Posts in politics
Courageous Conversations: Jeff Sharlet on American Failures and American Possibility

Meet Dr. Jeff Sharlet, Professor in the Art of Writing at Dartmouth College and author of the recently released The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War. In it, he journeys into the corners of our national psyche in an attempt to understand how, over the last decade, reaction has morphed into delusion, social division into distrust, distrust into paranoia, and hatred into fantasies—sometimes realities—of violence.

In this conversation, George and Jeff discuss the religious dimensions of American politics, and the role of grief and uncertainty in the midst of plague and rising fascism. Sharlet offers insight into both the human condition and into our country today, bringing to light a decade of American failures as well as a vision for American possibility,

Jeff Sharlet is the New York Times bestselling author or editor of eight books. His latest is The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War (2023), a National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist for Nonfiction, one of The New York Times 100 Books of the Year, and a New Republic book of the year.

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Skye Perryman on marriage equality and our legal right to dignity

In this third episode on civil rights, Skye and George look at the question of marriage equality in our country. They discuss the notion that in a democracy people have a right to basic dignity that "does not draw distinctions because of the color of your skin, because of who you love, because of your sexual orientation, because of your gender identity." They also consider the complications of religiously-affiliated organizations receiving federal money, the civil rights history of religious traditions, and what it means to build a more perfect union.

Skye Perryman is the President and CEO of Democracy Forward. She is a lawyer, advocate, and leader with a track record of taking on and winning critical fights that advance democratic values, stop abuses of power, and improve the wellbeing of people and communities.

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Skye Perryman on the Dobbs decision and the future of reproductive rights

Join Skye and George as they unpack the consequences of the Dobbs decision, how Christian nationalism influenced the ruling, the future of reproductive rights and what we can all do to protect them.

Skye Perryman is the President and CEO of Democracy Forward. She is a lawyer, advocate, and leader with a track record of taking on and winning critical fights that advance democratic values, stop abuses of power, and improve the wellbeing of people and communities.

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Skye Perryman on the midterm elections and perfecting democracy

Skye Perryman is the President and CEO of Democracy Forward. She is a lawyer, advocate, and leader with a track record of taking on and winning critical fights that advance democratic values, stop abuses of power, and improve the wellbeing of people and communities. In this episode, she talks perfecting our democracy, what we can learn from the most recent midterm elections, and creating conditions where people can pursue their faith, their spiritual commitments, their dreams.

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