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Few Americans have been as consistently critical of Donald Trump's morality than the New York Times and Atlantic columnist Peter Wehner. How to prevent the worst happening, Wehner thus wrote, in his final Atlantic column before the election. So now that the worst has actually happened, how exactly is Wehner - who worked in several Republican administrations - feeling about the future of the American Republic? More optimist than one might. American self-renewal is a wonder of the world, Wehner explained to me, which is why, he believes, we should still be remain cheerful about American democracy.Peter Wehner is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum. His books include The Death of Politics: How to Heal Our Frayed Republic After Trump, City of Man: Religion and Politics in a New Era, which he co-wrote with Michael J. Gerson, and Wealth and Justice: The Morality of Democratic Capitalism. He was formerly a speechwriter for George W. Bush and a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. Wehner is a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times, and his work also appears in publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and National Affairs.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.Keen On is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Transcript“What we're called to be in our lives, personally and maybe vocationally, is to be faithful, not necessarily successful. Whether a person is successful in life depends often on circumstances that they can't control. That's just the nature of human existence. But you do have some measure of control of whether you're faithful or not. And that's really what honor is.” -Pete WehnerAK: Hello everybody. Election was two weeks ago, but we're trying to figure out the implications of the Trump/Vance win in the presidential election. We've done a number of shows, one with my old friend Jonathan Rauch. Rauch believes that November 5th represents what he calls a "moral catastrophe." And I'm curious as to what my guest today will say, whether he'll try to trump his old friend John Rauch. Wehner I've always seen as the conscience of American conservatism. He wrote a piece in The Atlantic—he writes a lot both for The Atlantic and The New York Times. Before the election, he wrote a piece for The Atlantic about preventing the worst from happening. He's joining us now two weeks after the election. Pete, did the worst happen? Is it a moral catastrophe?PETE WEHNER: Well, I see the worst happened in terms of what the binary choice was for this this election. Obviously, it's not the worst that could conceivably happen to a country, but given the circumstances, it's the worst that happened. Is it a moral catastrophe? You know, it's a moral blow. And I think it's a moral indictment, actually, of of much of the country as well. Whether it's a moral catastrophe remains to be seen. I mean, events will write that story. But I'm certainly concerned about where we are politically in terms of classical liberalism, in terms of the moral life and moral compass of America.AK: Immediately after the election. Peter Baker, New York Times writer, one of your one of your companions, colleagues on The Times, wrote an interesting piece about Trump's America, suggesting that this is the America who we are. Kamala Harris argued that we were different. But Baker believes that this is the America. It's Trump's America. As you know, Pete, he quoted you in the piece. You said, "This election was a CAT scan on the American people. And as difficult as it is to say, as hard as it is to name, what it revealed, at least in part, is a frightening affinity for a man of borderless corruption." Tell me more about this CAT scan. What does it tell us about the America of late 2024?PETE WEHNER: Well, I think it tells us things that are disturbing. It doesn't mean—and I wouldn't say and I didn't mean to imply—that people who themselves voted for Donald Trump are morally corrupt. But what I do mean to argue is that everybody who voted for Donald Trump voted for a man of borderless corruption, a man of moral depravity. And that's disturbing.AK: It's more than disturbing, Pete, the way you put it. "Moral depravity." In what way is he depraved?PETE WEHNER: Well, let me count the ways. I mean, the man was found liable to sexual assault. He's adulterer, porn star. He's cheated on his taxes and charitable giving. He tried to coerce an ally to find dirt on his opponent. He invited a hostile foreign power in the election. He instigated an insurrection against the Capitol. He tried to urge a violent mob to hang his vice president. He's a man who says racist things. He's a misogynist. He surrounds himself with people who are themselves deeply problematic, including picks that he wants for his cabinet. I would say that corruption has touched every area of his life, personal, professional, and in the presidency. So I don't think that that's a difficult argument to make. I think there's empirical evidence for it. But if there is a counter argument, I'm open to hearing it.AK: Well, I'm certainly not going to make that counter argument. You seem on the one hand, Pete, a little...tentative about, shall we say, morally smearing all Trump voters with his depravity. On the other hand, you know that everybody knows everything about Trump. There are no secrets here.PETE WEHNER: Right.AK: Can one then vote for Trump and not be in any way smeared by this moral depravity?PETE WEHNER: Yeah, it's a good question and I've thought a lot about it, Andrew. The way I think about it is that for Trump supporters, many of them, in any event, look, I know them. I mean, we've friends throughout our life, and I wouldn't deny that you can be a Trump voter and be a wonderful parent or neighbor and a person of high moral quality in a lot of areas in your life. On the other hand, I would say that this was an important election, and that Trump's depravity was undisguised. In fact, he kind of hung a neon light on it. And for an individual to cast a vote for that kind of man, who has done the things that he's done, and he's promised to do the things that he's done, I do think reflects on the person's character. And I don't think it's says everything about a person's character. I don't think this is the most important thing about a person's character. But I do think it says something. And I think that the people who voted for him should at least own up to who he is and the kind of man that that they cast their vote for. So if that's the tentativeness that you hear from me, that's an effort to explain why it's both tentative but something that I have fairly strong convictions on.AK: Pete, you and I talked about this a lot. You've been on the show many times. So it's a wonderful opportunity to talk to you. Is the church/state division in your head as sharp as it should be? For you, is politics essentially an extension of morality? I've always suspected there's an element of that, and I don't necessarily mean that as a criticism. It's just a reality of how you think.PETE WEHNER: Yeah, I don't take it as a criticism. I do think that politics is an extension of of morality. I don't think it's the most important extension of morality. And I do believe that the people who are indifferent to politics, you know, their morality expresses itself in different ways. But yeah, I think from my youngest days, at least in junior high and high school and on, I've always had a sense that politics, at its core, is about justice and the pursuit of justice. And it's about a lot of other things. And it's an imperfect means to achieve justice; there's other ways to achieve justice. But I do think that that's what politics is about. And politics is also the expression of a set of moral beliefs. I mean, that, after all, is what law is in many cases. So I do think that morality and politics are tied. The last point I'll make on it, Andrew, is that if politics goes bad, if it goes really bad, it can have catastrophic human consequences. Gulags and killing fields and genocide and a lot of things less bad than that but that are bad enough. And so I just feel like that matters. And that's certainly a manifestation of morality.AK: What about the argument, Pete, that for all the immorality, the depravity, to use your word, of Trump, most of the voters are voting for change. There's a photo in one of your pieces, I think it may be in the Baker piece, of a Trump supporter on a motorbike with a "Trump 2024" flag, and the suggestion that the rules have changed. It seems to be clear in the two weeks after the election that Trump is determined to change the rules. I mean all his appointments seem to be challenging the current assumptions, institutions, elites, and conventions. Isn't that a good thing? America seems bogged down—I mean, I know you're a conservative, but there were many areas from health care to foreign policy to the environment, and they need to be fundamentally changed. It was a very odd election in the sense that Kamala Harris was supposed to be the progressive, and yet she turned out to be the conservative. She seemed to be suggesting that not much in America needs changing. She didn't seem to want to distance herself too much from Joe Biden, whereas Trump is the candidate of change. Is that a credible argument?PETE WEHNER: No, I don't think it's credible. At least let me qualify that. He's certainly a candidate of change. I think whether it's positive or negative change is really what matters. I think it's one thing to say that institutions need to be reformed, which I agree with and have agreed with for many years and have been part of various efforts, throughout the years, to advocate for the reform of institutions. It's another thing to try and destroy institutions, to burn them down. And I think that Trump and the MAGA world is in the latter category. I think that that is the ethos which defines them. So, you know, in terms of people who voted for Trump out of the country, 50%, whatever, the number is going to end up being, vote for him. I understand the impulse, some of the frustrations that have been expressed. So that is its own topic of conversation, which we can get into. But to me, the idea that Donald Trump is the solution to the problems is not plausible. And I point out too, Andrew, that he did have one term prior to it. And in many respects, the things that people are unhappy about got worse, not better, under his watch. So if you compare what his promises have been to what his record was in the first term, I just don't think it squares. And in addition to that, the kind of things that he's promoting now, I think will make things worse. Just to take one specific area, the manufacturing crisis. There's no question that, for a whole variety of reasons, that there's people who have been in the manufacturing industry have suffered. But actually, it was worse during Trump's watch than it was under Biden's watch. So I don't think that Donald Trump is is the answer to the to the question, even a legitimate question, that's being presented or posed.AK: Pete, you've always described yourself as a conservative. You believe that now you're homeless as a conservative. I wonder what you made, though, of the Harris campaign. Her association with Liz Cheney, of course, represents the conservative wing of the Republican Party that you've been involved with all your life. You work with Cheney and Bush and Reagan. Do you blame Harris for losing the election? Did she make a series of mistakes? And what does it tell us about the Democratic Party? I mean, it's always easy—you've written extensively about the crisis of the Republican Party and its Trump-ification. But is there a similar crisis within the Democratic Party?PETE WEHNER: Well, I think there's a crisis, or at least a challenge, in the Democratic Party, which I'll turn to in a second. I mean, they've they've lost two of the last three elections to Donald Trump. So that is a cause for for self-reflection, for for sure. In terms of the Harris campaign, I'm not as critical as a lot of people are of her. I thought she ran a much better campaign than I thought that she would. It wasn't a perfect campaign by any means, but given the tasks she faced, given her own history, I thought that she did extremely well. And I don't blame her for the loss. I think there were certain intrinsic disadvantages that she had. I mean, she was essentially an incumbent in an election where the impulse for the public was change. Joe Biden's approval rating was 41%. She's going to end up with about 48% of the popular vote. That actually, to me is pretty impressive. The idea that she could have beaten, or have been ten points better, in the popular vote from the Biden approval rating would have been a spectacular achievement. I don't think it was achievable. She made mistakes. She didn't distance herself sufficiently from the Biden administration, but I don't think she ever really could have, because she was vice president. I think that the biggest stage, the biggest moment with the largest audience of all, she absolutely obliterated Donald Trump in the debate. I thought her convention speech was good. I'd sort of graded it at a B plus. I thought the convention itself made a lot of sense. I thought her rallies were very good. She was better on the stump than I thought. She had a huge amount of of energy. I thought she was not so good on interviews. And I think she stumbled at a few points, particularly when she was asked on The View where she differed from Joe Biden. She couldn't come up with anything. I think that she should have been prepared for that.AK: But to put it mildly, I mean, that was the most obvious question that everyone wanted to know. How could she have been so unprepared?PETE WEHNER: Well, I don't know if she was unprepared, I assume—AK: Or unwilling or unable to answer this fundamental question.PETE WEHNER: Yeah, I'm guessing that what was going through her mind, and probably the mind of the people that she spoke with, was that there was still a lot of loyalty to Joe Biden. And so she had to be careful in how far she distanced herself from him and whether that would create some unhappiness among Biden supporters. Secondly, she was vice president. And so there's a plausibility issue here, which is: how much can you separate yourself from a president if you're vice president? That said, look, I think she should have had 2 or 3 things that she could have named. And there was a relatively easy explanation, various explanations she could have offered: look, I believe in learning. When facts change, people change. I think that, you know, in my in my earlier life, I was wrong on certain issues and name what they were, and say that hopefully I've learned from that, I hope to continue to learn. I mean, there are all sorts of ways you could answer that. But look, Andrew, I will say this, too, which is having worked on several campaigns and having observed a lot of them over the decades, it's a lot harder to run as a candidate than people can imagine. And every candidate, no matter how good they are, whether you're Barack Obama or Bill Clinton or Ronald Reagan, have made mistakes. And the prism through which people view it is completely based on whether you win or not. If Trump had lost, you can imagine all of the things that we would say about, you know, really, was it wise to to close the argument talking about the penis size of Arnold Palmer or feigning masturbation with a microphone? I mean, there are there are dozens and dozens of things we would have said.AK: Yeah, I take your point, but of course he didn't. Let's talk about conservatism. You always made the argument—you were on MSNBC recently talking about why Trump is an enemy of conservatism. Is now, shall we say, the Harris wing, which is the center/right of the Democratic Party, which seems to have got into bed, so to speak, with Liz Cheney, are they really the conservatives now in America? I mean, they seem to think that America works pretty well. They always talk about America being American, and we're better than that. Is your conservative Republican Party, has it been swallowed by the Democratic Party?PETE WEHNER: I don't think it's been swallowed by the Democratic Party. And of course, it depends on what aspects of conservatism one is talking about. I would say that given the current constellation of reality in the two main parties in America, that conservatives have a better home in the Democratic Party than the Republican Party right now. But I don't think it's a natural home, and it's certainly not the kind of home that conservatives have been used to in the Republican Party pre-Donald Trump. I'd say the main point in terms of the question you asked is to underscore how fundamentally unconservative the Republican Party, Donald Trump and the MAGA movement, are. You know, there's a line in the movie The Dark Knight, the Batman movie, in which Alfred is talking to Bruce Wayne, and Bruce Wayne is trying to explain the criminal mindset to Alfred. And Alfred is saying, but you don't understand. And here he's talking about the Joker. He says, some people can't be bought, bribed, coerced. Some people just want to watch the world burn. And I think that Donald Trump and the MAGA movement have within them that kind of sensibility. I don't think it's defining to all of them, and I don't think it's completely defining to them. But I think that there is a nihilistic impulse, this effort not to reform, as I said earlier, institutions, but just to burn them to the ground, to take a wrecking ball. But, you know, Matt Gaetz as attorney general, or Pete Hegseth as defense secretary or Tulsi Gabbard as the head of the intelligence agencies, and just, out of anger, grievance, try and destroy them, try and destroy the so-called deep state. That's so fundamentally unconservative, in my estimation, that a conservative couldn't, in good conscience, find a home there. And right now, the alternative is the Democratic Party. And I don't think, on that central question of disposition and temperament, the Democrats are nearly as unconservative, nearly as radical, nearly as revolutionary, as the current-day Republican Party.AK: It all reminds me a little bit of a cowboy movie, The Magnificent Seven (or perhaps the Un-Magnificent Seven.) Talk about a natural party, Pete, but does that really work in American politics, where most African-Americans now vote for a Democratic Party that was in favor of segregation?PETE WEHNER: I'm sorry, say that again.AK: You talk about a natural party. You said, well, conservatives said that the Democrats aren't the natural party of conservatism. But can we use this term convincingly in American politics? After all, most African-Americans vote for the Democratic Party, which was the party of segregation.PETE WEHNER: Yeah, the Democratic Party was the party of segregation. And they changed in the end, you know, it took them longer than it should have. No, I don't think that there's anything, you know, endemic or intrinsic to parties that makes them a natural home to any political movement or political philosophy. Because parties change, circumstances change, coalitions change, the base of a party changes. We've seen that really with the Republican Party. It's just a fundamentally different party than it was in the 80s and 90s and 2000s. And the Democratic Party has changed, and changed in some ways, to the worse. And I think they paid a price for that. I do think that you can take a step back and say, look, over the last 50 years, when you chart the trajectory of the Democratic and Republican Party, there are certain trends that you can see. And so for some period of time, I think that the Democratic and Republican parties were natural homes to certain movements.AK: Is there anything we should celebrate about the election? There were a lot of warnings beforehand that there was going to be a massive gender split, and it didn't turn out to be true. Trump promised that he would get a lot of Hispanic and African-American voters. He got a lot of Hispanic and quite a few African-Americans, especially men. Could one argue that November 5th, 2024 was the first post-identity politics election? Is that something to be encouraged about?PETE WEHNER: Well, in this case, I'd say no, because I think the results of that post-identity politics is going to have really damaging consequences. I see your point, and I do think that to the extent that political parties can't count on certain groups constituencies, that's probably, as a general matter, good. It means you have to go out and earn their vote rather than reflexively rely on them. But as somebody who's been a Trump critic, and who has predicted what four more years under Donald Trump is going to be like, I just think that that overwhelms whatever good that could have come out of it. I suppose I would add, there's one good thing that's come out of this, which is there hasn't been violence. But honestly, I think that's because Donald Trump lost, and the Democratic Party believes in the peaceful transfer of power, and they're not going to do in 2024 what Donald Trump and his supporters did in 2020. I'm glad that's not happening, but I think it is worth reflecting on the fact that violence won't happen because the Democratic Party is the more responsible and civilized party in that respect.AK: How are you doing personally? Trump hasn't been shy to boast about his revengefulness. You've being one of his most articulate critics in The Times, in The Atlantic, certainly from the right, or from traditional conservatism, a very strong moral critic. How are you dealing personally with this situation?PETE WEHNER: You know, I think I'm probably dealing with it better than a lot of people would imagine given my own views on Trump. I think just disposition, temperamentally, I'm not a person who has found politics to be overwhelming or disorienting. I don't want to pretend that it's not a difficult moment, both in terms of what I think it means for the country and for what, as I said earlier, what I think it says about the country. And for somebody