They had good reasons but the smearing of Barry Goldwater and his supporters like the John Birch Society too far.
That's what the ADL did 60 years what kind of dirty spy work are they doing today if any.
Is it aimed at President Trump and his supporters?
Like the spy’s that sold atomic secrets to the Soviets?
"I dunno Wally. Dad says the only good Commie's a dead one no matter what else he is."
Red
Goldwater was taken down by the deep state because he loved America too much. He was cursed and maligned because he was right on just about everything. I worked for Barry from the early days of the draft Goldwater movement after the Rockefeller debacle, to the election. He did not flinch or hold back because he was a man of principle, and Faith. The great thing about Barry was that the young people Loved him. Goldwater ‘64 was a youth movement! He breathed life into the Young Republicans and enlarged the appeal of YAF as well. That movement gave Reagan a platform and eventually put a Conservative in the White House.
The last part of that article is propaganda in my opinion.
Depends what you mean by "the American right." The Birchers were mostly outliers to the American conservative movement until recently. In 1978, JBers opposed Proposition 13, the California property tax limitation in initiative that most conservatives supported and whose success helped to launch the Reagan Revolution--which the Birchers did not support. The JBers remained cool to Reagan throughout his presidency.
When Bush 41 ran for re-election in 1992, the Birchers spent a great deal of effort promoting an anti-Bush book from their publishing house. True, Bush was no friend of conservatives, but he was preferable to Bill Clinton, the only beneficiary of such an effort.
Then they opposed Newt Gingrich's Contract with America and ran article after article in their publications denouncing Gingrich. They also opposed Rush Limbaugh, and their magazine The New American ran a couple of articles denouncing him.
However, in recent years, they have boarded the Trump train and now embrace the MAGA agenda. I just came home from a California Republican Assembly meeting that featured a presentation by a JB spokesman.
bump
I remember a song played over and over on the radio back around 1962 about “The John Birch Society”. It was making fun of this group. Hard to believe as 1962 almost got us a war over communist Cuba.
Found it! https://genius.com/The-chad-mitchell-trio-the-john-birch-society-lyrics
[Chorus]
Oh, we’re the John Birch Society, the John Birch Society
Here to save our country from a communistic plot
Join the John Birch Society, help us fill the ranks
To get this movement started we need lots of tools and cranks
Back in 1971 I saw a couple of short films produced by them about communism in the US and the Algerian revolt against France.
The first showed how the communists divided and conquered, just like they are doing today.
The second showed how Algerian rebels were slicing off the noses and also taking off the upper lip of those who did not support their rebellion against France. Horrifying photos!
Charlie Daniels, Uneasy Rider 88