1 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: Good morning, peepsend. Welcome to wok F Daily with Meet 2 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:19,119 Speaker 1: your Girl Danielle Moody. Recording from the Home Bunker. Folks, 3 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:23,479 Speaker 1: you know, oftentimes when Jonathan and I get ready to 4 00:00:24,120 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: talk these days, you know, a lot of our conversations, 5 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 1: well most of my conversations are never like pre thought out. 6 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 1: It's really on the issues of the day, how we're feeling, 7 00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 1: which is why you get the passion and the conversational 8 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: tone that you receive. I wanted to have a different 9 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: conversation today on the show than Jonathan did, but we 10 00:00:47,640 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: went with Jonathan's thoughts because I thought that they were 11 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: incredibly important. You know, we talked to him on a 12 00:00:55,560 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: regular basis because he is one of the foremost thinkers 13 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:06,960 Speaker 1: on white privilege, white anxiety, white you know, rage and 14 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 1: the like, and its connection to guns and gun culture 15 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: in America, and as we continue to see the rise 16 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:21,919 Speaker 1: in domestic terrorism at the hands of white Americans, it's 17 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: incredibly important to continue having those conversations. But today Jonathan 18 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:30,560 Speaker 1: wanted to talk about his role as a professor and 19 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: how universities and colleges across this country are under attack 20 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: by the right wing fascist Republican Party that is seeking 21 00:01:42,040 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: to control the minds of the youth so that they 22 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: can control the future. And it is something that is 23 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: always front of mind for me. But given Jonathan's you know, 24 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: personal connection as a professor, as somebody who does the work, 25 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:03,000 Speaker 1: you know, to speak at different conferences and to travel 26 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: and speak on different campuses, he shares stories today about 27 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: how he's seeing a shift in conversation and culture that 28 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: is coming from both inside of universities and faculty and 29 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 1: the pressure outside that is coming in. And it's a 30 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: really important conversation. And I continue to say this that 31 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: whether or not you have you know, children inside of 32 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: the universities and colleges or K through twelve, does not matter, 33 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,919 Speaker 1: because education is the foundation of our democracy, and once 34 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 1: educators and those students start receiving hate and pushback, it 35 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 1: is a threat to our ability to function as a democracy. 36 00:02:49,360 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 1: And so this matters to everyone. So I hope that 37 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:57,640 Speaker 1: you enjoy this conversation that Jonathan and I get into, 38 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: and as always, we appreciate the shout outs and critiques 39 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,080 Speaker 1: that you give us on social media. So I'm really 40 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: looking forward to hearing what you all think about this conversation. 41 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 1: If you're a patron. You know, get at me in 42 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: the comments below this video. If you are listening in 43 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 1: another place on iHeart Apple, Spotify, you know, hit me 44 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 1: up on social at D two cents D E two 45 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:26,560 Speaker 1: c E N T S. Conversation with doctor Jonathan Metzel 46 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 1: is coming up next. Folks. You know that whenever we 47 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 1: have the opportunity to speak with our friend in house, 48 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 1: doctor doctor Jonathan metsl we are always thrilled. And I 49 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: had an idea of what I wanted to talk about 50 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: today and Jonathan said, yeah, I don't want to talk 51 00:03:44,920 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: about that, which is totally fine. And so you know, Jonathan, 52 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: you bring up the fact that you wanted to connect 53 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 1: on something more personal, which is the fact that you 54 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 1: are an esteemed professor at Vanderbilt University, which is in Tennessee, 55 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: a red state, and talking about your experience right now 56 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: of working under I'm assuming really at times difficult conditions. 