February 21, 2025 • 27 mins
This podcast episode delves into the pressing concerns surrounding nationalism and its implications for democracy in contemporary society. I reflect on two poignant speeches that resonate with the current political climate, emphasizing that the roots of division often stem from seeds of distrust and blame. I draw parallels between historical precedents and contemporary issues, highlighting the dangers of authoritarianism and the necessity for civic courage. The discourse urges listeners to contemplate their roles in fostering inclusivity and combating hate, particularly in light of governmental actions that undermine diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Ultimately, I call upon each individual to assert their voice and take actionable steps, thereby contributing to a collective resistance against tyranny and fostering a more just society.
The discourse presented in this episode of the podcast delves into the profound implications of societal narratives shaped by political discourse. The speaker embarks on an introspective journey, reflecting upon two poignant speeches that resonate with the current socio-political climate. One of the speeches, delivered by Governor J.B. Pritzker, draws critical parallels between historical authoritarian regimes and contemporary political strategies that seek to divide and ostracize marginalized communities. The speaker articulates a deep concern regarding the insidious nature of hatred and nationalism, positing that these elements serve as precursors to tyranny. This examination encourages listeners to engage deeply with the implications of blind allegiance to supremacy, advocating instead for a patriotism rooted in inclusion and diversity. The speaker underscores the necessity of courage and collective action in the face of rising authoritarianism, urging individuals to confront fear and silence with resolute opposition. Through this lens, the episode not only highlights the pressing need for vigilance against oppressive narratives but also calls for a unified front in defense of democratic values, thereby fostering a space for reflective contemplation and active engagement in societal discourse.
Takeaways:
- The podcast explores the alarming parallels between historical authoritarianism and current political climates, emphasizing the necessity of vigilance.
- We must acknowledge that hate and discrimination can emerge insidiously, often beginning with seemingly innocuous grievances.
- The host urges listeners to actively participate in democracy by voicing concerns to representatives, fostering a culture of accountability.
- Nationalism is identified as a profound existential threat, distinct from patriotism, which should celebrate diversity rather than denigrate it.
- In times of political turmoil, individual actions of courage and solidarity become essential to resist the tide of oppression.
- The discussion calls for a collective understanding of diversity, equity, and inclusion, emphasizing their importance in countering systemic injustices.
Links referenced in this episode:
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Blubrry - https://create.blubrry.com/resources/about-blubrry/privacy-policy
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(01:41):
Welcome back to beyond the Breath.
I am so glad that you're hereand joining me for this continuing
experiment that I am doing onFridays where I just kind of talk
about what's on my heart andon my mind and things that are going
on around all of us in thiscountry, in this world, things that
(02:02):
may resonate with you, thatmean a lot to you as well, and they
may not.
But just offering this spaceas a space that is a little more
open and free and really aplace where I have just chosen to
give myself permission tospeak freely and from the heart,
(02:25):
which means I may not alwaysget things right.
So I invite you, I ask you tojoin me in this very human experiment
to have these discussions orjust listen in with me and share
without all of the fact sheetsand the talking points in front of
(02:47):
us.
So this week I had come acrosstwo speeches and one actually occurred
in real time this week.
Another happened to be in ashow that I am watching right now.
And I'm not going to tell youwhich is which to begin with.
(03:08):
I'm going to read just some afew excerpts from each one of them
and then talk about it afterward.
So here are a few excerptsfrom the first one.
Here's what I've learned.
The root that tears apart yourhouse's foundation begins as a seed,
a seed of distrust and hateand blame.
(03:30):
The seed that grew into adictatorship in Europe a lifetime
ago didn't arrive overnight.
It started with everydayGermans mad about inflation and looking
for someone to blame.
I'm watching with a forebodingdread what is happening in our country
right now.
A president who watches aplane go down in the Potomac and
(03:52):
suggests, without facts orfindings that a diversity hire is
responsible for the crash?
Or the Missouri attorneygeneral who just sued Starbucks arguing
that consumers pay higherprices for their coffee because the
baristas are too female andnon white.
