I wrote my own Charlie Kirk obituary, and about valuing truth over manners: www.thenation.com/article/poli...
University of Oklahoma Sociology Doctoral Student Freelance Writer https://kennethefrantz.oucreate.com/blog/
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I wrote my own Charlie Kirk obituary, and about valuing truth over manners: www.thenation.com/article/poli...
Thanks for sharing! This is the best thing I’ve read on Kirk.
This is the best thing I’ve read on Kirk! Thanks for sharing.
The Nation pulls NO punches, from @espiers.bsky.social "There's no requirement to take part in this whitewashing campaign. Refusing to join in doesn’t make anyone a bad person. It’s a choice to write an obituary that begins “Joseph Goebbels was a gifted marketer and loving father to six children.”
I might ask if I can sit in on that course—or at least see the syllabus.
NEW @motherjones.com: Pardoned J6ers are using Kirk's killing to call for civil war Stewart Rhodes will rebuild Oath Keepers; Proud Boys call for "retribution"; & ex-insurrectionists are coming "out of retirement." Experts fear they could incite others to violence. W/ @kieraevebutler.bsky.social:
I’m pessimistic about AI, but my mind melted when I saw the videos Runway was able to create. m.youtube.com/watch?v=cfeI...
This was a fabulous conversation between @karaswisher.bsky.social and Runway AI CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela on how AI will affect the film industry—and the creative industry at large. Swisher also did an excellent job pressing Valenzuela to answer tough questions.
Sara Jacobs: "Filler is gender affirming care. Boob jobs is gender affirming care. Botox is gender affirming care. Lots of my colleagues have received gender affirming care and let me be clear, I think everyone should have access to the gender affirming care they need." Nancy Mace: *screams*
Williams’s comments are wicked and unconscionable.
Chilling movie . . .
We documented some of the calls for retribution that followed Charlie Kirk’s murder. With @kieraevebutler.bsky.social and @juliannemcshane.bsky.social www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
Expert on political violence, @lilymasonphd.bsky.social issues crucial warning:
We don’t yet know what motivated the person who shot and killed Charlie Kirk, but this kind of despicable violence has no place in our democracy. Michelle and I will be praying for Charlie’s family tonight, especially his wife Erika and their two young children.
Charlie Kirk called me a ‘lunatic’ and a ‘prostitute’ and demanded I be deported. Nothing, *nothing*, justifies killing him, or robbing his kids of their dad. We don’t know the identity or motive of the shooter but murder can *never* be the response to political disagreements.
The horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk was quickly condemned across the political spectrum - as it should be. Most Americans do not support political violence, regardless of what some may claim or imply on social media. home.dartmouth.edu/news/2024/02...
Your condemnations of political violence don’t mean a damn thing when you only apply them to victims on your team. Having real principles means you unequivocally condemn political violence as anti-democratic and immoral even against villains.
I got off of work and read about this. What the hell . . .
Kirk is dead. This is abhorrent. I condemn this completely.
When I first read this my eyes tricked me into seeing “dog witch” instead of “bog witch.” Personally, I’d prefer to be a dog witch.
Vaccines save lives. Period.
You can listen to it in audio form here. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
I like this version of Klein!
I have both agreed and disagreed with Klein over the years, but he’s 100 percent correct here. Also, it’s been awhile since I’ve seen him on video, and he’s rocking that beard.
Why are so many university cuts targeting Religious Studies…? New article in CHE quoting @vox-magica.bsky.social & others = www.chronicle.com/article/why-...
🎉🎉🎉
I'm naming my tampon demon Crampus
Even President Trump gets it right once in awhile. Vaccines are safe and effective. They have saved millions of lives. Sadly, Sec. Kennedy disagrees. We need an HHS Secretary who believes in science, not conspiracy theories.
No notes
Some sobering revelations about the Newsboys (and the Christian contemporary music industry generally). @julieroys.bsky.social julieroys.com/michael-tait...
Great interview with @profsamperry.bsky.social and Phil Gorski!
You’re doing great work! Keep it up!
“I was r*ped sometimes 3 times a day on that island… and I was not the only girl on that island… Ghislaine must die in prison, because I’ve been in hell and back for the last 17 years.” Listen to the survivors.
