Native Americans

Ugly Nativism Rears Its Head Once Again With Donald Trump!

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Nativism–anti immigrant rhetoric—has reared its ugly head, with Donald Trump attacking immigration once again, pandering to the most ignorant and despicable elements of American society.

America is a land of immigrants, with only native Americans having a claim to being otherwise, but we all know how native Americans have been treated throughout American history for four plus centuries!

Generation after generation, hatemongers have exploited the disease of nativism to divide Americans and gain or retain political power.

They have used hateful rhetoric to attack Catholics, Jews, Asian Americans, Hispanic-Latino Americans, African Americans, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and every other minority sect that goes against their white Christian supremacy advocacy!

America has been strengthened and prospered by immigration over and over again, and the nation has been renewed by the contributions of people who come to our shores, and those who are born here of immigrant parents.

Demagogues, including Donald Trump, and a multitude of MAGA Republicans, have picked up where others pursued an equivalent agenda in past generations.

But the idea of setting up massive detention camps and reviving the separation of children from their parents is horrifying, and reminds us of the Nazi concentration camps, and similar mistreatment of minorities in China, and innumerable other dictatorships in nations around the world, which do not gain much publicity in news media.

Every effort and motivation must be made to stop the promotion of hate and division, as it only promotes authoritarianism within America and internationally!

Ron DeSantis Denying Truth Of African American History: A Whitewash Of The American Past!

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It is absolutely infuriating beyond belief that Florida under Ron DeSantis is denying the truth of African American history, and American history at large, in setting a new curriculum that whitewashes the truth of slavery, Jim Crow segregation, lynchings, and horrendous race riots in that state and elsewhere, causing mass destruction and death over the centuries.

To tell students that slavery “benefited” slaves by teaching them “job skills”, and that race riots saw African Americans both being victimized but also being perpetrators of the riots, is a bald faced lie, making Florida look worse than 1960s Alabama and Mississippi!

In the past, the Confederate myth perpetuated lies and racism, and finally in the 1960s and moving forward, the truth was being taught.

As a professor who has taught for a half century, I refuse to teach lies and mistruths, but imagine those who teach at all levels who are in danger of losing their jobs and professions over political interference by a governor, who seems as if he is George Wallace on steroids!

And Florida is setting the stage for other “Red” states to impose the same censorship and manipulation of the truth on students, which will undermine the future of a multiracial society, as nothing can be done to overcome the reality that in 2045, the white population of America will be less than half the nation, and already, non white groups are a majority of young people in many parts of the nation.

This does not bode well for the future of interracial cooperation, and Ron DeSantis must be opposed legally in court to work against this poison he is promoting!

What does this say about the truth of the treatment of Jews, Latinos, Asian Americans, and native Americans, which also must be taught, and known by future generations!

The old saying is: “The Truth Shall Set You Free”!, and that must be the motto of all educators, and most specifically, American historians and journalists in this struggle against reality!

Republicans, Conservatives, And Disrespect For Immigrants: Infuriating!

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America is a nation of immigrants, and all of us are “immigrants”, in the sense that our ancestors, if not us, migrated to America, and found the only true “natives”, native Americans, whose land and resources were taken from them by European settlers.

America, historically, has mistreated native Americans in a horrible, horrendous fashion, and still do so when they decide to do mining on native lands, one of the major reasons why organizations, such as the Conservation Lands Foundation, exist, to promote proper treatment of the “original” Americans.

But America is also a nation that constantly, throughout history, has treated various groups migrating to North America, in a totally unacceptable fashion.

This has occurred to the Irish; the Italians; the Polish; the Jews; the migrants from Japan and China and elsewhere in Asia; people from Latin America; and of course the treatment of people of African origin, both slaves and those who have migrated since the end of the ugly institution of slavery!

It is infuriating when Texas Governor Greg Abbott makes the comment about the horrendous gun murders in Cleveland, Texas, referring to the victims as “illegal immigrants”, as if their status matters, as if their lives do not matter!

Immigrants come to America to excape persecution, bloodshed, discrimination, looking for a better life, as generations of immigrants have done, and they contribute their talents and skills to their adopted nation.

