Episode 4: SCORPION

The End of America with Thomas Giovanni

This episode is titled SCORPION, after the parable of the Scorpion and the Frog. Looking at Black people, Democrats, and elections, we can ask: Have the Democrats been the Scorpion to our Frog? Well, I'm just saying: every election in my 50 years of life, in yet another "most important election ever/shut up and vote" election, they've asked us to put them on our backs and carry them across the river to victory. And we've been their margin of victory in every Democratic presidential win in my lifetime. And yet, for people who claim they need our people, Democrats too often act like more like owners than askers.

But unlike the scorpion, who can't overcome his violent instincts and drowns both of them, Democrats aren't usually so short-sighted as to sting Black people before we drop them off at the shore. But then what happens? We get stung. From Reconstruction to Jim Crow, all the way through to Mass Incarceration and whatever we name this New New Jim Crow Dystopia we're careening toward; in every aspect of life, by any measurable standard, after supporting Democrats, we get stung (Dems' maiden name before the Party Switch was "Republicans", but those are just wardrobe changes).
Patience, they say. Next Election, they say, drying their feet and quietly cleaning blood off their stingers. And four years later, there they are, back on the far shore again, waving to us, trying to hide their stingers. Do we let them ride? At this point, I say No, but many disagree, including this episode's special guest.
For intelligent, thoughtful counterpoints, I'm joined by Professor Hazel Weiser, new friend, highly accomplished law professor and life-long social justice advocate, who, along with the League of Women Voters, has published an important report (summary Here, full report Here) on how New York State jails systematically fail to respect the legally protected voting rights of detained persons in the vast majority of New York State's jails. Professor Weiser's report sets out clearly how the policy choices of the lawmakers and administrators involved in these systems illegally exclude yet another population of minorities from participation in democracy, and the steps we can and should take to support urgently needed change. As one of the largest jail systems in America, many of the issues present in NY jails are also issues in other states as well.
Prof. Weiser passionately describes her experiences in creating the report, and brings her lifetime of rich, deep, experience and knowledge of the Civil Rights Movement and American history to the conversation, setting out why she hasn't--why she can't--give up hope for our system. Join us for a lively, loving, passionate, (hopefully) informative exchange of visions and values between two accomplished, knowledgeable advocates for a better Democracy, and a better (or Ended) America..
Thanks for Listening!

The End of America with Thomas Giovanni