Hour 1 – Barb Adams and John J. Higgins, America’s Uncivil War
At the time of this posting, all eyes are on Capitol Hill, where the “Justice for J6” right-wing rally will take place in a matter of hours. With both chambers of Congress on recess, Democrats have been advised to leave town as Republican members of Congress quietly distance themselves. Even Trump is skipping the rally, as he sees it as a “set-up” by the media to use against him “regardless of the outcome.”
From the violent “Unite the Right Rally” in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 to the January 6 insurrection, right-wing extremism and radicalization have become serious problems in the U.S. Our nation seems to be filled with a lot of people who want to believe in something or someone and it doesn’t matter what or who it is as long as they feel empowered. And with the pandemic, economic inequality, and divided political, cultural, and media outlets all contributing to our increasingly dysfunctional society, many of these people, particularly on the right, are vulnerable to radicalization.
These extremists and vulnerable Americans are being egged on and being used by Trump’s GOP and right-wing media in an attempt to help the GOP win in 2022. They’ve been brainwashed into believing the Big Lie that Joe Biden is not the legitimate president, that Democrats are evil and out to destroy them, and that illegal immigrants get health insurance. They’ve been radicalized to believe they are American heroes and patriots and that science and government are not to be trusted. Their “cause” isn’t one of unity or democracy or the American experiment. Their “cause” has become a rallying cry for revolution.
We are living in an America divided into two separate worlds. While much of the country blames Trump, white supremacist groups, and right-wing conservative media and their misinformation for prior violence and the January 6 attack on the Capitol, Republicans for the most part blame Antifa and left-wing activists. And it’s those same Republicans who continue to believe and perpetuate Trump’s Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen, with none of this boding well for democracy.
With today’s rally, Trump supporters are trying to rewrite the history of what happened on January 6. Those being prosecuted for their roles in the attack are not political prisoners as these rally goers try to portray them. They are antidemocratic insurrectionists. But with Trump’s, the GOP’s, and a majority of the Republican base’s support that January 6 was justified, they march forward, and we must look in the mirror and see the Uncivil War in front of us.
Sadly, that “war” is pervasive throughout our culture. Take the pandemic, for example. This week we learned 1 in 500 Americans have died from Covid. The U.S. morphed from a world leader in vaccinations just five months ago to a tale of mediocrity, now sitting in 57th place in the world in the percentage of its population vaccinated. Why? Like so much of America’s response to the pandemic, vaccines and masks have become polarized along political lines. As a result, we’re seeing the number of new cases and the death toll surge, with unvaccinated Covid cases overwhelming hospital systems across the country, forcing elective and necessary surgeries and cancer care to be delayed or cancelled.
The vaccines and vaccinations are the way out of this pandemic, and if ever there was a time to push the boundaries of federal authority, this is probably it! Vaccine requirements and mandates are not un-American as Republicans claim, but the GOP has weaponized the pandemic, and here we are.
Because of Republican Governors like Ron DeSantis and others who rail against vaccine and mask requirements, states like Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and Texas have surging deaths-per-capita rates, putting all Americans at risk in a real and urgent crisis. The GOP uses the guise of wanting to protect individual Americans’ freedoms, but their rallying cry in itself is a cover for those advancing crazy conspiracy theories in their attempts to hold onto or reclaim GOP power. Perhaps the craziest part of it all, though, is that they are literally killing their own voter base (anyone for Ivermectin, Iodine, or Clorox?)!
In sharp contrast, President Biden has shown strength and courage in trying to lead us all, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents, out of this pandemic. A majority of Americans are in favor of public health measures to end the pandemic. It’s time to end the suffering and unite in our fight against the real common enemy of Americans—Covid!
Unfortunately, unification seems highly unlikely. Eight months after January 6, Trump remains in full control of the GOP. As he and the GOP continue to spread lies about our elections and do whatever they can to get people who tried to overturn the 2020 election chosen to be in charge of the 2024 election, Trump and the GOP’s uncivil war on America continues unabashed.
We are witnessing what happens when worlds collide. One world represents hope and a way to build a better future for all Americans; the other offers a democracy-ending plan that would rather tear down this American experiment. As a result, our nation is being torn asunder.
It’s time for all Americans to look within and choose which world they want to create and live in. The future is in our collective hands, and the time to choose is now!
JOIN Barb and John as they discuss America’s Uncivil War.
Hour 2 (Rebroadcast) – Leo Bottary, What Anyone Can Do
Joining the show during the second hour is popular author, educator, keynote speaker, workshop facilitator, and seminal thought leader, Leo Bottary. Leo will be discussing What Anyone Can Do: How Surrounding Yourself with the Right People Will Drive Change, Opportunity, and Personal Growth.
A person’s success isn’t the result of superhuman feats. It’s the outcome of doing the things anyone can do — though most of us just don’t.
The most effective way to achieve what we set out to accomplish is to identify 
specific goals and find people who can support us along the way. Even the most disciplined among us can benefit from involving our friends, family members or colleagues in helping us get to the finish line.
- Why our go-it-alone culture keeps us from seeking support.
- Why surrounding ourselves with the right people helps us achieve our goals faster and more easily.
- How enlisting support and staying accountable creates the environment for high performance.
- Why it’s important to engage diverse perspectives among your supporters.
- How having a “people plan” can ensure individual and organization success.
Leo Bottary is a sought-after thought leader on peer advantage, an emerging discipline dedicated to strategically engaging peers to realize your business and life goals. A popular author, educator, keynote speaker, and workshop facilitator, Bottary advises individuals and organizations worldwide.
In addition to his work as a speaker and thought leader on the topic of peer advantage, Leo also serves as an instructor for Rutgers and Northeastern universities. Prior to that, he was an adjunct professor for two of Seton Hall University’s graduate programs, where he led online learning teams and on campus residencies. In April 2015, he was named adjunct teacher of the year for its College of Communication and the Arts.
For more information, visit leobottary.com.
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