5.27.25 New York considers euthanasia, the progression of violence, and inspiring young musicians

Summary

Podcast Summary: The World and Everything In It – May 27, 2025 Episode

Title: New York Considers Euthanasia, the Progression of Violence, and Inspiring Young Musicians
Host: WORLD Radio
Release Date: May 27, 2025

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1. Euthanasia Laws in New York

Overview: The episode opens with a deep dive into the proposed Medical Aid in Dying Act in New York State, which aims to legalize assisted suicide. This legislation has sparked intense debate, mirroring similar laws already in place in at least ten other countries and states.

Key Discussion: Alex Schadenberg, Executive Director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, voices strong opposition to the bill. He argues that assisted suicide is fundamentally different from self-initiated suicide, emphasizing the ethical implications of allowing doctors to participate in ending patients' lives.

Notable Quotes:

• Mary Reichert [06:16]: "Alex, good morning."
• Alex Schadenberg [06:37]: "What troubles me about the bill is the basic issue of what assisted suicide is... it's about causing their death."
• Mary Reichert [08:03]: "People dying of cancer with intractable, unrelenting pain... How do you answer that?"
• Alex Schadenberg [08:03]: "It's about causing their death. It often becomes the solution people seek when they feel abandoned."

Insights: Schadenberg highlights the slippery slope of euthanasia laws, citing Canada's expanded eligibility beyond terminal illness, including mental health conditions, homelessness, and disabilities. He warns that initial safeguards can lead to broader and potentially abusive applications of the law.

Conclusion: Schadenberg urges listeners to actively oppose the bill by contacting legislators, emphasizing that euthanasia alters healthcare fundamentally and poses significant moral and ethical risks.

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2. The Escalation of Violent Ideology in Washington

Overview: The podcast transitions to a tragic incident in Washington, where two young Israeli embassy staffers, Jerome Leshinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgram, were murdered by a gunman with pro-Palestinian and Marxist ties. This event underscores the increasing intersection of violent ideology and extremist actions in the U.S.

Key Discussion: Mariam Waba, a foreign policy expert, discusses the motivations behind the attack and the broader implications of violent rhetoric against Jewish communities and supporters. She connects the incident to a rise in extremist sentiments fueled by prolonged exposure to hate-filled rhetoric.

Notable Quotes:

• Mariam Waba [15:03]: "If you subscribe to a violent based ideology, violence will come."
• Nick Eicher [16:08]: "Sarah Milgram... was planning to go with Leshinsky to meet his family in Jerusalem..."
• Mariam Waba [17:18]: "People are just not indoctrinated and radicalized overnight... 600 days of being fed this rhetoric."

Insights: The discussion reveals a pattern of escalating hate crimes against Jewish individuals and institutions, with the Anti-Defamation League reporting it as the eighth terrorist plot or attack since July of the previous year. Waba emphasizes the need for urgent and robust responses to counteract the spread of violent ideologies.

Conclusion: Law enforcement actions, such as the arrest of Elias Rodriguez, are highlighted as necessary but insufficient measures. Waba calls for increased resources and a sense of urgency to effectively combat and prevent such violent extremism.

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3. Inspiring Young Musicians Through Community Events

Overview: Shifting to a more uplifting topic, the podcast features a segment on a unique piano event in Crystal Springs, Mississippi. The annual "Grand Night" showcases young musicians performing simultaneously on multiple pianos, fostering community engagement and supporting music education.

Key Discussion: Enza Calloway, organizer of the event, explains its origins and ongoing impact. The event not only brings together musicians of various ages but also raises funds to provide music lessons for local students, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and community support in nurturing young talent.

Notable Quotes:

• Enza Calloway [22:47]: "We started it in 2012. It was going to be just a one-time event... the community loved it."
• Enza Calloway [25:03]: "We've got from 13 to 80 something."
• Enza Calloway [26:41]: "He plays clarinet in the band and he plays the trumpet and the piano."

Insights: The event highlights the dedication of community members in sustaining and growing local traditions that promote the arts. The participation of diverse age groups and the inclusion of various musical genres demonstrate the event's broad appeal and its role in bridging generational gaps.

Conclusion: "Grand Night" serves as a testament to the power of music in uniting communities and inspiring the next generation of musicians. The funds raised through ticket sales directly support music education, ensuring that young talents receive the necessary resources to thrive.

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4. Religious Liberty and Political Advocacy

Overview: The episode concludes with a discussion on religious liberty in America, particularly in the context of recent political developments. Hunter Baker, a contributor, provides an analysis of the newly formed White House Religious Liberty Commission established by President Trump.

Key Discussion: Baker traces the historical challenges faced by religious liberty advocates, especially in the wake of the Supreme Court's Obergfeld decision legalizing same-sex marriage. He underscores the ongoing clash between religious freedoms and progressive secular policies, advocating for sustained legislative and societal support to protect religious rights.

Notable Quotes:

• Hunter Baker [28:17]: "Religious liberty deserves sustained attention by American citizens and officials."
• Hunter Baker [32:52]: "John Courtney Murray... argued that honoring religious liberty is deeply practical as it helps people live together in a pluralistic society."

Insights: Baker emphasizes the importance of legislative measures like the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) in safeguarding religious practices against discriminatory laws. He warns against the dilution of such protections and calls for continuous advocacy to ensure religious liberty remains a foundational American value.

Conclusion: The establishment of the White House Religious Liberty Commission is portrayed as a pivotal step in reinforcing religious freedoms. Baker advocates for ongoing vigilance and proactive measures to maintain the delicate balance between religious rights and secular legislation.

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Final Thoughts

The May 27, 2025 episode of The World and Everything In It presents a comprehensive exploration of pressing societal issues:

• Euthanasia Laws: Ethical debates surrounding assisted suicide and its broader implications on healthcare and societal values.
• Violent Ideology: The alarming rise of extremist violence influenced by hateful rhetoric, underscoring the need for effective countermeasures.
• Community and Music: Inspirational narratives of how local initiatives can foster talent and strengthen community bonds.
• Religious Liberty: The ongoing struggle to protect religious freedoms amidst evolving political landscapes.

Through in-depth discussions, expert insights, and poignant storytelling, WORLD Radio delivers a multifaceted analysis of contemporary challenges and triumphs, staying true to its mission of providing sound journalism grounded in God's Word.

Transcript

[Mary Reichert]

Good morning. Controversial death with dignity bills are spreading across the US and around the world.

[Alex Schadenberg]

The ban on assisted dying is resulting in too many bad deaths, traumatizing patients as well as family and friends left behind.

[Nick Eicher]

But so called euthanasia is resulting in bad deaths. Also today ideology turns violent in D.C. and later small town musicians take the stage to help children.

[Enza Calloway]

We started it in in 2012. It was going to be just a one time event just to raise some money and the community loved it.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Tuesday, May 27th. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Good morning.

[Mary Reichert]

Time for news now with Kent Covington.

[Kent Covington]

Memorial Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery. On Monday, President Trump honored the somber presidential tradition of laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before delivering remarks honoring fallen troops and their families.

[Harrison Waters]

Every child that lives in peace, every home that is filled with joy and love, every day the republic stands is only possible because of those who did what had to be done when duty called.

[Kent Covington]

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a combat veteran, also paid tribute in Arlington.

[Alex Schadenberg]

You see, the American soldier fights not because he hates what's in front of.

[Benjamin Eicher]

Him, but because he loves what what's behind him.

