Larry Kramer Wouldn't Be Quiet
Larry Kramer always made sure you heard him loud and clear. He was a playwright, a novelist, but he was perhaps best known for his work as an AIDS activist. In the 1980s and 1990s, Kramer sought to wake up the world to the plague that was killing millions of people through provocative demonstrations, fiery essays, and righteous anger. A world class troublemaker, Kramer died last week leaving a body of work that could serve as a lesson for this moment in American history.Guest: Mark Harris, a journalist and writer at New York Magazine.For a closer look at the history of ACT UP check out: United in Anger: A History of ACT UP.This episode originally aired June 2020. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
31 Des 202022min
Remembering RBG
On Friday, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away at the age of 87. Her work as a lawyer and a judge forever changed how women are viewed under United States law. As the nation mourns, her absence sparks a fight in the senate about who is going to choose the next Supreme Court Justice. Guest: Dahlia Lithwick, host of Slate’s Amicus podcast. This episode originally aired September, 2020. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
30 Des 202025min
Grief, Comedy, and COVID
Over the summer, comedian Laurie Kilmartin took to Twitter to joke about something that wasn’t funny: Her mom was dying. JoAnn Kilmartin, Laurie’s mother, had contracted the coronavirus in her nursing home and was on her deathbed only a few miles from Laurie’s home in southern California. Guest: Laurie Kilmartin, comedian and author of Dead People Suck: A Guide for Survivors of the Newly Departed.We’re re-running some of our favorite episodes from the past year. This episode originally aired in June, 2020. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
29 Des 202023min
Teaching Is Hell Right Now
Hybrid learning is a massive educational experiment playing out in schools across the country. No two classrooms are alike. We took a look at one teacher’s experience. Guest: Christopher Pinto, a high school math and statistics teacher outside Houston, Texas. This episode originally aired in September, 2020. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
28 Des 202019min
A History of Violent Protest
The images are familiar now. The police in their face shields, armed with batons and cans of pepper spray. The protestors, sporting bruises, pouring milk on each others’ faces. What happened in the spring might make you feel uncomfortable and angry. Kellie Carter-Jackson says: that’s the point. And she says that a nice, peaceful protest may not accomplish the structural change America needs.Guest: Kellie Carter-Jackson, PhD, a professor at Wellesley College and the author of Force & Freedom: Black Abolitionists the Politics of Violence.This episode originally aired in June, 2020. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
24 Des 202026min
He Saw the Coronavirus Coming
The coronavirus that gave rise to our present pandemic started in China as a bat virus that eventually made contact with humans. Researchers say this leap between species was highly predictable – so why were communities and governments caught flat-footed? Guest: Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance.This episode originally aired in March, 2020.Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
23 Des 202020min
Finally, a Deal
Congress has agreed on another stimulus package, but to do so both Republicans and Democrats had to give up on high-priority demands. Why did this bill take so long, and why isn’t anyone all that excited about it?Guest: Jordan Weissmann, Slate's senior business and economics correspondentSlate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
22 Des 202024min
Could the U.S. Have Stopped Russia’s Hack?
The United States is contending with a computer hack unprecedented in scope, and it could take months or even years to understand exactly what happened. But the hack has roots in vulnerabilities understood since the beginning of the internet, so why and how did this happen? Guest: Fred Kaplan, Slate’s "War Stories" columnist Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
21 Des 202020min
