So What Do We Have?

Authority, immigration, deficits, and hypocrisy: these are the topics in the final episode of season two. Join Steph and Lathania in questioning the consistency of both party’s positions, and what it says about the ways we draw our own lines.

We're going to be on a break until Fall 2021, but we'll be back at it next season with whatever political craziness awaits - and we know it will be there when we come back. In the meantime, keep in touch! Email us at [email protected], or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave or on Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. 

Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.

Evergreen episode: why does the U.S. struggle with gun violence and mass shootings on a scale so different from most modern nations? When nothing else feels constant, we know this topic will remain relevant until we figure out how to have really tough conversations. This wide-ranging conversation takes us everywhere from the 2nd Amendment to military spending to Sandy Hook. If nothing else, join us in our lament for change, even when we don't know how to accomplish it.

NOTE: This episode was recorded before the conclusion of Derek Chauvin's trial and the death of Ma'Khia Bryant.

We know we'll hit some nerves with this one, so send us your thoughts! Email us at [email protected], or follow us on Instagram@sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. And look for us - but really just Lathania -  on Clubhouse!

Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.

President Biden’s proposed Infrastructure bill proposed loads of money and federal spending on roads, bridges, clean water, and rebuilding schools. But those things we traditionally think of as infrastructure only comprise about half of the spending outlined in the bill. What do things like raising wages for caregiving professions have to do with infrastructure though? Is there some other motive for throwing it into the same legislation? And most importantly, can Congress even get this done? Steph and Lathania have a lot of questions, some skepticism, and also hope that positive things could get done.

Email us at [email protected], or follow us on Instagram@sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. And look for us - but really just Lathania -  on Clubhouse!

Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.

This week, Steph and Lathania discuss the vast contradictions in both America’s immigration policies and in the postures we as citizens take toward “the other.” What would it take for us to truly value others whom we see as outsiders? And as hostile as our public discourse is on this issue, immigrants continue to come - why? It’s almost too much for one episode but we try to cover it all. As always, we’d love to hear your feedback! 

Email us at [email protected], or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. And look for us - but really just Lathania -  on Clubhouse!

Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.

This episode comes at you as the result of listener requests! It's a tough one, and a long one. Steph and Lathania (but mostly Steph) talk about abortion, what it means to be pro-life, and how our politics get in the way of finding real solutions. 

Tell us what you think! We know you'll have thoughts on this one. Email us at [email protected], or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. Look for us on Clubhouse now, too! 

Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.

References:

Source for the statistic that more Black babies are aborted than born in NYC
Josh Mandel's (now-deleted) tweet
The Holy Post podcast with a quick history of abortion as a political wedge issue, from 2016

In our borderline-religious zeal to "cancel" leaders for violating American culture's rapidly-changing, sometimes ambiguous moral standards, are we sure we are truly holding leaders to account? Trying these figures in the court of public opinion feels satisfying in the short term, but do these "wins" amount to accountability that is likely to change the balance of power or the operation of our institutions long term? Lathania and Steph ask these questions in the debate over the politics and potential for justice in New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's rapid fall from grace amid a major ethical scandal and accusations of sexual harassment.

Tell us what you think! Email us at [email protected], or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. Look for us on Clubhouse now, too! 

Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.

References:
America without God, The Atlantic, April 2021
The Rise and Fall of Andrew Cuomo, The New York Times, March 13, 2021

Last fall, Steph optimistically wrote an op-ed for her local newspaper asking the question, will this pandemic finally force America to reconcile with working motherhood? A year into the Covid-19 pandemic, school closures, remote learning and remote work, we are exploring the question again. How are American moms surviving while literally doing it all? (Spoiler alert: we are NOT okay.)

Tell us what you think! Email us at [email protected], or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. 

Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media.

References:

Column: Pandemic Shows its Past Time to Value Working Moms, The Columbus Dispatch
The Primal Scream, a recent NYT series on motherhood in the pandemic

We have a guest! Lathania and Steph are joined this week by a new friend, writer and cultural commentator Sara Billups. Steph and Sara recently appeared together on a BBC Radio program discussing the American evangelical church in light of the events at the Capitol on January 6th. The experience inspired us to devote an episode to the topic. Here we explore - a little more personally than usual - the dynamics between the American evangelical church and our politics.

Thanks again to our guest Sara for her time, expertise, and contributions to this episode!

We love engaging with our listeners, and we know today's episode is a little different than normal. Tell us what you think! Email us at [email protected], or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. 

Special thanks to David Hartman/Black Bear Media for editing work this week.

References:
NPR Up First, Christian Nationalism and Disinformation
*Apologies: We promised we would share the link to the BBC interview with Sara and Steph from last month, but are having trouble finding an archive link. We'll update this if we are able to locate one.  

An exercise in debating upside-down logic: never has something so unprecedented amounted to so little.

We love engaging with our listeners! Email us at [email protected], or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. 

Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media

References:
Videos shared at President Trump's second impeachment trial:
Montage of January 6th
Capitol Security footage 

Lathania and Steph talked last week about looking for solutions, and this week, we have one to discuss! Sen. Mitt Romney has introduced the Family Security Act, a proposal to provide American families with direct cash assistance. It’s been decades since Congress last seriously debated childcare assistance for middle class families. Is there reason to hope it will be taken seriously this time? 

We love engaging with our listeners! Email us at [email protected], or follow us on Instagram @sowhatdowehave and Twitter: @lathaniab and @stephkrider. 

Edited by David Hartman/Black Bear Media

Episode references (there are lot this week!):

Romney’s Family Security Act summary, Notre Dame Study: How Americans Understand Abortion, the book Jesus and John Wayne,  by Kristin DuMez, and The Washington Post on President Jimmy Carter's Conference on Families.

And in reference to a correction from last week, this article re: immigration reform shared with us by a listener.