We Are Change does NOT respect diversity

[Thunder]

Following an earlier thread here, which put into question W.A.C.'s commitment to political diversity and openness to different beliefs, I contacted W.A.C., to see if a devoted Communist could join their ranks.

According to We Are Change's "code of conduct", they:

"We Are Change is tolerant of all political viewpoints and does not endorse and particular political group".

but yet, after simply informing one of their representatives that I was a devoted Communist, I was told that I was NOT welcome.

So much for consistency. So much for being honest. So much for freedom of thought and belief.



Here is the email exchange. Its in reverse order, from most recent to original email. Enjoy. :D

------It's not about being discriminatory against your political beliefs. Your
inquiring about joining an organization that promotes and fights for the
US Constitution which is direct oppostion to what Communism stands for.

It would be like you wanting to join PETA because you are against drug
companies testing on animals, but at the same time you support people
wearing fur jackets and like to wear them yourself. Both positions are in
total antithesis of each other.

It just makes no sense as to why a self proclaimed communist would want to
join an organization that is in total oppostion to your beliefs.

-Dan Burke-
We Are CHANGE

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can
change the world; in fact it is the only thing that ever does.” — Margaret
Mead


Thanks for getting back to me.

Forgive me, but I was under the impression that We Are Change allowed all
individuals, regardless of their political beliefs. Is that not in your
list of rules on your web page..that W.A.C. does not discriminate against
any political belief systems?

Thanks,





________________________________
From: "dan@wearechange.org" <dan@wearechange.org>
To: 333333333
Sent: Mon, February 8, 2010 6:55:16 PM
Subject: [Fwd: RE: [Fwd: membership in 9-11 truth]]

From The Communist Manifesto

10 point program

Abolition of property in land and application of all rents of land to
public purposes.
A heavy progressive or graduated income tax.
Abolition of all right of inheritance.
Confiscation of the property of all emigrants and rebels.
Centralisation of credit in the hands of the State, by means of a national
bank with State capital and an exclusive monopoly.
Centralisation of the means of communication and transport in the hands of
the State.
Extension of factories and instruments of production owned by the State;
the bringing into cultivation of waste-lands, and the improvement of the
soil generally in accordance with a common plan.
Equal liability of all to labour. Establishment of industrial armies,
especially for agriculture.
Combination of agriculture with manufacturing industries; gradual
abolition of the distinction between town and country, by a more equitable
distribution of the population over the country.
Free education for all children in public schools. Abolition of children's
factory labour in its present form. Combination of education with
industrial production.[8]

These beliefs are in direct contradiction to the US Constitution. Call
yourself a communist and this what you have to defend. You could have
said nothing and I commend you for your honesty.

But......

911 Truth ain't the end all for WAC

Michael Knarr
www.PolygraphRadio.com (http://www.polygraphradio.com/)
www.WeAreChangePA.com (http://www.wearechangepa.com/)
www.PAoathkeepers.com (http://www.paoathkeepers.com/)

Hi there. I have come to think that for the most part, 9-11 was indeed an
inside job, and I am looking to work with fellow people who think the same
way.

however, I am also a devoted Communist, and have been for much of my adult
life. Would I be welcome in your organization, regardless of these
political views?

thanks for any info,

Michael,------

[Drudgewire]

I gotta tell you... his explanation seems pretty sound to me. vhttp://www.lethalwrestling.com/upload/shobon.gifv

[Par]

How utterly banal and tedious.

[Horatius]

I gotta tell you... his explanation seems pretty sound to me. vhttp://www.lethalwrestling.com/upload/shobon.gifv



And if they'd said that on their website, all would be good. It's the inconsistency of claiming they respect all political ideologies, and then shutting the door in his face, that's the problem.

Just another example of them lying, even to themselves.

[DavidJames]

You shouldn't expect intellectual honesty from an organization who's premise is inherently intellectually dishonest.

