“Teaching about Communism isn’t Communism”
Yes, it’s 1954 all over again. In Texas.
It seems that some of the conservatives in government could use a refresher on this valuable lesson, most specifically, Ted Cruz. Mr. Cruz recently asserted that there were 12 Communists on the faculty of Harvard Law when he and President Obama studied there. Texas school “watchdog” groups also have begun to fight against the teaching of Communism in their curriculum. They want it taken out of the schools.
During the McCarthy era, thousands of Americans were accused of being Communists or Communist sympathizers.
Similar to the modern-day accusations from the illuminati-fearing Tea Party, people targeted by McCarthy often became the subject of aggressive investigations and questioning before government or private-industry panels, committees and agencies. Neighbors feared neighbors. Churches pointed fingers at academics. McCarthyism brought the witch-hunt mentality to daily affairs, as more and more citizens caved to the fear mongering of the Big Red Scare.
The mob mentality got so bad that the teachers attempted to quell the enthusiasm of “well-meaning” hysteria of self-proclaimed patriots, forced to explain that TEACHING about Communism was not, in fact, Communism. They also had to explain teaching the history of Unions and worker’s rights was not, in fact, Communism. It was history.
The world was so highly politicized during the McCarthy era that teachers felt unsafe doing their jobs, and had to explain the purpose of teaching and knowledge. Being taken in front of the school board for teaching a social studies class that covered all political structures was not an exaggeration.
Related articles:
- Ted Cruz: Friend to Fascists, Past and Present (breitbartunmasked.com)
- “The Red Menace Of Texas”: Ted Cruz’s McCarthyism And The Christian Right (mykeystrokes.com)
- The new McCarthyism? Ted Cruz’s innuendo war against Hagel (tv.msnbc.com)
- Milbank: ‘McCarthyism 2013′ (junkscience.com)
- Albert Einstein letters criticising McCarthyism are up for sale (thetimes.co.uk)
- 11 heinous lies conservatives are teaching America’s school children (salon.com)
Filed under: Tea Party, VOTD Tagged: Communism, Education, fear, Joseph McCarthy, McCarthy, McCarthyism, Tea Party, Ted Cruz, Texas, United States