Topic: Yellow Fever

Greg Carlwood previews topics from the second hour of the interview, including the Antarctic portal, the story of Lalibela, and Ben Franklin as a Herculean archetype. He mentions Ross Ben's research into historical governance in Philadelphia. The episode concludes with a summary of the guest's dense presentations and a closing music track.

The discussion explores the concept of the "plandemic" by comparing modern health crises to the 1793 yellow fever outbreak in Philadelphia. Ross Ben argues that the roots of the modern medical-industrial complex are found in this historical event, which he labels America's first plandemic. They examine how historical narratives are used to justify imperial expansion and social control, suggesting that an empire attacking itself is a routine historical tactic.

The "Citizen Genet Affair" involved the French ambassador attempting to bypass protocol to recruit American privateers against the British. Ross Ben claims that Stephen Girard brought thousands of refugees from Haiti to Philadelphia in August 1793, who served as the perceived vector for yellow fever. This influx is described as a coordinated effort by Girard, Thomas Jefferson, and Genet to create a public health crisis and force the U.S. into the European conflict.

A parallel is drawn between the scapegoating of Haitian refugees in 1793 and modern perceptions of Black Lives Matter protesters during the COVID-19 pandemic. While yellow fever was actually spread by mosquitoes, the public blamed human contact. During the height of the 1793 crisis, massive riots occurred in Philadelphia, which John Adams described as a threat to the continuity of the federal government, allegedly sponsored by Girard to pressure Washington.