who grew up loving America and probably, to some extent, mythologizing America, seeing this happen is difficult. But most of my life and the spirit of my life and is based on my relationships mostly with family and with friends. And those, to me, are the things that really determine what my mood is on any given day or any week. I will say that my wife Cindy and I, in the last two weeks, have really been struck by the number of people that we have heard from who are deeply grieved and fearful of what's happening. We saw somebody a week ago Sunday, and Cindy asked this person, how are you doing? And she burst into tears. She had been abused by her husband. And she said that Donald Trump was a person just like her husband, and she couldn't fathom that America elected him. And we have a friend who's a family therapist, and she said she had spent the week before with sexual abuse victims, and the fact that Trump had been elected and that people in her family were celebrating that...other people who felt like much of what they had given their lives to was shattering. So we've really felt more, I suppose, in a listening mode, in a comforting mode, trying to help people to sort through it. It's different, Andrew, I will say, in my experience and the experience of the people around me, I think, in the country now than it was in 2016. I think 2016 could be argued that that was an aberration, a parenthesis, and I think it's clearly not the case. This is the Trump era, and I think that's hard for a lot of people to come to terms with. Other people are celebrating it. They think that this is wonderful. Donald Trump is, to them, the personification of what they want in a leader and a human being. And now we've got it.AK: Yeah, we will see. You wrote an interesting piece in The Atlantic after the election suggesting that 2024 is different from 2016. It's less shocking, more a confirmation. You wrote an interesting piece in response to what happened, "Don't Give Up on the Truth," in The Atlantic. We are where we are. But there is, if not reason to celebrate, reason to, at least, resist. Are you part of a moral resistance, in some ways, Pete, do you think, to Trump, or at least Trumpism, in America?PETE WEHNER: Yeah, I think that's fair. I think some people who have been critical of Trump are going to dial back their criticism, or they just might find other things to think about or talk about or write about. And I understand that. That's not where I am. I mean, I have to think about what my posture is going to be in the Trump era. That's not clear to me yet. And I think it'll become clear to me as circumstances unfold. But, you know, what I wrote, I believed, and I continue to believe in, and the fact that Donald Trump won the election doesn't allay my concerns, it deepens them. I hope I have enough intellectual independence that if he is different than I think, and if he does things that I agree with, that I'm willing publicly to say that. I tried to do that in the first term. And I hope I can do it in a second term and I hope I'm given reasons to do it, and I hope that my foreboding of what this means for America is wrong. But I can't shake what I believe to be true. And I read the opposite views of mine and critiques of mine and try to understand what I'm getting wrong about Donald Trump. And I may be blinded on this, but I don't think I have been wrong about him. I think all of the things that I've been writing about him since 2015—actually, 2011, and go back to the birther moment—I think they've been validated. And I feel like given my role in life and the outlets that I have, that I can't help but give voice to those concerns. And whether that makes a difference or not, time will tell. It certainly didn't have an impact this time around, that's for sure.“Parties change, circumstances change, coalitions change, the base of a party changes. We've seen that really with the Republican Party. It's just a fundamentally different party than it was in the 80s and 90s and 2000s. And the Democratic Party has changed, and changed in some ways, to the worse. And I think they paid a price for that.” -PWAK: Well, you certainly have a natural home on this show, Pete. And in your excellent Atlantic piece, you talk about the importance of truth telling. You are a truth teller, that goes without saying. What do you think is the most effective way, though, to tell the truth these days? I don't think you're a big social media guy, you're not going on X or Instagram or TikTok. How does one most effectively tell the truth in Trump's America?PETE WEHNER: That's such a good question, Andrew, and a deep one. I'm not sure what the answer is. I think in terms of what each individual has to do, they just have to find within the circumstances of their life the places that they can tell the truth. Some of that just may be with family and friends, maybe in neighborhoods and community groups. It may be in churches. It may be, if you're a writer, in The Atlantic, in The New York Times. You know, I think that what's important in telling the truth is that one does it truthfully. That is, that it corresponds and aligns to reality, that it's rooted in empirical evidence, and that one does not dehumanize in the process. And if you're dealing with a person—for example, in my estimation of Donald Trump and what I do believe is this moral depravity, I just think that is true about him—how do you say that? How do you say that without crossing lines? How do you engage with people who are Trump supporters, as I have, many of them, and to try and point out and argue for my position, and to do so in a way that isn't disrespectful or dehumanizing? Those aren't easy questions. I'm sure I haven't gotten them right. But I think you just try the best you can in the world that you live in to try and give voice to the truth. And probably it helps to look back to others who have faced far more difficult circumstances than we have. I mentioned in my most recent Atlantic essay Solzhenitsyn and Havel who were great dissidents and spoke, in the case of Solzhenitsyn, when the Soviet Union was a country to which he was hostage to, and for Havel, there was a communist movement in Czechoslovakia. And they and so many others, Orwell in a different way, and Jesus in a different way, said that the important thing to do was to speak the truth. It doesn't mean you succeed, necessarily, when you do it, but it's important to do. Times change. Circumstances change. Inflection points can happen. And sometimes speaking the truth can create those moments. And other times when those moments open up, people who spoke the truth have a capacity to shape events in a way that they didn't before that. I should say one interesting example that apposite, maybe, you and your own history knowledge: you take someone like Winston Churchill. And Churchill was the same man in the 30s as he was in the 40s, and in the 30s he was viewed as a social pariah, an alarmist, a kind of ridiculous figure, he had very, very little influence. But events changed, the war came, and all of a sudden Churchill became arguably the greatest person of the 20th century. So there's probably a lesson in that for people who want to be truth tellers.AK: Yeah, I've always thought of you, Pete, as the moral conscience of America, although you've been involved in politics, but I can't imagine you ever running for political office. You talked about Solzhenitsyn and Havel in particular as an activist, as someone who stood up very bravely and indeed humorously to the Russian colonialists in Czechoslovakia or Soviet colonialism. Does the anti-Trump movement need a Havel, a Solzhenitsyn, a Winston Churchill? Seems to be lacking, Harris clearly wasn't. I've always wondered whether Michelle Obama could have been that person. And I know that everyone says, well, she couldn't have run. She doesn't like politics, but maybe she had almost a moral responsibility as an American. But where are we going to get an America? Where are we going to get our Churchill, our Havel, our Solzhenitsyn? All of course, white men. Maybe we need some women, too.PETE WEHNER: Yeah, you know, those are rare people. And it's not a dime a dozen. Yeah, I felt like Liz Cheney was that person in this moment more than Harris, more than others. I think I felt that way about Liz, because there was a cost, there was a very concrete and practical cost, to what she had done. And that, to me, is a sign and a symbol of courage, which is: if you do the right thing when there's a cost to doing the right thing. And I thought her articulation of why she broke with Trump and voted for Harris was extremely powerful. So I'd say of the people in the landscape in American politics right now, Liz Cheney would be supreme for me, but of course, she was tossed out of the Republican Party. She was beaten in a primary. And the Democratic Party's not a natural home for her either. So these are her wilderness years, Churchill had his, I'm not saying that Liz is Churchill, Churchill was Churchill and that's about it. But she showed enormous courage and articulation. I think the fact that for a person of my view, she made such a powerful and persuasive case, and it just didn't win over enough voters. And I think that that's an indictment not of Liz, but I think it's an indictment of an awful lot of voters in America. But that would make sense, because I see the world in a certain way, and the majority of Americans saw it differently. And this is a democracy. And so now we've got Trump and the people who voted for him, and the rest of us get to live with them.AK: Are there hierarchies of morality, Pete? There's a great deal of revisionism now on on Churchill reminding us all that he was an overt racist, a colonialist, a warmonger in some ways, although, of course, we don't use that word in terms of his opposition to Hitler. Trump made that point about Cheney, I mean, in his own vulgar way, but Cheney, of course, was also a warmonger—or, certainly her father was, millions of people—well, certainly hundreds of thousands of people—in the Middle East lost their lives because of catastrophic American wars in the region. Could one argue that Cheney's support for these catastrophic wars are equally immoral, if not more immoral, than Trump's moral transgressions?PETE WEHNER: Yeah, if you believe that narrative, I mean, I think that narrative is flawed. I don't mean that the wars weren't mistaken, but I think the way you framed it is is a caricature. But if you believe that, if you're right and I'm wrong, sure, then, of course. And there is a moral hierarchy. I mean, you know, morality is judged by the actions that you take in the moment that you live and the consequences that they create. And if a person or an individual does an action that creates massive harm and the destruction of human lives, human civilizations, if someone is advocating maliciousness and malevolence on a wide scale, that obviously has to be judged differently than if you lose your temper as a boss or somebody who works for you. So morality is a complicated subject. You also have to take into account, to some degree, the circumstances in which people lived. If you lived in the 14th century, if you lived in the 18th century, if you lived in the 20th century, if you lived in the 21st century, there were different moral standards and moral ethics and moral norms. That doesn't mean, in the case of the American founders, the slave holders, that was a grave sin, and I think probably traditionally on the on the American right, because there's been almost a defecation of the founding fathers, that they've been excused too much for tolerating slavery. Lincoln himself, who I think is the greatest American in history, his history was somewhat spotty. I think he was a magnificent figure. And he grew, but that happens. But just to come back to what you said earlier, if you were to say to me, Liz Cheney versus Donald Trump on any reasonable moral spectrum, I would say that that Liz Cheney has him beat by a country mile, by virtually any metric that you want to judge her and him on.AK: In that excellent Atlantic piece, Pete, you talked about this being a moment where we, and I'm quoting you, we need to guard our souls. But what about for those of us who might not believe in the existence of souls?PETE WEHNER: Yeah. Then I would use a different word.AK: What word would you use?PETE WEHNER: Your inner life, your interior life, your sense of humanity, how you view others. I think most people, whether soul is the word that they use, I think most people aren't strict materialists, or they don't believe in scientism. They believe that there are parts of human life, human existence, human reality that aren't materialistic, that has to do with beauty and esthetics and love and = humanity and caring for the least of these. And, you know, many people that I know that are not believers personify those high virtues, honestly, in ways that are more impressive than people I know who claim to be followers of Jesus. So I use the word soul because I think it speaks to something that is true for human life and human beings. But I understand if you're not a believer that you wouldn't use that term. But I imagine that there's some other term that would get at essentially the same thing, which is your core humanity. What makes you an estimable human being. Compassion, honor, dignity, being a peacemaker, and so forth.AK: You're also more cheerful in the sense that you want to remind everyone that, of course, we want to cultivate hope, humanistic hope. But all this needs to be understood within the historical context. You argue that, in the Atlantic piece, presumably Trump's only going to be around for four years. Things change, there are always party realignments, so, cheer us up, Pete. Why might this just be a blip in the history of humanity rather than the end of it in some way?PETE WEHNER: Yeah. It's not going to be the end of humanity. Even if my most dire warnings are realized. Look, I would say that there can be a kind of catastrophism that happens on all sides and that we need to be careful about it. Life is complicated. Human history is complicated. There are moments of glory and moments of catastrophe and disaster. You know, in the American experience, we had the 1850s that lead up to the Civil War. We had the Civil War. We had the profound difficulties in reconstruction. We had segregation, child labor laws, women can't vote. Just enormous challenges in this country. The first election, really contested election in America between Adams and Jefferson in 1800, was a vicious affair. So, you know, we've we've faced a lot. And that's just America. And, you know, you look at world history, I quote it at the end of my essay, "Don't Give Up on the Truth" in The Atlantic, a speech, one of my favorite speeches, that Bobby Kennedy gave in 1966 at University of Cape Town in South Africa, where he talked about the ripples of hope, and how the ripples of hope can overcome the worst and highest walls of oppression. Now, when Kennedy gave that speech, it was 66. It was at the apex of of apartheid, and eventually apartheid was overthrown, and—AK: Yeah, it's worth repeating the RFK quote, "Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance." Of course, it's particularly resonant given that his son is involved in the Trump administration and is probably not someone you're particularly keen on.PETE WEHNER: No, he's, no pun intended, but I'm not particularly keen on his son. But the father I admired, and I think those words are timeless words. And we shouldn't forget them. Look, the other thing I'd say, Andrew, is that what we're called to be in our lives, personally and maybe vocationally, is to be faithful, not necessarily successful. Whether a person is successful in life depends often on circumstances that they can't control. That's just the nature of human existence. But you do have some measure of control of whether you're faithful or not. And that's really what honor is. I mean, honor is living a life—an imperfect life. We all struggle, we're all fallen, we're all flawed—But trying to advance that. And the other thing I would emphasize again is that human life, human history, the progression of countries, are not straight lines. There's forward and backward, there's zigs, there's zags, inflection points develop, and things change in ways that a person may never anticipate. You mentioned John Rauch earlier, and he and Andrew Sullivan were leading the campaign for same sex marriage. When they started that campaign, especially, Andrew, in 1989, I think he wrote a cover story in The New Republic on the conservative case for gay marriage. Now, if you would have asked either of them in the late 80s, 90s and so forth, whether gay marriage would be prevalent or even be found to be a constitutional right, they would have said that's inconceivable. It couldn't happen. And it happened. Whether you agree or not with same sex marriage, it shows capacity of events to change. And you and I could name a lot of things in which that's happened. So you don't know when those moments come, when those inflection points happen. And I also believe the American capacity for self-renewal is a kind of wonder of the world and that people will—AK: Say that again: American self-renewal is a wonder of the world.PETE WEHNER: Yeah. I think the American capacity for self-renewal is extraordinary. I think it's shown itself throughout history. Again, it's a mixed history, but—AK: But where does that come from, that American self-renewal? Is it a spiritual thing? Is it an economic thing? “I think that what's important in telling the truth is that one does it truthfully. That is, that it corresponds and aligns to reality, that it's rooted in empirical evidence, and that one does not dehumanize in the process.” -PWPETE WEHNER: You know, I'd imagine part of it is part of the American DNA. The things that shape anybody in any country, the factors, the history...there's certainly something, I think it's reasonable to say, in America, about freedom and liberty, that is part of the American character. You know, people could go back and read Tocqueville, which is still relevant to what Americans are like. I think our political history has helped shape us. Civil society has helped shape us. So, you know, each country has a certain kind of a DNA. And I think by and large, America's has been good. So there's history to give you hope, and not just American history. So, I just think you need to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I think you have to call out things that happen that are wrong, immoral or illegal as they as they happen, and hope that over time you bend events enough in your direction. Martin Luther King Junior had that quote, which is pretty well known, about the arc of the moral universe bending toward justice, but that does not—AK: It's not natural, is it? As you suggest, it requires human agency, doesn't bend on its own. Finally, Pete, and you've been very generous, as always, with your time. A lot of comparisons, there always have been, with America and the Roman Republic, this shift into, sort of, decadence. There's also a fashion these days for stoicism. Some of the ideologies or the intellectual movements of the late Roman decadent, not the republic, but imperial Rome. What would you say to people—won't say necessarily Stoics formally, but people who are espousing a kind of stoicism—who will say, "Well, I'm just not going to watch the news for the next four years, Trump doesn't really affect me. I'm just going to ignore him. I'm going to go to sleep for four years, and when I wake up, things will have changed." Do we all need to stay awake? Is the stoical response to essentially ignore the political world, is that healthy in Trump's America?PETE WEHNER: I think some people need to stay awake. You know, it really would depend on the facts and circumstances, Andrew. I mean, if you're an individual who feels overwhelmed by what Trump represents and really can't process it in a very healthy way, and you find your spirit being pulled down and obsessing on him and just, you know, casting shadows over your life, then I'd say, yeah, just to the degree that you can pull the plug. Don't follow, you know, the unfolding events, and attend to your life, your inner life, and the people that you love and care for. On the other hand, if that happens more broadly, and just people shut up and don't speak out, I think that that would be a great tragedy, because I think it's important to speak the truth in its own terms. I think it's important that there are individuals who give voice to what people believe and the moral concerns that they have when they don't have the capacity to do it on a large scale. And as I said, you know, I mentioned earlier, Solzhenitsyn and Havel, and I don't pretend that America is in a situation like the two of them faced. So the challenges and sacrifices that are called on Americans today who are in the so-called resistance isn't comparable to what Solzhenitsyn and Havel and many others have faced. But you need to speak out, and you can't go to sleep. Democracy is, as you said earlier, about human agency. We're not corks in the ocean. We're not fatalistic. We shouldn't be fatalistic. We can create movements and trends and moments and trajectories and moments of and periods of honor and and virtuous chapters in the American story. But they don't happen accidentally. And you can be discouraged, but you've got to stay at it. A friend of mine once said that you could be a theoretical pessimist, but you should be an operational optimist.AK: That's a nice way of putting it. Peter Wehner, I'm not sure about American self-renewal being a wonder of the world, certainly your self-renewal is a wonder of the world. It's wonderful to have you around, and we will be calling on your wisdom, your ethical spirit of resistance against injustice, over the next four years. Keep well, keep safe, Pete, and we will talk again in the not-too-distant future. Thank you so much.PETE WEHNER: Thanks. It's great to be with you, Andrew. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

