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Real America’s Voice
Just the News No Noise with John Solomon and Amanda Head, September 15th, 2025
00:54:01
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- [00:00]
A
This is an I Heart podcast.
- [00:24]
B
Welcome, everybody, to the Monday edition of Just the News. No noise. I'm your host, Amanda Head reporting to you from the nation's capital here in Washington, D.C. and my co. And just the News Editor in chief John Solomon is out on assignment tonight. But we are still dealing with the tragic aftermath of Turning Point USA's founder, Charlie Kirk, his assassination last week. And we have been learning new things about how it happened. And we also have been moved by the outpouring of support for Charlie. And just it has been spread out all across social media and from the far reaches of the planet. And it has crystallized for many of us the impact that Charlie had on our country. And another demonstration of that will be held in about 15 minutes from now up on Capitol Hill, where Speaker Mike Johnson is set to hold a vigil for Charlie. So we're going to get you out to that the minute that it starts. And because of that, we want to bring in our first guest right away. He's going to be at that vigil in just a few minutes. He represents the state of Utah, Congressman Burgess Owens. Congressman, thank you so much for being here.
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C
Thank you, Amanda. Looking forward to chat with you for sure.
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B
Likewise. And I want to ask you, because so many people think of Charlie Kirk in his political realm, because he oftentimes had a lot of debates about that. But more than anything, I mean, Charlie brought, I would argue, tens of thousands of young people to the Lord.
- [01:38]
C
You know, you think about Charlie, he was truly a force. There's no question. He's only 31 years old. I had a chance to watch a interview he did with Mark levin when he's 26, wisdom. He's talked about Plato and Aristotle and John Locke. He talks about his faith at every step of the way. And because of that, he had a humble spirit. That's very, very rare nowadays. So we're going to look back and obviously we're going to miss him. It's going to be very, very, very hard to replicate someone like Charlie Kirk because of what he brought. But he started a movement in which people are going to do their very best to be like him, to have the same priorities. His message, very simply for young people, which is so important, is go out there and get married, have a family, build yourself into the middle class and give back. Think about that. And then always have heavenly father as your. Your. Your. Your. Your light, your star. And you think about that message. So many young people trying to find happiness, and they were going in all the wrong directions. So his, his, his life is going to start a movement that we're going to see now moving not only here in the United States, but around the world. And I think we should all be excited to know that we can see it happening and be part of making sure that his legacy moves on for sure.
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B
Absolutely. And you know, I've seen a lot of comments online about people who say they have not been to church in years and in some cases decades, and they are going back to church, they're purchasing a Bible for the first time in their life, maybe. What do you make of that movement? Do you think that that has durability? Do you think that this is going to bring people to the Lord and it won't just be a flash in the pan?
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C
There's no question. And it's because of the country that we are part of. We've had a culture, a society that's built on godly principles and every now and then we have a chance to see it real time. I was fortunate to grow up in the time of Martin Luther King and I saw the movement that he began and empathy, the outgrowth empathy that came from our country because his non violent actions, he would actually go into areas that, that people were afraid to go, but because they're nonviolent. And people saw across the country they leaned in and believed and had a lot of respect for what he was doing. Same thing was happening with Charlie. His message was nonviolence. It was the idea of talking, of speaking and we the people, as we continue to talk to each other, we will always find a better, a better way of going at it. And that's what he was doing when he was assassinated. He was doing what his mission was. That is to bring people together, to have conversations, to be respectful. And at the end of the day, whether you agree or not, you at least see a different way and you know how to engage in the future. So this is just the beginning. We're going to be a part of it. And let me just say this also, Amanda, the fact that President Trump is our president, he's bringing back across our country something called patriotism. We're starting to see our young people once again being excited, being cool, to be loving our country. You put that together with a message. Charlie, Kurt, this new generation, this Gen X generation is going to be a remarkable one for us to bring our country back in a very fast fashion.
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B
Absolutely. Well, and Congressman, I know of someone else in history who supported civil debate and dialogue and doing it peacefully and telling the truth, and that was civil rights icon MLK Jr and I look at Charlie's legacy, and I look at the impact that Charlie had on the young generation. Is, is, is Charlie Kirk a civil rights icon on, on the, in those ranks?
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C
No question. Charlie, though, is amazing. He's even more so than that. And I've had a chance to, to live through two different, very strong eras. One was Martin Luther King. When I was very young, 12 years old, I was doing a demonstration. I remember the nonviolent movement at the time. And then 40 years later, I had a chance to listen to Rush Limbaugh, someone who brought intelligence and smart and dialogue and common sense. So I see Charlie as being a combination of those two. The impact he's had, though, is that instead of just being on radio, he's actually out there with the kids. He's out there communicating with them. They can start to see a real person who cares about them. And so even when they walk away and not agreeing with everything that he believes in, they saw something that was touching their spirit and knowing that, how to have these engagements. So I see him really going down in history as quite unique. And he's only 31 years old. I can't say that and emphasize that enough to have the ability to do what he did, to impact our country the way he's had and around the world, at 31 years old, says that he was made for this time. He was made for the mission. And he fulfilled his mission in a remarkable way. And we all have to be proud of the fact that he did exactly what he came here to get done.
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B
Absolutely. Congressman, I want to ask you, you're in a perfect position to answer this question because you're up on Capitol Hill with Democrats, and I hate to say it, but some Democrats who have spewed some pretty hateful and I would argue, inciting things. I remember not that long ago, Maxine Waters saying to get in the faces of Trump supporters at gasoline stations. And Nancy Pelosi's had her fair share of remarks, of course. Chuck Schumer up on Capitol Hill, you have experience of dealing with these folks. How do we move forward as two very different parties, but under one banner, which is the United States of America? How do we move forward? When you've got one side who is saying the things that they do, and then when you have a result like, like we did last Wednesday, well, it's.
- [06:51]
C
Going to be up to the American people. American people send to Congress here those who represent their thoughts, I think we can say, and for those who say that the same on both sides is not the same on both sides. We have visuals. They have they. And they do quite differently. They demean. I'm not talking leadership now. I'm talking to those who are driving this agenda. They're good people in the Democratic Party, and that's really who's going to make the difference. Good people have good hearts who are seeing this seen full time and realize it's good and evil. It truly is good and evil. And anyone who says that they are happy that something like this happened, good people will draw away from that. They say, that's just too much for me. I can't go in that direction. And my suggestion, my thoughts are you have a lot more Democrats that might not become Republicans, but they'll become independent. They will start to now look at what makes sense for me, what makes sense for my family and the values that I hold tight.
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B
And.
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C
And that's where I think is going to be the biggest message and biggest impact of Charlie, Charlie, Kurt, is that we're going to start having people listening, talking, and getting away from the evil Marxist communist ideology that has been done so much damage to our society, to our young people. And we're going to start getting them back now because they can start thinking a little bit and leaning into a faith, whatever that faith might be, is one in which I'm not the end game. There's something greater than me, and if I could just be a good person, I. Then I will be blessed by it. That's the concept that Charlie pretty much put out there. And as we do that as a country, lean back into our faith, family, the free market, hard work and education, we will find out our space again in terms of being a much more perfect union.
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B
Yeah. Does the media bear some responsibility in this? Does the FCC have a responsibility to look at some of these media organizations?
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C
I would hope so. The media is complicit. We have very, very hateful people. And this is, I think, what's going to be part of the legacy of Charlie Curtis. His talks, his podcasts, his interviews are voluminous. And there are going to be people who are going to listen to these messages and realize that they've been lied to, that here's a good person, a young man who loved his family, loved his wife and his kids, loved our country, and was just always trying to do is help us to come together again. And when they started to see that and realize the hard left, the Marxist left, has been lying to them. American people don't like to be lied to. I mean, it's just you can make mistakes, but don't lie to us. And that's what's going to happen, I think, as, as we start to hear his voice and study his voice and that'd be part of our educational process. By the way, he should be as we looked at Martin Luther King and his record of speeches and talks and impact, we should be doing the same thing with Charlie. And when that happens, we're going to start pulling our kids back from that hard left Marxist, godless ideology because they'll hear, number one, they've been they've heard truth and they also know that they have not been folks have not been honest in the Democratic Party for sure.
- [09:42]
B
Absolutely. Utah Congressman Burgess, Owens, we're going to let you get over to that vigil now. We're going to dip into that coverage when it starts. But thank you so much for being on the show tonight.
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C
Appreciate it. All the best.
- [09:52]
B
Absolutely. Same to you. All right, everybody, we are going to be staying with you until that vigil begins. But in the meantime, one of my colleagues at this network, someone who when he and I were covering things for Real America's Voice, oftentimes it was alongside Charlie Kirk. So the hole that is felt in our lives is so very deep and so gaping. Ben Berkwam, thanks so much for joining me tonight.
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D
It's great to be with you, Amanda.
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B
Ben, it almost doesn't seem real every time I, you know, if I read it on the screen on my teleprompter, if I read it in an article, if I read it in a tweet, the assassination of Charlie Kirk, it's still, it still doesn't seem real.
- [10:31]
D
Yeah, no, I, you know, every morning I wake up and relive that. And throughout the day you think about it and that terrible video. You know, it's one of those things that I always debate whether it's worth watching something like that or not because it's so horrific, you can't get it out of your mind. But it's also the double edge of that. It's so horrific, you can't get it out of your mind. So you, you're forced to deal with the reality of what's in front of us, the level of evil that we're up against and not just the demon who pulled the trigger, but those that are out there celebrating him now. That's what we're up against. You know, it's not this whole Kumbaya come together unless you get people that come out and say antifa's A on the left. I mean, we're already hearing this on our side, but unless you get people on the left coming out saying antifa is a terrorist organization, they need to be treated like a terrorist organization. Anyone who celebrates the murder of any other innocent person and not trying to somehow justify it as, oh, this is, you know, this violence speech is violence, and somehow it's equal to this other sort of violence. Until we get past that. To answer your question that you're talking to Congressman Burgess about, I don't see us coming together. There is no path to reconciliation when one side says, I can murder you because I don't like what you say.
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B
I'm absolutely with you on that. And so much of this, you know, Ben, the only word that I can think of to describe these people who are celebrating it is wicked. Deeply, deeply wicked, with some very serious heart issues. And I think about the story in, I think both Matthew and Mark where Jesus casts out the unclean spirits into the swine and they run off the cliff. And I'm not saying that, you know, I want these people to run off a cliff, but I really want these unclean spirits to be cast elsewhere because it feels like the enemy has captured the Democrat Party.
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D
Yeah, there's no doubt about it. We're in a spiritual battle. This is a spiritual war. And you can see it. You can see the demons. I mean, I see them every time I'm out at a protest. I see the demons in their eyes. And this is. This is who we're up against. It's not, you know, people with a slightly difference of opinion. It's people that have demons inside of them that want to murder you and your family. That's who we're up against. And sadly, you have the coddlers of those people who have rejected God and replaced God with moral relativism and are at a point where they've. That they've slid down that slippery slope where they're over committed to this ideology where they can't even come out and say, this is evil. This is wicked. This has to stop. They're in this place where it's moral equivalency. Well, Charlie Kirk hurt some people's feelings, so therefore I understand their cause. No, you can't. You can't do those two things. And so I agree, but I also, you know, Amanda, this is also about us as the church, the real church, not the fake LGBT communist church that's out there masquerading as a church, but the real Christian base who have allowed this to go on have not stood up. You've got a few pastors that have, but for so long sat back and said, well, I don't want to offend anybody. And, well, you know, this. God's calling me to preach in the pulpit but not live out in the world. And all of these things we're starting to have to come to reconciliation with and say, something's got to give, something has to change, or else we just say, you know, we're just going to let people murder us because they disagree with us. And I don't think that's the case. I think, you know, the one bright light. And I'm here with a bunch of sheriffs and representatives from across America speaking down here in McAllen at this border summit and everybody's talking about it. And the one thing that I take away is, you know, it breaks my heart for his family. That's the biggest fear I have as a father and as a husband to leave my family unprotected. That's the fear I have. But I also, what's coming out of this is the blessing, unfortunately, that the enemy meant for evil. The blessings that are going to come out of this are incalculable. And we're going to be seeing this and I believe God is restoring. I love what Sean Foyt said yesterday. Our revenge is not revolution, but the revival in America. They want revolution, we want revival. And that's our prayer.
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B
Yeah, revival to come. I'm so excited to see that happen. And I want to play one of these clips. Ben, you interviewed a 14 year old named Bryson who talked about that legacy that Charlie has, what Charlie meant to him. Check it out.
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E
He was my idol.
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A
Like, I remember watching his videos, wanting to be like him. Like, I would just see the way he would debate and he was, stayed calm while the left was just yelling at him and he was just so nice about it. And then they hated him so much.
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B
Because he, he knew, he knew he.
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A
Was right, but they just didn't want to admit it. So they ended up hating him, hating him and they just killed him for it.
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D
What's your name? How old are you?
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C
I'm Bryson Levy.
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B
I'm 14, man.
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D
God bless you, bro. Where are you from?
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A
I'm from here. Oakton, man.
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D
I pray a blessing on Bryson. Ah, this whole generation, Lord, raise him up, give him extra strength, extra power, wisdom and favor. Lord, I just pray your angel armies go with Bryson everywhere you go, brother, that God makes you a man, a warrior for this generation. My man.
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B
Thank you, man. What a Wonderful guy. That is absolutely incredible. Ben, as you are out in America, you crisscross this country more than practically anyone I know. As you are talking to young people, are you hearing more and more of what Bryson said?
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D
Yeah, you know, we've been saying it. You and I have been talking about this for a long time. We are the counterculture now. It was the cancel culture trying to destroy us. And, you know, those of us that struggled through that, we are now the counterculture. And there is this. It's a gravitational pull from young people that are sick of being told what to think, what to do, that what they see with their own eyes is wrong, that some transgender person is the sex that they're claiming to be, not the one that we can see with our own eyes. And there's this hunger in the younger generation to have meaning and purpose in their life, and that's why we're seeing this. It's a shift, not just a political shift, but a religious shift, where people are saying there's got to be more to life then this lie that I've been told, that we're just a clump of cells that's worthy of death and there's nothing else beyond that.
