Dem
47
GOP
53
There is a surprising amount of content today about Texas... and Australia.
D.E. in Lancaster, PA, writes: As you probably already know, even Bret Michaels has said "No" to Trump's Great American State Fair, although he had to get in some typical MAGA "we've had death threats" comments as he withdrew. So that means the 9-day event will only have performances by Vanilla Ice and Flo Rida. I find it hilarious that this MAGA event is going to be represented by a Black rapper and a white man who tried to appropriate black rap, and who both rely on gimmicky stage names (I see an opening for Kid Rock here). I wonder just how many rural MAGA cult members are going to take out a third mortgage so they can gas up the SUV to travel to D.C. just to hear Flo Rida rap? I think Trump has found something that will be even more embarrassing than his pathetic slapped together military parade. So sad.
I'm old enough to remember the country's Bicentennial and the atmosphere couldn't be more starkly different. Bicentennial fever was everywhere. Emphasis on all levels was on the historical nature of this celebration. People were excited about the various events. I was 15 at the time and I remember the day vividly. I wore a red-and-white-striped polo shirt, which I wouldn't be caught dead in today—70's fashion styles were horrendous. During the day we had a typical Fourth of July picnic with hot dogs and watermelons and we watched the majestic tall ships enter New York waterways.
That night, we went to watch the fireworks at Mount Trashmore... well, maybe—I need to explain that one a bit. I lived in Virginia Beach and it is the flattest of the flat as far as geography goes. In the 70's, Virginia Beach was a rapidly growing city but was also nascently environmentally conscious. The city repurposed a landfill into a city park that consisted of a man-made lake and mountain of trash covered by layers of soil, Mount Trashmore. It was the highest place in all the city and it's the biggest city park in Virginia Beach. While it had its faults, it still was a central location for a city with no real downtown. Afterwards, we went home and watched a rerun of the New York City fireworks display on PBS—still, 50-some years later, that still was one of the most impressive fireworks events I've seen. Despite all that patriotic fervor, people forget that the time had a slew of problems and issues of its own. The memories of Watergate, Nixon's resignation and the Vietnam defeat were still very fresh in everyone's minds. The country was fresh off almost a decade of fierce protests, riots, assassinations and public conflagrations. Inflation was high and the country was in the midst of yet another decisive presidential election. There were a plethora of commentators that warned the country could not come together for this event.
Maybe this is just the rose-colored tint of memory, but the atmosphere was different. Perhaps it was because the First Landing Site is in Virginia Beach and the reconstructions of historical Williamsburg and Jamestown as well as the battlefields of Yorktown were all within an easy drive distance (shoot, in the adjacent city of Norfolk, there is St. Paul's Episcopal Church, which still has a Revolutionary War cannonball lodged within the church facade—that's how real history is that neck of the woods). That's not to mention being within day-trip distance from the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island, the vast majority of the major Civil War battlesites and Washington, DC, itself that helped give the bicentennial a historical perspective in my memories.
Here, for the equally historical 250th Anniversary of the founding of our nation, I still am surrounded by history. I live in Lancaster, PA, the nation's capital for one day during its fledgling years. Of course, Pennsylvania, just like Virginia, is awashed in historical sites, most notably sites related to the beginning of our nation the city of Philadelphia, the site of Valley Forge, and the site where Washington crossed the Delaware. Yet somehow there seems to me to be a decidedly lack of historical perspective and significance. Yes, I know events of some sort are planned for Philly and I know nearby Baltimore, MD, is planning another Tall Ships display, but that's been done before and probably better. Of course there's the prospect of watching Flo Rida perform for a small crowd of middle-aged white people in red hats who have shown up simple because their God-King has endorsed it. It's hard to rally around that.
Instead of a celebration, my sense of the general atmosphere is that people view this "birthday celebration" as just one more damned thing we have to survive and get through. Instead of historical accomplishment, we have tacky "Made in China" hoopla and Sideshow Bob displays. My gut-level response is to blame this entirely on Trump. Maybe if we had any other president we would have Bruce Springsteen, Eagles, Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift, Garth Brooks, Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar performing at the National Mall with a normal looking Reflecting Pool in the background. We would have celebrations to honor the Statue of Liberty and what it stood for, instead of becoming a prop to sell cheap plastic geegaws. You know if it was any other president, (Z) would be in the midst of a series of fascinating historical stories from American history instead of our daily dose of outrage, grift and incompetency. But maybe that's partially the fault of the American people, that we've just given up. Maybe we've become too big and have shattered into a million different pieces in the past 50 years. Maybe it's all become just too overwhelming for us to muster up the energy to know whether to celebrate or not; to care or just lapse into apathy. I don't know, but I don't think the Founding Fathers would be particularly proud of what we've become and that makes me feel complicated.
