[Kzyxtalk] A New McCarthyism in America? -- on KMEC Radio, Monday, April 17, at 1 pm, Pacific Time

[John Sakowicz]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 



McCarthy’s ghost smiles as Democrats point the finger at Russia . John Sakowicz and Sid Cooperrider interview Ellen Schrecker. Listen at 105.1 FM in Ukiah, CA. We also stream live from the web at www.kmecradio.org 

Our show is proudly brought to you by the members of the Mendocino Environmental Center, and underwriters, Frey Vineyards, Orr Hot Springs Resort, and Dr. Richard Phillips. 

ELLEN SCHRECKER. 

A retired professor of American history at Yeshiva University, Schrecker is a leading authority on McCarthyism whose books include Many Are the Crimes: McCarthyism in America and No Ivory Tower: McCarthyism in the Universities . 

She said last week: “In many ways, a new form of McCarthyism could appear. Trump adviser Newt Gingrich has called for a new House Un-American Activities Committee to target ‘Islamic extremists.’ Meanwhile, proposed blacklists — of anti-conservative professors, allegedly Russian-oriented websites, and who knows what else — are sprouting up within the mainstream. And, if we think about personalities, we should recall that McCarthy himself was often out of control. 

“But, what is critical and what is poorly understood is how what we call McCarthyism depended on the willing collaboration of liberals and moderates who normalized its anti-communist hysteria. Hubert Humphrey not only backed the Internal Security Act of 1950, originally sponsored by Richard Nixon, but even added provisions for concentration camps for communists. 

“Universities are particularly endangered. Reagan became governor of California by running against Berkeley. Today, we see ‘political correctness’ being used as a pretext to target higher education as well as an increasingly successful campaign to silence the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel. 

“The net effect of the acquiescence of liberals and moderates is, as in the fifties, the further silencing of the left, the elimination of substantive controversy, and a normalization of right-wing extremism.” 

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