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B
Ben, hang tight. I want to get the rest of your answer, but we've got Speaker Mike Johnson at the dais about to start this vigil. Let's tune in. Okay, so my eyesight is not great. I can obviously see Speaker Mike Johnson surrounded by a number. I see Leader Scalise. Who else is back there? My vision is not good enough. But they are about to. If you're just now tuning in, they are about to hold a vigil for Charlie Kirk up there on Capitol Hill at the Capitol. And as many of you saw dozens and dozens of vigils taking place over the weekend in cities across the globe. I mean, we saw it in London. We saw it in South Korea. I mean, it's the. The. The impact that Charlie had on the world, I don't think. And, Ben, I want to ask you this because, you know, Charlie, to us, is a friend. Charlie is someone who. We used to cover the early Turning Point stuff together. We used to have him on at CPAC and at, you know, NRB convention and all of these different places where conservatives converged. So he was a friend to us, and he was a colleague. He was a partner at this network. And since he has passed, we are seeing the insane impact that he had across the entire world. Did you ever. I mean, I don't. I don't want to Say I never saw it before, because I did. I obviously knew how important he was and how impactful he was and how big his legacy was growing to be. But I don't know if I saw it as this big.
- [19:07]
D
Yeah. And in some ways, sadly, I think it's magnified because of this. Had he just. Had. Had the left just let Charlie grow into old age, he would have had a major impact. Turning Point has reached more young people than any other organization.
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B
So let's hang tight, and we're going to let the speaker talk.
- [19:27]
E
Sadness, of course, unspeakable grief that people have felt. Many of the people here assembled in Statuary hall today were personal friends of Charlie. Kurt knew him well, watched his ministry and his organization develop over the years. And then the sadness for so many of us turned to anger. And there's been a mixture of emotions that included fear on behalf of a lot of people around the country. This heinous political violence, an assassination. Our friend Charlie did not pass away in a car accident. He was assassinated for standing for his political beliefs. And so it's. For so many of us, it has felt as if the ground has been shaken. And it's not just the people assembled here, of course. It involves students on university campuses around America and the over 3,000 chapters of Turning Point that are on university college campuses and high school campuses around the country. And all of the people in the network and in the conservative movement and throughout the nation that have heard Charlie's voice and felt a part of all that he was involved with because he was on a mixture of media and his voice was heard loudly and clearly. What we do know about Charlie is that he would not want us to be overcome by despair and would want us to carry the message forward, to honor his memory and to expand the legacy they left behind. I've spoken as many of us have at a lot of memorial services over the last several days, some in my home state. We had one here in the Ken at the Kennedy center last night, as you all know, and. But we felt it was appropriate for us to gather here in the nation's capital in. In Statuary hall to. To mark the passing of our friend, to. To share in a moment of reflection and a prayer together, which we'll have in a few moments after a few of the leaders speak here briefly. But I've summarized in every public remark that I've given that I think the best way to honor the memory of Charlie Kirk is to live as he lived. And I've encouraged young people to do two Things, advance his principles and adopt his approach. The principles that Charlie stood for were faith and freedom and family and virtue and patriotism and America, which he believed, and we all believe is the greatest nation in the history of the world. Those are good principles to advance, and you honor Charlie by doing so. You honor your country, but also to adopt his approach. Because Charlie was a happy warrior, and he was not angry at anybody about any of those things that he was advancing. He never hated anyone. In fact, in Charlie's own words, he was motivated by love. He believed in the words of scripture. He identified himself to be a Christ follower, and he tried to model that every single day in everything that he did. And as I remarked a couple of times already this week, what I loved about Charlie the most is though, even though he could win any debate, he never held it against anyone on the other side of the table. To the contrary, he was the very first person to reach out a hand, hand of friendship, or to put his arm around the shoulder of someone who was on the complete opposite side of the political spectrum, philosophy or ideology, because it was about the people. That's what Charlie represented. And his legacy will go on. Scripture reminds us that we should not be overcome by evil, but we should overcome evil with good. That is the legacy of Charlie Kirk.
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F
Well, Charlie Kirk was taken from us way too soon. So young. But yet you think about the impact that this young man had on this great country. And frankly, if you look in the last few days, you can see the impact that Charlie Kirk had on the entire world. To see the outpouring, as the speaker said, of love and truly, so much love for Charlie and what he represented and for the beautiful family he left behind. Erica, the powerful words that Erica spoke the other night hopefully continue to show America and the world that Charlie's legacy will live on and endure what he stood for, needs to endure. Because what brought Charlie to public life was really, first a concern that the ability to go to college just to learn and to express your own ideas, maybe even ideas of disagreement with somebody else, with a professor, that those powerful ideas were being threatened on our campuses, that was eroding. That free speech, that ability to debate in a civil way was being taken away. And he wasn't one of those people that just said he was going to complain about it. He actually vowed to do something about it. He didn't just start an organization called Turning Point usa. Charlie Kirk started a movement, a movement that's going to grow and thrive and represent those ideals that Charlie hopefully instilled in People that didn't even agree with him. You know, he was asked.
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B
What he.
