12.10.24 Syria’s power struggle, corporate America backs away from DEI, and the joy of singing ancient music

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Syria’s Power Struggle, Corporate America Backs Away from DEI, and the Joy of Singing Ancient Music"
The World and Everything In It
Release Date: December 10, 2024
Host/Author: WORLD Radio

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1. Introduction

In this episode of The World and Everything In It, WORLD Radio delves into three significant topics shaping our global and cultural landscape: the evolving power dynamics in Syria following President Bashar Al Assad's ousting, the retreat of corporate America from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and the resurgence of ancient musical traditions through shape note singing. Hosted by Mary Reichard and co-hosted by Kent Covington and Nick Eicher, the episode blends in-depth reporting, expert analysis, and heartfelt stories to provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of these issues.

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2. Syria’s Power Struggle

The episode opens with a critical look at Syria's tumultuous political landscape following the reported expulsion of President Bashar Al Assad by rebel forces.

• Assad’s Ouster and Aftermath:
  Reporter Kristin Flavin discusses the significance of Assad's departure, quoting Secretary of State Tony Blinken:

  "The reign of Syrian dictator Bashar Al Assad is over. And Secretary of State Tony Blinken says while questions remain, that is very good news."
  (00:25:34)

• Emergence of Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS):
  World correspondent Caleb Weldy provides a historical context of the Assad regime, highlighting the rise of HTS, a coalition initially formed by former Al Qaeda member Ahmed Hussein Al Shara (Abu Mohammed Al Jelani). Weldy explains how Jelani transitioned from Al Qaeda to ISIS, eventually forming HTS, which now controls significant territories in Syria.

  "Under Bashar, the regime has been torn apart by civil war. Food prices have climbed out of control."
  (00:07:41)

• International Reactions and Regional Security:
  The segment highlights Israel's swift military actions to secure a buffer zone between Israel and Syria, as stated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

  "I ordered the Israeli military to seize a buffer zone between Israel and Syria. It is necessary to ensure Israel's security."
  (00:01:44)
  Additionally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's openness to deploying Western troops in Ukraine underscores the heightened tensions in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
  "Zelenskyy says he proposes that Western troops be posted in some territories to help guarantee the security of Ukraine while Ukraine is not yet a part of NATO."
  (00:02:34)

• Expert Insights and Future Outlook:
  Joe Rigney and Nick Eicher debate the potential stability under HTS, with concerns that without support from Iran and Russia, the regime may crumble.

  "When the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, they made similar promises. But if their track record is any indication, Syria is in for challenging days ahead for world."
  (00:11:20)

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3. Corporate America Backs Away from DEI

The podcast addresses the recent trend of major corporations retracting their DEI initiatives, citing both internal pressures and shifting societal attitudes.

• Walmart’s DEI Reversal:
  Mary Muncie reports on Walmart's decision to eliminate DEI programs, aligning with broader corporate movements:

  "Walmart will be discontinuing their racial equity training through the Racial Equity Institute."
  (00:12:44)
  Nick Eicher adds context, emphasizing Walmart's influence as the largest employer in the U.S.:
  "This is the single largest employer in the United States... worth almost a trillion dollars on its own."
  (00:12:24)

• Broader Corporate Shifts:
  Other Fortune 500 companies like Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway are also stepping back from DEI commitments.

  "Companies like Tractor Supply and John Deere are also reversing course on DEI."
  (00:12:27)

• Academic and Institutional Changes:
  Sarah Hubbard from the University of Michigan discusses the removal of diversity statement requirements for job applicants:

  "People should feel comfortable on this campus expressing diversity of thought and freedom of expression from places from throughout the state and throughout the world."
  (00:13:21)
  Additionally, the Georgia Board of Regents' decision to focus on job performance over diversity statements reflects a nationwide reevaluation of DEI's role.
  "The determining factor for employment will be the ability to accomplish the tasks of the job."
  (00:14:13)

• Expert Opinions and Public Sentiment:
  Jonathan Butcher of the Heritage Foundation attributes the shift to a backlash against perceived overreach in DEI policies:

  "The movement towards radical racial preferences overshot its target."
  (00:14:34)
  Economist David Bonson notes the influence of investors pressuring companies to adopt more neutral policies:
  "Investors are pressuring companies to return to neutral."
  (00:15:19)

• Implications for the Future:
  The episode concludes this segment by highlighting the potential long-term impacts on workplace culture and societal norms:

  "Companies, universities, and the US Government have invested billions of dollars into DEI, hoping to get a high score from the Human Rights Campaign Equality Index."
  (00:16:26)
  However, with major players like Walmart redefining their approach, the necessity of DEI in business operations is being questioned.
  "So you know when something's called or said to be not business critical, there's no reason to be investing in it any longer as a part of your operations."
  (00:17:20)

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4. The Joy of Singing Ancient Music: Shape Note Singing

Shifting from global politics and corporate policies, the episode celebrates the revival of shape note singing, an ancient musical tradition that fosters community and spiritual connection.

