Is communism legal in the US?

[VetLegion]

If it were to be implemented is another thing.

I was curious how did they justify firing someone from work just because he was a communist. And why the person didn't go to court with it and prove it is within his rights to be a communist, which I think it was.

That I still don't understand. I can see the reasons why socialism was never a big force now, thanks for explaining that.

[Ned]

Originally posted by VetLegion
If it were to be implemented is another thing.

I was curious how did they justify firing someone from work just because he was a communist. And why the person didn't go to court with it and prove it is within his rights to be a communist, which I think it was.

That I still don't understand. I can see the reasons why socialism was never a big force now, thanks for explaining that.

Being a communist is not a protected civil right. Free speech is, but there the protection extends only to suppression by the government. So, a business can fire people for openly advocating things which the owner opposes, including communism.

BTW, I have always wondered how communists, hard leftists and hard rightists could gain employment in mainstream America. It appears that Che has answered this question. They keep quite while at work.

[VetLegion]

DanS said more than 10 000 jobs were lost in civil administration. How do you explain that?

P.S. Please don't see this as trolling, I am genuinely interested foreigner. I plan to pick up a history book about USA soon, but I doubt this is covered.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Ned
Being a communist is not a protected civil right. Free speech is, but there the protection extends only to suppression by the government.

Not necessarily. SCOTUS held in the late 80s that a white supremicist could sue for wrongful termination when his boss (a Black man) found out about his beliefs. But commies usually don't don't resort to the courts, they try and organize instead.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Not necessarily. SCOTUS held in the late 80s that a white supremicist could sue for wrongful termination when his boss (a Black man) found out about his beliefs.

That decision was probably under regulations by the EEOC or such and not really under the 1st Amendment.

[chequita guevara]

I think you may be correct.

[Tripledoc]

Has there ever been a communist in the Supreme Court? I guess not, since they are all appointed by either Democrats or Republicans. Well, at least they can agree on something.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Tripledoc
Has there ever been a communist in the Supreme Court?

Not as a justice, but there have been a few there having cases heard.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Has there ever been a communist in the Supreme Court?

Does Brennan count?

Just kidding... I love the justice from New Jersey .

[Tripledoc]

Yates v. U.S. Supreme Court Justices (name, appointed by, years of service)

In which it is apparently illegal to be a communist at work, but you can still be at home. (according to Ned)


Black, Hugo Lafayette - Roosevelt, F. - Democrat - 1937-1971
Douglas, William Orville - Roosevelt, F. - Democrat 1939-1975
Reed, Stanley Forman - Roosevelt, F. - Democrat - 1938-1957
Burton, Harold Hitz - Truman - Democrat - 1945-1958
Clark, Thomas Campbell - Truman - Democrat - 1949-1967
Harlan, John Marshall - Eisenhower - Republican - 1955-1971
Brennan, William Joseph, Jr. - Eisenhower - Republican - 1956-1990
Whittaker, Charles Evans Eisenhower - Republican - 1957-1962

Democrat New Deal superiority is clearly seen.

Does that have anything to do with this:

Joint Resolution of the Georgia General Assembly Mar. 13, 1957; In which they accuse the supreme court of Godless Communism and demand their impeachment?

http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/1957resn-9.htm

I would still say that the fact that Communism had been suppressed by supreme court has been beacuse of resentment felt towards them by the South. Hence it falls back to the Civil war.

[Ned]

Tripledoc, I didn't say that being a Communist was "illegal." I said that being a Communist did not place one in a protected class vis-à-vis the civil rights laws.

When I first got out of college I went to work for a defense contractor. We all had to have secret or top-secret clearances. I was working on Intercontinental ballistic missiles. In our department there were two programmers working on the missile's flight program. These guys were antiwar types openly advocating unilateral disarmament. I found is very strange. Anyone is seeing Schindler's List knows people can sabotage things so that they do not work. I thought I found a bizarre that management would continue to employe people that could have been programming these missiles to fly the Washington rather than to Moscow.

But nothing happened to these people. I only hope that security today is not so lax.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Democrat New Deal superiority is clearly seen.

Add to that fact that Brennan was very liberal as well. Then again, SC appointment wasn't as political back then.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Ned
These guys were antiwar types openly advocating unilateral disarmament.

And you are prowar and antidisarmament?

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Tripledoc
Has there ever been a communist in the Supreme Court? I guess not, since they are all appointed by either Democrats or Republicans. Well, at least they can agree on something.

Yes they do agree. That's why I never vote for either one.

[Arrian]

And THAT is something (at least so far) that Kid and I agree on.

Though I may break down and vote Dem this year. Not sure yet. Won't vote for Bush, that's for sure. But the whole "vote third party to weaken the big 'uns" thing doesn't seem to be working.

-Arrian