WIST Quotations

Orwell, George -- Essay (1941-08), “Wells, Hitler, and the World State,” Horizon

Dave — Fri, 30 May 2025 15:23:52 +0000

The early Bolsheviks may have been angels or demons, according as one chooses to regard them, but at any rate they were not sensible men. They were not introducing a Wellsian Utopia but a Rule of the Saints, which, like the English Rule of the Saints, was a military despotism enlivened by witchcraft trials.

George Orwell (1903-1950) English journalist, essayist, writer [pseud. of Eric Arthur Blair]
Essay (1941-08), “Wells, Hitler, and the World State,” Horizon
(Source)

Parker, Dorothy -- Speech (1947-11-02), Civil Rights Congress reception, Park Central Hotel, New York City

Dave — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 23:26:15 +0000

For heaven’s sake, children, Fascism isn’t coming — it’s here. It’s dreadful. Stop it.

Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) American writer, poet, wit
Speech (1947-11-02), Civil Rights Congress reception, Park Central Hotel, New York City
(Source)

At a fund-raiser on behalf of 19 writers, directors, and actors who refused to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Reported as an AP story, "Eisler in Attendance At Reception for 19 in Hollywood Inquiry," Evening Star, Washington, DC (1947-11-03).

The paper is given as the primary source for the above quote in various books about Parker or the HUAC Era. The full passage from the paper reads:

Dorothy Parker, the writer, said that when she viewed a committee session last week it was "incredibly hideous, as though the Gestapo were there, and fascism was there."
"Fascism isn't coming here -- it is here," she declared. Miss Parker said the Hollywood investigation was "shocking, dreadful, terrifying."

The line is also sometimes given as, "For heaven’s sake, children, Fascism isn’t coming -- it’s already here."

Stevenson, Adlai -- Speech (1952-10-08), “The Area of Freedom,” University of Wisconsin, Madison

Dave — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 14:26:35 +0000

Disturbing things have taken place in our own land. The pillorying of the innocent has caused the wise to stammer and the timid to retreat. I would shudder for this country if I thought that we too must surrender to the sinister figure of the Inquisition, of the great accuser. I hope that the time will never come in America when charges are taken as the equivalent of facts, when suspicions are confused with certainties, and when the voice of the accuser stills every other voice in the land.

Adlai Stevenson (1900-1965) American diplomat, statesman
Speech (1952-10-08), “The Area of Freedom,” University of Wisconsin, Madison
(Source)

Commager, Henry Steele -- Essay (1953-02-21), “Is Freedom Really Necessary?” Saturday Review

Dave — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 01:25:10 +0000

What happens when a state tries to purge its state universities or a community tries to purge its public schools of alleged subversives? […] What happens is the demoralization and eventual corruption of the school system.
This is not a momentary or even temporary affair; it is something the consequences of which may be felt for years. The search for subversives results in the intimidation of the independent, the original, the imaginative, and the experimental-minded. It discourages independence of thought in teachers and students alike. It discourages the reading of books that may excite the suspicion of some investigator or some Legionnaire. It discourages the discussion of controversial matters in the classroom, for such discussion may be reported, or misreported, and cause trouble. It creates a situation where first-rate minds will not go into teaching or into administration and where students therefore get poor teaching.
In the long run it will create a generation incapable of appreciating the difference between independence of thought and subservience. In the long run it will create a generation not only deprived of liberty but incapable of enjoying liberty.

Henry Steele Commager (1902-1998) American historian, writer, activist
Essay (1953-02-21), “Is Freedom Really Necessary?” Saturday Review
(Source)

Based on a discussion by the American Round Table, New York City (1951). Collected as "Free Enterprise in Ideas," Freedom, Loyalty and Dissent (1954).

