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The Ancient World
- Building Societies – What Does it Take? – Lesson
- Building Societies – What Does it Take? – Quiz
- Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem: Where Western Civilization Began – Lesson
- Athens, Rome, and Jerusalem: Where Western Civilization Began – Quiz
- Persia: Where Fake News Began? – Lesson
- Persia: Where Fake News Began? – Quiz
- Tell Brak: The World’s Most Ancient City? – Lesson
- The Key to Ancient Egypt: Rosetta Stone 200 Years On – Lesson
- The Key to Ancient Egypt: Rosetta Stone 200 Years On – Quiz
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World History
- Slavery: An Ancient Evil That Still Exists Today – Lesson
- A Tale Of Two Sacrifices – Part I – Lesson
- A Tale Of Two Sacrifices – Part II – Lesson
- The Story Behind the Israel-Palestine Conflict – Lesson
- Churchill Vs. Hitler: Standing Up for Europe – Lesson
- War, Peace, and School Bullies – Lesson
- Survey Says: Millennials and Gen Z Just Don’t Know the Holocaust – Lesson
- V-J Day: Celebrating 75 Years Since Japan’s Surrender – Lesson
- A History of Ukraine: Battleground for Empires – Part 1 – Lesson
- A History of Ukraine: Battleground for Empires – Part 1 – Quiz
- A History of Ukraine: Battleground for Empires – Part 2 – Lesson
- A History of Ukraine: Battleground for Empires – Part 2 – Quiz
- History of the Holy Land – Quiz
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U.S. Allies and Rivals
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Around the Globe Today
- Chinese Uighurs – What Is Going On? – Lesson
- A New Republic – Barbados Removes the Queen as the Head of State – Lesson
- A New Republic – Barbados Removes the Queen as the Head of State – Quiz
- Venice Makes a New Rule for Tourists – Will Other Cities Follow? – Lesson
- Venice Makes a New Rule for Tourists – Will Other Cities Follow? – Quiz
- Professor Lives Underwater for 100 Days – Lesson
- Professor Lives Underwater for 100 Days – Quiz
- Setenil de las Bodegas – The Spanish Town Built Under a Rock – Lesson
- Setenil de las Bodegas – The Spanish Town Built Under a Rock – Quiz
- Hat of Napoleon Bonaparte Sells for Over $2 Million at Auction – Lesson
- Hat of Napoleon Bonaparte Sells for Over $2 Million at Auction – Quiz
- The UK Plans to Measure Kids’ Bellies to Monitor Their Health – Lesson
- The UK Plans to Measure Kids’ Bellies to Monitor Their Health – Quiz
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Politics and Economics Around the Globe
Antifa and Black Lives Matter: The New Red Guard? – Lesson
What do Black Lives Matter, Antifa, and the Chinese Communist Red Guard have in common?
Throughout history, tyrannies have been built on a passionate youth searching for meaning through violence and dedication to a lethal cause. During the 20th century, totalitarian states started youth-led movements to carry out the aims of a dictator. These kids used force and intimidation against anybody who disagreed with their ideas. So, should young people today watch out for these same patterns?
How were the Russian revolutionary vanguard, Germany’s Hitler Youth, and Communist China’s Red Guards any different from the Black Lives Matter and Antifa protesters we see today?
The Red Guards: A Primer
The Red Guards were millions of middle and high school students who were mobilized and directed by Mao Zedong during the first two years of the revolution in China. The communist dictator took advantage of the students to attack those who didn’t agree with their ideology.
One of the Red Guards’ early initiatives had been targeting the “Four Olds”: culture, customs, habits, and ideas. As these young people marched across China, they burned old books and art, destroyed museums and temples, and renamed streets after revolutionary leaders. The Red Guards could target any individual they wished. If you dared disagree and not fall in line, you would be swarmed, shamed, harassed, and beaten.
What’s worse is that the state-run media made these people out to be heroes. With personal support from Mao and allies in the state press, the Red Guards were an unstoppable force.
Ultimately, the question that needs to be asked is: Why does all this sound familiar?
What’s Next?
Recently, hordes of woke Americans took to the streets of Washington, D.C., and marched across the city, chanting that “white silence is violence.” In one viral video, an angry mob harassed diners and surrounded one woman who refused to raise her fist in the air.
In a separate conflict after President Donald Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention, radicals shouted down Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), his wife, and Representative Vernon Jones (D-GA). The group demanded that Sen. Paul “say her name,” referring to Breonna Taylor, a black woman killed by police officers in March. If protesters had been paying attention, they would have known that Paul wrote legislation called “Justice for Breonna Taylor Act” that ends the practice of no-knock raids.
These are not isolated incidents, as social media has hosted thousands of videos showing the tragic nature of these protesters. Effigies, mock guillotines, property destruction – these are all par for the course of today’s Red Guards.