Thorne Dreyer :
RAG RADIO PODCASTS | Interviews with Burt Neuborne, Rev. Jim Rigby, Jesse Sublett, Barbara Hines, and Professor Dumpster

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

On these podcasts we discuss the first amendment, religion in a secular society, organized crime in ’60s Austin, immigrant rights and family detention, and sustainability through performance art!

jesse sublett koop sm

Author and musician Jesse Sublett in the studios of KOOP Radio in Austin, Texas, April 24, 2015. Photo by Roger Baker / The Rag Blog.

Interviews by Thorne Dreyer | The Rag Blog | May 22, 2014

Rag Radio has an international audience and has become an influential platform for interviews with leading figures in politics, current events, literature, and cutting-edge culture. The following podcasts are from recent Rag Radio shows that have not previously been posted to The Rag Blog.

∗First Amendment Scholar Burt Neuborne, Author of ‘Madison’s Music’

burt neuborneRead the show description and download the podcast of our May 8, 2015 Rag Radio show with Burt Neuborne here — or listen to it here:

∗Rev Jim Rigby on ‘The Role of Religion in a Secular State’

jim rigby 2015 sm crpRead the show description and download the podcast of our May 1, 2015 Rag Radio interview with Rev. Jim Rigby here — or listen to it here:


Continue reading →

Posted in RagBlog | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lamar W. Hankins :
Move to Amend vs. the Supreme Court

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

We must put corporations in their place and acknowledge that money is a commodity, not speech.

corporations are not people

Image from Move to Amend.

By Lamar W. Hankins | The Rag Blog | May 19, 2015

For five years, ever since the illogical and corporatist Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, which reaffirmed that corporations have the personal rights of citizens and held that money is speech, I have wanted to find an effective way to correct the damage those five Supreme Court Justices did to our system of government and our Constitution.

Recently, I found what I was looking for. I heard David Cobb speak about the the slow rise of corporate rights in this country — rights that are mistaken, but threaten to overcome the Constitutional framework devised by James Madison and others in 1787 and ratified in 1789. Corporations were once granted limited privileges, which have morphed into nearly unlimited rights conferred by an extremist judiciary that disregards the foundations of our democratic republic — a republic created by real people, not artificial entities.
Continue reading →

Posted in RagBlog | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Beverly Baker Moore :
METRO EVENT | Wake Up*Dead Men

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Alice Embree

Bruce Jackson will be joined by the ‘San Antonio Four’ at La Peña’s opening of his Texas prison photography retrospective.

cummins prison farm bruce jackson

Cummins Prison Farm, 1975. Photo by Bruce Jackson, whose retrospective is opening at Austin’s La Peña Gallery.

By Beverly Baker Moore | The Rag Blog | May 18, 2015

Event: ‘Wake*Up, Dead Men: A Retrospective of Bruce Jackson’s Prison Farm Photography and Film Work, 1965-1975’
Opening Reception: Friday, June 5, 2015, 6-8 p.m.
Exhibit: June 5-30, 2015
Where: La Peña Gallery
Address: 227 Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78701
Gallery hours: Mon-Fri, 8-5 p.m.; Sat, 8-3 p.m.
Cost: Free

AUSTIN — “Wake*Up Dead Men,” a retrospective of Bruce Jackson’s Texas Prison Farm Photography, 1965-1975, opens with a public reception on Friday, June 5, 2015. 6-8 p.m., at Austin’s La Peña Gallery.  Jackson is an American folklorist, documentary filmmaker, writer, and photographer.

Bruce Jackson will be joined at the June 5 reception by the San Antonio Four — four women convicted in a 1994 child sexual abuse case who are now seeking exoneration in Texas courts — and several Texas prison exonorees. They will share their perspectives on prison reform initiatives.
Continue reading →

Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Elaine J. Cohen :
METRO | Hundreds gather in Dilley, Texas, in fight to #EndFamilyDetention

Posted on May 13, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

ICE’s ‘South Texas Family Residential Center,’ run by CCA, is the largest such facility in the country.

families united dilley

Demonstration to #EndFamilyDetention at Dilley, Texas, May 2, 2015.
Photo © Steve Pavey.

By Elaine J. Cohen | The Rag Blog | May 13, 2015

DILLEY, Texas — I’ve been hearing about Dilley, Texas, for years. My friend, Andy, is from there. He told stories of this small town in the middle of nowhere (but very close to the border) and the escapades of his group of artist/outsider friends and how they survived growing up there.

