The Brian Lehrer Show

White House photo

Patriot Games

Friday, September 12, 2003

In a speech two days ago, on the eve of the 9/11 anniversary, President Bush said the Patriot Act isn’t strong enough, despite the fact that many critics who think the Act as it now stands is eroding civil rights. We’ll debate the merits of this post-9/11 legislation. Then, what is the sound of one punk-rocking, monster-movie-making, Zen Master teaching? Well, it’s not the sound of your mother’s Buddhist master. Here’s a spiritual teacher who wants to be reborn as a pair of Lucy Liu’s panties! It’s the New Age meets hardcore. Also, creative writing from people whose voices aren’t normally heard—the poor, the homeless, and the mentally ill, among others.

Listen to the whole show

Patriot Games

Udi Ofer, Director, NYCLU's Bill of Rights Defense Campaign and Heather Macdonald, Senior Fellow At the Manhattan Institute, and author, Are Cops Racist? How the War Against the Police Harms Black Americans (Ivan R. Dee, January, 2003) -—is the Patriot Act "Strengthening America" or diluting the Bill of Rights?

Karmic Headbang

Brad Warner, author, on his book, Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies, and the Truth about Reality (Wisdom Publications, 2003)

Muslim American; American Muslim

Muqtedar Khan, Professor of International Affairs at Adrian College; Visiting Scholar, Brookings Institution; and author, American Muslims: Bridging Faith and Freedom (Amana Publications, 2002), on shifting domestic priorities of American Muslims in the post 9/11 world

The Writings on the Wall

Lorraine Theordor, New York Writers Coalition workshop participant and Antonia Maldonado, New York Writers Coalition workshop participant and Aaron Zimmerman, Founder and Director, New York Writers Coalition, on a program that teaches writing to marginalized New Yorkers