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Top 5 of 2020: #3 – Roger Scruton on Beauty in a World of 'Uglification'

Notable SpeechesDec 30, 2020

00:00
18:58
Bishop Robert Barron: The Philosophical Roots of "Wokeism"

Bishop Robert Barron: The Philosophical Roots of "Wokeism"

The cultural ideology of "wokeism" isn't new. It has a pedigree traceable to philosophers of previous centuries, including René Descartes, Immanuel Kant, Karl Marx, and Jacques Derrida.

In this address, Catholic Bishop Robert Barron, one of America's most influential religious leaders, describes how the ideas of such philosophers have formed the foundations of "critical theory" and "woke" ideology.

Bishop Barron serves the diocese of Winona-Rochester in Minnesota and founded Word on Fire Catholic Ministries.

He delivered this address on June 21, 2023, at a conference sponsored by the Acton Institute in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Jul 21, 202336:06
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: 'Freedom is Worth Fighting For'
Jan 06, 202318:30
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Defeating the Enemies of Freedom
Aug 12, 202237:34
Justice Samuel Alito on the Growing Threat to Religious Liberty

Justice Samuel Alito on the Growing Threat to Religious Liberty

In July, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Samuel Alito spoke at a Religious Liberty Summit hosted by the University of Notre Dame Law School's Religious Liberty Initiative.

"We can't lightly assume that the religious liberty enjoyed today in the United States, in Europe, and in many other places will always endure," he said at the Summit's evening gala on July 21. "Religious liberty is fragile, and religious intolerance and persecution have been recurring features of human history."

The 2022 Religious Liberty Summit was held in Rome, Italy, where Notre Dame has one of its overseas campuses. The gala event took place at Rome's centuries-old Palazzo Colonna.

If you have a comment or question about the Notable Speeches podcast, email feedback@notablespeeches.com.

Aug 05, 202237:42
Dr. Kristen Collier of the University of Michigan Medical School

Dr. Kristen Collier of the University of Michigan Medical School

This episode features an address by Dr. Kristen Collier, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School and director of the school's Program on Health, Spirituality & Religion

She spoke on July 24, 2022, at Michigan Medicine's annual White Coat Ceremony welcoming new med students

Dr. Collier's address generated controversy, not because of her remarks but because of her views on abortion. She is pro-life. Some students walked out rather than listen to her remarks.

This podcast presents her speech in full. She spoke about the need for physicians to focus on patients as human beings, not simply as "cases."

If you have a comment or question about the Notable Speeches podcast, email feedback@notablespeeches.com.

Jul 29, 202218:59
Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki: 'We Cannot Allow the Outbreak of World War III'

Polish Prime Minister Morawiecki: 'We Cannot Allow the Outbreak of World War III'

On March 24, 2022, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki addressed the National Conservatism Conference meeting in Brussels, Belgium. Speaking via video, Mr. Morawiecki urged support for Ukraine in the wake of Russia's invasion and he said "we must rebuild the Western world worthy of Ukraine's heroism."

"Ukrainians have resurrected the idea that freedom and independence are values worth living and even dying for," he said.

Mateusz Morawiecki has been the Prime Minister of Poland since 2017. He is a member of the Law and Justice party.

Early in this address, he mentions his recent visit to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv, together with his Deputy Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński, Slovenia's Prime MinisterJanez Janša, and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

If you have a comment or question about the Notable Speeches podcast, email feedback@notablespeeches.com.

Mar 25, 202207:35
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.): Fighting for America's Future as a Land of Freedom
Mar 04, 202220:23
Sen. Ben Sasse: Political Arson and America's Descent Into Tribalism

Sen. Ben Sasse: Political Arson and America's Descent Into Tribalism

"It is our job to stop giving ear to political arsonists who would burn down our institutions and intensify our divisions," said Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) in a Senate floor speech on Jan. 13, 2022. 

He spoke during a debate on eliminating the filibuster, a long-standing Senate rule designed to prevent highly controversial bills from being passed on slim majorities. "Getting rid of the filibuster means you don't have to try to talk to people on the other side of the aisle," he said.

Sen. Sasse criticized the "disastrous leadership" of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and he accused President Joe Biden of "violating the Ninth Commandment" by suggesting that those who disagree with his legislative aim of "federalizing elections" are bigots and racists. The president, Sasse said, has "surrender[ed] to the angriest voices on social media."

