The ConverSAYtion
The ConverSAYtion is simply a couple of middle aged men sharing company and conversation. Psych and K take their time sorting through so much to say about society, culture, relationships, education, finance, technology, health, and more. Inspired to find engaging ways to entertain and enrich the lives of their listeners is their primary pursuit. Join them as they invest themselves in providing value to their audience. Welcome to The ConverSAYtion.
The ConverSAYtion
Parades, Protests, and Presidential Birthdays: America's Semi-Quincentennial Celebration
What happens when America's military heritage, national symbolism, and political polarization collide? This thought-provoking conversation examines the upcoming Semi-Quincentennial celebration of the U.S. Army—a milestone that remarkably shares its date with both Flag Day and Donald Trump's 79th birthday.
Drawing compelling parallels between North Korea's militaristic displays and America's own upcoming $40 million parade, our discussion peels back layers of what patriotic celebration means in today's divided landscape. We explore the profound truth that many Americans take for granted: "I don't have any fear that a bomb is going to be dropped on our city... All those things are because of what our military has provided us." This security—the luxury of sleeping peacefully without fear of invasion—represents the ultimate achievement of our military's 250-year legacy.
But should recognizing military service come with such a hefty price tag? We wrestle with whether the spectacle is truly about honoring service members or serving political theater. The conversation ventures into counter-protesting, national debt considerations, and how different presidential administrations might handle the same celebration.
Beyond politics, we arrive at a fundamental agreement—that the contributions of military personnel deserve acknowledgment regardless of partisan divides. As one host puts it, "It cannot be overstated how important our military has been to our country's ability to exist, to continue to exist."
Whether you consider yourself patriotic, politically engaged, or simply curious about how America celebrates its institutions, this episode offers fresh perspectives on what we choose to commemorate and why. Listen now to join our exploration of national identity, pride, and the complex emotions that patriotic displays evoke in modern America.
You don't gotta do it if you don't want to. You don't gotta do it if you don't want to. You don't gotta do it if you don't want to. It's just a suggestion.
Speaker 2:Take a breath that was pretty heady, huh, yeah, I like it. We're talking about people, we're talking about psychology, we're talking about human behavior. We're talking about what motivates people to make choices and decisions. I asked Chad.
Speaker 1:GPT to help me find some articles and I said you know, psych likes things about, about society and social experiments. So and then Chaddy came up with that, with that one. The other one I came up with, Nice, all right.
Speaker 2:What was I? I had a couple.
Speaker 1:I had a few couple. Oh boy, you don't even know what you're talking about. This is a great episode. 51st episode starting off on a good foot here, we don't know what we're gonna talk about yet.
Speaker 2:I mean, I could throw things like in a bag.
Speaker 1:We could just pull stuff out, that's that's after when we get to 100 here the 100th episode.
Speaker 2:All right, let me, let me, let me cue a video here. Let's see this. This is all right, let's try this.
Speaker 1:So are there subtitles? The subtitles are in another language.
Speaker 2:Yes, they are. This is great, but I just want to want to showcase this. Here we are. I just want to showcase this. Here we are. This is the 76th anniversary. This is last year. Looks like he's lost weight. Look at that Benz. That means he doesn't want his airs to take over. Yet he's got a double-breasted coat on. He's hiding stuff in there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, cirrhosis, wow, dude, and this is so produced, wow. So we're watching some kind of fancy event for North Korea and it is wow, that's in 5K. I think this is like from a movie, this is like from an Indiana Jones film.
Speaker 2:It looks great. Look at that drone footage. Jesus, that droney shot there. Those statues are huge. Yeah, so yeah, the anniversary of the Korean People's Army on February 8th 2024.
Speaker 1:Oh, so this is old. This is old, it's old, but look at this spectacle. Yeah, there are tens of thousands of people all in uniform, all in perfect formation, just at attention.
Speaker 2:Their hats are definitely at attention. They are skyward. You could launch a missile like you could use one of their hats to stabilize somebody's rpg if they needed to, to shoot a maybe that's the function.
Speaker 1:What is it? What is your argument here? That kim jong-un knows how to fucking throw a party?
Speaker 2:no, I, I was just generally speaking. What do you think on, what do you think about military parades such as?
