The Roundup Top Ten for September 2, 2022
Historically Speaking, Biden's "Semi-Fascist" Description of MAGA is Correctby Federico FinchelsteinThe global authoritarian movement, of which MAGA is a part, is becoming increasingly intolerant of democracy and committed to fighting imagined threats to the nation. It's an ominous direction that tracks with the past rise of fascist regimes. |
Labor Day is a Chance for Unions and the Democrats to Renew Their Shared Historyby Michael KazinThe Democrats and American labor unions have enjoyed success proportionally to the strength of their partnership. Pro-labor rhetoric by President Biden and the upsurge of grassroots union organizing are a sign to renew a formal partnership, says a historian of the Democratic Party. |
The Danger of Encouraging Americans to Inform on Each Otherby Christine AdamsGovernors like Virginia's Glenn Youngkin are repeating a tactic of despots throughout history: encouraging the public to denounce individuals to the authorities. Whether its witches or teachers, this is a formula for intimidation and conformity. |
The Omissions of the "1836 Project" View of Texas Historyby Leah LaGrone and Michael PhillipsThe project, which will distribut a pamphlet to all people receiving a driver's license in Texas, is staffed by right-wing ideologues hand-picked by Governor Greg Abbott. Expect a whitewash of issues related to slavery and racism. |
Gorbachev's Vacuum: His Legacy and Russia's Warsby Michael KimmageThe last Soviet leader failed to intuit the ultimate consequences of the changes he unleashed, from the collapse of the USSR to the revival of Russian imperialsm. |
A Return to the 1960s "Abortion Handbook for Responsible Women"?by Lina-Maria MurilloWomen acting on principles of mutual aid have worked to make information about reproductive health, including terminating pregnancies, available even at risk of legal punishment. |
Emmett Till's Lynching Catalyzed the Reactionary Denunciation of the "Liberal Media"by Chris LambTo reactionary Southerners and white supremacists, media accounts of Emmett Till's murder had to be dismissed as "fake news" and countered with their own misinformation. |
The Missing Black Women in Denmark Vesey's Rebellionby Karen Cook BellThough no enslaved women were indicted as co-conspirators in Charleston, they maintained a culture of silence that enabled future subversive and freedom-seeking actions. |
Where are the Women in History?by Amanda B. MonizWomen's histories have frequently been written in the past, but in ways that are inaccessible to researchers in the present. One example is the way that women reformers were presented as exemplars of Protestant evangelical rectitude. |
The Bitter Irony of Rushdie Being Attacked at Chautauquaby Charlotte M. CanningChautauqua was founded for the discussion of ideas, and while the attack shows there is no perfect asylum from repression, the Institution's survival represents the ongoing commitment to education and civic discussion. |