1 00:00:02,320 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: It's that time time time time, wuck and load. So 2 00:00:09,760 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: Michael Verie show is on the air like the kisshit, 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: But I just washed my hair. 4 00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 2: Fine. 5 00:00:18,360 --> 00:00:21,760 Speaker 3: Let me explain something to white people. Our hair comes 6 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 3: out of our head naturally in a curly pattern. So 7 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 3: when we're straightening it to follow your beauty standards, we 8 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 3: are trapped by the straightness. That's why so many of 9 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:35,560 Speaker 3: us can't swim and we run away from the water. 10 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 3: People won't go to the gym because we're trying to 11 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 3: keep our hair straight. For y'all, it is exhausting, and 12 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 3: it's so expensive, and it takes up so much time. 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,479 Speaker 3: Braids are for y'all, so we can work harder and 14 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 3: focus on the work. Don't tell me how to wear 15 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 3: my hair, don't wonder about it, don't touch it. 16 00:00:57,200 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: Just don't. 17 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 4: We have to start educating people about all kinds of beauty. Yes, 18 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:08,960 Speaker 4: and our beauty is so powerful and so unique that 19 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 4: it is that it is worthy of a conversation, and 20 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 4: it's worthy of demanding the respect that we're old for who. 21 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:19,600 Speaker 1: We are and what we offer to the world. 22 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 3: Let me tell you something, For the first time in 23 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:25,959 Speaker 3: my adult life, I am proud of my country because 24 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 3: it feels like Hope is finally making a comeback. 25 00:01:31,040 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 5: I guess it's more interesting to imagine this conflicted situation 26 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:40,639 Speaker 5: here and a strong woman. And you know, but that's 27 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 5: been an image that people have tried to pain of 28 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 5: me since, you know, the day Barack announced that I'm 29 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:48,600 Speaker 5: some angry black woman. 30 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 3: It's the story that I witness every single day when 31 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 3: I wake up in a house that was built by slaves, 32 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 3: people line up for my advice and you're walking away. 33 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 2: Like I'm stupid. 34 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: It's like. 35 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:11,360 Speaker 3: I've written books, I've given speeches. Don't even look at 36 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 3: me about running because you all are lying. 37 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 1: You're not ready for a woman. 38 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 3: You are not. 39 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 6: Michelle Obama talks a lot about white people don't respect 40 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 6: Black people and what no one ever responds to her, 41 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 6: and that's part of the problem. I've seen this happen 42 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 6: with CEOs, I've seen it happening with rock stars. When 43 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,920 Speaker 6: nobody ever questions your opinions and you just keep offering them, 44 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 6: you get kind of Howard Hughes esque, You get kind 45 00:02:48,040 --> 00:02:52,959 Speaker 6: of out there, get a little weird, and you need 46 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:55,880 Speaker 6: people to say, well, I disagree with that, and let 47 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 6: me explain to force people to think through things. 48 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:00,639 Speaker 1: It's healthy. 49 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 6: But for everything that Michelle Obama says, white people don't 50 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 6: respect black people. We shouldn't have to straighten our hair. 51 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 6: We shouldn't have. 52 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 7: To do this. 53 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:14,760 Speaker 6: I got news for you. There is nobody white telling 54 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,560 Speaker 6: anybody black what they need to do with their hair. 55 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 6: There is nobody white going out in public. And when 56 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 6: a black person shows up at the grocery store and 57 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 6: they didn't have much time to get ready before they 58 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 6: went to the grocery store, and say. 59 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 1: Girl, you ashy, You ashy girl, go home, you ashy. 60 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: You ought not out beyond in public. You ashy. 61 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 6: You got to be ashamed of yourself, you ashy. White 62 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 6: people don't do that. Black people do that. Black people 63 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:45,120 Speaker 6: do that to black people. Black people are cruel to 64 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 6: black people. They're vicious, they're judgmental. They poke into each 65 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,880 Speaker 6: other's business. Girl, you with that boy, that boy ain't nothing. 66 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 6: He ain't no good. That boy gonna mess around on you, 67 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,800 Speaker 6: but I love him. Uh uh no, no, no, that 68 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 6: boy bad, that boy bad or dude. You with that girl, 69 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 6: that girl she is not that girl. Nasty, that girl 70 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:14,920 Speaker 6: nasty boy. You need to give that ain't nothing to 71 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 6: be parading around like you got somebody special that is 72 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:23,560 Speaker 6: not coming from white people. You watch fights and they're 73 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 6: all over the internet of black people fighting in the streets. 74 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:29,880 Speaker 1: And it's constant. 75 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,280 Speaker 6: It's public housing projects, public spaces, grocery stores, you name it, 76 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 6: hair pulling, fighting, drive by shooting. 77 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,000 Speaker 1: That's not white people judging black people. 78 00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 6: That is black on black Black hatred of other blacks 79 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:49,919 Speaker 6: is a massive problem. And then they've been taught blame 80 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:53,520 Speaker 6: it on Whitey. White he's not even around. And then 81 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 6: they get mad at Whitey because his defense of I 82 00:04:57,240 --> 00:04:59,720 Speaker 6: swear I didn't plot your destruction. 83 00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:04,360 Speaker 1: I didn't know you existed. See, y'all don't care about us. 84 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:05,839 Speaker 1: You gotta pick one or the other. 