As we close out another fantastic, record-breaking year filled with one accomplishment after another for us — which included new sponsorships, new underwriters and new listeners — we wanted to focus on what is most important to us other than searching out the truth.

We wanted to take some special time to recognize you, our listeners for your “TSL” (time spent listening) to us throughout this past year.

We thank you for another fantastic year of growth and achievements and express our appreciation for your wonderful engagement and your role in helping us grow to 147 countries globally as we close out Season 6.

Most podcasts never make it this far.

We never thought this kind of success would be something that we could attain, and we were never concerned about our growth at the inception of this project.

Initially we set out to tell the truth about topics of importance in the U.S. criminal justice system — and look what it has become! We have been able to advocate for so many people.

The corporate plan is to take the remainder of the year off to rest and recover and enjoy some quality time with our families (returning on either January 3rd or the 10th 2026).

We then will begin the process for Season 7 of Light 'Em Up where we strive to achieve new goals and break even more records with the reach of our podcast.

We are adding a new Listener Support Program whereby our most loyal and dedicated listeners can now take a financial interest in seeing that this program continues.

We have labored tirelessly to dig deep, vast and wide to bring you a special insight that you really won’t find anywhere else regarding the U.S. criminal justice system.

We're loyal, consistent and dedicated to you, our listeners. We are truly here for you and because of you!

Our commitment to you here on Light 'Em Up is that we’ve endeavored to tackle real topics that touch your daily lives.

We’ve worked tirelessly to try to be the "voice of the people".

Please consider joining our Criminal Justice Foundation Justice Rolls Down and its page found on Facebook as well as our worldwide presence on YouTube at: Rizzo's Protective Group.

Here is our complete catalogue. Here is our last full-length episode of the year regarding the concept and legality of governmental extra-judicial killings — summarily executing people. Extrajudicial killing is the deliberate killing of a person without legal authority from a judicial process.

Thank you to Feedspot — online at Feedspot.com as we are featured in their top 50 poll of the 50 Best Criminal Justice Podcasts. Visit their blog at www.Feedspot.com or simply follow this link: 50 Best Criminal Justice Podcasts You Must Follow in 2025 (feedspot.com)

And for all your news and current affairs check out our friends at Newsly by visiting https://newsly.me. Use the promo code L1GHTEMUP to launch your 10% savings.

We look forward to you joining us in 2026!

Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad & Happy Hanukkah and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to each and every one of our listeners.

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Welcome to this incendiary, shocking and investigative episode of Light ‘Em Up!

As we rapidly approach the end of the calendar year, we’re so glad that you’ve joined us!

Share us with a friend. We’re being actively downloaded in 146 countries, globally.

Contact us at: prizzo@rpgconsultingltd.com

Tonight, we examine the concept and legality of governmental extra-judicial killings — summarily executing people. Extrajudicial killing is the deliberate killing of a person without legal authority from a judicial process.

It is “extra” “judicial” … or outside the scope of the normal route where a person is arrested, charged and given a trial before a verdict is rendered.

In fact, as we go to air with this episode, the Trump administration has embarked on a deadly serious campaign of openly targeting and killing people who have only been clandestinely labeled as “drug smugglers” — within the administration’s small, secretive, circle without offering any hard evidence, nor extending to these people a single solitary ounce of due process of law.

At the time of recording, since the 1st of September, when President Trump announced the first strike on a boat he claimed – without providing evidence – killed 11 “Tren de Aragua narco-terrorists” under the control of Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, through the end of October, the U.S. had claimed to have killed 64 alleged drug smugglers on 16 boats.

This situation is fluid and difficult to track, however, to date, since September 2, Donald Trump has summarily executed 70 civilians suspected of drug trafficking in 17 separate airstrikes in the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean.

The administration admitted in a closed-door briefing to Congress that they don’t even know the identities of the people they’ve killed. How in the hell is this possible? Congress has abdicated its power(s), duties and responsibilities to the public.

To support our claims — as evidence, we’ll provide historical examples of other governmental extra-judicial murderous actions.

And we ask the question has America under Trump become even more of a pariah on the world’s stage?

We’ll expose the risky behavior in how governmental extra-judicial killings trigger a cascade of destabilizing consequences across legal, political, social and psychological domains.

These effects can:

— erode democracy and democratic institutions

— inflict trauma on the populace

— and can perpetuate further cycles of deadly violence.

Two people who survived boat bombings were released back to their home countries because the Trump administration lacked sufficient evidence to even arrest them.

