REGISTER: Bette's Happy Hour with Monique Camarra and Friends

Bette members: please register for our Tuesday Happy Hour with geopolitical analyst Monique Camarra, as we get up to speed on the global news of the week and continue our conversation on moral clarity

***Paid Bette members will find the registration link below the paywall. To join our community events and to help support independent investigative journalism in a time of grave peril, please upgrade to a paid membership here:

It’s not surprising that I had a dream I was back in broadcast news. In the dream, I was visiting a former newsroom — my old colleagues still plugging away — and I began a righteous soliloquy, lambasting management, and the reporters and producers, for normalizing the Trump regime. I ranted against the collaborators and stenographers. I explained that they were accessories to the death of truth, and by normalizing the regime they were helping to create an alternative universe, where leaders used lies as a weapon, to dominate and incapacitate the masses, to literally bring people the democratic world to its knees.

I looked for a response but just saw blank, nervous faces. I could see some of the former cameraman I had once worked with nodding in agreement. But everyone else was silent — gripped by corporate- and billionaire-owned media paralysis.

Clearly, I’d watched some of the clips from the White House Press Dinner, which looked more like an RT gala, before going to sleep last night.

I was saddened by what passes for journalism these days. I was also heartened by the feeds of independent journalists who share my grief and my defiance.

We can’t ask media owned by Murdoch, Thiel, Musk, Bezos and multinational corporations to do better — they’re in on the fascism. But we can continue to support independent media and the historians who are waging a mighty battle in defense of truth.

Every week, I try to do just that as we come together for our community conversations, where we get better informed as we hear from global voices.

This morning, I was on the phone with geopolitical analyst Monique Camarra, our featured guest for Tuesday’s Happy Hour, as we discussed the topics for tomorrow. She’ll be bringing you news from Alberta and Germany, and helping us understand influence operations. Loomer in Ukraine? Um ya.

I’ll be bringing news from Europe and the States, and always pausing for culture. When I launched this Substack in 2022, it was with the idea of writing about culture and politics — the urgency of the 2024 election and its aftermath dominated these pages.

But like many of you, I fill my days with music, theatre, art, and history — more of that please. In August, I’ll be introducing you to a Belfast-born artist. Last month, we met a globetrotter from Italy. So along with the political experts of our times, expect more appearances from cultural ambassadors I’m meeting in my travels.

In many ways, art is life so I’ll leave you with a clip from my favorite TV show, The Sandbaggers, which I wrote about here:

The Sandbaggers

In the clip, the head of UK’s Secret Intelligence Service is getting excoriated for going rogue, as he defends his country from external threats:

That clip is from an episode in the 1970s series titled Decision By Committee, something that doesn’t work when you’re fighting the KGB.

I read a line to our community last week during Craig Unger’s visit from William Shirer’s Berlin Diary, published in 1941. It was important, I thought, because Shirer noted that “Hitler’s success has been due to the luck of having mediocre men like Daladier and Chamberlain in charge of the destinies of democracies.”

How long have we cried, “When is someone going to do something to stop this?” We bore witness to the mass radicalization, we know who’s behind it, we’ve seen how soft the democratic world has responded to Putin’s aggression and now to Trump’s aggression. When Roosevelt was reelected in 1940, Hitler knew he was in trouble, and he was right.

In a previous century, leaders with moral clarity could be both decent and strong.

In a previous century, reporters like William Shirer left Berlin when he could no longer report the truth. When the Germany censors made truth impossible.

On that note, I look forward to another hour with you all on Tuesday, as we continue to think our way to solutions for these trouble times.

A note for new members: the Happy Hour began three years ago, when I noticed many Bette members in despair. I thought a weekly wellness checkin for newsies was in order, and it evolved into a session where global guests offer news from around the world. The title was always meant to be ironic, but I know I feel better when our community comes together. Our bi-monthly Sunday Speakeasys will resume this Fall, and look for an announcement about our upcoming Bette’s Book Club in August.

Lastly, a heartfelt thank you to those of you who are renewing your memberships and are new to the Bette community. Your support means everything to me. It’s been a devastating time to be a member of independent media, and I am so grateful for your continued support.

Keep scrolling to find the registration link.

****

****

Bette Dangerous is a reader-funded magazine. Thank you to all monthly, annual, and founding members.

I expose the corruption of billionaire fascists, while relying on memberships for support.

Thank you in advance for considering the following:

• Upgrade to Paid Member

• Upgrade to Founding Member

• Gifting memberships

• Share my reporting with allies

• Buying my ebooks

• Donating to the ko-fi fund or directly to venmo

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. 🥹

More info about Bette Dangerous - This magazine is written by Heidi Siegmund Cuda, an Emmy-award winning investigative reporter/producer, 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.

🤍

Begin each day with a grateful heart.

🤍

---

REGISTRATION LINK FOUND HERE