New from me & @andrew-whitehead.bsky.social at @jssreligion.bsky.social. We find parents who want teachers to lead kids in Christian prayers are more likely to endorse solutions to school shootings that involve MORE guns in school (armed teachers & security). onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Here’s why I went on Michael’s pod — a producer I liked asked me to do it and I also believe in talking to those who I disagree with if they are not completely disingenuous. Michaels is certainly not that, but worse in many ways www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/w...
I’ve blocked several similar accounts.
I agree. Anti-heros only have value when you have actual heroes to contrast them with.
The Newsboys quietly canceled their Aug. 24 show in Norway after missing a flight—another blow for the band already reeling from assault allegations and industry fallout. julieroys.com/newsboys-can...
I looked the song up and now I’m perplexed.
I appreciate OKC Mayor David Holt making this argument right now, as so many leaders keep quiet. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/20/o...
Damn! Hell of an op-ed!
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com “Trump whitewashing slavery is the ultimate act of white privilege from a nepo baby who is the apotheosis of white privilege,” our columnist Maureen Dowd writes.
I’m in Oklahoma, but you have my moral support.
"Algo" is short for "Al Gore" who invented the algorithm
Donald Trump says he is going to deploy the National Guard to Chicago. This is what weak men do to pretend they’re strong. Stay safe, stand with your community, and most importantly, know your rights:
Yes, I’ve blocked several.
People forget Sandler has range, and can be great in a serious roll. But nostalgia will always lead me back to “Big Daddy” and “The Wedding Singer.”
This is a great documentary on Christian nationalism in Brazil. Some shocking parallels to the US.
This is a gut punch of an op-ed by @antheabutler.bsky.social! Well done!
I'll have to check him out! Thanks!
Maybe a future research project.
As someone who grew up Pentecostal, I noticed similar vibes among the hard-core rapture believers: they thought the world was going to end anyway, so why care about anything else? Even when the tech bros talk about rationality and data, they still give off strong Evangelical/fundamentalist vibes.
I think the over hyping is catching up to the tech bros.
Not a future I'm looking forward to, but I'm inclined to agree.
I’ve been watching “The Office” with my mother. Now I’m wondering if I’m someone’s Dwight . . . 🙃
On the topic of James Dobson passing, I figured it’d be appropriate to reshare my new article in @sfjournal.bsky.social showing Christian nationalism strongly predicts Americans valuing children’s obedience over thinking for themselves and hard spanking to keep kids in line. doi.org/10.1093/sf/s...
Great interview with @danielghummel.bsky.social over the theology behind Christian Zionism and it’s history!
Maybe I'll be the "enterprising PhD student".
The DOJ subpoenas to providers of gender affirming care wanted the therapy notes, social security numbers, and addresses of patients. This is an unprecedented and disgusting violation of medical privacy. www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...
Makes since. My main news source is NPR.
Sorry for the misunderstanding. LOL
Thank you so much! It’s not a Substack though. It’s not my jam. My site is all thanks to the amazing peeps @wordpress.com!
As Trump unleashes his authoritarianism across the country, it’s important to know your rights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=metN4EiDtmQ
As a lefty who studies the right, I concur.
standard Democratic voter: this is not the America we know. we must come together, listen to each other, and rise above this division. the America standard never trump Republican: close your eyes and imagine him begging for his life.
Honestly, same for interviewing people. I was bad at that for awhile, but then I got okay at it.
It’s the same for writing: and tbc, I don’t want to read or experience writing or art that some LLM cannibalized and coughed out
I'll remember Gross's approach for when I do book interviews. Also, I'm with Gross on the 300 vs. 500 page book comment.
Conservatives who know better have stayed silent. They have been negligent. Some have been cowardly. Many have been complicit. open.substack.com/pub/kristind...
Honestly, words have consequences and the other authors have every right to withdraw from the Polari Prize due to Boyne's comments about trans people. Part of freedom of association is the right to choose NOT to be part of a group.
Today, on a special episode of Pivot, @karaswisher.bsky.social and Rachel Maddow discuss their status as “the Al Pacino and Robert De Niro of lesbian journalists,” Trump’s Alaska summit with Putin, the threat against same-sex marriage, and more. Watch now on YouTube!