On this episode of Impact Theory, Tom Bilyeu is joined by author and Co-Founder and Co-Executive Chairman of ‘The Carlyle Group' David M. Rubenstein to discuss such matters and more as they explore what it takes to become a leader and how you can start leading more in your daily life. They discuss the core principles of what makes a good leader, how wealth during your youth can stifle your progress, how hardships and failures are key to becoming a good leader, how success and happiness are tied, why persuasion is key to any great leader, what we can learn from Abraham Lincoln's leadership, what the American DNA is and how it creates natural leaders, the power of reading, why you should become a master of one skill, and much more. [Original air date: 1-12-21]. SHOW NOTES: Leadership | David boils down what leadership truly is and how to develop it. [0:04] Core Principles | David reveals the core principles of developing true leadership. [3:26] Growing Up | David reveals what made him hungry for success during his youth. [7:05] Wealth | David reveals the pitfalls of being born into a wealthy and prestigious family. [8:50] Hardships | David reveals how he raised his children without spoiling them. [9:38] Happiness | David breaks down the difference between happiness and fulfilment. [12:41] War | David reveals how Lincoln held America together during The Civil War. [17:18] History | David reveals the importance of preserving and honoring history as it is. [19:15] DNA | David reveals how the American DNA is serving DNA today. [26:26] Creeds | David reveals what he thinks are the most important principles to America. [28:51] Jefferson | David shares the story of Jefferson writing The Declaration of Independence. [30:13] Fixing | David reveals how we can contribute to fixing America's flaws. [33:59] Persist | David reveals how Lincoln lead by taking criticism and being challenged. [37:04] Reading | David reveals the importance and power of reading. [40:14] Specializing | David reveals why you should focus and develop only one skill. [41:05] Love & Passion | David reveals what drives him to do the things he loves. [42:30] Youth | David reveals that all leaders have an impactful youth or childhood. [44:05] Forward | David reveals why leaders are necessary to moving us forward in history. [46:23] Themes | David reveals the themes that push people to become extremely successful. [48:38] SPONSOR: Take a free test drive of OCI at https://impacttheory.co/oraclepodAugust24 Visit https://impacttheory.co/betterhelppodAugust24 today to get 10% off your first month. Explore the Range Rover Sport at https://impacttheory.co/landroverpodAugust24 - Get 5 free AG1 Travel Packs and a FREE 1 year supply of Vitamin D with your first purchase at https://impacttheory.co/AG1pod. Secure your digital life with proactive protection for your assets, identity, family, and tech – Go to https://impacttheory.co/aurapod to start your free two-week trial. Go to https://impacttheory.co/quickbooksJuly24 to get 50% off 3 months of Quickbooks Payroll! *What's up, everybody? It's Tom Bilyeu here. If you're serious about leveling up your life, I urge you to check out my new podcast, Tom Bilyeu's Mindset Playbook —a goldmine of my most impactful episodes on mindset, business, and health. Trust me, your future self will thank you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

