🌮 Tacos of Resistance: Chef Juan Almanza's Culinary Storytelling
Also, the Catholic host is glad Tucson's Bishop focused on social justice is leaving.
Based on the Wake Up Live with Chris DeSimone for 2/11/25.
Spicy Quotes That Sparked Our Local Radio Waves 🔥
Danny Sawyer's Most Memorable Soundbites:
"You'll see a 75-year-old lady deadlifting 200 pounds" - Describing the inclusive environment at Tucson Strength
"The government's job is infrastructure. Police, fire, roads—that's what they're there for. Not planting trees or free buses." - Critiquing local government spending
"People are looking for a chemical fix for a spiritual problem." - Discussing dry January and substance use
Juan Almanza's Culinary Wisdom:
"I can do a flower with limes, tomatoes, oranges" - Describing his artistic food presentation
"Nothing has flour to thicken the food" - Emphasizing his gluten-free cooking approach
Chris DeSimone's Political Zingers:
"Why would you do that? If you are literally leaving, just make a concanis is still bouncing around." - Critiquing Bishop Wiesenberger's departure
"Sometimes, failing upwards looks like a corporate-ecclesiastical magic trick." - Commenting on the bishop's promotion
Local Personalities Mentioned: Tucson's Who's Who 📋
Radio Show Hosts/Personalities:
Chris DeSimone
Host of Wake Up Tucson
Local conservative radio personality
Quote about himself: "Just an old country boy doing his job"
David Samarano
Co-host/Producer
Appears to provide commentary and support
Local Business Owners:
Danny Sawyer
Owner of Tucson Strength gym
Powerlifting event organizer
Local small business advocate
Juan Almanza
Chef/Owner of El Taco Rustico
Culinary innovator
Immigrant entrepreneur
Political/Community Figures:
Bishop Wiesenberger
Recently promoted to Archbishop of Detroit
Controversial for COVID-19 church policies
Criticized by show hosts
Warren Peterson
Arizona State Senate President
Criticized DEI initiatives in universities
Notable Mentions:
Katie Hobbs
Arizona Governor
Repeatedly criticized by show hosts
Referred to as "racist Katie"
Steve Montenegro
Arizona Speaker of the House
Mentioned as upcoming show guest
David Schweikert
US Congressman
Mentioned in discussions about government spending
Local Community Leaders:
Amanda Wiggins
Marana Chamber of Commerce representative
Mentioned as upcoming guest on another show segment
Other Interesting Mentions:
RFK Jr. (Robert F. Kennedy Jr.)
Briefly discussed in context of political commentary
Colorful Descriptive Mentions:
Frank the Tank (Ron Arenas' apparent nickname)
Smooch the Donkey (Local community mascot/character)
The list captures the vibrant, sometimes contentious local media landscape, showcasing the personalities that shape Tucson's public discourse. It's a delightful mix of local flavor, political commentary, and community characters that make our city's media scene anything but boring!
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
👧🏾✊🏾👦🏾
📻 The wake-up call on a local Tucson radio show delivered a mix of bold perspectives, featuring gym owner 💪 Danny Sawyer and chef 🌮 Juan Almanza. The discussions revolved around real-world challenges and cultural creativity, like the heavy financial burdens 💸 on local businesses and turning tacos into tales of cultural resilience. Meanwhile, progressive themes are taking center stage 🌟, as debates spark 🔥 over educational diversity requirements 📚 and inclusive leadership in church communities ⛪, prompting us to think about how diversity and innovation shape our local narratives. 🌎
🗝️ Takeaways
💪 Strength in Diversity: Danny Sawyer's gym celebrates a wide range of individuals, highlighting inclusivity in unexpected places.
💸 Entrepreneurial Struggles: Danny describes the financial pressures faced by small businesses, including hefty security and insurance costs.
🌮 Culinary Creativity: Juan Almanza crafts a Valentine's taco heart, blending cuisine with cultural storytelling.
🏛️ Progressive Insights: Bishop Wiesenberger's leadership spotlighted social justice, unsettling conservative critics.
🎓 DEI Discourse: The show's dialogue on diversity in education exposes deep-seated resistance to inclusive academic curriculums.
Wake Up Tucson: A Progressive Peek into Local Conservative Radio 🎙️
On Tuesday, February 11, 2025, the Wake Up with Chris DeSimone radio show rolled out another morning mix of local conservative commentary—part local flavor, part political spice, and entirely unfiltered. Broadcasting on the Live the Dream Media Network, the show became our collective petri dish of Tucson's conservative thought, serving up interviews with local business owners Danny Sawyer and Juan Almanza that demand a closer, critically progressive examination.
Ah, another morning of conservative radio—where the coffee is strong and the takes are... well, let's just say heated.
💪 Danny Sawyer: Muscles, Taxes, and the Small Business Struggle Flex
Local gym owner Danny Sawyer of Tucson Strength didn't just bring biceps to the conversation—he brought a philosophical barbell loaded with local political weight.
Sawyer's gym is a microcosm of community diversity that would make any social justice warrior proud—even if he'd bristle at the description. "You'll see a 75-year-old lady deadlifting 200 pounds," he proclaimed, highlighting an inclusive space that celebrates strength across age, ability, and body type.
Internal monologue: Wait, did a conservative just create a genuinely inclusive space? Progress comes in the strangest packages.
The Taxation Tango
The most heated segment centered on Proposition 414, a local tax measure that set Sawyer's entrepreneurial blood boiling. His critique of government spending echoed a familiar small business refrain: "The government's job is infrastructure. Police, fire, roads—that's what they're there for. Not planting trees or free buses."
