From 1947 until 1991, the United States of America waged a civilizational struggle against communism that came to be known as the Cold War.
In those days, communism was like a four-letter word. It was considered a bad thing to be a communist. The enemy threat doctrine studied by our military and intelligence was Karl Marx’s “Communist Manifesto” and the toxic economic and political doctrine built upon it by Lenin, Stalin, and Mao. In the name of communism, these men would go on to become among the biggest mass murderers in human history.
America fought wars in Korea, Vietnam, and other hot spots around the world to hold back the tide of rising communism. It won some and lost others, but eventually our economic, political, and military efforts discredited communism and brought down the Soviet Union. The only remaining outposts of communism were China, North Korea, and Cuba.
During the Cold War, not only were American schoolchildren taught that communism was nefarious, but new recruits to the military who had traveled to communist countries had to provide a complete explanation for the reason for their visit. Sometimes they were denied security clearances if their explanations were unsatisfactory.
For generations, we were taught that Marxism was evil. And it is. The toxic ideas of Marx were responsible for greater human misery and more death than any political ideology in the history of Western civilization. Today, schoolchildren and college students are being taught communist doctrine and are often unaware that this is what they’re being taught.
We thought we had rendered communism to the ash bin of history. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case. In fact, fundamental principles of communist ideology are now rife in American society and culture—from our colleges and schools, the news media, and corporate America, to the entertainment industry in Hollywood, and the political left. Communist mobs in the form of Antifa and Black Lives Matter are wreaking havoc in the streets of our cities.
Fortunately, there is a glimmer of hope, thanks to the work of elected officials on the state level.
Every state in America needs to mandate that our young citizens learn about the evils of communism. Communism should be thought of in the same light as Nazism. The hammer and sickle should be regarded with the same loathing as the Nazi swastika. Those who would wear T-shirts and display posters portraying Mao and Che Guevara should be viewed with the same disgust as those who would praise Hitler.
Unfortunately, we can’t depend on Washington to take the lead. Cultural Marxism has embedded itself in our federal bureaucracies and even the military. The states must lead, and Americans must encourage their state officials to do what’s right.
After the second Punic war in ancient Rome, Carthage—Rome’s archenemy—had been, they thought, decisively defeated. But revered politician Cato knew better, and ended every speech, no matter the subject, with the same words, “Carthago delenda est”—Carthage must be destroyed.
America once believed it had defeated its greatest enemy. We were wrong.
Communism delenda est.