How progressives talk about July 4 and our national history with democracy on the line

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Thursday July 04, 2024 · 5:20 AM PDT

2024/07/04 · 05:20

Demonstrators gather outside the Edward Roybal Federal Building to protest against US President-elect Donald Trump in Los Angeles on November 12, 2016. .Americans spilled into the streets Saturday for a new day of protests against Donald Trump, even as the president-elect appeared to back away from the fiery rhetoric that propelled him to the White House. / AFP / RINGO CHIU (Photo credit should read RINGO CHIU/AFP/Getty Images)

I have always enjoyed Meteor Blades’ post about July 4, which highlights Frederick Douglass' iconic speech, “The Meaning of July 4th for the Negro,” delivered in Rochester, New York, in 1852. The speech described the alienation from July 4, and from America more broadly, that enslaved people and Black people in general felt. Although the most often-quoted section discusses that sense of alienation, it is also important to remember Douglass' conclusion to the speech:

Allow me to say, in conclusion, notwithstanding the dark picture I have this day presented, of the state of the nation, I do not despair of this country. There are forces in operation which must inevitably work the downfall of slavery. "The arm of the Lord is not shortened," and the doom of slavery is certain. I, therefore, leave off where I began, with hope. While drawing encouragement from "the Declaration of Independence," the great principles it contains, and the genius of American Institutions, my spirit is also cheered by the obvious tendencies of the age.

Ian Reifowitz

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Sunday June 30, 2024 · 8:55 AM PDT

2024/06/30 · 08:55

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 26: U.S. President Joe Biden speaks at the Chavis community center on March 26, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Biden is making a big push in North Carolina this year, a state he believes to be winnable in the November presidential election. Biden lost North Carolina to Donald Trump by only 2 percentage points in 2020. (Photo by Eros Hoagland/Getty Images)

First, take a deep breath. It actually helps. Ok, now to business. Yes, the president didn’t look or sound great in the first debate on Thursday—although he did grow stronger as the night went on. And yes, pundits and some Democratic bedwetters freaked out. Please note that that pundit class refused to speak with the same clarity and urgency when The Man Who Lost An Election And Tried To Steal it was convicted on 34 felony counts—most pundits didn’t say anything at all. They also largely skipped over the Gish Gallop full of lies that Fuck a l’Orange pulled on the Atlanta debate stage. But I digress.

It certainly was fair to wonder if Biden’s performance would tank him in the polls. The really good news, at least so far, is that it has not.

Ian Reifowitz for Community Contributors Team

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Sunday April 28, 2024 · 6:30 AM PDT

2024/04/28 · 06:30

Few issues have vexed the Biden administration like student loan forgiveness. Given that more than 40 million Americans owe money on their student loans, for a total of $1.6 trillion, few issues have such a large impact on so many.

Democrats and progressives have long prioritized this matter, and President Joe Biden promised to fight for significant debt relief before taking office. Even though his ambitious proposal to use his executive authority to forgive $400 billion in student loan debt was ultimately blocked by the Supreme Court, this White House has nontheless made significant progress with targeted relief, and has taken another shot at an across-the-board relief proposal. Nevertheless, many middle- and lower-income borrowers in particular continue to suffer under the burden of student debt, ensuring that this issue will remain front of mind for voters come November.

Ian Reifowitz for Community Contributors Team

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Sunday March 17, 2024 · 1:00 PM PDT

2024/03/17 · 13:00

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 29: U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris greet audience members during an event promoting lower healthcare costs in the East Room of the White House on August 29, 2023 in Washington, DC. The Biden administration announced a list of the first ten medicines that will now have lower prices following negotiations with Medicare. — President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris greet audience members during an event promoting lower healthc are costs in the East Room of the White House on August 29, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

President Joe Biden has been having some fun with the economists whose predictions about the economy were so wrong. He jabbed back: “Experts, from the time I got elected, were insisting that a recession was just around the corner. Every month, there was going to be a recession.” Instead, economic growth has been robust.

When 2023 began, just about everybody who had an opinion was predicting the U.S. would be in a recession by year’s end. It hasn’t happened. Not only that, but the U.S. economy is growing (as measured by gross domestic product, an admittedly incomplete measure of our economy but one that does allow for comparisons over time) like gangbusters. As Harvard economist and former Obama economic adviser Jason Furman—who ran with the crowd of pessimists—admitted, “Economists can learn a huge, healthy dose of humility.”

