Latest / Cultural Wars | America Out Loud News / The world is wrong side up. It needs to be turned upside down to be right side up.

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The world is wrong side up. It needs to be turned upside down to be right side up. · Cultural Wars | America Out Loud News

• 0:11
  It's the tip of the spare in the epic battle to defend the United States of America.
• 0:19
  The National Security Hour exposes the wolves in sheep's clothing and the nefarious plots to undermine and destroy U.S.
• 0:27
  national security.
• 0:31
  Welcome to the National Security Hour on the America Out Loud Network.
• 0:36
  I'm your host, Blanquita Cullum.
• 0:38
  Well, like many of you, we witnessed what happened at the White House correspondence dinner, and it was shocking.
• 0:45
  I had the background and on, just to really basically listen to what the president was going to say.
• 0:51
  And I heard what some people will say now that they have seen this on television more, the familiar sounds of popping, which clearly were not fireworks.
• 1:01
  They were not firecrackers, they were not anything other than someone trying to assassinate the president and members of the participants of that dinner, including cabinet members.
• 1:23
  I'm talking about Pastor Todd Coconado.
• 1:26
  He's nationally recognized, but not only is a pastor, he's a great program, his own podcast, a lot of stuff that he does out in the public.
• 1:34
  But uh Todd, uh welcome to the program.
• 1:38
  I, you know, I don't I know that you had an incident in your career in your life where you're you were stabbed.
• 1:44
  We're gonna talk about that because it's becoming more frequent for people either to be a victim or to be in the presence of this.
• 1:53
  I can remember many years ago at the Battle of Flowers in San Antonio.
• 1:58
  Um, this would have been, oh my goodness, more than 30 years ago.
• 2:01
  I had taken my little baby daughter and my my stepdaughter to go see the parade, and all of a sudden I heard that noise.
• 2:09
  And I'm looking over there, and there is a sniper trying to kill people in the parade.
• 2:14
  And of course, I drive off on the wrong side of the street to get us out of there.
• 2:19
  Saved our lives.
• 2:21
  But like many people can remember where we were.
• 2:24
  I was in front of the Pentagon in 9-11.
• 2:26
  But you had the horror of actually having been attacked.
• 2:30
  What happened to you?
• 2:32
  Yes, I was in Los Angeles and just went to a random kind of house party situation where I was walking up to somebody's uh place and the door flew open, and a man that was under the influence of drugs and alcohol proceeded to stab me nine times, one in the heart.
• 2:49
  And uh by the grace of God, I survived.
• 2:52
  He actually ended up taking me to the hospital.
• 2:54
  It's a really bizarre story.
• 2:56
  Wow.
• 2:56
  But I think I think he realized that he was going to be a murderer, and so had an epiphany and uh ended up taking me in my vehicle to the hospital, which ended up saving my life.
• 3:06
  Uh, but on the way there, I had this miraculous encounter.
• 3:09
  I kind of liken it to the Apostle Paul and the Damascus Road.
• 3:13
  It was just an amazing encounter where I went into what I believe to be the presence of God, and uh it was like a white uh presence.
• 3:22
  And um, you know, Lee Strobel actually said this is commensurate with a lot of people that have had similar near-death experiences.
• 3:28
  But I heard the audible voice of God and he said, Do you want to live or do you want to die?
• 3:32
  He said, I want to live.
• 3:34
  And uh he said, Well, if you live, you gotta let people know that I'm real and you gotta change your life.
• 3:38
  You gotta live for me for the rest of your life.
• 3:40
  And so, of course, in that moment, kind of like Isaiah chapter six in the Bible, what do you say other than send me, right?
• 3:46
  I mean, you're in the presence of God, your life is being spared.
• 3:49
  So I said yes.
• 3:50
  And when I did say yes, I awakened in the hospital, and there was a nurse looking over me, and she said, You should not be alive.
• 3:57
  And I knew I shouldn't be alive.
• 3:58
  I knew that the Lord had spared my life.
• 4:00
  So it completely dramatically altered the course of the rest of my life.
• 4:04
  I never thought I'd be a pastor or preacher.
• 4:06
  Uh, but when you have an encounter like that, you kind of change everything, you know.
• 4:09
  And so here I am, many years later, and God has done some amazing things.
• 4:14
  Yes.
• 4:14
  You know, uh, I was at that hotel has been rather notorious, the Washington Hilton.
• 4:20
  And I know it well because when I first came to Washington, D.C., Pastor, I um I MC'd uh inaugural galas there for George Herbert Walker Bush.
• 4:31
  And uh, and there was a lot of security.
• 4:34
  You, you know, you knew the president was on the way when the dogs were there.
• 4:37
  The the situation has uh really, I would say become shockingly careless about how they protect these presidents and these these uh elected officials because it seemed too almost too easy for this person to gain entry into that hotel.
• 4:57
  Uh, I was thinking about when Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, the you were talking about seeing that white light, and he looked up to these doctors and he said to the doctors, I hope you're all Republicans.
• 5:08
  Remember that?
• 5:09
  And he said, Today, Mr.
• 5:10
  President, the the surgeon said we're all Republicans.
• 5:14
  But the concern is how has this time uh come to a point when we are looking at the bad guys as colorful, kind of almost like a wild west figure.
• 5:27
  We're looking at them kind of like Jesse James, and they're supposed to be emulated.
• 5:32
  Look at Luigi Mangioni, where he's got this fan base because he's cute, and he's in got these women that are so attracted to him.
• 5:40
  Uh, this guy that was the alleged the alleged uh assassin to all to the president or all these people, uh the perpetrator, uh, he was a former teacher of the year.
• 5:53
  Um, and they write manifestos, they go crazy, they you know, it's like they're out there doing the work of the Lord, but it ain't the work of the Lord.
• 6:04
  And how is this how are we looking at evil as good?
• 6:07
  It's all turned around.
• 6:09
  That's right.
• 6:10
  Well, that's what the Bible said would happen, and we're witnessing it firsthand right now.
• 6:14
  I mean, uh, it it is uh quite remarkable to see.
• 6:17
  I mean, you know, if you go on X, which is formerly Twitter, and you see some of the responses, especially people on the left, where they're they're making these people in the hero-like figures, which is absolutely, I mean, in my opinion, disgusting.
• 6:29
  It's evil.
• 6:30
  And uh, you know, there was a time when everybody would rally at a situation like this, and they would come together and say, hey, this is blatantly wrong.
• 6:38
  This is blatantly evil, and we condemn this, and we, you know, we we just say this is absolutely wrong.
• 6:43
  But now uh it seems that the left has really gone to another direction, especially many people on what we call the radical left, but to the point where, like you said, Luigi and these other people that they're they're emulating them.
• 6:55
  They're wanting to be, you know, oh, let's make a fan base out of these people.
• 6:58
  Unbelievable.
• 6:59
  But we have to remember that uh it doesn't matter what the radical people say.
• 7:00
  To remember that uh it doesn't matter what the radical people say.
• 7:04
  What's truth is truth.
• 7:04
  What's truth is truth.
• 7:06
  And the fact of the matter is this is a disgusting, despicable act.
• 7:06
  And the fact of the matter is this is a disgusting, despicable act.
• 7:09
  You know, you had almost the entire administration there, which is really remarkable.
• 7:09
  You know, you had almost the entire administration there, which is really remarkable.
• 7:12
  And to your point, security.
• 7:12
  And to your point, security.
• 7:14
  I've been at these events, I've been around the president multiple times.
• 7:14
  I've been at these events, I've been around the president multiple times.
• 7:17
  Yeah, you know, there's different people saying varying things.
• 7:17
  Yeah, you know, there's different people saying varying things.
• 7:19
  I think Carrie Lake came out and said that she felt that the uh security was quite lapsed.
