Conspirituality Podcast - Episode 242: Executive Disorder Release Date: January 30, 2025

Introduction and Overview

In Episode 242, titled "Executive Disorder," hosts Derek Barris, Matthew Remski, and Julian Walker delve deep into the tumultuous landscape of recent executive orders issued by former President Donald Trump. The episode navigates the intricate web of politics, conspiracies, and their intersections with public health and spiritual movements. The hosts aim to dissect the implications of these orders, their connection to broader conspiratorial narratives, and the potential long-term effects on American society.

Trump’s Executive Orders: A Shock and Awe Strategy

Julian Walker initiates the discussion by analyzing Trump's approach to executive orders, describing them as a "shock and awe" tactic aimed at asserting power and dismantling existing structures. He outlines the aggressive rollback of climate measures, DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies, and the militarization of the southern border. Walker emphasizes the breadth and depth of these actions, noting:

"Trump's executive orders illustrate a shock and awe. Awe level of preparation and ruthlessness... prioritize naked power over any adherence to facts, ethics or ideology while posturing as the new sheriff in town." (03:55)

Derek Barris counters by highlighting that the administration's initial days have persisted beyond expectations:

"You said day one, but we're recording this on day eight and it's not stopping. Just to be clear, it hasn't slowed down." (03:55)

Matthew Remski adds to the conversation by expressing concern over the deputization of street gangs and the potential resurgence of organized violence:

"When that happens, there's no time or space to even begin clawing your way back into thinking about... you can't fight for trans rights legislation if, for instance, gangs are outside beating up queer people with impunity." (06:42)

Pardoning and Deputizing Fascist Elements

The hosts scrutinize Trump's blanket pardons, focusing on high-profile figures associated with the January 6th Capitol attack. Julian Walker points out the dangerous precedent set by pardoning individuals like Stuart Rhodes and Jacob Chansley, noting:

"Releasing Oath keepers Stuart Rhodes and Kelly Miggs and proud boy leader Enrico Tarrio... legalizes a proven plot to overthrow the government." (04:02)

Matthew Remski discusses the broader implications of this strategy, suggesting that it emboldens extremist factions:

"He deputizes street brawling. And when that happens, there's... no time or space to even begin clawing your way back..." (06:42)

Derek Barris underscores the deterrent effect on marginalized groups and their supporters:

"If I go out and protest and support, I am now going to be open to that sort of violence... It acts as a deterrent for anyone to protest for those groups." (07:56)

Weaponization of Government and Media Platforms

The conversation shifts to the broader weaponization of government institutions and media platforms. Julian Walker discusses Trump's attempts to reframe countering misinformation as a form of censorship, highlighting the implications for free speech:

"This countering actually biased and censorship and it's unconstitutional." (14:41)

Derek Barris elaborates on the intertwined relationships between political figures and tech moguls, mentioning the volatile alliance with Elon Musk:

"The tech platforms are already folded into the new power structure. Although with Elon, you never know. It's all a bit volatile." (14:55)

Notably, Renee Diresta, a guest and disinformation researcher, critiques the conflation of fact-checking with censorship:

"The idea that a fact check is censorship is surreal, actually, because a fact check is adding more information... That is a reflection of distrust, not of any kind of coherent definition of censorship." (15:23)

Impact on Public Health and Scientific Collaboration

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to the administration's actions affecting public health agencies. Derek Barris outlines the repercussions of the U.S. withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO) and halting communications from health agencies:

"Withdrawing will create a substantial financial gap and it will also probably give some leverage to Trump because they supply so much of that budget... And this hampers the WHO's ability to carry out global health initiatives..." (19:57)

Julian Walker emphasizes the global consequences, including reduced pandemic readiness and increased communicable diseases:

"Trump is reminding us that he's inadvertently on the side of the diseases... The consequences are likely to be a reduced worldwide pandemic readiness, a rise in communicable diseases and an increase in health care costs." (22:50)

Experts consulted by the hosts, including Jonathan Jerry and Sabina Vora Miller, highlight the detrimental effects on data sharing, pandemic preparedness, and public trust in health institutions.