Just because they speak a different language, are possibly of different skin color and religion, does not make them inferior or unworthy of our sympathy, empathy, compassion, and to be treated with respect!

People like Greg Abbott, Ron DeSantis, and others who are bullies and have no regard for human life, unless it is white European Christians, need to be drummed out of office by demand of decent Americans, who do not want such despicable people to govern us!

It is past time for Republicans and conservatives who are only pro-life on fetuses, but not for gun regulation, or women’s rights, to be repudiated, and allow American to move forward in a positive fashion, and stop promoting hate!

Ron DeSantis’s War Against Truth, Facts, And Vulnerable Victims!

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, judged by many as a so called “Frontrunner” for the Presidency in 2024, is seen by decent people as a real threat to basic truth and facts, and as a person who promotes right wing groups and ideology to undermine the freedoms and rights of endangered Americans!

When one looks back to past demagogues, DeSantis comes closest to the late Alabama Governor George Wallace, who gained the backing of one seventh of the American people in his third party Presidential campaign of 1968, railing against African Americans and basic civil rights. But the danger is that DeSantis actually could end up the nominee of the Republican Party in 2024!

DeSantis has shown his demagogic tendencies by promoting censorship of educational curriculums in public schools, as well as at Florida public universities and colleges. DeSantis wants to prevent the teaching of the truth and facts about white supremacy, the reality of slavery and Jim Crow segregation, because of his assertion that it might upset some young white children!

He also wants to suppress the reality of sexuality, including the facts and truth about students, who are gay, lesbian, or transgender, endangering their emotional stability, as he demands teachers and counselors refuse to consult regarding the turmoil many young people are going through daily!

DeSantis has also made undocumented immigrants another target, sending some from Texas borders to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts without notice, a clear political stunt that promotes fear and hatred of those escaping persecution and crime in the nations of Central America!

Ironically, today is the 100th anniversary of the Rosewood Massacre in Northern Florida, where a massacre of horrendous proportions occurred, destroying an African American town, and little was done to compensate victims, and a decision to cover up the reality of what had happened, until 1993.

Thirty years ago, Democratic Governor Lawton Chiles arranged for some reparations for the few surviving elderly people who were still alive 70 years later, and for descendants of those who were victims, to be given financial support for a college education.

But will Ron DeSantis acknowledge it in 2023, when he seems so concerned that young white children might feel guilt, a totally preposterous assertion? It is the reason for his desire to suppress the history of racial discrimination, not only in Florida, but elsewhere, as part of his push to ignore the crimes against Native Americans and other people of color as well!

DeSantis is also emboldening ignorant and biased parents, to suppress through control of school boards and library boards, the enlightenment of children to confront the issues of racial discrimination and sexuality, and tolerance of immigration.

For public libraries to censor any literature or other material focusing on these matters is reprehensible, and does not allow for a true understanding of reality. Instead, DeSantis’s goal and that of the Right Wing Extremists that he supports, is to promote narrow minded bigotry and ignorance in a nation that needs to confront reality, not be taught propaganda that covers up truth and facts!

Infuriating Attack Of Mike Pompeo On Randi Weingarten And Teaching Profession!

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There are many outrageous, irritating utterances that emanate from Republicans and conservatives about all kinds of issues and individuals.

But the attack of former Secretary of State and former CIA Director, and future Republican Presidential contender Mike Pompeo against Randi Weingarten and the American Federation of Teachers is the most infuriating statement imaginable.

Pompeo, insanely, termed Weingarten the most dangerous person in the world, more than Kim Jong Un of North Korea, Chinese President Xi Jinping, or Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Pompeo must be considered totally crazy with such an utterance, and should be disqualified from running for or winning the Oval Office.

This is not just a personal attack on a woman who has dedicated her life to education, as head of the United Federation of Teachers from 1998-2008, and as head of the American Federation of Teachers from 2008 to the present. Weingarten has devoted herself to promoting the rights and conditions of the teaching profession.

This is a field in which we are losing more teachers than replacing them, due to the effects of the COVID 19 Pandemic. But also there is the outrageous interference of right wing groups and ignorant parents who think they know more about what the curriculum should be in science, history, literature than educators who are trained to promote knowledge, truth, facts instead of myths, and to promote empathy, compassion and tolerance of others who are different than any of us.

