1.15.25 Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing, World Tour, and a beloved family home reduced to ashes

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It – Episode 1.15.25

Title: Pete Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing, World Tour, and a Beloved Family Home Reduced to Ashes
Host: WORLD Radio
Release Date: January 15, 2025

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1. U.S. Political Landscape: Pete Hegseth’s Confirmation Hearing

The episode delves deep into the political arena, spotlighting the confirmation hearings for President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees. Central to this discussion is the contentious hearing of Pete Hegseth for the position of Secretary of Defense.

• Hegseth’s Background and Qualifications:

  Hegseth, a combat veteran with experience in both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, emphasizes his battlefield experience as crucial for the role. At [00:12], he states, “I’ve led troops in combat. I’ve been on patrol for days. This is not academic for me. This is my life.” His credentials include leading nonprofits like Vets for Freedom and serving as a Fox News contributor.

• Senate Hearing Dynamics:

  The hearing, as reported by Kent Covington at [01:05], featured a barrage of questions from senators, particularly focusing on Hegseth’s past remarks and personal conduct. Democrats, led by Senator Jack Reed, challenged Hegseth on allegations of discriminatory views against women in combat roles and personal misconduct, including claims of alcohol abuse and sexual assault charges from 2017.

  During a heated exchange at [10:37], Senator Elizabeth Warren confronted Hegseth: “Just 32 days after your last public comment saying that women absolutely should not be in combat, you declared that, quote, some of our greatest warriors are women... What extraordinary event happened in that 32 day period that made you change the core values you had expressed for the preceding 12 years?”

  Hegseth responded at [10:23], “Senator, again, I very much appreciate you bringing up my comments from 2013, because for me, this issue has always been about standards...”

• Character and Conduct Scrutiny:

  Personal integrity was a significant focus. At [14:14], Hegseth admitted, “I have failed in things in my life, and thankfully I’m redeemed by my lord and savior, Jesus Christ,” addressing concerns about his past behavior and pledges of sobriety. Despite these admissions, Democratic senators remained unconvinced about his suitability for leading the Pentagon, citing concerns over his character and past actions.

• Political Implications:

  The confirmation process is portrayed as a strategic battleground, with Republicans supporting Hegseth’s plans to reform the Pentagon and eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs initiated under the Biden administration. Hegseth’s stance is clear: “[16:02] … What gender you are, what race you are, your views on climate change… the only thing that should matter is how capable are you at your job.”

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2. California Wildfires: A Community Devastated

A poignant segment covers the devastating Palisades fire in Los Angeles, highlighting the personal loss and community upheaval caused by the blaze.

• Impact on Families:

  The fire, which began on January 7, has scorched over 23,000 acres, destroyed nearly 1,300 homes, and resulted in at least eight fatalities. Mary Muncie narrates the harrowing loss of George Crandall’s family home, a property cherished for five generations. At [24:03], George shares, “...the house has been in the family for five generations, the centerpiece of extended family gatherings for nearly 75 years.”

• Community Loss and Future Uncertainty:

  The narrative underscores the irreversible loss of community structures and heritage. Lindsay Mast reflects on the broader implications: “[28:04] … many families say it’ll be impossible to rebuild… We are watching a house burn down and it never gets any easier.”

• First-Person Account:

  The Crandall family’s story provides a human face to the tragedy. The loss of Yvonne Crandall, who declined to speak publicly, symbolizes the profound personal grief experienced by residents forced to abandon their ancestral homes.

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3. World Tour: Global Events and Human Stories

The World Tour segment traverses various global issues, offering firsthand accounts and expert insights.

• Sudan’s Recapture of Wad Madani:

  Onise Adua reports jubilant celebrations following the Sudanese armed forces’ recapture of Wad Madani from rebel forces. This strategic victory, less than 100 miles from the capital Khartoum, marks a significant moment in a conflict that has displaced millions. Adil Ali, a displaced resident, expresses cautious optimism: “[19:09] … but it happened. We were displaced for over a year and we’ve lost everything… now we can start from the beginning and return home.”

