Podcasts about Vietnam War

9 Hours and 5 MinutesPG-13Here are episode 1-9 of the Cold War series with Thomas777.The 'Cold War" Pt. 1 - The End Informs the Beginning w/ Thomas777The 'Cold War" Pt. 2 - How It Starts, and Bonus Election Talk w/ Thomas777The 'Cold War" Pt. 3 - The Korean War w/ Thomas777The 'Cold War" Pt. 4 - Konrad Adenauer and the Bundesrepublik w/ Thomas777The 'Cold War' Pt. 5 - 'The Cuban Missile Crisis' w/ Thomas777The 'Cold War' Pt. 6 - Ho Chi Minh and the Origin of the Vietnam War w/ Thomas777The 'Cold War' Pt. 7 - Robert McNamara, Vietnam, and a World Turning 'Red' w/ Thomas777The Cold War Pt. 8 - How the On the Ground Battles in Vietnam Were Fought w/ Thomas777The 'Cold War' Pt. 9 - Battling the Khmer Rouge w/ Thomas777Thomas' SubstackRadio Free Chicago - T777 and J BurdenThomas777 MerchandiseThomas' Book "Steelstorm Pt. 1"Thomas' Book "Steelstorm Pt. 2"Thomas on TwitterThomas' CashApp - $7homas777Pete and Thomas777 'At the Movies'Support Pete on His WebsitePete's PatreonPete's SubstackPete's SubscribestarPete's GUMROADPete's VenmoPete's Buy Me a CoffeePete on FacebookPete on TwitterBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-pete-quinones-show--6071361/support.

Early America’s most important invention wasn’t Benjamin Franklin’s lightning rod, or the cotton gin. It was the world's first fully automated flour mill, built by Oliver Evans in the 1780s. Evans's mill used a conveyor-belt grain elevator, leather straps, wheels, and Archimedean screws to process wheat from raw grain to finished flour without human hands touching it. Prior to Oliver Evans's automated system, milling relied on waterwheels or wind to turn heavy millstones, but every intermediate step required grueling manual labor to haul heavy grain sacks up ladders and shovel meal across floors. This invention ranks right below potatoes’ arrival in Europe or Haber-Bosch synthesis of nitrogen for fertilizer or Norman Borlaug’s dwarf wheat in making food cheaper. It also made America unique among nations in the world in that it never experienced a bread riot or mass executions of peasants stealing during a time of famine. It also shows how much we overlook the importance of bread in American history. Today's guest is Andrew Coe, author of American Bread: A History. We discuss how the Pilgrims nearly starved because they couldn't grow wheat in New England and were saved by a dense loaf of rye and cornmeal that became America's first national food, and how Sylvester Graham convinced thousands of Americans in the 1830s that white bread and sexual desire were destroying the nation. We look at industrialization of food that would culminate in Wonder Bread, and how Vietnam War protesters boycotted Wonder Bread while Zen Buddhists at a California monastery wrote the book that launched the modern whole-grain movement. Coe argues that the story of American bread is the story of America itself: a nation that learned to survive on unfamiliar grain, built an industrial system that stripped bread of everything worth eating, and is now slowly trying to rediscover what it lost.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Villain-Venice-Steampunk-Adventure-Expanded/dp/B0GYVW1ZM3?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE notes from wiki This article is about the novel. For the 1997 film, see Starship Troopers (film). For other uses, see Starship Troopers (disambiguation). Starship Troopers First edition hardcover Author Robert A. Heinlein Cover artist Jerry Robinson Language English Genre Military science fiction Philosophical fiction[1][2][3] Publisher G. P. Putnam's Sons Publication date November 5, 1959[4] Publication place United States Media type Print (hardcover and paperback) Pages 263 (paperback edition) Award Hugo Award for Best Novel (1960) ISBN 978-0450044496 Online Computer Library Center number"}]]}"> OCLC 2797649 Library of Congress Classification"}]]}"> LC Class PZ7.H368 Su Starship Troopers is a military science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. Written in a few weeks in reaction to the US suspending nuclear tests,[5] the story was first published as a two-part serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction as Starship Soldier, and published as a book by G. P. Putnam's Sons on November 5, 1959.[4] The story is set in a future society ruled by a human interstellar government called the Terran Federation, dominated by a military elite. Under the Terran Federation, only veterans of a primarily military Federal Service enjoy full citizenship, including the right to vote.[6] The first-person narrative follows Juan "Johnny" Rico, a young man of Filipino descent, through his military service in the Mobile Infantry. He progresses from recruit to officer against the backdrop of an interstellar war between humans and an alien species known as "Arachnids" or "Bugs". Interspersed with the primary plot are classroom scenes in which Rico and others discuss philosophical and moral issues, including aspects of suffrage, civic virtue, juvenile delinquency, and war; these discussions have been described as expounding Heinlein's own political views.[7] Identified with a tradition of militarism in US science fiction,[8] the novel draws parallels between the conflict between humans and the Bugs, and the Cold War.[9] It is also a coming-of-age novel, which criticizes the US society of the 1950s, arguing that a lack of discipline had led to a moral decline, and advocating corporal and capital punishment.[7][10] Starship Troopers brought to an end Heinlein's series of juvenile novels. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1960,[3] and was praised by reviewers for its scenes of training and combat and its visualization of a future military.[11][12] It also became enormously controversial because of the political views it seemed to support. Reviewers were strongly critical of the book's intentional glorification of the military,[13][14] an aspect described as propaganda and likened to recruitment.[15] The novel's militarism, and the fact that government service – most often military service – was a prerequisite to the right to vote, led to it being frequently described as fascist.[14][16][17] Others disagree, arguing that Heinlein was only exploring the idea of limiting the right to vote to a certain group of people.[18] Heinlein's depiction of gender has also been questioned, while reviewers have said that the terms used to describe the aliens were akin to racial epithets.[19] Starship Troopers had wide influence both within and outside science fiction. Ken MacLeod stated that "the political strand in [science fiction] can be described as a dialogue with Heinlein".[2] Science fiction critic Darko Suvin wrote that it is the "ancestral text of US science fiction militarism" and that it shaped the debate about the role of the military in society for many years.[20] The novel is credited with popularizing the idea of powered armor, which became a recurring feature in science fiction books and films, as well as an object of scientific research.[21] Heinlein's depiction of a futuristic military was also influential.[22] Later science fiction books, such as Joe Haldeman's 1974 anti-war novel The Forever War, have been described as reactions to Starship Troopers.[23] The story was adapted several times, including in a 1997 film version directed by Paul Verhoeven that satirized what the director saw as the fascist aspects of the novel.[24] Writing and publication The cover of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (November 1959), illustrating Starship Soldier Robert Heinlein was among the best-selling science fiction authors of the 1940s and 1950s, along with Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke; they were known as the "big three" that dominated US science fiction. In contrast to the others, Heinlein firmly endorsed the anti-communist sentiment of the Cold War era in his writing.[25] Heinlein served in the US Navy for five years after graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1929. His experience in the military profoundly influenced his fiction.[26] At some point between 1958 and 1959, Heinlein put aside the novel that would become Stranger in a Strange Land and wrote Starship Troopers. His motivation arose partially from his anger at US President Dwight Eisenhower's decision to suspend US nuclear tests, and the Soviet tests that occurred soon afterward.[5] Writing in his 1980 volume Expanded Universe, Heinlein would say that the publication of a newspaper advertisement placed by the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy on April 5, 1958, calling for a unilateral suspension of nuclear weapons testing by the United States sparked his desire to write Starship Troopers.[27] Heinlein and his wife Virginia created the "Patrick Henry League" in an attempt to create support for the US nuclear testing program. Heinlein stated that he used the novel to clarify his military and political views.[28] Like many of Heinlein's books, Starship Troopers was completed in a few weeks. It was originally written as a juvenile novel for New York publishing house Scribner; Heinlein had previously had success with this format, having written several such novels published by that publisher. The manuscript was rejected, prompting Heinlein to end his association with that publisher completely, and to resume writing books with adult themes.[5][19][29] Scholars have suggested that Scribner's rejection was based on ideological objections to the content of the novel, particularly in its treatment of military conflict.[19][30] The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction first published Starship Troopers in October and November 1959 as a two-part serial titled Starship Soldier.[29] A senior editor at Putnam's, Peter Israel, purchased the manuscript and approved revisions that made it more marketable to adults. Asked whether it was aimed at children or adults, he said at a sales conference "Let's let the readers decide who likes it."[31] The novel was eventually published by G. P. Putnam's Sons.[29] Setting Set approximately 700 years in the future,[19] the book depicts an Earth ruled by a world government run by military veterans.[6] The society is depicted as affluent, and futuristic technology shown as coexisting with educational methods from the 20th century.[19] The rights of a full citizen, to vote and hold public office, are not universally guaranteed, and rather must be earned through Federal Service.[18] Those who do not perform this service (of which only military service has been described) retain the rights of free speech and assembly, but can neither vote nor hold public office. People of either sex above the age of 18 are permitted to enlist; only those who complete their service receive the right to vote.[19][32] Important government jobs are reserved for federal service veterans.[6] This structure arose ad hoc after the collapse of the "20th century Western democracies", driven in part by an inability to control crime and juvenile delinquency, particularly in North America, and a war between an alliance of the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia, against the "Chinese Hegemony".[33] Two extraterrestrial civilizations are depicted, respectively, as the "Pseudo-Arachnids" (or "Bugs"), and the "Skinnies". The "Bugs" are described as communal beings originating from the planet of Klendathu, and consist of multiple castes; workers, warriors, brains, and queens, similar to those of ants and termites on Earth. The warriors are the only ones who fight, and are unable to surrender in battle.[34] It also is implied that the Bugs are technologically advanced, possessing such technologies as spaceships.[35] The "Skinnies" are depicted as less communal than the Arachnids, yet more so than humans.[36] The events of the novel take place during an interstellar war between the Terran Federation and the Arachnids.[37] At the opening of the story, Earth is not at war, yet such a declaration has come when Rico has completed his training.[5] The "Skinnies" are initially allies of the Pseudo-Arachnids, but switch to alliance with humans, midway through the novel.[36] Faster-than-light travel exists in this future: spacecraft use the "Cherenkov drive", and can travel "Sol to Capella, forty-six lightyears, in under six weeks".[38] Starship Troopers is narrated by the main protagonist Juan "Johnny" Rico, a member of the "Mobile Infantry". It is one of the few Heinlein novels which intersperses his typical linear narrative structure with a series of flashbacks.[5][37] These flashbacks are frequently to Rico's "History and Moral Philosophy" course in school, in which the teacher discusses the history of the structure of their society.[5][18] Rico is depicted as a man of Filipino ancestry. He is from a wealthy family, whose members had never served in the military.[5][19][32] Rico's ancestry is depicted as inconsequential, society having finally abandoned racial and gender-based prejudice.[19] Plot The novel opens with Rico aboard the corvette transport Rodger Young (named after real life Medal of Honor recipient Rodger Young),[39] serving with the platoon known as "Rasczak's Roughnecks". The platoon carries out a raid against a planetary colony held by Skinnies.[19] The raid is relatively brief: the platoon lands on the planet, destroys its targets, and retreats, suffering two casualties in the process. One of them, Dizzy Flores, is rescued by Rico but dies while returning to orbit.[40] The narrative then flashes back to Rico's graduation from high school. Rico and his best friend Carl are considering joining the Federal Service after graduation; Rico is hesitant, partly due to his father's attitude towards the military.[5] Rico makes his decision after discovering that his classmate Carmen Ibañez also intends to enlist.[41] Rico's choice is taken poorly by his parents, and he leaves with a sense of estrangement. He is assigned to the Mobile Infantry, and moves to Camp Arthur Currie (named for Sir Arthur Currie who rose through the ranks to command the Canadian Corps in World War I) on the Canadian prairie for his training under Sergeant Charles Zim.[42] The training is extremely demanding.[43] Rico receives combat training of all types, including simulated fights in armored suits.[44][45] A fellow recruit is court-martialed, flogged, and dismissed for striking a drill instructor who was also his company commander. Rico himself is given five lashes for firing a rocket during a drill with armored suits and simulated nuclear weapons without ensuring that no friendlies were within the blast zone, which in combat would have resulted in the death of a fellow soldier.[46] Another recruit, who murdered a baby girl after deserting the army, is hanged by his battalion after his arrest by civilian police.[46] Disheartened, Rico thinks of resigning when he receives a letter from Jean Dubois, who taught Rico History and Moral Philosophy.[47] Dubois reveals that he was once a lieutenant colonel in the Mobile Infantry, which gives Rico the motivation not to resign.[48] After further training at another camp near Vancouver, Rico graduates with 187 others, of the 2,009 who had begun training in that regiment.[49] The "Bug War" has changed from minor incidents to a full-scale war during Rico's training. An Arachnid attack that annihilates the city of Buenos Aires alerts civilians to the situation; Rico's mother is killed in the attack.[50] Rico participates in the Battle of Klendathu, an attack on the Arachnid's home world, which turns into a disastrous defeat for the Terran Federation.[51] Rico's ship, the Valley Forge, is destroyed, and his unit is decimated; he is reassigned to the Roughnecks on board the Rodger Young, led by Lieutenant Rasczak and Sergeant Jelal.[52] The unit carries out several raids, and Rico is promoted to corporal by Jelal after Rasczak dies in combat.[53] One of his comrades in the Roughnecks suggests that Rico go to officer training school and try to become an officer. Rico ends up going to see Jelal, and finds that Jelal already had the paperwork ready. Rico enters Officer Candidate School for a second course of training, including further courses in "History and Moral Philosophy".[54][55] En route from the Roughnecks to the school Rico encounters his father who has also enlisted and is now a corporal, and the two reconcile. He is also visited in school by Carmen, now an ensign and ship's pilot officer in the Navy, and the two discuss their friend Carl, who had been killed earlier in the war.[56] Rico is commissioned a temporary third lieutenant for his final test: a posting to a combat unit. Under the tutelage of his company commander, Captain Blackstone, and with the aid of his platoon sergeant, his boot camp drill instructor Fleet Sergeant Zim, Rico commands a platoon during "Operation Royalty", a raid to capture members of the Arachnid brain caste and queens.[57] Rico then returns to the officer school to graduate. The novel ends with him holding the rank of second lieutenant, in command of his old platoon in the Rodger Young, with his father as his platoon sergeant. The platoon has been renamed "Rico's Roughnecks", and is about to participate in an attack on Klendathu.[58] Themes Robert Heinlein in 1976 Commentators have written that Starship Troopers is not driven by its plot, though it contains scenes of military combat. Instead, much of the novel is given over to a discussion of ideas.[59] In particular, the discussion of political views is a recurring feature of what scholar Jeffrey Cass described as an "ideologically intense" book.[16] A 1997 review in Salon categorized it as a "philosophical novel".[1] Critics have debated to what extent the novel promotes Heinlein's own political views. Some contend that the novel maintains a sense of irony that allows readers to draw their own conclusions; others argue that Heinlein is sermonizing throughout the book, and that its purpose is to expound Heinlein's militaristic philosophy.[16][18] Militarism Starship Troopers has been identified as being a part of a tradition in American science fiction that assumes that violent conflict and the militarization of society are inevitable and necessary.[8] Although the Mobile Infantry, the force to which Rico is assigned, is seen as a lowly post by the characters in the story, the novel itself suggests that it is the heart of the army and the most honorable unit in it.[43] In a commentary written in 1980, Heinlein agreed that Starship Troopers "glorifies the military ... Specifically the P.B.I., the Poor Bloody Infantry, the mudfoot who places his frail body between his loved home and the war's desolation – but is rarely appreciated ... he has the toughest job of all and should be honored."[13] The story is based on the social Darwinist idea of society as a struggle for survival based on military strength. It suggests that some conflicts must be resolved by force: one of the lessons Rico is repeatedly taught is that violence can be an effective method of settling conflict.[19] These suggestions derive in part from Heinlein's view that in the 1950s the US government was being too conciliatory in its dealings with communist China and the Soviet Union.[17][59][60][61] Heinlein draws an analogy between the human society in the novel, which is well-to-do but needs to be vigilant against the imperialist threat of the Arachnids, and US society of the 1950s. Reviewers have suggested that the Arachnids are Heinlein's analogue for communists. Traits used to support this include the communal nature of the Arachnids, which makes them capable of a much higher degree of coordination than the humans. Bug society is once explicitly described as communist, and is moreover depicted as communist by nature; this has been read as implying that those with a different political ideology are analogous to alien beings.[9][19][62] The related motifs of alien invasion, patriotism, and personal sacrifice during war, are present, as are other aspects of US popular culture of the 1950s.[17] Commentators have argued that Heinlein's portrayal of aliens, as well as being a reference to 1950s communist countries, aims to "reinscribe the ideologies of America's mythic frontier history". The concept of the frontier includes a social-Darwinist argument of constantly fighting for survival, even at the expense of indigenous people or, in the case of Starship Troopers, of aliens. Heinlein suggests that without territorial expansion involving violent conquest of other races, humans would be destroyed.[63] Scholar Jamie King has stated that Heinlein does not address the question of what the military government and Federal Service would do in peacetime, and argues that Heinlein has set up a society designed to be continuously at war, and to keep expanding its territory.[64] Coming of age Starship Troopers has been referred to as a bildungsroman or "coming-of-age" story for Rico, as he matures through his tenure in the infantry. His training, both at boot camp and at officer candidate school, involves learning the value of militarism, thus inviting the reader to learn it as well.[43] This is especially true of the parts of his training that involve indoctrination, such as the claim by one of his instructors that rule by military veterans is the ideal form of government, because only they understand how to put collective well-being above the individual.[43] The story traces Rico's transformation from a boy into a soldier, while exploring issues of identity and motivation,[18] and traces his overall moral and social development, in a manner identified by commentators as similar to many stories about German soldiers in World War I.[65] Rico's transformation has been likened to the common narrative within stories with military themes by scholar H. Bruce Franklin. This typical narrative is that of a sloppy and unfit civilian being knocked into shape by tough officers, whose training is "calculated sadism" but is depicted as fundamentally being on the right side.[32] The letter Rico receives from Dubois, partly responsible for Rico "crossing the hump" with his training, is shown as a turning point in his development.[19] The classroom scenes embedded in the story serve to explain Rico's adventures, and highlight his reactions to events around. A notable example is the execution Rico is forced to witness after a deserter from his unit murders a young girl; Rico is uncertain of his own reaction until he remembers a lecture by Dubois in which the latter argues that "moral sense" derives entirely from the will to survive.[19][66] The concept of the American frontier is also related to the coming-of-age theme. Young protagonists across Heinlein's novels attain manhood by confronting a hostile "wilderness" in space; coming-of-age in a military, alien context is a common theme in Heinlein's earlier works as well.[67] Rico's coming-of-age has also been described as being related to his relationship with his father; the journey "outward" through the novel also contains a search for Rico's childhood and a reunion with his estranged parent.[68] Moral decline Starship Troopers also critiques US society of the 1950s, suggesting that it led young people to be spoiled and undisciplined. These beliefs are expressed through the classroom lectures of Dubois, Rico's teacher for History and Moral Philosophy. Dubois praises flogging and other types of corporal punishment as a means of addressing juvenile crimes. It has been suggested that Heinlein endorsed this view, although the fact that Dubois also compares raising children to training a puppy has been used to argue that Heinlein was making use of irony.[10] The story is strongly in favor of corporal punishment and capital punishment, as a means of correcting juvenile delinquents, part of a trend in science fiction which examines technology and outer space in an innovative manner, but is reactionary with respect to human relationships.[7][23] As with other books by Heinlein, traditional schools are denigrated, while learning "on the spot" is extolled: Rico is able to master the things required of him in military training without undue difficulty.[19] Dubois also ridicules the idea of inalienable rights, such as "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness", arguing that people have only the rights that they are willing to fight and die for to protect.[33][66][69] The novel appeals to scientific authority to justify this position; Dubois repeatedly states that his argument is mathematically demonstrable, statements which have led scholars to label the novel "hard science fiction", despite its social and political themes.[70] The "moral decline" caused by this situation is depicted as having caused a global war between an alliance of the US, Britain, and Russia against the "Chinese Hegemony" in the year 1987. Despite the alliance between the US and Russia, this war has been described as demonstrating Heinlein's anti-communist beliefs, which saw "swarming hordes" of Chinese as a bigger threat. The novel draws some comparisons between the Chinese and the Arachnids, and suggests that the lessons of one war could be applied to the other.[69] Reception To Heinlein's surprise,[71] Starship Troopers won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1960.[72] It has been acknowledged as one of the best-known and most influential works of science fiction.[2][21] The novel is considered a landmark for the genre, having been described by a 1960 review as one of the ten best genre books of 1959,[73] in a 2009 review as a key science fiction novel of the 1950s,[14] and as the best-known example of military science fiction.[74] The novel has been described as marking Heinlein's transition from writing juvenile fiction to a "more mature phase" as an author.[3] Reviewing the book with others written for children, Floyd C. Gale of Galaxy Science Fiction wrote in 1960 that "Heinlein has penned a juvenile that really is not. This is a new and bitter and disillusioned Heinlein". Rating it 2.5 stars out of five for children, 4.5 stars for adults, and "?" for civilians, he believed that the novel would be "of exceptional interest to veterans with battle experience ... but youngsters will find it melancholy and verbose".[75] Conversely, Michael Moorcock described it as Heinlein's last "straight" science fiction, before he turned to more serious writing such as Stranger in a Strange Land.[76] By 1980, twenty years after its release, Starship Troopers had been translated into eleven languages and was still selling strongly. Heinlein nevertheless complained that, despite this success, almost all the mail he received about it was negative and he only heard about it "when someone wants to chew me out".[71] The novel is highly contentious.[3] Controversy surrounded its praise of the military and approval of violence, to the extent that it has frequently been described as fascist, and its implication that militarism is superior to traditional democracy.[3][77] Heinlein's peers were among those who argued over the book; a comparison between a quote in Starship Troopers that "the noblest fate that a man can endure is to place his own mortal body between his loved home and war's desolation"[78] and the anti-war poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen began a two-year discussion in the Proceedings of the Institute for Twenty-First Century Studies from 1959 to 1961, with James Blish, Poul Anderson, Philip José Farmer, Anthony Boucher, John Brunner, Brian Aldiss, among those debating Starship Troopers's quality of writing, philosophy, and morality.[79] The writing in Starship Troopers has received varied responses, with the scenes of military training and combat receiving praise. In a 2009 retrospective, science-fiction writer Jo Walton wrote that Starship Troopers was "military SF done extremely well".[18] She went on to argue that "Heinlein was absolutely at his peak when he wrote this in 1959. He had so much technical stylistic mastery of the craft of writing science fiction that he could [tell the story] 'backwards and in high heels' and get away with it."[18] Others referred to it as very readable, and found the military scenes compelling.[3][11][12] Heinlein's descriptions of training and boot camp in the novel, based on his own experiences in the military, have been described as being rendered with remarkable skill.[17] A 1960 review in the New York Herald Tribune praised the "brilliantly written" passages describing infantry combat, and also called attention to the discussion of weapons and armor,[80] which, according to other reviewers, demonstrated Heinlein's "undiminished talent for invention".[19] Scholar George Slusser described the book in 1986 as the "ultimately convincing space-war epic", praising in particular the "precisely imagined" weapons and tactics,[68] while a 1979 science fiction encyclopedia referred to it as the "slickest" of Heinlein's juvenile books.[19] Criticism of the style of the book has centered on its political aspects. Heinlein's discussions of his political beliefs were criticized as "didactic",[11][80][81] and the novel was derided for "exposition [that was] inserted in large indigestible chunks".[80] Author Ken MacLeod's 2003 analysis of the political nature of Starship Troopers stated that it was "a book where civics infodumps and accounts of brutal boot-camp training far outweigh the thin and tensionless combat scenes".[12] Scientist and author Brunner compared it to a "Victorian children's book",[82] while the Science Fiction Handbook published in 2009 said that the novel provided "compelling images of a futuristic military" and that it raised important questions, even for those who disagree with its political ideology. However, it stated that the story was weak as a tale of an alien encounter, as it did not explore alien society in any detail, but presented the Arachnids as nameless and faceless creatures that wished to destroy humanity.[22] Boucher, founder of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, remarked in 1960 that Heinlein had "forgotten to insert a story".[80] A 1979 summary said that though Heinlein's vision might verge on fascism, his tightly controlled narrative made his ideology seem "vibrantly appealing".[19] Criticism of militarism Starship Troopers is generally considered to promote militarism, the glorification of war and of the military.[14] Scholar Bruce Franklin referred to it in 1980 as a "bugle-blowing, drum-beating glorification" of military service, and wrote that militarism and imperialism were the explicit message of the book.[15][83] Science fiction writer Dean McLaughlin called it "a book-length recruiting poster".[84] In 1968 science fiction critic Alexei Panshin called Starship Troopers a militaristic polemic and compared it to a recruiting film, stating that it "purports to show the life of a typical soldier, with a soundtrack commentary by earnest sincere Private Jones who interprets what we see for us." Panshin stated that there was no "sustained human conflict" in the book: instead, "All the soldiers we see are tough, smart, competent, cleancut, clean-shaven, and noble."[85] Panshin, a veteran of the peacetime military, argued that Heinlein glossed over the reality of military life, and that the Terran Federation-Arachnid conflict existed simply because, "Starship troopers are not half so glorious sitting on their butts polishing their weapons for the tenth time for lack of anything else to do."[85] Literature scholar George Slusser, in describing the novel as "wrong-headed and retrogressive", argued that calling its ideology militarism or imperialism was inadequate, as these descriptions suggested an economic motive. Slusser instead says that Heinlein advocates for a complete "technological subjugation of nature", of which the Arachnids are a symbol, and that this subjugation itself is depicted as a sign of human advancement.[83] A 1997 review of the film in Salon stated that the novel could almost be described as propaganda, and was terrifying as a result, particularly in its belief that the boot camp had to be an ingredient of any civilization. This was described as a highly unusual utopian vision.[1] Moorcock stated that the lessons Rico learns in boot camp: "wars are inevitable, [and] that the army is always right".[76] In discussing the book's utility in classroom discussions of the form of government, Alan Myers stated that its depiction of the military was of an "unashamedly Earth-chauvinist nature".[11] In the words of science fiction scholar Darko Suvin, Starship Troopers was an "unsubtle but powerful black-and-white paean to combat life", and an example of agitprop in favor of military values.[81] Other writers defended Heinlein. George Price argued that "[Heinlein] implies, first, that war is something endured, not enjoyed, and second, that war is so unpleasant, so desolate, that it must at all costs be kept away from one's home."[86] Poul Anderson also defended some of the novel's positions, arguing "Heinlein has recognized the problem of selective versus nonselective franchise, and his proposed solution does merit discussion."[87] Complaints were made against Heinlein for the lack of conscription in Starship Troopers. When he wrote the novel, the military draft was still in effect in the US.[88] Allegations of fascism The society within the book has frequently been described as fascist.[14][16][17] According to the 2009 Science Fiction Handbook, it had the effect of giving Heinlein a reputation as a "fanatical warmongering fascist".[6] Scholar Jeffrey Cass has referred to the setting of the book as "unremittingly grim fascism". He has stated that the novel made an analogy between its military conflict and those of the US after World War II, and that it justified American imperialism in the name of fighting another form of imperialism.[89] Jasper Goss has referred to it as "crypto-fascist".[17] Suvin compares Heinlein's suggestion that "all wars arise from population pressure" to the Nazi concept of Lebensraum or "living space" for a superior society that was used to justify territorial expansion.[90] Some reviewers have suggested that Heinlein was simply discussing the merits of a selective versus a nonselective franchise.[18] Heinlein made a similar claim, over two decades after Starship Troopers's publication, in his Expanded Universe and further claimed that 95 percent of "veterans" were not military personnel but members of the civil service.[91] Heinlein's own description has been disputed, even among the book's defenders. Heinlein scholar James Gifford has argued that a number of quotes within the novel suggest that the characters within the book assume that the Federal Service is largely military. For instance, when Rico tells his father that he is interested in Federal Service, his father immediately explains his belief that Federal Service is a bad idea because there is no war in progress, indicating that he sees Federal Service as military in nature. Gifford states that although Heinlein's intentions may have been that Federal Service be 95 percent non-military, in relation to the actual contents of the book, Heinlein "is wrong on this point. Flatly so."[5] Dennis Showalter, writing in 1975, defended Starship Troopers, stating that the society depicted in it did not contain many elements of fascism. He argues that the novel does not include outright opposition to Bolshevism and liberalism that would be expected in a fascist society.[89] Others have responded by saying Showalter's argument is based on a literal reading of the novel, and that the story glorifies militarism to a large extent.[89] Ken Macleod argues that the book does not actually advocate fascism because anybody capable of understanding the oath of Federal Service is able to enlist and thereby obtain political power.[12] Macleod states that Heinlein's books are consistently liberal, but cover a spectrum from democratic to elitist forms of liberalism, Starship Troopers being on the latter end of the spectrum.[2] It has been argued that Heinlein's militarism is more libertarian than fascist, and that this trend is also present in Heinlein's other popular books of the period, such as Stranger in a Strange Land (1961) and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (1966). This period of Heinlein's writing has received more critical attention than any other, although he continued to write into the 1980s.[14] Apparent utopianism The setting of the book is presented by Heinlein as utopian; its leaders are shown as good and wise, and the population as free and prosperous.[6][19] Slusser wrote in 1987 that Starship Troopers depicts a world that is "hell for human beings", but nonetheless celebrates the ideology of its fictional society.[83] The rulers are claimed to be the best in history, because they understand that human nature is to fight for power through the use of force.[43] The suggestion of utopia is not explored in depth, as the lives of those outside the military are not shown in any detail.[19][22] The novel suggests that the militarist philosophy espoused by many of the characters has a mathematical backing, though reviewers have commented that Heinlein does not present any basis for this.[18][43] Writers such as Farmer, Robert A. W. Lowndes, and Michael Moorcock have criticized the novel for being a hypothetical utopia, in the sense that while Heinlein's ideas sound plausible, they have never been put to the test. Moorcock wrote an essay entitled "Starship Stormtroopers" in which he attacked Heinlein and other writers over similar "Utopian fiction".[76] Lowndes accused Heinlein of using straw man arguments, "countering ingenuous half-truths with brilliant half-truths".[92] Lowndes further argued that the Terran Federation could never be as idealistic as Heinlein portrays it to be because he never properly addressed "whether or not [non-citizens] have at least as full a measure of civil redress against official injustice as we have today".[92] Farmer agreed, arguing that a "world ruled by veterans would be as mismanaged, graft-ridden, and insane as one ruled by men who had never gotten near the odor of blood and guts".[93] Race and gender Authors and commentators have stated that the manner in which the extraterrestrial beings are portrayed in Starship Troopers has racist aspects, arguing that the nicknames "Bugs" and "Skinnies" carry racial overtones. John Brunner compared them to calling Koreans "gooks".[82] Slusser argued that the term "Bugs" was an "abusive and biologically inaccurate" word that justified the violence against alien beings, a tendency which, according to Slusser, the book shared with other commercially successful science fiction.[62] Some of Heinlein's other works have also been described as racist, though Franklin argues that this was not unique to Heinlein, and that he was less racist than the US government of the time.[94] Heinlein's early novel Sixth Column was called a "racist paean" to a white resistance movement against an Asian horde derived from the Yellow Peril.[95] In 1978, Moorcock wrote that Starship Troopers "set the pattern for Heinlein's more ambitious paternalistic, xenophobic" stories.[76] Robert Lowndes argues that the war between the Terrans and the Arachnids is not about a quest for racial purity, but rather an extension of Heinlein's belief that man is a wild animal. According to this theory, if man lacks a moral compass beyond the will to survive, and he was confronted by another species with a similar lack of morality, then the only possible moral result would be warfare.[92] The fact that all pilots in the novel are women (in contrast to the infantry, which is entirely male) has been cited as evidence of progressive gender politics within the story, although the idea expressed by Rico that women are the motivation for men to fight in the military is a counter-example to this.[18][22] A 1996 science fiction encyclopedia said that like much of Heinlein's fiction, Starship Troopers exemplified "macho male culture".[96] The prosthetically enhanced soldiers in the novel, all of whom are men, have been described as an example of the "hyper-masculinity" brought on by the proximity of these men to technology.[97] The story portrays the Arachnids as so alien that the only response to them can be war. Feminist scholars have described this reaction as a "conventionally masculinist" one.[98] Steffen Hantke has described the mechanized suits in the novel, which make the wearer resemble a "steel gorilla," as defining masculinity as "something intensely physical, based on animal power, instinct, and aggression". He calls this form of masculinity "all body, so to speak, and no brain".[99] Thus, in Hantke's reading, Starship Troopers expresses fears of how masculinity may be preserved in an environment of high technology.[100] This fear is exacerbated by the motifs of pregnancy and birth that Heinlein uses when describing how the soldiers in suits are dropped from spaceships piloted by women.[101] Though Rico says he finds women "marvelous", he shows no desire for sexual activity; the war seems to have subsumed sex in this respect.[19] A 1979 summary argued that despite the gestures towards women's equality, women in the story were still objects, to be protected, and to fight wars over.[19] Influence A real-life concept of powered armor, an idea popularized by Starship Troopers[102] Heinlein's books, and Starship Troopers in particular, had an enormous impact on political science fiction, to the extent that author Ken MacLeod has stated that "the political strand in [science fiction] can be described as a dialogue with Heinlein," although many participants in this dialogue disagree with Heinlein.[2] Science fiction critic Darko Suvin states that Starship Troopers is the "ancestral text of US science fiction militarism" and that it shaped the debate about the role of the military in society for many years.[20] In addition to his political views, Heinlein's ideas about a futuristic military as depicted in the novel were deeply influential among films, books, and television shows in later years.[22] Roger Beaumont has suggested that Starship Troopers may some day be considered a manual for extraterrestrial warfare.[103] Suvin refers to Juan Rico as the "archetypal Space Soldier".[104] Starship Troopers included concepts in military engineering which have since been widely used in other fiction, and which have occasionally been paralleled by scientific research. The novel has been cited as the source of the idea of powered armor exoskeletons, which Heinlein describes in great detail.[83][105][106][107] Such suits became a staple of military science fiction. Franchises that have employed this technology include Iron Man, Exo Squad, Halo, District 9, Elysium, and Edge of Tomorrow.[21] During the shooting of the science fiction film Aliens, director James Cameron required the actors playing space marines to read Starship Troopers to understand their parts, and also cited it as an influence for the space drop, terms like "bug hunt", and the cargo-loader exoskeleton.[108] Starship Troopers had a direct influence on many later science fiction stories. John Steakley's 1984 novel Armor was, according to the author, born out of frustration with the small amount of actual combat in Starship Troopers and because he wanted this aspect developed further.[109] The "Mobile Suits" from the 1979 Nippon Sunrise anime series Mobile Suit Gundam were inspired by the powered armor from Starship Troopers.[110] The 1988 Gainax OVA series Gunbuster has plot elements similar to Starship Troopers, depicting humanity arrayed against an alien military.[107] Scholars have identified elements of Heinlein's influence in Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card, as well. Hantke, in particular, compares the battle room in Ender's Game to Heinlein's prosthetic suits, stating that they both regulate but also enhance human agency.[111] Suvin suggests parallels between the plots of the two novels, with human society in both stories at war against insect-like aliens, but states that the story of Ender Wiggin takes a very different direction, as Ender regrets his genocidal actions and dedicates his efforts to protecting his erstwhile targets.[104] Conversely, Joe Haldeman's 1974 anti-war, Hugo- and Nebula-winning science fiction novel The Forever War is popularly thought to be a direct reply to Starship Troopers, and though Haldeman has stated that it is actually a result of his personal experiences in the Vietnam War, he has admitted to being influenced by Starship Troopers.[112][113][114] Haldeman said that he disagreed with Starship Troopers because it "glorifies war", but added that "it's a very well-crafted novel, and I believe Heinlein was honest with it".[112] The Forever War contains several parallels to Starship Troopers, including its setting. Commentators have described it as a reaction to Heinlein's novel, a suggestion Haldeman denies; the two novels are very different in terms of their attitude towards the military. The Forever War does not depict war as a noble pursuit, with the sides clearly defined as good and evil; instead, the novel explores the dehumanizing effect of war, influenced by the real world context of the Vietnam War.[23] Haldeman received a letter from Heinlein, congratulating him on his Nebula Award, which "meant more than the award itself".[115] According to author Spider Robinson, Heinlein approached Haldeman at the awards banquet and said the book "may be the best future war story I've ever read!"[116] Harry Harrison's 1965 novel Bill, the Galactic Hero has also been described as a reaction to Starship Troopers,[6] while Gordon R. Dickson's 1961 novel Naked to the Stars has been called "an obvious rejoinder" to Starship Troopers.[117] Ring of Swords, written by Eleanor Arnason in 1993, also depicts a war between two highly aggressive species, of which humans are one. The story deliberately inverts several aspects of Starship Troopers: the story is told from the point of view of diplomats seeking to prevent war, rather than soldiers fighting it, and the conflict is the result of the two species being extremely similar, rather than different.[118] Adaptations 1997 film Main article: Starship Troopers (film) Further information: Starship Troopers (franchise) The film rights to the novel were licensed in the 1990s, several years after Heinlein's death. The project was originally entitled Bug Hunt at Outpost Nine, and had been in production before the producers bought the rights to Starship Troopers.[119][120][121] The film was directed by Paul Verhoeven (who found the book too boring to finish), and released in 1997.[122] The screenplay, by Ed Neumeier, shared character names and some plot details with the novel.[123] The film contained several elements that differed from the book, including a military that is completely integrated with respect to sex. It had the stated intention of treating its material in an ironic or sarcastic manner, to undermine the political ideology of the novel.[17][124] The mechanized suits that featured prominently in the novel were absent from the film, due to budget constraints.[99] The film used fascist imagery throughout, including portraying the Terran Federation's personnel wearing uniforms strongly reminiscent of those worn by the SS, the Nazi paramilitary.[125] Verhoeven stated in 1997 that the first scene of the film – an advertisement for the Mobile Infantry – was adapted shot-for-shot from a scene in Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will (1935), specifically an outdoor rally for the Reichsarbeitsdienst. Other references to Nazism include the Albert Speer-style architecture and the propagandistic dialogue ("Violence is the supreme authority!").[126] According to Verhoeven, the references to Nazism reflected his own experience in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during World War II.[24][127] The film reignited the debate over the nature of the Terran society in Heinlein's world, and several critics accused Verhoeven of creating a fascist universe. Others, and Verhoeven himself, have stated that the film was intended to be ironic, and to critique fascism.[77][128] The film has also been described as criticizing the jingoism of US foreign policy, the military industrial complex, and the society in the film, which elevates violence over sensitivity.[129] It received several negative critical reviews, reviewers suggesting that it was unsophisticated and targeted a juvenile audience, although some scholars and critics have also supported its description as satirical.[21][24][124][129] The absence of the powered armor technology drew criticism from fans.[21][99] The success of the film's endeavor to critique the ideology of the novel has been disputed.[24] Four sequels, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004),[130] Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008),[131] Starship Troopers: Invasion (2012)[132] and Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars (2017) were released as straight-to-DVD films. In December 2011, Neal H. Moritz, producer of films such as the Fast & Furious series and I Am Legend, announced plans for a remake of the film that he claims will be more faithful to the source material.[133] In 2016 Mark Swift and Damian Shannon were reported to be writing the film.[134][needs update] Animated series Main article: Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles An animated TV series was also released based both on the novel and 1997 film called Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, it follows the exploits of the Mobile Infantry squad, "Razak's Roughnecks", during the SICON–Bugs War between a newly united humanity and an extraterrestrial race, known as the "Bugs," also sometimes referred to as Arachnids. The show focuses mainly on the Roughnecks' missions, rather than addressing the larger war. Paul Verhoeven served as an executive producer.[135] The show ran for one season from August 1999 to April 2000. Other media From October to December 1988, Sunrise and Bandai Visual produced a six-episode Japanese original video animation locally titled Uchū no Senshi with mobile infantry power armor designs by Kazutaka Miyatake, based on Starship Troopers.[136] Dark Horse Comics, Mongoose Publishing and Markosia hold the license to produce comic books based on Starship Troopers, written by authors including Warren Ellis, Gordon Rennie and Tony Lee.[137][138] Avalon Hill published Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers in 1976, a map-and-counter board wargame featuring a number of scenarios as written in the novel.[139] In 1998, Mythic Entertainment released Starship Troopers: Battlespace. The web-based interactive game, in which players battled each other in overhead space combat, allowed players to assume either Klendathu or Federation roles, was developed alongside the film adaptation.[24][140] Starship Troopers: The Miniatures Game was released by Mongoose Publishing in 2005, a miniature wargame which used material from the novel, film, and animated TV series.[141] Spectre Media released Starship Troopers: Invasion Mobile Infantry, a game for PCs, in 2012.[142] Offworld Industries developed and published the 2023 game Starship Troopers: Extermination, a cooperative multiplayer first-person shooter available for PC.[143]

