I'd Like To Speak With a Human

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The company names change, but the routine is always the same: “Thank you for calling our Multinational Corporation Customer Support Hotline; we value your call! For quality purposes, this call may be recorded or monitored. Please listen carefully as our menu options have changed.” Then a chipper computerized voice invites me to recite my 37-digit account number; my efforts to do so prompt the voice to say, “I’m sorry, I didn’t quite get that!” If all goes well, I’m eventually invited to choose a list of options that never match the reason I’m calling.

But here’s the thing they don't tell you: No matter what the voice tells you, just say “Representative!” and you usually get a human. You're welcome.

Each week we bring you stories of real human beings speaking out amid soul-numbing systems and -isms — forces that make us think our options to create change are limited to a pre-recorded menu. We value your readership; for quality purposes, we've shared 10 of this week's top stories. Please read carefully as the stories listed have changed.

1. Skip ‘Jurassic Park.’ Watch ‘Prehistoric Planet’ Instead
The Apple TV+ series draws viewers into intimacy with scaly, feathery, extinct creatures of God. By Avery Davis Lamb via sojo.net.

2. 100 Million People in America Are Saddled With Health Care Debt
The U.S. health system now produces debt on a mass scale, a new investigation shows. Patients face gut-wrenching sacrifices. By Noam N. Levey via KHN.

3. The Apocalypse Isn’t All Doom and Gloom
Jesus raged against the world’s obsession with death-making systems and invites us to do the same. By Josiah R. Daniels via sojo.net.

4. Meltdowns Have Brought Progressive Advocacy Groups to a Standstill at a Critical Moment in World History
Locked in a cycle of Slack callouts and healing retreats, left-wing groups — from reproductive rights to climate to racial and economic justice — have brought themselves to a grinding halt. By Ryan Grim via The Intercept.

5. Joy Oladokun’s Music Delights in Sexuality and Spirituality
God cares about the whole of the human experience, not just an after party in the sky, Oladokun told Sojourners. By Aleja Hertzler-McCain via sojo.net.

6. Do Flags Belong in Churches? Pastors Around the World Weigh In.
Christian cases for yes, no, and flying other nations’ flags as congregations balance love of God, neighbor, and country. By Morgan Lee via christianitytoday.com.

7. What My LGBTQ Siblings Taught Me About Christian Theology
Here are four ways I’ve grown in my understanding of gender and sexuality. By Amar D. Peterman via sojo.net.

8. The Juneteenth Flag, Explained
The flag’s designer shares the story and inspiration for his design. By Kenya Hunter via Capital B.

9. Jesus Prioritized Poor People. Our Politics Marginalize Them
This weekend, The Poor People’s campaign is rallying in Washington, D.C., with an overlooked group of voters: poor people. By Adam Russell Taylor via sojo.net.

10. How a Black Family’s Bible Ended Up at the Smithsonian Institution
A Black family’s Bible ended up in the Smithsonian and helped a California family fill out its genealogy. It’s on display in the National Museum of African American History and Culture. By Erin B. Logan via latimes.com.