[quarky]

Yet, parky's query was dishonest. Calls the kettle black.


Unless you actually are a communist, in which case, I apologize.

[Drudgewire]

Just another example of them lying, even to themselves.


I just can't get past the irony of basing this on a dishonest attempt at a "gotcha."

ETA: And like quarky said, if Parky's actually a communist looking to join, I take it back.

[rwguinn]

And this is news in what way?

[Thunder]

no...I am no Communist.

Though, I do consider myself to be a Social-Democrat and would support a social-market economy to be installed in the USA.

but i do not support the abolition of private property. i do support massive regulation of corporations and natural resource industries, though.

and i support a single-payer health care system. and public financing of elections.

...but Im no Commy.

[Sledge]

This group believes the US government murdered 3000 of it's own citizens, and you're picking them up on their discriminatory membership policies*? I'm not entirely clear on what you're hoping to achieve here.

*which information you lied to obtain. That criticism of their lying rings a little hollow now.

[Drudgewire]

Regardless of how misguided we all agree they are, they openly identify themselves as a patriot organization. Not only does a communist ideology go against what they promote as their mission statement, someone who identified themselves as a communist would consider themselves in direct contrast with what WAC claims to stand for. They would be better served to join other truther groups that don't wear their colors on their sleeve.

This is akin to writing a racial diversity group as a klansman and saying you want to join, and claiming they're not really supporting diverse opinions when they refused.

[McHrozni]

Yet, parky's query was dishonest. Calls the kettle black.

Hm. An organization openly declares itself open to all people regardless of their ideology and when someone they disagree with tries to join they bar him immediately.

How does that compare with a fake application to the same organization to see if they even follow their own rules?

To be fair, one rule states that they respect the US Constitution, which is somewhat in line of their response. I suppose freedom of speech and thought is not a part of they support, though.

McHrozni

[Skeptic]

This group believes the US government murdered 3000 of it's own citizens, and you're picking them up on their discriminatory membership policies*?

It's a bit like the Klan officially not allowing Blacks to join. Why would any Black want to is another issue.

Hmmmm, on second thought...

http://lofive.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/live_poker_kkk.jpg

[Sledge]

Hm. An organization openly declares itself open to all people regardless of their ideology and when someone they disagree with tries to join they bar him immediately.

How does that compare with a fake application to the same organization to see if they even follow their own rules?

To be fair, one rule states that they respect the US Constitution, which is somewhat in line of their response. I suppose freedom of speech and thought is not a part of they support, though.

McHrozniThe problem I'm having here is that I can't see what useful point parky is trying to make. WAC say they're open to people of all ideologies but won't accept communists. Ok. And? Their reasoning for not accepting communists seems fairly sound to me. Maybe they should explain this in their FAQ, but so what? To be honest, this kind of thing strikes me as the sort of petty trickery I'd associate with the truther movement.

Oh, and it's possible to support freedom of speech without necessarily wanting every loony in the world to shout their ideas in your front room.

[Cl1mh4224rd]

To be honest, this kind of thing strikes me as the sort of petty trickery I'd associate with the truther movement.


Investigative journalists do this pretty often.

[Thunder]

hey...i was bored. and I think WAC is wack. and i wanted to prove it from their own words.

:)

[Sledge]

Investigative journalists do this pretty often.
Oh, well it must be alright then. If the News of the Screws uses the technique to drum up sales, it's obviously above reproach.

[zaphod2016]

I gotta tell you... his explanation seems pretty sound to me. vhttp://www.lethalwrestling.com/upload/shobon.gifv

Why not just add this to the TOS?

We Are Change (aka WAC, read: whack) support the U.S. Constitution and expect our members to do the same. Fictional, non-existent Communists need not apply.

Also: Parky, someone is paying you to do this, right? I sure hope so.

[Thunder]

Also: Parky, someone is paying you to do this, right? I sure hope so.

what? it only took me a few minutes.