Who are China's Walking Dead?

Kay Rubacek, Liberty Hill Press, 2020

viii Preface

ix Book related to the film "Finding Courage" whose protagonist Yifei Wang had been a high ranking jornalist in the CCP (Chinese Communist Party). Story related to the persecution of Falun Gong "the popular spiritual group that the CCP targeted for elimination in 1999". This persecution is an absolutely forbidden subject in China. They found close to 30 CCP insiders who were in the west and willing to talk about the CCP.

p xii "in the eyes of ordinary Chinese citizens, CCP officials have status, power, and money to get things done in China." "But in the eyes of the officials themselves, day-to-day living is like slowly being boiled alive." "..a human pressure cooker.." ".. souls that remain often barely recognize themselves"

1. Meeting the Walking Dead 1

It was surprising to find that the "Walking Dead" descriptor was not something that Rubacek made up, but a descriptor that came from some of the former CCP participants -- it was a surprise to her too! From the highest ranking communist official she had been able to get on camera she got "People there don't live like real humans. They live like walking corpses." In subsequent interviews with a variety of officials and CCP members "none of them batted an eye" at the use of "Walking Dead", which was alarming to her. Along with this as a norm, her "Chinese professor,PhD, former CCP model student" said "Oh yes, I have published several articles about that."

Though she struggled with it for over five years, with over 50 hours of recorded interviews, she concluded that "understanding the poison that created China's Walking Dead may help us save ourselves from their fate."

2. A New Puzzle 5

Interview with Hao Ye, "The Senior Official, Police Commissioner, Deputy Chief at Ministry for Public Security, Beijing" Was at Tiananmen through the massacre of students. "Saw how CCP deceived the people and how it allowed the military to march into the square." "Can people from the West understand the concept that a nation is a tool to suppress its people? You can't."

p10 "Marxism defines a nation as a tool for suppression. A nation exists for that purpose." "You can't expect the Chinese regime to not suppress its people, because, by definition, our nation suppresses our people through force. Those are the rules!"

"'You are too kind', he softened. 'It is difficult for Western people -who are very kind- to truly understand such evil. If you are not evil to that extent, you can't grasp the true horror of the cruelty in China."

This is what Rubacek is describing as her new puzzle - she had studied China for a decade but had not wrapped her head around the foundational evil of the system.

3. Two Layers of Skin 12

Interview with Jinghua Zhong, "The Judge"

Having trouble understanding "statutory law" used by China, Germany, France in contrast to "common law system" like U.S., Britain, Australia. Common law uses precedent for trial determination of outcome. "..most distinguishing feature of the Chinese system, is that it lacks any independence. Of course, official Chinese media and propaganda claim that its legal and judicial system is independent, but in actual practice that is not so.When countries adopt an independent legal system, their society can have fair trials, and individuals can have relatively fair outcomes in those trials. But when you don't have that, then you won't have fairness or justice."

Statutory vs Common Law is confusing to me. The main difference between the two is that common law is based on past judicial opinions, while statutory law is based on current statutes (written laws) Statutory vs Common Law

p14 I'm still not getting it. The Judge says "We also use this phrase: To say one thing but to do another."

Gets to the picture of "two layers of skin" I'm still not getting it clearly, but it implies that there is no integrity or commitment to truth at all.

"'In the Propaganda Department,' he said 'our Propaganda minister often told us to think about why our propaganda tasks always have two layers of skin.'"

p15 I think a quote from the Judge: "It was only later that I really understood why it has two skins. Because the propaganda can't tell the truth. If it did tell the truth, the CCP would be finished immediately. Therefore, it must continue to lie and cover up the truth."

p15 "Chinese officials and CCP members understand that a second layer of skin is essential and justifiied. It is required not only to conceal reality, but as a wall between one's mind and one's soul - to ensure that no moral code of integrity or honesty itches between them."

p16 Interesting story of one CCP member who couldn't stand the dishonesty and escaped.

4. Department P 17

"Department P" is for "Publicity Department" for the English reader, but for CCP it is the Propaganda Department and the shocking and depressing truth is that the CCP has no regard for truth and nothing they say can be depended upon as containing truth.

