With the recent courageous, albeit incoherent, youthful protests in Moldova against the Communist government, the free world should stand with the opposition.

[The New York Times.]

The Western world was betrayed the cause of freedom before when it stood listlessly as the army that Stalin raised crushed pro-democracy protesters battling the Soviet-puppet Communist government in Czechoslovakia

Prague Springs remains a dark bolt on the Western world. Beyond the formed Czechoslovakia, the Western world allowed the Soviets to crush other liberal movements in Eastern Europe.

It was understandable given the Europe and the United States did not want a war with the Soviets, but it was still wrong and immoral to not provide at least covert shipments of weapons.

With the fall of the USSR, even Putin’s Russia did not embed timidity in the West when it came to Ukraine’s 2004-2005 Orange Revolution. The West made it clear that it stood with the pro-European Orange protesters against Russia’s favored candidate who was elected via a fraudulent vote. Russia’s hand was revealed and it knew it could not stand against the United States and Europe in opposing the Orange Revolution. Because of the West’s stand, Ukraine today is under a liberal government.

The West should show equal support for the opposition in Moldova, even more so. Communism is a grotesque ideology that is worthy of no respect. The are certain ideologies that may disagree with, but still tolerate. Communism isn’t one of them. Granted, the Moldovan government is not a Stalineesque regime, but nonetheless they have chosen to identify with the totalitarian maxims of Marx. Beyond the ideology, the election of the Communist is reported to have been a fraudulent vote. So this is most likely an illegitimate government.

The young protesters are on this side of freedom, democracy and justice. They are the young in Moldova who represent the mostly pro-European people who have the unfortunate of being governed by an elite that looks to Putin’s Russia. The youth deserve our support. They have taken a strong stand, though sometimes unwarranted in its combativeness; such as when the stormed the parliament and the president’s office. But they are still the righteous. The West has turned its back on Eastern Europe before, let us not let it happen this time.