I. Sometime after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, my grandfather, a well-known rabbi and Talmudic scholar, was arrested by the Communist soldiers. He was brought before the local Communist Commandant. The soldiers were ordered to leave the room. My grandfather feared that he was going to be shot.
Instead, the Commandant smiled, and spoke to my grandfather in fluent Yiddish, “It is so good to see you again. How have you been? And how is the family?” Confused, my grandfather did not respond. The Commandant laughed. “I see that you do not recognize me without my beard. We studied Talmud together, years ago.” Yes, my grandfather did remember him. A promising student. The Commandant continued: “I called you here to ask you to join us. Join the Revolution! But if not, then there will be no room for you here in Russia. Do you understand?” My grandfather nodded. He was then released home.
In 1927, my grandfather had the opportunity to travel to the U.S. He had been asked to accompany a small group of Jewish religious leaders to raise funds in the U.S. for several Jewish institutions in Europe. He wrote to my grandmother:
“America is the most wonderful of countries. The people here are free to live their lives with no government intrusion. It is a land of great kindness, and great opportunity.”
As he had been offered a teaching position here, would she agree to leave their home, and bring the children to the U.S.? Her response: “Yes!”
It was not easy to gather all the necessary documents and gain permission to leave, but within the year, my grandmother, my mother, and her four sisters were able to leave Russia. From the moment they saw the Statue of Liberty in the NY harbor, they all fell in love with America.
II. One day, in the late 1950’s:
My parents are talking to each other. They seem upset. They are talking about someone. I am very curious. My father says to my mother, “Do you know what he is? He’s a SOCIALIST!” “Yes,” my mother says, sadly, “you are right. That is *exactly* what he is. A socialist.”
I very much want to know what this word means. It sounds very bad. Really bad. Maybe I could use this word, when my brothers and sister bother me. I could call them this word. But what did it mean? And how do you pronounce it, anyway?
Later, my father is reading a newspaper. I go over to him. He puts down his newspaper. “What’s a… so-suh…so-shuh…?” “Socialist?” my father helps me out. “Yeah, what is it?” “Ah, you want to know what a socialist is? Alright, I will tell you: A socialist is a very stupid person who thinks he is smarter than everyone else.”
It will be years before I can fully appreciate my father’s wisdom.
III. 2012 Upper West Side of Manhattan – Uber-Liberal Country.
I am talking to an Upper West Side of Manhattan Uber-Liberal. I am trying to persuade her not to vote for Obama again. (Why, dear reader, do I do this? Well, sometimes I think it is because I am an optimist, and I believe I can convince her to “see the light.” Sometimes I think it is because of my grandiosity, and I believe I can convince her to “see the light.” Sometimes I think it is because of a streak of masochism. Maybe it’s all three.)
Me: Seriously, how could you possibly vote for him again?
Upper West Side Uber Lib: (smirking) What’s the matter? He’s a socialist?”
Me: Well…. What do *you* call the government take-over of healthcare and GM?”
UWSUL: OK, maybe he *is* a socialist. So, what’s wrong with socialism ?
Me: Are you kidding?
UWSUL: No
Me: Please name me one country where socialism actually worked.
UWSUL: I can’t. It never worked. Anywhere.
Me: (I think to myself: “Well, *that* was easy. I won the argument. Brava, me!” I bask in the reverie of victory. However, it is very short-lived)
UWSUL: Your point is totally irrelevant, by the way.
Me: Irrelevant?
UWSUL: Yes. Maybe socialism has never worked. But it is an ideal to aspire to.
Me: (To myself: “You *are* a masochist!”)
IV. This clip is for those who were hoping for someone other than Mitt as the Republican nominee. Perhaps you are thinking of *not* voting on Election Day. Please listen carefully to what this woman has to say about living under a fascist regime. Think it can’t happen here? Think again:
Spend eight minutes and listen to Elke’s Warning:
If you can’t bring yourself to vote *for* Romney, then vote *against* Obama. Do it for yourself. Do it for our country. Do it so that my grandfather’s vision of America as
“the most wonderful of countries,” where “people here are free to live their lives with no government intrusion” will endure for future generations.
well said shifra!..i’ve tried to argue this point with some family members, and it’s very painful to realize they have no clue what’s really goin on..