57 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:19,359 Speaker 1: So take it away. 58 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 2: I'll start with three data points, and by the way, 59 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,360 Speaker 2: we can talk about I mean, definitely much more to 60 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 2: talk about guns. The whole the guns is not going 61 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 2: anywhere unfortunately unfortunately. But I guess there are three data 62 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 2: points that I'll just pose as provocations that then we 63 00:04:36,920 --> 00:04:40,320 Speaker 2: can jump off for our conversation. Data Point one is 64 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 2: a bit of a mailbag. I love all the feedback 65 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:46,080 Speaker 2: we get from listeners to this podcast. It's fantastic and 66 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 2: it's amazing that people are so engaged. And one comment 67 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 2: was I wouldn't say a critique of me, but it 68 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 2: was basically like, I'm not being strident enough in a way, 69 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:01,039 Speaker 2: I'm not being in your face enough, I'm not critiquing enough, 70 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: and I don't take it personally like I think it's 71 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 2: partially true, like I'm sure I'm more measured than other 72 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 2: people who are in the media or social media, people 73 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:12,920 Speaker 2: like I feel like I have a responsibility as an 74 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 2: academic sometimes that I can't say stuff that I can't 75 00:05:16,200 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 2: support in a certain kind of way. But the person said, 76 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 2: why wasn't I being more And it was partially, you know, 77 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:24,920 Speaker 2: last week, you and I talked about burn it down, 78 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 2: and I was pushing back and saying I can't. I 79 00:05:27,680 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 2: just can't say burn it down. And it's partially who 80 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 2: I am as a person. But it's also like I 81 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 2: still feel like as a as an academic and as 82 00:05:36,400 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 2: a researcher, I want to take positions that I can support, 83 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:42,599 Speaker 2: and maybe that's you know, I just feel sometimes I 84 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 2: wouldn't say jealous of people who like Jua Jali or 85 00:05:47,400 --> 00:05:49,359 Speaker 2: other people like that, who are you know, friends of 86 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 2: mine or you or other people like that, But I 87 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 2: feel like for me, I'm kind of living in these 88 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,880 Speaker 2: two worlds, and one of the worlds is like, where's 89 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 2: your evidence for all that stuff? And the other world, 90 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:05,560 Speaker 2: like when I'm on Twitter, for example, is more like 91 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 2: the more strident stuff I would say, the more I 92 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:12,600 Speaker 2: would get rewarded on social media for saying things like that. 93 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,159 Speaker 2: And so data point number one was just that piece 94 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 2: of feedback that we got a couple of weeks ago 95 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:22,039 Speaker 2: about why wasn't I being more vocal? Which I take 96 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:25,880 Speaker 2: and I thought about that comment a lot. The number 97 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 2: two is the state of academia. Right now, I teach 98 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 2: at a private school. I feel relatively protected, but I 99 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 2: have colleagues all over the country who are in trouble 100 00:06:38,800 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 2: for stuff they've said, and even at Vanderbilt. So at 101 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 2: Vanderbilt we had professors who I've won colleague who gave 102 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 2: grand rounds in the medical school, a big lecture in 103 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:52,080 Speaker 2: twenty sixteen, and usually they record grand rounds. They put 104 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:57,919 Speaker 2: them up online. They you know, they're archived. And what 105 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 2: happened was Matt Wallash and all the right wing crowd 106 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 2: found this twenty sixteen thing, doctored it a little bit, 107 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 2: cut it, put it up online, and it was a 108 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 2: swarm of stuff where this person who probably wasn't thinking 109 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:16,640 Speaker 2: it was about transsexuality and the importance of paying attention 110 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 2: to trans health in medical clinics. But all of a sudden, 111 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:24,360 Speaker 2: like my colleague was under attack. They were meant writing 112 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 2: the thing, you know, the chancellor, the provost, my colleague 113 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 2: actually to go into live in another place for a month. 114 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 2: And so in a way, there's something about like what's 115 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 2: happening to professors, which I think just puts I don't 116 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 2: think we're being silenced, but I do think the stakes 117 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 2: are very real right now being an academic in a. 118 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: Public I mean, I just want to pause for a second, 119 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: because like you just kind of glossed over the fact 120 00:07:47,760 --> 00:07:50,120 Speaker 1: that your friend went to go live in a different 121 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: place for a month. Yeah, because they wanted to live 122 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 1: in a different place for a month, or because they 123 00:07:54,880 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: felt that where they were living was unsafe, because they 124 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: were being targeted, Because these are things that I don't 125 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 1: want to just kind of rush over or a gloss 126 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: over that you're changing your physical surroundings for safety. 