Ordinary Americans: The Red Scare

Sen. Joe McCarthy barely lived past his moment in the spotlight, but the "ism" associated with his name lingers on in history lessons. Children today truly have no concept of what it was like to grow up in paranoid fear of an ideology, making this well-balanced video, produced by the non-partisan Close Up Foundation, a powerful and useful introduction to that scary era. The tape includes fabulous rare film and video images, but curiously does not feature the famous "Have you no decency sir, at long last?" query by Joseph Welch made during the Army-McCarthy hearings. The accompanying teacher's guide has several suggestions for student activities as well as reproducible masters, and the short running time will fit comfortably into a class session with time left over for discussion. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C. (R. Reagan)