Unabashed Atheist: Ron Reagon (Freethought Radio)

In the news: FFRF complains about Christian crosses on a Kentucky city water tower and a Minnesota public hillside. Listen to a Texas sheriff tell FFRF to “go butt a stump,” after another sheriff told us to “go fly a kite” after we complained about “In God We Trust” on police vehicles. Annie Laurie recites Emily Dickinson’s ode to “Indian Summer” and Dan Barker sings “Beware of Dogma." Then we hear excerpts of Ron Reagan’s FFRF speech accepting FFRF's “Unabashed Atheist” award.
Interview:
http://ffrf.libsyn.com/unabashed-atheist

Climate Denial in the GOP May Be Rampant, but Some Leading Republicans Are Breaking Ranks

With some GOP leaders joining the scientific majority, could bipartisan climate action become a reality?
http://www.alternet.org/environment/climate-change-gop-climate-denial-bipartisan-climate-action-even-possible

Is Ted Cruz Scarier Than Donald Trump?

Ted Cruz and Donald Trump might seem different, but their policies are pretty similar. And Cruz's election strategy might actually give him a chance of winning the nomination...
https://youtu.be/EOBq2TatJ0M

The GOP Debate Fear Cauldron: According to the Republican Candidates, You’re Going to Die

The GOP debate was about whipping up public anxiety over terrorists, who are apparently seconds from murdering you...
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/gop-debate-fear-cauldron-according-republican-candidates-youre-going-die

Soda Scandal: Journalists Fail to Reveal Sources Funded by Coca-Cola

Why did so many reporters and news outlets fail to disclose the conflicts of interests of two prominent professors?
http://www.alternet.org/food/soda-scandal-journalists-fail-reveal-sources-funded-coca-cola

10 Biggest Lies and Distortions From the GOP Debate

Terror panic always brings out the biggest bullsh**ters.
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/10-biggest-lies-and-distortions-gop-debate

White America’s Toxic Ignorance: Abigail Fisher, Antonin Scalia and the Real Privilege That Goes Unspoken

If affirmative action gives unearned opportunities to one racial group, it is whites who have benefited the most.
http://www.alternet.org/white-americas-toxic-ignorance-abigail-fisher-antonin-scalia-and-real-privilege-goes-unspoken

Ben Carson Revives Debunked Claim Of Muslim-Controlled ‘No-Go Zones’ In Europe

“Everyone is welcome in America if they’re willing to assimilate, but we don’t want the kind of situation that has occurred in Great Britain where you have 85 sharia courts and no-go areas and things like that,” Carson told the room of mainly older Republican women. “That doesn’t make sense for the United States of America, which is the great melting pot.”
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/12/16/3733051/carson-no-goes-there/

Mandy Patinkin Wants Us To Exercise Our Humanity

Mandy Patinkin has some thoughts on the world, fear and humanity.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/sMW0y2QiLZg

Week In The News: G.O.P. Debate, Fed Rate Hike, Baltimore Mistrial (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

You can feel the holidays coming this week. Everybody pushing to get things squared away. Paris is a wrap, with an historic climate agreement. We’ll see how it plays out. Congress is pushing hard to wrap up a federal spending package. Nobody happy but everybody wants to go home. John Kerry, trying to negotiate a Syria path with Moscow. The President, summing up his year, heading to San Bernadino and Hawaii. We’ve got a hung jury in Baltimore. Fed moves. And the force of “Star Wars” all over. This hour On Point, our weekly news roundtable goes behind the headlines. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/12/18/freddie-gray-congress-budget-donald-trump

Friday News Roundup – Domestic (Diane Rehm Show, 2015-12-18)

The Federal Reserve raises interest rates for the first time in nearly a decade. Fed Chair Janet Yellen says the U.S. economic recovery has come a long way. A neighbor of one of the San Bernardino shooters is charged with supporting terrorism for plotting other attacks. President Obama says the U.S. faces no specific, credible terror threats this holiday season but that Americans need to stay vigilant. Congress is poised to wrap up passage of a year-end tax and spending deal. National security takes center stage at the latest Republican presidential debate. And a judge in Baltimore declares a mistrial in the case of the first police officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray. A panel of journalists joins Diane for analysis of the week’s top national news stories.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-12-18/friday-news-roundup-domestic

Friday News Roundup – International (Diane Rehm Show, 2015-12-18)

U.S.-led airstrikes kill nearly 200 ISIS fighters in northern Iraq, helping repel the group’s most serious offensive in months. Saudi Arabia announces a coalition of Arab and Muslim countries to combat the ISIS threat. World leaders meet at the U.N. to weigh a new Syrian peace plan. Belgium says a law limiting raids may have allowed a suspect in the Paris attacks to escape. After months of escalating violence, the U.N.’s human rights chief says Burundi is on the cusp of civil war. And the army announces Bowe Bergdahl will face a court martial for deserting his post in Afghanistan.
Interview:
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2015-12-18/friday-news-roundup-international

ISIS Is Trying To Create A Doomsday Bomb, But Is The Key Ingredient A Myth?