Sen. Ben Sasse's remarks have been abridged slightly for this podcast. A complete transcript of his speech is at https://www.sasse.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=CEF0C9C2-7399-4B2D-A1D8-C3C6DFCE3586

Jan 21, 202219:34
Top 5 of 2021 – #1: President Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address – March 4, 1865
Dec 31, 202111:11
Top 5 of 2021 – #2: President Donald Trump's Controversial January 6 Address

Top 5 of 2021 – #2: President Donald Trump's Controversial January 6 Address

Dec 30, 202101:15:59
Top 5 of 2021 – #3: Sen. Josh Hawley: The Fight of Liberty
Dec 29, 202118:27
Top 5 of 2021 – #4: Gov. Ron DeSantis: Conservative Leaders Need to 'Have a Backbone'
Dec 28, 202127:05
Top 5 of 2021 – #5: Justice Clarence Thomas on the Declaration of Independence and the Promise of America

Top 5 of 2021 – #5: Justice Clarence Thomas on the Declaration of Independence and the Promise of America

This week, we are re-posting our five most-listened-to podcasts of 2021. We begin with the fifth most-popular program, which featured an address by U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas.

On September 16, Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the 2021 Tocqueville Lecture sponsored by the University of Notre Dame's Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government.

In his remarks, he described the U.S. Declaration of Independence as America's "national North Star."

"While we have failed the...ideals of the Declaration time and again, I know of no time when [those] ideals have failed us," he said. The Declaration reflects the noble understanding of the justice of the Creator...and the enlightened belief that nothing stamped with the divine image and likeness was sent into the world to be trodden on and degraded." 

If you have a comment or question about the Notable Speeches podcast, email feedback@notablespeeches.com.

Dec 27, 202141:42
From the Archives — Paul Harvey: 'The Man and the Birds'
Dec 24, 202107:56
Archbishop José H. Gomez: America's New Political Religions
Nov 19, 202122:39
Sen. Josh Hawley: The Future of the American Man
Nov 12, 202128:44
Vladimir Putin: The Individual, Values, and the State

Vladimir Putin: The Individual, Values, and the State

Russian President spoke at the annual meeting of the Moscow-based Valdai Discussion Club. The four-day gathering, held in the Russian resort city of Sochi, focused on the theme, "Global Shake-Up in the 21st Century: The Individual, Values, and the State."

In his remarks, Mr. Putin talked about challenges common to nations worldwide — including the coronavirus pandemic, social discontent, and ethical considerations related to new technologies. He also spoke about the "re-alignment of the balance of power" between nations and the challenges of fostering a "stable world order." 

Mr. Putin emphasized the "importance of a solid support [from national governments] in the sphere of morals, ethics, and values." He criticized so-called woke progressives in the United States and Europe, saying their "fight for equality and against discrimination has turned into aggressive dogmatism bordering on absurdity." He derided "cancel culture" and the "demand to give up the traditional notions of mother, father, family and even gender."

Vladimir Putin delivered his remarks in Russian. This Notable Speeches podcast features an English translation.

His address, which ran 35 minutes, has been abridged for this podcast.

An English transcript of Mr. Putin's entire remarks, including a post-speech question-and-answer session, is available at https://valdaiclub.com/events/posts/articles/vladimir-putin-meets-with-members-of-the-valdai-discussion-club-transcript-of-the-18th-plenary-session/

Nov 05, 202126:37
Sohrab Ahmari: An Emerging Political and Cultural Dystopia
Oct 08, 202125:05
Mike Pence: The Well-Being of the Family and the Future of World

Mike Pence: The Well-Being of the Family and the Future of World

Speaking to European political, religious, and corporate leaders meeting in Hungary, former U.S. Vice President said that helping to "preserve the strength of the family" was their "most important task."

Mr. Pence spoke last month at the 4th Demographic Summit in Budapest, along with leaders from Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Serbia, and other nations.

"For our civilization to prosper, if we're to pass on the rights and the freedoms and the values that we cherish to the next generation, our highest priority must be to preserve, renew, and strengthen the families upon which our nations and our civilizations have been built," he said.

The late September summit took place at Budapest's Várkert Bazár (Castle Garden Bazaar), an exhibition and meeting center built in the 1870s and 80s and renovated in 2013. 

If you have a comment or question about the Notable Speeches podcast, email feedback@notablespeeches.com.

Oct 01, 202121:38
Justice Clarence Thomas: The Declaration of Independence and the Promise of America

Justice Clarence Thomas: The Declaration of Independence and the Promise of America

On September 16, U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the 2021 Tocqueville Lecture sponsored by the University of Notre Dame's Center for Citizenship and Constitutional Government.

In his remarks, he described the U.S. Declaration of Independence as America's "national North Star."

