The New John Birch Society..the Tea Party. Great column by Tampa Bay Times Robyn Blumner.
The new John Birch SocietyIf you've ever wondered what happened to the John Birch Society, author Claire Conner of Dunedin can tell you. The radical right-wing group that was briefly a player in national conservative politics in the 1960s is back, under a different name: tea party.
She should know. Conner's new memoir Wrapped in the Flag: A Personal History of America's Radical Right is a fascinating inside look at the Birchers in their heyday and her story packed the house last month at the Tampa Bay Times Festival of Reading at University of South Florida St. Petersburg.
True believers don't get any truer than Claire Conner's parents, who sacrificed their livelihood and even their relationship with their children in the name of the cause. Her father, Stillwell Conner, was a founding John Birch Society member in 1958 and its Midwest recruiter. As a child Claire was pressed into service and at 13 years old was the Birchers' youngest member.
....Eventually Conner, now a self-described progressive, realized "it's good when the government does things. Old people having health care (Medicare) is a good thing. Social Security is a very good thing," Conner said. Her parents didn't believe in either — though they both accepted the benefits, of course.
Something I never realized until I saw this on Twitter this week.
The John Birch Society put out a wanted poster for JFK just before he arrived in Dallas.
= new reply since forum marked as read
These brothers are terrorist. Their convictions, the unlimited wealth, their obsessive desire to control people to comply with only their beliefs....I say this behavior resemble that of Osama Bin Laden......Think about the comparison.....
from JBS and now evolving through Kochs......
Good luck.
She is a very kind person. She rarely got upset. The two exception that I distinctly remember was when she was watching the Watergate trials and when some Bircher propaganda came in the mail.
Deja vu all over again. 
"Democrats occupying about the 1956 Republican ground, and Republicans occupying about the John Birch Society ground."
Well said.
Stay warm in that bad weather. Seems like it has been long enough.
Interesting note...my son was at the JFK memorial in Dealey Plaza. He was thoughtful enough to bring me the Dallas Morning News Memorial edition they reprinted from 1963. Brings back lots of memories. Sad ones.
Kicking so more DUers can see this. I did know that the Koch Bros dad was a cofounder (if not THE founder) of the JBS. I WAS NOT aware they were responsible for that poster seen along the route that day.
What I want to know is this: Do they have siblings that we haven't heard of? Do they have children, grand children and great grandchildren? 
Thanks for sharing.
...In combination, they are a disease that has swept this country since that fateful day 50 yrs ago. So many have died in its path, and are dying still. If we don't find a political vaccine soon, someone else will.
Then we'll all be goners. 
Sarah fucking Palin...aka "Wolf-Killer from the North". 
Her answrr was something like .. " If you don't know I can't help you"
Total Palin stupid bagger talk
but yep, they beat on Adlai a few months before in TX
That's stunning to me. I would say unfortunately that our area of FL is pretty doggoned close to that kind of hate in recent years.
I love her columns. She really impresses me.
anyone demonstrate conclusively that those responsible for this "Wanted for TREASON" ad were not, in fact, stochastic terrorists who directly prompted the assassination of JFK and also, that those who promote this type of hatred to this day are not likewise stochastic terrorists who are prompting others to act out violently on their hatred? If my assessment is correct, Houston, we have a problem. 
Good to see you. And Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.
