Today's summary of the entire history of voter rights, in the context of today's events, is precisely why I joined here and remain an enthusiastic member of HCR's "Letters" digital publication.
Thank you. I have sent it to everyone I know, independent of their interest in history.
I learned none, zero, of the contents of today's history lesson in my formal education process.
Today's summary of the entire history of voter rights, in the context of today's events, is precisely why I joined here and remain an enthusiastic member of HCR's "Letters" digital publication.
Thank you. I have sent it to everyone I know, independent of their interest in history.
I learned none, zero, of the contents of today's history lesson in my formal education process.
Hear, hear! Mike is setting a fine example. Let’s share today’s column widely. HCR is brilliant and shares her knowledge with such clarity. I am deeply grateful to her, and to this community of commenters whose intelligence, integrity, determination, generosity, and often, vulnerability, so enrich my life every day. Thank you all. Now let’s make some good trouble!
You expressed my thoughts, exactly. This education of our history, and of our current state of affairs, is profoundly valuable. It gives me the historical facts to base my opinions on. One lesson from today: Voting rights legislation passed by Republicans. Voting rights laws enshrined by a Republican-led Supreme Court. I share these “Letters” with whomever will read them too, in hopes of turning the tide on the current insanity. Today’s letter is one of the best for putting “in my back pocket.”
“Voting rights legislation passed by Republicans. Voting rights laws enshrined by a Republican-led Supreme Court.”
These facts are part of what scares me about voters today. My family, along the the families of most of my friends, has voted Republican for generations, when it was the party that stood up for voting rights, and I applaud them for doing so. But the R party that voted for voting rights does not exist today, having been replaced by a party hell bent on destroying our democratic republic. I am finding that my friends and family (who I label “legacy Republicans”), don’t understand this radical change in their party, and continue to vote R, because it is what they have always done.
To share the truth that R’s were behind the voting laws of the 60’s would only serve to validate for them the idea that the Republican party is the party they should support.
The Republicans of today would have been Democrats before 1965. There has been a big switch over the years. Republican and Democrat are just words used as labels that mean exactly the opposite of what they did in the past. The ultra conservative folks don’t want for government to work to rein in their licentious, unlawful behavior. They don’t want anyone to have opportunities but them. These are the same kind of people who staged a coup in Wilmington, NC in 1898 and who burned down the Greenwood district in Tulsa in 1921. Any time a little progress is made toward real equality there is a VIOLENT backlash that sets our society back decades. Look where we are today.
This is a s exactly my point. None of my republican friends has any awareness at all that “their party” has changed, and so they continue to vote for R candidates. They now just tune me out if I try to explain this to them.
Are they unaware of the barrage of voter-suppression bills passed by Republican states? And all the other radical fascist actions (promoting the Big Lie, downplaying the attempted coup to overturn our democracy, etc) of the current day Republican Party? This is NOT the GOP of Eisenhower anymore.
What a wonderful history lesson! It has helped me to understand that my Mom and Dad were on the right side of things when they voted as Republicans in the Eisenhower years. I am a Democrat, because Democrats believe we are all in this together, and now I understand that my Mom and Dad were on the same side as I am now. They would have voted for Joe Biden and they would have been embarrassed to see what the Republican party has become.
I believe (hopes and prayers!) the tide has been turning. Sadly, the toxic tides of insanity gain more celebrity and notoriety. We must never underestimate the destructive power of evil. Vigilance can never rest.
Mike, perhaps all of us need to send it to Manchin. I think I will get however many addresses he has and send a copy to each one. Maybe if he gets a couple thousand, he might read one of them..
I did not learn any of today’s history lesson during my formal education either. I have learned so much in the last five years because I wanted to know how to reconcile individual rights with the common good. I would suggest two books both by Colin Woodard. They are American Character and American Nations. I saw him interviewed on Morning Joe and was intrigued by his ideas. I have known that our history has very difficult aspects, but some of the things l learned were horrifying. We give ourselves WAY too much credit for the good things while whitewashing the bad parts.
Today's summary of the entire history of voter rights, in the context of today's events, is precisely why I joined here and remain an enthusiastic member of HCR's "Letters" digital publication.
Thank you. I have sent it to everyone I know, independent of their interest in history.
