Perhaps, but then "rip 999 of them out" doesn't just add a more sinister tinge, but also confirms the allusion for those who are aware of it. If memory of my h

Perhaps, but then "rip 999 of them out" doesn't just add a more sinister tinge, but also confirms the allusion for those who are aware of it. If memory of my history class serves, the quote of letting flowers bloom comes from Mao, who told people he wanted them to open up and share their political differences (ostensibly so that some kind of political dialog could follow), but with the ulterior motive of merely outing his political enemies in order to do terrible things to them. It's a shame to be discussing this instead of the article, though, since I am a huge Peter Seibel fan!