85 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 6: Either you want us involved or we're out to destroy 86 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:13,359 Speaker 6: you and we're scheming your demise. But it can't be 87 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 6: both at the same time. And truthfully, most white people 88 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 6: don't care. Most white people are over it. In fact, 89 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 6: a lot of black people are over it. 90 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:23,400 Speaker 1: It is a. 91 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 6: Cottage industry, quite the successful boutique these days to be 92 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 6: a black commentator offering opinions on black fatigue and how 93 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 6: much they've had enough of it. Terrence Williams, I mean 94 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:40,040 Speaker 6: there's a lot of people doing it and it's very, 95 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,839 Speaker 6: very popular. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama has been really feeling it lately. 96 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 6: She's going on podcasts talking about just how terrible it's 97 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,040 Speaker 6: been to be the first lady, how we don't deserve 98 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 6: her as president. She's not going wrong because we're not ready, 99 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:59,239 Speaker 6: we're not acting right. Having to dress up nice, so much, work, 100 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 6: so much hass y'all don't even know y'all, Kate, No, 101 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,520 Speaker 6: y'all too stupid. Poor, She has to get her hair 102 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 6: done just for those white people's approval. 103 00:06:07,279 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, she's tired of it. I don't do it no 104 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:11,400 Speaker 1: more like there's. 105 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 6: Some kind of committee out there going around to black 106 00:06:13,680 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 6: hair salons. 107 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:20,159 Speaker 1: Can you imagine? Hello, ladies, and the hell are you? 108 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 8: We're the hair slave team here to make sure everything's 109 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 8: in order for the white folk approval. First off, we 110 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 8: gotta change this music. 111 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:29,599 Speaker 1: Excuse me? Did you say slave? Of course? 112 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:35,360 Speaker 8: Straight, long, accessible, vivacious, helegant slave. 113 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 1: Somebody could have picked up better name. Hi, let's do 114 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 1: a quick assessment here. 115 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:41,720 Speaker 8: All right, straight looks good, but you're at a point 116 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,160 Speaker 8: three on the length meter. We're gonna please the white folks. 117 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 8: They like it long extensions, chair two. What do we 118 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 8: have here? 119 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:47,480 Speaker 9: Who? 120 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: Frizzy short? No? No girlfriend. 121 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:52,599 Speaker 8: It's like I'm smacking the face by the nineties away 122 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 8: with the perm making more firm. 123 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 1: Oh, dear lord, are those braids on chair seven? 124 00:06:57,080 --> 00:06:59,839 Speaker 8: Clippers and a broom stat give her the Jennifer Anniston 125 00:06:59,880 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 8: frends cut. 126 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: White heroes still love that. 127 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:03,560 Speaker 8: Okay, ladies, if you want to look good for the 128 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 8: white folks, Lots of things to clean up here. 129 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: We'll be back in six months. By Felicia. But no, 130 00:07:08,800 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 1: I'm not being rude. Her name's Felicia. I'm just telling her. 131 00:07:10,960 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 9: Mind cattle, cattle. 132 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:32,640 Speaker 1: I had a fine Michael berry in. 133 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 6: Delicia Ballinger. I hope I pronounced that correctly. We'll find 134 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 6: out just a moment. Lives in Memphis, Tennessee. She's a 135 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 6: mother journalist and until last month, a freelance reporter for 136 00:07:44,560 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 6: The Tri State Defender. The tri State Defender publishes online news, entertainment, 137 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 6: and information specifically focused on the African American community in 138 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 6: the greater Memphis area. That's black people remote, it's not Elon. 139 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 6: I don't want you get a stupid idea. And they 140 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:03,200 Speaker 6: have since ninetie well in September. As you know, President 141 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 6: Trump signed in an executive order ordering the National Guard 142 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:09,200 Speaker 6: into Memphis to help combat crime. 143 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 1: Which is good for the people of Memphis. 144 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 6: A few weeks later, Delicia shared her observations and her experience, 145 00:08:16,840 --> 00:08:20,200 Speaker 6: but apparently her experience did not conform to the standard. 146 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,080 Speaker 6: She wasn't reading the rules. She was not going to 147 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 6: be Malmoud. She wasn't going to be told what to 148 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:28,119 Speaker 6: do and what to say. She's an independent black woman, 149 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 6: and I thought, remind me, I thought that was a 150 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 6: good thing. 151 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 1: No, it's not. 152 00:08:35,160 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 6: It's only if you say what you're supposed to say. 153 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 6: People like Delicia are far more damaging and detrimental and 154 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 6: dangerous and subversive than I could ever be, because she 155 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:48,440 Speaker 6: is a black woman who dares to have her own opinion, 156 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:50,480 Speaker 6: and that makes people angry. 157 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: She's our guest. Welcome to the show, sweetheart. 158 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for having me. I'm so happy 159 00:08:55,040 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 2: to be here. 160 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: You have a great voice, Delisia. 161 00:08:57,480 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 2: Thank you. 162 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 6: All right, so tell your story. Let's first catch up 163 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,640 Speaker 6: with who you are. Where were you born, who were 164 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 6: your parents? Where'd you go to school? 