Welcome to this fact-laden, episode of Light ‘Em Up.

As we go to air - we're halfway through Black History Month.

2026 marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, first established as "Negro History Week" by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in February 1926. The 2026 national theme is “A Century of Black History Commemorations”, honoring 100 years of recognizing the achievements and contributions of Black Americans to U.S. history.

Black history is American history!

We feel richly blessed and highly favored to sit down and visit, honoring Black History Month, with a dear friend of ours and a show favorite. Dr. Sandy Womack, Jr.

Dr. Womack Jr. has devoted his life to being a servant leader, educator and striving to be the best at whatever he attempts. He is an NCAA All-American wrestler with a doctorate in educational leadership, author, former principal, district administrator, equity trainer, motivational speaker, and much more.

He is retired from his current role at the close of January (2026) after a generation (33+ years) of dedicating his life to urban education.

This year’s Black History Month arrives as our democracy is being tested in unprecedented ways, and the future of the republic hangs in the balance.

Dr. Womack expressed grave concerns that we are “in an in between place similar to the times during the Reconstruction era after the Civil War (1865 – 1877) where the Federal Government sent in troops to ensure that the freed Blacks had and maintained the right to vote, to assemble, and the rights to a public education”.

Based on reports, executive actions, and policy initiatives from 2025 and early 2026, the second Trump administration has pursued a broad agenda focused on rolling back diversity initiatives, changing civil rights enforcement, and altering educational and economic policies that critics argue disproportionately affect Black Americans. And federal agents are arresting journalists (Don Lemon) and gunning down civilians in the streets.

In this exclusive interview, we’ll drill down on:

— Assessing the pulse of the country — where are we as a nation and as people with the recent killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis?

— The importance of taking an active role in the franchise (voting) how voting “changes policy, policy impacts practices and practices impact politics”.

He feels deeply that the future “depends on the youth of today” — to see wide eyed the abuses and oversteps by this administration which will “serve as the catalyst to push the younger generation to the polls to vote in large and impressive ways”.

He stressed the importance of “collectively coming together” and working to find some “communality” — at the end of the day, we have “more things that unite us than divide” — we sadly choose to focus and give attention to those aspects that are tribal and exacerbate division.

We’ve strayed beyond an inflection point — democracy is actively in peril.

“We have to become students of history. We have to read, write, speak and most importantly be able to think critically” to be educated and informed sufficiently to question the current status quo — for those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

He emphatically declares that: “Outcomes won’t change until incomes change.” He urges all who will listen to “don’t let your lying eyes fool you”.

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” ― George Orwell, 1984

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Welcome to this explosive, comprehensive episode of Light ‘Em Up.

As we come to air with this episode, another person has been shot and killed in Minneapolis, MN, this time by Border Patrol agents. The tension and the stakes in the streets couldn’t be any higher.

Tonight, we shine the antiseptic light of the truth and examine in-depth the killing of Renee Good, 37, mother of 3, by an Immigration & Customs Enforcement Officer during a large immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on January 7th.

As Minnesota state officials demand an end to the Trump administration’s divisive, brutal “immigration crackdown” in Minnesota:

Renee Good should still be alive today. This episode confronts the deadly consequences of deploying federal officers into U.S. cities as a political ploy rather than a public‑safety necessity. When federal power is used as a stage prop, communities become collateral damage, and human lives become expendable.

In this episode:

— We’ll examine what the landmark Supreme Court decision Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989) is and what is says, as it will certainly be applied to this case.

— We’ll introduce the legal concept of “officer induced jeopardy” which argues that police officers should be held liable—criminally or civilly—when their own, unjustifiable, or reckless tactical choices create a dangerous situation that forces them to use deadly force. It posits that police cannot intentionally escalate a situation to a point of fatal risk and then justify shooting as self-defense.

We dig deeper into the Supreme Court-crafted “qualified immunity” concept.

As we examine the authority of the police to use force -- as it represents one of the most misunderstood powers granted to representatives of law enforcement by the public at large -- we will ferret out just what is meant in this process by being “objectively reasonable”, again, which very few people outside of legal scholars truly understand.

— And we’ll analyze and break down frame by frame the fateful shooting.

The Feds have failed to cooperate with Minnesota officials as countless details remain in dispute. President Trump, just moments after the shooting, already put his thumb on the scales of justice by saying that the “agents had acted in self-defense”.

This comes from a man who has lied on and vehemently demonized innocent immigrants who were in this country legally and in a legal and protected status in Springfield, Ohio, saying that they were “eating the dogs and the cats” there.

Through careful reporting, historical context, and a clear-eyed look at the federal government’s expanding use of force, this episode asks a fundamental question: What happens when political theater is backed by a gun and a badge?

There is an epidemic of moral cowardice in this country. No one is safe from ICE.

Many people probably believed that even in “Trump’s America”, citizens would still have inviolable liberties to stand up to the jack-booted, masked agents who have swarmed upon the communities where they call home.

This is what happens when the Federal government sends troops into our cities.

Did anyone learn anything from the tragic events at Kent State University on May 4th, 1970?

All of our “rights” have been eroded. How does that sit with you? Is this what you voted for?

We’ve got “on the scene audio” as it was happening.

We’ve got boots on the ground in Minneapolis. Tune in to our sponsors Newsly & Feedspot! We want to hear from you!

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Happy New Year!

Welcome back for the kickoff of Season 7 episode 1 of Light ‘Em Up.

In this debut episode:

We welcome back to the witness stand a dear friend of the show.

Sarah Cintron. Sarah is the mother of Juan Cabrera. We were honored to sit and interview her on March 30th of 2024 as we shined the antiseptic light of the truth on a 2019 murder case out of the State of Michigan. That case was, The People v Cabrera (Juan Cabrera, her first born son).

Our first episode that we shared together is entitled:

“My Son Was Judged to be Guilty Before He Ever Stepped One Foot in the Courtroom”: Life Lessons, Revelations & Preventative Awareness from the mother of a Son Convicted of 1st Degree Pre-meditated Murder.

You can find that episode here:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/823981/episodes/14787590-my-son-was-judged-to-be-guilty-before-he-ever-stepped-one-foot-in-the-courtroom-life-lessons-revelations-preventative-awareness-from-the-mother-of-a-son-convicted-of-1st-degree-pre-meditated-murder.mp3?download=true

Juan was convicted of premeditated intentional murder at the age of 18 by a jury that only took 120 minutes to decide on a charge that mandated him by statute to serve Life in Prison Without the Possibility of Parole (LWOP) — for a murder where the actual “video evidence” in the case did not in any way, shape or form show the face, clothing, nor any single, solitary identifying physical characteristic of the shooter.

How does a jury reach a unanimous decision of “beyond a reasonable doubt with “evidence” such as this? This case cries out for a fair and unbiased look at it — something that has not happened to date.

Seven years her son has been behind bars for a crime he and his mom maintain he did not commit. Seven long, difficult years.

Since day one Sarah has become an advocate for her son. She has worked hard to educate herself regarding the brokenness of the criminal justice system and specifically the egregious errors in her son’s case.

The criminal justice system's "brokenness" stems from deep-seated issues like mass incarceration, extreme racial disparities (disproportionately affecting Black and Brown communities), forcing innocent people into plea deals, and a cycle of poverty/re-offense for non-violent offenders.

Inefficiencies arise from slow processes, lack of data uniformity, and outdated technology, leading to high costs, lost public trust, and poor public safety outcomes.

Up to her last breath on this earth, she has vowed to continue to advocate for her son’s innocence and for those who find themselves buried, battered and overwhelmed in, by and among a corrupt system.

Using her voice and her social media platforms, she is educating and empowering those who find themselves in a similar situation.

She works tirelessly demanding reform to address systemic bias, harsh sentencing, and unequal accountability.

Just after midnight on February 16, 2019, a group of teens gathered at a hotel to celebrate the belated birthday of a mutual friend.

Two of the party attendees have a verbal altercation in the hallway right outside of the room. A fight ensued. All hell breaks loose, and lives are changed forever.

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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.

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