Unwashed and Unruly

In Part 2 of our deep dive, we unpack how right-wing influencers like Candace Owens and Matt Walsh, and platforms like PragerU, are rewriting history to downplay the horrors of American chattel slavery. We explore the false equivalence between U.S. slavery and ancient systems, examine how Nazi Germany borrowed from Jim Crow laws, and discuss how caste, race, and colonial violence continue to shape our present. From revisionist narratives about African complicity to the demonization of Indigenous peoples, this episode exposes the propaganda campaign to erase the legacy of white supremacy in the U.S.

In Part One of our deep dive into the whitewashing of American slavery, we look at the widespread effort to sanitize the brutal history of Black oppression in the U.S., from Donald Trump's attack on the Smithsonian for being too "woke" to Elon Musk’s casual dismissal of slavery as a universal human experience. We explore how this revisionist narrative is aimed at erasing the central role of slavery and the systemic racial subjugation and segregation that continues to shapes this country. We draw the throughline from chattel slavery to Jim Crow to today’s prison labor system, showing how systems of white supremacy evolve but never disappear. We cover the attacks on birthright citizenship, the role of the Civil War, and how racial oppression not only disadvantages black people but the working class as a whole. “The slave went free; stood a brief moment in the sun; then moved back again toward slavery. The whole weight of America was thrown to color caste.” — W.E.B. Du Bois, Black Reconstruction in America

**Labor Day Special!**Are economic statistics just prosperity propaganda by those in power? The labor market numbers are, indeed, lying to you. Unemployment data has always been presented as rosier than real life. Nearly 1 in 4 workers can be considered functionally unemployed or in poverty-wage jobs. This episode cuts through the “healthy labor market” headlines to expose the real story behind labor and inflation statistics. We break down how unemployment is calculated and explore how government stats ignore inequality, rising debt, and the growing wealth gap, We talk about how capitalism (under both Republicans and Democrats) has intensified hardships for working people, with decades of stagnant wages, rising costs, and increasing debt. We also talk about AI and... the great philosopher Homer Simpson. Tune in for a hard look at what the data isn’t telling you.

International football is a beloved sport, but beneath the surface lies a legacy shaped by empire, exploitation, and racial hierarchy. In this episode, we explore how major European clubs and leagues benefit from a global system where talent is scouted, commodified, and exploited, and where dark-skinned players face racist abuse.We dive into the political economy of soccer: the role of FIFA, the Premier League, and global sports markets in maintaining structural imbalances. We look at the ways in which international football mirrors colonial labor systems or even the auction block, and how politics and profit have always been central to the game. Is football still a beautiful game, or a global empire in disguise? We dedicate this episode to Palestinian footballers. Since October 2023, nearly 440 Palestinian football players and support staff in the West Bank and Gaza have been killed.

What’s fueling the rise of the online manosphere, and how different is today’s incel culture from historic forms of misogyny? In this episode, we break down the ideologies driving men’s rights activists, red pillers, MGTOWs, alpha males, and pickup artists. We explore how shifting gender roles, economic instability, and backlash to movements like #MeToo have shaped this toxic digital subculture. What draws so many young, alienated boys into these spaces? From mental health struggles to feelings of powerlessness, we explore the emotional landscape that makes the manosphere so appealing, and so dangerous.

The P. Diddy sex trial exposed disturbing allegations of abuse, but also revealed how race, celebrity status, and systemic misogyny shield powerful men from consequences. In this episode, we unpack the complexities of the charges: Why did prosecutors struggle to apply sex trafficking laws, and what does that say about how those laws are actually used?We explore how the public discourse around "sex trafficking" often misses the mark, and how US trafficking laws are rooted in racist, anti-immigrant moral panics going back over a century. From Cassie as an “imperfect victim” to Diddy as an “imperfect perpetrator,” we break down the legal and cultural narratives that shape how we understand abuse, power, and justice.

U.S. military aid to Israel funds the occupation of the West Bank, the destruction of Gaza, and the genocide of the Palestinian people. The American government's unconditional support for Israel chills free speech and represses pro-Palestinian activism, making open criticism of Zionism taboo. In our very first episode, we explore the power dynamics in the U.S.-Israel relationship and take a hard look at who decides, who benefits, and who pays the price. We examine the influence of the Zionist lobby, the role of evangelical Christian support for Israel, and historical truths of this “special relationship.” Is this a mutual strategic alliance, or a lopsided patron-client arrangement? Who’s really in charge? Is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling the shots in Washington? Or is U.S. foreign policy based on strategic imperialist interests?