Are they like me? On April 15, 2017, communities across the globe marched to demand the release of US president Donald Trump's taxes and protest the emergent blatancy of the "ruling wealthy's" policymaking in terms of who it does and does not favor. Across Venezuela throughout April and May 2017, demonstrators have protested Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro's widening arc of power and the country's plummeting, dire socioeconomic situation. With voices from the Tax March in Santa Barbara, California, including that of Maricela Morales, executive director of CAUSE (Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy), this episode looks at the functionality of that question: Am I like them? What role does it play for demonstrators? Responders? Observers? Decision makers?

"Truly powerful people are not concerned about their power, but about being in a position to empower."

—Nadja Swarovski

Credits: Music on this episode was composed and performed by Alanna Leavy. Voices from the Tax March in Santa Barbara, California, include protestors; the crowd; and Maricela Morales, executive director of CAUSE. The excerpt from "On Nonviolent Resistance" by Mohandas Gandhi was ready by Diana La Riva. Matthew Starley read the chapter titles. The episode was created in part in KJUC, the AM studio of KCSB. Production work was done by Colin L. and host, Holly Starley.

Last episodenext episode

Links and extras from episode 3. Please Release Me, Part I

Tax March

CAUSE (Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy)

On the Venezuelan protests: Photos from NPR, "Venezuelan Opposition Aims to Keep Protests Peaceful, but Violence Erupts" (New York Times, April 24, 2017), "Venezuela Protest Death Toll Rises in Renewed Violence" (BBC News, April 25, 2017), "Roses in Hand, Venezuelan Woman Protestors Face Security Forces," (Reuters, May 6, 2017), "Why Is Venezuela in Crisis Again?" (an analysis by Al-Jazeera, April 22, 2017)  

♪ JahlfaOmega of Caracas, Venezuela - musica como "medicina social" seeking "un mundo de armonía y felicidad, donde prevalezcan valores como la justicia, la unidad, la empatía y principalmente el amor. Listen to "Hijos de Jah." Watch this interview, "Fe Viviente Rastafari."

 

Hidden Brain, a podcast that explores "life's unseen patterns." Host Shankar Vedantam talks about his conversation with psychologist/sociologist Robb Willer and the psychology of protest movements.

On the complicated taxes of the United States: "Policy Basics: Federal Tax Expenditures" (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities); Danielle Kurtzleben explores what people in the US don't know about taxes in "We Asked…" (heard on All Things Considered, April 17, 2017); Connie Ballmer, the wife of former Microsoft CEO and current LA Clippers owner, Steve Ballmer, challenged his notion that "tax money should create a sufficient social safety net," so he's seeking to "figure out what the government really does with the money" (New York Times, April 17, 2017);  an oldie but a goodie, "Thanks for paying taxes. Here's a Receipt." (NPR, Sept. 30, 2010) 

Permalink