100 Comments

Hi everyone. Not surprising that we are so few this morning as HCR published 4hrs ago and its still not arrived on my personal system. I guess many others are in the same boat.

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Yep. Im glad a work around exists

The daily lessons are invaluable

My interest in history has never been higher

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yes, I was watching email, never arrived. Checked in on Substack and it popped up.

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I always launch from bookmark on my browser. Sometimes the email gets cranky. Especially recently.

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Same here, Christine. I did finally get the email, but not until about 8:00 am.

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I waited for a long while; then went over to see it was on FB. Glad to know it wasn't on my end!

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Yes! Me too, Lynell. Happy Saturday! When I woke in the middle of the night and didn't see it in my mailbox I checked FB and read it there. Then listened to HCR's Thursday's FB lecture.

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Hey, Daria!! The Letter's the same on FB but the community here is where I want to be!! I thought her Thursday FB chat about conservatism was stellar. I assume that's the one you meant?

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Yes, I was in an online class all week so I missed the live lecture on Thursday.

I went to Facebook in the wee hours because it was In my feed and easy at 3 am. I'm much happier here as well!

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I watched the same today also. One of the most enlightening I think.

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I usually close my eyes while watching so as not to be distracted by the comments flying by while she's talking. I don't know how people can comment and listen at the same time!

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I can't stand that either. I usually go full screen mode or simply listen as well.

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Kinda weird - I just changed the date https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/july-9-2021/comments. and it came up.

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Hi Hugh. It was on internet but the link that sent us an e-mail was missing i suppose.

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look like they have a "glitch"

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Since the mail slowed over a year ago, I’m suspicious of all “glitches.“ at my age, I really don’t want to turn into a conspiracy theorist. But I may be. Is there an antidote?

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Here too. It's on Facebook, but didn't make it out on email. Thank God for our trusty "HCR browser shortcuts"! Current developments here are all very, very disturbing to us.

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same

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Texas is a top example now of why rights need to be enforced on the federal level. Everyone should listen to the Rachel Maddow podcast for tonight. Texas arrested a man who stood for 6 hours in line to vote just because he was a few months from the end of probation for a years old conviction. They set his bail at $100,000, and he could get years in prison. These laws preventing people wo have been released from prison from voting should be abolished on the federal level. Florida also has such laws.

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...and another thought crossed my mind when I heard Rachel was would the TX R's not tell him or Crystal about the rules regarding parole and voting. Given how intent the TX R's are re voter suppression, not an unreasonable thought. Skimming thru the Guardian article below, it would appear that the info regarding voting rules after conviction/parole WAS provided, BUT in SMALL print @ the bottom and the Certificate of Parole does NOT mention that the person cannot vote. Deliberate obfuscation? Maybe.

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It's an unconstitutional law in the first place

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...and another part of Rachel's reporting pointed out that Hervis's trial will very likely be put in Montgomery County, which is majority white. Fair trial? Not terribly likely IMHO.

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I was very surprised at this because the general rule governing venue for prosecutions of crimes in Texas is that they are prosecuted in the county in which the offense occurs or is reasonably believed to have occurred. The Texas Election Code contains a provision permitting prosecution of election related offenses in an adjoining county, which indeed means that the Attorney General may elect to prosecute Mr. Hervis in Montgomery County, which is 5.71% black, even though Mr. Hervis resides, registered to vote and voted in Harris County, which is 18.5% black. Certainly this is mere coincidence. It is doubtless equally coincidental that Montgomery County voted 71% for Trump, 24% for Biden, whereas Harris County voted 56% Biden, 43% Trump. Who knew.

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I wonder. A lot of people, no matter who they are, can empathize with a travesty of justice such as this.

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Ken Paxton = feral evil He has been purchased, paid enough to risk his law license.

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I wonder if the media should stop identifying people who voted, if they had kept him anonymous, this might not have happened.

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Here's the Jane Willen article copied and pasted for those who wish to read it:

"Keep the Faith: All the lessons history class didn't teach

Rev. Jane A. Willan

Special to the Telegram & Gazette

I was an American history major in college. I went to a good a college. I loved history. Here’s what I learned:

The civil war was fought about slavery. Nope. It wasn’t. It was fought over economics and the power of state’s rights. Nothing to do with the freedom of enslaved people.

I was taught that the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves. Wrong again.

I learned that a shining moment in the growth of our country was the G.I. Bill. Thanks to a caring government, all returning servicemen from WWII were provided with money for education, housing loans, and job assistance. Sorry, but no. The GI Bill was for white Americans only.

Probably the first bit of American history that I ever learned was that the Pilgrims were friends with the Indians, and they celebrated a happy meal together which we now call Thanksgiving. Not even close. The Europeans brought disease that killed up to 90 percent of the native peoples in coastal New England within three years of landing in Plymouth Harbor. The Pilgrims response to the death and destruction they caused? Governor Bradford attributed the plague to “the good hand of God,” which “favored our beginnings” by “sweeping away great multitudes of the natives...that He might make room for us.” Not once mentioned in any story of the Pilgrims that I have ever heard.

