Bircher2
(ˈbɜːtʃə(r))
[f. the name of John Birch, a U.S.A.F. officer killed in 1945, sometimes referred to as ‘the first casualty of the Cold War’.]
A member or supporter of the John Birch Society, an extreme right-wing American organization founded in 1958 by Robert Welch. Also ˈBirchite n. and a.; John Bircher.
| 1961 in Amer. Speech (1962) XXXVII. 145 ‘Birchers’ active in S.F. Ibid., In Birchite circles. Ibid. 146 We have a lot of near John Birchers right here in Nebraska. 1961 Guardian 25 Nov. 7/2 Robert Welch, the Birchites' leader. 1962 Economist 17 Nov. 666/1 Two veterans of Congress whose Birchite connections had been unknown in previous elections. 1963 Ibid. 5 Oct. 43/2 Shrugging off the Birchers has not prevented the Senator [sc. Mr. Goldwater] from continuing to denounce some of the President's leading advisors. 1968 J. Updike Couples iv. 299 A lot of melancholy fill-in about Dallas the Birchers' paradise. |