The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

To The Eagle:

As a recent writer adroitly pointed out, you’re not likely to read about American Communist activities in the local paper. They’re simply not exciting enough. You’d have to subscribe to the People’s World newspaper which informs the 5000 members of the American Communist Party. Connecticut’s World People’s Committee is a branch of our domestic Communist party and they met recently to present the Amistad Award to four dedicated labor organizers for their tireless efforts to advance worker rights, equality, and social justice. Joelle Fishman, chair of the Connecticut Communist Party USA, exhorted “These are revolutionary times. They are not times to give in and give up. They are ‘good trouble’ times. We refuse to go back to the way things were. Be active in your union. Organize a union if you don’t have one. Be active in community organizations.”

Yes, Democratic senator Blumenthal was seen at the festivities and was pilloried for socializing with the Reds. After all, anything associated with the commies and “socialism” is pure poison, such as workers rights, social justice, voting rights, national healthcare, law enforcement reform, women’s reproductive rights and public health vaccination efforts. As our writer complained, “the list just goes on.” The Amistad awards were not issued to celebrate any Communist attempt to throttle our democratic freedoms or overthrow our country’s elected government. That sort of subversion is now the province of the American Republican Party and its relentless efforts to replace facts with falsity, suppress access to the polls and intimidate the electorate with threats of armed violence. Lady, you’re looking in the wrong direction. The assassins stalking liberal democracy are not lurking at the gates of our republic- they are already embedded in your neighborhood. Our famous enemy, Communism, has been replaced by the new and present danger of fascist Republicanism.

JB Bouchard

Puget Island