127 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 2: Well some people, so I'll put it all in this 128 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 2: huge bucket. I realized this is a massive bucket. And 129 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 2: I will say that even when I had remembered the 130 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:20,600 Speaker 2: Nazis came. When I gave my talk in twenty nineteen 131 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 2: at the Politics and Pros they published my utility bill 132 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 2: online and renew my address, and the same thing happened 133 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 2: to her, and then she had to go into protection 134 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 2: because she was getting all these things. And so partially 135 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 2: there is there's all this kind of threat of the 136 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 2: right wing going after academics right now. And on one hand, 137 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 2: you want to say, you know, to hell with that 138 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 2: and burn it all down and all that kind of stuff. 139 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 2: And certainly that's obviously I wrote a book Dying of Whiteness. 140 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,000 Speaker 2: My next book's even going to be more controversial, so 141 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 2: it's not like I'm backing down from that fight. But 142 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 2: I do think that partially in the back of my 143 00:08:54,840 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 2: mind there is this thing, which is, man, do I 144 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,560 Speaker 2: want this to be doctored and show up on right 145 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 2: wing media or something? And it's very real, right, I'm 146 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 2: giving a talk in a month at a major DEI conference. 147 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 2: I'm the keynote speaker at a big DEI conference, and 148 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 2: I'm already getting like bombarded with a right wing email 149 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 2: and right wing you know, this concerned student activist group. 150 00:09:20,840 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 2: So even saying that I'm speaking at a DEI conference 151 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:26,680 Speaker 2: right now brings this response. And so that number two 152 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:28,679 Speaker 2: is just that there are stakes for people who are 153 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 2: public intellectuals right now that are professional but political, social, 154 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 2: all that kind of stuff. And then I guess the 155 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 2: third thing is colleges are there is this kind of 156 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:45,079 Speaker 2: cancel culture blowback, and I mean, colleges are getting more 157 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 2: conservative honestly, you know places are colleges are basically saying 158 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,400 Speaker 2: conservative voices aren't being heard enough. You can see what's 159 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 2: happening in the universities in Florida, but it's happening in Tennessee. 160 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:03,080 Speaker 2: So there is a pushback about just college. 161 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: Right. This is what I will say about what is 162 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:14,080 Speaker 1: happening and the domino effect out of Florida and it's 163 00:10:14,120 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: spreading around the country with regard to conservative voices, is 164 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: that it is not conservative voices that are being silenced 165 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:24,760 Speaker 1: and don't get position on college campuses. It is racism, 166 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: white supremacy, patriarchy, homophobia, and transphobia that should not have 167 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:33,640 Speaker 1: a place in academia. And the fact that there is 168 00:10:33,760 --> 00:10:38,840 Speaker 1: no there there is no distinction that can be made 169 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:45,439 Speaker 1: between what is the right wing fascist Republican movement and 170 00:10:46,000 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 1: hatred that there is, like, there is no there is 171 00:10:49,080 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 1: no place for it in academia. And so when they 172 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: go off and they say, oh, well, the liberal media 173 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,200 Speaker 1: or the liberal this, that and the other thing, it's 174 00:10:58,280 --> 00:11:02,760 Speaker 1: like there is no two guides to transphobia, to racism 175 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:06,520 Speaker 1: and to bigotry. And so because they have set up 176 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:12,679 Speaker 1: this false dichotomy between those that believe in equity and 177 00:11:12,880 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: inclusion of all people and voices and their denial of 178 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 1: that fact and using religion as their shield so that 179 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 1: they can continue to proselytize their bullshit, is where the 180 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: problem is. And the fact that folks don't push back 181 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,760 Speaker 1: in very serious ways, and it is left to students 182 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 1: to either not show up or to protest on their 183 00:11:36,520 --> 00:11:40,160 Speaker 1: campuses for their rights to be educated in the way 184 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: that they want is where we are and where the 185 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:46,880 Speaker 1: Republican Party has wanted to bring this country because education 186 00:11:47,440 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 1: allows there to be an expansion of thought and a 187 00:11:50,360 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: creation of empathy that they don't want, because empathy then 188 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:58,280 Speaker 1: would find us in a place where we're questioning policies 189 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:01,359 Speaker 1: that adversely affect those that are most marginalized. 