Inner Revolutionary Radio

The ego boasts, manipulates, tears others down, puffs itself up and does anything to promote itself. Does that sound like somebody running for President? Okay we confess we’re describing Donald Trump. Does Hillary Clinton have ego? You bet! She is self-protective, secretive and willing to make deals for power. BUT does she also care for others? Does she think about the consequences of her words and policies? Is she responsible? Yes. And that’s the difference. Donald is all ego. Hillary is half and half. So how do we react when the ego roars? Some of us are accustomed to shrink. Some to fight back with our own egos. Some of us love the guy, because we feel safer when the ego is in charge, or we associate with him, projecting that his power is ours. Let’s do something revolutionary – Fight Ego with Oneness. Join us! Let’s get honest about how we’re reacting and why, and let’s turn the tables on the ego! When the ego runs for president, let’s vote for Oneness. Let’s talk about how.

Violence is something our world has too much of and many people are trying to change that. One such group is the Alternatives to Violence Project -AVP-, active in 33 U.S. states and 45 countries. It was founded by Quakers, based on their belief in our inborn potential for peace, but it’s gone beyond the Quaker community and has been picked up by many others in many venues. Is it working? Do we have an inborn potential for peace? What brings it out? On this show, we talk to Steven Gelb, a guy who has been working with AVP in the California prison system. He will share about building brotherhood with male prisoners and how it’s impacted him, and we’ll discuss what his experience means for us all. So let’s find out what AVP is accomplishing and what more our society can do to integrate our prison population and bring their gifts to our world. But beyond that, let’s think about what more we can all do to heal the violence – physical and emotional – in our world.

Are you just trying to get by? So how do you feel when you hear that the average black family would have to work 228 years to build the wealth of the average white family today? And if something doesn’t change, that gap will worsen. If you think that doesn’t impact you, guess again. Whatever our race or gender, most of us focus on our own struggles, feeling we have to fight for ourselves, even if we care about others. So how can we admit that slavery and institutional racism have created virtually insurmountable obstacles for blacks, and Hispanics are also losing out? Our security would feel threatened. But when we realize that we’re all impacted by the race gap, we see that we can’t afford not to fight for one another. Our guests are among the co-authors of a new study showing that there is a growing income gap between blacks, Hispanics and whites. They are here to share the facts and we are here to talk about how all income inequality affects us all. Whatever your race, join us!

What is a Patriotic Millionaire? A millionaire – or even billionaire – who understands that income inequality is bad for everyone and who cares enough about people to demand that millionaires pay their fair share. In other words, these are rich people who are not just willing to level the playing field, they are actively campaigning to do just that. Do they exist? They sure do, and we’re interviewing one of them on this show. Fred Rotondaro is a millionaire who came from a coal mining family to be a teacher, do anti-poverty and civil rights work, to be a journalist and more, and Fred is passionately working to end the obscene income inequality in our nation. Who are these Patriotic Millionaires? What motivates them? What are they doing to change our society? Is this movement catching on? Tune in for all this and more. Join us!

History was made as rival Southern California gang leaders met July 17 to discuss making peace on the streets. Some 2500 people came to the summit, including rival gang members, cops, gang interventionists, families and friends of victims, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, Police Chief Charles Beck and religious leaders of diverse denominations. Though packed with rival gang members, not a single act of violence took place. What do you think would have happened at a similar summit of Democrats and Republicans these days? What sometimes happens in our own houses? If gangs can do it, why can’t we? Let’s talk to Rizza Islam from United in Peace, one of the sponsors of the event and a man who has been working hard to bring peace to the inner cities. How are gang members coming together? Is the process continuing? Is it making a difference on the street? And what can we learn from it? With so much violence in the world, let’s learn more about positive developments where we least expect them.

Everybody loves to hate Donald Trump – except those who love him. And many people fret about Hillary Clinton’s scandals. But Trump is the result, not the cause of the Republican Party’s problems. And Hillary Clinton’s flaws cannot be dismissed without a look at money in politics. So let’s get off the easy candidate bashing and acknowledge what’s really happening this electoral season. And let’s also look at the fantastic surge of the Inner Revolution that is transpiring at the same time. So sit down with a cup of tea, cruise down the road, or let us entertain you while you do your chores, as we bring you an hour of clear thinking, humor and self-honesty. Call in too, if you can! We’d love to hear from you! Join us!

Few things can be more frightening than threats to our health and so we desperately want to believe that someone has reliable answers. But suppose those on whom we rely are misinformed or misled? JD Bear has investigated some widely prescribed drugs and he says he has unearthed damning information that demonstrates that they can be downright dangerous. He claims that scientific records can be corrupted and that our own doctors have been misled into thinking that all approved drugs are safe and effective when they are not. We know that big tobacco has lied, big energy companies have lied, and the lead and asbestos industries have lied, so could big pharmaceutical companies lie too? Hear JD’s research on some popular drugs, and listen to his suggestions for determining for ourselves whether to take the medications our doctors prescribe. Like it or not, we need to support our doctors by questioning them, especially when it applies to our health or that of someone we love. Join us!

