This week’s bonus show answers questions from our listeners at the Democracy Defender-level and higher, starting with incarceration rates in the U.S. vs. Russia. Spoiler alert: GOP-led states and swing states are as bad or worse than Russia, starting with Mike Johnson’s Louisiana. We look at prison incarceration rates and what they can tell us about the struggle for democracy in America, what we’re up against, and how to overcome it, and more, in this week’s bonus show.

There’s a lot to discuss given the recent news, with new sweeping sanctions against Russia; new DOJ indictments against Russia; Libs of TikTok killing Nex, a trans teen in Oklahoma; Alabama going full Taliban by banning IVF, and more. Join Gaslit Nation and Kremlin File for a live Q&A this Wednesday February 28 at 12pm ET. To our subscribers at the Truth-teller level and higher, look out for a Zoom link on the morning of the Q&A on Wednesday. We hope to see you there!

A special message to our Gaslit Nation community: Several listeners sent messages about the hate crime that killed Nex, a trans teen in Oklahoma. Nex was targeted and killed by the genocidal far-right echo chamber led by Chaya Raichik of Libs of TikTok, which, in any functional society, would have been banned by now. Erin Reed has written an essential, must-read piece on Nex’s murder, featured in the show notes of this episode. What happened to Nex is authoritarian scapegoating 101. Genocidal movements consolidate around violence to rally the sadists who will serve as the trusted lackeys to carry out a mass purge once in power, turning a former democracy into a prison. Chaya Raichik will undoubtedly be included in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 plan to mass purge our government should Trump win the Electoral College in 2024. Nex’s murder is a tragedy that must be recognized for what it is: a hate crime. It is also an urgent warning as Trump and his supporters consolidate with the desire to carry out genocide against the most vulnerable among us, especially LGBTQ+ people and their families, friends, doctors, teachers, and others in their support networks.

Our hearts go out to all those who feel unsafe due to this heinous crime. The Gaslit Nation community is here for you. Look out for an upcoming episode on ways to fight back and protect each other. In the meantime, listen to our spring 2022 interview with Chase Strangio, Deputy Director for Transgender Justice with the ACLU's LGBT & HIV Project, included in our show notes.

If you didn’t hear your question answered this week, look out for it next week as our Gaslit Nation Q&A continues! Thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Join the conversation with a community of listeners at Patreon.com/Gaslit and get bonus shows, all episodes ad free, submit questions to our regular Q&As, get exclusive invites to live events, and more.

Show Notes:

Event: Thursday February 29 at 1pm – Russian-diaspora led roundtable on Russian anti-war activities

https://www.facebook.com/events/439307928421886

Chaya Raichik Was Appointed To "Make Schools Safer" In Oklahoma; Now A Trans Teen Is Dead. https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/chaya-raichik-was-appointed-to-make?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Protect the LGBTQ Community: An Interview with Chase Strangio of the ACLU

https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2022/5/26/chase-strangio-interview

The Sentencing Project: U.S. Continues to be the World Leader in Rate in Incarceration https://static.prisonpolicy.org/scans/sp/usno1.pdf

Prison Policy Initiative: States of Incarceration: The Global Context 2021

https://www.prisonpolicy.org/global/2021.html

Justice Department indicts more Russian businessmen, their aides, vowing to keep pressure on Putin

https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2024/02/22/justice-department-arrests-russia-businessmen-putin

Fani Willis calls out Nathan Wade, earning the women vote in her upcoming election: https://twitter.com/highbrow_nobrow/status/1758247461993283909