I learned none, zero, of the contents of today's history lesson in my formal education process.
Hear, hear! Mike is setting a fine example. Let’s share today’s column widely. HCR is brilliant and shares her knowledge with such clarity. I am deeply grateful to her, and to this community of commenters whose intelligence, integrity, determination, generosity, and often, vulnerability, so enrich my life every day. Thank you all. Now let’s make some good trouble!
You expressed my thoughts, exactly. This education of our history, and of our current state of affairs, is profoundly valuable. It gives me the historical facts to base my opinions on. One lesson from today: Voting rights legislation passed by Republicans. Voting rights laws enshrined by a Republican-led Supreme Court. I share these “Letters” with whomever will read them too, in hopes of turning the tide on the current insanity. Today’s letter is one of the best for putting “in my back pocket.”
“Voting rights legislation passed by Republicans. Voting rights laws enshrined by a Republican-led Supreme Court.”
These facts are part of what scares me about voters today. My family, along the the families of most of my friends, has voted Republican for generations, when it was the party that stood up for voting rights, and I applaud them for doing so. But the R party that voted for voting rights does not exist today, having been replaced by a party hell bent on destroying our democratic republic. I am finding that my friends and family (who I label “legacy Republicans”), don’t understand this radical change in their party, and continue to vote R, because it is what they have always done.
To share the truth that R’s were behind the voting laws of the 60’s would only serve to validate for them the idea that the Republican party is the party they should support.
The Republicans of today would have been Democrats before 1965. There has been a big switch over the years. Republican and Democrat are just words used as labels that mean exactly the opposite of what they did in the past. The ultra conservative folks don’t want for government to work to rein in their licentious, unlawful behavior. They don’t want anyone to have opportunities but them. These are the same kind of people who staged a coup in Wilmington, NC in 1898 and who burned down the Greenwood district in Tulsa in 1921. Any time a little progress is made toward real equality there is a VIOLENT backlash that sets our society back decades. Look where we are today.
This is a s exactly my point. None of my republican friends has any awareness at all that “their party” has changed, and so they continue to vote for R candidates. They now just tune me out if I try to explain this to them.
Are they unaware of the barrage of voter-suppression bills passed by Republican states? And all the other radical fascist actions (promoting the Big Lie, downplaying the attempted coup to overturn our democracy, etc) of the current day Republican Party? This is NOT the GOP of Eisenhower anymore.
I made a meme a few years ago that would get me banned on FB & twitter today.
"THE ONLY GOOD REPUBLICAN IS A DEAD REPUBLICAN
Of course I refer to Dwight Eisenhower, the only decent Republican POTUS in my lifetime."
What a wonderful history lesson! It has helped me to understand that my Mom and Dad were on the right side of things when they voted as Republicans in the Eisenhower years. I am a Democrat, because Democrats believe we are all in this together, and now I understand that my Mom and Dad were on the same side as I am now. They would have voted for Joe Biden and they would have been embarrassed to see what the Republican party has become.
I believe (hopes and prayers!) the tide has been turning. Sadly, the toxic tides of insanity gain more celebrity and notoriety. We must never underestimate the destructive power of evil. Vigilance can never rest.
This is Dr. Richardson’s best letter ever. I fully agree with everything you say. It should be read by every American.
Synthesizing one truth almost always brings a groundswell of more truths to the surface.
Mike, perhaps all of us need to send it to Manchin. I think I will get however many addresses he has and send a copy to each one. Maybe if he gets a couple thousand, he might read one of them..
P.S. and FYI, Joe has 5 addresses: https://www.manchin.senate.gov/contact-joe/office-locations
Oops, typo. Only 4 addresses.
I did not learn any of today’s history lesson during my formal education either. I have learned so much in the last five years because I wanted to know how to reconcile individual rights with the common good. I would suggest two books both by Colin Woodard. They are American Character and American Nations. I saw him interviewed on Morning Joe and was intrigued by his ideas. I have known that our history has very difficult aspects, but some of the things l learned were horrifying. We give ourselves WAY too much credit for the good things while whitewashing the bad parts.
I agree--as a fellow historian and Substacker, I could not appreciate Heather's savvy analysis and clear presentations more.