165 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,199 Speaker 7: Yes, so again, I'm the Lasia A Balinger, and I'm 166 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:11,680 Speaker 7: a Myphist. I've been a lifelong Myphian. I did spend 167 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 7: a little bit of time away in Chicago, so I'm 168 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 7: a little mixed with the little Midwest there. My parents 169 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,559 Speaker 7: are originally well, I have one that's originally from Florida 170 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:23,520 Speaker 7: and then another one that's. 171 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,200 Speaker 2: Also a Memphian here too, you know. 172 00:09:25,280 --> 00:09:29,280 Speaker 7: As well as I'm a mom my wife, I'm a 173 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:33,959 Speaker 7: boy mom of two amazing children, and I love Memphis 174 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:37,200 Speaker 7: and I love being a journalist and just being for 175 00:09:37,320 --> 00:09:37,800 Speaker 7: the people. 176 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:42,760 Speaker 2: That's just always been my thing is to always just. 177 00:09:42,760 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 7: Kind of see things from my point of view, seeing 178 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,320 Speaker 7: things from my eyes and just being honest. 179 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:48,800 Speaker 2: And that's just something that. 180 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:50,720 Speaker 7: I've just always just kind of carried with me throughout 181 00:09:50,760 --> 00:09:54,760 Speaker 7: the years. I've always been outspoken. I've always been the 182 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,120 Speaker 7: type to just say how I feel, and again just 183 00:09:57,160 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 7: from a pointed from an honest point of view. 184 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:04,880 Speaker 6: And how did you get involved as a freelance reporter? 185 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 1: What was your professional background? 186 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 7: So I come from the media world. Of course, I've 187 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:13,559 Speaker 7: been a freelance journalist. 188 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:14,400 Speaker 2: For well over ten years. 189 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 7: This was just a dream that I had and I 190 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:23,680 Speaker 7: was actually taken off of the street by the publishing 191 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 7: editor at the time, Benaal Smith for the Tri State Defender, 192 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:30,560 Speaker 7: and he merely just saw my extreme passion and my 193 00:10:30,679 --> 00:10:36,679 Speaker 7: love and just my gift of writing, and he hired 194 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:38,000 Speaker 7: me off the spot, off the street. 195 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 2: At the time. I didn't have a degree or anything. 196 00:10:40,400 --> 00:10:42,920 Speaker 7: He just merely just thought my passion and he knew 197 00:10:43,240 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 7: that I was there for the people, and he actually 198 00:10:46,320 --> 00:10:47,199 Speaker 7: hired me off. 199 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:47,560 Speaker 2: Of the street. 200 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 7: And from that point going forward, I just kind of 201 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 7: tapped a little bit more into the entertainment side, working 202 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:57,959 Speaker 7: doing entertainment for. 203 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:01,079 Speaker 2: Quite some for years, and then pretty. 204 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 7: Much kind of towards the middle of my tenure, it 205 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:08,360 Speaker 7: kind of shifts one to the educational side, working with 206 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,400 Speaker 7: the government doing things of that nature, and just kind 207 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 7: of just doing a tid bit of everything at that point. 208 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:19,920 Speaker 6: And so, how long had you been reporting for the 209 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 6: African American community for the Tri State Defender. 210 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 10: So I've been there nearly eight years. 211 00:11:26,280 --> 00:11:28,600 Speaker 6: Okay, all right, So you've been at this for a while. 212 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 6: And the art of storytelling, which is something I'm passionate about. 213 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:35,120 Speaker 6: I think that I think that good preaching and storytelling. 214 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,319 Speaker 6: I think the good book writing and storytelling is so songwriting, 215 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:42,920 Speaker 6: stories and film is storytelling. A good salesman is a storyteller. 216 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 6: How if you look back in your life, sit on 217 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 6: your therapists couch here and tell me why you think 218 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 6: you wanted to tell stories. Who was that influence in 219 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 6: your life that you think led you to want to 220 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:56,720 Speaker 6: tell stories? 221 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,000 Speaker 7: You know, really it was from my all personal experience 222 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:03,120 Speaker 7: siences that made me want a story to me want 223 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 7: to tell stories. 224 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 2: You know, I was pregnant and homeless with my first child. 225 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:10,320 Speaker 2: I've also before that too. You know. 226 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 7: I wasn't on the straight and narrow. I was in 227 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 7: and out of the system for quite some time. I 228 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 7: didn't make the best decisions, but I knew what my 229 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:20,719 Speaker 7: focus was. 230 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 11: I knew that my purpose was bigger than me. I 231 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 11: know that God had something. 232 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 10: Planned bigger for me. 233 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:29,160 Speaker 7: It was changing my mindset and that came for me 234 00:12:29,360 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 7: telling my own story and changing the own my own 235 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 7: narrative for my life. 236 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 2: And once I'd done. 237 00:12:34,160 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 10: That, it opened the siguay for me to be able 238 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:37,800 Speaker 10: to do that for others. 239 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:40,800 Speaker 7: And that's what's something that I try to incorporate within 240 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 7: my writing, is to be able to not only narrate 241 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,080 Speaker 7: the story, but to be able to, you know, tell 242 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 7: the truth and to be able to capture what it 243 00:12:49,559 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 7: is that my audience want to know and be able 244 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:57,520 Speaker 7: to fully grasp and tell that story. But I can 245 00:12:57,559 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 7: honestly say that my own story was pretty much my 246 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,000 Speaker 7: foundation on being able. 247 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 2: To do the same thing for others. 