Podcast Summary: The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour

Episode: How DEI Weakens the Military

Date: March 21, 2025
Host: Scott Bertram (Hillsdale College)

Overview of the Episode

This episode of The Radio Free Hillsdale Hour explores three distinct but thematically linked topics: an introduction to the fundamentals of capitalism (with Dr. Charles Steele), a deep dive into the impact of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies on the readiness and effectiveness of the U.S. military (with Will Tebow), and accessible advice for appreciating classical music (with Dr. Derek Stoff). The primary focus is on Will Tebow’s recent report analyzing how DEI initiatives have, in his view, weakened military preparedness by shifting priorities away from merit-based standards.

Segment 1: Understanding Capitalism

Guest: Dr. Charles Steele, Director of the Center for Commerce and Freedom, Hillsdale College
Timestamps: 01:21 – 11:51

Key Points & Insights

• Defining Capitalism

  • Capitalism is not “rule by capitalists” but “an economic system based on private property rights, freedom of contract, and the use of money as a medium of exchange.”
    Quote:

    “Capitalism is an economic system. It's not ruled by any particular people... The primary prerequisites… are, number one, private property rights... the freedom to contract... and then thirdly, we also need money.”
    (Dr. Charles Steele, 02:00)

• Human Nature and Capitalism

  • Capitalism aligns with human nature—self-interest and being social—by leveraging incentives to serve others’ needs.
  • Adam Smith’s view: self-interest isn’t inherently selfish, as it undergirds cooperation and prosperity.
  • Quote:

    “Smith points out... man is first of all most interested in what concerns him. He's also the one who is most capable of understanding what he needs and what he can contribute to others.”
    (Dr. Steele, 03:47)

• Why Capitalism Works

  • Profit and loss provide feedback—profit signals creating value, loss signals destroying it.
  • Quote:

    “If we earn profit, profit is essential. That's gain. And it shows that one has taken resources... and converted them to something that is more valuable.”
    (Dr. Steele, 04:55)

• Addressing Critiques of Capitalism

  • Crony capitalism is not true capitalism but government interference (historically called “mercantilism”).
  • Quote:

    “Crony capitalism... is actually what Adam Smith called mercantilism... That's the use of government to interfere with capitalism.”
    (Dr. Steele, 06:35)

• Foreign Perspectives

  • After experiencing socialism firsthand, foreign students largely viewed capitalism as superior.
  • There is a risk of taking successful systems for granted and idealizing alternatives.

• Democratic Socialism

  • Labeling aside, socialism is centralized, unresponsive to market signals, and inefficient, whether adopted through democracy or not.
  • Quote:

    “Democratic socialism is socialism... And whether we voted for it or whether it was imposed by a dictator, it's still socialism and it doesn't work.”
    (Dr. Steele, 08:58)

• Capitalism and American History

  • America’s economic freedom is foundational to its success and global leadership.
  • Understanding economics is key to understanding American history.

• Course Aim

  • Dr. Steele emphasizes the practical and moral case for capitalism, hoping students “understand the importance of private property, individual liberty and sound money.”
  • Quote:

    “Capitalism is really the system that permits human flourishing... this has both practical implications, but also that it's a moral system.”
    (Dr. Steele, 10:46)

Segment 2: The Impact of DEI on the U.S. Military

Guest: Will Tebow, Director, American Military Project, Claremont Institute
Timestamps: 14:09 – 28:55

Main Theme

Will Tebow presents research arguing that DEI policies fundamentally weaken U.S. military effectiveness by prioritizing diversity quotas over merit and readiness.

Key Points & Insights

• Purpose of the U.S. Military

  • The military has a unique function: “to apply violence at an industrial scale in defense of the American nation.”
  • Civilian values and military values are inherently distinct; importing civil diversity goals muddles mission clarity.
  • Quote:

    “The military is the only institution that exists exclusively to apply violence at an industrial scale in defense of the American nation.”
    (Will Tebow, 14:32)

• Is Military Diversity Necessary?

  • Tebow asserts that mirroring the nation’s demographics is not necessary; in fact, it detracts from the military’s unique needs for hierarchy, discipline, and a focus on mission above individual identity.
  • Quote:

    “It's not necessary. And there are many reasons to believe that if such a reflection is a goal... the military would inherently lose its focus from its core, unique mission.”
    (Will Tebow, 15:11)

• Nature of DEI Initiatives

  • DEI pushes for proportional racial and gender representation; when natural outcomes differ, the assumption is systemic injustice.
  • Focus is on equal representation “between the races and sexes” regardless of job qualification or mission.
  • Quote:

    “The DEI project... is the effort to demand and guarantee equal representation between the races and sexes in the military and in the nation writ large.”
    (Will Tebow, 16:47)

• Consequences for Military Effectiveness

  • Standards are eroded: “DEI has upended the essence of what standards mean for the military… [It] forces a consideration of innate characteristics... to influence the ultimate decision about personnel and programs.”
  • Policies lead to discriminatory practices against majority groups to fulfill diversity quotas, causing “a crippling lack of manpower and military resources.”
  • Quote:

    “Majority groups are discriminated against in order to meet diversity outcomes, goals and quotas of any kind.”
    (Will Tebow, 18:02)

• Impacts on Morale and Cohesion

  • Emphasis on demographic representation undermines cohesion and trust essential for military units.
  • The rationale that minority soldiers need demographically-matched role models is called “a pernicious one of the DEI left.”
  • Quote:

