(I didn't downvote you.) Yeah, I mean, to adequately assess the flaws, we can't just read history books, but we need to also interpret the history (for that we need Marxist theory, in my view). MLs really do have better responses to what you're alluding to than what you're letting on, but I'm sure you're aware of that. However, I feel you're still just slightly missing my point. My point is that, at least from the Marxist position, labels are essentially meaningless except when referring to a particular material, historical event. I think none of us really know what we "are" until a revolutionary situation falls upon us and we need to do the work. Anarchists and ML(M)s have both done revolutionary work in the past, so we should learn from those experiences, but also exercise our own creativity when the time is ripe, because the situation will necessarily bring new problems to solve and a new context to solve them in.

Good luck with your current work of educating and helping the masses, comrade!