To the Journal editor:

Socialist Pilgrims in Jamestown? Nope. Pilgrims starving to death because of socialism? Nope. Just more right wing misinformation. More of the Newt Gingrich-like talking points.

Jamestown was a business venture and the first colonists worked the land in a common course. Malaria and drought were larger problems than socialism which the colonists had to deal with. If they were starving to death in 1620 why would their leader William Bradford declare three days of feasting?

The Pilgrims trip to the New World was paid for by a company called “Merchant Adventurers.” For profit. Most of the religious refugees could not afford the trip here so they signed on to work for a set number of years. They were not allowed to own their own lands until their contract was fullfilled.

I do agree with the previous letter writer that one should be careful in their choice of who to vote for. Fifty to 80 million people died during World War II. That wasn’t due to socialism though. That was due to fascism.

The National Socialist German Workers Party (Nazi Party) was not socialist. They were fascists. They chose to use the word socialist because it sounded better than fascist.

I would suggest people read “The Suffocation of Democracy” by historian Christopher R. Browning who specializes in the Holocaust, Nazi Germany and Europe.

JEFFREY PRUSI

Negaunee