Then last year those of us in the immigrant rights/end detention circles started hearing about the property in Dilley owned by Red McCombs, a “man camp” for the oil and gas workers who had been working there for many years. Extracting and polluting, taking out and leaving filth in the air and water.
Continue reading →

Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Rag Blog :
METRO EVENT |Author Smadar Lavie speaks on the Israeli elections and the Mizrahi predicament

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Alice Embree

wrapped in the flag of israel

By The Rag Blog | The Rag Blog | May 12, 2015

What: Smadar Lavie discusses her book, ‘Wrapped in the
Flag of Israel’
Date: Sunday, May 24, 2015
Time: 4-6 p.m.
Where: Resistencia Bookstore
Address: 4926 E. Cesar Chavez, Unit C1, Austin, TX 78702
Admission: Free

AUSTIN – – Austin Jewish Voice for Peace is hosting a talk by Professor Smadar Lavie, author of Wrapped in the Flag of Israel, at Resistencia Bookstore on Sunday, May 24, 2015, from 4-6 p.m. Lavie is a Mizrahi feminist leader, Palestinian-solidarity activist, and scholar. She will speak on Gaza 2014, the recent Israeli elections, and the Israeli Mizrahi predicament.
Continue reading →

Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Michael James :
The beach house, south to Mexico, and a
rainbow victory, 1983

Posted on May 12, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

From this tiny spot on the edge of the earth I ventured out into the world, seeking adventures and trying to make Mother Earth a better place.

michael 26 - 13

Beach house interior with thumb piano, Hank Williams,and an empty bottle of Cerveza Victoria from Nicaragua. Photos by Michael James from his forthcoming book, Michael Gaylord James’ Pictures from the Long Haul.

By Michael James | The Rag Blog | May 12, 2015

[In this series, Michael James is sharing images from his rich past, accompanied by reflections about — and inspired by — those images. These photos will be included in his forthcoming book, Michael Gaylord James’ Pictures from the Long Haul.]

The “beach house” was my bachelor pad on the edge of the earth, a secluded hideaway crib with a close-to-nature vibe. In the early ’80s I lived in this space, situated near the end of the Loyola Avenue alley at the edge of the Great Lake Michigan. During my years there I did some growing up; by the end of the decade I had grown beyond it.
Continue reading →

Posted in RagBlog | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tom Hayden :
There may be an alternative to Obama’s pro-corporate trade deal

Posted on May 10, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

It seems unlikely, but should Obama decide to extricate himself from an inconvenient initiative, here’s a way out.

tpp protest

Protest at TPP negotiations in New York on January 26, 2015 Photo by Cindy Trinh; Puppet by Elliot Crown. Image from Systemic Disorder.

By Tom Hayden | The Rag Blog | May 10, 2014

President Obama’s recent progressive initiatives — pursuing diplomacy with Iran, opening relations with Cuba, protecting undocumented immigrants, lifting the federal minimum wage, extending Medicaid benefits to millions of uninsured Americans, imposing tough regulations on coal — are facing furious Republican opposition on every front. That’s why it’s peculiar that he persists in pushing pro-corporate trade agreements over the objections of a majority of Democrats, unions, and environmentalists.

The Trans-Pacific and Trans-Atlantic trade agreements (TPP and TTIP) are being negotiated in secrecy, presumably because they include elements of a corporate agenda that would be rejected if ever debated in public, according to the expert opinion of Lori Wallach of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch.
Continue reading →

Posted in RagBlog | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Rag Blog :
METRO EVENT | It’s a Rag Blog Happy Hour and you’re invited! With special guests Jim Hightower & Ellen Sweets

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

Rock out with us at Maria’s on Saturday, May 9, with our favorite populist pundit, Jim Hightower, and Ellen Sweets, author of ‘Stirring It Up with Molly Ivins.’

Event: Rag Blog/Rag Radio Happy Hour
Special Guests: Jim Hightower and Ellen Sweets
When: Saturday, May 9, 2015, 4-6:30 p.m.
Where: Maria’s Taco Xpress
Address: 2529 S Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78704
Cost: Free (donations welcome); Cash bar & food
Who can come: You!

AUSTIN — Please join the Rag Blog/Rag Radio community for an informal Happy Hour gathering Saturday, May 9, from 4-6:30 p.m., at Maria’s Taco Xpress in South Austin. It’s free and everybody’s welcome.

jim hightower 2015 trio sm crp 3

Jim Higtower, in his signature hat, with Rag Radio’s Tracey Schulz, left, and Thorne Dreyer, on March 16, 2015, in the KOOP studios. Photo by Roger Baker / The Rag Blog.

Our special guests are progressive writer, radio commentator, and political activist, Jim Hightower, for years a major force on the populist left, and journalist Ellen Sweets, author of Stirring It Up with Molly Ivins.
Continue reading →

Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Alice Embree :
METRO | Ambush at UT-Austin

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

A firestorm of criticism has followed the selection of George Prescott Bush to receive the Latino Leadership Award.

