Sparta Live

This insurrection was carefully planned, and cold-blooded

Today, I am going to wrap up the facts we know so far due to the committee investigating the insurrection. Trump was told repeatedly by top DOJ officials that the conspiracy theories he and allies … more

Troy Smith | 7/1/22

Things that will continue to make you go hmmm

There has been so much just plain insanity in the last few weeks that it is becoming clearer that the inmates are in charge of the asylum. So, I thought I would just bullet point a few of the crazier … more

Donald Holman | 6/16/22

Someone tried to steal the election, all right

One week ago (June 9), the House select committee investigating Jan. 6, 2021, had its first live televised hearing. More than 20 million Americans tuned in (more than to the NBA finals), and that … more

Troy Smith | 6/16/22

Why is it so hard to pass gun laws?

“Another school shooting. It has become like clockwork.” That’s the first line I wrote for this column, almost three weeks ago… but every time I was ready to send it … more

Troy Smith | 6/9/22

Conspiracies revisited

I must start by apologizing for missing our meeting last week. A matter came up that forced me to head east all at once to take care of some issues. My apologies to you all! I noticed the mention … more

Donald Holman | 6/9/22

Fake conspiracies can lead to very real dangers

For the past few weeks, my columns here have focused on local issues, and I have not addressed the major national concerns that have arisen. While it should come as no surprise to anyone that local … more

Troy Smith | 6/2/22

The powerful words a mother can speak

Every time God spoke to a mother in the Bible, he was about to birth something powerful for his glory. God spoke to Samson’s mother before he birthed the strength of Israel. He spoke to Mary … more

Steve Qualls | 5/27/22

Poverty - where are we, and where are we going?

Over the past four columns, I have been talking about the connections between poverty, crime, stereotypes, and industry in Upper Cumberland history. If you missed it, or want to refresh your memory, … more

Troy Smith | 5/26/22

We’re from WHO, and we’re here to help!

The World Health Organization opened its meetings this week. As I told you in last week’s column, the WHO. is meeting to adopt new amendments to the global agreements on health emergencies. … more

Donald Holman | 5/26/22

The facts speak for themselves with election fraud

Ladies and gentlemen, as I write this column, I am listening to the election returns from primaries across the nation. Imagine with me, if you would, that the 2022 election returns for the nation are … more

Donald Holman | 5/19/22

The real purpose of the hillbilly stereotype is explained

Sometimes I ask students to list off for me some of the stereotypes of Appalachians widely held outside our region. Here’s what I tend to get: backwards, lazy, alcoholic, moonshiners (or … more

Troy Smith | 5/19/22

Did you think it would be easy?

There is so much that has been going downhill for so long that, when you start examining our problems with saving America for Americans, it is stunning, even overwhelming. For just a little while, … more

Donald Holman | 5/15/22

A lesson in the roots of Upper Cumberland poverty

In the last two columns, we have determined that 1) there is a long history of drug-and/or-alcohol-related crime in the Upper Cumberland compared to the rest of the country, and 2) the Upper … more

Troy Smith | 5/15/22 | 1 comment

Why must America pay?

There is much to cover, so let’s get to it! In the aftermath of World War II, the economies of Europe were shattered. Many buildings, bridges, and roads had been destroyed or damaged, and … more

Donald Holman | 5/6/22

Down and out in the Upper Cumberland

Last week, I may have painted myself into a corner. I made the point that the Upper Cumberland has a long history of drug-or-alcohol-related crime, which I argued was in large part due to the … more

Troy Smith | 4/29/22

Laying precise groundwork

As I said in my previous article (or should have), we are meeting again after huge changes have taken place in our nation. As a result, I am doing my best to get us a base of information from which … more

Donald Holman | 4/29/22

A history of Upper Cumberland violence and its effects

I’m currently working on a project that includes, among other sub-topics, violent crime in Appalachia. I am reminded of my topic, as if I could escape it, as I drive around the county and see … more

Troy Smith | 4/21/22

This land was made for you and me

Last week, in my basic U.S. History course, we came to one of my favorite things to lecture about: popular culture during the Great Depression. It gives me a chance to talk about several things … more

Troy Smith | 4/18/22

He cannot be allowed to stay in power

In a recent speech regarding the Russian-Ukraine War, our illegitimate and incompetent president, Joe Biden, said, “For God’s sake, this man cannot be allowed to remain in … more

Jerry Jones | 4/8/22

You can’t teach the truth without being honest

I talked last week about the legislative bill that bans “divisive concepts” such as privilege, unconscious bias, structural racism, and other terms from higher education classes. This … more

Troy Smith | 4/7/22