Ian Reifowitz for Community Contributors Team

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Saturday January 27, 2024 · 6:00 AM PST

2024/01/27 · 06:00

American college campuses, as well as our society more broadly, continue to be roiled by incidents of hate targeting Jews as well as Muslims and Palestinians that grow out of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. The conflict has certainly created tension within our country’s politics as well.

A recent antisemitic incident at Yale provides an opportunity to explore the differences between hate and legitimate protest/political expression, and to highlight and praise a collection of pro-Palestinian groups who drew that line in a crystal clear fashion. These groups definitively rejected an antisemitic act that occurred during their protest. One can question the importance of such an act in the face of so much violence and suffering. However, for some people, taking heart where they are able to can provide the hope for the future they need in order to keep going.

Ian Reifowitz for Community Contributors Team

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Thursday January 18, 2024 · 2:30 PM PST

2024/01/18 · 14:30

TOPSHOT - US President Donald Trump smiles during the State of the Union address in the chamber of the US House of Representatives on January 30, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read WIN MCNAMEE/AFP/Getty Images) — Donald Trump.

The political organization No Labels, despite their protestations to the contrary, clearly wants to send Donald Trump back to the scene of his greatest crimes—the White House. To clarify, this group is not directly affiliated with either the Republican Party or the Trump campaign. In fact, its stated purpose is to organize voters against partisanship in American politics and encourage a "common ground" approach to problem solving. But they are performing the role of useful idiots for Trump, whether they know it or not.

This group’s goal is to put together a third-party bid for the presidency, a key facet of which is to get people to donate money and otherwise support their effort. Finding a candidate is kind of important as well, although so far they’ve come up snake eyes there (with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie also saying, “No thanks” to No Labels).

The task No Labels has set itself is not an easy one, although they have gotten their party on the ballot in 16 states—battlegrounds Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina among them. Now they are upset because some folks who are supporting President Joe Biden are—get ready to put the back of your hand to your forehead—trying to make it harder for them!

The group has written a doozy of a letter to the Department of Justice demanding a criminal investigation into the effort—which they characterize as “a highly coordinated, conspiratorial, partisan, and often unlawful conspiracy”—by Democratic and other anti-Trump groups that have the temerity to oppose them.

Ian Reifowitz for Community Contributors Team

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Friday January 05, 2024 · 6:15 AM PST

2024/01/05 · 06:15

TOPSHOT - A noose is seen on makeshift gallows as supporters of US President Donald Trump gather on the West side of the US Capitol in Washington DC on January 6, 2021. - Donald Trump's supporters stormed a session of Congress held today, January 6, to certify Joe Biden's election win, triggering unprecedented chaos and violence at the heart of American democracy and accusations the president was attempting a coup. (Photo by Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

On Jan. 6, 2021, a man who lost an election tried to steal it. That man was Donald Trump, and the election was for president of the United States. Three years have passed. Three years of Trumpist lies about that day—coming from the insurrectionist-in-chief himself, his supporters in and out of office, and from MAGA parrots in the media—have had a significant impact on public opinion. They’ve warped minds. Now, as we enter the year of the next presidential election, the impact of those lies is as strong as it’s ever been.

RELATED STORY: 'MAGA Freak Show': Trump and his lawyers reportedly have big plans for Jan. 6 trial

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Monday January 01, 2024 · 12:00 PM PST

2024/01/01 · 12:00

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - DECEMBER 01: Aaron Jones #33 of the Green Bay Packers makes a snow angel in the end zone in the fourth quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on December 01, 2019 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.The touchdown was called back on penalties.The Green Bay Packers defeated the New York Giants 31-13. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) — Are we ever too grown-up to make a snow angel?

The first day of the year is like a 24-hour hangover, no alcohol consumption necessary. The marathon holiday season—from Thanksgiving on through the December holidays and New Year’s Eve—is finally over. New Year’s Day is the day after the party, when we have to come down from all the highs (and lows and everything in between) of the previous weeks.

My family never had any New Year’s Day traditions growing up, and I haven’t imparted any to my kids either. Most of the time, Jan. 1 is just a quiet day at home together—and perhaps it could be said that’s a tradition in itself.

But the day and I do have some great history and some childhood memories I treasure.

Ian Reifowitz for Community Contributors Team

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Saturday December 30, 2023 · 8:59 AM PST

2023/12/30 · 08:59

This is a revised version of a post that originally appeared on New Year’s Eve 2016.

When I was a kid I used to watch the New Year’s ball drop in Times Square on TV. Dick Clark was the host. Man, he was old, but I guess remembering him makes me old now, too. It’s a bit odd that the show is still called “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve,” even though Ryan Seacrest took over in 2006, when Clark stepped aside, and at least now Seacrest has his name added to the title. (Note: It’s very easy to make fun of Seacrest, but he was a riot in “Knocked Up” and clearly doesn’t take himself too seriously.)

When I watched Dick Clark’s show, I remember thinking how much fun all the people there were having, at least from the looks of it. I have a sense now that maybe, just maybe, the folks in the production truck might have been making sure not to show images of people huddling, shivering, not being able to go to the bathroom (you could tell because they were doing the pee-pee dance, or, well, let’s not discuss the alternative), and muttering that they’d rather be home on their couches, like I was on mine.

Ian Reifowitz for Community Contributors Team

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Monday December 11, 2023 · 6:00 AM PST

2023/12/11 · 06:00

Many qualities, beliefs, and actions differentiate President Joe Biden from his disgraced predecessor. One of them spends a great deal of time encouraging his supporters to hate their fellow Americans—not just public figures, but regular people as well. The other, while strongly criticizing specific positions taken by leaders on the other side, aims to strengthen bonds across lines of party, as well as those of race, religion, region, and more.

Comparing just one statement from each of these men reveals how stark the contrast is.

Ian Reifowitz

Community

Thursday November 23, 2023 · 9:00 AM PST

2023/11/23 · 09:00

“I’ve got something I’d like to say.” That’s what I usually offer up as a preamble as I try to get the attention of my kids and other family members gathered around the Thanksgiving table. It takes a couple of attempts, but once we’re all on the same page I offer words of thanks for my ancestors. I talk about how brave they must have been to leave the communities of their birth, which were at least familiar to them despite the hardship, discrimination, and all-too-common violence they faced. They came to a land where they didn’t speak the language, didn’t know the culture, and, in many cases, didn’t know a soul.

In this offering, I mention the family names of the people who came and the places they came from. We’ve done quite a bit of genealogical research on my side and my wife’s side of the family, and we’re lucky to have as much information as we do. My goal is to give my kids a sense of who their ancestors were and what they went through to give us a chance to have the life we do here in America. One branch of my father’s family came from Vilnius, now the capital of Lithuania; another from Riga, Latvia’s capital; another from Minsk, the capital of Belarus; and the last from Odesa, now in Ukraine, which is a country fighting back with growing success against Russian dictator Vladimir Putin’s vile aggression.

Growing up, I had learned that all my father’s ancestors were “Russian.” It turns out none of them came from places that are now in that country—and let’s hope its borders don’t expand any further.

Ian Reifowitz for Community Contributors Team

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Thursday November 09, 2023 · 8:00 AM PST

2023/11/09 · 08:00

MANHATTAN, NY - JANUARY 05: A Marcher hold signs that reads "Hate Will Not Replace Us" with a Rainbow Pride flag as they walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. This was part of the effort to support the No Hate No Fear Solidarity March which started in Foley Square in the Manhattan borough of New York and walked acrross the Brooklyn Bridge to raise awareness of no tolerance for violence or anti-Semitism against Jewish people. The March was held on January 01, 2020, USA. (Photo by Ira L. Black/Corbis via Getty Images)

Antisemitic hate crimes on American college campuses are nothing new. But things have gotten much worse since the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in which Hamas raped, murdered, and kidnapped civilians in Israel—overwhelmingly Jews, but those of other backgrounds as well. Israel’s military response—the stated purpose of which is to defeat Hamas—has resulted in a horrific and still rising death toll among Palestinian civilians. The death of any civilian, on any side in any conflict, is a tragedy.

This is not a story about the events in Israel and Palestine; however, the impact the conflict has had is multifaceted and undeniable. One impact has been a widespread ramp-up of antisemitic hate, including violent hate crimes, on college campuses that have left Jewish students and their families wondering where and when the next one will take place. Please be warned: This story includes threats of mass violence.

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