NationStates Jolt Archive

Now, back in the good ol' 50's, Junior Senator from Wisconson, Senator Joseph Mcarthy tried, with his Senate ordained sub-commitee, investigated many individuals. When CBS aired a controversial series of statements to Mr. Mcarthy, he replied with accusations of Ed Muro's involment with several Soviet regulated societies. Although the validity of these was brought into question, Muro suffered little. Now, I just saw, "Good night, and good luck" (great movie by the way, worth the time to see) and I have found myself questioning the details suggested by the movie. All in all, does anyone think that Mcarthy was blowing smoke, or he really was on a mission from god to cleanse our lands of the "red menace"?

McCarthy liked to think Communists were hiding under our beds just like Bush would like us to believe that terrorists are hiding in our closets. McCarthy was yet another fear-monger in a long line of them, making Americans afraid so they could push their own agendas.

On the assumption that Communists were out to kill us all... :rolleyes:

Now, back in the good ol' 50's, Junior Senator from Wisconson, Senator Joseph Mcarthy tried, with his Senate ordained sub-commitee, investigated many individuals. When CBS aired a controversial series of statements to Mr. Mcarthy, he replied with accusations of Ed Muro's involment with several Soviet regulated societies. Although the validity of these was brought into question, Muro suffered little. Now, I just saw, "Good night, and good luck" (great movie by the way, worth the time to see) and I have found myself questioning the details suggested by the movie. All in all, does anyone think that Mcarthy was blowing smoke, or he really was on a mission from god to cleanse our lands of the "red menace"?
I don't think McCarthy was on a mission from God to do anything. I'm sure if God had a problem with Communism, he could settle that score well enough.

Notice, though, that many of the people McCarthy went after were quite attractive, while he was a dumpy old bag. Clearly this was just another kid who was picked on in high school, exacting his revenge on non-participants, years later. :rolleyes:
(Note: please, don't anybody take that part seriously.....)

McCarthy was about to lose. And if he started attacking Reds, well you coudn't vote against someone who was fighinting the commies, especially in the 50's. THat would be un-american, and most importantly, evil

McCarthy liked to think Communists were hiding under our beds just like Bush would like us to believe that terrorists are hiding in our closets. McCarthy was yet another fear-monger in a long line of them, making Americans afraid so they could push their own agendas.

On the assumption that Communists were out to kill us all... :rolleyes:


Perhaps....Im not a fan of Mcarthy, but there WERE in fact card carrying members of the Communist Party who had infiltrated the US state department, and american socialist unions... Therefore, Mcarthy probably saw something, but didnt organize, and get his facts straight before accusing.

There was a threat of communism in our country in the 50's, but in my opion, we were too divided over Mcarthyists and Freedom Fighters to notice. If anything, Mcarthy just made it worse for the effort to locate communists.

McCarthy was about to lose. And if he started attacking Reds, well you coudn't vote against someone who was fighinting the commies, especially in the 50's. THat would be un-american, and most importantly, evil


True...

On the assumption that Communists were out to kill us all... :rolleyes:
Yes, of course. The Soviets just had all those nukes around because they liked the phallic symbolism.

Yes, of course. The Soviets just had all those nukes around because they liked the phallic symbolism.


*roaring applause* :p

Yes, of course. The Soviets just had all those nukes around because they liked the phallic symbolism.
The commies were always ones for symbolisim

The commies were always ones for symbolisim


Holding hundreds of nukes targeted at us and our ally's is one hell of a way to symbolize something.


Apart from that, lol. :p

Yes, of course. The Soviets just had all those nukes around because they liked the phallic symbolism.

Then I'd say that capitalists were all out to kill the communists. After all we didn't have those nukes just to feel all arrogant did we?

McCarthy was a fearmongering little SOB. Yes, the Soviet Union was a basket case which should not be underestimated, but not at the expense of our own freedom. For all we know he may have caught the odd spy or another, but in reality he just played up on everybody's fears.