Thanks Shifra. Very interesting and very true.
The sad thing is that the lessons are totally lost on those who need to hear and learn from them.
My father came from Sicily in 1950 convinced that the US was the only place where he’d be able to realize his dream and own a business. He was a success beyond his wildest dreams and always credits the US for his success!
Love your stories Shifra; what a rich family history you have! Thanks for trying to influence liberals to vote *against* Obama if not *for* Romney, but it’s an uphill battle for sure. A family member is touting lower gas prices (over $3 a gal) as a win for the DB. New slogan: Gas prices down/ Blame Obama! ;/
Great story Shifra, thank God your grandfather had the foresight to seek freedom for his family. In a website called freedomhouse.org, they monitor all the nations of the world. 47 are found to not be free. They all have the same common denominator, they are either atheistic, secular or Islamic. Truly, if God is taken away, liberty goes as well.
Thank you Shifra. God help us!
Great job Shifra! Never a disappointing read from you.
Yes, thanks, Shifra.
Is it possible for us to value what we have while we’ve still got it? Or must we lose it irretrievably, and then live the rest of our lives in bitter lament?
I am voting for Romney with enthusiasm, knowing he’s the only thing that stands between America and death-by-Obama. To fail to back Romney because he’s not ideal is, and instead wait for the arrival of a true ideal…well, that makes as much sense as your friend who votes for the socialism because she sees it as ideal, even knowing that the practical effect is failure and destruction.
It may be we’re already doomed and none of this matters. Obama will run us into the wall at 200 mph, and Romney is “better” in that he will run us into the wall at 180 mph. Maybe. In which case, yeah, go home, enjoy the rest of your lives, there’s nothing else to do. But I’m going to allow for the possibility that Romney will do better than that. What’s my basis for saying this? Well, for better or worse, you never know what these people are going to do before they reach the pinnacle of power. In Obama’s case, considering that he ran in 2008 as an economic centrist, I was willing to allow for the possibility that he would actually address the structural imbalances that were destroying us. I mean, that’s what he said he would do. That’s what he condemned George Bush for not doing. This is the reason some “conservatives” were even willing to vote for Obama. Not me; I didn’t think it likely. But, once he was elected, I wondered. Obama might have done this. He’s the one that could have done it, because he had the “street cred” to pull it off. When a “conservative” practices fiscal responsibility, it’s racist, it’s selfish. But maybe a “liberal” could get away with it. Yes, I would have loved for Obama to be a great man. But he quickly proved himself to be a lying (pardon my French) schmuck.
So, do I trust Romney to do the right thing? No, not in the least. But it’s possible. Recent events have helped define the framework of his campaign. Romney, the anti-schmuck.
I don’t know whether Romney will do his part as president. All I can say is I’m going to do my part to get him elected.
we can’t put trust in romney or really MOST other politicians to do the right thing, but we CAN trust ourselves to insist they do the right things.
this country will only be saved if WE save it
I think you are right about Republicans just tapping the brakes, but not changing direction. I would encourage people to think about the frog in the pot of water that’s getting warmer, in this context. Would you rather increase the heat faster so that the frog (hopefully) hops out because it senses it’s getting too hot, or would you rather it cook to death because the heat was increased so gradually it couldn’t tell? Personally I think the stakes for our country are now too high to hinge everything on the hope that people who have in the past wittingly or unwittingly contributed to us getting to this point will now do the right thing, and stop the catastrophe. Please understand, I am not suggesting that anything besides electoral politics is the answer. I do hope that we can affect change through the ballot box, and of course by talking about ideas with people who are receptive. I am just suggesting that we vote strategically to have the effect we think is right, given the political attitudes of the people of this country.
I don’t like Obama any more than any of you on here do, but one thing I will admit to myself is that he has been (unwittingly) a teacher about where we have been headed as a country for many years. He has helped many of us realize, “Hold up! This is *not* what we want!” I’m going to sound like a raging liberal here, but I think that not enough of the American people have learned their lesson yet, even with everything Obama has done. More people need to wake up and not be lulled to sleep again if freedom is ultimately going to survive. I realize I am not offering an “easy out.” My point is there isn’t one. What I am also suggesting is that the thing we *don’t* need right now is relief. What I am asking you to consider is how the Tea Party was a response to something.
