Character and Moral Courage Drive Citizen Engagement

On August 7, 2025, Kim Monson explores the foundations of principled citizenship with Brad Beck, Karen Gordey, and Major General Joe Arbuckle. The discussion spans local government accountability in Lakewood, the importance of character and curiosity in civic life, and ongoing efforts to restore military readiness by removing divisive DEI policies.

Local Government Accountability and TABOR Transparency

Start listening at 9:50 – Hour 1

Karen Gordey, owner of Radiant Painting and Lighting and candidate for Lakewood City Council Ward 5, reveals troubling patterns in municipal finance. Her investigation uncovered a special interest committee formed by the wife of Lakewood’s planning commission chair that lobbied voters to surrender TABOR refunds. City council members contributed to the campaign while sitting on the dais claiming fiscal responsibility.

Gordey’s research found that Lakewood collected $16.4 million in excess TABOR funds in 2024, up $2 million from the previous year. The city’s TABOR reserve now holds $49.2 million while officials claim an affordability crisis. She argues this crisis is self-inflicted, noting that lowering the mill levy would reduce property taxes rather than extracting more from residents already struggling with inflation.

“And I was like, I have to get involved because that was just very dishonest.”

Karen Gordey, Lakewood City Council Candidate

Character, Curiosity, and the Foundations of Liberty

Start listening at 1:29 – Hour 1

Brad Beck, co-founder of Liberty Toastmasters, shares the philosophy behind his upcoming essay exploring how character, curiosity, communication, and connection form the basis of meaningful civic participation. Drawing on sources from ancient Mesopotamian literature to Frederick Douglass, Beck argues that principled engagement requires both self-reliance and civic knowledge.

Beck traces the decline of American institutions to citizens abandoning fundamental principles in favor of emotional appeals. He contrasts successful free-market societies like Israel and South Korea with the failures of collectivism, noting that human flourishing depends on protecting individual rights and allowing people to keep the fruits of their labor. The key, Beck suggests, lies in asking persistent questions about the principles underlying government action.

“Communication is not about talking. It’s about listening, asking good questions, and then digging deeper and asking a further question and another question to where you get information that probably you wouldn’t get just on the surface.”

Brad Beck, Co-Founder, Liberty Toastmasters

Military Readiness and Eradicating DEI

Start listening at 70:54 – Hour 2

Major General Joe Arbuckle, retired Army and Vice Chairman of STARS, provides an update on efforts to remove DEI from military institutions. While physical vestiges of DEI programs have been largely eliminated under President Trump’s executive orders, the mental residue from 15 years of political correctness remains embedded in military culture and requires sustained effort to expunge.

Arbuckle explains that DEI fundamentally undermines unit cohesion by dividing service members into identity groups based on race, sex, and gender rather than unifying them around mission and purpose. The equity component of DEI requires lowering standards to achieve equal outcomes, which directly degrades military readiness. STARS is presenting its American Creed briefing across the country to educate citizens about how Marxist ideology has infiltrated American institutions.

“And that’s the exact opposite, as I said earlier, about what our military is about, which is unity, teamwork.”

Major General Joe Arbuckle, Vice Chairman, STARS