The Vegan Vanguard show

The Vegan Vanguard

Summary: A show about all things from the perspective of two revolutionary vegan women! Critical discussions (mixed with laughter) of politics, economics, animal liberation, environmentalism, feminism, and social/economic justice.

Podcasts:

 34. Radical Education for Youth with Alexis Fawn | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:20:39

Rundown In this episode, Mexie interviews radical activist and educator Alexis Fawn about the importance of arming students with critical thinking skills and class consciousness before they enter university. Inspired by Paulo Freire and his seminal text Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Alexis has developed a radical pedagogy for high school students along with various teaching techniques to enhance students’ critical thought and improve their media literacy. We discuss the many ways in which these techniques can help all leftists trying to spread class consciousness as we each have innumerable ‘teachable moments’ in our daily interactions with friends, family, co-workers, and strangers. Sources and Links * Alexis’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexisfawn/ and Email: alexisfawn.xo@gmail.com * Bloom’s Taxonomy: https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/ * Paulo Freire Pedagogy of the Oppressed PDF: https://commons.princeton.edu/inclusivepedagogy/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2016/07/freire_pedagogy_of_the_oppresed_ch2-3.pdf * bell hooks Teaching to Transgress PDF: https://academictrap.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/bell-hooks-teaching-to-transgress.pdf * John Dewey Schools of Tomorrow (Full Text) : http://www.gutenberg.org/files/48906/48906-h/48906-h.htm * Peter McLaren: Background Information: https://solidarity-us.org/atc/107/p516/ * Socratic Teaching Method: Background Information: https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/socratic-teaching/606 * All Ontario Secondary School Curriculum Documents: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/secondary/subjects.html Support the Show  

 33. Should We Tax Meat for the Climate? with Mad Blender | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:18:54

Rundown In this episode, Mexie and Leslie from Mad Blender respond to a question from one of the listeners about whether taxing meat for the climate is a productive idea. We start by exploring the costs (financial, health-related, and environmental) of the animal agriculture industry and the reasons why meat taxes are being proposed by a variety of organizations, researchers, and governments. We then look at different approaches to the tax, including taxing the producers for the emissions they create or taxing the output (products) themselves, which is akin to taxing the consumers. We explore the counter-arguments and ultimately conclude that we need a radical overhaul of our political economic system as well as our agricultural system, and propose that a tax could be merely one part of this much broader effort. Sources and Links * Mad Blender on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcStOVD6xZ54ky6hcZZcqig * Mad Blender on Twitter: https://twitter.com/madblender * Fiona Harvey and Bibi van der Zee, Caroline Lucas urges parliament to ‘seriously consider’ tax on meat: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/04/caroline-lucas-green-mp-meat-tax-oxford-farmers-conference-prioritise-sustainability * Stefan Wirsenius, Fredrik Hedenus, and Kristina Mohlin, Greenhouse gas taxes on animal food products: Rationale, tax scheme and climate mitigation effects: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/225713228_Greenhouse_gas_taxes_on_animal_food_products_Rationale_tax_scheme_and_climate_mitigation_effects * Prof Tim Lang, Prof Mike Rayner, and Caroline Lucas, A meat tax need not hit the poor: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/10/a-meat-tax-need-not-hit-the-poor * Damian Carrington, Meat tax ‘inevitable’ to beat climate and health crises, says report: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/dec/11/meat-tax-inevitable-to-beat-climate-and-health-crises-says-report * Damian Carrington, Taxing meat would save many lives, research shows: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/06/taxing-red-meat-would-save-many-lives-research-shows * Anna Dimoff, Taxing meat could help offset environmental, health problems, activists say: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/meat-sin-tax-1.4472222 * Marco Springmann, Meat tax: why taxing sausages and bacon could save hundreds of thousands of lives every year: https://theconversation.com/meat-tax-why-taxing-sausages-and-bacon-could-save-hundreds-of-thousands-of-lives-every-year-106399 * Katherine Martinko, Taxing red meat would save lives and slow global warming: https://www.treehugger.com/health/taxing-red-meat-would-save-lives-and-slow-global-warming.html * Barrie McKenna, Taxpayers oblivious to the cost of farm subsidies: 

