Archive
Happy Interdependence Day
After a couple of hectic days at home we packed up and headed back to Columbia. We got a room at The Spa on Spruce, as the hot tub and backyard garden make it feel more like a vacation.
I did a podcast yesterday morning and had a campaign meeting with a Senate candidate yesterday. It’s exciting to open a second front on the war against authoritarianism with moving to fire a Kansas Senator who gutted Medicaid when he knows how devastating it will be to his constituents.
The podcast was heavy on CoreCivic, the troubled private prison we are working to keep from becoming an ICE detention facility back in Leavenworth. I’ll share the link when it comes out. Earlier in the week a story by the Marshall Project came out. The Guardian ran it so it was nice to get some national/international coverage. https://www.themarshallproject.org/2025/07/01/leavenworth-kansas-immigration-prison-fight
Today it was grocery shopping, hot tubbing, and off to the beach at Finger Lakes. Another family joined our picnic table while we were in the lake so we just made them part of our party. We’re going to catch fireworks tonight. We brought bikes to drive to the edge of traffic and park and ride in.
Tomorrow it’s a quarry lake party and a neighborhood festival. Sunday we make our way home. Things heat up at CoreCivic with the next hearing taking place at 10:00. Follow along for updates. Here’s a flyer on my book reading in CoMo. If you’re in the area you should come.
Say “No” to CoreCivic
When CoreCivic first sought to use Leavenworth County as a proxy to garner an ICE contract I gave it serious consideration. I was superficially aware of CoreCivic’s failings maintaining adequate staffing putting employees and inmates at unnecessary risk. I knew superficially about the serious issues with private prisons in general and CoreCivic in particular. Cost cutting at the expense of safety and basic needs is the norm in the industry and CoreCivic is the worst amongst them.
I was on the Executive Committee of the Leavenworth Lansing Chamber of Commerce so I had to consider investment in the region, bringing a shuttered facility back online and creating employment opportunities for folks without a college degree. With an immediate public outcry against the plans we weighed the pros and cons quietly. I was pleased when the County quickly dismissed the idea as not in the best interest of their constituents.
With the change of administration I saw news stories about CoreCivics stock price surging, rising 69% in a single week after the election. I was not surprised when CoreCivic began the process of trying to bring CoreCivic back online in Leavenworth with an ICE contract. While discussing the issue online I met a former employee William Rogers who personalized the issue for me.
His firsthand accounts of the impacts of short staffing the unit are graphic and incredibly sad. He had both his head split open and was stabbed. The “observation bubbles” which should be staffed to monitor conditions and provide assistance were routinely closed because of staffing issues. He told me about another co-worker who was also beaten and stabbed requiring 16 surgeries. While on workers comp CoreCivic cut off her health insurance. She lives in poverty in our community unable to work.
Before the facility was shuttered U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson stated in court: “The only way I could describe it frankly, what’s going on at CoreCivic right now is it’s an absolute hell hole”. A 2017 audit found that its officer vacancy rate was nearly 25%. Contraband and weapons were commonplace. Inmates were left unsupervised while guards had to monitor multiple pods. In 2011 CoreCivic was triple-bunking inmates in cells designed for two people but uninstalled the beds to conceal it from its certifying body the American Correctional Association.
CoreCivic is pursuing a Special Use Permit. A public hearing will be held on April 7th, 2025 at 6:00 PM at Leavenworth City Hall, in front of the Planning Commission. Planning Commisioners will make a recommendation regarding the permit to the Leavenworth City Commission. Leavenworth will hold two more public hearings, also at 6:00 PM, on May 13th and May 27th with a vote occurring after the final hearing. In addition to the zoning decision the City will also take up a Government Services Agreement between the City of Leavenworth, ICE, and CoreCivic detailing emergency response and payment arrangements.
