Episode 25: Fringe Views
The showdown over how we define fringe views, a candidate in the poorest college town in America runs on expanding opportunities for low-wage workers, and 50 years that changed American women’s lives at work. Subscribe to Off-Kilter on iTunes.
Today in the United States, sweeping majorities of the public say they support fair housing laws and integrated schools. Nine in 10 say they would back a black candidate for president from their own party, and the same say they approve of interracial marriage. More than a triumph over private prejudice, these numbers reflect changing social norms. But in the wake of the 2016 presidential election, these norms may be fraying. Emily Badger, a writer with the Upshot at the New York Times, joins to talk about how we define fringe views in the Trump era. Later in the show, Tommy Valentine, an activist turned candidate for local office in the poorest college town in America, discusses why he’s running on expanding opportunity for low-wage workers. And finally, Rebecca speaks with Gillian Thomas, author of New York Times bestseller Because of Sex: One Law, Ten Cases, and Fifty years That Changed American Women’s Lives at Work.
This week’s guests:
- Emily Badger, writer with the Upshot at the New York Times
- Tommy Valentine, candidate for County Commissioner in Athens, GA
- Gillian Thomas, author of “Because of Sex: One Law, Ten Cases, and Fifty years That Changed American Women’s Lives at Work.”
For more on this week’s topics:
- Read Emily Badger’s article, “The Showdown Over How We Define Fringe Views in America”
- Learn more about Tommy Valentine’s campaign on his website
- Check out Gillian Thomas’s book
This program aired on August 25, 2017.