Progressive Breakdown:
Additional Security Costs: Sawyer revealed paying an extra $26,000 annually for security
Insurance Increases: His liability insurance jumped from $5,500 to $10,000
Impact on Small Businesses: These aren't just numbers—they're real economic pressures squeezing local entrepreneurs
Our progressive brain is doing mental gymnastics: How do we acknowledge legitimate small business challenges while pushing for comprehensive community investment?
Fitness as Resistance
Beyond politics, Sawyer's upcoming powerlifting event reveals a fascinating community narrative. With 60 lifters expected and a professional livestream, it's more than just lifting weights—it's about building collective strength.
Progressive Insight: Strength isn't just physical. It's about creating spaces where diverse bodies and abilities are celebrated, where community transcends political divisions.
🌮 Juan Almanza: Culinary Artist, Cultural Storyteller
Chef Juan Almanza transforms tacos from mere food into edible art, challenging culinary boundaries with every bite.
The Valentine's Day Taco Heart: Love Language Redefined
Imagine romance, not through wilting roses and mass-produced chocolates, but via a meticulously crafted heart made entirely of tacos. "People can choose any taco—shrimp, beef—we just charge regular price," Almanza explained, democratizing romance one quesadilla at a time.
Capitalism meets creativity, and somehow, it's kind of beautiful.
A Gluten-Free, Culturally Rich Culinary Journey
Almanza's commitment goes beyond flavor. "Nothing has flour to thicken the food," he proudly stated, revealing a dedication to dietary inclusivity that feels revolutionary.
Migration and Culinary Resistance:
Started at swap meets
Worked 12 years at El Medallón
Now owns two thriving restaurants
Each taco is a story of immigrant resilience
Internal dialogue: This isn't just food. This is cultural preservation, economic empowerment, a delicious act of resistance.
🏛️ Political Panorama: Local Controversies Unpacked
The Bishop's Progressive Legacy: A Thorn in Conservative Sides
Let's be real—this bishop was a social justice warrior in clerical clothing, and the MAGA crowd couldn't stand it.
While conservative radio host Chris DeSimone attempted to paint Bishop Wiesenberger's departure as a failure, the reality tells a different story. This was a bishop who consistently pushed for social justice, community support, and compassionate leadership—precisely the qualities that make right-wing commentators squirm.
Key Progressive Achievements:
Managed significant community resources through Casas Alitas, supporting vulnerable populations
Maintained church commitment to public health during COVID-19
Advocated for inclusive community support during challenging times
The conservative critique reveals more about their own limitations than the bishop's leadership. Wiesenberger's commitment to social justice—supporting immigrant communities, maintaining public health protocols, and challenging systemic inequities—made him a beacon of progressive faith in a sea of reactionary religious rhetoric.
Internal dialogue: They're not mad about mismanagement. They're mad he actually lived the gospel of compassion.
The bishop's promotion to Detroit isn't a failure—it's a recognition of leadership that prioritizes human dignity over political posturing. Sometimes, social justice looks like a promotion that makes conservative radio hosts lose their morning coffee.
Border and Detention: Moral Minefield
Discussion of leasing the Marana prison to federal authorities for immigrant detention exposed the complex, often dehumanizing approach to border policy.
Progressive Reality Check: These aren't just policy discussions—these are conversations about human lives, families, fundamental dignity.
University DEI: Unmasking the Real Discrimination
Buckle up for a truth bomb about diversity that'll make conservative talking heads spin faster than a semester's research project.
The show's hosts predictably attacked Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, revealing a textbook case of institutional racism masked as conservative "concern." Let's break down what they're really afraid of:
🎓 DEI Course Highlights (That Apparently Terrify Them):
Intersectional Movements
Introduction to Queer Studies
Race, Power, and Politics
Indigenous Astronomy
One particularly telling quote exposed their true colors: They mocked a course description about "critiquing whiteness" and questioning how "heterosexuality is privileged," with the host sarcastically remarking, "You mean heterosexuality, the thing that keeps the planet going?"
Let's Unpack That Racist Baggage:
Course Content Controversy: NAU requires 12 credits of diversity requirements, which conservatives paint as "unnecessary." Translation: Learning about experiences outside of white, heteronormative perspectives is threatening.
Financial Fear-Mongering: They calculated these courses cost students about $5,500, framing it as a financial burden. Internal burn: Because understanding human complexity is apparently too expensive.
Systemic Resistance Revealed:
Attacking DEI is about maintaining power structures
Diversity courses challenge comfortable narratives
Understanding multiple perspectives is fundamentally revolutionary
The Real Tea: These diversity requirements aren't just academic—they're essential tools for:
Dismantling systemic racism
Creating genuinely inclusive educational spaces
Preparing students for a complex, multicultural world
Radical Truth Bomb: DEI isn't indoctrination. It's education. It's healing. It's recognizing that our collective human story is far richer and more nuanced than any single perspective.
The conservative panic? That's the sound of outdated power structures crumbling. 💥🌈
Pro Tip: If conversations about equity make you uncomfortable, that's not a problem with the conversation—it's a mirror.
🤔 Community Conversation Catalyst
Wake Up Tucson isn't just a radio show—it's a complex dialogue about Tucson's soul, captured in real-time audio bytes and passionate local voices.
Provocative Questions for Our Community:
How do we transform economic challenges into collective opportunities?
Where do individual business interests intersect with communal well-being?
Can we build bridges across seemingly insurmountable political divides?
Disclaimer: These views are a kaleidoscope of local perspectives, not a monolith. Your voice matters.
Drop your thoughts, critiques, and community visions in the comments! Let's turn this monologue into a true dialogue. 💬✊🌵
Tucson, we're just getting started.
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