http://www.kuci.org/ Activism 101 en-us Copyright 2005 Mon, 21 May 2012 20:00:00 -0800 Mon, 21 May 2012 20:00:00 -0800 http://www.stationware.com/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss publicaffairs@kuci.org Jarret Lovell Justice or Just Us? Activism 101 ( KUCI 88.9fm in Irvine ) publicaffairs@kuci.org News & Politics Garrison Hawk - vocalist for the reggae/dancehall outfit "Method of Defiance" spoke on the "Dread Zone" to discuss his new album "Survive." http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/garrison_hawk.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/garrison_hawk.mp3 Podcasts Mon, 21 May 2012 20:00:00 -0800 Over 8 years after the start of the U.S. War in Iraq, President Barak Obama is declaring the war over. Amidst much pomp and circumstance, the president is taking credit for bringing about an end to the conflict - all the while avoiding any mention of the true costs, casualties, and neglecting any commentary on whether or not our mission was in fact "accomplished." Exactly what does it mean to say that the war is over? Is Obama really responsible for ending the war, or are the politics surrounding the withdrawal far more complex? What have been the human costs of the war - not just for our troops, but for the Iraqis? Has a democracy been established? Will military contactors remain behind? Finally, in what condition is the US leaving the Iraq infrastructure, and what reparations might be needed? On this edition of "Justice, or Just Us?," we'll take a close look at the end of the war in Iraq with Ali Issa, national field organizer for the War Resisters League the War Resisters League, examining the past 8 years and looking forward. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newover.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newover.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:00:00 -0800 Ever hear of the Young Patriots Organization or Rising Up Angry? If not, then you haven't really heard the history of the Civil Rights movement. Indeed, while most historians of the 1960s are content to portray poor and working class whites as - at best - spectators to the Civil Rights movement and - at worst - as reactionaries and racists, fact is that white participation in the movement extended far beyond the small group of white college activists and included some of the nation's most underprivileged whites joining forces with Black radicals for a new social reality. In their new book Hillbilly Nationalists, Urban Race Rebels, and Black Power, longtime activists James Tracy and Amy Sonnie unearth the ignored history of an important coalition: white working class radicals and the Black Power movement. Based on ten years of research and personal interviews with many movement participants, Hillbilly Nationalists couldn't be a more timely read. My guests are Amy Sonnie and James Tracy. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/hillbilly.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/hillbilly.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 03 Nov 2011 08:00:00 -0800 Been to a rally, demonstration or protest lately? If so, you may have been surprised to discover a playful, carnival-like atmosphere. Today, a new cohort of social activists are using “play” to create social change and reinvent democratic social relations. Despite the contention that such activities are counterproductive and detract from the gravity of the contested social issue, social movements continue to put the right to party on the table as a part of a larger process of social change, as humor and pleasure disrupt monotony while disarming systems of power. In his new book Play, Creativity, and Social Movements: If I Can’t Dance, It’s Not My Revolution, activist and academic Benjamin Shepard explores notions of play as a social movement activity. Through historical analysis of social movements from Dada and Surrealism to Situationism and the Yippies, to his firsthand account of work within ACT UP, anti-gentrification and global justice movements, Shepard considers some of the meanings, applications and history of the concept of play in bringing about social justice. My guest is Benjamin Shepard, Assistant Professor of Human Service at New York School of Technology/City University of New York, and author of Play, Creativity, and Social Movements. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/play.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/play.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -0800 An interview with the Mad Professor (as heard on the Dread Zone.) Featuring DJ Yogi. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/mad_pro_final_.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/mad_pro_final_.mp3 Podcasts Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:00:00 -0800 With movies such as the hugley popular Jaws franchise, sharks are among Hollywood's favorite viscious killers. Yet the truth is - sharks are not the hunters so much as they are the hunted. In large parts of the ocean, shark populations are down by 90% due to overfishing driven in part by a demand for shark fins. In a cruel practice called "shark finning," sharks are caught alive to have their fins brutally cut off. The rest of the shark is wasted, thrown back into the ocean to bleed to death, suffocate or be eaten alive. And while the popular image of sharks as monsters of the sea makes it easy to overlook their suffering, not only are they not the maneaters they've been made out to be, but sharks play an important role in keeping populations of other fish healthy and in proportion for the ecosystem. On Thursday's "Justice, or Just Us?" my guest is Kevin Sullivan of SharkSavers. We dispell some myths about sharks, shed light on the problem of shark finning, and learn about legislation to help protect sharks from cruelty and abuse. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/shark.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/shark.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 06 Oct 2011 08:00:00 -0800 Commentary on the role of media in bringing the Kelly Thomas beating by Fullerton police to public light. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/Jarret-KPCC_Interview-2011-09-21.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/Jarret-KPCC_Interview-2011-09-21.mp3 Podcasts Wed, 21 Sep 2011 13:00:00 -0800 It is a pattern that is becoming all too familiar. In the days following tragic incidents involving persons with severe mental illness such a schizophrenia and bi-polar disorder, blame grounded in myth and misconception is placed almost everywhere it isn't needed. Consider the following: In the days after the death of Kelly Thomas at the hands of the Fullerton, CA police, the American Spectator questioned why there was, "virtually no criticism of Thomas’s divorced parents for allowing [emphasis added] their schizophrenic son to roam the streets.” But there is no parental “allowing” involved. What is the reality of non-treatment for schizophrenia in California? What resources and treatment options are available to individuals and family members dealing with several mental illnesses? What are some of the common myths and misconceptions about high profile cases involving schizophrenia? What steps need to be taken to prevent further tragedies? My guest this Thursday will be Carla Jacobs, Board Member of The Treatment Advocacy Center which is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating barriers to the timely and effective treatment of severe mental illness. The organization promotes laws, policies and practices for the delivery of psychiatric care and supports the development of innovative treatments for and research into the causes of severe and persistent psychiatric illnesses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/treatmentadvocacy.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/treatmentadvocacy.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 15 Sep 2011 00:00:00 -0800 Amidst endless talk about cutting the fat out of the budget, the federal government Monday announced it will buy $40 million of unwanted chicken products that will be dumped on our nation's school kids and others in federal food programs. Why? Because chicken-meat factories have increased production while actual demand for chicken in flat, causing an imbalance in their spreadsheets. All of this raises several important questions: Is this U.S. now bailing out the meat industry? If so, does this mean that tax dollars are now paying for the cruelty of factory farms? Does the flat demand for chicken-meat suggest a trend away from meat and a heightened awareness of vegetarian/vegan alternatives? My guest is Paul Shapiro, Senior Director for Farm Animal Protection with the Humane Society of the United States. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/subsidy.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/subsidy.mp3 Podcasts Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:00:00 -0800 Something is plaguing Ben Lyle's mind, causing him to have irrational, intrusive and often disturbing thoughts. His fears and anxieties that he may hurt someone - or worse, may already have hurt someone - are taking over his life. His mind is a broken machine, causing him to relive the same terrifying nightmare over and over again. So goes the plot of MACHINE MAN, an in-development movie that focuses on an individual with a disturbed mind. But Ben Lyle is not purely fictional. He is one of the estimated 2-3 million Americans - including the host of Justice, or Just Us? - who must live with intrusive thoughts caused by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). While much of popular culture pokes fun at OCD by portraying sufferers as mere eccentrics, OCD can be a debilitating, crippling mental illness that costs people their jobs, their friends, marriages, and sometimes, their lives. Writer/director Kellie Madison is out to correct misperceptions about OCD. Her film project MACHINE MAN uses dramatic fiction and suspense to portray the real suffering caused by OCD while telling a story of hope. My guest is Kellie Madison, writer/director of MACHINE MAN. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/machine.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/machine.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:00:00 -0800 His name is Jonathan McIntosh, aka Rebellious Pixels. Perhaps you’ve seen his work. His satirical video mash up of Glenn Beck and Donald Duck has been viewed over a million times on YouTube, causing Beck himself to accuse the federal government of funding the creation of anti-Beck propaganda. Or maybe you’ve seen his hilarious video, “So You Think You Can Be President” or his gender-bending children’s toy commercials. Operating as Rebellious Pixels, McIntosh works as a pop culture hacker, video remix artist, new media teacher and fair use activist. His remix video work transforms fragments of mass media pop culture to tell alternative political, social and cultural stories. My guest is Jonathan McIntosh, creator of Rebellious Pixels, who will share with us the art of the popular culture hacking. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/pixel.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/pixel.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:00:00 -0800 In 1992, Jamaican dancehall artist Buju Banton recorded the song “Boom Bye-Bye,” an anthem that advocated violence against the LGBT community and that capitalized on the island nation’s widespread homophobia. The formula proved a success in a nation that criminalizes homosexuality, and it turned Banton into a reggae superstar. Since then, penning homophobic lyrics has become all but a required rite of passage for aspiring Jamaican dancehall artists, with top dancehall artists from Capleton and Elephant Man to Vybz Cartel preaching violence toward gays in their songs and from the stage. The homophobic violence advocated in dancehall has become so widespread that the international community has dubbed Jamaican dancehall “murder music” and has cancelled live performances by Jamaican musicians. To date, no dancehall artists have dared to speak out against homophobia in genre for fear of being branded gay and targeted for violence. That is, until now. When Oakland-based Jamaican dancehall artist Mista Majah P released the single “Rights” late last year, he become the first artist to speak out against homophobia in music (and Jamaican culture). What was his motivation in recording the song? What has been the response from fellow Jamaican recording artists? Has the song changed the way the LGBT community views dancehall? My guest is Jamaican dancehall/reggae artist Mista Majah P. The program begins with his song, "Rights." http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newmajah.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newmajah.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 07 Jul 2011 08:00:00 -0800 A funny thing happened on the way to a Salt Lake City courthouse recently. As prospective jurors entered the courtroom to be selected to hear a case of an environmental activist, activists handed them fliers published by the Fully Informed Jury Association. They said that jurors had the right to come to a decision based on the evidence and their conscience. But according to an article published on Truthdig.com, the presiding judge in the case was so outraged by the flier that he brought the jurors into his chamber one at a time and, "said that regardless of what the pamphlet said it was not their job to decide if this is right or wrong, but to listen to what he said was the law and follow that even if they thought it was morally unjust." In other words, "they were not allowed to use [their] conscience." What exactly is the contemporary function of a jury? What constitutes a fully informed jury? Is jury nullification a viable option for sitting jurors? What are the arguments for and against jury nullification? Are those who endorse its practice partisan, or does a belief that jurors can exercise their conscience cross party lines? To answer these questions, my guest is Mike Benoit of the Fully Informed Jury Association. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newjury.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newjury.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 30 Jun 2011 08:00:00 -0800 When it comes to gay marriage, the times, they are a-confusing. Indeed. Consider that while gays in California and the rest of the nation are working tirelessly to secure marriage equality, not all members of the LGBTQ community believe that marriage equality is an appropriate goal. Against Equaltiy is a collective of writers, artists and agitators focused on critiquing mainstream gay and lesbian politics. For example, should gay and lesbian politics really demand inclusion in the U.S. military? Should it really support hate crime legislation which - when enforced - will expand the prision industrial complex? And in the push for marriage equality, are not gays and lesbians merely adopting the rhetoric of the Right which privleges marriage, the nuclear family, monogamy and "normalcy" over all other social relations? If marriage is merely a means to achieve health care for all, why does health care have to be a privilege of state-sanctioned marriage? Why doesn't the LGBTQ community channel their efforts more appropriately toward health care policy? Jarret's guest is Ryan Conrad of the Against Equality collective (www.againstequality.org) and editor of Against Equality: Queer Critiques of Gay Marriage (available via www.akpress.org) http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/against_equality.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/against_equality.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 23 Jun 2011 08:00:00 -0800 The music of Kingston isn't what it used to be. Sound systems that used to send messages of peace,love, social living and redemption now blast lyric preaching misogyny, violence and homopobia. Many lovers of reggae music fear that this artform which has passed down Jamaican history from generation to generation is giving way to new sub-genres, making reggae less culturally and historically relevant. The Coalition to Preserve Reggae Music works to preserve this precious cultural artform. Guests: Sharon Gordon and Carlyle McKetty, co-founders of the Coalition. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/cpr.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/cpr.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:00:00 -0800 Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 guaranteed - amongst other things - protection from gender discrimination in collegiate sports. Yet nearly 40 years since its enactment, one would hard pressed to find evidence of its impact by watching televised sports. A new study released by the Center for Feminist Research reveals gross inequities in the coverage of gender among the major broadcast networks and ESPN. For example, while both the men's and women's NCAA (i.e., collegiate) Basketball tournament occur during the same temporal frame, a six week analysis of media coverage revealed that the men's NCAA tournament garnered nearly 1 1/2 hours of evening news coverage (sports segment) while the women's NCAA tournament received no coverage. Meanwhile, while ESPN devoted some 56 story segments to men's collegiate basketball, only 7 stories were devoted to women's collegiate basketball. And coverage of gender in professional sports fared no better - with the WNBA almost absent from television screens, making way instead for coverage of Laker girl tryouts, a story about bras for women golfers, and other frivolous coverage of gender in sports. We'll take a closer look at the newly published report Gender In Televised Sports and we'll speak with one of the principal investigators, Professor Michael Messner (University of Southern California.) We'll also try to get a response from newsroom sports desks. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/sports.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/sports.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:00:00 -0800 Ziggy Marley calls into the Dread Zone (Mon. 6-8pm)and talks about his music, his charity work, and what it's like to have his last name! http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/ziggy.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/ziggy.mp3 Podcasts Mon, 19 Jul 2010 18:00:00 -0800 Tired of the 'wimpy vegetarian' stereotype? Let's face it: The same marketing gurus who convince us that the Marlboro Man is a stud are the same folks who propagate the myth that meat is "mans" food. But there's nothing manly about erectile dysfunction, colon cancer, heart disease, waning libidos, and a host of other ailments that come from a meat-based diet! In his new book Meat Is For Pussies, punk icon John Joseph of the band the Cro-Mags provides men with an in-your-face reality check about the very un-masculine aspects of the consumption of meat. But his book (the title of which requires a tongue firmly planted cheek) is not simply about diet. Growing up a troubled child on his way to prison, Joseph argues that swearing off meat saved him from a life of violence and put him on a path of physical and spiritual awareness where he recognized the link between his actions and their impact on the lives of others and the environment. Thirty years after swearing off meat, Joseph is training for the Ironman Triathlon, still rocking in insane mosh pits, and competing with men half his age. On today's Justice of Just Us?, John Joseph will not only dispel the masculine myth of meat, but he'll provide listeners a sense of why he had to choose the book title that he did. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newjoseph.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newjoseph.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 15 Jul 2010 08:00:00 -0800 Chilling undercover footage recorded during a new Mercy For Animals investigation exposes dairy farm workers sadistically abusing cows and young calves. During a four-week investigation of Conklin Dairy Farms in Plain City, Ohio between April and May, MFA's investigator documented farm workers: Violently punching young calves in the face; body slamming them to the ground, using pitchforks to stab cows in the face, legs and stomach; beating restrained cows in the face with crowbars -- some attacks involving over 40 blows to the head; twisting cows' tails until the bones snapped - all the while the workers were bragging about stabbing, dragging, shooting, breaking bones, and beating cows and calves to death. Exposing the harms of the meat and dairy industry is nothing new to 'Justice, or Just Us?" Focusing on the very tactic of undercover investigations is new to the program, and it will be this show's topic. We'll discuss how MFA identifies sites for investigations, how the investigators maintain their cool while witnessing animal abuse, and perhaps most importantly - how activists can share this shocking footage to make a case for veganism without alienating otherwise sympathetic animal advocates. Guest: Matt Rice, Campaign Coordinator for Mercy for Animals. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/Undercover.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/Undercover.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 27 May 2010 08:00:00 -0800 Got produce? Need produce? Then find out about a CommUnity Harvest. That's right! If you have extra home-grown produce and are interested in sharing it with families in need, or if you are low income and can benefit from fresh, free produce, then a CommUnity Harvest is a perfect way to build community while providing healthy food for those in need! The idea is simple: create an outreach program, collect locally grown produce, distribute it to those in need, and build community in the process - all while reducing our dependence on corporately controlled food! It's good for you, it's good for me, it's great for the environment. And now the GrainProject is launching a CommUnity Harvest in Santa Ana. Shadi Shariat of the Grain Project tells us all about this unique idea and how we can all get involved. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/commUnity.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/commUnity.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 20 May 2010 08:00:00 -0800 The immigrant rights debate has a profound impact on millions of undocumented people living throughout the country and now especially in Arizona. But there is one group of undocumented immigrants who face a particularly daunting challenge, and that is students. The majority of these young people came to the United States as children, brought from their native lands by parents or relatives. Many of our nations colleges and universities - including UCI - have a sizable undocumented student population. Having overcome incredible obstacles and beaten all odds to gain admission into some of the most competitive universities, undocumented students are ineligible for most financial aid and scholarships, they are prohibited from getting drivers' licenses, they are barred from taking out student loans, and upon graduation - they are not eligible to seek legal employment. The California Dream Act seeks to enable qualified students to apply for state financial aid, while at the federal level the American Dream Act seeks to allow qualifying immigrant students to apply for citizenship. My Guests are Kent Wong of the UCLA Center for Labor Research & Enducation, and Eder Gaona, an undocumented student working with UCLA Ideas - a support network for undocuemnted students. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/dream.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/dream.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 06 May 2010 08:30:00 -0800 On April 6, 2010, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution encouraging city residents to eat vegetarian on Mondays. Just in time for Earth Day, The VegDay Resolution, introduced by In Defense of Animals and the San Francisco Vegetarian Society, enjoyed unanimous support. The resolution encourages residents of San Francisco to adopt a plant-based diet, and restaurants, schools and other institutions to offer veggie options on Mondays. Numerous San Francisco restaurants are participating in the day, offering discounts and specials for VegDay. How did organizers with In Defense of Animals accomplish this feat? Does this resolution stand a chance of passing in less progressive cities? How can people organize to bring VegDay to their city? Jarret's guest is Hope Bohanec, author of the resolution and Grassroots Campaigns Director for In Defense of Animals. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/idavegday.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/idavegday.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 15 Apr 2010 08:00:00 -0800 Think slavery is a remnant of the past? Think again. Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery involving the abuse and maltreatment of the most defenseless and feeble members of the world community. Mostly women and children, these victims are trafficked for exploitation and abuse usually across international borders. This heinous criminal activity involves the recruitment, hiding, shipping, acquiring or providing any vulnerable individual for services or labor engaging in forced labor, and service or slavery in any field of industry such as manufacturing, agriculture, prostitution, or coerced domestic service or marriage (mail order brides), debt bondage or peonage. In the wake of a political battle or natural disaster, women and children are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking. Sandra Kirkpatrick of Artists United for Social Justice – an organization that utilizes new media to educate about human exploitation – recently visited Haiti on a mission to deliver medical supplies and to investigate child trafficking in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newhaiti.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newhaiti.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:00:00 -0800 Greed and corruption take center stage in a new documentary exposing how the United States’ failed energy policy and the pillage of western public lands by oil, gas, mining and corporate cattle grazing, is leading to the extinction of America’s wild horses and burros. In Disappointment Valley, A Modern Western director James Kleinert documents the struggle of the wild horse – an animal that has long symbolized freedom and individualism in America. Once protected by the Free Roaming Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971, today this legislation is all but gutted, clearing the way for land use by corporate interests. The result is the removal and slaughter of the West’s wild horses. Fortunately, the animal welfare organization In Defense of Animals has filed a lawsuit against the Bureau of Land Management to stop the roundup of the horses. Guests: James Kleinert (director, Disappointment Valley) and Dr. Elliot Katz of In Defense of Animals. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newwildhorse.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newwildhorse.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:00:00 -0800 Professor Zinn's appearance on KUCI 88.9FM's Justice, or Just Us? marked the 35 year anniversary of the publication of his book: Disobedience and Democracy: Nine Fallacies on Law and Order recently re-issued by South End Press (www.southendpress.org). The book was written in part as a response to a 7-1 Supreme Court decision that upheld the criminal conviction of David O'Brien for burning his draft card. When Justice Abe Fortas wrote a booklet on civil disobedience justifying such prosecutions, professor Zinn drafted a response, which contained 9 fallacies. Zinn's essay immediately sold over 70,000 copies, and remains as relevant during the current push for war as it did during Vietnam. In celebration of his life, we revisit this interview recorded circa late 2002/early 2003. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newZinn.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newZinn.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:00:00 -0800 Grow where you are! That's right. You don't need a farm to cultivate a garden and produce delicious vegetables and beautiful flowers. The art of urban gardening is in the use of tires, cardboard, old fencing and many other discarded items that fill the urban landscape. For example, old tires are good for raised flower beds and excellent for root crops like potatoes. Of course, besides being aesthetic and fun, there are environmental and economic benefits to urban gardening. And it's a great way to protest the privatization of land and food. My guest this Thursday will be Eugene Cook. Eugene has been growing food and supporting sustainable Community projects for over 15 years. He is the former Technical Director of Food Forestry International in Los Angeles. Today Eugene manages crop production for Truly Living Well Natural Urban Farms in Atlanta and has taken a leading role in developing the Agriculture and Environmental curriculum with Pearl Academy Environmental Institute in Georgia. He is a natural and inspiring speaker in the local food movement. His gardens are feeding families from DC to Kenya to LA. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newgarden.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newgarden.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 21 Jan 2010 08:00:00 -0800 When the U.S. military decided it needed cultural expertise as much as smart bombs to prevail in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Pentagon’s Counterinsurgency Field Manual offered a blueprint for mobilizing anthropologists for war. As a response, the “Network of Concerned Anthropologists” issued their own Counter-Counterinsurgency Manual which not only critiques that strategy but also offers a blueprint for resistance. In particular, the Counter-Counterinsurgency Manual explores the ethical and intellectual conflicts of the Pentagon’s Human Terrain System; argues that there are flaws in the Counterinsurgency Field Manual (ranging from plagiarism to a misunderstanding of anthropology); probes the increasing militarization of academic knowledge since World War II; identifies the next frontiers for the Pentagon’s culture warriors; and suggests strategies for resisting the deformation and exploitation of anthropological knowledge by the military. My guest is Hugh Gusterson, Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at George Mason University, steering committee member of the Network of Concerned Anthropologists, and co-editor of The Counter-Counterinsurgency Manual. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newcounter.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newcounter.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:00:00 -0800 So much has been written about the Rastafari, yet we know so little about why and how people join the Rastafari movement. Although popular understandings evoke images of dreadlocks, reggae, and marijuana, Rastafarians were persecuted in their country, becoming a people seeking social justice. Yet new adherents continued to convert to Rastafari despite facing adverse reactions from their fellow citizens and from their British rulers. Our guest, Professor of Anthropology Charles Price author of Becoming Rasta: Origins of the Rastafari Identity in Jamaica, draws on in-depth interviews to reveal the personal experiences of those who adopted the religion in the 1950s to 1970s, one generation past the movement's emergence . By talking with these Rastafari elders, he seeks to understand why and how Jamaicans became Rastafari in spite of rampant discrimination, and what sustains them in their faith and identity. Utilizing new conceptual frameworks, Price explores the identity development of Rastafari, demonstrating how shifts in the movement's identity—from social pariah to exemplar of Blackness—have led some of the elder Rastafari to adopt, embrace, and internalize Rastafari and blackness as central to their concept of self. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/rastafari.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/rastafari.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:00:00 -0800 What will it take to communicate to world leaders the people's opposition to war and nuclear conflict? Will it take a mass rally? A nationwide mobilization? How about a world march for peace? Indeed, having begun on October 2, 2009 — the International Day of Nonviolence — in Wellington, New Zealand, and culminating on January 2, 2010 at the foot of Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, the World March for Peace and Nonviolence is an unprecedented social mobilization which aims to create consciousness of the dangerous global situation in which we are living — a situation marked by the heightened probability of nuclear conflict, a renewed arms race, and the violent military occupation of foreign territories. The World March is more than just a march: it is the convergence of thousands of initiatives in more than 100 countries across the planet. Marches, festivals, forums, concerts, cultural, sports and political events, exhibits, acts of civil disobedience: all developed to raise awareness of the urgent need for peace and disarmament and to pressure for a profound change in the violent direction of our society.The unifying thread of these initiatives will be a symbolic journey by an international team of marchers whose path will cross six continents. The international World March Team arrives in the United States on Monday, November 30 — 35 countries, 4 continents and 60 days after setting out from New Zealand. Now it's our turn to express ourselves and take a stand: for the abolition of nuclear weapons, for an end to war as a means of resolving conflict, and for a new global consciousness based on nonviolence & the rejection of all forms of violence. Jarret Lovell's guest on a special Thanksgiving edition of "Justice, or Just Us?" (special because it falls on Thanksgiving) will be Mayra Gomez, Senior Programme Officer for Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (PNND). She will share with us a status report of the World March for Peace and let us know how we can get involved locally. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/worldmarch.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/worldmarch.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0800 In November 1999, thousands of protesters converged on Seattle to shut down the World Trade Organization's Ministerial Meeting. Using innovative and network-based strategies, the protesters left police flummoxed, desperately searching for ways to control the crowds in Seattle and the emerging anti-corporate globalization movement. Faced with these network-based tactics, law enforcement agencies transformed their policing and social control mechanisms to manage this new threat. In Policing Dissent, sociologist Luis A. Fernandez provides a firsthand account of the changing nature of control efforts employed by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies when confronted with mass activism. Based on ethnographic research, and using an incisive, cutting-edge theoretical framework, Fernandez maps the use of legal, physical, and psychological approaches. As we approach the 10 year anniversary of the so-called “Battle for Seattle,” Luis Fernandez, author of Policing Dissent: Social Control and the Anti-Globalization Movement will examine the successes of the protest strategies in Seattle and detail the changing nature of policing tactics that are rendering dissent all the more difficult. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/policing_dissent.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/policing_dissent.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 -0800 The decision to have an abortion is one of the most emotionally powerful decisions a woman may ever make. Women (and their partners) may experience feelings such as sadness, happiness, empowerment, anxiety, grief, relief and/or guilt. Yet while abortions are legal, there nevertheless remains a deep cultural stigma surrounding this medical procedure. The result is that many women who have abortions find it difficult to find the right person with whom to speak about their mix of emotions. Surprisingly, pro-choice women may find that talking about their experiences with their pro-choice friends is particularly problematic. Fact is that while women who have recently had abortions may ultimately remain pro-choice in their beliefs, their emotional responses to their experience may contain a mixture of feelings that don't always line up with the pro-choice stance. Fortunately, there is EXHALE — an after-abortion counseling talk-line that offers services to both women and their partners. Exhales believes there is no “right” way to feel after an abortion. The staff simply provide the opportunity to talk with someone that supports and respects you, in a safe and confidential environment. Our guest will be Aspen Baker - Executive Director of Exhale. After her own abortion in 1999, Aspen was unable to find a service to talk about her feelings that didn't have a political or moral agenda. So in 2000, she and her four co-founders came together because they, or someone they knew, had personally experienced the lack of non-judgmental services available for women and their significant others after an abortion. Baker will discuss the importance of post-abortion emotional care. Whether one is pro-life or pro-choice, this is a show not to be missed! http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/4exhale.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/4exhale.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:00:00 -0800 It’s rare that a television show rises to the level of significant social commentary, but The Twilight Zone (CBS, 1959-64) stands as the role model for socially significant and entertaining television anthologies. Indeed, its “sci-fi/fantasy” parables explore humanity's hopes, despairs, prides and prejudices in metaphoric ways conventional drama cannot. At a time when nonfiction programs refused to tackle some of the most pressing issues of our time, creator/writer Rod Serling addressed racism, cold war paranoia, group-think, racism and conformity. This new television season marks the 50th anniversary of the premiere of the Twilight Zone. On this edition of “Justice, or Just Us?” we’ll celebrate this socially relevant TV classic. My guest will be Stewart Stanyard, author of Dimensions Behind the Twilight Zone. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/twilightzone.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/twilightzone.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:00:00 -0800 As leaders of the world’s richest nations gathered in Pittsburgh for the G-20 summit, thousands took to the streets in protest amidst a heavy police crackdown. Heavily armed riot police were out in force and used tear gas, stun grenades, smoke canisters and sound cannons, which direct extremely loud shrill sounds. A report back from David Meieran of the G20 Summit mobilization, focusing on the 3 rivers climate convergence (3riversconvergence.org) and the G20 Media Support team (g20media.org). http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/g20.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/g20.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:00:00 -0800 In 1968, Mark Rudd led the legendary occupation of five buildings at Columbia University, a dramatic act of protest against the university’s support for the Vietnam War and its institutional racism. Rudd was the charismatic chairman of the Columbia chapter of SDS, Students for a Democratic Society, the largest radical student organization in the U.S. After a violent police bust, the Columbia occupation turned into a student strike that closed down the entire campus, turning Rudd into a national symbol of student revolt. Rudd went on to become the cofounder of the Weatherman faction of SDS which took control of the student organization and helped organize the notorious Days of Rage in Chicago in 1969. But Mark Rudd wanted revolution.Rudd and his friends sought to end war, racism, and injustice—by any means necessary, even violence. After tragic turn that lead to the death of three members, who were killed when the bombs they were making in a Greenwich Village townhouse exploded, they transformed themselves into the Weather Underground Organization. By the end of 1970, after a string of non-lethal bombings by the organization, Rudd, now one of the FBI’s Most Wanted, went into hiding for more than seven years before turning himself in to great media fanfare. In his new autobiography Underground, Rudd speaks out about this tumultuous period, the role he played in its crucial events, and its aftermath, revealing the drama and tension, as well as the naiveté of young activists, fighting in the name of peace and social justice, who believed that their actions mattered. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/weathermen.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/weathermen.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 24 Sep 2009 08:00:00 -0800 Loved by President Obama and "A" list celebrities, FIJI Water has quickly become one of the top selling bottled water brands in the United States. This is no doubt the result of a marketing blitz that has constructed for the water both a posh image and - perhaps more pointedly - a reputation for being a charitable purchase which benefits the people of the tropical island and the environmental movement. But is the reputation well deserved? In a new Mother Jones magazine expose, journalist Anna Lenzer notes that while U.S. citizens consume millions of bottles of imported water from Fiji, its own citizens face crumbling pipes, droughts, and dysfunctional water treatment plants. There are even reports of medical patients having to transport their own water to area hospitals. And the supposed charitable contributions and environmental benefits stemming from a purchase of FIJI - well, you'll just have to tune in and hear for yourself, but consider tht the island of Fiji has endured four coups in the past 25 years, yet the sale of FIJI water makes up roughly 20% of the current regime's exports. So is the purchase of FIJI really a charitable endeavor? Jarret Lovell's guest will be Anna Lenzer, author of Spin the Bottle which exposes the truth about both FIJI water and the bottled water industry. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newfiji.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newfiji.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:00:00 -0800 Ever wonder what happens to those abused farm animals you see on grainy video exposes after the cameras stop rolling? Animal Acres is home to rescued cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, sheep, goats, and other critters raised in cruel conditions. Some of the animals are rescued during Animal Acres undercover cruelty investigations. Others arrive from humane enforcement agencies. All are refugees from slaughter and are provided safe haven for the remainder of their natural lives. Thus, hens who had spent their entire lives in small wire cages to produce eggs can stretch their wings and taking sun baths under blue skies. Turkeys who had suffered painful mutilations such as "detoeing" and "debeaking" on overcrowded factory farms discover that humans can be gentle and loving too. And cows and pigs who had been beaten, shocked and kicked through livestock auction rings get a scratch or belly rub. Simply put: No longer considered commodities, animals at Animal Acres now have only one "job" - to teach people that farmed animals are sentient beings who feel pain or comfort, or joy or sorrow. Lorri Houston, founder of Animal Acres and the "pioneer" of the farmed animal sanctuary movement, talks about undercover investigations exposing the harms of factory farming, the animal sanctuary movement, Animal Acres and compassionate living. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newacres.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newacres.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 27 Aug 2009 08:00:00 -0800 It is a long held assumption that humans alone are moral beings. Indeed, it's all too easy to assume that the gap separating humans from other animals is a "morality" gap. Yet like our biology which has evolved from and resembles that of other species, morality too develops through an evolutionary process and links us to the broader animal kingdom. In his new book Wild Justice: The Moral Lives of Animals, Marc Bekoff (and co-author Jessica Pierce) argue pointedly that animals too are moral beings. They feel empathy for each other, treat one another fairly, cooperate toward common goals, and help keep each other out of trouble. It is even reasonable to suggest that at times, animals adhere to their moral codes more strongly than we humans do ours! http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/wildjustice1.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/wildjustice1.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 23 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0800 Call it the "Curious (Federal) Case of Walt Stanton," or simply call it outlandish. But in Tucson, Arizona a human rights activist from the group No More Deaths went on trial Monday for leaving plastic jugs of water in a National Wildlife Refuge near the U.S.-Mexico border. The activist, Walt Staton, says the water jugs were left to prevent migrants from dying of dehydration. Indeed, over the past decade nearly 2,000 men, women and children have died of dehydration and other illnesses while trying to cross the border through the Refuge and into Arizona. For years, No More Deaths has worked to provide humanitarian aid to migrants. Still, The US government has accused Staton of “knowingly littering” in the Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge. A verdict in the case is expected mid-day Wednesday, but Walt Staton will be my guest on Thursday's "Justice, or Just Us?" to talk about No More Deaths, the risks immigrants face trying to cross the border, and of course - the curious (federal) case of Walt Staton. (Download the police report at www.nomoredeaths.org). http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newnomoredeaths.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newnomoredeaths.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 04 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0800 In recent months, the U.S military has expanded its use of unmanned “drones” — or bomb-dropping planes operated via remote control. The military points to the drones as a major advance in the technology of war. Yet the idea that technology can provide a cleaner and safer battlefield is seductive but has been proven a lie. From the catapult and crossbow, poison gas and airplanes in World War I, to the "smart bombs" of the Gulf War, war has only grown deadlier. Indeed, technological advances may reduce the danger of casualties among the military personnel in the short run, but with each advance the number of civilian deaths multiplies and every war of the past century has numbered more children than soldiers among its victims. In protest to the use these drones, last month fourteen activists were arrested at the gate of Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada where the Predator and Reaper drones used in Afghanistan and Pakistan are piloted. The arrests occurred during a ten-day vigil where activists from across the country converged to raise awareness about drones and to try to open dialogue with the military personnel who operate these machines. Now, the 14 activists face arraignment next month on charges of trespass. We speak with Renee Espeland – a member of the Des Moines Catholic Worker Community, volunteer with Nevada Desert Experience, and one of the 14 peace activists arrested at Creech Air Force Base. She’ll explain the growing opposition to the use of drones, provide details about her arrest, and discuss what listeners can do to get involved. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newestdrone.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newestdrone.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 14 May 2009 08:00:00 -0800 With recent court and legislative victories, the United States appears to be moving slowly forward in recognizing the rights of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Yet sadly, homosexuality continues to be criminalized throughout the world. Indeed, about 80 countries now criminalize homosexuality in one way or another, mostly in Africa and the Arab world. As a strategy of protest, a New York-based LGBT activist organization recently called for a boycott of goods, services, and travel to any country that criminalizes homosexuality. But are such boycotts an effective means to address the issue of homophobia while fostering change? Exactly what is the status of homosexuality around the world, and is there a role for the United Nations to play in decriminalizing same sex relationships? Long-time gay rights activist and former member of the Netherlands Parliment Boris Dittrich discusses the issues. Dittrich was one of the first openly gay members of parliament. He sponsored the bill allowing for civil marriage to same sex couples and the bill on adoption by gay couples, both of which passed in 2001. He has been named by the Dutch public as the most influential Dutch gay man. To date, three documentaries have been made about Dittrich. In 2006, he decided not to run for a 4th term in Parliment. Today, he works for Human Rights Watch on LGBT issues http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/mp3boris.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/mp3boris.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0800 “Twenty-five years ago when in the company of foreign journalists visiting New York, I could count on their remarks about the American love affair with crime… Times have changed.” So writes Lewis H. Lapham in his preamble to the Crimes & Punishments issue of Lapham’s Quarterly. Today, Americans are no longer solely concerned about singular criminals and events; they are also preoccupied with criminogenic enterprises and institutions. Yet while the nature of the crimes that occupy our minds have changed, our collective love affair with crime remains one of the enduring contradictions of Western Civilization. Tapping into this cultural obsession, Lapham’s Quarterly has devoted an entire volume of its journal to crime. With readings covering themes as varied as Martin Luther King, Jr. and the crime of disobedience to Hannah Arendt’s discussion of Adolf Eichmann and the crime of obedience, and with classics of fiction such as De Quincey’s treatment of murder as fine art and Norman Mailer’s non-fiction novel, the new volume is a primer on the cultural contradictions of our fascination with crime. My guest is Lewis Lapham, editor of Lapham’s Quarterly. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newlapham.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newlapham.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 16 Apr 2009 08:00:00 -0800 A liar, a cheat, a degenerate, and a whore. These are the last people one might expect to be virtuous. But a legendary Kabbalist has discovered the truth: they are just some of the thirty-six hidden ones, the righteous individuals who ultimately make the world a better place. In The Book of the Unknown by Jonathon Keats we meet twelve of the secret benefactors, including a timekeeper’s son who shows a sleepless village the beauty of dreams; a gambler who teaches a king ruled by the tyranny of the past to roll the dice; a thief who realizes that his job is to keep his fellow townsfolk honest; and a golem–a woman made of mud–who teaches kings and peasants the real nature of humanity. With boundless imagination and a delightful sense of humor, acclaimed writer and artist Jonathon Keats has turned the traditional folktale on its head, creating heroes from the unlikeliest of characters, and enchanting readers with these stunningly original fables. But Jonathon Keats is more than an author. He is also an abstract, conceptual artist. Among his projects: he unveiled a prototype Ouija voting booth for the 2008 election at the Berkeley Art Museum, he attempted to genetically engineer God in a Petri dish in collaboration with scientists at the University of California, he opened the world's first porn theater for house plants in the town of Chico, and he petitioned Berkeley to pass a fundamental law of logic, a work commissioned by the city's annual Arts Festival. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newkeats.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newkeats.mp3 Podcasts Fri, 20 Mar 2009 08:00:00 -0800 It remains one of the most notorious deaths in New York City history not because of who was murdered but because of the circumstances. On March 13, 1964 twenty-eight-year-old Kitty Genovese was brutally murdered. Although the attack took nearly thirty minutes and had thirty-eight witnesses to the crime, not one did a thing to stop the murder or even call for help. In the years that followed, the Kitty Genovese case has become studied by nearly every branch of the social sciences. For some, it is a case study of the isolationism of contemporary urban life; for others it is a statement about our desensitization to violence. Now 35 years later, Melville House Publishing has reissued New York Times’ A.M. Rosenthal’s classic analysis of the case 38 Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Case. We’ll speak to the head of Melville House Publishing Dennis Johnson about his decision to re-issue this classic study of social science. We’ll also speak to him about independent publishing in the era of corporate chain bookstores, book-to-big screen expectations and the threat posed by the Internet to the written word. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/38.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/38.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:00:00 -0800 Think President Obama’s executive order calling for the closure of Guantanamo means that the U.S. will no longer torture or detain prisoners indefinitely? Think again. In late February 2009 the Justice Department announced that it would adhere to the Bush administration's position that detainees imprisoned at a U.S. air base in Afghanistan have no right to challenge their confinement in U.S. courts. On February 20, acting Assistant Attorney General Michael Hertz stated the position on Bagram as such: Having considered the matter, the Government adheres to its previously articulated position." The approximately 650 prisoners in the Bagram prison are being held there indefinitely and without charge. Moreover, the prison is closed to journalists and human rights activists. Long dubbed "the other Guantánamo," Bagram detainees lack the same privileges, such as regular access to lawyers. Worse, while the Guantánamo population has dwindled to about 245, Bagram has added more than 100 prisoners since 2005, according to the Defense Department. What exactly is the history of the Bagram detention facility? Why is the Obama administration so adamant that we restore the rule of law – yet silent when it comes to the “other” Guantanamo? What can listeners do to make a difference? Tune in to “Justice, or Just Us” this Thursday when my guest will be Mona Cadena, Deputy Director of the Western Regional office for Amnesty International, USA. She will discuss Amnesty International’s newest report Out of Sight, out of mind, out of Court? The right of Bagram detainees to judicial review. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newbagram.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newbagram.