Reflector

Paid Protesters

From abolitionists to the Tea Party, accusations of “paid protesters” have shadowed American political movements for centuries. But what if the reality is more nuanced (and more interesting) than the talking points suggest? In this episode, Andy Mills sits down with Adam Swart, founder and CEO of Crowds on Demand, a company that quite literally pays people to demonstrate. Swart pulls back the curtain on an industry most people encounter only as a conspiracy theory, explaining how his business actually works. As you’ll hear, Swart makes his provocative case that the “astroturf vs. grassroots” debate is a juvenile distraction. He believes that most major movements, left or right, have big money behind them, and that his company is simply one of the more transparent players in the influence game. We’d love to hear if (and how) this interview shapes your thinking around the debate. Leave us a comment or send us an email: hello@longview.report CREDITS: This episode was produced by Andy Mills, Ethan Mannello and Matthew Boll Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Peter Lalish⁠⁠ Reflector artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsor Ground News. You can visit them here to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠⁠GROUND.NEWS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Propaganda of the Deed (Part 2)

Political tensions across the country continue to rise. Today, we spoke with protesters who believe the time for debate, peaceful protest, and civil disobedience has passed, asking what they think must now be done to defend their values. From the anti-ICE protests to the fans of Luigi Mangione, we also explore the similarities—and the key differences—between this moment and the anarchist wave that swept America more than a century ago. Check out Propaganda of the Deed (Part 1) if you haven’t listened to it yet.  CREDITS: This episode of Reflector was reported and produced by Andy Mills, Ethan Mannello, Eli Cohen, and Matthew Boll Music for this episode was composed by ⁠⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠Peter Lalish⁠ Reflector artwork by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsor Ground News. You can visit them here to learn more: ⁠⁠⁠GROUND.NEWS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Propaganda of the Deed (Part 1)

As demonstrators openly debate whether violence is justified to resist the Trump administration, we step back to ask: Have we been here before?  This episode traces a largely forgotten chapter of American history – from the Haymarket Riot to anarchist assassinations, government crackdowns, and the birth of the FBI and the ACLU – to show how cycles of political violence and state power have shaped the American left for more than a century. The story reveals how moments meant to spark revolution often end by transforming the country in ways no one intended. For this story – in addition to speaking with dozens of protestors, modern day anarchists, community organizers, and historians – we also read these books, which we highly recommend: The President and the Assassin by Scott Miller The Republic for Which It Stands by Richard White American Colossus by H.W. Brands The Bully Pulpit by Doris Kearns Goodwin Luigi Galleani: The Most Dangerous Anarchist in America by Antonio Senta and Sean Sayers And if you’re interested in Scott Miller’s work, he just released a new book called Let My Country Awake: Indian Revolutionaries in America and the Fight to Overthrow the British Raj CREDITS: This episode of Reflector was reported by Andy Mills and Ethan Mannello. It was produced by Eli Cohen and Matthew Boll. Music for this episode was composed by ⁠Cobey Bienert⁠⁠⁠ and Peter Lalish Opening music is Gnossiennes No. 1 by Satie Reflector artwork by ⁠⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsor Ground News. You can visit them here to learn more: ⁠⁠GROUND.NEWS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Hallelujah

After leaving the church that both defined and destroyed her family, Megan Phelps-Roper turned away from the Bible. In this episode, she returns to one of its dark tales to ask what still endures when belief is gone – and why some stories refuse to let us go. CREDITS: This episode of Reflector was written by Megan Phelps-Roper and produced by Andy Mills and Matthew Boll Music for this episode was composed by Cobey Bienert⁠⁠ The Hallelujah artwork by ⁠⁠Jacob Boll⁠⁠ To become a Longview subscriber you can visit us ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Thank you to our sponsor Ground News. You can visit them here to learn more: ⁠GROUND.NEWS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Last Invention

Listen to our new show The Last Invention Apple  Spotify Order Katie Herzog’s new book: Drink Yourself Sober Sign up for our newsletter on Substack and become a Longview subscriber at our website.  Thank you to our sponsors Ground News and FIRE GROUND.NEWS FIRE This is a paid sponsorship link. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices