1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Alright, Chip, I'm really excited about our guests today. We've 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: been talking a lot about how pop culture topics seem 3 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:11,840 Speaker 1: really irrelevant to us right now, and so we can't 4 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:16,720 Speaker 1: really start talking about, you know, celebrity gossip or anything 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:20,319 Speaker 1: that's happening in our world without really getting to some 6 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:25,239 Speaker 1: growth points, at least with this gun violence situation. UM. 7 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:26,880 Speaker 1: And so you and I decided we really want to 8 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: keep spreading UM information, bringing on guests that can help 9 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 1: educate us and give us tools of where to go, 10 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:36,560 Speaker 1: because I think one of the things that we've bumped 11 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 1: up against is people just feeling so helpless. So we're 12 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: really excited because we have Melody McFadden here today. Hi Melody, Hello, 13 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 1: how are you? We're great? Thank you for asking how 14 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:52,840 Speaker 1: are you. I'm doing good today, doing really well. Good. 15 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 1: Thank you for being here. And you are. We found 16 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: you because I've talked a lot about every town this podcast, 17 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,360 Speaker 1: and UM, I reached out to you guys and I 18 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: was given your name. You are a volunteer of the 19 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 1: South Carolina chapter of Mom's Demand Action, which is underneath 20 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,759 Speaker 1: every time I didn't understand that you guys were connected. UM. 21 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 1: You also told me you're a faith outreach lead and 22 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 1: you're survivor of gun violence, and so I loved your 23 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:23,319 Speaker 1: story because when I told you this before we got 24 00:01:23,360 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 1: on the podcast, you're a gun owner, you were a 25 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:28,400 Speaker 1: part of the army, and you have your own story 26 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,639 Speaker 1: relating to gun violence. So would you start by maybe 27 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 1: telling our listeners your journey? I absolutely would. Again, I 28 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: want to thank you so much for having me Um. 29 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: My story actually began when I was seventeen years old. 30 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:49,280 Speaker 1: My mother had lived in domestic violence for many years 31 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: and during that journey, she was abused severely. When she 32 00:01:54,720 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: decided to leave the domestic violence situation, her murderer decided 33 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: that he would not let her go. He decided to 34 00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: kill her in front of my three little sisters, and 35 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:13,120 Speaker 1: they were ten, eleven, and twelve years old. He shot 36 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 1: her in the forehead and then victimized them in the 37 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,040 Speaker 1: aspect that he said, if you didn't get help for her, 38 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:25,919 Speaker 1: then she was gonna die. So it became very traumatic 39 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 1: for my family over the years that now my grandmother 40 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:35,800 Speaker 1: had to raise three more children because my mother died instantly. 41 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: When she died, I decided to give up my college 42 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: scholarship and go into the army because that's the way 43 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 1: that I could get a paycheck immediately, who helped her 44 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: raise three other children. And when I did that, it 45 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: benefited my life in such a major way. I became 46 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 1: a military police investigator. I traveled throughout the world. I 47 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,600 Speaker 1: went to Alabama where I was trained to be a 48 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:12,000 Speaker 1: military police investigator. I've been was stationed in California, left 49 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: California and went to NATO headquarters in Belgium Shape Belgium, 50 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: and so carrying a weapon every single day was normal 51 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 1: to me. I wore civilian clothing. I carried a hoster 52 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: right under my arm and one around my ankle. It 53 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:32,720 Speaker 1: was normal for me to have weapons every single day. 54 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 1: I grew up in the country in South Carolina. We hunted. 55 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: The earliest time I can remember it is probably four 56 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 1: or five years old, shooting guns in the backyard, hidding 57 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: cans so my uncle's could teach us safety. So guns 58 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: have always been a part of my life. But when 59 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 1: they took my mother in such a heinous fashion, it 60 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: became a way that it became a mission that I 61 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: had to help others that were living in domestic violence 62 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: find a way to leave safely, in a way to live, 63 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 1: you know. Uh, we constantly go out and help families 64 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 1: and children that are in abused and neglected situations to 65 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 1: get out safely and to live a better life. That's 66 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:25,359 Speaker 1: one of my missions. Well, shortly after my middle sister, Sabrina, 67 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: she had one daughter, and this one child she grew 68 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: up to be a beautiful young woman, Sandy. And when 69 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: Sandy came home from the hospital when she was born, 70 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: my sister Sabrina brought her straight to my house because 71 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,040 Speaker 1: I became, you know, the oldest sister mommy, and they 72 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,600 Speaker 1: came to my home. So I helped raise Sandy. Sandy 73 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: lived in my house twelve of her twenty two years, 74 00:04:53,040 --> 00:04:57,880 Speaker 1: and so if if she became one of mine. She 75 00:04:58,040 --> 00:05:01,159 Speaker 1: was the first girl in a family they had many boys, 76 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 1: including for my own, and so we all spoiled her rotten. 77 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: We loved her to pieces and she was a kind, gentlewoman. 78 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: So when she was twenty two years old, her cousins 79 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 1: asked her to drive them to the beach because she 80 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: had a car and a job and gas. She was 81 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:23,520 Speaker 1: so kind, she drove all the cousins and the friends 82 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:26,840 Speaker 1: to the beach to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, they went 83 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 1: to see the biker's parades. While they were on the beach, 84 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: just to watch parades and party and have a good time, 85 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,120 Speaker 1: like all young people should be able to do. Some 86 00:05:38,160 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: folks started fighting on the beach. They started shooting into 87 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:47,000 Speaker 1: the crowds, and Sandy didn't come home. Excuse me. A 88 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: random bullet took my sister's only child. It spiked the 89 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,600 Speaker 1: fire in me, and it made me know that I 90 00:05:55,680 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: never wanted people to understand what we feel every single day. 91 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:04,839 Speaker 1: You know, this mission that we walked, this this path 92 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,280 Speaker 1: that we're on, we don't want other people to know. 93 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: Because now we had lost our mother, she was taken 94 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: in gun violence, and now my sister's only child was 95 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 1: taken in gun violence. And I had to do something 96 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:22,040 Speaker 1: to help others. So we started um with Mom's man action. 97 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 1: They came to my sister's home right when Sandy was 98 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,599 Speaker 1: taken because three other young people were also shot on 99 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 1: the beach at that same time. Four young people total 100 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: was shot. Demante Danceller was shot and killed. He was 101 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 1: his mother's only child. He was twenty one years old. 102 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,280 Speaker 1: Two days before he went to the beach, Jamie Williams 103 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:45,600 Speaker 1: was shot and killed He was twenty five years old 104 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 1: and the father of a two and a one year 105 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:50,440 Speaker 1: old that will never know their dad because he was 106 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,279 Speaker 1: taken in gun violence. Also another young man, he was 107 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 1: shot five times and he lived, but three young people 108 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:03,000 Speaker 1: died that day when they all came, all four of 109 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:07,720 Speaker 1: them came from the same community. So the community gathered around, 110 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 1: and I noticed that those folks in the red T 111 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 1: shirts kept coming back supporting my family. Asking how they 112 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:18,679 Speaker 1: could help, they explained that they were after common sense 113 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 1: gun laws, and I said, what is that. I wanted 114 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: to know. Explain to me what they're talking about, because 115 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 1: of course I am a gun owner. I'm an army veteran. 116 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:31,480 Speaker 1: I still go to the rage. I still, you know, 117 00:07:31,560 --> 00:07:35,720 Speaker 1: have weapons, but I keep them safely security I will 118 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: say that, and so um I wanted to know what 119 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,680 Speaker 1: they were talking about. And they said, we just want 120 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 1: people to have background checks before they buy weapons. We 121 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: want people to store weapons safely so that children can't 122 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 1: have access to them, or people that are a danger 123 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: to themselves or others can't access them. And I said, 124 00:07:56,880 --> 00:08:00,680 Speaker 1: that makes sense, It makes it is common sense, It 125 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:03,920 Speaker 1: makes all the sense in the world to save lives 126 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: and anything that we can do so that others do 127 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: not understand this pain, this tragedy. Then it's a good thing. 128 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: It's a very good thing. Yeah, a couple of things. One, 129 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 1: I'm so grateful that you just said the names of 130 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:21,720 Speaker 1: the kids that are the people that died at that beach, 131 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: because I think Chip and I talked about this a lot, 132 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: Like we've become so desensitized as a culture to like, oh, 133 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 1: another shooting and twelve people died or something, and it's 134 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: just like this nonchalant mention of people's lives, like people 135 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 1: losing their lives. And I think that there's a real 136 00:08:38,679 --> 00:08:41,480 Speaker 1: disconnect there happening in our culture because we're just it's 137 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:45,960 Speaker 1: happening so often that we're missing you know that unless 138 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,440 Speaker 1: it happens to you, you're missing that. Like, no, this 139 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 1: is an actual human beings life that has been taken 140 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: for no reason, Like there isn't any any reason that 141 00:08:56,440 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 1: this is. We're not at war, This isn't like something 142 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:03,800 Speaker 1: like that. You know. One of the things that survivors 143 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:08,000 Speaker 1: take as an honor is someone mentions the name of 144 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:12,320 Speaker 1: their loved one. My mother's name is Patricia Ann. My 145 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: niece's name is Sandy patrese It. It gives me joy 146 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: to hear their names, to know that they're not forgotten, 147 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 1: to know that, you know, still being mentioned, to know 148 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: that their stories are saving lives. It does matter. So 149 00:09:28,600 --> 00:09:32,959 Speaker 1: saying their names is it's a it's an honor, it's 150 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:38,239 Speaker 1: a good name. Yeah, they're not just statistics. They were here, 151 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 1: they were loved. They were people that were making a 152 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: difference in the community. They were special, They had families, friends, 153 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:51,600 Speaker 1: you know, they mattered. Yeah, exactly. Well, I want us 154 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 1: to keep doing that in us. Maybe Chip and I 155 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: can start incorporating that into the things that we discussed. 156 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:00,640 Speaker 1: But another thing you said that I really lie about 157 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 1: your story is that you're a gun owner that you 158 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: have and you're not planning to stop being one, Like 159 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 1: this is not the goal here, and I think we 160 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:12,720 Speaker 1: try to mention that over and over and over because 161 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:16,199 Speaker 1: you know, the simple things that to me they seem simple, 162 00:10:16,280 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: the things that we're asking like the background checks, like 163 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,439 Speaker 1: you mentioned, these laws that are actually that a lot 164 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 1: of people like every town are really fighting for, are 165 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 1: not to take away people's guns. And it's there you go, Um, 166 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: so can you talk us through a little bit about 167 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:38,560 Speaker 1: what that beginning process was like for you, because I 168 00:10:38,559 --> 00:10:40,760 Speaker 1: think a lot of our listeners might be in the 169 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,800 Speaker 1: same boat where it's just like we don't understand what 170 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,960 Speaker 1: is actually being asked and what or what we could 171 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 1: be asking of our government right now. Yes, well, Um, 172 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:58,800 Speaker 1: just recently I went to Washington and we had many rallies, 173 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 1: and these rallies were to ask the Senate not to 174 00:11:01,920 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 1: look away, not to forget that there have been so 175 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: many lives taken, that every single day in the United States, 176 00:11:09,040 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 1: a hundred and ten people are taken in senseless gun violence. 177 00:11:13,320 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: You know, we want them to know that those people 178 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:20,640 Speaker 1: are family members that are loved and that are treasured 179 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:24,320 Speaker 1: and now that are missing because they've been taken. We 180 00:11:24,920 --> 00:11:28,360 Speaker 1: wanted them to make some laws to put in place 181 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: so that people feel safer in their communities. Some of 182 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: these laws, um, matter of fact, I can just tie 183 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: directly into my story. The boyfriend loophole that we're asking 184 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,640 Speaker 1: that they close as a part of this law is 185 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:49,280 Speaker 1: concerning domestic violence. The domestic violence, Um, boyfriend loophole is 186 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 1: right now, if you are married to someone and commit 187 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,960 Speaker 1: domestic violence, then you will not have access to purchasing 188 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 1: a weapon until that situation has resolved, but if you 189 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:05,079 Speaker 1: are a boyfriend, you still can purchase a weapon. And 190 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 1: many boyfriends have access to weapons and killed people. And 191 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 1: it's not just boyfriend, it could be a girlfriend as well, 192 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:16,839 Speaker 1: because the mastic violence occurs against men too, so or 193 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:21,760 Speaker 1: same sex partners. And so that loophole would then be 194 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 1: closed if the Senate passes this bill that's been just 195 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:29,440 Speaker 1: sent to the table, the boyfriend loophole with the boyfriends 196 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:32,400 Speaker 1: would not have access to buying a weapon after they've 197 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:37,200 Speaker 1: committed domestic violence, which would save lives. Another part of 198 00:12:37,200 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: that law ties directly into my story as well, red 199 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 1: flag laws. I'm a veteran. Many veterans over twenty two 200 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:50,320 Speaker 1: a day are dying to suicide or some other issues 201 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 1: concerning gun violence, and so red flag laws. If your 202 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 1: family seems that you're having a PTSD moment, or if 203 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:03,599 Speaker 1: you're struggling tally, or if you're having some sort of problems, 204 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 1: they can call the police and have a judge remove 205 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,400 Speaker 1: weapons from the home for us that period of time. 206 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: It's not to take your guns permanently. It's to help 207 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:18,240 Speaker 1: you get the mental health that you need and to 208 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 1: get your family to a place of safety, and then 209 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:24,320 Speaker 1: once you resolve those issues, those guns can be returned 210 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,600 Speaker 1: to you. It's to save lives so that when you're 211 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:30,080 Speaker 1: in the middle of a crisis, you don't hurt yourself 212 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:36,120 Speaker 1: or others. Veterans directly would be impacted. If you saw 213 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:39,760 Speaker 1: your family member having an episode and you could call 214 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:42,520 Speaker 1: and save their lives. Why wouldn't you want to do that. 215 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: You absolutely would want to do that. To have extended 216 00:13:47,880 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 1: background checks for those that are under twenty one years 217 00:13:51,280 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 1: old that are buying automatic weapons that are killing many 218 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:59,800 Speaker 1: people in schools and churches and at the beach and 219 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:04,720 Speaker 1: m and birthday parties. You know, we need to do 220 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: extend to background checks because if a shooter has a 221 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:13,000 Speaker 1: mental health issue, and now you go to purchase a 222 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:16,720 Speaker 1: weapon and they do a random background checks that takes 223 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 1: three days and it's not back yet. The law says 224 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: that person could then purchase a weapon on the third 225 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 1: day if the UH seller wants to sell, so an 226 00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 1: extended background check would make them wait a little while 227 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:36,440 Speaker 1: longer until we get all of the information back. UH. Right, 228 00:14:36,480 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: when my niece Sandy was taken at Myrtle Beach along 229 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 1: with the three other young men that were shot. We 230 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:47,640 Speaker 1: had a senator, Senator clement A. Pinkney here in South Carolina. 231 00:14:48,200 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 1: He visited my family. He was helping us with peace 232 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:56,720 Speaker 1: rallies and marching and doing whatever he could to to 233 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: help the community heal from that tragic event. And less 234 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 1: than a year later, I was sitting in the V I. P. 235 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 1: Section of his funeral because he was the pastor of 236 00:15:08,760 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 1: the Manual nine. He was killed in his sanctuary with 237 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 1: eight of the of his church and his shooter. It's 238 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,720 Speaker 1: more time had been given then the Charleston loophole is 239 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: what we call it for the background check, then his 240 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 1: shooter would not have had access to a weapon. We 241 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 1: need more time to do a proper background check. If 242 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 1: you are a legal gun owner and you are buying 243 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: your weapon properly and having your background check and securing 244 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: it properly, by all means to have your weapon. But 245 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: if a person is having a issue and should not 246 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 1: access a weapon, we need to know that as well, 247 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: because if it saves a life. I've often had people 248 00:15:57,120 --> 00:16:00,640 Speaker 1: when I'm speaking around the country say to me, what 249 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:04,120 Speaker 1: difference will if it saves one life? What difference will 250 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: it make if it saves one person? Well, here's my 251 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: answer to that. My sister's only child. It will make 252 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 1: every difference to her because she has no grandchildren, she 253 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: has no future coming, no weddings, no graduations, nothing else. 254 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: Just recently she asked me about what do I do 255 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 1: when I don't have any new pictures to look at? 256 00:16:32,240 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 1: So I called a whole bunch of her friends on 257 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:38,760 Speaker 1: social media, Sandy's friends, and I said, can you look 258 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: through your cameras, your phones, your whatever you have, if 259 00:16:42,840 --> 00:16:45,280 Speaker 1: you can just find one picture that we don't have 260 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 1: and send it to me. It would do so much 261 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:51,000 Speaker 1: for my sister is to see a picture she hadn't 262 00:16:51,040 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: seen of her before, and to have several pictures come 263 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:59,640 Speaker 1: in and it just it it helps her heart. But 264 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 1: that one would have made a difference, and that one 265 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:11,280 Speaker 1: to somebody else will make a difference. Right. I can't 266 00:17:11,320 --> 00:17:16,360 Speaker 1: believe people even say that, because I cannot imagine if 267 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:19,119 Speaker 1: I think of anyone in my life losing them to 268 00:17:19,280 --> 00:17:22,400 Speaker 1: gun violence. To me, of course it matters. I don't 269 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:25,720 Speaker 1: want to lose anyone to that. And if you can't 270 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: empathize with that, like that's a part of our culture 271 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 1: that I'm really getting upset about. It's just the insensitivity 272 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,560 Speaker 1: to like, like try to put yourself in that position 273 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:37,159 Speaker 1: and what that would feel like. And we can't be 274 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: desensitized to this because it can happen to you. If 275 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: nothing is registering more than that, it should like the 276 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 1: school shootings. Looking at sending your kids to school every 277 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: day and the fear of the school being shot up 278 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:55,040 Speaker 1: and your child dying, Like I cannot get past that. 279 00:17:55,040 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 1: That was what really shook me, is just this hasn't changed. 280 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,480 Speaker 1: We were talking before the podcast US and um Chip 281 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 1: and I are going to talk to a survivor of 282 00:18:03,359 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 1: Columbine in a couple of weeks, and I said to you, 283 00:18:07,200 --> 00:18:11,000 Speaker 1: I started researching that and nothing has changed since then. 284 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:16,560 Speaker 1: How is that possible. It's been over twenty six years 285 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 1: since significant gun laws have been passed by our convers 286 00:18:20,520 --> 00:18:24,280 Speaker 1: in our Senate, and we need them at this time 287 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:30,120 Speaker 1: to make this happen. This bill can save lives. It's 288 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 1: been too long, twenty six years. Thousands of children that 289 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:39,399 Speaker 1: have been killed in school shootings, thousands of people that 290 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:42,960 Speaker 1: have been killed at the grocery store, at the beach, 291 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:46,479 Speaker 1: at parties. This makes no sense at all. You're not 292 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:51,439 Speaker 1: safe anywhere in the sectuary in church, in church, we 293 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:55,399 Speaker 1: should be safe somewhere. And unless some things that are 294 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:59,320 Speaker 1: put into place, unless our Senate acts, we're gonna have 295 00:18:59,480 --> 00:19:04,440 Speaker 1: more people. And all we want to do is save lives. 296 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:09,199 Speaker 1: Because lives. It's not about your political standing. It's not 297 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:14,040 Speaker 1: about I say often and I do. So many lives 298 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:18,080 Speaker 1: have been sacrificed on the altar of greed, you know, 299 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: of people selling weapons, of people getting something that they 300 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: want back. Well, it's time to put the right things 301 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 1: on the altar lives. It's time to put lives as 302 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 1: the priority instead of money, you know. And if our 303 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: Senate does not want to do that, then maybe they 304 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:45,240 Speaker 1: shouldn't be in the Senate. It's time for us all 305 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,240 Speaker 1: to look at that. If the people that we elect 306 00:19:48,280 --> 00:19:51,200 Speaker 1: to represent us are not going to do the jobs 307 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:53,359 Speaker 1: that they were elected to do and protect us and 308 00:19:53,480 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 1: keep us safe, then it's time for us to do 309 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 1: what we're supposed to do and go and vote, if necessary, 310 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:04,440 Speaker 1: vote them out. M hm. Well, the thing you mentioned 311 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:08,679 Speaker 1: earlier too, about um, we're just trying to slow down 312 00:20:08,720 --> 00:20:11,080 Speaker 1: the process. Like if there's a sense of urgency when 313 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:14,440 Speaker 1: you're buying a gun, I'm not trusting you with that. 314 00:20:14,920 --> 00:20:17,960 Speaker 1: Why why is there a sense of urgency, Because, as 315 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:20,199 Speaker 1: you said, there are many people who want to be 316 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 1: gun owners, and that isn't what any of this is 317 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 1: about to me. I know a ton of men were 318 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:27,400 Speaker 1: you know, we live in the South. There's a ton 319 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:31,120 Speaker 1: of hunters here, and they are the most responsible gun 320 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:34,480 Speaker 1: owners that I've ever seen. They have such high protocol, 321 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: but they plan everything out as far as even like 322 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 1: when the gun is bought. Everything is planned and coordinated, 323 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:47,520 Speaker 1: and there's permits, and there's safety, and there's education when 324 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: anyone's around the gun, there's all of those things. And 325 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 1: so none of that is an issue to me. But 326 00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: the issue is if you're going into a gun shop 327 00:20:56,160 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: and you have to buy an assault rifle that day 328 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: with how any bullets? Wasn't chip that was bought any 329 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:06,360 Speaker 1: valdi It was like thousands, right or something ridiculous like 330 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:09,280 Speaker 1: why was that not like hello, red flag, red funk 331 00:21:09,440 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: like like that's not okay. He wasn't preparing to go 332 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:19,359 Speaker 1: to war, you know exactly. You know, I have two 333 00:21:19,400 --> 00:21:24,479 Speaker 1: sons that served as well, being a person that carried 334 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:28,399 Speaker 1: an M sixteen machine gun and I was trained on 335 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:35,200 Speaker 1: M fifty subcalp machine gun. I have expert shots with 336 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: many other weapons. I just had a gift for it. 337 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 1: But those uncles I told you when I was a 338 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,600 Speaker 1: little girl, that were teaching us about shooting, they also 339 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:47,679 Speaker 1: taught us about safety. You know, don't ever point this 340 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: weapon at anyone. You haven't pointed at the ground. When 341 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:53,679 Speaker 1: you're not using it. You put the gunlog back on 342 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:55,919 Speaker 1: it before you take it into the house. You know, 343 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:00,119 Speaker 1: they taught us so many things and that education, and 344 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: right now it's not being taught the people that are 345 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: purchasing weapons. If we have to have our driver's license, 346 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:10,680 Speaker 1: we have to have licenses to do all kinds of things. 347 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 1: Why can't we have a license to own a weapon? 348 00:22:14,160 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 1: Why can't we know about safety? You know, to go 349 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:20,359 Speaker 1: through a concealed carry class and to have to not 350 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:22,639 Speaker 1: do it one time in your life, but to do 351 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 1: it on an ongoing basis. You go back and renew 352 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 1: your driver's license every ten years. Why can't you renew 353 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 1: your concealed weapons carry and get new information about safety, 354 00:22:33,720 --> 00:22:38,000 Speaker 1: new information about you know, handling it, new information about 355 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: the laws that have been passed. We should have more 356 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 1: information to deal with so that we're as safe as possible. 357 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 1: I want to reiterate the fact so many people think 358 00:22:50,160 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 1: that to be a member of every town and to 359 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:55,639 Speaker 1: be a member of Mom's and man action, that you 360 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: want to take away guns. I don't want your guns. 361 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 1: None of us do. There are many men women that 362 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,200 Speaker 1: are gun owners as a part of every town. We 363 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: even have the Veterans Advisory Council, of which I'm a member. 364 00:23:13,200 --> 00:23:16,120 Speaker 1: There's about thirty five of us from all across the country. 365 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:20,840 Speaker 1: More are being added to this council. And we talk 366 00:23:20,920 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 1: about guns. We talk about laws that concern veterans. We 367 00:23:25,600 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 1: talk about, you know, how weapons are being misused by 368 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: people that are not trained with them. We don't want 369 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 1: to take it from you. We want you to properly 370 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:39,080 Speaker 1: use it. We can properly store it. We want you 371 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,439 Speaker 1: to properly secure it. And then when it's time to 372 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:44,640 Speaker 1: go to the range and you pull out your weapons 373 00:23:44,680 --> 00:23:46,879 Speaker 1: and you handle it safely, when you come back, you 374 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:50,880 Speaker 1: secure it by all means, enjoy yourself. Well. I think 375 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:54,399 Speaker 1: the driving, as like an example of comparison, is a 376 00:23:54,400 --> 00:23:56,679 Speaker 1: really good one, because you're right, we do have to 377 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:00,119 Speaker 1: We go to driver's duh, We get a license, and 378 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:02,359 Speaker 1: you have to practice for a certain amount of time, 379 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:07,120 Speaker 1: and it's like, that's because cars can kill people. It's 380 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: because they could kill us or others. And it's like, 381 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:13,040 Speaker 1: so there's protocol put in place when you learn how 382 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,840 Speaker 1: to drive. That should be the case with any sort 383 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:20,399 Speaker 1: of device or weapon or anything that can take a life. 384 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: In my opinion, that's how like it's just it's actually, 385 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 1: the more I learned about this, it's actually absurd that 386 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,240 Speaker 1: we don't have the law like any laws every other 387 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:33,240 Speaker 1: country does and they don't have these kind of issues happening. 388 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:39,399 Speaker 1: I don't know why. Um, it's a hard to talk 389 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: about these issues when people are being shot and killed 390 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 1: every day. If you find up two hundred people in 391 00:24:49,760 --> 00:24:53,600 Speaker 1: a row, and then you just said you, you, you, you, 392 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: until you got to a hundred and ten, You're not 393 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,680 Speaker 1: going home to your families today. You're not going back 394 00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 1: to work, you're not going back to your communities. You're 395 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 1: not going back to your churches or your schools. You 396 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 1: are being taken in gun violence today. I think those 397 00:25:10,320 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 1: hundred and ten people would be wanting their lives enough 398 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:22,119 Speaker 1: to do something about this. I'm just shocked that more 399 00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:26,679 Speaker 1: people are not on board with saving lives. You know, 400 00:25:27,119 --> 00:25:34,160 Speaker 1: I think people have misinformation and received UM, especially from 401 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 1: the n r A, that we're all gun takers that 402 00:25:37,880 --> 00:25:42,520 Speaker 1: were gun control, that we wanna UM come in your 403 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:45,000 Speaker 1: house and take all of your guns away from you. 404 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:48,359 Speaker 1: That's not what we are after. I want you to 405 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,919 Speaker 1: be safe. I want to protect you and your family. 406 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:55,040 Speaker 1: You know. I want your family to be saved. I 407 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 1: want my family to be saved. I want all of 408 00:25:57,480 --> 00:26:02,960 Speaker 1: us to be safe when we're out in our unites. Yeah, 409 00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: and just this, you know. I think also ignorance is 410 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:09,000 Speaker 1: a big part of this topic in general. And I 411 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:13,000 Speaker 1: am saying that because I myself was very ignorant around 412 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 1: the numbers. Like when you keep saying a hundred and 413 00:26:15,520 --> 00:26:18,200 Speaker 1: ten people die at day, I'm like, what how It's 414 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 1: like it's just but it's not talked about or it's 415 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:24,240 Speaker 1: not it wasn't talked about in an atmosphere that I absorbed. 416 00:26:24,280 --> 00:26:28,280 Speaker 1: It also read the hundreds of people that are injured 417 00:26:28,880 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: exactly and are killed, that are actually killed, And I 418 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:34,960 Speaker 1: saw on the every town website this morning. I was 419 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 1: just kind of reading up on the website since the 420 00:26:38,400 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 1: Uvaldi shooting on May today is June twenty second, I 421 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:46,679 Speaker 1: had to check that UM that we're recording this so 422 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:50,920 Speaker 1: less than a month, three thousand, five hundred ninety nine 423 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 1: people in America have been shot and killed. True, that 424 00:26:56,080 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 1: like that reading that, I had to reread it like 425 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: four times to make sure I was reading it correctly. 426 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 1: Less than a month and almost four thousand people have died. Yes, 427 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: the fact that we're not even just talking about that 428 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:13,960 Speaker 1: as a culture is again shocking to me. It's shocking 429 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 1: to me that a twelve year old I just mentioned 430 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 1: to this for the podcast, twelve year old was shot 431 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 1: in his school in the hallway by another twelve year 432 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:31,320 Speaker 1: old who had access to his father's unsecured weapons. Well, 433 00:27:31,520 --> 00:27:34,680 Speaker 1: when he shot this other twelve year old and killed him, 434 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 1: it was on the news for all of probably two 435 00:27:36,880 --> 00:27:40,800 Speaker 1: days locally, and they moved on to the next story. 436 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: Of course, I'm like, that should drive us all crazy. 437 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,639 Speaker 1: We all should be doing something. Why does a twelve 438 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:52,159 Speaker 1: year old have access to a weapon at all? And 439 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:55,240 Speaker 1: then once this other twelve year old is never going 440 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 1: to eighth grade, never going to high school, his life 441 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:03,320 Speaker 1: is over as ended. We should all be having this conversation. 442 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 1: It makes in the world that two days now, no 443 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:10,359 Speaker 1: one's talking about it. I mean that was literally why 444 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:13,399 Speaker 1: we started talking about that on this podcast, because it 445 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 1: was like the you've aldi shooting happened, Everyone's on Instagram 446 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:19,720 Speaker 1: posting about it, you know, trying to do the right thing. 447 00:28:19,800 --> 00:28:22,200 Speaker 1: I'm doing air quotes, I guess. And then a week 448 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 1: went by and it was over and we're back to business, 449 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 1: just forgotten, and it's like, wait, no, no, no, no, 450 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:30,879 Speaker 1: nothing has changed, and so if we don't keep talking 451 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:34,600 Speaker 1: about this, it's just gonna be another like another school 452 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,080 Speaker 1: shooting is going to happen, because if Columbine didn't teach 453 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 1: us anything that the fact that nothing has changed since 454 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 1: then is just there's been how many school shootings since? 455 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:47,400 Speaker 1: You know, like if I'm just yeah, it's just wild. 456 00:28:47,480 --> 00:28:50,240 Speaker 1: And you know, Chip always talks about just our culture 457 00:28:50,280 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: being so desensitized, like you're you said you if even 458 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:56,040 Speaker 1: you heard about another one ship and you just were 459 00:28:56,120 --> 00:29:00,600 Speaker 1: kind of like, oh yeah, wow, yeah, I mean I think, 460 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 1: you know, it's obviously there are even the red flag walls. 461 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:08,720 Speaker 1: It's like, to me, it's not enough, but it's a start. 462 00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 1: And I think a lot of people people that I know, 463 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 1: like they make excuses. They're like, well, there's more guns 464 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:17,720 Speaker 1: than people in the United States. So what problem is 465 00:29:17,720 --> 00:29:20,640 Speaker 1: that going to fix? And it's like, like you said 466 00:29:20,680 --> 00:29:25,160 Speaker 1: that your niece Sandy, It's like that is one problem 467 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: that it could have fixed. Um, And you know there's 468 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 1: count countless other examples, a hundred and ton of day 469 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 1: and you know it's we cannot allow ourselves to get 470 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:40,800 Speaker 1: caught up in the like, well this isn't enough because 471 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 1: anything is enough right now. And you tackle one thing 472 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: and hopefully the dominoes start to fall and you end 473 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 1: up in a place where people are actually safe, you know, 474 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,719 Speaker 1: listening to you talk like, I mean, this is a 475 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:56,960 Speaker 1: weird correlation to draw. But like I was a lifeguard 476 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:00,360 Speaker 1: when I was in high school. My job us to 477 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:04,520 Speaker 1: keep people safe. I had to go through a class 478 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:08,600 Speaker 1: be certified in it. I had to be certified in CPR. 479 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:12,840 Speaker 1: I had to be certified to keep people safe. We 480 00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: are asking people to be certified, um, to keep people 481 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 1: out of harm's way. You know, it's like those people 482 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:23,400 Speaker 1: should be certified before, like I should be able to 483 00:30:23,520 --> 00:30:27,640 Speaker 1: volunteer to keep people safe, you know. And UM, it 484 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:31,800 Speaker 1: is just it's just nonsensical to me that like there 485 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:35,360 Speaker 1: aren't these like small barriers in place you have to 486 00:30:35,400 --> 00:30:40,080 Speaker 1: get a license to go fishing. You know, it's crazy. 487 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:44,960 Speaker 1: It's I just I just don't understand other than greed. 488 00:30:46,200 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 1: How how are in this position and ignorance of the 489 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 1: fact that we are losing so many people every single 490 00:30:57,680 --> 00:31:01,480 Speaker 1: day that do not make the news right, No, nobody 491 00:31:01,600 --> 00:31:04,880 Speaker 1: was gonna put on the national news that four young 492 00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:08,280 Speaker 1: people were shot on murder weak. Other people in other 493 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:11,720 Speaker 1: states or other parts of the country never even heard 494 00:31:11,760 --> 00:31:15,840 Speaker 1: Sandy Patrice's name, you see, never heard the names of 495 00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:23,280 Speaker 1: the others. That misinformation and ignorance and the just the indifference. 496 00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:27,560 Speaker 1: It has to end. We have to talk about this 497 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: or otherwise eventually somebody will knock on your door and 498 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:36,480 Speaker 1: say it's somebody that you love. But before that happens, 499 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 1: we want you to do something, do something out and 500 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:45,520 Speaker 1: save a life before it happens to you. Um My 501 00:31:45,680 --> 00:31:50,320 Speaker 1: Navy son, he is a Navy recruiter. He's been in 502 00:31:50,360 --> 00:31:55,880 Speaker 1: the Navy for eighteen years. He just recently was recruiting 503 00:31:55,920 --> 00:32:00,240 Speaker 1: a young man. His mother and his grand mother. It 504 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:05,160 Speaker 1: was raising him and another young lady that he her mother. 505 00:32:05,480 --> 00:32:08,200 Speaker 1: He was expecting a new baby and he was only 506 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 1: eighteen years old. So his grandmother and the mother of 507 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:15,800 Speaker 1: his baby. They brought him to the recruiter's office and said, 508 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:18,280 Speaker 1: you're gonna have to have a life so that you 509 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:22,040 Speaker 1: can support this new baby that's coming. They brought him 510 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:26,520 Speaker 1: to the recruiter's office two months before he graduated. Two 511 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:30,480 Speaker 1: days after he graduated, he went to a graduation party. 512 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:35,160 Speaker 1: He was shot and killed at the graduation party. My 513 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 1: navy recruiter son went to the funeral and he said 514 00:32:40,200 --> 00:32:44,080 Speaker 1: to them in these words, and it was so potent 515 00:32:44,160 --> 00:32:50,719 Speaker 1: to me. I am licensed to carry a concealed weapon. 516 00:32:51,560 --> 00:32:55,680 Speaker 1: I can carry a machine gun because the Navy has 517 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:59,200 Speaker 1: certified me to do so. And they don't certify me once. 518 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:02,440 Speaker 1: Every year. I have to go back to training and 519 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 1: go through the drills. I have to go through the class, 520 00:33:06,840 --> 00:33:08,680 Speaker 1: I have to go on the range, and I have 521 00:33:08,760 --> 00:33:13,440 Speaker 1: to qualify or otherwise I can't carry that weapon. And 522 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:16,480 Speaker 1: you young people that are sitting at this funeral of 523 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:20,240 Speaker 1: it's eighteen year old, you think that you're more qualified 524 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:23,440 Speaker 1: than me to carry a weapon where you're not. You 525 00:33:23,480 --> 00:33:28,080 Speaker 1: should not have access to weapons because weapons take lives. 526 00:33:28,200 --> 00:33:31,480 Speaker 1: And if you young people don't put them down and 527 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:35,760 Speaker 1: stop accessing them, then we will be standing here again 528 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:40,600 Speaker 1: talking at you. You. It is time for the grown 529 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 1: ups to pay attention. It's time for the young people 530 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:46,560 Speaker 1: to pay attention. It's time for all of us to 531 00:33:46,640 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: pay attention because otherwise that one and ten number, it's 532 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:56,760 Speaker 1: going to continue to rise. When I first came to 533 00:33:56,880 --> 00:33:59,160 Speaker 1: Mom's and man action, it was about eight years ago. 534 00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 1: Nine years think coase to nine. They that number was 535 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:08,359 Speaker 1: in the eighties per day. Now it's a hundred and 536 00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:13,919 Speaker 1: ten people a day. That numbers continuing to rise. We 537 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:18,120 Speaker 1: have to do something. We have to have these conversations 538 00:34:18,160 --> 00:34:21,560 Speaker 1: to know that the black and brown communities are being distant, 539 00:34:22,160 --> 00:34:26,719 Speaker 1: just affected in a mass way. We have to have 540 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:30,719 Speaker 1: these conversations to say we have to save lives. We 541 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,600 Speaker 1: have to have these conversations to say we don't want 542 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:37,000 Speaker 1: to take away your weapons, we want you to let's 543 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:40,719 Speaker 1: work together so we can make our community safer, our 544 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:45,160 Speaker 1: schools safer, our church is safer. My fourteen year old granddaughter, 545 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:49,680 Speaker 1: she lives with me. At the last shooting they had 546 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:53,520 Speaker 1: at a school where they were, they locked them down 547 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:57,839 Speaker 1: and it would never even made the news because they 548 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:00,680 Speaker 1: got the gun out of the young man's back. That 549 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:04,040 Speaker 1: brought a gun to school. She refused to go to 550 00:35:04,040 --> 00:35:07,560 Speaker 1: school for four days. She was shaking, she was trembling, 551 00:35:07,719 --> 00:35:12,720 Speaker 1: having panic attacks. What do we do Our children should 552 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:16,520 Speaker 1: not have to go through that. I have to go 553 00:35:16,600 --> 00:35:18,680 Speaker 1: through that. I mean, you and I were talking before 554 00:35:18,719 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 1: about that fact, Like I never thought about that going 555 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:25,600 Speaker 1: to school. It's like that shouldn't be on a child 556 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:29,480 Speaker 1: to think about in their daily routine. Like, Okay, we 557 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:33,520 Speaker 1: have the protocol here, we have you know, emergency things 558 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:36,960 Speaker 1: set up in case this happens. It's like, I get it. 559 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 1: We do need that safety and unfortunately that might be 560 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:42,919 Speaker 1: a part of life now. But I don't feel like 561 00:35:43,239 --> 00:35:45,520 Speaker 1: we're like we're missing the root problem here. If we 562 00:35:45,600 --> 00:35:47,839 Speaker 1: just start to focus on how do we keep our 563 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:51,000 Speaker 1: kids safe at school? Well, like we get guns, are 564 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: we make it harder to get guns? We put laws 565 00:35:53,520 --> 00:35:56,120 Speaker 1: around this, Like we have to start at the root 566 00:35:56,200 --> 00:35:58,960 Speaker 1: of the problem if we're gonna make any real changes. 567 00:35:59,760 --> 00:36:03,200 Speaker 1: It's specially in the states that have weakun laws, like 568 00:36:03,640 --> 00:36:07,360 Speaker 1: one of those states, South Carolina has weakun laws, and 569 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:11,200 Speaker 1: we need stronger background checks, we need read laws. We 570 00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:14,239 Speaker 1: need laws to close the Charleston loophole. We need to 571 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:17,560 Speaker 1: close the boyfriend loophole. We need the Senate to act. 572 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:21,279 Speaker 1: We need them to say, yes, we want to save 573 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 1: lives with you and for you, because that's what we 574 00:36:24,200 --> 00:36:28,480 Speaker 1: were elected to do. We don't need to have conversations 575 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:31,440 Speaker 1: about all of the or we already have laws on 576 00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:33,680 Speaker 1: the books. What good are the laws on the books 577 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:38,000 Speaker 1: if they're not being enacted, if they're not saving lives, 578 00:36:38,040 --> 00:36:41,120 Speaker 1: we need to update them. If they are hundreds years old. 579 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:47,360 Speaker 1: Guess what, We're not carrying muskets anymore. We're carry a 580 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:52,760 Speaker 1: K forty sevens. It's a big difference. And I say 581 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:56,800 Speaker 1: all the time because people ask me, you know, how 582 00:36:56,840 --> 00:37:00,759 Speaker 1: can I, as a veteran, say that we should have 583 00:37:00,840 --> 00:37:05,160 Speaker 1: stronger uh laws concerning guns. I can say because I 584 00:37:05,280 --> 00:37:08,040 Speaker 1: raised my hands, I was willing to give my life. 585 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:11,440 Speaker 1: I have two sons, one Army, one Navy that still 586 00:37:11,480 --> 00:37:15,960 Speaker 1: served that we all raised our hands. We are believers 587 00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:18,880 Speaker 1: in the Constitution of the United States of America. We 588 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:21,600 Speaker 1: believe in the Second Amendment. We don't have a problem 589 00:37:21,640 --> 00:37:23,920 Speaker 1: with it. We have a problem with guns in the 590 00:37:23,960 --> 00:37:27,400 Speaker 1: wrong hands, in the hands of children, in the hands 591 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:30,240 Speaker 1: of criminals, in the hands of those that are danger 592 00:37:30,360 --> 00:37:34,280 Speaker 1: to themselves or others. That is it. If you secure 593 00:37:34,400 --> 00:37:37,560 Speaker 1: your weapons, you have a proper background check, you purchased 594 00:37:37,600 --> 00:37:44,120 Speaker 1: it legally, you're not trying to hurt another human being. Amen. Yeah, Well, 595 00:37:44,160 --> 00:37:45,880 Speaker 1: we've mentioned a couple of times that we have to 596 00:37:45,920 --> 00:37:49,279 Speaker 1: make changes, and I told you that one of the 597 00:37:49,320 --> 00:37:52,480 Speaker 1: things that, um, you know, hitting our life, I think 598 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:53,799 Speaker 1: was when we had a lot of friends at the 599 00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:58,000 Speaker 1: music festival Root ninety one that did survive, and but 600 00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:00,400 Speaker 1: it's it's been a traumatic experience for the rest of 601 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:03,479 Speaker 1: their lives that they'll carry. Um. And so the only 602 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:06,040 Speaker 1: thing I knew how to help was to start donating 603 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:08,000 Speaker 1: to every town and so I've been doing that since then. 604 00:38:08,040 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 1: I get y'all's text messages and things like that, but 605 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:14,280 Speaker 1: that's really all I've known how to do. And UM, 606 00:38:14,360 --> 00:38:15,799 Speaker 1: it's really hard for me to sit here on this 607 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:18,440 Speaker 1: podcast and go something needs to change without giving people 608 00:38:18,440 --> 00:38:21,000 Speaker 1: a tangible like here's one step you can take. So 609 00:38:21,080 --> 00:38:25,399 Speaker 1: can you help our listeners? Um? And maybe in navigating 610 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:27,400 Speaker 1: like what's the next right step that some of us 611 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:30,440 Speaker 1: can take, just as like an everyday American who just 612 00:38:30,520 --> 00:38:36,040 Speaker 1: wants to have a safer country. Yes, when I was 613 00:38:36,080 --> 00:38:39,480 Speaker 1: in Washington just very recently, one of the most potent 614 00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:44,080 Speaker 1: things I saw that again changed my life and made 615 00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:46,560 Speaker 1: me even more passionate to do what I'm doing and 616 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:50,960 Speaker 1: to help save lives is to see a whole stand 617 00:38:51,239 --> 00:38:57,040 Speaker 1: full of about fifty children with bulletproof vest on asking 618 00:38:57,160 --> 00:38:59,840 Speaker 1: do we have to wear these to school? Do I 619 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:04,560 Speaker 1: needed it? A bulletproof shielded in my book bag? Is 620 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:09,680 Speaker 1: this gonna be our future? And saying don't look away 621 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:12,680 Speaker 1: if you don't do something, this will be our future. 622 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:17,400 Speaker 1: That to me should never happen. So what we have 623 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:21,239 Speaker 1: to do is band together and do something about it. 624 00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:24,840 Speaker 1: You can text the word join J O I N 625 00:39:26,200 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 1: or the word bold b O L D two six 626 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:33,160 Speaker 1: four four three three and become a part of the 627 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:37,400 Speaker 1: movement to just save lives. You know, when you text 628 00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:41,480 Speaker 1: the word bold, that's giving you a direct access line 629 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:44,879 Speaker 1: to your senators in your state so that you can 630 00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:48,399 Speaker 1: tell them I want common sense gun laws. I don't 631 00:39:48,440 --> 00:39:51,960 Speaker 1: want to take away guns from people that are legally 632 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:55,120 Speaker 1: purchasing them, but I want to save lives and have 633 00:39:55,520 --> 00:39:59,600 Speaker 1: common sense gun laws in place, background checks, you know, 634 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:05,160 Speaker 1: flave laws. I want to save lives, and just texting 635 00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:09,359 Speaker 1: one little text join to six four four three three. 636 00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:12,960 Speaker 1: I want to talk to your senator and asking them 637 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:17,080 Speaker 1: to help bold to six four four three three. That 638 00:40:17,160 --> 00:40:20,759 Speaker 1: will make so much difference. It will save lives, it 639 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:26,040 Speaker 1: will matter. Yeah, And like that's I'm really glad you 640 00:40:26,040 --> 00:40:28,960 Speaker 1: brought up the text situation because you know I mentioned 641 00:40:28,960 --> 00:40:31,279 Speaker 1: that donate you don't if the if the money thing 642 00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:33,960 Speaker 1: isn't the way that you can go about it, that's okay. 643 00:40:34,120 --> 00:40:36,799 Speaker 1: And the best thing about every Town for me has 644 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:39,880 Speaker 1: been like I got a text actually this morning about 645 00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:44,959 Speaker 1: the US Senate. They released what was it, the Bipartisan 646 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:47,920 Speaker 1: Guns Safety Law or it's moving forward in the Senate, 647 00:40:48,760 --> 00:40:52,080 Speaker 1: and so like every Town sends out a text that says, 648 00:40:52,160 --> 00:40:54,640 Speaker 1: send us your zip code right now and we'll tell 649 00:40:54,680 --> 00:40:57,520 Speaker 1: you exactly where you can call your senator in your 650 00:40:57,640 --> 00:41:01,160 Speaker 1: state to have a direct line of like yes, we 651 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:03,120 Speaker 1: want this to go through, like keep the bill going. 652 00:41:03,880 --> 00:41:09,800 Speaker 1: And what is this that? Wow, she's showing a picture 653 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:12,880 Speaker 1: of the kids in the bulletproof vest. That is chilling. 654 00:41:13,840 --> 00:41:20,879 Speaker 1: Yeah wow yeah, um, sorry that one took me back 655 00:41:20,920 --> 00:41:25,200 Speaker 1: for a second, but it makes it Yeah, it is 656 00:41:25,239 --> 00:41:29,400 Speaker 1: striking and it but it's reality, unfortunately, and that's what 657 00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:32,680 Speaker 1: I think that we need to register here. That's like 658 00:41:32,719 --> 00:41:35,239 Speaker 1: the purpose for me of talking about this stuff is 659 00:41:35,640 --> 00:41:38,480 Speaker 1: it is really easy I think to go, well, that 660 00:41:38,560 --> 00:41:41,719 Speaker 1: happened in Texas and blah blah blah blah blah. But 661 00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:44,640 Speaker 1: like those people probably were saying before then, like that 662 00:41:44,719 --> 00:41:48,279 Speaker 1: happened in Columbine in Colorado, like you know, whatever, it 663 00:41:48,440 --> 00:41:50,799 Speaker 1: can happen to you. And the more that we don't 664 00:41:50,880 --> 00:41:54,920 Speaker 1: change things, it's happening everywhere. Yeah. Um So anyway, the 665 00:41:54,960 --> 00:41:57,040 Speaker 1: thing about the text that makes it so easy is 666 00:41:57,080 --> 00:42:00,400 Speaker 1: it's just like you don't really do anything, like it's 667 00:42:00,480 --> 00:42:02,880 Speaker 1: excent to you. You guys have done all the legwork. 668 00:42:03,239 --> 00:42:04,799 Speaker 1: All we have to do is put in a zip 669 00:42:04,800 --> 00:42:06,920 Speaker 1: code and then it tells you exactly what to do, 670 00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:09,880 Speaker 1: walks you through the steps, makes it really easy. And 671 00:42:09,920 --> 00:42:11,960 Speaker 1: those are just simple things that you can do that 672 00:42:12,040 --> 00:42:15,000 Speaker 1: really do make a difference. Like you said, yeah, I 673 00:42:15,040 --> 00:42:17,000 Speaker 1: was gonna I was gonna say, I got that text too, 674 00:42:17,160 --> 00:42:19,200 Speaker 1: and it's um there is a phone number that you 675 00:42:19,239 --> 00:42:22,680 Speaker 1: can actually call to that willum then put you in 676 00:42:22,760 --> 00:42:26,040 Speaker 1: direct contact with your senator. So I'm gonna give that number. 677 00:42:26,080 --> 00:42:30,399 Speaker 1: It's one eight six six eight nine four five four 678 00:42:30,520 --> 00:42:33,640 Speaker 1: seven three. I'll repeat at eight six six eight nine 679 00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:38,560 Speaker 1: four five four seven three. Um, and you know there's 680 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:44,279 Speaker 1: there's wow, wow there. Um, you know, just to give 681 00:42:44,320 --> 00:42:46,840 Speaker 1: a quick overview two and what's in that bill? I 682 00:42:46,840 --> 00:42:51,680 Speaker 1: mean it's all, Um, it just seems so obvious that 683 00:42:51,760 --> 00:42:54,600 Speaker 1: this stuff needs to to be done. There's seven fifty 684 00:42:54,640 --> 00:42:58,359 Speaker 1: million dollars for states to implement and run crisis intervention programs. 685 00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:03,080 Speaker 1: Just closing the boyfriend loophole. There's requirements that gun sellers 686 00:43:03,120 --> 00:43:06,840 Speaker 1: would have to register as federally license firearm dealers. I 687 00:43:06,880 --> 00:43:08,880 Speaker 1: mean yeah, it's like we should also know who is 688 00:43:08,880 --> 00:43:12,600 Speaker 1: selling the guns, not just who as buying them. Um, 689 00:43:12,640 --> 00:43:15,000 Speaker 1: there would be more thorough reviews of people eighteen to 690 00:43:15,040 --> 00:43:19,040 Speaker 1: twenty one. It would create federal statutes against gun trafficking 691 00:43:19,120 --> 00:43:22,600 Speaker 1: and straw trafficking. And then it would also increase funding 692 00:43:22,640 --> 00:43:26,040 Speaker 1: for mental health programs, in school security. Um, all things 693 00:43:26,080 --> 00:43:31,759 Speaker 1: that like want it. Why wouldn't you want it? It's 694 00:43:31,800 --> 00:43:35,160 Speaker 1: like it's like adding stoplights to you know, just crossings. 695 00:43:35,239 --> 00:43:38,200 Speaker 1: It's you know these are look, anyone can drive through 696 00:43:38,200 --> 00:43:40,359 Speaker 1: a red light, but you're taking a chance every time 697 00:43:40,400 --> 00:43:43,880 Speaker 1: you do it. So you know, um, I would I 698 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:46,120 Speaker 1: would venture to say most people think it's probably best 699 00:43:46,120 --> 00:43:48,239 Speaker 1: to stop and look at both ways before you do that. 700 00:43:48,360 --> 00:43:52,080 Speaker 1: And that's all that we're asking people to do is stop, 701 00:43:52,280 --> 00:43:55,319 Speaker 1: look both ways, make sure it's you're you're you know, 702 00:43:55,360 --> 00:43:58,879 Speaker 1: you're doing things in the most safe way possible. Um. 703 00:43:59,160 --> 00:44:01,040 Speaker 1: You know. For for me, one of the things that 704 00:44:01,080 --> 00:44:06,360 Speaker 1: I struggle with is like you know, um, people the 705 00:44:06,600 --> 00:44:10,480 Speaker 1: n r A and and and you know, pro gun people. 706 00:44:10,600 --> 00:44:13,000 Speaker 1: And I'm not anti gun. I'll repeat that like, I'm 707 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:16,200 Speaker 1: not anti gun, but pro When I say pro gun people, 708 00:44:16,200 --> 00:44:19,360 Speaker 1: I mean people who are not pro safety. Um. You know, 709 00:44:19,400 --> 00:44:21,239 Speaker 1: they say, well, I need the guns to you know, 710 00:44:21,320 --> 00:44:25,120 Speaker 1: protect my family. And I don't think the answer. Um, 711 00:44:25,160 --> 00:44:27,799 Speaker 1: you know, I get wanting to protect your your your 712 00:44:27,880 --> 00:44:30,960 Speaker 1: your family and your property and all those things. That's 713 00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:33,440 Speaker 1: that is a right that I support in the Second 714 00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:36,360 Speaker 1: Amendment of the Constitution. But I do not think that 715 00:44:36,480 --> 00:44:39,480 Speaker 1: you being able to protect your family, um is an 716 00:44:39,480 --> 00:44:43,480 Speaker 1: excuse for making the world less safe, because it's hypocritical. 717 00:44:43,840 --> 00:44:46,160 Speaker 1: Like what we're saying is we want to protect our 718 00:44:46,200 --> 00:44:48,839 Speaker 1: family too, and there's a safer way to do it. 719 00:44:49,440 --> 00:44:52,319 Speaker 1: And you know, I I implore anyone who's listening that 720 00:44:52,480 --> 00:44:54,600 Speaker 1: is on the fence about this, just do a little 721 00:44:54,640 --> 00:44:57,560 Speaker 1: simple reading, Like I think that you will have aha 722 00:44:57,680 --> 00:45:00,839 Speaker 1: moments where it's like, wow, this is easy. It's not 723 00:45:00,920 --> 00:45:04,200 Speaker 1: intruding upon my rights in any way. In fact, it's 724 00:45:04,239 --> 00:45:09,919 Speaker 1: making my rights stronger. Um. So yeah, it's to me, 725 00:45:10,040 --> 00:45:12,960 Speaker 1: it's I think there's a lot of just laziness in 726 00:45:12,960 --> 00:45:17,680 Speaker 1: our country too, you know, like every excuses. Um. You know, 727 00:45:17,920 --> 00:45:21,000 Speaker 1: people people like they don't want to think they think 728 00:45:21,040 --> 00:45:24,879 Speaker 1: that these things affect them, But I can guarantee you 729 00:45:25,880 --> 00:45:28,600 Speaker 1: losing a loved one is going to affect you so 730 00:45:28,719 --> 00:45:32,200 Speaker 1: much more every day of your life, every day of 731 00:45:32,239 --> 00:45:36,080 Speaker 1: your life. And when you think about the lives lost 732 00:45:36,160 --> 00:45:38,560 Speaker 1: and the impact that those people could have had on 733 00:45:38,600 --> 00:45:41,279 Speaker 1: the world that will never know, it it just you know, 734 00:45:41,400 --> 00:45:44,880 Speaker 1: it's dreams are you know, crushed in those moments, and 735 00:45:44,920 --> 00:45:48,759 Speaker 1: it's like, God, who will never know? We will never 736 00:45:48,800 --> 00:45:51,520 Speaker 1: know the contributions of the people that we've lost, And 737 00:45:51,600 --> 00:45:54,439 Speaker 1: that's really sad, you know, like they could they could 738 00:45:54,440 --> 00:45:57,120 Speaker 1: have been Sandy, could have been who was going to 739 00:45:57,440 --> 00:46:01,600 Speaker 1: find a cure for cancer? Exactly. No, I don't know. 740 00:46:01,680 --> 00:46:05,840 Speaker 1: It just makes me really sad that like, how how 741 00:46:05,880 --> 00:46:09,080 Speaker 1: how easily we just sort of disregard that as a 742 00:46:09,120 --> 00:46:13,080 Speaker 1: society it's just come on, people, like, what are we 743 00:46:13,120 --> 00:46:22,279 Speaker 1: fighting for. I think people, um, they make excuses because 744 00:46:22,640 --> 00:46:25,920 Speaker 1: they figure if they do nothing, then they're not a 745 00:46:25,960 --> 00:46:30,279 Speaker 1: part of the problem. But in my view, if you 746 00:46:30,360 --> 00:46:36,120 Speaker 1: do nothing, you are betting more lives to be lost. 747 00:46:37,120 --> 00:46:41,279 Speaker 1: Until you get up and get involved, you're not a 748 00:46:41,320 --> 00:46:44,600 Speaker 1: part of the solution. So if you're not a part 749 00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:48,000 Speaker 1: of the solution, then you're a part of the problem. 