I had gotten half-way through a post tonight about what seems to me a looming split in the Republican Party, when it hit me that four years ago today I responded to my inclusion on the brand-new “Professor Watchlist.”
My Mom died this morning (11/22). The daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants, she was the first woman in her family to attend college, where she majored in Political Science. A restless advocate, she was arrested in North Carolina in the early 1960s protesting for civil rights - an event that cost her husband patients of his dental practice, and that angered her older relatives, who might have been jailed or worse had they committed an act of civil disobedience in the old country. She was an acknowledged leader in the field of contextual therapy, the goal of which is for people to speak and relate to each other directly, rather than deflect and act out in response to disagreement or conflict.
She watched with horror as Trump was elected. She couldn't fathom that the America her family had fled to, and that she had fought to make more equitable, could be usurped by those with no respect for law, for non-whites, for non-christians, or for the political process that had grabbed her attention as a student. Every time we spoke she'd ask, "is there no one who has the integrity to stand up to him (Trump)?"
She would have had the back of a young person had they been trying to effect political of social change to better the lives of fellow citizens through ardent efforts of public debate and building coalitions to run candidates for office and to petition elected officials to start representing all of their constituents. She would have had no time or tolerance for a Charlie Kirk who propagated lies and sought to denigrate those who didn't agree with his his myopic and regressive agenda.
She was the proud mother of a son and two daughters who took for granted the ability to select and attend top colleges and pursue careers that wouldn't have been possible for immigrants 100 years ago. She and my Dad were doting grandparents of my sons, the older one an established artist and entrepreneur, the younger of whom worked the phones for Obama at age twelve, graduated top of his high school class, edited the Islamic Studies journal at Boston College, and worked to fight human trafficking with the NY District Attorneys office.
She finished a fifth book four years ago and spoke at international forums. It saddened me that she struggled to recover from my father's death nine years ago. The week before the election I was able to visit her in person for the first time since March, due to coronavirus restrictions. I asked if she had voted. She nodded and said she couldn't wait "to see the bastard kicked out." I'm grateful she was able to see that maybe, just maybe, the country and politics she loved might not have been permanently degraded by Trump and self serving conservatives.
Thanks for sharing this experience with us, and a special thank you for prompting these memories for my family.
Scott and Family, sending heartfelt condolences to you. Your tribute to your mother is so moving, and I know, right on. I am very sorry to know of Barbara's passing. May I can add that your mother's life and work touched thousands. It continues to guide my own profoundly and uniquely. As I've said, even to her, some days I don't think I've had an original thought, I continue to credit my mentor: I am forever deeply grateful to Barbara Krasner. May her memory always be blessing!
Just getting to read Heather’s letter, after learning the transition is finally starting officially. I’m willing to bet your mom had something to do with. I hope she’s sipping tea (or something stronger) with RGB. Sorry for your loss 🙏❤️
Scott, so very sorry for your loss. My dad died in March at the age of 96. He was a lifelong FDR Democrat, a vocal and vigorous critic of injustice, racism, and oppression and he loathed the people HCR refers to as "Movement Conservatives" who have stolen our political system and are holding it hostage. My heart is with you.
Linda, Im sorry for your loss, too. My parents would have loved this forum, this group of caring, thinking Americans that Professor Richardson has brought together.
Marcy, see my reply to Jeanne Doyle above. Your activism isn't always clear to us as kids but we usually come around! As a 10-12 year old I was sometimes resentful of her, feeling like she valued unknown Black people over her own kids. I grew out of that soon enough, but even as a largely unspoken concern on my part, it caused a fair bit of friction. I think your kids will grow to love and admire your activism!
Condolences on the passing of your mother who it seems was an extraordinary individual who clearly instilled democratic and moral values, critical thinking skills, and a respect for education in her children and grandchildren. The world and our society will miss her and the many others like her. We all hope the light she brought to the world will continue to brighten it through her children and grandchildren.
Thank you sir. We like to think we've acquired and developed the skills to manage and succeed in an uncertain world. It's clear, and not just from the last few years, that as sorely tested as those skills and values might be, we return to them rather than take the easier path of allowing our interactions to sink to a lower, cruder, and less productive place.
Scott, what a beautiful tribute to your mother, no wonder you are proud of her. I am sorry too for your painful loss. I am so glad you were able to visit her before she died and I love her comment!
What an accomplished family! What a person! What a story! I’m inspired by your mother’s example to better activism in my remaining years. And, when you write of her feelings when Trump was elected, I am reminded of the published reactions of Philip Roth. He was as eloquently horrified as your mother, but died before he could see Trump rejected by a too-slight majority of this country’s citizens. That your mother made it to see that moment is such positive karma. Sending condolences. Thank you for sharing her story. ❤️🤍💙
What a beautiful & moving tribute to your Mother. My Dad has been dead over 25 years & at times, I still keenly feel his loss. That your Mother has passed her heartfelt convictions on to your kids is truly the mark of a well lived life.
Thank you, Scott, for telling us about your mom. What a beautiful tribute! I love that she was an activist, obviously resilient and keen. I’m sorry for your loss. It sounds like you and your children carry so much of her in who you are now.
