Identity

How Political Identities Have Become About What We Hate Instead of What We Love

Individual reactions to the coronavirus pandemic and the public health restrictions that have accompanied it have underscored how powerful negative partisanship can be in the formation of political opinions. In past crises, national shocks have urged partisans to put aside their personal grievances in pursuit of the greater good, but today, that doesn’t seem to be the case. 

A look at how the perception of risk influences our political behavior and the impact it has on public opinion.

Guests:

– Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist and Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University’s Stern School

– Lynn Vavreck, Hoffenberg Professor of American Politics and Public Policy at UCLA and contributor to The Upshot at The New York Times

Georgia’s Reopening

Last month, Georgia became one of the first states to begin easing restrictions associated with COVID-19. The decision was criticized by health officials as moving too quickly and risking a potential surge in cases.

Across the state, citizens, business owners, and mayors hold mixed feelings regarding how Governor Brian Kemp has approached the public health crisis. While many governors across the U.S. have seen a bump in approval for their handling of the crisis, just 39% approved of Governor Kemp’s handling of the pandemic. 

A look at how Georgia residents and business owners are navigating the reopening and what they need to see before they decide to participate. 

Guests:

– Andra Gillespie, Associate Professor of Political Science at Emory University and Director of the James Weldon Johnson Institute

– David Bradley, President and CEO of the Athens Chamber of Commerce 

Back to School

Parents can’t go back to work if they’re also responsible for co-teaching and childcare throughout the day. Any return to normalcy for families across the U.S. will be impossible without schools reopening. And while online learning has become the norm, it’s exacerbated inequality as having a computer and reliable internet access have become precursors to learning from home. 

A look at how schools in Colorado are approaching what a return might look like and the steps that would be necessary to get students back in the classroom. 

Guest:

Katy Anthes, Commissioner of Education for the State of Colorado

American identity is shifting: from what we look like, to where we worship, to who we love. In this special hour, we seek to better understand how American identity is changing this country – and how much of that is self-imposed and how much is imposed by others.

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

This week, the public witnessed yet another incident of a white person calling the police on a person of color when no crime had been committed. A white Yale student called 911 on a fellow student, who was taking a nap in the campus lounge. It’s just the latest in a string of similar incidents where the police have been called for discriminatory reasons, or for no reason at all. The Takeaway looks into who is calling the police on people of color and why they’re doing so. Plus, we examine the conflicting impulses that drive what it means to be both Native and American; and we review the films you should catch (or skip) at the box office this weekend.

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

On Saturday night, actor and musician Donald Glover, working under his musician’s alter ego Childish Gambino, released a music video for his song, “This Is America.” The video quickly became a viral sensation on social media, and as of Tuesday morning the video had garnered 30 million views on YouTube. “This is America” presents itself as a jarring tableau of the American experience, specifically the black American experience. Abrupt, dissonant scenes transition freely from one to the next. Gambino guides us through them fluidly, wearing facial expressions that appear to caricature his performance. The Takeaway interviews one of the creators of Gambino’s viral sensation. Plus, we consider the overlooked faces of the working class; the resignation of New York’s A.G. Eric Schneiderman amid a sexual abuse scandal; and the series of federal judgeships that President Trump is making haste to fill.

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

American identity is shifting: from what we look like, to where we worship, to who we love. And so it’s not surprising that for many Americans, those changes create a sense of anxiety. Some feel they are being left behind by a country they thought they knew. Others are excited to chart a new course, to take part in that dream that so many Americans aspire to. The data proves that Americans really do think about these ideals. 2017 figures from the Pew Research Center found that 36% of U.S. adults reported that their family had already achieved the American dream. 46% surveyed said they are “on their way” to achieving it. The Takeaway examines the fluctuating notions of American identity. Plus, we speak with President Jimmy Carter about what he believes to be a crisis of faith in the American government; and an update on the apparently growing role of American soldiers in Yemen’s civil war.

You can connect with The Takeaway on Twitter, Facebook, or on our show page at TheTakeaway.org.

Dec. 25, 2017: More than three months after Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico, the overwhelmingly Christian island is still struggling to put the pieces back together. A look at how Puerto Ricans are celebrating on Christmas Day, plus an analysis of America’s homeless population; how the #MeToo movement shaped 2017; a posthumous work by Mark Twain; and Leslie Odom Jr., star of the hit musical “Hamilton,” on his new creative projects and Christmas album. 

August 28, 2017: Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas this weekend. The death toll from the storm continues to rise, and thousands are facing devastation as catastrophic flooding continues to to batter the Houston area. Today, a look at the latest on the storm, plus an analysis of President Trump’s pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, homelessness in Atlanta, and a conversation about race, identity, and adoption. 

July 25, 2017: Several states have been pushing back against the Trump Administration’s voter fraud initiative. But Vanita Gupta, who was head of the civil rights division at the Department of Justice under President Obama, says that a voter purge may be coming. She explains today on The Takeaway. Plus, we examine the growing feud between President Trump and Attorney General Sessions, we take a look at tensions between Israel and Jordan, the future of the MLB, and the economic realities of space exploration. 

July 4th, 2017: The United States is not a perfect nation. In order to be truly free and proud, America must confront the sins of its past.

June 19, 2017: On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger rode into Galveston, Texas to announce the Emancipation Proclamation, which ended slavery and the Civil War. More than 150 years later, communities across the U.S. remember the day as Juneteenth. Isabel Wilkerson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “The Warmth of Other Suns,” explains why she believes Juneteenth should be recognized as a national holiday. Plus, a look at terror and tension in the United Kingdom, history’s most expensive congressional race, gun rights and race in America, and a queer cabaret show that blends humor, politics, and history.