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“They do change and that’s what these messages mean. People do change .” – Sammy Rangel Today I interviewed Sammy Rangel of Life After Hate In this episode we speak about how: The far right exploited the pandemic to terrorize vulnerable communities. Far right groups are stealing recruitment techniques from ISIS. The work continues – the election outcome does not change that people have been radicalized We evaluate a conversation with a Trumper (my dad) to give you concrets tips and strategies to engage in this necessary dialogue   To catch up with our guest: www.lifeafterhate.org www.instagram.com/lifeafterhate www.twitter.com/lifeafterhate www.facebook.com/lifeafterhate The post Reconcile The Aisle – How to Talk to a Trumper With Sammy Rangel of Life After Hate appeared first on Radio Misfits.

This bonus episode gets us ready for the election in 2020 — and beyond! The lessons in this episode apply to the Democratic process overall. Danielle Holtz is a historian of US political culture, intellectual history,and US foreign policy, Dr. Holtz focuses on conservatism and white supremacy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. She is currently working on a book manuscript about racial nationalism and American politics based on her dissertation, “’Who Are the True Conservatives?’: A Critical History of American Conservatism in the Nineteenth Century.” She received her PhD in History from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017. She also served as the assistant editor for the Oxford Encyclopedia of American Military and Diplomatic History, published in 2013. To catch up with our guest: Twitter: @daniholtz In this episode we speak about: Dissidents have existed throughout US history, but have been written out of the historical record. Democracy takes work. If we don’t do the work we get fascism. Donald Trump is our era’s James Buchanan. Election interference can signal an end of democracy. How caring for each other is part of the work. The post RECONCILE THE AISLE – ELECTION SPECIAL WITH DR. DANIELLE HOLTZ appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“We think about [Democracy] happening someplace else … and how I think about it and encourage students to think about it: it’s there yes … but it’s also in you.” – Timothy Shaffer, PhD Today I interviewed Timothy Shaffer, PhD Timothy J. Shaffer is an associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies and director of the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy at Kansas State University. He is also principal research specialist with the National Institute for Civil Discourse at the University of Arizona. Connected to these efforts, Shaffer also serves as the associate editor of the Journal of Deliberative Democracy, as a country expert on deliberative democracy with the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem Institute) research project, and as a co-director guiding the work of the Deliberative Pedagogy Lab, an international project focused on applied scholarship about the ways that deliberation can transform higher education educational approaches and environments. As an interdisciplinary scholar and practitioner of deliberative democracy, civic education, and small group communication, Shaffer focuses on the role of civic professionals in institutional settings such as local government, higher education, and non-governmental organizations in relationship with diverse communities. Through his scholarship, he contributes to discussions within fields such as communication studies, higher education, and civic studies where themes of citizenship, professionalism, community, and civic life are explored. He received the Early Career Recognition Award from the International Association for Research on Service Learning and Community Engagement. In this episode we speak about: Democracy is more than institutions, it’s also about the individual and a constant practice How Facebook rants are not constructive civil discussion What civility really means People must be able to change your mind is okay The rise in authoritarian is significant and real The idea that colleges make people more liberal is a myth To catch up with our guest: Kansas Civic Life Project: www.k-state.edu/icdd/research/kclp.html Twitter: @timothyjshaffer Kansas State Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy: @KSU_ICDD The post Reconcile The Aisle – Democracy Needs to be Taught! With Timothy Shaffer, PhD appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“The fundamental principle of a testing desert is: you’re in a county and there’s not a single test site. … About 40% of rural counties in the United States are testing deserts.” – Dr. Sema Sgaier of the Surgo Foundation Today I interviewed Dr. Sema Sgaier. Dr. Sema Sgaier is Co-founder and Executive Director of Surgo Foundation, a privately funded action tank whose mission is to bring precision to solutions that save and improve lives by integrating behavioral science , data science, and artificial intelligence.  