If By Whiskey Podcast
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*Livestream Mondays 8pm ET (5pm AZ)*
The rhetorical gymnastics employed by politicians and media is something to behold-- the diabolical brilliance of which is captured by the phrase “If By Whiskey”.
It refers to a speech given by Mississippi State Rep. Noah “Soggy” Sweat Jr., where he simultaneously takes the pro and con on the issue of prohibition:
"If when you say whiskey you mean the devil's brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster, that defiles innocence, dethrones reason, destroys the home, creates misery and poverty, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean the evil drink that topples the Christian man and woman from the pinnacle of righteous, gracious living into the bottomless pit of degradation, and despair, and shame and helplessness, and hopelessness, then certainly I am against it.
But, if when you say whiskey you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the ale that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and laughter on their lips, and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in the old gentleman's step on a frosty, crispy morning; if you mean the drink which enables a man to magnify his joy, and his happiness, and to forget, if only for a little while, life's great tragedies, and heartaches, and sorrows; if you mean that drink, the sale of which pours into our treasuries untold millions of dollars, which are used to provide tender care for our little crippled children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, our pitiful aged and infirm; to build highways and hospitals and schools, then certainly I am for it.
This is my stand. I will not retreat from it. I will not compromise."
The 1952 address is a masterclass in saying a lot while saying nothing at all-- it’s hilarious as it is profound. Join us as we tackle similar “If By Whiskey” questions and responses that apply to modern discourse. There may or may not be some actual whiskey involved! We hit some serious existential topics, but try not to take ourselves too seriously. We take our conversations with a splash of humor and a twist of skepticism. However you take it, this show’s got your glass half full!