Heather Cox Richardson at the Lincoln Theater: A Helping Hands Event

A lively conversation between Heather Cox Richardson and Keith Mestrich.
The Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta, Maine.
July 10, 2024

[@MsArnelly]

Heather is a true patriot, her writings are succinct, well written facts. She’s knows her stuff and is so level headed about it all. She’s a massive asset we’re ever so lucky to have.

[@26beegee]

I texted my daughter in July 1, 2024 saying, “Mark this date on your calendar, 7-1-24, the day SCOTUS killed democracy.” 😢 Thank you Heather for educating Americans.

[@stevenlafleur8474]

Down but not out.

[@ruthmichigander]

Wow! Heather I never realized how many hours you write daily. Thank you so much for your dedication to our history and teaching each of us its truth and importance.

[@shawynajarrett8706]

I would love to see how Heather Cox Richardson has affected history with her Letters to an American and her talks and books. She has affected my life tremendously. And I believe history.

[@judydyer]

We are SO lucky to have her.

[@missd369]

Ooohhh... that would be a great college thesis subject.

[@joannebamfordmccombs9755]

I am so grateful to read Heather's letters and watch Heather with interest, and I'm a Canadian! Watching this because the whole world is worried as I am! Let's hope that the people of the USA wake up!

[@lindabaker2905]

I too am a Canadian and am very grateful to follow Heather‼️🇨🇦

[@tintooki]

Same, from Australia.

[@arnameyer3658]

I'm an Aussie living in the States and am monumentally grateful for people like Heather. These conversations are so important.

[@lorriecheshire6471]

Thank you Heather! You kept me sane for the past few years! 😊💙💙💙

[@NellieLucas]

If she hasn't already Heather Cox Richardson should receive the Congressional Medal of Freedom. Her work has been so very important to so many of us.

[@enigma1865]

As a lifelong public historian, I appreciate Dr. Richardson's involvement in public history. I introduce her work in my graduate public history classes.

[@Bodhithedood]

Heather is one of our greatest gifts! 7 - 9- hours/night AFTER her day job! Where is the applause?

[@jannichi6431]

🤓 amazing work ethic🙌Consistently.

[@lindatollefson7051]

Have so much respect for this Lady and all she has done for our country!

[@SusanMerle]

Thank you so very much HRC! I am learning our history due to your enthusiasm in teaching us. Thank you thank you!

[@anitashaver125]

Yes. The enthusiasm for our country’s history is contagious.

[@krp9110]

And thank you for all the assorted avenues you are able to use to speak to as many people as you can and do speak to!!! You teach the reality of history, and inspire hope for the future.

[@abbyhillman769]

So grateful to Heather for the letters. I've been following from the beginning, and often dive into the references at the bottom of the letters. I feel like I've earned my own private PhD in this moment in time, guided by one of the brightest lights of our generation.

[@SkullsMom]

I also love the comments. So many people tell their stories and observations. It's a good way to start the day.

[@dianneperkins9192]

The Supreme Court decision needs to be undone!

[@amandanorris8]

How??

[@michellesmithunroe2463]

​@@amandanorris8 precisely what I would like to know!

[@margielandis2015]

Thank you Heather, you are so important in this moment. It’s really interesting listening to this, recorded probably a week or so before July 21st and so much has changed during this time.

[@terrybalton6265]

Thank you Heather

[@ramyhuber8392]

Thank you so much doing the work you do now, HCR! Really helping me survive this time in US. I remember listening to live arguments from SC about the immunity case, and thinking NO WAY, there's no way they can agree to something so egregious, that would reflect on them so badly in history, the loss of a real democracy. When the decision came down, my stomach dropped, and I took a deep breath.

[@MistBlues]

And they did it the last day of court before they took their long summer break. A friend of mine pointed out that seems rather cowardly.

[@tammyburke9453]

ugh HCR, is there ANY other person more deserving our respect? So much love and admiration.

[@RedJeanetteRedlover]

Thank you for giving this great talk and sharing it with us! Fascinating stuff and a lot of very important topics that really need to be shared amd explained to more people! ❤

[@cookiebuzz]

“I’m going to leave that up to the fly.” I almost spit out my coffee!!!!

[@krp9110]

Thank you for staying up!!!

[@Jojojojoxyz]

OMG I am both grateful >>>and more awake>>>>for your opinions< Heather but I am also even more afraid than I was.

