Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

On this edition of Parallax Views, I recently appeared on the Along the Line podcast, an affiliate of our friends at Project Censored to discuss the importance of alternative media. Dr. Nolan Higdon, Nicolas Baham III, and Janice Domingo were gracious enough to have me on the program and I think we had a good chat about the need for alt media during this election season. This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, Georgia is faced with an unusual electoral situation following the resignation of Senator Johnny Isakson's 2019 resignation. Since that time Kelly Loeffler has acted as Isakson's replacement until a November 3rd, 2020 special election, or "jungle primary", which will decide who gets Isakson's Senate seat. One of those candidates is Hegelian philosophy scholar and prolific author Prof. Richard Dien Winfield. Winfield previously made a foray into politics in 2018 when he made an attempt to run as a U.S. Representative for Georgia's 10th congressional district. During that time Winfield became known for being the one candidate pushing for a Federal Jobs Guarantee. He joins us on this edition of the program to discuss his run for Senate as well as to outline his ideas about freedom, the social bill of rights, and why we need a federal jobs guarantee as outlined in his tremendous new book Democracy Unchained: How We Should Fulfill Our Social Rights and Save Self-Government. Among the topics discussed: - Environmental crises facing America including the current wildfires; personal health and environmental health as a right that must be ensured not only for ourselves but also future generations; dealing with climate change and the Green New Deal - The question of Reparations for descendants of slavery and victims of Jim Crow; Winfield's unique answer to the question of Reparations may surprise you - A lengthy discussion on Winfield's federal jobs guarantee platform; why does he believe it is so necessary? - Running for Senate in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic - The issue of public education; the right to an education - The influence of philosophy and the idea of W.F. Hegel on Winfield's thought - Wealth inequality and income inequality; a fair minimum wage; taxation and fair taxation - Winfield's criticisms of Universal Basic Income (UBI) This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, was 9/11 preventable? Our guest on this September 11th anniversary edition of Parallax Views, Mark Rossini, who worked as the FBI's point man in the CIA's Bin Laden Unit (aka ALEC Station), makes the case it was in his piece "In Re: 9/11". As an FBI agent working in ALEC Station alongside fellow FBI agent Doug Miller, Mark became privy to the CIA's monitoring of two 9/11 hijackers, Flight 77's Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, and a "Terror Summit" in Kuala Lumpur, Malyasia from January 5th-8th, 2000. Through their monitoring of these activities, the CIA discovered that the two future 9/11 terrorist had VISAs to the U.S. When Doug Miller wrote a report on the summit, however, the CIA told both he and Rossini not to send it to the FBI. For 19 years Mark Rossini has been troubled by the question of WHY the CIA did not share this vital bit of information with the CIA. His conclusions, which were independently corroborated by National Coordinator for Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Counter-terrorism Richard Clarke, is that elements of the CIA made a catastrophic decision after the Kuala Lumpur Summit that they kept under wraps to preserve their own careers and reputations. This decision, which Rossini makes a strong circumstantial case for having occurred, involved an illegal recruitment operation and Saudi Arabia's intelligence services aka the Mabahith. Rossini believes that, if this circumstantial case is true, then 9/11 may well have been preventable. And yes, this is the same Mark Rossini featured heavily in Lawrence Wright's book The Looming Tower and as a character in the TV series of the same name. PLEASE READ MARK ROSSINI'S ANALYSIS OF 9/11 https://undicisettembre.blogspot.com/p/mark-rossini-inre911.html In this conversation we discuss: - The FBI's John O'Neil, known as Bin Laden's arch-nemesis (who, after leaving the FBI shortly before 9/11 perished in the towers on that fateful day) and the conflicts between O'Neil and the CIA, specifically former BIn Laden Unit head honcho Michael Scheuer - The concept of "The Wall", which many believe led to botched communications before 9/11 between the FBI and CIA, and why Rossini believes "The Wall" isn't a sufficient explanation for the CIA's withholding information regarding the Malaysia terror summit from the FBI - The relationship between the CIA and Saudi Arabia's Mahabith; the special relationship between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. - FBI agent Steve Bongardt and his angry email to Dina Corsi in July of 2001 regarding the CIA, FBI, and al-Hazmi and al-Mihdhar; Bongardt wrote that, “Someday somebody will die—and, Wall or not, the public will not understand why we were not more effective.” - CIA Director George Tenet's comments pertaining to 9/11 - And much, much more. This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, Donald Trump recently opined, in a now infamous with Laura Ingraham for Fox News, that Democratic Party Presidential candidate Joe Biden was being controlled by "people in the dark shadows". This, of course, should come as no surprise given that conspiratorial mutterings about globalist elites hellbent on destroying the United States of America has become a hallmark of Trump's base. In fact, one can find ideations of a paranoid variety amongst rather visible elements of the American right-wing going back to the day of Senator Joe McCarthy and the Red Scare as well as in right-wing media outlets and organizations like WorldNetDaily and the John Birch Society. Even prior to Trump, figures like Alex Jones and Jerome Corsi promoted what historian Richard Hofstadter referred to as "The Paranoid Style in American Politics". In the 1990's, the militia and "Patriot" movement were driven by fears that the Clinton administration, specifically after Ruby Ridge and Waco, would usher in draconian martial law with the help of agencies like FEMA or, in some theories, the United Nations. Interestingly, then First Lady Hillary Clinton was roundly mocked at this time for offering a paranoid alternative to the right's vision of dystopia being ushered in by her husband. There existed, she said, a "vast right wing conspiracy" to undermine Bill Clinton's Presidency. This, of course, was roundly mocked as the delusional rantings of a "moonbat" or "wingnut". But was Clinton's accusation completely unfounded? Has the American right-wing been projecting when it lobs allegations of unpatriotic and sinister plots against Democrats and the Left? Veteran journalist Anne Nelson makes the case in her new book, Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right, that the American Right, specifically through a sorely underdiscussed and shadowy organization, has been engaging in a certain kind of subterfuge that isn't far off from being a "vast right wing conspiracy". In this explosive new book Nelson, whose journalistic exploits includes covering the U.S. support of right-wing death squads in El Salvador during the Reagan Presidency, details the under-the-radar machinations of the Council for National Policy. Modeled as a conservative equivalent to the Council on Foreign Relations, a favorite target of right-wing paranoia, the CNP claims 501(c) 3 status. But, as Nelson notes, the CNP operates in a completely different way than the CFR. According to Nelson, it acts as a network that connects the right's ideologues to the money people that can fund their movements. Anne Nelson joins us on this edition of Parallax Views to tell the whole story of how this organization has sought to undermine democratic processes in the USA for decades. Among the topics covered: How three figures, Paul Weyrich, Morton Blackwell, and Richard Viguerie came together to help form the CNP with evangelical pastor and bestselling author of the Left Behind series Tim LaHaye as its President; Weyrich's curious comments on voting and the electoral majority; Viguerie's book Takeover: The 100-Year War for the Soul of the GOP and How Conservatives Can Finally Win It and the comments contained within it concerning Hillary Clinton's accusations of a "vast right wing conspiracy". - Putting the CNP in context; the war between supporters of the Barry Goldwater campaign and "Rockefeller Republicans" in the era before the CNP's founding; the Southern Baptist Church purges that preluded that CNP's founding; the arch-conservative Phyllis Schlafly, now the subject of the FX TV drama Mrs. America. - The Democratic Party's failures, including the neglect of "Fly Over Country" and the decay of the New Deal Coalition, that Anne criticizes in the book for leaving the CNP with a base to propagandize. - How the CNP ties into the U.S. support of death squads in El Salvador. - The CNP and the media; how the decline of media, journalism, and newspapers has created a fertile environment for the CNP's propaganda efforts; the deleterious effects of Ronald Reagan rolling back the Fairness Doctrine. - How connected are the Koch Bros. to the CNP?; how much of the CNP's agenda is driven by its financial backer's desire profits rather than religious beliefs of its idealogues? - The CNP vs. the CFR; the CNP's 501(c) 3 status - The CNP in the era of Donald Trump; the CNP's initial support of Ted Cruz over Donald Trump; the deal that the CNP cut with the Trump Presidency; the CNP's connections to the coronavirus pandemic through "America's Frontline Doctors" and Dr. [CENSORED] as outlined in her new Washington Spectator piece "Anatomy of Deception: Team Trump Deploys Doctors to Push Fake Cure for COVID" (see: hydroxychloroquine). All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views! This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street

Before there was QAnon Before there was Pizzagate Before there Plandemic There Was... THE PHANTOM PATRIOT! Believe it or not, there was a time when the "Deep State" wasn't a term in mainstream usage and Alex Jones hadn't appeared on national television dueling with media personalities like Megyn Kelly and Piers Morgan. In fact, there was a time when sitting U.S. Presidents didn't make cryptic statements about their political opponents being controlled by "people in dark shadows" (although Hillary Clinton did make a reference to the existence of a 'vast right-wing conspiracy' back in the day). But just because conspiracy theory is chic nowadays doesn't mean it been with us for a long time, although with incidents like the Comet Ping Pong arson by a Pizzagate truther or the child kidnapping by a QAnon mom conspiracy theories have come under greater scrutiny. For example, an internal FBI memo from 2019 named QAnon and Pizzagate believers as a potential domestic terrorist threat. Meanwhile, "Sandy Hook Truthers", who believe the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012 was actually a hoax involving paid "crisis actors" to foment sweeping gun control legislation in the U.S., have been caught harassing victims' families. Not all conspiracy theorists are created equally though. For example, should the aging JFK assassination theorist Robert Groden really have been arrested 82 times by the Dallas Police Department for distributing conspiracy DVDs and literature in Dealey Plaza? Maybe not. That being said, incidents like the Comet Ping Pong arson and crimes with QAnon connections like the aforementioned child kidnapping or the murder of a Gambino Crime Family mob boss seem to be another matter entirely and not to be taken lightly. Prior to all these incidents, however, there was a rather strange case in the California's usually quiet Sonoma County that generally flew under the radar. On January 19th, 2002 a man dressed in superhero costume and wearing a skull mask attempted a raid on the Bohemian Grove under the belief that it was a location used by global Satanic elites to sacrifice children to the Babylonian owl god Moloch. After a stand-off in which the masked man pointed a rifle at confused and scared police officers, the vigilante raider was apprehended. That masked man's name was Richard McCaslin, a cosplayer and Batman stuntman at a Six Flags amusement. Cosplayer, however, may be a bit of an understatement. Richard was a member of what is known as the Real Life Superhero community. RLSH's usually engage in acts of community service like, say, neighborhood watch. Richard, on the other hand, engaged in vigilantism. After watching the Alex Jones documentary Dark Secrets: Inside Bohemian Grove, McCaslin donned his superhero attire and traveled to Sonoma County, California as his alter ego The Phantom Patriot in an attempt to stop what he believed was the nefarious activities Alex Jones alleged were occurring at Bohemian Grove. Granted, Bohemian Grove does raise an eyebrow or two upon initial examination. This is because the Grove is a vacation retreat for members of the highly exclusive Bohemian Club, whose motto is the slightly spooky "Weaving Spiders Come Not Here". Originally the Bohemian Club's membership was mainly artists. In fact, early members included the likes of Jack London and Mark Twain. What raises an eyebrow for more conspiratorially-minded though is the fact that the Bohemian Club's membership has since then gone on to include such global power players as former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and former U.S. Presidents like Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. In this way the Grove acts as a vacation getaway for elites to let loose once a year. On it's own that wouldn't seem to insidious. But then there's the rather odd ritual known as the "Cremation of Care" where the world's most powerful men dress in robes and sacrifice their "Dull Care" to a giant owl statue surrounded by fire in dead of night. Granted such strangeness could be chalked up to the goofy hijinks of the world's most powerful men letting their juvenile freak loose like they're at Burning Man. That's not what Richard McCaslin, The Phantom Patriot, believed though. For McCaslin the Grove was a location where Satan-worshipping elites committed ritual sacrifices of innocent children beneath a pagan moon... and it was the duty of the Phantom Patriot to thwart their sinister efforts. Now, the story of Richard McCaslin, alias the Phantom Patriot, may, upon initial inspection, seem to be nothing more than the story of a foolish crank. But upon closer examination can something more be gleaned from his story? What, for example, leads someone like McCaslin to become a conspiracy theory-prone vigilante? And is there a grain of truth to criticism of Bohemian Grove that is revealed through his story? After all, does a citizen like McCaslin, when put on trial, get the same treatment as a uber-wealthy man like Robert Durst, the subject of th

