What I meant when I said «laugh?» or «cry?» was this. When it comes to thinking about how many people wilfully place themselves in the position of being sympathisers, supporters or members of the communist party, I don’t know whether to laugh at them or cry.
And I take that ambiguous position because there are, generally speaking, two types: The first ones are those who say they are communists (without actually belonging to the Comintern or to any local/regional communist party) and the second ones are those that are card-carrying communists, loyal to their leaders and to their ideology. (There is a third, those who actually take to the jungles/streets to fight for socialism, which is the first of the many building blocks that lead to communism).
I laugh at the first group because most, if not all, have never even set foot on a communist country. They image communism as a panacea to all of the ills of capitalist society. They imagine equality, the end of poverty, and plenty for all to share, equally and according to their needs. They might as well believe that all of this is done with magic. For them resources just exist, as does food, necessities and money. Laughable ad nauseum…
The second group, I cry for them because they have given their support to a cause that has no redemption. Communism has been the greatest evil to ever have existed (and still exists) in the world. History proves that communists have murdered more people in this world than any other political ideology or tyrant. Yet, there are those who are willing to condemn the Fascists and embrace the communists. How does one explain that? They call dictators, that in their opinion, are counter-progressive and right wing, fascists. Yet they call communists progressives. Can one of them please explain to me what progress Fidel Castro brought to Cuba? Or what progress has Maduro brought to Venezuela, or what progress has Kim Jong Un brought to North Korea? Or what progress Stalin brought to the USSR?
The third group I have left out because they are another story completely…
But to all those who would support the «socialist» cause, or «socialism,» thinking that it is benevolent, please be advised that for communists communism is not a complete system, it is a work in progress. Communists build communism and their angular stone is socialism.
And to all those that think the bad ones are the Fascists, (should be were because Fascism died with the demise of Mussolini), please do a little research. Here is what those the progressives support and admire have done in their own countries in order to build communism: Stalin killed 62 million of his countrymen; Mao killed 49 to 78 million of his; Pol Pot killed 1,5 to 3 million; Kim Il Sung, 1,6 million murdered. Fidel Castro, according to the Cuba Archive database, is responsible for the murder of over 10.000 Cubans, although the number greatly increases if one factors in the thousands that perished at sea trying to escape his tyranny.
Looking at the side the progressives hate, one sees staggering numbers (yet much lower than the communists) as well. Understandable as no one should defend totalitarian dictators. Hitler (National Socialism) killed, supposedly, 17 million people and Mussolini (Fascist) killed 2.000 of his opponents. This is why it is important to teach history, real history, to all students everywhere.
Cheers…
JaZzArt en València 
Truth is fascism and communism are not much different, both led by dictatorships, both inflict so much suffering on people. They are after all the left and right wing of the same bird of prey that feasts on the need for power.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
True, both are dictatorial regimes, authoritarian and totalitarian, but historically the communists have done much more harm to humanity and they still exists, as opposed to fascists, and they are still causing much harm. Thank you.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Try telling that to the people of the Jewish faith. Try telling that to the Spanish who suffered under Franco, or those of Pinochet in Chile. Comparisons are a mute point here. It’s like comparing which serial killer is the better of two evils.
Me gustaMe gusta
Thankfully we all live in a democratic country where we can all express our ideas and beliefs freely. But history does not compare, it just collects and yes, many times collected from the victors. I can assure you that if Franco had not defended Spain from the Communists as well as Pinochet, Chile, the results would have been much worse. And the Jews have my full support in defending Israel. Thank you. And of course, I say this to everyone, no exeptions.
Me gustaMe gusta
I agree that people need to learn history and the different perspectives about it. Not all versions reflect the same interpretation. Ask a European or a Moslem about the crusaders– the West is still accused of being modern day Crusaders.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Perhaps someone from the Middle East would be more accurate.
Me gustaMe gusta
It always is Pat…
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
I have read historical accounts from many countries, many from the Middle East, and their interpretation of history (and in many places even geography) is totally different from ours. Cheers Pat, I appreciate your reply. 😎
Me gustaMe gusta
Woke is making history and what we teach about it a huge problem in the US, these days. I agree with Malc’s point. If yer ain’t fer us, yer agin us (to use American vernacularism). (If you are not for us, then you are against us.)
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
I’ve heard the word Woke but I’ve no idea what it is… but I’ve never sided with nationalists…
Me gustaMe gusta
Do you know what really grips my shit F? It’s those on the extreme left who think that those who don’t agree with them are extreme right fascists.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Exactly! Me too Malc! And they are supposed to be liberal!
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
What do some of these people really know – and it’s not that I admire the capitalist society that much either
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
I Don’t either but I’ve been to communist Cuba, twice, and I’ve seen what a disaster a communist society is. These wanna-be communists don’t have the slightest idea of what Marxism-Leninism is. You’re right mate.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
I visited the USSR (if only briefly) during the Cold War era F, but it was enough for me to understand the difference between east and west.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
I can imagine…
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
And in the US, the right is just quick at name calling as the left. Antifa/Socialism/Commies are just a few of their preferred choices. (Most of them probably don’t really know what those terms mean.) We have people who think that Iran and Iraq are mostly the same country with the same background–Arab Islamists.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
The solution, Pat, is education. Lack of knowledge produces acts of stupidity and brings forth words of ignorance. In my High School days if you wanted to insult a guy you called him a homo or queer because it was the worst thing you could think of. Now-a-days these political insults, on both sides, reflect the same adolescent attitude…
Me gustaMe gusta
LOL. Love your answer, Francisco.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Thank you Pat.
Me gustaMe gusta
I completely agree with you.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Thank you! All the best!
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
True communalism (not Communism) comes closest to the way indigenous peoples lived and still live. Is that what people want? Karl Marx was essentially a deadbeat who forced his family to live in poverty and let Friedrich Engels support him. When he got a woman pregnant, he persuaded Engels to marry her. Not a very upstanding guy, in my opinion.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Definitely not an upstanding gent and if not for the communist propaganda no one would remember him as a philosopher…
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Absolutely!
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Well put, something I’ve thought about a lot… you said it well!
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Thank you so much!
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona