So, I've been reading up on J Edgar Hoover a little bit and I've decided he isn't the true American hero he is often portrayed as being. It is thought that he had files on almost every important politician in the US and that all of these were destroyed by his personal secretary after his death. Hoover was self centered and jealous, to the point where he ended the careers of almost any agent that displeased him or took the spotlight away. The most famous of these was Melvin Purvis, whom Hoover disliked because Purvis got so much public recognition as one of the Bureau's most talented agents. Throughout his career, Hoover was extremely hateful of communism, and in fact the first things the FBI did was begin arresting political subversives, and it has been suggested that Hoover often overstepped his bounds in eliminating these perceived threats, and he often exaggerated these threats to the public and government alike. In 1946, U.S. Attorney General Tom C. Clark authorized Hoover to compile a list of potentially disloyal Americans who might be detained during a wartime national emergency. In 1950, at the outbreak of the Korean War, Hoover submitted to President Truman a plan to suspend the writ of habeas corpus and detain 12,000 Americans suspected of disloyalty. Truman did not act on the plan. Under Hoover's leadership, the FBI was more or less a spy agency, and they spied on tens of thousands of Americans. Hoover was often rough with Civil Rights Groups and he controversially never put much resources into attacking the Mafia, being more interested with investigating political subversives and politicians. I also find it interesting that Lyndon B. Johnson made Hoover the FBI director for life. In conclusion, while Hoover was certainly a great leader, and was very talented, he also did some things seriously wrong that I have never heard of until now, and he certainly had a more controversial side. Also, and this part is not part of his dark side, just interesting, Hoover may have been a homosexual, and it has been speculated he had a relationship with Clyde Tolson, an associate director of the FBI and his primary heir.
I don't think anyone considers him an American Hero. Also he didn't attack the Mafia because he was afraid it would corrupt the FBI like it had for many of the police agencies who had gone after it previously.
I don't think I've heard his being portrayed as an American hero very often. Now this is what he's most known for.
Who would think Hoover is a hero? He used wire taps, was rumored to have had JFK killed, & the list goes on.... and on.... and on.... I couldn't care less about his sexual orientation. He was already messed up.
Dammit people! Worry less about the American Hero part, and I agree with @StephenColbert27 that he is an American icon. My point was, not many people know that he did have a dark side. We certainly weren't taught that in school, we were taught that hes a good guy who created an amazing police force. Well, that's hardly a good argument. Most humans don't have the FBI at their fingertips, and most humans wouldn't abuse their powers that much. Unfortunately. 15, Riddick, 15. Well, I doubt that very much.
You are taught some retarded-ass shit by whatever hill-folk schoolhouse you attend. We were taught that he was a giant racist, a tyrant, and that he violated our civil rights at every turn.
Well, we certainly weren't taught that.... Then again, I've never had much confidence in the US school system and its ability to teach me. You miss the point. Hoover was the director for life of our own FBI. So, it of course matters that he had a darker more controversial side. And I pretty much meant this to be a thread where we could talk about Hoover. While Hoover was a giant dick, he was certainly effective.
Oh come on I live in Florida and I know that Hoover violated are civil rights and should be remembered as the racist scum he is, not some hero.