Pompeo, like many right wing extremists, does not want students to learn about the truth of American history, the mistreatment of native Americans, African Americans, and other marginalized groups, but he is promoting narrow mindedness and intolerance, a threat to future harmony in this multi racial, multi ethnic society.

He is also, for sure, attacking Weingarten because of her liberal Jewish heritage and promoting Christian nationalism, which sees Jews as a group that should be proselytized to convert to Christianity. His pro Israel advocacy is phony, and he is supportive of the extremism in Israeli society, which has now led to Benjamin Netanyahu coming back as Prime Minister, while under criminal indictment. One can be pro Israel and support its right to exist, but does not require that all Jews or other decent people must accept the injustices represented by Netanyahu and his Orthodox extremists who look at Arabs as subhuman.

There is also an element of misogyny and homophobia that is part of Pompeo’s mantra, as Weingarten is a lesbian, and married to a Reform woman rabbi.

So all of the ugly elements–anti intellectual, Christian nationalism, misogyny, homophobia—of Mike Pompeo are to be condemned as horrendous.

And by attacking Weingarten, Pompeo also endangers her life and safety, and likely will cause threats that will require security, totally beyond the pale.

Long Overdue: The Emmett Till Anti Lynching Act, Making Such Action A Federal Crime!

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Emmett Till was a 14 year old African American boy from Chicago visiting Mississippi in 1955, when a white woman claimed he whistled at her and tried to grab her.

Her husband and his half brother arranged for this young boy to be kidnapped, tortured, and murdered, with his face and body left in horrific condition, which was revealed in an open casket at the funeral. Sadly, the two men were found not guilty by an all white jury, although years later, they admitted to the killing, and the woman admitted she had lied about Till making a pass at her.

Lynchings had gone on in the South since after the Civil War, and legislation had been introduced regularly since 1900, and finally, the act of lynching was made a federal crime, punishable by 30 years in prison, and signed into law by President Joe Biden.

Lynching was used as a tactic even in states outside the South, and while African American males were the major victims, there were also Jews, Italians, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, and Native Americans who were subjected to such heinous crimes, most often without accountability. And there have been recent examples in the past thirty years of gay Americans being victimized.

This legislation gained all but three votes in the House of Representatives, and a unanimous vote in the US Senate, and marks the end of a long fought battle to deal with lychings in more than 4000 cases from 1877 to 1950.

The killing of Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia in 2020 was a recent example of what is perceived as a lynching, but done by firearms rather than hanging or beating. But the men involved were convicted and sentenced to life in prison, thankfully.

Racial hatred remains a disease in America, but now, at least justice is served with federal legislation.

The War On Learning Truth And Reality In Schools And Libraries: The Dangerous Censorship Movement!

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American public education and public libraries are facing a massive crisis of extremist right wing ideology promoting censorship, preventing truth and reality of history, science, and free thought to flourish.

The attack is on against teaching the truth of racism against African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and the widespread antisemitism against Jews over the history of America.

White Supremacists want to wipe clean the truth about slavery and racial segregation, mass extermination of native peoples, and even the facts and reality of the Nazi Holocaust in World War II.

They express concern for the feelings and insecurities of white children that they believe will have guilt over the historical past, when that is preposterous!

What all children should have is an awakening of their minds to the horrors of the past so as to be able to deal with them in a far better manner in the future, but covering up for past wrongs is never the answer, as ignorance is NOT bliss!

The same applies to sexuality, the thought that somehow children cannot handle the recognition of sexual expression, not only heterosexual, but also gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals, as expressed in literature. This censorship on such matters only endangers children who will be treated as if their inner feelings have no significance, and sadly, will lead to more suicides and mental illness!

And allowing religion to replace science, and to repudiate science, as so many antivaxxers promote, is dangerous in the struggle against the COVID 19 Pandemic, as well as undermining the fight against global warming and climate change!

The Republican Party Has Become A Full Blown Fascist Party, Warring On Women, Minorities, Immigrants, Labor, The Environment, And More!

