In our special Best Of series, we're featuring this episode on patriotism for the 4th of July holiday. Ben Railton teaches American Studies of Fitchburg State University in MA. He is author of six books on American identity, national narratives, and collective memory, most recently Of Thee I Sing: The Contested History of American Patriotism (2021). He writes the daily American Studier blog, contributes the bimonthly Considering History column for the Saturday Evening Post, and is a frequent public scholarly tweeter @AmericanStudier. His work explores the connections between America’s past and present. Most recent book: Of Thee I Sing   Send any questions to [email protected]. Please help What the Gerrymander and subscribe wherever you're listening to this pod. Also, please consider a recurring donation of $15 to help start Blue Indiana and crowdsource funding for state legislative candidates. Donate at www.hoosiervictoryalliance.org; www.facebook.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.instagram.com/hoosiervictoryalliance;  www.spoutible.com/hoosiervictory; www.tiktok.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance; www.youtube.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance

Please subscribe to Freedom Over Fascism at www.freedomoverfascism.us. Part of the Democracy Group of Podcasts.

Welcome to the last original episode in the first season of What the Gerrymander. We saved the best for last, and this interview with Anat Shenker-Osorio is chock full of magically delicious messaging guidance. Anat Shenker-Osorio is owner of ASO Communications and host of the podcast Words to Win By. She has been my messaging guiding light since I became aware of her work 2 years ago. I first heard her on a podcast talking about how the MAGA faction was the same White Supremacist, anti-democratic faction that had been a part of American society since before the founding. This reframing of MAGA blew my tiny little mind and realigned my thinking about Trump and MAGA in one moment. Since then, I’ve attended the movement briefings with the Research Collaborative and integrated their recommendations into all my work, including on Heidi Beidinger’s campaign. Anat’s skill at reframing narratives and making voters into protagonists gives us great tools as we work on building power in MAGA-captured America. As she notes in the first few minutes, Indiana—and Ohio, Missiouri, and all MAGA-captured states—aren’t red states, they’re rigged states. Her most important message remains “say what you’re for, say what you’re for, say what you’re for), even when we’re in a deeply disturbing moment in history. I hope you listen to our conversation and come away with values-driven ways to discuss the moment with people you talk to, whatever their political leanings. We all have a lot of work to do together to protect our freedoms, and I think she gives us some great tools for claiming the moral high ground and reaching people where they are. www.asocommunications.com https://researchcollaborative.org/   Send any questions to [email protected]. Please help What the Gerrymander, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you're listening to this pod. Also, please consider a recurring donation of $15 to help start Blue Indiana and crowdsource funding for state legislative candidates. Donate at www.hoosiervictoryalliance.org; www.facebook.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.instagram.com/hoosiervictoryalliance;  www.spoutible.com/hoosiervictory; www.tiktok.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance; www.youtube.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance  

Please subscribe to Freedom Over Fascism at www.freedomoverfascism.us. Part of the Democracy Group of Podcasts.

Sheila Kennedy is a former ED of the Indiana ACLU, Emerita Professor of Law and Public Policy at IUPUI. Sheila’s journeyed from being a liberal republican to leaving the Republican party in 2000 after it had moved irreversibly to the Right. She currently works in democratic circles for democracy and freedom, and against gerrymandering and voter suppression. She writes a daily blog at https://sheilakennedy.net/ Send any questions to [email protected]. Please help What the Gerrymander, subscribe, and leave a review wherever you're listening to this pod. Also, please consider a recurring donation of $15 to help start Blue Indiana and crowdsource funding for state legislative candidates. Donate at www.hoosiervictoryalliance.org; www.facebook.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.instagram.com/hoosiervictoryalliance;  www.spoutible.com/hoosiervictory; www.tiktok.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance; www.youtube.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance  

Please subscribe to Freedom Over Fascism at www.freedomoverfascism.us. Part of the Democracy Group of Podcasts.

Sam Goldman is the host of the podcast Refuse Fascism and is on the editorial board of refusefascism.org.  Send any questions to [email protected]. Please help What the Gerrymander and subscribe wherever you're listening to this pod. Also, please consider a recurring donation of $15 to help start Blue Indiana and crowdsource funding for state legislative candidates. Donate at www.hoosiervictoryalliance.org; www.twitter.com/hoosier_victory; www.facebook.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.instagram.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.post.news/hoosiervictory; www.spoutible.com/hoosiervictory; www.tiktok.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance; www.youtube.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance

Please subscribe to Freedom Over Fascism at www.freedomoverfascism.us. Part of the Democracy Group of Podcasts.

Haley Bash (she/they) is the founder of Donor Organizer Hub. Their style of donor organizing is having one-on-ones with friends and sending out BCCed emails to a list of 150 people 2-3 times per year. Haley is passionate about helping each donor organizer find their preferred method of doing this work to raise for under-funded progressive causes! https://www.donororganizerhub.org/     Send any questions to [email protected]. Please help What the Gerrymander and subscribe wherever you're listening to this pod. Also, please consider a recurring donation of $15 to help start Blue Indiana and crowdsource funding for state legislative candidates. Donate at www.hoosiervictoryalliance.org; www.twitter.com/hoosier_victory; www.facebook.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.instagram.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.post.news/hoosiervictory; www.spoutible.com/hoosiervictory; www.tiktok.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance; www.youtube.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance

Please subscribe to Freedom Over Fascism at www.freedomoverfascism.us. Part of the Democracy Group of Podcasts.