Or maybe I've just morphed into one of those crusty old commentators in the early part of 1976. Maybe, like for the Bicentennial, we'll all surprisingly come together at the last moment and feel a renewed sense of purpose. To paraphrase The Shawshank Redemption, "I hope that American will be as free as it has been in our dreams."
P.S.: Well, this one took on some unexpected turns. I started out just intending to write a short, snarky piece, but it turned into a very dark place. So dark, in fact, I went back and added bits and that last paragraph to lighten it up a bit. Still not what I planned to write.
S.N. in Charlotte, NC, writes: I was glad to see most of the artists on the roster had dropped out, but it made me think: Remember how many awesome events the Obamas hosted while they were in the White House, and how amazing America 250 COULD have been if they'd been around for this? It SHOULD be a "Who's Who" but instead it's a "HELLLL NAHHHHHhhhh..." Sigh...
M.B. in New Orleans, LA, writes: You questioned how some of the acts joined without knowing it was a MAGA event. As someone who has worked in the music industry, I can say that it is entirely plausible that the booking was made by the performers' agents/management teams, and the artists themselves were not aware of all of the details when they accepted. Think something along the lines of, "Are you available on this day for a performance in D.C.? It pays $XXX." Then, they are presented a contract with a bunch of fine print that nobody reads. I can definitely extend the benefit of the doubt to the musicians themselves, but ethical agents, managers, and promoters are rare.
R.S. in Milan, OH, writes: Among things that make me go hmmm... I feel like it may have been even more schadenfreude if Milli Vanilli and C + C Music Factory had stayed on the bill for the Great American State Fair. In each case, one-half of the featured duo (Rob Pilatus of Milli Vanilli and David Cole for C + C Music Factory) has passed away, and the idea that these acts remain is, to put it mildly, questionable. Meanwhile, in what is quite fitting for the current presidential administration, each is a case of uncredited misuse of folks' work (Rob and Fab not doing the vocals for Milli Vanilli, and Martha Wash being originally uncredited for C + C Music Factory).
F.L. in Federal Way, WA, writes: Your bit on the Great American State Fair raised my curiosity, so I went to the linked press release.
To start, I was stunned at how many performing units there are in the military—I counted 19. I also pity any non-MAGA performers who will be under orders from The Convicted Felon (TCF) to showcase their talents.
What I found truly interesting was this line: "Want to show off your talent? Apply here to be considered to showcase your talent at the Great American State Fair."
In examining the application, artists are to provide their own lodging, food, and transportation. True to form for TCF.
Yet... I can just imagine some unknown liberal band trying to make their name by pretending to be MAGA on the application and getting the gig. Once on stage, they would then play songs like "Fortunate Son" (CCR), "Streets of Minneapolis" (Bruce Springsteen) and, as a finale, "Old Man Trump" (Woody Guthrie), which is about TCF's old man, Fred Trump. A prescient man, Mr Guthrie.
N.Z. in Cambridge, England, UK, writes: With regards to the suggestion that Washington, DC, should have first say in the presidential primaries, I would argue that Democrats Abroad could provide a better start to the presidential campaign. Their caucuses were previously held in March.
Democrats Abroad members are from every state and U.S. territory. A campaign for their vote means the message will be relayed to every corner of the USA through friends and family. Neither Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina nor DC have this advantage.
Moreover, as modern campaigning is now on-line, a presidential candidate by reaching out from the start to Democrats around the globe will have the opportunity to develop an effective electronic message that can appeal to all Americans. Not just the farmers of a certain state...
Finally, foreign policy is the president's prerogative. A global campaign will allow the different candidates to explain their vision for the USA in the global context. How should we interact with allies? How should we deal with our foes? Which global problems should we, or can we focus on? How can we make the U.S. great again?
