Hollywood and McCarthy Term Papers

Hollywood and McCarthy term papers argue that the widespread, uncompelled (or compelled) cooperation with Joseph McCarthy’s agenda was one socially-based external factor crucial to Senator’s success. For instance, in Hollywood in 1950 many film studios and television and radio industries willingly subscribed to Red Channels, a special list for Hollywood, that made known the names of musicians, actors, writers and radio and TV entertainers suspected of Communism. This list was used by film studios and the broadcast industry to ostracize and dismiss people. Moreover, such listings were upblished for other industries as well, and companies, government institutions and organizations subscribed to them. The figure of only 150 people who were imprisoned after McCarthy’s inspections does not correctly show the influece which his public hearings had on people. There were not less than 10,000 victims of McCarthy hearings who were fired for political reasons, not taking into account applicants who were blacklisted, quitted under coercion, or were given an outward, other reason for being fired. This inactivity or selfishness that barred Americans from expressing opposition or stopping McCarthy right away was debatable not because of his personal influence, it was a sign of an American predisposition at the time to accept government and FBI authority, to act in conformity with directions, to keep away from trouble. It should be stressed that it was not McCarthy who was a danger to American freedom, but the American predisposition to witch-hunt and harass, in combination with a credulous belief in government and politicians and a lack of true patriotism. This period should be remembered as something to avoid in future.