In alt.fifty-plus.friends saw this and thought of you folks.

Bill

Perhaps music can change things.

..........................


In article ,
"Normandy" wrote:



piJoe you are wrong

Pete Seeger quit the Communist party in 1950. To me Pete Seegar was a
hero. He stood up to Senator McCarthy and the House Un-American
Activities Committee. I can think of no thing more un-American that the
House Un-American Activities Committee
His group, the Weavers were blacklisted, resulting in cancelled concert
dates and the loss of their recording contract with Decca Records. Under
congressional subpoena to testify before the House Un-American Activities
Committee, Mr Seeger asserted his Fifth Amendment rights, he told the
McCarty inspired committee, "I am not going to answer any questions as to
my associations, my philosophical or my religious beliefs, or how I voted
in any election or any of these private affairs. I think these are very
improper questions for any American to be asked." Unlike many
entertainers and writers who careers were ruined in the McCarthy era, Mr
Seeger stood his ground even though he was sent to jail for defending his
beliefs. I disagree with many of his political ideas but by his actions
he defined an American hero, a true patriot .



There is a brilliant youtube on Zero Mostel
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM_Tjc1H1t4. An actor who fought back


I'm not wrong. McCarthy didn't target those people.

PiJoe you are as far as I know correct it was the most un-American
congressional group called the House Committee on Un-American Activities
(HUAC) Hear are the words of a patriot, Pete Seeger. I strongly disagree
with his politics his politics but I am able to recognise a real American
hero

In the following testimony before HUAC, Mr Seeger refused to invoke the
Fifth Amendment, protecting citizens from self-incrimination. Instead he
insisted that the Committee had no right to question him regarding his
political beliefs or associations. This strategy resulted in prison terms
for contempt of Congress for the Hollywood Ten in 1947. Mr Seeger himself
was sentenced to a year in prison for contempt, but the verdict was reversed
in 1962. Nevertheless, Mr Seeger remained on a network television blacklist
until the late 1960s.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--

Testimony of Pete Seeger before the House Un-American Activities Committee,
August 18, 1955

. . . Mr. TAVENNER: The Committee has information obtained in part from the
Daily Worker indicating that, over a period of time, especially since
December of 1945, you took part in numerous entertainment features. I have
before me a photostatic copy of the June 20, 1947, issue of the Daily
Worker. In a column entitled "What's On" appears this advertisement:
"Tonight-Bronx, hear Peter Seeger and his guitar, at Allerton Section
housewarming." May I ask you whether or not the Allerton Section was a
section of the Communist Party?

Mr. SEEGER: Sir, I refuse to answer that question whether it was a quote
from the New York Times or the Vegetarian Journal.

Mr. TAVENNER: I don't believe there is any more authoritative document in
regard to the Communist Party than its official organ, the Daily Worker.

Mr. SCHERER: He hasn't answered the question, and he merely said he wouldn't
answer whether the article appeared in the New York Times or some other
magazine. I ask you to direct the witness to answer the question.

Chairman WALTER: I direct you to answer.

Mr. SEEGER: Sir, the whole line of questioning-

Chairman WALTER: You have only been asked one question, so far.

Mr. SEEGER: I am not going to answer any questions as to my association, my
philosophical or religious beliefs or my political beliefs, or how I voted
in any election, or any of these private affairs. I think these are very
improper questions for any American to be asked, especially under such
compulsion as this. I would be very glad to tell you my life if you want to
hear of it.

Mr. TAVENNER: Has the witness declined to answer this specific question?

Chairman WALTER: He said that he is not going to answer any questions, any
names or things.

Mr. SCHERER: He was directed to answer the question.

Mr. TAVENNER: I have before me a photostatic copy of the April 30, 1948,
issue of the Daily Worker which carries under the same title of "What's On,"
an advertisement of a "May Day Rally: For Peace, Security and Democracy."
The advertisement states: "Are you in a fighting mood? Then attend the May
Day rally." Expert speakers are stated to be slated for the program, and
then follows a statement, "Entertainment by Pete Seeger." At the bottom
appears this: "Auspices Essex County Communist Party," and at the top,
"Tonight, Newark, N.J." Did you lend your talent to the Essex County
Communist Party on the occasion indicated by this article from the Daily
Worker?

Mr. SEEGER: Mr. Walter, I believe I have already answered this question, and
the same answer.

Chairman WALTER: The same answer. In other words, you mean that you decline
to answer because of the reasons stated before?

Mr. SEEGER: I gave my answer, sir.

Chairman WALTER: What is your answer?

Mr. SEEGER: You see, sir, I feel-

Chairman WALTER: What is your answer?

Mr. SEEGER: I will tell you what my answer is.

I feel that in my whole life I have never done anything of any
conspiratorial nature and I resent very much and very deeply the implication
of being called before this Committee that in some way because my opinions
may be different from yours, or yours, Mr. Willis, or yours, Mr. Scherer,
that I am any less of an American than anybody else. I love my country very
deeply, sir.

Chairman WALTER: Why don't you make a little contribution toward preserving
its institutions?

Mr. SEEGER: I feel that my whole life is a contribution. That is why I would
like to tell you about it.

Chairman WALTER: I don't want to hear about it.

Mr. SCHERER: I think that there must be a direction to answer.

Chairman WALTER: I direct you to answer that question.

Mr. SEEGER: I have already given you my answer, sir.

Mr. SCHERER: Let me understand. You are not relying on the Fifth Amendment,
are you?

Mr. SEEGER: No, sir, although I do not want to in any way discredit or
depreciate or depredate the witnesses that have used the Fifth Amendment,
and I simply feel it is improper for this committee to ask such questions.

Mr. SCHERER: And then in answering the rest of the questions, or in refusing
to answer the rest of the questions, I understand that you are not relying
on the Fifth Amendment as a basis for your refusal to answer?

Mr. SEEGER: No, I am not, sir. . . .

Mr. TAVENNER: You said that you would tell us about the songs. Did you
participate in a program at Wingdale Lodge in the State of New York, which
is a summer camp for adults and children, on the weekend of July Fourth of
this year?

(Witness consulted with counsel.)

Mr. SEEGER: Again, I say I will be glad to tell what songs I have ever sung,
because singing is my business.

Mr. TAVENNER: I am going to ask you.

Mr. SEEGER: But I decline to say who has ever listened to them, who has
written them, or other people who have sung them.

Mr. TAVENNER: Did you sing this song, to which we have referred, "Now Is the
Time," at Wingdale Lodge on the weekend of July Fourth?

Mr. SEEGER: I don't know any song by that name, and I know a song with a
similar name. It is called "Wasn't That a Time." Is that the song?

Chairman WALTER: Did you sing that song?

Mr. SEEGER: I can sing it. I don't know how well I can do it without my
banjo.

Chairman WALTER: I said, Did you sing it on that occasion?

Mr. SEEGER: I have sung that song. I am not going to go into where I have
sung it. I have sung it many places.

Chairman WALTER: Did you sing it on this particular occasion? That is what
you are being asked.

Mr. SEEGER: Again my answer is the same.

Chairman WALTER: You said that you would tell us about it.

Mr. SEEGER: I will tell you about the songs, but I am not going to tell you
or try to explain-

Chairman WALTER: I direct you to answer the question. Did you sing this
particular song on the Fourth of July at Wingdale Lodge in New York?

Mr. SEEGER: I have already given you my answer to that question, and all
questions such as that. I feel that is improper: to ask about my
associations and opinions. I have said that I would be voluntarily glad to
tell you any song, or what I have done in my life.

Chairman WALTER: I think it is my duty to inform you that we don't accept
this answer and the others, and I give you an opportunity now to answer
these questions, particularly the last one.

Mr. SEEGER: Sir, my answer is always the same.

Chairman WALTER: All right, go ahead, Mr. Tavenner.

Mr. TAVENNER: Were you chosen by Mr. Elliott Sullivan to take part in the
program on the weekend of July Fourth at Wingdale Lodge?

Mr. SEEGER: The answer is the same, sir.

Mr. WILLIS: Was that the occasion of the satire on the Constitution and the
Bill of Rights?

Mr. TAVENNER: The same occasion, yes, sir. I have before me a photostatic
copy of a page from the June 1, 1949, issue of the Daily Worker, and in a
column entitled "Town Talk" there is found this statement:

The first performance of a new song, "If I Had a Hammer," on the theme of
the Foley Square trial of the Communist leaders, will be given at a
testimonial dinner for the 12 on Friday night at St. Nicholas Arena. . .
.Among those on hand for the singing will be . . . Pete Seeger, and Lee
Hays-

and others whose names are mentioned. Did you take part in that performance?

