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From The New York Times–bestselling and Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Hemingses of Monticello, a groundbreaking collection of Thomas Jefferson's writings on race that every American should read Among America's Founding Fathers, none was more deeply, personally, or controversially entangled with race and slavery than Thomas Jefferson. The man whose Declaration of Independence proclaimed that “all men are created equal” enslaved more than 600 people of African descent even as he acknowledged the injustice of slavery, saw himself as its opponent, and condemned it in his writings. How is this possible? In Jefferson on Race: A Reader (Princeton University Press, 2026), Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed gathers Jefferson's most revealing writings about African Americans, slavery, and Native Americans, enabling readers as never before to directly explore his complex and contradictory thoughts, feelings, and decisions on these subjects—the most hotly debated aspect of his legacy. These selections come from Jefferson's public and private writings, letters, and plantation records, as well as accounts by contemporaries, including his son Madison Hemings and three other people formerly enslaved at Monticello. The book documents Jefferson's ideas about—and self-image in relation to—African Americans, slavery, and Native Americans, as well as his conduct, including interactions with individual Black and Native people. The writings show how Jefferson responded to living in a multiracial slave society while professing progressive ideals, and how his views on race and slavery were shaped by his experiences with enslaved Black people. Jefferson on Race is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand Jefferson's conflicted attitudes—and the impact of race and slavery on American history. Annette Gordon-Reed is a New York Times-bestselling historian and the Carl M. Loeb University Professor at Harvard University. Her books include The Hemingses of Monticello: An American Family, which won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, Caleb Zakarin is CEO and Publisher of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies
In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Rita Perwich, consulting rosarian and author of Natural Rose Gardening*, about growing roses organically. The plant profile is on Larkspur and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on "Summer Squash Companions" from Christy Page of GreenPrints.***Please Vote for our show the GardenDC Podcast athttps://bestof2026.washingtoncitypaper.com/ under Arts & Entertainment > Best Local Podcaster. The deadline to vote is June 10, 2026. Thank you in advance! ***BTW, YOU can become a listener supporter for as little as $0.99 per month! See how at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/subscribeIf you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 13: Heritage Roses with Connie Hilkerhttps://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2020/05/gardendc-podcast-episode-13-connie.html~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 111: Flower Combinationshttps://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-111-flower.html~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 285: Thomas Jefferson's Flowershttps://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2026/05/gardendc-podcast-episode-285-thomas.html*You can order Rita Perwich's book Natural Rose Gardening at https://amzn.to/4nV1RpjThis link is to our Amazon affiliate account and we may earn a few pennies from these sales, but it wil not impact your purchase price.Rita will be speaking to the Potomac Rose Society in January 2027. Be sure to join the society at https://potomacrose.org/.Show Notes will be posted after 6/15/2026.We welcome your questions and comments! You can leave a voice mail message for us at: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/gardendc/message Note that we may use these messages on a future episode.And be sure to leave us a 5-star review on your favorite podcast platform plus share us on social media with #GardenDC, so other gardeners can find us too!Episode Credits:Host and Producer: Kathy JentzMusic: Let the Sunshine by James MulvanyRecorded on 5-30-2026
Most Americans trace "separation of church and state" to Thomas Jefferson. The real origin is 150 years earlier — a devout Puritan named Roger Williams who argued from scripture that the church needed protection from the state, not the other way around.Filmmaker Andrew Linn joins Doug Stuart to discuss his documentary Church and State: Roger Williams and the Founding of Freedom of Religion. They cover:Why the Puritans fled religious persecution and then replicated it in MassachusettsWilliams's two-table reading of the Ten Commandments and what it limits government from enforcingHis "garden and wilderness" metaphor: how state-church fusion corrupts the churchWhy religious liberty is a Christian idea — and why Christians should be its loudest defendersWhat Christian nationalism gets wrong, and what Williams already said about itAndrew Linn's documentary is free on Faith Channel, Fawesome TV, YouTube, and RedeemTV.com. churchandstatedoc.com Audio Production by Podsworth Media - https://podsworth.com Use code LCI50 for 50% off your first order at Podsworth.com to clean up your voice recordings and also support LCI!Full Podsworth Ad Read BEFORE & AFTER processing:https://youtu.be/vbsOEODpQGs ★ Support this podcast ★
The Asset team is releasing a 6-part audio drama Patriarchs. As the United States approaches 250 years of independence, the nation is asking hard questions about how it began, who paid the price, and what kind of republic it has become. Patriarchs, a loaded but apt term in today's vernacular, is a six-episode historical podcast drama that answers those questions by chronicling the most consequential relationship in early America: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, told in their own words. Subscribe hereWe begin with two former presidents looking back over a life together as friends, rivals, and uneasy family. From there, listeners travel back to the moment these strangers first step outside the Continental Congress to talk, two lawyers, two farmers, two men who have no idea they are about to remake the world. Every scene, every argument, every confession in Patriarchs is drawn from real letters, speeches, and memoirs, voiced by an ensemble of award-‑winning actors—with Stacy Keach starring as Thomas Jefferson. The result is an intimate drama of brilliant founders who are also flawed fathers, husbands, slaveholders, and partisans. We hear their partnership forged in crisis, as they push Congress toward independence and wrestle the language of the Declaration onto the page. Alongside them is Abigail Adams, one of the sharpest political minds of the age, whose letters slice cleanly through ego and ideology. Patriarchs also confronts the reality of slavery and sexual exploitation in the founding generation, centering Sally Hemings not as rumor but as a speaking, thinking presence whose choices and constraints shape Jefferson's life. Patriarchs is a chance to hear the founding generation as they really sounded: insecure, vain, idealistic, petty, courageous, haunted—often in the same breath in a rare combination of rigorous primary-source history and bingeable character drama, led by Stacy Keach and a veteran cast capable of carrying both prestige storytelling and wide audience appeal. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Hoover's History Lab and Center for Revitalizing American Institutions held National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America, a special book launch with the author, Michael Auslin on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 from 4:00 - 5:15 p.m. PT. The inspiring story of the Declaration of Independence —the first to take us from its drafting by Thomas Jefferson to today— charts the many lives of a document that captures the soul of America on the 250th anniversary of the country's founding. An award-winning historian, Michael Auslin takes us from the boarding house in Philadelphia where Jefferson put quill to paper to the Declaration's covert signing and its long, harrowing, and ultimately hallowed afterlife. We follow the parchment as it is hauled out of a soon-to-be-burning Washington in 1814 and see it hidden in a dank cellar, posted in classrooms, printed on handkerchiefs, and used to sell insurance and bundle coal. Through it all, Jefferson's words have inspired implausibly varied causes, from suffragists and civil rights leaders to groups waging war on the US government. As Jefferson had hoped, the principles enshrined in the Declaration became a beacon to the world. But what lessons should we take from it today? Can this statement of ideals in whose name the signers pledged their lives and sacred honor bring a disparate nation together? As we gather to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founders' bold experiment in democracy, Auslin reminds us that this enduring document was not just a call for freedom and equality but an eloquent statement of the principles that bind us together.
