Justice
Justice
Greensboro ’79: “White Supremacy Done Correctly”
You remember: “that’s not who we are,” related to January 6, 2021? Turns out, maybe it is who we are. Was this too an outlier: Greensboro North Carolina November 1979 when the KKK shot and killed five people demonstrating for
Restorative Justice Works Where Retribution Fails
You know the saying “hurt people hurt people.” Well, our guest argues “healed people heal people.” Most of us look away from the terribly failed system of justice, but Notre Dame Professor Jason Springs offers us a new path that
On Rosh Hashanah: Netanyahu, The Israeli Right, and Jewish Identity
In light of the Israeli state’s massive assault on Gaza, and now Lebanon, the question comes up: What does it mean to be a Jew? Our guest veteran New York Times sportswriter Robert Lipsyte says being a Jew entails certain
Criminalizing The Unhoused Gets Us Nowhere
Some might call it “cruel and unusual punishment,” arresting, sweeping the parks, bulldozing homeless encampments. Others believe if people are poor it’s their own fault. On this show, the Reverend Dr. Liz Theoharis of The Kairos Center discusses an essay
Avi Chomsky: 21st Century Colonialism and Extractivism
Colonialism: Now it’s called corporate globalization. As the energy appetite of the west continues to accelerate, so does extractivism, without the consent of the people directly affected. In this revealing discussion, Professor Avi Chomsky explodes the many myths we white
Jails and Prisons Were a Hotbed of Covid. Needlessly.
The ideal breeding ground for the Covid virus: A place where people were forced to have constant close contact with each other and with the wider community. In other words: prisons. You know how awful it was for us on
The Power of Pardons and Democracy
It’s not high on people’s reason to choose a president, but the power of pardons today is often corrupt and the promise of a pardon has been known to encourage crimes. In this discussion of her forthcoming book, Law Professor
Union Curious in the Mid-2020s
Unions have achieved some historic victories recently. But though many workers are curious, there’s still reluctance to joining a union. As co-author of a new report called “Union Curious,” UC San Diego’s political economy professor John Ahlquist explains on this
Ministry of Risk is it’s Own Reward
Many Americans say they are people of faith. But how many of us integrate our faith into our daily lives? Philip Berrigan was one of America’s most faith-driven people. Our guest is Brad Wolf, author of the new book on
Inspiration from Massachusetts: A New Wealth Tax Works
Across the United States there is tremendous support for a taxing the wealthiest among us. So why doesn’t it happen? Well, in Massachusetts, it has. As Inequality.org’s Sam Pizzigati explains in this segment, there was powerful resistance to the new
AntiChoice: In A Hole, Keeps Digging
They wanted to stop abortions, instead there were more after the Dobbs decision than before. One the first segment, Mother Jones magazine writer Julianne McShane tells how women are maintaining their reproductive rights despite the attacks. And on the second
When the Supreme Court Was About Fairness to All
Imagine a Supreme Court whose only agenda was “equal justice under law.” It was real. Unlike today’s court, which is openly an arm of the MAGA movement, when that court ended legal segregation 70 years ago, the Chief Justice was
Rugged Individualism And The Role of Luck
America is an outlier: here it’s commonly accepted that if you succeed or fail you deserve it. We believe we make our own luck. And we blame ourselves for what’s really random bad luck. But that’s counterproductive, according to the
A 32 Hour Work Week: The Time is Now
CEOs cry that shorter work weeks will bankrupt their companies. The reality is a 4 day work week around the world has already brought results that are “off the charts.” A shorter work week means more jobs. And people lose
The Court Versus the Voters: Who’da Thunk it?!
For many decades the Supreme Court was reliably on the side of voting rights. Incrementally, quite steadily, the justices have chipped away at our constitutional rights. On this show Professor Josh Douglas and I discuss his new book: The Court
The Earth for Humanity: A How-To
Another Earth Day has come and gone, and how are we doing? The 19th and 20th century systems of control of the earth have failed; there’s a connection between famines, global warming and empire. Especially in the face of climate
Shielded: How Did Police Become Untouchable?
It’s a systemic problem: what is “reasonable,” what is acting “in good faith” when America’s police violate citizens rights or even kill them? As of now, police are protected, enjoying unique immunity which no one else has. In this show
Netanyahu and Jewish Identity
In light of the Israeli state’s massive assault on Gaza, the question comes up: what does it mean to be a Jew? Our guest veteran New York Times sportswriter Robert Lipsyte says being a Jew entails certain responsibilities and obligations;
“As if We Were Trash.” One Woman’s Prison Memoir
The intent is humiliation, eating away at one’s humanity. How can that make one a better person? Former figure skater Keri Blakinger’s new book Corrections In Ink tells the story from the inside and asks: does locking up groups of
Plato: The Benefits of Acting Justly
In her new book Of Rule and Office: Plato’s Ideas of the Political, Princeton Professor of Politics Melissa Lane shows how the orange one serves both anarchy and tyranny. Better politicians use virtue and justice to achieve success, and get
Waking the Sleeping Giant: 85 Million Americans
Politicians know the consequences of voters being ignored.There are tens of millions of people who used to be middle class but a revived Poor People’s Campaign just may connect and inspire. According to today’s guest, campaign policy director Shailly Gupta
Not Punishment: Treat Addicts as Full and Complete Humans?
When you’re in a hole, stop digging. The currently pervasive approach to abuse disorder is a total failure; it exacerbates the problem. Could it be time to stop doing that? On this show experts in the field with personal knowledge
Kids With Loved Ones in Prison
“Those kids.” It’s tough enough being in the 9th grade, but imagine if your parent, aunt, or uncle were behind bars. Democracy needs citizens to feel part-of, but these kids feel left out. On this show Amy Friedman of “POPS:
The Supreme Court: How Can We Fix it?
They’re not supposed to be an arm of either political party. The word “supreme” means above it all but that’s not what we’ve got in 2024. The majority often contrives constitutional reasons to impose a right wing agenda. How can
The Case Before the SupCo That Could Hjiack a Wealth Tax
If the plaintiffs get their way, Moore vs United States could be the wedge that prevents a wealth tax. Guests on this show are law professors and authors Joseph Fishkin and William Forbath whose op-ed in the New York Times
Who Defines the Jewish Self?
The Republican led Congress declared antiZionism to be one in the same as antiSemitism. But is that accurate? Judaism has been around for thousands of years, Zionism only 150 or so. Does the Israeli state get to define my Jewishness?
Israel’s American Objective: Create Fear Among Students
No one wants to be labeled “anti-Semitic.” But there’s a massive yet secret Israel-run spy network not only spying on American university protesters but intimidating them, affecting their lives and job prospects. On this show author James Bamford reveals the
Powerful Left-Labor Coalition Emerging
Used to be labor unions were seen as being limited to white working class men and as such lacked power to make real change. With the wins by the UAW and writers union, writing in the New Republic author Raina
American Midnight: The Early 20th Century Model for Trump?
Authoritarianism. Anti-Immigrant. White men fearful of losing control. Books banned, free press shut down. Widespread domestic spying. Dissent criminalized and many jailed tortured and killed. In his new book, American Midnight: The Great War, A Violent Peace, and Democracy’s
Real Democracy and Infertility
We value the right to control our bodies. But is there really reproductive fairness and justice if those who want to be a parent face unchosen infertility and are denied access and face social stigma? The new book is called