Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey - Ep 632 | Why This NBA Player Refused to Kneel for BLM | Guest: Jonathan Isaac

Episode Date: June 21, 2022

Today we welcome NBA player Jonathan Isaac back to the show to discuss the amazing success of his book, "Why I Stand," as well as what's been going on for him as an unvaccinated player in the NBA. Jonathan talks about why he wrote the book and why it was so important to him to stand by his values during the extremely chaotic summer of 2020 rather than capitulate to the BLM narrative. We also talk about his faith, how he became a Christian, and how that faith in God has helped him through his academic and athletic career.  --- Today's Sponsor: Hunter Douglas helps you 'live beautifully' with enhanced style & increased comfort in your home throughout the day with their PowerView technology shades that can be set to automatically reposition for the perfect balance of light, privacy, & insulation. Go to HunterDouglas.com/ALLIE for a generous rebate savings opportunity on select styles! --- Previous Episode Mentioned: Ep 499: NBA Star on the Vaccine, BLM, & Following Jesus | Guest: Jonathan Isaac https://apple.co/3zKt3jI --- Buy Allie's book, You're Not Enough (& That's Okay): Escaping the Toxic Culture of Self-Love: https://alliebethstuckey.com/book Relatable merchandise- use promo code 'ALLIE10' for a discount: https://shop.blazemedia.com/collections/allie-stuckey

Hey, this is Steve Day. If you're listening to Allie, you already understand that the biggest issues facing our country aren't just political. They're moral, spiritual, and rooted in what we believe is true about God, humanity, and reality itself. On the Steve Day show, we take the news of the day and tested against first principles, faith, truth, and objective reality. We don't just chase narratives and we don't offer false comfort.

We ask the hard questions and follow the answers wherever they leave, even when it's unpopular. This is a show for people who want honesty over hype and clarity over chaos. If you're looking for commentary grounded in conviction and unwilling to lie to you about where we are or where we're headed, you can watch this D-Day show right here on Blaze TV or listen wherever you get podcasts. I hope you'll join us. Hey, guys, welcome to Relatable. This episode, as all episodes, is brought to you by our friends at Good Ranchers. Go to Good Ranchers.com slash All right, guys. I am so excited for you to hear this conversation with our friend, Jonathan. Isaac. He is a player for the Orlando Magic. This is the second time we're having him on. Today we are talking about his new book, Why I Stand. It is doing so well. There's a reason for that. He has an incredible story, an incredible testimony. If you heard him on the first time on Relatable,

last year, you've heard a little bit about how he came to Christ. But this book details that a lot further. And we are talking about that some today. I know you're going to walk away from this conversation, feeling so encouraged and uplifted and just touched by his vulnerability, his willingness to share his struggles and also his insistence upon pointing to the power and the faithfulness of God. And I'm just really looking forward to you hearing from him again. I will pat relatable on the back just a little bit because I believe we were the first show to talk to him last year when he was taking a stand against the vaccine mandates. And of course, we also talked about the stand that he took in 2020 when he decided not to kneel in honor of the Black Lives Matter organization on the sideline of his NBA game. So just as a refresher, that's who Jonathan Isaac is.

That is why we talked to him last year. And that is part of why we are talking to him today. What was he thinking as he was taking those stands that he knew would be controversial? So as I said, this is going to be awesome. If you're not familiar with him, you're going to love him. So without further ado, here is our friend Jonathan Isaac. Jonathan, thanks so much for joining us in person. the second time that you're on the show.

And this time we are talking about the book that you told me about the first time you were on the show. So tell us a little bit more about the book. Now that it's published and out there, what is it about? Why did you write it? Well, first off, thank you so much for having me, Allie. This is a pleasure. Yeah, I mean, the book-wise thing, it's doing fantastic.

It is. So it became a national bestseller, I think, this week earlier this week. Number one in basketball biographies on Amazon, number 20, as of right now in Christian books in Bibles. Number 23 in politics in government. Number nine on the Wall Street Journal bestseller list. That's all a really big deal. I mean, there's a lot of competition in those categories. And we were even higher earlier in the week. So we got to like one in Christian books, one in politics, one in basketball. That's awesome. And I think like up to 15 on Amazon all together. So yes, absolutely. But yeah, it's just been great. Like hearing people talk about how well they're

enjoying the book and how it's encouraging them and empowering them and all those different things. it's like it's so surreal for me. But the book is so much more than just about me standing in the bubble or me refusing a vaccine. It really is a story of my journey. How the heck I got there in the first place, the people that have been along the journey with me, how I was able to develop courage and belief through a relationship of Christ that has helped me to battle anxiety, fear, insecurity.

