WNBA players link arms in protest for justice for Breonna Taylor. Photo by Seattle Storm on Twitter
On this show:
0:08 – On “Mondays with Mitch,” we talk about the Trump and Biden campaigns coming out of the conventions, as well as chances of new Covid-19 economic relief from Congress. California is set to begin disbursing $300/week in additional unemployment benefits, a reduction from the $600/week that workers previously received. Mitch Jeserich hosts Letters and Politics, weekdays at 10 on KPFA.
0:34 – The CDC issued new guidance recommending against testing people who have been exposed to Covid-19 but are asymptomatic — scientists say this is deeply concerning and completely contravenes what we know about how the deadly virus spreads. John Swartzberg, clinical professor emeritus of infectious diseases at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health, joins us to talk about this and take listener calls about the virus.
1:08 – A 17-year-old pro-authoritarian Trump supporter shot dead two protesters last week in Kenosha, Wisconsin and wounded a third. Why didn’t law enforcement intervene to stop him? And how much worse will far-right violence become, as vigilantes find encouragement from Donald Trump and permission from law enforcement? We talk with two guests:
- David Neiwert is an investigative journalist tracking far-right movements in the Pacific Northwest. His most recent book is Alt-America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump.
- Michael German is a fellow with the Brennan Center for Justice and a former special agent with the FBI who infiltrated far-right groups; he just authored a report called Hidden in Plain Sight: Racism, White Supremacy, and Far-Right Militancy in Law Enforcement
1:34 – The professonal sports world erupted last week when athletes began launching wildcat strikes, led by Black women athletes in the WNBA. We talk about their longtime leadership on racial justice with Amira Rose Davis (@mirarose88), Assistant Professor of History and African American Studies at Penn State, focusing on race, sports, and politics. She is also co-host of the feminist sports podcast, Burn it All Down.
1:51 – This past weekend, tens of thousands attended a rally in Washington, D.C. on the 57th anniversary of the March on Washington. KPFA’s Kate Iida (@kiida26) reports.