Shaping Opinion

Our guest is Bishop Joseph Stirckland. He is a Roman Catholic Bishop, the Biship Emeritus of Tyler, Texas. He he’s the Chairman and the Founder of a nonprofit organization called Pillars of Faith.He’s developed a reputation for taking strong, traditional positions, and that has put him in situations I’m sure he never imagined when he entered the clergy. We’re going to talk about that and much more in this episode.Links:* Pillars of Faith (website)* Bishop Joseph Strickland (website) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Our guest is Timothy Sandefur. He is the vice president for legal affairs at the Goldwater Institute’s Center for Scharf-Norton Center for Constitutional Litigation.What I wanted to talk with Tim about was something he wrote about free speech and employers’ rights. More the point, does your employer have a right to free speech, and if so, how far does it reach?Links:* Defending the Free Speech Rights of Employers Against the Administrative State, Goldwater Institute Blog* NLRB Limits Employer Speech, SHRM* NLRB Restrains Employer Speech, Finds Captive-Audience Meetings Unlawful – Publications, Morgan Lewis This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Our guest today is Patrick Breyer. He is a self-described freedom fighter and a former member of the European Parliament. He served on the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.I wanted to talk with Patrick about a newly proposed EU internet regulation, commonly known as chat control. Under this proposed legislation, users of apps would have to agree to allow the government to scan all their private and public messages as a matter of course.Links:* Patrick Breyer Website* Chat Control: The EU’s CSAM Scanner Proposal (website)* Patrick Breyer, EU Website This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Our guest is Bunni Pounds. She is the Founder and President of Christians Engaged as well as the Senior Vice President for Family Policy Alliance and Family Policy Alliance Foundation – both founded by Dr. James Dobson.She is the author of the book Jesus and Politics: One Woman’s Walk with God in a Mudslinging Profession. She was a political consultant for 16 years. And in 2018 she ran for Congress herself in 2018 but did not get elected.What I wanted to talk with Bunni about was a new development that will affect every church in America. In July, the IRS decided that religious clergy can endorse political candidates from the pulpit or through their official church communications. This is a big deal, and our guest today has some thoughts.Links:* How Conservative Christians Cracked a 70-Year-Old Law, New York Times.* Did the IRS Just Change Its Own Rule to Set Pastors Free?, The Stream This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Our guest is Ingrid Jacques. She is a columnist at USA Today.She wrote a column recently about those late-night comedy shows. She argues that the reason Stephen Colbert got fired had everything to do with ratings and business issues. All of this points to larger problems with the whole genre of late-night comedy and those who produce the shows.Links:* Leno's right: Colbert got canned because Americans are tired of left's lectures, USA Today Opinion* Late Night Ratings Revealed, TV Insider This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Our guest is Jennifer Huddleston. She is a senior fellow in technology policy at the Cato Institute.In her work, she focuses on the law in relation to emerging technology. What caught my attention was something she wrote about the relationship between AI and the First Amendment. What happens when AI repurposes your words and images, your opinions and thoughts? That’s one question we’re going to talk to Jennifer about today. AI and the First Amendment. Freedom of speech and artificial intelligence.Links:* Is AI a Horse or a Zebra When It Comes to the First Amendment?, CATO Blog, By Jennifer Huddleston* Is AI a Horse or a Zebra: Do AI Free Speech Concerns Require New Legal Tools?, Liberty University Paper* CATO (website) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Our guest is Carole Lieberman. She is an accomplished psychiatrist and a forensic expert witness. Board certified in both psychiatry and neurology. She’s been a leading voice on the psychology of terrorism and its impact on people.Today, we’ll be talking to Carole about psychological warfare, and how she thinks it may be used to divide Americans. Also, we’ll talk with Carole about what she describes as the emotional collapse of American leadership.Links:* Carole Lieberman (website)* Coping with Terrorism, By Carole Lieberman, Ph.D. (Amazon) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Our guest is Ari Paparo. He is the CEO of a company called Marketecture Media, which is a network of podcasts, newsletters and events covering the digital media sector. He is a writer, a podcaster and an expert on all forms of advertising. He worked in the ad business for 20 years. This included time spent at DoubleClick and Google. He is also the author of a new book called, “Yield. How Google Bought, Built, and Bullied Its Way to Advertising Dominance.”If you ever see an ad when you’re online, there’s a good chance one company – Google – is making some money off of that. And that doesn’t include the money they make from selling your data. That’s one thing we’re going to talk about today.Links:* Marketecture Media (website)* This Deal Helped Turn Google Into an Ad Powerhouse. Is That a Problem? - The New York Times* Google Ads* DoubleClick * Yield. How Google Bought, Built, and Bullied Its Way to Advertising Dominance., by Ari Paparo (Amazon) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Our guest is Aaron Bandler. He’s an investigative journalist who is based in the Bay Area. He’s written for several leading national news organizations.In today’s interview, we’ll talk with Aaron about something he’s investigated and reported on after noticing a disturbing pattern at the ubiquitous website, Wikipedia.Links:* Taking Sides: Wikipedia Advances Anti-Israel Narratives | RealClearInvestigations* Jewish News Syndicate (website) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Our guest is David Smokler. He’s the executive director of the K-12 Fairness Center, which is a division of an organization called StandWithUs. StandWithUs is a 24 year-old international nonpartisan education organization that fights antisemitism.I wanted to talk to David about fee speech in the classroom. Just how much does the First Amendment protect what teachers say, or want to say in the classroom? And what happens if a teacher or student exercises their perceived right to free speech and it puts students or others at risk? These are just a couple of questions we’re going to cover.Links:* Teachers' unions are blurring personal activism and professionalism | The Jerusalem Post, By David Smokler* StandWithUs Supporting Israel And Fighting Antisemitism (website) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Our guest is Mark Joseph. He is Litigation Director at a group in Canada called The Democracy Fund. It’s widely considered the leading voice in the battle for free speech in Canada.I wanted to talk to Mark about a specific bill under consideration in Canada that would enable the spread of censorship and threaten free speech in that country. It’s called the Online Harms Bill.Links:* The Democracy Fund Website * Online Harms Act (official site) * Canada Eyes Revival of Online Censorship Bill (Reclaim The Net) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Our guest is David McGarry. He is Research Director at an organization called the Taxpayers Protection Alliance. He is a pundit and a frequent contributor to magazines and news sites on a wide range of topics. He usually writes about things tied to technology, government accountability and consumer impact.Lately, he’s been weighing in on a new law in Europe that seems targeted toward American companies and Americans online. It’s called the Digital Services Act.The EU’s Digital Services Act (or DSA) was enacted in 2022 and just went into effect. It seeks to regulate online platforms by addressing illegal content, including hate speech and disinformation. How do you define hate speech and disinformation? That’s one of the things we’ll be talking about today.The Digital Services Act applies to tech sites that have more than 45 million users in Europe. These sites include Twitter, or X, Meta, and Google. It requires them to conduct more comprehensive “content moderation, transparency in algorithms, and user tools to flag harmful content.”Companies that don’t comply can be fined up 6% of their global revenue, or they may face bans in Europe.Links:* David McGarry at the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (website)* European Technology Policy Mistakes: Lessons for American Lawmakers | National Review by David McGarry* The EU Wants to Censor the Global Market, Spiked This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

