FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY: THE TRUTH ABOUT JOE McCARTHY, THE RED SCARE

Hi folks. My name is Michael Flores. I work in Chicago in film and theatre, I also DJ mash ups. Before that I taught 20th Century art and Film History at the Art Institute and like everyone else thought I had a good grasp of the 1950's and the censorship and fear generated by Tailgunner Joe McCarthy.

Then I came across the KGB files on the era, and realized there was more to the era than I had thought.

Recently I came across the declassified CIA documents on the era. I was shocked. I could not believe what I was reading.

Everything, and I mean everything I knew was wrong. Everything.

I did not know the McCarthy era at all. I knew a lot of propaganda from both sides, but they too were wrong. Because they never asked one key question.

How did a Senator who spent most of his time getting drunk with the press, avoiding any kind of committee, get his hands on a list of names that according to the KGB files recently released, more often than not, correctly identified spies in our government? How did a party animal get his hands on these names? No one has ever asked before.

I now know. And the revelation will shock you.

To my friends on the left- I do not agree with Anne Coulter's new look at  McCarthy- she only knows half the story. But there are going to be some difficult revelations here, for both sides. Many are still difficult for me.

To my friends on the right- the Democrats can not be blamed for the view they have of the period. THEY NEVER KNEW THE FACTS. Neither did the conservatives.

Thus begins this experiment. In coming weeks we are going to look at the 1950's and the effect the "red scare era" had on life, the media and resonates to today.

Then we are going to look at the actual facts.

How can you help? Left or right, apolitical or even just interested in the impact on theatre and pop culture- read the material. Make your points. Interpret it from your point of view. We are dealing with some fundamental changes in the way we see an era.

Your comments and advice are welcome.

If you know folks interested in this period, send them the link.

We are about to embark into another time and another place, to discover the truth.

A truth that took 50 years to find out.

The story you have never heard................