Previously at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, she led large-scale health programs in India and Africa. She is faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the department of Global Health at the University of Washington. Her research interests include methodologies to understand human behavior, novel data systems and analytic approaches, and management practices to drive innovation within large-scale global health programs. She was selected as a Rising Talent by the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society. She is on the board of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Alumni Network. Sema has a PhD in neuroscience. In this episode we speak about: How a group of scientists created a tool called CCVI to help governments allocate money and resources for COVID. Testing deserts: what they are and how 40% of rural counties qualify The path from data to white paper in Congress to critical action How you can use the CCVI tool to advocate for your community What herd immunity is and why it’s not the answer for the COVID outbreak COVID vaccines: Will they actually help? Then Queens Marie comes up with a plan to get the CCVI in federal hands using toilet paper. To catch up with our guest: www.precisionforcovid.org www.surgofoundation.org Twitter: @SurgoFoundation @SemaSgaier The post Reconcile the Aisle – COVID Planning Over Herd Immunity With Dr. Sema Sgaier of the Surgo Foundation appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“To me what movement work means is creativity.” – Jeannine Cook Today I interviewed Jeannine Cook, For the last 10 years Jeannine Cook has worked as a trusted writer for several startups, corporations, non-profits, and influencers. In addition to a holding a master’s degree from The University of the Arts, Jeannine is also a Leeway Art & Transformation Grantee and a winner of the South Philly Review Difference Maker Award. Jeannine’s work has been recognized by several news outlets including Vogue Magazine, INC, MSNBC, The Strategist, and the Washington Post. She recently returned from Nairobi, Kenya facilitating social justice creative writing with youth from 15 countries around the world. She writes about the complex intersections of motherhood, activism, and community. Her pieces are featured in several publications including the Philadelphia Inquirer, Root Quarterly, Printworks, and midnight & indigo. She is the proud new shopkeeper of Harriett’s Bookshop in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia. In this episode we speak about: •    How Harriet’s Bookshop was only open for 6 weeks before the pandemic, yet won the Best of Philadelphia and got a shout-out from Oprah’s Book Club, as well as Usher •    How people will read if you give them material they can connect to •    Holding up a book is just as impactful of holding up a sign – how Harriet’s Bookshop provides free books and gave them out to protestors •    When an idea hits you in your gut, take small steps towards it •    How to the community protected Harriet’s Bookshop during the riots and continues to do so as we move towards the election Then Melania asks for a book recommendation for Donald. To catch up with our guest: •    HarriettsBookshop.com •    Instagram: @harrietts_bookshop The post Reconcile the Aisle – Books As Activism With Jeannine Cook appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“You’re not a rockstar and I’m not an angel either, and that’s why we need each other, and that’s why we need empathy, actually.” – Fritz Breithaupt Today I interviewed Fritz Breithaupt. Fritz Breithaupt is a provost professor at Indiana University, Bloomington since 1996, since 2010 as a full professor of Germanic Studies, an adjunct professor of Comparative Literature, and an affiliate professor of Cognitive Science. He co-founded the European Union Center at Indiana University in 2005 and served as its co-director until 2007. In Germany, he is most well known outside of academic circles as a columnist for ZEIT Campus magazine and the author of the recurring feature “Frag den Prof” (“Ask the professor”). In 2009-10, he was the distinguished Remak Scholar of Indiana University. He has twice (in 2003 and 2009) won the grant of the Alexander von Humboldt foundation, which is “granted in recognition of a researcher’s entire achievements to date to academics whose fundamental discoveries, new theories, or insights have had a significant impact on their own discipline and who are expected to continue producing cutting-edge achievements in the future.” His 2017 book The Dark Sides of Empathy, which we will talk about today, offers an analysis of Donald Trump’s technique to draw empathy to himself. The book appeared on the German bestseller list in February 2017 (Spiegel-Bestseller Liste). In this episode we speak about: How empathy is not always a good thing and people can often be oppressed in the process. A healthy dose of cynicism is often good! Emotion sharing does not always lead to empathy. The reaction towards the German Refugee Crisis showed us that