Part Of The Problem – “Conspiracy Theories” (September 10, 2025)

Host: Dave Smith
Co-host: Robbie “the Fire” Bernstein

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dave Smith and co-host Rob Bernstein tackle the current Israeli airstrike in Qatar, broader patterns in U.S. foreign policy, and debate media and pundit narratives about “conspiracy theories.” Throughout, they critique mainstream framing, dissect the Ben Shapiro–Coleman Hughes conversation on the “woke right,” and wrap by analyzing media responses to a notorious crime and its coverage.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Israel’s Airstrike in Qatar and U.S. Foreign Policy

[03:00 - 13:16]

Main Points

• Breaking News: Israel struck a target in Doha, Qatar, allegedly aiming at Hamas leadership. Early reports suggest the intended targets were missed (03:50).
• International Implications: Dave highlights this as “one more clear example” of Israel’s extraterritorial military actions, now hitting seven different neighbors in two years, often with direct U.S. military and financial backing (06:58).
• Ceasefire Timing: Dave notes that Israeli escalations often coincide with nascent peace or ceasefire talks, potentially with the intent to sabotage negotiation momentum (05:50).
• U.S. Perspective: Both hosts emphasize that the vast majority of Americans and much of the political class want to avoid another Middle East war—yet the U.S. remains bound to Israel’s actions.

Notable Quotes

• Dave:

  “Normal countries do not do this...it’s actually pretty rare that you’ll find a country that’s just attacked seven of its neighbors in the last two years.” (07:47)

• Rob:

  “If this is leadership [being targeted], why now? Why not two years ago? Why wasn’t that the first action you took in this war?” (09:08)

Timestamps

• [03:40] – Israel’s strike in Doha, Qatar
• [07:47] – U.S. complicity and Israel’s regional aggressions
• [09:00-10:21] – Logic (or lack thereof) behind targeting Hamas “leadership” now

2. The “Woke Right” Debate: Ben Shapiro & Coleman Hughes

[13:35 - 42:44]

Main Points

• Framing Skepticism: Dave critiques how mainstream media (via Ben Shapiro and Coleman Hughes) conflate criticism of the “military-industrial complex” with anti-Semitism, shoehorning non-interventionists and conspiracy skeptics into a single pejorative category.
• “Conspiracy Theorizing” as a Smear: Shapiro and Hughes dismiss those with grievances against elite power structures as irrational conspiracists, but Dave highlights the long track record of real bipartisan conspiracies—especially state lies and institutional manipulation (21:52).
• The Misapplication of “Woke Right”: Dave and Rob stress that painting all critics—whether they blame “the Jews” or “the military-industrial complex”—with the same brush is dishonest and intellectually lazy.
• On Grievances in Politics: Dave argues that all political ideologies are “grievance-based politics,” not just the targets of Shapiro/Hughes’s critique.

Notable Quotes

• Dave:

  “The only thing that matters is whether you’re being sloppy or whether you have a really good argument...Are there not giant weapons companies that make billions of dollars off of war? Do they not fund think tanks who put together...policies that advocate for more wars?” (18:15)
  “Politics. Name me, Rob, one political group where grievance isn’t at the center of it.” (20:32)

• Rob:

  “How is that in the category of woke? When did wokeness become being anti-Jew? I mean, I’m just saying...” (16:19)

Memorable Moments

• Dave roasting the “woke right” framing by lumping in Eisenhower’s anti-militarism with 21st-century radical leftists. (18:30)
• Rob’s satirical suggestion that worrying about the military-industrial complex now qualifies as “woke.” (16:39)

Timestamps

• [13:35] – Introduction to Shapiro & Hughes debate
• [18:15 – 21:02] – Dissection of “conspiracy theorist” as slur
• [31:36] – Debunking the “shadowy forces” argument
• [36:21 – 42:44] – On loving America while criticizing the state

3. Conspiracy Theories, Manipulation, and Political Power

[21:52 - 42:44]

Main Points

• What Is a Conspiracy Theory? Dave insists the term is so widely and lazily used it means little—what matters is evidence and logic, not stigmatization.
• Elites and Propaganda: Both hosts point out history shows, without exception, that all societies have elites who manipulate public opinion—making skepticism not only reasonable, but essential.
• Hypocrisy in Conservative Rhetoric: Dave notes that even Ben Shapiro, who rails against “identity politics,” is a proud Zionist and weaponizes grievance himself when it suits his agenda.

