WEBVTT - Civic Cipher 070222 Interacting with Listeners who Disagree with Us (Part 2) 0:00:00.320 --> 0:00:01.000 And now. 0:00:02.920 --> 0:00:07.360 Watch move my mic back. You're like that journal time 0:00:07.960 --> 0:00:11.879 strike borders with waters from head borders behind him and 0:00:12.000 --> 0:00:13.480 the border. 0:00:13.640 --> 0:00:15.800 If you're just tuning in the civic actor, I'm your host, Ramses. 0:00:15.880 --> 0:00:19.079 Yeah, I am today and probably through the weekend, going 0:00:19.120 --> 0:00:20.000 to be referred. 0:00:19.720 --> 0:00:23.520 To as Keyward weekend. Be sure to stick around. We 0:00:23.640 --> 0:00:26.000 got a letter from a listener that we're going to 0:00:26.079 --> 0:00:29.639 get to and we have our way Black History fact. 0:00:29.760 --> 0:00:33.720 But first some notes from doctor Westernberg on the. 0:00:33.680 --> 0:00:39.800 Heels of what you have just said. The Equal Rights 0:00:40.000 --> 0:00:46.800 Amendment means that first you have to recognize that you 0:00:47.080 --> 0:00:51.600 have the Supreme Court, the people who are there for life. 0:00:53.720 --> 0:00:59.440 Number one, they are there for life unless they resign 0:00:59.840 --> 0:01:03.000 or die, and you see the type of decisions that 0:01:03.040 --> 0:01:07.680 they are making. The only way that you're going to 0:01:07.720 --> 0:01:12.440 get what you want is to get in the game 0:01:13.080 --> 0:01:18.280 and vote. You're going to have to vote the people 0:01:18.720 --> 0:01:24.600 in your local government and in your national government who 0:01:24.840 --> 0:01:30.199 will just saying just saying, we will advocate for you 0:01:31.200 --> 0:01:35.600 for those rights. And unless you do that, I don't 0:01:35.640 --> 0:01:37.959 know that we'll see a change. You got to get 0:01:37.959 --> 0:01:39.839 in the mix, that's all I gotta say. 0:01:39.880 --> 0:01:43.840 That's all right, I'm sorry. Well, it's time for us 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:47.720 to move on to becoming a better ally BA BA, 0:01:49.200 --> 0:01:52.480 So we're going to give a quick shout out to 0:01:52.800 --> 0:01:58.280 one individual, Jodie Sweeten aka Stephanie Tanner. Don't know if 0:01:58.320 --> 0:02:04.560 you saw the on TMZ or really everywhere now or 0:02:04.560 --> 0:02:05.920 if you're a fan of Full House and you know 0:02:06.000 --> 0:02:08.720 that name, but she's an actress that we all grew 0:02:08.840 --> 0:02:11.160 up with. She played on a show called Full House 0:02:11.200 --> 0:02:13.680 Again and she was out protesting. 0:02:13.760 --> 0:02:15.680 She had been got pushed over by the police, and 0:02:15.720 --> 0:02:17.880 you know, people are like, man, I didn't realize that 0:02:18.400 --> 0:02:20.720 she was out there getting busy, but she was suited 0:02:20.720 --> 0:02:23.320 and booted and making it happen and actually, you know, 0:02:23.440 --> 0:02:24.240 experiencing it. 0:02:24.320 --> 0:02:29.160 So that's our example of becoming a better ally for 0:02:29.200 --> 0:02:33.760 this week. Of course, she lives a privileged life relative 0:02:33.760 --> 0:02:35.840 to most people, and she's still out there making happen. 0:02:35.880 --> 0:02:40.040 Another thing I want to run by you is a 0:02:40.120 --> 0:02:45.640 game plan to vote. I'm pulling this from the Political 0:02:45.720 --> 0:02:50.240 Action Committee from the NAACP in Maricopa County, but something 0:02:50.280 --> 0:02:52.600 to keep in mind in your own state is to 0:02:52.720 --> 0:02:55.600 check your voting status. There's a website where you can 0:02:55.639 --> 0:03:00.080 do that. Check that status vote in your primary elections 0:03:00.440 --> 0:03:03.320 and vote in your general elections. That is what we 0:03:03.400 --> 0:03:09.359 need to do now, up and down the ballot. That means, 0:03:09.480 --> 0:03:12.760 if you vote Democrat, make sure you vote all the 0:03:12.760 --> 0:03:19.880 way down Democrat. Now we have to discuss now a 0:03:20.000 --> 0:03:27.160 letter from a listener. So que had a strong reaction 0:03:28.120 --> 0:03:33.240 when we first got this letter, or when you when 0:03:33.280 --> 0:03:35.680 you when you first read my response to the letter, 0:03:35.800 --> 0:03:38.360 So let's talk let's talk about that a little bit. 0:03:38.960 --> 0:03:42.040 Well, the strength of my response was, well, the strength 0:03:42.080 --> 0:03:45.680 of my reaction was more to the letter than your response. 