[Kent Covington]

Vice President J.D. vance, also a military veteran, delivered remarks as well. Russia launched another massive drone attack against Ukraine on Monday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the aerial assault was the largest of its kind since the war started. More than 350 drones and nine cruise missiles says the data show that Russia's Vladimir Putin has no intention of ending the war. President Trump lashed out at Putin on social media, saying he's gone crazy and is responsible for the death of civilians. But he also criticized Zelensky for, in his view, hindering peace talks, saying everything that comes out of his mouth causes problems. The European Union's chief trade negotiator says he had good calls with Trump administration officials on Monday and is fully committed to reaching a trade deal by the new July deadline. That's after Trump agreed to delay his threatened 50% tariff on European goods during a phone call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

[Harrison Waters]

We had a very nice call and I agreed to move in. I believe July 9th would be the day. That was the date she requested.

[Kent Covington]

European Trade Commissioner Maros Shevdui spoke by phone Monday with U.S. commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamison Greer. Nearly $2 trillion in goods and services crossed the Atlantic in both directions each year. In the UK Police in Liverpool have arrested the driver of a minivan after he plowed into a crowd of soccer fans on Monday, injuring nearly 50 people. World's Benjamin Eicher has more.

[Benjamin Eicher]

Authorities say They've arrested a 53 year old British man suspected of intentionally driving into the crowd of tens of thousands of fans gathered to celebrate the team's Premier League championship. A man who traveled from the Isle of Man for the parade said he heard the car smash into the crowd and then saw at least a half dozen people down in the road. Officials are still investigating the incident. They've increased patrols in the area and are urging witnesses to come forward with any information or video footage. For WORLD I'm Benjamin Eicher.

[Kent Covington]

Former Congressman Charlie Rangel has died at the age of 94. The Harlem Democrat spent nearly 50 years on Capitol Hill representing New York and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus.

[Alex Schadenberg]

My wife and I have the same.

[Harrison Waters]

Anticipation about this race as all of you do.

[Kent Covington]

A veteran of the Korean War, he first won election to the U.S. house in 1970. In 2010, the House censured him following an ethics scandal, but he stayed in Congress for another seven years. And Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame has died at 79 after battling Alzheimer's disease. He served here back in 2019 at a campaign rally for President Trump's re election bid. If you're pro God and pro America, pro gun and pro duck hunting, that's all I want. The popular Duck Dynasty reality show followed Robertson, his brother and sons. Robertson turned his small duck calling interest in North Louisiana into a big business and conservative cultural phenomenon. I'm Kent Covington and straight ahead, doctor Assisted suicide is proving to be the slippery slope many warned. Plus, how music brings one small town together. This is the world and everything in it.

[Mary Reichert]

It's Tuesday 27th May. So glad to have you along for today's edition of THE WORLD and Everything in It. Good morning. I'm Mary Reigert.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. First up, euthanasia laws. New York State may soon legalize assisted suicide under the Medical Aid in Dying Act. The state assembly passed it last week. The state Senate could vote by next month. At least 10 countries already permit some form of euthanasia. Others, like Scotland, are moving that way as well. Joining us to talk about it is Alex Schadenberg. He's executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

[Mary Reichert]

Alex, good morning.

[Alex Schadenberg]

Good morning, Mary. These are difficult issues to talk about, but they're important to discuss.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, indeed. Well, let's start with New York. It's joined a growing list of states promoting so called death with dignity laws. Proponents say that there are protections to prevent abuse. So what troubles you about the bill?

[Alex Schadenberg]

Well, first of all, what troubles me about the bill is the basic issue of what assisted suicide is. So what the law does is it gives doctors the right in law to be involved with causing a patient's death. And they may say this is about request and that sort of thing, but it's not the same thing as, you know, a self killing a suicide when somebody else is directly involved with saying that, yes, I agree, your life is not worth living and then prescribing a hideous poison to cause your death. It's really a bad idea, especially for people who are going through a very difficult time in their life.

[Mary Reichert]

How likely do you think this New York bill is to pass into law?

[Alex Schadenberg]

I don't really know. That's a hard thing to say. There's a strong group actually of Democrats in New York who are opposed to assisted suicide, which is very good. Nonetheless, I think that what has to happen is people have to contact the members of the Senate, et cetera, and tell them they shouldn't just sugarcoat this because everyone wants to think this is about medical treatment issues. But it's not about medical treatment issues when someone is killing you. It's about is it ever a good idea to allow a doctor to kill you?