Thank goodness we had people like Ed Murrow to stand up to him.

Then I'd say that capitalists were all out to kill the communists. After all we didn't have those nukes just to feel all arrogant did we?


NO, but after they conquered eastern europe with unjustified motives, split Germany in half, sent missles to Cuba, deployed nuclear submarines to the eastern US seaboard, and preached nothing but "kill the capitalist pigs" we felt that PERHAPS we had reason to defend ourselves...

McCarthy was a fearmongering little SOB. Yes, the Soviet Union was a basket case which should not be underestimated, but not at the expense of our own freedom. For all we know he may have caught the odd spy or another, but in reality he just played up on everybody's fears.

Thank goodness we had people like Ed Murrow to stand up to him.


Or at least when Mcarthy started becoming arrogant... and then again who knows? Maybe Murrow couldn't spend time facing down Mcarthy beacuse he had to report to Moscow, who knows?

NO, but after they conquered eastern europe with unjustified motives, split Germany in half, sent missles to Cuba, deployed nuclear submarines to the eastern US seaboard, and preached nothing but "kill the capitalist pigs" we felt that PERHAPS we had reason to defend ourselves...

Well didn't FDR decide to let the Soviets to take all that territory? From what I understand he knew that they had no intention of letting that territory go but did nothing to stop them. The Soviets were doing most of the dying after all.

Yes burn me burn me please.

Yes, of course. The Soviets just had all those nukes around because they liked the phallic symbolism.

And is the same true for the US?

Well didn't FDR decide to let the Soviets to take all that territory? From what I understand he knew that they had no intention of letting that territory go but did nothing to stop them. The Soviets were doing most of the dying after all.


And just because FDR let the Soviets take the territory, that justified them?

And is the same true for the US?
Pretty much, that is why it was a "Cold War" as opposed to a "Warm Meeting on Friendly Terms that Ends with a Nice Chat and a Trip to the Coffee Place Down the Street." If the Soviets and Americans didn't want to kill each other, then they each had a very funny definition of acting neighborly.

Yep. The COld War was more or less one giant prick-waving dickfight. With lots of phallic symbols to make the other side tremble and make more phallic symbols.

McCarthy was a paranoid goon, who deserved to be singled out by Murrow. But just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you...

The problem wasn't that McCarthy was looking for communist spies, it was his methods, specifically the lack of public accountability for his actions, and creating a climate of fear where the press were worried about speaking their conscience.

And just because FDR let the Soviets take the territory, that justified them?

Justified the Soviets to do what? Make threats against the U.S.? America made threats right back. If FDR stood up to Stalin then perhaps he could have prevented the Cold War from happening. Then again after Germany was defeated we may of had to fight the Soviets to kick them out of Europe...

McCarthy was a paranoid goon, who deserved to be singled out by Murrow. But just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you...

The problem wasn't that McCarthy was looking for communist spies, it was his methods, specifically the lack of public accountability for his actions, and creating a climate of fear where the press were worried about speaking their conscience.
Everything old is new again...

How many of you have heard the line "We will crush you!"

Everyone who has studied history has seen that line. Classic misquote. The orginal line was We will crush you under social changes. I might not have it on the dot, but it's close.

Don't get me wrong, I'm just an 80's kid. I don't remember the time before the fall of the Berlin Wall, but socialism isn't that bad. It's main flaw is human greed. Simple problem, but a major one.

http://www.anti-capitalist.org/pyramid2.jpg
Just showing I'm not for one side or another. Every system so far has flaws.

Now, when we've got two major powers fighting, what do we get? We got the Cold War. Hey, it brought about the space program and tang. I like tang. Everyone likes tang. If you don't like tang, you clearly are a terrorist and will be taken to a hidden prision. Sorry, lost track there.

