The Illusion of Freedom – Part 4/4

The McCarthy era started in the late 1940s and lasted to the late 1950s.

It is difficult to estimate the number of victims of McCarthyism. The number imprisoned is in the hundreds, and some ten or twelve thousand lost their jobs. In many cases simply being subpoenaed by HUAC or one of the other committees was sufficient cause to be fired. Many of those who were imprisoned, lost their jobs or were questioned by committees did in fact have a past or present connection of some kind with the Communist Party.

However, for the vast majority, both the potential for them to do harm to the nation and the nature of their communist affiliation were tenuous. Suspected homosexuality was also a common cause for being targeted by McCarthyism. The hunt for ‘sexual perverts’, who were presumed to be subversive by nature, resulted in thousands being harassed and denied employment.

HBO Documentary of Freedom of Speech in five parts – Part 4

In fact, in 1954, a Gallup poll found that 50% of the American public supported McCarthy, while only 29% had an unfavorable opinion of the senator. In addition, Earl Warren, the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, said that if the US Bill of Rights had been put to a vote it probably would have been defeated.

McCarthy bullied, threatened and abused witnesses while he accused them of Communist sympathies. However, in the late 1950s, public opinion turned against McCarthy.  He was forced out of public life and died several years later an alcoholic.

Then there is sedition—another restriction on so-called freedom of speech in the US.

In July 1798, Congress passed and the President signed, the Sedition Act – a bill that made it a crime to speak or write anything against the government. A person charged under the Sedition Act was subject to a maximum of two years in prison and a $2,000 fine. The 1798 Sedition Act would be repealed in 1801. However, after the US entered World War I, President Woodrow Wilson signed into federal law the Sedition Act of 1918.  The law made it illegal to speak out against the government, the war or to discourage anyone from enlisting in the military.

By the time the law was repealed in 1920, more than 2,000 people had been prosecuted.

HBO Documentary of Freedom of Speech in five parts – Part 5


What do you consider freedom and does it really exist?

Return to  The Illusion of Freedom – Part 3 or start with Part 1



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2 Responses to The Illusion of Freedom – Part 4/4

  1. merlin says:

    Homosexuality was thrown in with communism? Stalin and his troupe performing YMCA. Sexual perverts? We still have the same language, but it’s directed at registered sex offenders. At times I feel bad for them because it was their family and environment that made them who they are. With all the negativity thrown around out there, they pretty much are stuck living the life of a hermit because laws state they can’t live within hundreds of yards of a public locale. Of course, it’s sad instead of trying to help, we dehumanize them and force them out. Then they run to other countries where they can get away with some of the worst things.

    The Sedition Act sounds pretty good. If I want to drop my pants in front of the white house, it’s only going to cost $2000? I cant imagine how much money the government could make if they put another Sedition Act through. It might help pay some of the bills so we wont have to cut spending on important things like education. Besides, the war protesters are already low-balling the war by terrorising funerals. Although, I dont see what effect it would have as much of the war is finished.

    • The Sedition Act is already there. It just hasn’t been used against that many citizens yet–a few. However, I wonder what will happen if there is a Republican president in the White House with a Republican majority in both houses of congress and the Tea Party-neoconservative-evangelicals are calling the shots.



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