⭐ FREE SLAVES with CSI: https://csi-usa.org/metaxas/Today On The Eric Metaxas Show, Eric talks with Hillsdale College President Dr. Larry Arnn about the new documentary Revolutionary America, the fragile miracle of the American Revolution, and why Americans must recover the true story of the founding. They discuss Rededicate 250, the media's reaction to Eric's ballroom joke, the Declaration of Independence, Washington crossing the Delaware, Valley Forge, Lexington and Concord, John Dickinson, Thomas Jefferson, King George III, and why the Revolution was far more desperate and consequential than many Americans realize. Subscribe for clips from The Eric Metaxas Show to hear politics and culture from a Christian perspective.⭐ PRE-ORDER TODAY:Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World
Historian Joseph Ellis has said that the Declaration of Independence contains the thirty-five “most potent and consequential words in American history.” True enough. Thomas Jefferson's self-evident truths – that all men are created equal and that they are right to expect an unfettered pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness – are aspirational if not timeless. […]
Historian Joseph Ellis has said that the Declaration of Independence contains the thirty-five “most potent and consequential words in American history.” True enough. Thomas Jefferson's self-evident truths – that all men are created equal and that they are right to expect an unfettered pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness – are aspirational if not timeless. […]
Historian Joseph Ellis has said that the Declaration of Independence contains the thirty-five “most potent and consequential words in American history.” True enough. Thomas Jefferson's self-evident truths – that all men are created equal and that they are right to expect an unfettered pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness – are aspirational if not timeless. […]
Host David Horton interviews Thomas Jefferson about freedom of expression in America. Did the Founding Fathers know what they were doing when they ratified the extraordinary First Amendment of the Constitution? What limits, if any, should there be in the expression of ideas in a free society? When, if ever, can government suppress press freedom? What protections do American citizens have against malicious attacks on their character? When Jefferson retires and humanities scholar Clay Jenkinson takes the microphone, Horton asks Clay about the final episode of Stephen Colbert's Late Show, which among other things, gave Paul McCartney the last word with a fabulous rendition of the Beatles song "Hello-Goodbye."
Megyn Kelly takes a look back in the archives at our past history shows for this mega-episode, featuring deep dives on Thomas Jefferson and the founding of America, and Ronald Reagan and the assassination attempt. Follow The Megyn Kelly Show on all social platforms: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MegynKelly Twitter: http://Twitter.com/MegynKellyShow Instagram: http://Instagram.com/MegynKellyShow Facebook: http://Facebook.com/MegynKellyShow Find out more information at:https://www.devilmaycaremedia.com/megynkellyshow Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Audible Bleeding editor Wen (@WenKawaji) discusses international vascular surgery fellowships with Dr. Judith Lin (@JudithLin4), Dr. Adam Johnson, and Dr. Robbie Aru (@AruRobbie). Together, they reflect on what drove them abroad, what the experience actually looked like on the ground, and the professional, financial, and personal challenges that came with it. Whether you're a resident exploring your options or simply curious about roads less traveled in surgical training, this conversation offers a candid and practical look at what international fellowships in vascular surgery really entail. A must-listen for anyone considering fellowship training outside the U.S. Articles: A contemporary guide to an international aortic super-fellowship for surgical trainees and surgeons in the United States Show Guests Dr. Judith Lin: professor and chief of vascular surgery in the Department of Surgery at Michigan State University's College of Human Medicine Dr. Adam Johnson: assistant professor of surgery and assistant professor in population health science at Duke university school of medicine Dr. Robbie Aru: assistant professor of surgery at Thomas Jefferson university medical college Follow us @audiblebleeding Learn more about us at https://www.audiblebleeding.com/about-1/ and provide us with your feedback with our listener survey. *Gore is a financial sponsor of this podcast, which has been independently developed by the presenters and does not constitute medical advice from Gore. Always consult the Instructions for Use (IFU) prior to using any medical device.
Pigweed, Crowhill, and Longinus crack open a high-octane Voodoo Ranger “GeForce” IPA and head west into one of the greatest adventures in American history: the Lewis and Clark expedition. What begins as a discussion of America's upcoming 250th anniversary quickly turns into a deep dive into the astonishing story of how a small band of explorers crossed an almost completely unknown continent armed with little more than maps, muskets, determination, and an absurd amount of practical skill.The conversation covers the Louisiana Purchase, Thomas Jefferson's constitutional concerns about buying so much land, and the widespread belief that America had just purchased a giant worthless desert. The guys discuss Jefferson's ambitious goals for the expedition — mapping rivers, collecting scientific samples, establishing diplomatic relations with Native tribes, searching for trade opportunities, and hopefully finding a navigable water route to the Pacific Ocean.Along the way, they explore the personalities of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the remarkable role of Sacagawea and her infant son Jean-Baptiste, encounters with Native American tribes, brutal winters, grizzly bears, starvation in the Rockies, and the staggering amount of improvisation required just to survive. They also marvel at the sheer competence of frontier-era men who could build forts, construct canoes, map terrain, hunt, trap, waterproof boats with animal hides, and keep detailed scientific journals — all while trying not to die.The episode also touches on the strange emotional aftermath of the expedition, especially the tragic decline of Meriwether Lewis after returning home from one of the greatest journeys in American history. The result is part history lesson, part meditation on exploration and resilience, and part appreciation for the rugged, multi-talented people who helped shape early America.Also discussed: woolly mammoth rumors, whale blubber, drunken bargain malt liquor IPAs, and why showing up with a woman and a baby might be the greatest diplomatic strategy ever devised.
Before “microclimates” became a gardening buzzword, Leslie and Marianne were already having hot flashes in the garden.
Pastor Jack sits down with author and speaker Bill Federer to discuss the rise of Islam in Western culture and in political positions of power. William J. Federer is a nationally known speaker, best-selling author, and president of American Minute, Inc. Bill has written or contributed to over 30 books and is a frequent guest on television, radio, and podcasts. He produces the "How We Got Here" video series for TurningPointEd.com. And his AMERICAN MINUTE feature is broadcast daily on the radio and the internet. (00:00) Introduction to the Jack Hibbs Podcast(02:05) Introducing Bill Federer and the Rise of Political Islam(02:50) Muhammad’s Life and the Origins of Islam(06:10) Muhammad’s Spiritual Encounter and Early Teachings(08:10) Medina, Victimhood, and the Shift Toward Militancy(11:20) “Immigrate, Increase, Eliminate”(13:40) Islam in America, Mosques, and Sharia Influence(16:30) Moderate Islam, Fundamental Islam, and Submission(21:30) Islamic Expansion Across Christian Lands(27:30) Persia, the Islamic Golden Age, and the Turks(31:00) The Crusades and the Fall of Constantinople(35:00) Barbary Pirates, Thomas Jefferson, and America’s Early Conflict with Islam(38:00) Treaties, Iran, and the Concept of Huda(42:30) Jesus, Muhammad, Sharia, and the Gospel ContrastCONNECT WITH BILL FEDERER:Website: https://americanminute.com/ CONNECT WITH PASTOR JACK:Get Updates via Text: https://text.whisp.io/jack-hibbs-podcast Website: https://jackhibbs.com/Instagram: http://bit.ly/2FCyXpOFacebook: https://bit.ly/2WZBWV0 YouTube: https://bit.ly/437xMHnTwitter/X: https://x.com/RealJackHibbs CALLED TO TAKE A BOLD STAND:https://boldstand.org/ DAZE OF DECEPTION:https://jackhibbs.com/daze-of-deception/ Did you know we have a Real Life Network? Sign up for free today for more exclusive content:https://www.reallifenetwork.com/
Today on The Eric Metaxas Show, Eric talks with Hillsdale College President Dr. Larry Arnn about the new documentary Revolutionary America, the fragile miracle of the American Revolution, and why Americans must recover the true story of the founding. They discuss Rededicate 250, the media's reaction to Eric's ballroom joke, the Declaration of Independence, Washington crossing the Delaware, Valley Forge, Lexington and Concord, John Dickinson, Thomas Jefferson, King George III, and why the Revolution was far more desperate and consequential than many Americans realize. Subscribe for clips from The Eric Metaxas Show to hear politics and culture from a Christian perspective.⭐ PRE-ORDER TODAY:Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World
Today we're continuing our series on doubt. We're in part four of five. A political science major at a major university was having coffee with a campus pastor. The pastor knew that the student was wrestling with doubt about the existence of God and said to him, “John, you know all of us wonder at some point if it's all real or not. For example, there are quite a few stories in the Bible that are just hard to believe. Jonah and the whale and all that.” John smiled and said, “No, that's not my problem. What I wonder about is how God could care about me. I've done some really bad things and have had some really bad things done to me. I just can't understand the concept of forgiveness.”There you have it. Doubts about the faith come from all directions. While one person cannot bring herself to believe in miracles, another cannot forgive himself for the wrong things he's done and can't fathom how God could. Thomas Jefferson actually cut out the miraculous sections of the Bible. He couldn't believe in what some would call the God of the Bible. Francis Crick, the co-discoverer of DNA, thought that Christianity was just a collection of mythical stories. And what about those who want to see the proof, they like evidence and feel a need to make an intellectual case for our faith. The New Testament writer, Luke, was like that. He wrote in Acts and the Gospel of Luke about the importance of eyewitness sightings of Jesus and His miracles. Lots of people debate whether evolution and religion are compatible or not. And this is a big stumbling block to believe for many. We all believe something, but our minds can struggle at times to grasp the big stuff, the infinite universe. While for others who doubt, the struggle is more internal, they're so grieved by their own sin, they can't accept that God could love them.Maybe the most famous verse in the Bible is John 3:16, which says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” However, few quote the next verse which says, “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” It isn't God's wish to condemn you. Instead, he loves you and wants to give you assurance that life is more than struggle and molecules. Whether you're looking for evidence to believe the Bible or you just need to know that God loves you, try not to focus too much on your objections. Own them, but just tell God as a child would, that you're struggling to understand it all.Will you pray with me? Father, your grace saves us from a life of struggle with sin, and we are accepted by you. Thank you for putting up with our up-and-down faith. In Jesus' name, amen.Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.