What you don’t know can hurt you.Our guest today is Stacy Malkan. She’s the co-founder and the managing editor at a nonprofit public health research group called, U.S. Right to Know. The group covers public health science, and it tracks industry lobbying efforts. She’s covered everything from how pesticides impact the foods you eat, to the health risks of the cosmetics you use.Some links from this episode:* U.S. Right to Know (website)* AGRA - Sustainably Growing Africa's Food Systems (website)* Alliance for Science (website)* The Bill Gates Problem by Tim Schwab (book/Amazon)* Gates Foundation (website)* Merchants of Poison, by Stacy Malkan This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

We are back after a long hiatus, and we’re ready to go!As before, this is a video and an audio podcast. We’re on Substack at ShapingOpinion.com, YouTube, Rumble, and all of the audio channels, from Apple to Spotify. If you watch, you’ll notice we have new digs. We’ve moved into the heartland of America and now have a more permanent “studio.” As for format, you’ll notice we’re familiar but streamlined. In terms of content, that’s going to be much more focused, too. But no need to elaborate here. Just stay tuned and the podcast will speak for itself. One thing you can be sure of is, “the guest is the thing.”That said, our guest this week is Greg Schlueter. He’s an author, a radio host, a movement leader and an opinion writer who focuses on things like restoring faith, family and the culture. He’s the head of communications for the Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership.I read something he wrote recently and decided to invite him on the podcast to talk about the topic. That topic? The culture of victimhood.Some links from the episode:* Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, (Amazon)* Institute of Constitutional Thought and Leadership* Slaying the Giants in Your Life by David Jeremiah* The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt (Amazon) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