• Pakistan International Airlines’ Resumption:

  The podcast highlights the return of Pakistan International Airlines’ flights to Paris after a four-year suspension due to safety concerns. Abdullah Hafeez, the airline’s spokesman, assures, “[20:17] … we have proven it’s ready for business once again.”

• Tropical Storm Dikiladi in Mayotte:

  The episode covers the impact of Tropical Storm Dikiladi on Mayotte, an archipelago facing severe weather threats. Despite previous cyclone devastation, residents like Mahsa remain apprehensive about ongoing rainy seasons and the looming threat of future storms.

• El Salvador’s Anti-Gang Protests:

  Protests in San Salvador demand the release of individuals arrested under President Nayib Bukele’s aggressive campaign against gangs. Sebastiana Avellar shares her anguish over her family's detention: “[28:02] … my son nearly a year later. She says she’s heartbroken, living without knowing how they are faring.”

• Bel Castro’s Unorthodox Ordinance:

  In an intriguing local story from Italy, Bel Castro enforces a tongue-in-cheek ordinance banning ill health, reflecting the town’s desperate plea for enhanced healthcare services amid inadequate local medical facilities.

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4. Free Speech Under Scrutiny: Brad Littlejohn’s Commentary

World Opinions contributor Brad Littlejohn provides a critical analysis of the boundaries of free speech, contextualizing it within current legal and societal debates.

• Supreme Court Case Highlight:

  Littlejohn discusses the upcoming Supreme Court hearing of Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, emphasizing the complexities when free speech protections intersect with harmful content. He illustrates this by describing the plaintiffs as a lobbying group for pornography websites implicated in child sex trafficking and rape.

• Limits of Free Speech:

  Quoting George Will, Littlejohn asserts, “[32:07] … the most important four words in politics are up to a point.” He argues that while political speech is paramount, there must be recognition of harmful speech forms that warrant regulation.

• Modern Challenges:

  Addressing the digital age's impact, Littlejohn notes the founders envisioned a world where offensive speech could be avoided by staying home. However, the ubiquity of digital platforms now exposes individuals, especially minors, to harmful content, complicating efforts to control access and protect vulnerable populations.

• Policy Implications:

  The discourse suggests a need for balanced regulations that protect free speech while mitigating its potential for harm, particularly in preventing access to exploitative and abusive content online.

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5. Conclusion: Navigating Complex Realities

The episode of "The World and Everything In It" offers a comprehensive examination of pressing issues spanning U.S. politics, environmental disasters, global conflicts, and fundamental societal debates. By weaving together personal narratives, expert analyses, and on-the-ground reporting, WORLD Radio delivers a nuanced portrayal of a world grappling with change, loss, and the continuous quest for justice and integrity.

Notable Quotes:

• Pete Hegseth on his commitment: “[00:12] … This is not academic for me. This is my life.”
• Hegseth addressing past comments: “[10:23] … because for me, this issue has always been about standards.”
• Yvonne Crandall on her loss: “[24:41] … I never thought that this was the big one.”
• Brad Littlejohn on free speech limits: “[32:07] … the most important four words in politics are up to a point.”

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This detailed summary encapsulates the episode's multifaceted discussions, providing listeners with insightful perspectives on critical global and domestic issues.

Transcript

[Lindsay Mast]

Good morning. Confirmation hearings for the Trump cabinet resume today. Most will go smoothly, but a handful may not.

[Pete Hegseth]

I've led troops in combat. I've been on patrol for days. This is not academic for me. This is my life.

[Nick Icker]

That's ahead on Washington Wednesday. Also today, world tour and a historic family, home and community loss to the Palisades fire.

[Lindsay Mast]

I think the dispersion is going to be very unique because people have completely lost their community.

[Nick Icker]

And later, is there such thing as too much free speech? Commentary from World Opinion's Brad Littlejohn.

[Lindsay Mast]

It's Wednesday, January 15th. This is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Nick Icker]

And I'm Nick Icker. Good morning.

[Lindsay Mast]

Time now for News with Kent Covington.

