Daddy, Where Do Communists Come From?

Children are curious and easily frightened. They want explanations for everything scary. For instance —

“Does thunder mean God is angry? That big growling bear I saw on TV — is it going to find me and eat me? And I heard there are disguised communists who are more dangerous than that bear.

“And they’re running around in spooky places like New York and Michigan and Oregon. And California — is that place real? I don’t understand, Daddy. Where, oh where, do communists come from?”

You can’t blame the kids. Communists are also hard for adults to understand, even adults who understand history and economics — especially those adults.

To grasp the outbreak of revived communism — the disease once thought eradicated — first behold its breeding grounds, the manicured lawns and stately buildings of American colleges and universities.