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Gordon Mantler

@gomantler

Historian, teacher, writer, activist, Baltimore native, and author of Power to the Poor and The Multiracial Promise. Also a fan of tennis, baseball, and cats. And now writing about memorials. Views are my own.

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15.02.2024
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Latest posts by Gordon Mantler @gomantler

I could not agree more with historian Ada Palmer about the future of higher ed in Chronicle of Higher Ed: "We can endure this, and be a guiding light through it, but only by recentering, by teaching citizens, not workers; power, not PowerPoint; aspiration, not apocalypse. Despair is how we lose."

05.03.2026 03:37 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Keep hearing commentators/Hegseth saying a version of "this is not Iraq, we are not doing nation-building, it's a decapitation, the people will handle it."

That's what Iraq 2003 was supposed to be! Nation-building, de-Baathification, disbanding of Iraqi army, it all came *after* things went wrong.

02.03.2026 14:50 ๐Ÿ‘ 383 ๐Ÿ” 84 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 10 ๐Ÿ“Œ 14
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Historiansโ€™ Amicus Brief inย Trump v. Barbara Two historians and professors of legal history represented by Kendall Brill & Kelly LLPย have filed a brief supporting a challenge to President Trumpโ€™s executive order purporting to end birthright citi...

Worth the read: historians in action. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

03.03.2026 03:08 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Putting my historian's hat on here. Jesse Jackson ran for president only after Harold Washington's mayoral victory in Chicago in 1983 demonstrated that a rainbow coalition message could be viable. Washington was a very important figure here, but he's not mentioned in most media reports today.

17.02.2026 14:36 ๐Ÿ‘ 4 ๐Ÿ” 1 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

As an attorney with occasional experience with the Equal Time rule, I can explain what's going on here and how the FCC's Brandon Carr is leveraging his position to force late night and daytime talk show hosts to exclude Democratic candidates.

First I need to explain the Equal Time rule itself. 1/

17.02.2026 13:37 ๐Ÿ‘ 2756 ๐Ÿ” 1121 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 62 ๐Ÿ“Œ 65
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Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Leader Who Sought the Presidency, Dies at 84

Rest in peace, Rev. Jackson. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/u...

17.02.2026 14:23 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Mischief Toy Store in St. Paul has until Wednesday to turn over employment records to the Department of Homeland Security as part of a surprise audit launched Friday, just hours after one of the shop's owners criticized ICE agents during a television interview. bit.ly/4r5AFol

21.01.2026 03:35 ๐Ÿ‘ 5374 ๐Ÿ” 2640 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 292 ๐Ÿ“Œ 441
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Opinion | How Trump Has Used the Presidency to Make at Least $1.4 Billion The president took an oath to serve the American people. Instead, heโ€™s focused his second term on enriching himself and his family.

Worth a read. Such a criminal. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

21.01.2026 04:20 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Trump Says Civil Rights Led to White People Being โ€˜Very Badly Treatedโ€™

Nope. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/11/u...

16.01.2026 20:04 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

So much wrong with this butโ€ฆthey sold his phone?!? Like, for profit?? Now ICE can just confiscate and pawn your property???

14.01.2026 00:02 ๐Ÿ‘ 2909 ๐Ÿ” 1084 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 152 ๐Ÿ“Œ 73
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โ€œWe Are Facing a Tsunami of Hateโ€: Amid ICE Crackdown, Unions and Community Groups Call for Minnesota Shutdown in 10 Days Following the ICE murder of Renee Good and an assault on the state by federal immigration forces, a labor-community coalition is calling for residents to refuse to work, shop or go to school on Januar...

Minneapolis unions and community orgs call for one day boycott of work, school, and shopping on January 23 to protest ICE assault, murder.

14.01.2026 00:16 ๐Ÿ‘ 5 ๐Ÿ” 3 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I really want ppl w/o Minneapolis connections to understand

You might've heard that Mpls public schools went hybrid bc so many families are in hiding. Well, a coworker just told me that today, during his kid's hybrid class, a kid's apt building was raided onscreen

*Everyone has stories like this*

13.01.2026 18:06 ๐Ÿ‘ 19763 ๐Ÿ” 8233 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 355 ๐Ÿ“Œ 357

While the Department of Defense (War) supposedly changed its name, it seems like the Department of Injustice and the Environmental Pollution Agency are more appropriate changes and should be next.

14.01.2026 00:28 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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UPenn faculty condemn Trump administrationโ€™s demand for โ€˜lists of Jewsโ€™ โ€” Guardian US Groups say EEOC demand for names and personal details echoes dark history and threatens safety and civil rights

I mean. I am not an expert. But when the government is like โ€œHey, give me a list of Jews. For uh protection reasonsโ€ it would seem like A BAD THING. apple.news/A-AXrNRgkRhm...

13.01.2026 23:28 ๐Ÿ‘ 623 ๐Ÿ” 237 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 11 ๐Ÿ“Œ 63
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A reminder that not so long ago we honored immigrants in the US, even by carving monuments like this one at Immigration Point, over the Golden Gate connecting the Pacific to SF Bay.
@hcrichardson.bsky.social @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social

13.01.2026 02:36 ๐Ÿ‘ 838 ๐Ÿ” 233 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 14 ๐Ÿ“Œ 6
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Opinion | Trump Is the Jan. 6 President

Remembering the crimes and treason of the dictator and his brown shirts five years after the attack on the Capitol. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/31/o...

06.01.2026 10:38 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Column | How to fix, remix or erase Americaโ€™s most offensive monuments At a time when toppled statues are being remounted, an art critic and an illustrator examine, edit and unpack three controversial memorials.

As someone who has taught and now writes about memorialization, I found this WaPo essay to be a fascinating exploration of how we could change the Emancipation Memorial in D.C. and two others in ways that are more historically accurate and inclusive. wapo.st/3Na5WaN

20.12.2025 15:43 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The White House says the Kennedy Center board vote was โ€œunanimousโ€โ€ฆ

BULLSHIT.

@repbeatty.bsky.social, a Congressional member of the board, was on the call. They muted her and didn't let her voice opposition.

This is beyond absurd, totally illegal, and a disgrace to the memory and legacy of JFK.

18.12.2025 21:13 ๐Ÿ‘ 6913 ๐Ÿ” 2753 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 231 ๐Ÿ“Œ 194
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Trump and His Loyalists Move to Name the Kennedy Center for Him

Utterly absurd and offensive. Note that the Kennedy Center was about to be built when the President was assassinated. It is in part a memorial to him, determined by Congress. This just cheapens what was once a great institution. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/u...

18.12.2025 21:07 ๐Ÿ‘ 0 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The little orange bars on the right are what Trump is calling โ€œthe greatest economy in history.โ€

16.12.2025 23:03 ๐Ÿ‘ 3441 ๐Ÿ” 1303 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 111 ๐Ÿ“Œ 50
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04.12.2025 17:11 ๐Ÿ‘ 1425 ๐Ÿ” 320 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 51 ๐Ÿ“Œ 16
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Cassidy continues to pay lip service to the public health catastrophe he created with his cowardice.

05.12.2025 16:54 ๐Ÿ‘ 5269 ๐Ÿ” 1479 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 331 ๐Ÿ“Œ 75
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Lindsey Halligan Still Cosplaying as U.S. Attorney Judges Noticed And Called It Out Federal judges in the Eastern District...

Federal judges in the Eastern District of Virginia have been calling out the Trump DOJ in court for continuing to list Lindsey Halligan as interim U.S. attorney in court filings, more than a week after she was ruled invalidly appointed to the position.

talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo...

05.12.2025 16:00 ๐Ÿ‘ 294 ๐Ÿ” 87 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 10 ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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Opinion | Guess Which Presidential Power Trump Likes the Most

Janelle Bouie's column in the dictator's abuse of the presidential pardon is worth a read. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/03/o...