[Kent Covington]

On Capitol Hill this morning, cameras and microphones will be packed into Senate hearing rooms with more than a half dozen confirmation hearings scheduled for President elect Trump's cabinet picks. Those will include secretary nominees Kristi Noem for Homeland Security, Sean Duffy for Transportation, Chris Wright for Energy, and Marco Rubio for Secretary of State.

[Lindsay Mast]

It's a tremendous honor to the president would place his confidence in me in.

[Mary Muncie]

A position of such importance.

[Kent Covington]

It's also a tremendous responsibility. Other nominees on the hot seat today include Attorney general nominee Pam Bondi and John Ratcliffe for CIA Director yesterday in the Senate.

[Pete Hegseth]

Good morning. The hearing will come to order. The Committee on Armed Services has convened this hearing to consider the pending nomination of Mr. Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense.

[Kent Covington]

Hegseth, a combat veteran of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, said Trump chose him to get politics out of the Pentagon.

[Pete Hegseth]

It is time to give someone with dust on his boots the helm, a change agent, someone with no vested interest in certain companies or specific programs or approved narratives.

[Kent Covington]

He vowed that his only special interest will be the warfighter. But the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Jack Reid, countered. And your goal, as I see emerging, is to politicize the military in favor.

[Lindsay Mast]

Of your particular positions, which you've outlined extensively.

[Kent Covington]

Democrats have accused him of holding discriminatory views against women after his past remarks about women serving specifically in combat roles. Exith assured lawmakers that he respects every female service member and said all troops will be treated equally.

[Pete Hegseth]

Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles, combat rows, given the standards remain high.

[Kent Covington]

He said his only concern is that physical standards for specific roles are not lowered in the name of inclusivity. We'll have much more on that hearing later in the program. Firefighters around Los Angeles are preparing to attack flare ups or new blazes The National Weather Service issued a rare warning that dry winds combined with severely dry conditions created a particularly dangerous situation, and authorities warned that any new fire could quickly explode in size. Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristen Crowley we.

[Lindsay Mast]

Are carefully managing our operations to ensure that we can quickly respond to any new fires. In addition to the increased call volume across the city of Los Angeles, I urge and everybody here urges you to remain alert as danger has not yet passed.

[Kent Covington]

That warning comes a week after two massive fires broke out which have now destroyed thousands of homes and and have killed at least 24 people. Louisiana County Sheriff Robert Luna said crews have had the grim task of searching for human remains.

[Lindsay Mast]

We have searched approximately 3,654 properties in.

[Nick Icker]

The Altadena area thus far.

[Lindsay Mast]

Yesterday we searched 1,800 properties in Eaton.

[Kent Covington]

Luna also said that authorities have arrested dozens of people for curfew violations, looting and and illegally flying drones in impacted areas which can interfere with emergency operations. And Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonald told reporters officers responded to a radio.

[Lindsay Mast]

Call of an arson suspect at the location who had ignited a nearby trash can which was extinguished by the LA City Fire Department. Citizens directed the officers to the suspect location where he was then taken into custody without incident.

[Kent Covington]

McDonnell said police have arrested three people since Sunday for deliberately starting fires in the Middle East. Negotiators say they are now closer than ever to a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. US Secretary of State Tony Blinken, the United States, Qatar and Egypt put forward a final proposal. The ball is now in Hamas's court. If Hamas accepts, the deal is ready to be concluded and implemented under the latest ceasefire framework, Hamas would release dozens of hostages. Israel believes the terror group may still be holding more than 100 hostages in Gaza. In South Korea, hundreds of law enforcement officials entered the residential compound of impeached President Yoon Suk Yul just hours ago. World's Kristin Flavin has more.

[Lindsay Mast]

This was the government's second attempt to detain Yoon over his imposition of martial law last month. Hundreds of anti corruption corruption investigators and police officers could be deployed in a potentially multi day operation to apprehend him. The impeached president has been holed up in his residence for weeks with his security forces and lawyers resisting law enforcement. Prior to his removal from office, Yoon justified his declaration of martial law. He said pro communist lawmakers with loyalties to North Korea had infiltrated the government. For world I'm Kristen Flavin.

