Letters and Politics

Extreme violence at “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville. Then a history of Venezuela

Charlottesville, VA was a scenario of violence during the weekend where white nationalists gathered for a “Unite the Right” march. The violence escalated into brawling and left at least one counter-protester dead. With Adele Stan, columnist for The American Prospect and a freelance writer. She was in Charlottesville covering the protest for BillMoyers.com. Peter Montgomery, is a senior … Continued


On today’s show host Mitch Jeserich interviews Catherine Lutz about the history of US-Guam relationships. Catherine Lutz is a professor at the Watson Institute at Brown University.   Then: Just a year after the US atomic bombing of Japan in 1945, American journalist John Hersey traveled to Japan and wrote a lengthy three-part series for … Continued


Today we talk with Professor Lawrence from Duke University about the struggles to translate the Koran in English. For many Muslims the Koran is sacred only in its original Arabic but English versions are flourishing. Bruce B. Lawrence is the Nancy and Jeffrey Marcus Humanities Professor Emeritus of Religion at Duke University.


Paul Robeson was an American singer, actor, and Civil Rights activist. He became politically involved in response to the Spanish Civil War, fascism, and social injustices. His advocacy of anti-imperialism, affiliation with communism, and criticism of the United States government caused him to be blacklistedduring the McCarthy era.A look at burning political issues and debates and their historical context within the … Continued


On today’s show host Mitch Jeserich interviews Charles Forsdick and Christian Høgsbjerg the authors of Toussaint Louverture; A Black Jacobin in the Age of Revolutions. Extract of the summary: “Heroic leader of the only successful slave revolt in history, Louverture is one of the greatest anti-imperialist fighters who ever lived. Born into slavery on a Caribbean … Continued