Soundside

"No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider." You may not totally understand what that means, but some say these are the 26 words that made the internet what it is today. And congress may be ready to repeal them. Written and passed in 1996, the law Section 230 shields websites from being held responsible for the content users post. In other words, platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Reddit can’t be sued for what people share there. But now, a growing bipartisan group of lawmakers believes Section 230 goes too far and are considering a repeal.  The impact? … It could totally reshape the way the internet works.  Guest:  UW Professor of Political Science Victor Menaldo Relevant Links:  Section 230: Friend, not foe, of free speech The Twenty-Six Words That Created the Internet Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dujie Tahat can be described in many ways: a poet, a critic, podcast host, and political consultant. In addition to all those titles, they can now add a new descriptor: Seattle’s Fifth Civic Poet. Guest: Dujie Tahat, Seattle Civic Poet Links:  Poetry Foundation: salat to be read from right to left Northwest Review: All American Ghuzal Four Way Review: BALIKBAYAN FILLED WITH THEORY   Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humans have changed a lot from our cave dwelling days, but one thing that has stayed the same is our need for connections with others. Maybe it’s not so much the need for protection from animal predators anymore, or cooperating to take down a mammoth. Still, our evolution has instilled in us the need to connect with others. And we don’t do so well when that connection gets tenuous.    Vivek Murthy, the former U.S. Surgeon General, called loneliness an epidemic in this country. Chronic social isolation has been linked to depression, anxiety, heart disease, dementia, and even premature death.  A Gallup poll last year found that one in five people reported feeling lonely every day, making social isolation a public health issue. But there is a cure: making meaningful connections. One program at a Seattle bookshop is stepping in to help.  Guests: Andrey Sklyar, the creator and host of Decent Social Skills: Steering Personal Conversation Related Links:  30 Charts That Show How Covid Changed Everything — NYT Decent Social Skills: Steering Personal Conversations — Ada’s Technical Books US surgeon general Vivek Murthy: ‘Loneliness is like hunger, a signal we’re lacking something for survival’ — The Guardian Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes. Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the past 80 years, the Fulbright Program has supported scholars, artists, writers, and professionals in connecting with international institutions to do cutting-edge work. At its heart, the Fulbright is an exchange program that funds research and projects outside of participants’ countries. It aims to build international relationships and cultural competency between Americans and the rest of the world. However, the recent federal funding freezes and layoffs have impacted several educational exchange programs, bringing its future into question. Funding has begun to trickle back in, but many have been affected by the freeze on federal grants to the Fulbright and other programs related to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs—including the Gilman Scholarships, the Critical Language Scholarship, and the IDEAS program and some fear the impacts could have long lasting consequences. In this segment, we discuss what the Fulbright is, why it matters, and who might be affected by funding freezes affecting international research.  Guests: Nicolás Kisic Aguirre, sound artist and PhD student at the University of Washington  Anita Ramasastry, the Henry M. Jackson Professor of Law and Senior Advisor and Director of Faculty Engagement in the Office of Global Affairs at the University of Washington. Related Links:  Study-Abroad Funding Is Paused, Leaving Some Students Stranded — NYT Funding freeze leaves Fulbright and study-abroad scholars stranded — Washington Post Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes. Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Saturday, March 22nd, the Wing Luke Museum will hold a gala that honors its namesake.  Wing Luke was born in 1925 in China. He moved to Seattle at age 6, and grew up helping his family run their laundromat and store. In 1962, he became the first person of color on Seattle’s City Council.  Wing Luke would have turned 100 last month, but he died tragically at an early age.  In his short time, he made lasting impacts to Seattle – many of which are still felt today. Guests: Ruby Luke, Wing Luke's sister Cynthia del Rosario, Wing Luke’s niece Faith Ireland, former Justice on the Washington State Supreme Court Ron Chew, journalist and former director of the Wing Luke Museum Related Links: The archival audio in that story came from the Seattle Municipal Archives Wing Luke Legacies: Celebrating Community Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes. Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last year, pro-Palestinian “liberation zones” popped up all over American campuses, demanding that universities divest from Israel and advocating for an end to the war in Gaza. Now, ICE’s arrest and detainment of Mahmoud Khalil, a leader in Columbia University’s student protests, has created a climate of fear and frustration among student protesters across the country.  Khalil was arrested and forced into an unmarked car before being taken to a detention facility in Louisiana. He has not been accused of a crime. This case deals calls norms of immigration law into question. But also, importantly, how the government interprets our constitution’s First Amendment is at stake.  Guest: Juliette Majid, former student activist, and Genevive Lakier, Professor of Law at the University of Chicago.    Related Links:  How a Columbia Student Activist Landed in Federal Detention — NYT I am a Palestinian political prisoner in the US. I am being targeted for my activism — The Guardian The Case of Mahmoud Khalil — The New Yorker   Thank you to the supporters of KUOW. You help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes. Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are looking outside, seeing a little sunshine peeking through the rain, some tulip bulbs starting to sprout, maybe you have some buds on your flowering trees... You might be thinking, "What can I do to really get in the Spring spirit today?"  Well, Producer Jason Megatron Burrows is here to help you fill your weekend with whimsy and get out there and enjoy the first day of Spring. LINKS:  Spring Equinox Potluck at Golden Gardens Spring Equinox Art Party at Freeway Park Seattle Moisture Festival at Broadway Performance Hall The Seattle Pop Punk Festival 2025 Freedom Day - NAAM Bruce Wells' Beauty and the Beast Georgetown Bites & Sites Match Schedule | Seawolves Rugby 2025 Schedule Release | SoundersFC.com CORRECTION: The Big Climb 2025 is taking place at the Columbia Center downtown, rather than the Space Needle. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Washington’s Democratic lawmakers are pushing forward with a promise they made last year to change a law they saw as problematic … but that they helped pass anyway.  The law in question came from a voter initiative, commonly known as the Parents’ Bill of Rights. It was a Republican-led effort to increase parents’ ability to monitor their kids’ school records, including medical and mental health and counseling.  Many were concerned that it erodes students’ privacy protections – especially for LGBTQ students. Last week, House Democrats advanced a bill that would amend some of the changes. It follows similar actions taken by Senate Democrats last month.  Republican lawmakers are, unsurprisingly, unhappy about the moves. They say schools will be able to keep parents in the dark about serious issues with their children. GUEST:  Seattle Times reporter Sofia Schwarzwalder RELATED LINKS:  New initiative aims to shield WA Parents’ Bill of Rights from revision WA Parents’ Bill of Rights advances out of House after heated debateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every Monday, Demar, Red, Cambo, Anthony and Vik give listeners a glimpse of life inside the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla on their podcast Concrete Mama.  The show focuses on the experience of being incarcerated. Three of the hosts are currently at Washington State Penitentiary, two were formerly incarcerated there. They all share their perspectives and explore the complexities of prison relationships, re-entry, and day to day life for people at the penitentiary.  Guest: Vik Chopra, co-host and showrunner of Concrete Mama and co-founder of Unincarcerated Productions Links:  Concrete Mama: The Podcast   Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes. Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For a year and a half, Monisha Harrell served as Senior Deputy Mayor of Seattle – the number two position in the executive office. The last name she shares with the Mayor, Bruce Harrell, is no coincidence. Monisha Harrell is the mayor’s niece.  She was the first Black lesbian senior deputy mayor in the City of Seattle’s history, and she also says that her tenure with the city was marred by bullying and sexism.  Guest:  Ashley Hiruko - KUOW investigative reporter Links: KUOW: Monisha Harrell breaks silence on her uncle – and former boss – Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell   Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.