Civil Rights and Wrongs

Civil Rights and Wrongs for November 24, 2020

Our guest this week is Ed Scruggs, community organizer and gun control advocate.  Ed is a member of the Board of Directors of Texas Gun Sense, which supports gun ownership as an individual right for law-abiding citizens, but also supports universal background checks, with a goal of keeping guns out of the hands of violent criminals and people experiencing mental health crises.  And Michelle Manning-Scott will also be with us.  Austin Sanders, staff writer for the Austin Chronicle, discusses changes in the Travis County District Attorney’s Office as Jose Garza assumes leadership.

Civil Rights and Wrongs for November 17, 2020

Sam Woolley returns to update us on misinformation and disinformation in 2020.  Sam is a member of the faculty in the UT School of Journalism, and in the UT School of Information.  He is also Director of UT’s Center for Media Engagement, and author of The Reality Game: How the Next Wave of Technology Will Break the Truth.  We’ll also have our regular commentator Jim Harrington, founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project (retired).  And Michelle Manning-Scott joins us as well.  Austin Sanders, Staff Writer for the Austin Chronicle, provides his usual update on City Council, focusing on the upcoming runoff elections in Districts 6 and 10.

Civil Rights and Wrongs for November 10, 2020

This is our annual election wrap-up.  Our guest is Mike Clark-Madison, News Editor for the Austin Chronicle.  We’ll also have our regular commentator Jim Harrington, founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project (retired).  And Michelle Manning-Scott has returned after her sojourn with the Travis County Clerk.  We’ll focus on state and local races, including US Senate and House outcomes for Texas.  Join us for myriad results and insightful analysis.

Civil Rights and Wrongs for November 3, 2020

Just before the polls close, we have a special edition of Civil Rights and Wrongs.  Three familiar voices will review some of the notable events and themes from the Trump presidency: Michael King is the former News Editor for the Austin Chronicle, retired earlier this year; Jim Harrington is founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project, also retired; and yours truly, Bob Dailey, a retired engineer and former college prof.  Given the sabotage of democracy, what can be recovered?  And despite egregious malfeasance, there are actually a few reasons for hope.  Also, Austin Sanders, Staff Writer for the Austin Chronicle, discusses concerns of four members of City Council regarding post-election public safety in Austin.   

Civil Rights and Wrongs for October 27, 2020

Our guests include two advocates for renters in Austin: Molly Jensen is Executive Director of the Austin Tenants Council (ATC), and Shoshana Krieger is Project Director for Building and Strengthening Tenant Action (BASTA).  We discuss tenants’ rights, the eviction process, organizing, and reasons for hope.  Our friend Jim Harrington, retired founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project, also joins us.

Civil Rights and Wrongs for October 20, 2020

Our guest is Lauren McGaughy, an investigative reporter for the Dallas Morning News, stationed in Austin.  We cover a variety of topics, including the continuing aftermath from the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs in 2017.  We’ll also hear about how QAnon was promoted by a prosecutor in the Office of the Texas Attorney General.  Speaking of which, Lauren is currently covering allegations of corruption from the head of that office.  We’ll also discuss the courts, prisons, and more.  Our friend Jim Harrington, retired founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project, joins us as well.  And Austin Sanders from the Austin Chronicle talks about the lack of resolution in the killing of Michael Ramos by an APD officer six months ago.

Civil Rights and Wrongs for October 13, 2020

We have two guests: Gus Bova, staff writer for the Texas Observer, will talk about his recent article on homelessness, “No Place To Be.”  Austin Sanders, staff writer for the Austin Chronicle, complements the discussion with observations from his coverage of City Hall.  Michelle Manning-Scott will provide another update on drive-up submission of mail-in ballots.  Governor Abbott’s order to restrict counties to a single site has been overturned, although this latest move has been appealed.  As usual, our friend Jim Harrington, founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project, joins us, too.

Civil Rights and Wrongs for October 6, 2020

Our guest is Anthony Gutierrez, Executive Director of Common Cause Texas.  We discuss voter suppression and intimidation with him, and with Jim Harrington, founder of the Texas Civil Rights Project (retired) and Michelle Manning-Scott, who is working for the Travis County Election Clerk this election cycle.

Civil Rights and Wrongs for September 29, 2020

Another “Best Of” edition of Civil Rights and Wrongs for KOOP’s Fall Membership Drive, that includes excerpts from:

• May 12^th with Chas Moore (Executive Director of the Austin Justice Coalition) and Chris Harris (data analyst specializing in law enforcement issues) who discuss the toxic atmosphere at APD, as well as the larger matter of public safety
• August 8^th Michelle’s interview with Sanford Levinson from UT Government and Law School, dealing with the fundamental structure of the US Constitution
• May 19^th with Gus Bova from the Texas Observer covering labor issues during the pandemic
• July 7^th with Stephen Vladeck from the UT Law School with our annual Supreme Court wrap-up

Civil Rights and Wrongs for September 22, 2020

Best of Civil Rights and Wrongs for KOOP's Fall Membership Drive:

• Michael Barajas, staff writer for the Texas Observer, on the use of solitary confinement in Texas prisons (Jan. 14)
• Peniel Joseph, faculty in the UT LBJ School and Director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, on racial justice (Aug. 4)
• Sam Woolley, faculty in the UT School of Journalism, on misinformation and disinformation (Feb. 25)
• Chito Vela, immigration attorney; Josue Lucas and Kelvin Lopez-Garcia, beneficiaries of the federal DACA program; on DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, Aug. 11)