How to Spot a Communist

[octoberlib]

In 1955, the United States was entering the final stages of McCarthyism or the Second Red Scare. During this low point in American history, the US government looked high and low for Communist spies. Entertainers, educators, government employees and union members were often viewed with suspicion, and many careers and lives were destroyed by the flimsiest of allegations. Congress, the FBI, and the US military, they all fueled the 20th century version of the Salem Witch trials, partly by encouraging Americans to look for Communists in unsuspecting places.

Document #1: How to Spot a Communist
Background: This is a pamphlet prepared by the U.S. First Army Headquarters in 1955, but was
reprinted in popular magazines in the 1950s

How to Spot a Communist
Events of recent years have made it obvious that there is no fool-proof way of detecting a
Communist. The Communist individual is no longer a "type" exemplified by the bearded and
coarse revolutionary with time bomb in briefcase. U.S. Communists come from all walks of life,
profess all faiths, and exercise all trades and professions. In addition, the Communist Party,
USA, has made concerted efforts to go underground for the purpose of infiltration.

If there is no fool-proof system in spotting a Communist, there are, fortunately, indications that
may give him away. These indications are often subtle but always present, for the Communist,
by reason of his "faith" must act and talk along certain lines.

While a … preference for long sentences is common to most Communist writing, a distinct
vocabulary provides the... more easily recognized feature of the "Communist Language."

Even a superficial reading of an article written by a Communist or a conversation with one will
probably reveal the use of some of the following expressions: integrative thinking, vanguard,
comrade, hootenanny, chauvinism, book-burning, syncretistic faith, bourgeois-nationalism,
jingoism, colonialism, hooliganism, ruling class, progressive, demagogy, dialectical, witch-hunt,
reactionary, exploitation, oppressive, materialist.

This list, selected at random, could be extended almost indefinitely. While all of the above
expressions are part of the English language, their use by Communists is infinitely more
frequent than by the general public...

… In addition to these very general principles common to Communist tactics, a number of
specific issues have been part of the Communist arsenal for a long period of time. These issues
are raised not only by Communist appeals to the public, but also by the individual Party member
or sympathizer who is a product of his Communist environment. They include: "McCarthyism,"
violation of civil rights, racial or religious discrimination, immigration laws, anti-subversive
legislation, any legislation concerning labor unions, the military budget, "peace."

While showing standard opposition to certain standard issues, the U.S. Communist has
traditionally identified himself with certain activities in the hope of furthering his ultimate
purposes. Such hobbies as "folk dancing" and "folk music" have been traditionally allied with the
Communist movement in the United States...

http://www.niu.edu/~rfeurer/labor/PDF%20Files/How%20to%20Spot%20a%20Communist.pdf

http://www.openculture.com/2013/07/how_to_spot_a_communist.html



This was before my time but I do remember being made to watch the CIA financed animation of 'Animal Farm" in grade school. http://www.openculture.com/2014/06/animal-farm-animated-funded-by-the-cia-1954.html


I find the paragraph in bold especially chilling.

[Warpy]

1. So folkies were automatically assumed to be Communists and probably spies!

Wow, I wonder how much agency time they wasted on me when I was twelve.

Besides, I've known quite a few true believer Commies both here and from China and they never talk in cliches from Das Kapital unless they're having an argument about some bit of minutiae among themselves.

I was a little kid during McCarthyism. What I remember very clearly is the pall of fear that was cast over everything and everyone. It took an anonymous phone call from some jerk holding a grudge and your whole life could be over.

To this day, I rarely sign petitions.

[octoberlib]

2. It must have been horrifying. I was born in 1960. They were still showing Animal Farm in

grade schools during the 60's but I can't remember much else. Can you imagine if the internet was around back then? The NSA would have had a field day searching keywords.

[Warpy]

4. They are. We found a list of "trigger words" they had for Undernet

during the heyday of IRC chats. I don't remember if "hootnanny" was on them but some of them were just as stupid.

Naturally, we all tried to work as many of them into our sentences as we could.

No sense making this easy for them.

[vlakitti]

3. Really spectacular find.Thanks.

This is either nauseating or hilarious, and I'm not sure which:

"Even a superficial reading of an article written by a Communist or a conversation with one will
probably reveal the use of some of the following expressions: integrative thinking, vanguard,
comrade, hootenanny, chauvinism, book-burning, syncretistic faith, bourgeois-nationalism,
jingoism, colonialism, hooliganism, ruling class, progressive, demagogy, dialectical, witch-hunt,
reactionary, exploitation, oppressive, materialist."

I've known a number of radicals and communists and socialists and red diaper babies and whatever else throughout my years and I have never ever heard anyone use the terms "bourgeois-nationalism" (actually this is a meaningless nonsense phrase) or "sycretistic faith" or "integrative thinking" and I frankly think somebody made all this up for the benefit of the dimwit leadership of the FBI.

And if you get rid of the term "hootenanny' which dates the subject you'll probably find most of the rest of the terms in everyday comments on DU or Daily Kos or whatever. And they probably spell the terms right, too.

