Episode description

With growing campus protests against the U.S. backing Netanyahu’s genocidal war to cling to power and the Democratic National Convention returning to Chicago this summer, it’s hard not to think of 1968. As this week’s guest, Ari Berman of Mother Jones, explains, the Founding Fathers of America set us up for cycles of fascism vs. democracy, cynicism vs. idealism.

It’s important to be aware of how social movements can be hijacked and weaponized. For that, read the essential 2017 piece in The Guardian by Micah White, a co-founder of Occupy Wall Street, on how Russia tried to co-opt him. While there’s a long history of the Left being weaponized by foreign adversaries, as the film Mr. Jones reminds us, the magnitude of campus protests across America is a morally clear line, like the Vietnam War and Iraq War protests before them.

As we head into the spring of the most important year for America, one where democracy must prevail, it’s important to take time to reflect on radical self-care. As empathy becomes the growing demand of our collective, activism must include self-care, one of the most important acts of resistance, as Angela Davis in our opening clip reminds us. This week’s bonus show reflects on that and urges our listeners to reach out to an old friend to reconnect and re-energize. You will be glad you did, as we get closer to the ticking clock of November 5th. 

In this week’s bonus show, Ari Berman of Mother Jones, author of the must-read book Minority Rule, joins the long list of guests to take the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A, producing some surprising answers and a rallying call, for Ari, along the way.  

Join the conversation with a community of listeners at Patreon.com/Gaslit and get bonus shows, all episodes ad free, submit questions to our regular Q&As, get exclusive invites to live events, and more!

Show Notes:

Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People--And the Fight to Resist It https://bookshop.org/p/books/minority-rule-ari-berman/19994801?ean=9780374600211

I started Occupy Wall Street. Russia tried to co-opt me | Micah White https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/nov/02/activist-russia-protest-occupy-black-lives-matter 

Opening Clip: Radical Self Care by AfroPunk Featuring Angela Davis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1cHoL4vaBs