"Ex-officer Amber Guyger testifies in wrong-apartment murder trial: 'I was scared to death,'" a " story reported in 2019. "Starbucks Files Complaints with Labor Board, Accuses Union Organizers of Bullying and Harassment," reported Food & Wine Magazine in April 2022. "Labour MPs fear for safety as pro-Palestine protesters target offices," The Guardian warned in November 2023

Within the last decade, we’ve seen the rise of a phenomenon we’ll refer to as “elite crybullying," in which people in power engage in political manipulation in order to portray themselves as victims. Routinely, we hear that armed American police fear for their safety around unarmed civilians, lawmakers feel for the their safety after there's a sit in protest and corporate executives are being unfairly intimated by union organizers. 

It's a sleazy, manipulative tactic that not only flattens, but flips, power dynamics. By claiming to have been bullied or traumatized by those who oppose them, wealthy and influential figures suddenly transform themselves from victimizers into victims. Meanwhile, by this same perverse logic, they characterize their actual victims–be they organizing workers and peace activists, who merely seek to stand up for themselves, or people killed by military and police violence – as victimizers.

On this episode, we explore the rise of ruling-class crybullyism, how elites increasingly traffic in the language of anti-bullying and therapy-speak to indemnify themselves from criticism, examine how cynical distortions of power relations recast the upholders of colonialism, labor abuses, and police violence as the oppressed, and the people who dare to object as the oppressors, all in an effort to silence dissent from the justifiably angry masses. 

Our guests are Mari Cohen and Saree Makdisi.

Episode 199: The Golden Age of Crybullyism

Abby and Robbie Martin discuss the last few months of mainstream media fear mongering about China including official statements from the FBI, Secretary of Transportation and Biden himself. The episode starts with a discussion about the newest major escalation, the House resolution banning Chinese company Bytedance from owning or operating Tik-Tok in the united States.

Become a donor to Media Roots Radio at www.patreon.com/mediarootsradio

Media Roots Radio 2024

Banning Tik Tok & the Ramp-up of China Paranoia

According to the Tartarian Empire conspiracy theory there once existed a massive, advanced regime that stretched over much of the Asian continent. This Empire’s power was so great that they built structures all over the world, including in Africa, North America and South America. Buildings such as the White House in Washington D.C. and the Great Pyramids in Egypt were built by the great, globe spanning Tartarian empire. They were able to accomplish this in part thanks to advanced technology that is lost to time, like batteries powered by the Earth which distributed electricity wirelessly.

This theory has spawned a community of people who pour through old European maps and pictures of 19th century buildings in search of evidence for this lost empire, then post their findings on Reddit and Tik tok.

But was there really a lost empire called “Tartaria?” Or have conspiracy theorists on the internet misinterpreted an archaic European term for parts of Asia then proceeded to desperately search for evidence of a better world that was lost to time?

REFERENCES

Inside the ‘Tartarian Empire,’ the QAnon of Architecture

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-04-27/inside-architecture-s-wildest-conspiracy-theory

Shaoxin, Dong. "The Tartars in European Missionary Writings of the Seventeenth Century." In Foreign Devils and Philosophers, pp. 82-103. Brill, 2020.

Graff, Rebecca S. "Dream City, Plaster City: Worlds’ Fairs and the Gilding of American Material Culture." International Journal of Historical Archaeology 16 (2012): 696-716.

Greenhalgh, Paul. "Ephemeral Vistas: Great Exhibitions, Expositions Universelles and World’s Fairs, 1851–1939." (1989)

CIA Document: National Cultural Development Under Communism

https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP78-02771R000200090002-6.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walhalla_(memorial)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmenhaus_(Burggarten)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Hall_Post_Office_and_Courthouse_(New_York_City)

The Singer Building

https://www.nypap.org/preservation-history/singer-building/

Episode 273: The Tartarian Empire

Alex is back on with us today to catch up on MMA libertarians, bad DJs, and a rudely interrupted Billy Joel. We then discuss Iran’s weekend missile attack on Israel, and get Donald Trump’s somber and thoughtful remarks on the hallowed battle ground of Gettysburg. All this and some Valerie Bertinelli news on today’s show.

NYC, MAY 4th: Join Will & Hesse for a Movie Mindset Season 2 kickoff screening & talkback of DEATH WISH 3 at Littlefield, tickets now available:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chapo-trap-houses-movie-mindset-screening-of-death-wish-3-w-will-hesse-tickets-877569192077

Chapo Trap House

824 - To Look and To Watch feat. Alex Nichols (4/15/24)

Though the “chemtrails” conspiracy theory has long been dismissed by scientists, aviation experts, and other skeptics, the Tennessee legislature has taken it very seriously. On April 11th, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law SB2691, which bans the ‘intentional injection, release, or dispersion’ of chemicals within Tennessee ‘with the express purpose of affecting temperature, weather, or the intensity of the sunlight.” Though the law doesn’t explicitly use the word chemtrails, it was inspired by chemtrail conspiracy theorists. 

On this episode we talk to independent journalist Teddy Wilson of Radical Reports about the anti-chemtrails bills in Tennessee and other state legislatures. 

Subscribe for $5 a month to get an extra episode of QAA every week + access to ongoing series like Manclan, Trickle Down, Perverts and The Spectral Voyager: https://www.patreon.com/QAA

Editing by Corey Klotz. Theme by Nick Sena. Additional music by NAP (https://doomchakratapes.bandcamp.com) & Jake Rockatansky. Theme Vocals by THEY/LIVE (http://instagram.com/theyylivve / https://sptfy.com/QrDm). Cover Art by Pedro Correa: (https://pedrocorrea.com)

http://qaapodcast.com

QAA was formerly known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast.