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:00:00 -0800 For people working for peace and environmental protection, the global sigh of relief was palpable when Barack Obama won the presidential election in November. Yet while there is reason to be hopeful, answers to questions about Obama’s positions on nuclear energy and weapons remain uncertain. Jim Haber of the Nevada Desert Experience talks about anti-nuclear activism under the Obama Administration. Since the birth of NDE in 1982, thousands of people have come to its retreats and conferences in the Nevada desert to learn about the related issues of nuclear testing. Moreover, activists have gathered at the edge of Test Site for vigil, religious services, and for nonviolent civil disobedience at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site – known as “the most bombed place on earth.” http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newanti-nculear.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newanti-nculear.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:00:00 -0800 In 1912, a revolutionary chick cries, "Strike down the wall!" and liberates itself from the "egg state." In 1940, ostriches pull their heads out of the sand and unite to fight fascism. In 1972, Baby X grows up without a gender and is happy about it. Rather than teaching children to obey authority, to conform, or to seek redemption through prayer, twentieth-century leftists encouraged children to question the authority of those in power. Tales for Little Rebels collects forty-three mostly out-of-print stories, poems, comic strips, primers, and other texts for children that embody this radical tradition. These pieces reflect the concerns of twentieth-century leftist movements, like peace, civil rights, gender equality, environmental responsibility, and the dignity of labor. They also address the means of achieving these ideals, including taking collective action, developing critical thinking skills, and harnessing the liberating power of the imagination. The editors of Tales for Little Rebels — Julia Mickenberg, associate professor of American Studies, University of Texas at Austin and Philip Nel, professor of English and Director of the Program in Children's Literature, Kansas State University — discuss their findings. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/tales.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/tales.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 29 Jan 2009 08:00:00 -0800 An interview with Oakland-based hip-hop artist Paris on his new album "Acid Reflex." http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/paris.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/paris.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 18 Dec 2008 08:00:00 -0800 As cash-strapped colleges and universities raise tuition, increase instructor workload, and deal with a shortage of financial aid, not everyone within higher education is suffering. Indeed, salaries for university presidents and administrators continues to increase according to a new survey by the Chronicle of Higher Education. According to the survey, the median pay at public research universities rose nearly 8 percent over the previous year to $427,400 – meaning half of colleges surveyed paid their leaders more than that, half paid less. In California, near insolvency hasn’t stopped administrators within the Cal State University (CSU) system for receiving hefty pay increases. Last week, CSU Chancellor Charles Reed approved salary increases of up to 19 percent for nine vice presidents at four of CSU's 23 campuses earlier this year, and he approved 11 new appointments of vice presidents at nine campuses at salaries of as high as $225,000. All of this begs the question: are California tax dollars paying for higher education, or for higher administrative salaries? Paul Fain, reporter for the Chronicle of Higher Education who has been closely tracking the salaries of presidents at public universities is interviewed. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/finalhighereducation%20%282%29.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/finalhighereducation%20%282%29.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Do animals get embarrassed? Can they empathize, feel anger, or experience love? For years, those who come to the defense of animals have been accused of engaging in anthropomorphism – attributing human characteristics to non-human species. Yet scientist Marc Bekoff knows better. Based upon years of studying social communication in a wide range of species, his research concludes that animals have rich emotional lives. Now, with the remarkable success of California’s Proposition 2 which requires new regulations on factory farming, it appears that voters, too, are beginning to re-examine their relationship with animals and to grant that animals experience the highs and lows of emotions. To help us make sense of the emotional lives of animals, Marc Bekoff - author of The Emotional Lives of Animals (2007) - joins us. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/bekoff.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/bekoff.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Cesar Chavez has long been heralded for his personal practice of nonviolent resistance in struggles against social, racial, and labor injustices. Yet the works of Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. have always overshadowed Chavez's contributions to the theory of nonviolence. In what ways has Chavez uniquely contributed to the common sense of nonviolence? In a new book, Cesar Chavez and the Common Sense of Nonviolence, our guest Professor Jose-Antonio Orosco engages the life of Chavez in dialogue with a variety of political theorists and philosophers to demonstrate how the architect of La Causa developed distinct ideas about nonviolent theory. These ideas were not only effective for farm workers, they are also timely for dealing with today's social and political issues, including racism, sexism, immigration, globalization, and political violence. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newchavez.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newchavez.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 30 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0800 The Sacramento News & Review called it “A Conspiracy of Dunces” and questioned whether there would have even been a conspiracy but for the actions of a college student serving as a paid informant. But that didn’t stop the FBI from pushing for a 20 year sentence for environmental activist Eric McDavid on conspiracy charges. The government’s case was based on the word of a single FBI infiltrator – a young woman in her mid twenties who used her sexuality to lure McDavid, and who was paid over $75,000 by the government to fabricate a crime and to implicate McDavid and two others. McDavid’s trial and the use of infiltrators is part of a growing “Green Scare” – a loose reference to the Red Scare when xenophobia and paranoia over communism threatened civil liberties for years. Today’s Green Scare uses fear over terrorism to justify bringing conspiracy charges against animal rights and environmental activists who simply attend rallies, deliver lectures, and host Internet sites. And the threat of another terrorist attack provides the FBI with the cover to pay college students to infiltrate environmental groups and attempt to hatch conspiracy plans. Find out more about the Green Scare and the case of Eric McDavid on Thursday’s Justice, or Just Us? We’ll here about the use of college student infiltrators, new eco-terrorism legislation, and we’ll see how the blue-print of COINTELPRO is still with us today. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/greenscare.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/greenscare.mp3 Podcasts Fri, 26 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0800 The US government has seized control of insurance giant AIG, American International Group, in an unprecedented $85 billion bailout. The Federal Reserve made the deal Tuesday to save AIG from collapse in what the New York Times describes as “the most radical intervention in private business in the central bank’s history.” This comes on the heels of a government bailout just over a week ago of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and six months after the Fed bailed out Bear Stearns by helping to finance a sale to JPMorgan Chase. How are we to make sense of the collapse of these investment giants? What is the role of de-regulation, and who have been the major players behind de-regulation? (It’s not necessarily who you think.) How is the current financial crisis similar to the Savings and Loan collapse of the 1980s? Finally, to what extent might white-collar criminality be behind these collapses? David O. Friedrichs, Professor of Sociology / Criminal Justice at the University of Scranton and author of much celebrated book Trusted Criminals: White-Collar Criminality in Contemporary Society discusses the subject. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/bailout.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/bailout.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 18 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Ask most Americans about what causes global warming, and they’ll point to a coal plant or a car tailpipe. While factories and automobiles certainly play a part, the truth is that livestock is responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than the entire global transportation system. Believe it or not, the problem is methane from cows, sheep and other livestock raised for food. The American meat industry produces more than 60 million tons of waste each year, and just one midsized feedlot for cattle yields half a million pounds of manure each day. And it’s not just the meat we eat that contributes to global warming; dairy cows are a significant source of methane because of the volume of food and grass they consume. When we factor in the emissions from the diesel farm machines, we begin to see the “meat of the matter” when it comes to global warming. Guest: Jim Motavalli, author of “The Meat of the Matter: Our Livestock Industry Creates More Greenhouse Gas than Transportation Does” which appears in the July/August issue of E: The Environmental Magazine. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/animals%26emissions.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/animals%26emissions.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Karmacy is a hip hop trio that addresses cross-cultural identity, and they do so through songs that might be performed in any of five languages: Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati or English. This Friday, Karmacy and Be the Cause will hold a benefit concert at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood to support two nonprofits: Peace4Kids and the Itipini Community Project. Since its inception in 1998, Peace4Kids has touched the lives of over 600 foster and at-risk youth in the South Los Angeles neighborhoods of Watts, Compton, South Gate, and Willowbrook. Each weekend, Peace4Kids provides an activity-based program designed to reach over 100 foster and at-risk youth in three age groups from ages 5-18. Through creative educational courses, field trips, group activities, life skills and mentorship programs, Peace4Kids assists youth in developing the knowledge and skills they need to become successful and self-sufficient adults. The second beneficiary is Itipini Community Project, a 3,000-inhabitant squatters' camp in South Africa. In addition to running a primary health care clinic and a feeding program for children, Itipini empowers children through both a pre-school and an after-school children's program. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newkarmacy.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newkarmacy.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:00:00 -0800 During the 2008 presidential primary season, it was common to hear candidates attempting to outdo each other with plans to provide healthcare coverage to the estimated 49 million Americans without health insurance. Unfortunately, with health insurance comes huge costs. This explains why the number of underinsured U.S. adults--that is, people who have health coverage that does not adequately protect them from high medical expenses--has risen dramatically. Indeed, a Commonwealth Fund study finds that as of 2007, there were an estimated 25 million underinsured adults in the United States, up 60 percent from 2003. When this figure is combined with the number of uninsured, the true scope of our health care crisis is revealed. Guest: Cathy Schoen, co-author of the Commonwealth Fund Study, "How Many Are Underinsured? Trends Among U.S. Adults, 2003 and 2007." http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newunder.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newunder.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Dorothy Day: Don’t Call Me A Saint is a documentary that tells the story of the New York writer and Catholic anarchist who the Vatican is currently considering for canonization. But Dorothy is no ordinary saint. Dorothy's career began as a writer for radical papers during the Bohemian whirl of 1917 Greenwich Village. At the height of the Depression Dorothy met the French peasant philosopher, Peter Maurin. Bound by the teachings of Christ they created the Catholic Worker, a social justice movement that persists to this day. Dorothy's commitment to justice and peace led to several arrests for civil disobedience and to a life dedicated to helping the hungry and the homeless. Listen to an interview with the director of the film, Claudia Larson. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/dorothyday.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/dorothyday.