I can only imagine how hard it is for Rachel to not be able to speak about her divorce but from what it seems it was a tough one. Glad she was able to let some of it out on the last episode. Her book should be an interesting read with her experience on the Bachelorette, the aftermath and her law background. Good luck big Rach!

‪So many ppl are so entrenched in hate & unapologetic xenophobia, that they’re not even trying to think (use reason & analysis). A few ppl on Twitter/X made some good points.

Vans argument hangs on the SAME principles applied to;

• Any Citizens detained or under arrest
• Any US inmates
• Any US prisoners of WAR & given the biases of our criminal justice sys.

BLACK PPL seem unified on some core DEMANDS from our Govt around education, healthcare, reparations & equal justice & opportunity (some that I’ve heard frequently).

That would require a reckoning with/against the System of Imperial, WHITE, Capitalist Patriarchy.

Logically we need FREE SPEECH rights to make our voices heard. We need the the right to ASSEMBLY to protest against Govt. policy when/where needed.

Logically we would need numbers beyond our OWN coalition of Afro-Black ppl.

Black ppl aren’t being asked to put their bodies on the line in the current crisis event (an amalgamation of issues). Just to be aware that THIS is actually an issue of CLASS WARFARE. Awareness and support of those issues ensure WE have them in the future. Support can happen w/o having to personally March.

Have Rachel and Van ever talked about this guy? I feel like I have heard his name. I came across this video and all I could think about was what would Van and Rachel say? I think they should bring him on and talk some things out. He is building quite the following on https://youtu.be/quzE9hYp1jo?feature=shared

...when he mentioned that Trump voters will win or be sheltered in the short-term - he was dead wrong. Their 401ks immediately took a 4% hit, consumer prices hit us all directly and immediately. Now looks like these so called sheltered domestic jobs are cut. Good luck collecting unemployment in red states. The policies are bad from top to bottom and will be felt by all non-millionaires in both short-term and long-term.

Sidenote: No one is even talking about looming foreclosure crisis.

So... If I cant protest with my booots on the ground today that serves the purpose of trump's mission. If I cant afford to take ANY day off or if I am off on the weekend but cant afford a babysitter, what do I do.

I think the movement has made a purposeful decision to make the protest on a day most accomidating for most Americans. I also know we the people are struggling.I know this pod is forward thinking and progressive but its the only place I felt comfortable posting. I cant wait for certain people to realize they have conections and can sway enough people that really matter, to do the right thing. My only choice seems to be to keep getting ransacked until the people who know the other people, who happen to have their decisons effect them directly. Thats the only time things change. My hope comes from knowing trumps reign will eventually negatively effect people who support him. Only then will the majority start to rule.

I just needed to vent and I know that for every cloud, theres a silver lining. The world is crumbling round us but it was worse before and they got through it, so will we.

More people will be inspired to vote and realize racism is dumb. If you were discriminated by where you were born and everyone could see where you were born by looking at you, it would be illegal. Yet and still black people are HATED simply because of the color of their skin.

Technology allowing us to access more information plus God and frustration may lead us all into a place where we see things for what they are.

TLDR: Life is rough now but hopefully it gets burned down and people will realize we have more in common and work together. BURN THIS SHIT DOWN ASAP! Im tired and ready for change

14-year-old Omri Salem told CBS that he was forced by Israeli soldiers at gunpoint to be their human shield in Gaza.

https://x.com/middleeasteye/status/1907101632317305116?s=46&t=Ckm2OpWbEK5A6HEhdbmtjw

Great job on Abby Phillip’s show tonight, Van!

This is not at all meant to bash TK…

However, did not like how he talked to Rachel. That woman is a whole attorney … you don’t think she knows how, at a baseline, to listen to comprehend? I didn’t want to judge him too soon, because I kind of clocked out after he kept referring to women as “females” but then the way he spoke to Rach? Nah.

THEN he started to defend men who “crashed out” because they were too emotional? lol a man who gets angry enough to consider and/or begin to plan out a murder because his partner cheated is someone who needs professional help. That’s not “crashing out” or defendable.

Edited now that I finished the episode: YUCK lmao the last few mins of the pod he said “because it’s you and we have a relationship” and “if it was my daughters”. So he understands his behavior and thought process is flawed because if he encountered someone like himself, he’d have an issue with that person mistreating women he knows personally, but all other women are fair game? YUCK.

https://youtu.be/hBGtiLhKb5c?si=F45XIDCxtEcoyBxv

When I read Van’s book something struck out to me, and I think of it often when the conversation of the company he keeps comes up.

I can’t quote directly, but he talked about how many people he’s known and loved who have done f*cked up things. Family members, friends, etc. He said he never condones the bad, but doesn’t forget the good either. He’s always focused on the good in people.

For us as Thought Warriors, this can be perplexing and downright aggravating when he has on guests like dude from Tuesday. I see Van pushing back, challenging, speaking up for what’s right, and I think he’s always hoping to bring people to the light. Aside from relishing in the back and forth, I wonder if he hopes the dragging that commences afterward will help push people in the right direction.

I know most of you will disagree, or won’t care, and I get that. I simply can’t help thinking about who Van is and how he moves, and I find myself giving him some grace. Well, most of the time.

I know many of us cringed every time TK tried to work his way out of his misogynistic and abusive thought process by claiming that it’s because of his experiences and him being from a different generation. I just want to say that I’m sick of this excuse. Your age has no impact on your capacity to view someone as a human being and treating them with respect. His generation was instrumental in paving the way for mental health, feminism, and human rights (Angela Davis, Shirley Chisholm, etc). So for him to sit up there and try to claim that he’s exempt from having to treat people a certain way because of his age is ridiculous and dangerous thinking.

I didn't listen to the TK pod today because browsing through the notes in Spotify it didn't interest me. But I was fixed on Cory Booker's record 25 hour speech on the Senate floor that started Monday and didn't end until an hour or so ago. They need to break down all 25 hours of this man's defiance of the trump admin. It's incredible. I started listening yesterday, was up to 2 am and when I woke up he was still talking. And incredible feat by an amazing person.

In no particular order 1.Larry Elder 2. Michael Rapaport 3. TK

Who I’m I missing?

I cannot handle a man that can so eloquently talk about smacking a woman for “talking back” and then saying it takes determination and discipline to control those thoughts. TK is a man that I would never feel safe around and pray all the women in his life are safe. Thank you to Van and Rachel for calling this out and attempting to educate this man. Please protect women and stop allowing ignorance to speak so loudly. Very painful listen!

I

In light of today's episode....

the old post since you cannot bump posts on Reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/ThoughtWarriors/comments/1gpygps/guests_who_should_be_on_higher_learning_to/

People who are actually knowledgeable and have insightful commentary:
Melissa Harris Perry

Jamelle Bouie

Ta-nehisi Coates

Karen Hunter

Blair Kelley

Kevin Kruse

Tressie McMillan Cottom

Rachel Shelden

Paola Ramos (thank you u/punkhomes99 !)

Esosa Osa 

Jemele Hill

Astead Herndon 

Elie Mystal

Adam Serwer

Peniel Joseph

Karen Attiah

Perry Bacon

Karen Hunter

Having the cool smooth voice and delivery doesn’t mean you’re right. Listen to comprehend works both ways. He mentions his experiences and another’s doesn’t make neither person wrong. There are rights and wrongs. The gaslighting and gymnastics are interesting with TK. If it’s a person Van isn’t directly connected to, he probably would’ve make his own voice heard more

Why tf they keep platforming the dumbest fukn pseudointellectuals?