Some people really love a good conspiracy theory. My Aunt Esther was expert on the communist conspiracy. Russia was out to get us and they would either take over our country or they would kill us.
“Russia has the bomb!”
Everybody knew about the bomb. But we knew how to survive – we just had to climb under our desks.
The Communists are taking over America.
The communists were plotting, and more than that, already moving in to take over America! They had been sneaking in for years and they were everywhere – even in Alabama. Soon they would take over and we would never be free again. And Aunt Esther even had pamphlets to prove it.
“They’re here already. I can name two Congressmen who may be communists. It’s in an official report from the researchers at the John Birch Society. Read it for yourself.”
Daddy laughed at her. “Esther, you’re so full of it. You’ve been hoodwinked. Now, I’ve had my fill of conspiracy theories. Goodnight.”
When They Take Over
My aunt ignored him and went on to tell us what we were facing.
- There will be a dictator and we will have to do whatever he says.
- We won’t have pretty clothes or enough food to eat.
- They will close the churches and we won’t even be allowed to pray.
- If somebody disagrees with the government, they’ll be thrown in prison and tortured — even if they just think it.
If it’s a theory it doesn’t have to make sense.
Aunt Esther didn’t explain how the communists would know what we were thinking. Not having to explain is part of being a theory.
“I guarantee you I am right. There are already communists at work right here in Mobile — maybe even in your church. They look just like us so you don’t know. One could be preaching from your own church pulpit, and you wouldn’t know.”
I jumped in, “We don’t have any communists in our church, Mama, do we?”
Mama said, “No, Esther is just supposing what if. ”
Conspiracy – First They Brainwash the Children
“No, she needs to know this,” said Aunt Esther. She’s at the very age they are coming for. First, they put their teachers in the classrooms to brainwash our children. You don’t know — her teacher could be a communist right now.’
“Mrs. Green is not a communist!” I cried.
“How do you know she’s not? You wouldn’t know it if you were already brainwashed.”
I still didn’t believe Mrs. Green was a communist.
Children will turn in their own parents.
“It happened in Russia, and it can happen here. They take the children away to their own schools where they brainwash them to believe in communism. 
Once you’re brainwashed, they will tell you it’s your duty to watch your parents. Children will turn in their own parents. Then the secret police come and drag them away to prison.”
Now, I was crying and screaming, “No! I won’t do it, Mama! They can’t make me. I’ll never tell no matter what they do to me. I won’t let them take you to prison.”
Conspiracy theorists don’t give up easily.
“You will when they brianwash you.”
“Stop!, Mama said, “No more communist talk — period! When Mama said “period” she meant business.
The conspiracy talk stopped. But I was eight, and what didn’t stop for weeks were nightmares of secret police coming to our house and dragging Mama away to prison.
Conspiracy Theories are dangerous to children and other living creatures.
September 1, 2022
