1 00:00:03,640 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 1: It's that time, time, time, time, luck and load change. 2 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 2: To Michael Very show is on the air. 3 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:20,599 Speaker 3: America first includes all Americans, regardless of their race, their gender, 4 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 3: or their sexual orientation. 5 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:27,760 Speaker 2: Why don't we live rage these United States where the 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 2: one who needed work? Let the rest of the world 7 00:00:34,159 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 2: help us forrchchange and let's rebuild the Mary first. Powerh 8 00:00:41,640 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 2: is rigsert fun and fart, who's less? 9 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:47,920 Speaker 1: Who has been cursed? 10 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,559 Speaker 2: There's things to be don all over the world, but 11 00:00:53,800 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 2: let's rebuild them married first. 12 00:00:56,640 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 3: Our message to Black Americans tonight is this, we want. 13 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 2: You what we want for every American. 14 00:01:04,200 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 3: Safe neighborhoods, good jobs, clean streets, a country where you 15 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 3: are judged based on the content of your character, not 16 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,919 Speaker 3: the color of your skin or your political beliefs. 17 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 2: And watching that bos in charge of it all, god 18 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:30,199 Speaker 2: less the army got this on Liberty that dun the risk. 19 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 2: Last week I interviewed a fellow named Mark Swedan, and 20 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 2: you may have seen his name or seen him on 21 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 2: Fox or a number of different national outlets. He was 22 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:43,280 Speaker 2: sort of taken captive by the Chinese government while he 23 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:47,039 Speaker 2: was doing business there, given a death sentence and kept 24 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 2: in very very harsh conditions for over a decade. He 25 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:56,920 Speaker 2: has been released. His mother lives in Houston, and he 26 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 2: was our guest. We intended to play it in the 27 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 2: morning and I completely forgot. So I'm gonna take the 28 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: first part of today's show to share this interview with 29 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 2: you because I think it's important to understand who in 30 00:02:07,800 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 2: what China really is. Mark sweet Ann was arrested in 31 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:15,799 Speaker 2: November twenty twelve while on a trip to Guangdong Province 32 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:20,080 Speaker 2: in China to purchase building materials. And this story is 33 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,360 Speaker 2: so crazy it's hard to believe, but it's true. And 34 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 2: rather than me tell you, I'm gonna have Mark sweet 35 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 2: Ann tell you. 36 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:26,919 Speaker 1: Mark. 37 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 2: First of all, was this your first visit to. 38 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:32,680 Speaker 1: China, Yes, sir Michael, it was. 39 00:02:33,160 --> 00:02:39,520 Speaker 2: And tell me about you know, China is historically probably 40 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 2: as unlike the United States. Of course, you could factor 41 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 2: in some African nations as anything you can imagine literally 42 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 2: the other side of the world. Tell me about the 43 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:50,679 Speaker 2: build up while why you were there, and then let's 44 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 2: go through the horrible things that happened to you. 45 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: Okay, Well, I've been in Asia for years back and 46 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: basically around the world import export. I started on a 47 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: win from some money I received where my dad was. 48 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: I suddenly killed in a hospital mistake, and I went 49 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:15,239 Speaker 1: to a wedding in Vietnam. A fir in the wedding 50 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: and I went to a dentist and my dental school 51 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: friends at Texas AM told me to ask around about 52 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,120 Speaker 1: the drill builds and the little I guess just basically 53 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 1: real statement, steel and stuff are disposable because you know, 54 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: paying on in la and so I did that and 55 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: turned into a business. Basically it spiled out from there. 56 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 1: The first time I went to China though, that was 57 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 1: for ABM Helium of Houston, and I still had the contracts. 58 00:03:44,800 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: Basically there was a helium shortage in the USA and 59 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: they were pretty much you know, I pretty much right 60 00:03:51,840 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: down and tacking on it. So he, not being a 61 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:01,760 Speaker 1: ading man, made the attest to sources from China. So 62 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,240 Speaker 1: I took these contracts. I contacted a lot of different 63 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: contacts and they just go to China. I was in 64 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:09,840 Speaker 1: Hong Kong and I was in Macau. I took a 65 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 1: ferry and it has a lot to do with it, and 66 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:18,039 Speaker 1: I went to China looking for hearlium and I did 67 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 1: have multiple properties and I did purchase. I did actually 68 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: purchase in Hong Kong here all kinds of different stuff 69 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 1: for building houses, stuff like that. If I was there, 70 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: that's why I purchased it. A lot I was in 71 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:36,000 Speaker 1: just stuff on the way for that that was actually 72 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 1: on the way just for the helm. So leading after that, 73 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 1: I crossed them at China. I'm in a hotel room 74 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: which