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Media Cyphers is a weekly radio show out of Kalamazoo, MI where we discuss local issues, analyze and critique local and national media, cover important organizing in the SW Michigan region, and call out the establishment on its B.S. Listen to us live every Tuesday from 12PM-2PM on 89.1 WIDR or online at widrfm.org.
Episodes
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
Wednesday Feb 15, 2023
We are joined by OutFront Communications Director Grace Gheen to talk about the recent abuse and harassment the local LGBTQ+ resource center has endured after recently being targeted by a conservative blogger. In an all too familiar story, an online troll focused attention on a TikTok made by the organization promoting resources for local LGBTQ+ residents- drawing hundreds of hate-filled messages and comments to OutFront from reactionaries across the globe.
We talk about the important work OutFront does, their organization's general response to being targeted, and the broader picture of rising anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda and bigotry.
SOURCES/ FURTHER READING
Friday Feb 10, 2023
Friday Feb 10, 2023
In our rather packed show we start by talking about a recent piece from NowKalamazoo detailing the activities of a Kalamazoo-based leader in the Michigan GOP Jamie Swafford- who was apparently around D.C. during the January 6th insurrection and was photographed with Proud Boys before their insurrection in Kalamazoo during the summer of 2020.
We talk about the recent goings-on in congress, from the de-seating of Ilhan Omar on the foreign affairs committee, to congress making a point to vote on affirming the old red-baiting standby about "the evils of Socialism."
Norah discusses the upcoming Chicago elections and the politics going on with our windy neighbors to the west, and we examine a piece from LeftVoice detailing gentrification in Detroit.
We spend most of the rest of the show talking about the College Board's revisions to their AP African-American History class, excising many important authors and effectively 'de-radicalizing' the curriculum. We talk about how this relates to the larger story of an education system under fire from reactionaries who seek to take any and all criticism or harsh truths about the U.S. out of schools, and why this plays so critically into their proto-fascist strategies.
We close with some important updates on the ongoing repression of trans people in the U.S.
03:00- 15:00 Local MI GOP Leader in D.C. on J6, Mingles with Proud Boys
15:00- 28:00 Cop City in Atlanta
28:00- 45:00 Congress: Ilhan Omar Unseated, and "There is a Specter Haunting Congress"
45:00- 50:30 Microsoft Layoffs
51:00- 1:02:25 Chicago Elections w/ Norah
1:02:25- 1:09:00 Gentrification in Detroit
1:09:30- 1:32:20 College Board De-radicalizes AP African-American History Course
1:32:30- 1:38:00 The Ongoing Repression of Trans People in the U.S.
SOURCES AND FURTHER READING/ LISTENING
UPDATE: Portage police employee, Michigan Republican Party leader in D.C. on January 6
https://nowkalamazoo.com/2021/01/kalamazoo-sheriffs-deputy-gop-leader-in-d-c-on-january-6
The specter of socialism haunts US Congress
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2023/02/04/pomo-f04.html
Movement Memos
The Death of a Forest Defender at “Stop Cop City”
https://truthout.org/audio/the-death-of-a-forest-defender-at-stop-cop-city/
Massive Looting of Public Resources at Stake in District Detroit Redevelopment Scheme
Ron DeSantis’s Attack on Black Studies Is Textbook Proto-Fascism
https://truthout.org/articles/ron-desantiss-attack-on-black-studies-is-textbook-proto-fascism
Democracy Now!
The Fight Over Black History:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWssUQoph4k
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
Thursday Jan 26, 2023
In this interview we are joined by Kalamazoo community organizer K to talk about their experience during the eviction of the Ampersee houseless encampment in October 2021.
Giving us a first-hand account of the police brutality that occurred that day, including persisting injuries to themselves, we weave it into a larger conversation about what this event says about the community of Kalamazoo. From how the police deal with protestors in different contexts to how our adherence to capitalist philanthropy locks us out from finding more than band-aid solutions for houselessness.
K currently has a GoFundMe to help pay for medical expenses related to the incident. It is linked below if you would like to help.
"Indigenous Mother Seriously Injured By Police"
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-an-indigenous-mother-of-3-with-med-bills
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Back from our brief respite from the capitalist rat race we dive deep and talk about the year that was. From Israel's turn even further rightward, to the struggle for abortion rights, to worker organizing over the year, to startling developments in fascism American style- there's a lot of ground to cover.
