On the night of Oct. 1, the Empire State Building, one of the most iconic American landmarks, was lit up in bright red and yellow lights to honor and celebrate the Chinese communist revolution and sixty years of communism in China. Despite local protests and thousands of phone calls, the celebration of communism continued.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Is there a growing trend today in America that accepts and even glorifies Marxism and communism?

Over the years, I have met several individuals who have expressed a respect for and belief in Marxist ideas, specifically communism. A few months ago, a repairman told me that the "best system of government is communism" because of its supposed "egalitarian quality." This disturbing viewpoint is more common than one might think.

While attending classes as a student, and later as a professor, at Fort Hays State University and elsewhere, I noticed that some students, as well as the occasional faculty member, were strongly Marxist. A few of them openly expressed a strong belief in class warfare, the evils of private property, the necessity of government ownership, etc. In the classroom, we all study the horrible atrocities committed by the Nazis, including the six million estimated deaths in the Holocaust of Jews alone. However, there seems to be little if any mention of the millions of men, women, and children who have died under communist rule in the last 90 years. Why?

There appears to be a great void in the educational system across the country. Why are so many teachers ignoring the atrocities and oppression found in the pursuit of communism? This might explain the ignorant acceptance, or at least sympathy for, Marxist ideas in our society.

For years, the communist revolutionary Che Guevera has been made into a glorified countercultural symbol. Che was an intelligent revolutionary writer, as well as a cold- hearted killer. He aided Fidel Castro in the communist takeover of Cuba in 1959. During the Cuban missile crisis, Che voiced his desire to bomb New York City and he openly expressed his hatred of President Kennedy and the United States. He was placed in charge of La Cabana prison, where Che personally oversaw the executions and brutal torture of hundreds of people at the prison and during the purges.

Today, one can find pictures of Che Guevera on T-shirts worn by high school and college students across the country who ignorantly revere him as merely a "revolutionary hero." I have even seen these shirts available for sale at the Hays Mall in the past. Obviously, most of these young people are not communists; they are simply uneducated.

What is next? Will swastikas, pictures of Adolf Hitler, and perhaps Joseph Stalin, be stenciled on T-shirts for fashion statements? This could become a reality if we keep ignoring history.

In April, several Democratic members of Congress visited Cuba, meeting with Fidel Castro and his ruling brother, Raul. All of them seemed enamored with Fidel. On national television and in numerous articles, they extolled the greatness of the Castro brothers and one congressman described Fidel as "one of the most amazing humans I have ever met."

Propagandist filmmaker Michael Moore recently released his new opus, "Capitalism: A Love Story," which became a box office success, in which he continues his mission to blast America and "capitalism" while praising communism and socialism. Moore expresses much respect for the Cuban government in his films, suggesting that we should adopt that system here.

Ironically, Moore lives in a multimillion-dollar penthouse apartment in downtown New York City, enjoying the fruits of the "capitalism" he deplores. In reality, Fidel Castro has executed and tortured thousands of people during the Cuban revolution, the purges, and the rest of his bloody rule during the last 50 years.

Over the past decades, thousands of Cuban refugees have risked their lives on flimsy homemade rafts sailing through shark-infested waters toward the U.S. hoping to find a better life. These refugees know the truth about communist oppression, torture and death.

Apparently, many members of Congress, not to mention Moore, lack the sufficient knowledge regarding the horrible reality of communism and are misleading many people.

* The second half of this column will continue in tomorrow's Hays Daily News.

Daniel Green has a history degree and certificate in ethnic studies from Fort Hays State University and a master's degree from Ryerson University, Toronto. He is a local resident, who worked as professor of film at FHSU, and is currently working for Castle Resources Inc. and Austex of Melbourne, Australia.