Let not your heart be troubled. You are listening to the Sean Hannity Radio Show podcast. So, like many of you, I have trouble sleeping. I have insomnia. No matter what I tried, it wouldn't work until I met Mike Lindell and I got my very own my pillow. It has changed my life. What makes my pillows so different is my pillows patented adjustable fill. In other words, you can adjust the patented fill to your exact individual needs so you get the support you need and want to help you get to sleep faster and stay asleep longer. Just go to my pillow dot com or called one six zero nine zero. Remember used the promo code Hannity. When you do, Mike Lindell will give you his best off forever by one pillow and get another one absolutely free. My pillow made in the US a ten year unconditional warranty and it has a sixty day no questions asked money back guarantee. You have nothing to lose. So it's time for you to start getting the quality of sleep that you've been wanting and we need. Just go to my pillow dot com or call eight hundred zero nine zero promo code Hannity take advantage of Mike's special two for one offer my pillow dot Com promo code Hannity. This is Jonathan Gilham and I am back in the seat for my good buddy Sean Hannity on the Shawan Hannity radio show literally broadcast all over the universe. Uh, I can guarantee you if the Navy actually saw Martians, which there was something last week about some UFOs, they know about this radio show. I can guarantee you that they know. So anyway, here we are back again. Knows of you that don't know who I am, You're gonna find out today. I'm a former Navy seal, Federal Air Marshall, security contractor, and FBI special agent. I say that every time. Why do I say that every time because I want you to understand that I have some cred when I talk about the things that I talked about. I'm not just a talking head, as most people know. And I also want you to realize, as I talked throughout the day today that um, I never uh put myself out there is uh the end, all the be all o all of all things. I try to never expound upon things that you know, I really have never done, and I don't know, because I think it's important that we get back to a place in this country where Americans actually represent exceptionalism, morals and ethics, service, and more importantly unity. We can't have really have unity without all those other things, because what happens when you don't have the exceptionalism, that that belief that you are somebody who is going to do great things, you subscribe yourself to dependency. If you don't have the morals and ethics, what happens is you tend to go astray into narcissism and psychopathology and politics. So this is the truth. When we look at this stuff and unity without service and without the other things that I just spoke about, you you're never gonna have true unity. So as I reflected on this show today and I was talking to Lauren and I talked to Linda about how I wanted to do this show today. I wanted to focus on Christmas, and we have so many different Christmas shows that you're gonna turn the TV on, you're gonna see all these different things. And I I kept thinking about from I do a show every night at eight pm Eastern standtime, it's called The Experts. I do it from my studio and it's simulcast on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. I got a little surprising. I'm gonna tell everybody about that. I kind of broke the surprise last night. But I'm actually gonna be doing that from one excuse me next week. It's gonna be from one two two pm, one pm to two pm next week, and then we may adjust that to where we start doing it at twelve. But that's on news Max on news Max Television, and so i'll tell you in a little bit, I'll tell you about how you find news Max. But so this show is going that I do call the experts. I call the experts because I don't have talking heads on there. I only have people that I think are capable of talking about the actual things that they have experience in I I don't like talking heads that have never actually operated in the field that they they want to expound upon. And the reason is because I feel, as I said there at the beginning, that we've gotten away from uh exceptionalism. We've gotten away from the morals and ethics. We've gotten away from the service and the and the unity, and we people are just comfortable in their image. They're comfortable in, uh, in the perception that you have of them, not the reality of who they are, and they're actually comfortable with that. Instagram is a perfect example. People take five pictures until they get the right angle to where they look the best, not how when they look like they actually look. Yeah, Ethan knows all about that. He's he he spends massive amounts of time on Instagram. Is that correct? He said more than time that he works. So what I want to cover today is the reality of what Christmas actually is, the reality of what Christian is of Christmas has been to different people that have been in the news, and how America is closely tied to this, uh, this spirit of Christmas. You know, I'm looking at Fox news dot com and I'm seeing that, um, the main headline on there right now is that the world thumbs knows that the US a Trump and Haley. This this is the headline off of Fox news dot com warnings ignored as you are you in uh, condemns moving American embassy to Jerusalem. This is just interesting to me because I can guarantee you as we look on all the mainstream media that they're gonna be talking about this, and the reality is the who cares what the u N things? I mean, the reality is the u N does nothing to determine, UH, what is best for the United States and whether or not the United States is in the best possible shape it could be, and they do nothing for that. I know as an FBI special Agent, I was in charge of the Special Events program where I was the liaison every year to the United Nations General Assembly for a period of time, and I watched the reality of these people come in and go and get up there and speak. And the reality is, folks, these people, whether it's the u N or Washington d C, the majority of them do not have your special your best interest at heart. They don't have America's best interest at heart. And I used to sit there and think, because I saw these people walk through that The reality is Americans need to have their best interest at heart. America needs to have its best interest at heart. And I don't really care what the UN has to say. All all the rage in the news over the past year has been the fact that the Russians supposedly interfered with our election process, which I've still have not seen any significant um proof for evidence of that beyond what every other country does. So why should we care what the U. N. Or the rest of the world thinks when we say we're gonna move our embassy to Jerusalem, which is a capital of Israel. Why should we care what they say? They don't. They don't affect our daily lives here. So again, what I'm trying to get towards here is that every year we celebrate Christmas. Every year, uh, people go out and they help each other out, and they give gifts, and they're good to each other, and they do the right things for each other. And that lasts for a season, a few weeks actually, and then they go right back into the grind after the drinking of New Years, to the point where you know, people are flipping each other off in traffic again, they're not holding the door for each other, and they don't really care about each other. And I think this year, especially with this massive audience that Sean has uh cultivated throughout his you know, thirtysomething years in radio and television, I think that America and all the Americans, the citizens in this country, natural born or not, or immigrated here legally, we need to get back to the point where this feeling that we get on Christmas is the feeling that we have all the time. Folks. If we commit to each other and to treating each other the same way we do for the two weeks three weeks that we around Christmas, you will see a turnaround in this nation. You will see ethics and morals developing, and you will see politicians that are actually leaders evolve again. In Washington, d C. You will see the right people's that forward to do what needs to be done to take this country back on track. Yes, I believe we have the right man in the White House. I believe President Trump is the man to be in the White House. But I believe he's surrounded by a complete cesspool. I believe he's surrounded by people in and around the White House and it's like rings of security that the uh that the establishment is put on the president. You have the inner circle, which is the president, and immediately when you step out of his office, he's surrounded by these globalists, by these really I would call them communists, establishment members. You step out of that, you have the Congress and the Senate, in the Supreme Court, they're standing against him. You step out of that, you look at the r n C and the d n C, and how they have their fingers in every seat of power in the United States. Those are two private companies. By the way, in case you didn't know that, the r n C in the d n C to private companies. They're not government entities. That's why George Washington, who will be talking about hearing a bit, warned against political party. And so what we've done is what they have done with the president is the same thing they've done with it with the rest of the United States. They have blocked our ability to be exceptional, and it all focuses back on them, just like the U n tries to do with the world. That's why you have wasted money in the UN. That's why you have people like from some some of the most violent, terroristic sponsoring countries sitting on the on like the in some kind of peace panel. It's nonsense. I went to a thing once in the UN just to give you a little uh hints of what I'm talking about. I was, you know, I was there for the FBI, but I stood by and watched a conference that it was happening, and it was about world hunger, Global world global hunger, and they had Um Harmy cars I, Bill Gates were sitting up on the stage, several other prominent people, and then you had this whole audience of very wealthy philanthropists and I sat there and watched it for over an hour. Not once did they talk about how we cultivate the soil. How do we get farmers or people that want to be farmers from these uh, these areas where there's no agriculture, Bring them here, teach them how to farm, and send them back. There was no talk of that, there's no solutions. It was all about raising money. You see. That's the truth is that the world, uh that at least the world representatives go to the u N the people in Washington, d C. They're not that much different. They take real issues and they spend them so that it all comes back to them and making them look important. And it's like we go to break eight hundred nine for one seven three to six, eight hundred nine for one seven three to six, that's the number. That's eight nine one sean. In case you want to failure numbers. I want you to think about this. This whole show, I'm gonna be talking to different people about the reality of an Exceptional United States, about the exceptional American people, the exceptional America, and how do we do that? This mine's at the your end right now that we're gonna talk about today. You stay in that one last thing be where we go to break