As this blog’s primary purpose is to discuss issues related in some way or another to history, culture, colleges, and civil rights/injustices, I want to bring attention to another issue in this posting. One that receives far too little attention. This morning I had lunch at a busy restaurant. When we got to the table,Continue reading “Injustice of a Different Kind: Restaurants, Servers, Tips, and YOU”
Monthly Archives: June 2013
This is our Democracy: Historical Perspectives and Contemporary Issues on Sexism and Racism
Democracy is a funny concept. Democracy remains the United States’s greatest ideal, most announced achievement, most grasped buzzword and yet, its greatest and perhaps most unachievable challenge. Why is it so hard for so many to live by “we the people” and “life, liberty, and justice for all”? One of the first on-going obstacles to democracyContinue reading “This is our Democracy: Historical Perspectives and Contemporary Issues on Sexism and Racism”
Brad Pitt, Not So Hidden Racism and Sexism, and “World War Z” (2013)
World War Z is a poor movie that boosts Brad Pitt, racism, and sexism. For a fairly crowded theater, I have never seen it empty as quickly as it did yesterday. Beware – spoilers follow. With a name like World War Z and the strong connotations associated with the words “world war,” I expected World War Z to be a warContinue reading “Brad Pitt, Not So Hidden Racism and Sexism, and “World War Z” (2013)”
15 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting Graduate School
While I have absolutely loved graduate school and encourage others to attend (if appropriate), there were many things no one told me about graduate school until I was there or discovered them on my own. The following are based on experience in a history doctoral program, so they may not apply in every case, especiallyContinue reading “15 Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting Graduate School”
Historical Perspectives, Cultural Readings, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)
Last night I watched the 2012 Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (hereafter, ALVH) for the second time. As a historian, I always unavoidably see movies with a somewhat different set of eyes. After all, everything has a history and involves history; therefore, movies, consciously or unconsciously, unavoidably touch on historical issues, and involve political agendas, and other concerns for the scholar. InContinue reading “Historical Perspectives, Cultural Readings, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)”
Is social media creating forces to end racism?
Of course, such a question is a bit more hopeful than I usually am and is slightly dangerous per se. But is there something to it? This week Sebastien De La Cruz has been a focus across the media, especially social media. He sang (and did a wonderful job!) the United States’s National Anthem this past Tuesday beforeContinue reading “Is social media creating forces to end racism?”
The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) and Gender
The Lincoln Lawyer (which has nothing to do with President Lincoln or things he would stand for), by everyday standards, is basically a good movie. It received positive reviews from the public and critics. BUT, its portrayal of women and gender really stood out to me as problematic. Check out Wikipedia’s brief summary of the film here. Continue reading “The Lincoln Lawyer (2011) and Gender”
Dr. Andrew Joseph Pegoda 