Into The Gap: The Podcast

This episode is the end of a 16-month journey, one in which we have committed to speaking the truth and expressing ourselves authentically. In celebration of the completion of the show, original co-host Bob Pontarelli joins Mike Shereck to look at the conditions of our world and offer countless perspectives of action to take, often critical, sometimes funny, always real.This show has been a project of love and passion and maybe no episode shows it more than this one. Thank you for listening.

This week on "Into The Gap," we talk about what Trump is doing to the postal service and the right-wing birther campaign that has begun against Kamala Harris. We also look at Black Lives Matter and the effort to defund police.Co-host Mike Shereck says: "We are in the midst of a true existential crisis in our country. What I think this election demonstrates is, on one side, Trump and a representation of traditional American freedom being carried out by a clearly flawed and obnoxious man, and on the other side an attempt to overthrow our history and what America has stood for through the implementation of neo-Marxist values and processes. We are in a sad place."Jason counters that Trump is "undermining our constitutional republic and the concomitant democratic procedures that flow from it. Ronald Reagan must be trembling in heaven looking at this charlatan whose wealth grows exponentially with each overseas trip he makes."Rejecting Mike's claim that Kamala Harris is driven by "blind ambition and a willingness to do anything to achieve her goals," Jason says: "Talk about blind, naked ambition and monetary greed. Funny a rich white man and his proclivity for nepotism and enhancing his wealth is OK, but a black woman growing up in the California projects, bused to integrated schools who works her way up to state attorney general gets accused of blind ambition because she has the same aspirations as that feckless pig who is our president. You know, I notice the same thing happens to me. I get called uppity when I voice my views in various arenas. White mean do the same thing and they are called 'tough,' 'exhibiting leadership.'"

This week on “Into The Gap,” we talk about Illinois State Representative LaShawn Ford’s call to abolish all history classes. Co-host Jason Hill connects that proposal with Rutgers University’s decision to label grammar as racist. “I call the educational crisis the result of systemic nihilism,” he says, continuing: “We are seeing the results in the vandalism, rioting, and yes — I’m going out on a limb — high crime rates. I think the dominant cultural trends in a culture set the tone for permissibility.” We also discuss “the pandemic of utter nihilism in our culture” and what that means for the future of America.Co-host Mike Shereck argues that we now have two distinct Americas, “and the suburbs are being put in the middle.” He also shares what he saw riding the back roads of Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, western Illinois, Wyoming, South and North Dakota, and, connecting back to Jason’s point, discuss how “the nihilism seems to be a more urban phenomenon and the ‘middle of the country’ is far more traditional and conservative.”

On this week's episode, Mike's on a cross-country motorcycle trip and says there is so much to see going through "Trump's America." We look at two different versions of America. There is the BLM, government-must-work-for-the-people side, and there is the freedom crusade and "you cannot tell me what to do" people. Will we always have two separate Americas?

On the show this week Mike and Jason spend a lot of time on the subject of Black Lives Matter. It is inarguable that black lives, of course, matter, and through the history of our country there is no doubt that until the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, black lives were not honored, nor were they treated as equal.We separate the idea of racism, bigotry, ignorance and hatred that can and will occur in a free society and a government structure that is at the root of it. We dig in and look at the idea that self-awareness, self-acceptance, and personal responsibility are required in a free society, and before any systemic solutions are required, there must be personal awareness; otherwise, we are doomed to the solution of socialism, which never ends well.

This week: the impact of an absence of leadership in times of uncertainty and leadership at a personal level, which is individuality in service of something bigger, personal sovereignty, and most of all personal responsibility.

Topics on this week's episode of “Into The Gap” include the Trump administration’s decision this week to expel America's international students from the country. What’s behind this, if, in the president’s words, the virus is under control?Plus: The country’s divisiveness seems more trenchant than it did a few months ago. Why?Reports of racist attacks against people of color are surfacing on a daily basis. Why does it seem now like criticizing racism is synonymous with attacking America?And we we will examine the mindset that is driving all of this. There seems to be a duplicity that is going on on both sides which keeps the divide in place.