As U.S. citizens living (and some of us fighting) overseas, we have directly experienced what Trump has done to our country's reputation and strength. Do not forget that the deep funding cuts and disbanding of USAID could lead to as many as 14 million preventable deaths by 2030, including 4.5 million children under the age of 5 (according to The Lancet medical journal).
L.S.-H. in Naarden, The Netherlands, writes: I think you two and O'Neill are squarely ON your rockers! What a brilliant idea to get around the "NH first primary" law—and I say that as a born-and-bred New Hampshirite.
Actually, when you read the New Hampshire law that states their primary must be held "7 days or more immediately preceding the date on which any other state shall hold a similar election" (my emphasis), it's amazing that NH has let Iowa get away with their first caucus all these years. A caucus sure sounds like "a similar election" to me. But the fact that D.C. is not a state lets them have anything they want: primary or caucus. And if the Republicans don't like it—well, they'll just have to make D.C. a state and send it to the back of the line. "That'll show them Dems!" The only question is: Why didn't Joe Biden think of this earlier?
C.S. in Newport, Wales, UK, writes: I do feel it is a silly idea. And that is because the vibe is that D.C. is full of politicos, and that would be enough to potentially successfully hammer the Democrats on this point.
I fully accept that, in reality, half of D.C. is poor and middle-class Black people who have little to no connection to the government, but that wouldn't stop the right-wing propaganda machine. In fact, reducing the voice of these Americans would be seen as a bonus—I can hear the dog-whistle already.
Now, you could argue that this makes it even more important to put D.C. first, to make a statement. But I cannot see the Democratic Party wanting to die on this particular hill. I think there are other, and in my view better, options, such as like putting South Carolina first and strongly supporting D.C. statehood.
V.W. in London, England, UK, writes: You wrote: "Forgive us for generalizing, but there is much in Australian culture that mirrors what you would find in Texas. A lot of Aussies love their beef and their cowboy hats and their pickup trucks (which they call 'utes'). These similarities are probably explained by similarities in landscape, and similarities in historical circumstances (i.e., far-flung settlement, largely left to its own devices)."
You are not entirely wrong, particularly if you're talking about outback Queensland or Western Australia, or Western New South Wales, where one can famously find cattle stations the size of Belgium. But your self-criticism of generalization is well made (and as you requested, in the name of the kangaroo and the emu and the Democracy Sausage, I absolve you of that sin).
Australia is approximately the same size as the continental United States (its smallest mainland state, my home state of Victoria, is slightly larger than the island of Great Britain and about the same size as Minnesota or Oregon), and it comes with geographic and cultural diversity to match.
For Sydney or Melbourne, you are more in the territory of U2's description of New York: "Irish, Italians, Jews and Hispanics, religious nuts and political fanatics," with the possible omission of Hispanics and addition of Greeks, Turks, Lebanese, Vietnamese, gays, vegans, emos, hippies and the same melange of humanity you'd find in any other big city anywhere else in the Anglosphere, with ne'er a cowboy hat in sight.
Oh, and utes do not use gas. Most of them use diesel, and most of the remainder use petrol. In Australia, gas is the stuff you burn to produce the blue flame that heats your dinner up on the stove.
P.S.: Petrol in Australia is actually cheap by world standards; it only looks expensive because North Americans don't know they're alive when it comes to fuel prices. Here, it's £1.60/ltr. at the moment, which works out to about $3/ltr. in AUD and $8/gallon in USD.
C.B. in Melbourne, VIC, Australia, writes: WRONG! Australia is NOTHING like Texas!
For a start, we have a left wing government! The Australian Labor Party (ALP). The state governments are mostly run by the ALP! And as for the hats, whe did you get your information from? Is it possible you are baiting us to see how many readers you have in Australia?
K.M. in St. Louis, MO, writes: There's an excellent episode of the Rest is History podcast on British beef culture, why it's similar to Texas beef culture, and why the hosts believe Australia's is slightly different (they attribute the Australian BBQ culture to the outdoor focus/lifestyle rather than the masculinity/economic flex in Britain & Texas).
P.C. in Yandina Creek, QLD, Australia, writes: Thanks for the Seekers reference ("There's a new world somewhere, they call the promised land").
For my U.S. friends who may not know this groundbreaking early 1960's Australian band, they were early pioneers for Australian artists that outgrew the local market.
