The Dissidents

The Dissidents

Welcome to the Dissidents podcast from the Institute for Liberal Values (formerly the Counterweight Podcast), where we talk about how we can strive for a world in which freedom and reason are at the forefront of all human society.

  1. FSF Ep 45: Celebrating the Declaration: America at 250 Event

    2d ago

    FSF Ep 45: Celebrating the Declaration: America at 250 Event

    "Bad ideas survive when people are too afraid to speak up." Shelly Norden, Ken Pope, and Leigh Vlasblom join hosts Chris and Joia for a special episode promoting the America at 250 initiative—including an event in June to reclaim the founding principles of free speech, civil discourse, and limited government as America approaches its 250th birthday.  Ken notes a disturbing ripple effect in our current culture: bad education leads to bad ideas in media, law, and every other institution. "It all comes back to education," Shelly stresses, where instead kids should learn "how to debate openly, how to not take things personally.” Leigh adds a radical proposal: simply read the founding documents—they're free, yet schools claim they have "no money." Pennsylvania's school law even requires an hour of civics education taught every week, yet "we've abandoned the original sources" in favor of "big corporations writing new textbooks that have modified history." The solution is grassroots: support educators and school board members doing good work, encourage those who could do better, and protect those being personally attacked for offering opposing opinions.  About the America at 250 Event: Happening June 12-13 in Arlington, VA, the America at 250 initiative brings together leaders, educators, school board members, parents, and concerned citizens to spark a grassroots movement reclaiming the founding principles that built this nation. The event features lectures, discussions, tours, and interactive experiences designed to equip community members with the knowledge and courage to defend American values and civil discourse in their local schools and communities. Shelly, Ken, and Leigh are leading this effort to ensure that as we enter our next 250 years, we're grounded in the original sources—the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers—and committed to teaching the next generation how to think critically, debate respectfully, and defend the freedoms we've inherited. Whether you're a parent concerned about what's happening in classrooms, an educator seeking to restore civics education, or simply someone who believes in the power of the founding documents, America at 250 offers a platform to connect, learn, and take action. Registration and more information available at leadershipinstitute.org/americaat250.

    53 min
  2. FSF Hot Takes: The Rise of Political Violence & Decline of Free Speech (Part 1)

    May 19

    FSF Hot Takes: The Rise of Political Violence & Decline of Free Speech (Part 1)

    “If it bleeds, it leads," they say—and in the algorithm age, we're all drowning in egregiously hyperbolic content designed to polarize. In the wake of the third assassination attempt on President Trump, plus Charlie Kirk's tragic murder and attacks on the UnitedHealthcare CEO and various state representatives, Chris and Joia launch a new Hot Takes mini-series confronting what the data shows is an alarming trend: Americans—especially young Americans—increasingly accept politically-oriented violence as justified. Chris and Joia argue this rise directly correlates with the decline of free speech culture, driven by the noxious idea that "speech is violence," which has blurred the lines of distinction between speech and physical force. They warn against carving out exceptions, noting that even after World War II, we responded to Nazis with the Nuremberg Trials, not with such a quick insistence on violence that so many seem to harbor today. The mission of this multi-part series will be to question, explore, and try to figure out how to reinstate some of the basic understanding and values around free speech in order to stop this trend toward violence. It’s crucial, because when you can't distinguish words from weapons, civilization itself becomes the casualty. Here are links for data, polls, and surveys referenced in this episode: https://expression.fire.org/p/gen-z-is-10-times-more-acceptinghttps://x.com/kanekoathegreat/status/2048215568118133246?s=43&t=VYiTS2LZUOf6UxNW9GkBlA Americans say politically motivated violence is increasing, and they see many reasons why Political Violence in America: Public Perceptions, Polarization, and Accountability

    22 min
  3. FSF Ep. 44: When Classrooms Turn Hostile to Inquiry & Free Speech | Dana Stangel-Plowe

    Apr 20

    FSF Ep. 44: When Classrooms Turn Hostile to Inquiry & Free Speech | Dana Stangel-Plowe