Weekend Double Feature Episode! First Up, Investigative journalist Jean Guerrero, who has become known for her work reporting on the border, joins us to shine a much needed light on Donald Trump's Senior Policy Advisor Stephen Miller. In her new book, Hatemonger: Stephen Miller, Donald Trump, and the White Nationalist Agenda, applies her journalistic skills to cracking the enigma of Miller, from his youth in California and his radicalization by right-wing personalities like Rush Limbaugh, Larry Elder, and David Horowitz to his collaborating with the alt right's Richard Spencer while at Duke University and eventually gaining a key position in the Trump White House. In telling the story of Stephen Miller and his anti-immigration agenda, Guerrero also manages to tell the story of the the immigrants who are the greatest target of Miller's ire and fury. And, despite all his raging against elites and claiming the mantle of anti-elitism, Guerrero shows that Miller is the dark mirror image of the coastal liberals who he accuses of hypocrisy. Moreover, in the final analysis, Guerrero shows that Miller is not an anomaly but rather a product of politics and cultural paranoia that have existed within the U.S. for decades. In this way, Hatemonger is not just about Stephen Miller and the immigrants he despise, but also the bi-partisan efforts, from the Presidencies of Reagan to Obama, that define the backdrop of their stories. Some topics covered: - The unusual coincidence of Miller being born on the same day a U.S. spy plane in El Salvador; Jean explains how U.S. interference in El Salvador and Central America, supporting right-wing death squads, created much suffering. - Jean Gurrero's experience at Steve Bannon's border symposium and thoughts on Bannon's arrest; Bannon drove her back to her hotel and spoke to her for a bit; Bannon told her that Miller was his "little evil robot" - How can Stephen Miller, a Jewish man, hold white nationalist views?; Jean has a personal way of answering this question - Miller's connections to Peter Brimelow of the white nationalist website VDare and eugenics promoters like the anti-immigrant stalwart John Tanton and Jared Taylor's American Renaissance magazine - The paranoia and conspiracy theories that permeate American culture; Jean's essay "My Father is a Targeted Individual. Maybe We All Are'; what sets the CIA mind control and electronic harassment conspiracy theories espoused by her father and others claiming to be "Targeted Individuals" from the likes of Stephen Miller and promoters of the "White Genocide" conspiracy theory. - And more Then THE GANGSTER PRESIDENCY? The Newvandal himself, JP Sottile, joins us to discuss how the Trump White House and its associates are looking more and more like something out of a 1940s gangster B-movie. JP argues the Trump White House isn't so much a Presidency as a "big licensing deal". In particular JP hones in on the influencing scandals that have plagued the administration and its associates involving Elliot Broidy, the United Arab Emirates, the Turkish Halkbank, and others. JP says the buck doesn't stop at Steve Bannon and the "We Build the Wall" campaign, when it comes to scandals either directly involving the administration or, in the case of Bannongate, centering on former Trump White House officials. Are some of the characters in this real-life gangster movie worried about losing control of the Justice Department if Trump loses the election? JP weighs the possibilities. Additionally, JP and I have a nuanced discussion about Russiagate and money laundering at the beginning of our conversation. UPDATED Episode Time Stamps Time Stamps: Preview Segment - 00:34 Intro Segment - 02:17 Jean Guerrero Interview - 05:16 Transition Segment - 45:22 JP Sottile Interview - 48:48 Outro + Who Let the Dogs Out (Roger Stone House Remix) - 01:42:40 This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, former Trump chief strategist Steve Bannon was recently charged with fraud, specifically conspiracy to commit money laundering alongside Andrew Badolato in relation to a private fundraiser to build a border wall. The Bannon and the other organizers of the "We Build the Wall" campaign are accused of ripping off their donors. The controversial Bannon is set to go on trial in May 2021. Enter Daniel Hopsicker of Mad Cow Morning News. As a journalist Hopsicker has been exploring dark, murky territory ever since investigating the commercial airline pilot, DEA (and many speculate CIA-connected) informant, and Medellin Cartel drug trafficker Barry Seal. Ever since then Hopsicker has been on the beat of transnational organized crime, specifically as it relates to drug trafficking and money laundering. According to Hopsicker, transnational organized crime's grip on power and politics effectively means we're living on a "Gangster Planet". Although his thesis may be controversial, some would say conspiratorial, Hopsicker often manages to hit a mark better than most other covering the murky depths where drugs, white-collar crime, and corrupt politics intersect with each other. Case in point with the Bannon-Badolato Bust. Through Mad Cow Morning News, Hopsicker has been tracking Badolato for the past 3 years. And he believes that Badolato is much more than the entrepreneurial "businessman" portrayed in recent news articles. Given recent events, I asked Daniel to return to the show to discuss his recent article "Bannon-Badolato Bust Exposes The Abyss" and further elaborate on his "Gangster Planet" thesis. Although he was admittedly a bit burned out from work on his new book when we conducted the interview, I think we had an interesting conversation that we'll have to follow up on in the future. This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, Richard A. Falk is a professor emeritus of International Law at Princeton University and served from 2008-2014 as the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories Occupied since 1967. Prof. Falk has dedicated a lifetime to the cause of human rights and was one of the key conceptualizers of a World Order that, in promoting peace and cooperation over war and politics, sought to counteract the realist school of foreign policy expressed former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger as well as former U.S. President George H.W. Bush's idea of a "New World Order" in the post-Cold War era that would be exemplified by American primacy and U.S. full spectrum dominance over the rest of the world. At 89 year old, Prof. Falk continues to tirelessly speak to matters of global import seeking justice, peace, cooperation, and the pursuit of human right for citizens around the world. After reading his recent Counterpunch op-ed "Trumpism, Where Does It Go From Here?", I reached out to Prof. Falk in the hopes that he could share his knowledge of expertise with Parallax Views listeners. He agreed to an interview and spoke with me for an hour on a number of topics including: - How did we get to this moment that has seen the rise of authoritarianism and autocratic demagogues in the U.S. vis-à-vis Trumpism and around the globe as exemplified figures like Rodrigo Duterte in the Phillipines, Viktor Orbán in Hungary, and Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil? - Discontent with elites and the inequities created by neoliberal globalization; the pluralism of elites and the divide over Donald Trump's Presidency amongst the elite elements of society; the rural vs. urban divide; the problem with and peculiarities of the Electoral College system in the United States; solution to the issues with face us in regard to U.S. elections due to the way the American electoral system is set up - The meaning of the concept of the "World Order" and how it differs from the right-wing, paranoid vision of a conspiratorial "New World Order" led by a globalist cabal. How Dr. Falk's belief in "World Order" differs from the both George H.W. Bush's concept of the "New World Order" in the aftermath of the Soviet Union's collapse and the feverish apocalyptic nightmares of the John Bircher Society-esque paranoid-style that pervades the American right today - The potential for the Digital Age to flatten the countryside vs. city distinction and the new inequities that could arise from the Digital Age; society is changing but not at the pace of the rising global changes facing the world like rapidly increasing economic inequality and climate change - The New Cold War with China and Washington, D.C.'s hawkish bi-partisan consensus on it; China as a different kind of adversary to the U.S. than the Soviet Union; Graham Ellison's Thucydides's Trap and applying it to understanding present U.S.-China relations - Are we living in a multipolar world of multiple superpower as opposed to the unipolar world of American hegemonic dominance as envisioned by many after the end of the Cold War?; U.S.'s "hard power" through military spending and might vs. China's "soft power" approach in the current geopolitical confrontation - Assessing the Obama Presidency in regards to geopolitics and foreign policy; the early Obama Presidency's hopes of manuevering past the Washington D.C. foreign policy "Blob" and why he gave way to the bi-partisan consensus on American foreign policy - the risk factors of a Biden Presidency and a Trump Presidency; what Biden's foreign and American security policy would likely look like; Biden's domestic policy and how it will likely be referential to the "Wall Street or Goldman Sachs View of the World"; the "Third Way" neoliberalism of Clinton Democrats and what effect movements like Black Lives Matter (BLM), arising in response to the police killing of George Floyd, will have on a Biden White House and that wing of the Democratic Party - The deep distrust that exists between both primary wings of the Democratic Party; much has been made of the progressive wing's distrust of Biden-style Clinton Democrat moderates/centrists, but the same hold true on the opposite end: moderate Democrats, specifically those with of material interests that would be impacted by addressing structural inequalities, like socially liberal policies but fear that the Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez wing of the party are too radical; the variation that exists even within the moderate wing of the party on economic inequality issues and the "trick" that prevents Democrats from progressing in regards to social justice and economic inequity issues facing the U.S. today - The risks of a second-term Trump Presidency in the White House; the cluster of primary and secondary concerns the U.S. would face in lieu of Trumps' potential second term in office; Saudi-Israel hegemony in the Middle East under Trump and its implic

