🎪 Medieval Media Circus: Lord Conrad Black Schools Bruce Ash and Tucson on Imperial "Progress" | INSIDE TRACK 5.21.25
How Tucson's conservative podcasters package imperial ideology in scholarly wrapping paper
This is based on Inside Track, a MAGA-conservative podcast podcasting from Marana, brought to you by Live The Dream Media on 5/21/25.
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
🎙️ Some wealthy podcast hosts in Tucson interviewed a distinguished British lord 📚 who authored an extensive book on world history. The lord and hosts spent their time discussing why they believe Western countries and Christianity 🌍⛪ are superior to others, while lauding political leaders who dismiss criticism 🗣️ and advocate for expelling immigrants from America.
🇺🇸 They used sophisticated language 🧐 to make their ideas sound scholarly, but their arguments carry the same old prejudices that have historically been used to justify unfair treatment of other cultures. 🌐 Progressive activists in Tucson are highlighting these issues ⚠️ and striving to promote more accurate, inclusive narratives about human history that do not elevate one group above others. 📖✨
🗝️ Takeaways
🎯 Conservative media packages regressive politics in scholarly language to legitimize dangerous narratives
🏛️ Lord Conrad Black promotes Western supremacist history that erases non-European contributions to human progress
⚔️ Hosts celebrate Trump officials who "don't give a crap" about criticism, normalizing authoritarian leadership styles
🚫 Discussion of Islam as "imitation Christianity" perpetuates orientalist propaganda that justifies continued Western dominance
💰 Wealthy business owners broadcasting from luxury studios claim to represent working-class conservative values
🗳️ Immigration enforcement celebration reveals cruel contradictions in conservative foreign policy positions
📚 Historical "progress" narrative ignores ongoing injustices while creating permission structures for modern oppression
Decoding the Desert Dialectics: Inside Track's Imperial Imperatives
When conservative voices venture into vast historical vistas, vigilant voices must verify their visions
Greetings, fellow desert dwellers and democracy defenders! Your resident radio reconnaissance reporter here, diving deep into the dusty dialectics of Tucson's airwaves. This week's Inside Track episode (5/21/25) delivered a masterclass in how conservative commentary cleverly cloaks colonial thinking in scholarly sophistication.
Hosts Bruce Ash and Ed Wilkinson welcomed the wordy and wealth-adjacent Lord Conrad Black to wax poetic about his latest literary labor: "The Strategic and Political History of the World, Volume Two."
Because apparently what America really needs right now is another privileged white man explaining how Western civilization saved the world from itself.
Meet the Players in This Political Performance
The Hosts: Bruce Ash, manning the microphone for Paul Ash Management Company, and Ed Wilkinson, broadcasting from his "ultra-lux Wilkinson wealth management studios" (because nothing says credible journalism like conducting interviews from your own investment office). These titans of Tucson's conservative commentary circuit came prepared with corporate credentials and copious capitalism cheerleading.
The Guest: Lord Conrad Black - a Canadian-born media mogul whose resume reads like a cautionary tale about power and privilege. Former controller of major publications including the Daily Telegraph, Chicago Sun-Times, and Jerusalem Post, Black transformed from press baron to prison alumnus following fraud convictions before reinventing himself as a prolific purveyor of ponderous political prose.
Nothing quite establishes your authority on moral progress like a criminal conviction for corporate fraud, but hey, who's keeping track?
The hosts practically genuflected while introducing their guest, with Wilkinson gushing: "Lord Conrad Black are you with us?" before launching into breathless praise about Black's oratory skills. Ash chimed in with his comparison to Newt Gingrich, noting how both men could speak "without an um, an ah, no pauses, no nothing."
Ah yes, the conservative gold standard: the ability to speak confidently about anything without the inconvenience of pausing to think.
Lord Black's Historical Homilies: A Progressive Perspective
The Religious Revelation Rhetoric
Black dedicated substantial airtime to pontificating about religion's perpetual presence in human history, declaring that "religion never goes away, and it's always been there." But his most revealing moment came when discussing Christianity's role in the Roman Empire:
"I think if they had adopted Christianity earlier, it would have made it easier for them to defend themselves against the barbarians. And once the barbarians had overrun the West, the Eastern Roman Empire continued for another thousand years... the barbarians had primitive religions themselves. They very rapidly became quite strenuous Christians."
