Community events are for paid members. Please take out a membership and help support independent investigative journalism.
“The thing that is important to point out in the United States is the collective attack on reality.”—Paul Niland, founder Lifeline Ukraine
Welcome to all new members, and a heartfelt thank you to those who have been supporting my work with monthly, annual, and Founding Member donations. Thank you so much to those of you who upgraded to Founding Member. I laid out my summer travel ambitions, and I could not pursue these global stories without your help.
Today, some of you had the chance to listen in on Byline Supplement’s meeting with NYU Professor Jay Rosen today.
I was able to ask him about the collective attack on reality.
As Peter Pomerantsev explained, the US should have a government division that fights and defends us against disinformation, but we do not.
So it fell on the shoulders of journalists, who were ill-equipped, unprepared, and often working for owners who are part of the assault on reality.
Rosen responded that people need to support local and independent journalism and stay connected with as many people in real life as possible.
And with that, I thank you again for supporting my work. When I found myself unshackled by a corporation in 2016, after decades of news training, I knew I could be useful. I was also able to thank Rosen for his words that inspired me. On February 10, 2023, he tweeted:
Clown car hearings exploit a weakness in mainstream journalism's source code, which gives no clear instructions for how to report truthfully on events that are themselves false, meaning they spring from a propagandistic intent and taking them seriously just furthers the scam.
That comment matches my sentiment here:
With the disgraced, twice-impeached former President Donald Trump now back in the ring, pro-democracy reporters are now facing whiplash, as corporate media outlets continue to platform him, while failing to confront the fact that their outdated ideas of journalistic impartiality are failing the very people they’re meant to serve.
That comment comes from my report in Byline on Trump Unmasked.
Among the reasons I like to interview people in Ukraine, they have a profound handle on reality. Below is Paul Niland’s quote in his Twitter bio, inspired by Ukrainians rising up a decade ago.
“I saw some brilliant, brave, and very ordinary people, young and old, do an extraordinary thing. They defeated a cruel and corrupt dictator.”—Paul Niland, Bette’s Happy Hour, May 14, 2024
Thank you to all the members who showed up for our Happy Hour with Paul Niland yesterday, which comprises Bette’s Podcast 89.
Those who are not yet members, can watch RadPod’s interview with the Ukraine-based reporter and founder of Lifeline Ukraine, the nation’s first suicide hotline. Please support their organization’s work with donations if you can. Niland explains that they had to become experts in dealing with trauma associated with torture and rape in wartime, and I for one, am grateful Ukrainians have somewhere to reach out to for help.
Bette members, please have a listen to the podcast.
And all subscribers, can hear him on RadPod below.
I am glad you are here, and grateful always.
****
****
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.
Also, 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.
🤍
Listen to this episode with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Bette Dangerous to listen to this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
