U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy charged that communists had
infiltrated the State Department at all levels on this date in 1950. This was
the beginning of "McCarthyism."
McCarthy saw communists hiding behind every rock and
tree. This was in the Cold War era when “communist”
was code not only for a political system that was over against so-called “democracy.” It was also a label that right-wingers hurled
at anyone who did not agree with every aspect of their politics, religion,
sociology and all other opinions.
McCarthy targeted liberals of all kinds, gays, artists of
any medium and almost anyone else to whom he could make his charges of
disloyalty, subversives and even spies stick. “McCarthyism” is a term that applies to witch
hunts and hurling unsubstantiated accusations at ideological opponents.
The McCarthy Era is among the darkest days of U. S.
history. Strong-arm tactics, ignoring of
due process and outright lies are the characteristics of the period. The approach was “make your opponent appear
to be evil, and the opponent’s position appears evil.” It is a rotten way to do business and is the
polar opposite of civil discourse.
The U. S. Senate censured McCarthy
in 1954. Although he stuck to his guns
for the rest of his life (and remained a Senator from Wisconsin until his death
in 1957), he was never a force in national politics again.
One would hope that we would learn
the lesson of history. But, in
contemporary politics and in church debate I am afraid that McCarthyism lives.
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