Submitted by Terresa Monroe-Hamilton on May 8, 2014
By: Cliff Kincaid, Accuracy in Media
The feminists behind a proposed National Women’s History Museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. had scheduled a “lobby day” on May 8 to carry their campaign forward. But with the support of Republican House Majority Leader Eric("the Red") Cantor (R-VA), a vote on the controversial proposal may be held as early as today, May 7, with plans to rush it through without public debate.
The urgency may stem from fears that the radical feminist orientation of the project may be exposed for the public to see.
For example, the museum’s online entry for communist feminist Bella Abzug, a former Democratic member of Congress, praises her for taking a stand against a “reactionary” part of American history.
“Specializing in labor and civil rights law,” it says of Abzug, “much of her work was pro bono defense of victims of this reactionary era”—the 1950s.
This is a reference, of course, to alleged “victims” of McCarthyism. It sounds heroic until you realize that Abzug’s FBI file disclosed her own involvement with the Communist Party, its front groups, and even Soviet officials.
FBI File Exposes Feminist Icon Bella Abzug
as Communist Agent with Soviet Contacts
as Communist Agent with Soviet Contacts
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| Click on any image to read PDF document | |||
While the online version whitewashes Abzug, the Heritage Foundation notes that this version of the museum ignores such conservative women as Phyllis Schlafly, Beverly LaHaye, and Jeane Kirkpatrick.
A bio for racist Planned Parenthood funder Margaret Sanger says, “More than any other single person, she originated the mindset that allowed for rational control of human population,” as if this is a positive legacy.
Abzug (1920-1998) was known for wearing big hats, and was certainly one of the most recognizable feminist politicians of the late 20th century. “Women’s history isn’t meant to rewrite history,” the group says. “The objective is to promote scholarship and expand our knowledge of American history.”
It looks like the “scholarship” has a definite left-wing slant.
Proponents of a physical location for the museum on the National Mall have 22 Senators and 94 Representatives signed on as co-sponsors of a bill to designate an actual building site. These numbers are far short of a majority in either body.
They had been hoping for passage of the legislation around Mother’s Day (May 11), but with the support of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor were hoping to rush it through today.
The bills, HR 863 and S. 398, would create a commission to recommend a “permanent home” for the National Women’s History Museum at the National Mall.
Leading the effort in the House are Representatives Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN).
The FBI file shows that Abzug was on the FBI security index, reserved for dangerous individuals with communist connections. It also shows:
- An informant said she was “either a communist or one who follows the line of the Communist Party very closely.”
- Abzug paid tribute to attorneys for the Communist Party.
- Surveillance of Abzug’s home revealed that a Soviet official had contacted Abzug, and that arrangements were made for her to meet the USSR delegation to the United Nations.
- A letter to the FBI described Abzug as a member of numerous communist fronts and whose congressional campaign was a “top priority in communist and Soviet diplomatic circles.”
Even before we got access to her file, Reed Irvine and I had noted in a commentary that “…her record shows that she was a faithful follower of the Communist Party line dictated by the Kremlin.” We pointed out the following:
- She was a member of six Communist front groups at the height of the Cold War.
- She supported the Stalin-Hitler pact signed in 1939 when many Communist Party members were leaving the Party. She went along with the Communist Party’s opposition to American support of Britain and France from 1939 until July 22, 1941, when Hitler invaded the Soviet Union.
- In 1948, after the Communists staged a coup and seized control of Czechoslovakia, Abzug went to Prague to attend the Third Congress of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, a Soviet front group.
- She represented the National Lawyers Guild, a front controlled by the Communist Party, USA.
- In 1966, she signed a statement published in the Communist paper, The Daily Worker, opposing investigations of subversive activities by Congressional committees.
- In 1967, she supported resolutions condemning Israel as “an imperialist aggressor.”
A special AIM Report article, “Burying the Truth About Bella,” goes into more detail.
Regarding the possibility of a vote today, CNN says, “The House is expected to pass the idea and send it to the Senate for approval.”
A list of corporate and foundation supporters of the museum includes Forbes Magazine, Time Warner, Gannett, Good Housekeeping and Hearst Magazines.
Cliff Kincaid is the Director of the AIM Center for Investigative Journalism and can be contacted at cliff.kincaid@aim.org. View the complete archives from Cliff Kincaid.
source trevorloudon