On this edition of Parallax Views, in June of 1944, shortly after D-Day, the Nazis unleashed a wave of devastation on London with a superweapon. The Allies had expected retaliation from the Axis powers, but they had not expected the death machine that was the V-1 or Vergeltungswaffe (Vengeance Weapon One). Few within the Allied powers thought that they could counteract this new obstacle to defeating the Axis forces. And yet, in a story of human ingenuity defying the odds, a rag tag band of inventors, tinkerers, and spies would ultimately bring about the invention of a fuse device would thwart this Nazi superweapon. In his new book 12 Seconds of Silence: How a Team of Inventors, Tinkerers, and Spies Took Down a Nazi Superweapon, journalist Jamie Holmes, whose work has appeared in such outlets as The New York Times, The New Republic, The Atlantic, and The Daily Beast, brings to light this heretofore overlooked bit of WWII history and, in the process, finds a parable about science, governance, leadership, and human ingenuity that may have something to tell us about how to handle the crisis we face today in the form of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It's a story that includes a Nazi spy ring operating in New York, an scientific advisor to Britain's MI6 intelligence services and the beautiful French spy who aided him, and a small band of scientist who began working with little resources on a small farm in Virginia to stop the Nazi menace. All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views. This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, believe it or not it's an open secret in Tinseltown that the Pentagon and the CIA have liaisons in Hollywood that exert influence on various film and TV productions. For example, hit movies like Zero Dark Thirty, Enemy of the State, and The Sum of All Fears all received CIA consultation and the Pentagon has been involved in hit TV shows like Bones and 24. For all the talk of Hollywood as a bastion of progressive politics and the accusation from right-wing media that the entertainment industry has too much of a liberal bias, Tinseltown's connection to Uncle Sam's favorite intelligence agency and the Department of Defense may come as a surprise. However, Jim DiEugenio, proprietor of the website Kennedys and King, say the ties run deep and have created an environment in Hollywood where our favorites cinematic blockbuster and TV series are influenced by the intelligence community and the Department of Defense. In his most recent book, The JFK Assassination: The Evidence Today, DiEugenio devotes a whole section of his book to how movies like the Tom Hanks produced Charlie Wilson's War and Steven Spielberg's The Post actually act as revisionist history that whitewash over uncomfortable truths. He also details how figures like the CIA's Chase Brandon and the Pentagon's Phil Strub became involved with the entertainment industry and the extent of their influence. He joins us on this edition of the program to: - Dissect the true story of the Pentagon Papers and Daniel Ellsberg while critiquing Steven Spielberg's treatment of the topic with The Post - Examine Charlie Wilson's War and how it glosses over the way in which U.S. Congressman Charlie Wilson's (and Reagan era CIA director William Casey's) efforts to add Afghan rebels in the Soviet-Afghan conflict through Operation Cyclone actually lead to many of the crises that would become a fixture of politics after 9/11 and the advent of the Bush administration's War on Terror - Offer his thoughts on Oliver Stone's recent comments on Bill Maher's show questioning the import of Russia interference in the 2000 election - A tidbit about how famed prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi believed in an RFK assassination conspiracy despite rejecting the idea of a conspiracy in the assassination of JFK - Kill the Messenger, the cinematic biography of Gary Webb, the journalist whose career was famously ruined after he wrote a multi-part series on the connection between Iran/Contra and the L.A. crack epidemic - And much, much more! This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, Athens, Georgia has a long history of racial justice activism due to its prevalent black community making up nearly 30% of its residents. Even amongst those against-the-grain activists, however, Irami Osei-Frimpong is considered something of a controversial gadfly. Currently a Ph.D. candidate in philosophy at the University of Georgia, Frimpong's pointed commentaries on issues like white supremacy, racism, police brutality, and reparation has, at times, attracted a degree of ire outrage. Specifically, he was scrutinized after tweeting, "Some white people may have to die for black communities to be made whole in this struggle to advance to freedom.” The tweet turned into a viral lightning rod for controversy as Frimpong, who works as a Teaching Assistant (TA), was put under investigation by his University and then, as a result, profiled in websites like Heavy.Com and the right-wing Campus-Watch.Org. What did Irami Osei-Frimpong actually mean in his controversial tweet? Was it a call to violence against white people? What does he really believe? The man himself joins us on this edition of Parallax Views in a conversation that hopefully provides an answer to those questions as well as providing an understanding of how Freedom, as a concept, and real autonomy is the driving forth behind Frimpong's thought and activism. In fact, it could be said that the idea of Freedom is the underlying theme of this discussion as Irami defines it's meaning, it's relation to black struggle, and how he seeks to reclaim the concept from the American libertarian and conservative right that has claimed a monopoly on its usage. Additionally Irami and I discuss: - The Kenosha shooting and and its suspected perpetrator, Kyle Rittenhouse, as an example of the type of white person who will violently oppose black freedom because they see it as a threat to their way of life - What Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel and the Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker trial tell us about freedom and rights in the United States - The meaning of white supremacy; the need to "poke the bear" when it comes to white supremacism and why Irami disagrees with the "don't poke the beer" mentality of some within the black community - Irami's unique take on the subject of looting - The case of Amy Cooper and 2020's infamous Central Park birdwatching incident that saw Cooper calling the police in distress after a black birdwatcher, Christian Cooper (no relation), politely asked her to leash her dog; questioning the premise that Amy Cooper is an aberration or anomaly - Double standards: the Philadelphia heroin epidemic vs. the opioid epidemic - The controversial ADOS movement, founded by activists Yvette Carnell and Antonio Moore, which pushes for reparations, but primarily for American Descendants of Slavery rather than black immigrants; why Irami supports movement; the movement's effective; the accusations pertaining to ADOS's anti-immigration stance; Irami's solution to anti-immigrant attitudes - Why Bernie Sander's lost the black vote in the South; FDR and black America; how can the Left gain the trust of the black community - Thoughts on Adolph Reed, arguments in favor of alliances between right-wing populism and left-wing populism, and the why Irami believes class cannot be the sole, or even primary focus, of the Left - Irami's argument for reparations - Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden and his Vice President pick Kamala Harris; alt right leader Richard Spencer's recent endorsement of the Biden/Harris ticket; Democrats and the tendency of centrist politicians tp punch Left when in power This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, the prolific war correspondent Patrick Cockburn, who has been reporting on the Middle East since 1975, joins us to discuss his new book War in the Age of Trump: The Fall of ISIS, The Betrayal of the Kurds, and the Conflict with Iran. We begin the conversation with Patrick's thoughts on objectivity in journalism and whether war reporting takes a toll on journalists in that line of work. From there we discuss the foreign policy of Obama, Obama and his advisor Ben Rhodes taking issue with the "Washington Playboy" and the D.C. foreign policy "Blob", and Trump's foreign policy. In relation Trump and foreign policy Patrick shines a light on the assassination of Iran's Gen. Quasem Soleimani and his understanding of it beyond the way it's been covered in the beltway press. Patrick argues that these elements got Soleimani wrong and this leads us to discuss the role of hubris, whether coming from Iran, the U.S., or other players, in the great game taking place on the geopolitical Grand Chessboard and where Iraq falls in the conflicts. Also covered: - The strange relationship between Iran and the U.S. that features both conflict and underdiscussed cooperation. - Why is the U.S. always at odds with Iran? The overthrow of Mossadegh in 1953 and other events. Why would the Shia-dominant Iran not be a friend of the U.S. in the War on Terror against Sunni Wahabists and Salafists? - Ignorance in the D.C. beltway, the Western elite, and the media on the Middle East and its complexities as a region. - The Middle East as a political graveyard for multiple U.S. Presidents including Tony Blair, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan. - The story of ISIS and its fall - Western elite failures in the Middle East such as Libya after the death of Gaddafi; Syria and Assad; the lack of learning lessons from past failures on the part of the Western elite class - The impossible position of the Kurd; Turkey and the Kurds; the U.S.'s relationship to the Kurds - Could we have seen the failures of U.S. foreign policy coming?; the style of War in the Age of Trump - Criticism of U.S. foreign policy is not necessarily about supporting figures like Gaddafi in Libya or Assad in Syria - News from Damascus involving coronavirus - Trump's isolation vs. the elite's interventionist failures; is another way, different from both of these approaches possible; the Cold War mindset of elite interventionist foreign policy - Preoccupation with Russia as a threat - And more! This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

Two Part Episode! First Up, Actress and progressive activist Mimi Kennedy, whose Hollywood credentials include notable reoccuring roles in the TV shows Dharma and Greg and the ongoing CBS sitcom Mom in addition to films like Midnight in Paris, In the Loop, Erin Brokovich, and (J.G.'s personal favorite) Pump Up the Volume, joins us to discuss how she became an activist as well her commendable efforts to promote election education among voters and prevent voter suppression. In particular, Mimi explains the dilemma of what she calls "The Surrender Rule" with regards to mail-in ballots. We also talk about how Mimi got involved with activism related to the issue of election integrity, her efforts to block the use of Diebold touchscreen voting machines in L.A. country, and why poll workers are needed now more than ever in the age of COVID-19. Mimi also provides her thoughts on the right wing media's portrayal of Hollywood as "too liberal" and the role Catholic social teachings played a role in developing her political consciousness. Then, Legendary progressive radio host Thom Hartmann joins us to discuss the latest entry in his Hidden History book series, The Hidden History of Monopolies: How Big Business Destroyed the American Dream. We begin by discussing the relevance of the Hidden History series in light of the George Floyd murder and how the history Thom is shedding light on is becoming less hidden and more well-known each and every day. From there we pivot into a conversation of what monopolies are and the adverse effect they have on We the People as a nation. Thom also fills us in on how monopolies tie into the story of the Boston Tea Party vis-à-vis the British East India company, Lewis Powell and the other players who sought to combat progressive activists like Ralph Nader (who provides the foreward for Thom's new book!) by promoting pro-business interest in various sectors of society like academia, the horrible legacy of Reaganomics and the Ronald Reagan presidency, and the problems of copyright and patent laws (which, as Thom points out, the founding fathers would have a thing or to say about!). All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views! This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, for over 20 years the iconoclastic Dälek is a hip hop group that eludes easy categorization. Influenced as much by band like the shoegaze legends My Bloody Valentine and the krautrock sensation Faust as much as they are rappers like NAS and Run DMC, Dälek has most often been described as experimental hip hop. Interestingly, due to their noisy, abrasive style, the group has been able to hang with the loudest of metal band playing live shows with bands like Godflesh, ISIS, The Melvins, and Tool thus winning the respect of many in the metal community. They've also been known for their political, or perhaps more accurately social, commentary that cuts deeper than ever in the age of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. MC Dälek, the group's frontman, joins us on this edition of the program to discuss music, hip hop, metal, politics, conspiracy theories, and much, much more. Special thanks to Televangel for helping to make this episode possible! This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, this week the Federal Reserve expressed that the handling of coronavirus of relief and stimulus packages handled by Congress has been woefully inadequate as unemployment tops 1 million yet again. Economist Dr. Jack Rasmus, author of The Scourge of Neoliberalism: U.S. Economic Policy from Reagan to Trump and host of the Alternative Vision radio program, joins us to discuss the economy under the COVID-19 crisis and warns of a triple crisis ahead accelerated by the pandemic. Dr. Rasmus argues that the triple crisis is composed of a health crisis, an economic crisis, and finally a financial crisis caused by the emergencies of bankruptcies building out of the first two crises. The third crisis, Dr. Rasmus believes, will likely come into full effect by 2021 unless drastic measures are taken to prevent it. Dr. Rasmus notes that we are not in an economic recovery but a weak rebound. Although there were hopes of a V-shaped recovery amidst the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Rasmus has been saying since March that the V-shaped recovery would not happen. It appears now that many in the media, Wall Street, and the Federal Reserve are beginning to catch up to his assessment. He says that the only way that this triple crisis can possibly be averted is through a strong stimulus that would $3-4 trillion fiscally. Because the economy is fundamental wounded, Dr. Rasmus says, this stimulus is necessary. In addition Dr. Rasmus and I discuss the political instability occurring right now and how it is likely to get worse going into Election Day. We discuss Trump's Plan A and, briefly, his Plan B for reelection. Dr. Rasmus believes that Trump's lack of response to the pandemic has been a strategic move to punish American blue states that will swing Democratic in the Presidential election. Moreover, he notes how the relevance of voter suppression to Trump's potential reelection. Other topics covered: - Trump's recent Executive Orders, how the EO's were part of a strategic plan by the GOP all along, and why Dr. Rasmus considers them a sham - The current negotiations between Democrats and Republicans over the stimulus - Why Democrats have been ineffective in fighting Trump and the GOP - Evictions in the COVID era and why eviction moratoriums are necessary - The crisis facing us due to job automation - And much, much more. This Episode Brought to You By: The War State: The Cold War Origins of the Military-Industrial Complex and the Power Elite, 1945-1963 by Michael Swanson of The Wall Street Window

