In the lead-up to the semiquincentennial, President Donald Trump has waged a war on topics he deems “divisive,” from DEI to critical race theory. As a reporter and fact-checker, I’ve examined this attack on our history closely. I’ve interviewed historians about how our past shapes our current moment, observed the spectacles put on by administration, […]
As extreme heat forces Fourth of July and America 250 celebrations to cancel or scale back across the country, the real story isn’t the weather—it’s the accelerating climate crisis reshaping American life. Joshua Scheer The climate crisis has become so normalized that much of the corporate media now reports its consequences while refusing to name […]
Joshua Scheer As we celebrate the Fourth of July with a conversation between our publisher and namesake, Robert Scheer, and the remarkable Ron Kovic, it is worth revisiting Born on the Fourth of July. I’ve included both the original trailer and several memorable scenes from this landmark film about war, patriotism, and redemption. Tom Cruise […]
When Bryan Stevenson moved to Montgomery, Alabama, in the 1980s, the city—one of America’s most prominent slave trading spaces before the Civil War—had dozens of Confederate monuments and memorials, but nothing commemorating slavery. Subscribe to Mother Jones podcasts on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app. Today, thanks to Stevenson’s efforts, the city looks much […]
Joshua Scheer President Donald Trump kicked off America’s 250th Independence Day celebrations with a speech at Mount Rushmore that centered on patriotism, anti-communism, and the upcoming midterm elections. Speaking beneath the monument to four U.S. presidents, Trump urged Americans to defend the nation’s founding ideals against what he described as a growing “communist menace.” Trump […]
Academic and award-winning author Robin D. G. Kelley discusses his hopes and fears on America's 250th anniversary, recent Supreme Court rulings, the Palestine exception, and more with Mehdi.