IndexBackgroundJoseph McCarthyThe Witch HuntAnalysisEthicsHypocrisyConclusionWhile freedom has been one of America's founding principles since its inception, there have been times in history when this concept has not necessarily been upheld. In our more modern history, one of the clearest examples of this can be seen in America's attempt to discourage subversion and commitment to communist beliefs. From this determination to stop the spread of communism on the home front was born one of America's most important antagonists: Joseph McCarthy. Ruthless in his efforts to eliminate domestic Communist involvement, McCarthy terrorized the nation under the guise of patriotism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original EssayContextJoseph McCarthySenator of Wisconsin, McCarthy rose to prominence after giving a speech in which he claimed to have the names of 205 government employees who were associated with the Communist Party (Simkin, 2015). This put him metaphorically in the public spotlight; and, combined with the recent spread of communism in parts of Asia, earned him the position of chairman of the Senate Government Operations Committee. It was during his time as president that his investigation into subversive activities followed. The Witch Hunt Developments in Asia regarding the spread of communism created a sense of urgency in protecting the home front from subversion. McCarthy engaged in interrogations and investigations of people believed to be a potential threat. The trials used by him and his committee were not based on facts at all and the way they were conducted has gained the image of a witch hunt, so to speak. Their attempt to rid America of communism wasn't just about tracking down people; McCarthy also had several thousand publications removed from stores and libraries because they were written by people associated with communism or because the content allegedly supported communist ideology. McCarthy's reign of terror lasted about two years, until he began to question alleged Communist infiltration into the United States. Military states. For the first time, his interrogations were televised, enlightening the public about the coercive and illogical procedures that had emerged (Simkin, 2015). McCarthy's investigations reached the point of being considered more harmful to society than communism itself. Not only did the Army investigation actually secure the president's conviction, but the court of public opinion found McCarthy guilty of being in many ways an evil and immoral man. Ethical Analysis McCarthy's tactics in interrogations regarding the communist association were unethical at best. He began every investigation under the assumption that the interviewee was guilty, regardless of conflicting information; and was relentless in his attack until the individual named other people involved in the Communist Party (Simkin, 2015). What is so serious about this behavior is that it ignores the constitutional rights of the American people. According to the Constitution, we citizens are guaranteed protection against deprivation of liberty without due process. McCarthy's tactics deprived those he accused of the right to a fair trial before being labeled guilty. Furthermore, by censoring publications to the extent that he has done so, McCarthy is arguably guilty of violating the First Amendment, Free Speech. Not only is this unethical, but it is absolutely illegal by our standards of justice. Another concern.