[Kent Covington]

And I'm Kent Covington. Straight ahead. More on Tuesday's confirmation hearing with Pete Hegseth. Plus one family's loss in the Pacific Palisades fire. This is the World and Everything in it.

[Lindsay Mast]

It's Wednesday, the 15th of January. Glad to have you along for today's edition of the World and Everything in It. Good morning. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Nick Icker]

And I'm Nick Iker. Time now for Washington Wednesday. The incoming Trump administration has roughly 4,000 political positions to fill, and one in four of them will require a thumbs up from the Senate today. Confirmation hearings for secretary of state and attorney general get underway, but likely the most controversial started yesterday in the Senate Armed Services Committee. The hearing for the new president's choice to head the Pentagon. Pete Hegseth.

[Lindsay Mast]

Here now with more on the hearing is Washington bureau reporter Carolina Lumeta.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Confirming a Cabinet position requires only a simple majority vote in the Senate, not the 60 votes required to pass legislation with a narrow Republican majority, though it only takes three dissatisfied GOP senators to hold up a nominee. And Trump's top level picks brings some baggage, particularly his pick for Secretary of defense. Here's Republican Committee Chairman Roger Wicker.

[Pete Hegseth]

Mr. Hexis, let's get into this allegation about sexual assault, inappropriate workplace behavior, alcohol abuse and financial mismanagement during your time as a nonprofit executive. I should note that the majority of these have come from anonymous sources in liberal media publications, but I want to give you an opportunity to respond to these allegations, sir.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Pete Hegseth comes with a slate of conservative credentials. He attended Princeton University through a Family Research Council fellowship and wrote for a conservative student magazine. He was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Minnesota National Guard and served in Iraq. He has led two nonprofits, Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. After further military service in Afghanistan, Hegseth joined Fox News as a contributor and has written five books on the military and conservative values. He left active duty in 2021.

[Pete Hegseth]

I've led troops in combat. I've been on patrol for days. I've pulled the trigger downrange, heard bullets whiz by flex cuffed insurgents, called in close air support, led medevacs, dodged IEDs, pulled out dead bodies and knelt before a battlefield cross. This is not academic for me. This is my life, trump has said.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Hegseth is a Pentagon outsider who can cut through the bureaucracy. But Hegseth's lack of experience leading large organizations also concerns senators like Michigan Senator Gary Peters.

[Kent Covington]

Did you drive costs down in a 50 person organization? Let me tell you, we've got to drive costs down dramatically in a organization of 3 million people and hundreds of.

[Lindsay Mast]

Billions of dollars or acquisition reform?

[Kent Covington]

Acquisition Reform, you bring that up. Have you had experience in acquisition reform?

[Pete Hegseth]

I've written about and studied on acquisition reform. Have you actually done it? Because what we need in the hands of our war fighters better change because we're not doing it well right now, it better.

[Lindsay Mast]

And we need people who have experience actually doing that.

[Carolina Lumeta]

While Hegseth met with every Republican on the Armed Services Committee prior to the hearing, he only met with one Democrat ranking member, Jack Reed. Several other senators told me that he never followed up with them or only offered a meeting after the hearing. Here's Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire.

[Lindsay Mast]

And one reason that I wanted to meet with you was because I thought it would be really helpful to better understand your views on women in the military, because you've made a number of surprising statements about women serving in the military.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Senator Shaheen and others asked about Hegseth's written and broadcast statements in which he says women should not serve in combat roles. He deflected. And Senator Elizabeth Warren followed up to ask him about his apparent change in position.

[Lindsay Mast]

Just 32 days after your last public comment saying that women absolutely should not be in combat, you declared that, quote, some of our greatest warriors are women, and you support having them serve in combat. Now, what extraordinary event happened in that 32 day period that made you change the core values you had expressed for the preceding 12 years?

[Pete Hegseth]

Senator, again, I very much appreciate you bringing up my comments from 2013, because for me, this issue has always been about standards, and unfortunately, because of some of the people that have been in critical for the last four years, priorities other than standards.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa came to Hegseth's aid, parsing out the difference between not wanting women in combat roles and wanting to prevent fitness standards from being lowered to accommodate more women in combat.