This episode is a wild ride, folks, as we dive into the latest on the Shang-Yi Tao corruption trial and a bizarre burglary story that'll leave you scratching your head. The former Oakland mayor's case is getting messier by the day, with new allegations of bribery and corruption coming to light. Meanwhile, in the San Francisco Bay Area, a Vietnam War veteran takes matters into his own hands when a burglar breaks into his home, leaving a trail of blood and a very surprised dog behind.We're talking about a case that involves a former mayor, a corrupt businessman, and a cast of characters that would make a Hollywood movie. The speaker breaks down the latest developments in the Shang-Yi Tao trial, including a judge's decision to allow a key piece of evidence to be presented to the jury. We also explore a bizarre burglary story that's got everyone talking, from a homeowner who shoots a would-be thief in the butt to a dog that's left behind in the chaos.The conversation gets real when the speaker discusses the implications of the Shang-Yi Tao case and what it says about the state of politics in Oakland. We also hear from a local expert who shares his insights on the city's crime wave and what's being done to address it. It's a thought-provoking episode that'll keep you on the edge of your seat.So, if you want to hear more about the Shang-Yi Tao trial, the bizarre burglary story, and the state of crime in the Bay Area, tune in to this episode. The speaker breaks down the details and shares his expert analysis, giving you a deeper understanding of the issues at play. Don't miss out on this engaging conversation that's got everyone talking.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Vietnam War was a divisive issue in the United States, sparking protests across the country. North Dakota was no exception. On this day in 1969, a peaceful anti-war demonstration was held in Fargo.