New York Times reporter C.J. Chivers discusses efforts by ISIS to weaponize a mysterious substance known as red mercury. "It's never been seen," he says. "It essentially is an urban legend."
Interview:
http://www.npr.org/2015/11/24/457175815/isis-is-trying-to-create-a-doomsday-bomb-but-is-the-key-ingredient-a-myth

How Flint, Michigan, Saved Money and Poisoned Its Children: City Declares Water Emergency

The mayor of Flint, Michigan, has declared a state of emergency to address lead poisoning in the city’s water supply. Last year, the city’s unelected emergency manager switched the city’s water source from the Detroit system to the long-polluted Flint River in an attempt to save money. A study released in September found the proportion of children under five in Flint with elevated lead levels in their blood nearly doubled following the switch. Flint residents filed a federal lawsuit accusing the city and state of endangering their health by exposing them to dangerous lead levels in their tap water. Michigan has the most sweeping emergency management laws in the country, which allow the governor to appoint a single person to run financially troubled cities. We speak to investigative reporter Curt Guyette of the ACLU of Michigan and Flint resident Melissa Mays. She and her three children have been diagnosed with lead and copper poisoning. She is the founder of Water You Fighting For?, a Flint, Michigan-based research and advocacy organization founded around the city’s water crisis.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/hmjQqIIOpM4

After 28 Years in Prison, Man Falsely Convicted in Botched Investigation to Walk Free

Democracynow.org - A Denver, Colorado, man has spent 28 years in prison based on a dream—and it wasn’t his. Now he could soon be free. In 1989, Clarence Moses-EL, who is African-American, was sentenced to 48 years in prison after a woman said she dreamed he was the man who raped and beat her in the dark. The victim said she was raped in her apartment after a night out drinking at a party. She was beaten so badly during the attack that she suffered broken facial bones and lost the use of one eye. Initially, the victim named three men she had been drinking with as her possible attackers—none of them was Clarence Moses-EL. But police never investigated any of those men, because, a day and a half later, the victim said she had a dream that Moses-EL was the one who raped her. Moses-EL has always maintained his innocence. But the police threw out a rape kit and any possible evidence, like bed sheets and her clothes. This summer, another man confessed to the attack, yet Moses-EL remained in prison. Now a judge has lifted his conviction, but Moses-EL still remains in jail. He could be freed as early as Tuesday, when a bond hearing has been set. The District Attorney’s Office has not yet said if they will attempt to retry him for the crime. We speak with Colorado Independent editor Susan Greene, who has long covered the story, and with Moses-EL’s attorney, Gail Johnson.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/0CXtTS8klPU

Ceasefire in Yemen Faces Collapse as U.S. Continues Weapons Sales to Saudi Arabia, Fueling Civil War

Democracynow.org - United Nations-brokered peace talks in Yemen’s nine-month-old civil war are faltering, amid disputes between rival factions over the release of prisoners. Meanwhile, local officials have reported intensifying clashes and renewed airstrikes despite an ongoing ceasefire. Over the weekend, U.S.-backed, Saudi-led airstrikes killed 19 Yemeni civilians in their homes and at a market. About half of the nearly 6,000 people killed in Yemen’s conflict are civilians, including more than 600 children. Rima Kamal of the International Committee for the Red Cross in Yemen warned of a deepening humanitarian crisis. The United States has bolstered the Saudi-led coalition’s airstrikes in Yemen through arms sales and direct military support. Saudi Arabia is one of the U.S. arms industry’s biggest customers. Last month, the State Department approved a billion-dollar deal to restock Saudi Arabia’s air force arsenal, which was depleted by its bombing campaign in Yemen. The sale included thousands of air-to-ground munitions and "general purpose" bombs. The United States and other countries have also reportedly sold internationally banned cluster munitions to Saudi Arabia that are now being used in Yemen. We speak with reporter Sharif Abdel Kouddous, who has just returned from Yemen. His recent piece for GlobalPost is "With US help, Saudi Arabia is obliterating Yemen."
Interview:
https://youtu.be/0KRuMM5TGv4

Top U.S. & World Headlines — December 17, 2015

https://youtu.be/LNhIBSyITzo

The Myths that Stole Christmas, with Dr. David Kyle Johnson (The Humanist Hour #179)

In this episode, Bo Bennett and Kim Ellington interview Dr. David Kyle Johnson about his new book, The Myths that Stole Christmas: Seven Misconceptions that Hijacked the Holiday (and How We Can Take It Back). Later, Humanist Hour correspondent Patty Traynor interviews Kevin Davis, executive director of Young Skeptics.