[Lindsay Mast]

But for the young women that are out there now and can meet those standards, and again, I'll emphasize they should be very, very high standards. They must physically be able to achieve those standards so that they can complete their mission. But I want to know, again, let's make it very clear for everyone here today. As Secretary of Defense, will you support women continuing to have the opportunity to serve in combat roles?

[Pete Hegseth]

Senator, first of all, thank you for your service. As we discussed extensively, as well, it's my privilege and my answer is yes, exactly the way that you caveat it.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Lawmakers also took issue with Hegseth's personal life. Hegseth has divorced twice, with infidelity cited in court documents as the cause. He has admitted to having a problem with alcohol. And in 2017, he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a Republican women's conference in California. He was not charged in that case, but evidence filed indicated he was heavily intoxicated. Last year, he paid an undisclosed amount in a confidential settlement with the woman. In private meetings with senators, Hegseth insisted that he's changed his ways. Here's what North Dakota senator Kevin Kramer told me.

[Kent Covington]

I was skeptical. I wanted to talk to him.

[Mary Muncie]

In fact, I was the one that.

[Lindsay Mast]

Insisted that I hear him tell me.

[Kent Covington]

And others that promises not to drink any alcohol.

[Lindsay Mast]

I believe in redemption.

[Kent Covington]

In fact, I think people love redemption.

[Mary Muncie]

I don't know if he's willing to repent, but I.

[Kent Covington]

But as the secretary of the secretary of defense, you have to have a clear eyed, 24 hour a day sober secretary. And he did make that pledge he made to me. He made several other members.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Hegseth repeated that pledge during his testimony, but that did not comfort Democratic senators on the committee, including Mark Kelly of Arizona.

[Kent Covington]

Summer of 2014 in Cleveland, drunk in.

[Lindsay Mast]

Public with the CVA team.

[Pete Hegseth]

Anonymous mayors.

[Kent Covington]

I'm just asking for true or false answers. An event in North Carolina, drunk in front of three young female staff members after you had instituted a no alcohol policy and then reversed it. True or false?

[Pete Hegseth]

Anonymous smears.

[Carolina Lumeta]

In one particularly testy exchange, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia accused Hegseth of lacking the character to lead the military.

[Kent Covington]

Question.

[Pete Hegseth]

You've taken an oath like you would take an oath to be secretary of defense in all of your weddings, to be faithful to your wife.

[Kent Covington]

Is that correct?

[Pete Hegseth]

I have failed in things in my life, and thankfully I'm redeemed by my lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

[Lindsay Mast]

In finalizing.

[Carolina Lumeta]

The public gallery was full of veterans supporting Hegseth. Navy veteran Scott Stoyan flew in from Augusta, Georgia.

[Lindsay Mast]

There are some questions with Pete. Okay, guess what? There's questions with me too.

[Kent Covington]

There's questions with everybody. We.

[Lindsay Mast]

We've probably not all acted in a nun like fashion. Okay? But guess what? I'm. I'm also forgiven. And Jesus Christ is my savior. And you know, there's probably some sticky.

[Pete Hegseth]

Things up there, but I believe that Pete is remorseful. I mean, that's just something to be respected.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Senate Republicans say Hegseth's plans on what to do to reform the Pentagon will get their vote, particularly members focused on ending diversity, equity and inclusion programs under the Biden administration. Here's senator Eric Schmidt of Missouri.

[Kent Covington]

In President Biden's first year in office, the Department of defense spent over 5 million man hours on quote unquote counter extremism and diversity training what you and I might call woke training or DEI hag.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Seth connected the dots.

[Pete Hegseth]

The more troubling aspect is how many training hours that takes away from a company commander or battalion commander or a wing commander who's out there trying to maintain their force, which is already constrained because of what the Biden administration has done to the defense budget and defense capabilities.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Hegseth said as a Pentagon outsider, he'll surround himself with people smarter than he is to advise him. But any program not contributing to what he called maximum lethality is on the chopping block.

