Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

On this edition of Parallax Views, filmmaker Jack Riccobono joins us to discuss his new MGM+ documentary miniseries Amityville: An Origin Story. Given the glut of Amityville movies, books, and documentaries that have come out through the years one could be forgiven for assuming Amityville: An Origin Story would be just another retread of the same old territory. After all, the Amityville name has now inspired such direct-to-video/streaming flicks as Amityville Cop, Amityville Moon, Amityville in Space, and, believe it or not, Amityville Vibrator. In that way many have come to view anything with the Amityville moniker to be a joke. Amityville: An Origin Story, however, manages to defy expectations and offer a fresh, even thought-provoking perspective on the infamous house on 112 Ocean Avenue by exploring how The Amityville Horror, from the brutal DeFeo family murders to the alleged haunting of the Lutz family and all the books and movies that followed, became a pop culture phenomena that's seared into the collective consciousness of America. Jack and I discuss many different facets of the docuseries including: - The culture of the 70s: rise of interest in occultism, mass institutional distrust due to the Vietnam War and Watergate, the popularity of horror movies like The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, and The Omen; how this all created the perfect storm for The Amityville Horror to make an impact on the zeitgeist - The brutal family annihilation murder of the DeFeo Family and its perpetrator Ronald DeFeo, Jr.; family dysfunction and family disintegration in the stories of both the DeFeo and the Lutz families; the lingering questions about possible organized crime/mob ties to the DeFeo Murders; the rare archival interviews of Ronald DeFeo, Jr. contained in Amityville: An Origin Story; discussion of Amityville II: The Possession, the cult horror movie based on the DeFeo murders; Amityville: An Origin Story's interview with Diane Franklin, who played Ronald DeFeo, Jr.'s sister Dawn DeFeo in Amityville II: The Possession; Amityville: An Origin Story's exclusive interview with Tommy Maher, a personal friend of Ronnie DeFeo, Jr. - The alleged haunting of the Lutz Family; paranormal investigator and famed ghost hunter Hans Holzer's thoughts on the Amityville House; Christopher Quaratino, son of Kathy Lutz, and the secrets of his stepfather George Lutz; why the documentary goes beyond asking the old question of whether the Amityville Haunting was "real" or a "hoax"; The Amityville Horror and the birth of the "Based on a True Story" marketing; demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, now famous for being the basis of the hit The Conjuring movie franchise, and their investigation of the Amityville House; Amityville: An Origin Story's interview with Lutz family friend Carol Soviero - The role famed filmmaker John Carpenter, director of the suspenseful horror classic Halloween (1978), plays in Amityville: An Origin Story - The Amityville House as a character in an of itself; Amityville: An Origin Story's exploration of the idea of home, real estate, and the warping of the American dream through the funhouse mirror of the Amityville story; the difficulty of living in the Amityville house today due to tourists and the general cultural baggage the house carries; the movie's tagline "For God's Sake, Get Out!" and the infamous Eddie Murphy about The Amityville Horror - The role of greed and profiteering in the perpetuation of Amityville saga in popular culture - The Amityville Horror and the ancient Indian burial ground trope in horror as it relates to both settler-colonial guilt and bigotry against Native Americans - The Amityville Horror in relation to conversations about the concept of a "post-truth" era; parallels between the 70s and today and the continued cultural resonance that the Amityville saga carries even now - The Amityville saga as a microcosm of the idea that there's "no new stories to be told" - Amityville: An Origin Story as part true crime documentary, part paranormal documentary recounting the Lutz Family's 28 days in the 112 Ocean Avenue house, part investigative journalism, and part cultural history documentary exploring The Amityville Horror's significance to cinema - And much, much more!

