The recent My Turn “The toxic effect of leftist ideology, Part II,” [Recorder, April 26] and letter “Column nailed it on problems of the left,” [Recorder, May 2] prompted me to reply.
So-called communist countries have been totalitarian regimes. Marx and Engels said that the closest that true Marxism has been practiced is in Shaker communities. I recommend watching the Ken Burns documentary “The Shakers.” The complete equality of the sexes, They shared everything, there was no private property. Boys and girls received equal education. Their community was open, they took in “winter Shakers.” They were celibate but their communities grew by taking in orphans. I love the Shaker hymn:
Tis the gift to be simple, ‘tis the gift to be free
’Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
We will be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan’t be ashamed,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come ‘round right
Karen Sheaffer
Buckland