• 7:19
  I think Carrie Lake came out and said that she felt that the uh security was quite lapsed.
• 7:23
  But you know, I know that they have amazing uh Secret Service and security around the president, but we need to do better because the fact that this man was able to breach the perimeter and get in by running, and thank God they they were able to tackle him, uh, but that should not be able to happen.
• 7:23
  But you know, I know that they have amazing uh Secret Service and security around the president, but we need to do.
• 7:38
  And we need to be more careful, especially since this president's been targeted multiple times.
• 7:43
  You know, I'm thinking about you and and your your history in Hollywood.
• 7:47
  And I made a speech earlier this past weekend to a bunch of young military kids, and you're saying, well, how can families interact with your kids?
• 7:55
  And I think about, well, some of it is kids need to have heroes.
• 7:58
  And when my kids were little, well, we'd get old movies, you know, these great old movies that were made way before I was born with guys like Jimmy Stewart, you know, and wonderful heroes that you could say, well, we want to be like uh Sergeant Alvin Cullum York and be that kind of guy.
• 8:17
  But the fact of the matter is, when did when did Hollywood flip?
• 8:21
  And let me put this out to you because it seems to me that when the turnaround really came about, there used to be a standard where we could say certain things at certain times of the day.
• 8:31
  You couldn't say certain words on the air.
• 8:33
  This is before we had the broad social media.
• 8:36
  But let's take a look at it.
• 8:38
  Was it the Godfather?
• 8:39
  Was that when we determined that you know, we all, you know, he was a bad guy, Michael Corleone.
• 8:45
  But you know, after all, he had served in the military and he was protecting his father, the Don.
• 8:50
  When did Hollywood really start to embellish and celebrate the bad guy that has influenced a lot of people?
• 8:59
  Yeah, you know, it's such a good question.
• 9:01
  People ask this often.
• 9:03
  They say, does Hollywood reflect society, or is Hollywood steering society?
• 9:07
  And that's a great, great question.
• 9:09
  You know, is it is it just a reflection of us as a culture going down a darker path, or is it uh, you know, Hollywood's trying to steer us down that path.
• 9:18
  And that that'll probably be argued by many people.
• 9:20
  Me being from Hollywood, I will say there's a lot of influence behind the scenes, and there's actually what I call plumb line from Hollywood to government.
• 9:28
  We've looked at Operation Mockingbird, the church commission, and we found that you know the Intel community and certain people have connection to Hollywood.
• 9:36
  Uh, but it's a great question.
• 9:37
  And you know, if you go on some of the streaming platforms today, a lot of it's very dark, a lot of it's very dark, and a lot of people are watching these things all the time.
• 9:46
  And we have to be careful, in my opinion.
• 9:47
  We have to be very careful what we allow to get in our spirit.
• 9:50
  You know, I'm a pastor, so obviously I'm gonna talk spiritually.
• 9:53
  Uh, but you know, what we allow our eyes to see and what we because really that does affect, you know, the by the Bible says out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth the mouth speaks.
• 10:01
  So what we what we take in comes out, you know, and so what we reflect on, what we watch, that's why I say even in the middle of all this dark stuff, there's still good stuff, there's good movies that are coming out, and some of them are even in theaters recently.
• 10:14
  And you know, you gotta you gotta be careful what your kids watch, what you watch, what you take in.
• 10:18
  But yes, I mean, Hollywood's been going darker, and you know, it's losing a lot of people.
• 10:22
  There's an alternative uh Hollywood that's now a risen in the faith community, and people are going towards more of the faith-based movies because they're sick of all the junk that Hollywood puts out.
• 10:33
  Right, because they have hope.
• 10:34
  I have a uh my granddaughter was little, she left me this sweetest little note, and I thought it was very perceptive.
• 10:41
  She sent me a note that said, Hope is the best of all things.
• 10:45
  And you think about that.
• 10:46
  Hollywood had a period even in the oh gosh, 70s, 80s, 90s, where you had um kind of hopeful movies.
• 10:54
  I remember sitting in a theater when the original Rocky came out.
• 10:58
  Yeah, and there is Sylvester Stallone down on the mat.
• 11:02
  And you know, we know it's a movie, but we're we we're I'm sitting next to people and they're all saying, Rocky, get up, get up, Rocky.
• 11:10
  Get up, Rocky.
• 11:11
  Get up, Rocky.
• 11:12
  And they're and they're cheering Rocky to get up.
• 11:15
  And later, his version was telling his son, it's not how many times you're knocked down, it's how many times you get up.
• 11:23
  Well, have we lost the ability, or is Hollywood in some sort of fog where they don't understand that there is a missing middle that craves hope?
• 11:36
  You know, you think about even the stories.
• 11:38
  Remember, it used to be customers always write, and then it seems like that kind of went away, and people don't care as much about the customer anymore.
• 11:44
  Right.
• 11:45
  It's the same in the in the movie industry.
• 11:46
  It's to your point, people would love hopeful family content, things that are positive, positive messages.
• 11:53
  I mean, when a movie like that comes out, it it usually does well because that's what people want and they desire.
• 11:58
  And so it seems like, in my opinion, coming from Hollywood, that there's there's a group of people behind the scenes that are putting out this content that the folks don't even really want.
• 12:09
  It's almost like a disconnect.
• 12:10
  And you're seeing, I mean, movie sales are way down in the theaters.
• 12:14
  Uh, you know, there's not there's not been many blockbusters, they keep recreating the same thing over and over because they can't find any new ideas, it seems.
• 12:21
  So I'm hoping that somebody will listen to this interview and they'll start making more positive family hope-filled uh films because I think that there's a major market for that.
• 12:31
  Oh, absolutely.
• 12:33
  And you know, you were in programs that were kind of fun.
• 12:36
  I saw that you were in who's the boss.
• 12:37
  You have had a lot of different programs that you were on.
• 12:40
  Tell us about your own program that you do.
• 12:43
  What is the focus of your program?
• 12:45
  I know that you're a pastor, but I think um sometimes people don't realize that that God is um he's not approachable.
• 12:55
  They look at him as he's not approachable.
• 12:57
  You had your own personal experience, and uh, and that made the difference.
• 13:03
  But you know, how do we make God approachable back in the old days?
• 13:07
  Holly made Hollywood made these wonderful movies about the the Virgin of Fatima.
• 13:12
  They made movies about Bernadette, they made movies about uh, you know, you you'd always question who's the guy that's going to play Jesus.
• 13:19
  You had Jeffrey Hunter, you know, you had all these different actors that that you know, they talked about was it a curse or a blessing to play Jesus?
• 13:28
  What happened there?
• 13:30
  Yeah, well, I think God still is approachable.
• 13:33
  Uh, in fact, I know he is, and you know, all we really need to do is call call upon his name.
• 13:38
  You know, it's it's some people overcomplicated.
• 13:40
  He says, Come as a child, you know, and so we can come to him anytime in prayer, and that's the amazing thing about God.
• 13:46
  Uh, but with these films, and I think that you're right.
• 13:48
  I mean, if we get back to I think like Charlton Heston, you know, oh yeah, you know, those those types of movies are epic and they're timeless, and you still watch them, and that's the type of content that we need to create.
• 14:00
  Create, uh, and it would be great.
• 14:00
  Uh, and it would be great.
• 14:02
  It would be great if we made some Christian films like that and some faith-based films where where God is more approachable.
• 14:02
  It would be great if we made some Christian films like that and some faith-based films where where God is more approachable, people understand who he is and the simplicity of that.
• 14:07
  People understand who he is and the simplicity of that.
• 14:11
  And I think that that I think that's coming.
• 14:11
  And I think that that I think that's coming.
• 14:12
  Here's the good news.
• 14:12
  Here's the good news we're seeing young men in the droves turn back to God.
• 14:13
  We're seeing young men in the droves turn back to God.
• 14:17
  We're seeing Bible sales spiking.
• 14:17
  We're seeing Bible sales spiking.
• 14:19
  We're seeing uh, you know, on campuses, kind of like revivals that are popping up around the nation.
• 14:19
  We're seeing uh, you know, on campuses, kind of like revivals that are popping up around the nation.
• 14:24
  And so I'm very hopeful.
• 14:24
  And so I'm very hopeful.
• 14:26
  It seems like for the first time in my lifetime that I've seen in the right direction.
• 14:26
  It seems like for the first time in my lifetime that I've seen in the right direction where the youth are starting to catch uh an understanding and a desire for God again.
• 14:34
  And I'm um it gives me hope for our country, but well, you know, the interesting thing, Pastor, is um thinking about uh going back to periods in uh, you know, in history, recent history, such as the Vietnam War, and you had a lot of young people that did not want to go serve.
• 14:53
  Okay, they did they were they were protesting, they were protesting on campuses.
• 14:58
  It turned the summer of love into the summer of protests, and you know, you had uh campuses that they had the dean's offices that were overrun.
• 15:07
  The thing of it is we forget, and it's kind of like a book that I remember hearing about calling called the fourth turning.
• 15:14
  In other words, that you have periods that are predictable, but we forget that youth wants to rebel.
• 15:22
  So if you have a situation, kind of like what happened with the late Charlie Kirk, where he was assassinated, the the overwhelming response was from young people with this other rebellion, not against the man, but for God and for what people like Charlie Kirk supported.
• 15:43
  Were you surprised at that overwhelming response?
• 15:47
  No, I mean, it it certainly, I mean, the massive tragedy of of what happened with Charlie Kirk.
• 15:53
  You know, all of us went through that together.
• 15:54
  And it to me, it reminds me of like a 9-11 level or you know, something when JFK was assassinating is that epic of a horrible, you know, situation.
• 16:04
  But then uh the thing that happened after that was you saw people that only fans, people that, you know, it's that porn site that's online.
• 16:12
  They were turning to Jesus and writing about it.
• 16:14
  You had people that were the the least uh, you know, normal people, I mean club scene, uh, Hollywood partying people that were saying, hey, I'm gonna check out God.
• 16:23
  So that's to your point, it created an effect that we may not have seen, but all of a sudden there was a hunger for God and for answers and for truth.
• 16:32
  And people started looking up Charlie Kirk's content.
• 16:35
  And there's no one that had more content than Charlie Kirk.
• 16:37
  So you start reading and and and and watching his podcast, and people that didn't even know who he was, Bunkito was starting to tell me hey I never even heard of Charlie Kirk until he was assassinated, and I started looking into him.
• 16:47
  But you know, it's amazing after he's now gone to be with the Lord, how impactful his life has been on this younger generation.
• 16:54
  And so I think we all have to kind of zoom out and see the bigger picture right now.
• 16:58
  This is a moment.
• 16:59
  You know, the Bible talks about the moment of our visitation.
• 17:02
  I believe there's a moment of visitation for revival and renewal in America, a spiritual awakening.
• 17:08
  And I believe it's time for the people of God to unite and stand up and speak the truth of the gospel.
• 17:14
  And I think that it's gonna spread.
• 17:16
  It's not it's not done.
• 17:17
  In fact, it's just the beginning of the And we're gonna take a little break on that moment.
• 17:20
  We're gonna come back and have more of that moment with our guest here on the National Security Hour.
• 17:25
  I'm Blanquita Cullum with Pastor Todd Coconado.
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• 19:10
  Welcome to the National Security Hour on the America Out Loud Network.
• 19:16
  That's right.
• 19:16
  We have a voice and we're taking advantage of it.
• 19:18
  I'm your host, Blanquita Cullum.
• 19:21
  And many of you may know Pastor Todd Coconado.
• 19:24
  You may know him from what he's doing presently.
• 19:27
  And some you probably remember when he was a child actor out there in Hollywood.
• 19:31
  Did you grow up in Hollywood?
• 19:33
  You grew up in California, Pastor.
• 19:34
  Believe it or not, I did.
• 19:36
  Yep.
• 19:36
  And uh it was a good time actually at that period of time out there to grow up in LA and uh beautiful place.
• 19:42
  And listen, there's some great patriots, there's some great people of God in LA.
• 19:46
  So we love LA.
• 19:47
  We have a heart for California.
• 19:48
  Well, I grew up a little bit in California, down a little farther south uh in uh La Jolla, but then later we moved to Texas.
• 19:56
  And uh yeah, Texas is great, San Antonio, my hometown, which I consider it because they're very brave and kind people out of San Antonio, but I'm with most of you now from the nation's capital.
• 20:07
  Uh and you know, Pastor, the interesting thing is uh watching the the the concern people want to feel confident about being brave and say that they love the country, they believe in God, but now I I wonder what the stakes because now we say people are afraid of the cancel culture, they're concerned about the uh evolving power of AI to create deep fakes, to be able to put propaganda out there that this scene as legitimate journalism when it's not.
• 20:41
  And people really go back to there was an old television show that Johnny Carson was the host of many, many, many, many, many years ago called Who Do You Trust?
• 20:50
  Well, that's the key phrase that pays.
• 20:53
  Who do you trust?
• 20:54
  What are your thoughts?
• 20:55
  Yeah, I mean, there the Bible talks about discernment, and we need to have discernment, especially right now.
• 21:00
  Especially right now.
• 21:01
  Uh, this is where I believe we all need to have a prayer life and we need to know the word of God because obviously there's a lot of deception to your point.
• 21:01
  This is where I believe we all need to have a prayer life and we need to know the word of God because obviously there's a lot of deception to your point.
• 21:08
  I mean, you have AI, you have deep fakes, you have uh all these different things that are up and coming.
• 21:08
  I mean, you have AI, you have deep fakes, you have uh all these different things that are up and coming.
• 21:13
  I mean, look at uh they talk about central bank digital currencies and digital money that could be in the near future.
• 21:13
  I mean, look at uh they talk about central bank digital currencies and digital money that could be in the near future.
• 21:17
  We took, you know, all this technology is advancing so quick.
• 21:17
  We took, you know, all this technology is advancing so quick.
• 21:20
  They recently had a meeting with the top banks, and I guess they were discussing a new AI that's out because it's so sophisticated, it can break into accounts that it could really do some damage to the
• 21:20
  They recently had a meeting with the top banks, and I guess they were discussing a new AI that's out because it's so sophisticated, it can break into accounts that it could really do some damage to the financial sector.
• 21:30
  So there's a lot of things that we're going to be seeing in the next few years, very disrupted period of time.
• 21:36
  Uh, it's another uh revolution really in the tech world, if you think about it.
• 21:39
  I mean, this is probably bigger almost than when the internet came out because a lot of people are going to become very wealthy through AI.
• 21:45
  There's going to be a lot of jobs that are replaced through AI.
• 21:48
  And so I think it's very important that we're focused and that we hear clearly from God.
• 21:53
  We have to, like I said, have a prayer life and not be distracted.
• 21:56
  There's a lot of distractions out there right now.
• 21:59
  Yeah.
• 22:00
  And I think that if we do what we're meant to do and we walk in the calling that we're meant to have, like you're doing, Baklito, speaking the truth and uh standing for righteousness on the airwaves and you know, allowing people to understand what's real.
• 22:12
  You know, if we do what we're called to do, that's what God is going to give us favor to do.
• 22:17
  And so now we can't grow weary, we can't get tired.
• 22:20
  Uh, just step into your calling and hear from God, and he's going to direct your path.
• 22:24
  Even when also question.
• 22:26
  I think we have to be smart enough to be brave enough to question because the thing about it is, and I'm not talking specifically about our faith.
• 22:35
  I'm talking about the technology that appears to be so legitimate that we shouldn't question it.
• 22:41
  Because um, and in speaking to one of my colleagues who's a genius when it comes to the issue of AI, the the old movie that came out so many years ago about uh the space odysseys and stuff where they talked about, you know, the uh no Hal, you can't shut down the computer.
• 22:58
  We're not going to allow you to do that.
• 23:00
  That would end us.
• 23:01
  Well, now it's gotten more sophisticated than that.
• 23:04
  You won't know.
• 23:05
  They're they've already figured out a way to pull the plug and be able to outwit the person that even programmed them because it's a brain, but it's a brain that is not one that we have even the capability of figuring out how to control it.
• 23:22
  What I am concerned about is, you know, people will use the term about free speech, etc.
• 23:27
  But when does the the nuclear button not be controlled by the leader of the country, but by the AI service that may be more sophisticated and more lethal.
• 23:39
  I mean, that's what concerns me.
• 23:41
  Well, yeah, you start thinking about some of these sci-fi movies, you know, like Terminator.
• 23:45
  I mean, we're we're literally walking in or iRobot with Will Smith.
• 23:48
  I mean, we're we're gonna see in the next few years humanoid robots rolled out.
• 23:52
  Uh to your point, you know, AI is taking over large portions of the defense sector.
• 23:57
  We're really in an AI arms race.
• 23:58
  You know, I was talking to the Trump administration about this.
• 24:01
  And that the challenge is if China were to surpass us or one of our adversaries were to surpass us, it would put us in a really bad situation because this is that disruptive, this technology.
• 24:10
  I mean, they have drones that are now going to be accompanying uh these, you know, up-and-coming sixth-generation aircraft.
• 24:16
  And these drones are going to be uh, you know, completely AI uh run, you know, and they're gonna, they're gonna be alongside like wingmen on these uh airplanes.
• 24:25
  So this is, I mean, we've never seen anything like this on the battlefield, even right now in Ukraine and in what we're seeing in the Iran area.
• 24:31
  I mean, AI is being deployed right now, and the battlefield is changed.
• 24:35
  And so it's it's really crazy to your point.
• 24:38
  Uh, but I think there has to be some regulation.
• 24:40
  I think it's very important that we uh don't just let this get out of control, take its own life.
• 24:45
  There has to be a system of checks and balances to your point, because we don't want to be living in a real life sci-fi movie.
• 24:50
  Well, and the other part of it is, you know, uh to the the to use that term of that television show that you would be on occasionally, who's the boss, or the parents the boss, or the teachers the boss is the department of education the boss?
• 25:04
  What do your children get to read in libraries?
• 25:06
  Uh, what do the children get to be taught about their own uh sexuality?
• 25:11
  Is that in the hands of the family or is that in the hands of the schools?
• 25:14
  Uh what do you get to know about your own future?
• 25:18
  The ability to be able to determine what you need to present if you're going to vote.
• 25:23
  Who should be in charge of where the money is distributed?
• 25:26
  Uh, what should the Congress be responsible for allowing?
• 25:30
  And have they forgotten what George Burns used to say?
• 25:33
  The folks who buy the tickets, okay?
• 25:36
  The people that are actually paying uh to come into the theaters, you know, are they controlling what is going on, or are they basically taking the money from the people that are going to help them to benefit while they're serving the people?
• 25:48
  You see, I I think we have to start questioning and recognize the stakes.
• 25:53
  Many people ask me, Todd, because this will be my goodness gracious, 23rd year that I'm seeing the National Memorial Day parade.
• 26:02
  And the thing of it is people will say, BQ, that's my nickname, because you know, Blanquita's a little tricky.
• 26:07
  BQ, they'll say, uh, do you think we have a greatest generation?
• 26:12
  Well, of course we've got a greatest generation.
• 26:14
  I saw that happening with what the passing of Charlie Kirk.
• 26:19
  We have a greatest generation.
• 26:21
  They were horrified.
• 26:22
  The greatest generation is always there.
• 26:24
  Is what does it take to inspire that movement of people recognizing what the stakes are?
• 26:32
  Yeah.
• 26:33
  Yeah.
• 26:33
  Well, we have to have a set of rules.
• 26:36
  I mean, there has to be a thermometer, if you will.
• 26:38
  And to me, that is the Bible and morality, common sense, uh, doing what's right, operating in integrity, uh, these values, that you know, the foul the values.
• 26:48
  There's a great movie out called Great Awakening.
• 26:50
  I don't know if you saw it, but uh it showed the life of Wesley and some of the early uh Great Awakening, the revival, the first great awakening.
• 26:57
  And you know, our country was founded on these principles.
• 27:00
  And I believe that's what's made this nation great.
• 27:03
  And President Trump often talks about making America great again.
• 27:05
  Well, for America to be great again, we have to have morals, values, common sense, integrity, uh, families, uh, the family unit has to be strong.
• 27:16
  These are all biblical principles, but they're also foundational principles.
• 27:20
  And I feel like that's what this evil force, whatever you want to call it, has come against.
• 27:24
  I mean, if you think about during BLM and some of that, they were coming against the nuclear family.
• 27:28
  They were coming against the structure, the foundation.
• 27:31
  And we have to return to the foundation.
• 27:33
  We have to make sure we have strong families, strong values, strong integrity, uh, leaders that have morality that are not bought and paid for by our adversaries or corrupt individuals.
• 27:43
  So I'm praying and believing that we're going that direction.
• 27:45
  But in my opinion, the way to go that way is for America to return back to God.
• 27:50
  And to be able to um understand that, you know, your neighbor may not vote the way you vote.
• 27:57
  They may not live the way you live, and they may not even like the same things that you like, but we can be kind to each other.
• 28:00
  Like the same things that you like, but we can be kind to each other.
• 28:03
  We can respect each other.
• 28:03
  We can respect each other.
• 28:05
  If they're having a hard time, we can go over and see if we need some help.
• 28:05
  If they're having a hard time, we can go over and see if we need some help.
• 28:08
  They can come over to us and do the same thing.
• 28:08
  They can come over to us and do the same thing.
• 28:11
  That's what makes this country strong.
• 28:11
  That's what makes this country strong.
• 28:14
  We don't have to think exactly the same way.
• 28:14
  We don't have to think exactly the same way.
• 28:17
  You know, I work with a group of people uh who are fallen gone.
• 28:17
  You know, I I work with a group of people uh who are falling gone.
• 28:21
  Now I'm a Catholic.
• 28:21
  Now I'm a Catholic.
• 28:23
  But the thing about it is I support the fact that they are against organ harvesting.
• 28:23
  But the thing about it is I support the fact that they are against organ harvesting.
• 28:28
  They're fighting to stop.
• 28:28
  They're fighting to stop the persecution by the CCP and taking innocent people and using their organs for profit.
• 28:36
  I think a lot of us believe in human rights, and we have to question what do we think?
• 28:42
  How far will we go?
• 28:43
  I I ask a lot of people too, just the basic thing, Pastor.
• 28:47
  You know who your mayor is?
• 28:48
  You know who your city council is?
• 28:50
  Do you know who the state rep is?
• 28:52
  You know who the representative in Congress is.
• 28:55
  Do you vote?
• 28:56
  Do you care?
• 28:58
  And uh I think that's important.
• 29:00
  Do you go to church?
• 29:02
  Yes.
• 29:03
  Yes.
• 29:04
  They say all politics is local.
• 29:05
  You know, you need to know to your point, your mayor, your city officials, uh, school board meetings, those are important.
