Introduction to Our America

I’m Marty Dahlman.  I taught high school government and history for thirty-six years, and coached track and cross country for forty.  But my first jobs were in political campaigns, where I worked to elect candidates from local judges to staffing a Presidential run.  And even though I “switched” to teaching, I still kept my hand in politics over the years.

In our current age of “identification”, you can “peg me” as a Liberal (I hate the new-speak “Progressive”).  I am a proud “card-carrying” member of the Democratic Party and the American Civil Liberties Union. 

Now that you’ve got me labeled, it might be time to “turn me off”.  Isn’t that what we do in our current political world, turn off any ideas that might pierce our ideological bubble?

With the first election of Donald Trump as President, I searched for a way to contribute to the Resistance.  My niece, who grew up in our frequent and occasionally loud political conversations around the dinner table, suggested that I write about what’s going on in today’s politics.  So I started in February of 2017.  Now, eight years later, there are over 1850 essays and now over 4800 subscribers that make up “Our America”.

For a brief four years we got some respite from Trump and MAGA-ism.  The Biden years were incredibly successful in many ways.  We overcame the results of Covid.  We re-established the American economy.  And Joe Biden tried to bring us back to “normalcy”, a President that didn’t have to have all the attention, all of the time. 

And that was his greatest failing.  He wanted “normal”, but the Nation was still divided.  After the Insurrection of January 2021, (which is now “whitewashed” into a peaceful protest), Biden failed to hold the leaders accountable.  That, and the actions of Mitch McConnell, allowed Trump to re-emerge as a political leader.  And here we are.

Harris did everything right, but the political “winds” were too strong against her.  Trump claims a mandate of the “people”, but less than half of the Nation voted for him, and his margin of victory was slim.  He got exactly what he wanted, a country disunited into Blue and Red more than ever.  Division is what Trump thrives on.

We are descending into another four years of Trump.  What was unthinkable, is happening every day.  The very existence of our Democracy is at stake.  It would be easy to turn off the computer, delete  the webpages, and lock the doors.  But I fear that Democracy’s failure will batter them down.

Martin Niemoller put it this way:

First they came for the Communists, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me,
And there was no one left to speak out for me.

So I am speaking out, here in Our America. 

Our America – Top Essays

based on “hits” (does not include subscribers)

All Time Top Ten
  1. Small Town Problems
  2. Mom’s War
  3. Out My Window – Part 4
  4. Dean Ramsey
  5. The McGowan
  6. A Watkins Legend
  7. A Pole Vault Story
  8. Don Dahlman
  9. An Era Ends
  10. Lester Kahrig
  11. Shanksville
  12. Memories of Notre Dame
Top Ten Political
  1. Flags and Shoes 
  2. OK Boomer
  3. More Perfect 
  4. An American Apprenticeship 
  5. Not When You’re Angry 
  6. A Letter to My Senator 
  7. Live and Let Die 
  8. Guns and Sadness 
  9. Again 
  10. I am a Liberal
Where it all begins!!!
Back in the beginning
The Author in 1977
Today – new hat – less hair!!!

Looking for Information about my parents – Babs and Don Dahlman – click here!!