University of Virginia Library

American Paranoia

The best one was "Red
Nightmare," narrated by Jack Webb
of Dragnet. (It is the classic film of
American paranoia.) A man, Mr.
Donovan, dreams that Communists,
dressed in uniform, take over his
town, and he is the only one to
resist. There is a scene as his
daughter goes off to a commune to
get away from her "bourgeoisie
family life". Finally, for his
resistance, Mr. Donovan is tried and
a Communist shoots at pistol at the
back of his head. Just then mists
swirl up. Jack Webb steps out and
says, "Don't worry, Mr. Donovan,
that bullet will never reach your
head..."

In their criticism aired
afterward. Mr. Agnew and the
others criticized the report for
shabby journalism: for
misinterpreting facts,
mis-representing themselves when
they gathered the material, editing
for false effect, etc. Many of their
criticisms were properly aimed, for
the report was not nearly as well
assembled as it could have been.
Nevertheless, none of their
comments touched the content of
the report. The Defense
Department does expend
considerable amounts of the
taxpayers money on questionably
materials for questionable ends,
under questionable authority but,
then, so what? So what? What can
be done?