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Rob Taber

@robtaber.bsky.social

5.9K followers 1.5K following 1.5K posts

Historian of Haiti 🇭🇹 and democracy in the Americas at Fayetteville State. Working for a welcoming + transformative UNC System & NC. Views my own. Formerly US ED Partnerships. Occasional live-poster of obscure panels and events.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · Nov 9

Welcome new followers! I'm a historian of colonial Haiti and the Age of Revolutions. I teach Latin American and Black Atlantic History at Fayetteville State in North Carolina, where I also serve on the UNC Faculty Assembly. I'm an editor at @ageofrevolutions.bsky.social

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Reposted by Rob Taber

Jacqueline Antonovich @jackiantonovich.bsky.social · 4h

As a historian, I can certify that we are in the bad times. But bad times eventually end.
In the meantime:
• Figure out a small way to help someone
• Figure out a small way to fight back
• Figure out a small place to find joy
• Figure out a small way to grow and thrive

And do it often.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 6h

They passed a free-womb law, a prohibition on "unnecessary" floggings and "excessive" cruelty, and a declaration that the enslaved cannot be sold away from land they're cultivating. Unfortunately, news of this law reached Saint-Domingue in January 1792 and was rendered null by the colonial assembly.

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 7h

My Atlantic Revolutions class has gone somewhat off the Revolution in France script and has spent the current game session having a thoughtful debate about how to reform slavery in Saint-Domingue.*

*The deputies get the news of the August 1791 uprising at the end of the session.

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Reposted by Rob Taber

paris martineau @paris.nyc · 1d

my latest investigation for @consumerreports.org is based on months of reporting and 60+ lab tests of leading protein supplements

we found that most protein powders and shakes have more lead in one serving than our experts say is safe to have in a day (🧵)

www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein...

Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead - Consumer Reports

CR tests of 23 popular protein powders and shakes found that most contain high levels of lead.

www.consumerreports.org

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 1d

This engagement has been worth it: we've watched the standards get better. And it's not over—far, far from it. So we'll keep working. But I very much appreciate the good faith that CPHE staff have shown so far along with the efforts of faculty and higher ed colleagues who have informed FREA's work.

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 1d

These were informed by the comments collected by the UNC System's Faculty Assembly (also linked in the piece and below), which came from ~40 pages of comments from faculty from at least 11 UNC institutions.

acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:...

Adobe Acrobat

acrobat.adobe.com

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 1d

The good news: so does the CPHE staff. We've met with them multiple times, sharing our concerns and feedback. FREA's comments on the draft standards are linked in the Chronicle piece and are here: acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:...

Adobe Acrobat

acrobat.adobe.com

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 1d

So a group of us from seven states started meeting to compare notes. That soon turned into FREA: Faculty for Responsible Education and Accreditation. While we have a range of opinions on CPHE, we all believe in good-faith conversation.

Screenshot from Chronicle piece, reads as follows: But faculty who have interacted with the commission have a more ambivalent take. One positive sign, Maki said, is that a group of UNC faculty were engaged in discussion at the early stages of the commission’s development, and faculty from the other states have formed an ad hoc group, called Faculty for Responsible Education and Accreditation, to monitor the organization’s efforts. Both groups provided written comments on the draft standards.

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 1d

Second, faculty leaders have been watching this develop closely. Accreditors, after all, set a lot of the "ground rules" for how universities operate, what data we have to collect and report, etc. What will the Commission for Public Higher Education (CPHE) look like?

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 1d

First, it's important to know that this new accrediting effort is multi-state, with heavy involvement by the University of North Carolina System.

UNC System President Unveils Plans for New Accreditor

President Peter Hans said in an interview he aims to create a ‘streamlined, non-ideological’ accreditor with five other southern states.

www.theassemblync.com

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 1d

So three months ago, Ron DeSantis held a press conference about university accreditation. Let me share here a little bit about what's happened since then. 🧵

Will the Commission for Public Higher Education Be a ‘Serious’ Accreditor?

