You have just got to check this article out, published in The Carolinian, the newspaper at UNCG.
Finally, someone at this school has the guts to speak out against the evils of the Socialists.
About the Author: Matt
Matt, 21, is an LGBT activist and youth advocate working mainly within the cities of Greensboro & Winston-Salem and the State of North Carolina. He is the Owner & Editor of InterstateQ.com and has been active in LGBT advocacy work since the age of 14, now currently serving as the Executive Director/Co-founder of Activate! - The North Carolina Advocacy Coalition.
6 Responses to “The Carolinian Bashes the International Socialists”
Socialists are not evil! *schmack*
Socialists on UNCG campus are edging close on evil… but they do not speak for the vast majority of well-meaning level-headed socialists in the world, like myself.
By Ricky G on Aug 23, 2005
The ideals which the Socialist party embodies, especially the International Socialist Organization, are evil, un-Democratic and a threat to the civil and human rights embodied in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America.
Although the U.S. still has a long way to go until we fully realize the promises made to us within our founding documents, our way of life and our way of governance will always be better than the way in which the Socialists would have the U.S. operate.
By Matt Hill on Aug 23, 2005
What is your understanding of what the Socialists want the US to be like???? I am interested in how you have come to the conclusion that the socialists are “evil”…I mean, that’s a pretty heavy term! I myself am a socialist, and I don’t consider myself “evil”, in fact it is primarily my “good”, ethical side that had led me to believe in the ideals of Socialism. So please clarify what you actually know about the socialist worldview and “the way they would have the US operate”
By Evan on Apr 2, 2006
Firstly, when I am refering to “Socialists” I am usually, almost always refering to the student group, the Internationa Socialist Organization, at UNCG. From what I have heard from them and what they say… I just feel as though the aims of the group are wrong.
TO address why I think Socialism is “evil”: Socialism, on paper, is a great plan. On paper it seems as though it would work. Socialism has many great principles (equality, justice, etc), but from my experience the UNCG ISO takes this way overboard (see a comment made by Luke McIntyre on Melissa Westmoreland’s blog). The sad thing is that in reality, Socialism does not work and in the great majority of the times Socialism has tried to be implemented, things have gone terribly, terribly wrong.
By Matt on Apr 2, 2006
From what you wrote, I still do not understand why you say the socialists are evil (I am thinking you are referring to just the ISO, but even then, it’s hard for me to imagine that they are “evil”.) I’ll tell you, I was in the ISO for several months in 2003, and while I did leave the group, I happen to have a high regard for them. Basically, the reason I left was because they expected their members to devote a very significant amount of time and energy to the group’s activities, and I just was not ready to do that (So, really my leaving the group should be seen as a reflection of my own laziness, not as a condemnation of their beliefs/tactics.) And it is actually just for this reason that I respect them. (Please keep in mind as well, that I am referring to the ISO of 2003, and I don’t know much about the membership now because I graduated in 2004.) I mean, I think anyone that believes in something ethical and feels so strongly about it that they devote such a great amount of their life to it deserves a good deal of admiration and respect. I think we live in a culture of such apathy and reluctance to stand up for anything important instead of just going along with the fads and fashions of the day, that is is really REFRESHING to think there are such people.
Now, admittedly, although I agreed with the organization’s political views, I did have some problems with their methods of getting their message out and gathering support among the general student population. I don’t think their tactics were “wrong”, but I did feel uncomfortable being put in a position to start debates with students even though I didn’t feel I had enough education to really back up what I was saying with details, in other words to give a good argument. And I know many people felt that the ISO came on too strong when approaching people. I really don’t know if their tactics are the most effective possible, since they are so obviously unpopular at UNCG, but choosing ineffective tactics is a far cry from being evil/wrong in your basic worldview.
