A recent indictment reveals the unhealthy relationship between our democracy’s information ecosystem and its civic health.
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** Foreign Influence and the Crisis of Local Journalism
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A recent indictment reveals the unhealthy relationship between our democracy’s information ecosystem and its civic health.
October 17, 2024
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Last month, the Department of Justice filed charges against two employees of the Russian state-controlled outlet RT for conspiracy to violate US money laundering and foreign agent laws.
According to the indictment ([link removed]) , Konstantin Kalashnikov and Elena Afanasyeva used a series of shell companies and fake personas to hide the fact that they were funding ([link removed]) a far-right Tennessee-based production company to the tune of $8.7 million on top of $760,000 in signing bonuses.
The DOJ indictment has exposed a double crisis of democracy, writes Christopher Schaefer.
While the indictments correctly focused attention on the fact that a foreign adversary was seeking to intervene in our political debates and exacerbate division in our country, it also revealed a less noticeable issue: the crisis of American journalism.
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** The Bottom Line
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** 1. Is Germany finally stepping up for Ukraine? ([link removed])
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In August, RDI launched a campaign ([link removed]) calling on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to fulfill Germany’s responsibility to Ukraine. In an op-ed published in the German outlet Die Welt, our Chairman Garry Kasparov argued ([link removed]) that because Germany brought immense suffering upon Europe in the 20th century, Berlin has a special responsibility to prevent another such human tragedy today. Last week, Scholz visited Kyiv and promised to send $1.5 billion in aid to Ukraine despite announcing a plan to reduce support in its 2025 draft budget.
** 2. North Korea has boots on the ground in Ukraine ([link removed])
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First they supplied ammunition to Russia to continue its invasion of Ukraine. Now the North Korean regime has sent over “several thousand” troops to Russia where they are training to fight on the frontlines, according to The Washington Post. Some North Korean troops are already in Russian occupied territories, but they are not engaging Ukrainians yet. Instead, they are observing the Russian military, trying to draw lessons from their authoritarian allies.
** 3. America has an antisemitism problem, and China knows it ([link removed])
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American democracy finds itself at a vulnerable moment as election season approaches. China is exploiting it, flooding our online discourse with conspiracy theories and antisemitic claims directed at political candidates seeking reelection in the House. It’s a significant change from the CCP’s policy of promoting pro-China narratives online. Now, these “spamouflage” campaigns are training their scopes on US political conversations, particularly around controversial issues polarizing American society.
** 4. When conversations fail, “armed resistance” offers an alternative ([link removed])
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Support for violence within open societies is becoming more common. Just look at the most recent pro-Palestinian group at Columbia University to endorse the “armed resistance” of Iran’s terrorist proxies. If citizens fail to engage critically and peacefully on complex and nuanced topics like war and foreign policy, we risk destroying the social contract of civil discourse that is the bedrock of American democracy and a model for liberal democracies globally.
** 5. DEI has failed on its own terms ([link removed])
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Identity politics has failed to present compelling ideas that help unite our multiethnic and plural democracy. A recent report from The New York Times looks at the case of the University of Michigan and what happened when it decided to double down on its DEI programming. The results, as the report noted, were a student body who carried an attitude of “wary disdain” for DEI institutions. Diversity mandates are no substitute for the quality of substantive ideas developed through critical thinking. In other words, ideas matter far more than identity.
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Why Hamas Won’t Surrender
Dictatorships, like Hamas in Gaza, don’t just lose wars when they’re defeated on the battlefield. They lose everything.
By Evan Gottesman — October 10, 2024
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** Coming Soon: Whiskey Tango
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In an age of keyboard warriors, we don’t listen enough to real warriors.
And yet they have valuable insights on leadership, strategy, and defending democracy.
That’s why RDI Productions is proud to introduce a new series: Whiskey Tango.
The series will offer insights from experts such as General Stanley McChrystal and Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at West Point John Spencer. These military heroes will help viewers make sense of modern conflicts in the battle between democracy and dictatorship.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay up to catch every Whiskey Tango episode. ([link removed])
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