Behind the Bastards

It Could Happen Here Weekly 219

February 14, 2026

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  • The Trump administration and the political right have adopted the meme of a lone penguin marching toward certain death in the Antarctic as a symbol of suicidal defiance against perceived cultural norms, which the hosts interpret as a naked display of fascism's relationship with the death drive. 
  • Philosophical analysis, drawing from Paul Virilio and Deleuze & Guattari, posits that modern fascism functions as a "suicidal state" driven by a war machine that seeks self-destruction rather than conservative totalitarian control. 
  • The concept of "normalcy" in contemporary politics is critiqued as an unsustainable myth rooted in the post-WWII fossil fuel binge, and the current crisis presents an opportunity to build resilient, interdependent communities rather than striving to return to a failed status quo. 
  • The discussion highlights the alarming DHS proposal to detain up to 8,500 immigrants in massive warehouse facilities in locations like Social Circle, Georgia, which represents a significant escalation in detention capacity. 
  • Community organizing against these proposed ICE warehouse prisons, even in politically conservative areas like Social Circle, is being galvanized by concerns over property values, infrastructure strain, and fundamental human rights abuses. 
  • Activism against immigration detention requires a multi-pronged approach, combining local organizing, legal challenges (like NEPA suits), and leveraging diverse political alignments, while maintaining a long-term goal of abolition rather than just temporary harm reduction. 
  • The speaker advocates for women learning how to 'clap back' artfully to detach their self-worth from the value assigned by random men, including 'corny ass men' online. 
  • The guest emphasizes the necessity of rigorous, fact-based research and historical accuracy in content creation to build trust and effectively inform audiences about political and historical realities, contrasting this with creators who are factually wrong. 
  • The discussion highlights that effective resistance strategies in America must be rooted in American history, specifically drawing lessons from the Civil Rights Movement, Reconstruction, and the Gilded Age, rather than solely focusing on external parallels like Nazi Germany. 
  • DHS is attempting to counter evidence that ICE uses schools as bait for detentions, exemplified by the controversial detention of Liam Conejo Ramos, while simultaneously facing criticism for exposing victims' identities in the Epstein files. 
  • Washington State's proposed House Bill 2321, aimed at preventing 3D-printed firearms via software controls, is viewed as a dangerous overreach that could lead to state-level spyware and IP enforcement on 3D printers. 
  • Attorney General Pam Bondi's congressional hearing regarding the Epstein files was characterized by extreme deflection, including pivoting to stock market performance and attacking questioners, while failing to apologize to or look at the survivors present. 

Segments

Penguin Meme Co-option
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(00:03:24)
  • Key Takeaway: The White House used an AI-generated image of Trump with a penguin referencing a viral far-right meme, despite penguins not living in Greenland.
  • Summary: Footage of a lone penguin marching toward mountains from a Werner Herzog documentary was remixed with far-right music and Nietzsche quotes, symbolizing masculine rebellion against secular modernity. This meme merged with an older right-wing meme about LGBTQ opposition, leading to its adoption by political figures like Trump. Government accounts, including DHS and HHS, subsequently used variations of the AI-generated penguin imagery to promote political narratives.
Fascism and the Death Drive
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(00:13:53)
  • Key Takeaway: The political embrace of the suicidal penguin symbolizes fascism’s open alignment with the death drive, which seeks resolution through self-destruction.
  • Summary: Herzog’s documentary reveals the penguin is disoriented and marching toward certain death 5,000 kilometers away, making its adoption by the Trump administration a symbol of suicidal defiance. Philosophers Deleuze and Guattari distinguish fascism from totalitarianism by noting fascism involves a war machine taking over the state, leading to realized nihilism. Paul Virilio argues the suicidal state is founded on non-progress and terror, manifesting as the accelerated destruction of state institutions.
Critique of Normalcy Myth
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(00:37:19)
  • Key Takeaway: The yearning for a return to the pre-2016 political and economic ’normal’ ignores that the previous system was inherently unsustainable and created current crises.