190 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 2: No, I mean, obviously that's you've just described my scholarship 191 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:07,040 Speaker 2: for the past twenty years. So of course I totally 192 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 2: agree with you. And DEI offices, as you know, are 193 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 2: being closed across the country in the aftermath of the 194 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 2: Supreme Court horrible decision, and I made a decision, like 195 00:12:19,240 --> 00:12:23,040 Speaker 2: you know, I'm speaking at tons of DEI conferences going forward, 196 00:12:23,080 --> 00:12:26,320 Speaker 2: and at the White Frivolege conference and at the People's 197 00:12:26,320 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 2: Conference in Seattle. I've lined my year with conferences where 198 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 2: I'm going to be supporting the importance of diversity, and 199 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 2: so I'm very public about that. But I and and 200 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:42,400 Speaker 2: and you know, I'm it comes at a price, right, 201 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 2: which is but the stuff I get, the crazy stuff 202 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 2: I get in my email or on Twitter that I 203 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 2: kind of it's kind of predicted. You know, there's a 204 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 2: there's a professor's watch list, and I'm on it, and 205 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:57,960 Speaker 2: it's put out by I think turning point one of 206 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 2: these big you know, the one Trump speaks at all time. 207 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 2: So there's a lot of people on these a lot 208 00:13:02,200 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 2: of liberal professors. We're all on this professor watch list 209 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 2: right now, And it means every time you give a talk, 210 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:11,560 Speaker 2: conservatives are coming and taping you and blah blah blah 211 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,200 Speaker 2: blah blah. So it's just an interesting time enough for me, 212 00:13:15,000 --> 00:13:17,760 Speaker 2: that is overt, right, that is clear, and I totally 213 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:20,760 Speaker 2: support exactly what you just said, which is this is 214 00:13:21,200 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 2: this is the battle for the minds of our nation 215 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,079 Speaker 2: going forward, right, I mean, are we going to step 216 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 2: back from the progress we've made about equity? I mean, 217 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 2: when I wrote my book Protest Psychosis, I studied medical 218 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:34,680 Speaker 2: journals in the fifties where race wasn't even a category 219 00:13:34,720 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 2: of analysis. Nobody even took race data because they didn't 220 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 2: they only did research on white people. So for me, 221 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 2: that's the overt part, and that's the battle, that's the 222 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 2: battle line. I see that. But then there's more subtle 223 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 2: stuff of being on a college campus, like I've had 224 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 2: a series of examples of like, you know, we were 225 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 2: at a faculty meeting for another department and somebody did 226 00:13:54,720 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 2: a land statement at the beginning of the faculty meeting, 227 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,160 Speaker 2: and as we were leaving, somebody in the pack, where 228 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 2: as we were walking out, said, thankfully, we're not going 229 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:07,760 Speaker 2: to have to hear that woke stuff anymore. A professor said, 230 00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 2: woke staff, And I thought, how do you get off 231 00:14:11,000 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 2: saying woke staff? You know what I mean? Like, it's 232 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 2: obviously white professor. And so I guess people felt like, oh, 233 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 2: the liberals had gone too far with these land statements 234 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 2: and blah blah blah pronouns and all that, and so 235 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,400 Speaker 2: it's kind of that it's the subtle, everyday policing that's 236 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 2: going to happen on college campuses. For me, that's the 237 00:14:28,440 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 2: bigger concern is what happens in the everyday world where 238 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 2: people are, where these kind of conservative policing views become 239 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 2: the norm, especially in places where they're like look at 240 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 2: Florida pushing out a lot of our West Virginia pushing 241 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 2: out humanity's faculty, literature faculty, language faculty and replacing them 242 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,800 Speaker 2: with more more conservative faculty. So it's more that subtle. 243 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:58,600 Speaker 2: Remember that book Hitler's Willing Executioners about the Holocaust. It's 244 00:14:58,680 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 2: kind of the everyday stuff that I feel like, And 245 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 2: I guess again, This was all brought on for me 246 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:09,080 Speaker 2: because of the review, the comment for our conversation where 247 00:15:09,080 --> 00:15:10,920 Speaker 2: somebody said I was holding back and I said, man, 248 00:15:10,920 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 2: am I holding back now because of because of this climate? 