The Dissidents

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 78, co-author & co-host, W.F. Twyman, Jr. (aka Wink) and I discuss his recent encounter with “Mr. Klingon” in a book club dedicated to the topic of Reconstruction. The language of Klingons, completely foreign to Wink, is one of slogans, manipulations and bullying. The imposed outlook of “blackness is oppression” doesn’t speak to his own lived experience. When dogmatic adherence to oppression negates one’s worldview, what can we do to build hope and resiliency for the Next Generation? To read more on our discussion and to see what each of us is reading, visit our post The Language of Klingons on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page, and subscribe to Truth in Between on Substack to never miss a show.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 77, I have coffee with James Joyce III, Founder of Coffee with a Black Guy. James and I don’t always see eye-to-eye, but we have a lot of common ground, namely that conversation and even disagreement are good, and are needed if we’re going to do this democracy thing together. There was no walking on eggshells or shaming in this sometimes uncomfortable conversation, just curiosity and open-minds to hear each other out, with the promise to keep the connection and conversation going. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and you know… coffee. To read more on our discussion and to see what each of us is reading, visit our post Coffee with a Black Guy on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page, and subscribe to Truth in Between on Substack to never miss a show.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 76, Neil and Jeff speak with James Esses on his expulsion from his psychotherapy course and his abrupt removal as a volunteer therapist in the UK. While attending school and volunteering for a national helpline, James was taken aback by the rise in gender dysphoria among children and the resulting therapy prescription that not only advocated but also pushed for gender transition as the only and best solution for children struggling through the confusion of puberty. James likens this therapeutic trend to a new kind of conversion therapy, which has had damaging effects on the health and well-being of children. James discusses his efforts to safeguard – not outlaw – gender affirming therapy as one of many alternatives, and his resulting defamation and cancellation. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a beer. To read more on our discussion and to see what each of us is reading, visit our post A New Kind of Conversion on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page, and subscribe to Truth in Between on Substack to never miss a show.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 75, we continue our conversation with Carlos Hoyt on how to do diversity without division. In the fraught dynamics of what to teach, how to teach, and when to teach about history, justice, and social issues, we come together across our differences to seek solutions to one of America’s most polarizing topics. Despite our differences we find common ground in our belief that a new American identity is a real possibility, if only we hold space for difficult conversations. In our latest conversation we explore “systems” and conclude that a singular focus on systems doesn’t reflect reality or result in lasting solutions. Systemic bias, however, remains an enduring part of the human mindset. How to outwit this human tendency is the key to a new national dialogue that brings our commonalities into sharper focus. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a whiskey & coke, a chocolate Rooibos tea, and a bottle of cool and lucid water for Carlos. To read more on our discussion and to see what we are both are reading, visit our post United Notions on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page, and subscribe to Truth in Between on Substack to never miss a show.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 74, we speak with frequent guest Debbie Hayton on the latest transgender debate involving Lia Thomas and Rachel Levine in the U.S. and the recent developments in the U.K. As trans issues dominate our public discourse, we lament the missed opportunities to generate real solutions that adhere to the simple truth of human dignity and worth, as illiberalism festers across the political spectrum. The result is a power play between the authoritarian left and right that has implications for both the trans community and our larger national identity. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a mango chile michelada. To read more on our discussion and to see what we are both are reading, visit our post Truth, Power & Gender on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page, and subscribe to Truth in Between on Substack to never miss a show.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 73, we speak with Dr. Elizabeth Weiss on the problems with critical social justice ideology in the field of anthropology and archeology. Dr. Weiss, who studies skeletal remains, has been repeatedly cancelled for her views on repatriation and the reburial of bones. Too often claims of cultural insensitivity have resulted, literally, in burying history that may have implications for the future of not just select tribes, but all of humanity. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a mojito. To read more on our discussion and to see what we are both are reading, visit our post Archeological Decolonization: Burying the Past on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page, and subscribe to Truth in Between on Substack to never miss a show. You can read more from Elizabeth at https://elizabethweiss74.wordpress.com/  And follow her on Twitter at @eweissunburied   Her book, Repatriation and Erasing the Past, is available for 55% off ($40 instead of $90) by ordering directly from University of Florida Press and applying the code: ARCH22.  Lawsuit: The Pacific Legal Foundation is representing Dr. Weiss’ in her Free Speech lawsuit against San Jose State University, and they have put out these statements: Tenured professor sues San Jose State University officials for stifling free speech and blocking research Professor challenges university’s unlawful viewpoint discrimination

In the Hold my Drink - navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 72, we speak with Brandy Shufutinsky on the problems with Critical Social Justice in the United States as viewed through the current Ukrainian crisis. When applied to existential crises in the “real world”, CSJ ideology crumbles under the weight. As we debate the “whiteness” of Ukraine, a real catastrophe is underway that cares not for the pedantic elite allegiance to identities. All discussed with a sober chaser of civility, of course. To read more from Brandy and to see what we are each reading, visit our post Ukraine & CSJ in the USA on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page, and subscribe to Truth in Between on Substack to never miss a show.

In the Hold my Drink - navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 71, Jeff speaks with Trygve Taranger, a young musician from Norway interested in the why of things. Trygve gives us insight into how Critical Social Justice has appeared in Norway and offers thoughts on the origins and dissemination of this ideology beyond the shores of the United States. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and some kava tea. To read more from Trygve and to see what he and Jeff are reading, visit our post Critical Social Justice: A View from Norway on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In the Hold my Drink - navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 70, we speak with new co-hosts and crew members, Andrew “AT” of Aspiring Thinkers, Jeff Fullington, and Neil Barnes. Andrew was a Human Intelligence Collector in the U.S. Army who promotes intellectual growth and reasonable discourse; Jeff is a peer counselor and community builder; Neil brings his perspective from the UK with a focus on the role of individual sovereignty in health communities. The conversation flows, along with the drinks, from personal background and political perspective, through the importance of locus of control and personal agency in therapy, education, and social programs, before arriving at thoughts on autonomy, sovereign citizenship and the role of the state. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and among other concoctions, homemade blackberry wine. To read more and to see what each of us is reading, visit our post Power of Agency on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 69, we speak with Carlos Hoyt in the first of a two part series on teaching Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Carlos’ approach, which marries DEI with Critical Thinking, questions identity frameworks and dominant narratives. In this episode, Carlos lays out his blueprint for DEI work. In a surprisingly open and candid dialogue we explore where our perspectives merge and diverge. Stay tuned for our next podcast where we go beyond DEI theory to explore it in practice. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a fireball whiskey. To read more from Carlos and to see what each of us is reading, visit our post Teaching DEI: Part I on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.