On this edition of Parallax Views, Fintan O'Toole, long-time journalist of The Irish Times, joins us to discuss his acclaimed new book We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland. Although the book is not exactly a memoir, it is a sweeping journey through the decades of Ireland's evolution from the late 1950s through to today from the perspective of Fintan himself. As someone who lived through the turbulence of the Troubles, the bombings carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), and the Good Friday Agreement, Fintan is uniquely able to tell the story of Ireland in from the mid-20th century to the present. In addition to all of this, Fintan and I will also delve into the issue of Brexit, the possibility of Irish reunification, and the rise of English nationalism and the Little England mentality. Fintan will also comment on the differences between English nationalism and Irish nationalism, give details on the Northern Ireland conflict ( aka The Troubles) and its complexity (we'll discuss not only the IRA but also North Irish Unionists like Ian Paisley), what it means to be Irish, national identity and Catholic identity in Ireland, the theme of "Unknown Knowns" and "Doubleness" in Fintan's personal history of Ireland, Catholic Church child sex abuse scandals in Ireland, conservatism and social control, Us Vs. Them mentalities, Irish economist and diplomat T.K. Whitaker and the Irish gambit, Irish composer Seán Ó Riada and traditional Irish music, the European Union and national identities, and much, much more!

On this edition of Parallax Views, Peter Bahlwanian, producer of Mariam Avetisyan's documentary The Desire to Live, to discuss the secret ethnic cleansing of Armenians by Azerbaijan. In this conversation we'll discuss a territorial and ethnic dispute that has become known as the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as well as the history of Armenian persecution dating back to the Armenian genocide of 1915 (which has often been called the first genocide of the 20th century). We'll also delve into how Turkey and its President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, plays a key role in the Azeri persecution of Armenians. In this regard we'll discuss Erdoğan's geopolitical aspirations and his consolidation of power in Turkey. Also covered is Turkey's relationship to the United Nations (UN), NATO, the United States, UNESCO, and Russia. Moreover, Peter and I delve into oligarchy, the attempted coup d'état against Erdoğan in 2016. Additionally, Peter and I will also discuss: - The Khojaly massacre of 1992 and claims of Armenian atrocities against Azeris - Parallels between Israeli treatment of Palestinians and the Azeri treatment of Armenians in the Republic of Artsakh - The Nagorno-Karabakh War of 2020 - The Turkish Lobby and the Azeri Lobby's influence in Western politics - Why did it take 100 years to recognize for the U.S. to recognize the Armenian genocide of 1915? - Is the conflict between Azeris and Azerbaijan a conflict between Muslims and Christians? - Pro-Armenian activism by celebrities like Kim Kardashian and the rock band System of a Down - Human rights and U.S. credibility/loss of credibility on a global scale; democracy vs. autocracy - Why has the U.S. often been silent on the issue of the Azeri persecution of Armenians?; assessing President Joe Biden's record on this issue - The Israel Lobby and U.S. silence on Armenian persecution - The role money plays in buying off politicians, media, and institutions from speaking about the persecution of Armenians - Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev and anti-Armenian sentiments in Azerbaijan's culture - The strength and perseverance of Armenians and the people of the Republic of Artsakh; the Armenian diaspora; hope in times of war and despair; the power of the human spirit - Azeri fears that Armenians will seek revenge against them if a reconciliation is attempted; the attempted erasure of Armenian identity - And more!

On this edition of Parallax Views, Dr. Katherine "Kitty" Harvey, who is adjunct assistant professor in the Security Studies Program at Georgetown University and holds a doctorate from King’s College London, joins us to discuss her book A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: The Saudi Struggle for Iraq. Dr. Harvey delves into the complex relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, and how it has affected the region's politics and international relations. She also provides a unique perspective on the topic and discusses how the Saudi struggle for power in the region has been a self-fulfilling prophecy. The episode hopefully offers a thought-provoking analysis of the dynamics between these two countries and should be a must-listen for anyone interested in Middle Eastern politics. Among the topics discussed on during the conversation: - The story of how Kitty became interested in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, and the Iraq War; studying the Arabic language and how that contributed to her journey leading to her examination of Saudi policy on Iraq after the U.S. invasion of said country in 2003 - Saudi Arabia's opposition the George W. Bush administration's invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein - Iraq Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and Saudi fears about Iraqi Shia and Iranian sympathies in Iran - The Constructivist view of International Relations and its application in Kitty's book - The Realist view of International Relations and its application in Kitty's book; The Origins of Alliances author Stephen Walt - Questions of Saudi interference in Iraqi elections after the U.S. invasion - Iraqi Shia identity vs. Iranian Shia identity - Did Saudi Arabia push Iraq closer to Iran after the invasion? - And more!

