Today’s right-wing conspiracy theory mentality can be traced back to the John Birch

[Hawkeye10]

J. Edgar Hoover had a similar theory.

While I readily agree the John Birch society was a wacky RW group, conspiracy theories are a human nature thing, usually growing among ignorant populations fearful of all-powerful groups. To make them work, there are always partial or half-truths involved.

Example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Conspiracy_theories_by_country

The WOKE often go full bore fantasy.....I wonder how they got the idea that this works long term.

 

[T. A. Gardner]

That is the thread. Not the author.

Okay, going that way...

We have an author who is an academic that seemingly specializes in right wing conspiracy theories as seen by the radical Left. The author makes some claims about the John Birch society among other things but the OP offers nothing beyond a conspiracy theorist's views on the subject. While I could research and discuss things from that POV, it really isn't worth my time if there's nothing more to it.

What I'm saying here is, Miller--the author of the piece quoted in the OP--is every bit as much a whack-a-doodle as those he writes about.

 

[Dutch Uncle]

The WOKE often go full bore fantasy.....I wonder how they got the idea that this works long term.

I'm guessing the same place was RW wackos. It all stems from the same root of human ignorance, stupidity and/or insanity.

Clearly extremists of all sorts are more emotional than logical. They are irrational in their beliefs.

FWIW, Vera Lynn was a great singer.

 

[Dutch Uncle]

I still find it amazing the folks that used to tell us never to trust "the man" are now wholely and religiously dedicated to political proselytizing in favor of "the man". It is now that same "the man" that we must pray to for solutions that they used to tell us were caused by "the man" to begin with...

Agreed. Notice that the identity of "the man" differs if the person is far Left or far Right.

For the Left, it's the Federal government, which is a 180-degree turn from the 1960s. For the Right, it's also the Federal government with a single party ruling the nation.

 

[Guno צְבִי]

As the years passed, Welch’s theories grew wilder. He eventually concluded that communism was just another name for the conspiracy begun by the Bavarian Illuminati in 1776. He also said that the Trilateral Commission, the Council on Foreign Relations and the Bilderbergers (a group that sought to foster dialogue between Europe and North America) were the puppet masters of U.S. foreign and economic interests. The society also called for the U.S. to withdraw from the United Nations and for the impeachment of Chief Justice Earl Warren.

 

[Dutch Uncle]

As the years passed, Welch’s theories grew wilder. He eventually concluded that communism was just another name for the conspiracy begun by the Bavarian Illuminati in 1776. He also said that the Trilateral Commission, the Council on Foreign Relations and the Bilderbergers (a group that sought to foster dialogue between Europe and North America) were the puppet masters of U.S. foreign and economic interests. The society also called for the U.S. to withdraw from the United Nations and for the impeachment of Chief Justice Earl Warren.

He was quite the wackadoodle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_W._Welch_Jr.

Republican criticism of the John Birch Society intensified after Welch circulated a letter in 1954 calling President Dwight D. Eisenhower a possible "conscious, dedicated agent of the Communist Conspiracy". Welch went further in a book titled The Politician, written in 1956 and privately printed, rather than by the JBS, for Welch in 1963.

It was his personal "fact-finding" mission and was not part of the materials or the formal beliefs of the JBS. Welch claimed President Franklin D. Roosevelt had known about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in advance but said nothing because he wanted to get the U.S. into the war. The book spawned much debate in the 1960s over whether the author really intended to call Eisenhower a Communist. G. Edward Griffin, a friend of Welch, claims that he meant collectivist, not Communist. The charge's sensationalism led many conservatives and Republicans to shy away from the group

 

[LurchAddams]

I watch Jordan Klepper once in a while. He goes to twump rallies and interviews the loons. One interview that I watched were two twumpist women who believed that twump still commands an army a good one and Biden commands the "bad" army. They also believe that Russia isn't attacking Ukraine - that it's all fake and that Ukrainian refugees are all paid actors.

And we're shocked they think Fauci unleashed Covid and the vaccine kills people.

We're not going to win with these people - they're too far gone.

 

[Guno צְבִי]

He was quite the wackadoodle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_W._Welch_Jr.

Now MAGA has taken up the JBS baton

 

[Dutch Uncle]

Now MAGA has taken up the JBS baton

MAGA is far wackier than the JBS. Especially the QAnon phenomenon. IMO, QAnon will be the focus of many psychological, sociological and political dissertations for years to come.

 

[Nordberg]

MAGA is far wackier than the JBS. Especially the QAnon phenomenon. IMO, QAnon will be the focus of many psychological, sociological and political dissertations for years to come.

May be true, but the Birchers are very wealthy people who are using their wealth and power to change America to a plutocracy, with them in charge. They are super wealthy and will not suffer while they plot and plan. The Kochs and other super-rich are using their money to change the school system. They buy and support far-crazy right-wingers. That explains the Bobberts and MTGs. They control the radio,
They bought up local TV stations and newspapers. They have lots of money and time. They have several far-right TV stations on cable.