• Introduction to Shape Note Singing:
  Host Kent Covington introduces the historical context of shape note singing, a method that uses geometric shapes to denote musical notes, facilitating communal singing.

  "These boisterous songs were used at camp meetings and revivals. But soon they were replaced with more refined European music."
  (00:20:46)

• Personal Stories and Cultural Revival:
  Amy Lewis interviews Natalie Sims and her husband Sean Whalen, who played pivotal roles in introducing shape note singing to Australia. Their journey began in Connecticut, where they discovered sacred harp singing and brought the tradition back to Melbourne, inspiring local groups.

  "When Natalie Sims learned about old style shape note songs and sacred harp music... they tried it and fell in love with it."
  (00:21:08)

• Community and Musical Experience:
  The narrative highlights the inclusive and participatory nature of shape note singings, where individuals of all skill levels come together to create harmonious music.

  "Anyone can come and sing. You don't have to be a great singer. You don't have to want to perform."
  (00:25:44)
  Amy Lewis shares her experience visiting Kyneton, Victoria, Australia, emphasizing the communal joy and spiritual fulfillment derived from collective singing.
  "Hearing the sort of the quality of the singing was really otherworldly and also it came into my life at the similar time that my faith was developing."
  (00:23:47)

• Global Spread and Future Aspirations:
  The episode concludes this segment by showcasing the growing international presence of shape note singing, with singers like Kate Reid from New Zealand yearning to establish similar communities in their home countries.

  "I hope someday there's a group in New Zealand to sing with me."
  (00:27:00)

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5. Analysis of C.S. Lewis’s "That Hideous Strength"

Joe Rigney offers a deep dive into C.S. Lewis’s 1945 novel That Hideous Strength, drawing parallels between its themes and contemporary societal issues.

• Dystopian Themes and Modern Relevance:
  Rigney describes the novel as a prophetic vision, akin to a modern fairy tale that intertwines Lewis’s philosophical and theological concerns with a narrative of societal decay.

  "It's a modern fairy tale for grownups, one that weaves together the core arguments of many of Lewis's most profound books."
  (00:27:50)

• Societal Critique:
  The novel critiques technological overreach, loss of traditional values, and the dehumanization inherent in bureaucratic systems. Characters like Fairy Hardcastle symbolize the oppressive institutional forces aiming to reshape humanity.

  "Belbury is committed to the liquidation of anachronisms, the destruction of traditional ways of life because of its lack of efficiency."
  (00:31:44)

• Central Themes of Marriage and Childbearing:
  Rigney emphasizes the novel’s focus on marriage and the importance of childbearing as fundamental to human identity and societal continuity.

  "The novel is fundamentally about marriage and the centrality of childbearing."
  (00:27:50)

• Cosmic Struggle and Moral Choices:
  The narrative presents a cosmic battle between oppressive forces and a Christian resistance, highlighting the moral dilemmas faced by individuals in choosing between conformity and faith.

  "In the words of C.S. Lewis, the whole thing is sorting itself out all the time coming to a point, getting sharper and harder."
  (00:32:07)

• Final Reflections:
  Rigney connects the novel's themes to the current global climate, suggesting that the intense choices and moral battles depicted in the book resonate with today’s societal challenges.

  "Life's business being just the terrible choice. And so this holiday season, the choice is before you take up and read and learn."
  (00:32:07)

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6. Concluding Stories and Reflections

The episode wraps up with touching human interest stories that underscore themes of loyalty, reunion, and the enduring bonds between humans and their canine companions.

• Reunion of Soldier and Dog:
  Kent Covington narrates the emotional reunion between US Army Staff Sergeant Peyton May and his loyal Belgian Malinois, Jacob, after a two-year separation caused by military reassignment.

