Julie Lambert and Good Trouble Radio (April 8, 2025)

John Lewis: I saw the signs that said ‘White Men,’ ‘Colored Men,’ ‘White Women,’ ‘Colored Women.’ I tasted the bitter fruits, the bitter fruits of segregation and racial discrimination.

I heard the words of Dr. King on our radio. Seemed like he was saying to me, ‘John Lewis, you too can do something.’

Julie Lambert (KEPW): When John Lewis spoke these words, taken from his life story, he was speaking to what he knew: discrimination between white and black. Against literal colors of skin, he railed against discrimination.

[00:00:44] Little did he know that this would extend to an even narrower focus on discrimination many years later, based on perceived cultural norms extending to what is beyond even white or black on the surface, to discriminate against what is perceived as even masculine or feminine. And many other ways of otherizing.

[00:01:09] So let’s start out. To the thought police we say: Hey, stay in your lane. We say: Build a new road. They say: Don’t make waves. We say, Bring a tidal wave.

Inspired by the great John Lewis, this is your official invitation to ruffle some feathers, stir the pot and you guessed it, get into some good trouble. It is time. Let’s go.

[00:01:37] I have been really reluctant to talk about the blatant lies, the gaslighting, the sheer nonsense circulating these days, mostly because you know, politics. But honestly, I cannot anymore because some of y’all are being lied to and worse. Some of y’all are just okay with that.

[00:01:57] And let me tell you what really scares me is the fact that some people, and by some people, I mean people in power who should know better, are deliberately spreading false information and they’re betting on the rest of us to be too gullible, ignorant, undereducated, indifferent, or high to catch it.

[00:02:20] Spoiler alert, they are wrong. Some of us actually double-fact-check information before opening our mouths. I’m sure most of you who are listening know the staggering amount of misinformation and disinformation that is out there, and it is up to us to wade through that and see what is the truth. So let’s talk about what’s happening right now.

[00:02:47] Since the beginning of the year, the most vulnerable people in our society, the disabled, the elderly veterans, the homeless, trans people, children, et cetera, are being used as bargaining chips. Programs they rely on like Social Security, Medicare, disability services, education assistance, et cetera, are suddenly at risk.

[00:03:10] And why? Because the people we used to trust are now more interested in power and profit than protecting the most vulnerable among us. It’s not even subtle anymore. Anyone listening knows that Meals on Wheels is going to be cut. They know that services for our children who have IEPs in our educational system, that’s going to be cut.

[00:03:40] The veterans have already been cut. This is happening and now, and it’s time for us to work together and figure out: What are we going to do about this? Because I don’t know about you guys, but I am not taking this lying down. So let’s first clear up something that is so incredibly stupid and I really kind of hate to waste airtime for it.

[00:04:04] But you know, let’s put it out there, a quick science lesson for the misinformed. So let’s clear up something about transphobia because Lord knows some people are just out there sounding dumb. And scientifically, there are more than two sexes. It’s not an opinion. It is not ‘woke ideology.’ It is biological science and literally anyone with Google can look it up. (How lazy are we?)

[00:04:34] About 0.018% of the population is born intersex, meaning their chromosomes don’t fit the traditional XX, XY binary, meaning they don’t fit under that narrow formulary. So yes, Marjorie, there are more than two sexes. Science said so, not me.

And no, we are not funding transgender mice, I, I’m struggling, how do, why do we, why do I have to say that? But I do. No, we are not funding transgender mice. It’s transgenic research. Maybe folks who don’t get that, get a dictionary? Just a thought. When I was growing up, we had to have a dictionary in our home. Maybe things have changed? Not sure.

[00:05:32] Also, shout out to the Indigenous communities who have for centuries honored people with both feminine and masculine identities in their culture. Imagine that, treating people with dignity and respect despite how they decide to accessorize their bodies. Crazy concept, right?

[00:05:54] And let’s not forget kilts, while we are on androgynous clothing. Seriously, kilts are sexy, beautiful. That’s just, um, my personal observation. Maybe other people don’t see them that way, but my point has been made.

[00:06:11] It is a beautiful, cultural, colorful, and probably not a good idea to infer a person’s personal life simply by donning these expressions of kinship through clothing. It’s a personal preference.

[00:06:28] Anyway, the only reason anyone is still fighting over all of this is because some of y’all were taught to be mean. Can I say that again? Some of y’all were taught to be mean, period. Who hurt you? Like genuinely?