I urge the Planning Commission and the City of Leavenworth to deny the permit and to not approve the agreement. CoreCivic has a long history of unsafe operation and their failures to protect their staff and residents make them unfit to operate a detention facility in Leavenworth. Kansas zoning law allows us to weigh the relative gain to the public health, safety, and welfare to the hardship imposed to the property owner. CoreCivic’s poor performance history including the death of a facility resident would negatively impact the health, safety, and welfare of their workforce, facility residents, and the community.
The Bureau of Prisons and Lansing Correctional Facility currently struggle with staffing issues. There is a workforce shortage in the region that shows itself in ways that we all see. CoreCivic would cannibalize the existing workforce without allowing for the safe operation of their facility. CoreCivic struggled with adequate staffing levels in an economy with less workforce challenges than we wrestle with currently.
Even larger issues than CoreCivic’s poor operating history is the current state of the Federal Government. Leavenworth should take no part in the adminsitration of mass deportation where seperating families and casual cruelty are a feature not a bug. Right now the Trump administration has illegally fired 13 Inspectors General who provide critical outside accountability to ensure legal and safe contracting and government operations.
Signing a contract with ICE while numerous contractual obligations are flouted by DOGE cuts and staffing changes. New York City had a contract to house undocumented individuals and families. They provided the residential services and the payments were direct deposited into their account. Without notice or just cause those funds were taken by the Federal government. How can Leavenworth rely on Federal partners to uphold any agreement they make while existing agreements with contractors, employers, and funding recipients are violated across the country.
Leavenworth has an opportunity to protect the health, safety, and well being of our residents by rejecting this special use permit and government services agreement. With the growing unpopularity of Elon Musk and his unaccountable DOGE minions we will likely see a change in Congress in 2026 and a change in administration in 2028. Once again private prisons will fall out of favor and how will CoreCivic maintain their facilities and staffing with a dimmer economic forecast? Why should we undercut the performance and safety of our existing correctional facilities for a potentially short term divisive project with partners who cannot be relied upon?
Contact the Leavenworth City Commission and demand they vote “no” on CoreCivic.
Mayor Holly Pittman holly.pittman@firstcity.mo 913-449-8991
Mayor Pro Tem Nancy Bauder nbauder@firstcity.mo 913-675-7166
Commissioner Griff Martin griff.martin@firstcity.mo
Commissioner Edd Hingula edd.hingula@firstcity.mo 913-775-0635
Commissioner Jermaine Wilson jwilson@firstcity.mo 913-617-3667
Show up and testify at Leavenworth City Hall at 6:00 PM on April 7th, May 13th, & May 27th
Democrats and Direct Action
I cut my teeth in political organizing around direct action with a long term focus on building a community of resistance. I found it far more energizing than electoral politics, more immediate, and far more fun.
Speaking truth to power and engaging in active non violence shaped who I was. I also engaged in influence campaigns that worked within the system. As a young field organizer in Utah I helped gin up significant opposition to an inadequate wilderness prevention Bill generating thousands of postcards and turning out hundreds of students at a critical public meeting.
That shifted the Utah delegation and the bill was defeated. The next year a bill was passed that includes an additional 1.2 acres of mostly Red Rock desert permanently protected as wilderness. I thought about that 1.2 million acres a lot and how we freed the weed by petition gathering, voter registration, organizing a GOtV and passing the California Compassionate Use Act.
My support of electoral politics further strengthened as a three term City Council Member in Columbia, Missouri I saw a laundry list of progressive accomplishments and good government wins all through campaigning for votes. As I completed The Practical Guide to Building a Better World, I formed a Political Action Committee to support my national level local organizing.
After the inauguration we all witnessed the unconstitutional and illegal invasion of government systems and employee relations by unaccountable billionaire Elon Musk and his high tech goons. A spontaneous movement on Reddit called 50501 for national protests at state capitals.
I was intrigued but unavailable. I hope as also a little shocked by the general reception by Democrats and other activists not wanting to take part because they didn’t know who was organizing it. Folks who shared information were encouraged not to participate because of a lack of permits and no identified organizers and folks speculates it was a setup.
