Mass hysteria Mass hysteria Day care sex abuse hysteria was a phenomenon of the 1980s involving false accusations of sexual abuse. A prominent case in Kern County, California began the phenomenon, which lasted for almost a decade. The Kern county case began a wave of copycat accusations that started in California and spread thoughout the country. Some elements of the witch hunts of the 1600s, and the red scare of the 1950s have parallels in the sex abuse hysteria. ...more on Wikipedia about "Day care sex abuse hysteria"
The Great Negro Plot of 1741 is the name given to a supposed plot by Blacks and poor Whites in New York City to level it with fire and install one of their own as king. It is also known as The Great New York Conspiracy of 1741. ...more on Wikipedia about "Great Negro Plot of 1741"
The convictions of the McCuans and Kniffens were overturned in 1996 and the two couples were released. In 2001, a TV movie about the plight of the Kniffen's was released under the name Just ask my children. John Stoll and Grant Self had to wait until 2004 for the reversal of their convictions. Stoll was released but Self remains in a mental hospital for sexual offenders because he had a prior conviction for child molestation and had violated his parole by associating with children. ...more on Wikipedia about "Kern County child abuse cases"
McCarthyism took place during a period of intense suspicion in the United States primarily from 1950 to 1954, when the U.S. government was actively countering American Communist Party subversion, its leadership, and others suspected of being Communists or Communist sympathizers. During this period people from all walks of life became the subject of aggressive " witch-hunts," often based on inconclusive or questionable evidence. It grew out of the Second Red Scare that began in the late 1940s and is named after the U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy, a Republican of Wisconsin. ...more on Wikipedia about "McCarthyism"
The McMartin preschool case was an example of day care sex abuse hysteria. Members of the McMartin family, who operated a preschool in California, were charged with sexual abuse of children in their care. After seven years of criminal trials, no convictions were obtained, and all charges were dropped in 1990. It is one of the most famous of all the sexual abuse cases and it is the longest and most expensive trial in the history of the United States as of 2006. ...more on Wikipedia about "McMartin preschool trial"
The Michelangelo virus is a computer virus first discovered in April 1991 in New Zealand. ** The virus was designed to infect MS-DOS systems and remain dormant until March 6, the birthday of Renaissance artist Michaelangelo, before becoming active and wreaking havoc. ...more on Wikipedia about "Michelangelo (computer virus)"
The North Berwick Witch Trials were the trials in 1590 of a number of people from North Berwick, East Lothian, Scotland accused of witchcraft. They ran for two years and implicated seventy people. The accusations included the Francis Stewart Hepburn, 1st Earl of Bothwell on charges of high treason. The confessions were extracted by torture. This trial involved several people who were convicted of having used witchcraft to create a storm in an attempt to sink the ship on which King James I of England and Anne of Denmark had been travelling. ...more on Wikipedia about "North Berwick Witch Trials"
The pejorative term "Red Scare" has been retroactively applied to two distinct periods of intense anti-Communism in United States history: first from 1917 to 1920, and second from the late 1940s through the mid- 1950s. Both periods were characterized by the suspicion of widespread civil-service infiltration by Communists and Anarchists and fears of communist influence on U.S. society and infiltration of the U.S. government. These fears spurred aggressive investigation and (particularly during the first period) jailing of persons associated with communist and socialist ideology or political movements. ...more on Wikipedia about "Red Scare"
Some gossip, urban legends, hoaxes and conspiracy theories are particular to African-American culture. Methods of transmission include oral tradition, community grapevine and black talk radio, newspapers and celebrities. Mainstream Media and politicians contribute also. ...more on Wikipedia about "Rumor in African American culture"
Satanic ritual abuse, or SRA, refers to the belief that an organized network of Satanists engages in brainwashing and abusing victims, especially children, throughout the United States or even the world. The term Satanic Ritual Abuse is often used interchangeably with Sadistic Ritual Abuse, a broader term that refers to any and all ritualistic abuse. This is especially the case in psychology. Claims of Satanic Ritual Abuse remain controversial and law enforcement sources, criminologists, psychologists, and religious affairs commentors generally consider this belief false or at least grossly exaggerated. At present, press and media figures and much of the public treats claims of Satanic ritual abuse with great skepticism. Many sociologists class the public outcry in the 1980s concerning SRA as an example of a public moral panic. Nevertheless, claims of Satanic ritual abuse still appear and there remains a significant but unknown number of people in many countries who believe in the existence of organised communities perpetuating SRA. ...more on Wikipedia about "Satanic ritual abuse"
The Mad Gasser of Mattoon is the name given by local newspapers to a mysterious figure said to have plagued Mattoon, Illinois in August and September of 1944. Headlines also dubbed the assailant The Anesthetic Prowler, The Mad Anesthetist, or The Phantom Anesthetist. ...more on Wikipedia about "The Mad Gasser of Mattoon"
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