Right-wing extremism has changed its name but not its goals or tactics
On Thanksgiving Day 60 years ago, the Sun editorial staff’s focus wasn’t on colonial times but on a Cold War-era threat to American democracy — one that has resurrected itself today. The topic of the Sun’s Nov. 22, 1961, editorial: right-wing political extremism.
We came across the piece recently while perusing the archives, and we felt it was worth revisiting this Thanksgiving. On one hand, it’s a sobering reminder that nationalist extremism has long been with us. But on the other, it offers proof that the nation has overcome far-right threats in the past, and provides hope that we can do so again.
It also offers a message that was important both then and now about the dangers of complacency in the face of these authoritarian elements.
Some aspects of far-right extremism have changed in these past 60 years. Then, it operated as the John Birch Society and targeted anyone perceived as a “communist sympathizer,” whereas now it goes by several names and is aimed at American progressives — although in both cases, it’s against anyone who is perceived as being opposition.
But the biggest change lies in the Republican Party’s attitude toward the extremists in its midst. Then, the party hounded the Birch group out of its ranks, with President Ronald Reagan declaring: “I am not a member. I have no intention of becoming a member. I am not going to solicit their support.” Today, though, the fringe has moved to the center of the GOP, with the leadership of the party smiling all the way, and normal old-school Republicans are the ones being driven out.
But switch the names in the Sun’s 1961 editorial from John Birch Society to Big Lie proponents, and Minute Men to Oath Keepers or 3 Percenters, and there are similarities between today and six decades ago.
One constant is the Sun, which took a stance against right-wing extremism, continues to do so today and will keep doing it tomorrow.
With that, we turn back the clock to 1961, while expressing our thanks to Americans then and now who keep up the resistance to the extremists in our midst.
In recent weeks, Nevada has finally been “recognized” by the John Birch Society. Presumably because of our sparse population, the Birchers did not choose to bestow their philosophies on us earlier, and some of our mossback extremists felt slighted.
But now we have an active, secret chapter of the John Birch Society (they do not like to be called a cell) in Reno, and there is strong evidence that it has spread to our right-wing extremists in Southern Nevada.
The signs are unmistakable. With increasing frequency before private gatherings and on television, when they can finagle free time, those espousing the Birch Society tenets are systemically attacking our government institutions, vilifying our national leaders and preaching that a vast communist conspiracy has enveloped all who disagree with them.
It is a dangerous fallacy to dismiss these fanatics as screwball, as it proved to the prewar German nation to ridicule Adolf Hitler in his days of beer-hall rabble-rousing. The present tactics of the Birchers are identical to those of Hitler a generation ago and of Kremlin agents today. Weaken the institutions of authorized government, attack the elected leadership, spread fear and suspicion against any who do not accept the extremist doctrine.
The great ally of this type of philosophy is complacency. “It can’t happen here” was once the attitude of many free people now enslaved by totalitarianism.
In recent weeks we have noted a first cousin of the Birch movement in the so-called Minute Men, who propose to form into a private, armed force within the U.S. to “fight Reds” wherever they are discovered.
The imminent danger of a secret group of men with guns, dedicated to shoot those they believe to be communists, is not difficult to envision. Any person might be a victim of a next-door neighbor who dislikes him and therefore decides he is a Red.
We can recognize these individuals not for what they claim to be, but for what they advocate. Their ultimate goal is trying to tear down our recognized government and destroy constitutional rights in a totalitarian society, with themselves as the ruling class.