they want foreigners to put their passports down, and 75 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: that's the US government property out there around the world, 76 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: and I'm not going to do that, so I never did. 77 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 1: I just said I'll move to the hotel, or you 78 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: can take this fifty bucks and not worry about it. 79 00:04:57,520 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 1: So what they do is they send just all our 80 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:02,480 Speaker 1: big businessmen. Don't do the like you said. They said, 81 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:06,120 Speaker 1: your your passport information goes directly to the police department 82 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: and up the chain of the communists like they have. 83 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 1: Really on one block, you might have one person for 84 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:18,359 Speaker 1: each ten to twenty houses that relates to another person, 85 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,680 Speaker 1: to another person up to the police. Being that you 86 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: stated at a friend's house, you're supposed to report two 87 00:05:25,600 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 1: days later. That's maybe nine at ten o'clock at night. 88 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 1: I hit a bang, one bang on the door. Then 89 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,040 Speaker 1: there're about twenty bangs on the door. They were using 90 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 1: a battering lamb to break down this hotel room door. Granted, 91 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:39,799 Speaker 1: one of this is this is one of the largest 92 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 1: hotel complexes in China. We're talking, you know, two three 93 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 1: thousand rooms there, and they break the door down. I got, 94 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:52,359 Speaker 1: let's see about sixteen or twenty police not being informed, 95 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 1: not evelis speaking, no badges, learning through room, pointing guns 96 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: at me, screaming Chinese were screwing back and forth each other, 97 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 1: and I don't speak Chinese at that point, and yeah, 98 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 1: it kind of spar out of control from there, and uh, 99 00:06:10,880 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: they arrested me, or they didn't. They don't really call 100 00:06:13,120 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: it least, they call it detainment. And they finally admitiated 101 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: the police after the guy showed up the gun in 102 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: my face a couple of times and I kind of 103 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: pushed it out of my face because they're training was 104 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: just so awful. It just didn't feel like they were 105 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: the police. I would I mean, I would have happily 106 00:06:29,480 --> 00:06:33,000 Speaker 1: opened the door from without breaking it down kind of thing. 107 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 1: Then they without me resisting that friendly their police, and 108 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 1: they pushed me on a bed, A couple of them. 109 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: They're little guys I'm a big guy, and they appreciated 110 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: to put them in the back trying to you know, 111 00:06:47,240 --> 00:06:52,480 Speaker 1: I'm basically almost smothered, not parallel, and make me up. 112 00:06:52,560 --> 00:06:55,119 Speaker 1: Took me downstairs and they put me in this huge 113 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,479 Speaker 1: van that was camouflage and it's like double the side 114 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 1: of a Mercetade Sprain H camouflage dand with some strange 115 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:05,800 Speaker 1: that they satellite gale on the top. We went to 116 00:07:05,800 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 1: get down to the park garage. In the meantime they 117 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: had gotten there were several other foreigners somewhere in the complex, 118 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 1: and they were Chinese, Canadians, and there was a couple 119 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: of Hispanics. I was from Mexico, but they were not 120 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 1: all together. What they did was they took us to 121 00:07:22,920 --> 00:07:29,440 Speaker 1: a basketball court two hours away or so and didn't 122 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: ha had everybody to a pole, each one into his 123 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: own pole out there, sat on the ground, wouldn't tell 124 00:07:35,640 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: anybody anything. And as they did get they would bring 125 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: in more and more guys. They brought a couple of 126 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: foreigners from this place. They brought a couple of Chinese, 127 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: a couple of what turned out to be Canadian Chinese. 128 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: I didn't know at the time. We wouldn't talk to anybody. 129 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:54,360 Speaker 1: We sat Maydeale the ground I'd seen two of the hours. 130 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: Then piled everyone back into the van and wouldn't anybody speak, 131 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: and he proceeded to drive down those sure side dollars 132 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:04,600 Speaker 1: away too, to a border. 133 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:11,680 Speaker 2: Mark, I'm going to get you a whole right there. 134 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 2: It's a perfect stopping point. This story is getting a 135 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 2: lot of attention and we're going to hear all of 136 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:17,000 Speaker 2: it coming up. 137 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: Story. Has it arrest me or take me to Texas? 138 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: Because han't ready to get out of this state. 139 00:08:23,200 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 2: I think Michael Barry Robins Michael Barry Show, I like you. 140 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 2: A lot of Americans end up in China doing business, 141 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 2: and sometimes they're reminded that that is a totalitarian regime. 142 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 2: Mark sweet Ann was there and all of a sudden 143 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:42,960 Speaker 2: they scoop him up, won't tell him who they are, 144 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 2: and he's being hauled off. He doesn't know what the 145 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 2: hell is going on because of this story and Americans 146 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 2: need to hear it. But we were at the point 147 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 2: where they have grabbed him and they're they're taking him 148 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:55,760 Speaker 2: in the van. And as I said to you earlier, 149 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:57,720 Speaker 2: I'm not going to interrupt you. You tell the story. I 150 00:08:57,720 --> 00:09:00,559 Speaker 2: would like to know how you're feeling at each step 151 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:03,360 Speaker 2: of this, because obviously nobody's excited about it. But are 152 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 2: you confused? Are you are you simply scared? Are you 153 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 2: thinking this is the end? Had you had eight drinks 154 00:09:11,520 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 2: before that? Because people don't think about the fact that 155 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 2: you might have. You might have been hampered at that point, 156 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 2: you might have been exhausted, you might have been who 157 00:09:17,400 --> 00:09:18,319 Speaker 2: you know, sick to your stomach. 158 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:22,680 Speaker 1: Anyway, go ahead, No, no drinks at all. I was 159 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:28,240 Speaker 1: actually I was actually in watching TV in I bought 160 00:09:28,240 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: some bootleg bbs downstairs. I think I was watching them 161 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:34,640 Speaker 1: walking down or something like that, and I was eating 162 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:39,679 Speaker 1: a piece of cheesecake. That's that's what it was. There 163 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 1: was nothing in the room. There's you know, there's I 164 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 1: had some business documents and they tried to say I 165 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:48,839 Speaker 1: was trying to flee later on a case which all 166 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 1: my baggs weren't tagged. My torn entrees were out in 167 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:53,839 Speaker 1: the bathroom. All this very just very unprofessionally when I 168 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:58,680 Speaker 1: came in the room, no training. Uh So back to 169 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:02,720 Speaker 1: where we're at. We're in this and everyone's kind of silent, 170 00:10:03,240 --> 00:10:06,559 Speaker 1: and the police are yelling at people in Chinese. They 171 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 1: don't really have anybody who speaks English on the van 172 00:10:09,840 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 1: or it's very rudimentary. Basically shut up, we are police 173 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:17,239 Speaker 1: kind of thing. So I'm thinking, Okay, this is BS. 174 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: I know the US will get me right out of 175 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: this thing. I know I haven't done anything wrong, so 176 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:23,319 Speaker 1: I wasn't thinking in the world. I wasn't thinking of 177 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,719 Speaker 1: death because any didn't doing this. I knew I was 178 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: there for. And so we drive. We end up at 179 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: a police station. They're forming a police station in a 180 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 1: small town, which granted I am the first American who 181 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 1: was ever in that small town arrested wives or decayed wise, 182 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:43,880 Speaker 1: So they drove me to a place I'd never been. 183 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: They starts to question everyone one by one. Well, somebody's 184 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: handcuffed to this, and they uncuff you, drag you to 185 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: a desk, cuffy of the desk. Trying to be trying 186 00:10:55,280 --> 00:10:58,439 Speaker 1: to be somewhat personal. They brought in a terrible translator 187 00:10:59,040 --> 00:11:01,920 Speaker 1: and they asked me, do you know anything about ice drugs? 188 00:11:02,240 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: What the hell is ice trucks? They kept trying to 189 00:11:05,760 --> 00:11:09,960 Speaker 1: say the name Chinese, they kept trying to say they 190 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:12,199 Speaker 1: didn't even know what they were talking about. So I 191 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 1: don't know what Struck's about. Then they brought a confession 192 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,440 Speaker 1: out and it was written in all Chinese. Until the assignment, 193 00:11:22,160 --> 00:11:24,160 Speaker 1: that's not going to happen. I've been all over the world, 194 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:28,559 Speaker 1: and you know, I know the even even the ambassadors, 195 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: to the government, to to you name it, they've all said, 196 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:37,319 Speaker 1: my knowledge of international law and such and such was impressive. 197 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:43,120 Speaker 1: That's from working around the globe. In Vietnam as the 198 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 1: communist country, I had been there several times, never had 199 00:11:46,200 --> 00:11:49,880 Speaker 1: a problem. So they asked me to sign this confession. 200 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: It's written in Chinese. I say, I want a lawyer present. 201 00:11:54,559 --> 00:12:01,000 Speaker 1: I want this translated properly by a certified trends and 202 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:04,480 Speaker 1: I'd like my consulate present. They said, this is China. 203 00:12:06,000 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 1: You don't get a lawyer. This is China. When I 204 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:11,320 Speaker 1: got to call your consulate to be here, and this 205 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,079 Speaker 1: is China, it's the law that you sign a confession 206 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,840 Speaker 1: of anybody's ever studying any console agreements that that's not 207 00:12:17,920 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: the law, and they're just flying. I refuse over and 208 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:27,559 Speaker 1: over again. They put me to the side, and they 209 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:32,000 Speaker 1: in a little room and they proceed to bring those 210 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: other guys back and forth. They didn't bring everybody to 211 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:38,560 Speaker 1: a room and they put all our personal belongings on 212 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:41,480 Speaker 1: the table and say, okay, everybody get your personal belongs. Okay, 213 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 1: no problem. I grab my phones. I know, I've never 214 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 1: spoken any people in my life. Everyone's kind of looking 215 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:50,720 Speaker 1: at each other. I can see these guys know each other. 