In the letter titled “Why I voted for DeVries,” the letter writer said he was responding to letters that suggested that Rep. Greg DeVries held radical views and therefore voting for him was a display of ignorance. The writer listed radical views allegedly held by the “D” party, then concluded by saying, “Until the ‘D’ party returns to sanity there will be no votes from me on that side of the ballot.”
To summarize: Someone implied those voting for DeVries were “ignorant,” and someone retaliated by implying those voting for the D party were “insane.”
I’ll try to step away from name calling, and examine one of the letter writer’s unsupported hypotheses, namely that “socialism has been a failed economic system wherever it has been tried.”
I think socialism is when community members (rich and poor) work together for the benefit of all, not so unlike what DeVries himself has suggested – that churches, charities and nonprofits voluntarily give of their time and money to aid those in need, and not so unlike Hutterites, who live and share with each other right here in Montana and continue to succeed economically.
And what of Early Day Christians? “…They sold all their possessions and property and distributed all the proceeds, as anyone had a need.” (Acts 2:44,45) Rich and poor joined together voluntarily for the benefit of all.
And don’t most of us American community members work together for the benefit of all, paying taxes so all of us, rich and poor, can have clean water, efficient sewer systems, safe roads, affordable health care, quality schools, a clean and accessible environment, healthy food, warm homes and Social Security.
Sounds like a form of socialism. Are we a “failed system”?
A good form of socialism combines with Capitalism in most European countries to assure workers of a living wage, health care, education, clean water and a safe environment.
Let’s not pretend to ourselves that trying to improve how we care for one another is a futile endeavor, part of a “failed system.” – Dean Grenz, Boulder