[Pete Hegseth]

What gender you are, what race you are, your views on climate change, or whether you are a person of conscience and your faith should have no bearing on whether you get promoted or whether you're selected to go to West Point or whether you graduate from Ranger School. The only thing that should matter is how capable are you at your job? How excellent are you at your job?

[Carolina Lumeta]

The Senate Armed Services Committee will meet again on Monday, Inauguration Day, to vote on Hegseth's confirmation. President Elect Trump wants as much of his cabinet in office when he's inaugurated as possible, but the process through the Senate has slowed over the years. Only two of Trump's nominees were approved by his inauguration in 2017. President Joe Biden only had one by his first day. Today, Senator Marco Rubio faces the committee. He normally sits on Senate Foreign Relations. He's considered to be an easy shoo in for the next Secretary of state. Barring delays, 13 nominees are scheduled to have their hearing in the next two weeks. Reporting for World I'm Carolina Lumeta in Washington, D.C.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from the Issues Etc. Podcast Expert Guests Expansive topics extolling christ [e-mail] from Ambassadors Impact Network inviting entrepreneurs to access faith friendly financing [e-mail] and from Dort University. Student athletes in Dort's distinctively Christian athletic program grow as servant leaders while pursuing championships until all is made new.

[Nick Icker]

Coming up next on the World and Everything in It World Tour with our reporter in Africa, Onise Adua.

[Onise Odua]

We begin today's world tour at celebrations in the North African nation of Sudan. Soldiers and civilians danced in the streets of the key city of Wad Madani on Sunday, one day after Sudanese armed forces recaptured it from rebel forces. Wadmadani is less than 100 miles south of Sudan's capital of Khartoum. It is a major crossroad linking several states through key supply highways. Fighting began between Sudan's armed forces and rebels from the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, in April 2023. The violence has killed more than 28,000 people and sent millions of others fleeing in what's now the world's largest displacement crisis. Adil Ali is one of the displaced residents who celebrated the recapture.

[Lindsay Mast]

It took a long time to do.

[Mary Muncie]

It, but it happened. We were displaced for over a year and we've lost everything when RSF took over Madani. But now we can start from the beginning and return home.

[Onise Odua]

Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the IRSF and its allies have committed genocide in the conflict. We head next to Paris, where a Pakistan state owned airliner made its first descent in over four years. The flight took off from Islamabad and arrived in Paris on Friday. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency suspended the airline's authorization back in June 2020 over safety concerns after one of the airline's planes killed nearly 100 people after plunging onto a street. The Pakistani airline also faced allegations that nearly a third of its pilots had falsified their licenses. Abdullah Hafeez is a spokesman for the airline. He says the safety analysis has been strict and the airline has proven it's ready for business once again.

[Lindsay Mast]

They found it to be at par with any best service in the world. So in that sense, now with the certification that we have, I think the apprehension should not be there and PI is a safe airline.

[Onise Odua]

Pakistan International Airlines is still barred from operating in the United States and the United Kingdom next to Mayotte, one of the poorest overseas regions of France. Mayotte is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean situated between Madagascar and Mozambique. Tropical Storm Dikiladi passed about 60 miles south of Mayotte, bringing heavy rains and prompting the highest alert level. The damage was not as severe as last month's Cyclone Cheeto. The cyclone killed at least 39 people and injured more than 5,000. Mahsa lives on the island. She says she's worried since the rainy season is far from over. Mayotte is densely populated with more than 300,000 residents. We end today in El Salvador, where protesters are demanding the release of some of those arrested under the president's war on gangs. About 2,000 people joined the march in the capital of San Salvador on Sunday. El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele launched his war on gangs back in 2022 as homicides escalated. Authorities have swept up more than 83,000 people in arrests since then. Sebastiana Avellar said security forces detained her husband in 2022 and her son nearly a year later. She says she's heartbroken, living without knowing how they are faring. President Bukele has said his administration has released some 8,000 innocent people. El Salvador documented a record low of 114 homicides last year. That's it for this week's world tour. Reporting for WORLD I'm Onize Odua in Abuja, Nigeria.

