But Communists Really Were a Threat Right?

James Ford was the Vice-Presidentical candidate of the  CPUSA three times, during the 30's and 40's, well before the heyday of the Civil Rights Movement.

Paul Robeson, pro-Civil Rights black man and prominent Communist.

Often when you come across members who actually know about this somewhat hidden history of Benson's politics, you get justification rather than acknowledgement that he was just wrong.  Many think that just saying he was wrong would somehow be anti-Mormon rather than just being a statement of fact.  Take, for example, Benson's obsession with the idea that the Civil Rights Movement and it's leaders had close ties to Communists and socialists.  Many apologist supporters of Benson's politics will point out that this is in fact true, which it is.  The labor movement, the socialist movement, and the Communist Party have all played a rather large part in promoting the rights of blacks and promoting equality among the races (in fact, more so than any other group... even, shamefully, more than religious groups in US history).

In fact, many key figures of the abolitionist movement, as well as the Republican Party back when it was a left-wing party (the 1850' and up into the 1860's and 70's) went on to become key figures in Americas socialist movement as well.  The first organizations in the United States that called for racial equality were labor unions.  Famous black leaders who struggled for equality were also socialists and even Communists.  W.E.B. DuBois for example became a Communist.  There is also the fact that well before the civil rights movement main significant gains, the Communist Party had a black man running as their Vice Presidential candidate.

So what's wrong with what Benson had to say about this then?  Well first, it suggests that socialists and even Communists throughout history have never been sincere, but were really just after power.  This isn't true however, especially when you consider how many socialists and Communists were persecuted, jailed, or were killed for their beliefs.  For instance, Communists were one of the prime targets of the Nazi and fascist regimes in Europe, and yet Communists didn't just renounce their beliefs, but instead they often went underground and became the famous Partisans which have rightfully received much credit for their work in bringing down fascism in World War II, putting their lives and their families in great danger for their sincere beliefs.

Oh don't worry... these were just Communists.  They were misguided individuals fighting the against fascism.  They weren't actually committed to a more just society, they just wanted power for powers sake.  

Secondly, this assumes that anything which Communists supported cannot be supported by anyone else or else they are conspiratorial pawns.  This is ridiculous when you consider what Communists and socialists have advocated (and won) throughout American history.  For instance, it was Communists and socialists that fought decades to end child labor.  Is being opposed to child labor then wrong?  Likewise they supported universal suffrage without property requirements and women's suffrage.  Is supporting unpropertied men and women's right to vote wrong then?  They also fought decades to win a shortened workday and workweek.  Is it therefore wrong to support the eight hour day, and the forty hour week?  They were key players in the free speech movement throughout American history.  Should we then oppose free speech?  They advocated for public education and libraries, for the Freedom of Information Act and other key legislation in making government more transparent.  Should a good American then accept unaccountable government with no public oversight?

A bunch of Commie protestors trying to bring down America by demanding shorter work hours, child labor laws, and representation for unemployed workers.

Anyway, I think the point is made.  A good political movement is a good political movement regardless of who supports it.  In fact, in a democracy, the goal is to organize with others, even those you may disagree with, when you have something you can agree on.  To say doing say is un-American is itself un-American.

What do you mean you're too young and should be playing and going to school? Get back to work you bunch of Commies!