At the height of their influence, singer Judith Durham left because she wanted to go solo to perform gospel and jazz. She had the voice of an angel.
The Seekers and Durham hold special places in the hearts of many, but were especially revered in the land of Oz...
G.T. in Budapest, Hungary, writes: In your item "NATO vs. E.U.?," you wrote: "to seize a piece of E.U. land (Greenland, which is part of Denmark)..." Just for the record: Greenland is a constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark but NOT a part of E.U. It's complicated. Citizens of Greenland are citizens of Denmark, thus also citizens of the European Union. The member of the E.U. is Denmark, which should not be confused with the Kingdom of Denmark, and is also a constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark. By the way, the third and last constituent is the Faroe Islands, which is also not part of the E.U.
B.W. in Los Angeles, CA, writes: I enjoyed the very-informative item "Is Britain about to cashier another PM?"
I've been a frequent visitor to the U.K. over the last decade (I was on a 6-week stay in London when the Brexit vote happened), and feel I've observed a loose-but-meaningful correlation between "ground-level" political sentiment in Britain and our own landscape. I'd humbly submit: If either of the two is the leading indicator, it's the U.K.
My only conclusion, to quote James Carville's old saw: "It's the economy, stupid"—except perhaps it would be more precise to say "It's wealth inequality, stupid."
The description of PM Keir Starmer as "a particularly insipid middle manager terrified of causing offense" mirrors, in my view, how our own Democratic Party's candidates are usually perceived by the true working class.
The manner in which Labour seems to be bleeding working-class support to populist movements on both the left and right also seems prescient, if not familiar.
Someone who frequents "under 40" online spaces might recognize the early stages of that here. Particularly within the last year, a few more young adults seem to be describing themselves as "leftists" rather than progressives. They often make a sharp and very intentional distinction between their own views and those of "corporate Democrats" and "liberals"—of whom they speak in terms just as disdainful as those used by the right (if not more so).
B.C. in Phoenix, AZ, writes: Dang it! Your item about the shifting fortunes of the British PM is so long, deep and information-laden that I'm not gonna be able to digest it in one sitting. I'm gonna haveta go over it several times over the next few days; maybe even break out a pen and paper to take some NOTES!
Christ on a cracker! You'd think yer site was run by a couple of TEACHERS!
B.W. in Los Angeles, CA, writes: You wrote: "We probably won't have another week where we write an item every single day about the Texas Senate race."
But I would welcome it! This sort of election analysis is why I am a daily reader of the site and, as you mentioned, this is the most important (and interesting) race right now.
C.F. in New York City, NY, writes: I agree with you that state Rep. James Talarico (D) shows political talent. I also understand that in Texas, it would likely be a non-starter for him to advocate for trans rights or defend the choice to eat vegan.
I truly hope he wins his Senate bid. That said, I cringed at his responses to MAGA attempts to throw him in the soup with trans advocates and vegans. Popular wisdom may suggest Talarico must appeal to transphobes and meat lovers if he is to prevail, but it grieves me when office-seeking Democrats believe they have to find common ground with dehumanizing views in order to be electable. In this case, it gives credence to the idea that trans people or vegans are actually any kind of a threat to anyone else's life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. They demonstrably are not, in the very same sense that someone of a different racial or religious background is not.
Signaling racial, religious, gender, or diet affiliation in an election may be an effective way to garner the bigot vote, but it also signals a willingness to compromise with bigotry. That is arguably why it's the bigots who are currently steering the ship.
I feel that were New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) confronted with previous statements about God being nonbinary or pointing out how modern science acknowledges six biological sexes, he would not walk it back, claiming that he "missed the mark." He would, perhaps, point out that we have separation of church and state here in the U.S.m so everyone is welcome to characterize God in accordance with their beliefs, and also, science is a thing. And he would say that everyone should eat in accordance with their own preferences, and it's extraordinarily silly to politicize what someone else likes to eat.
But Mamdani was elected here in New York City. It would admittedly take a great deal of talent for Talarico to confidently say such things to his fellow Texans in a way that would have them all nodding in unison. So I understand why he responded as he did.
I just feel that at some point, we truly must stop this complicity with dehumanizing and punching down on marginalized groups—trans people, poor people, homeless people, disabled people, undocumented residents, queer people, non-white people—in the name of electability.
I would like to live in a democracy that supports the rights of all our citizens in where life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is concerned. That will not result from pandering to bigots.