The authoritarian playbook islaid bare here.
(04:15):
They point to a group ofpeople who don't look like you and
tell you to blame them foryour problems.
I just have one question.
What comes next?
After we've discriminatedagainst, deported or disparaged all
of the immigrants and the gayand lesbian and transgender people,
(04:36):
developmentally disabled, thewomen and the minorities, Once we've
ostracized our neighbors andbetrayed our friends, after that,
when the problems we startedwith are still there staring us in
the face, what comes next?
(04:57):
All the atrocities of humanhistory lurk in the answer to that
question.
And if we don't want to repeathistory, then for God's sake in this
moment, we better be strongenough to learn for it.
We don't have kings inAmerica, and I don't intend to bend
the knee to one.
(05:18):
I am not speaking up inservice to my ambitions, but in deference
to my obligations.
If you think I'm overreactingand sounding the alarm too soon,
consider this.
It took the Nazis one month,three weeks, two days, eight hours
and 40 minutes to dismantle aconstitutional republic.
(05:40):
And all I'm saying is thatwhen the five alarm fire starts to
burn, every good person betterbe ready to man a post with a bucket
of water if you want to stopit from raging out of control.
Tyranny requires your fear andyour silence and your compliance.
(06:00):
Democracy requires your courage.
So gather your justice andhumanity and do not let the tragic
spirit of despair overcome uswhen our country needs us the most.
And here are some pieces fromthe second speech.
(06:21):
Courage and determination havemade humankind safer from the second
greatest threat it faces.
What is an even greater threatthan nuclear weapons?
That which makes the use ofthem possible.
Hate.
Specifically, the blind hatredone group or nation can have for
(06:42):
another.
And that is why I am convincedthat nationalism is the existential
threat of our time.
I want to be clear.
Nationalism is not the same as patriotism.
It is a perversion ofpatriotism, the belief system that
promotes the idea thatinclusion and diversity represent
(07:05):
weakness, that the only way tosucceed is to give blind allegiance
to the supremacy of one raceover all others.
Nothing could be less American.
Patriotism, on the other hand,is about building each other up and
embracing our diversity as thesource of our nation's strength.
(07:30):
We the people means all the people.
American's heroes didn't diefor race or region.
They died for the idealsenshrined in our Constitution.
Above all, freedom fromtyranny, which requires our unwavering
support of a free press,freedom of religion, all religions,
(07:54):
the right to vote, and makingsure nothing infringes on any of
those rights which belong to us.
All our common values and ourcommon decency.
And today we call on allAmericans and people everywhere to
reject the scourge ofnationalism because government can't
(08:16):
legislate tolerance oreradicate hate.
That's why each one of us hasto find the beauty in our differences
instead of the fear.
Listen instead of reacting.
Reach out instead of recoiling.
It's up to all of us.
So, as you were listening tothose two speeches, I am wondering
(08:39):
if you figured out which onewas from real life and which one
was from a TV show, I wasabsolutely blown away.
I'm always several yearsbehind any TV show.
I don't watch a lot of tv, butonce I find one that I love, I tend
(09:00):
to binge watch and I'm alwaysa few years behind and I'm that way
with books as well.
So I had been wanting to watchthe longest time Madam Secretary.
So I've always been a fan ofTea Leone and started this, you know,
probably a month or so ago.
Anybody who's watched the showknows that it started out as a network
(09:21):
show.
So every season, remember whenseasons had, you know, 15, 20, 25
episodes, that's what it has,which is pretty phenomenal if you
like the show, which I happento love.
And so I was watching itearlier this week and she this was
part of a speech she gave.
(09:43):
So the second speech that Iread was actually part of her speech
that she read in the show.
And there have been so manythings in the past, probably a couple,
you know, maybe five, six,seven episodes that I've watched.
And this was filmed, this waswritten, created back in 2018 that
(10:06):
are literally what's going ontoday and for real in real life.
And I have just been struck bythe weird foreshadowing.
