A View of The Future

It is encouraging to see various groups open their eyes to the problems in our education system and in the reforms currently being pushed. Both conservatives and liberals are beginning to see the dangers involved in centralized planning of curriculum and collection of personal data by government bodies.  Someday, hopefully soon, the rallying cry of "It's all for the little children"will send chills down people's spines rather than warm fuzzy feelings. But we're not there yet. There is no massive public push back to Common Core Standards and the SLDS. To understand why, we need only look at those who have gone before us and see what happened to them.

In his book "It Was a Long Time Ago and It Never Happened Anyway", David Satter looks at modern Russia and tries to explain to the Western mind why, given their history, there is no widespread revolt by the Russian people against the oppressive regime. Through interviews with average citizens, Mr. Satter shows the world through the eyes of people who have lived under the Soviets and seen their mutation into a hybrid capitalist/fascist government. What he writes could be an interview with an American in 2025.

"Did anyone walk about the Stalin-era terror?"

"I didn't hear about it except from my mother.  The attitude was that there was no point in discussing it.  There was the 'Cult of Personality.' During the Cult of Personality there were certain abuses. That was it.  Nobody knew the extent of the repression because nobody had read Solzhenitsyn at that time."

Under Stalin, political enemies disappeared in the night never to be seen again. Everyone knew someone who had been sent to the gulag. Some estimates say as many as 12 million people starved to death on the collective farms, forbidden at gunpoint to take any of the food they grew.  It was all meant for the party members in the cities. Today, nobody talks about these things and the history books were scrubbed of their mention. Euphemism is used to soften the horror.

As America gleefully heads into fully digital teaching texts, how quickly will the party in power be able to scrub our history? With everyone being taught the official state version of history, who will know anything different, or if they do, who will believe them? What politically correct language will be used to "pretty up" what is happening to us now so that our children will no longer resist the power of their rulers?

Some of us (mostly those over 40) vaguely remember Communism as being bad. When we were in school, they were still teaching about the horrible things that happened in Russia under the Soviets. There were a few defectors here and there, but there was never a widespread revolt after 1917. The assumption for the common westerner was that the Soviet government was so powerful that they had everyone cowed into submission to their will.

This thought gives peace of mind to many here in America today because they believe we will never allow our government to have that kind of power.  It can be debated whether or not it already does, but it still does not explain the widescale acquiescence to Communism. Satter exposes the other element that allowed the Communists to rule and will enable similar control in our own country. A portion of the population LIKED what communism offered.

Communism appealed to Russians for several reasons. First, it provided security, minimizing the individual's need to worry about his own fate. It also provided a universal idea that gave Soviet citizens a feeling of mission and filled a basic spiritual need. Finally, it appealed to the chauvinism of the ordinary man, who compensated for his personal impotence by identifying with a powerful state.


The secure life under Communism was not a myth.  A Soviet citizen was guaranteed a job (it mattered little that, in many cases, his "job" required no real work), medical care, an education and a pension. All of this led Soviet citizens to boast that, unlike citizens of the West, they had "no fear for the morrow."...

With few exceptions, everyone lived, looked, dressed and thought alike.  Disparities in wealth existed but were not strikingly evident. Tranquility was valued and anyone who disturbed the peace was quickly suppressed. In a restaurant, cafe or other public place a diminutive babushka could impose her authority on a potential troublemaker because she knew and he knew that she could call on the full force of a repressive society at the first hint of resistance to her demands...

In the Soviet period, after a person finished school, he would go to the institute, and then after the institute, he would be assigned work as a young specialist and given a free apartment. A person had a future. The collective was everywhere....

'In the Soviet times,' said Grushnin, 'any family could receive a free education, independent of religion, income or profession.' ...

'Most important,' said Nikolai, 'there was no unemployment. Every person was defended by the party organization. He could not be fired, even if he was lazy.' ...

All of them expressed nostalgia for the security of the Soviet Union

This system sounds great.  The average person has no worries. He doesn't even have to try hard. The party/government provides him an education and a guaranteed job. Sounds an awful lot like school-to-work or 21st century skills goals where the government will use data to figure out which career path they are going to send you on so when you get out of college there will be a job waiting for you. There will be people here who LIKE those programs and will resent efforts to put responsibility for their lives back on them.

"Money didn't matter," Maria said. "Now you need money for everything. What does a simple person need? He needs a roof over his head, work where he know they won't fire him tomorrow, money for the education of his family. In the Soviet period this was all accessible."

A system that does not ask (or even want) you to think for yourself is a self perpetuating system. Breaking free from it is very difficult.

The nub of the matter is that people in Communist society, because of their education and the obvious conditions of their personal fate, have to accept whatever limitations apply to their behavioral freedom or unfreedom as something natural and self evident.  They are brought up to live within these limits and grow accustomed to them from childhood. They accept the form of life that is foisted upon them, having no other choice, and they themselves foist it on others." The Reality of Communism - Alexander Zinoviev

Substitute the words "American society" in the above paragraph and you can easily see someone from 2025 making this statement here. Those working to stop the advance of school-to-work education philosophy must not only work against bureaucracies dead set on this path and those who see personal power in such a system, but also against the human weaknesses of fear (of the unknown future) and laziness which causes them to welcome such shackles with open arms.

Smurfs' Communism and the University of Missouri Institute Labor Studies Class

The University of Missouri offers an online course on Labor Studies through The Institute of Labor Studies at the Kansas City and St. Louis campuses. At least two of its lecturers have ties to the Communist Party in the USA (CPUSA) so perhaps this youtube selection could be added to its online curriculum.

"Smurfs' Communism" explains the smurf economic and social systems, and division of labor. As the lecturers have communist political leanings, this would be an excellent choice for them to show and explain to these University of Missouri students how communism and labor unions are connected in terms of wages and expectations.

What is Communist Theory and Should Your Tax Dollars Support Communist Speakers in the Missouri University System?

Libero Della Piana, Director of Communication for the National Communist Party spoke to Mizzou students on April 27. If you read the links from the previous post, Della Piana believes in the defeat of the ultra-right and the transformation of America from a capitalistic system to a communist system.

Do college students today understand the tenets of Communism? Della Piana has stated:

We are not a large party anymore, but we have influence in certain segments of the labor movement and the peace movement and remain one of the most important groups on the Left. And we have new appeal among young people who don't even remember the Soviet Union. No other progressive organization, I think, left a greater mark on the country (from culture, literature, film, politics, race relations, etc.) than the CPUSA.

There is not a more appropriate place for Communist leaders and lecturers to deliver their message...college audiences that don't remember the massacres of Mao, Stalin and Che Guevera.

Let's examine the definitions and examples of communism:

Here is one fairly straightforward explanation:

Modern day Communism is based on the writings of two German economists, Karl Marx and Fredrich Engels, who answered the question “What is Communism?” in their collaboration, “The Communist Manifesto” published in 1848. In it they declare that many problems in society are due to the unequal distribution of wealth. To bring about happiness and prosperity for all, the distinctions between the rich and poor of society must be eliminated. And since the rich will never give up their goods or status voluntarily, a rebellion of the poor -- the working class -- is necessary.

Thus, Communism is a distinct socio-political philosophy that is willing to use violent means to attain its goal of a classless society. If capitalism is defined as a social system based on individual rights (and individual wealth), then communism is its direct opposite. Communism believes in equality through force. In its system, individual rights are ground to powder and used to build its idol of absolute government control. It is indeed like the tusk of the elephant. It is sharp. It is dangerous. And it has gored millions of men in its rage through history.


Here's a site that is pro-Communism and answers questions about Communism and Socialism. Here are some excerpts on the goals and ambitions of these political theories:

Will there be democracy and elections under socialism, and will dissent be allowed?

Communist leadership will unleash diverse thinking and action from the bottom up and everywhere else. It will foster dissent, including opposition to the government itself, and provide the means for such viewpoints to be heard. Elections will have a role as one way of selecting and developing leadership, and keeping it accountable to the masses.But one thing that will not be up for vote is whether society should go back to capitalism. A revolution to completely change society requires firm and visionary leadership to enable the masses to hold on to power and to guide the challenging and liberating struggle to get to a communist world:where the division of people into ruler and ruled, and between leaders and led, is finally overcome.

Will people be able to practice religion under socialism?

Yes. People will have the right to worship and hold religious services (and the right not to believe in god). But the schools, and the government generally, will promote a scientific materialist understanding of the natural world and of human society. People will not be forced to give up religion, but there will be society-wide ideological struggle to help people voluntarily cast off enslaving religious belief.