    "I always loved school. I was one of those people who played school with my siblings." Dana Stangel-Plowe, now Chief Program Officer at the North American Values Institute (NAVI), went from lawyer to beloved high school English teacher at her kids' private school in suburban New Jersey—until she watched "an anti-intellectual, anti-liberal ideology" infiltrate the curriculum, one that focused on identity and power and fundamentally "changed the way my students interacted with each other, interacted with our books." When her concerns fell on deaf ears, Dana resigned publicly in 2021 during the height of CRT debates, arguing that while critical race theory wasn't being explicitly taught, its framework was "embedded in the curriculum, embedded in programming, embedded in the way that the school wanted the students and the teachers to relate to one another." Dana warns that "one of the scariest things of the current moment is that young people believe that words are violence"—the opposite of what a liberal society needs, where "words need to be met with more words." . Her research shows students "can't name the three branches of government" as "national literacy rates have declined," revealing how this ideological approach is failing our students. But Dana also offers hope: "Courage is contagious. I have seen with my students that where one person starts whispering, other people start whispering and soon the whispers get louder." Her advice for students living in fear? "Ask questions. When you ask a question, you're opening up other pathways to thinking. You're not necessarily expressing certainty that somebody is wrong and that you're right. You're just asking questions." Dana's work at NAVI now focuses on exposing extremist curriculum, achieving transparency so parents can see what's happening in schools, and restoring the culture of open inquiry where "free speech is a value, where people aren't afraid." Learn more about NAVI’s initiatives at: https://navivalues.org/

    16 min
  4. FSF Ep. 43: “You're Not Allowed to Say That”: Art as Free Speech | Joshua David Washington

    Mar 16

    FSF Ep. 43: “You're Not Allowed to Say That”: Art as Free Speech | Joshua David Washington

    "You're not allowed to say that." Those four words changed everything for Joshua David "JoDavi" Washington, Director of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel (IBSI) and world-touring recording artist. Sharing what he thought were just "fun experiences" about Israel with college friends, Josh watched conversations shut down cold: "It went from 'I disagree with you' to 'you're not allowed to say that.' And that would rub me the wrong way,” he explains, “what do you mean I can't say that?" Now he's built an entire ecosystem of artists who've found a space to share unpopular opinions expressed through music. Josh argues that free speech "protects speech that's not popular," and that artists' jobs are "to hold a mirror to society.” Unfortunately, much of today's creative class seems to just practice mass virtue signaling —the opposite of icons like James Brown, who "had the integrity to stand on their convictions." Josh’s recent album Zion tackles everything from the Masada defenders' last battle against Rome to abortion's impact on the Black community—controversial topics that will get pushback when he posts about them online, but that audiences love in song form. Music, he explains, "can't be translated to a tweet"—it's a richer medium, one that reaches people differently. Josh's advice for artists afraid to speak up? "There are a lot more of us who are like-minded than you would think. We just think we're so small in number, and I don't think we are." Learn more about Josh’s work with IBSI at: https://ibsi.org/

    23 min
  5. FSF Ep. 42: Celebrating the Declaration | Ideas, Character, and America's Thunderclap Moment with Lawrence Reed

    Feb 21

    FSF Ep. 42: Celebrating the Declaration | Ideas, Character, and America's Thunderclap Moment with Lawrence Reed

    "Ideas are more powerful than all the armies of the world. Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come." Victor Hugo’s observation resonates with Lawrence Reed, FEE's President Emeritus and author of the forthcoming Born of Ideas, who traces his liberty awakening to 1968 when Soviet tanks crushed Prague Spring. Then, he was a 14-year-old watching people who simply wanted to speak their minds get destroyed for demanding basic rights.  Now, nearly 60 years into his "otherwise unemployable" career advancing liberty, Larry argues that July 4, 1776 was "this incredible combination...like a thunderclap" where "men and women of solid character" met "revolutionary ideas" about human rights. Larry teaches students that ideas—not institutions, media, or parents—determine "whether people live in a free society or an unfree society," but close behind ideas is character: "people who don't have high character...they're not likely to be free. They're not fit to be free."  Free speech, he argues, is "the verbal manifestation of the freedom to think"—without it "you might as well be a robot," or in North Korea where "just thinking something and saying it can get you thrown in prison or worse." Addressing critics who dismiss the founders for not abolishing slavery immediately, Larry warns against "presentism"—judging the past by present standards, comparing it to putting the Wright Brothers in a courtroom asking "what good are you?" because their plane lacked tray tables and Wi-Fi.  In closing, he offers inspiration from Valley Forge: those soldiers weren't freezing and starving for iPhones or gourmet meals but "for a principle of individual liberty. That's exciting stuff. Life without liberty is just absolutely unthinkable." Delve deeper into Larry’s work at: https://www.lawrencewreed.com/

    42 min
  6. FSF | Why July 4th? The Declaration as America's First Act of Free Speech

