Author: Melissa Byrnes

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Proposal to Militarize Immigration Policy

By Melissa Byrnes

In General

On February 17, 2017

There’s a draft DHS memo floating around today, which proposed using up to 100,000 National Guard troops across eleven states to round up undocumented immigrants. It’s still unclear where this proposal originated, in response to what (though it seems part of the lead-up to the travel ban), and how far its discussion went (Spicer hasn’t […]

General

Party Like It’s 1939

By Melissa Byrnes

On February 13, 2017

Attempts to connect our current situation with the 1930s are coming out pretty regularly (and more will follow). But when two leading historians of fascism speak up, it’s worth listening. Timoth

General

And the racist Oscar goes to…

By Melissa Byrnes

On February 4, 2017

File this one under: “of course”: Steve Bannon planned to make a three-part faux documentary about Muslim radicals taking over the US. The outline shows how Bannon — years before he be

Dutch resistance to Trump’s new gag rule

By Melissa Byrnes

In General

On January 26, 2017

Some props to the Netherlands. First, for this lovely message to our 45th POTUS. Second, and more significantly, for stepping up for women’s reproductive health. You probably heard that Trump reinstated–and expanded–the global gag rule, threatening the work (and funding) for health assistance to women worldwide. As well as this plays to his niche audience […]

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MLK en français

By Melissa Byrnes

On January 16, 2017

My to-do list today included tracking down eighteenth-century primary sources in French for some of my ambitious Francophone students. So, obviously, I decided to see what if anything French press had

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RIP Clare Hollingworth

By Melissa Byrnes

On January 11, 2017

I woke today to the news that we lost another great: Clare Hollingworth, war correspondent extraordinaire. Hollingworth is best known for her WWII scoop (see today’s many tributes)—but I’m also

2016 – Year of Complacency

By Melissa Byrnes

In General

On January 5, 2017

[Thanks so much to Erik for his kind intro and the rest of you for your welcome messages. For the record: anti-ketchup, all the way. Don’t get me started on mayonnaise.] This we know: 2016 was awful. But now that the year has turned, it’s time to start figuring out what exactly made it so […]