History
Red Counties Dependence on the “Deep State”
“One of the most enduring conservative myths is that of the self-reliant, salt-of-the-earth, rural-dwelling American who pulls himself up by his bootstraps...If that were ever true, it hasn’t been for a while. These days, rural America is largely dependent on the federal government it claims to hate.”
This quote is from an article in Daily KOS (“Look just how much red counties depend on the government they hate,” July 10, 2025). The article points out that, “far from self-reliant, rural America is subsidized by blue states.”
Dr. ...
Left vs. Right is not the Issue, Rather Democracy vs. Extremism
What is the political left that our current administration attacks vehemently and relentlessly? It is not a single entity of opposition to any current leader, nor does it describe any single political position. The political left describes a broad spectrum of ideologies that favor governmental reform in the general direction of more social equality. This political stance has, historically, stood against hierarchy and privilege. This puts the political left in the crosshairs of the one-percent oligarchs who have grabbed control of our government. Are there some extrem...
More on political violence
Donald Trump has a lot of damn gall accusing Democrats and liberals of inciting political violence. Since 2015 he has been a primary source of inflammatory, divisive, hate-filled political rhetoric that encouraged violence by his supporters. He is the only president in our history to incite a mob to attack Congress.
In the past I wrote about how political murders are actually rare in comparison to other murders. But they are increasing along with other hate crimes. This article updates a prior article on political violence
“The hope of a ...
Sacred Sites, Not Corporate Influence, Deserve Protection
After years of court battles, Kohler can begin construction of a luxury golf course on land eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and home to Native burial sites. A federally mandated 2018 archeological study of the original course unearthed human remains in seven locations.
Kohler is now exploiting a legal loophole. After the courts revoked their wetland permit, the company redesigned the course to avoid wetland permitting – and, importantly, federal requirements for archaeological studies triggered by such permits. The new layout is likely to ...
Hate in America 2025
Trump is lying again. Following the murder of right wing activist Charlie Kirk, he is falsely accusing liberals of promoting violence and political “terrorism.” With his usual fact free demagoguery, he claims, “The radical left causes tremendous violence” and in “a bigger way” than right wing extremists.
The truth is exactly the opposite and is well documented by numerous reliable sources including the right wing CATO Institute. The vast majority of racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and religious hate crimes are perpetrated by right wing extremi...
Arkansas and the Nation — Do We Have a Constitution?
https://www.5newsonline.com/video/news/local/arkansas-prison/franklin-county-prison-site-may-undergo-on-site-archaeological-work-ahead-of-construction/527-33b60464-ae22-4edf-86ec-a2a6576b58dc
Well, pig soooie y’all, doncha just love Little Miss Gub’ner Sarah and her special skills at getting her way? She decided she wanted a plop a prison down in Franklin County where people are outnumbered by rabbits and deer, so by god she’s gonna have it, by hook or by crook! Methods so far include secret purchase of land and not taking ‘NO!” for an answer. When ...
Deja Vu History or a New Society?
Contemporary times have a feeling of deja vu, especially for a history teacher. Our new administration has its inspiration in an incompletely understood past. We can begin with an economic system built on protectionist tariffs which harkens back to the 16th to the 18th centuries in Europe. It was called mercantilism.
The system was simple, a country’s rulers wanted to produce wealth. What better way was there to do that than by having a trade surplus with every kingdom the country traded with. That resulted in countries trying to produce items, at higher cost ...
Nuclear War Scenarios
(one of two in a series)
“The likelihood of a nuclear catastrophe is greater today than during the cold war, and the public is completely unaware of the danger.” Former Secretary of Defense William J. Perry
This year is the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Most Americans, if they think about the issue at all, probably think the threat of nuclear war ended with the break up of the Soviet Union. They believe peace through strength, mutually assured destruction (MAD) and deterrence worked. Nuclear war was avoided and America won the ...
Abolishing Nuclear War
“Nuclear weapons do not provide security. They are instruments of mass suffering. Preventing nuclear war is a public health imperative.” Physicians for Social Responsibility
We can abolishing nuclear weapons. It is a realistic, achievable goal. It is not a Utopian fantasy. But people must demand the United States change course and join the worldwide effort to abolish them. The politicians will not act unless pressured by people.
We know what needs to be done. We know why it must be done. We know how it can be done. We have the blueprints to make it happen. We ...
Silence is Consent
“He was very emaciated. He had no shoes on, his pants were tattered, he had a kind of a rope or string holding his pants up. Filthy. Probably hasn’t bathed in months, probably hasn’t eaten in days...”
“He puts out his hand, and so I beckoned him to come to me. I said, ‘Come here.’ And he reaches out and he holds my hand, and he kisses my hand and he says, ‘Shukran' (thank you).
He “didn’t make it home. He walked 12 kilometers to get some food, picked up scraps off the ground cause that’s all that was left...and when he left, he was killed by the ...