Cornerstone University in Michigan, USA is currently hosting an anti-communism event, inviting scholars and survivors from oppressive regimes to participate.
The event, held on October 1st, at Cornerstone University, is titled “Why Not Choose Communism? A Conversation on Freedom, Faith, and the Future of America.”
Dr. Gerson Moreno-Riaño, the university’s president, mentioned that the theme was chosen months ago as they observed a shift in public opinion towards communism and socialism in the United States.
“We are shocked and concerned because the history of communism and socialism is a dark one,” Dr. Moreno-Riaño told Fox News. “As a university dedicated to educating future leaders of our nation, we feel the need to step up and truly educate our community, students, and the entire nation about the moral bankruptcy of communism and socialism.”
The distinguished speakers at the event include Seth Dillon, CEO of the satirical news website Babylon Bee; Dr. Gary Saul Morson, a scholar on Soviet communism; Xi Van Fleet, a survivor of the Cultural Revolution in China; and Yeonmi Park, a defector from North Korea.
Yeonmi Park shared with Fox News that communist ideologies are gaining popularity among student communities, who often learn about these theories in air-conditioned, comfortable classrooms. In contrast, she personally experienced life under a high-pressure regime.
“Before I escaped North Korea, I had to live under the rule of a true socialist regime,” she said. “I know firsthand that when this system is actually implemented in real life, it is far from good. Many people only see its beauty on a theoretical level, without understanding the impact it would have on the people if these policies were enforced by the government.”
Growing up during the North Korean famine in the 1990s, Yeonmi Park endured hunger, extreme poverty, and political persecution. At the age of 13, she and her mother escaped to China across a frozen river, only to fall victim to human trafficking. To protect Yeonmi from the traffickers, her mother endured sexual assault, and both were eventually sold into a human trafficking ring.
After facing exploitation and evading Chinese authorities for two years, Christian activists assisted them in crossing from China into Mongolia. There, they were granted political asylum and eventually regained freedom in South Korea.
During her time in the United States, Yeonmi Park encountered students who, unaware of her background, told her she did not understand oppression because she was Asian.
“They had no idea that when I was 13, I was sold as a sex slave in China and lived a dehumanizing life for two years. I know the taste of oppression,” she said.
Yeonmi Park emphasized that many American students take freedom for granted and lack a comprehensive understanding of the global realities. “Currently, the majority of people worldwide are not free. Over 70% of humanity lives under authoritarian rule.”
The latest report from the “Democracy and Diversity” research project at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden estimates that 74% of the global population lives under authoritarian regimes.
Yeonmi Park added that having freedom is “a very special thing,” and she “does not want us to lose this incredible country; if America collapses, we will have nowhere to run.”