Gospel of Fear

GOSPEL OF FEAR uncovers how fear, exclusion, and identity have been weaponized throughout U.S. history.

Long before the Red Scare and McCarthyism, the groundwork was laid in the 1930s. Amid economic collapse and social upheaval, Texas Congressman Martin Dies rose to prominence by casting progressive reforms as subversive threats. As chair of the first House Un-American Activities Committee, he mastered the use of media spectacle, disinformation, and political theater, branding dissent as disloyalty and codifying a playbook of homegrown authoritarianism.

Those tactics didn’t vanish. They evolved.

From book bans to truth-on-trial politics, from attacks on educators to the discrediting of journalists, GOSPEL OF FEAR traces a recurring pattern in American life: the struggle over who controls the narrative and which truths are allowed to stand. What began as a domestic crusade against dissent and identity has, over time, helped fuel broader authoritarian currents – undermining democratic norms and reshaping civic discourse both at home and abroad.

More than a historical investigation, GOSPEL OF FEAR offers a framework for decoding the DNA of our present moment. By unpacking past efforts to police ideas and silence debate, the podcast shows how these same tactics remain active forces in today’s politics. In a time defined by division and disinformation, historical awareness isn’t just context – it’s clarity.

Produced with support from The Pulitzer Center.

GOSPEL OF FEAR is a People’s Recorder Deep Dive. To learn more about our Signal Award-winning podcast, visit The People’s Recorder.