Thanks, Jeanne. Living with an activist wasn't always easy as a kid in a white working class community. It took me some time to fully appreciate what drove her and what she felt constrained her. My younger son, in particular, has exhibited a similar focus and energy on issues that grab his attention.
Scott, your mother was a remarkable woman, her wisdom and resolve will carry forward through all whom she touched. May her memory be a blessing and give us strength. Aleha ha-shalom,
Thank you for sharing your mother's wonderful story. Your family represents the American that I remember, of which I am so deeply proud. My heartfelt and deepest sympathy are extended to you and your family, Mr. Krasner. May God bless and watch over you all.
Scott, your accomplished mom imbued you and your siblings and I'm sure inspired many with her values, and she will live on in your hearts and in your deeds. I wish you comfort at this sad time. May her memory be a blessing, and may she rest in peace and in power.
Thank you for this personal sharing. Your mother sounds like an amazing woman whose influence will continue to spread through you, your family and all who knew her. Peace!
Scott, I am so sorry to hear of your mom’s passing. I hope that her memory sustains you and gives you comfort. Please note that it is not only activist’s children that sometimes find their parents endeavors difficult to live with. My mom was stubborn and “unique” in many ways that made me nuts. But now looking back I realize it was part of the imperfect mosaic that we all are. God bless you and your family.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Scott M. Krasner. I'm glad she lived long enough to see the beginning of this administration's end. Her story and point of view will continue to be relevant in her chosen country. Thanks for sharing her journey.
Yes but more than that.....Heather's mind at work incites my mind to reach further, to go beyond the obvious, to look for wider connections and to draw lessons that I can apply to my life, my relationships and the evolution, day-by-day, of the world around me.
I will always be grateful to my friend on FB who lead me to you. Your letters are the first that I read with my morning coffee. Your ability to bring the daily bombardment of news together, connect the dots, (as others here have said), compare it with past history, and suggest possible yet clear outcomes, is very amazing and appreciated by me and everyone who reads you. Thank you for what you do.
Agree...Letters has become a daily touchstone. I have a greater sense than ever that we are witnessing important history. Heather's curating the onslaught of developments gives me the context and perspective I need...finally subscribed!
Today is also the 57th anniversary of what was the most shocking day of my life when it happened. I was in the Navy, we had a big inspection, after which we were turned loose to to on North Island NAS. A group of us were headed to the EM club for lunch when a big burly 3-=year "Gold Braid" Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate came running up the street toward us, yelling "The president's been shot! The president's been shot!" One of us yelled "Hey Chief, that ain't funny!" He came over to us, drew himself up and in the Voice of God all Navy Chiefs posses, glared through each of us and said "I said - the *president* has been shot!" "Yes Chief." Went back to the ship and everyone aboard was in shock. Five minutes later I watched the TV as Walter Cronkite announced the death of President Kennedy.
That was the day I learned everything's not going to work out fine just because.
I also thought about JFK when I opened this post and saw the date. I've always thought that 1963-68, with the assassinations of JFK, MLK and Bobby, was the period when the American Dream died. Strains of Don McLean's American Pie and Paul Simon's American Tune are running through my mind. Yet here we all are, still fighting, although it often feels like it's with one hand tied behind our backs.
That is what I think too. I have my own theory of what factors took the country down this bizarre and terrible path. Key fact: the 1968 campaign of Richard Nixon was the first time a presidential candidate had been marketed like a bar of soap. One of the journalists covering that campaign wrote a book about it: Joe McGinnis, The Selling of the President, 1968. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selling_of_the_President_1968
When you consider the list of a few Nixon cronies from these days, it is easy to see how decisive that Republican victory in 1968 turned out to be: Pat Buchanan, Roger Ailes, William Safire, Roger Ailes, Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney and others
You are correct and I did not know this: Rove, born in 1950, was involved in Nixon's 1972 run for re-election, but at only age 18 he was not part of the Nixon 1968 campaign.
I don’t want to get off-topic, but there’s an article by Graeme Wood in the Dec issue of The Atlantic, about historian Peter Turchin. (He teaches at U Conn in Storrs). Professor Turchin predicts a *decade* of turmoil for the US, similar to the worst years of the late 60’s-early 70’s.
I didn't do a deep dive, just a search (I use duck duck go, but also ran him through another secure browser). He seems a bit of a raconteur. He struck me as someone who flits from one project to another if he gets bored or things aren't working out as well as he expected. Some interestingly worded "reviews" of his work. I read enough that I think I'd take a good pinch of salt with it.
This site needs an "edit" function! He was a "30-year Gold Braid Chief with gold hashmarks on his sleeve up to his shoulder" (meaning he's never been in trouble once about anything).
I keep reminding myself to edit comments for Substack articles on a word processing program (such as TextEdit on Mac) before posting them. Then I always seem to forget to do it that way, thus ending up with slightly wrong comments I can't fix.