On this edition of Parallax View, Christopher J. Coyne, Professor of Economics at George Mason University, joins us to discuss his book In Search of Monsters to Destroy: The Folly of American Empire and the Paths to Peace (Independent Institute; 2022). As we approach the 20th anniversary of the Iraq War, Christopher and I discuss the dangers and pitfalls of military adventurism as well as why we should not forget the lessons of the War on Terror when we discuss U.S. foreign policy and international relations today. Among the topics covered in this conversation: - American Empire and the National Security State - The concept of the "Deep State" beyond it's most sensational, conspiratorial usages - Drone warfare as "mechanized terror" or terrorism in the eyes of the countries effected by U.S. drone attacks - The connection between the War on Drugs, the failed Afghanistan War, and U.S. foreign policy - How war abroad created restrictions on liberty at domestically - Antiwar arguments for the Right and the Left - Republicans calling for war on Mexico and right-wing China hawks - Libya and the overthrow of Gaddafi - U.S. foreign policy, immigration, and Latin America; a libertarian argument for why the U.S. shouldn't overthrow socialist countries - And more!

On this edition of Parallax Views, journalist Yumna Patel of Mondoweiss joins us to discuss her new documentary On the Brink: Jenin's Rising Resistance, an examination of the Jenin refugee camp's growing armed resistance movement against the Israeli occupation in Palestinian West Bank. On January 26th, 2023 an Israeli raid on the Jenin refugee camp left nine Palestinians dead. The tensions between within Israel/Palestine has increased, especially in light of the new government of Benjamin Netanyahu and the rise of far-right figures like Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, and whispers of a Third Intifada, a violent Palestinian uprising, or a Second Nakba, a brutal expulsion of Palestinians from their homes and lands, are becoming more common. With events like the Nablus Massacre and the Israeli settler attack in Huwara, the Israel/Palestine situation seems to be at an exceedingly dangerous juncture right now. Yumna joins J.G. and special guest co-host Karl Barx, host of the West Bank Robbery podcast, to delve into these issues and to help us understand why many young many are joining an armed resistance in the West Bank's Jenin refugee camp. Among the topics covered in this conversation: - The uniquely deadly Israeli army raid on the Jorat al-Dhahab neighborhood of the Jenin refugee camp - The Western discourse over Palestinian armed resistance; the context from which armed resistance to an occupation is born; the use of terms like "nuance" and "complexity" when discussing the Israel/Palestine conflict in the U.S. - The disconnect in how we think about armed resistance in Palestine vs. armed resistance in Ukraine; the Western tendency to demand that Palestinians be "perfect victims" that do not engage in violent resistance - Why are Palestinian youths, particularly young men, turning to taking up arms in the Jenin refugee camp and why do they feel that the horizon for a political solution has been slammed shut at this time? - The Jenin Brigade, the Islamic Jihad Movement, the cross-factional model of the Jenin Brigade and the various political factions that have engaged in Palestinian Unity, the militant armed Palestinian resistance group known as the Lion's Den, the emergence of new political formations amongst Palestinians, the failure of the Palestinian Authority and negotiations between Israel and Palestine (especially the Oslo Accords) and Yumna's interviews with armed resistance fighters - The May 2021 uprisings of Palestinians that has been called the Unity Intifada - The argument that armed resistance plays into the hands of far-right wing Israeli politicians like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich's desire to justify further clampdowns against and oppression of Palestinians - Did the Nakba, or the mass expulsion of Palestinians in 1948 that is otherwise known as the Catastrophe or the Cataclysm, ever really end?; Israeli settlers and the displacement of Palestinians from their homes and land - Yumna's background; her parents grew up in apartheid South Africa; the apartheid regime oppressed Yumna's Indian parents; how this ties into her work on Palestine - The Palestinian struggle and changing views on Israel/Palestine in the U.S. and the Western World; Israeli ultranationalism and the Jerusalem Day Marches that saw Israeli far-right wingers march through the Muslim corridor shouting "Death to Arabs"; the normalization of anti-Palestinian violence, hatred, and sentiments and the U.S. and international community's lack of a sufficient response to it - Hope vs. despair when discussing Israel/Palestine; the desperation of the Israeli far-right and the unraveling of Israeli society - Yumna's interview with a paramedic based in Jenin; the paramedic claimed that Israeli forces violently prevented medics from entering the camp to treat the wounded during the Jan 26th raid - And more!

