Eventually, the witch hunts mostly stopped and the game became based on its merits: It's either good, entertaining basketball, or it's not.

CNN: Here's to Collins -- and the NBA

Given contemporary views toward witch hunts and inquisitions in general, this is not only a brilliant twist but actually quite realistic given the context.

FORBES: Play The Torturer In This Dark Medieval RPG - Inquisitor

Reddit has admitted that it helped to fuel "online witch hunts".

BBC: Reddit apologises for online Boston 'witch hunt'

So enough of this silliness, and hopefully state and local governments can get back to actual problems instead of wasting their time on video game witch hunts.

FORBES: Supreme Court Strikes Down California's Violent Video Game Ban

First, any effort to have the IRS police advocacy activities of social-welfare organizations is bound to be clumsy and prone to degenerate into either selective or broad witch hunts.

WSJ: David Rivkin and Lee Casey: The IRS and the Drive to Stop Free Speech

This has reinforced fears among Serb refugees that they would risk witch-hunts if they went home.

ECONOMIST: Will Serbs go back to Croatia?

Mr Gujral had to promise on coming to power that he would not go in for witch-hunts.

ECONOMIST: India

The New York Times, which is seldom in the vanguard of witch-hunts against Democrats, has already urged him to resign his chairmanship.

ECONOMIST: Those who write laws should obey them

Bush all but said the other candidates, with their instant denials and coy cooperation with the witch-hunts, were taking the easy way out.

CNN: 'I've made mistakes...'