Voting rights remain a topic for many Americans who falsely believe voter fraud occurs. I give money to Let America Vote, an organization started by Jason Kander, to try to defend voting rights in many different fronts. Today, federal law does not require that employers allow their workers time off to vote. However, the majority …
220 years ago, Congress passed the first of what would become known as the Alien and Sedition Acts. The government argued that these measure became necessary for national security. War with France seemed imminent and 25,000 French refugees came to America. When a group of French scientists wanted to visit the country, President Adams opposed …
On July 12, 1810, a trial of trade unionists began in New York City. In 1794, Philadelphia shoemakers organized the “Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers.” Similarly New York bootmakers joined. In 1805, the union struck in Philadelphia for higher wages. The New York bootmakers were found guilty and fined one dollar. The law stated that “Even to do a …
As we continuously discuss loyalty, partisanship, and civility, we forget how our Founders acted illegally, angered many, and defied the power-that-be. Samuel Adams organized and directed people to revolt against the King. Although loyalists called him and evil and vindictive man and fought to develop an aristocracy that would follow the crown, Adams rallied the …
I restarted this blog last year to try to focus some nervous energy and sadness into something positive. I wanted to showcase what liberty and American values should look like. Through that research, I have seen a lot of darkness in our history that my education bypassed. We treated immigrants poorly from the beginning. Native …
The Treaty of Bosque Redondo between the United States and many of the Navajo leaders was concluded at Fort Sumner on June 1, 1868. The treaty allowed the Navajo to return to a small portion of their original homeland in Arizona and New Mexico. The U.S. government promised basic services in exchange for peace. The Navajo …
Although Justice Douglas wrote that “racism as a constitutional principle was emphatically rejected” in Yick Wo, he noted that on May 15, 1893, the Supreme Court provided a dark day for resident aliens. However, in discussing the case, Justice Douglas focused on Justice David J. Brewer, a conservative justice, who became a champion of individual rights.
Although America has always been a land of immigrants, the people who currently live in its borders love to try to keep others out. In the nineteenth century, many people who had low or no income came to the United States. To limit their entry, New York, placed a head tax on every ship that …
President Franklin D. Roosevelt wrote on May 11, 1935, “I hereby establish an agency within the Government to be known as the Rural Electrification Administration…to initiate, formulate, administer, and supervise a program of approved projects with respect to the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric energy in rural areas.” In 1935, only 10% of America’s …
On May 10, 1998, the Supreme Court set aside the conviction of Yick Wo. San Francisco had passed an ordinance that required laundry operators to obtain licenses. The city argued they needed to ensure that wooden buildings were not used as laundries. However, 200 invididuals were denied permits, all of Chinese descent, and 80 individuals …