Stalin is socialism’s worst enemy

Close with this statement but needs to figure out that it's fictional Stalin in the minds of the people that has created this problem. The solution is correcting the fiction, not reinforcing it by agreeing with the opposition to socialism that he was bad.

The fictional Stalin they created is a punching bag boogieman rigged up to constantly give easy punches against socialism.

Good? Why should we accept social chauvinists?

Not to mention he fully supports the genocide in Gaza and rejected a ceasefire.

...did you read Oppose Book Worship? Much of it is exactly Robinson’s point about how some Marxists are more obsessed with interpreting Marxist texts than with real-world engagement:

Whatever is written in a book is right — such is still the mentality of culturally backward Chinese peasants. Strangely enough, within the Communist Party there are also people who always say in a discussion, "Show me where it's written in the book."...

The method of studying the social sciences exclusively from the book is likewise extremely dangerous and may even lead one onto the road of counter-revolution. Clear proof of this is provided by the fact that whole batches of Chinese Communists who confined themselves to books in their study of the social sciences have turned into counter-revolutionaries. When we say Marxism is correct, it is certainly not because Marx was a "prophet" but because his theory has been proved correct in our practice and in our struggle.

See also "I haven't read Marx's Capital, but I have the marks of capital all over my body."

It's fine to disagree with him, but when we're talking about fellow leftists the disagreement should be with what they actually said or did. Caricaturing their positions (or more blatantly misrepresenting them) does nothing but create bitter infighting.

there is room for leftists who don't worship at the alter of scientific socialism, and NJR has been a great, if perhaps slightly less than ideally radical, voice/publisher.