Deep Dive with Shawn

On November 8th, American voters did something relatively remarkable for a midterm election. We now know that Democrats will keep the Senate (perhaps even expand it by a seat) and that Republicans will narrowly take the House. This is a massive underperformance for Republicans.

Along with a lot of other people, I’m interested in understanding what happened – and specifically, how the Dobbs decision and the abortion question might have influenced this election – if at all. So, my guest today is a former colleague of mine, Dr. Joshua Wilson – Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department at the University of Denver and Associate Editor of the Law & Policy academic journal. Dr. Wilson has written and published extensively about abortion politics – and other things – including the books The New States of Abortion Politics, The Street Politics of Abortion, and most recently, Separate but Faithful: The Christian Right’s Radical Struggle to Transform Law and Legal Culture with co-author Amanda Hollis-Brusky. His research has also been published in numerous academic journals and appeared in mass media outlets, such as Newsweek, Christian Science Monitor, Washington Post, and Politico – to name just a few.

We talk about how anti-abortion activists manipulated the legal landscape on abortion issues over the decades in such a way that they primed an entirely new political debate and pursued strategies that culminated in the overturning of Roe. We talk about what this might look like moving forward, if the national Republican Party has an appetite for a nationwide abortion ban, and if the Dobbs decision cost Republicans what – by all accounts – should have been an overwhelming retaking of Congress. We also talk about the state of American politics and why Donald Trump leaving the political arena won’t solve the problem of political violence in the United States.
Mentioned:
Whole Women's Health v. Hellerstedt
June Medical Services LLC v. RussoThe Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
Recommended:
In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
The Executioner's Song - Normal Mailer

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When Russia invaded Ukraine in February of last year, the general consensus was that Ukraine was outgunned, disorganized, and unable to mount any type of meaningful resistance. The expectation was that Ukraine would fall quickly – maybe even within days of the assault. But, that didn’t happen. And, it’s not like Russia struggled – Ukraine took the fight directly to Russia, denying a quick win, holding territory that experts expected to fall effortlessly, and even reclaimed territory that Russia had taken. Ukraine’s allies in Europe, the United States, and Canada provided an unexpected level of support that has been maintained, and Russia has become a pariah on the global stage.

Nothing is certain at this point, and there are signs that Russia may be regrouping and preparing for another overwhelming assault on Ukraine in the next couple of months. But, the debate has shifted from one of when Ukraine falls and how the rest of the world will react, to one focused on the strong possibility that Russia might actually lose the war. And, if that happens, I wonder that looks like.

So, today I’m talking to Dr. Alexander Motyl, professor of political science at Rutgers University and a widely regarded and respected expert on Soviet and post-Soviet politics. He has published extensively – academically, as well as fiction and non-fiction books. One of his recent works in Foreign Policy – an article titled It’s High Time to Prepare for Russia’s Collapse - is the catalyst for today’s discussion. We talk about the possibility that Ukraine wins this war, what that might look like for Russia, and how the rest of the world should be preparing for this outcome.

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In the first season of Deep Dive, I interviewed Dr. Peter La Chapelle about the history of country music and how it evolved into such a conservative space that is aggressively exclusive of queer folks, folks of color, and also women. And, that conversation sparked a personal interest to dive a bit deeper into this topic, to talk to some of these folks that don’t fit into the dominant country music culture that are, nonetheless, playing in that sandbox. To hear their stories from their perspective – not JUST their experiences making country music and working in the industry as outsiders (challenges and rewards), but also where they came from, what their formative years were like, and what motivates them to do what they do – make music in an industry that can be hostile to them, based on who they are. This episode is one product of that venture, adventure.

Today, Veterans Day, I’m talking to Soda Canter – veteran of the United States Marine Corps and a gay country musician and writer out of Wilmington, North Carolina. He’s currently working on a short story series about a small river community called Morgantown Blues (which he mentions in our conversation) and on a debut country music album with guitarist Josh Youse.

