David
@dmeltsner922.bsky.social
Historian
Social Studies Content Specialist
Maryland, USA
Social Studies Content Specialist
Maryland, USA
Reposted by David
And most of them are not even joking. They somehow think “blue state” means “good ppl worthy of saving” and “red state” means “population of evil ppl that should suffer”
When I see people online, even in jest, suggest that people living in Republican-controlled states should be abandoned because of their politicians, I feel a deep heartache. New York CREATED Donald Trump and none of y’all are ever talk about it the way you disparage Alabama or Mississippi.
September 6, 2025 at 9:30 PM
And most of them are not even joking. They somehow think “blue state” means “good ppl worthy of saving” and “red state” means “population of evil ppl that should suffer”
Reposted by David
"How bad slavery was" is worse. Much worse. Much worse than you think, much worse than you're taught, much worse than museums depict. Worse.
August 19, 2025 at 7:42 PM
"How bad slavery was" is worse. Much worse. Much worse than you think, much worse than you're taught, much worse than museums depict. Worse.
Reposted by David
Imagine having a storied career in entertainment, building up a base of adoring fans worldwide through decades of plying your craft, then throwing all that away to squeeze out a bit more cash playing the esteemed role of Ebenezer Q. Grimblefart or whatever for a fucking Harry Potter audiobook.
August 6, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Imagine having a storied career in entertainment, building up a base of adoring fans worldwide through decades of plying your craft, then throwing all that away to squeeze out a bit more cash playing the esteemed role of Ebenezer Q. Grimblefart or whatever for a fucking Harry Potter audiobook.
Reposted by David
June 18, 2025 at 8:29 AM
Reposted by David
The Minnesota assassinations, the attempted arson at Governor Shapiro's home, and the violent arrest of Senator Padilla are all straight out of the Jim Crow terrorism playbook. Same goes with cops aiming for journalists covering the ICE protests.
None of these are new tactics, just a new iteration.
None of these are new tactics, just a new iteration.
I have at least two people in my replies who are extremely upset that I suggested the two political assassinations of democratic politicians, yes even white ones, counts as an act of Jim Crow style terror and what is alarming is that these two accounts seem to be real people.
June 14, 2025 at 3:55 PM
The Minnesota assassinations, the attempted arson at Governor Shapiro's home, and the violent arrest of Senator Padilla are all straight out of the Jim Crow terrorism playbook. Same goes with cops aiming for journalists covering the ICE protests.
None of these are new tactics, just a new iteration.
None of these are new tactics, just a new iteration.
Reposted by David
Also cannot be emphasized enough: Barack Obama successfully negotiated the shutdown of Iran's nuclear program. It exists today because Trump deliberately tore up that agreement.
The deaths happening right now can be laid at his door.
The deaths happening right now can be laid at his door.
Israel aggressively bombing Iran—unlike two incidents of strikes in 2024, which followed Iranian missiles launches against Israel—is in part another consequence of a weak, chaotic US president.
Worth noting that this didn't happen under Biden, Obama, or Bush, despite Israel talking about it a lot.
Worth noting that this didn't happen under Biden, Obama, or Bush, despite Israel talking about it a lot.
June 13, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Also cannot be emphasized enough: Barack Obama successfully negotiated the shutdown of Iran's nuclear program. It exists today because Trump deliberately tore up that agreement.
The deaths happening right now can be laid at his door.
The deaths happening right now can be laid at his door.
Reposted by David
W.E.B. Du Bois on Robert E. Lee:
“Either he knew what slavery meant when he helped maim and murder thousands in its defense, or he did not. If he did not he was a fool. If he did, Robert Lee was a traitor and a rebel–not indeed to his country, but to humanity and humanity’s God.”
“Either he knew what slavery meant when he helped maim and murder thousands in its defense, or he did not. If he did not he was a fool. If he did, Robert Lee was a traitor and a rebel–not indeed to his country, but to humanity and humanity’s God.”
