‘Christmas House’ in Phoenix Won’t Have Lights This Year… But There’s a Twist

November 28, 2017

WRITER

Lee and Patricia Sepanek have been decorating their Phoenix home with a stunning display of Christmas lights for more than three decades. But not this year … after objections from new neighbors, city officials wanted the couple to make some big changes, so the Sepaneks are taking a break.

Glenn Goes Christmas Light Crazy

Lee Sepanek joined Glenn on today’s show to talk about the ridiculous hoops he says officials wanted him to jump through in order to maintain his holiday traditions of lavishly decorating his home and providing cocoa for visitors.

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This article provided courtesy of TheBlaze.

GLENN: I read a story a couple weeks ago about a guy who has put Christmas lights up on his home for 30 years. He's decorated his home in Arizona. And he spends like three months decorating and getting everything -- getting everything right.

Nobody has ever complained in his neighborhood. Somebody moved, and then a new family moved in. And they claimed to the city and said that, you know, the traffic is just horrible.

And so the city came in and said, "You have to stop this." Because he was violating code because he was selling hot chocolate to try to pay for, you know, the -- the work of putting the lights up, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. He said, "I'll give it away." They said, "You can't even do that." So he stopped decorating, for the first time in 30 years. His name is Lee steponic. (?) and Lee is with us now. Hello, Lee, how are you?

LEE: Good. How are you, Glenn?

GLENN: So tell me what the reaction has been in your neighborhood.

LEE: Oh, the neighborhood -- once they found out what was going on, just totally upset. I still have cars driving by, just to see the dark house.

(chuckling)

LEE: But, of course, we turned the tables on the city a little bit because we took all of my lights and we decorated ten homes on my street.

GLENN: Wow. Wow.

LEE: Wow and so other neighbors have joined in. (?) 15 houses that are now decorated. And there's only about three that are not.

GLENN: And are one of those three the one that complained? Do you know who complained?

LEE: Yes, I know.

GLENN: And did they talk to you about it? Because I have to be honest with you, Lee. I lived in Connecticut, and there was a house on my street. And there was only one way to get to my house. (?) I loved it. I loved it. And became friends with him and everything else. He would spend three, four months putting them up and taking them down. And he loved it. And people would come from all over. I, on the other hand, was the neighbor that was just trying to get home, hated the traffic, but I lived with it. Can you understand why someone would be like, "This is ridiculous on my street?"

LEE: Well, I understood that completely. And I've always said for years, you know, I've lived in this home on this street since 1973. So basically what had happened is I've outlived the neighbors. Because the people that were living here when I moved in have passed away or moved away. So the ones (?) not even a year ago. I looked up the tax records and they moved in February of 2016. So the first experience they (?) caused them to complain to the city. But I've since learned from their immediate neighbors that they're the type that complain about everything. They actually went so far to ask one of their neighbors to cut down a tree on their property because some of their leaves were blowing into their yard.

GLENN: Wow. Okay.

LEE: Okay. You know the kind we're talking about?

GLENN: Yeah, I do. I've had those kinds of neighbors. And, you know, what solves that is if you just mysteriously find bamboo planted somewhere no one else yard. Anyway, that's a different story.

LEE: I offered to -- it was a matter of blocked driveways. I offered (?) please do not block this driveway. I was going to put that at the leading edge of everyone's driveway up and down my street. And the city official from (?) because it's a right of way. And I was like, but there's no sidewalks.

So where am I impeding people's natural flow if there's no sidewalks in

GLENN: So what are you going to do now, lee? I'm just looking -- (?), I mean, what are you paying your power bill?

LEE: My power bill run me about 1500 a year.

GLENN: I mean, it's quite the show.

So what are you going to do? You said you're not going to do it this year, but you said you are going to do it next year.

LEE: The way (?) cocoa being offered for donation.

So they've backed off on that. Due to -- you know, pushback from the neighborhood, from legal. Basically, I got representation -- because I have a -- an individual host has been coming here for years, and his children are little. And when he found out it wasn't going to do this anymore. He got all up in arms and contacted a whole bunch of people that he knew that came to my -- to my support. And have been great about it. And our own district six councilman, as soon as he heard about this, he went to the city and started working on my behalf to get this overturned.

So as it looks right now, it looks pretty good. We'll probably do it again next year.

GLENN: So you're -- you also started a GoFundMe page. And you started that because you were -- you were taking the profits of the hot cocoa and, you know -- that allowed you to do this and put the lights and buy new stuff, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. And the city won't let you do that because you don't have a license. So now you're trying to raise the money through GoFundMe?

LEE: That's correct, yeah. So what I used to get -- and I didn't make that. I was selling a cup of cocoa for a dollar.

GLENN: Right.

LEE: So it probably cost me 50 cents with the lid, the cup, the powder (?) it's not like I made a lot -- the show never -- never made a profit. Okay?

But it helped take the sting out of the costs.

GLENN: The -- I'm seeing the video. There's a -- it looks like, almost like a -- I don't know, a fair or something.

LEE: Yeah, that's one of my decorated windows. I have six of them. That's the reason why people stop, get out of their car, and come to -- my windows rival Macy's.

GLENN: Did you build this? Because I'm looking at this and I can't -- it looks like a legitimate fair. So did you make all of that?

LEE: No. Over the -- I've been collecting stuff for over 40 years. And, you know, I think the window you have there, that's the combination with the train --

GLENN: Yeah.

LEE: That's actually my kitchen window. And everyone has done differently. I don't think I even sent you the one. I could send you the one -- the real fair.

GLENN: Like the tee cup. The tee cup thing. (?)

LEE: Right. Right.

GLENN: Was there.

STU: I can't even bring myself to go to the gym for 15 minutes. You're spending nine to ten hours a day for three months. So this begins in, what? August?

LEE: September. This (?) the third week of September. Takes about two weeks to go through the lights and fix them and get them ready to go. And then we start beginning -- in fact, I had the lights here. We had been working on it for two weeks when I met with the city. And I hadn't started to decorate yet. So then after meeting with them, I decided, they were just making it too -- they can't directly tell me I cannot put up my lights. But if you take and make it difficult all the way around in every other aspect, you discourage people from doing so. And that's what they tried to do.

GLENN: Yeah.

STU: Yep.

GLENN: So how old a man are you, Lee.

LEE: I'm 66 years old.

GLENN: And when you say (?)

LEE: I have a gentleman who volunteers his time and helps and then my wife. So the three of us.

GLENN: Has your wife ever said, okay. Lee, enough.

LEE: Oh, yeah, that -- every year.

GLENN: Okay. Yeah, right.

LEE: You have to understand, we go out every night from Thanksgiving to New Year's, greet people, serve up cookies or cocoa. Only nights we are not out there is if it's pouring down rain, and I'll turn the lights (?)

GLENN: I can't do you do it, Lee?

LEE: It's just something I've been doing since I was ten years old. (?) started doing it when I was a kid. Living with my parents. And moved to Phoenix in '73. Didn't do it for a number of years, until my youngest was born. And we would go around looking (?) he started saying, well, we don't have any on our house, why can't we do it on our house? So we started doing it. And started out small. And it's grown into what it is today.

STU: I'm fascinated about this. So September, October, November is setup. Then through November and (?) through January, you're doing -- you're out there working it every day with the lights. And then there's a teardown process. How long does the teardown take?

LEE: Usually a month. (?) a month and a half to take it down.

STU: I mean, that is legitimately half of your year.

LEE: Yes.

STU: That's an incredible amount of dedication. I mean, I like Christmas.

GLENN: See, I don't think I would ever take them down, Lee.

STU: Yeah. I think you would just leave them down.

GLENN: (?) I don't care.

LEE: Yeah. You know what, I kind of hate that. (?) you see eagle lights hanging off --

GLENN: I'm not saying it's a good look.

STU: You just tarp the whole house. (?) put a big tarp on top of it, you move somewhere else --

GLENN: Put camouflage negative over the house.

LEE: You know, that would be great. A lot of this stuff is made out of plastic. And our son ruins that. (?) it would be no good anyway.

GLENN: Yeah. All right. Lee, best of luck to you. Do you have the address for the -- Stu, do you happen to have the GoFundMe page?

STU: I do. (?) it says, help relight Christmas house is where you can go to find it. It's a great goal. It will put you back to work, lee. I hope you're prepared for that.

LEE: That's okay. You know, I look forward to it every year. People don't realize. This is a year-round thing for me. Because if I'm not putting it up or (?) I'm planning.

GLENN: God bless you. God bless your wife, lee.

LEE: Yes. I know, yeah.

GLENN: God bless you.

STU: Lee soponic is the guy who is doing the Christmas display in Phoenix. It's GoFundMe.com. (?) I had one string of lights that I had to hang on the back porch of our house. And I put it up in like October of I guess 2015. And it came down last summer. So it was up -- I kept it up through the whole year.

GLENN: Yeah, good.

STU: And it lasted until they just started (?) they physically didn't work anymore.

GLENN: Yeah, you're a class act all the way.

STU: That's me.

GLENN: So I went and I got a new tree. You know, we've done fake trees forever. We went out and cut our trees down this year. And brought it into the house. And so had to go get lights. Yesterday, Tania comes home from Hobby Lobby. And we bought the big Christmas bulbs, that my grandparents used to have the big Christmas bulbs.

STU: Oh, I love those.

GLENN: Yeah, so she came. And they were halogen. So he so on she came -- we put them up. We looked, that's not right.

STU: They haven't nailed the '50s to '80s Christmas lights?

GLENN: Well, they have. They've just remade them. (?) she said, but the other ones get so hot. And we were talking about it. And this is probably the wrong move. But I'm kind of willing to have the tree light on fire and just have -- just have some sort of a fire extinguisher around the tree, in case it does, for the beauty of the lights. For the memories.

How did we not all burn to death?

STU: I don't know. And, you know, people are like, oh, I got to have a natural tree. Forget it. I did it -- I did it for many, many years. And then I got an artificial tree. And, you know what, never have to worry about it.

Keep that thing year round.

GLENN: No, you didn't.

STU: Because I kept -- we kept taking the tree down. And then you put it in the box or whatever. And it gets all folded up. And then you have to come up and fluff all the branches when you put it back up. And I said we have that garage. Why don't we just put that thing up as is in the garage?

GLENN: Oh, I don't have a problem with that. In the garage?

STU: In the garage.

GLENN: I don't have a problem with this with that.

STU: I think it's smart.

GLENN: Did you see it all decorated. Everything.

I asked Tim the other day, who decorated the tree? He's like, oh, I don't know. It was decorated four years ago. We just wrap it up in bubble wrap and put it in the back. I'm like, why aren't I doing that at home.

STU: That's brilliant.

GLENN: That's exactly what should be done. You just need some sort of a place -- your tree needs to be on wheels. Your tree needs to be on wheels. And probably shouldn't be one that easily catches on fire.

Woke ideology trumps medicine in America's top 5 medical schools

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Progressive ideology has infected our most prestigious medical schools and is seeping into our medical system.

As Glenn covered in his latest TV special, "diversity, equity and inclusion" (DEI), and leftist rhetoric have overtaken science and medicine as the focus of medical schools across the nation. The next generation of doctors and nurses is being force-fed DEI and "anti-racist" nonsense at the expense of slipping standards. This has led to a decline in people's trust in the medical industry and for good reason. Woke ideology has already been the driving force behind at least one medical malpractice case, and more are undoubtedly on the way.

All of this is being spearheaded by universities, which have integrated DEI practices into the fabric of their programs. Our top medical schools now require students and staff to participate in mandatory DEI and "anti-racist" classes and training and are adjusting the standards to reflect this new shift in focus. Here are 5 statements from the top American medical schools that show that medicine is no longer their primary focus:

Harvard Medical School

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Taken from the Harvard University "Unconscious bias" resource page:

“As members of HMS, we each have a responsibility to create an inclusive community that values all individuals. Barriers to inclusion may include assumptions we make about others that guide our interactions. Recognizing our Unconscious Bias is a critical step in developing a culture of equity and inclusion within HMS and in our partnerships with other communities.”

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

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Pulled from the JHM Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity blog:

“One-hour live, virtual unconscious bias training ... [w]ill be required at all Johns Hopkins Health System (JHHS) entities for managers and above; hospital nurse leaders; credentialed providers (such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners); and for school of medicine faculty and trainees (including residents, fellows, medical and graduate students, and research postdocs), as well as those at a manager level or above.”

Stanford University School of Medicine

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Found on the Stanford Medicine Commission on Justice and Equity page:

“The Commission on Justice and Equity—composed of external and internal leaders, experts, and advocates—represents an institution-wide, collaborative effort to dismantle systemic racism and discrimination within our own community and beyond.”

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

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Taken from the Penn Medicine Commitment to Inclusion, Equity, and Antiracism site:

“We openly acknowledge the role of structural forces of oppression as primary drivers of the disparate health outcomes. We believe that working to reverse the underrepresentation of historically excluded groups is critical in achieving equitable health outcomes. While this is an ongoing journey for our program, here are some of the tangible steps we have taken to achieve an inclusive culture”

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

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Pulled from the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Justice, and Anti-Racism page:

"Courses are being revised to be more inclusive and informed by the key principle of race as a social construct and a social determinant of health. We are training faculty that Anti-Racism is not an add-on to a course. Anti-Racism is a pedagogy - a manner of teaching, designing courses, and measuring learning outcomes. We make sure that the classroom environment is inclusive by holding space for respectful conversation and ensuring that we address any “classroom ruptures”– a disorienting dilemma or situation when a bias or microaggression that may occur, providing real time opportunities for professional development, learning, and growth. Racist actions and remarks are never tolerated at Columbia University and will be dealt with following established protocols."

Critical theory destroys truth and justice

Editor's note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

Critical theory once stood out as the absurd progressive notion that it is. Now, its maxims are becoming an integral part of ordinary political discourse. The more you repeat a lie, the more you will believe it, and this is the very dangerous place in which we find ourselves today.

Take this critical theory maxim as an example: If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice. It's a necessary evil, if you will, the necessity of “controlled injustice.”

By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we’ll save the republic. We’ll be acting in a noble way.

This definition of justice is defined by the “oppressed,” not the “oppressor.” It is the greatest happiness for the greatest number. To achieve this justice, however, we need to endorse acts on occasion that, while seemingly unjust, serve a higher purpose. It will ensure the stability and the unity of our republic, and this may manifest in ways that seem contradictory to our values. But these are the necessary shadows to cast light on “true justice.”

And isn’t that what we are all after, anyway?

Here’s another critical theory maxim: Sometimes we find the truth through fabrication. Our pursuit of truth sometimes requires a strategic use of falsehoods. The truth is a construct that has been shaped and tailored to promote the well-being of the collective.

We sometimes need to accept and propagate lies designed by "the system” — not the old system, but the system that we’re now using to replace the old to get more justice through injustice and more truth through fabrication.

We’re engaging in a higher form of honesty. When we fabricate, it’s for the right reason. We are reaching up to the heavens fighting for a higher sort of honesty. To fortify the truth, we occasionally must weave a tapestry of lies. Each thread, essential for the greater picture, will ultimately define our understanding and ensure our unity under this infallible wisdom.

The election is coming up. Does this maxim sound familiar? Many think it is imperative that we secure our republic through election control to maintain our republic. Sometimes, we might need to take actions that by traditional standards might be questionable.

The act of securing elections requires cheating. It's not mere deception. It is a noble act of safeguarding our way of life. We're on the verge of losing this democracy, and without deception, we will lose it.

To ensure it doesn't fall into the hands of those we know will destroy it, we may have to make a few fabrications. We're fabricating stories to be able to control or secure the republic through our elections. By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we'll save the republic. Therefore, we'll be acting in a noble way. Stealing an election from those who wish to harm our society is truly an act of valor and an essential measure to protect our values and ensure the continuation of our just society.

If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice.

I know it's a paradox of honor through dishonor. But in this context, by embracing the dishonor, we achieve the highest form of honor, ensuring the stability and the continuation of our great republic.

Let this be heard, far and wide, as a great call to patriotic action. As we advance, let each of us, citizens of this great and honorable republic, consider these principles. Not as abstract or paradoxical but as practical guides to daily life. Embrace the necessity of controlled injustice, the utility of lies, the duty to secure our electoral process, and the honor and apparent dishonor. These are not merely strategies for survival. They are prerequisites for our prosperity.

We all have to remember that justice is what our leaders define, that truth is what our party tells us. Our republic stands strong on the values of injustice for justice, honor through dishonor, and the fabrication of truths. To deviate from this path is to jeopardize the very fabric of our society. Strength through unity; unity through strength.

We've heard this nonsense for so long. But now, this nonsense is becoming an instituted reality, and we are entering perilous times. Don't be fooled by the narratives you will hear during the march to November. Never let someone convince you that the ends justify the means, that a little bit of injustice is needed to achieve a broader, collective vision of justice, that truth sometimes requires fabricated lies and narratives. If we do, justice will cease to be justice, truth will cease to be truth, and our republic will be lost.

Top 5 MOST EVIL taxes the government extorts from you

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"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." -Ben Franklin

The injustice of taxation has been a core issue for Americans since the very beginning of our country, and it's a problem we have yet to resolve. This belief was recently reignited in many Americans earlier this month on tax day when the numbers were crunched and it was discovered that the government was somehow owed even more hard-earned money. As Glenn recently discussed on his show, it's getting to be impossible for most Americans to afford to live comfortably, inflation is rising, and our politicians keep getting richer.

The taxpayer's burden is heavier than ever.

The government is not above some real low blows either. While taxes are a necessary evil, some taxes stretch the definition of "necessary" and emphasize the "evil." Here are the top five most despicable taxes that are designed to line the IRS coffers at your expense:

Income Tax

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"It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income." -Ben Franklin

On February 24th, 2024 we hit a very unfortunate milestone, the 101st anniversary of the 16th Amendment, which authorized federal income tax. Where does the government get the right to steal directly out of your paycheck?

Death Taxes

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"Now my advice for those who die, Declare the pennies on your eyes" -George Harrison

Not even in death can you escape the cold pursuit of the tax collector. It's not good enough that you have to pay taxes on everything you buy and every penny you make your entire life. Now the feds want a nice slice, based on the entire value of your estate, that can be as much as 40 percent. Then the state government gets to stick their slimy fingers all over whatever remains before your family is left with the crumbs. It's practically grave-robbery.

Payroll

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"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -John Marshall

What's that? The nice chunk of your paycheck the government nabs before you can even get it to the bank wasn't enough? What if the government taxed your employer just for paying you? In essence, you make less than what your agreed pay rate is and it costs your employer more! Absolutely abominable.

Social Security

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"We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much." -Ronald Reagan

Everyone knows the collapse of Social Security is imminent. It has limped along for years, only sustained by a torrent of tax dollars and the desperate actions of politicians. For decades, people have unwillingly forked over money into the system they will never see again.

FICA

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"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." -Thomas Paine

FICA is the payroll equivalent of Social Security. Your employer has to match however much you pay. It means it costs your employer even more to pay you—again, you'll NEVER see that money. At this point, are you even working for yourself, or are you just here to generate money for the government to frivolously throw away?

5 DISTURBING ways World War III will be different from previous wars

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Has World War III begun?

Over the weekend, Iran launched an unprecedented attack against Israel involving over 300 missiles and drones. This marked the first direct attack on Israel originating from Iranian territory. Fortunately, according to an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, 99 percent of missiles and drones were successfully neutralized by Israeli defense systems. Iran claimed that the operation against Israel had concluded and that no further offensive was planned, although the possibility of another attack is still present.

This has left many people, including Glenn, wondering the same thing: did we just witness the start of World War III?

Glenn recently had a World War II Air Force Veteran as a guest on his TV special, who told stories of the horrors he and his brothers-in-arms faced in the skies over war-torn Europe. This was a timely reminder of the terrors of war and a warning that our future, if it leads to another world war, is a dark one.

But, if Glenn's coverage of the Iranian attack revealed one thing, it's that World War III will look nothing like the world wars of the twentieth century. Long gone are the days of John "Lucky" Luckadoo and his "Bloody Hundredth" bravely flying their B-17s into battle. Over the weekend, we saw hundreds of autonomous drones and missiles clashing with extreme speed and precision over several different fronts (including space) simultaneously. This ain't your grandfather's war.

From EMP strikes to cyber attacks, here are FIVE ways the face of war has changed:

EMP attacks

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The entire modern world, on every level, is completely dependent on electricity. From your home refrigerator to international trade, the world would come to a grinding halt without power. And as Glenn has pointed out, it wouldn't even be that hard to pull off. All it would take is 3 strategically placed, high-altitude nuclear detonations and the entire continental U.S. would be without power for months if not years. This would cause mass panic across the country, which would be devastating enough on its own, but the chaos could be a perfect opportunity for a U.S. land invasion.

Nuclear strikes

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Nuclear war is nothing new. Many of us grew up during the Cold War, built fallout shelters, and learned to duck and cover. But times have changed. The Berlin Wall fell and so did the preparedness of the average American to weather a nuclear attack. As technology has advanced, more of our adversaries than ever have U.S. cities within their crosshairs, and as Glenn has pointed out, these adversaries are not exactly shy about that fact. Unfortunately, the possibility of an atomic apocalypse is as real as ever.

Immigration warfare

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The strategy of strangling an opposing nation's economy to gain the upper hand is a wartime tactic as old as time. That's why the Border Crisis is so alarming. What better way to damage an opponent's economy than by overburdening it with millions of undocumented immigrants? As Glenn has covered, these immigrants are not making the trek unaided. There is a wide selection of organizations that facilitate this growing disaster. These organizations are receiving backing from around the globe, such as the WEF, the UN, and U.S. Democrats! Americans are already feeling the effects of the border crisis. Imagine how this tactic could be exploited in war.

Cyber shutdowns

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Cyber attacks will be a major tactic in future wars. We've already experienced relatively minor cyber strikes from Russia, China, and North Korea, and it is a very real possibility that one of our adversaries inflicts a larger attack with devastating consequences on the United States. In fact, the WEF has already predicted a "catastrophic" cyber attack is imminent, and Glenn suggests that it is time to start preparing ourselves. A cyber attack could be every bit as devastating as an EMP, and in a world run by computers, nothing is safe.

Biological assault

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Don't trust the "experts." That was the takeaway many of us had from the pandemic, but something less talked about is the revelation that China has manufactured viruses that are capable of spreading across the globe. We now know that the lab leak hypothesis is true and that the Wuhan lab manufactured the virus that infected the entire world. That was only ONE virus from ONE lab. Imagine what else the enemies of America might be cooking up.