1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:03,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. Today, we are going 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: to dig into the impact of the crisis at the border, 3 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: but now it's well beyond the border. We've all heard 4 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,399 Speaker 1: about the migrants that are being sent to New York 5 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: and Chicago and all of these other big cities, but 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:19,639 Speaker 1: the question is what's really going on on the ground 7 00:00:19,760 --> 00:00:22,400 Speaker 1: in those cities. Well, it turns out some of the 8 00:00:22,440 --> 00:00:25,920 Speaker 1: residents are fighting back against this, and one of those 9 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: women is Kata Trust. She is one of those who 10 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: is fighting against local resources being re routed to migrants 11 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: over residents. Kata is a fifty seven year old mother 12 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: on the West Side of Chicago who actually sued the 13 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 1: city of Chicago over their handling of the migrant crisis, 14 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:46,320 Speaker 1: and she is here with us today. Kata, welcome to 15 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:47,200 Speaker 1: the podcast. 16 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 2: Thank you, Thank you for having me. 17 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: Absolutely so. You are in this situation, and I think 18 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: for those of us who are on the outside, a 19 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: lot of us are watching and saying, well, what is 20 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: this like for the people who are being impacted every 21 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,560 Speaker 1: single day? And you had that situation where they were 22 00:01:04,600 --> 00:01:09,399 Speaker 1: taking a center that your boys had actually used to 23 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,800 Speaker 1: play with friends for sports and things like that, and 24 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,560 Speaker 1: they were going to turn this over to a migrant 25 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:17,959 Speaker 1: shelter and then tell us a little bit about that. 26 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 1: What made you say, you know what, enough is enough? 27 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 2: Well, one of the first things that happened was the 28 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 2: fact that we were upset about is the fact that 29 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 2: no one really sat down with the community to ask 30 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 2: us about it. So I live in the Austin community 31 00:01:34,560 --> 00:01:39,160 Speaker 2: over on the west side, and there are at least 32 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 2: four major parks in the area, and there are parks. 33 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:46,479 Speaker 2: All of the parks have programs going on in them, 34 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 2: but the Amason Park where my children grew up playing football, 35 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 2: where our seniors go every day to communicate and fellowship 36 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 2: with each other, that was the park that they were 37 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,200 Speaker 2: talking about closing. It was one of our most used 38 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: parks as opposed to some of the other parks, and 39 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 2: had there been some kind of conversation, we could have 40 00:02:10,600 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 2: possibly come up with some sort of happy medium. But 41 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 2: because the city just decided to betrayally take the park, 42 00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 2: not have a conversation with the residents there and just 43 00:02:21,760 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 2: say hey, listen, we're going to take this park the 44 00:02:24,200 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 2: migrants needed, and there's nothing that you could do about it. 45 00:02:28,639 --> 00:02:30,519 Speaker 1: And so they were just going to turn it would 46 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:32,679 Speaker 1: they have put up tents or what was going to 47 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: happen there. 48 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 2: We're not sure what was going to happen exactly, can't 49 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,640 Speaker 2: even tell you. Look at no, no, they did not. 50 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,080 Speaker 2: But if you look at all of the other migrant areas, 51 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 2: so they're inside of those facilities, they have tents outside 52 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 2: of the facilities, and I'm sure that once there were 53 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 2: too many people inside that there quite possibly would have 54 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 2: been tents outside. 55 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: And then you fought back against this, so it didn't 56 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: actually happen, right. 57 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 2: Well, well, you know what we decided we hit So 58 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 2: they called the city, came out and they was, you know, 59 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 2: to tell us about their plan. And when we found 60 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:08,799 Speaker 2: when they scheduled the meeting to come out and tell 61 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 2: the community what was happening, we rallied ourselves together. We 62 00:03:13,919 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 2: made phone calls so much so that we had over 63 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 2: a thousand people to show up for a community meeting, 64 00:03:20,919 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 2: basically to say to the city that this is our park. 65 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:26,799 Speaker 2: We didn't even really allow them to tell us what 66 00:03:26,919 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 2: kind of plans they had because we just didn't care. 67 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 2: We had just repositors. We're not giving our park up. 68 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 2: And so I got up the next day, I went 69 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 2: over to the Circuit Court of Cook County, and I 70 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 2: filed the motion to have a judge to look at 71 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 2: this case. 72 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: And then you ended up winning the case. 73 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 2: Right, Well, I don't I won't say that we won 74 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 2: the case, but I think that we pushed enough for 75 00:03:55,960 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 2: the city to think about not necessarily using the park. 76 00:04:01,240 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 2: So what happens is you fouled the motion, we had 77 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,839 Speaker 2: to hire an attorney. The attorney came in, she went 78 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 2: into court when we went in with her, and basically 79 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 2: what they said was that we really couldn't do anything 80 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,040 Speaker 2: unless the city decided to bring migrants in. And so, 81 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 2: you know, although we filed the lawsuit, we were we 82 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 2: had to press out every single day, We had marches 83 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: every day, we had people who camped out, who took 84 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:33,520 Speaker 2: post overnight to make sure that the migrants didn't come. 85 00:04:33,960 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 2: And so we never really had to do anything because 86 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,880 Speaker 2: the city realized that we were not playing and we 87 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:41,239 Speaker 2: were not going to back down. 88 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 1: So just out of curiosity when you started, I mean, 89 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: I think maybe I'm wrong about this, but I really 90 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: started hearing about the border having this crisis when Donald 91 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: Trump was running the first time. It was like this 92 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: was a topic of conversation we started to hear that 93 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:58,560 Speaker 1: the border was open too many people were coming in. 94 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,480 Speaker 1: And I think that at that time those of us 95 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 1: who were tuned into politics were paying attention. But I 96 00:05:04,839 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: just am curious. Do you think that that many people 97 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: in your in the community of Chicago were paying attention 98 00:05:11,760 --> 00:05:14,720 Speaker 1: to this, or like you know, northern communities that really 99 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: weren't seeing this happen it was really staying down south. 