So most of the folks I know stayed home. But not all. I heard reports from Michigan where the crowd was robust and inspiring and I saw news reports on many other protests.
In spite of being 50 states, 50 protests, 1 day a President’s Day protest was called by the same network. In Leavenworth the local Democrats put out a call and on a frigid day 40 or so concerned citizens came out with signs and flags and it was beautiful.
When I got home I enjoyed seeing protest photos from across the country. We think protests need leadership and organization, and both can be helpful to win concrete victories but they are not necessary. During the Vietnam protest era the largest protests happened after the national leadership splintered and went silent. The protests kept growing.
We live in an era of increased suspicion and less and less trust. The more that we can rebuild our ability to organize together on a common cause the more effective we are going to be. The New American Community is embracing and promoting decentralized grassroots movements and we encourage others to do likewise.
We have to be wise. There are agents of chaos and misinformation that drive divisive activities. There are risks to trusting strangers. There are also risks from not trusting others we do not know. The risks of being isolated and powerless and having our cherished institutions destroyed without an effective public outcry.
We need to be wise and structure for safety. Do your homework, withhold judgement, make sure if you go to an action you have an exit plan and support. But please don’t stay at home out of fear. The next big action is the February 28th economic blackout.
I don’t know who is planning it. I know it makes sense. I know I want to do it. I know it’s safe. Now more than ever we need a mass mobilization to protect our democracy and our way of life. When the call to action is just and proper and good I am acting, whether I know who made the call or not.
Towards the end of another busy day my fiance said, “boy it’s been a season, hasn’t it?” That led to some reflection on all that we’ve done: Moving, holiday travel, recovery from surgery and other medical stuff, her busy season at work, shepherding my book through the publishing process, and launching the New American Community’s County Outreach Project.
If you’re a regular reader you know I’ve sworn off jamming all the time to the puttering my way to happy destiny phase of life. Nonetheless, I have started early and jammed all day pretty much all winter. Managing the blizzard and follow up cold snap has complicated the final part of the move and clean out of the old apartment.
Yesterday we strapped a couch and dresser to the rack of the Toyota Yaris to haul them to the dump. Large item collection was suspended. I wish I would have taken a picture, we got more than a few points and laughs as we drove across town. You gotta do what you gotta do.
I also forgot to mention we got the 18 yo off to the dorms. Seeing this young man take a big step towards independence has been a thrill but also a series of one more thing we have to do.
Through it all though we’ve kept our good humor. I was grimly focused on packing and the day of the move but after that period of hard work and focus I dialed it back a bit. My dad hauled furniture and doing that work brings him up in me. I appreciate the technical expertise but the curt authoritative communication style creates problems as useful as it is.
Spraining my foot did slow things down and probably was overall a good thing. It’s also fun and meaningful to be organizing again. Getting my office and desk stop set up was a great feeling as I have been working out of a messenger bag for a year and a half.
To launch our County Party Outreach Project we created a database of all the County Democratic Party organizations. We sent out a survey and I have been following up with state party leadership.
We have been well received and the survey is getting a good response. Early results show Messaging is the biggest need area. We are starting on a technical assistance manual on the topic. It validates the book as messaging is a consistent theme in a lot of chapters. Now it’s off to clean the old apartment and hopefully get it done today and have that behind us.
January 6th
It’s January 6th which means I have to get political. I prefer to tell stories, document an interesting day, share a life hack or pro trip or brag about my travels. Not today.
Today is about organizing. The New American Community formed on July 4th, 2024 to revitalize rural America and other forgotten areas through fostering local activism. Our mission is to identify, train, and support an organ in every county in America.
Today we launched our County Party Organizing Project (CPOP). We have assembled a data base of County Party leadership and I have been calling State Party leadership to see about coordinating our efforts. I have had promising early conversations in Kansas and Missouri and had planned to move forward here to mark this day.
