^ Good point, but I'm talkin' post-McCarthy era. His excesses made pointing out Communism for what it was "paranoia."
I'm no fan of what HUAC* did, but the original investigations into how deeply actual Communists had penetrated our culture would have been helpful had it gone in a less hysterical direction.
Hey, you want to be a Communist, that's okay with me if you're out in the open about it, but to "penetrate" our government and other institutions (like our entertainment industry, f'r instance) in a clandestine manner for subversive purposes is not, at least in my view. I don't even mind having the Communist Party on the ballot, if clearly labeled as such and their platform/agenda is truly open for public analysis.**
After all, you only have to be sneaky if you know your ultimate goals would not be acceptable to the population at large and you have to work "under the table."
I know my position is deplorable, but you sure as hell can't call it Fascist.
Terry, 230RN
* House Unamerican Activities Committee
** And if their "hangers-on" and "fellow travelers" are also fully aware of the totalitarian implications of their stance. But they aren't. Which is why they were characterized as... you guessed it... "useful idiots."
NOTE: Note the "sub" in "subversive."
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/subversive#Etymology