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F
Wanted to be remembered for. Not something, frankly, that young people would be asked, but he was asked that. And what he said is, I want to be remembered for courage, for my faith. That would be the most important thing. The most important thing is my faith in my life. And you could see it when you listened to. To him. It's what gravitated millions of people to Charlie Kirk. And it wasn't just young people on college campuses, People, seasoned veterans of political discourse, were drawn to that same message, because it wasn't just about debating politics. It was about expressing your faith and why it's so important to be able to do that freely. And we can never live in fear. We can never let whatever people think drives them not to debate but to try to resort to political violence. It can never be accepted as the norm in this great country. It goes against everything that our country was founded upon. In fact, the most powerful notion of America was not just that our rights are granted to us by God, but that you have the right to question your government, you have a right to question your leaders, and then to do something about it. And the way you do something about it is you settle those differences at the ballot box. And Charlie truly believed that. He led movements to get young people engaged in the political process, and it truly has made a difference, and that will not end. In fact, just judging by the tens of thousands of people who reached out over the weekend and said they want to start their own Turning Point chapters in their colleges or in their high schools shows you that this movement will only grow, and it needs to grow. But at this time, it's also important that we lean on our faith, because we can all question, why. Why was Charlie taken? Why are those two beautiful young kids gonna grow up without their father? Let us vow that Erica is always gonna have our prayers and our support, that she's able, and she will make sure those young kids know the power of their father. They will always remember Charlie. But when we think about our faith, I think about Isaiah 43. In Isaiah 43, the Lord says, do not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have summoned you by name. You are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned. The flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy one of Israel, your savior. God bless you, Charlie Kirk.
- [28:51]
G
I want to begin by offering our prayers to the entire Kirk family as they continue to grieve this unfathomable loss. A wife lost her husband. Two children lost their father. A young, beautiful family has been shattered. All because an evil coward chose violence over the discourse and debate Charlie so bravely championed. The political assassination that took place this past Wednesday was sickening. It was infuriating. It was heartbreaking. And unfortunately, it was a horrific scene that we've witnessed unfold too many times before. Three months ago, in my home state of Minnesota, another evil coward murdered State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home. He also shot and wounded Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Last year, President Trump was shot while on the campaign trail, and another attempt to take his life was stopped thanks to the swift response of Secret Service agents. And eight years ago, our own Majority Leader, Steve Scalise was shot while at an early morning baseball practice ahead of the Congressional baseball game. Let us all be There is no place in our country for politically motivated violence. None. The assassination of Charlie Kirk wasn't just an attack on one individual. It was an attack on the traditional values that make our country this great country. Great values of free speech, civil discourse, public debate, the ability to think independently and voice your opinions, exchange ideas, and even disagree with one another. But to do so without fear of. Of physical retribution. Charlie created a movement by putting these values into practice on college campuses all across this country. The fact that he got killed for it, and many Americans consequently celebrated his murder, begs the question, how do we get so far away from the values our nation was built upon? More importantly, how do we get back? We live so chronically online these days that we forget that behind every idea there's a person, and behind every person, there's a family who loves them and a creator who instills into them intrinsic value. I firmly believe that Charlie's death has providentially brought us to a turning point. We as Americans, have to choose. Will we continue down this path of reckless vitriol and hate, or will we carry on the legacy that Charlie Kirk left? I want to end by thanking the Utah law enforcement and FBI Director Kash Patel for working around the clock to bring the justice, accountability, and closure to the Kirk family that the Kirk family deserves. And we find consolation in the fact that while America has lost a true patriot, on Wednesday, heaven gained a saint. While we will see Charlie again one.
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F
Day.
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G
We will see Charlie again one day. And until then, let's make him proud by continuing the work that he started.
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F
Well.
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H
Today we certainly mourn the heartbreaking loss of Charlie Kirk, but we're also here to celebrate the enduring power of his life's work. Charlie ignited a fire in millions of young Americans, including my own daughter. My own daughter. The got me to see Charlie's life through a different set of eyes and eyes of a college student, 22, 21 years old, who inspired her. And I can remember the day that he passed. We were talking about it, and, you know, she was. Ryan was visibly upset. It shook her to the core. And we were talking about it, and I said, I know, honey. It'll be okay. It'll be okay. And she's like, mom, it will be okay. Not only did Charlie Kirk inspire me, but he inspired me to not let my conservative voice be silenced. Not only did he inspire my daughter, but he showed a lot of young Americans that love of country and faith and in freedom. Those are all values that are worth fighting for. His example calls us to stand tall for the values that has built this republic, the freedom of thought, of speech and of religion. Our prayers surround his wife, Erica, and their two children as we honor a true patriot whose light will guide generations to come. May the Lord bless those who mourn today that they may be comforting in the loving grace that only he can provide.