100 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: Do you think that people were paying attention to the 101 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,359 Speaker 1: politics of an open border. Back then, we. 102 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: Were paying attention. But you know how you hear people say, 103 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 2: it really doesn't affect you until it hits home. Yeah, 104 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 2: and so we were paying attention. I was watching what 105 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:39,160 Speaker 2: was happening at the border. I had concerns even then, 106 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:42,600 Speaker 2: but like I said, until it begins to affect where 107 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 2: you live. And it's just like you know, when you 108 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,799 Speaker 2: listen to Governor Abbott, a lot of people have made 109 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 2: him the boogeyman. You know, this is his problem. He 110 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 2: shouldn't have said these people here. But what people have 111 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 2: to think about is just think about what we have 112 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 2: coming to Denver, the migrants we have coming to New York, 113 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 2: and the migrants we have coming to Chicago and just 114 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,479 Speaker 2: think that all of those people were at some point 115 00:06:08,560 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 2: staying in Texas, and Governor Abbott had the responsibility of 116 00:06:14,000 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 2: trying to find someone for those some place for those 117 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 2: people to stay on his own right, no help from 118 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:24,039 Speaker 2: the government. 119 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 1: I think it's amazing that you say it that way. 120 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 1: I think that's so well said, because I was in 121 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 1: New York a few months ago and I was sitting 122 00:06:34,240 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 1: there talking to a woman I just met, and she 123 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,719 Speaker 1: said to me, I just don't understand why Governor Abbott 124 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: is doing this, because New York is such a small 125 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:45,799 Speaker 1: place and Texas is such a big place. Why won't 126 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: he just keep them in Texas? And I thought, it's 127 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:53,839 Speaker 1: it's not so much a political ploy or a trick. 128 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: It's that if you are the ones that are out there, 129 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,920 Speaker 1: Mayor Adams and Mayor Johnson insane, we want to have 130 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,600 Speaker 1: all these people come to our city. Be careful what 131 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:07,039 Speaker 1: you wish for. You know, you should, you should know 132 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: what it really is. And I think he was making 133 00:07:09,880 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: exactly what you said, making the point of, hey, I 134 00:07:12,680 --> 00:07:15,360 Speaker 1: have to try to juggle this every day. You guys 135 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,720 Speaker 1: need to take up some of this slack to help 136 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 1: me out. 137 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 2: And I don't even think it was taking up some 138 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 2: of the slack. I think that I remember Mayor Laurie Leeford, 139 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:30,240 Speaker 2: a former mayor, standing up and saying, well, you know, 140 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 2: we're the city of big shoulders, and you know they 141 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 2: can come here. You know, we can handle it here 142 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 2: in Chicago. I remember her standing there saying that and 143 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,680 Speaker 2: having a back and forth. And so you had some 144 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 2: of the mayors of cities that were sanctuary cities being 145 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 2: very critical of some of the comments that Abbot was making. 146 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 2: And so when he started sending migrants to these different 147 00:07:54,400 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 2: places that had sanctuary cities who wanted to protect migrants 148 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 2: and didn't want them to be deported, I kind of 149 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 2: understand it. 150 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, I am, I agree, Hey. 151 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 2: We can take it, we can handle it. And so 152 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 2: he began sending him and like, you know, all of 153 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 2: a sudden, we're demonizing him and the migrants. But you know, 154 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 2: we have to do a better job of making sure 155 00:08:18,720 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 2: that our legislators and our elected officials are looking at 156 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 2: these issues and are dealing with these issues. And you know, 157 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 2: one of the biggest things that happened from this situation 158 00:08:30,760 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 2: for me is the fact that I began to see 159 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 2: that my Democratic elected officials were basically sitting on their 160 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 2: hands and the people are saying one thing, and you 161 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,120 Speaker 2: guys are doing something completely opposite of what the people 162 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:48,559 Speaker 2: are saying they want. And so that. 163 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:52,760 Speaker 1: Actually just recently really happened in Chicago because there was 164 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 1: an opportunity for a vote on whether or not to 165 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: be a sanctuary city, and Mary Johnson he did some 166 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 1: politic cool shenanigans really to get that off the ballot 167 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 1: and say, the people of Chicago don't get to choose. 168 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 1: But when you look at the situation that you're in, 169 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:12,839 Speaker 1: doesn't this seem like exactly why we have this method 170 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: of government where it's we the people, and we do 171 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: get to choose, you would think. 172 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:23,120 Speaker 2: And the fact that our mayor worked so hard to 173 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,920 Speaker 2: take the away the wife of the voters to make 174 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:30,560 Speaker 2: that choice is really a problem for me and I, 175 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 2: you know, I think about the fact that he didn't 176 00:09:34,280 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 2: want us to make the choice on the sanctuary city, 177 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 2: but now we're having to make a choice on this 178 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:47,320 Speaker 2: bring Chicago home that's supposed to put monies aside for 179 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 2: the homeless, but there's no language in that bill to 180 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 2: make sure that it goes to the homeless who have 181 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,679 Speaker 2: already been here, and so that. 182 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: Means people that are actually Americans. 183 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:03,599 Speaker 2: I'm sure that they're probably going to rubber stamp that 184 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 2: money and send it right to the migrants if we 185 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:10,839 Speaker 2: allow it to pass. And so now in Chicago, we're 186 00:10:10,880 --> 00:10:15,920 Speaker 2: pushing to have that ordnance turned down because again we're 187 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:20,440 Speaker 2: I think that if we allow ourselves to continue to 188 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 2: give the city money to spend on someone other than us, 189 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 2: they're going to do it. And so this is going 190 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:30,719 Speaker 2: to be our way and stepping in and saying, well, 191 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:33,439 Speaker 2: we didn't get a chance to vote on the sanctuary city, 192 00:10:33,480 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 2: but we do have a chance to vote on this 193 00:10:35,840 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 2: initiative to make sure that you are not taking our 194 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 2: tax dollars and giving them to people who don't live 195 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 2: here or who have not worked to put into the system. 196 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 1: I think, you know, we sat here on the other 197 00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 1: side of the lake in Michigan and watched that election 198 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:57,360 Speaker 1: for mayor, and I remember people going, why the most 199 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 1: progressive one, Why choose the person who doesn't have the 200 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:05,640 Speaker 1: best interests of the community at heart? But I do, 201 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: and I hear people at the times that what they 202 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 1: voted for it. But look, I'm in Michigan, and people 203 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: get voted in that I didn't choose clearly obviously since 204 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: Iran right. So I just wonder if there's still that 205 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:25,240 Speaker 1: mentality of we just vote for a party rather than 206 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:29,160 Speaker 1: really digging into candidates. And I think that that happens 207 00:11:29,200 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 1: on both sides. Don't get me wrong, I think that 208 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,320 Speaker 1: happens on both sides. Depending on where you are in 209 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 1: the country. Do you see a shift in people across 210 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:42,320 Speaker 1: the country saying, you know what, I'm done just voting 211 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 1: because I've always voted a certain way and now it's 212 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: time to really dig into what people are saying. 213 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:49,320 Speaker 2: You will see a shift. And that's one of the 214 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 2: things that I've been talking a lot about. This taught 215 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 2: me a lesson. First of all, I supported Brandon Johnson. 216 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:02,800 Speaker 2: I voted for Brandon Johnson. I voted on him primarily 217 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:06,600 Speaker 2: because he was someone I knew. I knew him, we 218 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 2: you know, had a relationship, or so I thought, and 219 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:14,679 Speaker 2: not to make it personal, but when you have a 220 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:18,439 Speaker 2: relationship with people and you go out and you support 221 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:21,520 Speaker 2: them and you get them elected, and then you see 222 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 2: that your voice matters very little or if at all, 223 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:28,800 Speaker 2: to them, then you have to do something differently. And 224 00:12:28,920 --> 00:12:34,120 Speaker 2: basically what this situation taught me is Number one, you 225 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 2: can't vote for people. You know, you can't vote vote ethnicity. 226 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:42,880 Speaker 2: At this point, you really can't even vote party because 227 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 2: you just never know what you're gonna get. And I 228 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:49,840 Speaker 2: think that voters have to begin to be smart and 229 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 2: vote candidates that best speak to our self interests. And 230 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 2: they may be Republican, and they may be Democrat, they 231 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,520 Speaker 2: may be Green Party, they may be independent. But one 232 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 2: of the great things about America is the fact that 233 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:07,959 Speaker 2: we have the right to choose. And because we have 234 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 2: the right to choose, I think that people need to 235 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 2: stop being so locked into party and people and people 236 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:20,600 Speaker 2: that we know and ethnicity, you know, race, color, you know, 237 00:13:20,679 --> 00:13:23,240 Speaker 2: we look at all of those things that really should 238 00:13:23,320 --> 00:13:26,320 Speaker 2: not play a part because if a person does not 239 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:30,760 Speaker 2: represent your best self interest, then we're doing ourselves a 240 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:34,800 Speaker 2: disservice by voting for them. And so that's the biggest 241 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 2: lesson I walked away with this time. 242 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: Well, can I ask you, I mean, maybe this is 243 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:43,079 Speaker 1: I don't know, maybe you're not allowed to ask these questions, 244 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:49,680 Speaker 1: but I am just gonna ask it. When your community Chicago, 245 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:53,079 Speaker 1: as the community has historically voted Democrat, I mean that 246 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,520 Speaker 1: just seems to be the way Chicago goes. It's a 247 00:13:56,559 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 1: blue city. We always think of it as a blue city. 248 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,640 Speaker 1: What is it that you hear from Republican politicians in 249 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,360 Speaker 1: Chicago that you don't like? I think that that's something 250 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: that a lot of people who listen to this podcast 251 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: would go, oh, man, we could learn something. 