LeftExchange
Eric, the 'commie' article you wrote brought forward memories not at all surpressed! I was sent to Vietnam to battle the communiist aggressors. I found a fierce, freedom-loving people who wanted only to 'do it their way'. Whenever tryanny raises its ugly head, be assured that 'the people' will (eventually) rid themselves of it. The cause of communism, the ideology, not the capital 'C' Communism of the Soviet Union, has never been fully understood, let alone realized, in my opinion. The history of the labor movement worldwide, in general, and in the United States in particular, is latent with falsehoods, disinformation and outright treachery on the part of historical revisionists. Justice demands truth. Truth speakes to power. Capitalism is not the enemy. Communism is not the solution. Capitalism is anti-human. Communism is anti-freedom. Capitalism must be contained liked the pit bull that it is (no offense to the owners of that misunderstood, wacko breed). Greed is inherent in the human race, but must not prevail to the detriment of social justice. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. But even here in the USA, the land of liberty, you will find the prisons full of young minorities unjustly condemned and thereby branded as outcasts. The rest of the world is perhaps even worse!
So, do we combine THE WORST of both systems and end up with a social welfare state?? I don't know. But it seems to me that's what most european states have evolved into. I can guarantee you one thing though, whether it's the communists, socialists, capitalists, anarchists, libertarians, liberals, states righters, neo-nazis, survivalists, back-to-the landers, white supremecists, maoists, moonies, etc., there is an element of truth in all of them, yet none will prevail. Our hope may be in determining a new way to communicate the need for equality, justice and peace that balances individual freedom, social responsibility, and the 'pursuit of happiness'.
We feel all this inherently, I think. But the foolishness and greed so apparent render us feeling inadequate to the the gargantuan task of affecting change on any meaningful scale. So what is to be done, my worthy and noble comrades? Organize! Live Well! Show By Example! Demand Justice! Expect Peace! Prepare For Battle! Make A Damn Difference!
- mark
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