We Dissent

The Crisis Pregnancy Center Crisis with Jenifer McKenna Nov 20, 2024

Alison, Liz, and Rebecca are joined by Jenifer McKenna to talk about the billion dollar crisis pregnancy center industry and its role in the anti-abortion movement. They discuss the massive harms caused by these unregulated fake clinics, Jenifer’s work on the first multi-state CPC investigation, and a new approach to exposing their unethical tactics and fighting back.

Show Notes

“Why is the billion-dollar unregulated pregnancy clinic industry receiving increasing taxpayer dollars?”
“Unregulated Pregnancy Clinic Industry’s Revenue Soars to $1.7 Billion Annually”
“Anti-Choice Leaders Are Mobilizing Thousands of Unregulated Pregnancy Clinics Against Abortion Access Ballot Initiatives”

Jenifer McKenna’s Ms Magazine articles

Cases

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

Sarah Posner on Tyranny by a Minority Oct 16, 2024

Alison, Liz, and Rebecca interview Sarah Posner, author and interviewer. They discuss the evolution of the Christian right, debate how to talk about Christian Nationalism, and break down the sky high stakes of this year’s election.

Show Notes

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

Project 2025—Roadmap to Hell Sep 18, 2024

Alison, Liz, and Rebecca dig into Project 2025, the comprehensive transition project for the next conservative administration. They explain the project and illustrate the throughlines of its policy agenda— Christian nationalist ideology and the obliteration of the separation of church and state.

Background

New York Times (2024) - “A Questionnaire for Applicants to the Next Conservative White House”

#3: Presidential Administration Academy

ProPublica (2024) - “Inside Project 2025’s Secret Training Videos”

#4: 180-Day Playbook

Resources

AU’s Project 2025 Hub

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

A Conversation with Secular Legislator Sen. Kelda Roys Aug 21, 2024

Alison, Liz, and Rebecca speak with Wisconsin State Senator Kelda Roys. They discuss what it’s like to be a nonreligious lawmaker in today’s legislative world as well as the threat of Christian Nationalism to our secular democracy and civil rights like reproductive freedom.

Background

Previous episode that discusses mifepristone
Jessica Valenti substack
Jill Filipovic substack

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

The Supreme Court vs. The People Jul 17, 2024

Alison, Liz, and Rebecca break down the 2024 Supreme Court term. They explain how the Court decided the two cases affecting abortion access, then they explain several other decisions of the Court that massively disrupt how the government functions and shift even more power away from the people.

Cases and Background

Mifepristone Case - FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine

EMTALA Case - Moyle v. US

Chevron Case - Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo

Presidency and Criminal Liability Case - Trump v. US

Decision

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

Talking Reproductive Rights with Maya Rupert Jun 20, 2024

Alison, Liz, and Rebecca are joined by reproductive rights expert, political strategist, and advocate Maya Rupert. They discuss how the fight for reproductive justice is being waged post-Dobbs and why the personal has never been more political.

Background

Cases

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

The Mifepristone Case at SCOTUS May 15, 2024

Not two years after overturning Roe v. Wade, the US Supreme Court is considering a case that threatens to take the abortion pill, mifepristone, off the market. Alison, Liz, and Rebecca explain how the anti-abortion activist lawsuit started, how it got to the Court, and what we learned from the recent oral arguments.

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Other Links

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Elections! Nov 16, 2022

Rebecca, Liz, Monica, and Alison discuss the ways in which the separation of church and state surfaces during election season. They’ll break down the Johnson Amendment, the rules and restrictions churches must adhere to in order to be tax-exempt, and then explore the unique complaints they receive involving voting in churches.

FFRF, AHA, and American Atheists (like churches!) are 501(c)(3) organizations and therefore do not endorse or oppose candidates for public office.

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Cases

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Religion Behind Bars Oct 20, 2022

Monica, Alison, Liz, and Rebecca discuss religious liberty issues in our jails and prisons. From court-ordered AA to coercive prayer meetings to forming atheist and humanist groups in prisons, there are plenty of ways the separation of church and state affects this vulnerable population.