248 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 1: It's a gift. 249 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:09,360 Speaker 9: You know. 250 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:15,040 Speaker 6: A journalist should be a truth teller, and that should 251 00:13:15,040 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 6: be the top of the mountain, the gold that's sorry, 252 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 6: the goal. 253 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: The gold standard. 254 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 6: It should be what a journalist is seeking to do, 255 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 6: and the belief that sunlight is the best disinfectant at 256 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 6: telling the stories and exposing things. People will come to 257 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:33,200 Speaker 6: the best conclusions. 258 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: You know. 259 00:13:33,520 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 6: Thomas Jefferson famously said, do you want the media regulating 260 00:13:36,800 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 6: the government or the government regulating the media, And I 261 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,679 Speaker 6: think we all know where that stands. But now we 262 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 6: move to the next step. How did you find out 263 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 6: living in Memphis that the President had signed the executive order? 264 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 6: What can you remember the first time you heard that 265 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,200 Speaker 6: he's going to be sending troops to Memphis? Because Memphis 266 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 6: is never look, I'm an Elvis fan, Ben to Beale Street, 267 00:13:56,760 --> 00:14:00,880 Speaker 6: there's FedEx, there's Saint Jude, which were one other spokesmen. 268 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 6: So I understand Memphis, but it does not come up 269 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:07,120 Speaker 6: in the conversation of major cities. You expect federal troops 270 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:10,480 Speaker 6: to go into La Chicago, Atlanta, New York. 271 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:13,360 Speaker 1: Memphis is never on that list or DC. And then 272 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:15,400 Speaker 1: it was do you remember when you learned that? 273 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 2: Absolutely? I started hearing rumors real around. 274 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,840 Speaker 10: The top September, and it wasn't until I woke. 275 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:24,880 Speaker 2: Up one morning and. 276 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:28,200 Speaker 7: I saw President Trump I believe it was on Good 277 00:14:28,240 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 7: Morning of America or something like that of the sort, 278 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:34,080 Speaker 7: where he basically said, hey, Memphis is pretty much nixt 279 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 7: on the least, and I was like, wow, you know, 280 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 7: I was pretty skeptical at first. 281 00:14:40,000 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 2: I'm thinking okay. 282 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:44,360 Speaker 10: On behalf of me is saying okay, relief. 283 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 7: Because again, I live in these neighborhoods where I'm I'm 284 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:51,880 Speaker 7: pretty much a victim, and I'm seeing others around me 285 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:55,600 Speaker 7: are become victims of the high crime here within the city. 286 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 2: So I'm relieved that he's doing this. 287 00:15:00,240 --> 00:15:01,600 Speaker 11: And then the other half of me. 288 00:15:01,680 --> 00:15:03,960 Speaker 7: Is kind of like, so, what is this going to 289 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:06,720 Speaker 7: be like, because again you have the fear mongering coming 290 00:15:06,760 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 7: in from the community, from the media here, especially the 291 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 7: local media here at this point, and basically just kind 292 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 7: of pouring into us. 293 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 2: That's like, oh my god, they're going to come down here. 294 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 7: It's kind of giving Nazi vibes. You know, they're going 295 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 7: to be marching down the streets. They're going to be 296 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 7: doing this in the third and doing a bunch of harassing. 297 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 2: So let she's you know, be prepared, you know for that. 298 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:30,880 Speaker 11: So I was a bit fifty fifty on the fence 299 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 11: about it. 300 00:15:31,520 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 1: But more wait right there, Alicia A. Balinger is our guest. 301 00:15:35,920 --> 00:15:40,320 Speaker 1: More with her and how she lost her job when 302 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 1: first I've been. 303 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 7: Destroying the black community is to dismantle the black family. 304 00:15:43,920 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 7: Michael Barry show, why don't we ask missus Willie Brown 305 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:49,160 Speaker 7: if Kamala Harris cares about black families. 306 00:15:50,680 --> 00:15:55,440 Speaker 6: Alicia Balinger was a reporter for the Tri State Defender 307 00:15:55,880 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 6: in Memphis, and she dared to write about her perspective, 308 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 6: her observations, her experience after President Trump signed an executive 309 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 6: order ordering the National Guard into Memphis, where crime was 310 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:12,280 Speaker 6: notoriously bad. Lisa, let's start before we get to your 311 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 6: perspective on that action and the result. How bad was 312 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,120 Speaker 6: it in Memphis? Because we hear stories. 313 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 2: It was awful. 314 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 7: I again, I live in a neighborhood that's a majority black, 315 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 7: and the crime. 316 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 2: Is extremely high. 317 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,600 Speaker 7: And there were things that I was dealing with, such. 318 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 2: As burglary, you know, the shootings. 319 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:39,680 Speaker 10: That was a constant, constant thing. 320 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 7: It was a normalcy for my family. I just think 321 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 7: we remember being on the phone one day with my neighbor. 322 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 7: We I'm pretty close with my neighbors, and I just 323 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,000 Speaker 7: happened to be on a phone call with my neighbor 324 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:52,720 Speaker 7: and as. 325 00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:55,359 Speaker 2: We're chatting, I'm hearing gunshots. 326 00:16:55,400 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 10: It sounds like. 327 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 2: A machine gun. It's just like thirty shots within a 328 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:02,120 Speaker 2: span of minutes. 329 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 10: And we're both on the phone, like what's happening here? 330 00:17:05,440 --> 00:17:08,200 Speaker 7: And then literally five minutes later, we're seeing crime, seeing 331 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:08,640 Speaker 7: tape and. 332 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:11,159 Speaker 2: We couldn't even leave off of our street. You know, 333 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 2: this is going on both ends. It's again, it was 334 00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 2: a normalcy. 