Progressive Reality Check: This romanticized view of Christianity as a civilizing force conveniently ignores how European colonial powers weaponized Christianity to justify genocide against Indigenous peoples across the Americas. When Black suggests that earlier Christian adoption would have helped Romans "defend against barbarians," he's essentially arguing that religious homogeneity creates stronger societies - a dangerous precedent that echoes modern xenophobic talking points about cultural assimilation.
Notice how anyone who resisted Roman expansion automatically becomes a "barbarian" in this narrative? Classic colonial logic: if you're not us, you're uncivilized. Sound familiar, anyone following current immigration debates?
The hosts ate this up, with Ash sharing an anecdote about visiting Jerusalem and marveling at how "God must have had a great sense of humor to land the three biggest religions of the world right within about 200 yards of one another." Black responded by diving into Mark Antony's funeral speech for Julius Caesar, noting how "the Jews had come out in strength to Caesar's funeral because they liked Caesar."
Because nothing says interfaith harmony like bonding over a dead dictator.
The Islam Imitation Irritation
Perhaps most problematically, Black characterized Islam as "in large measure an imitation of Christianity," suggesting that "the Arabs saw how this Christian phenomenon just swept the world... And they adopted a religion of their own that was quite similar, down to and including having the archangel Gabriel announce it to Muhammad."
He continued: "Since they did not wish to be martyrs as the early Christians were, including Christ himself. They became warriors, and it became a very aggressive religion, a very successful one. It gave the Arab the sense that this is our motivation, and this is what unites us."
The Troubling Takeaway: This isn't just poor scholarship - it's orientalist propaganda disguised as historical analysis. By positioning Islam as derivative rather than innovative, Black perpetuates the same colonial narratives that justified European domination of Muslim societies. His casual dismissal of Islamic intellectual contributions (beyond a brief nod to "astrology and medicine") erases the crucial role of Islamic scholars in preserving and advancing human knowledge during Europe's Dark Ages.
So let me get this straight: Christianity spreading = divine providence, but Islam spreading = aggressive imitation? The mental gymnastics required for this logic could qualify for the Olympics.
Justice and "Progress" Propaganda
Black's discussion of justice evolution carefully curated a narrative in which Western legal traditions represent inevitable "progress."
He proclaimed, "It is absolutely true that progress exists... There is actually progress in the aptitude and talent people have to govern themselves and to maintain relationships with other countries."
When discussing the development of individual rights, Black credited Christianity:
"The whole concept of individual rights was a bit late coming. What we, prior to Christianity, there wasn't the reverence for life itself or any concept that life was sacred."
Progressive Pushback: This teleological thinking - the idea that history inevitably moves toward "better" (read: more Western) systems - has been used to justify everything from Manifest Destiny to modern military interventions. When Black celebrates how "we've gotten better" at justice while simultaneously criticizing the U.S. legal system's 98% conviction rate ("It's like North Korea"), he reveals the contradictions inherent in conservative historical thinking.
Funny how "progress" always seems to flow in one convenient direction: toward whatever system the speaker happens to represent.
The MAGA Mindset Manifestations
The Strongman Celebration
Before Black's arrival, the hosts spent considerable time genuflecting before Trump's cabinet picks. Wilkinson praised several appointees:
"Dan Bongino, Kash Patel the same way... there's several people in Trump's cabinet that are just confident and they radiate that confidence. They know exactly what they're doing. They know exactly why they're there."
Ash jumped in with enthusiasm about Trump’s DUI hire, Pete Hegseth:
"Here's a guy who, instead of going into hiding and not telling people that he's going to be in the hospital, is out there doing PT with all the troops."
But their most revealing moment came when discussing Tom Homan:
"Tom Homan doesn't give a crap, though. No. No, not at all. In fact, he welcomes it." Ash continued: "He takes the attention and the attacks on him. Bring it on. I mean, that's his attitude."
Ah yes, the MAGA leadership philosophy: accountability is for losers, and giving a crap about criticism is apparently weakness. How refreshing to have leaders who pride themselves on not caring what anyone thinks.
