What is a witch hunt?

Essay by rockthedok07High School, 11th gradeA, February 2006

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A witch hunt is the searching out and persecution of supposed witches. It can also mean the harassment of those with unpopular beliefs. I am not sure what causes a witch hunt to occur. Some believe that people embark a witch hunt to find a scapegoat to their problems, others believe that it is just a mass hysteria that spreads like a disease. Anyone can be subject to a witch hunt. From people of a certain decent that others do not like to women who desire to have an abortion. Witch hunts have happened in the past, are currently developing, and will most likely take place in the future.

A long time ago, one of the most renowned of all witch hunts occurred. This witch hunt was known as "The Salem Witch Trials". In this period of time, people truly believed that there were "witches" around them.

The people of Salem, Massachusetts accused and executed many who were believed to be witches. These so-called witches were condemned on the insignificant evidence of others claiming they saw the person's spirit attack them. For the accused, it was either confess to being a witch or hang.

Recently, a witch hunt developed because of the collapse of the Twin Towers. Many people blamed anyone who was of Arabic decent. Many of the accused were loyal Americans who had done nothing wrong. However, they were blamed because of how they appeared. America became once again a racist country. Americans criticized others, using them as scapegoats to help them console their grief and condemn their frustration.

Witch hunts are currently taking place in our modern America. One of the main problems occurring would be abortion clinics. People who do not agree with abortions are doing terrorist acts. Many clinics as...