One of the nation’s leading trial attorneys Brent Wisner talks about his role in current litigation against several big pharma companies who’ve all been manufacturers of the popular heartburn drug called Zantac, which has been taken off the market amidst concerns over possible cancer diagnoses. Brent is the managing partner and lead trial attorney at the law firm of Wisner Baum. He’s been recognized as one of America’s 50 Most Influential Trial Lawyers by Trial Lawyer Magazine. And he serves as co-lead trial counsel in the Zantac Products Liability Litigation in Delaware. Chances are if you ever had a serious problem with heartburn, you might have taken a popular drug called Zantac. The generic form of the drug is called ranitidineIn 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requested that manufacturers of the drug withdraw all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) ranitidine drugs from the market immediately. This was part of an ongoing investigation of a contaminant in ranitidine medications.Fast forward to May of this year. That was when Pfizer, one of the manufacturers of Zantac, agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug. Still, this company and these lawsuits do not represent the entirety of the problem and the legal woes for manufacturers. That’s what we will be talking about today.For more information, go to www.ShapingOpinion.com. This is also our Substack hub, where you can subscribe and become a member of our podcast family.LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new videos as soon as they are posted: https://www.youtube.com/@shapingopinion/videosFollow the Shaping Opinion Podcast on all social platforms: Twitter/X – @Shaping Opinion, Instagram – @Shaping Opinion, on Facebook at Shaping Opinion and don’t forget to join the “Shaping Opinion Podcast Listeners” Group on Facebook.Links from Our ConversationZantac Lawsuit Update: What you Need to Know About The Heartburn Medications, Forbes - https://www.forbes.com/advisor/legal/product-liability/zantac-lawsuit/Sanofi to Settle 4,000 Zantac Cancer Lawsuits in US State Courts, CNN – https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/05/business/sanofi-to-settle-zantac-cancer-lawsuits/index.html/Zantac Not a cause of Woman’s Cancer, Jury Says in First Trial Over Drug, Reuters – https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/zantac-not-cause-womans-cancer-jury-says-first-trial-over-drug-2024-05-23/Judge Appoints Four Attorneys to Lead 77,000 Zantac Cancer Cases in Delaware, PR Newswire – https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/judge-appoints-four-attorneys-to-lead-77-000-zantac-cancer-cases-in-delaware-301827346.html#:~:text=Judge%20Vivian%20L.,of%20the%20State%20of%20Delaware. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

One of the co-authors of a groundbreaking academic paper, Michael Hicks, makes the case that “ChatGPT is bullshit.” That’s not only the title of his paper, but a compelling point of view that we dig deep into in this conversation. Michael is one of the three co-authors of the paper, along with James Humphries and Joe Slater. All three are educators at the University of Glasgow.Michael Hicks is a Lecturer in Philosophy of Science and Technology at the University.  He’s mostly interested in the ways we use scientific laws and models to understand what’s possible, and what isn’t. He says he also thinks about conditional reasoning, probability, and explanation.  For more information, go to www.ShapingOpinion.com. This is also our Substack hub, where you can subscribe and become a member of our podcast family.LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new videos as soon as they are posted: https://www.youtube.com/@shapingopinion/videosFollow the Shaping Opinion Podcast on all social platforms: Twitter/X – @Shaping Opinion, Instagram – @Shaping Opinion, on Facebook at Shaping Opinion and don’t forget to join the “Shaping Opinion Podcast Listeners” Group on Facebook.Links from Our Conversation* ChatGPT is Bullshit, Springer Link - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10676-024-09775-5/* Michael Townsen Hicks, website - https://www.townsenhicks.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

The head of the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), Mo Canady joins us to talk about a self-inflicted safety crisis at many American schools because school boards are terminating their in-school police presence. They are banning School Resource Officers, and more and more parents are outraged. Mo has been a member of NASRO’s board since 2005. And before that he held positions in law enforcement, and as an instructor for NASRO.One of the more notable recent events is where a 17-year-old student at Garfield High School was shot and killed on June 6th in a school parking lot after trying to break up a fight between two other boys.There is no way of knowing if the shooting could have been prevented, but one thing is clear. There was no police presence at the school. This after the Seattle School Board voted in 2020 to remove the position of School Resource Officer at the school. That district is one of roughly 70 in the country to do so.In this episode, we talk about those School Resource Officers – or SROs - and the vital role they play in school communities.For more information, go to www.ShapingOpinion.com. This is also our Substack hub, where you can subscribe and become a member of our podcast family.LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new videos as soon as they are posted: https://www.youtube.com/@shapingopinion/videosFollow the Shaping Opinion Podcast on all social platforms: Twitter/X – @Shaping Opinion, Instagram – @Shaping Opinion, on Facebook at Shaping Opinion and don’t forget to join the “Shaping Opinion Podcast Listeners” Group on Facebook.Links from Our ConversationAfter Shooting, Seattle Parents Regret School Kicking Out Officers in 2020: “Who is protecting our babies?”, Fox NewsGarfield High Used to Have a Cop, but Seattle Schools Canceled the Job, Seattle TimesChicago Board of Education Unanimously Votes to End CPD Contract, Remove SROs, Police1More School Districts are Bringing Back or Adding Police, USA Today This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

