Demonization

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Demonization is the characterization of individuals, groups, or political bodies as evil or subhuman for purposes of justifying and making plausible an attack, whether in the form of character assassination, legal action, circumscribing of political liberties, or warfare.

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[edit] Background

The purpose of demonization is to facilitate oppressive actions against the demonized individual or group, ranging from ostracism to genocide. A common practice in early Judaism was the demonization of rival deities. This would later transfer to Christianity and cause untold suffering for innumerable pagans. Classic examples of this kind of religious demonization include Baphomet (thought by some to be a corruption of Mohammad) and Beelzebub. This practice was the driving force behind such atrocities as the Spanish inquisition and the betrayal of the Knights Templar. Conversely, Jews have historically been the subject of demonization, arguably more often than any other group.

Demonizing an individual, group or culture generally involves a suspension of the normal considerations of humane behaviour and respect. Given that the subjects of demonization are portrayed as evil and/or subhuman beyond any dispute, then any means of self-defense is considered legitimate, in proportion to the threat represented. In United States history, a note-worthy example of demonization is to be found in the attitudes and practices of White people - and others - towards Black people in the period 1619-1965, epitomized in the widespread practice of lynching.

One purpose of the demonization of individuals - as opposed to groups - is to divert attention from their arguments, and discredit them personally by ad hominem attacks. Alleging that they are fascists, Communists, racists, religious fanatics or some other despised category of individuals is particularly effective not only in undermining individuals with controversial views, but in isolating them from public support.

[edit] Demonizing youth

Scholars including Margaret Mead, Henry Giroux and Mike Males have examined a range of ways mass media and the education system demonize youth. This demonization is said to lead to ephebiphobia and adultism, and may serve to reinforce gerontocracy, as well.

[edit] Demonizing religon

Many religions, including Islam, Judaism, and Christianity have been demonized, both by elements within their religons and outside. At the extreme, demonizing religion has led to religious violence and wars. Anti-semitism led to the Holocaust.

Many pagans and gnostics, as well as indigenous people around the world identify demonization as the historical basis for the oppression of their spiritual beliefs, as well.

In certain moral panics, nonexistent evil religious practices such as Satanic ritual abuse and host desecration have been invented as a form of scapegoating.

[edit] Demonization in politics

Politically, leaders have utilized demonization as a means of generating support for actions and movements. The demonization is often achieved through various forms of propaganda.

Since the beginning of American history, the US Government and its agents have demonized various people or groups they saw as “dangerous” or in the way of the greater good. Native Americans were among the first groups to be demonized. They were said to be savages and ungodly, portrayed as blood thirsty killers who were to be feared by anyone who came across them. This portrayal made it easier for the government to implement policies that murdered or displaced hundreds of thousands of Native Americans.

After World War II, the United States and Russia had conflicting ideas over the reconstruction of Europe. This began the over four decade idealogical Cold War between the two countries. The United States had a new group to demonize, the seemingly all-pervasive Communist.

The words Communist and McCarthyism together paint a picture for many Americans today as a symbol of government authority gone amok, but in the 1950’s the words struck fear in the hearts of many Americans. In 1938, the United States Congress created the House Committee for Un-American Activities. They were charged by Congress to investigate:

  1. The extent, character, and objects of un-American propaganda activities in the United States,
  2. The diffusion within the United States of subversive and un-American propaganda that is instigated from foreign countries or of a domestic origin and attacks the principle of the form of government as guaranteed by our Constitution and
  3. All other questions in relation thereto that would aid Congress in any necessary remedial legislation.

In 1945, the committee was made permanent and they were given further authority to “hold such hearings, to require the attendance of such witnesses, and the production of books, papers and documents, and to take such testimony, as it deems necessary to fulfill its mission.”

That mission being to pick out people it felt may be associated with or sympathetic to the Communist Party.

In 1950, Joseph McCarthy, US Senator from Wisconsin, became the best known member of the HCUA. McCarthy’s zeal in picking out and questioning those he deemed Communist-Americans led to his eventual censorship by the Senate in 1954.

One notable appearance before the committee was that of the Hollywood Ten, movie screen writers who were convicted of contempt of Congress for refusing to answer the questions of the committee.

Perhaps the most infamous American Communists of the time were Ethel and Julius Rosenberg . They were responsible for leaking nuclar weapon information to the Soviet Union during World War Two They were reported to the American Government by Ethel's brother David Greenglass who testified at their trial and helped in their conviction. They were executed by electric chair on June 19th 1953.

By the mid 1980's, with the end of the Cold War,the United States no longer had an outside enemy and began to look inward. This began a time when the Religious Right came to the forefront of the U.S. conciousness. Sex and abortion were demonized in the 1980s and 1990s, evidenced by the large anti-abortion movement, which brought with it clinic bombings and extremists such as, Eric Rudolph, the "Olympics Bomber" responsible for four attacks waged against clinics, including the bombing at the 1996 Olympic Games. He proclaimed that, "Abortion is murder. And when the regime in Washington legalized, sanctioned and legitimized this practice, they forfeited their legitimacy and moral authority to govern."[1]

In accordance with the pro-life sentiments expressed by the anti-abortion movement, the conviction of Jack Kevorkian called for the further demonization of death to rally the public against Kevorkian's measures of assisted suicide.

The most public display of the demonization of sex by the United States Government in the 1990's was the Monica Lewinsky scandal which led to the attempted Impeachment of President Clinton in 1998.

Today America’s enemies are Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and other surrounding countries. The war in Iraq, is named the War on Terror creating a positive and unifying reason to support the war. In President George W. Bush's first national address after September 11th he stated, “Every nation, in every region, now has a decision to make. Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists. From this day forward, any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime.” With this statement he forced a sense of compliance against Iraq.

The demonization of these countries does not stop at foreign relation. American citizens of Arabian decent are also feeling a strong sense of demonization by the Bush administration. Nina Ayyad said in an interview with NBC in 2002, “"I voted for Bush believing he would be a promoter of Peace," said Nina Ayyad, a 28-year- old mother of three. "He has done nothing but elicit war and he continues to ignore the Mid-East conflict."[2] Also in that interview,Sarab Al-Jijakali stated, "Many Arabs are unhappy with [Bush's] conduct in the war on terror, his handling of the war in Iraq, his biased handling of the Palestine-Israel conflict and he recently approved legislation targeting Syria. All of these factors have shifted the view on Bush," said Sarab Al-Jijakali, 28, co-founder of The Network of Arab American Professionals in New York." [3]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • Mattingly, David and Schuster, Henry. “Rudolph Reveals Motive”, CNN Law Center, April 15, 2005. March 21, 2007.
  • Klingaman, William K. "Encyclopedia of the McCarthy Era", Facts on File, Inc. NY,NY. 1996.
  • Zughbi, Mona. "Arab American's Turning Away From Bush", NBC News, September 22, 2004
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