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What is aperson of influence? When most people think of people of influence, they often think of sports stars, celebrities, politicians, etc. What if I told you that you that you, no matter what you think of yourself, are most likely in some way a person of influence?

This week I talk a little about one of the most well known persons of influence this country has ever known, Martin Luther King Jr.. Dr. King changed the world through peace, love, understanding and common humanity. While MLK was a force for good, and an incredibly positive person of influence, not all people of influence are forces for good. The influence goes both ways, as is very evident in most peoples' news feed on their social media feed of choice (or main stream media channel)...

Not all people of influence a force for good in your life, so choose wisely. Check out this incredibly important episode, share it with your network far and wide, and help me be a person of influence and a force for good in what at times seems like a sea of divisiveness and darkness. 

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

Have you ever had the winter blues? Do you know what the winter blues is? In a conversation I was recently having with some friends, a friend of mine mentioned the winter solstice, how the days were now going to start getting longer again, and how we were getting closer to spring and all the happiness that comes along with it.

This got me to thinking about something called the winter blues. I don't know if I have personally ever been afflicted with the winter blues, but it's likely I have. I decided to do a little research on this and found that it is also called Seasonal Affective Disorder or S.A.D. This SAD in most cases is just a severe case of the winter blues.

In the spirit of bettering the world one attitude at a time, I dug a little deeper and found the best ways to Beat the Winter Blues and wanted to share them with the DTH listeners.

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Please check out ou

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

January 8 is not just another date for this family...
In 1996 I was building houses in the foothills of the rockies and I found out my little sister had a baby boy. Kodi Allen Schroeder was born this day, 1/8/1996
In 2010 I was driving truck and unloading a load of propane in River Falls, Wisconsin when I got the call, my Father passed away... 1/8/2010
January 8th is not just another day for this family....

Notable links:
In Memory of my Departed Father on his would-be 57th Birthdaay

Episode 90: New Year, New You, Nonsense… Every Day is an Opportunity to Better Our Lives

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

Are you one that makes new year's resolutions?  Have you ever made a new year's resolution that you've kept, or what's the longest you've stuck with that resolution? On average, more than 80% of new year's resolutions fail before the second week in February. What if instead of wasting our energy on new year's resolutions, we make daily resolutions to better our lives?

It was 12 years ago this week that we lost my father. He was way too young and not a day goes by that I don't think of him and miss him very much. My Dad taught me so many things, but so much of what I learned from him, I did not learn until after he was gone. I am now less than 10 years from the age my Dad was when he passed, and that brings to the forefront in my mind how important every day is. I talk in this episode how we must never take for granted the days we have on this earth, that we do not know when our last day will come, but we should embrace the idea that every day is an opportunity to better our lives.

Matthew 24:36
"But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

In Memory of my Departed Father on his would-be 57th Birthday
from the Wilksopinion blog originally written March 14, 2011

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let u

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

It's the holiday season once again, and the final DTH episode for 2021!!  I would just like to take this opportunity to say how grateful I am for my family and all those that support me in my efforts to make the world a better place. 

This is not a long episode, but in it I highlight a conversation that I recently had with a friend that resulted in a great little life lesson.  Sometimes we know that what needs to be said may hurt someone's feelings, or even make them mad, but it needs to be said nonetheless.
I wrap up this episode by playing a recording of a Christmas song that always brings a smile to my face, and I hope it does for you as well.

Short and to the point, but an important episode! Check out some of our latest episodes with some incredible guests. Looking forward to a fantastic 2022!


What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Please check out our affiliates page by clicking HERE!

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

He saw Black Lives Matter yucking it up with ANTIFA, having a grand ol' time while black and brown businesses were burning, and Kevin McGary knew that something had to change. He figured people would see through the facade, but as things calmed down, and some of the noise subsided, people still didn't get it...

Who is Kevin McGary and what is EVERY Black Life Matters?
Kevin McGary is an author, public speaker and the president of  Every Black Life Matters (EBLM). EBLM is an organization that considers itself a preeminent justice movement. While this is a noble thought, and seemingly a virtuous goal, “ What does that actually mean?” There have been many organizations that consider themselves justice related organizations and/or movements. “Social Justice,” Racial Justice,” and “Human Rights” organizations (in general), are all about “justice,” right?  Read More about EBLM by clicking here...

