Political Cartoon.. Please help Explain.?

Question

http://newman.baruch.cuny.edu/digital/redscare/IMAGES_LG/Swat_the_Fly.gif


this is the picture.. please help.

Answer 1

Well, you have uncle sam (representing America) holding a hammer (I guess it's some of the solutions used by American to battle communism) trying to kill a fly titled "red" (communist). It's pretty much saying that the communists are dangerous, and America has to get rid of them. However, the present methods (at that time) are hurting the country.

Answer 2

In general "redscare" means fear of communists and sympathizers committing seditious treason against the nation as traitors, which led to going on witchhunts and blacklisting people by mere association or fear thereof.

I can't read what four letters are on the fly.
But the point is not to overkill, not to impose "too drastic sedition legislation" where you use a hammer to kill a fly. In this case, Uncle Sam hitting himself in the head, or America shooting itself in the foot. You don't want to impose such restrictions, for the sake of protecting freedom, that you in fact lose your freedom.

A common connection made today is the current debate over terrorism, and whether the legislation empowering government to counteract, investigate, or detain alleged suspects invokes the same controversy as the Red Scare.

Answer 3

If you are going to solve a problem (not sure what it is in this case), you go the easiest, most logical, least painful route. You would use your hand to kill a fly on your head, not a hammer. Do not be irrational in your decisions.