Bette’s Weekly Roundup — A Tribute to Dads Who Rock
The Best of Bette for the week and giving thanks to all the Pops
***Registration link for today’s special Father’s Day ‘Speakeasy’ zoom forum with David Pepper at 4 pm PT can be found here. If you would like to become a member and join us at our community events and gain access to all archived content and podcasts, please do so here. Everyone must register before 4 pm PT please.***
As I prepare for our special Father Day ‘Speakeasy’ zoom forum with author and pro-democracy activist David Pepper, I am taking a moment to give thanks to the Dads who rock. I work with two dads — Jim and HiFi — who are relentless in their desire to expose and stop radicalization in America.
In addition, how lucky are we that author and pro-democracy coach David Pepper is taking time on this special day to inform our community on what we can each do to save our democracy. After our successful ‘Speakeasy’ in March, Pepper is coming back today at 4 pm PT to join us for a ‘Saving Democracy’ session. I’m bringing my pom poms again.
I will be reflecting on this very special week for months to come — Zarina Zabrisky as my house guest; showing my favorite LA places to anti-Putin cartoonist Dan Brown, who flew in from Canada for our screening; watching my friend Levy Lee Simon’s one-man play on race and racism in America two times. And just this morning, RadPod interviewed filmmaker and author Jen Senko, who directed The Brainwashing of My Dad, for a special Father’s Day breaker on how we can get Fox News off military bases, a tutorial on guerilla activism, and how we get our fathers back from the rightwing lie factories. This report I wrote with Jen three months ago is giving me all the feels today.
Propaganda is never just words, as Ruth Ben-Ghiat taught us. We have been losing people to mass radicalization and weapon’s grade psyops for too long — collectively, we are doing the work that will bring people back from their addiction to outrage. A return to decency.
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Alright, let’s jump into the Best of Bette for this week — for new members, this is the one email a week I recommend you read. I try to summarize the most important reports from the week in one post with links for easy access. In addition, please search the archives for previous Bette’s Weekly Roundup posts for a catalog of vital reporting.
‘The Eastern Front’ US/Hollywood Premiere
I am still hearing from the guests — actors, producers, entertainment lawyers, film critics, Twitter friends, RadPod friends, Bette friends, family, Ukrainians living in America, and simply concerned citizens — who joined me and Zarina Zabrisky for the US premiere of ‘The Eastern Front’.
I am so grateful. That’s all I can say. Please read this post, and you will also learn how you can support Kherson rescue efforts by buying the amazing dress Zabrisky wore at the event.
Harlem Poet - Levy Lee Simon’s ‘Odyssey’
Playwright, poet, actor, and activist Levy Lee Simon’s one-man play about race and racism in America is so incredibly powerful, I saw it twice in the same week, and if I could I would go see it again today. Please read my interview with him, and please note that we are all fighting for the same freedom. We must all be allies together.
“Racism is an illness, but it’s an illness that can be cured. It lies in the heart, but hearts can be changed, I believe that.”—Levy Lee Simon
As Lee recalls memories of his grandfathers, who lived in the Jim Crow south, I recalled a report I wrote with David Pepper who loudly sounded the alarm that Jim Crow-era voter suppression is back in our statehouses, and we have a duty to fight it.
How Russia Joined With Anti-Vaxxers to Wage Biological Warfare by Proxy Against the West
Even though this report is from three months ago, it’s making its way back into circulation as obvious vatnik prop Robert Kennedy Jr. tries to disrupt Biden’s reelection. It’s also important to note that one of the original anti-vaxxers was that other obvious vatnik, Donald Jessica Trump. Our minds are being targeted every second of every day with this junk. Recognize it as junk and tell three friends.
Bette’s Weekly Roundup - Arrest Donald Trump
Because I was otherwise occupied this past week, I wrote my previous weekly roundup mid-week. So please peruse the reporting from earlier in the week, including my Q & A with Zarina Zabrisky.
Bette’s Weekly Roundup - Arrest Donald Trump
I honestly don’t know where to begin so let’s start with the image that stands out most in my mind - Jack Smith at the podium, encouraging Americans to read the indictment. In an era where a misshapen reality is being force fed by corporate and social media reveling in the profit margins inspired by grotesques, there stands a guy using an economy of word…
Alright, I will be seeing many of you in the squares shortly. I must say it’s been an incredible week. What better way to end it than with a celebration of Dads who rock featuring David Pepper.
For those who are new members, here is a recap of our first ‘Speakeasy’ with Pepper.
All Of Us Together
“Can I swear here?” asked David Pepper at our ‘Speakeasy’ zoom. “We actually encourage swearing,” I responded. “Okay,” he said. “The fight for our democracy looks like this: Do we give enough of a shit to fight for it - because if we do - we need to fight back.”
His latest book ‘Saving Demoracy’ — A User’s Manual for Every American’ — will be the topic of today’s ‘Speakeasy’ salon.
Thank you to everyone who supports my work. Everything we collectively do matters.
I am so glad you are here.
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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. And to all of you who have upgraded to Founding Member, I am so humbled and grateful.
A private link to an annual membership discount for older adults, those on fixed incomes or drawing disability, as well as activists and members of the media is available upon request at bettedangerous@gmail.com. 🥹
Our next Bette Dangerous ‘Speakeasy’ Zoom for paid members is today, June 18, 4 pm PT, featuring David Pepper giving us a pep talk from his latest book, Saving Democracy; Paid members also receive invites to our weekly Bette’s Happy Hour, a wellness checkin every Tuesday. This Tuesday, our checkin is at noon PT.
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“I say a silent prayer of thanksgiving as I walk upon the earth.”-Audrey Peterman.
“May the viral hope for truth and humanity wash away the chaos of these years.”-S.C., Bette community member
“Something Sacred never dies in almost all of us, who can hear the invitation of Truth…”-words from a Bette Dangerous community member
“Nothing but blue skies from now on…”-Irving Berlin
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(Dads who rock! David Pepper on RadPod Ep45 - Fight Like Hell episode)
(Photo by Lolo of me, Zarina, Jim at the US premiere of ‘The Eastern Front’)
