Bette’s Weekly Roundup - ‘A Long Struggle’
The Best of Bette for the week, and what a week it was xo
As luck should have it, the Uber driver who picked me up today was a familiar face - a gentleman with a lot of degrees and a love of cars, who had driven me on the same route before. We somehow got on the subject of spirituality as one does, and he told me he has been an usher at a local church for 39 years. He said now they have to hire armed security. They are a progressive church where love is love is love and all who enter are welcome and all who love can be married in their church. So now death threats and threats of violence are the norm, and I am saddened to hear this.
As someone who lives with death threats and threats of violence, I am horrified to hear this gentle person and his parish must now take such measures. But this is our world, and this why I do the work I do. The sooner we defeat fascism, the sooner we return to decency. So let’s get on with it.
Here is the Best of Bette for this week:
A RadPod Interview: ‘The Undertow’ with Jeff Sharlet
Omigawd. I am listening to RadPod’s interview with author and professor Jeff Sharlet over and over again, learning more each time. Our interview just dropped this morning, and I encourage you to listen, take notes, share with family and friends. His latest book, ‘The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War’, is not only vitally important to understanding the fascist threats in America, but it is also one of the most beautifully written books of our time. He opens with a chapter on Harry Belafonte, who used his ‘voice like a hammer in a long struggle’ - a struggle that is not yet won. Weaving protest music throughout the book, we end the interview with Jeff reading his favorite passage from the book. Yeah, that’s me crying. I will have much more to say about this interview throughout the week, but please have a listen and thank you to those who support RadPod. Our show is important.
‘Lying on Purpose’ - Exposing a ‘Vatnik ‘Soup
RadPod fans will recognize Pekka Kallioniemi, the author of the ‘Vatnik Soup’ Twitter threads and vatniksoup.com. I also interviewed Pekka for a longform report in Byline Supplement. Here is an excerpt:
The list is nearing 200, and I visit it like a sanctuary, a gaslighting-free oasis where Finnish researcher Pekka Kallioniemi curates his master list, and where I find another soul across the universe bearing witness to truth.
I’m referring to vatniksoup.com — which hosts a spreadsheet of Kallioniemi Twitter threads, where he identifies “so-called independent journalists, politicians, military personnel or just regular grifters”, who he has identified as pro-Russian propagandists, or to use Russian slang, vatniks.
The first victim of war is truth, he writes, on the site’s home page, and I scan the list looking at people who have been actively assaulting reality with their disinformation, which I determine is too weak of a word for the destruction it causes. I ask Kallioniemi to please come up with something better.
“In academia. we call it intentionally misleading information,” he told me. “But I call it, ‘lying on purpose’ — there's intention behind the spread of fake news. And that to me, in many ways, that's the worst crime that you can do.”
Kallioniemi, who earned a PhD in interactive technology at Tampere University of Applied Sciences in 2018, said when Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, he wanted to do something to help the Ukrainian people.
He said he must have timed it right because his Twitter threads took off quickly, with people from all over the world supporting his work through his virtual coffee tip jar.
He said the patterns of pro-Russian actors became glaringly clear, because there were just a handful of narratives and they were coordinated among the ‘vatniks’.
“The main ones include: ‘Ukrainians are neo-Nazis’, ‘NATO expansion started the proxy war’, ‘Ukraine is corrupt and most of the aid goes to the black market’ or ‘the sanctions are hurting the West more than Russia’,” Kallioniemi told Byline Supplement.
He said what motivates vatniks can be found by applying the MICE acronym — money, ideology, compromise, and ego…
If you do not have a subscription to Byline Supplement yet, and would like to read the full report, please email me at bettedangerous@gmail.com.
‘Combat Propaganda’ with Zarina Zabrisky + the Hollywood Premiere of ‘The Eastern Front’
Zarina and I are planning the Hollywood debut of ‘The Eastern Front’ - Terror and Torture in Ukraine’ - and if you are in Los Angeles on June 14, please join us. The documentary film produced by Byline TV features Zarina and John Sweeney - war correspondents who have been featured on RadPod multiple times so they should already be familiar to this community. As Zarina and I were chatting late Saturday night, I realized that she has been reporting on Russian cyberwar and propaganda since 2015, and I compile some of her most critical writing on this subject. Please read, it’s urgent. And just fyi, we have friends flying from other countries for the premiere, so consider joining us please. We have a limited number of tickets so if you think you can make it, please reserved your ticket asap. I have just seen the film and am still processing. Zarina and John and their crew document multiple war crimes committed by the Russians, and words elude me atm.
As I learned that the Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes received an 18-year sentence for his role in J6, I was driving through town. On the side of a utility box, I saw these words by Benjamin Franklin:
“Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”
As I wrote in Broken Men, I will not rest until I see action taken against those who instigated the plot that led to the violence. These very same men are suing my colleagues to try to silence truth. Now that many high-level violent, broken men, who worked under the plotters and schemers of the January 6 Insurrection have now been deemed domestic terrorists and are facing severe consequences for their seditious conspiracy, it is only right the American people demand those who set these plots in motion also face severe consequences.
It would be un-American to do otherwise.
They represent a clear and present danger to not only the US but to the global democratic world order.