R.T. in Arlington, TX, writes: I concur that the best explanation of the difference in margin in the Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)-AG Ken Paxton (R) race was a loss of faith from the normie-Republican voters. That is scary, in that it means that this contingent gave up hope of getting a senator that Trump didn't approve of. But there was another lurking factor at work. If this had been a typical Texas Senate race, with no competition in the Democratic primary, there would have been a lot of centrist voters that pulled a Republican ballot and voted for Cornyn in the first round. These voters would have been eligible to vote for him in the second round, too. Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) may have sealed John Cornyn's fate with her candidacy, but in retrospect, this could be masterful 3-D chess by getting the most disgusting Republican candidate into the general election and providing a foil for Talarico to establish himself as a centrist-Democratic candidate before he could be labeled by the other side.
W.D. in Fort Worth, TX, writes: It is very unlikely the polls were wrong in Texas. Prior to Donald Trump's last minute endorsement, Paxton was almost certainly going to win this one by 10-15 points. But then Trump endorsed 5 days before the election and there was no polling to capture the impact of that, except, of course, for the ultimate poll that took place on Tuesday. But to be clear, Trump did not give this race to Paxton. Paxton was going to win anyway, and when that became pretty obvious, Trump got on board last-minute to get a win. And yes, that endorsement made a difference with the Republican primary electorate. A big chunk of that group remains completely hypnotized and will do whatever Trump says.
B.S. in Chelsea, MI, writes: I would have you thought another reason to guess Talarico will win is that he got more votes than Paxton or Cornyn did in the first or second primary. In fact, Jasmine Crockett also got more votes than Paxton in both his primaries.
C.C. in Dallas, TX, writes: As a 6-decade native, before you write off Ken Paxton in the general, don't underestimate the number of a**holes and ideologues in this state.
L.V.A. in Idaho Falls, ID, writes: My prediction for the Texas U.S. Senate race: Talarico will NOT win. I lived in Texas for 10 years, and my impression of Texas national politics is not really Republicans versus Democrats but Texans versus non-Texans. Paxton, at some point, will put it in terms of Texans versus non-Texans, and it will be over. Most of the undecideds and many of the Talarico voters will migrate to Paxton. It won't be very close, either. This same logic applies to the repeated fallacy that the Democrats will somehow "turn" Texas. When I lived in Texas it was hard to go more than a few minutes without hearing (TV, Radio) or seeing (road sign, bumper sticker, TV, everywhere else) the prominently displayed slogan "Don't mess with Texas."
R.T. in Arlington, TX, writes: I had a chuckle over the "Christian wing of Christianity" phrase in the pre-election write-up of the Texas Senate race. As a practicing Christian walking among Texans who also attend church, I recently was thinking about how I would identify if challenged to reconcile my political and religious beliefs. I had settled on "I am a God-loves-people Christian, rather than a God-loves-America Christian."
D.N. in Silver Spring, MD, writes: In "The Redistricting Games Continue...," you wrote the following about Maryland: "There is still theoretically time for a special session, and time for new maps, though Maryland would almost certainly have to do as Alabama has done, and reschedule its primary (June 23) for later in the summer."
Won't happen. Mail-in voting for the primary has already started, and I can't imagine the Maryland legislature wanting to disrupt it like Alabama did. Furthermore, such a redistricting effort wouldn't succeed unless the Maryland state constitution is amended. If the Maryland legislature calls a special session, it will be to put such an amendment on the November 2026 ballet.
J.W. in Victoria, BC, Canada (after many years in Boston and Newton, MA), writes: I've been reading your site nearly daily for 22 years, and you finally covered my favorite (and least favorite) topic, the Boston Red Sox! (Z)'s description of their history and current situation is very good, but it is worth mentioning that the Sox have won four titles under John Henry: 2004, 2007, 2013, and 2018. 2004 was the big one, ending a futile streak that I firmly believed would outlast me. I watched most of that last game in 2004 at Cornwall's, a pub about a half-mile from Fenway Park. I left the bar in the 7th inning to avoid the real possibility that students would set my car on fire in the post-game celebration, and watched the final outs at home.
