Understanding history and literature as people making choices.
Burton Weltman We can overcome. We have overcome. We shall overcome. The mess we are in and maybe a way out. This essay is being written at the end of July, 2026. We in America are in a mess. If you are reading this, you don’t need me to tell you so. There are many reasons we are in [ ]
We have it in our power to begin the world over again. Tom Paine. Common Sense. One of the great utopian movements in American history. Gordon Wood. The Creation of the American Republic. Burton Weltman Preface. The purposes of this essay are twofold. First, the essay contends that communitarianism was the predominant mindset of Americans before, [ ]
Moral Ambiguities in the Harry Potter Books. Part II. Secrets and Lies/Guilt and Guilt-Tripping. Voldemort, Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid, and Harry. Yearning to be able to live with oneself. “I knew my brother, Potter…Secrets and lies, that’s how we grew up, and Albus…he was a natural.” Aberforth on his brother Albus Dumbledore. What do you call [ ]
Moral Ambiguities in the Harry Potter Books. Part I. Utopian/Dystopian Aspects of the Magical World. Magicians/Muggles and Their Discontents. “We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” Albus Dumbledore. What do you call a society that proclaims all beings are equal and should be free, but then practices [ ]
Finding Faith, Hope and Charity in The Plague. Atheism, Absurdity, the Almighty and Albert Camus. Surviving MAGA: Creating Trump-Free Zones. Burton Weltman “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greatest of these is charity.” Saint Paul. 1 Corinthians 13. King James Bible. The plague of our day is Donald Trump and his [ ]
Historical Cycling and Recycling. Back to the Future in the Age of Trump. Social Democracy v. Social Darwinism. The Golden Rule v. The Rule of Gold. A Fascist Resurgence? A Socialist Revival? Burton Weltman “The past isn’t dead. It isn’t even past.” William Faulkner. Gilded Age Redux: Déjà vu all over again. The Golden Rule [ ]
Intimations of Evil/Models of Good. Teaching Young People How to Respond. Wizards and Witches in Popular Novels. J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.” J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” books. Ursula Leguin’s “Earthsea Trilogy.” Burton Weltman “Careful the tale you tell That is the spell Children will listen” The Witch in Into the Woods. The Question of [ ]
The Consequences: Individualism Triumphant. Or not. The Utopian Impulse in American History. The Golden Age of Utopianism, 1820 s to 1850 s. In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union. Part III. Postscript Post Election 2024: What do we do now? Burton Weltman “You cannot buy the Revolution. You cannot make the Revolution. You can only be the [ ]
In the Beginning: The Choices and the Choice. The Utopian Impulse in American History. The Golden Age of Utopianism, 1820 s to 1850 s: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union. Part II. Burton Weltman We have it in our power to begin the world over again. Tom Paine The Utopian Origins of European Americans. The utopian [ ]
Utopianism in a Dystopian World: Whither America? The Utopian Impulse in American History. The Golden Age of Utopianism, 1820 s to 1850 s. In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union: Part I. Burton Weltman “Keep hope alive!” Jesse Jackson Historical Cycles: Utopian//Dystopian. There has been a pattern in American history of utopianism alternating with dystopianism as a [ ]