Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
@phdrachel.bsky.social
Public Historian/Prof; Voting rights, suffrage, & citizenship; 🗃️
On The Great Courses & Audible
Views=my own. On #TikTok
http://buymeacoffee.com/PhDRachel
On The Great Courses & Audible
Views=my own. On #TikTok
http://buymeacoffee.com/PhDRachel
Pinned
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
The arguments made against immigrants are always the same and they're always false, regardless of what era it is or where each new group is coming from.
Insulting to have to point this out, but if you have spent even 30 minutes reading US history, you realize that every decade has been dominated by racist hysteria that the "new" people won't ever fit in.
This exact prejudice would have been applied to Miller's forebears, when they fled pogroms.
This exact prejudice would have been applied to Miller's forebears, when they fled pogroms.
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 4:28 PM
The arguments made against immigrants are always the same and they're always false, regardless of what era it is or where each new group is coming from.
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
OK, who narced?
November 28, 2025 at 4:44 PM
OK, who narced?
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
in a reasonable world the Trump admin would be catching enormous amounts of shit for their decision to deploy the national guard now that this has happened, rather than the media helping manufacture consent for them ending all refugee programs
I am not holding my breath
I am not holding my breath
The Trump DOJ played down the risk of deploying the National Guard to DC, despite warnings, and now one of them is dead. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
November 28, 2025 at 4:46 PM
in a reasonable world the Trump admin would be catching enormous amounts of shit for their decision to deploy the national guard now that this has happened, rather than the media helping manufacture consent for them ending all refugee programs
I am not holding my breath
I am not holding my breath
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.
November 28, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I don’t know if anyone else notices or cares, but when I see a presentation in which the speaker uses obviously generated-AI images to illustrate their slides, it makes me immediately less confident in whatever other content they’re presenting.
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
Effectively there is no *one* person performing the duties of President of the United States right now. We are in an interregnum with an occupied throne.
The fundamental thing to understand about this administration is the president is a grumpy retiree. He has no interest in working anymore. Which leads to him being pissed that he is getting asked a question, pissed he has to show up and work, the scheming viziers running the show, etc..
“You’re a stupid person” — Trump lashes out at a reporter who presses him on the fact that the suspected DC shooter was actually thoroughly vetted before he was let in the US from Afghanistan
November 28, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Effectively there is no *one* person performing the duties of President of the United States right now. We are in an interregnum with an occupied throne.
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
NEW: ICE’s policy of mass detaining immigrants w pending deportation proceedings has led to an avalanche of rejections in court.
More than 220 judges — including 23 Trump appointees — have called it an illegal distortion of long-settled law. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
More than 220 judges — including 23 Trump appointees — have called it an illegal distortion of long-settled law. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
November 28, 2025 at 12:06 PM
NEW: ICE’s policy of mass detaining immigrants w pending deportation proceedings has led to an avalanche of rejections in court.
More than 220 judges — including 23 Trump appointees — have called it an illegal distortion of long-settled law. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
More than 220 judges — including 23 Trump appointees — have called it an illegal distortion of long-settled law. www.politico.com/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
Literally everything in American history proves this is false.
Stephen Miller is now arguing that assimilation is fundamentally impossible and that certain cultures are not compatible with Western civilization
November 28, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Literally everything in American history proves this is false.
Happy Thanksgiving/tree decorating day!
November 28, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Happy Thanksgiving/tree decorating day!
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
I'd like to see some kind of quality assurance seal on creative works that were made entirely without robotic input.
"This work of art / fiction / nonfiction / film / music is certified to be 100% imagined, developed, and produced by humans."
"This work of art / fiction / nonfiction / film / music is certified to be 100% imagined, developed, and produced by humans."
November 27, 2025 at 4:51 PM
I'd like to see some kind of quality assurance seal on creative works that were made entirely without robotic input.
"This work of art / fiction / nonfiction / film / music is certified to be 100% imagined, developed, and produced by humans."
"This work of art / fiction / nonfiction / film / music is certified to be 100% imagined, developed, and produced by humans."
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
💉 One thing I rarely see explained is how vaccination *is* "natural immunity".
The immunity is developed by your body not the vaccine. The vaccine itself doesn’t do the work.
I think the confusion partly comes from a phrase scientists use. 🧵⬇️
1/n
The immunity is developed by your body not the vaccine. The vaccine itself doesn’t do the work.
I think the confusion partly comes from a phrase scientists use. 🧵⬇️
1/n
RFK Jr.’s new CDC deputy director prefers “natural immunity” over vaccines
Ralph Abraham is “dangerous,” but somehow not the worst among those considered.
arstechnica.com
November 27, 2025 at 10:32 AM
💉 One thing I rarely see explained is how vaccination *is* "natural immunity".