U.S.–China decoupling appears to be speeding up on the biotech front. A new bill is moving one step forward in the House. How does Beijing's ambition to collect American DNA play in? TikTok users are filing a First Amendment suit against the U.S. government over a law that could ban the popular platform. YouTube is moving to block a protest anthem inside Hong Kong to comply with a court order banning the song. Filipino activists and fishermen are taking to sea in protest. Together, they're sailing 100 small boats near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea. We take a look at the footage. ⭕️ Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

A new survey shows four in five U.S. biotech companies contract with Chinese firms. We take a look at Beijing's quest for American DNA and lawmakers' attempts to stop it. Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping is set to announce more investment in Hungary, as he meets with the nation's top officials during a trip to Europe. Serbia arrests a number of Falun Gong practitioners ahead of a visit by Chinese regime leader Xi Jinping. We spoke with one of those detained. Over $9 billion from American investors could be caught in the legal crossfire between TikTok and the U.S. government. ⭕️ Watch in-depth videos based on Truth & Tradition at Epoch TV

CHICOMS ACQUIRED AMERICAN DNA FOR MASS ATTACKS AND ASSASSINATIONS THANKS TO FEDERAL AGENCY TRAITORS!

CRITICAL, CURRENT ARTICLES RAT-A-TAT-TAT PRESIDENTIAL 2024 ALT LEFT CHINA OUR ENEMY CLIMATE CHANGE CONSTITUTION CORRUPTION ECONOMY ELECTION FRAUD FAMILY SAFETY GLOBALISM GUN CONTROL IMMIGRATION INTERNATIONAL LOONY LEFT MEDIA MESS MILITARY PSYOPS RINO WATCH TERROR TREASON WOKE WOMEN CRITICAL, CURRENT VIDEOS The post Know What's Important….American DNA And The Declaration Of Independence…South Africa–Perhaps You Should Rethink That Normalcy (It Can't Happen Here) Bias….More Powder In The Middle East Powder Keg….AP and Reuters Knew In Advance Of The Attack–Said Nothing appeared first on On the Right Side Radio.

Our Way Black History Fact explores the African American DNA in one of our childhood favorites—Sesame Street.Support the showwww.civiccipher.comFollow us: @CivicCipher @iamqward @ramsesjaConsideration for today's show was provided by: Major Threads menswear www.MajorThreads.com Hip Hop Weekly Magazine www.hiphopweekly.com The Black Information Network Daily Podcast www.binnews.com

Investigators discovered a secret bio-lab with thousands of Corona Virus infected mice in California.  Who opened the lab, who funded the lab and what was the purpose of the lab are all questions that still need to be answered. The New Federal State of China spells out the Chinese Communist Party's quest to dominate the field of genomics, DNA sequencing and bio-weapons.  The CCP may already have YOUR DNA!  Congress must step in to stop the Chinese harvesting of American DNA samples. Ava Chen also spells out the Chinese Military's goal to create super soldiers through genomics and DNA engineering.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join us! In this episode, we highlight the radical power of clapping our hands and shouting to the Lord. Then we pray for the well of American DNA to spring up! Episode 283 is a special feature episode from an additional podcast I host -- the Wild Ox Prayer Podcast. Listen to appreciate the name! Each tight Wild Ox Prayer episode spotlights a potent Kingdom Prayer Dynamic. Then we activate a prayer edge in culture, society, and the nations. Wild Ox prayer. Untamed, mighty prayer for culture, society, and the nations. For notes and more, visit WildOxPrayer.com. Go to the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com   Get the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases   Podcast Archive >> JesusSmart.com/podcast

Happy Fourth of July! The "American Experiment" is singular in world history. American DNA is made up of high ideas -- the "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God." Our Unalienable Rights are given by the Creator. Not human government. Is America on the edge of a Third Great Awakening? Please share this vital episode with others. To take things further with today's theme, see the show notes page for this episode at JesusSmart.com/282   Get the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases   Podcast Archive >> JesusSmart.com/podcast

China's New DNA-Based Bioweapons Target Specific Ethnic Groups. John Bolton on China, Russia, Ukraine and the Shoot Down of U.S. Drone.   China's New DNA-Based Bioweapons Target Specific Ethnic Groups, Races | Facts Matter Facts Matter  Mar 20 2023  18 mins Over the past three years, a spotlight has been shone on the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) biowarfare program. And regardless of whether the coronavirus itself was a part of that program or not, the fact remains that the CCP has a large-scale and very viable biowarfare program in place, of which the Wuhan lab was just a small component. One of the most shocking things that we know they are developing is a biological weapon that can target and attack the DNA strands specific to certain racial groups. In actuality, the CCP is indeed developing weapons that target specific race and ethnicity markers, which might make it more clear as to why the CCP has been able to stitch together the largest collection of American DNA profiles—even larger than what the United States has been able to collect. They've done this not only through hacking, but also through more traditional channels, such as purchasing the data from DNA sequencing companies. Moreover, at times, they don't even have to purchase the data. For example, BGI, one of the largest manufacturers of prenatal tests used around the world, has been sending the genetic data of pregnant women (from 52 different countries) to the Chinese military. But what use does the Chinese military have for all of this data? Follow EpochTV on social media:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Truth Social: https://truthsocial.com/@EpochTV Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV   Feature Films: Cinema collection: http://epochcinema.com Epoch Original content: http://epochoriginal.com Feature Films: https://www.theepochtimes.com/featured-films   Note from ACU- Please subscribe to Epoch Times. It is a great value and we must support this voice. Please sign up Today!.   https://youtu.be/P7IlHbTl8NA The Pentagon released a new video showing the events that forced the U.S. to down its own drone into the Black Sea further escalating tensions with Russia. Former Ambassador John Bolton, former national security adviser to Donald Trump, discusses how the U.S. should respond.    Former Ambassador John Bolton: China is winning the war | On Balance https://youtu.be/EtS3YZutdrs NewsNation 727K subscribers 9,792 views Mar 17, 2023 #OnBalance President Joe Biden requested the largest defense budget proposed in decades last week, in the wake of heightening tensions with China and Russia. John Bolton, a former ambassador to the United Nations, weighs in on NewsNation's "On Balance." "On Balance with Leland Vittert" takes a critical look at some of the day's hottest subjects. Weekdays at 7p/6C. #OnBalance NewsNation is your source for fact-based, unbiased news for all America. More from NewsNation: https://www.newsnationnow.com/ Get our app: https://trib.al/TBXgYpp Find us on cable: https://trib.al/YDOpGyG How to watch on TV or streaming: https://trib.al/Vu0Ikij   HELP ACU SPREAD THE WORD!  Please go to Apple Podcasts and give ACU a 5 star rating. Apple canceled us and now we are clawing our way back to the top. Don't let the Leftist win. Do it now! Thanks. Forward this show to friends. Ways to subscribe to the American Conservative University Podcast Click here to subscribe via Apple Podcasts Click here to subscribe via RSS You can also subscribe via Stitcher FM Player Podcast Addict Tune-in Podcasts Pandora Look us up on Amazon Prime …And Many Other Podcast Aggregators and sites   Please help ACU by submitting your Show ideas. Email us at americanconservativeuniversity@americanconservativeuniversity.com Please go to Apple Podcasts and give ACU a 5 star rating. Apple canceled us and now we are clawing our way back to the top. Don't let the Leftist win. Do it now! Thanks.   Endorsed Charities -------------------------------------------------------- Pre-Born! Saving babies and Souls. https://preborn.org/ OUR MISSION To glorify Jesus Christ by leading and equipping pregnancy clinics to save more babies and souls. WHAT WE DO Pre-Born! partners with life-affirming pregnancy clinics all across the nation. We are designed to strategically impact the abortion industry through the following initiatives:… -------------------------------------------------------- Help CSI Stamp Out Slavery In Sudan Join us in our effort to free over 350 slaves. Listeners to the Eric Metaxas Show will remember our annual effort to free Christians who have been enslaved for simply acknowledging Jesus Christ as their Savior. As we celebrate the birth of Christ this Christmas, join us in giving new life to brothers and sisters in Sudan who have enslaved as a result of their faith. https://csi-usa.org/metaxas   https://csi-usa.org/slavery/   Typical Aid for the Enslaved A ration of sorghum, a local nutrient-rich staple food A dairy goat A “Sack of Hope,” a survival kit containing essential items such as tarp for shelter, a cooking pan, a water canister, a mosquito net, a blanket, a handheld sickle, and fishing hooks. Release celebrations include prayer and gathering for a meal, and medical care for those in need. The CSI team provides comfort, encouragement, and a shoulder to lean on while they tell their stories and begin their new lives. Thank you for your compassion  Giving the Gift of Freedom and Hope to the Enslaved South Sudanese -------------------------------------------------------- Food For The Poor https://foodforthepoor.org/ Help us serve the poorest of the poor Food For The Poor began in 1982 in Jamaica. Today, our interdenominational Christian ministry serves the poor in primarily 17 countries throughout the Caribbean and Latin America. Thanks to our faithful donors, we are able to provide food, housing, healthcare, education, fresh water, emergency relief, micro-enterprise solutions and much more. We are proud to have fed millions of people and provided more than 15.7 billion dollars in aid. Our faith inspires us to be an organization built on compassion, and motivated by love. Our mission is to bring relief to the poorest of the poor in the countries where we serve. We strive to reflect God's unconditional love. It's a sacrificial love that embraces all people regardless of race or religion. We believe that we can show His love by serving the “least of these” on this earth as Christ challenged us to do in Matthew 25. We pray that by God's grace, and with your support, we can continue to bring relief to the suffering and hope to the hopeless. --------------------------------------------------------

Over the past three years, a spotlight has been shone on the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) biowarfare program. And regardless of whether the coronavirus itself was a part of that program or not, the fact remains that the CCP has a large-scale and very viable biowarfare program in place, of which the Wuhan lab was just a small component. One of the most shocking things that we know they are developing is a biological weapon that can target and attack the DNA strands specific to certain racial groups. In actuality, the CCP is indeed developing weapons that target specific race and ethnicity markers, which might make it more clear as to why the CCP has been able to stitch together the largest collection of American DNA profiles—even larger than what the United States has been able to collect. They've done this not only through hacking, but also through more traditional channels, such as purchasing the data from DNA sequencing companies. Moreover, at times, they don't even have to purchase the data. For example, BGI, one of the largest manufacturers of prenatal tests used around the world, has been sending the genetic data of pregnant women (from 52 different countries) to the Chinese military. But what use does the Chinese military have for all of this data? ⭕️ Sign up for our NEWSLETTER and stay in touch

More classified documents have been found in a Biden home.  Former VP Pence has revealed that he too found some classified documents.  Should we just grant amnesty to everyone and move on?Biden has announced that he is sending American tanks to Ukraine.  How provocative is this?  Also, the leaders of Canada, America, and Mexico have released a document (found here) of shared values.  Sounds like "America last."All this and more.Email us at Comments@LetsThinkPodcast.comTwitter: @LetsThinkPodca2Gettr:  @LetsThinkPodParler:  @LetsThinkPodInstagram:  LetsThinkAboutThatPodcast

In today's episode:Democrats celebrate MLK in awful waysWEF kicks off their conference in DavosThe fake president meets with AMLO and Castreau to create a Declaration of North American DNAA new Twitter Files drop by Lee FangThe agencies have investigated reports of vaccine-related stroke and found that everything is just fineA WaPo editorial says covid deaths have been overcounted, as we knew in mid-2020.Connect with Be Reasonable: https://linktr.ee/imyourmoderatorHear the show when it's released. Become a paid subscriber at imyourmoderator.substack.comOther ways to support the work:ko-fi.com/imyourmoderatorbtc via coinbase: 3MEh9J5sRvMfkWd4EWczrFr1iP3DBMcKk5Merch site: https://cancelcouture.myspreadshop.com/Follow the podcast info stream: t.me/imyourmoderatorOther social platforms: Twitter, Truth Social, Gab, Rumble, or Gettr - @imyourmoderator Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/be-reasonable-with-your-moderator-chris-paul. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today's episode:Democrats celebrate MLK in awful waysWEF kicks off their conference in DavosThe fake president meets with AMLO and Castreau to create a Declaration of North American DNAA new Twitter Files drop by Lee FangThe agencies have investigated reports of vaccine-related stroke and found that everything is just fineA WaPo editorial says covid deaths have been overcounted, as we knew in mid-2020.Connect with Be Reasonable: https://linktr.ee/imyourmoderatorHear the show when it's released. Become a paid subscriber at imyourmoderator.substack.comOther ways to support the work:ko-fi.com/imyourmoderatorbtc via coinbase: 3MEh9J5sRvMfkWd4EWczrFr1iP3DBMcKk5Merch site: https://cancelcouture.myspreadshop.com/Follow the podcast info stream: t.me/imyourmoderatorOther social platforms: Twitter, Truth Social, Gab, Rumble, or Gettr - @imyourmoderator Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/be-reasonable-with-your-moderator-chris-paul. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's episode, we discuss why “the grind” is overrated, how channel surfing can be good for your mental health, and what being a man, woman, and successful whole human looks like in today's world. How do you unwind? Taking just 5 minutes to chill out can help prevent you from being burnt out. Grab your slippers and a glass of wine, you won't want to miss this one.