 32. Contra Bolsonaro with Maria the Witch | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 42:00

Rundown In this episode, Mexie interviews Maria the Witch, a critical leftist YouTuber based in Brazil, about Bolsonaro’s election and his time so far in office. Maria explains what led up to the election, the campaign talking points that garnered the most support, and what he has been able to do thus far in office. We end with what comrades outside of Brazil can do to help support the struggle there, including potentially donating to the list of organizations below (note: please check out each organization thoroughly yourself to be sure you’d like to support). Sources and Links * Maria the Witch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrd-uibzFaauNlPB8-OJ_qQ * Maria the Witch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/maria_thewitch * No One Left Behind (international-oriented NGO fighting all sorts of discrimination in Brazil, created right after the Bolsonaro election): https://www.nooneleftbehind.org.br/ * XI Assembly of COIAB (one-time donation to crowdfund the Amazon’s Indigenous people’s assembly): https://www.vakinha.com.br/vaquinha/seja-um-apoiador-da-xi-assembleia-da-coiab * MTST Brazil (monthly donations to support the Homeless Workers Movement, led by Guilherme Boulos & threatened to be classed as “terrorism”): https://www.catarse.me/colabore_mtst * Redes da Maré (monthly donations for project/one time bank account deposit to support NGO in the favela that Marielle Franco was from in Rio): https://redesdamare.org.br/br/quemsomos/doeagora * Benfeitoria: Casa 1 (monthly donations to support LGBT shelter in São Paulo): https://benfeitoria.com/casa1  * Folha de S. Paulo (important daily news site): https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/internacional/en/ Support the Show  

 31. The Criminalization of Indigenous Resistance with Warren Bernauer | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:04:43

Rundown In this episode, Mexie interviews Dr. Warren Bernauer about the relationship between what John Bellamy Foster terms ‘ecological imperialism’ and the criminalization of Indigenous resistance to extractive capital. We discuss Warren’s co-authored article called “From Wallmapu to Nunatsiavut: The Criminalization of Indigenous Resistance” (listed below) which highlights the cases of two Indigenous women jailed for defending their communities: Francisca Linconao in Chile and Beatrice Hunter in Canada. Warren explains the relationship between ecological imperialism and our colonial-capitalist economic system, and points to Canada’s use of unnecessary violent force at Unistoten Camp as a present day example of how criminalization is used to secure colonial-capitalist relations. We end by discussing how settlers can be allies and support land defenders across the Americas. Sources and Links * Warren Bernauer, Henry Heller, and Peter Kulchyski, 2018. From Wallmapu to Nunatsiavut: The Criminalization of Indigenous Resistance: https://monthlyreviewarchives.org/index.php/mr/article/view/MR-069-08-2018-01_3 * John Bellamy Foster and Brett Clark, 2004. Ecological Imperialism: The Curse of Capitalism: https://socialistregister.com/index.php/srv/article/view/5817 * DONATE to Unistoten Camp: http://unistoten.camp/support-us/donate/?fbclid=IwAR3A_20icvTAi913W2UKT8L2O_ZnZM-isQ1PSf-rrBzEegFt1XDktGiEDsI * Unistoten Solidarity Requests: http://unistoten.camp/support-us/solidarity-work/?fbclid=IwAR2zTjK8eW6taAlU6v6UPzkk5U3m9GQuooGLh4vaauK44T7aH_AT9Sy_5KE * Support Tiny House Warriors: http://tinyhousewarriors.com/ * Glen Coulthard, 2014. Red Skin, White Masks: https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/red-skin-white-masks * Nick Estes (Forthcoming), Our History is Our Future: https://www.versobooks.com/books/2953-our-history-is-the-future?fbclid=IwAR1VYTix-kUiesE4O3yZkGz0ASgJyJC-caWzyKqT6aMjVVzWsXbqo0ECrUw Support the Show  

 30. Extra, Extra! Mexie and Marine Dream Headlines for the Future | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:34:12

Rundown Well, we gave it a shot! Following the advice of our beloved adrienne maree brown and Emergent Strategy, in this episode we put our energy towards dreaming the future we want to see. We each came up with headlines for the future, some in the near future (the next 10-20 years) when the transition to post-capitalism is taking place, and some for 50+ years from now when the changes we want to see in the world have come about. We kept our headlines secret from each other until we were on air together, so we react to each others dreams as well as to headlines that were submitted to us by listeners. This was a fun exercise! We hope to inspire you all to put your energies towards dreaming and building the future we want to see as what we don’t want continues to crumble down around us. Sources and Links * adrienne maree brown, Emergent Strategy: https://www.akpress.org/emergentstrategy.html * Ursula Le Guin, The Dispossessed: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13651.The_Dispossessed * Mexie, Reclaiming Radical Creativity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIaFfhRB15s * Walidah Imarisha, Re-writing the Future: Using Science Fiction to Re-envision Justice: https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/rewriting-the-future-prison-abolition-science-fiction * Greta Thunberg, Speech at UN Climate Change COP24 Conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFkQSGyeCWg * “Man Enough” Series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVsbYas4tVo * Pablo Servigne, Une Autre Fin Du Monde est Possible: https://www.amazon.fr/Une-autre-fin-monde-possible/dp/2021332586/ref=mp_s_a_1_1/262-3145776-3774944?__mk_fr_FR=%C3%85M%C3%85Z%C3%95%C3%91&qid=1546461302&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=un+autre+monde+est+possible&dpPl=1&dpID=51UHxYSHfOL&ref=plSrch# * Mediapart, Usul. « Gilets jaunes » : l’insurrection qui tient: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnsxZLDDK14&feature=youtu.be *  IPCC Report: https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/ * The Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report: http://templatelab.com/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-calls-to-action/ * Arthur Manuel and Grand Chief Ronald M. Derrickson, Unsettling Canada: https://btlbooks.com/book/unsettling-canada * Aph Ko, Aphro-ism: https://aphro-ism.com/ Support the Show  

 29. The Great March of Return and Palestinian Resistance with Abby Martin | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:36:26

Rundown In this episode, Mexie interviews renowned journalist and activist Abby Martin on the plight of Palestinians under Israeli occupation and on the recent and ongoing Great March of Return. Abby explains the history and brutality of Israeli occupation and exposes the horrors of life on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank. We discuss her coverage of the protests in Gaza, the geopolitics that allow this illegal occupation to continue, and the ultimate unfeasibility of a two-state solution. We end on a positive note with some of the successes of the BDS movement and what we can all do to fight for Palestinian rights. Sources and Links Videos * The Empire Files, run by Abby Martin and Mike Prysner: http://theempirefiles.tv/ * The Empire Files on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG29FnXZm4F5U8xpqs1cs1Q * Abby Martin with Ahed Tamimi, A Spirit That Can’t be Jailed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bca4FxNiuzQ * Israelis Speak Candidly to Abby Martin About Palestinians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e_dbsVQrk4 * The Untold History of Palestine & Israel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUZaR3op1qw&feature=youtu.be * Israeli Military Rule Jails All Activism in Palestine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSZ_qak5Aa8 * Israeli Soldier’s Explosive Tell-All: “Palestinians are Right to Resist”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkxJd88xkBU * Inside the Hotbeds of Israeli Settler Terror: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQGz2yM_6q8 * Israel Accelerates Land Theft & Home Demolitions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLEPdelcXoQ * Touring Palestine’s Besieged Refugee Camps: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3RypMScEMQ Podcasts * Media Roots Radio, hosted by Abby Martin and Robbie Martin: https://soundcloud.com/media- * Abby Goes to Palestine: https://soundcloud.com/media-roots/abby-goes-to-palestine * “Great March of Return” Massacre, Killing Gaza: Interview w/ Max Blumenthal & Dan Cohen: https://soundcloud.com/media-roots/great-march-of-return-killing-gaza-interview-w-max-blumenthal-dan- Support Abby’s Work * Media Roots Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/ * Empire Files Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/empirefiles * Go Fund Me: Keep Empire Files Going: https://ca.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going Support the Show  

