Benjamin Park

@benjaminepark.bsky.social

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Historian, professor, author. Next book: AMERICAN ZION: A NEW HISTORY OF MORMONISM (January 2024).
https://linktr.ee/benjaminepark

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Hey folks! I became technologically brave today and launched a YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@joannefreem... It's in its early teeny tiny phase. Not much on it yet. But it's there if you want to subscribe!

Dr. Joanne Freemanwww.youtube.com Joanne Freeman is an award-winning historian who studies the politics and culture of America's past to better understand our history as a nation, and the roads and choices that have led us to the pres...

This image embodies the ignorance often portrayed by right-wing Latter-day Saints who accuse BYU of going “woke.” Natalie Cline—the awful school board member who bullied queer students—accused a professor of neglecting LDS marriage w/a JFS quote…that was actually defending polygamy.

One of the annoying things about tech companies integrating AI into every app is one slip of a finger while typing seems to add whole sentences I neither envisioned or wanted.

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#Writers, read this! I am pretty sure the percentages for history nonfiction are even more depressing. Thank goodness for podcasters and bookstagrammers! I think my press is coming around to the reality that these formats have the biggest reach these days … 🗃️

Wanna know why getting your book reviewed is so hard? I tell you in the latest thing. You can read and sign up here: open.substack.com/pub/gabinoig...

Why getting your book reviewed is so hardopen.substack.com Let's break it down...

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trump just called for liz cheney to be prosecuted for treason which, according to john roberts, is an official act and would not be subject to criminal sanction

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"A republic, if you can keep it." Plot twist: we can't.

The Supreme Court decided that there’s no better way to celebrate Independence Day than to say, “you know, a king doesn’t sound too bad.”

Happy Canada Day from a misty morning here in Nova Scotia.

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Before SCOTUS' ruling, here's our historian's brief which argues there is no basis in founding era history for the idea that presidents should enjoy immunity. In fact, the founders believed that presidents should be accountable under the rule of law. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

<p>Historians' Amicus Brief in <em>Trump v. United States</em></p>www.brennancenter.org A group of 15 founding era historians represented by the Brennan Center and Friedman Kaplan Seiler Adelman LLP have filed a brief challenging Trump's claim of immunity.

Everyone has noticed how radical Mike Lee has become in recent years, but not enough have noticed how dumb he is.

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And ... there's also this. I saw "Horizon" so you don't have to, friends. slate.com/culture/2024...

Kevin Costner Is Back on His Dances With Wolves BS. It’s Even Weirder This Time.slate.com Another Costner Western, another noble Union Army officer standing up for the Native side.

Family of basketball player who was drafted by Utah claims he’s been groomed and brainwashed by his Mormon girlfriend. All I’m saying is I can’t wait until the inevitable Netflix documentary series.

The last 24 hours have been so horrible, we need a distraction. Here’s what I propose: It’d be incredible if LeBron James—after the Lakers hired his podcast co-host as coach and selected his son in the draft—declined his player option and then signed with the Sixers.

The Supreme Court was like, "oh, you think last night made you despondent over the state of democracy? Hold my flag."

Three things can be true at once: 1) Joe Biden has been a pretty good president with some major accomplishments. 2) Donald Trump is a unique and dangerous threat to democracy. 3) Joe Biden is no longer capable to adequately advocate for either of those positions in a presidential campaign.

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I can now confirm that my new book, “The Memory of ‘76” is a real thing. The book explores the conflicting ways Americans have remembered the Revolution over the last 250 years and its importance in our politics and culture. It is out on July 23rd and available for preorder now.

Because #histgym never takes a vacation, I found the only weightlifting gym in the southern region of Nova Scotia. A true rust-and-grime gym, too.

Recommended. (Both the book and a hammock.)

First photos in my series titled Dispatches From Nova Scotia.

Each year, Mormon History Association, funded by Smith-Pettit Foundation, sponsors a distinguished scholar whose expertise is outside of Mormonism to speak on Mormonism’s context. This year we’re honored to hear Robert Orsi, who is musing on Mormonism, Catholicism, sexuality, and good/bad religion.

Really fascinating lunch plenary lecture by Jana Riess, detailing her recent surveys on why people leave Mormonism.

Scholars of Mormonism typically claim that the Book of Mormon served more like a symbol to be invoked than a text to be read. Yet the brilliant historian Janiece Johnson has challenged the concept in recent scholarship, and her MHA plenary demonstrates how engulfed Mormons were in the book.

The Mormon History Association’s annual conference is underway! This year it’s near Kirtland, and the opening plenary featured the LDS Church Historian Kyle McKay discuss the recent acquisition of historic properties. Warning: my feed may be filled with MHA updates over the next few days.

Staying in an AirBnB located in a Jewish community. Woke up to find this tract at our front door from an evangelical ministry. Stay classy, Christians.

For some reason my directtv login isn’t working for the NBA game so I have to watch the Spanish broadcast and honestly it may be the best accident I’ve ever had.

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Hi Bluesky historians! 🗃️ First Family is a finalist for the Library of Virginia’s People’s Choice Awards. If you enjoyed the book, please vote here: lvafoundation.org/peopleschoic...

People’s Choice Awards Voting -lvafoundation.org 2024 People's Choice Awards Voting Through the annual Virginia Literary Awards, the Library recognizes Virginia authors in the categories of fiction and poetry, as well as nonfiction authors for works...

Very glad to finally get to see the Joseph & Emma home in Kirtland, which the LDS church purchased in 2012, took a decade to research and restore, and open up just a couple years ago.

Visiting an old friend.

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To understand Chad Daybell, who was sentenced to death by an Idaho jury last week, understand Brian David Mitchell first: Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapper, who called himself Immanuel David. leahsottile.substack.com/p/471-origins

47.1. Originsleahsottile.substack.com Is there something about Mormonism that produces fringe characters?

As Mike Lee becomes increasingly radicalized as the face of MAGA’s future, consider this a reminder that he’s as rooted in Mormonism’s political tradition as more moderate Mitt Romney. Here’s a 2021 essay on how they represented the LDS divergent trajectories. religionandpolitics.org/2021/04/27/w...

What Senator Mike Lee Tells Us About the Future of the GOP | Religion & Politicsreligionandpolitics.org In his biting critique of the Democratic Party’s election reform bill in early March, Mike Lee, the senior senator from Utah, said it was “written by the devil himself.” Clearly meant as sarcasm—Lee a...