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E
The members would like to invite everyone to join us in a moment of silence. And then I'll. I'll close us in a brief prayer. Moment of silence, please. Heavenly Father, we come to you this afternoon with a mixture of emotions. You know our hearts. You are. You are close to the brokenhearted. That's what scripture promises. We have a mixture of emotions because we're sad. We're so deeply saddened by the untimely loss of our dear friend Charlie Kirk, the evil that took his life. The nation mourns. The nation is shaken by that, and we're working through that emotion. At the same time, Father, we. We have this sense of encouragement as well, in knowing that Charlie's voice cannot be silenced, that his message will go forward, that his legacy will grow even wider than it might have otherwise, as he was martyred for the principles that he believed in, the principles of free speech and brotherly love and goodness and virtue. Father, we lift up all those who are affected by this. A nation that is in mourning, a nation that has been shaken. We ask you to comfort those who are mourning and fearful that you encourage us to stand for that goodness and that virtue, that you remind all Americans that we are all our fellow countrymen.
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G
We.
- [36:30]
E
That one of the great things that comes from our Judeo Christian heritage in our civil society is this idea that we can disagree in an agreeable manner. Father, remind us of our better angels, as Lincoln used to say, that we can be better and that we can end this cycle of political violence and we can remember those virtues again. Father, we pray for Erica, Charlie's young widow, their two precious children, for the Kirk family, for everyone associated with Turning Point, all the employees and the volunteers, and all of these students, Father, around the country who are united in this cause. We pray that you would encourage them, encourage their hearts and their spirits and all of us as Americans to stand for those great things and to remember that we are indeed one nation under God. Father, we trust and pray and believe that you can do all these things and you will guide us through the darkness and that we know at the end of the day, the light shines and the darkness cannot overcome it. I pray and believe all these things as Charlie did. In Jesus name, amen. Thank you for being with us.
- [38:03]
B
All right, everybody, what you were just watching was a group of members of Congress up on Capitol Hill. I hope that it wasn't all Republicans. I hope that there were Democrats there as well. But as you saw, speaking Speaker Mike Johnson, along with Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Majority Whip Tom Emmer and also Republican conference chair Lisa McClain, they all spoke and offered words of encouragement and, frankly, despair. For a lot of us, I know that's still what it feels like. I haven't yet moved to the phase of grief where I'm ready to look at the sunny side of things. And I know a lot of people feel that way as well. But we have to move on, because that's what Charlie would have wanted. All right, everybody, we're going to take a very quick break, and then the UN General assembly is coming up next week. So we've got to prepare for that and talk about it. We'll do that on the other side. Hey there. I'm Mary Kathryn Hamm. And I'm Carol Markowitz. We've been in political media for a long time, long enough to know that it's gotten, well, a little insane. That's why we started Normaly, a podcast for people who are over the hysteria and just want clarity. We talk about the issues that actually matter to the country without panic, without yelling, and with a healthy dose of humor. We don't take ourselves too seriously, but we do take the truth seriously. So if you're into common sense, sanity, and some occasional sass, you're our kind of people catch new episodes of normally every Tuesday and Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Welcome back, everybody. As world leaders gather for this year's United Nations General assembly, all eyes, as usual, are on President Trump and his foreign policy and America's approach to growing instability in the Middle East. So with tensions between the United States and Iran escalating, questions loom over how the Trump administration is going to balance maximum pressure with diplomacy. Because unfortunately, Iran hasn't stopped desiring to be the leader of the Middle East. And the brutal Iranian regime is facing pressure not just from President Trump, but from Iranian Americans as well. Because next week the Iranian president is expected to speak at the UN And Iranian Americans are planning on coming out in droves to the event to protest the Iranian regime. Joining us now to talk about all of that, the deputy director of the Washington office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. He also is the author of the Iran Alireza Jafarzida. Ali Reza, my dear friend, thank you so much for being here.
- [40:36]
A
Thank you so much, Amanda. Always a pleasure.
- [40:39]
B
Okay, give us a timeline of the protest because I am here for it and I want to make sure that the message of Iranian Americans and freedom loving Iranians across the globe is heard loud and clear.
- [40:51]
A
Well, you know, the first day of general assembly is next Tuesday, September 12th, 23rd, and that's where all the world leaders will be gathering, including the United States. President Trump will be speaking and the Iranian Americans are going to come from over 40 states to say that this is the time to hold the regime accountable for their terrorism, their nuclear development, nuclear weapons, for the killings inside Iran. This is the time to snap back all, all the sanctions that was in the UN Security Council resolutions and that the real solution at the end of the day is the change by the people of Iran in order to end the rule of the clerics. Their message is that Iran is not represented by the mollus president who comes here every year. Rather, it's represented by its own people who are very defiant against the regime. They are the real allies of the free world. And that's their message needs to be heard when all the leaders are coming right here in New York.
- [42:02]
B
Now, Ali Reza, what does it look like to the extent of what the UNGA can do? What does a maximum pressure campaign look like such that it can affect a regime change?
