Backbone Radio

Anglosphere challenge

Slated on Backbone Radio, February 24 Listen every Sunday, 5-8pm on 710 KNUS, Denver.. 1460 KZNT, Colorado Springs... and streaming live at 710knus.com.

What? A parallel system of laws in Britain so Muslims there could live by sharia and opt out of human rights as understood in Western civilization? Has the head of the Church of England lost it? No, the head had not lost his head in making this craven suggestion the other day. He had lost his backbone, and you wonder how many of his countrymen still have theirs. Does the Archbishop of Canterbury speak for significant numbers in the UK who are ready to roll over for moral relativism and cultural suicide? Let's hope not.

The English-speaking tradition has done more for human freedom, material advancement, and wider horizons of thought than any other force in the past thousand years, argues my star guest on this week's show. He is James C. Bennett, a Colorado resident and author of the important new book, The Anglosphere Challenge.

I'll talk at length with Jim Bennett about his evidence for that bold claim, his expectation of what it could mean in the coming century, and his estimation of the tradition's current vitality in the face of such danger signs as the archbishop's capitulation. You'll find this one of the most fascinating interviews we've ever done.

British political writer Nicholas Wapshott, now based in Washington, also returns to the show for a discussion of the extraordinary Reagan phenomenon in this year's election. He wrote a book on Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. We'll ask him about Islam in the UK (what another writer has called Londonistan) as well.

All this plus another chance to hear our one-hour legislative special, "Colorado Call to Action," first aired on Thursday, with news you need about this year's best and worst bills -- and practical ideas on how you can make a difference on those bills.

Before Barack or Pelosi, before steroids or the surge, Backbone Radio was here with your weekend conservative update. Rudy is gone, Gravel is gone, trans fats are gone, but we're still here and going the extra mile for you every Sunday. And what fun it always is.

Yours for Western civilization, JOHN ANDREWS

The national security election

Slated on Backbone Radio, February 17 Listen every Sunday, 5-8pm on 710 KNUS, Denver.. 1460 KZNT, Colorado Springs... and streaming live at 710knus.com.

How serious are we about defending America in a dangerous world? By "we," I ultimately mean the American people, the voters who will choose our next President this fall. But the first "we" to whom the question applies is Republicans and conservatives, the grownup party in American politics. If the GOP and the right, our country's naturally more protective element, can't put national security first and foremost, there is little hope of the Democrats and the media urging people to do so.

And if the 2008 election is not about national security, Republicans will probably not win. Which in turn means the United States becomes a much softer target for its enemies in the next four years. Think Jimmy Carter on steroids, if Barack Obama becomes Commander-in-Chief. Not a pretty thought at all.

I've been columnizing and blogging about this concern in recent days. And next week I'll be in Michigan with the Claremont Institute for a congressional briefing series called "Defending America in a Dangerous World." As I travel, Sunday's radio show will be in good hands with the renowned Brad and Jessica.

Renowned, of course, because of all the waves they've been making with FacetheState.com, Colorado's hard-hitting alternative news source on the Web. Brad Jones and Jessica Peck Corry, helped out by our own Matt Dunn, will talk about policy issues including...

** Teacher union selfishness with Ben DeGrow of the Independence Institute, environmental disaster threatening Leadville with State Sen. Tom Wiens, and civil rights ballot issues across the country with Ward Connerly.

** Politically, the rising fortunes of McCain and Obama, as well as the underwhelming report card on Ritter and the tenacity of Senate candidate Bob Schaffer, are sure to come up.

Backbone Radio and our prime sponsors, American Furniture Warehouse and Citywide Banks, are proud to bring you the weekend conservative update for Colorado and the nation every Sunday at 5:00. We couldn't do it without all of you out there as listeners and email readers. So thanks!

Yours for self-government, JOHN ANDREWS

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