Dr. David Kyle Johnson is an associate professor of philosophy at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and is also a professor for The Great Courses. His courses include Exploring Metaphysics (2014) and The Big Questions of Philosophy (2016). In addition to being the author of The Myths that Stole Christmas, he also blogs for Psychology Today, has written and edited extensively for Wiley-Blackwell’s Philosophy and Pop Culture series, and has a popular Authors@Google talk on the movie Inception. He has published work in journals such as Religious Studies, Sophia, Philo, Think, and Science, Religion and Culture regarding metaphysics and philosophy of religion.

Kevin Davis is the head writer and editor at DividedUnderGod.com, and the author of Understanding an Atheist: A Practical Guide to Relating to Nonbelievers, a book aimed at improving relationships between the religious and their atheist loved ones.
Interview:
http://thehumanist.com/multimedia/podcast/the-humanist-hour-179-the-myths-that-stole-christmas-with-dr-david-kyle-johnson

The Krampus (and other unusual Christmas traditions) (The Thinking Atheist)

It's a romp around the globe, as we explore some Christmas traditions beyond Santa, Frosty the Snowman, holiday ham, and the baby Jesus. Get ready for Christmas witches, fried chicken feasts, Festivus ("for the rest of us"), the Spanish pooper, and of course, the Krampus. Seth writes about the Krampus (and many other things) in his book, "Sacred Cows: a Lighthearted Look at Belief and Tradition Around the World."
http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/podcast/the-krampus-and-other-unusual-christmas-traditions

The Case for Atheism (Richard Carrier)

This is Richard Carrier's opening statement from a "Does God Exist?" debate at Skepticon 2. The full debate (also featuring Victor Stenger and JT Eberhard) can be seen here: https://youtu.be/0WJ31_ZXJ_01...
Interview:
https://youtu.be/8legh0cKsRI


The full debate -- Does God Exist? -- https://youtu.be/0WJ31_ZXJ_0

Christianity Debunked Using Science and History - Richard Carrier

"Dr. Richard Carrier gives a lecture at CFI Calgary about how science and history can be used to easily disprove religion of any kind, but with special attention paid to Christianity. Watch as Dr. Carrier outlines the history of religion in humankind for tens of thousands of years before Jesus ever showed up and even then it wasn't original. Ideas borrowed from other cultures and religions like Zoroastrianism lay the foundation for Christianity. The changes made to religions

If you're a Christian when you start watching this, you won't be by the time it's over. If you are still are, well maybe you'll start using that brain of yours and free yourself eventually."
Interview:
https://youtu.be/EZ2kGJk4Jo4

Cruz Blames 'Political Correctness' For The San Bernardino Attack. The FBI Says He's Wrong. | ThinkProgress

“It’s not a lack of competence that is preventing the Obama administration from stopping these attacks,” Cruz said on Wednesday. “It is political correctness. We didn’t monitor the Facebook posting of the female San Bernardino terrorist because the Obama DHS [Department of Homeland Security] thought it would be inappropriate. She made a public call to jihad, and they didn’t target it.”
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/12/16/3732921/ted-cruz-political-correctness/

AP Fact-Checks The GOP's National Security Debate

Here's a look at some of the claims Tuesday night and how they compare with the facts...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/ap-gop-natl-security-debate-fact-check

Muslims Should Be ‘Begging’ FBI To Come Surveil Mosques

Huckabee went on to say someone “might just wanna listen” to the service. He also said if Islam “is as wonderful and peaceful as its adherents say, shouldn’t they be begging us to all come in and listen...and bring the FBI so we'd all want to convert to Islam?"
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/huckabee-mosque-surveillance-gop-debate

Ted Cruz misfires on definition of 'carpet bombing' in GOP debate

Says carpet bombing means bombing "not a city, but the location of the troops," with "embedded special forces to direct the air power."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/dec/16/ted-cruz/ted-cruz-misfires-definition-carpet-bombing-gop-de/

