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November is off to an intense start. Wendy Sheridan, Mary McGinley, and Robin Renée welcome listeners to the new month by wishing everyone a Happy NaNoWriMo, Happy National STEM/STEAM Day (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math), Happy (or Hairy) No Shave Month, and introduce some info on other celebrations and awareness days. But the main topic on everyone’s mind is the U.S. midterm election. After what seemed endless campaigning and ratcheted-up anxiety about the importance of outcomes, voters had their say on Tuesday, November 6th. Political and social activism can hardly afford a break for long, but taking time for a few breaths and a smile over some substantial successes is in order.
Robin and Wendy discuss election results, beginning with kudos to the winners in the New Jersey 2nd, 7th, and 11th Congressional districts and to the activists who helped make the victories happen. They talk about the good news of the House of Representatives being back under Democratic control. Tuesday night also turned out to be a good night for diversity, with victories for notable LGBTQ+, Native American, African-American, Latina, and Muslim candidates. There were some not entirely unexpected, but disappointing losses – Beto O’Rourke in Texas and Andrew Gillum in Florida chief among them, as Stacey Abrams is still fighting the good fight and has not yet conceded in Georgia. While far from creating ideal circumstances, the election results have given liberals and progressives reasons to be hopeful.
Later in the show, Robin interviews Biff Bam Pop! publisher, Andy Burns. Just on the heels of the Halloween season, his new book, This Dark Chest of Wonders: 40 Years of Stephen King’s ‘The Stand‘ is on its way from Cemetery Dance Publications. Andy shares about how he came to write the book and gives a bit of a Horror/Stephen King 101 for the uninitiated and offers perspective on the spectacle of U.S. politics from north of the border.
Birthday nods include Bram Stoker, Margaret Mitchell, Minnie Riperton, Bonnie Raitt, Rickie Lee Jones, Gordon Ramsay, Tom Anderson (MySpace Tom!), and Laura Jane Grace.
Happy Diwali to all those who are celebrating. May light triumph over darkness!
Things to do:
Read “The Year of Women of Color”
Observe Intersex Day of Remembrance and read this thread on biological sex as a spectrum.
Check out a ’70s classic:
httpss://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE0pwJ5PMDg
[…] The Leftscape – the shape of progressive conversation: “Light at the End of the Election (Episode 23).” […]