216 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:53,520 Speaker 1: Everyone's kind of looking at me, and then why am 217 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 1: I here? When they arrested me, I address, you know, 218 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: pretty decent. I'm not gonna say I'm au anyway, I'm 219 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: you know, I'm wearing jeans and a and a dress shirt. 220 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 1: And you know when they took me down, I threw 221 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 1: through my blazer on. That's just kind of my usual style. 222 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,480 Speaker 1: And so the use of these guys are in T 223 00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: shirts and whatever, and we just kind of don't match 224 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,600 Speaker 1: each other, you know, you get it like that. So 225 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 1: they try to grab their personal that's belonging, and I 226 00:13:24,480 --> 00:13:27,959 Speaker 1: grabbed money. And it's like an iPad, a BlackBerry and 227 00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:31,240 Speaker 1: one little one little those you know, Kia phones back 228 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: in the days, because that's what you use in China 229 00:13:33,760 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: because blackberries don't work in China because they can't hack 230 00:13:38,480 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 1: those things. So that was the end of that. And 231 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 1: it was then they started bringing guys back into the rooms, 232 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,000 Speaker 1: back and forth, back and forth again, asking to sign 233 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: a confession, refused, pushing me back another room and try 234 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: to tell me to kneel on literally a bamboo stick, 235 00:13:56,160 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: and you can believe this to put pressure on my knees. 236 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: I'm not doing that, period. I'm just like, no, that's 237 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,199 Speaker 1: just not going to happen. So sit me back in 238 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:11,959 Speaker 1: a chair. You know this is you're getting the lowdown, Michael. Here, 239 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:16,680 Speaker 1: sit me in here, and they're all in my face 240 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,160 Speaker 1: and I'm six ft two, about two twenty five dollars 241 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: if you see my old pictures. Back then, the guy 242 00:14:25,600 --> 00:14:28,560 Speaker 1: keeps asking me if I'm a US military, and I said, 243 00:14:28,640 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 1: I sure, how our Chinese military and he slaps them 244 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:36,200 Speaker 1: across the face as hard as he can, which kind 245 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: of just infuriated me. Granted, these guys handcuff you in 246 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: the front with about six inches a chain in front 247 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: of you. They're not like us made handcuffs. So I 248 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:49,280 Speaker 1: jumped on the guy right away. Immediately, I go, I 249 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: do so much on my handscuffs and I'm getting kicked 250 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,040 Speaker 1: and stomped by the rest of them. But I didn't 251 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: need a mark on this guy. I ended up sinking 252 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,960 Speaker 1: my teeth into his cheek. Because I was so infuriate. 253 00:15:00,720 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 1: No about all I could do to cover my head down, 254 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:06,840 Speaker 1: So they pulled me off of them. They handcuffed me 255 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: to a water pipe, which the ceiling is not quite 256 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 1: eight feet tall, so at me being six foot two, 257 00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 1: the water pipe is probably around seven foot tall. So 258 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: it wasn't like I was hanging like one of the 259 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:21,920 Speaker 1: little guys who have been doing and I'm sitting there 260 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: for fourteen hours or so, thirteen fourteen hours hanging like 261 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:29,880 Speaker 1: that while other question everybody else. They then, I guess 262 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:31,600 Speaker 1: they talked to one of the other guys who could 263 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 1: speak English, who was a co defendant. In the end, 264 00:15:34,760 --> 00:15:38,040 Speaker 1: they tell him to come in there and tell me 265 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:41,280 Speaker 1: to sign a confession. He didn't know me and looked 266 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 1: at me. He says, hey, they want me to tell 267 00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 1: you to sign a confession. And I asked him, did 268 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 1: you sign that confession? He said, yeah, do you reach Chinese? No? 269 00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:55,280 Speaker 1: I said, I think you just killed yourself and I 270 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: said I'm not signing. That was bad. So even after 271 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:03,960 Speaker 1: after hours there Mark Sweden cold right there. 272 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:06,480 Speaker 2: He was held in a Chinese prison. 273 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:08,920 Speaker 1: You're going to find out. 274 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 2: Of the world as we know that the Michael Biriends 275 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 2: of the World nine five. Mark Swuden was arrested in 276 00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 2: November of twenty twelve while on a trip to China 277 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:28,440 Speaker 2: to purchase building materials. The Chinese authorities accused him of 278 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 2: involvement in international drug trafficking, despite evidence that he wasn't 279 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,240 Speaker 2: even in China at the time of that alleged offense. 280 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 2: The Chinese judicial system, such as it is, sentenced Mark 281 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 2: Sweden to death in twenty nineteen. In November of twenty 282 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 2: twenty four, he was released from his detention along with 283 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 2: two other American citizens as part of a prisoner swap 284 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:56,240 Speaker 2: with China. Sounds to me like they grabbed these guys, 285 00:16:56,800 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 2: accused them of horrible things, threatened them with death, and 286 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 2: then say, well, we're going to kill him unless you 287 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:07,520 Speaker 2: give back some people who spied on you America for US, 288 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:11,439 Speaker 2: which is how they run this little game. So Mark Sweeten, 289 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:16,360 Speaker 2: let's go through how they sentence you to death and 290 00:17:16,400 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 2: how you're dealing. You still don't have an attorney, you still, 291 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,560 Speaker 2: I guess have you had any representation? Is anybody from 292 00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:24,440 Speaker 2: the US able to help you at this point? 293 00:17:25,720 --> 00:17:28,399 Speaker 1: At this point, though, the way their system works. Is 294 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: they arrest you first. There any three in this detention 295 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:36,639 Speaker 1: camp on the first Americans. It's in a horrible, horrible place. 296 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:39,239 Speaker 1: You don't have running water, you don't have light. You 297 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 1: have twenty four lights. It's Houston type weather, hot and cold, 298 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 1: human and everything. In look of the map, they're pretty 299 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:48,480 Speaker 1: much lined up. It's a course of nature, is what 300 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 1: it is. You have window, two tiny windows that are 301 00:17:53,880 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 1: like twenty five feet ups. Is no airflow, and then 302 00:17:56,040 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 1: you have the ceilings that are kind of open where 303 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 1: it's running through. We don't have running water, we don't 304 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:03,320 Speaker 1: have hot water, we don't have a sea or heat. 305 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:07,600 Speaker 1: There's no beds. You sleep on me concrete. It's they 306 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:09,880 Speaker 1: call it a bed, but it's just a raised concrete platform. 307 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:12,640 Speaker 1: You're slipping on a concrete. You don't have a toilet, 308 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:15,360 Speaker 1: you have a hole in four. You have thirty two 309 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:20,040 Speaker 1: guys in basically about i'd say about thirty feet or 310 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:27,160 Speaker 1: less by about ten feet. You've got communists propaganda playing 311 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:31,080 Speaker 1: all day, and you've got forced slave labor for American 312 00:18:31,200 --> 00:18:35,640 Speaker 1: companies even be putting on the American price tag big business. 313 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:38,359 Speaker 1: I can name the products actually got some of the 314 00:18:38,400 --> 00:18:44,000 Speaker 1: products out to my mom and an attorney tried to 315 00:18:44,080 --> 00:18:46,399 Speaker 1: contact them. Of course it was no comment, but I 316 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: can prove it. I said, I'd take a lot of 317 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 1: that drum national Tvnity data. So you've got this big 318 00:18:52,280 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 1: forced slave labor in there. What they do is they 319 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 1: question you every day for thirty seven days and decide 320 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 1: to arrest you or not. You got like a ninety 321 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:06,440 Speaker 1: nine percent arrest grade there, ninety nine point nine conviction rates. 322 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: So they questioned you, they pull you out at eight 323 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:13,600 Speaker 1: in the morning, they keep you there till five six pm, 324 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:16,120 Speaker 1: and they just want basically what they wanted. They want 325 00:19:16,119 --> 00:19:21,640 Speaker 1: a confession. The US consult came about two days. After 326 00:19:21,880 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 1: two or three days name maybe four, I don't am. 327 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: Time kind of just blurred at that point. The first 328 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 1: gentleman who came, I don't know if the one name 329 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:37,000 Speaker 1: names or not sure told me his name was Chris Romans, 330 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: and I'm working on getting my Freedom of Information Act 331 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: and I'd love to share it with you, Michael and 332 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:46,760 Speaker 1: the world. He told me, oh, this is a serious 333 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: crime you've been accused of of. They said, you are 334 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 1: carrying sixty two kilos of methamphetamine. There was nothing, There 335 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,240 Speaker 1: was nothing on me. There was nothing in my room. 336 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:00,879 Speaker 1: In fact, in the end we found there was nothing 337 00:20:00,920 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: on any of those guys. There was only on two 338 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:07,920 Speaker 1: Chinese guys that were eight hours away, which I had 339 00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:12,120 Speaker 1: no contact with anybody, never had anybody's phone numbers, never 340 00:20:12,200 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 1: I'm there was my passport. What comes down to is 341 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 1: this guy tells me, oh, this is punishable by death. 342 00:20:17,520 --> 00:20:20,000 Speaker 1: They don't kill Americans here. He said, oh, yes they do, 343 00:20:20,800 --> 00:20:23,720 Speaker 1: and that he was very unhelpful. I tried to give 344 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 1: him my mom my email logins and this and that 345 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,359 Speaker 1: so she get help. He wouldn't do it. As soon 346 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: as he started writes up down about you know, ten 347 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: Chinese police fronts. The guy just didn't have the ball 348 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 1: to stand up to him. A few days later at 349 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:49,600 Speaker 1: the consulate, Chief Steve f Ball, horrible person, comes in 350 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:54,439 Speaker 1: and tells me, why don't you just confess, you know 351 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:58,680 Speaker 1: you did it. I asked him if he was a communist, 352 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 1: if he was ready red, white and blue, and he 353 00:21:02,080 --> 00:21:04,760 Speaker 1: was getting real pissy. I said, why don't you do 354 00:21:04,840 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 1: your damn job. Go get my passport from them, it's 355 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 1: US government property, and prove to them all this is impossible. 356 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 1: I was never in this country. He says, I'm not 357 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:19,840 Speaker 1: going to do that. I'm not going to do that. 358 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 1: That was That was the end of our conversation there. 359 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,440 Speaker 1: So if you're asking about there's no legal help. He 360 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:29,080 Speaker 1: could have solved this problem because it's before the arrest, 361 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: which takes place thirty seven days later. He doesn't do anything. 362 00:21:35,359 --> 00:21:39,440 Speaker 1: They come once a month after that. So during this time, 363 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:41,720 Speaker 1: the Chinese police are trying to pull me out for 364 00:21:41,800 --> 00:21:47,640 Speaker 1: confessions literally every day for eight ninety days. And they 365 00:21:47,680 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: tell me, oh, you're not going to con fess. We'll 366 00:21:51,119 --> 00:21:54,440 Speaker 1: see after seven days of okay, no food for you, which, 367 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: by the way, you'd be happy with no food there 368 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 1: for seven days. I said, okay. I said, okay, let's again. 369 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:05,399 Speaker 1: You want to play and they don't. They shouted at me, 370 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:08,639 Speaker 1: we don't serve hamburgers. I said that food's unheedibles, and 371 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:10,399 Speaker 1: you know, I said, I went and said, how wouldn't 372 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,520 Speaker 1: get that to my dog? And they said, we don't 373 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:20,240 Speaker 1: serve McDonald's and KFC like American prisons do. And I'm like, okay, 374 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:22,680 Speaker 1: like you, I said. 375 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 2: Well, I didn't know American prison that way. Yeah, I prayed. 376 00:22:28,960 --> 00:22:29,160 Speaker 1: Mark. 377 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:30,439 Speaker 2: I don't want to run out of time. Let me 378 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 2: ask you. You get you get a death sentence, and 379 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 2: then they say they're going to suspend that pending review, 380 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 2: which I understand is is kind of common. 381 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:43,720 Speaker 1: Death sentence. Took six and a half years to give 382 00:22:43,800 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 1: me right? 383 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:46,680 Speaker 2: And how did they deliver the news that you had 384 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:47,399 Speaker 2: a death sentence? 385 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: Oh? They they march you all in the court. And 386 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 1: this all sends down to UH, Canada arresting that CEO 387 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: for the USA. Yeah, and holden because I do have 388 00:22:59,640 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 1: a duel nationality from I was just born in the blizzards, 389 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 1: literally across the border from Detroit, So I kept the 390 00:23:06,800 --> 00:23:10,120 Speaker 1: Canadian a long time ago. I mean, no, no big 391 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:14,720 Speaker 1: deal to be duel. And so they march everybody in 392 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:16,800 Speaker 1: the court. We're talking six and a half years later. 393 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: What they did is to be a three month extension. 394 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 1: Every three months they say you're supposed to have your sentence. 395 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:26,720 Speaker 1: They extended it twenty one times, or ends up being 396 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:29,880 Speaker 1: an extra six years and a half years. 397 00:23:30,280 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 2: Mark, our guest, Mark, I have one more segment, but 398 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:36,600 Speaker 2: I have a note and I completely forgot Uh. You 399 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 2: have a GoFundMe or some sort of a community way 400 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,959 Speaker 2: that people can support you through all of this. Can 401 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 2: you tell us where that is? 402 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:51,639 Speaker 1: It is help dot Mark Sweed dot. 403 00:23:51,359 --> 00:23:55,199 Speaker 2: Org and that is s W I D A N 404 00:23:55,680 --> 00:24:00,360 Speaker 2: help dot Mark Sweetend dot org. We will continue our 405 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:06,320 Speaker 2: conversation with Mark Sweden about this horrible situation that he 406 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 2: was caught up in. I hope people will hear this 407 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:13,080 Speaker 2: and think twice about whether or not they want to 408 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:17,880 Speaker 2: be long term engaged in business with a country where 409 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 2: this can happen to you. I really think it's in 410 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:26,199 Speaker 2: America's national interest to bring as much business back to 411 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:31,399 Speaker 2: the United States and avoid doing an avoid empowering the 412 00:24:31,520 --> 00:24:35,040 Speaker 2: Chinese government with our dollars and our trade. Mark Sweeten's 413 00:24:35,040 --> 00:24:39,680 Speaker 2: our guest company Kurt Cameron of the famous Growing Pains man. 414 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 2: If you work for Growing Pains, I wouldn't be on 415 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 2: the Michael Berry Show. You have a rowing show. Our role. 416 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:50,200 Speaker 2: We are talking to Mark Sweedenn who's been on a 417 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 2: national conversation. He was arrested in November of twenty twelve 418 00:24:56,240 --> 00:25:00,479 Speaker 2: on a trip to China to buy building material. They 419 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:02,720 Speaker 2: gave him the death penalty, They suspended that and kept 420 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,040 Speaker 2: him in prison, where he was until November of twenty 421 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:08,720 Speaker 2: twenty four, when he was released. Talk me through that 422 00:25:09,000 --> 00:25:12,760 Speaker 2: timeline of how you find out that you're finally going 423 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:13,480 Speaker 2: to be released. 424 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:18,400 Speaker 1: Oh well, there's there's so much in between. I don't 425 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 1: know if you want to know about how they pump 426 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 1: the court works. 427 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 2: You know what, I've got eight minutes you you tell me, however, 428 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:24,840 Speaker 2: you I want to get as much out of you 429 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 2: before the show's over. 430 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:28,359 Speaker 1: Yeah, we might have to do a couple more moan 431 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:31,359 Speaker 1: that twelve years. But what you know. In the first court, 432 00:25:31,400 --> 00:25:34,000 Speaker 1: when we go to court, they basically asked you, do 433 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,480 Speaker 1: you want to confess? If not, you're saying it's going 434 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:39,679 Speaker 1: to basically ten times worse. No, I'm not confessing. You 435 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:42,200 Speaker 1: don't have evidence. They said, Okay, we read evidence. You 436 00:25:42,320 --> 00:25:46,399 Speaker 1: had more, You're screwed, basically, so I told him go 437 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:47,960 Speaker 1: ahead and read it. I'm not going to say anything. 