In October of 1947, the United States House of Representives formed the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Screenwriters (and playwrights), directors, producers, actors were rounded up and compelled to point fingers at and 'name names' of Communist subversives in Hollywood.
Elia Kazan (you might recall the 1999 Oscars--many actors, notably Goldie Hawn, refused to applaud the awarding of the honorary Oscar) was called to testify and did, in fact, 'name names.'
Amongst those 'blacklisted,' are some very recognizable names:
Arthur Miller
Burgess Meredith
Lillian Hellman
Dashiell Hammett
John Garfield
Lee Grant
Paul Robeson
Clifford Odets
Dorothy Parker
Ring Lardner, Jr.
Phoebe Brand
Zero Mostel
Bertolt Brecht
Aaron Copland
We do not forget what has happened; we will not permit it to happen again . . .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_blacklist
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Euterpe Roo
The millionth monkey
Join date: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 1,395
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10-07-2005 08:49
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"Of course, you'd also have to mention . . . furries, Sith Lords, cyberpunks, glowing balls of gaseous neon fumes, and walking foodstuffs" --Cory Edo
“One man developed a romantic attachment to a tractor, even giving it a name and writing poetry in its honor." MSN "  next week: the .5m torus of "I ate a yummy sandwich and I'm sleepy now" " Desmond Shang |
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Madame Maracas
Not who you think I am...
Join date: 7 Jun 2004
Posts: 1,953
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10-07-2005 09:38
It's amazing the talent that stood on both sides of this inane insanity that brought only ugliness, didn't "protect America from the Red Scrourge" and strangled so many creative endeavors and folks. Some quite obviously were inspired but more were just out of work and personally as well as professionally destroyed over accusations that were often specious.
Fear and torture, aren't they supposed to be the methods of the "bad guys"? Has anyone else noticed how frequently it seems a more slickly packaged form of McCarthyism is around us on a daily basis? Obey Consume Conform uh huh _____________________
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Zuzu Fassbinder
Little Miss No Tomorrow
Join date: 17 Sep 2004
Posts: 2,048
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10-07-2005 09:39
You forgot to mention that "Good night, and good luck" opens this weekend. I may actually have to treck to the theater for this one.
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I don't want no commies in my car. No Christians either. |
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Taco Rubio
also quite creepy
Join date: 15 Feb 2004
Posts: 3,349
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10-07-2005 09:41
You forgot to mention that "Good night, and good luck" opens this weekend. I may actually have to treck to the theater for this one. Good call, Zuzu. If you bring me I'll sneak in the jujubees! |
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Pol Tabla
synthpop saint
Join date: 18 Dec 2003
Posts: 1,041
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10-07-2005 09:41
Not so coincidentally:
Good Night, and Good Luck |
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Rose Karuna
Lizard Doctor
Join date: 5 Jun 2004
Posts: 3,772
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10-07-2005 09:53
So that you don't think the behavior was benign in how it affected peoples lives:
People such as Bartley Crum, a lawyer who defended some of the "Hollywood 10" in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947, were labeled as subversive. The FBI tapped Crum's phones, opened his mail, and shadowed him constantly. He ended up losing most of his clients and, unable to cope with stress from the unrelenting harassment, committed suicide in 1959. These people have unlimited power at their finger tips. They can tie you up in court, ruin your good name, cost you your job, your credit, your home, even have your children taken away. Never, never underestimate the wrath of a self-righteous, self-serving bureaucrat. _____________________
I Do Whatever My Rice Krispies Tell Me To
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Taco Rubio
also quite creepy
Join date: 15 Feb 2004
Posts: 3,349
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10-07-2005 10:14
As a (former) card-carrying Red, I think I'm a little more sensitive to how they system is still skewed than other people might be. A few weeks ago, in the breakroom here, I got into a discussion about this topic with a co-worker. The workers laws are posted in our breakroom (in California, they have to be, I think) and I pointed out that in this State, a worker is protected from being terminated because of his or her gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, and a couple of others.
What's interesting to me is that your political affiliation is NOT protected. I said to my friend, "So, if they had a meeting here, and said "who here is or was a communist?" and I raised my hand, I could be fired on the spot, and it's totally legal". He didn't seem that interested in my point, so I added "they could also do that for Democrats". |
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Rose Karuna
Lizard Doctor
Join date: 5 Jun 2004
Posts: 3,772
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10-07-2005 10:53
As a (former) card-carrying Red, I think I'm a little more sensitive to how they system is still skewed than other people might be. A few weeks ago, in the breakroom here, I got into a discussion about this topic with a co-worker. The workers laws are posted in our breakroom (in California, they have to be, I think) and I pointed out that in this State, a worker is protected from being terminated because of his or her gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, age, and a couple of others. What's interesting to me is that your political affiliation is NOT protected. I said to my friend, "So, if they had a meeting here, and said "who here is or was a communist?" and I raised my hand, I could be fired on the spot, and it's totally legal". He didn't seem that interested in my point, so I added "they could also do that for Democrats". It was a ..... but did he get it I wonder? _____________________
I Do Whatever My Rice Krispies Tell Me To
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Taco Rubio
also quite creepy
Join date: 15 Feb 2004
Posts: 3,349
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10-07-2005 10:55
!
