Dennis Prager

Recorded on Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Radio host, columnist, conductor, and best-selling author Dennis Prager discusses his new book, Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph.
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[@oldglstuf]

I've watched a few of these interviews now and I have to say that Peter Robinson is not only a great interviewer, but he is the best book holder upper (high and often) of any host I have ever seen. The authors must just love him!

[@barahng]

oldglstuf Gotta dig that forward slash too

[@wesleyhite8203]

Ronald Reagan said, 'We are always only one generation away from losing our Freedom.'

[@davidfreire3766]

The excitement from Peter Robinson in hearing and understanding is just overwhelming. What a great interviewer.

[@azsheri8]

I would love to see a follow up on this conversation in this 2020 year! Please!

[@TheChiesa]

Me too!

[@Adam-jl8nu]

"every generation has to reaffirm their values." we are seeing that now

[@joemunch58]

Excuse me, Elizabeth Warren, but those who create jobs also paid for those roads and police and fire protection, and likely in more dollars than those who don't.

[@pietersmith9745]

Great video. But disappointing how he responded to the video of the senator claiming entrepreneurs couldn't do what they do if not for public funds and government. She says "we paid for it"...who is the we? People who pay tax? Why are they able to pay tax? Because they get salaries... How do people get salaries to pay tax? By getting jobs... and how do jobs come into existence?... Through entrepreneurs... So basically, government didn't do anything without first taking money from people that are paid to them by factories and businesses.

[@cutazabutton]

Exactly the garbage that obama spewed. "You didn't make that business successful- govt did."

[@pelicula50]

I hope the viewers will read and think on this: "A nation which can prefer disgrace to danger is prepared for a master and deserves one." Alexander Hamilton

[@cindydufala7646]

Be someone. A community is only as good as its people. Great interview.

[@sketchartist1964]

Prager is a great man with a great mind.

[@flamingkitsune2792]

+sylmarmusic2012 unlike everyone else he states the cold hard facts without bringing in his own opinion

[@4wheelerDJ]

Lemmings.

[@MrFreeeeeedom]

To us living in Europe mr Pragers analysis of the left is very accurate and clear to see and experience everyday. To some it's good and to others not so good we may like it or not but his analysis is correct.

[@cutazabutton]

Thank you for sharing!

[@barahng]

MrFreeeeeedom Hows Europe now....Im almost afraid to hear the answer. The one thing I disagree with Prager about is the import of genetics. Will European and American enlightenment ideals continue to exist when the people who created them no longer do? The Enlightenment was unique in human history and the pinnacle of human civilization after 10,000+ years. It's not going to happen again.

[@user-ip1wt9cf6l]

One of the best channels on KZbin

[@justsayin453]

It is so refreshing to hear logical discourse. When one enters into verbal intercourse it is easy to learn and retain. Thank you Mr. Prager and Robinson.

[@star_1_man214]

I would love to hear Warren say "it is YOU", when asked, who is paying for all the free stuff! Warren would never tell the truth! Why do we have to use the government, as a middleman for insurance? If the government would just get out of the way, we would have competition and lower prices!

[@juliebell5158]

You are so right about Europe ! I am surprised that you know so much about it !! I live in Europe !! The European Union is taking over !!

[@laviajera4269]

One of the best discussions I’ve ever seen Thank you

[@bastiatintheandes4958]

Excellent. A great interviewer for a great American leader.

[@chrisw10]

Ravi Zacharias says this: Moral questions always involve the essential value of a person. You can never talk of it in abstraction. Persons are implicit to the question...positing a moral law without a law giver would be equivalent to raising the question of evil without a questioner. So you cannot have a moral law unless the moral law itself is intrinsically woven into personhood, which means it demands an intrinsically worthy person if the moral law itself is valued. That person can only be God

[@renee-mariekrugkrug3989]

Dr. Prager is spot on. Thank you

[@4wheelerDJ]

Prager is a college dropout. Do NOT called him "Dr." Prager.

[@Holojipula]

No wonder he's so smart.

[@melissajennings8999]

4wheelerDJ, do you argue that we shouldn't call Matin Luther King Jr "Dr King"? After all, he didn't obtain a doctorate either, it was honorary....