The immunity is developed by your body not the vaccine. The vaccine itself doesn’t do the work.
I think the confusion partly comes from a phrase scientists use. 🧵⬇️
1/n
The immunity is developed by your body not the vaccine. The vaccine itself doesn’t do the work.
I think the confusion partly comes from a phrase scientists use. 🧵⬇️
1/n
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
Our tribal ID’s validity depends entirely on the person we’re presenting it to. My attempting to use it has failed many times because of the lack of knowledge people in government have about it. After this, I expect the feds to try to further delegitimize it.
November 27, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Our tribal ID’s validity depends entirely on the person we’re presenting it to. My attempting to use it has failed many times because of the lack of knowledge people in government have about it. After this, I expect the feds to try to further delegitimize it.
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
Mercedes Wells, the mother who gave birth on the side of the road minutes after she was discharged from a hospital, has been hospitalized with post-birth health issues
Mom Who Was Turned Away While in Active Labor Back in Hospital with Post-Birth Health Issues, Family Says
The mom who gave birth on the side of the road minutes after she was discharged from an Indiana hospital has been hospitalized with post-birth health issues.
people.com
November 27, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Mercedes Wells, the mother who gave birth on the side of the road minutes after she was discharged from a hospital, has been hospitalized with post-birth health issues
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! 🗃️
Thanksgiving is not a colonial/Pilgrim holiday. It’s a Civil War holiday. & we think otherwise in part because of the Lost Cause. 🗃️
www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8UrgXv1/
www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8UrgXv1/
Let’s talk the real #history of #Thanksgiving & the #LostCause history of the #CivilWar Follow @karencoxhistorian “Forgotten America” is available on @thegreatcourses plus & @Audible
TikTok video by PhDRachel
www.tiktok.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! 🗃️
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
NEW from me - NSF cancels grant scheme for social science research.
Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪
Seems the NSF quietly archived ALL calls for DDRIG grants in the SBE directorate. This is a massive blow for PhD students wanting to do cutting-edge social science research. 🏺🧪
Today's biggest science news: Doomed comet explodes | Comet 3I/ATLAS course alteration | Dark matter detected?
Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025: Your daily feed of the biggest discoveries and breakthroughs making headlines.
www.livescience.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
Usually I'd encourage you to find another place to buy the book, but Amazon is selling the BLOOD IN THE MACHINE ebook for $2.99 at what is certainly a loss, so by all means, get a copy for cheap
www.amazon.com/Blood-Machin...
www.amazon.com/Blood-Machin...
Blood in the Machine: The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech
The most urgent story in modern tech begins not in Silicon Valley but two hundred years ago in rural England, when workers known as the Luddites rose up rather than starve at the hands of factory owne...
www.amazon.com
November 27, 2025 at 4:43 AM
Usually I'd encourage you to find another place to buy the book, but Amazon is selling the BLOOD IN THE MACHINE ebook for $2.99 at what is certainly a loss, so by all means, get a copy for cheap
www.amazon.com/Blood-Machin...
www.amazon.com/Blood-Machin...
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
Extremely accurate thread on how book finances work for trade published authors #BookSky
tl;dr it’s not a lot of money per effort year and buying our books at indies makes a material, positive difference
tl;dr it’s not a lot of money per effort year and buying our books at indies makes a material, positive difference
I'm going to do a little thread on how the money from books works for traditionally published authors because people have questions, and this is always useful info to share IMO. First, a big disclaimer that every contract is different, and there are a million factors that can change things. 1/
November 27, 2025 at 2:48 AM
Extremely accurate thread on how book finances work for trade published authors #BookSky
tl;dr it’s not a lot of money per effort year and buying our books at indies makes a material, positive difference
tl;dr it’s not a lot of money per effort year and buying our books at indies makes a material, positive difference
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
Probably not ideal to publish a long piece on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving… Would you help me spread the word?
I wrote about some persistent myths regarding what’s happening in American society and politics we desperately need to discard:
I wrote about some persistent myths regarding what’s happening in American society and politics we desperately need to discard:
The Myth of a Rightward Realignment
Let’s discard some stubborn misconceptions about Trump’s support and what happened in the 2024 election that are obscuring our understanding of a profound de-alignment of the established order.
New piece:
Let’s discard some stubborn misconceptions about Trump’s support and what happened in the 2024 election that are obscuring our understanding of a profound de-alignment of the established order.
New piece:
The Myth of a Rightward Realignment
Let’s discard some stubborn misconceptions about Trump’s support and what happened in the 2024 election that are obscuring our understanding of a profound de-alignment
steady.page
November 27, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Probably not ideal to publish a long piece on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving… Would you help me spread the word?
