I recently ran across a website for the Communist Party of Houston, Texas. In response to the midterm elections this week, one of the Communists wrote:
A friend of mine recently reminded me that when there is no tension between opposing forces, there can be no progress. Frederick Douglass said, “Without a struggle, there can be no progress.” This is what is missing today in the class struggle. Working class unity is needed to overcome the powerful influence of the corporations, but this does not mean following the Democratic party program to the letter. Progressives should support Democrats who fight for the interests of the working class and should support policies which favor working class interests. However, we should oppose with all our might any politician and/or policy which favors the interests of the wealthy. If we do this, we can answer the question “Which side are you on?” with a great deal of pride.
Apparently the struggle between communism and freedom continues in Houston – and, according to the website, in locations around the United States. That’s fine, let them continue to pursue and espouse their beliefs, as naive’ and irrational as they are. However, I was struck by a video on the site where communists announce their communism, after telling what they do, or where they live, or what their hobbies are. Make sure you have the volume turned up sufficiently so you can enjoy the ironic background music:
Each and everyone of them are, or have, enjoyed the benefits of living in the United States – freedom of choice in jobs, professions, hobbies, associations, you know, those unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When you live in the United States it is easy to be a communist. You have all the privileges of American capitalism, a free market, individual rights, choice, rule of law, yada yada yada.
But I wonder how many of them have ever traveled to, or lived in, a communist country? Have they talked to Russians who lived under the rules of the old Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)? Have they lived in or been to Cuba under the Castro regime? Ever been to China and tried to engage freely in some of the activities they enjoy (such as posting their opinions on YouTube as they did here)?
A caller to my radio show last night was espousing the benefits of socialism and communism. Cuba came up and I asked for a specific example of how life under Cuban socialism was better than living in a democratic republic like the United States. After some hesitation his answer was – prepare yourself – they have learned to grow great fruits and vegetables without the use of pesticides.
Great. Willing to give up your freedoms for organic fruits and vegetables? Oh, wait, I can get those at Whole Foods and Safeway right now.
Naivete’. Idiocy.
America suffers from a lack of perspective and a sense of history. We will always have people who exploit our freedoms to espouse their desire for a system lacking in those very freedoms. Again that’s fine, that’s protected by the United States Constitution. But what bothers me is how this attitude and belief goes unchallenged on so many fronts, and how naive we are about the rest of the world, much of which lives under the very tyranny they espouse.