Host Clay Newcomb begins a new series on the American Civil War with historian and educator, JD Hewitt, of The History Underground. Clay invites you to go on a journey to ask the question that still divides Americans more than 160 years later: What was the Civil War really about? From slavery and states’ rights to Southern identity, economic power, abolitionists, and the lasting cultural memory of the Confederacy, Clay and JD attempt to navigate one of the most complicated and emotionally charged subjects in American history with honesty and nuance. The conversation traces the roots of the conflict from the founding of America through the rise of King Cotton, the contradictions of Thomas Jefferson, the expansion of slavery westward, and the radical actions of John Brown that helped push the nation toward war. Watch Clay's Alaska Bear Hunt on YouTube Thank you to our sponsor, Tecovas. If you have comments on the show, send us a note to beargrease@themeateater.com Connect with Clay and MeatEater Clay on Instagram MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop Bear Grease MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Crimes and Cover-ups in American P The history that the textbooks left out.For far too long, American history has been left in the unreliable hands of those that author Donald Jeffries refers to as the court historians. Crimes and Cover-ups in American Politics: 1776-1963 fights back by scrutinizing the accepted history of everything from the American War of Independence to the establishment reputation of Thomas Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers, the Civil War, the Lincoln assassination, both World Wars, US government experimentation on prisoners, mental patients, innocent children and whole populated areas, the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and much, much more. Secular saints like Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt are examined in a critical way they seldom have been.Jeffries spares no one and nothing in this explosive new book. The atrocities of Union troops during the Civil War, and Allied troops during World War II, are documented in great detail. The Nuremberg Trials are presented as the antithesis of justice. In the follow-up to his previous, bestselling book Hidden History: An Expose of Modern Crimes, Conspiracies, and Cover-Ups in American Politics, Jeffries demonstrates that crimes, corruption, and conspiracies didn't start with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.History should be much more than cardboard villains and impossibly unrealistic heroes. Thanks to the efforts of the court historians, most Americans are historically illiterate. Crimes and Cover-ups in American Politics: 1776-1963 is a bold attempt at setting the record straight. olitics: 1776-1963Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-opperman-report--1198501/support.
What happens when two of America's biggest revolutionary minds become one of its most famous political rivalries? In this episode of Boom Goes the History, Kris White, Chris Mackowski, and Dan Davis dive into the fascinating feud between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams—friends, rivals, frenemies, and eventually something more. From politics and personality clashes to the legacy of their remarkable relationship, this is a lively look at one of the premier showdowns of the Revolutionary era. History, debate, and plenty of fun—boom!
Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comWas America founded as a Christian nation? Warren Throckmorton joins Faithful Politics to unpack the historical myths behind that claim and explain why they still matter today. Drawing from his book The Christian Past That Wasn't, Warren walks through stories about Ben Franklin, the Constitutional Convention, Roger Williams, John Winthrop, David Barton, and the use of Christianity to justify everything from colonial conquest to slavery and Jim Crow. The conversation looks at how Christian nationalist history works, why it appeals to people, and why protecting church-state separation is one of the clearest ways to defend religious liberty for everyone.Resources MentionedThe Christian Past That Wasn't: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History by Warren Throckmorton: https://bookshop.org/a/112456/9798889835820Guest BioWarren Throckmorton is an author, speaker, and former psychology professor whose work focuses on the intersection of psychology, history, religion, and public life. He is the co-author of Getting Jefferson Right: Fact Checking Claims About Our Third President, which examines inaccurate claims about Thomas Jefferson and religious liberty. His latest book, The Christian Past That Wasn't: Debunking the Christian Nationalist Myths That Hijack History, challenges popular Christian nationalist narratives about America's founding by comparing those claims against primary historical sources. Throckmorton's work helps readers understand how myths about the past shape political identity, religious belief, and public policy.Support the show
Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence; he was a driving force in America's religious freedoms and the separation of church and state; and he doubled the size of the U.S. with the Louisiana Purchase. He also owned approximately 600 people in his lifetime. This episode explores his great achievements, as well as the failings in his personal life, particularly regarding slavery.
