Column:

A view from inside socialism

By Trevor Turner

Published Oct. 30, 2008

I have a confession to make. I didn't grow up in the free-market, apple pie, Chuck Norris America most of you did. I have only recently immigrated to this great, capitalist country when I started college here at MU. I, in fact, grew up in an oppressive socialist country.

In my old country, I lived in a community with constant talks of warfare. My neighborhood was completely surrounded by metal fences and barbed wire. In order to get to my home I would show the guard with his AK-47 my national identification card that all people in my country were required to have on them at all times.

The houses were rows and rows of the exact same monotonous shapes and colors. The government issued a house to everyone from and, with its socialist ways, provided them free utilities.

My community in the old country had all the essential socialist institutions. We had our community grocery store called 'the Commissary' and all the food was sold at cost. Profits are for capitalists. There was the government-funded hospital where our socialized health care provided free prescription drugs and medical procedures. All of the citizens stayed healthy with our socialized fitness center and received a free college education at our education center.

One would think with all the free services, life would be great, but citizens of my old country were oppressed. Citizens were assigned jobs based on a test and abilities and were paid based on rank in the community regardless of the job or how much work was done. My father is a fire chief in my old country and is paid on the E-8 rank. His fellow comrade is a fitness trainer who is also paid on the E-8 rank. They are paid the same, yet my father does more work.

Citizens in my old country have no free speech. If one were to speak out against the government or the country, they would be reprimanded, ostracized by the community and possibly exiled from the country. If one is found to be a homosexual, they are automatically exiled from the country. Also, everyday at exactly 5 p.m., the national anthem was played over the loudspeakers all over the neighborhood and people must stop whatever they were doing and salute. If they refuse, a police officer will stop them and give them a fine. The government even controlled what style of haircut the citizens had.

I have to say I am very glad to have escaped that socialist country. I am glad to be in Columbia where I can enjoy the great competitive world of capitalism. It beats the horrible oppressive socialist life of my old country with no individuality, with countless socialist institutions, the "country" of the U.S. Air Force.

That's right, I'm a military brat. Now I don't actually think the air force is a socialist institution, but I have done what Republicans have been doing. Taking something that is not socialist and trying to scare voters into thinking it is socialist. Barack Obama's plans for America are far from socialism and I think Americans will agree on Election Day.

Trevor Turner is a member of the College Democrats. He can be reached at tturner@themaneater.com.