Stirring Up Shift

The “Patriarchy”: Feminist Theory or Boogie-man Buzzword

This episode we discuss the contentious topic of patriarchy as the word stems from feminism to explain gender inequalities within certain societal structures, specifically a patriarchal one. However, despite common assumptions, the this structure is perceived as not only harming women but also poses as a detriment to men. 
 
References: 
Patriarchy
Understanding Patriarchy | bell hooks
Patriarchy, The System | Allan Johnson
10 Patriarchy Examples

Dr Martin Luther King, Retold

Today, in celebration of what would have been Dr. King’s 95th birthday, this year’s national holiday, we challenge the commonly retold aspects of his legacy and branch out to include the radical and most often unheard truths to his larger message and vision for the future of this country. 
 
References: 
Why We Can’t Wait
Where Do We Go From Here Chaos or Community?
Martin & Malcolm & America: A Dream or a Nightmare
The Whitewashing of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | The Black Wall Street Times
 
Other Recommendations:
MLK is revered today | The Guardian
10 Historians on What People Still Don’t Know About Martin Luther King Jr. | Time
The FBI Surveillance of Martin Luther King Jr
FBI Records: The Vault — Martin Luther King, Jr.
MLK/FBI (2020)
FBI Suicide Letter to MLK | Vox

Escapism: What do you shelter from?

Welcome to season 2 of Stirring Up Shift!
 
This season’s first episode is all about escapism and how it can play a role in our lives and society as a means for us to shelter ourselves from uncomfortable realities whether it be our own or other’s. Facing the full truth is not easy but it can be done by each and every one of us when we look at and listen to alternatives to ourselves or what we are being shown. This idea is played out in Plato’s Allegory (Simile) of the Cave, which then was either referenced in or inspired the works of Hozier, Ray Bradbury, and others. Join me as I bring awareness to our cruxes and distractions in everyday life — are you living or just going through the motions? Are you thriving or surviving? Do you find things to genuinely enjoy in life that bring you solace and happiness or to numb and dull or distract? These are important considerations to reflect on where you are in life, where you go from there is all up to you.
 
References: 
The Republic by Plato
The Republic by Plato (Free Online Ebook)
Masterclass | Plato’s Allegory of the Cave Explained
Hozier — Sedated
Fahrenheit 451 (1953) by Ray Bradbury
The Matrix (1999)
The Truman Show (1998)
Room (2010) by Emma Donoghue
 
Additional Resources: 
TedEd | Plato’s Allegory of the Cave (Video)

“Stirring Up Shift” Preview

A sneak peak into what’s in store from host, Mickella, in this new season’s message as “taboo” and contentious topics are up for discussion.

Complacency and Moral Disengagement: Two Sides of the Same Coin?

For the closing of this special edition series, the focus was to revisit some previous topics from earlier episodes in season 1: complacency, conformity, and cognitive biases. While briefly covered for reference, this time, the connection of each was directly discussed and the new topic of moral disengagement was introduced because of how much of a role it has with all three. Please be advised, go back to the previous episodes on those topics to refresh your memory or to learn about them, if you haven’t already. Continue to educate yourselves and others and challenge your worldviews; experience life outside your sphere of influence. Below you can find sources referenced, additional resources, suggested accounts to follow, and other helpful links and/or materials.
 
Accounts to Follow (Instagram):
*Not an exhaustive list but some to get you started*
@eye.on.palestine
@motaz_azaiza
@plestia_alaqad
@byplestia
@wizard_bisan1
@malaloul
@motasem.mortaja
@hzabusabra
@osama_y_saleh
@sbeih.jpg
@imamomarsuleiman
@shaunking
 
Complacency
Complacency|Cambridge Dictionary
Complacency|Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Complacency|Britannica Dictionary
 
Cognitive Biases
6 Biases That May Subconsciously Affect Your Thinking
 
Conformity
Conformity|American Psychological Association
Conformity|Psychology Today
 
Complacency, Conformity, and Responsibility
The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail Theme Analysis
Some context of Thoreau — excerpts from biographies
 
Moral Disengagement
How to Be Creatively Maladjusted
Moral Disengagement in the Perpetration of Inhumanities
Moral disengagement: How people do harm and live with themselves (Please note that this is an abstract. The book is available for purchase)
Moral Disengagement|Encyclopedia.pub
 
Other
Add another heat records to the pile: Earth is historically and alarmingly hot. Now what?|USA Today
Earth just had its hottest year on record-climate change is to blame|Nature
Great Pacific Garbage Patch|National Geographic
Microplastics in Water: Threats and Solutions|Earth.org
Planet Vs. Plastics, You Are What You Eat: Plastics In Our Food|Earthday.org
Antarctica’s Floral Awakening: How Climate Change is Transforming the Continent’s Ecosystem|Earth.org
 

History Speaks: Just Listen

As the episode title implies, history is there so it can be learned from and applied to the present and the future. When we ignore our actions and our larger history, we are inclined to repeat past mistakes or allow for them to be repeated by others. During these current tragedies, it’s easy to remain indifferent and even complacent but that does not benefit anyone, not even yourself. American society is in its own state of chaos and disorder, left largely unaddressed to continue to fester and spread to the rest of the world. History will be unforgiving to our country due to the current complicit actions of our elected officials and other actions throughout our country’s history — none of this developed in a vacuum. We’ve been blindly accepting and obedient from a place of fear and patriotism, an ironic combination. Use your displeasure for your current situation to motivate and inspire you for the change we desperately need to see in this country and the world at large because despite larger disapproval, the state of our country reflects the state of the world due to our involvement and unmatched influence. Use your voice and talk truth to power. 
 
