By: Daniel Nardini
One of America’s greatest writers, Ray Bradbury, died on June 15th of this year at the age of 91. Famous for his books Fahrentheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, and The Illustrated Man, he was one of the most brilliant authors of the middle to late 20th Century. His obituary would read like an essay. He was not only an incredible writer, but he knew such equally brilliant persons as science fiction writer and TV director Gene Roddenberry and the animator Ray Harryhausen. So it would come as a shock that Bradbury had actually been spied upon by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) back in the 1950’s. Why? Strange as it is, the FBI “suspected” him of having Communist sympathies. How this could be was never explained in the secret document they assembled on Ray Bradbury. Ray Bradbury never attended a Communist Party USA meeting, he never associated with known Communists, and he most certainly was not a member of the Communist Party. So how could this writer possibly be even remotely suspected of having any association with the ideals of Communism?
The secret document alleges that Bradbury had “anti-capitalist ideas.” Actually, there was another reason why Bradbury was spied upon. He had publicly denounced the FBI investigations of writers, actors and artists. He was most certainly critical of the House on Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which initiated the investigations of innocent people. In that era, to speak up against HUAC and the FBI investigations required a great deal of bravery. There can be no doubt that Bradbury was a brave man for doing this. We must remember that the lives and careers of so many innocent people were ruined or cut short by what HUAC did. One of the other reasons why HUAC had Bradbury investigated was because of his non-conformist nature. To write the books and stories he did helped to change the genre of American fiction. Maybe his ideas were not very traditional American, but they helped people to think and see what dangers there could be of a world where government and society can become extremely repressive. More than that, his works were incredibly imaginative for the time, and in many ways still his works are having an influence on writers today.
Ironically, Bradbury would actually go on to support conservative and even right wing personalities in his later years. Bradbury praised former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, and towards the end of his life former U.S. President George W. Bush as well. Strangely, Bradbury called former U.S. President Bill Clinton a “s***head” and had been especially critical of current U.S. President Barack Obama for ending America’s manned space program (especially when Bradbury, to his dying day, envisaged man exploring Mars and the galaxy). He also called filmmaker Micheal Moore a “screwed a***ole.” Doesn’t sound like someone who ever favored the Communist Party to me. In fact, former U.S. President George W. Bush awarded Bradbury with the National Award of Freedom. Well, it just goes to show once again how the government could read someone so wrong. That’s bureaucracy for you. Rest in peace, Ray Bradbury.
The FBI Investigation of Ray Bradbury
By: Daniel Nardini
The secret document alleges that Bradbury had “anti-capitalist ideas.” Actually, there was another reason why Bradbury was spied upon. He had publicly denounced the FBI investigations of writers, actors and artists. He was most certainly critical of the House on Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), which initiated the investigations of innocent people. In that era, to speak up against HUAC and the FBI investigations required a great deal of bravery. There can be no doubt that Bradbury was a brave man for doing this. We must remember that the lives and careers of so many innocent people were ruined or cut short by what HUAC did. One of the other reasons why HUAC had Bradbury investigated was because of his non-conformist nature. To write the books and stories he did helped to change the genre of American fiction. Maybe his ideas were not very traditional American, but they helped people to think and see what dangers there could be of a world where government and society can become extremely repressive. More than that, his works were incredibly imaginative for the time, and in many ways still his works are having an influence on writers today.
Ironically, Bradbury would actually go on to support conservative and even right wing personalities in his later years. Bradbury praised former U.S. President Ronald Reagan, and towards the end of his life former U.S. President George W. Bush as well. Strangely, Bradbury called former U.S. President Bill Clinton a “s***head” and had been especially critical of current U.S. President Barack Obama for ending America’s manned space program (especially when Bradbury, to his dying day, envisaged man exploring Mars and the galaxy). He also called filmmaker Micheal Moore a “screwed a***ole.” Doesn’t sound like someone who ever favored the Communist Party to me. In fact, former U.S. President George W. Bush awarded Bradbury with the National Award of Freedom. Well, it just goes to show once again how the government could read someone so wrong. That’s bureaucracy for you. Rest in peace, Ray Bradbury.