Speaking Freely

Ideas. Ideology. Theories. Conspiracy theories. What we believe. That's the focus for this episode. We'll talk about a new book, with its roots in Oregon, about how ideology has shaped America's history, as well as the world's, even up to today. And, a new documentary series, called "Shadowland." It's about conspiracy theories. They have grown and become more mainstream during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a filmmaker who's gone across the country to investigate them. I talked to Joe Berlinger about why more people are embracing extreme, and false beliefs, even to the point that they're tearing their own families apart. Berlinger specializes in documentaries about true crime and social justice. His latest documentary traces how conspiracy theories have moved from the margins to the mainstream, and the danger they pose.

Then, continuing the theme of what people believe, this week also brought the launch of a new book, after years of work starting in Oregon. The book is "Ideology in U.S. Foreign Relations - New Histories." At the launch, co-editor David Milne talked about starting the project in Oregon along with Dr. Christopher Nichols. This book traces the ideological struggle, over competing visions of democracy, and of American democracy's place in the world and in history. Co-editor Dr. Christopher McKnight Nichols tells us how he began the project at Oregon State University. He also comments on the rival ideologies clashing, as Russia plans to start what it calls referendums in Ukraine, while Ukraine and its western allies call that illegal annexation. Dr. Nichols is a former Oregon State University Professor, now at The Ohio State University.

Quite a week we've had. Derailing a railroad strike. Fighting the furious march of wildfires in the Pacific Northwest. And: a first hand look at what it was like, to testify before the January sixth committee. We've got all of that on this show. Starting with Longtime Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio. As the chairman of the House Transportation Infrastructure Committee, he was involved in the talks to come to a tentative settlement, possibly avoiding a railroad strike, if the workers approve it. DeFazio makes the case that Congress has had the most productive session since the Eisenhower era. He also reflected on his decades representing Oregon in Congress for 36 years, what he's accomplished, and what he hopes will happen next now that he's retiring.

Meantime, wildfire season is ramping up, and so are smoke dangers, I talked about what we can do to protect ourselves, our families and our homes, with Eric Litzenberg, with the Western Fire Chiefs Association.

Then: you've probably heard the name Nick Quested. He's a documentary filmmaker known for testifying before the January 6th committee. He was filming at the U.S. Capitol on January sixth. And he's also releasing a new documentary about the pandemic's impact on the cruise ship industry.

Governor Kate Brown provided an update on how the state and partners are preparing and responding to the wildfire situation in Oregon. In this episode we hear from Governor Brown, Oregon Department of Forestry Fire Chief Mike Shaw, Oregon State Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Travis Medema, and Oregon Office of Emergency Management Director Andrew Phelps. They explain forecasts for high winds, hot dry weather and lightning increase the fire danger. There is also the possibility of public safety power shutoffs to mitigate potential fire risks.

I also talked to Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, Boston University Professor and National Book Award winning author, and one of Time Magazine's top 100 Most Influential People in the World, about his new book series for children as young as 4, to teach them even the most difficult parts of American history, including slavery and the Trail of Tears. For further insight we have comments from Jeremi Suri, The Mack Brown Distinguished Chair for Leadership in Global Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, Emily Conroy-Krutz, Associate Professor of History at Michigan State University, and Dr. Christopher McKnight Nichols, the Wayne Woodrow Hayes Chair in National Security Studies and Professor of History, at The Ohio State University.

I also talk to Dr. Nichols about his upcoming fundraiser for the Oregon Historical Society this week, with Brown University historian and author Keisha Blain, for a talk about Black women, politics, violence, and history.

It was December 12th, 2019. A cluster of people in the city of Wuhan, China, started to get symptoms of an unusual pneumonia-like illness, that did not respond well to standard treatments. It's now, September, 2022. And that illness, COVID-19, continues to affect us, in just about every way possible. It's top of mind for school system leaders as classes for the fall semester get underway. It's behind a doubling of people seeking out help from food banks. And it's also linked to other serious illnesses, especially when people delay getting tests and checkups. So in this episode, we're talking about some of the lingering impacts of the pandemic, still with us. Delays in doctor visits and tests during the pandemic, have linked to study after study showing by the time there is a diagnosis: diseases have progressed. The CDC found 41% of Americans delayed or avoided medical care because of concerns about COVID, increasing morbidity and mortality. A study published in the Journal of The American Medical Association earlier this year found a sharp increase in later stage breast cancer diagnosis. The American Academy of Dermatology published a study showing more melanomas in more advanced and aggressive stages during the pandemic, also attributed to delays. I talk to a breast cancer survivor, Kym Douglas, Susannah Morgan, CEO of the Oregon Food Bank, and Beaverton School District's Shellie Bailey Shah.

Kids:under stress: It can lead to serious health problems as they get older. That's the finding of researchers with the National Institute for Health Care Management. The non profit, non partisan group says millions of children are living with the far reaching effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and more than 200,000 American children are now orphans, having lost a parent or primary caregiver to the pandemic. It's had an impact on what's called "adverse childhood experiences," or ACES that most children experience at least once in their lifetimes, including neglect, abuse and exposure to violence and shootings. In this episode we hear from noted experts Dr. Phyllis Niolon with the C.D.C., Dr David Osher with the American Centers for Research, and Catherine Santoro, National Institute for Healthcare Management Foundation.

