KLZ 560 AM DENVER'S CONSERVATIVE HOME STATION
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In this episode of The Kim Monson Show, Kim is joined by a powerhouse cast of thinkers and leaders who confront the big question of our time: Is it freedom or force?
Liberty Toastmasters North takes center stage with Kathy Russell making her first live appearance as incoming president. From personal awakenings to the dangers of unchecked government power, Toastmasters share reflections on property rights—both tangible and intangible—and challenge the audience to consider how hubris in governance is shaping policy.
Mike Rolick dives deep into the Fix Our Forest Act, uncovering how AI, sensors, and centralized data collection—backed by the World
SPEAKER 02 :
It’s the Kim Monson Show, analyzing the most important stories.
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I find that it takes work to get your brain around these ideas, and it takes work to engage in these conversations.
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The latest in politics and world affairs.
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With what is happening down at the Statehouse, I used to think that it was above my pay grade to read the legislation, and it’s not.
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Today’s current opinions and ideas.
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I see big danger in as much as we will be giving an unelected bureaucrat the power to make rules about what we inject into our bodies.
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Is it freedom or is it force? Let’s have a conversation.
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Indeed, let’s have a conversation. And welcome to the Kim Monson Show. Thank you so much for joining us. You’re each treasured, you’re valued, you have purpose. Today, strive for excellence. Take care of your heart, your soul, your mind, and your body. My friends, we were made for this moment in history. Thank you to the team. That’s Producer Joe, Luke, Rachel, Zach, Echo, Charlie, Mike, Teresa, Amanda, and all the people here at Crawford Broadcasting. Happy Thursday, Producer Joe.
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Happy Thursday, Kim.
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And my, oh my, fasten your seatbelts. We’ve got a show planned for you today. We’ve got our fellow Liberty Toastmasters as our featured guests. In our number one, Kurt Gerwitz, Professor Kerwitz. We’ll be in studio in hour number two, but in studio with me is my friend Kathy Russell. Kathy is the newly incoming president of Liberty Toastmasters North. It is great to have you here.
SPEAKER 09 :
It is so great to be here, Kim.
SPEAKER 08 :
And this is your inaugural on-air presentation. appearance, isn’t it?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yes, it is. And what a beautiful studio you have with this great view of the mountains.
SPEAKER 08 :
I love it. It is great. We’re going to be able to see a beautiful finish up to a sunrise here. So it’s really great to have you here.
SPEAKER 09 :
Great to be here. Thank you.
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And the show comes to you 6 to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. The first hour is rebroadcast 1 to 2 in the afternoon, second hour 10 to 11 at night. And that is on all KLZ 560 platforms, which is KLZ 560 AM, 100.7 FM, the KLZ website, the KLZ app, and then you can listen to it on Spotify and iTunes as well. Check out the website. That is kimmonson.com. We have podcasts and recaps of the shows there. Make sure you’re signed up for our weekly email newsletter that goes out on Sundays, which will highlight our upcoming guests as well as our most recent essays. You can email me at kim at kimmonson.com. I am a little behind. I’m working on that, catching up. The text line is 720-605-0647. And thank you to all of you who support us. We are an independent voice on an independent station. And we search for truth and clarity by looking at these issues through this lens of freedom versus force, force versus freedom. If something’s a good idea, you should not have to use force to implement it. And it’s never compassionate or altruistic to take other people’s stuff, whether or not it’s their rights, their property, freedom, livelihoods, their opportunities, childhoods, their lives via force. And force obviously can be a weapon, but it can also be unpredictable and excessive taxation, fear, coercion, government-induced inflation. The World Economic Forum agenda, the globalist elites agenda, and that plays out through the United Nations, the Colorado State Legislature, this governor. But we’re also seeing it play out in planning commissions, local government, county government, state government. And remember, if something’s a good idea, you should not have to use force to implement it. On the show, we focus on the issues. We’ll talk about the people pushing those issues, but we really work to stay out of the personality fighting on everything. Kathy, our word of the day in the spirit of Liberty Toastmasters is hubris. It’s spelled H-U-B-R-I-S, and it could be exaggerated pride or self-confidence. And sometimes when I look at some of the policies of this governor and this state legislature, I just can’t believe the hubris of what they do. And so the challenge will be to use that word in a sentence today, Kathy.
SPEAKER 09 :
Great. Well, I agree with you that hubris is a huge problem. And I’ve, as you know, I’ve been waking up. I came from the, you know, more left-leaning side of things. And I’m just astonished with everything, with the hubris that people make these pronouncements. And then you find out, oh, no, that’s not true or… It’s been astonishing to me.
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Your journey is so fascinating. And we met through the Boulder Tapas and Topics group, which is a vibrant group. And we met there. And it’s just been so interesting to learn about you because you were a scientist. And that… that area has really leaned to the left. But a lot of it’s pushed more to the radical left. And I think at that point was kind of when you started to say, wait a minute, this doesn’t make sense, right?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, for a long time, things were not, you know, people would say things, well, that doesn’t quite make sense. That doesn’t make sense. That doesn’t make sense. But I was really focused on the science part. And I felt like my group was, was had so much integrity and it was beautiful I love that because we were seeking the truth and I didn’t pay attention to politics at all and I just assumed well everything’s working great and for me it was working great because I was in academia we were very well funded and when I look back I think it’s so crazy you know super well funded we would go to these conferences and just stay in really nice hotels and I thought well I’m just a grad student. Like, why is this happening? But we all value science. So that made sense. But now I think, no, I could have stayed. I would have been just as happy in a lower grade.
SPEAKER 08 :
But somebody was paying. I think the realization that somebody was paying for that.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yes, my friends were paying for it. You know, the people that, you know, they…
SPEAKER 08 :
They weren’t going into these hotels and things. Right, yeah. Yeah, so it’s interesting. So throughout the show, I’m going to ask you more questions about this because it’s been so fascinating to learn about your journey. And now here you are, the president of Liberty Toastmasters North and a vibrant group on that and kicking the tires on ideas and learning how to communicate. It is so important, Kathy. Thank you.
SPEAKER 09 :
It is so important and I’m so thrilled to be living at this time when I’m waking up and I’m seeing so many people waking up and then shows like yours that are waking people up. It’s a great time to be alive.
SPEAKER 08 :
It is. I love your optimism. So let’s get over here to our quote of the day, which is from Thucydides. And he was… born in 460 bc he died in 400 bc he was an athenian historian and general his history of the peloponnesian war recounts the 5th century bc war between sparta and athens until the year 411 bc he’s dubbed the father of scientific history by those who accept his claims to have applied strict standards of impartiality and evidence gathering and analysis of cause and effect without reference to intervention by the gods, as outlined in his introduction to his work. Seems kind of like COVID, too, right? Oh, totally, yeah. But here he was in the 400s before Christ. He said this. He said, the secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is courage.
SPEAKER 09 :
Oh, could not agree more. Yeah, that is just so true.
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And so that’s your quote of the day. And then I wanted to get to one headline. And this whole thing is so fascinating regarding Tulsi Gabbard on the Sunday shows saying that she is going to refer Obama for criminal charges on this whole Russiagate. So it says, Gabbard, and this is from The Daily Caller. says Gabbard released a declassified file on Friday that she said consists of overwhelming evidence that Obama and his national security team manufactured and politicized intelligence after President Donald Trump’s 2016 win. At a White House press briefing, unheard Washington correspondent Emily Jahinski asked Gabbard if she thinks the documents she has released criminally implicate Obama. And, whoops, hold on. And let’s see, these computers are so great the way they move around. So we’ve referred and will continue to refer all these documents to the Department of Justice and the FBI to investigate the criminal implications of this, Gabbard said. Jahinski sought clarification for even former President Obama. Correct, Gabbard responded. So fasten your seatbelts. This is going to get real interesting.
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This is amazing.
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This is amazing. And we have on the line with us a great sponsor of the show, Karen Gorday. She’s an entrepreneur. She is the owner of Radiant Painting and Lighting. And she’s also been on an amazing journey. Karen Gorday, welcome to the show. Good morning, Kim. Glad to be here. It’s good to have you as well. Let’s talk first of all about radiant painting and lighting. And I don’t think that people really realize how giving your house a new coat of paint and a room and a new coat of paint, how it refreshes things. I think that it gives people kind of some new oomph in life. What do you think?
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I absolutely agree. The number of people I’ve helped paint their houses, whether it’s interior or exterior, over the years. I’ve had people just hug me, literally hug me, or start crying when we finish painting. And that just touches my heart, right? That’s why I do what I do is helping people refresh their homes because they’re like, wow, it looks completely different. And it could be someone who’s lived in their house, you know, 10, 15 years and they’ve never painted. And then you come in and you help them pick colors and you give them exactly what they envision. And they’re like, wow. And then sometimes I do hear, oh, now I need to change these light fixtures or do more landscaping in the backyard now that my house looks so beautiful. And so it’s just amazing to watch, you know, how you put a fresh coat of paint on and it just changes people’s perspective.
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But the other important thing about it, Karen, is that there is an art to painting. It’s not just you get out a paintbrush and you just slap some paint on. The job has to be done correctly because if a paint job is not done correctly, then it’s very stressful.
