"...Still trying to wriggle off the semantic hook, eh? ;)"

If by 'semantic' you mean I insist that statements be truthful, supportable in a deductive or inductive sense, and not be mere opinion, then yes, I'm wiggling like mad. I would prefer the metaphor that I am still pummeling off your subjective pedastal of conceit and bias, but hey- equivocation is fun, so why not have me wiggle some.

Semantics IS meaning and truth, so if you want to say we are just arguing semantics, then yeah, were just arguing semantics. Its different than arguing connotation/denotation. That is indeed simple sophistry.

""evil" Marxism and "good" Marxism"

Not at all, I don't grant that. Marxism in itself being evil requires you present me a value system that judges it so. And I will gladly wait for my chance to eviscerate your system, as it is most likely going to be "V-equal" to objectivism.

"Unfortunately, in our historical experience, the tyrannical lunatics do NOT argue for adopting "a pure centralized and non democratic form" of Marxism."

Riiight. Stalin was a republican (in the classic sense). No money Tom. Autocracy is Autocracy. Saddam insists he has the love of a democratic Iraq... You of all people should know you can't judge by the claims of little dictators, you must observe them in action.

"Only when it's too late do they somehow change over to "evil" Marxism.

Every single time."

Again, i don't buy the notion that Marxism is evil, in the very least because you have not presented any sort of justification for that claim. Unlike religious fanatics, it takes more than pretty words to make me buy the 'evilness' of something.

All we know is that, people who have advocated Marxism have done clearly and patently evil things (wholesale and retail murder is usually taken as a fundamental evil in just about ANY ethical system, so I avoid the thin ice you are on).

"I would recommend treating all advocates of Marxism the same way. Run them out of town on a rail. With tar and feathers."

I would agree, mainly because Marxism is a failed and unworkable philosophy with implied presumptions about human nature that are empirically unsound. I save my value judgements for what really counts, like the impending war.

However, either way (yours or mine)that doesn't make all marxists "Stalins", and it CERTAINLY does not make all Socialists "Stalins". So again, I press you: fess up- you can't support yourself on your categorization.

Davin L.