• 29:11
  And we have some local things that are going on right here where I pastor in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
• 29:16
  And you'd be shocked to see the things that are happening right now in some of these meetings and some of the curriculums that they've tried to push through, and some of the books they've tried to put in the libraries.
• 29:25
  And if parents don't get involved, if citizens don't get involved, these things slide in.
• 29:29
  And uh, there's a lot of big corporations and funding behind some of this stuff.
• 29:33
  And it kind of is shocking when you look at some of the content, especially they're giving the kids.
• 29:38
  And so I think it's important, it's so important that parents get involved.
• 29:41
  Now, I'm I'm I'm encouraged because I'm seeing more of this in the last few years.
• 29:45
  It seems like people are awakening to this, but I think we still need to do it at a greater level.
• 29:50
  And you have uh going back to your original career in Hollywood, you're seeing the emergence more of Christian filmmakers, filmmakers that are going back to, you know, stories and lessons that people used to learn in the films.
• 30:05
  Like I remember, you know, movies by Frank Copra.
• 30:08
  People think about Frank Copper, it's a wonderful life.
• 30:11
  Uh Mr.
• 30:12
  Smith goes to Washington.
• 30:14
  You think of all those great movies, and he was an Italian immigrant that came to this country with nothing, but he loved the country.
• 30:21
  And you had all those guys like John Ford and a number of great great filmmakers that documented at the end of World War II went over and filmed the uh concentration camps so that you could really show the horror that happened.
• 30:38
  Now we talk about altering young children when you couldn't even read about any of the things that uh Joseph Mengela did during World War II, these experiments, and some of the stuff that's going on now is far worse.
• 30:53
  I mean, to your point, it's trying to reawaken the conscience because ultimately I think most of us are born with a sense of what's right and wrong, what's good and evil.
• 31:05
  Yes, we are.
• 31:06
  I mean, I I 100% believe that.
• 31:08
  I know that when I was doing bad things in Hollywood before God got a hold of my life, I inherently knew.
• 31:14
  I feel like we have a blueprint that's inside of us that knows that there's a conscious, there's something that God's put there that lets us know what's right and wrong.
• 31:21
  That's why, you know, you think about Billy Graham and the crusades that he had and the thousands, hundreds of thousands of people that came forward in those crusades.
• 31:29
  And basically his message was pretty simple, but it was about that we're sinners in need of a savior and that there is a higher being, a higher power, and there is a set of morals and values that we're meant to live under, and and God has put those forth in his word.
• 31:43
  And so, you know, getting back to those things, you'll feel better because you're in a line with what God has made you to be and to do.
• 31:50
  And these attacks, like you said, mangle.
• 31:53
  I mean, how the things that one time would seem so far out and so evil have now been things that have been pushed on us, and we're supposed to put our heads down and say, Oh, that's not happening.
• 32:03
  No, I don't agree with that.
• 32:04
  I think that we should stand up and speak.
• 32:06
  And to your point earlier in the show, sometimes you got to be bold, and there is a cost, but at the end of the day, you know, when the when the American revolution was fought, I think it was only like three percent of the people that really fought in in the battle itself.
• 32:18
  You know, it doesn't take everybody, it's like Gideon's 300.
• 32:21
  You just need the 300.
• 32:24
  You're exactly right.
• 32:27
  Yeah.
• 32:28
  Well, and you know, it's interesting.
• 32:29
  Uh, years ago, I was a governor overseeing our international broadcasting, and that included broadcasts that we had, like Voice of America Radio for Europe.
• 32:38
  But we had a service called the Persian Service, and we would get requests from the audience.
• 32:46
  Can you get a series for us uh that would be in foresty or whatever the language is, uh, to tell us how the young people during the American revolution were able to break away and gain solid ground and gain the country.
• 33:02
  How can we emulate guys like George Washington and Paul Revere and Benjamin Franklin and John Adams?
• 33:10
  And I wish we had done that, because a series like that in another language in a country that's troubled, like Iran and others in Afghanistan and other countries would certainly show the nobility of those young people that were willing to risk their lives.
• 33:26
  Your thoughts?
• 33:28
  Yes, that's right.
• 33:30
  There's been an attack on history, they've tried to change history, and by doing so, uh, the people that you mentioned have been many of them have been demonized, or the story's been changed, and that's what I think is a major problem.
• 33:43
  That's happens in a lot of revolutions, and we need to be very cautious and careful of that.
• 33:47
  Uh, but we need to learn the true history, and uh, you know, there's been people, I think that they uh recommended Iran for the human rights uh council or something like that.
• 33:57
  People that live under uh the tyranny of that type of uh regime know the truth.
• 34:03
  Uh and the truth is is that women are greatly oppressed, and uh there's oppression all around.
• 34:08
  Religious liberty and freedom is not there, uh, and the life is certainly not one that we would want to live and thank God for our rights and freedoms and our constitution here in America.
• 34:17
  But I think we have to be very wise to the fact that people are trying to change history and change reality, and this is where again, discernment and being somebody who's educated on the truth.
• 34:28
  Uh, we have to really research and uh find trusted voices like yourself that are willing to speak truth in this hour of deception.
• 34:36
  And yours.
• 34:37
  Tell us about your program.
• 34:39
  What how do you format it?
• 34:40
  I'm I'm very interested to know.
• 34:43
  Oh, thank you.
• 34:43
  Well, we have a podcast, it's been a radio show for many years in a podcast, and so we have different segments, very similar to yours, actually.
• 34:49
  And so we do it in radio format, and then we post it on the podcast and all the podcast platforms.
• 34:54
  It's just my name, the Todd Coconado show.
• 34:56
  And uh, we've been seeing just great uh amazing viewership, and uh it's just really quite uh frankly, during the COVID era is when I saw a lot of momentum.
• 35:00
  And uh it's just really quite uh frankly, during the COVID era is when I saw a lot of momentum.
• 35:05
  Oh, I bet.
• 35:05
  Oh, I bet.
• 35:06
  Yeah, that's all of a sudden people are like, wait a minute, there's a pastor that's talking about these things.
• 35:06
  Yeah, that's all of a sudden people are like, wait a minute, there's a pastor that's talking about these things.
• 35:12
  Uh, I I don't really understand how other pastors don't talk about these things.
• 35:12
  Uh I I don't really understand how other pastors don't talk about these things.
• 35:16
  I think they're extremely important.
• 35:16
  I think they're extremely important.
• 35:18
  Uh, you know, they they have a major effect on our lives and our freedoms.
• 35:18
  Uh, you know, they they have a major effect on our lives and our freedoms, and so I think we need to address these things.
• 35:21
  And so I think we need to address these things.
• 35:24
  I don't think they're political, I think they're spiritual.
• 35:24
  I don't think they're political, I think they're spiritual.
• 35:26
  And I think if uh you also have religion now that has even a form.
• 35:26
  And I think they've also have religion now that has even a form of political correctness.
• 35:32
  Yeah, you know what I'm saying?
• 35:33
  And big time, and um, you know, sometimes I feel like I'm doing seven re something revolutionary if I want to go to a Latin math, okay?
• 35:43
  Which is ridiculous, right?
• 35:45
  But the thing of it is, you know, uh faith is important to your point, and learning to have the courage to believe is also surprising now when you have uh people that question whether or not the Ten Commandments in Texas, they're trying to say that's okay to put the Ten Commandments in the school.
• 36:02
  And I'm and people say, Why would you do that?
• 36:05
  Well, because think about it.
• 36:07
  Which commandment would you take out?
• 36:10
  Right.
• 36:10
  I mean, it's all based on law.
• 36:12
  Now our laws are based on the Ten Commandments.
• 36:16
  Yes, as they should be, as they should be.
• 36:18
  It's the foundation.
• 36:19
  And uh to your point, which one should we not adhere to?
• 36:22
  Uh, you know, it's it's that's just the really upside down, inside out where we are right now.
• 36:27
  Good is evil and evil is good, but we have to stick to those foundational principles.
• 36:30
  That's what made our country successful.
• 36:33
  That's what made our country who we are today.
• 36:36
  And there are people that don't want to see a strong America.
• 36:39
  There are people that want to see a weakened America, one of many.
• 36:42
  Uh, they have a different plan for the future, and we have to be very careful because our country, I believe, is that shining city that Reagan talked about.
• 36:49
  And the truth of the matter is the world is watching us right now, and this is a pivotal moment in history.
• 36:55
  And if America were to lose the influence that we have on the world stage, who is it that's there to fill that vacuum?
• 37:01
  Well, you have a major communist country that's willing to step in.
• 37:05
  They want their currency to be the global reserve, they want their values and principles to be the world standard, and they do not have the freedoms and rights that we have.
• 37:13
  So I think this is very important time in history.
• 37:15
  We're at that pivotal moment of decision.
• 37:17
  You mentioned and we're at that pivotal moment.
• 37:19
  We got to take a break.
• 37:20
  And when we come back, we'll come back with Pastor Todd Coconato.
• 37:24
  You can go to pastor Todd.org.
• 37:26
  I'm Lanquita Cullum on the National Security Hour.
• 37:29
  Stay with us.
• 37:31
  Okay, it's not gonna go off.
• 37:33
  I stopped it before it went screaming buzzing.
• 37:35
  Hold on for one maybe second.
• 37:38
  You're a great radio host.
• 37:40
  Well, I've done radio a long time, I'll tell you that.
• 37:43
  You can tell.
• 37:43
  You can definitely tell.
• 37:45
  I started back in um, oh my gosh.
• 37:48
  And rock and roll radio.
• 37:50
  And it started off in rock and roll radio in San Antonio, which was a lot of fun with a lot of great talent.
• 37:55
  And uh been on the air now, golly, since 19, the late 1970s, almost 50 years.
• 38:02
  Can you believe it?
• 38:03
  Goes by quickly.
• 38:04
  Good for you.
• 38:05
  Thank you for all that to you.
• 38:07
  Oh, and thank you too, Pastor.
• 38:08
  Let's get back into it.
• 38:09
  Well, we'll finish up with this.
• 38:11
  We've got a lot to talk about still.
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• 39:13
  This is the national security hour.
• 39:16
  I'm Blanquita Cullum, and I have a great guest, a man who really understands the ins and outs of Hollywood and said bye-bye.
• 39:24
  I'm going another path.
• 39:26
  And I'm talking about Pastor Todd Coconado.
• 39:28
  Uh, you can go and check out his own broadcast at pastor Todd.org.
• 39:33
  He has a lot of information for you.
• 39:35
  And Pastor, uh, the interesting part of Hollywood.
• 39:38
  And I I grew up with uh a lot of being close to Hollywood.
• 39:41
  My dad had an ice cream store when I was a little girl in La Jolla.
• 39:45
  Made sure the waitresses would call me when one of the movie stars would go in.
• 39:48
  I was so starstruck, you know how that is.
• 39:51
  And uh, but the thing of it is Hollywood has lost its way from the very beginning.
• 39:57
  They were just more clever about it during the golden era.
• 40:00
  They had guys that would clean up the backgrounds and reputations of these movie stars.
• 40:06
  But as a young kid, um, that had to be challenging because it's legendary some of the abuse that happened to kids in Hollywood.
• 40:14
  Your thoughts.
• 40:15
  Well, you're asking the million dollar question.
• 40:17
  I mean, I have so many friends that have uh to your point been abused and just different things that have happened.
• 40:22
  A lot of it I had to keep in for many years because they blacklist you and they uh attack you, and you know, there's all different things that happen.
• 40:29
  I mean, look at some of the voices that have tried to come out and expose some of this thing.
• 40:33
  But here's the thing right now, we're in an age of exposure.
• 40:36
  And I think with the internet and podcasts and different things, uh the cat's out of the bag, and we've seen some major changes.
• 40:43
  I mean, look at Weinstein, you look at uh the Nexium situation, there's all these different ones that have come out over the last few years.
• 40:49
  And I think that's gonna continue.
• 40:51
  And so I think there is some accountability that's coming in, but for years, uh many people have been abused in Hollywood.
• 40:57
  There's been all kinds of things that have been rumored, but I will I'm here to tell you it's true.
• 41:02
  I've had friends firsthand, and it's it's unfortunate, it's horrible.
• 41:05
  But I think that there is some changes that are coming, and I'm I'm very excited about that.
• 41:09
  Well, I hope so.
• 41:10
  You know, the sad thing is you know, the Academy Awards.
• 41:13
  I used to love to have parties with the Academy Awards, but I haven't watched the Academy Awards for years.
• 41:18
  And part of it is you have somebody that's making a zillion dollars more than you, that is really not a very good person on the on on screen, but they're gonna come up and they've made a determination, they're gonna tell you how to live your life and run your store.
• 41:31
  The only thing I want them to do is to make a better movie and do a better job.
• 41:36
  You know, I go, I love movies.
• 41:38
  I love movies, but I can't tell you the last movie that I went to go see in a theater.
• 41:45
  That's gotta be a heartbreak for a lot of those people that own theaters.
• 41:49
  Is you know, the whole industry is being disrupted right now.
• 41:52
  A lot of the companies are moving out of Hollywood, some are moving into other countries, some are moving over here to the south, like Atlanta, different places, but there's a big disruption.
• 42:00
  Disruption.
• 42:01
  And I think this is gonna change a lot because, like you we mentioned earlier in the broadcast, there's an alternative Hollywood that's now arisen.
• 42:01
  And I think this is going to change a lot because, like you we mentioned earlier in the broadcast, there's an alternative Hollywood that's now arisen.
• 42:08
  Faith based community.
• 42:08
  Faith-based community.
• 42:09
  And so the uh a lot of what's happening is in the free market is speaking, and people are making, I mean, look at the YouTube shows.
• 42:09
  And so the uh a lot of what's happening is in the free market is speaking, and people are making, I mean, look at the YouTube shows.
• 42:16
  There's people are making YouTube docilms or uh YouTube shows, they're getting more views than some of the major networks.
• 42:16
  There's people are making YouTube docufilms or uh YouTube shows, they're getting more views than some of the major networks.
• 42:22
  It's crazy.
• 42:22
  It's crazy.
• 42:22
  And you have guys on you have guys like on Facebook.
• 42:22
  And you have guys on you have guys like on Facebook.
• 42:25
  Uh, the guy's name, I think is Darman.
• 42:25
  Uh, the guy's name, I think is Darman.
• 42:27
  I don't know if you've ever seen any of his videos.
• 42:27
  I don't know if you've ever seen any of his videos, but he he tries to teach a morality lesson in every video about being kind to people, not being, you know, bullying, not you know, judging people, being kinder to folks, and and they're pretty well done.
• 42:42
  He's got a cast that's a regular cast, and they take uh they're they can they kind of have a morality sense to them.
• 42:49
  But think about it.
• 42:50
  Back in the day, some of the best shows were made by people like Bishop Sheen, you know, the he rivaled guys like Ed Sullivan, but you also had morality plays that came out that were thrilling, and it was it, it was the Twilight Zone.
• 43:09
  Well, we're in it.
• 43:10
  I mean, look at the last election cycle.
• 43:12
  Uh, even President Trump knew that he had to go on some of these big podcasts.
• 43:16
  And so YouTube and streaming platforms are so disruptive to Hollywood.
• 43:20
  And I think in the next few years, I mean, I think Hollywood's lost a lot of its influence.