The Civil War, post-WWII America, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Pilgrims. For a history major who loved history — I’ve gotten a lot of it wrong for a long time.

But at least I am aware of these historical events, as incorrect as my understanding might be. It turns out that there is a tsunami of American history that I have never even heard of (to my embarrassment).

I had never heard of Red Summer, a period of time around 1919 when white mobs incited a wave of anti-Black violence in dozens of cities all over the country.

I know almost nothing about the Tuskegee syphilis experiment (1932-1972). Seriously, 1972?

I wasn’t aware until recently that during World War II, historically Black universities and colleges offered refuge for Jews fleeing Nazi Germany.

Nothing in any of the American history that I studied ever told me about Katherine Johnson, a black woman who was a mathematician for NASA. Without her, we would never have sent astronauts into orbit and or landed a man on the moon.

I either know the wrong history (as in, “history that is myth”) or I am ignorant of actual, real history. This makes me nervous.

I have noticed that white people resist any truth about the power and prevalence of white supremacy in this country. And I think that is because white people really and truly believe what we were taught — that throughout the history of America, white people have been good and kind and heroic. Since we never heard about historical facts such as the Tulsa Race riots or Tuskegee syphilis experiment, or the annihilation brought about by the Pilgrims, we had no reason to think that white people were anything but decent. In other words, if you were taught as children that white people didn’t commit the atrocities that they committed, then why would you accept that white supremacy is alive and well. How could you?

Today, people of color are the victims of white supremacy in every aspect of American life including at the hands of law enforcement. According to Harvard historian, Donald Yacovone, “If America is to be a nation that fulfills its democratic promise, the history of slavery and white supremacy have to be taught in schools across the country. We need to acknowledge that white supremacy remains an integral part of American society and we need to understand how we got to where we are.”

And maybe, if white people like myself, didn’t grow up with images of America made up by heroic, kind, happy white people (the pilgrims in their pointy hats, the returning soldiers from WWII) then maybe white people wouldn’t be so shocked when statues of Confederate generals are torn down or when school boards vote to do away with racist team mascots. Maybe we could see why we need to heal. Because until we see why, we will never change.

When it came time to celebrate Independence Day this year, I found myself feeling less than celebratory. What are we really celebrating? For the first time ever, Independence Day didn’t feel nearly as significant as Juneteenth.

Here’s what Frederick Douglas had to say about July 4th. “The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity and independence … is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought life and healing to you, has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth [of] July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn.”

Maybe this is a year that we should all mourn. We should mourn who we think we were. Mourn away, grieve away the myths of our history that we hold onto so desperately.

And next year, forget July Fourth. Let’s save all our celebrating for Juneteenth."

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Thanks Scott and John for posting the essay (since The Telegraph is firewalled).

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Hmmm. I was able to read the entire article and then share it on my FB page. Will be interesting to learn if anyone who clicks on my post hits a firewall.

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Thank you for the C&P!

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I am so eager to hear HCR’s input on this legislation. Thanks for posting💚

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The long descent down this slippery slope is accelerating. I’m heartsick to think where this will end.

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Me, too. If it ends in the streets with us marching, as we have so many times, the dynamics are different with the potential for guns to be involved. And those Florida laws about demonstrating...

This country is beginning to feel unsafe.

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Agreed. I’ve never been a fearful person, but, am now deeply concerned. My mother, a lifelong feminist Republican, marched in Tallahassee for a woman’s right to choose many years ago. She would be horrified to see what’s happened to her party and her country. She was a proud poll worker until her late 80s, putting in long hours on Election Day.

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The Catholic bishops of TX, especially Strickland, must be ecstatic—a whole new way to stop abortion! If the people of Texas spent half as much money supporting the women (and children) who feel they have no other choice than abortion rather than rounding them up and suing, imagine how different things would be.

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HORRID

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Oh, won’t Texas be bustin their proud buttons when SCOTUS overturns Roe Vs Wade. “Now, didn’t we all just tell y’all so?”

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Was going to post that today too, Kim. Outrageous.

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Wouldn't hurt to post it twice, Lynell. Such a scummy, twisted, hateful action to put the law on women into the hands of armed males.

I watched Hulu's documentary on Margaret Atwood last evening (while waiting for HCR's post) and she said she didn't put anything in Handmaid's Tale that had not already happened in the world. Peggy Atwood has been outspoken all her life and is not stopping in her 80s.

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Hacking the legal system. Does your neighbor or server really have standing to sue???

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Dear god. Anti abortion vigilantism!

"[Texas] awards them at least $10,000 per illegal abortion if they are successful."

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My question is when will men be charged $10,000 for impregnating a woman who did not want to get pregnant? The blame the victim situation in this whole debate about women's bodily autonomy is what makes me want to scream.

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a law about controlling ejaculation, condom-wearing, vasectomy-- Ah yes, that's it...all men must have a vasectomy and are prohibited from sexual activity until they comply. Upon written consent of the woman, the vasectomy may be reversed for the purpose of procreation.

If a mutual impregnation occurs, the penis that did it will be responsible for 1/2 the costs and care of the progeny

If impregnation occurs without such consent, the penis responsible will provide 100% of the costs for the care and feeding (including education and housing) of that progeny.

well, an idea

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Exactly.

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The State of Texas can't be bothered to provide a reliable, sound, electric infrastructure for all citizens to "enjoy" but they are willing to pay 10k or more for anyone, anywhere, who wins a lawsuit against what they've determined to be an illegal abortion. What is wrong with people in Texas?

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And what is wrong with the catholic church (not worthy of capitals) that dictates these evils?

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True but not limited to the Catholic church. A number of evangelical relatives have equally strong objections to abortion.

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😔

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I couldn't agree more.

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🥺 worse than Handmaiden's Tale.

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Here's a link to the Yahoo news story for those who may not subscribe to the NY Times. https://news.yahoo.com/texas-law-opens-abortion-bounty-220734997.html

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The more I think about this the angrier I get.

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Interesting article yesterday in The Atlantic online about how Republicans are playing "constitutional hardball" to steal the 2024 election. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/07/democracy-could-die-2024/619390/

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Reforming democracy, repairing the Constitution, weakening the filibuster: whatever it takes, I'm feeling a bit of a sense of urgency.

The Federalist Society's Supreme Court will find a way to support the legal hacking that Texas has done, IMO, as well as the swamp of suppressions in the R states. Marc Elias is genius, but there is finger on the scale that the blindfolded woman does not see.

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What about the third article of the Fourteenth Amendment? Shouldn't Congresscritters who refused to vote for the certification of the 2020 electoral votes, and those who have given their assent to the January 6 insurrection attempt, even by downplaying the significance of the insurrection or its seriousness, (not to mention any who may have been actively involved in one way or another) be subject to the terms of the third article?

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YES! Nail my treasonous rep to the prison wall.

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John Moolenaar, traitorous rep of my district, signed onto the lawsuit in Texas to throw out Michigan's vote. He can't be forgiven. Ever.

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He can't be forgiven. Ever. But he probably can't be stopped either. John was a good friend of my sister, and when I would lobby him back when he was in the Michigan legislature, he always happily mention that. Then he'd vote against our maternal child health bills. My sister knew his family was religious, but when he joined "The Family"(https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family:_The_Secret_Fundamentalism_at_the_Heart_of_American_Power) and hosted The National Prayer Breakfast (a sort of front for The Family), that was too much. With Dow and Heritage fund money paying his way. He will be difficult to unseat. Unless a Judge does it for you.

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By the way, the Rep in my gerrymandered district is Bergman, a former Liet. Colonel, a Louisiana and Washington DC resident, who bought a cabin in Michigan's upper peninsula to establish residency here so he could run, and stay in D.C. after his retorement from the military. His wife never visits, preferring the south.

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We don't comment frequently, and generally comment about the mental health aspects of current events. This morning, one of our local pastors and author (a former history major) wrote a beautiful column about the abrupt historical awakening many of us are experiencing.

IMO, it is really exceptional and synchronous with the ethic and intent of Heather and this group.

https://www.telegram.com/story/lifestyle/2021/07/10/keep-faith-all-lessons-history-class-didnt-teach/7893710002/

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This is a great article, read it blacked out as I just can’t subscribe to any more links and registration is required. Could you copy and paste this?

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Just copied and pasted to a new post, Gail. Thank you. :-)

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Thank you. Excellent read.

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Money and privilege has always tried to rule the United States. Open and free courts and unhampered voting is what keeps democracy alive. Everyone needs to be responsible for our form of government or it stops being democracy.

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Same here -- perhaps HCR didn't hit send?

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Currently, we need the 14th Amendment to protect our vote. It is looking like Congress won't. State's Rights is code for oppression. The Supreme Court is a dumpster fire disaster, smouldering in xenophobia, racism, misogyny, and catholicism. Would they weaken the 14th?

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Can't resist: adding xenophobia, racism and misogyny to catholicism (cap C?) is a triple redundancy.

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(and maybe EP-Evangelical Protestants? S/)

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Morning all--I, too, didn't get the email version but I have the substack site bookmarked and figured it was yet another glitch in the system. Reading HCR's letter all I could think was, "well, and here we are: exactly what the kleptocrats wanted to happen has happened."

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So there was a time when Congress fixed problems rather than did nothing at all. Wow.

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I'm a subscriber but did not receive today's newsletter.

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Why I have this page bookmarked. I prefer to launch it directly from my browser, call me a LFAA geek. ;-) My newsletter hasn't come either

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I do that too. Had no trouble doing it that way this morning.

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Thanks, Christopher.

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Me neither - but I knew where to find it!

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Read comments below, Gaye. Seems Email gods were against us today.

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I didn’t either.

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I think none of us have.

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Better late than never!

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Thank you.

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HCR, thank you for your writing!! You are the first thing I read every morning.

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And if the Republicans take the Senate back next year, 6 to 3 will likely become 7 to 2 on the Court.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/06/stephen-breyer-retirement-plan-backfire.html

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Term limits for SC justices. 20 years maximum.

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18 years - excellent article about how that would work was recently posted on one of HCR's letters.

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You're right. I remember reading that now. I should never comment before coffee!!!

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😡

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