Of Communists, Destabilizers and Senator Joseph McCarthy
In the coming protest march this February 15, 2008 against severe corruption in the government of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Philippines), one Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is sure to be implemented. Intelligence "reports" of Communists coming in to infiltrate and create destabilization within the ranks of the demonstrators in any protest-rally, is as certain as the sun rising from the east every morning. This is designed to give the police and soldiers "guarding" the area a thin excuse and an open hand to crackdown or forcibly disperse rallyists any time they wish and for whatever reason they want. Before this event however, it is also certain that indoctrination of police and soldiers, speeches, and even forums and blogspots would put in remarks that "Communists" will be leading rallies even if centrists and rightist forces are found to be in the majority. It is as if it is a given that violent protests and consequent crackdown is a certain thing to happen.
Surprisingly, this "communist bogey" or red scare technique was used to its fullest not in some Third World country. Incredibly it began in the United States, honed to perfection by Joseph Raymond McCarthy a US Senator who served his state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957. According to wikipedia;
"He was noted for making claims that there were large numbers of Communists and Soviet spies and sympathizers inside the federal government and elsewhere. Ultimately, McCarthy's tactics and his inability to substantiate his claims led to his being discredited and censured by the United States Senate. The term "McCarthyism," coined in 1950 in reference to McCarthy's practices, was soon applied to similar anti-communist pursuits. Today the term is used more generally to describe demagogic, reckless, and unsubstantiated accusations, as well as public attacks on the character or patriotism of political opponents."