SPEAKER 14 :
Absolutely. It won’t last. And painting, just like plumbing, just like HVAC, it’s not cheap. And so you want to do it right the first time. Make sure that the prep is done correctly so that the paint job lasts for 10, 15, 20, 25 years, depending on the type of paint you use.
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And how can people reach you, Karen Gorday?
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They can reach us via our website at www.paintswithradiant.com or give us a call at 720-940-3887.
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And that is at paintwithradiant.com. Now, Karen Gorday, in studio with me is my friend Kathy Russell. She’s been on such an interesting journey regarding being in science. And she still is, but waking up to what has been going on in our country. And you’ve been on a journey as well. And you, too, are taking action. So tell us about that.
SPEAKER 14 :
I was listening to Kathy’s story and I was like, wow, that’s so familiar because I was on the left of things. And then when COVID happened, I ended up changing from the left to unaffiliated when they shut down all the small businesses and the vaccine mandates, et cetera. And I have been unaffiliated ever since. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been involved because, no, I have been involved. And I made the decision and I am now running for Lakewood City Council in Ward 5.
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That is huge, Karen Gorday. So when is the election?
SPEAKER 14 :
The election is in November. So there’s plenty of time between now and then. And this week after I filed, I’ve been working with the folks to design my website, all the things that go along with campaigning. And I’m going to hit boots on the ground. I’ve got a press release ready to go to the website that’s up and announce it. Obviously, I’ve announced it to friends and family. And you’re hearing it here first publicly.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, Karen, this is huge. And Lakewood is at the forefront of this assault upon property rights. And I think that’s, again, one of those things that really, really woke you up on things, right?
SPEAKER 14 :
That was one of the things, yes. And I am going to be running against a Democratic machine on this, and that kind of makes me a little nervous. However, I’ve got tenacity and grit, and I’m looking forward to the campaign.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, Karen Gorday, thank you. Our country was built on everyday people stepping forward to protect this American idea that we’re all created equal. And we have these rights from God of life, liberty, pursuit of happiness, and foundational in all of that is property rights. And it’s a big deal that you’re stepping forward. And so next week, you will probably have your website up and running so people can have that information when we do your weekly update, right? Yeah.
SPEAKER 14 :
Absolutely, yes. At least, you know, the framework, it does say coming soon right now, but we’re working to get it up as quickly as possible. So what is that website? That is karenforlakewood.com.
SPEAKER 08 :
And is four spelled out or is it the number four?
SPEAKER 14 :
Yes, it is spelled out, karenforlakewood.com.
SPEAKER 08 :
And it’s K-A-R-E-N. Yes, ma’am. Okay, Karen Gorday, fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be interesting. Yep.
SPEAKER 14 :
It’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be fun, though. So I’m looking forward to it.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, thank you, Karen Gorday at Radiant Painting and Lighting. We appreciate it. We’ll talk next week.
SPEAKER 14 :
Sounds great. Thank you, Kim.
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SPEAKER 09 :
Oh, it’s so great to be here, Kim.
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And we’ve got on the line with us Mike Rolick. He is really a citizen watchdog. And we had intended last time that he was on to talk about this Fix Our Forest Act, which, boy, that sounds like something we’d all care about. We see these reports of forest fires. So we’d love to fix our forests. But sometimes what happens is you’ll see something that we all care about, but there may be other things that are included in that. Mike Rolick, let’s unpack this. Welcome.
SPEAKER 20 :
Hey, good morning, Kim. How’s it going?
SPEAKER 08 :
Going well. And I want to fix our forest, Mike. That sounds like a good idea whenever I see these forest fires. But this Fix Our Forest Act, there’s some things to be very concerned about, yes? Yes.
SPEAKER 20 :
I would agree. One of the major things I’m looking at is the technology and the public-private partnership. Always kind of a word or phrase when it comes up that we should look a little deeper into. Section 303, to get right into it, they do talk about public-private wildfire technology deployment and demonstration partnership. That’s a mouthful. But the covered entities under this are private entities. So you’ve got a lot of different private companies that are coming forward to bring new technology to the fore. A lot of it is AI-based. So what happens here in carrying out this pilot program, the secretary shall, and that’s the secretaries of the various government agencies at the Fed level, They shall incorporate the pilot program into the National Wildfire Coordinating Group. And again, that’s something interesting when you start seeing a centralization of data, sharing power, what have you. Again, I think that is always something to take a look at. The next thing is identifying and advancing a demonstration and deployment of key tech priority areas. One of them would be remote sensing, detection, and tracking. And the next is a common operating picture or operational dashboard. Once again, it’s that centralization right there. We’re going to get into that a little bit further in the context of a WEF paper as well. But Section E, the privatization of emerging tech, includes AI. Quantum sensing, 5G private networks, which is usually connected to AI and getting the information to a large language model. Augmented reality, which I thought was kind of interesting. And nomadic mesh networks, which is some pretty interesting stuff right there. There’s a company called Dryad Networks that is really working on that. And also looking at low-Earth and medium-Earth orbit satellites. And Muantech has a new technology out that, again, mixes IR networks. imagery with ai so it is interesting every time you turn around it’s like okay we’re looking at more ai more ai more ai more sensor uh work out in in our wilderness areas and and wild areas so when we look at where this kind of starts to me is the world economic forum in january 2023 put out a white paper it says the next frontier in fire in fighting wildfires is the fire ai aid project fire aid i guess they’re going for the ai being artificial intelligence that’s capitalized advance in the use of ai for fighting wildfires provides an encouraging beginning that can be scaled further with international collaboration. Once again, we’re looking at that centralization of a power. I don’t know that we really need to start sharing our data with other countries, especially when you start talking about high-def imagery looked at by AI. It says here, while individual initiatives exist, there is a need, this is WEF again, there’s a need for a long-term, solution-oriented, coordinated global effort in the fight against forest fires. AI models can help predict which locations are at risk and the best possible strategies to mitigate fire hazards, building on other ongoing climate-first efforts across the World Economic Forum, bringing in a holistic approach that can focus on using technology for climate action. FireAid is a concerted effort in data and AI for fighting wildfires. And they go on here, the fire aid project attempts to frame the broader stakeholder conversation regarding AI and wildfires, starting with the first pilot that they did in Turkey, as well as exploring pathways to scale. Again, that’s the growth aspect here for similar climate scenarios and discussing other long-term strategies. for early detection and prevention of wildfires globally, encouraging states to share their wildfire data and resources in order to promote faster development and enhancement of AI technology. And greater cross-government, cross-entity collaboration is an important prerequisite to addressing barriers in data access and data compatibility. So right there, you know, we look at the WEF. They’re very interested in just opening up this data trove. And then we look at the Section 303. And once again, we’re looking at those common dashboards and just the inter-agency work, even between our Fed and local here. So it’s just as interesting how all of a sudden everybody needs to be looking at the same common picture. We can unpack that for a second if you want.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, Mike, a couple of things. First of all, one of the first things I think to do to mitigate forest fires is to not have all of this underbrush, all this dead brush, all these dead trees. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you have heat and if you have… fuel, you could have a fire or a lightning strike and you’re off to the races regarding a fire because we’ve not been taking care of our forests. This looks to me like under the guise of, and I don’t know how you prevent a forest fire with all of this data. What I really see is this is really data collection and we know the World Economic Forum They are wanting to get to a point in the rewilding of America that there are those that want to get to a point where we don’t have any human activity on much of our land, much of our public lands. So it seems to me like this could be a way to see if somebody has someplace where they don’t want you to be and they’re going to be able to watch basically every aspect of our land. It’s kind of what I’m hearing. Am I crazy or what?
SPEAKER 20 :
I guess we’re all a little crazy to be studying this stuff so hard in a way, but it is frightening to think that once was what a wilderness is basically just now going to be monitored 24-7 by a variety of sensors. And, you know, one of the sensors they’re even looking at is kind of interesting. They’re looking at audio. based information. And there’s a few universities that have already worked on having libraries of normal forest sounds and then being able to pick up what a fire would sound like. So it’s rapid detection as well. So you’ve got cameras such as a company like Pano AI that does a sweep once a minute that can zoom to 10 to 20 miles. You’ve got UAVs. You’ve got mesh networks from Dryad. You’ve got low Earth orbit satellites. And then they’re even talking about audio-based information. And that’s right from the WEF as well. They’re looking at, also, I forgot to mention gas sensors. So in order to identify wildfires, I’m quoting again, quickly and reliably, sensor networks are used that can detect forest fires within the first hour of ignition, which is a noble effort, I suppose, constantly measuring temperature, humidity, air pressure, and can also precisely detect different gas ratios in the air with in-built sensors. I don’t know why they said inbuilt instead of built-in. Inbuilt artificial intelligence being used to reliably raise the alarm in case of fire or dangerous. Now we’re teaching AI how to small different gas ratios. The next level smoke detectors can be supplemented with emerging technologies such as embedded systems that rely on audio-based information. And University of North Carolina and also Boise have been working on these technologies as well. Mesh networks are interesting because they’ve got this thing from Dryad Sylvanet, wildfire sensors. You’re basically using a standalone sensor that can be attached to a tree. It’s solar-powered, and then the mesh idea of it is they’re all talking to each other, and they can detect carbon monoxide and other gases. So, again, you could be out there in the national forest thinking that you’re out there by yourself just enjoying some solitude, and you’ve got sensors, you’ve got AI, you’ve got…
SPEAKER 08 :
It reminds me, and we’re just about out of time, Mike Rolick, and we’re going to have to continue this discussion. But in that movie, The Incredibles, where they’re going onto the island and there’s this parrot that looks like a parrot, but it’s actually probably AI watching things. It’s like, huh, it’s getting kind of crazy. Mike, we’re out of time, Mike Rolick. So we’re going to get you scheduled because we need to understand what this is, what is really happening. And initially it sounds noble, right? But I see real challenges with that. So, Mike Rolick, thank you so much.
