HHH Show 100126 - Hour 3

0:00Five o'clock hour. Greetings and Salutations. Welcome to this brand new evening afternoon. This afternoon has never been lived before. It's a blank canvas. If you will it. So it can be your masterpiece. Here's how? Think of three things for which you're grateful. And then do the afternoon with all the joy wonder enthusiasm and gratitude you can muster hashtag TYG turn it up. So we had that hour with Congressman Tim merchant running for re-election and it will be posted to our website newstalk987.com. You can go back and listen to that. And tomorrow afternoon, around

1:01same time actually, Senator Marsha Blackburn. So that'll that's a really interesting. It's really interesting that Congressman Birchett is open about the fact that he wants to be appointed to the Senate. But his run for re-election and that whole thing. But he's he's right up front about it. He's up front about it. I always wonder as a political independent. As I was talking to him today. So you know I ask a lot of people in politics and just people in the general. What do you do with the guy like me? And I think when you say to people that you're an independent, what they hear is that you're down the

2:06middle of the road. Now if by down the middle of the road, you mean I want to be fair. That's exactly true. I really do want to be fair. I want to hear from everybody. If you say down the middle of the road, do I believe that even if you disagree with me, I should sit down and talk to you and listen to you absolutely. But in the in the practical and tactical world of winning elections, and I've said this quite openly, I there there have been moments in my life where I've had an interest in public service. And I because of because of the experience that I've had, if you think about the unique experience that I, this is a very unique life.

3:06Congressman Virtchett said you were always at the Capitol. I was, I covered the city, I covered the state, I was there, I knew people, I was in rooms. But what I came to understand very clearly is that I couldn't win. I that I couldn't win because people do not gravitate toward people who are independent. They know. What I have found is that people really like it though, when they find out that you respect them, whether or not they agree with you. I think that is a really, I think that's an honorable way to live your life.

4:06I can be your neighbor. I can be in your favor. In other words, I could be pulling for you to have a great life. We can disagree on a whole bunch of stuff. I mean, we can disagree on a whole bunch of stuff. But I think it's an honorable way to be in the world. And this is why, let me tell you why. And I've had people get upset with me because I don't hate one side or the other. But I want to, I just want to tell you, I want to talk to you about my views on the show that bears my name. I just want to express myself. In the deepest part of my heart, my world view is that every single person listening to me right now, no matter the age you are, the stage of life you're in,

5:10whatever your political background is, whatever your socio-economic level is, no matter what ethnic group you come from, no matter what your gender, my world view is you are God's creation. You are a child of God. You were made by a creator God. And that God loves you. And that God loves you. And when he's making the decision about the sunshine and the oxygen for the day, he is not dispensing that based on how good you were, how bad you were, how right you are, how left you are, how red you are, how blue you are. He just loves you. The world has laws. There are laws of science and physics.

6:12You break those laws, you get broken. There is a spiritual framework that surrounds human beings in this setting, on this planet, in this age. I understand that. But a fundamental core belief I have is that you are God's creation, we have a Heavenly Father, and that He made you and He made me. And in making you and me, we have the same point of origin, and we have the same thing keeping us alive. That life force came from God as a gift to us. I see that in you. I may not like you, may not agree with you, may not.

7:13But when I reason from that space, when I reason from that space, it makes me want to look for the best in people, look for the God in people, fully understanding that there are evil people in this world. I've met some of them. I would say, by and large, most of you listening to me right now, you just want a good life. Some of you listening to me right now are crazy, you're cool, cool for cocoa puffs. You're nuts. Love you. Some listening to me, you might be absolutely evil to your core. You're not even conscious of how evil you are, but a core belief that drives my independence is, I can't find the space to hate someone else, because they think differently than I do.

8:14I can't get to hate. I can't get to the place where I think you don't need to exist, or your freedoms need to be limited, or you need to be treated disrespectfully, or you shouldn't have the opportunity to figure out life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. That's one thing, that's one thing of being an independent. Thing two of being independent when I come back. What would you do if your online store converted 36% more shoppers? You could take 36% more vacation. Another peanut carada? Yes, please. Open a new retail location, with 36% more square feet. Fantastic. Higher 36% more help. You're hired and you're hired. Shopify has the world's best converting checkout, up to 36% better than other e-commerce platforms. What you do with those extra sales is up to you. Switch to Shopify today at Shopify.com-slash-listen, and get a $1 trial, Shopify.com-slash-listen. Sanctuary of Hope changed my life. I was only 19.

