Did Climate Change Cause Witch Hysteria?

The Salem News ^ | April 19, 2012 | Alan Burke

[annieokie]

We the Rebecca Nurse descendants, thank your family.

It was unbelievable, to have so many attest to her christian character, and still this could happen.

[annieokie]

I don’t recall reading of any burnings either.

[lwoodham]

If only Nancy Pelosi had lived back then...

[Moltke]

The only thing this proves is that people will rearwardly project whatever is the hot topic of the day to explain occurrences in the past...

[Fresh Wind]

...places the blame on something we think of as a strictly modern phenomenon: climate change.

Well, Alan, if you believe that climate change is "strictly a modern phenomenon", then it's clear that thinking isn't one of your strong points.

[RegulatorCountry]

Belief in “climate change” correlates nicely with being an hysterical witch in the modern era.

[Conservative4Ever]

Hello cousin indeed. I have the movie you mention and lived in new England years ago so of course went to the Nurse homestead/farm. My daughter is named Rebecca for Rebecca Nurse and also because she was born in NE. (Weymouth) Time to get out the video and watch it again.

[annieokie]

Nice name Rebecca, that was a very nice thing to do in remembrance of our grandmother.

Just this last year, I have had a few Tarbell cousins contacting me, and in fact visiting me. One has the first name of Tarbell.

I do genealogy, and my dad always said there were Dr's. in the family. That proved true, nearly all his grandfathers were Dr's.

Now the strange part. His sister also said there were Nurses in the family. Well, makes sense, and I filed that away, not knowing how it was to fit. Then a cousin told me about Rebecca Nurse. WOW, so that's the nurse!!!

My aunt only heard talk about the NURSE name as a child, and as we all do as children it goes into our brain file, not knowing just where to put it. I am so glad she remembered that bit of information.

Nice meeting you, I believe there is yet another Freeper cousin.

[A'elian' nation]

I think you’re getting your history confused with Tavana Brawley and Al Sharpton.

[annieokie]

NO, I'm not. But I can see the relevance to those two 20th century witch-hunters.

[Sherman Logan]

One of my ancestors was burned at the stake. ... but they went there and tracked him down, dragged him back to Mass. and burned him up, too

Very unlikely.

In this country we never burned witches. We hanged 'em.

OTOH, during a hysteria over supposed slave rebellions in NYC, they burned 20 black people.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Slave_Revolt_of_1712