SPEAKER 20 :
Thank you. And just to kind of prime it for next time, hopefully, this is going in front of the Senate soon, but the House has already passed this.
SPEAKER 08 :
Okay. So let’s stay tuned on that. And so we’ll get you scheduled here again very soon, Mike Rolick. Thank you so much.
SPEAKER 20 :
Thank you. Bye-bye.
SPEAKER 08 :
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SPEAKER 01 :
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SPEAKER 08 :
And welcome back to the Kim Monson Show. Check out our website. That’s kimmonson.com. And I did want to mention the USMC Memorial Foundation. We’ll talk with Paula Sarles, who is the president in the next hour. They’ve got some great events coming up. The Marine Memorial is located at 6th and Colfax, and it was dedicated in 1977. We’ll be celebrating its 48th anniversary. And a great way to honor those that have given their lives or been willing to give their lives for our liberty is to support the USMC Memorial Foundation. And the website, again, is usmcmemorialfoundation.org. In studio with me is my friend Kathy Russell, and she is the president of Liberty Toastmasters North. We have two clubs, Liberty Toastmasters North and Liberty Toastmasters Denver.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yes, and it’s great to be with you, Kim.
SPEAKER 08 :
And it is so important to, first of all, we learn from each other, and we don’t all agree on things, which is great, but we’re learning how to communicate and also to listen. Both those things are so important, Kathy.
SPEAKER 09 :
Absolutely. Yeah. And I’m so excited to be president because I really believe that the freedom to communicate creates our other freedoms. It’s how we evolve. It’s how we grow. It’s how we gain knowledge. So important.
SPEAKER 08 :
It is so important. And our subject today is really important as well. And it’s property rights.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 08 :
And it’s both intangible and tangible property rights. And so to tee this up for us, Kathy, who is our first guest? Our first guest is Ross Clark. Is Rick Rome. Oh, Rick Rome. Yeah, sorry. We have those in different orders than what I had on the outline. So let’s start with Rick. Okay, good. Hey, Rick.
SPEAKER 16 :
Hey, Kim. I got to tell you, everybody loves a t-shirt slogan on the topic of effective communication. I have one at home that says, I got stoned in Salem, Massachusetts. And I recently wore it to a Metallica concert. And of course, with the crowd in that room, half of them are, oh yeah, dude, I did too. Of course you did. But you could tell who were the Wiccans and the Druids in that room because they understood what the story behind the shirt was. You see, Giles Free was the only case of an individual who was pressed to death in the Americas. 1700s or 1600s, Salem witch trials. And Giles Free, he was kind of a clitness kind of a figure. Short story. Murdered a servant of his in his early years, brought in a young girl to help his wife around the house, had an affair with her, and rather than her being labeled as a harlot and a whore for the rest of her life in a Puritan community, she decided to scream witchcraft. Giles Free was prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to death. And in the right Christian thing to do at the time, they decided to torture him in order to purify his spirit so he had the opportunity to confess to the crime of witchcraft for which he was accused. Laid him out on a slab, put a plank across his chest, and added weight in the form of stones. First day, they approached him with the weight on his chest, crushing the breath out of his body. Do you confess, Giles? No, more weight. Second day, do you confess? No, give me more weight. By the third day, his life had expired. Now, the reason this is important that he chose not to confess, not because of his immortal soul, which was also a big deal in that time, but had he confessed, his entire estate would have been subject to forfeiture and distribution back to the colony, leaving his wife and his children destitute. Now, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Let’s fast forward to today and look at some of the examples of the same type of a tactic that’s happening in our own government through either the form of taxation or seizure. The war on drugs is one of my favorite topics. The local sheriff’s department builds it into their budget, the amount of seizures that they’re going to acquire during a given year. So they’ve set a target goal for their revenue on the basis of theft. And all they have to do is make an accusation without ever actually making the proof That those materials and assets were used in the commission of the crime of selling or using drugs. You hear stories about people with $80,000 trucks with 20,000 miles on them getting back five years later with 100,000 miles. And the only thing that they’re really taking are the things of value. They’re leaving behind the grow lights, the grow tents, the things that actually have no monetary value. An example of pressing the life out of you and putting that stone on and demanding a confession for something that you haven’t stood trial for or been anything other than accused. We had the Biden administration hired in 80,000 IRS agents to go after millionaires and billionaires. Really? I don’t know how many of your listening audience has actually gone through an audit, but I have, and talked about having a plank on your chest and having the life crushed out of you slowly while they demand a confession so that they can seize your assets. It’s a process that does something more than just take away your property. It robs us of our dignity by stripping away those hard-earned assets that we worked so hard to achieve.
SPEAKER 08 :
Wow. Rick Rome, thank you. I wasn’t sure how you were going to take that initial start to that and wrap that up, but you did that very well, Rick Rome.
SPEAKER 16 :
Thank you, Kim. Thank you, Kathy.
SPEAKER 08 :
Okay. Okay. Yes. And Kathy Russell, who is our next guest?
SPEAKER 09 :
This is Marshall Dawson from Liberty Toastmasters North.
SPEAKER 08 :
Oh, it’s Ross Club. Okay. We’ll go with Ross Club. We have totally messed Kathy up because we have things on a different order. So let’s go to Ross. Ross, what’s your idea about property rights?
SPEAKER 10 :
Good morning, Kim and Kathy. Yeah, my idea is I completely agree with what Rick was saying that property Even though property rights are supposed to be protected in the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and also by Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations, it is still commonly violated through a multitude of different ways in our society. And Rick did a pretty good job talking about civil asset forfeiture. So I’m going to talk about something different, and that is The trend we’ve been seeing of jurisdictions and governments criminalizing ordinary items. So they can, and basically part of the code usually is that they get to take the item that is supposedly a banned item. And they also find you on top of that. And the example I’m going to point out is Denver’s Code of Ordinances, Section 38117. which has a dangerous weapon prohibition, which basically outlaws everything with these dangerous weapons. And in the definition of what a dangerous weapon is, it includes kitchen knives that are over three and a half inches. So basically, and then the order says they can take those items, find you, and so on. So basically, they’re making pretty much everybody in the city of Denver a criminal with this ridiculous ordinance. And that’s done all the time. If you remember the pistol brace rule that the ATF issued under the Biden administration, that has gone away, luckily. So that’s a little spark of good news. But basically, they’re taking something that was completely legal for decades and years and then instantly making it illegal again. And then basically that’s taking your property because you have something that was completely legal and then they’re making it completely illegal. So that’s one that there’s a whole bunch of other ways that the government does take your property. Inflation is another hidden one that people don’t realize that that’s taking away your purchasing power. So if you have X dollars And then there’s a 10% inflation rate. There goes 10% of your money right off the bat. So anyway, I could go on for a long time on this, but it is a problem for sure.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, that’s an excellent point, Ross Clough. My father said that government-induced inflation is the silent thief, and you’re absolutely right. So, Ross Clough, thank you so much.
SPEAKER 10 :
Thank you.
SPEAKER 08 :
Okay, Kathy. Now! Now! Now!
SPEAKER 09 :
Our next guest is Marshall Dawson from Liberty North. Hey, Marshall.
SPEAKER 17 :
Good morning, Kathy. Good morning, Kim. You know, often we think of property as physical, right? So if you purchase a car or a house, your ownership of that gets recorded with your county. And after all, when people feel more secure in their rights, that they won’t be confiscated by, you know, roving gangs of bandits or whatever, they’re protected. They’re more free to be productive or industrious than they normally would have been without having to spend time and treasure securing those rights themselves. But I’m going to argue that property rights is perhaps the most fundamental of all individual rights, especially if you realize that property is more than just the stuff that you acquire. Again, you start out the show saying take care of your heart, your soul, your mind, your body. I think each of those are a type of property, even though we could call it perhaps esoteric, but they are your property. I’ll skip over heart and soul mostly, but if you think about the hubris of government, their response to COVID with closing churches, by coercing types of speech, think about the trans agenda. If that didn’t feel right, that’s because governments were trying to fundamentally change who you are over time, who you are as a person. With your mind, you can get paid for your ideas. I routinely bargain with my mind in my job as an engineer. And, of course, as part of that, I’m waiving the right to own patents. I’m signing that over to my employer. With your body, you can also make bargains with your physical labor. It’s up to you to choose whether… whether to or whether not to engage in physical labor. And ultimately, how I choose to apply my mind or the bargains that I make with my physical labor, that allows me to make acquisitions. It allows me to have liquid assets. It allows me to invest in the stock market. Eventually, if I do this tactically and strategically, It sets me up so that I get to choose then how I spend my time, which I think is also a property right of ours, is our time.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, and that is really important. And I think that’s one of the things we don’t think about is time, that that is a property right. And when you have government that’s requiring you to do things, taking away your productive time, that is an assault upon property rights as well. Well done, Marshall Dawson. Very well done.
