Chinese monkey pig hybrids

We published Part 3 of our series on Alex Jones's texts today and it focuses on the extremist's relationship to Joe Rogan. I was going to title the post "big dumb guy energy" but the quote in here about "Chinese monkey pig hybrids" kind of gets to the point.

Alex Jones Urged Rogan To Host Pro-Rape Extremist

Alex Jones urged Joe Rogan to host rape apologist and alleged sex trafficker Andrew Tate on his popular podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience,” texts show.

Southern Poverty Law CenterMichael Edison Hayden and Megan Squire

My least favorite part of this is the anecdote about Jones doing hallucinogens with Rogan in a Las Vegas hotel room and watching conspiracy videos on YouTube. I've tripped at different times in my life and had mixed experiences. (I actually enjoyed salvia quite a bit in my early 20s in part because you get some of the benefits of tripping and it doesn't last too long.) I've definitely had fits of paranoia doing it. I rarely even try marijuana anymore in part because I don't want to risk feeling shitty. Anyway, the idea of being in that room with these two guys gave me second hand bad vibes. I needed to play Heaven or Las Vegas just to shake it off.

Let's state the obvious so it's clear I'm not ignoring it: Rogan has as big an audience as you can hope to have in America right now. I think his willingness to associate himself with Jones and apologize for Tate's evil comments about women (never mind the alleged crimes!) speaks volumes about how tolerant we are of lying and hate. We have work to do, especially around misogyny.

Podcasts!

ICYMI, I appeared on two podcasts that dropped on Monday:

#183: Alex Jones is living in hell (feat. Michael Hayden)

Michael E. Hayden joins the show to talk about text messages the Southern Poverty Law Center obtained from conspiracy theorist Alex Jones. The messages reveal a conflict between the on-air persona that Jones embodies and the real Jones that lives in “hell.” Mike’s favorite thing online: @goth_video…

Posting Through ItJared Holt

Check out Jared Holt's Ghost account, if you haven't already. He's a good friend on this beat.

Episode 34 - Our interview with Michael Edison Hayden

Listen now (55 min) | The one where we talk with Michael Edison Hayden, Senior Investigative Reporter at the Southern Poverty Law Center, about their recent analysis of the Alex Jones text messages.

Did Nothing WrongDid Nothing Wrong

I also got into Jones in detail with my friends at Did Nothing Wrong.

Welcome to the Terrordome

I need to also draw your attention to this story by my colleague Jason Wilson. So many fascinating things in here to consider. My biggest thing here is that we sometimes take years to ID pseudonymous radical right people at SPLC. It's like a jigsaw puzzle. You follow a lead, and it dries up, and you put it down. You pick it up again with a new lead. You find a clue, you hold onto it. I have talked to sources for years before they agreed to name someone to me.  

Well, apparently, the feds already know some of these guys very well. Enough to put them on a "No Fly" list a full year before reporters could figure it out:

‘No-Fly’ List Named Base, Bowl Patrol Members Prior to Public IDs

White-power extremists including leaders of The Base and Bowl Patrol were named as “selectees” on a 2019 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) “no-fly” list months before the previously-pseudonymous men had been publicly identified by journalists and activists.

Southern Poverty Law CenterJason Wilson

I'm not going to speculate how they know, but use your imagination. My only advice to these people is this: Catch a mirror, the lines are dancing.