A Presbyterian group has given permission to pastors to marry into same-sex marriages. Also, Assemblyman Chris Holden has a bill asking/pressuring the state Board of Education to add the election of Barack Obama to the public school curriculum. Then it's FilmWeek on AirTalk!
Presbyterian embrace of gay marriage
The Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA), a mainline protestant group, has a membership of 1.9 million. That membership just voted to change its constitution’s definition of marriage to mean between “two people” instead of between “a man and a woman” and has given ministers permission to marry same-sex couples where it is legal.
As recently as 2008, the church barred its pastors from marrying same-sex couples, so what’s changed in the past six years?
Guest:
Richard Flory, Director of Research at the USC Center for Religion and Civic Culture
California textbooks: Should politicians have any influence over their content?
Assemblyman Chris Holden (D), has a bill asking the state Board of Education to add the election of Barack Obama to the public school curriculum. It appears to be a pretty benign request.
Especially, since inclusion of Barack Obama’s historic election would seem to be a no-brainer. But, what if a politician wanted to include racist propaganda? Critics say, the idea that politicians, who might have agendas, should have influence over what children read and learn in school, is bad for education because it could be too biased.
Also, it’s said in California, textbooks must show senior citizens as in-shape and active, regardless of the reality that many seniors face health issues and even poverty -- this imposed by politicians to avoid any hint of stereotyping.
While avoiding putting people in boxes might be noble, and ensuring the story of America’s first black president is included in kids’ textbooks might feel right, should politicians have a say in what our kids are reading in their textbooks? Or should it be left to educators and academic experts? Should citizens have a say?
Guest:
Brad J. Porfilio, associate professor at Lewis University
Glenn Greenwald: government surveillance one year after the Snowden files
It's been one year since the scope and ambition of the National Security Agency were first exposed to the world through documents obtained by Edward Snowden and published in the Guardian newspaper. In the new book, "No Place to Hide," Glenn Greenwald, award-winning journalist and one of the principals in this ongoing saga, recounts from the moment in May 2013 when he set out for Hong Kong to meet Snowden to the impact the leaked files have had on public discourse on privacy and government surveillance since their release.
Going beyond the NSA, Greenwald also takes on the mainstream media for its risk aversion and for not fulfilling its duty to serve the people. Finally, he asks what it means both for individuals and for a nation's political health when a government pries so invasively into the private lives of its citizens.
Guest:
Glenn Greenwald, author of “No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA and the U.S. Surveillance State (Metropolitan Books, 2014). He won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for the series of stories published in the Guardian on the NSA
Filmweek: Jersey Boys, Third Person, Hellion and more:
Patt Morrison and KPCC film critics Henry Sheehan and Andy Klein review this week’s releases, including Jersey Boys, Third Person, Hellion and more. TGI-Filmweek!
Jersey Boys:
Third Person
Hellion
Guests:
Henry Sheehan, film critic for KPCC and CriticsAGoGo.com
Andy Klein, film critic for KPCC and the L.A. Times Community Papers chain
FAQ: How to NOT be a jerk at an outdoor movie
It's no secret that Los Angeles is host to some fantastic outdoor film screening opportunities this summer.
Whether you’re a fan of the classics at Cinespia’s Hollywood Forever Cemetery screenings or prefer the food truck scene in Grand Park, there are unspoken rules that govern outdoor movie showings.
What are your outdoor movie pet peeves? How do you make the most out of L.A.’s outdoor film showings?
Post your comments below and answer our poll. Then tune in tomorrow to hear the segment with guest host Patt Morrison!
basic etiquette tips:
- Don’t take up too much blanket space
- Don’t block other people’s views -- low chairs only
- Don’t drink...too much
- Phones off: Instagram that pre-show sunset and then shut it down
- Keep the PDA in the back row (or on the screen)
- Keep smells to a minimum: no cooking, no smoking, no open flames
In other words, don't be THESE guys: