Things That Go Boom

Barry Friedman, a law professor and founder of the Policing Project at NYU, dives into the controversial battle over a luxury apartment development driven by Axon, a major policing tech company. He discusses the implications of surveillance technology on local democracy, raising concerns about corporate influence in public safety. The conversation also covers ethical limits of policing tech, privacy issues, and the political maneuvers that sidestep community votes, questioning who truly governs our safety in an age of data.

In this engaging discussion, Taylor Barnes, a Field Reporter at Inkstick Media, and Mary Vavrus, a University of Minnesota professor studying military-media relations, uncover the questionable practices behind defense contractor subsidies. They delve into Utah's Northrop Grumman site, where state aid is tied to elusive job promises, and reveal how local media often glosses over critical issues in favor of celebratory narratives. The duo analyzes the evolving tactics used to obscure financial dealings, highlighting the need for vigilance in the face of government transparency challenges.

Across the country — from DC to Los Angeles to Chicago — the military is more visible in daily life than it’s been in years. But behind the boots on the ground lies a much bigger system. One that puts grenade launchers in the hands of police, surveils our every step, and ships weapons overseas. And it's grown bigger and more powerful than ever before. This season on Things That Go Boom, we trace the reach of the military-industrial complex: how decisions in Washington fuel a trillion-dollar industry, how that industry shapes our cities and neighborhoods, and how people on the ground are responding.

In this engaging discussion featuring Chris Mathias, author of "To Catch A Fascist," the conversation dives into the complexities of free speech on campus through the lens of Mahmoud Khalil's activism at Columbia. They explore the legacy of Charlottesville and the rise of far-right extremism, shedding light on how digital media shapes current ideologies. The podcast also critiques the government's use of immigration law to silence dissenting voices and examines the implications for academic freedom and Palestinian advocacy amidst a charged political climate.

If you live in the US, buying a gun can be as easy as going to Walmart. In countries with strict gun laws, such as most of Europe or Australia, you need a little more ingenuity. Although not that much more: since March of 2020, anyone with access to a cheap second-hand 3D printer and experience putting IKEA furniture together can do it. Does that mean the rest of us should start printing bunkers, presto? Or are we worried for nothing? Things That Go Boom travels to the mean streets of New York and the jungles of Myanmar to find out. GUESTS:Lizzie Dearden, British journalist specializing in the modern technology that offers criminals and terrorists new ways to operate; Frank Grosspietsch, Canadian expert and international consultant in all things ghost gun; Manny Maung, Burmese journalist and human rights expert; "Rebel Lion," Burmese rebel fighter resisting the military junta; and Brendan Baker, reading the English translation of Rebel Lion's BurmeseADDITIONAL RESOURCES:Rebel Lion's Facebook profile.Rap Against Junta, the Burmese resistance hip-hop collective making music denouncing the military junta.Lizzie Dearden's latest book, Plotters, about the terrorist plots you've never heard of because the perpetrators were caught in time.

Nearly everyone has played dress up at some point in their lives, whether putting on mom or dad’s clothes as kids, for Halloween, as their favorite Marvel character at ComicCon… or even, maybe, as a Civil War soldier.Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, where historians say Civil War casualties were highest, attracts many reenactors. They carry their muskets, pull on their blue britches, and revel in the past. But today that hobby has taken on new meaning — survivalists on the left and right and even some pundits have suggested a second US Civil War isn’t quite so unlikely as it might seem. So, we thought we’d head out to learn a little bit more about why some folks like to play war… and what they think about the prospect of another.GUESTS: Pete Bedrossian, Civil War reenactor; Mike Peets, Civil War reenactor; Levi Rifenburgh, Civil War reenactor, high school student; Mary Babcock, Bannerman Island; Rebecca DuBois, Bannerman Island, archivist; Peggy Bedrossian, Former reenactor, Pete's wife; Kyle Windahl, Regalia maker, historian; Jocelyn Windahl, Occasional Reenactor, High school STEM teacher, Kyle's wife; Matt Atkinson, Civil War reenactor; Sherry/Cheri Stultz, Gettysburg Family Restaurant; Mark Russell, Civil War reenactorADDITIONAL RESOURCES:Civil War Re-Enactors Have Their Own POG-Level Slang, Blake Stilwell, We Are The MightyHow Gettysburg Became a Refuge for Conservatives Battered by Trump-Era Strife, Virginia Heffernan, Politico