Like many populists, would be U.S. Senator from Maine Graham Platner (D) gets the emotional tone right but the facts wrong. Henry is absurdly rich, but he's not exactly a private equity guy in the way Mitt Romney is. As I understand it, Henry made his mountain of cash by managing money for those who wanted to invest in agricultural futures, rather than by purchasing companies and extracting the value for himself and his pals.
Local fans generally hate Henry, despite the aforementioned four World Series titles. He is trying to replicate the Tampa Bay model, but with a much higher payroll ($267M; 6th highest in MLB and third in the AL East). This approach makes sense to me, but his GMs keep making bad choices, and their PR is tone-deaf and insulting. (They famously described the Mookie Betts trade as a "baseball move" instead of poorly justified cost-cutting.)
Platner seems to be arguing that the Sox are terrible because they are owned by a billionaire. Most fans know that having a billionaire owner is a necessary evil, but those owners need to make better decisions and refrain from gaslighting Red Sox Nation. And they need to spend to retain first-ballot Hall-of-Famers.
J.R. in College Station, TX, writes: Note that Adam Hamilton, the founding pastor of the largest Methodist congregation in the U.S., is running for the Senate in Kansas as a Democrat. I don't know if he will be able to rise above the pack of other Democrats who are running, or if he has James Talarico potential if he does. What I find interesting is that there seems to be a growing willingness of mainline Christians, who are disgusted with MAGA/Christian Nationalism, to push back, publicly and politically.
E.F. in Baltimore, MD, writes: NY-17 Jews are not nearly so monolithic as you might assume. The biggest group there is the Satmar Hasidim, who reject Zionism. So, Donald Trump's unwavering support for Israel isn't that big an issue.
SALT tax deductability is not that big an issue either, when you have lots of little tax deductions running around the house. Private school tuitions are their big issue. What they really want (and usually get) is government aid for their schools, which also provides paychecks for their people who could never find a job anywhere else. Many others commute into NYC to work there. It's a long but doable commute, at least by NYC standards. Peek into any of those kosher supermarkets, and you'll see people buying multiple shopping carts full of food, which somehow all gets paid for. There may not be a lot of disposable income, but I'd hardly call them poor.
What characterizes their voting is its transactional style. Very much "What's in it for my people?" High-minded principles don't enter into it. And they recognize a kindred spirit in Trump. Not that they were ever going to vote Democratic, but rest assured, they'll find a way to be rewarded for their votes. Still won't be enough to save Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), not this year.
K.H. in Albuquerque, NM, writes: Heather Cox Richardson has launched a series of mini-videos celebrating our 250th anniversary as a nation. Today she has summarized first week's installments. It includes one narrated by Dr. Jelani Cobb on the topic of John Peter Zenger, who, as dedicated readers will recognize is the Zenger who gives (Z) his appellation:
At only 56 seconds, it's a fun soundbite, but once you watch one, you'll be easily suckered in to the others.
C.J. in Redondo Beach, CA, writes: I recall reading a few years ago that two doctors from Maryland fairly convincingly argued that William Henry Harrison died of typhoid fever from the White House water supply (in that era, untreated human waste was routinely dumped near a public water supply six blocks away). This hypothesis was made reading Harrison's doctor's notes at the time (also, pneumonia was often used as cause of death at the time when the doctor themself couldn't figure out any other cause).
Not only that, but they also suggested that it might have also been the cause of Zachary Taylor's death. And it's already assumed it caused Willie Lincoln's death.
If you want a president who didn't seem well, you easily could add James K. Polk, who was always something of a sickly man and died almost immediately after leading the Executive Mansion.
J.L. in Milwaukee, WI, writes: Don't forget Chester A. Arthur also had a bad case of Chester A. Arthritis.
B.H. in Wyandotte, MI, writes: You wrote: "South Carolina did not call for some sort of national secession or travel around proselytizing on behalf of secession."
But immediately after secession they did send out 15,000 copies of a document titled "the address of the people of South Carolina, assembled in convention, to the people of the slaveholding states of the United States" to other slaveholding states. In part it stated, "we ask you to join us in forming a Confederacy of slaveholding states." This pamphlet was sent, along with "secession commissioners" to the other states. And some historians consider it instrumental in convincing other states to secede.
M.M. in New Bedford, MA, writes: Regarding South Carolina proselyting, I'd recommend Apostles of Disunion by Charles Dew.
It was the author's thesis, turned into a book about South Carolina commissioners sent to promote secession to the Upper South.
