Poor Duke - I think that tank helmet damaged his cranium. If it wasn't the hits he took on the noggin from the drunken Kitty.

One quibble--the Meeropol brothers' denial of their mother's guilt is NOT "understandable" if by that you mean "excusable." They are not 6 year olds, they are old enough to face the truth and deal with it.

About damn time. As much effort has been put into trying to whitewash Ethel Rosenberg as there was - and as some diehards still do - into maintaining the innocence of Alger Hiss, who was indisputably demonstrated to be an equally guilty fellow Soviet spy. The ideologically motivated protectors of both simply refuse to accept the plain truth in their vain defense of these traitors. Time to give it up and accept the obvious.

This is not a simple story. The tragedy of the Rosenbergs is that they were loyal not to " communism " or socialism as a political ideal - millions of people around the world still proudly call themselves COMMUNISTS or SOCIALISTS - but to the cynical Soviet era Stalinist bureaucracy .Read " The Revolution Betrayed " by Leon Trotsky.
The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 was actually predicted by Trotsky before his assassination in Mexico in 1940 by a Stalinist agent. But the downfall of " communism " in Russia was not a vindication of the capitalist economic system - now in yet another severe world crisis. There is simply no reason for the workers of the world to be content with the phony " democracy " of decaying capitalism and moribund imperialism.
The enthusiastic young crowds for " socialist " Democrat Bernie Sanders were no puzzle to democratic socialists. What was puzzling was his endorsement of Hawk Hillary, Wall St. Hillary. Bernie and " The Political Revolution Betrayed " .

Oh for crying out loud...even Trotsky believed in a United Front. Trotsky would have endorsed Clinton against Trump, too, and told you to grow up when you started blathering about her perceived shortcomings.

That is complete distortion of the revolutionary politics of Leon Trotsky. Again and again he was always mocking Stalinist led "united fronts ". Even American socialist Eugene V. Debs warned against any cozy alliance with the class enemies controlling the Democratic Party ( read Debs' famous Canton Speech ) .
The only real Trotskyists today call for independent working class political parties - with the goal of becoming mass parties.
I am a critical supporter of the Socialist Equality Party and voted for their presidential candidates ( White and Niemuth ) in the November election.
I highly recommend the World Socialist Web Site.

I highly recommend that you grow up already.

Trotsky would probably agree.

You confuse political maturity with personal corruption. I can't imagine Leon Trotsky -or Eugene V. Debs - even " supporting " FDR . But " Corrupt Hillary " too ? It is you who are clueless and dishonest about the greatest revolutionary- next to Lenin - of the 20th century.

Oh so now she's "corrupt," huh? Based on what? Your desire to believe it? She's not corrupt simply because she doesn't meet your standards of left wing ideological purity. Your need to falsely label her as "corrupt" simply because you disagreed with some of her policy positions isn't helping you come across as, y'know, mature.

Anyway, Trotsky knew the dangers of right wing populism. He would have heard the way Trump talks, realized how familiar it sounded, and remembered what happened the last time folks like you thought it was more important to denounce the left-centrists than work with them to oppose the growing danger from the far right. Based on the last several chapters of "Left Wing Communism: An Infantile Disorder," there's reason to believe Lenin would have agreed, but that's a lot more speculative.

This year Russia will celebrate -along with the workers of the world - the 100th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. Lenin and Trotsky did not lead it to victory guided by a policy of timid moderation . They were bitter enemies of the capitalist system and world imperialism.
I can't imagine Lenin in the Kremlin lecturing Trotsky ( " Permanent Revolution " firebrand ) on the virtues of any corrupt capitalist politician. Any " compromise " was forced on the revolutionary government and explained to the workers of the whole world. The Bolsheviks exposed the Wilsonian blather of the bloody First World War- " the war to make the world safe for democracy ".
I can't picture a new Lenin in the Kremlin urging support for Hawk Hillary -" the face of World War III ". It would be political suicide. A betrayal of socialist internationalism.

"Hawk Hillary -" the face of World War III"

God it's like you're on some kind of mission to do everything you can to come across as a petulant child. I'll say it again: GROW UP ALREADY.

Only childish souls are not complacent with the status quo in America ? You could also tell old " socialist " Democrat Bernie Sanders to " grow up " . After all, he still preaches the need for " political revolution " ( but in the wrong place, the Democratic Party ) .

But I don't have to tell Sanders that, because he's mature enough to not make up lies about people he disagrees with in order to demonize them. He doesn't make the perfect the enemy of the good even when he's already pointed out the flaws of the good. He didn't lie about Clinton being corrupt, he didn't lie about her being likely to start World War III, and when he saw the rising threat of right wing populism he vigorously campaigned for her because he was mature enough to know there are times when you have to set your differences aside and form a united front against an existential threat.

You have almost nothing in common with Bernie Sanders.

