Socialism: American as Apple Pie at Texas League of the South

I was recently struck by an article that proclaimed that “Socialist Ideas are as American as Apple Pie”. As a reader of history, I have to concur with that shocking truth that applies to parts of the empire. Recall that many of the 1848 socialists and communists settled in Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois. These early socialists brought their ideologies with them. They did not apologize for being socialists. They looked upon their new location as fertile breeding grounds for their ideas. Recall also that the New Harmony commune in Indiana existed long before Russia went communist. For many in the Northern States, socialism is part of their heritage with a great many of the early socialists being acquainted with Karl Marx or Frederich Engels themselves. Rather than be shocked by the comment, we need to realize the truths of history and of the struggle we are in. The north has long been a socialist haven, with high expectations of government, fondness of workers unions, and a tendency to tell others how to live their lives.

The idea of socialist ideas being American is alien to the South, because we had a different set of values. We have a different vision for America. We did not run to the nanny government to solve our problems. We did not expect that of government. Socialism is at home up North, but it is not an American ideal or value in the South. Southern values of self-reliance, respect for Biblical values and family are the values of the South. Independent thinking is a Southern value as is independent living and liberty. Socialist love their history. Sadly many of the socialists know more about their history than a lot of Southerners do. We have a culture to be proud of. We have a long history of liberty of the people rather than big government.

It is time to recognize the truth of James Thronwell’s observation, “”The parties in this conflict [referring to the conflict over slavery] are not merely Abolitionists and slaveholders – they are atheists, socialists, communists, red republicans, Jacobins on one side, and the friends of order and regulated freedom on the other. In one word, the world is the battleground -Christianity and atheism the combatants; and the progress of humanity at stake.”

Liberty for Texas!

J Murrah