Breaking Point with David Zere - September 20, 2025

Podcast: Real America’s Voice / iHeartPodcasts
Host: David Zere
Date: September 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Breaking Point explores the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, reflects on recent 9/11 commemorations, analyzes the state of policing and crime in major American cities, and examines the intersection of political rhetoric, public safety, and American values. Host David Zere leads in-depth interviews with guests including Greg Murad (National Right to Work Committee), Michael Letts (INVEST USA), and several on-the-ground 9/11 witnesses and participants. The episode is a blend of political commentary, memorial coverage, frontline law enforcement insights, and raw man-on-the-street perspectives.

Key Discussions & Insights

1. Aftermath of the Charlie Kirk Assassination (00:57–17:20)

With Greg Murad (VP, National Right to Work Committee)

• Educators' Response to the Assassination
  • Zere and Murad express outrage at teachers and unions who celebrated Kirk's assassination. Murad emphasizes the dangerous climate in educational institutions, blaming a "woke leftist educational industrial complex" for radicalizing youth.
    • Quote: “Anybody that believes it is appropriate to celebrate a political assassination has no business being anywhere near children, let alone teaching them.” — Greg Murad (02:50)
  • Specific cases cited: Teachers making callous public comments such as “one less Nazi,” and unions defending such teachers from discipline.
• Free Speech vs. Incitement Debate
  • Murad contrasts free speech advocacy with taxpayer-funded educators promoting assassination as acceptable.
    • Quote: “There are some beliefs that are fundamentally incompatible with teaching and raising children. …The belief that political assassination is okay if it’s your enemy falls into that category.” — Greg Murad (07:15)
  • Discussion on whether it makes a difference when the speech comes from college professors versus K-12 teachers.
• Policy Recommendations
  • Murad urges states and localities to reconsider collective bargaining with teachers’ unions, arguing they too often shield bad educators and propagate extreme ideologies.
    • Quote: “Every state that is currently bargaining with a teacher's union should cut it out. You have no business surrendering public policy to some third-party institution.” — Greg Murad (15:30)
• Comparisons with Private Sector
  • Both note private employers can fire staff for creating hostile environments; Murad stresses radicalizing students is, by definition, doing a bad job as an educator.

2. Crime, Policing & Bulletproof Vests (24:30–37:50)

With Michael Letts (CEO/Founder, INVEST USA)

• Yorktown, PA Police Shooting
  • Letts details a deadly incident: three officers killed, two wounded, ambushed by a perpetrator during a domestic violence call. He highlights the difference active shooter vests could have made.
    • Quote: “Active shooter vests would have made a huge difference in this situation… Ninety percent of cops across the country do not have them.” — Michael Letts (26:45)
  • INVEST USA has donated over 16,000 bulletproof vests, but needs remain immense.
• Impact of Trump Administration Policies on Urban Crime
  • Letts provides data on drastic crime reductions in D.C. following National Guard deployment under Trump: homicides, robberies, and carjackings all sharply down.
    • Quote: “We’ve only had two murders since he took over... carjackings are down 86%. Robberies are down 72%.” — Michael Letts (30:00)
  • Discusses debates over pulling out National Guard and the challenges in hiring more local law enforcement.
• Crime & Political Context in Other Cities
  • Memphis, Chicago, and Baltimore are addressed as cities struggling with crime, with some local leaders showing new openness to federal or National Guard interventions.
  • Defends federal involvement based on emergency powers and drug cartel threats.
• Fentanyl Crisis
  • Notes a roughly 37% drop in fentanyl deaths credited to recent crackdowns, though a newer, deadlier drug is emerging — prompting a policy shift to attacking sources abroad.
    • Quote: “...the President’s position has shifted a little bit. We’re going after the source, not just what’s in this country.” — Michael Letts (36:44)

3. Grassroots Voices: 9/11 Memorials & American Communities (43:00–1:18:00)

Man-on-the-Street Interviews at Ground Zero (9/11 Memorial)

a. With Freddy De La Cruz (Fayetteville, NC)

• Lost his sister Lillian in the North Tower; has since become a community anti-crime advocate and mayoral candidate.
  • Addresses local issues of crime and bail policies, connecting them to national political trends.
    • Quote: “My philosophy is this. You do the crime, you do the time. When you get out, you start over. That’s it. You do it again, you go in longer…” — Freddy De La Cruz (1:03:00)
  • Equals Charlie Kirk’s impact with figures like JFK and MLK in a symbolic turn: “Now we got CJK.”

