Category Archives: Nativism

‘The Troubles’ in N. Ireland pale in comparison to ours


I was reading about the possible renewal of “the Troubles” that wracked the north of Ireland in the last three decades of the 20th century: The instability has been accelerated by the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. From … Continue reading

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South Dakota lawmaker channels ‘founding fathers’


“Check this out,” Swamp Rabbit said. It was the sort of message you might see from a grumpy old white guy at a run-down barroom in, let’s say, South Dakota: “Wait a minute,“ I said. “This guy is really a … Continue reading

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Would you like more curfew with your lockdown?


NBCPHILADELPHIA I was jawing with Swamp Rabbit when my phone started making those strange emergency alert noises. “Only essential personnel allowed outside,” the text read. WTF? We figured a tornado was coming, or maybe a nuclear attack. In fact, the … Continue reading

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At times, history rhymes


“When and if fascism comes to America it will not be labeled ‘made in Germany’; it will not be marked with a swastika; it will not even be called fascism; it will be called, of course, ‘Americanism.’” Halford E. Luccock, … Continue reading

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A wall can’t keep the future out


“So you’re telling me part of the multibillion-dollar wall Trump is having built on the Mexican border can be breached with a hundred-dollar saw? You’re not making this up?” Swamp Rabbit wasn’t making it up. He was reading from a … Continue reading

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Oh, Baltimore!


I was trying to convince Swamp Rabbit that there was nothing new about Donald Trump’s style of racism, that Randy Newman sang about it long before Trump became president. I told him that Republican Richard Nixon, running for president in … Continue reading

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Al Green’s impeachment song is a flop


I was in the little shack behind my main shack, rooting around for a rusty old window fan. Swamp Rabbit was in the main shack, watching the rerun of a cable news story from last night. “It’s Al Green, check … Continue reading

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Even Nielsen wasn’t creepy enough for the chief


Swamp Rabbit and I pored over Rick Wilson’s 2018 book Everything Trump Touches Dies and wondered about the accuracy of the title. “Interesting thesis,” I said. “The author is assuming Trump’s flunkies aren’t dead to begin with.” Swamp Rabbit quibbled. … Continue reading

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Trump’s snake oil still potent


Yesterday I showed Swamp Rabbit a line from a pre-election news story: Two years of political volatility will culminate Tuesday, when voters for the first time since the stunning 2016 election render a nationwide judgment on whether Trumpism is a … Continue reading

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‘Disinvited’ Eagles weren’t going anyway


Swamp Rabbit was getting on my case for not being a football fan. I’m a fan of the players,” I said. “It’s the NFL I hate — the overpaid commissioner and the spoiled rotten billionaires who own the teams. I … Continue reading

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