Latest Episode:
“AFD Ep 52 – The Right to Rule”
Posted: Tues, 06 August 2013
Who has the right to rule in a society? What is a democracy? How do citizens get to participate in a civil society? In light of events in Egypt, Persephone and Bill discuss political theories of legitimacy, governance, and civil society. Then, they discuss what Boston is doing to prepare for global warming effects. Warning: This episode may be educational.
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“Syrian rebels face UN investigation over Aleppo footage”
Well, it was only a matter of time before members of the world’s YouTube & Instagram generation decided to post enthusiastic photos and videos of themselves committing war crimes. It’s like an amped up jihadist version of WorldStarHipHop, except people are being mass executed.
Watch This Space: United Nations Congo peacekeepers have declared that they will begin disarming rebel groups in one region by force in 48 hours. This is a significant development because UN peacekeeping forces have previously been forced to watch violence without acting and the Congo mandate includes the first experiment authorizing actual armed enforcement actions. If they carry out this threat, it’s a game-changer for the United Nations.
Latest Episode:
“AFD Ep 51 – Citizens v. Drones”
Posted: Mon, 29 July 2013
Persephone and Bill discuss the civil war in Syria, American drone strikes on US civilians, the US jobs market, and President Obama’s new comments on the Keystone XL pipeline.
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Latest Episode:
“AFD Ep 50 – Ethics, Efficacy, Insurance”
Posted: Tues, 23 July 2013
Bill and guest co-host Sarah discuss Virginia ethics scandals, Alan Grayson’s effectiveness, John Boehner’s ineffectiveness, Indiana’s insurance rates, and Arizona’s expansion of Medicaid.
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Latest Episode:
“AFD Ep 49 – Egypt Coup”
Posted: Tues, 09 July 2013
Persephone and Bill discuss low-wage jobs, abortion rights, and the crisis in Egypt.
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Partly linking for the headline: “Mobs make fickle friends. Egypt is not Les Misérables”
And partly for some great lines like “British ministers shower bromides on Egypt in a torrent of patronising hypocrisy.”
And finally for insights like this:
In almost every case, [Western] public opinion has backed the insurgent mob against the regime, as if sated on Les Misérables. By the time of the Syrian uprising, it assumed that Arab mobs were always in the right and always win. This applied even when, as in Bahrain, this proved not to be the case, or as in Egypt, it required some ethical gymnastics. But then mobs make fickle friends.
