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July 31, 2024

The Changing Spirit of the Olympics: From Unity to Division 212

The Changing Spirit of the Olympics: From Unity to Division 212

Have the Olympics lost their magic? As a kid, I couldn't wait to gather around the TV with my family, bursting with pride as we cheered on our athletes. But now, the spirit of unity seems overshadowed by protests and divisive moments. Join me as we recount the transformation of the games, examining how anti-American sentiments and disrespect toward Christian faith have shifted the Olympics from a beacon of patriotism to a source of disillusionment.

America’s athletes have historically been symbols of unity, but their recent actions—like protesting the national anthem—have stirred controversy. Let’s dive into the media's role in shaping these narratives, especially during the 2020 games, and discuss how figures like LeBron James have become flashpoints in this cultural divide. We’ll also touch on the opening ceremonies and their portrayal of Christian faith, leading to my difficult decision to disengage from future Olympic events.

But it’s not just the Olympics at stake. We’ll delve into broader cultural issues, such as the controversial portrayal of the Last Supper by the LGBTQ community and the contrasting reactions from Christian and Islamic countries. With alarming claims from Vladimir Putin about Western moral decay and the suppression of information by tech giants, it’s a turbulent time. On a personal note, as we prepare for Little Miss Paisley Reign’s baby shower, I reflect on the absence of my father. Amidst these reflections, I find solace in signs of his presence, reminding us of the importance of sharing our struggles to find strength and growth.

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Chapters

00:02 - The Decline of the Olympic Games

17:30 - Disdain for Modern Olympics

23:12 - Media Bias and Cultural Disrespect

39:49 - Reflections on Father's Absence and Signs

55:05 - Promotion of Loud Proud American

Transcript
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As a child, I looked forward to a summer and winter tradition, a competition built on tradition, one where dreams were achieved and legends were made, a time for true American unification and a shining example of patriotism and the American spirit.

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A one-time great tradition has become a tragedy, another opportunity to divide the world, putting an emphasis on anti-American athletes and creating an opportunity to make a mockery of the Christian faith.

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Opportunity to make a mockery of the Christian faith.

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Today, on Share the Struggle podcast, we will discuss the embarrassment known as the Olympic Games.

00:00:55.283 --> 00:00:59.951
We'll take a little time for a business update and get ready for a weekend I never imagined would happen.

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Let me tell you something Everybody struggles.

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The difference is some people choose to go through it and some choose to grow through it.

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The choice is completely yours.

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Which one you choose will have a very profound effect on the way you live your life.

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If you find strength in the struggle, then this podcast is for you.

00:01:25.176 --> 00:01:32.112
Do you have a relationship that is comfortable with uncomfortable conversations?

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Uncomfortable conversations challenge you, humble you and they build you.

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When you sprinkle a little time and distance on it, it all makes sense.

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Most disagreements they stem from our own insecurities.

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You are right where you need to be.

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I'll take on what I find.

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Ooh, ooh, ooh ooh, what it do, what it do, hot diggity.

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Damn, am I so excited to be back with you, episode 212.

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212 consecutive weeks of Share the struggle podcast, this spiritual journey we just happen to be on together, united as one, united, and it feels so good, oh, oh oh.

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I don't know why.

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I thought I joined some kind of R&B band right there.

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I am an idiot.

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Wow, I'm rambling.

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I'm trailing.

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It is what it is.

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Welcome back to Share the Struggle podcast.

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That podcast that is perfectly precisely beautifully named Share the Struggle because everybody.

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That podcast that is perfectly precisely beautifully named Share the Struggle because everybody struggles.

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Okay, it is the truth.

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The real insight in all of this is that if we take the opportunity to share our struggles with each other, then there is strength in our struggles and we can all learn and grow together.

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You understand, I think you understand, because we've been doing this little ditty for 212 consecutive weeks.

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That means that there's a bunch of you that keep coming back, that appreciate what you're doing, what we're doing, what we all be doing, and because of you, we'll keep on doing what it is we be doing.

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Could that be any more confusing?

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I don't know if it can, but the point I'm trying to make here is I appreciate you, I thank you and I love you.

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Whether you are a day one, an original one, an OG, get your ones up.

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Or if this is a day one for you, then I must say to you welcome, welcome to this podcast, welcome to this family.

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Let's spread this positive vibe, let's grow this positive tribe, hot diggity.

00:04:08.382 --> 00:04:13.651
Damn, did I say a lot to start the day, but I'm a little riled up today.

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Okay, I mean, I think you guys have come to expect that I'm riled up just about every damn day.

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Okay, it's probably not good for your blood pressure to run around as riled up as I can be, but it is what it is what I'm a little hut to trot about today.

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What I'm a little hut and bothered little hut under the collar about is the tragedy that has become the Olympic Games.

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Let me start to set the scene here, people.

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I think everybody can guess where I'm going with today's show.

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You can probably guess what it is that has me all fired up about the Olympics.

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But the first thing that I want to say to you is I need to set the scene for you about my passion and my love for the Olympics, or shall I say, my once passion and love for the Olympics, because over the past few years that has been erased, it has been wiped out, it has been robbed from me, taken from me by the actions of some of the people involved with the Olympic Games.

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But what I need to tell you is, as a young child, I absolutely loved and adored the Olympic Games.

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So you have that four-year tradition Every four years you're going to have the Summer Olympics.

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Every four years you're going to have the Winter Olympics.

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They stagger those two.

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So you get basically every two years.

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You have this amazing competition and if you don't already know this about me, I love competition.

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I am a competition freak, I love competitive sports and it just happens to be part of my fundamental wiring.

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It is my internal just tickety-tock.

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Okay, it is that internal clock of me.

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I am wired for competition, I am drawn to the race, to the chase.

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So as a child I loved watching the Olympics.

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I grew up on the Olympics.

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I don't think I can express to you the level of excitement I had when I knew that the Olympics were coming, that it was a year for the Olympics.

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I was so geared up for it.

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I think when I was a younger lad I enjoyed the summer Olympics because it happened in the summer, it happened when you had no responsibility to go to school, it happened when you didn't have really much responsibility at all, so you could sit back and enjoy every ounce of the Olympics, as I was.

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I guess.

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What would you?

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How would you describe my youth, my younger days, but not childhood days like my adolescence, my younger adulthood, I guess?

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I think about the fact that we had the advancements in technology, in TV, where you had, where internet was more prevalent, so you could stream everything.