This perspective is from an interview from a "former CCP journalist who had spent years working for one of the largest state-run media organizations in China." A quote from her: "In China, all media are controlled by an office called the Publicity Department."

p18 Multi-level Propaganda Department: Central, each state, each city. Annual Central Committee gathering to set the year's political tasks. "CCP's deeply rooted branches into evry level of all social structures in China."

p18-20 Landsberger - major collection of propaganda posters -colorful icons that revere the CCP - the "outer skin of the CCP's propaganda."

p20-22 All is by Marxist-Leninist theory, quotes Marx Communist Manifesto

"Controlling public opinion is the same as caging up citizens like animals. Their goal is to not let you know the truth, to not let you talk."

"Media and education are the two areas that are controlled more strictly now."

5. Progress vs Creativity 28

Interview with Yougun Wang, PhD "The High-Ranking Official"

p30 "'There is a Chinese saying: Words are no small matter,' he said. 'It means that if you say one thing wrong, you risk losing your entire political career. One mistake and you'll be persecuted. So everyone is extremely cautious, very scared of saying the wrong thing. Everyone makes sure they always stay within the boundaries set by the regime. They won't dare to cross them even a bit. This fear is stifling the Chinese people.'"

p32-34 Illustrated list of all the western names of businesses and products copied with small variations.

p36 Interview with Guimin Guan, "The Celebrity Artist" "'In China, arts and entertainment are basically one and the same, and the purpose of the arts is to serve politics,' he said bluntly. 'This is expressly stated by the CCP. The CCP clearly states that you must play the role of the CCP's mouthpiece. If you refuse to do so, the CCP will ruin you - ban you from your career. There are just too many artists and performers who have to rely on the CCP to survive. The CCP doesn't care if a few refuse to obey.'"

He was a Level A performer in China but had chosen not to obey and fled China. But in US, CCP's influence was enough to hinder him in artistic performance or teaching work - he became a janitor!

"The Artist's guilt and sorrow for being a tool in the hands of the regime was not unique among our interviewees."

p39 from Yougun Wang, PhD "The High-Ranking Official"

"The two things the CCP can never tolerate are independent thinking and speaking the truth. Telling the truth is forbidden. Anyone who still has some sense of independent thinking in him or who is willing to tell the truth is unable to survive under the CCP. You are forced to tell lies. It won't work if you don't tell lies. As a result, everyone becomes a liar."

6. Money-Law and Constitution 40

7. Little Brown Birds 54

8. Parasite 61

9. Dear Mother 69

10. Ad Break No. 1 84

11. Daughter, Go Watch the Slaughter 87

12. The Wedge 101

13. Turning Points 129

Interview with Fenglun Hao, "The Secret Agent, 6-10 Officer, and Police Officer" His break from the system and eventual escape from China is summarized by "My heart sank to the bottom witnessing the miserable experience of an innocent Mother and daughter." It was associated with the suppression of Falun Gong practitioners. Thirteen-year-old daughter escaped but Mother was severely beaten with steel rods and tortured with electric batons. He talked with her and got medical treatment, but torture continued, 7-10 yr prison, and he doesn't know if she survived. Daughter couldn't return to family members who were under surveillance.

The final break came in his observation of the torture of an elderly CCP official. He objected to lies in the persecution, was jailed for a month with no heat, finally was able to leave the country and came to U.S.

14. Chameleon Skin 137

Interview with Baigen Li, "The Army Colonel". Some comments from other interviewees. A fairly extensive treatment of "struggle" which is central to the CCP and communism. p138 "It does not have truth. It does not have morals." "A method may be legal or illegal, help people or harm people, be honest or dishonest - it doesn't matter. As long as the method achieves the goal, the method is 'good'".. Describes the struggle of students who were suddenly labeled "rightists".

p150 "Why do we say the CCP is a force to be reckoned with? Because the CCP knows how to terrorize and suppress in such a way where no one is spared. As soon as you disobey in the slightest you are doomed."

Discusses the surveillance technology. Discusses fact that CCP members have to use great care to obey all the rules.

p157 Former propaganda official, looked up to, struggled with conscience, took position as independent human right lawyer to the horror of his friends and family, finally fled China. More than 80 CCP officials committed suicide over past several years. Consciousnesses in conflict.

p160 Uses Orwell's 1984 here and in other places to illustrate the nature of CCP control.

