Are We in a New Era of Political Violence?: Podcast

Are we all just living through Elon Musk's dystopian simulation?

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Are We in a New Era of Political Violence?: Podcast

 

SOCIAL MEDIA/REUTERS/Newscom

One week ago, the editor-roundtable version of the Reason Podcast included some robust discussion about whether we are indeed living through an ominous time of heightening political violence. Since then, we've had the killing of two black people in Kentucky by a white man alleged to have tried first targeting a black church, then the arrest of a #MAGA-memer in the sending of (unexploded) pipe-bombs to a dozen or so leading Democrats, and then this weekend's anti-Semitic murder rampage in a Pittsburgh synagogue by an alleged anti-immigrant social-media nut.

So Reason editors Katherine Mangu-Ward, Peter Suderman, Nick Gillespie, and Matt Welch pick up the conversation where it left off, trying to see whether we've turned a dark new corner, what can be said about President Donald Trump's predictably awful response, how Gab's role fits into our pre-existing anxieties about social media and the culture of free speech, and—obviously—whether we'd be better off being self-aware about living through Elon Musk's drug-induced simulation.

Subscribe, rate, and review our podcast at iTunes. Listen at SoundCloud below:

Audio production by Ian Keyser.

Relevant links from the show:

"11 Dead in Mass Shooting at Pittsburgh Synagogue," by Eric Boehm

"Has There Been a Surge of Anti-Semitism Under and Because of Trump?" by David E. Bernstein

"Gab Dumped by Tech Companies Over Synagogue Shooter Posts but Twitter, Facebook, and Other Social-Media Giants Get a Pass," by Elizabeth Noland Brown

"Trump's Rhetoric Is Divisive, Contemptible, Un-Presidential. It's Also Not Responsible for the Synagogue Shooting," by Nick Gillespie

"Suspect Arrested in Attempted Mail Bombings," by Joe Setyon

"Mail Bomber Cesar Sayoc Threatened Me on Facebook," by Ilya Somin

"Trump's Anti-Press Rhetoric Is Irresponsible, Even If the Bomber Is Just a Crazy Person," by Robby Soave

"Migrant Caravan Hysteria Returns," by Joe Setyon

"Republicans Whip Up Pre-Midterm Fears With Lies About Invading Migrant Caravan," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"Why the Obsession with the Migrant Caravan, Mr. President?" by Nick Gillespie

"Do Partisans Hate Each Other More Than Ever?" by Morris Fiorina

"No, We're Not on the Brink of Civil War. But the Reasons Why We're Not Are Far From Entirely Reassuring." by Ilya Somin

"When Social Media Platforms Block Conservatives," by John Stossel

"Facebook Slams Independent Voices With Latest Political Purge," by J.D. Tuccille

"Live Debate in LA on 11/1: Ken White of Popehat, Thaddeus Russell of Renegade U," by Nick Gillespie

Don't miss a single Reason Podcast! (Archive here.)

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What are we consuming this week?

Matt Welch

• New Mexico Senate Debate 2018

Katherine Mangu-Ward

• "Song Exploder" Podcast

Nick Gillespie

• Baseball World Series 2018

Peter Suderman

• Red Dead Redemption 2
• The Haunting of Hill House

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

We could always try making national politics a low-stakes endeavor.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

*everyone at board room table looks around in silence, then starts laughing uproariously*

[Gilbert Martin]

Even better make ALL politics (federal, state and local) a low-stakes endeavor.

[Entelechy]

Like a faculty meeting ?

The West Wing seems to be closing in on Peak Surrealism

https://tinyurl.com/y8nr6jpf

[damikesc]

His predictably awful response?

By vowing to stop people who want to kill Jews?

[Gilbert Martin]

Wasn't the Civil War an era of political violence?

It's pretty hard to top that.

And then there was all that union vs companies violence in the early 20th century - like the battle of Blair Mountain.

That counts as political violence too.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Neither of those count because Unions were involved.

[mad.casual]

Seems like something rather overtly political happened in 2001 that we weren't ever supposed to forget but I can't quite put my finger on what it was.

I sometimes wonder how many people use the phrase 'drink the kool aid' completely unaware of who Jim Jones was.

[Eddy]

(Comic Book Guy voice) And without any awareness that the poisoned drink in question was actually called *Flavor* Aid, thank you very much.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

New York Times Publishes Fantasy Story Depicting Trump's Assassination
The Russian waited until they were a few steps past before he drew the gun. He sighted on the center of the president's back, and squeezed the trigger.

The Makarov misfired.

The Secret Service agent at the president's shoulder heard the click, spun into a crouch. He registered the scene instantly, drawing his own weapon with razor-edge reflexes.

The Russian tasted failure. He closed his eyes and waited to pay the cost.

It did not come.

He opened his eyes. The Secret Service agent stood before him, presenting his Glock, butt first.

"Here," the agent said politely. "Use mine. ?"

[BestUsedCarSales]

Damn, that's fanfiction level writing.

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

Needs more strap-ons, McCain zombies, and Hillary reptilians shedding their human skin.

[lights SugarFree signal]

[sighs]

[Inigo Montoya]

What happened to SugarFree? Don't think I've seen anything from him in months.

And Agile Cyborg has been missing even longer. What happened?

[Rich]

SF is over at Glibertarians. Agile probably toppled into another dimension.

[Eddy]

Hopefully a dimension with some kind of treatment center.

[damikesc]

What is it with progs and assassination fiction? They had movies and books under Bush. Now this with Trump.

[Peter Duncan]

"Are we in a new era of political violence?"

Of course we are!!

If we can't sell arms to the Saudis, how else are we going to save the military-industrial complex from extinction??

[Peter Duncan]

Of course we're in a new era of political violence.

How else are we to maintain a thriving military-industrial complex and protect it from extinction??

Geez.

[Peter Duncan]

Fuckin' skwerlz!!

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

You gotta vigorously spam the submit button so your comment shows up.

[NoVaNick]

I dunno-it seems like we are, but from what I have heard, the early 1970s were much worse. Back then, the leftists really did believe in revolution.

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

This was all so much cooler with bell bottoms and mutton chops.

[Uncle Adolf's Gas and Grill]

Yeah, there was more street violence in the 70s. But who knows? Things are just warming up.

It looks like the left really will be getting their revolution. They just didn't plan on being on the business end of it.

[Bronze Khopesh]

This article makes me so angry I'm going to punch a gay cake right in the migrants!

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

Nice euphemism.

[Inigo Montoya]

It sounds like "punching the clown," but with more detail. I don't know...I prefer waxing the Buick.

[Rich]

Saw a bumper-sticker: "I'd Rather Be Spanking The Monkey".

[Old Mexican - Mostly Harmless]

Since then, we've had the killing of two black people in Kentucky by a white man alleged to have tried first targeting a black church, then the arrest of a #MAGA-memer in the sending of (unexploded) pipe-bombs to a dozen or so leading Democrats, and then this weekend's anti-Semitic murder rampage in a Pittsburgh synagogue by an alleged anti-immigrant social-media nut.

"The Nativists are restless, Major Dumplemore!"
"Are they indeed? Sound the alarm! Man the parapets! Cancel the three-ring circus!"

[BigT]

Welch dropped his mask entirely and went all TDS on this podcast. Drop him and Suderman to make these listenable again, please, KMW.

[Bubba Jones]

Why doesn't anyone publish a picture of the back of the van? He is obsessed with soccer.

[BigT]

Welch dropped his mask entirely and went all TDS on this podcast. Drop him and Suderman to make these listenable again, please, KMW.

[MasterThief]

Someone actually listens to these?

[Noti]

Yes and https://nextgenapks.com/cartoon-hd-apk/ it works too

[vek]

Duh! How would one expect things to be in the lead up to the 2nd American civil war?

I'd put odds at at least 50/50 shits gonna get real in the next decade or so. It may end badly, or it may end up saving the Republic... Only time will tell. I still think peaceful secession is the best way to go though.

[Spiritus Mundi]

Well, Democrats aren't engaging is wide spread, coordinated attacks like the bombing of the Pentagon during Vietnam. They are lynching blacks like they did around the turn of the last century. Or engaging in violent strikes like they did at the end of the 1800s. They have yet to organize into violent gangs to protect political machines like Tammany Hall and in Chicago. And they aren't marching people to death like they did on the trail of tears. But if they fail to win the house, they might go back to their roots.

[fayesawyer]

The time we live in is never ominous until we educate ourselves, I recommend you to check out https://edubirdie.com/buy-speeches-online if you aim to become a great speaker and need help with that.

[creativebioarray22]

Non-fluorescent calcein AM is hydrolyzed by intracellular esterases into the green fluorescent dye calcein, which can be used to quantify the number of viable cells.
Calcein Cell Viability Assay

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[General Media]

It was mind-blowing podcast as we concern about today's scenario. A lot of people think about current situation but don't take it seriously but we must ponder over it. Political violence are very common now a days we must act towards it seriously otherwise our culture is on stake and generations could be ruin of it. - greyhealthypeople.com Thanks

[rajinder]

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