 28. Veganism in an Oppressive World with Julia Feliz-Brueck | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 41:40

Rundown This week Marine interviews Julia Feliz-Brueck about her consistently anti-oppression vegan activism. Julia is a decade-long vegan, a mother of two, a scientist, and a published author and illustrator. She is also the founder of Sanctuary Publishers (sanctuarypublishers.com), a vegan book publisher that gives back to marginalized communities with every book sold. Published under the Sanctuary Publishers label, sales from Julia’s most recent books, The Baby and Toddler Vegan Feeding Guide and Veganism in an Oppressive World, help support the work of Chilis on Wheels, an organization that helps to feed the homeless with vegan meals, and the Food Empowerment Project. Julia is also the founder of VeganismOfColor.com and co-writer of the Vegan Bill for Consistent Anti-Oppression (ConsistentAntiOppression.com). In this interview, Julia talks about her experience as a neurodivergent vegan of colour to bring attention to the ableism and white-centrism within the mainstream vegan movement. Sources and Links Websites Vegan Bill of Consistent Anti-Oppression: ConsistentAntiOppression.Com This Bill outlines and explains the steps towards evolving into an effective and successful vegan movement that centers nonhuman animals. Veganism of Color: VeganismOfColor.Com Use this site as a tool to learn about veganism of color, to use when addressing People of Color to point them towards their own communities, and to learn details on Vegans of Color that you should support to help veganism reach People of Color. New Pride Flag: NewPrideFlag.com LGBTQIA of Color are more likely to identify as LGBTQIA and are twice as likely to be targeted by homophobia while Trans Black Women are disproportionately targeted and murdered at the highest rate from anyone else in the LGBTQIA community. This new pride flag hopes to remind the movement of its history, which was started by Trans Black and Brown women like Marsha P. Johnson. The flag also hopes to raise the voices of Trans and Queer PoC, as well as raise awareness of the need to center those most marginalized within the movement. We all benefit when we help address root issues, understand interconnections, and work to help those most afflicted in our communities. The flag is free to download on the site. Books Available on Amazon, Major Booksellers, or SanctuaryPublishers.Com/Shop Veganism in an Oppressive World by Julia Feliz Brueck ISBN-13: 978-0998994611 A step by step guide on understanding veganism in an oppressive world in the words of Vegans of Color around the globe and how to navigate it to best focus efforts that actually benefit nonhuman animals Food Justice: A Primer by Saryta Rodriguez ISBN-13: 978-0998994635 A book which helps bridge Food Justice issues and Animal Rights issues in a way that exemplifies how they are interconnected and reliant on one another. For babies and toddlers: Wild and Free by Andrea Zimmer and Julia Feliz ISBN-13: 978-0998994642 This hardcover children’s book helps children understand the wrong versus right dichotomy of speciesism and sets veganism/anti-speciesism as a social justice movement that is part of working towards human and nonhuman liberation through catchy rhymes and colorful images. Coming soon in 2019 Veganism of Color: Decentering Whiteness in Human and Non-Human Liberation A Vegans of Color Community Project edited by Julia Feliz Brueck Articles Racialized Speciesism by Julia Feliz on Medium: https://medium.com/@jd.feliz/racialized-speciesism-991eb3653ba0

