Because of an intense project I'm working on with Pacts Inc, I don't currently have time to prepare an adequate show.  With that being said, this show was a great show on the Middle East and it's major players that has renewed interest because of new developments regarding the actors.  The show post with the description can be reached by clicking here or by going to the website at www.freedomtrainradio.com.  It has aged out of the podcast directories that only carry the last 25 shows, but the website has all of the shows and much more.  

Also if you want to support the show the become a patron by going to www.patreon.com/LFTS.  Thanks again and I look forward to returning.  

​With the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, Republicans have effectively consolidated power for the next few decades on the supreme court, effectively gaining control of the judicial branch far into the future.  At this point, they have control of all three branches of government on the federal level. The 33 governors mansions that are lived in by republicans effectively give them executive power at the local level in roughly 70% of the nation. 31 State Governments are controlled by Republicans, with 26 states being totally controlled by Republicans compared to just 8 for Democrats and the rest have a combination of mismatching governors and legislators. By these measures, they have near total control of the American Political Establishment with Democrats being opposition virtually in name only.  

While it is true that this could change next month and Democrats could take control of the legislative branch, Republican power has still been locked in and will take years to unseat.  In this episode of Lessons from the Screen we are going to talk about how the Republicans managed to go from the party of Civil Rights to the party of States Rights (which has become code for having the personal freedom to mistreat and abuse others in a lot of circles).  The party that while only making up 25% of the population, controls the nation.

Go and become a patron of the show by subscribing through our Patreon Page.  Click here or go to: www.patreon.com/lfts 

​Back in January of this year, we got Fire and Fury from Michael Wolffe, a pretty entertaining and damning expose of the first year or so of the Trump White House along with his campaign leading up to his election.   It was viewed as an interestingly accurate picture of the administration, but that picture was viewed as more of a caricature than a portrait.  Since that time there has been a slew of administration books coming out, seems like everyone that leaves the administration writes a book and it seems like every reporter or journalist with a name has written a book.  None of them reach the level of detail and have the level of credibility as the book produced by Bob Woodward entitled Fear.  During this episode of Lessons from the Screen, we are going to talk about that book a little bit and help you make the decision about whether you should read it or not.

​For the last 3 years, we have been engaged in an ongoing discussion about sexual violence.  What started with the popularization of the term rape culture moved into street harassment and then transitioned into the #metoo movement.  But it’s all still a part of rape culture.  Throughout all of this change, we have seen women coming forward in record numbers to talk about their experiences.  We have focused, rightfully so, on empowering women and removing the stigmas they face as they come forward.  But as with all movements, there are dark places hidden in the light, and rape culture is as deeply embedded into American Society as Racism.  Some of the very same tenets that potentially make someone a rapist also make them successful. 

We also have to reconcile that even with all this focus on sexual assault, plenty of known perpetrators are still moving seamlessly through the halls of power.  Donald Trump was elected president even after he admitted with his own mouth to being a sexual assaulter.  Now Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s supreme court nominee is facing sexual allegations of his own.  However, it looks like he will still ascend to the highest court in the land regardless of whether he did it or not.  As with Trump, a slew of women support Kavanaugh and they too are making their voices heard. 

Then, further in the back, we have men who have been assaulted, these men find themselves in the same space that women found themselves in decades ago.  Afraid to come forward, ridiculed and teased when they do, and very often met with disbelief.  These shades are all part of what we call rape culture, and in this episode of Lessons from the Screen, we are going to dive right in.