OT: Red

[J Patrick Draine]

>
>
>If the term "Red" is so insulting, then why does THEIR OWN MILITARY
>refer TO ITSELF as the "RED ARMY"?  It wishes to disrespect itself????
>I truly have no wish to be disrespectful, but please  answer this
>question for me.    -Joe

While it is true that "redness" was a concept/term used by the most 
zealous followers of Mao Zedong, it is no longer held in high regard. 
As the late leader Deng Xiaoping said, "To get rich is glorious."
My 3500 page Chinese-English Dictionary says for "Hong Jun"(Red 
Army): "abbrev. for the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army 
(1928-1937)." Not the most current term, but it continues to be used 
in *some* of the US press. A more current term would be Renmin 
Jiefang Jun, the People's Liberation Army, or Renmin Jun, the 
People's Army.
The adjective was quite current through the life of Mao Zedong; for 
example the journal Hongqi, or Red Flag, was a rather extreme 
propaganda vehicle for the Red Guard, Mme. Mao (Jiang Qing), et al.

Patrick Draine