And Bernie Sanders has nothing in common with working class based socialism. Just presenting yourself as a " socialist " in the Democratic Party -being " stronger together " with the CIA and the Pentagon, with the Hillary Democrats - now sounding like neo-con war mongers - is monstrous hypocrisy.
After the Wiki Leaks showed how Clinton and the DNC had conspired against internal party " democracy " Sanders should have told his supporters to vote their conscience. The world working class is getting tired of these puffed up anti-socialist " socialists " operating in every country ( with the blessing of its capitalist ruling class ) .

"After the Wiki Leaks showed how Clinton and the DNC had conspired against internal party 'democracy'..."

And you just lied again! You just can't help yourself, can you? I don't think you've made even one single post so far that didn't include at least one falsehood.

Sanders didn't react to that report the way you wanted him to because Bernie Sanders is a decent man who doesn't sacrifice his honesty and integrity to convince people that his point of view is the correct one, as you like to do.

Just stop already. You're incapable of making an argument without lying, and you should know by now that I'm well-informed enough to spot all your lies. You're not accomplishing anything positive with this, all you're doing is hurting your cause.

To be sure, no respectable socialist will waste too much time convincing CLASS enemies of CLASS STRUGGLE truths - a product of centuries of class war experience. Every worker who walks through the doors of any factory or capitalist place of business in the USA knows what exploitation is. And knows who the exploiters are.

Ah, simply relentless aren't you? Do you really think if you respond to every differing opinion, if you can just post enough, that somehow it will change the facts?

Only TRUTH can serve the working class. Nowhere have I denied ANY facts. I see these facts in the context of an anti-capitalist ideology.

Okay, it took me awhile, but the "TRUTH"and "working class" references finally woke me: you're a parody! And a clever one too, because you're almost indistinguishable from the oh-so-earnest comrades who are dedicated to the fight for the proletariat. Very well done. You have my congratulations for a hilarious caricature .

This is Cold War Drivel Redux.. There might be one honest intellectual at Harvard University- like the late professor Howard Zinn - who could lecture at length on the " virtues " of the CIA, the FBI, the Pentagon, and the Imperial Presidency going back to the days of President William McKinley. American anti-imperialist author Mark Twain ridiculed the War Party more than a hundred years ago.
All our stupid wars began with FAKE NEWS and a BIG LIE . Do you want to sacrifice your kids for World War III and a Nothingness Future ?

Are the " patriots " commenting here mostly supporters of Hawk Hillary Clinton or right wing nationalist ( America First ?) President Elect Donald Trump ? I note how the Hillary Democrats now sound like a gang of neo-con war mongers.
Where is the public passion visible for confrontation with nuclear armed Russia ? What if THEY start a war and nobody showed up ?

Heh. That's pretty funny, "honest intellectual" and "Howard Zinn" in the same sentence.

But then humor is sometimes defined as "the unexpected juxtaposition of incongruities".

Professor Howard Zinn authored a very popular text book : " The People's History of the United States ". He believed that historical truth is sharper when viewed through the eyes of the oppressed. He opposed our disastrous war in Iraq - the last stupid war based on FAKE NEWS and the BIG LIE ( weapons of mass destruction, as reported by the venerable CIA ) . It does seem to me that all the Hillary Clinton " liberals " have been quickly converted to neo-con hawks. Professional prudence ?

Heehee. I think you hit every talking point. Nicely regurgitated.

Does it take an honest democratic socialist to defend President Elect Donald Trump against a foolish and reactionary smear campaign ? He is no puppet of Vladimir Putin. He does have an admirable independent streak in him. Even " class enemies " are not lacking in good points.
Revive the madness of the Cold War - with Stalinism out of the picture ? With nuclear powers Russia and China ?

There is no Presidential exoneration authority. The people pushing this effort know that, they are attempting to re-write history by playing word games.

Very well written piece. Informative and balanced.

".....and spreading disinformation, the U.S. government must do everything possible to uphold historical accuracy. "
How can anybody but a neo-con not laugh at this ? Put the CIA and the FBI - and corrupt, bought and sold " liberal " journalists and right wing Talk Radio thugs in charge of upholding historical accuracy ?
In just a few months the Hillary Democrats and the neo-con Republicans have become a united front of war mongering reactionaries.
Do working class Americans want confrontation with nuclear powered Russia and China? How well does capitalist " democracy " serve us ? Ask those Rust Belt state " deplorables ".Not for nothing Vladimir Putin saw Hawk Hillary Clinton as the face of World War III.

Are you naturally this stupid, or do you have to work at it?

Kindly enlighten me about American capitalism and imperialism in a short paragraph.

Here it is in one sentence: We DID build those roads and bridges and railroads and skyscrapers and planes and tanks and guns and bombs and in the process conquered the North American continent (for sure) and the world (sort of).

If you have some proof that those groups either made things up or manufactured evidence with regard to the Rosenburg trials, then point it out. I'm all ears.

