What does the anti-communist phrase "better dead than red" mean?

Answer 1

Communism uses red as a symbolic color in their flags, uniforms, etc. "Red" refers to Communism.

During the Cold War time, people thought for sure we would eventually be attacked by the Soviet Union and/or China and/or Cuba (refer to the Cuban Missile Crisis here). The concept of being better off dead than red meant that it was preferable to die fighting than allow our nation to become overtaken by communists.

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Answer 2

Better Dead Than Red

Answer 3

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What does the anti-communist phrase "better dead than red" mean?

Answer 4

The Better Dead than Red Movement in the 50's was based on paranoia. It was a dark time in U.S. Histroy when citizens of the United States had been over saturated by propaganda against Communism. The paranoia had gotten so bad, that citizens where encouraged to watch their neighbors for any signs of being communist. In many cases people would call the CIA reporting kids that listen to rock and roll, white people who asscociated with black people, and those who were not attendending church every week.

Answer 5

The Bible has had it right for millenniums. “A live dog is better off than a dead lion. For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all, neither do they anymore have wages, because the remembrance of them has been forgotten.” (Ecclesiastes 9:4, 5) Does that mean there is absolutely no hope for the dead? Jesus Christ preach about resurrection to life on a restored paradise earth. His Jewish follower Martha, whose brother, Lazarus, had just died, believed in the resurrection, for she said of Lazarus: “I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” (John 11:24) To this, Jesus answered: “I am the resurrection and the life. He that exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life; and everyone that is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25, 26) Earlier, he had said: “Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.” John 5:28, 29; Luke 23:43. As you can see there will be a resurrection of both the righteous. and the unrighteous. Please do further research in you Bible to get a better understanding.

Answer 6

For spaghetti-spined liberals, it's "better red than dead." Or just "better red."

Answer 7

The color red is often associated with Communism thanks to the hammer and sickle often being red, and Russian and Chinese flags being red. The phrase literally means that the person would prefer death to living under communism.

Answer 8

It means a person would rather die than to live in a communist state

Answer 9

Patrick Henry - "Give me liberty of give me death"
NH Slogan "Live free or die"
Nathan Hale "I only regret I have but one life to give for my country"

To be "Red" was to be or live under Communism.

Answer 10

Much like "death before dishonor", it is better to die free than live as a captive