Chase Holfelder’s minor key rendition of “America the Beautiful,” with its eerie vibe and with its–by my reading–announcement of the United States’s hypocrisy, inspired my video. Holfelder’s song plays in the background, while a slideshow of images from the internet… Read More ›
holidays
Recalling the Books I Read in 2018
During 2018, I read about 9,000 (!!) student writing assignments, at least a thousand or so articles, and 35 books, listed below. In addition, I “read” and studied lots and lots of popular cultural texts (songs, movies, tv shows). American Fascists:… Read More ›
Thanksgiving Day teaches submissiveness.
On this Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2018: Please try to remember those who might not have anything to be “thankful” for, where thankful means “conscious of benefit received” and “expressing gratitude and relief.” Saying everyone has “something” to be grateful for… Read More ›
No Words Remain: Racism and Remembering James Byrd, Jr.
On the way for lunch with a friend in Clear Lake, Texas, I saw a truly horrifying and upsetting scene this morning. Take a look at what the white pickup truck is dragging on the road in the pictures below. … Read More ›
Facebook, Birthdays, and Neoliberalism
Earlier this year and last year, Facebook started encouraging its users to garner charitable donations through its platform, especially for birthdays. In particular, on my birthday last month Facebook encouraged me to select a charity that friends could donate to… Read More ›
6th Annual 4th of July Reflection
On the meaning of the upside down flag: Hank Deerfield (Tommy Lee Jones) in In the Valley of Elah (2007) says: It’s an international distress signal….It means we’re in a whole lot of trouble so come save our asses ’cause we ain’t got… Read More ›
Very Brief Thoughts: Easter and Theology
Think how much different (and more powerful) Christian celebrations of Easter would be if mainstream theology embraced all aspects of this ritual. This ritual—partially and selectively and without historicism—celebrates and mourns a person-deity, while manifesting erasure when it comes to… Read More ›
King would not be surprised.
….History prefers legends to men. It prefers nobility to brutality, soaring speeches to quiet deeds. History remembers the battle, but forgets the blood. Whatever history remembers of me, if it remembers anything at all, it shall only remember a fraction of… Read More ›