Episode 217 - Zaporozhian Cossacks

[Mike]

This week, in a display of shocking language and vulgarity, Mike describes the mocking reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks to the Sultan of Turkey. Those guys are awesome! Then there’s some Nerd Rage over one college’s claim that ‘there are no wrong answers’. Mike reviews the movie Greatest Showman. And then there’s a plethora of topics on Fingertips, including getting fingerprinted, People Eaters, and a little bit of Flat Earth philosophy among other stuff. All this, plus a half-dozen, all-new, listener-submitted Pod-O-Matic entries AND some Listener Betrayal. It’s finally time to ditch those water wings and come join us in the deep end of the pool. Listen and enjoy! You won’t regret it.

Enjoy!

[Cazmonster]

Yancey should get the degree and do everything he can to make sure that no one else goes to that school.

[Mike]

It's been 48 hours since I recorded that.

He's now looking at studies that demonstrate that it is specifically Christian values that make the U.S. the greatest nation on earth.

The required viewing for today has the speaker talking about the importance of morality. He says, "morality is..." and what follows is almost word for word a textbook definition of libertarianism.

It's bizarre.

[Cazmonster]

And these people are taking thousands of dollars from him to hear their words echoed back to them again.

Damn them.

[akiva]

Was it just a coincidence that the first thing on the fingertips list dealt with . . . fingertips?

[akiva]

I love Repin's work. In particular, I love a painting of his of Ivan the Terrible. Near the end of his life, Ivan beat his oldest son to death in a fit of rage. The painting shows Ivan clutching his dead son, with the horror of what he's done in his eyes.

[akiva]

So the paper using the Constitution is already done? I had some ideas about voting rights and the 3/5 clause.

[Mike]

[Mike]

[Mike]

[akiva]

[akiva]

[Phoebe]

Loved hearing about the painting - I also think that list of insults should be separated out and turned into titles for posters here. Including Zaporozhian Cossack.

[Phoebe]

As you might imagine I have a few thoughts about Yancey's experience, but I will confine myself to just one: this is why some politicians are working very, very hard to undermine public institutions and public education at all level from K - graduate. They would like to see institutions with such educational values ascend over those which favor actual openness and freedom of thought and expression. I might add as an interesting comparison that at other (public) institutions in Yancey's state, this happens, and it gives you an idea of how totally committed they are to the freedom of expression on the daily, even when it might be somewhat personally terrifying: https://thinkprogress.org/unl-white-nat ... cbb2fcbb8/ Imagine taking classes alongside or teaching a person who, say, wants to argue that people with your ancestry are responsible for all evils and should be purged from your country. Not that this person merely disagrees with you, no - wants your people gone. Supports ideologies and groups related to the actual extermination and genocide of people. Yet at a public institution committed to actual humanist education and freedom of expression, they are obligated to find a way to address this objectively and fairly. Compare this to your account of Yancey in your words taking a mandatory course supporting racist viewpoints, where he feels pressured to agree if he wants to pass the course. I can't even... I can't discuss it. I can't open that floodgate. Yancey is right to be a fan of principle imo.