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10:17Take the guesswork out of your warning lights with O'Reilly Veriscan. The service is free and provides a report with solutions verified by ASC Certified Master Technicians. And if you need help, we could recommend a shop for you. Ask for O'Reilly Veriscan today. Oh, oh, oh, oh, right. Auto parts. I don't know, asking Congressman Berkshire, I said, what do you do with somebody like me? I've known this guy for 37 years. Right? I started the interview by saying, I don't know you politically. That's not how I met him. That's not how I knew him and his family. And he said, well, you know, you're fair, you know, and sometimes I don't agree with you, but I respect you, love you, blah, blah, blah.

11:20I don't know what people do with somebody like me, but I know why I believe what I believe. The second reason that I am an independent is because I believe in the word independent, one of the definitions is self-governing. The whole of this experiment we call America is about individual liberty. We got here by declaration of independence. And so I'm intellectually curious. I don't want anybody to tell me what I can think, what I can read, what I can believe, what I can... No, I'm curious. I want, you know, freedom. I am intellectually...

12:23I'm curious. I'm independent. I want to hold on to my intellectual sovereignty where I control... No, maybe God controls, but I direct what I choose. That power to be free... That means a lot to me. And if you have ever been in a position in your life where someone tried to box you in or bully you, or tell you that the only way you matter is if they declare you worthy. And you better think this or act this way or believe this or you have no worth. I stand against that.

13:27Period. I fight for my liberty and yours. You know, I start to show the same way every day. It's goofy. Like I said, I could not be elected. I understand the blocking and tacking, tackling the fundamentals of how you play the political game. I get it. I'm aware. I know that I sound dumb to political people. I get that, or frustrating, or whatever. But at least I got a set of principles that govern my life. I'll never be the number one talk show host or number one bestseller or number one anything in America. I won't be that. I'll be the number one version of me though. That I will be.

14:28And that freedom is a luxury. It is such a luxury to wake up in the morning and not have to check for the talking points of whatever the thing is so that I can make sure that I stay in line so that I can make sure that I have belonging in a sense of worth and community. I don't know. I bought, you know, I ordered what was on the menu. They handed me a menu and they said right there, the first thing we hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. Can't take them away. Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness. Yes, I'll have some of that. In fact, give me two orders. For me, that's what it means to be independent.

15:31It means that I don't rent my mind out to anybody. I'll listen to you. If you make sense, if you go, hey, this is what I want to do. I'll think critically about what you're saying. And if it makes sense to me, I'll go, I can get with that. What I'm not available for is you to say, well, you're not a this or you're not a that. So therefore, therefore what? Excuse me. Therefore what? If you think about, do we really have the ability to pronounce over people's lives what they are or are not in a God-like fashion?

16:32To make a summary judgment of another human being. Excuse me. I don't think so. Plus, I want to be happy. But I also, everything that I just said, I believe that for you, and it's so hard to believe because everybody is so political. Like you could be listening to your radio or streaming this or catching this on a podcast. And it may be really hard for you to compute that somebody could be talking to you right now. You totally disagree with me. Excuse me. You totally disagree with me. But that person that's talking to you right now wants the very best for you. believes that you are a child of God. That you are entitled to the rights that you have that the government didn't give them to you. Those rights that you have, the portfolio of rights that you have as a human being were given to you by God.

17:37And that God is your God and that God is my God. And we may not like each other. But I am duty bound to love you and want the best for you. Because when all the politics are done, when you get done being whatever label you think you got to be, when all the politics are done, you're going to be back at square one. You will be back at square one. I haven't met a person yet on their deathbed. I haven't met one. Haven't seen one. I haven't seen a lot of people on their deathbed. When you get down a brass tax into the day, you'll see. And I think that's what becomes frustrating for people.

18:39I just won't bow the knee. I just won't. I won't make an eye to a lot of liberal politics or conservative politics or politicians or all of the games that are played or whatever. We need it. We need to figure out a way to figure out things to help people to make our lives better, to give people a chance to live their best lives and make their best contributions. But I just won't bow the knee, ladies and gentlemen, I won't. And if you say, Halorne, you got to make a choice today. You can either have me like you or you could stand on what you believe and you could only, you could decide my reverence, my worship. Only belongs to God. I'm choosing God. I would little dolly in it. I've got a family for a pack of tickets to the Gatlinburg Craftsman's Fair.