 27. Will Geoengineering Save Us? | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 36:06

Rundown In this episode, Mexie explores what geoengineering can (and can’t) provide in terms of climate change mitigation and adaptation. She outlines various options in the two main geoengineering categories: Carbon Dioxide Removal (removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere) and Solar Radiation Management (reducing the amount of solar radiation that hits the earth’s surface). The options in the first category are safer than the options in the latter, however each comes with serious risk. Geoengineering has been gaining traction with the release of the latest IPCC report, but could a geoengineered world be even more dystopian than a 4-6C temperature increase? Sources and Links * Aaron Byrd and Sofia Perpetua, How it Happens – Carbon Capture: https://www.nytimes.com/video/science/100000002990028/how-it-happens-carbon-capture.html * Jan Christoph Minx and Gregory Nemet, The Inconvenient Truth About Carbon Capture: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/theworldpost/wp/2018/05/31/carbon-capture/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.9ab0e07ee02d * James Temple, The Carbon Capture Era May Finally Be Starting: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/610296/the-carbon-capture-era-may-finally-be-starting/ * Climate Vision, The Negatives of Carbon Capture and Storage: http://climatevision.co.uk/the-negatives-of-carbon-capture-and-storage * Umair Irfan, Will Carbon Capture and Storage Ever Work?: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-carbon-capture-and-storage-ever-work/ * Jonathan Watts, Geoengineering May be Used to Combat Global Warming, Experts Say: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/08/geoengineering-global-warming-ipcc * Fiona Harvey, Reflecting the Sun’s Rays Would Cause Crops to Fail, Scientists Warn: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/aug/08/reflecting-suns-rays-would-cause-crops-to-fail-scientists-warn * Peter Beaumont, Scientists Suggest a Giant Sunshade in the Sky Could Solve Global Warming: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2018/apr/05/scientists-suggest-giant-sunshade-in-sky-could-solve-global-warming * Rima Sabina Aouf, Five Geoengineering Solutions Proposed to Fight Climate Change: https://www.dezeen.com/2018/10/18/five-geoengineering-solutions-climate-change-un-ipcc-technology Support the Show  

 26. Permaculture for Post-Capitalism with Becky Ellis | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 1:31:03

Rundown In this episode, Mexie interviews Becky Ellis, a PhD candidate at the University of Western Ontario and the host of the Permaculture fo the People podcast, about how and why permaculture is important for envisioning a sustainable post-capitalist future. Becky explains the fundamentals of permaculture and why the ethics of permaculture are inherently radical. We discuss issues around colonial-capitalist property regimes that both leftist and permaculture movements must address, as well as how permaculture can add to other radical social movements concerned with both human and animal liberation. To thrive in the 21st century, our post-capitalist world-building needs to radically re-envision our relationships to one another as well as to all of the other species in the ecosystems of which we form part. Sources and Links * Permaculture for the People: https://permacultureforthepeople.org * Permaculture for the People Podcast on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/permaculture-for-the-people/id1438915815?mt=2 * P4P facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/permaculturefortheppl/ * Find Becky on Twitter (@Permacultureppl) and Instagram (@Earthygrrrl) * Leanne Simpson, As We Have Always Done: https://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/as-we-have-always-done * Sylvia Federici, Re-enchanting the World: Feminism and the Politics of the Commons: https://btlbooks.com/book/re-enchanting-the-world * Heather Jo Flores, Food Not Lawns: http://www.foodnotlawns.com/ * Starhawk, The Earth Path: https://www.harpercollins.ca/9780060000936/the-earth-path/ * Trina Moyles, Permaculture of Spermaculture: https://briarpatchmagazine.com/articles/view/permaculture-or-spermaculture * Permaculture Women: https://medium.com/permaculturewomen * How to Grow Your Own Food in an RV: https://www.your-rv-lifestyle.com/how-to-grow-your-own-food/ Support the Show  

 25. Why Vegans Should Stop Celebrating India’s Beef Ban with Rama Ganesan | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:08:44