Something about it has justkind of simultaneously freaked me
out and intrigued me.
And the, the writing of theshow is, is very smart and just very
(10:30):
well done to begin with.
And so I just wanted to sharethis, this piece of her speech because
it spoke to me and I imaginethat it probably spoke to you as
well.
At at minimum resonated thefirst speech that I read are the
(10:51):
first little bits that I readfrom a speech were actually from
Governor J.B.
pritzker's State of the Statespeech that he gave earlier this
week.
And I happen to live in Illinois.
And, and I'm a fan of JBPritzkers and the fact that he has
(11:12):
been standing up to Trump forsince Trump 1.0.
So he is a courageous personand you may not agree with all of
his policies.
Certainly there are some thatI don't love.
However, he is showing great courage.
(11:33):
He is standing up for all ofthe people in the state of Illinois.
And I just loved what he hadto say here and how he tied together
not only the parallelparallels which we've all heard so
much of.
You know, if you are payingattention to Nazi Germany and what
(11:57):
is going on right now inAmerica, and I thought that there
were so many pieces of thisthat were striking that we need to
pay attention to that speak tothe concerns of all of us, he hit
(12:19):
on, and in the Madam Secretaryspeech as well, hit on the main pieces
that we're concerned about, right?
The hate, the discrimination,the problems with the way that people
are being deported anddisparaged, the way that gay, lesbian,
(12:41):
and especially transgenderpeople right now are being treated,
the way the developmentallydisabled, the sick, all women, all
minorities, anyone who is atall marginalized is feeling what
(13:02):
is coming out of thisadministration right now.
And I think that's where itreally circles back to a little bit
of what came out of, you know,why I was struck by the speech that
was written for MadamSecretary, the show, which was the
whole piece about nationalismversus patriotism and hate.
(13:25):
So, anyway, just wanted toshare those thoughts with you today
as I have been contemplatingand thinking about what we do, how,
how can we act, what are thethings that we can actually do to
(13:46):
make our voices be heard, topush back, to say, this isn't okay,
what is going on?
I will not be silenced.
I will not allow the tyrannyof this administration to take away
everything that has been builtover the past 250 years.
(14:09):
So I was having a conversationthe other day with a friend of mine,
and we were talking about allof the DEI stuff that has been happening
since day one, since January 20th.
A lot of those originalexecutive orders were about diversity,
equity, and inclusion.
(14:30):
And we were talking, though,specifically about how these cuts
have gone into different areasthat people maybe haven't really
thought that they would affector don't think about when you think
about dei.
So I just wanted to kind oframble about it for a little bit.
(14:51):
And I'm curious for you, whenyou hear dei, what is the first thing
that pops into your head whensomebody says a DEI program has been
cut or all of these DEIprograms will be cut?
Do you think about race?
Do you think about sexualorientation or gender identity?
(15:14):
Do you think about ability orculture or access to education or
to basic needs like food,shelter, health care?
And as I was thinking aboutthis, I realized that, you know,
we all come with our ownbiases, right?
(15:35):
We all come with the thingsthat are really important to us,
things that.
That were very concerned aboutright now, right?
So DEI could mean somethingvery different to each one of us,
and not necessarily in a badway, because dei, as so many know,
(15:55):
is not a bad thing.
So there are manyinterpretations, there's many ways
that being aware of diversity,equity, inclusion, teaching about
it, realizing that it isimportant and an important piece
of an organization.
(16:16):
There's many ways to look at that.
So, you know, it's notsurprising that so many corporations
are watering down, shifting,or really, in most cases, just altogether
eliminating any DEI positionsor programming, anything that can
be considered one that upliftsdiversity, equity, and inclusion.
(16:40):
But I've found it strikingthat so many of what this administration,
or so much of what thisadministration is really honing in
on is gender ideology, whichis not a thing, first of all, but
they've made it a thing.
(17:00):
And so that's what.
What they're really puttingout there into the ether as they
want DEI to be synonymous withgender ideology and with race.
