Mike Rowe counters 'woke shibboleths' with real-world wisdom and ethics - at FreedomFest in Memphis

 Mike Rowe (host of TV's "Dirty Jobs") interviewed by Mark Skousen at FreedomFest Conference in Memphis, Tennessee.

FreedomFest organizer, Mark Skousen, interviewed "Dirty Jobs" and podcast host, Mike Rowe before a large audience at the 2023 edition of the Libertarian convention last week. In this video excerpt, they discuss how society has become overly concerned with health risks and eliminating all possible dangers. Mr. Rowe questions the excessive use of vaccines and the increasing prevalence of allergies. Rowe believes that instead of eliminating risks, we should focus on mitigating them. He shares personal experiences of maintaining natural immunity and attributes his good health to his work in sanitation. He concludes by sharing a story about his survival camp, highlighting the importance of facing and overcoming challenges.

Mike Rowe is concerned about how our society has become more safety-conscious and aware of health risks. He mentions the prevalence of advertisements for pharmaceutical products addressing previously unknown ailments. While he acknowledges the importance of vaccines, he questions whether we have gone overboard with them. Rowe believes that we have become too focused on eliminating all risks and that mitigating risks is a wiser approach. He also discusses the increase in allergies and expresses curiosity about the causes, whether it be diet, lack of exercise, environmental factors, or genetics. Despite these concerns, Rowe shares that he has not had a cold in decades and attributes it, in part, to natural immunity and his experiences working in sanitation. He concludes by sharing a story about his survival camp in the Uinta Mountains. 

In this second segment of the interview, host Mark Skousen dares Mike Rowe to share a can-you-top-this extreme experience. Rowe recounts this controversial story from his show, Dirty Jobs, which calls into question the conventional wisdom of authorities. 

On an earlier Dirty Jobs episode, attempting to demonstrate where we get our food, Mike shot a cow and butchered it. Protests from PETA animal rights activists nearly caused the show to be cancelled.

In an upcoming episode, an expert would demonstrate shepherds' castrating (i.e., docking)  of sheep. Hoping to avoid further problems and ensure that he handles the process gingerly, Rowe consulted with PETA. They recommended showing the method of tieing-off the testes. However, once he arrived in Colorado, the shepherd switched to a method which involvesd cutting off the lamb's tail and snipping off the lamb's testicles, which animal activists imagine to be less humane.

Though it may be imagined as unpleasant, Rowe came to learn how the traditional cutting method was actually less painful and unsanitary than the PETA-preferred, pinched-til-dried alternative method. He decided to showcase the truth of the process - and received backlash - but he stood by his evidence as reason to question the authority of progressive thinkers. This shift in focus on work and the experience of regular people on the front lines is what contributes to making Dirty Jobs successful and still on the air.

In this third video excerpt, Mike Rowe discusses the concerning state of the American workforce, where millions of people between the ages of 25 and 54 are not working and not even actively seeking employment. At the same time, there are 11 million open jobs that many people are not interested in, despite not requiring a four-year degree. Amidst this, there is a staggering $1.7 trillion in student loan debt, with no real plan for borrowers to pay it back. Rowe emphasizes the need for more focus on practical trades, such as welding, plumbing, and carpentry, which have a high demand for skilled workers. He expresses his worry about the generational shift towards spending excessive hours on screens instead of pursuing meaningful work and contributing to society.

From 5 - 10minutes in, Mr. Rowe expresses his concern about the skyrocketing cost of college education and the burden it places on students through loans. He worries that if nothing is done to address this issue, universities will have no incentive to lower their tuition fees. He also expresses skepticism towards experts who rely solely on their credentials to command trust, emphasizing the need for them to earn the public's trust through persuasion and transparency. Rowe believes that the public's trust in institutions has been broken and that it is the responsibility of elected officials and the media to restore it. He suggests that alternative platforms, such as Substack, may gain more influence if the mainstream media fails to regain public trust.

In last section, Mike Rowe and Mark Skousen discuss the importance of persuasion in economics. They acknowledge that while history can provide insights, it is crucial to continue making points and fighting for what they believe in. Mark Skousen's dedication to writing books and newsletters demonstrates his determination to keep the fight going. Despite the high stakes, they also value taking breaks, like watching a spring training game, before proceeding with the Q&A session.

