https://www.rawstory.com/trump-historian-alarming-1800s/
'Current events largely resemble what happened in the early 1800s, but there is
a way to fight back, a historian said Saturday.
Nicole Lee Schroeder, PhD, an Assistant Prof at Kean University, took to social
media this weekend to explain some parallels between the 2000s and the 1820s.
"It is a really jarring moment to be a historian. To know what might be coming
is alarming," Schroeder wrote Saturday. "To realize that no one around you sees
it or acknowledges it is a weird place to be in. It's like time traveling
without time traveling."
Schroeder continued, "I study the 19th century and the 2020s look a lot like
1820s. Frequent epidemics? Check. Inflation? Check. Xenophobia and deportation
schemes? Check. Women's rights losses? Check. Rampant backlash against women's
economic freedoms and jobs outside the home? Check."
Schroeder went on to list even more similarities between the two time periods.
"Growth of carceral facilities? Check. Legislation to forcibly institutionalize
disabled people? Check. Targeted attacks on Indigenous peoples? Check,"
Schroeder wrote. "Extreme religious fervor? Check. Efforts to shape public
school curriculum with religious rhetoric? Check. Tariffs? Check."
Schroeder went on to say that, while "the antebellum era was a time of
progress," it "was also a time fueled by hate."
"Slavery fueled the economy, and antislavery efforts were not very radical on
the whole. Hatred against immigrants was widespread and poverty was extensive,"
Schroeder added. "Everything we are seeing right now happened in the early
1800s. And these choices were fueled by white supremacy, misogyny, and
xenophobia. I really wish more people understood that we've been here and done
this. Life only got better for those who actively oppressed others."
Schroeder also gave a ray of hope by encouraging people to learn from the
history.
"It's time to learn from that history if you haven't already. We cannot go back
to that. For anyone despairing, it's also time to learn from the radical
activists who shaped resistance. 19th century activists didn't lose hope, we
cannot lose hope either," Schroeder said. "Abolitionists, women's rights
organizers, workers rights unions, disability rights orgs, and pro-immigration
orgs did the work under far worse circumstances with very little global
solidarity. We have better tools, connections, and resources."
If you're "in despair," Schroeder said, "pick up a history book."
"Before every win for human rights came a fight for it. We are now a part of
that fight. We are not alone. We have all of these histories to guide us," the
assistant professor added.'
Via Muse.
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