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Sad to say, but it is now clear that the Republican Party in Congress and in many states has become a full blown Fascist Party, warring on women, minorities, immigrants, labor, the environment, and all decent, humane tendencies. They appeal to mob rule and violence!

Of course, there are exceptions, so those Republicans could best be defined as RINOs (Republicans In Name Only), the name given to them by the Fascist oriented Republican office holders.

The Republican Party broadly has refused to recognize and respect women’s rights, which includes the right to control their own bodies and reproduction choices. They claim they are Pro Life when they are unconcerned about the quality of life of anyone other than the elite wealthy upper class! And once a fetus is born, these Fascist Republicans have no concern about their quality of life, including their health care, education, and housing!

The Republicans appeal to struggling whites by promoting the Christian religion, when they totally distort the whole meaning of the teachings of Jesus!

They appeal to the racist beliefs of whites who want to blame African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and also Jewish Americans for the lack of progress of so many. Particularly, rural whites are manipulated by Republicans so they can keep their power by gerrymandering and distorting the Electoral College, even when they cannot win national popular elections!

The idea that America is an immigrant nation has been destroyed by Republicans who are too willing to blame new immigrant groups, as earlier groups were blamed for the shortcomings in society. These were caused by greedy capitalists and corrupt politicians, who want power, and will do anything venal to gain it and keep it, while ignoring the many issues of degradation and struggle for survival and advancement in American society.

And in the name of greedy American capitalism, Republicans refuse to deal with climate change and global warming, and have no concern about the effect on the environment, as along as they can enrich themselves, and ignore the future, and reject science and facts!

So many of the Republican officeholders are wretched excuses for human beings, and have not a bit of empathy, compassion, decency, or humanity, and promote hate, division, and hide the crimes that have occurred under Donald Trump, and on January 6, 2021!

They will do anything to cover their sins and crimes, and they must be defeated in 2022 and 2024 to preserve the American republic and the concept of democracy, not only for Americans, but as a model for the world in the future!

The Republican Party Base Is Anti Immigrant, But They Are Also Anti Science And Anti Historical Fact!

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The Republican Party base is anti immigrant (nativist), and has prevented immigration reform, despite the efforts over the years of Republicans, such as John McCain and George W. Bush to deal with the issue, alongside Democrats, including Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and a multitude of others.

It is also anti Science, allowing right wing evangelical Christians to utilize mind control, and to attack evolution a century after the Scopes Trial, and to be anti vaccine and anti mask advocates, and also anti climate change, along with attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci.

And the Republican Party base is also anti history, wanting to promote a “white” history, without discussion of the horrendous treatment and abuse of African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic-Latino Americans, and Asian Americans over the long run of American history.

The situation for teachers of the Social Sciences and American history, and also of American literature teachers who assign fiction that depicts and informs us of horrible mistreatment and racial language, is in crisis, as many teachers will lose their positions as state governments in many of the states dictate how their curriculums are to be controlled and presented.

Lawsuits are beginning by teachers’ unions and other groups to stop censorship of the truth, but the Republican Party base promoting “Know Nothingism” on immigration, science and history are an attack on academic freedom that must be fought through all legal means!

The Republican-Right Wing Attempt To Distort Historical Truth And Facts

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For anyone who teaches American history in the public schools and in colleges and universities, the warning is out, that Republican and Right Wing propagandists are working to prevent the teaching of historical truth and facts.

In Texas, and developing in other Republican controlled states, teachers are being informed that they may NOT teach the reality of American history, which has been covered up for too long, but in recent years, has been dredged out of secrecy or lack of research.

One can love America, and yet admit that there has been a lack of historical reality of the mistreatment of native Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, immigrants, Jews, and women as part of the discussion of our past.

Students need to learn and know the entire truth, in order for the nation to move ahead and overcome the racism, nativism, misogyny, antisemitism that were and are, sadly, part of the history of America.

How can we overcome the widespread prejudices, biases, and narrow mindedness still present in America, if we continue to promote a distorted view of reality?

The historical profession needs to engage in lobbying and other activities to insure that we do not have propaganda and lies being perpetuated in the future, as ignorance and naivete about our past can only undermine progress and change in the future!