438 00:25:48,359 --> 00:25:51,360 Speaker 1: They didn't. They had no evidence on me. I basically 439 00:25:51,359 --> 00:25:55,440 Speaker 1: made a jackass adam in the court. So the next 440 00:25:55,560 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: it's a five day court trial. They kicked my consulate 441 00:25:58,359 --> 00:26:01,760 Speaker 1: out of the court, which is illegal even by their law. 442 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:04,960 Speaker 1: They won't want them back in, so we can't pike notes. 443 00:26:05,040 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 1: We went to court again to bring more evidence. There's 444 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:09,960 Speaker 1: no events against me. They picked my consul out again. 445 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 1: We'll I get fends to death. They march you into 446 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 1: the court, they sentence you to death, and they bring 447 00:26:15,640 --> 00:26:18,679 Speaker 1: it back for yourself. You immediately will fillow an appeal. 448 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:23,000 Speaker 1: They never gave my appeal into the court. The appeal 449 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:26,400 Speaker 1: comes back. This is when the arrest of the mung 450 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:29,760 Speaker 1: Wan Joe or whatever her name was, the CFO happened, 451 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 1: and the and they arrested a lot of Canadians around 452 00:26:32,800 --> 00:26:35,159 Speaker 1: the country because of it and gave them all kind 453 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: of crazy sentences. Secretary Stick Blinking actually had a phone 454 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:41,360 Speaker 1: call me in with in a consolate meeting and asked 455 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 1: if I needed to be traded with those two Canadians. Yes, 456 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 1: I'm going to be here another five years on the dead. 457 00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 1: I'll tell you one thing. Never once did I actually 458 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,280 Speaker 1: think i'd be dead. I mean, I've got broken bones, 459 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 1: I've got this that. It's a long story. The numerous 460 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:04,840 Speaker 1: crazy things happened there, and me know to stay. They 461 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 1: don't trade me to trade two Canadians and I'm a 462 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:10,919 Speaker 1: dual citizen. They get home, they get paid millions of dollars. 463 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 1: They've stayed six months to a year. In six months 464 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:17,800 Speaker 1: in those places, maybe a year in house arrest. I'm 465 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: in the worst deployable conditions ever. I'm the first American 466 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:23,400 Speaker 1: ever since the death in China. I was actually since 467 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:26,760 Speaker 1: the death twice Michael, and then since a life sentence. 468 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 1: After this, even the UN ruled it unlows to detained, 469 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:35,560 Speaker 1: and the US finally did in twenty nineteen. I ended 470 00:27:35,600 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 1: up staying till twenty twenty four. I was not transferred 471 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 1: to a prison until twenty twenty three. I'm the longest 472 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: guy in a the attention camp, decides bin Laden's bodyguard. 473 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:50,560 Speaker 1: This is because over a thousand times of trying to 474 00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 1: get confessions and evidence. I mean, they'd ever gotten thing. 475 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: That American flag shirt you seen me learn in those 476 00:27:55,840 --> 00:28:00,480 Speaker 1: pictures that went to court every court, Wow, that was 477 00:28:00,480 --> 00:28:02,800 Speaker 1: the one I walked up the plane on. That was 478 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:06,399 Speaker 1: me wearing that, and I still got it here. They've 479 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:08,479 Speaker 1: tried and tried to get me a change out of it, 480 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:10,560 Speaker 1: to drag me out of it. That I would not 481 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: do it. That was I was defiant the whole time, 482 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:19,320 Speaker 1: and they paid off. There's so many men who have 483 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:22,200 Speaker 1: come out of China in the last fifty years that 484 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 1: are on a record. Anything else is not on a 485 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:27,320 Speaker 1: record even past that. I'm one of them. We've got 486 00:28:27,320 --> 00:28:31,080 Speaker 1: about two hundred other guys over there, slave labor. All 487 00:28:31,119 --> 00:28:34,200 Speaker 1: that is big business. Anybody thinking to do business over there, 488 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 1: think again, we created this monster in China and it's 489 00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 1: turned against us. Without the big business going there for profit, 490 00:28:48,280 --> 00:28:50,840 Speaker 1: this wouldn't happen. They'd probably still be in the stone 491 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 1: age over there. 492 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 2: Oh, it's amazing, and they were until very recently. In fact, 493 00:28:55,920 --> 00:28:59,160 Speaker 2: if they weren't allowed into the World Trade Organization, that's 494 00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 2: the moment it all all changes for the rest of 495 00:29:01,440 --> 00:29:06,200 Speaker 2: the world. That's when they become empowered and financed to 496 00:29:06,200 --> 00:29:10,200 Speaker 2: to in many cases take over and in many cases 497 00:29:10,360 --> 00:29:16,600 Speaker 2: so discord do evil things increase their totalitarian regime at 498 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 2: that time, which was beginning. It's awful to see, although 499 00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 2: the story of China for the for the twentieth century 500 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,000 Speaker 2: is not a pretty picture for any of it. Mark. 501 00:29:27,040 --> 00:29:30,160 Speaker 2: Are there people in America who deserve credit for helping 502 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:32,680 Speaker 2: spring you and get you back home that you have 503 00:29:32,800 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 2: not mentioned. 