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Thomas and Lydia
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Where There's Woke

Every single time the right, or even center-left, goes ballistic over a "woke" controversy, the slightest bit of investigation shows the scandal is almost entirely bogus. This is not a new phenomenon; it dates back decades. It's an intentional tool used to protect the powerful and preserve the status quo, while further scapegoating and otherizing those who push for political progress. This podcast digs into not just today's fake scandals, but those of yesterday and yesteryear. The terminology has changed some, but the pattern has not. Listen in as hosts Thomas and Lydia Smith shine a light on the panic, the fragility, the overreaction, and the lying that ignites 'Where There's Woke.'

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Episodes

WTW4: NASA's Damned Emails

This is part 3 in the NASA James Webb Telescope naming controversy! Make sure you've listened to the first two! When NASA decided to keep the name James Webb for their telescope, the decision was so abruptly made and hastily communicated that not just one but several journalists submitted FOIA requests to see what actually happened. This trove of emails is the result of that. I take you through the highlights and lowlights. There are SEVERAL smoking guns in these emails. Not only were those not mentioned in the NYT coverage, these emails were not even acknowledged at ALL. They tell quite a different story about how this was handled, and it's not good. Like very not good. Oh and Hakeem Oluseyi is full of shit.

Jul 11, 2023 · 60 min · With Thomas Smith & Lydia Smith

WTW3: Ok I'll Bite Why Is It Named After James Webb Anyway?

It's part 2 of when the woke came for James Webb. Featuring Lydia Smith! If NASA higher ups are willing to defend the status quo tooth and nail, you'd think there must be a good reason for that status quo, right? It's not just something incredibly dumb that they inherited? Something that may have even violated their own policy? It couldn't be that, right? Then Lydia comes on and takes us through some other NASA projects and how they were named. She also uncovered a bombshell or two!

Jul 4, 2023 · 48 min · With Thomas Smith & Lydia Smith

WTW2: NYT Does Anti-woke Advocacy Instead of Journalism in James Webb Telescope Story, Part 1

This is the big one. The thing that pissed me off so effing much that it spawned an entire new project. Ok fine I admit it, Where There's Woke is a spite project. The NYT Daily Podcast did an episode on the James Webb Telescope name controversy called "When the Culture Wars Came for NASA." It's fucking terrible journalism. Just awful. Already with just the title. How about "When the Entrenched Powers at NASA Refused to Budge in the Face of Very Reasonable Concerns from the LGBTQIA+ Community It Already Marginalizes." This first part is about the Daily episode itself, and the article it was based on, with some preliminary debunking but largely accepting the coverage on its own terms. The next part will look in detail at the internal process at NASA and what the history ACTUALLY tells us about James Webb. Pledge at patreon.com/wherethereswoke!

Jun 29, 2023 · 108 min · With Thomas Smith & Lydia Smith

WTW1: An Elevatorgatewaydrug To Anti-Wokeness

Welcome to Where There's Woke! This first episode is about the time a woman expressed an opinion on the internet and throngs of men never got over it. Wait that's... nowhere near descriptive enough. This was the one involving the skeptic and atheist movement. Still not enough. Ok. It was when Richard Dawkins lost his mind at Rebecca Watson. THERE we go. Support the show at patreon.com/wherethereswoke to gain access to tons of great stuff and to keep this project going!

Jun 22, 2023 · 65 min · With Thomas Smith & Lydia Smith