Weeks ago, I pressed Chansley's lawyer Al Watkins on whether his client would renounce QAnon. He first ducked the question and said his client would deliver a statement.
Chansley never did, and as seems clear here, stands by it.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/obj…
Chansley never did, and as seems clear here, stands by it.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/obj…
https://twitter.com/CBSThisMorning/status/1367460388250521601
After Chansley's self-professed shamanism won him organic meals behind bars, I reached out to a top shamanism scholar Michael Brown for context:
"Jacob Chansley’s shamanism bears scant resemblance to the real thing, although he gets high sartorial marks for headgear and ink."
"Jacob Chansley’s shamanism bears scant resemblance to the real thing, although he gets high sartorial marks for headgear and ink."
FWIW, the argument that this topic does not deserve a platform strikes me as off-base and counterproductive.
This conspiracy theory helped inspire an insurrection, claims millions of adherents, and arguably closed a branch of Congress today.
It must be covered, critically.
This conspiracy theory helped inspire an insurrection, claims millions of adherents, and arguably closed a branch of Congress today.
It must be covered, critically.
More on the scholar's thoughts on "QAnon Shaman":
"Traditional shamans consume organic foods largely because that’s all they have access to. Some take hallucinogens as part of their practice, while others don’t."
"Traditional shamans consume organic foods largely because that’s all they have access to. Some take hallucinogens as part of their practice, while others don’t."
(cont'd)
"But traditional shamanism is closely connected to specific communities and their cultural understandings, which hardly seems to be the case for him.
We certainly live in interesting times."
"But traditional shamanism is closely connected to specific communities and their cultural understandings, which hardly seems to be the case for him.
We certainly live in interesting times."
Not only must QAnon being covered closely and critically, I would argue that the national attention this case has gotten means there needs to be more public education about how shamanism has been traditionally understood vs. those who claim its mantle.
A few final thoughts:
1) Chansley did himself no favors in this interview, contradicting weeks of messaging by his lawyer that he's seen the errors of his ways and blames it all on Trump.
2) Prosecutors will likely mention that at his bail hearing, tomorrow.
1) Chansley did himself no favors in this interview, contradicting weeks of messaging by his lawyer that he's seen the errors of his ways and blames it all on Trump.
2) Prosecutors will likely mention that at his bail hearing, tomorrow.
Finally, interviewing people accused of acts of domestic (and international) terrorism has a long history in journalism.
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