Coda to the Broken Men - Accountability for Evil
Among the Letters to the Bette editor I received in response to my Broken Men piece, was this one from Martin Sheil - retired IRS criminal investigator, whose words often appear on these pages. It’s worth reprinting the letter in full here:
Dear Heidi,
Stewart Rhodes was sentenced to 18 years in prison for as the NYT put it - "mobilizing the pro-Trump attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021."
This sentencing is no doubt a good thing, a needed thing in helping to heal the wounds our Democracy suffered on that fateful day.
BUT
Congressman Raskin asked the following question a couple of months ago and I paraphrase - While it is good that the "foot soldiers" of the coup face accountability for their evil, what of those that led and subsidized the foot soldiers? Are they not equally responsible for the damages that our Democracy suffered on 1/6?
When will the Colonels and the Generals of the Coup attempt, be confronted by the Department of Justice and held accountable for their tweets and speeches in the run up to the attack on the Capitol - from Trump’s invitation to come to Washington DC on Jan. 6 - "It's gonna be wild" - to his disgraced personal attorney Rudy Giuliani promoting "trial by combat"?
Sure, Jack Smith is working on an investigation of former President Trump's role in the Seditious Conspiracy that just swallowed up Stewart Rhodes, and hopefully he will be coming forward with an indictment soon for the Donald. But what about all of Trump's 1/6 enablers? Michael Flynn was quoted at the hotel across the street from the White House on January 5 as stating out loud - "People are willing to die".
Flynn was protected there along with his cohort in extremism Roger Stone by a contingent of Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, while Rudy Giuliani and a contingent of philistine attorneys worked in another room on an ill-fated plan to steal the election rightfully won by Joe Biden.
It’s worth noting that Roger Stone also incited stochastic terrorism with his rhetoric when he was caught on film saying - “F**k the voting, Let’s get right to the violence”.
Now the question I have and have repeatedly asked, who payed for these rooms and who arranged transport for Flynn and Stone from Florida so they could take part in the coup? Should these financiers of an Insurrection face justice - the same justice as Stewart Rhodes?
In fact, the same question could be asked as to who paid for the transport and storage of the arsenal of weapons Rhodes had conveyed to the Comfort Inn in Arlington County, Va. should they be needed - recall Flynn and Stone’s rhetoric of violence, “people are willing to die” and “let’s get straight to the violence”. It was never a question of “if” to these henchmen.
So Raskin's question hangs out there - now that the foot soldiers have been addressed, when do we get to the real leaders and enablers whose money greased the skids of a rebellion facilitating thousands to come to DC and "fight like hell!"
“Trial by combat.”
Hey, Merrick Garland that question is directed to you. Don't leave it all to Jack Smith.
IF Watergate taught us all one lesson it was "to follow the money."
If the DOJ is short on resources then let ProPublica and the WSJ assist you in finding and following the money trail.
And, if too lazy to click links and read the articles then let me point out some salient names - Kimberly Guilfoyle, Caroline Wren and Publix heiress Julie Fancelli.
Follow the money and bring to justice those who enabled the foot soldiers of the insurrection. Are their overt acts in subsidizing a rebellion NOT as seditious as the actions of those knocking down doors, windows and Capitol Police heads?
Pierce the PACs anonymity and shine light on the cowards who solicit wire transfers to facilitate infamy.
To paraphrase Lauren Bacall - all you have to do is read. You know how to read doncha?
Just open your eyes and makes some arrests!
Marty
Like Marty, I will not rest until I see action taken against those who instigated the plot that led to the violence. These men with their MICE afflictions, who still walk free, let their days of freedom be short. Let Merrick Garland read Martin Sheil’s words. Arrest the broken men. Let America begin healing.
Bette’s Happy Hour - Happy Birthday to Me! Tuesday, May 30, at 5 pm PT <3
Please join us if you can for Bette’s Happy Hour - Birthday Edition 🥳🎈.
Okay, see many of you tomorrow, and sending a whole lotta love your way.
****
Bette Dangerous is a reader-funded magazine. Thank you to all monthly, annual, and founding members. Thank you as well to all those who support my work with your generous coffee tips and who buy my ebooks. Some of you prefer making subsidizing donations via venmo, and it’s always greatly appreciated. Thank you to everyone who pitches in with a monthly membership - each time they come in, it always feels like pennies from heaven.
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The next Bette Dangerous ‘Speakeasy’ Zoom for paid members is Sunday, June 3. Paid members will also receive invites to our weekly Bette’s Happy Hour, a wellness checkin every Tuesday. This Tuesday, we will be checking in at 5 pm PT. Links sent in advance of each event.
Thank you to everyone - you have no idea how grateful I am for all your monthly and annual memberships and all your additional support. You know who you are💘🥹.
More info about Bette Dangerous - This magazine is written by Heidi Siegmund Cuda, an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter, author, and veteran music and nightlife columnist. She is the cohost of RADICALIZED Truth Survives, an investigative show about disinformation and is part of the Byline Media team. Thank you for your support of independent investigative journalism.
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“I say a silent prayer of thanksgiving as I walk upon the earth.”-Audrey Peterman.
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