To Use A Psychological Term: Weird Ass

Summary

Podcast Summary: Armstrong & Getty On Demand – "To Use A Psychological Term: Weird Ass"

Episode Release Date: February 19, 2025
Host: Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty
Description: The official, On-Demand podcast of The Armstrong & Getty Show! Accept no substitutes!

---

1. Introduction

In the February 19, 2025 episode of Armstrong & Getty On Demand, hosts Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty delve into a range of pressing political and social issues. From the complexities of U.S. foreign policy to the unsettling emergence of a violent cult-like group, the episode offers listeners a deep dive into contemporary challenges facing society.

---

2. U.S. Foreign Policy: Ukraine and Russia

Discussion Points:

• Trump's Stance on Ukraine: The conversation centers around former President Donald Trump's recent remarks suggesting that Ukraine started the war with Russia. Armstrong expresses confusion and concern over Trump's motivations and statements.

  Notable Quote:

  Jack Armstrong (04:57): "You should have never started it. Ukraine started the war. You've been there for three years. You should have made a deal."

• Impact on International Relations: The hosts discuss the potential ramifications of Trump’s statements on U.S.-Russia relations and the broader geopolitical landscape.

  Notable Quote:

  Political Commentator (06:03): "Putin's got to be smiling ear to ear. National Review just. And I, you know I hear the voices of some of the like young angry. Right. Saying that's because they're all globalist warmongers, blah blah blah."

• Theoretical Insights: Armstrong speculates on Trump's long-term strategy, pondering whether there’s a deeper plan to align Russia more closely with the U.S. for strategic advantages against China.

  Notable Quote:

  Jack Armstrong (12:26): "If ending the war in Ukraine would remove one of the main incentives Putin has to kiss Xi Jinping's ass, which is he needs the money and arms. Yeah, there's absolutely truth to that."

---

3. Violent Cult-Like Group: The Zizians

Discussion Points:

• Arrests and Background: Armstrong reports on the arrest of three individuals—Daniel Blank, Jack Lasoda, and Michelle Zachko—alleged to be part of a cult-like group called the Zizians. The group is linked to multiple murders across several states.

  Notable Quote:

  Jack Armstrong (18:26): "They’re a bunch of weird asses. But this cult, this bizarro transgender death cult, it's been linked to like half a dozen deaths and murders and stuff. They're dangerous lunatics, but I'm glad they've been brought to heel."

• Cult Beliefs and Actions: The discussion touches upon the group's extreme beliefs, including their progressive and transgender-focused ideology, and how these beliefs manifest in violent actions.

  Notable Quote:

  Political Commentator (20:02): "70% of the Palestinians who attacked the Israelis, including at that peace-loving concert, were just Palestinian civilians. That explains the cheering in the streets when they went back into Gaza with either dead bodies or live women they were going to rape some more."

• Law Enforcement and Public Safety: Armstrong emphasizes the importance of understanding such groups to prevent future violence, drawing parallels to historical cults.

  Notable Quote:

  Jack Armstrong (19:28): "I studied with the FBI for a while and it's important to know what you're dealing with. And what we're dealing with here is a bunch of weird asses."

---

4. Free Speech: Germany vs. United States

Discussion Points:

• Comparative Analysis: The hosts engage in a nuanced debate about free speech regulations in Germany compared to the United States, considering Germany's historical sensitivity to hate speech due to its Nazi past.

  Notable Quote:

  Political Commentator (26:00): "Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation Sunday with the dumbest thing anybody's maybe ever said. ... She mentioned that the AfD Alternatives for Deutschland is a party in Germany. It has a voice. It has 20% of the people. But 80% of the politicians and Germans do not want to work with AFD because of its core and extreme values."

• Censorship and Politeness: Armstrong argues against government-controlled censorship, advocating for social pressure as a means to maintain polite discourse without infringing on free speech.

  Notable Quote:

  Jack Armstrong (37:06): "There is no human being on earth that I would trust with that power."

• Cultural Implications: The conversation explores how cultural differences influence the implementation and perception of free speech, highlighting the potential dangers of allowing a small group to regulate public discourse.

  Notable Quote:

  Political Commentator (37:57): "It's got to be cultural. The politeness has got to be enforced. Culturally, you can't do it from a censorship standpoint. It'll never work."

---

5. Artificial Intelligence and Technological Advancement

Discussion Points:

• Pros and Cons of AI: The hosts discuss the rapid advancement of AI technology, referencing historical perspectives and the potential societal impacts.

  Notable Quote:

  Political Commentator (40:47): "We talk a fair amount about AI. ... The point really here is from Neil Postman, you might know that name. He wrote the famous book Amusing Ourselves to Death, which I've never read. ... Anytime there's a technological advance, there is a trade-off."

• Dependency on Technology: Armstrong expresses skepticism about AI making life easier, fearing it may lead to a decline in essential human skills and capabilities.

  Notable Quote:

  Jack Armstrong (42:43): "No, it'll kill mankind. It's the worst thing that could possibly happen. ... between the fact that the idle hands are the devil's play. ... It'll be the end of mankind, which is fine. I'm old, I've had my run. Good luck, y'all."

• Future Implications: The discussion anticipates a future where over-reliance on technology could diminish human resilience and problem-solving abilities.

  Notable Quote:

  Political Commentator (43:39): "I'd be fine with that if it didn't include perhaps my children being miserable their whole lives along with the rest of society."

---

6. Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

The episode concludes with a series of light-hearted exchanges and final thoughts from both hosts, touching briefly on unrelated topics such as baseball and hockey, before wrapping up the intense discussions.