19:42And it starts on October the 8th. At the convention center, I think they got over 200 booths. They got a lot of music every day. It is quite, I love going to those Craftsman's fairs. So here's the contest line number. 865 656 2946 656 2 win 656 2946 865 656 2946 The contest line number is 865 656 2946 The contest line number is 865 656

20:442946 And we'll take caller number 10. 865 656 2946 That's the number to call to win the family for pack to the Gatlinburg Craftsman's Fair. 865 656 2946 865 656 2 win 2946 Caller number 10 will be today's winner. So anyway, that's my little, I probably do it once a month. I love being independent, I love being free. I do, I really do. I want you to be free too. I don't think this is all there is.

21:44So forgive me. I think life is so much more than... Well, it's a... Christopheich. We were having a really interesting, a really interesting conversation about Christopheich. And about capital punishment. Now her attorneys are saying that maybe the death sentence should be commuted. She should be given life and prison because the state has a problem with lethal injection. We don't know how to do it. We keep botching it. And if the state is going to kill someone, they should do it in the most humane way possible. Even if that person is guilty of an inhumane evil killing. And a couple of days ago I was talking about this.

22:44I was talking about this at the beginning of... I did a monologue on it the other day. About as I've thought through it and as I've paid attention, I really struggle with the death penalty now. And here is my struggle with the death penalty. Here's what I think and why I think it. The new talk number is 865-855-8255. 865-855-8255. We've got a new number. If you try our old number, if you got our old number locked in your phone, I can't hear you. We can't see you on the text line. None of it. We can't see it. 865-855-8255. So three areas. One is the... And by the way, the argument for the death penalty is it is the law.

23:47We have certain crimes. We've codified in law that certain crimes earn the death penalty. Period. You know that before you commit the crime. You have a system of justice that presumes innocence. We have an appellate process so that you can appeal convictions. We provide representation if you need it. And we require that the state prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury of your peers for certain crimes. You did it. And have earned the penalty that is already codified. I get that 100%. One argument is it's just the law. Good. I agree. Number two, another argument is Christophe Pike was in jail for 30 years.

24:49By the way, congratulations to Gary Beale. He picked up a family four pack to the Gatlinburg Craftsman's Fair. We love another chance to win tomorrow. So another argument for the death penalty is Christophe Pike is on death row for 30 years. Estimates run from anywhere from 30 to $60,000 a year to house, feed, clothe, protect, and inmate. And maybe even higher security if they're on death row. And why should the taxpayer be burdened with their life while the families of the victims are punished by their death? Okay. That is a fair argument. The reasons for the death penalty are number one, justice.

25:54You can do the crime. The crime has a predetermined punishment. We have that due process that I just described. And if that due process renders a guilty verdict, this is the price for the crime period. And that is justice for the crime committed. Christophe Pike and friends, Lord, a young woman, Colleen Slimmer, a job corps, love triangle stuff. They were jealous. They killed her. Christophe Pike was said to have kept a piece of the young woman's skull as a souvenir. I talked to a guy today that had been locked up with Christophe Pike. And he said she looked crazed. Today I just talked to somebody. That's the crime that she was accused of committing. That's the crime that she was convicted of.

26:56Tried on, found guilty, went through the appellate process. You bash somebody, take a piece of their skull as a souvenir. In this state under our laws, that is a death penalty crime. So it's justice. Okay. Argument number two. The death penalty efficiently administered becomes a deterrent. The next person thinking about committing such a crime may not do it because they know we're going to kill you if you kill them. It is a deterrent. It creates more order in society because people believe, oh no, I better not do that because I could die. Number three, it creates closure or resolution for the families of the victims. When they see that a person has been executed, gives them a sense of release. It gives them a sense of relief.

27:56It gives them the sense that the equation has been balanced in eye for an eye. And that balancing of the energy gives them closure and allows them to go on with their life. They will carry the sorrow for a lifetime, but at least they don't have to live with the notion that they got away with it. Right. So those are, now do I believe it is a deterrent? No, I don't. Unreasonable people do not think logically or reasonably. Right. They just don't. So it might deter a sane person, but a sane person, I shouldn't say sane, a rational person might be deterred, but rational people wouldn't do the thing in the beginning. Does it create closure for the family? I don't know. Erica Kirk, the first thing she did, she stood on the platform and she said, I forgive the person that killed my husband.

