Category: LGBTQ Rights

In the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd at the hands of police, and the resulting Black Lives Matter uprisings and protests, there has been an ongoing national conversation regarding police brutality and race. In the final part of a two-episode series, Jaye discusses developments in policing that have increased the danger police pose to society, including the infiltration of police departments by white supremacists and police militarization. She also outlines some possible solutions that are intended to make all communities safer, from police reforms such as increased accountability and demilitarization, to police restructuring such as defunding the police and abolishing police. Why is even incremental change so difficult, and what does it truly mean to “defund” and “abolish” police?

CONTENT WARNING: The following episode involves discussion of crime, police brutality and bigotry, including physical violence, sexual assault, murder, racism, Islamophobia, homophobia and transphobia. Listener discretion is advised.

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Several regions around the globe have been battling the scourge of a novel coronavirus, a highly contagious virus that leads to an illness the World Health Organization has named COVID-19. The virus leads to mild symptoms, or even no symptoms, in most people, but can lead to serious complications in a small but significant percentage of people, in some cases leading to death. COVID-19 has arrived in an real way in the United States, with tens of thousands officially confirmed positive for coronavirus, and hundreds of deaths.

Jaye reviews a brief timeline of the pandemic and the response of Donald Trump to the coronavirus threat in the US. Also, Jaye argues that the COVID-19 pandemic will significantly change America, and discusses a few possible futures, including reason for hope among the current wave of fear, uncertainty, darkness and despair.

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CONTENT WARNING: The following episode includes discussion of terrorism, hate crimes, disasters, & public health crises that have involved illness, injury & death. Listener discretion is advised. None of the content of this episode is a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.

After a strong showing by US Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont in the early contests of the Democratic nomination season, former Vice-President Joe Biden has gained the momentum, starting in South Carolina and thru Super Tuesday. Is this a positive turn of events for the Democrats in terms of moving away from a democratic socialist as their standard-bearer, or is having a centrist candidate as the frontrunner a bad sign for the party’s chances of beating Donald Trump in the general election?

Jaye discusses the 2020 model of election forecaster Rachel Bitecofer, reasons behind Joe Biden’s support among African-Americans, and why it is imperative that – regardless of ideology – the Democratic nominee must give voters, including those ideologically predisposed to vote for Democrats, a reason to vote for them, not simply that they are a superior alternative to Trump.

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In the final episode of 2019, Chuckles joins Jaye for a countdown and discussion of the five most downloaded episodes of 2019. They also talk about the 2020 presidential election, including the Trump impeachment, predictions for the Democratic nomination, and if Trump will be re-elected.

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NOTE: Potstirrer Podcast will be on break in the month of January, to prepare for the 2020 election cycle, but will be back in early February!

In the third installment of America’s Drug War, Richard Nixon makes good on his second chance at becoming president of the United States in 1968, instituting his “law and order” policies during his president, chief among them sweeping anti-drug policy. These policies concentrated mostly on cannabis and opiates such as heroin, but also overhauled the way the federal government addressed drugs. Jaye provides context to the America of the 1960s, and discusses Nixon’s War on Drugs as key to his crusade to end the social and political change the 1960s represented.

CONTENT WARNING – This episode discusses mature themes, including illicit drug use and political assassinations. Listener discretion is advised.

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This Patreon bonus episode, originally released March 2019, is being released free this month as part of Flying Machine’s Flyer Drive! To learn more and become a Patron, go to http://flyingmachine.network/support. Enjoy this episode!

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” is famous for several iconic statements, including the admonishment of “white moderates.” But did you know that the “white moderates” Dr. King was referring to were specific local clergymen in Birmingham who had written an open letter opposing the protests he helped to organize? These clergy are dubbed “The Birmingham Eight.” Who were these men? What did it mean for them to be “moderate,” and how did they respond to Dr. King’s letter? And what can this incident in American history teach us about allyship?

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With the proliferation of abortion bans passed into law in several states designed to trigger a US Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade (1973), what are the real dangers of these laws? Jaye reconsiders her earlier position on fetal personhood and outlines her view regarding the tension between the rights of the woman versus the rights of the fetus. She delves into infant and maternal mortality in the US, mass shootings, and discrimination by faith-based charities, making the argument that the anti-abortion movement has no real interest in protecting the sanctity of life.

CONTENT WARNING: Miscarriage, stillbirth, medical procedures, death, child molestation, sexual and physical violence

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As several states are passing extremely restrictive anti-abortion laws, and civil rights are increasingly being denied to a number of groups in the United States, Jaye discusses the conservative evangelical Christianity that got us here. Is conservative evangelicalism “real Christianity” and why does the answer to that question matter? How does evangelicalism lead its adherents to support authoritarian, regressive, and cruel politicians and public policies? Jaye shares her personal experience in evangelical Christianity for first-person insight into the methods and teachings that lead evangelical Christians to extreme stances on issues that may have little to no basis in the Bible they claim is inerrant.

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The relationship between the American church and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people has all too often been rocky, and conflict is inflamed by opposition by churches and Christian political institutions to equal rights for LGBTQ Americans. Opposition to equal rights for LGBTQ Americans is based on the belief among many Christian traditions, denominations, and sects that homosexuality and transgender identity are morally wrong, based on how they interpret a handful of Bible verses.

In Part II of a two-part series, Jaye focuses on the non-affirming position of many Christian institutions as it relates to gender identity. She makes the argument that while the non-affirming position on homosexuality is not conclusively supported by the Bible, non-affirming stances in regards to gender identity have even *less* biblical support. These positions also tend to conflate sex and gender, as well as sexual orientation and gender identity. Jaye discusses the immense harm done to transgender and non-binary people by non-affirming positions, many of which are grossly misinformed.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes discussion of transphobia, anti-LGBTQ bigotry and violence, depression and suicide. Listener discretion is advised.

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In the 50th episode of Potstirrer Podcast, Jaye reacts to the Mueller report – or really, the Barr Letter summarizing the report filed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Are the conclusions Attorney General William Barr came to regarding the report and Donald Trump accurate? What do we know about Barr, and should he be trusted?

Jaye makes the argument that any finding from the Mueller report likely won’t matter in terms of repercussions for Donald Trump, but nevertheless, it is vital that the report be released to the public in full. Iran-Contra, the decline of the US as the leader of the free world, and the importance of truth in the latest from Potstirrer Podcast!

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