0:03:46.440 --> 0:03:49.720 I was more blown away by your response because it 0:03:49.840 --> 0:03:53.839 was the necessary response. It was what I think all 0:03:53.880 --> 0:03:58.520 of us wish we would have said, how all of us, 0:03:59.040 --> 0:04:02.160 all of us wish we would react when faced with 0:04:02.360 --> 0:04:05.880 those type of I won't even call it pushback. I 0:04:05.880 --> 0:04:09.480 think the person was being authentic. I think he was 0:04:09.560 --> 0:04:14.839 being insightful. But it came from a place that sometimes 0:04:15.120 --> 0:04:21.080 catches me a bit off guard, because the really strange 0:04:22.839 --> 0:04:26.400 thing about our show is, if you've listened to more 0:04:26.440 --> 0:04:28.960 than one episode, you realize that I picked fun at 0:04:29.080 --> 0:04:35.560 Ramses for being hopelessly and optimistically naive. He has a 0:04:35.640 --> 0:04:40.080 point of view that really sees us reaching this utopia, 0:04:40.440 --> 0:04:42.680 sees us reaching this place where we are all seen 0:04:43.160 --> 0:04:46.840 as equal and we are all treated as equal, and 0:04:46.920 --> 0:04:50.039 I think that that's a bit unrealistic just because of 0:04:50.080 --> 0:04:52.800 the thousands of years of evidence that I have. I'm 0:04:52.839 --> 0:04:57.920 strange that way, and in cases where people because I 0:04:57.960 --> 0:04:59.920 got a DM the other day that I didn't share 0:05:00.040 --> 0:05:03.159 with my colleagues here at the show, a you know, 0:05:03.400 --> 0:05:07.000 decade long friend of mine pushing back on me being 0:05:07.160 --> 0:05:12.000 upset about, you know, what just transpired in our Supreme Court. 0:05:12.200 --> 0:05:15.880 And this person dove in the same way that most 0:05:16.000 --> 0:05:18.120 dms that I get when it comes to me being 0:05:18.160 --> 0:05:22.000 outspoken about politics, they kind of all start the same way, 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:25.839 well Trump, Like they start right off with their defense 0:05:25.920 --> 0:05:29.279 of Donald Trump in particular, And I've often argued that 0:05:29.360 --> 0:05:31.880 I don't think these people are defending him. I think 0:05:31.920 --> 0:05:35.760 they're defending themselves. I think it's something that they see 0:05:36.400 --> 0:05:38.480 something of themselves that they see in him and in 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:41.440 that party that they feel like, well, I'm a decent person, 0:05:42.520 --> 0:05:44.919 so they must be. And I think that that's what 0:05:44.960 --> 0:05:48.560 they're defending, because he's kind of indefensible, Like, I don't 0:05:48.600 --> 0:05:51.680 understand how you've been paying attention for five minutes and 0:05:51.760 --> 0:05:56.400 could reach out to me specifically in defense of Donald 0:05:56.440 --> 0:06:00.920 Trump on any topic. So anytime if somebody does it, 0:06:01.240 --> 0:06:05.039 I almost stopped listening. Yeah, And in the same way, 0:06:05.160 --> 0:06:07.599 if this wasn't from you, I wouldn't have finished reading 0:06:07.640 --> 0:06:10.320 this letter. As soon as you give me some statistics 0:06:10.360 --> 0:06:12.719 about how much better life was for black people under 0:06:12.720 --> 0:06:14.960 Donald Trump, I don't even want to hear or read 0:06:15.040 --> 0:06:17.680 what you're talking about anymore. Sure, So, I'm so glad 0:06:17.720 --> 0:06:20.520 that you received this letter and not me, because it 0:06:20.560 --> 0:06:24.839 wouldn't have gotten not just the response it deserved, because 0:06:24.880 --> 0:06:31.479 he deserved a well thought out, thoughtful, empathetic response, but 0:06:31.720 --> 0:06:34.480 so did we, so did people who are on the 0:06:34.480 --> 0:06:37.400 same side of it as you, right, because it could 0:06:37.400 --> 0:06:39.279 be a bit of an echo chamber if I respond 0:06:39.680 --> 0:06:41.920 angry and upset and what are you talking about? 