    “It's the corrupt notion that there is something wrong if a unit looks a certain way, regardless of the standards that led to them being composed in that exact manner.”
    (Will Tebow, 20:00)

• DEI and Women in the Military

  • Argues that personnel decisions should be based solely on job competence, not on expanding opportunities based on sex or race.
  • Says the focus must return to “the best people for the jobs… directly related to the conduct… of one’s job in the military.”
  • Quote:

    “The only consideration for military personnel... should be job competence and those attributes that are directly related to the... excellent conduct of one's job in the military.”
    (Will Tebow, 21:59)

• Critique of Military Bureaucracy

  • Questions the ballooning number of commands and senior officers vs. WWII; suggests modern bureaucracy serves itself.
  • The current military command structure and the roles of institutions like West Point and Joint Staff are scrutinized for efficiency.
  • Quote:

    “It is almost as if the bureaucracy of the DOD exists for the sake of the bureaucracy of the DOD.”
    (Will Tebow, 24:02)

• Recruiting and the Trump Administration

  • Notes a surge in enlistment since the start of the “second Trump administration,” attributing rise to renewed public trust in military leadership focused on national self-interest.
  • Quote:

    “I think the American people have the confidence that the President will make decisions... only considering... the American people and the American national interest.”
    (Will Tebow, 26:22)

• Sustainability of Trends

  • Predicts continued improvement in recruiting if the military remains distinctive—a place to develop character and serve a higher cause, rather than just another self-actualization institution.
  • Warns that losing its distinctive ethos would return numbers “to mediocre again.”
  • Quote:

    “There has to be something distinctive about the ethos and the values of the military. And our government, through policy, should ensure that it stays that way.”
    (Will Tebow, 27:16)

Segment 3: How to Listen To and Appreciate Music

Guest: Dr. Derek Stoff, Associate Professor of Music, Hillsdale College
Timestamps: 31:11 – 52:12

Key Points & Insights

• Active Listening Challenges

  • Many find it hard to stay engaged during long classical performances due to unfamiliarity; “familiarizing yourself with it makes it easier to understand,” much like language immersion.
  • Quote:

    “Familiarizing yourself with it makes it easier to understand. It's not unlike learning a second language... when you're confronted as a newbie... your brain hasn't yet learned to filter those sounds...”
    (Dr. Stoff, 31:28)

• Practical Advice for Attentive Listening

  • Make use of recordings to listen in chunks, not just from the beginning; focus on internal sections to build familiarity.
  • In the past, immersion came from personally making or reading music, not just listening as passive audiences.

• Historical Norms of Listening

  • Historically, music was more participatory and social—people played music or experienced it in less formal settings.
  • Sitting silently for long concerts is a modern invention; even revered composers like Bach wrote music for coffee houses, not silent concert halls.
  • Quote:

    “People don't normally sit down for hours on end and listen to music like this. In the past... the most pleasure you get out of music is in the making.”
    (Dr. Stoff, 36:18)

• It’s Normal to Be Distracted

  • Don’t feel guilty for wandering attention: “Even the best of us... have moments where our attention is flagging in concerts.”
  • Familiarity through casual listening (while gardening, cooking, etc.) can help, even if not fully focused.

• Core Musical Terms Explained

  • Pitch: Frequency of sound; we use terms “high/low” as metaphors.
  • Rhythm: The movement of music through time; even a single note creates rhythm by having a start and end.
  • Meter: Grouping of beats—most commonly in twos and threes.
  • Melody: The main tuneful line formed by connecting pitches and phrases.
  • Harmony: Multiple pitches together, creating chords and depth.
  • Quote:

    “Rhythm... if you had to reduce music to its sort of first principle. It's this idea of moving through time.”
    (Dr. Stoff, 43:59)

• Do You Need Technical Knowledge?

  • Technical labeling is optional; the more valued experience is making personal, aesthetic judgments—“this is beautiful,” “I enjoyed this,” or even “I didn’t like this.”

  • Critics from outside music can bring valuable perspectives, using everyday language.

  • Quote:

    “You can do a lot of criticism of music without knowing a lot about the technical nature of music... sometimes the best critics are people from outside domains, domains outside of music...”
    (Dr. Stoff, 49:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Standards and DEI:

  “DEI has upended the essence of what standards mean for the military.”
  (Will Tebow, 18:02)

• On What Makes the Military Distinct:

  “There has to be something distinctive about the ethos and the values of the military.”
  (Will Tebow, 27:16)

• On Technical Music Knowledge:

  “Musicians sometimes have their heads stuck in the sand thinking that musician shop talk is what it means to understand music... But it doesn't necessarily mean that you've really understood the music and know why it's important.”
  (Dr. Derek Stoff, 49:50)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:21] – Dr. Charles Steele on Capitalism
• [14:09] – Will Tebow on the military’s mission and DEI
• [18:02] – Effects of DEI on military standards
• [24:02] – Military leadership model and bureaucratic critique
• [26:22] – Change in enlistment under new administration
• [31:11] – Dr. Derek Stoff on listening and appreciating music

Episode Takeaways

• The episode critiques DEI through the lens of military readiness, argues for the unique and rigorous nature of military standards, and alludes to recent policy shifts affecting recruitment.
• It also underscores the value of understanding foundational economic and artistic concepts—not only in technical terms, but in their human and moral context.
• Accessible and practical strategies are offered for engaging with both complex economics and classical music, with an emphasis on personal experience and discernment over rote expertise.

For more information on the guests and full reports or resources, visit claremont.org and hillsdale.edu.