Left Out Program Notes for February 21, 2006

Welcome to Left Out, reality-based independent radio on WRCT 88.3FM, and on the worldwide web at leftout.info. Left Out discusses the news from a perspective left out of the mainstream media. Left Out is co-hosted by Bob Harper and Danny Sleator. Today's program is produced by Matt Hornyak. Listeners are invited to call the program at (412) 268-WRCT (9728), or to send email to bob@leftout.info


Announcements

The WRCT spring semester schedule is up. In it we find:

Democracy Now! weekdays at 8am.
Free Speech Radio News weekdays at 5:30pm.
Fight'n Lefty Review Wednesdays at 6pm.
After The Bell right after Left Out.
The Lid Off alternating weeks with Left Out.
Rust Belt Radio Mondays 6pm.

Listen

Listen to the broadcast (requires MP3 player). (Streaming, Download, Podcast)

Guest: Sam Harris, author of The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason

From Sam Harris' web site:

Sam Harris is the author of the New York Times bestseller, The End of Faith: Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason. He is a graduate in philosophy from Stanford University and has studied both Eastern and Western religious traditions, along with a variety of contemplative disciplines, for twenty years. Mr. Harris is now completing a doctorate in neuroscience, studying the neural basis of belief, disbelief, and uncertainty with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

The book was reviewed (fairly negatively) in Salon.com.

On November 16, 2005 Sam delivered a lecture to the NY Society for Ethical Culture. We've made the lecture available for your listening pleasure in MP3 format.

These remarks by Sam Harris exemplify his views about religion and rationality.

Some points to discuss:

Ignorant Republicans

The school board of Pittsburgh suburb Upper St Clair voted last night to terminate the International Baccalaureate curriculum in their school district on the spurious grounds that the $80,000 per year cost is "too high" (out of total annual budget of approximately $50,000,000). Previously the school board members advocating its termination described the program as "Marxist" and "anti-Christian" and "un-American", revealing much more about the speaker than the program. This is another example of Republican wingnuts destroying our society by fostering ignorance and undermining education. Listeners are encouraged to visit the IBO web site for actual information about the program, which emphasizes international education.

Authoritarian Republicanism

We've commented frequently on the deeply authoritarian streak running through the heart of contemporary Republican politics, and particularly exemplified by the fascistic tendencies of the Cheney Administration. A recent column by Glenn Greenwald beautifully summarizes the cult of personality surrounding George W. Bush.

Robertson Watch

In the opinion of radical cleric Pat Robertson, "Europe is right now in the midst of racial suicide because of the declining birth rate."

Little Ricky's Little Trickies

The junior senator from Pennsylvania has quite a few tricks up his sleeve for financing his suburban Virginia lifestyle. Not to mention having billed the Penn Hills School District for schooling his children, even though he lives in Virginia. Come November, just say no to Little Ricky.

Sources

Truth Out
Common Dreams
Information Clearinghouse
Cursor
Tom Paine
The Independent
The Guardian
Consortium News


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Danny Sleator
Last modified: Wed Feb 22 14:52:16 2006