Shortcut: Why should we care about conspiracy theorists and so-called sovereign citizens?

This is a "Shortcut" episode. It’s a shortened version of this week’s more detailed full episode, which is also available on our feed. 

Is it that bad if people believe in conspiracy theories? According to our guests for this episode, at first it’s funny, irritating (we all had someone we know who was sharing things that seemed a bit off beam over the past three years) and seemingly ridiculous…until it’s not.

SOS and Sandee are two women who live in outer suburban Melbourne and have day jobs and families but they have also been deep diving into the world of places and spaces where people who believe in conspiracy theories and have such a distrust in Governments that they don’t acknowledge the laws that we all have to adhere to…like having a driver's licence, paying council rates and there’s more.

SOS and Sandee go to the protests, they watch endless videos and livestreams and are among a network of others who are doing important work to get people to understand this world and the people who have positioned themselves as leaders, or ‘gurus’, in many cases who are making lots of money from followers. Some also have disturbing political motives for what they are doing.

More info:

You can find SOS and Sandee on Twitter - @SOS149 and @sunnysandeel

Tinfoil Tales is on the feed of The Conditional Release Podcast

Background on Chase Allan - Chase Allan: 5 fast facts you need to know

What is the Sovereign Citizens movement in USA?

Pseudo-law Adherents in Australia - an interview with someone who clawed his way out

Some more people to check out to learn more about what we discussed in this episode:

Tom Tanuki (Independent Australia) 

The White Rose Society - anti-fascist researchers in Australia

Celery Sorbet on Twitter

Vaxatious Litigant on Twitter

Southern Poverty Law Centre (US)

Hope Not Hate (UK)

Lifeline  on 13 11 14

13 YARN on 13 92 76 (24/7 crisis support phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples)

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