15. Lives of Grass 162

p163 "The CCP kills people like swatting flies"

p164 "The communist doctrine is based on killing - killing to scare people, to make feaar, and keep their rule." Continues discussion with "the Professor" including the killing of eighty million people by the CCP. CCP's one-child policy "killed at least 400 million lives, both inside and outside the womb.." "this mass infanticide has never been seen anywhere else in history."

p170-175 Dramatic story of the organ harvesting from Falun Gong prisoners and the Uygher people. Estimate of 25,000 Uyghers killed annually for the sale of their organs. Quote of the judgement of the "China Tribunal" pg 171

16. Beans and Bulbs 176

Interview with Max Ji Xiaoxin, imprisoned at 14 because he and his parents had tried to appeal to the Chinese authorities. He and his parents had practiced Falun Gong. Father left to die. Mother tortured. General discussion of the slave labor system in the prisons. Interesting to become aware that a lot of things manufactured in China are made in these slave labor institutions.

p188 Describes sessions of torture with electric batons, but additionally were required to do manual labor.

p190 The labor camp facilities have hardly changed, but the CCP has built up the city around it. But like much of China's cities, the exterior outer layer has beenn given a costly new coat to give the impression that the CCP has changed its ways. Like many correctional facilities in China, the labor camp had been given tthe new name Drug Rehabilitation Center. But as we found out during intervviews with directors of CCP labor camps, the CCP's anti-human system that runs the facilities hasn't changed. And they are just as deadly as ever."

"Chinese citizens are aware of the "two skins" of the prison system. The exterior layers make the facility appear legal and legitimate, but beneath the outer layer of skin, the citizens know what's there and they know to keep their distance. Having labor camps and prisonns so close to the lives of Chinese people is another social control mechanism of the CCP to keep an ever-preseent sense of fear among the people. Ever citizen knows intuitively that it only takes one wrong move to be sent to a camp."

17. Ad Break #2 192

18. Bloodlines 197

With 7 million CCP officials, how do they pick the top one like Xi Jinping? Claims Marx as leader of movement. Marx and Lenin produce the demon of the CCP. CCP took over China in 1949.

19. Of Pigs and Fish 211

Interview with Patrick Ling, PhD, "The Chinese Professor and CCP Model Student.

p212 Disussion of the disastrous air and water pollution. "1.6 million Chinese citizens die every year from air pollution-related health issues."

p214 Underground water is also polluted, so that there is no safe drinking water. CCP strictly controls media on the pollution issue. Interviewed former CCP journalist who had become a Christian.

p217 "forced by her workplace to spy on her fellow church goers or lose the livelihood for her and her daughter. Torn between her faith and her ability to survive, she fled to the West where we were able to interview her."

This chapter is a long and increasingly embittered discussion of the total corruption of the CCP. It discusses the polluted foods, fake foods, dangerous foods, yet the propaganda and power of the CCP to cover up the harm and deception. Discussion of the pollution of the Yangtze River and the deception and propaganda associated.

DON'T BUY OR CONSUME ANY FOOD FROM CHINA!

20. Socialist Diplomacy 249

Fairly extensive interview and story of Yonglin Chen, "The Diplomat", who had sought asylum successfully in Australia. Rubacek got to know him well. Followed his struggle as he revealed Chinese espionage in Australia.

p252 Interview with Michael Lee, "The Businessman" Also threats to him by CCP about harm to his family (Mother and brothers) in China. He and Rubacek followed the persecution of Falun Gong during that period. The Falun Gong persecution influenced him to leave China for Australia.

21. In Their Words 264

Partly the interview with the "Diplomat". "There is no future for the Chinese as long as the communist regime is there."They are sucking blood from the future generations." They had great difficulty with malpractice in the birth of their daughter, and found "they stole my baby's blood and sold it." "I didn't see any hope for China. And I don't want my child to be brainwashed like other Chinese people."

One of the saddest things was the assessment "People now think 'If I help you, you will hurt me'" A characteristic story was of an elderly person who fell and was injured, someone helped him up and took him to hospital. Upon arrival he hit the person, accused him of knocking him down and demanded that he pay his hospital bill.!! Fairly extensive commentary of this kind of total lack of morality and compassion. No wonder the Falun Gong were popular with theie "Truth, Compassion, Forbearance".

22. There Is Hope 281

Only three pages of hopefulness, and not hope in the CCP, but hope in the dissidents who try to "awaken the people of China and remind them of their humanity."

Glosssary of CCP Cultural Terms 284

Acknowledgements 297

Endnotes 300

About the Author 306