TODAY: Bette’s Speakeasy with J6 Witness and Ex-Oath Keeper Jason Van Tatenhove
Former Oath Keeper propagandist and Perils of Extremism author Jason Van Tatenhove shares his knowledge on how people get radicalized and how we bring them back — today, Nov. 10, 4 pm Pacific
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***TODAY’S EVENT BEGINS IN TWO HOURS!***
Bette’s Calendar at a glance:
Sunday, Nov. 10, 4 pm PT — Bette’s Speakeasy with Jason Van Tatenhove, author of Perils of Extremism (registration below)
Tuesday, Nov. 12, Noon PT — Bette’s Happy Hour with Joni Askola, a geopolitical analyst from Finland who will brief us on the right-wing’s shadow government
Sunday, Dec. 1, 11 am PT — Founder’s Day with Keir Giles, author of Russia’s War On Everybody, on his new book, Who Will Defend Europe! To join our Founder’s Day events, please upgrade your membership to the premium level.
Bette’s Sunday Speakeasy with Jason Van Tatenhove, Nov. 10, 4 pm Pacific
I knew Jason Van Tatenhove and I would become friends when I saw him appearing as a witness at the J6 Committee Hearings.
He was wearing a Descendents t-shirt and anyone who loves punk rock, as I do, would understand.
I heard him speak his truth, and I believe no one is beyond redemption who seeks it, and Jason sought it.
Lured into the Oath Keepers due to what he calls a “healthy distrust of government” he found himself quickly upgraded to chief propagandist. He says when he joined, they were anti-government, not the racist militia they later became, and when he overheard a member speak Holocaust denial rhetoric, he went home to his family and said, “I don’t know how we’re going to survive, but I’m not going back.”
He then began the process of disengaging from the Oath Keepers, and to fully atone, he spoke in front of the world of his experience in Washington, DC, to warn of the perils of extremism, which became the title of a book he wrote about his time in the militia.
Jason and I indeed became friends, bonding over music and art and writing. He is a fantastic writer, and his work can be read here. He joined us on RadPod and shared his experience.
He writes from the Colorado Rockies, and his voice is unique. Like Brainwashing of My Day filmmaker Jen Senko said of me working 15 years in the belly of the Fox beast at a local affiliate, “someone had to be on the inside.”
I booked Jason before the election, in revisiting his book Perils of Extremism: How I Left the Oath Keepers and Why We Should Be Concerned about a Future Civil War.
In order to understand how we got here, and how to help others trapped in the extremist mindset, please join us to hear from someone who was on the inside, and has spent the past five years touring the country to create bridges on how to escape hate.
More on Jason here:
Jason Van Tatenhove is an accomplished author, journalist, and expert on political extremism and the challenges of the digital age. His work delves into the pressing issues of our time, including the intersections of technology, misinformation, and societal shifts. Jason’s expertise has been featured on CNN and MSNBC, where he’s joined hosts such as Anderson Cooper, Don Lemon, and Morning Joe to discuss his insights and his book, The Perils of Extremism. His experience includes working with Georgetown Law’s Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection (ICAP) and the National Holocaust Memorial Museum, where he has collaborated on combating extremism.
Jason’s latest work, AI Ink: Writing, Publishing, and Misinformation at the Dawn of the AI Age, is a groundbreaking guide for writers, editors, literary agents, and publishers looking to understand and leverage AI’s growing role in creative industries. Addressing AI's ethical dilemmas and opportunities, AI Ink offers thoughtful guidance and practical strategies for navigating this transformative technological landscape.
In addition to non-fiction, Jason’s fiction explores supernatural thrillers and speculative dystopias. His serialized sci-fi project, The Propagandist's Daughters, set in a cyberpunk Western world, is available on Amazon Vella and showcases themes of resilience and the human spirit in a fractured world.
Nestled in the creative chaos of the Colorado Rockies, Jason raises his daughters following the loss of his wife, Shilo, who was also his best friend and partner in art and life. He writes The Edge of Insight, a weekly editorial column for the Estes Park Trail-Gazette, and his bylines have appeared in Newsweek, Salon, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Southern Poverty Law Center, and The Arizona Mirror. His Substack, Colorado Switchblade, delivers weekly pieces that continue to engage and inform his readership.
Jason’s writing is a tribute to resilience, authenticity, and the unyielding pursuit of creative freedom.
Social links:
Perils of Extremism on Audible
Hope to see many of you Sunday. Thank you to all new and renewing members. Independent reporters like me need your support now more than ever.
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