By Jen Schumann | Contributor, Rocky Mountain Voice
At the Mesa County Republican Women‘s monthly luncheon, Barbora Hurd, originally from Czechoslovakia, shared what a childhood under Communism was like.
It took her seven years to become a U.S. citizen, after marrying 3rd District U.S. House Republican nominee Jeff Hurd. For Barbora, living in a country where hard work leads to achieving dreams is worth fighting for.
Living Under Communism
Barbora recalled: “I was born and grew up behind the Iron Curtain. This meant that we, as citizens, had no freedom of speech or expression. No freedom of religion or worship. We had no free press. We were not free to move. And we had no freedom to assemble.”
Hurd quoted Czech ex-president Vaclav Havel on life under communism: “Because the regime is captive to its own lies, it must falsify everything. It falsifies the past. It falsifies the present and it falsifies the future. It falsifies statistics. It pretends not to possess an omnipotent and unprincipled police apparatus. It pretends to respect human rights. It pretends to persecute no one. It pretends to fear nothing. It pretends to pretend nothing.”
Daily struggles arose from living in a system that denied even the most basic rights.
“Living under communism meant you had to wait for a lot of things,” Hurd said. “If you wanted to buy a wedding ring, you had to wait a few months to get it. If you wanted to buy a car, it would take a year.”
The Dangers of Communism Today
Her story resonates with many, including Colorado State Sen. Janice Rich.
“What Barbora described isn’t happening thousands of miles away — it’s right here, and it’s very real,” she said. “I’ve been battling to represent the people of Colorado while facing a state legislature that leans more socialist every day. There needs to be more balance.”
Freedom & Responsibility Education Enterprise founder Phyllis Hunsinger adds: “Communism doesn’t want us to have a shared past. But that’s where true progress comes — from honoring our history and recognizing how we’ve evolved after each chapter.”
The presentation to Mesa County Republican Women was impactful, President Carla Alley said.
“It’s important to hear about life under strict communist rule,” she said. “I appreciate Barbora Hurd’s perspective, what she went through, and values today as an American. We need to realize that communism is a touch away. If we don’t stay alert and protect our freedoms, we could lose what we cherish.”
CynDee Scalla, a Republican grassroots volunteer, adds: “The communist list from Havel that she shared made me think: We’re facing those issues now.”
Hurd’s message about the realities of communism struck a chord with Andrea Haitz, Mesa County Valley School District 51 School Board President.
“Too many of our youth have embraced the lie of Marxism and Socialism, not realizing true capitalism has lifted most people out of poverty,” Haitz said.
Hurd also referenced President Ronald Reagan, whose optimism toward freedom’s future inspired her and countless others during the Cold War era. She displayed Reagan’s famous quote from his 1981 Notre Dame commencement speech, her husband’s alma mater: “The years ahead are great ones for this country, for the cause of freedom and the spread of civilization. The West won’t contain communism; it will transcend communism. It won’t bother to dismiss or denounce it; it will dismiss it as some bizarre chapter in human history whose last pages are even now being written.”
Haitz reflected on Barbora’s presentation, “After watching the Reagan movie this weekend and hearing what Barbora went through, I’m heartbroken over the direction of our nation. The Reagan years were an attempt to turn the page on communism, but today, it feels like they’ve started a whole new book.”
Preserving American Freedoms
The focus of the luncheon was more than looking to the past, it was a call to action for the future. Lois Dunn, a director for the Colorado Association of Realtors, stressed the need for vigilance in protecting American freedoms.
“People who haven’t faced the horrors of communism don’t know it’s true nature. All the government regulations thrust upon us are part of it,” she said. “It’s key that we recognize this threat. Many may not grasp the realities of communism and the freedoms we stand to lose. When we want to speak up, write emails or post on social media about what’s going on, we’re asking ourselves now if we should. Being scared to act in the face of reality is a huge red flag. But our freedoms are worth fighting for.”
Mesa County GOP Chair Alice Bumgarner added, “It’s easy to forget that our freedoms aren’t a given. That communist manifesto Barbora showed, we’re starting to see that in our country now. We need to stay diligent, on top of our game, and not let what happened in her native country happen in the U.S.”
A Call to Support Jeff Hurd’s Congressional Campaign
Barbora urged the audience to act. “We need women like you to push back against those negative ads and to respond.”
Mesa County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel said, “My takeaway from Barbora is: Freedom is not dead. And America has a long history of fighting for its freedoms, fighting for the individual. I’m excited that Jeff Hurd is running and Barbora is standing with him. I look forward to seeing what they can do in CD-3.”
Barbora ended with this reminder: “For those of you who were born here in America, it may not seem so special. But for me, a girl born and raised under communism, I know it’s a privilege to live my life here in Colorado as an American who can embrace life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
Learn more about Barbora’s story and why she’s standing behind her husband’s bid for Congress here: Jeff Hurd for Congress | From Communism to Colorado