My guest on this episode was Victor Archibong, Ph.D. Professor and Chair of the Political Science Department at Greensboro College. Our topic was the present U.S./World conflict with North Korea.

We discussed the history of the North Korean conflict (both prior to and after the Korean War), and the present conflict escalations. Dr. Archibong presented past political advances & positive steps made with North Korea, and I highlighted how these small inroads of positive interaction could be built on. Dr. Archibong presented his hopeful view that one positive outcome in the future could be a reunification of the Korean country into one.

We both agreed that regardless of what happens at present, long term work to build lasting positive diplomacy with North Korea must begin and solidify now (regardless of whether it has "worked" in the past).

Points we discussed included: alternatives to military intervention, and an analysis of motivators for the Korean leadership. We presented a different set of considerations for diplomacy and motivations for peace.

Daniel Rhodes, Ph.D., UNCG Director of Undergraduate Studies in Social Work discussed the emerging Restorative Justice (RJ) movement and the integration of RJ practices into communities, professional training and academic programs such as social work, peace & conflict studies, community justice/criminal justice, and sociology. 

We discussed how RJ seeks to holistically address experiences of harm - which formerly had been disregarded.  We discussed how modern police training and practices is increasingly seeking to integrate restorative justice into current and future professional police practice.

Daniel and I further discussed how RJ seeks to reverse repetitive labeling / stereotyping such  as a "bad kid" - because these labels can become self- fulfilling.  RJ work seeks to reverse this labeling by empowering individuals to change their lives positive and re-write their story if their story has been a negatively stereotyped story. 

Daniel further discussed how the mission of Restorative Justice is to change the community - into a more positive, inclusive and proactive place which takes responsibility for making the lives of those who live in it better.

Diya Abdo, Ph.D. was my guest to talk about her originally created program: Every Campus A Refuge (ECAR) and the new ECAR minor at Guilford College.  This program hosts about one refuge family in cooperation with a local refuge resettlement program for the first couple of months that the family is assigned to the United States.  

Originally created at Guilford for the Greensboro city area, ECAR has hosted 5 families over the last 2 years of its existence. During this time, Diya has been hosting and presenting at conferences nationwide and has signed up six other college for their own ECAR program.  The ECAR program utilizes an available housing area on a college campus to help support the family with resources from the college and donations from the surrounding community of resources that they need.  

The new ECAR minor is designed to train students using the Principled Problem Solving (multidisciplinary) approach to solving complex needs/problems with a multilayered intervention from many complimentary professions (Science, Art, Philosophy) to provide more holistic solutions.

In this episode, Dr. Thom Little, UNCG Professor of Political Science came on to discuss this newly released book:  Conscience of a Conservative.  I read passages from the book, beginning on page one and going through to the last page, and we analyzed the impact of these selected statements and concepts brought by its author.  Written by Senator Jeff Flake (R) from Arizona, this book harkened back to the title it emulates - the original "Conscience of a Conservative" by Barry Goldwater.

Senator Flake offered his specific political points of view on a range of topics impacting today's political landscape in the wake of the 2016 Presidential election. He discusses the need for the Conservative party to go back to its roots of small government, free trade, and a commitment to the constitutional free press.  He stresses the need to debate facts, beliefs, and values with Liberals instead of engaging in the current wave of deeply partisan populism that appears to be abandoning the political guideposts that has defined the Conservative party.

The Beloved Community Center of Greensboro Co-Exective Directors - Rev. Nelson Johnson and Joyce Johnson joined me for this show with Wesley Morris, New Director of the BOTHI Initiative (Beloved Organizing Training & Healing Institute).  They discussed a brief history of the creation of the BCC of Greensboro which included Joyce Johnson's history with Martin Luther King, Jr. & Desmond Tutu.

Rev. Nelson Johnson spoke at length about the BCC's initiative to form Raleigh's Moral Monday movement and discussed with Joyce in detail the specific peaceful objectives of the movement. Joyce presented how the movement had further supported women's rights and emphasized how this movement has stood peacefully for the rights of all people despite the original arrests of participants who subsequently were dropped.

Wesley Morris discussed the new Toward Healing Greensboro initiative on Tuesday evenings, designed to bring members of the community together and find ways to work together to heal and promote positive change.  Wesley also described the BOTHI training institute and how both of these endeavors serve to further the mission of the BCC to empower the most marginalized members of the Greensboro community.

Rev. Nelson discussed an innovative new grassroots movement that he is spearheading now called the "New Poor People's Campaign" The title coming from the historic 1968 "Poor People's Campaign" created by Martin Luther King, Jr. to unite both white and black individuals experiencing poverty.  Rev. Nelson and Joyce discussed how this current initiative seeks to re-create the prior campaign and work to expand it's reach.