I've been keeping up on Charlie Kirk's antics through Dr. John Fea's blog, The Way of Improvement Leads Home. Kirk continues to insist that Trump won the election by a landslide, which, as we all know, is a crazier notion than his ill-conceived "watch list." What's really troubling is that he is the Kirk behind Liberty University's Falkirk Center, co-founder with Jerry Falwell, Jr (who was recently forced to resign as president of the university due to a sex scandal). These are the "fine, upstanding moral men" who want the nation to believe that Trump is still president, Black Lives don't matter, immigrants are criminals, and women belong at home. Oh, but don't kill babies. Anything, and everything else is acceptable, but abortion is "unbiblical" and they'll stoop to any form of propaganda to perpetuate their claims. These beliefs are stoking the division in this country, while also giving Christianity a bad name. I will continue to post your letters and defend you in any way I can. Thank you for all that you do!!
Falkirk Center...What a disgraceful insult to one of the prettiest little towns in Scotland. I'm not sure that the residents of equally pretty Lynchburg, with their Legacy Museum which explores Afro-American history, would appreciate their association with such an abomination. Many of their Scottish forebears possibly originated in that part of the Lowlands.
I lived next door to Lynchburg for several years. I can assure you, Liberty University is held in the highest esteem by a large number of the people there.
Fine but "those that think"(????) in Lynchburg must recognize at some point that the sex-crazed, materialist and insult to religion, Falwell and this distinctly distastasteful, money grubbing, lying opportunist, Kirk are stains on that proud heritage.
You are indeed dangerous to the people who aim for the wholesale subversion of our country. And if your back is ever somehow in need of protection again, know I'm one of the legions guarding it. I do worry sometimes though, and hope you're watchful.
Yes, America is worth fighting for. I, too, will not shut up! Thank you.
Always found it amazing that the link between Donald Trump and Senator Joseph McCarthy is exactly one person, Roy Cohn, the guy sitting next to McCarthy during the hearings on UnAmerican Activities and later Trump's lawyer, the guy who taught Trump to double down at all costs. I've been looking for the Edward R. Murrow for our time since Trump was elected. Murrow brought down McCarthy with McCarthy's own words. One of my favorite biographies is Murrow His Life and Times by A.M. Sperber.
Hmmmm ... the results of the recent election would tend to confirm your statement that most Americans prefer the "liberal consensus" established by FDR and Eisenhower ... but I find it distressing that so many do not, given the large fraction of the votes not given to Biden/Harris.
We have a challenge with the great diversity of backgrounds and the melting pot of cultures ... but it can work well when we accept certain social aspects and behavior as how we interact.
I look to the Nordic countries as an example ... and they do have a benefit in that people generally in Nordic countries tend to favor what is good for all rather than only the individual. An example which I saw first hand while traveling in Sweden was encountering a "road narrows" sign on the freeway where there was construction ahead. What surprised me was that immediately, everyone formed a single lane ... leaving an empty lane for a couple of kilometers before it was removed. The social idea was that we are all going to have to narrow to one lane so we all do it now so that anyone with a true emergency or reason for hurry can use the empty lane to get to the front quickly. This is a different concept from here or certainly nearby in Germany where in equivalent situation, everyone struggles to be first, only merging when they absolutely must.
Some might say the Nordic countries work this way because of more uniform backgrounds in the population ... but I point to the traffic law in California that says that pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk. It works (mostly) and not because people in CA are all of the same background ... other than being educated and trained as part of driver training that this is the law and the way CA works in this social situation ... drivers stop for people in crosswalks.
I believe we could move in the direction of the social nature of the Nordic countries but it means giving up the idea of "rugged individualism" or me and mine at all costs ... and adopting a social conscience that we are all in this together.
The recent election indicates we have a challenge in this regard, much more than I would hope. The horrible challenge of dealing with so many people having a negative reaction to working together and branding it "socialism" as a bad term instead of the good idea that this is a wonderful way for society to function is one we have to face and struggle to overcome.
However, traffic engineers have demonstrated that traffic flows better if people do NOT all crowd into the open lane. -- From a driver who always moves to the open lane first thing and curses those who get in front of her right before the barrier!
Traffic engineers prefer zippering. Drive in both lanes to near the end so that every other car is let in. When done properly, it doesn't bring traffic to a halt. Can't say I've experienced the proper way, lol!
Reading the letter you wrote 4 years ago read like you might have written it yesterday. The "battle to save democracy" has always been part of your work. There are few who are as clear about history and its role in today's news. There are few who are so obviously clear about her love for this country as seen through your historical lens as you. Like others here, I can't imagine starting my day not reading Letter from an American. Like others here, I feel part of the Richardson family, part of a wonderful community that you have created. There are some here whom I feel I know personally, and many I wish I could know personally. Thank you, Heather, for not giving in to the bullies, and moving ahead to make us all better people for having known/read you!
Happy Monday HCR and the HCR Community. We have to keep up this fight. If anyone is interested, John Pavlovitz has been presenting an alternative to the Movement Conservative Radical Right people who call themselves "Christians" (I suppose in the same way the KKK claims to be a "Christian" movement) and he has kind of lost his usually focused temper, which results in posts that have me pounding my desk and cheering (instead of screaming at the radio, which I do a lot). https://johnpavlovitz.com
HCR, all of us in the Ed Biz have a duty of care to combat the prejudices that our students absorb through being raised by people who revel in them, to examine our own prejudices and biases daily (hourly, really), to use our privileges in education, the skill of critical thinking, and our positions to do good. You have done this with bells on and I thank you. My hope is that if we have some support at the top in Washington, we can begin to repair the destruction on our local levels and fight against the love of ignorance that the current Grasping Omniprejudiced Party embraces.