June 11, 2025 at 12:42 PM
W.E.B. Du Bois on Robert E. Lee:
“Either he knew what slavery meant when he helped maim and murder thousands in its defense, or he did not. If he did not he was a fool. If he did, Robert Lee was a traitor and a rebel–not indeed to his country, but to humanity and humanity’s God.”
“Either he knew what slavery meant when he helped maim and murder thousands in its defense, or he did not. If he did not he was a fool. If he did, Robert Lee was a traitor and a rebel–not indeed to his country, but to humanity and humanity’s God.”
Reposted by David
Nawrocki is the Holocaust revisionist historian dedicated to constructing a historical narrative whereby no Poles bear any responsibility for the murder of three million Jews in the Holocaust. He is also the candidate supported by the Trump administration.
The exit poll from Poland's presidential election run-off shows that the result is too close to call.
Government-aligned centrist Rafał Trzaskowski has 50.3% while conservative opposition candidate Karol Nawrocki is on 49.7%.
All eyes will now be on the official result, due tomorrow.
Government-aligned centrist Rafał Trzaskowski has 50.3% while conservative opposition candidate Karol Nawrocki is on 49.7%.
All eyes will now be on the official result, due tomorrow.
June 1, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Nawrocki is the Holocaust revisionist historian dedicated to constructing a historical narrative whereby no Poles bear any responsibility for the murder of three million Jews in the Holocaust. He is also the candidate supported by the Trump administration.
Reposted by David
the first sentence of Elon's obituary should be that he was one of the greatest mass murderers in the history of humanity
this is his legacy
this is his legacy
Musk should be asked about this in every interview he does now and forever. To ignore it is a dereliction of duty.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/o...
May 30, 2025 at 4:37 PM
the first sentence of Elon's obituary should be that he was one of the greatest mass murderers in the history of humanity
this is his legacy
this is his legacy
Reposted by David
Every Harry Potter book or shirt you buy directly funds the persecution of trans people.
There's absolutely no excuse to support anything Harry Potter anymore unless you hate trans people.
There's absolutely no excuse to support anything Harry Potter anymore unless you hate trans people.
May 24, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Every Harry Potter book or shirt you buy directly funds the persecution of trans people.
There's absolutely no excuse to support anything Harry Potter anymore unless you hate trans people.
There's absolutely no excuse to support anything Harry Potter anymore unless you hate trans people.
Reposted by David
The news media is crowded with people who aren’t here to newsgather. They make no research or investigative contributions; just personalities whose job is comparable to pumping out youtube reaction videos. They’re entertainers, not journalists, and they’re paid 5x what decent reporters pull in.
The political media is obsessively relitigating the issue of Biden being too old and out of touch while the current president babbles incoherently at press conferences and regularly admits he's not the one making decisions on key policy matters.
May 15, 2025 at 11:11 PM
The news media is crowded with people who aren’t here to newsgather. They make no research or investigative contributions; just personalities whose job is comparable to pumping out youtube reaction videos. They’re entertainers, not journalists, and they’re paid 5x what decent reporters pull in.
Reposted by David
Look, I hope these students see what they’re saying and start to try to think through the problems they are given in school without ChatGPT.
But the neoliberal capture of universities and systematic defunding of schools is just as much to blame for this as the students decision to use it.
But the neoliberal capture of universities and systematic defunding of schools is just as much to blame for this as the students decision to use it.
May 14, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Look, I hope these students see what they’re saying and start to try to think through the problems they are given in school without ChatGPT.
But the neoliberal capture of universities and systematic defunding of schools is just as much to blame for this as the students decision to use it.
But the neoliberal capture of universities and systematic defunding of schools is just as much to blame for this as the students decision to use it.
Reposted by David
Finally hit full in the face with Chat GPT generated final essays in one of my classes. I thought I had proofed things by requiring only sources from inside my course modules, citations, quotes, etc. but am seeing hallucinated citations (for book titles that don't exist). Unrelievedly depressing.
