Ed Brayton

‘Under God’ goes to State Supreme Court

September 4, 2013 Carmen Russell Podcast, Religion 00:05:33 0 Comments

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court will hear oral arguments tomorrow morning in a case challenging the mandatory recitation in the state’s public schools of the Pledge of Allegiance, because it includes the phrase “under God.”

Joining Ed Brayton and Jamila to discuss the case is executive director of the American Humanist Association, Roy Speckhardt. His organization’s Appignani Humanist Legal Center is representing a Massachusetts humanist family in the case.

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‘Stop and Frisk’ ain’t stopped yet

August 21, 2013 Carmen Russell Podcast, Race 0 Comments

The recent ruling that NYPD’s “Stop and Frisk” program is unconstitutional was heralded in most circles, and opponents have been celebrating the end of a policy that’s been shown to negatively and disproportionally target non-whites.

However the celebrations of the complete demise of the program are mostly premature. Guest host Ed Brayton and Jamila talk with John Jay College of Law Professor Gloria Browne-Marshall about the ruling, and what the NYPD has yet to do to come fully into compliance.

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Rise of the Warrior Cop: the Militarization of America’s Police Forces

July 24, 2013 Carmen Russell Podcast, Race 0:14:45 0 Comments

Senior writer for the Huffington Post Radley Balko joins Jamila and co-host Ed Brayton to discuss his book on the state of policing in America.

Balko says he’s hoping to spark a larger conversation and some questions about policy that’s put SWAT teams in more and more police jurisdictions around the country, this despite proof that they overreach in their scope and, frankly, do not tend to deter or prevent crime.

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What’s at stake for DOMA, Prop 8 Supreme Court decisions?

June 19, 2013 Carmen Russell Podcast, Sex 0 Comments

The U.S. Supreme Court is days away from announcing some of its last and its biggest decisions of the term, Defense of Marriage Act and Proposition 8, California’s same-sex marriage ban.

Host Jamila Bey spoke with Ed Brayton, a journalist and head of the Freethought Blog network, to discuss the cases.

 

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NSA surveillance programs ‘no laughing matter’ for US, reporter says

June 12, 2013 Carmen Russell Podcast, Politics 00:16:07 0 Comments

U.S. citizens learned last week from reporting by The Guardian newspaper that for the better part of the last decade the U.S. government has been spying on millions of citizens who are not suspected of terrorism.

Host Jamila Bey spoke with reporter Ed Brayton and security and civil liberties investigative journalist Marcy Wheeler to discuss the two known programs which let have allowed the government to look in to private phone and computer records.

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Visitors in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior's museum stand next to Roberto Vanadia's work "Like New Bethlehem" at the exhibition "The Christ Nativity Mystery." Photo: ©RIA Novosti.

Nativity Scenes Return, Renewing Church and State Debates

November 26, 2012 Carmen Russell Culture, Religion 00:13:41 0 Comments

As Christmas nears, nativity scenes are popping up in areas across the country and even on courthouse steps and other properties of cities, further enraging people who believe the nativity scenes on public property show a political endorsement of a specific religion.

Almost annually, the issue stirs tempers, renewing fights about separation of church and state.

Host Jamila Bey spoke with Ed Brayton, owner of the Freethought Blog Network, to discuss the issue of nativity scenes and separation of church and state.

Rock Beyond Belief at Fort Bragg

March 12, 2012 Carmen Russell Culture, Religion 00:15:28 0 Comments

Secular soldiers at Ft. Bragg say they’ve been discriminated against for not taking part in religious activities and were incensed when they were forced to attend a Billy Graham, Junior concert with the express purpose of converting them.  It’s been an uphill battle, but they’re hosting “Rock Beyond Belief,” a daylong concert  event for the family.  They promise it will be a gods-free zone, and a true celebration of the First Amendment.  I talk with Justin Griffin, lead organizer, and journalist Ed Brayton about their expectations for the event.