Many of the replies in this thread, though, seem to have come from Stalinist or Soviet (authoritarian/denialist) perspectives, rather than communist or leftist ones. IMO there’s a big difference.

We actually are communists. To say that “Stalinists,” “Soviets,” or “authoritarians” (lord knows what you mean by “denialist”) is absurd.

By far most communists in the world are Marxist-Leninists, and that’s what we are. Most Western communists/Marxists are not, but they are a small minority in the grand scheme of things. And there is a big difference: one has had several successful revolutions, some of which have survived to the present day, the other never has.