b. With Roger Farina (Army veteran, North Carolina GOP)

• Reflects on losing classmates and friends, both at 9/11 and in Iraq.
  • Decries blue-city governance and cashless bail for fueling crime.
  • Observes the respectful, somber mood at Ground Zero.
    • Quote: “Good people are tired of being told they're the bad people.” — Roger Farina (1:09:30)

c. With Mike Torino (Volunteer Firefighter, East Haven, CT)

• Spent 30 days working “on the pile” after 9/11; describes the scale, trauma, and long-term physical and psychological impact on first responders.
  • Quote: “People don’t realize…the effect of it is far and wide. It just wasn’t that day. It’s what you dealt with physiologically, psychologically after that.” — Mike Torino (1:15:30)

4. Ground Reporting: Political Demonstrations near the White House (1:19:00–1:25:00)

• Zere narrates his experience covering a pro-Palestinian protest at Lafayette Park, across from the White House.
• Describes the volume and tactics (fake blood, bullhorn sirens), and attempts to engage protest organizers in civil dialogue. They rebuff his media questions, accusing him of “baiting” and manipulation.
  • Quote: “My job is to cover what's going on in the public.” — David Zere (1:21:25)
• Observes how the protest felt “non-organic,” in contrast to organic MAGA gatherings.
• Sample exchange:
  • Protestor: “No one’s children should be killed. …No one should be victims of politics.”
  • Zere: “Wouldn’t the conflict end if the hostages were just given back?”
  • Protestor: “That is your perspective in the sense that you believe that some lives matter. All lives matter.” (1:20:45)

5. Kennedy Center Celebration: Charlie Kirk’s Life & Legacy (1:26:00–1:32:00)

• Zere interviews attendees outside the packed Kennedy Center memorial event for Charlie Kirk.
• Many describe Kirk’s unique impact on young Americans — likening him to Alexander the Great and calling for renewed boldness and Christian values.
  • Quote: “Only a guy two years older…Alexander the Great. Those are the two people I associate with Charlie Kirk.” — Dave Wallace (1:28:45)
• Call to action from attendees: Stand up, express faith and values, and reject cultural shaming.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Teacher Radicalism:
  “The teachers union is defending teachers that want to create more Charlie Kirk killers out there. And it’s truly appalling.”
  — David Zere (09:25)

• On Free Speech vs. Incitement:
  “The irony…celebrating a guy who killed a man for speaking freely.”
  — Greg Murad (09:17)

• On Law Enforcement Equipment:
  “Active shooter vests would have made a huge difference in this situation.”
  — Michael Letts (26:45)

• On Urban Crime Trends:
  “Only had two murders since he [Trump] took over… that’s just an incredible drop.”
  — Michael Letts (30:00)

• On Civil Dialogue and Protest:
  “You got a really bad attitude. It’s terrible. Oh, no, I’m just… engaging in civil dialogue with you.”
  — David Zere (1:22:00, to protest organizer)

• On Kirk’s Legacy:
  “Charlie Kirk to a lot of people is equivalent to JFK, MLK… now we got CJK.”
  — Freddy De La Cruz (1:07:58)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Charlie Kirk Assassination / Teachers’ Union Debate: 00:57 – 17:20
• Law Enforcement & Crime (Michael Letts): 24:30 – 37:50
• 9/11 Ground Zero Interviews: 43:00 – 1:18:00
• White House Protest Coverage: 1:19:00 – 1:25:00
• Charlie Kirk Memorial (Kennedy Center): 1:26:00 – 1:32:00

Episode Tone & Style

David Zere’s tone throughout is urgent, deeply personal, and at times combative — blending investigative reporting, conservative commentary, and direct, emotional storytelling. Guests contribute informed, passionate, and sometimes controversial viewpoints, staying true to Real America’s Voice’s promise of challenging “mainstream narratives” and defending “American values and freedom.”

Summary Takeaways

• The episode frames the assassination of Charlie Kirk as both a personal and societal crisis, reflecting on how political polarization is impacting educational and civic life.
• Law enforcement challenges, particularly regarding equipment and policy, are highlighted as a matter of public urgency.
• Ground-level voices at 9/11 memorials offer raw, poignant connections between national tragedy, public safety, and American resilience.
• The program continually draws connections between left-wing ideologies, police reform debates, and rising urban crime—while advocating for traditional American and Christian values.
• Listeners are encouraged to stay engaged, vigilant, and to support the broader movement for “real news and honest views.”

End of summary.