It Could Happen Here

Investigative journalist, Kevin Foster outlines the rise of organized retail crime propaganda and the ensuing legislative crackdown.
Sources:
https://www.geekwire.com/2026/drone-vs-shoplifter-watch-how-redmond-pd-tracks-an-alleged-thief-from-high-in-the-sky/
https://nrfprotect.nrf.com/attend/event-recap
https://radsecurity.com/roameo
https://losspreventionmedia.com/top-retailers-rely-on-artificial-intelligence-for-loss-prevention/
https://www.facefirst.com
https://missionlocal.org/2026/07/sf-grocery-outlet-facial-recognition/
https://trends.google.com/explore?q=organized%20retail%20crime&date=2019-10-10%202026-07-02&geo=US
https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/transnational-organized-crime/organized-retail-theft
https://www.retaildive.com/news/retailers-crime-problem-numbers/699107/
https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/senate-hearing-on-organized-retail-theft/662523
https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2020&id=D000000741
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2853
https://counciloncj.org/shoplifting-trends-what-you-need-to-know/
https://www.vera.org/news/the-truth-about-retail-theft
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/07/retail-theft-losses-inventory-nrf
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/Is-shoplifting-forcing-Walgreens-to-cut-back-in-16536960.php
https://www.businessinsider.com/target-closing-stores-due-to-crime-stats-tell-another-story-2023-10
https://www.youtube.com/live/CcfggLuNAIk?si=wpu-uZyUisXLWRZT&t=1768
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-12/newsom-suggests-ways-to-crack-down-on-property-crime-without-dismantling-proposition-47
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/01/09/property-crime-framework/
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=36&year=2024
https://nrf.com/podcast/how-san-diego-district-attorney-summer-stephan-combats-organized-retail-crime
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/27/1049651009/mountain-dew-arrest-felony-count-dropped
https://youtu.be/LXwNudSOWls?si=Jbg8Kh3_ucWxmTXQ&t=2327
https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2018/05/22/states-can-safely-raise-their-felony-theft-thresholds-research-shows
https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/money2026.html
https://www.lao.ca.gov/policyareas/cj/6_cj_inmatecost
https://www.sdcda.org/content/office/newsroom/tempDownloads/8c903f42-47ab-4b6d-baf7-4f5dc5a6f4d0_DA%20Testifies%20at%20Senate%20Hearing%207-15-25.pdf
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/19/us/one-year-old-mississippi-boy-police-shooting
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/banko-brown-killed-walgreens-security-guard-video
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/01/us/south-carolina-murder-trial-cyrus-carmack-belton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHNKn0oAdMo
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In this episode Dana El Kurd talks with Mohamedsalem Werad, co-founder of Saharawi Voice. Saharawi Voice is a collective of citizen journalists and filmmakers based in the Western Sahara refugee camps in south-west Algeria that provides a platform for Saharawis to share their challenges, experiences, perspectives, and hopes with an international audience. Mohamedsalem is also the co-director of the documentary Haiyu. They discuss recent events related to Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara, and how the US is implicated.
Sources:
Saharawi Voices youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SAHARAWIVOICE
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Mia talks with Layne and Andy of the Gender Affirming Care Workers Alliance about organizing trans workers and building community through struggle.
Links:
gacwa@protonmail.com
https://linktr.ee/GACWA
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Prince Shakur reads Margaret a story about revolution, repression, and survival for Black August
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All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file.
Lebanon's Agreement with Israel
Ukraine Update: Political Chaos, Drone War, Crimes & More (ft. Romeo Kokriataski)
Why is DHS Buying Private Prisons
Why DSA Keeps Winning
Executive Disorder: Asylum Seekers Forced to Meet with Iranian Officials, Ken Paxton, Activist Charged for GrapheneOS Phone Wipe
You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today!
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Sources/Links:
Lebanon's Agreement with Israel
https://www.972mag.com/lebanon-israel-trap-withdrawal-sovereignty/
https://thefirethesetimes.com
https://hauntologies.net
https://eliaayoub.com
Ukraine Update: Political Chaos, Drone War, Crimes & More (ft. Romeo Kokriataski)
https://english.nv.ua
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-ukraine-without-hype-127616838/
Why is DHS Buying Private Prisons
https://calmatters.org/justice/2026/07/corecivic-sells-ice-detention-centers/
Why DSA Keeps Winning
https://socialists.nyc/
https://www.dsausa.org/
https://podcasts.apple.com/ru/podcast/the-dsa-red-scare/id1449762156?i=1000777008325
Executive Disorder: Asylum Seekers Forced to Meet with Iranian Officials, Ken Paxton, Activist Charged for GrapheneOS Phone Wipe
https://www.givesendgo.com/letsamgo
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/07/fourth-circuit-says-border-agents-can-search-your-phone-hand-no-suspicion-required
https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/news-releases/us-citizenship-and-immigration-services-rescinds-2022-public-charge-regulation
https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2025-20278/public-charge-ground-of-inadmissibility
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1999-05-26/pdf/99-13202.pdf
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.294220/gov.uscourts.dcd.294220.9.3_1.pdf
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.294220/gov.uscourts.dcd.294220.9.4.pdf
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/iran-get-chinese-shoulder-launched-missile-systems-weeks-sources-say-2026-07-29/
https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/2082260118930956482
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/07/28/texas-senate-poll-james-talarico-ken-paxton-july-2026/
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/politics/ken-paxton-has-survived-years-of-scandals-can-james-talarico-change-that
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/politics/ken-paxton-has-survived-years-of-scandals-can-james-talarico-change-that
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/05/19/ken-paxton-waco-plea-deal-child-sex-abuse-texas-attorney-general/
https://www.kwbu.org/news/2026-05-15/lawmakers-call-for-legal-reforms-response-to-adam-hoffman-case?_amp=true
https://www.kwtx.com/2025/06/11/wife-waco-attorney-adam-hoffman-disputes-allegations-sexual-abuse-made-by-local-boy/
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/27/technology/meta-data-center-louisiana.html
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/jul/28/school-shootings-pepper-spray-drones
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8800
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/119/hr8800/text#H6C56E3050B5F4792AEBB0DF665B1D5D9
https://breakthroughnews.org/2026/07/22/breakthrough-news-is-under-attack/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34Bg1RJk3_8
https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Cuba-Report.pdf
https://peoplesforum.org/blog_post/trump-allies-in-congress-subpoena-the-peoples-forum-help-us-fight-back/
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/23/business/media/new-york-times-subpoenas-withdraw.html
https://www.chandralaw.com/files/assets/2026-05-27def.morenosmotforexpeditedreliefunderupepa.pdf
https://www.chandralaw.com/files/assets/2026-06-04def.morenossecondsupplementtohermot.forexpeditedrelief.pdf
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/10/politics/video/max-miller-abuse-allegations-emily-moreno-digvid-invs
https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2026/07/14/ohio-congressman-max-miller-is-being-sued-amid-domestic-violence-allegations/
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2026/07/assault-misogyny-verbal-threats-records-detail-new-allegations-against-rep-max-miller-bernie-moreno/
https://x.com/GrapheneOS/status/2082212225364746306
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71998357/1/united-states-v-tunick/
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gand.351976/gov.uscourts.gand.351976.21.0.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/23/cop-city-protester-phone

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