Gin & Proust

This episode covers the backlash against Snoop Dog's participation in a pre-inauguration event in Washington, DC. Why might he be held to a higher standard than other celebrities participating in Donald Trump's festivities this weekend? Will Snoop Dog use this invitation to advocate for wildfire relief in California? 

We also dive into the recent conversations around the future of PEPFAR funding, which has saved millions of lives from HIV/AIDS around the world, and the current humanitarian situation in Mozambique. 

We strive to make every The Friday Brief episode kid-friendly for busy parents. Still, this episode includes topics within human rights that might not be appropriate for little ears. 

Be sure to follow us on Instagram @DearGirlFriday and sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on deargirlfriday.com.

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome & message for parents
• 0:36 Snoop Dog's DC visit raises eyebrows
• 2:40 California wildfire aid has become a chess piece
• 4:00 PEPFAR is now under a microscope, but the program has saved millions of lives
• 5:36 What is the Helms Amendment?
• 6:30 The humanitarian situation in northern Mozambique
• 7:49 My opinion on humanitarian aid policies
• 8:19 Until next time!

Transcript

Welcome to The Friday Brief, a news podcast by Girl Friday. I’m Phoenix Ricks, the CEO of Girl Friday and your host. This is your brief for January 19, 2025. This episode concludes with a discussion about PEPFAR and the grave humanitarian situation for women and girls in northern Mozambique. So, skipping this episode for now might be a good idea if kids are around. 

Today is the eve of Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration. To the surprise of many, D.C. has been flooded with celebrities who previously did not express support for Mr. Trump’s presidential run. For instance, Snoop Dogg performed at the Crypto Ball for a crowd of enthusiastic MAGA supporters. Fox News says he “sent a positive yet inspirational message through the music.” However, because of his involvement with those pre-inauguration activities, Snoop Dogg is currently receiving Instagram comments that would be defined as anything but inspirational. His fanbase seems to be deeply disappointed, to say the least. There were other famous hip-hop artists present, so Snoop Dogg might be curious as to why he’s the one being held to a different standard. Perhaps he didn’t fully grasp how people perceive the image of Uncle Snoop, as he’s affectionately known. Maybe he didn’t realize what the Olympic Games symbolized and what his involvement would imply. Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together - that’s the Olympic motto, and that’s what Uncle Snoop’s supporters expect him to champion. He may not have asked to be put on this pedestal or become this symbol, but it doesn’t lessen the expectations or perceptions of him, particularly by his youngest fans, who only know him in this light. There’s been commentary online that perhaps his politics have recently changed. Maybe they have. But, when thinking of his youngest fans, I’d leave him with these words from France. In Remembrance of Things Past, Marcel Proust wrote, “Time, which changes people, does not alter the image we have retained of them.” 

I believe in silver linings, so I hope Snoop Dogg used the invitation and any new connections made to passionately advocate for California’s wildfire aid. Domestic aid should never be used as a chess piece, yet there are currently some Trump-allied Republicans trying to block it. But it's important to note that not all Republicans share that sentiment. The Washington Post reported that Rep. Young Kim, whose district includes parts of Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties, said this behavior constitutes “playing politics with people’s livelihoods” and added that it would be a “slap in the face.” Rep. Ken Calvert, who represents a district in Riverside County, also opposes putting conditions on aid for California. On the app formerly known as Twitter (which I will always call it), he wrote, “Californians are entitled to receive federal disaster assistance in the same manner as all Americans.” 

California isn’t the only place on the receiving end of aid chess games. Looking at foreign aid, PEPFAR is now under a similar microscope. Critics of the popular program don’t like how Mozambique has used PEPFAR funding. PEPFAR, run by the U.S. Department of State, is the acronym for the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. The program was established under former President George Bush Jr. The U.S. Department of State’s website says, “The U.S. government has invested over $110 billion in the global HIV/AIDS response, the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history – saving 26 million lives, preventing millions of HIV infections, and accelerating progress toward controlling the global HIV/AIDS pandemic in more than 50 countries.” 

But POLITICO reported that things took a dramatic turn for the future of PEPFAR last week. Sen. Jim Risch, who is a Republican from Idaho and the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, said that PEPFAR “is certainly in jeopardy” because the Biden administration allowed PEPFAR funds to be spent on abortions. In 2023, Congressional Republicans expressed concerns about PEPFAR funds going to organizations that support or provide abortions. 

Now, abortion is legal in Mozambique, but the Helms Amendment prohibits giving U.S. funds for the procedure. And yes, that is Helms, as in Jesse Helms, the notorious segregationist from North Carolina. Per the United States Foreign Assistance Act of 1973, “No foreign assistance funds may be used to pay for the performance of abortion as a method of family planning or to motivate or coerce any person to practice abortions.” Senator Risch said what allegedly happened in Mozambique was “disgusting,” adding, “The CDC must be investigated for its misuse of PEPFAR funds, and those who have violated long-standing U.S. laws that protect life must be held accountable.” 

While the senator from Idaho is policing uteruses in Mozambique, let’s take a closer look at what’s happening throughout that beautiful country to see why they even need ongoing humanitarian assistance. In October, New York Times reporters visited Cabo Delgado Province in northern Mozambique to learn more about how terrorists, who call themselves ISIS-Mozambique, have gained power in the region. Locals call the battle with terrorists “the war,” and it has completely transformed a once thriving fishing region into a hostile environment. The New York Times says, “Nearly 6,000 people have been killed, and up to half of the province’s 2.3 million people have been displaced.” Tending to basic necessities like finding food and housing has been a struggle for residents. And, worse still, terrorists have been sexually assaulting women and children. A 12-year-old girl said that when she was 8, she was kidnapped by insurgents and assaulted while being held hostage. She escaped and ate sand to survive. 

I fully understand that our nation has policies and guidelines surrounding the distribution of humanitarian aid. But, given the awful conditions women and girls have been living through in Mozambique because of terrorism, perhaps, just maybe, the U.S. government’s focus on Mozambique right now should not be on defining what we perceive to be essential in their women’s healthcare system. And that concludes your brief for today. 

Make sure you don’t miss an episode! Follow Dear Girl Friday on Instagram, where we post episode summaries and sources. You can sign up for The Friday Brief newsletter on deargirlfriday.com. Until next time, I’m Phoenix Ricks signing off from Washington, D.C. Let’s work together for a world of good.