American history saw several instances of similar hysteria after McCarthyism, both political and social “witch-hunts” occurred. The fear of Communism persisted, repeating several times throughout the 20th century, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, albeit not close to the scale of McCarthyism.
There were notable instances of such treatment against certain minorities such as the LBGTQ community and racial minorities. One of the most prominent occurred, and continues to some extent, in the 21st century as Muslims began to be persecuted and harassed in the United States due to their faith, and a stereotypical hysterical belief that all Muslims are associated with terrorism.
In terms of widespread effect, this is the most applicable example that can be compared to McCarthyism, where there began both political investigations and social accusations of innocent individuals due to their religious associations.
- McCarthyism and Anti-Communist Campaigns: The Role of Senator McCarthy’s Speech and Red Scare
- McCarthyism and the Second Red Scare
- Red Scare and Current Counterterrorism Efforts
- Scared Straight Program and Its Effectiveness
- Anti-Communist and Anti-Islam Rhetoric
- McCarthyism and Anti-Communist Campaigns