Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

@phdrachel.bsky.social

9.3K followers 4.5K following 2.7K posts

Public Historian/Prof; Voting rights, suffrage, & citizenship; 🗃️ married to SNEH; Views=my own. On #TikTok she/her http://buymeacoffee.com/PhDRachel

buymeacoffee.com

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · May 9

Welcome to "Forgotten America" Historians at the Great Courses! At 7pm CT his play on the first lecture in the series, "Smallpox in the American Revolution"
#HAGC #HATM

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · May 5

If you're up for supporting me & watching some cool history, join me on my birthday, Friday May 9 at 7pm CST, as we live-post the 1st two lectures of my new series with The Great Courses, “Forgotten America: Rediscovering Events that Changed the Nation"
#HAGC Historians at the Great Courses
#HATM

Rachel in a black dress and red lipstick eating a birthday sprinkle cookie.
Text says: Join me on my Birthday Friday, May 9 at 7pm CST on Blue Ský to live-post the 1st hour of my Great Courses series using #HAGG
Historians at the Great Courses."

5 14 63

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

Eric Michael Garcia @ericmgarcia.bsky.social · 12h

I've been banging this drum for the past four months or so: DOGE and Russ Vought broke the appropriations process. What's the point of going through the arduous process of crafting 12 spending bills, clearing them through committee and getting them through two chambers if Trump does rescissions?

Garrett M. Graff @vermontgmg.bsky.social · 20h

If appropriations bills are not seen as enforceable contracts, why should any Member of Congress vote to fund any part of the federal government under Donald Trump? You're voting to provide money for lawlessness. www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/there-is-n...

There is no budget "deal" to be made

President Trump has so broken the constitutional framework as to make joint normal, responsible government impossible.

www.doomsdayscenario.co

26 420 1.4K

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 19h

I loved the book! Movie isn’t bad either.

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

Tyler Peterson @drtylerpeterson.bsky.social · 21h

Looking forward to this one. I first saw it at a theater in College Station, TX, when I was in the Texas A&M Ph.D program with @phdrachel.bsky.social. I also read Andy Weir's novel afterwards.

Jason Herbert @herberthistory.bsky.social · 22h

This week Historians At The Movies talks about space travel. Join us on Netflix this Sunday, October 12 at 8pm eastern for THE MARTIAN.

Keep #HATM hiring by sharing and we’ll see you soon.

1 1 2

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · 1d

New on MSNBC: Trump's new acting U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan has recruited prosecutors from outside her office to take James Comey to trial, after being unable to find any federal prosecutors in her own office willing to pursue the charges, according to two people familiar with the selections.

170 1.2K 3.5K

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

Piper Furiosa (she/they) 🇵🇸🏴 @piperfuriosa.bsky.social · 1d

“You’re not making art, you’re making disgusting, over-processed hotdogs out of the lives of human beings, out of the history of art and music, and then shoving them down someone else’s throat hoping they’ll give you a little thumbs up and like it. Gross.”
A perfect distillation of why I hate AI.

Robin Williams’ Daughter Tells Fans to ‘Stop Sending Me AI Videos of Dad’: It’s ‘Gross’ and ‘Not What He’d Want’

Zelda Williams tells fans not to send her AI recreations of father Robin Williams, calling them "gross."

variety.com

2 17 64

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

Courtney Milan @courtneymilan.com · 1d

What a mild way to say "this is against the law and has been anathema since the founding of this country."

The Washington Post @washingtonpost.com · 1d

The U.S. Treasury shared a proposal to mint $1 Trump coins to mark America’s 250th anniversary.

But U.S. code says only deceased individuals may appear on U.S. currency, a tradition dating back to efforts to break from monarchical rule. https://wapo.st/4pWsyL3

45 220 1K

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 1d

Yup rothys.com/pages/discou...

Military, Student, Teacher & Healthcare Discounts | Rothy's

Rothy's is proud to offer a 20% discount to military, students, teachers, first responders & healthcare workers on one pair of shoes. Learn more.

rothys.com

1 1 7

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

Carrie Brown @brizzyc.bsky.social · 1d

“The willingness to acquiesce to a public official’s editorial demands and have conversations with her about the direction of our coverage is a betrayal not just of the journalists who work for Carpenter Media, but of the company’s integrity as a purveyor of news.”