Admittedly, it was after the Deep South has already broken with the Union, but it does describe South Carolina's attempts to influence the states in the northern part of the South to secede.
M.S. in Hamden, CT, writes: I suspect your statement that it's hard to limit oneself to just ten Westerns will be proven correct via your inbox. Since you already included foreign films (i.e., spaghetti Westerns), I'll throw in The Seven Samurai. Or, if you prefer "our" version, I'll go with The Magnificent Seven, for the style, Elmer Bernstein's "magnificent" ear worm of a theme, and the sight of Yul Brynner on a horse.
M.E. in Albuquerque, NM, writes: I understand why Rio Bravo made your list, but it always felt like a "first draft" to me, while its remake El Dorado was the finished work. Although, I will concede, Dean Martin's performance probably inspired the guest appearance of his Rat Pack partner, Sammy Davis Jr., as a gunslinger in The Rifleman. Something for which a 60's kid like me will always be grateful!
However, my real disagreement with your list is the absence of the Magnificent Seven. Charles Bronson's lesson to the village boys about the true meaning of courage may be the pinnacle expression of the "western ideal" of the genre.
P.J.T. in Raton, NM, writes: Reducing a genre to ten films is, of course, a daunting task. Even so, I was disappointed that five, in particular, did not make your list. You've already mentioned Django Unchained, and I'm glad you at least thought of it. Dead Man, the Jim Jarmusch film starring Johnny Depp, was likely too obscure to warrant consideration, but is a great film, nonetheless. Two films I really wanted to see acknowledged were Jeremiah Johnson and Alejandro González Iñárritu's splendid The Revenant. But, other than The Revenant, the omission that truly surprised me was The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, a film so close to perfection it achieves an uncommon luminosity as a work of art. Thanks, though, for including No Country for Old Men. And while the intricate All the Pretty Horses also did not make your list, we do have another Cormac McCarthy novel-cum-film to look forward to, the shockingly brutal (Iliad-level brutal), but beautiful, Blood Meridian, which may be released later this year or, more likely, in '27.
A.G. in Scranton, PA, writes: I gotta say, despite it lacking mass appeal—check that, perhaps partially because of its lack of mass appeal—not seeing The Ox-Bow Incident on that list surprised me.
Its message about mass hysterias and people getting swept up by their passions, desires for revenge, and in doing something quick and something that feels good to make their county safe again from strangers whose status as outsiders and unfamiliar made them more likely suspects for violence might be more important to convey now than they ever were.
It's a shame that more people aren't like the leader of the lynch mob, possessing either the character or cowardice to commit suicide when they realize they have caused innocent people to suffer and die.
Without a hint of humor, I believe a lot of Donald Trump's supporters who are just going to fade back into the general population (as we already see them doing) and pretend like they weren't the loudest one when people were screaming for the blood of immigrants shouldn't be allowed to do that.
Yeah, The Ox-Bow Incident is still very relevant. If a different western could sum up MAGA any better, I don't know what it would be.
C.Z. in Sacramento, CA, writes: I would replace High Noon with The Hanging Tree, which I think was Gary Cooper's best movie, and the first movie for George C. Scott, who, along with the other main actors, gave a stellar performance. As you wrote about The Searchers, The Hanging Tree is "chock-full of small details that give the tale nuance and depth," and in this movie, the details are particularly relevant to the current political situation. In the movie, the lust for gold destroys an entire town, just as tRump and company are destroying this country to line their own pockets, while covering every surface of once-revered public buildings with fake gold. In the movie, an insane and drunken religious zealot (Scott) tries to convince the town that his "laying of hands" is a better cure than the science-based methods of what he calls the "butcher doctor" (Cooper), just as RFK Jr. and his anti-vaxx cult are trying to destroy our science-based medical establishments. Women are treated as mere objects in the movie, just as tRump and his cult treat women today. However, the movie's main female character (Maria Schell), through her determination and intelligence, saves the day. I can only hope that this country finds such a savior before it's too late.
J.D. in Rohnert Park, CA, writes: As a former film professor and scholar, I commend your list of Westerns. Personally, although I love Blazing Saddles, I probably would stick to "serious" westerns for my own list. I also love Tombstone, but I think Gunfight at the OK Corral was superior, especially Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday. I even prefer My Darling Clementine.