On this episode: It's the Fourth of July and we focus in on the idea of the Declaration of Independence, with an emphasis on what a declaration is, as an idea in the future of what is possible. And we ask, what is the future of our republic and look at where we are, what has worked and not worked, and what is the work we need to do.

This week we talk about humanity, our ability to be with all of what’s going on, and much more.

On this week’s show, Mike argues that the divide in the country is not nearly as large as is being reported and points to some of the revisionist history he thinks is going on. Jason posits that the revisionist history "includes Trump’s biggest moral crime which spearheaded the divide in this country: the creation of the disgustingly racist Birther Movement. When the most vetted man in the country — then-President Obama — gets cast as a foreigner by Trump, then we are revising history back to an era when blacks’ qualifications as viable citizens were called into question. If we label Antifa a terrorist organization, then the Ku Klux Klan, which still terrorizes blacks and Jews, has to be labeled a domestic terrorist organization, too. I’d like to address moral hypocrisy on both left and right," Jason says.

On this episode: Racism, what it really is, and what is Systemic Racism? We use these terms without a clear understanding of what they really mean; it just becomes meaningless talking about it. We will also talk about the removal of symbols -- the outlawing of Confederate flags at NASCAR events, the banning of "Gone With The Wind" by HBO, the removal and desecration of statues of Confederate leaders and places. And Trump attacks a 75-year-old protester.

On this episode we talk about the protests, the riots, the responses, and the way we are reacting to all of it. Plus, we discuss General Mattis’s searing criticism of President Trump and how some in the GOP are turning against the president.

On this episode, we talk about the recent brutal murders of unarmed black men and one woman by police offers; the riots and looting; the woman in Central Park calling cops on a man who asked her gently to leash her dog -- she told him that she was going to call the police and report that an African-American male was threatening her life and repeatedly stressed that he was black.Where are we in race relations in this county?Do the lives of black people as human beings in America really matter?We'll also talk about the breakdown in institutions, structure and the basic systems of civilization. Visit the "Into The Gap" show page: https://www.wcgoradio.com/into-the-gap.

This week we look at what the future looks like, and what the present looks like as most places across the country open up, one exception being the City of Chicago. What does this new post COVID-19 world look like? How has life changed? How has our culture changed? What does working at home look like and what is the impact of isolation, the absence of touch, and connections with people?

On this episode Mike and Jason continue to discuss the void of leadership across all aspects of our country, and the impact that has on the citizens of this country -- one of uncertainty, anxiety and fear.

On this episode Mike and Jason discuss the void of leadership across all aspects of our country, and the impact that has on the citizens of this country -- one of uncertainty, anxiety and fear.

On this episode we talk about the impact of the stay-at-home order on our lives, our attitudes, the economy, our culture, and us as humans. We also talk about the hidden cost of COVID-19 and the hidden cost of living in a constant state of fear.

In this episode co-host Jason D. Hill criticizes the executive branch of our government for its continued reckless lack of leadership amidst the COVID-19 crisis, most particularly singling out President Trump's reckless suggestion that injecting the body with disinfectants might be a remedy for the virus. Hill questions the moral hypocrisy of a conservative government that decries the welfare state but applies the principle of distribution of wealth and affirmative action to the rich in its discriminatory bailout procedures for wealthy corporations. He praises the resilience and heroic perseverance of the American people for keeping the moral health of the nation alive. (Co-host Mike Shereck took the week off.)

This week on “Into The Gap” w talk about:1) Why rational thinking versus gut reaction and impulsive action are most important during this pandemic2) how the new age of uncertainty has produced a fear of feeling fear itself3) the irrational response of the Michigan protesters: why it’s un-American and deeply fascistic4) A new humanity in the age of COVID-19We also look at the continued gap in leadership and what that is leading to, including the reopening of beaches in Florida and the roll-out of the new reality, plus the idea of 100 percent safety and is that even possible.

