Reason Bound

Kai McFarlane joins Ryan to talk about felons owning firearms and having the right to vote. They also discuss Trump's Tweets, The Rock running for President, and a classic scenario dealing with how people view morality. The show starts off with Kai sharing his latest venture into studying "gay reincarnation" which leads to a spirited discussion between the two.

Raqib Hameed Naik spent most of his life in Kashmir before moving to India where he works as a journalist writing on human conflict and human rights related issues. He speaks with Ryan in this episode about the Indian administered regions of Kashmir: Kashmir Valley, Jammu, and Ladakh, which are in the northernmost region of the Indian subcontinent. Control of this part of the world remains a contentious issue between India and Pakistan. Recent developments have included the possibility of the U.S. or China stepping in to act as an arbiter in an attempt to solve this geopolitical issue that is affecting the lives of many Indians, Pakistanis, and Kashmiris. Now, as of June 26th 2017, the U.S. Department of State has named Syed Salahudeen (also known as Syed Mohammed Yusuf Shah), who is the head of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (a Kashmiri separatist and designated Islamic terrorist group by India, the United States, and the European Union), as a specially designated global terrorist. Ryan asks Raqib about Syed Salahudeen's reported comments to turn Kashmir Valley into a "graveyard for Indian forces" as well as what Raqib's ideas are on the diaspora of Kashmiris and his desire for a plebiscite to be held. As a Muslim who grew up alongside Hindus and wants to see Kashmir become an independent and secular country, Raqib provides an interesting perspective on the current state of affairs in Kashmir.

Holly and Ryan debate Disneyland's decision to remove the "wench auction" from the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. They then discuss Ryan learning gun safety and who he was aiming at during the process. Most importantly, and as a mother, Holly talks with Ryan about the importance of nonviolent parenting and reasoning with children instead of inflicting abuse that will continue to take a toll on them later in life. Other topics in this episode include forced vaccinations and a discussion about when NPR recently tweeted the Declaration of Independence for the Fourth of July and the furious response from certain people.

Award winning British journalist and court reporter, Charles Thomson, returns to the Reason Bound podcast to talk with Ryan for the anniversary of the Michael Jackson trial verdict. Charles has written articles on the enigmatic superstar for news outlets such as Huffington Post and has been quoted in books about the iconic performer's life. For the first time ever, from start to finish, Charles talks with Ryan about the most controversial aspect of the pop icon's life in a three hour show beginning with the allegations from 1993 and going through the end of his 2005 trial. This is a podcast about recognizing good and bad arguments as well as a discussion between Ryan and Charles about the Jackson trial being the first time both realized how recklessly dishonest and lazy the media could be in reporting on certain events.

Holly joins Ryan to talk about a recent time when Ryan wasn't reason bound. Is it a good idea to date a guy who tells you he loves you and wants to commit to a serious relationship on the first night and asks for jewelry the next time you meet? Probably not. Pay attention to red flags and make sure you don't get suckered into something that's as false as the love you'll be promised. Some people only love themselves and that tends to become apparent over time (and in this case pretty quickly). 

Addendeum to episode #9

Stephanie Drury who runs the popular Facebook page "Stuff Christian Culture Likes" talks with Ryan in this episode about "Christian Culture". Topics include the love affair with so-called "Daddy-Daughter Dates" as well as MANLY evangelical leaders such as Marc Driscoll and Eric Dykstra and the messages they deliver to their congregants. Most importantly, they talk about what it felt like to question everything they thought they knew about their once held theology and where they ended up as a result.

Award winning British journalist and court reporter, Charles Thomson, talks with Ryan about how crucial it is to preserve the presumption of innocence in a just society. In this episode they address bizarre musings from Dr. Jackson Katz, such as asserting there is in fact a victim upon the accuser's claim before a crime has been proved to have occurred. They also discuss the controversy surrounding the film The Birth of a Nation and director Nate Parker's alleged rape allegations as well as the fallout from the Ched Evans acquittal of similar charges and how that's shaping policy in Britain.

For many Americans, European society is seen as the model that American society should aspire to. In this episode, Ryan speaks with Mari Buljo who is a Norwegian citizen, college student, model, and speaker of 7 different languages whom he met during his studies in Japan. Ryan and Mari discuss Norway, currently ranked as the world's happiest country, and the contrast with Nordic values in education, religion, and social welfare (among others), compared with those in the states.

During his studies in Tokyo, Ryan met Manny Militello, a man with a great mind for international relations, who is currently working in consulting related to The Middle East and North Africa. In this episode, some of the main issues Ryan and Manny discuss include Obama's legacy in the Middle East, the Syrian Civil War, ISIS, the utility of certain narratives on terrorism, and refugee assimilation in the west.