[@christinacantu4542]

I love listening to heath she's awesome

[@johnalmond5161]

Followed Heather for quite some time, enjoyed and learned so much. She makes sense of the complicated things going on in our country and keeps me up to date and informed. She has earned my paying subscription to her newsletter!

[@katherinerice852]

Very Important!

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

I adore Heather.

[@valeriesmith5780]

Interesting to watch this post Convention.

[@maryrollins1737]

Yes!!

[@arnameyer3658]

​@@maryrollins1737right?! It's kind of cool to reflect at just how fast things are moving. Especially with the news about Jack Smith indicting Trump again with a new grand jury.

[@SueBaird-x3c]

Listening to what Heather had to say about The Debate, its immediate aftermath and Kamala on July 10th (start from around minute 48) , is how things have transpired. By choosing Tiim Walz as her running mate, she has not only kept that coalition together, but expanded and energized it. We're not going back!

[@JR-pr8jb]

I heartily recommend Richardson's book, "How The South Won The Civil War." Not a cheery read but definitely helps explain where we are under Trump, MAGA, Project 2025, etc. Vote Harris/Walz!

[@JohnMistyWoods]

Also, her latest, “Democracy Awakening!”

[@patriciamartinez-lx8dy]

It's really fascinating how you started your writing career. Enjoyed listening to this interview.

[@mantramoon9]

It's interesting to watch this now - things have changed a lot in a short amount of time!

[@suzibikerbabe8073]

Thank you, Heather, for doing all you do ... for us, your fellow humans.

[@bobhrfarm]

Yes !t’s worth staying up!😊

[@paco_vazquez]

And somehow VP Harris energized the party and found a good old white man that can bring the coalition together. Vote blue!!! 💙💙💙

[@pkpsail4441]

Thank You for all you do, Please keep it up and get to as many as possible.

[@janewestbrook8364]

Thank you❤ I am grateful for your work and humbled at 75 years to wake up to the threat to our democracy. Faith in government was shattered by the assassination of JFK. I was too young to vote and never voted until Obama. Then I voted for Hillary. The threat and nightmare of Trump is truly a clarion call to motivate all Americans to defend our priceless, fragile democracy. Harris-Walz are answered prayer.❤🇺🇸💙

[@janwag6856]

Oh thank you Heather! I recognized that 45 didn’t answer the questions that were asked, and none of his blatant lies were challenged in that debate.

[@sylvanwoods5271]

Love this interview, thank you!

[@user-tu4rn8ui9u]

Thank you for discussing the SCOTUS decision. The lack of emphasis about the gravity of it has broken my heart more than anything else. It is catastrophic and so is the indifference to it. I’ve been beside myself about it. Thank YOU, Heather!

[@Pidxr]

Unlike trump tweeting from his golden toilet at Midnight, your newsletter makes the rest of us ... in the AM

[@annfarnell1642]

This program is dated July 1, 2024.

[@dorothysatterfield3699]

It's dated July 10, 2024.

[@whitmeister1190]

Love Heather! Cherchez La Femme! Vote blue!

[@danabramer1047]

I'm laughing at the timing of this because it's coming out after the DNC and wow has the world changed!!

[@Diana-jx1ju]

Richardson is the very best. at pointing out the worst and darkest that must be seen, while standing for a transformative point of departure in how we react, and that this transformation is thewhole point of the Democratic process .

[@Queenie-the-genie]

So glad you can afford an epiPen. I cannot and I am really angry about it. If I die it will too late to sue. Medicare does not cover it.

[@lesleepetersen87]

James Talarico is attending divinity school now! What an amazing young man!!! 💙🇺🇸💙

[@TJR-CO]

heather is a an amazingly smart person & a great historian & speaker

[@lesleepetersen87]

Drawing water from a well? Lots of us in northern NM know about that in 2024!!!😊

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

I live in rural California. There are no cell towers in this here holler.

[@LoneTraveler-nc6rf]

Yes, leave it up to the fly!

[@danielaito323]

Wow, I am currently reading "The woman behind the New Deal"

[@virginiacrosby4160]

James is amazing! He is very on-point with his speeches about what Christians should be.

[@katherinerice852]

George III had more gaurd rails.😮

[@cab5917]

“Pedagogy is the teaching of children, or dependent personalities. Andragogy is the facilitation learning for adults, who are self-directed learners. Heutagogy is the management of learning for self-managed learners.”