The first half of our conversation is really focused on Soda’s formative years – the backdrop to his life –his surroundings, his town, family, his education, and some trauma. In the second half, we talk about how this has all contributed to his artistry – his music and his writing. And, we talk about the country music industry – where it fails to live up to the values of its own origin – a music for all people, created by all kinds of people from all kinds of places; and also where it really shines and how supportive it can be.
Mentioned:
Bobbie Gentry
Terry Allen
Hailey Whitters
Recommended:
Soda Canter - Instagram
Sara Trunzo
Tiffany Williams
Adobe and Teardrops Podcast
Rainbow Rodeo Magazine

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On September 16th of this year, Mahsa Amini, a 22 year old Iranian woman died in Tehran after being arrested by the Guidance Patrol, effectively the morality police, for bad hijab – which means that she wasn’t wearing the hijab, or veil, correctly. The official government line is that Mahsa suffered a heart attack in custody and subsequently died. However, eyewitnesses to the arrest, coupled with official autopsy findings, suggest otherwise – that Mahsa was beaten to death. This story, as horrific as it is, is not unique. These things happen in Iran regularly, as the Ayatollah and his theocracy has absolute control over social, political, and cultural life in Iran – and their interpretation of Islam is oppressive, violent, and inelastic.

So, the mass protests that have materialized and swept the country following Amini’s death aren’t necessarily reflective of anger at this one situation. But, it is an inflection point for a movement, particularly among young people, that has grown legs of its own and has paralyzed Iran and threatened the existing regime, exposing a vulnerability that has maybe not existed since the toppling of the Shah and the Iranian Revolution in 1979.

The government’s response, under the direction of Ayatollah Khamenei, is not surprising, but it has been devastating. Law enforcement has responded with extreme force – arresting people, beating people, and shooting to kill (often indiscriminately). And, it has not been limited to the protests or the protestors. Law enforcement has stormed children’s schools and fired on places of worship – attacking their citizens while they are at their most vulnerable. The most recent estimates by human rights organizations puts citizen deaths at the hands of Iranian authorities in response to the protests at 233 – 32 of which, were children.

The Iranian regime has also employed other well-worn, familiar strongman tactics to quell the protests – limiting Internet access, fully disconnecting the internet for long periods of time each day, disappearing people from the streets and their homes, and committing protesters to psychiatric institutions. But, what happens when the arsenal runs dry and fails, and the people you cut down are replaced by another front line, more angry and more determined– when nothing works to silence, placate, and subordinate a people wielding the only weapon that cannot be exhausted – a collective and communal voice agitating and demanding liberty, dignity, and freedom.

Today I’m talking to Alex Vatanka, the founding director of the Iran program at the Middle East Institute, Senior Fellow at Frontier Europe Initiative, and the author of the book The Battle of the Ayatollahs in Iran. I’ve asked Alex to Deep Dive to talk not just about the protests, but also to put this all into some historical context – to help us understand how Iran got here and where Iran might be going.
Recommended:
The Battle of the Ayatollahs in Iran: The United States, Foreign Powers, and Political Rivalry Since 1979 - Alex Vatanka

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In July of last year – 2022 – Lever Alejos emerged from the jungle in Panama, with no shoes, and just the tattered remains of clothes that still clung to his body after almost a week trekking through the Darien Gap – a 60 mile stretch of untamed, undeveloped jungle between Colombia and Panama. Lever was coming from Venezuela, escaping political persecution, in search of a better life.

On arriving at the Texas border, he was processed by the United States government and then - and put on a bus out of the state, not knowing where he was being sent, presumably at the direction of Texas governor Greg Abbott. Although – I have to say that the governors of Texas, Arizona, and Florida have all employed this practice with immigrants arriving at the border, and they have done so shrouded in secrecy, so the details remain unclear as to which governor is responsible for which bus. This fact alone is unsettling – and, to my mind, I have to wonder why keep it a secret, unless one is worried about its legality or its humanity.

In end, Lever was dropped off in Washington DC, and this is is currently where he is.

This episode is about Lever and his experience coming to the United States – why he left Venezuela, what his journey here was like, how he has been received in the United States, and what he hopes for his future.

While this is a very personal story – I urge you to consider this when listening: this is one of thousands of similar stories. Of people fleeing persecution, violence, war, torture – at the hands of their governments, most often authoritarian governments. Lever was one of the lucky few to have successfully made it – and by that I mean, survived the journey. Many people have died trying – either succumbed to the environment or have been murdered by police, cartels, bandits, and other nefarious actors.

As you will hear from Lever – people are putting their lives, very literally, on the line for a better life than the one their own government is providing. And, regardless of your politics, this should give you some pause. At minimum – to consider how lucky we all are to live in the country that we do.
Mentioned:

Lever Profiled in New York Times
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Recommended:

Doctors Without Borders

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Email: [email protected]
Music:
Majestic Earth - Joystock