Rundown In this episode, Marine interviews Rama Ganesan on the problematic associations that many vegans make when they hold up India and Hinduism (or even Buddhism and Jainism) as inherently vegetarian/ vegan. Rama also explains why it is counter to vegan values to celebrate India’s beef ban, to use the word “Ahimsa” as a synonym for “vegan”, or even to use quotes from Gandhi to advocate views of compassion and non-discrimination. Sources and Links * Rama’s presentation slides: https://medium.com/@ramaganesan/these-are-the-slides-from-my-talk-at-vegans-of-color-conference-at-dublin-vegfest-september-23-79626adcde61 * Rama’s organization, Vegan Michiana: https://veganmichiana.com/ * Rama’s Facebook page, Anti-Caste Vegan: https://www.facebook.com/Anti-Caste-Vegan-824278461115942/ * Livestream of the Vegans of Colour Conference in Dublin, 2018: https://www.facebook.com/NARAcampaignsIRELAND/videos/523350941468793/?hc_ref=ARQicw-97ayNS-rJtCbiSRd6tg4WBRRe0Psr3mfRdGg00G4RsnTjUB67qkGNAsHe0y4&__xts__[0]=68.ARBuqk3H_zCTH2zVCJuwJb3uyfsf4ir6eV4tRTapL02IToSR-oZAhMVbpSaVPc0FactXgXNQUw4PjenJJsz27pJ-WRK6TETEYKa2TZU_VOkDg7hH-MtsNkdBaITR6a9OXW3k2tdjjAnacojxsDJwkAyoWidIUkzjPI9Sq0_wJhiStknuqFPT2TXwEAXCtXg2HiDcVPVT90QcrNLI6UUw6ZSL-IfDTF8nsUq_LYbUCGcwB8EE-V9YO3k1OU_22Q&__tn__=FC-R Books: * Kancha Ilaiah, Why I am not a Hindu, A Sudra Critique of Hindutva Philosophy, Culture and Political Economy * Kancha Ilaiah, Buffalo Nationalism, A Critique of Spiritual Fascism * Ed Julia Feliz Brueck, Veganism In an Oppressive World, A Vegans of Color Community Project * Kim Socha, Animal Liberation and Atheism, Dismantling the Procrustean Bed * D.N. Jha, The Myth of the Holy Cow * Sujatha Gidla, Ants Among Elephants, An Untouchable Family and the Making of Modern India * Romila Thapar, The Past as Present, Forging Contemporary Identities Through History * B.R. Ambedkar, Introduction by Arundhati Roy, Annihilation of Caste Articles: * Rama Ganesan, Veganism is not Brahminism:  https://medium.com/@ramaganesan/veganism-is-not-brahminism-71ce8f2658a8 * Rama Ganesan, Vegans demanding to change ancient religions: https://medium.com/@ramaganesan/vegans-demanding-changes-to-ancient-religions-46ded205ff12 * Dalit Diva – Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Why it is Time to Dump Gandhi: https://medium.com/@dalitdiva/why-it-is-time-to-dump-gandhi-b59c7399fe66 * Anand Neelakantan, Is India really a spiritual civilization, in New Indian Express Sep 2 2018: www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/voices/2018/sep/02/is-india-really-a-spiritual-civilisation-1865178.html * Adrija Bose, Vegetarian India A Myth? Survey Shows Over 70% Indians Eat Non-Veg, Telangana Tops List: 

 24. What if Men Weren’t Physically Dominant? | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 1:02:27

Rundown In this episode, Mexie and Marine discuss the ways in which sexual dimorphism, which has been exaggerated by millennia of social oppression, is at the root of patriarchy and rape culture, and informs our other oppressive systems like capitalism, colonialism,  imperialism, and white supremacy. Drawing on anthropological theory and literary works, we argue that the physical dominance of men is not something purely natural, although as a global society we’ve come to understand it as such. What if women were encouraged, as men are, to bulk up and fight back against any attacker? What would the world look like if the physical power dynamics were flipped? What forms of liberation would that enable; what abuses of power? Sources and Links * Virginie Despentes, King Kong Theory: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7624359-king-kong-theory * Naomi Alderman, The Power: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29751398-the-power?from_search=true * Silvia Federicci, Caliban and the Witch: Women, The Body, and Primitive Accumulation: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/403846.Caliban_and_the_Witch?from_search=true * Sylvia Kirchengast, Human Sexual Dimorphism: A Sex and Gender Perspective: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262264342_Human_sexual_dimorphism_-_A_sex_and_gender_perspective * Nora Bouazzouni, Faiminisme: Quand le Sexisme Passe à Table: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36169091-faiminisme * Priscille Touraille, Hommes Grands Femmes Petites une Evolution Couteuse. Les régimes de genre comme force sélective de l’adaptation biologique: https://www.amazon.fr/Evolution-Couteuse-s%C3%A9lective-ladaptation-biologique/dp/2735111865 * Un Podcast à Soi, Un Autre Homme Est Possible: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/un-podcast-%C3%A0-soi-n-8-un-autre-homme-est-possible/id1294224809?i=1000410467992&mt=2 “Vegandale” Research Opportunity * Contact Becky Ellis at rellis23@uwo.ca Support the Show  