Carly Fiorina claims military generals 'retired early' after being frank with Obama | PolitiFact

"One of the things I would immediately do … is bring back the warrior class -- Petraeus, McChrystal, Mattis, Keane, Flynn. ... Every one was retired early because they told President Obama things that he didn’t want to hear."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/dec/16/carly-fiorina/carly-fiorina-claims-military-generals-retired-ear/

ISIS Is Using Civilians As Human Shields, Meaning Cruz Can’t Simply Target Troops

CRUZ: You would carpet bomb where ISIS is, not a city, but the location of the troops. You use air power directed — and you have embedded special forces to direction the air power. But the object isn’t to level a city. The object is to kill the ISIS terrorists.

The problem with this statement is that ISIS troops are embedded among a civilian population, as documented by the winners of CPJ’s International Press Freedom award Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently...
http://thinkprogress.org/world/2015/12/17/3733350/isis-is-using-civilians-as-human-shields-meaning-cruz-cant-simply-target-troops/

5 Climate And Clean Energy Charts From 2015 You Need To See | ThinkProgress

This was a big year in climate science and solutions. We learned a number of truly astounding things, which generally makes for great charts...
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/12/17/3733049/best-climate-clean-energy-charts-2015/

Court To Catholic School: No, You Can’t Fire People Because They Are Gay

...Plaintiff Matthew Barrett had applied for a job at Fontbonne Academy, a Catholic prep school for girls in Milton, Massachusetts, as a Food Services Director. After several interviews, he was offered the job. On his new hire form, Barrett listed his husband as his emergency contact. Two days later, Fontbonne informed him that he could not have the job because his marriage was inconsistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church...
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/12/17/3733518/massachusetts-catholic-school-anti-gay-discrimination/

Senate Republicans Already Blaming Anti-Surveillance Movement For Terrorist Attacks

“There could be some second thoughts among both Republicans and Democrats in the wake of Paris and San Bernardino about the appropriateness of watering down our national security tools,” McConnell told the AP in an interview. “It’s an area we’re going to take a look at. Because look, national security and these threats of terrorism are now right at the top of the list of concerns of the American people.”
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/12/17/3733436/senate-mass-surveillance/

Key Immigration Reformers Cast Doubt On Cruz's 'Poison Pill' Account

"Ted Cruz voted against the vision of immigration reform that he now embraces," Sharry said...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/ted-cruz-marco-rubio-immigration-reform

Just how fast is Greenland melting?

A new study looks at how the amount and structure of Greenland's ice has changed since 1900...
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/1217/Just-how-fast-is-Greenland-melting

#WeAreAllMuslim: Why Michael Moore is taking on Donald Trump

The filmmaker, who created such documentaries as the Oscar-winning 'Bowling for Columbine' and 'Fahrenheit 9/11' among others, took a message of tolerance to Donald Trump's signature building in New York...
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2015/1217/WeAreAllMuslim-Why-Michael-Moore-is-taking-on-Donald-Trump

American Muslims Feel The Heat (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

This is not an easy moment to be Muslim in America, trying to work and raise kids and get along. Within the drumbeat of mass shootings in this country – and there are many, by Christians and more – a killing by Muslims draws a fierce focus and, in the week since San Bernadino, calls for stark discrimination. Think Donald Trump. And still, there are millions of American Muslims getting up every day to live ordinary, admirable American lives, in times that feel anything but ordinary. This hour On Point, we’ve invited in a roundtable of American Muslims to look at the country and our challenges, their challenges, now. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/12/09/san-bernardino-islamophobia-donald-trump

What We Wanted To Hear From GOP Candidates

https://youtu.be/Auor1Y3IJb4

Muslim Americans react to the GOP debate

At a home in Virginia, a little more than a dozen Muslim Americans affiliated with both parties reacted to the debate.
https://youtu.be/dncQh2KI2fE

The GOP debate fact check

The presidential candidates made many proclamations on the Las Vegas stage, but some of the facts were clouded.
https://youtu.be/zMpqtKDPM2s

These White People Spoke Out Against Donald Trump During CNN's GOP Debate

Donald Trump says that everyone loves him – but #WhitesAgainstTrump beg to differ.
https://youtu.be/-SvRJmIZ5JM

“Free Dumbs – America’s Biggest Enemy” by Old Fart Rants

Transcript:
After the last Republican presidential of 2015 debate last night I think I can sum it up pretty quick. Everything bad that’s ever happened since the big bang is Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton’s fault, and if you don’t vote Republican in 2016 ISIS is going to kill you. That’s pretty much it in a nutshell. Every time I hear Republicans talk I can’t help but think that you’d have to be a moron to vote for any of them. If you’re a regular viewer you’ve heard me say many times that the biggest threat to America is stupidity, and the current incarnation of the Republican Party and its clown car wannabe’s proves it. Dealing with terrorism is child’s play compared to un-dumbing the dumbed down state of the Republican Party base which is ignorant, superstitious, and scared to death of any and every boogie man the right wing can come up with, including clean energy.