On this edition of Parallax Views, new documents show that the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) and other federal agencies are targeting the Distributed Denial of Secrets, a transparency organization specializing in publishing leaks the reveal the inner workings of powerful institutions, as a "criminal hacker group". The documents show that the DHS has its eyes on DDoSecrets in light of their publishing BlueLeaks (or #BlueLeaks), a collection of 269 gigabyte collection on U.S. law enforcement obtained by the hacker collective Anyonmous. DDoSecret, however, claims that it is not involved in hacking but rather is only a publisher of data like BlueLeaks. Independent journalist Ali Winston, whose work has been features in The Daily Beast, The Intercept, and The New York Times, fills as in on the whole story as outlined in his article "Feds are treating BlueLeaks organization as ‘a criminal hacker group,’ documents show" (The Verge; 8/13/20). In addition to discussing the federal targeting of the BlueLeaks publisher Distributed Denial of Secrets, Ali also discusses with us: - How he got involved in journalism; specifically journalism related to surveillance - Ali's coverage of far-right white supremacist extremist terrorist groups like The Base and the Satanic neo-nazi Order of Nine Angles. Ali notes how The Base's founder is ex-FBI analyst Ronaldo Nazzaro and relays how the Order of Nine Angles recently had a member, Ethan Melzer, infiltrate the military. Additionally, Ali briefly covers how members of the U.S. far-right are tied to international far-right organizations like the Azov Battalion in the Ukraine. In this regard we note how federal agencies focusing on organization like DDoSecrets or Antifa and Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists seems a bit misguided in light of the threat that these far-right groups represent. - Joe Biden's picking Kamala Harris as VP; Kamala Harris's framing of racism as a "National Security" issue due to allegations of Russian propaganda operations seeking to amplify existing social tensions in the U.S.; the history of the National Security State; how the National Security State is a reactionary force that has been supported by bipartisan efforts on the parts of both Republicans and Democrats; the employment of war-time language in the age of coronavirus ("The War on COVID") - The implications of DDoSecrets being targeted by the DHS and other federal agencies; Emma Best, the DDoS's founder, and her response to the documents; what this means for publishers of information and data as well as journalists and the media as a whole - Ali's podcast Surveillance and the City. - And more

On this edition of Parallax Views, populism has become a dirty word since the election of Donald J. Trump to the U.S. Presidency in 2016. But is Trumpism really representative of populism? And is populism really just the reign of the violent mob or the ignorant masses over more benevolent and enlightened souls? Thomas Frank, co-founder of The Baffler and the noted author of such books as What's the Matter With Kansas? and Listen, Liberal!, argues otherwise in his sweeping defense of populism The People, No: A Brief History of Anti-Populism. In examining the history of anti-populism in American thought from the late 1800s to today, Frank concludes that populism is pro-democracy while it's polar opposite, anti-populism, is, in fact, elitist. Thomas Frank joins us to discuss this fascinating history. Among the topics covered: - How populism became a dirty word - The early populist William Jennings Bryan, his accomplishments, and his eventual fall from grace - The populism of FDR - Demagogues of the 1930s like the anti-semitic radio personality Father Charles Coughlin and why he does not consider them populists - Pop culture that dealt with populism in that era, specifically the films of Frank Capra and the Orson Welles class Citizen Kane (which just happen to be Donald Trump's favorite movie; does Trump miss the message and is it really and anti-populist movie?) - The early 20th century progressive historians like Charles Beard and how the consensus historians of the mid-20th century, particularly Richard Hofstadter, thought to push back on their work vis-à-vis anti-populism - How Hofstadter and other anti-populists consensus historians were reactions to Joe McCarthy and the Red Scare's attacks on intellectuals of the time; Hofstadter's The Age of Reform, a key anti-populist text, and how, despite being debunked and refuted, still maintains an influence today. - The professionals and intellectuals of managerial class that were flattered by the work of Hofstadter and the consensus historians; the displacement of the old elite by the "Meritocracy" or new meritocratic elite. - How the new elites never considered their own pathologies and the potential of elite failure. - The consensus historians concepts of pluralism and representative democracy; Edward Shils' belief that "there must be affinity among the elites"; the so-called "end of ideology" and associated ideas like Francis Fukyama's "the end of history" - Interrogating the concept of meritocracy and "hereditary meritocracy"; the 2019 college admission bribery scandal (or "Collegegate") that was exposed by the FBI's Operation Varsity Blues and what it says about contradictions of the meritocracy espoused by the new elites. - The Best and Brightest by David Halberstam, the classic work on elite failure in the Vietnam War era. - Being part of the "liberal intelligentsia" after the success of What's the Matter With Kansas? and the mis-readings of What's the Matter With Kansas? - The cultural of liberal scolding and Frank's discomfort with its popularity; liberal and elite misanthropy; are people like Frank catching elites with their pants down by exposing the misanthropy underlying their supposedly compassionate image. - What does the future hold? Will the pessimism toward "the people" by elites continue or will a new zeitgeist emerge to challenge our current cultural moment?

On this edition of Parallax Views, an update on the court proceedings of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange with activist, journalist, and Action 4 Assange co-founder Taylor Hudak. Although Taylor is an unabashed supporter of Assange, she makes the point that, regardless of one's opinion of Assange, this case has ramifications for free speech advocates, hacktivists, journalists, and even publishers (specifically since Wikileaks is an outlet that publishes leaks given to them; as opposed to hacking for documents themselves). In this conversation Taylor updates us on yesterday's Friday court hearing, the new superseding indictment against Assange and the ramifications of this indictment for Assange and his legal counsel. Additionally, Taylor notes how two FBI informants, Sabu and Siggi the Hacker (the latter, Sigurdur Thordarson, is a known child sex offender), who have become universally hated within the Anoymous and general hacktivist communities tie into these recent updates. J.G. notes how the post-Wikileaks collective Distributed Denial of Secrets are now being targeted by the federal government as "a criminal hacker group" by the federal government. Also, Taylor notes health concerns about Assange and fills listeners in on how U.N. Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer has made the case that Assange's treatment constitutes torture. All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views.

On this edition of Parallax Views, we delve into the waters of critical theory and posthumanism as Dr. Zakkiyah Jackson joins us to discuss her recent book Becoming Human: Meaning and Matter in an Antiblack World. Using key African diasporic literary texts, from Frederick Douglas to Octavia E. Butler, Dr. Jackson attempts to grapple with the the way blackness and animality have often been linked in Western thought and perception as well as the way blackness, as a form, is experimented on through what she refer to as its' "plasticity". From the synopsis of Becoming Human: Matter and Meaning in an Antiblack World: Rewriting the pernicious, enduring relationship between blackness and animality in the history of Western science and philosophy, Becoming Human: Matter and Meaning in an Antiblack World breaks open the rancorous debate between black critical theory and posthumanism. Through the cultural terrain of literature by Toni Morrison, Nalo Hopkinson, Audre Lorde, and Octavia Butler, the art of Wangechi Mutu and Ezrom Legae, and the oratory of Frederick Douglass, Zakiyyah Iman Jackson both critiques and displaces the racial logic that has dominated scientific thought since the Enlightenment. In so doing, Becoming Human demonstrates that the history of racialized gender and maternity, specifically antiblackness, is indispensable to future thought on matter, materiality, animality, and posthumanism. Jackson argues that African diasporic cultural production alters the meaning of being human and engages in imaginative practices of world-building against a history of the bestialization and thingification of blackness—the process of imagining the black person as an empty vessel, a non-being, an ontological zero—and the violent imposition of colonial myths of racial hierarchy. She creatively responds to the animalization of blackness by generating alternative frameworks of thought and relationality that not only disrupt the racialization of the human/animal distinction found in Western science and philosophy but also challenge the epistemic and material terms under which the specter of animal life acquires its authority. What emerges is a radically unruly sense of a being, knowing, feeling existence: one that necessarily ruptures the foundations of "the human."

On this edition of Parallax Views, much has been said about election integrity in the last two decades from concerns over the potential for malfeasance with electronic voting machines to the discussions that ensued over allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential election. Investigative journalist Greg Palast, a long-time and accomplished muckraker, however, has spent the past two decades focusing on an aspect of election integrity far too often overlooked and without any speculation necessary a very real problem: vote purging. In others word, Palast has been on the trail of members of the American electorate who have been vanished, or purge, from the voter rolls. Palast joins us to discuss How Trump Stole 2020, his latest book on the subject, and how we can steal the vote back. Among the topics we cover: - What voter purging is and how it differs from other issues related to election integrity such as concerns about the integrity of electronic voting machine or the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election - Gov. Brian Kemp and other the billionaires behind the voter purges Greg has investigated. What is the motivation? Greg says, "Follow the money." - How the issue of voter purges and vanishing votes relates to issues related to racism, class, and the concerns of Black Lives Matter (BLM). - The voter suppression issue as it relates to students - The stories of those who have had their votes purged - The work of investigative journalist and voting rights attorney Bob Fitrakis in Ohio and "Bush's Brain" Karl Rove's curious comments from when Obama won the election in Ohio - And much, much more.

On this edition of Parallax Views, many left-leaning and progressives Democrats, particularly those who loudly lent their support to insurgent candidate Bernie Sanders in the 2016 and 2020 elections, feel increasingly unwelcome in the Democratic Party of Joe Biden and the Clintons. But is the so-called "Democratic Party Civil War" a relatively new phenomena? Political cartoonist Ted Rall argues that the struggle between the Party's moderate (or, in the eyes of leftist, right-of-center) leadership and it's progressive base extend much farther back in recent history than 2016 and the Sanders insurgency. Ted and I begin the conversation by discussing how he became a progressive and a political cartoonist. From there we discuss the history of the Democratic Party in-fighting going back to Jimmy Carter, whom Rall takes a critical view of and believes began the Party's slow rightward turn. From there we discuss the domination of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) over the Democratic Party and its centrist tenets. This leads us to a discussion of the triangulation strategy that led to the rise of "Third Way Democrats" like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Although the DLC supporters claim that their strategy remain successful electorally speaking, Rall makes the argument that it has led to more defeat for the Party than victories. This brings us to a discussion of "spoilers", or the Third Party candidates often seen as costing the two major parties elections. Rall makes the case that independent Ross Perot's third party run allowed Bill Clinton to triumph over George H.W. Bush, but argues that the same is not true in regards to Ralph Nader (who is often blamed for Al Gore's defeat in the 2000 against George W. Bush). This opens us up for a conversation about whether or not the Democratic Party itself should take responsibility for losing progressive voters to Green Party candidates like Ralph Nader, Jill Stein, and Howie Hawkins. From there we delve into the 2020 election that'll be pitting Democratic nominee Joe Biden against Donald Trump. Rall expresses his issues with what he considers the "vote shaming" of progressives who are withholding support for Biden and his grievances with Biden as a candidate. This portion of the conversation also brings us around to tackling what Rall describes as the de-politicization of politics and the obsession with the cultural tastes and mannerisms of candidates rather than their policies. Perhaps more controversially Rall argues that it is time progressives begin considering the Third Party option. Before wrapping up we get around to discuss previous progressives insurgencies within the Democratic Party including Rev. Jesse Jackson and his Rainbow Coalition, Howard Dean (whose campaign was stopped dead in it's track by the now infamous "Dean Scream"), the 2008 "Two Americas" campaign of John Edwards, media blackouts of progressives candidates, institutional corruption within the DNC, Ted Kennedy's failed 1980 presidential campaign against Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter, and Rall's thoughts on current debates raging over class, identity politics, and Black Lives Matter. Ted strongly believes that progressives can oppose misogyny, racism, transphobia, etc. while also having a class analysis at their core. Support Parallax Views on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews

On this edition of Parallax Views, right-wing "journalist" and, by all accounts, all-around sleazeball Mike Cernovich has been taking credit for the recent unsealing of court documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, Ghislaine Maxwell, Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz, and Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre. In a past life Cernovich grifted in the odious waters of GamerGate and the Pick-Up Artistry movement, (in)famously expressing his belief that "date rape doesn't exist" and hustling his self-help book The Gorilla Mindset. Since then, however, Cernovich has reinvented himself as a defender of children and women against human traffickers and sexual abusers. In particular, Cernovich has found himself in the middle of the Jeffrey Epstein case as part of litigation also involving Dershowitz and the Miami Herald. And, he's claimed, that he's played a big part in exposing the elite billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. In fact, the "Intellectual Dark Web" movement figurehead (and associate of Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel) Eric Weinstein recently took to the social media platform Twitter to laud Cernovich for his role in the Epstein story and discourage his listeners from considering the right-wing journalist's notoriety prior to his involvement in the case. Freelance journalist Marlon Ettinger, who has been dubbed "The French Connection" correspondent in our various examinations of the Epstein case, joins us to challenge Cernovich's reputation for allegedly exposing the whole Jeffrey Epstein story. In particular we hone in on how according to Virginia Giuffre's own attorney argued that Mike Cernovich, far from wanting to help the Epstein survivor, was acting as a proxy for Alan Dershowitz. Marlon cites and quotes the documents in this conversation for the listener. Additionally J.G. relays a recent article on the Daily Dot that features Dershowtiz's interesting comment about Cernovich in light of Cernovich distancing himself from Dershowitz. Additionally, Marlon and I discuss the potential political motivations of Cernovich behind being a glory-hound upset that he's not accepted by the journalistic establishment. And, finally, Marlon offers his own comments on Eric Weinstein, why Weinstein is promoting Cernovich, and Peter Thiel. All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views! Links: "Panel Signals Epstein Files Likely to See Sunlight" by Adam Klasfeld (Courthouse News Service) "What exactly are Mike Cernovich and Alan Dershowitz doing in the Epstein case?" by Olga Lexell (The Daily Dot) "Someone Is Trying to Discredit the Story of Peter Thiel’s Interest in Young Blood" by J.K. Trotter (Gizmodo)

PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED: On this edition of Parallax Views, 2020's began the "Prestige TV" season earlier this year with FX's Mrs. America leading the charge. This show, based on the battles of the feminist Women's Liberation Movement of the 1970s, centers on the anti-feminist arch-conservative Phyllis Schlafly. The show gained a lot of attention upon it's release for being "timely" in regards to the American political moment of polarization and dealing with the fights between the right (Schalfly) and the left (Gloria Steinem, who is also features in the series) that echo today. Eileen Jones, a film critic at Jacobin, however, has a different take on the series that is decidedly more critical. Eileen, J.G., and Casey discuss the real Phyllis Schalfly and her contributions to the American right wing in the 20th century as well as her often covered-up ties to the fringe John Birch Society. Then we begin to discuss the portrayal of Schlafly in Mrs. America as well as the portrayal of Gloria Steinem. Additionally we discuss the contradictions in Schalfly own life. We also talk about Schlafly's involvement with the Barry Goldwater movement and the role she played in promoting the elite Republican or RINO (Republican in Name Only) narrative within conservative circles through her book A Choice Not an Echo. Eileen and J.G. also note that Schlafly was a huge part of integral part of movement conservatism up until her death and, in fact, even after - her last book, The Conservative Case for Trump, was published posthumously after her death. Eileen expresses her issues with the way Mrs. America doesn't tackle the grotesqueness of Schlafly's legacy and the attempts to psychologize Schlafly and the liberal use of fictionalized dramatization. J.G., on the other hand, notes the conservative backlash against the TV series. This leads us into a discussion of the show's repeated "poor Phyllis" trope to explain Schlafly's politics and what Eileen considers the lame symbolism utilized in the series. And, of course we address the conservatism criticism of the show that claims Schlafly's is portrayed as a cynical operator rather than a true believer, anti-communist ideologue and the racist element of Schlafly's career and activism that is often overlooked. All that and much more on this previously unreleased edition of Parallax Views.

On this edition of Parallax Views, video games are a popular pastime at this point. From Halo to Super Mario Bros., video games have become become a juggernaut within the entertainment industry and remain hugely popular with people from various generations. As with other forms of entertainment it is possible to look at such video games as a reflecting pool for the culture from which they were produced. In Ideology and the Virtual City: Videogames, Power Fantasies, and Neoliberalism (Zero Books; 2019), Jon Bailes uses popular games to examine and interrogate the culture of neoliberalism. Specifically, Jon seeks to understand, through the lens of games like Saints Row IV, Grand Theft Auto V, No More Heroes, and Persona 5, the demands placed upon the neoliberal subject to be constantly productive, the burnout this produces in said subjects, and the ways in which neoliberal subjects imagine the possibility of escape from neoliberal hegemony. Synopsis of Ideology and the Virtual City: Videogames, Power Fantasies, and Neoliberalism from Zero Books: Ideology and the Virtual City is an exploration of modern society and the critical value of popular culture. It combines a prescient social theory that describes how ‘neoliberal’ ideology in today’s societies dominates our economic, political and cultural ideals, with an entertaining exploration of narratives, characters and play structures in some of today’s most interesting videogames. The book takes readers into a range of simulated urban environments that symbolise the hidden antagonisms of social life and create outlandish resolutions through their power fantasies. Interactive entertainment can help us understand the ways in which people relate to a modern ‘common sense’ neoliberal background, in terms of absorbing assumptions, and questioning them. A short review of Ideology and the Virtual City: Videogames, Power, and Neoliberalism by philosopher Slavoj Zizek: Videogames are gradually recognized as a new cultural form which reaches far beyond mere entertainment: they enact new forms of subjectivity and temporality. However, this fascination with the new form should not render us blind for the fact that, in their content, even at its most magic, videogames are firmly rooted in our neoliberal capitalism and faithfully mirror its antinomies. This is where Bailess book enters. Through a detailed analysis of selected games, from Grand Theft Auto to Persona, he demonstrates how they reproduce the key dimensions of a modern megalopolis: the City as Playground, as Battleground, as Wasteland, as Prison Ideology and the Virtual City is not only insanely readable; in its combination of vivid descriptions with theoretical stringency, it provides an unsurpassable introduction into the deadlocks of our real life. In short, an instant classic for everyone who wants to understand not just games but our reality itself.

On this edition of Parallax Views, the rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine has proven a controversial figure within the hip hop scene. A master troll within the hip hop community, Tekashi69 became famouse after his sleeper hit track "Hummo" which features members of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods appeared in the music video for it. Tekashi would then become even more infamous when his NTG associates were busted for multiple offenses and went on trial. Tekashi himself got in trouble and eventually acted as a witness against the Nine Trey Bloods during the trial. This has led some to speculate Tekashi (real name Daniel Hernandez) was "a fed all along". But our guest, Casey Gane-McCalla, also known as the rapper "The Mighty Casey" and the author of Inside the CIA's Secret War Inside Jamaica, believes that Kristian Kruz aka CEO Kris is the more insidious player in the case. According to Gane, Kruz was heavily involved in trafficking the dangerous drug fentanyl while simultaneously acting as an informant for the feds. As of August 2nd, 2020 Tekashi69's house arrest will come to an end. Report are flooding in that Tekashi 6ix9ine is currently afraid that he lacks protection after his house arrest is over. Casey and I go over Tekashi's history, from his prior offenses (including a charge involving sexual misconduct against a minor) to his current predicament and what the whole case says about our current justice system. Additionally, Casey tells us about the new Amazon documentary series The Last Narc concerning the kidnapping, torture, and murder of DEA agent Enrique `Kiki" Camarena that contains explosive allegations against CIA officer Félix Rodríguez. All that and more on this edition of Parallax Views.

On this edition of Parallax Views, are the West's humanitarian interventions (or humanitarian wars) really waged for humanitarian purposes? Or is that just an Orwellian façade to cover-up for more strategic interests at play? Our guest labor and human rights attorney Dan Kovalik, author of No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using 'Humanitarian' Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interests, makes the case the the latter is closer to the truth. We delve into: - The history of "humanitarian interventions" by the West from the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia to the U.S.-backed overthrow of Muammar al-Gaddafi in Libya and the destruction it wrought. - When could the case be made for humantarian intervention? - King Leopold II and the massacre in the Congo - South African apartheid, the U.S., and Cuba - The Kurds and Turkey -The ideas of pro-interventionist Samantha Powers and how Dan takes them on in the book And much, much more Book Description for Dan Kovalik's No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using 'Humanitarian' Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interests: "Kovalik helps cut through the Orwellian lies and dissembling which make so-called 'humanitarian' intervention possible." —Oliver Stone War is the fount of all the worst human rights violations―including genocide―and not its cure. This undeniable truth, which the framers of the UN Charter understood so well, is lost in today’s obsession with the oxymoron known as “humanitarian" intervention. No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using 'Humanitarian' Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interests sets out to reclaim the original intent of the Charter founders to end the scourge of war on the heels of the devastation wrought by WWII. The book begins with a short history of the West’s development as built upon the mass plunder of the Global South, genocide and slavery, and challenges the prevailing notion that the West is uniquely poised to enforce human rights through force. This book also goes through recent “humanitarian" interventions carried out by the Western powers against poorer nations (e.g., in the DRC, Congo, and Iraq) and shows how these have only created greater human rights problems – including genocide – than they purported to stop or prevent. No More War reminds the reader of the key lessons of Nuremberg – that war is the primary scourge of the world, the root of all the evils which international law seeks to prevent and eradicate, and which must be prevented. The reader is then taken through the UN Charter and other human rights instruments and their emphasis on the prevention of aggressive war.

On this edition of Parallax Views, modern wars in which the U.S. and Western powers invade nations like Iraq and Afghanistan are often waged under the pretext of being necessary "humanitarian interventions". Pro-peace activists and critics of U.S. foreign policy have long argued, however, that claims of "humanitarian intervention" are cover for more sinister motivations From this perspective, U.S. wars are fought for control of resources or for strategic reasons related to the maintenance of Western powers on the geopolitical "Grand Chessboard". For example, many antiwar activists who marched in opposition to George W. Bush's 2003 invasion of Iraq would chant, "No More Wars for Oil!" In other words, the activists believed that war was not fought over WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction) or to liberate the Iraqi people, but instead that the invasion was a way to secure resources. The invocation of "humanitarian intervention" in this context, activists claimed, was nothing more than a cynical ruse. Dr. Philip Cunliffe, a Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent, however, takes a different, and perhaps even more provocative, approach to critiquing U.S. foreign policy. In his book Cosmopolitan Dystopia: International Intervention and the Failure of the West, Cunliffe wills himself to take the claims of humanitarian interventionists at face value rather than questioning whether they have ulterior motives. In taking this tact he argues that humanitarian intervention, however nobly conceived, has led to a dystopian scenario of "Forever Wars" that have caused more harm than good. Put another way, Cunliffe chooses to question the proposed logic of humanitarian intervention itself and uses examples like the fallout from the U.S.-backed overthrow of Muammar al-Gaddafi in Libya (which has led to the unintended consequence, or "blowback", of sexual slavery and human trafficking making a comeback in the region) to make his case. Although Cunliffe's argument is controversial, and perhaps even unnerving, it does provide an alternative way of looking at Western wars in the 21st century. As always we attempted to hear our guest out rather than have a shouting match. With that in mind this episode is sure to stir the pot in regards to international relations discussion, but Parallax Views is all about providing listeners with an unconventional viewpoint they may have not considered before. And it is our belief that this conversation with Dr. Cunliffe will certainly provide that in spades. Also be sure to check out Dr. Cunliffe's podcast Aufhebunga Bunga.

