The Nicole Sandler Show

I was hoping that we'd be hearing from our Ukrainian friend Tanya in person today, but she's not yet ready. I'll begin the show with a Tanya update. When we last met on Friday, she had safely arrived in Poland. She's not there any more! Then we'll get to the history made today. Confirmation hearings began in the Senate Judiciary Committee for Ketanji Brown Jackson's nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States. She is simply brilliant, and the ugly statements made by some of the Republicans on the committee can't dampen the bright light shining today in DC.

A bit of what's news for now

What I wrote before the interview: As another war-filled week ends, all I want is for the bombing to stop. I'm pretty opinionated and obviously angry about what Putin is doing to Ukraine. I've said loudly that I think we should be doing everything possible to stop that Russian madman from killing more innocent people. And when I saw everything, I mean everything. Watching the news is excruciating. But there are many friends and allies who disagree with me... they think we should do all we can do, to a point. They're rabidly against using military force to stop Putin. So, I thought today, we should hear their arguments. I couldn't think of a better messenger than my old friend David Swanson. I met him when he was advocating for impeaching George W Bush over his illegal war in Iraq. He is an author, activist, journalist, and radio host. He is executive director of World BEYOND War and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org. Swanson's books include War Is A Lie and When the World Outlawed War. He blogs at DavidSwanson.org and WarIsACrime.org. He hosts Talk World Radio on many Pacifica stations. And he wrote a piece a few days ago, "30 Nonviolent Things Russia Could Have Done, and 30 Nonviolent Things Ukraine Could Do" that prompted this conversation. We'll talk, we'll likely disagree, but we'll do it respectfully... What I say after: He wants to give Vladimir Putin everything he wants because Putin is blackmailing the world with his nukes. That was not a fun interview, but have a listen...

A bit of what's news for now

We're now into the third year of a global pandemic, and the fourth week of Russia's war on Ukraine. It feels like we're living in a one step up, two steps back world on so many fronts. That's my mindset as I prepare for today's show. Our friend in Ukraine, Tanya (which she prefers over Tatiana) made it to the border with Poland, as she messaged me at 6:49 ET this morning. I haven't heard anything from her since. Hopefully that'll change come showtime. Today is Thursday, so Howie Klein is here. We'll address some of the other issues plaguing us, as if Covid and the war weren't enough (they are, but the universe apparently has different ideas), including the lack of subpoenas to members of Congress implicated in the Jan 6 attack on the Capitol. He wrote about it at Down with Tyranny. In that article, he quotes a few of the Blue America-endorsed candidates running in next years midterm elections, including Lucas Kunce. Lucas Kunce is running for an open senate seat in Missouri. He's a Marine veteran having served multiple tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He'll actually join me in the first half hour of today's show. I'd been trying to get him on to give us his take on the war, our response, and what more we could be doing.

A bit of what's news for now

That we have a refugee crisis in this nation is not news. The dictionary definition of "refugee" is "a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster." And we've seen the world's refugee population grow by at least three million in the last three weeks, as Ukrainians are literally running for their lives. Here in the US, Ukranians who somehow made it to the Mexico/US border have been turned away. Hopefully that will change soon, but I'm not confident. The AP is reporting that finally, more than 6 months since we left Afghanistan, the US has just announced that those Afghan refugees who made their way here would be allowed to stay for at least 18 months under temporary protected status, a move that should help thousands who arrived since the withdrawal... But what about the other refugees who have valid reasons to ask for asylum? And what about the refugees fleeing horrific conditions in other parts of the world? When we discuss refugees, we rarely consider those who have fled the US. Well, one of them is our guest today. Tiffanie Drayton gives us a different perspective as she tells her story in her new book, "Black American Refugee: Escaping the Narcissism of the American Dream.

A bit of what's news for now

Life in the 21st century would be complicated enough without people on the sidelines claiming facts are fiction and the sky is green. Disinformation campaigns have long plagued very legitimate cause, but it seems like they've been on a steady dose of steroids for the past 22 years or so. From 9-11 to Covid and so much in between, these conspiracy theories have caused confusion, despair and unleashed a sickening movement. Today, I'll speak with Elizabeth Williamson, author of the new book, "Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth". In it, she tells the story, not of the horrific massacre that happened 10 years ago this December, but the aftermath and the anguish and worse set in motion by Alex Jones. In the first half hour, the latest news and updates from Ukraine and the insanity that is life in this country in 2022.

A bit of what's news for now