Category Archives: my own thoughts

Birding in Gambell: Native and White cultures come together at the edge of the world

Posted on June 7, 2017 by Stephen Carr Hampton

In the middle of the Bering Sea, where the only other visible land are the gleaming snow-clad peaks of the Russian Far East, two cultures meet in a strange symbiotic juxtaposition. Gambell is a Siberian Yupik village, named for the … Continue reading →

Posted in my own thoughts | Tagged alaska, birding, bowhead, chiffchaff, climate change, Gambell, ivory, lodge, nome, sea ice, Sivuqaq, St. Lawrence, umiaq, walrus, Yupik | Leave a comment

Trump’s doppelganger from colonial New Mexico bodes difficult decades ahead for US

Posted on March 17, 2017 by Stephen Carr Hampton

If Trump had a doppelganger in history, it was probably Don Diego de Peñalosa, Governor of colonial New Mexico from 1661 to 1664. If history repeats itself, we may be able to learn something about our future. Colonial New … Continue reading →

Posted in my own thoughts, news | Tagged 2016 election, doppelganger, New Mexico, Penalosa, Pueblo, trends, trump | Leave a comment

Red Nation, Blue Nation: Predictions for the Trump Years and Beyond

Posted on January 20, 2017 by Stephen Carr Hampton

The cultural divide between Red and Blue will grow stronger and more distinct. Gerrymandering has already polarized the political arena over the past twenty years. This has framed the public debate into two choices: left and right. With social media, each side … Continue reading →

Posted in my own thoughts, news | Tagged #standingrock, divide, gerrymandering, non-violent, partisan, popular vote, predictions, protest, red vs blue, trump, violence | 3 Comments

Gratitude for the Water Protectors

Posted on December 7, 2016 by Stephen Carr Hampton

It’s astounding that 10,000 people converged on the open plain, with no water, food, sanitation, or housing, and worked together to make it all happen. The first camp was started by Standing Rock youth. Hundreds of other tribes from … Continue reading →

Posted in my own thoughts, news, Standing Rock | Tagged #DAPL, #noDAPL, #nonviolence, #OcetiSakowin, #standingrock, #standwithStandingRock, #veterans, blizzard, indigenous, Obama, victory, wilansky | Leave a comment

Dakota Access’s Trail of Broken Laws

Posted on December 3, 2016 by Stephen Carr Hampton

There are several laws and regulations designed specifically to prevent the kind of conflict the world is witnessing at Standing Rock. Energy Transfer Partners and the US Army Corp willfully ignored these laws and created the current crisis. While thousands … Continue reading →

Posted in my own thoughts, news, Standing Rock | Tagged #DAPL, #noDAPL, #standingrock, #standwithStandingRock, 12898, 13175, backwater bridge, Bismarck, eis, Executive Order, law, laws, map, military surplus, NEPA, pipeline, regulations, route, Section 106, SHPO, Sioux, SRST, Standing Rock, tribal consultation, Turtle Hill, violated, violation | 7 Comments

Letter to Obama: Pardon Leonard Peltier

Posted on November 19, 2016 by Stephen Carr Hampton

November 18, 2016 The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear President Obama, I write to you to request the pardon of Leonard Peltier. Leonard Peltier was a community organizer just like you. In a time of … Continue reading →

Posted in my own thoughts | Tagged #freeleonard, #freeleonardpeltier, FBI, Leonard Peltier, letter, Obama, Oglala, pardon, peltier, Pine ridge | Leave a comment

Confessions of a Converted Conservative

Posted on November 15, 2016 by Stephen Carr Hampton

The election of Donald Trump is a national embarrassment, tragedy, and nightmare. He is not just another Republican, another politician. He is not McCain, Bush, or Romney. He is a racist, misogynist, and bully. His behavior is an affront to … Continue reading →

Posted in my own thoughts | Tagged #notmypresident, bridges, christian, conservative, conversion, dialogue, liberal, trump | 2 Comments

The Case for Leonard Peltier

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Stephen Carr Hampton

Updated May 30, 2024. Leonard Peltier is a Native American activist who currently sits in federal prison, serving two life terms for the murders of two FBI agents. When he was sentenced, 50 congressmembers petitioned for a new trial. Amnesty … Continue reading →

Posted in my own thoughts, news | Tagged #freeleonard, #freeleonardpeltier, #leonardpeltier, Dick Wilson, Dino Butler, goons, Jumping Bull, Oglala, peltier, Pine ridge, Robideau | 4 Comments

Solar arrays in the desert: Killing more birds than you imagine

Posted on March 24, 2016 by Stephen Carr Hampton

In the past three years there has been a stunning and seemingly reckless increase in solar farms in California. Before 2013, solar farms covered four square miles of land. They now cover nearly 60 square miles and more are planned. … Continue reading →

Posted in my own thoughts | Tagged #bird, #birdsmatter, #solarbirdkills, array, bird kills, birds, california valley solar, campo verde, daggett, desert sunlight, energy, farms, Ivanpah, mohave, mortality, mount signal, panoche, power tower, raven, solar, solar star, topaz solar | 7 Comments

Local Paper Publishes Thanksgiving Story about “Redskins”

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Stephen Carr Hampton

My town, Davis, is known as a liberal college town, a bastion of progressive thought. Nevertheless, the local paper, the Davis Enterprise, published this editorial a few days ago. Here is my letter to the editor in reply: Dear Editor, … Continue reading →

Posted in my own thoughts, Uncategorized | Tagged Bradford, Buchwald, Davis, Davis Enterprise, editor, French, letter, Native American history, thanksgiving, wampanoag | 1 Comment