Mitchell, Joni -- “Tax Free” (1985)

Dave — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 23:05:25 +0000

Lord, there’s danger in this land
You get witch-hunts and wars
When church and state hold hands

Joni Mitchell (b. 1943) Canadian singer-songwriter and painter [b. Roberta Joan Anderson]
“Tax Free” (1985)
(Source)

Kempton, Murray -- America Comes of Middle Age: Columns, 1950-1962 (1963)

Dave — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 14:55:13 +0000

As an organized political group, the Communists have done nothing to damage our society a fraction as much as what their enemies have done in the name of defending us against subversion.

Murray Kempton (1917-1997) American journalist.
America Comes of Middle Age: Columns, 1950-1962 (1963)

Kirn, Walter -- Twitter (10 Jan 2011)

Dave — Sat, 26 Aug 2017 22:40:00 +0000

Everyone loves a witch hunt as long as it’s someone else’s witch being hunted.

Walter Kirn (b. 1962) American novelist, literary critic, essayist
Twitter (10 Jan 2011)
(Source)

Twain, Mark -- The Mysterious Stranger, ch. 9 (1916)

Dave — Thu, 05 May 2016 16:00:34 +0000

I know your race. It is made up of sheep. It is governed by minorities, seldom or never by majorities. It suppresses its feelings and its beliefs and follows the handful that makes the most noise. Sometimes the noisy handful is right, sometimes wrong; but no matter, the crowd follows it. The vast majority of the race, whether savage or civilized, are secretly kind-hearted and shrink from inflicting pain, but in the presence of the aggressive and pitiless minority they don’t dare to assert themselves. Think of it! One kind-hearted creature spies upon another, and sees to it that he loyally helps in iniquities which revolt both of them. Speaking as an expert, I know that ninety-nine out of a hundred of your race were strongly against the killing of witches when that foolishness was first agitated by a handful of pious lunatics in the long ago. And I know that even to-day, after ages of transmitted prejudice and silly teaching, only one person in twenty puts any real heart into the harrying of a witch. And yet apparently everybody hates witches and wants them killed. Some day a handful will rise up on the other side and make the most noise — perhaps even a single daring man with a big voice and a determined front will do it — and in a week all the sheep will wheel and follow him, and witch-hunting will come to a sudden end.

Mark Twain (1835-1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
The Mysterious Stranger, ch. 9 (1916)

Lerner, Max -- “McCarthyism: The Smell of Decay,” New York Post (5 Apr 1950)

Dave — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 15:08:22 +0000

There is a hate layer of opinion and emotion in America. There will be other McCarthys to come who will be hailed as its heroes.

Maxwell "Max" Lerner (1902-1992) American journalist, columnist, educator
“McCarthyism: The Smell of Decay,” New York Post (5 Apr 1950)

Lerner coined the term "McCarthyism" in this article. In 1954, he wrote, "For my own part I doubt seriously whether the word will outlast the political power of the man from whom it derives."

Eisenhower, Dwight David -- The White House Years: Mandate for Change: 1953-1956: A Personal Account (1963)

Dave — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 14:13:54 +0000

Un-American activity cannot be prevented or routed out by employing un-American methods; to preserve freedom we must use the tools that freedom provides.

Dwight David Eisenhower (1890-1969) American general, US President (1953-61)
The White House Years: Mandate for Change: 1953-1956: A Personal Account (1963)

Murrow, Edward R. -- See It Now (7 Mar 1954)

Dave — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 11:00:58 +0000

No one man can terrorize a whole nation, unless we are all his accomplices.

Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965) American journalist
See It Now (7 Mar 1954)
(Source)

Comment to the production team before the episode on Senator Joseph R McCarthy’s Communist witch hunt.

Murrow, Edward R. -- Commentary (1954-03-09), “A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy,” See It Now, CBS TV

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty.

Edward R. Murrow (1908-1965) American journalist
Commentary (1954-03-09), “A Report on Senator Joseph R. McCarthy,” See It Now, CBS TV
(Source)

(Source (Video)). Episode dealing with Sen. Joe McCarthy's witch hunt of Communists in the US.