My Racist Friend
Episodes
Saturday Jan 23, 2021
Episode 3.03: A Union With Purpose
Saturday Jan 23, 2021
Saturday Jan 23, 2021
Fresh off of another successful peaceful transition of power in the U.S.—and despite attempts to the contrary two weeks earlier—Don and Amy enjoy the moments of joy that broke through the clouds in the form of President Joe Biden's inauguration, even as they acknowledge the problems that persist. The highlight of that event for many came from poet Amanda Gorman, whose words spoke of the messy and unfinished nature of this country. Their conversation also touches on the cult of QAnon, a new podcast where a man listens to women, growing up in the Bicentennial, and the two degrees of separation that connect them to the T.V. show "Glee."
Additional resources:
"The shock and awe of Donald Trump's final days" (Salon, by Heather Digby Parton, January 22, 2021)https://www.salon.com/2021/01/22/the-shock-and-awe-of-donald-trumps-final-days/?fbclid=IwAR1C3XVD28cUaL0Pkru37XNxPwtKzM3ZW1HjbMZ9WPVKIVqe-TLIFyBmGXw
"QAnon believers are in disarray after Biden is inaugurated" (CNN Business, by Brian Fung and Karen Yurieff, January 21, 2021)https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/20/tech/qanon-believers-inauguration-reaction/index.html
"How Stuart Watson became 'A Man Listening' to women" (WBUR, January 19, 2021)https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2021/01/19/stuart-watson-man-listening
"Poet Amanda Gorman reads 'The Hill We Climb'" (YouTube, ABC News, January 20, 2021)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz4YuEvJ3y4
"READ: Transcript of Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem" (The Hill, January 20, 2021)https://thehill.com/homenews/news/535052-read-transcript-of-amanda-gormans-inaugural-poem
"The Story of the 1975-1976 AMERICAN FREEDOM TRAIN" (by Larry Wines)https://www.freedomtrain.org/american-freedom-train-home.htm
"Choir director earns Lifetime Achievement Award" (The Republic, by Brian Blair, June 3, 2016)http://www.therepublic.com/2016/06/04/a_salute_to_the_choirmaster/
"From 'Nip/Tuck' to High School 'Glee'" (NPR Fresh Air, by Terry Gross, May 15, 2009)https://www.npr.org/transcripts/104199257
"Chicago native uses real life for 'Glee' inspiration" (Chicago Tribune, September 9, 2009)https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2009-09-09-0909090178-story.html
"Biden inheriting nonexistent coronavirus vaccine distribution plan and must start 'from scratch,' sources say" (CNN, by MJ Lee, January 21, 2021)https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/21/politics/biden-covid-vaccination-trump/index.html
Buy "Your Racist Friend" by They Might Be Giants on iTunes
Saturday Jan 16, 2021
Episode 3.02: Super Intentions
Saturday Jan 16, 2021
Saturday Jan 16, 2021
Amy and Don discuss a statement from the Monroe County Black Democratic Caucus seeking transparency in the search for a new superintendent to head the local school corporation. This conversation covers the importance of representation and the problems inherent in sustaining a Good-Ol'-Boy network. The friends also note the similarities between the people who stormed the Capitol last week and those who arrived in 2019 to support the presence of white supremacists in the city farmers' market.
Additional resources:
"As a community that strives and struggles ..." (Press Release, by Monroe County Black Democratic Caucus, January 13, 2021)https://www.facebook.com/MCBlackDems/posts/2146847068784500
The Mill: Fast 15 (Dimension Mill, December 22, 2020)https://dimensionmill.org/fast15-awards/?fbclid=IwAR09DZAfJTyCYK_6FWA0QlbM_XmTFajQLE4jHyS4T89Hwp1gM-IkwzpTdh0#markay
"Indiana students wore a Confederate flag to school. Now the flag is banned." (Indianapolis Star News, by Vic Ryckaert and Holly V. Hays, October 27, 2016)https://www.indystar.com/story/news/education/2016/10/27/indiana-students-wore-confederate-flag-school-now-flag-banned/92823636/
"Towing company employee fired for video about death of George Floyd" (WTHR, by Emily Longnecker, June 12, 2020)https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/george-floyd-tik-tok-video-towing-company-employee-fired/531-59a2a9a8-1910-4d5c-a63f-bcbb5391e7fd
"Timeline: How Trump mob stormed the US Capitol, forcing Washington into lockdown" (USA Today, by George Petras, Janet Loehrke, Ramon Padilla, Javier Zarracina and Jennifer Borresen, January 13, 2021)https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/2021/01/06/dc-protests-capitol-riot-trump-supporters-electoral-college-stolen-election/6568305002/
"Decoding the extremist symbols and groups at the Capitol Hill insurrection" (CNN, by Mallory Simon and Sara Sidner, January 11, 2021)https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/09/us/capitol-hill-insurrection-extremist-flags-soh/index.html
"Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone" (Wikipedia)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitol_Hill_Autonomous_Zone
"The Things You Are Getting Wrong About White Supremacists Is What Allows Them To Grow" (Medium, by Gwen Frisbie-Fulton, January 12, 2021)https://gwenfrisbiefulton.medium.com/the-things-you-are-getting-wrong-about-white-supremacists-is-what-allows-them-to-grow-553fa1cf54c8
Buy "Your Racist Friend" by They Might Be Giants on iTunes
Saturday Jan 09, 2021
Episode 3.01: The Longest Month
Saturday Jan 09, 2021
Saturday Jan 09, 2021
Back after a holiday hiatus, Don and Amy try to catch up on the events of the day: an attack on the U.S. Capitol building that delayed the certification of electoral votes for President and Vice-President. Discussion includes reactions by various groups, the comfort of being believed, and the differences in approach to mob actions by police.
Additional resources:
"If you had the Indiana Football Coaches Association ..." (Twitter, by @AustinHoughTGN, January 6, 2021)https://twitter.com/AustinHoughTGN/status/1346963999800356865?s=20
"147 Republican lawmakers still objected to the election results after the Capitol attack" (Vox, by Li Zhou, January 7, 2021)https://www.vox.com/2021/1/6/22218058/republicans-objections-election-results
"Longtime Arizona QAonon supporter in horned helmet joins storming of U.S. Capitol" (Arizona Republic, by Richard Ruelas, January 6, 2021)https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2021/01/06/arizona-qanon-supporter-jake-angeli-joins-storming-u-s-capitol/6568513002/
"Man In Capitol Mob Fired After Wearing His Company ID Badge To Riot" (Forbes, by Joe Walsh, January 7, 2021)https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2021/01/07/man-in-capitol-mob-fired-after-wearing-his-company-id-badge-to-riot/?sh=2d8632b3514a
"Buffalo protester Martin Gugino has a fractured skull and cannot walk" (CNN, by Jacqueline Rose and Eric Levenson, June 16, 2020)https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/16/us/martin-gugino-protester-skull/index.html
"Capitol Police Didn't Open Gates for Rioters, Says Man Behind Viral Video" (Newsweek, by Matt Cannon, January 7, 2021)https://www.newsweek.com/capitol-police-didnt-open-gates-rioters-viral-video-1559728
"Anti-Racism and Dr. Susan Moore's Legacy" (University of Michigan Health Lab, by Matthew Wixson, January 7, 2021)https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/rounds/anti-racism-and-dr-susan-moores-legacy
"Brad Stevens Speaks Out Against Capitol Riot, President Trump; Celtics Walk Off Floor In Miami" (CBS Boston, by CBSBoston.com Staff, January 6, 2021)https://boston.cbslocal.com/2021/01/06/celtics-brad-stevens-speaks-out-against-capitol-riots-president-trump-nba/
"The insurrection is happening at state capitols, too" (Vox, by Fabiola Cineas, January 6, 2021)https://www.vox.com/2021/1/6/22217736/state-capitol-stop-the-steal-protests-rallies
"Olive Garden Yanked Into Trump Culture War With CNN Comment" (Bloomberg, by Anne Riley Moffat, January 8, 2021)https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-08/olive-garden-yanked-into-trump-s-culture-war-with-cnn-comment
"Thread ... I got arrested for sitting on the floor in a Senate office ..." (Twitter, by @jenniferflynn, January 6, 2021)https://twitter.com/jenniferflynn/status/1346987188408508416?s=21
"Institutional racism contributes to Covid-19's 'double whammy' impact on the Black community, Fauci says" (CNN Health, by Jacqueline Howard, December 18, 2020)https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/23/health/coronavirus-pandemic-racism-fauci-bn/index.html
"Demonstrations & Political Violence in America: New data for Summer 2020" (ACLED, by Roudabeh Kishi and Sam Jones, September 3, 2020)https://acleddata.com/2020/09/03/demonstrations-political-violence-in-america-new-data-for-summer-2020/
"An Incomplete History of White Election Violence" (The Root, by Michael Harriot, November 2, 2020)https://www.theroot.com/an-incomplete-history-of-white-election-violence-1845533143
Buy "Your Racist Friend" by They Might Be Giants on iTunes