Eugene Lyons; Red Decade; Stalinists of the 1930's

Those of us who grow frustrated at the seeming contradictions of leftists' public positions should take comfort in the knowledge that this policy is nothing new for the leftists.

Today, we see leftists (1) demand different methods of counting votes depending on whether the method helps their candidate, (2) remain silent about DHS targeting of private, nonleftist citizens even though the left previously opposed the creation of this very Department, (3) oppose all anti-abortion religions except those whose operatives kill large numbers of Americn citizens, (4) honor national heroes only when a Democrat President can claim credit for their success, (5) support the very concept of public protest except when the protesters are against higher taxes, (6) arrange public protests to honor cop killers while smearing anti-tax protesters, (7) decry Hitler comparisons when a Democrat occupies the White House after supporting such comparisons during a Republican administration, etc., etc., etc., etc.

Eugene Lyons summarized these rapidly changing public positions during the 1930's:

In the same speech, on the same page, people defended executions and concentration camps in Russia and went purple denouncing the same phenomena in Germany. They condemned the burning of books in Hitlerland and hurrahed for the burning of authors in Stalinland. Hundreds among them denied vehemently that they were communists, though they were members under false names. Lying and cheating for the cause seemed to them noble and self-sacrificing. And in all this there was no contradiction and no trickery, since it was all on a plane way beyond logic.

Red Decade, p. 184

In the 1930's, the leftists had the excuse that they were taking orders from Stalin. Today, what possible excuse can the leftists claim? What lunatic could possibly order, benefit from or even conceive of the contradictions listed above?



When we are faced with leftist contradictions, it is right that we point them out at every opportunity. But we must do more. We must remember and discuss the history, context and goals of the leftist movement. The leftists are not simply forgetful. They know that they are lying and switching positions solely for political reasons. We must do more than simply point out the "hypocrisy." We must question their motives.