Just from these three excerpts, it is evident when and if the revolution is successful, America will be able to have elections for leadership but not for the style of government. Once this is instituted, we will be ruled by leaders hand picked by the party system (not the people) and we will be perpetually in a system of a communist world. We will be able to have our religion, but we will soon be indoctrinated to understand our religion only enslaves us; it is the government that truly frees us.

And say good bye to the concept of American exceptionalism and individual destiny:

Won’t socialism or communism come up against the realities of human nature and selfishness?

There is no innate or unchanging “human nature.” People’s thinking, behavior, and values are shaped by the economic structure and corresponding institutions and culture of a given society. Ancient Greek society and America’s “founding fathers” regarded slavery as perfectly “normal.” Capitalism is organized around the private accumulation of profit and economic competition. Selfishness, greed, and individualism are rewarded by the workings of capitalism and promoted by the institutions of capitalist society. They are not “hard-wired” into our genes, and neither is racism or male supremacy.


Taxpayers of Missouri, you need to know what your tax dollars are promoting. If you don't like Communist party members and leaders lecturing students urging the overthrow of America and a call to violence as a viable tactic, call the chancellors and the governor's office and voice your displeasure on the use of tax funding for this rhetoric.

National Communist Party Leader Speaks to Students at Mizzou

The content of lectures in University of Missouri classrooms has been of concern to many Missourians as released videos of classes at UMKC and UMSL portray professors advocating violence to achieve labor goals.

There is a video of Tony Pecinovsky, Missouri and Kansas director of the Communist Party of the USA explaining his organization's view that "capitalism is the systemic problem in America". In the video he differentiates the CPUSA from other Marxist organizations and explains how CPUSA understands the necessity of not just working against the state but working within the state.

Mizzou students in Columbia were invited on April 27 to hear Libero Della Piana, Communications Director of the Communist Party USA speak about injustice:

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Social Justice Journalism with Libero Della Piana April 27, 6:30pm, Memorial Union N201

Apr 27, 2011 - Apr 27, 2011

6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Location: Memorial Student Union

Room/Hall: N201

Price: n/a

Sponsor: ORG- Organization Resource Group

There are two sides to many news stories: the people who get rich, and the people who get ripped off. Journalists and others interested in shining a spotlight on injustice, the people who commit it, and the people who fight back will definitely want to check out veteran journalist and political organizer Libero Della Piana's presentation in Memorial Union N201 on April 27 at 6:30pm. Mr. Della Piana is the Communications Director of the Communist Party, USA, and his writing has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, Colorlines, Black Commentator and the People's World.

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Here is some information on the speaker:

Della Piana looks beyond Obama. He sees the election as a chance to shift the whole U.S. government to the left. By electing more leftist Democrats, the CPUSA hopes to tilt the direction of the U.S. government towards socialism. The Communist Party USA, through their influence in the U.S. union movement wants to completely alter the U.S. political landscape-and to change the world.

Of course, deeper Democratic majorities in the House and Senate and in an increase in progressives in the Congress will also shift the terrain in Washington, opening the way for legislation to turn-back the damage of the Bush years, and to repair the country from 30 years of right-wing rule. This is no time to sit out the election.

We not only have a chance to undo the Bush Agenda, but to win big transformative victories and set the stage for higher levels of struggle. A decisive electoral victory in November will lead the way to passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, the end of the occupation of Iraq and implement some form a of national health care. The working-class has been on the defensive for decades, this election has the chance to put the movements back on offense, to set the agenda for the country.

A big people’s victory in November is not the end of the struggle, but a new beginning on more favorable ground. The mass movements of the people: the peace movement, student movement, civil rights movement, women’s movement, and labor movement have to keep the pressure on to ensure a new Democratic Administration and Legislature keep the promise to meet the people’s needs.

Change the U.S. government and world revolution has no significant opposition.

Together, we can win in November and together we can go on the to change the world.

Do you remember Tony Pecinovsky's stated goal in the CPUSA? The defeat of the "ultra-right" is of utmost importance. Communist members work very closely with unions to achieve their goals. This is the same information Della Piana tells us in his own words.

I wasn't at the speech last night, but based on the philosophical foundation of the Communist Party in the USA, it wouldn't be surprising if this fundamental transformation of the US government was mentioned. "Change the world"...where have I heard that before? Maybe Della Piana was recruiting people of color into a training program which he attended, the Movement Activist Apprenticeship Program. You can read more about Della Piana's beliefs here from a speech he delivered at a US Social Forum in June 2010 in Detroit.

