Civic Cipher

Send us a Text Message. In the second half of the show we challenge the idea of Black on Black crime. We delve into the history of the narrative and discuss why it has persisted as a harmful and hateful political talking point. We discuss the 3/5th compromise for our Way Black History Fact. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesja Consideration for today&ap...

Send us a Text Message. In the first half of today's episode, we talk about the failure of police in the Uvalde school shooting after looking at a newly released video of the officer's response to the mass shooting. We take the time to examine the role of police and to determine if the institution of policing is living up to its values. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @C...

Send us a Text Message. In the second half of the show today, we juxtapose how police often take mass shooters into custody, yet will execute black people at the mere thought of them being potentially dangerous. Our Way Black History Fact highlights the very Black origins of the 4th of July celebrations in this country. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramse...

Send us a Text Message. In the first half of today's episode, we talk about the Akron, OH man who was shot 60 times after fleeing from police. The 25 year old Black man named Jayland Walker is the subject of our discussion and we do our best to go over the many details leading up to his death.  Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesja Consideration for...

Send us a Text Message. In the second half of the show today, we respond to a letter from a listener. Philip sent us a note detailing some disagreements with respect to the intention and the tone of the program and we felt it was necessary to address his concerns which may possibly be shared with other folks. Per usual, we attempt to be as kind and deliberate as possible while still accounting for...

Send us a Text Message. In the first half of today's episode, Dr. Camilla Westenberg joins us to discuss Roe v. Wade from the beginnings of its protections to the recent end. We deal with disparities and statistics on how this decision disproportionately affects Black and Brown people in this country and offer some insight into movements that could help reestablish the freedoms that women sho...

Send us a Text Message. In the second half of today's show, we discuss the commercialization of the Juneteenth holiday and explain the difference between authentic celebrations and performative demonstrations. Our Way Black History Fact details the origins of the holiday! Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesja Consideration for today's show was...

Send us a Text Message. In the first half of today's episode, we discuss the appropriate way to approach and celebrate Juneteenth...especially for non-Black people. We discuss the increased attention and celebrations of the newly founded federal holiday (as well as some examples of things that feel offensive). Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesja C...

Send us a Text Message. In the second half of today's show, we finally broached the topic of reparations. We outline some of the less obvious 'whys' in terms of how it makes sense. We also take the time to perform another  thought experiment that helps you to understand how simply acknowledging that the harm of slavery can be beneficial.  Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow...

Send us a Text Message. In the first half of today's episode, we ponder how the insurrection on January 6, 2021 would be different if there were Black protesters or a Black president...and how things would have played out differently in terms of culpability of the former president. We make it a point to explain how the country has changed as a result of this and what the impact on marginalize...

Send us a Text Message. In the second half of today's show, we begin to address the real issue of the day which is guns. We talk about how the narrative is constantly being shifted away from the real solutions and that there are many distractions that pull folks away from key focal points of the topic of gun control. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ram...

Send us a Text Message. In the first half of today's episode, we discussed the several mass shooting incidents that took place over the past week and weekend. We use the time to establish the extent of gun violence in this country and to breathe life into some stories that didn't reach the same extent as the Uvalde and Buffalo shootings. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @...

Send us a Text Message. In the second half of today's show, we discuss a story where Q's son was almost kidnapped. He immediately called the police and got the full experience of exactly what could be done about his child's near-kidnapping. This prompted us to rethink the role of police in society and to ask whether or not they actually prevent crime and keep us safe.  Support the S...

Send us a Text Message. In the first half of today's episode, we discussed the articles that have since come out about the shooting in Uvalde Texas. We discussed how the police stood outside of the school while the children were being murdered. We use this as an opportunity to reexamine the myths surrounding policing in society and to rethink their role. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com...

Send us a Text Message. In the second half of the show, we detail some other shootings and try to make sense of the problem by discussing what can be done with guns. We also pay special attention to the fact that May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and dedicate the Way Black History Fact to it. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesja...

Send us a Text Message. Today we are visited by Adonijah Taylor...a first grade graduate and our baby boy. We have a heavy conversation about school shootings and explain the world he lives in to him. We obviously spend a considerable amount of time discussing the tragedy in Uvalde, TX at Robb Elementary School. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesja Cons...

Send us a Text Message. In the second half of the show, we discuss the motivation of the shooter, as well as some of the sources of the general White supremacist ideologies. We also grapple with the fact that the armed shooter was taken alive when that is often not the case for Black people who are themselves unarmed. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesj...

Send us a Text Message. We spend this week reflecting on last week's mass shooting in Buffalo, NY that left 10 dead in a predominantly African-American community. In the first half of the show, we say the names of the individuals who lost their lives and we review what happened during the shooting at the Top's Grocery Store.  Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher...

Send us a Text Message. Today, we spent both halves of the show discussing the video of the execution of Quadry Sanders at the hands of two Oklahoma police officers. This episode is dedicated to the last few moments of another unarmed Black man's life. We grapple with the fear and hurt that ripples through the country each time this happens and discuss things as they are. Support the Show. ww...

Send us a Text Message. The second part of the show has to do with some video arrests of Black children. We bring up important points on what life is like as a Black child. Furthermore, we discuss how America--especially the criminal justice system--interacts with Black youth and the traumas it creates. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesja Consideration...

Send us a Text Message. This week, we start off by asking about the increase in officers in a few cities around the country failing to make any significant dent in crime...either preventing them or solving them. We ask some important questions to ensure that we are all thinking critically about public safety. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesja Conside...

Send us a Text Message. The second part of the show deals with the discriminatory lending practices identified by civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Our Way Black History Fact is about how Charlie from The Chocolate Factory was originally Black and was later whitewashed from the pages of the story. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesja Consideration for to...

Send us a Text Message. Forgive the Zoom audio this week...but we felt the show was important and wanted to record it despite the distance. In the first part of the show, we discuss how media companies manipulate data and other facts to establish and maintain a false narrative or an otherwise limited view of a given topic. The example we use this week is Fox News. Support the Show. www.civiccipher...

Send us a Text Message. The second part of the show deals with a story that doesn't surprise us...and wouldn't surprise many Black folks. We tell the story of Darryl Howard and how the criminal justice system got almost every point of his story wrong...and then failed to acknowledge it. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesja Consideration for to...

Send us a Text Message. The first part of this week's show is dedicated to the Black Congolese refugee Patrick Lyoya who was shot in the back of the head by a Grand Rapids police officer. We take the time to examine the reasons why it may have happened, and offer some potential reasons how it got to the point of his death. Support the Show. www.civiccipher.com Follow us: @CivicCipher @iamqwar...