249 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 2: And what does that mean? 250 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:22,840 Speaker 1: I think that people want to express their frustration anger differently, right. 251 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: I am somebody that people come to to listen to, 252 00:15:25,720 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: because my expression of anger is very outward and is 253 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: steeped in a lot of passion, because I am genuinely 254 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: really angry and outdone on a regular basis watching the 255 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 1: dismantling of a country that I have hopes for, right 256 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:49,120 Speaker 1: and had pride in and wanting wanted as a public 257 00:15:49,160 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: servant to make it better. And so it is it's heartbreaking, right, 258 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,040 Speaker 1: and so my rage comes from that place. I think 259 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,840 Speaker 1: that for you, as a professor, as you know, a 260 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 1: researcher and an analyst, it is really providing the data 261 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:10,200 Speaker 1: points and providing the information to back up what it 262 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,480 Speaker 1: is that some of us you know, yell about, right, 263 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: And I think that it is important for people to 264 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 1: realize that not everyone expresses their emotion of this moment 265 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: in the same way. But I think to your point, 266 00:16:25,880 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 1: with regard to what we're seeing happen at college campuses, 267 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: and you know, you can look at I think it 268 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 1: is a new school in Florida. I think that that 269 00:16:36,040 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 1: may be the name of it. I'm not one hundred percent. 270 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 2: Sure that's right, that's right. 271 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: That you know, there are students who were coming in 272 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:46,920 Speaker 1: for their fourth year, right their their final year, their 273 00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: senior year, and they're leaving and they're transferring. And there's 274 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 1: a school in Massachusetts that has opened up their doors 275 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 1: particularly to those not only the faculty that have fled 276 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: because they've lost forty percent of their faculty because of 277 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:08,360 Speaker 1: the board of trustees that Ron De Santis has put 278 00:17:08,400 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 1: in place that are about essentially what I will refer 279 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,640 Speaker 1: to as the dumbing down and indoctrination of America's youth. 280 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:20,679 Speaker 1: Because just like the Moms for Liberty, they did not 281 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:24,400 Speaker 1: make a misstep by quoting Hitler in their first newsletter 282 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 1: that they put out saying that like, if you have 283 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: the youth, you have the future. That was not a misstep. 284 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:33,280 Speaker 1: They were not. That was in an accident. It is 285 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:37,160 Speaker 1: the fact that education has always been the ground zero 286 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,199 Speaker 1: for any movement in this country, whether that movement is 287 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: backwards or forwards. Because we know that education is power 288 00:17:45,800 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: and that's what the right knows. And so they're like, 289 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,920 Speaker 1: if we can ban critical thought, if we can erase 290 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 1: people of color, people with disabilities, queer people from having 291 00:17:55,440 --> 00:18:00,360 Speaker 1: any place right on our library shelves, then you can 292 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:04,560 Speaker 1: continue with the lie of white exceptionalism and no one 293 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: will come for our privileges. 294 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 2: And let me let me just say, there are a 295 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:13,520 Speaker 2: million times in our conversations where like I'll have some 296 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 2: scattered thought and then you'll say something powerfully and clearly, 297 00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:18,320 Speaker 2: and I'll be like, man, I wish I could have 298 00:18:18,320 --> 00:18:20,720 Speaker 2: said that, like Danielle just said it, you know, like 299 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:27,960 Speaker 2: you it's not just anger, Like you're a very clear, articulate, forceful, 300 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:31,239 Speaker 2: convincing speaker, right, I mean I don't. I don't think 301 00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 2: it's just like because I'm in academia, I got to 302 00:18:33,480 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 2: be like repressed white guy in a box or something 303 00:18:36,600 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 2: like that, you know, Like you know what I mean, Like, 304 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:41,199 Speaker 2: I think I think it's I think it's I think 305 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:43,119 Speaker 2: it's I think it's incredible, and I think it's important. 306 00:18:43,160 --> 00:18:45,800 Speaker 2: I think it's needed. And and the other part, though, 307 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,120 Speaker 2: is there's pressure on academics right now. I just want 308 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,399 Speaker 2: people to realize that, and I'm not asking for sympathy 309 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:53,600 Speaker 2: or anything like that, but like Trump, his main platform 310 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 2: is if I win, I'm not just going after universities. 