This classic episode is offered as a replay in memory of Yossi Gurvitz, who passed away in February. Yossi was an invaluable resource to the show and his passing is deeply felt here at Parallax Views. On this edition of Parallax Views, the first in what will be a series of programs on the Israel/Palestine conflict in light of recent events. Israeli journalist/blogger Yossi Gurvitz of Mondoweiss joins us on this addition of the program to discuss what has been happening with the conflict since the tensions heated up over the Sheikh Jarrah district of East Jerusalem, the burning of the al Aqsa Mosque, Hamas firing rockets into Israel, and Israel's launching of airstrikes on Gaza in response. Additionally, Yossi and I discuss the legacy of the radical Orthodox Jewish ultranationalist Rabbi Meier Kahane. Kahane formed the Kach Party in Israel and advocated for expulsing Palestinians from Israel as evidenced by one of his catchphrases "Arabs Get Out!". Although Kahane was assassinated in New York City in 1990 and the Kach Party was banned in Israel in 1994, followers of Kahane and Kahanism live on. Specifically Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power Party) leader Itamar Ben-Gvir, a follower of Kahane, won a seat in the Knesset this past March and was involved in the recent tensions related to the Sheikh Jarrah district of East Jerusalem. Yossi argues that the right-wing ultranationalism of Kahanism has gone mainstream in Israel. Also discussed: the recent Human Rights Watch and B'Selem report, the experience of sheltering in a bunker during this latest round of violent conflict, and much, much more.

On this edition of Parallax Views, Dr. Lara Sheehi, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology at George Washington University and co-author with Dr. Stephen Sheehi of Psychoanalysis Under Occupation: Practicing Resistance in Palestine, joins us to discuss the complaint filed against George Washington University about her that she believes was lodged because she is an Arab woman involved in pro-Palestinian activism. Dr. Sheehi makes the case that the Israel affinity group StandWithUs, in collaboration with right-wing media organizations like Fox News and the Washington Free Beacon, have targeted her with spurious accusations of antisemitism due to her being an Arab woman engaged in pro-Palestinian activism. A complaint has been filed against George Washington University concerning Dr. Sheehi that Sheehi and others who supporter her believe has grave implications for academic freedom, free speech, and the silencing of Palestinian voices in society. From Fox News to Reason Magazine, Dr. Sheehi has been attacked. This is her side of the story. In this conversation we delve into: - Dr. Sheehi gives a detailed overview of the complaint and her case as well as the misrepresentations of her class syllabus and a brown-bagger event that was voluntary and held off-site - Antisemitism; Dr. Sheehi's opposition to antisemitism; the weaponization of antisemitism against critics of Israel - How accusations that pro-Palestinians activists are "Ayatollahists", "Iranian spies", "Hamas agents", and "Hezbollah operatives" mirror antisemitic tropes about Jews having "dual loyalties" or "Fifth Columnists" - Islamophobia, the concept of the "Palestine Exception" in discourses about oppression and human rights, and the burden put on Arabs and Arab-Americans to prove that they are not antisemites that is not put on other marginalized groups - The violent threats and cyber-harassment that Dr. Lara Sheehi and her husband has received, including an message that was undeniably lewd and sexist - Psychology, trauma, identity erasure, and the silencing of Palestinian and Arab voices - Why Dr. Sheehi believes that she was targeted by an organized smear campaign - What are the stakes of Dr. Sheehi's case; the potential chilling effect on free speech and academic discourse - The George Washington University trauma center and its denial of services to Palestinian students; the group UK Lawyers for Israel and the removal of children's artwork from a London hospital because it was made by Gazan children - Support for Dr. Sheehi by her colleagues and students; GWU's independent newspaper The GW Hatchet's op-ed by Karina Ochoa Berkley on her case; the cancellation of Emily Wilder, who was fired from the AP due to her being a pro-Palestinian activist in college; cancel culture and the Palestine Exception; Dr. Sheehi discusses her relationship with her students - And more!

