In the early 20th century Russian dictator Vladimir Lenin clearly stated “The goal of socialism is communism.”
A century later and 4,000 miles way, one local young women is taking a stand to make sure socialism doesn’t take hold in our country.
On August 15, Morgan Zegers of Upstate New York launched Young Americans Against Socialism (YAAS), an educational nonprofit organization dedicated to exposing millennials and Generation Z to the truths of socialism.
The daughter of a military family, Morgan was inspired at a young age by her father’s service to his country. While in high school, she joined her local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Ballston Spa and became the youngest known officer of the Ladies’ Auxiliary in New York. After graduating from American University, Zegers ran for the New York State Assembly in the 113th district.
Today, Morgan is serving her country in a way she feels could direct America’s youth into a hopeful future – by educating them on the unfortunate truths of socialism and why it would have devastating effects on the nation. According to Zegers, “YAAS is set out to change the hearts and minds of millions of young Americans before they implement socialism into our great nation.”
The driving force of inspiration behind Zegers’ nonprofit are the stories of individuals who have fled their own socialist countries to the United States. YAAS will deliver these moving stories to millions of America’s youth through social media platforms – the most effective means of communication among young people today.
With the support of senior advisor Bill Montgomery, co-founder of Turning Point USA, Morgan and her media team, led by Caleb Hull, travel the country filming these stories. “Our experiences on the road and the stories we have heard so far drive us to work toward our goal with an even greater sense of urgency,” says Morgan.
Some of the stories that YAAS will share come from individuals now residing in Florida, Texas, New York, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. But not so long ago, these same people were living in and planning to flee socialist countries like Cuba, Venezuela, and the USSR.
And while there are countless stories that Morgan looks forward to sharing, there is one that stands out in her mind. Recently, Zegers met with Ray, a man who escaped Cuba by windsurfing across 90 miles of ocean to the Florida Keys. What drove Ray to make such a perilous trek?
Ray recalls police beatings at the expense of having long hair. He remembers eating potatoes for months at a time and his mother burning their furniture to cook the potatoes when they had no more wood. And he could never forget the members of the LGBTQ+ community who were thrown into prison work camps.
Morgan explains that if Ray had gone astray during his 10-hour journey to the United States, “he would have died happy knowing freedom was finally in his lungs.” But Ray did arrive safely and now serves in the United States Army. He, too, shares Morgan’s goal of wanting to prevent America’s future generations from having to experience what he fought so hard to escape.
It is Morgan’s hope that YAAS will inform young Americans of the historic failures of socialism so that the future of America avoids such a fate. “By showing them the truth about socialism, we are preserving a free, prosperous, and opportunity-filled future for the United States of America.”
