QAnon as the 21st century John Birch Society

 Conspiracy theories and cults are nothing new in America. For those of us who are concerned about the latest conspiracy theory-driven cult, QAnon, it is useful to recall that the John Birch Society was founded on a conspiracy theory that the US government--up to and including then-president Eisenhower and Chief Justice Earl Warren--was infiltrated by international communism. Yes, that seems quaintly amusing and childishly outrageous now, but back then, America was in peak Cold War. People believed this sort of claptrap, the way people apparently believe that the Democratic Party sex traffics in children and engages in human sacrifice.

What happened to the JBS? Importantly, William F. Buckley, Jr, editor of the National Review, finally recognized that the JBS posed an existential threat to conservatism, which he was trying to build as a political movement. Ultimately, Buckley publicly repudiated the JBS and rallied sufficient support among conservatives and grudging support among liberals, to drive the JBS underground.

I have only contempt for Buckley, his superciliousness, his vaguely patrician accent, and his tendency to confuse prolixity with erudition, but I do believe America owes him gratitude for destroying the JBS. Perhaps it will take a 21st century Buckley in the GOP to bury QAnon.

If you're not familiar with the history of Buckley vs the John Birch Society, more here:

https://www.nationalreview.com/2017/06/william-f-buckley-john-birch-society-history-conflict-robert-welch/