Country Music Star Has a Compelling Message for 'Young Folks Leaning Socialist'
In November of 2017, the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation released a poll of how millennials would prefer to be governed. Forty-four percent said they would like to live under socialism, compared to 42 percent under capitalism and 7 percent each for communism and fascism.
In short, that means 58 percent of people in a country considered the paragon of capitalism, which has afforded its citizens the highest living standard in the history of the planet, believe they would rather not enjoy the blessings of the system that’s provided them that standard of living.
Country musician John Rich — he of Big & Rich fame — isn’t terribly impressed with the Bernie bros or the Ocasio-Cortez orcs (yeah, I know, it doesn’t have the same alliterative ring that “Bernie bros” does, but I’m going to make it a thing). On Twitter, he had a message for all of the young types who believe we’d be better off living under a non-capitalist system.
“I hear many young folks are leaning socialist?” the singer wrote Thursday on Twitter.
“What if: Socialism was applied to schools? Some make A’s, some make F’s,” he continued.
“According to Socialism, the teacher would average the grades and everybody gets a C. Sound good? Might want to study up on what you’re proposing.”
I hear many young folks are leaning socialist? What if: Socialism was applied to schools? Some make A's, some make F's. According to Socialism, the teacher would average the grades and everybody gets a C. Sound good? Might want to study up on what you're proposing. #NOTHANKS
— John Rich🇺🇸 (@johnrich) July 19, 2018
He added the hashtag “#NOTHANKS” at the end.
As you can imagine, there were plenty of responses to Rich’s tweet.
I’m a social studies teacher and I proudly teach our Constitution and the Republic in which we live. Your exact example is how I explain socialism to my 8th grade students. God bless you J.R.
— Jarred Turner (@jarredturner) July 20, 2018
This led to an angry response from a liberal — as well as a pointed rejoinder from Rich himself.
https://twitter.com/BobbieBees/status/1020347815547977728
There it is…Socialists believe they know what's best for everyone. If they don't like you're style or ambitions, they want to take them away. Thanks for at least being honest about it.
— John Rich🇺🇸 (@johnrich) July 20, 2018
And that’s the kind of thing we have to be worried about — particularly when millennials don’t seem particularly interested in capitalism or freedom.
“Millennials now make up the largest generation in America, and we’re seeing some deeply worrisome trends,” Marion Smith, executive director of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation, said after their poll was released last year, according to Fox News.
“Millennials are increasingly turning away from capitalism and toward socialism and even communism as a viable alternative.”
Perhaps they ought to remember the words of Mr. Rich in his own Twitter thread, however.
“Many Americans are taught that happiness is a right in the USA. It’s not,” Rich said. “The right to PURSUE happiness is guaranteed. Socialism says that all people should be ‘happy’ and in the same situation. That credo kills drive and dries up the spirit of entrepreneurism.”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
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