[Mary Reichert]

What do you say to the arguments? I know you've heard this. People dying of cancer with intractable, unrelenting pain, howling with pain. For example, proponents of assisted suicide say that it is an act of compassion to let someone die if they want to. How do you answer that?

[Alex Schadenberg]

Well, first of all, it's not about letting them die, it's about causing their death. Secondly, these are the talking points of the other side, obviously, because none of us as human beings want to be in intractable pain and suffering. But for the vast majority of these cases, it's got nothing to do with that. It has to do with people who are approaching a difficult health condition who have decided that for many reasons. Usually these are socially related reasons like they don't want to be a burden on others, or they're saying, I really have no one in my life. You know, their spouse has passed away, or they're in a situation where they really are feeling their life has lost meaning or purpose or value, and they have a doctor saying this is an option to you, and you're thinking it's a way out. I look at these as deaths of despair because we're abandoning people to the proper care they need in order to live until they die. We can take care of the pain and symptoms. We don't have to kill you. But the point of it is, once killing you becomes an option, that often then becomes the solution people seek.

[Mary Reichert]

Let's talk about Canada. And you're from Canada, correct?

[Nick Eicher]

Yeah.

[Mary Reichert]

Well, your organization recently called for a comprehensive review of the medical aid and dying law in Canada. Why is that?

[Alex Schadenberg]

Well, what's happened in Canada is we legalized something based on it being for terminally ill people, et cetera, similar to what the New York law would say. And then what happened is, is that we've massively expanded our law. So now we have a situation where you have people who are living in poverty, people with disabilities having a hard time getting medical treatment, people who are experiencing homelessness or having homelessness issues, poverty questions that way, too. You know, medical treatment issues are all leading to euthanasia. So it started out as being sold as a situation for people who were terminally ill, dying and suffering. Exactly as this question you posed me, dealing with how it's being sold in New York. And now it's become wide open. And really we are, how would you say, the canary in the coal mine. Canada on why you should never do this.

[Mary Reichert]

Let's talk about Scotland now. Have you kept up with what the latest is there?

[Alex Schadenberg]

Yeah, I've been in Scotland a few times, speaking in the last year, and so I understand the Scottish bill quite well. Yes. And it would be more similar. The Scottish bill is more similar to what they're proposing in New York. Once again, what happens with the euthanasia lobby, you need to know ahead of time. They really do try and pass a bill that looks sort of controlled. It looks sort of tight. That's the goal of them because their goal is to legalize. Once they legalize, then they amend the legislation. So if you look at Oregon, if you look at Washington state, if you look at Canada, all these laws started out looking tight in order to say, oh, it's not going to be like the Netherlands or Belgium or other places where there's been a lot of abuse of the law. We're not going to do that. And then after they legalize it, they expand the law and they say, well, it's. It's based on equality, is what they said in Canada. You can't deny it to people with disabilities. You can't deny it to people who aren't terminally ill. We have it in Canada for people who aren't Terminally ill. We've now legalized it for people with mental illness alone. And that's going to come into place in March of 2027. And they say, but it was discriminatory to deny to people who were going through mental illness issues because they weren't going through a physical issue. This is the kind of thing you get. Now they're debating euthanasia for children. So if you look at the Scottish law, the Scottish bill, it has certain, quote, quote, safeguards built into it. But of course they're trying to sell the legislation to the legislators in order to pass it and make it law.

[Mary Reichert]

So you're describing the camel's nose in the tent phenomena that has been happening. What are some other unintended or ignored consequences when governments accept euthanasia as an option?

[Alex Schadenberg]

Well, it does actually change health care. So I'll give you an example. I'm here in British Columbia and a couple of years ago, the Delta Hospice Society, which was an organization that had a 10 bed hospice, they refused to be involved with euthanasia. They said, no, we're not going to do that. So the British Columbia government said, but you're receiving money from the government, therefore you must be involved with euthanasia. And they refused. So the government defunded them and expropriated their hospice from them. So they were just shut down. No one ever predicted we would be at where we're at today in Canada. And yet that's exactly where we're at. And I can tell you many more stories, but we only have so much time.