“We need to develop better theories of why the other side believes what they do. Having an accurate theory includes recognizing if somebody is a psychopath — but also recognizing that psychopaths are rarer than we think.” — Audun Dahl If you're not a liberal at twenty, you have no heart; if you're not a conservative at forty, you have no head. While this sounds like an annoying cliché (especially to people under forty), it does recognize that our moral views change. But, as the Cornell psychologist Audun Dahl argues in his new book Between Fixed and Fickle: Why Our Moral Views Keep Changing, the most interesting question is why our moral principles always seem in flux. Why people who say cheating is wrong cheat. Why people who say violence is wrong turn a blind moral eye to their own insurrections. Dahl is a psychologist, not a moralist. He is not interested in what we should believe, but in what we think we believe. His central finding is that human morality is neither fixed nor fickle. People change their moral views when they believe they have good reasons to — reasons they can, indeed, articulate. The problem isn't hypocrisy per se. It's that we struggle to understand why the other side believes what it does. In morally polarised societies like contemporary America, we over-attribute psychopathy to political opponents. Most Republicans and most Democrats do have genuine moral commitments. But they are just different principles, applied to parallel moral hierarchies. Rather than morality perhaps, we need more empathy. Don't judge. Understand. Five Takeaways • Two Kinds of Moral Change: Dahl identifies two forms of moral change that should trouble us. Situational moral change: people espouse one principle and act against it in a specific situation — the person who says cheating is wrong and cheats on an exam, the January 6th rioter who says violence is wrong. Historical moral change: the same principles coexisting with practices that contradict them — Thomas Jefferson proclaiming inalienable rights while enslaving hundreds. Both are not simply hypocrisy: they reflect the genuine messiness of moral life, where competing principles create constant conflict. • Morality Emerges in the First Three Years of Life: Dahl's most striking empirical finding: by around age three, virtually all children develop an intrinsic concern with how we ought to treat other sentient beings. It is not taught as an external rule. It emerges. A three-year-old will say: it's wrong to harm others, you shouldn't steal. No other animal acquires this. It is a uniquely human characteristic. The question is not whether people have moral commitments — almost everyone does. The question is how those commitments interact with other concerns, pressures, and competing principles. • We Over-Attribute Psychopathy to the Other Side: One of the most robustly documented findings in political psychology: Republicans and Democrats don't merely think the other side is wrong. They think the other side is evil — likely to condone things they would never condone. Research shows both sides significantly over-estimate the other's extremism and moral depravity. Dahl's prescription: develop better theories of why the other side believes what it does. An accurate theory includes recognising genuine psychopaths and bad actors when they exist. It also includes recognising that they are rarer than we think. • Jefferson, Epstein, and the Exceptions: Two historical anchors. Jefferson: the author of the Declaration of Independence's inalienable rights, who enslaved hundreds. The question is not whether he was a hypocrite — he clearly was — but how someone could hold both positions simultaneously. The answer Dahl finds most compelling: conflicting moral principles applied with different weights in different contexts, not the absence of moral concern. Epstein: the opposite case, a man who concealed an absence of moral concern behind a veneer of respectability. The lesson: some people genuinely lack it, but they are exceptions. • Elbow Room: The Hilary Mantel Closer: Dahl's two wishes for a more moral world. First: that we understand why the other side disagrees. Second: that we have more “elbow room” — the phrase from Hilary Mantel's Cromwell trilogy — to make decisions based on what we actually think is right rather than what we need to do to survive. Machiavelli and Cromwell operated in a world where survival left almost no room for principled action. If that is becoming our world again, the prospects for moral progress are bleak. Dahl is cautiously hopeful. The creative, restless energy of each new generation — willing to say this is unjust, this is unfair — is what abolished slavery. It is what drives moral change still. About the Guest Audun Dahl is Associate Professor of Psychology at Cornell University. He is the author of Between Fixed and Fickle: Why Our Moral Views Keep Changing (Harvard University Press, April 2026). He grew up in Norway and is based in Ithaca, New York. References: • Between Fixed and Fickle: Why Our Moral Views Keep Changing by Audun Dahl (Harvard University Press, April 2026). • Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall trilogy — cited by Dahl as capturing the “elbow room” problem of moral action under survival pressure. • Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning — referenced in the same context as Mantel. • Episode 2906: Dylan Gottlieb on Yuppies — the companion episode on how professional class morality was shaped by competing incentives. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,900 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting. WebsiteSubstackYouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify Chapters: (00:31) - The Churchill/Adams quote: liberal at 20, conservative at 40 (02:08) - Dahl's Norwegian grandpa and the disputed attribution (02:30) - Two kinds of troubling moral change: situational and historical (03:10) - Jefferson's Declaration of Independence and his enslaved peopl...
Constitutional Chats hosted by Janine Turner and Cathy Gillespie
Regular followers of Constituting America know we view the Declaration of Independence as one of the greatest documents ever written. An interesting point to ponder is that it had to come from somewhere, that there was a buildup to its drafting. We can point to a moment in history as the beginning of that buildup: the 5th Virginia Convention that took place immediately after a vote to disband the House of Burgesses. It was in the 5th Virginia Convention that Virginia's vote for independence took place. To help further explain this extraordinary timeline and series of events that led to the Declaration of Independence, we are delighted to welcome Kurt Benjamin Smith. Kurt is a historian and actor who portrays Thomas Jefferson with carefully sourced historical research at the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and through The Jefferson Experience.
In this episode of Believing the Bible, the hosts take on tough cultural and historical questions from evolution and the reliability of Genesis to cancel culture and America’s founding figures. Examining the legacy of Charles Darwin and the beliefs of leaders like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, the discussion explores how worldview shapes our understanding of race, equality, and history. The team also dives into what the Bible really says about slavery, human identity, and our ultimate purpose challenging listeners to consider not just what they believe, but who they follow.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Political Scientist Steve Knott has a new book that focuses on conspiracy theories within the American presidency and often promulgated by the president himself. This is not, per se, a book about conspiracy theories in general, but about the narratives that presidents have used—that constitutes a kind of conspiracy thinking—to engage voters and push for particular policy ideas and outcomes. Conspirator in Chief: The Long Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in the American Presidency (UP Kansas, 2025) spans the entire history of the United States, paying close attention to presidents Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, and finally Donald Trump. These particular presidents, both during their administrations and after, made use of conspiracies and/or demagogic rhetoric to encourage their supporters and to appeal to public fears. As Knott notes, Alexander Hamilton warns against this in both Federalist #1 and Federalist #85, wrapping the discussion of the new Constitution in concerns with regard to demagoguery. So many of the conspiracies that are pushed by presidents have at their base racism and an effort to fan the flames of racial fear and resentment. Jefferson, Jackson, Johnson, and Wilson all made use of racism as a part of their conspiracies. Conspirator in Chief: The Long Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in the American Presidency also mines the deep vein of conspiracy theories around moneyed and elite interests, since many presidents cast these interests as predatory and “out to get” the average citizen. This is another constant approach among the presidents from the early days of the republic through to our contemporary “conspirator in chief” Donald Trump. Part of the way that presidents use these kinds of conspiracies is to set up a dichotomy of those who are with the president and those who are against the president, and this latter group is, inevitably, also opposed to the country as a whole and the way of life in the United States. Knott explains that this was the kind of rhetoric that both FDR and Truman used in their implementation of this kind of conspiratorial rhetoric. This also leans on national security as a point of contention, and that those in opposition to the president or the president's policies are also potential threats to the republic. This is another dimension that Trump builds on in his use of this kind of rhetoric and division. In the final part of Conspirator in Chief, Knott sketches out those presidents who go far in standing against this kind of language and these kinds of attacks. Included in this grouping are John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, William Howard Taft, and John F. Kennedy, among others. These individuals leaned into reason more than rumormongering, examining their own biases, and also pointing to the conspiracies that others were advocating. While we learn a great deal about demagogic presidents who stirred up conspiracies based in racism, fear, antisemitism, and classism, we also learn about those who operated differently, who tried to protect the country from such divisive rhetoric. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She is co-host of the New Books in Political Science channel at the New Books Network. She is co-editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume I: The Infinity Saga (University Press of Kansas, 2022), and of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume II: Into the Multiverse (University Press of Kansas, 2025) as well as co-editor of the award winning book, Women and the White House: Gender, Popular Culture, and Presidential Politics (University Press of Kentucky, 2012). She can be reached @gorenlj.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The purpose of the Declaration of Independence, wrote Thomas Jefferson, was “to place before mankind the common sense of the subject; [in] terms so plain and firm, as to command their assent, and to justify ourselves in the independent stand we [were] compelled to take.” To make their case they called on “the laws of nature and of nature's God,” on a Creator who endows humans with “inalienable rights” including the right to abolish a tyrannical government and replace it. Natural law and natural rights were central to the founders' thinking and I know of no one more qualified to help us understand why that's true than Dr. Hadley Arkes.