Also, the U.S. Department of Education is forgiving billions of dollars worth of loans, including some $40 million dollars in debt for more than 2,000 Oregonians, who enrolled at the school between 2005 and 2016. But veterans who spend GI benefits on fraudulent schools are not eligible for the help, according to William Hubbard He's with the group Veterans Education Success, which is offering free legal help for veterans trying to get a solution to the problem.

Oregon Health and Science University scientists have gotten significant new support in their efforts to turn skin cells, into egg cells, possibly leading to a new way for people to have children. For this episode, I talked to Dr. Paula Amato, a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, involved in the research.

Anxiety and depression hurt Oregon's children especially hard due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers from the Annie E Casey Foundation estimate that 40 percent of Oregon children between the ages of 3 to 17 struggled with mental health challenges: that's about 342,000 children in Oregon. I talked to Jennifer Wagley, the Executive Director of Our Children Oregon.

Its authors call it the "Inflation Reduction Act," but how much will it really do to slow prices that have been climbing at their fastest pace in about 40 years? Oregon U.S. Senator Ron Wyden is credited with having played a major part of this 755 page, 700 billion dollar package, he says it'll lower energy and health care costs for families.

Oregon Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici recently hosted the house select committee on the climate crisis in Oregon, which included a bipartisan field hearing and visits to local environmental projects. One was called Building Climate Resilient Coastal Communities. We also hear from Congressman Buddy Carter from Georgia, who was in Oregon for the hearings.

Finally, an update on monkeypox from Dr. Dean Sidelinger with the Oregon Health Authority, which is declaring a disease outbreak in the state.

We start, with wildfires this week. Fires, that are already scorching tens of thousands of acres across Oregon, Washington and California. One of the biggest burning right now, is the McKinney Fire, in California, chewing through dry timber near the Oregon State line, causing orders for thousands to evacuate from their homes. Chief Kim Zagaris with the Western Fire Chiefs Association: explained to me, why this one's such a tough fight, and how Oregon firefighters have rushed in to help our neighbors to the south.

Sandy Roberts with the Miller Road Fire talked to KXL News Director Jim Ferretti. That fire's so powerful that it burned through ten thousand five hundred acres, in just 21 hours. It sparked an emergency declaration from Governor Kate Brown earlier this week, as well as evacuation orders and a shelter. We hear about that from John Hendricks, with the Oregon State Fire Marshall's office.

When we look back at the last decade in Oregon, the wildfires will be among the most significant events that shaped our history. That's according to historian Dr. Chris Nichols, who was a professor with Oregon State University for the past ten years, and is currently with Ohio State University. He describes the impact he's seen first hand from climate change and the wildfires.

Finally, after all the wildfires and the heat: do you think you need a vacation? I checked in with an expert about how to overcome some of the many challenges travelers are facing right now. Sarah Greaves Gabbadon, frequently appears as a travel expert in the Washington Post and National Geographic. New York magazine named her @JetSetSarah feed, as one of the best travel Instagram accounts to follow.

We hear it, again and again. A shooting erupts. Horrified neighbors make anxious calls for help. Someone, ends up dead. We've had several instances like that, just in the past week in Portland alone. In one case, a 19-year-old with a gun, shot and killed during a domestic violence call. In another, a 5-year-old's with her dad, as he's firing round after round from a gun on his property in Southeast Portland. He died too. After recent mass shootings across the country, we hear, again and again, about the need for more mental health services and support. The new national 988 suicide and crisis lifeline opened on July 16th. It's taking calls, at more than 160 call centers throughout the country, connecting people in trouble to therapists, services, and hopefully, compassion. So how can we work together and save lives, break down the stigma that too often surrounds mental health? This week, I'm continuing the conversation that we started in my last episode, with Allison Stark. She is the new Chief Executive Officer of Albertina Kerr. It's a 115 year old, Portland non profit that provides children's mental health services, as well as programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She offers some powerful insight, into the state of mental health services in our country, how to really see it when someone you know or love or care about, is in trouble. And, what you can do about it.

As I've been reporting for months now, Illegally manufactured fentanyl is a major factor in a huge spike in overdose deaths in Oregon. Now, there's a new Centers for Disease Control report confirming, this is a national trend. And it's impacting teenage boys and young men, worse than any other group, with deadly consequences, devastating families.

In this episode, I talk to CDC researchers about what they've found that's causing this disturbing and tragic trend. Dr. Mbabazi Karissa is a health scientist with the CDC's division of overdose prevention. Dr. Debra Houry is the Centers for Disease Control's Acting Principal Deputy Director. She describes some of the potential solutions to reduce high rates of drug overdose deaths.

I also brought this subject up with Allison Stark, the new Chief Executive Officer of Albertina Kerr, which provides short term crisis psychiatric care and mental health services for children and teenagers struggling with life's challenges.