Nazism has entered the group chat

It's Been a Minute

NPR

News Commentary, Society & Culture, News, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality

4.6 • 8.8K Ratings

🗓️ 24 October 2025

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Why is there so much Nazism in the news? And when does a "joke" become hate speech?

Politico broke a story last week featuring what it said were leaks from a Telegram group chat that included Young Republican National Federation leaders. These chats made headlines for reportedly racist and pro-Nazi messaging. But this is not the only story in the news about people in politics engaging with Nazi rhetoric. Is it happening more often? And is this kind of thing just a “joke”?

Brittany is joined by Odette Yousef, domestic extremism correspondent for NPR, and Gene Demby, co-host of NPR's Code Switch, to get into it.

(0:00) Young Republicans group chat screenshots go viral...
(3:40) Where's the line between joking and hate speech?
(5:56) Is Nazi talk more common, or are we just more aware of it?
(10:29) Why white adults are considered "kids" even in their 30s
(14:45) Are there consequences for spreading hate? And what you can do about it.
(19:41) 'Wait, What?' - a pop culture trivia game
(23:29) Responding to listener comments :)

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This message comes from CBS.
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0:13.7	New episodes are available every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts.
0:19.2	When was the last time your friend group chat got really rowdy?
0:23.3	Earlier this week was the kickoff of the NBA season, you know what I mean?
0:25.7	So it was really popping all then.
0:27.7	Like everybody just talking trash again.
0:29.3	Like, oh, this is what is like the season's back.
0:31.2	Here we go.
0:32.0	I know for me, I was recently at an airport and Jeremiah from Love Island USA got off the plane and he was so fine in person.
0:42.7	And so obviously I had to light up the group chat with that one.
0:48.2	Hello, hello.
0:49.7	I'm Brittany Luce and you're listening to It's Been a Minute from NPR, a show about what's going on in culture and why it doesn't happen by accident.
1:06.1	Political broke a story last week featuring what it said were leaks from a telegram group chat that included
1:11.6	leaders for the Young Republican National Federation. It made headlines for racist and pro-Nazi
1:17.3	messaging. But what online multiverse do these messages live in? And what is the reaction to them
1:23.6	say about how we think about accountability? Kids do stupid things, especially young boys.
1:30.6	They tell edgy, offensive jokes. Like, that's what kids do. We're getting into it with Odette
1:36.0	Yousef, Domestic Extremism correspondent for NPR and Gene Demby, co-host of NPR's Code Switch.
1:42.6	Gene, Odette, welcome to the show.
1:44.6	It was good with you.
	...

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