Guest host Helen Hillix will be interviewing our own Beth Green on the latest shenanigans of the 2016 elections, focusing on the conventions and any other mayhem that will have just occurred. What do the 2016 elections say about the state of consciousness in our nation? What does the ego have to do with it? Tune in for a primer on what the ego is and isn’t and how the ego is impacting the presidential race, the electorate and the candidates. Expect Beth’s wit and wisdom and the debunking of the pomp and self-congratulatory rhetoric. But also expect a perspective that sees past the obvious and helps us gain strength and hope in the midst of some disturbing realities and damaging nonsense. Please join us live if you can, so you can call in your questions and comments. We are ALL in this together. Tune in!

First a few facts. More than 2.3 million Americans are in prison and over 50% in federal lock-up are there for drug offenses. Of the 9% of prisoners who are women, 75% have histories of severe physical abuse by partners and 82% suffered serious physical or sexual abuse as girls. They are disproportionately black. Some prisoners work, especially in federal penitentiaries, and they can be forced to work for minimum or no compensation, as little as 23 cents/hour. For the last few years, some people are trying to create a different model for prison labor, developing a for-profit manufacturing sector in prison that is supposed to be a win/win for companies and inmates. Tim Grant runs one such factory in an Arkansas maximum security women’s prison. He says he is giving prisoners decent wages, money to send home, skills to use outside and a sense of value. Let’s get the inside story on this new form of prison labor. Does it help prisoners, is it taking our jobs or is it a new chain gang?

On June 30th many of us were shocked by what we learned. We interviewed Josh Hoxie of Inequality.Org and he presented a picture about growing income inequality that is worse than most of us had realized. Income inequality is out of control and it’s threatening our economy, our health and our social cohesion. We see its symptoms every day in this polarized political season. It has consequences for us all: Black, White, Hispanic, men, women, gay, straight, whoever we are. It’s actually even bad for the rich! This time, we’re asking Josh to come back and talk to us about why income inequality has worsened and what we can do about it. We can’t wait for the rich and powerful to have a spiritual awakening and change the world. We need to learn, to discuss and to mobilize if this situation is ever to change. People like Donald Trump have seized upon people’s economic and social pain for their own purposes. Let’s stop fighting among ourselves and take back this issue for us and our children.

When we’re worn out and ready to give up, should we? When we’re stressed and stretched to the max, is that noble or dumb? This show might be your chance to figure it out. Let’s take the time to ask: What are we doing? What drives us to do what we do? How do we know what choices to make, when to persevere, give up or switch gears? Beth Green has an approach, and it might just rearrange your gray cells. So put away your calculator, figuring out the relative risks and benefits of different choices, and jump into a different world view. Learn all about it on this show, and call in if you can! Beth is here to help! Our special co-host today will be Helen Hillix, who will be interviewing Beth. She always does a great job, and we’d love to hear from you, too. Tune in!

Bernie Sanders has brought income inequality into the public conversation. When almost all new wealth is drifting to the top and literally 20 individual Americans own as much as the bottom one half of all of us, we can see that growing income equality is crushing our American dream of equal opportunities for all. Not only does it impact the health, education and welfare of the poor, which is a tragic loss of human potential, it’s impacting every one of us. How bad is income equality in the US? Why is it worsening? How does it affect health, education and the economy? How is it impacting the elections? Josh Hoxie of the Institute for Policy Studies and Inequality.Org has the scoop and will share it with us. He’s bright, passionate and also a former legislative aid to Bernie Sanders. Donald Trump is exploiting people’s pain about income inequality. Let’s turn our anger or denial into information and mobilization. We are One and we can make the difference. Information is power. Tune in!

In a world where it is so important to be number one, to win, to get ahead, it’s hard for us to relax into the idea that someone else has more talent, wisdom or anything else we think important. We’re embarrassed when we strike out because the pitcher is more skilled or lose the scholarship to the younger person who’s smarter. In the same way, we feel humiliated in the face of people with greater awareness or integrity. In theory, we could think: “Wow! That person could help me.” But unconsciously we feel exposed, inadequate and downright jealous. Sometimes we even pretend that they’re wrong. Because we can’t stand how we feel about ourselves in the face of those who are wiser, we tend to emotionally kill off our greatest people. So who’s left to help? Let’s stop this pattern. The egoic need to look good is blocking us from accepting help, but we can change that. If we meet the Buddha, let’s ask for help. But how do we overcome our competitiveness? Tune in for a great discussion.

Why do so many think national health insurance is a crazy, radical idea? Today, over 2500 physicians are calling for single-payer health care reform. They say: Despite the Affordable Care Act, there are still 30 million Americans with NO health insurance, and 39 million more whose insurance is not affordable. Every other developed nation has some form of national health insurance, yet US health spending is far higher than theirs. Single payer national health reform would save nearly $500 billion annually on paperwork and administration, enough to cover all of the uninsured and eliminate deductibles, co-insurance, and co-pays for everyone. Plus, what does the lack of guaranteed health care cost us as individuals and as a society? Host Beth Green challenges us to rethink healthcare and interviews Dr. Adam Gaffney of Physicians for a National Health Program, who is advocating single payer healthcare. If he can stand up to the insurance companies and establishment thinking, why can’t we?