References and further resources:
Great March of Return
Gaza’s Great March of Return Protests explained
Great March of Return: Scores of People Killed and Injured Over One Year
Ahmed Abu Artema on the Palestinian Great March of Return
 
Pledge of Allegiance
How the Pledge of Allegiance Went From PR to Gimmick to Patriotic Vow
Understanding the Meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance Words
 
US Military
The student debt crisis is fueling the poverty draft
Should We End Military Recruiting in High Schools as a Matter of Child Protection and Public Health?
Military Recruiters are Exploiting High School Students’ Financial Insecurities
The Military Targets Youth for Recruitment, Especially at Poor Schools
Pentagon report reveals disturbing details about White Supremacists in the ranks
 
CCR’s Fortunate Son
Credence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Fortunate Son’ Now Has Its First-Ever Video Treatment
“Fortunate Son” — Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)
 
Muhammad Ali
How Muhammad Ali Risked His Boxing Career to Protest the Vietnam War
 
Pat Tillman
FAMILY DEMANDS THE TRUTH/ New Inquiry may expose events that led to Pat Tillman’s Death
The Inconvenient Truth About Patrick Tillman
 
Subsidization of Corporations “Working-Poor”
Amazon, DoorDash, Walmart, trapping workers in poverty: UN rights expert
Extreme poverty and human rights
Gig Work Wages in U.S. Are So Bad They’re a Human Rights Issue, U.N. Poverty Expert Says
 
US Influence
American Eugenics and the Nazi Regime
White Rights: What Apartheid South Africa Learned from the United States
How the Nazis Were Inspired by Jim Crow
Apartheid Outside Africa: The Case of Israel
Jim Crow is alive and well in Israel
 

Acknowledging Humanity and Urging Accountability: A Noncontroversial Stance

I’ve taken great care in crafting my intended message to deliver to you all. This should not be a controversial take. During tragic events like those currently unfolding, we must collectively remember ours and other’s humanity as this is the basic tenet for the preservation and sanctity of human life. We are experiencing another unprecedented and monumental historical event that did not develop in a vacuum but through the culmination of numerous and largely overlooked events by our society. I especially, and maybe even you, have been majorly uneducated and sheltered on the full truth, depth, and gravity of it all. Take heart and talk truth to power — educate yourself, contact your elected officials, hear others out, and remember your humanity. Do not condone or engage in anti-semitism or Islamophobia. Political ideologies don’t make a religion. Demand a ceasefire. Demand no more tax payer funding of state-sanctioned war crimes and genocide. Demand the end to apartheid. Demand the release of hostages. Demand aid and other resources to be delivered to Palestinians. 
Be a voice for the voiceless. 
References:
UN and Palestine History: 
History of the Question of Palestine
 
The Nabka:
(Video): How Palestinians were expelled from their homes (Vox)
 
Death Toll (2008-2020):
Infographic: The Human Cost of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
 
Countries Around the World Criticizing Israeli Attacks:
Which countries have criticized Israeli attacks on Gaza?
 
Egypt Forewarning on Attack:
Egypt warned Israel of Hamas attack days earlier
Israel War: Egypt gave warning about Hamas attack, McCaul says
 
Apartheid System:
Human rights in Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories
Israel: 50 Years of Occupation Abuses
Born Without Civil Rights
A Threshold Crossed
 
Journalist Death:
Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed a year ago
UN experts demand justice for Al Jazeera journalist on one year anniversary of her killing
Israeli police beat pallbearers at journalist’s funeral
Israeli police attack funeral procession for shot journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh
 
Blockade:
Crisis in Gaza: why food, water and power are running out
Food, water and medicine run low in Gaza amid deadly Israeli airstrikes, delayed aid
Gaza ‘soon without fuel medicine and food’ — Israel authorities
Humanitarian crisis for food insecurity, lack of water supply about to begin in Gaza, experts say
UN agency warns food, fresh water rapidly running out in Gaza
‘Our children drink salt water’: Gaza running out of water, fuel and food
 
Dehumanization:
Israel Defense Minister Calls Palestinians ‘Human Animals’ Amid Israeli Aggression
Israeli Defense Minister Announces Siege On Gaza to Fight ‘Human Animals’
(Video): “We are fighting human animals” said Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant
 
Evacuation Order:
Gaza’s flee their homes after an Israeli evacuation order but have few places to go
Gaza City residents flee south amind IDF evacuation orders with number of displaced reaching 1 million
They followed evacuation orders. An Israeli airstrike killed them the next day.
Israel’s Gaza evacuation order could breach internal law — UN
Israel must rescind evacuation order for northern Gaza and comply with internal law: UN expert
Photos: Evacuation of Gaza City
 