This week we look at what the COVID-19 pandemic is really costing us, and what life will look like when we are "getting back to normal." First, there is no idea what "normal" will be; we are in a new era. Some of the things we must look at: our addiction to materialism and, with that, our need for cheap and inferior Chinese goods. We must break the hold China has on us financially and materially. We also begin to look at what it will take to reconstruct the supply chain and how restoring the manufacturing base in the USA is not only a national defense issue, it is a way to stabilize the economy and provide the much-needed good-paying jobs this country will need. We discuss how the real backbone of our economy is small business, and the need for that to survive may be our greatest priority. We also cover the failings of our institutions and the humanness of the experts -- how, though they are trained and committed, what they provide is just a guide and not the truth. Finally, throughout the show we play songs by John Prine, Chicago's own, who passed this pass week.

This week we look at what COVID-19 has cost us, along with what are some of the lessons learned, opportunities for change, and new perspectives that have been offered to us. In addition, we open the phone lines for call-ins.

This week we continue the conversation about coronavirus, looking at it more from the impact of us personally, how the isolation is impacting us, and the impact of very little real leadership and the instability that takes place.

On this week’s show we took callers from across the planet. We had a caller from the U.K. and one from PA. We were discussing the impact of COVID-19 and what we see and what that means. What we realized is we are all far more similar than different.

This week we have our Berwyn special!Wednesday, February 19th we recorded a pair of episodes at The Wire in Berwyn, where we celebrated all things Berwyn with Mayor Robert J. Lovero, and his wife, Gail. Hosted and moderated by Mike Shereck, they talk about living and growing up in Berwyn, the current state of the city, and what the mayor envisions as he embarks on a fourth-term re-election campaign. And Mike not only asks questions people had submitted to the show beforehand, he opens up the floor for questions from the audience!

Mike Shereck and Jason Hill, the hosting duo that brings you "Into The Gap" -- Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Central on WCGO Radio -- sit down with Andy Miles to talk about the show, how it came to be, and a wide range of issues that inform the philosophy of the thought-provoking, sometimes controversial show.Mike, a Berwyn-bred tradesman turned professional certified coach, and Jason, a Jamaican-born philosophy professor at DePaul, also talk a bit about themselves, and each other, revealing how their "odd couple" backgrounds achieve a unique intellectual and personal chemistry.Says Jason: "I think it would be a good match because he’s got this practical can-do know-how about how the world operates. I know how the world operates in terms of the ideas that people live by. Mike has a full grasp of the practicality of the universe, and he can teach me something, which is why I don’t like to deal with academics, because I’d much rather deal with a businessman or a construction worker or a janitor or a lawyer: Someone who can teach me something about the world. And I think that we’ll bounce off each other really, really well."The interview was recorded February 1, 2020 at WCGO. Read the transcript here: www.wcgoradio.com/into-the-gap-interview

This week Mike and Jason welcome Rollo Tomassi back to the show.

This week: Jerry Evans, candidate for the 14th Congressional District of Illinois.

This week conservative activist Beth Feeley joins Jason Hill. (Mike Shereck took the week off.)

This week on “Into The Gap,” our guest is Jeff Joseph, editorial director of the print and online magazine LUCKBOX. The magazine is a deep-dive outlet that explores money/finances, trading markets, politics, media. The magazine is located in Chicago and is a successful major publication. Jeff will talk to co-hosts Jason and Mike about: our steel war with China and censorship in China fraudulent accounting policies in China and their impact on lives fake media/fake news: how they are created trading in the political market and what he’s learned from its source: predictit.org time for new rules: Facebook, Amazon, Google and the monopoly market.

This week our guest is Jonathan Hoenig. He is a hedge fund manager and Fox News Business contributor. Jonathan is also the author of A New Textbook of Americanism: The Politics of Ayn Rand. He talks about: the moral meaning of money; how to approach money and make it properly; why many people don't have a proper relationship to money; what the relationship between values and wealth creation is; the importance of savings and the expansion of choices having money gives you in life; how to allocate resources and avoid even the smallest of credit card debts; why, regardless of class and educational variables, some people will always make more money than others.