[@leebloomquist3896]

"... foundational principle..." As in Abraham Lincoln's speech against the Dred Scott decision-- There is not only a striking symmetry to the current Supreme Court decision about Donald Trump, but there is also a feeling. In the former decision, the Supreme Court held that certain people are inferior. In the latter, the Supreme Court held that one person is superior. Concerning the inequality, Lincoln warned of tyranny. An excerpt: "The assertion that 'all men are created equal' was of no practical use in effecting our separation from Great Britain; and it was placed in the Declaration, not for that, but for future use. Its authors meant it to be, (thank God, it is now proving itself) a stumbling block to those who in after times might seek to turn a free people back into the hateful paths of despotism. They knew the proneness of prosperity to breed tyrants, and they meant when such should reappear in this fair land and commence their vocation they should find left for them at least one hard nut to crack." Lincoln's word "hateful" translates into our current language as "hate filled". Performing the translation, we talk not only about the freedom TO pursue life liberty and happiness, but also about the freedom FROM: "...those who in after times might seek to turn a free people back into the hate filled paths of despotism." Sound familiar?

[@andreaperry938]

Nobody is above the law? The last thing trump needs is permission to be a dictator.

[@gwentomrichardsmc8647]

There's an old hymn that fits this time . " Once To Every Man and Nation Comes The Moment To Decide " Ladies , this doesn't let us off the hook , The word "man" just is there to fit the beat of the music . Look up this hymn and read it , and be inspired ..

[@tangentreverent4821]

I respectfully disagree, sometimes history does repeat itself because there are some people who work to make history repeat itself.

[@grant50]

Heather said the Republican Presidential Primary debates didn't seem to be more interesting to watch than...doing the dishes. During that pause, I was thinking _cleaning the toilet._

[@BillyHealey]

Wow! This happened in my neck of the woods! Sad that I missed it!

[@renzo6490]

You didn't miss it :o)

[@talithamac]

When you say, ". . . having looked at what just happened in Poland and England and France . . .", please don't forget us in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The general election was nationwide, throughout the UK--it was the fall of the SNP and rise of Reform UK that created a possibility for Labour to win.

[@jannichi6431]

Helping Hands of Round Pond. Excellent! Please support as you too may have a Round Pond org too. My city does with lots of wedding pictures. However we've lost our Rose Garden. Sound familiar Melania?

[@jannichi6431]

Heather Cox Richardson has a Substack. Exclusive group in Substack generally.

[@arnameyer3658]

That's to access the archive if I'm not mistaken. It costs nothing to receive her emails in real time. Sign up, even if you can't get to them yet, you'll have them in your inbox for when you may want them.

[@marysdogsrescue]

Very interesting thoughts about Kamala Harris, of course this is prior to her becoming the candidate.

[@Queenie-the-genie]

Heather is my very favorite historian and speaker. I hang on her every word. Thank you Heather! Interesting to be watching this almost 2 months later with Kamala and Tim a Dynamic Duo. 🩵🩵🩵

[@ShannonGrace9555]

👏👏👏

[@richardpage9502]

An historian, not a journalist. Orwell would relate.

[@alibobo2009]

Kamala Harris, the MAGICAL CANDIDATE! Wow! I love how Heather was thinking. She did see the future, just not the exact way it played out!❤

[@serlucaspjohnson]

i just saw a short in which you mentioned Salmon P Chase. Would love to hear an indepth episode covering him. I found your channel looking for info behind Benjamin Harrison.. I'd love to hear any thoughts you have on him. Esp regarding land grant disputes in New Mexico and the Colfax County War..

[@nancyw5779]

The “Magical Person” has been in front of us all along. Kamala Harris.

[@renzo6490]

It feels like what we get fed to us by the media is restricted in content. Where are the voices from the far left? Who is the I.F. Stone of 2024?

[@ocean1233]

She should not have been interrupted

[@robinpettit7827]

I always carry my epipen on my person.

[@maryloumcdonough3133]

What does Heather think of Jay Winks book "The Great Upheavel"?

[@jannichi6431]

Rerun

[@RitzyRis]

I didn’t know that about Mitch McConnell!! He’s worse than I thought.

[@sherrisadler2543]

Brilliant!! I was already a fan before I listened to this conversation, but now I am a super fan. You are a treasure HCR 🫶🏻 You have given me & millions of others, a voice & POV that cuts through all the crap. For that I am eternally thankful 😌