When National Narcissism Meets Unforgiving Nature

This week I have three things to share.  First, I'd like to introduce you to Walk On, a blog written by Jesse Curtis.  Mr. Curtis is currently a PhD student at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  His research focus is American history, and the roles which American exceptionalism and racism have played in that history.  He has particular insights into the role which American evangelicals have played in fostering and maintaining that exceptionalism and racism.

I am glad to have discovered his blog, because I believe that an accurate understanding of the present-day dysfunctional mainstream American mindset must of necessity include an accurate understanding of the ways in which white American evangelicalism and its leaders have contributed to the creation of that mindset.  I am a Christian - a Biblically orthodox Christian - and yet I hereby declare my belief that present-day white American evangelicalism is deeply dysfunctional, and that in many ways it amounts to no more than a patriotic cargo cult.  (One of these days, I will explain the ways in which the term "cargo cult" accurately describes American evangelicalism - unless someone wants to beat me to the punch.)

The nature of American evangelicalism and its impact on American society explains not only the dysfunctional ways in which the U.S. interacts with the non-white and the foreign-born.  It also explains why the U.S. is responding in such a dysfunctional way to the limits now being imposed on it by resource depletion and environmental degradation - the original subjects of my blog.  Along those lines, I present you with two reposts of articles describing the collision of national narcissism and unforgiving nature: "The Congress Created Dust Bowl," and "The Death of the Central Valley."  Enjoy.

Busy as a Cat With A Long Tail...

Blogging is hard work, if it is to be done right.  What is required for an intelligent blog is strong subject matter, well-thought, well-researched and well-presented.  This takes time.

Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of time right now, and won't have that kind of time for the next several weeks with the possible exception of the end of this month and maybe Labor Day weekend.  So unfortunately, posting will be a bit light while I finish a graduate school project.  (Also, I gotta work and pay my bills!) 

However, I can offer you some reposts of essays and interviews I have done over the last few years.  If you haven't seen them before, I hope you enjoy them.  Also, I've noticed a number of visits from people outside the U.S.  To those of you from Russia, China, Kenya, Indonesia, Thailand, India, and Britain, a big "Thank You" for your readership.

And now for this week's re-post, I have selected, "An Inmate's View of Federal Prison."  The subject matter, while grim, should be informative.