In the first segment, Mike Rowe emphasizes the importance of skilled trades and the need to confront the stigmas and misperceptions surrounding them. He discusses the detrimental effects of removing shop classes from high schools, which not only deprived students of opportunities but also erased the visibility of these jobs. Rowe urges for a change in mindset and the need to highlight success stories of individuals who have found fulfilling and well-paying careers in trades. He calls for a shift in focus from the distinction between blue-collar and white-collar work to the mastery of in-demand skills and the value of hard work. He also mentions the need for better marketing and public relations to promote the trades industry.

Between 5 and 10 minutes in, Mike Rowe discusses the impact of "Dirty Jobs" on changing people's perceptions about work. He compares it to the "Keep America Beautiful" campaign that successfully changed people's behavior towards littering through PR efforts. Rowe believes that a similar campaign is needed to change our relationship with work. He also shares a personal story about losing all his savings due to a financial scam, which led him to take on a steady paycheck and eventually led to the opportunity for "Dirty Jobs." He emphasizes the importance of financial education and mentions influential authors such as John Bogle and Burton Malkiel.

From 10 minutes onward, Mike Rowe shares his personal experience with investing and how he became a disciple of low-cost mutual funds and diversification. He emphasizes the importance of taking ownership of one's investments but also acknowledges the benefits of having professionals look after them.

However, before he can answer Rob Strong's question, the atmosphere suddenly takes a strange turn when a barbershop quartet called The Times invites Mike to join them in singing a song.

Despite the unexpected situation, Mike puts on a straw hat and prepares to sing with the group. Video highlights both the amusement and talents of Mike Rowe at the live FreedomFest'23. 

     

As he steps on stage, it becomes evident that his costume has suffered a mishap, with his flies noticeably down. However, Rowe's ability to entertain prevails as he continues to captivate the audience. Affectionate lyrics like "I love you" and "Sweet and Lovely" further showcase the playful atmosphere and Rowe's pleasant demeanor. Overall, his costume malfunction added an entertaining twist to an already enjoyable performance.

Did Clinton sell Islamists American policy and secrets? 'Democracy needs new strategies against political Islam '- Amb. John Bolton

The mainstream media has done nothing to seriously vet the connection between the Clintons and Saudi Arabia, and the key role Huma Abedin plays in the life and work of Hillary Clinton. Abedin not only lived in Saudi Arabia from the time she was two years old, but her mother, Saleha, currently lives in Saudi Arabia, runs the radical-Muslim, Journal for Muslim Minority Affairs (where Huma served as Assistant Editor for 12-years until Hillary brought her into the State Department (why?), and promotes Shariah law. - Lee Stranahan Breitbart.com 18 Jan 2016 

Al-Qaeda financier Abdullah Omar Naseef, Hillary Clinton, Saleha Abedin, daughter Huma (Photo: Walid Shoebat)

Saudi Arabia and Qatar Bankroll Islamic State and The Clinton Foundation How Hillary welcomed money from those she knew to be funding jihadist killers. by Joseph Klein, Frontpage Magazine, Oct. 13, 2016 

The governments of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and groups aligned with them, have not only been major funders of ISIS and other jihadist organizations, as she indicated, but they also have been big funders of the Clinton Foundation for years. Hillary has had no trouble taking money for her foundation from regimes that fund terrorists, oppress women, execute or imprison gays and apostates, and severely punish the exercise of free speech. 

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia contributed between $10 million and $25 million to the Clinton Foundation through June 2016, according to the Clinton Foundation’s own website (which only reports in ranges of total contributions). Wealthy individuals with close ties to the Saudi royal family have donated millions more. For example, Nasser al-Rashid, a multibillionaire adviser to the Saudi royal family, has donated between $1 million and $5 million.

A group calling itself Friends of Saudi Arabia also contributed between $1 million and $5 million. The National Review described the group as “a thinly veiled public-relations organ of the repressive Saudi regime.” National Review quoted a critique of Friends of Saudi Arabia by Ali Alyami, executive director of the Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia: “These are Saudi apologists. The country depends on propaganda. . . . When I saw the name ‘Friends of Saudi Arabia,’ I knew exactly what they were going to do and who was paying them. I just wrote them off.”

