It Could Happen Here Weekly 168

Feb 8, 2025

In this discussion, Spencer Sunshine, author of "Neo-Nazi Terrorism and Countercultural Fascism," dives deep into the dark influence of far-right movements. He sheds light on the troubling resurgence of extremist ideologies tied to James Mason's controversial book 'Siege.' The conversation reveals the interconnections among extremist groups and their coordinated efforts, challenging the notion of lone wolves. Furthermore, Sunshine explores personal transformations from extremist backgrounds, emphasizing the complexities of identity and the dangers of indoctrination for vulnerable youth.

03:42:14

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ANECDOTE

The AIF and the Struggle in Myanmar

James shares how he met Azad, a foreign fighter in Myanmar, and discusses the role of the AIF in the anti-fascist struggle. They highlight the interest and enthusiasm from local partners in Myanmar.

insights

INSIGHT

Internationalism in Myanmar

The conflict in Myanmar is fundamentally a fight against fascism, representing an international struggle. This emphasizes that the fight isn't limited to one nation or ethnicity.

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Resistance to Dictatorship

People in Myanmar should prepare to sacrifice everything to fight against fascism. This moral imperative drives the revolution and can inspire others globally.

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Sponsorship Highlights and Episode Overview

01:07 • 2min

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Transnational Solidarity in Myanmar's Struggle

03:01 • 14min

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Resilience and Resistance in Chinland

16:33 • 21min

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Grassroots Revolution: Empowerment and Resistance

37:35 • 8min

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Exploration of Revolutionary Histories and Noteworthy Events

45:23 • 4min

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The Dark Legacy of 'Siege'

49:36 • 12min

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Interconnected Narratives of Extremism

01:01:37 • 2min

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Navigating Extremism: Documenting Controversial Histories

01:03:10 • 7min

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Navigating Identity and Extremism

01:10:31 • 22min

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Barbecue Debates and Super Bowl Insights

01:32:26 • 7min

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Civil Rights Under Siege

01:39:04 • 8min

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The Crisis of Research Funding and Historical Parallels

01:47:21 • 4min

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The Impact of Government Funding on Scientific Research

01:51:24 • 10min

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Navigating Harassment and Funding in Biomedical Research

02:00:56 • 18min

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Navigating Grant Challenges and Advocacy in Research

02:18:37 • 9min

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Navigating Advocacy and Awareness

02:27:21 • 4min

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COP29 Controversies: Azerbaijan and Armenians

02:31:31 • 8min

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A Deep Dive into Artsakh: History, Politics, and International Dynamics

02:39:35 • 3min

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Geopolitical Turmoil in Artsakh

02:42:09 • 8min

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Understanding Ethnic Cleansing and Genocide

02:50:13 • 2min

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Pan-Turanism and the Politics of Misinformation

02:51:53 • 17min

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Art, Politics, & Everyday Awkwardness

03:08:58 • 4min

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Geopolitical Turbulence and Domestic Resistance

03:12:38 • 16min

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Government Transparency and Reporting Consequences

03:28:44 • 2min

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Economic Turbulence and Trade Policies

03:30:17 • 21min

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Unions and the Fight for Education Rights

03:50:52 • 3min

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Promoting Special Events and Sponsors

In 'Siege: Trump Under Fire', Michael Wolff continues his narrative of the Trump presidency, picking up where 'Fire and Fury' left off. The book provides a riveting and often alarming portrait of a White House under intense scrutiny and controversy. Wolff draws on over 150 sources, including on-the-record comments from Steve Bannon, to paint a picture of a presidency marked by chaos, intense rivalries, and erratic behavior. The book covers significant events such as the Mueller investigation and the government shutdown, offering a detailed and sometimes humorous look at the inner workings of the Trump administration.

The Turner Diaries

William Luther Pierce

The Turner Diaries is a novel that depicts a fictional white supremacist revolution in the United States. Written by William Luther Pierce under the pseudonym Andrew Macdonald, the book is presented as a diary kept by the protagonist, Earl Turner. The narrative details Turner's involvement in a violent uprising against the U.S. government and other perceived enemies of white supremacy. The book has been widely criticized for its extremist and racist content.

