Great Posts!
But no need to hypothesize about the lefts embracing of communist genocide.
The Hottest Poetry Hangout in New York City is "KGB Bar" and check out how the New York Times, the Village Voice, and New York Magazine fall over themselves to write up this place.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22kgb+bar%22&btnG=Google+Search
I'd rather poke needles in my eyes than spend any time with the patrons of such an establishment.