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Michael Henry's avatar

Really appreciate your essays that reference parallels in history. I'm learning a lot in them and they help show that this kind of thing has happened before - that helps some. Now we need to create a present-day solution to rid us of these people in power.

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RRG's avatar

Also “…new colonial Secretary Brendan Carr…” 👏🏻

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RRG's avatar

I had no idea about what 16 yo Ben Franklin was up to - this is awesome! Thank you!

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Karen Scofield's avatar

An Absolutely Brilliant article, Jim, outstanding insight with the Facts to back it up. I wish more Americans could hear your words, but I'll say Thank you, and will reStack ASAP 💯👍

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Ruthy Wexler's avatar

The way we are seeng people CAVE--not just prominent politicians--but ordinary people, in their thoughts and actions--is scarier to me than anything. I never heard any of Charlie Kirk's words, just heard his name. I have now listened to a bunch of his appearances. This is not conversation! It's not civility! He was, pure and simple, a bully. He tore the meaning of words apart. And he was very young and very ignorant. There is no reason at all to build anything in his memory.

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Ruthy Wexler's avatar

This was fascinating. We're so used to thinking of individuals as products of their environments and families-- but they're often, additionally, a product of their own yearning minds and imaginations, and caring hearts. Such is was with Franklin. And you too.

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laura oshea's avatar

Reversal of Roe V Wade is an attempt to to burn women( witches) at the stake. It is no coincidence that Alito named a preacher from the 1700’s who did exactly that as an excuse to overturn that!

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laura oshea's avatar

No problem. I was overturned by a bunch of religious indoctrinated political hacks on the Supreme Court!!!

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Ruthy Wexler's avatar

Yes. Thanks for telling us that.

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Linda Manatt's avatar

Loved the story of young Ben Franklin. I find new hope and resolve immerging from hearing about a teenager getting it done in however best he could. Brilliant! If he could, so then can we!

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Ruthy Wexler's avatar

Yes. So can wel.

We just have to find the right note. I believe it will come

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GW B's avatar

Great article. Thank you. Puritans were also known to hang quakers and even hang or exile members who deviated from their approved orthodoxy (e.g. Anne Hutchinson & followers exiled). They had learned from the best how to do this because their own Protestant leaders rejecting the state Church of England or the Catholic Church of Europe had been persecuted, jailed, burned, slaughtered, etc. before they evacuated to the colonies. As you say, eventually, they came to the conclusion that the best mitigant to avoiding recurrent political violence typical of changes in leadership by fickle royal personalities, was to establish a nation governed by laws, vs. personalities and to avoid the establishment of a state religion, having already assembled a population of various religious backgrounds and having witnessed the violence that they had dished out themselves for a time and witnessed against their own English and European compatriots (e.g., Huguenots like Paul Revere’s father). They started with a model of rule (kratos) by the people (demos) first attempted in Athens about 500 BC (500 years before the birth of Christ).

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/democracy-ancient-greece/

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James Burnham's avatar

Beautiful. Shared.

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VEE LAVALLEE's avatar

A wonderful essay Jim. You're right about the freedom of speech. I'm afraid little hands grifter Donnie hasn't got the message with force enough to make him understand. As is common with rich folk they can tell lies about everything and never see a day in court. If you say something that not true you can sue for slander. Anything else you say you have a right to say. I wish 79 year olds were as smart as a kid of 16 but if wishes were horses......

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