[Nick Icker]

El Castro is a picturesque little village on the tip of the Italian boot, and it's giving illness the boot by making it illegal to get sick. That's the mayor explaining his tongue in cheek ordinance banning ill health. He's saying his town has health care in name only, so his decree is less a joke and more a plea for help. The nearest hospital is 30 miles away, accessible only by a slow winding road. And the lone doctor, well, he's off duty nights, weekends and holidays. So until something changes, Bel Castro's unofficial motto is clear, stay healthy or you may need a lawyer too. It's the world and everything in it.

[Lindsay Mast]

Today is Wednesday, January 15th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning, I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Nick Icker]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Next up on THE WORLD AND Everything in at the California fires. Currently more than 6,000 personnel are fighting the Palisades and Eaton fires. Dry conditions and high winds are driving the intensity and spread together. Those two fires are likely to become the most costly in the history of LA County.

[Lindsay Mast]

Many families say it'll be impossible to rebuild. World's Mary Muncie talked to one family who lost more than just their home.

[Kent Covington]

She said, yeah, well, you know, I had my backpack and I just did the normal evacuation thing.

[Lindsay Mast]

But I never thought that this was the big one. George Crandall spent his childhood in the Pacific Palisades. He's Talking about his 87 year old stepmother, Yvonne, who now lives in the family home he grew up in.

[Kent Covington]

This was the fifth time she had to evacuate.

[Lindsay Mast]

Over the past 15 years, Yvonne has kind of become used to the evacuations. Last Tuesday afternoon she left with her important documents and the clothes on her back, thinking she'd be back in a couple days. But on Wednesday morning, she got a notification on her phone that the fire alarm in the house was going off overnight. Everything got wiped out. Yvonne is devastated, so much so that she declined to speak with us. The house has been in the family for five generations, the centerpiece of extended family gatherings for nearly 75 years. In the late 1940s, grandparents and my parents moved to Southern California. Crandall was only three or four years old when his parents walked out onto a bluff overlooking the Santa Monica bay. They walked out there and he said, babe, this is it.

[Kent Covington]

He picked up the for sale sign.

[Lindsay Mast]

And put it in the trunk of his car. No one else was going to buy that property. Pacific Palisades was founded in 1922. It began as a Methodist retreat. It was a place for retired missionaries and pastors to buy homes or little lots. And they were made so they'd be affordable for the retiring church people. George Crandall's father and uncle built a one story ranch style house with a big yard that overlooked the bay. There was a big magnolia tree in the backyard and his grandmother put in brick paths around it and along the bluff. I mean, that was my first home. Keena Ganage is George Crandall's daughter. She lived in the house until she was 10. It had that old charm just because it was such an old home and had been kept nice. Ganache remembers her great grandmother sitting on the couch in the living room and Thanksgiving ending in everyone around the self playing piano. Ganage and her kids also lived on the property on and off in 2008. And our children all began to have that same connection to the home and property because of that time and it became a very special place for them. Throughout the years many generations shared the home but none of them did much to change it. I grew up on the same property with my grandparents and my great grandmother. A few years ago, ganache had her 50th birthday at the house. It wasn't a fancy house. It wasn't, you know, it wasn't anything about the house self. It was what the house and property facilitated and that was what was special. But while the house remained relatively untouched, the town changed around it. George Crandall Once again the older bungalow.

[Kent Covington]

Houses were being transformed into huge places.

[Lindsay Mast]

That took up most of the lot. Mansions that have now gone up in flames. Would you continue our coverage of the wildfires that are burning across Southern California?

[Carolina Lumeta]

Thousands of families have lost their homes.

[Mary Muncie]

This week we are watching a house.

