SOCIALISM: On further review…

Steven Reynalds submitted a letter with a title in form of a question, “Socialism: So you think it’s bad?”

Everyone has their right to state an opinion but not the right to make up their own facts and try to convince the rest of us with false history. He is correct when he said that the Pilgrims came to Massachusetts they tried a “sharing” or perhaps a “socialistic” experiment the first year. It was a total failure and quickly abandoned for individual plots of land and each family having ownership and producing their own food.

Thomas Paine, who wrote Common Sense, was a patriot and had quite radical views and parted ways with the founders over the Constitution and our form of government. He was excited about the ideals of the French Revolution and went to France to be a part of that Revolution and was elected to the National Convention. Robespierre regarded him as an enemy and he was thrown in prison and escaped the guillotine when President Madison arranged for his release. The French Revolution tried to wipe out Christianity and devolved into anarchy. Paine returned to America a broken, cynical man and steadfastly remained an atheist in direct contrast to the purpose of the founders of this country.

The people who “saved our capitalistic butts” (our founders) hardly gave birth to all modern political movements across the world — certainly not socialism or communism. What we did give birth to were many republics that modeled themselves after our Constitution and principles of government. What other peoples have realized is that the American dream is more than an economic system, it is about individual freedom and protecting all rights under the law.

BOB SHILLINGSTAD

Hayden