252 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:17,200 Speaker 2: Republicans here in Chicago. And the only thing about the 253 00:14:17,240 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 2: Republican Party that I don't like in the past is 254 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 2: it seemed like it was so hate. There was so 255 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:29,360 Speaker 2: much hate being spewed, and that was an issue for me. 256 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:34,760 Speaker 2: But I think that if we come together, because that's 257 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 2: not the sentiment of most Americans, and a lot of 258 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 2: times we let the sentiment of the few change the 259 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:46,680 Speaker 2: trajectory of what we do. And I think that there 260 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 2: are definitely more good people in this world than bad. 261 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,400 Speaker 2: And I think if I would say anything to the 262 00:14:52,440 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 2: Republican Party, I would say, I realized that there is 263 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 2: a base that you like to speak two. But given 264 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:05,440 Speaker 2: what's happening in the country now, that won't be the 265 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:09,600 Speaker 2: majority of the people who might support you. So if 266 00:15:09,640 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 2: it means maybe pulling a back from some of the 267 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:16,880 Speaker 2: views that we've had, that may have been offensive to others, 268 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 2: then we certainly might want to do that. 269 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,080 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on 270 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: the Tutor Dixon Podcast. So tell us, I mean, if 271 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:30,960 Speaker 1: you're willing to tell us what that is, like, what 272 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: exactly are you you talking about? Because I do really 273 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 1: believe that there are people that want to hear it 274 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:41,160 Speaker 1: and or that need to hear it. There's two groups. 275 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 1: There's one that needs to hear it and there's one 276 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: who wants to hear it and doesn't know how to 277 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:45,960 Speaker 1: ask the question. 278 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:53,200 Speaker 2: Well, so there are several things. I think that historically, 279 00:15:54,440 --> 00:16:01,440 Speaker 2: most black black Americans have felt like the Republican Party's 280 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:05,240 Speaker 2: biased toward our race. And I think that in some 281 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:09,760 Speaker 2: cases that happens in the South when you look at 282 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,640 Speaker 2: what's happening with Pursian voter roles and voter id and 283 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:16,240 Speaker 2: you know, some of the ways that they've gone in 284 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:20,520 Speaker 2: and changed the Voting Rights Act in the South, that definitely, 285 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 2: you know, is an issue for a lot of blacks. 286 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 2: But by the same token, I think that there are 287 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 2: some things about the Republican Party that, you know, we 288 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:34,560 Speaker 2: can get with, especially now because the crisis at the 289 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 2: border is certainly something that has a lot of blacks 290 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:44,360 Speaker 2: looking at the Democratic Party saying, you know what, you 291 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,040 Speaker 2: all are not listening to us, and we may need 292 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 2: to do something different. So for those people who may 293 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 2: be on the fence, because you know, you have a 294 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 2: lot of people saying, well, we're just gonna sit it 295 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 2: out and we're gonna stay home. But I think if 296 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:01,240 Speaker 2: the Republican Party thought about softenings some of the views, 297 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:05,119 Speaker 2: then those people who were talking about sitting it out 298 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:08,520 Speaker 2: may just come out and take a Republican balot. And 299 00:17:08,640 --> 00:17:11,879 Speaker 2: I know here in Chicago there are a lot of 300 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:16,520 Speaker 2: people saying we have to do something different. I don't 301 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:20,119 Speaker 2: know if I can report the Republican string yet, but 302 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,959 Speaker 2: I do know that something different has to happen. And 303 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,119 Speaker 2: so I think this is such a great opportunity for 304 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 2: the Republican Party, you know, to really pull in. And 305 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 2: as I've said myself, I absolutely will not be voting 306 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:38,919 Speaker 2: Democratic this upcoming election, and that's just the impact that 307 00:17:38,960 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 2: it has had on me. And that's not just my sentiment. 308 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:46,920 Speaker 2: But I do think that if the Republican Party would 309 00:17:47,040 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 2: soften some of the views, maybe back back a little 310 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 2: bit on abortion, and allow the states to make that decision. 311 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:58,720 Speaker 2: I think that those are things that will bring people in. 312 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 2: Women want the right to choose. Not that I'm getting 313 00:18:02,840 --> 00:18:05,400 Speaker 2: into that issue, but those are things. 314 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:08,480 Speaker 1: No, I mean, that's what I think that that's what 315 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:11,960 Speaker 1: I think that the Republican Party hasn't heard. They haven't 316 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 1: heard somebody from the community say, look, we want this, 317 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 1: this is what it. You know, we're afraid you were 318 00:18:18,480 --> 00:18:22,520 Speaker 1: going to take this. And I mean, certainly in my race, 319 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 1: we heard all kinds of different views on that. I 320 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:29,639 Speaker 1: don't I don't think anybody had a full understanding of 321 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 1: where the country stood on that because Roe v. Wade 322 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 1: always was there. You know, nobody really had a true 323 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 1: finger on the pulse of where people felt that abortion 324 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:44,720 Speaker 1: should be. And that really, I mean, trust me, I 325 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 1: lived it. I know how much that hurt the Republican Party. 326 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:51,080 Speaker 1: And I've heard you say, or I've My understanding is 327 00:18:51,080 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 1: that you've said that you don't think that people will 328 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 1: just become Republicans and you don't think that should happen. 329 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:00,879 Speaker 1: You feel like there should be an independent to people 330 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:04,199 Speaker 1: that they should choose based on the person. And I 331 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 1: kind of like that idea that you have people who 332 00:19:08,119 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: are not. You know, historically we have been locked into party. 333 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:17,720 Speaker 1: And it's interesting to hear someone in your position who 334 00:19:17,920 --> 00:19:21,160 Speaker 1: obviously you and I have been in different parties, right, 335 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:25,080 Speaker 1: but to say, wow, I'm I'm not gonna switch over, 336 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:27,119 Speaker 1: but I'm ready to step back. And I find that 337 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,159 Speaker 1: interesting because when I was campaigning, Tulca Gabbard came to 338 00:19:30,200 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: Michigan and we had long talks about this, and she 339 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:35,640 Speaker 1: was like, look, I'm not a Republican, but there are 340 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 1: times when I see that point of view. But I'm 341 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 1: an independent. You know, I've walked away from the Democrats, 342 00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:45,000 Speaker 1: but it's not because I was ready to go. Oh, 343 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 1: but I belong here. And I think that's where we 344 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:50,520 Speaker 1: haven't had that conversation with people. It's okay to not 345 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 1: have a party. It's okay to be in the middle 346 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:54,040 Speaker 1: and decide person by person. 