by John Ellis In 1845 the American Anti-Slavery Society published a booklet titled “The Constitution a pro-slavery compact; (vol 11) or, Extracts from the Madison papers, etc.” It’s mainly composed of selected portions from Madison’s carefully kept records of the Constitutional Convention and a few other pertinent documents from the Founding era. As the booklet’s … Continue reading The Assassination of Charlie Kirk, Part 2: A House Divided Cannot Coexist
Category: The Inconvenient History of the USA
The Assassination of Charlie Kirk, Part 1: A House Divided Leads to Political Violence
by John Ellis During my junior year of high school, Christian fundamentalist Michael Griffin shot and killed Dr. David Gunn. What makes this noteworthy, besides the murder taking place in my hometown of Pensacola, FL, is that Dr. Gunn was an abortion doctor and Griffin an anti-abortion extremist. A little over a year later, on … Continue reading The Assassination of Charlie Kirk, Part 1: A House Divided Leads to Political Violence
Donald Trump, Bob Jones University, and Fundamentalist-styled Historical Revisionism
by John Ellis Earlier today, I published a short, anti-Trump diatribe (anti-totalitarianism diatribe, to be fair) in response to the White House’s letter to the Smithsonian Institute. The letter informs the Smithsonian that the White House will be reviewing exhibits, materials, and programs to ensure that they conform to President Trump’s definition of American exceptionalism … Continue reading Donald Trump, Bob Jones University, and Fundamentalist-styled Historical Revisionism
Donald Trump Totalitarian Watch
by John Ellis Fresh on the heels of Trump's Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth sharing (and praising) a video of proud Christian nationalist and low-key defender of slavery Douglas Wilson saying, among other things, that women shouldn't be allowed to vote, the President continues to embrace his inner dictator. Yesterday, the White House sent the … Continue reading Donald Trump Totalitarian Watch
The Ideological Sluttiness of MAGA
by John Ellis It was only a week ago or so that I thought that someone should check in on Rand Paul and make sure he’s okay. I mean, while I’m no fan of libertarianism[1], Rand Paul is still made in God’s image, and I don’t want him to suffer. And I was guessing that … Continue reading The Ideological Sluttiness of MAGA
It May be Time to Begin Planning a Farewell Party for Free Speech in America
by John Ellis Many historians consider A. Mitchell Palmer the worst Cabinet member in US history.[1] Serving as Woodrow Wilson’s Attorney General during the final two years of his presidency, Palmer’s name is forever glued to the infamous Palmer Raids that saw over 6,000 people imprisoned and tortured, with many threatened with deportation, for daring … Continue reading It May be Time to Begin Planning a Farewell Party for Free Speech in America
Claiming that Africa Shares Responsibility for the Transatlantic Slave Trade Is Historically Deceptive (Not to Mention Racist)
by John Ellis I met Patrick Buchanan in 1996. He was in Greenville, SC, wooing voters for his bid to become the Republican nominee for the presidential election later that year.[1] A friend and fellow student at Bob Jones University had scored an invitation to a private reception for the paleoconservative stalwart. I tagged along. … Continue reading Claiming that Africa Shares Responsibility for the Transatlantic Slave Trade Is Historically Deceptive (Not to Mention Racist)
The Republican Party Is Neither Pro-Life Nor Pro-Family
by John Ellis In 1954, the CIA initiated and supported a coup to remove Jacobo Arbenz from the office of President of Guatemala, an office to which he had been democratically elected in 1951. President Arbenz’s crime? He was in the process of nationalizing large tracts of rich farmland. Here’s the backstory: Going all the … Continue reading The Republican Party Is Neither Pro-Life Nor Pro-Family
The Inconvenient History of the USA: The Chagos Islands
by John Ellis Introduction In his landmark book Silencing the Past, Haitian-American historian Michel-Rolph Trouillot writes, “past – or more accurately, pastness – is a position.”[1] In other words, there’s no such thing as a view from nowhere, including history; uninterpreted, neutral facts do not exist. This is true, in large part, according to Trouillot, … Continue reading The Inconvenient History of the USA: The Chagos Islands
Critical Race Theory: Whiteness Is a Sociological and Political Category (The Tale of Bhagat Singh Thind)
by John Ellis Americans love uncovering their ancestry. The popular site Ancestry.com rakes in over a billion dollars in annual revenue. People love touting on social media the various countries from which their ancestors hailed. But why are Americans so fascinated with discovering their ancestors? Like most things, there are multiple reasons, including the nearly-determinative … Continue reading Critical Race Theory: Whiteness Is a Sociological and Political Category (The Tale of Bhagat Singh Thind)
Practically Known Theology 