[Lindsay Mast]

Burn down and it never gets any easier. And our hearts go out to the folks who call that house home. The Palisades fire started on January 7. In the eight days since, the fire has scorched more than 23,000 acres. It's destroyed nearly 1,300 homes and structures and at least eight residents have died in the fire. Now a 6pm to 6am curfew remains in effect and tens of thousands of people have evacuated the area. I think the distance dispersion is going to be very unique because people have completely lost their community. Many of the area's wealthy residents may have resources to rebuild, but that takes time, time that many of the old timers probably can't invest. You won't have the old influence of the people who've been there for generations coming back. It's likely to be all, you know, more new residents or all new residents. And because the home would never be able to be built nowadays the way it was back then. As for the Crandall family, George says they likely won't rebuild, and his stepmother, Yvonne, isn't sure where she'll go. I expect a lot of people won't return, and it will take years and years and years before that community starts to look like a community again. It was just sort of like something got erased. And regardless of how many do return, Grindel says that he doesn't think it will ever be the same. But they're grateful for the memories that the fire could not destroy, and they look forward to making new ones, wherever that may be. Reporting for World I'm Mary Muncie.

[Mary Muncie]

Foreign.

[Nick Icker]

Today is Wednesday, January 15th. Good morning, this is the World and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio, I'm Nick Iger.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. Up next, World Opinions contributor Brad Littlejohn wonders about limits to free speech.

[Mary Muncie]

Today, the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton. Now, without any idea who the parties are, many Americans would probably reflexively side with the Free Speech Coalition. After all, isn't free speech what we are all about as Americans? However, if told that in this case the plaintiffs are a lobbying group representing pornography websites known to profit from child sex trafficking and rape, we might rethink our reflexive sympathies. Can there be such thing as too much free speech protection? In recent years, many Christian conservatives would have been tempted to answer no, seeing censorship as a major threat to our freedom to argue our viewpoints and practice our beliefs. And yet, as George Will once famously said, the most important four words in politics are up to a point. Even free speech, it turns out, can be taken too far. In the current case before the court is Exhibit A of why and where we must be prepared to draw some lines in the sand. The form of speech that most deserves protection is political speech, speech in which we as citizens offer a substantive viewpoint on what our society ought to do or how our rulers ought to govern. Indeed, this is what our founders chiefly seem to have in mind. With the First Amendment, Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or of the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Now note, not only does the text situate free speech within the context of political petition, but notice the crucial article, the freedom of speech. What does that article mean? Well, it tells us that the Founders were not making a sweeping philosophical declaration in thin air. Rather, they were seeking to ensure that our Constitution maintained an already understood sphere of freedom, an existing body of legal rights around speech. This body was found in the English common law, which was taken up into American law. And this always recognized that there were some kinds of speech, for instance obscenity, incitement, sedition, or libel, that didn't enjoy automatic protection. In recent decades, our courts have dramatically broadened free speech protections. We've ceased to worry about whether the speech was contributing to public debate or even whether it was making truth claims at all. Speech has been expanded to include all forms of expression, including images or performances. An adult entertainer can now claim First Amendment rights for self expression. With the line between speech and action so far blurred, we might ask why outright prostitution is still illegal. Why can't they be free to express themselves? At the same time, in keeping with a general cultural trend, to treat any inconvenience as an oppressive burden? Plaintiffs have routinely succeeded in arguing that any regulations that might make speech even just a bit more difficult are a restriction on speech. So, for instance, in the present case, the requirement that adults undergo anonymous age verification before accessing hardcore pornography, we're told, burdens adults access to protected speech and therefore is unconstitutional. But the great irony is that this grave constitutional concern about burdening access has emerged at exactly the same time that it is easier to access pornography than ever before. The founders imagined a world where even when offensive or immoral speech was permitted, you could always avoid it by staying home. Today it invades the home through a dozen digital portals so that parents are reduced to playing whack a mole in a futile effort to protect their children from the most obscene content imaginable. Who exactly is being burdened in this scenario? Pornographers or the most vulnerable amongst us? I'm Brad Littlejohn.

[Nick Icker]

Tomorrow, trying to protect minors from harmful online material using age verification, we'll consider some of the benefits and the unintended consequences. And the debate over H1B visas. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Iger.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective. Journalism that informs, educates, and inspires. Jesus said, woe to the world for temptations to sin, for it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes. Verse 7:7 of Matthew chapter 18 Go now in grace and peace.