UT Austin Latino Leadership Award

Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, right, with UT-Austin President William Powers at campus reception. Photo from the University of Texas at Austin.

By Alice Embree | The Rag Blog | April 30, 2015

AUSTIN — When Texas Land Commissioner George Prescott Bush became the first recipient of the Latino Leadership Award at the University of Texas at Austin on March 30, 2015, the decision ignited a firestorm of criticism in the national Latino community. The award was presented by the Mexican American and Latina/o Studies Department (MALS) and the Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS).

First came a demonstration, then a nationally circulated petition calling for redress, including a withholding of donations to the institution and a change of personnel.

Now a resolution proposed by the National Association for Chicana and Chicano Studies (NACCS), the major organization of academics in the field, lays out the group’s concerns about these UT units’ violations of their principles as a result of the actions of Dr. Nicole Guidotti-Hernandez, department chair of MALS, and Dr. Domino Perez, director of CMAS.
Continue reading →

Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Rag Blog :
METRO EVENT | ‘Black Out’: A documentary on gentrification in Austin

Posted on April 30, 2015 by Alice Embree

black out

By The Rag Blog | The Rag Blog | April 30, 2015

Event:  Screening of ‘Black Out’
What: Documentary on gentrification in Austin
Date: Thursday, April 30, 2015
Time: 7 p.m.
Where: UT-Austin Student Activities Center (SAC) Auditorium 1.402
Address: 2201 Speedway, Austin, TX 78712
General Admission: Free

AUSTIN — The University of Texas at Austin National Association of Black Journalists is presenting Black Out, a documentary on the recent gentrification in Austin, Texas. The flim will be screened at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, at the UT-Austin Student Activities Center.

African-Americans are leaving Austin at an accelerating rate in stark contrast to the city’s rapid growth. Among high growth cities, the trend is unique to Austin. This film explores the effects of the arts, belonging, and gentrification in Austin’s black community. A brief panel with the creators of the documentary will follow.

Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kate Braun :
Celebrate the fire festival Beltane, aka May Day

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

Beltane has to do with heat, romance, passion, survival, spontaneity, food, fertility, and joining.

fairies and fireflies

Fairies astride fireflies celebrate Beltane. Image from Astral Society.

By Kate Braun | The Rag Blog | April 29, 2015

We celebrate the season of Beltane, also called Roodmas, May Day, and Walpurgisnacht, on April 30 or May 1. This is a minor celebration on the Wheel of Life and will probably not be indicated on your calendar.

Beltane is a festival having to do with heat, romance, passion, survival, spontaneity, food, fertility, and joining. It is a fire festival; having candles burning will provide a symbolic bonfire if you don’t have the space for outdoor celebrating with a blazing fire in a cauldron or chiminea.

While all colors may be used in your decorations, make sure to include white, dark green, and red. Serve your guests a buffet including, but not limited to, dairy foods, red fruits such as strawberries and cherries, green salads that incorporate herbs such as parsley, oat cakes, breads, and sangria.
Continue reading →

Posted in RagBlog | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Alan Waldman :
TELEVISION | ‘Scott & Bailey’ is a gripping Manchester cop series headed by three smart, strong women

Posted on April 28, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

Lesley Sharp, Suranne Jones, and Amelia Bullmore are deft as police inspectors great at their jobs but shaky in their personal lives.

scott & bailey

Leslie Sharp, left, and Suranne Jones in British policier Scott & Bailey.

By Alan Waldman | The Rag Blog | April 28, 2015

[In his Rag Blog column, Alan Waldman reviews some of his favorite films and TV series that readers may have missed, including TV dramas, mysteries, and comedies from Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Scotland. Most are available on DVD, Netflix and/or Netflix Instant Streaming, and some episodes are on YouTube.]

Recently most U.S. public broadcasting stations have been airing the 30 excellent episodes (from four seasons) of Scott & Bailey that were shot over the past five years. Netflix offers 14 episodes from the first two seasons and you can watch this episode on YouTube.

This British policier’s main characters are Detective Constable Janet Scott (Lesley Sharp) and Detective Constable Rachel Bailey (Suranne Jones), both of whom are members of the Major Incident Team of the fictional Manchester Metropolitan Police, headed by Detective Chief Inspector Gill Murray (Amelia Bullmore). Based on an original idea by Jones and Sally Lindsay, Scott & Bailey was commissioned after the concept was brought to acclaimed TV writer Sally Wainwright (major awards for Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax).
Continue reading →

Posted in RagBlog | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment