[caption id="attachment_269689" align="alignright" width="344"] Source: Department of Defense[/caption]

On today's show, we continue our coverage of Hurricane Harvey flooding. First, we speak with Mark Bebawi, Host and Producer of The Monitor radio show at our sister station, KPFT, about the situation in Houston. 

Then, we discuss the pollutants released by the damage to Exxon refineries in Houston with Stephanie Thomas, a Houston-based organizer with Public Citizen. She works on pollution from refineries there, and also worked inside the oil industry as a geologist for Chevron.

Finally, we speak with John Nichols, Washington Correspondent for The Nation magazine, about his latest piece on The Nation, How Donald Trump and Elaine Chao Sold Off Flood-Control Policy to the Highest Bidders.

Brian Edwards-Tiekert and Mitch Jeserich are joined by Houston-based Mark Bebawi to talk about the flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Harvey. They discuss which parts of the city were hit hardest by the disaster and why there was no evacuation order in place.

Then, Brian Edwards-Tiekert and Mitch Jeserich talk about what did and didn't happen last weekend when two mass demonstrations planned by the alt-right were called off.

After, Ellen Kreitzberg joins the show to discuss the decision to uphold Proposition 66, an initiative that speeds up the appeals process for individuals with death sentences. After a decade-long moratorium on executions, will California begin executing inmates again?

Guests:

Mitch Jeserich, host of KPFA's Letters & Politics

Mark Bebawi, host of KPFT's The Monitor

Ellen Krietzberg, co-founder and director of Death Penalty College and professor of law at Santa Clara University

Image: Flood Rescue [1] by National Guard Lieutenant Zachary West, resized

[1] https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1291284/more-texas-guardsmen-deploy-as-harvey-causes-catastrophic-flooding/

[caption id="attachment_269397" align="alignright" width="370"] Source: Wikimedia Commons[/caption]

We begin today's show with Mira Nabulsi's coverage of the Berkeley press conference on the counter-demonstrations taking place this weekend. Then, we hear from two local activists who are involved in such protests here in Berkeley.

We speak with Jason Wallach, a member of the Mobilization Committee and one of the original members of SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) Oakland/Bay Area. He is an Oakland resident, a small business owner, and one of the organizers of the Resist Racist Violence and Hate rally on August 27. 

Then, we talk to Alex Schmaus, a member of the International Socialist Organization. The ISO is one of the initiators of the Bay Area Rally Against Hate counter-demonstration this Sunday.

Next, Salima Hamirani interviews Emiko Petrosky of the CDC and Beverly Upton of the San Francisco Domestic Violence Consortium about intimate partner violence.

Finally, Richard Wolinsky, host of Bookwaves on KPFA's Cover to Cover, brings us a review of the Cal Shakes production of Black Odyssey,a re-imagining of Homer’s epic poem in which Ulysses is a Afghanistan war veteran returning home to Oakland.

[caption id="attachment_269276" align="alignright" width="543"] Source: Wikimedia Commons[/caption]

On today's show, we cover the preparation that's taking place in anticipation of the so-called Freedom Rally, organized by the right-wing group Patriot Prayer. The rally (which has a National Parks Service permit), is scheduled to take place at Crissy Field in San Francisco this Saturday. We speak with the San Francisco Police Department about how they're preparing for the rally, as well as two local organizers who will participate in counter-protests. 

We speak with Kung Feng, Lead Organizer of Jobs with Justice, about one of the counter-protests taking place, the March Against Hate to Crissy Field. His organization is one of the convening groups of Bay Resistance, a network dedicated to defending local communities from Trump's administration and the far right. 

We are also joined by Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer, Pastor of Grace Lutheran in San Francisco and volunteer chaplain with the San Francisco Police Department. They are one of the organizers of the city-sanctioned San Francisco Peacefully Unites Against White Nationalists, which will take place at Civic Center this Saturday.

Finally, Cat Brooks interviews Ayodele Nzinga (poet, activist, performance artist, and founder of the West Oakland Theater Company, Lower Bottom Playaz), about the devastation caused by institutional racism - and the redemptive power of art.

 

On today's show, Philip Maldari moderates a debate on The California Values Act SB 54, a bill that would make California a sanctuary state. Arguing for the bill is immigration attorney Saira Hussain and arguing against it is California State Sheriffs' Association representative Cory Salzillo.

Then, Brian Edwards-Tiekert breaks down the controversy surrounding the pro-Trump "No to Marxism Rally" taking place in Berkeley this weekend. Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin [1] and self-identified transsexual female, anti-communism organizer of the event Amber Cummings weigh in.

Plus, Brian Edwards-Tiekert and President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors London Breed talk about the "Freedom Rally" set to take place in Crissy Field this Saturday.

Guests:

Saira Hussain, staff attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus, a legal and civil rights organization out of San Francisco

Cory Salzillo, legislative director at California State Sheriffs' Association, an organization that represents the collective interests of California's sheriffs

London Breed, President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors

 

Image: Seal of the Senate of the State of California by wikimedia user Fry1989 under CC BY-SA 3.0 [2], resized

[1] https://www.google.com/search?q=Jesse+Arreguin&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAONgVuLVT9c3NEw2KzfIi882BABgQUq7EQAAAA

[2] https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

On today's show, host Brian Edwards-Tiekert and sociologist Peter Simi talk about white extremist groups and their relationship to law enforcement. They discuss the history of white supremacists joining police and military organizations and explain the extent to which that trend persists today.

Later, host Cat Brooks speaks with Claude Marks and Hank Jones, two former political prisoners. They discuss their personal histories and what is means to be a political prisoner in the United States.

Guests:

Peter Simi, professor of sociology at Chapman University and author of "American Swastika: Inside the White Power Movement's Hidden Spaces of Hate"

Claude Marks, former political prisoner and founder of the Freedom Archives

Hank Jones, formerly of the San Francisco 8 and the Black Panther Party; former political prisoner

Image: prison fence by flickr user Brad.K under CC BY 2.0 [1], resized

 

 

[1] https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

On today's show, civil rights attorney Dan Siegel joins Brian Edwards-Tiekert to discuss the difference between hate speech and free speech. They also explore how city governments can respond when alt-right demonstrators come to town.

Then, Fred Glass speaks to Brian Edwards-Tiekert about the labor history of California. Together they examine the history of the Golden State from the perspective of the people who worked, struggled and organized here.

Guests:

Dan Siegel, Oakland-based civil rights attorney who currently represents counter-protesters at alt-right rallies

Fred Glass, labor and community studies teacher at City College of San Francisco and communications director for California Federation of Teachers

 

Image: Berkeley City Hall-5 by wikimedia user Almonroth under CC BY-SA 3.0 [1], resized

[1] https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

On today's show, Salima Hamirani explores the solar eclipse passing over the continental US on Monday. We'll hear from a composer turning it into live music, an eclipse chaser about why it's so spectacular, and a scientist about what an eclipse even is and how to watch it safely.

Before that, Salima talks to Rohini Ramkrishnan from the 1947 Partition Archives about collecting oral histories from survivors of Partition as this month marks the 70th anniversary of the event.

Guests:

Rohini Ramkrishnan, oral history program manager, The 1947 Archives

David Baron, science journalist and author of American Eclipse: A Nation's Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the the Glory of the World

Wayne Grim, sound artist, composer and Staff Artist at the Exploratorium

Dr. Bryan Méndez, astronomer and public education specialist at UC Berkeley's Space Science Laboratory

Music in Partition segment by Sameer Gupta.

The month of August is a time where thousands of black people inside and outside of prison commemorate Black August to honor fallen freedom fighters in the black liberation movement. Today, we explore the history and significance of Black August and the continued incarceration of black bodies inside prison. Host Cat Brooks interviews Mama Ayanna Mashama, co-founder of the Black August Organizing Committee, about its historical origins and practices.

Then, we speak with Troy Williams about his experience with incarceration and the human rights that prisoners deserve. Williams is editor of the San Francisco Bay View newspaper and was incarcerated for 25 years in juvenile and adult facilities. He is a featured speaker at the Millions for Prisoners Human Rights March in San Jose on August 19, 2017.

But first, as part of our continuing coverage of hate speech and white extremism, we begin today's show with a conversation with Frank Meeink, former neo-Nazi, author of Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead, and co-founder of Life After Hate, a nonprofit organization run by former extremists, which helps people disengage from the white supremacist movement.

 

 

[caption id="attachment_268710" align="alignright" width="316"] Source: Flickr (afagen)[/caption]

On today's show, Brian Edwards-Tiekert and Cat Brooks discuss the extremist demonstrations that are imminent in the Bay Area, how we should strategize to combat them, and Trump's response to the protest in Charlottesville.

Then, Cat Brooks interviews Daria Roithmayr about her book Reproducing Racism, which explores the ways in which our institutions and personal relationships automatically pass on racist practices from generation to generation.