Last Word

The Lies (and McCarthyism) Began With Ignorance and Arrogance

May 7th, 2020


#18 of On Tyranny: Be Calm when the unthinkable arrives“Modern tyranny is terror management. When the terrorist attack comes, remember that authoritarians exploit such events in order to consolidate power. The sudden disaster that requires the end of checks and balances, the dissolution of opposition parties, the suspension of freedom of expression, the right to a fair trial, and so on, is the oldest trick in the Hitlerian book. Do not fall for it.” -Timothy Snyder

“(General…

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How “Rugged” is Rugged Individualism in Hard Times?

April 30th, 2020

History and Liberty: “On the one hand is the politics of inevitability, the sense that history could move in only one direction: toward liberal democracy – a self-induced intellectual coma…On the other hand there is the politics of eternity – a longing for past moments that never really happened during epochs that were, in fact, disastrous…The danger we now face is of a passage from the politics of inevitability to the politics of eternity, from a naïve and flawed sort of…

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The Mirrored Image Virus, and Its Cure

April 18th, 2020

#16 of On Tyranny: “Learn from peers in other countries. – Keep up your friendships abroad, or make new friends in other countries. The present difficulties in the United States are an element of a larger trend. And no country is going to find a solution by itself. Make sure you and your family have passports.” – Timothy Snyder

“Being (rejected) by him, for he was cold to all love, (Echo) hid herself and wasted away to a voice. But Narcissus was…

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There’s No Place Like Home (Alone)!

April 5th, 2020

#12 of On Tyranny: Make eye contact and small talk- “This is not just polite. It is part of being a citizen and a responsible member of society. It is also a way to stay in touch with your surroundings, break down social barriers, and understand whom you should and should not trust. If we enter a culture of denunciation, you will want to know the psychological landscape of your daily life.” – Timothy Snyder

“The powers not delegated to the United States by the…

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The Donald’s True Colors

March 18th, 2020

by Martin C. Fredricks IV
mcfrediv@gmail.com

Could this be the week supporters of President Donald J. Trump finally wake up and see his true colors?

As late as Monday, March 9, Trump was trying to push off the threat of coronavirus, suggesting, for the millionth time, that it’s a “hoax.”

“President Trump in an early morning tweet on Monday accused the ‘Fake News Media’ and Democrats of trying ‘to inflame’ the coronavirus outbreak as the virus spreads globally and across the…

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Sorting fact from fiction

March 18th, 2020

by Sarah Haeder
sarahhaeder@hotmail.com

As a registered nurse at Red River Women’s Clinic, I work with the public almost daily. When news of this outbreak first came out, I was worried about my risk for COVID-19 exposure. However, after receiving information from the National Abortion Federation, the CDC, and our medical director my worries were eased. We were given lots of good instruction on how to operate our clinic and reduce the chance of exposure as much as possible.

Then I woke…

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Is this Twilight Zone episode ever going to end?

March 18th, 2020

photo by Sabrina Hornung

by Waylon Hedegaard
retiringwithcats@gmail.com

There is nothing quite like a major crisis to put ideologies and government into stark relief. Enter the Trump administration and our current pandemic. I doubt there has been a time with more bumbling incompetence than what we are currently witnessing. Is this a comedy? A tragedy? Is there a difference? Is this Twilight Zone episode ever going to end?

We’ve known about the Coronavirus for more than two and a half months, and we’ve known…

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I Am Not Here for You

March 11th, 2020

by Caitlin McDonald
mcdonald555@gmail.com

One of my favorite feminist ‘YEAH!’ stories is one that Tina Fey tells, about when Amy Poehler first joined Saturday Night Live. Everyone was writing and bantering ideas in a room together, and Amy acted out one that was kind of gross, a fart sketch or something. Jimmy Fallon said ‘Ew, that’s not cute!’ and Amy snapped back, ‘I’m not here to be f*cking cute for you.’ Now that sets a tone.

You painted a naked woman because you…

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Are you ready for a revolution?

March 11th, 2020

by Waylon Hedegaard
retiringwithcats@gmail.com>

As we all can see, battles are raging for the soul of the Democrat party. Who are we? Who are we becoming? Who do we want to be?

Many want a return to the elegance and decency of the Obama years, and that option certainly has its attractions. Who wouldn’t want a highly educated, thoughtful president who constantly reads and improves himself?

Unfortunately, judging by this primary season? About half of us. These progressives do not view a…

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Barack Obama’s Wingman vs. Vladimir Putin’s Wingman?

March 11th, 2020

Step #3. Beware the One-Party State

“The parties that remade states and suppressed rivals were not omnipotent from the start. They exploited a historic moment to make political life impossible for their opponents. So support the multi-party system and defend the rules of democratic elections. Vote in local and state elections while you can. Consider running for office.” – Timothy Snyder, On Tyranny

“…Hitler’s originality lay in his realization that effective revolutions,…

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