[Mary Reichert]

That's right, and I can appreciate that. Let's talk more about the root of the problem. You touched on it before as to why people are choosing euthanasia in the first place. We know there's some cultural issues at play, people being isolated. How did we get to this point?

[Alex Schadenberg]

There's a lot of people who are going through difficult health conditions and they're going through these situations without family or friends who are helping them through this, you see, and as a human being, that's very difficult. So we understand that this is the bottom line, that there are a lot of people who are asking to be killed not because they actually want to die, not actually because they want to be killed. It's because they're in emotional turmoil, they're going through a difficult time and they're doing so in a lonely, alone way. There's also a normal human reality because we're all humans. And it's normal that when you're going through a difficult health condition, you might start questioning, why am I alive? You know, that's normal. This has never been different in our human experience. The difference is once you offer euthanasia, then it becomes a reality. Our polling all show that people weren't really excited about this idea. But when you look at Canadian polling, it shows that the issue of child euthanasia is not popular. Issue of euthanasia for mental illness, it's not popular. People think that's a crazy idea and yet our government is going that direction right now. They're now talking about euthanasia for people who have dementia, people with Alzheimer's, etc. Who are not competent people, aren't aware of where things have gone and they should be concerned. And the only way you can create a concerned situation is by spreading the stories of what's happening to all these other people and making them aware.

[Mary Reichert]

Alex Schadenberg is executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition. Alex, thanks so much for joining us this morning.

[Alex Schadenberg]

Thank you so much, Mary.

[Nick Eicher]

Coming up next on THE WORLD and everything in it, ideology turns deadly in Washington, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at the Western Wall in Jerusalem Sunday. She was there to pay tribute to two young Israeli embassy staffers killed in cold blood last week in the US.

[Mary Reichert]

Jerome Leshinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgram were leaving an event at the Capitol Jewish Museum when a gunman shot them at point blank range, shouting afterward, free, free Palestine. The feds booked suspected killer Elias Rodriguez, a Chicago native with links to pro Palestinian and Marxist student groups.

[Mariam Waba]

If you subscribe to a violent based ideology, violence will come.

[Mary Reichert]

Foreign policy expert Mariam Waba spoke with our Washington producer Harrison Waters and told him she saw early reports of an incident at an event for young diplomats.

[Mariam Waba]

My first thought was, I'll text Jeroen about this in the morning. He must know what happened. And so it was a real shock to wake up the next morning and to see that it was a friend that had unfortunately been murdered.

[Mary Reichert]

Waba met Leshinsky two years ago after moving to Washington. She assumed that because he worked for the Israeli embassy, he was Jewish.

[Mariam Waba]

And he corrected me when I was talking about the First Council of Nicaea because I said it was in 425. And he corrected me to say it was actually in 325. And I was like, huh, this guy is either like an early Christian theology nerd like I am, or there's something a little bit more here.

[Nick Eicher]

Leschinky was raised by a Jewish father and Christian mother in Israel. The family emigrated to Germany while he was in high school there, he attended a messianic congregation for Jews who believe in Jesus. Waba says Leschinsky's faith drove his work in foreign policy to be a peacemaker. The event where he was killed was to discuss ways to deliver humanitarian aid to places like Gaza.

[Mariam Waba]

He wanted to explain the Jewish state to people. He wanted to explain this tiny nation in the middle of the Middle east to the rest of the world and explain what it was and what it stood for.

[Nick Eicher]

Sarah Milgram of Overland Park, Kansas also worked at the Israeli Embassy. She was planning to go with Lachinsky to meet his family in Jerusalem over Memorial Day weekend. Kansas City Jewish Federation President Jay Lewis joined Milgram's parents at a vigil last Thursday.

[Alex Schadenberg]

Today, Bob and Nancy found out only hours before the rest of us did in the media that Yaron had purchased an engagement ring and planned to propose to Sarah in the coming weeks when.

[Harrison Waters]

They went together to Israel.

[Mary Reichert]

While the murder was brazen and shocking, Waba says she had a growing expectation something like this was imminent. She's been concerned by the violent protest rhetoric against Israel since the terror attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023.

[Mariam Waba]

We've had encampments in the middle of New York City yelling kill Jews. Kill all the Zionists chanting about wanting to bring the intifada to American cities. This is what it means to bring the intifada to American cities.

[Nick Eicher]

Back in March, President Trump moved to address campus unrest by threatening to withhold federal dollars from schools like Harvard and Col. He also set up a Justice Department task force to investigate anti Semitism on campus and look into who's funding the events and student groups spreading hate.

[Mariam Waba]

The problem is it is a government task force. So it's moving at a government pace, it's moving at a bureaucratic pace. And if we can do anything or if we can begin to do anything, to honor your own memory is to really put more resources, more manpower behind this task force and treat it with the sense of urgency that it deserves.

[Mary Reichert]

The day after the murder, the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia filed charges of murder of a foreign official. Here's former Fox News Host and interim U.S. attorney Jeanine Pirro.

[Jeanine Pirro]

The defendant, Rodriguez, is also charged with two counts of murder in the first degree. For both, Yaron Leshinsky along with 26 year old Sara Lynn Milgram of Kansas.

[Mary Reichert]

Law enforcement gathered evidence at the 31 year old suspect's home in Chicago. Alderman Debra Silverstein spoke to the press.

[Jeanine Pirro]

We have learned that the attacker lives in Chicago and was likely radicalized right here in our city. This is not just a national tragedy. It is a local wake up call.

[Nick Eicher]

The night of the attack, the suspect slipped into the Capitol Jewish Museum after allegedly shooting the couple. When police arrived to take him away, Free, Free Palestine. That's when he started shouting. Middle east researcher Waba says chants like that are not idle words.

[Mariam Waba]

People are just not indoctrinated and radicalized overnight. This is 600 days of being fed this rhetoric and Virgil, that results in somebody thinking that they can get a gun and shoot innocent civilians on the street.

[Mary Reichert]

According to the Anti Defamation League, since July of last year, this is the eighth terrorist plot or attack on Jewish people or institutions.

[Mariam Waba]

We live in a world where Jews and supporters of Jews, supporters of the Jewish state can't go to a diplomatic event aimed at, you know, promoting peace, promoting a ways to get humanitarian aid to innocent civilians without the fear of being shot on the streets. We have some real problems that we need to fix if that is the question we're asking ourselves.

[Mary Reichert]

Waba's family moved to the US From Egypt for religious freedom. They are Coptic Christians. Watching the aftermath of Wednesday's attack, Waba is concerned America is not the safe haven it once was.

[Mariam Waba]

We have to think about how this is getting through, why this is getting through, and what urgent actions we can take to stop this from happening.

[Nick Eicher]

Jeroen Leshinsky was buried in Israel on Sunday in a village west of Jerusalem. Sarah Milgram's family will honor her life in a funeral today in her hometown.

[Kent Covington]

Additional Support comes from biblestock.org Helping Bible teachers bring the land of the Bible to life through photos and videos. Biblestock.org.

[Mary Reichert]

Today is Tuesday, May 27th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning, I'm Mary Reigerd.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Next up on the world and everything in it, piano pizzazz. A small town music club puts on a big time piano event each year. Four pianos on a single stage. Multiple players of all ages performing at the same time. World senior writer Kim Henderson was there for the 2025 performance.

[Jeanine Pirro]

It's Wednesday, two days before the town of Crystal Springs hosts one of its biggest annual events. A piano showdown they call a grand night. A group has gathered in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church. They've been waiting for Josh Landrum to arise. A guy who was will move four baby grands pretty much by himself with the help of an electric piano lift straight from Italy.