[@RobSinclaire]

May 29, 2012: it's August 2, 2017 and We got Trump! Hey!

[@katorone1841]

Got to love Prager! Is there any chance of a new interview with him? I'd love to hear more about his views on current day events, and about why he wrote his new book.

[@dubayew3235]

Thank you, this was awesome.

[@yevgeniyzharinov7473]

I love conservatism oh so very much.

[@jcihle3016]

Dennis can you ask President Trump to be a part of his cabinet? He needs YOU...All AMERICANS need your Wisdom & Knowledge from your 7,000 books in your library. We learn from one another. Yes, some are Chosen To Lead! YOU ARE! Please I am from SC now live in CA for over 40 years now. Family holds me here as a 70 year old grandmother. Wisdom is heard from YOU, even by a common person like me. 🙏🇺🇸🌍✝️⚓️❤️

[@jonnychingas5757]

the nine scarest words " I'm from the government and I'm here to help"

[@DrKaii]

Hi, thanks for making these videos, and I really admire your presenter, he is very fair, and well spoke. Can I ask you to make sure all your videos have the recording date in the description? It is really important to understand political context

[@HooverInstitution]

Dr. Kaii Thank you very much for your suggestion and we will start adding the date the interview was recorded to the description.

[@DrKaii]

HooverInstitution Thanks, and thanks for the quick reply. Keep doing what you do, you're changing the world for the better

[@espada9]

Islam is an ideology. No ideology is above critique, particularly one that explicitly seeks political and social dominance over every person on the planet. Islam is not simply a belief about God. It is a word that means Submission. Islam is a set of rules that establish a social hierarchy in which Muslims submit to Allah, women submit to men and all non-Muslims submit to Islamic rule.

[@frikkiethirion8053]

Does 'liberty' mean 'The freedom from tyrany' or 'the freedom to be degenerate'?

[@JayEss414]

brilliant show in 2020

[@curtislegerton2331]

Excellent discussion I learned a lot, and enjoyed the food for thought.

[@robwininger5993]

Thank you Dennis, for who you are choosing to be, in this world, for the greater goodness of ALL. 👍👍

[@QUINSYlarynx]

Yet another great video from Hoover Institution. Despite being an avid viewer of Hoover Institution videos, I hadn't come across this. Although I had wished a great many times that Mr. Robinson interviews Mr. Prager, I never thought this had already happened. Someone as great an interviewer like Mr. Robinson interviewing someone as lucid, coherent, and entertaining as Mr. Prager is a thorough delight to watch. 1. I totally agree with Prager's views on each nation should retain its individual identity; that the premise of globalism and 'one-world' is untenable and incorrect. 2. The following bunch of points are, to me, the most important takeaways from this discussion. 'The American founding fathers substituted God for a secular or religious state.' It not only shows the profound wisdom of the founding fathers, but also makes an important distinction between God and religion. 'Nationalism is a good thing, if paired up with God and liberty.' This statement marks the difference between the US and many middle eastern nations. Both have a strong sense of national/ethnic identity, but the latter have swapped God for religion and have severely curtailed liberty. 3. The point that I had slight discomfort swallowing was 'Believing in the melting pot - E Pluribus Unum - doesn't mean you have to give up your identity.' I always felt that assimilating and becoming American was about adopting American values, customs, and the way of life; about not hyphenating your national origin, and about being American. I don't think his statement sits well with assimilation. Would love to hear what others have to say about this.

[@sebas051180]

Keeping the once in charge rightious is key to the prosparity of humanity .

[@J-cubed]

You can't fix evil with evil.

[@alvinmwangi]

The Jews escaping from Egypt example is a very good, concise summary for the freedom/liberty vs security argument

[@TheCornelljeep]

I admire your vast knowledge very much.

[@RobSinclaire]

E Pluribus: "Out of Many, One"

[@aryehfinklestein9041]

Wise words as always from Prager. Thanks for posting.

[@flam1ngicecream]

"...that the rest of us paid for!" What this woman fails to realize is: 1). Anyone can use these roads. They're public. 2). The business owner *also* paid for that road, especially if he was already rich, due to the progressive income tax. Roads and education aren't gifts. She seems so resentful that if these things *were* gifts, I doubt she would be willing to help give them.

[@dashinghandsomeness]

+Flam1ngicecream also, we were not offered the option to refuse to pay for those roads.

[@flam1ngicecream]

dashinghandsomeness True.

[@kirkbowyer3249]

God Bless Mr. Prager. We do not agree, but, we are on the same side nonetheless.

[@jimbuford4147]

His ideas while laudable, has as it's goal to reform man from the outside. Jesus Christ will transform the willing adherent from the inside out.

[@cutazabutton]

You have to bring them in somehow.

[@frankieaddiego5962]

I think that what Prager said about the left's goal being material equality is the best way I've seen to describe it.

[@gemguy6812]

you must reject the teachings of Mohammad to be a good person.

[@chrssummers]

Good Point and if you think about it, roads are paid for by taxpayers. Who pays more taxes?

[@mariejeannewurrer7212]

Very good .

[@leadinged]

Dennis Prager gets it better than anyone.

[@LusciousTwinkle]

The eternal answer of the religious - God done it!

[@redeyetime]

You weren't listening. He wrote in his book that the "American trinity" is unique in the history of the world because it brought together 3 ideas that are our value system. 1) One nation under God. 2) Liberty. 3) E Pluribus Unam. The founding Fathers were influenced by the Protestant Reformation who wanted a "secular" government protecting a religious people...

[@ibtisamhtewek3407]

I have sense Dennis Prager was trying to be very kind to Muslims who never damned ISIS ? not the moderate neither Yaser Zuhdi

[@Aphoresis]

When exactly was this period when Christianity held back freedom?

[@TokyoCraftsman]

I have let my membership to Denis Prager's podcast lapse, after seeing this interview I am going to re-up, I miss Mr. Prager. Not to worry Peter, I have set my Ricochet membership to automatically renew :) Domo

[@manuelquenga9886]

I'm American.

[@zvi303]

This is true. However, he is referring to the Japanese treatment of the Chinese and perhaps others (including American POW's).

[@forty4forty1]

I like a lot of what you teach, you are wrong in one thing, Islam CANNOT be reformed. It is currently going under going reformation, back to the original text, reformation will require more than 30% of the texts rejected. You need to learn more on Islam.

[@criss5405]

This is what I think too. Islam cannot be reformed!

[@jerryneal9006]

Move to Dallas, Texas...Dennis Prager. It would make me happy. I'll buy your lunch.

[@christiangomez73thetimexbegin]

ONLY IN AMERICA 🇺🇸

[@jennpiach]

That was great every liberal should listen.

[@RaquelCrispim]

Dennis Prager, I am your kid! :)

[@dalongdiilanka2974]

I am sad with Denis that he thinks islam is a religion. And still believes that islam can be reformed. At this point I lost sincere interest in what he claims he knows and his entire knowledge about islam. As long as islam is not labeled totally inimical to human existence we are simply ignorant. People who witness muslims killing and thoroughly reads the Koran will accept one thing ONLY: as long as one is called a muslim the same must adhere to islamic demands which are summed into total war against any hindrance and people group who resist it. The Koran displays about 62% support to eliminate the infidel for Allah's sake. A non-muslim such as Denis is surely ignorant about this, hence muslim is always a muslim, no matter how nice or violent the same is!

[@offwiththefairies77]

I'm English. We voted Brexit. Don't lump "Europeans" as one. ty.

[@LudwigsBoneCollection]

One would think that somebody so confident in the certitude in Hitchens would be able to apply what they know about his arguments to something they disagree with, instead of saying "Boy if he were here he'd crush you!". Either you know enough about what Hitchens says to apply even a meager facsimile of it yourself, or your confidence is, dare I say, faith-based.

[@Aphoresis]

Who do you recommend?

[@garywood97]

"Greek exceptionalism".