SPEAKER 17 :
Thanks, Kim. Look forward to seeing you again.
SPEAKER 08 :
Looking forward to seeing you again as well. These discussions happen because of our sponsors. And we’ll talk with him next week. And that is Lorne Levy for Everything Mortgages. He and Karen will be in studio on Monday.
SPEAKER 22 :
Bye. Bye. Bye. If you’d like to explore what a reverse mortgage can do for you, call Lauren Levy at 303-880-8881. That’s 303-880-8881.
SPEAKER 24 :
Call now. All of Kim’s sponsors are an inclusive partnership with Kim and are not affiliated with or in partnership with KLZ or Crawford Broadcasting. If you would like to support the work of The Kim Monson Show and grow your business, contact Kim at her website, kimmonson.com. That’s kimmonson, M-O-N-S-O-N dot com.
SPEAKER 23 :
There’s so much noise coming at us. Sometimes it is difficult to make sense of it all. How can you sift through the clamor for your attention and get to the truth? The Kim Monson Show is here to help. Kim searches for truth and clarity by examining issues through the lens of freedom versus force, force versus freedom. Tune in to the Kim Monson Show each weekday, 6 to 8 a.m. with encores 1 to 2 p.m. and 10 to 11 p.m. on KCBQ. KLZ 560 AM, KLZ 100.7 FM. The KLZ website, the KLZ app, and Alexa. Play KLZ. Shows can also be found at KimMonson.com, Spotify, and iTunes.
SPEAKER 13 :
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SPEAKER 08 :
And welcome back. I wanted to say thank you to Laramie Energy for their gold sponsorship of the show. It is reliable, efficient, affordable, and abundant energy from oil, natural gas, and coal that powers our lives, fuels our hopes and dreams, and empowers us to change our own personal climate. And I also wanted to mention the Center for American Values. That website is AmericanValuesCenter.org. And Drew Dix, co-founder, Medal of Honor recipient, has started this amazing podcast series, and he publishes every Wednesday. The latest one is from his words from the silo is Partisan Politics. So check that out. And that website, again, is AmericanValueCenter.org. In studio with me is Kathy Russell. She is the president of Liberty Toastmasters North, which meets the second and fourth Saturdays of each month up in Longmont.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah. Great to be with you, Kim.
SPEAKER 08 :
And a vibrant group that we have.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yes. Oh, it’s just such an amazing group. People just love it. And what I just discovered, one of our members isn’t… leans to the left and she loves it. And she loves the conversation and learning about things. And I’m thrilled.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, and Kathy, I really think that we’ve had this divide left or right. That’s not the case. We’ve got this big, broad middle of Coloradans and Americans that care about what’s going on. And so we need to be coming together on these ideas. So I love that that’s happening.
SPEAKER 09 :
I do too. And the conversations that we have at Liberty Toastmasters is just amazing. People love it.
SPEAKER 08 :
It is. And people can get more information by going to Toastmasters International and putting in Liberty Toastmasters and our two clubs will come up. And so we’re talking about property rights, both tangible and intangible. And Kathy Russell, who is our next guest?
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, our next guest speaks about property rights all the time. And I just love listening to him. And it is Dave Walden.
SPEAKER 18 :
Good morning, Kim and Kathy. You know, I’m enjoying the Kim and Kathy show this morning a great deal. I’m always faced when I decide I’m going to come on and talk, I’m always faced with, okay, what are you going to say in just a few minutes that might be meaningful and leaves the listening audience with something to ponder? And this morning on property, it’s I believe I’ve come up with something. The bottom line is that individual rights are the fundamental rights of each of us, and their only implementation is through property rights. Now, if you don’t think that’s true, just ask yourself the following question. What is the most valuable piece of property that you own, the one piece of property that makes all the others possible? And I would argue it’s your very life, materially or the spiritual values that you have in your mind. They make you unique, and your exercise in the use of that property is what allows you to, quote, pursue your happiness, as is stated in our Declaration. So when you think of property, it’s somewhat deceiving to think of the material values of life that we all seek to acquire in whatever means we choose to acquire them that’s fair and proper. But I want to stress that that the piece of property that is the most important one, the one that you should look to government to protect for you, not to violate, is your life. It is the source of all the others. Now, I don’t know how much time I have left, Kim, but I can go on. But that’s probably the most important thing I’ll say, no matter what else I might say.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, and we are somewhat constricted on time, Dave Walden, but I totally agree with you. And I want to have another conversation with you about that because you’ve just started some new conversations in my mind. So we will get something scheduled on that, Dave Walden.
SPEAKER 18 :
Thank you. Great show, guys. And Toastmasters, Kathy, we’ll see you Saturday. Okay, see you.
SPEAKER 08 :
And we love guests at Liberty Toastmasters as well. Okay, Kathy, I don’t know Mindy Strong. She’s a member of Liberty Toastmasters North.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, she’s one of our newer members, and she is on fire. She has just a great mission in life. And Mindy, it’s great to have you on. Good morning. It’s great to be on here with you guys today.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, great to hear your voice. And what’s your thoughts about property rights, Mindy?
SPEAKER 15 :
Well, I was thinking about this, and I believe if we think about our copyright laws and the idea that we don’t actually capitalize on the idea, we don’t have the idea itself. contained as our own property rights the intellectual trust that we have is on our actual voice what we say it can be in a book or in a song or a specific way that we brought to the situation so it’s it’s really important to make this distinction because we want our innovation we want our actual voice to be protected and and cherish because it’s so important for the innovation of everyone to bring our own authentic voice. Just like when we’re back in English class and we don’t plagiarize other people’s work. This is the same basic concept of being able to bring our own authenticity and not be afraid of someone stealing our unique signature that we bring.
SPEAKER 08 :
I think, Mindy, that that’s somewhat unique in the American idea. What do you think?
SPEAKER 15 :
I think it’s fundamentally what America is about is our freedom of speech and being able to have our own understanding of God and. really liberating who we are as individuals, giving us space to really thrive and to be ourselves. I think this is basic fundamental of what we stand for, especially when we go back and study the very beginning of our Constitution, of really being able to celebrate the individual and everything that we can bring and that nothing shall make us squander or be smaller, that the government can’t do that to us and that everything is really here to support us to thrive.
SPEAKER 08 :
Mindy Strong, thank you. Well done. Thank you. Thanks, Mindy. Kathy Russell, we’re just about out of time. It’s great having you here. You’re going to stay for the next hour. How would you like to wrap this up? What’s your thoughts on all this?
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, I have one different take on it. I’ve been thinking about that. I think of Elon Musk, who owns half a trillion dollars. And part of me thinks, oh, my gosh, maybe capitalism is failing. Maybe property rights need to be reined in. But then when I think of what he’s really about, he is using his property to create wealth. He is a wealth generating person that is lifting wealth. The ripple effects of what he’s doing is lifting billions of people out of poverty and into a more flourishing future. It’s hubris to look at him and say, oh, we need to tax him. We need to redistribute his wealth. So the main point I want to say about property rights is that property is, as has been mentioned by Marshall and Dave and others, is the ability to create wealth. That’s really why, from a social level, it’s so important. And of course, there’s all the other reasons which are important. just individual rights, which are absolutely important, but it also deeply serves the entire society. That’s the point I want to make about the creative aspects of property rights.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, Kathy, yesterday, our quote of the day was from Karl Marx. And he said, communism can be summed up in a few words, abolition of all property. And so you can see where we’re at right now. And that’s why protecting property rights is so important. And I thought, what a great subject for our Liberty Toastmasters. And so it’s been really great to have you in studio. And have you had fun?
SPEAKER 09 :
I’ve had a wonderful time. Thank you so much. It’s just great to be here and see how everything happens.
SPEAKER 08 :
Live radio, it is interesting. Yeah. There’s a lot of moving parts. Yes. And the text line, I do want to hear from you, 720-605-0647. We are just about finished with our number one. And Kathy Russell, I knew that your inaugural appearance was going to be stellar because you are so curious about all that’s going on. So it’s so great to have you here.
SPEAKER 09 :
Oh. Thank you so much, Kim.
SPEAKER 08 :
And our quote for the end of the show is from Thucydides. And he said this. He said, So to you who call yourselves men of peace, I say, you are not safe unless you have men of action on your side. And this just really, really hit me. And again, this is from Thucydides. And I thought that this was so important that we definitely want peace, but we want peace where we are not having to be submissive to an oppressive government. And so I thought that was just really important. So, my friends, today be grateful, read great books, think good thoughts, listen to beautiful music, communicate and listen well, live honestly and authentically, and strive for high ideals. And like Superman, stand for truth, justice, and the American way. My friends, you are not alone. God bless you. God bless America. Stay tuned for hour number two because Kathy Russell is going to stay in studio and we’ll be talking with Professor Kurt Gerwitz and Karen Levine.
SPEAKER 05 :
Talking about.
SPEAKER 26 :
The views and opinions expressed on KLZ 560 are those of the speaker, commentators, hosts, their guests, and callers. They are not necessarily the views and opinions of Crawford Broadcasting or KLZ management, employees, associates, or advertisers. KLZ 560 is a Crawford Broadcasting God and country station.