Join co-hosts Mike Shereck and Jason Hill for this episode of “Into The Gap.”

Mike and Jason are joined this week by guest-host Will Campbell and guest Peter Scott, the Fearless Coach. They discuss fear, how people use it as motivator and the impact of fear, how it can limit us and limit our expression and actually interfere with achieving the results we desire.

This week Mike introduces new co-host, DePaul University Professor Jason Hill. They look into some of the various social movements, one being #metoo, and examine how these movement are always started to address a huge issue and are highly effective in bringing that issue into the light. What happens when the goal of making people aware is achieved? Movements themselves don't achieve change; people making new choices do.

This week Mike Shereck and guest-host Will Campbell discuss fatherhood and the impact on kids, families and communities when fathers are absent.

This week Mike is joined by guest-host Will Campbell and Catalina Lauf, Republican candidate for the 14th Congressional District of Illinois.

This week Mike's guest is Alex Terranova, author of Fictional Authenticity. They talk about men and what it means to be authentic.

This week Mike Shereck talks to Rory Clark, former Northwestern Wildcat, sales and strategy expert, and pastor of Barah Ministries. Much of our discussion centered around what it means to be a man in today’s world, and the choices we all must make. Rory and Mike have had a 35-year friendship, so yes, there was a bit of two dudes having fun, and it was really looking into what is our responsibility for being a man and what is needed for authentic male expression.

This week Mike and Bob talk to Ed Gurowitz, Ph.D., author of Inclusion, The Role of Leadership: Why We Are Separate, Why We Need To Come Together. They talk about inclusion, men, women, working in the world today, and what’s possible.

This week Mike and Bob welcome back Rollo Tomassi.

This week Mike and Bob talk about thankfulness, gratitude and courage.

This week Mike and Bob welcome Professor Jason Hill back into the studio.

This week Mike and Bob welcome Danny Malouf, a Republican candidate for Illinois' 14th Congressional District in the U.S. House. Malouf calls himself the Liberty Candidate.

Mike and Bob celebrate six months of the show, and really look at what is so, where we’re at, and what is the current condition of the show, the culture, and our country. We have a short visit by the "Commander," and another caller; we end the show with some practices moving forward.

On this week's show Mike, Bob and their anonymous guest, "The Commander," take on the subjects of privilege, freedom and responsibility.

Mike and Bob welcome Berwyn Mayor Robert Lovero into the studio to talk about “real-life, practical applications of inclusion, diversity, and cultural transformation as it relates to the city of Berwyn.” They also talk about the best places in town to get pizza. Mayor Lovero’s wife, Gail, and Berwyn stalwart Richard Leja were also on hand.

This week’s guest is Rollo Tomassi and we look at the impact of technology in our lives and consider that maybe it is not the best thing. We discussed #genderwars and male feminism and how this phenomenon may be a mating strategy. We also looked at the need for men to begin the process of self-awareness and self-discovery if we truly are committed to making the changes required to have this great experiment of ours work.

The theme this week is MISANDRY AND POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. Our guest is DePaul Professor Jason D. Hill, PhD. Professor Hill speaks about race, gender, and political correctness, and he demonstrates how clarity and responsibility are essential to success in our country, and so much more.

The theme this week is MEN OPERATING IN A GYNOCENTRIC WORLD. Guest Adam Gilad speaks about his work with men over the last 15 years. Ultimately it is a stand that men operate from a place of responsibility.

The theme this week is INTO THE GAP and how this came to be. Bob and Mike review the journey, the why, and what you can count on us to do moving forward.

The theme this week is MONEY. Guest Alan Myers speaks to the history and legality of the Federal Reserve system, and how it impacts each of us.

The theme this week is MASCULINITY. Our guest is our friend Rollo Tomassi, who addresses the issues of male feminism and patriarchy. We really look at how men have been willing to adapt to achieve desires they may have, and how this activity does not work.