• 43:24
  I mean, to your point, some of the shows, people aren't tuning into those shows anymore.
• 43:28
  And they honestly don't care what these people are opining on.
• 43:31
  They don't really care about what their thoughts are on politics.
• 43:34
  They want them to, hey, listen, you're an actor, act, don't talk about it.
• 43:38
  We don't want to hear your political views.
• 43:39
  You know, so I think people are starting to really feel that way more and more.
• 43:42
  I mean, look at the mainstream corporate media.
• 43:44
  I mean, they've lost so much viewership.
• 43:46
  I mean, they're they're in the tanks when it comes to ratings on a lot of them, you know.
• 43:50
  So uh people have gone to alternative media, they've gone to alternative sources, they're watching uh, you know, homemade films and people that are doing it in their own homes.
• 43:59
  So there's a big disruption.
• 44:00
  I think Hollywood better take notice.
• 44:02
  Well, the other thing is you think about some of the shows that gain big audiences like that.
• 44:07
  One called Hot Wings.
• 44:09
  Have you ever seen Hot Wings where the guy's making the guest on the very smart guy?
• 44:13
  And you see the real character of some of these guys, like Paul Rudd, who seemed like such a sweet guy, and you know, it can kind of have self-deprecating humor.
• 44:22
  And you see programs that are old fashioned types of formats, like the the British uh interviewer, Graham Norton, who makes people kind of laugh at themselves and take things lightly.
• 44:33
  They don't have to go on there and be political geniuses when that's not their that's not their real craft.
• 44:39
  Their craft is supposed to be entertaining.
• 44:41
  Uh, as I mentioned to you back in the day when I was first starting in television, I had the blessing in the 80s to interview George Burns, the great comic.
• 44:51
  Wow, and he was wonderful.
• 44:52
  He was coming to San Antonio, and I loved him.
• 44:55
  I went and researched everything he did.
• 44:57
  He and Gracie, and he said to me, kid, you're gonna do okay, but I'm gonna give you a couple of pieces of advice.
• 45:04
  When you're going out, he said, dress like a star.
• 45:08
  He said, Because people want to see a star, they want to see someone they can look up to.
• 45:12
  He said, But the most important one is don't forget the folks who buy the tickets.
• 45:18
  And part of that is because he and Gracie started during the depression.
• 45:22
  People couldn't afford if they had to go to see a program and they got to see those guys on stage.
• 45:28
  Those actors and performers knew they had to give it back to the audience.
• 45:32
  But now some of these programs feel like they have to lecture and talk down to the audience like they're stupid and not worthy.
• 45:40
  Your thoughts.
• 45:41
  Yeah, well, I think that's why so many people have turned them off.
• 45:43
  I mean, I think about a few years ago, the NFL that was kind of disrespecting America and a lot of people turned off the NFL for a few years.
• 45:51
  I mean, it's been disruptive in so many different ways when it comes to uh boycotts in the conservative movement.
• 45:56
  You saw some of these uh big corporations and uh wholesalers and retailers that took stands in in weird woke you know ideology.
• 46:05
  People don't want that.
• 46:06
  So the bottom line is is customers always write.
• 46:08
  People want authenticity, they want realness.
• 46:11
  I think even preachers need to take your advice, what you just said.
• 46:14
  Don't forget who you're who your audience is, don't forget who it is that you're speaking to.
• 46:18
  Don't talk down to people, don't try to be this elitist group of folks.
• 46:22
  Uh be real, be authentic, do what you're supposed to do and do it right.
• 46:26
  Yeah, and that's what people are gonna appreciate and they're gonna respect.
• 46:28
  And so that you know, when I speak on college campuses and to different youth, I mean, I'm telling you right now, they're like bloodhounds.
• 46:34
  They can search, they look for authenticity.
• 46:36
  They can smell it, yeah.
• 46:38
  Yes, they just want real, they're just like, are you real?
• 46:41
  Okay, good, you know, and and you don't have to be super polished or have everything figured out, but you know, they just want to see that you're actually speaking from your heart and that you live what you say, and you and you actually live it out, and you're not just but you know, no more of this speaking down to people and being elite is that whole thing is done.
• 46:56
  I feel like that's changing and it's rapidly changing.
• 46:59
  And I don't think we're gonna see that in the years ahead.
• 47:02
  You know, I as I mentioned to you about the Memorial Day parade that's coming up.
• 47:06
  Um, one of the great people that shows up every year, except for one year when his wife was sick and his son passed away as a great Gary Sinise.
• 47:14
  And he had that role in Forrest Gump, where he played Lieutenant Dan.
• 47:20
  But it kind of spoke to him like your experience with Jesus.
• 47:24
  That spoke to him where he took into a real deep comp kind of comprehension rather of the value of these guys and gals who've suffered that serve in the military.
• 47:36
  And I hear from people about him and how he'll call the family to make sure that the father and the mother, the sister, whoever has been wounded, how they're doing.
• 47:47
  And it's guys like that, and Joe Montana, who shows up every year, whose uncle, uh, I think it was Uncle Joe that was in World War II.
• 47:56
  You see these people that have served in the military, like you know, the old shows that Bob Hope used to do, the USO shows.
• 48:03
  They get out there and they perform for the troops.
• 48:07
  And, you know, that kind of thing, that doesn't die.
• 48:10
  It may be taking a nap, but it's guys like you, Pastor Todd, that are trying to give a little slap therapy to wake it up.
• 48:18
  Well, it's what the people want and what we need back in our country, you know, good old Americana, like you're talking about.
• 48:25
  You know, I think about it the fourth July when the families come together and they listen to patriotic music, and you know, we we hear great singers and performers, and we love that kind of thing here in America.
• 48:35
  And I think that there's a major market for that, and we need to bring that back, and we need to bring back family and you know, the common sense and you know, all this nonsense that they try to shove down our throat.
• 48:46
  People don't want it, and that there is a counterculture, there's a movement that's happening, and that's what gets me very hopeful and excited because I at the very you know, 1158 on the clock, and it looked like our country was on this major downhill, and all of a sudden something is shifting.
• 49:00
  Downhill, and all of a sudden something is shifting.
• 49:02
  And I believe that's how God tends to work.
• 49:02
  And I believe that's how God tends to work is you know, there's a scripture says, if my people were called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I'll hear their prayers from heaven, I'll heal their land.
• 49:04
  Is you know, there's a scripture that says, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I'll hear their prayers from heaven, I'll heal their land.
• 49:15
  And that's what I believe is that you know, if we do that, that's the recipe for revival.
• 49:15
  And that's what I believe is that, you know, if we do that, that's the recipe for revival.
• 49:19
  It's the recipe for renewal.
• 49:19
  It's the recipe for renewal.
• 49:21
  And what is revival?
• 49:21
  And what is revival?
• 49:22
  It means something was dead and it needs to be awakened.
• 49:22
  It means something was dead and it needs to be awakened.
• 49:25
  And that's what I feel that we're walking into is an awakening.
• 49:25
  And that's what I feel that we're walking into is an awakening.
• 49:28
  I'm hopeful, and we're
• 49:28
  I'm hopeful, and we're going to keep fighting.
• 49:30
  We're going to keep standing for righteousness.
• 49:33
  We're going to keep speaking the truth.
• 49:35
  And I love this country.
• 49:36
  I love our flag.
• 49:37
  I love the Pledge of Allegiance.
• 49:38
  I still get goosebumps when I hear our national anthem sung.
• 49:42
  You know, I think of songs like Proud to Be an American.
• 49:44
  Yes, bring more of that.
• 49:45
  We want more of that kind of thing.
• 49:47
  Well, you know, it's interesting.
• 49:48
  This last Memorial Day parade, and I've talked about it on the show before.
• 49:52
  There was an interesting participant who came as a celebrity.
