The term “witch hunt” has a long and storied history. It conjures images of the Salem witch trials, of innocent people condemned based on flimsy evidence, of McCarthyism, where mere accusation was enough to destroy lives. It is a term that should remind us of the dangers of mass hysteria and moral panic. Yet, today, “witch hunt” is thrown around so frequently that it has lost much of its meaning—often used to describe legitimate investigations or, conversely, real acts of political retribution. But make no mistake: real witch hunts are happening, and they come from all sides.

The Weaponization of Persecution

Throughout history, accusations have been used as weapons. During the Red Scare, Senator Joseph McCarthy built his reputation on accusations that people in Hollywood, government, and academia were communists. Many were blacklisted, lost their jobs, or were ostracized despite a lack of actual evidence. The crucial element of a witch hunt is not just the act of investigation but the assumption of guilt without fair evidence or due process.

Fast forward to today, and we see a similar phenomenon in modern politics and culture wars. Some look at the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s restructuring of companies as a “revenge tour,” dismantling institutions they felt had wronged them. There is an ongoing purge within government agencies, with career bureaucrats labeled as the “deep state” and treated as enemies rather than public servants. But in targeting the vast workforce of federal employees—over 2.3 million people—accusations of corruption and incompetence become blanket indictments, ignoring the fact that most are simply doing their jobs under changing political leadership.

Similarly, on the cultural front, we have seen a surge of cancel culture—public shaming and demands for resignation over minor transgressions or ideological disagreements. On college campuses, professors are vilified for speaking against the prevailing ideological winds, often facing termination, threats, or harassment. The irony is palpable: institutions that once prided themselves on free thought and open discussion now police speech with fervor. This is just another form of authoritarianism, cloaked in the guise of moral righteousness.

The Fear of Defending the Accused

One of the most dangerous aspects of witch hunts is the social cost of defending the accused. Fear keeps people silent. In the McCarthy era, many knew that their colleagues were being falsely accused, but they remained quiet, lest suspicion fall on them. Today, defending someone targeted by cancel culture—whether for a politically incorrect opinion or an unpopular stance—can lead to guilt by association.

This fear operates on both sides of the spectrum. In government, those who question the narrative of “deep state corruption” risk being labeled as complicit. In academia, those who speak out against ideological purity tests risk being branded as bigots. The result? Silence and compliance, not because people believe the accusations, but because they fear becoming the next target.

Logical Fallacies and the All-or-Nothing Mentality

A major driver of modern witch hunts is the inability to recognize nuance. If one example of government fraud is uncovered, some take it as proof that the entire system is irredeemably corrupt. If one professor says something offensive, some argue that the entire institution must be overhauled. This kind of absolutist thinking prevents meaningful reform and instead leads to destruction for destruction’s sake.

The best approach, both in government and culture, is surgical precision. If corruption exists, target the individuals responsible. If certain bureaucratic processes are inefficient, reform them rather than dismantling entire departments. To borrow from medicine, you don’t cure cancer by killing the patient—you remove the tumor while preserving the body.

Standing Up for Reason

A society driven by witch hunts is a society that eats itself. If we continue to allow fear and mass hysteria to dictate who gets condemned, if we refuse to stand up for those who are unjustly accused, we are complicit in the chaos. Labeling all federal employees as corrupt, calling every ideological opponent a racist or a traitor—these are not paths to a better society. They are paths to destruction.

In 1984, George Orwell warned of a world where language and truth were manipulated to serve political ends. Today, we must be wary of how easily fear and outrage can override rational thought. Whether from the left or the right, witch hunts thrive on division, scapegoating, and fear. The solution? A commitment to due process, a rejection of guilt by association, and, above all, the courage to speak up—even when it’s unpopular.

We must choose sanity over hysteria. Otherwise, as history has shown us time and time again, we will burn everything down in the process.