We do start briefly with a local news round-up where things in Kalamazoo took an uncharacteristically eventful turn during the holidays. The police chief has stepped down after sexual harassment allegations, Kzoo County Board members are trying to get County Treasurer Thomas Whitener to resign, and a there has been a spat of resignations, firings, and the like from the Kalamazoo Public School Board.
As part of our holiday tradition we are joined in the conversation by a friend of the show- in this episode former co-host Norah drops in to discuss the year in anti-LGBTQ propaganda and the world-class embarrassment and arrest of right-wing manosphere YouTuber Andrew Tate.
03:30- 26:00 Holiday News Breakdown in Kzoo (Police Chief, Kzoo Treasurer, Kzoo School Board)
26:00- 34:00 Israel's Turn Further Right
35:00- 48:00 The Struggle For Abortion Rights in the U.S. and Kzoo
48:00- 1:05:00 Fascists Win Seats in Local Michigan Governments
1:05:00- 1:19:50 Workers Uniting in 2022
1:21:40- 1:43:00 Anti-LGBTQ+ Propaganda in 2022
1:43:00- 1:58:40 America's Funniest Fascist Influencer Fails OR Pizzagate 2022
SOURCES
"KDPS chief loses misconduct review, wins retirement deal"
https://nowkalamazoo.com/2022/12/kdps-chief-loses-misconduct-review-wins-retirement-deal/
"Kalamazoo County scrambles to reconcile financial issues at treasurer's office"
"Former Kalamazoo schools superintendent accused board of creating ‘hostile’ environment, emails show"
"Moderate GOP commissioner to residents amid Ottawa County shake-up: ‘Is this really what we want?’ "
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
Wednesday Dec 07, 2022
We begin our show with brief run-down of the individuals who may be replacing Clyde Robinson as the head attorney for the City of Kalamazoo.
We then spend most of the program on workers' struggles- from a potential repeal of "Right to Work" laws in Michigan that have impeded unions and worker organizing in our state, to a strike vote from nurses at a Kalamazoo hospital, to a long discussion about the (maybe upcoming) rail strike. We read between the lines of what happened in congress, highlight the anti-worker propaganda from both national and local outlets, and present some important historical context about congress' interference in the dispute between the rail workers and their bosses. We read an excerpt from Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" about the historic Pullman rail strike of 1894.
We then pivot to some fascist terrorism that occurred over the weekend- in Moore County in North Carolina unknown individuals shot at a power station knocking out power to 40,000 people in the area for several days. While people in the community scrambled to deal with the disaster, right-wing activists openly gloated on social media about knocking out the power to stop a local drag show. We close out the show with another big picture analysis about the rise of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric from the far-right, reading excerpts from Keegan O' Brien's article at LeftVoice "Understanding the Carnage at Colorado Springs."
04:10- 9:00 Kzoo Picks New City Attorney
10:50- 19:00 "Right to Work" Laws May Be Repealed in Michigan
19:50- 23:00 Borgess Nurses to Take Strike Vote
26:40- 1:03:25 Rail Strike: Congress, Capitalist Media Collusion, and Historical Context
1:04:50- 1:27:20 Fascist Terrorists Disable Power Grid in North Carolina Over Drag Show
SOURCES
"Kalamazoo prepares for public meet-and-greet, interviews with city attorney finalists"
"What's Wrong With the 'Right to Work'?"
https://truthout.org/articles/whats-wrong-with-the-right-to-work/
"Ascension Borgess nurses will soon vote on whether to authorize a strike"
"A People's History of the United States" by Howard Zinn
" 'Intentional Vandalism' Leaves Thousands Without Power in North Carolina"
"Understanding the Carnage at Colorado Springs"
https://www.leftvoice.org/understanding-the-carnage-at-colorado-springs/
Recorded live on 89.1 WIDR on December 6th, 2022
Background music by Quantum Fleek
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
Wednesday Nov 30, 2022
We start our show giving an update about the contested future of Line 5- after a full term with a Governor and Attorney General trying to rid the state of the ecological ticking time bomb, and a state legislature tipped in their favor for the first time in decades, it turns out the fate of the unpopular oil pipeline will likely be decided in the federal courts. We discuss what brought us here, the questions of sovereignty when the peoples of Michigan cannot determine their own fate, and why it is a consequence of courts and judges shaped by a vision of "justice" laid out by capitalists and not working people.