This episode is a wild ride, folks, as we dive into the latest on the Shang-Yi Tao corruption trial and a bizarre burglary story that'll leave you scratching your head. The former Oakland mayor's case is getting messier by the day, with new allegations of bribery and corruption coming to light. Meanwhile, in the San Francisco Bay Area, a Vietnam War veteran takes matters into his own hands when a burglar breaks into his home, leaving a trail of blood and a very surprised dog behind.We're talking about a case that involves a former mayor, a corrupt businessman, and a cast of characters that would make a Hollywood movie. The speaker breaks down the latest developments in the Shang-Yi Tao trial, including a judge's decision to allow a key piece of evidence to be presented to the jury. We also explore a bizarre burglary story that's got everyone talking, from a homeowner who shoots a would-be thief in the butt to a dog that's left behind in the chaos.The conversation gets real when the speaker discusses the implications of the Shang-Yi Tao case and what it says about the state of politics in Oakland. We also hear from a local expert who shares his insights on the city's crime wave and what's being done to address it. It's a thought-provoking episode that'll keep you on the edge of your seat.So, if you want to hear more about the Shang-Yi Tao trial, the bizarre burglary story, and the state of crime in the Bay Area, tune in to this episode. The speaker breaks down the details and shares his expert analysis, giving you a deeper understanding of the issues at play. Don't miss out on this engaging conversation that's got everyone talking.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to Big Talk! It’s the political scandal so infamous that, 50 years later, we’re still adding “gate” to the end of every controversy. But Watergate didn’t begin with a break-in. In Part One, we’re going back to Richard Nixon’s rise to power, the lies America was told about the Vietnam War, the explosive leak of the Pentagon Papers, and the increasingly secretive White House determined to stop its secrets getting out. This is how we got to Watergate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kim Huynh on his family's remarkable journey from Vietnam to Australia. And taking on the role of carer for his fiercely strong-willed father, Thiet.Kim grew up in Canberra, arriving in Australia with his family as refugees from Vietnam.Like many migrant children, Kim is a very driven person and has taken on a lot of responsibilities in life.He is an academic, an ABC broadcaster, an author and a father.And when his 80-year-old father had a serious stroke, Kim also took on the role of carer.He had to find a way to help look after his dad, with whom he was living, continue working, bringing in an income, and help raise his own son.As he continued to care for his father, Kim had to come to terms with the conflict between his dad's increasingly frail body and his still-fierce willpower; the same willpower that got his family to safety some 45 years earlier.As a carer and a father, Kim has also had to navigate the complexities of giving his whole self to the people he loves, while still feeling like he wasn't doing enough for anyone.My Old Man and Me is published by HarperCollins.This episode of Conversations was produced by Meggie Morris. Executive Producer is Nicola Harrison.It explores family history, family origin stories, carers, stroke, Vietnamese refugees, Vietnamese in Australia, Vietnamese boat people, refugee crisis, migration, political asylum, fall of Saigon, Vietnam War, re-education camps, Indochina refugee crisis, Hoa people, fatherhood, intergenerational trauma, the body keeps the score, epigenetics, books, writing, memoir, taking care of your parents, fathers and sons.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

In the 1960s, America was fighting two wars at once: one in Vietnam and another at home over civil rights.Acclaimed journalist and author Wil Haygood grew up watching both unfold. Young men from his Columbus, Ohio, neighborhood disappeared into the war in Vietnam while, at home, the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the unrest that followed brought the struggle for racial equality directly to his streets.In Part 1 of this three-part series, Wil joins us to explore the story behind his book, The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at Home — and why the histories of the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement cannot truly be understood separately.We also meet two Black veterans whose lives illustrate that intersection.George Forrest grew up in segregated Maryland, attended Morgan State University and became an Army officer at a time when Black officers were still routinely confronted with discrimination. In 1963, while stationed with the Old Guard at Fort Myer, he found himself on alert for possible civil unrest during the March on Washington — unaware that his own parents were among the marchers.Dorothy “Dottie” Harris knew from childhood that she wanted to become a nurse. After serving in the Navy and completing nursing school, she joined the Army and volunteered for Vietnam, where she would eventually care for some of the war's most severely wounded.Their stories reveal the complicated meaning of military service for Black Americans during this era — a source of opportunity, responsibility and belonging, but also an institution that reflected many of the inequalities of the country they were serving.Wil also examines the draft, Project 100,000, and the disproportionate burden placed on Black and poor Americans as the United States searched for more men to send to Vietnam.This is Part 1 of The War Within a War. In Part 2, George Forrest goes into combat in one of the war's deadliest battles, Dottie Harris confronts the human cost of the war from a field hospital, and Wil Haygood explores how Black and white service members depended on one another for survival in Vietnam.Featured in this episode:Wil Haygood — journalist and author of The War Within a War: The Black Struggle in Vietnam and at HomeGeorge Forrest — U.S. Army veteranDorothy “Dottie” Harris — U.S. Army nurse and Vietnam veteranLearn more:Visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund at vvmf.orgConnect with VVMF:Facebook: facebook.com/VietnamVeteransMemorialFundInstagram: instagram.com/vnveteransmemorialYouTube: youtube.com/@VietnamVeteransMemorialFund

The legendary actress Jane Fonda on her activism, her hair epiphanies and why older women are often fearless.Jane has lived her entire life in the public eye, as the daughter of acting aristocracy.Her father Henry Fonda was a Hollywood legend by the time she was born.Jane grew up to study acting with Lee Strasberg, and Marilyn Monroe was a classmate.But behind the public adoration, Jane was battling some big personal demons, including bulimia and the legacy of a shocking family tragedy.In her 30s she began re-assessing her life and work, and became a leader of the anti-Vietnam War movement, earning her the nickname of Hanoi Jane from the American Press.After the Vietnam War ended, she remained committed to political activism, so she released a series of work-out videos to help fund change in America.After two more marriages, Jane had an epiphany about her 'third act' of life.She decided to devote it to helping change the world, and now at 88 years old, she is still spending much of her time raising awareness about climate change and other social issues.This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison. Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.It explores Hollywood, Hollyweird, celebrity culture, activism, climate change, the climate crisis, women's rights, women's empowerment, second wave feminism, intersectional feminism, Dolly Parton, 9 to 5, Gracie and Frankie, tech bros, oligarchs and billionaires, life lessons, old school Hollywood, Hollywood royalty, motherhood, parenting, Donald Trump, blacklist.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you'll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.

"'All men are created equal. They are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.' This immortal statement was made in the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America in 1776. In a broader sense, this means: All the peoples on the earth are equal from birth, all the peoples have a right to live, to be happy and free." Ho Chi Minh, 2 September 1945 Today we explore the influence of the American Declaration of Independence on Vietnamese Independence, as seen in Ho's explicit references to the American Declaration in his own Declaration. Topics include the following: -a brief history of Vietnamese and Confucian history, politics, and culture -the slow introduction of Western ideas into Vietnam, first via Catholic missionaries in the 1640s -French imperialism in Vietnam during the 19th and 20th centuries -contradictions between French political ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity and their imperial subjugation of the Vietnamese people -the simultaneous emergence of both communist and non-communist independence movements in Vietnam -the early life of Ho Chi Minh, his travels, and his presence at the founding of the French Communist Party in 1919 -Ho's training in Moscow as a Comintern agent and the founding of the Vietnamese Communist Party in Hong Kong in 1930, with Ho as its leader -an exploration of the different competing visions of a post-imperial and independent Vietnam -World War II and the Japanese occupation of Vietnam -Ho's long absence from Vietnam--from 1911 to 1941--and his return during the Japanese occupation and his founding of the Viet Minh movement for independence -the entry of the OSS into Vietnam with the goal of allying with anti-Japanese forces, including the Viet Minh -OSS accounts of Ho's interest in the language and ideas expressed in the US Declaration of Independence -the events leading to Ho Chi Minh's Vietnamese Declaration of Independence Speech on 2 September 1945 Prof. Zinoman's books can be found here: [The Colonial Bastille, A History of Imprisonment in Vietnam, 1862-1940](https://www.ucpress.edu/books/the-colonial-bastille/hardcover) [Vietnamese Colonial Republican, The Political Vision of Vu Trong Phung](https://www.ucpress.edu/books/vietnamese-colonial-republican/hardcover) [Ho Chi Minh's Declaration of Vietnamese Independence](https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/ho-chi-minh/works/1945/declaration-independence.htm) The cover image features a 1945 photo of Ho Chi Minh with members of the OSS, the precursor to the CIA.

John C. Muir was a decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam War. He hailed from four generations of men and woman who served in distinguished military service. He was also cousin to John Muir the famous naturalist who's been called “The Father of America's National Parks.” In 1965, Muir volunteered for the US Marine Corps and was sent to Vietnam as a Rifleman. John C. Muir was an excellent storyteller who delivered powerful words about fighting the war and returning home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did a President who was so reluctant to ramp up America's presence in Vietnam become the one who increased it more than any other? When Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President, he had big plans for his domestic agenda... but it would be his foreign policy decisions that eventually brought him down.Our guest today is Pierre Asselin, professor of American Foreign Relations at San Diego State University. He is a leading authority on the Vietnam War and is the author of A Bitter Peace: Washington, Hanoi, and the Making of the Paris Agreement and Hanoi's Road to the Vietnam War, 1954-1965.Produced by Tomos Delargy. Edited by Tim Arstall. Senior Producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.American History Hit is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The political climate in 1968 was one of turmoil and division in the United States. There were major protests against the Vietnam War. Martin Luther King was assassinated in April of that year, followed by the assassination of Robert Kennedy, the leading Democratic candidate for president and the brother of assassinated President John F. Kennedy. The Civil Rights Movement had seen major progress, but struggled to move forward as a militant wing began to form.

1906 SPINDLETOP OIL FIELD, BEAUMONT TEXASCONTENTS JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 9-22-26Diesel Shortages Drive Inflation And VolatilityLiz Peek highlights rising diesel prices, up over 80%, as a critical driver of global inflation affecting transportation, manufacturing, and agriculture. Ukrainian missile strikes on Russian refineries further strain refining capacity, while USrefinery limits exacerbate supply bottlenecks. Meanwhile, tech stocks rebounded due to enthusiasm over artificial intelligence innovations like Meta's Muse personal agent. The Federal Reserve unanimously implemented a quarter-point interest rate increase to address 3.7% PCE inflation. Furthermore, public dissatisfaction with high energy prices linked to the conflict with Iran is influencing political races, leading candidates to adjust campaign positions. (1)German Political Center Erodes In ElectionsJudy Dempsey, co-host Thaddeus McCotter: Dempsey and McCotter discuss significant political shifts following German state elections. In Berlin, the far-left party Die Linke gained strong support among young voters focused on housing costs. Simultaneously, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) capitalized on anti-immigration and anti-establishment sentiment, weakening Chancellor Friedrich Merz's centrist coalition. Dempsey notes that traditional parties struggle to attract younger constituents amid growing political polarization. Additionally, Russia actively targets Germany with hybrid warfare, cyberattacks, and propaganda aimed at deepening political divisions, as the Kremlinwelcomes dialogue with populist parties like the AfD. (2)Navigating Complex Relations With Global StrongmenMary Kissel assesses diplomatic strategies regarding China, Russia, and the Middle East. Ahead of potential talks between US leadership and Xi Jinping, Kissel highlights that Beijing views negotiations as opportunities for propaganda rather than genuine cooperation. She advocates for decoupling key American industries from China and protecting Taiwan's security. Regarding Russia, Kissel emphasizes that Vladimir Putin faces no domestic opposition and continues testing Western resolve through hybrid attacks and provocation. In the Middle East, she recommends decisive military actions against Iran-backed Houthi forces while maintaining strategic partnerships with regional actors like Oman and Saudi Arabia. (3)Entitlement Reform And Artificial Intelligence ChallengesJoseph Sternberg analyzes the upcoming 2032 Social Security solvency deadline and artificial intelligence governance. He cautions that proposals to eliminate the payroll tax cap create substantial tax burdens without fixing the long-term deficit. Sternberg warns against adopting European welfare policies that suppress economic growth, advocating instead for structural adjustments such as retirement age modifications. Regarding artificial intelligence, he critiques UN calls for heavy regulatory intervention. He argues that technological anxiety is overstated and that AI offers significant productivity benefits and security capabilities that help mitigate its own associated operational risks. (4)Global Military Shifts And Power DynamicsGregory Copley reviews defense challenges, Chinese internal politics, and the strategic conflict with Iran. He notes that Britain's Royal Air Force is supporting Saudi Arabia against Houthis primarily to preserve critical defense transactions. In China, President Xi Jinping faces domestic military purges and economic troubles, leaving both Beijingand Washington seeking temporary stability. On the US-Iran war, Copley argues Washington miscalculated by relying on leadership decapitation; the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps survived by decentralizing command into autonomous regional structures. Finally, Copley dismisses Earl Spencer's public attacks against King Charles III as personal opportunism. (5)Congressional Candidates Distance From Iran WarThaddeus McCotter discusses political maneuvering ahead of the congressional midterm elections. Republican Senate candidates Mike Rogers in Michigan and Ashley Hinson in Iowa have called for an end to the Iran war, gas tax suspensions, and diesel export pauses. McCotter explains that low presidential approval ratings and voter discontent over inflation drive candidates to distance themselves on key foreign policy issues. Drawing parallels to Hubert Humphrey's pivot on the Vietnam War in 1968, McCotter notes that candidates must frame such policy shifts around clear principles rather than political expediency. Competitive contests in traditionally solid states highlight broader party challenges. (6)Post Conflict Stabilization Plans For GazaSamuel Ben-Ur, co-host Thaddeus McCotter: Ben-Ur outlines the Board of Peace's six-month recovery program for Gaza, focused on rebuilding civilian administration and humanitarian infrastructure. The plan's primary hurdle remains Hamas's disarmament and tunnel destruction. To maintain public order, organizers recruited 16,000 Gazan police officers—vetted by Israeli intelligence—for training in Egypt. Drawing lessons from reconstruction efforts in Iraq, Ben-Ur stresses that the new force must maintain an absolute monopoly on weapons. However, implementation remains frozen pending Israeli election results. Furthermore, pending legal definitions regarding war crimes before the International Court of Justice could impact broader international diplomatic dynamics. (7)Hezbollah Narrative Adaptation Amid Battlefield LossDavid Daoud analyzes Hezbollah's tactical narrative adaptation following major military setbacks, including the IDF's destruction of key tunnel networks in southern Lebanon. To maintain support among its constituency, Hezbollah retroactively shifts its messaging—transitioning from claims of conquering territory to arguing that it conducts a war of attrition without defending specific geography. Daoud expresses skepticism regarding the Lebanese Armed Forces(LAF) deployment south of the Litani River, noting that the LAF lacks a mandate for coercive disarmament. Because the LAF continues deconfliction coordination with Hezbollah rather than seizing weapons caches, Daoud concludes LAF presence alone will not neutralize Hezbollah's military threat. (8)

The Evolution of UTAPWeLS & Well-Log Modeling In this episode of the PBE Podcast, host Troy Tittlemier sits down with Dave Kennedy to explore the history of the UT Austin Formation Evaluation research consortium and the development of the UTAPWeLS software. Dave shares his expansive career journey, spanning from his early days at Georgia Tech and military service during the Vietnam War, to his extensive work with industry giants like Schlumberger, Mobil, ExxonMobil, and Baker Hughes. The discussion dives deep into the evolution of well-log modeling, detailing the industry's shift from the standard 30-year use of the 6FF40 induction instrument to proprietary array induction tools. Dave also highlights how consortium leader Carlos successfully united competing service companies to build a comprehensive petrophysical simulator that continues to push the technological envelope today. Episode Highlights Introduction to Dave Kennedy, his long-standing association with Carlos since 1986 at Berkeley, and the start of the UT Austin consortium in 2000. Dave's early life: Attending Georgia Tech, his family's military background, and his decision to join the army as airborne infantry during the Vietnam War. Entering the oil patch: Landing a job at Schlumberger in 1972 after sending out a hundred letters through a vendor catalog. Transitioning to research: Moving to Mobil in 1988, solving Maxwell's equations to understand the 6FF40 induction tool's response function, and adding 100 million barrels to the Statfjord field reserves using forward modeling. The industry shift to array induction tools and the service companies' initial reluctance to share their proprietary hardware specifications and modeling data. The birth of UTAPWeLS (University of Texas at Austin Petrophysical and Well-Log Simulator): How Carlos successfully negotiated with competing service companies to incorporate their models into a unified simulator for the industry. Forward modeling vs. inversion: A breakdown of how UTAPWeLS helps determine hydrocarbon saturation by overlaying guessed formation layer conductivities onto observed tool responses. Dispelling the myth of a "mature industry": How technological advancements like fiber optics, miniaturization, and rare earth magnets for nuclear magnetic resonance keep the oil and gas sector on the cutting edge. Concluding thoughts on the 26-year-old consortium's ongoing evolution, Carlos's leadership, and the modern integration of AI into their research.

1932Congressional Candidates Distance From Iran WarThaddeus McCotter discusses political maneuvering ahead of the congressional midterm elections. Republican Senate candidates Mike Rogers in Michigan and Ashley Hinson in Iowa have called for an end to the Iran war, gas tax suspensions, and diesel export pauses. McCotter explains that low presidential approval ratings and voter discontent over inflation drive candidates to distance themselves on key foreign policy issues. Drawing parallels to Hubert Humphrey's pivot on the Vietnam War in 1968, McCotter notes that candidates must frame such policy shifts around clear principles rather than political expediency. Competitive contests in traditionally solid states highlight broader party challenges. (6)

The Baller Lifestyle Podcast — Episode 627 Brian Beckner and Ed Daly are back for Episode 627 of The Baller Lifestyle Podcast! EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 — Welcome to Episode 627 Brian and Ed kick things off with Patreon plugs, listener contact information and a discussion about Ed finally getting cleared by his doctor to resume physical activity. 06:00 — The Gym Playlist From Hell Ed encounters a fellow apartment-gym resident blasting The Police while working out. Brian and Ed debate gym etiquette, loud grunting and the bizarre things people do when they think nobody is watching. 13:00 — Brian's Costco Narration Problem Brian discovers that, without headphones, he apparently narrates his entire Costco shopping trip out loud. 17:00 — The HOA Loud-Noise Complaint Brian reveals the story of an HOA complaint involving noises coming from his apartment — and the awkward aftermath with his neighbor. 25:00 — Helicopter Traffic Reports: Do We Still Need Them? Ed questions why television stations still use helicopters for traffic reports in the age of smartphones, GPS and real-time traffic apps. 32:00 — Local News and the Comfort of Knowing Someone Is Live Brian explains why he used to leave local news playing in the background — and remembers a longtime local news anchor with an unforgettable cough. R.I.P. SEGMENT 38:00 — Gloria Steinem The hosts discuss the longtime feminist activist and writer. 40:00 — Tim Curry A look back at Tim Curry's memorable film and television career, including Home Alone 2, Clue, Rocky Horror and Congo. 43:00 — Barry Melrose Brian and Ed remember the legendary hockey coach and ESPN analyst — and, naturally, his spectacular mullet. 46:00 — Matt Suhey A tribute to the Chicago Bears fullback and member of the legendary 1985 Bears. 48:00 — JP Morgan & The Gong Show The hosts remember the Gong Show panelist and discuss the bizarre television culture of the 1970s. 51:00 — Other Notable Passings The R.I.P. segment continues with a wide-ranging list of entertainers, athletes, writers and other notable figures. 58:00 — The Tiny Influencer Story The hosts discuss the tragic story of influencer Eko Tiny Yebiribo and a fatal medical complication during cosmetic surgery. 1:02:00 — The Royal Family Nobody Knows The death of Norway's King Harald leads to a conversation about European monarchies and Brian's experience working for a Danish shipping company. 1:05:00 — Duncan Sheik A quick tribute to the singer-songwriter behind “Barely Breathing.” 1:07:00 — Presley Gerber The hosts discuss the death of Cindy Crawford's son at age 27. 1:09:00 — More R.I.P. Headlines Brian and Ed continue through the week's collection of notable deaths, including athletes, entertainers and media personalities. 1:17:00 — The R. Budd Dwyer Memory A disturbing childhood memory leads Brian and Ed into a discussion about infamous televised suicide footage and the lasting impact of seeing something traumatic on television. SPORTS 1:21:00 — Milton Bradley Is Back Former MLB outfielder Milton Bradley becomes the subject of the latest sports gossip, leading to plenty of jokes about his name, career and infamous temper. 1:28:00 — Lamar Odom Enters the Conversation The hosts discuss the latest bizarre celebrity relationship headline involving Lamar Odom. 1:32:00 — D.K. Metcalf and Antarctica D.K. Metcalf's reported conspiracy-theory beliefs lead Brian and Ed down a rabbit hole involving Antarctica, Atlantis and Flat Earth theories. 1:40:00 — The Antarctica Ice Wall Brian and Ed attempt to figure out what Flat Earthers actually believe is beyond the alleged Antarctic ice wall. 1:46:00 — Eric Musselman vs. the Metal Detector Guy A USC basketball photo shoot turns into an argument with a beach metal detectorist — and Brian and Ed debate whether the treasure hunter was looking for treasure or attention. 1:52:00 — Are Metal-Detecting Influencers Actually Finding Anything? The conversation expands into Storage Wars, Pawn Stars and the suspicion that reality television has to manufacture the good stuff. 1:57:00 — Travis Kelce and the Ponzi Scheme The hosts discuss reports involving Travis Kelce and a financial scheme. 2:01:00 — Brian Spots Dax Shepard at Dodger Stadium Brian tells the story of spotting Dax Shepard sitting behind home plate — and being surprised by just how jacked the actor/podcaster is. 2:06:00 — Aaron Rodgers and Shailene Woodley The hosts discuss reports surrounding Rodgers' former relationship and the strange phenomenon of celebrities publicly discussing their exes after moving on. LISTENER MAIL & VOICEMAILS 2:11:00 — The Official Baller Lifestyle Bowling Correspondent A listener checks in about his newfound bowling obsession and asks about getting his own bowling ball. 2:16:00 — Two-Handed Bowling Brian and Ed debate the two-handed bowling technique and whether a bowler even needs a thumb hole. 2:19:00 — The Underwear Debate Brian explains his longtime decision to go commando, while Ed has a very different philosophy. 2:23:00 — The Infamous Zipper Story The conversation returns to one of Brian's most uncomfortable wardrobe malfunctions. 2:27:00 — Happy Labor Day A listener weighs in on Target, corporate identity and whether large companies actually stand for anything. 2:31:00 — YouTube TV, Jon Stewart and Dynamic Pricing Brian and Ed discuss corporations, changing prices and the increasingly personalized world of online pricing. 2:36:00 — Ticketmaster Won't Let Brian Sell His Tickets Brian tells the story of buying tickets to see Sturgill Simpson, attempting to sell two of them and discovering the bizarre limitations surrounding ticket transfers. 2:41:00 — Why The Baller Lifestyle Podcast Is Different A listener praises Brian and Ed for the show's genuine, unfiltered style. 2:44:00 — The “Gay Was Straight” Running Joke G Fish sends in evidence documenting Jay Stewart's long-running Matt Gay Twitter joke. 2:48:00 — Norm Macdonald and the Art of Repetition Brian and Ed explain why an intentionally unfunny joke can become funny through sheer repetition. 2:51:00 — That's It for the Regular Show Brian and Ed wrap up the non-Patreon portion of Episode 627 and tease the ridiculous stories waiting behind the Patreon paywall. PATREON BONUS SEGMENT 2:52:00 — The Patreon Show Begins The show transitions into the Patreon-exclusive non-sports segment. 2:53:00 — The Miniature Donkey Incident A bizarre Georgia story involving a miniature donkey, police and an angry crowd kicks off the bonus material. 2:58:00 — Brian Gets a Traffic Ticket Brian tells the story of getting pulled over for making a right turn on red and questions whether the officer had jurisdiction. 3:05:00 — Ricky Springfield: Singer, Songwriter... Vietnam Veteran? The hosts discuss Rick Springfield's story about his experiences entertaining troops during the Vietnam War. 3:12:00 — “Ricky Springfield, He's a Buddy of Mine” Naturally, Brian and Ed work the Boogie Nights reference into the conversation. 3:15:00 — The Carrot Top Sex Tape Story A bizarre story involving Carrot Top, an alleged sex tape and an extortion claim becomes the next major topic. 3:22:00 — Carrot Top's Vegas Residency The hosts discuss the comedian's long-running Las Vegas career and the strange circumstances surrounding the story. 3:27:00 — Wheel of Fortune Announcer Caught Watching Disturbing Content Brian and Ed discuss the bizarre airline incident involving a television personality and what passengers can see on one another's screens. 3:34:00 — The Family Dog Story A disturbing Florida criminal case leads to one of the wildest discussions of the episode. 3:40:00 — More Non-Sports Headlines The Patreon segment continues with strange news stories, celebrity scandals and Brian and Ed's completely unfiltered reactions. 3:50:00 — Closing Out Episode 627 Brian and Ed wrap up another episode of The Baller Lifestyle Podcast. Subscribe & Support Listen to The Baller Lifestyle Podcast: theballerlifestyle.com Join the Patreon: patreon.com/theballerlifestylepodcast Get bonus episodes, Bonus Bri, exclusive content and more. Email the show: mailbag@theballerlifestyle.com Leave a voicemail: 949-464-TBLS Keywords The Baller Lifestyle Podcast, Brian Beckner, Ed Daly, sports comedy podcast, comedy podcast, sports podcast, MLB, NFL, NBA, D.K. Metcalf, Travis Kelce, Lamar Odom, Aaron Rodgers, Dax Shepard, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milton Bradley, USC basketball, Eric Musselman, Barry Melrose, Tim Curry, Gloria Steinem, Rick Springfield, Carrot Top, bowling, Target, Ticketmaster, Jon Stewart, Jay Stewart, Matt Gay, celebrity news, sports news, funny podcast, Patreon podcast Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Vietnam War veteran and authorAfter returning home, Greg faced PTSD, homelessness, racism, addiction, and years of anger before beginning a path toward sobriety, forgiveness, activism, and peace. He eventually became a longtime peace advocate, working with Vietnam Veterans Against the War and traveling internationally to support reconciliation and nonviolence.In this powerful conversation, Greg reflects on the human cost of war, racism within the military, addiction and recovery, the weight of unresolved anger, and what it truly means to forgive. His story is not simply about surviving Vietnam. It is about transforming pain into purpose and becoming what he calls a Peace Warrior.A conversation about war, trauma, redemption, forgiveness, and the possibility of finding peace after years of carrying the battle home.https://thepeacewarrior.com/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/i-am-refocused-radio--2671113/support.Subscribe now at YouTube.com/@RefocusedNetworkThank you for your time. 

