As I’ve noted on Bluesky, one of the hazards of being a scholar who works on modern American politics is that when this nation goes through an important presidential campaign, especially one with high stakes, there’s a constant stream of friends, family members and, of course, random people on social media who all approach us with a desperate need to be reassured that Everything Will Be Alright.
Your closing comment was about action. While you might not be the psychic that some of us long for to calm our anxious souls, you do have a knack for inspiring some of us to act, with your sharing of history. Several cycles ago, you shared a story on the old place about a southern African American man who had the courage to vote. In response, some locals firebombed his house with his entire family inside. I was a child in the 60s, so too young to know more than that the Civil Rights movement was happening and that there was a great deal of violence.
Whenever I think maybe this cycle, I will let somebody else do the work of democracy, I think about him, his family, and that’s the end of that. I am back in the game, calling, knocking on doors, writing postcards, etc. driving people to the polls. Here’s some good news. When I applied to drive, I got rejected because they already had too many drivers wanting to drive in swing states. It was bittersweet because I love driving people to vote. That story made such an impression on me.
Anyway, thanks for all that you do, particularly making history personal and introducing us to some of the people living through it and making it. It has helped me to keep going.
You cya’d very well. I hope Trump loses. I doubt he will lose peacefully. I hope the US Military doesn’t cave to him overseas or domestically. I do not like Harris. I’m disenfranchised. I live in Alabama, where Democrats seldom win local and don’t win in national elections. The Electoral College should be proportional for states, not winner take all.
In 2016, I could throw a rock out my Brooklyn apartment window in 2016 and hit Hillary's election HQ across the street.
The night of the election, I went to bed without knowing the results, but feeling confident because my sister's publishing company was about to deliver their "Madame President" special edition magazine to every supermarket and drug store across the country - based on their confidence in polls, etc.
I awoke to blood-curdling screams and crying around 2 AM, when the results were made official. That was from HQ. Can't imagine what went on at the publishing company.
Your closing comment was about action. While you might not be the psychic that some of us long for to calm our anxious souls, you do have a knack for inspiring some of us to act, with your sharing of history. Several cycles ago, you shared a story on the old place about a southern African American man who had the courage to vote. In response, some locals firebombed his house with his entire family inside. I was a child in the 60s, so too young to know more than that the Civil Rights movement was happening and that there was a great deal of violence.
Whenever I think maybe this cycle, I will let somebody else do the work of democracy, I think about him, his family, and that’s the end of that. I am back in the game, calling, knocking on doors, writing postcards, etc. driving people to the polls. Here’s some good news. When I applied to drive, I got rejected because they already had too many drivers wanting to drive in swing states. It was bittersweet because I love driving people to vote. That story made such an impression on me.
Anyway, thanks for all that you do, particularly making history personal and introducing us to some of the people living through it and making it. It has helped me to keep going.
What an incredibly kind note! Thanks so much for all you’re doing. That’s amazing
I needed to read this today. Thanks very much.
You cya’d very well. I hope Trump loses. I doubt he will lose peacefully. I hope the US Military doesn’t cave to him overseas or domestically. I do not like Harris. I’m disenfranchised. I live in Alabama, where Democrats seldom win local and don’t win in national elections. The Electoral College should be proportional for states, not winner take all.
In 2016, I could throw a rock out my Brooklyn apartment window in 2016 and hit Hillary's election HQ across the street.
The night of the election, I went to bed without knowing the results, but feeling confident because my sister's publishing company was about to deliver their "Madame President" special edition magazine to every supermarket and drug store across the country - based on their confidence in polls, etc.
I awoke to blood-curdling screams and crying around 2 AM, when the results were made official. That was from HQ. Can't imagine what went on at the publishing company.
How did the influx of southern democrats change the Republican Party? Did the GOP oppose Medicare/social security? Does anyone oppose that now?
Read my chapter on all that here:
https://www.amazon.com/Myth-America-Historians-Biggest-Legends/dp/1541601394