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From: orb@whuts.UUCP (SEVENER)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: You ain't Done Nothin' if You ain't been called a Red:
Message-ID: <441@whuts.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Dec-85 12:01:07 EST
Article-I.D.: whuts.441
Posted: Mon Dec 16 12:01:07 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 17-Dec-85 18:55:09 EST
References: <756@whuxl.UUCP> <29200244@uiucdcs> <362@whuts.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 33

> The only problem with this article is that it assumes the U.S. to be way
> over on the right hand side of the political spectrum.  There is another
> insult (besides calling one's opponent a Communist) which has been used
> almost as often in this country, at least in the last 40 years.  That is
> to call one's opponent a Fascist.
> 
> Now can we dispense with name calling and just discuss the issues?
> Frank Adams                           ihpn4!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka

1)I have tried to refrain from name-calling.  But some others on the net
  accuse those who want to stop the arms race and preparations for War
  on both sides of "wishing to run the Commie flag up the flagpole".
  This is nothing new as I have pointed out: Sakharov and Lech Walesa,
  who criticize their own communist countries' policies are accused of
  being "unpatriotic" too.
 
2)Tell me, Frank, when were "fascists" or "suspected fascists" either sent
  to jail or blacklisted for the rest of their careers as "Reds" were
  in the 1950's, or as "Reds' were during the Palmer Raids during WW I?
  While this country certainly has a very strong progressive tradition
  which dates back to such forward-looking thinkers as Jefferson and other
  founding fathers, it is also the bastion of unrestrained capitalism.
  As such there have been no qualms about massacring union members
  or jailing socialists as was done during the Palmer Raids.  To ignore
  the very real legacy of red-baiting in this country would be rather
  foolish.  On the other hand when our own President quotes from the
  John Birch Society as an authoritative source on Lenin very few give
  it a second thought.  Unfortunately there is a genuine streak of
  right-wing hysteria deep in our national consciousness promulgated by
  years of propaganda.
  This fear has been invoked many times to oppose social change, as it is
  being invoked now.
                tim sevener   whuxn!orb