http://www.iteachmykids.org
Call Me A Commie
for release 05-15-08
Dallas, Texas
by Lightning Rod
I know that communism has fallen out of fashion. Scratch a cynic and you will find a bruised idealist. I'm a hopeless idealist. I still believe in the pure ideals of communism.
Of course we've never seen the pure ideals of communism carried out in the real world except in local cases. Soviet Communism was not communism, it was an oligarchy much the same as capitalism is not democratic, it is also oligarchical. Communism is much like Christianity. It sounds good in theory but it is hard to accomplish in practice. This is because both communism and Christianity require that we go against human nature. Human nature is greed and selfishness. The ideals of communism and Christianity are sharing and altruism.
We admire generous and selfless people like Mother Theresa and Gandhi and Albert Schweitzer and the Dali Lama and Nelson Mandela simply because they seem to have overcome human nature. They represent people who put the needs of the commonweal before their own. It's the eternal story of charity and sacrifice triumphing over adversity and need.
Christian and communist ideals are similar.
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." is as high an ideal as, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The book of Acts tells us, "And all that believed were together and had all things common and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need."
Monasteries are communes. The Franciscans and the Benedictines and the Dominicans are communists. During the Dark Ages they were largely responsible for maintaining human civilization and learning and culture.
This is where I am spiritually and politically torn. I believe in communism. I think it's a great idea. I think 'love your brother' is a great idea too. But I'm not in favor of State communism in the same way I am not too thrilled about organized religion. Institutions tend to destroy the purity of an idea.
Give-and-take is not a capitalist idea. Give-and-take is not a commercial transaction, not an exchange, it is a communistic idea. It means that you give what you can and take what you need from the common wealth. Take and take is a capitalist idea. Capitalism is about Me Me Me. Communism is about Us Us Us. That's why I am still a commie.
The Poet's Eye looks fondly on many things which are out of fashion. BeBop music, smoking, argyle socks and communism.
No saviour from on high delivers
No faith have we in prince or peer
Our own right hand the chains must shiver
Chains of hatred, greed and fear
---The International, Eugène Pottier - Paris, June 1871
Thanks.
