@[email protected] movedSep 14, 2025
Teri Kanefield

Part II of this thing I’m working on is ready.

Part I was called “Here’s Why Intolerance and Extremism happen.” It was about demagogues and artists (and more).

In Part II, I offer the lyrics to three songs,
-Sam the Sham’s “Lil Red Riding Hood”
-Roger and Hammerstein’s “You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught,” and
-“Those were the Days.”

It’s about (almost) everything.

https://terikanefield.com/heres-why/

I'm trying to pull together the ideas I’ve been working out over the past several years.

Here's Why Intolerance and Extremism Happen - Teri Kanefield

In September 2024, I visited Chile for the national independence festivities and a reunion for my husband and his siblings. I learned that an 84-year-old in-law, who is one of the sweetest people I know, admired Augusto Pinochet. She was firm in her views. I was warned not to try to talk to her about […]

Teri Kanefield
Sep 13, 2025 at 10:42pmWeb
Show threadTeri KanefieldSep 13, 2025
I used AI to find my typos. How did it do?
Show threadRDNSep 13, 2025

@Teri_Kanefield
The quoted definition of Christian nationalism is missing its closing quote.

Also in reference to that quote, you direct the reader to attend to the use of the word "freedom", but I think that the implication in the use of the word "we" is also telling.

Show threadTeri KanefieldSep 13, 2025

@rdnielsen

Interesting, thanks. If you don't mind me stealing, I'll add that when I get back to my desk.

Show threadEraserheadSep 14, 2025
@Teri_Kanefield "dwingling?"
Show threadTeri KanefieldSep 14, 2025
@eraserhead dang just when I think I got them all. Thanks
Show threadEraserheadSep 14, 2025
@Teri_Kanefield Oh no, thank *you* for a most entertaining, thought-provoking essay. I'm reading Jill Lepore's book on constitutional amendments, so you couldn't have dropped this at a better time.
Show thread[email protected]Sep 14, 2025
@Teri_Kanefield you did not do AI did.
Show threadAustin millerSep 24, 2025
@Teri_Kanefield  :blobcathear
Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Sep 13, 2025
@Teri_Kanefield There are definitely some punctuation errors uncorrected. Or perhaps the AI added them. I hear the AI is crazy for em-dashes.
Show threadTeri KanefieldSep 13, 2025

@ClimateJenny

I looked at each one and decided, so I missed them. Would you mind sending them to me?

Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Sep 13, 2025
@Teri_Kanefield I’m not at home and reading on an iPad, but I’ll see if I can grab a few.
Show threadTeri KanefieldSep 13, 2025

@ClimateJenny

Are they punctuation? That can be weird with my interface. If it's dashes, don't worry.

Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Sep 13, 2025
@Teri_Kanefield Yes, dashes versus em-dashes. It’s not consistent.
Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Sep 13, 2025

@Teri_Kanefield We have gun control laws (well, a few.)

Period should be outside the parenthesis.

Show threadClimate Jenny 2.1Sep 13, 2025

@Teri_Kanefield These are the same images I used in Part I to illustrate ‘this is the world’ and ‘this is the world with your brain on ideology,’ because for an autocracy to function…

Should have double quotes.

I’ll quit now, but I wanted to play “Are you a better copy editor than AI?” until I was satisfied that the answer was yes.

Show threadTeri KanefieldSep 13, 2025

@ClimateJenny

HAHAHA. I love it. You definitely win.

Show threadDavid HoltSep 14, 2025
@Teri_Kanefield looks amazing. Will read tomorrow.
Show threadda_kinkSep 14, 2025
@Teri_Kanefield quite the read indeed!
Show threadAnde JacobsonSep 14, 2025

@Teri_Kanefield

Excellent piece. Of course, now I have to watch South Pacific again. I thought I had the DVD, but alas, I don't. Fortunately, it's available on Amazon Prime.

It does seem that worldwide, we are stuck in these cycles and fail to learn from our history when it's so clear why we shouldn't be doing the things we're doing as a society. Then again, there seems to be conflict between the greater good and good for ME in this moment (no matter the consequences) if one has to power to act and influence. In the end, it seems that humans as a species are incapable of long term thinking beyond their current wants and tribalism. That's not to say that individuals can’t do this, and many do, but many also do not to all our detriment.