In Jamestown, MI a library mileage was voted down- which will effectively mean the shuttering of the Jamestown library. This was due in large part to a hate-mongering campaign about the library's meager selection of LGBTQ books. We talk about how far-right propaganda is creating these outcomes in our communities, and broaden our discussion to the media response to the recent anti- LGBTQ terrorism in Colorado. While the far-right peddles baseless propaganda unimpeded- and even escalates in the wake of the shooting- many outlets aren't doing enough to point out how and why these disinformation tactics are coming in to play (including certain anti-capitalist news outlets).
We talk a bit about how the media is framing Donald Trump's presidential announcement, with a lot of liberal commentators welcoming it as a good thing for Democrats- for anyone who has been alive for at least the last six years you may remember why this may be a bad idea. We close out by talking about Elon Musk and Twitter- and how monopoly capitalism has put one of our biggest public spaces at the mercy of a billionaire alt-right troll going through a mid-life crisis.
01:50- 5:15 Racism in Football
5:20- 24:25 Line 5 and the Capitalist Capture of the Courts
24:30- 36:50 Jamestown, MI Defunds Library Over LGBTQ Books
36:50- 1:14:15 Media Response to Anti- LGBTQ Terrorism
1:14:20- 1:24:30 Dave Chapelle and Anti- Semitism Discourse
1:24:30- 1:32:50 Neo-Nazis In Public and In Politics
1:33:00- 1:42:00 Pied Piper Redux: Media Elevating Trump and Normalizing DeSantis
1:42:00- 1:49:00 Elon Musk and Corporate Capture of the Public Square
SOURCES
"Why Line 5 will remain open despite Democratic control in Lansing"
"What residents had to say about a library closing after 2 failed millages over LGBTQ books"
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
Thursday Nov 17, 2022
We begin our show with some reflections about recently passed community organizer Larry Provancher- a former county commissioner in the Kalamazoo area who was instrumental in various efforts and social justice struggles over his long career- including Kalamazoo's County ID program.
We spend most of the hour looking at the results of the recent mid-term elections. While a "red tsunami" did not emerge here in Michigan or elsewhere we can project that the ruling class has once again handily won in a landslide. Retrograde neo-fascism was curtailed by many citizen ballot initiatives in some places while emerging triumphant in others (like Florida)- and in some cases the Democratic Party directly bankrolled far-right candidates in a cynical strategic gamble. Looking at local races, the racist and homophobic dog-whistling against "critical race theory" and LGBTQ friendly materials backed by PACs like 'Moms for Liberty' and 'Get Kids Back to School' did not sweep into victory in Michigan's local school boards- but did garner enough success for all of us to be deeply concerned (including in the neighboring community of Portage).
We then spend the rest of the show out at the movies. We talk about "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and how a big blockbuster movie uniquely focuses on some complex themes like grief, colonialism, and war.
01:45- 08:25 Remembering Community Organizer Larry Provancher
10:20- 57:30 Midterm Post-Mortem
57:30- 1:36:00 Wakanda Forever: Deconstructing the New Black Panther
1:36:00- 1:45:00 Police Non-Sense in Florida
"Michigan Republican Party blames election losses on Tudor Dixon, Trump"
"Analysis: Parents rights school board campaigns lost most Michigan races"
"Two newcomers, one incumbent ahead in election for Portage Public Schools board"
Friday Nov 04, 2022
Friday Nov 04, 2022
In our 2022 election special we take a deep dive into candidates running for statewide Michigan offices as well as those right here in the Kalamazoo community.
We briefly look at the Secretary of State race- in particular some of the questionable QAnon flavored rhetoric from Kristina Karamo.
We then spend some time talking about the race for Attorney General, which many predict will be the closest of the statewide races. Against a backdrop where Dana Nessel hasn't delivered on her progressive campaign promises, Matt DePerno has emerged (likely from beneath a bridge, where he asks people riddles before letting them cross). DePerno was at the forefront of pushing Trump's election lies in 2020, has faced criminal allegations, and has a platform that reads like a neo-fascist to-do list. He's also, embarrassingly, a Kalamazoo/ Portage local.
