Episode 143
Beyond the Breath: A Reflection on Modern Discourse
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.
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Transcript
Welcome back to beyond the Breath.
Speaker A:I am so glad that you're here and joining me for this continuing experiment that I am doing on Fridays where I just kind of talk about what's on my heart and on my mind and things that are going on around all of us in this country, in this world, things that may resonate with you, that mean a lot to you as well, and they may not.
Speaker A:But just offering this space as a space that is a little more open and free and really a place where I have just chosen to give myself permission to speak freely and from the heart, which means I may not always get things right.
Speaker A:So I invite you, I ask you to join me in this very human experiment to have these discussions or just listen in with me and share without all of the fact sheets and the talking points in front of us.
Speaker A:So this week I had come across two speeches and one actually occurred in real time this week.
Speaker A:Another happened to be in a show that I am watching right now.
Speaker A:And I'm not going to tell you which is which to begin with.
Speaker A:I'm going to read just some a few excerpts from each one of them and then talk about it afterward.
Speaker A:So here are a few excerpts from the first one.
Speaker A:Here's what I've learned.
Speaker A:The root that tears apart your house's foundation begins as a seed, a seed of distrust and hate and blame.
Speaker A:The seed that grew into a dictatorship in Europe a lifetime ago didn't arrive overnight.
Speaker A:It started with everyday Germans mad about inflation and looking for someone to blame.
Speaker A:I'm watching with a foreboding dread what is happening in our country right now.
Speaker A:A president who watches a plane go down in the Potomac and suggests, without facts or findings that a diversity hire is responsible for the crash?
Speaker A:Or the Missouri attorney general who just sued Starbucks arguing that consumers pay higher prices for their coffee because the baristas are too female and non white.
Speaker A:The authoritarian playbook is laid bare here.
Speaker A:They point to a group of people who don't look like you and tell you to blame them for your problems.
Speaker A:I just have one question.
Speaker A:What comes next?
Speaker A:After we've discriminated against, deported or disparaged all of the immigrants and the gay and lesbian and transgender people, developmentally disabled, the women and the minorities, Once we've ostracized our neighbors and betrayed our friends, after that, when the problems we started with are still there staring us in the face, what comes next?
Speaker A:All the atrocities of human history lurk in the answer to that question.
Speaker A:And if we don't want to repeat history, then for God's sake in this moment, we better be strong enough to learn for it.
Speaker A:We don't have kings in America, and I don't intend to bend the knee to one.
Speaker A:I am not speaking up in service to my ambitions, but in deference to my obligations.
Speaker A:If you think I'm overreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this.
Speaker A:It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle a constitutional republic.
Speaker A:And all I'm saying is that when the five alarm fire starts to burn, every good person better be ready to man a post with a bucket of water if you want to stop it from raging out of control.
Speaker A:Tyranny requires your fear and your silence and your compliance.
Speaker A:Democracy requires your courage.
Speaker A:So gather your justice and humanity and do not let the tragic spirit of despair overcome us when our country needs us the most.
Speaker A:And here are some pieces from the second speech.
Speaker A:Courage and determination have made humankind safer from the second greatest threat it faces.
Speaker A:What is an even greater threat than nuclear weapons?
Speaker A:That which makes the use of them possible.
Speaker A:Hate.
Speaker A:Specifically, the blind hatred one group or nation can have for another.
Speaker A:And that is why I am convinced that nationalism is the existential threat of our time.
Speaker A:I want to be clear.
Speaker A:Nationalism is not the same as patriotism.
Speaker A:It is a perversion of patriotism, the belief system that promotes the idea that inclusion and diversity represent weakness, that the only way to succeed is to give blind allegiance to the supremacy of one race over all others.
Speaker A:Nothing could be less American.
Speaker A:Patriotism, on the other hand, is about building each other up and embracing our diversity as the source of our nation's strength.
Speaker A:We the people means all the people.
Speaker A:American's heroes didn't die for race or region.
Speaker A:They died for the ideals enshrined in our Constitution.
Speaker A:Above all, freedom from tyranny, which requires our unwavering support of a free press, freedom of religion, all religions, the right to vote, and making sure nothing infringes on any of those rights which belong to us.
Speaker A:All our common values and our common decency.
Speaker A:And today we call on all Americans and people everywhere to reject the scourge of nationalism because government can't legislate tolerance or eradicate hate.
Speaker A:That's why each one of us has to find the beauty in our differences instead of the fear.
Speaker A:Listen instead of reacting.
Speaker A:Reach out instead of recoiling.
Speaker A:It's up to all of us.
Speaker A:So, as you were listening to those two speeches, I am wondering if you figured out which one was from real life and which one was from a TV show, I was absolutely blown away.
Speaker A:I'm always several years behind any TV show.
Speaker A:I don't watch a lot of tv, but once I find one that I love, I tend to binge watch and I'm always a few years behind and I'm that way with books as well.
Speaker A:So I had been wanting to watch the longest time Madam Secretary.
Speaker A:So I've always been a fan of Tea Leone and started this, you know, probably a month or so ago.