335 00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:19,480 Speaker 7: I was afraid for my children to come outside because. 336 00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:22,240 Speaker 2: I'm afraid that we were going to be innocent bystanders 337 00:17:22,680 --> 00:17:23,680 Speaker 2: from bullets. 338 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 10: You know. 339 00:17:24,760 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 7: There was there was an instance where I was in 340 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 7: my backyard just trying to pull some yards of the 341 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 7: weeds and things out of my yard, and before you 342 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 7: know what, I'm hearing gunshots, and I had to run 343 00:17:34,800 --> 00:17:35,280 Speaker 7: in the house. 344 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:37,040 Speaker 2: You know, I couldn't complete the things. 345 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:39,199 Speaker 7: That I wanted to do around my home because I 346 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 7: was so fearful of going outside. 347 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:43,359 Speaker 10: And it was to the point that I did not 348 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 10: let my children outside. 349 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 7: They were not outside plane and if they did, it 350 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:49,000 Speaker 7: was heavily supervising. 351 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 2: It wasn't for long with us being outside. So the 352 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,479 Speaker 2: crime was absolutely terrible. 353 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:56,800 Speaker 10: You couldn't go places, you couldn't do things. 354 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,080 Speaker 2: Without you know, things happening. 355 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:02,120 Speaker 7: You know, people pulling out out guns, people shooting everywhere. 356 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 10: This is even happening in spaces. 357 00:18:04,600 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 7: Where children are and people aren't in full control of themselves. 358 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 2: It was very scary, for sure. 359 00:18:16,480 --> 00:18:20,720 Speaker 6: I don't know what led President Trump to make the 360 00:18:20,800 --> 00:18:26,200 Speaker 6: decision to make that executive order, but I have spent 361 00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 6: a lot of time and you would have no reason 362 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 6: to know this. But in my early life I was 363 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,879 Speaker 6: in politics. I was a citywide city councilor for the 364 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:34,400 Speaker 6: city of Houston, and I was a mayor pro tem 365 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:36,320 Speaker 6: and I got very, very involved in the parts of 366 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 6: town that most people never go to. And these are 367 00:18:40,560 --> 00:18:43,320 Speaker 6: the almost exclusively black parts of town. And Houston has 368 00:18:43,359 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 6: a great and rich history legacy in our black community. 369 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:50,520 Speaker 6: Barbara Jordan was the congressman. Music came out of this area, 370 00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 6: and culture and cuisine and personalities and the like. But 371 00:18:55,640 --> 00:18:57,480 Speaker 6: one of the things I found was there was the 372 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:01,359 Speaker 6: sense of quote unquote black lead who were themselves black, 373 00:19:01,400 --> 00:19:04,840 Speaker 6: and before that it was white liberals. And I've always 374 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 6: said that they referred to this as their own little 375 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 6: fiefdom and they don't want anybody from the outside coming in. 376 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 6: It's like when Boris Yeltsen came and visited Houston, Texas 377 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:19,280 Speaker 6: and he saw the grocery store. It was a Randall's 378 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 6: grocery store, and he saw all the options in produce. 379 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 6: He said, Communism is sunk. America wins. Communism won't last 380 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:28,800 Speaker 6: in Russia because when the people realize there are all 381 00:19:28,840 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 6: these options, so many different grapes and apples and bananas, 382 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 6: they won't live under our system. 383 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 1: Again. 384 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 6: It's as if it's as if these elected black officials, 385 00:19:38,040 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 6: the Democrats don't want people to see that you don't 386 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:42,800 Speaker 6: have to live this way. There don't have to be 387 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 6: drive bys, there doesn't have to be filth. This could 388 00:19:46,320 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 6: be a nice place to live in America. And so 389 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 6: I'm really proud of President Trump that he was willing 390 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:54,760 Speaker 6: to say I'm going to do the right thing for 391 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 6: the people who live there, even though their elected officials 392 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 6: are going to make me out to be a monster. 393 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:01,680 Speaker 6: It would be easier to just forget about Memphis, which 394 00:20:01,720 --> 00:20:02,879 Speaker 6: is what's typically. 395 00:20:02,560 --> 00:20:05,280 Speaker 2: Not mm hmmm mm hmm. Yep, I. 396 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,359 Speaker 7: Agree with you, you know, and that's why I feel 397 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:13,879 Speaker 7: like a lot of this we're talking about President Trump. 398 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 2: I feel like a lot of people's anger. 399 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:18,520 Speaker 10: Are it is totally misdirected. 400 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:23,960 Speaker 7: And that's where that separates me from the majority, because at. 401 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:25,160 Speaker 11: First I felt like. 402 00:20:25,160 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 10: Everyone else, I'm like, what is President Trump doing? 403 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 2: What is he on? 404 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:32,639 Speaker 11: But then once I realized. 405 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:34,520 Speaker 12: And took a look at the scope of things, and 406 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 12: I'm like, this is the He's an actionable president. 407 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:39,040 Speaker 2: He came in. 408 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:44,760 Speaker 7: Swiftly after I've seen that interview. It was nearly two 409 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 7: weeks later before we saw an influx of the Tennessee 410 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 7: Highway State Patrol or the Memphis Pass Force and a 411 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:53,680 Speaker 7: bit of the National Guard. 412 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 2: And that was. 413 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:57,880 Speaker 7: When that Bible video was made. 414 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,639 Speaker 11: Because that's when the light well clicked in for me 415 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 11: and was. 416 00:21:02,400 --> 00:21:08,440 Speaker 7: Like, Wow, my local city leaders have done nothing they've 417 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:12,760 Speaker 7: done nothing. And these are the people who we've elected 418 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 7: and have been in office for quite some time, and 419 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:19,680 Speaker 7: it's nearly taken two weeks of President Trump's action. 