Crosscut

At about 2 a.m. on Jan. 27, 2021, Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer called police dispatch to report a man in his neighborhood who he said threatened to kill him. The man, who was Black, turned out to be delivering newspapers. Troyer later told a Tacoma police officer the man hadn’t actually threatened his life. Here’s the audio of that 911 call.

False 911 call, otherwise known as a swatting call by CrosscutNews

The movement for LGBT rights has gained a lot of traction around the country, but there are still many places that remain unfriendly or unsafe for the queer community. Often, those places are in the more conservative parts of America. But transgender author and journalist Samantha Allen found something different when she traveled through middle America in 2017. She discovered thriving communities and havens for people of all genders and orientations. For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast, we invited Allen to discuss her new book, Real Queer America: LGBT Stories from Red States, as well as her journey from Mormon missionary to openly trans woman. She is joined by David Schmader, a Seattle-based writer and performer whose work often explores queer life. The conversation was recorded on May 4, 2019 at Seattle University as part of the Crosscut Festival.

This conversation is part of our Crosscut Talks podcast series. To listen to more episodes, go to our show page: crosscut.com/talks

In America, Civil War as long been relegated to history books and Ken Burns films. But recently it has become a live topic. Crosscut gathered a panel of political experts and journalists to discuss the deepening tribalism of extreme partisan politics, identifying root causes of our divisions, discussing the platforms that have encouraged this divisiveness, and exploring what can be done to prevent it. Featuring Manhattan Institute fellow Oren Cass, New York Times columnist Thomas Edsall, political science professor Christopher Parker and journalist Tay Wiles. New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie moderated the conversation. This episode was recorded on May 4, 2019 at Seattle University as part of the Crosscut Festival.

This conversation is part of our Crosscut Talks podcast series. To listen to more episodes, go to our show page: crosscut.com/talks

The 2020 election is almost a year and a half away, but the race is already on. There are two dozen Democrats, and one Republican, lining up to challenge President Donald Trump. And the news cycle is dominated by big questions about who can win, and how. So Crosscut gathered a panel of pundits from the Seattle area to weigh in on the big issues, assess the candidates and speculate on Trump’s chances for a second term. Featuring conservative talk radio host Michael Medved, former chair of the Washington State Republican Party Chris Vance, political scientist Christopher Parker and Sharon Mast, who serves as the secretary of the Western States Caucus of the Democratic National Committee.

This conversation is part of our Crosscut Talks podcast series. To listen to more episodes, go to our show page: https://crosscut.com/talks

Some activists need to use loudspeakers, but others are fortunate enough to already have the world’s attention. Colin Kaepernick, for example, showed how a single act — and the commitment to repeat it — can both inspire and agitate on a national scale. But how does one turn fame into societal change? Prominent social justice activist and author DeRay McKesson leads a conversation with hip-hop artist Macklemore and Super Bowl champion Doug Baldwin Jr. about how the two socially active figures choose a cause, make positive change, and keep working through it all.

This conversation is part of our Crosscut Talks podcast series. To listen to more episodes, go to our show page: https://crosscut.com/talks

Recording of the August 2018 asylum hearing of Mergensana Amar, a Russian national who arrived in the United States in December 2017.

Audio from a 911 call placed on Nov. 15, 2018, from the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Symphony No. 40 in G minor Movement 1: Molto Allegro by CrosscutNews

Modest Mussorgsky, Night on Bald Mountain by Amazon Symphony Orchestra by CrosscutNews