Speaker 1:this? Oh, you mean like the one they're having today in washington dc. Tomorrow, is it tomorrow? It is tomorrow, it is.
Speaker 2:Look at all those people, look at this I don't think that trump's is going to be as well organized okay, all right, but, but just as far as I can take this down now, um, that's a lot of people, wow and it is just but they have to be there.
Speaker 1:They have to be there so yes, from an american, these people are fucking stuck. We're talking about North Korea. They don't even know that this footage is available to the rest of the world. They're so bubbled in Everything I've ever seen about people who defect and speak on what goes on in North Korea. It is George Orwell's worst nightmare. It's like 1984 if it was a michael bay movie and it's.
Speaker 2:It's such night and day because you go. You go to south korea, or at least so I've heard they're thriving like so many good things because we give them money yes, yes, we are, we have helped. We have helped a lot.
Speaker 1:South korea they're starting to soapbox a little bit because they've got even they've got all the stuff they like and want so yeah.
Speaker 2:So I mean, maybe the majority of these people here are.
Speaker 1:I mean, they're hoping that there's going to be hors d'oeuvres or I think that they're hoping they don't get executed for not fear, for not loving their God.
Speaker 2:Okay, and so for the people that were unaware, or living under a rock, or perhaps just sheltering themselves from Did you just go?
Speaker 1:Oh okay, I literally just thought you were going from a year-old military exposition to a basketball thing.
Speaker 2:No, that was just a commercial. This is on USA Today. What time is Trump's DC military parade? See full festival.
Speaker 1:So I consider that it's funny.
Speaker 2:I consider this See full festival schedule. That sounds awkward to me.
Speaker 1:No, that's fine. I think there should be a that in there. No, no no, this is shorthand ah yeah, it's just, it's it's, it's, it's like it's indicative of how we are just dumbing down as a society yeah, no, I don't like it.
Speaker 2:So tomorrow three things are taking place january 14th no saturday january june june 14th.
Speaker 1:This will this, this will air after it, but saturday, june 14th, three things collide on june 14th. Now we're back to michael bay. Okay, what's colliding? Tomorrow flag day?
Speaker 2:oh yes, tomorrow's fucking flag day, it's also trump's birthday trump's birthday and the 250th anniversary of the army, which is why this we're having a monstrous 40 million dollar parade. So 8 15 am eastern. It's going to kick off with a wreath lane ceremony headed by secretary of defense pete hexeth at Arlington National Cemetery. It will be live streamed here and followed by a succession of all-day events, including an evening parade and wrapping up with a fireworks display.
Speaker 1:It's all fucking day it's going to be. So, like I said, I'm going.
Speaker 2:Oh, I'm sorry, did I say am? Yeah, 8.15 am Eastern Time. Yeah, it's all day.
Speaker 1:It's going all day, so um musical performance. I'm glad I didn't choose this, because I almost looked at it this morning.
Speaker 2:Yeah, everything I look at, it seems like did he look at this? Yeah, do I have to ask him first? Uh, yeah, that just fireworks, musical performances marching through theating it's going to cost $40 million.
Speaker 1:You know what? The last time we did a parade of this size was in 1991, right. So obviously there's all kinds of arguments about government spending, and I mean so. I think the first question is is it necessary, and who finds this important? Why are we doing this To your point, the 250th anniversary of the Army?
Speaker 1:I think that's a pretty big celebratory date. I do, I do and I love the fact. And this is just so. I mean you can't write this. And this is just so. I mean you can't write this. You know, the powers that decide how our universe runs planned this billions of years ago that this would happen on Donald Trump's birthday.
Speaker 2:It's so good, it's so bad. He's going to be 79.
Speaker 1:79.
Speaker 2:79 years old. Yes, yes, yeah, all three, I think. Yes, the Army deserves recognition Absolutely. Yeah, 250 years we would not be a country.
Speaker 1:So honestly, fuck off if you don't think that's true of service to protecting our way of life, whether you, whether you believe in it or not, is something worth mentioning.
