Survivor of Mao's Era Sees Echoes of Cultural Revolution in US College Campuses

Lily Tang Williams, a survivor of Chairman Mao's political purge during China's Cultural Revolution, has voiced her concerns over what she perceives as a disturbing trend on U.S. college campuses. Williams, who has firsthand experience of the tumultuous period in China, claims to be experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as she witnesses events unfold in the United States that remind her of the past she thought she had left behind. Her observations come at a time when political tensions and ideological battles are increasingly prominent on college campuses across the country.

Williams's experiences during the Cultural Revolution, a period marked by severe political persecution, ideological purges, and widespread chaos, have left her particularly sensitive to the signs of ideological extremism. She draws parallels between the fervor of Mao's 'Red Guards' and the actions of what she describes as 'Marxist hordes' in the U.S., pointing to instances of aggressive political activism and chants of 'Death to America' as particularly triggering. Her warnings come with a heavy note of caution, urging Americans to heed the lessons of history to avoid repeating the mistakes of her homeland.

As a Republican congressional candidate, Williams's political stance is clear, and her warnings are infused with her personal and political convictions. Her story adds a unique perspective to the ongoing debate about free speech, ideological diversity, and the role of education in shaping political thought in the United States. While…  Read more her comparisons to the Cultural Revolution are controversial, they highlight the deep divisions and the intensity of the political climate on many college campuses.