I am pleased to bring you this interview with Asha Rangappa, who is a Senior Lecturer at the Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs and a former Associate Dean at Yale Law School. Asha served as a Special Agent in the New York Division of the FBI, specializing in counterintelligence investigations. Her work involved assessing threats to national security, conducting classified investigations on suspected foreign agents, and performing undercover work. Asha has published op-eds in
Thanks for another excellent interview. Lawlessness seems to become more widespread and accepted in America under the banner of individual freedom. Even more disturbing is that it is actually led or at least supported by a large group of lawmakers and politicians...... does not bode well for the future. Individual freedom is not just a right...it also comes with responsibilities.
Great interview in general, but as someone who was involved in protesting psychologists' involvement in torture, eg waterboarding, during the Bush years, I find troubling Rangappa's repeated use of the phrase "enhanced interrogation techniques", when referring to deliberate soul destroying torture. An Orwellian term used by the administration to whitewash horrific actions. Her using that phrase, without quotation marks, shows how much our language and collective psyche is tarnished by the lies and cruelty of Republican administrations. Even Biden does that, when he talked about America First in reference to vaccine production.
Excellent interview! Trump seems to have normalized our ascent into authoritarianism. His division of society into warring camps, bent on destroying each other is right out of the Social Darwinist's playbook. Social Darwinism is the foundation of fascsim of course. Trump has created a separate truth that runs parallel to the real truth, with millions believing his truth. Unfortunately, his truth is based on his sociopathic mind, so millions are believing that the ravings of a sociopath are reality. When people become unmoored from reality, they accept authoritarianism. We are on a very dangerous path.
The excesses and contradictions of illiberalism and autocracy in this country are sparking an equal and opposite reaction of resistance. We are many and they are fewer but they have the SCOTUS, extreme voter suppression laws in 19 states with moderate Republicans being replaced and purged with far right Trump loyalists, and a vast right wing conspiracy of media and propagandists dividing the country. Winter is coming...
I appreciate Ms. Rangappa's candid remarks concerning the excesses in our national response to 9/11. When those planes crashed into the towers, many many citizens knew with sad certainty that the US government would over-react militarily. Many citizens knew our lives were about to change for the worse, and they knew that over-response by our leaders, especially the Bush/Cheney administration filled with neo-conservative absolutism and militarism, was a given.
And when Bush/Cheney decided to wage war with Iraq in 2003, millions of citizens protested, taking to the streets, writing letters to the editor, writing their representatives. But they were unable to stop the march toward war and the obscene waste of blood and treasure.
There is a profound disconnect between what many citizens hope for their country and how well they are able to translate those hopes into effective policy and legislation.
Our political situation in this country is dire. And growing worse. Too many of our leaders have played too fast and too loose with our democratic processes. Trust in government is very low. But that is not by accident. Foolish leaders adopted the rhetoric of government-as-problem and now they are reaping the wind.
I think the comments about seriously looking at the past, what we did as a country after 9/11 is spot on in terms of marking the pivot towards what we're seeing now. Not only were the political decisions ghastly (torture) but there was little to no accountability. As Ms Rangappa notes people like Gina Haspel were rewarded while bad decisions and assaults on the rule of law were assigned to the fog of war.
Though I understand the attraction of 'looking forward, not back,' we are now paying the price for not calling out the abuses in a substantial way (holding individuals accountable) or repeating the useless mantra: Never Again. Because our memories have proven to be absurdly short.
It's why addressing the January 6th insurrection and Trump's damaging tenure is so important. If we fail, there won't be a next time.
May I respectfully suggest including a photo of a pro-democracy rally instead of a Dumpf rally? I feel like showing those gives them unnecessary attention.
Unfortunately, 'the many vs the few' argument fails almost every time. It hasn't been effective in China, Russia, Hong Kong, Belarus, Hungary, Poland, etc. even when the vast majority is vehemently opposed to the repressive regime. In the US, 1/3 of the country supports autocracy, 1/3 opposes it, and 1/3 is apathetic. It bodes very poorly for any semblance of a democratic future.
