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Salem Witch Trials

themuglytruth
Today’s episode, “Salem Witch Trials” is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Happy Halloween! We are releasing Tuesday’s episode early because how could we NOT? Next Tuesday is soooo close to Halloween, and we just wanted to end the month of October with a doozy of a story. Most people know about the Salem Witch Trials, but not everyone has a direct connection to the participants in that very sad time of American history. Well, to be honest LOTS of people might be connected, but not every Mugly Truth Podcast cohost has that connection. Yep, you have a 50% chance of guessing which of us has a very infamous ancestor and how said great, great, great, great, great, great, etc. grandsomebody or other wasn’t exactly the nicest person in the village. Can’t pick your family, amirite?

In our research we both realized that the truth about the Salem Witch Trials was so much darker than the history we learned eons ago in grade school. Back then it was a watered-down skimming of the story, topped at one point by reading Arthur Miller’s dramatic and largely fictionalized, The Crucible. As adults, naturally we have learned more about life and the bonkers things that people do—regardless, we sure had our eyes opened about the true horrors of 329 years ago.

Depiction of the witchcraft trials in Salem Village. Engraving, 1876. (Public Domain)

The truth was embroiled in many factors affecting the colonies, particularly Massachusetts, in the 1600s: extreme weather resulting in a very cold winter; government and judicial dysfunction; deadly pushback from local indigenous people; archaic, oppressive superstitions and religious beliefs; lack of scientific knowledge of illnesses both physical and mental; extreme racial, gender, and social class prejudice; and lots and lots and lots of land envy. Some even believe that the aftermath was actually the first government cover-up in American history since so many of the documents and “evidence” obtained during the trials were destroyed.

Aside from the government-sanctioned murders of 20 innocent men and women, three accused people died while awaiting trial in jail. Many who survived the experience of being accused, and/or jailed (which often included torture) had their reputations, which were sacrosanct in those times, destroyed. There were no treatment resources to help cope, heal and recover after the trials ended. Dorcas Good, for instance, was only 4 when she was jailed alongside her mother Sarah and her siblings. She died at the age of 16, reportedly mentally ill and homeless.

This illustration by John W. Ehninger depicts Tituba, an enslaved woman of color who was the first to be accused of and jailed for witchcraft, only to be released back into enslavement a year later.(Public Domain)

Tituba, enslaved – and beaten – by village Minister Samuel Parris, was the first to be accused by Parris’ daughter Betty and niece Agibail Williams. She was jailed for a year only to be released to a new “master” who was willing to pay her jail fees.

Some who took part in the accusations repented of their horrible part in the affair. Ann Putnam, one of the original accusers, apologized after her parents died. Judge Samuel Sewall begged forgiveness for his sins relative to the trials. Yet, others thrived and spent the rest of their lives denying any wrong-doing (Betty Parris, Judge William Stoughton, we’re looking at you).

Even though the government later attempted some form of restitution to the families of those who were executed, it was a fairly hollow gesture since not everyone involved in the accusations were brought to justice. People such as Sherriff George Corwin profited nicely from the proceedings. Corwin never returned the property he illegally “impounded” (aka stole) from those who were thrown into his jail. However, he did die at the age of 30 only a few years later. Karma? Who knows (but in our opinion, yeah, kinda).

Today we understand the long term ripple-effect of such horrific trauma. We can also look back and identify the possible psychology and science behind the girls’ behavior (mass hysteria, teenage hormones, possible fungal poisoning, mental/emotional abuse or oppression, the list is so long) whereas back in those days anything other than piousness was chalked up to bewitchment. It was a terribly sad and horrific point in America’s history (among many others…#enslavement). Yep, we definitely did NOT learn the whole truth in school.

Even though we now know more than the we did as children, we realize we have only learned about and recounted a very small part of this entire saga. And even then there are likely inaccuracies in today’s conversation.

We also want to acknowledge that although we are releasing this on Halloween, we know there is no connection between the “witches” we celebrate during Halloween today and the innocent men, women, and children (and two dogs) who were ruined on so many levels in the name of witchcraft in 1692.

Photo by Wallace Chuck on Pexels.com

As we said in the episode, we want to visit Salem, MA someday but will do so with a more sober perspective than we had before we started learning the deeper truths. The history of Salem is vast and there are many documentaries, books, podcasts, and YouTube videos out there, some better than others. So if what you hear on our episode today piques your interest, we encourage you to do your own research…it’s a huge rabbit hole to jump into so good luck with your sleuthing!

Sources We Mention in Our Episode

This vintage postcard depicts the kitchen of the Governor’s Faire House, which was built in 1930 as part of a living history museum in Pioneer Village near Salem, Massachusetts. (Public Domain)
Photo by Matheus Bertelli on Pexels.com.

Thank you for visiting our blog and HAPPY HALLOWEEN! If you like what you read, please tell a friend or two, you can even share the article. It all helps! If you haven’t listened to the episode yet, give it a go…we think you’ll like it.

Check out The Mugly Truth Podcast’s episode Salem Witch Trials on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or (almost) anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe, 2) download, and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review. The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we will have to grow this podcast!

Don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Please also follow Kym on Tiktok at kymtok.

