Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Snarkiness

Aaron is joined by Dr. Eric Larson of the Paradocs podcast to discuss how many individuals seem unwilling to see the light at the end of the tunnel in regards to COVID-19. Emma Green for the Atlantic, “The Liberals Who Can’t Quit Lockdown”: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/05/liberals-covid-19-science-denial-lockdown/618780/ An episode of The Paradocs Podcast where he discusses how we are in the Transitional Phase for COVID-19 with Dr. David Graham: https://theparadocs.com/were-in-the-transitional-phase-for-covid-19-now-what/ Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

Aaron and Austin discuss the reactions to the verdict of the Derek Chauvin trial, especially from segments of the political right. Austin rebuts a “steel man” argument from the Right by Andrew McCarthy, while Aaron brings up the importance of objectivity and how members of both political wings are harming their own causes by politicizing issues of police brutality and criminal justice reform while simultaneously (and disingenuously) pretending that all the fault lies with the other political party/wing. A fact-check/expose on the false claim that George Floyd had a lethal amount of Fentanyl in his system: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2021/04/16/fact-check-fentanyl-george-floyd-not-enough-to-cause-death/7239448002/?fbclid=IwAR16peUQMV8Suci6mmzI6uuuboFA1xrSxDvIBweDFmGtPCa26oa8hIlfLbg More information about the Expert Witness testimony about George Floyd’s health: https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/09/us/derek-chauvin-trial-george-floyd-day-10/index.html Even more expert testimony disputing the “lethal doses of fentanyl” claim: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/08/us/george-floyd-fentanyl-toxicologist.html Andrew McCarthy for National Review as to why Chauvin wasn’t guilty: https://www.nationalreview.com/2021/04/george-floyds-death-how-should-i-the-jury-decide-the-charges-against-derek-chauvin/?fbclid=IwAR3daDIEevNJssWTqRrmUbRwBXhRAqPI3rRpkop9NlHvEbHpd2DiOTU4NiQ An Overview of the Sarah Halimi Case: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/26/world/europe/france-anti-semitic-killing-drugs.html Candace Owens Malarkey: https://notthebee.com/article/candace-owens-reacts-to-derek-chauvin-verdict?fbclid=IwAR2_PIVdX8ShuHqwwwZBCQ6M1e0P4h1aNiXbXeea1ZAqpZ4f3gvy4J2cJH8 The Washington Post article about Maxine Waters: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/04/24/rep-maxine-waters-voiced-anger-many-black-americans-thats-important-politically/ Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

Aaron and Jason discuss the historical unifier of Japan, Oda Nobunaga, as the next entry in their “Great Leaders You Should Know” series. Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

NOTE: This Episode was recorded before the wrongful killing of Daunte Wright in Minnesota. In light of New Mexico’s recent “abolishment” of Qualified Immunity, Aaron and Austin return to this ever-relevant issue. They take a couple of steps back to re-define and re-examine what qualified immunity is supposed to be (as opposed to how it is practiced) and why “abolish qualified immunity,” while an understandable sentiment, is probably not the most effective rallying cry, nor will it lead to good outcomes. They also explicitly go over the New Mexico bill and discuss why describing it as an “abolishment” of qualified immunity isn’t entirely accurate. House Bill 4, the New Mexico bill that “abolishes” qualified immunity: https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/21%20Regular/bills/house/HB0004.pdf The Dispatch on the connections between Police Brutality and the Milgram Experiment : https://thedispatch.com/p/what-a-decades-old-experiment-can Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

Aaron, Jason, and Faith continue their discussion from last week, discussing anti-Asian prejudice in the 1970s, a re-evaluation/reframing of the idea of “micro aggressions,” Asians as a “model minority,” and the importance of words and rhetoric in efforts against prejudice. Also discussed are the existence of Klicker Mountain (it’s a thing, google it), the numerous similarities between Chinese and Jewish-Americans besides a mutual love of Chinese food on Christmas, and Aaron’s vehement denials about what bullies used to call him. A brief overview of subsidiarity: https://www.thereligionteacher.com/subsidiarity/ Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

Aaron, Jason, and Faith all have a roundtable (or a triangle table, there are three of us) discussion about anti-Asian prejudice in America. Jason discusses the history of anti-Asian sentiment in this country dating all the way back to the mid-19th century, Aaron talks about the psychology underlying prejudices like those exhibited against Asian-Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Faith talks about the ways that this has shaped the Asian-American experience. Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

Neither Aaron nor Jason speak French, but we’re going to talk about the most famous Frenchman in history (even though he was actually Corsican), Napoleon! Topics covered include Napoleon’s being declared an “Antichrist” for his pro-Jewish (or at least not antisemitic enough for some peoples’ standards) stances, an historical conspiracy theory about the English having Napoleon assassinated in his exile, and the reason the U.S. didn’t adopt the metric system. The Minard Graph to which Aaron refers in the episode: https://bigthink.com/strange-maps/229-vital-statistics-of-a-deadly-campaign-the-minard-map Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