28:58She forgave him. She said, because that's what God calls us to do. The only thing I can land on is justice. As I said earlier in my monologue, the hard thing for me is Jesus. Enjoy more ways to save at Ralph's, like low prices in every aisle, and you can clip and save more with digital coupons in the Ralph's app. Plus, you can earn fuel points to save up to $1 per gallon at the pump, so it's always easy to save big. Buy 3 get 3 free on select packs of Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Propel, and more with your card in the limits 12 plus CRV. Ralph's. Serving so cal for over 150 years. Savings may vary by state. Fuel restrictions apply. See site for details. I think I landed on locking people up for life. And the tension for me is, look, I could play you things that I said years ago.

30:00I wanted people thrown into woodchippers and electrocuted and turned into chicken McNuggets. I don't have a bleeding heart that says, you know, you can do anything and you just, no, I agree with you on the law. But, man, it's Jesus' thing. And I probably shouldn't be saying that on a secular talk radio station, right? But that's the hitch in my giddy up. And I've heard people describe this to me theologically. Like consequences on our, but of Christopheich were to find her faith and accept Jesus. She'd be in heaven, et cetera, et cetera. And she'd be in heaven with Colleen Slimmer and renewed and restored and, you know, the Old Testament God drowned people, burned them up, put them in holes.

31:04We stoned them. We did crusades. We did wars in the name of God rendering justice on an unruly planet. So God kills people, halorun. New Testament God shows up on the scene for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that, who so ever believe it than Him shall have everlasting life. So, anyway, let's talk about it. Michelle is up first. Michelle, welcome to the AAA trade-o experience. Hello. How are you today? I am well. Thank you. Oh, good. Well, I will tell you like I told Chris, I wanted to give my two cents on this Christocraft. That way you can have a laugh too. Sure. First of all, I don't understand. I agree with you as far as the Jesus thing. I'm right there with you, however, I do feel that the punishment needs to stand if, you know, if that's the punishment that you were given, then that's the punishment that you need to take.

32:13My biggest thing with this Christocraft as well as other people that have gone before her with this electric chair and the needles and all that stuff, why do they have to be humanely protected? They didn't humanely protect their victims. They tortured the crap out of their victims. So why do we have to humanely protect these people? It makes me so mad that, you know, this whole situation, and I know her lawyers right now are trying to get her life in prison, or they're going to sue the state because of the botched up mess that they created. Who cares how she feels? She should have died. They said that she was a wackadoodle yesterday before she got injected. So that's just my two cents. Michelle, thanks for the call. She brings up the point, why should we care how it's done? My response to that would simply be this is the state doesn't kill out of revenge or vengeance.

33:17The state kills out of justice. We're not trying to inflict equal or greater harm because we are trying to respond vengefully. We're not exacting revenge. We are executing justice. The law has already said what it is. The law has already said what they deserve. And by the way, this botching of taking people out, there are so many different ways that you can lay a person to rest. But I think Michelle, the bottom line is the state we don't want to become the thing that we dislike.

34:18The state does not need to function out of revenge. It functions out of justice. We should take no delight in taking someone's life. That is not the justice. The justice is not, I'm glad you're getting what you do. That's not the role of the state. That's not the role of the law. It has been predetermined. It's crime, this punishment, we punish you. But we don't, I don't think we should ever take a life with delight because then we become the very thing, the very evil that led to the initial death. So the fact that we are botching them though, could be close to inexcusable. Because with the technology and technologies that we have now, you should never come up to an execution and not have everything perfectly prepared.

35:24That is, you should never have to struggle to figure out how to get into a vein or how to, that should never be a struggle. It might be struggle to get people to that are competent to actually do that. That's a big moment. I flapped my gums for years talking about what I would do to somebody if they did something to somebody that loved me. Those of you who have served, those of you who have lived criminal lives, those of you who have taken a life, my understanding is when you are at that point where you are about to take a life, that's a, it's a different energy. And I don't know how many people are willing to do that and do it well. There might be some people out there though, you know, who are like, give it or me, I'll do it. That may not be the person you want to do it.

36:27The person that desires, the person that is like, well, I want to kill, that has that sanguineery spirit. So Michelle, I think that's part of it is just my understanding is that when the state is executing the law, the law has already determined what it is. There is no need for vengeance or retribution or revenge because the law has already adjudicated that. This is the punishment. It's clinical. I don't know, that's at least my understanding.