Notable Quote:

Jack Armstrong (45:21): "So many people. Thanks. So little time. Go To Armstrong and Getty.com the Hot Links. Always entertaining. So many good things. ... see you tomorrow."

---

Conclusion

This episode of Armstrong & Getty On Demand provides a comprehensive examination of significant political and social issues, blending insightful analysis with candid commentary. From the intricacies of international politics to the alarming rise of violent cults and the ethical dilemmas posed by AI, the hosts encourage listeners to critically engage with the world around them.

Key Takeaways:

• The complexity of U.S. foreign policy decisions and their global impact.
• The dangers posed by extremist groups and the importance of addressing them.
• The delicate balance between maintaining free speech and ensuring societal harmony.
• The potential risks and ethical considerations of advancing AI technology.

Listeners are left with a deeper understanding of these multifaceted issues and are encouraged to reflect on the broader implications for society.

---

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Jack Armstrong (04:57): "You should have never started it. Ukraine started the war."
• Political Commentator (06:03): "Putin's got to be smiling ear to ear..."
• Jack Armstrong (18:26): "They're a bunch of weird asses..."
• Political Commentator (26:00): "Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation Sunday with the dumbest thing..."
• Jack Armstrong (37:06): "There is no human being on earth that I would trust with that power."
• Political Commentator (40:47): "We talk a fair amount about AI..."
• Jack Armstrong (42:43): "No, it'll kill mankind..."
• Jack Armstrong (45:21): "So many people. Thanks. So little time..."

---

This summary encapsulates the essence of the episode, providing a structured overview for those who seek to understand the key discussions without listening to the full transcript.

Transcript

[Lenovo Representative]

Creativity doesn't wait. It moves, shifts, evolves, just like you. And with the Yoga PC from Lenovo, your tools finally keep up. Stunning, smart and sustainably sourced yoga PCs from Lenovo are designed to amplify your creativity with AI powered performance. Whether you're sketching, editing, animating or composing, yoga moves with you adapting to your creativity, to your rhythm. With beautiful displays and the flexibility to shift from laptop to tablet, Yoga unlocks new ways to inspire and create. Because at Lenovo, we believe your tools should fuel your flow, not hold you back. Yoga PCs from Lenovo support you at every step of your creative journey. So check out lenovo.com yoga and supercharge your creativity with Yoga. Lenovo, Lenovo Empowering Creators Everywhere.

[Roku Representative]

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have supervision, enhanced hearing, Extraordinary reflexes? To be, dare we say, superhuman? Well, Roku's new Pro Series TV can't do any of that for you, but with a 4K screen, side firing speakers and a blazing fast refresh rate, it'll.

[Jack Armstrong]

Sure feel like it.

[Roku Representative]

Elevate your entertainment using all your favorite apps like Iheart and play all your music, radio and podcasts. With the new Roku Pro Series, your senses aren't better.

[Lenovo Representative]

Your TV is the New Year's. Here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso, and Tom's of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it Spend $20 on their products. Get $5. Spend $30. Get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need. Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive rewards available while supplies last. Limit supply us only 1125 through 33125 for [e-mail] the Philadelphia Eagles are Super bowl champions.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's over. Fly, Eagles, fly.

[Joe Getty]

Celebrate the big win with the official licensed Super Bowl Champions gear available [e-mail].

[Political Commentator]

The Eagles win at Super Bowl 59.

[Joe Getty]

From jerseys to hats to must have collectibles, we've got everything you need to rep your team with pride. Don't wait. These styles won't last. Shop [e-mail] and gear up like a champion.

[Jack Armstrong]

Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln radio.

[Lenovo Representative]

Studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center, Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty. And now here's Armstrong and Getty. A half baked negotiator could have settled this years ago. Direct US And Russian negotiations about Ukraine not sitting well with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky.

[Political Commentator]

We are completely honest and open.

[Jack Armstrong]

That's why I don't want any coincidences. That's why I don't want to go to Saudi Arabia. President Trump not sympathetic to Zelensky's complaint. But today I heard, oh, well, we weren't invited. Well, you've been there for three years. But Trump insists it's not personal. And I like him personally, he's fine. But I don't care about personally. I care about getting the job done.

[Political Commentator]

Boy, that's interesting. I like Peter Doocy. I watch Fox every single day. But they edited it out. Trump saying Ukraine started the war. They didn't want to deal with that.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, no, That's a pretty major statement.

[Political Commentator]

By the President of the freaking United States about a war we're involved in.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, and to leave that out of today in subsequent tweets as we'll get to.

[Political Commentator]

So let's play the whole clip here. 30 there. Micha.

[Jack Armstrong]

I want to see peace. Look, you know why I want. Because I don't want all these people killed anymore. I'm looking at people that are being killed and they're Russian and Ukrainian people, but they're people. Doesn't matter where they're from on the whole planet. And I think I have the power to end this war and I think it's going very well. But today I heard, oh, well, we weren't invited. Well, you've been there for three years. You should have ended it. Three years. You should have never started it. You could have made a deal.

[Political Commentator]

You should have never started it. Ukraine started the war.

[Jack Armstrong]

You've been there for three years. You should have made a deal. I am utterly flabbergasted by that series of statements.

[Political Commentator]

And we were thinking there is a chance he was going to walk it back today, that maybe he just shot off his mouth and, you know, went too far. I do it all the time. I do it almost every day where I wish I hadn't gone that far on something in an effort to be provocative or funny. And I thought maybe he's going to walk it back. But he tweeted out, think of it. A modestly successful comedian, Zelensky talked the United states into spending $350 billion. You can skip down to how it's a gravy train for Zelensky. That sort of stuff. He's a dictator without elections. Zelinsky not holding elections. So he's become a dictator. That sort of stuff. Brit Hume of Fox again, Fox left that they started the war out of that clip on purpose. But Brett Hume said this is music to the ears of Vladimir Putin. The Trump, the Trump tweet. And it is. Putin's got to be thinking wow, wow, this is really helping me a lot.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Wall Street Journal. Putin's got to be smiling ear to ear. National Review just. And I, you know I hear the voices of some of the like young angry. Right. Saying that's because they're all globalist warmonger, blah blah blah. To, to get in bed with Putin is to get in bed with Satan. It's just, it's awful. I, I am so completely perplexed by Trump and what he's saying and what his motivation is. The idea that, that Zelensky is a moderately successful comedian. We could parse that phrase. What the hell does that have to do with anything? He's freely elected. That this, this horrific war which is ground his country down and practically killed him and still may is somehow a gravy trained. I just, this is Kremlin generated bull ass.

[Political Commentator]

Well, and you can, you can believe that it's no big deal that Russia gets to keep 20% of the land and basically gets away with the worst thing any country has done in since the end of World War II. But that's just a policy disagreement. It's not a policy disagreement. For Trump to say Ukraine started it. That's just right. What the hell is that?

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, and the idea that, well they were too friendly to the west, they talked about joining NATO. NATO expanded too quickly. The Russians warned us that that was a tripwire. Blah, blah, blah. All of that stuff is true. But that absolute to, to extrapolate from there to take the Olympic world record setting leap from that to therefore Ukraine started the invasion of their country is just, it's, it's absurd. I'll try not to be insulting. It's absurd.

[Political Commentator]

So different hotspot Trump also has to deal with obviously is Israel Gaza, Hamas, that whole thing. Are we going to take over Gaza and turn it into Gaza lago or, or whatever's going to happen there. IDF just put out a new report, that's the Israeli Defense Forces, a new report on October 7th which is going to, you know, be a big deal because, you know, how the hell did our security forces miss this and, and fall so flat. And it took all day long to rest to get to where the Hamas fighters had gone in and started slaughtering people. I mean, all kinds of failures. But anyway, part of the report, the most interesting finding from the IDF report on the October 7th attack on one of the kibbutzes is that only a Hundred of the 340 terrorists who entered the kibbutz were Hamas. 240 of the 340 were Palestinian civilians. 70% of the Palestinians who attacked that kibbutz were civilians. And this holds across the board. Palestinian civilians made up the majority of the terrorists, using the finger quotes, who attacked Israel on October 7th. So how do you deal with that situation from a political standpoint? And then you've got this. We had this news yesterday. It was very, very grim. I'll read it the way ABC presented it. Breaking news on abc. Hamas will release the bodies of four deceased hostages on Thursday and six living hostages on Saturday. Hamas and Israel confirmed four more dead hostages will be released next week. According to Israel. As Jonah Goldberg pointed out tweeting this, according to any reasonable law of morality, the hostages were murdered outright by Hamas. Deceased using the term deceased is water carrying for the terrorists, which is absolutely true. Just calling them just deceased. You know, they could have died of natural causes or fell and hit their head or whatever they were, including a mom and two babies, by the way, the two youngest hostages, they're going to get back the bodies because Hamas murdered them. Whether it starved them to death, beat them to death, slit their throats, who knows.

[Jack Armstrong]

But mom died from the wounds on October 7th. Perhaps.

[Political Commentator]

Yeah, but mom and the two babies are dead and they were murdered by hamas. And again, 70% of the people who attacked the Israelis, including at that peace loving concert, were just Palestinian. That explains the cheering in the streets when they went back into Gaza with the either dead bodies or live women they were going to rape some more.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, well, I just go back to the giant demonstrations of love and approval after 911 in the United States. Palestinian people were thrilled, thrilled that the great Satan, the great, you know, the infidels had gotten kicked in the pants. Loved it.

[Political Commentator]

So trying, trying to non emotionally understand Trump's foreign Policy. Why is he so willing to jump ugly with Iran, which could turn into a war we're involved in, while so willing to give away the farm, in my opinion, just to get out of the mess between Ukraine and Russia?

[Jack Armstrong]

That's a great question and I do not have an answer.

[Political Commentator]

Because if he's just a non interventionist, like he doesn't want the United States involved in wars that, you know, don't. He doesn't believe affect us. That's a policy, you know, that's a foreign policy. That's a point of view. Lots of people have had it. But it doesn't fit in with his willingness, it would seem to probably help Israel attack Iran and maybe, you know, start a war with a big country.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I don't, I don't have any idea. I have some theories. I would like to think about them more and how to phrase them exactly when I offer them. I'm, I'm very, very troubled by this. I will tell you that from the moment Trump was elected, I had a very, very strong feeling that a lot of really, really great things were going to happen. Things that nobody else has the balls or the, you know, the innovative spirit or cares so little about what's the norm in D.C. like Trump does. He's so not a creature of the beltway. I knew that this would be really, really good domestically. It's even better than I thought it would be. It's fantastic. A plus, couple of mistakes. There are some things that trouble me. The Eric Adams deal, we haven't really talked about that, but you knew there was going to be a certain amount of crazy with Trump. Just it's part of the deal, foreign policy wise. Oh, I'm sorry. So I knew there were going to be some really good things, but I knew it was only a matter of time before the problems with Trump started to trip up. The good stuff with Trump and I wonder where we are on that train wreck coming together. His foreign policy completely befuddles me. And as always, if it becomes clear that he had something else in mind and a long term plan involving, for instance, because this is kind of taking shape, such a close long term business relationship with Ukraine that to ever attack Ukraine again is to attack American interests and then we would respond. So Ukrainian security is, it's going to be such a close partner of the United States going forward, it will be fine. Having had a portion of it sought off and hundreds of thousands of people killed and maimed anyway, if it turns out to be something like that, that Trump is working toward and he's trying to play Putin or whatever. I'll come on the air and tell you so I'll say, said I might.

