Podcast Summary: Conspirituality – Portland Has (Not) Fallen (For It)

Host: Derek Beres
Episode Date: October 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this bonus episode, Derek Beres shares first-hand observations and reflections from Portland’s “No Kings” rally—a response to the narrative that Portland is in civil decline, beset by chaos and extremist infiltration. The episode examines the ground reality versus the disinformation often amplified by conspiritualist and alt-right influencers. Beres discusses symbolic acts at the protest, the mood of the gathering, online discourse surrounding the event, and constructs broader questions about the role of protest movements in both Portland and nationwide.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. On-the-Ground Observations at the No Kings Rally

• Symbolism and Irony:

  • Derek recounts encountering a man holding a “Trump MAGA 45 and 47” flag used as a canvas for muddled iconography—13 stars in a circle (evoking 1776), faded stripes, and a Captain America shield.
  • The juxtaposition is pointed out:

    “If you're going to carry a Captain America shield, you should know that he was an anti-fascist, so that contradicts what's going on in your right hand.” – Derek Beres (01:03)

  • Notes the presence of “adults in inflatable costumes and their children”, most of whom at least grasped the protest’s intended symbolism.

• Characterization of Counter-Protesters:

  • The flag-bearer, accompanied by an older woman (his mother), seemed mostly intent on provoking debates, not violence.
  • Quotes a memorable exchange:

    “He was always saying, ‘you're the fascist. You won't stop and have a conversation with me.’” – Derek Beres (02:27)

  • Derek speculates they were “not paid agitators,” simply individuals “who just wanted to start some… not physically,” contrasting them with more organized agitators who “come around the ICE facility… decked out in all the military gear.”

2. Atmosphere of the Rally

• The spirit of the protest contradicts outsider narratives of chaos:

  • “It was a joyous day. It was a day where everyone was saying hello to each other. And when you're walking and streaming through, you say, excuse me.” (03:00)
  • Music, photographs, speeches—all characterized by civic camaraderie.

• Comment on Civic Pride and Exaggerations:

  • Derek laughs at the hyperbolic claim:

    “One of the speakers said, ‘Portland is the number one music city in the country.’ I had to laugh at that… if she were to say Portland is the number one food city, there's an argument for that.” (03:24)

  • He gently mocks the idea, reinforcing his affection for the city but advocating honesty over boosterism:

    “Tone it down a notch.” (03:47)

3. Online Discourse & Public Response

• Derek flags the difference between online noise and offline reality:
  • Significant “chatter… leading up to the no Kings protest” involved “the concept of it, what it functions as and what place it has in our society.” (04:02)
  • Plans to address two key questions: the relevance and function of such protests beyond Portland, and the (inevitable) invocation of Nazism in online comments:

    “I'm going to handle… much of the chatter that I saw online leading up to the no Kings protest… And then I want to entertain a question on one of the comments that I saw about Nazism, because why not? We're here, right?” (04:09)

4. Purpose of the Episode & Listener Invitation

• Derek introduces the intention of the episode as a reflective, firsthand dispatch pushing back against the “Portland has fallen” narrative.
• Ends with:

  “I'm Derek Barris and you're listening to a Conspirituality bonus episode. Portland has not fallen for it.” (04:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Protest Symbolism:

  “If you're going to carry a Captain America shield, you should know he was an anti-fascist.” – Derek Beres (01:03)

• Counter-Protester Behavior:

  “He was always saying, ‘you're the fascist. You won't stop and have a conversation with me.’” – Derek Beres (02:27)

• Reality vs. Perception:

  “It was a joyous day… people were stopping for photos all over the place.” – Derek Beres (03:00)
  “Tone it down a notch.” – Derek Beres (03:47)

• Setting up Broader Questions:

  “There are two questions I'm going to handle… what place it has in our society… And then… about Nazism, because why not?” – Derek Beres (04:09)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:03] Introduction and scene-setting at the rally
• [01:03] Observation and commentary on protest symbolism
• [02:27] Counter-protester exchanges
• [03:00] Describing the overall mood and inclusivity
• [03:24] Amusing claim about Portland’s music scene
• [04:02] Setting up analysis of online discourse and protest function
• [04:09] Questions about social significance and online extremism

Conclusion

This episode of Conspirituality, through Derek Beres’s direct narrative and wry commentary, offers a grounded perspective on the realities of civic protest in Portland. It exposes the disconnect between national narratives of disorder and the actual, human-scale events on the ground, invites further reflection on the function of public demonstrations, and signals future engagement with the broader cultural and conspiratorial motifs that dominate online spaces.

Listeners are left with a challenge: to move beyond sensationalism and see these events—and the people who attend them—for their complexity and human texture, not as mere pawns or caricatures in an ideological battle.