empathy isn’t always based in reality. Donald Trump has changed the American dream to be a victim hero. You need to be careful in using empathy in conflict resolution. Sadistic empathy can explain dinner table screaming matches. Then my DAD comes in and tells Fritz that he wrote the book of his life. To catch up with our guest: www.experimentalhumanities.com Twitter: @FritzBreithaupt The post Reconcile The Aisle – The Problem With Empathy With Fritz Breithaupt appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“We get into this weird thing, that if politicians don’t get made fun of [by The Capitol Steps] they get mad.” – Mark Eaton of the Capitol Steps Today I interviewed Mark Eaton of The Capitol Steps. The Capitol Steps began as a group of Senate staffers who set out to satirize the very people and places that employed them. The group was born in December, 1981 when some staffers for Senator Charles Percy were planning entertainment for a Christmas party. Their first idea was to stage a nativity play, but in the whole Congress they couldn’t find three wise men or a virgin. So, they decided to dig into the headlines of the day, and they created song parodies & skits which conveyed a special brand of satirical humor. In the years that followed, many of the Steps ignored the conventional wisdom (“Don’t quit your day job!”), and although not all of the current members of the Steps are former Capitol Hill staffers, taken together the performers have worked in a total of eighteen Congressional offices and represent 62 years of collective House and Senate staff experience. Since they began, the Capitol Steps have recorded over 35 albums, including their latest, The Lyin’ Kings. They’ve been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS, and can be heard twice a year on National Public Radio stations nationwide during their Politics Takes a Holiday radio specials. In this episode we speak about: What motivates the Cap Steps to leave their Senate jobs and become improv comedians. The grossest things that Senators do. How they find ways to perform for people of all political persuasions. Then Melania talks to Mark’s impression of Bill Clinton about the best way to sneak around the White House and George W. Bush about the pluses and minuses of a second term. To catch up with our guest: www.capsteps.com www.youtube.com/CapitolSteps The post Reconcile the Aisle – Comedy on Capitol Hill with Mark Eaton of The Capitol Steps appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“Somebody described our comedy shows as going to Chippendales because it’s so rowdy. These women don’t want to leave.” – Dannagal Young Today I interviewed Mona Shaikh. Mona Shaikh is a stand-up comedian, host, emcee and producer of Minority Reportz. She most recently emcee’d the Women’s March in SF in Jan 2019 and made history by being the first South Asian/Middle Eastern Female Comedian to perform in front of over 50,000 people! She’s been featured in LA Times, Newsweek, The Guardian, LA Weekly, New York Post, Huffington Post, Washington Post and BBC. She can also be seen regularly on The Young Turks, The Stephanie Miller Show on SiriusXM and Mo’Kelly Show on IHeartRadio. Mona has also headlined in Dubai, Portugal as well as London. In addition to being seen all around Los Angeles at major comedy clubs as The Comedy Store, Flappers Comedy Club, The Laugh Factory, Ice House Pasadena, Hollywood Improv and many more, she hosted the Hollywood Improv for Comedy Juice night with Dane Cook. She became the first Pakistani female Comedian to be selected for the Laugh’s Factory Funniest Person in the World Competition and made history by becoming the first Pakistani female Comedian to headline Hollywood Improv. In this episode we speak about: How Mona creates an environment for diverse communities through her Minority Reportz shows. How Minority Reportz was covered by Hustler Magazine and was going to be the 2020 official comedy show of LA Pride. How a lack of diversity on stages and screens creates a ripple effect in performers career and life. And then Melania asks a question, which escalates to Mona and I going on a rant that might get us death threats. To catch up with our guest: www.monashaikh.com Buy her album Shaikh It Off on Amazon, Spotify, and Apple Music Twitter and Instagram @monacomedy Watch Mona’s Daily Rants on YouTube: MonaShaikhComedian The post Reconcile the Aisle – Make the Stage and the Crowds Will Come With Mona Shaikh of Minority Reportz appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“I’ve been asked over the years a lot for the potential of humor to bridge these divides and I have not figured out a way it work. …. Unless you’re someone who is willing to targets the machinery that creates the division in the first place.” – Dannagal Young Today I interviewed Dannagal Young. Dannagal G. Young (Ph.D. University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication, 2007) is an Associate Professor of Communication at the University of Delaware where she studies the content, audience, and effects of political humor. She