347 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 2: I think that we have to have more conversations like that. 348 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 2: I think that we really as a people have to 349 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:07,000 Speaker 2: step away from voting party of being married to party, 350 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:10,119 Speaker 2: because I think that when you're married to party party, 351 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 2: both parties will take you for granted. But I think 352 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 2: that when they know that people have the ability to 353 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:20,400 Speaker 2: switch up or to do differently from what their grandparents done, 354 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,120 Speaker 2: you know, because you know you have these families, Well, 355 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:26,880 Speaker 2: my entire family votes Republican, or my entire family has 356 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 2: voted Democratic for years, like my family, and just being 357 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 2: able to be free enough to say, you know what, 358 00:20:35,800 --> 00:20:42,080 Speaker 2: it's not about party. Who best represents my goals, my needs, 359 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:47,120 Speaker 2: my desires, my ideals. That's the candidate that we want 360 00:20:47,200 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 2: to support. 361 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:53,600 Speaker 1: It's interesting because we have someone in Michigan, one of 362 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: our I think she's a state rep. Mallory mcmarrow, and 363 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:03,120 Speaker 1: she just came out said that after I mean, it's 364 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:05,479 Speaker 1: just the timing. She didn't say this part, but the 365 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:09,440 Speaker 1: timing of after the Detroit Lions almost made it into 366 00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:12,160 Speaker 1: the Super Bowl, she said she would like to put 367 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:15,879 Speaker 1: an entertainment tax in Detroit. So she wanted to pass 368 00:21:15,960 --> 00:21:18,400 Speaker 1: a bill in the state House that would say Detroit 369 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:23,439 Speaker 1: could add an entertainment tax. And I just think, why, 370 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:29,719 Speaker 1: why why another tax? Why would you be able to 371 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: say I want to introduce a bill to tax another city. 372 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:36,800 Speaker 1: Just allowed this one city to put a tax. So 373 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:39,199 Speaker 1: what is an entertainment tax too? How far does that go? 374 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 1: Are we talking about casinos? Are we just talking about games? 375 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:46,879 Speaker 1: Are we talking about movies, what do we consider entertainment? 376 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:50,280 Speaker 1: And then that just expands and I see these things 377 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 1: and I think, if I look at just the taxes 378 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 1: and licensing fees and permitting fees, and I were to 379 00:21:59,080 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: break up all this cities in the state of Michigan, 380 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: Detroit is the worst. It has the most fees, it's 381 00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:09,120 Speaker 1: the most difficult, and it is probably one of our 382 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:14,879 Speaker 1: strongest black communities. And yet they continue to vote for 383 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: people who allow them to have more money taken out 384 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:22,199 Speaker 1: of their paychecks every month. And I'm like, is it 385 00:22:22,240 --> 00:22:25,040 Speaker 1: that they're sneaking these things in? Because I do think 386 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: that I'm hypersensitive now and I wasn't, But now to 387 00:22:30,920 --> 00:22:33,359 Speaker 1: these bills that they're putting in where there's a tweak 388 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:36,680 Speaker 1: and attacks here and a tweak and attacks there. But 389 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:41,640 Speaker 1: why aren't people in that community stepping aside, stepping back 390 00:22:41,680 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 1: and saying, wait a minute, we have twice as many 391 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 1: taxes as the folks on the other side of the state. 392 00:22:47,480 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: What the heck is going on? 393 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 2: You'll have people who'll say that, and they'll say it 394 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:57,399 Speaker 2: in public conversations, but there what is the alternative? So 395 00:22:57,600 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 2: the alternative is either and especially if you're talking about 396 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:07,200 Speaker 2: a predominantly black community, and so if the alternative is 397 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:11,639 Speaker 2: to vote Republican or vote for the tax, then you'll 398 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:15,440 Speaker 2: find that most of those people are Democrats, and they'll 399 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 2: vote for the tax because they're voting Democrat, not necessarily 400 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 2: because they want to be taxed. But the mindset is, 401 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:29,160 Speaker 2: I'm gonna do what I've always done, even though I'm 402 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:32,840 Speaker 2: expecting a different outcome, which is the definition of insanity. 403 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:35,639 Speaker 2: Let me just say to do the same thing and 404 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:39,359 Speaker 2: expecting something different. Which is why it is so important 405 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 2: for me to begin saying to voters all over this 406 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:51,040 Speaker 2: country stop going along with the party, especially if the 407 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 2: party is working against you. We have to stop that. 408 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,600 Speaker 2: We have to stop saying, well, you know historically this 409 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 2: is what my family has done. No, this person is 410 00:24:02,320 --> 00:24:05,359 Speaker 2: trying to tax you and you are already paid the 411 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:10,320 Speaker 2: highest taxes in the entire state of Michigan. Stop it, 412 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 2: stop it. We have to stop as people in this 413 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:22,720 Speaker 2: country voting party. Voting party has not benefited us, whether 414 00:24:22,800 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 2: you were a Democrat or Republican. But when we really 415 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 2: start getting ourselves together and in the mindset of voting 416 00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:35,240 Speaker 2: for a person and what they stand for, it's gonna 417 00:24:35,280 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 2: make the world of difference I think. 418 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: I mean, you're right if you look back. I mean, 419 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:42,159 Speaker 1: a mayor Daily is different than a mayor Lightfoot is 420 00:24:42,160 --> 00:24:46,120 Speaker 1: different than a mayor Johnson. And yet you're looking at 421 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:51,080 Speaker 1: all Democrats, right, So every administration has been very different. 422 00:24:51,560 --> 00:24:54,199 Speaker 1: I mean, it is hard to know when someone is 423 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 1: making you promises and you made a great point. You 424 00:24:56,760 --> 00:25:01,320 Speaker 1: knew him, and why wouldn't he have your voice in 425 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:04,880 Speaker 1: your needs top of mind. It's just it is very 426 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 1: hard also because I think elected officials can be manipulated 427 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 1: by special interests as well, because you have all of 428 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:15,680 Speaker 1: these people that are I got you here, I did 429 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:17,480 Speaker 1: this for you, what are you going to give me back? 430 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,960 Speaker 1: I mean, there is some crony capitalism in there that 431 00:25:21,119 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: is a challenge as well, and that's why I think 432 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:28,160 Speaker 1: that we as the voters have to hold these people accountable. 