Where I see politicians who I think have the right priorities in mind for advancing the cause of freedom, I will vote for them, but I see no reason to vote for people who are likely turncoats. The recent decision by Justice John Roberts should serve as a flag waving before our eyes of what we can look forward to if we are too hopeful that voting a straight Republican ticket will save us. I guess what I’m saying really boils down to is be extremely wary of voting for what we commonly term “moderates,” who also can be termed as “difference splitters.”
My wife and I were shopping in walmart and came upon a fellow with a pistol on his hip so we struck up a conversation about the socialist takeover and gathered quite the rather noisy crowd of fellow conservativs, it was great The people that turn their carts into the isle and heard 20 seconds of our conversation and then turned their noses up and tucked their tails to scurry away were just smiled at and waved to with an occasional, oh well we will meet again when the SHTF
Great piece Shifra! My ancestors were not clergy, but poor merchants who sacrificed everything to come to a free land after the communist wave started to sweep Europe in the 1920s. Thank God for them, they recognized dark clouds when they saw them, and recognized goodness in America.
I believe you are a massochist when you try to convince a liberal that socialism is a bad thing. Most liberals that you and I know do not understand what socialism even means; they only know what they were taught in University, and what they have reinforced every day on TV: right is bad, left is good. Individualism is evil, collectivism is heaven. Until we capture part of the culture and make the inverse cool again (as it was becoming briefly under Reagan), we’re mostly smacking our heads against the wall with these people.
A neighbor and friend of mine was a Vietnamese “boat people” refugee that escaped Vietnam in the late ’70s. In 2008 when Obama was running for President, she would exclaim, with passion, “ARE THE DEMOCRATS CRAZY! HE’S A SOCIALIST! HE WILL DESTROY AMERICA!” She had come to this country and became a citizen, gainfully employed and owned three homes here in Hawaii. And ever grateful to America for the opportunity that FREEDOM allowed.
She passed away last year. I miss her honest perspective.
A few months ago I met a tourist from Budapest, Hungary, who with his parents had escaped across the Iron Curtain during the Hungarian Revolution. He served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, became a citizen and also became successful. He was here in Hawaii looking for real estate. He had nothing good to say about Obama and the socialist leanings of the Democrats.
Those that know the heavy hand of Socialism/Communism that come to this country and take advantage of FREEDOM here are an example that every Liberal-Progressive needs to see.
Instead, they wait like sheeple, to be sheared by their shepherd Obama.
Shifra, you understand because your family spent time communicating with each other. Family historical information is key in how we tie in our vision and priorities to making decisions. Do socialists tell the story about their great grandparents or grandparents immigrating to a land of socialism to find a better life???? Do the socialists in the USA know their family heritage? Which grandparent’s lap did the current USA socialists sit on to hear stories of the greatness of socialism? I think there was a rebellious spirit towards G-d, parents, grandparents & great grandparents. At some point in the lives of the socialists in this country, the rebellious spirit blocked out loving communication & they did not listen to why their family ancestors came to This Great Country. You, Shifra, are an anointed example of how respect for G-d & Family can keep our Nation Great!
Shifra, Thanks for sharing now my short story about UK socialism. When I was dating my wife 32 yrs ago my sister in law explained to me how great England was with its state socialism. At that time I told her we wouldn’t probably have a conversation soon about how screwed up it was, but that we would, eventually.
In Dec 2008 my wife got diagnosed with breast cancer. Obviously, her sister called more frequently than normal. One day my wife wasn’t home and her sister called. She started railing about restrictions that the National Health Service came out with about folks not getting coverage for certain conditions because they were personal choices. I then told her to remember the conversation that I had said we would have, dead silence then she said, I’ll call back later.
Folks the moral of the story is there is an amount of the population that will suck this stuff up until it’s to late to reverse it, then they realize how screwed they are.
critter64, sorry to hear this. I hope she is OK. Yes, I have heard many horror stories from the UK. The people who are “thrilled” with ObamaTax remind me of the old Twilight Zone episode, “To Serve Man” (“Mr. Chambers! It’s a cookbook!”)
Thank you TAMS for your comments. All very much appreciated. And I must say, I am very impressed with Maynard’s use of Yiddish.. er… I mean, French 🙂
Terrific post, Shifra. Well done. I will tweet it now!
