Derate The Hate

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!It is a well known problem in the course of discussions, especially when someone is having a discussion with someone with whom they disagree, that they spend more time listening with the intention of responding rather than with the desire to truly understand. I am fully aware, and can readily admit that I am personally guilty of this. Thankfully I don't do this nearly as often now as I did previously in my life. This is a battle, like so many of the bad habits that we acquire throughout our lives, that we as individuals must face and attempt to overcome. One of the best ways we can have better, more meaningful and productive conversations is by asking better questions. My guest this week has made an art form out of communicating effectively and asking incredibly insightful and meaningful questions.Michael Ashford is a former award-winning newspaper reporter, and editor of the Emporia Gazette in Emporia, Ks. His years of journalism experience sharpened his interviewing skills and taught him how important listening and asking follow-up questions is to get the full and real story.He has transferred that skill set into the podcasting space, now focusing on the power of storytelling. He is still a self-described independent journalist, digging below the surface of cliches and clickbaity headlines to uncover nuance and detail that lives within the most important issues we face these days.With Michael’s podcast,The Follow-up Question, he aims to remove assumptions and opinions from the questions he asks, and instead, let his guests stories reveal themselves within their answers.Michael has a passion, as I do, for bettering the world in which we live. Whether it’s through writing articles, giving an inspirationalTedX speech, or interviewing intriguing guests on his podcast, if Michael is saying it, it’s well worth the time to read, watch and/or listen. What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one aThe world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast! *The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!Have you ever wondered how to have a meaningful conversation with someone with whom you disagree vehemently on a particular topic? Do you have family members that you disagree with politically, and cannot have a conversation without things becoming heated and toxic? What if there were a book that could teach you "How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times"? There is, and this week I am honored to have the author of that book on the Derate the Hate podcast to talk about her latest book, "I Never Thought Of It That Way"MÓNICA GUZMÁNis a bridge builder, journalist, and entrepreneur who lives for great conversations sparked by curious questions. She’s director of digital and storytelling at Braver Angels, the nation’s largest cross-partisan grassroots organization working to depolarize America; host of live interview series at Crosscut; and cofounder of the award- winning Seattle newsletter The Evergrey. She was a 2019 fellow at the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, where she studied social and political division, and a 2016 fellow at the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, where she researched how journalists can rethink their roles to better meet the needs of a participatory public. She was named one of the 50 most influential women in Seattle, served twice as a juror for the Pulitzer Prizes, and plays a barbarian named Shadrack in her besties’ Dungeons & Dragons campaign. A Mexican immigrant, Latina, and dual US/Mexico citizen, she lives in Seattle with her husband and two kids and is the proud liberal daughter of conservative parents.Take-aways and Quotes from MÓNICA GUZMÁN"Those who are underrepresented in your lives, will always be over-represented in our imaginations"Curiosity in 1-to-1 conversations will save us (like no politician, group, or institution can)"If there's one thing that most people on the left and right can agree on, it's that the way we treat and talk to the other side is broken"Monica's promise: "This book will equip and inspire you to The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast! *The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!Have you ever heard someone use the phrase, "Correlation does not equal Causation"? More importantly, have you ever taken the time to think about what that means? Quite often there are those on social media, in the main stream media, or opportunist politicians that love to take a situation, ignore all variables except those that will get them the traction they desire, and run with a narrative that stirs the most division, animosity and anxiety amongst those of differing thoughts and opinions...One can find countless examples of this each and every day in their news feed on most social media platforms, most mainstream news channels,  or by checking out the YouTube channel of most of your widely publicized politicians. This is not a hard thing to spot once you are conscious of it, and knowing what to look for, especially in this age of toxic public discourse. Take a listen to this week's solo episode and let me know what you think. Stay tuned in the next few weeks as I have some incredible guests joining me for more great conversations. Above all, keep bettering the world by sharing this content with your networks.Find out more about Correlation vs. Causation with this resource:https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/correlation-vs-causation/What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast! *The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!As many of the regular listeners know, I love organizations that are all about bringing people together, promoting unity and community while also recognizing that we are all individuals with our own thoughts and ideas. This is why I truly adore and respect organizations like FAIR (Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism), Braver Angels and so many others that I have highlighted on the podcast. My friend Rick of Braver Angels recently introduced me Dan Garscia who is a spokesperson for the local Twin Cities chapter of FAIR.The conversation in this episode was not originally