May 10, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Finally hit full in the face with Chat GPT generated final essays in one of my classes. I thought I had proofed things by requiring only sources from inside my course modules, citations, quotes, etc. but am seeing hallucinated citations (for book titles that don't exist). Unrelievedly depressing.
Reposted by David
May 9, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Reposted by David
I’ve found it’s more visually appealing to just paste in his head at the inflection points
April 29, 2025 at 10:26 PM
I’ve found it’s more visually appealing to just paste in his head at the inflection points
Reposted by David
Lots of people I know that were furious about kids having to wear masks are real quiet about a two year old citizen being wrongfully deported
April 26, 2025 at 3:46 AM
Lots of people I know that were furious about kids having to wear masks are real quiet about a two year old citizen being wrongfully deported
Reposted by David
So it goes without saying, but let's say it anyway: the concentration of attacks on trans people isn't because trans people are the only people fascists hate (although they absolutely do hate them). It's because they're the people they think non-fascists are least likely to defend.
March 8, 2025 at 8:47 AM
So it goes without saying, but let's say it anyway: the concentration of attacks on trans people isn't because trans people are the only people fascists hate (although they absolutely do hate them). It's because they're the people they think non-fascists are least likely to defend.
Reposted by David
‘You Can’t Let This Happen,’ Says Fundraising Email From Sitting U.S. Congressperson
February 12, 2025 at 5:00 PM
‘You Can’t Let This Happen,’ Says Fundraising Email From Sitting U.S. Congressperson
Reposted by David
I can’t find any archival evidence that that the Langston Hughes poem circulating here today is authentic so here is a sourced Hughes poem, Beaumont to Detroit, 1943, published that year in the magazine Common Ground, in which he compares Hitler and Mussolini to American Jim Crow and the KKK
February 1, 2025 at 9:51 PM
I can’t find any archival evidence that that the Langston Hughes poem circulating here today is authentic so here is a sourced Hughes poem, Beaumont to Detroit, 1943, published that year in the magazine Common Ground, in which he compares Hitler and Mussolini to American Jim Crow and the KKK
Reposted by David
Sorry you can't afford to own a home, we had to beat China in the race to develop a better plagiarism app
January 28, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Sorry you can't afford to own a home, we had to beat China in the race to develop a better plagiarism app
Reposted by David
"Either he knew what slavery meant when he helped maim and murder thousands in its defense, or he did not. If he did not he was a fool. If he did, Robert Lee was a traitor and a rebel–not indeed to his country, but to humanity and humanity’s God."--W.E.B. DuBois on Robert E. Lee, born #OTD in 1807 🗃️
January 19, 2025 at 4:52 PM
"Either he knew what slavery meant when he helped maim and murder thousands in its defense, or he did not. If he did not he was a fool. If he did, Robert Lee was a traitor and a rebel–not indeed to his country, but to humanity and humanity’s God."--W.E.B. DuBois on Robert E. Lee, born #OTD in 1807 🗃️
Reposted by David
RIP Bob Uecker. Never forget the time he and Bob Gibson got in trouble for holding hands during the team photo.
January 16, 2025 at 4:09 PM
RIP Bob Uecker. Never forget the time he and Bob Gibson got in trouble for holding hands during the team photo.
Reposted by David
Writing tip: After you finish, go back & cut all the adverbs. Then all the adjectives. Then all the other words. Eat the paper. Now you're free.
January 9, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Writing tip: After you finish, go back & cut all the adverbs. Then all the adjectives. Then all the other words. Eat the paper. Now you're free.
Reposted by David
This is outstanding.
update: here is the AI policy i wrote for my doc seminar this term (i have already located the typo and fixed it, which tbh is like 60% of the point of posting it in public)
January 4, 2025 at 1:40 PM
This is outstanding.