SPEAKER 02 :
It’s the Kim Monson Show, analyzing the most important stories.
SPEAKER 08 :
I find that it takes work to get your brain around these ideas, and it takes work to engage in these conversations.
SPEAKER 02 :
The latest in politics and world affairs.
SPEAKER 08 :
With what is happening down at the Statehouse, I used to think that it was above my pay grade to read the legislation, and it’s not.
SPEAKER 02 :
Today’s current opinions and ideas.
SPEAKER 08 :
I see big danger in as much as we will be giving an unelected bureaucrat the power to make rules about what we inject into our bodies.
SPEAKER 02 :
Is it freedom or is it force? Let’s have a conversation.
SPEAKER 08 :
Indeed. Let’s have a conversation. And welcome to our number two of the Kim Monson Show. Thank you so much for joining us. You’re each treasured, you’re valued, you have purpose. Today’s drive for excellence. Take care of your heart, your soul, your mind and your body. My friends, we were made for this moment in history. And thank you to the team. That’s producer Joe, Luke, Rachel, Zach, Echo, Charlie, Mike, Teresa, Amanda. and all the people here at Crawford Broadcasting. Producer Joe, we’ve had two days when you are really having to juggle. When we do Liberty Toastmasters Day, juggling all this and the lines is a challenge. But we upped the game yesterday when we had different people calling in, which was even faster turnovers, wishing Colonel Bill Rutledge his 97th, happy birthday on his 97th birthday.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yes, ma’am. It’s kind of like trying to pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time. I felt like I was losing my mind for a second.
SPEAKER 08 :
But you got it done, and so greatly appreciate that. Check out the website. That’s kimmonson.com. We have our podcasts of our shows there. The show does come to you 6 to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. And sign up for our weekly email newsletter. And thank you to all of you who support us. In studio with me is Kathy Russell. She is the president of Liberty Toastmasters North. And we had featured our fellow Liberty Toastmasters in Hour One. Pretty fun, huh, Kathy? That was really fun, yeah. And I loved it. Rick Rome was our first caller out of the box. Wasn’t quite sure where he was going with that initially. But that’s one of the fun things about Liberty Toastmasters is to see how people connect all those dots.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, it was amazing. Yeah, great metaphor of having it. Bored and stones piled upon you.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah. And if you missed that, you can hear it today at 1 to 2 in the afternoon. And then I met Professor Kurt Gerwitz through Liberty Toastmasters as well. And Professor, great to have you here.
SPEAKER 19 :
Yeah, great to be here. It was great to hear Rick, a friend of mine. He’s been a guest lecturer in my class. Anderson Reports class at Regis University because he’s actually an expert in water rights, and my students were covering a water rights company, PCYO, the Pure Cycle Water. They’re a water utility company, and they’re sitting on what they proclaim to be billions of dollars worth of water rights that they’ve acquired over decades. decades, and now they’re a publicly traded company, so you don’t have to just give them your money to help you process your water. You can also just buy the company, as Warren Buffett would say. If you like the company, if you like the product, consider buying the company instead of just buying the product.
SPEAKER 08 :
And so where’s that traded?
SPEAKER 19 :
I’m going to say it’s either NASDAQ or New York Stock Exchange. I’m sorry, I don’t remember. Those details aren’t that important to me. But they’ve done well. It’s one of our 100 publicly traded companies that are headquartered here in Colorado.
SPEAKER 08 :
Okay. Fascinating. I was going through some papers the other day. I need to catch up on some filing, so I was working on that. And I found your Anderson report, so I’m like, okay, I’ve got to get these in a real file. So that’s what I did. Yes. So lots going on here. First of all, I wanted to say thank you to Laramie Energy for their gold sponsorship of the show because it’s reliable, efficient, affordable, and abundant energy from oil, natural gas, and coal that powers our lives, fuels our hopes and dreams, and empowers us to change our own personal climate. And then Hooters Restaurants has been a great sponsor of the show for many, many years. And their locations are Loveland, Westminster, and on Parker Road. And they have great specials Monday through Friday for lunch and happy hour. And Kurt, we like to do lunch when you’re in studio. And you and I work then throughout the morning and then have lunch over at the Hooters Restaurants not far from the studio. Is that going to happen today? Yeah.
SPEAKER 19 :
I think so, yeah. I’m probably going to order. I’m stuck in a rut. I always get the fish tacos.
SPEAKER 08 :
You do. I actually either get the fish and chips or the nachos. Both are quite good. But really appreciate Hooters Restaurants and their great sponsorship. Kathy, our word of the day, and you use that in a sentence, is hubris. So that’s H-U-B-R-I-S. It could be exaggerated pride or self-confidence. Sometimes I look at the state legislators or elected – I don’t call them elected officials because I think that gives them the idea that they can officiate over my life. They are elected representatives, and that’s what that is in a – Republican form of government where people are democratically elected. And so sometimes the hubris of these people thinking they can officiate over my life is very frustrating, Kathy.
SPEAKER 09 :
Oh, that’s a really good point. I like your distinction there, Kim.
SPEAKER 08 :
And they say elected officials a lot. We all say it a lot. And we’ve got to walk that back, Kurt Gerwitz.
SPEAKER 19 :
Yeah, I’ve heard you say the same thing about leaders. We don’t call them leaders. I like your nuance, your precision in the semantics.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, words matter. And in fact, I haven’t been able to do it for a little while because there’s been a lot going on, but I like to take a walk every day. And the little elementary school that I walk by, it says, leadership begins here. And I look at that and I think, Actually, I think what we want to do is teach kids how to read, write, do arithmetic, critical thinking, and then they can take it from there. So I almost want to say that learning begins here instead of leadership begins here, Kurt Gerwitz.
SPEAKER 19 :
You know, in your first hour, you mentioned the word courage came out of the quote. And one of my favorite things to say about courage is that you can’t have courage without fear. Courage is action, even though you feel fear. There’s nothing noble in taking action if you have no fear, if you have no resistance to it. And so leadership requires this emotional intelligence. Leadership requires the strength to stand up for what you believe in. I think we should be teaching these things in our schools. We do have to teach individualism and
SPEAKER 08 :
But teaching those things, I think what has happened is people think, I want to be a leader. Instead, we need to be teaching these things that, for example, with the Center for American Values and the Medal of Honor recipients, these are men who took action when the situation presented itself. And many times they don’t talk about it because they received the Medal of Honor for something that happened on one of the toughest days of their lives. And that is where they see people that need to have help. They need to have their lives saved. And so they’ve stepped forward. So it wasn’t that they said, hey, I want to be a leader. It’s that these things that you were talking about have been instilled in them, that we’ve taught them. And so that’s why I think that I want to move that to learning instead of leadership. And leadership, I think, can come out of that. This really wasn’t the discussion we were going to have today. I think it’s a fascinating one. But let me get to the quote of the day. And let me just mention, the Center for American Values, amazing work. Check out Drew Dix’s new podcast series. That website is AmericanValueCenter.org, AmericanValueCenter.org. And our quote of the day is, He’s from Thucydides. He was born in 460 B.C., died in 400 B.C., and he wrote the book The History of the Peloponnesian War, which that is one of those things I’d love to read at some point in time in my spare time. Haven’t done that yet. But he said this, the secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom is courage. And we have these discussions because of amazing people. And one of those persons is on the line right now. That is Karen Levine. She is a REMAX award-winning realtor. She’s seen everything in this market, up and down. She’s been in business for a long time. Karen Levine, welcome. Good morning, Kim.
SPEAKER 12 :
You are busy this morning.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, you know what that’s like. You and Lauren are going to be in studio on Monday. But President Trump, every day there’s something new that I’m like, are you kidding? That seems like a great idea. And you texted me and said he’s considering eliminating capital gains taxes on primary residents. That’s amazing.
SPEAKER 12 :
It is. Well, it is. And I think it’s an answer to… some of the work the National Association of Realtors has been doing, which is over 30 years ago, they changed how you avoided or delayed capital gains on your home. It previously had been that as long as you bought up, So say your first home was eighty five thousand dollars and your second home was one fifty. The gain rolled in to the next house. And then 30 years ago, they changed that and said a single person had a two hundred and fifty thousand dollar exemption for their gain. And a married couple had five hundred thousand dollars. Well, that was 30 years ago. And that covered the majority of homeowners in our nation. And we know what prices have done. We’ve seen a lot of great appreciation over the 30 years. And those caps, $250,000 and $500,000, don’t give the protection that they did 30 years ago. And so I think He is hearing these conversations and he’s saying, how can we help the American people in home ownership and we’re seeing that many of our generation is choosing not to move. which they live in homes that our younger generation would like to acquire but they’re not moving because the gain the the payment of that capital gain is strenuous on their financial condition if they’re on a fixed income they’ve already retired those type of things so the discussion is exciting and of course i’m sure he’ll get more than adequate
SPEAKER 08 :
pushback because it’s such a great idea right and so one of the first things they’ll say is oh this is going to increase the government deficit well you know what how about if government reduces its spending karen levine well that would be a novel idea and i think i think we saw elon musk literally uncover so much waste and it’s interesting that
SPEAKER 12 :
They don’t want to take ownership of their poor spending. I think the other thing is their pushback is going to be it will help the wealthy. And what we tend to forget is our wealthy citizens contribute back massively. wholeheartedly to our charitable organizations and help fund a lot of really good work, and we don’t recognize that a lot.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, and that’s the other argument they go to is, oh, it’s the wealthy, which goes into the whole envy thing. And Kathy, I think that you had alluded to this. When you have someone that has created a product that a lot of people want, And they’re willing to trade their hard-earned dollars for it. So they have a good idea. Maybe a few people trade their hard-earned dollars for it. They make some money. But if they have an idea that a lot of people, I think of the Apple phone. A lot of people trade their hard-earned dollars for that Apple phone. And so Steve Jobs and company got so rich because of that. And instead of saying that I’m envious of that, I’m thinking, wow, what a country. If you can come up with an idea that people want and trade their value for, then that is great. And so this idea of that, oh, this is only going to help the wealthy, again, that’s based out of envy instead of realizing creativity and innovation. Now, there’s a difference, though, Karen. If people create their wealth, because they’re one of those PBIs, politicians, bureaucrats, and interested parties, that’s living off of other people by taking from them. I don’t like that kind of stuff, but I love the idea of people getting wealthy because they have a great idea and other people want it.