Probably more inspired by than based on Adrian Cronauer’s time in Saigon during the Vietnam War. The post A067: Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) appeared first on .

This week, we review Platoon (1986), Oliver Stone's gritty and unflinching war drama exploring the moral chaos of the Vietnam War. Charlie Sheen stars as Chris Taylor, a young, idealistic recruit caught between two hardened sergeants — Willem Dafoe's principled Elias and Tom Berenger's ruthless Barnes — in a story that explores the battle for a soldier's soul as much as the battle for survival. With its raw, semi-autobiographical portrayal of combat and the fractured brotherhood within a single platoon, this film raises intriguing questions about how war reveals — or corrupts — human nature.Is this platoon fighting for their country or fighting each other? Listen on to find out!Join Colin & Niall as we embrace the weird, the wonderful, and the downright awful of cinema!Contact us: itwasamoviepodcast@gmail.comSpotify: It was a movie..Spotify pageFollow, rate & review us here:https://linktr.ee/itwasamovieYoutube: It was a movie channel...Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itwasamovieInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/itwasamoviepodcast/X: https://x.com/itwasamoviepodTikTok clips & highlights: https://www.tiktok.com/@itwasamoviepodSee all our ratings & reviews: Google SpreadsheetIMDb List: IMDb | Letterboxd: Letterboxd

1955In The Londinium Chronicles, Gaius (John Batchelor) and Germanicus (Michael Vlahos) explore the intersections of Roman history and modern geopolitics.Germanicus and Gaius Debate American Strategy In Rainy Autumn LondiniumGaius and Germanicus: Gathered at their expanded Londinium wine bar on a rainy autumn evening in 92 AD, the hosts reflect on municipal regulations, building codes, and upcoming gladiator games before analyzing modern geopolitical parallels. The discussion focuses on American imperial strategy, drawing comparisons between potential U.S. diplomacy toward Russia and Richard Nixon's historic opening to China during the Vietnam War. Germanicus explains that the U.S. has exhausted its initial policy options regarding the Ukrainian conflict, leaving Washington inclined to offer Russia economic incentives and territorial concessions to secure a peacetime transition. Such an agreement could facilitate a 40 percent drawdown of American troops in Europe, shift strategic burdens onto a stagnant European Union, and enlist Moscow as a mediating influence regarding Iran. In exchange, Vladimir Putin seeks a neutral, military-free Ukrainian buffer state to guarantee Russian security against European aggression. Reflecting on historical precedent, Gaius cites Queen Boudicca's catastrophic accommodation with Rome, warning that financial and development deals with an empire inevitably erode national sovereignty. However, Germanicus notes that unlike ancient Rome or modern peer competitors, contemporary America lacks the military doctrine, industrial capacity, and political fortitude required to prevail in prolonged peer conflicts. Consequently, Germany and Japan remain national security satellites following decades of post-war subjugation. (1)

Today's guest has lived through war, incarceration, addiction, trauma, and some of the most difficult chapters of American history—and yet his life has become a powerful testament to the possibility of transformation. Greg Payton was a young African-American soldier drafted into the Vietnam War. His experience included time in a military stockade in Vietnam, where racial injustice, harsh conditions, and mounting tensions ultimately erupted into a devastating prison riot in 1968. But Greg's story did not end with the war. After returning home, he faced PTSD, addiction, homelessness, and the difficult task of finding his way back to himself. Through recovery and his connections with Vietnam Veterans Against the War and other peace activists, he discovered a new purpose. He became an international peacemaker, traveling to places including Belfast, South Africa, Bosnia, and Vietnam, standing alongside people who were working to confront violence and injustice. His memoir, Peace Warrior: How I Escaped the Prison of Anger, is not simply a story about surviving war. It is a story about what happens when a person decides that anger, pain, and the past will no longer dictate the future. Today, we'll talk about the Vietnam War, racism in the military, the hidden costs of trauma, addiction and recovery, forgiveness, and the lifelong journey from being a warrior shaped by conflict to becoming a warrior for peace.

Selling a collection - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2G1iqUmRU8Slab Travel Case - https://amzn.to/4xyv1h6Miracleman is back in the spotlight, and MIRACLEMAN #1 from Eclipse Comics is heating up fast after this week's reveal in Avengers Armageddon #4. Raw copies are selling for as much as $100, and collectors are also chasing the latest Captain America #1 thanks to the first appearance of David Colton, the new Miracleman.Also this week on Bronze and Modern Gods:HOT BOOK OF THE WEEKMiracleman #1 – The 1985 Eclipse reintroduction of Marvelman, renamed Miracleman, is suddenly back on collector radar thanks to new Marvel developments. OLD FART RULEThe 'Nam #1 – Marvel's ambitious 1986 Vietnam War series from writer Doug Murray and editor Larry Hama, both Vietnam veterans, with standout Michael Golden art. The series was designed to unfold in real time and ultimately ran 84 issues.UNDERRATED BOOKS OF THE WEEKPunisher War Journal #6 – The first meeting and fight between Punisher and Wolverine, with Jim Lee cover and interior art. Raw copies can still be found around $10 to $20, while CGC 9.8 copies remain around the $100 range.Iron Lantern – One of the strangest and most entertaining books from the Marvel/DC Amalgam experiment, combining Iron Man and Green Lantern into Hal Stark. And raw copies are still only around $8.Plus Viewer Mail, Show & Tell, new member shoutouts and more comic collecting talk.What book from this week's episode do you think is the most undervalued?Follow us on Instagram and Facebook:@bronzeandmoderngodsLike the video, subscribe to the channel, and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform.Become a Member for $2.99/month and get:• Members-only live streams• Bonus Show & Tell episodes• On-screen shoutoutsJOIN → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkHTY1eNYHr9JoTndx_m6kA/join

Episode DescriptionJill looks back on her time in Hollywood as a successful actress, including a stay at the Chateau Marmont in the 1960s and a friendship with Sonny & Cher, and on what she learned by stepping away from it. She talks about making peace with her natural, aging body, how culture defines beauty, and what caring for wounded soldiers taught her about worth. She closes with simple daily practices for meeting yourself with love.In This EpisodeHollywood and friendship with CherJill recalls staying at the Chateau Marmont in the 1960s while making a film, and being invited by Sonny & Cher to stay with them.She explains why she stepped away from acting and how she came to peace with her natural, aging body.She discusses the pressure on public figures to keep a certain look through cosmetic surgery, versus embracing natural aging.Shifting our perspective on beauty and worthInner essence over outer image: Real beauty shows in a person's presence and eyes, not in external perfection.Cultural conditioning: Advertisers, media, and the fashion industry set arbitrary beauty standards that change over time and across cultures.Lessons from nursing and serviceJill shares a pivotal experience serving in a military hospital during the Vietnam War era.Connecting deeply with severely injured soldiers taught her that true human connection and beauty are rooted in spirit and love, beyond physical appearance.Key TakeawaysThe beauty standards we absorb are cultural and constantly shifting, so they are a poor measure of our worth.What people notice and remember about us is our presence, especially our eyes.Love and spirit, not appearance, are what connect us to one another.Try It Yourself: Daily PracticesMirror practice: Each morning, look deeply into your own eyes with love rather than shame, guilt, or judgment.Self-expression: Wear colors that reflect your mood and authentic self each day.Daily affirmation: "I am love, I am loved."Reflection QuestionsWhen did you last look at yourself in the mirror with kindness?Whose standards of beauty are you still carrying?What would change if you measured yourself by presence and love instead of appearance?ConnectListen and subscribe to Earth Tribe Radio: www.earthtriberadio.comwww.fionawhitmore.comwww.barefootenlightenment.com www.earthtriberadio.comwww.barefootenlightenment.comwww.fionawhitmore.com

Drop us a note about the podcast. A clean record sounds like a fantasy until you sit with Psalm 32 long enough to feel it. We start with Scripture that refuses to flatter us: hiding sin corrodes the soul, but confession opens the door to real joy, real honesty, and real relief. If you've been carrying a private weight or replaying the same regret, this is a grounded, Bible-centered reminder that forgiveness is not a slogan, it's a turning point.The conversation then turns to prayer and protection. We pray for trafficked children, for people who feel anxious or broken, and for veterans, law enforcement, and first responders. We also react to a deeply disturbing report of child sexual abuse and wrestle with fear, justice, and the responsibility to defend the vulnerable. The host shares strong views about culture and religion; we encourage listeners to hold tight to compassion for victims while thinking carefully, speaking truthfully, and refusing to let outrage replace discernment.From there we get intensely practical about Christian marriage. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 7, we talk about divided interests, daily responsibility, and a simple order of priorities: serve God first, then give your spouse the best of you before screens, sports, or comfort. We close by honoring Medal of Honor recipient John Robert Caviani, reflecting on what we choose to remember, and reading Abraham Lincoln's call for national humility and confession.If this helped you reset your heart or your home, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review. What part of the message hit you hardest: confession, marriage priorities, or remembering sacrifice?#BibleScripture #ChristianNation#AmericanPatriotSupport the showThe American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribeCountryside Book Serieshttps://www.amazon.com/Countryside-Book-J-T-Cope-IV-ebook/dp/B00MPIXOB2 America's Christian Heritage Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2622483

John Brien - 8 RAR Platoon Commander, Vietnam / Australian Special Forces Special Air Service Regiment Veteran: Vietnam, the unpopular war Today on True Blue Conversations, I'm joined by John Brien — Vietnam veteran, former 8RAR Platoon Commander and SASR operator, whose life is a powerful story of service, sacrifice and transition. John's early years took him from Sydney to Adelaide and then Queensland, where he spent his teenage years in high school and surfing. He had planned to become a surfboard maker, but medical issues changed that path. In January 1967, John joined the Australian Army to attend Officer Cadet School, graduating later that year before serving at the Jungle Training Centre at Canungra. He was posted to 8RAR, served in Malaysia, and in November 1969 deployed to South Vietnam, where he spent a year commanding a rifle platoon during the Vietnam War — an unpopular conflict that would profoundly affect many Australian veterans, particularly when they returned home. Following Vietnam, John was recommended for SASR selection by his former Company Commander, Mike Jeffrey, who would later become Governor-General of Australia. John passed selection and went on to spend more than a decade in Special Forces, including service with US Special Forces at Fort Bragg. After leaving the Army in 1988, John faced another major transition. He studied Traditional Chinese Medicine, including four months in China, and eventually practised as a doctor for 35 years before retiring in 2025. For many veterans and first responders, transitioning away from service can be one of life's greatest challenges — finding purpose, identity and direction beyond the uniform. Today, John shares his story of service, transition and life after the military. HOST: Adam Blum GUEST: John Brien Editor: Kyle Watkins

SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/lionsledbydonkeys COME SEE US LIVE SEPTEMBER 26TH IN CORK, IRELAND https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lions-led-by-donkeys-podcast-live-in-cork-26th-september-tickets-1993823733459 Nate, Joe, and Tom discuss the time where, under the auspices of "internationalizing" the Vietnam War, the US paid huge sums for South Korea to deploy troops to combat. On one hand, Park Chung-Hee secured the bag. On the other...there were some war crimes. A lot of them. SOURCES: Tae Yang Kwak (Spring–Summer 2003). "The Nixon Doctrine and the Yusin Reforms: American Foreign Policy, the Vietnam War, and the Rise of Authoritarianism in Korea, 1968—1973". The Journal of American-East Asian Relations Blackburn, Robert M. (1994). Mercenaries and Lyndon Johnson's "more flags": the hiring of Korean, Filipino, and Thai soldiers in the Vietnam War. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland Publishing Shulimson, Jack (1997). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Defining Year, 1968 Jang HG. People's Tribunal on War Crimes by South Korean Troops during the Vietnam War. Asia-Pacific Journal Armstrong, Charles (2001). Critical Asian Studies: America's Korea, Korea's Vietnam. https://www.newmandala.org/politics-of-denial-south-korean-war-crimes-in-vietnam/ https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/south-korea-vietnam-war-sexual-violence-women-b1806764.html https://www.npr.org/2023/04/12/1167951366/south-korea-vietnam-war-massacre-court-case

