Letter: Starr a reminder of McCarthy

Sunday, Oct. 25, 1998 | 2:42 a.m.

I was there during Joseph McCarthy's siege that befell good and true 100 percent American citizens, while the self-appointed "lord" interrogated and verbally abused anyone who he wished to annihilate by suggesting "Communist affiliation." All the while McCarthy patted his briefcase suggesting that material confirming his accusations lay hidden inside.

He used his rising "power" in whatever way he wished to get the "cooperation" of frightened, powerful, governmental department heads and coerced others to help him in his crucifixion of those who he felt were not cooperative. Sound familiar?

Innocent lives were ruined forever, livelihoods lost and some frightened souls chose suicide rather than continue.

As we now know, he "got his" when the strong but calm voice of Joe Wells, a Boston lawyer, cried "Enough!!" and made McCarthy realize no person is so without blemish that they can stand up to his own brand of scrutiny and led others who had been faint of heart to rally behind him to show the world "the 'King wore no clothes."

Some, hurt less by the fiasco, continued on with their lives, some disappeared and some never gave up the effort to regain their previous status but were unable to.

The lesson we thought was learned seems to be repeating itself. How frightening the thought!

Betty B. Elliott

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