Mother Nature had other plans. Some ice and sleet and literally a foot of snow kept at me to shovel sidewalks, porches, and decks. I also had to shovel out the van. I’d already shoveled it out once to get it in a side street since we’re a snow emergency route. I parked it on a hill and ran it out of gas. I have to shovel out the alley now to get the Yaris out with a gas can.
While I was warming up though, I did some research in Texas, where there’s not a blizzard, and reached out by phone and email. I’ve got more leads to chase down tomorrow, if you pile up messages someone is going to call you back. Most people are going to want to do something if you make it meaningful and easy. So that’s what we’re doing.
We’ve also been emailing our contacts and following up with interested activists. It feels like we are at the beginning of great things. We are calling it localism. Empowering local organizers to address hyper local issues and rack up wins through community organizing, direct action, and mutual aid instead of just trying to win elections every 2 years.
We’re also asking questions and listening. We have a draft of a survey we’re shopping around to stakeholders. We’re completing our data bases and getting our nascent social media up and running. And shoveling snow.
If you want to get involved sign up on our website: https://newamerican.community.
New American Community
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New American Community Hosts Ribbon-Cutting, Urging Calm and Unity as High-Stakes Election Nears
Leavenworth, KS — New American Community, a new political organization focused on training and supporting political activists, gathered Tuesday to celebrate its launch, with founder Mike Trapp calling for unity ahead of the election.
Held on October 29th at the Riverfront Community Center and hosted by the Leavenworth-Lansing Chamber of Commerce, the event marked a milestone for New American Community, an organization committed to equipping everyday citizens with the tools and training needed to run effective grassroots political campaigns and community betterment projects.
In his address, Trapp spoke to the critical nature of the upcoming election and the uncertainty surrounding its outcome. “We are a divided nation,” he stated, “and this election will be determined by low-propensity voters. No one can predict which side will activate more of them in the seven swing states.” With polls neck and neck, he cautioned the audience to anticipate a period of waiting that may stretch for days, weeks, or even longer.
Trapp called for the community to prioritize kindness and understanding during this period, regardless of the election’s outcome. “In thinking nationally and acting locally, we take this time to call for calm and kindness. Let’s commit to being kind and listening,” he urged. “After the election, let’s put partisan bickering behind us, rekindling our belief in the good faith of our neighbors.”
The event offered attendees an introduction to New American Community’s mission of fostering local resilience and building community connections. For those looking to get involved in local efforts, New American Community offers resources and a supportive network committed to driving positive change, regardless of national challenges.
For more information or to join the New American Community, please contact:
Mike Trapp
Founder, New American Community
Phone: 573.823.6522
Email: mike@newamericancommunity.org
A Holiday Letter 2023
Today or tomorrow is Epiphany and if I see a Spanish bakery I’ll try to get the special loaf. If you get the Baby Jesus you are supposed to host the midwinter party.
I’m camped at an off road vehicle camp outside of Santa Clara. I spent last night here and it was great. All the off-roaders leaves before dark. Yesterday there was a class or group or something but it was a bunch of 4-5 year olds rising motorbikes and 4 wheelers around the giant parking lot. Pretty adorable.
I found some good hiking today and went on a heritage trail and a visitors center that had displays on the indigenous folks. Big time weavers. I also hiked to a little waterfall and also climbed up into the hills.
For the holiday season which is wrapping up now I often do an annual recap. I’ll do so now even though I’m way behind on my epic road trip narrative. I’ll probably abandon the play by play of campsites and activities.
2023 found me living in Leavenworth in an apartment in the old Jewish Temple and working as the Executive Director for the Alliance, a domestic violence and sexual assault shelter and program. In January I joined the Executive Board of the Leavenworth/Lansing Chamber of Commerce as the Second Vice Chair.
I submitted a corrective action plan for our certification site visit and the Alliance was granted provisional accreditation. We spent most of 2023 improving sexual assault services and staff training which. We had our targeted site visit in the Fall but we had not received a response before I left in November.
In the spring I slipped on my stairs and hyper-extended my knee. I also learned my knee was a mass of degenerative garbage. I was on crutches and missed a few days of work. It was a real low for me. I had gotten back to 280 pounds, what I weighed when I graduated high school but I’m not 17 anymore.
I started losing weight which accelerated when I learned I may have cirrhosis of the liver. It’s actually more common in obesity then alcohol use. I weighed myself in San Diego and I’m down to 239. I can definitely feel the difference.
I continued to go back to Columbia most months for the Columbia Men’s Book Club. We’re chugging along in maybe our 15th year. I also took a trip to Hays, Kansas because of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egv3IBkBH6Q&pp=ygUaNDkgd2luY2hlc3RlciBoYXlzIGthbnNhcyA%3Dwith with John but 49 Winchester cancelled their show 30 minutes before doors opened.
I went to Harry’s house for Easter and hosted Thanksgiving at John and Flow’s. After Thanksgiving I moved the last of my things to Columbia and cleaned out my apartment. I’d left the Alliance under my former Grants Manager who became the new ED, which made me proud as she is young and off to a great start in her career.
John and Flow and I flew into Maine and went to the Down East, mostly Bar Harbour and Arcadia National Park. It was cool but a lot of traffic and the color was limited.
I left on an Epic Road Trip and have been doing Van Life. I went to Big Bend NP and really enjoyed it. Saw my first javelina and bobcat and a ton of road runners. Great hiking and met Rey who showed me a pictograph and a mortar site by a tank. We heard a mountain lion yowl and found a ton of worked stones.
I also went to Carlsbad Caverns and camped a night with a traveling novelist. I visited Ray, who I met in my epic road trip 2 years ago for Solstice and had a great Yule fire. I also picked up a hitchhiker and took him to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
New Years found me in San Diego reuniting with Steve my best friend in grad school who I hadn’t seen in 25 years. Great visit and I have almost 2 more months for this leg of the trip as I work on my book. I outlined chapter 5 tonight. Going to turn in now and hike in a new spot tomorrow and plan on staying at a Walmart outside of Fresno tomorrow for the rain.
A Holiday Letter 2023
Today or tomorrow is Epiphany and if I see a Spanish bakery I’ll try to get the special loaf. If you get the Baby Jesus you are supposed to host the midwinter party.
I’m camped at an off road vehicle camp outside of Santa Clara. I spent last night here and it was great. All the off-roaders leaves before dark. Yesterday there was a class or group or something but it was a bunch of 4-5 year olds rising motorbikes and 4 wheelers around the giant parking lot. Pretty adorable.
I found some good hiking today and went on a heritage trail and a visitors center that had displays on the indigenous folks. Big time weavers. I also hiked to a little waterfall and also climbed up into the hills.
For the holiday season which is wrapping up now I often do an annual recap. I’ll do so now even though I’m way behind on my epic road trip narrative. I’ll probably abandon the play by play of campsites and activities.
2023 found me living in Leavenworth in an apartment in the old Jewish Temple and working as the Executive Director for the Alliance, a domestic violence and sexual assault shelter and program. In January I joined the Executive Board of the Leavenworth/Lansing Chamber of Commerce as the Second Vice Chair.
I submitted a corrective action plan for our certification site visit and the Alliance was granted provisional accreditation. We spent most of 2023 improving sexual assault services and staff training which. We had our targeted site visit in the Fall but we had not received a response before I left in November.
In the spring I slipped on my stairs and hyper-extended my knee. I also learned my knee was a mass of degenerative garbage. I was on crutches and missed a few days of work. It was a real low for me. I had gotten back to 280 pounds, what I weighed when I graduated high school but I’m not 17 anymore.
I started losing weight which accelerated when I learned I may have cirrhosis of the liver. It’s actually more common in obesity then alcohol use. I weighed myself in San Diego and I’m down to 239. I can definitely feel the difference.