Cases

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Regulations Rule! Sep 21, 2022

Alison guides Rebecca, Monica and Liz through a discussion of another tool we have to keep religion out of government: administrative rules and regulations. The co-hosts give an overview of this body of law, and discuss how it’s been used to erode the wall of separation and what we can do to roll that back.

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Cases

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No Victory for Religious Liberty: Discussing Coach Prayer with Rachel Laser Sep 01, 2022

Liz, Rebecca, Monica and Alison recap the case, Kennedy v. Bremerton, discussed in Episode 5 and review the decision handed down by the Supreme Court at the end of June. Later in the episode they’re joined by the pod’s very first guest, Rachel Laser, President and CEO of Americans United, who represented Bremerton at the high court. Rachel joins for a conversation about being a woman leader in the fight to keep state/church separate, and what our future holds after a dismal June. It’s a long episode, but worth every minute!

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Bonus Episode! Shurtleff v. City of Boston Aug 02, 2022

Rebecca and Liz recap the case, which was discussed in Episode 2, and review the decision handed down by the Supreme Court earlier this year. They also discuss the importance of this decision in the context of all other religious liberty cases from the high court’s term this past year.

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SCOTUS Decision

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Bonus Episode! Carson v. Makin Update Jul 28, 2022

Liz and Rebecca recap the case, which was discussed in Episode 1, and review the decision handed down by the Supreme Court at the end of June. They also discuss the impact this has for the separation of state and church moving forward.

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SCOTUS Decision

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The Abortion Episode Jul 20, 2022

Liz, Rebecca, Alison and Monica discuss the decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturns the fundamental right to abortion care. The co-hosts break down the decision, the ramifications of the decision, and commiserate over the future of the rights of women to make their own health care choices.

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Relevant Cases

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You, Coach Kennedy, are no Tim Tebow Jun 22, 2022

Liz, Rebecca, Alison and Monica break down the latest case threatening the separation of church and state, Kennedy v. Bremerton, which involves a Christian high school football coach praying at the 50-yard line after games. The hosts review the facts of the case, outline what happened at oral arguments and make predictions on what this means for the rights of public high school students of minority faiths or no faith at all.

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Relevant Cases

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Religious Liberty and the Death Penalty Jun 08, 2022

Rebecca, Monica, Alison, and Liz discuss the religious liberty issues arising in death penalty cases. Since 2019, questions about what religious liberty rights are afforded to those sentenced to death at the moment of their execution have been featured at the high court. Rebecca walks us through four notable cases on this issue and the hosts discuss what it means for religious liberty cases overall.

Background

Relevant Cases

”Divided court allows Alabama execution to go forward”

Murphy v. Collier

“Supreme Court intervenes in execution of Buddhist prisoner”

Gutierrez v. Collier

“Justices block Texas execution”

Dunn v. Smith

“Court won’t allow Alabama execution without a pastor”

Ramirez v. Collier

Coalition amicus brief

Secular State Advocacy in the Age of Christian Nationalism Jun 01, 2022

Alison, Rebecca and Monica discuss another tool in our kit to keep religion and government separate: legislative advocacy. Alison, as our resident policy expert, guides us through the many bills that threaten church/state separation wending their ways through state legislatures this year.

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Relevant Cases

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The So-Called Establishment Clause: Shurtleff v. City of Boston May 25, 2022

Monica, Liz, Rebecca, and Alison review the case, Shurtleff v. City of Boston, in which the city of Boston denied a religious organization, Camp Constitution, its request to fly the Christian flag at city hall. The hosts discuss the free speech and religion clause arguments presented at oral arguments in December 2021.

*Note, this episode was recorded prior to the Supreme Court handing down the decision on May 2, 2022. An update to this episode is forthcoming.

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Relevant Cases

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The Sleeper Case: Carson v. Makin May 18, 2022

Liz, Rebecca, Alison and Monica discuss the “sleeper case” of the Supreme Court term which could upend prohibitions on government funding to religious schools. The lawyers break down the arguments from the case out of Maine, Carson v. Makin, and discuss ramifications and potential outcomes.

Background

Relevant Cases