Courage and Free Speech in the Face of Political Violence

On September 11, 2025, Kim Monson leads a somber broadcast marking the anniversary of the September 11 attacks while grappling with the previous day’s shocking assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Guests Cory Ohnesorge, Brad Beck, and Cindy McFadden explore the urgent need to defend free speech and constitutional principles in an era of escalating political violence.

Local Government Accountability and the Battle of Ideas

Start listening at 16:12 – Hour 1

Cory Ohnesorge, a board member of the Colorado Union of Taxpayers, discusses the intersection of local government accountability and civic engagement. Drawing parallels between modern political tensions and the founding era, Ohnesorge emphasizes that the Republican Party serves as a tool to reclaim cities, counties, and states from bureaucratic overreach. He warns about the trickle-down effect of state legislation into local government, citing examples from Lakewood where unelected bureaucrats wield significant power over city planning and development without accountability to residents.

Ohnesorge reflects on the current climate of political violence, including the Charlie Kirk assassination and the Evergreen High School shooting, urging listeners to find their strengths and put them to good use in service of their communities. He stresses the importance of prayer and faith-guided action in navigating these challenging times.

“And their attitude in 1776 was give me liberty or give me death.”

Cory Ohnesorge, Colorado Union of Taxpayers Board Member

Free Speech, Courage, and the American Experiment

Start listening at 29:06 – Hour 1

Brad Beck, co-founder of Liberty Toastmasters, joins Kim in studio for an emotional discussion about the state of free speech in America. Beck recalls meeting Charlie Kirk in 2018 at a Boulder County Republicans Lincoln dinner, describing Kirk as someone who could speak in a way that communicated ideas of freedom and liberty while making it cool again for young people to question and engage in dialogue with those who disagree with them.

Beck draws connections between the courage required by the Founding Fathers and the courage exemplified by Kirk, who would venture onto college campuses to engage with students of all political backgrounds. He likens the impact of Kirk’s assassination to the Kennedy assassination, noting how it fundamentally changes the national conversation about free speech and political discourse. Beck emphasizes that 250 years ago, speaking openly as they do now on the radio would have been dangerous, highlighting why the founders enshrined free speech as the First Amendment.

“And there’s a reason that our founders put this First Amendment and free speech, the idea that ideas have power.”

Brad Beck, Liberty Toastmasters Co-Founder

Constitutional Education and the American Dream

Start listening at 56:28 – Hour 2

Cindy McFadden, an educator and creator of Constitution flashcards available at learnitquick.us, shares her passion project born from years of homeschooling her own children. McFadden explains that the U.S. Constitution has endured for 238 years, while the average written constitution worldwide lasts only about 19 years. Her color-coded flashcard system covers everything from the Preamble through all seven articles and 27 amendments, making constitutional education accessible from elementary school through adulthood.

McFadden’s personal story embodies the American Dream: growing up in a family of six children with a homeless, illiterate father and a mother with mental health challenges, she worked her way through college to become a teacher and raise two college-educated children. She cites an Annenberg Constitution Day civic survey showing that many Americans cannot name the guaranteed rights in the First Amendment, arguing that the easiest way to take people’s rights is for them not to know what rights they have. Her flashcards will soon be available at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

“And I think it’s because our country, our Constitution provides freedom and the pursuit of happiness for anyone who wants to work hard and who’s determined to do so.”

Cindy McFadden, Educator and Founder of Learn It Quick