Author Archives: The Academic Raven

To Lead, To Drive, To Do: Why (and How) I Teach

(Originally published December 29, 2018) Students tend to like solid, concrete, specific answers. Or, more accurately, they like to know, solidly, concretely, and specifically what answers I want from them. They rarely get them, however, and that’s a good thing. … Continue reading

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Trump and the Blood Libel

I have said before that Trump has intentionally evoked thinly veiled white supremacist rhetoric. I’ll cover a few instances of this before noting what I found most disturbing in his speech from Tulsa, and what it has to do with … Continue reading

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We We Don’t Vote and Why it Sucks

America has a voting problem. We don’t vote, and we are losing our democracy as a result, pure and simple. I am not railing at those who don’t.  I am speaking to those who proudly declare that either they are … Continue reading

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Who Made Whom? The Legacy of Fingerpointing in the Era of Trump

Someone posted this as pushback to the fear and bewilderment at Trump and his ilk, and the rise of fascistic ideology springing up worldwide. I felt the need to reply. “How did this happen you ask? You created “us” when … Continue reading

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Losing Treasures; the Need for Cursive

Article for the school paper, March, 2017 I have a treasure in my home, but I cannot access it. The treasure is a box of letters and postcards from grandparents, great-grandparents, great aunts, and others of my family. I am … Continue reading

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The Value of Truth

An essay penned for the school paper, Feb 3, 2017 This was not, in fact, the piece I intended to write. But as I scanned the news this morning, I was compelled to comment. Let me say first that my … Continue reading

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The Mindset of the GOP & What it Means for the Future.

A recent public opinion poll (released Feb 24, 2015) showed a couple of very scary points. There is a lot about favored presidential contenders (though none had yet announced), and some not very surprising assessments of public opinion regarding other … Continue reading

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The American Dream: A cultural theory perspective

I recently got chatting with someone I met on a political forum and found myself in a (surprisingly and pleasantly civil) political discussion. The other person and I tend to come from rather different views, but our discourse has been … Continue reading

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Review: Constantine’s Sword

James Carroll’s Constantine’s Sword, or Constantine’s Sword 2007, Storyville Films/First Run Features A historical documentary film on the relationship between the Catholic Church and Jews. Directed and produced Oren Jacoby, inspired by former priest James P. Carroll’s 2001 book Constantine’s … Continue reading

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Review: The Black Death; A Personal History

(John Hatcher, Da Capo Press, 2008) There seem to be two types of readers of history; those who love history, and those who tolerate it as a necessary evil. Writing for the first group requires thoroughness, organization, solid research, and … Continue reading

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