Episode 031: Chaos Theory

Reflecting on the anniversaries of the murking of Osama bin Laden and racist police being acquitted for the beating of Rodney King, Heit & Cheri jump into a discussion about social change and conditions of the poor and working class. This week’s episode of “The Axiom Amnesia Theory” questions whether the perception of chaos is inherently negative and whether the perception of organization is inherently positive.

Topics explored include the riots resulting from the verdict in the Rodney King case, immigrants facing deportation after reportedly calling 9-1-1 following a dispute with their employer, Jimmy Kimmel & Barack Obama joke at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes touring with TLC, and the proper way to send feedback to Axiom Amnesia.

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Segment 1

• Discussion about the anniversaries of the assassination of Osama Bin Laden and the 20-year anniversary of the L.A. riots after the Rodney King verdict in 1992.
• Freedom Tower in New York became the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.
• Use of Bin Laden killing as a political tool in the 2012 presidential election.
• Obama signed a deal with Afghanistan, which includes the transfer of security to their country and the drawing down of U.S. troops. 23,000 troops will exit the country by the end of the summer. In reality some troops will remain in Afghanistan until 2024
• The events of the L.A. riots in 1992. The issue of the socioeconomic suffering of the people who looted. A lot of people were not looting frivolously–they needed the things they took from the stores.
• There was a bunch of built up frustration that just exploded in the wake of the verdict.
• The reporters tried to make it seem as if the people were tearing up their own communities. However, the people didn’t own the businesses they destroyed–they had no stake in it. They were showing their disdain for the system of injustice. It was a systematic attack.
• The same social ills exist now as they did then–poverty and joblessness, crime, and violence.
• Maligned people are expected to be pacified by things like having a Black president and other things which have nothing to do with improving conditions for them.
• The issue of the Black unemployment rate being double that of the national rate. Meanwhile, people are cheering that the national unemployment rate has decreased slightly, yet nobody is addressing the Black unemployment rate.
• Your experience in this country depends heavily on your socioeconomic status, gender, race, and sexual orientation.

Segment 2

• Six men in Michigan face deportation after reportedly calling 9-1-1. The Sheriff claims that they called U.S. Customs and Border Control to translate what the men were saying. These agents never spoke to the men in Spanish.
• It is strange that an undocumented worker would call 9-1-1. They typically do all that they can NOT to come in contact with the “authorities” for fear of deportation.
• There were also reports that the men may actually be in the country legally. Apparently, the primary issue was that they did not have documentation of their right to be in the country on them when the incident occured.
• A discussion about the connection between private prisons and those who want to see them succeed.
• Discussion about the issues of racial profiling in light of the new immigration laws in places like Arizona.
• If someone cannot present proper documentation, they can be sent to a private prison/jail and then they can draw government funds, which pay for housing prisoners.
• The level of targeting and racial profiling condoned in the tough immigration laws is a violation of civil rights.
• None of these laws are written with the common person in mind. The laws are backed by corporations and others who make their money on the backs of the labor of the common people.
• The Supreme Court’s immigration decision is expected over the summer.
• In the United States, the courts are made up of people who are partisan and far from impartial.

Segment 3

• The White House Correspondent’s Dinner was held recently. Jimmy Kimmel hosted it this year. It is essentially an elite gathering of sorts.
• Obama joked a lot about himself this year.
• In a joke about how skinny Obama is, Kimmel made a joke about how people in Africa are skinny, and it wasn’t one bit funny.
• Have you ever participated in a drunk podcast? Heit & Cheri discuss drinking while at the mic.
• Heit tells the story of what happened when Cheri decided to drink before recording the podcast.
• Heit asks whether people have ever had sex during a podcast.
• Jimmy Kimmel talks about Barack Obama’s crack down on marijuana. He asks what is the concern with people who smoke weed, and goes on to suggest that Obama must be smoking weed too.
• Conversation about what it would be like to be one of the oldest people in the world.
• TLC is planning a tour with Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes as a hologram.
• Heit gives Cheri a hard time about having a stuffy nose. A conversation ensues about a neti pot.
• Heit complains about not being able to buy Skittles.
• We’re advocates of thinking, so check out the new Facebook cover art and download it to your profile page.

Audio Credits:

“Poison” – Nas (feat. Keon Bryce)

Sources:

Six Men In Michigan Face Deportation Proceedings After Placing 911 Call In Huron County
Hispanic about to be deported to call ambulance

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