has authored over forty academic articles and book chapters exploring themes related to political entertainment, media psychology, public opinion, and misinformation. Her latest book “Irony and Outrage” examines satire and outrage as the logical extensions of the respective psychological profiles of liberals and conservatives (Oxford University Press, 2020: available here). Young is a Research Fellow with the University of Delaware’s Center for Political Communication and was awarded the University of Delaware’s Excellence in Teaching Award  in 2014. She is a Distinguished Fellow of the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center and an Affiliated Researcher with the University of Arizona’s National Institute for Civil Discourse (NICD).  Young is also a co-editor on the 2019 NICD volume: “A Crisis of Civility: Political Discourse and its Discontents” In this episode we speak about: How our media landscape is a direct consequence of changes in media legislation. The coronavirus response is actually the opposite of how we’d expect conservative and liberals to act. Comedians more often lean left and yet conservatives think that liberals can’t take a joke. People’s perception of how they get information and what they know are often different. Because of how liberals and conservatives are oriented affects the type of programming they seek out. True satire comes from people without a stake in the system. We no longer have a mass media to unite people so we have to find other ways to unite people. Then my character Melania Trump asks how we can make Donald more funny. To catch up with our guest: Read her book Irony and Outrage: The Polarized Landscape of Rage, Fear, and Laughter in the United States Follow her @dannagal The post Reconcile The Aisle – The Conservative/Liberal Divide With Dannagal Young appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“Call-out culture impoverishes our pools of meaning because we don’t get to share what everybody is thinking. Because some people are intimidated by the brutality with which an unfolding thought is received.” – Loretta Ross Today I interviewed Loretta Ross. In this episode we speak about: How her years of activism have given her a perspective on call-out culture Call-out is a civil rights strategy for people in power that are inaccessible. If you have access to people you have a lot of choices before calling people out. Calling out is splintering our potential for change because it is horizontally targeted. And it is moving people who don’t completely agree with us to the right. How opting not to call people out doesn’t mean letting people off the hook; every call out opportunity is also a call in opportunity. We will never 100% agree on all issues. 90% can often be good enough. We should focus on calling in the 75%. We should adjust our strategies according to the percentages above and our relationship with that person. How we can woo people back to the progressive movement who have been burnt by call outs. The viral nature of social media allows call outs to explode. Who gets canceled is a matter of power and privilege. Then my character Judy asks about ageism and connecting with younger activists. To catch up with our guest: www.lorettaross.com For booking contact Jean Caiani at Speakout (www.speakoutnow.org) jean@speakoutnow.org or (510) 601-0182. The post Reconcile the Aisle – Call-Out Culture With Loretta Ross appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“I have choices. I’m responsible for my happiness.” — Mary Goggin Today I interviewed Mary Goggin, the creator of the solo show Runaway Princess. In this episode we speak about: Mary’s journey through drinking and hooking to become a working actor in NYC. How Mary found her calling, the desire to share her story in the internationally touring show Runaway Princess. How you have to go from being the writer and the actor in a solo show, especially when the subject matter is emotionally charged. Queens Marie and Melania Trump come in ask questions about sex work. [EP117] To catch up with our guest: runawayprincessplay.com Instagram.com/marypat218 Twitter.com/marypat218 Facebook.com/runawayprincessplay www.fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/runaway-princess The post Reconcile the Aisle – Heroin, Hooking, and Happiness With Mary Goggin of Runaway Princess appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“Everyone has a story to tell and when its your personal story you’re selling yourself, too. And that, to me, is a very easy sell.” — Rick Kaempfer Today I interviewed Rick Kaempfer and David Stern of Eckhartz Press. Rick Kaempfer is the co-founder and publisher of Eckhartz Press. In addition to being the publisher, he is the author of several Eckhartz Press releases, inclucing “EveryCubEver”, “Father Knows Nothing”, “Records Truly Is My Middle Name” (with John Records Landecker) and “The Living Wills” (with Brendan Sullivan), Rick has been published several times before (including a novel “$everance” and a how-to-book about radio called “The Radio Producer’s