Raw Dog

Eric Priestly

The Art of Not Being Governed

An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia

James C. Scott

James C. Scott's "The Art of Not Being Governed" explores the history and strategies of marginalized communities who have resisted state control. The book focuses on the Zomia region of Southeast Asia, a mountainous area where diverse ethnic groups have maintained their autonomy by evading state power. Scott examines how these communities have used their knowledge of the terrain and their social organization to resist state-led projects and maintain their independence. The book challenges conventional understandings of state power and highlights the resilience of marginalized communities in the face of oppression. Scott's work offers valuable insights into the dynamics of power, resistance, and state formation.

The Fame of a Dead Man's Deeds

Robert S. Griffin

Sins of the Father

Conor McCabe

Neo-Nazi Terrorism and Countercultural Fascism

The Origins and Afterlife of James Mason’s Siege

Spencer Sunshine

Spencer Sunshine's "Neo-Nazi Terrorism and Countercultural Fascism" meticulously traces the evolution of neo-Nazi ideology in the United States, focusing on James Mason's influential book, "Siege. " The book delves into the historical context of the 1970s, revealing the splintering of the American Nazi Party and the rise of a terrorist wing. Sunshine's research exposes the connections between seemingly disparate figures and groups, highlighting the interconnectedness of neo-Nazi networks. The book also examines the role of countercultural figures in disseminating Mason's ideas, demonstrating how seemingly unrelated subcultures can become breeding grounds for extremism. Ultimately, Sunshine's work serves as a crucial resource for understanding the origins and spread of modern neo-Nazi terrorism.

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file.

The Internationalists Fighting Fascism in Burma
(Maybe Don't) Read Siege
How Trump is Killing Science (And You)
Greenwashing Genocide In Artsakh
Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #2

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Sources/Links:

(Maybe Don't) Read Siege

https://www.routledge.com/Neo-Nazi-Terrorism-and-Countercultural-Fascism-The-Origins-and-Afterlife-of-James-Masons-Siege/Sunshine/p/book/9780367190606

Greenwashing Genocide In Artsakh

Donations:

VOMA
https://www.voma.center/en
VOMA is a non-governmental movement that aims to strengthen the defenses of the Republic of Armenia through preparing Armenians and Diaspora to face the immanent threat of invasion by Azerbaijan and Turkey. A defensive organization only.

Kooyrigs
https://kooyrigs.org
Kooyrigs is a women-led organization and NGO. Focused on supporting Armenia and Artsakh refugees through various humanitarian projects, especially in the areas of education, healthcare, and emergency relief efforts.

Pahapan Development Foundation:
http://www.pahapan.org/en/
Donations go toward supporting and developing Tavush: there are about 10000 children who live under regular shootings by Azeri troops in 23 borderline villages of Tavush region. This organization helps their safety as well as implementing social, cultural and educational programs.

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
https://www.himnadram.org
This fund is one of the main sources of support for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, focusing on community development, health, education, and infrastructure.

Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU)
https://www.agbu.org
AGBU is one of the largest Armenian-American organizations that provides support for educational, cultural, and social welfare initiatives in Armenia and globally.

Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR)
https://www.farusa.org
FAR focuses on providing relief to vulnerable populations in Armenia, supporting programs in health, education, and economic development.

Paros Foundation
http://parosfoundation.org/available-projects/
Donations can contribute to a number of humanitarian missions they have in Armenia. You can choose to support individual projects or donate to the foundation in general.

Armenia Fund
https://www.armeniafund.org
A wide ranging charity for infrastructure projects, educational scholarships, and providing aid to vulnerable populations.

Armenian Wounded Heroes Fund
https://armenianwoundedheroes.com
This fund provides direct support to Armenian soldiers who have been injured in the line of duty, offering medical assistance and helping them reintegrate into society.

Tumo Center for Creative Technologies
https://www.tumo.org
Tumo is an innovative educational program that provides free tech and creative skills to young people in Armenia. Donations help support the growth of this pioneering center and its ability to empower youth with skills in areas such as animation, coding, game development, and design.

Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC)
https://www.avc.am
AVC connects volunteers with opportunities in Armenia to support a variety of causes, from community development to disaster relief. Donations help fund the ongoing programs and volunteer recruitment.

The Children of Armenia Fund (COAF)
https://coaf.org
COAF supports rural communities in Armenia with educational, healthcare, and technological programs.

Armenian Red Cross Society
https://www.redcross.am/en/home.html
The Armenian Red Cross provides critical humanitarian assistance in Armenia, offering emergency relief, health services, and disaster response.

IMAST
https://imast.am/
IMAST helps Armenian non-profits with micro-donations for individual projects from wildlife to health to community building.

Other:
One Armenia
https://www.onearmenia.org
A travel group that features local travel opportunities with local people. Promoting responsible travel.

Hike Armenia
https://hikearmenia.org/

Learn4Artsakh
https://learn4artsakh.org
Instagram: @learn4artsakh
Learn4Artsakh is a leftist platform dedicated to providing educational resources about Artsakh’s history, culture, and people.

Books:
The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide by Peter Balakian

The Caucasian Knot: The History and Geo-politics of Nagorno-Karabagh, by Patrick Donabedian & Claude Mutafian
Available on learn4artsakh.com

My Brother’s Struggle:
A great book by the brother of a complicated Armenian revolutionary who grew up in California.
Available on learn4artsakh.com

AVOID anything by Thomas de Waal

News sites:
https://armenianweekly.com/
https://evnreport.com
https://hetq.am/en

Videos:
White Phosphorus in Artsakh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjwzHkyGYQA&rco=1

Armenia: The Fall of Nagoro-Karabagh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tld7Vz42QSI

Articles:
Cultural destruction by Azerbaijan
https://hyperallergic.com/482353/a-regime-conceals-its-erasure-of-indigenous-armenian-culture/

Azeri War Crimes
https://azeriwarcrimes.org/
An archive of evidence of war crimes, ethnic cleansing and human rights violations committed by Azerbaijan. Not for the faint of heart.

University Network for Human Rights
https://www.humanrightsnetwork.org/we-are-no-one
How Three Years of Atrocities Led to the Ethnic Cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians

Azerbaijan’s Ethnic Hatred Theme Park
https://www.rferl.org/a/azerbaijan-karabakh-theme-park-armenia-ethnic-hatred-aliyev/31217971.html

History of Artsakh
https://www.armenianmuseum.org/artsakh

Armenian Genocide Historical Overview
https://genocideeducation.org/background/brief-history/

Artwashing and Sportswashing by Azerbaijan:
https://hyperallergic.com/615519/artwashing-a-dictatorship/

Executive Disorder: White House Weekly #2

https://apnews.com/article/trump-netanyahu-washington-ceasefire-1c8deec4dd46177e08e07d669d595ed3
https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-lackeys-general-services-administration/ https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-lieutenant-gsa-ai-agency/
http://wired.com/story/elon-musk-government-young-engineers/
https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-associate-bfs-federal-payment-system/ https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-aides-lock-government-workers-out-computer-systems-us-agency-sources-say-2025-01-31/
https://x.com/USAO_DC/status/1886537850390483276
https://bsky.app/profile/josephpolitano.bsky.social/post/3lhfjn7ires2h https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/02/politics/usaid-officials-leave-musk-doge/index.html
https://bsky.app/profile/chadloder.bsky.social/post/3lhc52j6kns2d https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-gsa-terminate-office-leases-f8faac5e2038722f705587c8dd21ab26?user_email=dabc81d5ec766cfb0c88230c077bd88afdc57894c6b8dcdfcf8102146e6c

https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/pr/2024/dojpr-041224-former-border-patrol-agent-sentenced-18-years-prison-drug-smuggling-and-bribery.pdf

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/san-diego-border-agent-nicknamed-goalie-took-bribes-to-let-drugs-into-u-s-prosecutors/3259608/

https://www.ussc.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/research-and-publications/quick-facts/Fentanyl_FY23.pdf

https://www.cbp.gov/border-security/frontline-against-fentanyl

https://x.com/nayibbukele/status/1886606794614587573?mx=2

https://www.state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/el-salvador/