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 22 May 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Last week, news headlines revealed an undercover investigation by the animal rights group Mercy for Animals (MFA) that took consumers behind the closed doors of one of California’s largest egg factory farms, exposing the hidden cost of egg production — cruelty to animals. Hidden camera video recorded in early 2008 at Gemperle Enterprises in Merced County, California revealed rotting carcasses in cages with live hens still laying eggs for human consumption, birds suffering from untreated broken bones, open wounds, infections and prolapse, and hens covered in excrement, confined five to seven per cage the size of a file drawer, unable to stretch their wings, move freely or exercise. The findings of MFA's new investigation are similar to those documented at numerous egg farms across the country in recent years - illustrating that animal neglect and abuse are the egg industry standard, not the exception. Nathan Runkle of Mercy for Animals discusses animal abuse in the egg industry and what listeners can do to end factory farming. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/neweggindustry.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/neweggindustry.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 15 May 2008 08:00:00 -0800 What is the finishing point of civil disobedience? Must nonviolent resistance end upon arrest? Why should there be an expectation that those who dissent will assist the government in imposing punishment? Jail solidarity is a strategy of dissent wherein arrestees at a protest refuse to cooperate with or take part in the State’s capacity to punish acts of political dissent. But how – exactly – does this strategy work? What are the tactics? What kind of planning goes into it? What are the repercussions, and is jail solidarity successful? My guest is Beverly Yuen Thompson, visiting professor at Florida International University and author of a unique scholarly article titled “The Global Justice Movement’s Use of ‘Jail Solidarity’ as a Response to Police Repression and Arrest” published in the January 2007 issue of Qualitative Inquiry. She is also an seasoned activist and artist. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newsolidarity.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newsolidarity.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Michael Parenti is an internationally known award-winning author and lecturer. He is one of the nation's leading progressive political analysts. His highly informative and entertaining books and talks have reached a wide range of audiences in North America and abroad. Now, after years of scholarship on issues ranging from media manipulation and ethnic stereotypes to free markets and class war, Parenti's work is available in a concise, single volume: Contrary Notions: The Michael Parenti Reader. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newparenti.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newparenti.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:00:00 -0800 An interview with T.V. Reed, author of The Art of Protest and director of American Studies and professor of English at Washington State University. Imagine the civil rights movement without freedom songs, the Black Panthers without James Brown or Gil Scott Heron, or the AIDS awareness movement without the iconic aesthetics of ACT UP. In The Art of Protest Professor T.V. Reed provides a broad overview of the aesthetics of social movements and the distinctive cultural forms that helped shape them. Moreover, it shows the long term importance of these movements to American culture. Throughout, Reed utilizes the kaleidoscopic lens of artistic and cultural expression to reveal how activism continues to remake our world. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newartofprotest.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newartofprotest.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Are “feminism” and “porn” completely incompatible, or is feminist porn a possibility? If so, what would be its parameters? How would it differ from so-called mainstream porn? As a response to the racism in the pornography industry, the owner of a Toronto-based sex shop “Good for Her” founded the annual Feminist Porn Awards and in so doing sparked an important dialogue about feminism, sexuality, and stereotypes. Guest Nikko Snyder, founder of Good Girl Magazine, has been writing about the possibility of feminist porn at length. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newfemporn.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newfemporn.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 13 Mar 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Much of the mass media portrays health policy in often diluted and misleading ways. Even though there has been increasing focus and talk about healthcare reform during the current election, this problem persists. To address this problem, on January 28, 2008 medical students across many California campuses (UCI, USC, UCSF, UCD, UCLA...) met en masse on the steps of the State Capitol to advocate a single payer healthcare system. My guests are several of the medical students who represented UCI Medical School. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newhealth.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newhealth.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:00:00 -0800 As President Bush returned from his tour of the African continent last week, much media coverage focused upon the administration’s “successes” in individual countries while ignoring the systemic, continent-wide problems that unjust U.S. policies continue to promote. Thus, while pundits were quick to praise Bush for his Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, widely ignored was the role of U.S. trade and economic policies in diverting funding away from AIDS relief. Also overlooked was the lack of diplomatic pressure applied by the U.S. toward African nations engaged in serious conflict and genocide. Finally, at a time when the United States is widely suspected of becoming an imperialist power, little attention has been paid to the topic of AFRICOM – the new unified command center for U.S. military operations in Africa. Michael Swigert of Africa Action will help us make sense of U.S. – Africa Relations and will place the Bush administration’s African legacy in context. Africa Action is the oldest organization in the U.S. working on African affairs. Their mission is to change U.S. Africa relations to promote political, economic and social justice in Africa. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/africaaction.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/africaaction.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 28 Feb 2008 08:00:00 -0800 Bull riding is promoted as a rough and tough exercise of human skill and courage in conquering the fierce, untamed beasts of the Wild West. In reality, it is nothing more than manipulative displays of human domination over animals, thinly disguised as entertainment. In fact, many of the animals used in bull riding and - more broadly - in rodeos are not aggressive by nature; they are physically provoked into displaying "wild" behavior to make the cowboys look brave. Worse, while the cowboys willingly risk physical injury - the animals involved have no choice. It is not uncommon for animals to suffer broken limbs and necks, as well as paralysis, and all for the sake of human entertainment. Now, the Professional Bull Riders Association is bringing its brand of animal abuse as 'entertainment' to the Honda Center in Anaheim this weekend. Learn more about the harms of bull-riding and the immorality of using animals as entertainment. Guest: Freeman Wicklund, Director of Campaigns for Mercy For Animals and a humane education trainer for the Institute of Humane Education. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newbull.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newbull.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 07 Feb 2008 08:00:00 -0800 When people raise the issue of sexual harrassment in the workplace, it is common for persons of all political persuasions to be somewhat dismissive or judgemental, thinking that it isn't really as serious a problem as it's made out to be. Yet sexual harrassment is real, and it can have very personal and emotional consequences for those involved. Moreover, its occurrence is not limited to the corporate setting; it also extends to the academic setting where power relations among professors, graduate students and undergraduates are never equitable. The UCI Office of Equal Opportunity and Diversity (OEOD) has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of sexual harrassment in an academic setting. Guest: Kirsten Quanbeck, Executive Director of OEOD at UCI. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newharrass.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newharrass.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 17 Jan 2008 08:00:00 -0800 For years, Nathan McCall has been writing about crime, injustice and racism in modern day America both as a journalist for the Washington Post and via his memoir Makes Me Wanna Holler. Now, his new book (and first novel) titled Them explores issues of race and gentrification through the story of Barlowe, a middle aged black man who lives in Atlanta's Fourth Ward. When a white couple moves in next door, Barlowe eventually forms a friendship with the wife while continuing to experience tension over the ways that white people are changing the neighborhood. Nathan McCall will be my guest for a very special hour of "Justice, or Just Us?" to discuss his newest book Them. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newnathanmccall.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newnathanmccall.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:00:00 -0800 On September 24, 2006 Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced the public launch of the 'Safer Cities Initiative' on skid row - a police effort at the behest of development interests to "crack down on crime." One year after its launch, our guest, UCLA Law professor Gary Blasi, has released a study of the initiative, and its findings are staggering. Although skid row is only 3/4 square mile in size, it has been subjected to an unprecedented police presence. Thus in one year, police issued some 12,000 citations even though the total estimated population of skid row is only 12,000. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the citations have been for jaywalking. Moreover, the police have made 9000 arrests, though less than 2% have been for violent offenses. And while the city spends some $100,000 on housing for LA's skid row population, the cost of the 50 extra police officers to patrol the area hovers at $10 million. All of this begs the question: Is the City of Los Angeles attempting to police homelessness away? http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newhomeless.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newhomeless.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 03 Jan 2008 08:00:00 -0800 As the holiday season approaches, many parents are likely considering pets as gifts, and they'll likely turn to the local pet store for that lovable animal. But should pets really be given as gifts? How are pets 'manufactured,' and what is the truth behind the pet industry? Guest: Margo Demello, co-author of WHY ANIMALS MATTER http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newpets.mp3.sfk http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newpets.mp3.sfk Podcasts Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:00:00 -0800 By leaving art and ideas in public places, you can affect someone's day change her mood or their mind and maybe even change the world in the process! The Guerilla Art Kit shows how small artistic acts can start a revolution. This visually exciting activity bookfull of step-by-step exercises, cut-out projects, sticker ideas, and more has both fun assignments and handy tips to help you unleash your creative energy into the streets where you can really make an impact. From the quick exercises leaving books for strangers to find, chalking quotes on the sidewalk to the more involvedmaking a "wish tree," guerilla gardening, or making your own stencils, The Guerilla Art Kit contains everything you need to put your message out into on the world. Listen to an interview with Keri Smith, creator of the Guerilla Art Kit. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newguerilla.mp3.sfk http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newguerilla.mp3.sfk Podcasts Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:00:00 -0800 Jah Rasta Yogis aren't just a band, they are an experience. Inner peace through music; balance through meditation. A better world begins within. Listen. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/todayyogis.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/todayyogis.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:00:00 -0800 In the last two decades of the 20th century, a wave of "people power" movements based upon the principles of nonviolent action erupted throughout the nondemocratic world — from the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa to the people power movement in the Philippines to the anti-regime challenge in Burma. Yet while some people power campaigns succeed in changing the course of history, others fail to bring about democratic change. How does nonviolent action work? Why does it work in some contexts and not in others? Can nonviolence really counter nondemocratic regimes that have the machinations of state at their disposal? Guest: Kurt Schock, professor of sociology at Rutgers University and author of Unarmed Insurrections: People Power Movements in Nondemocracies. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newinsurrections.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newinsurrections.