[LeftishBrit]

10. Same here.

I've heard 'hooliganism' quite a lot, though; most commonly in connection with the behaviour of certain British football fans! This is the first time I've ever heard that use of the word might be associated with communism!

[Unca Adverse]

5. I MAY BE A COMMUNIST! __ Haven't you spotted me yet?

For I've done all those terrible things mentioned in the "Armed Forces Film" over a period of time,
and I've even worked more silently . . .
However I came to realize long ago that very few people are as generous and altruistic as Karl Mark was.

Although Marx believed that the social weltanschauung of members of a society would change with each
epoch of history, human beings are every bit as greedy, violent, territorial, and egotistic as they were
fifty thousand years ago. __ For me, Communism is but a Utopian dream.

I MAY BE A SOCIALIST! __ For DEMOCRACY is a main part of Socialism.
So when you say, "Oh, I am a Democrat", or "Oh, I am a Liberal", do not despair . . . for that means
you can be a socialist, too!

IN FACT, Capitalism has nothing to do with democracy, but with OLIGARCHY (a few rich guys)!!

[DeSwiss]

6. They still do this.....

...only it's call ''Anti-Terrorism'' now.

- They never let the golden oldies go. They just re-packed them and resell 'em to the rubes......

K&R

[hollysmom]

7. at this point

Last edited Tue Jul 15, 2014, 01:20 PM - Edit history (1)

I find tea party people have far more in common with Communists as practiced in Russia today (as opposed to the idea of comunism) than I have, including gay hating, use of torture, nd extreme corruption of their leaders - so just who is calling left leaning people communist? I need to get them a mirror.

edited to qualify with underlined statement

[LeftishBrit]

11. Great point

Or one could say that much 20th century Communism became seriously right-wing in practice, through its adoption of authoritarianism and intolerance.

In any case, this article is eerily reminiscent of anti-'deviationist' Communist propaganda. Seeking to restrict freedom of speech and opinion (in clear opposition to the American Constitution); encouraging people to watch their neighbours suspiciously for nonconformity and wrong opinions; imposing 'correct' views and punishing thoughtcrime. Extremes often meet when they become intolerant enough.

I don't know if this is an urban myth, but I heard that during the McCarthy period someone was arrested for standing at a street corner, reciting what was interpreted to be Communist propaganda. It turned out to be the Bill of Rights of the Constitution.

[octoberlib]

14. No,the Communist Party USA are NOT like the Tea Party and do NOT

hate gays, use torture and as far as corruption goes , have you checked out DC lately? Any corporation can buy a congressman to get a bill passed pretty cheaply. The people in the Russian government ARE anti-gay, use torture and are corrupt. That has nothing to do with the Communist party. Then or now.

[hollysmom]

19. I'm sorry, once again Ishould not be able to write - Once out of dog threads,I offend to many

I was thinking of Putin, not a real communists, the fake leaders around today, and if you like Putin, well, what can I say. I certainly can not see people support what is seen in some communist countries today and the real thing , just as some people seeing the US going to war as a pure thing saving people I can only think of the dead.

[octoberlib]

22. No problem!

Yeah, Putin is a totalitarian. No love for him here.

[Starry Messenger]

16. I'm a Communist.

We don't do any of those things. We are very much for peace and equality.

[hollysmom]

20. I will correct it, but I meant

Communism as I see Putin practice it. Not pure or idealistic but in a rather brutal criminalized way. Common ownership has taken way to privatized criminal ownership. It does not have to be implemented that way,

I was trying to be funny,but a people always point out, I have no sense of humor.

[Starry Messenger]

21. Russia ended socialism in 1991 with the dissolution of the USSR.

This one is all on capitalism. I know what you meant, but for some reason people seem to think that Russia is still secretly Communist, but they totally switched their economic system in the '90's with the so-called "shock therapy".

[Spitfire of ATJ]

8. Check out the headline on the "commie" paper....

"Philadelphia Cops Beat Up Phone Strikers; 11 Arrested."

That's actually a right wing wet dream.

[octoberlib]

18. Yes, I also noticed they showed people striking and protesting while talking about Communism.

Hint,hint. One protester was carrying an anti - KKK sign. Must be a Communist! WTF?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

23. The thing that terrified white people back then was commies were white too....

I swear, if some of these white people had the Turner Diary fantasy come true and they wiped out all other races on the planet they would then turn on their fellow white people for being different.

And the whole time they would claim they are all independent thinkers and believe in individual liberty.

[LeftishBrit]

9. Just yikes

I know older people who left America in the 50s because of the whole McCarthyite mess; so I've heard quite a lot about it; but this STILL shocks me.

Using long sentences and liking folk music? - I would certainly have come under suspicion! For my political views as well, of course!

[TBF]

12. ...

[octoberlib]

15. Lol!

[Doctor_J]

13. peace? civil rights?

[Starry Messenger]

17. I can't imagine living in those times.

I don't know how anyone did any activism under such a repressive atmosphere.

It did a lot of damage to the overall left here.

[Omaha Steve]

24. The cave dwellers can point out every communist on the DU

And the US population.