The Color Red

by Mark A. Moshay

Those of us who grew up in the 50's and 60's recall how we were constantly warned about the evils of Communism.

The effort to place a stigma was so strong (and successful) that many people were nervous about even uttering the word.

Senator Joe McCarthy held "hearings" to root out Communists in mid-1950s. It was a modern day witch hunt. Thankfully, due to the bravery of one journalist, Edward R. Murrow, the hysteria was quelled. Even so the phobia against Communism remains to this day.

Communism in it's basic form is simply a theory. It is the concept of the people sharing all wealth. Like any other political theory, the practice is often distorted. No argument there. Most people around the world believe that Communism is not workable in a practical way. It is an ideal that is virtually impossible to implement.

Under the guise of establishing a Communist state, tryrants have used it to seize power. There has yet to be a Communist nation that even remotely reflected the true concept of Communism. A more accurate description of these regimes would a totalitarian rule in which small minority (the "party") controls everything and extinguishes individual freedom. In other words, a police state.

During the past 6 years, we've seen an Administration use fear to take away our freedoms in the name of security.

Recently, the President signed into a law a bill that gives him the power to detain an American citizen suspected of having a connection to terrorism, or aiding terrorists, or financing terrorists. An American citizen under such an accusation could be arrested and locked up without observing the individual's Constitutional rights.

Those arrested could be denied due process in addressing those charges. The President would have the sole discretion to authorize the arrest of any American citizen he deemed a threat. The accused would have no opportunity to demand legal representation, or a trial. Hence, even if the information leading to the arrest was inaccurate, there would be no means available to make that determination.

The President and the neo-conservatives have framed their actions it in such a way that if you oppose them, you are labeled a traitor, derided as supporting the terrorists, or that you want to see Americans die.

Their goal is to silence any debate, to resist any effort to maintain checks and balances.

The state takes precedence over the individual.
The state decides what is in the best interest of the people.

And the President, the head of state, is the ultimate power - the Decider.

We are fast approaching a police state.

One party rule, corporations in control of the legislative agenda, use of the military and police to lock up anyone posing a perceived threat, not to the people but to those in power.

The "party" has seized the Presidency, the Senate, the House, and the Supreme Court.

The "party" has complete control of our military via the President's Constitutional power as Commander In Chief.

Corporations have swelled and merged into monopolies just as they did a century ago when our democratic government took action to hold them accountable. Now these mega-corporations literally write legislation that favors their interests at the expense of the average American.

Worker rights are being stripped away as those in power suppress union activity.

The majority of corporate-owned media has helped to silence voices of dissent by presenting a skewed view that favors the "party."

The middle class is saddled with huge debt for a war based on deception, while the wealthiest 2% of the "booming economy" enjoy tax cuts so that they can create more wealth - for themselves!

As we move down this slippery slope we are approaching the identical outcome of so-called Communist countries.

They were not truly Communist, they were (and are) police states. They were Communist in name only.

We are in danger of the same fate, with one exception - American will become a nation that is a Democracy in name only.

There's an eerie coincidence in the symbolism as well. The color red. The Neo Cons have chosen the color RED for the "party."

The color burned in to our minds as children, Red, the color of Communism.

We heard the mantra over and over "Better Dead Than Red"

Those who were perceived as being remotely sympathetic to Communists were branded as "Pinkos" .

It's all so frightening.

I never used to give much thought to the phrase pounded in my head as a child, but now, it has a real significance to me.

As far as I'm concerned,

I'D RATHER BE DEAD THAN RED!