Topic: Dresden

The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AFD) party is expected to see significant gains in regional elections in Saxony and Thuringia, driven by anti-immigration sentiment following a fatal knife attack in Solingen. Meanwhile, in France, President Emmanuel Macron is struggling to appoint a new Prime Minister six weeks after elections resulted in a deadlocked parliament.

Professor Tom Dannenbaum explains the legal principles of distinction and proportionality in warfare. The hosts argue that these international laws are applied hypocritically, noting that historical events like the bombings of Dresden and Hiroshima would not have met these modern standards.

The hosts read the final list of donors for 2020, including producers from Germany, Norway, and across the United States. They reflect on a year of continuous broadcasting without a day off and the strengthening of the listener community during the pandemic.

Donations between $50 and $200 are acknowledged, including contributors from South Korea, Ohio, and Washington. The hosts mention a news item about Texas cutting Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood, which they predict will be overruled by the courts, calling it a "non-story" played for political brainwashing.

The show concludes with brief updates on tear gas in the Kosovo parliament, anti-migrant protests in Dresden, and laser harassment of U.S. pilots in Okinawa. The hosts discuss the Golden State Warriors' winning streak before signing off. The episode ends with a series of "Trump Techno" and "Shape-shifting Jews" musical mixes.

Anti-Islam sentiment rose across Europe following the Paris attacks, with Geert Wilders gaining popularity in the Netherlands and PEGIDA holding large rallies in Dresden, Germany. Approximately 25,000 people attended a protest in Dresden against the perceived "Islamization" of the West. Chancellor Angela Merkel countered these movements by stating that Islam is a part of Germany, leading to a "battle of numbers" between pro- and anti-immigration demonstrators.

Christopher Dickey of Newsweek, appearing on MSNBC, argues that far-right politicians in France, Germany, and the Netherlands will cynically exploit recent terror incidents to fuel anti-immigrant sentiment. The analysis suggests that messages from groups in Dresden and elsewhere are essentially racist and xenophobic. The hosts question whether the incidents themselves are intended to provoke this specific political shift toward the right.

Daniel Rudolph from Dresden, Germany, and Stephen Pelsmacher from Belgium are credited as executive producers for this episode. Rudolph donated $242, while Pelsmacher contributed a specific sequence of $234.56. The hosts emphasize that these credits are official and can be used on professional resumes.