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Act Out! podcast

A nerderific podcast that wanders through questions big and small, deep and shallow, from the philosophical to the political to the cultural. Step inside the nerdery...
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Now displaying: 2019

The news corporate media won't touch, stories from the front lines of our movements to fight and build and just a dash of spoken word, visual art and snark. Blend and enjoy.

Jun 28, 2019

Legal wins against herbicides and pesticides are often just the beginning of more battles – and could fall short of the necessary change to protect our land and our soil. Next, the number of refugees worldwide is the highest its ever been, since the the UN started keeping track some 70 years ago. As the US perpetuates war, climate change and bolsters fascism here at home, we can not turn away from the reality we are creating. Finally, Vanessa Beck with Black Alliance for Peace joins us to talk about the 1033 program and the empire's militant home game.


https://popularresistance.org/
https://blackallianceforpeace.com/

Jun 21, 2019

In the ancient forests of Northern California, a battle to protect life intensifies. Meanwhile, on the other coast, the battle against a fracked gas pipeline notches a couple of momentary wins.
The US military doesn't just perpetuate climate change through war, but through actual fuel consumption. War literally is climate change.

PLUS Diana Best, senior finance campaigner with BlackRock's Big Problem introduces us to the largest single investor in climate change in the world. Here's why they represent a vital target in climate justice work and more.

tiny.cc/supportbasecamp

Email to go to camp: efhum@riseup.net

https://www.stopthewilliamspipeline.org/

https://www.blackrocksbigproblem.com

Jun 7, 2019

Nick Brana, founder of the Movement for a People's Party joins us to lay out the Democratic party's playbook, based on what he's seen on the inside and built in response on the outside.

 

https://peoplesparty.org/

May 31, 2019

A look at the worsening emergency in the borderlands – hint: the migrants aren't the ones creating the emergency. Next up, they say dissent is patriotic – but they clearly haven't met the 'Muricans pushing hardcore totalitarian legislation that criminalizes protest. And finally, we speak with a doctor from Physicians for Reproductive Health about the recent escalation in anti-reproductive rights legislation.

nomoredeaths.org/
https://www.facebook.com/creativebrownresistance/
https://mutualaiddisasterrelief.org/
https://prh.org

 

May 24, 2019

Try as we might, we can't hide from climate change. And now, thanks to a legally binding UN resolution, the US can't hide from its own heaps of trash. Next up, media literacy is a vital skill set – indeed, it shapes how we see every other issue. And now, there may be a way to build media literacy and hold journalists accountable by taking a page from Yelp and Rotten Tomatoes.

 

https://credder.com/

May 17, 2019

Last week, tens of thousands took part in the teacher's strike in Oregon. Their list of demands throw into sharp focus not only our nation's failures inside the classroom, but throughout society. Next, a Rhode Island school district has decided to publicly shame children as a kind of twisted lunch money stickup.

PLUS Robbie Leppzer sits down to discuss his latest film, Power Struggle, which chronicles the decades-long grassroots fight against the nuclear power industry in Vermont, and why all Americans need to educate themselves on this issue.

 

https://www.powerstrugglemovie.com/

http://www.beyondnuclear.org/

https://www.nirs.org/

May 10, 2019

Human rights violations are rife in Alabama prisons – meanwhile, the Alabama Department of Corrections continues to overcrowd these torture centers while blaming mistreatment on staff shortages.

Next up, we are effectively laminating our planet in plastic. And while the public recognition of plastic's evil and long life is growing, there are several aspects of this industry we don't talk about – and we really need to.

 

https://www.ciel.org

https://bit.ly/ActOutNewsletter

May 3, 2019

Venezuela is under attack. As US empire applies various violent tactics to destabilize the nation, a group of activists stand in the way of the war machine by holding space at the Venezuelan embassy.

Next, Netfa Freeman discuss pan-african issues and the neo-colonialist scramble for Africa also known as AFRICOM.

 

https://www.facebook.com/ColectivosporlaPaz/
http://www.pacadmv.org/

Apr 26, 2019

When fighting for human rights is a crime, we should all become outlaws.