Freezing of Federal Grants and Its Ramifications

The hosts tackle the freezing of federal grants, particularly affecting the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Derek Barris explains how halting grant reviews disrupts ongoing research projects and pressures scientists to seek private funding:

"It stops the grant review process... affecting thousands of ongoing research projects... forcing some researchers to seek employment elsewhere." (30:06)

Matthew Remski connects this to broader anti-woke and heterodox movements, suggesting that such policies are part of a larger agenda to undermine scientific progress and public welfare.

Christian Responses to Fascism: Hypocrisy vs. Moral Stand

Exploring the role of religious institutions, the episode contrasts hypocritical and genuine responses to the rise of fascism. Matthew Remski critiques the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops for aligning with Trump’s policies, particularly regarding transgender rights:

"This is peak hypocrisy for this body after basically putting the majority of US Catholics in the bag for Trump over abortion and sexual hangups..." (37:12)

Julian Walker reflects on the courage of figures like Bishop Marian Edgar Buddy, drawing parallels to historical resistance against fascism:

"... it's an example of courage and speaking truth to power... absolutely." (45:48)

However, Derek Barris remains skeptical about the tangible impact of such moral stands on shifting public opinion or policy:

"I don't see the needle moving in any direction because people just aren't taken by things like that." (44:12)

Potential for Resistance and Critical Mass

The hosts ponder the future, considering whether a critical mass of individuals will recognize the authoritarian shift and mobilize resistance. Julian Walker suggests that as policies increasingly affect personal lives, disillusionment may grow:

"There has to be a point at which it starts to create a critical mass where there will be a small group of people who have been MAGA who start to go, this is getting really diabolic." (46:11)

Matthew Remski reflects on the challenges of instigating change through moral persuasion alone, referencing historical anti-fascist strategies that advocate for direct action:

"You don't reason with fascists, you fight them... there's a whole history out there that says some pretty compelling things like, you know, you can't put your trust in rational discussion entirely." (46:50)

Conclusion: Navigating the Fascist Era

As the episode wraps up, the hosts emphasize the complexity and urgency of the current political climate. They acknowledge the multifaceted challenges posed by executive orders, the weaponization of institutions, and the intertwining of conspiratorial narratives with fringe spiritual movements. Derek Barris and Julian Walker express a sense of overwhelming crisis, while Matthew Remski contemplates strategies for resistance and moral alignment.

The episode concludes with a call to action, urging listeners to remain informed, critically evaluate sources of information, and consider their roles in either perpetuating or challenging the emerging authoritarian structures.

Key Takeaways

• Trump's Executive Orders: Utilize a strategy of shock and awe to dismantle existing policies and assert unchallenged power.
• Pardoning Extremists: Legalizes previously treasonous actions, emboldening extremist factions and undermining democratic institutions.
• Weaponization of Institutions: Efforts to reframe misinformation countermeasures as censorship threaten free speech and scientific collaboration.
• Impact on Public Health: Withdrawal from WHO and halting of health communications severely disrupt pandemic preparedness and global health initiatives.
• Freezing Federal Grants: Impedes scientific research, forces reliance on private funding, and stifles innovation in critical areas.
• Religious Institutions: Exhibit a spectrum of responses, from hypocritical alignment with authoritarian policies to genuine moral resistance.
• Potential for Resistance: Historical lessons suggest that direct action may be necessary to counteract fascist moves when moral persuasion falls short.

Notable Quotes

• "Trump's executive orders illustrate a shock and awe..." - Julian Walker (03:55)
• "This countering actually biased and censorship and it's unconstitutional." - Renee Diresta (15:23)
• "We're no longer able to promptly inform the public about foodborne illness outbreaks." - Derek Barris (24:38)
• "We don't reason with fascists, we fight them." - Matthew Remski (46:50)

This episode of Conspirituality offers a comprehensive examination of the current political maneuvers and their far-reaching implications on society, public health, and the integrity of democratic institutions. Through informed analysis and critical discussion, the hosts shed light on the subtle and overt ways authoritarianism can infiltrate and disrupt foundational societal structures.