Fabulous conversation on the issues facing boys and young men and how to address them. Great job to @profgalloway.com, @richardreeves.bsky.social, and Jonathan Haidt. Shout out to my fellow Haidt fan, @profsamperry.bsky.social! www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0vX...
Neat! I'll have to hit you up for an interview when it drops!
At the Global Leadership Summit last week, leadership guru John Maxwell praised disgraced pastor Bill Hybels—despite credible findings he abused multiple women—telling thousands at Willow Creek Community Church, “I’ll always be grateful, Bill! Thank you, buddy!” julieroys.com/john-maxwell...
Op-ed from me today on Doug Wilson's family life teaching, Christian nationalism, and the religious brand of FAFO parenting. @rns.org religionnews.com/2025/08/13/h...
It’s just a one sentence tweet really, but each clause of the sentence is a rich tapestry of tragedy + comedy. Genuinely bleak to imagine a future filled with people morphing into Narcissus (Narcissii?) gazing into reflections of their selves in AI; but also lol at the ‘she won’t accept pdf files’
Pastor Doug Wilson has agreed to a live debate with Sons of Patriarchy—a podcast alleging abuse in his church—after a confrontation during dueling events in Moscow, Idaho, amid renewed scrutiny of Wilson's patriarchal views and growing influence. julieroys.com/doug-wilson-...
The Roys Report (@julieroys.bsky.social) has done a great job covering the Micheal Tait (DC Talk, Newsboys) scandal. I feel bad for all the victims! julieroys.com/police-launc...
I suspect the same would the same would be true for men who fear they might be attracted to members of the same sex. People hate the most what they want but feel they shouldn't have.
Totally true. Recent work by @pauldjupe.bsky.social and @brooklynwalker.bsky.social show Christian nationalism (powerfully connected to patriarchal ideologies) is strongest among men who are insecure about their own masculinity. doi.org/10.1093/socr...
The past decade has really forced the realization that millions of Americans are incredibly naive abt human evil. They keep bringing a handshake & a howdy-doo to a death match. Those people are dangerous when evil seizes power, bc they don't understand what we're up against or how to fight it.
Since I'm chronically out of touch, @brookeh.bsky.social's Substack is useful in understanding what the young'uns are into. popculturemondays.com
Transgender and gender-diverse people report facing many problems while trying to vote.
Some positive political activity in Oklahoma. www.news9.com/story/689763...
The contemporary pronatalist movement in the US is driven in part by a backlash to women’s progress and a desire to enforce strict gender roles.
📌
I’ve written somethings on CN. You could find what I’ve written here: kennethefrantz.oucreate.com/blog/
Don’t let this die. Keep elevating this.
“Part of my joy in learning is that it puts me in a position to teach; nothing, however outstanding and however helpful, will ever give me any pleasure if the knowledge is to be for my benefit alone.” —Seneca, Letters from a Stoic
I recently finished listening to this informative book by @adambecker.bsky.social on the strange (and unscientific) beliefs many Silicon Valley types buy into—effective altruism, space colonization, general AI—and why their funding of these beliefs risks undermining our democracy.
As a religion writer, there’s something about Jesus saying “It’s easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich person to get into heaven,” that makes me think he wouldn’t be a capitalist. I can’t figure out why though. Jesus was being kinda vague . . . 🤦🏻
Although papers can be retracted for many causes, a team of scientists believe that the current pattern of editorial fraud could indicate a network of editors co-operating to bypass usual standards econ.st/4mwN7Lq Illustration: Ben Denzer
I love Scout’s little face!
Normally, I don't like the saying "the cruelty is the point," b/c often the point is something else that's important. But in this case... "The service issued a memo...that will force at least a dozen transgender servicemen and women to lose lifetime benefits." www.nytimes.com/2025/08/08/u...
New free online volume I co-edited on political "Christianism" in Europe! Ecumenical, with special insight from those closest to the war in Ukraine and its implications elsewhere ☦️ brill.com/display/titl...
You sure about this, Google?
Couple yrs ago, after learning that my book "Capital without Borders" had been pirated & used to train AI, I wrote to my publisher--Harvard U Press--& asked: "What are you doing about this copyright violation? What's your plan?" The response from one of the world's most lavishly resourced presses:
The offline impact of the twisted online mind of RFK Jr.