[Nick Eicher]

We're one of the only companies in the US that has one it's much safer for the mover and the piano.

[Jeanine Pirro]

Landrum has removed the legs of a Baldwin 151 and he strapped the body onto what looks like a souped up dolly.

[Nick Eicher]

So I'm about to tilt it over, so I'm going to ask that we clear the stage.

[Jeanine Pirro]

The lift was a significant investment for his piano business, but Landrum says it was worth every penny.

[Nick Eicher]

It's a lot cheaper than having a spinal surgery.

[Jeanine Pirro]

Landrum is delivering the rented pianos at the request of Enza Calloway. Calloway is a serious, slight, smiling church organist. She's in charge of the musical extravaganza.

[Enza Calloway]

We started it in 2012. It was going to be just a one time event just to raise some money and the community loved it.

[Jeanine Pirro]

But her group's history goes back much farther than 2012. Crystal Springs has a McDowell Club. McDowell Clubs were established across the US at the turn of the 20th century. Members wanted to further the development of.

[Enza Calloway]

Community music, but it's named after the composer McDowell.

[Jeanine Pirro]

At their height, some 400 MacDowell music clubs met. These days, it's about 15 in Crystal Springs. The group stays busy pretty much all year planning the Grand Night, which happens each March.

[Enza Calloway]

We'll meet in June and select the music and then pass it out to the players in September.

[Jeanine Pirro]

Well, just how many, how many players are we talking about?

[Enza Calloway]

It's about 30. Which explains their biggest challenge, getting everybody to come to rehearsals.

[Jeanine Pirro]

The rehearsals start in January. They practice at two different churches.

[Enza Calloway]

The eight people pieces really have to have a director because it's hard to keep eight people together.

[Jeanine Pirro]

Eight players, two to a piano bench at four pianos all at once.

[Enza Calloway]

Once.

[Jeanine Pirro]

It's quite a sight, quite a sound. When the Grand Night finally arrives, a crowd of about 400 lines up for tickets. They're $10 a then at exactly 7pm A club member takes the mic and introduces the program against a backdrop of four gleaming baby grands. He proclaims the piano as the most versatile of instruments.

[Mary Reichert]

It doesn't have to be plugged in, turned on, cranked, primed or proclaimed.

[Jeanine Pirro]

Then the stars take the stage. Groups of four players for one song, eight for another. They're dressed in black, some in black sequins and sparkles. Calloway says the pianists represent quite an age span.

[Enza Calloway]

We've got from 13 to 80 something.

[Jeanine Pirro]

The music is wide ranging too, from a rollicking power in the blood to a jazzy closer Walk with Thee. Enza Calloway joins a group playing a John Philip Sousa march. Even Patsy Cline makes the cut. Here's a more recent song you might recognize. It was the favorite of one teenage patron. I thought it was really good.

[Enza Calloway]

I really like the Greatest Showman.

[Mary Reichert]

I love that show.

[Jeanine Pirro]

The combined talent on stage was impressive. That's Dwight Kemp's nimble fingers. He started taking piano lessons when he was five. He went on on to teach music in public schools in the state capital.

[Kent Covington]

Hinds county and in Jacksonville a total of 40 years.

[Jeanine Pirro]

And that's really what a grand night is all about. Passing on a love of music. The money raised through ticket sales goes to fund music lessons for area students.

[Mary Reichert]

If I call your name as the recipient of one of these scholarships, please stand and remain standing.

[Jeanine Pirro]

Charity Berries son and daughter are both 2025 scholarship recipients.

[Enza Calloway]

He plays clarinet in the band and he plays the trumpet and the piano.

[Jeanine Pirro]

Barry wants them to get the best music instruction they can. She says the scholarship money will make a difference because the cost of lessons really adds up. But what a payoff. As the satisfied concert goers leave, you can see it in their eyes. The countdown has begun for next year's piano showdown. Reporting for World I'm Kim Henderson in Crystal Springs, Mississippi.