Ahhh, and that is a major part of the problem—worldview. I totally understand when you and others complain that the ISO doesn’t allow people with other views to “peacefully” hold rallies/speeches/events, etc. Of course, I believe that everyone has a theoretical right to believe whatever they want/say whatever they want, etc. But when you are confronted with someone who has such a terribly different, nay totally opposite view as you do, and you truly believe that person is WRONG in what they say, and not only that, but the discussion is about peoples’ lives and well-beings, then I think it is foolishness to sit there politely and demurely and hold your tongue in the name of civility. Because, after all, we’re not talking about afternoon tea on the veranda here, we’re talking about VERY serious, life-affecting issues. E.g. the war in Iraq–people are DYING, losing their LIVES, lots of people, both American, Iraqi, and more…and honestly, to complain about hurt feelings, or someone being rude is frivolous when peoples’ lives are at stake. And as I’m sure you well believe, gay rights is not a light topic, it is about oppressed people, people having to deal with so much hate and pressure from society, people not being able to make basic life choices about their private lives. And so on and so forth for every issue that leftists and the right wing disagree on. I mean, it seems like what Vern Robinson had to say made you angry, and so why should you be concerned about being polite etc, when he believes things that seriously threaten your ability to pursue happiness and be who you want to be?
You have to realize, that man is attacking you, so why should you shy from attacking back? (I’m not advocating maiming him however:))
As for your doubts about whether socialism could actually work in real life as opposed to “on paper”, I really think it comes down to a question of faith, of believing in something so strongly that you don’t break down in the face of non-believers’ attempts to find any way to discredit your beliefs. Really, it’s alot like religion. I personally cannot believe that anyone could truly believe in the Bible and Jesus’s divinity and all that stuff as actual fact, and yet, millions upon millions of people do. I was surprised to find out that almost half of all Americans do not believe in evolution but rather the literal creation story from the Bible. So how the heck can that many people believe in something that I see as an utter fairy-tale, and yet so many people have such a hard time imagining the possibility of an economically and socially just, equitable, and fair society???? Yeah, perhaps human nature is inherantly greedy as Conservatives say, but I’d rather bet on the chance that it isn’t, and the incessant drive to consume is rather just a cultural quality, because it would be a really depressing thing if they are right. (And BTW this is not at all meant as an attack on Christianity, I think you have the right to believe in whatever religion you want, as long as you don’t use it to oppress others:)) So, yes, in the end Socialism is something of a religion, or at least a worldview, and that explains alot.
Anyhow, I’m sorry for writing such a long response, but all this “bashing” of the ISO has brought up these feelings in me. If the present ISO really does call people whores, etc. then I wouldn’t want to be a part of that group…but whatever their behavior, it has no more to do with Socialism itself than the Crusaders and Inquisitioners had to do with Jesus, or than Bush’s actions and beliefs have to do with the beliefs and aspirations of the real people of the US.
By Evan on Apr 3, 2006
Firstly, I’ll quote what I said in a comment above:
I heard today an interesting statement (I haven’t researched it, so I don’t know if it is 100% correct): Many socialist countries (the great majority of them have actually failed miserably) do not stand up for principls of equality and justice, especially in regard to LGBT rights. As I was told, many socialist countries proclaimed homosexuality and anti-social and deviant behavior.
The great majority of socialist “projects”, “revolutions”, what ever you want to call them have failed. On the flip side: Democracy (well, the USA is a Republic built on Democratic principles) have flourished.
As to your comment about attacking people who attack me (i.e. Vernon Robinson). I believe in a simple thing called politeness, civility and honor. To attack him back is to lower myself to his level. To engage in meaningful conversation using tactfull, sound and convincing arguments is smart and strategic. And that is another thing: The Socialists lack strategy… want to know why the Socialists have GONE NO WHERE… it is directly because they lack strategy and do nothing but irrationally (and at times insanely) lash out at people. For example… I have been called a racist and a classist and a sexist by them before, simply because I demanded that I recieve good customer service in a service for which I have paid money. Their attack was irrational and prejudiced… God knows I’m not any of the things they called me, although I do admit I am prejudiced against the Socialists: If you want a Socialist country… move to one, because America WILL NEVER be a Socialist country (you can just get over that folks).
By Matt on Apr 3, 2006