Excellent post, Shifra. Thanks.
My very nice next door neighbor, a Democrat through and through with family Democrat party ties, in 2008 told me that she was very scared of BHO getting elected and would vote for McCain. Her tone and body language matched her words. I’ve never had the followup conversation, but there are some liberals who see socialists and are very afraid. Too few, but some.
Shalom, Shifra!
Please keep writing these stories, because HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF, and the only way you learn how to stay free is to hear about people who left socialist/communist countries to come her and live their lives in freedom.
Most of those people were/are survivors, because they chose to leave untenable solutions in their respective countries.
My grandparents, also came here from Lithuania in 1908, and I only recently found out that it was because my grandfather was conscripted into the Russian army, and that meant certain death in those years. (They thrived here in the nearby Baltimore area.)
With the schtick the NEA and others hand out, changing history’s lessons, and the attempted indoctrination of people who don’t (or don’t WANT to know) about the evils of Socialism, I’m glad you’ve enlightened us!
Thanks again, Shifra. (Now I’m going back to work-no power since Friday night.)
Hugs,
The DL
Woo hoo
[…] On Socialism /Communism: Four Very Short Stories « Tammy Bruce […]
Thank you, Shifra dear!!
Your words paint beautiful pictures. Thanks Shifra. 🙂
public props to ya, shifra! well written.
as she and i have talked about before, my dad’s side of the family was interned at tule lake in WW2. my long personal story edited, my dad could have been bitter that he was denied equal protection under the law as an american citizen. instead, he left behind an enduring and puzzling bit of advice. as we walked to school on the first day of first grade, he told me to always fill out forms stating i was white. ok, i told him. it took me years after he died and i went thru his internment camp papers and his experiences that it made sense to me. there was a reason for that advice. the same logic that made him tell me to stop speaking japanese in our house once i began attending kindergarten. in spite of the color of my skin or the ethnic nature of our name, we were americans. it was better to tell people i was white and explain away that contradiction than to have our american citizenship questioned. in spite of the internment camps, it is still better to be american. it is always better to be an american.
californians have been accused of being soft. i heard that when i went to school in philly. cali’s were too used to endless summers. those guys in philly had to deal with the changes in the seasons, which made them appreciate the good spring weather when the winter months really sucked. it was the contrasts that that highlighted the differences, made you tougher. for example, you want to see where the christian church is really thriving? where it is oppressed, like in china or africa. true faith lives there.
americans have gotten soft. our exceptional nature and exceptional history has lulled some to a false sense of eternal security. reagan said freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. we always stand on the brink between liberty and tyranny. i felt ok passing that ideal to my children, but i see that choice drifting away from my grandson and granddaughter yet to be born. and like reagan also said, i will need to fight for, protect and hand freedom on to that generation too. i will not spent my sunset years telling them what is was once like in the united states when men were free.
this election means that much.
rick
Thank you Shifra. I love your stories. The one theme I hear in the stories about communist countries…..the people must flee to get out from under the tyranny. This truly is the last bastian of freedom on earth, but it is almost gone. The communists have been scheming in this country for generations and many have been indoctrinated. Our only hope is to pray for God’s help in taking this country back. Americans come from good stock and I pray we are successful!
I have experienced III, with the response from the liberal being: “Socialism has never worked anywhere else because it hasn’t been done right!”
These are the intellectuals …
Chuck,
LOL! The Lib in III. has a Ph.D. Yep, gotta love those intellectuals 🙂
Sandyl: Amen!
Naga5: Thanks for sharing this story with us.
Thanks, TAMS, for all your responses. Really appreciate each one.
I have this very problem with my brother. How two guys grew up in the same house with the same parents and came out on opposite sides of the political spectrum is difficult to understand. Try as I might I can’t shift him an inch from his Obama worship. I email him articles, references, factual pieces, opinion columns — nothing changes. Four years of this effort has accomplished nothing. It’s sad but true –Mark Levin is right. Some people are simply drones.
Snit, I understand how frustrating this must be for you. I would probably do the same thing — send him articles, etc. But I think it’s like speaking two different languages – You are speaking the language of reason and thought, and he is speaking the language of emotion. It’s like watching someone in a really bad, abusive relationship who refuses to get out. But we will help them get out, on Nov. 6th.