Communism and Paranoia

Are you as afraid of Communists as you should be? Communists have infiltrated our peace movements, and are working to bring about an end to this war, a defeat for the United States. This explains Professor Nicholas De Genova's comments at a recent teach-in at Columbia State University, where he stated, “The only true heroes are those who find ways that help defeat the U.S. military. I personally would like to see a million Mogadishus.” Mogodishu, for those who don't know, was the location of a rather harrowing defeat for American Soldiers on a peace mission. It was immortalized in the movie "Black Hawk Down."

Now first of all let me get this out of the way. I don't care what side of the political fence you happen to be on, if you are an American Citizen such comments are reprehensible. Our soldiers fight to protect their fellow citizens, and they are required to follow the orders of their leaders. To wish them death, as Professor Nicholas De. Genova does, is terrible.

However, the question one has to ask is how do De Genova's reprehensible comments reflect on the peace movement as a whole? Well, David Horowitz has an answer. Drawing on his own experience as a 1960's radical agitator, he believes that the peace movement hates America and wants America to be defeated. De Genova's words were an inadvertent revelation of how the movement really felt about this war and about America.

Professor Eric Foner, who had organized the event, spoke to the New York Times the next day, saying "I personally found it quite reprehensible. The antiwar movement does not desire the death of American soldiers. We do not accept his view of what it means to be a patriot." But, never fear, Horowitz has an answer to that. First of all, he asks why didn't Foner condemn De Genova immediately? It should be noted that Foner apparently believes he did. "I began my talk, which came later, by repudiating his definition of patriotism, saying the teach-in was a patriotic act, that I believe patriots are those who seek to improve their country." Then Horowitz takes a moment to ensure that all his readers know that Foner's parents were Communists.

Horowitz writes, "The war in America’s streets is not about “peace” or “more time for inspections.” It is about which side should lose the war we are now in. The left has made crystal clear its desire that the loser should be us. Even if the left had not made this explicit, a “peace” movement directed at one side makes sense only as an effort to force that side to retreat from the battle and lose the war." Of course we are talking about American Peace protestors, protesting in America. We are also talking about, whether you support it or not, a war of aggression. Protesting Iraq in America makes little to no sense, and if the Peace movement did it, than all Horowitz would say is "Well why protest at all. If you don't like Saddam just let us get rid of us." Horowitz, and others like him on the right, are going to be consistent. No matter what the peace movement does or says, they will be opposed to it even existing. Just the way it is, I guess.