Community self-defense and 'we protect us'

As Gaslit Nation has long warned: our institutions are complicit. Nazis infiltrate police departments, protecting an elite pedophile ring–protected by the FBI and DOJ. What can the American people do in a time of elite criminal impunity? Enter antifa. As investigative reporter Christopher Mathias reveals in his new book To Catch a Fascist, the solution is self-reliance and tenacious research skills.

As Mathias explains, antifa does exist, haunting Donald Trump's nightmares, and has been a force of resistance throughout American history. Antifa is part of a long tradition in America, composed of LGBTQ people, neurodivergent people, the working class, and other everyday Americans–operating in a hyper-localized decentralized network.

Mathias details how activists have unmasked neo-Nazis through Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), infiltrating online and offline groups, hacking, posting "meet your local Nazi" fliers in communities, and citizen investigative journalism. One researcher read 60,000 tweets just to find a single biographical detail to out a Nazi hiding in the dark.

As we'll cover in future episodes, antifa's strategies can also apply to outing Jeffrey Epstein's co-conspirators who think they can continue hiding from justice. Just as the NAACP's Walter White investigated lynchings in the 1920s when the police protected their friends in the Klan, citizen researchers can map the flight logs and financial ties of Trump and Epstein's friends. If the FBI and DOJ continue to protect billionaire lawlessness, we must create a social cost for corruption and predatory elites. If the Department of Justice won't unmask the villains, then it's up to us to do it. "We protect us" is the rallying cry of liberation movements, of neighbors helping neighbors against corruption and institutional failure that protects predators in power. As Gaslit Nation has long warned: it's up to us to save us.

Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

• The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult: join on Patreon.

• Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: join on Patreon.

• Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: join on Patreon.

• Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, join on Patreon.

• Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, join on Patreon.

• Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, join on Patreon.

• Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community