Episode 25 | A Language Problem or a Moral One?
We spend a few moments updating voter redistricting, our numbness to violence, and the uptick in cities threatening to be taken over by the military.
We also discuss a conservative viewpoint expressed by David Brooks and others that the “nihilism” of the right is, in part, caused by highfalutin leftist language and ideas around equity and inclusion. While those accustomed to being unquestioningly included in systems likely do feel overwhelmed by the attention to DEI-related topics, it is childish to say that the nihilism of the radical right is the fault of the increase in “vaguely progressive agendas.”
It is dangerous to deny that the Republicans are at least partially personally responsible for the way Donald Trump has been allowed to overtake the party. I can empathize with the overwhelm, but I cannot give credence to not holding the right accountable for the destruction not only of their own party but of our fragile democracy. We’ll link a few articles in our notes…let us know what you think.
I hope the Trump opposition can get really clear on what they are for. Don’t dress it up in pretty language, just be bold and say what you care about, and then fight for it.
Thanks for listening!
One edit: I said the group that preceded Project 2025 was the Seven Storied Mountain. I got that wrong! Thomas Merton, a mystic and wonderful teacher wrote a book called The Seven Storied Mountain. The group I was trying to recall is called the Seven Mountain Mandate, or 7MM, for short. You can read more here.
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https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/21/opinion/rufo-yarvin-trump-nihilism.html
https://abc7.com/post/trump-expands-cities-targeted-possible-military-deployment-baltimore-spat-governor/17636050/
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/aug/29/trump-project-2025-history
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/22/democrats-woke-language-blacklist-00519421?nid=0000018f-3124-de07-a98f-3be4d1400000&nname=politico-toplines&nrid=6766ab12-468a-43ce-a6f6-daeeb782d096