Americans' Ignorance About Socialism Is Unbelievable

Socialism has never worked but it is easy to sell to those who refuse to study history which is why progressives use academia as their base of operations. I'm willing to bet that "Animal Farm" and "1984" are no longer recommended reading in today's high schools. Big Brother is only a TV reality show to many of the young today who regard socialism and big government as a good thing because that's how the mainstream media presents it. If this country is to survive the disastrous results of socialist experiments in government, we need to educate our citizenry on what socialism actually is which is neither benign nor without hazard.

The Czech director of the film classic, "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," Milos Forman, recently weighed in on Barack Obama denying that the president is a socialist in a New York Times opinion piece. He wrote:

"Now, years later, I hear the word "socialist" being tossed around by the likes of Rick, Perry, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and others. President Obama, they warn, is a socialist. The critics cry, "Obamacare is socialism!"

They falsely equate Western European-style socialism, and its government provision of social insurance and health care, with Marxist-Leninist totalitarianism. It offends me, and cheapens the experience of millions who lived, and continue to live, under brutal forms of socialism."

Mr. Forman goes on to rage about the historic evils of Marxist/Leninist socialism but the New York Times is a perfect vehicle to disguise President Obama's disastrous socialist realm. This media behemoth has been an uncompromising toady of the president to the point of ignoring journalistic ethics.

While there may be a very slight distinction between the European-style socialism (with its apparent advocacy of social issues) and the totalitarian dictatorships Forman refers to; the ultimate goal of each remains the same - the complete control and subjugation of the populace.

The dictionary definition of this system calls it a theory which advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

Clever proponents of the takeover and elimination of our capitalist system cloak their intentions by calling themselves progressives only concerned with the basic needs of the community. That's why they push national health care and other issues involving social change like gay marriage. Meanwhile once they come to political power they use public money to fund the takeover of major industries, e.g. the auto industry. Public entitlement programs eventually bankrupt cities and states and leave citizens dependent on a government check.

Rep. Allen West is no fool. He correctly knows that the nuances of modern socialism is merely a cover for communism and at a town hall meeting in April he dared to say "there's about 78 to 81 members of the Democrat Party who are members of the Communist Party," referring to their membership in the Congressional Progressive Caucus. An uproar followed but Rep. West did not back down, claiming that his classification of progressive lawmakers as communists was accurate. Here are some pertinent quotes from Rep. West:

"Conservatives adhere to the ideals of individual responsibility and freedom, limited government, a free market and a strong defense. Those on the liberal left adhere to a collective ideal, directed and controlled by a centralized government to guarantee and enforce social and economic justice." and

"In our lifetime, the unpalatable and pejorative brands 'socialist' and 'communist' have been replaced with the more user-friendly 'progressive' term."

You say potato, I say potahto but Obama is a socialist judging by his policies since coming to the power of the presidency. According to some punditry including by the libertarian Power Line, while running for the Illinois state Senate in 1996 as a Democrat, Obama actively sought and received the endorsement of the socialist-oriented New Party, with some blogs claiming Obama was a member of the controversial party.

What was the New Party? This political entity was formed by members of the Democratic Socialists for America and leaders of an offshoot of the Community Party USA, and was an electoral alliance that worked alongside the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN. Its aim was to help elect politicians to office who espouses its policies and Barack Obama is listed on a poster as a panelist at one of its events.

In 2006, the Democrat Party became the majority in the House and Senate and promptly ratcheted up spending so that in 2008, the economy tanked, unemployment soared and the country fell for the promises of change. Destitute Americans looked to the government for assistance without recognizing the trap being set for them to become wards of the state.

Formally independent citizens found their road to freedom blocked by seductive offers of food stamps, free healthcare, extended unemployment checks and easier disability applications. Democrat politicians tout their insincere concerns to beleaguered Americans by promoting class envy of the wealthy and attacking the very class of individuals who can provide jobs and economic recovery. They do this because they do not want a recovery. They want power over our lives.

Immigrants who have survived the Marx, Lenin system of communism are flocking to the Conservative Party and the Tea Party because they recognize how socialism works.

Here in Staten Island, we have had a large influx of immigrants from Russia and the Baltic States who say, "that the national Democrats' 'socialistic' policies remind them too much of the top-down oligarchy they fled in their native land."

Local businessman Arkadiy Fridman was interviewed in the Staten Island Advance and said that the Democrats "are going in an absolutely different direction," focusing on "income redistribution" and rich-versus-poor "class war."

Ironically, the Obama Campaign Slogan "Forward" has long ties to communist propaganda but our youth has had no education about communism and its deadly history. More humans have been killed by socialistic governments than under capitalism but that fact will never be brought to light by the current administration.

Europe has been brought to its knees because its disastrous experience with socialism has withered away its resources. While politicians push all their generous welfare programs they fail to acknowledge that it is the taxpaying populace paying for them. Those who have never contributed to the government nevertheless reap its largesse. Why work for a living when one can be supported from cradle to grave by a system that will eventually sap all the dignity of their lives.

It is no wonder that the Obama administration refused to allow Lech Walesa, the Polish freedom fighter to accept a posthumous award for WWII hero, Jan Karski. Walesa, a constant critic of Communism, was considered too political. Yet, another recipient of the award was Dolores Huerta, honorary chair of the Democratic Socialists of America. What could be clearer than that?

Alicia Colon resides in New York City and can be reached at aliciav.colon@gmail.com and at www.aliciacolon.com