If you suffer from anxiety, you may be given a lot of options. Drugs, illegal or legal. Alcohol. Therapy. But one thing most may not bring up to you is something that’s inside of you. Courage. In this episode, we talk with Janet Jackson Pellegrini, one of the authors of a new book called, “You Can Overcome Anything with Courage.”  The book contains 17 different stories from 17 different people. Each shares his or her personal stories and life lessons that have one thing in common – they found the courage to overcome the challenges they faced. Janet tells her story of overcoming anxiety and solving a big life problem simply be reframing her brain after a single casual conversation.LIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new videos as soon as they are posted: https://www.youtube.com/@shapingopinion/videosStay up to date by signing up for the Shaping Opinion Substack here:  https://shapingopinion.comFind the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — For all episodes and to learn more about Shaping Opinion at: https://shapingopinion.comFollow the Shaping Opinion Podcast on all social platforms: Twitter/X – @Shaping Opinion, Instagram – @Shaping Opinion, on Facebook at Shaping Opinion and don’t forget to join the “Shaping Opinion Podcast Listeners” Group on Facebook.Links from Our Conversation* You Can Overcome Anything with Courage (Amazon)* Tambellini Restaurant Downtown Says Arrivederci! (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

University professor and researcher April Bleske-Rechek makes her case for standardized testing in college admissions at a time when there’s an aggressive movement to get rid of the tests.  She co-authored an article recently in Skeptic Magazine where they say the standardized tests are not biased, but are in fact more fair than other measures to gauge student potential.April is a Professor, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire where she focuses on Individual Differences and Evolutionary Psychology. She has written for many peer-reviewed journals, and is an active member of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).Check out this FULL EPISODE at YouTube:Check out this FULL EPISODE at Rumble: https://rumble.com/v51728f-dont-cancel-the-sat-with-april-bleske-rechek.htmlLIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new videos as soon as they are posted: https://www.youtube.com/@shapingopinion/videosStay up to date by signing up for the Shaping Opinion Substack here:  https://shapingopinion.substack.coFind the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple —  Spotify — For all episodes and to learn more about Shaping Opinion at: https://shapingopinion.comFollow the Shaping Opinion Podcast on all social platforms: Twitter/X – @Shaping Opinion, Instagram – @Shaping Opinion, on Facebook at Shaping Opinion and don’t forget to join the “Shaping Opinion Podcast Listeners” Group on Facebook.Links from Our Conversation* Standardized Admission Tests Are Not Biased, Skeptic Magazine* April Bleske-Rechek, The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com

Author and university professor JP Messina talks about how private companies and others have emerged as the new censors in society. JP wrote the new book called, “Private Censorship.” In it, he describes a new kind of censorship where there are no government-sanctioned book burnings, no prosecutions, no laws or committees. In fact, the state doesn’t publicly appear to be involved at all. Instead, the censors are social groups, employers, media companies, social media platforms and search engines, many seemingly working in concert, deciding which speech is censored and which is not.But perhaps more concerning, certain government agencies may have found a way to decide (by proxy) what speech is censored and what private citizens get de-platformed.When he’s not writing books and for journals, JP is an assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy at Purdue. He teaches courses on political and moral philosophy, ethics, and the history of practical philosophy.Check out this FULL EPISODE at YouTube: https://youtu.be/5Hst9SxovG8Check out this FULL EPISODE at Rumble: https://rumble.com/v50v0y3-how-private-companies-target-and-censor-you-with-jp-messina.htmlLIKE & SUBSCRIBE for new videos as soon as they are posted: https://www.youtube.com/@shapingopinion/videosStay up to date by signing up for the Shaping Opinion Substack here:  https://shapingopinion.substack.coFind the full audio show wherever you get your podcasts: Apple — https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shaping-opinion/id1371714253 Spotify — https://open.spotify.com/show/6yOg769bSm9hJn9zhwkunlFor all episodes and to learn more about Shaping Opinion at: https://shapingopinion.comFollow the Shaping Opinion Podcast on all social platforms: Twitter/X – @Shaping Opinion, Instagram – @Shaping Opinion, on Facebook at Shaping Opinion and don’t forget to join the “Shaping Opinion Podcast Listeners” Group on Facebook.Links from Our ConversationPrivate Censorship, (Amazon)JP Messina (Substack page)Public; the Substack of Michael ShellenbergerThe Free Press; the Substack of Bari WeissRacket News; the Substack of Matt TaibbiNRA v. Vullo (Supreme Court Case)Missouri v. Biden (Supreme Court Case)  This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.shapingopinion.com