Mike German, a Fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice and former FBI undercover agent, shares gripping insights from his time infiltrating neo-Nazi groups. He discusses how the FBI manipulated post-9/11 fears to sidestep critical regulations and highlights troubling inefficiencies in domestic terrorism case management. German critiques the FBI's inconsistent approach to threats, from white supremacy to animal rights activism, and reflects on the moral complexities of undercover work amid a politicized justice system.

True to his promise, on the first day of Donald Trump’s second term as president, he pardoned more than 1,500 people charged in connection with the attack at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 — an event many observers accuse him of instigating. He also commuted the sentences of the six organizers of the riot, those convicted of the most serious crimes. What does these paramilitaries’ return to public life mean for the rest of us? And how did our broken pardon system get us here?  —GIVEAWAY NEWS! Drawn and Quarterly has agreed to collab with us and give one US-, UK-, or Canada-based member of our Boom Squad a free copy of “Are you willing to die for the cause.”  To enter: Subscribe to Inkstick on Substack (https://inkstick.substack.com/). You'll get a welcome email from us saying you're on the list. Reply to our welcome email with the word "BOOK” so we know to enter you in the draw.If you’re already a subscriber you can still join by replying to any of Inkstick’s Substack emails with the word BOOK. You can also follow us on Instagram @inkstickmedia and @goboompod for two extra entries. We’ll draw names at random and let the winner know by the time our next episode hits. Offer is only valid for people with UK, US and Canadian mailing addresses. GUESTS: Former Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, founder, Dunn’s Democracy Defenders; Walter Olson, Cato Institute; Graham Dodds, Concordia University ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: How Do Donald Trump’s Pardons Compare With Other Us Presidents? Hanna Duggal and Marium Ali, Al Jazeera  Donald Trump Is Firing Out Presidential Pardons and Warnings of Retribution. What Happens Next? Adam Quinn, The Conversation

In this discussion, Dr. Amy Cooter, a leading expert on the U.S. militia movement, sheds light on the complex identities of militia members. She challenges prevalent myths, highlighting the varied beliefs among militias—from constitutionalists to conspiratorial factions. Amy also delves into the implications of political polarization and the impact of events like the Waco siege. By exploring the motivations behind militia involvement and the risks of accelerationism, she emphasizes the urgent need for nuanced understanding and proactive engagement with these groups.

In 1970, Canada’s streets were full of troops and the country was on edge. Quebec cabinet minister Pierre Laporte had been captured by a militant French separatist group, the FLQ, and the Canadian government worried thousands of FLQ sympathizers could be ready to unleash chaos in Quebec. As it turned out, the group that caused so much fear throughout the 1960s was never more than a few dozen individuals. This season on Things That Go Boom, we’re starting in Canada, because four years after Jan. 6, the US is as divided as ever. And we wondered if it might be headed for an October Crisis of its own.It doesn’t take a lot of people to create a lot of fear. But what does it mean for a place to devolve into the grip of that fear, and how do we escape it?GUESTSJean Foster, retired schoolteacher; Elizabeth Morgan, philanthropist and organic farmer; Chris Oliveros, graphic novelist, “Are You Willing To Die For The Cause”; Alexandre Turgeon, historian, Laval University; Peter Graefe, political scientist, McGill UniversityRESOURCESYou can buy “Are You Willing to Die for the Cause?” by Chris Oliveros here: https://drawnandquarterly.com/books/are-you-willing-to-die-for-the-cause/