Effects of McCarthyism on American Society
Although McCarthyism was over by the mid-1950s, its effects on American society are still felt today. For example, the movement taught many Americans not to criticize the United States and to conform to society. In other words, it was an anti-disloyalty movement.
McCarthy's accusations of disloyalty
The accusations of disloyalty and political insubordination made by Senator Joseph McCarthy have been a controversial subject in history. While in office, McCarthy made a series of outlandish claims against government officials and everyday Americans. He did so without any evidence, and his investigative methods were unfair and stifled basic civil rights.
Some of McCarthy's accusations were completely fictitious, but they stirred up deeply-held Cold War fears. In response, President Truman created the Federal Employee Loyalty Program to investigate potential disloyal government employees. He also created the House Un-American Activities Committee to investigate entertainers suspected of communist sympathies. These allegations led to a frenzied witch hunt, and many government employees felt constantly threatened.
His HUAC committee
The Watauga County Public Library's Third Thursday group is hosting a movie on June 19. The movie is Johnny Got His Gun, based on a 1939 novel by Dalton Trumbo, a member of the Hollywood Ten. Trumbo refused to testify before McCarthy's HUAC committee. The story revolves around an American soldier who loses limbs during World War I.
His attacks on John Henry Faulk
Robert Faulk, a writer and orator, was a victim of McCarthy's political persecution. His blacklisting by an anti-communist organization led to his firing from a national CBS radio talk show. Despite his firing, Faulk continued to work in the entertainment industry and became an influential figure on the stage. He spoke out on topics such as free speech and the First Amendment.
Faulk was a native of Austin, Texas, whose father was a sharecropper. The son of a sharecropper, he was not able to read or write, but he grew up to become a prominent lawyer in Austin during the early 1900s. As a political activist, Faulk was an early supporter of civil rights, and he often defended his constituents. In 1987, Faulk was diagnosed with cancer. He had nasopharyngeal cancer. He fought it successfully, but the disease returned last year.
His blacklisting of artists accused of communist sympathies
In the 1950s, a blacklist was created by the House Un-American Activities Committee to target communist sympathizers in the entertainment industry. It included artists, writers, and musicians. Artists and entertainers were blacklisted and their careers suffered. Some were even forced to give up their passports after being accused of communist sympathies.
The effect of McCarthy's blacklisting on Hollywood has been chronicled in many works of fiction and film, and many of those accused of communist sympathies have also written memoirs and nonfiction works about the era. Arthur Miller, who wrote "The Crucible," was one of the artists accused of communist sympathies, but was later cleared of the charges.