John Kasich apparently said that one of the two reasons why his fellow travelers are supporting Drumpf is because they are afraid of being criticized by his supporters. This tells me everything: the cowardice. The opportunism. The lack of integrity. That is the modern GOP. If Chris Christie, who is one of the most oleaginous mendacious humans ever to be called human, is now saying that Cheeto needs to concede and his derangement is embarrassing, then we know it's really bad in Trumplandia.
I have to amuse myself somehow! Edward Norton just published the most amazing screed on Twitter, which I shared to my FB page because it was brilliant.
I didn’t know you existed four years ago. But I am very grateful that you did not give up. I love your lectures and look forward to “class” each Tuesday and Thursday. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for what you do. You are amazing♥️❣️
Speaking of your online “class” 2x a week, I appreciate the honest, human and friendly way you come across. I’d like you as a friend! I renew my suggestion for a meet-up of HCR supporters somewhere and sometime in the future.
Yes! I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how many ex-pats have been following the news carefully from afar, and how many citizens of other countries as well.
Well, yes, how to turn this into reality? I think the first hurdle to overcome is how to get in touch with others in our state/area to try and set something up, even on Zoom at first. The problem with that is sharing our contact information without exposing it to the trolls who inhabit this space. If anyone has an idea on how to start this ball rolling, please let us know.
During this time of Thanksgiving, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you how much your ability to assimilate and convey factual and meaningful content has meant. A friend forwarded your newsletter and I feel honored to pay for it. You excel at delving into topics to provide meaning and a deeper understanding of current issues through pertinent historical information. What you do matters to so many. May you truly feel the impact of our gratitude this Thanksgiving season as we continue to feast on the buffet you’ve provided, one that continues to sustain all who partake.
Of all the people who have vowed never to "shut up", I'm most grateful for you and your pledge. But for some people, we kinda wish they'd actually just go ahead and actually shut up. I'm thinking in particular of that guy...whatshisname, you know, the freak with the mango coif, good old...damn, just can't come up with it so early in the morning. I'll get back to you...
Thank you for your books, your Facebook talks, and this Letter from an American. These have been so enlightening. I now have hope that our ship of state will weather the storm it finds itself in so long as we the people continue to fight for equality under the law. If we do so, then our government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. Thank you for your gift of hope.
I was not following your work 4 years back, but certainly supported what you were then and now are about. The far right will never give up, but also will never win out because people like yourself and, I believe, millions of us out here in villages, towns, and cities across America won't stand for it. Keep leading the charge. We'll have your back.
I’ve been impressed by all you share and educate since sitting in your classroom at MIT with my daughter and my husband so many years ago. Thank you for your commitment. Thank you for Letters from an American. Than you for challenging me to consider that state of our country and our future.
My Mom died this morning (11/22). The daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants, she was the first woman in her family to attend college, where she majored in Political Science. A restless advocate, she was arrested in North Carolina in the early 1960s protesting for civil rights - an event that cost her husband patients of his dental practice, and that angered her older relatives, who might have been jailed or worse had they committed an act of civil disobedience in the old country. She was an acknowledged leader in the field of contextual therapy, the goal of which is for people to speak and relate to each other directly, rather than deflect and act out in response to disagreement or conflict.
She watched with horror as Trump was elected. She couldn't fathom that the America her family had fled to, and that she had fought to make more equitable, could be usurped by those with no respect for law, for non-whites, for non-christians, or for the political process that had grabbed her attention as a student. Every time we spoke she'd ask, "is there no one who has the integrity to stand up to him (Trump)?"
She would have had the back of a young person had they been trying to effect political of social change to better the lives of fellow citizens through ardent efforts of public debate and building coalitions to run candidates for office and to petition elected officials to start representing all of their constituents. She would have had no time or tolerance for a Charlie Kirk who propagated lies and sought to denigrate those who didn't agree with his his myopic and regressive agenda.
She was the proud mother of a son and two daughters who took for granted the ability to select and attend top colleges and pursue careers that wouldn't have been possible for immigrants 100 years ago. She and my Dad were doting grandparents of my sons, the older one an established artist and entrepreneur, the younger of whom worked the phones for Obama at age twelve, graduated top of his high school class, edited the Islamic Studies journal at Boston College, and worked to fight human trafficking with the NY District Attorneys office.
She finished a fifth book four years ago and spoke at international forums. It saddened me that she struggled to recover from my father's death nine years ago. The week before the election I was able to visit her in person for the first time since March, due to coronavirus restrictions. I asked if she had voted. She nodded and said she couldn't wait "to see the bastard kicked out." I'm grateful she was able to see that maybe, just maybe, the country and politics she loved might not have been permanently degraded by Trump and self serving conservatives.
Thanks for sharing this experience with us, and a special thank you for prompting these memories for my family.
