Wed, 28 April 2021
Air Date 8/22/2020 Today we take a look at the long history and motivations for voter suppression, explain why it tends to help one party over the other and why vote-by-mail is the best solution to the majority of our voting problems. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Jay explains that voter suppression is like pointillism in that it can only be understood by taking a wide enough view
Ch. 3: The pointillism of voter suppression (continued)
Ch. 4: Victoria Bassetti of the Brennan Center on the myth of widespread voter fraud - @DecodeDC - Air Date 10-20-16
Ch. 7: Carol Anderson on the Realities of Voter Suppression - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-12-18
FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments TAKE ACTION! Know Your Voting Rights & Make a Plan (ACLU) Let People Vote - State-by-State Rules & Options (ACLU) Volunteer for a 2020 Voter Protection Team (FairFight) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: "December 10 March for Voting Rights" by Michael Fleshman |Changes: cropped | License
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!
Direct download: 1362_Politics_is_Pointallism_Back_Up_to_See_Things_Clearly_Voter_Suppression.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:14pm EST |
Sat, 24 April 2021
Air Date 4/24/2021 Today we take a look at the major infrastructure investment plan proposed by the Biden administration, progressive perspectives arguing to make it better and the need to democratize the institutions that constitute our infrastructure. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy!
EPISODE SPONSORS: Check out UnF*cking The Republic Podcast! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Financial journalist and Exec Editor of The American Prospect, DAVID DAYEN, on Biden's infrastructure and public investment bill, how it will be funded, how it addresses economic inequality and the US social welfare infrastructure, what to expect next. Megan Cassella, Politico reporter covering Biden administration economic policy, talks about the big infrastructure proposal from President Biden. Ch. 3: Is America big enough to Go Big again? - Jim Hightower's Radio Lowdown - Air Date 4-13-21 It’s time for America to go back to the future – a future of true greatness created by a people united to build a strong nation for the Common Good. Ch. 4: Infrastructure, mobilization, survival w/ Laleh Khalili - This Is Hell! - Air Date 4-14-21 Political scientist Laleh Khalili on her article "Apocalyptic Infrastructures" for Noēma Magazine. Ch. 5: Infrastructure, Jobs, and More - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-5-21 Catherine Rampell, syndicated opinion columnist at The Washington Post, political/economic commentator at CNN and special correspondent at PBS NewsHour, runs through the latest in national politics and news. We’ll hear about the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act (AAIA) from Ernesto Falcon, senior legislative counsel at Electronic Frontier Foundation. Ch. 7: Live Event Announcement On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses how the US home rental market is failing over 20% of all renters, and the basic flaws in Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure proposal. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Financial journalist and Exec Editor of The American Prospect, DAVID DAYEN, on Biden's infrastructure and public investment bill, how it will be funded, how it addresses economic inequality and the US social welfare infrastructure, what to expect next. Ch. 10: Infrastructure, mobilization, survival w/ Laleh Khalili Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 4-14-21 Political scientist Laleh Khalili on her article "Apocalyptic Infrastructures" for Noēma Magazine. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Further thoughts on public welfare programs - Craig from Ohio Ch. 12: More thoughts U.S. complicity - Jonathan from New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the new propaganda paradigm leading the charge at Fox News Bonus clip: THE QUESTION MARK - THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART - Air Date 9-13-06 Bonus clip: Tucker Carlson Jeopardy - The Daily Social Distancing Show - Air Date 2-15-21 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE Description: Worker in a hard hat installing fiber optiic internet cable lines from a giant spool into a concrete hole in the ground. Credit: "SRNL Fiber Optic Cable Installation" by Savannah River Site, Flickr | License
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1414_Infrastructure_Bill_Air_Date_4-24-21_General_-_4-23-21_21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:20pm EST |
Wed, 21 April 2021
Air Date 4/21/2021 Today we take a look at the insurrection and police violence through the lens of White Supremacy and the rise of the likes of Tucker Carlson who has become the leading spokesman for laundering White Supremacist talking points through a marginally respectable facade. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft
SHOW NOTES "It is very hard not to see some fundamental contradictions in how our country, the state, wields force against its citizens," says Chris Hayes, comparing police responses in Black Lives Matter protests and the Capitol riot. Ch. 2: Black, White, and Blue - Progressive Faith Sermons - Air Date 4-18-21 While many are uncomfortable with calling for defunding the police, there is no way around the need for massive reform of our nation’s police force (and military) to root out the systemic racism that makes encounters between white police and black citizen Ch. 3: Tucker Carlson - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 3-15-21 Tucker Carlson is admired by white nationalists, elected officials, and maybe some of your relatives or coworkers. Given that he has the ear of so many Americans, John Oliver explains where Tucker came from and what his rhetorical tactics are Trevor reflects on the ever-present occurrence of deadly police violence against Black people in the U.S. and the seeming lack of cops willing to rise up and take a stand against it. Ch. 5: Did Tucker Carlson Order Insurrection - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-26-21 The last broadcaster to suggested something like this against the United States government, was Axis Sally. Worse it was all based on a lie that you might believe about the second amendment. According to reports, a group of House Republicans including Georgia's Marjorie Taylor Green and Arizona's Paul Gosar are forming an "America First Caucus" to protect "Anglo-Saxon political traditions." The Atlantic's Adam Serwer and Mehdi discuss Carlson's history of promulgating racist rhetoric on prime time television and its real-life consequences. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Arrest The Police - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 4-16-21 Jared and Nick have a frank discussion on policing in America in the wake of the Adam Toledo shooting in Chicago. Plus, they dissect what it is the Republicans are embracing considering the usual tropes don't seem to hold as much weight anymore. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments TAKE ACTION! If you pay for cable, you are supporting Fox News: UnFoxMyCableBox via Media Matters Tell Congress: I Won't Pay for Hate via Free Press EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE If you have cable, you are subsidizing Fox News. It might be time to cut the cord. Here's how (Daily Kos) ‘Fox News cheats’: Twitter explains how you pay Fox even if you don’t watch it—and how you can stop (Front Page Live) Fox News Foes Face Uphill Fight to Get Cable Network Dropped (Bloomberg) Tweet from Sleeping Giants on Carlson's lack of advertisers (Sleeping Giants) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: An artist's rendering of Fox New's host Tucker Carlson, with knitted brows, wearing a Klu Klux Klan robe and hood and pointing straight ahead. The background is a Confederate flag. Credit: "Tukkker" by Paul Lee, Flickr | Public Domain
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1413_White_Supremacy.Tucker_Carlson_Air_Date_4-21-21_General_-_4-21-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:26pm EST |
Sat, 17 April 2021
Air Date 4/17/2021 Today we take a look at the surge of anti-trans legislation coming from Republican-controlled state legislatures. Being concerned that suppressing voter turnout by targeting Black and Brown voters may not be enough to keep them in power, they are resorting to targeting another vulnerable population in the next of their infinite series of attempts to create a wedge issue by pitting people's lives and wellbeing against the prejudices of their constituents. We also examine the harm being inflicted on trans people, the trans-exclusionary Radical Feminists who have partnered with conservative coalitions to limit trans rights and briefly explore the world of sex-segregated athletics. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Problem with the Focus on the Family - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 4-9-21 We talk Sophie Bjork-James' book, the Divine Institution, to demonstrate how Evangelicals use the nuclear family in order to both attack members of the LGBTQ+ community and detract away from systemic issues related to race and other Public Health issues. Ch. 2: Debunking Myths About Trans People Part 1 - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 4-10-21 Caller clarifies misinformation of data regarding trans identified youth vs youth referred to gender clinics. “We are truly witnessing an escalation of attacks on trans people unlike anything I’ve ever seen in government,” says Chase Strangio. We also speak with journalist and activist Raquel Willis, who says higher visibility for trans people is not enough. Dr. Joshua Safer, the executive director at Mount Sinai's Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery, explains why gender-affirming therapies — such as puberty blockers or hormone treatment — are safe and healthy for trans youth. Ch. 5: Debunking Myths About Trans People Part 2 - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 4-10-21 Ch. 6: A National Wave of Anti-Trans Bills Part 1 - What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Air Date 3-3-21 The coordinated flood of legislation isn’t new. But now, it’s targeting kids. Ch. 8: The "radical feminists" working against trans rights - Post Reports - Air Date 2-26-20 Samantha Schmidt on a strain of feminism that rejects the existence of transgender identity. Ch. 9: A National Wave of Anti-Trans Bills Part 2 - What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Air Date 3-3-21 Hudson Taylor's talk offers the following thesis: If we are to end homophobia and trans-phobia in the world of sports (and in the world at large), we must end sexism and gender stereotyping in sports first. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Misconceptions about trans people can be shaped by who tells their stories. Three trans journalists weigh in on how that should be done: Imara Jones - creator of TransLash Media, Kate Sosin - reporter at The 19th, Orion Rummler reporter at Axios. Ch. 12: The Problem with the Focus on the Family Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 4-9-21 We talk Sophie Bjork-James' book, the Divine Institution, to demonstrate how Evangelicals use the nuclear family in order to both attack members of the LGBTQ+ community and detract away from systemic issues related to race and other Public Health issues. Sociolinguist Archie Crowley deconstructs three common myths around language, demonstrating how it's a fluid system that naturally evolves in the direction of inclusion. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the messy nature of reality TAKE ACTION PasstheEqualityAct.com: *Lobby Day April 21st & #EqualityTime Phone Banking* Learn about end-the-filibuster pressure campaigns in BOTL Episode #1411 EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE What You Need To Know About the Equality Act (Center for American Progress) Why the Equality Act Is So Important (Rolling Stone) Beautiful, sacred and powerful: Inside the roller coaster fight for trans kids in Arkansas (Reckon South) The Roots of Anti-Trans Violence - Report (Transgender Law Center) This record-breaking year for anti-transgender legislation would affect minors the most (CNN) New poll shows Americans overwhelmingly oppose anti-transgender laws (PBS) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Protest sign that says "TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS" with two Trans Pride flags on either side of the word "ARE." Credit: "Trans Rights are Human Rights" by Marc Nozell, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, blurred edges to wide image
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1412_Anti-Trans_Laws_Air_Date_4-17-21_General_-_4-17-21_11.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:13pm EST |
Fri, 16 April 2021
TAKE ACTION PasstheEqualityAct.com: *Lobby Day April 21st & #EqualityTime Phone Banking* Learn about end-the-filibuster pressure campaigns in BOTL Episode #1411 EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE What You Need To Know About the Equality Act (Center for American Progress) Why the Equality Act Is So Important (Rolling Stone) Beautiful, sacred and powerful: Inside the roller coaster fight for trans kids in Arkansas (Reckon South) The Roots of Anti-Trans Violence - Report (Transgender Law Center) This record-breaking year for anti-transgender legislation would affect minors the most (CNN) New poll shows Americans overwhelmingly oppose anti-transgender laws (PBS)
Posted April 16, 2021; Written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1412: Trans People as Disposable Chess Pieces in a Despicable Political Game
Direct download: Activism-_Tell_the_Senate_to_Pass_the_EqualityAct_to_Protect_LGBTQ_Rights_and_More.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:40pm EST |
Wed, 14 April 2021
Air Date 4/14/2021 Today we take a look at the one element of our government that, above all others, has contributed to the absolute disfunction of our democracy. The filibuster was never intended by the founders, always anti-democratic, often used for racist ends and is now being abused at a rate never before seen. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSORS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Filibuster - Last Week Tonight - Air Date 9-9-19 John Oliver explains why filibusters exist, why they shouldn't, and why it's stupid to drink coffee like a cat. President Joe Biden has promised swift action on the pandemic, the economic crisis and more, but much of his agenda hinges on whether he can get enough support in the Senate. Mitch McConnell is on a warpath, and he's getting all his favorite lies lined up. Sam Seder and the Majority Report crew discuss this. Adam Jentleson, who served as a former senior aide to Sen. Harry Reid, joins Mehdi Hasan to explain the history of the filibuster and how, according to Jentleson, it helps conservatives override the nation's democratic system. Ch. 5: Is Filibuster Reform Mitch McConnell's 'Kryptonite?' - Zerlina. - Air Date 3-16-21 Rep. John Yarmuth thinks so. He explains to Zerlina Maxwell why the rule is so important to the Senate Minority Leader, and why McConnell is “scared to death” about the possibility that Democrats will abolish it. Ch. 6: What Is Manchin's Real Agenda w/ David Sirota - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-11-21 David Sirota explains the motivations and unseen pressures playing on Joe Manchin as he continuously pivots his position on the filibuster. Ch. 7: Activism: Support No Excuses PAC and W.V. Cant Wait - Best of the Left - 4-14-21 Ch. 8: Now Is the Time to End the Filibuster - Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman - Air Date 3-18-21 Amy Goodman gives a commentary explaining the need to end the filibuster. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Adam Jentleson, former deputy chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, talks with Rachel Maddow about why it's a good idea for Senate Democrats to reform the filibuster and pass popular legislation Ch. 10: Reid Calls for Filibuster Reform to End Gridlock - Nevada Senator Harry Reid - Air Date 11-22-13 On the Senate floor, Senator Reid laid out why we need to reform the rules to ensure qualified presidential nominees get up-or-down votes. Ch. 11: What Is Manchin's Real Agenda w/ David Sirota Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-11-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Wading into the discussion on the child tax credit - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on racism and population TAKE ACTION! EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Parliamentarian Rules Democrats Can Officially Bypass the Filibuster (Truthout) Inside the West Virginian Movement to Push Joe Manchin to the Left (The New Republic) Progressive PAC kick-starts search for challengers to Manchin, Sinema (Politico) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Cartoon version of Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell holding a chart that says "Republican Filibusters." The horizontal bar graph below the title shows an X axis starting with "88th term 1963-64" and ending with "110th term 2007-2008." The bar values range from 3 at the beginning of the time-line to "153 Projected for end of term" at the end. Credits: "Mitch McConnell, Filibuster King" by DonkeyHotey, Flickr | License | Changes: Increased white background to make vertical image square, smudged existing shadow to extend farther, dark blue border added
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1411_Filibuster_Air_Date_4-14-21_General_-_4-14-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:41pm EST |
Sat, 10 April 2021
Air Date 4/10/2021 Today we take a look at the need for a modern assessment of the corporate monopolies who dominate our online and offline experiences, including seeing the negative consequences of monopolies through a racial justice lens. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSORS: Unf*cking the Republic Podcast Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Cory Doctorow, award-winning author, technologist, and founder, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the power of big tech monopolies and how a future wave of antitrust lawsuits could unleash innovation across the sector. Ch. 2: Google and the use and abuse of economic modeling - Follow The Money - Air Date 2-16-21 In this week's episode we unpack what the code is, what it does, why it's necessary and what happens next with Director of the Australia Institute's Centre for Responsible Technology, Peter Lewis. Ch. 4: The Facebook News Blackout and the News Media Bargaining Code - Follow The Money - Air Date 2-23-21 In this week's episode we unpack what the code is, what it does, why it's necessary and what happens next with Director of the Australia Institute's Centre for Responsible Technology, Peter Lewis. Rebecca talks to Jeremie Greer--one of Liberation in a Generation's co-founders and co-exec directors--about centering grassroots leaders of color in the anti-monopoly movement, and reimagining the antitrust movement’s work through a racial justice lens. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Google and the use and abuse of economic modeling Part 2 - Follow The Money - Air Date 2-16-21 In Anti-Monopoly Activism: Reclaiming Power through Racial Justice, Jeremie Greer and Solana Rice (co-founders and co-executive directors of Liberation in a Generation) argue for organizers of color to be embedded—and centered—in the anti-monopoly fight. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Child tax credits don't cause population booms - Erin from Philadelphia Ch. 12: Biden and China - Jonathan from New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on child welfare programs, birth rates and uncomfortably honest political talk MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1410_Tech_Monopolies_Air_Date_4-10-21_General_-_4-10-21_18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:19pm EST |
Thu, 8 April 2021
Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - The great shames of the nation - A comparison between Korean-language and English-language coverage of the Atlanta shootings - When it comes to catalyzing a will to change, seeing is believing (and motivating) - The GOP culture wars are about to go scorched-earth because they have nothing else References: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on iTunes! |
Tue, 6 April 2021
