David Neiwert - "They are against something, and that something is democracy"

We often say episodes of extremely are special, but this time we really mean it. Oren Segal and Jessica Reaves are joined, live on stage, by Nuseir Yassin and Alex Dwek of Nas Company and Nas Daily for a freewheeling, thoughtful conversation about Israeli-Palestinian identity, the importance of community-building and our universal need for human connection. 

Recorded at the Never Is Now conference in New York, this episode also marks extremely’s first foray into video (video available on YouTube, audio available on your favorite podcasting platform).

In this episode of extremely, Oren Segal and Jessica Reaves have a little something for everyone. We’re talking Houthi terrorists, Men’s Rights Activists and how extremists use cryptocurrency exchanges – the last with COE’s Extremism Funding Investigator, Mark Dwyer.

In the second half of the episode, we’re joined by Shannon Hiller, who helms Princeton University’s Bridging Divides Initiative, for a frank conversation about the potential for political violence as we all tiptoe, with no small amount of trepidation, into a general election year.

Have any questions for us? Email: extremely@adl.org

Links referenced in this episode:

1) Anti-Israel Activists Applaud Houthi Violence

2) Men’s Rights Activists: What You Need to Know

3) Virtual Money, Hateful Reality: The Cryptocurrency Exchanges Enabling Extremist Fundraising in 2023

4) ADL Crowdfunding Report: How Bigots and Extremists Collect and Use Millions in Online Donations

5) ADL and Princeton's Bridging Divides Initiative Release New Report Tracking Over 400 Threats and Harassment Against Local Officials

6) Bridging Divides Initiative Threats and Harassment Dataset

7) Antisemites, Racists and Other Bigots Are Hijacking Public Meetings

In the final episode of 2023, Oren Segal and Jessica Reaves look back at some of the developments in hate and extremism we wish would end along with the year (but almost certainly will not), including extremists harassing city council meetings, a months-long swatting spree targeting synagogues and other religious institutions and finally the massive post-October 7 spike in antisemitic incidents.

We also welcome a couple of special guests -- longtime COE colleagues whose expertise and research are at the heart of everything we do.

Send us your questions, comments and Key Lime Pie recipes: extremely@adl.org

Links referenced in this episode: 

Antisemites, Racists and Other Bigots Are Hijacking Public Meetings

Support for Hamas Terror at Anti-Israel Rallies Across the U.S.

ADL Debunk: Myths and False Narratives About the Israel-Hamas War

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) and the Israel-Hamas war

Year in Review: Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate and Extremism

Active Club Network

Amid Robert Rundo’s Extradition, White Supremacist Active Clubs Network Remains a Threat

In this episode of extremely, Oren Segal and Jessica Reaves consider the (partial) demise of extremist favorite Omegle, hype COE's popular and incredibly useful Hate Symbols Database and have an illuminating discussion with COE mis/disinformation analyst Sara Aniano, who walks us through the promise and very real dangers of Generative AI.

We also revisit and share an important update to our conversation with Abbey Onn and Alana Zeitchik, who are advocating tirelessly on behalf of their family members who were murdered or taken hostage by Hamas terrorists.

Have questions for us? Email: extremely@adl.org

Links referenced in this episode:

1) ADL Hate Symbols Database

2) Omegle: What You Need to Know

3) GAI and the Israel-Hamas War

4) Voice for Hostages

5) Bring Our Family Home

6) Zeitchik's New York Times Op-Ed

In this special episode of extremely, Oren Segal and Jessica Reaves speak with two women who are advocating tirelessly on behalf of their family members who were taken hostage by Hamas terrorists. Abbey Onn and Alana Zeitchik are responding to an unspeakable situation with endless resolve and empathy, and they are determined to keep the hostages in the spotlight.

