What Do You Mean By That?

98: Inauguration 2021


Listen Later

We finally made it to the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. This day is about a break with Trumpism, a break from the direction that our country has steadily been heading for the past nearly five years, and the fact that the majority (it's a small one, but still a majority) of our country rejected that ideal in November.

What this day is NOT though, is the end of Trumpism. It is not the end of hard work. We have seen violence that we could never imagine in the halls of our nation's Capitol building, and a staggering display of White power and White privilege that wasn't shocking or surprising, but disgusting and a reminder that this is, no matter how we twist things around, who we are.

This is who we are, for the fact that Misasha's sons will still be called the N-word for simply being Black, for the fact that we still have no justice for George Floyd or Breonna Taylor and that what happened to Jacob Blake was not justice. For the fact that Tamir Rice was killed at 12 for carrying a cap gun and that in early January a whole White mob brought zip ties and guns and 2500 rounds of ammo (and that's just one guy) into the Capitol building and actually beat a police officer with the American flag and THEY WALKED OUT OF THERE. This is who we are, in whispered conversations, in slanderous campaigns, in voter suppression, in dirty looks and false facts based on systemic racism that we choose to look away from because we think white supremacy helps us. It doesn't. It hurts us all.

So on this historic day, we want you to take it in. Breathe it in. But then - don't look away. Don't think that you wrote some voter postcards and you're good until 2024. Because today is not the end of the past four years. Today is the beginning of the next four years. And we think it'll be an uphill battle - and we need you with us. Let's go to work.

Have questions, comments, or concerns? Email us at [email protected]

PLUS, support us through Patreon! Learn about our virtual community – and you're welcome to join.

Like what you hear? Don't miss another episode and subscribe!

Catch up on more commentary between episodes by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter – and even more opinions and resources if you join our email list.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

What Do You Mean By That?By Sara and Misasha

  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7
  • 4.7

4.7

140 ratings


More shows like What Do You Mean By That?

View all
This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

90,955 Listeners

Modern Love by The New York Times

Modern Love

8,808 Listeners

Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

Hidden Brain

43,580 Listeners

The Moth by The Moth

The Moth

27,149 Listeners

Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

Reveal

8,427 Listeners

Code Switch by NPR

Code Switch

14,617 Listeners

Thanks For Asking by Feelings & Co.

Thanks For Asking

13,241 Listeners

Civics 101 by NHPR

Civics 101

2,542 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

112,238 Listeners

What A Day by Crooked Media

What A Day

12,330 Listeners

IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson by Higher Ground

IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson

13,005 Listeners

We Can Do Hard Things by Treat Media and Glennon Doyle

We Can Do Hard Things

41,539 Listeners

What Now? with Trevor Noah by Trevor Noah

What Now? with Trevor Noah

4,242 Listeners

Letters from an American by Heather Cox Richardson

Letters from an American

5,905 Listeners

unPAUSED with Dr. Mary Claire Haver by Audacy | Mary Claire Haver, MD

unPAUSED with Dr. Mary Claire Haver

957 Listeners