Here is the fourteenth installment of my series called “The Cause.” Here are the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth installments.
People like Douglass, Obama, Maya Angelou, Isabel Wilkerson (author of "Caste, The Origins of Our Discontents," a must read) et. al. are the ones most hated among America's Christian Nationalist white supremacists; they are proof that Black men and women are their equals, or in the case of those mentioned, intellectually superior to them. That is why they are so hell-bent on segregation and discrimination; they want Blacks in "their place" so as to re-inforce the feeling of superiority they crave to cover up their inner feelings of inferiority.
Click below to listen to Mayor Mamdami's address on our 250th celebration of the Declaration of Independence. The contrast between him and the sordid, pulsating, lump of putrid waste in command of our armed forces and country is glaring. What American could read this and not realize Mamdami is a true American patriot and Trump is the perverse opposite:
I would agree that the fear is that Blacks are superior is the driving force of racism. Many decades ago I had an Anthropology professor. He was Korean. The course was basically a racial anthropology course - it was a course on racism. Because it was Canadian, it focussed on First Nations, Japanese and Ukrainian racism. My prof said that racism is based on fear. 😨 I have not ever forgotten that.
WOW! What a writer, speaker Douglas was! I had a sense of his work but this is a long, poignant and particularly pointed one. The parallels to today is unmistackable. Mankind never changes. Never learns to share, be unselfish, consider the world and the people to be brothers and sisters. Religion is once again being used to justify hatred, division, violence, bigotry, nationalistic white male supremacy. It is why I am spiritual but not part of organized religion. Faith is the lack of certainty and the faith of many religious people is that they are certain Gods, Budda, Mohammed grant them the ability to disregard the love, inclusion, generousity, value of every creature on Earth. If they believed their God created all life why do they seem to think they can extinguish it, abuse it, harass it, deprieve it of love and acceptance. Hypocrites and unbelievers inhabit many religions. WE the People need to be educated, need to know our duties to each other, our democracy, law/order and moderation in all things except the erasure of freedom, rights, humanity, justice and history. I have loved America and still hope the America I love and the promise that We the People can form a "more perfect Union" through the ideals of our Declaration of Independence and US Constitution and our history of positive changes through 250 years. Thank you, Steve for your series. Well done and courageous.
Much has been done in the name of God or in complete contradiction to the teachings of Jesus Christ that is an abomination unto God. The Trump administration and the current state of the Republican Party is one such abomination.
Thank you for posting this. I hadn’t read it before and feel that I missed both an opportunity and a duty as a loving person. His articulation is an experience in itself. I felt a sense of both expansion and a deeper comprehension of this country’s past as well as where we are today.
Without the African-American contributions to this country and culture, our nation would be less than half of what we are now if not even more minuscule!
And once again it is they who must lead the way this November towards our redemption!
From this Frederick Douglass speech, I love the last portion best, excerpted here:
“In the fervent aspirations of William Lloyd Garrison, I say, and let every heart join in saying it.
God speed the year of jubilee.
The wide world o’er When from their galling chains set free,
Th’ oppress’d shall vilely bend the knee, And wear the yoke of tyranny.
Like brutes no more.
That year will come, and freedom’s reign, To man his plundered fights again Restore.
God speed the day when human blood Shall cease to flow! In every clime be understood, The claims of human brotherhood,
And each return for evil, good, Not blow for blow;
That day will come all feuds to end. And change into a faithful friend Each foe.
God speed the hour, the glorious hour, When none on earth Shall exercise a lordly power,
Nor in a tyrant’s presence cower;
But all to manhood’s stature tower,
By equal birth! That hour will come, to each, to all, And from his prison-house, the thrall Go forth.”