So I just found this reallyextraordinary as I began to look
(17:25):
into how these executiveorders really were cutting into the
arts and how so many programs,you know, you think about arts programs
that maybe are more in moreurban areas, but when you think about
grants for art programs thatsupport small organizations, historically
(17:52):
underserved communities thathave limited access to the arts because
of their.
Where they are geographicallyor because of ethnicity or economics
or disability.
And I was really reading about the.
The National Endowment for theArts and how this is affecting them
(18:15):
and all of their programs that.
That go out across the country.
And I just kept coming back towhy, why, why is this happening?
And this isn't something thatI'm going to get an answer to right
now, but I'm more opposing itto you because I think when we can
(18:40):
really look at and understandthe why, that is when we come up
with really good hows.
Right?
So, of course, you know, wecould spend hours and hours on this
question.
We can debate the nuances.
(19:00):
For me, the short answer tothis question is it's a textbook
authoritarian move.
It is one of their buzzwords,dog whistles, whatever you want to
call it, because they know it divides.
(19:21):
People hear DEI and have verystrong reactions to it.
They know it will divide it.
Others, it quote, unquote, others.
It creates this you overthere, not me, or me, not you over
there, feeling right.
It instills fear.
(19:43):
It invokes silence by shuttingthese programs, shuttering these
programs and saying that therewill be consequences, severe consequences.
It shuts people down.
It shuts people up.
So remember the words from thetwo speeches that I shared.
(20:07):
This administration controlswith fear.
So what can you do?
What can you do as anindividual person?
Are you in a position whereyou can stand up in your community,
in your organization, in your family?
(20:29):
Can you push back?
What will be your.
Your bucket of water that youman your post with that bucket of
water, like JB Pritzker said?
What will that be for you?
How can you deeply, deeplycare for yourself, for your family,
(20:51):
for all of those around you,so that you can face whatever is
coming, whatever is on the horizon?
And I just came up with threethings right away that I believe
are just skimming the surfaceof things that we can do.
The first is to write and donot judge this.
(21:14):
One, do not pooh, pooh it,because I have very good, encouraging
reasons to do this.
Write and call your senatorsand Congress people, both state and
federal, and share how you're feeling.
It doesn't matter what coloryour state is.
And I for the longest timethought, why do this?
(21:35):
Because I'm just going to geta form letter back.
Do they really care?
Are they really hearing what Ihave to say?
Does it make a difference?
And I have heard severalcongresspeople talk about it, that
in fact, yes, it does.
It does.
They can take the number ofcalls they get, the number of emails
(21:58):
they get, and maybe not thecontent of each and every one, but
the sheer volume of concernthat is coming to them makes a difference.
And for those who arestruggling to stand up right now,
those who are struggling tohave a spine and push back right
(22:18):
now, maybe these calls, theseemails, this pushback from their
constituents is exactly whatthey need to have the courage.
So this is something that eachand every one of us can do from the
comfort of our own home.
Additionally, if you are able,whether it's local organizations
(22:43):
or online organizations,donate your time volunteering.
If you have extra funds,donate money if you have a talent.
And I talked about this lastweek, donate your talent to organizations
that are standing up andpushing back.
(23:04):
And most of all, do not throwin the towel.
Do not give up.
Do not think that all is lost.
Do not obey in advance.
Remember, many of theseexecutive orders are unlawful.
And all of them, each andevery one of them, is purposefully
(23:27):
meant to confuse you, tooverwhelm you, to knock the wind
out of us as a collectiveAmerican people.
So take a breath and know that.
Do what you need to do tocenter yourself, to protect yourself
and your family, and to stand strong.
(23:52):
I wanted to end today with twodo good things, things that you can
do in the world.
Kind of like I did last weekwith where you can buy Girl Scout
cookies from trans girls andtrans Girl Scout troops that you
can buy your Girl Scoutcookies from, which I just loved
(24:13):
this week.
And I'm gonna end like thisevery week because I think it's important
to remember the positivethings that are happening as well.
