Ep. 46: Hip-Hop Politics, Michigan GOP Responds to Indictments, AI Policing in Detroit, and More

We open the show talking about the Michigan GOP's response to the indictments against local politicians and officials for participating in Donald Trump's false elector scheme. While hemming and hawing about potential violence and civil war, we look at the privilege at play and why the MAGA right is so shocked to be seeing the consequences of their own actions- and how both their propaganda playbook and "false neutrality" skews the very obvious (i.e., if you try to overthrow the government, there will likely be consequences).

 

We talk about the viral brawl on the Montgomery* docks, when some petit-bougeois racists picked a fight with a city boat captain and got more than they bargained for. 

 

We talk about the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and the impact it has had on our own political development as well as American culture more broadly.

 

Facial recognition technology falsely accused a pregnant woman in Detroit- we talk about the systemic racism baked into AI algorithms and why we should worry more about AI perpetuating current injustices than Skynet putting us all in The Matrix.

 

We look at an article that focuses on the way reactionaries cherry pick and try to downplay scientific evidence when it doesn't confirm their own biases- in this case a study on the rate of regret for people who transition.

 

We close by talking about how voters rejected a proposal to make ballot initiatives more difficult to appear on the ballot in the state of Ohio- and how that relates to abortion, trans rights, and capitalism.

 

*In several instances Andy referred to the Montgomery brawl as having taken place in Birmingham. It was, in fact, in Montgomery.

 

"The Kākoʻo Maui Fund is providing resources that can be deployed quickly and efficiently to support recovery efforts on Maui. CNHA is working in close collaboration with state and county leaders, nonprofit organizations, and community members to get an understanding of the quickly evolving priorities. Funding will support evolving needs, including shelter, food, financial assistance, and other services as identified by our partners doing critical work to support Maui."

https://www.memberplanet.com/campaign/cnhamembers/kakoomaui

 

01:15- 29:00  Michigan GOP Response to Indictments

 

29:00- 40:30 Boatside Brawl in Montgomery

 

40:30- 59:30 The 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop

 

59:30- 1:15:10 Facial Recognition AI Falsely Accuses Pregnant Woman in Detroit

 

1:15:10- 1:20:00 The Science Is In and TERFs Aren't Happy

 

1:20:00- 1:26:23 Ohio Voters Hold the Line on Ballot Initiatives

 

SOURCES/ FURTHER READING

 

‘They’re Going to Shoot Someone’: Michigan Republicans Warn of Civil War at Pool Party Fundraiser for Fake Electors
https://themessenger.com/politics/michigan-republicans-fake-electors-civil-war-dana-nessel-matt-maddock

 

A White Mob Attacked a Black Riverboat Captain. This Time, His Life Mattered.
https://truthout.org/articles/a-white-mob-attacked-a-black-riverboat-captain-this-time-his-life-mattered/

 

Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World
https://www.pbs.org/show/fight-power-how-hip-hop-changed-world/

 

Meet Porcha Woodruff, Detroit Woman Jailed While 8 Months Pregnant After False AI Facial Recognition
https://www.democracynow.org/2023/8/9/porcha_woodruff_false_facial_recognition_arrest

 

Conservatives Are Now Blaming Science For Low Trans Regret Rates
https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/conservatives-are-now-blaming-science

 

Nina Turner: Ohio Voters Have Rejected GOP Power Grab In Victory for Democracy & Abortion Access
https://www.democracynow.org/2023/8/9/ohio_abortion_constitution_restriction_nina_turner

 

Republicans Are Making It Harder to Pass Citizen-Led Ballot Measures on Abortion
https://truthout.org/articles/republicans-are-making-it-harder-to-pass-citizen-led-ballot-measures-on-abortion/

 

FBI & Colorado Springs Police Sued for Targeting & Spying on Racial Justice Protesters
https://www.democracynow.org/2023/8/3/blm_protests_fbi_infiltration_entrapment

 

“War Zone”: Native Hawaiian Scholar Says Colonialism Set Stage for Destruction as Death Toll Soars
https://www.democracynow.org/2023/8/14/maui_wildfire_kaleikoa_kaeo