In Defense of Rugged Individualism... From 100 Years Ago

The Rugged Individual Was Never a Rugged Individual Alone

I first heard the phrase “rugged individualism” not in a history book but on the radio. Like many Americans of my Gen‑X generation, I instinctively associate the term with Rush Limbaugh—his booming voice, his snarky confidence, his emphasis on personal responsibility, self‑reliance, and independence from government. All these years, “rugged individualism” functioned in my mind as shorthand for talk‑radio conservatism, often set against concerns about government over-reach, compassion and the common good.

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Secularism as Theocracy

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“In his excellent and comprehensive Broken Altars: Secularist Violence in Modern History, Thomas Albert Howard…. makes a very strong case that violence and cruelty are in fact more typical of secular states and movements than religious ones.” - Providence

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Marijuana: The time for national reckoning has come

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“It is probably too late to make marijuana illegal since it has been legal long enough to gain a foothold….Instead, we as a nation should strictly regulate marijuana at the federal level, tax it substantially, and the higher the THC potency, the higher the tax should be.” - Richard Land

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Which U.S. religious groups are most highly educated?

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“Seven-in-ten Hindus and 65% of Jews have a bachelor’s degree or more education. That compares with 35% of U.S. adults overall….lower shares of evangelical Protestants (29%) and members of historically Black Protestant denominations (24%) hold college degrees.” - Pew

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