[Nick Eicher]

Today is Tuesday, May 27th. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported world Radio. I'm Nick Iker.

[Mary Reichert]

And I'm Mary Reichert. Religious liberty is a foundational American right, and President Trump recently formed the White House Religious Liberty Commission to help defend it. But World Opinions contributor Hunter Baker says real protection will take more than a presidential panel.

[Harrison Waters]

In the wake of the Supreme Court's 2015 Obergfeld decision that recognized same sex marriage as a constitutional right, I finally saw a crisis take shape that I'd anticipated for nearly two decades. In 1999, I worked as a summer law associate with Prison Fellowship. We worked hard trying to pass a bill that would have strengthened the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration act, or RFRA, a law that prevents the federal government from imposing substantial burdens on a person's religious exercise. Our bill failed. We witnessed stout opposition from gay rights campaigners. I recognized that the LGBTQ community identified religious liberty as a threat and would seek to confine free exercise of religion as much as possible. When the Oberg fell ruling came down, religious liberty and gay rights were on a collision course. The stage was set for the American left to use anti discrimination legislation and regulations. Few Christians ever realized how serious the threat was and is. Religious liberty has gone from being primarily a concern of religious minorities to a much broader kind of political issue. The continuing clash of religious and secular progressive sensibilities is powered by the sexual revolution. President Trump's recent establishment of a White House Religious Liberty Commission is a sign of how much more prominent the issue has become. The commission is specifically tasked with evaluating threats to religious liberty and seeking ways to enhance protections. Notably, an examination of the history of American religious liberty is part of the agenda. Historically speaking, it would make sense to emphasize the degree to which religious liberty is one of the most distinctive American values. Those who argue First Amendment religious liberty somehow skirts the law or operates as a get out of jail free card ignore the fact that free exercise is part of our most fundamental law, the U.S. constitution. The commission's roster reveals some serious heavy hitters in the area of religious liberty. They all represent tremendous engagement with issues involving the free exercise of religion. While it is true that the Supreme Court has been relatively friendly to religious liberty claims in recent years, the better course of action is to attempt to make changes in law to better support the constitutional right. As an example, the Religious Freedom Restoration act was the primary reason Hobby Lobby survived the Obama administration's HHS mandate that forced employers to provide birth control and abortifacients in their insurance plans. Without the protection of rfra, Hobby Lobby would either have been ruined by enormous fines or forced to sell. The problem is that in the early years, shortly after RFRA's passage, the coalition for Religious Liberty fell apart. A later attempt aimed at pressing for greater protection in the states. But that legislation ended up being greatly diluted into the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons act and was of no help to claimants such as the Colorado baker Jack Phillips, who continues to be targeted in his state. Further, it is the case that recent legislation from the secular left has explicitly aimed to exclude or limit the operation of rfra. The White House Religious Liberty Commission will produce a report which we can hope will be influential. But what is important is that this emphasis on religious liberty not be an isolated event of the kind that pops up as a public policy fad. Rather, religious liberty deserves sustained attention by American citizens and officials. The great Catholic political theorist John Courtney Murray helped lead his church toward the embrace of religious liberty in the middle of the 20th century. He effectively argued that the religion clauses of the Constitution act as articles of peace. Contrary to secular progressive arguments that religious freedom somehow deforms democracy, Murray noted that honoring religious liberty is deeply practical as it helps people live together in a pluralistic society. Let's hope that President Trump's commission can remind Americans how important it is to honor faith, liberty rather than try to steamroll it into submission. I'm Hunter Baker.

[Nick Eicher]

Tomorrow, the president's big beautiful bill, that massive spending and tax package moves from the House to the Senate. We'll have that on Washington Wednesday. And the power of older men mentoring the next generation with special attention to those who lack strong role models. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Eicher.

[Mary Reichert]

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 says, therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. Verses 6 through 8 of Colossians, chapter 2. Go now in grace and peace.

[Alex Schadenberg]

Sat.