Silas Lapham
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silaslapham.bsky.social
Silas Lapham
@silaslapham.bsky.social
500 followers 310 following 1.7K posts
Fulbrighter, American, African American, Southern literature. medium.com/@interminablerambling
[Opinions are my own]
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silaslapham.bsky.social
This from James Luther Adams talking to US service members as the prepare to occupy Germany after the war.

interminablerambling.medium.com/why-i-starte...
Near the end of World War II, Adams spoke to a group of U.S. Army officers about "the Nazi faith." These officers would be part of the occupation force in Germany following the war. He described the officers' views at the meeting as "an orgy of self-righteousness," turning around the fact that the United States helped to defeat fascists during the war. This caused them to inflate their ego, feeling superior to the powers they just defeated, condescendingly looking down on them. Writing about this lecture, Adams says that he tried to check their "self-righteousness" because if he didn't he would "succeed only in strengthening the morale of a bumptious hundred-percent 'Americanism'" Adams saw first hand the fervent nationalism in Germany and the violence that ensued. He also saw the striking similarities at home. In response, a lot of the officers asked him questions such as: "Do you think we should marry a n*****" "Aren't Negroes a naturally indolent and dirty race?" "Haven't you been in business, and don't you know that every Jew is a k***›" They asked him these types of questions for over an hour, denying any similarity to Nazi Germany while at the same time expressing that similarity full throatily. He would simply ask the question again: "How do you distinguish between yourself and a Nazi?" This is a powerful and damning question, on so many levels, but it is one I think about when I think about Christian fascism. He reminded the officers that "similar attitudes" that existed in Nazi Germany exist in America, "not only among lunatic and subversive groups but also among respectable Americans in the army of democracy." He asked them if their attitude towards African Americans and Jews differed any from Nazi views, "not a difference in brutality but a difference in basic philosophy." If an essential difference didn't exist, then he asked them, "What are you fighting for?" Adams wanted the officers to realize that they were not immune to racism, xenophobia, and oppression. Adams concludes by noting that a majority of the "Americans who could not distinguish between themselves and Nazis came from 'religious' homes, or they claimed to be representatives (or even leaders) of the American faith." They saw themselves as righteous, as good, as faithful Christians. They did not see their views as evil and discriminatory. They did not see them as destroying democracy. Their faith, according to Adams, "was a trust in white, gentile supremacy - faith in the blood." They clung to nation, patriotism, and white supremacy, under the guise of Christianity.
February 4, 2026 at 5:42 PM
silaslapham.bsky.social
a donkey from the movie shrek is smiling
Alt: a donkey from the movie shrek is smiling
media.tenor.com
February 3, 2026 at 5:30 PM
silaslapham.bsky.social
Thanks! Will most likely add to this ever growing list.

interminablerambling.medium.com/this-machine...
“This Machine Kills Fascists” An Antifascist Playlist
During the performance of their song “Holiday” at a recent concert in Washington D.C., Green Day’s lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong asked…
interminablerambling.medium.com
February 2, 2026 at 1:32 AM
silaslapham.bsky.social
Don’t wanna laugh but 😂
February 1, 2026 at 3:58 PM
silaslapham.bsky.social
Claiborne Academy up in Homer, along that I-20 corridor. Oh my home region. 2/
January 31, 2026 at 11:28 PM
silaslapham.bsky.social
All up and down the corridor. I didn’t go to a segregation academy in Shreveport, because it was around way before, but I definitely know why this Protestant SBC kid went to Catholic private schools before starting right before middle school. Plus, prominent Lillian Smith scholar’s family started 1/
January 31, 2026 at 11:28 PM
silaslapham.bsky.social
I assumed because what sense would “sapiens” make? 😂
January 31, 2026 at 4:07 PM
silaslapham.bsky.social
*sounds* Urgh!
January 31, 2026 at 2:32 PM
silaslapham.bsky.social
I know it sapiens cliche, but perseverance. I may start a novel and it doesn’t grab me, but the longer I go the more invested I get. Case in point are two recent books: Hika Harada’s “Dinner at the Night Library” & Helen Oyeyemi’s “Me Fox.” Both started slow but got really good!
January 31, 2026 at 2:22 PM
silaslapham.bsky.social
I initially read that as Carmel flavor and I got hungry!

Such a good cat alerting you to the delivered groceries. Our dog didn’t do that yesterday. 😂
January 31, 2026 at 1:18 PM
silaslapham.bsky.social
Gonna use this in a project.
January 30, 2026 at 5:51 PM