Now I don’t know if the residents of the small town of Woodland, North Carolina are mostly Republican or not, but I’d be willing to bet they are since the town council passed on building a solar panel farm because suspicious residents like Bobby Mann and his wife Jane, who is a retired science teacher no less, are afraid that the solar panels will suck up all the sunlight and kill the plants and crops. I’m not kidding – that’s what they said! Mrs. Mann, who remember used to teach science to children in one of the three US states that produce almost a billion pounds of tobacco per year, also said “no one can tell me that solar panels don’t cause cancer.” It's amazing these people can get dressed in the morning! According to their logic, we should ban overweight women from going to the beach because skinny women will never get a tan because the overweight women would suck up all the sunlight! This country was first to put a man on the moon with less computing power than your average wristwatch. American exceptionalism you say? These people would be lucky to put a man in a tree! It’s frightening that a bunch of children in “the most powerful and advanced country in the world” learned science from someone who doesn't know how the sun works.

And whether or not these people happen to be Republicans, it’s even more frightening to see Republican Party leaders and candidates constantly pushing to eliminate government agencies like the EPA and Department of Education, and even teach fairy tales from the Bible as equal to science in our school systems! And if you think I’m making a mountain out of a molehill, don’t forget – we have US Congressmen and Senators who say science is the work of Satan, and the leading 2016 Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump saying we should shut down the parts of the Internet that ISIS uses! You see, this is why we can’t have nice things. Unless something big happens this will probably be my last video for 2015. I’m not going to rant on my feelings about Christmas this year, I’ll just refer to you previous videos from about this time in previous years – I think there’s about 4 or 5 of them. I’m leaving for the holidays next week and I’ll be back in January. However you plan to celebrate the holidays I hope you all have a wonderful time, and if you can, be sure to cherish any time you get to spend with your families, even your crazy uncle who watches Fox News. I can tell you from personal experience they won’t be around forever.
https://youtu.be/LmafihcVOXA

GOP Debate Wrap-Up - Late Night with Seth Meyers

https://youtu.be/wK8e16A8muE

GOP Insanity Is No Laughing Matter

The last few months have been a huge gift to comedians and late night talk show hosts, as Republicans are giving them more to talk about than ever before. But beyond the humor is a real threat - one of these candidates could very likely become our next president, and that's nothing to laugh about.
https://youtu.be/5JT1yJ_YGfM

Speaker at Trump rally: ‘I believe he was sent from God’

https://youtu.be/Ag6yQdTiHlY

Kochs Attempt To Infiltrate Progressive Organizations

The Koch Brothers have created a massive political infrastructure that rivals that of the Republican Party, and we’re only now beginning to see how extensive it really is. The latest piece of the puzzle shows that the Koch’s have created a network to spy on progressives.
https://youtu.be/Lz3-2IH2Fhw

Who Are the Biggest Winners & Losers of CNN's GOP Debate?

https://youtu.be/INbxTkxFXxA

CNN 5th Republican GOP Debate - Best Moments and Highlights
https://youtu.be/mHh7Ei0tJJY

Assessment of individual Performance at CNN's GOP Debate

Wendy Chung: Autism — what we know (and what we don't know yet)

In this calm and factual talk, geneticist Wendy Chung shares what we know about autism spectrum disorder — for example, that autism has multiple, perhaps interlocking, causes. Looking beyond the worry and concern that can surround a diagnosis, Chung and her team look at what we've learned through studies, treatments and careful listening.
https://youtu.be/wKlMcLTqRLs

Ted Cruz Finds Someone Dumber Than Himself To Deny Climate Change

This past Tuesday, conservative pundit Mark Steyn was, for some reason, invited by Ted Cruz to testify on climate change at a Senate subcommittee hearing. And, as expected, what came out of Steyn’s mouth was just as ridiculous as anything Cruz could have spewed himself.
https://youtu.be/4eBBzYBxBFU

The Republican Debate: How Low Does it Go?

https://youtu.be/GWJbmiE1Pdw

Top U.S. & World Headlines — December 17, 2015

https://youtu.be/LNhIBSyITzo

Richard Dawkins Demonstrates How Stupid "INTELLIGENT DESIGN" is!

https://youtu.be/gb_J-imkehU

RWW News: Trump Mystified That Refugees Own Cell Phones

https://youtu.be/yMgflzeZAPA

Rand Paul said that Marco Rubio is for an 'open border'

Says Marco Rubio "is the one for an open border."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/dec/15/rand-paul/rand-paul-said-marco-rubio-open-border/

Ted Cruz's claim that the head of the FBI told Congress 'they cannot vet those refugees' from Syria

"The head of the FBI has told Congress they cannot vet those (Syrian) refugees."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/dec/15/ted-cruz/ted-cruzs-claim-head-fbi-told-congress-they-cannot/

Donald Trump exaggerates how much coal in U.S. has been phased out

"We're practically not allowed to use coal any more. What do we do with our coal? We ship it to China and they spew it in the air."
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/dec/15/donald-trump/donald-trump-exaggerates-how-much-coal-us-has-been/

BREAKING: Sikh Store Owner Called Terrorist and Shot in the Face in MichiganDaily Sikh Updates

(In case you don't know, Sikh men are neither Muslim nor Arabic. They just happen to wear turbans and beards. Not that this crime would be any more appropriate with an actual Muslim...)

A Sikh shop owner in Michigan was shot in the face before being called a terrorist. The store owner was brought in a backroom by a gunman midnight Saturday at Bottlenecks Food and Drink Shop in Grand Rapids. The gunman demanded money and accused the man of being part of ISIS and was called a terrorist.

"...This white man, will get away with mental illness...lol... They will say, his father left him when he was a child and he grew up to be a depressed man. They gonna make a nice 1 hour documentary, how he was a good white boy while growing up...lol... if it had been a black guy, they would have said he is a murderer, if it had been a brown man, they would have labelled him as a terriorst..."
http://dailysikhupdates.com/breaking-sikh-store-owner-called-terrorist-and-shot-in-the-face-in-michigan/

California Police Officer Shoots A Man Climbing Out Of Car Wreck

Paradise, California Police Officer Patrick Feaster shot an unarmed man who was climbing out of a car wreck. The victim, who was allegedly drunk driving, may be paralyzed due to the gunshot, but Feaster won't face criminal charges.
https://youtu.be/DqmEe-yuUrU

Virus of Stupidity Plagues NC: Belief That Solar Panels Will Harm the Sun

The scene in a recent town council meeting in Woodland, North Carolina played out like a mediocre episode of South Park when ignorant townspeople used their back-country hick-town education to prevent the rezoning of land which would have been used for a solar farm due to concerns about the panels causing cancer, impeding photosynthesis, and sucking up too much sun.
https://youtu.be/1PH3e3kRrkI

Hard Climate Bargaining In Paris (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

It is crunch time now at the Paris climate talks. Almost time to stand and deliver. For all the promises and expectations to be met – or fall short. Out front, it’s been mainly smiles and high determination. Solemn vows to get it done. To draw a line on climate change. In the back rooms, it’s hardball. Who will really do how much to rein in global warming? Who will check that promises are kept? Who will help pay for poor nations to do their part? Talks like these have fallen apart before. Hopes are high this time, but it’s hard. This hour On Point, inside the crunch time negotiations in Paris. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/12/09/cop-21-paris-climate-change-debate

Unbelief As A Belief System: Core Tenet For Christians' Fight For Religious Rights

"Secularism and Christianity are distinct, immutable religions," writes David Lane, founder of the American Renewal Project, a group he organized to promote more political participation by conservative pastors. "Secularism advances the fundamental goodness of human nature, where historic Christianity sets forth a pessimistic view of human nature."
http://www.npr.org/2015/12/14/458969716/unbelief-as-a-belief-system-core-tenet-for-christians-fight-for-religious-rights

MUSLIM AMERICANS ARE MORE LIKELY TO REJECT VIOLENCE, INTOLERANCE THAN MANY OTHER AMERICANS

Donald Trump has proposed profiling Muslim Americans and shutting down mosques. He claims that Muslim “hatred is beyond comprehension.” But the truth is that Muslim Americans are not only integrating into U.S. society, but are actually more opposed to violence and more tolerant in many ways than many other Americans...
https://niskanencenter.org/blog/muslim-americans-are-more-likely-to-reject-violence-intolerance-than-many-americans/

Batman vs Street Preachers in Toronto

This was shot in Toronto in September 2013 during TIFF. This was also ripped from the Servant Hoods so that explains the Bible text overlays. I don't like to rip videos but since I was involved, and this should show some light on their ignorance.

Toronto Batman snaps at Jesus Street Preachers in front of the Eaton Centre. These preachers are here often enough, "preaching" about homophobia and intolerance. This is not to blast religion at all, but ignorance.
https://youtu.be/KQOeXCRZF64

The Republican debate featured nine presidential candidates

https://youtu.be/Gmzy0Q1ZdcQ

KKK fliers found in Kentucky

https://youtu.be/nshww92Qp7c

Top U.S. & World Headlines — December 16, 2015

https://youtu.be/2AkHXZcpG9o

The GOP debate fact check

The presidential candidates made many proclamations on the Las Vegas stage, but some of the facts were clouded.
https://youtu.be/zMpqtKDPM2s

Justice Ginsburg's Ominous Warning About Creeping Corporate Power | ThinkProgress

“The realistic alternative to a class action is not 17 million individual suits, but zero individual suits, as only a lunatic or a fanatic sues for $30.”
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/12/15/3731810/justice-ginsburgs-ominous-warning-about-creeping-corporate-power/

Fox Commenter Arrested For Threats Against Planned Parenthood Partner

Scott Anthony Orton posted comments vowing to pay anyone willing to kill employees for StemExpress, according to the criminal complaint from the FBI. StemExpress is a biotech firm that came under scrutiny for its work with Planned Parenthood's fetal tissue donation program and was a target of anti-abortion "sting" videos...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/fox-nation-stem-express-threats

Nominees For Ninth Annual Golden Dukes Award Announced!!

TPM is pleased to announce that we will be awarding our Ninth Annual Golden Dukes on December 31st, in recognition of the year's best purveyors of public corruption, outlandish behavior and The Crazy...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/golden-dukes-2015-nominees

Muslim Group Leader: Hate Crimes Against Muslims At A 'Crisis Point'

"We believe the level of hate violence has reached a crisis point, and that’s why it’s crucial that the federal government needs to send a message to the public, in the strongest terms, that these hate crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Farhana Khera, the executive director of Muslim Advocates, a legal advocacy group in San Francisco, told the New York Times after the meeting.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/farhana-khera-muslim-hate-crime-crisis-point

'Daily Show' Breaks Down Ted Cruz's 'Cute' Take On Global Warming (VIDEO)

"What Ted Cruz has done here is kinda cute," host Trevor Noah said. "You see, he's technically correct, that according to the satellite data, there hasn't been a significant increase in global temperatures in 18 years. But we don't usually measure in time periods of 18 years unless you're calculating child support."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/daily-show-ted-cruz-cute-global-warming

Mike Huckabee Tells America's Youth To Get Off Their Butts At CNN's Republican Debate

https://youtu.be/MJDiEEq5OGM

The Stunningly Long List Of Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Since San Bernardino

"We're talking at least three dozen that we're aware of, and I'm sure there are many more incidents that haven't been reported," he said. "With legit terror attacks and the public discourse about them, it has created an atmosphere ripe for these types of stereotypes and incidents."
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/anti-muslim-attacks-after-san-bernardino

Robert Reich: Why the Middle Class Is in Revolt and Susceptible to a Dangerous 'Strongman'

"It was only a matter of time before the anxious class would revolt."
http://www.alternet.org/economy/robert-reich-why-middle-class-revolt-and-susceptible-dangerous-strongman

Larry Wilmore Totally Slams 'Creepy' Ted Cruz | Alternet

"There is something seriously off about this guy."
http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/watch-larry-wilmore-totally-slams-creepy-ted-cruz

Great Day for Veterans (Forethought Radio)

Portland, Oregon, public high-school students disallowed from participating in a religious Catholic Grotto performance. Gideon bibles removed from Northern Illinois University hotel rooms. We announce Brooke Mulder as the winner of FFRF’s “Nothing Fails Like Prayer” contest for her secular invocation before Glendale, Arizona, city council. Then we hear veteran Steven Hewett (introduced by veteran Steve Trunk) talk about his successful lawsuit to remove a Christian War Memorial from the city of King, North Carolina.
Interview:
http://ffrf.libsyn.com/great-day-for-veterans

Dr. Abby Hafer on Unintelligent Design (The Humanist Hour #178)

In this episode, Bo Bennett speaks with Dr. Abby Hafer live, in studio, about her new book, The Not-So-Intelligent Designer: Why Evolution Explains the Human Body and Intelligent Design Does Not.

Dr. Hafer is a speaker, writer, and humorist who particularly loves taking about Intelligent Design & Creationism, the politics surrounding them, and science denialism in general.

A few years ago she realized that Intelligent Design is a political pressure group, not a scientific issue. With this figured out, she realized that what we need are political-style arguments in defense of evolution. Her presentations contain bulletproof science, and she uses humor to puncture bad arguments. Crucial questions are raised, such as, “Why do men’s testicles have such a bad location?” and, “Who does God like better, us—or squid?” She finds that once she mentions testicles, everybody pays attention.

Dr. Hafer has given talks at the American Humanist Association’s Annual Conferences in 2009 and 2011, and at the American Atheists’ 50th Anniversary Conference in 2013. She has a doctorate in zoology from Oxford University, and teaches human anatomy and physiology at Curry College in Milton, MA.
Interview:
http://thehumanist.com/multimedia/podcast/the-humanist-hour-178-dr-abby-hafer-on-unintelligent-design

SCOTUS Tackles Affirmative Action, Again (Tom Ashbrook, On Point)

The U.S. Supreme Court is back in the middle of affirmative action. It’s the University of Texas case again. White Abigail Fisher says she was cut off from admission by policies that consider race. And not, she says, in her favor. Oral argument was testy yesterday. Justice Scalia saying straight up that some black students might be better off at “slower track” schools. Nobody likes that affirmative action was needed. Is it needed now? Is there a better way, in this year of racial tension on American college campuses? This hour On Point, race, America, and affirmative action before the high court. — Tom Ashbrook
Interview:
http://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/12/10/supreme-court-affirmative-action

Four Reasons for Decline of Religion

...As a researcher who has spent 30 years studying human motivation, I believe we embrace or reject religion based on our values. I see four possible psychological reasons for the recent rise in secularism in America based on decades of studying what makes people tick...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steven-reiss/four-reasons-for-decline-_b_8778968.html

Top U.S. & World Headlines — December 15, 2015

https://youtu.be/fDeFsX0Y-H8

Rev. Franklin Graham: Only 'biblical principles' can fix the U.S. government

https://youtu.be/pM52vTDWNtU

For God and country: more U.S. pastors seek political office in 2016

“This is a fundamental shift in strategy,” said John Fea, a history professor at Christian Messiah College, who is nevertheless skeptical the effort will produce the desired results. “Rather than forcing this from the top down, this is about a grassroots approach to changing the culture by embedding ministers in local politics from the ground up,” he said...
http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2015/12/11/for-god-and-country-more-u-s-pastors-seek-political-office-in-2016/

“Light the motherf*cker on fire!”: Another Trump rally turns on Black Lives Matter protestors

“Shoot him!” someone yelled as the protestors were escorted out of the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. A large middle aged man shouted, “Sieg heil!” as the protesters were taken away...
http://www.salon.com/2015/12/15/light_the_motherfcker_on_fire_another_trump_rally_turns_on_black_lives_matter_protestors/

Santorum Super PAC Ad Warns Of 'Small Bands Of Radicals' Waging WWIII

A female narrator opens the radio ad with an ominous warning: "World War III is upon us." (Listen to the radio ad here.)...
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/santorum-world-war-iii-ad

Brian McFadden on Donald Trump's Recipe for Spreading Hate Across America | Alternet

http://www.alternet.org/comics/alternet-comics-brian-mcfadden-donald-trumps-recipe-spreading-hate-across-america

Matt Taibbi: It's Too Late To Turn Off Trump

Even if we take the man off the air, the problem he represents is still going to be there, just like poverty, corruption, mass incarceration, pollution and all of the other things we keep off the airwaves...
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/matt-taibbi-its-too-late-turn-trump

Trump's Sick Predecessors: 6 Racist Bullies Who Stirred Up Americans' Basest Instincts

Loud-mouthed political bullies have been part of the American political system since its earliest days. America’s past is littered with the legacies of political demagogues like Trump and some of his Republican cronies...
http://www.alternet.org/election-2016/trumps-sick-predecessors-6-racist-bullies-who-stirred-americans-basest-instincts

Ted Cruz misquotes CIA official, makes false claim on bombing ISIS oil and climate change

Cruz, who vowed to "utterly destroy ISIS" and "carpet bomb them into oblivion," said Obama is not serious about defeating the jihadists. The Texas senator brought up Obama’s former CIA deputy director, Mike Morell, to show how Obama has prioritized a green agenda instead...
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2015/dec/14/ted-cruz/ted-cruz-misquotes-cia-official-makes-false-claim-/