And this week is really justtwo things that you can watch and
keep your eye on and payattention to because it will help
you know that things arehappening when it feels like nothing
(24:37):
is happening.
Positive the first and I willlink these in the show notes so you
can just click on them.
But the first is the NationalLGBTQ Task Force doing amazing work.
You can go on there, check outwhat they are doing specifically
to support all of our LGBTQLGBTQ people.
(24:59):
And then there is justsecurity, which is listing out all
of the legal challenges to theTrump administration actions, which
is kind of fascinating.
So if you are interested inthe very legal side of this and what's
happening in that way, Ihighly encourage you to go check
this out.
(25:21):
I hope that you are enjoyingthis more kind of free flowing version
of the podcast and it iscertainly so far really fun for me.
I'd love to hear from you.
If you have ideas of somethingthat you, you know, want to offer
(25:43):
that you want me to talk aboutthat you know of going on, if you
know of great things that aregoing on, good feel good things that
are going on, email me and letme know.
I would love to talk about it.
If you have questions aboutthings that are going on, email me
those and I will look into itand do my best and to find answers
(26:08):
or at least talk about it andcreate a space where we can just
talk or at least collectivelythink about these things.
So please reach out.
I do always love to hear fromlisteners from you and until next
week, take good care and be safe.
Welcome back to beyond the Breath.
I am so glad that you're hereand joining me for this continuing
experiment that I am doing onFridays where I just kind of talk
about what's on my heart andon my mind and things that are going
on around all of us in thiscountry, in this world, things that
(02:02):
may resonate with you, thatmean a lot to you as well, and they
may not.
But just offering this spaceas a space that is a little more
open and free and really aplace where I have just chosen to
give myself permission tospeak freely and from the heart,
(02:25):
which means I may not alwaysget things right.
So I invite you, I ask you tojoin me in this very human experiment
to have these discussions orjust listen in with me and share
without all of the fact sheetsand the talking points in front of
(02:47):
us.
So this week I had come acrosstwo speeches and one actually occurred
in real time this week.
Another happened to be in ashow that I am watching right now.
And I'm not going to tell youwhich is which to begin with.
(03:08):
I'm going to read just some afew excerpts from each one of them
and then talk about it afterward.
So here are a few excerptsfrom the first one.
Here's what I've learned.
The root that tears apart yourhouse's foundation begins as a seed,
a seed of distrust and hateand blame.
(03:30):
The seed that grew into adictatorship in Europe a lifetime
ago didn't arrive overnight.
It started with everydayGermans mad about inflation and looking
for someone to blame.
I'm watching with a forebodingdread what is happening in our country
right now.
A president who watches aplane go down in the Potomac and
(03:52):
suggests, without facts orfindings that a diversity hire is
responsible for the crash?
Or the Missouri attorneygeneral who just sued Starbucks arguing
that consumers pay higherprices for their coffee because the
baristas are too female andnon white.
The authoritarian playbook islaid bare here.
(04:15):
They point to a group ofpeople who don't look like you and
tell you to blame them foryour problems.
I just have one question.
What comes next?
After we've discriminatedagainst, deported or disparaged all
of the immigrants and the gayand lesbian and transgender people,
(04:36):
developmentally disabled, thewomen and the minorities, Once we've
ostracized our neighbors andbetrayed our friends, after that,
when the problems we startedwith are still there staring us in
the face, what comes next?
(04:57):
All the atrocities of humanhistory lurk in the answer to that
question.
And if we don't want to repeathistory, then for God's sake in this
moment, we better be strongenough to learn for it.
We don't have kings inAmerica, and I don't intend to bend
the knee to one.
(05:18):
I am not speaking up inservice to my ambitions, but in deference
to my obligations.
If you think I'm overreactingand sounding the alarm too soon,
consider this.
It took the Nazis one month,three weeks, two days, eight hours
and 40 minutes to dismantle aconstitutional republic.
(05:40):
And all I'm saying is thatwhen the five alarm fire starts to
burn, every good person betterbe ready to man a post with a bucket
of water if you want to stopit from raging out of control.
Tyranny requires your fear andyour silence and your compliance.
(06:00):
Democracy requires your courage.
So gather your justice andhumanity and do not let the tragic
spirit of despair overcome uswhen our country needs us the most.
And here are some pieces fromthe second speech.
(06:21):
Courage and determination havemade humankind safer from the second
greatest threat it faces.
What is an even greater threatthan nuclear weapons?
That which makes the use ofthem possible.
Hate.
Specifically, the blind hatredone group or nation can have for
(06:42):
another.
And that is why I am convincedthat nationalism is the existential
threat of our time.
I want to be clear.
Nationalism is not the same as patriotism.
It is a perversion ofpatriotism, the belief system that
promotes the idea thatinclusion and diversity represent
(07:05):
weakness, that the only way tosucceed is to give blind allegiance
to the supremacy of one raceover all others.
Nothing could be less American.
Patriotism, on the other hand,is about building each other up and
embracing our diversity as thesource of our nation's strength.
(07:30):
We the people means all the people.
American's heroes didn't diefor race or region.
They died for the idealsenshrined in our Constitution.
Above all, freedom fromtyranny, which requires our unwavering
support of a free press,freedom of religion, all religions,
(07:54):
the right to vote, and makingsure nothing infringes on any of
those rights which belong to us.
All our common values and ourcommon decency.
And today we call on allAmericans and people everywhere to
reject the scourge ofnationalism because government can't
(08:16):
legislate tolerance oreradicate hate.
That's why each one of us hasto find the beauty in our differences
instead of the fear.
Listen instead of reacting.
Reach out instead of recoiling.
It's up to all of us.
So, as you were listening tothose two speeches, I am wondering
(08:39):
if you figured out which onewas from real life and which one
was from a TV show, I wasabsolutely blown away.
I'm always several yearsbehind any TV show.
I don't watch a lot of tv, butonce I find one that I love, I tend
(09:00):
to binge watch and I'm alwaysa few years behind and I'm that way
with books as well.
So I had been wanting to watchthe longest time Madam Secretary.
So I've always been a fan ofTea Leone and started this, you know,
probably a month or so ago.
Anybody who's watched the showknows that it started out as a network
(09:21):
show.
So every season, remember whenseasons had, you know, 15, 20, 25
episodes, that's what it has,which is pretty phenomenal if you
like the show, which I happento love.
And so I was watching itearlier this week and she this was
part of a speech she gave.
(09:43):
So the second speech that Iread was actually part of her speech
that she read in the show.
And there have been so manythings in the past, probably a couple,
you know, maybe five, six,seven episodes that I've watched.
And this was filmed, this waswritten, created back in 2018 that
(10:06):
are literally what's going ontoday and for real in real life.
And I have just been struck bythe weird foreshadowing.
Something about it has justkind of simultaneously freaked me
out and intrigued me.
And the, the writing of theshow is, is very smart and just very
(10:30):
well done to begin with.
And so I just wanted to sharethis, this piece of her speech because
it spoke to me and I imaginethat it probably spoke to you as
well.
At at minimum resonated thefirst speech that I read are the
(10:51):
first little bits that I readfrom a speech were actually from
Governor J.B.
pritzker's State of the Statespeech that he gave earlier this
week.
And I happen to live in Illinois.
And, and I'm a fan of JBPritzkers and the fact that he has
(11:12):
been standing up to Trump forsince Trump 1.0.
So he is a courageous personand you may not agree with all of
his policies.
Certainly there are some thatI don't love.
However, he is showing great courage.
(11:33):
He is standing up for all ofthe people in the state of Illinois.
And I just loved what he hadto say here and how he tied together
not only the parallelparallels which we've all heard so
much of.
You know, if you are payingattention to Nazi Germany and what
(11:57):
is going on right now inAmerica, and I thought that there
were so many pieces of thisthat were striking that we need to
pay attention to that speak tothe concerns of all of us, he hit
(12:19):
on, and in the Madam Secretaryspeech as well, hit on the main pieces
that we're concerned about, right?
The hate, the discrimination,the problems with the way that people
are being deported anddisparaged, the way that gay, lesbian,
(12:41):
and especially transgenderpeople right now are being treated,
the way the developmentallydisabled, the sick, all women, all
minorities, anyone who is atall marginalized is feeling what
(13:02):
is coming out of thisadministration right now.
And I think that's where itreally circles back to a little bit
of what came out of, you know,why I was struck by the speech that
was written for MadamSecretary, the show, which was the
whole piece about nationalismversus patriotism and hate.
(13:25):
So, anyway, just wanted toshare those thoughts with you today
as I have been contemplatingand thinking about what we do, how,
how can we act, what are thethings that we can actually do to
(13:46):
make our voices be heard, topush back, to say, this isn't okay,
what is going on?
I will not be silenced.
I will not allow the tyrannyof this administration to take away
everything that has been builtover the past 250 years.
(14:09):
So I was having a conversationthe other day with a friend of mine,
and we were talking about allof the DEI stuff that has been happening
since day one, since January 20th.
A lot of those originalexecutive orders were about diversity,
equity, and inclusion.
(14:30):
And we were talking, though,specifically about how these cuts
have gone into different areasthat people maybe haven't really
thought that they would affector don't think about when you think
about dei.
So I just wanted to kind oframble about it for a little bit.
(14:51):
And I'm curious for you, whenyou hear dei, what is the first thing
that pops into your head whensomebody says a DEI program has been
cut or all of these DEIprograms will be cut?
Do you think about race?
Do you think about sexualorientation or gender identity?
(15:14):
Do you think about ability orculture or access to education or
to basic needs like food,shelter, health care?
And as I was thinking aboutthis, I realized that, you know,
we all come with our ownbiases, right?
(15:35):
We all come with the thingsthat are really important to us,
things that.
That were very concerned aboutright now, right?
So DEI could mean somethingvery different to each one of us,
and not necessarily in a badway, because dei, as so many know,
(15:55):
is not a bad thing.
So there are manyinterpretations, there's many ways
that being aware of diversity,equity, inclusion, teaching about
it, realizing that it isimportant and an important piece
of an organization.
(16:16):
There's many ways to look at that.
So, you know, it's notsurprising that so many corporations
are watering down, shifting,or really, in most cases, just altogether
eliminating any DEI positionsor programming, anything that can
be considered one that upliftsdiversity, equity, and inclusion.
(16:40):
But I've found it strikingthat so many of what this administration,
or so much of what thisadministration is really honing in
on is gender ideology, whichis not a thing, first of all, but
they've made it a thing.
(17:00):
And so that's what.
What they're really puttingout there into the ether as they
want DEI to be synonymous withgender ideology and with race.
So I just found this reallyextraordinary as I began to look
(17:25):
into how these executiveorders really were cutting into the
arts and how so many programs,you know, you think about arts programs
that maybe are more in moreurban areas, but when you think about
grants for art programs thatsupport small organizations, historically
(17:52):
underserved communities thathave limited access to the arts because
of their.
Where they are geographicallyor because of ethnicity or economics
or disability.
And I was really reading about the.
The National Endowment for theArts and how this is affecting them
(18:15):
and all of their programs that.
That go out across the country.
And I just kept coming back towhy, why, why is this happening?
And this isn't something thatI'm going to get an answer to right
now, but I'm more opposing itto you because I think when we can
(18:40):
really look at and understandthe why, that is when we come up
with really good hows.
Right?
So, of course, you know, wecould spend hours and hours on this
question.
We can debate the nuances.
(19:00):
For me, the short answer tothis question is it's a textbook
authoritarian move.
It is one of their buzzwords,dog whistles, whatever you want to
call it, because they know it divides.
(19:21):
People hear DEI and have verystrong reactions to it.
They know it will divide it.
Others, it quote, unquote, others.
It creates this you overthere, not me, or me, not you over
there, feeling right.
It instills fear.