Sixteen activists fighting the overt rise of fascism find themselves in the crosshairs of our “justice system.” We take a look at the detention of migrant children, the celebration of white supremacist imperialism and how folks are standing up for justice.

Next up, there is precious little ancient forest left in this world – and a patch in Northern California is quite literally on the chop block. We sit down with a forest protector for a look into the grotesque world of logging and destroying in the Mattole watershed.

 

https://bit.ly/borderland16
https://www.facebook.com/savethemattoleforest/

Apr 19, 2019

A special episode that takes a look at how US empire operates in two of its latest and long standing efforts to terrorize and oppress foreign peoples, trample self-determination, and whitewash hearts and minds here at home.

Recently returned from trips to Venezuela and Iran, Kevin Zeese and Dr. Margaret Flowers sit down with me to discuss what US imperialism looks like from the front lines, and how the people the US targets are not only wise to these tactics, but they have no intention of submitting.

https://popularresistance.org/
http://bit.ly/ActOut205VZ
http://bit.ly/ActOut205Iran

Apr 12, 2019

Breaking up from the abusive relationship with oil and gas is no easy task – but several communities in Louisiana have started divorce proceedings.

Meanwhile, lawmakers push to keep the abuser at home while the state quite literally disappears into the blue, oil-slicked abyss.

Finally, two community organizers join us to talk about their current fight against a dirty energy project so horrific not even the Nazis wanted anything to do with it!

 

https://www.noc2d.com
http://valleywatch.net

Apr 5, 2019

Who gets water and what does it cost? Should it even cost anything?
A new report looks at what restricts access to water and the only real solution to address it.
PLUS, as floods continue to pound huge swaths of the US, here's another reason to fear the storm surge (hint: snakes!)

Pia Eberhardt wants you to know about the Energy Charter Treaty, a trade agreement that encompasses almost 25% of the world's countries and is on the hunt for more.

https://www.energy-charter-dirty-secrets.org/

Mar 22, 2019

Rob from the poor to give to our wars. We take a dive into the grotesque sludge that is Trump's proposed budget - and why we should really care regardless of whether it passes Congress or not. Next up, Mnar Muhawesh with Mint Press News introduces us to NewsGuard, the new Big Brother that's here to tell you what to believe via a neo-con backed news ranking system. Hint: they wouldn't like our show.

https://www.mintpressnews.com/

Mar 15, 2019

The war machine marches on towards toppling the democratically elected President Maduro of Venezuela. Meanwhile, the US empire isn't acting alone. Colombia is throwing in its lot with Uncle Sam to the continued detriment of both Venezuelans and Colombians.

Nelly Velandia and Luisa Fernanda Gonzalez of Cumbre Nacional de Mujeres y Paz join us along with Gimena Sanchez of WOLA to discuss the ongoing human rights violations in Colombia. Focusing on war crimes against women, they explain the situation on the ground and the direct connections between their government, the United States and corporate malfeasance.

 

https://www.wola.org/

http://cumbrenacionaldemujeresypaz.com

Mar 8, 2019

Dissent – protest, direct action, civil disobedience – these are the manifestations of our power. And they are the only things that the ruling elite truly fear. Which is why we're seeing a wave of legislation being introduced to try and crackdown on that power – to strangle our ability to affect change. Here's the scoop and how we should respond. Next, industrial hemp is now federally legal – but what does that actually mean? What's included in that? And how does this affect conflicting state or local laws? Ministry of Hemp editor-in-chief Kit O'Connell joins us to lay it all out.

https://ministryofhemp.com/
https://www.votehemp.com/
https://hempsupporter.com/
https://www.hemphistoryweek.com/

Mar 1, 2019

As the world rightfully demands no sanctions, no coup and no war on Venezuela, another crime scene rife with US fingerprints demands our attention. Kevin Pina joins us to talk about the ongoing crisis in Haiti, the history and present of US involvement and the larger context we must grasp if we are ever to loosen this imperialist stranglehold. In short, colonialism didn’t die - it just put on a suit and tie.

http://haitiinformationproject.net/
http://www.haitiemergencyrelief.org/
https://haitisolidarity.net/
http://www.ijdh.org/

 

Feb 22, 2019

First off, some GOOD NEWS! From the environmental justice front lines and the streets of Queens, here's some inspiration to fuel your activism.