A new FOX News poll reveals deep voter dissatisfaction with the economy, surging energy costs, and the ongoing political fallout from the war in Iran. FOX News contributor & Chief Political Correspondent for the Washington Examiner Byron York discusses what the poll numbers mean for the GOP, examines shifting public perceptions of capitalism, the high-stakes Senate battle in Michigan, and how growing anxieties over AI regulation are reshaping the campaign trail. More than half of a century after returning home from the Vietnam War, a group of American heroes went back to confront their past. Upon their return decades ago, many U.S. service members came home to a nation divided over the war they fought, and did not receive any honor, gratitude or closure. Actor and Veteran Advocate Gary Sinise joins FOX's Peter Doocy to discuss a new powerful documentary, Where We Once Stood, which he is the executive producer and narrator for. The documentary follows the group as they retrace their steps on foreign soil for the first time. PLUS, commentary by Jason Rantz, author of What's Killing America, and the host of The Jason Rantz Show PHOTO CREDIT: AP IMAGES Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new FOX News poll reveals deep voter dissatisfaction with the economy, surging energy costs, and the ongoing political fallout from the war in Iran. FOX News contributor & Chief Political Correspondent for the Washington Examiner Byron York discusses what the poll numbers mean for the GOP, examines shifting public perceptions of capitalism, the high-stakes Senate battle in Michigan, and how growing anxieties over AI regulation are reshaping the campaign trail. More than half of a century after returning home from the Vietnam War, a group of American heroes went back to confront their past. Upon their return decades ago, many U.S. service members came home to a nation divided over the war they fought, and did not receive any honor, gratitude or closure. Actor and Veteran Advocate Gary Sinise joins FOX's Peter Doocy to discuss a new powerful documentary, Where We Once Stood, which he is the executive producer and narrator for. The documentary follows the group as they retrace their steps on foreign soil for the first time. PLUS, commentary by Jason Rantz, author of What's Killing America, and the host of The Jason Rantz Show PHOTO CREDIT: AP IMAGES Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new FOX News poll reveals deep voter dissatisfaction with the economy, surging energy costs, and the ongoing political fallout from the war in Iran. FOX News contributor & Chief Political Correspondent for the Washington Examiner Byron York discusses what the poll numbers mean for the GOP, examines shifting public perceptions of capitalism, the high-stakes Senate battle in Michigan, and how growing anxieties over AI regulation are reshaping the campaign trail. More than half of a century after returning home from the Vietnam War, a group of American heroes went back to confront their past. Upon their return decades ago, many U.S. service members came home to a nation divided over the war they fought, and did not receive any honor, gratitude or closure. Actor and Veteran Advocate Gary Sinise joins FOX's Peter Doocy to discuss a new powerful documentary, Where We Once Stood, which he is the executive producer and narrator for. The documentary follows the group as they retrace their steps on foreign soil for the first time. PLUS, commentary by Jason Rantz, author of What's Killing America, and the host of The Jason Rantz Show PHOTO CREDIT: AP IMAGES Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Explore APSC's My Family Audio Series A story-driven 3-part audio project about Cambodian, Hmong, Laotian, Vietnamese, and other Southeast Asian families doing everything possible to breathe with ease and live freely besides the people we love.  Created by the Asian Prisoner Support Committee and APEX Express, and hosted by writer and activist Michelle MiJung Kim, My Family seeks to answer many of the questions countless families in our communities are grappling with today. Mass deportation and family separation are fueled by isolation and silence. With My Family, we aim to dismantle both with stories full of heart, compassion, and an honest look at the tangled paths many of us take to reckon with the past, rebuild our lives, and make a new place home.  Our deep gratitude extends to all the community members who shared their stories with us, even while painful to recount. Their commitment to creating stronger, more informed communities is unparalleled.    My Family Ep. 2: What happens in ICE detention? In our second episode, we take a closer look at what happens when people are forced into ICE detention, including after completing their sentence in state prison and transforming their lives. You'll hear from NC, Pam, and Tony, who endured ICE detention in California and other states, as well as Elijah Chhum, executive director of New Light Wellness.  Music from episode 2, as well as related resources, can be found below in the show notes. If you are an impacted community member in California or have a family member who is directly impacted by detention and deportation, we encourage you to contact APSC at info@asianprisonersupport.org or our partners at New Light Wellness and the Center for Empowering Refugees and Immigrants.  Music: Original composition by Joe Sin and the Angkor Wat Band. Joe is a Khmer elder and community leader in Oakland Temple by Thao Resources: My Family Episode 2 discussion guide APSC Data Report on Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Asians and Pacific Islanders Asian Law Caucus legal resources and video explainers for Southeast Asians facing deportation threats USC Equity Research Institute analysis on ICE arrests of Asian and Pacific Islander Californians We Are California: Hmong History and Cultural Studies A special thanks to Hmong Innovating Politics for their guidance on Hmong communities' history and refugee experiences.   Transcript Michelle MiJung Kim: [00:00:00] Hello. Welcome to “My Family,” a project by the Asian Prisoner Support Committee and APEX Express. I'm your host, Michelle Mijung Kim. If you haven't yet, I invite you to check out our first episode. We'll include a tag in the show notes, which you can find at kpfa.org/program/apex-express/. As as [00:01:00] listeners may know, many Southeast Asians are in the United States after their families found refuge here in the '70s and '80s, fleeing genocide and violence in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.   Most have loved ones who didn't survive. The ones who did make it out, around one point one million, are the largest refugee community ever resettled in the US. Today, after decades of building a home in the US, these families are targeted by mass detention and deportation. According to the latest data, forty-two percent of all Southeast Asian deportations to date happened between 2025 and 2026. There's been a twentyfold increase in the deportations of Southeast Asian elders. Amid the pain and fear, families are seeking answers. How did we get here? What can we do to keep our family safe and together?   That's why I'm partnering with the Asian [00:02:00] Prisoner Support Committee and APEX Express, to bring our communities and families honest recounts of what is happening so that we can be there for each other. In today's episode, we'll focus on what happens in ICE detention.   Welcome to “My Family.”    A content warning for our listeners that in today's episode, we'll be discussing incarceration, depression, and family separation.   We first met NC in our last episode. NC and his family are Hmong. Like many other ethnic groups in Laos, including Lahu and Mien, Hmong people's stories are unfa– Hmong people's stories are unfamiliar to many.   These ethnic groups and others have shared ancient roots in the central and southern– in the central and southern regions of China. About 300 years ago, they were forced to flee the Chinese government's oppression and persecution. Many sought safety in the highlands [00:03:00] of Southeast Asia. NC's family settled in N- N- NC's family settled in Laos.   During the Vietnam War, the CIA recruited tens of thousands of Hmong boys and men, including members of NC's family, to fight in a covert campaign in Laos known as the Secret War, which you can learn more about in the resources we'll share in the show notes. Hmong fighters served behind enemy lines, rescued US planes, and risked their lives for Americans.   The Hmong soldiers were told that they were– The Hmong soldiers were told they and their families would be protected, but when the war ended, the Americans left, and thousands of Hmong were left behind. Facing persecution for their work with the United States, the Hmong were once again forced to flee. One– Facing p- facing persecution for their work with the United States, the Hmong were once again forced to flee to survive, rendering them stateless.   Thousands of Hmong families and other ethnic minority groups hid in the jungles or escaped on foot. Many died on the journey from starvation, drowning, and disease. NC's parents, [00:04:00] his mom pregnant with him, finally crossed the Mekong River into Thailand. NC was born into a refugee camp there, and after some time, his family was brought to the US, first in Long Beach and later in Stockton, where his dad opened an auto body shop   As a young person, NC was convicted of a crime, which led him to being incarcerated for 24 years. On the day he was supposed to be released from prison last year, instead of finally, instead of finally being able to return home, he was picked up by ICE. He had planned to finish his college education and become a social worker, helping young people struggling with trauma and loss like he did.   ICE took him to Mesa Verde, a detention facility in Bakersfield, California. For years, people detained in Mesa Verde and other ICE facilities in California, and other facilities, and other f- and other ICE facilities in California have led hun– Oh my gosh. For years, people detained in Mesa Verde and other ICE facilities in California have led hunger and labor strikes to protest medical neglect, gruesome conditions, including a perpetual lack of food and clean water.   California Attorney [00:05:00] General Rob Bonta says the conditions are worse now, calling ICE's facilities in the state, quote, ” cruel, inhumane, and unacceptable.” As of this recording, at least 24 people have died in ICE custody nationwide this year. We'll hear from NC what happened after ICE agents brought him to the Mesa Verde ICE facility.   Here's NC   NC (pseudonym): Yeah, it's kinda… It's hard because when you hit detention, it's like you paroled, you're happy that you paroled because you've been incarcerated, 'cause I've been incarcerated for like like 24 years, and like, you know, it's the next step.   So it's the next step to freedom. And while I went to a detention facility, you know, you know, it's like the main thing is just try to get out, not, not to get into trouble, you know. um, so during that time, it was like you don't have like, like… If you don't have, like, money to hire an attorney, then basically it's kinda like you trying to ask for a pro bono attorney, somebody that's willing to help you and represent you, but they have a lot of people in the [00:06:00] detention facility as well.   So when they come, it's like they're just overwhelmed with a whole bunch of people, and you hardly even get to, to really sit down and talk with them. So if you see them, they come visit like, I think, once a month, and then they'll just take your A number down, and then they'll just talk to you, and then they'll just, you know…   If they come back to you, I guess they come back to you. But I haven't really seen any, anybody, you know, um, they ever got back to that I know of, so. so.    Niketa Kumar: Mm-hmm.   NC (pseudonym): all the people, all the de- detainees that was there, um, those that were fighting their case, you know, Either they have a private, uh, immigration attorney, um, fighting for them, uh, uh, or they're just doing paperwork themself.   one of the thing I wanna point out is while you're in detention, you don't have access to anything, you know. They give you like a tablet, and they give you like some cases on it, but you really don't have access to look up anything or research anything. You only have, you know, the access to whatever that they [00:07:00] gave you um, According to their tablet. And, And, and it's just like the tablet, they only have like… Like, for example, when I was there, um- We only had to, we had to share, like, four tablets, and there was a lot of us. And people sh- use it to, like, order canteen. Somebody would, like, use it to watch movie, listen to the radio.   Some people would use it to, um, talk with their family, Mm-hmm … like um, But, um, um, we don't have enough tablets and, um, we don't have enough, um, um, batteries on the tablet. And um, just getting a hold of the tablet is, is, um, is pretty hard to get. And, And, like, um…   They give you, like, a little pin for the, the computer, but it's hard to, um, access it because they don't really… There's, like, no… They don't really teach you how to access anything anyway. So you're just, like, going from one place to another, and if you have something, you don't know how to save it. So you would have to ask other people that's been there for a while, and then you would have to go to, like… like…   You know, all this is, all this is just, like, um, like, um, I learned after, you know? It's not like, like, like when I was [00:08:00] there-   NC (pseudonym): somebody was, was, you know, you know, showing me. So you have to sign up. You have to go to the library, and when they schedule… ‘Cause there's, like, it's overcrowded and there's so many people. And, and they schedule the library.   There's, like, one librarian and, and,  you know, you know, we have to share the library. And then if you go there, then you have to try to get it printed or, you know, stuff like that. And then, and then when you do that stuff, you have to be able to sign up. You gotta have it, and if the librarian's not there, then you just have to wait until another time.   So everything is just, um, hard. It's not like, um, like if you remember something, then you can do something. And it's, like, uh, even pencils and paper, if you don't have, like, money to buy it on your canteen, then you would just have to ask somebody for it because everything… ‘ Cause once you get there, they don't give you any property, you know?   So sometimes, um, if you talk to the, the, uh, detaining officers, if they let you take some of your, um, like hygiene items. Like if you come from prison, you take some of your hygiene items, they'll allow you to bring it with you. [00:09:00] But other than that, it's like you really don't have access to anything. ‘ Cause once you get there, you have to slip out of your clothes, and you gotta wear, you know, prison clothes and can't have any, um, any personal belongings on you.   So you're just, like, going from one… It's like one, one prison to another prison.   You just, you know, try to just be calm and, um, you know, try to just, you know, stay, don't get into trouble, uh, you know, await for your, um, immigration hearing. um, And the first time I was there, um, I waited for my immigration hearing and, um, um, they didn't even, um, um, get my paperwork because something happened, and I had to call, call, and had to write a bunch of letters and paper and that's how… That's why I didn't, like, go to, um, um, my immigration hearing, like, like, within, like, a couple of weeks when I got there.   I had to wait, like, a whole month, you know, before I got scheduled for one. So, 'cause they, they lost my paperwork. I don't know if they, they d- lost it or sent it because I was writing to the, the, ICE agent that, um, um, is in charge of my case, and they said they [00:10:00] don't have any paperwork on me, so they can't…   You know, You know, I was writing to the courts and I was, you know, dialing the phone number to the courts to see if they, um, um, uh, scheduled me for m- an immigration hearing. So it was, it it was, part of the process of sending the paperwork from the ICE place to the, uh, courts so they can schedule it, and they didn't, they didn't, they didn't do it.   So I had to wait. I had to stay, like, an extended like, period of time, much longer than I should have um, I was able to finish… I mean, they were able to schedule me and then, um, during that time, you know, I saw attorneys and they were just telling me, ” Oh, nothing's gonna happen to you. Um, the country's not gonna accept you.   Um, just go and, you know, you can fight it if you want, but you're probably gonna lose. So you're gonna be here, like, two, three, four, five years fighting it in, in detention. And then if you just, you know, s- agree to it, like, yes, yes, yes, and then, then, after you sign all the paperwork, you just, you know, you'll wait about, like, a month, and, and then you'll just be out of here.”   So that was just the, like, like, you know, Basically, like a protocol.   Michelle MiJung Kim: [00:11:00] NC was eventually put on an Omni Air International plane. Many first learned about Omni's large contract with ICE in 2018 when it helped execute the then largest deportation flight of Southeast Asian refugees in the United States history.   Since 2025, Omni's work for ICE has quadrupled. As journalist Gillian Brockell has ex– as journalist Gillian Brockell explained, Omni has been the only large jet airline flying shackled passengers on long-haul ICE flights to Africa and Asia.   A former ICE official told NBC last year that each ICE flight costs taxpayers about $25,000 per hour. NC was deported last November.   NC (pseudonym): Well, like like when I came to Laos, I didn't have anybody. Um, I didn't know nobody, not a single relative or friend over here. But, um, um, uh, when I went to the detention [00:12:00] facility, I met a guy and we became friends, and he kinda like, like, he had relatives here in Laos.   So he told me that, um, um, you know, “Hey, if, um, um, if you don't have anybody, you know, you know, I'll tell my, um, my family to, to come and, um, um, sponsor you.” You know, like his, his, distant part of the family. And I say, sh- you know, “Thank you.” You know? um, when I got here, um, it was hard, too, because he had to try to like really, really try to convince them as well.   Um, it wasn't like something that they would want to, you know, just do, you know? you know? So, um, it was very, very hard to get them to trust me. So, So, uh, uh, when they came and see me and they talk with me, and then they say okay, they'll, they, they'll decided to sponsor me. So with that, uh, I had a, you know, a little bit of relief because um, when you get here, it's kinda like like if you don't have a sponsor, uh, you don't know how you gonna manage. You don't know how you gonna… You don't even, they won't even let you out of the camp. So it's like you're just going from one detention facility to another detention [00:13:00] facility, but the only difference is at the campground here is much better because you're not…   You know, You know, you wear your, your clothes and you're fr- you, you roam free, and then, um, you sleep in a place where, um, you know, you have mattresses. You sleep in a place and, um, they do, they give you like, uh, uh, three meals a day, too. So, but then the thing is that you're s- you're stuck in the camp if nobody comes to get you, and I don't know, I don't know about the people that's been there.   They can be there, They'll stay there for, like, like, two, three months, and if they don't have no sponsor, I don't know what happens after that, 'cause I didn't stay that long to, to see what happened to the people that, that don't have a sponsor to come get them. You know? So it's kinda scary, too, if you don't have a sponsor to come get you, ‘ cause you don't know where you're gonna end up    Niketa Kumar: Hmm.   NC (pseudonym): But once I got a sponsor and, and,  you know, you know, I came out, the thing is that the, it's hard because once they, they get you out, it's like, you know, you start to realize that, you know, they're not your family, and then they want you to, you know, keep paying them and all this other stuff. And then, and then you have to like, you know, you don't wanna like get into anything that's not good [00:14:00] with them, you know?    you know?   you know. Mm-hmm. So then you try to go and find a place. So you kinda like just move out, you know, because you only there, you only allow, you know, they, you know, like, um, what's the correct way? It's like you can stay with them, like, like, but you only stay with them like temporary. Yeah.   So then you gotta go find your own place. but the, but the messed up thing is that if you don't pay them, they don't really help you to go find a place of your own. So that's when, um, um, I was talking to some of my friends in America, and I was asking like, “Man, it's kinda messed up 'cause we don't have any programs here.   Like this country doesn't have any programs that will, will, will help you transition, you know, into –    Niketa Kumar: Hmm …   NC (pseudonym): you know, the way of life in, in Laos.” And basically, I, I, I had to just try to learn everything the best way I can, talk to people, be as cordial as I can, and, uh, uh, and respectful as I can, and, uh, talk and ask.   And, but I don't know Laos, so I don't talk to any of the Laos people. But fortunately there are some Hmong people here, so then I talk to some other Hmong people here, and   I was fortunate to meet some people who was, who was willing to help me.   Um, so I made some [00:15:00] friends. And although I don't know the Laos language, you know, sometimes I ask them to go help me translate, then they would, um, if they, you know, have time. But it's, it's, it's hard, like for a time, for a time in the beginning I was just like just staying out. Sometimes I stayed out all night.   Sometimes if I find a place to sleep, I would, you know, s- you know, sleep at a guest house. Um, but then like it would drain my funds really, really fast because I had to, you know, pay like per night. And then some nights I'd just stay up all night. like, um, you know, like, it's sad because for the first time like, um, felt, I felt, felt homeless, you know? you know?   That's, that's the, that's the correct term, I guess. I was just homeless, you know, just roaming the streets. And then I was thinking to myself like, “What?” I don't know how to go rent an apartment or a place here because, um, I don't have the connections. So you don't know how to talk to people, and you don't know who to talk to and ask.   And, and a lot of times they won't rent it to you unless they know that you can, you know, pay them. So, So, you know, you know, you have to, um, have [00:16:00] somebody talk to them. So when I have my friend and she went to talk to them and, um, find out that, um, um, the room was open, and I was able to, you know, rent it. then, then I started, um, um, talking to my grandma back in, um, the US, and then my grandma then found a, a distant cousin of ours.   um, kind of I kind of reached out to them, they don't live where I live. They live like really, really far up north. So I really talked to them, and then they started pointing directions like, “Oh yeah, you know, you know, we do have some distant cousins here in this, in this village. If you have time, you go visit them.”   So that's what I do. I, I would, you know, if I could and I have the funds, I would go visit them because they're not gonna come visit me. You know what I mean?    Niketa Kumar: Mm-hmm   NC (pseudonym): so yeah, I have to go visit them and show them that, “Hey, you know, this is me. Um, I'm here,” and, you know, um- basically like that, but, um, still like like transitioning is still hard because, you know, have to learn the language, you know, practice it, um, every single day and then learn the customs and, and learn how not to get in trouble and stay out of trouble.   Michelle MiJung Kim: [00:17:00] It's time to come back to Pam, who you heard from in the first episode of My Family. Pam also grew up in California and was incarcerated for 16 years. When Pam first learned that she could be deported after serving her time, she said her parents were shocked. They told her, “There's nobody over there who can support you, take care of you.   You've been here in America all your life. Why does ICE want to send you over there since you already did your time?” She spent a lot of time in the prison law library trying to understand her options to come back home to her parents and her children. Once she paroled, like NC, like NC, ICE came and took her directly to a detention center.   Here's Pam. Here's Pam   Pam (pseudonym): It's pretty much worse than, um, in prison, because if in prison you could walk, you could program, you could [00:18:00] do other stuff.   But in the ICE ICE detainer, you get a yard, hour a day. It's like you, you're locked up in prison for, you know, when you get… Getting locked up again. You go, you go into that, the hole. You know, where us prison, we call it the hole, or jail is another way of, you you know, know, expressing it. in 24 hours, you only get a hour of yard time, and it was hard to be being in a dorm with all these people, over 100 people in the dorm.   It was hard. It was hard. But it's like you're against the world, and I never felt like that before.   I never felt like I'm against the world before. I have to fight for my life. So that was the first time. Even though I did my prison time, I didn't feel like I have to fight my life, because I know what I did wrong. But that's the first time I ever feel like I have to fight for my life just to be alive and [00:19:00] free, either with my family or without my family. So I'm going to another country that I, I never known since I was two years old. I left Cambodia when I was two, and now I'm almost 50. that's a big old gap, what I'm going to a whole new world. When I first, from ICE detainer, I was nervous, and then I thought they're gonna take me.   I thought they gonna not deport me at all. I thought they gonna move me to another ICE detainer. And I heard about another ICE detainer is worse, like Texas is worse. But also, even the officer in the detainer won't even treat you, they don't treat you like human. your personal property, your family send pictures, they copy your photo and they throw your original one away.   They say, “Oh, you got the copy.” What you mean? it's not like [00:20:00] person you can have your copy, but they would throw your original. They won't even save it for you. And then when you're about to get deported, you have to make sure, you have to, like, be on them about, “Hey, I don't have no clothes.   Can my family send money? I mean, send boxes for me so I can take my clothes?” Because I have my rights that I can ask for 40-pound box, before I leave. And it took them a long time to process your paper to get, to let your family send stuff like that. And about time you, that you got it, they're going through every little detail, and then, like, some of your stuff is missing or damaged.   Like, hey, why my, my, stuff is damaged? My son send me a watch, it almost got damaged. Good thing that he, he wrap it with a bunch of clothes, they don't care about your property. They don't. They really don't. So you have to ask them, what can you ha- can, what can your family send you? And sometimes they tell you, “Hey, I can't get you a box,” they [00:21:00] tell you you're about to leave, you And sometimes it's not even true. You end up leaving the next day. So- It's a lot of, it's a lot of stuff I was s- I was s- going through it. I never go through… I had never felt like I'm going through a war zone with them. They just not specific with everything. They, they really treat you like you're not… You never been in United States.   They really treat you like a great straight out prisoner. Even the prison don't treat you like that. So it's, it's hard. It's hard, tough, and, uh, hopefully, you know, the only thing that keep me going is strong bond with your family. Family, friend, loved ones, like, Any group that help with the deportation, what you have to go through, you know? So that's the only way that you feel like you don't have to battle with nothing. You ha- I nev- I never felt like I'm- Dead to the world. it was hard. It was hard. For a whole year sitting in detainer, it was hard.   Medical [00:22:00] was bad.   my brother and sister never seen me cry before on the phone and they're like, ” If they not gonna accept you, if they said, ‘ Okay, do you wanna appeal?'   we want you to be happy. We want you to be happy. We want you to… The sound, we hear you, you sound like tired, you're drained, and I think you're really going through it right now. You're really going through it, and we just want you to be happy. If you get deported, well, well, now we still love you. We still love you no matter what.”   I was like, “I know,” but I was expect to go home. My son bought a car for me. He bought a car. He bought a car. He's like, “Mama, you're not, you're not getting deported. I got you a Honda Civic already. I got you a car. I got a place for you.” You know how, how, that affect me when your family member bought you stuff, be thinking that you coming home?   It was, it was sad. it hit me hard towards the point that I'm never gonna go home ever again. I'm never gonna step in America [00:23:00] again. That was my part of my experience going through ICE detainer. But when my… when about time when I'm about to leave, I was a little bit excited, a little bit scared because I don't know what  going- gonna happen to me. I don't know how they're gonna escort me. Uh, you know, I heard so many bad things how they escort people and how the ICE officer don't care about you.   A lot of bad things. But I come to find out I was really lucky. I was really lucky. I got three wonderful ICE officer. They helped me. They said, ” Hey, ma'am,” because I got my 40-pound box of clothes. They say, “Ma'am, I need you to tell me what's really important for you to carry on a plane, and what's not that important, it's okay if you lose it because you can go…   We end up, uh, riding two flight. We're gonna make a stop, so we don't want nothing to be missing that is very important [00:24:00] to you.” So I got my paperwork in my backpack, and something that's, you know, so dear to me is my kids' pictures and letters, and other things. I, my clothes, for real, for real, I only have… I make sure I have one extra pair of clothes in my backpack, too.   And the rest of the stuff I was like, “Okay, as long as I got one pair of clothes, I'm fine.” So- The rest, and you know, you know, they was taking time. They were waiting for our pack or I pack my luggage how, the way I want it. they say, “Go ahead, finish packing your luggage. Put your watch on. Put, this, that on because, you know, as long as…   Then you know, you go through a me- metal detector, I need you to take it off. They say, “We're not gonna cuff you because you're gonna fly with us. You're the only one to fly with us, so make sure you have your socks on, your tennis shoes on. Go ahead, put your shoelace.”   They was like, “Whatever make you comfortable, go ahead. But we're gonna tell you this, if you cause a scene at the airport, we're [00:25:00] gonna show you. That's it. That's all we're asking. If you give us a smooth ride, we give you a smooth ride. If you get hungry, you get thirsty, let us know. That's all we can afford for you.   And if you get sick, we could get you meds. We could take you and get meds, but besides that, like anything you wanna buy or you wanna get, you have… It come out your pocket.” they pretty much make it clear for me, if you try to run, you know we're gonna catch and slam you down.   So I look at it as where, where, where I'm gonna go? Where am I gonna go? I'm on a whole different flight. Haven't seen the world for 16 years- So I was like, “Oh, whatever.” I was excited, when I first stepped outside, ICE came to pick me up. I'm not gonna lie, ICE came pick me up a day before I parole. a day before I parole. And then when I got shipped and deported, I was from Washington, Seattle, [00:26:00] and I fly a good… I don't know how long I fly. I sleep throughout the whole flight. Uh, they only wake me up for my meals. I ate my meal. I get three serving on a plane. Every, you know, it's not just peanut butter sandwich, I, I get to eat what the commercial people eat.   Uh, Uh, they always ask me what I want, roast chicken or something, rice and chicken. I can't remember, but the food was good. The food was good. The food was better than prison. And it's way better than, way better than, ICE detainer. I only woke, I only wake up to eat and use the bathroom, and I barely use the bathroom.   Michelle MiJung Kim: That was three years ago during the Biden administration. Since then, Congress and the Trump administration have supercharged ICE with a two hundred billion dollar budget. Pam reminded us many times [00:27:00] that her story is just one experience, that she's one of the lucky ones. She knows people who have been shackled the entire flight, blocked from using the bathroom.   News reports have shared how people have been forced to soil their seats because they can't get up. Others have been held in straitjacket-like devices or endured verbal and physical abuse from agents, from agents. Flights can last multiple days, stopping in four, five, or even seven countries.   When Pam was deported, the only thing she knew about Southeast Asia was a f– was a fruit shr– When Pam was deported, the only thing she knew about Southeast Asia was a fruit shr– was a fruit she remember– Uh. When Pam was deported, the only thing she knew about Southeast Asia was a fruit she remembered liking as a small child.   Since then, Pam has slowly rebuilt her life. She… Since then, sh… Since being deported, Pam has slowly rebuilt her life. She has a job and an apartment. We asked Pam about her home in Cambodia now and how she keeps in touch with her big family back in California.   Pam (pseudonym): Like, a little studio with a little sink, but you have to buy your own furniture. And it just a room. It's just, like, like, almost like a cell, [00:28:00] but you got windows you can open anytime.   You got doors you could go in and out, and it only cost me $50 a month. So that helps. And my food, oh, you know, you know, in a street vendor, if you go buy a street vendor, a bowl of rice, 1,000 riel. 1,000 riel 25 cent, you get a bowl of rice. the vegetable, I only spend, like, I, I mean, I, I mean, I fill up my whole refrigerator with vegetables and it cost me $20, but it last me for two weeks.   You know? not expensive, but if you don't have no income from your family, it is expensive. But if you have income from your family, support from the state, all the stuff like that, it's not that expensive. Because American money and the prices here, my paycheck, I only get 500 a month.   But my 500, I get to save 100 a month because I don't really [00:29:00] need nothing. All I need is food, some clothes, and pay my bills. That's it. Pay my phone bills, pay my electricity bill, my water bill, and my rent. So… I, And I, I get to save $100 a month. So for that, I say I see is the state, I work for 16 hours and I can't even save money.   Mm-hmm. But here, I work for from what? 7 to 5, 10 hours. About 10 hours. But I can save my money. So, and it, I'm not gonna lie, when I was over there at the state, I didn't get no sleep. I didn't really get no sleep. I usually get two hours sleep. So I came to Cambodia and I sleep, I never sleep this much in my life.   So I feel like, yeah, I gained some weight. I'm not gonna lie. I'm gonna g- I gain, I gained a few weights. But, but I'm okay. I'm okay. Because why? I got a good family, helps me. Mm-hmm. And my mom, she going through [00:30:00] her own little struggle, but she said… This is the thing about my mom. She would never come to step foot in Cambodia again because she lost, she still trigger from, she lost three daughters in Cambodia during that war.   So she said she love me, she care about me, she wish I was in United States, but as much as she love me, she would never willing to step back into Cambodia. So that hurts in a way, but I also I have to understand what she go through as a mother losing her own child, three of her child before I was b- even born.   I have to understand how she go, what she go through.   The only thing that's different is the time. I told my family, call me at 3:00 o'clock in the morning because I'll be up getting ready for work, this and that.   I can still put you… You know, I can still talk to you while I'm doing stuff [00:31:00] So that's what me, my family have a deal. from between 3:00 in the morning to 7:00 in the morning that I could talk to them before my class start, before I start working or whatever. And sometime, you know, when I first got here, I got my phone you know, uh, from Washington because they the one that has people fly over here, people from the group, they fly over here because my son send a phone with them to give it to me.   I still don't know how the mailing process. I still working on that, how people send stuff from United States to Cambodia. I still don't know that. I finally know how my family send money to me once in a while. Before, they didn't have Western Union, they only have MoneyGram. So now they finally have Western Union for us.   two months ago they just finally opened a Western Union, and I don't know how that works. I don't know if it works really good or not. I was scared to [00:32:00] try My family try and make everything a negative turn into a positive. You know, try to keep me company and keep me, like, we just wanna s- we just wanna see you free, you happy. they hook me up with, on the Facebook.   They said, ” You know, whenever you got time, wherever you go to do new places, I want you to take video. We wanna see where you at.”   Michelle MiJung Kim: Pam told us that she's learned to stay busy to take care of her mental health. When she first arrived in Cambodia, she thought to herself, “I need to start crocheting and get some yarn.” Crocheting helps her mental health and to stay strong. Before we continue, I invite you to take a deep breath with me Today, more and more people are sharing their outrage at the inhumane, at the inhumane and cruel conditions of ICE detention.   But this brutality didn't just start this year. But [00:33:00] this brutality didn't just start this year. People have been, people have been enduring and pushing for change in the community for a long time. People have been enduring and pushing for change in the community for a long… People have been enduring and pushing for change in the community for a long time.   To help share how, we spoke with Tony, who was first detained by ICE nearly 27 years ago in Los Angeles. He's still fight, he's still fighting to keep his family to– He's still fighting to keep his family together   Tony (pseudonym): Um, my first time I, you know, went to a immigration detention center was back in October of 1999. Went there, you know, you know, for doing a county lid in Los Angeles, California. You know, we call it a county lid because it's, you know, we took a plea bargain for one year of county time. And I did, like, eight month and 20 day.   From there like, before I got released, ICE came and interviewed me, told me that I got immigration hold, and they will, uh, you know, come and pick me up or detain me and, you know, take me to the processing and all kind, you know. Because, um, I got order to removal. So when I got to ICE in October of '99, two weeks later I went to court you know, we just [00:34:00] got a court hearing.   There's no lawyer, no nothing to represent you at all. You just in there solo bolo with the judge, and they ask you, you know, you know, um, how you plea or do you wanna fight your case, or you know, to sign the paperwork for final removal to get, you know, deported back to whatever country we from.   you know, that time it was my first experience going to ICE detention center, so first thing in my head is, like, “No, I'm not going back to my country without a fight.” So, you know, I called my family. They got me a lawyer, and I fought it for a good six month. That's when, you know, the court make the final decision that I still getting deported.   And it was tough, you know, for my family to come up with the lawyer fee money and stuff, because during that time when I was, uh, incarcerated at, um, at the ICE detention center, there's no pro bono lawyer, no orientation, any, i- any uh, uh, support group to help us at all. We just in there like a sitting duck, and everybody was going [00:35:00] through h- like, you know.   The feeling of that is more harder than, you know, being locked up in a, in a jail cell or, uh, or doing, you know, doing life, because there's no release date, and they just like, they drain you all of all your hope and everything. And then, you know. And throughout the whole time, you know, people At the detention center, they went from a normal person to, you know, people go there. At the detention center, they went from a normal to, need mental health issue.   That's how stressful it is. you know, from there, you know, I stayed there for a good 11 month until people start, like, you know, filing habeas corpus, and they slowly granted us, each one of us, a habeas corpus to go home   So, you know, you know, those are the worst experience I have ever had, and my family was like, you know, keep on asking me, you know, you know, “What's the next step? What's the w- what should they do?” I tell them, you know, you know, “Just save your money.” You know, since we lost the case already, “Save your money, you know, just in case I get deported, uh, you know, I have something to start a new life with back in Vietnam even though I don't have no family and I don't even have no family over [00:36:00] there, and I don't even know nothing about Vietnam because I left the country when I was 10 years old.”   it was just like, you know Hard for me to, you know, you know, be far away from my my f- my brother, my sister, and my dad, 'cause, you know, I grew up with a single parent. My mom passed away when I was five years old. My dad raised all four of them, my si- you know, you know, me and my sibling all by himself. So it just emotion and everything washed in, it's just like, you know, heartbreaking.   So every time, you know, when my dad come to visit me, he always break down and cry because he just like, you know, like, you know, feel sad that his oldest son is gonna get shipped back to his country. that's my experience from being in an ICE detention center   After I got out, it's like, you know, they make… They put me on ICE supervision. I started out with, you know, go and check, go check in once a month, from once a month to every three month.   But the feeling of going there to check in is like, you sitting there, each time you go check in, you sitting there, it's like, you know, you got like a weird [00:37:00] feeling, like a butterfly in your stomach, makes you stress, oh, it's like, “Oh, are they gonna detain me and ship me back?” And all kind of stuff washing in.   It's like, it's just like the mind game they're playing with you when you're on supervision. Even though, you know, back in the day, you know, my country, they still don't accept people to go back or, you know, or anything. But it's just a feeling that's like, hey, you know, the law could change. Anything could happen, and it just like, like, you know, slowly break you down inside and outside.   ‘   Tony (pseudonym): once you're in ICE detention center, they don't care you have any health issue at all.   Whatever medication they give you is not even, you know, What we call it is like, you know, genetic like, you know, medication, the dose or whatever treatment is not even there. uh, , you have to sign up on um, like a doctor waiting list for you to go see a doctor or s- to go get a checkup.   Because the only way that you g- you get any, um, you know, medical attention is when you drop, when you drop right there on the spot in front of them. [00:38:00] That's the fastest way for them to, you know, show you me- medical attention. Other than that, we just like, you know, animal locked in a cage, you know. That's why a lot of people, like, you know, you know, they go on there, they have health issues and stuff, and some, you know, end up, you know, being sick and, you know, die or,  you know, or their, you know, health condition get worse because we don't have the fair treatment  like, you know, to help us at all.   I have to fight for my, you know, my life every single day because, you know, you know, I got diagnostic with a heart failure back in June of 2018, a day after my son was born. And I went to the emergency room three, uh, three different time. The first time they didn't detect that I have a health issue or anything at all.   They just, you know, prescribed me some medication. ‘Cause I went there, I told them I have, uh, I got food poison. And, uh, you know, all they concentrates on are the food poison. But I told them I have this you know, like shortness of breath, my legs all, you know, swollen [00:39:00] up. I could not walk more than, you know, 20 step and stuff without, you know, have to take a break.   But I guess the, whatever, you know, the nurse and the doctor, they didn't d- you know, catch that symptom at all, so… so… they just send me home, prescribed me some medication. And then the second time I went back, same thing. Just give me more medication. Until the third time I went in, I I got, I didn't even get admitted.   I was still in the gurney waiting for them to do all the testing. Less than 30 minutes later, they came back and told me that I was diagnosed sick with a heart failure, and they have to drain out all the liquor from my body because my body was puffed up like a puffer fish. I was, uh, hospital life for two months fighting for my life because my, um, my heartbeat function, faction, function or faction went down to 12%.   So I have to, you know, breathe, you know, inhale, exhale, do a breathing machine like, you know, for at least a [00:40:00] month for me to get, you know, my strength back and everything.   After I got discharged from the hospital, they don't wanna be uh, like, liability for me to drive like an hour like and 20 minutes just to go check in. So they want me to do like, like, you know, call them every six months to check in, I've been doing that for the past three years already.   But each time I call them to check in, my heart, you know, it just like stop beeping. Like, you know, my heartbeat just stop just to wait for them to say, “Okay, call me back this, this and that date.” You know, and then ever since, you know, Trump became the president, he make everything more worse. And each time, you know, you know, I call just like, like, you know, I get more worry and scared and paranoid   Because it will be hard and everything 'cause you don't even know, we don't even know nothing about that country anymore because we get so adapted to the, you know, the environment over here in the United State.   And some of us, you know, you know, might get like, you know, emotional [00:41:00] breakdown and everything when, when, when that day come and, you know, 'cause there's so many uh, thing going through our head. all we have to do is just, you know, be, be sharp, strong-minded, and and, you know, just have faith And to our family, you know, we just have to pray for the best, and hopefully, you know, you know, the, you know, hopefully down the, down the road, you know, new law change and, you know, the bars that, you know, they deport us back, we could come back, you know, in future, maybe 5 or 10 years down.   You never know. you know, we just have to pray for the best and stick together. Don't- Don't give up all hopes and, you know, fight for your freedom   I think what have changed is that, you know, right now you know, people are fighting back and s- you know, 'cause they lost a lot. You know, we lost like, you know, loved one, family members, you know. Um, you know. Um, some lost their parents due to, you know, you know, ICE. And I'm happy, you know, all this you know, all the support group are, you [00:42:00] know, you know, coming out to support the, you know, their own people.   Even though, you know, is they're not a- you know, you know, like from Southeast Asia, but, you know, we all human being. We have to, you know, stick together and treat each other equally and fairly. Because, you know, when you in ICE detention center, they treat you like animal. They don't care, you know? Sometime when we got feed, you know, you know, in the middle…   Like outside section was fully cooked, but the middle section was still raw, and then we complained. It's “Hey, you know, that's all you have. You eat, either you eat it or you starve.” That's it. And I'm happy, you know, you know, a lot of have changed, and for us you know, to g- see the better future we all, every, each one of us and our community have to stick together and help each other, you know, as one and be u- you know, united and fight against, you know, whatever is wrong.   Michelle MiJung Kim: According to the latest analysis by the University of Southern California Equity Research Institute, ICE arrests of Asian [00:43:00] and Pacific Islander Californians increased by over 1,000% between 2024 and 2025. A link to this data is included in our show notes. When we talked to Tony, he emphasized the need for solidarity within and across communities as we grapple with immeasurable toll on families, neighborhoods, businesses, schools, and on every thread in the fabric of what makes our lives.   Before we end this episode, I wanna bring in Elijah Chhum, who leads New Light Wellness, one of the community groups Tony mentioned. Who leads New Light Wellness, one of the community groups Tony mentioned. New Light Wellness works closely with the Asian Prisoner Support Committee and other California groups to serve Southeast Asian communities impacted by deportation.   Here's Elijah.   Elijah Chhum: in 2019, that is when Trump 1.0, um, the administration was really targeting our Cambodian families, um, and targeting them for detention and detainment and deportation, and that is when I joined the [00:44:00] movement.   And I really have to thank the leaders of Asian Prisoner Support Committee, the lawyers of Asian Law Caucus, the faith healers and interfaith healers of Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, and of course, the wives and mothers and children of the directly impacted folks, um, that came to CERI. And we all coalesced in this moment, um, in February and March, and particularly on March 6th of 2019 when we all came to CERI, which was this old Victorian house in East Oakland, um, by Clinton Park, and we all met in the living room 'cause it was, it was a, uh, community center that was basically in a three-bedroom apartment, um, on the second floor of a Victorian house in East Oakland.   And so 60 of us gathered together all in a circle, um, on the living room floor of CERI, and we were [00:45:00] doing political education. We were listening to elders talk about genocide and talk about resettlement, and then now fearing the worst, that, that this government, you know, this… in America, that they could also endure family separation.   Um, and so that was the moment that changed our lives and changed my life, and that began the seed of New Light Wellness, but at that moment, we were just, you know, um, healers and, and mental health practitioners, um, that tried to provide wraparound care and mutual aid, um, for families also impacted by deportation, um, and that felt isolated at that time.   New Light Wellness emerged as our own organization in the summer of July 2024. We were first a project that was, um, part of a seed grant from New Breath Foundation around the year 2020. And at that moment, um, after… And this was during the pandemic. A little bit before that, you know, in 2019 as I [00:46:00] mentioned, we were first just starting to give wraparound care for impacted families.   Um, during that time, while we were holding the, uh, four impacted individuals and their families in the Pardon Refugee campaign, um, in those three to four months of actions, our- those four community members were detained, um, and most likely were going to be deported. Um, through our advocacy with all the different organizations, as I mentioned, um, which was, you know, bilingual sessions in political education, art builds, uh, getting resolutions passed at city, city council meetings and board of supervisor meetings, um, signing petitions, creating support letter templates, uh, going to the capital and advocating at- with electeds, um,   um, so all of that built our confidence that we can continue to do this and be intentional about this, and focus on anti-deportation and give wraparound care. And so in some ways we felt like we were filling a gap, um, and a need in the movement. And so our work of New [00:47:00] Light Wellness, um, now going to 2020, this was during the pandemic.   We were all trying to scramble how to still give care to… and a community in, you know, in East and West Oakland, um, that so desperately needed us. Um, so we couldn't stop work. Um, we had to pivot and find ways to, to, um, actually adopt Zoom and give telehealth and connect folks and get our elders to, um- Learn how to use the app and y- learn how to unmute and mute and all the things that, uh, we're doing now.   Um, and during this moment, um, as we were learning and honing our skills in, you know, virtual telehealth, you know, spaces, um, we received this seed grant from New Breath Foundation just to start something, some virtual program to, um, to focus on folks that do end up getting deported and living in Cambodia.   And around 2020, um, you know, there's 18 years has passed since, uh, there was a s- uh, since the [00:48:00] Repatriation Act between Cambodia and the US was signed. So for 18 years, our community members have been deported and lived in Cambodia. Um, of course, there has been organizations, uh, on the ground that support folks, um, living in Cambodia, and there are, there have been movements that have come and gone to try to bring people back, um, and fighting their case or reopening their cases.   Um, and at the same time, um- There was a delegation called kites to Southeast Asia, um, composed of different Southeast Asian orgs based in the US that went and did a listening tour. And when they came back, um, their report back was really that they needed or they saw that mental health and wellness was something that was missing, um, as a resource in Cambodia.   And so with New Breath Foundation, the seed grant was please start some type of mental health or wellness support, uh, for folks in Cambodia. And, you know, mental [00:49:00] health is, is a word and, um, a service that is, is often used by licensed clinicians. Um, and, you know, traditional therapy can only be done, um, within the licensure of that licensed clinician within, you know, the state.   And, and so it was really hard for us to then see who, who could offer, offer this wellness support or healing support, and how do we not use mental health or the term mental health, and how do we… And if, if we're not using licensed or getting the support of licensed clinicians to hold wellness space, then, then what are we doing?   And, and so we really adopted a peer specialist model, a community health outreach worker model, and now it's evolving to a wellness coaching model. And, and so what are the kinds of things we can do and offer across the seas that is still accountable and responsible to the folks we're serving,   though we're not crossing the lines of what is traditional therapy?   Michelle MiJung Kim: [00:50:00] New Light Wellness has grown so much since 2020. We'll hear even more about their work after a short break.   We'll hear even more about their work after a short break. You've been listening to music by Joe Sin and the Angkor Wat Band. Joe is an elder in Oakland and a leader in the Khmer community. Let's hear some more [00:51:00] Welcome back.   That was Joe Sin and the Angkor Wat Band.   In our next episode, Elijah will share more about New Light Wellness's work in California. For now, I asked him to tell us more about the organization's new community center in designed specifically for people who have been deported from the US   Elijah Chhum: when we hold spaces with our New Light Wellness support groups, and we hold spaces in person at events and in villas and, and, you know, and, you know, we close the door or shut the gate and, you know, our folks are safe inside, they feel at ease.   They feel like they can show off their tattoos or, you know, eat their burgers and fries or have their kids run around and speak English openly and without judgment. Um, so those, just for those few hours that they're accepted as who they are. Um, and so I know that in Cambodia there needs to be some kind of narrative change and narrative shift so that the local community can understand what [00:52:00] our impacted community went through, what our 1.5 generation went through.   Because in the eyes of the local community in Cambodia, they believe the US is so just and so fair. And so to be deported, they believe and judge our community members for doing something so egregious, um, that they deserved to be deported. And so it's, it's a hard conversation, and it's a hard conversation that our local community has to either be prepared to have or to avoid or, um…   And then sometimes, um- You know, it could be very risky, um, and it could be very negative to have these conversations, especially at, at a place like a workplace. And we've heard s- situations where students Google the, um, you know, a lot of our folks get teaching jobs, and, um, the students are very curious about the teacher, of course, 'cause that's how youth are.   Um, and now we live in an internet age, and, you know, deportation isn't this, um, you know, marginalized story any longer. It's very much in the [00:53:00] open, especially in Trump 2.0. So the youth in Cambodia are, are savvy enough to Google folks' names or, you know, look people up by their images, and they may even out our, our community members, even in the classroom in front of their, in front of the other students.   So, you know, there's, there's a lot of different experiences when it, when it comes to our folks facing society in Cambodia. And, you know, some folks may say just to assimilate, that is the best way. You know, be as Cambodian as possible. Cover up your tattoos. Speak Khmer. Marry a Khmer partner. Have Khmer children.   You know, try to let go of all your tastes. Um, and that can help, and that can and has worked for some, but not for everyone. And the road to acceptance of, you know, their fate or the road to acceptance that they are there, the road to healing and even being held a space for grief, the grief of their identity, a grief of loss of, you know, family [00:54:00] relationships, um, is also part of this.   Um, so it's not a one-size-fits-all, um, for any community member. I think it's just offering space for folks to hear many stories, actually, um, and different experiences, and it may not be your experience that you have when you arrive in Cambodia. Um, but to honor that, you know, previously, since 2002, some p- some people did not have any resources, so it's really honoring those that have really survived and lived in Cambodia, some of them for over 20 years now.   And so in some ways, folks that have been deported more recently, um, gets the benefit from, um, the lived experiences and the traumas of those that, that came before them. And so I think it's learning and relearning together, um, from all the different experiences and honoring those stories of survival, um, and honoring the leadership of those that came before us.   Michelle MiJung Kim: [00:55:00] [00:56:00] Thank you for joining us for this episode of “My Family,” a project by APEX Express and the Asian Prisoner Support Committee. I invite you to move into the rest of your day by taking a moment to honor the stories of survival and the resilience of those fighting the oppressive systems today. The music in today's program is by Joe Sin, a Khmer elder in California, and the Angkor Wat Band, and the Angkor Wat Band, and one of our favorite songs by Thao.   We'll include links to these songs and additional resources at kpfa.org/program/APEX-express and asianprisonersupport.com. We hope you'll join us for the final episode of “My Family” where we'll deep dive into what happens when people are [00:57:00] forced to move to a country they've never known.   Thank you for listening, and we'll see you next time on “My Family.” I'm your host, Michelle MiJung Kim, and this podcast is brought to you by APEX Express and the Asian Prisoner Support Committee. APEX Express is produced by Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Isabel Li, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Miata Tan, Preeti Mangala Shekar and Swati Rayasam.   Have a great night, and see you next time         The post APEX Express – 9.17.26- My Family Ep 2: What happens in ICE detention? appeared first on KPFA.