[Political Commentator]

Have it for you here. I can't believe I forgot about this till now because I read this yesterday from some former diplomat that this is what Trump is up to. It is so important that we get Russia into our orbit and away from China because China and Russia together are really a disaster for the world and for the United States and Europe.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah.

[Political Commentator]

You know, President Xi saying to Putin, the world is changing and we're going to drive those changes ain't good. If we can pry Russia away from China to where they're more with us. You know, they're never going to be an ally or anything like that. But. But they're more with us than they are with China. That would be a good thing. Which was, you know, kind of a Nixon strategy back in the day too. It was the other way around. He brought China into our orbit to make sure China and Russia didn't get together. But you don't want the number one and three biggest nuclear powers in the world to be co aligned against the United States.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right? Right. Yeah. For a variety of years of reasons. And you know, if ending the war in Ukraine would remove one of the main incentives Putin has to kiss Xi Jinping's ass, which is he needs the money and arms. Yeah, there's, there's absolutely truth to that. I, I don't. Well, I could easily chart you a course for how you do that without saying some of the things he said.

[Political Commentator]

You don't need to say it's Ukraine's fault. Although Putin loved that. Putin loved that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. Yeah, he couldn't believe it. I don't know. I'm completely mystified.

[Political Commentator]

Well, time will tell, I'm guessing. If you've got any theories, we'd like to hear them. Text line 415295 KFTC.

[Lenovo Representative]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Political Commentator]

During tax season, your sensitive info does a lot of traveling to places you can't control. Stopping off at payroll, your accountant or tax preparer, and countless other data centers on its way to the irs. Any of them can expose you to identity theft because they all have the info on your W2. Just the ticket for criminals to steal your identity. No wonder the IRS reported tax fraud due to identity theft. Went up 20% last year. You need Lifelock. They monitor millions of data points per second and alert you to threats you could miss. If your identity is stolen, LifeLock's US based restoration specialists will fix it backed by the million dollar protection package and restoration is guaranteed or your money back. Don't let identity thieves take you for a ride. Get Lifelock Protection for tax season and beyond. Join now and save up to 40% your first year. Call 1-800-LIFELOCK and use promo code iheart or go to lifelock.com iheart for 40% off terms apply.

[Roku Representative]

What are you looking for in a new smart TV? 4K picture quality, high quality and immersive sound. A sleek design? All of those are givens, but only the new Roku Pro Series has all of those and the Roku Streaming Experience an award winning OS. Get fast easy access to all your apps like iHeart, where you can stream all your favorite music, radio and podcasts all day and regular all inclusive trips to Roku City. The new Roku Pro Series, A smart TV built by the streaming pros.

[Lenovo Representative]

The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Softsoap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso, and Tom's of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it spend $20 on their products, get $5, spend $30, get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need. Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive rewards available. While supplies last, Limit supply us only 1125 through 331 25. For full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com.

[Joe Getty]

The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl Champions.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's over. Fly, Eagles, fly.

[Joe Getty]

Celebrate the big win with the official Licensed Super Bowl Champions gear, available [e-mail].

[Political Commentator]

The Eagles win at Super Bowl 59.

[Joe Getty]

From jerseys to hats to must have collectibles, we've got everything you need to rep your team with pride. Don't wait. These styles won't last. Shop [e-mail] and gear up like a champion.

[Jack Armstrong]

Three people alleged to be members of A cult like group tied to several cross country murders are now in custody. Police in Maryland arrested Daniel Blank, Jack Lasoda and Michelle Zachko. Prosecutors say the three are part of a larger group of young former tech workers who call themselves Zizians. Lasota, who goes by Ziz, is transgender, and Lasota was originally declared dead in a 2022 boating accident, according to an obituary. However, since then, officials have linked the Zizians to several homicides in California and Pennsylvania and Vermont. One includes the killing of a border patrol agent, David May Land, in Vermont last month. It was interesting how Jake took great pains to not go to the transgender card until he had to. Yeah, a bunch of the people involved in this weird ass murderous death culture.

[Political Commentator]

To use transgender lunatics, to use a psychological term, weird.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, I studied with the FBI for a while and it's important to know what you're dealing with. And what we're dealing with here is a bunch of weird asses. But this cult, this bizarro transgender death cult, it's been linked to like half a dozen deaths and murders and stuff. They're, they're dangerous lunatics, but I'm glad they've been brought to heal. Unfortunately, they've left a trail of blood behind them.

[Political Commentator]

What was their main thing like their main belief or vibe or what they wanted to do or.

[Jack Armstrong]

As I understand it, it's kind of a tough to follow, ultra progressive, green, transgender, ushering in the brave new world, erasing all the lines. Just kind of an extreme version of the generalized progressive thing.

[Political Commentator]

Half dozen people dead. Are the murdered people. Do they fit their agenda?

[Jack Armstrong]

I think you're, you're looking for a logical explanation of crazy.

[Political Commentator]

Okay, yeah, I guess, I guess it doesn't, I mean, like Charles Manson didn't have a logical agenda either.

[Jack Armstrong]

Lasoda, the alleged cult leader, who is understood to wear dark robes and call herself a sith herself. It's a dude. A reference to the evil group in the Star wars film. Blah, blah, blah.

[Political Commentator]

I saw that Star wars movie that's got Jar Jar Binks in it for the first time.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yes, terrible.

[Political Commentator]

It's horrible.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. An embarrassment to any franchise, much less the great Star wars franchise.

[Political Commentator]

My son's favorite one, that's his favorite Star wars. But God, I had never seen it. And I thought, oh, this is what Everybody's talking about 25 years ago. Remember those? Just horrible.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, it's just embarrassing. But, you know, if it's entertaining in whatever silly way, good.

[Political Commentator]

I felt bad for Liam Neeson. He's better than that. He shouldn't be in that movie.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, he got duped into it. Yeah. Yeah. You know what I wanted to get to speaking of the gender bending madness was this is a name Everybody should know. Dr. Ethan Haim, who almost went to federal prison under the Biden administration. This was the doctor at the Texas Children's Hospital who blew the whistle when after these mutilations of children were outlawed in Texas, he pointed out that the Texas Children's Hospital continued to surgically insert hormonal devices into gender dysphoric pediatric patients as part of the hospital's transgender program. And. And they were clearly in violation of the law, not to mention the laws of God, man and decency and experimenting on poor, confused adolescents. But the Biden administration, the Biden Justice Department prosecuted him under the HIPAA act, saying that he violated the privacy of patients, even though he absolutely did not. He carefully redacted all the medical records. Nobody was identifiable in any way. And the only HIPAA prosecutions on the books ever really were extremely egregious, fraud based, specific, undeniable issuing of specific medical records and names and addresses. And that sort of thing is an absolute horror. And Trump came into office and told the Justice Department, you're gonna drop this stuff right now. And they did, thank God. But this guy, I wish we had a little more time to talk about him. He and his wife said, I might go to federal prison, but this is the right thing to do. We have to do this. We have to talk about this.

[Political Commentator]

Wow.

[Jack Armstrong]

So he's a hero. Dr. Ethan Haim.

[Political Commentator]

We got more on the way. If you got any comment, text line 415295 KFTZ ARMSTRONG and GETTY.

[Roku Representative]

What are you looking for in a new smart TV? 4K picture quality, high quality and immersive sound. A sleek design. All of those are givens, but only the new Roku Pro series has all of those. And the Roku streaming experience, an award winning os. Get fast, easy access to all your apps like Iheartra, where you can stream all your favorite music, radio and podcasts all day. And regular, all inclusive trips to Roku City. The new Roku Pro series, a smart TV built by the streaming pros.

[Lenovo Representative]

The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive Irish Spring, Fabuloso and Tom's of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it Spend $20 on their products. Get $5 Spend $30 Get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need. Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive Rewards available while supplies last, limit Supply US Only 1125 through 33125 for full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com the Philadelphia Eagles.

[Joe Getty]

Are Super Bowl Champions.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's over. Fly Eagles, fly.

[Joe Getty]

Celebrate the big win with the official licensed Super Bowl Champions gear, available [e-mail].

[Political Commentator]

The Eagles win at Super Bowl 59.

[Joe Getty]

From jerseys to hats to must have collectibles, we've got everything you need to rep your team with pride. Don't wait. These styles won't last. Shop [e-mail] and gear up like a champion.

[Lenovo Representative]

How to have fun anytime, anywhere step.

[Jack Armstrong]

One go to chumbacasino.com chumbacasino.com Got it.

[Lenovo Representative]

Step two collect your welcome bonus.

[Jack Armstrong]

Come to papa. Welcome bonus.

[Lenovo Representative]

Step 3 Play hundreds of casino style games for free.

[Political Commentator]

That's a lot of games all for free.

[Lenovo Representative]

Step 4 Unleash your excitement. Chumba Casino has been delivering thrills for over a decade, so claim your free welcome bonus now and live the chumba life. Visit chumbacasino.com no purchase necessary.

[Jack Armstrong]

VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply. He was standing in a country where free speech was weaponized to conduct a genocide, and he met with the head.

[Political Commentator]

Of a political party that has far.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right views and some historic ties to extreme groups.

[Political Commentator]

Margaret Brennan on Face the Nation Sunday with the dumbest thing anybody's maybe ever said. And I'm not putting any qualifications on that. I don't mean just on a news program.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh no.

[Political Commentator]

Mean just this week. I mean maybe the dumbest thing anybody's ever said.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh no, it was world class stupid. It was astonishingly stupid.

[Political Commentator]

Weaponized free speech. I can't even imagine that phrase ever means ever, and certainly not in this context where she's talking about 30s Germany, where there wasn't free Speech, Really? And.

[Jack Armstrong]

Oh, my God, no. But even if it was the opposite of free speech, can you even.

[Political Commentator]

But you. Can you come up with a context where that does make sense? Weaponized free speech?

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, no, no. I mean. Well, yeah, you could incite a riot or something like that. I mean, you can. You can rile people up to do the wrong thing. It happens all the time. But. But that's been discussed and decided 275 years ago, or whatever it was, that, no, we will correct wrong speech with right speech. We'll cure ourselves of bad ideas with good ideas. The government will not restrict it. It's kind of a settled idea. Margaret Cottage, you moron. Anyway, so JD Vance was over in Europe, gave a couple of speeches excoriating Europe for failing to pay their bills and defend themselves and also abandoning various precepts of freedom and democracy. And since we have a. An alliance dedicated to protecting freedom and democracy, it'd be nice if y'all were on board. And he specifically kicked the Germans a little bit for their crackdowns on free speech, some of their prosecutions of people specifically. He was talking about how if you do not let people express ideas and feelings that you're uncomfortable with, radicals will take that and take it in a direction you don't want to take it, or your society will just fall apart. I mean, for instance, I was reminded that there has never been a majority in the main European countries that you think about the big European countries that were in favor of the rampant immigration policies. That was never a majority popular issue in Europe. The elite just decided to do it, right?

[Political Commentator]

Well, it's never been majority popular in our country either. And the elite decided to do it. And you see the backlash that led to Trump getting reelected and the fact.

[Jack Armstrong]

That people are angry about that has brought on all sorts of restrictions on free speech. Britain is unforgivable, for instance, at this point. As if to prove Vance's point, there was this wild set, too, in London. A guy was burning a Koran in a protest against the extremes of Islam and all sorts of stuff, and a guy attacked him with a giant knife and tried to hack him to death. Well, the book burner has been charged with a religiously aggravated public order offense, and the knife wielder was released on bail. So that's how bass ackwards a lot of Britain is, and JD Vance called him on that. Anyway, we got this note because we were hammering Germany for restricting free speech and how. What's her face on 60 minutes thought it was just delightful and kind of even funny that people who were busted for saying rude things or obnoxious things or untrue things were actually they were arrested by the German police and fined or jailed or had their devices taken away or whatever. Anyway, brings us to this note, and it's from we'll just say M, who who is married to a German national. And both of them listen to the podcast and enjoy it, and we thank them for listening. She asked her husband to put her thoughts into better English for her because it's her second language. I'm sure her English is a hell of a lot better than my German. Anyway, Germany has free speech, but it must be polite. About a month ago, someone wrote you and referred to Jack being Jackass Armstrong and your comment was it wasn't right. It was impolite and unnecessary. Last week, someone in the US Legislature said F. Trump. Actually, quite a few folks, I believe you see that the rhetoric in the US has become coarser and meaner in the recent past. And the more people behave and speak that way, the worse people's behavior becomes. Germans are polite people. They would never say Schultz is stupid. Or worse, they would say Schultz's ideas are not correct. If you were to watch the German debates, you will see the behaviors of the participants are polite. Unlike in America, Germany had to deal with Hitler and the Nazis denigrating the Jews and inciting abuse and violence toward them. As that was done, people's thoughts and actions followed the rhetoric. Horrible events followed that speech. Germans are very sensitive about their past and do not want it to happen again. For that reason. Speech that incites violence against insults, denigrates or hurts people of a national, ethnic, religious or sexual minority is outlawed. So the past will not be relived. And then just a quick note before we get into a little discussion. She mentions that the AfD Alternatives for Deutschland is a party in Germany. It has a voice. It has 20% of the people. But 80% of the politicians and Germans do not want to work with AFD because of its core and extreme values. It's also interesting, just as an aside, I was reminded that JD Vance was talking about, or, I'm sorry, Elon Musk was talking up DAFD and saying, you know, they were right about a lot of stuff and they are. But they're harshly anti American. They really lean toward Russia and are extremely anti American.

[Political Commentator]

Didn't know that.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah. So anyway, so here's the way I would respond to that. Unless you were listening. Do you have anything you want to jump in with? Right Away. Germany is such an interesting case and I've spent some time there and I know some Germans and I know some people who spent a lot of time working and living in Germany. And I studied German language and culture for a long time. That does not make me anything close to an expert. What? No, don't. Anyway.

[Political Commentator]

You have any memorabilia?

[Jack Armstrong]

I do, some. Yes, of course I do. Lovely land. Full of fascinating people in landscape. Anyway, Germany is such an interesting case because of its. The weight it carries from World War II.

[Political Commentator]

Show me the way you wave to people.

[Jack Armstrong]

I just, you know, extend my arm and. And then move my hand. Anyway, we're mocking folks, but you could probably guess it.

[Political Commentator]

Mocking the silliness of this sort of thing. That's what we're.

[Jack Armstrong]

Right. Exactly. Yes, indeed. Nazi Germany. So I don't want to be completely unsympathetic to that legacy. And the idea that whipping up ethnic and racial hatred against people leads down a very terrible path is undeniably true. Here is the problem though. M & Co. It absolutely has an upside. It has a benefit, as you point out. But it also is a 99.3%. The Germans are very precise people. So I want to be very Precise. It's like 99.3% likely that those who control what is going to be censored and in what way abuse that power, quash dissent and they cause the very ugliness that you're hoping to prevent. It's the American counter to your sentiment, which was expressed quite respectfully and I appreciate that you made some good points. Is Thomas Jefferson's famous statement that I would rather attend to the problems of too much liberty than too little. And there's absolutely a downside to the way we do stuff. Absolutely true. On the other hand, we've got a democracy for all its ups and downs going on, you know, 275 years or whatever it's it is at this point or is it's about to be 250. Yeah, okay. And it's rough and tumble and it's crazy and it's kind of ugly sometimes. But nobody can get going a movement anything like the Nazis because we have such a tradition of saying it out loud and arguing about it in public. You just can't get that sort of thing going behind the cloak of darkness. It's so in our DNA to share our ideas with each other and try to convince each other of our ideas validity. Even if they're ugly or stupid. And they are a lot. It keeps us healthy. I'm probably doing a poor job of explaining this. But on the one side, I trust no one to tell me what I can and can't say because the entire history of humanity is that it goes badly. And I would suggest that the Germans are, Have been until now a very homogenous society, very disciplined, very proud of being German. You're much less homogenous than you are now than you. Than you were. You're gonna find more and more people will undermine everything you hold dear. And if you can't call them on it out loud, and if they happen to be Muslim, for instance, say. And it seems to be a lot of Muslim people, that's gonna offend the crap out of them. That's a hurtful thing to say. But if it's true, you have to be able to say it.

[Political Commentator]

I couldn't believe that. That German fascist woman, and it is fascist for her to say on 60 Minutes the other night, with the approval of Face the Nation, that, well, if you don't have these rules on free speech, a small number of people can control, you know, a certain story and put it out there. Yeah, lady. So you want a small number of people to decide what stories are okay or not. Wow. And you're always gonna get it right. You're always going to get it right. You're, you're, you're. How many, how many times are people called racist in the United States for various things because you call the time you comment on something you don't like improperly, and that person is. Or sexist. So if that person's a woman or of any color that you can just say it's sexist or racist. And then that little group of fascists, like that German woman would get to say that you can't have that on the Internet because that was sexist or racist. No, it wasn't. I was just commenting on their thoughts. No, no, no. You only commented on their thoughts because they're black or a woman. No. So obviously she's gonna control the discourse and it falls apart immediately. I'd say it's a hundred percent of the time. It doesn't work.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I would agree. Because if you can't believe that people.

[Political Commentator]

Believe it would work, that it still shocks me. I guess it's because. I guess it's because I've grown up with free speech. I just. How do you think, lady, that you and a handful of people are going to be the arbiters or what's okay and what's not. That's nice.

[Jack Armstrong]

What's, what's insulting and what's legitimate criticism. I mean, you and it always works one way. That's the other frustrating part to me. You could launch a carefully constructed, historically substantiated argument against the Catholic Church, for instance, in Germany, and unleash that and be absolutely on solid ground. You do the same against Islam because it's a touchy subject. Those in charge in order to keep the peace would declare that offensive and insulting. So I guess a very, very short answer to that sentiment that look, we just keep it polite and we're just enforcing rules against impoliteness. My answer to that was there is no human being on earth that I would trust with that power.

[Political Commentator]

No, it's got to be cultural. The politeness has got to be enforced. Culturally, you can't do it from a censorship standpoint. It'll never work.

[Jack Armstrong]

Exactly. And you read my mind. I'd meant to throw that in. Yeah, it's gotta be through social pressure, not the government's gun. Sorry.

[Political Commentator]

We'll finish strong. Next Armstrong and Getty Roku has what.

[Roku Representative]

You need to make your college home away from home feel more like your own. Make your dorm the place to be with Roku tv. Or bring a Roku streaming stick to easily access all your your favorite free and premium content like iHeartradio. Stream your favorite playlist with the Roku Vibe setting smart light strips to sync your music to millions of colors and make your dorm feel more like you. Make your dorm the place to be with Roku TVs, streaming players and smart lights. Head to Roku.com or your favorite retailer to deck out your dorm.

[Lenovo Representative]

The New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list and in your house. Right now, we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso and Toms of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it Spend $20 on their products. Get $5. Spend $30. Get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to CPR. It's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need. Or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping and Start your year fresh by earning cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive Rewards available while supplies last. Limits apply us only 1125 through 331 25. For full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com.

[Joe Getty]

The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl Champions.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's over. Fly Eagles, fly.

[Joe Getty]

Celebrate the big win with the official licensed Super Bowl Champions gear, available [e-mail].

[Political Commentator]

The Eagles win at Super Bowl 59.

[Joe Getty]

From jerseys to hats to must have collectibles, we've got everything you need to rep your team with pride. Don't wait. These styles won't last. Shop [e-mail] and gear up like a champion.

[Lenovo Representative]

How to have fun anytime, anywhere.

[Jack Armstrong]

Step 1 Go to chumbacasino.com chumbacasino.com Got it.

[Lenovo Representative]

Step 2 Collect your welcome bonus.

[Jack Armstrong]

Come to papa. Welcome bonus.

[Lenovo Representative]

Step 3 Play hundreds of casino style games for free.

[Political Commentator]

That's a lot of games all for free.

[Lenovo Representative]

Step 4 Unleash your excitement. Chumba Casino has been delivering thrills for over a decade, so claim your free welcome bonus now and live the chumba life. Visit chumbacasino.com no purchase necessary.

[Jack Armstrong]

VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply.

[Political Commentator]

We talk a fair amount about AI. I read about it a lot and then just modern technology in general. I came across this article tempted by the false God of convenience. What to watch for as AI speeds forward. Actually, talk about John Philip Sousa, which if you were in a marching band, you know who that is. He wrote all the most famous marching band songs that ever existed anyway, way back in 1906 he decried recorded music coming on the scene and thought it was gonna ruin everything, that you wouldn't need to learn to play the piano because he could just get a recording of it right. I think he also went on to say, when a mother can turn on the phonograph with the same ease that she applies to the electric light, will she croon her baby to slumber with sleep lullabies? Or will the infant be put to sleep by machinery, as it says in this article? In the age of tablet clutching children, this ought to hit home. But the point really here is from Neil Postman, you might know that name. He wrote the famous book Amusing Ourselves to Death, which I've never read. I can't believe I've never read that book. I've quoted so many different parts of it, but I've never actually read. Came out in 1985. But he had rules for technology. He had five rules, but the main gist of it is, is that anytime there's a technological advance, there is a trade off. And that we should look closely at the trade offs and decide whether or not we're comfortable with that trade off before we go forward. And maybe sometimes you'll think, yeah, I'm okay with the trade off. And sometimes maybe we should think we aren't. The things that you lose but tempted by the false God of convenience is really going to exponentially explode with AI Is making everything effortless actually going to be better for us? If we can have a robot that does all the laundry and the dishes and mows the lawn and blah. Does everything, will we, will that actually be good or not? We should. We should think through.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, it'll kill. Kill mankind. It's the worst thing that could possibly happen. I mean, between the. The fact that the idle hands are the devil's play. Things that. It's only adversity that gives us strength. It's only the need to do the basics that give us the brain power to do the advanced. We talked about that study from Microsoft that people who are empowered by AI that AI deals with all the basic stuff so they can just deal with the exceptions. They found that the people get weaker and weaker at being deal with the exceptions because they aren't strengthened over and over again by dealing with the regular stuff. It'll be the end of mankind, which is fine. I'm old, I've had my run. Good luck, y'all. Usher in the Planet of the Beavers. I don't want the show to be over, but I'm ready to listen to the fire from.

[Political Commentator]

I'd be fine with that if it's didn't include perhaps my children being miserable their whole lives along with the rest of society.

[Jack Armstrong]

Yeah, I. I get that.

[Political Commentator]

Here's your host for final thoughts, Joe Getty.

[Jack Armstrong]

Well, I don't know what to do about that, so I've just accepted it. So I know what to do about this. Get a final thought from everybody on the crew. Michelangelo, lead us off. Jack, you were talking about baseball rules for this upcoming season. I got to confirm this, but I believe during the playoffs they're going to add a fourth base.

[Political Commentator]

There you go.

[Jack Armstrong]

Make it more exciting now.

[Political Commentator]

Exactly. And it's in a different spot every game. She round third?

[Jack Armstrong]

Constantly.

[Political Commentator]

Where's that other face?

[Jack Armstrong]

Like a video game. Katie Green, our esteemed news woman, has a final thought. Katie, I agree with most of what.

[Lenovo Representative]

You guys say, but a robot that.

[Political Commentator]

Does laundry is not the end of mankind.

[Jack Armstrong]

A laundry bot. I will allow it. Yes.

[Political Commentator]

Jack, a final thought just since you brought up baseball. Michael, I heard this morning the LA Dodgers, who won the World Series with the biggest payroll in all baseball, have added like a half dozen really expensive more players this year. They have double the average salary of other teams in Major League Baseball and like five times as much as the bottom third. So we'll see how this works out.

[Jack Armstrong]

My final thought is be sure to watch the USA Canada hockey game tomorrow night. The last game between the two teams featured three fights in the first nine seconds. Yes, right in the five holes. It was. Well, they were trying to punch each other in the head actually. They're grown men, but oh the entertainment.

[Political Commentator]

Armstrong and wrapping up another grueling four hour work day.

[Jack Armstrong]

So many people. Thanks. So little time. Go To Armstrong and Yeti.com the Hot Links. Always entertaining. So many good things. There you pick up some ang swag for your favorite ang fan, including yourself. The hoodies flying off the shelves. Drop us a note. Is there something we ought to be talking about? Do you know what Trump's driving at with the stuff he said about Ukraine? Mailbag at Armstrong and getty.com see you tomorrow.

[Political Commentator]

God Bless America.

[Jack Armstrong]

In order to save taxpayer money, it comes down to two things. Armstrong and Ghetti.

[Political Commentator]

That's okay now.

[Jack Armstrong]

No, I'm not saying it's okay. I'm not saying it's okay. Don't put words. There are two ways to look at this. Which side are you on? What the hell are you talking about?

[Political Commentator]

Seems like there's a few Kingston at Slinky.

[Jack Armstrong]

Doesn't that sound crazy? For those of you that don't understand, yeah, the Even in Washington that math doesn't work.

[Political Commentator]

It's true.

[Jack Armstrong]

Armstrong and Getty.

[Roku Representative]

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have supervision, enhanced hearing, extraordinary reflexes? To be, dare we say, superhuman? Well, Roku's new Pro Series TV can't do any of that for you. But with a 4K screen side firing speakers and a blazing fast refresh rate.

[Jack Armstrong]

It'Ll sure feel like it.

[Roku Representative]

Elevate your entertainment using all your favorite apps like Iheart and play all your music, radio and podcasts. With the new Roku Pro Series, your senses aren't better.

[Lenovo Representative]

Your TV is the New Year's here. It's the perfect time to refresh those household essentials and score some cash back rewards with Colgate Palmolive. From toothpaste to dish soap, chances are you've got Colgate Palmolive products on your shopping list. And in your house. Right now we're talking brands like Colgate Soft Soap, Palmolive, Irish Spring, Fabuloso, and Tom's of Maine. And right now you can get up to a $10 digital Visa prepaid card when you buy up to $30 of Colgate Palmolive products. Here's how it Spend $20 on their products. Get $5 Spend $30 Get a $10 reward. All you do is shop your favorite brands, snap a pic of your receipt and upload it to cprewards.com it's so easy. That's cprewards.com so grab what you need or maybe try something new and get rewarded just for doing your usual shopping. And start your year fresh by earning cash back. Rewards with Colgate Palmolive Rewards available while supplies last, limit Supply US Only 1125 through 331.25 for full terms and conditions, visit cprewards.com@david's bridal Love is in every stitch.

[Jack Armstrong]

From the initial sketch to the final details, each style is designed with exquisite craftsmanship. Every wedding gown, bridesmaid look, prom dress and special occasion style in between features handcrafted details filled with love. Come see the magic in person. Book an appointment and sign up for diamond loyalty. To save 15% on your first purchase, earn points towards special rewards and [e-mail].

[Joe Getty]

The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl Champions.

[Jack Armstrong]

It's over.

[Political Commentator]

Fly, Eagles, fly.

[Joe Getty]

Celebrate the big win with the official Licensed Super Bowl Champions gear, available [e-mail].

[Political Commentator]

The Eagles win at Super Bowl 59.

[Joe Getty]

From jerseys to hats to must have collectibles, we've got everything you need to rep your team with pride. Don't wait. These styles won't last. Shop [e-mail] and gear up like a champion.