‘Disinformation Is An Operation’

And Other Bits of Wisdom from geopolitical analyst Monique Camarra + more birdsong

If you were not able to join us for our ‘Speakeasy’ with Monique Camarra yesterday, do not worry - RadPod will be releasing a full-length interview with her tonight on HiFi’s usual production schedule - ‘some time before midnight in Hawaii.’ Lol. He works a full-time job while raising kids, so we are grateful that he carves out time to edit our interviews while taking care of his other ‘job’ - coming to my emotional rescue.

I have had to acknowledge the toll of this war on me emotionally. I feel safe to do so with this community. I will be paywalling more stories moving forward, simply because the brilliant Monique Camarra explained to our community that ‘disinformation is an operation’, and I intend to reduce my attack surface.

We have not been treating disinformation in any smart way on a societal level. It’s not about defending one’s honor from malinformation campaigns, or expressing outrage over toxics lies, or how easily it distracts us from the work - that’s what disinformation is designed to provoke - but disinformation needs to be viewed as an operation designed by a top-down structure to create outcomes - distrust, hate, violence, money, votes, war, and criminal cover.

The so-called ‘gatekeepers’ are trying to control a narrative of lies, which people like me and my allies constantly interrupt with truth, which is often the first victim of war (Pekka, vatniksoup.com, RadPod breaker).

Pekka doesn’t read the negative comments on his vatnik soup threads. “There is nothing useful there,” he said.

Their job is to control a narrative of lies. Our job is to bring truth.

Living as a target of disinformation day in and day out changes you. Investigative reporter Carole Cadwalladr described it best in ‘The Great Hack’, when she said: “It is this sort of visceral thing, living with this disinformation and this propaganda every single day and feeling the effects of it and knowing that it does work and does have an impact in real life whether people believe that or not.”

I have always felt grateful and protected because the first time a malinformation campaign was run on me, it devastated my life so thoroughly I sought help through a 12-step program which has given me tools to rise above the vitriol and to double and triple down on love. The people paid to harm other people are merely living with spiritual maladies, which they can get relief from should they seek it. No one is beyond redemption who seeks it imho. Plus, it’s only a matter time before the criminals devour each other.

Nevertheless, some days are harder than others, and that’s okay.

I mostly try to focus on the goodness of this world, and overnight, Carole’s gofundme exceeded her goal and many of you made that happen. She has been the target of lawfare, and the fine people across this universe are carrying her. This gives me much hope for the fight ahead.

‘Fascism’s Legal Phase’

Not only is my podcast partner being sued by Mike Flynn, but my other writing partner is being sued by Donald Jessica Trump - because we are in fascism’s legal phase, as Jason Stanley indicated.

It feels dark, but it’s a manufactured darkness. The MAGA Gang are engaged in a massive criminal cover up - reporters get in the way of their disinformation operations. But in the US, the Department of Justice is serving indictments and convictions to key MAGA Gang actors. The mob rollup may still materialize.

I am proud to be making good trouble. I am proud to find a way to get in the way.

People who love me are telling me to get out of the country. But if America falls, there’s nowhere to go.

I fight right here.

Your words that follow my words keep me going.

Here, a member of the Bette community wrote a response to my report on Timothy Synder’s Frontline transcripts:

“I was so asleep in 2014, that I did not realize that Russia’s invasion of Crimea was an invasion ... I was so asleep in 2016 that I did not realize Trump’s election was an invasion of the US ... but I am now not so asleep ... so I may tell those sleeping, and support those telling those sleeping, that we are being invaded now.”

We are not asleep. We are being invaded now.

We are in fascism’s legal phase.

Bullies don’t scare me.

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Please enjoy this morning’s birdsong, courtesy of a pair of red-crowned parrots outside my window. They’re bright green, and massive flocks arrive every morning and every afternoon. This morning, a pair lingered to have coffee with me.🦜💚🪶

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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 to donate via venmo, and it’s always greatly appreciated (for my birthday this year, all I want is a visit from the tooth fairy). Thank you to everyone who pitches in with a monthly membership, each time they come in, it always feels like pennies from heaven.

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. 🥹

The next Bette Dangerous ‘Speakeasy’ Zoom for paid members is Sunday, June 3. Yesterday’s ‘Speakeasy’ with geopolitical analyst Monique Camarra, cohost of Kremlin File and WTF podcast, as well as the daily EuroFile Report, was banging!

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 noon PT, and links will be sent in the morning.

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.

“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, that 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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(Why I Twitter: Nothing like facts to ruin disinformation operations. Plus, Shannon followed me.)