The Ron DeSantis-backed organization, a collaboration between six university systems in red states, is soon expected to announce an initial group of universities that will test its standards and proce...

www.chronicle.com

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 1d

A helpful thread, and very well crafted

Chris Murphy @chrismurphyct.bsky.social · 1d

Senate is back in session today.

1/ So a quick 🧵on where things are at on the shutdown.

You get a lot of propaganda and spin thrown at you, so I want to give you the real, behind-the-scenes tea.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 2d

You don't do this is if your guy is popular.

General Assembly Heeds President Trump’s Call to Thwart Blue State Attempts to Take Congress

Raleigh, N.C. — Today, legislative leaders agreed to hold votes during the previously scheduled October legislative session to block the…

bergerpress.medium.com

Reposted by Rob Taber

Valerie Meachum @valeriemeachum.bsky.social · 2d

"The law of unintended consequences is not just for folks in the city. It's for all of us."

Sarah Taber @sarahtaber.bsky.social · 3d

If you've been thinking "How are they gonna run their farms after Trump arrests their workers?"

don't worry, they planned ahead for that 💀

youtu.be/zdWrHb8b-c0

ICE Raids Are Only Half The Story

YouTube video by Farm to Taber

youtu.be

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 3d

Anyway, if you need a primer on why (many) farmers voted for Trump (for a third time) despite the havoc the Trump I tariffs caused, here you go:

Why Farmers Voted For Trump

YouTube video by Farm to Taber

youtu.be

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 3d

Soybeans are comparatively easy to grow and harvest, and China seemed to have bottomless demand. But now the Trump admin has turned off the music.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 3d

Shoutout to this real one, who tried to warn his fellow farmers back in September 2024 that Trump tariffs would hurt farm country.

Trump's tariff proposal could lead to economic losses, local apple grower says

During the presidential debate on Tuesday, Sept. 10, former president Donald Trump discussed his proposal to impose tariffs on consumer and agriculture imports.

wlos.com

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 3d

Though, of course, a lot of the money in NC agriculture is in chicken, pork, and turkey production. We don't grow enough grain in the state so they buy feed from the outside. Guess who benefits from crashed soybean prices....

Carolina Forward @carolinaforward.bsky.social · 3d

Soybeans are one of the biggest cash crops that North Carolina farmers rely on. And those farmers are now facing financial disaster.

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Reposted by Rob Taber

Sarah Taber @sarahtaber.bsky.social · 3d

If you've been thinking "How are they gonna run their farms after Trump arrests their workers?"

don't worry, they planned ahead for that 💀

youtu.be/zdWrHb8b-c0

ICE Raids Are Only Half The Story

YouTube video by Farm to Taber

youtu.be

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Reposted by Rob Taber

Charlotte Clymer @charlotteclymer.bsky.social · 7d

"So, Democrats have three words for this: no fucking way. It's literally life or death. We will not let Republicans blow up our health care system."

This is, hands down, the best comms work Chuck Schumer has done in YEARS. Surprisingly good.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 8d

It seems safe to say that Fayetteville will (continue to) have a Democratic mayor for the next two years. (Mayor Colvin defeated then-incumbent mayor Republican Nat Robertson eight years ago.)

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 8d

In the early vote, incumbent Mayor Mitch Colvin is out to a commanding 55% lead (he previously announced he wasn't running for re-election and then filed), followed by Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Keefe Jensen with 14% and City Councilor Mario Benavente with 10% and the other seven all in single digits.

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 8d

A wee bit of a collective action problem during filing

Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 8d

We've got a 10-way nonpartisan primary for Mayor and primaries in five of our nine city council districts. Top two in each race go on to the November general election.

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Rob Taber @robtaber.bsky.social · 8d

If the Cumberland Board of Elections could start reporting results soon...

a man in a suit and tie is holding a cup of coffee and saying `` that would be great `` .

ALT: a man in a suit and tie is holding a cup of coffee and saying `` that would be great `` .

media.tenor.com

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