***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.***
THIS EVENT BEGINS IN THREE HOURS!
I am so grateful to those of you who attended our recent Speakeasy with Ukrainian historian Tetiana Boriak, part of an ongoing lecture series on Russia’s weaponization of everything.
Here’s a scan of some of the topics we’ve covered, and you can see none of this is easy.
But Sunday’s lecture was particularly difficult because the topic was children, how Russia is trafficking Ukrainian children, and also the techniques being used to brainwash Ukrainian children in the Russian occupied areas. I’ll have a report on this soon, but here is a preview of some of the themes:
Identify transformation
Militarization of consciousness
Cadet camps — erasing identity and history
It seems inconceivable that this is happening in the 21st century and that we are not talking about a long ago history where facts were difficult to obtain.
No, we have ICC arrest warrants for Putin and Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, Russia’s commissioner for ‘children’s rights,’ for trafficking children.
We have multiple UN reports, and a Human Rights Watch report. This is not an unknown phenomenon.
In any case, as hard as it is to report on these horrors, report I will. Look for that print report later this week.
But today, we come together for Bette’s community Happy Hour.
Bette members are invited to our Tuesday Happy Hour, August 25, 11 am Pacific, 2 pm Eastern, where we will be joined by Dietmar Pichler, a disinformation analyst from Vienna, Austria, and friends of Bette. (Mo’ can’t make it tonight.)
Dietmar will be discussing Ukraine’s Independence Day and breaking down his latest report from Inved.eu, The underestimated influence of Soviet propaganda on the present.
As he noted:
“We underestimate the influence of Soviet propaganda on the present, how deeply the so-called ‘active measures’ and anti-Western narratives are still lodged in people's minds, not only in the East, but right here with us in the West!”
In addition to Dietmar’s updates, I will update you on my latest Hot Type column in Byline Supplement, which focuses on threats to the November midterm elections:
I will also announce our first book club title.
I look so forward to seeing everyone as Dietmar, and other guests offer a roundup of global news.
More info about our main guest:
Dietmar Pichler is an advisor on strategic communication against foreign interference, founder of the Disinfo Resilience Network, and an editor at Inved.eu.
A note for new members: the Happy Hour began three and a half 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 and culture from around the world. The title was always meant to be ironic, but I know I feel better when our community comes together.
Lastly, a heartfelt thank you to those of you who are renewing your memberships and those who continue to support me at the Founding Member level. Your support means everything to me.
Keep scrolling below the paywall for the registration link.
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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:
Share my reporting with allies
Buying my ebooks
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.
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Begin each day with a grateful heart.
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REGISTRATION LINK FOUND HERE