504 00:29:36,400 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 1: Mel Gibson was a very strong advocate of me. 505 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:40,200 Speaker 2: That does not surprise me. 506 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I've never got a chance to thank him. 507 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:46,880 Speaker 1: So if he's listening, thank you. Mel that was a 508 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 1: surprise Senator to take cruise congressom Cloud. They were on it. 509 00:29:53,920 --> 00:29:57,040 Speaker 1: There is Roger Carson, and that's to Roger Carson. They 510 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 1: call him Captain America for a reason. He was the 511 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:03,880 Speaker 1: of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs. And we 512 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 1: have my mom who is my hero on this. She's 513 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:10,720 Speaker 1: the one who never gave a boy. Everybody told her 514 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: to give up, when everybody told her to shut up, 515 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:18,560 Speaker 1: she wouldn't shut up. And you know, being resilient in 516 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:20,959 Speaker 1: there is the way to go. And even the special 517 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:24,320 Speaker 1: Forces and the Presidential envoy they put when I was 518 00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: on the plane, they said, how did you know to 519 00:30:26,160 --> 00:30:30,480 Speaker 1: do what you did? To just resist everything, to starve yourself, 520 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,920 Speaker 1: to cause trouble, to do whatever you had to do 521 00:30:34,360 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 1: in there, because that's what we're trained for. It just 522 00:30:37,960 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 1: came instinctful. 523 00:30:39,440 --> 00:30:42,479 Speaker 2: Let me ask you two minutes left, let's talk about 524 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:47,480 Speaker 2: your return into the free world. I get the sense 525 00:30:47,480 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 2: that has not been easy. This is very disruptive, this 526 00:30:50,240 --> 00:30:52,760 Speaker 2: is very traumatic. Talk to me about how that has been. 527 00:30:53,840 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 1: It's been. It's been really rough. 528 00:30:55,520 --> 00:30:55,720 Speaker 2: You know. 529 00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: My goal is I mean, I want to get back 530 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:02,440 Speaker 1: on my seat. I don't feel as traumatized as people 531 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:05,680 Speaker 1: would think. But people think the government cuts you a check. 532 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:10,480 Speaker 1: I have POW status, just like a military pow, but 533 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:15,880 Speaker 1: I don't have POW benefits. I went from living in Memorial, 534 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 1: Houston and having properties and saving all my money all 535 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:23,520 Speaker 1: my life to coming home to zero, everything liquidated, to 536 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,920 Speaker 1: no credit, to no driver's license and no no identity 537 00:31:26,960 --> 00:31:30,120 Speaker 1: at all. And trying to start over at fifty one 538 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 1: when you were doing really good at thirty seven is 539 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:36,200 Speaker 1: just it's not possible on your own. I need help, 540 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 1: and it's not provided. There's some little assistance here and 541 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 1: there from some hostage organizations that are good, but you know, 542 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:46,520 Speaker 1: there's a lot of money that goes to a lot 543 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 1: of places, but it doesn't go to us. We're far 544 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 1: into between the guys who actually return, and it doesn't 545 00:31:52,440 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 1: get to us. If it were me and I wanted 546 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 1: to do my own organization, which I've thought of it, 547 00:31:58,200 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 1: and I've talked to many people. I know I could 548 00:32:00,520 --> 00:32:03,920 Speaker 1: do better. I know I could. There's too many people. 549 00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:07,240 Speaker 1: Everybody needs a tax right off. They could donate the 550 00:32:07,320 --> 00:32:08,840 Speaker 1: right way if they've done it to a lot of 551 00:32:08,840 --> 00:32:13,680 Speaker 1: these places. You come back, you especially gone as long 552 00:32:13,720 --> 00:32:16,480 Speaker 1: as I have and since the death twice and life 553 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:18,520 Speaker 1: once the only person in history around the world this 554 00:32:18,520 --> 00:32:22,360 Speaker 1: has happened to after twelve years, everything is gone. My 555 00:32:22,440 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 1: mom is still here. She believed in me all the time. 556 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 1: My ex girlfriend who is now still back with me, 557 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 1: stayed and stuck through it the whole time. It always 558 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:34,760 Speaker 1: believed in me. But even her and I we have 559 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:37,400 Speaker 1: problems around because it's very hard for me to get 560 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:40,200 Speaker 1: on my feet. I want to be married to her. 561 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 1: I want to have a house again. I want to 562 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,640 Speaker 1: build a business again, and maybe I want to through 563 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 1: a foundation. I'm definitely need to take care of my mom, 564 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:51,120 Speaker 1: who is handicapped. Now if I came home, so you 565 00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:54,240 Speaker 1: be shoot on twenty dollars a month, food dance the 566 00:32:54,280 --> 00:32:58,520 Speaker 1: whole time, I'm than gone. No disability, no SSI, no 567 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: anything like that. So I mean we're really struggling. And 568 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 1: when you come back to this economy, I'm sticker shot 569 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 1: on a brisket alone in the gocery store. 570 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:11,200 Speaker 2: Just so I can tell you, Mark, that's been relatively recent. 571 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:14,280 Speaker 2: I am up against a break. I appreciate you sharing 572 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 2: your story. People need to understand there is a cost 573 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:22,680 Speaker 2: to trade with China on their terms for so long 574 00:33:23,200 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 2: that a lot of people see up close and it 575 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:27,640 Speaker 2: ain't pretty. 576 00:33:28,680 --> 00:33:29,720 Speaker 1: It is not pretty. 577 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:33,040 Speaker 2: There will be a long term cost to pay for 578 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 2: cheaper consumer goods, and I don't think very many Americans 579 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:38,480 Speaker 2: quite realize that just yet