In the words of one member of Congress who attended the briefing, “This is just murder.”

We are shining the antiseptic light of the truth further exposing Trump’s illegal killing spree. Some analysts now believe Trump has tasked “his generals” with planning a full-scale regime change war against Venezuela.

So much for Trump’s campaign claim of never entering into endless wars.

Democracy is dying right in front of us.

Justice isn’t about laws … it’s about lives!

In a time of crisis — facts matter most!

Tune out the world and tune-in to Light ‘Em Up — Right here and right now!

Also, please tune in and follow our sponsors Newsly & Feedspot!

We want to hear from you!

Welcome to this explosive, investigative, fact-finding edition of Light ‘Em Up!

We are incredibly pleased you decided to join us for one of our most comprehensive episodes to date!

Tonight, we shine the antiseptic light of the truth at the intersection of hate speech and the violence that stems from it.

While a great many people on the right strongly disagree with the truth, and struggle to accept it, the fact that the radical right is far more violent than the left is unwavering. Far-right attacks continue to outpace all other types of terrorism and domestic violent extremism.

As a kid do you remember expressing the children’s rhyme that says, “Sticks and stones can break your bones, but names can never hurt you?” While this is a nice thought — it isn‘t true. Words matter; words can hurt — words can lead to murder.

In the Holy Bible, the Book of Ephesians (4:29) advises: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, which may benefit those who listen.”

We need only look to the country of Rwanda in 1994 and the genocide that took place there. Collectively and pejoratively, the Tutsis were referred to as “cockroaches”. Who acts neighborly or welcomes a cockroach into their home? Some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in 100 days. (The Tutsi and Hutu are ethnic groups established primarily in Rwanda and Burundi.)

Evidence shows that the use of radio impacted and effected mobilization for violence in the Rwandan genocide.

For more than a decade we’ve been exposed to the hate filled vitriol of Donald Trump. The words he willingly and intentionally chooses are often filled with hate.

It is evident from his outward behavior; Donald Trump is not happy. Barack Obama haunts him in thought, word, and past deed.

Trump regularly refers to anyone who isn’t in his “in-group” as “the enemy of the people” … “animals” and “scum”, you name it.

His targets have been the press as a whole and individual journalists, immigrants, Blacks, LGBTQ+ people, Democrats, and whomever he chooses in the moment.

His third-grade vocabulary has no filter. His political party does nothing to hold him to account for his vile, hate-filled rhetoric, even opting to echo and use it often.

Rarely does he open his mouth without denigrating, dehumanizing, blaming, or accusing another person of doing something with no evidence.

In this explosive episode we will highlight:

— As a case study we’ll examine how hate speech can and does facilitate violence. From the genocide that took place in 1994 in Rwanda we offer a special feature in hearing from Henriette Mutegwaraba, survivor of the genocide and founder of the Million Lives Genocide relief fund.

— Multiple examples of the vile, hateful, and demagogic language that Donald Trump spews with regularity and comparing and contrasting his words with that of the Rwandan genocide.

And much, much more!

“The enemy of the people” are words Adolph Hitler used to describe the Jews before his “final solution” was put into effect which killed some 6 million people.

This is the language of insecure, fascist, racist, dictatorial demagogues, and it is extremely dangerous.

In his book entitled Behemoth, first published in 1942, Franz Neumann wrote that violence served to establish totalitarian control over German society.

Violence throughout the Third Reich was used as a rational instrument of political power.

Donald Trump’s administration does the same.

Democracy is dying right in front of us.

Tune out the world and tune-in to Light ‘Em Up — Right here and right now!

Tune in and follow our sponsors Newsly & Feedspot!

We want to hear from you!

Welcome to this explosive, fact-finding edition of Light ‘Em Up!

We’re very pleased you decided to join us!

With the nation abuzz with the shooting of Charlie Kirk — his shooting recalls a disturbing pattern: Even the champions of “pro-gun” politics are not immune to America’s epidemic of gun violence.

We’ve been flooded with requests from our clients to address in-depth Special Event Contingency Planning for Public Safety Agencies — and that’s exactly what we are going to do.

In an era where public discourse is increasingly polarized and high-profile events carry heightened risk; the shooting of Charlie Kirk raises urgent questions about how we protect both speakers and attendees.

This episode explores the intersection of Special Event Contingency Planning and political symbolism, unpacking how public safety agencies can—and must—design protocols that anticipate threats without compromising civil liberties.

