A Question Of Constitutional Abuse - 1955
(House Un-American Activities Hearings - no, they weren't trials . . much)
As the hysteria over Communist infiltration of everything American reached its fevered pitch, questions started to arise over just what was legal and what was an abuse of our Constitutional rights as people in the midst of all this "fact finding".
The day after this broadcast of American Forum Of The Air aired (August 14, 1955) the House Un-American Activities Committee set up shop in New York to stage an inquiry over Communist activities in the Theatrical profession.
Debating the question were Representative Francis E. Walter (D-Penn) and James A. Wechsler, Editor of the New York Post.
Wechsler was no stranger to allegations of communist sympathies. He was a member of the Young Communist movement from 1934-1937 when he became disenfranchised over the Nazi-Soviet pact and renounced his membership. Still, he was the outspoken editor of The New York Post which was at the time one of the leading Liberal papers in the country (obviously pre-Murdoch).
Walter was a staunch anti-communist and chaired many of the HUAC hearings in the late 1940s to mid-1950s.
James A. Wechsler (Editor, New York Post): “What is the scope . . do you believe that your committee at this moment has the right to call anyone in the United States w ho is alleged to have been in any way, at any time in the past, linked with the Communist movement?”
Rep. Francis E. Walter (D-Penn.): “Yes, I’ll go even farther than that. I am sure that the Congress imposed upon us the obligation to call anybody which. . . who, in our judgment can throw some light on this international conspiracy insofar as it affects the security of the United States.”
It's interesting to see how many times throughout history the question of abuse of our Constitution been made and how each time the fear card is played over and over.
Disenchanted perhaps?
Hasa Diga Eebowai
I just wish one of the witnesses had answered the famous question with, "Are you now, or were you ever a republican?"
Wasn't that just a variation of, "When did you quit beating your wife?"
Diabolus est Deus Inversus
The next question is have you ever been influenced by a corporation.
The wickedness of pride has lost the light to understand how little grace is earned an how much given.
Can a person stand on a jury if they work for a company that promotes an single view.
The wickedness of pride has lost the light to understand how little grace is earned an how much given.
First, the tone of the debate seems to be to be more civil, more intellectual than the crap out of Congress we hear today.
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http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/201...
... and elsewhere, first I heard of it was on RTTV.
Texas is in the process of rewriting history, so as to give students a Fox News style interpretation of the past.
Among the proposals, McCarthy "he was basically vindicated.".
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This part of the audio clip was most interesting:
"These 19 nations are all behind the iron curtain because a very small minority of well organized people were able to gain control of their government."
Well, there has been a well organized group of Reich-wingers out there that manage to turn out near 100% to vote, which is giving this group a disproportionate influence in setting policy. (I have my suspicions that unlimited corporate spending approved by the Supreme Court is aimed at regaining corporate control of the Republican party at least as much as control of the Democrat party.)
Massachusetts should be a lesson that it's important to turn out to vote. If there is no one to vote for, there may be someone to vote against.
And now it turns out that a communist revolution is the only way Americans can free themselves of their capitalist pig oppressors.
The revolution will not be communist. Corporate Power has foreseen and forestalled that kind of revolution with carefully crafted propaganda dispensed by the corporate media.
If there is a revolution, it will be against the forces that are oppressing the Tea Baggers--the intellectual elite, affirmative action and illegal aliens.
The revolution will be fought to abolish corporate taxes and make people shut up and stop saying bad things about self righteous hypocrites, gun lovers and the glorious corporations that rule us.
I'm surprised this thread didn't get more comments on it.
History is something people need to reflect on . To study. To learn from. Sadly, the human species isn't all that bright. And we have a very short attention span as well.
I was just thinking about McCarthyism the other day. How could that have happened? How could one man go out with no proof,no evidence and cause so much turmoil? He did it with political hitmen. Financed by big money people who have their own agenda. Same old same old Gordon. Just like the ruling from the SCOTUS earlier this week.
Now they don't have to hide. They can just shell out massive amounts of money to get whatever they want.
I think, that they know this will get thrown out on appeals or on some technicality. Somehow this will get thrown out.
But it isn't supposed last forever. They want this thrown out.
They just want this long enough to gain back power in both houses.
I could be wrong on this. It certainly wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong.
What is your conceptual, continuity?
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