Category Archives: Without Ritual, Autonomous Negotiations

Directly below are my speaking notes for talks I gave to the Northern Brazoria County Democrats and Southern Brazoria County Democrats back in May 2010 in response to a very problematic resolution issued by Brazoria County.  Part one of this posting can be found here. The Issue: In April 2010, as you may know, theContinue reading “The Civil War: Causes, Myths, and Sources with a focus on Brazoria County (Part 2 of 2)”

To even try to say the Civil War not not about enslavement is to deny evidence and disrespect the Black Men, Women, and children who suffered and died to build this nation we love to celebrate as the best ever, the beacon of democracy.  Among scholars of the Civil War, enslavement, or of African-American History, for example, thereContinue reading “The Civil War: Causes, Myths, and Sources (Part 1 of 2)”

Recently I was given the idea of developing a set of key terms that are applicable to any given course in its entirety. Below are twenty-one major ideas that intersect with just about every lesson in the two (three for those on the quarter system) freshmen history classes for college students. Please feel free toContinue reading “21 Essential Concepts for Succeeding in Introductory U.S. History”

As I learned from a friend today, Rasco Middle School decided to have students nominate students for various negative “awards” based on a list provided by teachers. As reported by CBS-KHOU news, one of these students, a child on the autism spectrum, was nominated both “drama king” and “most gullible.” My friend’s daughter was nominatedContinue reading “Rasco Middle School to Children: “Congratulations! You’ve been awarded ‘Most Gullible’””

Dear Half Price Books (and other book stores), I have been visiting your stores occasionally for as long as I can remember. (I especially love the really big store in Austin that is in an old grocery store!) I frequently find interesting books and some good deals in the process. My students regularly comment theyContinue reading “An Open Letter to Half Price Books – Please Stop Segregating History”

All the chaos and confusionAll the chaos and confusionThe world turns roundThe stars come and goThe wind blowsPeople walkCars honkScreamsPhone ringsCar honks againSweat rolls downOlder man scowlsWind eases thoughtsTented windows filter and disguiseIndustrialism is taking overMirror Mirror on the wallOversized trucks destroy the peaceThe wind comes againMusic of the airMusic on the long-gone forestGhostly embracesMusicContinue reading “Creative Writing: Chaos and Confusion”

Awake in the middle of the night Awake in the middle of the night This mysterious cloud glowing down Wishing there was something to be done So much sickness and no one cares Bullies, monies, and selfies trap us all (You communist.) Such egotism Such ignorance Such sadness It boils down to hopes and fearsContinue reading “Creative Writing: Awake in the middle of the night”

Individuals and societies tend to construct narratives where small towns are superior to cities. This rhetoric is not new. While definitions in the United States confine “[small] towns” to population centers with less than ten thousand people, the functional, everyday definition is not so clear-cut. Images associated with small towns often conger up notions ofContinue reading “The Myth of the “Small Town””