SF Board of Supervisors Unanimously Rebukes Congressional "Red-baiting" Resolution

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution today condemning the passage of House Concurrent Resolution 9, titled “Denouncing the Horrors of Socialism,” and urging Congress not to engage in the practice of “red-baiting.” Supervisor Dean Preston, a Democratic Socialist who represents District 5 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, called on his colleagues to take a stand after the congressional Resolution passed the United States House of Representatives with bipartisan support, including that of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

“Today’s vote is a message that red-baiting has no place in San Francisco, where we fight to support working people,” stated Preston. “Democrats should be championing visionary socialist policies—like Medicare for all, social housing, and free public transit—rather than cynically vilifying those who fight for these things on the left.”

The congressional Resolution was introduced by Florida Republican Maria Elvira Salazar, and includes clauses attributing atrocities to socialism and listing various “socialist ideologues” before claiming that socialism “has repeatedly led to famine and mass murders.” In addition, the Resolution concludes: “Congress denounces socialism in all its forms, and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States of America.”

The Resolution is only one of the latest in Republican red-baiting attacks against socialism, progressive policies, and people associated with those ideas. Former President Donald Trump and his administration repeatedly attacked Joe Biden and his policies as “socialist” and similarly accused Vice President Kamala Harris of being a “left-wing e xtremist.” Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and, most recently, Lance Gooding (R-TX) have also resorted to calling Democrats “communists,” with Gooding calling for an FBI probe into Democratic Congresswoman Judy Chu– the first Chinese American woman elected to Congress– over questions about her loyalty to the United States.

“HCR-9 set a dangerous precedent for Republicans to use redbaiting tactics to advance their anti-democratic, anti-worker, regressive policy agenda,” stated Supervisor Preston. “People who care about economic and racial justice must not condone, let alone participate in Republican red-baiting.”

In addition to the dangers of red-baiting, maligning socialism and socialist ideas alienates voters. According to the Pew Research Center, over 40% of all voters have a favorable view of socialism– with 57% of Democrats having a favorable view of socialism. According to the same poll, young people today have a more favorable view of socialism than capita lism.

In fact, socialism and socialist policies have a long history in the United States and worldwide. Respected leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Dolores Huerta, W.E.B. Du Bois, Mother Jones, Dorothy Day, Paul Robeson, Langston Hughes, James Baldwin, and Harry Bridges were vocal about their socialist ideals and incorporated those ideals into their advocacy. Their work and ideas remain highly celebrated today.

Socialist ideas have also been implemented in the United States, including through Social Security, public housing, the United States Postal Service, fire departments, and government-funded roads and infrastructure. These policies remain highly popular across the nation.

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