Today we discuss childhood, fitness, and self-defense; the through-line is freedom. First up: Illinois has become the first state in the Union to mandate mental health screening for children in grades 3 – 12, so that conditions from trauma to anxiety can be detected early. How mandatory will these screenings be? How confidential? What is anxiety, and why are children better off learning to experience and solve their own anxiety, than to be coddled at every turn? We argue that anxiety—like pain, and sadness—are signals from your brain and body that should be listened to rather than erased. Also: childhood is a time of exploration, of mixing reality with fantasy, and should not be a time when adults’ fantasies are imposed on children. Then: the New York Times cannot abide that anything that RFK Jr. does or says makes sense. Finally: do people have the right to defend themselves inside their own homes? Have we forgotten habeas corpus? Are the foundations of democracy coming apart at the seams? ***** Our sponsors: Branch Basics: Get 15% off Branch Basics with the code DARKHORSE at https://branchbasics.com/darkhorse #branchbasicspod Jolie: Beautiful showerheads that filter out the garbage without reducing water pressure. Go to http://jolieskinco.com/DarkHorse to get free shipping; free returns within 60 days. CrowdHealth: Pay for healthcare with crowdfunding instead of insurance. It’s way better. Use code DarkHorse at http://JoinCrowdHealth.com to get 1st 3 months for $99/month. ***** Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.com Heather’s newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.com Our book, A Hunter-Gatherer’s Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AGANGg (commission earned) Check out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org ***** Mentioned in this episode: Governor Pritzker signs bill mandating mental health checks for schoolkids: https://news.wttw.com/2025/07/31/pritzker-signs-legislation-implement-universal-mental-health-screenings-illinois-schools Illinois Bill 1560: https://trackbill.com/bill/illinois-senate-bill-1560-mental-hlth-kids-beacon/2645551/ NYT on the fitness challenge of Kennedy and Hegseth: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/style/hegseth-rfk-jr-fitness-challenge.html Breaking and entering report from the Kawartha Lakes Police Service: https://kawarthalakespolice.com/media-releases/media-release-august-18-2025-break-and-enter-assault *****