Air Date 6/17/2020 Today we take a look at the uprising sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the context of a world in which that event was just the last straw in an innumerable series of straws. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A Decade Of Watching Black People Die - Code Switch - Air Date 5-31-20 The last few weeks have been filled with devastating news — stories about the police killing black people. At this point, these calamities feel familiar — so familiar, in fact, that their details have begun to echo each other. Tamika Mallory: “At this point, we’re looking at a nation and a world that has decided that what we saw happen on camera … is no longer acceptable... people have taken to the streets to demand change." Ch. 3: Trevor Speaks Out About the Murder of George Floyd - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-1-20 Trevor discusses the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, the Minneapolis protests, and how racial injustice and police brutality continue to impact black Americans. Ch. 4: Why The 2020 Anti-Racism Uprisings Feel Different - News Beat - Air Date 6-5-20 A veteran of the 1967 Newark Rebellion discusses George Floyd’s death, the culture of police brutality, and whether today's movement can produce change. Ch. 5: Structural robbery, mass resistance with William C. Anderson - This Is Hell! - Air Date 6-4-20 Writer William C. Anderson on the real theft in capitalist society and the uprisings against it, and his article "Forget 'Looting.' Capitalism Is the Real Robbery" for Truthout. Ch. 6: Uprisings Against Police Killings of Black People - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-3-20 After a week of protests, the nationwide (and now worldwide) uprising against racism and police killings of Black people in response to the murder of George Floyd continues to grow. Ch. 7: The thin blue line between looting and standard economics - The Bugle - Air Date 6-6-20 Andy, Hari and Tom react to the protests in the USA. We hear the voices of Floyd’s brother Philonise and Reverend Al Sharpton, who urged those gathered “to stand up in George’s name and say, 'Get your knee off our necks!'” Ch. 9: Protests Sweep Across the Globe - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-9-20 Americans take to the streets in historic numbers to protest police brutality, the demand for books about racism skyrockets, and meaningful police reform catches on. Ch. 10: This Is Not a Game - In The Thick - Air Date 6-12-20 Maria and Julio get into how race and activism show up in sports - historically and in the current Black Lives Matter movement - with Howard Bryant, a senior writer for ESPN and correspondent for NPR’s Weekend Edition. Ch. 11: NFL's Roger Goodell We Were Wrong, #BlackLivesMatter - The Young Turks - Air Date 6-5-20 NFL's commissioner has released a statement saying they were wrong to stop protests. Ch. 12: Amanpour Knows an Uprising When She Sees One - Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 6-9-20 CNN International anchor Christiane Amanpour has seen a lot of unrest around the globe. She says we have to see the George Floyd protests for what they are. An uprising. Ch. 13: The Racial Justice Uprising in the U.S. is Taking Hold Overseas - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-8-20 Many foreign leaders have condemned the killing of George Floyd, but demonstrators outside of the U.S. are also attempting to call attention to racial injustice within their own borders. Ch. 14: Protest, Pain & Hope with Karen Attiah - Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date 6-4-20 Washington Post Global Opinions editor Karen Attiah discusses the ongoing protests sparked by police brutality, legacies of racial violence in America, and the language we use to speak about inequality. Ch. 15: Roundtable On Police Killings & Global Resistance - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-5-20 We look at the international response to the police killing of George Floyd. Countries are now being forced to face their own racism and the inter-relationship between racism and imperialism. Ch. 17: Voices of the uprising - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-5-20 Highlighting the voices of protesters TAKE ACTION Join The Movement for Black Lives' SixNineteen mobilization: 6/19 (Juneteenth) through 6/21 Visit SixNineteen.com to find events near you, participate virtually, join the D.C. action, or register your own event Text DEFEND to 90975 to get updates on #SixNineteen and future actions Follow @Mvmnt4BlkLives and use #DefendBlackLives , #SixNineteen , #BlackLivesMatter ,& #DefundthePolice on Twitter EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE #SIXNINETEEN: Movement For Black Lives Calls For Juneteenth Actions (Essence) An American Uprising (The New Yorker) What Exactly Does It Mean to Defund the Police? (The Cut, NY Magazine) America, This is Your Chance (NY Times Op-Ed, Michelle Alexander) Police Erupt in Violence Nationwide (Slate) Freedom to Thrive: Reimagining Safety & Security in Our Communities (Popular Democracy) Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism (Fractured Atlas) A Letter to White People Engaged in Conversations Around the Phrase “Defund The Police” (Medium) Louisville police release the Breonna Taylor incident report. It's virtually blank (Louisville Courier Journal) This Is How Hard It Is to Invest in Black Neighborhoods (Bloomberg CityLabs)
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!