Speaker A:Anybody who's watched the show knows that it started out as a network show.
Speaker A:So every season, remember when seasons had, you know, 15, 20, 25 episodes, that's what it has, which is pretty phenomenal if you like the show, which I happen to love.
Speaker A:And so I was watching it earlier this week and she this was part of a speech she gave.
Speaker A:So the second speech that I read was actually part of her speech that she read in the show.
Speaker A:And there have been so many things in the past, probably a couple, you know, maybe five, six, seven episodes that I've watched.
Speaker A: was written, created back in: Speaker A:And I have just been struck by the weird foreshadowing.
Speaker A:Something about it has just kind of simultaneously freaked me out and intrigued me.
Speaker A:And the, the writing of the show is, is very smart and just very well done to begin with.
Speaker A:And so I just wanted to share this, this piece of her speech because it spoke to me and I imagine that it probably spoke to you as well.
Speaker A:At at minimum resonated the first speech that I read are the first little bits that I read from a speech were actually from Governor J.B.
Speaker A:pritzker's State of the State speech that he gave earlier this week.
Speaker A:And I happen to live in Illinois.
Speaker A:And, and I'm a fan of JB Pritzkers and the fact that he has been standing up to Trump for since Trump 1.0.
Speaker A:So he is a courageous person and you may not agree with all of his policies.
Speaker A:Certainly there are some that I don't love.
Speaker A:However, he is showing great courage.
Speaker A:He is standing up for all of the people in the state of Illinois.
Speaker A:And I just loved what he had to say here and how he tied together not only the parallel parallels which we've all heard so much of.
Speaker A:You know, if you are paying attention to Nazi Germany and what is going on right now in America, and I thought that there were so many pieces of this that were striking that we need to pay attention to that speak to the concerns of all of us, he hit on, and in the Madam Secretary speech as well, hit on the main pieces that we're concerned about, right?
Speaker A:The hate, the discrimination, the problems with the way that people are being deported and disparaged, the way that gay, lesbian, and especially transgender people right now are being treated, the way the developmentally disabled, the sick, all women, all minorities, anyone who is at all marginalized is feeling what is coming out of this administration right now.
Speaker A:And I think that's where it really circles back to a little bit of what came out of, you know, why I was struck by the speech that was written for Madam Secretary, the show, which was the whole piece about nationalism versus patriotism and hate.
Speaker A:So, anyway, just wanted to share those thoughts with you today as I have been contemplating and thinking about what we do, how, how can we act, what are the things that we can actually do to make our voices be heard, to push back, to say, this isn't okay, what is going on?
Speaker A:I will not be silenced.
Speaker A:I will not allow the tyranny of this administration to take away everything that has been built over the past 250 years.
Speaker A:So I was having a conversation the other day with a friend of mine, and we were talking about all of the DEI stuff that has been happening since day one, since January 20th.
Speaker A:A lot of those original executive orders were about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Speaker A:And we were talking, though, specifically about how these cuts have gone into different areas that people maybe haven't really thought that they would affect or don't think about when you think about dei.
Speaker A:So I just wanted to kind of ramble about it for a little bit.
Speaker A:And I'm curious for you, when you hear dei, what is the first thing that pops into your head when somebody says a DEI program has been cut or all of these DEI programs will be cut?
Speaker A:Do you think about race?
Speaker A:Do you think about sexual orientation or gender identity?
Speaker A:Do you think about ability or culture or access to education or to basic needs like food, shelter, health care?
Speaker A:And as I was thinking about this, I realized that, you know, we all come with our own biases, right?
Speaker A:We all come with the things that are really important to us, things that.
Speaker A:That were very concerned about right now, right?
Speaker A:So DEI could mean something very different to each one of us, and not necessarily in a bad way, because dei, as so many know, is not a bad thing.
Speaker A:So there are many interpretations, there's many ways that being aware of diversity, equity, inclusion, teaching about it, realizing that it is important and an important piece of an organization.
Speaker A:There's many ways to look at that.
Speaker A:So, you know, it's not surprising that so many corporations are watering down, shifting, or really, in most cases, just altogether eliminating any DEI positions or programming, anything that can be considered one that uplifts diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Speaker A:But I've found it striking that so many of what this administration, or so much of what this administration is really honing in on is gender ideology, which is not a thing, first of all, but they've made it a thing.
Speaker A:And so that's what.
Speaker A:What they're really putting out there into the ether as they want DEI to be synonymous with gender ideology and with race.
Speaker A:So I just found this really extraordinary as I began to look into how these executive orders really were cutting into the arts and how so many programs, you know, you think about arts programs that maybe are more in more urban areas, but when you think about grants for art programs that support small organizations, historically underserved communities that have limited access to the arts because of their.
Speaker A:Where they are geographically or because of ethnicity or economics or disability.
Speaker A:And I was really reading about the.
Speaker A:The National Endowment for the Arts and how this is affecting them and all of their programs that.
Speaker A:That go out across the country.