The answer may depend on which generation you ask. With older ones having internalized it and younger ones glorifying it, grind or hustle culture has been around for hundreds of years and is embedded in the DNA of American exceptionalism. It is our work culture. For many, modern-day work culture involves working a regular job plus a side hustle, working multiple part-time jobs, or working well past 55+ hours per week in a full-time job. The truth is, left unchecked, grind culture can be harmful to your well-being and physical health, and is unsustainable as individuals and for corporations. But how do we stop grinding, when being overworked is often seen as a badge of honor with 4.2M Instagram posts tagged #riseandgrind, when society views it as a measure of success, or when some of us must work multiple jobs just to survive? With 1440 minutes in a day, the answer may be to take 5 of those minutes each day to make a conscious choice to power down, instead of always knuckling down. Start building your different work culture and get more out of life.

The "American Experiment" is singular in world history. American DNA is made up of high ideas -- the "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God." Unalienable Rights are given by the Creator. Not man. Not human government. Is America on the edge of a Third Great Awakening? Please share with others. Get the Jesus Smart eLetter and keep current with podcast episode releases Podcast Archive >> JesusSmart.com/podcast

RATATAT! John Durham Finds New Bombshell TEXT MESSAGES… Exposing Hillary! It Begins: International Agencies Calling For Restriction Of Oil Use! BREAKING News From The DHS- Dictator Biden JUST Handed Down These Orders And It's Literally Insane White Press Secretary Slips Up And Admits Dirty Joe Biden's Evil Plan- He Wants YOU […] The post U.S. Military Readiness History–And The Rest Of The Story…Russia Gate Explained, Durham On The Move…Corruption And Treason At The Highest Levels…Find Your American DNA, Get Off The Couch, Part Four! appeared first on On the Right Side Radio.

Chinese Military-Linked Firm Gathers American DNA, Provides COVID Tests

Chinese Military-Linked Firm Gathers American DNA, Provides COVID Tests

Let's do this!  Action films are imbedded in the American DNA!  It's time to talk about our favorite action scenes in the history of film making!  We'll talk about how one of our favorite director's “slapsticky-ness” adds to the violence, our favorite bank-heist shootout, the pivotal scene in revealing the true strength of a super-villain. Primal, torch-bearing screams from the South American jungle, technological breakthroughs in action films, and yes….Tom Cruise's only “real” role as a villain! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/theitlistpodcast/support

China Building “Ethnic Specific” Bioweapon. Gordon Chan, Laura Logan. Afghanistan.   Gordon Chang: China Building “Ethnic Specific” Bioweapon That Can Target People Based on Race. The US is actively working with its enemy: Lara Logan Sources tell Lara Logan 'this is much worse than anyone realizes'   Gordon Chang: China Building “Ethnic Specific” Bioweapon That Can Target People Based on Race. Watch this video at- https://youtu.be/g1L3spfQZc4 40,126 views Premiered Sep 8, 2021 Crossroads with JOSHUA PHILIPP 621K subscribers

China Building “Ethnic Specific” Bioweapon. Gordon Chan, Laura Logan. Afghanistan.   Gordon Chang: China Building “Ethnic Specific” Bioweapon That Can Target People Based on Race. The US is actively working with its enemy: Lara Logan Sources tell Lara Logan 'this is much worse than anyone realizes'   Gordon Chang: China Building “Ethnic Specific” Bioweapon That Can Target People Based on Race. Watch this video at- https://youtu.be/g1L3spfQZc4 40,126 views Premiered Sep 8, 2021 Crossroads with JOSHUA PHILIPP 621K subscribers

Today is the 75th birthday of Cher. Love her or love her, there are any number of reasons you love her more, any decade that you love more, any humanitarian cause you love more, but you love her. She is bad ass at everything she does, be it a Vegas show that would kill performers half her age or calling into C-SPAN to support body armor for our troops. You love her, it is in our American DNA to love her. The world is a better place because she is in it. Song: If I Could Turn Back Time by Cher This episode is also available as a blog post. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/waldina/message

Is America a Racist Country? So many political and social leaders run away or refuse to answer this question. What lies in the American DNA that prevents us from learning and facing our dark past? This denial is dangerous and deadly in a country where the past is our present.  Join me today for this informative discussion. #2gethermovement #Americanpushback #socialjustice #racism  One Mic Music - Running

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://genealogyadventures.net/2016/04/01/can-we-really-make-assumptions-about-african-american-dna-admixtures/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/genealogy-adventures/support

CBS News reports that Chinese biotech firms tried to collect American DNA samples through coronavirus testing. 5) China tried to use COVID testing to collect DNA samples; 4) Turmoil in Somalia, coup in Myanmar, and Syrian troops on Mt. Hermon; 3) Canada proposes new government agency to weed out “hate” from social media; 2) Moral relativism now majority opinion among Millennials; 1) Eco-protesters burrowed into tunnels under London demand help to keep them from suffocating and drowning.

Check out Our Sponsors Butcher Box: New members can get the Ultimate Keto Bundle when you sign up today at ButcherBox.com/IMPACT Teachable: teachable.com/impact Blinkist: Go to https://blinkist.com/impact Try it FREE for 7 days and save 25% off your new subscription. Better Help: Get 10% off your first month at https://betterhelp.com/impacttheory Do you think you have what it takes to become an empowering, inspiring, and motivating leader? Are you looking for ways to improve your leadership skills so that you can make a larger impact on the world? On this episode of Impact Theory, Tom Bilyeu is joined by author and Co-Founder and Co-Executive Chairman of ‘The Carlyle Group’ David M. Rubenstein to discuss such matters and more as they explore what it takes to become a leader and how you can start leading more in your daily life. They discuss the core principles of what makes a good leader, how wealth during your youth can stifle your progress, how hardships and failures are key to becoming a good leader, how success and happiness are tied, why persuasion is key to any great leader, what we can learn from Abraham Lincoln’s leadership, what the American DNA is and how it creates natural leaders, the power of reading, why you should become a master of one skill, and much more.   Order David’s book, ‘How to Lead: Wisdom from the World's Greatest CEOs, Founders, and Game Changers’: amazon.com/dp/1982132159/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_1Fo-FbKZ6NMY4   SHOW NOTES:   Leadership | David boils down what leadership truly is and how to develop it. [0:04] Core Principles | David reveals the core principles of developing true leadership. [3:26] Journey | David shares his journey and a brief overview of his life of leadership. [4:46] Growing Up | David reveals what made him hungry for success during his youth. [7:05] Wealth | David reveals the pitfalls of being born into a wealthy and prestigious family. [8:50] Hardships | David reveals how he raised his children without spoiling them. [9:38] Success | David reveals the things that leads people to become successful. [11:39] Happiness | David breaks down the difference between happiness and fulfilment. [12:41] Persuade | David reveals how he set his kids up to be successful in their pursuits. [13:19] Lincoln | David reveals why Lincoln has been so influential in his life. [15:06] War | David reveals how Lincoln held America together during The Civil War. [17:18] History | David reveals the importance of preserving and honoring history as it is. [19:15] American | David reveals what he believes it means to be American. [22:00] DNA | David reveals how the American DNA is serving DNA today. [26:26] Creeds | David reveals what he thinks are the most important principles to America. [28:51] Jefferson | David shares the story of Jefferson writing The Declaration of Independence. [30:13] Fixing | David reveals how we can contribute to fixing America’s flaws. [33:59] Circle | David reveals how Lincoln surrounded himself with people smarter than him. [35:20] Persist | David reveals how Lincoln lead by taking criticism and being challenged. [37:04] Spirit | David reveals how we can awaken the spirit of America we need. [38:20] Reading | David reveals the importance and power of reading. [40:14] Specializing | David reveals why you should focus and develop only one skill. [41:05] Love & Passion | David reveals what drives him to do the things he loves. [42:30] Youth | David reveals that all leaders have an impactful youth or childhood. [44:05] Failure | David reveals how he talks to himself when he fails. [44:56] Forward | David reveals why leaders are necessary to moving us forward in history. [46:23] Unity | David shares why he builds bonds ‘across the aisle.’ [47:00] Themes | David reveals the themes that push people to become extremely successful. [48:38] Connect | David reveals how you can continue to follow him and learn from him. [49:23]   QUOTES: “If you grow up in an extremely wealthy family, if your father is worth $10-billion dollars, you might not have the drive to do the kind of things you need to do to win a Nobel Prize or a Pulitzer Prize or something else. If you grow up in a modest family, you know if you’re going to get anywhere in life, you’ve got to do it on your own.” [6:33]   “You can’t be insecure. If you’re insecure, you surround yourself with people that are not that good, and great people surround themselves with people that are smarter than them.” [36:54]   “…you have to have a vision of where you want to go, you have to persist in it, you have to be willing to overcome failures, and not be afraid of making a mistake.” [49:16]   FOLLOW DAVID: Website: davidrubenstein.com

I give thanks to America the beautiful this day.  I love this Republic with my whole soul and have and will continue to defend her against all enemies foreign and domestic. She was founded as a Republic by intention and divine foresight. A Republic is ruled by law (constitution) where a democracy is ruled by a majority. The powerful difference is in the western analogy of a Lynch mob deciding someone is guilty and taking immediate action upon that person with no law to govern, nor protect the person accused. This is a significant reason that this “Nation Shall Endure” as President Ezra Taft Benson stated in that title of his talk given on December 4, 1973 as the presiding member of the quorum of the twelve apostles. I might add that we must also be a righteous and worthy people to retain this land that is choice above all other lands. It must however be protected and endure in order to fulfill its divine destiny to bring about its important purposes.When I got my DNA test done it said I was 48% Scottish and the rest was British and Northwestern European. There was no “American” DNA to be found. Even the Native American Indians when they get their DNA done they are labeled from the tribe they descend from. When we come to America like millions have for generations, we become trusted with this sacred Republic for which it stands regardless of our previous rank or nationality. We are ALL Americans under the umbrella and protection of our constitution and bill of rights. Red, white and blue runs through my veins only because I understand this Republic for what it is and what she stands for. So much blood has been spilled on this and other lands to protect this Republic and other places that also desire the same fairness and life under the rule of law and not a potentially evil majority.God Bless America and God bless all people who are pointed towards heavens light to embrace freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. 

The "American Experiment" is singular in world history. It's not a nation founded on ethnicity or the legacy of a monarchy. American DNA is made up of high ideas -- the "Laws of Nature and of Nature's God." Unalienable Rights are given by the Creator. Not man. Not human government. Is America on the edge of a Third Great Awakening?