In recognition of the one-year anniversary of Breonna Taylor’s Death, Aaron and Austin discuss some recent happenings around the specific issue of police brutality, including updates on the Breonna Taylor case itself, the full-out assault on the first amendment that is Kentucky Senate Bill 211, and, once again, the issue of qualified immunity. Sen. David Carroll on Kentucky Bill 211: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kentucky-bill-insult-police-officer-crime/ More information on the Kenneth Walker lawsuit: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/14/us/breonna-taylor-boyfriend-kenneth-walker-lawsuit/index.html More on the 5th Circuit Qualified Immunity case: https://reason.com/2021/02/18/5th-circuit-grants-qualified-immunity-to-cops-who-ignited-a-suicidal-gasoline-drenched-man-by-tasing-him/?fbclid=IwAR3jepIqr3oi3aIfHadZBH15jZIJgM-U1YFFYB8lfBm0wA78RZKUDnUZrJo Rosa Brooks on the importance of the environment for police brutality: https://gen.medium.com/most-cops-dont-violate-the-rules-it-s-just-that-the-rules-are-horrific-962ce32b9c86 Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

Aaron and Jason join to discuss the life, times, and legacy of a man known for his salad, his pizza, and almost single-handedly destroying the Roman Republic, Julius Caesar! Jason compares Caesar to Tom Brady and Theodore Roosevelt, while Aaron talks Caesar up before questioning why he’s doing it. Both hosts spend a lot of time butchering the Latin language, and neither host feels a shred of guilt for this. Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

Aaron is joined by film writer Faith Liu to discuss the current outrage about how the muppets have been “cancelled” by having disclaimers about certain stereotypes placed before certain episodes. Faith talks about the importance of contextualizing past art that doesn’t conform to modern values, and making sure that such art is presented in the correct light, as well as pointing out the actual message that Disney presents that supposedly “cancels” the Muppets. Meanwhile Aaron talks about Right Wing cancel culture and the sheer lack of empathy being displayed by those whose arguments boil down to “I’m not offended, why should you be?” Max Boot on Conservative Cancel Culture: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/07/10/conservatives-have-cancel-culture-their-own/ The Daily Beast on the Right Wing’s freak outs about the Muppets: https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-absolutely-freaks-out-over-disney-muppets-disclaimer The source of the Death Penalty data that Aaron mentions towards the end of the episode: https://deathpenaltyinfo.org/facts-and-research/dpic-reports/dpic-special-report-the-innocence-epidemic?fbclid=IwAR1pyRSP8Hvo_TAkmBslWvgEGY_JUJGMoZqmfcwEEgef4MmGwVMl__f-EEY Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

Aaron and Jason continue their “Great Leaders You Should Know” discussion, this time examining Saladin, the famed opponent of Richard the Lionheart during the Crusades. Along the way, they discuss the background of the Crusades themselves, how looking to ancient figures can inform our attitudes and behaviors in the modern socio-political arena, and what a Kurdish sultan has to teach us today. Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

A long episode for a big topic! As one of the newly-inaugurated President Biden’s first acts was to abolish and retract the report from the 1776 commission, we figured we should revisit the 1776 commission not only because of its fundamental undermining of good teaching of history, but also because of what their published report represents more broadly. Rachel Yerke, a museum curator, joins Aaron to discuss the 1776 Commission Report, including what it represents societally, specific problems with what it reports as “history,” and why it is so dangerous to the study of history more broadly. A link to the actual 1776 Commission Report, now hosted by the Heritage Foundation: https://thf_media.s3.amazonaws.com/2021/The-Presidents-Advisory-1776-Commission.pdf Victor Davis Hanson on the 1776 report: https://www.abqjournal.com/2196748/thoughts-on-the-nowcanceled-1776-commission-report.html Mike Gonzalez on why President Biden’s revocation of the 1776 project is a “war on history”: https://www.heritage.org/american-founders/commentary/bidens-disbanding-1776-commission-shows-lefts-war-us-history?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=thf-fb&fbclid=IwAR3ekBURrGtHFcB3GJFxdgLoEWrrVt2LlRuu3Iy7mSZAmmwC7jLGuq5oaWA Former Oxford Historian Richard Carwardine on the 1619 Project: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/31/carw-d31.html Stanford Historian Clayborne Carson on the 1619 Project:https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/01/15/clay-j15.html Clarence Page on the 1776 Unites project - a non-nationalist, rigorously researched alternative to former President Trump’s efforts: https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/clarence-page/ct-column-trump-1776-report-history-slavery-page-20210122-gabpnpb2vrfoxhzn3u636jiree-story.html Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

As we wait with baited breath to see what next act of stupidity/treason might or might not occur in the wake of the election, Aaron and Jason decide to take a step back into history to see what we can learn from great leaders beyond America. In the first of this ongoing series, the hosts discuss precisely why we should study such leaders, the criteria for how we’ll be engaging with and evaluating these figures, and finally, our first great leader you should know, King Alfred the Great of Wessex. Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

