AIER's Bastiat Society of Nashville invites you to join us on Tuesday, March 26 for an event with John Papola, founder and CEO of Austin-based Emergent Order Foundation, and on Tuesday, April 16th for an event with Lawrence W. Reed, President Emeritus of the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEE).

Registration for these events is required on the Nashville Chapter website. To register, click here.

March 26th discussion with John Papola:

As we head into the second quarter of the 21st century, humanity faces challenges both old and new. And our newest challenges are causing a resurgence in some of our oldest and worst ideas. The world has never been a better place to be born in terms of material prosperity, yet the young people of our wealthiest societies are reporting unprecedented levels of psychological and social distress. Healthy adulthood has given way to an emotionally fragile extended adolescence and with it a demand for safety, security, and socialism. To save the future of freedom in America and beyond, we need to reexamine why freedom matters, how each of us develops a freedom mindset, and commit ourselves to raising our next generation to develop one as well.

John Papola is first and foremost a husband, father, Italian Catholic, and patriotic voluntarist. He's also a serial media entrepreneur committed to using storytelling for the advancement of civilization and human flourishing. The founder and CEO of Austin-based Emergent Order Foundation, John is best known for his Keynes vs. Hayek economics rap videos, which have reached tens of millions of students and educators globally. He also hosts Dad Saves America, a digital series dedicated to exploring the biggest issues facing our next generation through the lens of heroic fatherhood.

Over the past decade, John's media enterprises have produced hundreds of hours of cinematic original content for over 100 million global viewers powered by over $50 million in total revenue.

As a film director and producer, John's feature documentary At The Fork, produced in collaboration with Whole Foods Market and the HSUS, debuted to critical acclaim, an international premiere at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival and worldwide distribution by Amazon Prime. His second film The Pursuit starring NY Times bestseller Arthur Brooks, about the search for happiness and global prosperity, debuted on Netflix. His newest film To My Father, starring Academy Award winner Troy Kotsur, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2023.

Papola began his career in New York City at major networks including MTV, Nickelodeon and Spike TV where, as one of the network's creative directors, he launched numerous new shows with award-winning creative campaigns, including the True Dads and True Dads in Uniform initiatives.

April 16th discussion with Lawrence W. Reed:

Economist and historian Lawrence W. Reed has been hearing people say "Jesus was a socialist" for fifty years. And it has always bothered him. Now he is doing something about it. Jesus called on earthly governments to redistribute wealth? Or centrally plan the economy? Or even impose a welfare state? Hardly. Point by point, Reed answers the claims of socialists and progressives who try to enlist Jesus in their causes. As he reveals, nothing in the New Testament supports their contentions.Socialism has made a shocking comeback in America. Poll after poll shows that young Americans have a positive image of socialism. In fact, more than half say they would rather live in a socialist country than in a capitalist one. And as socialism has come back into vogue, more and more of its advocates have tried to convince us that Jesus was a socialist. This rhetoric has had an impact.

Lawrence W. ("Larry") Reed became President of the Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) in 2008 after serving as chairman of its board of trustees in the 1990s and both writing and speaking for FEE since the late 1970s. He previously served for 21 years as President of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, Michigan (1987-2008). He also taught economics full-time from 1977 to 1984 at Northwood University in Michigan and chaired its department of economics from 1982 to 1984.

In May 2019, he retired to the role of President Emeritus at FEE and assumed the titles of Humphreys Family Senior Fellow, and Ron Manners Global Ambassador for Liberty. The 2020 Chairman of the prestigious Mont Pelerin Society, Linda Whetstone of Britain, says "Larry is a rarity in the liberty movement. From scratch, he built one fantastic think tank (Mackinac Center), engineered a perfect succession transition after 21 years, then went on to save and rebuild another great organization (FEE). He pioneered a leadership program that trained think tank executives and staff from all over the world and he writes some of the movement's best and most enduring materials. His 'Seven Principles' and 'Great Myths of the Great Depression' are two of the most popular essays among lovers of liberty in country after country. He is in constant demand as a powerful speaker. He is a success wherever he goes and in whatever he does. And he's a genuine gentleman, always a joy to work with."

He holds a B.A. in economics from Grove City College (1975) and an M.A. degree in history from Slippery Rock State University (1978), both in Pennsylvania. He holds two honorary doctorates, one from Central Michigan University (public administration, 1993) and Northwood University (laws, 2008).

He is a native of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania and a 30-year resident of Midland, Michigan, and since 2010 has resided in Newnan, Georgia, where he writes a column for The Newnan Times-Herald.

Eventbrite Ticket Required. Registration link coming soon.

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