Scott and Family, sending heartfelt condolences to you. Your tribute to your mother is so moving, and I know, right on. I am very sorry to know of Barbara's passing. May I can add that your mother's life and work touched thousands. It continues to guide my own profoundly and uniquely. As I've said, even to her, some days I don't think I've had an original thought, I continue to credit my mentor: I am forever deeply grateful to Barbara Krasner. May her memory always be blessing!
Jane, thanks so much, you were a big part of her growth. This comes at a strange time for all of us - imagine a Zoom ceremony! Hope you are well.
Just getting to read Heather’s letter, after learning the transition is finally starting officially. I’m willing to bet your mom had something to do with. I hope she’s sipping tea (or something stronger) with RGB. Sorry for your loss 🙏❤️
Mary Beth, she would've been thrilled that you think she was behind getting the GSA to finally act!🤔😀👍
Scott, so very sorry for your loss. My dad died in March at the age of 96. He was a lifelong FDR Democrat, a vocal and vigorous critic of injustice, racism, and oppression and he loathed the people HCR refers to as "Movement Conservatives" who have stolen our political system and are holding it hostage. My heart is with you.
Linda, Im sorry for your loss, too. My parents would have loved this forum, this group of caring, thinking Americans that Professor Richardson has brought together.
Your dad lives on in you!
As a mom, I hope my children have wonderful activist memories of me. Lucky you! What an example you had.
Marcy, see my reply to Jeanne Doyle above. Your activism isn't always clear to us as kids but we usually come around! As a 10-12 year old I was sometimes resentful of her, feeling like she valued unknown Black people over her own kids. I grew out of that soon enough, but even as a largely unspoken concern on my part, it caused a fair bit of friction. I think your kids will grow to love and admire your activism!
Thank you, Scott. 💙
Condolences on the passing of your mother who it seems was an extraordinary individual who clearly instilled democratic and moral values, critical thinking skills, and a respect for education in her children and grandchildren. The world and our society will miss her and the many others like her. We all hope the light she brought to the world will continue to brighten it through her children and grandchildren.
Thank you sir. We like to think we've acquired and developed the skills to manage and succeed in an uncertain world. It's clear, and not just from the last few years, that as sorely tested as those skills and values might be, we return to them rather than take the easier path of allowing our interactions to sink to a lower, cruder, and less productive place.
Scott, what a beautiful tribute to your mother, no wonder you are proud of her. I am sorry too for your painful loss. I am so glad you were able to visit her before she died and I love her comment!
What an accomplished family! What a person! What a story! I’m inspired by your mother’s example to better activism in my remaining years. And, when you write of her feelings when Trump was elected, I am reminded of the published reactions of Philip Roth. He was as eloquently horrified as your mother, but died before he could see Trump rejected by a too-slight majority of this country’s citizens. That your mother made it to see that moment is such positive karma. Sending condolences. Thank you for sharing her story. ❤️🤍💙
You have our deepest sympathy in the passing of your dear Mother. What a beautiful life! You've written such a great memorial to her.
What a beautiful & moving tribute to your Mother. My Dad has been dead over 25 years & at times, I still keenly feel his loss. That your Mother has passed her heartfelt convictions on to your kids is truly the mark of a well lived life.
Thank you, Scott, for telling us about your mom. What a beautiful tribute! I love that she was an activist, obviously resilient and keen. I’m sorry for your loss. It sounds like you and your children carry so much of her in who you are now.
Thanks, Jeanne. Living with an activist wasn't always easy as a kid in a white working class community. It took me some time to fully appreciate what drove her and what she felt constrained her. My younger son, in particular, has exhibited a similar focus and energy on issues that grab his attention.
Did she write about social justice issues? What was her name?
Jeanne, not so much as about the therapeutic process she practiced. Dr. Barbara R. Krasner.
Scott, your mother was a remarkable woman, her wisdom and resolve will carry forward through all whom she touched. May her memory be a blessing and give us strength. Aleha ha-shalom,
Daria, thank you. Are you by any chance related to Donn Wilber?
Hi Scott, no I don't believe so. I'll double check with my husband. There are a ton of Wilber kin whom I've never met, (mostly in Ohio).
Thank you for sharing your mother's wonderful story. Your family represents the American that I remember, of which I am so deeply proud. My heartfelt and deepest sympathy are extended to you and your family, Mr. Krasner. May God bless and watch over you all.
Scott, your accomplished mom imbued you and your siblings and I'm sure inspired many with her values, and she will live on in your hearts and in your deeds. I wish you comfort at this sad time. May her memory be a blessing, and may she rest in peace and in power.
Thank you for this personal sharing. Your mother sounds like an amazing woman whose influence will continue to spread through you, your family and all who knew her. Peace!
Scott, I am so sorry to hear of your mom’s passing. I hope that her memory sustains you and gives you comfort. Please note that it is not only activist’s children that sometimes find their parents endeavors difficult to live with. My mom was stubborn and “unique” in many ways that made me nuts. But now looking back I realize it was part of the imperfect mosaic that we all are. God bless you and your family.
This accolade to your mother is the most exquisite standing ovation to a phenomenal woman and an exemplary mother. I wish I had met her!
My deepest sympathies to you and your family on this painful loss. May every memory she invokes in you be a blessing -- a gift to cherish.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Scott M. Krasner. I'm glad she lived long enough to see the beginning of this administration's end. Her story and point of view will continue to be relevant in her chosen country. Thanks for sharing her journey.
Your mind at work puts my mind at ease. Happy to share your words and cover your backside, whenever and wherever. Onward!
Yes but more than that.....Heather's mind at work incites my mind to reach further, to go beyond the obvious, to look for wider connections and to draw lessons that I can apply to my life, my relationships and the evolution, day-by-day, of the world around me.
"Your mind at work puts my mind at ease." Wonderful thought, elegantly put.
Kim Wallingford Homes, I agree! I often thank the Facebook friend who introduced me to HCR😊
Two short but powerful sentences, Kim. Wish I wrote them!
Beautifully said!
I will always be grateful to my friend on FB who lead me to you. Your letters are the first that I read with my morning coffee. Your ability to bring the daily bombardment of news together, connect the dots, (as others here have said), compare it with past history, and suggest possible yet clear outcomes, is very amazing and appreciated by me and everyone who reads you. Thank you for what you do.
And not only for curating what’s real and for teaching us, the group therapy has been lifesaving!
This group has truly been a godsend!
Agree 100%... much of the commentary is enlightening and informative.
Agree...Letters has become a daily touchstone. I have a greater sense than ever that we are witnessing important history. Heather's curating the onslaught of developments gives me the context and perspective I need...finally subscribed!
There are days when knowing a “Letter” is waiting in my Inbox is what finally gets me out of bed . . .
Absolutely!
Thanks Terry, for expressing my views exactly. I have learned so much from Heather, and also all of the comments from this wonderful group.
Exactly
Today is also the 57th anniversary of what was the most shocking day of my life when it happened. I was in the Navy, we had a big inspection, after which we were turned loose to to on North Island NAS. A group of us were headed to the EM club for lunch when a big burly 3-=year "Gold Braid" Chief Aviation Boatswain's Mate came running up the street toward us, yelling "The president's been shot! The president's been shot!" One of us yelled "Hey Chief, that ain't funny!" He came over to us, drew himself up and in the Voice of God all Navy Chiefs posses, glared through each of us and said "I said - the *president* has been shot!" "Yes Chief." Went back to the ship and everyone aboard was in shock. Five minutes later I watched the TV as Walter Cronkite announced the death of President Kennedy.
That was the day I learned everything's not going to work out fine just because.
I also thought about JFK when I opened this post and saw the date. I've always thought that 1963-68, with the assassinations of JFK, MLK and Bobby, was the period when the American Dream died. Strains of Don McLean's American Pie and Paul Simon's American Tune are running through my mind. Yet here we all are, still fighting, although it often feels like it's with one hand tied behind our backs.
Yeah. I always think of 1968 as the year of the great national nervous breakdown.
That is what I think too. I have my own theory of what factors took the country down this bizarre and terrible path. Key fact: the 1968 campaign of Richard Nixon was the first time a presidential candidate had been marketed like a bar of soap. One of the journalists covering that campaign wrote a book about it: Joe McGinnis, The Selling of the President, 1968. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selling_of_the_President_1968
When you consider the list of a few Nixon cronies from these days, it is easy to see how decisive that Republican victory in 1968 turned out to be: Pat Buchanan, Roger Ailes, William Safire, Roger Ailes, Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney and others
...and the aberrant freak, Roger Stone.
I think I put in Roger Ailes twice because I meant to put in Roger Stone, but accidentally wrote Ailes again.
Yeah, him too.
That was who I thought of too! He fits right in.
Richard Nixon - the Fount of All Evil. All the little gargoyles hatched then still concern us. You forgot the worst of the bunch: Karl Rove.
You are correct and I did not know this: Rove, born in 1950, was involved in Nixon's 1972 run for re-election, but at only age 18 he was not part of the Nixon 1968 campaign.
I don’t want to get off-topic, but there’s an article by Graeme Wood in the Dec issue of The Atlantic, about historian Peter Turchin. (He teaches at U Conn in Storrs). Professor Turchin predicts a *decade* of turmoil for the US, similar to the worst years of the late 60’s-early 70’s.
Turchin has some pretty quirky ideas. I went on to look into his past. Glad I did.
Is there something about Turchin's past that you might want to summarize? Or if not, say where to find that information?
I didn't do a deep dive, just a search (I use duck duck go, but also ran him through another secure browser). He seems a bit of a raconteur. He struck me as someone who flits from one project to another if he gets bored or things aren't working out as well as he expected. Some interestingly worded "reviews" of his work. I read enough that I think I'd take a good pinch of salt with it.
I'm sure you're right. Anyway, I'm just picking up on things he proclaimed that make sense to me.
Thank you for pointing out that article.
This site needs an "edit" function! He was a "30-year Gold Braid Chief with gold hashmarks on his sleeve up to his shoulder" (meaning he's never been in trouble once about anything).
I keep reminding myself to edit comments for Substack articles on a word processing program (such as TextEdit on Mac) before posting them. Then I always seem to forget to do it that way, thus ending up with slightly wrong comments I can't fix.