On this edition of Parallax Views, the Troubled Teen Industry offers parents a way to "fix" their rambunctious children by sending them to schools and programs that specialize in tough love behavior modification. It turns out, however, that the Troubled Teen Industry appears to do more harm than good, leaving a trail of destruction and abuse in it's wake. Jack Hodgson, the filmmaker behind the upcoming Emancipated: A Troubled Teen Documentary, joins us to discuss the harrowing story of this abusive industry. Among the topics discussed: - What the troubled teen industry is; how children get taken away by the industry - WWASP and CEDU programs; the relationship between these programs and the violent cult Synanon founded by Charles Dietrich and claiming to help heroin addicts - The experiences of the teens sent to these programs - Whistleblowers within the troubled teen industry - And much, much more.

On this edition of Parallax Views, an excerpt from our Patreon program The Week That Was in which we celebrate the life and times of radio host Michael Brooks (1983-2020) of The Michael Brooks Show and The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder. J.G. shares a Michael story or two (Michael was on Parallax Views on three separate occassions) as well as explaining Michael's desire to lift others up using the rising popularity he experienced as a media personality. RIP Michael Brooks Full Episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/39705881

On this edition of Parallax Views, the coal industry may be dying, but the business refuses to go without taking others down with it. Case in point with the Appalachia regions of Amerca, which is simultaneously bombabrded with propaganda from the coal industry and fed false promises by the fracking industry. In the new documentary Hard Road of Hope, activist and artist Eleanor Goldfield examines the exploitation of West Virginia by these corporate interests and the fight that across that cuts across lines of race, class, and gender against those interests. In this conversation we discuss: - The West Virginia Mine Wars, 20th century fights against labor exploitation and SCABs, and how those fights relate to today's stuggles in Appalachian region of the United States - Coal company corruption in West Virginia, fracking, the poisoning of water supplies and the effect on the community - Talking to people from different cultures as an activist - The propaganda used against the populace, coal company front groups like Friends of Coal, fear of the Left - Indigenous struggle, solidarity, and much, much more

Mickey Huff of the media watchdog/media literacy group Project Censored returns to Parallax Views for a video chat about the project's latest works including the e-book compilation Censored News on Policing and Prisons and the documentary The United State of Distraction: Fighting the Fake News Invasion. Links: https://www.projectcensored.org/ https://www.projectcensored.org/united-states-of-distraction-fighting-the-fake-news-invasion/ https://www.projectcensored.org/product/censored-news-on-policing-and-prisons-e-book/ https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews

This is a repost Parallax Views Ep. 5 featuring Michael Brooks (1983-2020). The loss of Michael Brooks has hit a number of us very hard. As such I feel the need to repost this classic episode. This was recorded before I was technically proficient (which is to say that my audio comes in on one end and Michael's audio comes in on the other end; this caused problems for some listeners; but I am unable to remaster the episode). Ep. 5: Michael Brooks on Leftism, Humor, the Intellectual Dork Web, and Illicit History June 10, 2018 On this edition of Parallax Views I speak with Michael Brooks of The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder and The Michael Brooks Show about leftist politics, the power of humor, and the Intellectual Dork Web... er... "Intellectual Dark Web", and his Illicit History podcast series. We start the discussion by delving into how Michael Brooks got into leftist politics. Then we transition into how Michael's show follows in the long tradition of left-wing comedy. We talk a bit about the importance of humor in getting out a political message and building a viable social movement. This leads into Michael's hilarious "Nation of Islam Obama" impersonations and a wider discussion of the Obama Presidency, Obama's likable personality, and having a measured left-wing critique of the Democratic Party. From there we delve into the rise of the so-called Intellectual Dark Web, or, as I like to call it, the Intellectual Dork Web. We discuss all the usual players like Sam Harris, Charles Murray, and the lobster man himself, Jordan Peterson and following the money trail behind these characters while still debating their ideas. This opens us up for a discussion of the late great sociologist Zygmunt Bauman in contrast to Jordan Peterson. We also take some time to discuss Michael's excellent Illicit History podcast series. This series deals with little dealt with history from perspectives that often go unconsidered. Interview subject for the series have included Dr. Christopher Ryan, author of Sex at Dawn, and Silicon Valley critic The Baffler's Corey Pein, author of Live Work Work Die: A Journey Into the Savage Heart of Silicon Valley. We wrap up by talking about Michael's love of rap and hip hop and why in the world he isn't a fan of political rap king Immortal Technique. All this and more on this fun, thoughtful edition of Parallax Views.

On this edition of Parallax VIews, fake news has been thrown about by both Republicans and Democrats since the 2016 election, but what does it mean? Nolan Higdon of Project Censored joins us to discuss his new book The Anatomy of Fake News: A Critical News Literacy Education. We begin how discussing how the term "fake news" gained popularity, how "fake news" is a reality beyond being a meme turned into a cultural phenomena thanks to Donald Trump, and the PropOrNot "fake news" list that targeted a number of left-wing websites, like Counterpunch and the Black Agenda Report, as Russian propaganda and why such lists are dangerous. We then move on to discussing what fake news is in the context that Nolan uses it, his books non-partisan, broad approach to the topic, and historical examples of fake news like the proto-tabloid penny press (and the story of Christopher Columbus!?). In addition we also talk about: - The necessity of a free press for a healthy, functionining democracy - The Daily Show's , the proble of satirical news like Last Week Tonight w/ John Oliver, The Daily Show w/ Trevor Noah, and Full Frontal w/ Samantha Bee - Corporate media's pro wrestling representation of politics; former WCW executive Eric Bischoff's TedX Talk on how political media mirror the dynamics of pro wrestling storytelling; the problems arising from a media ecosystem that runs off a narrow Red Vs. Blue dichotomy - Why we need critical media literacy if we hope to maintain a healthy democracy - The danger of looking towards Silicon Valley to solve the problem of fake news - TV personalities (talking heads?) vs journalists; news consumers being unable to distinguish between op-ed and hard-nosed reporting - Combat TV news and sensationalism; the media ecosystem focusing on sensationalism rather than policy and keeping voters informed - The media ecosystem's potential role in the rise of phenomena like Trumpism, Brexit, and right-wing populism etc. - Nolan's experiences teaching young people about fake news and critical media literacy

On this edition of Parallax Views, in these trying, some would say quasi-apocalyptic, times of the COVID-19 pandemic and the government jackboot coming down on citizens and activists the sci-fi genre seems like it could provide a lot of escapism. However, literary trends in sci-fi have moved towards a darker view of the future. Cynicism within literature has come to be seen as more "authentic". But what about sci-fi that envision utopias rather than dystopias? That's where author Brian M. Lewis's Farima: An Afrofuturist Sci-Fi Adventure (The Homo Maximus Saga Book 1) comes into play. In this novel, his literary debut, Lewis provides readers with a vision of the future that, rather than drowning in pessimistic vision of post-apocalyptic dreariness, tries to imagine a world different than our own. In a words, Farima bravely bravely bucks the dystopian literary trends by imagining a better future through the lens of Afrofutursim and Solarpunk aesthetics that envisions a truly future with a truly progressive government. Brian Lewis joins us to tell us about the book, his views on technology and blockchain, Octavia Butler, the Black Panther movie, the COVID-19 pandemic, BLM and the recent Orwellian disappearing of protesters in Portland, and much, much more. Synopsis for Farima by Brian M. Lewis: "The Founder of a nation hides a destructive secret, From a collective of scientists building disruptive technology, While an enemy from the past hides in plain sight as he plots to destroy them all. Dr. Natia Greenheart has brought together the most advanced team of scientists in all of New Manden. They've built many things, but nothing as disruptive as Homo Maximus. When complete, this breakthrough will offer effective immortality - for free. However, a series of unfortunate attacks forces Natia and her team to travel to a private man-made island to finish the work. Yet when they get there, Natia soon realizes that the island holds many secrets that could cost her and her team their lives. Natia will have to overcome sabotage, deception and the threat of death to not only complete the project but save a young nation from destruction." SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, Les Wexner, the founder of L Brands and former CEO of Victoria's Secrets, has come under scrutiny in the past year for his close association with the late billionaire pedophile "International Man of Mystery" Jeffrey Epstein. In some ways Wexner's association with the wealthy abuser can be considered the "Ohio Connection" to the sordid saga of Jeffrey Epstein. Lawyer, professor of political science, and maverick Columbus, Ohio-based journalist Dr. Robert Fitrakis joins, who has been investigating the Wexner/Epstein story since the 1990s, joins us to discuss this aspect of the Epstein scandal. Our resident Epstein correspondent in France, Marlon Ettinger, joined J.G. to co-host this episode. In this conversation we discuss: - Bob's background in journalism and how he got on the trail of the billionaire Les Wexner in Columbus, Ohio - How Epstein and Wexner met - The 1985 mob-style murder/hit carried out against Wexner's tax attorney Arthur Shapiro and "The Shapiro Murder File" - Wexner's connections to public corruption and organized crime in central Ohio - State of Ohio Inspector General David Sturtz, who went after Epstein and Wexner and referred to Epstein as Wexner's "boyfriend" - Wexner's ties to the scandalous Iran/Contra affair through the CIA-connected Southern Air Transport (SAT) - The Wexner Foundation's involvement in the selling of the Iraq War - Epstein and sexual blackmail operations; the large sums of money transferred from Wexner to Epstein; why Bob believes that Wexner is still worth looking into rather than someone who didn't know Epstein's true nature; the arrest of Ghislaine Maxwell (does she have the goods?) and much, much more. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, is there a connection between the rise of mass incarceration through what has been called the carceral state and elements of feminism? Aya Gruber says there is and joins us on this edition of the program to discuss her provocative new book The Feminist War on Crime: The Unexpected Role of Women's Liberation in Mass Incarceration. In this conversation we discuss: - The meaning of feminism and it's history. - What is the carceral state and the prison-industrial complex? - The dilemma/paradox Aya Gruber faces as a a feminist and civil libertarian-oriented attorney/public defender. - Feminism and punitive ideology in light of Tara Reade's accusations against Joe Biden - Alliances between feminism and right-wing/conservative movements, particularly the "tough on crime" right wing of the Ronald Reagan era. The Violence Against Women Act and the Clinton Crime Bill - The origins of "carceral feminism"; the idea of "dominance feminism"; second wave feminism's relation to the carceral turn; welfare rights, racial equality, and economic models of feminism being overlooked in favor of a model of feminism that turned towards the carceral apparatus; first wave feminism's relationship to the proto-carceral state and surveillance states through the temperance movement and vice crusaders - What are the problems of taking up the governance tool of criminal law in the feminist struggle?; the Reagan era and the restructuring of the populace's moral compass vis-à-vis neoliberalism; domestic violence prosecution and arrest; has this all had negative effects on women and particularly women-of-color? - Hillary Clinton's "Superpredators" comment; the pervasiveness of the "Superpredators" mindset amongst Democrats; the Biden-Schumer strategy that made the Democratic Party the "crime control" party and Bill Clinton's Presidential run; Joe Biden's 1994 Crime Bill; Bernie Sanders voting for the "crime control" bill and his attempts to speak out against it; the O.J. Simpson trial and the Violence Against Women Act - The Combahee River Collective and the feminist civil war; the role of black feminist (and black lesbian feminists) in feminism and their opposition to racism and white supremacy alongside white men; conflict between the Combahee River Collective and white feminism?; black women and their relationship to feminism; the unwillingness of black feminism to give up on the struggle against racism; the welfare rights and domestic violence shelter movement; there was always dissenting voices against carceral feminism - Aya's idea of neofeminism; what it neofeminism means; is the story Aya telling the story of white feminism vs. black feminism?; neofeminism as a critical theory rather than an identity-based theory; claims of subordination beyond gender, intersecting identities, and their relationship to feminism - The problem of sex trafficking; the white slavery discourse of the 1800's and how it was racialized; Chinese sex workers and the first federal anti-immigrant legislation; the Robert Kraft scandal and policies directed at ending sex slavery; the weaponization of criminal law - What Aya Gruber wants folks to get out of the book; is she anti-feminist?; misconceptions about the book; the history of policing and its complex relationship to feminism; Aya's message to millenial feminists; achieving gender justice and shrinking the carceral state WITHOUT becoming a rape apologist; feedback for the book SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, Western nations often speak about Putin and Russia in a way that would make two appear interchangeable. What if we were to view Russia beyond the lens of just seeing Putin though? That's what Tony Wood attempts to do in Russia Without Putin: Money, Power, and the Myths of the New Cold War (Verso; 2018). Among the topics covered in this conversation: - Red-baiting and anti-Semitic tropes in Western thinking about Russia. - The title "Russia Without Putin", its meaning, and thinking about Russia beyond Putin as an analytic challenge; Western reporting on Russia and the decline of expertise and understanding about Russia and the Russian experience after the Cold War. - Thinking of Putin in terms of his being a result of the Soviet system and the KGB; trying to think about Putin more in terms of Russia's neoliberal turn, continuation of Boris Yeltsin's Russia, etc. - The lingering holdovers of the Soviet experience on Russia; thinking about Russia after the fall of the Soviet union and the transition to capitalism in Russia; Understanding Boris Yeltsin's place in history and seeing Putin as, in some ways, a continuation of Yeltsin. - The effect of the capitalist transformation of Russia on the lives and statuses of everyday Russians, "shock therapy"; wealth and class inequality in Russia. - A sketch of Putin's rise to power. - Russian foreign policy; U.S. foreign policy and NATO dominance over the world after the Cold War; perceptions of Russian aggression - Criticisms Tony would make of Putin and his regime - Will Putin be gone in 2024?; Putin's constitutional maneuvers going into 2024 SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, Tupac Shakur is without a doubt one of the most beloved rappers of all-time. A voice of the hip hop generation, Tupac's death remains shrouded in controversy and conspiracy theories abound in its wake. Was it related to the gang war between the Bloods and Crips? Was it a revenge plot by Death Row Records' leader Suge Knight because the rapper sought to leave the label? Author John Potash offers another theory in his book The FBI War on Tupac Shakur and Black Leaders. Regardless your opinion on the theories surrounding Tupac's death, John offers a fascinating history of U.S. intelligence agency efforts to squash black liberations movements through the FBI's COINTELPRO as well as unveiling the radical political activism of the Shakur family dating back to the 1960's and 1970's with groups like the Black Panthers. He also unveils the often overlooked political side of Tupac Shakur in the process. In this conversation we discuss: - The history of COINTELPRO - Shakur's family, including Tupac's mother Afeni Shakur and her involvement with the Panther 21 case, the work of Mutulu Shakur and his drug addiction recovery efforts at Lincoln Detox, and the frame-up of Assata Shakur (who remains on the lam to this very day) - Tupac's own politics, his involvement with the shady Death Row Records, his attempts to end the East Vs. Left Coast gang wars, the suspicions related to his death, and much, much more! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, a small but growing group of provocative scholar are leading an intellectual movement of thought known as Afro-pessimism. These scholars argue that there is not an easy way out of the hatreds and bigotries, specifically anti-blackness, which afflict our society. What does that line of thought entail? Is Afro-pessimism and idea that revels in resignation or a movement with a revolutionary fervor that demands us to think beyond our Euro-centric frame of what we mean when we use the word "human" or "humanity"? One of the leaders of this new movement, Frank Wilderson III, the acclaimed author of Incognegro: A Memoir of Exile and Apartheid, joins us to discuss his latest book Afropessimism, a work that is one part memoir and one part theory, in this fascinating and challenging conversation. In this conversation we discuss: - Frank's interest in the 70s conspiracy thriller movie Parallax View - Defining blackness - Humanity as defining itself by its anti-blackness; the Master/Slave dialectic - Dedicating the book to Assata Shakur - Afro-pessimism's relationship to the ideas of Karl Marx and Marxism - Afro-pessimism as descriptive rather than prescriptive - The confrontation created by Afro-pessimism and the phenomenological "end of the world" - Frank's story of a student who was upset by Afro-pessimism - And much, much more SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

