"Inside the Mind of a Former Radical Jihadist" (17.5 minutes)
"For a long time, I lived for death," says Manwar Ali, a former radical jihadist who participated in violent, armed campaigns in the Middle East and Asia in the 1980s. In this moving talk, he reflects on his experience with radicalization and makes a powerful, direct appeal to anyone drawn to Islamist groups claiming that violence and brutality are noble and virtuous: let go of anger and hatred, he says, and instead cultivate your heart to see goodness, beauty and truth in others.
"The Laura Flanders Show" (25.5 minutes)
Supposedly, the far right have won. So what now? We ask our guests this week the same question, taking from a mixed pot of loss and success. Whether it's about the fight for reproductive justice in the South, or a movement for rural agency in progressive work, our guests offer some wisdom on what's happening now, and what's next as we head into the new administration.
The Facing Race conference, coordinated by Race Forward this November in Atlanta, brought together some of the most noteworthy names in progressive organizing right now. This week on the show, we have a special compilation of interviews from the conference with these very activists.
Laura speaks with Tarso Luís Ramos, executive director of Political Research Associates, about the far right's global dawn; Kim Diehl of the National Employment Law Project, on strategy for progressive movements; Cara Shufelt and Jessica Campbell, of the Rural Organizing Project, on supporting rural mobilization; and Esha Pandit, from the Center for Advancing Innovative Policy, on reproductive justice victories in Texas.
"The Growing Danger of Nuclear War… and What We Can Do About It" (48 minutes)
The 2016 Joint Annual Dinner of the Sacramento Chapters of Physician for Social Responsibility and the United Nations Association featured a keynote address by Dr. Ira Helfand, co-president of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW). Dr. Helfand has spoken at the United Nations, at meetings of the International Congress to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), and at many other national and international venues regarding the ongoing threat of nuclear weapons and the urgent need to abolish these weapons altogether, and he's been actively involved in working toward this goal through PSR, ICAN, and the UN.
"A Queer Vision of Love and Marriage" (8 minutes)
Love is a tool for revolutionary change and a path toward inclusivity and understanding for the LGBTQ+ community. Married activists Tiq and Kim Katrin Milan have imagined their marriage — as a transgender man and cis woman — a model of possibility for people of every kind. With infectious joy, Tiq and Kim question our misconceptions about who they might be and offer a vision of an inclusive, challenging love that grows day by day.
"Treatment vs. Jail" (6.5 minutes)
David Moss was arrested 14 times for drug possession and never offered treatment. He finally got clean on his own. How much taxpayer money got wasted arresting this guy instead of helping him fix the problem? Can California afford to keep spending so much on criminal justice while getting so little in return? This video was produced by Brave New Films in partnership with the ACLU of California.