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You could find everything.

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For me, I really think about, like the 96 Olympics, the 2000 Olympics, where I was able to watch basically every single competition that I enjoyed, from front to back.

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I've watched everything about it and I learned about all the athletes, all the stars, all their hopes, their dreams, their aspirations, their journeys, their stories.

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So for those years when I didn't have the obligation to get up and go to work, I didn't have to be in school, I didn't have to do those you know responsible things.

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I just got to enjoy the chase, I get to celebrate the American dream.

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It just took over my life.

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I think about that.

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96 Summer Olympics.

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I remember literally spending the entire stretch of the Olympics in my living room.

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I think I slept on the living room floor and I just set up an Olympic zone in my parents' living room just taking in all things Olympics.

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Because if you think about me and let's just kind of drill down a little bit about me and who I am and what I'm passionate about, let's start with the fact that my last name is Liberty.

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I am the most patriotic son of a bitch that you are going to meet.

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Okay, it's just chewing through.

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It's me, it's who I am, it's how I am.

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It makes so much sense that the business, the brand, the dream that we are chasing is called loud, proud American, cause I might be the loudest and the proudest American that you might absolutely find Okay.

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So when you have an Olympic games which has a bunch of athletes that are prideful for their country, they're thankful for their opportunity and they're chase your dream to represent your country and to put, first and foremost, the love of your country on display.

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Put the patriotism on display.

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As a young man and I'm talking from elementary school all the way through high school every year that there was an Olympics, I was the one that was trying to find the Olympics apparel, which I'm starting to sense a connection here with who I've become as an adult and how I was as a young man here.

00:09:34.874 --> 00:09:37.785
But I had all the Olympic apparel.

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A lot of it was a knockoff.

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Okay, let's be honest, I might have found a flea market, all right, but anything that these Olympians were wearing I was trying to get my hands on and wear because I was so impressed, I was so motivated and I was so inspired by these athletes.

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Because one of the great things about the Olympics is learning about the athlete, learning about the person right.

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You get to know them and their story.

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You get to know, like important figures in their life and their families, the journeys that have taken them to these opportunities.

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And one of the beautiful things about the Olympics is you don't learn just about American athletes.

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You learn about athletes throughout the world and I learned about different countries and all these things as a young man because it was like my cultural experience to the world.

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So getting to know some of these athletes made me learn more about their country, right, and it made me want to go to these countries.

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Like I remember the Australia Olympics countries, like I remember the Australia Olympics.

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I've always had it on my bucket list to go to Australia because I spent half of a freaking summer watching the Australian Olympics and just being mesmerized by what I've seen and the culture and all those things.

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So the Olympics have really molded my history.

00:11:01.087 --> 00:11:02.931
It's molded my mind.

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It's shaped my opinion.

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As a young little fella, a little lad, I did book reports and presentations and projects on Jesse Owens.

00:11:13.214 --> 00:11:30.596
I did all these different speeches and talks about all these for you than me, envisioning the Olympics as the ultimate embodiment of the American dream.

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Here you are with an opportunity.

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You can chase your dream.

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But what does it require?

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1,000% dedication, commitment, accountability and hard work To be an Olympian?

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You are the best of the best.

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That means you've worked harder than the rest.

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You've outworked them.

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You were given great gifts of abilities from the Lord.

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You were blessed with great gifts and abilities, but you also had to put in countless, endless effort.

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You had to work your absolute ass off, sacrificing so much.

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You read and learn and watch videos about these athletes that have sacrificed so much to chase their dream, but this is the absolute epitome of the American dream.

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This is what's great about our country is getting the opportunity to represent our country, the fact that our country and this world creates the opportunity for us to chase our dreams.

00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:39.629
I loved all things Olympics because, me being somebody that loves competitive sports, let me just kind of diagnose this for you.

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I live in Maine and I'm a Yankees fan.

00:12:42.148 --> 00:12:45.770
Ok, I am a Yankees fan my entire life.

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My great great grandfather was from New York.

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He played Yankees games on the radio for my mother, so she grew up a Yankees fan and she returned the favor of playing those games on the radio for me.

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So I was born and raised and groomed a Yankees fan in enemy territory.

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In enemy territory, now, if you can imagine being a young lad wearing a Yankees cap on the bus, riding to school, arguing with Red Sox fans, the hostility, the anger, the rivalry between Red Sox and Yankees it was heated right.

00:13:20.383 --> 00:13:36.716
So then, when I started to become a football fan, it was not an option for me to become a Patriots fan, because I hated the fan base of the Red Sox so much that it didn't allow me to root for another Boston team, if that makes sense to you.

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Time in my life I could root for the same team.

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I could root for the same person, for the same championship, for the same common goal, as everybody else on the bus, as everybody else in the classroom, as everybody else on TV.

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We all had the opportunity to be united as one because we're all pulling for the same one, that American athlete.

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This is an amazing opportunity to unite our country, to all root for and pull for the same goal, for the same reason.

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And all those athletes come out to grand parades, to these beautiful celebrations, and they are wearing red, white and blue from head to toe and they are toting that flag front and center.

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And with every victory is another playing of the national anthem, another opportunity to celebrate.

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Embrace our country, our freedoms, our colors red, white and blue.

00:14:41.754 --> 00:14:49.094
This was the one time when I was feeling so completely united with everybody else.

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But at the other place, you look if I was wearing an Olympic t-shirt and I was in the store buying my Wheaties because that's all I could eat at the damn time, because there was Olympians on the covers of the Wheaties boxes.

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If I was doing that and I was getting nods from other people, I was getting accolades from fellow shoppers like hey man, nice shirt.

00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:12.879
Did you see Michael Johnson run last night?

00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:15.369
Did you see Dominique Dawes the other day?

00:15:15.369 --> 00:15:17.307
Did you see Ali Reisman?

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These conversations, right, like these topics that were happening, we're all pulling for the same thing.

00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:33.650
It's a rarity to walk into a store in Biddeford, maine, and have somebody see me in a Yankees hat and be like how about Judge last night?

00:15:33.650 --> 00:15:36.192
Huh, two home runs, two home runs against the Phillies.

00:15:36.192 --> 00:15:37.934
What do you think about Jazz Chisholm?

00:15:37.934 --> 00:15:39.355
Couple of dingers last night.

00:15:39.355 --> 00:15:43.682
Love, it Doesn't happen as much.

