The Book of Daniel

During the mid-20th century, the United States was gripped by a climate of intense fear and suspicion which became known as the Red Scare. This era was characterized by paranoia about Soviet influence in American society. The Red Scare manifested in two major waves: the first following World War I and the second, more infamous wave during the late 1940s through the 1950s. The latter phase, often referred to as McCarthyism, was named after Senator Joseph McCarthy, a Wisconsin Republican whose aggressive tactics fueled the paranoia. McCarthy capitalized on the prevailing anxiety by asserting that communists, painted as “un-American,” had infiltrated various sectors of American life, most notably government institutions. He claimed to possess a list of known communists within the government, though this list was never substantiated. McCarthy's allegations, while lacking substantial evidence, struck a chord with the public and ignited a nationwide witch hunt for suspected communists or sympathizers. This Red Scare disproportionately affected minorities, particularly LGBTQ+ people in professional positions. This ousting of LGBTQ+ people from public positions as suspected communist sympathizers is known as the Lavender Scare, an offshoot of McCarthy’s Red Scare.

McCarthy's rise to prominence came in 1950 when he delivered a speech in Wheeling, West Virginia, asserting that he had a list of 205 State Department employees who were members of the Communist Party. The number fluctuated in subsequent statements, but the impact was significant. His accusatory rhetoric and relentless pursuit of suspected communists led to a climate of fear and suspicion. This period witnessed the establishment of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which conducted highly publicized hearings aimed at identifying and rooting out communism in America. The fear of being branded a communist or a sympathizer led to a chilling effect on free speech and political expression. The HUAC hearings became infamous for their interrogations of government employees, members of the entertainment industry, academics, and even ordinary citizens who were suspected of having communist ties. The committee was often aggressive, creating an environment where refusal to cooperate or accusations of communist affiliation led to ruined careers and social ostracization. Loyalty oaths became commonplace, and anyone who expressed dissent or held views considered even remotely sympathetic to communism risked being labeled as disloyal.

While McCarthyism and the Red Scare instilled fear and damaged countless lives, their impact eventually waned. Several events contributed to McCarthy's downfall, including televised hearings in 1954 that exposed his aggressive tactics, leading to a decline in public support. Additionally, the Army-McCarthy hearings revealed his reckless behavior, contributing to his censure by the Senate in 1954. The Red Scare exposed the dangers of unchecked power and the manipulation of fear for political gain. The infringement on civil liberties and the damage done to individuals’ lives highlighted the importance of safeguarding democratic principles, including the right to free speech and the presumption of innocence. In The Book of Daniel, the characters wrestle with this social paranoia, as well as the tragedies caused by the obsession with communist infiltrators in the United States.