I understood him to pronounce "The United States" as "The United Snakes"
July 28, 2023 4:36 PM Subscribe
'Groucho Marx and the United Snakes of America' gives a brief history of the case. Interestingly, his brother Harpo was praised by Hoover for smuggling papers out of the former Soviet Union.
how many layers of slavish bootlicking are you on
like, maybe 5 or 6 right now, my dude
you are like a little baby. watch this
[rats out Groucho Marx to tfe FBI]
posted by phooky at 6:20 PM on July 28, 2023 [9 favorites]
like, maybe 5 or 6 right now, my dude
you are like a little baby. watch this
[rats out Groucho Marx to tfe FBI]
posted by phooky at 6:20 PM on July 28, 2023 [9 favorites]
I am genuinely in awe at the level of brain poisoning they apparently managed to achieve with the Red Scare(s).
Like I understand what the Hoover's and McCarthy's and Nixon's and Dulles's were trying to do, but their ability to apparently conscript so many regular people? I know this is just two letters but.
posted by grobstein at 8:47 PM on July 28, 2023 [5 favorites]
Like I understand what the Hoover's and McCarthy's and Nixon's and Dulles's were trying to do, but their ability to apparently conscript so many regular people? I know this is just two letters but.
posted by grobstein at 8:47 PM on July 28, 2023 [5 favorites]
I am genuinely in awe at the level of brain poisoning they apparently managed to achieve with the Red Scare(s).
Like I understand what the Hoover's and McCarthy's and Nixon's and Dulles's were trying to do, but their ability to apparently conscript so many regular people?
Fortunately, that could never happen again.
posted by fairmettle at 5:22 AM on July 29, 2023 [9 favorites]
Like I understand what the Hoover's and McCarthy's and Nixon's and Dulles's were trying to do, but their ability to apparently conscript so many regular people?
Fortunately, that could never happen again.
posted by fairmettle at 5:22 AM on July 29, 2023 [9 favorites]
Florida district pulls "Arthur's Birthday" from schools because it might lead to "damaged souls"
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:30 AM on July 29, 2023 [3 favorites]
"PROTECT CHILDREN!! IT IS NOT APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS 'SPIN THE BOTTLE' WITH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN. THIS BOOK IS FOUND IN ALL/ALMOST ALL [DISTRICT SCHOOLS]!" said Florida man Bruce Friedman in all caps on the form.
"SPIN THE BOTTLE" is "NOT OKAY FOR K-5 KIDS!" he added. (See images of his complaint below, obtained from Clay County School District by the Daily Beast.)
posted by RonButNotStupid at 5:30 AM on July 29, 2023 [3 favorites]
Whatever, libs. It’s right there in the NAME!
posted by Optamystic at 5:41 AM on July 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Optamystic at 5:41 AM on July 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
Dear Mr. Hoover, He pronounced it like “America” but I could tell he was saying it with three Ks in the middle.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 6:37 AM on July 29, 2023 [4 favorites]
posted by Horace Rumpole at 6:37 AM on July 29, 2023 [4 favorites]
"SPIN THE BOTTLE" is "NOT OKAY FOR K-5 KIDS!" he added.
I’m guessing he’s the kid the bottle never quite seemed to point at, always being slightly off toward one of the kids on either side of him. Assuming he ever got invited to play in the first place.
posted by TedW at 10:59 AM on July 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
I’m guessing he’s the kid the bottle never quite seemed to point at, always being slightly off toward one of the kids on either side of him. Assuming he ever got invited to play in the first place.
posted by TedW at 10:59 AM on July 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
The second letter… I could taste the boot polish
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 2:08 PM on July 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Ten Cold Hot Dogs at 2:08 PM on July 29, 2023 [1 favorite]
I'm not saying it's a good reason to ban a book, but the spin the bottle reference in "Arthur's Birthday" does seem a little strange, give that Arthur and his friends are supposed to be about 8.
posted by Reverend John at 3:01 PM on July 29, 2023
posted by Reverend John at 3:01 PM on July 29, 2023
when I worked at University library I spent all my time there and went through the house of an American activities committees microfiche. I copied quite a bit but only a few remain. there they are mainly letters addressed to j Edgar Hoover so I'll give you a couple excerpts from a few of them.