Have any questions for us? Email: extremely@adl.org

Links referenced in this episode:

1) Voice for Hostages: https://voicesforhostages.org/

2) Bring Our Family Home: https://www.instagram.com/bringourfamilyhome/

3) Zeitchik's New York Times Op-Ed:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/05/opinion/israel-palestinians-hostage-silence.html

Recorded two weeks after the start of the Israel-Hamas war, this month’s episode of extremely finds the ADL Center on Extremism’s (COE) Oren Segal and Jessica Reaves talking about white supremacists celebrating Hamas terror and the dangers of mis- and disinformation at a time when truth feels hard to come by. They also talk to COE’s Antisemitic Incident Specialist Rachel Sass about the spike in antisemitic incidents since the war broke out, and hear from Boston University Professor Jessica Stern about why extremism researchers need to think like terrorists.

Send us your questions, comments and Key Lime Pie recipes: extremely@adl.org

1) ADL Debunk: Myths and False Narratives About the Israel-Hamas War
2) Antisemitic Incidents Map
3) Glossary Entry: Hamas
4) White Supremacist Leaders Applaud Hamas and Violence Against Israelis

In extremely’s triumphant return to the podcast (air)waves, the ADL Center on Extremism’s Oren Segal and Jessica Reaves talk swatting, white supremacist activity and optics. We’re also joined by Research Assistant Mason Peeples, who weighs in on his work in online threat detection. Then, Oren talks to Michael Rothschild about his new book, Jewish Space Lasers: The Rothschilds and 200 Years of Conspiracy Theories. Fun fact: Michael’s last name is a coincidence.

Send us your questions, comments and Key Lime Pie recipes: extremely@adl.org

In this episode of extremely, Oren Segal speaks with Elizabeth Williamson, feature writer for The New York Times and author of “Sandy Hook: An American Tragedy and the Battle for Truth.”

Elizabeth and Oren discuss how disinformation and falsehoods inevitably follow mass shootings, and how conspiracies and lies - aided by super-spreaders like Alex Jones - increasingly lead to harassment of and threats against victims’ families. Elizabeth describes how the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting “was a foundational story of how these false narratives and misinformation have gained traction in society.”

“The arbiters of truth in our county,” Elizabeth says, “are still there but they are increasingly disbelieved, and people are making other choices than to listen to them. And so consequently, your arbiter of truth is the person who echoes your beliefs rather than someone who is legitimately interested in getting to the bottom of the situation and presenting facts.”

You can follow Elizabeth on Twitter @NYTLiz

Stay engaged and follow along for more on Twitter at @OrenSegal @ADL and @PERIL_AU

In this episode of extremely, Oren Segal speaks with Sam Jackson, assistant professor in the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity at the State University of New York at Albany, and author of, “Oath Keepers: Patriotism and the Edge of Violence in a Right-Wing Antigovernment Group.”

When Sam was an undergrad religious studies major at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, he “accidentally” took a class on religion and violence that sparked his interest in antigovernment extremism. Today, Sam emphasizes the distinctions between leaders of anti-government groups like the Oath Keepers and their subordinates.

“Prominent people within the group are much more ideologically on point or ideologically disciplined,” Sam tells Oren. “They are thinking about a narrower set of ideas, and they are talking about them in a more cohesive and coherent way. Whereas rank and file members of the group might have any of a wide range of ideological motivations to join. Or even non-ideological motivations.”

You can follow Sam on Twitter @sjacks26

Stay engaged and follow along for more on Twitter at @OrenSegal @ADL and @PERIL_AU

In this episode of extremely, Oren Segal speaks with David Neiwert, investigative journalist, and author of, “Alt-America: The Rise of the Radical Right in the Age of Trump.” David, who has been reporting on extremism for decades, provides his insight into the evolution of anti-democratic movements in the U.S. and how it culminated with the January 6th insurrection.

In addition to describing how he made extremism reporting a beat, David argues that to truly understand the impact of extremism on communities, media needs to “interview the people who are afraid to even raise their heads in their towns and who feel frightened and intimidated by this wave of thuggery that this tide of right-wing extremism has unleashed in their communities.”

You can follow David on Twitter @DavidNeiwert

Stay engaged and follow along for more on Twitter at @OrenSegal @ADL and @PERIL_AU