In this patriotic episode, Dave shares about the American spirit and the American DNA that allows us to find success even when the odds and circumstances are not in our favor. Subscribe to Dave’s podcast, “DaveDreamin” on Apple Podcasts, Google, Tunein, Android, Deezer or by simply going to http://davedavlin.com/podcasts/

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Holly Sullivan. Holly currently serves as the President of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, a 27,000 member non-partisan grassroots organization devoted to advocating rights affirmed by the Constitution of the United States and the State of Connecticut. She has also donated her time and energy to be the CT delegate for The DC Project: Women for Gun Rights, an educational, nonpartisan group of women from all 50 states who advocate for Second Amendment education over legislation. Gun rights are women’s rights and every woman must be prepared to be their own first responder. Women gun owners make firearms safety and education a top priority. 1) You took the helm as the President of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League (CCDL) just last year. Talk about the right person for the right time! Talk to us about that changing of the guard...and the fact that you are the only female President of a CDL. 2) The Connecticut Citizens Defense League (CCDL) announced today that it has filed a lawsuit in United States District Court against Governor Ned Lamont and several municipal police chiefs to stop their blatant and ongoing violations of the CCDL members’ right to keep and bear arms, as well as other constitutional rights. 3) You are a mom and a gun owner. With the mom-shaming that is hurled our way by freedom-hating, anti-gun “Moms Demand” group, what would you say to the millions of brand new first-time gun owners to help them not buckle under the pressure that these kinds of groups and their Celebrity spokespeople pile on us? 4) You dedicate a lot of your time to the protection and preservation of our Constitutional Freedoms and Liberties. Where did this passion come from?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Glen Caroline. Glen is the Director of External Affairs for Second Amendment Foundation /Citizen's Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. Glen worked for the NRA for 29 years. Most of his tenure was spent as Managing Director of NRA-ILA's Grassroots Programs & Campaign Field Operations Division. 1) Tell us about your new role with SAF/CCRKBA. 2) What are some of the things gun owners need to be doing to protect our rights in the current coronavirus environment? 3) What are some of the major challenges for gun owners activism in the coronavirus environment? 4) Is there anything positive or unique you see in grassroots organizing in the current climate?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Michael Peroutka. Michael is a Maryland lawyer, the founder of the Institute on the Constitution. Michael once held a position in the United States Department of Health and Human Services and was the Constitution Party candidate for president in 2004. He is also the co-host of The American View radio program. 1) You are currently teaching an online course on the US Constitution. Tell us about the course and why – especially NOW in US History – we need such a study? 2) Executive Orders – we are hearing a lot about people being encouraged to snitch on their neighbors who aren’t “following the law”. Then others tell us that emergency orders are NOT really “laws” because they did not go through the process to become a law. Can you help us weigh this out? Are those “Stay At Home Orders” enforceable law? 3) I recently watched a brief video you made titled “The Constitution is NOT a Self-Enforcing Document”. What do you mean by that? 4) Talk to us about the importance of action on our parts (avoiding paralysis from feeling overwhelmed). What do you see for the future of the US? Do you see a new awakening and hunger for our Founding Principles? Or do you see people falling in line with the groupthink du-jour?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Sheli Walters. Sheli a wife and mother of four, and is the owner of Females with Firearms and Everything Under The Gun that both operate under four basic tenants. 1) Life is valuable and worth protecting. 2) Freedom is valuable and worth defending. 3) Personal responsibility is valuable and worth embracing. 4) Truth is valuable and worth speaking. 1) You wrote an article in the April 2020 edition of USCCA’s Conceald Carry Magazine on The Essentials of Armed Parenthood, titled “Toy-Gun Guidelines For Safety and Play”. Walk us through the elements of that article. 2) Your family are fulltime boondock RVers. Four kids and two parents in a small living space. And you homeschool your children. You were living the #QuarantineLife before it was cool. What led to deciding to live an unconventional and “unplugged(?)” lifestyle? 3) There is a huge cultural push to shame parents from owning guns and (gasp) teach their children firearms proficiency and safety. Now that millions of first-time gun owners have realized that we are all our own Immediate Responders, the Bloomberg-funded “Moms Demand” group is on overdrive to try to figure out how they are going to continue to say guns and gun owners are bad without exposing how bigoted their group is. In the past they would just make us the “evil and undesirable other”. Since Covid, gun ownership is more “we” than it has been in decades. What do you say to parents to help them resist the shaming?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Mona K Oshana. Mona is the Co-Chairwoman of American Assyrian Republican Coalition of Arizona (AARCA). Her family escaped from the cruel totalitarian rule of Saddam Hussein and she speaks from personal experience the anguish and the suffering of her people then and now in Iraq today-- a view that is rarely seen or covered by the media. Mona offers a true glimpse inside Iraq - beyond the controversy, beyond the politics to the heart of the country and the people. 1) Mona, you are a proud American and a proud Republican. I’ve listened to so much “news” that tries to tell me that Republicans are racists and anti-immigration. Knowing you makes what the “news” tells me seem highly untrue. Talk to us about how you came to embrace Conservatism. 2) Another thing “the news” wants us to believe is that Conservatives are somehow “anti-immigration”. From your personal experience, talk to us about why you think it is so difficult for people to distinguish between Illegal and Legal Immigration. 3) Many of our young adults in the United States seem to be actively pushing away the freedoms that our Founding Fathers fought to secure for us. And they seem to get starry-eyed about Socialism. Meanwhile, millions of people every day are risking life and limb to flee Socialist countries and come to the US. What do you say to those – perhaps well-meaning – people who think that Socialism allows for a better life? 4) You are currently working to raise awareness to the plight of the persecuted Middle Eastern Christians. We do not hear enough about the eminent threat they face of total annihilation. You and your family not only escaped from that kind of persecution, but you are trying to help protect Christians in the Middle East. Talk to us about that work. 5) You feel very strongly that our nation is at a vital fork in the road. A step to the left or right on that road will set the path for all generations to come. What can or should each person do in order to give our children and our children’s children the opportunity to know the freedoms that brought your family and millions of others to the United States?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Frank Miniter. Frank is an author and investigative journalist with a penchant for outdoor adventure. Frank is the Editor in Chief of NRA's America's 1st Freedom, a frequent guest on major news media outlets, a Field Editor for the NRA’s American Hunter, and the author of The New York Times’ Bestseller The Ultimate Man’s Survival Guide—Recovering the Lost Art of Manhood. Miniter’s other books include The Politically Incorrect Guide to Hunting, Saving the Bill of Rights, and The Future of the Gun. 1) Learning more about taking control of our lives and our Rights is such a great way to empower people during this time when so much has been out of our control. One side says that freedom itself is under attack, the other side says we are just fear mongering to “sell more guns”. If we don’t even know what the Founding Principles of our nation are, how do people sort out the truth from the noise? 2) The Second Amendment is not a political issue, but the politicians have MADE it political. Especially in the upcoming 2020 election with every one of the Democratic Presidential hopefuls trying to out-anti-gun one another. And now, Joe Biden appears to be the best they have for the Democratic Presidential bid. For people who value their 2A Rights, is there any way they could vote for Biden and not lose their Constitutionally-protected rights to keep and bear arms? - Biden then says that he would repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), so that gun makers and dealers can again be sued because someone used a legally purchased firearm to commit a crime. This is like allowing people to sue GM if, say, someone used a Chevy to harm someone else. 3) It is confusing to people to understand how our Bill of Rights protects our 2A rights yet various states can trample those rights. You wrote an article a couple of months ago titled “Barriers to Freedom” where you talk about this tension between federal and states’ rights. Can you speak to the premise of your article and specifically the ideas behind federal reciprocity legislation? 4) More and more often it seems the American People are looking to the Supreme Court to weigh out the major issues that have become so polluted by politics. The 2A is among those issues. We recently heard that SCOTUS passed by an opportunity to hear a case out of NY. That has some of the anti-gun groups feeling confident that by default that means they are winning. But, you have written about the possibility of a few other cases making their way to be ruled on by SCOTUS. What can you tell us about those cases? - The cases currently being considered for possible hearing by the court, on the other hand, concern laws that more broadly affect the gun-owning population. Cases like Wilson v. Cook County, Illinois and Worman v. Healey directly challenge bans on popular and commonly owned semi-automatic rifles and magazines—Heller specifically protects “commonly owned” firearms. Another case, Rogers v. Grewal, challenges laws preventing law-abiding citizens from carrying a firearm outside their home for self-defense. This takes on the “special need” requirement that places like New Jersey and California use to deny citizens their basic Second Amendment rights. And then there’s Pena v. Horan, which challenges California’s “Unsafe Handgun Act,” a law that implicates the Second Amendment by effectively banning commonly owned handguns.

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Jason Jameson is the son-in-law of our hosts, Dan & Cheryl Todd (so be sure to watch to the end for a special guest appearance of the Todd's Grand-Littles). Jason is also the co-founder of Lost Gravity Games. In the age of video games, board games have made a huge come-back as people have become hungry for more in-person interactions and social get-togethers. Family business values run deep, and Jason’s co-founder is his cousin Clint Bishop. Together, Jason and Clint started Lost Gravity Games in 2019 to create and promote board games. 1) How did Lost Gravity Games start? 2) What are you focusing on now? 3) How has the quarantine affected Lost Gravity Games?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Tom Kubiniec. Tom is the CEO of SecureIt Tactical, which is the country’s leading authority on safe gun storage and armory design. In 2015, Tom expanded SecureIt from being solely a defense contractor into a rapidly growing retail brand with a focus on improving people’s lives by educating and making them safer and better prepared. His goal is to help gun owners to properly store, hide, transport and protect their guns. 1) Proactive Things Gun Owners Can Do During a Pandemic With so many people home, firearms must be secured. Modern storage provides security and fast access in the event of a crisis. Discreetly store firearms to prevent theft - traditional safes are much riskier because everyone - friends, neighbors, acquaintances - knows the location of your safe because it’s a centerpiece. 2) Every safe has a “rating” – can you help us better understand what the ratings mean? - The traditional gun safe is based on designs from the 1970s, to meet a 1970 threat level. The designs have not changed, but the threat level has. The 1970 threat was a thief with a drill, chisel and a pry bar. Today thieves use high power circular saws with carbide blades to cut into the side of a heavy safe in 30 seconds. 3) So what would you advise gun owners to do to protect ourselves against modern threats? Decentralize firearms storage. The most secure locations to store guns are also the best locations for home defense. The four best places are: Master bedroom Kitchen pantry Closet near front door Guest bedroom 4) With all of the new first-time gun owners, what can we in the “gun community” do to help our new friends to learn proper safety techniques. Suggest safety courses and how to safely store their new guns. 5) You are a Storage Expert, but you have a lifetime of experience with firearms. Do you have any thougths on what kind of gun a first-time buyer looking for home safety and defense might consider? Many first-time buyers purchase a pistol when they really should have a shotgun or rifle because long guns are far easier to use safely by a novice. 6) Ok, so once someone has the best tool for their home, and the best storage system, what is the best way to make sure they are prepared and trained to quickly and calmly defend their family in the event of a break in or other crisis. - regularly practice home defense. Don’t be serious about safety, training and practice and then a few months later forget you have your gun locked up in a closet. Be consistent.

