I know it has a history stretching back a lot further, probably all the way to the turn of the century, culminating in the Red Scare and Joe McCarthy. But that's when I first noticed it, probably because I was just becoming politically aware as a senior in high school.

No doubt the Civil Rights movement kicked it off, particularly in the Deep South where I lived. But it came to my attention in the form of the John Birch Society, and later in the candidacy of Barry Goldwater. The philosophy was laid out in a popular screed of the time "None Dare Call it Treason" by John Stormer.

Conservatism used to be a movement which argued for lower taxes, less government, a strong national defense, free enterprise, law and order and personal self-reliance. Nothing wrong with that, it was an ethos anybody could feel comfortable with and which was never really in question. Only where one drew the line, and how strongly one leaned across it, was an issue. Conservatives used to want the same things we did, they just went about it differently. Our differences were one of degree, not kind.

But starting in the 60s, that started to change. Maybe it was Civil Rights, maybe it was the Beatles, maybe it was just because that was when I started paying attention. But now, I feel my Vulcan-like detachment severely challenged. I keep on fishing for metaphors in early twentieth century fascist European politics, and I keep on seeing parallels.

I used to think I would be too old when the catastrophic change of state you alluded to came to be affected by it. Now I'm not so sure. Thanks for the ghost story, but please don't put out the fire.