The Immigration Intimidation
The hosts' enthusiastic discussion of ICE operations revealed the cruel calculus behind current immigration enforcement. Ash declared:
"You heard yesterday that Congresswoman was who attacked law enforcement officers with ICE and DHS. They are filing charges against her. And Homan has as promised that there'll be more prosecutions if there are more skirmishes with law enforcement officers."
Wilkinson chimed in with the classic conservative contradiction:
"These are the people that said of Trump, no one is above the law. Right. Right. How can they say that about Trump and yet not about their own people?"
The irony is so thick you could cut it with a rusty ICE detention center spoon. Apparently "no one is above the law" only applies when you're not investigating Trump.
Most tellingly, Ash celebrated sending Venezuelans back to Maduro's regime:
"There was a ruling just yesterday or the day before by the court saying that President Trump and the Department of Homeland Security had the ability to remove any of the Venezuelans who had come to the country... because this was a political trick by Maduro to throw out his people, the people who are really, really, you know, criminals and bad people."
So let me follow this logic: Maduro is evil and throws out criminals, but we're going to... send them back to evil Maduro? The cognitive dissonance is strong with this one.
The Wealth Management Worldview
Throughout the episode, the hosts couldn't resist reminding listeners about their business credentials. Ash repeatedly plugged his sponsors and "Paul Ash Management Company," while Wilkinson broadcast from his "ultra-lux Wilkinson wealth management studios."
Because nothing says "man of the people" like constantly reminding everyone about your luxury office space while discussing global justice.
This context matters enormously when analyzing their political commentary. These aren't struggling working-class conservatives worried about economic displacement - they're wealthy business owners whose material interests align perfectly with Trump's tax policies and deregulation agenda.
The Intellectual Imperialism Exposed
What makes this episode particularly insidious is how it packages regressive political positions in scholarly wrapping paper. Black's erudite delivery and impressive vocabulary can't disguise the fundamental flaws in his historical methodology or the dangerous implications of his civilizational hierarchy thinking.
When Wilkinson asked about Black's "most profound discovery," the response revealed everything: Black emphasized how "progress exists" and how "we're organized into countries, they deal with each other, there are wars, of course, but they aren't simply naked wars of annihilation on your neighbor."
Translation: the current world order, dominated by Western powers and organized around nation-states that benefit wealthy elites, represents the pinnacle of human achievement. How convenient.
The conversation about Cardinal Richelieu proved especially revealing. Black praised this 17th-century French minister who "created the institutions of the modern state" and "completely suppressed the nobles," noting that Richelieu "concluded that an absolute dictatorship was the most efficient form of government."
When Ash jokingly asked, "Was he talking about the US Congress?", Black's response was telling: Richelieu "thought that parliaments were just a bunch of self-interested, special interest groups advocating for their own interests at the expense of everybody else."
Gee, where have we heard anti-democratic, pro-strongman rhetoric like that recently? Certainly not from any major political figures in America...
The Real Tragedy
This episode perfectly encapsulates how conservative media packages intellectual-sounding content to legitimize regressive political positions.
The real tragedy isn't just bad history - it's how this type of commentary shapes contemporary political discourse in Tucson and beyond.
When we uncritically celebrate Western "progress" while ignoring ongoing injustices, we create permission structures for modern oppression. When we characterize non-Western civilizations as derivative or aggressive, we justify continued military interventions and cultural imperialism. When we praise leaders who "don't give a crap" about criticism, we normalize authoritarianism.
And when we broadcast this nonsense from luxury wealth management studios, we make it crystal clear whose interests these narratives really serve.
The show's celebration of deportations targeting vulnerable communities while simultaneously praising historical "progress" in justice reveals the fundamental contradiction at the heart of conservative ideology: they champion abstract principles while actively undermining them in practice.
Questions To Ponder
How does romanticizing historical religious conflicts influence contemporary attitudes toward religious diversity and immigration in our beautifully diverse Tucson community?
When conservative commentators praise "strong" leaders who dismiss criticism, what does this reveal about their commitment to democratic accountability in our local politics?
Why do wealthy business owners broadcasting from "ultra-lux" studios feel qualified to speak for working-class concerns about immigration and economic justice?
