McCarthyism is Still Alive

The following notes are for Najiha. But is am posting it here so that others who are interested can take a look. Our main target is to watch the film "Good Night, and Good Luck".  I would particularly like Tananze, Aminah, and Naqvi to take a look. At the same time we shall consider how in early 1950s a new phase of political witch-hunting changed the face of US politics, short-lived though it was. Here is a list of materials that will prepare you for the discussion.

1. Watch the full film here > "Good Night, and Good Luck", Directed by George Clooney
2. Documentary on broadcast Journalist Edward R. Murrow and his confrontation of McCarthy. It can be seen here > Edward R. Murrow
3. Death notice of Senator McCarthy is here > McCarthy is Dead
4. Finally, lawyer Joseph Welch's famous charge to McCarthy "Have you no decency" at the public hearing. Watch it here > Have you No Decency? 

As you will see the George Clooney film questions the limit of state power over individual's right to disagree. Here is a classic case of Private V. Public. The film also builds on the limits of public broadcasting companies to take sides on a national issue. As you will see in the documentary listed on the 2nd above, Newsweek newspaper ran a cover story on Edward R. Murrow, which rhetorically asked "Should Television Take Sides?" 

I will add a few more notes in numbered sequence.

1. E. Murrow asked in the night of broadcasting about McCarthy, "Is there an Achilles' heel?", implying was there anyone in the room who had a questionable past which McCarthy could possibly use against the CBS broadcast team. And then Murrow warned "The TERROR is among us."
2. Commentators say that it was the night when Television "came of age."
3. McCarthyism is comparable with Stalinist Purge in Soviet Union which occurred between 1936-38 when more than a million 'dissenters' were executed for fear of being different opinions. 
4. After the anti-McCarthy broadcast, CBS Television had some changes in CBS's executive Bureaucracy, primarily to ensure that no SINGLE journalist could "Overwhelmingly Influence" the network's policy. 
5. It is interesting to note that after the CBS broadcast E. Murrow's denunciation of Senator McCarthy's unethical ways, McCarthy himself appeared in a TV show and announced that "Murrow is a symbol, the leader, the cleverest of the jackal pack."
6. McCarthy died prematurely at the age of 47, troubled by consumption. His political legacy was removed by his own political party Republican Party. 
7. However, in 2020 McCarthyism has probably returned to the modern world in the image of Trump.