WEBVTT
1
00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:18.440
Hello, everyone, it's Professor Buzzkill here. We're doing something entirely
2
00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:21.879
different this week. It's a whole week of shows dedicated
3
00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:25.160
to Julia Ward Howe and the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
4
00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:28.120
As many of you may know, Julia Ward Howe was
5
00:00:28.120 --> 00:00:30.440
the author of the poem that became the most famous
6
00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:33.640
song of the American Civil War era, and perhaps the
7
00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:36.719
most famous song in all of American history. You may
8
00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:39.640
also know that Julia Ward Howe wrote the poem at
9
00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:43.560
the time when the American Republic faced its greatest peril. Now,
10
00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:45.159
I don't want to go so far as to say
11
00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:47.880
that the Battle Hymn of the Republic helped win the
12
00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:51.320
war and save the Republic, but as we'll see this week,
13
00:00:51.640 --> 00:00:54.520
it was inspirational then, and it has continued to be
14
00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:59.679
inspirational ever since. As this election year has progressed, people
15
00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:02.520
why than me, have been telling all of us, and
16
00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:06.319
showing all of us with mountains of undeniable evidence, that
17
00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:09.400
our Republic is in danger again. In fact, one of
18
00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:11.799
the presidential candidates not only says that he'll be a
19
00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:15.359
dictator on day one, but all his boasts about what
20
00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:17.640
he's going to do if he wins the election, show
21
00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:20.760
us exactly how he's going to become that dictator. We
22
00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:24.480
all know he's an authoritarian and admires other authoritarians in
23
00:01:24.519 --> 00:01:26.560
the world, and we all know he'd love to be
24
00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:29.920
a dictator, and that he worships dictators in other parts
25
00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:34.040
of this world. And individual authoritarianism, a dictatorship, and even
26
00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:38.280
a monarchy are antithetical to the principles of a republic.
27
00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:41.959
In fact, authority vested in one person is exactly the
28
00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:45.120
opposite of a republic. This being a history show, I
29
00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:48.920
decided earlier this year that when election day came near,
30
00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:51.319
I do a show about the Battle Hymn of the
31
00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:54.319
Republic and its wonderful author, Julia Wardowe, one of the
32
00:01:54.359 --> 00:01:57.239
most important people in American history in my view. Of course,
33
00:01:57.560 --> 00:01:59.760
you know what happened. When I started looking into the
34
00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:03.319
him and Julia ward Howe herself, I realized that I
35
00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:06.519
needed at least two shows about her and about the song.
36
00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:08.599
But then I thought, you buzzkillers would want to hear
37
00:02:08.680 --> 00:02:10.400
some of the versions of the song that were so
38
00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:13.639
important during the Civil War. And then, of course I realized,
39
00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:15.759
as one of our guests says in an episode later
40
00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:18.439
this week, The Battle Hymn of the Republic is a
41
00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:21.879
song that marches on. It has marched forcefully through the
42
00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:24.560
decades since it was written, and its melody has been
43
00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:29.240
adapted innumerable times, especially during periods of tension in crisis.
44
00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:32.000
So I decided to have five shows this week, including
45
00:02:32.039 --> 00:02:35.800
this short introductory one. Tomorrow's show is an interview with
46
00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:39.199
Professor Elaine Showalter, the author of the Acclaim Biography of
47
00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:42.000
Julia Ward how. On Wednesday, we hear from two important
48
00:02:42.039 --> 00:02:45.080
American folk singers and listen to their renditions of versions
49
00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:48.159
of the song. We interview Professor John Staffer on Thursday.
50
00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:51.039
His book The Battle Hymn of the Republic, A Biography
51
00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:53.560
of a Song that Marches On, is the most important
52
00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:56.680
work on the subject. And on Friday, I'll wrap it
53
00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:58.719
all up with a show about the different versions of
54
00:02:58.759 --> 00:03:01.439
the song and how the lyrics and sentiments expressed in
55
00:03:01.479 --> 00:03:04.280
it have been used in our own time. Now, given
56
00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:06.639
what I said about this year's election and the threats
57
00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:09.240
to our republic, I'd like to address the question of
58
00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:13.520
whether this show has become politically partisan. Some podcast reviews,
59
00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:17.360
although not very many, have complained recently about a supposed
60
00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:21.120
leftward tilt in the show's tone and argumentation. The people
61
00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:23.800
who say that might object to this week's open and
62
00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:28.080
direct appeal save our Republic. To them, I say tough.
63
00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:30.719
If it's left wing to point out that Trump's rhetorical
64
00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:34.199
trajectory this year is exactly the same as Hitler's was
65
00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:37.520
in nineteen thirty two, that it uses the same extremist tropes,
66
00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:41.719
a totalitarian appeals, and that it's horrifically dangerous, then I
67
00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:44.360
am left wing. If it's left wing to desperately want
68
00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:47.240
our republic to continue, then I am left wing. And
69
00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:49.639
if it's left wing to show that our most treasured
70
00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:53.199
values are in peril, that I am left wing. If
71
00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:56.479
that bothers you, turn off the show, unfollow us on
72
00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:01.039
your favorite podcast platform, and tell everyone what Professor Buzzkill
73
00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:03.400
is up to. But if you agree with me that
74
00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:06.120
these next two weeks are some of the most important
75
00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:09.159
in our history and that we must stop this extremism,
76
00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:14.080
then listen to tomorrow's show and Wednesdays and Thursdays and Fridays.
77
00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:16.959
I think you'll agree with me that this Julia Ward
78
00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:19.759
Howe Battle Him of the Republic week is the best
79
00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:27.639
thing we've ever done. Talk to you tomorrow,
1
00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:18.440
Hello, everyone, it's Professor Buzzkill here. We're doing something entirely
2
00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:21.879
different this week. It's a whole week of shows dedicated
3
00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:25.160
to Julia Ward Howe and the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
4
00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:28.120
As many of you may know, Julia Ward Howe was
5
00:00:28.120 --> 00:00:30.440
the author of the poem that became the most famous
6
00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:33.640
song of the American Civil War era, and perhaps the
7
00:00:33.679 --> 00:00:36.719
most famous song in all of American history. You may
8
00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:39.640
also know that Julia Ward Howe wrote the poem at
9
00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:43.560
the time when the American Republic faced its greatest peril. Now,
10
00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:45.159
I don't want to go so far as to say
11
00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:47.880
that the Battle Hymn of the Republic helped win the
12
00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:51.320
war and save the Republic, but as we'll see this week,
13
00:00:51.640 --> 00:00:54.520
it was inspirational then, and it has continued to be
14
00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:59.679
inspirational ever since. As this election year has progressed, people
15
00:00:59.719 --> 00:01:02.520
why than me, have been telling all of us, and
16
00:01:02.600 --> 00:01:06.319
showing all of us with mountains of undeniable evidence, that
17
00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:09.400
our Republic is in danger again. In fact, one of
18
00:01:09.400 --> 00:01:11.799
the presidential candidates not only says that he'll be a
19
00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:15.359
dictator on day one, but all his boasts about what
20
00:01:15.439 --> 00:01:17.640
he's going to do if he wins the election, show
21
00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:20.760
us exactly how he's going to become that dictator. We
22
00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:24.480
all know he's an authoritarian and admires other authoritarians in
23
00:01:24.519 --> 00:01:26.560
the world, and we all know he'd love to be
24
00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:29.920
a dictator, and that he worships dictators in other parts
25
00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:34.040
of this world. And individual authoritarianism, a dictatorship, and even
26
00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:38.280
a monarchy are antithetical to the principles of a republic.
