• OBJECTION!@lemmy.ml
    15·
    15 hours ago

    For decades, many left-leaning writers and speakers in the United States have felt obliged to establish their credibility by indulging in anticommunist and anti-Soviet genuflection, seemingly unable to give a talk or write an article or book review on whatever political subject without injecting some anti-Red sideswipe. The intent was, and still is, to distance themselves from the Marxist-Leninist Left.

    Adam Hochschild, a liberal writer and publisher, warned those on the Left who might be lackadaisical about condemning existing communist societies that they “weaken their credibility” (Guardian, 5/23/84). In other words, to be credible opponents of the cold war, we first had to join in cold war condemnations of communist societies. Ronald Radosh urged that the peace movement purge itself of communists so that it not be accused of being communist (Guardian, 3/16/83). If I understand Radosh: To save ourselves from anticommunist witchhunts, we should ourselves become witchhunters.

    Purging the Left of communists became a longstanding practice, having injurious effects on various progressive causes. For instance, in 1949 some twelve unions were ousted from the CIO because they had Reds in their leadership. The purge reduced CIO membership by some 1.7 million and seriously weakened its recruitment drives and political clout. In the late 1940s, to avoid being “smeared” as Reds, Americans for Democratic Action (ADA), a supposedly progressive group, became one of the most vocally anticommunist organizations.

    The strategy did not work. ADA and others on the Left were still attacked for being communist or soft on communism by those on the Right. Then and now, many on the Left have failed to realize that those who fight for social change on behalf of the less-privileged elements of society will be Red-baited by conservative elites whether they are communists or not. For ruling interests, it makes little difference whether their wealth and power is challenged by “communist subversives” or “loyal American liberals.” All are lumped together as more or less equally abhorrent.

    Michael Parenti, Blackshirts and Reds, 1997.

  • mathemachristian [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    15·
    1 day ago

    Why do all these statements being with “I want to be clear…”, “Let me be perfectly clear: …”, “Now I want to be very clear on this:…”, “Just to be clear…”

  • buttwater [they/them]@hexbear.netEnglish
    25·
    1 day ago

    Must be an unwritten rule out there that western socialists don’t want in any way to have to defend any Latin American socialism. I guess I get that he doesn’t want to be a “red boogey man” so he disavows, but it would be nice to see a little more respect or deference.

    Do European left parties recognize Venezuela or Cuba as comrades?

    • ThirdConsul@lemmy.ml
      3·
      16 hours ago

      No. Partially because EU left was heavily destroyed by USian propaganda and secret services (see e.g. Operarion Gladio that stopped in 1990 because it was exposed; we have no idea what is still hiding in the shadows).

      Partially because EU left is not really left, but only slightly less right than actual right.

      • Tangentism@lemmy.ml
        1·
        4 hours ago

        The EU left are all neoliberals.

        We can see it clearly in the UK. Labour, who are historically the political arm of the unions, have been indulging in anti-immigration rhetoric that is indistinguishable from the far right.

        It’s easier to see that they are deliberate controlled opposition rather than former lefties that have been red scared into being centrists

          • manuallybreathing@lemmy.ml
            2·
            26 minutes ago

            What’s more, openness to mass immigration is anti labour, as it worsens the positions of the worker (cheap competition who won’t unionize because they don’t mix well with the rest of the population).

            Fascist, gtfo

      • bier@feddit.nl
        2·
        15 hours ago

        This meme is just so annoying and dumb. I’m not from the US so yeah the Democrats would be considered right in most EU countries. But saying its either that or anarchy and Communism, is just dumb. Just like the political right, the political left is a spectrum. Where I live we don’t have a 2 party system. There is a big difference between a centre right and far right party, same for the parties on the left.

        • orc_princess@lemmy.ml
          2·
          11 hours ago

          You need to be anti-capitalist as a bare minimum to be a leftist in our view. I get what you mean though, “the left” can mean anything as it’s not a concept we universally agree on.

          • daggermoon@lemmy.world
            2·
            10 hours ago

            I am anti-capitalist. I consider myself a marxist actually. Yet i’m being called a liberal democrat dick sucker. I don’t know why I even bother trying. The gate-keeping is unreal. How the fuck are we supposed to grow as a movement when we shut people out? The right doesn’t have this problem. They’re willing to work together to achieve their fucked up goals. Why is this so hard for us?

            • orc_princess@lemmy.ml
              1·
              10 hours ago

              I feel like we’re all on edge after so many self proclaimed leftists dropped everything to defend Platner, and now that Trump is killing random ass civilians in the Caribbean and threatening to invade. I know that doesn’t mean people defending Mamdani on this quote are okay with imperialism by default, etc etc etc. Assuming you’re not okay with imperialism and random civilians being targeted by the US military we’re on the same side, I think.

              • daggermoon@lemmy.world
                1·
                8 hours ago

                Assuming you’re not okay with imperialism and random civilians being targeted by the US military we’re on the same side, I think

                Agreed. We’re allies.