311 00:18:56,520 --> 00:18:59,679 Speaker 2: I'm going after the crediting boards. And and then it's like, 312 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:02,439 Speaker 2: you know, you're going to see a lot of that, 313 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:04,399 Speaker 2: But there's also a lot of subtle stuff happening. I mean, 314 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 2: University Wisconsin just opened a gun study center that is 315 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:11,199 Speaker 2: funded by the gun industry, and so there's going to 316 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 2: be a lot of gun research that is showing the 317 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:15,960 Speaker 2: benefits of carrying a weapon and stuff like that. Like 318 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 2: universities are becoming you know, playing grounds, battlegrounds for what 319 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 2: is an idea? What is a fact? What is it fact? 320 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:26,119 Speaker 2: We've had that played out in the media a lot, 321 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:28,640 Speaker 2: and I think that universities are going to be the 322 00:19:28,680 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 2: next place. On one hand, that kind of I mean 323 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:35,439 Speaker 2: that cancel culture stuff hopefully is dying down. But I 324 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:37,840 Speaker 2: just think this question of like what is academic knowledge, 325 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 2: what certifies it, what it credits it, how do we 326 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 2: validate it? It really will matter who wins the presidential 327 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,639 Speaker 2: election for the future of universities. And so if you 328 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 2: hear academics like me kind of hedging our bets a 329 00:19:50,359 --> 00:19:53,239 Speaker 2: little bit. It's just that we're under a lot of 330 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 2: you know, there's a lot of push and pull right now, 331 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 2: I would say, and it makes the work of standing 332 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,480 Speaker 2: up for inequity even more important. Right, this is the 333 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:04,840 Speaker 2: time where the people who care step to the front 334 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:08,360 Speaker 2: of the line. And and and I hope that that's 335 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 2: what I'm doing. But it's just again, this message made 336 00:20:10,760 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 2: me think, like my holding back because of this moment. 337 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:21,440 Speaker 1: Everything that you're saying is how fascism and authoritarianism works, right, 338 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:25,520 Speaker 1: it is. It is Martin Neam Mohler's poem. First they 339 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 1: come for right. First they come for the politicians and 340 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:32,400 Speaker 1: the activists and those that are outspoken, right. Then they 341 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:36,159 Speaker 1: come for the professors and the academics and the thinkers right, 342 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: and the innovators and the change makers, and then they 343 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 1: come for everybody else. So if you can control how 344 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 1: people think and the information that they receive, you can 345 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:51,760 Speaker 1: control them. And so they're they're not doing this under 346 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 1: the cloak of darkness. They are doing it in broad daylight. 347 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:58,200 Speaker 1: And for everyone you know, folks that listen to this show, 348 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 1: they are one hundred percent woke. But I say to them, 349 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 1: all the time, share the messages, share the episodes, push 350 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:06,439 Speaker 1: it out to those that are on the fence, to 351 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: those that say to you and shrug, oh, this can't 352 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 1: happen here, and tell them that it is happening right, 353 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: like we're watching this. The other day, I interviewed on 354 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:21,640 Speaker 1: my other show, The New Abnormal, I interviewed Ruth ben Guillott, right, 355 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:25,320 Speaker 1: the author of Strong Men, and I said, you know, Ruth, 356 00:21:25,480 --> 00:21:28,639 Speaker 1: we follow each other on social media, and I, you know, 357 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 1: literally will retweet everything that you put out. You study, 358 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:37,439 Speaker 1: you know, Europe, You've studied European fascism and in Italy 359 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:40,119 Speaker 1: and Mussolini, and her book strong Men From Mussolini to 360 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,280 Speaker 1: the Present came out in twenty twenty as kind of 361 00:21:43,280 --> 00:21:46,440 Speaker 1: a precursor to where we are, and she goes, there 362 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 1: isn't a thing that is happening that doesn't mirror what 363 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:53,040 Speaker 1: happened in Europe. She's like, there is nothing that I 364 00:21:53,040 --> 00:21:55,639 Speaker 1: can point to you to say, well, it may not happen. 365 00:21:56,520 --> 00:22:01,000 Speaker 1: I'm like, I'm like, damn, Ruth's. 366 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,679 Speaker 2: Except the methods are better. They just had Lenny Rievensnall 367 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:07,840 Speaker 2: and we've got like, you know, Elon Muskin, Starlink and 368 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:10,800 Speaker 2: everything else. So no, it's it's a it's a it's 369 00:22:10,840 --> 00:22:15,119 Speaker 2: a moment. It really is a moment, and I'm in 370 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:16,919 Speaker 2: the middle of it, right. I mean, my next book 371 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 2: is going to be my next book is going to 372 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 2: show how a naked white mass shooter is an embodiment 373 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 2: of the values of white America. Like it's not like 374 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:27,880 Speaker 2: I'm back and down. But I would also say, I'm 375 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:30,840 Speaker 2: I'm just aware now of this in a way I 376 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 2: haven't always been. 377 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I think that it's you know, I think 378 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 1: it's important. I'm excited for your new book, which you 379 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:39,959 Speaker 1: said what it comes out in January, right, January thirtieth, 380 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: so it'll it'll I mean, it'll be out at the 381 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:44,680 Speaker 1: top of the year. So I can't wait for us 382 00:22:44,320 --> 00:22:46,639 Speaker 1: to really be able to go in depth and have 383 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:50,359 Speaker 1: a conversation about it. But you know, I guess my 384 00:22:50,440 --> 00:22:54,159 Speaker 1: recommendation and I'll ask you, Jonathan as well. My recommendation 385 00:22:54,240 --> 00:22:58,359 Speaker 1: to folks, whether or not you have you know, family members, 386 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 1: kids that are in you know, the university and college systems, 387 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 1: is that these are what the education is, what fundamentally 388 00:23:07,600 --> 00:23:10,600 Speaker 1: is the foundation of our democracy. So whether or not, 389 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:13,440 Speaker 1: like you need to be invested in what is happening, 390 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:19,680 Speaker 1: whether or not you have immediate you know, a relationship 391 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,199 Speaker 1: to said universities or K through twelve schools because you 392 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: don't have kids like this is going to and is 393 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:31,040 Speaker 1: affecting us all in how we're able to speak, you know, openly. 394 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:33,360 Speaker 1: And I just will remind folks that when I went 395 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:37,119 Speaker 1: to in twenty fifteen, when I traveled to Israel and 396 00:23:38,359 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: Palestine and came back to the United States, I came 397 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 1: back with PTSD because I was there and I recognized 398 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:48,000 Speaker 1: that all of a sudden, I wasn't able to sit 399 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: down at dinners and have free conversation about like my 400 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 1: thoughts on what was happening over you know, over a 401 00:23:56,960 --> 00:24:00,159 Speaker 1: dinner because of who might be listening, right and how 402 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:04,200 Speaker 1: that may affect like the travel moving forward and where 403 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:06,280 Speaker 1: we were going and what we were doing. And I 404 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:10,480 Speaker 1: became very aware and very scared of my movements. And 405 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: so you know, when we and I came back to 406 00:24:12,880 --> 00:24:15,800 Speaker 1: the United States and I said, oh my god, this 407 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,960 Speaker 1: can happen here, right And this was this was pre 408 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:23,359 Speaker 1: Trump and then the year following would be the escalator. 409 00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:26,919 Speaker 1: So it is it is, it is wild, you know, 410 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:29,080 Speaker 1: where we are, and I think that it's important for 411 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:33,440 Speaker 1: folks to, you know, to to recognize that and recognize 412 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 1: its importance to you. So last thoughts to you, Jonathan. 413 00:24:36,760 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, just don't take anything for granted. I mean, it's 414 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:42,240 Speaker 2: not like it's a false binary that universities are liberal 415 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:46,720 Speaker 2: and politics are conservative. Universities are also very conservative. There 416 00:24:46,760 --> 00:24:51,440 Speaker 2: are the boards of many universities are very conservative. The 417 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:55,040 Speaker 2: endowment managers are conservative, and university it's not like universities. 418 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:59,959 Speaker 2: Universities follow, you know, the student demand in a certain 419 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 2: kind of way, and so the universities are complicated. They're 420 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 2: not just one thing. And so the liberties people take 421 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:10,960 Speaker 2: for granted on universities of being able to say whatever 422 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 2: they want, they're They're not just in danger because of 423 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:16,880 Speaker 2: external things. They're in danger because universities follow markets, right, 424 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:21,439 Speaker 2: They follow the politics and the markets, and so people 425 00:25:21,480 --> 00:25:24,639 Speaker 2: really need to speak up on campuses about the importance 426 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:29,680 Speaker 2: of free speech on campuses, and not just students but parents, supporters, alumnis. 427 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:35,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, as always, my friend, Jonathan Matzel, thank you for 428 00:25:35,119 --> 00:25:39,360 Speaker 1: a thoughtful and engaging conversation, and friends who are listening, 429 00:25:39,640 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 1: keep setting us the tweets and the dms and the comments. 430 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 1: It is really helpful and we do think on it, 431 00:25:46,600 --> 00:25:54,600 Speaker 1: so we appreciate you all as well. That is it 432 00:25:54,680 --> 00:25:58,720 Speaker 1: for me today, dear friends on Woke af AS always, 433 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 1: Power to the people and to all the people. Power, 434 00:26:02,480 --> 00:26:04,840 Speaker 1: get woke and stay woke as fuck.