420 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:22,680 Speaker 10: For them to come in and swiftly. 421 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 2: Give me peace and give me and my family peace. 422 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,920 Speaker 7: That was an eye opening moment for me and made 423 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 7: me realize that I have been voting incorrectly. 424 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:34,000 Speaker 2: I've been voting wrong. 425 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,840 Speaker 7: I've been I have not been making the best decisions 426 00:21:37,840 --> 00:21:41,080 Speaker 7: not only for my family, but for the citizens of mythist. 427 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,000 Speaker 10: Because he created this action, he. 428 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 7: Gave me peace to me and my family. He restored 429 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:50,600 Speaker 7: some form of order within my city. And again, this 430 00:21:50,760 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 7: was just in two weeks for me to feel like this, 431 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 7: and I commend President Trump for it. 432 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:02,760 Speaker 6: The line they use online is we don't have to 433 00:22:02,800 --> 00:22:05,240 Speaker 6: live like this, and it's so true. 434 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:07,280 Speaker 1: It is so very true. 435 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 6: I can remember going into communities and campaigning, and then 436 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 6: I can remember I was on city council for a 437 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 6: week and we got a call to our office from 438 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:18,120 Speaker 6: one of the black pastors who had endorsed me. 439 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 1: And almost all of them did. 440 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:23,520 Speaker 6: And here I was a Republican, but we took care 441 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:26,199 Speaker 6: of our people, and they had a hole out in 442 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,199 Speaker 6: front of the church, that it was a crater you 443 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:32,080 Speaker 6: could lose a car in. And they called and said, 444 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 6: we just want this hole in front of our church 445 00:22:34,280 --> 00:22:36,840 Speaker 6: fixed because there's one way in and one way out 446 00:22:36,840 --> 00:22:39,600 Speaker 6: of our church, and everybody there's scraping the undercarriage of 447 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 6: their vehicle and it's frustrating, and why can't we get 448 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:44,760 Speaker 6: it fixed? And they had supported the mayors, and we 449 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 6: had a black mayor, and he had been to that 450 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:50,000 Speaker 6: church and he had received their endorsement, and he had 451 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 6: received all their votes, and nobody ever did anything. And 452 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:55,159 Speaker 6: they called us on like a Tuesday, and by Friday 453 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:58,280 Speaker 6: we had the hole field. And he brought me up 454 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 6: to to the pulpit that Sunday and he said, I 455 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 6: know what you're saying. Why are you letting that white 456 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:09,240 Speaker 6: boy up at the pulpit, Because he's my white boy, 457 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 6: and he took care of my people, and he's my counselor, 458 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:16,000 Speaker 6: and he cares about us. And what he was trying 459 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:20,479 Speaker 6: to say was open your eyes to good government. And 460 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 6: I think this is a problem that plagues I hate 461 00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:26,919 Speaker 6: to term black communities because there are well it's a 462 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 6: complicated question, but I think this is a problem that 463 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:35,040 Speaker 6: plagues communities that are exclusively or close enough to being black, 464 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 6: is this is the brainwashing that the people who are 465 00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:40,640 Speaker 6: here to represent you are the people who keep telling 466 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 6: you that white he's evil. Well, that's not true. You 467 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:48,119 Speaker 6: want everybody working for you, You want everybody trying to 468 00:23:48,680 --> 00:23:49,440 Speaker 6: trying to protect you. 469 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:49,800 Speaker 1: Hold on. 470 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 6: Delicia Ballinger in Memphis, Tennessee. We're going to talk about 471 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 6: how she was fired from doing something she loved to do, 472 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,840 Speaker 6: reporting truth telling in memph because she dared say nice 473 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:04,080 Speaker 6: things about President Trump making Memphis better. 474 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:07,679 Speaker 1: The hell coming up. She was twelve, I was thirty, 475 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:16,240 Speaker 1: but it was wonderful to have you, mister President. The 476 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 1: Michael Barry Show. 477 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:22,959 Speaker 6: Alicia Balinger is our guest. She came to my attention. 478 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 6: I should probably tell you. We have a listener in 479 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:27,840 Speaker 6: just outside of Houston about two hours named Dan Agan, 480 00:24:28,600 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 6: and he has He started a charity a few years ago, 481 00:24:32,320 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 6: a charity with a real purpose called we Won't be 482 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:36,200 Speaker 6: Canceled dot org. 483 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: We Won't be Canceled dot org. 484 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:40,439 Speaker 6: And when he first told me about it, everybody's going 485 00:24:40,520 --> 00:24:42,040 Speaker 6: to start a charity and nobody ever does it and 486 00:24:42,080 --> 00:24:42,679 Speaker 6: never fund it. 487 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:44,040 Speaker 1: And he funded it. 488 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:47,359 Speaker 6: He seated it himself with money and lo and behold, 489 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 6: I would have people on like the guy who went 490 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 6: to prison for a meme about Hillary Clinton. How ridiculous 491 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:53,879 Speaker 6: is that? And I had to got on and in 492 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:56,000 Speaker 6: short order he had sent him the cash to get 493 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 6: back up on his feet. When people speak out and 494 00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:02,080 Speaker 6: do the right thing, then this charity with a purpose 495 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 6: advocates on their behalf and provides financial assistance so that 496 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 6: they don't suffer from being fired. It's called we Won't 497 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,400 Speaker 6: be Canceled dot org. It's a pretty pretty neat deal. 498 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 6: So instead of him this time hearing me talk about 499 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:18,240 Speaker 6: somebody and saying I want to support them, which I 500 00:25:18,240 --> 00:25:20,360 Speaker 6: think he's done that for thirty people or so so far, 501 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:23,760 Speaker 6: and it's real money every time, real money, he reached 502 00:25:23,760 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 6: out and said, hey, I want you to know about 503 00:25:25,119 --> 00:25:27,640 Speaker 6: this woman, Delicia Ballinger, and we've had her on. Now 504 00:25:27,720 --> 00:25:30,680 Speaker 6: what happened? How did you find out that saying something nice? 505 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:34,760 Speaker 6: Where did you say that the support that President Trump 506 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:36,560 Speaker 6: was giving was a good thing? And then how did 507 00:25:36,560 --> 00:25:37,639 Speaker 6: it happen that it fell apart? 508 00:25:38,800 --> 00:25:48,840 Speaker 11: So this was a day, this is a Friday, and I'm. 509 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:50,000 Speaker 7: Something that getting postponed and so I had a moment 510 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 7: to sit. 511 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:55,600 Speaker 12: Out on my porch and I grabbed the team and that's. 512 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 2: When the light bulb could be in. For the first 513 00:25:57,920 --> 00:25:59,120 Speaker 2: time in five years of me. 514 00:25:59,119 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 7: Being in my neighborhood. I am hearing the birds trunk. 515 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:05,200 Speaker 7: I am seeing families outside. I'm seeing a family. I'm 516 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 7: seeing a father throw a football as his kids. I'm 517 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:11,840 Speaker 7: seeing families walking. It's peaceful, it's quiet, it's different. 518 00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:12,800 Speaker 3: And. 519 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:17,399 Speaker 2: I'm like, what in the world this is peace? 520 00:26:18,480 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 7: And I grabbed my phone and I set on my 521 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 7: porch and I talked about it. And that's when I said, 522 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:30,000 Speaker 7: you know, I again, you. 523 00:26:29,960 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 2: Know, I'm not into politics or anything. I don't like to. 524 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:36,680 Speaker 10: Get into all of it, but thank you President Trump, 525 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:38,600 Speaker 10: because who else could I have thanked for doing this. 526 00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:40,879 Speaker 2: It was President Trump that did it. 527 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:45,520 Speaker 7: So I merely told him thank you and share my 528 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,719 Speaker 7: experience on what was happening in my neighborhood at that time. 529 00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:52,719 Speaker 7: And again, I'm not thinking anything of it, you know, 530 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 7: I'm just to share my experience. 531 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:55,960 Speaker 2: And before i know it, I'm. 532 00:26:55,760 --> 00:26:58,840 Speaker 10: Just seeing the numbers just blow. 533 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:02,480 Speaker 7: Up and I'm like, oh wow, this is I didn't 534 00:27:02,640 --> 00:27:05,040 Speaker 7: I wasn't expecting this so I ended up reaching out 535 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:08,160 Speaker 7: to the Tri State Defender, because again, I'm a journalist, 536 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 7: I believe in communication, and I reached out to some of. 537 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:13,160 Speaker 10: The editors there, and when I first initially told him, 538 00:27:13,520 --> 00:27:13,800 Speaker 10: you know. 539 00:27:13,760 --> 00:27:16,080 Speaker 11: They were they were fine with it, you know, I 540 00:27:16,160 --> 00:27:17,320 Speaker 11: told them my experience. 541 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:19,040 Speaker 2: My editor at the time. 542 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 10: She's also from a different community. 543 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,360 Speaker 7: She's from Jackson, Mississippi, which is basically like a smaller 544 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:27,159 Speaker 7: version of Memphis, so she understood at that time where 545 00:27:27,400 --> 00:27:28,439 Speaker 7: I was coming from. 546 00:27:29,040 --> 00:27:30,760 Speaker 11: But then the numbers started. 547 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 7: Climbing and climbing and climbing some more, and then eventually, 548 00:27:33,880 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 7: I guess people. 549 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 2: Started sending her the video. 550 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:37,200 Speaker 10: And then she. 551 00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:39,960 Speaker 2: Reached out to me and said, hey, why. 552 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:40,679 Speaker 10: Did you think Trump? 553 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 2: And I'm like, well, he's the president. 554 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:48,159 Speaker 10: Because she was like, well that made me want to 555 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 10: cut your video off because. 556 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:54,680 Speaker 11: You said thank you, And I said, well, who else 557 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 11: am I. 558 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 7: Supposed to think? Because he's the person that did this. 559 00:27:59,720 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 7: And then and then she went silent, and then I 560 00:28:03,000 --> 00:28:04,879 Speaker 7: began to tell her like, hey, you know, I'm getting 561 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 7: other opportunities to be on Fox News things of that nature. 562 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:10,800 Speaker 7: She was like, well, if you go, because these people 563 00:28:10,840 --> 00:28:13,359 Speaker 7: are pro Trump, They're gonna make you look like Diamond 564 00:28:13,400 --> 00:28:13,800 Speaker 7: and Stilk. 565 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 2: They're gonna make you look. 566 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 11: Like these supreme like pretty much she ever want. 567 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:20,919 Speaker 7: She did a boot licking Trump supporter, and if you 568 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 7: do this, you will no longer be affiliated with. 569 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:28,200 Speaker 11: The Tri State Defender. And I sat there for a. 570 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 2: Minute and I was just like okay, and then it. 571 00:28:32,200 --> 00:28:35,000 Speaker 7: Just kept bothering me. It just kept itching away with 572 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 7: me because I'm like, I feel like I'm being silenced. 573 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:41,360 Speaker 7: I feel like I'm being biased because the whole time 574 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 7: before all of this came about, I'm in the city. 575 00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 7: I actually filmed where the. 576 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 10: State troopers rolled upon us while I was talking to 577 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 10: a family that. 578 00:28:50,840 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 2: Was pulled over. 579 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 7: I'm covering so many different viewpoints of what's happening in 580 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 7: the city, and. 581 00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:00,160 Speaker 11: They were fine with it. But the first moment that 582 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:01,040 Speaker 11: I said thank. 