April 7th 1949 dear Mr Hoover
sometime ago you were kind enough to forward me a booklet regarding the hundred ways to determine when one is a communist. if it is possible for me to get 120 copies of this, I am sure it will be greatly appreciated by all teachers in this high School who receive a copy of it. I am also having translated into English a copy of Pravda so so that such copies can be given to all teachers for obvious reasons. incidentally, I was in Poland in the summer of 1946 haven't been able to get there in a cattle boat and saw, to some degree, the great disadvantages in life under which these people live under the heel of Stalin sincerely yours William James Brown submaster high School City of Lowell Massachusetts.
office memoranda, United States government to DM Ladd from CJ Strickland subject hearings of the house committee of an American activities at the above time special agent redacted call to advise that Governor siegler Michigan testified before the house committee on American activities this morning, March 28th 1947. he discussed generally the Communist situation in michigan. during his remarks he commented that the director of the Federal Bureau of the investigation should be given quote much greater latitude on quote to cope with this problem communism. he advocated the FBI be established as an independent agency so that would not be under the control of the attorney general.
I love this one this is a Western Union cablegram New Haven Connecticut September 5th 1948 FBI Washington DC some of us Republicans in New Haven have heard on the radio that chairman Thomas of the Un-American activities committee caused the death of a man named White by holding him during a heart attack stop if this report be true such brutalities likely to have serious repercussions stop I myself am a victim of heart disease and understand the agony involves stop hey there though I have regarded the chairman as well intentioned although clumsy stop now however I am thoroughly alarmed stop we cannot have a killer as a chairman so important on a committee stop moreover it might influence the vote in the coming election stop kindly let me have the facts at the Yale medical center. Dr William salter.
posted by clavdivs at 3:13 PM on July 29, 2023 [4 favorites]
April 7th 1949 dear Mr Hoover
sometime ago you were kind enough to forward me a booklet regarding the hundred ways to determine when one is a communist. if it is possible for me to get 120 copies of this, I am sure it will be greatly appreciated by all teachers in this high School who receive a copy of it. I am also having translated into English a copy of Pravda so so that such copies can be given to all teachers for obvious reasons. incidentally, I was in Poland in the summer of 1946 haven't been able to get there in a cattle boat and saw, to some degree, the great disadvantages in life under which these people live under the heel of Stalin sincerely yours William James Brown submaster high School City of Lowell Massachusetts.
office memoranda, United States government to DM Ladd from CJ Strickland subject hearings of the house committee of an American activities at the above time special agent redacted call to advise that Governor siegler Michigan testified before the house committee on American activities this morning, March 28th 1947. he discussed generally the Communist situation in michigan. during his remarks he commented that the director of the Federal Bureau of the investigation should be given quote much greater latitude on quote to cope with this problem communism. he advocated the FBI be established as an independent agency so that would not be under the control of the attorney general.
I love this one this is a Western Union cablegram New Haven Connecticut September 5th 1948 FBI Washington DC some of us Republicans in New Haven have heard on the radio that chairman Thomas of the Un-American activities committee caused the death of a man named White by holding him during a heart attack stop if this report be true such brutalities likely to have serious repercussions stop I myself am a victim of heart disease and understand the agony involves stop hey there though I have regarded the chairman as well intentioned although clumsy stop now however I am thoroughly alarmed stop we cannot have a killer as a chairman so important on a committee stop moreover it might influence the vote in the coming election stop kindly let me have the facts at the Yale medical center. Dr William salter.
posted by clavdivs at 3:13 PM on July 29, 2023 [4 favorites]
"Please accept my resignation. I don’t care to belong to any Party that will have me as a member."
posted by Quindar Beep at 5:29 PM on July 29, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Quindar Beep at 5:29 PM on July 29, 2023 [3 favorites]
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posted by y2karl at 5:29 PM on July 28, 2023 [5 favorites]