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Red Scare Theoretical Analysis

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Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "Men are moved by two levers only: fear and self interest." Fear is anything but a new concept. Throughout history, it has dictated and shaped societies in ways unlike any other. The "Red Scare" during the 1950's is just one of many great examples that demonstrate just how much fear actually dictates our lives. Fear is the main driving factor in our society today, from political and social campaigns to what we eat and wear. It is our scapegoat, our motivator. Politics are one of the biggest platforms influenced by fear. For example, the fear of terrorism and Islamophobia are so prevalent in our society today, people actually deem it socially acceptable for a Presidential candidate to call for the "total and complete …show more content…

They are portrayed as absent minded, lazy, low-life individuals with hardly any motivation. But where does this cliché actually come from? The New York Times recently published an editorial called, "The Federal Marijuana Ban Is Rooted in Myth and Xenophobia." In this editorial series, the author, Brent Staples, exposes the extremely biased "legislation that was passed in an atmosphere of hysteria during the 1930's and that was firmly rooted in prejudices against Mexican immigrants and African-Americans, who were associated with marijuana use at the time."(Times, 7/14) During the early 1930's, America was first starting to see marijuana use becoming prominent along the Texas borders, mainly by the Mexican immigrants and African-Americans. The same old song and dance is always true when it comes to immigrants in the United States: Many entitled 'true Americans' do not like them. Crimes committed by any Mexican or African-American people were immediately attributed to marijuana. Eventually, the federal government intervened when an influential New Orleans doctor blamed 'pot heads' for a string of robberies. The marijuana prohibition campaign spread like wildfire with the use of false propaganda such as marijuana led to insanity and as much as 'one marijuana cigarette' could influence you so greatly you would want to kill your loved ones. Eventually, marijuana was made

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As tensions intensified between, the Soviet Union and America during the Cold War between the late 1940’s and the early 1950’s, frenzied-hysterics overcame the American people and public policy which mirrored reflection of the Red Scare era. Furthermore, the second wave of Anslinger came on strong, using the well-established levers of control through the media the director of the FBN linked marijuana to Heroin and all drugs to communism. During the Red Scare era no politician could afford appearing weak against communism and many claims no matter how outlandish with threat of communism were taking deathly serious. Consequently, president Truman by recommendation of Anslinger passes the Boggs act in 1951, which was a mandatory sentencing for

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763 Words | 4 Pages

Between the 1840s and 1920, marijuana carried a largely negative tone throughout Mexico. The drug was known to make people violent and cause madness. Isaac Campos, in his book, “Homegrown,” attempts to identify how and why marijuana earned this reputation in Mexico during this time. This study scientifically examines the environmental, sociocultural and political ramifications of human history and marijuana. Campos’s book closely examines and documents the origin of cannabis within Mexico, from its introduction to the country as a fiber-producing industrial plant in the 1530s, to its nationwide prohibition in 1920.

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354 Words | 2 Pages

The Red Scare is a lot like what happened a few weeks ago in a Europe airport. There was a terrorist attack on the Brussels airport, and it killed at least 30 people and wounded 230 others. It was witnessed by a cab driver and anyone who had been there when the attack happened. There is a suspect held in custody. The red scare killed at least 2 people.

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1007 Words | 5 Pages

Fear is a dangerous tool, for it can be used in countless ways and for numerous objectives. Politics of fear is the concept that people may incite fear in the general public to achieve political or workplace goals through emotional bias. Two examples of politics of fear being used in the past to “convince” people to do something are the witch trials in Salem and the McCarthy hearings. While far apart in time, they are extremely similar in idea and process, both had an end goal of getting their respective “defendants” to incriminate themselves.

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556 Words | 3 Pages

Marijuana users were once considered regular members of society. That changed in 1937 when marijuana was official made illegal. After that day, all marijuana users were then considered deviant. Even though marijuana is illegal, the demand for it has not subsided. The growers of marijuana were forced to get clever with the location they grow the plant.