REFERENCES

Radical Reports: Why Are GOP State Lawmakers Introducing Bills Based on Claims by Fringe Conspiracy Theorists?
https://www.radicalreports.org/p/why-are-gop-state-lawmakers-introducing

Some Dare Call It Conspiracy: Chemtrails On Trial
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/chemtrails-on-trial-part-1-8--58112535

To what extent do you believe in the conspiracy theory that the government is using chemicals to control the population (chemtrails)?
https://www.statista.com/statistics/959559/conspiracy-belief-government-control-population-chemtrails/

MIT Technology Review Solar geoengineering could start soon if it starts small
https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/02/05/1087587/solar-geoengineering-could-start-soon-if-it-starts-small/

Aircraft clouds: From chemtrail pseudoscience to the science of contrails
Mètode Science Studies Journal, vol. 8, pp. 181-187, 2018
Universitat de València
https://www.redalyc.org/journal/5117/511766757028/html/

Terrell, Steven. Santa  Fe New Mexican. Assignment led journalist/activist into "chemtrail" obsession, 1999
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-santa-fe-new-mexican-chemtrails-1999/133314562/

Anti-Chemtrails Laws feat. Teddy Wilson (E275)

In this public News Brief, we discuss Establishment reaction to pro-Palestinian protests on US campuses, from liberal handwringing to police crackdowns to therapy-speak.

News Brief: Campus Anti-Genocide Protests & the Weaponization of Squishy Bad Faith "Safety" Rhetoric

So-called “Constitutional Sheriffs” fancy themselves as the real life version of Judge Dredd: the ultimate arbiters of the law according to their interpretation of the Constitution. Recently the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association (CSPOA) held a conference in Las Vegas. Among the speakers were regular features of the podcast disgraced former General Michael Flynn, convicted former County Clerk Tina Peters, and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.

Our guest WIRED reporter David Gilbert attended the conference, and he told us all about what he saw at this gathering of conspiracists and pseudolaw enthusiasts. 

REFERENCES

WIRED: Far-Right Sheriffs Want a Citizen Army to Stop ‘Illegal Immigrant’ Voters
 https://www.wired.com/story/constitutional-sheriffs-election-deniers-immigrants-voting/

WIRED: No, a Shadowy Figure Is Not Buying Tents for Columbia Student Protesters
https://www.wired.com/story/conspiracy-tents-student-protests-gaza/

David Gilbert on Twitter
https://twitter.com/daithaigilbert

NBC News: A sheriff, a felon and a conspiracy theorist walk into a hotel. They're there for the same conference.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/constitutional-sheriffs-las-vegas-conference-rcna147487

MassLive: Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson calls cancellation of ICE contract a ‘politically motivated attack’
https://www.masslive.com/politics/2021/06/bristol-county-sheriff-thomas-hodgson-calls-cancellation-of-ice-contract-a-politically-motivated-attack.html

Politico: The Troubling Sheriffs’ Movement That Joe Arpaio Supports
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/09/01/joe-arpaio-pardon-sheriffs-movement-215566/

American Oversight: The Constitutional Sheriffs Movement and Its Threat to Democracy
https://www.americanoversight.org/investigation/the-constitutional-sheriffs-movement-and-its-threat-to-democracy

NBC News: Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to home detention and community service in obstruction case
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/former-colorado-county-clerk-tina-peters-sentenced-home-detention-comm-rcna79085

CBS News: Mike Lindell's MyPillow evicted from Minnesota warehouse after lawsuit claimed it was $200K behind on rent
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/lawsuit-mypillow-eviction-mike-lindell-minnesota/

Fear And Sheriffs In Las Vegas feat. David Gilbert (E276)

We hit the books and head back to school, checking out a couple of university encampments and comparing what we saw to what columnists and politicians are saying. Then we talk Israel, deflections, and students and donors as customers.

Episode 374: Quad Squad

A discussion on the continuing protests on college campuses, as well as the overwhelming crackdown on them

Please support our deranged show on Patreon: www.patreon.com/trillbillyworkersparty

Episode 341: Sedition Draft 2024

Mel Buer from The Real News joins us to talk about the encampment for Palestine at UCLA and the attack on it by counter-protesters and cops. But first, we head back east to talk about the Columbia encampment, Biden, and the NYPD's foray into dubstep.

MEL BUER

@Mel_Buer
IG @Mel_Buer_
https://therealnews.com/author/mel-buer

CRAZY ASS NYPD VIDEO
https://twitter.com/MattBinder/status/1785778592967766297/video/2

MERCH
poddamnamerica.bigcartel.com

PATREON + DISCORD
Patreon.com/poddamnamerica

The Drop w/ Mel Buer

We dive into an online community hellbent on improving their physical appearance through bizarre techniques like pressing their tongue to the roof of their mouth, hitting themselves in the face, and taking experimental growth hormones. Originating in Pick Up Artist (PUA) and incel forums, "looksmaxxing" has since become a proper tiktok trend.

Thanks for being a patreon subscriber!

Subscribe for $5 a month to get the full episode. You'll also get an extra episode of QAA every week + access to ongoing series like Manclan, Trickle Down, Perverts and The Spectral Voyager: https://www.patreon.com/QAA

Liv Agar: https://linktr.ee/livagar

http://qaapodcast.com

QAA was formerly known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast.

Looksmaxxing (Premium E243) Sample

Conspiracy theories, melted online communities and cursed media — we pry open the cracks in consensus reality and journey into the hidden worlds below. The QAA Podcast is a mix of reporting, comedy, and history hosted by Jake Rockatansky, Travis View, and Julian Feeld along with co-hosts Annie Kelly, Liv Agar and Brad Abrahams. Formerly known as the QAnon Anonymous podcast.