A Media Memoir of Faith, Fracture, and the Fight for Truth
Chapter 3: The Independent Shift
Grief has a way of sharpening discernment. After losing my mother, I saw everything differently — the media, the country, community, family, and myself.
Was it the phone call telling me to get on the next flight to Phoenix? The scramble to reach the closest family to my sister, getting them to her before I could arrive?
I searched the internet to find the steps that worked best for our situation. I spent two weeks grieving with my sister as we navigated our mother’s final arrangements. My mother may have died, but her spirit was far from gone.
I deleted most of my social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter, leaving me with YouTube, Rumble, and Locals.
In that quieter space, my work at the Studios at Fischer became more meaningful as I worked with Justin and Jeremy Furstenfeld of Blue October on their livestream concerts.
Having related to their earlier music such as Hate Me and Into the Ocean, I was pleasantly introduced to their newer music like Home, I Hope You’re Happy, and Moving On. They also had a Blue October TV app, where Justin created an addiction‑recovery series I found inspiring.
But even as music grounded me, the world outside was shifting in ways that were impossible to ignore.
I observed on January 6th how control of the narrative could be manipulative. Trump had a rally. Senator Ted Cruz and company brought receipts to share with Congress. Pipe bombs were reportedly found outside political headquarters, one where soon‑to‑be Vice President Kamala Harris awaited the call.
Chaos erupted. On one side of the building, a riot ensued. On the other, demonstrators walked calmly up the steps and into the Capitol. Some received tours. Others were engaged in battle within fatal funnels — narrow choke points where escape was impossible. One woman was shot before things began to calm. Over 1500 Americans were arrested for January 6th, most with delayed trials.
The establishment media called it an insurrection. I saw something different. It didn’t matter which side of the aisle one was on. Something happened that day and the demonstrators were the pawns.
We didn’t get to hear Cruz’s constitutional arguments. Why would Trump supporters stop Cruz from trying to “stop the steal”? Who was Ray Epps? Was it a deep‑state distraction rather than a Trump‑supporter demonstration? I saw an establishment that protected itself and its narrative control.
Shadow‑banning and cancel culture peaked. The President of the United States, Donald Trump had been either banned, blocked, or suspended from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitch. The counts were confirmed. Joe Biden was now the 46th President of the United States.
CNN, NBC, and MSNBC got Joe Biden over the finish line. Tucker Carlson dominated FOX primetime. The Daily Wire was growing in Nashville with its handful of hosts, led by Ben Shapiro, who brought on firebrand Candace Owens in March.
Dave Rubin spent the year supporting “the Sage from South Central,” Larry Elder, in the Governor Gavin Newsom California recall election, before ultimately deciding to move to the ‘free state’ of Florida.
Russell Brand joined the Internet Dark Web of free‑thinking commentators on YouTube, questioning authorities as federal COVID‑19 restrictions tightened across the country.
Later in 2021, Joe Rogan tested positive for COVID‑19, choosing not to take the government‑promoted vaccine and finding relief from prescriptions from his doctor, including ivermectin. Outlets like CNN and others repeatedly criticized him for taking a “horse dewormer” over the emergency‑use‑authorized, novel vaccine.
Tim Pool of TimcastIRL used Rogan’s experience to guide conversations with his own doctors during his COVID‑19 treatment.
I watched more podcasts on Rumble, which gave me more Steven Crowder, Dan Bongino, Russell Brand, Tim Pool, Charlie Kirk, PragerU, Glenn Beck, Glenn Greenwald, Ron and Rand Paul, Awaken with JP, Jimmy Corsetti of Bright Insight, Roseanne Barr, and Tenet Media. Later, Rumble would purchase Locals from Dave Rubin, integrating the two platforms for creators who felt sidelined by YouTube’s tightening rules.
Everything was accelerating — the censorship, the division, the confusion, the spiritual tension. My mother’s passing had sharpened my discernment, and now I could see the fractured lines running through the country. The reckoning wasn’t coming. It had already begun.
Quinn's Next Step 