Why Witch Hunts Really Happened? Can It Happen AGAIN?

The motivation behind the famous witch hunts is shockingly similar to the motivations behind today’s GOP laws restricting healthcare and even your right to move about the country.


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[zerologic]

Silvia Federici's Caliban and the Witch is an interesting book on this topic, because it approaches the issue from a synthesis of Marxist and feminist perspectives, and also ties it in with colonialism, primitive accumulation of capital, etc. On her view, the subjugation of women has always been integral to the functioning of capitalism, with women's reproductive labour having the function of regenerating the workforce.

[KittyKeypurr]

It's getting bad in the south. Can't even get service in a lot of places anymore. The men stand there and pretend nobody is there right to my face 😡

[daphnewilson]

Re: suicides teaser at the end: I wonder if there is an increase in "disappearances." Roe got guys "off the hook easy!" If the "accident" is actually going to be born, that could be troublesome to men in several categories. A one-night -stand might be required to be identified for welfare, so the DA can go after him. And what about Dad, but he's the sole paycheck in the family? And you know these guys are blaming it on her: "She made me do it" ring a bell? And so many guns, especially in the most restrictive states. It'll be interesting to see if there's a surge in the just plain "missing...."

[bearsoup]

Awesome segment, Thom. I thought I the history of witch hunting but this was revealing.

[grapeshot]

Can witch-hunts come back? Oh you bet they can.

[bobapbob]

Don’t forget Alito’s citing of an 18th philosopher who believed in witches.

[oddjam]

Jfc Hartman is so good. it really blows my mind sometimes

[kgs]

And this is exactly why we need the Equal Rights Amendment in the Constitution. And it’s also exactly why Republicans in Congress (right now the particular group is headed by Mitt Romney and Ron Johnson, and another Senator from Ohio, I think, but I can’t remember his name) are constantly fighting against putting the ERA into the Constitution every time it comes up for a vote in Congress, especially after Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the ERA in 2020.
Also remember how Republicans started whining about a study coming out a few years ago about how the U.S. population was starting to decline because it would negatively impact the amount of workers corporations would have in the future. (And which is also undoubtedly why some Red states like Arkansas have voted to overturn their child labor laws!).
Remember, too, that Justice Alito, in his decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, cited for reference some judge in England who lived in the 1500s or 1600s who also sentenced witches to be burned at the stake! Maybe it’s just me (sarcasm), but I somehow don’t think we should be basing our American 21st Century laws on the laws of a 14th or 15th Century “legal scholar” from England, besides the fact that the United States was created and broke away from England and wrote a new Constitution to get away from those old religious-based laws.

[diane]

We have a Catholic hospital here in Fresno, it's called Saint Agnes. If I had given birth to my daughter there, I couldn't have had my tubes tied, simply because they're against birth control. Do we really need religion involved in our politics or our choices? Their religion shouldn't have any dictate over my body or my choices. I've never seen any church come to my door and offer me financial help ever!

[jamesdelb]

There's that "pre-1980" again. we all know what, or who happened in 1980. The deity of trickle down happened.

[karenweaver]

I think the myth of the one paycheck family was created by sitcom tv. I grew up middle class in the 1950's and 1960's, and there were very few woman who did not work. Many only worked part-time, but most of the women I knew wanted their own money. Who went on these yearly vacations? Most people I grow up with, went on vacations to visit out of state family members. Middle class people did not have money to eat out and to stay at a motel for a week. The neighbors used to pile the kids into the station wagon, to see movies, because kids under 12 were free. We used to bring our own popcorn and sodas. Upper middle class people like they used to show on tv, had stay at home Moms, big houses, nice vacations, they usually owned a beach or lake house, bought a brand new car every 2 years, and often had a maid.

[ireneroeder]

Most interesting subject. Very informative. Almost all of what your investigation found was news to me. Thank you

[danherrick]

Why does the catholic church always seem to come up when investigating something evil?

[railrodemike]

It was Red Herrings decades ago in history class.

[SilentSong]

I didn't know my state legalized abortion let's go Washington state

[HolyCity]

Matt Lech of Majority Report has an exceptional amount of knowledge of the Salem Witch Trials.

[katnip]

Wow, I was just thinking about this earlier today. You just read my mind. 😮

[hermenutic]

I'm continually making note of how often Christians act as if they've never read the four gospels.

[k.k.]

This is such an interesting topic. Now I need to do some reading up the subject. Thank you!

[mybachhertzbaud]

Unfortunately, it can happen at anytime for "No one expects the Spanish Inquisition"!!😜