We keep hearing about the need to rebuild the middle class, and middle class is how we Americans like to see ourselves. We are proud that we’re not just workers. We’re better than that. We’re middle class. This appeals to our egos. Now here’s another one: Many of us are aiming to become middle management. We don’t want to be just workers. We want to be a step up, to have status. Why are these statuses a scam? Because middle class and middle management are the labels we are given so we don’t get pissed, join our peers and rebel. These titles appeal to our egos and block our Oneness. What is middle class? Is middle class income really midway between poor and billionaire? Is middle management a position of power, or is it a way to deprive us of unions and overtime, while we haven’t got nearly the power or security that those at the top give themselves? Today we interview two women who will talk with Beth about the unreality of the middle and how ego is blocking our power. Tune in!

For most men, being male is a prison for the soul. As babies, boys cry and get comforted, but at some point, crying, touching and seeking comfort is no longer allowed. The fear of looking like a girl becomes dominant. The world expects boys to transition from real humans to machines, who are no longer supposed to flinch. They are expected to be tough, to be providers and protectors, girding their loins to go into the mines, factories, corporations, boxing rings and wars. If they don’t, they are humiliated. And they’re supposed to know all the answers too! By this time, they don’t even know who they are, because socialization has forced them to bury their natures. In this episode, we interview three guys from Inner Revolutionary Men. They’ll be sharing their experiences, as well as their struggle to become themselves. Discover men who are gathering to help one another and young boys throw off their bondage. Gay, straight, trans, you are all invited. And women are invited to listen too!

It’s not just drugs. There are many kinds of addictions: alcohol, sex, gambling, shopping, food and more. And there are many kinds of punishment: from humiliation to incarceration. Sex addiction, for example, is heavily punished both by social humiliation and sometimes jail. People losing jobs, imprisonment for “deviant behavior,” lives ruined. But let’s get real! Addiction is rampant. Again, look at sex addiction: 20% of US men admit to accessing porn at work. 19% of all adults regularly surf for it. 47% of Christians said pornography is a major problem in the home. 10% of adults admit to internet sexual addiction. And, believe it or not, one third of on-line porn viewers are women. Should we punish addicts through humiliation or prison? What does punishment accomplish anyway? A meditation instructor, Kara Dansky has spent many years in the criminal justice system and she’s questioning the punishment of addicts. Is she naïve or is treatment just common sense? Tune in and find out.

What does it mean to be addicted to God? What’s the alternative? Almost all of us are being blocked from the universal energies that could support us to be more well, happy and beneficial to others. And boy do we need those energies. Most of us are stressed and stretched to the max and could use a little wholeness, well-being and inner power. But to achieve these states, we have to get beyond hierarchical ways of relating to God and one another and instead start learning to tap into the power of the universe. And that’s not easy, especially when our whole paradigm of God the Father blocks us from doing just that. How does God the Father block us from the Source? How can we shift our paradigm and learn how to connect to the universal energies that support us all? Religious, spiritual, atheist, you’re invited to tune in and learn more about universal power – how to experience it and channel it to others. Join us! And start experiencing some of these positive energies right on the air!

Suicide is not rare. It’s killing our kids faster than drugs! It’s the 10th leading cause of death in the US, the 3rd (after accidents and homicides) for youths 15-24, and the 4th among adults 18-65. Men succeed in killing themselves more often than women; women try more frequently. And it’s not only a US problem! WHO identified suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among people 18-44 in the world. Meet Steve Austin, a man who tried to kill himself, failed and came back to become a happier guy. A former youth pastor masquerading as the perfect husband and dad, Steve had been sexually abused and struggled with a culture of stuffed feelings. He is now a blogger, sharing in an open and honest way. Why did he attempt suicide? How did he feel when he failed? What has worked for him and his family? What can he share with you or a loved one? We all know someone who is mentally ill, suicidal, depressed or anxious. It might even be you. Tune in for a deeper look into and out of the pit.

Few of us know prostitution used to be legal, even encouraged, in the US. In our early days, there was often a lack of women, so you yourself may descend from a railway man or gold-miner who had kids with a prostitute – European, Asian, whoever was available. Prostitution didn’t become illegal until the 20th century. Why? Who were those prostitutes? What were the forces that called for criminalization? Did they want females back in the home? Has criminalization helped prostitutes? Has it given them recourse against those who abuse them? Has it protected kids who are being ensnared? Are poorer prostitutes and women of color being disproportionately imprisoned, while politicians and businessmen merrily use them at will? Sex, race and class all factor into the criminalization of prostitution and its selective enforcement, and prostitutes have fought back! Tune in and learn more about prostitution and who’s making money on it. And let’s ask what would support those engaged in the trade.