And I really think it is a roadmap for people today to stand up for what they believe in and to see that. The reason I said that Jesus Christ was the answer for the world is because he's been that answer for me. And so that's why my book is here. Yeah. I don't want to rehash everything that we talked about in the first interview. People can go back and listen to that. But I do want to back up a little bit for those who don't know your story. Tell us how you came to Christ. Were you raised in a Christian home? Have you always been a Christian? What did that look like for you? So I was raised in a Christian home and we were in church. It felt like every single day.

my parents split up when I was about 10 years old and I moved from Bronx, New York, which is I was predominantly black community to Naples, Florida, which is predominantly white. Yeah. And I really, really struggled as a kid. And so trying to fit in, trying to get people to like me, I became really self-conscious and, you know, developed a level of anxiety. I picked up a nickname Ethiopia early on in me, you know, being in Naples, Florida. And it just sucked. It was hard for me to make friends.

And so I developed that insecurity and fear about. getting people to like me. Was it mostly the racial component that made you stand out? Was it because you were from the Bronx and that's just like a totally different culture in place? What was it that made you feel excluded or what was the reason why? I think it was it was all of it. So it was definitely just a cultural change of like, okay, I need to make the first step in trying to get these people like me. And then there obviously was the racial undertone of being called Ethiopia that kind of kind of moved me to the side. And then just just failing at it. So there's a story earlier in the book where I'm so used to horse playing

because I come from the Bronx, is what we do with it. That's how you make friends, you horseplay and then you guys are buddies. But when I did it in Naples, Florida, I got in trouble. And so I'm in the principal's office. My mom gets called and the principal is actually

like scared for the kid's well-being. And that's when I was like, oh man, I'm not, I'm not what I thought I was, you know? And it just didn't work out. And so- That's hard. That's hard for like your self-perception too. You go from like rough housing because that's a normal thing that you do

to basically being cast as a, bad kid or a danger to the community. That's got to be really hard for a kid and understanding who they are and how they fit in. Exactly. Absolutely. And so, so then I find basketball. Yeah. So I find basketball and I start to fall in love with basketball. But at the same time, I'm falling in love with everything that basketball is getting me. So the friends that now want to be around me because I've become a, you know, a talented basketball player, the girls are starting to talk to me like me because of the game. And so I started to shape my identity around basketball. that that is the, that's the best thing about me.

It's the only thing that, that about me that there's value in. And so I pushed forward 100%. I became the number one player in the state of Florida, but still dealing with those same anxieties and fears behind the scenes to where I would play well and I'm on top of the world, everybody loves me, and then I would be so nervous about playing well again because I didn't want to lose that love that I had gained. And so it was just a struggle all through middle school, all through high school.

I make it to Florida State, you know, as the, you know, most highly touted recruit in some 40 years. And yeah, I get there and it's the same struggle, but now it's like on a bigger stage. And now I have these big anxiety episodes to where like I pass out in class, I pass out during breakfast, like something like that. Because you were so, you were kind of in this very precarious position that you felt like if you made the wrong move or you did something wrong, not only would you fail professionally, athletically, but you felt like your whole identity and purpose would crumble. That's a huge burden

to carry. Yes, absolutely. And it was interesting because it was all like undercurrent to where on the surface, I'm Jonathan Isaac. I'm this great basketball player and everybody loves me for that. But underneath these things are like kind of trembling, you know, underneath the surface. And then I had those big moments where I kind of just exploded. And all of that is detailed in the book as well. And then I get to, I leave Florida State and then I make it to the NBA. I'm the sixth pick in the NBA draft. And now it's It's even, it's like you're going from stage to stage. Now it's even, it's an even bigger stage. And I get injured early on so that that sucks.

I'm going through these things behind the scenes. And then the book takes you through the story of ultimately me really coming to Christ because growing up in church, it was just, it was just tradition. It wasn't something that was tangible. I didn't know that a relationship with Jesus could be something that was tangible. And then I meet a gentleman on the elevator who says, I can tell you how to be great. And there's a lot of backstory to this, but if I take you through the whole thing, it's going to take up the whole podcast.

