Lost Cause mythology remains strong, but it needs to be stomped out like the propaganda it is.
The debate over Confederate statutes was once again ignited last Monday after Charlottesville’s city council decided to remove two statues dedicated to Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. The decision was partially motivated by the violent arrival of white supremacists at the infamous ‘Unite the Right” rally of 2017, which resulted in the murder of Heather Heyer, a counter-protester. But with this decision, a clear disconnect has emerged with some right-wing pundits.
Reacting to the city’s decision, The Daily Wire’s Cabot Phillips wrote, “Good. I prefer monuments of people who fought for America, not against it.” …
The 1619 Project, while flawed, is critical to understanding the role of race in American history.
History is a finicky thing. Research methods are constantly evolving, and ways of studying that were once considered golden today are revealed to be flawed tomorrow. Previous understandings of the past sometimes fall apart or are revised upon finding new evidence. In many cases, researchers go in thinking one thing about a given subject only to come out of their project thinking something completely different. However, that process depends largely on the independence of the researcher and their ability to analyze the sources they’re using critically. However, recently, that independence has been under attack by members of the U.S …
After a year of the coronavirus and months of fighting over vaccines, the time for games has passed. The anti-vaccine movement has long hampered public health efforts, and I have consistently deplored them for it, even before Covid-19. But with Covid deaths in America outpacing the 1918 pandemic, my patience is wearing thin and so too is the patience of the president. Rather than arguing why mandates are necessary, as I have already made that argument, I want to address the relentless cruelty of anti-vaxxerism. …
By now, most Americans know who Joe Manchin is. His consistent opposition to Democratic reforms and his refusal to reject the filibuster has made him famous on both sides of the aisle. He is, however, one of the biggest points of frustration for Democrats, as his refusal to support getting rid of the filibuster has all but stopped major reforms from being implemented. And none of it is surprising.
Despite having the label of ‘Democrat,’ Joe Manchin is anything but that. His state, West Virginia, went for Trump by 68 percent compared to 29 percent for Biden. He’s arguing for…
I want Trump to rot in prison. Trump should've been arrested a long time ago, make no mistake. But that doesn't make Cuomo innocent.
Cuomo’s resignation means nothing without permanent condemnation
There was a time when Governor Andrew Cuomo was respected. When he was held up as the responsible leader in the face of the perpetual and stubborn ignorance of then-President Donald Trump, that day is long gone, and now, the once honored governor is facing the potential end of his career thanks to a bombshell report by the New York Attorney General. Said report reveals Cuomo’s disturbing pattern of harassment and the lengths his allies went to suppress the truth. The result of that report is almost uniform denunciation against the governor, and even the Biden administration has weighed in…
The New York Hedge Fund owned by Randall Smith has obliterated an already struggling industry
Democracy is not self-maintaining, and freedom isn’t free. For years, Americans have been bombarded with these phrases, but very few fully comprehend the value of those words or the more subtle meanings behind them. Local news is on the decline within this day and age, and with it, an informed public. While there is no singular cause for said fall, one name stands out as a key accomplice in the death of local news: Alden Global Capital.
The decline of local news is not just some old tradition in decline. Since 2004, 2,000 American newspapers have gone out of business…
Speaker Pelosi’s decision to veto Republican choices to the committee on January 6th is a rare sign of backbone. Let’s hope it continues.
“I must reject the recommendations of Representatives Banks and Jordan to the Select Committee….” Those were the words of Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday, as she rejected two Republican suggestions to sit on the commission to investigate January 6th. The move is sure to anger many Republicans, but that is inevitable these days. Despite what some have suggested, Pelosi’s decision is the best move she has made in a long time.
While some may howl and wail about bipartisanship, reality doesn’t support their complaints. Bipartisanship was never going to happen as long as the Republican party was tied to the…
Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro is at again. This time fighting with NPR, accusing the outlet of supporting censorship against his company, The Daily Wire.
The article, titled Outrage As A Business Model: How Ben Shapiro Is Using Facebook To Build An Empire, written by NPR’s Miles Parks,did not say what Shapiro alleged. Instead, the article examined The Wire’s business model and how it interacted with the Facebook algorithm, specifically how the Wire’ s reporting acts as a parasite on the body politic.
Describing the nature of Shapiro’s website, Miles writes that:
Daily Wire articles with headlines such as “BOOK REVIEW…
Seven months after he was banned from Twitter and Facebook, the former president is suing both social media companies. The suit, announced on Wednesday, alleges that social media companies amount to a state actor, meaning they are governments and are, therefore, subject to the 1st Amendment. Though the former president and his allies appear confident in their ability to win the suit, the chances of its success are slim and are more in line with a vain attempt to get attention.
Trump’s efforts to get back into the public eye have all been met with overwhelming failure. Since his ban…
Conor Kelly
Conor is a writer on progressivism, politics and history. Sign up for the newsletter, here: https://progressiveamerican.substack.com/
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