We'll be contacting the University of Missouri to determine if they have had any speakers from the more conservative side of the aisle so their students are exposed to diverse political theories.

Call the chancellors and president of the University of Missouri system. Call the governor's office. Ask them if they are aware of these theories being taught in classrooms and lectures and if this is the standard political teaching present at these campuses. Ask them if there are speakers and lecturers extolling the exceptionalism of America and the protection of the United States Constitution, rather than lectures promoting violence, criminal mischief, and the overthrow of the United States government.

U of M Insitute for Labor Studies Teaches Violence and Communist Goals

The University of Missouri system is receiving more than its fair share of national attention this week. Calls for an end of the Institute for Labor Studies at the University of Missouri KC have come from many fronts recently as videos have emerged showing ILS professors advocating the occasional need for violence and industrial sabotage as acceptable methods for "corporate/union negotiations" as well as outlining specific tactics that can be used.

See more at http://biggovernment.com/publius/2011/04/25/union-official-professor-teach-college-course-in-violent-union-tactics/and

This is not the first time the UM ILS has been poised under the chopping block. In 2007, in an interview with KC online, then Chancellor Bailey said elimination of the Institute for Labor Studies was being considered "in an effort to comply with a mandate from the University of Missouri Board of Curators that each of the four campuses — Kansas City, Columbia, St. Louis and Rolla — cut spending by 1 percent each year for the next three years to help fund salary increases for faculty." Then state Sens. Victor Callahan and Chris Koster were part of a meeting with UM staff to talk about possible restructuring of the Institute to save it. UofM staff salaries have been frozen since 2009, but clever "structuring" of the pay scale has meant that salary increases have continued, only in the form of promotions that come with automatic pay increases. The Institute survives today, but it seems a shift in message is called for more than a restructuring.

Professor Ancel has had a long consistent history of supporting the unions and a view of the future with unions running the show. Her communist support is apparent. She wrote in a 2009 article for LaborNotes.org "When unions side with nationalism they confuse workers about who our allies are, who our enemies are, and what will advance our own interests. Without alternative strategies economic nationalism seems logical, but our history suggests it will take us onto the rocks...This is the wrong debate, where the alternatives are either corporate-led globalization, with multinationals roaming the world for cheap labor, or protectionist nationalism, with these same multinationals distracting us with a phony show of patriotism to divide us from other workers....Unions gained leverage in the U.S. when we could take wages out of competition by organizing entire industries. In today’s global labor market wages are again in competition, and it’s still our job to equalize wages so that corporations can’t whipsaw us."

She still sees the world as an Us vs Them scenario, where there are allies and enemies. Yet she paints the future of the worker as one where we're all in this together. We'll all receive the same pay, no matter where we go or, by the way, how good we are or how hard we work. In this world one must have an enemy. And, since it is human nature to rationalize doing anything to an enemy, violence against the enemy du jour is totally acceptable. And in her world, that enemy will always be whoever disagrees with the union.

The video shows how far this line of reasoning can go. When asked when something stops being a terrorist action and starts being a revolution, Ancel casually laughs, "When it succeeds, it's a revolution." This is the Saul Alinksy doctrine of the ends justifying the means and results in the escalation of violence until they are successful. And if you really want to be scared, her co-teacher on this online course, Don Giljum, who says industrial espionage has its place, is the Business Manager for the Union that represents workers at the Callaway nuclear plant and all of Ameren UE in Missouri.

Bill Hennessy of Hennesseysview.com and the St. Louis Tea Party, has written to Governor Nixon demanding:

1. Shut down Labor Studies until the department’s been purged of anti-American radicals
2. Fire Missouri state employees who invited Don Giljum and that communist [Tony Pecinovsky] into classroom
   
3. Apologize to Missouri taxpayers who pay $400 million a year for that university system
   
4. Apologize to the students and their parents who sat through that filth

Is Ancel's and Giljum's message one you want delivered in your tax payer funded university system? If not, contact the interim President, Steve Owens, and ask that the ILS be investigated and defunded until its violent anti-American curriculum is removed. Steve Owens, Interim President 321 University Hall Columbia, MO 65211 (573) 882-2011. Or, in case you're having trouble reaching him, try your senator or representative and ask that they investigate how your tax money is being used at the ILS.