In the fourth episode of the weekly series of Marksism, editors Mark Tooley, Mark Melton, and Marc LiVecche begin by discussing race relations and the differences between cynicism, optimism, indifference, and realistic hope in approaching issues of individual and systemic racism. They reference two recent Providence interviews with Nicole Bibbins Sedaca and Peter Hitchens, who each represent a distinct approach on this topic. Sedaca is more hopeful in her analysis, arguing that the protests surrounding the death of George Floyd create opportunities for democracy to be strengthened and built up around the world. Hitchens is less optimistic, supporting a gloomier forecast for the future.
Later in the discussion, Mark Melton discusses his conception of COVID-19 as a hurricane rather than a war, which is further expounded upon in his article “Not War, but a Hurricane: A Better Analogy for COVID-19 and Pandemics.”