Speaker 2:It cannot be overstated how important our military has been to our country's ability to exist, to continue to exist. Us too, guys, just sitting here enjoying the freedoms right now. I don't feel I was talking about this with my boys. We were on a walk and I forget we just. We have so many talks and walks. I love to walk and talk with my boys and I don't know how we got on this tangent, but it was just like I do. I do, but I connect the dots. You think you do. I'm getting better at it, you think you are, but on this particular walk, I'm just like.
Speaker 2:I don't have any fear that a bomb is going to be dropped on our city or our state right now. I don't have any fear that we're going to be invaded by another country. I don't think that my house is going to blow up at night. I get a full night's sleep, I'm able to rest, I'm able to be at peace. I don't think that our country is going to be overtaken. I don't think we're going to be. All of those things are because of what our military has provided us. The strength that we have shown has allowed peace to occur here. It might not be everywhere in the world, but here at least we have it.
Speaker 1:Basically every successful sovereign entity on the planet is such because they emulated our concept of military might. Emulated our concept of military might. You know, everybody else is just pretending to be gorillas. You know doing this, that and rinky-dink warfare. But we invented how to protect yourself Like we perfected it. The Great Wall of China was a great idea a billion years ago, and the way that the British waged war in the 1700s allowed us to give them the big bayonet. We recreated the way to protect yourselves, and we did it with volunteers and people who felt that they wanted to be a part of something bigger than themselves selflessness. They joined a large organization designed to keep everyone else safe and for that money, no matter what you think those people definitely deserve recognition.
Speaker 2:So my question is how much does patriotism cost? $40 million for a single day, Okay. So my next question your president, when this is going on, it's your birthday, but it's also these other things, Okay. So I think Flag Day is kind of getting the shaft right. Flag Day is kind of like ah, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Speaker 1:Donald J Trump was born on Flag Day.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, well, this, yeah, this, this, mm-hmm, this it happened so is Flag Day.
Speaker 1:Flag Day because it's the anniversary of our armed forces? No, no, flag Day happens Day because it's the anniversary of our armed forces.
Speaker 2:No, no. Flag Day happens every single year?
Speaker 1:Yeah, but why is it on the same day as the anniversary of our armed forces?
Speaker 2:Are they? Correlated yeah, I think those two go go together along with donald trump. But yeah, they would have to. They would have to be, because it wouldn't make sense, no, or is? It is flag day, the second saturday of the of the month. Tomorrow's the second. The second saturday, maybe it's one of those staples that you know. It's like the kentucky derby the first, the first saturday of may, or the pre-distance stakes the third, third yeah, both events trace back to the exact same day in.
Speaker 1:Uh okay, so june 14th 1975, 1975, the US Army is established. June 14th 1977, the US flag was adopted. So they're two separate. Events happened two years apart, but they're on the same day and, if I had to guess, the political powers in the late 1700s did that on purpose yeah, and then and then, donald trump planned his birth yes, because because that golden calf doesn't stroke itself, it's gonna be huge so okay, so you're president?
Speaker 2:of course I am. And it's 250, the you know the 250th, right? Uh, what's the term for that?
Speaker 1:it's uh well, so so it's. There's no term. It would be our term for 250. No, it'll be bison 10 plus 50. That's chatty yeah, I wonder if there's a a catchy no, I doubt that it's 250, 250 okay so centennial, bicentennial, and the term for oh, okay, give, oh, jesus Christ is Sester Centennial. Okay, how do you spell it? S-e-s-t-e-r. Centennial, sester, centennial, sester, centennial. It's also colloquially referred to as the this is even better, as sometimes referred to as the Semi-Quincentennial, as the semi-quincentennial, semi-quincentennial.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm going to use that one. I like that one better. So during the semi-quincentennial.
Speaker 1:we're going to have a mile-long parade, tens of thousands of service personnel. Donald Trump's going to get a birthday birthday cake, and I don't know who this is what you're planning on your, your president.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm president and it happens to be your birthday. You're gonna give yourself a cake. Why wouldn't I? I don't know at this point. My, you don't give yourself a cake, my other people get the cake.
Speaker 1:My dick is so huge at this point that I'm planning this in the first place. You know I'm getting my own cake okay, but a mile okay.
Speaker 2:So going back to the, the video that you watched, and I'm getting the clone of marilyn monroe up to sing me happy birthday is this is am I president?
Speaker 1:are you president? Who's?
Speaker 2:president right now. This is why you're not president you're not wrong.
Speaker 1:That and and many, many other things.
Speaker 2:But so if I were president, I would try to, me personally speaking, minimize myself as much as possible.
Speaker 1:That's why you're not president.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so it does. Yeah, quite possibly. So maybe you know somewhere in the middle would be the correct person for this position and for this job, but I would want it to be all about the Army. It's 250 years, it's all about them. It would be non-stop speaker and story about them. If they're having musical performances, it would be ones that include them, that are about them, things that include them that are about them, things that things that lift them up flag day okay, they're, they're together, so, but everything about the country. I think this whole thing should be a spectacle and it should I'm expecting it I hope it does to outdo many of our other countries' offerings when it comes.
Speaker 2:If it doesn't stand up to what North Korea put up then.
Speaker 1:An estimated 1,800 protests are scheduled for the same period tomorrow. What are they protesting? What do you mean? What country do you live in? Why do you have to answer that?
Speaker 2:That's how you bait letter K. So many things to. We're not going to unpack that right now. No, let's not.
Speaker 1:So it's from 8.15 am to 11 pm. Trump's not going to stand there for 15 and a half hours and talk. He's going to be a small part of it. I think it's going to be all about the military. The parade's going to be a huge thing. You might get your live music request. Somebody's going to do a rendition of the Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B, and it's going to be this whole big pomp and circumstance. And then Trump's going to get up and he's going to be like here's the cake I made for myself. It's huge. It'll happen.
Speaker 2:I am looking forward to it. I think it should happen. Do you think it should happen, or should we have just skipped it?
Speaker 1:No, the parade, the event itself. If any other president did the same thing on the same day, I think it would go over fine. You know what I appreciate this. This is something we should celebrate. Flag Day 250th anniversary of the Armed Forces.
Speaker 2:Like, imagine Obama. Yeah, if Obama's birthday had been a lie, obama.
Speaker 1:Or Jimmy Carter or or.
Speaker 2:Clinton.
Speaker 1:Or fucking Andrew Jackson. You know it wouldn't have mattered. It's just the fact that that this guy is so over the top obnoxious and he loves the limelight and he's creating such a divisive element in this country and it's his own fucking birthday. So you know the the planets. You know somebody is crafting dark magic to make this happen, but, yes, I think that even with Trump involved, it's a great idea. We need to be reminded that we are all in this together as American citizens, and we are, no matter what you feel about anything else. We all exist because, in large part of the reason why we are intending to celebrate tomorrow, yeah, and protests, if they happen, great If they fully support people's ability to express themselves.
Speaker 1:God, I don't own a.
Speaker 2:Tesla and to protest and to I mean it doesn't the same thing doesn't happen at work, right, I can't go to the CEO and you know, pick it outside of his office and get the same, expect the same results as we can with our, with our country, and I'm not certain you might get worse than in California. I'm not. I'm not certain protesting really does more anymore than simply bringing awareness to things. I'm not sure it actually affects the change that people are looking I think we're desensitized.
Speaker 1:Um to you know, yes, 1800 protests, it's too much. What the fuck do I even care? What's even? What are we talking about? What is going on? And yes, okay, you're mad about this thing, and I get it. I understand, I sympathize, but then what? It's not like the civil unrest of the 60s, where I would argue that a large swath of the country didn't even know what was really going on or didn't understand it, and it brought it brought the realization that this was happening to the front of the of the American conversation.
Speaker 1:Everyone knows that, that, uh, that Trump is deporting a bunch of people right now. Everyone knows that, that the big, beautiful bill is going to increase the national debt, and so what we're doing is we're making inferments and we're creating maybes to present our arguments. And as American people these days, we're smarter than that. So we know, oh, yes, okay, you've got these people saying that this over here is going to cause this massive downfall of the American society. We're at least 250 years old.
Speaker 1:We know that's not true. We know that we're still here. Yeah, we know that in three years and six months, somebody else is going to take over and this whole Trump thing is going to go away, and we're going to have the same problems with slight variations, but life is going to go away, and we're going to have the same problems with slight variations, but life is going to continue. So, yes, so all this decrying the downfall of society and the end of civilization and the american ideal, and all this stuff on both sides of the aisle, we know it's not true and so we let people do their thing. But yeah, I don't see it affecting too much.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, we're going to be all right, we're going to be okay. As far as the protests that are going on and I know about what's going on with the deportations and people are unhappy in various regions of the world, especially our own state, but protests I've never really understood why people would take a different protest to an event that's already going on, other than the fact that they know there's already people there and they can, in hopes of trying to get out their message. But, like, for me, if I don't like this, what's going? If, like, if I feel so strongly about something I don't like what you're doing over there, I should go and voice my opinion and I have the right to do so. So I'm going to go do that in opposition to what you're doing, kind of like a counter protest that's exactly what it's called counter protesting then then yes, I agree with that. But if I'm going, like if you're, if you are having a mcdonald's event and I'm over here protesting burger king it doesn't make sense, right?
Speaker 1:see you, you, you, you, you just, you just took the lowest form of your arguments in the highest form and compared them. Get out of here. No, so counter-protesting is a time-honored tradition? It's, and it goes back to what we were talking about previously, about how society is run by the political machine and is aided by the big money groups through the media and, and the biggest example, pro-choice, pro-life right.
Speaker 2:You have people two sides of the street, separated by a road and cars and law enforcement, and there's a clinic there and people are doing this.
Speaker 1:yes, and counter-protesting isn't designed, you know. You're not going to shout something where somebody on the other side's gonna be like, oh fuck, he's right, that's not going to shout something where somebody on the other side is going to be like, oh fuck, he's right, that's not going to happen, but the media is going to cover it, and that's why it's important to counter-protest.
Speaker 2:Sure, and I'm Counter-protesting I'm okay with. But if we're, for example, tomorrow, if we're supposed to be celebrating the Army and then we're also having, uh, stop deportations, it's counter-protesting that's counter. Yeah, well so yes, you, so I mean I you can make a connection there, maybe with the marines right now, the protest is just is donald trump, you, he, he is the face of putting on this big, extravagant thing. So.
Speaker 1:I'm kind of protesting Donald Trump and now.
Speaker 2:I'm using Okay, all right, so he's I gotcha.
Speaker 1:So here it is, bro. We're not concerned about this milestone for our country. We're not concerned about Flag Day. We are concerned about Trump's birthday, yeah, and we're concerned about the expense, because it's an easy argument against. Why, oh, we've got this huge national debt? Why are we doing this right now? Actually, I just read an article about how the tariffs in March or May brought in enough money to reduce the national debt by 60-some billion dollars. Really, yeah, we're not talking about that, because that doesn't sell a narrative. Actually, it doesn't really sell a narrative on either side, if I'm being honest. It's just occurring, so we're keeping it quiet.
Speaker 2:I'm going to confirm that. Yeah, if the numbers are real and they're significant, then it should be noted. But this is something, even when the numbers were favorable for the country during Trump's first term. What I found, perusing the news on all sides, was there was, typically speaking, one side that would omit that information. It was like, wait a second, that was a real thing, that happened. It was a real thing that benefited Americans right now and it should have been something that was not glossed over to say. It should have been highlighted, it should have been underscored. So that's interesting. So, yes, it should have been underscored, so that interesting.
Speaker 2:So yes, so I'll let you look at those numbers. But yes, I am. I get what you're saying. If, if donald trump is what people are going to be protesting, then I suppose whatever they are going to be protesting, then I suppose whatever they are going to be protesting in opposition to him or his policies or his administration are fair game for whatever counter protests that they choose to bring to the table. But I think that's that's kind of the easy way out. That's kind of the easy way out, you know. I hope at least something of substance is brought forth, right, hey, we don't like Donald Trump. Hey, we know, you know. How does that further anybody's point of view? How does that change minds? I'm not sure, other than the fact that you're making your stance known. But at this point in time, I think I think people, the people that like donald trump know they like him and no people don't. And the people that don't like donald trump know people like donald trump and no people know that they also dislike donald trump.
