Emergency Episode: The Murder of Renée Good and the Rise of the American Death Squad

Episode Summary:

In this urgent episode of Explaining History, Nick addresses the breaking news from Minnesota: the execution of 37-year-old Renée Good by ICE agents.

This is not just a news story; it is a historical inflection point. We explore the parallels between the unchecked violence of ICE and the early days of the Nazi SA (Brownshirts) in 1933. When a paramilitary force operates with impunity and state backing, the rule of law collapses.

Nick argues that we cannot separate the history of the 20th century from the crisis of the present. From the "flexible labor markets" of neoliberalism to the racial violence of the Jim Crow era, the forces that led to this moment have deep roots. Why are political figures like Kristi Noem rushing to defend the indefensible? And is the US now sliding into the kind of state-sanctioned terror usually associated with 1970s Latin American dictatorships?

Key Topics:

• The Execution of Renée Good: Analyzing the chilling reports of an extrajudicial killing.
• Historical Parallels: Comparing the impunity of ICE to the Nazi Brownshirts.
• The Politics of Cruelty: Why figures like Stephen Miller revel in suffering.
• The End of the Liberal Order: How the "beacon of freedom" became a carceral state.

Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.

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