Theodore Johnson on restoring American patriotism, properly understood

The Invisible Men

In this episode, Ian and Nique are joined by Theodore (Ted) Johnson — director of the fellows program at the Brennan Center for Justice, White House Fellow, and author of “When the Stars Begin to Fall: Overcoming Racism and Renewing the Promise of America.” Ted’s upbringing mirrored the duality that animates the discussion in his new book: Ted was raised in a majority-White neighborhood but attended a majority-Black school, his father modeled a desire to “wrestle” with injustice in the world but his mother emphasized individual kindness and intellect, and his grandparents were sharecroppers in “Jim Crow” era South Carolina and yet they fiercely believed in the promise of the American Dream. This duality inspired Ted to advocate a love for America that, in his words, “chastises and then goes off and dies in wars for her.”

Later, Ted shares his concern that, today, terms like “structural racism” and “critical race theory,” which originated in the academy and have very specific meanings, have been weaponized by both sides of the political aisle and used to divide Americans. He also explores why institutions like faith, family, and education have lost the trust of so many vulnerable Americans and how we can restore strong institutions that propel the uplift of a new generation. Tune in to the full episode to learn more about Ted’s story and hear his words of advice for “Darryl.”

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