"While we have failed the...ideals of the Declaration time and again, I know of no time when [those] ideals have failed us," he said. The Declaration reflects the noble understanding of the justice of the Creator...and the enlightened belief that nothing stamped with the divine image and likeness was sent into the world to be trodden on and degraded." 

If you have a comment or question about the Notable Speeches podcast, email feedback@notablespeeches.com.

Sep 24, 202141:09
California Gubernatorial Candidate Larry Elder: Why I'm Running to Replace Gavin Newsom
Sep 03, 202125:31
Gov. Ron DeSantis: Conservative Leaders Need to 'Have a Backbone'
Jul 23, 202126:47
Donald Trump Announces Class-Action Suit Against Facebook, Google, and Twitter
Jul 09, 202123:57
Sen. Josh Hawley on the Biden Administration and Critical Theory
Jun 25, 202116:22
J.D. Vance on Winning the Fight Against 'Woke Capital'

J.D. Vance on Winning the Fight Against 'Woke Capital'

Speaking at a May 18 event sponsored by the Claremont Institute's Center for the American Way of Life, author J.D. Vance warned that "the biggest businesses, the most powerful institutions, the most powerful banks in this country have aligned themselves against [political and social conservatives]." He urged conservatives to fight back and outlined a plan for doing so. "We’re never going to beat them unless we go after them," he said.

Mr. Vance is the best-selling author of Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis (Harper Press, 2016). He is also the co-founder of Narya, a venture capital firm based in Ohio.

If you have a comment or question about the Notable Speeches podcast, email feedback@notablespeeches.com.

Jun 11, 202122:50
Sen. Josh Hawley at CPAC: The Fight of Liberty
Mar 05, 202118:10
Rush Limbaugh: Illustrating Absurdity by Being Absurd (from 1995)
Feb 26, 202109:14
Sen. Rand Paul: An Unconstitutional Impeachment Trial
Jan 29, 202111:44
President Trump's Controversial January 6 Address
Jan 22, 202101:14:45
Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address – March 4, 1865
Jan 15, 202110:35
Top 5 of 2020: #1 – President Donald Trump at Mount Rushmore
Jan 01, 202144:00
Top 5 of 2020: #2 – Justice Antonin Scalia Addresses the Class of 2015
Dec 31, 202020:09
Top 5 of 2020: #3 – Roger Scruton on Beauty in a World of 'Uglification'

Top 5 of 2020: #3 – Roger Scruton on Beauty in a World of 'Uglification'

Our third most-listened-to podcast of 2020 featured British-born philosopher Roger Scruton, once hailed as “the most influential conservative thinker since Edmund Burke.” Mr. Scruton died Jan. 12, 2020, at the age of 75.

His books include The Meaning of Conservatism (1980, 2001), An Intelligent Person's Guide to Modern Culture (1998, 2005), and The West and the Rest: Globalization and the Terrorist Threat (2002).

Roger Scruton delivered this address at a lecture-and-discussion event titled "Beauty in a World of Ugliness" held at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. The October 2018 event was sponsored by the Dietrich von Hildebrand Legacy Project

His remarks have been abridged slightly for this podcast.

Have a comment or a suggestion about the Notable Speeches podcast? Email feedback@notablespeeches.com.

Dec 30, 202018:58
Top 5 of 2020: #4 – President Ronald Reagan's 1981 Commencement Address at Notre Dame
Dec 29, 202027:01
Top 5 of 2020: #5 – AG William Barr: The Global Ambitions of the Chinese Communist Party
Dec 28, 202041:43
Paul Harvey: 'The Man and the Birds'
Dec 24, 202007:56
Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn: A 'Crucible Moment' in American History

Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn: A 'Crucible Moment' in American History

This episode features an address by Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn (Ret.), recently pardoned by President Donald Trump. 

Gen. Flynn served briefly as Mr. Trump's National Security Adviser in 2017. He resigned in the wake of allegations that he had held unlawful policy-related discussions with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. during the presidential transition in late 2016. 

In this address, at a Dec. 12, 2020, rally in Washington, D.C., Gen. Flynn said the U.S. faces "a historic constitutional crisis" in the wake of voting irregularities in the 2020 general election. "Our rule of law is at risk," he said.

During his military career, Gen. Flynn earned the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Bronze Star Medal, and Legion of Merit. He holds an MBA in Telecommunications, as well as graduate degrees in Military Art and Science (U.S. Army Command and General Staff College), and National Security and Strategic Studies (Naval War College).

The D.C. rally was sponsored by the group Jericho March. According to the group's website, the mission of Jericho March is "to call upon people of faith to prayer, fasting, and peaceful protest in the service of God, and in defense of life, liberty, and justice." 

