We Were There When the Shots Rang Out: More Guns, Same Excuses

We Were There When the Shots Rang Out: More Guns, Same Excuses

June 12, 2026 · 41 min · Episode 124

About this episode

The episode discusses gun violence at a festival, cultural changes over time, and the importance of treating people with dignity.

We start off talking about an informational booth we staffed at the Old West End Festival in Toledo and how the event was affected by gun violence. The festival is an important outreach opportunity for our small humanist group. All our volunteers were safe, and we were glad with the festival's decision to cancel the Sunday schedule. We discuss our concerns about desperation of young people in the city, the limits of police response, and the broader problem of easy access to guns. Next we reflect on changing cultural norms by looking back at older films and music we enjoyed in our youth. We discuss how some works now feel dated or offensive, including films Airport 75, Valley Girl, Gone with the Wind, Birth of a Nation, and some early Eddie Murphy comedy material. Culture does change over time and people should be treated with basic worth and dignity. Full Show Notes & Links Subscribe to our free newsletter Check out our merch

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