583 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:03,800 Speaker 7: You to Trump or anything in relation to the Trump administration, 584 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 7: my career was on the line. And so from that 585 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 7: point I went back online and I just kind of 586 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 7: gave my following an update, was like, hey, like, my 587 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 7: media company is actually trying to silence me all because 588 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:21,920 Speaker 7: I'm telling the truth. And before I know it, the 589 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 7: next day, I'm getting they've removed me from all of 590 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 7: their social media platforms. I'm getting emails stating that my 591 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 7: assignments that I had they no longer wanted me to do, 592 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:32,760 Speaker 7: and that was it. 593 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:36,520 Speaker 11: They no longer wanted anything else to do with me. 594 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:39,320 Speaker 11: And then they came out with this statement like I've 595 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:41,320 Speaker 11: never worked there when I've been there. 596 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 10: For almost ten years, and just. 597 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:47,240 Speaker 11: Tried to, of course, make it seem like it was 598 00:29:47,320 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 11: my decision. 599 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 10: To do or voluntarily to do when they gave. 600 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 11: Me an ultimatum. 601 00:29:54,920 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 7: And so yeah, it was really, you know, disheartening, because 602 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:02,120 Speaker 7: again it's like having your own people slammed the door 603 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 7: in your face because I actually told the truth, which 604 00:30:06,280 --> 00:30:09,560 Speaker 7: again opened my eyes even more to the fact because 605 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:12,280 Speaker 7: I'm like this whole time, I'm thinking I'm working for 606 00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 7: a company that's not biased, and the whole time I'm 607 00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:23,160 Speaker 7: on a side and I did not know, and it's disheartening. 608 00:30:23,440 --> 00:30:24,800 Speaker 2: It was very disheartening. 609 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:27,280 Speaker 7: I worked, as I did my research more and more 610 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:32,480 Speaker 7: the owners they're very far left, and so me saying 611 00:30:32,600 --> 00:30:34,240 Speaker 7: what I said was a huge no. 612 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:41,320 Speaker 1: No, yeah, you know, I could go through. So Marcus L. 613 00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 1: Charles's good friend of mine. 614 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:44,680 Speaker 6: He wrote the book Loan survivor began the movie, and 615 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:47,800 Speaker 6: he had to go through hell and his three mates, 616 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:54,560 Speaker 6: his fellow seals, his buds, his brothers. 617 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:57,440 Speaker 1: Died for this story to be told. 618 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 6: And I often think about out you know, and as 619 00:31:01,800 --> 00:31:06,240 Speaker 6: a as a believer, and I think of Christ's suffering 620 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 6: and that it was it was preordained, it was destined, 621 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:14,680 Speaker 6: And I think about the suffering that has to happen, 622 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,400 Speaker 6: the things we go through in order to reach the 623 00:31:18,480 --> 00:31:20,960 Speaker 6: point that our voice has meaning. 624 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 1: The fact is it brought us together. 625 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:25,080 Speaker 6: For you to tell this story to a lot of people, 626 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:28,680 Speaker 6: and it's brought you to a lot of people. And 627 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:31,840 Speaker 6: there's somebody out there, maybe they're black, maybe they're white, 628 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:32,520 Speaker 6: maybe there's. 629 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:34,080 Speaker 1: Something else who is saying. 630 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:37,560 Speaker 6: You know, I might not be exactly like Alicia Balinger, 631 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:41,600 Speaker 6: but in my life I'm ready to be a full 632 00:31:41,640 --> 00:31:48,520 Speaker 6: person as well. I consider the suppression and repression of 633 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:53,280 Speaker 6: black independent thought in this country to be absolutely disturbing, 634 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:56,520 Speaker 6: and I see it every day. I see it, and 635 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 6: I see it being done. 636 00:31:57,760 --> 00:31:58,520 Speaker 1: By other blacks. 637 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 6: The crab in a bucket theory, the sort of social hierarchy, 638 00:32:01,960 --> 00:32:05,480 Speaker 6: political hierarchy, and the way that there is a regimented 639 00:32:05,520 --> 00:32:08,920 Speaker 6: system of enforcement like a capo system. And it bothers me, 640 00:32:09,360 --> 00:32:11,480 Speaker 6: It really really bothers me. 641 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 7: You know, this makes me think a whole lot in 642 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:17,400 Speaker 7: which I have to sit back and think a lot 643 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:18,800 Speaker 7: about Charlie Kirk. 644 00:32:19,600 --> 00:32:21,200 Speaker 11: And I owe that man an. 645 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 10: Apology because I realized I am him, you know he. 646 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 10: The difference is, especially when you're talking about the black community. 647 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,120 Speaker 7: You know, I'm black, okay, and it's bad enough that 648 00:32:35,440 --> 00:32:36,920 Speaker 7: me as a black person that I. 649 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:38,640 Speaker 11: Can't say anything about my community. 650 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:41,560 Speaker 7: And it's different, even even more different, when you have 651 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:45,600 Speaker 7: a white man that's literally saying the exact same thing 652 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:47,160 Speaker 7: that I'm saying, and. 653 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:49,040 Speaker 2: It did not being well recepted. 654 00:32:49,200 --> 00:32:52,400 Speaker 6: Delicia A. Balinger, we're up against a break. You are wonderful. 655 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 6: I adore you. 656 00:32:53,320 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 1: You be strong. Anyone out there that wants to learn 657 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:56,840 Speaker 1: more reach out to her. 658 00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 6: You could go to we Won't be Canceled dot org 659 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 6: and you will see her as one of the people 660 00:33:02,280 --> 00:33:05,720 Speaker 6: on that site We Won't be Canceled dot org and 661 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 6: you can support the great work they are doing. It's 662 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:10,640 Speaker 6: one man funding at all. He can't fund it forever. 663 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:13,720 Speaker 6: He's not wealthy. He's made a little money, but he 664 00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:15,800 Speaker 6: wants to make a difference, and he's putting his money 665 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 6: up to make a difference for people like Delicia and 666 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:20,040 Speaker 6: for you