Speaker 1:So yes, so yes, and so so in may, uh, the the increased tariffs did reduce the national, that are, the monthly budget deficit, but it doesn't necessarily significantly impact the national debt. Obviously, which is in the trillions, is in money that we can't actually, you know, we fathom as regular human beings.
Speaker 2:We've got to sell more gold cards.
Speaker 1:The Trump gold cards, so the TLDR from JetGPT. In the past few months, tariffs have boosted receipts and clipped the deficit, but they haven't significantly reduced the national debt. Chatty, come on. Obviously, you completely ignored my gold card joke. I didn't hear it at all. Long-term models suggest that potential deficit relief. Okay, long-term models suggest potential deficit relief, but only if offsetting economic downsides don't overshadow the gains. So hey, I know it's going to be your birthday, mr President, but you got to get back to work, bro, calm down. So, yes, what was your gold card joke? I was typing, dude. Uh no, you're reading.
Speaker 2:I was reading you're reading that we talked about the gold card and if we just sell the gold cards for five million dollars or three million dollars or whatever we have, how many, how many would we have to do?
Speaker 1:I don't think. I don't think they followed through with their gold card. What's the current national debt? $60 trillion.
Speaker 2:No, it can't be that. I hope it's not that I want to say $30. Maybe last time I checked or maybe what I want it to be is $30. Is it way well above?
Speaker 1:that it is $36.6 trillion. Okay, hey, google, real close, it is $36.6 trillion.
Speaker 2:Okay, hey, google Real close.
Speaker 1:What's $36 trillion divided by 5 million? The answer is $7,200,000. Okay, so if we attract every single millionaire on the planet, maybe? Hmm, that seems doable.
Speaker 2:That seems doable. Let's just check to see if the people were deported are millionaires first and give them the opportunity to stay.
Speaker 1:Chances are, chances are. The MS-13 gave them the opportunity to stay Do you have enough money. Actually that's a good point, because what these drug cartel bosses or and lieutenants and stuff, are rich they might be.
Speaker 2:Wow, we're getting into cancel culture stuff right now I mean, we're already letting drug companies on our television, and it's a new type of drug company, yes, yes.
Speaker 1:So what if it's fentanyl and it kills? Kills a huge percentage of people on their first take, enhanced fentanyl Enhanced.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, just have them go work for Pfizer Bam son.
Speaker 1:We solved the drug problem Somehow. A parade to even a society built around you and me, kind of like Bill and Ted. Yeah, I make the statement now that I would like your name to go first. Thank you, psych and K day Sounds pretty good.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, generous, generous, generous be excellent to each other is the takeaway. Psych doesn't even know what that means. Be excellent to each. Oh, because they had an excellent adventure.
Speaker 1:Oh, my god is that why you've never seen bill and ted's excellent adventure? Yes, it's why the whole thing is their big, famous statement that captured the planet and ushered in a new era of peace. Was their belief be excellent to each other?
Speaker 2:I don't think I've ever heard that.
Speaker 1:It's because it's from a movie you've never seen. It's a brilliant movie you've never seen. Can't wait until, oh you know, maybe we'll watch Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure seen. Can't wait until, oh you know, maybe we'll watch bell into the section of adventure. I can't wait until we get together with jim. That's gonna be such a fucking trial for you.
Speaker 2:I think I'm looking forward to it. Yeah, yeah, we're. Uh, you said jim's been saying yes more lately right, jim, we all are really.
Speaker 1:I mean, you are, I am, jim is, we're all just like yeah, let's do that.
Speaker 2:It's good. Yeah Well, I mean this is my time of the year, Cause I'm your time, it's my time. So when it would, and not that actually during the regular year, the rest of the year pretty much the same I try like there's got. I have to have something on the calendar. I have to have another commitment. If I have to have something on the calendar, I have to have another commitment. If I have the time and the money and I get an invitation, I'm going.
Speaker 1:We're seeing it.
Speaker 2:So yes, we're going to. So where do we watch this parade? I got to get up early. It's going to be all day. It'll be early 8.15 Eastern 8.15. I suppose it's going to be all day early 8, 15 eastern 8 15. I suppose it's got to be on youtube.
Speaker 1:you're not getting here everywhere statements no fucking way.