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Connor Boyack. Connor is founder and president of Libertas Institute, a free market think tank in Utah. Named one of Utah’s most politically influential people by The Salt Lake Tribune, Connor’s leadership has led to dozens of legislative victories spanning a wide range of areas such as privacy, government transparency, property rights, drug policy, education, personal freedom, and more. A public speaker and author of 21 books, Connor is best known for The Tuttle Twins books, a children’s series introducing young readers to economic, political, and civic principles. 1) You have distilled important works like Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged” into a story that young children (and adults) can understand and use in their own lives. Where did the idea come from to write this series? 2) Young adults seem to be far too eager to push Freedom away. Why do you think young adults in this generation are struggling to embrace Freedom? 3) Do you have a favorite Tuttle Twin book? 4) Tell us about your other books. - Feardom: How Politicians Exploit Your Emotions and What You Can Do to Stop Them - Lessons from a Lemonade Stand

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Sarah Joy Albrecht. Sarah is the Founder and President of Hold My Guns, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to connect responsible firearm owners with voluntary, private, offsite storage and education, through a national network of partnering gun shops and FFLs, during times of mental health crisis or personal need. Hold My Guns takes a non-legislative, pro-rights approach to help prevent suicide, accidental shootings, and theft. 1) People get really nervous when we talk about mental health and gun ownership. This is because we know that government legislation of any kind in this area is going to end up trampling people’s rights. You have created an organization that offers real solutions to these issues but with the emphasize on self-governance and on the preservation of people’s rights, with no dichotomy between freedom and compassion. Talk to use about what Hold My Guns is and where the idea came from? 2) How does the program work? 3) You are planning to provide educational opportunities through  partnering with FFLs to address some of the underlying issues contributing to suicide. I am sure there are many gun store owners listening all over the nation. How can they get involved in this program? 4) You have spent your life caring for others, and your previous career was as a childbirth educator. How did that career impact your journey to found Hold my Guns? 5) You have been developing the Hold My Guns Organization for a couple of years. How interesting and perfect is the timing of finally launching in the time of COVID-19?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Jeff Kelman. Jeff grew up in an anti-gun family and it wasn’t until he was a teenager before he realized that it is actually legal for civilians to own guns in the United States. As a young adult Jeff purchased his first firearm and began understanding the responsibility of gun ownership, and became interested in researching the history of laws restricting owning guns around the world, and how those laws intersect with the Holocaust and other genocides. 1) How do the laws in pre-Nazi Germany relate to the laws that have been implemented here in the United States? (The Nazi "Weapons Law" of 1938 that U.S. Senator Thomas J. Dodd used as a partial template for the Gun Control Act of 1968.) 2) The Anti-Rights / Anti-Gun crowd are always fond of using phrases like “Common Sense Gun Laws” to make them sound reasonable and warm and fuzzy. Among the types of laws they want to implement are registration and licensing. Historically speaking, how have these kinds of measures worked out for the citizens who complied? 3) Over the past few weeks, we have been watching Mayors across the nation urging their citizens to “snitch” on each other for things as simple as being outside enjoying some fresh air. In Los Angeles the Mayor went so far as to dangle a carrot by saying, quote, “Snitches get rewards”. As soon as I heard that, my mind went to the Red Flag Gun Laws that are being pushed for by politicians all over the nation, and that can result in anonymous “tips” leading to a citizen’s door being kicked in and their guns being forcefully confiscated. Not due to any crime that person committed, but simply because a snitch doesn’t feel comfortable that the other person owns something they don’t like. How does all of this relate to what you have seen in World History? 4) We are currently watching American citizens give up important and Constitutionally protected freedoms and liberty because we are navigating something we have never seen before, this worldwide pandemic. We could call it the "psychology of the unknown” impacting how compliant or defiant humans are in any given circumstance. Thinking back to the time before the Holocaust, we often want to use our hind site and say - if the Jewish people had had firearms they would have fought back and prevented the atrocities. I have to believe that at some point they would have, once the reality of what was happening really set in. But, what has your research shown you about that assertion? 5) What has your research shown you about why, traditionally speaking, Jewish Americans tend to be against gun ownership? That seems counter-intuitive, considering the number of times Jews have been persecuted across time and across the globe. 6) You are still in the process of gathering research for your Master’s Thesis, but is there an overarching message that you could come to about the importance of firearms ownership in being and remaining a free and sovereign individual who is a citizen of a free and sovereign nation? Do guns matter? 7) I (Cheryl Todd) am part of a Pro-Rights / Pro-Gun Women’s group called The DC Project. We assert that the key to preserving liberty and safety is Education Not Legislation. Is there anything specific in your research that would support this assertion?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Nikki Goeser. Nikki is a survivor of a deadly crime in a gun-free zone where she lost her husband at the hands of her stalker. Nikki is the author of “Stalked and Defenseless: How Gun Control Helped My Stalker Murder My Husband in Front of Me.” 1) Nikki, you have experienced first-hand how, perhaps well-meaning, people have voted in laws that helped – not you – not your husband – but rather the man who stalked you relentlessly and ultimately murdered your husband. I always hate to ask you to go back to the worst moments of your life and recount those horrible events, but to help our audience understand how evil takes advantage of us and our “Common Sense” laws, please walk us through the events that ended in your husband being murdered in front of your eyes. 2) You used that tragedy to fuel your activism and advocacy. And that continues today. What did you do in the State of TN to begin making it a safer place for its citizens? 3) You and I are both Delegates of The DC Project – a grassroots effort of women from all over the US to help spread the message of Education NOT Legislation. What has been your experience of meeting with and talking with various elected law-makers? 4) This series is about being an Ameri-CAN – what can people do right now – even while living the #QuarantineLife to help make their cities and states safer and more free for themselves and their neighbors? 5) What is the status of your legal case against your husband’s murderer?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Alan Gottlieb. Alan is the Founder of the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF). The SAF is dedicated to promoting a better understanding about our Constitutional heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Alan is also the author or co-author of numerous books including “Things You Can Do to Defend Your Gun Rights” and “Assault on Weapons: The Campaign to Eliminate Your Guns”. 1) The SAF is one of the leading front-line organizations that is daily in court somewhere across the nation defending our legal rights to keep and bear arms. You have been busier than ever during this Covid Season, Alan, as we have seen Governors, Mayors, and even City Managers attempt to prevent citizens from owning guns and ammo. Tell us about a few of the battles the SAF has engaged in just since Covid-19 became a news item? 2) What would you say to the millions of brand new first time gun owners who have made the important decision to purchase the tool / the firearm that you work so hard to help them continue to legally own? 3) If more people were personally connected to and had actually read our US Constitution, I know your job would be easier. A lot of, possibly well-meaning, but really bad laws would never even have been written, much less voted into existence. How can people begin to be proactive and be personally involved in the work that you and your organization do? 4) Each year the SAF organizes a huge event, the Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC), that brings thought-leaders together for an entire weekend to discuss our Rights, current laws, and challenges on the horizon. Tell us about this event?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Alex Lanshe. Alex is a student of and holds a degree in Philosophy. He is known as The Warrior Millennial, and is the author of the book “Anatomy of a Warrior: The 7 Virtues all Warriors Must Live by to Successfully Protect and Serve”. 1) You have actually written more than one book, and you are fond of breaking things down to identifiable elements and lists. Off air we were talking about how we in the firearms community can help welcome and empower the millions of first-time gun owners, and you mentioned that they (and we) should make a “virtue checklist”. Talk to us about that? 2) You are an avid reader of J.R.R. Tolkien – the author of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. One of the most amazing things about Tolkien is that he created a language. Philosophy and linguistics are important in helping communicate ideas across cultures. Too often the “gun culture” is mis-interpreted by people who do not share our values. How can we use language to help people better understand our “culture” and our “reasons why” we own firearms. 3) Understanding Philosophy requires the ability to hold multiple possible truths open in one’s mind at the same time. It also requires critical thinking skills to follow the logic train to the most reasonable conclusion and solution to any issue or problem. What can people do during this time of #QuaratineLife to begin studying a new way of thinking about the world around them?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Mitch Denham. Mitch is the President of a Grassroots, Pro-Rights group called Delaware Gun Rights (DGR). DGR was founded in 2018, and has been fighting the onslaught of anti-gun bills from a Democrat majority in that State. In a matter of a few months DGR went from an idea to having 24,000 members. 1) How the DE-2A Community got gun stores back open in Delaware. 2) Importance of individual participation 3) How to get involved in protecting our American Inheritance of Freedom 4) The imperative of citizens making informed votes 5) How do people find and follow DGR?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Erin Weidemann. Erin is the founder of Truth Becomes Her, a brand that equips moms and women with resources to help them step into their unique leadership roles. A sought-after homeschool consultant, certified teacher, coach, and nationally-recognized speaker, Erin’s personal mission is to shift the conversation around feminine values from being beauty-driven, to a focus on inherent worth. She is the author of eight books, including the best-selling Bible Belles series. Erin is a five-time cancer survivor, and lives and homeschools in San Diego, CA with her husband, Brent, and their daughter, Rooney. And, during the Covid-19 Season, Erin began offering formalized help and training to families all over the nation who may never have before needed Homeschooling. 1) How to balance multiple kids, grade levels, and personalities at home? 2) Dispelling the myths — Parents CAN do this. Why it’s easier than they think. 3) My spouse and I work full-time - what are the best ways for moms and dads to divide and conquer school, work, and home? 4) Finding your family’s unique rhythm and routine– how long should kids be in school each day, what does it actually look like? 5) How do people find and follow all that you do?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guests today are Michael Sodini, Founder of Walk The Talk America and Jake Wiskerchen, the co-founder, co-owner, and chief clinical officer at Zephyr Wellness, a mental health outpatient practice in northern Nevada. During this time fear, loss and having our daily routines restricted one thing we don’t hear enough about is how all of that impacts us emotionally. 1) Jake, talk to us, from a mental health professional’s perspective, what are you seeing people struggle with and how are you offering them help? 2) Michael, when you started WTTA, no one could have imagined HOW important it would be to have your organization up and running. At WTTA you have some free and anonymous tools available – what are those and how do people accss them? 3) Jake, you are also helping to train the helpers. You and I met at an event in Reno, NV where you were part of bridging the communication and culture gap between Mental Health Professionals and clients who might be gun owners. And now there are literally millions more first-time gun owners, so the timing could not have been more important. How is that bridge-building going? 4) Mike, WTTA is a not-for-profit organization – for people who have a heart to help continue and further the work you are doing, how can they donate? 5) How do people find and follow you both and the work you do?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Brandon Martin. Brandon is military veteran and a candidate seeking the Republican nomination for U. S. Congress in the 2020 election. Brandon is passionate about freedom and individual liberties for the citizens of Arizona’s Second Congressional District. He is a Constitutionalist Conservative Republican, and more importantly, Brandon is a Christian, a father to his daughter, and a proud Arizona citizen of these United States of America. #1) Getting reconnected (or connected for the first time) with our American Inheritance of Freedom is a great thing to be doing during this time of “Quarantine”. What suggestions do you have for our audience? #2) What is your introduction to firearms? How old were you and how did it develop? #3) What is your political philosophy as it relates to gun laws? #4) What is your experience with 2A supporters and advocacy groups while running for office? #5) How do we as citizens and voters protect the 2A? What's your call to action?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Matthew J Mallory. Matthew is the Founder and Lead Instructor of PS&E - Public Safety and Education, a gun store owner, and the co-host of the IMDb-listed talk-show Meet The Pressers. #1) So many of us around the nation are experiencing interruptions in our source of income. From our conversation off-air I know that you are in a similar situation. You quoted the Bible as a source of wisdom in how to navigate times like these. Can you please talk with us about this? #2) How did you come to co-host Meet The Pressers? #3) You clearly have a passion for safety and firearms training. What can people, especially the millions of first-time gun owners do to train and learn during this time of “Stay at Home” orders?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Klint Macro. Klint is a nationally recognized trainer, instructor, and coach. He is the founder of the Trigger Pressers Union and co-host of Meet the Pressers Podcast, but most importantly, Klint is his family’s first responder. #1) Training during the COVID Crisis #2) National Train A Teacher Day #3) Meet The Pressers #4) Pennsylvania Pro-Gun Advocacy #5) Newly Released Content

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Dianna Muller is a retired police officer, who served 22 years with the Tulsa Police Department. She is part of the Benelli 3-Gun and the founder of The DC Project. #1) Tell us about the DC Project? The mission of the DC Project Foundation is to raise awareness among community members, including legislators, that firearms safety and violence prevention are achieved through EDUCATION, not legislation; to encourage the PRESERVATION of America’s gun culture from conservation and commerce to competitive sports, hunting, and self-defense; and to highlight the diversity and rising demographic of female gun owners through ongoing ADVOCACY because gun rights are women’s rights. #2) How can people spend this time of #QuarantineLife to get more connected to their Constituitinal Rights and their elected Officials? #3) What is #tealfor2A ? #4) You’ve talked a lot about corporate activism. What do you mean by that term? Basically, anti gun groups are using their positions or gaining positions on the boards of major companies and banks, and presenting shareholder resolutions to cut ties with the firearms community. Some of it is basically blackmail, “if you don’t cut ties with the NRA we will unleash a campaign against you and make a PR nightmare”, but some are like the owner of Dicks Sporting Goods, that really believe it’s his duty of social justice, even if it means losing money.