IMHO, your biggest miss was not including McCabe and Mrs. Miller. It's right up there as a revisionist Western, as a dark High Noon.
I'd also include Dances with Wolves on my list, but I'm prejudiced because I actually worked on that film as a sound editor.
R.L.D. in Sundance, WY, writes: I disagree that Dances With Wolves is a "white savior" film. I get where that interpretation comes from, but other than providing some weapons in a tight situation against another band of indigenous people, Dunbar doesn't save anyone. He's the one that gets saved. In the end, Kicking Bird and his band realize that it's only a matter of time until they are overwhelmed by the United States. Indeed, the movie is set about a decade prior to the Custer Expedition into the Black Hills, where they winter at the end of the movie and bring it all crashing down with the subsequent Black Hills Gold Rush. There's nothing Dunbar can do about that. He introduces them to coffee, but he's the one who assimilates into their culture. You know, come to think of it, maybe I don't get where that interpretation comes from.
But if you like neo-westerns and the acting of Val Kilmer, check out 1992's Thunderheart.
B.C. in Walpole, ME, writes: That's cousin Richard with the Searchers comic book. An early release of B.C. in Walpole is reading Roy Rogers:
D.W. in San Jose, CA, writes: In response to a question about the best national anthem, you wrote: "Sorry to be obvious, but "La Marseillaise." Maybe I've seen Casablanca too many times."
No, you have not seen Casablanca too many times. I don't believe that to be possible!
(And yeah—that scene invariably gets me emotional. Surely one of the finest performances of a national anthem in any film!)
R.A.G. in Seattle, WA, writes: I seem to always have a lot of dust in the air that bothers my eyes when I see Victor Lazlo get the nod from Rick to "play the Marseillaise." But wow... those lyrics. The French have a way of making their intent known in song, no? To those unfamiliar, compare the exact wording in French to any translation and you can see just how powerful it really is. Magnifique!
Don't overlook "The Maple Leaf Forever," the de facto Canadian National Anthem before 1980.
I am still waiting for an artist to be asked to sing "The Star Spangled Banner," at an event... and then choose to perform the rather controversial third verse/stanza. Those lyrics are, of course, a history lesson I'd like to have (Z) comment on some Saturday. And just what kind of reaction it might cause if done at a high profile event (say... America 250?)
F.D.C. in Bronx, NY, writes: My pick would have been the anthem of East Germany: "Auferstanden aus Ruinen."
T.B. in Leon County, FL, writes: "I am Australian," although not "official," is pretty convincing as a national anthem.
J.W. in Los Angeles, CA, writes: I'm sure you'll be hearing from readers with many additions to your list of rock bands with a Black member, such as Steely Dan, Peter Gabriel, The Dave Matthews Band, Ozomatli, Hootie and Blowfish, Ben Harper, Black Pumas and many others. And it is important to point out that rock bands have always relied on Black backup singers, specifically a long list of extraordinarily talented Black women. Please see 20 Feet from Stardom, the Oscar-winning documentary about female backup singers.
S.M. in Morganton, GA, writes: As I read the question from S.N. in Sparks, NV, I asked myself, are they gonna talk about Fishbone? And you mentioned them! Thank you!
For the readers if you don't know Fishbone, they are a multi-genre, Black-led, amazing rock band. I saw them once at a festival in the 1990s and they are still the best live act I have ever seen!
J.M.P. in Asheville, NC, writes: Regarding the video of the Charlie Chaplain roller skating stunt that D.J.M in Salmon Arm sent in (and the fact that Z labeled Chaplain as a "genius" earlier in the posting), I'm sure some readers would be amazed at just how genius Chaplain's choreography of this stunt was:
D.J.M. in Salmon Arm, BC, Canada, writes: You wrote: "(Z) asks students to imagine a hypothetical Canadian-American War, in which Canada conquers the United States. He then poses this question: 'If Canada really beat the U.S. badly, and wanted everyone to know it, in what building and room would they force Donald Trump to formally surrender?'"
Hypothetical? Keep your eyes open! And, when we force Trump to surrender it will be in a Tim Hortons. His hands tied behind his back with a box of donuts on the table.
(V) & (Z) respond: Oh, we know all about the plan.
R.N. in Miami, FL, writes: Emily Dickinson's last: "I must go in, the fog is rising."
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