In 2018 Parallax Views began delving into the sordid saga of billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who had connections to various elite figures in high places included President Donald Trump, President Bill Clinton, former Victoria's Secrets CEO Leslie Wexner, and many others. This startling story ended up taking a new turn when Epstein was arrested and, shortly thereafter, found dead in his jail cell of an apparent suicide (although due to Epstein's ties to the elite strata of society conspiracy theories abound). Since then a Netflix documentary, Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, has been released and the sordid saga of this billionaire child sex offender and the mysteries of his life have garnered widespread attention. Now, Epstein's procurer, the elite socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, has been arrested by the FBI and the case is again commanding public attention. On this edition of the Parallax Views, J.G. Michael welcomes Brace Belden, co-host of the of the popular TrueAnon podcast alongside Liz Franczak, to the program to revisit the story of Jeffrey Epstein, the arrest of Ghislaine Maxwell, and the connections of Leslie Wexler and MC2 Model Management's Jean-Luc Brunel (himself accused of multiple acts of rape) to this sordid saga. Parallax Views' occasional French correspondent, Marlon Ettinger, who was at the New York trial of Epstein, pops up for a portion of the conversation as well. Brace also gives his thoughts on TrueAnon's dark humor, thoughts on the right-wing's obsession with Pizzagate and QAnon conspiracy theories (with comments on Roger Stone, Jack Posobiec, etc., his experience interviewing Epstein victim/survivor Maria Farmer, Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre vs Epstein pal and celebrity lawyer Alan Dershowitz, whether Brace is CIA, Brace's personal story of being sent to a troubled teen boot camp (known as a CEDU program and related to WWASP behavior modifcation schools and the cult Synanon), and more. LISTEN TO TRUEANON SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, a roundtable discussion on Holocaust denial w/ Dr. Andrew E. Mathis (aka Thames Darwin) and our semi-regular correspondent Marlon Ettinger. Believe it or not, there are those who deny the Holocaust perpetrated against the Jewish people by Nazi Germany in the 20th century. Dr. Mathis, as an academic, has spent much time fighting against Holocaust denial. In fact, he has even gotten into the weeds and spoken to/debated the deniers themselves. In this roundtable conversation we discuss: - What Holocaust Denial is and the elements of it. - The early history of Holocaust denial from revisionist historians like Harry Elmer Barnes to the various operations of white supremacist move-and-shaker Willis Carto of the Liberty Lobby, Institute for Historical Review, the Barnes Review, and the American Free Press (we also touch upon Carto's connection to the mysterious post-war American Nazi Francis Parker Yockey aka Ulrike Varange) - The relationship between figures like Willis Carto and neo-nazis like William Luther Pierce and the way in which Holocaust denier target young men for recruitment. - The connection between the extremely conservative Regnery Publishing family and Holocaust; thoughts on historian like Ernest Nolte and whether they can be considered adjacent to Holocaust denier - British historian David Irving's infamous involvement in the world of Holocaust denial and his lawsuit against Deborah Lipstadt, who took issue with Irving's revisionism. - The Jewish holocaust denier Dr. Fred A. Leuchter, the strange Nazi UFO conspiracy theorist Ernst Zundel, and holocaust denier's claims about "Prussian Blue". - Why combating Holocaust denial matters, what the passage of Holocaust deniers in historical memory means for the future, and much, much more. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this special 4th of July edition of Parallax Views, William Hogeland, author of the Wild Early Republic trilogy (The Whiskey Rebellion, Declaration, and Autumn of the Black Snake) and Founding Finance: How Debt, Speculation, Foreclosures, Protests, and Crackdowns Made Us a Nation, joins us to give a different perspective on the U.S. founding fathers and the early days of the Republic. But, perhaps even moreso, William also helps us examine this history from a "meta" by forcing us to ask: How do we interpret history? And is our popular understanding of the U.S. founding distorted by hagiography? In this conversation William touches upon: - How he became involved in writing popular history and how his approach differs from many others in the same milieu - His book The Whiskey Rebellion, how his work has appealed to both the left and the right over the years, and his response to being called a "left-wing critic" of the Founding Fathers - The liberal establishment's consensus view of history, the works of Charles Beard, how the Beardian Progressive School of history was systemically attacked by the reigning consensus, and the OSS (U.S. intelligence service prior to the founding of the CIA) - The Founding Fathers and slavery, the Founding Fathers and their complex relationship to democratic and liberal values, thoughts on Alexander Hamilton in light of the success of Lin Manuel Miranda's hip hop musical Hamilton (now experiencing even more success due to it's streaming release on Disney+), William's criticism of Brett Stephen's "unbrokeness" theory of the American political tradition, and the debate around pulling down Confederate statues. All that and much more on this special 4th of July edition of Parallax Views! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this very special edition of Parallax Views, Ilyasah Shabazz, the third daughter of Malcolm X, joins us to discuss the legacy of her father, the work she has done to keep her father's memory alive (including her children's book Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Be Malcolm X), and her thoughts on the wave of protests that have followed the police killing of George Floyd. Ilyasah Shabazz on July 22nd, 1963 in Queens, New York. As the third daughter of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz, Ilyasah has dedicated her life to leveraging the legacy of her family to empower the future. Although she was just a young girl when Malcolm X died, she, under the loving guidance of her mother Betty, grew up with the same strong sense of compassion and hunger for justice that drove her father's own life of human rights activism. In 2002, Ilyasah, with the help of Kim McLaren, wrote the critically praised Growing Up X: A Memoir by the Daughter of Malcolm X. She followed that book up with the children's book Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Become Malcolm X, X: A Novel, and Betty Before X. She has continued to keep the legacy of her father alive as well as correcting the record on who he was as a man beyond the media-manufactured of him as well as celebrating the life of her mother Betty Shabazz and seeking to uplift people, especially children, from all walks of life. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, Slovenian philosopher and academic Slavoj Žižek is one of the world's foremost public intellectuals known for his wide breadth of work on a variety of topics including pop culture, Lacanian psychoanalysis, capitalism, the thinking of George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel and Karl Marx, capitalism, left-wing politics, violence and Occupy Wall Street. Recently, however, he has come under fire for quickly writing a book tackling the current crisis of coroanvirus entitled Pandemic!: COVID-19 Shakes the World (OR Books; 2020). Some argued that Žižek's writing a book on the pandemic so quickly (the book was published in April) showed a lack of academic rigor while other's accused him of profiting off a crisis that he, as a philosopher rather than a scientist, had no business commenting on so soon. Our guest on this edition of the program, sociologist Eliran Bar-El, however, takes a different tact in approaching Žižek's attempt to tackle the coronavirus pandemic as it unfolds in real time. Although he does not seek a full-throated defense of the Slovenian philosopher, Bar-El does offer a different perspective on Žižek's intervention in his essay "Anti-Anti-Zizek: Public Intellectuals and Global Pan(dem)ic" for the Žižekian Analysis. In this piece, as well his research thesis "Positioning the Intellectual: Zizek as a Sociological Phenomenon", Bar-El attempts to understand Žižek and his often controversial philosophical interventions within a sociological context. In this regard Bar-El examines the role of the public intellectual in culture and how that role has changed with time. In fact, Bar-El argues that role of the public intellectual has been diminished over the years Žižek, he says, represents what calls "The Sacrificial Intellectual" who, through his uncompromising engagement with crises as they happen, seeks to reposition the role of the public intellectual while countering both hoaxers and charlatans as well as the narrow-focused expert promoted by an increasingly out-of-touch technocratic elite. In sacrificing his reputation with academia by way of philosophical interventions into currently unfolding events, Bar-El argues, Žižek reaffirms the role of the public intellectual in a way that is appealing to the masses outside of the Ivory Tower. In this way Žižek is able to combat figures of the post-truth era like Dr. Jordan Peterson to a broad audience rather than an academic milieu. We also discuss the philosopher as someone who seeks to ask the right questions rather than provide the answers, the infamous Jordan Peterson vs. Žižek, and related matters. All that and more on this very Žižekian edition of Parallax Views! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, just a few short years ago the controversial psychologist and academic Dr. Jordan Peterson became internationally known for his strident crusade against the campus politics, political correctness, and "Social Justice Warrior". After his fame fully blossomed the professor turned his sights towards a quasi-messianic mission to save alienated young men from the throes of nihilism. Many criticized Peterson as a conservative reactionary while defenders of the doctor claimed that he was helping lost male youths "clean their rooms" and get their acts together. The Canadian-born psychologist's stardom peaked with the release of his 2018 book 12 Rules for Life, a self-help book that quickly became a bestseller. Peterson's sudden, meteoric rise to prominence, however, came crashing down about just as quickly and unexpectedly as his initial skyrocketing success when it was discovered that the outspoken doctor was suffering from a benzo addiction. Given the nature of his self-help credo, it appeared that Peterson's own failure to "clean his room" would lead to his recession into the footnotes of history. Such a prediction, however, has proven immature as the outspoken academic has returned to stirring-the-pot of the societal discourse in his typically outspoken manner this with a recent piece published by The National Post admonishing activist culture as well as making appearing on his daughter's online show The Mikhaila Peterson Podcast. As such, it seems as good a time as any for Parallax Views to release a previously unpublished conversation with Conrad Hamilton, one of the co-authors of Myth and Mayhem: A Leftist Critique of Jordan Peterson (Zero Books; 2020), revisiting and critiquing the good doctor. In this conversation we get some hilarious Peterson impersonations from Conrad, an analysis of how Peterson's rise to fame was abetted by external forces like the media, the Slavoj Zizek Vs. Peterson debate, Peterson's "non-reading" of deconstructionist philosopher Jacques Derrida, Peterson's charisma, and much, much more. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, Mike Africa, Jr. was born in prison. His parents, Debbie and Mike Africa, were one of 9 members of the Philadelphia-based radical liberation organization MOVE after a year long stand-off with police that ended in the death of an officer. MOVE stands by their claim that the police attacked them and that, in fact, they did not shoot the officer in question. Instead the officer was shot by his own colleagues in the chaos. Eyewitness accounts at the time as well as other evidence have since led credence to MOVE's claims in regards to this infamous 1978 stand-off. Nonetheless, the MOVE 9 were sent to prison and in 1985 the non-incarcerated members of MOVE had a bomb dropped on their home at the direction of Philadelphia Mayor Wilson Osgood. In prison Debbie and Mike gave birth to their son Mike Africa, Jr. who has continued to spread the liberationist message of MOVE while living by his inspirational motto "Never Give Up". For years, Mike Africa, Jr. campaigned for the release of the MOVE 9 and since that time all the members have been released. Unfortunately, one of the MOVE 9, Delbert Africa, recently passed away. As such Parallax Views thought it would be worthwhile to remember MOVE w/ Mike Africa, Jr. Mike Africa, Jr. joins us to discuss the story of MOVE as well as to elucidate for us what the MOVE organization believes. Life, Mike says, is at the center of MOVE founder John Africa's philosophy, or, as some have argued, religion. Mike also discusses how he was able to get through the difficult years in his youth separated from his imprisoned parents thanks to the support of his community. Additionally, Mike tells us a bit about the experience of being reunited with his parents Debbie and Mike Africa after they were released from prison. Moreover, we discuss the current protests in response to the police killing of George Floyd and the possibility that they are an "awakening point", the prison without bars that many gladly accept being trapped in, the need to take justice rather than expecting it to be given, what it takes for change to occur, "The System" as a mentality that has created global oppression, the caged animal (such as a tiger in the zoo or circus) as a metaphor for the oppression of humans, MOVE founder John Africa's adage that "the people are as sick as their government", the plight of children whose parents are incarcerated, and more. Mike Africa, Jr. reunited with his parents Debbie Africa and Mike Africa, Sr. More on Mike Africa, Jr.'s Work At His Official Website And His Non-Profit Organization The Seed of Wisdom Foundation Please Consider Making a Donation to Mike Africa, Jr. So He May Continue His Important Work and Activism Also: Please Visit On a Move The Official Website of the MOVE Organization And Mobilization 4 Mumia A MOVE Affiliated Effort to Free Mumia Abu Jamal from Prison This Episode is Dedicated to Delbert Africa April 2nd, 1946 - June 15th, 2020 SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, as the Saudi bombs fall on Yemen with the full support of the United States, protests over the police killing of George Floyd rage across the America and new cases of government misconduct arise as the National Guard is called in to quell dissent. Dave DeCamp of Antiwar.Com joins us to discuss both topics and how they relate to what the late public intellectual Gore Vidal referred to as "The American Empire". First, Dave fills us in on the National Guard killing of the beloved Kentucky-based small-business owner David McAtee as outlined in his piece "The Danger of Sending in the Troops: The Killing of David McAtee". McAtee, a black man who owned YaYa's BBQ Shack restaraunt, was well-respected member of his community who went out of his way to have friendly relations with police officers. He even was known for feeding the boys in blue and refusing to charge them for it. Despite playing-by-all-the-rules, McAtee was killed in the confusion of National Guard being called in to institute curfews and quell protests arising from the George Floyd and Breonna Taylor protests. McAtee's death is made all the more shocking given that he was not involved in the protests. Dave tells us the story of McAtee's death and what it tells us about the dangers of sending in U.S. troops to institute curfews and control protests. Then Dave tells us about his piece "As Coronavirus Rips Through Yemen, Saudi Bombs Continue to Fall". Dave explains how Saudi Arabia has been dropping bombs on Yemen with the full support of the U.S. and how this has made Yemen struggle through the coronavirus pandemic, a cholera outbreak, and food shortages all the more desperate. In this regard we discuss how Yemen has become a shocking humanitarian crisis that had led to death and suffering due to the U.S.'s antagonistic attitudes towards the Houthi government. Additionally, Dave and I talk a little bit about the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the U.S. in contrast to the relationship to Iran and the U.S. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, we return to the weird and wonderful world of Charles Band's Full Moon Features as filmmaker joins us to discuss his new movie Blade: The Iron Cross, a continuation of the beloved horror franchise The Puppet Master but this time focused solely on the most iconic puppet in the series. John joined us while babysitting his child during the conversation due to the coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic so this conversation proved a bit wild, but trust me when I say that it's a fun listen. Previous Parallax Views guest and friend of the show Chris Alexander of Delirium Magazine (who played a part in making this interview happen) provides a summary of BLADE: THE IRONC CROSS below: "For decades the fans have been clamoring for it, and now Full Moon delivers with the first standalone feature debut of one of its most beloved (and most frightful) characters: the hook-handed maniac puppet, BLADE. Charles Band's PUPPET MASTER series continues as an unspeakable evil from Blade's past emerges in the form of a murderous Nazi scientist named Dr. Hauser. As Hauser's heinous crimes are discovered, the psychic war journalist, Elisa Ivanov, awakens Blade, and together the bloody journey of revenge begins. It's Herr Hauser's reanimated undead army versus a possessed doll and a beautiful vengeance-seeking clairvoyant. Who will win, and how will it affect the Full Moon Universe? Find out in BLADE: THE IRON CROSS." Ash of the Horror Vanguard podcast joined me to co-host this episode. In addition to discussing Blade: The Iron Cross, John also talks with us about the popularity of the Puppet Master franchise, John's interest in the story and characters of Puppet Master, Full Moon's Deadly Ten (which allowed fans to watch the production of ten Full Moon movies, including Blade: The Iron Cross, through a real-time livestrea), the comic book feel of Blade: The Iron Cross, the trials and tribulations of low-budget filmmaking, obtaining a sleek, professional look with a low-budget, the crime noir aesthetic of Blade: The Iron Cross, the title puppet Blade as an Antifa soldier and the historical references to actual underground Nazi/fascist movements from the 20th century in the movie, why Blade has become the fan favorite of the Puppet Master franchise (and nerdy trivia about Klaus Kinski's connection to the franchise courtesy J.G. Michael), and more! We even get a fun story about John's experience working with Clint Howard, brother of Hollywood heavyweight Ron Howard, on one of his previous films, Pigster. CHECK OUT BLADE: THE IRON CROSS AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY AT FULL MOON FEATURES! SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, in the age of dissent that has followed the police killing of George Floyd what is the importance and role of nonviolent protest in the United States today and through it's history? Michael Long, editor of We the Resistance: Documenting a History of Nonviolent Protest in the United States (City Lights Books; 2019), joins us to help unpack that question and provide a few answers. We begin the conversation by discussing the importance of nonviolent protests in today's tumultuous environment and how such protests stretch far back into the history of the United States with groups like the Christian religious sect known as The Quakers. From Michael explains what a nonviolent protest entails and what ingredients make up a successful nonviolent protest. Additionally Michael discusses the power of nonviolence over violence, the bravery required to be a nonviolent protester, and protests as a reaction to police states conditions. We also talk about key figures and moments in the history of nonviolent protests including Frederick Douglas, the Bonus Marches, and Helen Keller's support of the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) or Wobblies. All that and much more on this edition of Parallax Views. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES!

On this edition of Parallax Views, John Perkins, the New York Times bestselling author of Confessions of an Economic Hitman, joins us to discuss how his engagement with spirituality and shamanism led him away from doing the dirty work of the IMF and World Bank to working towards justice and the betterment of society as outlined in latest book Touching the Jaguar: Transforming Fear Into Action to Change Your Life and the World. We begin by discussing the book the made first gained John attention (and garnered controversy), Confession of an Economic Hit Man. John explains what his work for the World Bank and IMF as an "Economic Hit Man" entailed as well as detailing a related group of figures known as "The Jackals". According to John these "Economic Hit Men" and "Jackals" engaged in activities that were designed to control and exploit the Third World. John also tells us how he slowly began to stray from this path eventually culminating in his NYT bestseller Confessions of an Economic Hit Man after 9/11. Moreover, John tells us about the spiritual vision quest he went on in which he was told by a shaman to confront his fears by "Touching the Jaguar" and how this began his road to a change in perception. In this regard, we discuss the way our perceptions shape the way we understand ourselves and other people. Moreover, John explains what he calls the "death economy" and how we can transcend beyond it by creating a "life economy". During this portion of the discussion we also talk about ayahuasca, the perception trap, techniques for changing one's perception, the practice of meditation, John's experiences with people in the business world today, decolonization, and much, much more. SUPPORT PARALLAX VIEWS ON PATREON! FOR BONUS CONTENT AND ARCHIVED EPISODES! AND CHECK OUT OUR SPONSOR: FAILED STATE UPDATE A NEW PODCAST FROM JOURNALIST JOSEPH FLATLEY