Let's talk about this Socialism business - among other things

Ever since the campaign for the presidency, Republicans have been hurtling the socialism label around with reckless abandon. So let's break this down. And let's really not run away from the label.

First of all, because it seems to me that the right always needs an enemy, they quickly label people and positions with the most incendiary labels so we don't even think about the CONTENT of the positions being moved. I think our country is in too perilous a condition to be frightened by labels.

With that said, let's start with socialism and end with their other favorite bogeyman - homosexuals. Socialism. Am I supposed to go running and take cover with images of the Russian Revolution of 1919? I suppose I'm supposed to weep and wail with the prospect of losing my religion and losing the ability to be the top 1% of people keeping all of the wealth while others live in tent cities? Let's get something straight. After the unbridled capitalism present in the U.S. before the Great Depression, thank God for those "socialist" trends of creating a social safety net. Thank God for Social Security, Food Stamps, and protections for labor to organize. Because I'm not interested in having a bunch of old people who can't take care of themselves thrown out on the street because they can't even afford food; hungry people in general; and having wages moving towards a race to the bottom. Actually, this reminds me that I wish there was a stronger international labor movement so that we can no longer hold out workers in China or India as cheaper so we don't get jobs. They don't deserve to be paid so little, especially given the profits made from their labor. If this makes me a socialist, sue me!

Finally, let's discuss the other bogeyman, "homosexuals". Homosexuals are credited with everything from hampering other people's civil rights to creating the downfall of American society (let's not forget the cause of 9/11). If we are going to make real strides for women in the United States, and don't think that men won't be beneficiaries, we can't allow the alleged "threat" of gay marriage to get in the way. What is the right really afraid of - that women will stop saying "yeah I'll cook your dinner, raise your kids, and clean up after you." Perhaps women should. Then men would have to take real responsibility for themselves.

Ultimately, socialists and homosexuals are used to keep real progress from happening in the U.S. I'd prefer progress - non-legally sanctioned discrimination on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, etc. [remember that the Lilly Ledbetter Act just passed this year; a real social safety neck so that we can all heave a sigh of relief until this economy gets its legs back, and a kinder, gentler nation. We could start the kinder, gentler part of this vision with ending the scapegoating of queers and socialists . . .