Sheep no More. The Art of Awareness and Attack Survival. It's a book I have out right now. It's all about empowering you. If you want a stocking stuffer, if your daughter or son are gonna be going to college this next semester, if you are living a city and you don't feel safe, or if you're just an American who wants to be empowered again, go to Amazon and order it right now. Sheep No More, The Art of Awareness and Attack Survival. Just look up Sheep no More. You'll see my mug on the cover of the book. Order it now, Order it today, and you'll get it here in a couple of a couple of days or a week, and you will be on the right step to being empowered again. This is Shawan Hannity Radio Show, Jonathan gil And filling in for my good buddy. This is Jonathan Gillham back in for Sean Hannity on the Shawan Handity Radio show, And as I was talking there a few minutes ago, we are so close to Christmas that right now you are feeling the Christmas spirit and I and I have to I don't. I want to make sure I made myself clear on that intro. This is the spirit that is gonna make America great again. Yes, our president is the man who's gonna turn the ship. He's turning it. But he's not gonna be the one that docks the ship. We are. He he is the guy who, like a special forces team, flew out boarded the ship. He fast think of Trumps as uh, this exceptional seal who fast roped onto the ship with him and his uh little band of pirates, and they got on the ship. They took it over, and he's turning it. Meanwhile, all the establishment people are jumping off the rest of the ships that are out there in the ocean that are nefarious. They don't know what to do. He's turning that ship, but Americans are the ones that are the battle force that comes in and guards that ship, surrounds the ship, and man's the ship. See that's the way it works. When you do uh uh ship seizures um. The the initial force that goes on there takes over the ship, but there's eventually gonna have to be a crew that comes over, and man's that ship if you take it over. And uh, that's what America is. The feeling that you have right now is what you were gonna have to continue to have throughout the rest of the year. Now we're gonna we're gonna go to break here in just a minute. So I want what I want to do is I want to spend uh just a few seconds, uh talking about again. I talked about my book there a second ago. I'm not gonna go over this book all day today. I'll remind everybody about it. But because I was on Sean Show a couple of weeks ago when it debuted, and then I actually did a show one day where I had several great guests talking about security, I just want to make sure that everybody realizes, Uh. I I sat on this book for um probably over ten years, waiting for the right time to write it. And why did I wait so long? Because I didn't think America was in the right mindset, uh to actually sit down and start looking at themselves from an attacker's point of view. And that's really What this book does is that it teaches you how to target yourself so that you can understand your own critical areas, the critical times for those areas, the vulnerabilities that can be exploited, and the attackers avenue of approach uh that somebody will take to attack you. I'm not I'm talking pedophiles, sexual predators in the workplace, terrorists, uh, robbers, burglars, people who will mug you. I'm talking about all these people. People that will target, will pick you up as a target of opportunity, or people that will follow you and stalk you. You can look at yourself from this perspective. The first thing you have to do is divide your life up into sectors so that you can pinpoint all those criticalities for each sector of your life. And this book, Sheep No More, that's available on Amazon right now, Sheep No More, The Art of Awareness and Attack Survival. It comes from my over twenty years in service to this country in various ways as an attacker and a defender. And so the technique that I teach is called attack and defend. And I'm milking that into this part because for one, I get a limited amount of time on on this radio show. And I really want to employ everybody to go out there implore employee. I don't know how you say that, but but I want employ employ everybody. See, I'm from Arkansas, so we like to make up words. I want to implore everyone to go out and get this book because here's the key to this. Yes, this is about securing your your own home, life, your own homeland. But the reality is, once you start to be aware, it's like a Pandora's box and you start to realize exceptionalism is right there. You start to realize what's going on in this world. Awareness starts to grow. Eight nine, seven, three to six. This is the Shawan Hannity Radio Show. I'm Jonathan Gilham, your resident Navy Seal and FBI special agent here today we're kind of come back and talk about George Washington and the Christmas when he crossed the Delaware. We'll be right back, he says John Ofthan Gilham, filling in for my good buddy Shawan Handy on Sean Hannity Radio Show. I promise I will get the calls eight hundred nine four one seven three to six eight hundred nine for one Sean. That's eight hundred nine, four, one, seven, three to six for those of you that have a short memory span like I do, so listen here. And when I was talking to Lauren about this show today, and I don't I don't know if I said this. If you're driving, like if you took off early and it's Thursday and you're gonna you're gonna take off tomorrow and you're driving to your relatives, you're gonna want to hear this whole show. So slow down, put the cruise control on, you know, the speed limit, and listen to this show because it's gonna give you great cannon fodder. If you're going to a dinner with your family and uh and they're highly liberal and then you know, or even if they're conservative, but they're they're talking about how they should fix it and they should do this. This is the show that you want to listen to because we're gonna talk about things today that's gonna help you reflect and help you develop your own understanding of why this country got away from it being exceptional and how we can get back to it. So when I was talking to Lauren about developing this show today, I said, you know, I really want to have a historian on here to talk about George Washington and uh, you know he crossed the Delaware on Christmas night into the next day. So she reached out and got a hold of Tom Maddock. He's a historic UH interpreter for Washington Crossing Historical Park in Washington crossing Pennsylvania. And UM, uh Tom. Before I say yea, let me just say this real quick. Um. You know haven't been a seal. I've done a lot of different training operations. I was never over in combat over in uh in Afghanistan, in Iraq. I didn't my time down in Central South America. But I know how men are when it comes to cold water and when it comes to being cold and doing operations. I know what it's like when you have terrible gear. But I cannot imagine. I want people to think about in modern day terms, right, this type of of an operation and all the things that could go wrong. So it's about eleven pm on Christmas Washington's Army UH commenced it's crossing of the half frozen river that's the Delaware at three locations. The twenty four hundred soldiers, that's two thousand, four hundred soldiers, no radios, uh no flashlights, No satellites up in the air. No see one thirty spectra flying over or predator drones. This is soldiers led by Washington himself. They braved the icy and freezing river and reached New Jersey side of the Delaware just before dawn. I think the first words, the first word out of their mouth was what is that smell? So I'm just kidding. I love Jersey. I love Jersey. So so he say again, exactly so. Um, when they got over there, when they got over there just before dawn? Uh, the other two divisions made up of another three thousand men um and the crucial artillery, they failed to reach the meeting point in the appointed time. So that was their Christmas night. And so just with with that discussion there, Tom, what was it? What? What was it like for these individuals? What was it like for George Washington? What was his mindset? Uh? On Christmas night? What's Christmas the same then as as it is now? Was Christmas the same? Um? Did it have the same meaning then as it does now? Was it celebrated the same way? And what was it like for these soldiers that not? They weren't deployed, They were in their own country. Well, you know the the whole story is, and you're you're, you're pretty good on on leading it up to the battle. But Washington was desperate on the revolution was hanging by a threat. The enlistments are up at the end of the year, and Washington needed w He needed a victory and needed one bad. This bold stroke to go down and get the Hessians in Trenton was his way of making that happen. The whole thing was, the problem was getting across the river. The river was about three football fields wide that night feet to be exact. It was deep. That's that size of the river meant the current was very strong. That being said, there's also these huge slabs of ice coming down, which we're going to cause Washington problems when he returned. But to get across the river, he had commandeered these boats. It was bitter cold. The soldiers had had bad food, they didn't have any tents, their their blankets had been left when they retreated from Fort Lee in northern New Jersey some months later, a month earlier. So these guys, when some of them was ragged, wrapped around the feet, I'm told somewhere barefoot. The weather is closing in the river is starting to freeze, what have you. And they started across and of course at midnight and midway through the crossing a nasty northeast stormhead. So you've got sneat fleet phrasing rain, snow and hail coming down, which impedes everything. So Washington, of course has had chosen this as a very bold stroke, was hugely determined, uh to lead his troops to victory. But then I'm telling you, when you think about what they what they did, how they persevered, what their commitment to the cause was is truly remarkable. So you know, it's interesting because as a Christian and somebody who and I was told by my uncle, who's a preacher. I've talked about him on this show before. I was told by my uncle, if you ever asked the Lord for patients, UM, you you better get ready because it's that that means He's going to build you into a patient person. And it's not easy. Well know, it's interesting because you know, George Washington and the founding fathers and all these individuals had set out to uh start this um this country and this experiment of this new constitution and UM and and it's as if God laid it out and said, I'm going to make you work for this, because if you want your freedom, I want you to understand how desperately important this actually is. Well, it's interesting because if you read the perspective, and you read the perpective of the Revolutionary War from the British perspective, they made three miscalculations, and one was that they expected more help from their loyalist buddies, all people loyal to the crown. But the big key was that they didn't realize that the American colonists would fight as hard as they did for their freedom and their independence, and that was a major miscalculation, which of course worked on well for the Americans. But the continuous scenario Washington is finally gets troops across the river, even