orb@whuxl.UUCP (SEVENER) (12/02/85)
It is a common tactic for supporters of narrow chauvinistic viewpoints to accuse any critics of being part of the "enemy": this is a tactic which is used by East and West. In our country when there is no other justification possible for obviously unjust and misguided policies the accusation is always thrown out: "Why, that's *COMMUNIST*! You don't want no *commies* do you?". Thus Ray Frank's comment: > > Did Khruschev say: "We won't have to defeat you from outside, you will be > defeated from within, and your youth will raise our flag?" Communists causing > unrest over here? Hmmmm. > > Sometimes I get the impression from the responses on the net that some > youths already have their hands on the flag pole rope. is part of a long tradition in American politics. Of course in Communist countries the critique of dissent is just the opposite but really the same: "the youth are corrupted by bourgeois capitalism" so SHUT UP! Right now of course Jerry Falwell is using the old red scare tactic to defend the current regime of apartheid in South Africa - all that opposition to apartheid *must* be a Communist conspiracy, otherwise, why else would blacks object to being treated as nonpersons? It doesn't matter that in fact the African National Congress predates the Russian Revolution of 1917: it still *must* be Communist-inspired. Jerry Falwell was among those who said 20 years ago that Martin Luther King must be "communist-inspired". The eight-hour day was another idea which was accused of being "communist-inspired". The labor union movement was accused of being "communist-inspired". I'm sure if they had thought of it at the time, the Abolitionists fighting for the abolition of slavery would have been accused of being "communist-inspired". As Lee Hays said about being called before the House UnAmerican Activities Committee to be blacklisted: " I would just as soon not have been called if it weren't for the honor." Therefore I thank you Mr. Frank for the honor of being implicitly accused of being a Communist. "You ain't been doing nothin' if you ain't been called a Red!!" tim sevener whuxn!orb