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 01 Nov 2007 08:00:00 -0800 In the United States, 10 billion land animals are raised and killed annually by the meat, egg, and dairy industries. Despite the incredible number of individuals and the routine suffering too many endure, these farm animals do not receive protection under the federal Animal Welfare Act. Moreover, 95 percent of the animals slaughtered each year do not receive protection under the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act. And, while each state has its own animal cruelty code, most states exempt common farming practices, no matter how abusive. As a result, across the country, billions of farm animals are denied virtually any protection from the cruelties and inhumane conditions on today's factory farms. The Humane Society of the United States works hard to enact laws that protect farm animals from the abuses they all too commonly suffer throughout their lives — on factory farms, during transport, and at slaughter. Whether through ballot initiatives, state, or federal legislation, The HSUS is a leader when it comes to making humane public policy changes http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newfactoryfarm.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newfactoryfarm.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 25 Oct 2007 08:00:00 -0800 For 40 years, the Advocate magazine has been a leader in providing the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgendered (LGBT) community with news and opinion. Now, as this pioneering publication celebrates 4 decades in print, we take a look back at LGBT history and - perhaps more importantly - take a look forward on the challenges and promise that awaits. Guest: Anne Stockwell, editor. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/40advocate.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/40advocate.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:00:00 -0800 In his 2007 State of the Union Address, President George W. Bush told the American public that, "We must remember that the best healthcare decisions are not made by government and insurance companies, but by patients and their doctors." Yet when it comes to medical marijuana, it seems that bureaucrats know what's best. As the DEA continues to raid cannibis providers throughout CA, a new voice has entered the debate over the use of medical marijuana: Veterans. Incorporated in 2007, Veterans for Medical Marijuana Access (VMMA) is the only organization in the United States that advocates for veterans' rights to access medical marijuana for therapeutic purposes. VMMA also works to minimize the harm associated with marijuana use, which many veterans believe to be conviction and incarceration. Dan Bernath of the D.C. based Marijuana Policy Project guests. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/medical.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/medical.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 27 Sep 2007 08:00:00 -0800 The "Combatants for Peace" movement was started jointly by Palestinians and Israelis, who have taken an active part in the cycle of violence; Israelis as soldiers in the Israeli army (IDF) and Palestinians as part of the violent struggle for Palestinian freedom. After brandishing weapons for so many years, and having seen one another only through weapon sights, Israelis and Palestinaians decided to put down their guns, and to fight for peace. Listen to their stories. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/combatants.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/combatants.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:00:00 -0800 When the University of Colorado recently announced it was firing the well-known academic and writer Ward Churchill, the decision came as no surprise to university professors employed at public institutions. Nor did the decision by DePaul University to deny tenure to Norman Finkelstein, especially after the publication of such books as David Horowitz's The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 provided social conservatives with an opportunity to launch an attack of their own — one directed squarely at the public university. But disdain for the wrong kind of intellectual dates back long before 2001. Indeed, anti-intellectualism and a distrust for progressive thinking is as old as America itself. Tune in as Justice or Just Us? takes a close look at the status of academic freedom both post and pre-9/11. Guest: John Wilson, creator/blogger behind College Freedom and author of the forthcoming book Patriotic Correctness: Academic Freedom and Its Enemies. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/neweducation.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/neweducation.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 09 Aug 2007 08:00:00 -0800 Iraq Veterans Against the War (IVAW) was founded by Iraq war veterans in July 2004 at the annual convention of Veterans for Peace (VFP) in Boston to give a voice to the large number of active duty service people and veterans who are against this war, but are under various pressures to remain silent. From its inception, IVAW has called for: Immediate withdrawal of all occupying forces in Iraq; Reparations for the destruction and corporate pillaging of Iraq so that Iraqi people can control their own lives and future; and Full benefits, adequate healthcare (including mental health), and other supports for returning servicemen and women. Guest: Jason Lemieux, IVAW - Los Angeles. (email: power7777us@yahoo.com) http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/ivaw.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/ivaw.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 19 Jul 2007 08:00:00 -0800 As a cross between reggae and hip-hop with an electronic vibe, "Dancehall" music is one of the most popular musical stylings to emerge from the Caribbean. As Rastafarians, biblical concepts from the Old Testament have always been prominent in dancehall music, yet dancehall singers have taken this to a completely new level. Indeed, some of the genre's most popular artists now promote discrimination, violence towards gays and lesbians. In response, dancehall fans from across the world have put pressure on artists and industry executives to stop promoting violence. But have these efforts proven effective? What other tools are available to fans? When does concern become outright censorship? Guest: Manuel Sarrazin, Montreal activist, Dancehall fan, and webmaster of Soul Rebels and its sister activist site Murder Inna Dancehall. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newdancehall.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newdancehall.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 12 Jul 2007 08:00:00 -0800 One night while rooting through the recycling bin for magazines, Jesse Reklaw found all the confidential Ph.D. applicant files for the biology department at an Ivy League university from the years 1965-1975. Stapled to many of the yellowed documents were photographs of the prospective students, along with recommendation forms commenting on each candidates relative strengths and weaknesses. For example, one female applicant is penalized for being "not as physically attractive as some" other applicants, while a male applicant was criticized for questioning authority. Now, Jesse Reklaw has edited these files and compiled them in his new book Applicant. Tune in to KUCI's "Justice, or Just Us?" for a hilarious conversation with Jesse Reklaw, editor of Applicant and creator of the highly successful Slow Wave comic strip. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/applicant.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/applicant.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 21 Jun 2007 08:00:00 -0800 Author Kurt Vonnegut — who died last week at the age of 84 is one of the most lauded American authors of our time. This is rather surprising, considering he has been a tireless voice lampooning many aspects of American culture, especially our military culture. In a rare 1977 interview from National Public Radio, author Kurt Vonnegut discusses western art and meditation, films and writing, the effects of media on the imagination and intellect, his family background, and his experiences in World War II. The interview concludes with Vonnegut reading an excerpt from Jailbird. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/kurt1.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/kurt1.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 19 Apr 2007 08:00:00 -0800 Comparing WHO recommendations to U.S. statistics, American mothers appear largely dependent upon the health care industry for what is otherwise a routine aspect of life. Are U.S. mothers simply privileged, or they victims of what has been dubbed the Maternity Industrial Complex where a dependency upon medicine places the cost of each child birth in the tens of thousands? Guest: Susan Hodges, President of Citizens for Midwifery. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/midwifery2.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/midwifery2.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 29 Mar 2007 08:00:00 -0800 Students Against Sweatshops is set to begin its Niketown Mobilization for 2007. Tune in to learn about Nike's continued dependence on sweatshop labor, and find out what you can to protest! Guest: Zack Knorr, Students Against Sweatshops. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/niketown.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/niketown.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 22 Mar 2007 08:00:00 -0800 An interview with James H. Cone, author of Martin and Malcom and America: Nightmare or Dream? While Martin Luther King, Jr. saw America as "essentially a dream... as yet unfulfilled," Malcolm X viewed America as a realized nightmare. But were they really so different in their views? What are the legacies of each figure? What should we take from their teachings, and what should we discard? http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newmartin.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newmartin.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 22 Feb 2007 08:00:00 -0800 How should grade-school teachers introduce such weighty topics as the War in Iraq, Corporate Globalization, and the War on Terror? What about issues such as immigration and the U.S./Mexican Border? Rethinking Schools began as a local effort to address problems such as basal readers, standardized testing, and textbook-dominated curriculum. Since its founding in 1986, it has grown into a nationally prominent publisher of educational materials, with subscribers in all 50 states, all 10 Canadian provinces, and many other countries.While the scope and influence of Rethinking Schools has changed, its basic orientation has not. Most importantly, it remains firmly committed to equity and to the vision that public education is central to the creation of a humane, caring, multiracial democracy. While writing for a broad audience, Rethinking Schools emphasizes problems facing urban schools, particularly issues of race. Bill Bigelow of Rethinking Schools is the co-editor of Rethinking Globalization: Teaching for Justice in an Unjust World and author of The Line Between Us which explores how to teach about the U.S./Mexican border. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/rethinking.mp3.sfk http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/rethinking.mp3.sfk Podcasts Thu, 08 Feb 2007 08:00:00 -0800 Is Cuba really a model of Socialist governance? Must Leftists and socialists defend the Cuban government in order to deflect criticism of their progressive ideology? Paul Damato - managing editor of the International Socialist Review - says unequivocably "No." While Cuba's social system is in many ways superior to that of the U.S., it is imperative that Leftists separate image from reality. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/cuba1.mp3.sfk http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/cuba1.mp3.sfk Podcasts Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:00:00 -0800 Guest: NPR Correspondent Daniel Zwerdling A study by the investigative arm of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, suggests it's a national problem: GAO found that about 80 percent of the soldiers who showed potential signs of PTSD were not referred for mental health follow-ups. The Pentagon disagrees with the GAO's findings. But an NPR investigation at Colorado's Ft. Carson has found that even those who feel desperate can have trouble getting the help they need. In fact, evidence suggests that officers at Ft. Carson punish soldiers who need help, and even kick them out of the Army http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/DANIELZ.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/DANIELZ.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 07 Dec 2006 08:00:00 -0800 An interview with founder of Food Not Bombs and author of the FNB Manual Keith McHenry. FNB's goal is to distribute food to the needy, and to provide the information and recipes necessary to set up a Food Not Bombs service in your community. Founded by a small group of friends and activists with the vision of providing food for the hungry, they collect and distribute edible, recoverable food that is thrown away (surplus food). http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/foodnotbombs.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/foodnotbombs.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 09 Nov 2006 08:00:00 -0800 Frida Berrigan a member of Witness Against Torture will talk about her trip to Guantanamo and about future campaigns. In December 2005, a group of twenty four friends, following the nonviolent tradition of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker walked to Guantanamo to visit the prisoners, calling themselves Witness Against Torture. When they returned, they launched the "Campaign to Shut Down Guantanamo," which consists of public education and community outreach, networking and resource sharing, and acts of nonviolent civil disobedience to draw attention to the plight of prisoners in Guantanamo, and victims of the war on terrorism everywhere. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/torture.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/torture.