meant to be one for broadcast, but just an introductory conversation between Dan and myself to find out more about FAIR Twin Cities. During the conversation, things were clicking with incredible synergy, so Dan and I decided this would be something of value to the DTH listeners. I have once again found a great collaborator for the Derate the Hate podcast in my new friend Dan Garscia of FAIR Twin Cities. Share this episode with your network, and more importantly, seek out and get involved with local chapters of great organizations like FAIR, Braver Angels and so many others doing great work to bring people together...Dan Garscia of FAIR Twin CitiesDan lives in Maplewood, Minnesota with his wife and two spirited children. Dan has been active in his community for over a decade, starting when he first noticed that the freedoms he values so highly were beginning to erode. Dan joined FAIR because, as a partner in an interracial marriage, and father of bi-racial children, Critical Race Theory threatens the values and principles he and his wife have worked so hard to instill in their children. Dan has witnessed firsthand the damage that CRT can cause young minds, and is willing to do whatever he can to help bring the focus back to the “content of character” approach that treats all humans with equal dignity.What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast! *The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!We as a society cannot be expected to bend reality in order to accommodate those who lack the ability to accept reality. We also must acknowledge that truth, no matter whether it offends me, you, or anyone else, is still the truth and by inhibiting one's ability to speak the truth, it does not make it any less true. This simply creates an environment filled with more division and hate among those who disagree. While it is often considered taboo to discuss, and often a "cancelable" offense, I think it's important  that we continue as a society to discuss controversial topics such as transgender athletes competing in events against opponents that are not of their biological sex. Some (big tech & big media) would have you believe that if you are on the opposing side of this topic, for whatever reason, you are committing "hate speech", and you should be silenced. Like most things, I believe if we choose to silence those with whom we disagree, we drive a larger wedge of hate between us. Maybe that is by design, but it's a design I refuse to accept.Listen to this episode of the Derate the Hate podcast, share it with your network, let's start a civil discussion and talk about the topic in a meaningful way rather than accusing those of opposing views of hate. Transgenders and those suffering from all kinds of mental illness are not going away, so the discussions must be had. I've attached a couple relevant articles to the show notes at www.deratethehate.comWhat have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let usThe world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast! *The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!I often say that it's unfortunate that those who know the least tend to say it the loudest. Social media, the main stream media, and politicians who would rather be in front of a camera or a microphone have proved this for us time and time again. As our next guest phrased it very well, "the internet ecosystem appears to show that bad ideas are winning and flourishing".Christian Watson, my guest this week, is a podcaster, YouTuber, and spokesperson for "Color Us United". Christian is a profound thinker who's work both with, and outside of Color Us United, is invaluable in the cause of raising awareness of toxic ideologies, battling harmful woke mob mentalities, building unity and bettering the world in which we live. Join me for this conversation where Christian explains what Color Us United is, what they do, and learn about the value system that drives him to do the work that he does.Topics & Quotes from Conversation~ social media and the internet ecosystem~ "not everyone is consumed by bad ideas"~ megalomania~ Woke mobs and virtue signaling~ CRT and 1619 project~ "I'm not going to sell my integrity for just a few clicks"~ "True success does not come from selling yourself to people for their temporary affection"What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts dirThe world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast! *The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!Have you ever stopped to really think about what the root cause of racism is? Politicians at every level, and those in the media, now more than ever before, speak in platitudes about race, finding new ways to interject race and racism into every story and topic, but do you ever hear them present real solutions that speak to the root cause of racism? The answer, in most cases, is probably NO. When I was a child, a young man, and even to this day, I find great passion in befriending and just listening to the stories of, and finding wisdom in, those older and more seasoned in the ways of the world than me. Whether it was listening to my parents and their friends talking about growing up in our little mid-western towns, the widow on my paper route who had long since lost her husband and had few visitors, or the old man at the end of the bar that ran out of people to talk to, I loved it all and still do.  