Sunny Lohmann

Podcast 409 – Sunny Lohmann

Sunny Lohmann. Sunny is back making videos and getting trolled. As always she is uncompromising and thought provoking, from the Blood Moon, to the Trump candidacy, to free speech, racism and the Paleo Diet. Back for a weekend chat on the heels of two new You Tube videos which generated surprising controversy and response. First up is her satire of the Trump candidacy, followed up by a discussion of reaction to another video lampooning the Hollywood videos complaining about the lack of make up choices for people of color. These days it seems like it doesn’t matter what side your on, the trolls come from all sides. If someone doesn’t like what you say, they want to destroy you. It doesn’t matter that every liberal democracy in history has guaranteed free speech, with the US going so far as to actually amend its constitution to guarantee said speech (it is, of course the first amendment). The cyber equivalent of street thugs are out there, ready to pounce if you say anything that might offend their sensitive psyche. Then there’s the question of racism; Sunny suggests that some black activists are racists themselves, or at least that’s the impression she was left with from comments on her videos recently. In the end its pretty clear people aren’t very interested in working together in this country to solve any problems. Has diversity and political correctness destroyed free speech? Everyone seems to want to start their own activist group, attack the Facebook posts of someone they don’t agree with, or protest somewhere. Against something. Hence, Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders, or any other candidate that ‘tells it like it is’, which is really just screaming, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore”. Now, if everyone says they’re mad as hell and they’re not gonna take it anymore, but no one really knows what they’re mad about, or they’re all mad about different things … well you can see what kind of problem that presents to actual governing. Sponsored by X Government Cars and Pride Of Homes. 

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Podcast 361

Baltimore. Riots in Baltimore overtake the national consciousness. Despite not wanting to talk about a story with facts that may change minute by minute, sometimes the ‘elephant in the room’ is the best conversation. What are the facts about the 25 year old Baltimore citizen who died in police custody? Did outrage cause the riot or was it outside agitators. While many blame Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, was she cautious because she did not want to make the same mistake the mayor and police chief of Ferguson, Missouri made when they deployed ‘militarized’ police? Meanwhile, the President can’t resist ‘weighing in’, suggesting that the whole nation has to do some soul searching. Maybe President Obama is the one who should do some soul searching. With so much government to be upset about in this country, disrespect for government and law is becoming a feature of life today. In some places, under extreme circumstances, it reaches a breaking point. Besides, there is little President Obama can do about Baltimore, even though he is just an hour away. It’s a city, and state problem. As nearly two thousand national guard deploy to the city streets (and not for the first time in history, either) calm appears to have been restored, for now. Will free college, minimum wage laws and more programs solve this problem? How much is race a problem in a city with a majority black population, mayor, police commissioner, and police force? And specifically, how much is race a factor in the death of Freddie Gray, the young man who died? Or, is it a problem of criminals pushing for and maybe winning a double standard for law enforcement. These questions remain to be answered. One thing is clear; As Baltimore burned, the President and the Washington Press corps, sipped champagne and fiddled at the Correspondent’s dinner, where both politico and news reporter feed each other’s ego. Politicians are out of touch, either running for high office to enrich themselves, and the media doesn’t report fact as much as it pursues the lurid, and tragic. The wake of the weak politician and selfish media is despair, frustration and anger. The dark side of America is the only America it sees. Who’s fault is it? Think about it. We’re at a low point in politics and leadership in this country. It seems more and more that we are on the verge of a seminal and unpleasant event, after which nothing is ever the same. And our leaders don’t seem to be interested in doing anything about it. Sponsored by Baklund R&D. (Editor’s Note: In this podcast I refer to Jon Baklund’s Webinar and have the date wrong. It is June 2nd, 2015).

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Podcast 260

Road Trip Part 2. Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia. Taking stock in a Shoney’s restaurant in West Virginia, as we become aware; this is a really long trip. The ‘southern strategy’, getting out of the weather up North, meant enjoying a perfect sunny day for the run across horse country, into the mountains of West Virginia and western Virginia finally to central Virginia. The second day after the Grand Jury announced it will not indict a police officer in the shooting death of Ferguson’s Michael Brown. Are the protests across the country really about racism and injustice, or are these people professional protesters? Or, is it possible that despite revised economic numbers for the third quarter, low inflation and lower gas prices, Americans are restive? Maybe we just don’t feel ‘right’. As the ride across the country’s middle stretches out, we find there is much to like about West Virginia. A hunting ground for Indians and settlers in Colonial times, settled by Scots Irish and Germans, split from Confederate Virginia in 1862 and become an energy and mineral powerhouse. You don’t have pretend anything in West Virginia. People are just fine with you, as you are. And these people can drive! Lots of coverage of the ‘crazy uncle’ syndrome this Thanksgiving. Suggestions on how to handle your ‘crazy uncle’. Why is the crazy uncle always a right winger? What about your crazy socialist uncle. He gets a pass? (Editor’s Note: For the record, I am the crazy uncle in my family.) Finally, reaching our destination after 27 hours. Central Virginia, in the middle of nowhere, hunting country, ready to cook Cornish Game Hens, Green Beans and real Mashed Potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner. (Editor’s Note: Yeah, my family is quirky.) Get ready for some Davis family hijinks on Podcast 261. Sponsored by Autonomous Cad. 

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