  On this edition of Parallax Views, George Washington University's Dr. Marelene Laurelle, author of Is Russia Fascist?: Unraveling Propaganda East and West, joins us to discuss the recent attack that happened in the Bryansk region of Russia on March 2nd, 2023. Vladimir Putin blamed the attack on Ukraine, however a far-right neo-Nazi group known as the Russian Volunteer Corps., composed of anti-Putin right-wing Russian nationalists that have sided with Ukraine, has since taken credit for the incident. Some have speculated that the attack was a Russian false flag. Other argue that is indicative of domestic strife brewing internally within Russia. What is the truth of the matters? And why would a far-right groups be against Putin, who himself is understood as a right-wing authoritarian figure? Dr. Laurelle will answer these questions as well helping us to better understand the nature of the far-right in Russia. In addition to the Bryansk attack, Dr. Laurelle and I will discuss the relationship between the Russian far-right and Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) subcultures, Russian ethno-nationalism vs. Russian imperialism, the philosopher Aleksandr Dugin, the Wagner Group and its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin's rhetoric around and motivations for the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian official state vs. what Dr. Laurelle calls the Russian parallel state, how messaging of Russian state media outlets differs depending on whether the audience is domestic or non-domestic, how the Putin regime manages the different faction of the Russian elite and plays them against each other, Putin's obsession with Ukraine and his rhetoric around De-Nazification, Putin's use of both Soviet nostalgia and Czarist nostalgia in his speeches (and his negative remarks about Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin), the Levada Center poll indicating that there is high support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine (and contextualizing the poll), the evolution of Putin's thought and his obsession with Ukraine, Russia and "The Great Patriotic War" rhetoric around WWII, Russia and the Baltic States, whether or not Russian elites believe their own rhetoric about de-Nazifying Ukraine, Russia and the Global South, Russia and the Muslim world, academic debate around the definition of fascism, civilizational war rhetoric in the U.S./the West and Russia, and much, much more.

On this edition of Parallax Views, independent military historian Philip W. Blood joins us to discuss his riveting micro-history of the violent Nazi occupation of Poland's Białowieźa Forest as detailed in his book Birds of Prey: Hitler's Luftwaffe, Ordinary Soldiers, and the Holocaust in Poland. In this tackling this microhistory Blood not only offers new insights into the nature of Germany security warfare, but also it relates to ideas about the mythology of the "Sacred Hunt" or "Code of the Hunt" in German culture. Moreover, Blood analyzes the Nazi activities in Białowieźa Forest in the context of the Third Reich's genocidal Holocaust to offer a fresh perspective on understand the atrocities of Hitler's German. In addition to all of this, he also reveals the shocking ways in which the German security warfare explored in Birds of Prey was utilized by the United States in the Korean and Vietnam wars. In the course of our conversation Dr. Blood and I discuss: - The way in which the Nazis essentially turned the Polish national park (Białowieźa Forest) into killing fields - Comparing and contrasting Birds of Prey with Barbara Ehrenreich's Blood Rites: Origins and History of the Passions of War; the lack of an honor code in Białowieźa Forest and the killing of Jews, Soviet Partisan, Belarusians, and Poles in the forest - How did ordinary soldier become cold-blood killers initiated into the "Code of the Hunt" - The point at which the military history of WWII meets the Holocaust - Settler-colonialism and the concept of Lebensraum - How depictions of German WWII activities and the Holocaust as depicted in books, films, TV, and culture differ from and pale in comparison to the realities uncovered in Blood's research - Blood's conversations with German WWII veterans; the harrowing nature of the violence and brutality of the German military during WWII - The myths of military history; the phenomena of military rapes and violence against women by both Allied and Axis forces in WWII; the reality of war and the politics of violence underpinning wars - Men as beast; the bestial nature of the violence that took place in the forest; Herman Goering, the Ogre of Rominten; Goering's beliefs about noble beasts - German romanticism, irrationalism, the dehumanization of Jews as animals, and the logic of National Socialist ideology - How the U.S. utilized the way German forces attacked the Soviet partisans in the Korea War and Vietnam War; U.S. protection of SS officials and U.S. studies of German records after WWII for utilization in wars; how the My Lai Massacre and the atrocities of war; figures into Blood's research; the ordinary soldier and the fight to survive - The value of taking a microhistory approach to military history - And more!