On Fri, 03 Oct 2003 21:56:28 GMT, RichH wrote
(with possible editing):

McCarthy....?????

ummmmmmm ..... McCarthy was completely VINDICATED during the Clinton
Administration by the Russian govt. disclosure of the "Venona Papers"
which flatly documented that McCarthy was wrong ONLY in the fact that
the Soviet penetration into the heart of the US govt. was 7 times larger
in numbers than even McCarthy was after. McCarthy's chief
source/witness, Whittaker Chambers, the center piece of the 'all the
hububb' was awarded the highest award given to non-military personnel.

Dont confuse McCarthy with the bipartisan House of Unamerican Activities
Committee (HUAC) - freaks from BOTH parties ... whose retired members
are now apparently posting political trolls on rec.boats.cruising, etc.

Ok, I wasn't going to respond, but I can't keep my big mouth
(fingers?) shut!

McCarthy vindicated? Ok, and Roy Cohn was a choir boy.

This country was founded on the cornerstone of free speech and
personal liberty. If the system was somehow less viable than
Communism, then Communism is what we'd have today and probably what we
deserve. But that's not what happened. Communism as practiced in the
Soviet Union fell apart. The Chinese have seen the writing on the
wall and have adopted Capitalism as a way to develop their nation.
(Yes, they're still a closed society with no respect for individual
rights; I'm not defending them). Cuba is still an economic disaster,
more so now that the prior Soviet Union is no longer supporting them.

Communism doesn't work. Maybe some can argue that it should, but in
very practical terms, it doesn't. That said, if someone wants to
argue the point, it's his right and we really don't need to publicly
excoriate someone for expressing his beliefs.

No flame intended. I lived through the McCarthy era and HUAC as well.
I won't question their motives, as perhaps I should, but the best I
can say about them is that I think they were all, uhh, ill-advised.

Now, to go register my dinghy. Here in NH, we have to register
ANYTHING that floats and has a motor. Even my canoe with a little
electric.

--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com