with this storm raging, and they start down the Trenton nine miles south of the landing point and arrived there shortly after after dawn. The surprise element to rise there just at dawn had been eliminated because they were late, but the Hessians, who were suspected were told nothing was happening, didn't pay attention to it, so Washington was able to get to Trenton uh and The thing that made his his his thing work was that he had taken down eighteen cannon, which are sixteen six times the number of cannon that should normally take for a troop that size, and he whipped them right into the high ground, and um he then controlled the battle. And instead of shooting cannonballs out of these these cannons anywhere some three pounders to up to six pounds, he was shooting grape shot and canister, which kept the Hessians at bay. Because most historical references will tell you that no Americans lost his life in the Battle of Trenton because they since couldn't get anywhere near the Americans because of Washington's brilliant stroke to take down cannon, put it on the high ground and control the battle. And that's what eventually did. Of course, as you know, the battle lasted very little. It was a very short battle. Only two Hessians died, including the commander who took a bullet and died shortly thereafter. But he had been given a note early in the morning of December which indicated that the spy had told him that the American army was coming, which he put in his pocket and did not read. So there was a number of mistakes and assumptions by the Hessians which turned out to be very fortuitous for Washington and his army. It's so amazing, and it's somebody. So those are those are issues in battle that you don't those are mistakes that you don't want to make. But somebody I told that I was going to be on this show today talking about this, and they sent me a letter that had been written by and you correct me if I'm wrong, by a General Schuler s A. S h u y l E. R. And he wrote it to George Washington. And this is the quote that stood up, stood out to me, and said, be pleased to make my best regards to General le General Gates and gentlemen of your of your suit. I hope we shall meet at a merry Christmas. And this was by no means a merry Christmas. No, And yet I gotta be honest with it, Jonathan, I am not familiar with that quote. So it was written in October UM, before that year, and before before the before the battle. Yeah, before the battle. It was written in October. From when I'm reading, but this this an American or or a British, I'm not sure I'm not sure. I just uh, there wasn't because there was a General Skyler up in the upper in the up in the Albany area that whether that was him who did that, which would make sense, I don't know. So the interesting thing though, when when I read the description of this and what George Washington I was doing the research what you're talking to today, the research that I did, some of the stuff that he dealt with is exactly what we dealt what we deal with today. UM. When you look at um, uh, he his his command was not unified. UM. The the supply channels for food, arms and pay had broken down. Uh. The citizens soldiers decided to come and go as they pleased a lot of the times, and basically there was just a breakdown and understanding of what the military actually was. And then here's the biggest thing was when you take those different things that are annoying and uh you put in there the political appointees, who a lot of these were uh young people who were rich, but they came from rich families and so they wanted to they wanted them to be made high ranking um military individuals. UM. That that is one of the biggest problems that we have today in in our military. Is not necessary that political appointers are getting their kids made high rank. But the political appointees are the biggest problems that we have with our military. We can't fight a proper war. And that's what I loved about this was George Washington with all this stuff, but yet at the same time he still fought a tactical war. Well, you know, and you're absolutely right. It's interesting because Washington was learning on the job. He was learning how to be a leader, he was learning how to be a military man. He had to organize an army. There was no military experience. There was no industrial military complex, if you would, there was no structure. These people came from booksellers, from you know, if almost a quicker converted Quaker General Greene. So these guys had to learn how to be leaders, They had to learn how to be military people. Uh, discipline, it was absolutely unheard of. So Washington, besides doing all that stuff trying to keep an army together so it wouldn't evaporate, also had to fight the enemy. So the number of things that Washington dealt was very successfully was truly remarkable. And he may not have been a military person brought up in the military, like coming through West Point or Annapolis. But man, he really did a wonderful job and pulling it all together, keeping it all together, um, and then coming out with a with a victory. How much do we know about the morale of these soldiers when that night and when they crossed, the fact that it was Christmas, you know, like you said, some of them that didn't have shoes, which I don't know how that's possible. No, I couldn't agree with you. The morale, I think a lot of it is. It's very logical. I mean, Washington has started out in the defense of New York in August was about twenty thou men. When he crosses the Delaware into into Pennsylvania on December seven, eight and nine, he's down to about three thousand, five four thousand at best. Um, these are some hardcore guys. Some of the people have gone home so liberally people would come back in as you mentioned, Um, so it was it was catch just catch ken um. But the morale um, uh was was predictable because of lack of pay, lack of food, lack of clothing. Medicine was was shaky at best. But it's interesting, Um, the fire of liberty, the fire burning in these guys bellies was what kept him going. But you know, I've read that one of the biggest boost to morale was Thomas Payne's pamplet called the American Crisis, and that was read to the troops on December twenty three by their officers. It was that had been written during the retreat through New Jersey, published in Philadelphia, then brought up to the troops, and of course that's the pamplet that starts out, these are the times that try men's souls, you know, in the sunshine Patriot and the summertime, soldier strengthened their duty. Those who stand it now will be loved by men and woman. It's that apparently was a huge boost to morale. That's unbelievable that no, listen, I gotta cut it right there. But Tom, uh, I can't thank you enough for coming on. This is exactly what everybody need to hear. Tom, you got a buddy, and I'll have you on again sometime. I can't thank you enough for this. This history is what people need to hear. Thank you very much. Tom Attic, historical interpreter for Washington Crossing Historical Park in Washington, crossing Pennsylvania. This is Jonathan gillham Man. What a story. I hope that motivates you. We're gonna come back and we're gonna talk to some good friends of mine. Uh, Karen and Bob Vaughan here in just a minute. This is Jonathan Gilham on the Shawn Hannity Radio Show eight d nine four one seven, three two six. Let's make America great again. Let's do it. This is Jonathan Gilman filling in for my good buddy Sean Hannity, and uh, we got it real quick. Before we go to another break, I just want to leave everybody with this before we come back and talk to Karen and Bob Vaughan. Uh. They're the parents of a fallen Navy seal who died in Afghana stay in August six, two thousand eleven. And you know, after listen to that about Washington and all the things that his troops were going through and that he went through, it's gonna be a great contrast to talking to Karen and Bob Vaughan. But make sure as you're driving down the road that you go to Amazon dot com and get sheet no More. The Art of Awareness and Attack Survival. Go get it. I'm telling you right now, this book will change your life. Um and also the experts. My show every night eight pm Eastern Standard Time on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Next week it's gonna be on Newsmax from one to two. This is Jonathan Gillham back on the Sean Hannity Radio Show with my favorite There's like, literally I say this every time, there's like fifty people back here monitoring and working this show. Um minus forty eight. You've got Lauren Nathan back here with me today running the running the whole show and making award for your people. You're worth for to your fifty people, Lauren plus two more so. Uh So that's an inside joke. So you know, I've been talking about my next two guests for quite a while. I love them both. They're amazing people. And uh I have renamed uh it's Karen and Billy Von. But I've renamed Billy for some reason. To day, I've renamed him Bob. I don't know why I've been calling Billy. I've been calling you Bob all day. I don't know why. But um so it's it's always great. I've been well, it's great to have you guys on. I got to see at the Christmas party last week, and UM, so for there for people that don't know who you are, and I just can't imagine if they don't know who you are. You're the parents of, um, the fallen Navy Seal Aaron Vaughan and the co founders of Operation three hundred. You you actually co founded that with your daughter Tara Baldwin, and uh, you both. Look. I just wrote a book called Sheep No More The Art of Awareness and a Tax Survival. People can go get it on Amazon right now. But you guys, and that's one of the hardest things I've ever done. You both have written a book, and uh, that's pretty amazing when you think about it. Let's see, Billy, your book is Betrayed, The shocking true story of Extortion seventeen is told by a Navy Seals father. And Karen is the author of a new book, A World Changer, A Mother's Story. And I can't thank you guys enough. I wanted to bring you all on. I thought about after I saw you at the Christmas party. I wanted to do the show today about Christmas and the reality of what Christmas is, how the spirit that we have during the Christmas Uh, three weeks really that we celebrate Christmas. Now, Um, how that's the reality if we want to make this country great again. That's the attitude and the spirit that we need to have three sixty five days out of the year so that we can completely create the unity. And I just wanted to ask you all. You know, I haven't been a seal, never been in combat, but haven't been a seal and understanding the reality, especially when I was in the FBI here and going through doors where people may or may not have guns on the other side. Um, understanding what I'd be giving up. And I'm sure Aaron knew exactly and and charged into battle. Uh, a very happy man charging into battle and into these dangerous situations is what seals live for. But I wanted to ask you all a very tough question and um, after uh the death of Aaron. And I'm a Christian, I believe that you're you're never dead, you live forever. Um, once you're born. Death is a doorway that we have to go through. But what has changed, uh in significance to the Christmas holiday for you all? I know that's a hard question, But um, when you look at it reality from a Christian perspective. Uh, the reality is death is a as a tough but a very beautiful thing in that of the location where they are now. And how significant is Christmas for you all? Now? Well, Uh let me let me just say something here, Karen. Uh it's it's obviously it's very significant. It's uh you described it very well Jonathan, by the way, and and thank you for having us today. But uh, it is it is, it's it's where we all want to be. Um. But for us who are left behind, uh, we're still sad. I know Aaron is at home with the Lord based on the promise that Jesus made based on the decision that Aaron made to to receive the gift of salvation. Uh, it's it's we the ones who are left behind, who are in the temporary place. We're in the place that that we don't belong, so we're not home, and and we do miss Aaron missing very much. Um. We still put his stocking out every Christmas, just like we have since the first first Christmas. That's uh that we had him. He was our firstborn, our only boy, our only son. And uh we still put his Christmas out and there his sucking out and then and there's a there's a place, uh, there's there's just a hole there. There's a there's a hole there. And everything you do and even at the same time, there's a there's this. There is a joy there even in all the sadness, because he is where. Uh. If you have children, you and and you're a believer, you always pray that your children will end up and he is there. We just never thought. I never thought about how the homegoing would be. You know, yeah, hear, yeah, you know I feel the same way. Christmas is really difficult to get through. And I'll tell you why, Jonathan. It's because and by the way, Hi, thanks so much for doing this. But you know, and I love you too, that it's because of this. You know, like throughout your life, you just you look forward to the holidays for one reason, because those are times where you get to break away from all the hustle and bustle of life and just spend that quality time with your family. So you know, Christmas is one of those holidays because where we get a lot of extra time where it's so family centric. And so when you have a huge gaping hole in your in your world, of your family. It makes it makes it a very difficult time a year. But at the same time, Billy and I are just what he said. We know where Aaron is. We know that we'll be with him again one day. We know that even though he died seven miles away from all of us who loved him, he took his last breath in the arms of the one who loved him more than any of us could happen. And that's our hope, and that's our joy and holidays, we try to celebrate him because we've got a lot of wonderful people still here in our life, in this family, and and we want to stay here in present for them, and that's what we try to do. Well. You know what's interesting about this, um, doing this interview is is probably not as hard, but it's hard on me to do this interview as well as have you all answered these questions, but I think they're important questions, UM. But just this is what's interesting about My father actually was born on Thanksgiving and died on Christmas, if believe it or not, and I was thirteen years old. I was with him when he died. I remember walking over to him and opening his eyes up and and realizing at thirteen years old the difference between life and death and the presence here and the presence there, and um. One of the things that that I've noticed out of that is what came out of my father was had an i q of over a hundred sixty what was had a terrible time in life, having been verbally abused by one parent and uh spoiled by the other. But what came out of his death was probably far more um of an extreme impact on this world, far beyond what his life was actually capable of of of inspiring. And when I look at like the books that you've written, when I look at Operation three hundred, what your daughter Terror has done, and uh, it's I mean, it's pretty amazing the way death in such a sad state is such an amazing door for incredible things to happen. So I just want you all, I want to give you a chance to talk about Operation three and about how important it is and how people can donate to that. Okay, Karen karonel me say something just right quick, Hunt Uh that that is true. Everything you said right there is true the same way with Aaron Aaron. Aaron's life since he's been gone, has made an impact on this world that I'm sure he could never have made. We're you're still alive. And that's, in my opinion, that's why God has to be in control, is in control and has to make decisions like that because we could. I would never give my boy up for anything. I would never give him up. But I know the Lord loved him more than I ever could. And the Lord makes those decisions. And Um, and we trust that the Lord knows best and he does, and we trust that everything has to go by the throne of God before what happens. I mean, And I'm gonna be just say one thing there, Billy, because you know, I'll say this from the perspective the errand had is that you didn't give him up, that you raised him right. And I always say, if you discipline your children, you're gonna raise a discipline adult. And he's a man that charged into battle. Um, he made that decision and God was with him. That's a listen. A parent can't do any more than that. Yeah, and God is gracious, thank you, thank you for that. And God, but but God is gracious in spite of our mistakes of raising children. He knows we're not perfect parents. He's very gracious and and uh and uh he he allowed it to be uh to be a great Amernican like he does, like he does so many other millions. And uh, Operation three hundred came out of that, and Operation three hundreds. You know, now we have six camps scheduled for two eight am. We had six past year. The first three camps are are already maxed out. We're already uh turning kids away. We have well over two hundred kids on our roster. And what do you explain to people exactly what it is? What Operation three But I was gonna say, it is a camp. It is a camp where Aaron left behind two children and in the aftermath, you know, with his his widow wondering who's gonna teach them what their dad would have terror came up with the vision, had the vision for this camp. And we bring in little boys and little girls who've lost their dads in the military in service to our country. They come in for the three day adventure camp. They spend those three days with a mentor who would have been about the age of their father, not an old man like me, and he does things with him that you know that that dads do with their sons and daughters, fishing, shooting, sailing, camp fires and those kind of things. Uh And go ahead, Caine, Oh now that's that's it. And you know the the greatest thing that's happened, Jonathan is is we also we also bring our mothers in and we put them up for a weekend of relaxation. And the things that we planned for this camp to to be and to expose the children to have ended up being the secondary things to the beautiful things that have happened. I I've told Lauren this story one time that UM like, like, we bring these kids and we pare them up, like Billy said, with father aged mail mentors, and we let them just have a weekend of living large. And I think that our family got what these children needed more than most because we experienced this loss and and so it's not a grief camp. It's nothing like that. I often say that these kids, if their clothes are worth washing and trying to turn to uh to to make where the kids can wear them again at the end of the camp. We didn't do our job because these kids just live large. They laugh, they run, they play, They taught firewood, they build, if they just do all the things that rowdy young kids ought to get to do. And a lot of times, the only person who really gives them maxus to do those things with their father. But one situation we had a couple of years ago was unbelievable. We had this young boy in who never really had a relationship with his father because his parents divorced when he was very young. And so he came to the camp. He qualified because his dad was his dad died and he qualified for the camp and he came and he was just kind of meandering around. He had this he had a mentor who was in Special Forces, Jonathan, who was a seal and and uh and they you know, talked throughout the weekend about loss, about things like that, but they didn't have any idea what their connection was until Sunday. And on Sunday that the mentor finally asked the kid about his dad and he found out that his that this mentor was his father's best friend when they were in the teams together. And so that, I mean, they just could't even believe that these things happen all the time. And so now these two have this this Navy seal has come in and he's he's introduced his kid to all of his father's best friends and they're telling him stories about his Can you imagine what that's done for this young teenage boy. And so things that happened all the time, just mysterious, crazy, incredible things where where these kids just have experiences every single time. When kids come back the next year after they've been to the camp the year before, when we see them come in on a Friday afternoon, I cannot believe the the just chill, the chills to the bone when you see these kids launch off of the vehicles they come in on and come running, from seven years old to eighteen years old, come running to their mentors arms to hug them. And then the way they cry when it's time to leave, and just just depressed and sad that it's time to go home because they've built such relationships. So the relationships have been one of the most incredible things. Not the things they get to do, but the relationships they've built with these mentors. I got about a minute left before we go to break. What would it take you said you, hey, you're turning kids away. What would it take to get the rest of those kids there. Um, that's a good question because right now we're having six camps a year and it's very taxing on our volunteers. The camps are very expensive. Uh. You know, the thing of it is, Jonathan, money helps everything. Uh. And and right now, our biggest expense obviously, I just is kind of tied with what you said, But our biggest expense is getting the kids there. They come from all over the country. They've come from Alaska, they come from Hawaii, that come from as close as Florida. But it takes a lot of money to get the kids here. And and right now we don't have and airlines a connection with an airline's who has given us a break on tickets. Uh, it's it's costing us way over a hundred thousand dollars a year just to get the kids to the camp before we ever spend them penny on them here and when they're there. So, um, if anybody out there listening has a connection with with an airline, that could help us with that, because we've not been able to crack that nut. And Uh, obviously, obviously, as I said, at the expense of the camps and with our volunteers we're trying to figure out. Tarry and I actually discussed going to seven or eight camps this next year, but we just didn't think we could take it on. Okay, now, so let me ask you real quick. Are increasing this out the website? Real quick? I got like five seconds. Opera dot com, Operation three hundred dot com. You got it, guys. Thank I love you both. Merry Christmas. I wish I could be with you, but my you're in my prayers as always. And uh, you know that Aaron's looking down at us right now smiling. Thank you got it. That, my friends, is American exceptionalism right there. This is Jonathan Gilham filling in from my good buddy Sean Hannity. This is Jonathan Gilham back in. I got about a minute here. I just want to throw a couple of things out at you. That was Karen and Billy Van that we're talking to you there a minute ago, the parents of Aaron von who died in uh two thousand eleven Navy seal and you can go to their website Operation three hundred dot com if you want to help out. Um, this would be a great thing for Jet Blue if they every want to get involved, like they did with Chris Kyle. That be great. Uh. The other thing is I want to tell you real quick about my book again Sheep no More, The Art of Awareness and Attack Survival. You can go to Amazon dot com and get that. You will not be sorry. It is a stocking stuffer and more than that, it's something that you're gonna want to take and carry around with you. And along with that, if you go to Vets Manufacturing that's Vets v E T S MFG dot com and put in code j t G ten, you can go on there and order all kinds of backpack, body armor and first eight kids and stuff. Women, kids, they you need to go and check this out. We'll be right back eight one, seven, three to six. This is Jonathan Gillum. Listen, let's go ahead. I want to spend that up. I want to play that before I bring Israel on. I think there's I confused him there a second ago. I want to ask for that, but I want to play this. Uh, those of you got a little taste of that already. This is from Charlie Brown before I bring his real doutorial on. Uh, you don't want to miss this. If you this, We're just this whole show is full of incredible interviews, but I want to play this real quick because next to listening to about George Washington and about um what he went through, and listened to Billy and Karen Vaughan talk about what Christmas means to them. Now, I can't think of anything I've seen on television over the past well in my lifetime forty eight years. I'd like to say I'm eight, but I can't think of anything that really spelled out what Christmas is all about. Then on the Peanuts Gang, Charlie Brown, when they were talking about Christmas and this is Linus go ahead, And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night, and low the Angel of the Lord came upon them. The glory of the Lord hill round about them. They were so afraid, and the angels fed into them. Fear not, for behold, I've bring you titys for a great joy it should be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a savior, which is Christ Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the way Brapton squadling clothes lying in the manger, and suddenly there was with the Angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God. I'm saying glory to God in the highest and on earth piece goodwill toward men. That's what Christmas has thought about, Charlie Brown. Listen. First of all, the fact that that is in a child's voice, so innocent, speaking those true words is amazing. The fact that that was on television is amazing in this day and age. And I have to ask as I as I listen to that again, and I just love that description, Um of how simple of a concept this thing we call Christmas is actually about why I'm asking the American people that listen to this show right now, why have we gotten away from the spirit and the spirit that you have over the next two three weeks or it's been going on. Is what you have to continue throughout the year. I'm gonna continue to say that over and over again. Now I'm gonna bring in my good buddy. I just met him a while back, Israel Del Toro. Before I have Israel before you talk or d T. Everybody calls him d T. Let me just tell everybody a little bit about what happened to you and then I want to play a little apart from when you receive the pat Tilman Award. And for those that don't know DT um was in Afghanistan. He was a J tech which is UM. Just for the Sythians out there to see you kind of know what it is that they're. Those are the guys that go into a combat situation and literally control the aircraft UH that are flying around in support of all that's going on. They have become uh integral parts of almost every major operation or special forces unit that there is. They're so sought after and they're one of the biggest UM targets for the to me as well, because they know if they get the J tack, they're also going to disrupt the operation. So unfortunately dt was in Afghanistan and UH he actually got hit by uh their their humby got hit by an I D This is in two thousand and five, and he sustained burns over of his body and never never slowed him down. And let's let's just play what he had to say there at the end of the Pat Tilman Award when he received that award. I think this says it better than anything. So to all my wounded injured. ILLIS serves members to say, well, the civilians or anyone who's having a bad day, I will stay strong for the ones who cannot. I will fight for the ones who cannot fight. I will never quit on you, and I will finish Shaw. This is my promise, this is my pledge. And thank you for Letta. This guy who just had a bad day at work. I feel like someone special tonight. Thank you. Now, let that put into perspective, folks, for you, when you think you have a bad day, and uh, you're a truck driver and you're trying to park your truck and it's not working out, or you're having to go to a digital log book instead of writing it in paper, or if you're a nurse that's listening, or a doctor's listening, or heaven forbidden, an attorney and you're having a bad day, think about this. Uh, DT was hit an I d in the ground and was blown up and burnt over eight percent of his body. Israel del toorro my good friend DT. It isn't always an honor to have you on any of these shows, and I couldn't think of a better reason to bring you on, not necessarily talk about combat to talk, but to talk about what does Christmas mean to you after all this? You know, the first Christmas after you had your well listen that it's compared to the Christmas before this happened, and then the Christmas after, and then now that you've come from then to here in two thousand five and now almost to two thousand and seventeen, what is Christmas for you, buddy? For me, you know, first of all, thanks for having me on the show. A man, there's also always talking to you being on the show. But for me, I know, like my Christmas for my injury, I was gone. You know, I never really got to spend Christmas from my son. So the Christmas after my injury really put things in perspective. Because you know, when you're an operator, man, he's just out there take care of the mission, doing the mission, take care of your guys, and because that's the whole thing, that's your job. So when I was hurt, I didn't I just didn't see myself as as this hard charging guy. I just saw myself as a father from for my son to be there forehand, to see him open up presence as I never got to see that before. So to see that It really brought a lot of perspective to me. And how do you think, you know, as far as you know, I know you're saying that, uh, you don't look at yourself as a hard charging guy. I mean you are a hard charge. You're amazing. I met you, and I think you're you're just uh you're you should be uh in hard charge. If there was actually something the dictionary said hard charging, it should be a picture of you next to it. But um, for for the for the the service members that are out there, for the civilians that are out there trying to figure out um, you know, after Christmas is over, and this spirit because the whole show I've been talking about this about how we want to talk about how to make America great again, how important it is not to let go of of this exceptionalism that we have during this Christmas period. What what's your advice to the American people and how they can continue down this road of unity, ethics, morals, service, and exceptionalism that we have during this Christmas season. You know, it is weird, you know, the Christmas season you see the best that everyone is, you know, when it comes to caring and feeling and exception on you know, take care of each other. And then Christmas adds and then Aaron goes back to hating each other, you know, forgetting about goodwill and all that. My thing is, like, I guess the best words, like the last words my dad told me is like before he passed away. Its like taking your family. And family doesn't mean literally your your wife, your husband, brother, sister. It means everyone out there. Everyone's your family, you know, everyone's you know, all the people out there. Take care of them, you know, be be that great person that people inspire to be too, you know, and the little kids we always looked at as superheroes, you know, common books. Man, I want to be like that. I want to be super I want to be people to look up to and somewhere as we go up to forget about that those values how we had. We always want to be great. And maybe there's a reason why all these superhero movies are calling back out and some people to strive to be that amazing person to people to look up to it. And and that's just that's just the goal, just to try and get to that. And is that I'm not saying that your whole goal is to Man, I just want to be awesome. No, your goal should just be hey, I'm there, free man, if you need me, I'm here. And now that you have and again, I didn't know you before this, I've known you now and you're a humble guy. I'm assuming that you were humbled then, what what is it? What is it like, um, when people come up to you, and you know, everybody wants to carry a conversation on with you because they they are enamored by and they they want to hear about you. They want to tell you how much they think about you. What what is the impact, uh that you see now that you have despite the you know, the burns and the the presence that you have is somebody who has been in war and uh and been injured in war. What is the thing that when people come up to you that keeps you going and keeps you engaged with people? Cause I don't see you as somebody who pushes people away. You're You're a person that engages. Yeah, you know, for me, it's it's still it's still weird, it really, it really is, because I guess I don't see myself in that light like other people see me in that light. But what keeps it going with. When I heard a complete sturge to come up to me, It's like, sir, are you Massary Doltorial? You know, are you israel Als? I guess I was like, I heard your story to totally change my life, you know, at the point of giving nothing. Then I hear your story and completely changed my life. And that's when I was like, holy cow, you know I really have an impact on these people like this, and that's what you know, It really hits me in and that's what keeps me going because I know my my story or or what I talked about may not hit everybody, but if I hit that one person that's really really having a bad day, that's ready to give up my life, and it changes, it turns them around just by hearing my story. Everything I went through, any pain, any you know, weak structure, surgery, you know, therapy, rehabilitation, everything I went through. It's worth it just to be able to help that one person, you know, feel like they can still keep going. You know, I listened to you and I cannot remember right now. My brain is dead. I cannot remember what The guy's name was Motivational speaker, and he talked about how powerful um we are created that we don't even realize how powerful we're created. And I think you're you're you're an example that you were thrust into that. I think people that rise to the occasion that we call heroes when there's a fire, um, law enforcement when they got to rush in into the firefight. You know this comes out in people, this power that that exists inside of us. You've experienced it, right, UM, what do you again? I'm asking this advice because I think you're the one that can actually verbalize it better than most. You were thrust into this. You were faced with your and you told me the story about how you got out of the hum vy and you tried to run back to where there was a creek. It was about two d yards away and you were on fire. You fell down. One of your buddies grabs you while you were burning, put you in the water, and then uh put that out. And then you were laying on your back and you were like this sucks and uh, and you thought you were gonna die in Afghanistan. Well you didn't die Afghanistan, and you've now been thrust forward into this spotlight. M what would you tell people when it comes to stepping up to the plate. How do you do that? And how do you um when it comes time to ignore the pain, when it comes time to ignore them, the heavy burden of ahead, how do you reach inside? Where do you reach inside and grab this exceptionalism? You know? Uh? I would say people always you know time it's like detail on how you can do it. I don't think I could do what you went through. And I always say it's like you never know. Its like I never saw myself as being this person. I always saw myself as you know, being an operator, being out there, you know, calling the air strikes. I never saw myself as a person that will be out here motivating and slid and help to help change lives. Um because you never know. Uh, you just you just gotta believe in yourself and and to find that's fire to keep pushing and not stopping. You know, everyone has it. You just gotta find it. You gotta find what drives you. And for me it was my son. I wanted to show him no matter what it's put in front of you, if you keep that positive mind, you can you can accomplish anything. So my my strength, my my spark. You can say it's my son, but everyone is different. What someone's gonna be. Man, this guy I said I can never do this. I'm gonna prove them wrong. Or you know, they said I will never get out of here, out of the out of the slums of the ghetto. But here I am. You know, I gotta run, Buddy, listen, I gotta I gotta run. God bless you. I'm gonna have you on again. I'll finish some stuff for you when we come back. You got, God bless you. Sean Handy radio show that was his rail delt World. Anything you in here filling in for my good buddy, Sean Handy. For those of you that don't know me, I hope you've been listening to this whole show. Former Navy seal, Federalator, marshal, security contractor, and FBI special agent, now hosting my own show called The Experts. I do it every night on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. But next week I'm gonna be doing it on news Max from one pm to two pm. And you can watch that on direct TV. That's channel three forty nine on the Dish network. That's channel to sixteen Verizon FiOS, which I have, that's channel six fifteen or one fifteen if you don't like to watch an h D for some strange reason and on a T and T uh vivor you verse, it's channel twelve twenty and of course news Max TV dot com you can watch it live streams. So that's gonna be next week. Man, you want to talk about This is like a Steve Jobs where they created a computer in the garage. I created a TV show in my apartment in New York and now it's gonna be on Newsmax. Also, go get my book Sheep No More, The Art of Awareness and Attack Survival. Order it on Amazon right now. We'll be right back, This says Johnathan Gill. I'm filling in for my good buddy Sean Hannity on the Shawan Hannity Radio show. And you know, I was thinking today as uh Lauren and I were putting this show together, and uh, I was wanting to talk about how I have been the whole time about American exceptionalism and the reality of what we are as a nation, the unity that we feel, the morals and ethics that we exude, um the service that we have to each other during the month of December leading up to and just after Christmas. How that is really who we should be as a country, as a nation, as a citizenry, as individuals on three sixty five days of the year. And you know, one of the things that we do in this country is we're so divided. Uh. We're divided by our color, We're divided by our cultures. Um. We're not just divided by these things. It's pushed on us on a daily basis. Where we struggled for many any, many many years. Thank thanks to a God given constitution and rights God granted rights in this constitution and their founding fathers that put this thing together so eventually, um, true equality could grow. We we struggled for so many years to get to the point that we are now. But now it's thrust upon us because politically and in the media makes sense to have us divided, because they can then cause us to um, you know, to have uh, to make the headlines by being anxious and by being upset with each other, and that's what gets people voted and splits up the money and so on and so forth. I kept thinking, you know, every Thursday, I come on here, and at first it was Rick Unger, and then it was Haraldo and then my good buddy Daniel McLoughlin was would come in here, and I thought, you know, we debate every Thursday about liberal versus conservative. Of course on my news feed, on Twitter and Facebook, they get slammed. I'm sure on their news feeds I get slammed. But I thought to myself, let's talk about Christmas and this exceptionalism and talk about what UH a liberal thinks about, um, how great this country is versus a conservative. You'll start to see that there's no real difference here. There's differences in the way that we look at it. And I thought, well, rick Onnger's too old. I don't want to bring him on. I thought Haraldo is probably out, you know, laying in the sun somewhere. So I figured, you know, I know who I want on here. Somebody who's a mom, uh, somebody who is working towards her American citizenship, so she's studying this stuff right now. Somebody who UH is a a constitutional expert and uh co wrote a book which is interesting because when I read this title, it makes me think she's a conservative. The Federal Society, how conservatives took the law back from the liberals, and only there's only one thing I can find ad about her really is. In fact, she's an attorney. But will I forgive her for that? Daniel McLaughlin, who I'm on here every Thursday now with thank you for being here, Jonathan. It's such a pleasure to see you. How are you. I'm laughing here. I'm a lawyer thing now that I have you in studio. So I make a joke every now and then when we're on and Sean never gets this joke. I always say, when I'm on the opposite of you because your accent, I sound even more stupid than I really am. Um, and Sean always thinks I'm insulting you because of that, but I'm actually giving you. You have this New Zealand accent um. The Hobbits are from New Zealand. Uh Is Gary Jackson from New Zealand or no? Peter Jackson? Yes, yes, no he is. I don't know who Gary Jackson is. I don't know either. We can find out after the show. I'll google it for you. Maybe Lauren can do that Nextually. I think Gary Jackson was a seal and work for Black Waters. Oh well, there you go. There you go. Slightly different career paths, but equally interesting. I'm sure. Yes, Peter Jackson is a quie. He's the one who put the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings onto the silver screen. How big is New Zealand. It's about the size of Colorado by land area, and it has about four million people in it. Um it's got one of the biggest diasporas in the world. Actually there is that, that is people who are experts who are living outside of New Zealand. Even the diaspora. Um. Interesting, that's the last five's today. You are a lot of us are short. I'm sure. I know it's difficult. We're on radio, so no one can see you right now. But I'm not the tallest person. And we do actually call my parents Hobbits as a sort of a kind nickname, actually a loving nickname. I asked you this year to day. Do all New Zealander's hug like steel workers a hug? I swear if you close your eyes and let Daniel give you a hug, you're going to think that she's this giant steel worker that just came off from the building. You're amazing hugger. Well, you know what, I was an engineer before I did the lawyer thing, so I always spent a lot of years in overalls, climbing all over planes and various other things. But you know what, I think you should hug people like you mean it. And actually my husband, the first date with my husband, it didn't go that well in his head until I hugged him at the in and he thought, oh, maybe she I think likes me. And and yes, more to the point, yes, just with hype, my lord. So so let me ask you this. You're becoming an American citizen and you are, um, somebody who is very passionate about the constitution. Um, somehow you you have fallen on the side of the liberal side. But as we discussed quite often, and I've talked about this on my show before, that not necessarily these lights. But if you look at a lot, a lot of lights, um that are high up in the ceiling, there's several different ways you could change that light bulb. You could do it with a stick that has a suction cup on it, or you go get a ladder, or you could do it like the government where they hire a contracting company owned by one of the politicians to do a study on it and then go out and employ ten million people to pick up the building and turn it while one person holding right. So ultimately some people are gonna say, let's just get a stick and put it up there and with the suction cup. Other people gonna say, let's get the ladder. And that's really where the divide happens with liberal and conservative. A lot of the times we want the same outcome, or we we we have an idea of what is most effective, but we lose that in the argument between I'm liberal, I have to think this way, or I'm conservative I have to think this way. And setting all that aside, what do you see now coming to this country? What makes this country exceptional? Uh? What drew you to this country? And what do you want the American people to see that we're born here that didn't immigrate here? Um, the way that you see the country? Sure? Um gosh, so much to unpack there. Uh, long story short. I arrived here about fifteen years ago, UM to work for Veil Resorts selling lift tickets. Um. So uh you know, fairly uh beginnings pretty you know, pretty humble, Uh, earning about nine dollars an hour. I came here with a huge amount of student did because I put myself through college lived in Veil for a couple of years is uh, and then I decided I wanted to go to law school. So I put myself through law school, started working a firm, work for a judge, co wrote a book, moved to New York City, UH, and continue to write and think about the Constitution, about politics, about policy, and how those three things sort of triangulate. And so here I am in studio with you today, and I guess Sean is off Christmas shopping or something, so you know, like you may somewhere maybe maybe he didn't disclose where he was going for Christmas. Um so many things. I mean, I feel this country has given me so many opportunities, and I'm trying to give back. When you when you when you talk about giving back and what the country has given you, do you look at that from a conservative or or excuse me, from a liberal standpoint, because I guess what I'm trying to say is that when we talk offline, we're not talking about liberal or conservative, We're talking about effective, effective ideas. Absolutely, I don't think about my contribution in terms of its political perspective. I think about it as being a part of important discussions, discussions witheople who think differently than me, and it allows me to pressure test what I believe and why, um, you know the book that you mentioned when you introduce me, Really I immerse myself within into constant into conservatism and what I've loved about the work and and and being on air with people like you and people like Sean is you're constantly challenging me. And I think that's really important because we only get better when we are talking, when we are exchanging ideas and we're trying to collectively move this country forward. Do you find it, like I do, sometimes difficult to term yourself as a liberal. I find it sometimes difficult to term myself as a conservative, not because I don't have what you would term conservative values, but because I just can't find effective answers under a definition, because you can't say that everything that is going to work is going to work from that viewpoint. I couldn't agree more. And I think we do put ourselves and maybe each other in boxes, and I think that can be problematic because then we're looking at the label and not the person or the ideas or what they're trying to achieve. So I think it is a problem to your earlier points. You know, it helps in media. Um, you're setting someone person A who's on the right against person B, and you create conflicts and it it creates excitement, and this makes for good TV in a lot of ways. The conversations that I really love, where I find common ground with people who I might not have thought that I would have. You know, it's interesting, you said, because one of my favorite shows used to be and not so I don't even know I it's anymore. I stopped watching it, but was American Idol when it first came out, you know, and you would see people rise to the occasion and this talent come out of these people, and then they would supplement that with the arguments and the bickering and the drama. And I never elect the drama part of it. Always was touched by the people that faced this adversity and overcame it. And Uh, it's interesting because when I watched the news, when I watched TV, I feel the same way. If I hear from an expert or I feel that the person truly believes in, uh, their viewpoint. I'm interested in that, but I'm I'm not. I'm instantly tuned out when I hear the bickering, I'm no sure. And I think when people come to the table with talking points and they're not really willing to have it an intellectually honest discussion and actually, you know, take responsibility for you know, errors and bad judgment and things that people on their side of the aisle have done. I just think we've lost a little bit of the intellectual honesty in our conversations. And I work really hard every day whenever I'm on here, and really in my day to day interactions with people to make sure that I say what I mean, and I mean what I say, that I'm not making any misrepresentations, I'm not reeling off a list of talking points, and I'm really willing to listen. And I think listening to one another is is something that we've lost because we're sort of in social media echo chambers in a lot of ways. And my hope, especially as a person who has coined as a liberal, my sort of life within conservative media, is to reach out to people and to listen to people because I want to hear what they have to say, and I'm hoping that there in their hearts are open to what I have to say, and that's ears is and there's a song there somewhere, ears and hearts and hearts and ears, you know, take it away. I'm sure I'm still trying to figure out the body parts. Listen, I'll tell you what. Let's do this. Let's take a break real quick. We're to come back. Uh, and we're gonna touch on this a little bit more and uh and then where can people find you? On Twitter? Blacklin mms D McLaughlin. Sorry, it's a bit of mouthful. And I'll have her. I'll actually have her her her Twitter on my account as well. And that's Jay Gilliam Underscore Seal, Jay Gilliam Underscore Seal. Uh, follow me on Twitter or like me, like me, follow me, whatever it is. And then on Facebook it's Jonathan Tique Gilliam. But real quick, before we go to break, make sure that you go to Amazon right now. I'm telling everybody you're not. You don't get me every day. Go to Amazon order sheet no more, the Art of Awareness and Attack Survival um or you can just go down to Barnes and Noble and by it right now and they have him on stock there. You won't regret getting it. This is a Sean Hannity Radio show eight hundred nine four one seven, three two six, will be right back. This is Jonathan Gillham back in the studio from my good buddy Sean Hannity, and joining me again is my good my other good buddy, Daniel McLoughlin, who hugs like a steelworker. I sure do what shout, I'm gonna hug you again at the end of this, and she I am. She's a little taller than the hobbit, actually more you look more like the Elvin Princess. Oh, that's so nice of you to say. I forgot what her name is Owen. Her name is Owen. You would know that, being from New Zealand. I think she's played by Kate Blanchett, who's Australian. But I still, you know, we have a little bit of a thing with the Australians. You know, if Sean Connery had been in that in that movie, it would have been like this. I actually think you're an amazing woman and an amazing elf. Well, if this radio thing doesn't work out for you, then maybe there's a life for you. And Sean Connery impersonation is just saying, yeah, let's see all right, so let's let's let's finish this off, because when we got a couple of minutes, Uh, what do you think the American people that are born here? Because I think the reality when we talk about the lack of that, the the fall of American exceptionalism, the lack of unity in this country, whether it's liberal and conservative getting along or a conservative getting along, it seems like liberals get along pretty well, but conservatives are so they're they're free thinkers. They don't follow a narrative. A lot of the times, I think that liberals are more dedicated to their narrative, far more than conservatives because conservatives want to come home and be left alone. And Uh, what would you say to the American people, regardless of liberal conservatives, from somebody who's come here to this country it is becoming a citizen. What is it that we may have forgotten? Because I know that comfort kills, comfort kills freedom. Comfort will kill your body, comfort will destroy your marriage and your family. If you get too comfortable, you will you will end up falling to whatever forces against you. What do you say to the American people that they should remember about this country that you're learning, that you're seeing, and that drew you here you know, I would say that Americans are some of the hardest working people that I've ever seen, UM, and I really respect and appreciate that, and I think being here has made me more of a hard worker. I think this is truly a land of opportunity. I really do believe as an immigrant that inscription on the Statue of Liberty. I've been so welcomed, so warmly welcomed here, and I've appreciated that there are people from all over the world, not just here in New York City, but in the small towns of Colorado, in the little hamlets in California, and you know, towns of Iowa. I've seen. I've traveled a lot, I've seen a lot of people, and the warmth that is exuded by Americans is something that I've never seen. The work ethic is something that I've never seen. The charity, the way that we give to one another, or something that I've never seen. And you know, I guess I go back to opportunity. UM. I really believed when I moved here that I could become anything, and I want people here to remember that. UM. You have to do the thing that terrifies you, and that might mean leaving your small town. That might mean traveling a little bit around and seeing a little bit of the world. What I've appreciated about being here also is that I see my former life in context, and I've learned to someone who's traveled a little bit and lived in you know, three states and three countries, you do have to leave where you're from to really love it and appreciate it in a new way. So with that being said, why don't you just say this repeat after me. I'm Daniel McLaughlin. This is Sean Hannity Show. We'll be right back. I'm Dannielle McLaughlin. This is the Shawan Hannity Radio Show, and we'll be right back. And this is Jonathan gil And filling in for my good buddy Sean Hannity on the Sean Hannity Radio Show. And I gotta tell you, as we're winding down this show, I hope you've been listening for the whole three hours. You know, some people do actually listen to this show for three hours, And I'm hoping that what you've gotten out of this is a better understanding of what American exceptionalism is and how closely it's tied to our Judeo Christian beginnings. UM. I know that's not gonna make some liberals and atheists happy, but listen, God bless you, and I hope you, uh you succeed in life with whatever you have other than the power of the Lord to push you forward. But in this Christmas season, um, and when you look at the exceptionalism of the country, that the way it was and the way I hope it will be. I think that is it is inevitable that you will come back, uh to the point of these three special weeks around Christmas, and how important the behavior that we have over these three weeks, the the exceptionalism, the morals, ethics, the service, the unity that we have to each other, to freedom, um, to the elderly, the things that we do a lot of the times in these three weeks around Christmas. Most people don't even consider them the rest of the year. But I keep saying again and again, I'm gonna stay until the end of the show. This is the mindset we need to have on a daily basis, three sixty five days a year. So I want to bring in you know again, as I'm sitting there with Lauren talking about who I wanted to come on this show. Of course, I couldn't not have C. L. Bryant on because C. L. Bryant, Uh, and I'm on his show quite often. Um. He is a creator, a creator of the film Runaway Slave, and host of his own show, The C. L. Bryant Show. And uh. He is an amazing man, an amazing Christian. He is one of the people when I talked earlier about UH, I don't like to recognize skin color. C L is one of the people that transcends any type of judgment that anybody would ever have on skin color. UH, and defies the odds of of what the Democrats and the liberals in this country want to tell you that somebody who has dark skin should be And he is somebody that has gone out and created his own road based on the morals, ethics, work, work, ethic, and that the human being that was created by his parents the man that he is. And I figured, Okay, that's great, let's bring c L on. But then I thought, you know, I'm on. When I'm on c. L. Show, I'm speaking to his producer, Michelle Milan. What a name that is to Michelle Milan, And I thought, who better to bring on with c L. Then the woman that's in charge of cl on a daily basis and his show, and a woman who I've talked to over a period of time who is a profound Christian, an incredible mom, and a successful woman, and I thought we need to have her on here as well. And I don't know if you all have ever been on before, but Michelle and c L thank you all for being on together, and um as of right now for this next few minutes, it's the uh Sean Hannity, c L and Michelle Show. That is fantastic. Jonathan, I am so glad that you have got given my Michelle, my producer, a chance to be on with me. You know, I pay her in corn chips, and so it's very good that she is on with me as a Christmas present to her. Man. The topic that you're talking about is absolutely spot on. America is the greatest nation on the face of the planet, the greatest success story the world has ever known, and that is because of our Judeo Christian principles and ethics that we offer to everyone who is a citizen of this country and everyone who will become a legal citizen of this country. And at this point in time in our countries. Uh, this time of the year, we can't forget the reason for this season. It's called Christmas. That means a celebration of the Christ. Literally, you celebrate Christ. He's the reason for the season and it is an exceptional nation. Glad that you have us both on I guess I'll throw it to MI show. Yeah, so I guess I won't get my corn chips for December. And I will say nobody controls C. L. Bryant. Okay, Jonathan, no one. Um. You know, Jonathan, you and I have talked a great deal over the few past few years about our faith. And you know, people assume when you say, well, she's, you know, a Christian, that I'm all about being uber religious and judging people if they don't go to church or this or that. You know, Jonathan, at this time of year, when every person, even an atheists, says this is the most beautiful time of the year. As a believer, I'm grateful. I don't need them to say, well, Jesus is a son of God because it's being revealed to them through the way we as Christians behave during this time and as a busy mom and wife and trying to juggle job in Christmas shopping the conviction I feel about being kind when I'm running late and I'm buy all these gifts and you know, and then the clerk is really slow, and I feel conviction about is Christmas about these presents or my godly attitude? You know? I was having a conversation with my good friend Jackie Klein, and for those of you that don't, I've talked about it before, Jackie Klein nutrition dot com. She actually, uh, I did something with some NFL players a couple of years ago, and uh that she she put us all through this um nutrition thing where we were doing a cleansing and um, she's a mom as well. And I can't help but reflect on what you just said there about how people are in the and the pressures at mom's face during Christmas. Here's the question I have for you, though, and I was talking to Jackie about this, What do you think about the other three sixty four days out of the year. How do you think that Americans and moms and children can grasp this special feeling that we have over this period of time and be come that not just experience it once a year, but actually become that well you know, Jonathan, And of course Michelle's the mom here. My wife is out probably spending money, and that's great as far n But this is the thing I believe that this president, when we talk about the the opportunity we have now in America to reclaim our core values, I believe that there is no better opportunity than we have under this particular president. Even in Washington, d C. At the White House. You go to the Walmart, and Jonathan, both you and I admit that we like to go to Walmart. Uh, both of us conceived the door readers. The door rereaders are welcoming people with Merry Christmas and saying goodbye the same way. What do you say, Michelle, Well, I don't go to Walmart. I'm just kidding, But I think it has lots to do it. Whatever your last guest, she talked about it. You know about the civility. I think there are attitudes that we need to keep all the time. And I'm glad you brought up politics, c L because the premise of your show that is going to be on the air for four years coming up on your anniversary, was about having a conversation. There's such polarization in this country, and I'm looking at twenty eighteen and making this a topic with all of my conservative liberal friends to put down the walls and start to find common ground. We do not have to agree on everything. I have so many friends that are so different from me that I love, and I don't want my politics or my religion to make them feel alienated. And as a Christian, that's what this is all about. If you read the Christmas story, it's about God bringing himself to humanity in a manger that was worse than Walmart and and saying it's cool, It's gonna be all right. So I guess Jonathan, are atted it as Christians every day? Isn't that we don't drink and smoke? But are we giving peace and kindness to the world that we touch? Yeah, now listen that that is. See what I've been trying to go back and forth about all day today is that Christmas is as c l said, Uh, you can't have Christmas without the Christ and um that exceptionalism of that tiny baby that was in a manger in the story that we we played the little snippet from uh, that Charlie Brown Christmas story a little while ago. It really boils down to Um two thousand years ago, to the characteristics of this uh young baby that grew into a man and has set the ultimate standard for how we should be. And I tell you people may feel differently about this, but this country is a direct reflection we are. We are walking in the direct footsteps of his behavior. This many two thousand years later, you're absolutely and said, and you know when you have when you put it the way that you put it, the preacher in me rises up. And I remember the words of John the Baptist when he saw Christ coming to be baptized, and he said to the crowd, behold the Lamb of the world, who comes to take away our sins. And when you talk about that manger that he was born in, there was a prophetic message that God sends to the world. Where else would a lamb be born except in a stable, in a manger like our Lord was born. And I think and I pray that we as Christians are able to tell our story, and I certainly hope that we as Americans are able to tell our stories through the prism of the Judeo Christian ethic. It is what's made us great, and it's what will make us great again. It's what's keeping us great. Michelle, let me ask you one thing before we go here. We gotta out about two minutes. UM, what would you say to the American people that are out there? UM, you know you live in a rural area in the country. What would you say to the people that are in the big cities, the people that uh, you know, got upset because of the uh, the way the election happened, in the way that the uh, the president was elected. They say it was the majority vote uh that actually won. But the differences in the in the major metropolitan areas, these are where vast majorities of people live and they're dependent on the cities, where they're not as much in the rural areas. What would you say to those people to help them recognize the exceptionalism of the people that live in these rural areas well. I think it's something that we do as citizens ourselves. You know, a lot of people put pressure on the media and on the president, but I think it's people. I think it's the people in the big cities that need to see other people like me and here my story and you talk about Christianity three, Well, I think that's what it is about kindness, about openness, and I really think your previous guest about having honest discussion about things. You know, if the mainstream media is putting out a false narrative continuously, we have to combat falseness with the truth. And that's done on an individual, one on one basis. I hope they listen, you know, Monday to Friday to the cl Briant Show on Red State Talk Radio dot com and that's noon to two. You get to hear the truth there. But really, Jonathan, we need to talk with our neighbors and friends, and we need to use as this opportunity to talk with people not get angry if they don't agree with us. And that's what to me makes America great, not one idea that we all have, but the ability to have many ideas. See, i'll give you the last word to go about thirty seconds. I'm all in with that. Yes, let's build that bridge to conversation and folks. Every day, I wanna thank my good friend Jonathan Gilliam. I always say he's a brother from another mother mother, And I'm not saying that's because he's white and I happen to be black. Uh as far as concerned. I want to wish you Sean, Lauren and and our very good friend Linda for having Michelle and I on. Michelle, Merry Christmas. This is your Christmas present. Don't expect anything and and keep um you all there in America. Listen to a Sea al Briant show well noon Eastern's to two o'clock on Red State Talk Radio. Thank you so much, you gotta God bless you both. I love you and thank you for all that you've done. You are making America greater and greater every day. God bless you. This is Jona, thank yell and filling in for Sean Hanny word, come back. I got some closing thoughts for you. Stand by. You don't want to miss this, and go get my book Sheep No More The Art of Awareness and Attack Survival. It's available on Amazon right now. Go order it right now. We'll be right back. This is John and filling in for Sean Hannity. Is that close out the show? And that was the drunken Christmas song that Lauren picked out? Thanks number two. So anyway, it's just some music right here. Yeah, that's good for late at night when you're all alone and you're drunk and it's a Christmas play, like five seconds of that real quick hello. I was saying, this is the picture. You're in a trailer. I grew up the trailer. I know you're drinking, pathably ripping, and that's the song playing, and then you drift asleep. Okay, so listen. I got just a few minutes here, and I just want to say to everybody that, um, I love this country, and uh, I'm so thankful for the family that I grew up in, for my mom, who I love more than than life itself. Uh, for the American citizenry that uh, I think can be exceptional all year round. But I want you to focus on this as I go away. In order to be exceptional, you have to have morals and ethics. You have to care about each other, not just yourself. You have to be in service not just to your country, but to each other. And you have to unify if you want to make this country great again. We cannot allow this thing that we feel over this period of Christmas to drift away and be forgotten. January second. You have to keep this going all year round. And they were I don't even know how many years ago, as it was now in three when my father died. When I was with him on Christmas Day, I learned so much about what the Lord thinks about us and the reality of what Christmas is about. I'm thankful that I had my dogs in my life for the past eighteen years. I'm thankful for the opportunities that I've had to grow my career. And I'm thankful that the God of all the universe sacrificed his son so that we may all meet again in heaven and toast to freedom with the founding fathers that created this country. So I I invite all one and all to come and join me. This is Sean Hannity Radio Show. I'll see you next time.