Similarly with Charlie Chaplin who was exiled from what he had made his home. He was indeed "left wing" in one sense. The Great Dictator was a biting parody of fascism. His early work reflected the alienation of a factory workforce, and the pain of his own separation from his mother in a British workhouse. He was also one of the richest men in the US, and the personification of the American dream. "Radical leftist political beliefs". I think not. He simply reflected the confusions and contradictions in American society at the time. It is this that makes Chaplin (and US history of the time) so fascinating.
However you look at the McCarthyite? period it was a period of intense paranoia by the American political elite (and yes you have a political elite even in the US) in their attempts to ensure that Hollywood only produced propagnda venerating their arguments. It resulted in severe consequences for many citizens of the US despite the lack of a proper trial and with little or no right of appeal. If you look at the output of the American film industry before and after McCarthy? you can also clearly see how "successful" he was.
To my mind this period stands out in US history as one of the most serious mass violations of human rights. I would rank it along side the forced eugenic sterilisations of the early 1900's, and before that the treatment of native Americans.
The US has a short but turbulent history. In that time it has done great things. It has also done terrible things, and to airbrush these out of the history we place here is to my mind both sad and runs contrary to the ideology of a neutral point of view.
"The Crucible" -- Miller was interviewed by HUAC under suspicion of being a communist, and wrote it 2 years later.
I'd like to thank Gareth who seems to have done such a good write up, which has addressed most of my concerns. I would say that the use of the word "witch hunt" is fine because a) the sentance starts off "to many", and b) the trials are often described as "the McCarthite? witch trials". I belive that the allusion came about because of the Crucible, but I don't know for sure other wise I would put this in.
In answer to why I wrote a full page talk to a two sentance article, its simple. I was somewhat annoyed by the way the original had been changed in a way which to my mind sanitised it. I am aware that I have a distinct political bias as does everyone so generally its nice to have other people modify what you write. It tends to average out. In this case I felt this had not happened. Under the circumstances it makes more sense to express my opinion and let someone else resolve the differences. Which Gareth seems to have done.
I'm not sure thats its better or worse. Its definately funnier though :- "those who were believed to hold radical leftist political beliefs by those with radical rightist polical beliefs. ". Great stuff. PL