Don’t feel so duped. Lucas had shockingly little to do with Star Wars, and will say anything at any time. Star Wars was largely written by his wife, who also edited it.
True, but the VC bit was definitely Lucas’s handiwork. Just look at these 1973 development notes if you don’t believe me:
https://otnesse.tumblr.com/post/162081709399/this-is-from-george-lucas-1973-notes-for-star
And BTW, Lucas trying to push a pro-Vietcong/anti-Vietnam War narrative in the franchise from the start, manipulating countless Americans in his commie goals, is PRECISELY the reason why I made an exception and am rooting for the bad guys in Star Wars now (and even there, only the Empire. The Trade Federation at least was closer to crony capitalism than true capitalism, so I can still root against them, and the First Order, unlike the Empire was directly based on the Nazis, or at least ODESSA.).