Date: Sun, 24 Apr 1994 21:50:50 -0400 From: "Cheryl A. Bellucci" Subject: Roundtable A story for April - Author's notes Message-Id: <9404250150.AA19944@dayton.wright.edu> Guilty Until Proven Innocent Cheryl A. Bellucci Author's Notes Wow! I really had to study for this one! Of course, the first thing everyone thinks about when they hear about Communist hearings is Senator McCarthy, but these type of hearings occured all over the country in a variety of formats from just after WWII to the early sixties. About the only thing I really need to mention about this story is that all the main points of it are taken from actual cases. Magnavox in Fort Wayne, Indiana actually held hearings around the timeframe Sam leaps into in this story, at about the same time there was to be an NLRB election. And, yes, Magnavox really did put out a memo stating that any employee taking the Fifth before an LRB would be immediately suspended without pay. Sam was accused by someone who thought he got an unfair promotion. This scenario is actually more credible than some of the ones I read about, and all the examples of false accusations Al brings up ring true also. Sam's testimony before the LRB--his speech about being denied his Constitutional rights--is based on a speech given to the McCarthy panel by a Hollywood producer (no, I don't have his name in front of me and I've already taken the book back to the library). I hope you enjoyed reading it. I always "knew" about the Communist witch hunts, but it was a little scary reading about the things that actually happened--knowing it happened in *this* country and was perpetrated by the government. Let's hope we don't let it happen again... * Cheryl A. Bellucci * "I'd rather laugh with the sinners * * bellucci@fsp.fsp.com * than cry with the saints * * ac961@dayton.wright.edu * the sinners are much more fun..." * * cheryl492@aol.com * Billy Joel - "Only The Good Die Young" *