[00:06:41] If your own kid was different, would you want them to be treated like trash? No. Cool. Then stop it.

[00:06:48] But it gets worse. If you have a child with a disability, have you seriously thought about what happens when critical services get cut? Because guess what? That’s on the chopping block too.

[00:07:01] As someone who has personally fought like hell to get my foster daughter the therapies she needed—speech therapy, occupational therapy, IEP accommodations—let me tell you, it’s already a nightmare, even with support with those who have disabilities.

[00:07:19] Now, just imagine those services just disappearing or left to the state. Do you really trust that the state will understand the welfare of your child better than you do?

[00:07:32] Okay, so before anybody hits me with a, ‘Well, the states will just pick up the slack’ nonsense: No, they won’t. Do a little research. States are already underfunded. If your child needs care, you’ll either pay thousands out of pocket or they simply won’t get it, period. Or maybe you know someone, and if you do, you know, please contact me and I’d be happy to share your secret with everyone else. Okay.

[00:08:00] And now for the part that is really so disheartening. Apparently under Robert F. Kennedy’s completely unqualified leadership of (I stumble over that word leadership, is that…? Okay, I digress) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, because you know, we now appoint donors and reality TV celebrities instead of actual experts, there is now discussion about reevaluating the use of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers. In plain English, they are about to mess with mental health medication.

[00:08:40] The government is considering reviewing or limiting access to lifesaving medication for people with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more. All because RFK Jr., a literal vaccine conspiracy theorist, thinks it’s a good idea. My response is: What the actual f?

[00:09:06] Do you know how long it takes for someone to find the right mental health medication that works for them? Sometimes years—years of trial and error, suicidal ideation, panic attacks, hospitalization, and failed treatments—before they finally find something that works. And now this administration wants to just yank that stability away, because why? ‘Health freedom?’ Are you kidding me? I really didn’t think it was possible for this administration to make things worse.

[00:09:42] No, that’s a lie. I really did think it was possible. But on levels that yank away people’s access to lifesaving mental health medication is just not worse, it’s criminally negligent.

[00:09:59] Also, where is all that fraud and abuse that was promised to be exposed? Can someone please show me this supposed waste, fraud, and abuse that they keep talking about? Because if they’re so concerned about it, surely they’ve already started prosecuting the people responsible, right? So let’s have a parade of perps. I want to see that if people have been ripping us off, absolutely they should be held accountable. So we’re all waiting for that. But oh, guess what? Nothing. Nobody arrested.

[00:10:37] So you mean to tell me they’re gutting our social programs, stripping mental health medication, blocking disability services, and refusing to protect trans kids, but you can’t seem to find a single instance of waste, fraud, and abuse that you can 100% defend, that’s going to make a difference? Got it. Okay.

[00:11:00] Final thought: Every kindergarten kid knows it’s way easier to smash your friend’s face into a cake than it is to bake, frost, and decorate one from scratch. Far more entertaining, makes for a much better photograph.

[00:11:17] However, this administration is the equivalent of the kids smashing the cake, except for the cake is our most vulnerable populations. And instead of fixing anything, they’re just pointing fingers and throwing tantrums. And you know what? I’m over it. If you think it’s okay to strip services from disabled kids, deny healthcare to the elderly, or gut our mental health resources from veterans, I don’t know what to tell you.

[00:11:45] I think you might be a ghoul. Maybe look that up. Maybe it will trend on Google. But just know history has never been kind to the people who stand on the wrong side of humanity—ever. The people can either get on the side of protecting people or they can double down on ignorance and cruelty. I know that sounds very black and white. If you have a halfway pathway, please, I’m open to response.

[00:12:18] This is your call, but I promise you: History is watching.

[00:12:25] To sum it up, you’re listening to Eugene’s Resistance Radio, KEPW 97.3 FM, where we have been bringing you the news about everything from Occupy Eugene all the way up to where we are in our current station.

[00:12:43] So let’s end by this: History wasn’t made by playing it safe. John Lewis didn’t change the world by staying silent. And for some of us this will be, ‘Come on now.’ We’ll be calling them out. So if you’re up to ruffle feathers, demand change and get loud, congratulations, you’re in the right place. This is Good Trouble Radio. Now let’s get messy.

[00:13:09] For our next episode, we will be putting together a Good Trouble Toolkit and we hope all of you will join us. We’ll see you at the next rally. This is Julie Lambert for KEPW 97.3 FM, Eugene’s Resistance Radio. We got this.

Image of John Lewis courtesy United States House of Representatives, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.