• GraniteM@lemmy.world
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    16 days ago

    Of what use, then, are the American Communists?

    They serve one function extremely useful to you and to the country, so useful that, if there were no Communists, we would almost be forced to create some. They are a reliable litmus paper for detecting real sources of danger to the Republic.

    Communism is so repugnant to almost all Americans, when they are getting along even tolerably well, that one may predict with certainty that any social field or group in which the Communists make real strides in gaining members or acceptance of their doctrines, any such spot is in such bad shape from real and not imaginary social ills that the rest of us should take emergency, drastic action to investigate and correct the trouble.

    Unfortunately we are more prone to ignore the sick spot thus disclosed and content ourselves with calling out more cops.

    —Robert A. Heinlein, Take Back Your Government

    • Not_mikey@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      15 days ago

      An example of this was the communist were heavily involved in organizing share croppers in the Jim crow south. This caused a lot of red baiting during the civil rights movement, with MLK often being labeled a communist ( he was definitely more left then he is often portrayed, radical by today’s standards, but not a commie).