[@aidengregg]

I don't understand how, if God exists, He makes the right right, and the wrong wrong. The right is right, and the wrong is wrong, because that is how they both are, intrinsically. Things do not exist *first* in a morally ambiguous state, and then are *later* made good or bad by divine decree. No such extra decree is needed, or is even logically possible. That does not mean God and good are not connected: but the connection is not how Prager implies it to be.

[@ca7chi]

4:58 - what about NASCAR?

[@rahnlipp2912]

It would be interesting if you interviewed Joe Rogan

[@jackma152]

Dennis, you are a genius in explaining our world today in such common sense terms. You are exactly right in your new book. Your love of America, Liberty and common sense is infectious. How can I get a autograph copy of your book so I can jump into its pages with both feet. You were so complimentry of my film FORGOTTEN HEROES and I am always in awe of your passion for life and freedom

[@barahng]

33:50 The Chinese are quite nationalistic actually, it just has nothing to do with politics or whatever politicial system they're using at the time. It's all about the ancient Han ethnic lineage. As long as that survives, the Chinese nation survives, whatever political form that takes over the millenia.

[@gregorbegger9291]

Dennis Prager should run for president someday

[@spamsickle]

Dennis Prager is wrong when he says that Leftism, Islamism, or Americanism must triumph. None of these ideas is an all-encompassing philosophy which can only be adopted in toto. All modern societies embrace multiple ideologies, which create policies that interact with each other and succeed or fail in varying degrees. The real question is what policies should be implemented, and how should they be evaluated. By reducing a complex question to simplistic trichotomy, Prager panders to simple minds

[@cindyjo9093]

Too late. Unless God begins a miracle.

[@pool2785]

Hey Warren guess how much $$$ that factory pays in taxes

[@samuelthomson1004]

When the Jews left Egypt.... Dennis you better calm down with all that 🤣

[@kathiefleming2830]

Peter is an book/author interviewer. He could have done much more by grouping ideas and getting the word out. Could Peter have done a better job getting the word out about what was harmful or helpful to our society ?

[@frikkiethirion8053]

44:10 you dont have to work in the welfare state. Just mortgage the state assets for fake money

[@jafatemail]

So the first thing they talk about is how Obama thinks America is no more exceptional then Brittan or Greece, did they just forget the quote, he said that "I believe in American exceptional-ism just like i suppose the British believe in British exceptional-ism". That statement has nothing to do with him saying America isn't exceptional.

[@LostKonash]

سؤاله غريب لماذا البلدان العربية لا تشعر بالحرية رغم أنها الأكثر إسلاماً؟ جوابي عليه: نحن في البلدان العربية تعرضنا لقمع سياسي وديكتاتوريات حرمتنا من ممارسة النظام الإسلامي في الحُكم،لقد تم اختطاف الحكم من قبل لصوص سارقين من العسكر،الآن هي الفرصة الوحيدة التي نستطيع أن نُحكم فيها بعدالة لا من قبل ديكتاتوريات ، عندها تستطيع أن تحكم بدقة على الإسلاميين عندما تضعهم على رأس الحكم. شكراً لكم على الحلقة الماتعة

[@kathiefleming2830]

Alarming to see how far these unveilings from Thomas Sowell go back. Where were these aired? 14 urea’s ago? Just insider info? It seems that very little power to persuade with all these lofty towers.

[@rickspalding3047]

i would love to see vox day on here, will never happen though

[@HooverInstitution]

Google’s translation tool was used for this message Peace to you, His speech is remarkable for the Islamists, in my opinion I do not think there is a difficulty between living the values of American and practice the teachings of Islam, the religion of Islam is a way of life not only in the mosque or in the temple it is a way of dealing daily with humans, animals and plants, our debt is a way to achieve a balance between human and the universe. The second point:

[@TiempoNuevo-ew7ty]

I think a lot of American people also held in their hearts a LOT of respect for the Indigenous people of America. In fact I think more Americans today respect and understand the importance of the values many of the tribes held. They were connected to the lands they lived upon...we were not. They had tribal families, we did not. Because they were many tribes were nomadic their land, soils, herds,and flocks were plentiful. The Europeans cam to America perhaps to have a life more like the life they had already lost centuries and centuries ago.