Hope in the Desert
Despite the discouraging dominance of these divisive dialectics dominating our desert airwaves, remember that knowledge remains our most powerful tool for justice. Whenever we critically examine these conservative narratives, we create space for more inclusive, accurate, and liberating understandings of our shared human story.
The Sonoran Desert has always been a place of resilience and adaptation. Long before European colonizers arrived with their "civilizing" missions, Indigenous peoples thrived here, developing sophisticated societies that understood sustainability, community care, and justice in ways that put our current systems to shame.
That's the real history they don't want you to hear on Inside Track.
Today, Tucson continues that tradition of resistance and resilience. Our community organizers, immigrant rights advocates, and Indigenous rights activists carry forward centuries of struggle for real justice, not the sanitized "progress" narrative that serves wealthy elites.
Keep This Analysis Coming
Quality investigative journalism and progressive analysis takes time, energy, and resources. If you found this deep dive into conservative media manipulation valuable, consider supporting Three Sonorans on Substack. Your subscription helps us continue monitoring the airwaves, fact-checking false narratives, and providing the progressive perspective our community desperately needs.
Because while Lord Conrad Black may have the luxury of writing history from his comfortable perch, we're busy making it from the ground up - one truth-telling blog post at a time.
What Do You Think?
The conservative media machine works overtime to normalize their narratives through repetition and scholarly packaging. But we know better, don't we, Tucson?
Drop a comment below and let's discuss:
Have you noticed similar patterns in local conservative media? What narratives concern you most?
How do we counter these sophisticated propaganda techniques in our own community organizing?
What stories from Tucson's real history - Indigenous resistance, labor organizing, immigrant rights struggles - do you think need more attention?
How can we better support local voices that challenge these colonial narratives?
Stay vigilant, desert dwellers. The truth may be buried under layers of conservative spin, but like desert wildflowers after monsoon rains, it has a way of breaking through when conditions are right.
Keep questioning, keep organizing, and keep building the more just world our Sonoran communities deserve.
Quotes:
Lord Conrad Black: "I think if they had adopted Christianity earlier, it would have made it easier for them to defend themselves against the barbarians" - Suggesting religious homogeneity strengthens societies
Lord Conrad Black: "It seems to me that Islam was in large measure an imitation of Christianity" - Reducing Islam to a Christian derivative
Ed Wilkinson on Tom Homan: "Tom Homan doesn't give a crap, though... In fact, he welcomes it" - Celebrating leaders who dismiss criticism
Bruce Ash: "You do that to a peace officer and you deserve what you get" - Supporting prosecution of congresspeople who interfere with ICE
Lord Conrad Black: "I think it's a scandalous justice system... 98% conviction rate, 95% of it a trial. It's like North Korea" - Criticizing US justice while promoting Western legal "progress"
Lord Conrad Black: "They became warriors, and it became a very aggressive religion" - Characterizing Islam as inherently violent
People Mentioned with Context:
Lord Conrad Black - Former media mogul and convicted fraudster, author of historical trilogy - "I dictate it, and it goes up on the screen"
Bruce Ash - Inside Track co-host, Paul Ash Management Company owner - "You do that to a peace officer and you deserve what you get"
Ed Wilkinson - Inside Track co-host, wealth management studio owner - "Tom Homan doesn't give a crap, though"
Tom Homan - Trump immigration official - Praised for not caring about criticism
Pete Hegseth - Defense Secretary - "Out there doing PT with all the troops"
Marco Rubio - Secretary of State - Praised for Senate panel confidence
Cardinal Richelieu - 17th century French minister - Black's example of effective absolute leadership
Dan Bongino - Conservative commentator - Praised for communication skills
Kash Patel - Trump appointee - Noted for confident speaking ability
Henry Kissinger - Former Secretary of State - Wrote introduction for Black's previous book
Franklin D. Roosevelt - Former President - Subject of Black's biography, quoted about American diversity
Donald Trump - Current President - Praised for speaking ability and appointees
Julius Caesar - Roman leader - Used in Black's discussion of Jewish-Roman relations
Muhammad - Prophet of Islam - Referenced in Black's Christianity-Islam comparison
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