Happy 4th: “Christian Nation” and Other Fairy Tales
If early America could call itself a “Christian nation,” it’s partly because Native religions were erased, enslaved Africans weren’t counted as fully human, and Muslims, Hindus, and others were kept an ocean away.
New on the blog: “Christian Nation” And Other July 4 Bedtime Stories—a wry, pointed look at founding documents, Deists, Baptists, and why the Constitution never made “Christian nation” our official status.
What Carrots, Spinach, and the Rapture Have in Common
What if some of the things we’ve always believed—about health, culture, or even faith—aren’t as timeless as we think? From WWII propaganda to modern theology, this post explores how ideas become “truth” and what happens when those beliefs start shaping real-world consequences.
When “To Protect and Serve” Becomes “Respect My Authority,” We All Lose
When policing shifts from a promise to protect and serve into a demand to “respect my authority,” it’s more than a cultural change — it’s a dangerous mindset rooted in racial bias, fueled by political rhetoric, and devastating to public trust.
Freedom Needs Foresight: Why Not All Speech Deserves a Monument
“When LSU’s Flau’jae Johnson opposed the idea of a Charlie Kirk statue, she wasn’t rejecting free speech — she was questioning why we celebrate speech that divides instead of unites. Because freedom needs foresight.”
The Forgotten Story of Juan Seguín — and Why Erasing History Never Ends Well
Juan Seguín helped win Texas independence, only to be harassed, exiled, and forgotten. His story exposes how racism was written into the Republic of Texas from the start — and why today’s efforts to erase the hard truths of slavery and exclusion are just the latest attempt to rewrite history.
When Communities Tell Us Who They Are, We’d Better Listen
When Midland ISD voted to restore the name Lee to its high school, they weren’t compromising or hiding behind a safe title. They were telling us exactly who they are. And while I don’t like what that says about the community, I do value the honesty. It makes clear to the rest of us where Midland stands—and for me, that’s enough to know it’s not a place I’d ever want to live.
What If ‘Humpty Dumpty’ Was the Original Protest Song?
Nursery rhymes like “Humpty Dumpty’ may have served as disguised social and political commentary—and why memes and TikToks might be our modern version of quiet resistance.
When Conquest Passes for Greatness
We often revere history’s great conquerors—people like Napoleon, Subutai, or Andrew Jackson—but rarely do we reckon with the human cost of their campaigns. Maybe it’s time we rethink what makes someone “great.”
Randomly Rudimentary Life Stuff 
The 24th: Camp Logan, Houston and the Sad History I Never Knew
For 65 years as a self described Houstonian, I never heard that Black soldiers were executed after a 1917 riot on what is now Memorial Park. Learning about Camp Logan has shattered my “Houston is better” myth—and reinforced the negativity of slogans like “Make America Great Again.”