E. L. Doctorow tackled facets of this saga in his 1971 novel -- ''The Book of Daniel" -- which made its way to the silver screen as "Daniel" (Doctorow was co-executive producer) in August 1983.

The Globe and Dukakis support a pardon. What is it with the left that makes them fall in love with hate America people. God the Rosebburgs were guilty of trying to help communist Russia take down the USA. Amazing thought process from the left.

What is it with the left that makes them fall in love with hate America people.

The American left as it stands today is the culmination of a decades long project, a creation of the USSR via COMINTERN. This is not a "secret conspiracy"; they were quite open about the project and published their plans widely. They were quite proud of the idea of taking over the education and information industries by infiltration. Nobody else paid much attention, much to our chagrin 80-odd years later.

They "love the 'hate America' people" because they too have been taught to hate America, even though it's given them everything they ever had. These are the weak-minded, who are easily manipulated by malicious and dedicated "educators" who run our scholastic systems.

For some reason, they keep on churning out the same nonsense long after the USSR and Communist systems collapsed (an inevitability, as is the case of almost all leftist "philosophy", since it's founded on false and completely unworkable precepts). It's the literal definition of fighting for a lost cause, by people too stupid to realize it was an irrational and pointless fight in the first place. And yet we thoughtlessly hand our children over to them so they can be trained to hate America too.

Consider home-schooling your kids, people.

America and its constitution are an impediment to communists and to a lesser extent, socialists. That is why they hate it/us.

For once, BUR got it right. While one might take issue with the assertion that Ethel Rosenberg deserved no more than a 15-20 year sentence, there was an abundance of evidence that clearly showed that she was complicit in her husband's traitorous betrayal of the US.

I'm proud to live in Massachusetts where the death penalty is viewed as unconstitutional. Capital punishment must cease in the US. The EU condemns it as a human rights violation and the US must adopt a similar stance ASAP.

Yes the death penalty is unconstitutional; in Obama's remaining days I am urging him to pardon living political prisoners that are likely to die in prison if not released, including Leonard Peltier and Oscar Lopez Rivera. Call and write today to urge him to do so. White House comment line: 202-456-1111 E-Mail: http://www.whitehouse.gov/c...

My only objection to the death penalty is that a legal conviction is never 100% certain to be correct, and it's far worse to execute an innocent than to let a guilty one go free. If we ever develop a technology to perfectly ascertain the guilt of an individual, then I have zero moral qualms with executing those who have done horrific and monstrous crimes.

Europe is populated by suicidal idiots who are not going to exist in another 50 years anyway, so I'm not inclined to pay much attention to what the EU says about anything. If they ever wake up and grow some brains, give me a call.

The death penalty is not unconstitutional, the US Constitution makes provision for it.

Yeah, especially since it specifically provides for it.

He said "viewed" as unconstitutional. A progressive's feelings make it so, regardless of any paper document.

Childish emotion from the sons.
Ridiculous.
Guilty and death was good outcome.

It's not childish, it's a serious effort to re-write history. Their hope is one day in the future the textbooks will say "...while initially convicted and executed for espionage subsequently she was exonerated..." As if to imply that she was never guilty of anything in the first place.

Leftists love to play word games.

Many years after the execution of the Rosenbergs the ruling class controlled mainstream new media is trying to revive the know- nothing atmosphere of Cold War McCarthyism. And again focusing on that " sinister, enigmatic country " : Russia - a post communist era Russia. How little " democracy " there is left in plutocratic America for the likes of Vladimir Putin to " sabotage " ! What on earth was the Bernie Sanders campaign all about but anger directed at the ONE PERCENT ?
The ruling class war drums are falling on turned off ears.

Enough with the "ruling class" nonsense. In any communist or socialist system, there is a real ruling class - one which decides where you should live, work, what you should eat or drink, and what kind of life you have. The fact that this irony is lost on you is a symptom of the pervasive nonsense that college education teaches.

Get up to speed - it ain't 1953 anymore.

The CLASS system in the capitalist United States decides for all but the ONE PERCENT " what kind of life you will have ". Did not even " socialist " Democrat Bernie Sanders make any sense to you ? The enthusiasm for both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump- the crowd passion in the campaign 2016- cannot be explained by a happy working class and a blissful middle class in the USA.

I'm not in the 1%, yet I'm doing just fine. And you're right - the crowd passion can't be explained by a blissful middle class and happy working class. But they CAN be explained by left wing policies that have driven manufacturing outside the United States (thanks to overregulation and taxes). And nothing in Sanders' platform would have reversed that trend, since his vision was to raise taxes and regulations on the very companies he was counting on to hire more Americans from the middle and working class.

Trump was the ONLY candidate in either party to directly address this point. Sanders paid it lip service, but socialist policies always drive employers out of markets.

We do agree that there are problems within the political establishment in this country. But the answer is not doubling or tripling what's been done over the past 30 years, the answer is reducing what we've done over that time.