao is like Jesus to us," he said on the verge of tears....

Yang Chenglin said students are proud of their Chinese culture.

"Mao gave us independence. He's no more a killer than George Washington or George W Bush....

Mao Zedong, or Chairman Mao, was the founder of the People's Republic of China and one of the most prominent figures in Chinese history.

He is also revered as a great spiritual leader and cultural symbol....

Interestingly, the newspaper didn't mention that Mao, unlike George Washington, George W. Bush, or Jesus, is responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of Chinese who died while he ran the country. I hope that's because it assumed that its readers — other than the ones who view Mao like Jesus — would already be aware of that.

(Thanks to FoxNews' Tongue Tied for the pointer.)

	[Eugene Volokh, May 22, 2006 at 4:42pm] Trackbacks If Chairman Mao Is Like Jesus to You, then I don't care if you're offended. Here's an item from the Manawatu Standard (New Zealand): A mob of angry Chinese students protested at Massey University yesterday after Chairman Mao was lampooned on the cover of the student newspaper. Students likened the cover of Chaff, which this week satirises women's magazine Cosmopolitan, to the anti-Muslim cartoons circulated around the world in February. Tempers flared outside Massey's library as about 50 Chinese Massey and UCOL students and a Chinese lecturer confronted Chaff staff. Students said the issue is racist and the last straw, as many have also suffered verbal abuse on the streets of Palmerston North.... "Chairman Mao is like Jesus to us," he said on the verge of tears.... Yang Chenglin said students are proud of their Chinese culture. "Mao gave us independence. He's no more a killer than George Washington or George W Bush.... Mao Zedong, or Chairman Mao, was the founder of the People's Republic of China and one of the most prominent figures in Chinese history. He is also revered as a great spiritual leader and cultural symbol.... Interestingly, the newspaper didn't mention that Mao, unlike George Washington, George W. Bush, or Jesus, is responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of Chinese who died while he ran the country. I hope that's because it assumed that its readers — other than the ones who view Mao like Jesus — would already be aware of that. (Thanks to FoxNews' Tongue Tied for the pointer.)