Pronunciation: [bˈɜːt͡ʃəz] (IPA) 
The spelling of the word "birchers" can be confusing for many as it doesn't follow typical English spelling patterns. The pronunciation of the word is /ˈbɜːtʃərz/ (BUR-cherz) and the "ch" sound is pronounced as a "tch" sound, which is why the word is spelled with "tch" instead of just "ch". The word refers to members of a right-wing extremist group known as the John Birch Society, founded in the United States in the 1950s.
Birchers is a noun that refers to the followers, members, or supporters of the John Birch Society, an American far-right conservative organization. The term is derived from the name of the Society's founder, John Birch. The John Birch Society was established in 1958 and holds a range of conservative political and social beliefs.
Birchers usually adhere to the Society's agenda, which includes opposing what they perceive as communist influences within the United States government, as well as advocating for limited government intervention, individual liberty, and free market principles. They criticize international organizations like the United Nations and believe in the conspiracy theory that communism is slowly infiltrating American institutions.
However, it is worth noting that the term "birchers" can also be used more generally to refer to individuals who hold extreme right-wing beliefs or conspiracy theories, even if they are not specifically associated with the John Birch Society. In this broader sense, the term may be used to describe individuals who hold fringe or radical political views, especially those who support far-right ideologies.
Due to the perceived extreme nature of their beliefs and association with conspiracy theories, the term "birchers" can sometimes carry a negative connotation. However, it is important to remember that not all individuals who hold conservative or right-wing views are necessarily "birchers" in the strict sense of the term.
The word "birchers" is a colloquial term derived from "Bircher" used to refer to members or supporters of the John Birch Society. The John Birch Society is a right-wing, anti-communist organization founded in the United States in 1958 by Robert W. Welch Jr.
The term "Bircher" is a shortened form of "John Bircher", which itself refers to John Birch, an American Baptist missionary and U.S. Army intelligence officer. John Birch, born in 1918, was killed by Chinese communists in 1945 shortly after the end of World War II. He became a symbol of the perceived threat of communism to many conservative Americans during the Cold War era.
Over time, "Bircher" began being used to describe members or supporters of the John Birch Society due to their association with the organization and its right-wing, anti-communist ideology.
