Chaz opens with sharp local commentary on Gary, Indiana, then sits down with Chris Gentry, a veteran and organizer with Common Defense. The conversation centers on how militarized enforcement, deportation, and VA privatization connect to broader systems of neglect, racism, and political cowardice. They also break down Chicago politics, the limits of the Democratic Party, and why grassroots veteran organizing still matters.

Key topics

• In this episode, Chaz reacts to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s re-election announcement, Chicago politics, and the long history of machine politics in the city.
• The discussion starts with Gary, Indiana, where weeks without power are framed as a case study in how poor, Black, and brown communities get deprioritized.
• Common Defense is described as a grassroots veterans organization focused on ending the forever war, stopping VA privatization, and opposing the war on our streets.
• Chris and Chaz discuss how media coverage often only spikes when violence reaches white or more visible communities, even though the same tactics have long targeted Black, brown, and immigrant neighborhoods.
• They close by discussing local and national politics, including frustration with corporate Democrats, support for progressive candidates, and fear that Susana Mendoza could win the Chicago mayoral race.

Timestamps

00:00 — Chaz opens with Mayor Brandon Johnson’s re-election announcement and Chicago politics

01:29 — Gary, Indiana’s power outage and neglect of Black and brown communities

03:28 — Chris Gentry joins the conversation and introduces his background

07:29 — Military service, campaign work, and getting pulled into activism again

08:44 — Operation Midway Blitz at his home and the danger of ICE violence

11:05 — Why veterans are being organized against ICE and militarized policing

14:02 — What Common Defense is and how its inside-outside strategy works

16:40 — The veteran mystique and using veteran credibility for justice work

18:36 — How ICE recruits and why veterans can become part of the enforcement machine

20:23 — CBP tactics, military-style policing, and why Chicago made the issue visible

22:44 — South Side anger, community resistance, and fear around armed federal agents

24:47 — Brownness used as a basis for detention and the risk to Latino agents too

26:03 — Veteran deportations and how the system turns on people it once used

28:58 — Operation Midway Blitz one year later and activist fatigue in Chicago

31:08 — ICE at domestic violence court and the challenge of sustaining daily resistance

33:53 — Why people need multiple ways to plug in, from one shift a month to sharing information

35:20 — The economic reasons people join the military or ICE

38:03 — Working-class paths, debt, and the absence of real economic mobility

40:25 — VA cuts, privatization, and how public dollars get shifted into private hands

43:43 — District-level VA data, Mike Bost, and the fight against T Kava

45:14 — Organizing town halls and pushing back on benefit cuts and privatization

47:30 — Cracks in the VA system, Palantir involvement, and the damage to care

48:51 — A nurse being forced into an unsafe role at Heinz

50:04 — Why the Democratic Party is still too tied to corporate and military interests

52:43 — Support for progressive candidates like Abdul Al-Sayed, Peggy Flanagan, and Angie Nixon

54:35 — Chicago mayoral race predictions and why Susana Mendoza worries Chris

58:01 — Closing call to action for anti-ICE, anti-cut, and anti-war organizing

Veterans could be one of the most powerful forces in democracy reform - if they stop playing by the old rules. Holly Burd makes the case for a radical new path in Chicago: civic assemblies, ranked choice voting, open primaries, and a nonpartisan city charter that could finally make local government feel accountable again.

On this episode of Double V: From War to Activism, Chaz talks with Holly Burd, a Marine Corps veteran, data scientist, and civic activist who is building momentum around election reform from the ground up. Holly explains why she shifted from watching politics to actively reshaping it, how veterans can bridge divides that keep communities stuck, and why the current system feels intentionally confusing.

You'll discover:

• What a civic assembly is, and why Holly believes it can rebuild trust faster than traditional politics
• How sortition and representative citizen panels work in real life
• Why ranked choice voting and open primaries matter for independent voters
• What Holly learned from veteran-led reform efforts in Chicago, Akron, and Michigan
• How nonpartisan activism can give veterans a way to defend democracy beyond party loyalty

Chaz and Holly also get into the reality of Chicago politics, the limits of two-party thinking, and why so many people feel shut out of civic life in the first place. Holly brings a sharp, reform-minded perspective rooted in both military service and data-driven analysis, while Chaz pushes the conversation into the deeper questions of race, representation, community trust, and who actually gets heard.

Holly Burd is a Marine Corps veteran, civic activist, and data science student focused on nonpartisan election reform. She works with veteran-led democracy groups and has been building support for civic assemblies and city charter reform in Chicago.

Sound Bites

"I focus on nonpartisan reform and civic activism."

"We need to diversify all of our experiences."

"Veterans can build bridges over systemic gaps."

Holly Burd

Chapters

00:00Introduction to Holly Burd and episode overview

02:51Holly Burd's background and military service

04:11Transition from military to civic activism

07:13Inspiration behind civic reform efforts

09:09The significance of a Chicago city charter

10:11Veterans for All Voters and election reform

12:24Understanding civic assemblies and deliberative democracy

16:47The documentary 'Goodbye Politicians, Hello Democracy'

19:21Experiences from civic assemblies in Michigan and Akron

23:10The importance of inclusive civic spaces

26:45Connecting civic organizations and community efforts

29:39The potential of civic assemblies to rebuild trust

33:52Veterans' role in election reform and democracy

35:50The need for diversity and inclusion in civic spaces

38:51The importance of community-based activism

41:11The influence of historical and systemic issues in politics

45:37The significance of local engagement and neighborhood involvement

48:39Addressing racial and economic disparities in civic participation

52:26Building networks and organizing for systemic change

55:38Closing thoughts and future outlooks for civic reform

Most conversations about activism, politics, and society tend to stay surface-level—and that’s a problem. This episode dives deep with veteran-turned-activist Zachary Cam, whose fearless insights cut through the nonsense — from the corruption of global sports to the brutal realities of ICE, the military industrial complex, and the ongoing struggle for racial and social justice. You’ll discover how systemic violence and repression are deeply intertwined, from how sports washing in the World Cup mirrors regimes that use nationalism to hide their atrocities, to how the police and ICE are trained with tactics borrowed from brutal military occupations abroad. Zach unpacks the history behind movements like the Civil Rights era, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr., illustrating how their struggles and sacrifices still resonate today — if we choose to remember and act. We also break down the realities of militarized education systems targeting youth of color, the hypocrisy of supporting wars abroad while ignoring violence at home, and why understanding the true power behind politicians and corporations is crucial. You’ll hear brutally honest perspectives on the failures of liberal and progressive allies, the importance of building community over division, and how everyday resistance can challenge the status quo—whether you’re an activist, a veteran, or just fed up with the world as it is.

Takeaways

• Corruption in sports
• Role of veterans in activism Community support is crucial for those affected by war and conflict.
• The influence of politics and media shapes public perception and action.

Chapters

• 00:00 Corruption in Sports and Politics
• 04:02 Activism and the Role of Veterans
• 17:08 Impact of ICE on Communities
• 27:28 Tragedy of War and the Role of Veterans
• 34:25 The Impact of War and Loss
• 35:32 The Genocide in Gaza
• 38:39 The Role of Activism and Community Support
• 41:33 Influence of Politics and Media