Author Archives: gdkrenz

Ruth Ben-Ghiat: “Never underestimate the American people”

Posted on November 6, 2025 by gdkrenz

This evening Barb and I attended the University of Michigan’s annual Davis, Markert, Nickerson Lecture on Academic and Intellectual Freedom. This is, as far as I know, the nation’s longest running lecture (35 years) dedicated to academic and intellectual freedom … Continue reading →

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Tonight, Americans’ democratic values spoke loud and clear

Posted on November 5, 2025 by gdkrenz

Tonight’s exhilarating election results were a large-D Democratic sweep that was also a small-d democratic victory. Democrats won the governorships of Virginia and New Jersey and the mayorship of New York City by getting out and connecting with the people … Continue reading →

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Signs of Hope and Determination (Near Term)

Posted on October 28, 2025 by gdkrenz

A few days ago, I posted about three phases of gathering resistance and affirming democracy. I still plan to post about each phase in more detail, but right now I’d like to identify a couple of pieces that might be … Continue reading →

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Moving forward: today, tomorrow, and beyond

Posted on October 23, 2025 by gdkrenz

There is online an abundance of punditry, analysis both empirical and theoretical, and even philosophical work on what needs to be done to resist our slide into tyranny and to rebuild our democracy, improving it in the process. I believe … Continue reading →

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Two metaphors

Posted on October 22, 2025 by gdkrenz

This is an image of the demolition of the East Wing of the White House, to make way for Trump’s garish ballroom. The East Wing was erected in 1942; it created a beautiful symmetry with the West Wing, which dates … Continue reading →

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No Kings: WWDS (What Would Dewey Say)?

Posted on October 20, 2025 by gdkrenz

John Dewey, one of America’s greatest philosophers, was born this day in 1859. Dewey was incredibly prolific and made important contributions to virtually every field of philosophy. He is perhaps best known, though, for his work in ethics, theory of … Continue reading →

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No, Spkr Johnson: “No Kings” IS “Love America”

Posted on October 13, 2025 by gdkrenz

We Americans love to label things, no doubt. And labeling things can be important in politics. Labels can give us a shorthand, and they can serve as rallying cries. At this point, we can’t for instance any longer avoid calling … Continue reading →

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Higher ed solidarity, please!

Posted on October 8, 2025 by gdkrenz

Last week, the Trump administration sent to nine universities A Compact for Excellence in Higher Education, the idea being that institutions that sign on to the compact would receive “preferential access to federal funds.” This is the latest effort by … Continue reading →

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Whispering in the Storm

Posted on October 3, 2025 by gdkrenz

The daily nightmares continue. There are reasons for hope – more on that another time. But there continue to be reasons to fear, perhaps most significant among them is that the more Trump feels cornered, the more desperate his actions … Continue reading →

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Free Speech Under Assault

Posted on September 19, 2025 by gdkrenz

The Trump Administration is engaged in a concerted campaign against Americans’ First Amendment free speech rights. Free speech is a core democratic value, directly related to human dignity, to human progress, and to the full exercise of citizenship. It is … Continue reading →

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