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430 Words | 2 Pages

During the great 1960’s drugs were heavily consumed by the people, thus the iconic view of the 1960’s was born. People weren’t necessarily addicted at first, but because the “hippies” were a group of mostly teens and young adults they were still exploring themselves. Whether it was spiritually or self realization, it still involved most often one of three common drugs for the time period. Marijuana was one of these major drugs that was used in the 1960’s. Marijuana has been used by humans for many years.

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912 Words | 4 Pages

The basis of fear can be used as a means of manipulation, with those in power playing on people's deepest fears to maintain their position. It is important to recognize the dangers of fear and to work towards creating a more just and equitable society that is not driven by fear (Miller, Lisa L

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759 Words | 4 Pages

When understanding the drug problems we face today, we have to look at the history of how drugs became popular and what they do. Some historians would say this country was founded by tobacco, the first big cash crop the colonies produced. It was first used for chewing, pipe smoking and snuff. Cigarettes popularity started after World War II but eventually declined after showing the correlations between smoking and cancer. (A Brief History of Tobacco) Marijuana was also a cash crop starting in Jamestown but instead of using it for smoking it was used for making rope, clothing and sails.

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By identifying the macro elements, such as social institutions, and external causes of fear, she could find reaffirmation of her fears (Walsh, 1999: 126); this further lead to her identification of the functions of fear, as a means to protect – society and the individual (Walsh, 1999: 127-128). Walsh also acknowledges an individual, or group’s free will to act in a functional or dysfunctional way to the stimulus of fear (Walsh, 1999:128-129). Furthermore, she weighs how conflict, politics and modernity and postmodernity effect fear with regards to societal and personal reaction, internalization, and externalization (Walsh, 1999:

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595 Words | 3 Pages

Fear is the presence that seems to be recurring and extremely evident. I believe that Martin Luther King was definitely correct because of some prime historical examples including: Hitler with his fear-based tyranny and the prejudice that once engulfed America, as well as bullying in schools and in the outside world that yet still lingers. During the early 1900’s, the country of America was just recovering from the hard-hitting Great Depression and had been primarily struggling with itself to maintain a stabilized government. Our country had been ignorant to what had been occurring on the other side of the world: genocide. Innocent Jewish civilians were being mass-murdered because of one insane human who stripped them of their freedom and forced them to their

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829 Words | 4 Pages

In the DARE reading, it states “Controversy also rages over marijuana’s fiercely by proponents and detractors, respectively. One fact remains indisputable: Marijuana is the most abused illegal drug in the world” This where the perception comes into questioning when the question is asked, “Is Marijuana more so used for medical usage or recreational usage in the modern world?” There are very few states who legalized recreational marijuana/ decriminalized marijuana which are Alaska, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, DC, and Washington State. The perception of states that legalized Marijuana is that they have a lot of violence, because of the opportunity to use Marijuana without strict laws against it.

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1178 Words | 5 Pages

Today the demands are changing in different states. In States such as Colorado and Washington, marijuana has been legalized for recreational use. This move raised several questions as far as decriminalization of marijuana is concerned. Besides portraying the US in a bad light, legalization of marijuana for recreation increases the risk of developing mental problems, increases government expenditure on public health, jeopardizes the future of children, and is a gateway to other dangerous drugs. Increased health problems and public health expenditure-

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1461 Words | 6 Pages

Marijuana, morphine, heroin, and cocaine continued to be used when the Prohibition was over in 1933. In 1937, 46 states decided to ban the use of marijuana for the reason that it was dangerous and a potential drug for addiction. Fast forward 60 years, states

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1455 Words | 6 Pages

The history of marijuana as well as the information and studies drawn and discussed in this essay show that marijuana legalization for medical and/or recreational purposes will not only positively impact society, but also change the society’s idea of marijuana use as a deviant act. Deviant behavior negatively impacts society, therefore the idea that marijuana use is a positive impact for society will, in turn, change the idea that marijuana use is an act/form of

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1204 Words | 5 Pages

The hops for the people that smoke weed is that it will make them feel better and help them in their life. The main reasons for its illegalization were racist beliefs and false statements. It has been used as a medicine since an ancient asian dynasty used it. “They lie about marijuana. Tell you pot-smoking makes you unmotivated.

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