  • Summary: The liberal myth of linear progress sedates people from engaging with degrading realities, as rectifying past injustices like slavery is not true progress. The post-war economic boom (1950-1970) was a historical anomaly fueled by cheap energy, making the desire to return to it a fantasy. Political leaders often maintain a veneer of competence while being unable to stop the machine, leading to crises like the Texas grid failure or Flint water contamination.
Interdependence Over Independence
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(01:06:34)
  • Key Takeaway: True resilience lies not in the fantasy of individual homesteading independence but in building robust, necessary networks of mutual aid and interdependence.
  • Summary: The performance of independence, such as by online homesteading influencers, often reinforces the very global supply chains they claim to reject. Historical societies, like the community at Chaco Canyon, survived collapse through shared ceremonies and mutual support, not isolation. Community support and shared resources will ultimately matter more than individual purchasing power as crises make systemic dependence visible.
ICE Warehouse Detention Proposals
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(01:14:46)
  • Key Takeaway: DHS plans leaked in late 2025 detail opening approximately 20 new ICE detention facilities in warehouses nationwide, including large sites planned for Flowery Branch (1,500 capacity) and Social Circle, Georgia (8,500 capacity).
  • Summary: A journalist leaked a list revealing ICE’s intent to open new detention facilities in warehouses across 20 cities around December 2025. The Social Circle, Georgia location is slated to use a warehouse over 1 million square feet to detain about 8,500 people. This proposed capacity significantly dwarfs the 3,000-bed projection for the Folkestone ICE Processing Center, which was previously considered the largest in the country.
Social Circle Organizing Origins
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(01:18:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Organizing in Social Circle, a small, wealthy, and overwhelmingly Republican community, was initiated by residents feeling blindsided by the warehouse prison announcement, leading to unexpected cross-political alliances.
  • Summary: The community of Social Circle, population around 5,000, learned about the planned mega-prison via a Washington Post article, receiving no prior notice from the federal government. Initial organizing efforts were driven by residents concerned about property values and infrastructure strain on their small police and utility departments. The guest’s prior experience organizing against the Irwin County Detention Center informed the new coalition’s strategy.
Contrasting Detention Center Development
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(01:26:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Unlike typical ICE facilities established via Intergovernmental Service Agreements (IGSAs) that coerce local governments with minimal payment, the Social Circle warehouse deal was executed quickly by the city purchasing the property directly from a private company.
  • Summary: Most detention facilities rely on IGSAs where local governments agree to host ICE in exchange for small payments, such as the $200,000 per year offered for the Folkestone facility, despite private prison corporations receiving much larger federal contracts. The Social Circle deal bypassed this typical economic coercion because the wealthy community was not starved for economic support. Some local officials initially believed the federal supremacy clause negated local zoning authority to oppose the plan.
Local Opposition Strategies and Coalition Building
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(01:28:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Local opposition in Social Circle involves weekly demonstrations and utilizing local tools, while activists are also learning to build unity of action across differing political ideologies, including gaining support from Republican officials like Mike Collins.
  • Summary: Residents are consistently holding weekly demonstrations to garner media attention and are exploring legal avenues, such as environmental challenges under NEPA, to buy time. The coalition is finding success by focusing on unity of action despite ideological differences, which has led to local Republican officials speaking out against the facility. Organizers stress the importance of connecting with existing immigrant rights groups respectfully and moving quickly due to the tight April deadline for facility operation.
Women Clapping Back Online
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(02:13:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Women online should learn to artfully tell men to ‘fuck off’ to detach from value assigned by random men.
  • Summary: Providing a permission structure for women online involves learning how to deliver a meaningful rejection that men will hear. This skill is crucial for detaching self-worth from the value assigned by random men. The speaker notes that men often do not hear ’no’ unless it is delivered artfully and with conviction.
Content Creator Research Standards
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(02:14:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Effective political content creation requires extensive homework and fact-checking to maintain trustworthiness, especially when discussing historical context.
  • Summary: The speaker values creators who do significant homework, contrasting this with those who are factually wrong despite being in the content creation hustle. Trust is essential for an educator’s advice to be followed, necessitating double-checking dates, bill numbers, and congressional records. This dedication to accuracy requires hours of collation from scattered resources like congress.gov.
