Salem Witch Trial/Hunt of 2012 Uses Labels Once Again

 

The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts, between February 1692 and May 1693

The episode is one of the most notorious cases of mass hysteria, and has been used in political rhetoric and popular literature as a vivid cautionary tale about the dangers of isolationism, religious extremism, false accusations and lapses in due process. It was not unique, being an American example of the much larger phenomenon of witch trials in the Early Modern period, but many have considered the lasting impressions from the trials to have been highly influential in subsequent American history.

Men and women in Salem believed that all the misfortunes were attributed to the work of the devil; when things like infant death, crop failures or friction among the congregation occurred, the supernatural was blamed. Because of the unusual size of the outbreak of witchcraft accusations, various aspects of the historical context of this episode have been considered as specific contributing factors.

Conservative radio host use this same strategy to create mass hysteria about President Obama, abortion, and liberals in general. When ever something bad occurs such as gas prices going up, the conservative groups tell people it is because of the President which is false. Natural disasters like the earthquake in Virginia was linked to Obama. Almost any bad event begins and ends with Obama being the president of America. Instead of screaming WITCH; they use such words as Communist, Socialist, and the most offensive FOOD STAMP president; better known as Dog-whistles.

Dog-whistle politics, also known as the use of code words, is a type of political campaigning or speechmaking which employs coded language that appears to mean one thing to the general population but has a different or more specific meaning for a targeted subgroup of the audience


During the Salem Witch Trials, fear and ignorance caused the death of many innocent people and it is well known the killings were cloaked in religion and political concerns. One person's accusation spread like wildfire to others who were too afraid or too weak to stand up for sanity and common sense in the face of powerful people.

Remember a test was given to prove that a person was not a witch. A test in which the accused would lose even if they won. A witch would float in water and a non witch would not float but drown. Dumb - right?

Today's test is a Christianity test. You must prove to millions of people's satisfaction that you are a Christian and believe in God. And no matter how many times President Obama says God Bless America; he is not seen as a Christian. He is portrayed as foreign -different, evil and if we were back in the day, he would be called a Witch, I am sure.

Daily, non stop, American Family radio digs and digs and digs after the president telling the audience we are on the brink of destruction by the power and might of one man. Any other African American man would receive the message loud and clear: 'you will be on trial on the level of mass hysteria seen during the Salem Witch Trials.'

It only takes a a handful of people tossing out negativity or let's be real a ball faced LIE to stir up a group of people who want to be stirred up. In wanting to get rid of EVIL the people themselves became/become EVIL.

Why the need for negative labels?

The Native Americans were labeled as savages. It's the process of dehumanization that makes killing them easier. You see it in any war, the Krowts and Nips in WWII, the Gooks in Viet Nam, The Dune Coons, Sand Niggers, Rag Heads, Mullahs, etc,. It makes it easier for the troops to kill more effectively if they see their enemy as less human than themselves.

In this Cultural War, dehumanizing the president makes it easier for racism to to remain under the radar and even the war on women to continue while the perpetrators believe they are ridding the world of evil.

We have read or seen what happens when powerful, affluent, self righteous, people feel threatened with the lose of power; they become ruthless and evil themselves in the process.