00:15:43.682 --> 00:15:44.244
So you're feeling united.

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If you think about the Atlanta games, with the bombing at the Olympics and just how unified this country was, the athletes taking a stand, I hope I've painted a picture for you guys as to how influential the Olympic games have been in my life, how much I've enjoyed the Olympic games and how important I think they are in really creating the absolute best image for young Americans about the opportunity we have and how we can believe and achieve our goals if we're just willing to work for them.

00:16:18.852 --> 00:16:30.370
It is an amazing learning tool, it is an amazing teaching technique and it is a brilliant opportunity to celebrate your pride for country.

00:16:30.370 --> 00:16:43.250
I've spent 10 plus minutes trying to express to you how much I've loved and appreciated the Olympics over my life, that I've rooted for and polled for all these different athletes.

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I remember as a little boy having a crush on some of the gymnasts right and some of these athletes and looking at some of the male athletes as role models and just I can't say it any other way.

00:16:59.793 --> 00:17:30.588
It molded me, it changed me, it shaped me, but it also discouraged me a few years ago Because, when all of the uprising, all of the riots, all of the chaos that took place with 2020, with the social injustice, with all the kneeling for the national anthems, all the boycotting of the national anthems, all the boycotting of the national anthems, all the anti-American athletes, I couldn't tune in.

00:17:30.808 --> 00:17:49.295
I couldn't tune in because I felt like it was going directly against everything that I thought the Olympics embodied, because it doesn't matter if you're an American athlete, a Chinese athlete, an African athlete, australian, whatever it is.

00:17:49.295 --> 00:17:52.068
It's about your pride in your country.

00:17:52.068 --> 00:17:55.859
It's about your opportunity to represent your country.

00:17:55.859 --> 00:17:59.991
It's about your convictions and your beliefs and how much you love your country.

00:17:59.991 --> 00:18:14.630
So to have these athletes from America taking a stand against America while representing the rest of America, it was the first time in my life that the Olympics weren't a unifying opportunity for America.

00:18:14.650 --> 00:18:38.756
At the water cooler now had an opportunity to complain about how this person did or didn't represent our country, how they, you know, kneeled for the national anthem, turned their backs to the camera, refused to stand for the national anthem, refused to represent the flag.

00:18:38.756 --> 00:18:41.623
We were no longer unifying this country.

00:18:41.623 --> 00:18:44.027
We were dividing it yet again.

00:18:44.027 --> 00:18:51.189
So since that moment, I have just pulled the plug on the Olympics.

00:18:51.189 --> 00:19:10.152
Above and beyond that, it connects to the mainstream media's narrative that they want to push and because of this little outlier here on the mainstream media, we're going to do a couple of exercises here as we get going and we're going to talk about a few things that the mainstream media continues to do to divide this country.

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But if you think back to 2020 and the split differences between which channel you were getting your news from, that same shit carried out into the Olympics right?

00:19:21.256 --> 00:19:23.064
Because they're going to push their narrative.

00:19:23.064 --> 00:19:33.326
Whether you believe or not in vaccines, whether you stand for it, kneel for the flag, whatever your beliefs are, they're going to just drag them through the mud.

00:19:33.548 --> 00:19:36.134
And I was not going to sign up for that nonsense.

00:19:36.134 --> 00:19:45.451
I'm not going to support some of these causes that are being showered and shoved down our faces.

00:19:45.451 --> 00:19:55.131
So I decided that I wanted to retire the Olympics in my mind the way I always appreciated it.

00:19:55.131 --> 00:20:00.503
I couldn't sign up to watch the so-called movement.

00:20:00.503 --> 00:20:13.156
I couldn't sign up to watch everybody speak their beliefs that America isn't a great country and that they didn't want to represent our country.

00:20:13.156 --> 00:20:16.871
If they don't want to represent our country, then don't represent us, don't show up.

00:20:16.871 --> 00:20:24.869
I refused to cloud my mind with a piss-poor rendition of the American spirit.

00:20:24.869 --> 00:20:30.942
So I wanted to retire my Olympic memories on Olympics past.

00:20:30.942 --> 00:20:33.207
So I've left it in the past.

00:20:33.207 --> 00:20:40.885
With that said, I did not bother in any way, shape or form to tune in to this year's Summer Olympics.

00:20:40.885 --> 00:20:47.861
I have no intentions of watching Summer Olympics.

00:20:47.861 --> 00:21:12.435
I have no intentions of watching, listening to or partaking in anything Olympic related and to further my convictions into not wanting to consume any of the Olympics, I had heard on a sports talk program that they chose LeBron James to lead the Olympians out by holding the American flag.

00:21:14.381 --> 00:21:18.984
What I think of LeBron James and his American spirit?

00:21:18.984 --> 00:21:27.912
I think about the fact that he refused to stand for the national anthem, about the fact that he refused to stand for the national anthem, that he needled through every national anthem during 2020.

00:21:27.912 --> 00:21:35.537
That he went against the American dream and belief and values that we have in this country.

00:21:35.537 --> 00:21:44.130
The fact that you chose him to represent this country as the person that carries out the flag.

00:21:44.130 --> 00:21:55.086
I understand if you want LeBron on your basketball team I'm not denying that but you probably could have choose somebody else to carry the flag when he basically shit all over the flag for the past four years.

00:21:55.086 --> 00:21:59.013
That just goes to show me nothing's changed.

00:21:59.013 --> 00:22:03.451
I'm not going to give you an opportunity and I'm thankful I didn't give them an opportunity.

00:22:03.451 --> 00:22:11.349
Opportunity and I'm thankful I didn't give them an opportunity, because what little footage I've seen from the opening ceremonies is an absolute disgrace.

00:22:11.349 --> 00:22:14.336
I did not watch the opening ceremonies.

00:22:14.336 --> 00:22:19.256
I'm thankful I did not watch them and I have not watched the replay on all of them.

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I have only seen seconds of what has taken place.

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So, for those of you that did not partake in the Olympics, that do not know what I'm talking about, what I can give you for a very brief description is the LGBTQ community making an absolute mockery of the Last Supper to open the Olympic Games.

00:22:41.595 --> 00:22:55.134
Because that makes sense, because that seems like a great idea, let's just make an absolute mockery of people's faith and religion to start a unifying opportunity.

00:22:55.134 --> 00:23:00.402
This is an opportunity for the entire world to come together and to compete and to represent their country.

00:23:00.402 --> 00:23:03.855
Let's take this opportunity to shit all over Christians.