Hour Two of A&G features... "Tim the Lawyer" Sandefur talks about his latest book, "Proclaiming Liberty: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Declaration of Independence" Political analyst Gary Dietrich talks to Jack about the impact of the economy on elections, impeachment & Spencer Pratt's campaign to become LA's next mayor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Political Scientist Steve Knott has a new book that focuses on conspiracy theories within the American presidency and often promulgated by the president himself. This is not, per se, a book about conspiracy theories in general, but about the narratives that presidents have used—that constitutes a kind of conspiracy thinking—to engage voters and push for particular policy ideas and outcomes. Conspirator in Chief: The Long Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in the American Presidency (UP Kansas, 2025) spans the entire history of the United States, paying close attention to presidents Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, and finally Donald Trump. These particular presidents, both during their administrations and after, made use of conspiracies and/or demagogic rhetoric to encourage their supporters and to appeal to public fears. As Knott notes, Alexander Hamilton warns against this in both Federalist #1 and Federalist #85, wrapping the discussion of the new Constitution in concerns with regard to demagoguery. So many of the conspiracies that are pushed by presidents have at their base racism and an effort to fan the flames of racial fear and resentment. Jefferson, Jackson, Johnson, and Wilson all made use of racism as a part of their conspiracies. Conspirator in Chief: The Long Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in the American Presidency also mines the deep vein of conspiracy theories around moneyed and elite interests, since many presidents cast these interests as predatory and “out to get” the average citizen. This is another constant approach among the presidents from the early days of the republic through to our contemporary “conspirator in chief” Donald Trump. Part of the way that presidents use these kinds of conspiracies is to set up a dichotomy of those who are with the president and those who are against the president, and this latter group is, inevitably, also opposed to the country as a whole and the way of life in the United States. Knott explains that this was the kind of rhetoric that both FDR and Truman used in their implementation of this kind of conspiratorial rhetoric. This also leans on national security as a point of contention, and that those in opposition to the president or the president's policies are also potential threats to the republic. This is another dimension that Trump builds on in his use of this kind of rhetoric and division. In the final part of Conspirator in Chief, Knott sketches out those presidents who go far in standing against this kind of language and these kinds of attacks. Included in this grouping are John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, William Howard Taft, and John F. Kennedy, among others. These individuals leaned into reason more than rumormongering, examining their own biases, and also pointing to the conspiracies that others were advocating. While we learn a great deal about demagogic presidents who stirred up conspiracies based in racism, fear, antisemitism, and classism, we also learn about those who operated differently, who tried to protect the country from such divisive rhetoric. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She is co-host of the New Books in Political Science channel at the New Books Network. She is co-editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume I: The Infinity Saga (University Press of Kansas, 2022), and of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume II: Into the Multiverse (University Press of Kansas, 2025) as well as co-editor of the award winning book, Women and the White House: Gender, Popular Culture, and Presidential Politics (University Press of Kentucky, 2012). She can be reached @gorenlj.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
Political Scientist Steve Knott has a new book that focuses on conspiracy theories within the American presidency and often promulgated by the president himself. This is not, per se, a book about conspiracy theories in general, but about the narratives that presidents have used—that constitutes a kind of conspiracy thinking—to engage voters and push for particular policy ideas and outcomes. Conspirator in Chief: The Long Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in the American Presidency (UP Kansas, 2025) spans the entire history of the United States, paying close attention to presidents Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, and finally Donald Trump. These particular presidents, both during their administrations and after, made use of conspiracies and/or demagogic rhetoric to encourage their supporters and to appeal to public fears. As Knott notes, Alexander Hamilton warns against this in both Federalist #1 and Federalist #85, wrapping the discussion of the new Constitution in concerns with regard to demagoguery. So many of the conspiracies that are pushed by presidents have at their base racism and an effort to fan the flames of racial fear and resentment. Jefferson, Jackson, Johnson, and Wilson all made use of racism as a part of their conspiracies. Conspirator in Chief: The Long Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in the American Presidency also mines the deep vein of conspiracy theories around moneyed and elite interests, since many presidents cast these interests as predatory and “out to get” the average citizen. This is another constant approach among the presidents from the early days of the republic through to our contemporary “conspirator in chief” Donald Trump. Part of the way that presidents use these kinds of conspiracies is to set up a dichotomy of those who are with the president and those who are against the president, and this latter group is, inevitably, also opposed to the country as a whole and the way of life in the United States. Knott explains that this was the kind of rhetoric that both FDR and Truman used in their implementation of this kind of conspiratorial rhetoric. This also leans on national security as a point of contention, and that those in opposition to the president or the president's policies are also potential threats to the republic. This is another dimension that Trump builds on in his use of this kind of rhetoric and division. In the final part of Conspirator in Chief, Knott sketches out those presidents who go far in standing against this kind of language and these kinds of attacks. Included in this grouping are John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, William Howard Taft, and John F. Kennedy, among others. These individuals leaned into reason more than rumormongering, examining their own biases, and also pointing to the conspiracies that others were advocating. While we learn a great deal about demagogic presidents who stirred up conspiracies based in racism, fear, antisemitism, and classism, we also learn about those who operated differently, who tried to protect the country from such divisive rhetoric. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She is co-host of the New Books in Political Science channel at the New Books Network. She is co-editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume I: The Infinity Saga (University Press of Kansas, 2022), and of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume II: Into the Multiverse (University Press of Kansas, 2025) as well as co-editor of the award winning book, Women and the White House: Gender, Popular Culture, and Presidential Politics (University Press of Kentucky, 2012). She can be reached @gorenlj.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history
Political Scientist Steve Knott has a new book that focuses on conspiracy theories within the American presidency and often promulgated by the president himself. This is not, per se, a book about conspiracy theories in general, but about the narratives that presidents have used—that constitutes a kind of conspiracy thinking—to engage voters and push for particular policy ideas and outcomes. Conspirator in Chief: The Long Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in the American Presidency (UP Kansas, 2025) spans the entire history of the United States, paying close attention to presidents Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, and finally Donald Trump. These particular presidents, both during their administrations and after, made use of conspiracies and/or demagogic rhetoric to encourage their supporters and to appeal to public fears. As Knott notes, Alexander Hamilton warns against this in both Federalist #1 and Federalist #85, wrapping the discussion of the new Constitution in concerns with regard to demagoguery. So many of the conspiracies that are pushed by presidents have at their base racism and an effort to fan the flames of racial fear and resentment. Jefferson, Jackson, Johnson, and Wilson all made use of racism as a part of their conspiracies. Conspirator in Chief: The Long Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in the American Presidency also mines the deep vein of conspiracy theories around moneyed and elite interests, since many presidents cast these interests as predatory and “out to get” the average citizen. This is another constant approach among the presidents from the early days of the republic through to our contemporary “conspirator in chief” Donald Trump. Part of the way that presidents use these kinds of conspiracies is to set up a dichotomy of those who are with the president and those who are against the president, and this latter group is, inevitably, also opposed to the country as a whole and the way of life in the United States. Knott explains that this was the kind of rhetoric that both FDR and Truman used in their implementation of this kind of conspiratorial rhetoric. This also leans on national security as a point of contention, and that those in opposition to the president or the president's policies are also potential threats to the republic. This is another dimension that Trump builds on in his use of this kind of rhetoric and division. In the final part of Conspirator in Chief, Knott sketches out those presidents who go far in standing against this kind of language and these kinds of attacks. Included in this grouping are John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, William Howard Taft, and John F. Kennedy, among others. These individuals leaned into reason more than rumormongering, examining their own biases, and also pointing to the conspiracies that others were advocating. While we learn a great deal about demagogic presidents who stirred up conspiracies based in racism, fear, antisemitism, and classism, we also learn about those who operated differently, who tried to protect the country from such divisive rhetoric. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She is co-host of the New Books in Political Science channel at the New Books Network. She is co-editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume I: The Infinity Saga (University Press of Kansas, 2022), and of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume II: Into the Multiverse (University Press of Kansas, 2025) as well as co-editor of the award winning book, Women and the White House: Gender, Popular Culture, and Presidential Politics (University Press of Kentucky, 2012). She can be reached @gorenlj.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/political-science
Hour Two of A&G features... "Tim the Lawyer" Sandefur talks about his latest book, "Proclaiming Liberty: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Declaration of Independence" Political analyst Gary Dietrich talks to Jack about the impact of the economy on elections, impeachment & Spencer Pratt's campaign to become LA's next mayor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Political Scientist Steve Knott has a new book that focuses on conspiracy theories within the American presidency and often promulgated by the president himself. This is not, per se, a book about conspiracy theories in general, but about the narratives that presidents have used—that constitutes a kind of conspiracy thinking—to engage voters and push for particular policy ideas and outcomes. Conspirator in Chief: The Long Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in the American Presidency (UP Kansas, 2025) spans the entire history of the United States, paying close attention to presidents Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, and finally Donald Trump. These particular presidents, both during their administrations and after, made use of conspiracies and/or demagogic rhetoric to encourage their supporters and to appeal to public fears. As Knott notes, Alexander Hamilton warns against this in both Federalist #1 and Federalist #85, wrapping the discussion of the new Constitution in concerns with regard to demagoguery. So many of the conspiracies that are pushed by presidents have at their base racism and an effort to fan the flames of racial fear and resentment. Jefferson, Jackson, Johnson, and Wilson all made use of racism as a part of their conspiracies. Conspirator in Chief: The Long Tradition of Conspiracy Theories in the American Presidency also mines the deep vein of conspiracy theories around moneyed and elite interests, since many presidents cast these interests as predatory and “out to get” the average citizen. This is another constant approach among the presidents from the early days of the republic through to our contemporary “conspirator in chief” Donald Trump. Part of the way that presidents use these kinds of conspiracies is to set up a dichotomy of those who are with the president and those who are against the president, and this latter group is, inevitably, also opposed to the country as a whole and the way of life in the United States. Knott explains that this was the kind of rhetoric that both FDR and Truman used in their implementation of this kind of conspiratorial rhetoric. This also leans on national security as a point of contention, and that those in opposition to the president or the president's policies are also potential threats to the republic. This is another dimension that Trump builds on in his use of this kind of rhetoric and division. In the final part of Conspirator in Chief, Knott sketches out those presidents who go far in standing against this kind of language and these kinds of attacks. Included in this grouping are John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, William Howard Taft, and John F. Kennedy, among others. These individuals leaned into reason more than rumormongering, examining their own biases, and also pointing to the conspiracies that others were advocating. While we learn a great deal about demagogic presidents who stirred up conspiracies based in racism, fear, antisemitism, and classism, we also learn about those who operated differently, who tried to protect the country from such divisive rhetoric. Lilly J. Goren is a professor of political science at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI. She is co-host of the New Books in Political Science channel at the New Books Network. She is co-editor of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume I: The Infinity Saga (University Press of Kansas, 2022), and of The Politics of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Volume II: Into the Multiverse (University Press of Kansas, 2025) as well as co-editor of the award winning book, Women and the White House: Gender, Popular Culture, and Presidential Politics (University Press of Kentucky, 2012). She can be reached @gorenlj.bsky.social Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies
Gratitude is easy when life is calm. It gets harder when the news is ugly, people are hurting, and it feels like the world is coming apart. We start with Psalm 100, a psalm of thanksgiving that doesn't ask for a polite smile. It commands a response: shout, worship, sing, acknowledge, and enter God's presence with thanks because His love and faithfulness endure. Then we ask the uncomfortable question that follows from real worship: do we repent and do we praise, or do we drift into silence and excuses?From there we get personal and practical. We pray for listeners who feel anxious, depressed, alone, or brokenhearted, and we pray for leaders in the pulpit and in government to rule with wisdom and fear of God. We also pull a clear marriage lesson from Song of Solomon: you don't “belong” to your phone, your entertainment, or your social circle the way you belong to your spouse. That covenant mindset cuts through modern marriage pressure and calls us back to loyalty, affection, and priority.The centerpiece is Luke 24 and the Road to Emmaus, where grief and confusion meet a risen Jesus who walks alongside His followers before they recognize Him. We trace how Jesus opens the Scriptures, confronts doubt, and even eats broiled fish as a grounded, physical witness to the resurrection. Along the way, we touch on cultural warning signs like attacks on churches, honor courage through a Medal of Honor story, and revisit Thomas Jefferson's own words about God's providence and guidance.If you want a Christian podcast episode that ties Scripture, repentance, gratitude, marriage, leadership, and cultural reality into one thread, press play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs steadiness, and leave a review so more people can find the show.#AmericanPatriot#ChristianNation#Bible Support the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribeCountryside Book Serieshttps://www.amazon.com/Countryside-Book-J-T-Cope-IV-ebook/dp/B00MPIXOB2
“Unconditional submission” or “resistance by force.” Thomas Jefferson, John Dickinson, and the Second Continental Congress said those were their two terrible options less than 3 months after the battles of Lexington and Concord. Live on their knees or fight to the death. They chose the latter. On this episode, it's one of the most important, but forgotten and ignored documents of the American Revolution: the one that detailed their decision, why they were fighting BACK. The post This Isn’t Rebellion. It’s Survival. appeared first on Tenth Amendment Center.
In this week's episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Ark Prof. Albert Cheng and retired MN Supreme Court Justice Barry Anderson speak with Prof. Kevin Gutzman, Professor and former Chairman of the Department of History at Western Connecticut State University, and New York Times best selling author of The Jeffersonians: The Visionary Presidencies of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe. Prof. Gutzman examines the political and constitutional legacy of America's “Virginia Dynasty,” beginning with President Thomas Jefferson's philosophy of limited government, states' rights, and religious liberty. He explores Jefferson's sharp political differences with the Federalists, the importance of his first inaugural address, and major events such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Embargo Act. Turning to President James Madison, Prof. Gutzman discusses the “Father of the Constitution's” disastrous administration during the War of 1812, and reflects on how the conflict severely tested Jeffersonian political ideals. He also considers the jurisprudence of President Madison's nominee Justice Joseph Story and his relationship with Chief Justice John Marshall and other members of the U.S. Supreme Court. Prof. Gutzman highlights President James Monroe's often overlooked achievements, including the Monroe Doctrine and the “Era of Good Feelings,” while assessing the enduring legacy of the Jeffersonian presidents in shaping the Early Republic. He closes with a reading from The Jeffersonians: The Visionary Presidencies of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe.
