Nov 7, 2023·edited Nov 7, 2023Liked by Free Black Thought
Hi! Well, isn't this interesting? I didn't realize until 42 minutes into this podcast that Jake is White. I don't look at the photos until I'm writing these comments. So it begs two questions: how did a White man come to co-found Free Black Thought, and - and I'm struggling to find the right words here - why did everyone else involved in Free Black Thought allow it? And secondly, given that like me, Jake does not subscribe to the ridiculous notion of race, is he adamantly opposed to his children deciding that they could be White? If I understand, he would accept them identifying with any other ethnic/cultural marker.
I asked the first question because of my own experience. Jake and every person I have heard on these podcasts so far have many of the same convictions as I. I have proposed collaborations with various conservative, libertarian and classically liberal talking heads on social media... all to no avail. Some have tacitly acknowledged my existence and then dismissed me, and others kept me at arm's length from the get-go. One was extremely rude and acted as nothing less than a bully to me. (But did not bully me, because she did not in any way speak to who I truly am.)
And though I have what I characterize as a rich social life, I have received much pushback on my values and convictions, except with beloved friends. I treasure them! Yet I think it's accurate to say that I am the most vocal in expressing these shared values.
And so I am eager to discover how you did this, Jake. You seem to have accomplished this amazing feat in other arenas as well, most noteworthy as a university professor. This, within a national subculture of woke campuses. I am astounded and impressed!
Your account of your old college friend being persuaded to replace his happiness and peace with discontent and hatred is heartbreaking. I have argued with many who have taken this stance. Yet I have never personally witnessed anyone personally journeying on this negative arc.
I think I'm already making this way too long, so I will confine myself to one more point. I respect anyone who has lived a full life and made a rigorous examination of religious and spiritual traditions and mores. I certainly haven't had your childhood experiences but I have rigorously examined the Catholic tradition in which I was raised. In fact, I eventually examined many Faith traditions.
I've come to a different conclusion than you. The circumstances around my son being shot two years and one day ago have much to do with it. And, like you, I have lived a full life. And will continue to do so.
That's all for now. Peace. Be good to yourselves, Connie and Jake.
Hi! Well, isn't this interesting? I didn't realize until 42 minutes into this podcast that Jake is White. I don't look at the photos until I'm writing these comments. So it begs two questions: how did a White man come to co-found Free Black Thought, and - and I'm struggling to find the right words here - why did everyone else involved in Free Black Thought allow it? And secondly, given that like me, Jake does not subscribe to the ridiculous notion of race, is he adamantly opposed to his children deciding that they could be White? If I understand, he would accept them identifying with any other ethnic/cultural marker.
I asked the first question because of my own experience. Jake and every person I have heard on these podcasts so far have many of the same convictions as I. I have proposed collaborations with various conservative, libertarian and classically liberal talking heads on social media... all to no avail. Some have tacitly acknowledged my existence and then dismissed me, and others kept me at arm's length from the get-go. One was extremely rude and acted as nothing less than a bully to me. (But did not bully me, because she did not in any way speak to who I truly am.)
And though I have what I characterize as a rich social life, I have received much pushback on my values and convictions, except with beloved friends. I treasure them! Yet I think it's accurate to say that I am the most vocal in expressing these shared values.
And so I am eager to discover how you did this, Jake. You seem to have accomplished this amazing feat in other arenas as well, most noteworthy as a university professor. This, within a national subculture of woke campuses. I am astounded and impressed!
Your account of your old college friend being persuaded to replace his happiness and peace with discontent and hatred is heartbreaking. I have argued with many who have taken this stance. Yet I have never personally witnessed anyone personally journeying on this negative arc.
I think I'm already making this way too long, so I will confine myself to one more point. I respect anyone who has lived a full life and made a rigorous examination of religious and spiritual traditions and mores. I certainly haven't had your childhood experiences but I have rigorously examined the Catholic tradition in which I was raised. In fact, I eventually examined many Faith traditions.
I've come to a different conclusion than you. The circumstances around my son being shot two years and one day ago have much to do with it. And, like you, I have lived a full life. And will continue to do so.
That's all for now. Peace. Be good to yourselves, Connie and Jake.