433 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 1: That's why I think the fact that you were bold 434 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 1: enough to say, hey, I'm gonna sooe the city and 435 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:38,760 Speaker 1: you are among I think six other lawsuits where people 436 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:43,160 Speaker 1: said no, we're done, that to me is where we 437 00:25:43,320 --> 00:25:47,119 Speaker 1: start to see change. And that, to me is you 438 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:50,840 Speaker 1: being more valuable than anybody out out there that is 439 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:55,919 Speaker 1: serving because you're holding the servant accountable. And it's so 440 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: important that people are aware that you can hold the 441 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 1: servant accountable because I think people people go, oh, they're elected, 442 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 1: and I think people also forget that they're not up here. 443 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 1: They are right here at the same level as you are. 444 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 1: They are the ones that are supposed to be helping you. 445 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:16,959 Speaker 1: These are not famous people, they're servants of us. And 446 00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 1: so I love the fact that you were bold because 447 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:21,719 Speaker 1: I've heard this in so many cases. I've heard this 448 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:26,640 Speaker 1: when it's come to even we had a two parents 449 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:30,000 Speaker 1: on here where their child had the school had done 450 00:26:30,040 --> 00:26:33,399 Speaker 1: something behind their back with their child, and they said, 451 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: we sued the school and suddenly the school stopped hiding 452 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: things from parents. And it's like, you know, sometimes it's 453 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:42,680 Speaker 1: not about who you elect, it's about who in your 454 00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:45,719 Speaker 1: community is bold enough to hold that elected official accountable. 455 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 2: Sit that's you know what, and that's the bottom line. 456 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:53,320 Speaker 2: We have to hold them accountable. And by continuing to 457 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:57,960 Speaker 2: go out and to vote along partying lines, it takes 458 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,960 Speaker 2: away that accountability, which is why you have so many 459 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:06,240 Speaker 2: people now really looking at the Democratic Party and saying, wait, 460 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:10,560 Speaker 2: wait a minute, wait a minute. You guys have been 461 00:27:10,600 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 2: failing us for years. At some point we have to 462 00:27:15,280 --> 00:27:18,399 Speaker 2: stop and say no, we're not going to continue to 463 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:22,520 Speaker 2: take this. We're not going to continue to elect people 464 00:27:23,560 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 2: who are not supporting our best interests. We have to 465 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:30,679 Speaker 2: stop that. And I think, let me tell you, I 466 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:34,439 Speaker 2: had a call from a gentleman yesterday, found my number 467 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:39,199 Speaker 2: from Antarbor, Michigan, and he said that he heard me 468 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 2: on someone show and he said that we are listening, 469 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:46,760 Speaker 2: and he was calling from Michigan. So people are listening. 470 00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:50,280 Speaker 2: And I think that you're going to begin to see 471 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,399 Speaker 2: and it may not be a big shift, but there's 472 00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:56,040 Speaker 2: going to be a shift because I think that people 473 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:59,480 Speaker 2: all over the country now are really taking a step 474 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:03,960 Speaker 2: back and looking at our candidates, looking at who they are, 475 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:09,119 Speaker 2: what they're saying, what their platforms are, what things they've 476 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:12,199 Speaker 2: supported in the past, because that's going to let you 477 00:28:12,359 --> 00:28:16,560 Speaker 2: know where they stand. And we're got to start paying 478 00:28:16,600 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 2: more attention. You know, even too, and I tell people 479 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 2: this all the time when we're electing judges. How many 480 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:27,120 Speaker 2: times do you see people take the list of judges 481 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:31,240 Speaker 2: and who can do any manimighty more? Those are some 482 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:35,320 Speaker 2: of the most important people that you are going to elect, 483 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 2: take a time, pay attention. What kind of cases did 484 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 2: they work when they were attorneys? What was their completion rate? 485 00:28:44,240 --> 00:28:48,680 Speaker 2: All of those factors. We as educated voters must start 486 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:49,920 Speaker 2: paying attention. 487 00:28:49,640 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: To prosecutors, district attorneys, all of these. Yes, and I 488 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 1: don't think that you know, maybe I'm unique, but I 489 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:01,120 Speaker 1: obviously we're both say the same thing because I don't 490 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 1: think historically people have really dug into those positions. It's like, Okay, 491 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:09,040 Speaker 1: that person's a train that's a trained position. They know 492 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:11,520 Speaker 1: what they're doing. Whoever it is it's going to know 493 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:14,320 Speaker 1: what they're doing. But lo and behold, we find out 494 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 1: that suddenly we're not actually prosecuting crime. And I think 495 00:29:18,160 --> 00:29:21,800 Speaker 1: that's been a real wake up call for people. Two. 496 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:25,640 Speaker 1: I mean, earlier this week, we spoke with a gentleman 497 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:31,560 Speaker 1: who is just an amazing guy. Grew up in Philadelphia 498 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:33,800 Speaker 1: in the sixties, and he was like, we never worried 499 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:36,400 Speaker 1: about safety. We never worried about whether we could go 500 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 1: to the shop down the street. He was like, it 501 00:29:38,640 --> 00:29:41,240 Speaker 1: makes me sad to think that now we have to 502 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:44,959 Speaker 1: worry about safety. I mean, we're we were just talking 503 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 1: about the anniversary of the students on Michigan State's campus 504 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:54,960 Speaker 1: who were shot in cold blood on campus and how 505 00:29:55,000 --> 00:29:57,840 Speaker 1: that could have been prevented had we been tougher on crime. 