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On Sunday, May 21, 2023, we welcomed Harvard-educated, American moral philosopher, cultural commentator, and essayist Susan Neiman. Dr. Neiman has written extensively on the juncture between Enlightenment moral philosophy, metaphysics, and politics, both for scholarly audiences and the general public. She is a lifelong leftist and socialist, and an unlikely critic of "woke-ism." She argues the tenets of the woke have become antithetical to the traditional values of the left. She currently lives in Germany, where she is the Director of the Einstein Forum in Potsdam. Neiman writes in her new book, Left Is Not Woke: "I am unwilling to cede the word 'left' or accept the binary suggestion that those who aren't woke must be reactionary. A left-wing critique of those who seem to share the same values might seem to be an instance of narcissism. But it's not small differences that separate me from those who are woke." She adds that the discourse around "woke-ism" is confusing. It evokes emotions that all progressive people share, such as empathy for those who are marginalized and indignation for the oppressed, but those emotions are "derailed by a range of theoretical assumptions that ultimately undermine them."

Bert Newton interprets the Feeding of the 4000. 

The story of Jesus' defeat at the hands of a Canaanite woman. 

We have a discussion of the promotion of transgender understanding in our public schools and whether it's right to teach young people things their parents disagree with. 

Things get a little heated when leftists insist that religion has no place in politics. Upcoming Events: Is the Left Really Woke? https://Tinyurl.com/LeftNotWoke What's Wrong with Men? And What to Do About it: https://Tinyurl.com/WrongWithMen Red Pill Men's Group: https://Tinyurl.com/RedPillMen  

When our guest cancels, Rich Procida poses his questions to the audience. 

This is part 3 of our discussion of "Recognizing Character Disturbance in Politicians and Leaders with Dr. George Simon, the author of "Character Disturbance: The Phenomenon of our Age." 

Dr. George Simon and I discuss character disturbance in our culture and what we can do about it.

Politicians are notorious for telling lies and weaving together half-true and divisive narratives in order to gain notoriety, raise money, and win elections. There are two main reasons people get into politics and activism. The first is to make a positive difference in the world whatever that person believes that to be. The second is to benefit themselves. Most politicians have some combination of both, but some are primarily in it for themselves. Whether it’s aggrandizement, power, or money, how do we distinguish between those who are ill-motivated and those with more altruistic characteristics? Dr. George Simon is an internationally-recognized expert on manipulators and other problem characters and the author of 3 bestselling books. He’s made appearances on several major television and radio programs and is also the host of the Character Matters Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@georgeksimon Dr. Simon will tell us about what he describes as “the problem of our time:” character disturbance. We have an epidemic of narcissism in America. Character-disturbed people abound in our world and can be treacherous. They are especially dangerous when they hold positions of authority. Dr. Simon has worked with character-disturbed individuals throughout his career He will help us better understand and recognize the signs of character disturbance in our leaders and politicians so that we don’t elect them or put them into positions of authority.

I call into the Shroader Show. 

In this episode, Rich Procida takes questions from participants and discusses the importance of seeing both the good and the bad in America.

Liberalism is under attack. The Right wants to own the Libs, and the Left wants to disown them. The individual is the foundation of liberal democracy. Yet some Leftist propagandists are disseminating anti-liberal propaganda. In this episode, we examine a piece of anti-liberal propaganda disseminated by Angela Davis. We then take action to demand that she cease and desist from disseminating anti-liberal propaganda.

Liberalism is under attack. The Right wants to "own the Libs," and the Left wants to disown them. Yet individualism is the basis of human and civil rights. The individual is the primary social unit in Liberal thought. In this era of tribalism, recognizing individual rights may be exactly what we need. We are exposed to a great deal of propaganda designed to divide the nation. A focus on individual rights protected by the Constitution can bring us together again. We must rebuild the Liberal middle so we can win elections in the future. Author, Attorney, and Activist Rich Procida will overview the origins of Western Liberalism and the importance of defending the Constitution and Liberal democracy. He will rely on historian and political philosopher Larry Seidentop's book "Inventing the Individual: The Origins of Western Liberalism." While Marxist scholars, like Angela Davis, describe individualism as "insidious," without the individual, we have no rights. Join our discussion as we ask whether individual rights and liberties are essential to freedom, or whether the rights of the individual undermine group rights and social justice. 

In the episode, we hear mostly positive views about CRT. 

In this episode, Toastmaster LeQuesa Agnew tells us what is and is not critical race theory. But first, we hear briefly from Ambassador Maria Yankovich. Near the end, we hear comments from Rich Procida. 

What is the debate over Critical Race Theory really about? In the first eight minutes, Rich Procida critically examines bad propaganda often associated with Anti-racism. Debbie Sue addresses her concerns about Critical Race Theory. A listener then argues for Critical Race Theory and Anti-Racist teachings. 

Do you feel moved to help bring down the temperature of politics in our country? Here’s your chance! Please join us for an introduction to Braver Angels. Braver Angels is about depolarizing American politics with grassroots organizing. The foundation of all of our activities is patriotic empathy: the idea that our love for our country is shown by our concern for our fellow citizens. Our approach is guided by the Braver Angels Approach: As individuals, we try to understand the other side’s point of view, even if we don’t agree with it. In our communities, we engage those we disagree with, looking for common ground and ways to work together. In politics, we support principles that bring us together rather than divide us. Local Braver Angels leaders Mary Thomas-Vallens and Susan Rico will present the BA mission, approach, workshop offerings/events, and how to get involved. Mary will also conduct a brief workshop exercise for those who wish to participate. This will be one example of what you can expect at a Braver Angels event. In part 1, we learned about the Four Horsemen of Polarization" and reflected upon our "inner polarizer." In Part two, we learn how to deal with our inner polarizers and learn skills for reaching across political lines. 

Do you feel moved to help bring down the temperature of politics in our country? Here’s your chance! Please join us for an introduction to Braver Angels. Braver Angels is about depolarizing American politics with grassroots organizing. The foundation of all of our activities is patriotic empathy: the idea that our love for our country is shown by our concern for our fellow citizens. Our approach is guided by the Braver Angels Approach: As individuals, we try to understand the other side’s point of view, even if we don’t agree with it. In our communities, we engage those we disagree with, looking for common ground and ways to work together. In politics, we support principles that bring us together rather than divide us. Local Braver Angels leaders Mary Thomas-Vallens and Susan Rico will present the BA mission, approach, workshop offerings/events, and how to get involved. Mary will also conduct a brief workshop exercise for those who wish to participate. This will be one example of what you can expect at a Braver Angels event.  In Part 1, we learn about the "Four Horsemen of Polarization" and reflect upon our "inner polarizers." 

The show addresses threats to democracy locally and in statehouses, nationally, and around the world. It includes the final part of our discussion with Stephanie Vallejo of the Friendly Hills Neighborhood Organization and Whittier Term Limits. 

This is part two of our discussion with local community activist Stephanie Vallejo of the Friendly Hills Neighborhood Organization tells us why she thinks term limits for City Council Members are part of the solution.