Fred Dews's Avatar

Fred Dews

@freddews

Genealogy / family history | Master Gunner | He/Him

659
Followers
637
Following
181
Posts
04.10.2023
Joined
Posts Following

Latest posts by Fred Dews @freddews

The other day I saw a young person deftly jump the reinforced turnstile/gate at my suburban DC Metro stop and I was like, no I didn't.

12.03.2026 19:30 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

"special" in a really bad way.

12.03.2026 15:46 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Iranians rethink the price of regime change Destructive US and Israeli war and Islamic republic’s resilience have alarmed even those who supported foreign intervention

No rally-round-the-flag effect so far here in the US but possibly one emerging in Iran. Incredibly sad and also predictable.
www.ft.com/content/4e04...

12.03.2026 00:20 πŸ‘ 39 πŸ” 14 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0

<-- or a magazine!

11.03.2026 17:01 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

The single most American thing you can do is come to America with a burning desire to live in the land of your dream of freedom, crossing jungles and rivers and mountains and deserts because of your unshakable belief that a better life awaits through the golden door. That’s the core ethos.

11.03.2026 03:44 πŸ‘ 536 πŸ” 38 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

The idea that America isn’t for everyone who wants to be an American is something that makes my blood boil. Posting a photo of yourself as a Congressman smiling next to these words is wicked. It’s antithetical to the concept of America.

11.03.2026 03:34 πŸ‘ 6427 πŸ” 1144 πŸ’¬ 67 πŸ“Œ 381

Hegseth insistence on referring to U.S. service personnel only as "my brothers," guys, men, etc. is so incredibly disrespectful to all the women who have served and died in combat, including Sergeant First Class Nicole Amor, who was killed in Kuwait last week.

10.03.2026 14:38 πŸ‘ 79 πŸ” 27 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 1

I saw them on that tour in August at RFK Stadium but sadly it was not the Pixies opening. It was Primus.

10.03.2026 13:13 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Yes! Sinners for the win in all its categories at the Oscars. It's truly about SOMETHING, unlike, say, OBAA.

09.03.2026 19:56 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Just a reminder that Muslims have been on this continent since the first arrival of non-Indigenous people. They were among the first generation of Americans, and have been here ever since.

09.03.2026 17:08 πŸ‘ 9112 πŸ” 2939 πŸ’¬ 596 πŸ“Œ 140

Iran: Who knew that striking our Arab neighbors would make them angry?!

US: Who knew that starting a war in the Middle East would spike oil prices?!

Narrator: Literally everyone

07.03.2026 20:29 πŸ‘ 81 πŸ” 16 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0

As we approach Saint Patrick’s Day, it’s time for my annual, friendly, reminder that the Irish were never slaves so stop it with your bullshit about how β€œthere was white slavery in America, too!” because no the fuck there wasn’t.

07.03.2026 12:37 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 3 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

No deliberation occurred prior to the war's start by Congress on whether We the People Congress represents wanted a war at all much less wished to make sacrifices for a war.

06.03.2026 17:49 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

My grandads were born in 1899 and 1904β€”too young for WWI service, too old for the rest. One owned/operated a hardware store in Chicago for ~40 years, played pool, and was a taciturn Republican; other was a self-taught oilfield chemist in Texas. He had polio as a kid, orphaned at 14, and loved FDR.

05.03.2026 01:14 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Interesting! My grandads were born in 1899 and 1904β€”too young for WWI and too old for all the rest. One owned/operated a hardware store in Chicago for 40 years and was a taciturn Republican; other was a self-taught oilfield chemist in Texas. He had polio as a kid, was a raconteur, and loved FDR.

05.03.2026 01:09 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
What the National Park Service Has Flagged Thus Far. It's Much Worse Than I Thought. Note: This is a long post.

I spent hours looking through hundreds of files of materials that have been flagged for review by National Park Service sites around the country. Here is just a small sample of what I found. #NationalParks πŸ—ƒοΈ open.substack.com/pub/kevinmle...

03.03.2026 12:41 πŸ‘ 345 πŸ” 179 πŸ’¬ 8 πŸ“Œ 12

I joined from a melange of needed money for college, patriotism, wanting to understand what was actually happening, and needing some discipline/direction. Most I served with were similar w/ a surprising (to me) number whose choice were military or jail for misdemeanors. No wanton killers.

03.03.2026 13:39 πŸ‘ 6 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 0

"Khamenei could have talked about economic development, the Non-Aligned Summit opening the following day, or any number of noncontroversial issues related to the U.N. ... Instead, he used the entirety of a rare meeting with the top U.N. official to indict the United States."

02.03.2026 21:00 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
What happens if the US takes out Khamenei?
What happens if the US takes out Khamenei? YouTube video by Brookings Institution

In January on the Current podcast, @asliaydintasbas.bsky.social asked Iran expert Suzanne Maloney what would happen if Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei died in a U.S. bombing campaign. Watch part of their discussion πŸ‘‡

02.03.2026 00:16 πŸ‘ 16 πŸ” 13 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 6
Preview
War in Iran: What happens next? | Brookings On March 3, Brookings scholars will discuss tensions between the United States and Iran.

On Tuesday, tune in to a discussion with Brookings foreign policy experts on the strikes on Iran and implications for international security. Register at the link below to get a reminder.

28.02.2026 14:14 πŸ‘ 4 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

I like to start this excellent thread here at the end, and then go to the start.

22.02.2026 02:20 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Never has so much US combat power been assembled with so little explanation to the public, allies, or Congress regarding why or how it will be used. Never.

21.02.2026 19:52 πŸ‘ 867 πŸ” 274 πŸ’¬ 22 πŸ“Œ 13
Preview
Reduced immigration slowed population growth for the nation and most states, new census data show | Brookings New census estimates show that declining immigration has already exerted a negative impact on population growth in most parts of the country.

Reduced immigration has played a major role in slowing U.S. population growth.

William Frey examines how recent declines are reshaping demographic trends nationwide, with most states experiencing slower, or negative, growth.

18.02.2026 15:32 πŸ‘ 5 πŸ” 2 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1
Post image

First public comment due tomorrow!

savingplaces.org/public-comme...

18.02.2026 00:56 πŸ‘ 125 πŸ” 81 πŸ’¬ 7 πŸ“Œ 4

No. If someone makes a movie of my work, it’s because that someone was a human who found something in the work that spoke to them β€” and that they felt would be a story that spoke to a whole AUDIENCE of actual humans.

17.02.2026 21:09 πŸ‘ 342 πŸ” 42 πŸ’¬ 7 πŸ“Œ 0

beautiful.

17.02.2026 17:25 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Shattering and beautiful art. "On President’s Day, the First Amendment Troop staged β€œResistDance” β€” a tribute and act of artistic dissent β€” at the Lincoln Memorial, followed by a guerrilla performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts." (Orig from Instagram)

17.02.2026 12:14 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

R.I.P., Rev. Jackson. I shook his hand once in a parking lot in California. I was attending the 2000 DNC as an exhibitor and so while waiting in a giant line to get into the arena, way out in the car lot, he showed up and walked down the line of us, shaking hands with people. In the exhibitor line.

17.02.2026 12:02 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Sounds like at least two new steps interposed between a woman and her right to vote (for states that already require ID to vote, like mine does). Anyway, who has their birth certificate anymore?

16.02.2026 23:34 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ‘‡πŸ‘‡πŸ‘‡

16.02.2026 18:32 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0