I've been keeping up on Charlie Kirk's antics through Dr. John Fea's blog, The Way of Improvement Leads Home. Kirk continues to insist that Trump won the election by a landslide, which, as we all know, is a crazier notion than his ill-conceived "watch list." What's really troubling is that he is the Kirk behind Liberty University's Falkirk Center, co-founder with Jerry Falwell, Jr (who was recently forced to resign as president of the university due to a sex scandal). These are the "fine, upstanding moral men" who want the nation to believe that Trump is still president, Black Lives don't matter, immigrants are criminals, and women belong at home. Oh, but don't kill babies. Anything, and everything else is acceptable, but abortion is "unbiblical" and they'll stoop to any form of propaganda to perpetuate their claims. These beliefs are stoking the division in this country, while also giving Christianity a bad name. I will continue to post your letters and defend you in any way I can. Thank you for all that you do!!
Falkirk Center...What a disgraceful insult to one of the prettiest little towns in Scotland. I'm not sure that the residents of equally pretty Lynchburg, with their Legacy Museum which explores Afro-American history, would appreciate their association with such an abomination. Many of their Scottish forebears possibly originated in that part of the Lowlands.
I lived next door to Lynchburg for several years. I can assure you, Liberty University is held in the highest esteem by a large number of the people there.
Ugh! To your neighbors, not to you.
It's not surprising that the Bird family reigned supreme in Virginia for so long.
I believe it has less to do with the Byrd family thank with Lynchburg’s own, quite proud and conservative, history.
Fine but "those that think"(????) in Lynchburg must recognize at some point that the sex-crazed, materialist and insult to religion, Falwell and this distinctly distastasteful, money grubbing, lying opportunist, Kirk are stains on that proud heritage.
Than, not thank. Like many, I wish we had an edit option.
1. I have learned to interpret liberally and "autocorrect" mentally.
2. I see many posts on FB where the poster makes a simple error and WILL NOT correct it.
3. I correct about 1/2 of my FB posts. With a feeling of pride that I'm able to do that.
Uh-oh. Three points with "I" in them. Have I made yet more stylistic mistakes? (Gonna go back and open my Strunk and White again.
You are indeed dangerous to the people who aim for the wholesale subversion of our country. And if your back is ever somehow in need of protection again, know I'm one of the legions guarding it. I do worry sometimes though, and hope you're watchful.
Yes, America is worth fighting for. I, too, will not shut up! Thank you.
Always found it amazing that the link between Donald Trump and Senator Joseph McCarthy is exactly one person, Roy Cohn, the guy sitting next to McCarthy during the hearings on UnAmerican Activities and later Trump's lawyer, the guy who taught Trump to double down at all costs. I've been looking for the Edward R. Murrow for our time since Trump was elected. Murrow brought down McCarthy with McCarthy's own words. One of my favorite biographies is Murrow His Life and Times by A.M. Sperber.
Perhaps Carl Bernstein has just become that person, by outing 2 dozen Republican Senators who complain in private but not in public....
“The 21 GOP Senators who have privately expressed their disdain for Trump are: Portman, Alexander, Sasse, Blunt, Collins, Murkowski, Cornyn, Thune, Romney, Braun, Young, Tim Scott, Rick Scott, Rubio, Grassley, Burr, Toomey, McSally, Moran, Roberts, Shelby."
Hmmmm ... the results of the recent election would tend to confirm your statement that most Americans prefer the "liberal consensus" established by FDR and Eisenhower ... but I find it distressing that so many do not, given the large fraction of the votes not given to Biden/Harris.
We have a challenge with the great diversity of backgrounds and the melting pot of cultures ... but it can work well when we accept certain social aspects and behavior as how we interact.
I look to the Nordic countries as an example ... and they do have a benefit in that people generally in Nordic countries tend to favor what is good for all rather than only the individual. An example which I saw first hand while traveling in Sweden was encountering a "road narrows" sign on the freeway where there was construction ahead. What surprised me was that immediately, everyone formed a single lane ... leaving an empty lane for a couple of kilometers before it was removed. The social idea was that we are all going to have to narrow to one lane so we all do it now so that anyone with a true emergency or reason for hurry can use the empty lane to get to the front quickly. This is a different concept from here or certainly nearby in Germany where in equivalent situation, everyone struggles to be first, only merging when they absolutely must.
Some might say the Nordic countries work this way because of more uniform backgrounds in the population ... but I point to the traffic law in California that says that pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk. It works (mostly) and not because people in CA are all of the same background ... other than being educated and trained as part of driver training that this is the law and the way CA works in this social situation ... drivers stop for people in crosswalks.
I believe we could move in the direction of the social nature of the Nordic countries but it means giving up the idea of "rugged individualism" or me and mine at all costs ... and adopting a social conscience that we are all in this together.
The recent election indicates we have a challenge in this regard, much more than I would hope. The horrible challenge of dealing with so many people having a negative reaction to working together and branding it "socialism" as a bad term instead of the good idea that this is a wonderful way for society to function is one we have to face and struggle to overcome.
Thank you! I like the traffic metaphor, because I see that specific bad behavior in every traffic jam. ❤️🤍💙
However, traffic engineers have demonstrated that traffic flows better if people do NOT all crowd into the open lane. -- From a driver who always moves to the open lane first thing and curses those who get in front of her right before the barrier!
