Does it bug anyone that government forms still ask if you are a communist?
Is that illegal? I want to answer yes one time just to see what happens.
Cite?
In addition to that the one page form everyone is given to fill out when entering the USA(other countries usually also ask about communism) on the plane also asks about being a communist. Even if you’re a US citizen like I am.
Last time I filled out a US customs declaration there was no communism question. I do recall having to answer a lot of questions about fruits and vegetables.
To answer your question, being a communist or member of a Communist Party is perfectly legal, but as you have ascertained yourself, it can be a barrier to naturalization.
It was on mine along with asking if I was a nazi and other stuff, which again made me go so what? I assumed I might get extra questions or harassment for answering yes.
All I know is that the correct answer is a definitive “no.”
Huh. I’ve filled out many government forms in my lifetime and I don’t think I’ve *ever *been asked if I’m a communist. I feel left out.
All the political questions are done with code words nowadays. For your sake, I hope you didn’t claim any “citrus”.
Hey, I work for a state university, making me an employee of the state. Before I could start work, I had to sign a loyalty oath(PDF), which doesn’t mention communism or other specific -isms either ;). Apparently it used to, and thecommunism statement does still come up at times.
Huh, it bugs me because I thought we’d moved past the Cold War stuff and were supposed to be hating on Ayrabs and Moslems.
Actually the reason it bugs me is that they ask about something controversial and either expect an honest answer, or already know and just want to see if you’ll own it.
Conversely, if you are asked whether you are a god, definitely tick the “yes” box.
Yes, I suppose you do, COMRADE!!!
I have a dim memory of being asked if i was a communist—I think the question appeared on a couple of job applications. I wish my memory wasn’t failing.
That gov-speak stuff always says “the Communist Party”, don’t they know there is more than one? Is being a French communist better or worse than a Chinese communist?
So help me Og…
I don’t recall being asked that when I applied for my Trained Monkey Data Entry job with the feds, nor when I joined the Army.
At least for the latter, however, I was asked (after a string of questions which basically come down to “Are you a member or financial supporter of a terrorist group?”) “Have you ever knowingly engaged in any activities designed to overthrow the U.S. Government by force?” “…No…” “Next question: Have you ever knowingly engaged in any acts of terrorism?”
At which point I asked what happens if one says yes to such a question. My recruiter said he didn’t have a damn clue, but you’re probably not getting your security clearance. Or your government job. Interestingly, the form does stipulated that your honest answers cannot be used as evidence against you.
(If you’re interested, behold Standard Form 86, no questions about communism but lots about finances and terrorism.)
Over the course of my career, all within DoD, I’ve held a variety of security clearances and filled out a buttload of questionnaires, and I honestly don’t ever recall being asked if I was a commie. There were questions about whether I advocated overthrow of the government but my political leanings never seemed to come up.
I do recall, eons ago, getting confused when someone told me nuns were communists. But that was true, in the strictest sense of the word - everything was about the community, not the individual. In an unrealistically ideal world, it’s a lovely idea.
Of the two forms I’ve had to fill in when entering the US (one for the seeds people and one for the political police), one asked whether I was a commie and whether I was going to break any law of the US. Well, not intentionally, no… but I always want to ask “do I get shipped home for a traffic ticket?”
I had to do a state one years ago. They listed about 5 subversive groups you had to deny belonging to. Besides various communist parties, they also listed the SLA.
The SLA? They were long gone. May as well asked if I belonged to the Knights Templar. Good they they didn’t ask if I belonged to the Judean People’s Front.
I signed but right under that added “signed under duress” just to see if anyone noticed or cared. Nope.
The state supreme court later ruled that being a communist wasn’t a valid thing to ask. So now they just ask if you have recently belonged to a group that advocated the overthrow of the US or state government, etc. It’s up to you to name the Communist Party if you think that’s what they’re doing.
I’ve been to the US twice in the last month (California and Hawaii), both separate trips, and neither of the forms I filled out asked if I was a communist.