Wednesday, January 16, 2008
HAS ANYONE SEEN JOE?
One might think that the specter of Senator Joe McCarthy had long departed the political and social scene in America. Not so.
The memory of the marauding scion of the reactionary right, whose sword of righteousness dripped “red” with the blood of suspected communist sympathizers in the early 1950’s, is still vivid in the minds of the freedom-loving elders in this country. His wanton path of human desolation continues to be relevant for all those who study America’s history for threats to personal freedom.
Some seniors still remember McCarthy’s scorched earth forays into the arts and entertainment world in search of “pinkos.” He ruined many in government service with wantonly wild allegations. He saw communists in every corner, including our military services.
It was not our brave general, President Eisenhower, who put a rein on Joe McCarthy. The senate itself did so, after alleged snubbing of his former aide (Private Schein) led to irresponsible accusations against the army brass and civilian leaders.
We well remember the senate committee hearings, aired gavel to gavel by major networks, as the drama played out. The elderly, dignified, and brilliant army defense lawyer, Joseph A. Welch, uttered those famous words, “Sir, have you no shame?” And downhill it went for bellicose Joe McCarthy.
But the spirit of Joe McCarthy still lives. It lurks in the shadows of the security lines at airports, in the secluded rooms where government eavesdroppers listen attentively to citizen phone calls, in the prison labyrinth of Guantanamo, and in our vicarious torture chambers abroad. It thrives in the festering political corruption of the justice department.
It is not now the communists, but fear still motivates us to accept violations of our freedoms.
Some of our presidential candidates are harbingers of fear. We have been in a time-tube of presidentially articulated and inspired constraints, threats, and fear for more than six years already. Why should we accept any new administration that promises continued harassment by fear?
There are always those who would frighten others into submission in order to gain power. Some readily trade freedom for security. Our freedoms were not lightly gained, and they should not be so readily given up.
With so much of what we see, hear, and read bought by advertising, paid punditry, or through ownership of the media streams, we must be guarded in acceptance of any purported truths not rationally supported. The internet is rampant with deliberately devised missives with tainted facts and biased information. Websites can be trusted only as far as one can cautiously reason.
The spirit of Joe McCarthy is still with us. It will lie to you. It will exaggerate threats. It thrives on innuendo and half-truths. It lives on rumor and gossip. It couches its destructive agenda in positive terms, like “fair” and “reform.”
It lies about taxes, and about economics. It lies about the sad condition of the nation’s fiscal affairs and proper remediation. It has little to do with moral or family values, nor with Bible teachings. Too many of its proponents are hypocrites.
There is little truth and no shame in these latter day political prophets of McCarthyism. They are motivated by power, and they gain power through loss of our freedoms.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
The memory of the marauding scion of the reactionary right, whose sword of righteousness dripped “red” with the blood of suspected communist sympathizers in the early 1950’s, is still vivid in the minds of the freedom-loving elders in this country. His wanton path of human desolation continues to be relevant for all those who study America’s history for threats to personal freedom.
Some seniors still remember McCarthy’s scorched earth forays into the arts and entertainment world in search of “pinkos.” He ruined many in government service with wantonly wild allegations. He saw communists in every corner, including our military services.
It was not our brave general, President Eisenhower, who put a rein on Joe McCarthy. The senate itself did so, after alleged snubbing of his former aide (Private Schein) led to irresponsible accusations against the army brass and civilian leaders.
We well remember the senate committee hearings, aired gavel to gavel by major networks, as the drama played out. The elderly, dignified, and brilliant army defense lawyer, Joseph A. Welch, uttered those famous words, “Sir, have you no shame?” And downhill it went for bellicose Joe McCarthy.
But the spirit of Joe McCarthy still lives. It lurks in the shadows of the security lines at airports, in the secluded rooms where government eavesdroppers listen attentively to citizen phone calls, in the prison labyrinth of Guantanamo, and in our vicarious torture chambers abroad. It thrives in the festering political corruption of the justice department.
It is not now the communists, but fear still motivates us to accept violations of our freedoms.
Some of our presidential candidates are harbingers of fear. We have been in a time-tube of presidentially articulated and inspired constraints, threats, and fear for more than six years already. Why should we accept any new administration that promises continued harassment by fear?
There are always those who would frighten others into submission in order to gain power. Some readily trade freedom for security. Our freedoms were not lightly gained, and they should not be so readily given up.
With so much of what we see, hear, and read bought by advertising, paid punditry, or through ownership of the media streams, we must be guarded in acceptance of any purported truths not rationally supported. The internet is rampant with deliberately devised missives with tainted facts and biased information. Websites can be trusted only as far as one can cautiously reason.
The spirit of Joe McCarthy is still with us. It will lie to you. It will exaggerate threats. It thrives on innuendo and half-truths. It lives on rumor and gossip. It couches its destructive agenda in positive terms, like “fair” and “reform.”
It lies about taxes, and about economics. It lies about the sad condition of the nation’s fiscal affairs and proper remediation. It has little to do with moral or family values, nor with Bible teachings. Too many of its proponents are hypocrites.
There is little truth and no shame in these latter day political prophets of McCarthyism. They are motivated by power, and they gain power through loss of our freedoms.
Dr. Edwin E. Vineyard, AKA The Militant Moderate