- [42:14]
A
Well, you know what's different this year than all the other years is that this is right happening at the time that the snapback mechanism at the UN Security Council has been activated. And by the end of September, all of those sanctions that were part of the six US Security Council resolutions over the past two decades and was put on pause in 2015 as a result of the JCPOA, all of them are going to come back unless there is a resolution to stop it. And the regime is doing everything possible to try to see how they can stop it within two weeks. They have very little time left. And on the other side, we're all here to say those sanctions must not, you know, stop. They need to be imposed on the Iran regime and they need to wrap up pressure, pressure on the regime because, you know, regime change requires those on the ground, the forces on the ground known as the resistance units. These are they belonging to the main Iranian opposition, the Mujahide. This is the same movement that exposed all the major nuclear sites of Iran. But Tehran had managed over the years to put take away attention from the opposition and put it on the the regime, or they are so called moderates within the regime that you can reach out and given concessions. That era must end. And I have a feeling that the outside world has now come to conclusion, hopefully that there's no path forward with this regime. Their goal is to maintain their nuclear weapons program and continue to threaten the world. And that's where the goal of the outside world overlaps with the goal of the people of Iran. Because they want to end the threat of the Iran regime, not just for the people of Iran, but for the whole region.
- [44:06]
B
Yeah. All right, so if I was the Iranian regime and I wanted to stay in power, I would show up next week and I would say all the right things, I would do all the right things, I would be nice to all the right people and I would basically do what it takes to stay in power. Is there anything that they can do at this point to get gain enough support from the UN to stay in power?
- [44:29]
A
Well, first of all, they have had all the time in the world in the past few years, including when the new round of talks has started the past few months. They didn't comply in none of those things. They keep making promises, but when it comes to delivery, they ramp up. They enrich uranium to higher levels. They increased expire stock stockpile of weapons, but also the increased killings against their own population only in the past six days, 29 prisoners have been executed since possession took office just Last year, over 1700 prisoners, including political prisoners and women, have been executed. So there is, there's nothing that the regime can do to convince the outside world, because the time has expired on them. They have lost every opportunity. This is the time for the outside world to realize that both the people of Iran, the countries in the region and the free world are opposed to this regime. There is an alternative led by a woman, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi. A lot of the, you know, the thousands of Iran Americans who are going to come here, they're going to support her. They're going to support her 10 point platform for the future of Iran. There's going to support her plan for the transition to a free, democratic, non nuclear republic. Imagine, Amanda, what a world it would be if Iran has turned from the epicenter of terror and killings into the center of peace and territory.
- [45:58]
B
Yeah. And Iran has so much to offer the world. Beautiful culture, beautiful people, ideas of freedom that now are just kind of a whisper from the past. I want to ask you about President Trump and his role in all this, because the last time you and I spoke, it was after the United States struck their nuclear facilities in Iran. President Trump's role this coming week at the UN and for a time thereafter. What does President Trump need to do to send the message loud and loud and clear that this regime has got to go?
- [46:29]
A
Well, first of all, President Trump should know that as he speaks, there are thousands right outside of the UN calling for the snapback of sanctions, calling for firmness against the regime, calling for step up pressure on the Iran regime. They're not, you know, calling for boots on the ground or money or arms. None of that. They're saying, recognize the right of the people of Iran for change. That's really all it needs to be done. The President Trump and all the world leaders, they need to recognize the people of Iran as a representation, representatives of the nation, not the mullahs. And they need to adjust their policies based on that. Don't give them money, don't give them resources. Hold the regime accountable for what they have done in terms of terrorism, weapons of mass destructions, their missile program, and the killings inside Iran. The rest is actually the responsibility of the people of Iran and the organized resistance who have stepped up their activities. Especially, especially the past few months, the regime has arrested so many members of the resistance units, they even executed a number of them. They are over a dozen of them who are on death row. None of those things are going to work. But the responsibility of the outside world is to recognize them, speak on their behalf, and hold the regime accountable.
- [47:47]
B
Ali Rosa Jafarzada, the deputy director of the Washington office for the National Council of Resistance of Iran you guys do such great work. Alireza, thanks so much for being here.
- [47:57]
A
Thank you so much. Amanda, always a pleasure.
- [47:59]
B
Likewise. And everybody go check out his book, the Iran Threat. And we're going to take one more break before we get to the next segment, so hang tight and we'll be back on the other side. Hey there. I'm Mary Kathryn Ham. And I'm Carol Markowitz. We've been in political media for a long time, long enough to know that it's gotten, well, a little insane. That's why we started Normaly, a podcast for people who are over the hysteria and just want clarity. We talk about the issues that actually matter to the country without panic, without yelling, and with a healthy dose of humor. We don't take ourselves too seriously, but we do take the truth seriously. So if you're into common sense, sanity, and some occasional sass, you're our kind of people. Catch new episodes of Normally every Tuesday and Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen. Welcome back, everybody. We've got an interesting story to finish up tonight. Secondhand snoring is sending more couples to separate bedrooms. And now America's birth rate is at a record low. So could there be a connection? Joining us now to discuss how we can get better sleep. And I bet you I can find the connection there. It's founder and inventor of ZPA, biomedical engineer and renowned sleep expert, Dr. Jonathan Greenberg. Dr. Greenberg, thanks so much for joining us.
