Good points.
The suffering of innocent and not-so-innocent during the hearings is a matter of record and should not be minimized.
But I would point out that property confiscations, mass imprisonments, summary judgements and secret trials did not happen.
No one was shot.
the period was over by the mid-50's.
means should be in line with our values, iin order that our goals be worthwhile.
I think also that the term has been used to attempt to define public debate on a range of issues, and usually unfairly. I believe this is one of those times.
This is not at all like the initial period of the Cold War.
This is the period after Pearl Harbor, and we do not know for sure the scale of the war we are now in, but unlike any other war in American History, we know for sure that the enemy is active in our borders.
But thanks for pointing that out about McCarthyism and the need to keep means in line with our values, not just our goals.
Ed