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LAURA FLANDERS & FRIENDS

Sunday, March 15th

11:30am on
Runtime: 00:26:46
Widescreen

Fighting Autocracy from Hungary to No Kings: Ezra Levin & Laszlo Upor

If you care about resisting autocracy and building democracy, the U.S. has much to learn from Hungary. While Donald Trump rails against Europe, he and Hungary's strongman leader, Viktor Orban, have praised each other for years. Anti-democratic, anti-immigrant, anti-woman, anti-queer -- Orban and Trump came to power on parallel tracks with similar values. In their first interview together, Ezra Levin, the co-founder of Indivisible (the group behind No Kings!) and Laszlo Upor, a leader in one of Hungary's most creative and visible resistance efforts, share their experiences of resisting authoritarianism. Upor is former Vice Rector and Acting Rector of the University of Theatre and Film Arts in Budapest - the one university that fought back when the Orban administration began taking control of Hungary's universities. Levin is the co-founder and co-executive director of Indivisible, the grassroots movement behind such historic protests as the historic Hands Off and No Kings rallies. From the principles of their organizing to frog suits and caution tape, today's episode is a masterclass in creative resistance. Plus a commentary from Laura. "Our enemy in this isn't Trump, it's not the Republicans. It's not the broader regime. Our enemy is this sense of cynicism or fatalism or nihilism . . . I do think a core principle in our communication philosophy is convincing people, you have power, you just gotta use it. The best way to use it is in concert with a lot of other people in your community." - Ezra Levin. "You have to laugh at them, not be afraid of them . . . They don't understand mirth. They don't understand the derision. They think they are invincible. And when we don't give in, they don't understand what's going on." - Laszlo Upor. Guests: Ezra Levin: Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director, Indivisible; Laszlo Upor: Former Vice Rector & Acting Rector, University of Theatre and Film Arts (SzFE), Budapest, Hungary.

Sunday, March 22nd

11:30am on
Runtime: 00:26:46
Widescreen

Mamdani V. The Establishment: What His Campaign Means for America

Wherever you are in the county, you've probably heard the name "Zohran Mamdani". New York City's mayoral race is a national story, and it's hard to overstate the significance of the leading candidate in this moment. If elected, Mamdani would become the first Muslim-American and only the second Democratic Socialist Mayor of the largest city in the U.S. His victory, on a promise to make New York affordable for working people, would have implications for politics everywhere. The race is already garnering both excitement and anxiety. President Trump is threatening to withhold federal funding for New York City if Mamdani wins. From Chicago to Dearborn, Michigan, journalists are watching. In this installment of "Meet the BIPOC Press", Laura Flanders speaks with Felipe De La Hoz, investigative immigration and policy reporter whose work has been featured in The Intercept, The Washington Post, New York Mag and The Nation; Osama Siblani, publisher and founder of The Arab American News, the largest Arab American newspaper in the U.S., and Asha Ransby-Sporn, organizer and writer for In These Times and co-founder of Black Youth Project 100, where she led the group's national organizing program. Join us as we explore what a Mamdani victory would signal for the nation. ". . . There's this sense that [Left-leaning candidates] have to essentially be apologizing for their policy prescriptions and their stances. Mamdani has not done that . . . For the most part, he very much embraces who he is and what his policy prescriptions are." - Felipe De La Hoz. "I hate giving labels. I don't look at Mandani as a progressive. I look at him as representing the anger and anguish of people who have been left behind with the political apparatus." - Osama Siblani. "More so than I am concerned with Black people being pulled to the Right or being pulled in by Trump . . . I think what we see are people who are disengaged and feel like our political system isn't going to deliver for them at all. Who feel let down by the establishment Democratic party that has sold all of us out for decades, and Black people have borne an enormous amount of the brunt of that impact." - Asha Ransby-Sporn. Guests: Felipe De La Hoz: Immigration & Policy Reporter, Epicenter NYC; Asha Ransby-Sporn: Writer & Political Strategist; Columnist, In These Times; Osama Siblani: Publisher, The Arab American News.

Sunday, March 29th

11:30am on
Runtime: 00:26:46
Widescreen

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