0:06:42.000 --> 0:06:42.680 And dismissive. 0:06:43.360 --> 0:06:46.600 I think the way that you received it, sat with it, 0:06:46.680 --> 0:06:49.680 thought about it, and responded to it was something that 0:06:50.000 --> 0:06:52.359 no matter what side of the discussion or the argument 0:06:52.400 --> 0:06:54.560 you're on, that you could benefit from it. 0:06:56.600 --> 0:07:01.440 So this is a strange thing that happens now in 0:07:01.480 --> 0:07:08.640 our lives. Again, we are DJs. We come from hip 0:07:08.680 --> 0:07:12.120 hop radio. That's where we come from, you know, and 0:07:12.200 --> 0:07:16.600 prior to that, we've worked in entertainment spaces doing and 0:07:16.640 --> 0:07:19.600 I know you were the tour manager for Earthquake for 0:07:19.640 --> 0:07:21.600 many years. I know you've worked with Reebok, a lot 0:07:21.600 --> 0:07:24.760 of athletes, you know, that sort of stuff. And you know, 0:07:27.040 --> 0:07:29.400 this is just kind of who we've been. And now 0:07:29.440 --> 0:07:32.760 we have to be responsible for every word that we say. 0:07:34.560 --> 0:07:38.480 And that's okay because somebody has to say it. And 0:07:38.720 --> 0:07:43.320 we are here. So the universe or God or whatever 0:07:43.320 --> 0:07:45.200 it is that you believe in, not even what we 0:07:45.280 --> 0:07:48.120 believe in. Whatever you believe in has kind of ordered 0:07:48.120 --> 0:07:52.720 our steps and here we are, and it does get frustrating. 0:07:53.720 --> 0:07:56.240 It is difficult, and it is challenging because we have 0:07:56.320 --> 0:08:00.040 to kind of walk in tiptoe around certain issues. But 0:08:00.120 --> 0:08:02.560 in this in doing it this way, I believe that 0:08:02.640 --> 0:08:06.680 we show the most kindness and I think that we 0:08:06.800 --> 0:08:10.080 have to be examples of what we're hoping for other 0:08:10.080 --> 0:08:13.520 people to be right. It's a strategy. It sounds I 0:08:13.560 --> 0:08:14.920 get how I I know how I sound. I saw 0:08:14.960 --> 0:08:15.920 your crazy person, But. 0:08:16.160 --> 0:08:18.880 It's just which we had evidence that it worked, because 0:08:18.920 --> 0:08:19.520 we have none. 0:08:19.720 --> 0:08:23.880 But doing the opposite, I can't conceive of that working ever, 0:08:24.120 --> 0:08:24.720 you know what I mean. 0:08:25.240 --> 0:08:29.360 So well, the thing is, we don't have much evidence 0:08:29.360 --> 0:08:31.080 of us ever doing the opposite. 0:08:31.080 --> 0:08:32.559 But I'm just saying I can't see it. 0:08:32.600 --> 0:08:34.800 You know, the version of us that hits the streets 0:08:34.840 --> 0:08:37.320 and seeks our revenge, We've never done it. I know 0:08:37.360 --> 0:08:41.280 people fear that we will someday when we say overcome, 0:08:41.360 --> 0:08:44.040 that's not what we're talking about. We just want to live, 0:08:44.600 --> 0:08:47.880 that's it. We have not sought revenge for the way 0:08:47.920 --> 0:08:52.600 this country has treated us for our entire existence, fair point, 0:08:52.800 --> 0:08:54.240 Just let us exist, that's it. 0:08:54.920 --> 0:09:01.640 Well, So we do get responses from folks, and usually 0:09:01.640 --> 0:09:04.280 it's just on social media. It's like, hey, great show today, guys, 0:09:04.400 --> 0:09:07.040 or hey, you know, you guys said the statistic and 0:09:07.080 --> 0:09:09.080 that didn't really sound right. So you know, here's what 0:09:09.120 --> 0:09:11.720 I got and these sorts of things. But we've gotten 0:09:11.760 --> 0:09:13.920 worse than that, yeah, we have, but you know, usually 0:09:13.960 --> 0:09:17.000 it's kind of in that arena. What we got this 0:09:17.080 --> 0:09:20.200 past week was a much more substantial response, and I 0:09:20.240 --> 0:09:23.680 want to share it with you now. Again, this comes 0:09:23.679 --> 0:09:27.200 from Philip. We won't share his last name because we 0:09:27.240 --> 0:09:31.240 want to make sure he stays private, but but yeah, 0:09:31.320 --> 0:09:36.600 so Ramses, I heard your show advertised while listening to 0:09:36.800 --> 0:09:40.880 Clay and Buck. I listened to at least one episode 0:09:40.880 --> 0:09:43.640 a week. While you have a great radio voice, I 0:09:43.720 --> 0:09:46.680 appreciate that I am finding it harder to stay a 0:09:46.720 --> 0:09:49.640 listener as most of what I hear is Trump bashing 0:09:49.720 --> 0:09:54.200 and the like. For instance, black unemployment was very low 0:09:54.280 --> 0:09:57.720 under President Trump. I can tell you know this, but 0:09:57.760 --> 0:10:00.680 you don't share it with when the but you don't 0:10:00.679 --> 0:10:04.680 share it when the data applies to your conversation. I 0:10:04.679 --> 0:10:06.640 can also hear it in your voice that you know 0:10:06.720 --> 0:10:11.240 what a real insurrection is versus a riot, and again 0:10:11.520 --> 0:10:15.360 misleading your audience. I don't understand the need to hide 0:10:15.800 --> 0:10:19.800 or slant the truth. I don't know your Phoenix work, 0:10:20.000 --> 0:10:22.640 only what I hear on bi IN. For those who 0:10:22.679 --> 0:10:25.120 don't know, bi IN stands for Black Information Network. This 0:10:25.200 --> 0:10:27.840 is where my daily podcast lies, and you're more than 0:10:27.880 --> 0:10:29.920 welcome and check that out. I stand by every word 0:10:29.920 --> 0:10:33.920 over there as well. To me, it is black people 0:10:34.040 --> 0:10:36.800 like you who can share with others the achievements you 0:10:36.880 --> 0:10:40.719 have had that, while not perfect and far better than 0:10:40.720 --> 0:10:44.000 other places, this country has allowed you to work hard 0:10:44.040 --> 0:10:47.880 and get to the point where you are, including national listenership, 0:10:50.640 --> 0:10:54.240 including national listenership, and even when you have had a 0:10:54.280 --> 0:10:57.640 good idea that others don't see, you still persevere forward. 0:10:58.720 --> 0:11:01.320 I will never know what it is like to live 0:11:01.400 --> 0:11:05.320 in your shoes. That's that's empathy. That's the beginnings of empathy. 0:11:05.400 --> 0:11:08.040 This is why he deserved a response, a good respect game, 0:11:08.600 --> 0:11:12.760 minimum and listen. I call this man my brother, and 0:11:12.800 --> 0:11:15.280 I stand by that. Okay, I will never know what 0:11:15.320 --> 0:11:17.600 it's like to live in your shoes. That's that's accounting 0:11:17.640 --> 0:11:19.960 for the fact that there's a gap. You know, I 0:11:19.960 --> 0:11:22.240 don't see it from your perspective, but I realize that 0:11:22.280 --> 0:11:25.640 I can't see it from sure, I don't I would 0:11:25.679 --> 0:11:27.160 never know what it's like to live in your shoes 0:11:27.520 --> 0:11:29.680 as I am just a nobody. I don't think that's true. 0:11:29.720 --> 0:11:33.320 I think definitely. As I am just a nobody and 0:11:33.360 --> 0:11:35.760 you are a radio and TV guy who has had 0:11:35.760 --> 0:11:38.480 a decent amount of success, you could write a book 0:11:38.800 --> 0:11:41.720 success while being black. Thank you. Maybe I will write 0:11:41.720 --> 0:11:44.360 that book one day. Anyway, back to your bi in show, 0:11:44.520 --> 0:11:48.120 I have decided to stop listening to the Weekly Recap. 0:11:48.160 --> 0:11:51.000 I can't take the negativity. I will for now listen 0:11:51.520 --> 0:11:54.520 to some of your other daily shows. While a weekly 0:11:54.559 --> 0:11:57.160 black conservative guest on your bi in show would be 0:11:57.200 --> 0:11:59.760 a welcome edition and would give your audience a wider 0:11:59.800 --> 0:12:02.920 spek victrum to think about. You ultimately have to decide 0:12:02.920 --> 0:12:06.120 what is better, what is best for drawing people like 0:12:06.200 --> 0:12:09.400 me in and converting them from once a week listener 0:12:09.440 --> 0:12:12.600 to daily listener. This wasn't supposed to be this long. 0:12:12.920 --> 0:12:17.240 Thanks for listening, Philip. Now let me say this. Let 0:12:17.280 --> 0:12:20.120 me say this, this is important. I got it in 0:12:20.200 --> 0:12:22.600 my inbox, you know, so I was the person that 0:12:22.640 --> 0:12:28.400 got it. And I one of the things Philip and 0:12:28.440 --> 0:12:33.000 everyone else listening, one of the things that I've had 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:37.640 to live through to learn is that there is a 0:12:37.679 --> 0:12:41.360 responsibility that comes with this. Before doing this show, I 0:12:41.360 --> 0:12:43.320 would just say what I would say. That would be 0:12:43.360 --> 0:12:45.600 the end of it. I'm the supreme ruler and commander 0:12:45.679 --> 0:12:47.760 in my life and of course of my timeline. My 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:50.800 block button works great, and I don't have to hear 0:12:50.840 --> 0:12:57.320 none of that stuff, right, But when I'm talking, it's 0:12:58.840 --> 0:13:02.080 in front of a microphone, and I have a satellite dish, 0:13:02.080 --> 0:13:03.840 and it goes to a whole city. And now it 0:13:03.840 --> 0:13:07.520 goes to a bunch of cities around a whole country, 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:11.360 the third largest country on Earth. This is so there's 0:13:11.400 --> 0:13:17.040 a responsibility that comes with that. And maybe there's just 0:13:17.080 --> 0:13:23.480 a difference of opinion, you know, But my opinion goes further, 0:13:23.840 --> 0:13:26.559 and other people I have to account for the fact 0:13:26.559 --> 0:13:32.840 that they, as he mentioned, cannot know what a separate 0:13:32.880 --> 0:13:39.560 reality is like, right, And so I believe that he 0:13:39.640 --> 0:13:43.880 approached this with kindness even if he hadn't. I realize 0:13:43.920 --> 0:13:46.680 there's an opportunity here to talk to a human being. Okay, 0:13:46.880 --> 0:13:52.160 if I change the impression for one human being or 0:13:52.640 --> 0:13:56.080 you know, scores of human beings with this microphone, then 0:13:56.120 --> 0:13:58.400 this is the path that I'm on, and that's my objective. Right. 0:13:59.760 --> 0:14:03.319 But but I didn't feel that he was being unkind. 0:14:03.800 --> 0:14:08.160 If he was, I wouldn't have answered in kind. But 0:14:08.559 --> 0:14:11.280 he wasn't being unkind. So there's no way that I 0:14:11.320 --> 0:14:14.160 would even conceive of being unkind. I wouldn't ignore it 0:14:14.160 --> 0:14:18.800 because it was there's some dignity here. He stands on 0:14:19.600 --> 0:14:22.000 an opinion that I do not believe to be true 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:26.120 a series of them, right, But he's a valid person 0:14:26.280 --> 0:14:30.360 with a valid path through life. It's different from mine 0:14:30.480 --> 0:14:34.040 and my job as a human and as a person 0:14:34.080 --> 0:14:36.720 with this platform is to share with him and hopefully 0:14:36.760 --> 0:14:40.240 we can find some common ground. And obviously I would 0:14:40.240 --> 0:14:42.160 think he would end up more on my side of things, 0:14:42.280 --> 0:14:45.760 but his perspective is necessary for me. I need to 0:14:45.800 --> 0:14:47.400 know this because I need to know who I'm talking to, 0:14:47.480 --> 0:14:51.200 potentially because there's more opportunity here than talking with people 0:14:51.720 --> 0:15:02.680 that agree with me one. So my response, Philip, I 0:15:02.720 --> 0:15:06.760 want to start by saying that I truly appreciate your feedback. 0:15:07.560 --> 0:15:13.360 It was capital Truly, I truly appreciate your feedback, my brother. 0:15:14.360 --> 0:15:16.600 I'm not perfect, and I doubt I'll ever get there, 0:15:17.040 --> 0:15:19.480 but it seems as though I have an opportunity to 0:15:19.480 --> 0:15:21.040 share my thoughts, and so I try to be as 0:15:21.120 --> 0:15:24.640 responsible as I know how. I never expected to do 0:15:24.720 --> 0:15:27.760 political commentary since my background has always been in hip 0:15:27.760 --> 0:15:30.520 hop broadcasting, but here I am learning as I go. 0:15:32.040 --> 0:15:35.480 With that said, feedback like this is very important for me. 0:15:36.080 --> 0:15:39.080 I'm not sure what your beliefs are, but assuming that 0:15:39.200 --> 0:15:44.600 you are a Trump supporting conservative, if so, you are 0:15:44.640 --> 0:15:48.520 still my brother, and I want what's best for you too. 0:15:50.040 --> 0:15:52.880 I try not to be unfair, and I often acknowledge 0:15:52.880 --> 0:15:55.800 my bias, but the spirit in which I do. My 0:15:55.840 --> 0:16:00.920 show is oriented around forging a path forward based in fellowship, empathy, 0:16:01.000 --> 0:16:05.840 and understanding. I'm not a fan of Donald Trump. I 0:16:05.960 --> 0:16:08.120 learned many years before he decided to run for the 0:16:08.160 --> 0:16:11.120 presidency about some of the racist things said and done 0:16:11.160 --> 0:16:16.240 by him and his father in New York City. Afterwards, 0:16:16.760 --> 0:16:20.200 the way he engaged Barack Obama further left a bad impression, 0:16:20.280 --> 0:16:23.280 since he insisted that he was an illegitimate president who 0:16:23.320 --> 0:16:28.600 was foreign born. The receipts for Donald Trump go on forever, 0:16:29.400 --> 0:16:32.960 from the P word grabbing to the s whole countries, 0:16:33.000 --> 0:16:36.000 to the way he emboldened the ugliest parts of America, 0:16:36.320 --> 0:16:40.920 to everything about his proposed monument to racism, his border wall. 0:16:42.200 --> 0:16:44.840 The man could have all the best numbers in history, 0:16:45.400 --> 0:16:47.920 but he made many folks who don't look like him 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:53.000 feel very unsafe for a very long time. Having to 0:16:53.040 --> 0:16:56.040 carry that feeling for four years was a weight that 0:16:56.120 --> 0:17:02.120 I wouldn't wish on anyone. With that said, numbers are 0:17:02.160 --> 0:17:05.040 all in how you look at them. Was Donald Trump 0:17:05.119 --> 0:17:09.080 specifically to blame for black unemployment rates? My view is 0:17:09.080 --> 0:17:11.639 that many on the rights say so, but many others 0:17:11.680 --> 0:17:15.679 point to other factors. Unfortunately, I don't believe that Donald 0:17:15.680 --> 0:17:18.560 Trump had anyone but himself in mind as he enacted 0:17:18.600 --> 0:17:22.360 many of his policies. There are lots of shows who 0:17:22.400 --> 0:17:25.040 celebrate the man, but I could never in good conscience 0:17:25.040 --> 0:17:28.160 give him even the benefit of the doubt. As far 0:17:28.200 --> 0:17:31.520 as the insurrection, it is defined as a violent uprising 0:17:31.560 --> 0:17:35.520 against the government. A riot is a violent disturbance of 0:17:35.560 --> 0:17:38.840 the peace by a crowd. In my belief, the events 0:17:38.840 --> 0:17:43.880 of January sixth qualified as both. After seeing the January 0:17:43.880 --> 0:17:46.840 sixth hearings, I have no doubt that the events happened 0:17:46.880 --> 0:17:50.600 as a direct result of Donald Trump's instructions, coaxing, and influence. 0:17:51.480 --> 0:17:54.080 The January sixth Committee has made this point for the 0:17:54.119 --> 0:17:57.000 American people, and this comes from a much higher level 0:17:57.119 --> 0:18:01.080 than my show. As a result, I believe this is 0:18:01.119 --> 0:18:04.320 simply a matter of fact. I have not slanted or 0:18:04.400 --> 0:18:09.520 hidden the truth. It is public record. As far as 0:18:09.560 --> 0:18:12.160 the negativity that you hear on my VII in show, 0:18:12.880 --> 0:18:15.320 I will say that negativity is part and parcel to 0:18:15.359 --> 0:18:19.159 black life in America. There is a shared trauma that 0:18:19.200 --> 0:18:21.840 I try to process by discussing it and hoping that 0:18:21.920 --> 0:18:25.600 a path forward it will reveal itself. In conversations with 0:18:25.680 --> 0:18:29.840 informed and empowered people. Thanks again, doctor Westenburg for being here. 0:18:30.840 --> 0:18:33.199 But to pretend that every facet of black life is 0:18:33.240 --> 0:18:36.720 positive would be to mislead my audience. We've established that 0:18:37.080 --> 0:18:39.840 it is not my attempt to do that. Furthermore, I 0:18:39.840 --> 0:18:42.520 don't think it would resonate, and it would seem inauthentic. 0:18:44.280 --> 0:18:50.879 Beyond that, your words are kind and thoughtful. Yes, I 0:18:50.880 --> 0:18:53.800 am very fortunate, but many folks who look like me 0:18:53.920 --> 0:18:57.240 are not so fortunate. This is why I am so 0:18:57.320 --> 0:19:02.159 committed to being responsible with this opportunity and platform. Again, 0:19:02.320 --> 0:19:06.200 I appreciate your message and your advice. I have considered 0:19:06.240 --> 0:19:08.879 bringing on some conservative voices, as it brings some balance 0:19:08.920 --> 0:19:11.880 to the conversation, but so far it's been a matter 0:19:11.920 --> 0:19:15.600 of deciding if people need more bickering, or if people 0:19:15.680 --> 0:19:17.639 need to be informed in a way that creates a 0:19:17.640 --> 0:19:20.760 bit more empathy and provide some instructional framework so that 0:19:20.800 --> 0:19:23.640 our tomorrows might be a bit better than our today's. 0:19:24.760 --> 0:19:27.439 I don't have all of the right answers, but for 0:19:27.520 --> 0:19:29.840 you to even listen to these shows means a lot 0:19:29.880 --> 0:19:34.440 to me. Almost every conservative that I know only gets 0:19:34.480 --> 0:19:37.840 their news from Fox News or else from newer, less 0:19:37.880 --> 0:19:42.119 reputable and further right leaning sources. Again, you taking the 0:19:42.160 --> 0:19:46.080 time to listen matters. I want a better world for 0:19:46.200 --> 0:19:50.480 you too. Maybe these aren't the things that I can 0:19:50.520 --> 0:19:53.600 move on, but now I know there is a listener 0:19:53.600 --> 0:19:57.560 out there who is monitoring how fair things sound. Perhaps 0:19:57.560 --> 0:19:59.840 that will impact the tone of the shows for the better. 0:20:01.280 --> 0:20:05.840 I appreciate a long letter. I would appreciate more letters 0:20:05.840 --> 0:20:10.320 from you. I will continue to do my best, Philip 0:20:10.960 --> 0:20:20.040 in solidarity Ramses. So it's important to say that because 0:20:20.080 --> 0:20:23.200 I recognize that a lot of people, maybe not a lot, 0:20:23.240 --> 0:20:25.160 but there are some people out there who might feel 0:20:25.160 --> 0:20:29.800 the way that Philip feels. And Philip articulated it in 0:20:29.840 --> 0:20:31.520 a way and sent it over, which meant that he 0:20:31.560 --> 0:20:34.119 took time out of his day to share some thoughts 0:20:34.119 --> 0:20:37.200 with us. That's not nothing. Tens of millions of people 0:20:37.280 --> 0:20:39.320 qualify as a lot. You can say that you gotta 0:20:40.080 --> 0:20:43.480 you don't have to soften it. Fifty sixty million people 0:20:43.760 --> 0:20:47.000 feel that way, sure, but you know, to feel that 0:20:47.080 --> 0:20:49.879 way about our show and to share it with us, 0:20:50.000 --> 0:20:55.120 you know what I mean? Again, there's not often times 0:20:55.240 --> 0:21:01.040 enough in the way of content with responses like this 0:21:01.160 --> 0:21:05.720 for us to formulate a response that is as significant 0:21:05.720 --> 0:21:08.520 as this one. But I think that in this moment, 0:21:08.560 --> 0:21:10.920 what I would like to do is reaffirm our commitment 0:21:11.040 --> 0:21:18.720 to broadcasting the balance and defending the discourse. We make 0:21:18.920 --> 0:21:24.639 a black show that is approachable by non black people. 