McCarthy was infact The Man. He bullied an entire country for his short reign. Pity T.V. brought his down fall. He was a hero for a short time though. As it was said in some movie, people love to see heros fail. More to the point, McCarthy attacked anyone who had known a commie. I wish I could find some kind of recording of the broadcast of his trials. Funny stuff, evil, but funny none the less.

Everything old is new again...
Yes it seems. But the don't recycle all. Now its terrorism instead of Communism. Good on them for being a bit original:p

Yes it seems. But the don't recycle all. Now its terrorism instead of Communism. Good on them for being a bit original:p

Oh, who knows, have you seen the political grounds of Russia these days? Man, I love the fact Putin was going to take a vicegrip to the people of Russia, people try so hard to keep power, poor poor little man.

Oh, who knows, have you seen the political grounds of Russia these days? Man, I love the fact Putin was going to take a vicegrip to the people of Russia, people try so hard to keep power, poor poor little man.
*shakes head a tuts*People these days... and old days...*realises he one of them*I think I will go and shoot myself now:(

*shakes head a tuts*People these days... and old days...*realises he one of them*I think I will go and shoot myself now:(

Just make sure to do it on plastic, the splatter marks are a bitch to clean up.

Just make sure to do it on plastic, the splatter marks are a bitch to clean up.
Thanks for the advice man:cool:

Just make sure to do it on plastic, the splatter marks are a bitch to clean up.

Isn't that a warning that it is YOU who is going to die? A mob guy invites you in and you are standing on a plastic sheet... Well you should be a little concerned.

I think that was in Lethal Weapon 2 that this happened in?

I figure that McCarthy's accuracy rate was about the same as Guantanamo's accuracy rate - he *may* have found one or two mid-level Communist operatives, but the vast majority (if not the entirety) of the people he called Communist were in fact innocent.

Isn't that a warning that it is YOU who is going to die? A mob guy invites you in and you are standing on a plastic sheet... Well you should be a little concerned.

I think that was in Lethal Weapon 2 that this happened in?

Yeah, but I never go into flashy offices with creepy old dutch men. My priest does all the molesting I'll ever need.

....swing and a miss.

Cookie to you for getting the reference.

Also, if you're going to kill your self, suppuku is the way to go.

Fear mongering is definitely up there with the world's oldest profession, and I'm not sure I can say it's that different, since it's mostly people getting screwed by professionals. Really, what better gig can you have? Make up an imaginary problem, do stuff, call it a solution. Nothing happens and you are considered the savior of humanity.

Yeah, but I never go into flashy offices with creepy old dutch men. My priest does all the molesting I'll ever need.

....swing and a miss.

Cookie to you for getting the reference.

Also, if you're going to kill your self, suppuku is the way to go.

"Diplomatic Immunity!"

"HAS JUST BEEN REVOKED!" :D

All in all, does anyone think that Mcarthy was blowing smoke, or he really was on a mission from god to cleanse our lands of the "red menace"?

Leaving aside the question of whether or not his mission was divinely appointed I would say it is safe to say that he wasn't blowing smoke.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=17401

Then I'd say that capitalists were all out to kill the communists. After all we didn't have those nukes just to feel all arrogant did we?A footnote... McCarthy started grinding his axe in 1950. The USSR didn't really get ICBM capability until Sputnik was launched in 1957, after McCarthy left office.

Granted, the USSR could have deployed bombers, but the nuclear arms race had barely started.

Yep. The COld War was more or less one giant prick-waving dickfight. With lots of phallic symbols to make the other side tremble and make more phallic symbols.


sigged :D

NO, but after they conquered eastern europe with unjustified motives, split Germany in half, sent missles to Cuba, deployed nuclear submarines to the eastern US seaboard, and preached nothing but "kill the capitalist pigs" we felt that PERHAPS we had reason to defend ourselves...That would be correct, if the decision to defend America had come after the missile crisis.
There were American nukes aimed at Moscow long before the Soviets came anywhere near to threatening the U.S. with a nuclear strike.

Holding hundreds of nukes targeted at us and our ally's is one hell of a way to symbolize something.


