Edward R Murrow pans Joe McCarthy on "See It Now," March 9, 1954

In brief, old Tailgunner Joe led the vilest witch hunts in the US since the real ones in Salem. He brought the US back to it's place as a world contender in the persecution of the innocent and/or nonconformist and/or socially committed. We've had race riots, a civil war, "No Nothings," Al Capone and Boss Tweed and lots more but never otherwise a nation-wide suppression of thought, speech and print as we had with McCarthy and his co-maniacs in the House and the Army.

Americans were afraid to speak out and with good cause. That should never happen. Murrow was the first (publicly on TV from a major establishment forum) to describe McCarthy for the self-serving monster he was. That was the real beginning of the end of McCarthy (Senate censured him on Dec 2, 1954.) McCarthy still has supporters among the radical religious Right today but they are not significant.

But the courage of Murrow and the team behind him was remarkable. I had to remark on it. Murrow set us an example of courage to examine the facts independently of public rantings, emotional speech writing, political and economic expediency - and then to speak out from that examination – and tell the truth.

                  "Are you now or have you ever been,
                  Were you ever sympathetic or interested in?
                  When did you start, how long did it last,
                  Tell us all about your interesting past—
                  Answer yes or no!"
  
                          "Talking Unamerican Blues," by Betty Sanders and Irwin Silber

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