Historical Parallels for Resistance
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(02:18:59)
  • Key Takeaway: American resistance movements should prioritize studying domestic history, such as the Civil Rights Movement and Reconstruction, over solely focusing on Nazi Germany.
  • Summary: While commonalities exist with Nazi Germany, the US context is different due to its ethnic diversity and history. Effective resistance solutions are found by studying American movements led by Black, Indigenous, and Latino people, as well as labor movements. Focusing only on Nazi Germany ignores the specific, relevant resistance methods developed within American history.
Gilded Age Analogies and Mistakes
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(02:20:59)
  • Key Takeaway: The Gilded Age serves as a crucial historical analog due to its oligarchy, corruption, and the rise of Jim Crow, offering lessons on both effective resistance and past mistakes like segregated labor unions.
  • Summary: The Gilded Age saw the rise of an oligarchy, widespread corruption, and the birth of Jim Crow, paralleling current issues. Resistance during that era included the formation of labor unions, but mistakes were made, such as letting the KKK return and having segregated unions. A key lesson is avoiding the tendency to progress forward while leaving marginalized people behind, which happened during that era.
Dred Scott and Citizenship Questions
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(02:22:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Current political attacks on the 14th Amendment and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 echo historical struggles over defining citizenship, like the Dred Scott decision.
  • Summary: The current focus on who qualifies as a citizen, similar to the Dred Scott question, is central to contemporary political conflict. Attacks on the 14th Amendment, a Reconstruction-era amendment, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 are direct consequences of not understanding the history behind these protections. Policies benefiting marginalized communities, like those rooted in Reconstruction, ultimately raise the tide for everyone.
Midterm Election Predictions
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(02:29:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The speaker predicts Democrats will win the midterms, citing logistical barriers to election cancellation and positive performance trends in recent special elections.
  • Summary: The decentralization of election management across states makes it logistically impossible for a single entity to prevent the midterms from occurring. Recent special elections across various states show Democrats performing significantly better than expected, suggesting a favorable environment for the upcoming midterms. Key Senate races to watch include Alaska, Ohio, and North Carolina.
2028 Republican and Democratic Fields
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(02:31:26)
  • Key Takeaway: The likely 2028 Republican presidential contenders are J.D. Vance and potentially Marjorie Taylor Greene, while the Democratic side shows promise in fundraisers like Senator Ossoff and Representative AOC.
  • Summary: The speaker believes Donald Trump will not serve a full term, positioning J.D. Vance as a likely successor for the Republican nomination, possibly challenged by Marjorie Taylor Greene. On the Democratic side, Senator Ossoff and Representative AOC are noted as the party’s top two fundraisers, suggesting a potentially strong future ticket. Governor Newsom’s perceived need to be liked is viewed negatively compared to candidates showing a sense of service or entitlement.
Critique of TPUSA Halftime Show
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(02:40:06)
  • Key Takeaway: The Turning Point USA ‘All-American Halftime Show’ was a poorly executed, pre-taped event featuring conservative musicians whose performances were notably amateurish and out of sync.
  • Summary: The TPUSA show, featuring artists like Brantley Gilbert and Lee Brice, was taped in a small soundstage in Atlanta with only about 200 paid attendees. Lee Brice’s song included jarring lyrics referencing gun violence and anti-trans rhetoric, framed as a parody of conservative complaints. Kid Rock’s segment was heavily criticized for being out of sync, which he later blamed on production issues related to not filming his DJ, Freddy.
Student Protests Against ICE
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(03:00:56)
  • Key Takeaway: High school students in East Aurora, Illinois, walked out to protest federal immigration arrests, leading to a violent clash where police were filmed tackling students before one student retaliated.
  • Summary: The walkout was a response to massive ICE actions in Chicago the previous year, escalating when police charged and tackled a small student protester. The police department claimed an officer was punched, but video evidence suggests the punch occurred after officers initiated physical force against the line of students. Students are now demanding the resignation of the East Aurora police chief following the incident.
