The Union Makes Us Strong, Part 2

Dana El Kurd outlines what is happening in higher education, how and why the Trump administration is attacking universities, and the role Palestine plays in all of this. Sources: Clifford Ando – The Crisis of the University Started Long Before Trump - https://www.compactmag.com/article/the-crisis-of-the-university-started-long-before-trump/ Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism - https://jerusalemdeclaration.org/ Ken Stern on IHRA definition - https://www.npr.org/2025/03/20/nx-s1-5326047/kenneth-stern-antimsietim-executive-order-free-speech 2023 Pew Research Center Poll on Black Lives Matter - https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2023/06/14/views-on-the-black-lives-matter-movement/ Marc Bousquet – How the University Works - https://nyupress.org/9780814799758/how-the-university-works/ PBS Reporting on Harvard University negotiations with Trump administration - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/harvard-nearing-settlement-with-trump-to-pay-500-million-and-regain-federal-funding The Intercept’s reporting on Columbia University settlement with the Trump administration - https://theintercept.com/2025/04/16/columbia-middle-eastern-studies-trump-attacks/ Middle East Studies Association statement on Columbia University settlement - https://mesana.org/advocacy/letters-from-the-board/2025/03/28/joint-statement-regarding-columbia-university-and-the-department-of-education Results of the Middle East Scholar Barometer - https://criticalissues.umd.edu/sites/criticalissues.umd.edu/files/November%202023%20MESB%20Results.pdf Human Rights Watch statement on the IHRA definition - https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/04/04/human-rights-and-other-civil-society-groups-urge-united-nations-respect-human Axios reporting on The Nexus Project and Trump’s use of antisemitism investigations - https://www.axios.com/2025/03/31/college-campus-antisemitism-trump-nexus-project American Association of University Professors – Academic Freedom - https://www.aaup.org/issues-higher-education/academic-freedom/faqs-academic-freedom 2024 Announcement of 40 new AAUP chapters - https://www.aaup.org/academe/issues/winter-2025/warm-welcome-new-or-reestablished-aaup-chapters Executive Order on Combatting Antisemitism - https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-combating-anti-semitism/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

26 Elo 19min

James and Robert sit down to discuss Gavin Newsom’s tweets and what they tell us about the DNC’s inability to stand up to Trump. Sources: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/20/us/newsom-trump-social-media.html https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2025/06/california-police-sharing-license-plate-reader-data/ https://calmatters.org/commentary/2025/03/gavin-newsom-podcast-judgment-problem/ https://x.com/GovPressOffice https://bsky.app/profile/grahamformaine.bsky.social/post/3lwqwj3rdgk27 https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNl79l0SdMb/?igsh=bXphd3E2N3Y2N20w https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2qJw7xQfqh0 https://www.kpbs.org/news/racial-justice-social-equity/2025/03/11/san-diego-sheriff-says-disputed-ice-transfer-was-legalSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Elo 30min

Margaret brings you further along into the tale of Hermetica, the generation ship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 Elo 37min

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file. - The Federalization of DC Police feat. Bridget Todd - Elon Musk and the Rebirth of Company Towns feat. Steven Monacelli & Dr. Michael Phillips - Alienation and AI feat. Andrew - Objectivity in Journalism - Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #30 You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today! http://apple.co/coolerzone Sources/Links: Elon Musk and the Rebirth of Company Towns feat. Steven Monacelli & Dr. Michael Phillips Margaret Crawford, Building the Workingman's Paradise: The Design of American Company Towns Alan Dawley, Struggles for Justice: Social Responsibility and the Liberal State Hardy Green, The Company Town: The Industrial Edens and Satanic Mills That Shaped the American Economy Chad Pearson, Capitalism’s Terrorists: Klansmen, Lawmen, and Employers in the Long Nineteenth Century Objectivity in Journalism https://www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2021/a-widely-shared-video-shows-a-deputy-overdosing-on-fentanyl-experts-say-its-impossible/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/opinion/objectivity-black-journalists-coronavirus.html Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #30 https://www.972mag.com/israel-gaza-journalists-hamas-hasbara/ https://x.com/IDF/status/1954652255199887516 https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/idf-press-releases-israel-at-war/august-24-pr/eliminated-ismail-al-ghoul-a-hamas-military-wing-operative-and-nukhba-terrorist/ https://cpj.org/2025/07/cpj-calls-for-anas-al-sharifs-protection-in-face-of-israeli-smears/ https://www.facebook.com/share/r/16tQckcrui/ https://www.icrc.org/en/article/international-humanitarian-law-protect-journalists-armed-conflict https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/policy-manual-updates/20250819-DiscretionaryFactors.pdf https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title8-section1424&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/policy-alerts/08.15.2025-Restoring_a_Good_Moral_Character_Evaluation_Standard_for_Aliens_Applying_for_Naturalization-Policy_Memorandum_FINAL.pdf https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26054451-20-1/#document/p17/a2667744 https://www.wmtw.com/article/old-orchard-beach-maine-officer-voluntary-departure/65807962?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot https://edsource.org/updates/immigration-agents-alleged-to-have-boasted-of-1500-for-l-a-student-arrest https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/05/us/politics/ice-bonuses-immigrants-deportations.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

23 Elo 2h 55min

The gang discuss the Israeli cybersecurity official who bailed out and went home after being charged with sex crimes against children, the IDF's murder of journalists in Gaza, changes in USCIS guidance and Federal Agents opening fire on a California family. Sources: https://www.972mag.com/israel-gaza-journalists-hamas-hasbara/ https://x.com/IDF/status/1954652255199887516 https://www.idf.il/en/mini-sites/idf-press-releases-israel-at-war/august-24-pr/eliminated-ismail-al-ghoul-a-hamas-military-wing-operative-and-nukhba-terrorist/ https://cpj.org/2025/07/cpj-calls-for-anas-al-sharifs-protection-in-face-of-israeli-smears/ https://www.facebook.com/share/r/16tQckcrui/ https://www.icrc.org/en/article/international-humanitarian-law-protect-journalists-armed-conflict https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/policy-manual-updates/20250819-DiscretionaryFactors.pdf https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title8-section1424&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/policy-alerts/08.15.2025-Restoring_a_Good_Moral_Character_Evaluation_Standard_for_Aliens_Applying_for_Naturalization-Policy_Memorandum_FINAL.pdf https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26054451-20-1/#document/p17/a2667744 https://www.wmtw.com/article/old-orchard-beach-maine-officer-voluntary-departure/65807962?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot https://edsource.org/updates/immigration-agents-alleged-to-have-boasted-of-1500-for-l-a-student-arrest https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/05/us/politics/ice-bonuses-immigrants-deportations.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 Elo 40min

James, Gare, and Robert discuss the concept of objectivity in legacy media and the issues it raises. Sources: https://www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2021/a-widely-shared-video-shows-a-deputy-overdosing-on-fentanyl-experts-say-its-impossible/ https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/23/opinion/objectivity-black-journalists-coronavirus.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 Elo 22min

Andrew and James talk about how artificial intelligence has created alienation in societySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

20 Elo 35min

In Texas, the world’s richest man is bringing back to life one of the worst ideas of the Gilded Age, local Robber Baron-owned dictatorships called company towns. Elon Musk has already established two in Texas and other high-tech oligarchs like Peter Theil hope to create more. In this episode, journalist Steven Monacelli and historian Dr. Michael Phillips explore the history of company towns in the United States and their disturbing rebirth. Sources: Margaret Crawford, Building the Workingman's Paradise: The Design of American Company Towns Alan Dawley, Struggles for Justice: Social Responsibility and the Liberal State Hardy Green, The Company Town: The Industrial Edens and Satanic Mills That Shaped the American Economy Chad Pearson, Capitalism’s Terrorists: Klansmen, Lawmen, and Employers in the Long Nineteenth CenturySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19 Elo 37min