27
00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:41.959
In fact, authority vested in one person is exactly the
28
00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:45.120
opposite of a republic. This being a history show, I
29
00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:48.920
decided earlier this year that when election day came near,
30
00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:51.319
I do a show about the Battle Hymn of the
31
00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:54.319
Republic and its wonderful author, Julia Wardowe, one of the
32
00:01:54.359 --> 00:01:57.239
most important people in American history in my view. Of course,
33
00:01:57.560 --> 00:01:59.760
you know what happened. When I started looking into the
34
00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:03.319
him and Julia ward Howe herself, I realized that I
35
00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:06.519
needed at least two shows about her and about the song.
36
00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:08.599
But then I thought, you buzzkillers would want to hear
37
00:02:08.680 --> 00:02:10.400
some of the versions of the song that were so
38
00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:13.639
important during the Civil War. And then, of course I realized,
39
00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:15.759
as one of our guests says in an episode later
40
00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:18.439
this week, The Battle Hymn of the Republic is a
41
00:02:18.479 --> 00:02:21.879
song that marches on. It has marched forcefully through the
42
00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:24.560
decades since it was written, and its melody has been
43
00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:29.240
adapted innumerable times, especially during periods of tension in crisis.
44
00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:32.000
So I decided to have five shows this week, including
45
00:02:32.039 --> 00:02:35.800
this short introductory one. Tomorrow's show is an interview with
46
00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:39.199
Professor Elaine Showalter, the author of the Acclaim Biography of
47
00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:42.000
Julia Ward how. On Wednesday, we hear from two important
48
00:02:42.039 --> 00:02:45.080
American folk singers and listen to their renditions of versions
49
00:02:45.080 --> 00:02:48.159
of the song. We interview Professor John Staffer on Thursday.
50
00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:51.039
His book The Battle Hymn of the Republic, A Biography
51
00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:53.560
of a Song that Marches On, is the most important
52
00:02:53.639 --> 00:02:56.680
work on the subject. And on Friday, I'll wrap it
53
00:02:56.719 --> 00:02:58.719
all up with a show about the different versions of
54
00:02:58.759 --> 00:03:01.439
the song and how the lyrics and sentiments expressed in
55
00:03:01.479 --> 00:03:04.280
it have been used in our own time. Now, given
56
00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:06.639
what I said about this year's election and the threats
57
00:03:06.680 --> 00:03:09.240
to our republic, I'd like to address the question of
58
00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:13.520
whether this show has become politically partisan. Some podcast reviews,
59
00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:17.360
although not very many, have complained recently about a supposed
60
00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:21.120
leftward tilt in the show's tone and argumentation. The people
61
00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:23.800
who say that might object to this week's open and
62
00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:28.080
direct appeal save our Republic. To them, I say tough.
63
00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:30.719
If it's left wing to point out that Trump's rhetorical
64
00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:34.199
trajectory this year is exactly the same as Hitler's was
65
00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:37.520
in nineteen thirty two, that it uses the same extremist tropes,
66
00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:41.719
a totalitarian appeals, and that it's horrifically dangerous, then I
67
00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:44.360
am left wing. If it's left wing to desperately want
68
00:03:44.400 --> 00:03:47.240
our republic to continue, then I am left wing. And
69
00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:49.639
if it's left wing to show that our most treasured
70
00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:53.199
values are in peril, that I am left wing. If
71
00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:56.479
that bothers you, turn off the show, unfollow us on
72
00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:01.039
your favorite podcast platform, and tell everyone what Professor Buzzkill
73
00:04:01.080 --> 00:04:03.400
is up to. But if you agree with me that
74
00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:06.120
these next two weeks are some of the most important
75
00:04:06.120 --> 00:04:09.159
in our history and that we must stop this extremism,
76
00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:14.080
then listen to tomorrow's show and Wednesdays and Thursdays and Fridays.
77
00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:16.959
I think you'll agree with me that this Julia Ward
78
00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:19.759
Howe Battle Him of the Republic week is the best
79
00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:27.639
thing we've ever done. Talk to you tomorrow,
