I separated this topic from another thread -- Ken The John Birch Society is a perfect example of this, Ken. As dangerous and evil as the Communism of the Soviet Union and Nazism of Germany. There have also been other far right groups based on the Nazi ideal which are still extant in the U.S. Thus, so many liberals call anyone with more conservative philosophies, "White Supremecists." Nothing could be further from the truth. We often read of people calling Trump a dictator or fascist when in reality, those very people are behaving in a fascist manner.
Many years ago, I belonged to the JOhn Birch Society, and I didn’t see anything happening that looked different than what most conservatives stand for, so I certainly would not think that they were some kind of a right-wing Nazi. Where are your facts on that, @Lois Winters ?
I am not going to go back and quote Robert Welch nor anyone else, Yvonne. I will say this, I remember when that society was created back in 1958 and it was being touted on all our college campuses as the end all of what is considered the American ideal. In many ways, it was and nothing wrong with that. However, those of us in post graduate courses at the time had our hands full with studies and research and precious little time for anything else. McCarthyism was running rampant across this country and when I said I did not have time to join the Birch Movement, nor anything else for that matter, I was called a pinko. I was livid and so I delved into looking into some of the Birch meetings and they were as cut throat as I can imaging the Nazis were. Perhaps it has tamed down a bit, I don't know, but I have always been conservative and no doubt a reactionary, but a pinko??? Life was miserable for those labelled wrongly back in the day, I can assure you.
The John Birch Society was formed, as Lois says, in the atmosphere of anti-communism. In the wake of McCarthyism, there was a concerted effort to paint the JBS as racist, which is a tactic they still use against any conservatives individuals or organizations, but I have seen no reason to believe that there was anything to that. When I first heard of the JBS, all that I knew about it was that it was a racist, white-supremacist type of organization, but that was because I heard only what the left wanted me to hear. When I began looking into them about twenty years ago, I found that to be untrue. I joined and was a member for about fifteen years. I quit because, while they had a great magazine (The New American), and I agreed with pretty much every position they had, they didn't seem to really be doing anything effective. The regional coordinator covering New England and Maine had helped to establish what was known as Camp Constitution, which is a summer camp for kids, where they learn American history and the US Constitution. We were raising our nephew at the time, and he went two years in a row, loved it, and came back with an impressive education on these subjects. Although Camp Constitution was funded apart from the JBS, meaning that the JBS was not funding the program, they objected to their New England coordinator spending any of his time on it, telling him that he could no longer do that and maintain his position as the regional coordinator for the JBS. That seemed hugely shortsighted to me, given that if the JBS really wanted to play a useful role in everything that they claimed to be for, they should be supporting this program rather than acting against it. What greater good than to offer something to offset the constant drumbeat of progressivism in the schools? I quit the JBS, not because I disagreed with their positions, but because it seemed to me that they were mostly interested in collecting membership dues and publishing a magazine, and less interested in actually doing anything about the problems they point out.
Ken, I mentioned the John Birch Society as an illustration of the other end of extremism in comparing same with Communism or Fascism. Not to have a discussion regarding that organization. However, it has provoked some realities of what was going on at that time. A young man who was also using his GI Bill, as was I to obtain our Masters degrees was having some problems with these people as well. So, he and I went to a couple of meetings. We were rather concerned at the attitudes of the members and wondered what had happened to our serene U.S.A. We both felt that it bore looking into the background of John Birch himself. Capt. Birch, U.S.A. Intelligence Officer with the Chinese Freedom Forces was killed when he came face to face with Communist Chinese Forces. He had formed a large network among the Chinese who are now Taiwanese. He did not like the OSS, now the CIA, but worked instead with Chiang Kai Shek. I don't think Birch would have appreciated the zealousness of the Birch Society back in the day. Publicly, Eisenhower even criticized them. Now, Mac, the young man I previously mentioned had just returned from Korea and he had come face to face with Communist forces while there. I presume he may have even killed a few, but we never discussed it. I told him about my Commie high school teachers who had been arrested at a cell meeting in the next town from where I lived. To go after a card carrying communist in those days was fine and dandy, but to falsely accuse anyone and everyone who did not jump on one band wagon or another or a soap box for that matter did not resonate well with more level headed people. There are laws. There is extremism which often translates into fanatacism. All are unhealthy in my opinion.
Don't be so defensive. I wasn't reprimanding you for bringing it up. Your post led to a discussion of the John Birch Society, and discussions are a good thing. I just separated it so that it could be carried on in its own thread. Whenever a new topic is introduced that gets even a few responses, it's a good idea to build on that. Robert Taft, Eisenhower's Republican primary opponent, was more conservative than Eisenhower, who was initially asked to run as a Democrat. I don't know if Taft was a member of the JBS but his political leanings were more in line with the JBS than was Eisenhower's. As for the McCarthy hearings, I think they were an overreaction to what was probably a real problem. There were communists in high levels of the US government, the entertainment industry, and in other areas of influence, but McCarthy wasn't a JBS member, either, although McCarthy's chief counsel was.
So true. I tended to avoid politics back then. Actually, I had too many other interests, but, my father was friends with politicians in both parties. However, we did not dwell too much on the subject at home as my mother was not one to condone what she felt were senseless debates. It wasn't until much later in life that I became really interested in running for office and sought my district to back me for County Committee Woman on the Republican ticket. Held that office for 10 years and left the political arena, but remained President of our Republican Club until I retired 12 years ago. According to later findings during the McCarthy Hearings, some of the actors who had been found to have joined the Communist Party actually did not know what they were signing on to. Some even thought they were honoring a request for an autograph when they signed a paper. Or so it was stated at any rate. But the government officials did know and that was what really got everyone's juices going. What a time that was
Your first sentence sounded like you maybe felt like you had to justify having brought it up. I didn't want you to think that I thought there was anything wrong with it.
No, I just was using it as a metaphor as it were, but that's OK since I think some people are now a better educated as to what was happening in the 50s. It really began even before I was born in 33. Did you know that in the late 20s school teachers were notoriously signing onto the Communist Party? I don't know if they thought that was the fashionable thing to do, but it was causing a stir in our government. Finally, after FDR was elected and it was suggested they withdraw their membership, they actually asked why they could not show their allegiance to 2 flags, for they loved Uncle Joe. Well, that, as you could figure did not sit well with the Oval Office, but since we were in the height of the depression at that time, much went on the back burner. And, more became commies. It all came to a head in the 50s which Roosevelt did not live to see. I wonder if our students are learning anything about this today? The picture I got of the Soviet Union when I was in high school was so bleak, I never even thought it desirable to consider becoming a Communist. We had to read Das Kapital when I was a senior and I still was never convinced. Rightfully so, as we are uniquely individualistic with free will. To corral me under such a regime would be tantamount to a life sentence in the state pen.
No, but it doesn't surprise me. They may not call themselves that, but I'll bet more teachers vote for Bernie than for Trump, or even Biden. People here in the US who think socialism is cool probably don't picture themselves as standing in line hoping to be able to buy a potato and a loaf of bread.
You are so right. One interesting fact as well, was that Lenin did not want Stalin to succeed him. He called Uncle Joe a butcher. Prophetic eh?
Commies Commies every where. They got a little carried away and started loosing support of many consevatives
The John Birch Society is still alive and well today. They are still opposed to immigration, free trade and the United Nations.