Replies

I expect the Birch Society has its share of loonies, just like any other organization. But when we first got involved in politics, in 1972, it was because of the American Party, which stood for constitutional government. When we were licking envelopes for the American Party candidate, one of the people showed us the Bill of Rights, without telling us what it was. Bear in mind that we were products of the public schools.

He asked us what we thought about it, and we said that we thought it was pretty radical. Then he told us what it was.

We subsequently learned that the American Party in Florida at that time was the John Birch Society. We learned a great deal, and as time goes on, I find that the JBS made a lot of sense.

We have not been part of the JBS since that time, but without it, we might never have learned that we have freedoms that are being trampled on.

Carolyn

Carolyn:

Thanks for your thoughtful comments. Birchers often chastise me because they seem hypersensitive to any data which contradicts their views or brings the JBS into disrepute.

Many JBS members that I have met over the years have been very fine, honorable, decent, and intelligent people.

However, fine, honorable, decent and intelligent people can nevertheless be misled about important public issues, and/or can write inaccurate and defamatory articles and books.

Ideas have consequences. Mistaken ideas usually have undesirable consequences. My messages are meant to respond to decades of misinformation circulated by the JBS and I attempt to use sources which heretofore even the JBS has considered reliable and authoritative.

Doesn't seem to make much difference though---because even when I cite J. Edgar Hoover, or FBI, or the House Committee on UnAmerican Activities, etc. Birchers still engage in ad hominem attacks upon me (and I'm only the messenger!). Perhaps something you should think about when you consider whether or not to support a group that seems to speak for "constitutional government".

Incidentally, I have prepared a detailed 22-page report regarding the FBI evaluation of the JBS. If you're interested in reading it, let me know and I can send you a copy.

Ernie