Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

On this edition of Parallax Views, Kristin Lunz Trujillo, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of South Carolina, joins the show to discuss her Newsweek op-ed "'White Rural Rage' Cites My Research. It Gets Everything About Rural America Wrong". Like previous guest Prof. Nicholas F. Jacobs, Trujillo has a critique of Paul Waldman and Tom Schaller's new book White Rural Rage: The Threat to American Democracy. Given that the book has been covered in various media outlets as of late, Trujillo's critique seems relevant, especially as many Democrats and Democratic Party strategists may take the book to heart despite the problems with the way it cites research. Trujillo and I get into the problems with both the blanket demonization of rural America as well as the romanticization of it. We'll also delve into the problems with the books depiction of rural American politics, a subject that Trujillo specializes in researching. We'll look at the rural America in relation to Christian nationalism and QAnon conspriacy theories as well as delving into how media creates a certain image of rural America that flattens our understanding of rural Americans and their voting habits. All that and more on this edition of the show!

In the second, short-but-sweet bonus segment of the show The Libertarian Institute's Patrick MacFarlane joins the program to discuss the right-wing culture warriors pushing stories about Haitian cannibal gangs in light of the crisis in Haiti and how these stories may not be true and actually serve as war propaganda. In particular we hone in on the claims around Jimmy "Barbecue" Chérizier as detailed in his article "Culture Warriors Spread Disinfo on 'Haitian Cannibals'".