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 19 Oct 2006 08:00:00 -0800 On October 2 (Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday), seventy-four activists (including the host of "Justice, or Just Us?") were arrested outside a Minneapolis office building attempting to deliver a supoena to Alliant Techsystems, Inc. CEO Daniel J. Murphy. Alliant Techsystems is a leading manufacturer of anti-personnel landmines, cluster bombs and depleted uranium munitions which many military and non-military experts consider to be "indiscriminant" weapons and therefore a violation of International Law. This action of nonviolent resistance was planned by AlliantACTION - a coalition of activists including members of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, Veterans for Peace, Woman Against Military Madness, and the Sisters of St. Joseph. . http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/alliant.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/alliant.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 12 Oct 2006 08:00:00 -0800 Jim Haber of War Resisters League - West discusses the difference between being anti-war and anti-militarism. He also provides a report back from the International War Resisters League Conference as well as information on the upcoming "Stop the Merchants of Death" conference and civil disobedience action in Minneapolis at Alliant Technology, makers of depleted uranium and cluster bombs, scheduled on Gandhi's birthday — October 2. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newhaber.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newhaber.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 14 Sep 2006 08:00:00 -0800 An interview with Todd Chretien, Green Party Candidate for U.S. Senate. Bring the troops home now? Abolish the USA Patriot Act? Build schools, not jails? Raise taxes on the top 1%? Immigrant rights? Abolish the death penalty? Sound good? Then tune in to hear Green Party Candidate for U.S. Senate Todd Chretien. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/todd.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/todd.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 31 Aug 2006 08:00:00 -0800 Military Families Speak Out member and organizer with the Orange County Peace Coalition Pat Alviso is currently camped outside President Bush's ranch in Crawford, TX waiting for an explanation as to why America's children must kill, fight and die for an unjust and unnecessary war. She'll be reporting for Justice, or Just Us? live from Camp Casey where Cindy Sheehan, Code Pink for Peace, and activists from across the country and - indeed - around the world are holding vigil for peace. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/campcasey.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/campcasey.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 24 Aug 2006 08:00:00 -0800 UCI professor Laura Deeb has spent extensive time researching community activism in the southern suburbs of Beirut, where Hizballah is the most popular political party. She is author of An Enchanted Modern: Gender and Public Piety in Shi'i Lebanon. In response to the current crisis between Israel and Lebanon, Deeb commented: "The current escalation of conflict between Israel and Hizballah has to be understood in the broader context of the new Israeli government and its policies of extreme violence in Gaza, Hizballah's relationship with other groups in Lebanon and the 1982 Israeli invasion and subsequent occupation of Lebanon. No matter what the underlying rationale for Hizballah's kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers, Israel's response has been disproportionate and counterproductive." http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/deeb.mp3.sfk http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/deeb.mp3.sfk Podcasts Thu, 20 Jul 2006 08:00:00 -0800 Animal Law includes any type of legal action, whether it be transactional or litigation, that effects the rights, standing and/or welfare of an animal. In short, it is pro-animal and pro-animal activists. Christine Garcia, lead council for the San Francisco based Animal Law Office, discusses her current cases including the defense of a man arrested for passing out educational leaflets in front of Marine World, as well as several animal rights advocates who were arrested for passing out educational literature in front of the Animal Open House at the Ringling Brothers Circus. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newanimal.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/newanimal.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 13 Jul 2006 08:00:00 -0800 ANGRY BLACK WHITE BOY, OR THE MISCEGENATION OF MACON DETORNAY. Macon Detornay is a suburban white boy possessed and politicized by black culture, and filled with rage toward white America. Soon, he launches the Race Traitor Project, a stress-addled collective that attracts guilty liberals, wannabe gangstas, and bandwagon riders from all over the country to participate in a Day of Apology. Guest: Adam Mansbach - author of Angry Black White Boy, or the Miscegenation of Macon Detornay http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/mansbach.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/mansbach.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 22 Jun 2006 08:00:00 -0800 An interview with Justin Akers Chacon, co-author (along with Mike Davis) of the forthcoming book No One is Illegal. He is the author of three articles in the current issue of the International Socialist Review, each examining the "New Immigrant Civil Rights Movement." http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/akers1.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/akers1.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 15 Jun 2006 08:00:00 -0800 On December 31, 1999 people around the world shared mixed emotions: concern that Y2K would cause the world to fall apart, and hope that a new millennium would bring a peace and properity. When the clock struck midnight and the world didn't fall apart and everything didn't change, the world breathed a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, downtown from Times Square, 5 friends couldn't believe their luck as they moved into a large Manhattan sublet with a beautiful view of the World Trade Center — perhaps the best view in the city. So begins TWILIGHT OF THE SUPERHEROES, the new collection of short stories by Author Deborah Eisenberg, whose writing tackles the difficulties of life post millennium. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/eisenberg1.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/eisenberg1.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 01 Jun 2006 08:00:00 -0800 What's the difference between a Mexican and a Hispanic? Why don't Mexicans ever go to the doctor? What part of illegal don't Mexicans understand? What started out as a lampoon on racist ignorance of immigrants has become a national sensation and one of the most relevant news columns of our time. "Ask a Mexican" columnist Gustavo Arellano visited KUCI for a conversation. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/mexican.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/mexican.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 25 May 2006 08:00:00 -0800 In the beginning was the Ad. The Ad was brought to the consumer by the Advertiser. Desire, self worth, self image, ambition, hope; all find their genesis in the Ad. Through the Ad and the intent of the Advertiser we form our ideas and learn the myths that make us into what we are as a people. That this method of self definition displaced the earlier methods is beyond debate. It is now clear that the Ad holds the most esteemed position in our cosmology. Jack from Billboard Liberation discusses marketing for the people. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/jack.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/jack.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 18 May 2006 08:00:00 -0800 Bitch Magazine: Feminist Response to Pop Culture turns 10 year old this month. Join "Justice, or Just Us?" as it celebrates 10 years of feminist critique as we speak with Lisa Jervis - co-founder of Bitch Magazine. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/bitchmag.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/bitchmag.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 27 Apr 2006 08:00:00 -0800 "The Unbroken Circle" is a new true-to-life movie that tells the story of two families - one Israeli, one Palestinian - affected by the never-ending circle of violence plaguing the region. "Justice, or Just Us?" spoke with the writer/director John C. Ludwig, as well as with the producer Terry Michaels. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/circle.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/circle.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 27 Apr 2006 08:00:00 -0800 The moment the United States' war on Iraq started going wrong, comparisions with the Vietnam War inevitably rose, with "quagmire" as a key buzzword. Yet is the current war in Iraq at all comparable to Vietnam? If so, how — and what lessons can we learn from our recent history? If not, in what ways is our current predicament different, and what are we to do? Author Kale Baldock discusses his new book: Is Iraq Another Vietnam? http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/iraqvietnam.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/iraqvietnam.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 20 Apr 2006 08:00:00 -0800 Longtime sound architect of the radical indy hip-hop collective Anticon, Jel has until now been content to stand in the background of the many bands (Themselves, Subtle, 13 & God) he helped to create. But on his new solo release Soft Money, Jel provocatively fuses black nationalist rap with indie rock tunefulness. The result is a powerful album that merges pounding beats with equally bombastic politics. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/jel.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/jel.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 06 Apr 2006 08:00:00 -0800 Shot and edited in the Mission District of San Francisco, Quality of Life is an authentic and gripping film by first-time director Benjamin Morgan. The film tells the story of two young graffiti artists struggling to maintain their friendship after getting busted by the cops. Not a documentary, but nevertheless a true-to-life portrait. Director Benjamin Morgan joins KUCI for a discussion. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/quality.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/quality.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 09 Mar 2006 08:00:00 -0800 Hear the latest on the grassroots struggle to reverse the city of Costa Mesa's alliance with the Minutemen. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/costamesa.mp3.sfk http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/costamesa.mp3.sfk Podcasts Thu, 02 Feb 2006 08:00:00 -0800 Due to a scheduling conflict, African-American History Month comes to "Justice, or Just Us?" a bit early. Hear the sounds of freedom as Paul Robeson, Langston Hughes, Angela Davis, Bobby Seale and more use music, poetry and the spoken word to detail the struggles of African Americans and demand change. (Excerpts from the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings Collection) http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/africanamerican.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/africanamerican.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 26 Jan 2006 08:00:00 -0800 When Jeff Ferrell quit his job as a tenured professor, he began an 8 month odessy into the world of dumpster diving. In Empire of Scrounge, professor Ferrell provides a documentation of what he found, how he survived, and what he learned about America's dangerous habit of conspicuous consumption. He also details the criminalization of those who refuse to contribute to a capitalist economy and its practice of waste. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/empire.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/empire.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 12 Jan 2006 08:00:00 -0800 Over 30 years ago, Dick Gregory - speaking at Ohio's Kent State - noted that a country spying on its own citizens is one that is weak and fearful. Today, it seems that little has changed. With new revelations that the Bush Administration has been spying on such groups as People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Greenpeace and the LA Catholic Worker, and with an admission from the White House that it has engaged in wire-taps without judicial authorization, decide for yourself whether our nation has truly progressed. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/gregory-justus.mp3.sfk http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/gregory-justus.mp3.sfk Podcasts Thu, 05 Jan 2006 08:00:00 -0800 In this highly thought-provoking and important critique of the cultural politics of the Left, author Joseph Heath (and co-author Andrew Potter) lament that such strategies as culture-jamming and an obsessive rejection of anything conformist have "completely replaced socialism as the basis of radical political thought." The problem, as they see it, is that the very idea of a counterculture is a myth, one that threatens to true attainment of social justice. Guest: Joseph Heath, Associate Professor - University of Toronto. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/rebelsell.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/rebelsell.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 15 Dec 2005 08:00:00 -0800 Recent marketing campaigns appeared to come from the underground, but were paid for, promoted and distributed by corporate dollars. Has the underground finally sold out? Guest: Anne Elizabeth Moore, columnist for Punk Planet. http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/jarretculture.mp3 http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/635/jarretculture.mp3 Podcasts Thu, 08 Dec 2005 00:00:00 -0800