Repeatedly, one needs to ask: how is it possible that such a vile and discredited system as communism continues to gain traction among so many people?

Like others before me, I am astonished at the prescience of W. Cleon Skousen, author of The Naked Communist, who, in 1958, explained "how many well-meaning citizens have become involved in pushing forward the Communist program without realizing it.  They became converted to Communist objectives because they accepted superficial Communist slogans."  Skousen succinctly explained 45 communist goals, and, sadly, Americans have either been bludgeoned into accepting far too many of them or have naïvely accepted them without realizing their ultimate consequences.

Goal #31: "Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of 'the big picture.'  Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over."

Consider the execrable move to incorporate the error-filled "1619 Project" into schools and marvel at the success of communists to ensure that American children will come to despise our foundational ideas.  In fact, in his first day as president, Biden ended the 1776 Commission to Create a Patriotic History Curriculum that is in direct contrast to the "1619 Project," which reflects a decidedly anti-American, factually incorrect, and blatantly biased program that is currently being pushed through the U.S. education system.

It follows then that Goal #30 is to "discredit the American founding fathers.  Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the 'common man.'"  Predictably, this has resulted in a disdain and derision regarding those dead white men who prepared some of the finest documents ever created but who are now being defamed and whose statues are being defaced with red paint.

Goal #35: "Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI."  The FBI no longer has the trust of most Americans, given the scope of wrongdoing committed by the top echelon of the agency — i.e., Comey.  Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity are no longer associated with what was once an agency revered by most Americans.  Christopher Wray continues as head of the FBI under the Biden administration.

One could just as well include the CIA.  After all, in 1976, John Brennan voted for the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) presidential nominee, Gus Hall.  As historian Ron Radosh points out, "[t]he CPUSA at that time was dedicated to gaining support for Soviet foreign policy, with the intent of defeating the United States in the Cold War[.] ... Moscow regularly gave Hall thousands of dollars to enable the Communists in America to carry on their work.  Brennan has explained that his motivation for supporting Hall, was that he [Brennan] was unhappy 'with the system' and saw a 'need for change.'"  Indeed!

Goal #38: "Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies."  With the move toward defunding the police, this goal is being cemented in many Democrat-held cities.  Consequently, in Minneapolis, activists maintain that "[f]ar from being a naive concept, police abolition is the only viable option for ending the systematic and unrelenting abuse of our communities."  So despite "concern about record crime rates in the city, nearly $8 million will be 'redirected' from the police budget to other programs."

Goal #42: "Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use 'united force' to solve economic, political or social problems."  Beginning with Occupy Wall Street and expanding to the lawlessness of Portland, Oregon, this is a communist dream come true.  After all, the media have already fallen prey to Goal #21, which is "gain control of key positions in radio, TV and motion pictures," so that Chris Cuomo can tell his viewers that millions of dollars of damage inflicted upon Americans is perfectly fine.  Cities burn, people's livelihoods go up in smoke, small businesses are destroyed — and all is well.

Goal #41 is perhaps the most insidious of all communist goals and the most successful in destroying the nuclear family unit.  Thus, "emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents."

Enter the transgender movement.  The corrosive impact of transgender ideology is ignored — i.e., elimination of sex-protected rights and freedom of association.  Transgenderism "has come to be not just accepted but often promoted in key public institutions such as education, health care, social work, the police [emphasis mine] and prison service."

Concerned parents are now being "backed into a room that unsettles [them] prodded by the fear of causing offence as they ponder the notion that 'transwomen are women.'"  If they offer any resistance, they are the ones who are shamed, while their children may endure double-mastectomies or puberty-blockers that can cause permanent infertility.  Unsuspecting parents are being told to use euphemistic language "so as not to offend those biological women who identify as something else — as 'non-binary' or 'transmen.'"  The terms "birthing people" and "menstruators" are used to refer to women so that men who call themselves women don't feel left out.

In November 2019, the ACLU piously proclaimed, 'There's no one way to be a man. Men who get their periods are men. Men who get pregnant and give birth are men.'

At the time, the announcement seemed unhinged. But one year later, we chuckle and say: Well, of course they are. And we recite the most sacred creed of our age: 'Transwomen are women.' (Denying this was enough to get Irish writer Graham Linehan kicked off Twitter for good.)

That it's a lie doesn't matter to those who press its acceptance. But it is a lie. Transwomen (biological men who identify as women) do not possess female biology; they are not women.

One might reasonably ask: If it's a lie, what's the harm of it? We tell our friends they're beautiful or thin, that they make good points or that they sing well when they don't. One might even say that a thousand white lies are a necessary precondition for a social life, even friendship.

The public space is different — the lies told there have real, even lethal, consequences. For our democracy to function, for a diverse public to be able to communicate and work together, we must speak in objective terms to which we all have access. We must make points plainly. We must strive toward accuracy so that we may clearly recognize the issues at stake. We must, each of us, give up some of the private beliefs embedded in our ways of thinking and speaking in order to be widely understood.

Moreover, Pelosi has now moved to eradicate language that expresses the reality of familial relationships.  The terms father, mother, son, brother, sister and so forth will now be erased from House proceedings.

How many people truly realize that these actions constitute the entire mosaic of the communist line-up for world domination?

It is truly a lurching epiphany when comprehension dawns and people begin to connect the dots.  We can no longer view separate events occurring in this country as disconnected from one another.  They are inextricably linked.  Under the guise of compassion is the fervent implantation of communism.

It is an eerie but absolutely necessary awakening.  All these maneuvers by the left-wing social justice crowd are not and have never been to assist people.  They have one goal in mind: install communism and ultimate control of people's lives.  To dissent is an invitation to be destroyed.

As Skousen wrote, "[t]he war between freedom and slavery can be lost in the legislative halls of free men.  The wave of socialism which is sweeping many free western nations towards a kind of suppressive feudalism is gaining ground."

Sixty-three years ago, Skousen succinctly laid out the communist blueprint.  Until Americans truly understand the nefarious and never-ending goals of communists, we will continue to lose the country.  The Naked Communist by W. Cleon Skousen needs to be read by every American, especially the young and impressionable among us who deserve better.

Eileen can be reached at middlemarch18@gmail.com.

Image: Martin Vorel via Libreshot.