• 49:56
  I'm talking about Gene Simmons of KISS.
• 49:59
  And Gene Simmons, I mean, my gosh, when I started in rock and roll radio, I mean, wow.
• 50:03
  You know, we had to be careful that we would promote on just regular AM radio, the songs of KISS.
• 50:09
  But it turns out that his mother, Flora, had been a survivor of the concentration camps.
• 50:16
  And so he is very pro the American military and the American way of life.
• 50:21
  Here he is, this great performer.
• 50:23
  And he says, if you're going to mess with American military, you're going to mess with me.
• 50:28
  So there he is in the parade.
• 50:30
  We had about a hundred World War II veterans that were over a hundred years old, if you can imagine.
• 50:36
  And one of them sitting next to Gene Simmons in that car had been one of the guys that had rescued his mother.
• 50:43
  Can you imagine that?
• 50:45
  Wow.
• 50:46
  And uh, you know, he's a guy, you know, rock and roller, married to the same wife for I don't know, over 50 years or something.
• 50:53
  Very strong, principled guy, kind to everybody, but a great entertainer.
• 50:58
  And I think it's it's kind of fun to find out those things and see those people that say, I can live an independent creative life because I live in the United States of America.
• 51:10
  I can tell you some outrageous things in a song or make a presentation because I do believe in freedom of speech.
• 51:18
  But we also believe in the freedom to be able to join together, regardless of what we think and how we believe and hold hands and celebrate the fact that we're free and that we have a constitution.
• 51:30
  That's right.
• 51:30
  And you mentioned something earlier in the show, too.
• 51:32
  You know, we don't have to agree on everything.
• 51:34
  And that's so important.
• 51:35
  People think today that if you don't agree with me on this issue or that issue, you're my enemy.
• 51:40
  Like we we can agree to disagree sometimes and still fight for the greater good and fight for our country and love our nation and you know, be unified in our neighborhoods and communities.
• 51:50
  And so this division that we've seen, a lot of it is propagandized, a lot of it is pushed by our adversaries on our country.
• 51:57
  And in some of it's a psychological warfare operation.
• 52:00
  So this is where we need to be keen and discerning and understand.
• 52:04
  And I I just be talking about unity a lot lately, Blackita, because I really feel like you know, the Bible talks about unity, obviously, not with heretics or evil people, but to unify with other like-minded people and people that have good intentions.
• 52:16
  And imagine if we could do that.
• 52:18
  I think when Newt Gingrich was in the conversation, he was able to go across the party lines and actually have uh real discussions.
• 52:24
  You know, there's been so much polarization in the political structure now that it's such a bad toxic situation, and we need to pull back from that.
• 52:32
  We need to get back to, you know, we're looking out for the innocent.
• 52:36
  You want to protect the innocent.
• 52:37
  I mean, what are who are the innocent?
• 52:38
  Are the innocent people that are like the Nigerian Christians who are getting killed?
• 52:43
  Are they like these people that are the having their organs harvested because they're healthy and they are not supporters of the CCP?
• 52:52
  Are they people that are children that are being told about who they are and how they should identify?
• 52:57
  I mean, who has the rights?
• 52:59
  We have the right to be able to use our influence for good to protect the innocent.
• 53:05
  I mean, that's I think one of the most important things, protecting those people who are being victimized.
• 53:11
  Even if you see people that are hurt on trains, people that are being talked down to, people that are being targeted.
• 53:17
  It's okay for us to be able to fight for the rights of those people to protect them and that justice prevail.
• 53:23
  I mean, one of the things that we talk about, I'm a co-founder of voices against trafficking.
• 53:26
  People talk about, you know, not trying to stop people from coming across the border.
• 53:30
  You know how much those cartels are making a month?
• 53:33
  A billion dollars a month on human trafficking.
• 53:37
  Let you finish up on this.
• 53:39
  Yeah, well, you that's such a big uh important subject matter.
• 53:42
  I'm so glad you brought that up.
• 53:43
  I mean, there's some people that are really standing and fighting against this, and we've seen a major reduction in border crossings and some of this trafficking, but they're still it's the second we got the drug trade, and you got human trafficking, and yet some people don't even realize it's happening in the community.
• 53:56
  To your point, stand up for the innocent folks, stand up for the children, stand up for the for the for the people that can't fight for themselves.
• 54:03
  And you know, Nigeria, I mean, we've been talking about that.
• 54:06
  We actually were just in DC.
• 54:07
  You know, I'm I'm very excited to see in DC, I was just there, the National Guard that around the city.
• 54:12
  I was walking through Navy Yard at late night, and it was like, you know, I felt safe.
• 54:16
  And thank God for our men and women in the armed forces that are taking a you know, stand and helping us defend our country.
• 54:23
  You know, we we appreciate these folks, first responders, NYPD.
• 54:28
  I mean, the people that do the the hard work, we need to honor these folks again, and we need to protect the young people like you're doing.
• 54:34
  I appreciate that, Bukita.
• 54:36
  And also their families, because one of the things that we say are the people that take these positions, whether it's in the military or law enforcement or any position where they're trying to do a good job, including teachers, including doctors and professionals, their families also serve.
• 54:53
  And so we have to try to give them the kind of support that they need too, because a lot of times they're not thanked uh because sometimes those people don't make a lot of money, and they're out there, for example, trying to do the best they can, the best way they know how.
• 55:06
  And we don't say thank you for your service.
• 55:09
  That's right.
• 55:09
  Pastors, that's another, you know, clergymen.
• 55:12
  I mean, you're absolutely you know, you hear negative stuff today, sometimes about law enforcement pastors.
• 55:18
  Usually that's a small group.
• 55:20
  You know, I know that gets a lot of uh attention, and you know, obviously we want to stand for we stand with the victims 100%.
• 55:26
  But what I'm saying is there's a lot of good people, a lot of good law enforcement, a lot of good clergymen that really make a massive difference in our country.
• 55:34
  Thank God for the churches that feed uh, you know, hungry people every week in the city uh that help abuse victims and all different types of people that are in trouble, drug addiction, marriages that are in trouble.
• 55:45
  We got to remember these folks are doing uh a great work in our country and don't get um so pulled into all the negative that you forget the thousands upon thousands of people who work because guys like you that are a pastor, and like you know, Billy Graham's son, who's such a great force for good, and other pastors and priests and around the world, they are assuming a lot of burden, a lot of the weight because people will come with problems, they need your advice, they need your guidance, and you take it personally, you don't just take it in a lightweight, you understand the responsibility, and you're trying to help them.
• 56:00
  Such a great force for good, and other pastors and priests and around the world, they are assuming a lot of burden, a lot of the weight, because people will come with problems.
• 56:11
  They need your advice, they need your guidance.
• 56:13
  And you take it personally.
• 56:14
  You don't just take it in a lightweight.
• 56:16
  You understand the responsibility and you're trying to help them.
• 56:20
  So uh, Pastor Tom, we're so grateful that we have you on the show.
• 56:20
  So, uh, Pastor Todd, we're so grateful that we have you on the show.
• 56:24
  Can you uh can you join us again sometime soon?
• 56:24
  Can you uh can you join us again sometime soon?
• 56:27
  We'd love to have you back.
• 56:27
  We'd love to have you back.
• 56:29
  You're an amazing woman, and we just are so thankful for you and all that you do.
• 56:32
  So anytime you just let me know.
• 56:34
  Well, this is the National Security Hour.
• 56:37
  We thank our good friend now.
• 56:38
  He's a brand new friend, Pastor Todd Coconado.
• 56:42
  You can check him out by going to www.pastort.org.
• 56:47
  And we thank you for listening to us here on the National Security Hour.
• 56:50
  Again, Blanquita Kullum on the America Out Loud Network.