I continued to go back to Columbia most months for the Columbia Men’s Book Club. We’re chugging along in maybe our 15th year. I also took a trip to Hays, Kansas because of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egv3IBkBH6Q&pp=ygUaNDkgd2luY2hlc3RlciBoYXlzIGthbnNhcyA%3Dwith with John but 49 Winchester cancelled their show 30 minutes before doors opened.
I went to Harry’s house for Easter and hosted Thanksgiving at John and Flow’s. After Thanksgiving I moved the last of my things to Columbia and cleaned out my apartment. I’d left the Alliance under my former Grants Manager who became the new ED, which made me proud as she is young and off to a great start in her career.
John and Flow and I flew into Maine and went to the Down East, mostly Bar Harbour and Arcadia National Park. It was cool but a lot of traffic and the color was limited.
I left on an Epic Road Trip and have been doing Van Life. I went to Big Bend NP and really enjoyed it. Saw my first javelina and bobcat and a ton of road runners. Great hiking and met Rey who showed me a pictograph and a mortar site by a tank. We heard a mountain lion yowl and found a ton of worked stones.
I also went to Carlsbad Caverns and camped a night with a traveling novelist. I visited Ray, who I met in my epic road trip 2 years ago for Solstice and had a great Yule fire. I also picked up a hitchhiker and took him to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.
New Years found me in San Diego reuniting with Steve my best friend in grad school who I hadn’t seen in 25 years. Great visit and I have almost 2 more months for this leg of the trip as I work on my book. I outlined chapter 5 tonight. Going to turn in now and hike in a new spot tomorrow and plan on staying at a Walmart outside of Fresno tomorrow for the rain.
It’s been a busy time and I haven’t had a chance for an update. I wrapped up my job in Leavenworth 9 days ago. I have been bringing most of my stuff back to my house in Columbia, Missouri and brought in the last load Wednesday evening. In addition to unloading and some unpacking I cleaned house and made a good part of Thanksgiving dinner. Except for not making enough time for getting active minutes it has been a good productive couple of days.
I had a couple friends over and they brought the rest of the dinner and we had quite a feast. I put the most effort into the green bean casserole. I made my own fried onions for the topping as well as a white sauce from scratch. I used canned green beans as using them up was the impetus for the dinner.
I also did a turkey breast. I made an herbal rub out of local minced garlic, fresh rosemary and sage out of the garden, thyme, lemon juice, & olive oil. I cooked it in a cup of Northeast Kansas vignole from Z&M Twisted Vines and cooked for 1 1/2 hours at 350.
In addition to setting up my stuff I’ve been getting ready for my next epic road trip. I’m putting together my final box of stuff I need from home including: Jumper cables, tow strap, tent, drip coffee top and filters, collapsible bucket, checkbook, & the clothes I wore here.
Task wise I need to file for Obamacare, fill out my personal property tax affirmation, fix my PayPal, authorize my new credit card and water plants. I’m also trying to rake leaves and print a document on the 4 Stoic Virtues that I am going to structure my 31 days of spiritual exercises to ride out 2023 and start off 2024 more disciplined and centered.
I’m planning on leaving Thursday of next week. My last road trip I drove 5,000 miles over 2 months. That seems like a lot but it’s only around 73 miles a day. Gas is the biggest expense considering you have to buy food whatever you’re doing. I like to go slow, stay off the interstate and see all the outdoor attractions on the way.
My first stop will be a municipal playground outside of Fort Scott and I will check out the historical fort. Then on to Paola and Pittsburgh Kansas. After that I want to check out those 2 counties in northeast Oklahoma that are Ozark highlands. Then continuing south through the Oachitas and into Texas.
