Episode 87 – E Pluribus Unum with Avi Woolf
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
Release Date: 07/20/2021
Roundtable - Combating Political Violence
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
In the wake of Charlie Kirk's shocking assassination, Americans are bracing for further political attacks. But is further violence inevitable? And what can be done to prevent things from escalating? Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis assembles a roundtable to discuss these sobering and important issues. The panelists include: - Host of - Host of - Host of - Host of - Host of
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186 – Conservative Canucks with Shawn Whatley
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
Is Trump correct that Canada is destined to be America’s 51st state? Or is there simply too much distinction between Canada and the United States to collapse us both into one homogenous mess? If conservatives in the U.S. are trying to conserve the American revolution, what are Canadian conservatives hoping to conserve? How might these two liberty-loving nations help each other better understand each other through comparison? Joining Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is Shawn Whatley to make sense of it all. About Shawn Whatley Shawn Whatley hosts , a weekly...
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185 – Inventing Conservatism with Daniel J. Flynn
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
Few forerunners of the modern conservative movement are as important, little known, and underappreciated as Frank Meyer. Meyer possessed the IT factor that made women want him and men want to be associated with him. He used that in his early years to advance Marxism in England—building an impressive Marxist organization that had the attention of UK’s government, dating the Prime Minister’s daughter while calling for the violent overthrow of the Prime Minister’s government, and becoming a national celebrity as the nation debated whether he should be exiled. But later...
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Roundtable - Is Trump A Fascist?
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
Some Americans warn Trump's antics in this second term are flirting with fascism while others say that's totally whacked. So which is it? Is Trump a fascist or nothing of the kind? Join our livestream as our panelists engage over the topic. Panelists include: Josh Lewis (host), Mike Taylor, Blake Fischer, John Giokaris, Steve Phelps, and Kent Straith
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184 – Paradigming Phenomenological Essences with Steven Hayward
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
Steven Hayward has been involved in so many conservative institutions and organizations it may be simpler to list where he hasn’t left a mark. This conservative man-about-town joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis as they unravel what it means to be a conservative, how Straussians might make peace with Burke, and why Josh shouldn’t be so critical of the Trump administration. About Steven Hayward Steven F. Hayward is a fellow of the Public Law and Policy Program at Berkeley Law and visiting professor in School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University. Steven frequently...
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Roundtable - MAGA Mayhem
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
The MAGA coalition is comprised of a wide spectrum whose sole unifying idea is Trump himself. But what happens when that precarious foundation begins to fray? Have recent events shown cracks in the MAGA world that could quickly fracture, or is this all a tempest in a teapot? Join Saving Elephant panelists during our livestream to make sense of it all. Panelists include: Josh Lewis (host), Ryan Rogers, Destry Edwards, Scott Howard, and Christopher Chesny
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183 – Conservative Conservationism with Stephen Perkins
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
Younger Americans—regardless of their political affiliations—are increasingly supportive focusing on environmental and conservation issues. But while there may be renewed unity on recognizing the importance of such issues, the policies advocated by the Left and Right continue to differ. The (ACC) is a group of young Americans on the political Right standing up for action over activism in their approach to environmental reform. Joining Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is ACC’s COO, Stephen Perkins, to discuss how economic prosperity and a clean environment don’t...
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182 – Partying Like It’s 1776
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
On July 6 Saving Elephants assembled an august team of commentators to commemorate the advent of the United States turning the big 2-4-9! With only one year to go until the nation is 250 years old, the group reflects on the foundational ideas of America, whether she's succeed or failed at those aspirations, and what the future holds for this most exceptional of nations. Meet the panelists: Lura Forcum Lura Forcum leads the , the nation’s go-to organization for information, research, and engagement with independent voters, representing those who are fed up with...
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181 – Escaping the Housing Trap with Chuck Marohn
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
The housing market today is in an increasingly unsustainable paradox: younger Americans need houses to be more affordable so that they can become homeowners. Meanwhile, homeowners and the entire U.S. economy need houses to rise in price to make them a secure and profitable investment. Thus, we are trapped between making homeownership increasingly difficult or sinking the economy. Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is joined by president of Strong Towns Chuck Marohn to discuss his latest book: . About Chuck Marohn From Charles Marohn (known as “Chuck” to friends and...
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180 – Uncap the House with Jeff Mayhugh
Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values
What if the surest way to reduce the harmful effects of self-serving politicians in Washington D.C. is to have more of them? Joining Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is Jeff Mayhugh to explain how the artificial “cap” the nation put on the number of representatives in the U.S. House almost a century ago has made government less representative and responsive. Returning to the Founding Father’s understanding of how people might best be represented by their leaders will require a lot of hard work, but it has the potential to benefit all Americans all across the political divide....
info_outlineWhat is America and what does it mean to be an American? We Americans have been debating this question for centuries, yet we seem even less united on a common understanding than Americans of prior generations.
America’s original national motto was E Pluribus Unum: “Out of many, one”. It contained the notion that this diverse country of ethnicities and religions and ideologies were somehow unified in some sense. In 1956, our national motto changed to “In God We Trust”. Yet this was no less of a statement on American unity. In 1956 the Cold War was raging, and the government of the United States sought to distinguish itself from the atheistic Soviet Union. Trusting in God was simply what it meant to be an American.
And yet no one can deny that there are plenty of Americans who would not claim to believe, let alone trust, in God. And the idea that the best way to describe ourselves in light of our current political divides is “Out of many, one” seems downright laughable.
Why is it so hard to come to a common agreement on what it means to be an American? What ideas have been tried in the past? Why did they fail and to what extent were they ever successful? How important is it that we reach some kind of consensus? Joining Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis to discuss these questions and more is returning guest Avi Woolf.
About Avi Woolf
Avi Woolf is a writer, editor, translator, and podcaster whose work has been published in Arc Digital, Commentary, National Review, The Bulwark, and The Dispatch. He is chief editor of the online Medium publication Conservative Pathways, and he—in his words—"hopes to help forge a path for a conservatism which is relevant for the 21st century while not abandoning the best of past wisdom.”
Avi has been a guest on the show in two previous episodes as well: the first in which he explored the need for conservatism to find a way to appeal to people who live in urban areas in Episode 26 – Urban Conservatism and the second in which he mulled over the love/hate relationship the Right has long had with institutions of higher education in Episode 49 – God and the Speechless at Yale.
Avi hosts his own podcast entitled Avi’s Conversational Corner, a podcast on culture, history, and politics in a broad perspective. You can find Avi on Twitter @AviWoolf