00:23:03.855 --> 00:23:09.546
Let's take this opportunity to throw our Christian faith out the window.

00:23:09.546 --> 00:23:12.471
This is ridiculous.

00:23:12.830 --> 00:23:30.876
The LGBTQ community came out with a rendition of the Last Supper, making an absolute mockery of it, with a, you know, scantily clad, blue painted transsexual dude on a freaking dinner plate.

00:23:30.876 --> 00:23:34.690
Um, I, I, I'm blown away.

00:23:34.690 --> 00:23:54.605
I'm going to avoid um graphic descriptions of what I saw and how I depict this to everybody, because I don't want to walk a line where I'm going to get called out for something ridiculous, because that's basically what this is.

00:23:54.605 --> 00:23:56.849
It's absolutely ridiculous, it's appalling.

00:23:56.849 --> 00:24:06.214
And if, in very brief video clips, I can see a grown man's testicles hanging out of his shorts while they're dancing with children.

00:24:06.214 --> 00:24:07.758
I have a problem with it.

00:24:07.758 --> 00:24:13.355
I have a problem with it, okay, and I think that this is an absolute disgrace.

00:24:13.355 --> 00:24:16.034
I don't think this can be fixed.

00:24:16.034 --> 00:24:23.217
I can't believe it has gone through all the chains of command to have let this actually happen.

00:24:23.217 --> 00:24:24.880
It's mind-blowing to me.

00:24:24.880 --> 00:24:29.113
I don't know, I don't know what else to say here.

00:24:29.113 --> 00:24:38.326
The fact that people thought this was a good idea, that there's certain people that still support it is crazy to me, man.

00:24:39.587 --> 00:24:42.212
Let's think about the LGBTQ community right now.

00:24:42.212 --> 00:24:51.013
That has been, you know, reaching out and pushing for and striving for, you know, their freedoms, their opportunities.

00:24:51.013 --> 00:24:57.633
Christian countries throw parades and rallies for the LGBTQ community.

00:24:57.633 --> 00:25:01.058
Okay, this is how you're going to reward them.

00:25:01.058 --> 00:25:02.888
This is what you're going to do.

00:25:02.888 --> 00:25:14.285
Why don't you use this same energy, why don't you use this same commitment to humor that you supposedly have, and try that with Islam?

00:25:14.285 --> 00:25:22.893
Why don't you take the same energy that you put into this Olympic presentation for Christians and let's do it towards Islam?

00:25:22.893 --> 00:25:24.086
How do you think that would go?

00:25:24.086 --> 00:25:31.289
Because there's Christian countries and communities that throw parades for LGBTQ In Islamic countries.

00:25:31.289 --> 00:25:34.746
They would throw you off the roof, they would murder you and they would film it.

00:25:34.746 --> 00:25:37.970
You understand this is ridiculous.

00:25:37.970 --> 00:25:40.093
This is appalling.

00:25:40.233 --> 00:25:44.961
I can't even believe that this happened on national TV.

00:25:44.961 --> 00:26:00.662
At the same time, here you have videos of Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, coming out and giving his speech, where he literally comes out and says the West is run by satanic pedophiles.

00:26:00.662 --> 00:26:06.708
They're destroying the institution of family, their cultures and historic identity.

00:26:06.708 --> 00:26:10.919
Pedophilia is now accepted as the norm.

00:26:10.919 --> 00:26:25.121
I watched a video of Vladimir Putin giving this speech to hundreds, if not thousands, of people in Russia about the West and describing America as being run by satanic pedophiles.

00:26:25.121 --> 00:26:32.057
And after seeing the opening ceremony for the Olympic Games, I don't think he's wrong.

00:26:32.057 --> 00:26:32.598
Right.

00:26:32.598 --> 00:26:52.664
And if we look at the leaders in this country, you look at the support given by Biden and Harris, the get out of jail free card that has been given to pedophiles, to rapists, to ridiculousness in this country, immigrants in this country doing unspeakable things to US citizens in this country.

00:26:52.664 --> 00:27:04.597
It's a scary damn time right now that we are living through and I'm really truly hoping and praying that something changes drastically and quickly.

00:27:06.286 --> 00:27:17.080
Man, if you guys, we were talking about the media a few minutes ago saying that I stopped tuning in to the Olympics because I didn't want any more of the brainwashed mainstream media?

00:27:17.080 --> 00:27:51.863
Do you know that, continuing on pushing their narrative that since the attempted assassination of President Trump, that Meta AI, facebook, google, youtube, they have tried to say that the pictures have been doctored and altered and have suppressed search results on actually finding footage and information?

00:27:51.863 --> 00:28:07.034
I went on Google today and I'll see if I can post a video on maybe our Facebook page here for Share the Struggle podcast, where I just started typing in attempted presidential assassination and Trump's name doesn't come up.

00:28:07.034 --> 00:28:09.133
Truman's name comes up.

00:28:09.133 --> 00:28:11.785
It's mind-blowing.

00:28:11.785 --> 00:28:25.869
I actually have a picture of the search results, so I started typing assassination attempt on president and then I'll read an order that they appeared on Google so you can see them Assassination attempt on president.

00:28:26.151 --> 00:28:38.737
Assassination attempt on president Reagan, president Gerald Ford, president Charles DiGallo, president Truman, president Ford, president Slovakia, president Reagan, president Roosevelt, president in the US.

00:28:38.737 --> 00:28:42.409
How, in those what's that?

00:28:42.409 --> 00:28:51.209
Three, four, five, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, top 10 search results, trump doesn't show up there, which was only a few weeks ago.

00:28:51.209 --> 00:28:54.576
Typically, the things that are most current would show up at the top.

00:28:54.576 --> 00:28:59.834
So this is Google's attempt at suppressing our information.

00:28:59.874 --> 00:29:05.482
This is Google's attempt at pushing their narrative America.

00:29:05.482 --> 00:29:15.109
It has never been more important to stand up and be a loud, proud American than it is right now, because this country is on the brink of doom.

00:29:15.109 --> 00:29:29.169
I actually saw something released from Elon Musk on Twitter slash X and I'm going to try it right now with our current spy in the room right now.

00:29:29.169 --> 00:29:30.191
So let's see how this goes.

00:29:30.191 --> 00:29:39.026
We're going to just go for a test here, so I'm going to turn the microphone up kind of loud here so you can try to hear what's happening here and let's just see.

00:29:39.026 --> 00:29:40.067
I haven't done this before.

00:29:40.067 --> 00:29:41.367
I want to see if this works.

00:29:41.367 --> 00:29:42.469
So let's turn the microphone up.

00:29:42.469 --> 00:29:56.382
Alexa, can you tell me about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump?

00:29:56.382 --> 00:29:59.847
I don't have an answer for that.

00:30:01.630 --> 00:30:08.180
Alexa, can you give me more information about the attempted assassination attempt on Donald Trump?

00:30:08.180 --> 00:30:12.353
Hmm, nothing there.

00:30:12.353 --> 00:30:20.417
Alexa, can you tell me about the presidential campaign for Kamala Harris?

00:30:21.625 --> 00:30:27.509
Kamala Harris ran for president in in 2020, launching her campaign on martin luther king jr day.

00:30:27.509 --> 00:30:37.057
In her campaign, she highlighted her experience as a prosecutor and emphasized issues such as health care, education and the economy alexa, stop.

00:30:38.901 --> 00:30:42.306
So the attempted assassination was never attempted.

00:30:42.306 --> 00:30:43.507
That didn't happen.

00:30:43.507 --> 00:31:06.409
And and you actually yesterday I believe it was had Facebook admitting to the fact that they have suppressed the image of Trump when he gets up to the podium with blood on his face, fist defiantly in the air, as patriotic as a fucking majestic eagle, yelling fight, fight, fight, with blood coming down the side of his face.

00:31:06.409 --> 00:31:09.881
Facebook admitted that they have suppressed that image.

00:31:09.881 --> 00:31:15.532
They have prevented that image from spreading from, uh, arriving on your news feeds.

00:31:15.532 --> 00:31:16.996
Think about this.

00:31:16.996 --> 00:31:30.875
We just asked alexa and she didn't know anything about that attempt, but, very quickly, was going down a rabbit hole of highlights for Harris, right, it's crazy.

00:31:30.875 --> 00:31:34.207
It is all about what they want you to know, what they want you to see.

00:31:34.207 --> 00:31:42.674
It's difficult to find information on Google or Bing or any of those places that's favorable about Donald Trump.

00:31:42.674 --> 00:31:51.707
And it's crazy.

00:31:51.707 --> 00:31:54.144
If you look, I saw some things posted about top donor contributors to the 2020 presidential run.

00:31:54.144 --> 00:31:58.316
So just for example, here we're just going to run through this list.

00:31:58.316 --> 00:32:11.036
We're going to look at Joe Biden's number one donor is Alphabet Inc and it's $1.7 million to his campaign.

00:32:11.036 --> 00:32:16.917
Now, alphabet Inc is actually Google and Google employees.

00:32:16.917 --> 00:32:29.375
So you do the math there, the number one contributor for Trump was the US Postal Service, and that was $240,000.

00:32:29.375 --> 00:32:34.154
This is pretty ridiculous here.

00:32:34.154 --> 00:32:39.678
Let's just run down the list on Biden's side here.

00:32:39.678 --> 00:32:42.633
Number two University of California 1.4.

00:32:42.633 --> 00:32:43.936
The U.4.

00:32:43.936 --> 00:32:47.007
The US government 858.

00:32:47.007 --> 00:33:03.261
Microsoft, amazon, facebook, apple, democracy Engine, harvard, stanford, at&t, morgan, morgan, wells Fargo, walt Disney, the City of New York, comcast and JP Morgan.

00:33:03.261 --> 00:33:07.689
That's the list of his top financial contributors to his campaign.

00:33:07.689 --> 00:33:21.392
On Trump's side in 2020 was the US Postal Service, us Defense Department, us government which that's got to be government employees that are contributing and on Biden's side there was 858,000.

00:33:21.392 --> 00:33:24.798
And on Trump's side, $198,000.

00:33:24.798 --> 00:33:33.190
Coming in fourth for contributions the US Army, american Airlines let's see here.

00:33:33.190 --> 00:33:49.944
Us Department of Veteran Affairs, walmart, delta I'm just cruising through some of these US Air Force, texas Children's Hospital, us Navy just to kind of break down the difference here.

00:33:50.065 --> 00:34:05.145
So when the largest financial contributors to a political candidate's run for presidency also happen to be the ones that are in control of the narrative, then they have a vested interest in the outcome.

00:34:05.145 --> 00:34:11.646
Then they are going to push their narrative, they are going to highlight their beliefs.

00:34:11.646 --> 00:34:18.565
This is a scary time in our country when shit like this happens in our country.

00:34:18.565 --> 00:34:29.168
You then get the LGBTQ community making a mockery of somebody's fate on live television for the world to see.

00:34:29.168 --> 00:34:35.358
I want to make a confession that I support the LGBTQ community.

00:34:35.358 --> 00:34:39.349
I don't have anything against anybody's sexual preference or beliefs.

00:34:39.349 --> 00:34:50.681
I also am not going to stand against you and your own religious beliefs, but I surely expect you to not call mine out on TV and make an absolute mockery of it.

00:34:51.081 --> 00:34:52.666
It is disappointing.

00:34:52.666 --> 00:35:04.427
The actions in this world continue to get more and more disappointing and if we don't get a hold of our country, we will lose it and we will never recognize it and we will never regain it.

00:35:04.427 --> 00:35:06.009
Cut check.

00:35:06.009 --> 00:35:21.898
Loud Proud American is a lifestyle brand dedicated and determined to represent the American spirit, with an unrelenting commitment to provide made in the USA products.

00:35:21.898 --> 00:35:32.934
If you would like to join the 2% of Americans that buy American and support American, head on over to wwwlalproudamericanshop.

00:35:32.934 --> 00:35:38.197
Together, we can bring back American manufacturing.

00:35:38.197 --> 00:35:42.889
All right, all right, all right, welcome back y'all.

00:35:43.164 --> 00:35:47.797
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

00:35:48.445 --> 00:35:50.110
I was going into the Mace.

00:35:50.110 --> 00:35:52.777
Welcome Back Cotter remix there.

00:35:52.777 --> 00:35:53.297
I don't know.

00:35:54.246 --> 00:35:54.989
I can't sing a lick.

00:35:54.989 --> 00:35:58.693
Let's be honest, let's not run from it, let's embrace it.

00:35:58.693 --> 00:36:01.673
Your boy, he a little tone deaf, okay.

00:36:01.673 --> 00:36:09.668
Embrace it, your boy, he a little tone deaf, okay, but for a dude that can't sing.

00:36:09.668 --> 00:36:12.875
We've been on a stretch run of amazingly successful DJ gigs.

00:36:12.875 --> 00:36:13.556
Okay.

00:36:13.556 --> 00:36:17.362
We've been on, as the kids say, a real heater.

00:36:17.362 --> 00:36:18.869
Okay, we've been on a heater.

00:36:18.909 --> 00:36:32.735
Right about now, friday night, was the Daisy Duke and mullet night, which I told you, I told each and every one of you, you better get out for this one because it's going to be a barn burner, it's going to be a humdinger, it's going to be, it's going to be a good one.

00:36:32.735 --> 00:36:33.766
And it was, man.

00:36:33.766 --> 00:36:35.849
We had an absolute blast.

00:36:35.849 --> 00:36:47.552
We had a packed dance floor, we had copious amounts of mullets and those luscious locks and those shorty, short daisy dukes it was a real old hootenanny.

00:36:47.552 --> 00:36:49.376
Okay, it was a great time.

00:36:49.376 --> 00:36:57.255
And the winner of the mullet contest had an actual, authentic mullet, which is really what I was going for.

00:36:57.255 --> 00:37:02.153
What I was voting for is somebody that is committed to the craft and the lifestyle.

00:37:02.153 --> 00:37:03.657
So that was a success.

00:37:03.657 --> 00:37:06.733
So, friday night, true success.

00:37:06.733 --> 00:37:13.737
We had a great time, one of the most fun DJ nights at the saloon that we've ever had.

00:37:14.326 --> 00:37:20.958
And then on Saturday we were hired to do a private party at Skip's Bar in Buxton.

00:37:20.958 --> 00:37:25.925
It was a private birthday party, a 60th surprise party, and that went off without a hitch.

00:37:25.925 --> 00:37:27.108
That was a great time as well.

00:37:27.108 --> 00:37:40.157
It was so fulfilling and heartwarming to hear from so many people like, oh, they're so excited that you were able to do this, Like everybody's so excited that you were able to make this work with your schedule.

00:37:40.157 --> 00:37:58.786
And when Andy hired me, he was ecstatic and he, you know, had told everybody that, uh, that knew the surprise, that it was going to be me, that that like knew me, uh, mutually, were coming up and being, like, man, andy's so excited that you could be here and, uh, kelly is going to be so pumped that that you're here and they were, and it went off without a hitch.

00:37:58.786 --> 00:37:59.748
It was a great time.

00:37:59.748 --> 00:38:24.297
We had an absolute blast and it was so successful that the owner of the bar actually was having his employees talk to us about becoming a rotation for them to being on a fall winter rotation DJing at their bar, because they really enjoyed their selves and had a great time, and so you really can't ask for anything else right.

00:38:24.565 --> 00:38:36.028
When you go into a weekend DJing a couple of events, it's a big change of pace because I'm not on the road for the business as far as, like the apparel business, we're not on the road selling apparel.

00:38:36.028 --> 00:38:40.690
We are still on the road representing the business but we're not set up somewhere selling.

00:38:40.690 --> 00:38:44.077
You know our products, so it's a big change of pace.

00:38:44.077 --> 00:38:53.938
But to have you know Lisa and Bentley from the saloon say that they had a great time and Lisa tell me I think this has become my favorite theme night of the year.

00:38:53.938 --> 00:39:10.298
I really enjoyed myself hearing from so many people that they had fun going to a birthday party that I was invited to, you know, to entertain at and being thanked by everybody, and so much so that we get offered an um, constant rotational gig.

00:39:10.298 --> 00:39:15.153
It doesn't get much better than that and, uh, I'm thankful for that.

00:39:15.153 --> 00:39:34.813
And it was a really busy weekend because we went from two days of uh, you and people don't realize how much that stuff kind of takes out of you, the late nights and just the emotional drain that it has to do those things At least I feel kind of beat when I'm all said and done.

00:39:34.813 --> 00:39:49.365
You ride this high the whole time, but when it's over, you do feel quite a bit drained, quite a bit drained.

00:39:49.385 --> 00:39:52.391
On Sunday we went full-blown to-do list, crushing on the upcoming impending baby shower extravaganza.

00:39:52.391 --> 00:40:02.751
I set it to start the show In the beginning like the B-roll, the pre-roll for the show, when we talked about we were going to get into this American failure called the Olympics.

00:40:02.751 --> 00:40:09.920
The disappointment of something I grew up loving and enjoying and appreciating has now become a mockery.

00:40:09.920 --> 00:40:13.376
We were going to talk about that and I also said, you know, a little business update.

00:40:13.376 --> 00:40:20.913
And we were going to talk about a weekend that I never imagined would actually happen, and that's this weekend.

00:40:20.913 --> 00:40:30.365
And this weekend is our baby shower, it is the celebration for Little Miss Paisley Reign, and you've heard us talk about it a little bit over the past couple of weeks.

00:40:30.987 --> 00:40:38.909
This is a weekend that I never imagined, because I can't say I ever fully imagined or envisioned myself being a dad.

00:40:38.909 --> 00:40:50.467
So the fact that this is actually happening, the fact that these things are coming to fruition, that it's actually real, right, and it's really starting to feel real, that's a really really.

00:40:50.467 --> 00:40:52.952
That's a double real, that's an overwhelmingly real.

00:40:52.952 --> 00:40:53.916
It's a real, real, real.

00:40:53.916 --> 00:40:57.327
Okay, make an Instagram reel about how real that reel is.

00:40:57.327 --> 00:41:10.456
It's a crazy feeling, one that I'm not sure I know how to process, one that I'm not sure I fully understand how I'm going to react to, and I think it's I don't know.

00:41:10.456 --> 00:41:22.659
I guess I'm going to handle it quite a bit the same way that I handled our wedding day right All the excitement, all the anticipation, and then you just kind of settle into a groove of.

00:41:22.659 --> 00:41:36.195
This is what I've been waiting for, this is what I've been planning for, but it's crazy with a baby shower, because I never really knew 100% that I was going to be a dad.

00:41:37.217 --> 00:41:45.750
And if you've been listening to this journey and following along, you know the great level of disappointment I had in never making my father a grandfather.

00:41:45.750 --> 00:41:53.427
The fact that he's never going to get to hold his granddaughter, um, really tears me apart.

00:41:53.427 --> 00:42:14.414
And, um, that's the hardest thing about this whole pregnancy experience is that my dad's not here to share any of it, because I know for a fact that he would be so involved in all of this.

00:42:14.414 --> 00:42:22.356
Every day he would be checking in with my wife, he would be holding her belly, trying to feel the kicks.

00:42:22.356 --> 00:42:27.547
He would be so incredibly excited by every ultrasound pick.

00:42:27.547 --> 00:42:43.128
You know, if you've been listening, you know that at one of our appointments we actually brought my mom in for the ultrasound because we knew this was something that she needed as much as we did, and she doesn't know it.

00:42:43.128 --> 00:42:56.501
But in the upcoming weeks we have another appointment scheduled that I'm going to take a back seat on so my mom can go and see little Paisley and, you know, just kind of bring some joy to her heart and to her life.

00:42:56.501 --> 00:43:01.105
But I know what my dad would have thought of those appointments.

00:43:01.105 --> 00:43:06.889
I know how much he would have appreciated those appointments and that kills me.

00:43:06.889 --> 00:43:17.670
Thinking about this upcoming celebration without my dad by my side makes this overwhelmingly bittersweet.

00:43:20.155 --> 00:43:29.235
And my dad's certainly been on my mind quite a bit lately when a few weeks ago we were at the Osprey Valley Fair.

00:43:29.235 --> 00:44:24.572
It's kind of ironic but I was in my tent talking to one of my dad's old-time friends, somebody that has been a mainstay at that fair Dwayne Woodson, has been a, um, just mainstay at that fair Dwayne Woodson and uh, he's known my dad, you know as long as I've been around Right, and he was talking to me about one of my dad's old tractors and that he might be interested in it and and um talking about coming to the house and he's like you know, you still live at the same place and he remembered everything and we were sharing these stories about my dad and my uncle and it was just a wholesome feeling and I walked out of the tent and I went down and started talking to Matt from Ledgeway Farm and in that conversation Matt brought my dad up and he just started talking about one of my dad's lawnmowers and we were just kind of having a conversation.

00:44:24.572 --> 00:44:39.000
So my dad was really in the forefront of both of these conversations and my wife called me ecstatic and was telling me to look to the sky and to look to the main gate and that there was an eagle.

00:44:39.000 --> 00:44:53.967
And I didn't believe it and I didn't see it and I just started walking towards the tent and then there in the sky, soaring over the tent, soaring over the field, taking in the entire affair, was a bald eagle.

00:44:53.967 --> 00:45:16.949
If you've listened to all these episodes and all these stories about my dad, the fact that we literally recorded the eulogy, we've shared the sighting of the eagle on the morning, the first morning without my dad on the way to the funeral home, that eagle being present at our farm.

00:45:16.949 --> 00:45:44.420
I haven't seen an eagle since that day and um to have this happen at this fair that my was such a big part of my life, with my dad growing up fresh off of two conversations about him really kind of put him um, very heavily invested into my thoughts and I've been working on some projects for the business.

00:45:44.480 --> 00:45:46.751
We've been kind of dealing with some frustrating stuff here.

00:45:46.751 --> 00:45:49.246
Some of our equipment has kind of had a failure.

00:45:49.246 --> 00:45:54.539
Our heat press has crashed and I've been on the phone.

00:45:54.539 --> 00:45:58.186
I found an issue with it, basically the heating surface.

00:45:58.186 --> 00:46:07.681
I've used it so much that it's warped itself which has taken some durability and quality out of our garments that I'm trying to correct.

00:46:07.681 --> 00:46:20.797
So I got them to warranty my equipment and at least just that surface, that element, and they sent it out to me and it's been a two-day battle royal to try to figure out all the wiring and do all the replacement.

00:46:20.797 --> 00:46:37.295
So the production for the business has been none, null and void, because we've just been down and with that I've been working on the bus, some projects on the bus and then projects for the baby shower.

00:46:37.815 --> 00:46:56.416
But one of the things I had to do for the bus was cut a section of grid wall down, and the last time I had to cut a section of grid wall, I actually was doing it with my dad, and it got me thinking that the last time I did any project with my dad was cutting a section of grid wall.

00:46:56.416 --> 00:47:15.835
We had these panels of grid wall I needed to cut for the Freiburg Fair, and me and him and a hacksaw cut up a bunch of steel grid wall, and so I had to do it again and I went out to the location where we had previously done this job and the stuff wasn't there.

00:47:15.835 --> 00:47:28.827
And I walked into his little office, his little workshop, and right there on the bench was the hacksaw that we used, with the same blade still attached and the cord all wrapped up the way he always did.

00:47:28.827 --> 00:47:43.576
And I looked at that hacksaw and, as crazy as it sounds, I just really felt so connected and so lost at the same time.

00:47:43.576 --> 00:47:59.038
And that moment realizing that the last thing I did with my dad was using this hacksaw and I'm going to pick it up and do the exact same thing that me and him did, but this time without him, left me thinking.

00:47:59.038 --> 00:48:02.427
But this time without him Left me thinking about this baby shower without him.

00:48:02.427 --> 00:48:08.831
It's left me thinking about that day in the field at the Hospi Valley Fair, with that eagle soaring above.

00:48:11.442 --> 00:48:20.690
As I'm recording this, I'm thinking about a lot of restless, sleepless nights I've had, with dreams and nightmares and thoughts.

00:48:20.690 --> 00:48:37.065
And last night, randomly, at I don't know what time it was one o'clock in the morning or something my smoke detectors just started going crazy in the house and I woke up, turned the lights on, trying to figure everything off.

00:48:37.065 --> 00:48:45.826
You know, figure everything out, and the detector finally goes off and there's no smoke, there's no issues, and, um, it just stops.

00:48:45.826 --> 00:48:47.731
And then I go to bed and it doesn't happen again.

00:48:47.731 --> 00:48:52.882
And, uh, I was bringing my mom to work this morning at five 30.

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And she said I was telling her the story.

00:48:54.565 --> 00:48:55.427
And she said what did you?

00:48:55.427 --> 00:48:59.054
What did you, um, what did you do?

00:48:59.054 --> 00:49:01.123
What did you say when that happened?

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And I was like I think I jumped out of bed and said what the fuck is going on?

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And she started laughing and she said well, that's probably your dad visiting you, cause that's exactly what he said Every single time.

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He would get woken up in the middle of the night.

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But with all these um experiences, with all these experiences, with all these thoughts, with all these emotions, I can't help but think that my dad is trying to tell me that he might not see me, but I'll be there.

00:49:45.146 --> 00:49:50.365
I've often said to my wife and to my mother that my dad doesn't come to me, he doesn't visit me, he doesn't send messages to me.

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He sends all that stuff to YouTube.

00:49:52.987 --> 00:49:56.911
He focuses on YouTube because he feels that you need it.

00:49:56.911 --> 00:50:00.422
Of YouTube, he focuses on YouTube because he feels that you need it.

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And he told me on his deathbed that, um, he doesn't have to worry about me and he hasn't worried about me.

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The crazy thing is is I've worried about me a hell of a lot because, uh, I can't help but feel lost.

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I can't help but feel like we're failing all the time.

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But I can't help but feel lost.

00:50:17.291 --> 00:50:19.378
I can't help but feel like we're failing all the time.

00:50:19.378 --> 00:50:39.005
But I can't help but say, each and every day, I get up and I put that one foot in front of the other and then we just try, we just try and we do the best we can with what we have to work it all out until we have everything that we have.

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You know, I just, I just try and that's all you can do.

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Some days are easier than others, some days are tougher, some days you're a little more tired, some days you're feeling fresh as a daisy, but every day you do the best you can with what you have, and that's all you really need.

00:50:57.992 --> 00:51:15.492
So this weekend is a weekend that I never thought would happen, one that hurts to know is happening without my dad being there, but the thought and the hopes and the emotions are telling me that somehow, someway, he will be there.

00:51:15.492 --> 00:51:26.021
And this weekend is not like any other baby shower type of scenario, and people might be thinking why are you putting such an emphasis on a baby shower?

00:51:26.021 --> 00:51:27.262
Dudes, don't even go to those.

00:51:27.262 --> 00:51:30.608
This is not your traditional event.

00:51:30.608 --> 00:51:34.375
This is a celebration.

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This is an opportunity for my family and my friends to get together and to celebrate what we have and who we have the opportunity with, because all of us have lost someone or something, somebody extremely close to us over the past year or two.

00:51:54.871 --> 00:52:06.014
And this is a great opportunity for us to get together and to celebrate and embrace what we have and who we still have, and I'm so incredibly excited for that.

00:52:06.014 --> 00:52:08.684
This weekend is not just a baby shower.

00:52:08.684 --> 00:52:17.385
It's an opportunity to celebrate, to love, to live, to laugh, to be thankful, to be grateful and to count blessings.

00:52:18.586 --> 00:52:21.110
We're going to be together with Live Entertainment.

00:52:21.110 --> 00:52:23.614
Jake Perrin's going to be there providing music.

00:52:23.614 --> 00:52:30.565
Kip's bringing a smoker all the way from New York.

00:52:30.565 --> 00:52:31.706
We're smoking a pig.

00:52:31.706 --> 00:52:34.048
We are doing all kinds of fun games.

00:52:34.048 --> 00:52:39.115
We've been just working on so many little touches and things.

00:52:39.115 --> 00:52:45.583
We have a bartender, julie from Chaps.

00:52:45.583 --> 00:52:55.188
We have all these great, amazing things because the wife and I were talking about it and we said we haven't had the opportunity to have a party like this since our wedding, and that's eight years ago.

00:52:55.188 --> 00:52:59.862
So a lot of our family and friends that are going to be with us together again.

00:52:59.862 --> 00:53:09.851
They either haven't been together since our wedding or they're new in our lives and weren't at our wedding, and they're people that we wish weren't at our wedding.

00:53:10.010 --> 00:53:23.175
This is an opportunity, this is a celebration, and I'm so incredibly humbled by the people that are coming, the distance that is traveled by the generosity of their presence.

00:53:23.860 --> 00:53:25.467
I am truly feeling blessed.

00:53:25.467 --> 00:53:27.567
This has nothing to do with gifts.

00:53:27.567 --> 00:53:38.713
It has everything to do with memories and time, the time to spend together, the opportunity that we have to be together to unwind, to enjoy each other.

00:53:38.713 --> 00:53:55.293
Far too often when I get to see people, I'm at an event, I'm working, I'm trying to pay bills this is the opportunity to unwind, unplug, detach and reconnect, and all in the honor of a little baby girl who will soon be here.

00:53:56.702 --> 00:54:22.728
It's truly a special, special weekend, as I've said many times before, one that I really never expected and couldn't imagine, but I'm so grateful it's about to happen and I already have to thank little Paisley for a tremendous blessing in my life, because, before she even arrived, she has already united and connected my family and friends.

00:54:22.728 --> 00:54:26.086
And I'm so thankful and I'm so blessed.

00:54:26.086 --> 00:54:38.125
And because of that, I'm eagerly anticipating this weekend and I can't wait to tell y'all just how much fun we had and how much we appreciated it.

00:54:38.125 --> 00:54:40.079
And I also can't wait to tell y'all just how much fun we had and how much we appreciated it.

00:54:40.079 --> 00:54:55.322
And I also can't wait to highlight another opportunity to express that the people that are closest to you, the people that mean the most to you, they're not always blood to you, but they'll always be family to you, until next week.

00:54:55.322 --> 00:55:03.311
I thank you for supporting my American dream Now go wash your fucking hands, you filthy savage.

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That's it and that's all, biggie Smalls.

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If you're a loud, proud American and you find yourself just wanting more, find me on YouTube and Facebook at loud proud American, or the Face page, as my mama calls it.

00:55:34.208 --> 00:55:37.623
If you're a fan of the Graham Cracker, you want to find me on Instagram.

00:55:37.623 --> 00:55:41.393
Or all the kids are tickety-talking on the TikTok.

00:55:41.393 --> 00:55:48.851
You can find me on both of those at loud underscore, proud underscore, american.

00:56:00.860 --> 00:56:05.126
A big old thank you to the boys from the Gut Truckers for the background beats and the theme song for this here podcast.

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If you are enjoying what you're hearing, you can track down the Gut Truckers on Facebook Just search Gut Truckers.

00:56:11.347 --> 00:56:13.668
Give them motherfuckers a like too.

00:56:13.668 --> 00:56:17.010
I will make it bleed.

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I hate to say I like too.

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I truly thank you for supporting my American dream.

00:56:36.896 --> 00:56:42.284
Now go wash your fucking hands, you filthy savage.