My first significant site is Big Bend National Park. A couple of weeks there and I’ll head west sticking close to the border and check out Guadalupe National Park and so on. I plan to go on for at least 9 weeks. After my spiritual exercises I’m going to outline and start writing a book. If I get my 300 words + a day and am having fun I’ll keep going west to San Diego and all the soCal sites Anza Berrega, Death Valley, & Joshua Tree. Then up the coast to the East Bay and back to Missouri in the Spring in time to pay my taxes and establish medical care.
All of this is subject to change. I’ve only looked at day 1 camping because if it’s cold I’ll go South quicker. If I’ve not yet committed and weather suggests an alternate itinerary I’m open to that. I did get a Federal Lands Park pass so that is an impetus to go west.
I started reading Empire of the Summer Moon to better understand the history of the area. It has filled in some blank spaces in my knowledge. I’ll likely finish before I set out.
That’s about it. Getting ready to turn in. Hiking the High Ridge Trail at Rock Bridge State Park tomorrow morning, raking leaves and seeing the Fried Crawdaddies and a who’s who of local bands doing their Thanksgiving weekend tribute show to The Last Waltz. Thanks for reading this far and please follow along on Epic Road Trip 2. Also please comment your questions, comments and concerns.
Grokking Starship Troopers
It’s been a pretty quiet week. I had to work Saturday so I haven’t done much besides work. We had a supply drive and it was more fun than I thought it would be. It was set up with the Governor’s office for her inauguration (Governor Kelly of Kansas). My board is all Republicans so it was nice to meet and compare notes with the Democrats.
I had a bit of a mishap at the end and it took me a goodly amount of time to clean up my mess. That shot most of the daylight. I went to this bar and grill Ross’s 20th Street. The Chiefs game was on so there was a loud and drunken crowd. The taps weren’t working so I had a KC Bir Dunkel which is a decent one. That and a Reuben and fries. A little puny but ok. Not my vibe so I won’t be back.
Mostly I’ve been reading a lot. I crushed Ursula Leguin’s Earth Sea Trilogy. Pretty solid fantasy. There was some good language and an interesting set of stories. I’ve also been reading a book on Salvador Dali. Diary of a Genius is our bookclub selection so I picked up a couple of books about him from the library while I wait p0lpfor it from Thriftbooks.
I set that aside for Starship Troopers. I read most of Heinlein’s oeuvre in 7th grade and it stuck with me better than most. I remember when the female pilot shaves her head really made an impression on me. That wasn’t really a thing in 1980, at least where I was from.
I keep seeing this meme with a quote from Heinlein that the people who really grok him like 3 books: Troopers, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Stranger in a Strange Land. I love Stranger, it doesn’t feel as right-wing as a lot of Heinlein. Definitely a favorite of mine.
I’d barely remembered Harsh Mistress. The only thing that has stuck with me was Ain’t No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. Not a bad lesson for a 12 year old. Its an impressive novel and has a nice bit on insurgency and revolution. It hits on his themes of responsibilities as well as rights. I can see it’s appeal from the right and the left.
Troopers is more problematic, popularly considered fascist. I loved the movie which was a bit of a satire and pretty clever. I haven’t finished Troopers but I don’t see it as fascist but it is authoritarian.
The two years mandatory military service to become a citizen is not necessarily a bad idea. I support a mandatory service period although I would count Peace Corp or Americorps or that sort of thing.
There is a lot on this HS civics teacher and his Sargent in basic training that point to social ills having their origin in abandoning spanking. Treats it like it’s science. In 1968 definitely a reaction to what was happening. We know I. Behavioralism that rewarding positive behaviors is way more powerful than punishing negative behaviors.
There are a lot of problematic pieces around those themes. He predicted America not lasting to the 21st century before falling to crime and disorder because of permissive parenting and lack of consequences. You can look at how the rest of the world handles crime and punishment and our crime rates and incarceration rate and see his these are BS.
I think I grok Heinlein I just don’t like him. He thinks because I only like 2 of the 3 I don’t understand him. I understand him I just think he’s wrong. Troopers is a rip roaring good war novel though. I’ll take it over art history any time.
Multiconstruct 
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