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Euterpe Roo
The millionth monkey
Join date: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 1,395
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10-07-2005 12:01
Not so coincidentally: Good Night, and Good Luck It looks like a wonderful film! I am willing to stand in line for this one.  This morning, I found myself reading reviews of some of the films opening in my area. My thoughts drifted, and I found myself thinking about the Hollywood 10 (all of whom are now dead) and the rest of the blacklisted actors, directors, and writers (many of whom are also now dead). In another section of the same newspaper, I had read that the NY subway system was, again, on alert. 'Terrorism' appears to be raising its ugly head (?) . (?) . It seems that culturally, politically, ideologically, and economically the United States could re-visit 1947 and/or the later era of Murrow. While overt censorship of the arts simply scares the wits out of me--covert censorship (perpetuating an atomosphere of fear and/or cutting the funding to organizations like NEA and PBS) is the nightmare from which we all might not awaken. _____________________
"Of course, you'd also have to mention . . . furries, Sith Lords, cyberpunks, glowing balls of gaseous neon fumes, and walking foodstuffs" --Cory Edo
“One man developed a romantic attachment to a tractor, even giving it a name and writing poetry in its honor." MSN " next week: the .5m torus of "I ate a yummy sandwich and I'm sleepy now"" Desmond Shang |
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Blueman Steele
Registered User
Join date: 28 Dec 2004
Posts: 1,038
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ha ha funny, like a clown
10-08-2005 09:30
BART: The Krusty I know didn't get where he is today by giving up!
KRUSTY: No, I got where I am today by naming names in the '50s. This quote is funny, but that's now why I post it. I'd like to know that people will "get it" for years to come and maybe putting it into this thread will help set this event into memory. More info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarthyism |
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Chance Abattoir
Future Rockin' Resmod
Join date: 3 Apr 2004
Posts: 3,898
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10-08-2005 23:40
Ah, but Euterpe--
If Elia Kazan hadn't named names, then Arthur Miller wouldn't have ever written The Crucible and Kazan wouldn't have written On the Waterfront in defense (and glorification) of himself. Oppression is necessary for great art, so really we should be thankful for people who opportunistically use bad situations to attempt to further or maintain their own positions of power. I'd volunteer to be the first to betray you myself if I knew you'd produce great art out of it. I'd like to think that makes me some kind of evil saint if I do it for art instead of power.  _____________________
"The mob requires regular doses of scandal, paranoia and dilemma to alleviate the boredom of a meaningless existence."
-Insane Ramblings, Anton LaVey |
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Euterpe Roo
The millionth monkey
Join date: 24 Jan 2005
Posts: 1,395
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10-09-2005 06:03
Ah, but Euterpe-- If Elia Kazan hadn't named names, then Arthur Miller wouldn't have ever written The Crucible and Kazan wouldn't have written On the Waterfront in defense (and glorification) of himself. Oppression is necessary for great art, so really we should be thankful for people who opportunistically use bad situations to attempt to further or maintain their own positions of power. I'd volunteer to be the first to betray you myself if I knew you'd produce great art out of it. I'd like to think that makes me some kind of evil saint if I do it for art instead of power. No ethics quandry here. I have met a person in SL with something similar to this statement in his/her profile: "If I had seen a young starving artist named Adolf begging in the streets of Vienna, I would slip him a $20." This is not the exact quotation, but the original quote is similar in tone. _____________________
"Of course, you'd also have to mention . . . furries, Sith Lords, cyberpunks, glowing balls of gaseous neon fumes, and walking foodstuffs" --Cory Edo
“One man developed a romantic attachment to a tractor, even giving it a name and writing poetry in its honor." MSN " next week: the .5m torus of "I ate a yummy sandwich and I'm sleepy now"" Desmond Shang |
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Einsman Schlegel
Disenchanted Fool
Join date: 11 Jun 2003
Posts: 1,461
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10-09-2005 11:26
Communism is actually starting to look better and better dontcha know.
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Memory Harker
Girl Anachronism
Join date: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 393
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What is it, precisely ...
10-09-2005 11:32
Ah, but Euterpe-- If Elia Kazan hadn't named names, then Arthur Miller wouldn't have ever written The Crucible and Kazan wouldn't have written On the Waterfront in defense (and glorification) of himself. Oppression is necessary for great art, so really we should be thankful for people who opportunistically use bad situations to attempt to further or maintain their own positions of power. I'd volunteer to be the first to betray you myself if I knew you'd produce great art out of it. I'd like to think that makes me some kind of evil saint if I do it for art instead of power. ... that you have against cuckoo clocks, Mr. Lime? |
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Weedy Herbst
Too many parameters
Join date: 5 Aug 2004
Posts: 2,255
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10-09-2005 11:33
Communist 1950's = Terrorist 2000's
It's just labels applied to fear mongering. _____________________
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