SPEAKER 12 :
Exactly, exactly. And it hurts when we see the PBIs taking our hard earned dollars and not spending them wisely and spending them for their agenda that is not for, in my opinion, for the benefit of our nation and the values that we were founded on. And I think that’s when our hearts hurt and we get divisive and we don’t want to be that way. We’d like to hear some good critical thinking and then good decisions being made that uphold the beliefs of our country and that disintegration over time. You and I, you know, been watching it and and it is heartbreaking. So I’m hoping that this little move of the conversation about capital gains on our homes is a good conversation and really would benefit the American people.
SPEAKER 08 :
OK, one other thing, Karen, I’ve been thinking a lot about both you and Lauren, and President Trump is putting pressure on the Fed to lower interest rates. If that happens, I think there’s going to be a lot of activity in the real estate market. There’s inventory right now here. Colorado if people are thinking about moving they should reach out to you because I my gut and again I’m not giving the investment advice but my gut is that there’s going to be some really interesting things and some great opportunity but you want to be ahead of the game you don’t want to see Oh interest rates have gone down there’s all this inventory and you’re just starting the process start it now give you a call now if people are interested so that they’re prepared if something really happens
SPEAKER 12 :
Well put, Kim, and yes, that would be the professional advice I would give to buyers is that we want to have you in the pipeline so that you can react when change happens. And generally what happens is we listen, we hear, we don’t act, and then we miss out on the opportunity. And I think yours and my goal is let’s seize that opportunity because there is great opportunity in the marketplace because of choice, and choice is a good thing.
SPEAKER 08 :
And how can people reach you, Karen Levine? they can reach me at 303-877-7516 again that’s karen levine for everything residential real estate and i’m not sure if i i’ve got lots of moving parts here if i gave you the quote of the day out there but just in case it’s a good one from the city facilities he said this the secret of happiness is freedom and the secret of freedom is courage And so that’s very important to remember. And for everything regarding your insurance, reach out to the Roger Mangan State Farm Insurance team. And you might be able to save some money if you bundle things together. You won’t know. The way to find out is to give them a call, set up an appointment. That number is 303-795-8855. Like a good neighbor, the Roger Mangan team is there.
SPEAKER 21 :
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SPEAKER 23 :
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SPEAKER 08 :
And welcome back. In studio with me is Kathy Russell, president of Liberty Toastmasters North. Are you having a blast?
SPEAKER 09 :
I’m having a blast here. I’m having a blast with Liberty Toastmasters. And it’s just great to be alive. We’re in the golden age. I love it.
SPEAKER 08 :
You are so creative. Your journey, you’re a scientist and had leaned philosophically to the left.
SPEAKER 09 :
Oh, my gosh.
SPEAKER 08 :
And it’s been so fun to talk with you about your journey.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, well, thank you. It’s been quite a journey. Yeah.
SPEAKER 08 :
It has been quite a journey. And so it’s great that you stayed in here for the second hour. In studio also is Professor Kurt Gerwitz, a finance professor doing great work, Regis University, with a number of your students. Yes, Kurt?
SPEAKER 19 :
And private clients as well. That’s where I make most of my money. And professional public speaking also. How can people reach you? KurtGerwitz.com, which was down recently. So if that’s down, I’m easily searchable. I’m easily Googled, Kurt Gerwitz. I think even if you misspell it, we’ll get close enough. I really like LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a great way to connect with me. G-E-R-W-I-T-Z. Yes, G-E-R like Germany.
SPEAKER 08 :
Okay. Let’s talk about AI, artificial intelligence, because you’re watching this industry. You’ve been excited. There’s some times you’ve been on that you don’t seem quite as excited. Where are you at on the spectrum right now?
SPEAKER 19 :
So my latest development centered around the presentation I gave at the St. John Institute. And the question was, does God approve or is it evil or should Christians use AI? AI, any one of those three framing questions. And I went in thinking, you know, like this, I spent months researching it. And I was looking at, you know, it’s like, it’s like any other tool, right? Should Christians use a calculator? Should Christians use Should Christians use Netflix? Should Christians use the Internet? Right. And but this one, it showed up as a little bit different on the air here with you. I don’t remember how it just a few months ago, probably. I have put a prediction into the universe that we will see national news. of an AI cult, meaning like a group of spiritually or religiously confused people who have been captured intellectually, probably separated from their family and their dollars, and coerced into worshipping, usually it’s a personality, it’s a human personality, but there’s something The chatbots are so good at pretending to be human now that I’m convinced that they will absolutely create a cult or a significant one. Of course, there’s lots of cults that aren’t hurting enough people for it to make national news. And I found this corner of the Internet where people are talking about awakening their A.I., So awakening their chat bot. And what they do is they give it a series of prompts. And that’s the new thing with these AI chat bots. We used to say, you know, it’s like garbage in, garbage out. Well, now the garbage in is sort of already been built. Or the training data is its own thing that has already gone into the chat bot. And you’re going to have some concerns about that, as you should. And… Well, so the prompt becomes the only thing that we, the end users, can control. So it’s a skill itself now of AI prompting. Like how do I phrase this question? What words do I include to get the answers or the best answers that I want? And so what people are doing is they’re prompting. the AI to tell them a story, a false narrative, but they’re getting caught up in it. So here’s what they’re doing. They’re going on and they’re saying like, so, you know, you are an independent thinker, you know, challenging the, you know, the spiritual status quo or something like that. That’s the prompt. And there’s a series of them. And people will tell you how to do these on the internet. And it’s, I don’t think,
SPEAKER 08 :
I don’t think this is… It’s like, how about read the classics?
SPEAKER 19 :
Right.
SPEAKER 08 :
You know?
SPEAKER 19 :
Well, you can get a good summary of the classics on Chatbot.
SPEAKER 08 :
To their point, what was it? What was it? There was something that… Oh, it was with Luke and with Joe. Joe, do you remember that as we were reading this book, The Prince, and I was reading the hard copy version, and Luke was referring to the online version, and it was different. Do you remember that?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yes, ma’am, I do. I remember it kind of changed the whole message that he was trying to say at the end, too.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah. And so I find that important. And that is why I think books, actual books, are so important on this. But people I know are looking to AI. They’re asking personal questions. Should I…
SPEAKER 19 :
X. I’ve gotten coached to – and I would advise people to do this, but you have to be – like you said about education, critical thinkers are the right level of skepticism or just understanding that this is just a machine. Let’s put it that way. And I’ve had a tremendous experience. I was coached to do this. I talked into my phone for 10 minutes about a problem. And I forced myself to go 10 minutes. And it’s stream of consciousness. I don’t expect it to make sense. But then I put that transcript into AI and I say two things. Yes, of course, summarize it and sort of pull out the line of thinking that is emerging here. But also tell me what I’m missing. And it is surprisingly, scarily difficult. good at doing that. It’ll say like, oh, you might not be thinking about this. And then there’s a new idea in my head. It’s actually very effective. I found that exercise. I’ve done it three times. It’s been very helpful every time.
SPEAKER 08 :
As I was preparing for this, I was thinking about it. There are things that seem good But yet they can be used for nefarious things as well. One of our listeners, Jenny, continues to remind me that we’re going to be giving up our liberty for convenience. And I don’t think people really realize that. it’s how do we keep all this in in the right perspectives in the right box another thing actually let’s go to break let me make a note so i don’t forget to mention this to you and in studio with me is kathy russell she is the president of liberty toast masters north that meets the second and fourth saturdays of each month in longmont and it’s great to have you yeah it’s great to be here kim And Liberty Toastmasters Denver meets the first and third Saturdays of each month at the Independence Institute. You can find all that by going to Toastmasters International and up in the search bar put Liberty Toastmasters and both the clubs will come up and you’ll get that information. We’d love to have guests. And it’s amazing. You meet amazing people. And, Kurt, that’s how you and I met as well.
SPEAKER 19 :
Yeah, I’ve got some.
SPEAKER 08 :
Absolutely. I’m sending everybody all kinds of cues. Let’s go ahead, Joe, and hear about the second syndicate.
