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Kenneth N. Weiss most recently served as a content editor for the Baltimore Sun Media Group. Previously, he held editorial oversight for the Opinion pages in three distinct publications, including The Washington Post Company's now-defunct Gazette of Politics and Business. In addition, he works as a part-time copy editor for the African Institute for Development Policy, contributing to a project that evaluates democracy indicators in African countries.Earlier in his career, Weiss was a researcher for the film "The War at Home" which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Feature-Length Documentary in 1979. Over a span of ten years, he instructed an introductory news writing course, initially at Towson University and later at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Author Ken Weiss and I share at least one thing in common ― we were both editorial page editors. It was there that letters to the editor did more than just fill space. They frequently packed both wisdom and punch. Now Weiss has resurrected some of the best letters of the past, and they remarkably are as relevant today as the day they were written. It’s a great read. -- Mike M. Ahlers, Former Senior Editor, CNN

• Chapter 1: Introduction — From Soapbox to Social Media 6Chapter 2: Capitol Attacked! — 1814 14Chapter 3: Controversy over Vaccines, “Spanish” Flu Response 23Chapter 4: “Civilizing” Native Americans Through Education 36Chapter 5: Sad Legacy of Slavery, Lynchings and the Klan 48Ku Klux Klan 57Chapter 6: The “Stolen” Election of 1876 61Chapter 7: Women Get the Vote — Finally 71Chapter 8: Abortion and Birth Control Over the Years 81Chapter 9: Wealth and Capitalism Glorified, Vilified 93Coal Mining 94Socialism vs. Capitalism 96Taxes 102Chapter 10: Technological Marvels 106ELECTRONICS 107The Telegraph 108Telephone 109Electric Light Bulb 110Phonograph 112Radio 114TRANSPORTATION 116Locomotive and trains 116Automobile 119Airplane 122Chapter 11: Clarion Call for Renewable Energy 125Chapter 12: The Plight of Immigrants Back Then 134Taking on Immigrant Groups, One by One 138Southern Needs 143Chapter 13- Scandals Aside, Rise of the Big Screen and Pop Culture 148Afterword 159Acknowledgements 160BIBLIOGRAPHY 161Books: 162Articles: 164Newspaper Archives: 167About the Author 168