Continuing our discussion of last week’s coup attempt, Aaron, Austin, and David discuss Trump’s pathetic attempts at “condemning” the violence, the whattaboutism comparisons between the coup and the BLM rallies over the summer, the right-wing argument that the capitol “belongs to all of us” and thus the coup was acceptable, the slippery slopes presented by the banning of Trump from Twitter in consequence of the coup, and why Aaron thinks the Capitol rotunda should be turned into a bouncy ball pit. The actual video of Trump’s “rebuke” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8PHImxb8Po International military allies on their view that Trump shares responsibility for the coup: https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-attempted-coup-federal-law-enforcement-capitol-police-2021-1?fbclid=IwAR0HhJSYzGYGwVChGda9Qm2bI2Ldqr-W0wmgbhjBbFK-gfDwm9R33TaQlCQ An interview with Professor Loretta Ross: https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2020/12/03/feminist-scholar-loretta-ross-is-calling-out-cancel-culture Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

The events of last week’s riots in DC are too much for one episode, so we’re using it as an opportunity to catch up on the episodes we missed over the holidays! In Part 1 of this two-part discussion, Aaron, Austin, and David discuss the causes of the riots, including whether or not they count as a coup, whether or not Donald Trump is responsible for them, and Also brought up are Vegans and Sausages, “A-Women,” American Christianity’s refusal to acknowledge Hebrew, and David and Austin having a cross-denominational discussion of the history of Christianity in America. Rod Dreher’s coverage of the Jericho March: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/what-i-saw-at-the-jericho-march/ Rod Dreher’s further thoughts on the Jericho March: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/defense-of-jericho-march-criticism/ Videos of the “Sausage Roll” incident First, the stampede that Aaron mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xt3WAQ2nOuo Next, the chanting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zP4mf-O-tkM --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

Tomorrow is Festivus, meaning that it’s time to air our grievances, and this week, Austin and Aaron air a lot of grievances with Trump’s legal team and election result challenges. Austin talks about why everything about this affair offends him as a lawyer, from the actors within it to the legal claims made to the rhetoric used outside the courtroom. Aaron brings up the dangers of the rhetoric used by Trump’s legal team, especially in their press briefings, and why this should worry all of us, regardless of our political affiliation. Also, “Big words, your honor” needs to become a meme and we are calling out to you to help us make this happen. AP Article with a list of the election challenges and results: https://apnews.com/article/judge-throws-out-trump-suit-pennsylvania-87eaf4df86d5f6ccc343c3385c9ba86c The NYT on Trump’s Legal Team: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/03/us/politics/jenna-ellis-trump.html An amusing tale about the actual military of Lichtenstein that we think actually implies that Trump might have been better off actually trying to hire the Lichtenstein navy. Even though the actual country of Lichtenstein has no military, their imaginary fighting forces would be well suited to fight Trump’s imaginary foes: https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/liechtenstein-army-81-men-returned/ Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

In the spirit of the philosophy that “there is no bad time to talk about Good things,” Aaron and Jason decide to do a post-Thanksgiving autopsy of the Pilgrims and their legacy in America for the issues of self-government and religious freedom. The Lawrence Reed article quoted by Aaron: https://fee.org/articles/the-mayflower-compact-as-an-idea-america-began-in-1620-not-1776/ An overview of King Philip’s War, one of the major reasons that Aaron takes issue with the Pilgrims’ legacy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNXDplgft_g Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

After our two-week Thanksgiving break, Aaron and our Costco-brand Neuhaus discuss the recent comments from Evangelical intellectual Eric Metaxas, who claims that Trump won the election in a landslide and that Jesus is on Trump’s side. Aaron and David discuss the harmful nature of Metaxas’s comments, how his comments reflect on Christianity and Evangelicalism, and what David thinks should be the Christian response to the election results. An overview of Eric Metaxas’s statements: https://religionnews.com/2020/11/30/eric-metaxas-christian-radio-host-offers-to-lay-down-his-life-for-trump-election-triumph/ Dr. Joe Pierre on what distinguishes conspiracy theories from worldview such as religion: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psych-unseen/202001/understanding-the-psychology-conspiracy-theories-part-1 Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

One of the more-ignored occurrences of our previous election day was the vast number of criminal justice reform referendums that passed. Aaron and Austin review several state questions, propositions, and other efforts aimed at reform, evaluating their practicality, effectiveness, and overall usefulness for the cause. Opinions are also given about gin, Cheetos, and Autocorrect. Time Magazine’s overview of how Criminal Justice Reform did on Election Day: https://time.com/5907794/2020-election-criminal-justice/ The ACLU’s post-mortem of the election’s criminal-justice-reform-related outcomes: https://www.aclu.org/news/smart-justice/criminal-justice-reform-takes-another-big-messy-step-forward-in-2020-elections/ An explanation for why Aaron said the word “Drugs!” the way he did that also serves as an important explanation of millennial culture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05CXzjS8HX4 Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message

In honor of Armistice/Veteran’s Day this week, Aaron and Jason discuss the political antecedents to the oft-ignored (in American contexts) First World War. The hosts discuss how the century before the war influenced the war’s start, how the war became about Britain and Germany even though neither had anything to do with the events that sparked the conflict, and what lessons we can learn from WWI in the modern day. Theme-song information: Music from YouTube Audio Library [Aka YAL] Music provided by RFM: https://youtu.be/hMLSa6-cXT0 --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/libertysnark/message