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is Andrew Livingston. Andrew is a father, husband, retired Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician, and currently working in the construction industry. If you are on ANY Social Media platform, you know Andrew as “Liv4Freedom1776”. And because of Liv’s understanding of the power of Social Media he created the 2A Social Media Rally. We met at the first-of-its-kind 2A Rally in Washington DC in 2019. How did you come up with the 2A SM Rally? Was it inspired at the DC Rally? What is the intent of the 2A Social Media Rally? How can people get involved with the 2A Social Media Rally and the 2A fight? What do you think the 2A community can do in order to welcome the recent surge of new gun owners to the fight to defend the 2nd Amendment?

Liz Williams, founder of the Southern Food & Beverage Museum in New Orleans, discusses the origins of barbecue and how it’s embedded in the American DNA, and explores how the act of barbecuing has brought people together for centuries.

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Our guest today is John Correia. John is the founder and owner of Active Self Protection as well as head instructor. John founded Active Self Protection in 2011 to teach people in all walks of life to develop the attitude, skills, and plan to defend themselves and their families from harm. You teach both skills and tactics...what do you say to people of every skill level who are seeking quality training now that many of us cannot meet our firearms trainers in person because we are under “stay at home orders”? In just the past month we have millions of people who have become brand new first-time gun owners in the US. The first thing a lot of people do is pop online to look for how-to videos.  Some good and some not so good. How can they know if they are learning from skilled instructors online? How important is it for these “just in case” buyers to have a working knowledge of, and proper storage of, the tools they now own? Firearms are important tools in our self-defense toolbox, but there are other ways we can defend ourselves and our families. What are some things we can teach our younger family members about home and personal safety?

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Today’s guest is Maj Toure of Black Guns Matter, which is a group to help urban communities learn their gun rights and responsibilities. For brand new gun owners, BGM is the perfect place to begin learning and getting connected with their local community. Each BGM event includes demonstrations and discussions with experts including certified firearms instructors, lawyers, and Second Amendment activists. Throughout the nationwide BGM class, Toure, a Philly Hip Hop artist turned activist/Solutionary, sounds the alarm on politicians who espouse that urbanites should trust government to keep them safe, while, simultaneously, politicians have failed to do just that. Maj has developed a "Solutionary" AR Platform Rifle. "There is no white gun culture or black gun culture, there is an informed gun culture and an ignorant one." - Maj Toure

We are doing a series called Ameri-CAN. Talking about the CAN-DO spirit that is part of our American DNA. So much about our lives has been turned upside down by this Corona Virus / Covid-19, and we have been hearing a lot about what we CAN’T do and where we CAN’T go, but our guests during this series are going to talk to us about their area of expertise and all of the ways we still CAN learn and grow, train, connect, and expand our freedoms in ways we maybe haven’t thought about before. Today’s guest is Rob Pincus is a professional trainer, author and consultant and VP of Avidity Arms. He is also on the Board of 2AO.org and Walk The Talk America (WTTA). Digital Training - You have a huge audience who comes to you for training and firearms safety – how are you continuing to train during #QuaratineLife? - What, in your experience, is not practical to do from at-home? WTTA - How important is the work you all are doing at this time? #CauseAPause - Tell us about this movement you started?

What does AncestryDNA really tell us about our forebears? Why is one sibling's AncestryDNA results different from another's? If we share the same parents and grandparents, how can our tests show something different? Is genetic genealogy incompatible with family heritage? Mike Tones, scientist, explains the science behind genetic genealogy testing at sites like AncestryDNA and 23andMe. You share an average of 50% DNA with your sibling. But that's just an average. Theoretically, you could share 100%—or 0%—of your DNA with a full sibling. Genetics and family history don't line up exactly. In this episode, we discuss a simple overview of how genetics work, including: how DNA carries the genetic information how the DNA is packaged in chromosomes how we each have 23 pairs of chromosomes—22 pairs of autosomes and 1 set of sex chromosomes How are these genetic “packages” passed down? You don't necessarily get 25% of the DNA from each of your grandparents because of the way the DNA is packaged. Some grandparents may be under- or overrepresented in your DNA pool. The deviation from the average gets greater and greater the farther back you go in your family tree. The “packages” of DNA in a chromosome—e.g. all of the genes on Chromosome 1—don't get mixed up. The set of genes are arranged on that chromosome, and it holds steady. Interesting fact: By the time you get back to your great x5 grandparents, there are more grandparents than there are number of chromosomes. Genetic genealogy makes some assumptions For example: if you trace your family back to the Mayflower, that's going back nearly 400 years, or 15+ generations. The probability of you having any of the DNA of an ancestor who came over is very low. These relatives exist in your family tree, but probably not in your DNA. Genetically, you're not like a glass of water, infinitely divisible. Because your inheritance is packaged in these chromosomes. In her Facebook group, Family History Writing and Photos, Lynn Cobine posted a message stating that the average British person's DNA is 36% British. (One British member got results back from AncestryDNA saying she was 1% British!) What does this mean. And how are the genetic tests conducted? They don't sequence your entire genome (yet). Mike gets into the science of genetic sequencing, explaining concepts like the double-helix, SNPs, base pair rules, and how genetic data from different populations are considered representative of certain regions. The upshot? The science is real. However, we need to bear in mind that there are certain assumptions inherent in the scientific process. A few things that genealogical genetics can show: They know the SNP markers for Neanderthals; there was interbreeding between Neanderthals and humans, and that can show up in your DNA. DNA genealogy also shows migration patterns in humans. Exchange of DNA can cross between members of pairs; it occurs during the formation of the sperm and egg. The chromosome as a completed self-contained package isn't 100%; over time there's a little bit of seepage between them. There are ancestors from which you will have inherited NO DNA. In the end, we're ALL related to each other because we're part of the same species. The nuclear genome isn't the only genome in town. Introducing the mitochondrial genome. Inside most cells are mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell, where ATP is made. The mitochondria are derived from bacteria, which are in turn descendants of ancient bacteria. Our cells are fueled by these descendants, providing the energy they need to survive. The human egg is a huge cell. A nucleus and a huge amount of cell surrounding it, with the mitochondria. The sperm basically injects its DNA. That fertilized egg divides and develops, and during that process of cell division, the mitochondria are dividing as well. We get ALL of the mitochondria genome from our mothers. In essence, we can use the Y chromosome to trace in the male lineage back through a single line of descent, and the mitochondrial genome to trace back through the maternal line. It's a great gift of nature to scientists. Iceland, a case study DNA analysis showed that the male Vikings who raided and settled Iceland didn't take along their Viking women, but swung by Scotland and Ireland to capture new females. So the population of Iceland is descended from male Vikings and female Scottish and Irish women. Family/cultural ancestry vs. genetic ancestry At a DNA level, the story of our ancestry may be different from how we see it culturally. There may be times when those things are in conflict with each other; that's when you have to hold two apparently contradictory things in your mind at one time. There are isolated populations in the world, but at the end of the day, we're all mutts who trace our roots back to Africa. Genetic variation within a population is much greater than between populations. Greg Cronin wrote this after being surprised by the results of his AncestryDNA test. I read only a part of it on the podcast. Here it is in its entirety: "For My Ancestors, I write during a period of identity questioning. Today, my genetic analysis sprung some surprises on me – surprises are a normal part of life, but these surprises were about WHO I AM, and where I came from. Cronin and Winsky, Irish and Polish, has been the neat, tidy story that I have just recently begun to investigate. The Cronins, Mocks, James, and Guys branches have been studied thanks to the hard work of a cousin. Two of my great-great-great-great-great grandfathers are identified. These two men are of utmost significance to me, as are all of my ancestors: I would not exist, if not for them. My children, and generations to come, would not exist, if not for them. This is a simple biological fact that should be better appreciated. I share 0.8% of my unique (as opposed to the 99.9% of DNA that all humans share – we are all one big human family) DNA with them. I have 62 other great-great-great-great-great grandfathers (and 64 corresponding grandmothers of the same generation – I love them all and wish I knew them) who have not been identified. The fact that they have not been identified does not make them less important. Serendipity prepared me for my ancestory information. I was blessed to be invited to participate in sweat lodge the night before receiving my DNA results. [Sage advice from a guy with 0% American DNA: never decline an invitation to participate in a sweat lodge with a Native American.] I hope Danny doesn't mind me repeating what he shared. He has an Irish father and a Chicana mother: he calls himself a Leprechano. That is funny as hell, even without his delivery, and set the atmosphere for the sweat. With his wit and wisdom, we were asked to love and pray for our future, present, and past family. Universally, we pray for our children, grandchildren, and future generations. Brilliantly, as I rarely contemplated, Danny told us that my ancestors prayed for me, just as I pray for my children and future generations. Wow!!!!!, my ancestors, my (great)x grandparents prayed for me. Assuming from probabilities, my Nigerian ancestor was likely kidnapped and brought to America on a slave ship. I am 3.3% Nigerian. Each of my 32 great-great-great grandparents contributed 3.125% of my DNA. I have been reading slave narratives for the past month, and feel quite sure that of all my ancestors, the one from Nigeria prayed hardest, deepest, and most often for his/her future generations, including me. I want to know this person. I want to visit Nigeria, as much as I do Ireland, Poland, England, and north Africa. I am Irish, who colonized nobody. I am English, who colonized everybody they could. I am Polish. I am Jewish. I am northern African. I am Nigerian. I am human." Fellow life story professionals, what role do you see genealogical genetics playing in your work? Is this something your clients express an interest in? What kind of impact does it have on the stories of someone's life? Check out Mike's music on Soundcloud Mike is on LinkedIn   If you enjoyed the show, leave us a review on iTunes. And if you have any ideas to share or questions about this episode, share them in the comments. Thanks! Now go out and save someone's story.

http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/greens-and-one-nation-make-strange-bedfellows-in-push-for-parliament-to-approve-war-deployments-20161128-gsz4qt.html (Greens and One Nation in push for Parliament to approve war deployments) http://johnmenadue.com/blog/?p=8427 (Is war in the American DNA?) http://johnmenadue.com/blog/?p=8427 (The four charts that show Australia is a better society than America) http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/entertainment/books/noel-pearson-lambasts-racist-abc-at-paul-keating-biography-launch-in-sydney-20161121-gsucm5.html (Noel Pearson lambasts ‘racist') … https://www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.au/2016/11/episode-73-30-november-2016/ (Read more ›) The post https://www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.au/2016/11/episode-73-30-november-2016/ (Episode 73 – 30 November 2016) appeared first on https://www.ironfistvelvetglove.com.au (The Iron Fist and the Velvet Glove). Support this podcast

Author James Baldwin once wrote, “I love America more than any other country in the world and, exactly for this reason: I insist on the right to criticize her perpetually.” Criticism — and dissent — are patriotic. In fact, one of the most important strands of the American DNA, is protest. From the Boston Tea Party, to the Republican Tea Party. From Civil Rights marches to Occupy Wall Street. But it’s how the government and the institutions of power respond to dissent that is really the test of any democracy. On this episode of Radio Diaries, we go back to 1932 when a group of World War I veterans set up an encampment in Washington D.C. and vowed to stay until their voices were heard. It was a remarkable chapter in American history, and a demonstration of the power of citizens to come together for a cause. But, in the end, it didn’t turn out so well.

We interview John Curl, author of "For All the People: Uncovering the Hidden History of Cooperation, Cooperative Movements and Communalism in America." John discusses the efforts to create real democracy in the US pre-dating the Revolution and obstacles to their success as well as the way these efforts have paralleled social transformation. His book results from a lifetime of research and experience in cooperatives. See our follow-up article: Cooperatives and Community Work are Part of American DNA.

Deep within the American DNA is the faith in rugged individualism. The idea that we are the captains of our fate and that what we accomplish is solely by our own initiative and the sweat of our own brow. The problem is the reality is far different. Much of this is simply because our origin story is so inconsistent with how America works and has worked. That gap, lies at the heart of political debate in America today. It may very well be what this coming election turns on. Who made that, how do we recover from disasters, how do we solve problems and the role of government in the 21st century Professor and historian Steven Conn sits at ground zero of the debate, at Ohio State University. He's the editor of a collection of essays To Promote the General Welfare: The Case for Big Government My conversation with Steven Conn: