Friends & Fellow Citizens

Thank you to the guests who joined our show in the past year! Here's to another incredible year of content in our 7th season of podcasting!Before our Constitution was even drafted, the Founding Fathers wanted to create a seal that represented the new country and its ideals. How easy or difficult was it to create the famous design? Learn how a largely forgotten Founder Charles Thomson helped finalize the Seal of the United States that has been a fixture representing our country and principles for about a quarter of a millennium!Music credits: Strauss, Johann.“Blue Danube" 2017. YouTube Music. https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=5F--6fDrE-o&si=A8F_V8dt1w8BVfIz.Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

A quarter of a century ago, we lost the lives of nearly 3,000 people in New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia on September 11, 2001. Nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked and crashed four commercial airplanes into the World Trade Center (WTC), the Pentagon, and a field near Shanksville, PA. Since that day, several thousand have tragically died from 9/11-related illnesses, with tens of thousands today still battling those illnesses.One of those survivors and firefighters is here today to share his 9/11 story.Joe Torrillo, a retired 25-year FDNY lieutenant from Brooklyn, spent the first fifteen years of his firefighting career at Engine Company #10 directly across the South Tower of the WTC. By the Grace of God, he survived the collapse of the South Tower and then the North Tower, resulting in life-long injuries. Hear how Joe reflects on 9/11 as we remember those we lost 25 years ago.Please visit Joe's website to learn more about his work: joetorrillo.comSupport the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

Watch the YouTube version HERE!You might have heard the expression "the pen is mightier than the sword." So who "wrote" the Revolution and has been considered the Penman of the American Revolution? John Dickinson was the man behind many critical pillars of our country's founding, and some believe he has been forgotten for too long.Dr. Jane Calvert, author and scholar who runs the John Dickinson Writings Project, is at the forefront of illuminating Dickinson's legacy today. Hear how Dickinson's political wit and penmanship made this Founding Father a celebrity of his time and a brilliant thinker behind the U.S. Constitution.Learn more about Jane Calvert at her website drjanecalvert.org!Click here to purchase her book Penman of the Founding on Amazon!Support the work of the John Dickinson Writings Project at jdproject.org!Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

What do famous names like Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Marshall have in common? They all had a common teacher who became the first signatory from the Commonwealth of Virginia to sign the Declaration: George Wythe. Learn how Wythe's influence shaped the Signers and how the Virginian became one of the premier minds of the law during his time.Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

Click here to watch this episode on YouTube!Several big names have defined the Supreme Court: John Marshall, Roger Taney, Earl Warren, Antonin Scalia, Ruth Bader Ginsburg,... But there is another Justice who has arguably been one of the most influential in the past 20+ years: Justice Samuel Alito.From his new book Revenge For the Sixties, award-winning journalist and former executive director of POLITICO Peter Canellos shares the fascinating upbringing, philosophy, and style that made Justice Alito a pioneer of the conservative legal movement. He also provides a preview of his other book about another interesting Justice named John Marshall Harlan, who notably was the lone dissenter in Plessy v. Ferguson.This is a fascinating topic for everyone interested in the Supreme Court and our judiciary system!Get Peter's new book Revenge For the Sixties!Check out Peter's other book about John Marshall Harlan The Great Dissenter!Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

What was it like to run a congressional campaign for the first time? And what were the biggest takeaways and lessons from that experience? Sherman shares a preview of the experiences and lessons on the campaign trail in one of the largest congressional districts in the country.Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

Hollywood is arguably the most recognizable brand of American movies. But in the last couple of decades, something else has increasingly dominated American domination of the movie industry: the Chinese Communist Party.How can America reclaim American-made Hollywood movies?Chris Fenton, a former Hollywood film producer of 21 films grossing a total of more than $2 billion, shares insight into the growing dilemma between Hollywood and Beijing. He is now featuring a new movie Bad Counselors that brings back American-made cinema to U.S. movie screens! Great opportunity for the whole family!www.badcounselors.comTickets on sale: June 16. Movie is released: July 22.Official Trailer YouTube: LINKDownload Vertical Trailer: LINKDownload Horizontal Trailer: LINKDownload Key Art Post: LINKX: @TheDragonFeederIG: @Feeding.The.DragonPodcast:   PLATE & PONDER: Empty-Nesting w/ Jen & Chris Fenton:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/plate-ponder-empty-nesting-with-jen-chris-fenton/id1846746779 Chris's book:   https://feedingthedragonbook.com/Chris's company:  https://fenton-ibsc.com/Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!Happy 250th birthday to the United States of America! Hope you all enjoy the Independence Day weekend!250 years ago, the Declaration of Independence was adopted by 56 brave signers. While everyone can agree on the significance of that day, 'division' seems to describe all of American politics these days. Just like much of American history, even the issue of independence itself was a divisive issue. But does division inherently mean dysfunction? Or can the division over the meaning of our Declaration result in progress?Previewing their new book Divided Over the Declaration: How an Enduring Debate Sustains the Vision of America, Bill of Rights Institute (BRI) President and CEO David Bobb and BRI Senior Fellow Tony Williams offer insight on how the Declaration has kept its vibrant significance for 250 years. Hear how the Declaration may give us a sense of where our country may go in the next 250 years and beyond.Learn more about the Bill of Rights Institute: https://billofrightsinstitute.org/Purchase a copy of their book on Amazon!Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

As the only Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence, Charles Carroll made strong stances on the role of public service. How did he handle ad hominem attacks from a prominent Loyalist? Learn how Carroll's stance on religion and public office and his choice of argumentative style made him a prominent Marylander.Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

Sports are important activities that teach life skills to countless people every day. But when politics enters the arena, the integrity of sports is in the balance. In recent years, there have been instances of biological men self-identifying as female, prompting many to be concerned about the future of female sports.This episode is an opportunity to hear from two young volleyball players, Kendall Lewis and Sia Liilii, and their experiences standing up for their teammates and fellow female athletes. Hear how they are responding with action to uphold Title IX and protect women's sports.Check out Kendall's article in the Reno Gazette-Journal!Follow Kendall on X @Kendall7704655!Follow Sia on Instagram @s.yeaah and on X @SiaLiilii!Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

The history of free speech in American history can be told in many ways. But perhaps none as crazy as this one, which happened while George Washington was alive. Hear how Matthew Lyon's story can teach us about free speech and why restrictions on free speech can truly backfire.Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

Thank you to all our listeners and supporters for getting F&FC to 200 episodes! We are proud of the work done and are looking forward to much more content! Stay tuned!China's grand strategy to reshape supply chains, ideological dominance, and the larger world order can be traced to strategies like Made in China 2025. How much of a wake-up call is this for the U.S.? Emily de la Bruyère, Senior Fellow at the Foundations for Defense of Democracies (FDD) and co-founder of Horizon Advisory, joins the podcast to share some of China's boldest strategies and their threats to U.S. national security and prosperity. Could a bigger wake-up call motivate a more ambitious national security vision and strategy from the U.S.?Learn more from Emily's work at FDD! https://www.fdd.org/team/emily-de-la-bruyere/Support the showVisit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute!JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level!IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.