Category Archives: American History

White Paper: Governance Failures in U.S. Territories: The Case of Epstein Island and Ongoing Oversight Vulnerabilities

Posted on August 19, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The scandal surrounding Jeffrey Epstein’s private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) illustrates not only individual criminality but also systemic governance failures in America’s unincorporated territories. Weak oversight, blurred lines between federal and local authority, and gaps … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Dangerous Conflation of the American Republic with the Interests of the Democratic Party

Posted on August 10, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Over the past several decades, and especially in recent years, a persistent rhetorical and conceptual conflation has emerged in American political discourse: the equation of “democracy” with the political fortunes of the Democratic Party. This conflation is both … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Who Counts as a Public Figure in U.S. Civil Litigation — A Typological Analysis

Posted on August 9, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The designation of a person as a “public figure” in U.S. civil litigation, particularly in defamation and privacy-related cases, has significant legal consequences. Most notably, it raises the burden of proof the plaintiff must meet to succeed in … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Impact of Gerrymandering in Republican-Controlled States on Democratic Representation

Posted on August 8, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary Gerrymandering, the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one political party, remains a significant issue in American politics. Republican-controlled states like Texas and Indiana have pursued aggressive redistricting strategies to maximize partisan advantage, particularly following the 2020 … Continue reading →

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White Paper: The Linguistic History of Bum and Its Association with Laziness in English and Other Languages

Posted on July 21, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary This white paper explores the etymology and semantic evolution of the word bum, examining how it came to denote laziness, vagrancy, or idleness in English. It traces the term’s origins, its spread in American English, its overlap with … Continue reading →

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The Bee Gees and the City: Alienation, Survival, and Critique in Their Lyrics

Posted on July 10, 2025 by nathanalbright

The Bee Gees—Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb—crafted a remarkable and diverse body of work that spanned nearly four decades, marked by stylistic reinvention and emotional depth. Beneath their signature harmonies and romantic ballads lies a persistent, nuanced engagement with the … Continue reading →

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The Collapse of the Federalist and Whig Parties: A Comparative White Paper on Causes and Timing of Party Disintegration in American History

Posted on July 9, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The Federalist Party (c. 1791–1816) and the Whig Party (c. 1833–1854) were two of the most significant political coalitions in the early history of the United States, each serving as the principal opposition to a dominant rival (the … Continue reading →

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White Paper: Arming and Logistical Requirements of Rooftop Koreans for Property Defense in Contemporary California

Posted on July 6, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary This paper examines the concept of the “Rooftop Koreans” — originally referring to Korean-American business owners who successfully defended their lives and property during the 1992 Los Angeles riots — and translates their example into a framework for … Continue reading →

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“Don’t Believe Me, Believe the Bible”: The Rhetoric and Audiences of Herbert W. Armstrong’s Scriptural Appeal

Posted on July 4, 2025 by nathanalbright

Introduction Among the many distinctive features of Herbert W. Armstrong’s ministry was his recurring exhortation to audiences: “Don’t believe me—believe the Bible.” This phrase, or variations of it, appeared throughout Armstrong’s sermons, radio broadcasts, magazine articles, and books. For many … Continue reading →

Posted in American History, Bible, Christianity, Church of God, History, Musings | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

White Paper: “Subject to the Jurisdiction Thereof”: A Legal and Constitutional Analysis of the Phrase in the Fourteenth Amendment

Posted on July 2, 2025 by nathanalbright

Executive Summary The phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” in the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution has been a focal point of legal and political debate since the Amendment’s ratification in 1868. Its interpretation … Continue reading →

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