Notable Quotes

• Dave:

  “It’s simply how things work...The way societies run is that there are elites and those elites use propaganda to manipulate the opinions of their citizenry. You think that’s a weird view or something?” (34:30)

• Rob:

  “If the idea that it’s pagan to believe there are evil forces in our world...Well, then should America not have fought Hitler?” (25:54)

Timestamps

• [21:52] – “People who put together airtight theories vs. sloppy theories”
• [31:36] – Self-reflection failure among establishment pundits

4. Crime, Race, Media Narratives: The Subway Murder & Coverage

[47:12 - 65:16]

Main Points

• Case Overview: Hosts discuss the reaction to a New York subway murder in which a black man killed a white woman. They play and respond to CNN’s coverage, specifically Van Jones’s condemnation of Charlie Kirk and conservative reactions.
• Selective Outrage: Dave and Rob critique the media for dismissing the possibility that the attack was racially motivated while having no qualms ascribing racial motives to incidents like George Floyd.
• Justice System Failures: Both hosts highlight the suspect’s long arrest record and the failure of city and state authorities to prevent repeat violent offenders from returning to the streets.
• Double Standards: The duo accuses mainstream media and figures like Van Jones of downplaying high-profile black-on-white crime and weaponizing white-on-black crime to push for sweeping changes.
• Structural Issues: They note insufficient mental health and criminal justice infrastructure and its real-world effects on the working class.

Notable Quotes

• Dave:

  “You can’t turn around and then go, ‘That’s a ridiculous standard to say because they were different.’ Like, okay, this has been your model forever.” (51:55)
  "Events like these create, you know, it’s terrorism in the sense that it terrorizes innocent people...Other people who don’t have that option are the ones who get stuck in these situations and terrorized by it." (61:10)

• Rob:

  “If the hardship in your life is leading you towards being violent towards other people, there should be no sympathy for it. You’ve still engaged in violence, and you’re a risk to the rest of society.” (56:41)
  “The idea of, ‘Well, this person had mental illness, so there should be any sort of compassion’...No, that’s not how you fix crime 100%.” (56:41)

Memorable Moments

• Dave meticulously deconstructs the faulty logic of CNN’s coverage, highlighting the “lack of self-awareness” and dismissing the “hurt people hurt people” rationale for violent crime when the perpetrator is black and victim is white. (51:55–65:07)

Timestamps

• [47:12] – Subway crime case introduction
• [51:55–57:34] – Response to Van Jones and the “mental illness” excuse
• [60:37] – Statistics on crime and racial breakdowns

Notable Quotes Collection

| Quote | Speaker | Timestamp | |---|---|---| | “Normal countries do not do this...it’s actually pretty rare that you’ll find a country that’s just attacked seven of its neighbors in the last two years.” | Dave | 07:47 | | “If this is leadership [being targeted], why now? Why not two years ago? Why wasn’t that the first action you took in this war?” | Rob | 09:08 | | “Politics. Name me, Rob, one political group where grievance isn’t at the center of it.” | Dave | 20:32 | | “If the hardship in your life is leading you towards being violent towards other people, there should be no sympathy for it.” | Rob | 56:41 |

Episode Flow Highlights

• 03:40 – Israel’s strike in Qatar, lack of strategy in U.S.-Israel relations
• 13:35–21:02 – Ben Shapiro and Coleman Hughes on the “woke right,” weaponizing “conspiracy theories”
• 31:36–36:31 – Grievance politics and the reality of elite manipulation
• 47:12–65:16 – Media framing of race, violent crime, and American justice policies

Summary for New Listeners

This episode offers a sharp, witty, and—at times—incisive exploration of media narratives, U.S. foreign policy, and double standards in both state and mainstream behavior. Dave Smith and Rob Bernstein deliver biting, often darkly humorous criticism of establishment talking points from both the left and right, advocating for skeptical, logic-driven analysis over ideological tribalism. If you want to understand why skepticism toward government and media remains central to the libertarian worldview—and what the flaws are in culture war discourse—this episode is essential listening.