Traffic engineers prefer zippering. Drive in both lanes to near the end so that every other car is let in. When done properly, it doesn't bring traffic to a halt. Can't say I've experienced the proper way, lol!
So true about traffic here. Drives me nuts to see people rushing to the front and desperately trying to squeeze in at the last minute.
Reading the letter you wrote 4 years ago read like you might have written it yesterday. The "battle to save democracy" has always been part of your work. There are few who are as clear about history and its role in today's news. There are few who are so obviously clear about her love for this country as seen through your historical lens as you. Like others here, I can't imagine starting my day not reading Letter from an American. Like others here, I feel part of the Richardson family, part of a wonderful community that you have created. There are some here whom I feel I know personally, and many I wish I could know personally. Thank you, Heather, for not giving in to the bullies, and moving ahead to make us all better people for having known/read you!
Happy Monday HCR and the HCR Community. We have to keep up this fight. If anyone is interested, John Pavlovitz has been presenting an alternative to the Movement Conservative Radical Right people who call themselves "Christians" (I suppose in the same way the KKK claims to be a "Christian" movement) and he has kind of lost his usually focused temper, which results in posts that have me pounding my desk and cheering (instead of screaming at the radio, which I do a lot). https://johnpavlovitz.com
HCR, all of us in the Ed Biz have a duty of care to combat the prejudices that our students absorb through being raised by people who revel in them, to examine our own prejudices and biases daily (hourly, really), to use our privileges in education, the skill of critical thinking, and our positions to do good. You have done this with bells on and I thank you. My hope is that if we have some support at the top in Washington, we can begin to repair the destruction on our local levels and fight against the love of ignorance that the current Grasping Omniprejudiced Party embraces.
John Kasich apparently said that one of the two reasons why his fellow travelers are supporting Drumpf is because they are afraid of being criticized by his supporters. This tells me everything: the cowardice. The opportunism. The lack of integrity. That is the modern GOP. If Chris Christie, who is one of the most oleaginous mendacious humans ever to be called human, is now saying that Cheeto needs to concede and his derangement is embarrassing, then we know it's really bad in Trumplandia.
I also read John Pavlovitz and find his viewpoints a welcome respite from the many Christians that have been hoodwinked by the extreme right.
I love your adjectives!!!😂
I have to amuse myself somehow! Edward Norton just published the most amazing screed on Twitter, which I shared to my FB page because it was brilliant.
So do I.
I found a very good source for civics and critical thinking education in the Annenberg Classroom and their list of web resources https://www.annenbergclassroom.org/recommendations/
Thank you for the link. Must check it out.
I didn’t know you existed four years ago. But I am very grateful that you did not give up. I love your lectures and look forward to “class” each Tuesday and Thursday. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for what you do. You are amazing♥️❣️
Speaking of your online “class” 2x a week, I appreciate the honest, human and friendly way you come across. I’d like you as a friend! I renew my suggestion for a meet-up of HCR supporters somewhere and sometime in the future.
Let’s make that happen! We could have HCR “chapters” across the country so we could meet and discuss.
And chapters abroad, as well.
Yes! I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how many ex-pats have been following the news carefully from afar, and how many citizens of other countries as well.
Meet and discuss and ACT!
That is a great idea!
Well...how do we make it happen?
Well, yes, how to turn this into reality? I think the first hurdle to overcome is how to get in touch with others in our state/area to try and set something up, even on Zoom at first. The problem with that is sharing our contact information without exposing it to the trolls who inhabit this space. If anyone has an idea on how to start this ball rolling, please let us know.
During this time of Thanksgiving, I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you how much your ability to assimilate and convey factual and meaningful content has meant. A friend forwarded your newsletter and I feel honored to pay for it. You excel at delving into topics to provide meaning and a deeper understanding of current issues through pertinent historical information. What you do matters to so many. May you truly feel the impact of our gratitude this Thanksgiving season as we continue to feast on the buffet you’ve provided, one that continues to sustain all who partake.
Of all the people who have vowed never to "shut up", I'm most grateful for you and your pledge. But for some people, we kinda wish they'd actually just go ahead and actually shut up. I'm thinking in particular of that guy...whatshisname, you know, the freak with the mango coif, good old...damn, just can't come up with it so early in the morning. I'll get back to you...
And you KNOW how upset that guy would be if he was "forgotten"!
Thank you for your books, your Facebook talks, and this Letter from an American. These have been so enlightening. I now have hope that our ship of state will weather the storm it finds itself in so long as we the people continue to fight for equality under the law. If we do so, then our government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. Thank you for your gift of hope.
Heather,
I was not following your work 4 years back, but certainly supported what you were then and now are about. The far right will never give up, but also will never win out because people like yourself and, I believe, millions of us out here in villages, towns, and cities across America won't stand for it. Keep leading the charge. We'll have your back.
I’ve been impressed by all you share and educate since sitting in your classroom at MIT with my daughter and my husband so many years ago. Thank you for your commitment. Thank you for Letters from an American. Than you for challenging me to consider that state of our country and our future.