If you have a comment or question about the Notable Speeches podcast, email feedback@notablespeeches.com.

Dec 18, 202020:57
Walter Hooper, Champion of the Writings of C.S. Lewis
Dec 11, 202030:29
Rudy Giuliani: A Conspiracy to Commit Election Fraud
Dec 04, 202023:49
Justice Samuel Alito: The COVID Pandemic and Restrictions on Individual Liberty
Nov 20, 202030:31
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks: The Central Moral and Spiritual Challenge of Our Time
Nov 13, 202025:01
Ed. Secretary Betsy DeVos on School Choice: Not a Matter of 'If' but of 'When'
Oct 30, 202022:15
Attorney Pam Bondi: The Biden-Burisma Connection

Attorney Pam Bondi: The Biden-Burisma Connection

Was it an abuse of presidential power for Donald Trump to ask the president of Ukraine to "look into" potential corruption involving Hunter Biden and Ukrainian oil company Burisma? That was the key issue in President Trump's impeachment trial earlier this year.

Burisma hired Hunter Biden to serve on its board in 2014, while his father — Joe Biden — was vice president of the United States and tasked with overseeing U.S. policy toward Ukraine.

Speaking in defense of Mr. Trump at the January impeachment trial, attorney Pam Bondi noted that multiple news organizations, including The New York Times and ABC News, had raised conflict-of-interest questions related to Biden/Burisma arrangement. She also pointed out that Burisma was the target of multiple investigations, including by the UK's Serious Fraud Office, during the time Hunter Biden was on the board.

Ms. Bondi spoke in the U.S. Senate chamber on Jan. 27, 2020. The audio has been abridged slightly for this podcast.

Before serving on the White House legal team for the impeachment trial, Pam Bondi was the attorney general of Florida. 

Oct 23, 202029:58
U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse: Politics Has Supplanted Civics
Oct 16, 202013:40
Donald Trump's 'Closing Argument' Campaign Speech — From 2016
Oct 09, 202037:59
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: 'Moral Witness and Religious Freedom'

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: 'Moral Witness and Religious Freedom'

In this address, the U.S. Secretary of State calls on Catholic leaders, as well as other religious leaders, to exercise a "bold moral witness" against religious persecution — especially persecution in China.

The secretary spoke at a symposium titled "Advancing and Defending International Religious Freedom through Diplomacy," sponsored by the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See. That event was held in Rome on Sept. 30, 2020.

Earlier in September, Mr. Pompeo wrote an article for the religious magazine First Things in which he argued that the Vatican would endanger its moral authority if it renews a cooperation deal with Beijing signed in 2018. The deal is set to expire later this year.

"The Church’s hope was that it would improve the condition of Catholics in China by reaching agreement with the Chinese regime on the appointment of bishops," Mr. Pompeo wrote. "Two years on, it’s clear that the Sino-Vatican agreement has not shielded Catholics from the [Communist] Party's depredations, to say nothing of the Party's horrific treatment of...other religious believers."

Secretary Pompeo's address has been condensed slightly for this podcast. A transcript his full remarks is at https://www.state.gov/moral-witness-and-religious-freedom/

Have a comment or question about the Notable Speeches podcast? Email feedback@notablespeeches.com.

Oct 02, 202013:44
Attorney General William Barr: The Constitution and Criminal Justice
Sep 25, 202043:02
Charlton Heston on Winning the Cultural War
Sep 18, 202021:42
Donald Livingston: The Moral Challenge of Slavery and Confederate Emancipation

Donald Livingston: The Moral Challenge of Slavery and Confederate Emancipation

Many Americans think the American Civil War was solely about slavery, but the cultural, political, and economic dynamics leading to war were multi-faceted.

In this address, Donald Livingston, founder of the Abbeville Institute, argues that the historical record undercuts oversimplified explanations and common mischaracterizations. 

Mr. Livingston also speculates that slavery in the Confederate states likely would have ended even if the South had won the war and become an independent nation.

Donald Livingston is the editor of Rethinking the American Union for the Twenty-First Century (Pelican Publishing Company, 2012). He is a Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Atlanta's Emory University.

The Abbeville Institute is an organization of scholars that seeks to "preserve and present what is truly valuable in the Southern tradition." 

Mr. Livingston's remarks, condensed for this podcast, were recorded at an Abbeville Institute gathering for graduate students in 2015.

If you have a comment or question about the Notable Speeches podcast, email feedback@notablespeeches.com.

Sep 11, 202025:48
Theologian Voddie Baucham on Race, Privilege, and 'Ethnic Gnosticism'
Sep 04, 202029:47