For more works by Kevin McGary, check out the links below...
Celebrating the Rittenhouse Verdict... for America
Woke Salvation Army surrendered without a fight

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

“If there is any one secret to success, it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from that person’s angle as well as from your own.” ~Henry Ford

In several of the conversations I’ve had the opportunity to have on the Derate the Hate podcast, many of my guests have either alluded to or outright expressed that one of the greatest problems we face in today’s toxic interactional climate is people’s inability to understand, or unwillingness to understand, not only the opposing side’s point of view, but also to see the humanity in the person or persons expressing said point of view.

Sunday Morning Comin Round is meant to be a round table with a bit of a twist. Admittedly, this is an experiment, and my first time for attempting something like this. I can tell (as I’m sure will be evident), there is a learning curve. With that said, this is NOT A DEBATE, but rather an exercise in understanding each other, and reaching a point of mutual clarity through civility rather than agreement.

Our topic for this very important conversation is: 

“Squaring enhanced gun safety measures with personal gun ownership and the 2nd Amendment” 

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

Can you imagine spending a cold winter's night on a rooftop, in the windy city of Chicago? How about spending 100 cold winter nights on a rooftop in one of Chicago's most dangerous neighborhoods? What if the cause was so great that you felt called to do so? Well Pastor Corey Brooks felt that calling, and he is doing just that, for the second time!

Who is Pastor Corey Brooks and what is Project H.O.O.D.?
Pastor Corey B. Brooks, founder and Senior Pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago and founder and CEO of Project H.O.O.D. Communities Development Corporation has become a leading voice and presence in the fight against the violence gripping Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods. 

He established New Beginnings Church of Chicago in November 2000 in the heart of Chicago’s most dangerous neighborhood - this opportunity was his first glimpse into the despair in the city of Chicago served as the catalyst to his ongoing efforts to date. Read More...

Don't miss this conversation where Pastor Brooks and I discuss his second go round on the rooftop in a cold Chicago winter, encouraging CEOs and others to join him on the roof to raise funds for an incredible community activity and learning center. We talk about his inspiring vision of providing hope, rehabilitation, revitalization and a path towards dignity and independence for those who have all but thrown in the towel.

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send y

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

Fans of the Derate the Hate podcast know that I love stories of those who triumph over adversity, and those who persevere through the toughest times in life to come out on the other side and start their own journey towards bettering the world. Being able to forgive is not something that comes easily to everyone, and to some people, it comes as a total surprise when it happens, but it's forgiveness that often times provides us with a path forward.

This week's guest, Chris Singleton, is a former minor league baseball player drafted by the Chicago Cubs. He became a nationally-renowned speaker with a message of resilience, forgiveness and unity following the loss of his mother in the 2015 Mother Emanuel Church mass shooting in Charleston, SC. Chris now shares his message with over 50 organizations and 30,000 students annually. His clients include: Boeing, The Houston Texans, Microsoft, Biogen, Volvo, The Washington Wizards and over 100,000 students and educators across the world. One of his children's books, Different – A Story About Loving Your Neighbor, was a best seller in its category and has been featured by numerous outlets, including The Obama Foundation.

Chris' overall mission when speaking is to inspire his audiences with his story of resilience and to unite millions of people with his belief that, "Love is Stronger Than Hate."

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!

Send Wilk a text with your feedback!

I recently read an article that peaked my interest because it said something to the effect of "Flight Attendants' jobs have never been more dangerous". Obviously there had to be something here that involved hate, and I wanted to know why. Why is it that people have suddenly taken to hating flight attendants?

The article, which I will not promote, looked at first to be a decent article spelling out how since the pandemic began, instances of unruly and sometimes violent passengers are causing problems for flight crews on flights across the board. This article quickly descended into nonsense by claiming that some 61% of violent incidences on flights involved some form of racial, homophobic or gender involving slur and then it got worse...

It sickens and saddens me when people try to interject race and racism to promote an agenda, when the reality is, very few incidences of violence or unruly airline passengers have anything to do with racism, homophobia, etc... Check out this very important episode to find out where the real problem exists and what's causing people to lose their minds in our not so friendly skies...

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people, and that begins with each of us leading a better life. Be kind to one another, be grateful for everything you’ve got, and make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on Facebook, MeWe, Instagram, Twitter . Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio. Please leave us a rating and feedback. Send me a message on any media platform or subscribe directly from our sites. Let us know about someone you think should be on our podcast, and if we book them for a conversation, I’ll send you a free gift! Not on social media? You can share your thoughts directly with me at [email protected]

I look forward to hearing from you!

Please check out our affiliates page by

What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you’ve got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be!

Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on:

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube

Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site’s contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact

If you would like to support the show, you’re welcome to DONATE or shop our Derate The Hate Merchandise store by clicking here!

I look forward to hearing from you!