The peaceful and loving initiatives begun and continuing with the Beloved Community Center were described as robust and eager to accept all support.

Streetwatch, GSO was on today's July 19th show from 4-5pm ET on 90.9 FM WQFS Greensboro.

Audrie Keen discussed the formation of Streetwatch over coffee with a friend in 2008. She described how they made soup and carried it to the streets, camps, and under bridges these nine years - picking up team members along with way.  She described that she formed this organization after looking into the eyes of someone who asked her to simply be a friend.  She said that she realized the truth of this person's need.

Other organizers: Yvonne Greene, Keven Carter, Derek Dunham, and Mark Stinson all told their respective stories, including how the "Church Under the Bridge" ministry that Kevin began stimulated Keven to continue his work with Streetwatch.

Mark Stinson, a former chronically homeless person told his story of 12 years of living in the woods - and now he owns his own business and lives in his own home. Derek Dunham also disclosed that he too was once homeless and his work with Streetwatch (and also Yvonne) serves to make his life fulfilled.

These team organizers discussed their work to feed & help the homeless with a new Sunday dinners program. They stated that all are welcome to eat. Location: Under the bridge 300 Spring Garden Street in Greensboro on Sunday evenings at 5pm. 

On Today's "Seeking Justice" LIVE Radio Broadcast I talked with Nicole Kaufman, Counselor about the uptick in shootings this year and over the last few years. We discussed: causality, warning signs & signals that a person may be at risk and correlations to mental health issues. We further compared and contrasted the lack of options to conflicts in potential shooters' minds.

We explored options for building good friendships and support systems that respect the need for justice in those who are angry and frustrated. I highlighted the need for all forms of media to integrate options to violence and the use of guns in movies, TV, internet viewings, and gaming, noting that it is conflict is interesting and the use of guns as a resolution has been literally done to death - while opportunities for interesting shows, games, and media are interesting and would drive new ratings from interested viewers. 

Mr. Alexander Eiffe, Immigration Attorney discusses the recent Supreme Court decision to uphold portions of The Travel Ban on individuals coming from 7 specified Middle Eastern countries.  Mr. Eiffe summarized the salient points to know from this last ruling and how these apply to potential immigrants.  He presented repeatedly the knowledge that each individual case would have separate sets of variables and considerations - regarding both entrance into the U.S. and each individual's potential to enter into the immigration process.

Mr. Eiffe discussed at length the general processes (with several examples) of beginning the immigration process from application to green card status to the ability to apply for citizenship and how these processes differed so greatly from each other for each person.  He did give some general guidelines to expect with regard to the length of the process as one of years to a decade or decades.  He discussed a variety of specific questions and issues that could be present for illegal aliens and those interested in remaining in the US without fear.  He gave many good specifics of how to prepare to see an attorney and how to protect oneself in the US if a person were seeking citizenship but not yet in the country legally.  

Don Hild, Veteran of the Healthcare Insurance Industry and I discussed the present problems with American healthcare. We began with an analysis of the good & bad points of our existing ACA (Obamacare) system. We analyzed the AHCA (American Healthcare Act) House of Representatives bill and the current Better Care Reconciliation Act from the Senate that is in current debate.

Don provided an excellent historical, non partisan analysis of the ACA, with very specific examples - helping listeners understand the excellent attributes that need to be kept, as well as who was left out in the ACA.

Don further highlighted that ALL healthcare costs have tripled in recent years, and these higher costs (at present) appear to be staying regardless of wha happens. He discussed the specifics of waivers, medicaid, medicare and the crucially - the difference between a "single payer" system and "Med-advantage" which is a combination of Medicare and private insurance.

Don discussed the 51 year history of medicare and how the more recent "Med-advantage" system is different from a "single-payer" system. He pointed out that Med-advantage continues to improve and may be an excellent option for Congressfolk to consider going forward because it offers a compromise between the ACA and present work on the AHCA.

Ara Serjoie, Vice President of Advancement at Guilford College joined me to discuss the recent surges in terrorism.  We discussed some of the underlying causes of terrorism as well as long term considerations of how to address the root causes of terrorism.  We discussed how terrorists twist statements from Islam to suit their own narratives.  Ara discussed what and how terrorists use the religion of Islam falsely to support their own needs. He discussed how this mis-use of Islam has nothing to do with the actual religion of Islam which is a peaceful religion.

Ara further discussed the beauty, heritage and culture of the Middle East and how an appreciation of the positive history of the Middle East and Iran can help us create a common thread of humanity.

We further discussed how Americans can be focused on terrorism from their own (American) perspective. We discussed how to change this narrative - from a negative portrayal of the Middle East to a positive one.  Our discussion further highlighted the recent use of vehicles as weapons.