Doing the Derate the Hate podcast affords me opportunities to meet and speak with people that I may never otherwise encounter. For this I could not be more grateful. When I get the opportunity to speak with a true legend like Daryl Davis, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. If you do not know who Daryl Davis is, you need to stop what you’re doing and listen to every word he says in this incredible conversation. Daryl Davis is what many would call a superhero in the ranks of race relations. Do you want to know what a man who’s devoted a large portion of his adult life to converting white supremacists says the root cause of racism is? Don’t miss this conversation… That’s right, Daryl Davis, a black man that has gone right to the source of Hate, having sat face to face with members of the American Nazi party, the KKK and many other organizations of HATE, joins me in this week’s episode of the Derate the Hate podcast. How did Daryl Davis play an instrumental role in rehabilitating upwards of 200 KKK members, leading them to a life of peace and civility rather than Hate? Don’t miss this conversation…What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything yThe world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast! *The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!In this short video Daryl Davis talks about the very first time he experienced racism. Daryl Davis joins Wilk for a discussion on the Derate the Hate podcast to discuss, racism, and how he made it his goal from a very young age to learn what makes people hate others because of their skin color. This clip is just a small portion of the complete episode of the Derate the Hate podcast that will air in it's entirety on March 9, 2022. Those not familiar with Daryl Davis need only know that he went right to the source of hate, not only getting to personally know several members of the KKK, and becoming instrumental in nearly 200 of it's members to leave the KKK for good. When it comes to those who Derate the Hate, those who are bettering the world, Daryl Davis is a true legend!! #racism #DarylDavis #Hate #Legend #Unity #KKK #Love For more Derate the Hate episodes: https://www.DerateTheHate.com For more about Wilk: https://www.WilksWorld.com To Learn More About Daryl Davis: The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast! *The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!One of the greatest problems we face in the battle we are fighting against woke culture and the perpetual victim mentality is that not enough young people are getting involved in a meaningful way. Striving for a more meaningful and civil discourse among those who have differing thoughts and opinions is not particularly fun or exciting, for most people, especially those of the younger generation. That is one reason I was so excited when I was able to make contact with this week’s guest.Who is Daniel Idfresne?Daniel Idfresne is a first generation American whose parents immigrated here from Haiti. He lives in Brooklyn, NY and is a senior at Brooklyn Technical High School. Daniel began to notice a trend among his peers recently where they were denouncing their white privilege online, updating their bios with gender pronouns and posting links to all kinds of different social justice causes. Daniel wanted no part of such divisive things, as he’s a proponent of equality and pluralism. In school, Daniel noticed another trend where identity politics was becoming the norm. Classroom debates were dominated by a single point of view, and many would self-censor to avoid being demonized by those with the woke mob mentality. He’d had enough. Daniel did not want to live in a world focused on dividing us, or a world where people could not have honest discussions about what they thought. This is when Daniel found out about, and became involved with FAIR, (the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism). This later prompted Daniel to form a club (FAIR at School), a genuine safe space, where students could feel free to discuss ideas in a way that didn’t just fit in to the typical social media posts.I am honored to have as a guest on this week’s DTH podcast Daniel Idfresne to discuss a little bit about his background, the woke mob mentality and how FAIR at School is looking to make civil discourse fun for his generation. Daniel is a profound young thinker who’s been featured, whether in person or print in the NY Post, Fox News, Bari Weiss’ substack and more. Daniel has also recently been named a fellow at The Douglass Society. I hope you’ll give a listen and share this with your contacts to help energize and inspire more young people to become involved like DaniThe world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast! *The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!One of the reasons I do this podcast is to help others that are getting, or have become discouraged. My primary reason for doing the DTH podcast is to Better the World, One Attitude At A Time. I believe the best way to do that is to tame the toxicity in our public discourse through individual accountability and having a positive attitude.  Like so many out there, I too find myself, at times, getting discouraged. I was having a conversation the other day, with a gentleman that most people would probably know of, and he asked me, "Wilk, is it too late?", meaning, is it too late to bridge this divide, are we so full of hate and animosity for those of differing opinions that it cannot be turned around? I said to him, I wouldn't be doing the Derate the Hate podcast if I felt it was too late. But like I said, I too find myself, at times becoming discouraged, and even at times feeling almost defeated. Sometimes when I think it may be time to give up, something happens...My wife and I were having a discussion this week about all that we have going on, and she could tell I was a bit discouraged with certain things. She asked me if I had ever heard of Les Brown? I had not, so she sent me a YouTube Video of his. That 58 minute inspirational video was pure gold. Much of what Les talks about in the video was stuff that I have talked about on the DTH podcast, but his delivery and cadence are incredible.  This is a must watch or listen to video if you are unsure of the power of you and your mindset. It also brought to mind for me, Episode 52 of the DTH podcast, so for the first time, I am bringing back a large portion of that episode in this one.  Let me know your thoughts on both! What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for all you’ve got. Make every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact The Derate The Hate podcast is proudly produced in collaboration with Braver Angels — America’s largest grassroots, cross-partisan organization working toward civic renewal and bridging partisan divides. Learn more: BraverAngels.org Welcome to the Derate The Hate Podcast! *The views expressed by Wilk, his guest hosts &/or guests on the Derate The Hate podcast are their own and should not be attributed to any organization they may otherwise be affiliated with.