We then talk about the congressional race here in the Kalamazoo area as part of District 4. Bill Huizenga is running on a a campaign of "representing us, not Washington" despite being funded by Wall Street and big real estate concerns (and endorsed by a literal anti-LGBTQ hate group). Joseph Alfonso is running against them with what would seem like strategies pulled from the corporate democrat playbook (despite a notable lack of corporate money), with a platform guaranteed to excite no one. He, like some other corporate democrats in the area, are leaning into conservative talking points about inflation and government spending.
We then talk about the important races here in the Kalamazoo area- including who will be the next appointees in our local circuit courts, the trustees for the Kalamazoo Public Library, and those running to be on the Kalamazoo Public School board.
We close with a re-run of our analysis of the Dixon/ Whitmer Debate.
02:00- 4:00 Quick Thoughts on Secretary of State Race
4:00- 18:00 Attorney General Race
19:45- 30:10 Congressional Race in District 4
30:10- 34:40 Side Notes on the "Reigning in Washington Spending" Talking Point OR the REAL Causes of Inflation
34:40- 39:40 Congressional Race in District 4
41:00- 51:08 Local Down-Ballot Highlights (and Lowlights)
51:08- 1:06:00 Thoughts on Whitmer/ Dixon Debate
SOURCES
What You Need to Know About Inflation
https://jacobin.com/2022/06/what-you-need-to-know-about-inflation/
Matthew DePerno: MAGA favorite under investigation may be next attorney general
Campaign Finance Information
Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
Wednesday Nov 02, 2022
As part of our candidate interview series for 2022 we talk to Karla Murphy who is running for a seat on the Kalamazoo Public School board.
We talk about many important issues including pay equity for the KPS work force, dealing with pandemics and teacher shortages, the reactionary attacks on school curriculum, and more.
https://karla4kps.com/
Wednesday Oct 26, 2022
Wednesday Oct 26, 2022
We start with a short conversation about the documents recovered from Mar-a-Lago and how the media covers stories like it- leaning into spycraft and intrigue while leaving the obvious issues of class conflict and power brokering on the table.
Graphic Packaging strikes again- this time leaking thousands of gallons of unknown contaminants into the Kalamazoo River.
Local pharmaceutical company Pfizer is jacking up the price of their COVID-19 vaccine, strengthening disparities of vaccine access between the rich and the poor and choosing profit over public health.
In South Bend, reactionaries from religious extremist groups and members of the Proud Boys targeted an all-ages drag show over the weekend. We talk about how the community came out to defend the show and successfully repelled the fascists from disrupting it.
In brief, a recent piece on Fox News saw Republicans like Senate Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy praising the policies of recently ousted UK Prime Minister Liz Truss. We look at how the Republicans and Democrats see those types of austerity measures- and the (lack of) coherent political strategy to align against it.
We close out with a peculiar story about rapper Killer Mike. After making some insightful criticisms and suggestions about the gubernatorial race in Georgia, an op-ed writer was quick to call Killer Mike "more dangerous than Kanye West" (in reference to West's recent bigoted statements). We analyze it among a larger pattern of corporate media misinformation that seeks to equate progressives with the rising threat of fascism.
01:00- 13:45 The Trump Files
13:45- 32:00 GPI Strikes Again- Leaks Contaminants Into Kzoo River
32:20- 50:20 Pfizer Jacks Up Price of COVID-19 Vaccine
50:45- 1:03:00 South Bend Residents Defends Drag Show Against Right-Wing Extremists
1:03:10- 1:09:35 The Capitalist Agenda: Can't Truss It
1:10:00- 1:36:00 Lie, Cheat, Steal, Kill, Win: Smearing Progressives in the Corporate Media
SOURCES
‘It’s one thing after another’ as paper mill waste spills into Kalamazoo River
'Daylight Robbery': Pfizer Condemned for Hiking US Covid Vaccine Price by 10,000% Above Cost
Protests erupt outside all-age drag show put on by LGBTQ Center
https://www.abc57.com/news/protests-erupt-outside-all-age-drag-show-put-on-by-lgbtq-center