(19:43):
It invokes silence by shuttingthese programs, shuttering these
programs and saying that therewill be consequences, severe consequences.
It shuts people down.
It shuts people up.
So remember the words from thetwo speeches that I shared.
(20:07):
This administration controlswith fear.
So what can you do?
What can you do as anindividual person?
Are you in a position whereyou can stand up in your community,
in your organization, in your family?
(20:29):
Can you push back?
What will be your.
Your bucket of water that youman your post with that bucket of
water, like JB Pritzker said?
What will that be for you?
How can you deeply, deeplycare for yourself, for your family,
(20:51):
for all of those around you,so that you can face whatever is
coming, whatever is on the horizon?
And I just came up with threethings right away that I believe
are just skimming the surfaceof things that we can do.
The first is to write and donot judge this.
(21:14):
One, do not pooh, pooh it,because I have very good, encouraging
reasons to do this.
Write and call your senatorsand Congress people, both state and
federal, and share how you're feeling.
It doesn't matter what coloryour state is.
And I for the longest timethought, why do this?
(21:35):
Because I'm just going to geta form letter back.
Do they really care?
Are they really hearing what Ihave to say?
Does it make a difference?
And I have heard severalcongresspeople talk about it, that
in fact, yes, it does.
It does.
They can take the number ofcalls they get, the number of emails
(21:58):
they get, and maybe not thecontent of each and every one, but
the sheer volume of concernthat is coming to them makes a difference.
And for those who arestruggling to stand up right now,
those who are struggling tohave a spine and push back right
(22:18):
now, maybe these calls, theseemails, this pushback from their
constituents is exactly whatthey need to have the courage.
So this is something that eachand every one of us can do from the
comfort of our own home.
Additionally, if you are able,whether it's local organizations
(22:43):
or online organizations,donate your time volunteering.
If you have extra funds,donate money if you have a talent.
And I talked about this lastweek, donate your talent to organizations
that are standing up andpushing back.
(23:04):
And most of all, do not throwin the towel.
Do not give up.
Do not think that all is lost.
Do not obey in advance.
Remember, many of theseexecutive orders are unlawful.
And all of them, each andevery one of them, is purposefully
(23:27):
meant to confuse you, tooverwhelm you, to knock the wind
out of us as a collectiveAmerican people.
So take a breath and know that.
Do what you need to do tocenter yourself, to protect yourself
and your family, and to stand strong.
(23:52):
I wanted to end today with twodo good things, things that you can
do in the world.
Kind of like I did last weekwith where you can buy Girl Scout
cookies from trans girls andtrans Girl Scout troops that you
can buy your Girl Scoutcookies from, which I just loved
(24:13):
this week.
And I'm gonna end like thisevery week because I think it's important
to remember the positivethings that are happening as well.
And this week is really justtwo things that you can watch and
keep your eye on and payattention to because it will help
you know that things arehappening when it feels like nothing
(24:37):
is happening.
Positive the first and I willlink these in the show notes so you
can just click on them.
But the first is the NationalLGBTQ Task Force doing amazing work.
You can go on there, check outwhat they are doing specifically
to support all of our LGBTQLGBTQ people.
(24:59):
And then there is justsecurity, which is listing out all
of the legal challenges to theTrump administration actions, which
is kind of fascinating.
So if you are interested inthe very legal side of this and what's
happening in that way, Ihighly encourage you to go check
this out.
(25:21):
I hope that you are enjoyingthis more kind of free flowing version
of the podcast and it iscertainly so far really fun for me.
I'd love to hear from you.
If you have ideas of somethingthat you, you know, want to offer
(25:43):
that you want me to talk aboutthat you know of going on, if you
know of great things that aregoing on, good feel good things that
are going on, email me and letme know.
I would love to talk about it.
If you have questions aboutthings that are going on, email me
those and I will look into itand do my best and to find answers
(26:08):
or at least talk about it andcreate a space where we can just
talk or at least collectivelythink about these things.
So please reach out.
I do always love to hear fromlisteners from you and until next
week, take good care and be safe.
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