  "Just before Thanksgiving, after a two-year separation, the now eight-year-old Jacob had a sweet reunion with May."
  (00:19:55)

• Kennedy’s Reflections on Loyalty:
  Nick Eicher adds a personal touch, expressing gratitude and the profound emotional impact of the reunion:

  "I'm very thankful to have this little guy home."
  (00:19:58)

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7. Final Thoughts and Upcoming Content

In the concluding segments, hosts Nick Eicher and Mary Reichard preview future episodes, hinting at discussions on governmental efficiency and personal stories of medical reversals. The episode closes with a Biblical reflection from Hebrews, emphasizing spiritual maturity and discernment.

"Go now in grace and peace."
(00:27:24)

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Mary Reichard:

  "It's Tuesday, December 10th. This is the world and everything in it from listeners supported World Radio."
  (00:01:11)

• Nick Eicher on DEI:

  "The movement towards radical racial preferences overshot its target."
  (00:14:34)

• Joe Rigney on C.S. Lewis’s Novel:

  "It's a modern fairy tale for grownups, one that weaves together the core arguments of many of Lewis's most profound books."
  (00:27:50)

• Caleb Weldy on Assad’s Regime:

  "Assad Sr ruled until his death, when allegedly 99.7% of votes came in for his son Bashar."
  (00:07:27)

• Mary Muncie on DEI Backlash:

  "Walmart will be discontinuing their racial equity training through the Racial Equity Institute."
  (00:12:44)

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Conclusion

This episode of The World and Everything In It masterfully intertwines geopolitical analysis, corporate policy shifts, and cultural preservation, offering listeners a multifaceted view of the current world landscape. Through expert interviews, personal stories, and thoughtful commentary, WORLD Radio provides a rich narrative that informs, educates, and inspires its audience.

Transcript

[Mary Reichard]

Hi everyone. We are in our year end giving drive. In one way these semi annual drives amount to an evaluation of the job we're doing. So I'd like to ask how do you evaluate us? What is world worth and how would you express it in dollar terms, whatever that number is, please go to wng.org yearendgift and let us know. Good morning. Syrian re rebels have chased President Bashar Al Assad out of the country. But what's next? And DEI policies are on the way out.

[Nick Eicher]

The movement towards radical racial preferences overshot its target.

[Kent Covington]

Also today, a centuries old tradition is uniting people in Australia.

[Nick Eicher]

It came into my life at the similar time that my faith was developing. So it's an important part of that. The music and the words.

[Kent Covington]

And later, world opinions commentator Joe Rigney on a timely novel by C.S. lewis from 80 years old.

[Mary Reichard]

It's Tuesday, December 10th. This is the world and everything in it from listeners supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reichard.

[Kent Covington]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Good morning.

[Mary Reichard]

Time for the news with Kent Covington.

[Kristin Flavin]

The reign of Syrian dictator Bashar Al Assad is over. And Secretary of State Tony Blinken says while questions remain, that is very good news.

[Nick Eicher]

The end of this regime is a.

[Joe Rigney]

Defeat for all who enabled its barbarity and its corruption. None more than Iran, Hezbollah and Russia.

[Kristin Flavin]

But with Assad now out of the country, who exactly is in charge? Syria's prime minister on Monday agreed to hand over power to what's being called the Syrian salvation government. We'll have much more on the leadership in Syria very shortly, but Israel says it's not taking any chances. Israeli Defense Forces released a video that appears to show Israeli paratroopers entering Syri. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he ordered the Israeli military to seize a buffer zone between Israel and Syria. He says that is necessary to ensure Israel's security. With heightened tensions in the Middle East, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he's open to the potential deployment of Western troops in Ukraine as part of a bigger effort to end the war. World's Kristin Flavin reports.

[Mary Muncie]

Zelenskyy says he proposes that Western troops be posted in some territories to help guarantee the security of Ukraine while Ukraine is not yet a part of NATO.

[Nick Eicher]

But he said that should be with.

[Mary Muncie]

The clear understanding that Ukraine will be part of NATO in the future. If Western troops were stationed in Ukraine, that would likely be as part of a ceasefire agreement with Russia and the purpose of those troops would be to help keep the peace. President elect Trump recently met in Paris with Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss efforts to end the war. The Kremlin has said it's open to negotiating for world I'm Kristin Flavin.

[Kristin Flavin]

The U.S. supreme Court has declined to take up a case involving parental rights. Wisconsin parents brought that case, alleging that a local school district's transgender policy instructs teachers to intentionally withhold information about students from their parents. By turning away that case, the high court left in place an appellate ruling dismissing the parents lawsuit. The court was one vote shy of approving the case for review, but three conservative justices signaled willingness to revisit these topics down the road. President elect Donald Trump's daughter in law, Lara Trump, is stepping down as co chair of the Republican National Committee less than a year after taking the job.

[Nick Eicher]

You know I could continue to stay at the rnc, but I do think I completed what I I came to.

[Kristin Flavin]

The RNC to do, and that was to help steer the party through the election. She says she's considering numerous opportunities, but there is one in particular that she appears to be eyeing.

[Nick Eicher]

I know my name has been floated as a potential replacement for Marco Rubio, assuming he's confirmed as Secretary of State. Obviously, that is ultimately up to Governor DeSantis.

[Kristin Flavin]

If Florida Senator Marco Rubio departs the Senate to lead the State Department, Governor Ron DeSantis would choose a replacement to fill his seat for now, ahead of a special election in 2026. Protesters gathered outside a New York City courthouse Monday, demonstrating after a jury acquitted Marine veteran Daniel Penney of a criminally negligent homicide charge. Penney restrained a man who was reportedly threatening other passengers on a New York subway, leading to his death. The man who died, Jordan Neely, had a history of mental illness and New York City Mayor Eric Adams called it an avoidable tragedy.

[Nick Eicher]

Jordan should not have had to die, and I strongly believe, as I've been stating probably from day one, we have a mental health system that is broken. When you have someone repeatedly going through that system, that's a signature of failure.

[Kristin Flavin]

He added, though, that the jury rendered its decision and he respects the process. Authorities say they have charged a man with murder in the fatal shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week in Midtown Manhattan. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said 26 year old Luigi Mangione was arrested at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania after an employee recognized the man from surveillance footage that the NYPD had shared online.

[Nick Eicher]

Officers recovered a firearm on his person as well as a suppressor, both consistent with the weapon used in the murder.

[Kristin Flavin]

Police said they also found clothing that matched the suspect and a fake ID that matched records at a hostel where the alleged shooter stayed, along with a handwritten manifesto. I'm Kent Covington. And straight ahead, more on the situation in Syria. Plus, organizations and institutions reconsider DEI initiatives. This is the world and everything in it.

[Mary Reichard]

It's Tuesday, the 10th of December. This is World Radio. Thank you for listening. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichard.

[Kent Covington]

And I'm Nick Eichert. First up on the World and everything in it. Out of the frying pan into the fire. It's been two days since the capital of Syria fell to rebel forces. Why did the regime fall? And who appears to be filling the void? Here is world correspondent Caleb Weldy.

[Caleb Weldy]

Bashar Al Assad was the second Assad to rule Syria. His father took control of the country in 1971 via a coup, the third coup of his career.

[Nick Eicher]

He outsmarted everybody else.

[Caleb Weldy]

Hussein Abdul Hussein is a research fellow at the foundation for the Defense of Democracies. He grew up in Lebanon during Assad Sr's reign.

[Nick Eicher]

He modeled Syria along the lines of North Korea.

[Joe Rigney]

Calder, father figure kind of thing.

[Caleb Weldy]

Assad Sr ruled until his death, when allegedly 99.7% of votes came in for his son Bashar.

[Nick Eicher]

Bashar was not the one who was being groomed to succeed the father.

[Joe Rigney]

Basil, the older brother, was being groomed.

[Nick Eicher]

But Basil died before his dad in a car accident. So Bashar found himself doing this all of a sudden.

[Caleb Weldy]

Under Bashar, the regime has been torn apart by civil war. Food prices have climbed out of control. I spoke with this man last year in Syria.

[Joe Rigney]

Really? I'm not making any exaggeration if I.

[Nick Eicher]

Say I'm amazed how people manage to stay alive in there. Like, what do they eat?

[Caleb Weldy]

Until now, Assad brutally squashed efforts to overthrow his government with the help of Iran and Russia.

[Joe Rigney]

But now that Israel decimated Iran and.

[Nick Eicher]

Russia has become busy in the Ukraine war, no one came to his rescue and he just crumbled like that.

[Caleb Weldy]

So can the rebels turn things around? The faction in charge is known as hts, short for Hayat Tahrir Al Sham, or the Levant Liberation Committee. They're actually a coalition formed in 2017 by a former Al Qaeda member named Ahmed Hussein Al Shara. Al Shara later changed his name to Abu Mohammed Al Jelani. Jalani refers to Golan Heights, where his parents fled their home during the Israeli Arab Six Day War.

[Nick Eicher]

Israel claims to have destroyed the bulk.

[Joe Rigney]

Of the Arab air forces in the.

