On January 20th, 1981, Ronald Reagan was sworn in as the 40th President of the United States. At the same time, halfway across the world, the 52 American hostages that have been held by the Islamic Republic of Iran were released to US personnel after 444 days in captivity since 1979. Although those events appear unrelated at first glance, the links between them run deep like roots underneath a forest floor; in particular, it has been alleged that during the 1980 presidential elections, the Reaga...
Jun 08, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 13
SUPPORT BLACK LIVES MATTER: https://blacklivesmatter.carrd.co/ This is an episode about the 1955 lynching of 14-year-old Black boy Emmett Till, which was perpetrated after a white woman named Carolyn Bryant falsely accused Emmett of harassing her. In light of the murder of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin, and the false allegations against a Black birdwatcher by a white woman named Amy Cooper, it's necessary that we address how the system in which we live executes violence against Bl...
Jun 04, 2020•32 min•Ep. 12
In 1967, little-known writer Valerie Solanas self-published her anti-patriarchy pamphlet, the SCUM Manifesto . To some, the Manifesto is a revolutionary work; to others, a misandrist screed. Whether it’s intended as pointed satire, or as Solanas herself once claimed, “dead serious,” the text has regardless become a staple of a particular strain of radical feminism. But Valerie Solanas wasn’t only a woman of biting words; she was a woman of action. On Monday, June 3rd, 1968, Solanas made her way ...
Jun 01, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 11
On the night of June 14, 2015, police in Greene County, Missouri found the body of Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. She had been stabbed to death in her own home. Her chronically ill daughter, Gypsy Rose Blanchard, was nowhere to be found. Police had gone to the Blanchard house, just outside of Springfield, Missouri, to check in on the single mother and child after neighbors and friends reported concerning Facebook posts on Dee Dee’s profile. But where is Gypsy Rose? And who killed Dee Dee? This c...
May 25, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 10
Aamer and Erin discuss the criminalization of HIV transmission and its implications for public health. What is HIV? How does it spread? And what policies are most effective at minimizing the transmission of infections and their possible negative consequences on a community? In this episode, we try to unpack the stigma around HIV to have a clearer conversation about public health. Alongside our review of a few specific cases (including those of Daryll Rowe and Clato Mabior), we examine the failur...
May 18, 2020•52 min•Ep. 9
In this week's episode, we discuss the internet conspiracy theory known as QAnon — its origins, beliefs, and validity. We cover everything from satanic child sacrifice to whether JFK Jr. is still alive. Plus, we review political philosophies on state power, the elements of a good literary allusion, and how to outfox the most hardened conspiracy theorists. Remember: when you gaze long into Q, Q also gazes into you. Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/dascriminal Sources: https://bit.ly/3bhoMVw...
May 11, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 8
In 1953, the CIA engineered the overthrow of Iran’s popular Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh, and propped up instead the country’s detested monarch, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi — the Shah of Iran. Exploiting Iran’s oil fields, the Shah enriched himself while the country’s workers struggled, and his security forces ruthlessly persecuted dissidents who protested the regime. By the late 1970s, the Shah’s cruelty toward the Iranian people would finally blow up in his face, as the country revolted in a se...
May 04, 2020•49 min•Ep. 7
In 1953, the CIA overthrew popular Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh and shored up the despotic rule of Muhammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in order to safeguard British oil interests in Iran. The tale reads like a spy novel: imperialism, espionage, scheming, bribery, and betrayal abound. In this episode, we bring you the story of the brief, wondrous reign of Mohammad Mosaddegh and the clandestine operation to unseat him — an event that changed the course of Iranian history and ultimately has eff...
Apr 27, 2020•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 6
In October of 2012, Canadian-American couple Joshua Boyle and Caitlan Coleman were on a backpacking trip through Central Asia when they were kidnapped by the Haqqani network — an affiliate of the Taliban. The couple and their growing family endured five years in captivity before they were rescued by Pakistani forces in 2017 — a favorable outcome to such a horrifying ordeal. But with this case, nothing is as it seems. Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/dascriminal Sources: https://bit.ly/3bhoMVw...
Apr 20, 2020•52 min•Ep. 5
As we grapple with lifestyle changes due to the global spread of COVID-19, we must remember that it isn't the world's first pandemic, nor will it be the last. In this special full-length episode for our Patreon supporters, we discuss the disease outbreak known as the Black Death, along with how it both affected and was affected by the sociopolitical circumstances of the time. We also want to give special thanks to all those working and risking their own safety to care for our communities during ...
Apr 15, 2020•9 min
The 1990s were known as the Golden Era for Colombian football. Despite the country’s negative reputation, its national football team shined as a symbol of unity, cooperation, and success. The team’s vice-captain — Andrés Escobar — exemplified this spirit of decency and drive. But in the 1994 FIFA World Cup match against the United States, Andrés made what would be a fatal error: in an attempt to block a pass from the opposing team, Andrés kicked the ball into his own net. Colombia lost the game,...
Apr 13, 2020•52 min•Ep. 4
During Easter Week of 1916, Irish Republicans launched a rebellion against the British colonial forces now known as the Easter Rising. Alongside socialist leaders like James Connolly, women were also instrumental in the struggle for Irish independence. In this episode, Aamer and Erin profile three women of the Irish revolution - Eileen Bell, Molly O'Reilly, and Margaret Skinnider - and discuss their roles in pivotal events like the Dublin lock-out, the Howth gun-running, the Rising itself, the I...
Apr 06, 2020•49 min•Ep. 3
On October 6, 1981, Egyptian President Anwar Al Sadat was assassinated by members of the Islamic Jihad during a military parade in Cairo. What kind of statesman was Sadat? And why did his leadership cause so many Egyptians to feel abandoned by their government? Aamer and Erin discuss Sadat's life and death, along with his habit of social climbing, some creepy marital affairs, and his wormish tendency to sell out anyone he no longer found useful. Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/dascriminal Source...
Mar 30, 2020•54 min•Ep. 2
John Allen Chau was determined to convert the isolated inhabitants of North Sentinel Island to Christianity. The Sentinelese repeatedly turned him away, but John wouldn't take no for an answer. Soon, John was dead, and his body has never been retrieved. Why did the story unfold this way? And why is this case important to the ongoing struggle for indigenous sovereignty? Subscribe on Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/dascriminal Sources: https://bit.ly/3bhoMVw...
Mar 23, 2020•44 min•Ep. 1
We're giving you a sneak peek of our casual chat show, The Current Criminal, which we plan on releasing once or twice a month on Wednesdays. In this week's episode, we chat about what we're up to during the COVID-19 quarantine, Joe Biden and the presidential race, Tulsi Gabbard's chaotic energy, world happiness, the Antichrist, and TikTok's ugly people policy. If you enjoy listening and want to hear more, you can visit www.patreon.com/dascriminal and sign up as a $5+ Patron. Your contributions h...
Mar 23, 2020•7 min