Thanks for another excellent interview. Lawlessness seems to become more widespread and accepted in America under the banner of individual freedom. Even more disturbing is that it is actually led or at least supported by a large group of lawmakers and politicians...... does not bode well for the future. Individual freedom is not just a right...it also comes with responsibilities.
"Ye are many - they are few."
True. True. True.
Evil Geniuses and Dark Money - books that name people responsible for this tragic direction. Also Lewis Powell. Check out his memo.
Great interview in general, but as someone who was involved in protesting psychologists' involvement in torture, eg waterboarding, during the Bush years, I find troubling Rangappa's repeated use of the phrase "enhanced interrogation techniques", when referring to deliberate soul destroying torture. An Orwellian term used by the administration to whitewash horrific actions. Her using that phrase, without quotation marks, shows how much our language and collective psyche is tarnished by the lies and cruelty of Republican administrations. Even Biden does that, when he talked about America First in reference to vaccine production.
Excellent interview! Trump seems to have normalized our ascent into authoritarianism. His division of society into warring camps, bent on destroying each other is right out of the Social Darwinist's playbook. Social Darwinism is the foundation of fascsim of course. Trump has created a separate truth that runs parallel to the real truth, with millions believing his truth. Unfortunately, his truth is based on his sociopathic mind, so millions are believing that the ravings of a sociopath are reality. When people become unmoored from reality, they accept authoritarianism. We are on a very dangerous path.
The excesses and contradictions of illiberalism and autocracy in this country are sparking an equal and opposite reaction of resistance. We are many and they are fewer but they have the SCOTUS, extreme voter suppression laws in 19 states with moderate Republicans being replaced and purged with far right Trump loyalists, and a vast right wing conspiracy of media and propagandists dividing the country. Winter is coming...
I appreciate Ms. Rangappa's candid remarks concerning the excesses in our national response to 9/11. When those planes crashed into the towers, many many citizens knew with sad certainty that the US government would over-react militarily. Many citizens knew our lives were about to change for the worse, and they knew that over-response by our leaders, especially the Bush/Cheney administration filled with neo-conservative absolutism and militarism, was a given.
And when Bush/Cheney decided to wage war with Iraq in 2003, millions of citizens protested, taking to the streets, writing letters to the editor, writing their representatives. But they were unable to stop the march toward war and the obscene waste of blood and treasure.
There is a profound disconnect between what many citizens hope for their country and how well they are able to translate those hopes into effective policy and legislation.
Our political situation in this country is dire. And growing worse. Too many of our leaders have played too fast and too loose with our democratic processes. Trust in government is very low. But that is not by accident. Foolish leaders adopted the rhetoric of government-as-problem and now they are reaping the wind.
I think the comments about seriously looking at the past, what we did as a country after 9/11 is spot on in terms of marking the pivot towards what we're seeing now. Not only were the political decisions ghastly (torture) but there was little to no accountability. As Ms Rangappa notes people like Gina Haspel were rewarded while bad decisions and assaults on the rule of law were assigned to the fog of war.
Though I understand the attraction of 'looking forward, not back,' we are now paying the price for not calling out the abuses in a substantial way (holding individuals accountable) or repeating the useless mantra: Never Again. Because our memories have proven to be absurdly short.
It's why addressing the January 6th insurrection and Trump's damaging tenure is so important. If we fail, there won't be a next time.
May I respectfully suggest including a photo of a pro-democracy rally instead of a Dumpf rally? I feel like showing those gives them unnecessary attention.
Unfortunately, 'the many vs the few' argument fails almost every time. It hasn't been effective in China, Russia, Hong Kong, Belarus, Hungary, Poland, etc. even when the vast majority is vehemently opposed to the repressive regime. In the US, 1/3 of the country supports autocracy, 1/3 opposes it, and 1/3 is apathetic. It bodes very poorly for any semblance of a democratic future.