 23. Why the f*ck are we in Afghanistan? with veteran Spenser Rapone | File Type: audio/x-m4a | Duration: 1:10:14

Rundown In this episode, Mexie interviews the (in)famous Spenser Rapone, a veteran who was deployed in Afghanistan and became radicalized by his experiences there, becoming a virulent anti-war, anti-imperialist and anti-capitalist activist. We discuss the reasons for the war in the first place, Spenser’s time there and what he learned from inside the US war machine, and why this has turned into the longest US occupation of a sovereign country. We also dig into the political economy of war itself and how this state of constant ‘conflict’ has become so normalized that it barely registers anymore in mainstream media. Spenser and fellow veteran and comrade Mike Prysner have started the Eyes Left podcast project to reach out to veterans and people currently serving in the military to offer support in resisting the US war machine and joining the movement for peace and liberation. Sources and Links * Eyes Left podcast with Spenser Rapone and Mike Prysner: https://soundcloud.com/eyesleft * Eyes Left, Afghanistan War Update: Defeated Generals Boast of Success: https://soundcloud.com/eyesleft/afghanistanupdate * Spenser Rapone, The West Point Officer Who Called It As He Saw It: https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-west-point-soldier-who-called-it-as-he-saw-it/ * Scott Horton, Fool’s Errand: Time to End the War in Afghanistan: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36054118-fool-s-errand * Media Roots, Veterans Advocate Mutiny w/ Mike Prysner and Spenser Rapone: https://soundcloud.com/media-roots/veterans-advocate-mutiny-w-mike-prysner-spenser-rapone * On Contact with Chris Hedges, A Soldier’s Tale of Bravery and Morality: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwCbARsO9lQ&feature=youtu.be * Spenser on Twitter: https://twitter.com/punkproletarian Support the Show  

 22. Imagination and "Pleasure Activism" for a Post-Capitalist, Vegan Future | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:30:23

Rundown In this episode Marine and Mexie reunite once again to discuss creative and revolutionary ideas for movement building. Our discussion was inspired by reading adrienne marie brown’s Emergent Strategy. Drawing on quotes and concepts from her book, we consider how curiosity about natural ecosystems and biomimicry as well as a reclamation of creativity and imagination can enhance our social and economic justice movements and help us to realize abundant, emancipatory futures. We also talk about the importance of moving from movements based around charismatic leaders and critical mass to ones based around critical connections, where the strength of our movements lie in the strength and depth of our relationships and our ability to dream together. We hope this will be productive for people interested in reclaiming our collective future! We’re very interested to know what you think. Sources and Links * adrienne maree brown, Emergent Strategy: https://www.akpress.org/emergentstrategy.html * adrienne maree brown [Ed.], Octavia’s Brood: http://octaviasbrood.com/ * Octavia Butler, Earthseed Series: https://www.goodreads.com/series/57804-earthseed * Octavia Butler, Lilith’s Brood: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/liliths-brood-octavia-e-butler/1101818679#/ * Aph Ko and Syl Ko, Aphro-ism: https://aphro-ism.com/ * Ursula Le Guin, The Dispossessed: https://libcom.org/library/dispossessed-ursula-le-guin * Donna Haraway, Staying With the Trouble: https://www.dukeupress.edu/staying-with-the-trouble Support the Show  