506 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 1: But what is a society if we are not making 507 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:04,520 Speaker 1: sure that people who convict crimes are stopped from doing it. 508 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:08,720 Speaker 2: Exactly, and not to mention the fact, you know, one 509 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:11,040 Speaker 2: of the things that you know, we have an issue 510 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:15,360 Speaker 2: with here at Chicago is gun violence, and we still 511 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:19,680 Speaker 2: don't want to change gun laws. You know, I know 512 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 2: that the IRA is powerful, but are they more powerful 513 00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 2: than the voices of the people. And if they are, 514 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:31,520 Speaker 2: why why are we making laws to prevent the amount 515 00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 2: of guns that are on the streets that are ending 516 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 2: up in the wrong hands. There has to be a 517 00:30:37,160 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 2: way for us to stop this. 518 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on 519 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 1: a Tutor Dixon podcast. How do you stop it? Because 520 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,840 Speaker 1: the majority of the guns you're talking about have been 521 00:30:53,480 --> 00:30:57,040 Speaker 1: bought and sold illegally, and they've been they've been picked 522 00:30:57,120 --> 00:30:59,680 Speaker 1: up illegally, So how do you how do you do that? 523 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 1: I mean, there's so many Honestly, there are so many 524 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:04,760 Speaker 1: discussions that I feel like we really need to sit 525 00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 1: down and unpack as a group, and it's like one 526 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:08,520 Speaker 1: of the you know when you were little, you all 527 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:11,120 Speaker 1: sat around table and you were like, Okay, we have 528 00:31:11,200 --> 00:31:13,640 Speaker 1: a problem. We don't leave the table until we solve 529 00:31:13,680 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: the problem. Come back and tell us what the solution is. 530 00:31:16,840 --> 00:31:20,280 Speaker 1: And we're not. We're struggling so hard to come to 531 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 1: the table. And I think that for people who don't 532 00:31:23,280 --> 00:31:27,160 Speaker 1: live in an area where they experience gun violence or 533 00:31:27,240 --> 00:31:30,800 Speaker 1: understand what it is to have that threat out there 534 00:31:31,000 --> 00:31:33,920 Speaker 1: and to have that constant concern, it's like out of sight, 535 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: out of mind. It's a really hard conversation to have 536 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:39,840 Speaker 1: if you're not sitting there with someone who's going you 537 00:31:39,840 --> 00:31:42,280 Speaker 1: don't get it. You don't live it, you don't see 538 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:46,640 Speaker 1: what it's like. And maybe that's where people haven't seen 539 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:49,440 Speaker 1: what it's like. They haven't been able to understand from 540 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 1: the perspective of living it. 541 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:56,440 Speaker 2: I think that there are so many issues. I think 542 00:31:56,480 --> 00:32:02,640 Speaker 2: that it goes back to mental health. We got to 543 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:06,920 Speaker 2: deal with mental health. We have to deal with how 544 00:32:06,960 --> 00:32:12,720 Speaker 2: we're handling crises and communities hurt people, hurt people, and 545 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 2: so you know, if you have someone who has had 546 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:20,120 Speaker 2: a loved one that was taken by gun violence, the 547 00:32:20,160 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 2: best thing to do is to make sure that those 548 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:26,960 Speaker 2: people are getting the necessary tools to handle that grief, 549 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:31,080 Speaker 2: because if they don't, then you get this continuous cycle. 550 00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:34,680 Speaker 2: You know, someone killed my brother, my sister, my cousin, 551 00:32:35,120 --> 00:32:38,600 Speaker 2: so now I need to retaliate, and so you go 552 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 2: into this vicious cycle that just goes around and around 553 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:46,520 Speaker 2: and around. And that's what we face here in the city. 554 00:32:46,640 --> 00:32:51,880 Speaker 2: So there are so many conversations that have to be had, 555 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:56,560 Speaker 2: and I think that it takes us bringing people from 556 00:32:56,680 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 2: out of different areas and different communities and them together 557 00:33:01,120 --> 00:33:04,200 Speaker 2: so that they can have conversations. Because if you live 558 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:08,360 Speaker 2: in Connecticut, that's probably not your reality and you probably 559 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 2: don't understand even why these things are happening the way 560 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:16,680 Speaker 2: that they are. But if you're someone from Connecticut talking 561 00:33:16,720 --> 00:33:21,200 Speaker 2: to someone from Detroit, from Chicago, from Memphis, then they 562 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:25,200 Speaker 2: have a better idea of what is happening and why 563 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 2: it's happening because you're talking to people who are in 564 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 2: the midst of it. We don't spend enough time getting 565 00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 2: people who are going through things together with people who 566 00:33:36,960 --> 00:33:39,360 Speaker 2: have never experienced those things so that they can have 567 00:33:39,440 --> 00:33:42,880 Speaker 2: an understanding. And so when those people are not in 568 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 2: the same rooms and not at the same tables and 569 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:51,160 Speaker 2: not having the same conversations. There's no wonder that they 570 00:33:51,160 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 2: don't understand each other, and we don't do a good 571 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 2: job of making sure that those lines cross. 572 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:00,480 Speaker 1: A few years ago, I was on a journey and 573 00:34:01,080 --> 00:34:05,840 Speaker 1: it was two young men and they were gosh, the 574 00:34:05,880 --> 00:34:08,759 Speaker 1: one guy was They were both in their twenties, and 575 00:34:09,000 --> 00:34:12,440 Speaker 1: they had stolen I mean, it was a terribly stupid crime, 576 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:16,640 Speaker 1: to be honest. They had stolen marijuana from another house 577 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:18,840 Speaker 1: and they had used the gun to hit them. They 578 00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:21,600 Speaker 1: didn't shoot the gun, they used the gun to hit them. 579 00:34:22,040 --> 00:34:25,560 Speaker 1: But the question was really did they both have a gun? 580 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:27,359 Speaker 1: Did one of them have a gun? And that was 581 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:30,279 Speaker 1: what we really had to decide. Were they guilty of this? 582 00:34:30,520 --> 00:34:34,240 Speaker 1: And it was And I remember it was another woman 583 00:34:34,280 --> 00:34:38,000 Speaker 1: in me and the jury who were like, I cannot 584 00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:40,360 Speaker 1: place the gun there. I just don't. I don't feel 585 00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:43,040 Speaker 1: like I have enough evidence to place the gun. And 586 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:44,960 Speaker 1: you know, it's funny because when you're on a jury, 587 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:48,120 Speaker 1: you don't know actually what the sentence will be. You 588 00:34:48,160 --> 00:34:50,160 Speaker 1: don't know what's going to happen to these two guys, 589 00:34:50,239 --> 00:34:52,719 Speaker 1: and I don't know their history, right so all I 590 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:56,600 Speaker 1: know is there's two young guys. And when we left, 591 00:34:56,920 --> 00:34:59,600 Speaker 1: and it was the whole community was there because these 592 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:04,400 Speaker 1: men were loved among the community. And when we left, 593 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:09,080 Speaker 1: when we finally came out and decided that they were 594 00:35:09,120 --> 00:35:14,520 Speaker 1: both guilty, I was very obviously visibly upset, I guess 595 00:35:14,560 --> 00:35:16,800 Speaker 1: because we had to be walked to our cars afterward. 596 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:19,120 Speaker 1: And when the guy who from the court was walking 597 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:20,840 Speaker 1: me to my car, he said, what you don't know 598 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:24,560 Speaker 1: about this case is that both of their fathers are 599 00:35:24,560 --> 00:35:30,239 Speaker 1: in prison and the one gentleman's uncle just attempted to 600 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:34,080 Speaker 1: kill a cop. And he said, you have to understand something. 