Apart from that, lol. :p

And we had nukes pointed directly at them, right on their border in fact. There was mutual paranoia, and it was tricky situation. We weren't exactly innocent in the whole affair.

Of course, some parts of history are forgotten much of the time.

Leaving aside the question of whether or not his mission was divinely appointed I would say it is safe to say that he wasn't blowing smoke.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=17401

The problem with McArthy's tactics, however, is that he called a great deal of people communists. Remember that being a communist is not against the law, here, and he named alot of people of who were communists, but most people, from what I know, were not the "spies" he proclaimed.

A good analogy for McArthy tactics: If you fire a shotgun at a flock of birds, you're going to hit something. Only problem is, simply beign named a communist in that time would destroy your name, your reputation, and much of what you worked to do, regardless of whether you were a communist or not.

Also, McArthy was killed by one thing: Television. His "trials" were televised, and the entire nation saw how he bullied people around, and caught on quick to his witch hunt. This almost directly led to his eventual fall from the light.

Yep. The COld War was more or less one giant prick-waving dickfight. With lots of phallic symbols to make the other side tremble and make more phallic symbols.
It was more than that. It made $ and influence for the people who helped subvert the scant democratic integrity that the former republic of the U.S. currently possesses. :(

Who the hell are those eight people who voted for the first option? Do they have encephalitis or something?

McCarthy was an asshole plain and simple, but hey the current US Government made good use of his tactics so I guess people learned something from him.

Justified the Soviets to do what? Make threats against the U.S.? America made threats right back. If FDR stood up to Stalin then perhaps he could have prevented the Cold War from happening. Then again after Germany was defeated we may of had to fight the Soviets to kick them out of Europe...

Actually some of the Germans who were surrendering to us thought that we would be fighting the Soviets as soon as Berlin fell. All of their last info to the allies was that they shouldn't let Stalin gain too much power in Europe. I guess one Dictatorship would know how another would act.


Who the hell are those eight people who voted for the first option? Do they have encephalitis or something?
Maybe their Closet Facists.

McCarthy was a product of the Cold War and not a very good product either. In a culture of fear, hate, and mistrust, people like McCarthy are always going to emerge from behind the curtain of civilization. He certainly didn’t go on his warpath alone and had a lot of help (like Reagan turning in his fellow actors for brownie points in the Republican Party). What he proved is that no matter what kind of crazy conflict you’ve found yourself in or manufactured, that you still need checks and balances to keep nutcases from running amok in government.

The Bruce

That would be correct, if the decision to defend America had come after the missile crisis.
There were American nukes aimed at Moscow long before the Soviets came anywhere near to threatening the U.S. with a nuclear strike.


Actually, there is no evidence that we threatend the USSR with nukes, before they established capabilities.

McCarthy liked to think Communists were hiding under our beds just like Bush would like us to believe that terrorists are hiding in our closets.


There are terrorists hiding in our closets. Just the other day I found 4 of them huddled together with their AK-74's in my bedroom closet. I had to hit them with my broom to get them to leave.

And another thing....Communism is just a red herring.

Actually, there is no evidence that we threatend the USSR with nukes, before they established capabilities.
Perhaps you didn't get the memo about Nagasaki and Hiroshima. The Soviets weren't stupid, you know. Of course the U.S. threatened them, just in ways that weren't as obvious as later on. And the U.S. are STILL the only nation to use them against anyone else, ever.

Actually, there is no evidence that we threatend the USSR with nukes, before they established capabilities.Course not. The nukes were only stationed in Turkey for the good view.

Course not. The nukes were only stationed in Turkey for the good view.

I thought those missles were just obsolete crap and the USSR knew full well that those nukes were just a bluff.

I thought those missles were just obsolete crap and the USSR knew full well that those nukes were just a bluff.

Uh... not at the time they were placed there, they weren't crap. As time progressed, however, they became obsolete.

That being said, it also gave us a great place to install more if the reason arose.