    Jan 23

    FSF | Why July 4th? The Declaration as America's First Act of Free Speech

    Why do we celebrate America's birthday on July 4th and not July 2nd when the Declaration was actually voted on, or 1775 when shots were fired at Lexington and Concord, or 1783 when Britain finally acknowledged our independence in the Treaty of Paris? In this special episode, co-hosts Chris and Joia dive into why the Declaration of Independence—an act of speech—became the defining moment of America's founding. "America began with an act of free speech," Chris observes, noting that this "shows how foundational speech is to freedom and to this country and why, therefore it was included in the First Amendment." The Declaration wasn't just theory—it was "planting a flag firmly in the ground," a statement that transformed British colonists into rebels declaring their identity to the world. Joia and Chris explore how the Declaration served as both America's "vision and mission statement" (while the Constitution became "the business plan"), calling the founders "the ultimate entrepreneurs" who created something purposefully new. They argue that its endurance for 250 years—making America's government structure among the longest-lasting modern governments—proves the Declaration contains "fundamentally good ideas in accord with human nature at our best." Drawing inspiration from Jefferson's inclusion of the people's right to change government when it oversteps its bounds, they see an "entrepreneurial spirit" that calls each generation to "constantly renew and experiment in new ways to better live up to the ideals it lays out." Their challenge for this semiquincentennial year? According to Joia, "this is the year for declarations"—for each person to stake their own claim about timeless principles and announce to the world, "this is what matters, let me give you clarity on my identity." Because, as Chris notes, "we inherited this great gift and it's incumbent upon us to live up to those ideals if we're to preserve it for the next generations." Happy birthday, America!

    24 min
  7. FSF Ep. 40: Every Memory Has a Soundtrack: Music, Listening, and Free Speech | Shaka Mitchel

    11/15/2025 ·  Bonus

    FSF Ep. 40: Every Memory Has a Soundtrack: Music, Listening, and Free Speech | Shaka Mitchel

    "The other side of the free speech coin is listening well." Shaka Mitchell, senior fellow at the American Federation for Children and creator of the Come Together Music Project, believes we've "forgotten how to listen"—and music is his solution. A Nashville-based lawyer and education reform leader, Shaka uses songs to bridge political divides by asking simple questions: What song reminds you of being 21? What song reminds you of your dad? "Every memory has a soundtrack all its own," and when strangers share their musical stories—from Led Zeppelin's eight-minute "Cashmere" to whatever gets you through hard times—something remarkable happens: "we're sort of saying… that person, that's not an enemy, turns out, that's just another human." Shaka argues that free speech and conscience are "inextricably linked" in education, pointing to cases where school districts tried to silence parents who wanted to opt out of lessons that conflicted with their values. He warns that "squelching speech in that way is really dangerous" regardless of whose beliefs are at stake. His advice for finding your voice? "Lead with the pathos and not the logos"—start with your story, practice relentlessly, and use solitude (he's a runner) to workshop ideas. But most importantly, remember that music "forces us to actually sit in silence" for 45 seconds at a time in a world where "if things aren't happening in 12 second increments, we just lose attention." By humanizing one another through shared soundtracks, Shaka believes we can then "have the next conversation about something that's maybe a little more heavy, a little more fraught." Because education is nothing if not speech—and speech requires someone willing to truly listen.Find out more about Shaka’s work with the Come Together Music Project at: https://www.cometogetherpodcast.com/

    25 min
  8. FSF Ep. 39: "I Am Charlie”: Free Speech After Witnessing Charlie Kirk's Murder | Carob Marcelle Bartholomew

    11/01/2025 ·  Bonus

    FSF Ep. 39: "I Am Charlie”: Free Speech After Witnessing Charlie Kirk's Murder | Carob Marcelle Bartholomew

    "Is this going to be in my neck or in my back? And will it be fast?" Those were Carob Marcelle Bartholomew's thoughts as she lay on the ground during Charlie Kirk's assassination listening for bullets whizzing overhead that tragic day in Utah. A homeschool teacher to 83 students and Utah State Director for Moms for America, Carob had been assaulted in the past in Seattle for holding a sign that said "character matters, reject CRT"—punched in the face by someone who "could have been a relative." Now she teaches her students that "the first place that you are enslaved is in your mind" and uses Peter Boghossian's techniques to get them debating everything from armed teachers to gun control, often keeping them 90 minutes past dismissal because "they're hungry for real conversation."  After witnessing Charlie Kirk's murder, Carob organized a walk for students back to the shooting site, telling them to wear "I am Charlie" shirts because "another thing that we're constantly saying is our kids are resilient while we're watering them down and making them so weak and mentally fragile." Her message to anyone self-censoring: "I believe you have a right to say even the ugliest things. In fact, I want you to say the ugliest things because it gives me proof that it's happening." With her Mom's group declaring "I'm more in than ever" despite the violence, Carob's rallying cry is simple: "I would rather die on my feet than live on my knees."   Check out Carob’s YouTube channel “Be Not Afraid” at: https://www.youtube.com/@CarobMarcelle

    38 min
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About

Welcome to the Dissidents podcast from the Institute for Liberal Values (formerly the Counterweight Podcast), where we talk about how we can strive for a world in which freedom and reason are at the forefront of all human society.

Information

  • Creator
    The Dissidents
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    282
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Dissidents
  • Show Website
    The Dissidents

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