Handbook”). He was also a member of the media for more than twenty years as the producer of two highly acclaimed radio shows (Steve Dahl & Garry Meier and John Records Landecker), and still covers the industry as the media critic for the Illinois Entertainer. He has watched the media landscape change over the past thirty years from a front row seat, and is excited to use that experience as the publisher of Eckhartz Press. David Stern is the co-founder and publisher of Eckhartz Press, and the author of “The Balding Handbook”. After a 20+ year sales and marketing career, and a ten year stint as a principal in a Chicago advertising agency, Stern comes to Eckhartz Press uniquely qualified to tackle the realities of an ever-changing publishing landscape. He and Kaempfer have been collaborating in one form or another since they met at the University of Illinois in the early 1980s (when both must have been mere children). Stern is also one of the officers of Eckhartz Press’ parent company Just One Bad Century, Inc, and proud to call himself a life long (“City Boy”) Chicagoan. In this episode we speak about: Publishing unique voices allows diverse people to have a platform Tips for first-time authors Everyone needs an editor Changes in listening media (radio, podcasts, etc.) that affect what information people receive and who gets to share their message [EP116] To catch up with our guests: Minutia Men podcast on The Radio Misfits Network EckhartzPress.com The post Reconcile the Aisle – Publishing Unique Voices With Rick Kaempfer and David Stern of Eckhartz Press appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“Restorative justice is about healing. And healing in communities.” — Gina Hill Today I interviewed Gina Hill. Gina M. Hill is currently the Lead Administrator at the Oakland Emiliano Zapata Street Academy High School and a trainer with RJTI – Restorative Justice Training Institute founded by Rita Renjitham Alfred. Gina M. Hill has been an educator in Oakland, California public schools for over twenty years as a Teacher/CTM, after school Program Coordinator and Administrator. As Principal at Street Academy, she led the school wide implementation of restorative justice and dynamic mindfulness to create an intentional school culture aiming to resist institutionally racist norms that ultimately funnel our most vulnerable youth into the school-to-prison pipeline. In her spare time she enjoys samba dancing and yoga. To catch up with our guest: www.oaklandstreetacademy.org www.rjtica.org In this episode we speak about: How restorative justice is an alternative model to working with students in schools on behavior The pattern of suspension rates following incarceration rates, and how restorative justice addresses that problem Then Carmella comes in and wonders if restorative justice methods can stop her family from fighting over the dinner table. [EP115] The post Reconcile the Aisle – Restorative Justice With Gina M. Hill appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“Everybody has a uniqueness to them and I try to celebrate that.” — Richard W. Gretzinger Today I interviewed Richard W. Gretzinger Here’s more about him and his project The Vulnerability Project in his own words: The subject of my latest work is vulnerability. This is not a mid-life crisis, although sometimes it feels that way. It is my attempt to use photography to examine how vulnerability leads to connection in a disconnected world. So far I have been overwhelmed with the responses I have received and the amazing individuals I have met. I’ve photographed many people from all walks of life, and I will continue because I am finding that photography is just the means; what is most fulfilling are the intimate conversations about life, fears, regrets, love and joy. I see so much beauty in this world and in each person I photograph. So, as I continue my work I am revealing more about myself and the way art affects people. ​Part of me being vulnerable is to allow a place for others to comment and continue the conversation. At a recent gallery show I included a way for this to happen–a mirror, some pens and post-it notes. To my surprise, the reactions and the thoughts on vulnerability were many. Some of the notes brought me to tears. To catch up with our guest: @vulnerability_photo_project www.richgretz.com In this episode we speak about: How he went about creating a photography project that celebrates vulnerability What he does to bring vulnerability in the online space so people can go offline and have more empathy for others The lessons he’s learned about vulnerability have translated to his work as a cinematographer How he captures vulnerable moments and what he thinks about when he selects photos. Queens Marie asks a question about how to trust people when the world seems full of stupidmotherfuckingpieceofshitassholes. She wonders if being vulnerable will get her a boyfriend – and contemplates starting JuicyGuidoButNice.com [EP114] The post Reconcile the Aisle – Vulnerability in the age of social disconnect with Richard W. Gretzinger appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“It’s quite possible that TikTok is the Nintendo of this generation.” – Jesse Sneddon Today I chatted with Jesse Sneddon, standup comedian and co-writer and producer of The Melania Trump Road Show: Get Out the Vote and Get Me Out of the White House of Garbage. Jesse Sneddon is a comedian, actor and voiceover artist. A graduate of Playwrights’ Horizons Theater School at the Tisch School for the Arts, Jesse has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, to name just a few. He’s recently been featured in national ad campaigns for Amazon Web Services and Stanley Steemer as well as doing two seasons of South Brooklyn Shakespeare. His debut screenplay, Becoming Schmeul, co-written with Ken Carter is currently in development. He’s probably funnier, more handsome and less stable than you. To catch up with our guest: Twitter: @djdogre Instagram: @djdogre Website: www.jessesneddon.com In this episode we speak about: What the epidemic means for tours – now and in the future How you can move a stage show online in a way you never imagined What short-form comedy means for future audiences and how creators imagine stories [EP113] The post Reconcile the Aisle – TikTok + Creating Comedy in Quarantine with Jesse Sneddon appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“People are being groomed and don’t realize that they’re being groomed or that they have been groomed.” — Sammy Rangel Today I interviewed Sammy Rangel from Life After Hate. This is part two of that discussion. Sammy Rangel is an author, social worker, peace activist, speaker, trainer and father. His autobiography, “Fourbears: The Myths of Forgiveness,” chronicles his life from the physical and sexual abuse he endured as a child to his path of self-destruction that culminated in a 15 1/2-year prison sentence. In 2012, Sammy founded Formers Anonymous, a national self-help group based on the 12-step model for people addicted to street life and violence. In May 2015, he participated in the TEDxDanubia Conference: Balance On the Edge held in Budapest, where he spoke about the power of forgiveness. In 2017, he was honored in a special tribute to Everyday Heroes in the Global Campaign Against Violent Extremism. Sammy holds a Master of Social Work from Loyola University-Chicago. He previously served as a program director for a youth outreach program in his hometown of Racine for 16 years. He is also a second-degree black belt, practices mixed martial arts, and is a singer on a Native American drum. He is the co-founder and Executive Director of the organization Life After Hate which is committed to helping people leave the violent far-right to connect with humanity and lead compassionate lives. To catch up with our guest: www.lifeafterhate.org www.instagram.com/lifeafterhate www.twitter.com/lifeafterhate www.facebook.com/lifeafterhate In this episode we speak about: The violent far right has changed their image, upped their marketing and they are actively recruiting. And if you know someone who has been taken in by them — and geography is not a limitation anymore — at least listen to the last part of this podcast to hear some tips from Sammy. Life After Hate is your resource. It does not take someone who has been in trauma to become a member of the violent far right — the broken homen arrative of the white supremacist is no longer valid. It can simply be someone who is persuadable. The violent far right is using the language of civil rights to promote their cause, even going so far as to say that they are not racist. There is a way to melt away hatred on Twitter that does not entail being hateful. It is possible to forgive people who do horrendous acts. For people who are involved in the violent far right, the organization’s networks are vast and they make it very hard to leave. [EP112] The post Reconcile the Aisle – White Supremacy and the Violent Far Right With Sammy Rangel of Life After Hate appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“You can fix a lot of things. That’s why erasers were made. But the one thing you can not fix is stupid.” — Charles LoGiudice, Jr. Today I interviewed Charles LoGiudice, Jr. My Dad. Charles LoGiudice, Jr. was born and raised in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, and later raised a family in Howard Beach, Queens. In case you’re wondering, he’s very, very Italian. He just retired from many years working in Hunts Point Terminal Market, in the Bronx. He is the inspiration for the web series DRIVING WITH DAD. He is probably the wittiest person I know. Some people talk about cheesy dad jokes, and it’s a thing that I had to learn about because my dad was never cheesy, always incredibly funny. If he took to the stage he’d blow everyone away. Our guest doesn’t do social media much, but you could find him on Facebook if you really want to. In this episode we speak about: What to do about all the morons not practicing social distancing. That it’s unfortunate that so many people have to suffer because so many people are inconsiderate assholes. [EP111] The post Reconcile the Aisle – How to Deal People Intentionally NOT Social Distancing With Charles LoGiudice, Jr. appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“I don’t think people understand the number of people we’re going to bury before this thing is over.” — Dr. Dani Holtz Today I interviewed Dr. Danielle Holtz. Danielle Holtz is the Postdoctoral Fellow at Oregon State University’s Center for the Humanities. As a historian of US political culture, intellectual history,and US foreign policy, Dr. Holtz focuses on conservatism and white supremacy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. She is currently working on a book manuscript about racial nationalism and American politics based on her dissertation, “’Who Are the True Conservatives?’: A Critical History of American Conservatism in the Nineteenth Century.” She received her PhD in History from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017. She also served as the assistant editor for the Oxford Encyclopedia of American Military and Diplomatic History, published in 2013. To catch up with our guest: Twitter: @daniholtz In this episode we speak about: How media bubbles affect who knows what about the COVID-19 How to convince people who are not taking the pandemic seriously The danger of white supremacy spreading in our time of crisis [EP110] The post Reconcile the Aisle – How to Convince People to Take COVID-19 Seriously With Dr. Danielle Holtz (Recorded March 20th, 2020) appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“Hatred is also a form of suffering expressed.” — Sammy Rangel Today I interviewed Sammy Rangel from Life After Hate. This is part two of that discussion. Sammy Rangel is an author, social worker, peace activist, speaker, trainer and father. His autobiography, “Fourbears: The Myths of Forgiveness,” chronicles his life from the physical and sexual abuse he endured as a child to his path of self-destruction that culminated in a 15 1/2-year prison sentence. In 2012, Sammy founded Formers Anonymous, a national self-help group based on the 12-step model for people addicted to street life and violence. In May 2015, he participated in the TEDxDanubia Conference: Balance On the Edge held in Budapest, where he spoke about the power of forgiveness. In 2017, he was honored in a special tribute to Everyday Heroes in the Global Campaign Against Violent Extremism. Sammy holds a Master of Social Work from Loyola University-Chicago. He previously served as a program director for a youth outreach program in his hometown of Racine for 16 years. He is also a second-degree black belt, practices mixed martial arts, and is a singer on a Native American drum. He is the co-founder and Executive Director of the organization Life After Hate which is committed to helping people leave the violent far-right to connect with humanity and lead compassionate lives. To catch up with our guest: www.lifeafterhate.org www.instagram.com/lifeafterhate www.twitter.com/lifeafterhate www.facebook.com/lifeafterhate In this episode we speak about: Sammy’s journey from being a runaway to being a throwaway … then onto becoming a speaker, author, and executive director of the nonprofit Life After Hate. That there’s hope for people … even if they don’t want to be rehabilitated themselves. How hatred is suffering expressed and that moments of empathy can dissolve hatred We are in the micro level a reflection of the larger issues around us. There’s a difference between calling people out and calling people in. [EP109] The post Reconcile the Aisle – Confronting Hatred With Sammy Rangel of Life After Hate appeared first on Radio Misfits.

“There is the ideal of a pristine moment in U.S. history when, surely, people were able to communicate without the kind of violent rhetoric you see today, but the truth is that’s never been the case.” — Danielle Holtz Today I interviewed Dr. Danielle Holtz. Danielle Holtz is the Postdoctoral Fellow at Oregon State University’s Center for the Humanities. As a historian of US political culture, intellectual history,and US foreign policy, Dr. Holtz focuses on conservatism and white supremacy in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. She is currently working on a book manuscript about racial nationalism and American politics based on her dissertation, “’Who Are the True Conservatives?’: A Critical History of American Conservatism in the Nineteenth Century.” She received her PhD in History from the University of Pennsylvania in 2017. She also served as the assistant editor for the Oxford Encyclopedia of American Military and Diplomatic History, published in 2013. To catch up with our guest: Twitter: @daniholtz In this episode we speak about: Was American politics always a shit show? Was there ever a golden era of public discourse? You’ll hear the answers to that and more, including why critical thinking and the liberal arts are inherently dangerous to people who want to maintain the status quo. [EP108] The post Reconcile the Aisle – Public Discourse + American History With Dr. Dani Holtz appeared first on Radio Misfits.