Newt talks with Bret Baier, Chief Political Anchor of Fox News Channel and the anchor and executive editor of Special Report with Bret Baier, about his new book, “The Case for America: An Argument on Behalf of Our Nation.” Baier makes the case that the United States remains resilient and exceptional despite its flaws. He draws heavily on six presidents, George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan, to describe American resilience, leadership, and optimism. He argues that the Declaration of Independence was a courageous, high-risk act that defined the nation’s core truths: choosing unity despite dissent, serving as a beacon of freedom, demonstrating a unique capacity for resilience, and remaining a land of opportunity. Their discussion extends to the founders’ disagreements, the risk they faced in signing the Declaration, and the evolution of American political rivalry and reconciliation, exemplified by the bitter split and later warm correspondence between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Turning to contemporary politics, Baier contends that the upcoming America 250th celebration offers a chance to rebuild shared civic affection across ideological lines by acknowledging both the country’s problems and its strengths.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Good artists borrow, great artists steal. Apparently, Thomas Jefferson got the memo. It turns out some North Carolinians penned their own Declaration of Independence nearly a year before TJ scribed his. So, if Thomas Jefferson stole (borrowed/homaged) the language for the Declaration of Independence, why have we never talked about this? Well, there was one heck of cover up! To get the full story, we call up David Fleming, author of Who's Your Founding Father?: One Man’s Epic Quest to Uncover the First, True Declaration of Independence. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
You have been told that faith has no place in politics. That the church and the state must be kept separate. That a Christian should stay in his lane. But what if that idea—the one you have accepted as fact—was never true to begin with? In this week's episode of "Courageous Christianity with Richard Mendelow," host Colonel Richard J. Mendelow and his wingman Christy Mendelow tackle one of the most consequential lies shaping this nation. The phrase "separation of church and state" does not appear in any founding document. It was lifted from a single letter written by Thomas Jefferson in 1802, taken out of context in a 1947 Supreme Court opinion that had no legal precedent, and has been cited in over 4,000 cases since—while the First Amendment itself has been cited in fewer than 3,000. That is not history. That is misinformation. And our children have been paying the price ever since. Since prayer was removed from schools in 1962 and the Bible in 1963, divorce rates climbed, SAT scores dropped, and a generation was handed the world without the foundation to navigate it. George Washington said it plainly in his 1796 farewell address—national morality cannot prevail without religious principles. He was right then. The evidence is all around us now. So the question is not whether your faith belongs in the public square. The question is how much longer you will accept the lie that it doesn't. Listen now and get the history behind one of the most misunderstood ideas in this nation—and find out what it means to bring your faith into every area of your life. Hear the show on CourageousChristianity.today, on KKHT.com, iHeart Radio, or on select podcast platforms. Courageous Christianity is a public non-profit ministry with a mission to equip Christian men for the spiritual battlefield in order to glorify God and create godly change. We give voice to this mission through “Courageous Christianity with Richard Mendelow,” a weekly radio show and podcast that speaks to the intersection of our faith and the secular world. Here’s how you can stand with us:– Subscribe, rate, and review this podcast to help others find it.– Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it.– Donate to help keep us on the air and support our mission to equip Christian warriors for the spiritual battlefield. Your support makes it possible for us to continue encouraging and equipping men to walk in the Truth, lead with strength, and impact the world for Christ. To listen to previous episodes, learn more, or give, visit CourageousChristianity.today. God bless and Semper Fi!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, Danielle Gill interviews American scholar William Federer about the American Founding — things you may not know about the Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and also what ultimately inspired them was their faith in Christ. LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new YouTube episodes: https://youtube.com/@DDGShow?si=tZi5Z75O166RwXEX Watch full clips of the Danielle Gill Show here:https://rumble.com/c/DanielleDsouzaGill/videos?e9s=src_v1_cmd Find the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts:Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-danielle-gill-show/id1879812724 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/3x6hMKFn1roWyzLzednxXL?si=nhZG0TauTOmkWBo_ieFhcw Follow Danielle Gill on all social platforms:X - https://x.com/danielledsouzag?s=21&t=EDXtjHM__JNF18166lWkTQInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/danielledsouzagillFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/share/14YvjS1Umni/?mibextid=wwXIfrTruth Social - https://truthsocial.com/@danielledsouzagillSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Send us Fan Mail Koji here. I'm stepping away from our usual schedule for a moment to share a new project I've been building in my garage in South Pas.As a screenwriter and producer, I've realized that some of the biggest "plot holes" aren't in Hollywood—they're in our history books. That's why I've launched Un-History. Using a piece of analog hardware that picks up a ghostly frequency I call the "Dead Air," I'm pulling history's biggest icons onto the hot seat for a final audit of their lives.In this premiere episode, I'm cross-examining Thomas Jefferson. We're digging into the massive contradictions of the man who wrote the vocabulary for freedom while running a 600-person forced labor camp and drowning in a $2,000 wine habit.If you like the way we deconstruct stories here at Japanese America, I think you're going to love this.Listen to Episode 01 now and subscribe to the new "Un-History" feed wherever you get your podcasts.Support the show
Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence contained 28 grievances against King George III — not 27. The final grievance, the one Congress cut before signing, accused the British king of waging cruel war against human nature by trafficking enslaved Africans across the Atlantic, forcing slavery onto unwilling American colonists, and then inciting those same enslaved people to rise up and kill their enslavers. Did King George III and the British monarchy actually bear responsibility for slavery in the 13 colonies? Or was Jefferson's grievance a strategic sleight of hand — an attempt to pin a uniquely American system onto the crown he wanted to escape? Historian Brooke Newman, author of The Crown's Silence: The Hidden History of the British Monarchy and Slavery, joins us to find out. She traces the British monarchy's involvement in the transatlantic slave trade from Queen Elizabeth I through King George III, examines what Jefferson got right and what he got wrong, and delivers her verdict on one of the most explosive what-ifs in United States history. Brooke's Website | Book |Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/440 EPISODE OUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:01:24 Episode Welcome and Jefferson's Cut Grievance00:03:15 Guest Introduction: Brooke Newman00:04:58 Jefferson's Claim and Brooke's Research Origins00:09:28 Timeline of Monarchies and Terminology00:12:03 England Enters the Slave Trade under Elizabeth I00:17:41 Crown Investments and Royal African Company00:30:15 Colonies Structured for Slavery00:37:02 Logistics of the Slave Trade by Revolution00:47:01 King George III's Views on Slavery00:52:20 Virginia's 1772 Slave Trade Ban and Royal Veto00:57:35 Dunmore's Proclamation: Not a Royal Act01:01:17 Was George III to Blame? Jefferson's Strategy01:04:26 Time Warp: If George III Abolished Slavery01:10:56 ConclusionRECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES
Guest host David Horton interviews President Thomas Jefferson about his strong anti-royalist principles. In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson lambasted King George III for his crimes against the American colonists. Jefferson did not go quite as far as Thomas Paine, who called George III "the royal brute of England," but he wanted to eliminate all echoes of monarchism in American public life. Jefferson met George III once in 1786 and came away even more disillusioned than he had been previously with the ways of kings. In France, he met Louis XVI several times and generally liked him, but found him woefully out of touch with the suffering of the great mass of French people. David Horton wondered how Mr. Jefferson would react to the American fascination with British royalty in our time. This episode was recorded on April 28, 2026.