601 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:40,080 Speaker 1: They didn't have opportunity, like they were never going to 602 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:42,759 Speaker 1: be able to be a part of society because they 603 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:47,040 Speaker 1: had always been in this cycle of violence. They were 604 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:51,120 Speaker 1: always involved in these gangs. And this young kid, what 605 00:35:51,239 --> 00:35:54,400 Speaker 1: you don't know, was the leader of this local gang 606 00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:58,160 Speaker 1: in the community and his kids will probably get dragged 607 00:35:58,160 --> 00:36:02,120 Speaker 1: into the same kind of life and that has In 608 00:36:02,160 --> 00:36:05,960 Speaker 1: that moment, I was like, no, why, okay, but how 609 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 1: do I peel back the layers of this onion and say, 610 00:36:08,280 --> 00:36:12,520 Speaker 1: but why is it because they didn't have the opportunities 611 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:14,960 Speaker 1: in school were there not after school programs? Is there 612 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:16,200 Speaker 1: no place for kids to play? 613 00:36:16,239 --> 00:36:16,359 Speaker 2: Like? 614 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:19,920 Speaker 1: How does this happen? I just I think that having 615 00:36:20,000 --> 00:36:23,879 Speaker 1: not lived that lifestyle growing up, I'm like, there's got 616 00:36:23,880 --> 00:36:26,840 Speaker 1: to be some way to let them have fun and 617 00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:30,240 Speaker 1: play and be kids before this happens a lot. 618 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:33,239 Speaker 2: Of times, it's a continuous cycle. And so when you 619 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:36,879 Speaker 2: look at the family life, there may have never been 620 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:41,640 Speaker 2: an opportunity for him to go on a straight and 621 00:36:41,719 --> 00:36:45,479 Speaker 2: narrow because of what he was exposed to. You are 622 00:36:47,239 --> 00:36:50,320 Speaker 2: your community, You are the people that you are around. 623 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:53,960 Speaker 2: You adapt based on what you are seeing or what 624 00:36:54,040 --> 00:36:57,279 Speaker 2: you're hearing in your community. So if that was his 625 00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:02,120 Speaker 2: family's life you talked about his uncle, his father, that 626 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:04,640 Speaker 2: was the life that he had around him. And so 627 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:10,640 Speaker 2: the gentleman was probably right because unfortunately we didn't step 628 00:37:10,719 --> 00:37:14,920 Speaker 2: in earlier to make sure that things got settled. I 629 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 2: asked our new superintendent a couple of days ago. I 630 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:23,160 Speaker 2: asked him because here in Chicago, most of the crimes, 631 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:27,000 Speaker 2: including violent crimes, that are being committed as of late 632 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:31,560 Speaker 2: by young people between the ages of twelve and twenty five. 633 00:37:32,360 --> 00:37:35,439 Speaker 2: So what I asked him was, when you pick these 634 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:39,959 Speaker 2: offenders up for the first time. What kind of interaction 635 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 2: is there with the parent. Are you guys going into 636 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:48,320 Speaker 2: the home talking to mom and dad finding out what's happening. 637 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:51,720 Speaker 2: Is there a substance abuse problem? Is there a problem 638 00:37:51,760 --> 00:37:55,280 Speaker 2: where the parent is a lacking education, where the parent 639 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:58,359 Speaker 2: does not work, where the parent is struggling, Because all 640 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:02,160 Speaker 2: of those are usually facts that will cause a child 641 00:38:02,239 --> 00:38:05,480 Speaker 2: to be out committing crimes. So when we picked these 642 00:38:05,560 --> 00:38:10,279 Speaker 2: young people up who are eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, what 643 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:14,640 Speaker 2: kind of mechanisms are in place to help the parents 644 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:17,360 Speaker 2: as well as the young people Because the fact of 645 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 2: the matter is if we can put those kids in 646 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:22,680 Speaker 2: all of the programs we want to, but if we're 647 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:26,879 Speaker 2: not fixing the entire family what's happening at home, we're 648 00:38:26,960 --> 00:38:30,759 Speaker 2: basically taking him out, putting a band aid on, and 649 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:34,319 Speaker 2: then sending him back in to have the wound reapplied. 650 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:38,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. I mean, these two guys, it was like it 651 00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:42,480 Speaker 1: was so devastating because they were both it was gosh, 652 00:38:42,640 --> 00:38:47,600 Speaker 1: they were on each like their twentieth felony, and so 653 00:38:47,840 --> 00:38:52,239 Speaker 1: when they got when they were sentenced months later, they 654 00:38:52,239 --> 00:38:55,640 Speaker 1: were both sentenced to thirty years. And I mean this 655 00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:58,080 Speaker 1: was years ago. And it's still like I still think 656 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:00,359 Speaker 1: about it all the time. I'm like, these these guys 657 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:04,239 Speaker 1: had kids, little kids, like each of them had three 658 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:07,400 Speaker 1: or more kids, and those kids will never know their dads. 659 00:39:10,080 --> 00:39:16,040 Speaker 2: And realistically, you know, even with those young men who 660 00:39:16,080 --> 00:39:19,880 Speaker 2: went to jail, when that happens, do we go to 661 00:39:19,960 --> 00:39:24,440 Speaker 2: these mothers of these kids, do we offer them counseling? 662 00:39:25,120 --> 00:39:28,320 Speaker 2: Because you know, one thing about it having a child 663 00:39:28,360 --> 00:39:32,840 Speaker 2: go to jail, it's almost the same as losing a 664 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:36,520 Speaker 2: child because they're never the same, They don't come back 665 00:39:36,600 --> 00:39:42,560 Speaker 2: the same. You really lose your young people. So what 666 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:48,680 Speaker 2: kind of services are we providing to those families or 667 00:39:48,840 --> 00:39:50,160 Speaker 2: are we just continue? 668 00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:50,400 Speaker 1: You know? 669 00:39:50,440 --> 00:39:52,520 Speaker 2: So there are so many factors. 670 00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:56,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, wow, I could actually talk to you about all 671 00:39:56,080 --> 00:39:58,560 Speaker 1: of this stuff for hours. I mean it has been 672 00:39:58,680 --> 00:40:03,120 Speaker 1: so just nice to be able to have this open conversation. 673 00:40:03,400 --> 00:40:07,680 Speaker 1: And I feel like there's an opportunity to just continue 674 00:40:07,719 --> 00:40:11,200 Speaker 1: to try to explore because I think that we just 675 00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:17,640 Speaker 1: we as Americans, there's so many different light lifestyles. You know, 676 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:19,640 Speaker 1: you have people out west, you have people out east. 677 00:40:19,680 --> 00:40:23,000 Speaker 1: I mean, we are really a diverse country. How much 678 00:40:23,080 --> 00:40:26,319 Speaker 1: do we talk to each other? So I cannot tell 679 00:40:26,360 --> 00:40:28,600 Speaker 1: you how much I appreciate you coming on today. 680 00:40:28,880 --> 00:40:31,200 Speaker 2: Oh, thank you so much for having me. It's been 681 00:40:31,239 --> 00:40:31,800 Speaker 2: a pleasure. 682 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:34,640 Speaker 1: Well, I suspect we are going to see a lot 683 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:36,800 Speaker 1: more of you, Kata trust. Thank you a lot. 684 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:39,120 Speaker 2: Thank you for having me, and. 685 00:40:39,040 --> 00:40:41,920 Speaker 1: Thank you all for joining us on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. 686 00:40:42,000 --> 00:40:45,200 Speaker 1: For this episode and others, go to Tutor disonpodcast dot com. 687 00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:47,480 Speaker 1: You can subscribe right there, or head over to you 688 00:40:47,520 --> 00:40:50,719 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your 689 00:40:50,760 --> 00:40:53,920 Speaker 1: podcasts and join us next time on the Tutor Dixon Podcast. 690 00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:56,560 Speaker 1: Have a blessed day.