Mr. SEEGER: I shall be glad to answer about the song, sir, and I am not
interested in carrying on the line of questioning about where I have sung
any songs.

Mr. TAVENNER: I ask a direction.

Chairman WALTER: You may not be interested, but we are, however. I direct
you to answer. You can answer that question.

Mr. SEEGER: I feel these questions are improper, sir, and I feel they are
immoral to ask any American this kind of question.

Mr. TAVENNER: Have you finished your answer?

Mr. SEEGER: Yes, sir. . . .

Mr. TAVENNER: Did you hear Mr. George Hall's testimony yesterday in which he
stated that, as an actor, the special contribution that he was expected to
make to the Communist Party was to use his talents by entertaining at
Communist Party functions? Did you hear that testimony?

Mr. SEEGER: I didn't hear it, no.

Mr. TAVENNER: It is a fact that he so testified. I want to know whether or
not you were engaged in a similar type of service to the Communist Party in
entertaining at these features.

(Witness consulted with counsel.)

Mr. SEEGER: I have sung for Americans of every political persuasion, and I
am proud that I never refuse to sing to an audience, no matter what religion
or color of their skin, or situation in life. I have sung in hobo jungles,
and I have sung for the Rockefellers, and I am proud that I have never
refused to sing for anybody. That is the only answer I can give along that
line.

Chairman WALTER: Mr. Tavenner, are you getting around to that letter? There
was a letter introduced yesterday that I think was of greater importance
than any bit of evidence adduced at these hearings, concerning the attempt
made to influence people in this professional performers' guild and union to
assist a purely Communist cause which had no relation whatsoever to the arts
and the theater. Is that what you are leading up to?

Mr. TAVENNER: Yes, it is. That was the letter of Peter Lawrence, which I
questioned him about yesterday. That related to the trial of the Smith Act
defendants here at Foley Square. I am trying to inquire now whether this
witness was party to the same type of propaganda effort by the Communist
Party.

Mr. SCHERER: There has been no answer to your last question.

Mr. TAVENNER: That is right; may I have a direction?

Mr. SEEGER: Would you repeat the question? I don't even know what the last
question was, and I thought I have answered all of them up to now.

Mr. TAVENNER: What you stated was not in response to the question.

Chairman WALTER: Proceed with the questioning, Mr. Tavenner.

Mr. TAVENNER: I believe, Mr. Chairman, with your permission, I will have the
question read to him. I think it should be put in exactly the same form.

(Whereupon the reporter read the pending question as above recorded.)

Mr. SEEGER: "These features": what do you mean? Except for the answer I have
already given you, I have no answer. The answer I gave you you have, don't
you? That is, that I am proud that I have sung for Americans of every
political persuasion, and I have never refused to sing for anybody because I
disagreed with their political opinion, and I am proud of the fact that my
songs seem to cut across and find perhaps a unifying thing, basic humanity,
and that is why I would love to be able to tell you about these songs,
because I feel that you would agree with me more, sir. I know many beautiful
songs from your home county, Carbon, and Monroe, and I hitchhiked through
there and stayed in the homes of miners.

Mr. TAVENNER: My question was whether or not you sang at these functions of
the Communist Party. You have answered it inferentially, and if I understand
your answer, you are saying you did.

Mr. SEEGER: Except for that answer, I decline to answer further. . . .

Mr. SCHERER: Do you understand it is the feeling of the Committee that you
are in contempt as a result of the position you take?

Mr. SEEGER: I can't say.

Mr. SCHERER: I am telling you that that is the position of the Committee. .
. .


Mr. SEEGER: I decline to discuss, under compulsion, where I have sung, and
who has sung my songs, and who else has sung with me, and the people I have
known. I love my country very dearly, and I greatly resent this implication
that some of the places that I have sung and some of the people that I have
known, and some of my opinions, whether they are religious or philosophical,
or I might be a vegetarian, make me any less of an American. I will tell you
about my songs, but I am not interested in telling you who wrote them, and I
will tell you about my songs, and I am not interested in who listened to
them. . . .

Source: Congress, House, Committee on Un-American Activities, Investigation
of Communist Activities, New York Area (Entertainment): Hearings, 84th
Congress, August 18, 1955

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