The Empire Never Ended 64: John Birch Society pt. 2 - Wait, It Gets Worse!
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Nov 1, 2021 Boris delves into the bizarre world of the John Birch Society, exploring their secretive structure and media strategies. He highlights their influence during the Goldwater campaign and their anti-Vietnam stance as conspiracy-focused. The discussion uncovers connections to Lee Harvey Oswald and General Walker's scandals. The Society's modern alignment with online extremism and contemporary political movements is also examined, revealing how they framed events like the Chilean uprising. Explore their enduring power and increasingly radical ideologies!
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Public Fronts Backed By Clandestine Cells
- The John Birch Society paired public outreach with clandestine cells and volunteer-run 'reading rooms' to spread anti-communist literature.
- Robert Welch designed simple, non-academic messaging to convert ordinary Americans to his vast-communist-conspiracy worldview.
Communicate Simply And Use Accessible Media
- Build simple, direct propaganda that avoids 'eggheadism' to convince broad audiences.
- Target accessible media like radio and local publications to bypass elite gatekeepers and mobilize supporters.
Letter Campaigns As Low‑Cost Influence
- The JBS used mass letter-writing campaigns to pressure companies and institutions they labeled 'communist.'
- This tactic created outsized influence by converting many small actions into corporate and political responses.