DHS Pushing Back on School Detentions
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(03:07:15)
  • Key Takeaway: DHS claims ICE avoids school arrests unless dealing with dangerous felons or sex offenders, despite evidence showing student enrollment declines due to fear.
  • Summary: DHS posted on X asserting ICE does not target children at schools, clarifying arrests only occur if criminals use schools to hide. This statement accompanied evidence from a Houston Chronicle article showing HISD lost 4,000 students due to ICE crackdowns. The segment also noted a past incident where ICE detained a 15-year-old disabled boy in Los Angeles.
Washington 3D Printer Legislation
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(03:09:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Washington House Bill 2321 mandates 3D printers include firearm blueprint detection algorithms that cannot be overridden, potentially leading to state-level spyware.
  • Summary: HB 2321 requires blocking features on 3D printers to identify and reject firearm print requests with high reliability. Speakers argue this legislation could effectively ban 3D printer sales or install state spyware usable for purposes beyond firearms, such as enforcing copyrights. The segment notes that Americans overwhelmingly use conventionally purchased firearms for crime, not 3D-printed ones.
California 3D Printing Code Lawsuit
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(03:12:04)
  • Key Takeaway: California is suing 3D-printed firearm code hosting websites under a broad law, raising significant First Amendment concerns as code is considered speech.
  • Summary: California’s broad law prohibits hosting or distributing the ‘unlawful manufacture of firearms,’ which challenges the First Amendment because the code itself is speech, not a tangible weapon. A judge in a related Kansas case ruled that such state laws cannot enforce restrictions on out-of-state websites. California is seeking damages in this civil case against code hosting sites.
Ghislaine Maxwell Invokes Fifth
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(03:14:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Ghislaine Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right during questioning by the House Oversight Committee, stating she would only speak fully if granted clemency by President Trump.
  • Summary: Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence, refused to answer questions citing a pending habeas petition alleging an unfair trial due to juror misconduct and broken government promises. Her lawyer stated she would speak if granted clemency by President Trump, claiming this would provide the unfiltered truth, including exonerating both Trump and Clinton.
Casey Wasserman Epstein Fallout
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(03:16:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Casey Wasserman, leading LA 2028 Olympics prep, faced client departures after being named in the Epstein files, though the LA 2028 board retained him after a misconduct review.
  • Summary: Wasserman, CEO of Wasserman talent agency, was named for consistently communicating with Epstein post-conviction, leading stars like Chappell Roan to leave the agency. Despite calls for his resignation from LA officials, the LA 2028 board cited his cooperation for retaining him as chair for the 2028 Summer Olympics.
Pam Bondi Epstein Hearing Conduct
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(03:18:51)
  • Key Takeaway: Attorney General Pam Bondi’s congressional hearing was marked by deflections, including citing booming stock market statistics, while failing to apologize to survivors whose names were doxed.
  • Summary: Representative Raskin accused Bondi of running a massive cover-up, noting the DOJ only produced half the subpoenaed documents and redacted abusers’ names while exposing victims’ identities. Bondi repeatedly deflected questions from survivors present, refusing to apologize for the DOJ’s actions, and later pivoted to economic statistics when questioned about indicting Epstein clients.
Trump’s Involvement in Epstein Files
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(03:29:49)
  • Key Takeaway: A witness statement alleges a limo driver overheard Trump discussing underage girls with Epstein and met a girl who claimed rape by both men, but the DOJ reportedly never interviewed this witness.
  • Summary: The segment highlighted a clip where a congressperson questioned Bondi about underage girls at parties attended by Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. The congressperson then presented evidence of a witness who claimed to have overheard incriminating conversations and met a victim who alleged rape by Trump and Epstein. The segment concluded that Bondi failed to answer honestly and that the DOJ did not interview this key witness.
Podcast Outro and Plugs
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(03:34:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Listeners can submit news tips to coolzone tips at proton.me, and the show is a production of CoolZone Media.
  • Summary: The hosts expressed deep frustration with the lack of justice following the Pam Bondi hearing. Listeners are encouraged to email news tips to coolzone tips at proton.me, with a separate email planned for episode ideas. The episode concludes by promoting the Cooler Zone Media subscription for ad-free listening.