[Nick Eicher]

Air and on the Ground in less than three hours.

[Caleb Weldy]

When the US invaded Iraq in 2003, Jelani joined Al Qaeda. In 2005, he was arrested by US forces in Iraq and detained in a prison camp for five years. He spent his time writing about how he thought best to fight jihad in Syria. When the Americans released Jelani, he sent his 50 page strategy to Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State in Iraq. The ISIS leader met with Jilani and agreed to expand operations into Syria. He even agreed to fund the 29 year old US$50,000 a month.

[Kristin Flavin]

Jelani and his men, all wearing suicide belts in case they were caught, crossed into Syria.

[Nick Eicher]

A few months later, PBS released a.

[Caleb Weldy]

Full length documentary about Jelani. Three years ago, Jelani had spent several.

[Kristin Flavin]

Months recruiting and formed Jabhat Al Nusra.

[Caleb Weldy]

Jelani distanced himself from ISIS shortly after he arrived in Syria. He publicly severed ties with al Qaeda. In 2016. That's when he rebranded again to HTS. The difference was Jelani now had 10,000 men following him.

[Kristin Flavin]

Jelani began his attacks on Assad by sending young fighters on suicide missions.

[Caleb Weldy]

One source of income was hostage taking. Dozens of survivors report beatings, torture and executions. But now Jelani seems to be trying to rebrand himself again. Last week, he specifically reassured Christians and Kurdish minorities. Jelani sat down with CNN just after HDS had taken the city of Hama.

[Nick Eicher]

People listening to this are going to.

[Mary Reichard]

Wonder why they should believe you.

[Nick Eicher]

You are still a specially designated global terrorist by the United states with a $10 million bounty on your head.

[Mary Reichard]

Your group is a prescribed terrorist organization.

[Nick Eicher]

By the United States, by the un, by the EU and others. I say to people, don't judge by.

[Kristin Flavin]

Words, but by actions.

[Nick Eicher]

I believe the reality speaks for itself.

[Caleb Weldy]

Hussein Abdul Hussein says he has his doubts, but he's waiting to see if Jilani really has moderated and left behind his Islam extremism.

[Nick Eicher]

So far, the few days that have passed by, I think you know, his things have been better when compared to other Arab Spring or Iraq war change. No looting, no burning, no breaking. But moving forward, I wish, I hope.

[Joe Rigney]

That things continue going in this direction.

[Caleb Weldy]

When the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, they made similar promises. But if their track record is any indication, Syria is in for challenging days ahead for world. I'm Caleb Weldy.

[Kent Covington]

Up next, backing away from dei. Over the past few months, organizations have been walking back diversity, equity and inclusion policies. DEI grew out of the social justice movement with proponents claiming they were meant to foster environments in which people from all backgrounds felt respected and valued.

[Mary Reichard]

But in practice, DEI programs fostered resentment and now companies are reversing course. World's Mary Muncie reports Walmart will be.

[Nick Eicher]

Removing all inappropriate sexual and or transgender products that are marketed toward kids.

[Mary Muncie]

Things like Robby, Starbucks. Advocates for companies to abandon diversity, equity and inclusion or dei. He announced Walmart's reversal on his X account last month.

[Nick Eicher]

This is the single largest employer in the United States.

[Joe Rigney]

We are talking about a company that.

[Nick Eicher]

Is worth almost a trillion dollars on its own.

[Mary Muncie]

For 11 years in a row, Walmart has had the highest revenue of any company in the US and now it joins a list of companies like Tractor Supply and John Deere. Reversing course on DEI Walmart will be.

[Nick Eicher]

Discontinuing their racial equity training through the Racial Equity Institute.

[Mary Muncie]

A few other companies high on the Fortune 500 list, like Microsoft and Berkshire Hathaway are also reversing course. But the change isn't just corporate.

[Nick Eicher]

We're open for business for people from all walks of life.

[Mary Muncie]

Sarah Hubbard is a regent with the University of Michigan. The regents govern Michigan State. Colleges approve budgets and can review policy. Last week they stopped requiring job applicants to write diversity statements. Those typically asked the applicants to explain how they would promote equity and diversity in their role.

[Nick Eicher]

People should feel comfortable on this campus expressing diversity of thought and freedom of expression from places from throughout the state and throughout the world.

[Mary Muncie]

Students protested outside the meeting room and one speaker yelled at the regents during a Q and a. The regents made it clear that they're not planning on cutting any programs aimed at helping diverse students and they're expanding scholarships for in state students. But vice president of government Relations Chris Kolb worries that the new administration in Washington could change that.

[Kristin Flavin]

DEI is one of the things that they believe need to be eliminated from higher education and they will use whatever tools they can, including the cutting off of finances, to make that happen. And we need to be aware of that as an institution.

[Mary Muncie]

And last month, the Georgia Board of Regents went a step further when they not only stopped requiring diversity statements, but also said the determining factor for employment will be the ability to accomplish the tasks of the job. Several other schools have also walked back some of their policies, including MIT and Harvard. But why now?

[Nick Eicher]

The movement towards radical racial preferences overshot its target.

[Mary Muncie]

Jonathan Butcher is a fellow with the Heritage Foundation. He says it's hard to find an exact tipping point, but sometime in the summer of 2020, Americans started to question how their country was operating.

[Nick Eicher]

Anti bias trainings had been very prevalent in businesses for many years. So as we Recognize that the violence that ensued, okay. And that this constant fight over amorphous ideas around race was not bringing us closer together. And people did begin to speak out.

[Mary Muncie]

Butcher says activists like Starbuck deserve some credit. But there are also people like economist and financial advisor David Bonson, who told World's Nick Eicher that he and other investors are pressuring companies to return to neutral. And now the pressure has even more force. Last summer, the Supreme Court ruled that affirmative action, or what Butcher calls racial preferences in college admissions, are unconstitutional. That means colleges can no longer consider race in college admissions.

[Nick Eicher]

After that decision was released, many observers of what was happening in the business world said it's only a matter of time before the right case comes before these justices. And they recognize that the same thing is going to apply here.

[Mary Muncie]

And it's not just outside pressures. Employees who are tired of DEI are speaking up too.

[Nick Eicher]

Nobody likes to be required or forced to sit through some sort of training or so called professional development where they are told that they are inherently biased and that there's something wrong with them because of their skin color. I mean, nobody likes that.

[Mary Muncie]

And on the flip side, few want to wonder whether their success was based purely on the color of their skin. Companies, universities and the US Government have invested billions of dollars into dei, hoping to get a high score from the Human Rights Campaign Equality Index. But now some, including Microsoft and Walmart, are refusing to give data to the index, saying DEI is no longer business critical.

[Nick Eicher]

Something that's business critical. It is either helping you create, generate revenue, sell your product, create benefits for your shareholders, create a healthy workplace.

[Mary Muncie]

Walmart's website doesn't mention diversity, equity and inclusion anymore. Instead, it has a belonging tab where it commits to making employees feel valued and respected. Walmart told me that being willing to change alongside Americans is how they stay in business.

[Nick Eicher]

So you know when something's called or said to be not business critical, there's no reason to be investing in it any longer as a part of your operations.

[Mary Muncie]

Most of the companies that have walked back DEI have created similar policies to Walmart, saying they're trying to keep a healthy and inclusive work environment, but that DEI is not the way to accomplish it. Meanwhile, activist Robbie Starbuck and others are putting pressure on other big retailers like Amazon and Target to follow suit.

[Nick Eicher]

I have yet really to see a high profile case where a company's been exposed for having DEI operations and they've turned around and defended it and said they're going to keep doing it.

[Mary Muncie]

Reporting for World, I'm Mary Muncie.

[Kristin Flavin]

Additional support comes from Asbury University coupling academic excellence with a focus on faith and biblical truths. Asbury Edu from the book Missions on Point presenting a biblical vision for local church centered missions on Amazon or sendforward.org missions on point and from Ambassadors Impact Network providing faith driven entrepreneurs the opportunity.

[Kent Covington]

To apply for funding that aligns with their values.

[Kristin Flavin]

[e-mail].

[Kent Covington]

US Army Staff Sergeant Peyton May spent two years deployed of which nine months were in Iraq. And by his side, a loyal canine soldier. Jacob Belgian Malinois the sound from ABC.

[Nick Eicher]

News working with each other and going on Secret Service missions and going on deployment was able to come together and build that trust.

[Kent Covington]

Jacob was an explosives detective and had the trust of his master. But then May was reassigned to another base and had to leave Jacob behind.

[Nick Eicher]

It was kind of heartbreaking to be honest with you.

[Kent Covington]

The dog was not able to bond with subsequent handlers so the military had to retire Jacob. And just before Thanksgiving, after a two year separation, the now eight year old Jacob had a sweet reunion with May.

[Nick Eicher]

I'm very thankful to have this little guy home.

[Kent Covington]

It's the world and everything in it. Today is Tuesday, December 10th. This is the world and everything in it. And we're so glad you're along with us today. Good morning, I'm Nick Eicher.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichard. Coming next, musical traditions. It was in the early 1800s that musicians traveled around New England teaching a new method of singing. It relied on a four note system of shapes, squares, triangles and diamonds. Fossil Law, or shape note singing, used British folklore melodies to sing the words of hymns.

[Kent Covington]

These boisterous songs were used at camp meetings and revivals. But soon they were replaced with more refined European music. But shape note singing didn't die. Here is world correspondent Amy Lewis.

[Nick Eicher]

When Natalie Sibling learned about old style shape note songs and sacred harp music, she and her husband were living in Connecticut. In 2001, we came across sacred harp singing actually from hearing on the radio. So we went and looked up the Internet and found our local singing, which was at the time a bit over an hour's drive away and just went and tried it and fell in love with it even though they enjoyed it. Her husband, Sean Whalen says it was a steep learning curve. They opened up the books. I said, welcome, look at this number of this page and go. And launched into this breakneck speed song that we'd never heard. And we were expected to sight, read.

[Joe Rigney]

And sing along with all of that.

[Kristin Flavin]

I was like, ah, strap yourself in.

[Nick Eicher]

For the Rollercoaster ride. For the next six months, Sims and Waylon attended every Shapent event they could. Then they moved back to Melbourne, Australia and we thought oh, we'll just, we'll just find our local group and we'll sing with them. But there was no local group so we thought well we better start one because we like it. That was 23 years ago. Since then they've helped a number of groups form in Australia. Sims teaches briefly at the start of all day sing alongs. The different shapes that we have is far solid and me. A way to remember the shapes and their names is far is like a triangular flag. In November, one of the groups they helped form in Kaineton, Victoria held their annual all day sing in the cavernous Kineton Mechanics Institute. It's about an hour drive from Melbourne and a 90 minute flight from Sydney. Four Sydneysiders made that trek, including Anghara Davis. I've come down from Sydney to the Kyneton all day Sacred Harp Singing which is a yearly gathering in which Sacred Harp singers from around Australia and especially from the Melbourne region and the Victoria region come together for a day of loud singing, good fun, fellowship and food. Davis learned about the singing method 10 years ago while studying musicology in Connecticut. She now writes shape note songs and submitted several to the revised Sacred Harp songbook due out next year. Sean Whalen has also tried his hand at songwriting. Even the new songs typically are tunes and arrangements which are set some old words going back to Isaac Watts time. Some of the words that we sing then have some very old fashioned theology.

[Joe Rigney]

That wouldn't be sung in a lot.

[Nick Eicher]

Of churches these days, certainly not in mine.

[Caleb Weldy]

O that I could repay.

[Nick Eicher]

Sometimes I enjoy some of the songs despite the words. There are other songs I love because of the words. Experience is the best teacher for people learning. People like Kate Reid visiting from Dunedin, New Zealand. There's like a website called Sacred Heart Bremen that has the music and the little MIDI recording so you could sing along and learn the songs. So then I was just doing that and I have a little loop pedal so I would learn all the parts and sing all the parts because I didn't have anyone to sing with because there's none in New Zealand. This is the second time she's flown to meet other singers in person. She and nearly 20 others sit in a hollow square facing each other. After choosing a pitch, the singers first sing through the song with the names of the notes. Each song has a new director who stands in the middle and faces the tenors who carry the melody line. The director swings his or her arm up and down to keep simplified time. Singers keep time the same way, lending a pulsating rhythm to the music. May the grace of Christ our Savior. Reid was fascinated by more than just the music. Hearing the sort of the quality of the singing was really otherworldly and also it came into my life at the similar time that my faith was developing. So it's really, it's an important part of that, the music and the words and the style of communal singing and that kind of like it's quite desperate. A lot of it it felt feels really desperate but also so joyful. Would you thought I had died for.

[Mary Reichard]

The o maps of love?

[Nick Eicher]

Natalie Sim says the loud, sometimes discordant chords make shape note gatherings unusual as well as who's welcome. Anyone can come and sing. You don't have to be a great singer. You don't have to want to perform. You don't have to have any experience or any goals. You can just come and sing it and you get to meet a bunch of different people that you wouldn't normally meet from day to day life. They're just by the end of the day. In Kaineton, the 18 singers from two countries and three states have sung an astounding 65 songs under 12 different directors. Reid is used to singing by herself, but today she's not alone. She hopes someday there's a group in New Zealand to sing with her. I know the difference of singing with other people because the feeling of the sound being more than what you can contribute. At the same time your contribution is really important and you're kind of carried along. I think it's so beyond you but so important. You know, you get to be in two worlds at once. The Holy Spirit favor reporting for World. I'm Amy Lewis in Kineton, Victoria, Australia.