750 00:46:48,040 --> 00:46:52,200 Speaker 1: And we need action. You know, we say often we 751 00:46:52,880 --> 00:46:56,480 Speaker 1: To me, love is a verb. I love people by 752 00:46:56,480 --> 00:47:00,680 Speaker 1: honoring them with action. I don't just say things. I 753 00:47:01,040 --> 00:47:04,200 Speaker 1: get it done. I want to save lives some out 754 00:47:04,239 --> 00:47:08,479 Speaker 1: here making that happen. I'm out here every single day 755 00:47:08,640 --> 00:47:11,520 Speaker 1: doing what I need to do, and I just want 756 00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:15,600 Speaker 1: the Senate to hear us and to see us and 757 00:47:15,640 --> 00:47:19,160 Speaker 1: to know that we mean it. We want them to 758 00:47:19,200 --> 00:47:23,239 Speaker 1: save lives. This bill, it's not the end all, do all, 759 00:47:23,800 --> 00:47:27,680 Speaker 1: but it's a critical step forward and it will help 760 00:47:27,719 --> 00:47:31,280 Speaker 1: save lives. It's what we need to move forward because 761 00:47:31,320 --> 00:47:35,320 Speaker 1: we've been still for twenty six years doing nothing that 762 00:47:35,480 --> 00:47:38,960 Speaker 1: we need more. We can do this if we do 763 00:47:39,000 --> 00:47:42,440 Speaker 1: it as a community, as a country, as if we 764 00:47:42,520 --> 00:47:45,360 Speaker 1: all say we're not gonna take this anymore. We're not 765 00:47:45,400 --> 00:47:49,399 Speaker 1: gonna continue to lose our loved ones, you know, and 766 00:47:49,440 --> 00:47:52,520 Speaker 1: sit down and do nothing about it. We're gonna be 767 00:47:52,560 --> 00:47:55,600 Speaker 1: out here every day and we're gonna make a difference. 768 00:47:56,040 --> 00:48:00,000 Speaker 1: We're gonna save lives. M to me, it's so into 769 00:48:00,120 --> 00:48:02,359 Speaker 1: sing because you know, hear a lot of the Second 770 00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:05,920 Speaker 1: Amendment arguments and all of that stuff. But actually, to me, 771 00:48:06,200 --> 00:48:09,799 Speaker 1: if we don't use our voices and we don't do 772 00:48:09,840 --> 00:48:13,239 Speaker 1: these things to take make changes like that, that's the 773 00:48:13,280 --> 00:48:16,600 Speaker 1: whole point of the American culture and the democracy, and 774 00:48:16,640 --> 00:48:20,080 Speaker 1: so like we're actually working against ourselves if we just 775 00:48:20,200 --> 00:48:22,880 Speaker 1: keep arguing that like no one has to stay this 776 00:48:22,920 --> 00:48:25,880 Speaker 1: way or whatever, and just stay brainwashed, like I really 777 00:48:25,920 --> 00:48:29,399 Speaker 1: do feel I'm not trying to change anyone's political views 778 00:48:29,520 --> 00:48:31,600 Speaker 1: or anything like that, but this to me is just 779 00:48:31,800 --> 00:48:34,279 Speaker 1: common sense, like do you want to live? Do you 780 00:48:34,320 --> 00:48:36,919 Speaker 1: want your family to live? Do you want to feel 781 00:48:37,000 --> 00:48:38,960 Speaker 1: safe when you send your kids to school or go 782 00:48:39,040 --> 00:48:42,520 Speaker 1: to the grocery store or go to church? Like it's simple, 783 00:48:43,000 --> 00:48:45,680 Speaker 1: it's just and and for me, I really resonate with 784 00:48:45,719 --> 00:48:49,239 Speaker 1: the ignorance piece, like I just didn't know, and so 785 00:48:49,320 --> 00:48:51,120 Speaker 1: now that I know, it's like once you know better, 786 00:48:51,160 --> 00:48:53,520 Speaker 1: do better, and like that's what we're trying to do 787 00:48:53,680 --> 00:48:57,960 Speaker 1: here is just bring light to this topic, not just 788 00:48:58,040 --> 00:49:01,320 Speaker 1: turned the other way and start talking about the stupid 789 00:49:01,320 --> 00:49:04,400 Speaker 1: ship that we talk about all the time, like our culture. 790 00:49:04,560 --> 00:49:08,480 Speaker 1: Last thing that we want to hear as the vibors is, 791 00:49:08,840 --> 00:49:13,640 Speaker 1: especially from politicians, spots and prayers. Oh god, right, you're 792 00:49:13,680 --> 00:49:17,520 Speaker 1: like you think right, It's like, what are you doing? 793 00:49:17,920 --> 00:49:22,319 Speaker 1: Because I'm a member of the clergy and I get it. Yeah, 794 00:49:22,560 --> 00:49:25,400 Speaker 1: in a lot to people like me, I believe in prayers. 795 00:49:25,480 --> 00:49:30,160 Speaker 1: I know prayer works, but it also says faith without 796 00:49:30,200 --> 00:49:35,239 Speaker 1: work is dead, meaning it has no action. Action. Yeah, 797 00:49:35,560 --> 00:49:39,319 Speaker 1: you gotta put some work with your faith. Yeah, just 798 00:49:39,480 --> 00:49:43,600 Speaker 1: having faith is lazy. You know, faith is a lazy excuse. 799 00:49:43,640 --> 00:49:46,240 Speaker 1: So that has to be action. Pray are not gonna 800 00:49:46,280 --> 00:49:51,880 Speaker 1: matter anymore. We want to do something about it. You know. 801 00:49:52,000 --> 00:49:55,880 Speaker 1: It's it's the irony and all of it is the 802 00:49:56,080 --> 00:49:59,960 Speaker 1: argument that guns keep us free. You know, it's our 803 00:50:00,200 --> 00:50:06,000 Speaker 1: freedom that allows us to have these guns, and as 804 00:50:06,000 --> 00:50:09,080 Speaker 1: a result of the fear that we now live in, 805 00:50:09,480 --> 00:50:13,240 Speaker 1: none of us are free. Like the fact that people 806 00:50:13,320 --> 00:50:16,200 Speaker 1: can't go to the beach and enjoy a biker parade 807 00:50:17,280 --> 00:50:22,080 Speaker 1: without the fear of death. That's not freedom. Like I 808 00:50:22,920 --> 00:50:27,160 Speaker 1: think about it anytime I'm in a crowd now at 809 00:50:27,200 --> 00:50:30,040 Speaker 1: a football game, Like you're just like you just start 810 00:50:30,120 --> 00:50:34,400 Speaker 1: thinking about it so differently. And I mean sometimes I 811 00:50:34,400 --> 00:50:37,120 Speaker 1: feel the safest, Like we were just at CMA Fest 812 00:50:37,160 --> 00:50:40,839 Speaker 1: here in Nashville was this huge like production and we 813 00:50:40,960 --> 00:50:43,319 Speaker 1: had a lot of security, so I actually, you know, 814 00:50:43,360 --> 00:50:47,040 Speaker 1: there there was safety that I felt. But again it's 815 00:50:47,080 --> 00:50:51,640 Speaker 1: because we're taking action of safety protocols. Like it's really like, 816 00:50:51,960 --> 00:50:54,560 Speaker 1: don't you want to feel safe? That's like, that's all 817 00:50:54,600 --> 00:50:57,080 Speaker 1: I keep saying is I just want to feel safe, 818 00:50:57,520 --> 00:51:00,600 Speaker 1: and I don't want to lose someone that I love, 819 00:51:01,160 --> 00:51:06,000 Speaker 1: something senseless that could have been prevented. And hearing your 820 00:51:06,040 --> 00:51:08,680 Speaker 1: story like, I'm so sorry that's happened to you twice. 821 00:51:09,239 --> 00:51:14,399 Speaker 1: I can't twice. I told you about two loved ones 822 00:51:14,440 --> 00:51:18,000 Speaker 1: in my family. I didn't tell you, but Laurel in Chicago, 823 00:51:18,080 --> 00:51:20,720 Speaker 1: who was eighteen years old, got out of her car 824 00:51:21,360 --> 00:51:24,879 Speaker 1: was hit by a random bullet. Her identical twin had 825 00:51:24,920 --> 00:51:27,480 Speaker 1: to drive her to the hospital, but she was before 826 00:51:27,520 --> 00:51:29,880 Speaker 1: she got there. I didn't tell you, but Louis, that 827 00:51:30,280 --> 00:51:32,640 Speaker 1: was eighteen years old step out of his car and 828 00:51:32,719 --> 00:51:36,120 Speaker 1: apartment complex, and the person said, oh, they shot the 829 00:51:36,120 --> 00:51:40,239 Speaker 1: wrong person. I didn't take about Corey g whose girlfriend 830 00:51:41,160 --> 00:51:43,920 Speaker 1: was playing with a gun on New Year's Eve and 831 00:51:44,000 --> 00:51:46,840 Speaker 1: Corey was lost to his one year old daughter. I 832 00:51:46,840 --> 00:51:50,080 Speaker 1: didn't tell you, but Josh, who has three daughters who 833 00:51:50,400 --> 00:51:52,720 Speaker 1: I'm never going to see their dad because a random 834 00:51:52,719 --> 00:51:55,439 Speaker 1: shooter drove by his car and shot inside his car. 835 00:51:55,880 --> 00:51:58,560 Speaker 1: There are many more people in my family that I 836 00:51:58,680 --> 00:52:02,160 Speaker 1: loved that had been taken and senseless good violence. Now 837 00:52:02,320 --> 00:52:05,840 Speaker 1: Chris Chris Petty, who I just told you was eighteen 838 00:52:05,920 --> 00:52:10,560 Speaker 1: years old. His newborn baby, she's not three months old yet. 839 00:52:11,000 --> 00:52:13,960 Speaker 1: She her name is Olivia Rain. She will not know 840 00:52:14,080 --> 00:52:17,759 Speaker 1: her daddy because Chris is now gone to since less. 841 00:52:18,719 --> 00:52:22,600 Speaker 1: There are many more names of loved ones that have 842 00:52:22,680 --> 00:52:26,200 Speaker 1: been taken in senseless gun violence that are never coming home. 843 00:52:27,040 --> 00:52:30,920 Speaker 1: Mm hmm. Well, I'm so sorry for your pain, because 844 00:52:31,320 --> 00:52:36,120 Speaker 1: that to me would be an immense pain. I am 845 00:52:36,200 --> 00:52:39,360 Speaker 1: so grateful that you're using your voice to help spread 846 00:52:39,400 --> 00:52:41,800 Speaker 1: this word and that you were here with us today 847 00:52:41,880 --> 00:52:45,799 Speaker 1: to help educate us and our listeners. Um. I think 848 00:52:45,800 --> 00:52:49,000 Speaker 1: that's the best we can do with our painful experiences. 849 00:52:49,120 --> 00:52:51,760 Speaker 1: Is you know, use them to learn and help others. 850 00:52:52,360 --> 00:52:56,799 Speaker 1: So I'm really grateful for that for you today because um, 851 00:52:56,840 --> 00:53:00,120 Speaker 1: we needed it. I did personally and to an, I 852 00:53:00,120 --> 00:53:02,839 Speaker 1: have had this conversation so much because I just want 853 00:53:02,880 --> 00:53:04,839 Speaker 1: to help and I don't know how you know, And 854 00:53:04,840 --> 00:53:09,040 Speaker 1: so these are really simple steps that we all can do. 855 00:53:09,200 --> 00:53:11,040 Speaker 1: You have five minutes you sit on a toilet in 856 00:53:11,080 --> 00:53:14,680 Speaker 1: a day, Like, it's not difficult. You know. If you 857 00:53:14,760 --> 00:53:16,719 Speaker 1: try to make the excuse that you don't have the 858 00:53:16,760 --> 00:53:18,840 Speaker 1: time for this, I'm sorry. No one's that busy that 859 00:53:18,960 --> 00:53:21,919 Speaker 1: you're just not um And if you want to keep 860 00:53:21,960 --> 00:53:24,160 Speaker 1: you and your loved ones safe, it's just a really 861 00:53:24,200 --> 00:53:28,360 Speaker 1: simple task. Yeah, and start off by just texting the 862 00:53:28,400 --> 00:53:32,040 Speaker 1: word joined to six four four three three and doing 863 00:53:32,080 --> 00:53:37,160 Speaker 1: something that's something will matter, it will save lives. You 864 00:53:37,200 --> 00:53:41,040 Speaker 1: can start there six four four three three the word joined. 865 00:53:42,080 --> 00:53:44,439 Speaker 1: I'll put that in a description of this podcast as well. 866 00:53:44,480 --> 00:53:47,360 Speaker 1: That melody thank you, thank you so much for sharing 867 00:53:47,360 --> 00:53:51,239 Speaker 1: your story with us. I just before she's gone to 868 00:53:51,360 --> 00:53:53,880 Speaker 1: and I've said this is that this is an audio format, 869 00:53:53,880 --> 00:53:56,879 Speaker 1: so people aren't seeing her, but it's the fact that 870 00:53:57,040 --> 00:54:00,160 Speaker 1: like you're you have such a beautiful smile, and like 871 00:54:00,280 --> 00:54:02,879 Speaker 1: you're approaching this with like so much love. I think 872 00:54:02,880 --> 00:54:07,120 Speaker 1: it's really important because uh, and it's worth noting because 873 00:54:07,320 --> 00:54:11,200 Speaker 1: I think I would be angry as hell, and you know, 874 00:54:11,400 --> 00:54:14,239 Speaker 1: it's sometimes it's like you really do have to like 875 00:54:15,280 --> 00:54:18,439 Speaker 1: shower people with kindness to win. And I think, like 876 00:54:19,000 --> 00:54:22,160 Speaker 1: it's the tone of your approach is really important. I 877 00:54:22,160 --> 00:54:26,400 Speaker 1: wanted to point that out. Thank you. I've really just 878 00:54:26,600 --> 00:54:29,920 Speaker 1: harnessed this pain and I'm not gonna let it be 879 00:54:30,040 --> 00:54:35,080 Speaker 1: for nothing. This pain has become power and purpose and 880 00:54:36,040 --> 00:54:39,719 Speaker 1: I feel in doing so, my life one's life, my 881 00:54:39,840 --> 00:54:45,080 Speaker 1: loved ones lights nor their deaths are in vain because 882 00:54:45,080 --> 00:54:48,920 Speaker 1: of that, they still continue to matter because their stories 883 00:54:48,960 --> 00:54:54,600 Speaker 1: are still saving lives. Well, thank you, Thank you Melody, 884 00:54:54,680 --> 00:54:58,960 Speaker 1: and thank you guys for listening. Text join too. Six 885 00:54:59,120 --> 00:55:02,439 Speaker 1: what does it Explore? Four three three six four four 886 00:55:02,600 --> 00:55:04,839 Speaker 1: three three You guys can do it. We've got this. 887 00:55:05,640 --> 00:55:07,000 Speaker 1: Bye bye