FCC official's Trump pin likened to Mao sparks debate
Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, appeared with a golden pin featuring the image of Donald Trump on his jacket lapel. Australian activist Drew Pavlou compared the image of the U.S. President to that of Mao Zedong. "Welcome to MAGA Maoism," he concluded.
What do you need to know?
- Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission, appeared with a pin depicting Donald Trump.
- Drew Pavlou, an Australian activist, compared this pin to images of Mao Zedong, sparking controversy.
- "Welcome to MAGA Maoism," commented the activist, referencing Trump's campaign slogan.
Controversial comparison
Photos posted by the Australian political activist show Brendan Carr with a Donald Trump pin on his jacket lapel. The golden ornament depicts the President of the USA in profile, reminiscent of pins featuring the image of Mao Zedong from communist China.
"Welcome to MAGA Maoism," added Drew Pavlou in an online post, referencing Trump's campaign slogan "Make America Great Again."
Brendan Carr is the chair of the Federal Communications Commission, which regulates radio, television, internet, satellite, and cable communications in the United States.
The creator of Maoism
Mao was one of the prominent leaders of the Chinese Revolution, which ended with the communists' victory over the Nationalist forces (Kuomintang) in 1949. After the win, Mao announced the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the communists took power.
Mao Zedong developed his version of Marxism, known as Maoism, which differed from traditional Marxism-Leninism. It emphasized the role of peasants in the revolution, instead of workers, as was the case in conventional communist ideology. Maoism was widely applied in China and influenced other revolutionary movements in Asia and the world.
During his rule, Mao Zedong became the object of a strong cult of personality. Mao's image was ubiquitous, and his words were treated almost as law.