 

[Dutch Uncle]

May be true, but the Birchers are very wealthy people who are using their wealth and power to change America to a plutocracy, with them in charge. They are super wealthy and will not suffer while they plot and plan. The Kochs and other super-rich are using their money to change the school system. They buy and support far-crazy right-wingers. That explains the Bobberts and MTGs. They control the radio,
They bought up local TV stations and newspapers. They have lots of money and time. They have several far-right TV stations on cable.

They're still doing it. There's justice for the rich and there's justice for the poor.

 

[Into the Night]

If you’re looking for the roots of today’s bizarre conspiracy-and-anger-driven politics, you need to look further back than the presidency of Donald Trump or even the rise of social media or talk radio — back to the accusatory, inflammatory, wild-eyed rhetoric of the John Birch Society in the 1960s and 1970s.


It was an outrageous and ludicrous assertion, but Welch was just getting started in weaving his tapestry of paranoia. He saw communist conspiracies lurking in colleges, high schools and the government.

Fluoride was being used to enervate Americans in advance of the coming communist occupation, he said.


https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2022-01-09/john-birch-society-conspiracy-theories

Considering that colleges and high schools teach socialism and that the government is attempting socialism (currently fascism), Welch was right about that! It isn't paranoia. It's happening.
Trivialization fallacy.

 

[Into the Night]

Welch also called the civil rights movement a communist conspiracy.

No. The reason the civil rights movement happened was a DEMOCRAT conspiracy. The Democrat party is a conspiracy.

And so it continues. Welch-like logic and Welch-like rhetoric have taken over much of the right with false myths that tempt the weak mind.

Since it is YOU spewing false myths and misquoting Welch, you HAVE a weak mind.

More than two-thirds of Republicans still don’t believe that Joe Biden won the 2020 election.

He didn't. There was no 2020 election.

The QAnon conspiracy theory

There is no such thing as 'QAnon'.

— which holds that Democrats in the so-called Deep State undermined Trump to cover up their child-sex racket

Nah. They just hate conservatives.

 

[Into the Night]

You are referring to our precious bodily fluids. "Dr. Stranglove" was practically a documentary.

No. It was a farce.

 

[Yakuda]

I find it hilarious how George Santos is not fit to serve because he is a liar

Joe Biden lied about every aspect of his history. His grades. His degree. His scholarships. His speeches.

does that hypocrisy trace back to John Birch Society as well tardo?

If anyone in public service has lied a much as Brandon im not sure who it is. Fifty years with no real job and miles and miles of lies behind him.

 

[Into the Night]

Hit a nerve with John Birch I see
I can see poorly educated rubes in flyover country can so easily be sucked into the Bircher/ MAGA crap

Again, you hate America. You just stated it.
Again, you hate farmers and ranchers. You just stated it. Those folks in 'flyover country' feed you...house you...provide water and electricity for you. Bigoted ingrate.

Millions of Americans won’t take vaccines to prevent COVID-19 because they don’t trust science.

The mRNA shots are not vaccines. They are a treatment. They CAUSE covid19. They do not prevent it. It is YOU that discards theories of science. You have already discarded the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics, the Stefan-Boltzmann law, virology, quantum mechanics, Planck's laws, and Heisenberg's law.

Go stuff your drug habit elsewhere.

 

[zymurgy]

If anyone in public service has lied a much as Brandon im not sure who it is. Fifty years with no real job and miles and miles of lies behind him.

and yet the media is focusing on the lies of some lowly house member that wields very little power in comparison to the commander in chief.

 

[evince]

a healthy distrust of government is well warranted. what kind of retard has a soap box about conspiracy -driven anger while using an avatar pointing out how we were lied to to enter a war

14 year old's are more impressive than the op in logical awareness

What the fuck are you rambling about


Con man fake clergy in this nation has owned the right for decades on decades


Bite a dead mules cock you shit bag

 

[Guno צְבִי]

Again, you hate America. You just stated it.
Again, you hate farmers and ranchers. You just stated it. Those folks in 'flyover country' feed you...house you...provide water and electricity for you. Bigoted ingrate.

The mRNA shots are not vaccines. They are a treatment. They CAUSE covid19. They do not prevent it. It is YOU that discards theories of science. You have already discarded the 1st and 2nd laws of thermodynamics, the Stefan-Boltzmann law, virology, quantum mechanics, Planck's laws, and Heisenberg's law.

Go stuff your drug habit elsewhere.

^^^^^^^^^^^

Waste of bandwidth

 

[evince]

and yet the media is focusing on the lies of some lowly house member that wields very little power in comparison to the commander in chief.

He is a complete con man which reflects what republicans are in total now


And you are protecting him

Dip wad