About The Battle Hymn and American Authoritarian Style
Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism. New York, 1948.
James Baldwin, “A Talk To Teachers.” Saturday Review, December 1964.
Adrienne Rich, “Diving Into the Wreck.” New York, 1973.
Andy Warhol, America. 1985.
Hayden White, The Content of the Form. Baltimore, 1987.
———— Metahistory. Baltimore, 1973.
The Star Spangled Banner
Strunk and White, Elements of Style, Third Edition. MacMillan, 1979.
In Pandemic Times
James Clayton, “FBI Busts Militia ‘Plot’ to Abduct Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.” BBC. October 9, 2020.
Ibram X. Kendi, “What the Racial Data Show.” The Atlantic, April 6, 2020.
In the Shadows of Mt. Rushmore: Background
Linda Gordon, The Second Coming of the KKK: The Ku Klux Klan of the 1920s and the American Political Tradition, Liveright, 2017.
Chris Peters, “The Omaha Boy Who Went On To Sculpt Mt. Rushmore, Tussle With Hitler, and (maybe) Join the KKK” The Omaha Herald Tribune, October 8, 2018.
Simon Schama, Landscape and Memory, Knopf, 1995.
In the Shadows of Mt. Rushmore: Foreground
“Remarks by President Trump at South Dakota’s 2020 Mount Rushmore Fireworks Celebration,” Issued July 3, 2020.
Fascist Poetry
Press Release from the Department of Homeland Security, “Acting Secretary Wolf Condemns The Rampant Long-Lasting Violence In Portland,” July 16, 2020.
Hillary Borrud and Everton Bailey, “Did Oregon’s Governor Convince Feds To Leave? Or Did President Trump Abandon Strategy to Bring Law and Order to Democratic-Led Cities?” The Oregonian/Oregon Live, July 31, 2020.
Adam Taylor, Nick Miroff, and David Farenthold, “Calm Returns to Portland as Federal Agents Withdraw.” The Washington Post, July 31, 2020.
The White House Press Briefing, Part II
Patrick Buchanan, Nixon’s White House Wars: The Battles That Made and Broke a President and Divided America Forever, Crown Forum, 2017.
Ben Bradlee, A Good Life, Simon and Schuster, 1996.
John A. Farrell, “The Most Abused Press Secretary in History,” Politico.com. March 19, 2017.
Make Words Tell
Adrienne Rich, The Dream of a Common Language. W.W. Norton, 1978.
William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White, The Elements of Style, Third Edition. MacMillan, 1957.
Guide to the Ezra Cornell Papers, 1746-1888, Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library, 1995.
Henry Finch, ed. (1970). The Andrew Dickson White Papers at Cornell University, 1846–1919. Cornell University Archives.
The Song of Crickets
E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web. Illustrations by Garth Williams. Harper Collins, 1952.
The Peepstone Problem
Wayne Booth, The Rhetoric of Fiction, University of Chicago Press, 1961.
—-Critical Understanding: The Power and Limits of Pluralism. University of Chicago Press, 1979.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, “Biographia Literaria,” 1817.
Robert Mueller et al. The Mueller Report. The Washington Post, 2019.
E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web. Knopf, 1952.
The Peepstone Problem: A Film Treatment
Cecilia Kang and Sheera Frenkel, “‘PizzaGate’ Conspiracy Theory Thrives Anew in the TikTok Era.” New York Times. June 27, 2020.
Mitch McConnell, Press Conference. February 23, 2016.
Kevin Roose, “What is QAnon, the Viral Pro-Trump Conspiracy Theory?” New York Times. September 1, 2020.
Jason Wilson, “Social Media Disinformation on US West Coast ‘spreading faster than fire.’” The Guardian, September 14, 2020.
The New Lost Cause
David W. Blight, Race and Reunion. Harvard University Press, 2009.
“United Daughters of the Confederacy Remembers Farmington Battle,” Marshall County Tribune, October 21, 2011
Seyward Darby and Glenna Gordon,“The Secret Weapons of the Far Right.” Topic, Issue No. 17.
Let X=X
Anne Applebaum, Red Famine. Doubleday, 2017.
Sam Kean, “The Soviet Era’s Deadliest Scientist Is Regaining Popularity in Russia. The Atlantic. December 19, 2017.
Sharon LaFraniere, “Trump Health Aide Pushes Bizarre Conspiracies and Warns of Armed Revolt.” New York Times, September 17, 2020.
The Rachel Maddow Show, “Scientific Method”. July 19, 2019.
—-”CDC Director’s Office Ordered Softening of Covid Safety Protocols.” September 22, 2020.
Timothy Snyder, Bloodlands. Basic Books, 2010.