Yeah. And it was just kind of like a random person who shared the gospel with you. Yes. He said, I can tell you how to be great. And I said, how? He said, you have to know Jesus. And I'm like, man, I know Jesus, whatever. And then the story just goes on this whirlwind of like God pretty much orchestrating

our steps and me meeting him over and over again and just the crazy coincidences to where I'm like, you know what? God is real. And the biggest thing that caught my eye was that just not that God was real. It was that he loved me. because in order for him to come after me, I wasn't checking for him, I was doing my own thing, but in order for him to want to orchestrate my footsteps,

he had to care. And that was the first time that I could breathe because I was so used to being high-strung and anxious about getting people to like me, but he was this God that loved me for me, and I didn't have to perform for it. I didn't have to work for it. And that was the start of me getting to where I am today.

Yeah, tell us how that has changed your career, and because you're still successful. but would you say that that anxiety to keep up a certain level of success in order to please other people and be accepted and approved of by other people, how has that feeling and that anxiety changed since you've had this realization that God loves you for you. Yeah. And I would also say that it's a process. Yeah, of course. Coming to that understanding is like, oh, yeah, God loves me for me. But then what happens when you fail again? And you're like, does God love me for me? But a huge part of it was the people that were in my life. So all detail through the book, you have my wife, Tekeeda. You have Dr. Hepburn, which becomes, you know, Bishop Dr. Hepper, my pastor, the same

guy that met me in an elevator and told me that Jesus was going to help me be great, that I had to know Jesus in order to be great. Those people were the ones that were able to walk me through the process of being loved unconditionally and not for what you could do, not for what you could give them, but just for who you were and helping you get to, you know, grow into the person that God created you to be. And so I had people to walk me through it. And then, you know, being able to not rely on the thoughts of others and the feelings of others,

but almost, you know, just focusing on that audience of one of being Christ and wanting to please him has ultimately led me to being willing to stand alone in a moment where I had a lot riding against me. Yeah. And, you know, that is the thing that is different. That's what sets Christianity apart is that there are many religions that can tell you how to get to God, how to climb up the mountain. but Christianity stands apart in that it tells us that we are actually unable to get at the mountain.

We're actually unable to make our way to God or to perform a certain way so that God will accept us. But God came down the mountain. He did something for us because we were unable to make ourselves acceptable in and of ourselves. And that really is so liberating and so different than the other religions of performance out there. And that really is the crux of the book. And so when people are reading my story and they're reading about why did this guy stand in the bubble and why is his message about the love of Jesus Christ is really going to be the thing that changes the world, it's because I've experienced that love that you're talking about, that God came down to us and met us where we were at and ultimately helped us work to where we are today. And so that's what I want people to walk away from the book, that if we could choose to love people the way that God loves us, which is in spite of our sin, in spite of our failures and shortcomings that meets us where we're at and love. loves us through it, then we can really see change in the world. It's not going to be a movement.

It's not going to be an organization because the things that we're dealing with are heart issues. And even standing in the bubble, I couldn't think of a greater message to change the hearts of men other than the gospel for that time. And that's why I decided to stand. And really how people first heard about you and heard you share the gospel was because you did stand instead of kneeling a couple years ago when people were protesting in the name of Black Lives Matter. Can you tell us how the gospel that you just described influences how you view Black Lives Matter and why you chose in that instance not to Neal? You did explain how you experienced racial prejudice growing up so it's not like you don't believe that that's something that exists.

So why did you decide to take a stand in that moment? That's a great question. And even to your point about the undertones of having experienced that in the past. And so it's like, you know, why is this black guy standing up and not kneeling with everybody else that's kneeling? And he's black, obviously, and has experienced some of those things in the past. But back to what I was saying about them being heart issues, when you take racism, when you take all the different things that plague the hearts of men, their heart issues and their spiritual issues. and our world in times of tragedy like George Floyd needs healing. And when you think about healing, healing is not, for me understanding that healing is not going to come through a movement unless the movement is centered around Christ.

Because again, those are heart issues that only the gospel can heal. And so when our world needs healing, I'm thinking about love. Love is the thing that heals. And there's no greater love than the love of God because the world loves you until you make a mistake until you do something wrong. But we were talking about that God, unconditional love that meets you where you're at, that's a thing. loves first and loves in spite of to me if we were able to to you know internalize that love and show it in a moment like George Floyd's tragedy then both sides could come together and there could be real reconciliation and change and even thinking about the the verse second chronicle seven and 14 it says

if my people who are called by my name would humble themselves seek my face pray and turn from their wicked ways I will come forgive their sins and heal their land and so seeing that while in times like this and times like today looking out America needs healing. And if we could humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways, and point people to Christ in these moments of tragedy, then we could have real change. And another moment for you where you took an unpopular stand that got you some blowback was about the vaccine. And we talked about that in our first interview, but some people might not even know that that was a stand that you took. Tell us, since we talked, I think it was maybe in October, how it has been in the, um, in the first interview. Um, in the, um, in the

the NBA since you were someone who didn't take the vaccine? It was a whirlwind. Like, as everyone, you know, the world just kind of stopped. It paused and everyone was, there was so much fear that was being pushed and spewed to all areas. So, you know, the NBA shuts everything down and they're, you know, we're running around like chickens with their head cuts off. Like, what's the right thing to do?

What's the right protocol to putting place? What's the right thing to mitigate what's going on? And it just, it felt, it felt forced, you know, especially coming. You know, not necessarily at that time, but as we learned more about COVID and got into the vaccine conversation, everything felt so forced, everything felt so pushed upon and you couldn't even ask questions. And so as I was on social media and Twitter and watching people ask about natural immunity and be taken off or something like that, I'm like, what is going on? Yeah. And so that's when I decided, you know what, I'm just going to take a step back.

I'm going to watch and see what happens. And then that, you know, we talked about the Rolling Stone article the first time we spoke. And that was the kind of thing that set me back and was like, wow, this obviously is more than about. a vaccine. This is political. This is, you know, about an agenda and a side. And I was like, you know what, you know, I'm going to choose to side with the people who are having their religious and medical exemptions denied and people who are losing their jobs and to stand up and be a voice for them. You know, it's not saying that the vaccine is terrible and it's awful and it doesn't have some, you know, it can work or benefit. But on principle, I didn't, I didn't enjoy the way that

it was being pushed. And again, for myself, I'm young, I'm healthy. I already had COVID in the past. I had already spoken to several doctors about it. And I was like, you know, I don't see the wisdom in putting this into my body, um, risking having some type of possible, you know, adverse reaction and still being possible to get the, the virus and transmit it anyway. But you were discriminated against in some ways because of that choice, right? For sure. There was definitely blowback. And the same thing with the, was standing in the bubble. And, and I knew it going into it. And so in the book, I'm on the phone with my pastor the night before standing. And I'm like, yo, this thing is going to be crazy.

I don't think you understand. Like, I hadn't signed my contract yet. There were so many things that were up in the air that was like, I know the blacklash. I know I'm going to be a coon. I know I'm going to be on Uncle Tom. It's going to happen. Did you get called those names?

Yeah, for sure, for sure. But getting to, and then getting to the vaccine, it's like the same thing. You're an evil person, even if you have any hesitation, you know, or questions about taking this vaccine. And so, yeah. Yeah. So, but for like the NBA, you were kind of,

you were treated differently, right? They had different rules and regulations for people that were unvaccinated. You had to test every day. And so I had to get to the gym, wait in my car until my test came back negative, and then I could enter the building. They had put out like this, I guess, chart of saying if you're unvaccinated, you couldn't eat with your teammates, be in the locker room. But, you know, those, they weren't necessarily upheld during the season.

Scott was still able to. But I definitely felt the pressure of them trying to say, look, if you don't do this, or we're going to put all these rules. in place to encourage you to just get vaccinated. And I think there were several guys who maybe had not wanted to get vaccinated, but was just like, you know what? I don't want to go through all this. Yeah. And do you, do they still have those rules now? No, no. So they, they stopped the mask mandate like on the bench or something like that. So players had to come out of the game, you know, was on the bench with the mask on, take the mask off, go into the game, get out of the game,

put the mask back on and sit on the bench. And so there were stuff like that where I could understand the craziness of the moment and them just trying to figure out what we need to do to help us be better, but at the same time, on the other side, just the illogical, you know, measures that, you know, not only them, but just, you know, people all over the country were taking. Hey, this is Steve Day. If you're listening to Allie, you already understand that the biggest issues facing our country aren't just political. They're moral, spiritual, and rooted in what we believe is true about God, humanity, and reality

itself. On the Steve Day show, we take the news of the day and tested against first principles, faith, truth, and objective reality. We don't just chase narratives and we don't offer false comfort. We ask the hard questions and follow the answer. wherever they leave, even when it's unpopular. This is a show for people who want honesty over hype and clarity over chaos. If you're looking for commentary grounded in conviction and unwilling to lie to you about where

we are or where we're headed, you can watch this D-Day show right here on Blaze TV or listen wherever you get podcasts. I hope you'll join us. You mentioned your wife and how she has been instrumental in your faith and she's here, and I love that. We were just talking before the camera started rolling. What a difference it makes to have your person with you and really supports you. you're newlyweds. You all have been married just for a few months. Tell us what that has been like.

Her being kind of by your side, not just in your faith journey, but also in the explosion of this book, all of the things that you've experienced over the past couple of years. What's that been like? What has it meant to you to have her with you? Well, seven months and she's here right now, along with Doc. But yeah, it's just been, it's just been great. You know, she's just been an amazing support system and encouragement. And through the book, I detail how we how we, how we, how we, we got into a relationship in the first place and how she was integral in me becoming who I am today and speaking that life and encouragement and loving me where I was at and helping me to, you know, to become or to see myself the way that they see me and the way that God sees me. And so she's just been,

she's just been great. She's been answering emails and setting up appointments and just making sure that everything goes smoothly. So I wouldn't be able to do any of this without her. Yeah, that makes a huge difference. What do you hope that people get out of the book? If there's one thing that you want someone to walk away with. What do you hope that is? I would say that as the world gets darker, the necessity to be able to stand up for what you believe in, to stand on the Word of God is only going to become more necessary, but also at the same time, it's only going to become harder. And we're going to have to be empowered and courageous enough to do it. And I'm hoping that my story gives people that encouragement in order to do so to see that I wasn't some hot shot that had

courage all day long and was able to just stand up and I'm not going to kneel for the this because I believe in God so heavily. I'm a kid who has grown into a man through a relationship with Christ and the people who have helped me to get here and found the courage in the moment to do so. And so I'd say that's the biggest thing that I would, I would want people to just get the journey, get the story, and that what God has done for me, God absolutely wants to do through you. And, you know, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers of you. And if we're willing to stand up, we can, you know, take back, you know, a lot of the things that the enemy is running rampant, allowing to happen and we can be we can be vigilant about fighting it and combating it and that comes with

risk there's not a guarantee that you won't be canceled that you won't be persecuted that people won't call you names thankfully you have had so much success come from it and so much i'm sure support and encouragement for people who are kind of um who share your faith and share your stances on these things but i think people have to also recognize that just because god is on your side and taken a stand does not mean there won't be lost, does not mean there won't be sacrifice, right? And that takes a whole other level of courage. Yeah, but to your point, what I'll say is that the story about me, you know, having the success is great too.

But one of the things that my pastor said to me the night before I stood was you cannot stand for God and God not stand for you. So you may have, you may have monetary loss because you can cancel. You may have loss in some other area, but you'll gain in eternity. Right, like you'll gain in other ways because God is going to fight for you because you're standing for him. So take Daniel, take, you know, Meshach, Shabrak, and it'll be like, you cannot stand for God and God is not going to be there to stand for you in whatever area he chooses to do so. But it will be great. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.

And my researcher said, I don't really know what this means. Maybe you can interpret this for me. She said you're doing well on like, on fantasy teams. What is that? What is fantasy basketball? People, so I guess just like 2K fantasy leagues and stuff like that, you can pick which player. And the fantasy draft. Okay.

So, yeah, unfortunately, I'm kind of unfamiliar. I'm actually pretty unfamiliar with that. You are. But I get tweets all the time of people saying, like, I guess my card on 2K is really good. And so they pick me to be on their 2K teams and fantasy leagues, and I do well for them. Okay. Well, that's exciting. You know, I don't really know what that means.

I'm sure that the people out there who, know about the fantasy draft and basketball could probably, they, they probably understand that. So, yeah, that's exciting. I think it's even more exciting, though, the success of your book and how many people are buying it, how many people are hearing your story. We like to say that courage begets courage when you see someone standing up and willing to take a risk and willing to share the arrows that inevitably are going to come when you take a controversial stand or what the world sees is controversial. That kind of, it stirs in them the ability and the bravery to say, you know what, if he can do it, I can do it too. Courage really can be contagious. And that's what I really

hope that people get from you and your story and your book as well. Yeah, likewise. And one of the things that I love to say about courage is that courage is not the absence of fear. And so through all of that, I was terrified. Like I didn't sleep the night before standing. I knew what was going to come about the vaccine and the Rolling Stone article, all that stuff, but I chose to do it because I knew that God was with me and because I knew that the people who were with me had me at the end of the day. And so courage is not the essence of fear. Courage is being afraid and choosing to do it anyway. Yes. Yes. There was this quote by C.S. Lewis that I recently read. And I think I'd read it before, but it just resonated, especially with everything that's going on. It seems like there's

such a lack of courage today. And he said that courage is not a virtue. in itself, it is the testing point of each virtue. So it is when you get to the point of your integrity being tested, your honor being tested, your honesty being tested, whatever it is, if you are willing to uphold that virtue, love, joy, whatever it is, at the point when it's most difficult, at the point when there is the most risk involved, that is what courage looks like. It is every virtue at its testing point. And I think that you've represented that well, obviously, with the power of Christ working in you and to the glory of God, you have emulated what it looks like to take a virtue to its testing point. And so I'm thankful for that. And I am hopeful and

optimistic that other people are going to borrow the courage that you've shown us. The one thing that I'll add to that is that there are moments in the book when I don't. And so what I what I love about the story is that it's not just one story of, again, like, it's just being at the top. And Jonathan is the most virtuous and courageous guy in the world. There's moments that you see, you know, me fail. There's moments that you see me not believe God at His Word and go the other way. And so it's human. It's, I think the book is so real in that, you know, any person, you know, any sphere of life can identify with the struggles that I've had, the ups that I've had and the downs that I've had.

And to see that God was there throughout the entire process. So even when you don't in the moment have the courage to stand up or enact that virtue as you should, there's grace and there's mercy and that God will see you through it. And he's absolutely done that for me. Yeah. I think this is a book for anyone, but I'm thinking about a lot of moms who have teenage sons. And it's hard to navigate the world right now. I think as a Christian trying to raise courageous and honorable sons who have integrity and do the right thing and run into. to good fights for the glory of God. And so I think that your story, with all of its ups and downs and winding turns and the grace and the mercy that covers it, I think that can be especially encouraging for moms who are trying to raise boys into godly men right now. So thank you so much for writing it. They can get it wherever they buy their books, right?

I would say the best place to get it is on Amazon, but you can absolutely run into your Barnes & Nobles, if they have some books a million. I would say go on Amazon. Is there an audiobook? Yes. There is. Did you record it? By me.

Oh, great. Yes. So we've actually had like really great responses from the audio book. Like people are saying they love it. You have a very good voice. Yeah, but you know, like me, I'm like, I don't want to do it. It's, it's, it was actually really, really tough to get it done. I know.

I've done it. I've done it. It's a lot of talking. Yes. It's a lot of talking. My mind was like my mind like get like brain freeze and trying to read all the lines and all that stuff. I know.

I'm glad that we were able to do it and get it done. Yeah. people love audiobooks. So check that out. Amazon, Audible. I'm sure it's on Christianbooks.com. Some people who don't like to purchase from Amazon, they can go to Christianbooks.com,

I'm sure that it's available there. So thank you so much for coming in, for taking the time to talk to me. I know people are going to love this conversation and love your book as well. Yeah, thank you so much for having me, Alie. Thank you. Hey, this is Steve Deast.

If you're listening to Allie, you already understand that the biggest issues facing our country aren't just political. They're moral, spiritual, and rooted in what we believe is true about God, humanity, and reality itself. on the Steve Day show, we take the news of the day and tested against first principles,

faith, truth, and objective reality. We don't just chase narratives and we don't offer false comfort. We ask the hard questions and follow the answers wherever they leave, even when it's unpopular. This is a show for people who want honesty over hype and clarity over chaos. If you're looking for commentary grounded in conviction and unwilling to lie to you about where we are or where we're headed, you can watch this Steve Day show right here on Blaze TV or listen wherever you get podcasts. I hope you'll join us.