From the publisher:"Esteemed presidential historian Stephen F. Knott takes readers on a sobering tour of the lowlights in the American presidency, showing how presidents from Thomas Jefferson to Donald Trump have engaged in reckless conspiracy-mongering about their political opponents in an effort to increase their power and privilege.Today we are inundated with conspiracy theories—QAnon, the “Big Lie,” Pizzagate, the Epstein Files, and innumerable false claims about vaccines and other medicines. But the widespread proliferation of lies and misinformation can make it easy to forget that conspiracy theories have been part of American life from the beginning. The land of the free and the home of the brave has also been the den of false rumors and conspiratorial claims about one's political enemies—not merely by rank-and-file Americans but also by our most powerful and consequential elected leaders. As political historian Stephen F. Knott recounts in painful detail, the Commander in Chief of the United States has often acted as Conspirator in Chief.Part presidential history and part descent into a political Dante's Inferno, Conspirator in Chief is a tour through the Hall of Shame in American politics. Thomas Jefferson used surrogates to spread false claims about Alexander Hamilton in order to destroy his political influence, attacked newspaper editors who were critical of his party and policies, and used conspiracy theories about the Federalists to tarnish them in the eyes of the American people. This brand of demagoguery reached an apex in the presidency of Andrew Jackson, who publicly defamed abolitionists, manipulated newspapers to publish his conspiracies, and spread his own “Big Lie” about the 1824 election being stolen from him in a “corrupt bargain.” Andrew Johnson spread false accusations about the Radical Republicans, declared the need for “white emancipation,” and made spurious claims about the dangers of a coming Black supremacy as a result of Reconstruction. Woodrow Wilson, according to Knott, continued Johnson's racist and conspiratorial interpretation of American history.In addition to our most infamous presidents, Knott uncovers the surprising conspiratorial inclinations of our more esteemed leaders, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry S Truman. Knott shows how both presidents painted their opponents in an extreme light, casting aspersions on political rivals by calling them “betrayers of America,” “spies, saboteurs, and traitors,” and comparing them to Nazis, fascists, and communists. Less surprising are the presidencies of Richard Nixon and Donald J. Trump, both known for their propagation of racist and paranoid beliefs and their denigration of political opponents. As Knott demonstrates in excruciating detail, Trump epitomizes the worst of this long American tradition. While Trump is in a league of his own regarding the sheer output and outlandishness of his conspiracy-mongering, he did not begin this odious practice."Information on Dr. Knott's book can be found at https://kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700641284/His website can be found at https://www.stephenfknott.com/AxelbankHistory.com is designed by https://www.ellieclairedesigns.com/Axelbank Reports History and Today" can be found on social media at https://twitter.com/axelbankhistoryhttps://instagram.com/axelbankhistoryhttps://facebook.com/axelbankhistory
As America approaches the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Proclaiming Liberty revisits the revolutionary summer of 1776 through the minds of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two men whose words and ideas gave birth to modern liberty. Timothy Sandefur's engaging narrative brings to life the “American mind” of those extraordinary Founders—their arguments, ideals, and dedication to natural rights and self-government, all of which coalesced in America's Declaration of Independence.Join us for a rich conversation about liberty and the enduring promise of 1776. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The ladies kick things off with $5,000 sterling silver mint juleps, a full jar of fucks, and a pet photo challenge featuring a baby bird whose mother is auditioning for grounded mom of the year. Ashe takes us through a weird week in history covering the Kontiki voyage, the liberation of Dachau, the fall of Saigon, George Washington begging not to be president, Thomas Jefferson rationalizing the Louisiana Purchase, CERN releasing the worldwide web (and the eternal reminder that if it's free, you're the product), the Empire State Building, Bush's mission accomplished disaster, the King James Bible, Gone With The Wind, Kent State, and the Haymarket Affair. Christy explains why a blue moon used to mean something absurd or impossible centuries before astronomers got involved, and somehow that means Ashe owes everyone dinner on May 31. Then Michelle takes the wheel for a whole segment on intentional dressing, why we hide behind clothes, finding your three power pieces, dressing for your body shape, and the radical idea that anxiety lives in the waiting and confidence shows up after you take the step. Plus: Brian rage quitting over the spelling of Grogu, and a wiener dog t-shirt origin story.
Al, Zach, John Luke, and Christian take a deeper look at key figures in America's founding years, like Ben Franklin, William Penn, and Thomas Jefferson. The guys highlight how early America was shaped not just by shared beliefs, but by a surprising diversity of cultures, languages, and perspectives. They reflect on whether a society can maintain those values without a foundation in God, and what America's early struggles reveal about the challenges we're still facing today. Today's conversation is about Lesson 2 of Colonial America: From Wilderness to Civilization from Hillsdale College. Take the course with us at no cost to you! Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/. More about Colonial America: Professors of history and politics guide us through the perilous journey of the Mayflower and the grueling winters of Cape Cod. They explore the ideas of religious liberty and natural rights, as well as the brutal conflicts, such as the wars on the frontier and the French and Indian War. Through this six-lesson appreciation of the colonial experience, you will learn how the unique American spirit was shaped. Journey to the New World and discover the origins of the American spirit. Sign up at http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Chapters 00:00 America at 250 Years Old 09:08 Why America's Founding Story Still Matters 14:22 Pilgrims vs. Puritans: Two Different Missions 19:10 What Diversity Really Meant in Early America 24:05 William Penn & the Quakers' Radical Ideas 29:12 Freedom vs. Order: The Nation's Core Tension 34:18 Benjamin Franklin Shapes American Culture 40:02 Can Morality Exist Without God? 44:35 The Struggle Between Authority & Freedom — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The ACLU just called a Texas law a 'Christian Nationalist School Mandate.' The law? Requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms. Now here's what they didn't mention: the Supreme Court of the United States has the Ten Commandments carved into its own building. Somebody explain to me how one is constitutional, and the other is theocracy, because I've read the First Amendment, and I don't see it.SPONSOR: Lear CapitalGold and silver have surged to all-time highs, driven by record money printing, overvalued markets, and global unrest. Lear Capital is helping investors protect and grow their wealth with precious metals — qualified buyers can receive up to $20,000 in bonus gold or silver.Call 800-707-4575 or visit https://www.Nick4Lear.com-----GET YOUR MERCH HERE: https://shop.nickjfreitas.com/BECOME A MEMBER OF THE IC: https://NickJFreitas.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickjfreitas/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NickFreitasVATwitter: https://twitter.com/NickJFreitasYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NickjfreitasTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nickjfreitas3.000:00:00 – Texas mandates Ten Commandments in every public classroom00:01:22 – Analyzing the ACLU's arguments against religious displays00:02:58 – Why the Lemon Test is no longer controlling00:03:58 – Understanding Scalia's originalism and the meaning of words00:05:44 – Federal versus state restrictions in the First Amendment00:07:37 – How legal activism led to the incorporation doctrine00:09:30 – Thomas Jefferson and the separation of church state00:14:01 – Debunking Christian nationalism and legislating objective morality00:16:46 – Study proving the Bible's influence on founding fathers00:22:20 – Why judicial activism threatens our legislative process00:25:43 – Defending the cultural values that built our nation00:30:18 – Celebrating The Man Book as a bestseller
6. Headline: The Death of Logan and Thomas Jefferson's Enlightenment Battle Guest Author: Robert G. Parkinson Parkinson reveals the mysterious end of Logan, who was allegedly murdered by his own nephew around 1780 for being "too dangerous" as a persuasive orator. Meanwhile, Thomas Jefferson featured Logan's Lament in his book, Notes on the State of Virginia. Jefferson used the speech to challenge European claims that American life was "degenerate," presenting Logan as an American Demosthenes. By championing Logan's eloquence, Jefferson sought to prove the intellectual equality of Americans, regardless of the historical inaccuracies regarding the Cresup family's role in the initial massacre. 61895 PITTSBURGH
Frequent guest host David Horton interviews the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, about his five years in France between 1784 and 1789. After the death of his wife in 1782, Jefferson permitted his closest friend, James Madison, to propose that he be sent to Europe to negotiate commercial treaties. When Jefferson assimilated his diplomatic post, Dr. Benjamin Franklin finally retired and returned to the United States. At that point, Jefferson became the American Minister to the Court of Louis XVI, which he called a school in humility after the legendary Franklin ceased to grace the French court. Jefferson worked hard to open markets to American products, especially tobacco. Before he returned to the United States in 1789 to become the first Secretary of State, Jefferson witnessed the beginnings of the French Revolution, which he defended for the rest of his life, including the excesses of what is called the Reign of Terror. This episode was recorded on February 25, 2026.