0:21:25.160 --> 0:21:30.560 We want to create better allies. We want to This 0:21:30.920 --> 0:21:33.680 show is on in many hip hop stations in many 0:21:33.720 --> 0:21:38.880 cities around this country, and all of those hip hop 0:21:38.920 --> 0:21:44.600 stations have a majority non black listenership. We learned from 0:21:44.640 --> 0:21:48.399 the protests in twenty twenty that there are people who 0:21:48.440 --> 0:21:52.520 don't look like us who want to support us. Radical 0:21:52.560 --> 0:21:59.639 love for justice means by any means with love. And 0:21:59.680 --> 0:22:02.240 I know that a lot of this stuff sounds super. 0:22:03.680 --> 0:22:03.800 Yo. 0:22:03.920 --> 0:22:06.439 Rams is Tripp and he's like rainbow's and unicorns and 0:22:06.440 --> 0:22:08.879 that sort of stuff, And I am, that's me. What 0:22:08.920 --> 0:22:12.280 are you gonna do? Right? I'm I'm grown and I've 0:22:12.600 --> 0:22:14.560 accomplished everything I need to accomplish. I can just be 0:22:14.600 --> 0:22:17.080 me now. So yeah, rainbows and unicorns, that's the direction 0:22:17.119 --> 0:22:18.639 we're going in. If anybody wants to go with me, 0:22:18.840 --> 0:22:23.480 that's where I'm headed, right, And I'm taking Philip with me. Man, 0:22:25.119 --> 0:22:29.720 you know, he's that's a bold move. I just I 0:22:29.720 --> 0:22:33.040 think it's a bold move and it deserves it deserves 0:22:33.080 --> 0:22:34.720 its time and the sun. And if you feel the 0:22:34.840 --> 0:22:39.560 same way as Philip, I hope that I've given you something. 0:22:40.080 --> 0:22:41.840 If you know people in your life that feel the 0:22:41.880 --> 0:22:44.480 way that Philip feels, hopefully I've given you something here. 0:22:45.040 --> 0:22:47.280 I know that you have a couple of more things 0:22:47.280 --> 0:22:51.520 that you wanted to contribute. I mean, not really, there's 0:22:51.600 --> 0:22:55.360 a you spoke that we need that perspective. I don't 0:22:55.359 --> 0:22:58.640 think that perspective is nuanced. You didn't give us something 0:23:01.080 --> 0:23:03.600 kind and thoughtful and not meaning angry. I'll give him that, 0:23:04.000 --> 0:23:05.000 but not nuanced. 0:23:05.040 --> 0:23:07.760 That's that's kind of the opposite of what we do, 0:23:08.600 --> 0:23:11.040 you know, he said claym Buck. He was listening to 0:23:12.080 --> 0:23:16.280 So you listened to Limbaugh, clam Buck and Civic Cipher. 0:23:16.640 --> 0:23:18.880 Some people they look for that balance. 0:23:19.080 --> 0:23:21.400 Yeah, if you're looking for balance, sure, but to come 0:23:21.440 --> 0:23:22.920 to listen to us and tell us to be more 0:23:22.960 --> 0:23:26.679 like them, you know, thanks for being nice, right, but 0:23:27.760 --> 0:23:30.200 you know how we should just appreciate this. 0:23:30.280 --> 0:23:31.880 We're able to live and work in the good old 0:23:31.960 --> 0:23:34.800 us of a I know, and you know you know 0:23:34.800 --> 0:23:37.119 what I mean, Like you were politely, were respectful, Philip, 0:23:37.160 --> 0:23:42.639 and we'll get that back to you. It wasn't necessary 0:23:42.680 --> 0:23:45.080 to rip apart everything that he said. And you know, 0:23:45.200 --> 0:23:50.560 there's there's there's so much in that letter that deserves 0:23:50.560 --> 0:23:54.640 to be unpacked, and obviously I wrote a much longer response, 0:23:55.000 --> 0:24:01.840 but you know that's where we ended, and hopefully we 0:24:02.000 --> 0:24:05.200 just leave everyone with an appreciation for those who want 0:24:05.240 --> 0:24:08.080 to learn from us. Unfortunately, it's time to move on, 0:24:08.440 --> 0:24:16.240 so let's get into the Way Black History Fact. This 0:24:16.320 --> 0:24:21.520 is a producer's note from Maggie aka Maggie Noe. School's 0:24:21.520 --> 0:24:24.200 out are getting ready for the summer. When it comes 0:24:24.200 --> 0:24:28.120 to each one, teaching one, seeing a new place, space, 0:24:28.440 --> 0:24:30.639 and meeting new people helps us to better understand one 0:24:30.640 --> 0:24:33.239 another and continue to build for the greater, emphasizing our 0:24:33.280 --> 0:24:37.000