I wrote about some persistent myths regarding what’s happening in American society and politics we desperately need to discard:
I wrote about some persistent myths regarding what’s happening in American society and politics we desperately need to discard:
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
I don't see how Tesla's Model 3 can survive if Benz can offer an alternative EV this cheap, with this kind of performance, on top of the 15% tariff that it's charged in the US.
Imagine what this model does to Tesla in Europe, where Benz pays no tariffs.
Imagine what this model does to Tesla in Europe, where Benz pays no tariffs.
November 26, 2025 at 11:15 PM
I don't see how Tesla's Model 3 can survive if Benz can offer an alternative EV this cheap, with this kind of performance, on top of the 15% tariff that it's charged in the US.
Imagine what this model does to Tesla in Europe, where Benz pays no tariffs.
Imagine what this model does to Tesla in Europe, where Benz pays no tariffs.
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
One thing I have no patience for is "there is nothing to be thankful for" doomerism. If Americans were finding things to be thankful for in 1863, two and a half years into a bloody Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln formalized the Thanksgiving holiday, then I can find things to be thankful for too.
November 26, 2025 at 10:33 PM
One thing I have no patience for is "there is nothing to be thankful for" doomerism. If Americans were finding things to be thankful for in 1863, two and a half years into a bloody Civil War, when Abraham Lincoln formalized the Thanksgiving holiday, then I can find things to be thankful for too.
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
Yeah, one of the real flaws with Bluesky is that if you make a post whose message is basically "hey, do the losers at this place still have a stick up their ass about my machine that steals their writing?" it attracts negative responses.
It's a weird glitch, and it's certainly not *your* fault.
It's a weird glitch, and it's certainly not *your* fault.
November 26, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Yeah, one of the real flaws with Bluesky is that if you make a post whose message is basically "hey, do the losers at this place still have a stick up their ass about my machine that steals their writing?" it attracts negative responses.
It's a weird glitch, and it's certainly not *your* fault.
It's a weird glitch, and it's certainly not *your* fault.
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
The problem with ICE is not that it's targeting people who aren't criminals. The problem with ICE is that it's an unaccountable secret deportation police. It cannot be reformed under a better president. It can be made less terrible, but the instrument of repression remains for the next tyrant.
November 26, 2025 at 5:04 PM
The problem with ICE is not that it's targeting people who aren't criminals. The problem with ICE is that it's an unaccountable secret deportation police. It cannot be reformed under a better president. It can be made less terrible, but the instrument of repression remains for the next tyrant.
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
Look, man, you really can't walk into a room and loudly announce "Hey how do you feel about the thing ripping you off" and then get upset people don't like it. My dad died three years ago and assholes running LLMs stole his books. I didn't need that emotionally, let alone legally.
November 26, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Look, man, you really can't walk into a room and loudly announce "Hey how do you feel about the thing ripping you off" and then get upset people don't like it. My dad died three years ago and assholes running LLMs stole his books. I didn't need that emotionally, let alone legally.
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
Second, a reminder that we're also collecting favorite public scholarly work from 2025--writing, podcast episodes, books--for a special year-end thread. Check out the Announcement & send stuff our way!
blackwhiteandread.com/announcements/
blackwhiteandread.com/announcements/
Announcements
If you have a talk coming up, a book on its way, a podcast trailer to drop, or an accomplishment to celebrate, we want to help you share it!
blackwhiteandread.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Second, a reminder that we're also collecting favorite public scholarly work from 2025--writing, podcast episodes, books--for a special year-end thread. Check out the Announcement & send stuff our way!
blackwhiteandread.com/announcements/
blackwhiteandread.com/announcements/
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
- He stopped the policy of encouraging flu immunization in Louisiana
- Delayed reporting on a pertussis outbreak that killed two children in Louisiana.
-Promoted false information on covid vaccine harms.
He is now number 2 at CDC.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
- Delayed reporting on a pertussis outbreak that killed two children in Louisiana.
-Promoted false information on covid vaccine harms.
He is now number 2 at CDC.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
Controversial Louisiana surgeon general tapped for CDC leadership role
Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abraham has spoken against Covid shots and ended mass vaccination campaigns. Now he's in a position to make national health decisions.
www.nbcnews.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:49 PM
- He stopped the policy of encouraging flu immunization in Louisiana
- Delayed reporting on a pertussis outbreak that killed two children in Louisiana.
-Promoted false information on covid vaccine harms.
He is now number 2 at CDC.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
- Delayed reporting on a pertussis outbreak that killed two children in Louisiana.
-Promoted false information on covid vaccine harms.
He is now number 2 at CDC.
www.nbcnews.com/health/healt...
Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷
November 26, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Good morning to Brazilian reporter Manuela Borges, who’s been waiting eleven years for this petty moment. ❤️ 🇧🇷