Thomas Jefferson warned that “If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.” Today, that warning feels less like a historical footnote and more like a flashing red alarm.
The recent election of a registered Democratic Socialist as mayor of New York City — sworn in on the Koran rather than the Bible — is only the latest signal that socialist ideology is gaining real traction in the United States, especially among younger voters. Socialism has long been understood as the ideological on‑ramp to more authoritarian systems, including Communism. This trend deserves attention, not dismissal.
Why are educated Americans embracing anti‑democratic movements?
Political commentator Jeff Childers recently posed a question that cuts to the heart of the issue: Why would educated people raised in a free, prosperous, capitalist society turn toward leaders who openly reject those foundations?
He argues that the attraction begins with a set of moral‑sounding but deeply flawed assumptions:
- Communism presents itself as intellectually profound.
- It promises a world without God, where man becomes his own savior.
- It claims to offer a revolutionary path to a better world.
- It functions as a substitute faith — a vision of humanity without God at the center.
These ideas have emotional appeal, especially to those who feel disillusioned or disconnected. But history shows where they lead.
Communism in America is not new — and it never disappeared
Communism has been active in the United States for more than a century.
- The Communist Party of America (CPA) was founded in 1919, complete with a constitution, membership rolls, and national conventions.
- It ran presidential candidates from the 1920s through the 1980s.
- After the 1980s, it stopped running candidates to avoid siphoning votes from progressive Democrats.
- In 2024, a splinter group formed the American Communist Party (ACP) after breaking from the renamed CPUSA.
Communism didn’t vanish. It simply adapted.
We’ve confronted this threat before
Many Americans remember the House Un‑American Activities Committee (HUAC) of the 1930s–1950s and the McCarthy hearings that exposed Communist infiltration in entertainment, government, and cultural institutions.
One of the most important witnesses was Whitaker Chambers, a former Soviet spy who defected in 1937. Raised in a poor, atheist household, he was initially drawn to Communism’s promises — until he saw the reality of Stalin’s purges and rediscovered faith. Chambers famously told his family, “We are leaving the winning world of Communism for the losing world of America.”
He later warned that Communism posed an existential threat because it replaced God with the belief that science alone could solve humanity’s problems — the problems science itself created.
Chambers exposed Alger Hiss, a State Department official and Soviet spy who helped draft the United Nations Charter. His 1952 autobiography, “Witness,” became one of the most influential anti‑Communist works in American history.
The modern landscape: the ideology survived the Cold War
Jeff Childers argues that although Ronald Reagan defeated the Soviet Union in 1991, he did not eliminate the underlying belief that man can replace God with ideology and technocracy. Nor did he uproot the networks of Communist‑aligned activists embedded in governments worldwide.
Fast‑forward to 2026:
- New York City, Seattle, and Minneapolis have all elected Socialist mayors.
- These same cities are seeing violent protests against ICE agents who are enforcing federal law and removing illegal immigrants who are criminal offenders.
- Investigative journalists report that American citizens are funding these protests to promote anti-American public opinion and reshape America’s political culture toward one-party, authoritarian rule.
The men and money behind the movement
For decades, billionaire George Soros and his Open Society network have funded progressive prosecutors and activist groups, reshaping the criminal‑justice landscape.
Now, reporting has highlighted another major figure: Neville Singham, a tech billionaire and American citizen living in Shanghai. His funding reportedly supports groups including Antifa, pro‑Hamas college campus activists, and anti‑ICE protestors — all working to influence American cities and institutions.
An informed citizenry is the only safeguard
The Founders understood that freedom survives only when citizens are informed. But if people rely solely on legacy media — the New York Times, traditional broadcast networks, or curated tech‑company newsfeeds including Apply, Google and Microsoft — they are not being informed.
There are powerful interests, foreign and domestic, that benefit from an uninformed public. And many media outlets are helping them.
Yet America has thrived for 250 years because ordinary citizens stayed engaged, shared information, and defended the principles that made the country strong.
The responsibility now falls to us
Whatever sources you trust, whatever conversations you have with family and friends, the duty remains the same: Stay informed. Share what you learn. Participate in your community. Vote with clarity and conviction.
The future of the American way of life depends on citizens who refuse to sleepwalk through history. The stakes are high, the outcome is not guaranteed, but an informed, engaged public has always been the force that keeps this nation free.