🎧 Hating In Plain Sight | On the Media | WNYC Studios

Listened to Hating In Plain Sight from On the Media | WNYC Studios

In the aftermath of white supremacist attacks in New Zealand, there's a tension between reporting on the shooter's motivations and not amplifying his message. This week, On the Media examines how the press can navigate that persistent dilemma. Plus, the debate over whether online archives of jihadi terrorist propaganda should be open to the public. 

1. Joan Donovan [@BostonJoan] describes the way the press has evolved in its responses to far-right terrorism, and argues for continued caution in coverage of white supremacists. Listen.

2. Kathleen Belew [@kathleen_belew] describes the White Power roots of the Christchurch attack, and argues that to effectively fight this hate, we must understand the movement in which it grows. Listen.

3. Dan Feidt [@HongPong] of Unicorn Riot [@UR_Ninja] on what alt-right groups are discussing in their secret online chatrooms, and what we learn by reading them. Listen.

4. Charlie Winter [@charliewinter], Rukmini Callimachi [@rcallimachi], Ali Fisher [@WandrenPD], Amarnath Amarasingam [@AmarAmarasingam], Pieter Van Ostaeyen [@p_vanostaeyen], and Seamus Hughes [@SeamusHughes] on the debate over whether online archives of jihadi terrorist propaganda should be open to the public. Listen.

As I was listening to the last two segments I was thinking that there are some interesting bits of user interface and ethics hiding in here for the IndieWeb community to examine. They’re definitely worth a listen and some thought for how we design public versus private and what we archive or don’t. Some in the academic arena may want to consider how we make research facing sites that don’t create more harm than good.

There was a spark of recognition on my part as I was listening to the Unicorn Riot segment, but I couldn’t put my finger on it until I looked at the episode notes just after. The interviewee is Dan Feidt (aka HongPong) a member of the IndieWeb community whose Drupal work relating to webmention I’ve always been a big fan of. His work here is far more interesting and valuable however (and that’s really saying something because I LOVE webmention).

Way to go Dan!

🎧 The Daily: One Family’s Story of Survival and Loss in New Zealand | New York Times

Listened to The Daily: One Family’s Story of Survival and Loss in New Zealand from New York Times

The loved ones of a man killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks say goodbye to a son, father, husband and brother.

🎧 The Daily: The American Women Who Joined ISIS | New York Times

Listened to The Daily: The American Women Who Joined ISIS from New York Times

They traveled to Syria, swore loyalty to the Islamic State and married its fighters. Now, as the extremist group’s “caliphate” crumbles, they’re asking to come home.

What a painful culture shock it must have been for women to go from America to ISIS held territory.

I can only think that given the terrorism that they experienced and their mindsets as depicted here that they ought to be treated more like brainwashed ex-cult members than enemy combatants. Of course this also means that they should certainly be getting the appropriate mental health care after the fact as well.

I have to wonder whether they would have gone if they’d even spent a little bit of time thinking about the long term consequences.

🎧 The Daily: ISIS Has Lost Its Land. What About Its Power? | New York Times

Listened to The Daily: ISIS Has Lost Its Land. What About Its Power? from New York Times

The last time the extremist group was declared defeated, it returned even stronger than before.

This sounds like Trump is preemptively declaring victory when it’s patently not the case and then we’ll end up being right back in the same situation one or more years down the road.

🎧 The Daily: Trump’s Plan to Withdraw Troops From Syria | New York Times

Listened to The Daily: Trump’s Plan to Withdraw Troops From Syria from New York Times

The president’s abrupt order may have raised important questions about the future of American wars, but it stymied others.

👓 Baltimore ‘Fiddler’ Disrupted by ‘Heil Hitler, Heil Trump’ | New York Times

Read Baltimore ‘Fiddler’ Disrupted by ‘Heil Hitler, Heil Trump’ (nytimes.com)
A man was removed from the Hippodrome Theater in Baltimore after he loudly yelled pro-Hitler slogans during intermission.
Given the political climate, ubiquity of mass murders via guns, and the reactions reported, this seems tantamount to yelling “Fire” in a crowded theater. It’s certainly psychological terrorism and bordering on even worse.

🎧 “Caliphate,” Chapter 10: One Year Later | New York Times

Listened to “Caliphate,” Chapter 10: One Year Later by Rukmini Callimachi, Andy Mills from New York Times

What does the future hold for the ISIS returnee who confessed to murder? And what does he believe now?

🎧 “Caliphate,” Chapter 9: Prisoners, Part Two | New York Times

Listened to “Caliphate,” Chapter 9: Prisoners, Part Two by Rukmini Callimachi, Andy Mills from New York Times

After three years in ISIS captivity, a young Yazidi girl returns to her family. Rukmini is there to witness it.

🎧 “Caliphate,” Chapter 9: Prisoners, Part One | New York Times

Listened to “Caliphate,” Chapter 9: Prisoners, Part One by Rukmini Callimachi, Andy Mills from New York Times

Slavery was enmeshed in the theology of ISIS. Rukmini speaks to an ISIS detainee who challenges her to find the girl he enslaved. She does.

🎧 “Caliphate,” Chapter 8: The Briefcase | New York Times

Listened to “Caliphate,” Chapter 8: The Briefcase by Rukmini Callimachi, Andy Mills from New York Times

We found a trove of secret documents after Mosul fell. It led us to the mother of an ISIS official.

I love how this story really humanizes what is going on here compared with the soundbite snippets we hear from the US President at the moment. Things are far more complex and human, than they would seem. And what a fantastic little story this particular episode makes on so many levels. Mothers/sons, wealth/poverty, religion/bureaucracy, journalism/mystery and so much more.

👓 Muslim Woman Ignores Dying Victim of London Terror Attack? | Snopes

Read Muslim Woman Ignores Dying Victim of London Terror Attack? by Dan Evon (Snopes.com)
On 22 March 2017, an attack took place outside the British Parliament in London during which a man drove a vehicle into a crowd of people on the Westminster Bridge. As police responded to the incident, which left four people dead, a photograph showing a woman dressed in a hijab with a cell phone in ...
A potential interesting case study for the “Made to Stick” arena.

👓 White supremacists committed most extremist killings in 2017, ADL says | NBC News

Read White supremacists committed most extremist killings in 2017, ADL says (NBC News)
White supremacists and other far-right groups committed the majority of extremist-related murders in the United States last year, according to a new report by the Anti-Defamation League.

🎧 “Caliphate”, Chapter 5: The Heart | New York Times

Listened to "Caliphate", Chapter 5: The Heart by Rukmini Callimachi, Andy Mills from New York Times

The recruit carried out the killing.

Then he questioned everything.

🎧 Caliphate–Chapter Four: Us vs. Them | New York Times

Listened to Caliphate--Chapter Four: Us vs. Them by Rukmini Callimachi, Andy Mills from nytimes.com

A new recruit proves his worth and gets invited to a secret meeting.

Following Caliphate

Followed Caliphate (New York Times)

A new audio series following Rukmini Callimachi as she reports on the Islamic State and the fall of Mosul. This series includes disturbing language and scenes of graphic violence.

I’ve sampled several episodes via The Daily, so I’m officially subscribing so I can get the rest of the episodes.