Defending the Undefendable

[LovetoCamp]

From History News Network.

 

Mr. Rifkin's delusions (#16479)

by Bill Heuisler on August 13, 2003 at 3:50 PM

Mr. Rifkin,

How do such delusions exist in this Age of Information? Fever-dreams and anti-McCarthy wishes don't count on a History Site. Research is simple in libraries or search engines. The Venona program has been existence for over fifty years. Decoding began in 1946 - is still being released - and over 300 Americans have been identified as Soviet agents for Stalin's Worker's Paradise. Over 2200 messages between Moscow and trade reps, diplomats, KGB and GRU Residencies have been decoded since 1946 by the Venona program based in Arlington Hall. An analyst named Meredith Gardner broke the code in the summer of 1946 and General Carter Clarke contacted the FBI. Agent Robert Lamphere then worked full-time with Arlington Hall analysts and reported to FBI Director Hoover. Hoover worked closely with McCarthy, etc, etc. Stop dreaming. Look up information or appear empty-headed.

Bill Heuisler

[Kahuna]

The problem with McCarthy, I would argue, is that his wild and excessive political campaign did more harm than good to the discovery and suppression of American Communists working in government. Certainly, we now know that much of what McCarthy claimed was true, although we don't know (or at least I don't) whether he knew it was true or not. McCarthy stirred up a hysteria which led to blacklisting in Hollywood and among authors. Yes, some of those guys were communists or communist sympathizers, but most of those were just pretty much harmless cranks. The real danger, as you point out, was among people working in our government. To my knowledge, McCarthy never successfully outed any spies who actually got convicted or deported. The reason that "McCarthyism" has become a dirty word is because he was reckless and shameless in his campaign and didn't care who was damaged by it. If he had been more responsible and actually brought about some good in his efforts, his name might be iconic today.

[packsaddle]

I answered this more completely in the 'thread of origin' but here is the source of Trail Pounder's quote and a little of my reply.

http://hnn.us/comments/16479.html

 

"...to address Trail Pounder's source, everyone please go to that page hit the button on that page marked, 'Return to What Bill O'Reilly Should Have Told Ann Coulter' and you will get the whole story. Here's a quicker way to it:

http://hnn.us/articles/1622.html

By Anthony Fuentez, a Ph.D. candidate in American History at the University of Pennsylvania. He provides on that page a complete discussion of Trail Pounder's quote (whose source is a claim made by, who else? Ann Coulter)."

 

To save you time, here is Fuentez's punchline from the longer article - a devastating repudiation of Coulter's and Trail Pounder's view,

"Hopefully, this brief history lesson is informative enough to repudiate Coulter's reappraisal of McCarthy. For McCarthy was truly a loathsome politician whose name has been associated deservedly with the phenomenon called McCarthyism. No amount of whitewashing and willful ignorance can change the central facts of this historical interpretation."

Bon apetite

[LovetoCamp]

At the bottom of the article there is a link to 70 responses to this article. The author, a student working on his doctorate, writes well. I'll agree, McCarthy was a scuzzy, loathsome, self-serving politician. He almost seems as a model for many Reps and Senators serving themselves in Congress today. Here is Pack with his beret. http://www.cheguevara.com/ Here is another link to the responses. I haven't read through all of them, but it seems to me, after all the emotional gas is emitted, that he was effective in rooting out commies in government and hollywood. Responses to the article. Copy and paste the URL to read the differing opinions. Bon apetite? What is that about?

 

http://hnn.us/board.php?id=1622(This message has been edited by Trail Pounder)

[packsaddle]

If you saw me you'd know how wrong you are about that beret ...way too geeky-looking. My head is adorned by a really beat-up brown leather western style with lots of dust and sweat inside and out. Virtually assures that it will never be stolen...nor accidentally eaten.

Bon apetite - enjoy the feast.