Direct download: 1353_George_Floyd_Uprising_Air_Date_6-17-20_-_6-17-20_20.37_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:35pm EST |
Sat, 3 April 2021
Air Date 4/03/2021 Today we take a look at the need for reform to our gun laws through the lens of the recent mass shootings. Support for various reform measures reaches as high as 90% approval in the US, making it one of the most stark examples of our broken, unresponsive, undemocratic government. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES NBC News' Jacob Ward takes a look at the impact the coronavirus pandemic had on mass shootings and gun violence to see how those trends might change now that states begin to lift Covid-19 restrictions. As gun violence flares up once again in this country, Republicans are quick to change the subject while gun apologists roll out their standard response to calls for reform: now is not the time. Ch. 3: The gun solution we're not talking about - Vox - Air Date 9-11-19 Universal background checks won't fix America's gun crisis. But there's something else that might. Rachel Maddow looks back on how Joe Manchin, with Pat Toomey, in the wake of the Sandy Hook gun massacre, supplanted President Obama's call for universal background checks Gun safety advocate Fred Guttenberg, who lost his daughter Jamie in the Parkland school shooting, expresses his frustration with the lack of gun safety legislation, and calls to end the hold the NRA has on Republicans. Ch. 6: Igor Volsky on Ending Gun Violence - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-26-21 This week on CounterSpin: If you look, you can find reminders that the Second Amendment was forged, distressingly, with the aim of preserving “slave patrol” militias in the South. And that courts consistently interpreted it as meaning a “collective” right Ch. 7: Can You Look At The Carnage Of Gun Violence? - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-24-21 Could you look at the mangled bodies of Americans murdered by gun violence without demanding that guns stop being so available? Ch. 8: Ban Assault Weapons Now - Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman - Air Date 3-25-21 The massacres in Boulder, Colorado, with ten killed, and in metro Atlanta, with eight killed, are just two more instances of senseless gun violence enabled by the NRA. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: A Look Back at Colorado's History of Mass Shootings - The Takeaway - Air Date 3-26-21 A Look Back at Colorado's History of Mass Shootings Lt. Joe Kenda (ret.) was a detective with the Colorado Springs Police Department for twenty years. During that time, he solved 356 of the 387 murder cases he investigated. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Maintaining beliefs and cognitive dissonance - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the cognitive biases related to aquiring new information TAKE ACTION! MFOL Aid and Alliance - A resource sharing program that will distribute nearly $500k to support anti-violence work led by BIPOC youth organizations and activists on the ground. Directly supporting communities most impacted by gun violence and decentering whiteness in the movement. MFOL Policy Demands for Biden-Harris Administration EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Violence Against Women Act Runs Into GOP Objections on Guns and Trans Rights (Mother Jones) $5 Billion For Violence Prevention Is Tucked Into Biden Infrastructure Plan (NPR) Can New Gun Violence Research Find a Path Around the Political Stalemate? (NY Times) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Young woman holds a sign at a rally that has the crossed-out words "Thoughts and Prayers." Underneath, it says "REFORM." Credit: "March for Our Lives, NYC" by mathiaswasik, Flickr | License | Changes: cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1409_Gun_Control_Air_Date_4-02-21_General_-_4-2-21_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:26am EST |
Wed, 31 March 2021
Air Date 3/31/2021 Today we take a look at the history of anti-Asian hate in America dating back to the very first racially discriminatory immigration law, the ramifications of our imperial exploits in the Philippines, the pattern of lynchings, the myth of the "model minority" and the role of White Supremacy to keep everyone in their roles and White people ignorant of it all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft
SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Missing History of Asian America Part 1 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 3-22-21 Helen Zia, author of Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People and other books about the Asian American community. She tells the story of that era’s scapegoating of Asian Americans, and draws a line all the way back to the 18th century. The crew speaks with professors Jane Junn and Karthick Ramakrishnan about the context of the Atlanta attacks and how Asian-American political participation has evolved in recent decades. Ch. 3: A History of Hate - In The Thick - Air Date 3-23-21 Maria and Julio unpack the root causes that led to this tragedy with Sung Yeon Choimorrow, ED of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, and Kristine Villaneuva, a journalist and project editor at Resolve Philly’s “Equally Informed” initiative. Ch. 4: The Missing History of Asian America Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 3-22-21 Helen Zia, author of Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People and other books about the Asian American community. She tells the story of that era’s scapegoating of Asian Americans, and draws a line all the way back to the 18th century. Anti-Asian hate in the United States is “not anything new,” says Viet Thanh Nguyen, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Vietnamese American writer. “The history of anti-Asian violence in this country goes back to as long as we’ve had Asian immigrants in this country Talking About the Atlanta Shooting, Purity Culture, & Anti-Asian American Violence. Ch. 7: Take Action to #StopAsianHate & Protect APPI Communities via @StopAAPIHate Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/activism. Ch. 8: Reacting to the Atlanta Shootings - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 3-28-21 Imani and Jess talk about the increasing violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, the importance of allyship in its wake, and how racist stereotypes against the AAPI community are also fueling new anti-choice legislation Ch. 9: A History of Pandemic Xenophobia & Racism - Social Distance - Air Date 3-24-21 Jim and Maeve speak with Alexandre White, a sociologist and medical historian at Johns Hopkins University. He shares his views on how a legacy of prejudice tied to disease should lead us to reexamine how we respond when outbreaks occur. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: The Missing History of Asian America Part 3 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 3-22-21 Arun Venugopal, senior reporter in WNYC’s Race and Justice Unit, shares his reporting on the community in New York City, which has emerged as an epicenter of day to day reports of harassment and violence. Talking About the Atlanta Shooting, Purity Culture, & Anti-Asian American Violence VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Preferring guaranteed jobs and universal social safety net - Craig from Ohio Ch. 13: Further thoughts on the child tax credit - Rich FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on White Ignorance and White Supremacy TAKE ACTION Stop AAPI Hate Calls to Action: Donate to 40 local U.S. AAPI organizations via Movement Hub Ask your elected officials what they are doing to combat anti-Asian hate Advocate for expanded civil rights protections safeguarding Asian Americans and others Support Ethnic Studies in your local school districts and educational institutions Support local Asian-owned businesses EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE How to stop the dangerous rise in hatred targeted at Asian Americans (USA Today) A Tense Lunar New Year for the Bay Area After Attacks on Asian-Americans (NY Times) Hundreds of volunteers are escorting elderly Asian Americans to keep them safe (The Hill) The history of fetishizing Asian women (Vox) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Three women at a rally against anti-Asian racism. An Asian woman in the middle holds a hand-written cardboard sign that says "We are not the virus. Hate is." Another sign to the right says "Stop Asian Hate." Credit: "Stop Asian Hate Rally @ Art Gallery" by GoToVan, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased brightness &. contrast
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1408_Anti-Asian_Hate_Air_Date_3-31-21_General_-_3-31-21_18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:38pm EST |
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