Make It Plain with Mark Thompson

Rev. Dr. Ben Chavis Jr., President of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, joins Mark to reflect on the devastating blow to voting rights that took place in the senate on Wednesday night, when Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema joined Republicans in blocking voting rights legislation that would have changed the chamber’s filibuster rules. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos and Civiqs and host of podcast “The Brief” is back for another #ThursdayKos installment and they kick it off discussing Mark’s time on Capitol Hill and witnessing the floor debate around voting rights in the Senate gallery; but they inevitably dig into 2022/2024 strategy and where he’s finding optimism these days. Following Mark’s conversation with Markos, you’ll hear a press conference held yesterday by the Congressional Black Caucus, featuring the voices of Congresswoman Joyce Beatty and Congressman James Clyburn, followed by closing thoughts from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mark was on Capitol Hill yesterday where a demonstration took place to stand up for voting rights, where approximately two dozen activists were arrested. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In the shadow of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Mark reflects on members of the senate (looking at you, Sinema and Manchin) fail to protect our voting rights. We also take a minute to hear from Martin Luther King III who discussed leaders like Senator Sinema over the weekend, as well as Yolanda King, who pleaded with Sinema and Manchin to take a stand for democracy. You’ll also hear from Rev. Dr. William Barber II, who calls on congressional leadership to act now. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Dr. Joseph Evans is the Dean of the Morehouse School of Religion and author of his latest book, “The Polished King: Living Words of Martin Luther King Jr.” He joins the show to discuss that book, his motivations for writing it and the title its been given, and James Baldwin, who considered Dr. King to be a “polished preacher,” is interwoven as we come to understand the power of King’s words and faith. BUY the book here: https://www.judsonpress.com/Products/J301/the-polished-king.aspx Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm is back on MIP for an exciting new announcement from the Biden administration: they are adding renewable clean energy that will both create jobs and lowers the cost. As Secretary Granholm explains, adding renewable energies onto the grid is a huge benefit–but they’re also working to expand grid capabilities that will allow for communities to continuously access that energy and not go dark in stormy weather (think Texas and Louisiana). And as for the jobs this will add, they’re promising higher paying union positions. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It’s our first #ThursdayKos of 2022 and there’s much to catch up on with Markos Moulitsas, Founder of DailyKos, Civiqs, and Host of podcast “The Brief.” Mark and Markos waste no time getting into President Biden’s speech earlier this week in Atlanta with honest reactions and addressing if it will really make a difference in the long run. And speaking of long run, what’s the deal with Democratic strategy now that we’re officially in a midterm year? What do Dems plan to run on, and what are the related concerns? Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

LaTosha Brown, Cliff Albright, and April England-Albright of Black Voters Matter made the decision not to attend President Biden’s speech in Georgia yesterday where he addressed the attack on our voting rights–but it is being said that Biden is not going far enough to protect those rights. These leaders discuss why they chose not to attend, their expectations of Biden and congress, and why they’re no longer considering speeches as action. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Today you’ll hear from six more hunger strikers (Joe Madison told us his story yesterday, as he begins his second month of striking for voting rights), who are also faith leaders in their communities. They detail their own motivation, hopes, and fears for our country as our voting rights are under attack. And as one of the guests succinctly notes: the deadline for our democracy is January 17th. Will congress take action? Guests: Rev. Stephen A. Green, Pastor, St Luke AME of Harlem Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould of Missouri Faith Voices Rev. Dennis James, III, Pastor, Pine Grove, AME, Columbia, SC Rev. Traci Blackmon, United Church of Christ Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, III, Pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago Rev. Jamal Bryant, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, Atlanta Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Joe Madison has been on a hunger strike for voting rights, now 65 days in, and he joins Mark to discuss why he’s striking, the physical affects, and what he hopes will unfold on Capitol Hill. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mark teams up with Danielle Moodie, Host of WokeAF, for our new monthly crossover series… Make It Effing Woke. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this "best of MIP" episode, Dr. Amara Enyia of the Policy and Research Coordinator for Movement for Black Lives details a report the organization released, which demonstrates how the United States government persecutes activists with the hope of dissuading them from taking any kind of political action. Though it’s easy to blame red states like Florida for putting laws in place that would criminalize peaceful protest, the Biden administration is not off the hook, as they have yet to take meaningful action to prevent that criminalization of protestors. Dr. Enyia also points to the disparity in language when discussing those who participated in protests, like those for George Floyd or Breonna Taylor, compared to those who participated in the January 6th insurrection. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In today's "best of MIP" espiode, Scott Dworkin, who is also Founder and Executive Director of the Democratic Coalition and host of podcast “The Dworkin Report,” is here to download us on all sorts of strategy and analysis of what’s up ahead for 2022 and 2024. He shares that it’s believed Trump plans to announce a 2024 run early next year, before primary season, for one specific reason--but could that help Democrats in the long-run? Scott also shares his biggest concerns for 2022, and fills us in on a key race in Virginia, where Terry McAuliffe is back for another run. Breaking from the future to look at the past, Scott explains why Mike Pence is an accomplice to the January 6th insurrection. And Scott also share why he thinks Facebook going out of service was a self-inflicted wound to distract from the whistleblower news, and why he doesn’t think Mark Zuckerberg will be running Facebook this time next year. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainmen

Today is a "Best Of MIP Episode" with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, the author of “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World.” In the episode she impresses the importance that we all have a critical role to play in slowing climate change. Building off some details from a recent conversation with the White House Climate Advisor, Dr. Hayhoe and Mark examine heat-related deaths disproportionately impacting Black and Brown communities. And as Dr. Hayhoe outlines for us, climate change is responsible for 9 million deaths every year, but is never framed as a life-or-death emergency and is not often being discussed as a top priority on mainstream news networks. And Dr. Hayhoe gives her take on something we’ve wondered about many times on MIP: how do you overcome the apathy or helplessness when it comes to fighting climate change? Bonus… if you’re a TikTok-er, Dr. Hayhoe also talks about her debut on the platform and what kind of content she plans to share, including some jaw-dropp

Nadra Nittle is a Senior Reporter for Civil Eats and more recently she has taken on the title of author, with her book titled “Toni Morrison’s Spiritual Vision: Faith, Folktales, and Feminism in Her Life and Literature.” In today’s episode she discusses the many facets of the legendary Toni Morrison, which often lead us back to her spirituality and religion, and the ways we can see that play out in her inimitable literature. BUY Nadra’s book here: https://www.fortresspress.com/store/product/9781506471518/Toni-Morrisons-Spiritual-Vision Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What is the connection between the Virginia governor’s race, Toni Morrison, and Mark Twain? Those are the ties made in today’s conversation with James Henry Harris, Distinguished Professor of Homiletics and Pastoral Theology and a research scholar in religion and humanities at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University. He’s also author of the book “N: My Encounter with Racism and the Forbidden Word in An American Classic,” a memoir recounting a semester spent in a graduate course studying Mark Twain’s “Huckleberry Finn,” where the n-word is used more than 200 times, which granted a sort of permission to the white professor and students (Harris was the only Black student) to freely use the unabbreviated version of the word themselves. This experience acts as the foundation for today’s conversation, which examines the intersection of Toni Morrison’s own studies (and support) of Mark Twain and his work, and how the effort to ban her work is being used by the Republican gubernatori

Donna Haskins grew up in poverty in one of the most racially segregated cities in America with seemingly all the odds stacked against her. She was sexually assaulted at 13, and when she had an abortion, she thought she could never fulfill her dream of becoming a nun. Later in life, in a crisis about her identity as a Black woman and on the brink of suicide, she hears a sermon that shook her to her core and permanently changed her course. Dr. Onaje X.O. Woodbine is today’s guest, author of "Take Back What the Devil Stole: An African American Prophet’s Encounters in the Spirit World," where he introduces us to Donna Haskins and her transformed life as a prophet. Dr. Woodbine worked with Donna for four years to document her life’s work, dedicated to helping others without accepting a dime, her Afro-Caribbean roots, and how it all intertwines with her Christianity. And if you want to believe in miracles, listen to the incredible story of Donna’s visions that brought a woman the family she thought she’d ne

What’s the likelihood of an American experiencing poverty? Turns out, it’s the majority. That’s what Mark Rank covers in his new book (co-authored by Lawrence Eppard and Heather Bullock) out now, “Poorly Understood: What Americans Get Wrong About Poverty.” There’s a common misconception that poverty is an issue of “them” when it’s really about “us” -- not an individual failing, but a structural one. How does that play out in our society and economy? Mark explains that, and what can be done to make systemic changes, in this eye-opening episode. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.com  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

What would it look like to engage in nonviolent direct action consistently, through strategic organizing? That’s what Kai Newkirk (Founder of For All www.forallorg.us) and Rev. Stephen Green (Pastor, Scholar, and Activist) explain in today’s episode, as they discuss the piece they co-authored, “Why Kingian democratic socialism is the best path forward for the progressive left.” This is especially relevant in the context of our current society where unarmed Black people continue to be murdered by police. They also dig into why we need statehood in D.C. in order to make winning Georgia actually count and see progress on reparations. Read their article here: https://wagingnonviolence.org/2021/04/why-kingian-democratic-socialism-best-path-forward-for-progressive-left/ Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In 2002, Julius Jones was wrongfully convicted of murdering Paul Howell. Last week, on the day of his scheduled execution for a crime he did not commit, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt commuted the death sentence just four hours before he was set to die. It is a victory that Julius’s life has been saved, but now the work continues to free him from prison. Pastor Mike McBride, Founder of Live Free USA and the Black Church PAC, played a large part in fighting for Julius’s life alongside other faith leaders, and he walks us back through the racism that led to Julius's incarceration, the racism of the death penalty itself, and the juxtaposition of faith leaders assisting in Julius's commutation while simultaneously being scrutinized in the trial of the men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery. Executive Producer: Adell Coleman Producer: Brittany Temple Distributor: DCP Entertainment For additional content: makeitplain.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/