Podcast Summary: The Matt Walsh Show - Ep. 1559: The Downfall Of “Pride” Is Here And It’s Glorious

Release Date: March 20, 2025

1. Introduction and Overview

In Episode 1559 of The Matt Walsh Show, Matt Walsh tackles several pressing cultural and political issues, including the decline of major social movements like Black Lives Matter (BLM) and Pride, a disturbing case of teacher sexual abuse, and President Donald Trump's executive order to abolish the Department of Education. Additionally, Walsh addresses the backlash he received for his assertion that America was built by settlers rather than immigrants. The episode is structured to provide in-depth analysis, supplemented by notable quotes from both Walsh and guest Stephanie Rothman.

2. The Decline of Social Movements: BLM and Pride

Walsh begins by highlighting the waning influence of key social movements. He points out that corporations are withdrawing support from Pride Month well in advance and asserts that the BLM movement has already collapsed.

Matt Walsh [00:00]: "Corporations are already pulling their money out of Pride Month several weeks ahead of time. The BLM movement has collapsed. The Pride movement is next, it seems."

He elaborates on the dwindling public demonstrations, contrasting the massive turnout of the Women's March in 2017 with the significantly reduced participation in recent events.

Matt Walsh [02:10]: "When Trump was Inaugurated back in 2017, half a million protesters reportedly participated in the so-called Women's March... but for Trump's second inauguration earlier this year, only a few thousand people participated."

Walsh questions the grassroots authenticity of these movements, suggesting they were heavily reliant on funding that has now evaporated as political landscapes shift.

3. Financial Withdrawal and Corporate Accountability

Addressing the corporate retreat from social causes, Walsh notes that many businesses are scaling back their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Critical Race Theory (CRT), and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) programs to focus on serving all customers rather than catering to specific political interests.

Matt Walsh [03:15]: "Many businesses are beginning to mothball their DEI, CRT, and ESG programs and focus on serving customers, all customers, rather than political interests."

He introduces a sponsored segment promoting Constitution Wealth, encouraging listeners to align their investments with conservative values to hold companies accountable for their ethical behavior. This aligns with the broader theme of combating "wokeism" in American corporate and cultural spheres.

4. Teacher Sexual Abuse Epidemic

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to discussing a harrowing case of alleged sexual abuse by a teacher, highlighting an ongoing epidemic within the school system. Walsh emphasizes the lack of public outrage compared to other high-profile abuse scandals.

Matt Walsh [05:45]: "The epidemic of sex abuse in our school system continues. When will the public start to actually care about it?"

He criticizes the public and institutional response, drawing parallels to the Me Too movement's focus on the Catholic Church and Hollywood, where he feels similar systemic issues in education are being overlooked.

Matt Walsh [15:50]: "The public school system still has not gotten the Catholic Church treatment...public school sex abuse is an open secret among the entire American population."

5. Abolishing the Department of Education

Walsh discusses President Trump's executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, arguing that it is a necessary step to eliminate what he perceives as a bureaucratic and Marxist influence on American education.

Matt Walsh [06:10]: "Donald Trump is moving forward with plans to abolish the Department of Education. Trump is expected to sign an executive order following through on a campaign promise to disband the department, claiming on the campaign trail that the department was full of radical zealots and Marxists."

He challenges listeners to evaluate the Department's effectiveness by comparing educational outcomes from its inception in 1979 to the present day, asserting that there has been no meaningful improvement.

Matt Walsh [11:30]: "What has the Department of Education achieved? Compare the state of education today to prior to its existence, and tell me where you see the department's achievements."

6. America Built by Settlers, Not Immigrants: Online Backlash

A focal point of the episode is Walsh's controversial statement that "America is not a nation built by immigrants. It was built by settlers," which sparked significant online outrage. He reads and responds to a selection of critical comments from listeners, defending his stance and challenging the narratives around American history.

Matt Walsh [12:45]: "America was built by settlers. Settlers ventured out into the wilderness to build a civilization from scratch. The modern immigrant comes to a place that's already built."

He addresses accusations of racism and fascism, asserting that these criticisms only reinforce his original point.

Matt Walsh [14:20]: "They have achieved, if anything, the opposite result. So let me make a few points in response to all this... defending America's history and its foundation has become, I think, one of our most important cultural fights."

Walsh provides a detailed rebuttal, arguing that much of the American land was sparsely populated and that early settlers faced significant challenges from indigenous populations, thereby framing settlers as pioneers rather than colonizers.

Matt Walsh [20:10]: "The continental United States and Canada comprise about 7 million square miles... most of it was empty of human life."

He concludes by reaffirming his pride in America's foundational history and dismissing the criticisms as attempts to rewrite history.

Matt Walsh [22:35]: "Am I proud of that? Yes, I am very proud of that. And I will never apologize for it, period."

7. Additional Discussions and Commentary

Beyond the main topics, Walsh touches on broader cultural issues, including the concept of toxic masculinity and its portrayal in media and politics. He predicts that the left will pivot towards framing gender as a central cultural conflict in the coming years.

Matt Walsh [19:50]: "I think that toxic masculinity, so called the war on men, this will be the major battle of the latter half of the 2000s."

He also briefly addresses geographic inaccuracies pointed out by listeners, maintaining his stance on holding individuals accountable for factual errors.

8. Conclusion

In closing, Matt Walsh reiterates his commitment to defending America's historical narrative and combating what he perceives as declining societal values. He remains unapologetic in his viewpoints, emphasizing the importance of understanding and appreciating the nation's foundational history.

Matt Walsh [23:50]: "Am I proud of that? Yes, I am. And I will never apologize for it, period."

The episode concludes with a strong affirmation of his perspectives, urging listeners to stay engaged in these cultural battles and uphold the values he champions.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• On Corporate Withdrawal from Pride:
  "Corporations are already pulling their money out of Pride Month several weeks ahead of time."
  — Matt Walsh [00:00]

• On the Decline of the Women's March:
  "When Trump was Inaugurated back in 2017, half a million protesters reportedly participated in the so-called Women's March... but for Trump's second inauguration earlier this year, only a few thousand people participated."
  — Matt Walsh [02:10]

• On Teacher Sexual Abuse Epidemic:
  "The epidemic of sex abuse in our school system continues. When will the public start to actually care about it?"
  — Matt Walsh [00:00]

• On Abolishing the Department of Education:
  "Donald Trump is moving forward with plans to abolish the Department of Education... claiming on the campaign trail that the department was full of radical zealots and Marxists."
  — Matt Walsh [06:10]

• Responding to Online Backlash:
  "America was built by settlers. Settlers ventured out into the wilderness to build a civilization from scratch. The modern immigrant comes to a place that's already built."
  — Matt Walsh [12:45]

• Defending America's Foundational History:
  "Am I proud of that? Yes, I am very proud of that. And I will never apologize for it, period."
  — Matt Walsh [22:35]

Final Thoughts

Episode 1559 of The Matt Walsh Show presents a rigorous examination of the diminishing influence of major social movements, systemic issues within the education system, and contentious narratives surrounding American history and identity. Walsh maintains a confrontational and unapologetic tone throughout, aiming to challenge prevailing social and political paradigms. For listeners seeking a perspective that counters mainstream narratives on these critical issues, this episode offers a comprehensive and provocative analysis.