Left wing Pinkos

wb

Anyone remember Charlie McCreeveys comment?

What is a pinko? Where does the word come from?

Just curious.

Thanks

gilroyb

I think it's that they weren't even strong enough in their beliefs to be real communists (reds), so were just some sort of diluted moaners (pinkos)

Time Magazine

The Commies' color was red. So somebody who was nearly a Commie was pink.

Also probably got something to do with femininity/not having a pair of strong, right-wingers in your pants.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinko

arbeitsscheuer

That is correct.

Came about in MacCarthy-era USA, as a derogatory term for anyone displaying the least bit sympathy for Senator Joe's victims and/or communism in general.

EDIT: Dammit Enda!:D

wb

Thanks.

Time Magazine

SebtheBum wrote:

That is correct.

Came about in MacCarthy-era USA, as a derogatory term for anyone displaying the least bit sympathy for Senator Joe's victims and/or communism in general.

EDIT: Dammit Enda!:D

I'd like to point out that Seb has an image of Shay from Gougonbarra in the left of his sig... and that thus he is a moaning pinko.

arbeitsscheuer

I prefer to think of myself as an "Armchair Socialist", but I spose Pinko is an adequate enough description.

Cork

The demise of the USSR/Iron curtain - all socialists are pretty pink.

Sure they wear red roses on their lapels come party conference time but these partys believe in free market economics.

Dirk Gently

Cork wrote:

Sure they wear red roses on their lapels come party conference time but these partys believe in free market economics.

Why are these people even called socialists. Surely they’re just capitalists, plain and simple. i.e. the labour party = capitalists and not pink socialists.

In my view if you believe in the free market you’re a capitalist. If like labour you are a capitalist who recognises the destructive nature of total market freedom and wish to soften capitalism then they are weak capitalists not weak socialists. I mean the amount of people going around calling themselves socialists is madness. Comrade Bertie for one. Is Bertie pink?

gilroyb

clown bag wrote:

Is Bertie pink?

Well he did come out in favour of gay partnerships. That's about as pink as an Irish politician gets.

Widgeon

Anyone to the left of McCreevey is a pinko

Victor

clown bag wrote:

Is Bertie pink?

I think the last tiem we checked he was Oompa loompa orange!

arbeitsscheuer

I spose pinkos would be people like Senator Norris and Michael D. Higgins.

Real socialists? There's f**king loads of em mate, there's still a CPI dontcha know...

Dirk Gently

SebtheBum wrote:

I spose pinkos would be people like Senator Norris and Michael D. Higgins.

Real socialists? There's f**king loads of em mate, there's still a CPI dontcha know...

I would describe the CPI as Stalinists rather than socialists, not really the same thing. Joe Higgins Socialist party I would describe as socialists. None of the main parties I would call socialists. As I said I would call labour weak capitalists but I suppose if pink is the term commonly accepted as meaning someone who pays lip service to socialism when in fact they support capitalism then I concede that labour are pink. I would rather the word Turquoise to label these groups though as it implies weak blue which would be more correct rather than weak red as they are basically lying about their red credentials.

What a strange post this is, colour coded political parties. This is what happens when I stay in on a Saturday night instead of having a few pints . Off to the pub with me next week.

I propose a deep royal blue for the pds with a little dove above the euro symbol to represent free market mayhem, a colour which changes according to mood for FF, turquoise for labour, green for the greens, a mix of green and turquoise for SF and red for the socialist party. FG are blue because they're blueshirts.

arbeitsscheuer

clown bag wrote:

I would describe the CPI as Stalinists rather than socialists, not really the same thing.

You're wrong right there. Knowing CPI members, as I do, they bristle at the very suggestion that they are Stalinists. It's usually an accusation levelled by d1ckwad know-nothing Socialist Party lapdogs tbh (not saying you are this, this is just prior experience on my part talking).

Me, I was in the SWP but quit after about 2 years. Pretty inactive generally, and in any case it wasn't really my cuppa tea. Anyway.

In any case, the argument's all null and void anyway - Nobody has an absolute veto on the use of a colour for political purposes (what a weird world that would be to live in) - and the policies or leanings of none of the parties are set in stone.

I absolutely agree with you on Labour though, no question, especially when I get so horribly uncomfortable when I hear about electoral partnership with FG... *Shudder*

Dirk Gently

I'm not an SP member or a member of any organisation but as far as I know the CP still defend the actions of Stalin and I don't trust them cos a lot of them have beards. It's a well known scientific fact that men with beards are well dodgy. Anyway I'll have a chat with one of the beardy men next time I pass by Connolly books and find out what their position is. It's funny (more sad really) to note the venom between the various Left groups with the SWP / SP / WSM all having little digs at each other when a more constructive approach would be to have a broad alliance campaigning together on common ground rather than slagging each other ridiculing other left parties over ideological differences. The one thing I find annoying about the SWP is Eamon mc cann. No matter what the subject he is talking about it always turns into a lecture on the north. He could be talking about fly fishing in the Amazon jungle and he would some how relate it back to norn iron.

DadaKopf

Why are these people even called socialists. Surely they’re just capitalists, plain and simple. i.e. the labour party = capitalists and not pink socialists.

People and parties who accept capitalism but seek to transform it/harness it to protect the most vulnerable in society are social democrats - a midway between strong socialism and capitalism, though some social democrats believe it's a form of socialism between communism and capitalism.

Most dominant parties in continental Europe are social democratic.

Ireland's Labour party is social democratic.

As for demonising social democrats as "armchair socialists" isn't fair - it's far more important for people in society to have a particular set of beliefs/values and weave it into everyday life than for everyone to become a lifelong activist (which, let's face it, is tough to keep up). I mean, do you ever hear of "armchair conservatives"? "Armchair Fianna Fáilers"?

arbeitsscheuer

To be fair, the label "armchair socialist" is only a "demonising" one if you let it become that kind of stereotype.

Me, I'm an armchair socialist, in that I know my own opinions are left-wing on the political spectrum, but I don't bust my balls, or even make the slightest effort, to persuade or "convert" people to the socialist cause. I have absolutely no problem with people labelling me that way - It in no way makes my opinion less valid or heartfelt.

I think people would be a lot more inclined to embrace socialism if there were more armchair socialists and less headstrong militant ones, but that's just me.

history_buff

A pinko is someone who claims to be a Communist/socialist/revolutionary workers' man but desperately needs money, fame and status to succeed. Peter Mandelson is a good example.