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 4d

*A Republican lawmaker objected to reference to Charlie Kirk holding “often racist and controversial views” in local Alaska news
*The corporate owner took down the story and edited it
*The journalists resigned

This feels like more and more of our media now.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/u...

Journalists at 3 Newspapers Quit Over Edits to a Charlie Kirk Story

www.nytimes.com

2 12

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

Quinta Jurecic @qjurecic.bsky.social · 1d

just noticed this little detail in Illinois's complaint

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS
EASTERN DIVISION
STATE OF ILLINOIS, a sovereign state;
CITY OF CHICAGO, an Illinois municipal corporation,

25 220 1.4K

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

Lindsay P Cohn @lindsaypcohn.bsky.social · 2d

Folks we are watching the adjudication of some of the most important constitutional issues of federalism, executive discretion, and judicial review since the 19th c

www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...

Judge issues new broader order barring any National Guard from relocating to Oregon

Judge asked federal government lawyer: 'Do you believe this is an appropriate way to deal with a judge’s order that you disagree with?'

www.oregonlive.com

43 620 1.9K

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

Bradley P. Moss @bradmossesq.bsky.social · 2d

Texas proudly invading Illinois.

It’s hard to describe the level of potential constitutional crisis here.

1.3K 4.2K 12K

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

HistorySmith @historysmith.bsky.social · 2d

"Do you have sheet music on this stuff?"

"Not for another 30 years or so."

#HATM

1 1 12

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

Andrew Harrell @harrell76.bsky.social · 2d

And here is in my opinion where Jake’s arc is complete. He’s looking around and seeing everyone have a good time and realizes that this is what he was fighting for all along in World War II #HATM

1 11

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 2d

We have integrated dancing at the end signaling how forward thinking everyone is now... #HATM.

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 2d

This is great, but so is the version of this lift in Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Can someone please recut that film without the creepy babysitter lusting after the grown man line? Because otherwise that is a perfect movie. #HATM ew.com/movies/2019/...

Ryan Gosling used the 'Dirty Dancing' move in real life and other 'Crazy, Stupid Love' secrets

Directors Glenn Ficarra and John Requa and writer Dan Fogelman tell behind-the-scenes stories from the rom-com.

ew.com

1 3

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 2d

The cheering section at the back of the room makes this final dance scene. #HATM.

2 10

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 2d

You're very welcome. See the caption on the video for the full cite and transcripts too! #HATM

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 2d

Yeah all those innocent people traumatized by the Depression and the war clinging to the warm hearth in the Cold War... #HATM

Andrew Harrell @harrell76.bsky.social · 2d

So is Kellerman really talking about the innocent time
Period of the 50s through 1963 before Kennedy was assassinated when he says “it all seems to be ending”? #HATM

1 13

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 2d

SNEH after much groaning and complaining: This song is killing me. #HATM

a cartoon of stitch covering his eyes with his hands and the words uggg !! below him .

Alt: a cartoon of stitch covering his eyes with his hands and the words uggg !! below him .

media.tenor.com

1 7

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 2d

I clipped it from the longer video here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6Uc... #HATM
It says "Delivered at Social Security Administration Headquarters--Baltimore, Maryland
October 23, 1962." #HATM 🗃️

The Roots of Social Security - Frances Perkins (1962)

YouTube video by Noel Diotte

www.youtube.com

1 6

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 2d

My parents learned early not to forbid us from dating a person because... they were forbidden to date. They were high school sweethearts but he was in a band with long hair and my maternal grandfather was not having it. They were married 47 years when dad passed in 2022. #HATM

1 22

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 2d

Thor the Doberman fell asleep, woke up, and then kinda fell asleep while sitting up again. #HATM

Red male Doberman falling asleep while sitting up on the couch

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 2d

Here is Frances Perkins explaining how Justice Stone told her how to make social security withstand constitutional challenges and how she kept the secret for years, as it was inappropriate for him to advise her like that. #HATM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8ac...

1 3 28

Reposted by Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️

Michelle Strattard @chellestrat.bsky.social · 2d

Baby’s namesake got a monument in 2024. The Frances Perkins National Monument is in Newcastle, Maine! It’s a gorgeous area of Midcoast Maine. #hatm

1 1 57

Rachel Gunter, Ph.D. 🗃️ @phdrachel.bsky.social · 2d

A solid union job after WWII is nothing to laugh at. #HATM

4 17