I must echo Kristin's words that one of the things I appreciate about the Convocation is that we know we are not crazy. I work in the government affairs and public affairs sector and as we watch the insanity of MAGA your work helps to bring a strong sense of sanity. Also, thank you for the suggestion about celebrating Lent this year, during the No Kings Protests. Best to all four of you.
I strongly agree that Pat Buchanan is underrated as a forerunner to modern MAGA. Others I would nominate in the underrated category include Sarah Palin and the John Birch Society.
Further to the discussion of the treatment of the earth & the treatment of women, Melanie L. Harris, in her book “Ecowomanism: African American Women and Earth-Honoring Faiths,” makes clear the connection between colonialism, women, and the earth. “…the parallel oppressions suffered by women of color and specifically women of African descent and the earth, the history of colonization of African peoples and ecological colonialism …”
When you were talking about the left needing to use imagery effectively I immediately thought of Mamdani's use of video imagery. He and his team seem to have mastered that. We could all learn from him.
Concentration camps for women? Reproducers? Lipstick on Pitbulls (I had forgotten that one Kristen!)? An evangelical dominatrix (thank you Diana!) to lead them all? Margaret Atwood called this one 40 years ago. I bought and read The Handmaids Tale in paper back the minute it was published (I couldn’t afford the hard cover). I knew her poetry and her feminist fiction (The Edible Woman). She called The Handmaids Tale speculative fiction - a then new term to describe a genre in which our worst fears should remain science fiction but most certainly can become true. I fear what’s up next to be made real - Oryx and Crake and the Year after the Flood?
I opened my email this morning and at the top was The Atlantic's Daily e-newsletter, which included the following subhead: "(Some) MAGA Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
By Elaine Godfrey - What does it mean to be female and conservative in 2025?"
As if The Atlantic's editors had listened to your latest podcast, the article is a repost from Nov 2025. Seems others are seeing the connection between Bondi's performance last week and the history of "U.S. white femininity." Kristin, your new book "Live Laugh Love" couldn't be more timely! Below is a link to The Atlantic's article:
Can’t wait for Kristin’s new book!
Me too. But I feel like there’s gonna be a lot of (unavoidable) darkness in it.😕
That would be a good guess.
As always thank y’all. I can’t believe I hadn’t made the evangelical dominatrix connection! Spot on Diana!!
I loved that and how astute of Diana to hone right in on that one! Plus frankly, it was just a wee bit funny.. but so very true.
I must echo Kristin's words that one of the things I appreciate about the Convocation is that we know we are not crazy. I work in the government affairs and public affairs sector and as we watch the insanity of MAGA your work helps to bring a strong sense of sanity. Also, thank you for the suggestion about celebrating Lent this year, during the No Kings Protests. Best to all four of you.
I strongly agree that Pat Buchanan is underrated as a forerunner to modern MAGA. Others I would nominate in the underrated category include Sarah Palin and the John Birch Society.
OMG, Diana! Evangelical Dominatrix 😂 It's briljant!!
Enjoyed today's episode! I wonder how these thoughts by Cynthia Bourgeault might land, particularly about "trauma bonding." It seems Kristin was nudging in that direction a bit. https://open.substack.com/pub/cynthiabourgeault/p/naming-it-for-what-it-is?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Further to the discussion of the treatment of the earth & the treatment of women, Melanie L. Harris, in her book “Ecowomanism: African American Women and Earth-Honoring Faiths,” makes clear the connection between colonialism, women, and the earth. “…the parallel oppressions suffered by women of color and specifically women of African descent and the earth, the history of colonization of African peoples and ecological colonialism …”
When you were talking about the left needing to use imagery effectively I immediately thought of Mamdani's use of video imagery. He and his team seem to have mastered that. We could all learn from him.
Concentration camps for women? Reproducers? Lipstick on Pitbulls (I had forgotten that one Kristen!)? An evangelical dominatrix (thank you Diana!) to lead them all? Margaret Atwood called this one 40 years ago. I bought and read The Handmaids Tale in paper back the minute it was published (I couldn’t afford the hard cover). I knew her poetry and her feminist fiction (The Edible Woman). She called The Handmaids Tale speculative fiction - a then new term to describe a genre in which our worst fears should remain science fiction but most certainly can become true. I fear what’s up next to be made real - Oryx and Crake and the Year after the Flood?
Thank you as always!
I opened my email this morning and at the top was The Atlantic's Daily e-newsletter, which included the following subhead: "(Some) MAGA Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
By Elaine Godfrey - What does it mean to be female and conservative in 2025?"
As if The Atlantic's editors had listened to your latest podcast, the article is a repost from Nov 2025. Seems others are seeing the connection between Bondi's performance last week and the history of "U.S. white femininity." Kristin, your new book "Live Laugh Love" couldn't be more timely! Below is a link to The Atlantic's article:
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/2025/11/maga-women-great-divide/684827/?utm_campaign=atlantic-daily-newsletter&utm_content=20260216&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&lctg=67e451040ee1a7ca340fcd88&utm_term=The%20Atlantic%20Daily
Kristin, I found your comment about Weyerhaeuser plundering the Amazon region with giant machines curious. Are you sure you have your facts correct?