Blogaround

1. If you're interested in the history of American evangelicalism- and how it's tied up with patriarchy and nationalist politics- the Slacktivist has been writing a whole series on it:

New evangelical historiography just dropped
Fightin’ words in the ‘evangelical definition wars’
What about Breakfast at Tiffany’s?
‘Evangelical’ has no right-wing boundaries
Tony Campolo is not a white evangelical

Of these posts, my favorite is: Tony Campolo is not a white evangelical (September 16) "This is where most 'progressive evangelicals' come from. It is our origin story. We took what we were taught so seriously that we began to apply it to parts of the Bible that our teachers mostly ignored. This was just as true for me as it was for Ron, and Jim, and Shane." Same. I am also one of those evangelicals who followed Jesus right out of the church.

Also from the Slacktivist: The boastful pride of pro-life: Anatomy of a lie (September 18) "The desperation for some reassurance that we are safe (or relatively safer) from such suffering can always tempt us, like Bildad, to assert that those suffering pain and loss must be wicked sinners who deserve it."

2. Families Split Apart: Families Fleeing Anti-Trans Laws File Amicus In Supreme Court Case (September 5) "These bans aren’t done to protect kids, but rather to satiate the needs of people who hate them simply for existing as who they are. Families are left with an impossible choice: stay together and risk their child’s well-being or separate to get the care their child needs."

3. Every Scientific Field (September 17) Some insight from xkcd.

4. How to Think About Politics Without Wanting to Kill Yourself (September 16) "Because the true work of political action is not to identify idealized superheroes to run for office. It is, instead, to create the conditions in the world that make it safe for the cowards to vote the right way."

5. Powerful must-see statement by Lawrence O'Donnell on the stakes for abortion rights in this election (September 18, via) "Lawrence makes it absolutely clear, in no uncertain terms, that Donald Trump and George W. Bush both have blood on their hands."

6. On Being An Altruistic Parent (September 20) "He hadn’t made any promises, and yet here he was, giving up precious Minecraft time to walk half an hour to school. His parents were hurting him because of a decision he had no say in to help people he didn’t care about one bit."

7. Kamala Harris’ Abortion Speech Broke New Ground (September 21) "Too often, the abortion stories that politicians feel comfortable sharing are those that were medical necessities or the result of a tragic diagnosis. But here, Harris spoke plainly about the most common kind of abortion—one that’s done simply because a woman doesn’t want to be pregnant anymore. Because it doesn’t fit in with what she wants, or has planned for her life."