Speaker A:And I just kept coming back to why, why, why is this happening?
Speaker A:And this isn't something that I'm going to get an answer to right now, but I'm more opposing it to you because I think when we can really look at and understand the why, that is when we come up with really good hows.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:So, of course, you know, we could spend hours and hours on this question.
Speaker A:We can debate the nuances.
Speaker A:For me, the short answer to this question is it's a textbook authoritarian move.
Speaker A:It is one of their buzzwords, dog whistles, whatever you want to call it, because they know it divides.
Speaker A:People hear DEI and have very strong reactions to it.
Speaker A:They know it will divide it.
Speaker A:Others, it quote, unquote, others.
Speaker A:It creates this you over there, not me, or me, not you over there, feeling right.
Speaker A:It instills fear.
Speaker A:It invokes silence by shutting these programs, shuttering these programs and saying that there will be consequences, severe consequences.
Speaker A:It shuts people down.
Speaker A:It shuts people up.
Speaker A:So remember the words from the two speeches that I shared.
Speaker A:This administration controls with fear.
Speaker A:So what can you do?
Speaker A:What can you do as an individual person?
Speaker A:Are you in a position where you can stand up in your community, in your organization, in your family?
Speaker A:Can you push back?
Speaker A:What will be your.
Speaker A:Your bucket of water that you man your post with that bucket of water, like JB Pritzker said?
Speaker A:What will that be for you?
Speaker A:How can you deeply, deeply care for yourself, for your family, for all of those around you, so that you can face whatever is coming, whatever is on the horizon?
Speaker A:And I just came up with three things right away that I believe are just skimming the surface of things that we can do.
Speaker A:The first is to write and do not judge this.
Speaker A:One, do not pooh, pooh it, because I have very good, encouraging reasons to do this.
Speaker A:Write and call your senators and Congress people, both state and federal, and share how you're feeling.
Speaker A:It doesn't matter what color your state is.
Speaker A:And I for the longest time thought, why do this?
Speaker A:Because I'm just going to get a form letter back.
Speaker A:Do they really care?
Speaker A:Are they really hearing what I have to say?
Speaker A:Does it make a difference?
Speaker A:And I have heard several congresspeople talk about it, that in fact, yes, it does.
Speaker A:It does.
Speaker A:They can take the number of calls they get, the number of emails they get, and maybe not the content of each and every one, but the sheer volume of concern that is coming to them makes a difference.
Speaker A:And for those who are struggling to stand up right now, those who are struggling to have a spine and push back right now, maybe these calls, these emails, this pushback from their constituents is exactly what they need to have the courage.
Speaker A:So this is something that each and every one of us can do from the comfort of our own home.
Speaker A:Additionally, if you are able, whether it's local organizations or online organizations, donate your time volunteering.
Speaker A:If you have extra funds, donate money if you have a talent.
Speaker A:And I talked about this last week, donate your talent to organizations that are standing up and pushing back.
Speaker A:And most of all, do not throw in the towel.
Speaker A:Do not give up.
Speaker A:Do not think that all is lost.
Speaker A:Do not obey in advance.
Speaker A:Remember, many of these executive orders are unlawful.
Speaker A:And all of them, each and every one of them, is purposefully meant to confuse you, to overwhelm you, to knock the wind out of us as a collective American people.
Speaker A:So take a breath and know that.
Speaker A:Do what you need to do to center yourself, to protect yourself and your family, and to stand strong.
Speaker A:I wanted to end today with two do good things, things that you can do in the world.
Speaker A:Kind of like I did last week with where you can buy Girl Scout cookies from trans girls and trans Girl Scout troops that you can buy your Girl Scout cookies from, which I just loved this week.
Speaker A:And I'm gonna end like this every week because I think it's important to remember the positive things that are happening as well.
Speaker A:And this week is really just two things that you can watch and keep your eye on and pay attention to because it will help you know that things are happening when it feels like nothing is happening.
Speaker A:Positive the first and I will link these in the show notes so you can just click on them.
Speaker A:But the first is the National LGBTQ Task Force doing amazing work.
Speaker A:You can go on there, check out what they are doing specifically to support all of our LGBTQ LGBTQ people.
Speaker A:And then there is just security, which is listing out all of the legal challenges to the Trump administration actions, which is kind of fascinating.
Speaker A:So if you are interested in the very legal side of this and what's happening in that way, I highly encourage you to go check this out.
Speaker A:I hope that you are enjoying this more kind of free flowing version of the podcast and it is certainly so far really fun for me.
Speaker A:I'd love to hear from you.
Speaker A:If you have ideas of something that you, you know, want to offer that you want me to talk about that you know of going on, if you know of great things that are going on, good feel good things that are going on, email me and let me know.
Speaker A:I would love to talk about it.
Speaker A:If you have questions about things that are going on, email me those and I will look into it and do my best and to find answers or at least talk about it and create a space where we can just talk or at least collectively think about these things.
Speaker A:So please reach out.
Speaker A:I do always love to hear from listeners from you and until next week, take good care and be safe.
