In this discussion, Jason Stanley, a Yale philosophy professor and author of "Erasing History," reveals how the current administration rewrites narratives to maintain control and implement authoritarian strategies. He emphasizes the dangers of manipulating historical truths. Meanwhile, Matthew D. Taylor, a scholar on Christian nationalism, examines the power struggles among three Christian factions vying for political influence, including Charismatics and traditional Catholics. Their insights illuminate the intertwining of faith and politics in today's landscape.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
ICE and SEO
ICE press releases about raids from the Obama and Biden administrations were updated with a 2025 date.
This creates a false impression of increased activity under Trump.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Musk vs. Wikipedia
Elon Musk criticized Wikipedia's portrayal of him, especially regarding his ties to conspiracy theories and the far-right.
He amplified a false claim about Wikipedia deleting information on Bill Clinton's ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
insights INSIGHT
Rewriting History
Rewriting history, like doctoring photos, is a hallmark of authoritarian regimes.
This manipulation aims to create a mythical past that glorifies the regime's rise to power.
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How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future
Jason Stanley
In *Erasing History*, Jason Stanley exposes the true danger of the authoritarian right’s attacks on education, identifying their key tactics and funders, and tracing their intellectual roots. He illustrates how fears of a fascist future have become a present reality, with hearts and minds being won in schools and universities. Stanley shows how democratic societies are ill-prepared to defend against these fascist assaults, which aim to erase historical memory and critical inquiry. The book is a global call to action to preserve democracy by understanding and combating these authoritarian efforts.
the violent take it by force, the Christian movement that is threatening our democracy
Matthew D. Taylor
The new administration is purging data from government websites and databases, such as the Department of Justice and the National Security Agency. On this week's On the Media, a historian shares the political playbook for rewriting the past in order to control the future. Plus, meet the different Christian groups vying for power at the White House.
[01:00] Host Micah Loewinger looks at the White House’s purge of data and records. He talks to Dara Kerr, a reporter at the Guardian, about President Trump’s attempt to ramp up deportations and how ICE is fudging its numbers. Micah also speaks with Molly White, author of the newsletter “Citation Needed” and Wikipedia editor, about why Musk and others on the right are going after Wikipedia.
[31:46] Brooke Gladstone hears from Matthew D. Taylor, author of The Violent Take It by Force: The Christian Movement That Is Threatening Our Democracy. They discuss the three Christian factions jostling for power in the new administration: the independent Charismatics like Trump’s faith adviser Paula White-Cain, the trad Catholics (represented by J.D. Vance), and the theobros (epitomized by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth).
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