Next, could it be true that the House introduced progressive legislation to address our painfully corrupted electoral system? Well, kinda. Here's a look at HR1 and why we need to look beyond the veil of sweet-sounding reforms.

Next up, a similar problem with the recently passed War Powers resolution that aims to cut our support of the genocide in Yemen.

Then, it's Medicare for All, not Medicare for Some – a look at how the establishment wants to dodge universal healthcare and why.

Finally, Remote Area Medical shows us what “healthcare” looks like for the most marginalized by doing what our healthcare system doesn't: offering medical care for free.

 

 

Feb 15, 2019

Imagine a fracked gas pipeline going straight through New York Harbor. An image that neither the pipeline company nor the federal regulatory agency seem to have a problem with – despite their own admission that it would contribute to climate change. We sit down with the folks driving the resistance to this project on the front lines – and wrap with some spoken word inspiration for the fight.

https://www.stopthewilliamspipeline.org/
https://www.artkillingapathy.com/

Feb 8, 2019

Here's what happens when you fine big polluters – plus a look at how intertwined law enforcement and pipeline companies are (hint: it's not you they're protecting and serving.)

Next up, should we stay or should we go? Why corporate media is getting so nostalgic for perpetual war in the Middle East.

And finally, Senate Bill 1, anti-Zionism, antisemitism – clearing the fog with Nora Barrows-Friedman.

 

https://electronicintifada.net/

Feb 1, 2019

A special look at the situation in Venezuela from outside the corporate media; here's the scoop you NEED to hear, the empire's ills laid bare, and how we must activate to take on the violent bi-partisan machine that profits off of the suffering of millions. Indeed, we have more in common with the people of Venezuela than we do with our government. And it is this solidarity we must recognize in order to shift our horrific foreign policy.

 

http://bit.ly/DanKovalikBook
http://bit.ly/PopResVenezuela
http://bit.ly/TheNationVZArticle

Special thanks to Dan Beeton at the Center for Economic and Policy Research for sharing these articles.


http://bit.ly/CEPR_onVZ
http://bit.ly/VZ_Brazil
http://bit.ly/VZ_TheRight
http://bit.ly/HetlandOnVZ
http://bit.ly/AlexMainArticle

Jan 25, 2019

How the lie of a struggling school district drove LA teachers to strike – and the larger fight for public school funding vs. charter school elitism that these actions highlight.

Next, in the forests of British Columbia, sovereign indigenous clans continue a decade-long shutdown of dirty energy projects.

And finally, Chris Garaffa joins us to talk tech – suggestion: leave your phone in the other room – it won't want to hear this.

 

https://www.facebook.com/unistoten/
http://unistoten.camp/
https://www.utla.net
https://chrisgaraffa.com/

Jan 18, 2019

You can't call yourself a public hospital if you can only serve the public by price-gouging another segment of the public. We take a look at why hospitals are closing and why even well-meaning reforms can't take hold in a privatized, for-profit system.

There's land (and our kids' futures) for sale! You just gotta be willing to destroy it for the sake of a measly profit margin that pushes us further into climate chaos.

Rory Varrato joins us to talk about Extinction Rebellion NYC: upcoming events, the power of a decentralized, collaborative structure and what we should expect from ourselves as we move further into the age of climate change.

http://healthoverprofit.org/
http://xrr.nyc/
https://www.facebook.com/XRNYC/

artkillingapathy.com

Jan 11, 2019

Here's what climate refugees need to make it through a disaster. How would you fare? Next up, how the government shutdown targets survivors of domestic and sexual violence – plus the age-old story of colonial oppression gets a reboot via an outgoing Representative's bill block. Finally, Elizabeth Vega joins us to talk about the Tornillo occupation – and how to address the rise of imprisoned migrant children and families.

 

https://www.facebook.com/creativebrownresistance

bit.ly/ActOutNewsletter

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