We examine the anatomy of a well-executed safety plan, the psychological dynamics of radicalized environments, and the strategic blind spots that can turn a rally into a crisis. Whether you're a public safety professional, a communications strategist, or simply someone concerned with the fragile balance between free speech and public harm—this conversation is for you.

This episode will provide essential guidance for event planners, speakers and ticket holders/(spectators). This episode is an in-depth, thorough examination of how to keep events like Charlie Kirk’s safe, for all involved.

Physical Security is the focus of Rizzo’s Protective Group, Ltd.

As education is always a key pillar of Light ‘Em Up, by the end of this episode if we achieve our learning objectives in full, you will:

Understand clearly and be able to:

Define what qualifies an event as being “special” and

— Identify for your own edification and knowledge what a special event contingency planning team consists of and looks like.

— You’ll be guided in conducting a hazard analysis for a special event.

— You’ll hear how the incident command system (ICS) can be used in response to an incident at a special event.

— We’ll give examples of special events (providing clear direction on how you must prepare for them as a provider and spectator).

Mark my words, clearly, security measures are going to change and change drastically following this incident.

Special Event Contingency planning involves creating a formal document with detailed procedures, responsibilities, and actions to address potential emergencies or hazards during a public gathering, such as at a festival, concert, or sporting event.

A few of the main aspects, goals and strategies when conducting a thorough hazard analysis are to:

— identify risks,

— develop a response strategy,

— establish a command structure with assigned roles,

— and define communication protocols for both internal and external stakeholders, including attendees and emergency services.

— The primary goal is to prevent injury, suffering, or death by ensuring the event is safe and successful despite unforeseen circumstances.

Don’t move a muscle!

Tune out the world and tune-in to Light ‘Em Up. Right here and right now!

You can listen to us: on-the-go, at work, home or when resting.

Remember that we are here for you and because of you!

In a time of uncertainty, facts provide clarity … even if they upset you!

This episode is rated “E” for EVERYONE!

Tune in and follow our sponsors Newsly and Feedspot!

We want to hear from you!

Welcome to this brand-new episode of Light ‘Em Up!

We’ve had our cake and ate it too (and it was delicious) celebrating achieving our 100th episode!

Now it is time to get back to work. Thank you to all of our previous guests, listeners and fans who contacted us, sharing warm, caring and nice thoughts about the show.

We are truly here for you and because of you!

On this fact-finding, incendiary and investigative episode of Light ‘Em Up, we’ll interrogate the question:

— Why does someone join a cult?

Is it because of their:

— desire for belonging,

— search for purpose or

— emotional vulnerability …

Some of these, none of these or ALL of these and more?

Is the MAGA movement a cult? What does MAGA mean to America? And we examine charismatic leadership.

— What makes a person charismatic to where countless people revere, worship, follow them, perhaps ultimately giving their lives for what THEY believed in?

We’ll explore all of this through the intersection of violent extremism and the radicalization process with a little Greek history lesson sprinkled into the mix — as we continue our quest to use data to improve democracy!

Cults, like gangs, fall in the realm of deviance, and both types of groups encourage members to become situationally dependent on the "group identity."

Both gangs and cults recruit members based on the human need to be accepted and a part of a group that will affirm personal significance.

The fact pattern shows it clearly: Militant, nationalistic, white supremacist-violent-extremism has increased in the United States.

According to the American Psychological Association’s Dictionary of Psychology, a cult is “a religious or quasi-religious group characterized by unusual or atypical beliefs, seclusion from the outside world, and an authoritarian structure. Cults tend to be highly cohesive, well organized, secretive, and hostile to nonmembers.”

Hardened through years of social upheaval, conspiracy rhetoric, and loyalty tests, the voting bloc known as the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, has evolved into a subculture marked by deep emotional identification with Donald Trump, and his:

— rejection of institutional legitimacy, and

— a worldview shaped less by shared policy preferences than by a shared sense of grievance and defiance.

At the heart of the MAGA movement lies a narrative of persecution and betrayal.

For many Trump supporters, their embrace of the 34-times-convicted felon, despite his endless stream of observable falsehoods and incendiary rhetoric, is not rooted in traditional (Ronald) Reagan-like conservatism but in a belief that he alone articulates their alienation. They seem to need a Superhero.

He is their “revenge”. He has said as much, as well. MAGA members feel violated and offended by everyone that isn’t them.

This sentiment is frequently reflected in the language of victimhood:

Are MAGA members perpetually victims?

In 2024, Trump was not merely a candidate, but a martyr under siege by “corrupt elites” … according to him and his “Klan” of followers and supporters.

We’re calling on you to employ your critical thinking skills throughout this entire episode as we examine in depth behavior that explains the step-by-step process in becoming a tyrant and behaviors that would normally repulse traditional voters, which is celebrated by MAGA supporters as authenticity.

Tune in and follow our sponsors Newsly and Feedspot!

We want to hear from you!

Welcome! We’re thrilled and excited that you joined us as we celebrate an enormous milestone — our 100th episode of Light ‘Em Up.

This achievement has been 5 years in the making and something we honestly never envisioned accomplishing when we started this project in January of 2020.

Email us here, prizzo7778@rpgconsutingltd.com and let us know how you first heard of us and when you began tuning in to our podcast! Are you a regular listener? Thank you!

Tonight, our focus takes us to the Pelican State of Louisiana (a state where several of our dearest friends reside) as we continue our pursuit of speaking truth to power.

Louisiana is Pro-life. Louisiana is pro-death penalty. We call hypocrisy on this!

Louisiana has enacted some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, effectively banning the procedure in nearly all circumstances with only very limited exceptions and no provisions for rape or incest — creating significant obstacles for those seeking abortion care.

The same lawmakers that have gone this far to stress their “pro-life” credentials then turn around and sound almost bloodthirsty in their support for capital punishment, which is, after all, the ending of a human life.

How does one reconcile these hypocritical, polar opposites?

We’ve got our hip-waders on and we’re going’ deep to examine this contradiction.

Are we picking a fight? No! We’re turning the spotlight on how the good people of Louisiana have adopted a rather puzzling set of policies.

In other words, how does a state so hostile to a woman’s right to choose to have a medical procedure performed on her body, which proudly boasts of its hostility to abortion and calls itself “pro-life” because of it, at the same time not only permits capital punishment, but boasts of it, and goes so far as to adopt an experimental method of choking the life out of a condemned prisoner as to pump pure nitrogen into his body?

Louisiana currently has 55 people on death row.

The state just recently resumed executions after a 15-year hiatus.

We’ll confront as best we can with the time we have issues asking:

— Does the death penalty deter crime?

— We’ll examine the 8th Amendment, which prohibits the federal government from imposing excessive bail or fines, and cruel and unusual punishments.

— Is the death penalty applied in a grotesquely unfair, arbitrary and capricious manner that disproportionately impacts individuals of color?

Does your:

— race,

— socio-economic status,

— who you kill and

— where you kill them (geographically) play MORE of a role in getting the death penalty than anything else?

Ultimately, examining and asking:

— Should the death penalty be abolished?

All this and many, many more germane and critical questions … on topic as we challenge your critical thinking skills and abilities.

It’s a matter of life or death and we’ll unpack all of it right here and right now on this historic and memorable 100th episode of Light ‘Em Up!

How can you be pro-life and pro-death penalty?

Louisiana: Pro-life, pro-death penalty, hypoxia and hypocrisy.

Tune in for all the powerful facts and figures.

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Drop us a note to say hello and suggest a future podcast episode.

Let us know what we are doing well and what we need to fix or address.

We want to hear from you!

We welcome you to this in-depth, investigative, fact-finding episode of Light ‘Em Up.

Thank you for joining us — as we march one step closer to achieving an enormous milestone, our 100th episode!

In this episode we are diving into complex and impactful topics. We’ll drill down on the concept of Birthright Citizenship — enshrined by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The 14th Amendment does not equivocate. It states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States.” A president cannot change those facts with a stroke of his pen.

We will introduce to you in detail the concepts of jus soli and jus sanguinis.

Jus soli: The principle of law also known as birthright citizenship is the principle that a person’s citizenship is determined by the place of their birth, regardless of the parents’ nationality.

It contrasts with jus sanguinis, which determines citizenship based on parentage.

On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order trying to end birthright citizenship. Specifically, the order states that after February 19, 2025, citizenship will only be granted to babies born in the United States if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

Birthright citizenship stems from the principle of jus soli, that all children born in the United States are U.S. citizens. Birthright citizenship has remained a bedrock of our country and was enshrined in our constitution in 1868 when the states ratified the Fourteenth Amendment. The Fourteenth Amendment was ratified to repudiate the infamous Dred Scott decision that denied Black people the protections of U.S. citizenship. In 1898, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed that children born in the U.S. to immigrant parents were entitled to U.S. citizenship in the case United States v. Wong Kim Ark.

Over 250 years ago our founding fathers, in the constitution, established 3 separate branches of government: the Executive, Judicial and Legislative. The Supreme Court (and the MAGA 6 on the court) have ceded a great deal of the other 2 branches’ power to the Executive Branch — doing tremendous harm to the country.

Chief Justice John Marshall famously said, “It has always been the duty and responsibility of the Federal Judiciary to say what the law is, both as to constitutional and statutory law” The Federal Judiciary is not a political role, at all. Donald Trump has sought to “weaponize” the law and the judiciary to appease his whims. Rich people can afford their whims.

We examine in depth how Trump’s large-scale deportations will have devastating impact on employment across our nation. The nativist Trump administration is waging a war against the rule of law.

When all the migrant workers who pick and process the oranges in sunny Florida are arrested, detained and deported and when a glass of orange juice at your golf course county club will cost $35 — you’ll clearly understand the true costs and the real human effects of Trump’s campaign of xenophobic arrests, detentions and deportations will have on the economy and workforce of the U.S.

Barely 2 months into his administration he has issued over 100 executive orders. More shenanigans will ensue. Trump has declared war on the Federal Judiciary and the rule of law.

America is in a crisis, and many aren’t even aware of it. The Constitution is being tested like never before. Will it break? Will the Supreme Court continue to help make Donald Trump a dictator? The courts gave power to Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini.

Those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

Tune in for all the powerful facts and figures.

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We want to hear from you!

As we rapidly approach another enormous milestone — our 100th episode (currently #98) we’ve e-x-p-a-n-d-e-d our global footprint to 131 countries.

ONLY through your unyielding support could this achievement have been realized. Thank you!

Immigration is a “3rd rail” hot topic in the U.S. The issues of immigration decided the ’24 presidential election. At his core, whether you like to hear it or not, Donald Trump is a xenophobic segregationist that truly makes the former four-time Governor of Alabama, George Wallace, appear to be benign, benevolent and innocent like a choir boy.

On this explosive episode, we’ll investigate:

— Trump’s hatred towards immigrants in a country full of immigrants.

— The GEO Group (a private prison firm that has received significant negative press regarding its operations and alleged shady business practices) and the Trump administration; and

— The Trump administration's stance on immigration, which has been widely criticized for its negative impacts on children of immigrant parents, including documented, undocumented, and US-citizen children.

Here's how these policies have reportedly caused harm:

Increased Fear and Anxiety:

— Family Separation: The "zero-tolerance" policy, in particular, involved separating thousands of children from their parents at the border, a practice widely condemned for its traumatic effects. This policy has led to long-term harm, with many children still not reunited with their parents years later.

— Fear of Deportation: The threat of deportation and increased immigration enforcement created pervasive fear and distress among children and their families, regardless of legal status. This fear led to children worrying about separation from parents and potentially having to leave their communities.

— Toxic Stress: Exposure to this chronic fear and uncertainty has helped to cause "toxic stress" in young children, potentially altering brain development and negatively influencing their physical, cognitive, and emotional well-being. This can have lifelong consequences, impacting their ability to cope with adversity and achieve future success.

— As well as bans and bars to badly needed health care services, means of preventing food insecurity and essential care and support.

In the U.S. the “corporation” has always been “king” – where large corporations and big financial donors hold significant influence and power to shape government policies and societal structures. The Trump administration is notorious for pampering its “friends” and attempting to punish its enemies and those who would dare to hold him and the administration accountable.

Republicans, including Trump, initially criticized the use of the CBP One app, particularly as it was used under the Biden administration, to facilitate asylum appointments at the border. They argued that the app enabled unauthorized immigration and was an abuse of parole. Now, they swear by it and have embraced and rebranded its core functionalities into CBP Home, focusing on incentivizing voluntary departure as a tool for immigration enforcement.

A 360◦, hypocritical move that only MAGA Republicans have perfected.

As we celebrate Independence Day (2025) we now have a king. The Supreme Court has paved the way for this, by a string of decisions that subvert the judiciary, undermining the integrity, independence, and effectiveness of the court system. Its actions have directly challenged the judiciary's ability to operate impartially and fairly, potentially leading to a complete breakdown of the rule of law.

Tune in for all of the explosive details.

Without fear or favor we follow the facts and tackle the topics that touch your lives.

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