Although the Friends of Saudi Arabia group was trying to create a false positive image to American audiences of conditions for women in Saudi Arabia, which in fact are amongst the most repressive in the world, Hillary Clinton did not write the Saudi propaganda group off as long as the money kept flowing into her foundation’s coffers. As Alyami observed, “Our government and our people are for sale, and the Saudis know how to buy.”

Former US Amb. to the UN John Bolton addressed conference on Islam and Western Civilization held around Labor Day by the American Freedom Alliance in Los Angeles. The conference presented experts on contending with Islam's cultural and political expansionary nature- and whether it can co-exist within free societies.

Amb. Bolton spoke with A.F.A. Exec. Dir, Karen Siegemund about the West's recognition of Islamism as a political threat to Western Civilization and moderate Muslims everywhere.


Bolton told Dr. Karen Siegemund, "I think Donald Trump has delineated a clear path to defeat radical Islam before it inflicts any more damage on us."

Amb. Bolton called the Democrats' Iran JCPOA more than just a nuclear proliferation problem, but problematic as Democrats granted Iran cash-for-hostages which they now exploit in antagonizing a mollified America with conventional and terrorist hostilities. 

Amb. Bolton addressed his keynote overview of the current picture of Islamist imperialist aggression around the globe. He remarked (in this DemoCast.TV embedded video):

"I'd like to talk a little bit about the threat that radical-Islam and political-Islam, more broadly, pose to the United States and its friends in Europe and elsewhere around the world. I think it's important that we try to say at the outset every time this subject comes up- that we are talking about politics and ideology here. This is not a question of religion.  

And those who say that 'when you talk about radical-Islam you're insulting Muslims all over the world' are simply engaged in propaganda. It's actually Muslims themselves who have felt the worst effects of Islamic terrorism and who suffer under its rule in places as diverse as Iran and the Caliphate that ISIS now holds."

Amb. Bolton gave this example of Muslims trying to resist the Islamist expansion.

"(Jordan's) King Abdullah and other political leaders in the Middle East have said, 'This is a civil war within Islam. It's a struggle for how the religion is perceived around the world. You think of Gen. al-Sisi in Egypt who was courageous enough a couple of years ago to join the Coptic Christians and the Coptic Pope in their celebration of Christmas- and to say that "We are all Egyptians together" thus, among other reasons, putting a target on his back from the Muslim Brotherhood. So I think that this is a critical distinction to make. And one that those who don't want to have a clear understanding of radical-Islam are quick to try and obscure."

Swiss Parliamentarian dares to preserve western civilization, humanity, and freedom from domination by Islamism

Many on the Left disparage America's response to 9/11 by attempting to condemn American military involvement in the Middle East. But they do it to evade the point of combating global Islamism entirely, especially the branch of that movement which thrives under our noses- and seeks to undermine our principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity.



Swiss member of Parliament, Oskar Freysinger, gave a speech in Berlin, that no politician in Washington (save Rep. Allen West) is yet ready to speak from the floor of Congress. In order for us to beat back the Islamists, we need some key leaders in Washington to make a similar speech and lead the nation against the Islamist threat head-on.

The riots should surprise no one who’s been paying attention.

The riots should surprise no one who’s been paying attention.

Courtesy: The Australian.com

Theodore Dalrymple writes 'British degeneracy on parade' in City Journal:

The ferocious criminality exhibited by an uncomfortably large section of the English population during the current riots has not surprised me in the least. I have been writing about it, in its slightly less acute manifestations, for the past 20 years. To have spotted it required no great perspicacity on my part; rather, it took a peculiar cowardly blindness, one regularly displayed by the British intelligentsia and political class, not to see it and not to realize its significance. There is nothing that an intellectual less likes to change than his mind, or a politician his policy. . . . .

Long experience of impunity has taught the rioters that they have nothing to fear from the law, which in England has become almost comically lax—except, that is, for the victims of crime. For the rioters, crime has become the default setting of their behavior; the surprising thing about the riots is not that they have occurred, but that they did not occur sooner and did not become chronic.   Read it all

EuroNews shows the looters as motivated less in reaction to police-brutality, more by greed and status.



British cultural commentator, Pat Condell, indicts the British rioters - and the lax policing and penal standards which fail to thwart criminality in society.