The Gist The Dutch Once Owned This Isle
Mar 17, 2025
Russell Shorto, historian and author of books on early New York, explores Manhattan’s Dutch origins and the dramatic 1664 handover. Shorto recounts the tense naval standoff, Peter Stuyvesant’s choice to preserve the colony, and the generous surrender terms that shaped the city’s commercial and religious life. Shorto also connects Dutch geography and tolerance to the rise of a vibrant, trade-driven society.
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DEI Cuts Can Be Indiscriminate
- Mike Peska argues Trump-era DEI rollbacks produced blunt cuts that eliminated positive programs like a Marine Band youth orchestra.
- The 60 Minutes story showed a disbanded ensemble of 30 minority youth later reassembled for a public concert.
Vacuum In Policy Invites Extremes
- Peska frames the politics: Democrats can't fully rein in DEI excess without alienating their coalition, leaving Republicans to score base approval by dismantling it.
- He paraphrases David Frum: failure to calibrate invites extremists to overcorrect and seize the issue.
Brooklyn's Dutchness Hides In Plain Sight
- Russell Shorto recounts his everyday Brooklyn surroundings are steeped in Dutch place names like Van Cortlandt and Staten Island.
- He admits he rarely thought about the Dutchness until researching New Amsterdam history.
