Some conservatives and Donald Trump supporters are freaking out online because there’s a new pirate station called Resistance Radio, dedicated to fighting fascism and Nazi propaganda. Only one problem: It’s fake.
Image: Amazon
Amazon announced this week that it was launching Resistance Radio as a companion program for The Man in the High Castle, an alt-history drama loosely adapted from the Philip K. Dick novel. The pre-recorded radio program is basically a bunch of people talking about how the Third Reich is bad and does bad things. For some, they thought that applied to America’s current president (and/or they didn’t bother actually listening to it). In response, several irate opposers flocked to Amazon’s sponsored #ResistanceRadio hashtag to complain about the station’s “liberal agenda”.
#ResistanceRadio ? Good luck outpacing @rushlimbaugh @marklevinshow @seanhannity @toddschnitt @theblaze and others. The airwaves are ours.
— SocialCommentary?? (@611601717_) March 10, 2017
What is this Left Wing Loonie #ResistanceRadio nonesense? Are they still resisting facts like Trump is President & Crooked may go 2 prison?
— Veterans Take?❄? (@VeteransTake) March 10, 2017
Getting tired of “the resistance”. What are they resisting? They would rather USA fail then admit Trump does anything good. #ResistanceRadio
— ?? Mary Anne ?? (@maryannemercog) March 10, 2017
#ResistanceRadio I love all this resistance. Keep it coming. Trump is gonna cruise to a second term.
— Ryan (@RyP1984) March 10, 2017
Now, there are two possible explanations for this. The far more likely one is they didn’t bother researching the website before deciding a radio station about “the Resistance” was against President Trump, essentially creating a modern-day War of the Worlds where panic was quicker than fact-checking. However, it is also unfortunately plausible that a few people heard about a radio show bashing Nazis and thought, “Hey, maybe I shouldn’t like that, because Trump and stuff.” Guys, listen, if Marvel Comics‘ various Hydra debacles have taught us anything… it’s don’t defend Nazis. Real or fake, they’re still Nazis.
No word whether this was just a case of mistaken Twitter-identity, or whether Amazon had an idea that this could happen (thus getting more eyes on the show). I’m giving Amazon the benefit of the doubt, but this wouldn’t be the first time it has drummed up controversy for The Man in the High Castle with a public display. We’ve reached out to Amazon for a response. In the meantime, anyone at SXSW can visit Amazon’s Resistance Radio Headquarters at the Market and Tap Room in Austin — clearly the perfect front for anti-Trump propaganda. Also craft cocktails.
[Twitter]