The White House Press Briefing, Part III
Peter Manseau,“The Christian Martyrdom Movement Ascends to the White House,” The New Republic, June 5, 2020
Matt Stieb,“Mike Pence Tells Liberty University Graduates They Will Be ‘Ridiculed’ for Being Christian,” New York Magazine, May 13, 2019
Philip Shenon, “‘A threat to democracy’: Wiliam Barr’s speech on religious freedom alarms liberal Catholics,” The Guardian, October 20, 2019
Nina Totenberg, “Justices Thomas, Alito Blast Supreme Court Decision on Same-Sex Marriage Rights,” National Public Radio, October 5, 2020
“Press Briefing by Secretary Kayleigh McEnany,” May 22, 2020
Ruth Graham and Sharon LaFraniere, “Inside the People of Praise, the Tight-Knit Faith Community of Amy Coney Barrett.” The New York Times, October 8, 2020
The King James Bible
Luther’s Works, American Edition, 55 vols., 47:267, Concordia Publishing House and Fortress Press, 1955–86
Justice Alito’s Libido
Bostock vs. Clayton County, Georgia. Syllabus of the Supreme Court of the United States. Case argued October 8, 2019 and decided June 15, 2020.
Erwin Cheriminsky, “The Philosophy That Makes Amy Coney Barrett So Dangerous” (OpEd) The New York Times. October 21, 2020.
Michel Foucault, The History of Sexuality. Translated Robert Hurley. Vintage, 1978.
The Cowboy Messiah: Stage Setting
Joan Didion, Slouching Towards Bethlehem. New York. 1968.
John O’Sullivan, “Annexation,” The United States Magazine and Democratic Review. New York: 1845.
Worcester v. The State of Georgia, 31 U.S. (6 Pet.) 515 (1832).
Reckoning
Ailsa Chang and Rachel Martin, “Summer of Racial Reckoning.” NPR.ORG
Masha Gessen, “Why America Needs A Reckoning with the Trump Era.” The New Yorker, November 10, 2020.
Ibram X. Kendi, “A Battle Between The Two Souls of America.” The Atlantic. November 11, 2020.
Ben Parker, Stephanie Steinbrecher, Kelsey Ronan, John McMurtrie, Sophia DuRose, Rachel Villa, and Amy Sumerton, “Lest We Forget the Horrors….” McSweeney’s. November 18, 2020.
Katherine Stewart, “Trump or No Trump, Religious Authoritarianism Is Here to Stay.” New York Times, November 16, 2020.
The Cowboy Messiah: Act I
David Arro, “Trump Supporters Protest at Arizona Voting Center While Ballots Are Tallied.” Fox News, November 4, 2020.
James Baldwin, “A Talk To Teachers.” The Price of the Ticket. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1985.
Zusha Ellison, “New Maricopa County Sheriff Shuts Down Tent Jail.” Wall Street Journal, April 5, 2017.
Valeria Fernandez, “Arizona’s ‘Concentration Camp’: Why Was ‘Tent City’ Kept Open for 24 Years.” The Guardian, August 21, 2017.
Fernanda Santos, “Sheriff Joe Arpaio Embraces His Hollywood Moment.” New York Times. April 25, 2014.
The Cowboy Messiah: Act II
Haab v. County of Maricopa. June 5, 2008.
Awr Hawkins, “Sheriff Joe Arpaio: The Longest Serving Sheriff in Maricopa County History.” Breitbart News, June 9, 2015.
Sean Holstege, “Is Maricopa County Rounding Up Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Old Posses?” Phoenix New Times. September 19, 2017.
Stephen Lemons, “Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Active Posse Roster, Presented for Your Perusal.” Phoenix New Times. September 21, 2009.
Terry Moran and Nick Capote, “Sheriff Arpaio’s Answer to School Safety: Armed Civilian Posse.” ABC News, April 3, 2013.
The Cowboy Messiah, Act III
“I want justice. There’s an old poster out West…” (Heidi Collins, “Transcript: Bush recalls regrettable, proud moments.” CNN, 2008.)
Constitution of the United States of America
Scene i
“All these people that come over, they could come with disease….” (Alexander Provan, “The Vigilante.” GQ, 2009.)
“I can’t just surrender….” (“Full transcript: POLITICO’s Glenn Thrush interviews Sheriff Joe Arpaio.” POLITICO, June 20, 2016.)
“This is the Sheriff you’re talking about….” (Northwest Progressive Institute, November 10, 2011.)
“If they can go after me…” (Transcript from “Hannity.” Fox News, August 23, 2017.)
Scene ii:
Callum Borchers, “Joe Arpaio Runs Out of Legal Trouble and into the Warm Embrace of Sean Hannity.” Washington Post, August 25, 2017.
“First of all Sheriff, I am very relieved for you….” (Ian Schwartz, “Arpaio Interviewed by Hannity After Presidential Pardon: I Will Be With Trump Until the End.” Interview Transcript. Real Clear Politics, August 26, 2017.)
Scene iii
“We cannot allow all of these people to invade our country….” (Brent Griffiths, “Trump: ‘We Cannot Allow All of These People to Invade Our Country.’” POLITICO, June 24, 2018.)
Scene v
“I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command….” (Julie Zausmer and Keith McMillan, “Sessions cites Bible passage used to defend slavery in defense of separating immigrant families.” Washington Post, June 15, 2018.)
“And then we fell in love…” (Associated Press, Tough Talk: And Then We fell in Love…” September 30, 2018.)
Scene vii
“The power to pardon is an executive prerogative of mercy….” (Bill Chappell, “Federal Judge Will Not Void Guilty Ruling On Arpaio, Despite Trump’s Pardon.” NPR, October 20, 2017.)
American Splitscreen
Mississippi Statement of Secession. (1861)
Clint Smith, “The Whole Story in a Single Photo.” The Atlantic, January 8, 2021.
John Waller, “AP Photographer Shares Harrowing Video….” Boston Globe, January 8, 2021.
I’m So Bored with the U.S.A.
James Weldon Johnson, “Self-Determining Haiti,” The Nation, 1920.
11,780
Michael Shear and Stephanie Saul, “Trump, in Taped Call, Pressured Georgia Official to ‘Find’ Votes to Overturn Election.” New York Times, January 3, 2021.
Ernie Pyle: An Appreciation
John McMurray, “Ernie Pyle’s Reporting Vividly Brought WWII Back Home”, Investor’s Business Daily, January 27, 2016
Lloyd Clark, Anzio : Italy and the battle for Rome, 1944, Atlantic Monthly Press, 2006.
Ray E. Boomhower, “The G.I.’s Friend: Ernie Pyle”. Traces of Indiana and Midwestern History, Indiana Historical Society, 1991.
Lincoln Barnett, “Ernie Pyle”, Life, 1945.
Harry S. Truman, “Statement by the President on the Death of Ernie Pyle”. Public Papers, Harry S. Truman, 1945–1953. Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, 1945.
Glenn Kessler, “Stefanik Defends Election Falsehoods,” Washington Post, May 6, 2021.
Andrew Kaczynski and Em Steck, “Elise Stefanik Trump Comments,” CNN, May 7, 2021
The Active Voice
Ari Berman and Nick Sugey, “Dark Money Group Brags About Writing Voter Suppression Bills Across the Country.” Mother Jones, May 13, 2021.
Amy Gardner and Lori Rozsa, “”Florida’s DeSantis signs new voting restrictions into law, making the state the latest to add hurdles to the voting process.” Washington Post, May 6, 2021.
Roman Jakobson, “Style in Language,” A Theory of Communication, ed. Thomas Sebeok, MIT Press, 1960.
Martin Luther King, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail.” April 16, 1963.
Tasneem Nashrulla, “Georgia’s Governor Signed Voting Restrictions Into Law in Front of
“A Picture of a Slave Plantation.” BuzzFeed News, March 26, 2021.
Trudy Ring, “Black Queer Lawmaker Arrested in Georgia Vows to Fight on.” The Advocate. March 26, 2021.
Marianna Sotomayor and Todd C. Frankel, “Republicans Ramp Up Attacks on Corporations Over Georgia Voting Law, Threaten ‘Consequences.” Washington Post, April 5, 2021.
The Passive Voice
Addiction Center, “What Is Conspiracy Theory Addiction?”
Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, New York, 1948.
Kevin Breuninger, “Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Expresses Some Regret About Conspiracy Claims Ahead of Vote to Punish Her.” CNBC, February 4, 2021.
Masha Gessen, “Trump’s Defense Was An Insult to the Impeachment Proceedings and an Assault on Reason.” The New Yorker, February 14, 2021.
Tovia Smith, “Experts In Cult Deprogramming Step In To Help Believers In Conspiracy Theories.” NPR, March 2, 2021.
Will Strunk and E.B. White, The Elements of Style, Third Edition. New York, 1979.
Hayden White, The Content of the Form. Baltimore, 1987.
The Tune And Also the Words
CBS News, “Powell’s Photos.” February 5, 2003.
Full Text of Colin Powell’s Speech to the United Nations, February 5, 2003.
Suzanne Goldenberg, “Stunts and Cartoons Says Baghdad.” The Guardian, February 5, 2003.
Noreen Malone, “The Frantic Run-Up to Colin Powell’s Big Iraq Speech.” Slate, June 7, 2021.