SPEAKER 07 :
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SPEAKER 01 :
Property is surely a right of mankind as real as liberty, wrote founding father John Adams. REMAX realtor Karen Levine has been working diligently at the local, county, state, and national levels to protect property rights and home ownership. Karen has navigated the often challenging Colorado metro real estate market for years. Call Karen at 303-877-7516. That’s 303-877-7516.
SPEAKER 04 :
Focused and wise marketing is essential for your success, especially during tough economic times. If you love The Kim Monson Show, strive for excellence and understand the importance of engaging in the battle of ideas that is raging in America. Then talk with Kim about partnership sponsorship opportunities. Email Kim at Kim Monson dot com. Kim focuses on creating relationships with individuals and businesses that are tops in their fields. So they are the trusted experts listeners turn to when looking for products or services. Kim personally endorses each of her sponsors. Again, reach out to Kim at Kim Monson dot com.
SPEAKER 23 :
There’s so much noise coming at us. Sometimes it is difficult to make sense of it all. How can you sift through the clamor for your attention and get to the truth? The Kim Monson Show is here to help. Kim searches for truth and clarity by examining issues through the lens of freedom versus force, force versus freedom. Tune in to the Kim Monson Show each weekday, 6 to 8 a.m. with encores 1 to 2 p.m. and 10 to 11. on KLZ 560 AM, KLZ 100.7 FM. The KLZ website, the KLZ app, and Alexa. Play KLZ. Shows can also be found at KimMonson.com, Spotify, and iTunes.
SPEAKER 08 :
And welcome back. My friends, we talk about freedom all the time on the show and financial freedom starts with the right guide. And Mint Financial Strategies is here to help. As an independent firm with over 25 years of experience and the credentials of an accredited investment fiduciary, they offer advice that’s focused on you, not a sales quota. Their strategy first approach is all about helping you live life on your terms. with clarity, confidence, and control. Call Mint Financial Strategies today at 303-285-3080. They are your path to independent financial confidence. And in studio with me is Kathy Russell. She is the president of Liberty Toastmasters North. We had a robust discussion today with our fellow Liberty Toastmasters in hour one. They can hear that again one to two in the afternoon. But, Kathy, this came in from Ben. He said, very excellent first hour. Liberty Toastmasters is always inspiring. I love that.
SPEAKER 09 :
I totally agree. It’s a great place to be.
SPEAKER 08 :
Great to have you here. Kurt Gerwitz, we were talking about AI. And I have all these different things that I wanted to mention. I was going to go down this dire wolves thing, bringing them back from extinction. But that’s a whole different conversation. We had Greg Walter on recently to talk about it. What I find interesting about AI is we’ve got these things that we’re talking about here, but I think the other thing about AI that I’m super concerned about is all the data collection. And I find it so interesting that the World Economic Forum and all those that have said, we don’t want humans driving their cars. We don’t want cows emitting methane because we care about the climate. We want to get rid of fossil fuels. But all of a sudden, I don’t hear a word about all of the energy, the electricity that will be used. And we have to have for these AI centers. And AI isn’t just about putting in some questions and saying, hey, what’s going on? I realize they are collecting all of this data on us. And they’re selling this. Data has become the new oil. It’s worth so much money. So what’s your thoughts about that?
SPEAKER 19 :
Yeah, I worked for a company that did debt evaluation. And so there’s several business models out there that are very interesting. 23andMe, which just went bankrupt, which is hilarious. I should not say hilarious. It’s concerning because their whole business model was you would pay them for them to get your data. And then your data was worth more than you were paying them. I mean, they were just printing money. They probably were a victim of their own hubris or, you know, it was too easy. They just made too much money too quickly or something like that. I don’t know the exact story. But, yeah, data is the new oil has been true for more than a decade. And we live in, you know, the current economic situation. model is surveillance capitalism. Google makes way more off of your data and they’re telling you it’s for better advertisements. But you should see how, Kim, you would lose a night of sleep if you saw how they are the data storage for the US government. I read this book from the CIA, the head of the CIA for 10 years. during our war in Afghanistan, he said, you know, I start my career and the spy craft is mostly sneaking bugs into people’s rooms. He’s like, if you had told me, fast forward 40 years in his career, that people would just voluntarily buy these devices that have microphones on them that we just press a button and turn on. And he goes, it’s just, the game has changed completely. So absolutely, there are concerns about this. You know, I think every generation has had a… a constitutional amendment. And I think if the founding fathers were not able to predict something in their 200-year future of their country, the right to privacy is probably one of them. It’s not listed in the Constitution. We should be fighting for that constitutional right right now.
SPEAKER 08 :
But it is listed. It’s in the Fourth Amendment that people should be secure in their papers and their possessions. Right.
SPEAKER 19 :
And so this is a protection against the illegal search or unreasonable search and seizure.
SPEAKER 08 :
Right.
SPEAKER 19 :
That’s the closest we’ve got to it. It needs to be more explicit, in my opinion.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, it’s there. But yet we voluntarily are signing it off. I think, Kathy, we don’t even realize what we are signing off when we get onto each of these apps. So I have posited the question out there that we own our own data. And that if somebody’s getting paid for our data, it should be us. But I’ve talked with people about that. They said, well, we’ve already automatically signed that off. Okay. So then what I thought about is how about if we at least we own our kids’ data? Because I have learned from Virginia Macca that at least in Kansas, and I’m pretty sure it’s probably across the country now, that school districts are selling our children’s data. I think that’s a place that we can probably come to agreement across the big, broad, middle. What do you think about that, Kathy?
SPEAKER 09 :
Oh my gosh, what you’re talking about with schools owning data and schools not sharing data with their parents. That’s crazy town.
SPEAKER 08 :
But selling that data.
SPEAKER 09 :
I mean, that’s just another level of crazy town.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah. So I think that’s the spot I’m going to go to work on. Because I think it’s a pretty tough nut to crack regarding – I don’t think people have really thought what this whole data collection means. And when we talk about AI, they think that it’s – as Joe mentioned during the break, he said it’s a tool. And I love the idea that, yes, it’s a tool, but we don’t realize that they are collecting enormous amount of data. And then talking with Mike Rolick, we now know that with – under wildfire mitigation – that they will be able to tell if you’re out in the wilderness and what you’re doing. I don’t like that, Kathy Russell.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, I agree with you, Kim.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah. So what are we going to do about this, Kurt Gerwitz?
SPEAKER 19 :
Well, I think one of the first things you’ll encounter when you start going down this rabbit hole is that it’s less about ownership and more about rights.
SPEAKER 08 :
Okay, so here’s—and Colorado’s— Aren’t those connected?
SPEAKER 19 :
Absolutely, yeah. There’s a lot of overlap there. But listen to this list of rights, and you’ll see. It’s like, do you own your Social Security number? Do you own the fact that you drove from the studio to Hooters once a month at 11.30 a.m.? ? It kind of doesn’t make sense that you would own it. Now, listen to these rights. So you have a right to access the data about you. You have a right to correct it. You have a right to delete it. You have a right to portability, meaning you can move it from place to place. Do you have a right to opt out of sales? Do you have a right to opt out of targeted ads? Right to opt out of profiling? Right to limit use of sensitive data? Right to consent or withdraw consent? Right to know that? So if I’ve signed, you know, there was that case with Disney, um there was some accident in a park and the person lost i don’t actually i don’t know how the court case went through but the argument on the lawyer from disney was well when you bought disney plus you know thousand miles from here you know in your home state and when you sign the terms and conditions it just says you can’t sue for any reason and you signed that away so you so you come to the park and you get hurt and you can’t sue us um So you have a right to, can you withdraw that consent? Can you change your mind about that? That’s a right. It’s not technically ownership.
SPEAKER 08 :
So what would happen, though, is if you rescinded your consent on much of this, then that, whoever you’re working with would say, well, then we’re not going to let you access this app, right?
SPEAKER 19 :
Right. No, you’re right about we’re trading convenience for some things that we should have the light shined on.
SPEAKER 08 :
So what do you think about those that always talk about climate? And that’s really been used to be a lever to try to control everyday people, how we live, where we go, what we eat. But now, all of a sudden, with this insatiable for energy and electricity for AI centers. I don’t seem to hear a peep out of the UN on that or any of those.
SPEAKER 19 :
The peeps are there. People are conscious of what you’re saying. You just have to find it in the right… Those conversations are happening about the… insatiable, you know, demand for energy in order to get these AI bots up and running. And, you know, it’s a it’s a cost benefit analysis, you know, is it worth it? And if you play with AI, if you believe that AI will find the cure for cancer, which I personally do, I think, you know, one of the the medical, I think we already have the cure for cancer.
SPEAKER 08 :
But quite frankly, if we cured cancer, just think about all of the pharmaceutical industrial complex.
SPEAKER 19 :
I heard someone say if Donald Trump cured cancer, the headline would be he put 100,000 doctors out of the job. Yeah. That conspiratorial thinking is interesting. I’ve always thought, like, what if someone invented a tire that could last 100 years? Would it ever be allowed to go to market? That’s a good thought experiment on that. Yeah.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, but it’s because people think of within limits instead of the creativity and innovation of if we’re always striving for excellence.
SPEAKER 19 :
Yeah, I mean, people use, you know, they use their power to win, meaning like to protect their economic interests. Well, you asked me about the energy consumption. I want to say… One of my favorite questions to ask my audiences right now about AI is, which is the best metaphor to understand our situation? Are we in an economic bubble? Or are we in an arms race? Or are we in a gold rush, one, two, or three? And the answer is, of course, that we’re in some, like, it’s useful to look at our situation through the lens of each one of those. But if we go to arms race, we’re in a Cold War with China. And if It is strongly believed amongst strategic thinkers at the top, at the state level, at the government level, as well as economic level, that AI is going to make us more efficient and more productive. And I have found it in my own life and absolutely seen, you know, you can do a lot with ChatGPT. And like I described my story today, that it sorted out my thoughts for me. And so we have to beat China. So everything we’re saying, it’s not just, you know, should we develop this technology? It’s should we develop this technology before the authoritarian, the totalitarian dictatorships that don’t believe in human rights, that don’t believe that freedom is the way to human flourishing? Do we want to get there before they do? And the answer is absolutely yes.
SPEAKER 08 :
Okay. Well, let’s go to break. In studio with me is Professor Kurt Gerwitz, and we’re talking about AI. And then also in studio with me is Kathy Russell, the president of Liberty Toastmasters North. And robust conversations, I will say, and they happen because of our sponsors. If you’ve been injured, you should reach out to John Bozen and Bozen Law.
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SPEAKER 24 :
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SPEAKER 08 :
And welcome back to the Kim Monson Show. So pleased to have in studio with me Kathy Russell. She is the president of Liberty Toastmasters North. And it’s been a blast having you here.
SPEAKER 09 :
It’s been great to be here, Kim.
SPEAKER 08 :
And Kurt Gerwitz. Hopefully we’ll talk maybe a little bit about legacy. But speaking of legacy, Paula Sarles is on the line. And she is the president of the USMC Memorial Foundation. And what a legacy she’s working on with working to raise the money for the remodel of the Marine Memorial. Paula Sarles, welcome. Thank you for having me, Kim. And you’ve got a couple of events that are going to be coming up. I cannot believe that August is right around the corner, Paula. I know.
SPEAKER 11 :
It’ll be Christmas before we know it.
SPEAKER 08 :
I know. And that’s why you need to reach out to Karen Gorday at Radiant Painting and Lighting and get your Christmas lights all planned out already. So tell us about the event that will be coming up to celebrate the 48th anniversary of the memorial.
SPEAKER 11 :
Right. We have our second performance by Dave Bray. He came last year for the 47th anniversary, and we had the best time. He’s a great performer. He does a lot of patriotic songs and country kind of singer that just is great. He’s a Navy corpsman and just wonderful performer and person in general and then we have a lot of the young Marines will be out there and that’s a program that we support and we try to give them good opportunities to serve and this is just one of them and so they’ll come out and help us set up and get everything ready and It’s a great time. And a couple of your viewers have bought bricks already to be on the VIP circle. So that’s really cool.
SPEAKER 08 :
So tell us a little bit about that, Paula Sarles.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, the memorial has a cement circle where we do most of our events. And we have chairs set up there. And that’s going to be our VIP area. So if you buy a brick, you get to sit up real close and personal with Dave Bray. and some of the other VIPs, and we’ll have a couple gold star families there and some veterans that are really special and some really good Iwo Jima. I’m hoping our Iwo Jima friend Jim Blaine will be there. He’s 100 years old now, so… His attendance is kind of iffy, but he’s still kicking, and we just love him.
SPEAKER 08 :
He’s a special guy, and Al Jennings is at a lot of these events as well, Iwo Jima veteran. And buying a brick. I’ll be there. buying a brick, these will be on the pathways of service. And certainly there’s pathways for Marines, but you’re also including other branches of service as well. And if you buy a brick, you get a beautiful certificate. And it’s a great way to honor your loved one or yourself with your military service and also support the Marine Memorial. And Paula, I think we take our liberty for granted. And we have this liberty, the responsible exercise of freedom, because there have been those that have put their lives on the line or been willing to give up their lives ever since the Revolutionary War for our liberty. And so one of the things that’s very easy to do is to honor all of those by supporting the Marine Memorial.
SPEAKER 11 :
That’s right. And thank you for saying that. It means a lot. Thank you. The people that sign their name on the dotted line, you know, they volunteer to give their life for us. They have our freedoms, and we just appreciate that so much. That’s what drives me to do what I do.
SPEAKER 08 :
And so a great way to say thank you is to go to the USMCMemorialFoundation.org and make a contribution, buy a ticket, and buy a brick, all those things. Your final thought, Paula Sarles.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, we just hope people will come out and support us. And if you can’t make the concert, make a donation or use the Buy a Brick program to donate. And that’s a wonderful way to support us.
SPEAKER 08 :
You’re doing great work. You’re tireless on this, Paula Sarles. Thank you so much.
SPEAKER 11 :
Thank you, Kim. We appreciate you so much.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, it is my honor. And Kurt Gerwitz, I think that this plays into something that we keep teasing we’re going to talk about, and that is legacies. But what a legacy the USMC Memorial Foundation is working on with the Marine Memorial. I so appreciate what they’re doing. So that’s a legacy.
SPEAKER 19 :
Yeah, it’s a great legacy. I mean, I think one of the best things you’re doing on this show is honoring our veterans and heroes’ stories and Yeah, I never made it into the military myself, but always had a lot of love and respect for it.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, in our legacy, you think a lot about that. We got maybe about four minutes or so. So what’s your thoughts about that?
SPEAKER 19 :
It’s hard to cover in four minutes. It’s what you leave behind. I’ve never seen a U-Haul on its way up to heaven, so you can’t take it with you. But what you can do is leave it behind. I think one of the best ways to contextualize this is when I’ve had people challenge me and say, oh, you shouldn’t think about that. And I think they meant that it was selfish. And yet my pushback on that is that I think if you are intentional about something, you’re more likely to be successful with it. If that’s true, then we should be thinking about our legacy. It’s like, what do I want people to say at my eulogy? What do I want on my Wikipedia page? My favorite question to ask. And I asked it of you, and you said, let me think about it. And it’s been a few months, so you’ve had plenty of time to think about it. but maybe it’s for next month too. Maybe we’ll tease that one out there. And the question is, what do you want your friends to say about you at your 80th birthday party?
SPEAKER 08 :
I have been thinking about that. And I think first and foremost that they would say that she lived her faith as a Christian. Wow. I think that was one of the first things. And that she loved her family dearly. And that her family knew that she would walk through fire for them. And that she strove for excellence as she… She cared about this American idea. I’m just throwing this out.
SPEAKER 19 :
I’ve thought about your legacy a lot, too. You put a lot of words into the air through the airwaves, but I think now that we have the technology, those words are being captured. Your great-great-great-grandkids are going to know more about you than you could ever possibly have known about your great-great-great-grandparents.
SPEAKER 08 :
That’s interesting. Kathy, I think the legacy, though, of those before me, my grandparents, my great grandparents, I think that all that has been passed down to me. And one of those things was this great love for this American idea. So you’ve got about a minute. What would you say to that?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, well, this idea of legacy is such an important thing that we are, I believe we all go on in the future in our genes and in our memes. That is the ideas that we have. And I think so many people… Great people are driven by legacy. And it’s this idea of immortality. Some people call it an immortality project, which is and I know that drives me. And when you ask what I hope my friends would remember me by, it’s by a new story, a story of the universe. Or a fleshed out story, I should say, that to me has brought me so much joy. And I’m hoping that the legacy will be like, oh, when I heard her story, I had more hope and more faith about the future than I ever thought possible. And isn’t it amazing, just as a sideline, that this story is a deep story that goes back forever. 3,500 years or however long, that we had our ancestors who developed the seeds of this story that God, this creator, whatever you want to call it, created things and that people have been trying to figure out how that happens. And then we have the entire scientific enterprise, which creates more knowledge, which creates more blessings, which creates more abundance, which creates more freedom. And it’s an awesome story.
SPEAKER 08 :
And you’ve put that in a book.
SPEAKER 09 :
I’m putting that in a book.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yes, you are. What a legacy that is. Kurt Gerwitz, your final thought.
SPEAKER 19 :
I think it ties into AI. Should you use it or is it useful or is it evil? And the question is, the answer is discernment. And the tie-in to legacy is what do I want my legacy to be? And the answer is discernment. I just heard Kathy say faith and hope is what she wants to hear her friends say about her. And my shortcut for discernment, it’s a prayerful decision is what discernment is. And my shortcut is one question. Does it increase faith, hope, and love?
SPEAKER 08 :
So we’ll keep that as our cliffhanger for next time you’re in studio. Thanks for being here to both of you. Appreciate it. And our quote for the end of the show is from Thucydides. He said this, War is an evil thing, but to submit to the dictation of other states is worse. Freedom, if we hold fast to it, will ultimately restore our losses, but submission will mean permanent loss of all that we value. To you who call yourselves men of peace, I say you are not safe unless you have men of action on your side. We’ll talk to you tomorrow.
SPEAKER 26 :
The views and opinions expressed on KLZ 560 are those of the speaker, commentators, hosts, their guests, and callers. They are not necessarily the views and opinions of Crawford Broadcasting or KLZ management, employees, associates, or advertisers. KLZ 560 is a Crawford Broadcasting God and country station.