Hamas Funded and Encouraged by Israel:
(Video): C-SPAN: Ron Paul (2009): Israel Encouraged and Started Hamas
Blowback: How Israel Went From Helping Create Hamas to Bombing It
How Israel Helped to Spawn Hamas
Another Concept Implodes: Israel Can’t Be Managed by a Criminal Defendant (Archive) (Original Article: Another Concept Implodes: Israel Can’t Be Managed by a Criminal Defendant)
 
Open-Air Prison/Concentration Camp: 
Gaza: Israel’s ‘Open-Air Prison’ at 15
Israel occupation makes Palestinian Territories ‘open-air prison’, UN expert says
Gaza as an Open-air Prison
Explained | How Gaza Strip became the ‘world’s largest open-air prison’
 
Biden on US’s interests in Israel/Middle East
Biden’s pattern with Israel: public support, private scolds
C-Span (Video): Senator Joe Biden in 1986
Rare 1986 document reveals Biden’s views on Israel and Saudi Arabia
 
US Support to Israel:
75 years of US support for Israel, briefly explained
How much aid does the US give to Israel?
US Foreign Aid to Israel (2023)
 
Unverifiable reports of babies beheaded:
Unverified reports of ‘40 babies beheaded’ in Israel-Hamas War inflame social media
Israeli official says government cannot confirm babies were beheaded in Hamas attack
‘Beheaded Babies’: When war propaganda is pushed by US president
 
UN Definitions of Ethnic Cleansing, Genocide, War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity:
United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect
 
History of Investigations/Probes into War Crimes:
Israel Won’t Cooperate With UN War Crimes Probe, Accuses Chair of ‘anti-Israel Agenda’ (2022)
UN rights chief: Israeli strikes in Gaza may be war crimes (2021)
UN rights investigator accuses Israel of ‘ethnic cleansing’ (2014)
UN investigator accuses Israel of ‘ethnic cleansing’ (2014)
Parliamentary question | UN Human Rights Council:
‘Israel engaging in ethnic cleansing’ (2011)
ICC launches war crimes probe into Israeli Practices (2021)
 
War Crimes: 
UN experts condemn attacks on civilians in Israel, Gaza as ‘war crimes’
Gazans bombarded by Israel have no hope and no escape
With Gaza under siege, Palestinians caught in the destruction have nowhere to go
 
Collective Punishment: 
UN experts say Israel’s strikes on Gaza amount to ‘collective punishment’
 
Genocide:
Israeli attacks wipe out entire families in Gaza
Israel committing “textbook” case of genocide,” holocaust historian says
 
Ethnic Cleansing:
UN expert warns of new instance of mass ethnic cleansing of Palestinians, calls for immediate ceasefire
 
Mandela on Palestine Liberation:
Nelson Mandela — Speeches — Address by President Mandela at Internal Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People, Pretoria
 
Mandela on Terrorist Watchlist:
Mandela off U.S. terrorism watch list
 
FBI and the Civil Rights Movement:
‘Discredit, disrupt, and destroy’: FBI records acquired by the Library reveal violent surveillance of Black leaders, civil rights organizations
 
COINTELPRO:
Shining a light on COINTELPRO’s dangerous legacy
 
US-Israel Police Training: 
ADL considered scrapping its US police training trips to Israel, decided not to
Where Do Many Police Departments Train? In Israel
 
US previous vetos of 2-state solution/self-determination:
UN Security Council rejects Palestinian resolution (2014)
General Assembly Votes Overwhelmingly to Accord Palestine (2012)
UN Panel votes 163-5 in support of Palestinian statehood, end of occupation (2020)

An Intro to the Palestine-Israel “Conflict”

In light of recent world events and the current humanitarian crisis unfolding in Palestine (Gaza) and Israel, this episode is offered with the intention of being a brief and informative introduction, from experts, into the conflict that has spiraled toward unprecedented violence. This is not a situation to sit idly by on as more information comes to light — willful ignorance, silence, and indifference will not end favorably in regard to being on the right side of history.  It’s not a matter of one’s personal feelings and loyalties, this is beyond that. Beyond identity politics and into the realm of one’s unequivocal humanity. Stay tuned for the next episode as I discuss my full perspective on the matter. Video recommendations:
Conflict in Israel and Palestine: Crash Course World History #223
The Israel-Palestine Conflict: a brief, simple history
How Israel was Created
How the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Began
 
Sources:
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Tracker | Global Conflict Tracker
What are the roots of the Israel-Palestine conflict?
 
*Disclaimer: entities discussed on this channel and in this episode are not affiliated with or assumed to support my statements as these are of my own and do not reflect them. All information cited as a source is purely for educational purposes*

Stereotyping and Stigmas

Listen in on this season’s final episode as I discuss stigmas and stereotypes as an unofficial part two to last week’s episode. Discover what is meant by stigmas and stereotypes, why they happen, and why it matters to be aware of them. 

Thinking Errors and Cognitive Biases

Join in on the discussion of common cognitive distortions and biases, what they are, the types, and why they matter especially when we are forced to navigate this ever polarizing society.