[@Aphoresis]

What is right and wrong is relative to the individual or the individual society from a purely humanistic standpoint. The idea that there is an absolute and independent right and wrong IS Theism from a Philosophical standpoint. Morality is a personalistic concept, and to attribute it to the universe is to attribute a personalistic dimension to the universe i.e. God.

[@Atreus21]

Man, Prager is awesome.

[@Miatacrosser]

"But come on, Japan did not cause a lot of war crimes in WWII?" If that isn't sarcasm then it's one of the most ignorant statements I've ever read. No More Slushie For You!

[@Tomer1776]

The US had slavery, and Prager condemns that dark chapter in America's history. He never says that it's okay because the US did it. As for the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs, Mr. Prager spoke about that in his show, interviewed guests, and also brought someone to do a 5 minute video in "Prager University". Maybe you want to think this man is not deep simply because you disagree with him on some issues.

[@darkroommonster]

His dodge of the question of Iraq I find important. It seems to me launching that war was a test of his whole idea of how "the world needs American values". Same kind of thing Bush said at the time and look where that went, and Dennis sits there and says "oh i was ambivalent about it". Makes me sick. I wont vote for Hillary or anyone who supported that war. And

[@nickj116]

Prager's brilliant.

[@redeyetime]

Prager defines Leftism, Islamism, and Americanism. You gave no examples of "all modern societies" embracing a 4th ideology or some combination of the 3 that is not in conflict with each other. Can you back up your assertion with some examples?

[@terryvm4202]

Evil is not normal, and at the end of days will be eradicated. Selah

[@LudwigsBoneCollection]

You completely ignore even the basic concepts that form your perception of right and wrong. Take a hypothetical, some woman is walking in front of you a $100 bill falls out of her messy purse and lands at your feet. Now you have two judgements, one, this woman should be more careful about her belongings, and two, it's wrong for me to keep this money. There's no spelled-out intrinsic answer to guide you inherent to the concepts of right and wrong, you weigh culpability based upon your values.

[@jogajens]

Please read Kant, Mr Prager.

[@wallysmith9162]

There are tribes in the Amazon basin, New Guinea, and Africa that have "less government" but they are not exactly shining examples of mans achievements when left to their own accord.

[@wannawatchu66]

Because their values systems are doubtless not based on the Bible. These tribes are largely heathen and/or pagan. I doubt they have laws, police, and legislatures to give structure and checks and balances to govern the populace, either.

[@frikkiethirion8053]

34:30 AIPAC and the ACLU knows exactly what we stand for

[@markusbrownicus01]

Good interview. I would have liked to see the host play devil's advocate a little bit more to challenge Prager to defend his views instead of lobbing softball questions and giving sympathetic feedback with his answers. As such, it's not as persuasive to those on the Left because it doesn't address their possible rebuttals, which I'm sure Prager could have easily put down.

[@kevinlawrence8580]

I meant to say she used to be a Republican.

[@quietthomas]

22:14 People find meaning not in relation to a state but in relation to each other and their LOCAL community. A state can IMPROVE one's sense of meaning, ownership and community values - by providing that community avenues for the local involvement of citizens in local affairs (through education, work groups, community consultation, and local government). People like Prager however would prefer community come from the necessity of survival bloody in tooth and claw; than to have community to come about from a positive sense of community improvement, values and local involvement. In being an anti-socialist he is in this sense also anti-social. Preferring competition to cooperation.

[@johnedwards785]

You're preconceived notions caused you to fail to hear what this man had to say. You obviously either didn't listen to the entire interview or if you did, you totally missed most of the points he made. You're thinking on the micro level made you fail to see the macro. Your characterization of Dennis Prager is completely wrong.

[@alleyoop5185]

Trump 2020!

[@jdg9999]

Lol

[@LudwigsBoneCollection]

Evidently you care, since you've not only come to this video and watched it (or you haven't, which is willful ignorance on your part), but commented on it. Also, your comment has virtually nothing worth saying, it's nothing but insults. How about sharing something, if you're capable, that can be responded to?

[@jellyfishofdeath]

Prager's great, but if Hitchens were still alive, he'd have mopped the floor with him on the morality question.