© The Mugly Truth 2021 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2021. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, Clever as a Fox by Espresso, Inc. through premiumbeats.com.
Outtake music At the Fair by The Green Orbs, courtesy YouTube Audio Library.
Featured photo of Creepy Forest by Francesco Ungaro on Pexels.com

Episodes

That’s What SHE Saw!

themuglytruth
Today’s “That’s What SHE Saw!” episode is on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Today’s episode is a PLOT TWIST like no other in The Mugly Truth Podcast lineup. Remember that heartfelt, tear-jerker “Let It Go” episode from two weeks ago? The one where Kris and Kym talk about letting go of loved ones and past hurts, among other things? Well. Today’s episode takes that episode and says, “Really? Hold my crystal ball.” Cracks knuckles. Proceeds to OMG all over the place.

Soooo, we went to a psychic. It’s one of those things lots of people maybe think about doing but don’t. It’s a curiosity, or a guilty pleasure, never indulged in. Maybe because it goes against their religion, or their sense of propriety, or intelligence. Or they’re scared of what they might hear. Many pooh-pooh the whole thing as folly and even judge those who walk over the threshold of a palm reader’s door or through the oddly satisfyingly clicky bead curtains toward a tarot deck as silly, weak, or foolish. But tell us: what is the Universe capable of with all its secrets? Oh, you don’t know? It’s ok. Neither do we. In fact, we’re going to go out on a limb and say the greatest minds on this planet have yet to fully understand the actual magnitude of what goes on “out there” (again, we are just guessing…we can’t reach Neil DeGrasse Tyson for comment). Whether it’s quantum physics or the sacred ceremonies, rites, and rituals of faith, we’re thinking it is ALL pretty magical.

  • Photo by Samir Belhamra @Grafixart_photo on Pexels.com

For those who believe that the Universe holds so many mysteries that we puny humans won’t ever be able to unclench enough to be able to accept all the things that bubble just beyond the veil of our limited material sight, we salute you for cracking open that lovely third eye of yours. Yes, energies, guides, angels – GHOSTS! – that’s a list that will raise the eyebrow of many, even those who are still rubbing the sleep out of Eye #3. We’re not sure how one group who follows the moral briefings of a book and another group who believes in a connection with their higher self and the spirit of everything in and around them are very different at all. It’s all faith in something beyond ourselves, something that transcends pages, pulpits, and meditative prayer. In the scheme of things there’s room for all of it, frankly. It’s what makes this plane of existence interesting. But HEY. Whatever your belief systems are, today’s episode is for fun and for free, and the fact is some WEIRDLY coincidental (really though? Was it?) crap totally went down and we recorded our reactions shortly after the readings.

The person we went to has been in business in our area for almost 30 years and when we talked about doing this type of episode she was the unquestionable go-to for the reading. Just like our dancing around the issue of ghosts and spirits, we went into this with no expectations, a little bit skeptical, and we provided zero, zilch, nada, nuffink in the information department.

We called for the appointment (two separate appointments, we didn’t go together) and when we showed up, we each forked over a personal item for her to hold during the session. Then we literally sat back and listened. It bears repeating, we provided no information at the time of booking the appointment (except our names, okay, yeah, that). And when we went in, we said nothing and she asked nothing. She just held our trinkets and began to speak. Don’t get us wrong. Our lovely psychic said some pretty generic things to kick things off (apparently we are both honest women. We are nodding piously. But…

But then the weirdness hit.

There’s too much to write here. (This is a podcast after all…go listen…it’s all there, including the lovely twitterings of birds and whoomphphphs of horses in the background. And planes. And helicopters. Always helicopters. Why Orange County airspace? WHY?). It’s really hard to put into writing, even two weeks later after time has passed and we’ve processed what she said. Because the things this lady said to both of us, these are things she did NOT have enough time logistically to find out about us.

Scour our Facebook and Instagram pages, listen to EVERY episode of this podcast, you do a deep dive and yeah, there’s a chance you could fool even the hardiest skeptic, we totally agree with that. But did this woman have that kind of time? There were over 40 episodes at the time of our appointment for cripe’s sake, and less than a week to listen to them all. All that datamining for a measly $50? We just don’t see it.

And it wasn’t the obvious stuff she pegged. It was the stuff we DON’T talk about publicly, or post on social media that she zoned right into. That’s the weirdness right there. And she brought up some things both of us had been thinking about a lot lately, but not openly discussed.

Finally, (holding the mic so tightly), the “Let It Go” episode was recorded the week prior, but was not released until the week AFTER we saw the psychic. If you haven’t heard “Let It Go” yet, do that first. THEN listen to this one. Again, she had no way of knowing what we talked about because IT HAD NOT AIRED YET. (Read that in Ryan Bergara’s voice. If you do not know who that is, are we even friends???)

Drop.

Mic.

Shiver. Gigggle. SHIIIIIVVVVVERgiggle. Teehee. We love this sh*t.

Oh, and she basically told Kris the same exact thing Kris dreamed about the night before.

WAAAAAT??

We’re not chilled, YOU’RE CHILLED!! Like. Soda. On. Ice.

Check out our “That’s What SHE Saw!” episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2019 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Photos courtesy of WordPress free library and Pexels.com.