[Kent Covington]

Today is Tuesday, December, September 10th. Good morning. This is the World and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Nick Eicher.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichard.

[Nick Eicher]

C.S.

[Mary Reichard]

Lewis wrote there are a dozen views about everything. Until you know the answer. Then there's never more than one. That comes from the 1945 novel that hideous Strength. Lewis is known as a Christian apologist, literary scholar and creator of Narnia. But World Opinions contributor Joe Rigney says he was also a timely prophet of the modern age.

[Joe Rigney]

Imagine a dystopian novel in the vein of 1984 in Brave New World, but one that is more prophetic than both. It's a modern fairy tale for grownups, one that weaves together the core arguments of many of Lewis most profound books and essays, including the Abolition of Man, the Poison of Subjectivism, the Inner Ring Membership and the humanitarian theory of punishment, all of which could be read as an appetizer for the main course. The novel's relevance is nowhere more apparent than when it speaks to issues of sexuality. On the one hand, we see the dehumanizing grossness of gender, ideology and insanity from the Italian filestrato, who finds intimacy disgusting and desires instead to sterilize humanity to make it more manageable, to Fairy Hardcastle, the sadistic and grotesque head of Belbury's institutional police. The novel also alludes to a cold and barren society that uses realistic pleasure robots as substitutes for marital relations and uses technology to fabricate children in secret places. The male protagonist of the novel is consumed with lust for influence and acceptance by the inner ring. He has a deep fear of being ostracized by the progressive element, so that he eventually becomes an emasculated and pathetic stooge. In Belberry's plots, the female protagonist considers herself to be an up to date and modern feminist, one who refuses submission in marriage and deeply fears being invaded by children. That is, until she comes face to face with true masculinity of both the earthly and the heavenly kind and is forced to choose to bow up or yield from the opening word. The novel is fundamentally about marriage and the centrality of childbearing. In the final scene, the leader of the resistance tells the female protagonist, you'll have no more dreams. Have children instead. But the mundane troubles of a young married couple are embedded in a cosmic war between the bureaucratic tyranny of the scientistic conditioners and the humane and Christian Resistance. At St. Anne's the National Institute for Coordinated Experiments or NICE, is a prophetic depiction of the total state, complete with bureaucratic ambiguity and doublespeak that renders all accountability impossible. No one is ever to blame for anything, and yet anyone can be scapegoated at any time. Belbury is committed to the liquidation of anachronisms, the destruction of traditional ways of life because of its lack of efficiency. All of this is managed through propaganda directed at the educated middle class. As one character puts it, it's the educated reader who can be gulled. All our difficulty comes with the others. When did you meet a workman who believes the papers? It's the educated public. The people who read the highbrow weeklies don't need reconditioning. They'll believe anything. This includes the so called humanitarian theory of punishment that substitute rehabilitation and re education for just retribution, thereby enabling the state to experiment on criminals with impunity. And lurking behind the governmental and industrial powers are the macrobes, dark and demonic forces seeking the domination and destruction of humanity, opposed to them as a motley assortment of Christians and one reality respecting atheist. Their leader is a crippled academic who has traveled to Mars and Venus and conversed with the angelic intelligences in deep heaven. Together they resist that hideous strength. In short, the novel is timely for a world in which everything is narrowing and coming to a point, good getting better and bad getting worse, and the possibilities of even apparent neutrality always diminishing. In the words of C.S. lewis, the whole thing is sorting itself out all the time coming to a point, getting sharper and harder. Life's business being just the terrible choice. And so this holiday season, the choice is before you take up and read and learn. I'm Joe Rigney.

[Nick Eicher]

Tomorrow. Tomorrow.

[Kent Covington]

Congress shows skepticism about the new Department of Government efficiency, but most agree something has to be done. We'll talk about it on Washington Wednesday. And the story of a young woman who took the abortion pill and then sought to reverse it. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Eicher.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichard. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The Bible warns against apostasy. About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food. For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since. Since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment, trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. Verses 11 through 14 of Hebrews, chapter 5. Go now in grace and peace.