On the Media Free Speech for Me, but Not for Thee. Plus, Librarians Under Siege.
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Sep 20, 2025 
Lily Mason, a political science professor and co-author of Radical American Partisanship, discusses how political leaders can escalate or de-escalate threats of violence in today's polarized climate. Tech journalist Ryan Broderick dives into the digital radicalization linked to Charlie Kirk's alleged killer, analyzing the impact of memes and algorithmic amplification. Amanda Jones, a school librarian targeted by book-banning activists, shares her harrowing experiences and emphasizes the importance of fighting censorship to protect libraries.
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Leaders Control The 'Boiling Pot' Heat
- Leaders can dial down or amplify supporters' approval of violence via rhetoric.
- Simple disavowals of violence by elites measurably reduce approval among followers.
Memes Complicate Motive Analysis
- Memes and pop-culture references now appear on attack signatures and confuse political attribution.
- Internet irony makes it hard to read ideology from surface symbols alone.
Killers Anticipate And Manipulate Media
- Perpetrators now anticipate media and social reactions and may troll investigators and reporters.
- Journalists and platforms become part of the event ecosystem the attacker exploits.