04.12.2025 00:13 ๐Ÿ‘ 2 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Quite a headline, especially for a George Will column (who is far from a favorite of mine): "A sickening moral slum of an administration"

02.12.2025 23:53 ๐Ÿ‘ 1 ๐Ÿ” 0 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0 ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Gregory Bovino is exactly who E.B. White โ€” author of 'Charlotte's Web' โ€” warned us about DHS named its North Carolina anti-immigrant effort "Operation Charlotte's Web." In 1940, White wrote of the "smell" that "rises" from those who "adjust to fascism" over freedom.

NEW: Gregory Bovino is exactly who E.B. White โ€” author of 'Charlotte's Web' โ€” warned us about.

DHS named its North Carolina anti-immigrant effort "Operation Charlotte's Web." In 1940, White wrote of the "smell" that "rises" from those who "adjust to fascism" over freedom.

Tonight, at Law Dork:

17.11.2025 00:26 ๐Ÿ‘ 3635 ๐Ÿ” 1332 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 62 ๐Ÿ“Œ 75
MONACO IL SUPPLI
โ€ข MADElIยฎ
CHARLOTTE
FOOD AND DRINK
'They're not chasing criminals.' Manolo's
Bakery owner closes store to protect customers
Updated 5 hours ago
POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
Church members flee as federal agents arrive at east Charlotte place of worship
Updated 5 hours ago

MONACO IL SUPPLI โ€ข MADElIยฎ CHARLOTTE FOOD AND DRINK 'They're not chasing criminals.' Manolo's Bakery owner closes store to protect customers Updated 5 hours ago POLITICS & GOVERNMENT Church members flee as federal agents arrive at east Charlotte place of worship Updated 5 hours ago

LOCAL
Super G executive in Pineville describes agents dragging out teen store employee
Updated 5 hours ago
LOCAL
'Just walked up to them.' Border Patrol questions people at a Charlotte Walmart
Updated 6 hours ago
LOCAL
Federal Border Patrol sweep across
Charlotte sparks fear, closed shops and protests

LOCAL Super G executive in Pineville describes agents dragging out teen store employee Updated 5 hours ago LOCAL 'Just walked up to them.' Border Patrol questions people at a Charlotte Walmart Updated 6 hours ago LOCAL Federal Border Patrol sweep across Charlotte sparks fear, closed shops and protests

5 headlines tonight on Charlotte Observerโ€™s homepage:

โ€œManolo's Bakery closes to protect customersโ€

โ€œChurch members flee as federal agents arriveโ€

โ€œSuper G executive describes agents dragging out teen employeeโ€

โ€œBorder Patrol questions people at Walmartโ€

โ€œBorder Patrol sweep sparks fearโ€

16.11.2025 04:25 ๐Ÿ‘ 2898 ๐Ÿ” 1467 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 62 ๐Ÿ“Œ 100

Wilson was mocked for acknowledging that the cost of childcare is outrageous and her parents help her with that expense. But it turns out a majority of voters feel the same squeeze, liked her universal childcare plan, and voted accordingly.

13.11.2025 00:14 ๐Ÿ‘ 245 ๐Ÿ” 67 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 4 ๐Ÿ“Œ 2
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Federal jury awards $112M to immigrants detained by Suffolk for ICE A federal jury found the county and the Sheriff's Office violated the Constitutional rights of 674 people.

Wow, a Long Island jury awarded $112 Million to 674 immigrants who were unlawfully held by county police so they could be handed over to ICE

11.11.2025 20:58 ๐Ÿ‘ 6788 ๐Ÿ” 1816 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 108 ๐Ÿ“Œ 110
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Tell me you donโ€™t understand risk pools without telling me you donโ€™t understand risk pools

10.11.2025 15:02 ๐Ÿ‘ 13776 ๐Ÿ” 3056 ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1356 ๐Ÿ“Œ 629