The Nazi Republican Redistricting War: The Democratic Long Term Strategy
In order to hold onto power as much as they can by narrowing an expected House Democratic majority after the November midterms, the Nazi Republican successfully redrew maps in 8 states where they have legislative majorities while Democratics redrew maps in 2 states. The end result is a potentially 14 seat Nazi advantage to a potential 5 seat gain by Democrats. If this holds up with a 9 seat Nazi advantage with a current 3 seat majority, Democrats will have to flip 12 seats to stay even.( https://bit.ly/3SIw27M)
But it will not end there because Nazi redistricting plans include 3 more states after the midterms. So anything to steal power away from the electorate with this midcycle redistricting shenanigan. This would in another parlance be called “legal cheating by the minority” to stay in power as long as possible.
This has been the long range plan since Reagan because the monied business interests of the CNPP(Christian Nationalist Pedo Party) want minority rule, ie oligarchic control of the federal legislature so they can pursue Project 2025 and authoritarian rule. Cheeto has greased the skids in other ways, hoping to throw $$ for votes. Pardons are just “vote bribes” and his executive order gifts to the wealthy are to foster more donor $$ and votes.
So this disenfranchisement of the average voter needs to be solved by Democrats. Unfortunately expansion of SCOTUS, getting big money out of campaigns, and voting reform can only take place after the 2028 election if Democrats win control of the executive branch. This Democratic long term strategy requires COURAGE ie no sunshine patriot need apply, persistent, and consistent engagement by the majority electorate. So this will require focus, determination, and at least 3y and more of hard work by the average voter to right the ship of democracy and restore the power to WE the People.
On this day an excellent historical review by Thom Hartmann summarizes the 250y struggle(bit.ly/3QYQkJz) though long a mandatory read. Happy 4th!!
Thank you for publishing "What to a Slave is the Fourth of July," Douglass' famous 1852 Rochester, NY speech. I'm 79 years old, consider myself fairly well educated having graduated from the well regarded (at the time) New Jersey public school system in 1965, attended 3 years' college, and have been an avid reader. Although I always knew of Frederick Douglass' place in history, I've never read any of his writings. A most appropriate choice for this 4th of July.
Thank you, Steve, for publishing Frederick Douglass’s magnificent keynote Independence Day address, delivered in June 1852 to the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. I recall studying this speech in high school (more than fifty years ago), yet today it feels new again, and more powerful and urgent than ever. As we Americans prepare to exercise our right (and our duty) to vote on November 3rd of this year, we should take Douglass’s timely advice to heart:
“For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.
The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.”
Thank you for your incredible series. It’s difficult to hear even today of how truly barbaric and cruel slavery was, and for so long! After all of this, I say about THIS chapter: it’s remarkable, Steve, that Frederick Douglass can say it all in your first sentence: “I would unite with anyone to do right and no one to do wrong”. A foundational concept that somehow never reached far enough to Felon. I appreciate this series and all you so freely give us. Thank you.
I think Wendy, with respect, the barbarism and cruelty of slavery and racism continue to be alive and thriving in some people’s minds. On this one, I won’t say “hearts!” 🇨🇦
This was an incredible piece of true history that every American should be made to read and remember.
It saddens me to think that Trump and his regime are reverting to similar tactics with ICE, detention centers, plans to deport anyone who is black or brown and only accepting white refugees. It’s disgusting and shameful.
Smerconish had a show on today that said the polls show most countries have an unfavorable opinion of America. He then showed that World Cup attendees loved everything about America- Costco, Walmart, etc. I wonder if they would have enjoyed touring the multiple ICE detention facilities. He painted a rose colored view of America rather than expose the cruelty of what is actually happening in this country.
How can any truly thinking, intelligent human argue that he was “lesser” or “not human” had they listened or read that treatise. That they would, says a whole lot about THEIR total inhumanity. And I just do not understand that even to this day, there are people like Senator Cindy Hyde Smith, who was quoting a few years ago as saying “ that if there was a hanging, [she’d] be in the front row.” I’ll leave that to much better people than me to explain that. 🇨🇦
People like Douglass, Obama, Maya Angelou, Isabel Wilkerson (author of "Caste, The Origins of Our Discontents," a must read) et. al. are the ones most hated among America's Christian Nationalist white supremacists; they are proof that Black men and women are their equals, or in the case of those mentioned, intellectually superior to them. That is why they are so hell-bent on segregation and discrimination; they want Blacks in "their place" so as to re-inforce the feeling of superiority they crave to cover up their inner feelings of inferiority.
Click below to listen to Mayor Mamdami's address on our 250th celebration of the Declaration of Independence. The contrast between him and the sordid, pulsating, lump of putrid waste in command of our armed forces and country is glaring. What American could read this and not realize Mamdami is a true American patriot and Trump is the perverse opposite:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JztQx56c2nA
Beautiful.
I would agree that the fear is that Blacks are superior is the driving force of racism. Many decades ago I had an Anthropology professor. He was Korean. The course was basically a racial anthropology course - it was a course on racism. Because it was Canadian, it focussed on First Nations, Japanese and Ukrainian racism. My prof said that racism is based on fear. 😨 I have not ever forgotten that.
Thank you for highly Fredrick Douglas an amazingly talented man who advocate for true freedom
Douglas certainly gave Lincoln a lot to think about.
WOW! What a writer, speaker Douglas was! I had a sense of his work but this is a long, poignant and particularly pointed one. The parallels to today is unmistackable. Mankind never changes. Never learns to share, be unselfish, consider the world and the people to be brothers and sisters. Religion is once again being used to justify hatred, division, violence, bigotry, nationalistic white male supremacy. It is why I am spiritual but not part of organized religion. Faith is the lack of certainty and the faith of many religious people is that they are certain Gods, Budda, Mohammed grant them the ability to disregard the love, inclusion, generousity, value of every creature on Earth. If they believed their God created all life why do they seem to think they can extinguish it, abuse it, harass it, deprieve it of love and acceptance. Hypocrites and unbelievers inhabit many religions. WE the People need to be educated, need to know our duties to each other, our democracy, law/order and moderation in all things except the erasure of freedom, rights, humanity, justice and history. I have loved America and still hope the America I love and the promise that We the People can form a "more perfect Union" through the ideals of our Declaration of Independence and US Constitution and our history of positive changes through 250 years. Thank you, Steve for your series. Well done and courageous.
Much has been done in the name of God or in complete contradiction to the teachings of Jesus Christ that is an abomination unto God. The Trump administration and the current state of the Republican Party is one such abomination.
Happy 4th everyone, “I would unite with anyone to do right and no one to do wrong.” I like his thinking!
Thank you for posting this. I hadn’t read it before and feel that I missed both an opportunity and a duty as a loving person. His articulation is an experience in itself. I felt a sense of both expansion and a deeper comprehension of this country’s past as well as where we are today.
Thank you Steve!
Without the African-American contributions to this country and culture, our nation would be less than half of what we are now if not even more minuscule!
And once again it is they who must lead the way this November towards our redemption!
From this Frederick Douglass speech, I love the last portion best, excerpted here:
“In the fervent aspirations of William Lloyd Garrison, I say, and let every heart join in saying it.
God speed the year of jubilee.
The wide world o’er When from their galling chains set free,
Th’ oppress’d shall vilely bend the knee, And wear the yoke of tyranny.
Like brutes no more.
That year will come, and freedom’s reign, To man his plundered fights again Restore.
God speed the day when human blood Shall cease to flow! In every clime be understood, The claims of human brotherhood,
And each return for evil, good, Not blow for blow;
That day will come all feuds to end. And change into a faithful friend Each foe.
God speed the hour, the glorious hour, When none on earth Shall exercise a lordly power,
Nor in a tyrant’s presence cower;
But all to manhood’s stature tower,
By equal birth! That hour will come, to each, to all, And from his prison-house, the thrall Go forth.”
Revolution is in our collective DNA
The Nazi Republican Redistricting War: The Democratic Long Term Strategy
In order to hold onto power as much as they can by narrowing an expected House Democratic majority after the November midterms, the Nazi Republican successfully redrew maps in 8 states where they have legislative majorities while Democratics redrew maps in 2 states. The end result is a potentially 14 seat Nazi advantage to a potential 5 seat gain by Democrats. If this holds up with a 9 seat Nazi advantage with a current 3 seat majority, Democrats will have to flip 12 seats to stay even.( https://bit.ly/3SIw27M)
But it will not end there because Nazi redistricting plans include 3 more states after the midterms. So anything to steal power away from the electorate with this midcycle redistricting shenanigan. This would in another parlance be called “legal cheating by the minority” to stay in power as long as possible.
This has been the long range plan since Reagan because the monied business interests of the CNPP(Christian Nationalist Pedo Party) want minority rule, ie oligarchic control of the federal legislature so they can pursue Project 2025 and authoritarian rule. Cheeto has greased the skids in other ways, hoping to throw $$ for votes. Pardons are just “vote bribes” and his executive order gifts to the wealthy are to foster more donor $$ and votes.
So this disenfranchisement of the average voter needs to be solved by Democrats. Unfortunately expansion of SCOTUS, getting big money out of campaigns, and voting reform can only take place after the 2028 election if Democrats win control of the executive branch. This Democratic long term strategy requires COURAGE ie no sunshine patriot need apply, persistent, and consistent engagement by the majority electorate. So this will require focus, determination, and at least 3y and more of hard work by the average voter to right the ship of democracy and restore the power to WE the People.
On this day an excellent historical review by Thom Hartmann summarizes the 250y struggle(bit.ly/3QYQkJz) though long a mandatory read. Happy 4th!!
Thank you for publishing "What to a Slave is the Fourth of July," Douglass' famous 1852 Rochester, NY speech. I'm 79 years old, consider myself fairly well educated having graduated from the well regarded (at the time) New Jersey public school system in 1965, attended 3 years' college, and have been an avid reader. Although I always knew of Frederick Douglass' place in history, I've never read any of his writings. A most appropriate choice for this 4th of July.
Thank you, Steve, for publishing Frederick Douglass’s magnificent keynote Independence Day address, delivered in June 1852 to the Rochester Ladies’ Anti-Slavery Society. I recall studying this speech in high school (more than fifty years ago), yet today it feels new again, and more powerful and urgent than ever. As we Americans prepare to exercise our right (and our duty) to vote on November 3rd of this year, we should take Douglass’s timely advice to heart:
“For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake.
The feeling of the nation must be quickened; the conscience of the nation must be roused; the propriety of the nation must be startled; the hypocrisy of the nation must be exposed; and its crimes against God and man must be proclaimed and denounced.”
Thank you for your incredible series. It’s difficult to hear even today of how truly barbaric and cruel slavery was, and for so long! After all of this, I say about THIS chapter: it’s remarkable, Steve, that Frederick Douglass can say it all in your first sentence: “I would unite with anyone to do right and no one to do wrong”. A foundational concept that somehow never reached far enough to Felon. I appreciate this series and all you so freely give us. Thank you.
I think Wendy, with respect, the barbarism and cruelty of slavery and racism continue to be alive and thriving in some people’s minds. On this one, I won’t say “hearts!” 🇨🇦
Classic speech by a principled American.
WOW. So eloquently written and hits hard with truth.
This was an incredible piece of true history that every American should be made to read and remember.
It saddens me to think that Trump and his regime are reverting to similar tactics with ICE, detention centers, plans to deport anyone who is black or brown and only accepting white refugees. It’s disgusting and shameful.
Smerconish had a show on today that said the polls show most countries have an unfavorable opinion of America. He then showed that World Cup attendees loved everything about America- Costco, Walmart, etc. I wonder if they would have enjoyed touring the multiple ICE detention facilities. He painted a rose colored view of America rather than expose the cruelty of what is actually happening in this country.
Thanks for providing this historic perspective.
trump said he heard he ( Frederick Douglas) was doing really good things...
Trump is such an ignorant man.
How can any truly thinking, intelligent human argue that he was “lesser” or “not human” had they listened or read that treatise. That they would, says a whole lot about THEIR total inhumanity. And I just do not understand that even to this day, there are people like Senator Cindy Hyde Smith, who was quoting a few years ago as saying “ that if there was a hanging, [she’d] be in the front row.” I’ll leave that to much better people than me to explain that. 🇨🇦