Heidi Beidinger and Stephanie Gerber Wilson discuss how Heidi's worldview shifted after our interview with Ryan Busse, which was recorded the day before we recorded this episode (that's why you hear Heidi say we talked to him yesterday.) Heidi and Stephanie discuss what it really means to be in a war with MAGA Republicans who want to take power and create a white Christian authoritarian state. We both have a lot to say about how we turn the tide in Indiana, and we hope you'll discover actions you want to take. Please consider a recurring donation of $15 to help start Blue Indiana and crowdsource funding for state legislative candidates. Donate at www.hoosiervictoryalliance.org; www.twitter.com/hoosier_victory; www.facebook.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.instagram.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.post.news/hoosiervictory; www.spoutible.com/hoosiervictory; www.tiktok.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance; www.youtube.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance

Please subscribe to Freedom Over Fascism at www.freedomoverfascism.us. Part of the Democracy Group of Podcasts.

Jessica Piper ran for office in 2022 for State Representative in Northwest Missouri. She was not successful, but used the experience to organize progressives in rural Missouri. She is now is the Executive Director for Blue Missouri and hosts a weekly podcast called “Dirt Road Democrat” which can be found wherever you listen to podcasts. is a mother to five and grandmother to three and lives on a small farm on the Missouri/Iowa border. She was born and raised in rural America. She earned degrees in English and Teaching from the University of Arkansas and was a high school American Literature teacher for 16 years. After the 2016 election of Trump, Jess became politically active. Please consider a recurring donation of $10 to help start Blue Indiana and crowdsource funding for state legislative candidates. Donate at www.hoosiervictoryalliance.org; www.twitter.com/hoosier_victory; www.facebook.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.instagram.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.post.news/hoosiervictory; www.spoutible.com/hoosiervictory; www.tiktok.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance; www.youtube.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance

Please subscribe to Freedom Over Fascism at www.freedomoverfascism.us. Part of the Democracy Group of Podcasts.

Ryan Busse, author of Gunfight: My Battle Against the Industry that Radicalized America, joins us to discuss the NRA and MAGA's culture wars to build power and wealth, and to turn the country into an autocracy. Listen to a discussion of whether "it can happen here," and how Heidi wants to understand responsible gun owners. Busse tells us how we can turn the culture war around. Please consider a recurring donation of $20 to help start Blue Indiana and crowdsource funding for state legislative candidates. Donate at www.hoosiervictoryalliance.org; www.twitter.com/hoosier_victory; www.facebook.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.instagram.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.post.news/hoosiervictory; www.spoutible.com/hoosiervictory; www.tiktok.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance; www.youtube.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance

Please subscribe to Freedom Over Fascism at www.freedomoverfascism.us. Part of the Democracy Group of Podcasts.

Kimberly Allen is founder of Power the Vote and Blue Texas. She joined Power the Vote from Covington & Burling LLP, where she was Special Counsel in the Commercial Litigation group. During the 2020 election cycle, Kim was Deputy Director of Voter Protection at the Democratic Party of Georgia, where she led the ballot monitoring program. She started the voter protection program with Power the Vote in Texas after the 2020 election. Power the Vote: https://powerthevote.org/index.html; Blue Texas: https://bluetexas.org/ Please consider a recurring donation of $20 to help start Blue Indiana and crowdsource funding for state legislative candidates. Donate at www.hoosiervictoryalliance.org; www.twitter.com/hoosier_victory; www.facebook.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.instagram.com/hoosiervictoryalliance; www.post.news/hoosiervictory; www.spoutible.com/hoosiervictory; www.tiktok.com/@hoosiervictoryalliance; https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZGbZYLSX6ZzqjqqRRUJS0w

Please subscribe to Freedom Over Fascism at www.freedomoverfascism.us. Part of the Democracy Group of Podcasts.

Josh Lowry ran for Indiana state senate in 2022 and is running for State House in 2024. He is a lawyer, former Assistant AG, and a foster parent. Josh and his wife Alexis, who is running for city council in Westfield, Indiana, have fostered 11 kids, 4 of whom they adopted. When not driving one of his children to practice or work, Josh is a competitive natural bodybuilder and plays recreational soccer.  Our wide-ranging conversation today not only talked about the bills up in Indiana’s general assembly, but how democrats can change the minds of the people around us by showing up and proving that we can be good people too. Take a listen and let us know what you think by rating ups and leaving us a review on Apple Podcasts! Please donate a $20 recurring donation at www.hoosiervictoryalliance.org to fund every state legislative candidate. Questions: [email protected]. Sources: https://legiscan.com/IN/bill/HB1232/2023; https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2023/01/18/bill-would-force-schools-to-tell-parents-about-students-pronouns-gender-identities/; https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2023/02/22/anti-trans-medical-care-bill-passes-senate-committee/; https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/human-rights-campaign-condemns-indiana-state-house-of-representatives-for-passing-dont-say-gay-or-trans-bill-urges-senate-to-reject-discriminatory-bill 

Please subscribe to Freedom Over Fascism at www.freedomoverfascism.us. Part of the Democracy Group of Podcasts.