9/15/25 Co-Host Amilcar Shabazz UMass History Prof & Founder & Director of the Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy, Christian Appy: Ellsberg's place in history, the importance of whistleblowers, lessons from Ellsberg's life, the Vietnam War and the release of the Pentagon Papers. UMass Economics Prof and Co-Director OF PERI, the Political Economy Research Institute, on "Game Changers: Economic Policies for a Working America"-- the progressive agenda for 2029 and now—30 proposals to save the country. The Comedy Quiz w/ Happier Valley Comedy's Scott Benjamin, Maddy Benjamin and Jem O'Hara: the topic is state and county fairs-- what do you know about fried ketchup and sculpting butter? "Her Final Hour," the scene -- death row in South Carolina: a play about life and death, discovery and hope, at the Northampton Center for the Arts.

9/15/25 Co-Host Amilcar Shabazz UMass History Prof & Founder & Director of the Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy, Christian Appy: Ellsberg's place in history, the importance of whistleblowers, lessons from Ellsberg's life, the Vietnam War and the release of the Pentagon Papers. UMass Economics Prof and Co-Director OF PERI, the Political Economy Research Institute, on "Game Changers: Economic Policies for a Working America"-- the progressive agenda for 2029 and now—30 proposals to save the country. The Comedy Quiz w/ Happier Valley Comedy's Scott Benjamin, Maddy Benjamin and Jem O'Hara: the topic is state and county fairs-- what do you know about fried ketchup and sculpting butter? "Her Final Hour," the scene -- death row in South Carolina: a play about life and death, discovery and hope, at the Northampton Center for the Arts.

9/15/25 Co-Host Amilcar Shabazz UMass History Prof & Founder & Director of the Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy, Christian Appy: Ellsberg's place in history, the importance of whistleblowers, lessons from Ellsberg's life, the Vietnam War and the release of the Pentagon Papers. UMass Economics Prof and Co-Director OF PERI, the Political Economy Research Institute, on "Game Changers: Economic Policies for a Working America"-- the progressive agenda for 2029 and now—30 proposals to save the country. The Comedy Quiz w/ Happier Valley Comedy's Scott Benjamin, Maddy Benjamin and Jem O'Hara: the topic is state and county fairs-- what do you know about fried ketchup and sculpting butter? "Her Final Hour," the scene -- death row in South Carolina: a play about life and death, discovery and hope, at the Northampton Center for the Arts.

9/15/25 Co-Host Amilcar Shabazz UMass History Prof & Founder & Director of the Ellsberg Initiative for Peace and Democracy, Christian Appy: Ellsberg's place in history, the importance of whistleblowers, lessons from Ellsberg's life, the Vietnam War and the release of the Pentagon Papers. UMass Economics Prof and Co-Director OF PERI, the Political Economy Research Institute, on "Game Changers: Economic Policies for a Working America"-- the progressive agenda for 2029 and now—30 proposals to save the country. The Comedy Quiz w/ Happier Valley Comedy's Scott Benjamin, Maddy Benjamin and Jem O'Hara: the topic is state and county fairs-- what do you know about fried ketchup and sculpting butter? "Her Final Hour," the scene -- death row in South Carolina: a play about life and death, discovery and hope, at the Northampton Center for the Arts.

