the Empathy List #172: Jeremy Alder Wants You to Organize Like You Mean It

The comedian & community organizer believes political change is still possible—even now.

Hello friends, Liz here.

In these past few years, my writing has increasingly skewed political. I once wrote memoir, way back when. But it’s hard to recall those days because they were the days before that guy took office and shook all of us from our blissful, democratic slumber.

Yet while I was blogging on the internet (anyone else remember Xanga?), Jeremy Alder was deep canvassing the streets of San Antonio, organizing communities toward change.

What I mean is, he’s the real deal. He’s done the work of politically organizing communities for zero dollars and he’s done it for a paycheck. He used to be the sort of man who aspired to become the next Charlie Kirk anti-abortion college debater (we talk about this in our conversation).

Now, Jeremy’s studying to be a social worker. That’s quite a change, and it means that Jeremy, like many of you, has walked a very long road from Christian fundamentalism to joining the political left. (Which I think is even harder/weirder if you’re a White Christian Male?)

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Further reading: Alongside this conversation, may I suggest a round or two of historic political cartoons, courtesy of the Library of Congress?

Vaughn Shoemaker. But How to Let Go—Gracefully, 1965. Pictured: “President Lyndon Johnson clings grimly to the tail of a giant tiger (labeled “Vietnam”), that lunges wildly through a nocturnal universe in this cartoon by Vaughn Shoemaker (1902–1991), “But How to Let Go—Gracefully.” (Published in the Chicago American, 1965. Ink brush, crayon, and opaque white over graphite underdrawing with overlays and paste-ons. Art Wood Collection of Cartoon and Caricature, Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-09125 (13)) This drawing of 1965 addresses how America would extricate itself from the war in Vietnam. U.S. troops did pull out in 1973. A two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, Shoemaker studied at the Chicago Academy for Fine Arts, drew editorial cartoons at the Chicago Daily News for nearly thirty years, and taught at his alma mater. His artful, gestural style became looser and more painterly in the 1960s.

In this cartoon, “Washington Money Machine,” Art Wood captures the sentiments felt by many taxpayers. By the late 1950s, increases in local, state and federal taxes as well as social security meant that the average family spent more on those than they did on food. Paying for national defense during the Cold War accounted for much of the increase. A prize-winning political cartoonist, Wood worked at the Richmond News Leader before moving to Pittsburgh, where he was the chief editorial cartoonist for the Pittsburgh Press from 1956 to 1965.

Pat Oliphant (b. 1935) captures President Ronald Reagan's political plight in the summer of 1982 in this dramatic cartoon, “Waiting for Reagan.” The Moral Majority and other rightist groups publicly criticized Reagan for what they perceived as his neglect of social issues important to conservatives. Inspired by Thomas Nast's depiction of the infamous Boss Tweed and his Tammany Hall cronies as vultures, Oliphant pictures Reagan's critics, “The New Right,” as five menacing, vulture-like creatures, out on a limb. One of the great draftsmen in the field, Oliphant combines boldly rendered forms and dramatic perspective in this witty allusion to his artistic predecessor. For more information about his career and work, see Oliphant's Anthem.

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Anyway, based on these experiences in organizing, I wanted to ask Jeremy about how he and his activist friends are reading this moment in American political history.

For example, are we royally screwed as a country? Is there any coming back from this? And if so, how?!?!

You’ll have to listen ‘til the end for his answer. But it’s exactly what you’d expect. ;-)

There’s still hope. And thank God we’re not walking through this alone.

Thanks for reading.

Warmly, Liz Charlotte Grant

P.S. I really enjoy Jeremy Alder’s instagram series, “Christians Who Don’t Suck” which includes the theologian Pauli Murray, Dolores Huerta, Nat Turner and other historical Christians you should know!

Also you should definitely listen and buy Jeremy’s debut comedy album, “Almost a Grown Man,” cause it’s funny. I especially loved “Any Belt Can Be a Chastity Belt” :-D

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About Jeremy Alder

Homeschooled in the heart of Texas by fundamentalist missionary parents with a penchant for conspiracy theories, Jeremy’s childhood was anything but conventional. Steeped in a world of alternative facts and fervent beliefs, he learned early on to find the humor in life’s absurdities.

Now married with children of his own, Jeremy’s material delves into the trials and tribulations of growing up homeschooled, the complications of religion, the mysteries of marriage, the chaos of parenting, and the existential crisis of aging—all with a healthy dose of skepticism and silliness, dry wit and charm.

Jeremy headlines comedy clubs and bars around the country and has opened for several nationally touring acts, including Demitri Martin, Russell Howard, Tom Papa, Aparna Nancherla, Nicole Byer, and Chad Daniels. He has been a featured performer at numerous comedy festivals, including Laughing Skull Comedy Festival, SF Sketchfest, Big Sky Comedy Festival (Best of Fest), Asheville Comedy Festival, and Cleveland Comedy Festival (Best of Fest).

Jeremy’s Dry Bar Comedy special, “Purity Pants”, is now on YouTube and has generated over 7 million views on social media. His debut album, “Almost A Grown Man”, is streaming now.