 21. Alex Jones, Free Speech, and Silicon Valley with Robbie Martin | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:28:58

Rundown In this episode Mexie talks with Robbie Martin, documentary filmmaker and co-host of Media Roots Radio, about the recent co-ordinated banning of Alex Jones and Infowars off of most of the prominent social media outlets. Robbie places the bannings within the broader context of Silicon Valley execs partnering with state and defence contractor-funded think tanks to eliminate “fake news” or “Russian disinformation” from their platforms in order to circumvent any further blame for undesirable political outcomes, such as the backlash Facebook faced after the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the election of Donald Trump. We then talk about the implications of this broader Russiagate narrative and Silicon Valley’s control over our information for the left, and discuss to what extent the Alex Jones incident represents a slippery slope for any dissenting voice that challenges the mainstream, corporate or think tank class narratives. We end with a discussion of how leftists might be able to engage people on and off of social media in ways that may protect against being erased and silenced at the whim of big tech corporations. Sources and Links * Media Roots Radio, Co-hosted by Robbie and Abby Martin: https://soundcloud.com/media-roots * A Very Heavy Agenda, documentary series by Robbie Martin: averyheavyagenda.com * A Very Heavy Agenda on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/ * American Anthrax, documentary by Robbie Martin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT7ATynE8_0 * American Bisque, documentary by Robbie Martin (cw for violence): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1-EAnV6-58 * Alan MacLeod, Facebook Also Censoring the Left Isn’t Just a Worry – It’s a Reality: https://www.truthdig.com/articles/that-facebook-will-turn-to-censoring-the-left-isnt-a-worry-its-a-reality/ * Matt Taibbi, Censorship Does Not End Well: How America Learned to Stop Worrying and Put Mark Zuckerberg In Charge of Everything: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/facebook-censorship-alex-jones-710497/ * Matt Taibbi, Beware the Slippery Slope of Facebook Censorship: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/facebook-censor-alex-jones-705766/ * Go Fund Me to keep the Empire Files going: https://www.gofundme.com/keep-empire-files-going/donate Support the Show  

 20. Mental Health, Addiction, and Capitalist Realism with Mad Blender | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:34:18

Rundown In this episode, Mexie is joined by Leslie (Mad Blender on YouTube) to discuss the political economy of mental health and addiction. We draw from Mark Fisher’s Capitalist Realism to put the present-day rise in mental illness into social, political and economic context. We demonstrate that although chemical imbalances play a role in mental distress, there are innumerable other social and political determinants of health that can be equally if not more important. We end by arguing for a re-politicization of mental health and addiction issues along with work to end the stigma. Sources and Links * Mad Blender’s Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcStOVD6xZ54ky6hcZZcqig * Mark Fisher, Capitalist Realism: http://www.zero-books.net/books/capitalist-realism * Oliver James, The Selfish Capitalist: Origins of Affluenza: http://selfishcapitalist.com/index.php/the-selfish-capitalist * Steven Dawson on Vegan Warrior Princesses Attack: http://veganwarriorprincessesattack.com/174-borderline-personality-disorder-with-steven-dawson-lcsw-part-1/ * CAMH, Mental Illness and Addiction Facts and Statistics: https://www.camh.ca/en/driving-change/the-crisis-is-real/mental-health-statistics * Centre for Suicide Prevention, Indigenous Suicide Prevention: https://www.suicideinfo.ca/resource/indigenous-suicide-prevention/ * Jean Twenge, Are Mental Health Issues on the Rise?: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/our-changing-culture/201510/are-mental-health-issues-the-rise * John Bellamy Foster and Brett Clark, Women, Nature and Capital in the Industrial Revolution: https://monthlyreview.org/2018/01/01/women-nature-and-capital-in-the-industrial-revolution/ * WATCH the ‘Man Enough’ series on YouTube, Episode 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVsbYas4tVo Support the Show  

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