Why witch hunts could still happen today
The Salem Witch Trials of 1692, in what would become the state of Massachusetts, are world renowned. Everyone knows or at least has heard the story. Could it happen again? The hysteria? The events may change, but the mob mentality continues. Can we stop it?
It’s just a witch hunt
Let’s take a minute to look at what really went on in Colonial Mass. In 1689 war between France and American colonies sent refugees into the Massachusetts bay colony. Salem already had slim resources and splintered families. By 1692 tensions were high. In the strong Puritan area, it was believed the devil would give people powers to harm others. These people were mostly women. Older or single and different. They were called witches. The Salem witch hunts were about to begin.
First Minister
The Reverend Samuel Parris became the first ordained minister and was immediately disliked as a greedy, ridgid leader. It was the reverend’s own daughter Elizabeth and niece Abigail who started having what were called fits and could not control themselves. Other girls soon began acting the same way. These girls began to blame their behavior on witches. Names were demanded. 3 women who were poor and different from others. Two had claimed innocence and the third confessed to the devil giving her powers and claimed there were many more like her as well.
The Real Threat
The real threat was that there were people who were different and willing to change or challenge the way of life in the puritan village. The word of someone without evidence, can and is taken as fact. Luckily, the Salem Witch Trials didn’t last very long. But history shows us that hysteria leads to the mob mentality and it happens often.
World War II, German and Italian Americans were harassed and thought to be sympathizers with Stalin and Hitler. Even worse, after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans were held in camps. Americans were scared of those different than us, even if they were born here. Hitler was one that grew as a result of mass hysteria. The mob mentality made him a deadly leader.
It wasn’t long before another witch hunt took place here in America. In the 1950’s Senator McCarthy began what has become “The Red Scare” finding communists or those who joined the communist party. This action caused many to lose their jobs and split friendships as people were asked once again to name names.
“Drinking the Kool-aid”
sheep to Jonestown. (photo-jurist.com)
In the 1970’s people followed Jim Jones, the term Drinking the kool-aid is from his when he talked people into killing themselves, by drinking poison kool-aid. The expression is used for when people blindly believe anything they are told as the truth. In the ’90s David Koresh in Texas became the name to follow.
Think it can’t happen again?
Questions about a persons politics or personal political beliefs. It happens all the time. That’s the thing about mob mentality. Otherwise educated, reasonably responsible people follow a slick campaign or believed injustice or made up news. They call people with a different opinion names. Look at both political parties. The Democrats and the Republicans, both have the party faithful who will go along with and even try to persuade others to follow as well. It may not be a cult or as dangerous as other times and situations in history-but remember, in this sound bite society when most people believe the 5 second headline anyone can rise above the noise to gather followers and lead them astray.
The Facts and Freedoms
I look for facts. I base not on TV news, social media or what an online acquaintance may say. I don’t vote on party lines but on evidence of how a person has and may vote that best represents my view and values. In recent years, the girls from Salem have been thought to have eaten fungus that caused muscle spasms and vomiting and hallucinations.
Charlatans, haters, rioters, movements, snakes, conspiracies, witches. A few causing mass hysteria and lost lives. Real or imagined, it can and will happen again. A Witch Hunt. The Salem Witch trials. Don’t be a follower and go with the flow.