This month, on Laura Flanders & Friends, we're taking a closer look at criminal justice—through the lens of abolition, accountability, and the power of the creative arts to tell fuller, truer stories.  This week we'll explore how artists like Akinsanya Kambon bring histories of colonization and liberation to life—connecting past and present in ways that demand we rethink punishment, justice, and repair. Subscribe to Laura on Substack Description [original release date September 2025]: With each glimmering piece he creates, artist Akinsanya Kambon brings suppressed histories of both colonization and liberation to life. His ceramic works depict struggle and survival across the African diaspora, and stepping into his studio is a spiritual experience, as Laura Flanders recently discovered. Kambon was a member of the Sacramento chapter of the Black Panther Party where he worked on the layout and illustration of the party's famous paper and became lieutenant for culture, illustrating among other things the party's ten point plan and works for young people. In 2023, he won the prestigious Mohn Award — the top prize given by the Hammer Museum for his participation in their biennial “Made in LA” show, titled Acts of Living. His one-man show opened in Beverly Hills at Marc Selwyn Fine Art in April 2025. An exhibition of his work will open at the New York Sculpture Center in May 2026. In this unique conversation, Flanders asks Kambon about his own survival stories, including his polio diagnosis, getting drafted into the Vietnam War, and his year on death row. Kambon was arrested in connection with the killing of a police officer and was later acquitted from that high-profile Oak Park Four case. Join Flanders and Kambon as they discuss how art keeps spirits alive, and catch Flanders' commentary on today's fight to control our nation's stories. “Art educates the masses of people. Not Black or white or Asian, this educates the masses of young people to our struggle, to how long they're struggling and how it's connected.” - Akinsanya Kambon “I thought of myself as an artist even when I was a child, because art was therapy for me . . . I used to always seem like I would always take the side of the underdog.” - Akinsanya Kambon Guest:  Akinsanya Kambon, Artist, Former Marine, Black Panther & Art Professor Special thanks: Cynthia Wornham, Annie Philbin, Marc Selwyn Fine Art    Additional Credits: Additional Crew:  Marco Amador, Producciones Cimarrón  Clips from the documentary short- "Akinsanya Kambon The Hero Avenges," Produced by The Hammer Museum;  Directed by Gabriel Noguez and Sean Rowry. Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel Sundays 11:30am ET, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio  (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE.   RESOURCES:Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: •  Jacqueline Woodson & Catherine Gund: Breathing Through Chaos & the “Meanwhile”, Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut - Full Uncut Conversation •  Genesis Be & Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis: Building Collective Freedom with a Poet & Preacher, Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut    •  Ai Weiwei: How Do We Save Our Humanity?  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut - Full Uncut Conversation   Related Articles and Resources: • Akinsanya Kambon exhibit for ‘Made in L.A. 2023: Acts of Living' the Hammer Museum's biennial exhibition highlighting the practices of artists working throughout the greater Los Angeles area • Akinsanya Kambon Receives $100,000 John Award, Made in L.A. Biennial's Top Prize Honors Artistic Excellence, by Victoria L. Walntine, December 12, 2023, Culture Type •  Akinsanya Kambon's exhibition April 17-May31, 2025 at Marc Selwyn Fine Art •. 10 Shows to see in Los Angeles May 2025, by Matt Stromberg, May 1, 2025 Hyperallergic • Upcoming Akinsanya Kambon Exhibitions: He will be featured in a solo exhibition represented by Ortuza Projects in collaboration with Marc Selwyn Fine Art during Frieze New York in May 2026, and concurrent with a solo exhibition at the New York Sculpture Center.  Art Media Agency Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O'Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. 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A special interview with Dr. Ross Bender, who recently finished his translation of the Shoku Nihongi, including a capstone work on the court of the 8th century.  We cover his work, from his training with some of the greatest names in Japanese historical circles to his dissertation on the Hachiman cult and the Dokyo Incident, and then to his most recent work publishing translations of the various senmyo, the edicts, as well as the entirety of the Shoku Nihongi.  Throughout the discussion we touch on many different  topics, and for notes on everything, please check out our blogpost page:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/bender-interview   Rough Transcript: JOSHUA: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyō's Chronicles of Japan. My name is Joshua, and this is a special episode I'd like to share with you an interview I had with Doctor Ross Bender, translator of the shogunate. Now, some of you may know Doctor Bender from his work translating the Shoku Nihongi, the official history of the Japanese court compiled in 797 and covering from the end of the Nihon Shoki in 697 through the entirety of the Fujiwara capital and Nara periods ending at the 10th year of the reign of Kanmu Tennō in 791. Not only has he translated the historical chronicles, but he has a series of books on the senmyō, the edicts, as well as more about that period, including institutional life more generally. And we cannot forget the paper that started at all, the Hachiman cult and the Dōkyō incident. We'll have links to all of this and more over on the episode blog post page. Now, in this interview, we cover the Shoku Nihongi and Dr. Bender's academic journey. Throughout that journey, he has had the chance to converse and study with some of the big names in Japanese historical circles, such as Donald Keene, Alexander Vovin, G. Cameron "Cappy" Hurst, and more. It was absolutely a pleasure to be able to talk with him about his career, his work, and about the Shoku Nihongi and this period more generally, and I really hope you all enjoy it as much as I did. So without further ado, I give you Sengoku Daimyo's interview of Dr. Ross Bender.    Dr. Bender, thank you very much for joining me for this. Dr. Bender has done some absolutely wonderful work, in particular with translating the Shoku Nihongi, which is going to be very key to some of the stuff we're going to be looking at here in the coming years. I want to thank you, first of all, for all of your efforts and welcome you to Sengoku Daimyo's Podcast, here; our little Chronicles of Japan.    DR. ROSS BENDER: Thank you. Happy to be here.    J: So your translation of the Shoku Nihongi: how did you come about deciding to do that? What was it that pulled you into the translation?    R: Well, it's a long story, but it does go back to my time in graduate school at Columbia in the 70s. In 1974, I finished my Master's thesis, which was "The Hachiman Cult and the Dōkyō Incident". I started grad school in 1971, and after a lot of intensive language training, became interested in Hachiman because, as you know, the common definition was that Hachiman was the Shinto god of war. Of course, at the time, the Vietnam War was raging. And so I became interested in, you know, what was this theology of a war God. And so I became rather obsessed with Hachiman, and, two things: In 74, I was in a seminar with Donald Keene on the Noh theater, and I found a play--a Hachiman play--called "Yumi Yawata". And I translated that and became interested in the way that Hachiman was portrayed in this Noh play. And then at the same time, I became interested in the Dōkyō incident and the Hachiman Oracle. So that was really my first encounter with Shoku Nihongi.    Two things I suppose really struck me. The first was that although the text is in classical Chinese or literary Sinitic, the senmyō and a few of the- there are a few poems are in the old Japanese script inscribed in Shoku Nihongi.    J: And the "senmyō": They are specifically the edicts.    R: They are the imperial edicts that are recorded in old Japanese.   And Motoori Norinaga, in the 18th century did an intensive study and interpretation, really, of them. And he came up with a canonical number of 62. There are some quibbles with that number, but that's the number. And so at the same time, I was discovering that some of the pioneers in the field had done work on these. So, for example, George Sansom in the 1920s had started to translate the senmyō, and he had also done work on the ritsuryo. And then in the 30s, JB Snellen had begun translation of the Shoku Nihongi, and he completed the years 697 to 715. So the reigns of Monmu and Genmei and-    J: I remember actually going through that translation. I think at one point I found it and was so enamored of like, oh, we have some of this, but then it then it stops.   R: Then it stops. And so both Sansom and Snellen are published in the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan. And as I say, these were real pioneers, you know, digging into this stuff. And it was amusing because Snellen prefaced his work by saying that Shoku Nihongi is "dry as dust". And he further said that translating it was like "intellectual coolie labor". But his translation, you know, is still very useful and extraordinarily well documented, footnoted. And of course, I was able to use that, although it needed updating.    J: You mentioned that you had language training before going into this.    R: Well, I started at Columbia in fall of 71 with no Japanese at all. I had visited Japan and as a teenager in 67, but no language training. So they gave me an intensive full year of language study. So you had first year, second year, and third year all in the first calendar year. And then in the second year of study you started Bungo and further modern Japanese. And I have to say that I was very fortunate to be at Columbia at a time when some of the giants and pioneers of the field were there. So Ivan Morris had the first class in classical Japanese, and we did bits of Hōjōki and Heike Monogatari. And he told us that when we eventually went to Japan, we might find ourselves at a cocktail party, and we could be sure to amaze the hosts. And so he had us memorize the opening lines of both of those.    J: That's fascinating. So, so all about the Gion bells, and-    R: Yes. "Gion shōja no kane no koe...", and "Yuku kawa no nagare wa..." So I actually- I think there was one time I was at a party with, oddly enough, bunch of pediatricians from Kobe Children's Hospital, and I tried them out and with Hōjōki, and they couldn't get it. They said, oh, is that Hyakunin Isshu?    J: [laughing] R: So I was kind of pleased about that. But then everybody knew the "Heike".    J: Right.    R: Yeah. So actually my first class in ancient Japanese history was with Morris. He tragically died in 1976, so he had the Bungo introduction in the fall. And then Donald Keene came back from Japan and did it in the spring. And so he introduced us to a Noh play and "Oku no Hosomichi" and Shinkokinshu, I think. So the language training was just excellent. And then in the third year, Doctor Hakeda did Shingon Buddhism and classical Chinese and so forth. So yes, there was a lot of front-loading and intensive language study, but it was very pleasurable.   J: As you're studying about Dōkyō and the Dōkyō Incident and Hachiman, that then allowed you to access these sources and the senmyō, and all of that, correct?   R: Right. That was my first introduction to them. Both the "Yumi Yawata" and the "Hachiman and the Dōkyō Incident" were published in the late 70s in Monumenta Nipponica, and then in 1980, I finished my dissertation, which was the political meaning of the Hachiman cult in ancient and early medieval Japan.    J: I came across that as I was going through Ōjin Tennō's period. R: Yes, it was sort of a simplistic construction, but what I did basically was to posit three stages of the Hachiman cult. The first at Usa, which was the oracular stage, the second at Iwashimizu, which was where the Ōjin Tennō connection developed, and also the Hachiman Daibosatsu connection. And then the third stage, you know, identified with Tsurugaoka in Kamakura, which was the Minamoto- Where the martial aspect--the god of war--really developed.    J: And that is fascinating because, you know, you go to Hachiman shrines today and that's probably where people's minds will first go. But it is such a fascinating religious exercise of like Shinto, but also kind of Buddhist and kind of continental.    R: Yes. And I don't know what the statistics are today, but at least I think 35 or 40% of Shinto shrines have some connection with Hachiman. So it's yeah, it's a fascinating study all by itself.   J: So as you were doing this, you come across the Shoku Nihongi. Can you talk a little bit about where the Shoku Nihongi falls in all of this?    R: Yes. Well, the notable thing about both Nihongi and Kojiki is that they begin with the Age of the Gods, so that the first sections, the Shinwa, are the mythologies. Nihongi probably becomes historically accurate sometime in the late, I don't know, it's late six hundreds, but for the seven hundreds it's probably pretty much historically accurate. And of course, you know that John Bentley just recently did the first English translation since I think 1898 was going to ask, so that was long overdue. And that's a very useful publication. J: It's interesting to see the differences in some of the things he updates and the different take he has on it in terms of how to do some of the translating.    R: Yes. And he is a historical linguist. And so he has a very valuable exegesis and commentary. And then, of course, Matthieu Felt just published the first volume of his translation. It was Oxford Press. That just came out a few months ago. That's also a useful document. He actually has the text of the Nihon Shoki along with the translation. And so that's very useful. And I'm not sure when he's going to be publishing the second half, but that's something to watch for.    So the first one started with The Age of the gods. Now, Shoku Nihongi is the second of the Rikkokushi, or 'Six National Histories', and it, unlike the first two, is judged to be a very accurate historical chronicle. And it, of course, was presented to the Court of Kanmu in two recensions, 794 and 797, and takes the story up to 791, which I think was the 10th year of Kanmu's reign. That's where it fits. And then, of course, you have the rest of the Rikkokushi. The next one is Nihon Kōki, which I'm just starting to get into now. Then Shoku Nihon Kōki, Nihon Montoku Tennō Jitsuroku, and then Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku. So they take the story up to 887, and they become increasingly detailed, and the language becomes more intricate as time goes on. But that's where Shoku Nihongi sits in terms of the six national histories, and they're all court chronicles, compiled by court scholars and ordered by the emperors. And of course, the point of view is that of the central court.    J: Right. You're not getting Kyūshū's take on things.    R: No. Although, you know, Kyūshū is a fascinating place. A lot happens there. So of course you have the Dazaifu, the Kyūshū government headquarters, which is an important outpost, almost a mini capital by itself. J: The first several dazai sōchi, I think, all become Daijin. Like Sadaijin, Udaijin. They kind of come back and do that if they don't pass away in the meantime.    R: Yeah, it's an important post. People take that position and come back. But also what's interesting is that the Hayato people of southern Kyūshū begin to appear in the chronicles, and in the early years, there are some major Hayato rebellions, and that's a story all by itself. Those rebellions are, for the most part, put down. And then there's some sort of accommodation because Hayato people show up at court almost as envoys from, you know, the barbarian realm, and then some of them become guards. So they are assimilated more or less early on. And then, of course, there's the whole question of the Hayato and the Emishi and where did they come from? There are some theories that when the Yayoi people came in they mixed with the Jōmon people and assimilated. But some theories that the Hayato in the far southwest and the Emishi in the northeast were remnants of the old Jōmon. So that's, you know, it's a possibility, but it's certainly interesting. And unlike the Hayato, the Emishi, as you know, were constant problem for the Nara court. And all through Shoku Nihongi, but particularly from about oh 780 on, there were more and more intense periods of warfare. And these are described in great detail in Shoku Nihongi. Karl Friday and Wayne Farris back in the 90s, both did books on. I think Farris was the "Heavenly Warriors: History of the Samurai". And then Karl Friday also did a book on the samurai, but they paid a lot of attention to these Emishi wars, so that's well documented in English. J: Getting back to the Shoku Nihongi, which includes all of this, really, what were some of the biggest challenges you found?    R: Well, part of the story is that after I finished my dissertation, I went off and did a variety of things, this and that, and finally wound up at University of Pennsylvania teaching in the English Language Programs, which was the program to teach English to foreign students. At that time the majority of the students when I started were from Japan. So I actually ran a program for the Monbushō, and they would send over Japanese high school teachers of English for a summer session, and we would give them language classes, but also pedagogical training, how to teach English. And so that was my connection with Japan during that period. And so I really was away from my original interest until the early 2000s. I took early retirement and I visited my old advisor, Paul Varley. He had, of course, taught at Columbia, but then he had retired and moved to University of Hawaii. I visited him, he introduced me to Wayne Farris, who was also there at the time, and they both encouraged me to get back, get back to work. So that was sort of the impetus. I have to give them credit for that. So I found myself in Kobe for several months in 2006, and that was when I decided I was interested in the senmyō. So my first thought, my first ambition was to translate the senmyō. As you know, in the late 80s and 90s, the immense five volume Iwanami collated and critical edition had come out, the one edited by Aoki Kazuo and his team. That was still a magnificent piece of work, you know, with I'm sure you've seen it with all of the head notes and footnotes, and on one page there's the kanbun and on on the facing page is the yomi-kudashi, and, you know, more than you could ever hope to know. But also at that time there were three modern Japanese translations, so that was very useful. It was a good time to be starting into this, so I went to a secondhand bookstore in Kobe and got myself the books, and that started, I guess, what's turned out to be a 20 year project.    J: 2006 to 2026.   R: Right.    J: And it looks like you're doing most of this through self-publishing. Is that correct?    R: Yes. I discovered early on that what's now called Kindle Direct--it used to be called Create Space--through Amazon was a very useful piece of software. In fact, I first published several volumes of poetry in 2012, and that was my introduction to using this platform. And I've been very pleased with it, because I don't have to wait years and years to try to find an academic publisher. And actually they pay royalties through Amazon, so... J: That's not bad.    R: Yeah, that's worked out well for me. So I never had a chance to have an academic position teaching Japanese studies. Although when I was at Penn, my friend Cappy Hurst--Cameron Hurst--was the chairman of the department and he had been a student also of Varley's at Columbia, although before my time. And he invited me to give some lectures in his class on Japanese history. So another thing was that my classical Chinese needed an upgrade. Fortunately, at Penn, Victor Mair was teaching a year long course in classical Chinese, and so I sat through that and he was extremely, extremely helpful. Then one other thing was that I also got to know Alexander Vovin, who at the time was at Hawaii, and he, of course, is *the*- was *the* authority on old Japanese. And, you know, his Man'yōshu translations and, and commentary are just really helpful. So he gave me some good advice. So I had good teachers all the way through. And, you know, I'm always very grateful for that.    J: You mentioned classical Chinese. I'm curious how much of it is a standard classical Chinese, or is it kind of their own thing in the archipelago? I'm curious what the language is like in the Shoku Nihongi.    R: Okay, so of course, at that time, the eighth century was sort of the apogee of the Tang dynasty, and at least from what Victor Mair told me. And he was very helpful in beginning this translation. And he would look at some of my stuff. And according to him, it was pretty much like the Tang dynasty Chinese. I think that's called Early- I forget- Early Middle Chinese. So at least for the eighth century, that seemed to be the case. And, you know, you have records in the Shoku Nihongi of teachers who come from the mainland and lecture and teach the correct pronunciation and how to read. And then, of course, with the Buddhist monks, they're using the Chinese translations of some of the Sanskrit, and they have their own techniques for reading. So, yeah, the eighth century is a really dynamic time because the Japanese, at least at the elite level, are and with the help of the Koreans and that should be emphasized after the fall of Paekche there were a large number of refugees and high ranking aristocrats who came to Japan and helped them to learn to read and write Chinese. And then, of course, the Japanese started sending students to China and, you know, staying there for ten, twenty years. So, yeah, it was a very dynamic time. And then, of course, they were learning how to use Chinese characters to express old Japanese. And that's another story in itself, using the characters as semantograms, but also as phonograms. That's one of the things I found really fascinating about old Japanese, about the senmyō. J: And how does that compare to- I think we usually just refer to "Man'yōgana" as any of that. Is it very similar to what's going on in the Man'yōshu, or is once again, is there something else going on with the senmyō?    R: The standard edition of the senmyō I think notes that there are about 250 some--if I've got the number right--of phonograms used in the senmyō. There is a huge number used in the Man'yōshu; much greater. In fact, I think Vovin once said that it's not really known that you can't count. Although Bentley has a very excellent book, I think it's called an ABC Dictionary of Phonograms, like that. He has really scoured the landscape. So- But you could say that the phonograms in the senmyō are Man'yōgana, but that the set of Man'yōgana is far, far greater. J: Only 250 phonograms to have to worry about, as opposed to going through the Man'yōshu and seeing every once in a while a character and going, which pronunciation or what are they trying to represent here?    R: Yeah, yeah. So I mean, Man'yō studies, you know, or a whole realm in themselves and some of the, the emperors--I'm thinking of Genmei especially, or is it Gensho? I think it's Gensho. She has three poems in the Shoku NIhongi and they may be included in Man'yōshu. So there's some crossover. I was going to say that, of course, once you start reading these phonograms, you begin to see where the kana systems developed from, from Man'yōgana.    J: Right. So I think I've read that in Old Japonic, we think that there were more or at least different sounds than maybe we have today. R: Yes.    J: And so you see it represented in different ways. You'll see the same--what we would think of as the same character--represented differently, because to them it was different.    R: Yes. So there's still, as far as I know, no absolute standard for representing old Japanese. You'll see different scholars have their own takes on it, and Vovin, in his Man'yōshu translations, has his own very intricate system. Another good place to look that's freely available. The Oxford, I think it's called the Oxford Ninjal Corpus of Old Japanese Texts, is an ongoing project. It's actually been ongoing for many years, but you can go there. They have laid out all of the Man'yōshu poems with their  romanization system. I suspect that, you know, that's very prestigious and will eventually become a standard. But that's where you find all these things. Like is it "Himiko" or "Pimiko"?    J: Do you say "Kapa", "Kaha", or "Kawa"?    R: Yes. There you go.   J: [Laughter]    R: Right. Yeah.    J: I'm constantly wondering that myself.    R: Yeah. So you'll see different scholars have different ways of approaching it. But my opinion is that the Oxford, which is a very long standing and slow running project, will probably produce the standard.   J: In doing this translation, were there any favorite moments or items of particular interest that you found? R: So yes, actually my first go at the senmyō were the edicts of the lady we call Koken/Shotoku. Actually, I think almost half of the senmyō were produced during her reign. And so that was where I started. I think the first article I got around to writing in 2009 was for the journal Oral Tradition, and it was called Performative Loci of the Shoku Nihoingi Edict 749 to 770. And also because of my interest in Dōkyō my interest in her went way back. So 2015 I did the edicts. I called it the Edicts of the Last Empress, and it was a translation of all of the edicts from her reign. That year and the next year I did the four volumes I called them, Nara Japan 749 to 757, 758 to 763. So that period was, yeah, my first period of interest. And of course it went back to the Hachiman cult and the Dōkyō incident. I mean, you know, the stories about this wild empress I saw I saw an article that's just come out. I think it's a compilation of Women in Japanese Buddhism. And the title of the article by Emily Simpson is "The Depraved Empress". So that was one of the things that, early on, I decided was not accurate. That's a whole rabbit hole by itself. But according to Shoku Nihongi, there's no evidence, you know, of any illicit goings on between the two. But in Nihon Ryoiki, which appears in the early Heian period, not much later, you find the first really scurrilous story that about Dōkyō and the Empress. And then, as if you look at, for example, Donald Keene's "Seeds in the Heart," he has a long excerpt from a medieval tale. I forget which one that, you know, really rings the changes. And what fascinated me was that in there was a Playboy fable- I forget they were called. Some sort of fabulous stories. This one was done anonymously, but it was a very scurrilous, licentious story about Dōkyō and the Empress, and done anonymously. But it was later found to have been Bill LaFleur--William LaFleur--who taught at Penn and passed away unfortunately, some years ago.    J: So then in the Shoku Nihongi, it's just straight up politics, right? Just about Dōkyō's rise. And then it's just the political conflict going on rather than anything else?   R: Right. And it's a very intense period of political- So of course, the story was that when she was at the Hora capital, which was up near Otsu, it was a brief capital, and she was there and she was ill, and Dōkyō apparently at that time attended her as a physician. And that was the beginning of their relationship. So this would have been 760 or so. But the only phrase is that Dōkyō received the favor of the Empress, but it doesn't have a sexual connotation. It's used in other political settings also.    J: Yeah, I have to wonder how much they weren't looking back at Wu in the Chinese, which of course she also gets excoriated for stuff that is questionable. How much worse was it than anything that any of the men did? But she was a woman doing it.   R: Yes. Well, that's what happens to female rulers. You know, you have Catherine the Great in Russia. So. Yes. So that was initially my what really excited me. It was that period. And then I finished the "Edicts" translation. This was 2012. Bryan Lowe, who's a good friend at Princeton, he was finishing his doctorate and he had a workshop on Shosoin documents, and he invited Dr. Sakaehara Towao to present at the workshop. And he had been Bryan's advisor in Japan. So I was able to meet him and then talk to him and said, you know, I think I'd like to translate Shoku Nihongi. And he basically said, go for it. But I met him later that fall in Nara. He was at the Todaiji Museum, and so he encouraged me. A lot of people gave encouragement along the way. Yeah. So 20 years later, actually, I finished the translation 2025. And then this year in the spring, I did what I- is sort of considered the capstone, the volume: "The Japanese Imperial Institution in the Eighth Century." That's available as an e-book and also paperback and hardcover. And so there I have about a 75 page overview of the eighth century and then the introductions, not the translations, but the introductions to each of the emperors throughout the period. I'm very happy with that. And that sort of puts a cap on it. I should mention that that was in memory of Herschel Webb, another one of my great teachers at Columbia. He had done a book way back in 68 called "The Japanese Imperial Institution in the Tokugawa Era". And so this is sort of an homage to his memory.   J: And we very much thank you for it.  I remember when that came out, and we definitely snapped it up as soon as we saw it.    R: Well, great.    J: [Laughter]   R: Yeah. And you know, it's all available on Amazon. So let me let me make my plug.    J: Absolutely. Absolutely. You mentioned something about the Nihon Kōki. Are you are you serious about taking this project on and moving forward, or is that just kind of something you're toying with? R: Well, no, I'm actually I've actually made a start. That's an immense document. And what I'm interested in is finishing the reign of Emperor Kanmu. He dies in 806. And so Nihon Kōki begins in 792, and I'm currently up to 799. But I'm not putting as much energy into it. I do maybe an hour a day if I feel like it, but it's slow going. But there's some really fascinating stuff. So Wake no Kiyomaro died in 799, and they've inserted this immensely long biography of his life at this point, although it was obviously produced later and it's set apart. But that has details of his miraculous trip to the Usa shrine. And, you know, it's not clear if somebody cut his tendons, but he was lame and so he was on his way to Kyūshū, and suddenly a pack of wild boars appeared and sort of escorted him down to the shrine. It is just a really wonderful story. Then he has a vision of Hachiman, which is not part of the Shoku Nihongi tale. Yeah, I'm trucking along. My ambition is at least to finish the reign of Emperor Kanmu, and then we'll see what time there is beyond that.    J: So do you have any recommendations for current students of Japanese history? Those coming up? R: Actually, there are some young scholars. I was at the Association for Asian Studies meeting in Columbus, Ohio, which was, I guess, yeah, 2025. And for some reason there were a good number of presentations on eighth and ninth century. So there's a scholar by the name of Nadia Kanagawa. She finished a dissertation at USC on immigrants in the eighth century. Then Abigail McBain finished up at Columbia, and her dissertation was on specifically Tang Buddhist monks and interchange with Japan. Yeah, so there are some young scholars who are digging in to this. You know, I was just looking the other day at Wikipedia, which is a good start for anyone. I would say, you know, take it with a grain of salt. But if you want to know the names of the, you know, the famous emperors and the rebels, you know, Tachibana no Naramaro, and Fujiwara no Nakamaro. And just, just the other day I found this amazing thing called 'Grokipedia', which apparently is a new. But it's one of those AI things. Yeah, but it had the best summary of the Shoku Nihongi that I've seen. So with the AI revolution, goodness knows what's going to happen. But yeah, I find that it's possible to dip in and a lot of things are available. For example, the Rikkokushi text is online, it's been online, and it was first published by Asahi Shimbun way back when. But I used that and then that the Oxford project that I mentioned is online -- more and more it's becoming possible to access, you know, original documents. J: Yeah, combination of making them available online, better online translations.    R: Machine translation is going great guns. Yeah-   J: Yeah. Although I have to admit, it can get you a sense of what the classical Chinese is kind of saying sometimes, but the translation for some of the old stuff just it still has some work to do. I think it's better if you can translate the at least the modern Japanese translation, rather than sometimes going back into this. It's still tricky.    R: Yeah, well, it's I admit I'm getting old, but this this stuff is getting kind of frightening. This machine translation...   J: It is, yeah.    R: I feel like I'd be out of the job if I had a job.    J: Well, I think there's still a lot of questions to be asked on that. I don't think we need to get into a whole thing on AI right now, but I think there's some great benefits, obviously. And then, you know, I definitely know there's some concerns too, because every once in a while it can just hallucinate an answer. And you might be going through things that seem absolutely wonderful and then find something that you're like, wait a minute, I never knew that. [laughter]     R: And then it turns out not to be true.    J: Yeah, I don't know if you heard there was one, and I mean, this was a year ago, which already seems, in AI terms, ages and ages, but apparently it hallucinated entire papers and authors.    R: Yes, that's there was I don't know if you follow the PMJS list.    J: Oh yeah.    R: But I think there was a discussion and an example of that. So it's-  J. But the world is going to be different. J: Things are changing. And I think we will figure out how to use the tools that are useful will hopefully win out. And there's always going to be certain things. For instance, I remember early days, Wikipedia and still, you know, looking at Wikipedia sometimes for certain things around more popular subjects got to be a little more wary, though I have found the Japanese Wikipedia has been great when you're just trying to look for something and go, let me at least get what a common sense of this is so that I know the other things to go research. R: Well, I was going to say, just to sort of sum up, yeah, we're in a very dynamic time, but the eighth century was very similar because the new technologies were pouring in from the continent and the peninsula, and people were learning these new methods of reading and writing and orality to literacy.    J: So any last thoughts? I do appreciate all your time. But any last thoughts as we finish up here?    R: Not really, but I noticed that yesterday you came up with a long spiel on the UNESCO World Heritage site, and that's exciting. The Asuka region you seem to have links to photographs that took me back to wandering around that area. The Ishibutai, I remember, was something. So party on and keep up the good work. J: Thank you very much and thank you again. Thank you for your time today, and thank you for all the work that you've put into this. You have made these sources so much more accessible for people in English, and I think that is going to be critical as we move forward. I know for me this is a huge help. I was looking at Shoku Nihongi going, okay, I know we've got like the first so many years so I can get through that and then I'm really going to have to up my game. Then I saw all the work that you'd been doing and it was like a big load felt lifted off of my back. Now I can, you know, take a look. But at least with the idea that someone more experience than I has already done some of the really hard labor. I really want to say thank you for all of that.    R: Yeah, you're very welcome.    J: And once again, I would like to say thank you to Doctor Bender and thank all of you for listening. If you think that this is something you would like to see more of, please let us know. We'll see what we can do. Perhaps we can make it the start of a new interview series. In the meantime, next episodes we get back to our regularly scheduled program. And as always, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts. If you feel the need to do more and want to help us keep this thing going, we do have information about how you can donate on Patreon, where we have early and add free episodes for you to listen to. You can also donate through our Ko-Fi or BuyMeACoffee Sites. Just look up SengokuDaimyo for all of that. You can also find the links over to our main website, SengokuDaimyo.com, where we will also have more discussion on topics from this episode. Finally, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page. You can also email us at the.Sengoku.Daimyo@gmail.com. Thank you also to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now. Thank you again and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan

Comprehensive coverage of the day's news with a focus on war and peace; social, environmental and economic justice. photo: Jessica Rodriguez Rivas House Dems call for congressional action on AI after GOP Speaker ends house session; Treasury Secretary Bessent defends Trump trade, economic policies amid Dem criticism; Saudis seek allies' help as missile defenses run low in fight with Houthis; On this date in 1974, President Gerald R. Ford signed a proclamation announcing a conditional amnesty program for Vietnam War deserters and draft resisters; In 1982, the massacre of more than 1,300 Palestinian men, women and children at the hands of Israeli-allied Christian Phalange militiamen began in west Beirut's Sabra and Shatila refugee camps; Author-historian-filmmaker Henry Louis Gates Jr. is 76   The post House Dems call for congressional action on AI; Treasury Scty Bessent defends Trump trade, economic policies amid Dem criticism – September 16, 2026 – September 16, 2026 appeared first on KPFA.

Episode 3371 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the MACV-SOG. The featured story is titled: Green Beret ‘Hatchet Forces' terrorized the communists during the Vietnam War. It appeared on the We are the Mighty website … Continue reading → The post Episode 3371 – The MACV-SOG Story first appeared on Vietnam Veteran News.

It's a dark moment in American history that leads to a lot of what-ifs. By the spring of 1963, eight years into the Vietnam War, two opposing factions across the CIA and the State Department had President John F. Kennedy's ear. One side wanted to keep South Vietnam's first president, Ngô Đình Diệm, in power. The other wanted to see him removed. Then, unrest in Saigon caught the CIA by surprise, and the rift in Washington grew deeper. Author Jack Cheevers spent a decade piecing together and writing Kennedy's Coup, which lays out the grave decision to oust Diem, a move that led to his death and, arguably, escalated the war. The first U.S. combat troops deployed two years later. Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/ and https://www.youtube.com/@sasha-ingber For more information about the International Spy Museum, visit: https://www.spymuseum.org/ And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic, you can reach us by email at spycast@spymuseum.org. This show is brought to you by N2K Networks, Goat Rodeo, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. This episode was produced by Flora Warshaw and the team at Goat Rodeo. At the International Spy Museum, Mike Mincey and Memphis Vaughan III are our video editors. Emily Rens is our graphic designer. Joshua Troemel runs our SPY social media. Amanda Ohlke is our Director of Adult Education and Mira Cohen is the Vice President of Programs.

Author and USA TODAY National Enterprise Editor Jeremy Redmon joins The Excerpt to discuss “Tell the Kids I Love Them,” his memoir about war, fatherhood, love and loss. Through audio tapes recorded during the Vietnam War, family memories and years of searching, Redmon pieces together the life of his father, Donald, and confronts the questions his family carried after Donald's death by suicide.This episode includes discussions of suicide and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org for free, confidential support available 24/7.Let us know what you think of this episode by sending an email to podcasts@usatoday.com. Episode transcript available here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we remember the life of writer, poet, farmer, and environmentalist Wendell Berry, by listening back to a 2010 conversation with fellow writer and activist Michael Pollan. Berry was of America's most influential voices on agriculture and the environment, and he wrote with a calm and compelling vision about our relationship with the land, our work, and our communities. Among his best-known books: The Unsettling of America, What Are People For?, and The Peace of Wild Things.After studying at the University of Kentucky and Stanford, and teaching at New York University, Berry returned to his native Henry County, Kentucky in the 1960s. There, he and his wife, Tanya, began farming. Berry spent the rest of his life in Kentucky,  farming and writing poems, novels, and essays about tending the land, about community, and the costs of an increasingly industrialized society. Berry was also an activist, protesting the Vietnam War, mountaintop-removal coal mining, and nuclear power, and he inspired generations of environmentalists, farmers, food activists, and writers. Berry died on August 31, 2026, at his home in Port Royal, Kentucky. He was 92.

In 1970, two merchant marines, Al Glatkowski and Clyde McKay, successfully commandeered the SS Columbia Eagle carrying nearly 5,000 500- and 750-pound napalm bombs, safely evacuated the crew, and sailed the ship to Cambodia, where it was surrendered. This act was done in opposition to the genocide occurring in Vietnam. Al Glatkowski joins Clearing the FOG for this first installment, in which he describes what led him to take the action and how it was conducted, as well as the aftermath. In this time of total disregard of international law by the United States, and as more members of the military question their involvement in what the US is doing, we remember the bravery and resolve of Al and Clyde. For more information, visit PopulasrResistance.org.

Note: This podcast contains explicit language. Is American democracy doomed? Robert Reich doesn't think so, even though he is more than capable of pointing out how it has fallen short and is being challenged by powerful anti-democratic forces. He says we can reclaim a sense of community and a democratic capitalism based on American ideals we still have the power to salvage. To know where to go next, it helps to know how we got here, and in his new book Coming Up Short: A Memoir of My America, Reich tells us how he got here. Born just 9 months after World War II, Reich came into a united America with a bright future—which went unrealized for so many as, he says, big money took over our democracy. His encounter with school bullies on account of his height—4'11" as an adult—made him determined to spend his life fighting American bullies of every sort. He recounts the death of a friend in the Civil Rights Movement; his political coming of age witnessing the Berkeley free speech movement; working for Bobby Kennedy and Senator Eugene McCarthy; experiencing a country torn apart by the Vietnam War; meeting Hillary Rodham in college, Bill Clinton at Oxford, and Clarence Thomas at Yale Law. He details his friendship with John Kenneth Galbraith during his time teaching at Harvard, and subsequent friendships with Bernie Sanders and Ted Kennedy; and his efforts as labor secretary for Clinton and economic advisor to Barack Obama.  He reflects on all that he has witnessed and asks: What did his generation accomplish? Did they make America better, more inclusive, more tolerant? Did they strengthen democracy? Or did they come up short? Join us as Robert Reich returns to the Commonwealth Club World Affairs stage to hear him discuss the culture, politics, and economic choices that have landed us where we are today—with immensely rich and immensely powerful economic leaders and corporations, demagogues on the rise, and increasing inequality fueling anger and hatred across the country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1965, John and Mary Beth Tinker went to school in Des Moines wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. They were suspended, and the incident led to a landmark Supreme Court decision that guaranteed free speech rights for public school students. Host Charity Nebbe revisits this history with John and Mary Beth and they discuss present day threats to the First Amendment. Then, Donna Reed is beloved for roles like Mary Bailey in 'It's a Wonderful Life' and Donna Stone in 'The Donna Reed Show.' She was born in Denison, Iowa, where the Donna Reed Foundation keeps her legacy alive. We speak with her daughter, Mary Owen, board member and treasurer for The Donna Reed Foundation. (Portions of this episode were originally produced on Jan. 13, 2026 and Sept. 22, 2025)

They say that every son of a gun deserves a lawyer and his day in court; it's a core principle of the American legal system. But certain lawyers informally focus on certain cases and certain clients, often for ideological reasons. That raises the question: Who do Communists—both foreign Communist regimes and Americans facing investigation for alleged Communist activities—call when they need counsel? The answer, often, is Rabinowitz, Boudin, Standard, Krinsky & Lieberman, P.C., which has made a name for itself as the preferred U.S. legal representatives of clients including Cuba's Communist government, Vietnam War draft opponents and Communist-influenced labor unions, among others. Joining us today to discuss RBSKL is our CRC colleague Robert Stilson, who just conducted a major research project for our InfluenceWatch project on the law firm. Links:https://www.influencewatch.org/for-profit/rabinowitz-boudin-standard-krinsky-lieberman-p-c-rbskl/https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/national-lawyers-guild/https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/venceremos-brigade/https://www.influencewatch.org/organization/weather-underground-weatherman-weathermen/

This month, on Laura Flanders & Friends, we're taking a closer look at criminal justice—through the lens of abolition, accountability, and the power of the creative arts to tell fuller, truer stories.  This week we'll explore how artists like Akinsanya Kambon bring histories of colonization and liberation to life—connecting past and present in ways that demand we rethink punishment, justice, and repair. Subscribe to Laura on Substack   Description [original release date September 2025]: With each glimmering piece he creates, artist Akinsanya Kambon brings suppressed histories of both colonization and liberation to life. His ceramic works depict struggle and survival across the African diaspora, and stepping into his studio is a spiritual experience, as Laura Flanders recently discovered. Kambon was a member of the Sacramento chapter of the Black Panther Party where he worked on the layout and illustration of the party's famous paper and became lieutenant for culture, illustrating among other things the party's ten point plan and works for young people. In 2023, he won the prestigious Mohn Award — the top prize given by the Hammer Museum for his participation in their biennial “Made in LA” show, titled Acts of Living. His one-man show opened in Beverly Hills at Marc Selwyn Fine Art in April 2025. An exhibition of his work will open at the New York Sculpture Center in May 2026. In this unique conversation, Flanders asks Kambon about his own survival stories, including his polio diagnosis, getting drafted into the Vietnam War, and his year on death row. Kambon was arrested in connection with the killing of a police officer and was later acquitted from that high-profile Oak Park Four case. Join Flanders and Kambon as they discuss how art keeps spirits alive, and catch Flanders' commentary on today's fight to control our nation's stories. “Art educates the masses of people. Not Black or white or Asian, this educates the masses of young people to our struggle, to how long they're struggling and how it's connected.” - Akinsanya Kambon “I thought of myself as an artist even when I was a child, because art was therapy for me . . . I used to always seem like I would always take the side of the underdog.” - Akinsanya Kambon Guest:  Akinsanya Kambon, Artist, Former Marine, Black Panther & Art Professor Special thanks: Cynthia Wornham, Annie Philbin, Marc Selwyn Fine Art    Additional Credits: Additional Crew:  Marco Amador, Producciones Cimarrón  Clips from the documentary short- "Akinsanya Kambon The Hero Avenges," Produced by The Hammer Museum;  Directed by Gabriel Noguez and Sean Rowry.   Full Conversation Release: While our weekly shows are edited to time for broadcast on Public TV and community radio, we offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation. These audio exclusives are made possible thanks to our member supporters. Watch the special report on YouTube; PBS World Channel Sundays 11:30am ET, and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio  (check here to see if your station is airing the show) & available as a podcast. Full Episode Notes are located HERE.   RESOURCES:Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes: •  Jacqueline Woodson & Catherine Gund: Breathing Through Chaos & the “Meanwhile”, Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut - Full Uncut Conversation •  Genesis Be & Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis: Building Collective Freedom with a Poet & Preacher, Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut    •  Ai Weiwei: How Do We Save Our Humanity?  Watch / Listen:  Episode Cut - Full Uncut Conversation   Related Articles and Resources: • Akinsanya Kambon exhibit for ‘Made in L.A. 2023: Acts of Living' the Hammer Museum's biennial exhibition highlighting the practices of artists working throughout the greater Los Angeles area • Akinsanya Kambon Receives $100,000 John Award, Made in L.A. Biennial's Top Prize Honors Artistic Excellence, by Victoria L. Walntine, December 12, 2023, Culture Type •  Akinsanya Kambon's exhibition April 17-May31, 2025 at Marc Selwyn Fine Art •. 10 Shows to see in Los Angeles May 2025, by Matt Stromberg, May 1, 2025 Hyperallergic • Upcoming Akinsanya Kambon Exhibitions: He will be featured in a solo exhibition represented by Ortuza Projects in collaboration with Marc Selwyn Fine Art during Frieze New York in May 2026, and concurrent with a solo exhibition at the New York Sculpture Center.  Art Media Agency Laura Flanders and Friends Crew: Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer; Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O'Conner-Senior Consulting Producer. FOLLOW Laura Flanders and FriendsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/Blueky: https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriendsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriendsPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriendsACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel

695. On this episode, we sit down with Lafayette resident Dr. Christi Green — a scholar of law and ethics and leader with the League of Women Voters of Louisiana — to break down everything you need to know ahead of the Fall 2026 elections in Louisiana. Drawing on her deep background in voting rights advocacy, fair mapping, and civil ethics, Christy shares her perspective on the key ballot initiatives, high-stakes races, and shifting election laws impacting Acadiana and the state. Tune in to get informed, get engaged, and make your voice count! Now available: Liberty in Louisiana: A Comedy. The oldest play about Louisiana, author James Workman wrote it as a celebration of the Louisiana Purchase. Now it is back in print for the first time in 222 years. Order your copy today! This week in the Louisiana Anthology. jewel bush "House Made of History."    Rideau Settlement is where I evacuated in 2005 along with about 20 other relatives when Hurricane Katrina's wrath pushed us and so many others out of New Orleans. I spent two weeks in this un-GPSable St. Landry Parish village, where my cell phone didn't work, where there were no streetlights, where everyone woke at sunrise, where everyone identified you by who your parents or grandparents were.    It had been nearly eight years since I had last visited my familial land; then due to tragedy — and now due to tragedy.    After the funeral services at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, founded in 1897 by the Josephite Fathers and widely referred to as LeBeau church, the kinfolk made a pilgrimage to Uncle Will's house to pay respects beyond the gravesite.    In the diminutive country cemetery where so many of my ancestors rest — Bush, Romar, Rideau — I snapped pictures of headstones: my maternal grandfather's grandfather, Oscar Bertrand, to whom everyone says my mother bears a remarkable resemblance; my paternal grandfather, Bean, who was a World War II Veteran and school bus driver; and my uncle, June, his son, who served in the Vietnam War. In my family, nicknames are better known and used than given names. This week in Louisiana history. September 11, 1722. First recorded Hurricane in La. destroyed New Orleans "During a hurricane...a large number of unidentified ships were sunk at and near New Orleans."  This week in New Orleans history. September 11, 1965: Hurricane Betsy made landfall, causing catastrophic flooding and leading to the creation of the modern New Orleans levee system. This week in Louisiana. Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival September 19'20 Downtown Riverbank, 100 Rue Beauport Natchitoches, LA 71457 Website: meatpiefestival.com Phone: (800) 259‑1714 The Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival celebrates the city's signature dish with two days of food, music, and family‑friendly events along the Cane River Lake riverbank: Meat Pies & Local Food: Dozens of vendors serving classic Natchitoches meat pies and regional specialties. Live Music & Entertainment: Cajun, Zydeco, country, and rock performances throughout the weekend. Contests & Activities: A meat pie eating contest, car show, kids' zone, hot‑air balloons, and fireworks. Postcards from Louisiana. The Rock Block Band at Felix's Restaurant and Oyster Bar. Listen on Apple Podcasts. Listen on audible. Listen on Spotify. Listen on TuneIn. Listen on iHeartRadio. The Louisiana Anthology Home Page. Like us on Facebook. 

He has been called one of the most consequential presidents in American history—and one of the most complicated. He was described as crude and compassionate, domineering and deeply empathetic. A political force of nature, Lyndon B. Johnson possessed a legendary ability to persuade, cajole, and outmaneuver nearly anyone in his path. He shepherded landmark civil rights legislation through Congress, won one of the greatest landslide victories in American history, and is often regarded as the most effective legislator ever to occupy the White House. Yet by the end of his presidency, the Vietnam War had made him a deeply polarizing figure, besieged by protesters and increasingly isolated. The president was Lyndon B. Johnson—and Tom Johnson had a front-row seat to it all. In this episode, Tom Johnson, former aide to LBJ and later publisher of the Los Angeles Times and president of CNN, reflects on his years alongside the 36th president during one of the most turbulent periods in American history. Drawing from his new memoir, Driven: A Life in Public Service and Journalism from LBJ to CNN, Johnson shares what it was really like to work for LBJ amid the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and the upheaval of the 1960s. DRIVEN: A LIFE IN PUBLIC SERVICE AND JOURNALISM FROM LBJ TO CNN https://www.amazon.com/Driven-Life-Public-Service-Journalism/dp/0820374539 JOIN PREMIUM Listen ad-free for only $5/month at www.bit.ly/TAPpremium BUY US A COFFEE buymeacoffee.com/thisamericanpresident FOLLOW US:www.thisamericanpresident.com/ CREDITSHost: Richard LimProducer: Michael NealCover Art: Nip Rogers, www.NipRogers.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.