If we need real founding-era parallels to demonizing an opposition party as insurrectionist (we don't): "You could as soon scrub the blackamoor white, as to change the principles of a professed Democrat...he will leave nothing unattempted to overturn the Government of this Country." -- G. Washington
Two posts, on failures in this crisis of appeals to our nation's founding that are interesting in part because "the writers are by no means stupid; they’re just bedazzled by sentiment."
On Ted Widmer: williamhogeland.substack.com/p/lame-and-u... ...
Get rid of the State pf the Union Address. williamhogeland.substack.com/p/the-worst-...
The State of the Union Address is a very bad institution. williamhogeland.substack.com/p/the-worst-...
Get rid of the State pf the Union Address. williamhogeland.substack.com/p/the-worst-...
It doesn't seem to occur to anybody, liberal or conservative, that the founders--and many of the rest of the important historical leaders--were as full of shit as any of the rest of us.
Hamilton's most effective piece of writing was the sleazebag letter from beyond the grave where he pretended he was going to waste his shot in the duel with Burr.
... and on Tyler Austin Harper (no paywall): williamhogeland.substack.com/p/in-respons...
Two posts, on failures in this crisis of appeals to our nation's founding that are interesting in part because "the writers are by no means stupid; they’re just bedazzled by sentiment."
On Ted Widmer: williamhogeland.substack.com/p/lame-and-u... ...
Here I criticize Tyler Austin Harper's Second Amendment analysis of ICE's killing of Alex Pretti. open.substack.com/pub/williamh...
If we need real founding-era parallels to demonizing an opposition party as insurrectionist (we don't): "You could as soon scrub the blackamoor white, as to change the principles of a professed Democrat...he will leave nothing unattempted to overturn the Government of this Country." -- G. Washington
Updated the post to note that if we do need founding-era parallels to what's going on in MN--I think we don't--the real one would be the Federalist period, not 1770's Boston.
Here I criticize Ted Widmer's recent attempt to link ICE, a lawless federal paramilitary, with the 1770s British Army in Boston and the MN protesters w. the likes of Samuel Adams (free preview): open.substack.com/pub/williamh...
This one has a paywall. 5/mo. or 60/yr. gets you two BAD HISTORY posts per month and access to the archive, which has gotten big. "The Taking of Fort Ticonderoga: A Comedy"
williamhogeland.substack.com/p/the-taking...
Want to read a great artist, read Charlotte Bronte. Want to read a great artist ripping apart a lesser artist, read Charlotte Bronte on Jane Austen.
New prize for 2025: Best Article about Alice Monroe.
"This is a work of nonfiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental."
What made thirteen clocks strike at once? As John Adams knew, they didn't--and the process that made them seem to, which he had a big hand in, was secretive, bullying, illegal, and had nothing to do with persuasion. For the 250th,read about it: www.amazon.com/Declaration-...
Also this, which is related (and ultimately related to nonfiction in any form): williamhogeland.substack.com/p/notes-on-t...
In the context of an article in the Times by Alissa Wilkinson, on whether AI will make documentary films untrustworthy, I think the answer is No, since they're not trustworthy anyway--unlocking this, on that: williamhogeland.substack.com/p/down-the-m...
Part Two, a free post on BAD HISTORY:
williamhogeland.substack.com/p/did-the-ir...
