Author Archives: James Salerno

Declaration of Independence – Indictment #1

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The Declaration of Independence is often misunderstood, which I wrote about here. One of the most important, yet overlooked, sections of the document is the list of indictments against King George III. The indictments are further evidence that the Declaration was never meant to be a revolutionary statement. From the Magna Carta to the colonial constitutions, George III was indicted for violating existing laws. Jefferson listed a total of 27 indictments against the King. Throughout February, we’re going to look at one indictment a day, why it was levied, and why it is still relevant.

King George III faces indictment #1
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Myths & Misconceptions – The 2nd Amendment and the Bill of Rights

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There are many widespread myths and misconceptions around not just the 2nd Amendment, but the Bill of Rights in general. To truly understand the 2nd Amendment, you need to understand why the Bill of Rights was ratified. You also need to understand the arguments against it. Against? Yes, contrary to popular history and education, our founding documents were not universally agreed upon.

The 2nd Amendment – only for muskets?
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Movie Pitch – World War I Guam

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I love World War I history. It’s often overshadowed by the sequel, but in my opinion it’s the more interesting conflict. The recent popularity and success of films like 1917 and YouTube channels like The Great War have helped contribute to a renewed interest in the war. The conflict stretched to all corners of the globe: Germany, Russia, The Ottoman Empire, France, The United States, Africa – and there are so many interesting stories to tell. But one place that never gets talked about is a tiny island over 7,000 miles away from where Gavrilo Princip assassinated Franz Ferdinand – the island of Guam. Somebody needs to make a movie about this, or at the bare minimum a mini-series, because it has all of the ingredients for perfect cinema.

The Island of Guam
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Book Review: President Without a Party – The Life of John Tyler

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If you’re looking to read a biography on John Tyler, you don’t have many options. Published in 2020, President Without a Party is the first full-scale Tyler biography published in half a century. Does it shine any new light on an oft neglected and historically maligned president?

President Without a Party – The Life of John Tyler
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A Threat to Democracy!

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2022 is a midterm election year, so the topic of voting rights is once again front and center. House Democrats are pushing a bill that would give the Federal government near-total control over elections. Under the Constitution, election law is prescribed to the State Legislatures. But I’m not here to talk about the constitutionality of the bill itself, I want to talk about democracy. Criticism of nearly any legislation today equates with “an attack on democracy!” The official slogan of the Washington Post is “democracy dies in darkness.” But what exactly is democracy?

protestors fighting for rights they already have
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The Declaration of Independence – A Conservative Document, not a Radical Departure

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The Declaration of Independence was penned by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, with the editorial input of John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. It’s one of the most recognized and most quoted documents in human history, but is it ever truly understood? Politicians today quote the declaration when promoting progressive causes, citing the “all men are created equal” line, but they’re borrowing from Lincoln, not Jefferson. Abraham Lincoln’s messaging on the subject became the prevailing wisdom of the document and was carried into the 20th century by conservative thinkers such as Harry Jaffa and Leo Strauss, and civil rights advocates like Martin Luther King, Jr. But what did Jefferson actually mean when he wrote it?

The Declaration of Independence
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