- [49:26]
I
Hi, Amanda. Great being here, as always, and great topic. Great opening question.
- [49:32]
B
I mean, I gotta say, I mean, it's not that long of a thread to connect the dots between people not sleeping in the same room, the thing that you have to do to get pregnant, and low birth rates.
- [49:43]
I
Hard to make kids if you're not sleeping together.
- [49:48]
B
Indeed. Indeed. So, all right, so secondhand snoring, obviously, you're hearing your husband or wife snoring up a storm and raising the roof off the house. That obviously makes it hard to sleep next to them.
- [50:02]
I
Yeah, I mean, look what's going on today. And not having as many kids today with the younger generation, I think there's more to it than just the quality of the sleep or sleeping in separate bedrooms. But there's no question. I mean, you know, we look at, you know, what happened with Charlie and everything else going on. People when you don't get a good night's sleep, you wake up, you're frustrated, you're on a short fuse, your temper goes quickly, you're upset with everybody, and people underestimate how important the quality of the sleep is. I mean, it's a foundational part of the health. One of the big things that I notice a lot, a lot of men especially talk about how macho they are. Oh, I only needed four hours of sleep last night. It's kind of like a badge of honor. But the truth is, it's just the opposite. All studies show that if you don't get enough sleep, you don't get quality sleep. And talk about quality versus quantity, because we all know people who sleep nine, 10 hours, they wake up again still exhausted. They take naps during the day, and a lot of that is due to snoring. That's one of the really obvious things that happens because when somebody is snoring, either you or, or the bed partner, you're literally being woken up every 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, all night long. The worst part is you're not even aware you're being woken up, but you are. And that's why you're so tired and snoring. It's easy to fix. So it's got so much going on. And you know, you look at pro athletes, pro athletes now are so vigilant and so adamant about getting their eight hours worth of sleep because they know that's the best performance they're going to get on their field. And their body is kind of their temple. They need that sleep. And so the respect they give that sleep, the respect they need. So it's kind of, if you want to be the best version of yourself, don't cheat yourself on your sleep. The good news is if you get that quality sleep, you probably will need a little bit less sleep than you're getting now, but you're going to feel a lot better. Wake up, you won't need that extra cup of coffee. Really a lot of fun there.
- [52:17]
B
Yeah, you know, I think a lot of people do realize the value of sleep, but a lot of people, they turn to medications like Ambien or, you know, over the counter sleep aids to deal with snoring and poor sleep. So I mean, you're a doctor. What is your perspective on relying on pharmaceuticals versus using a holistic solution like siba?
- [52:38]
I
Well, as a doctor, I'm actually anti drugs and anti pills. It's like, do you really want to make America healthy again? Kind of, you know, mop and make America sleep again? You know, get at the root cause. When you're taking a pill, you're treating symptoms, you're not getting at the original problem. So what happens is you stay on these pills forever. You don't get rid of them. And the key is to get off of them. So get at the root cause. And that's what we're really looking at doing. And you know, so for me, and when I invented the Z part, I wanted something that was not a pill that could get rid of the snoring without taking a pill. Making somebody feel better in the morning, giving them that extra energy and making that, you know, not the, that, you know, the third cup of coffee.
- [53:26]
B
Yeah. Dr. Bringer Greenberg, I know you've set a goal to donate 50, $50,000 to the Susan G. Komen for Breast Cancer Research Organization. You've also spoken about the role of sleep in overall help. Help explain to us the connection between quality sleep and long term disease prevention, including things like breast cancer.
- [53:47]
I
Yeah, it's huge. I mean there's a whole lot of different areas we hit at. So first look at hormonal balance. Okay. Research shows that when, when you don't get sleep, it's disrupted. You're impacting your melatonin levels, your estrogen levels, your cortisol levels. All those play an important role in cancer development or keeping cancer from developing. You've got your immune defense. So you've got again your body. When you get into that REM sleep, the deep sleep, you've got that immune surveillance and that helps the body detect those cancer, the aberrant cells get rid of them. Then you've got cellular repair. Okay, that's always important. And of course the inflammation link, all of those tie directly in. So the way I kind of look at it, sleep isn't just rest. It's nightly medicine for immune system, you know, and your hormone, your hormones, your DNA, the inflammation as well as your metabolism. Metabolism.
- [54:47]
B
So it's not just rest, it's restoration. And that's something that can happen while we are sleeping. Dr. Jonathan Greenberg, thank you so much for joining us tonight. And to our audience, if you want to get a zipa, visit zyph.com that is happy Z backwards. And you can do a little good too because if you purchase a ZPA, it'll also get $10. Get donates. $10 will get donated to the Susan G. Komen foundation that's working to find a cure for breast cancer. So everybody go check it out. We are all here about the Maha movement moving away from pharmaceuticals and into solutions like this. So check it out. That's all the time we have for tonight. We'll be back here tomorrow night at 6:00pm Eastern. This is an iHeart podcast.