Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay - Sheila Jackson Lee and the Cruelty of the Texas Abortion Law

Episode Date: September 3, 2021

Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay start the podcast off with a game of Is It Better Than?, the subject being the legendary LL Cool J (2:04). Then, with the Supreme Court's refusal to block Texas’s restrictive abortion law, Texas Representative Shelia Jackson Lee stops by to give some insight on the impact the legislation will have on women in the Lone Star State (37:54). Plus, Drake’s new album has tons of features (1:14:07) and it’s that time of the week … Mailbag Time (1:27:48).  Hosts: Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay  Guest: Sheila Jackson Lee Producers: Trudy Joseph and Donnie Beacham Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yo, yo, thought wires. What is up? Higher learning is on. It is I, Van Lathen, Jr. And it's me, Rachel and Lindsay. Rachel, what are you doing with the eye thing right there? What's going on? You know how sometimes these lashes get janky.

And it was like, it was looking like this. It was like, I was sleeping. The lash was janky, janky lash. Yeah, had a janky lash. Trying to start the podcast off right. Do you put the lashes on? How often do you have to put lashes on? Every day I'm on camera.

Every day you have to put the lashes on. Because I used to have extensions, but those can get so you have to really clean them. And if you really clean them, then they start to fall out. Because I wear makeup every day, they get dirty. It's just not worth it. So it's easy to have, easier to have strips. So are there any women that don't need the lashes, that their lashes just look like normally big or whatever? I don't think no one's lashes, natural lashes,

look as big as extensions do or as strips. But some women opt to not wear lashes. Like who? Give me an example of somebody that doesn't wear lashes. I don't know. I have to, I don't know. I don't pay attention that much. Because I don't, because I guess what I'm wondering about the lashes is does it, do you look different without the lashes? You don't remember how you tried to clown me on here when I did I have, when one of my lashes came off and you were like, oh my gosh. I think, I don't know if it was how you looked without the lashes or if it was the fact that the lash just came.

came off. It wasn't that simple when you said it. Okay. Oh, wow. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Oh, no. I'm fine.

I'm trying to think. I do look different. But to answer your question, yes, I do look different. I can own that. I like the lashes, the lashes make you make me pop more. Make my eyes pop. My eyes are so big. Like they swallow up my little lashes.

Yeah. So you need the lash. I see I noticed you got the baby hair popping today too. Is it popping? Yeah. Is it popping? Yeah. It's a baby hair.

I had a little water. I added a little water, you know. To the baby hair. So it's, thank you. Baby hair popping, lip gloss shining. I guess she's in the move for whining and dining. So we can go out and meet somewhere. We got a lot of private jokes to share.

Lisa, Angela, Tamara or Renee, I love you. You're from around the way. Who is that? Hey, I need an around the way, girl. Around the way, girl. By the way, stop fucking fron on LL. L.L got so many hits. Stop fronting on LL man

Who is? Who's fronting on LL? People front on LL Cool J. They front on him. Let's start the podcast right here, giving LL Cool J's props. People front on LL Cool J. People act like LL Cool J isn't, I would say right now

as far as LL Cool J is the top five rapper of all time. People might not put him there lyrically, but any way that you would judge the success of a rapper. L.L. Cool J is there. L.L. Cool J has, tell me somebody right now who lasted as long, had as much impact,

had higher highs than L.L. Cool J. Think about that. That song that I just, that I just wrapped around the way, girl. That came out when I was in elementary school. L.L. Cool J was still making hits when I was in college. There are quite as, I mean, there are other people.

people, rappers who are doing that? Okay, so we're going to play a game. So we're going to play a game. We're going to play the name of this game is, because we play this game on the ring or verse. The name of this game is, hold on. Let me find the name of the game because I forgot the name of the game. Wow.

Hey, stop it. Okay. Stop it. I'm right here. I'm trying to do it. I'm trying to do the best. Okay. The name of the game is, is it better than.

Okay. And so I want you to throw out a rapper. And the question is, is this rapper, is it? his career better than LL Cool J. Okay, but are we only talking music? Because LL, because like I said Cube, right? That's the first person I said Q. Cube's obviously done things outside of music, but so has LL.

Right. So TV shows, movies. We're talking about, if you want, we could just keep a rap. If you want, if you want, we could just keep a rap. So throw out a rapper and the game is, is no, Cube is not better than LL Cool J and rap. No. That's just your personal opinion. It's just a fact.

Ice Cube is a fucking amazing rapper and a god. He was making hits when I was still in college. He's not, he did not have a better ice cube did not have a better rap career than LL Cool J. No. Okay. Throw on another one. Uh, I'm trying to think of people from that, from around that time. Throw out any error or whatever error you want.

Okay. Master P. Ella Kool-J obviously has had a better rap career and MasterP. I love Master P. As the jersey hangs behind them. I love Master P. And Master P might be more influential to the business of hip-hop. But rap career, Ella Kool-J had a better-old-J had a better-old.

Here we go. Snoop. Ella Koo-J has had a better rap career to Snoop. You're just going to say that to every single person. I'm actually giving you good competition. No, I won't. Ella Kool-J has had a better rap career. Just rap?

El-O-Koo-J has had a better rap career than Snoop. Now, I'm not going to lie. I got to pull up a discography. I'm not going to lie. Snoop had higher highs. I think I'm giving you good answers here. Snoop had higher highs. At one point,

Snoop changed rap culture completely. Like, totally changed rap culture. Snoop is a legend. But L.L.L. did, too. I'm telling you, Snoop. When he came out with, oh, my gosh, when I'm alone tomorrow, I need love. I need love.

That changed the game. When I was in college, when we were pledging to help us remember, because, you know, you have to take a quiz, right? And we told you have to take quiz for national. You have to learn your founders, like information about the history of the sorority. Actually, I didn't know any of this. Why don't you pull back the curtains some more on the hazing techniques?

That's not hazing. Of the Delta Sigma Theta. Nope, that's not hazing. Hell of what the board. Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated is a non-hazing sorority. It's not hazing. You have to take a test to learn the history of the sorority that's your part of us. So like, we come up with songs to help us remember.

And I remember we were like, when I'm alone in my room, sometimes I stare at the wall. and in the back of my mind, I hear my founder's call telling me about it, Colma, she was married to Frank and because of them Omega Sufi fraternity has to thank then there was J.M.D. I can't remember the rest. Oh, Rachel was getting off. That's the type of shit I like. Yeah?

Yeah. Ella Cool Jazz, two Grammy Awards. I think you get surprised when these kind of things happen. No, I don't know. You was just flowing. He ain't never wrapped on this bitch. Not like like you've been rapping. Because you was just flowing. Texas.

We used to freestyle all the time. And you got the all red on today. Like all flamed up, representing the black peastone bloods from over there in the jungle. Shout out. Rest and peace. Represent Delta Sigma Theta sorority. Rest and peace.

Steve Rogers, man. Keep going. L.L. has two Grammys. I'm pretty sure Snoop has some Grammys. This is not about to be an L.L. versus Snoop debate. Okay. I got to be able to move around L.A. So keep you.

I gave you three names. No, keep going. I gave you three names. I gave me a couple of more. Give me a couple of more. Okay. Dre. No, Dre is a bigger deal.

Wait, wait, wait. No, Dre is a bigger deal to hip hop than LL Cool Jays. Dre is a bigger deal. I got one. I'm done. I'm going to be honest with you. If we're just talking about just as a rapper, I can make an argument that just as a rapper,

because Dre only has two rap albums. Oh, I could see that just as a rapper. Just as a rapper? Like, Dre only has two rap albums. But he's been featured on songs. Well, he's been featured and he's produced so much, to be honest with you, very few people are as important in hip hop. as Dr. Dre is.

But I'm telling you, if you start running down the names, if you start running down the names, you can't really name five guys that have had a better hip-hop rap career than L.L. Cool J. There's going to be a couple of guys, right? You're going to have Jay. You're going to have Kanye.

You're going to have Drake. But when you start to get outside of those guys, when you talk about longevity, when you talk about hits, when you talk about impact, when you talk about evolution, you're going to start running out of people that you could say had a better hip-hop career

than LL Cool Jail. Forget everything you just said. I've never heard you have an accent like you were from Southern California until just now. I didn't hear anything you said. I didn't hear anything you just said. You said,

it would be hard to. find five guys or guys it was very ray jay it was very ray jay say guys say it guys no that's the way it's it's oh wow you've been you've been here for a while you got a little bit of a southern southern california last thing i'll say is this l l'l cool jay is known for hip hop songs such as going back to cali i'm bad the booming system mama said knock you out rock the bells doing it, I need love, all I have, around the way, girl, and hey, lover. How many people have that?

I'm telling you right now, LL is, LL, if you put LL in the versus, because they got the verses coming out with Jaru and Fat Joe, which is going to be an amazing versus. No, I'm not debating you on LL. You got to go to, you got to go to Drake, JZ, Cain levels to get somebody who could be LL in the versus.

and let it'll crush people in the verses. Agreed. I'm not taking away from him. I just gave you one name, though. Next. Whatever. Get out of here. For adults with Crohn's disease

or ulcerative colitis symptoms, every choice matters. Tramphia offers self-injection or intravenous infusion from the start. Trimfaya is administered as injections under the skin or infusions through a vein every four weeks, followed by injections under the skin every four or eight, weeks. If your doctor decides that you can self-inject Tramphia, proper training is required.

Tramphia is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease and adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. Serious allergic reactions, increased risk of infections or lower ability to fight them and liver problems may occur. Before treatment, get checked for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms, or need a vaccine. Explore what's possible. Ask your doctor about Tramfaya today. Call 1-800-526-7736 to learn more or visit Trimfairradio.com. This episode is brought to by WeatherTech. Everyone knows winter is the MVP and make it a mess. You don't need weather tech floor liners in the summer unless you hit the beach or go camping.

Then you'd want a cargo liner or a road trip goes sideways, ketchup goes rogue, ice cream drips. Yeah, you'd be pretty happy about those weather tech seat protectors. So just to be clear as the mud, inevitably going to step into the summer. You don't need weather tech unless you plan on doing summer. Visit weathertech.com today. Yeah, so you went out last night. You went out. You had a fun time. Why do you want to come out here and tell me, tell people my business what I'm, what I was doing last night. I'm sorry. You're right. I had a girl's night. Girl's night out. We had a good time. Chilling. The music is so good. Oh, what they play? What they play? What's the favorite song they played last night at Saddick? Shout out to Sean Dickerson. Shout out to Milt. Uh, South

to Devereign. Shout out to Vic. Shout out to everybody over at Made Entertainment. Shout out to all the homies at Supreme Team too. Shout out to Abdeeb. Shout out to Shane. Shout to everybody over there doing that thing. If you're in LA on a Wednesday night. That's the spot to go. It takes you back like you're in college. Just

listening. I mean, when Mario came on, I'm like, oh, Mario, I miss Mario, Wayne Wonder. You know, you just don't hear those songs before. I mean, I got a girl. She is a cute. I can see the video on my head.

Really a true day. She takes care of me. That is her dude. I didn't know you know the words like that. But the party of Sadiq is one of those places where every song that comes on, you're like, oh, that was my song. That's my song. People aren't dancing. They're singing and they're rapping.

It's a vibe. Check it out if you're in L.A. on Wednesdays. I should be a promoter. Check it out. You can try to check out Sadiq if you're in L.A. They ain't going to let your ass in Sadiq. Maybe if you go early.

If you're like if you're, if you wanted to thought words who's a lady, they might let you in Sadiq. If you're a fella trying to come out here with your boys, y'all, y'all, you know, you've got a convention in Pasadena. You're trying to come out here and catch Sadiq. They're not going to let you in Sadiq.

Sadiq is very hard. If Sadiq is tough. All right. Shout out to all the homies. But like, don't get these people, because all they're going to do is go on Facebook and get mad. I tried to come to Sadiq and they wouldn't let me in. Rachel, Rachel told me I can get, they're going to drop your name at the door.

They're going to drop my name at the door. Who? I'm sorry. Rachel Lindsay told me this was a spot to go to. Please. We just got off the starline tour. Man's name will get you much farther in L.A. than mine ever will. Remember that.

He's special. Okay. Look, here's the thing. I'm going to be honest with you guys before we get into the podcast today. Okay. Not a lot of great news out there. Okay. Not a lot of great news out there.

All right. It, uh, it, um, it, it, uh, it's, it's, it's a trying time for those people known as homo sapiens. It's a tough time right now. I want you guys to try to, I want you guys to do something. We're going to talk about a lot of things that are going on in the world right now this podcast. I want you guys to do something.

I want you guys to choose either today, which is Friday. It's Thursday when we're taping this, but it'll be Friday when you, You guys listen. Choose either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday to just unplug and be with your families. We have flooding in New York. We have my home state dealing with the aftermath of an incredibly powerful storm. We have people's human rights being a cell in the state of Texas, which we're about to talk about right now. We have fires.

We have disease. Pestilence. If I didn't know any better, I would say it was almost time for a ding, ding, ding. Ding ding. You know what that is? Do you know what this is? Is that a tornado siren? Is that a rooster?

I'm not quite sure. That, my friend, is Gabriel's horn. That's what that is. Gabriel's horn. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. It's crazy that you say that. I was out on the balcony at work. And now I wholeheartedly believe this.

I heard the horn today. I was out on the balcony doing a read to match something that I had to do last night. and I was attacked by a locust. Wow, a locus. So you think that's one of the signs right there? The play. Are you kidding me? Locust are absolutely part of the end of day.

But see, here's the deal, though. It's like we get too many bog swarms all the time. I've never seen a locust in this state. If this had been back home in Texas, I would have been used to it. I have never seen one. I heard the buzzing. I thought it was a bee. Then it flew in front of me.

I go, oh, it's a butterfly. And then I saw like the greenish, purple hue, I screamed. I'm afraid of things that fly. So in the days, yes, I'm afraid of things to fly. Birds, grasshoppers, all that. There was this movie, grasshoppers can fly? Am I crazy?

I don't know. Grasshoppers fly, they have wings. Let me tell you something. You never had one attach itself to you? Let me tell you something. This is my problem. Remember I said on the first podcast that we had, the fact that we stopped learning about animals after a specific time?

I don't know. I should know that. I should know whether or not grasshop. You should just know that simply from being from the country. Well, they jump, but I didn't know if they could fly or not. Crickets jump. They can like, they don't fly like birds, but they can like fly up to you. Right. Yeah. No, glasshopper. I'm not glasshoppers.

Grasshoppers, I'm not sure if they fly or not. But there's this movie. The movie is called. Because I need to stop saying that. The movie is called The Rapture and it's with Mimi Rogers. Okay. And once again, there's another one of the movies that Young Van used to freak himself out with when he shouldn't have been watching the movie. So did a young race.

Like, do you ever see that movie, The Rapture? With Mimi Rogers? Do you ever see that? I'm not sure if that was that version, but I've seen a rapture movie. So this movie is about Mimi Rogers and like she's a, she's a LA party girl. It's L.A. party girl. And one night they're engaging in some kind of illicit threesome and she sees a tattoo on the back of a woman's back and she can't stop looking at it. And this tattoo speaks to her.

And then after that, because she sees something in it, she turns her life to God. she turns her life to God and she becomes a fundamentalist and she moves in she has a family she has a daughter but then a husband dies and all of that and all of this stuff happens all of this stuff happens and then the rapture comes and i'd never forget when the raptor comes they were showing just on the news different things you know the horsemen riding and the horn was blowing and then she yeah she stays faithful to god in the end it's like all fucked up because like at the end so much has happened to her that her daughter, she's in the afterlife and her daughter's saying, tell God you love them or else you're going to go to hell. And she had been through so much by going through the rapture that she couldn't do it.

And then it just shows like the earth around her start to like become dark and hellish. And I remember watching this and I remember watching this, Mimi Rogers is the rapture. I remember watching this and then like freaking out for three days, right? and asking all of these questions to my dad and my mom about like the rapture and what was going to happen. Like when Jesus came back and stuff like that. And I remember after God rest and so, I remember after about the third day, my daddy saying, you know what? You know what's going to happen? You ain't even have to worry about that because I'm going to see your ass to Jesus right now.

You don't stop getting on my goddamn nurse. You're always sitting up here late at night by yourself, drinking. orange juice and watching all of that shit, putting that shit in your brain. I stopped putting that shit in your brain, boy. I used to get up in orange juice. I used to put sugar in my orange juice. I get up and I put more sugar in the orange juice, like make like a little orange drink. And I would sit up and I would watch like crazy movies that I couldn't handle.

The rapture was one of them. So that's what I was thinking about. But don't, well, I'm telling you guys right now is over the next couple of days, even though I might have scared you more. Just take a day and go out with the family. Unplugged. Turn the phone off. Okay. On the long weekend.

Long weekend. Go do something fucking fun. Go take some time for yourself. Take some time to get out of the thoughts of all of this stuff. And then come back and be engaged. But make sure you take some breaks. I say that all the time, but you got to take some breaks, man. A lot of shit going on.

And you got to be reminded of it. And I'd also like to tell you something else. What? Because grasshoppers have such powerful jumping legs, people sometimes don't realize they also have wings. Grasshoppers use their jumping ability to give them a boost into the air, but most are pretty strong flyers and make good use of their wings to escape predators. Look, I wasn't.

You obviously haven't been chased by a grasshopper before. Look, I wasn't coming at you. I just didn't remember. I just didn't remember. And I'm just here to remind you. Young grasshopper. All right, we're going to take a break. Come back.

Disturbing news in Texas. For adults with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms, every choice matters. Trimfaya offers self-injecture. or intravenous infusion from the start. Tramphia is administered as injections under the skin or infusions through a vein every four weeks, followed by injections under the skin every four or eight weeks. If your doctor decides that you can self-inject tremphia, proper training is required. Tramphia is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with moderately to severely active

Crohn's disease and adults with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. Serious allergic reactions, increased risk of infections, or lower ability to fight. fight them and liver problems may occur. Before treatment, get checked for infections and tuberculosis. Tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms, or need a vaccine. Explore what's possible. Ask your doctor about Tramphia today. Call 1-800-526-7736 to learn more or visit Trimfairadio.com. This podcast is brought to you by Carvana. Selling your car should feel like one less thing on your list. Not one more. With Carvana, it is. Just go. Go to Carvana.com and to your license plate or Vin and get a real offer down to the penny.

No back and forth, no surprises, just an experience you can trust. Like your offer? Accept it. Schedule pickup. And we'll come to you with a check in hand. Your car, your timeline, your terms. Visit Carvana.com to sell your car today. Carvana.

Pick up fees may apply. Okay. On this, we're going to have Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, who represents the 18th Congressional District in Texas. is down there in Houston to join us to talk about what we can do to fight back against what's going on in Texas and what the ramifications are on this Texas law for the rest of the country and really for the Democratic Party itself. But before we do that, let's talk a little bit about the law.

The Supreme Court, the Supreme Court upheld a new Texas abortion law for right now. And this law is essentially, effectively, a ban on abortion. in Texas. I think that the law outlaws abortion after six weeks, which according to statistics from that state, which would have made about 85% of the abortions in Texas unlawful. It's not just that, though. There's a real specificity to the way that this law can be enacted. Okay. And I've never heard of anything like this before in my life. In this particular law, in the law, it provides space for individuals to bring civil lawsuits against abortion providers or anyone that aids and abets an abortion.

That essentially makes every citizen of Texas a part of an abortion neighborhood watch where it's their right or responsibility to report a woman who they suspect is having an abortion after six weeks. That means if you're walking to abortion clinic, they think it's eight weeks, they can bring suit against you. And the minimum payment for these suits is $10,000 that they can sue you for.

And not just you, not just you, not just the woman, but the providers themselves is actually the thing. The staff worker, the person who drives you to the clinic together. Yeah, anyone who's aided and abetted it. So they're going to sue the providers, sue people that are just standing in the room,

anybody that might even be potentially working there. Everybody, it can be held liable from what I understand. There's more coming out, more information coming out about the law every single day. But two sides of it are really, really interesting. Number one, the fact that this is a direct attack on Roe versus Wade. And number two, the way that this empowers the individual citizen of Texas to police their fellow citizens and to actually sue them based around this is absolutely nuts.

Rachel, you are from Texas. Your thoughts? Well, there's a reason why they put it, and I'm not excusing this by any means. I think we all know where I stand on this. There's a reason they gave, they put the power into the individual to sue because it gets around something. And I can't remember what it was that I was reading, but it gets around them rather than the state doing something or the state taking it in their hoins because they give it to the individual. It allows them to circumvent something, which is why they did it that way.

But I'm so frustrated with the state of Texas. And anybody know, if you know anybody from Texas, you know we are proud people. We think Texas is the biggest state in the country. We think everything in Texas is great. We think our football team is the best team ever, and they ain't won a game in, what, 26, 27 years. But Texas has so disappointed me as of late in the way the legislature is running things and the way the governor is running the state, whether it's gun laws, women's rights, voters rights, immigration. I mean, the list goes on and on and on. disappointed in the way that Texas is running things. And at this point, I'm ready for Texas to just secede from the nation. That's how I feel. I want to get my family out, my loved ones, everybody I know,

and I'm ready for them to go at this point. It's deeply disappointing that this, there is no regard for women's rights. And you've heard people say, how can people shout my body, my choice? But then when it comes to the women's rights for her body, you know, you want to regulate that. And if the situation were reversed where we were regulating something in regards to men, we wouldn't even, this wouldn't even be a point of discussion. And I just can't help but think about the way that there's no outlet for these women. You guys have to understand. Most people don't know they are pregnant at six weeks.

Unless you're trying and you're watching, counting the days and, you know, like monitoring everything, you don't know. And so after six weeks, now you have lost, this is something that prevents you or impedes your ability to get an abortion. This is preventing you completely from being able to do it. You know, we talk about voter registration laws. Voter registration laws are making it harder and harder for you to be able to vote, but they're not saying after a certain amount of time, you can't vote at all. That is what this law is saying. After six weeks, your rights are completely taken away from you. I mean, this is very, people joke with handmaids, tells trending. I talk about the book Vox that's very a modern day take on that.

That is what we're seeing happening in the state of Texas. And the fact that the Supreme Court did not decide to rule on this, that they decided to let the state handle this. It's appalling. It's scary. And I'm telling you guys, like, we got to, we got to band together and fight against this because it won't stop here. more rights will be taken away. And it might not be affecting you right now. But if things keep going this way, eventually it will.

Yeah, five to four like a thief in the night, the Supreme Court voted to not block this. It's very true. There's an anti-abortion group down in Texas called Texas Right to Life, and they have launched a website where tipsters can anonymously report claims of illegal abortions. This is scary stuff, guys. Now, I'm reading some more things about it right now.

And this is interesting. So check this out. It shields people. The law also shields people who bring these cases from being hit with legal costs even if they lose. So the cost is on the person you sue. Yeah. Period. So if I sue you, right, and I lose, you can't, then come at me for the legal cost that you incur.

even if I like you could say oh I think she's pregnant she had an legal abortion they find that that's not the case but I still have to you right got to be kidding I have to pay for you yeah like whereas defendants on the other hand have to pay the legal bills of the people suing them if they lose so this is a this is this law is actually impressive in how flagrant it is it's actually to be, when I say impressive, I know that this is a serious issue. I don't mean to in any way, in any way minimize how serious and how dangerous this is. But this is actually in a way, this is so fucked that in a little while, in a, in a way, I'm almost like, Jesus Christ. Like the political climate in Texas that has contributed to something like this,

even being floated, let alone being made law, it's breathtaking. Did it say, oh, sorry, go ahead. No, I'm listening, go ahead. Did it say that it was $10,000 minimum? Minimum or maximum? Okay. That's the minimum. This is why who you vote for is so important.

Because if it's $10,000 minimum for a civil suit, that means it goes to state court, which means you're going in front of elected judges. If you're depending on how that judge sees and rules things, could possibly dismiss this case from even happening. This is why everybody who is on a ballot is important and you have to pay attention who you're voting for. Have to. If it was 10,000 or less, then it would be in small claims court.

But it's not. It's in state court, which means you have an elect officials oversee these cases. There's also no limit on who can sue. Anyone can be the face of a lawsuit, even if they have no firsthand knowledge of the abortion that they're suing over. Crazy. the Texas right to life legislative director John Seago was asked about it.

He said, we want the abortion industry to know there is an infrastructure in place to hold them accountable if they're not going to follow the law. He also said that this organization has already heard from volunteers willing to back civil suits. Risk fee free proposition, like we said before. They win damages of minimum of $10,000 plus their legal costs. If they lose, they cannot be ordered

to pay the defendant's legal fees. Seigo also said that, plaintiffs will still need to clear a high bar by convincing the judge. There's enough evidence to move forward with the case. So he is assuming that there'll be a high bar and that this will dissuade people from using this frivolously, which I actually doubt. This issue is one that contains so much zeal. People are so zealous about this. they are so

this is one of the liberal conservative battle points it's one of the strictest and most fiercely and highly debated things that exist

between the two different sides of the political aisle and I personally believe that because of that you're going to see lots of these suits and I'm predicting that the majority

of them the majority of them will be frivolous. Yeah, absolutely. I think that this could have, it's this, this law is so strict. I truly believe that it's going to backfire because most people do believe in women's rights. They do. Now, you might not believe in abortion after a certain amount of time, but this target's the first trimester. And I think that people are going to find this so strict that there's no way out for women with the fact that rape isn't a reason to get an abortion to bypass this law,

that incest isn't. I think that it's too much for people to handle. And I do think that it may backfire and you're going to ostracize a lot of people. I think there are people who could go for this law if it came to some middle ground, but it's too harsh. And I do think that it's going to have an effect on people, specifically the citizens of Texas. as Texas is starting, Texas is purple and it's starting to turn blue. And I do think it's going to be a hot ticket on the ballot for Texas, especially as they're coming up with a race with the governor.

And I do think we're going to see it politically be an issue on the national level as well. That could be an unintended silver lining if it ignites the citizenry down there in Texas and they decide that they have to do something about it. if it puts the right on the walls for other ways that liberties that they hold dear could be possibly circumvented by whoever is in power down there in Texas. But you have to wonder though. You have to wonder. You have to wonder if the people of Texas that voted for the people that put these laws in if they're not, if this isn't the will of those people.

like what what I start to wonder is when something like this happens right in Texas which has been you know red for a long while and you know it is turning purple but put you like this I don't know why I'm choosing my word so carefully there's a part of me that believes that any civility or any thought of a middle ground comes from the fear of not doing that put you like this there was a there was a whole model, a making model of Republican, right? There was a guy that used to run campaigns for Reagan back in the day. They caught him on a hot mic. His name escapes me.

He was talking about the Southern Strategy. He was talking about the fact that back in the 50s, you know, what he wanted, and the video was breathtaking. You can go listen to it on YouTube. I'll have his name for you before the end of the podcast. And he's specifically talking about the Southern Strategy and how the Southern strategy evolved. in the South to win elections, right?

To appeal to white rural, working class voters and to use race as a strategy to do so. And what he was saying was, he was saying back in the 50s, you know, or the 40s or 30s or whatever it was, you could just scream nigger, nigger, nigger, and you scream nigger, nigger,

you get those people over here. Okay, well, America matures a little bit, the 50s and the 60s and the 70s come. You can't scream nigger, nigger, nigger anymore. You can't do that. So since you can't scream nigger, nigger, nigger anymore, you have to find a way to call those people niggers in a different way.

All right. And the way that you do that is by saying the welfare queen, saying this, saying that, putting all those words and uses them as surrogates for what you really want to say about a certain group that you're trying to vilify with a different group. All right. And what that tells me is that there is a significant percentage of people on the right who were sick and tired of biting their tongue for years and years and years. and some of the Republicans that we got were the result of that. They were people who found a way to slip on those cloaks and get out of them because that's what they had to do.

You know, we look back and we wax poetic about Jack Kemp Republicans or Bob Dole Republicans or even fucking New English Republicans or Trent Lott Republicans, Republicans, or the way that George W. Bush himself has been sort of deified in his post-president life. You know, talking about, hey, this is a guy that was a realist. Republican, but he wasn't so bad. And I'm not saying to any of those guys are, were that. I'm not saying it. But what I'm saying is, is that by and large, what I'm asking is, should I say,

is if by and large they represented constituencies that were like that, that if they had their way would drop the guillotine on anything that didn't look like complete victory over the left and the force feeding of their ethics. morals and virtues onto America with no room for compromise in the middle. So I'm asking myself if that's what exists because as Trump has brought out the extremes in his party, the question starts to become, were those things extremes, right? Or was that really what they had wanted to do all the time? It just didn't have a mandate to do it because they didn't even know how many of them there

were. So in the aftermath of Trump, we thought that Trump was going to usher out a certain era of Republican politics. but it seems quite evident that what he's done is ushered in an era of Republican politics one to where they don't even try to pretend

like they give a fuck like take no vaccine no vaccinations take your fucking masks off run into the school get sick if you want if you die no big deal hey seriously we're going to let everybody in Texas be a potential like bring a lawsuit so I start to wonder is are there more people like can America Texas in the South wherever now that everybody's

taking the mask off and we're looking at each other if all out war is the only option and when I say war I don't mean necessarily a physical war I mean whether or not compromise and dead is dead and one side just has to fight. fucking lose. I don't think we'll know the answer to that until an election happens, right? Because right now, this is the legislature that you've had in place and I'm not sure how long they've been in place. So they're making decisions based on the decisions that they want to make. They think it'll be interesting when they're up for re-election, what happens? Does you take things too far where you're no longer representing the voice of the people, your constituents? And are you just taking matters into your

own hands because you're trying to please your Republican governor or a Republican president that's in state? I mean, in office or one who's potentially going to be. That's something that we're just going to have to wait and see. My hope is that they've taken things so far and they've been so radical in their approach that they're not necessarily representing the voice of their districts anymore. And they're just doing it because they've politicized everything. But we won't know. We won't know until an election.

If Greg Abbott, if Greg Abbott remains governor, then that is all true about Texas. The guy's name actually was Lee Atwater, his name was escaping me. And so before we move on and take a break and come to Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, I actually want to play the audio for you guys so you can hear what I'm talking about. It's not anything shocking. You guys have heard the N-word before, but listen to it. This was him describing what is really in the inner workings of the minds of some Southern voters. And I wonder now if those people have been.

uncovered and they've jumped out of the well or the bottom. There's no putting the genie back in the bottom now. So check this out. We'll come back and we'll give you Sheila Jackson Lee. You start out in 1954 by saying nigger, nigger, nigger. By 1968, you can't say nigger that hurts your backfire. So you say stuff like force, bus and states rights and all that stuff. And you're getting so abstract now. You're talking about

cutting taxes and all of these things you're talking about are totally economic things. And the byproducts. And the byproducts of them is, flats get hurt worse than white. And subconsciously, maybe that is part of it. I'm not saying that. But I'm saying that if it is getting that abstract and that coded, that we're doing away with the racial problem one way or the other. You follow me?

Because obviously sitting around saying, we want to cut taxes, we want to cut this, and we want as much more abstract than even the busing thing, and a hell of a lot more abstract than never knew. This episode is brought to by Viori. When it comes to clothes that score high and both comfort and style, Viori is my MVP. Sunday performance joggers? Oh, yeah.

They have the perfect. I could watch a game and then go out to dinner vibe. And the Meta Pant, that's my number one. I need to look like I tried option. Get 20% off your first purchase at Viori.com slash Simmons and discover the versatility of Viori clothing. Exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions.

This episode is brought to by the active cash credit card from Wells Fargo. That's a mouthful, but that's because it packs a lot in. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases with it, big or small. So whether it's buying tickets to the game and grabbing a coffee, it earns unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases. Say it with me, the active cash credit card from Wells Fargo, be a 2%er. Learn more at Wells Fargo.com forward slash active cash terms of play.

Obviously, we've been talking about the new abortion ban, effective abortion ban, effectively is an abortion ban in Texas. But there's a whole political landscape that this law, this brand new law, is just a part of in order to help us understand that landscape and what we might be able to do to push back against it. We have a congresswoman representing the 18th congressional district of Texas. That's down there in Houston. Sheila Jackson Lee joined us today.

on higher learning. Sister, we are very pleased to have you. We know you're doing a lot of stuff and you're very busy. So happy you can make the time for us. Just delighted to be with you and view this as an opportunity for truth to find its rightful place in this discussion.

Not even a debate. It shouldn't be a debate. It is a discussion. It is an explanation. And so I'm very happy to be with you. And I believe that this is cause for a fight, if you will. because I frankly believe that we are threatening the lives of women across America,

families who are simply seeking access to health care. So you said that it's going to be a fight, and I wanted to start right there. This is a fight. There are a lot of people who are going to look at this and say it's already done. The question that I would ask you, or that a lot of Americans are asking themselves right now, is how do we fight this? How do we stop this? do we put a pen in this right now? What's the best way to fight? Well, first, let me describe

the Texas law as it should be. Shameful and shameless. It is shameful and it is shameless. It is a distraction of monumental impact, distracting away from the huge COVID deficit in the state of Texas, driven by the state government. No mask mandates prohibited by an executive order. Slow and getting vaccines out in the early stages. Slow and getting testing out in the early stages. Not really pushing forward early on about vaccination. So we have some of the highest numbers of the unvaccinated. Why isn't the state government focusing in the legislature on saving lives. But yet they were able to, in a twinkle of an eye, managed to pass a law that is incomprehensible and it is without substance in the law. And let me share with you.

I chair the Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security Committee. I deal with criminal law. My question, even though these are civil suits, did anyone think about the fact that what you are causing to happen in this particular law, and let me for those of your viewers and listeners, it gives Sheila, it gives Mary, it gives quasi, it gives Jose, it gives Maria the opportunity to stalk another human being to make an assessment, oh, they're going to get an abortion. and they just got out of an Uber or they just got dropped off by a relative. They were in a red car or they're going to talk to their clergy and they're talking about the right to choose.

It is, as I said, an untenable law. It is impossible in the law to not have someone break a law trying to follow this law because who is to say that you know you, the person following the lawsuit, know what you're talking about. So there will be lies involved in that. That's criminal under oath. There will be stalking involved in that. That's certainly criminal.

People's lives will be threatened. That's certainly criminal. And I don't know how you manage to file a civil bill and not realize how many criminal acts that will be engaged in for you to be able to engage in this. So first of all, it is shameful and shameless. It is not a law that can last. The second part of it is that we were waiting and hoping

that the Supreme Court would immediately strike down the Texas law because we believe and know that it violates not only Roe v. Wade, which is a case, but it violates the Constitution under the right to privacy because you breach the privacy of an individual because you have to stalk them. you have to go under the underpinnings of their private life to determine first that you are pregnant, this person, and two, you have overheard or someone told you or you're watching the person's movements or you have seen the actual, I don't know, representation that they are pregnant. They went to an OBGYN and you were standing outside the door. You overheard a conversation. You're a nurse in the room and you told someone else.

and you told someone else about the private conversations between the patient and the doctor. It is absolutely absurd. So on the first hearing of the case, and let me be very clear, the Supreme Court did this in the dark of night. They didn't have any hearings. The lawyers were waiting for them to be asked questions, and they did not. And the same Trump-focused right-wing judges that make up this small minority, five-four decision, shameful, decided that the Texas law could stand. the reason why I think we can still fight

several ways. Congress needs to wake up and may have to act and it'll be the people that will demand the Congress to act. But on the other hand, the court has another bite at the apple. And that is when the Mississippi case comes up, it will still have the opportunity

to address the Texas case on the constitutional grounds. They didn't do that this time. They basically made a decision that there was nothing for them to review. There was no plaintiff. It was just that the bill had been passed, and so people were making the argument that it was dangerous, and the court decided not to do it

because there was no human faith attached to this particular law. Someone is going to have to come up who is truly impacted by this law, and then it will come before the court, the question will be, are they going to overturn Roe v. Wade, are they going to undermine the 9th, Amendment, the right to privacy. So those are the fronts that we can still fight on, but it negates the point of fighting. The statement should be made. It is a civil law wrapped with criminal elements,

and it is a civil law that is almost impossible to lawfully adhere to, and it is a civil law that is full of shame, shamelessness, and it is shameful. And that's what Americans need to know. It's not about a woman being stalked or a woman being impacted. It's do you want to live in a country that a state can pass a law that targets women, particularly women of color who don't have access to a wide vastness of health care? And do you want to live in a nation that is basically depriving an individual of their due rights, of their due process and their right to privacy under the Constitution? Congresswoman, I'm from the state of Texas, and to watch what's happening in Texas from a distance is absolutely appalling.

And I'm wondering with a decision like this, or the lack thereof, maybe I should say, how do you think this will locally and nationally shape politics in this country as we're coming up? Well, as in 2022, the governor's up for re-election in Texas and then just moving towards 2024. You know, I think it's important, and thank you for that. We love it that you're a Texan and know that you are from Dallas. And we love that. We're sisters all the way from Houston and the valley and all the way up and east and west. If you're Texan, but let me say this, the mature vote has to rise up in Texas. Texas is really multicultural, multiracial. It is enormously diverse, but our voters are young. I also we have to build up the energy and the excitement about voting. We did pretty good in 2020. I think if those voters begin to take destiny into their own hands and realize that the state is not going to change until they vote like they've never voted before. Because there's one shameful act after another. The other shameful act, of course, is permitless guns.

It doesn't have anything to do with the Second Amendment. It just says that a governor who is trying to out-trump Trump, particularly in prohibiting mass mandates and putting little baby school children in jeopardy of getting sick and or dying, is also somebody who recklessly does not care, whether the infirm, the mentally infirm, somebody who is dangerous, a domestic abuser can just walk up and get a gun. He doesn't care. he doesn't care about this bill that he did not have to sign stalking women, allegedly having civil lawsuits to stop someone from getting an abortion.

So to answer your question, I think it is the maturing of our vote. It is the reckoning of the people who live here who are so different from these values. They are so different from these values. They are, as I said, people who I think embrace individual rights and privileges, they are going to have to stand up. The rest of us who are already in the fight are going to have to find different tools to utilize. For me,

it will be whether or not we can get anything through the United States Congress, whether there can be an executive order from the White House, or whether or not the Supreme Court can take up the case again and actually rule, have hearings, have oral arguments,

and actually rule on whether these laws are constitutional based upon plaintiffs who will be be individually impacted, taking this case up. Now, the difficulty with that is that that case has to go in the district court, then the appeals court, and then you have an opportunity to go to the United States Supreme Court. Last night was an emergency request to go past any other court seeking emergency relief. And sadly, sadly, that's why votes count. That's why presidents count, sadly because of the right wing Republican court, the rights of women were crushed and squashed

right before our very eyes. That's something that we cannot tolerate. Last question for me, Congresswoman, and we really appreciate you taking the time. We know that you're doing some very important work right now. I am from the state of Louisiana, who obviously has been impacted by another hurricane. And we heard that you're doing some work right now to get people the relief that they need down there in South Louisiana, and I'm very appreciative of that, so I want to say thank you for that. We've heard a lot of talk. We've mentioned the courts and what the court's impact on this particular case.

We've heard a lot of talk about over the last couple of months, over the last couple of years, about potentially expanding the court or by about taking aim at the filibuster so that there are ways that people can impact some of these laws or change some of these things. on a brand broader and more federal level. Where is that stand right now as far as in the, the priorities of the Democratic Party? Do you think that expanding the court and maybe adding some seats so that we can sort of circumvent things like this

is a realistic and rational way to go? Is that possibly the best thing to do for the future of the rights of so many Americans? First of all, let me say how sad and I am and concerned with our brothers and sisters in Louisiana and maybe some of your family members that are still there. And yes, we're working very hard and just got through loading up a truck with water and cleaning materials and food and other elements for families and women and children. But in any event, that truck will be headed down in a couple of hours. We're going to continue to work with them and be supportive of them. and particularly, I want to acknowledge Congressman Carter, who is representing the New Orleans area. We've been in conversation.

Troy Carter. Troy Carter and General General Honor and all. So let me just say that we are concerned and we're going to keep working until our brothers and sisters get back on their feet. as it relates to the Constitution, the filibuster, and getting the job done, you're absolutely right. We're going to have to recognize that the filibuster is about the word I. It's an I rule. What does that mean? The filibuster is a rule that allows the unconcerned minority to abuse the majority of goodwill.

The filibuster is what the southern segregationists utilized when really the vast numbers of Americans wanted civil rights. They wanted voting rights. The filibuster is a rule. It is not even a law. It is a rule. So in my house, for example, everybody goes to bed at 7 o'clock. I'm just saying that example. That's a rule of someone's home.

That is not a law. and I would venture to say if someone wanted to say my house is being abusive, they might have some rights. It's a rule and it is not even in the Constitution. It is time now that the

we in America prevails. The we in America wants voting rights. The we in America cannot even believe that this Texas bill has been passed. And so in order to embrace the we in America, to give rights to the many who are many times unenpowered,

we've got to get rid of the filibuster by way of a carve out for these human rights legislation or a roll-off for these human rights legislation or courageously to remove the filibuster because it is simply a rule. As it relates to the court, I am an institutionalist, meaning that I believe in the rightness of process, the rightness of the Bill of Rights, the rightness of the Constitution.

And I adhere to that. I've spent my time in Congress on the Judiciary Committee. I take great pride in adhering to or making the laws work for the people. But I am certainly aware of the abuse that has occurred in these nine judge courts and how we have suffered. with the packing of the court, not by fair selection of judges. We know there's no fair selection because Mitch McConnell completely blocked the judges offered by President Barack Obama, and that should not have happened. If he had not blocked them, the Supreme Court would have been representative of the different philosophies of presidents over the last 20 years.

It was not. Eight years. Eight years, President Obama had to fight for federal judges, and then, of course, Supreme Court and only got one. So my view is that in order to be fair for the we, yes, we need to expand the court. And I've endorsed legislation, co-sponsored it, offered by Mr. Jones from New York and others,

to expand the court. I think it is reasonable. I think it does not undermine justice. It expands justice. reason for us not to debate on the floor of the House and the United States Senate. We must expand the rights of the wheat because right now we have been dominated by the pressure and oppression of the eye and the one person, the meat, who has dominated and hurt and harmed those who are seeking justice in the courts.

Congresswoman, I'm not sure if we have, if we're out of, of time. If you have time for one more question, I would just like to go back to the bill that was just passed. I want to ask a question in regards to how stringent this bill is. I'm wondering, because the Republicans are the one pushing this forward, what your thoughts are on the fact that a bill like this hasn't been passed before, and it's so strict, it doesn't just block you from getting an abortion. It pretty much prevents you from getting it after six, around six weeks when most women don't even know that they're pregnant. And it doesn't allow for any type of exceptions such as rape or incest. Because it is so strict, do you think a bill like this

could end up backfiring in the long run for Republicans seeing how majority of the country is actually for abortion rights? And you know, I characterize it in a different manner. I always describe myself is for the right to choose, for choice. And the reason is because Republicans always like to characterize you and me is that, we're out with a flag waving up and down the street saying abortion, abortion, abortion. We're not saying that. I don't think you're saying that. I think you're saying it is a woman's right with her faith, her physician, her family,

her faith leader, and whoever else she chooses to make that decision for her health and any other reason, a victim that is raped. And you don't have an exception for that. So I believe beyond backfiring, I think this will be described as a cruel and inhumane legislative action. And that's what I'm going to be calling the people who've allowed this to come about, cruel and inhumane. Then I believe as we continue to educate the people, as we begin to educate the people, then they will themselves say it is cruel and inhumane. and I am not going to accept this and who is going to be at the brunt of this

Republicans who would not stand up for basic human rights remember what we've heard before from Hillary Clinton human rights is women's rights women's rights is human rights human rights are human rights for all people and so I think it is true that what they think was for good is going to be for wrong because who's going to tolerate this

who's going to tolerate being stalked. Pregnancy is a most sacred time for someone in terms of whatever decision they make. And you're going to jeopardize them, jeopardize their family, jeopardize their life. They're going to be a victim of peeping thoms or gossipers who are gossiping about what their decisions are and then pick up and file a lawsuit.

And let me just say this. Let me tell you why it's cruel. And then you're going to get $10,000 because you did that? I almost want to just throw up my hands and say, this is not America. So that's why I'm committed. I'm in a fighting mood, a nonviolent fighting mood, but I am not going to be denied. I will not allow my sisters to suffer no matter who they are. If they cannot speak for themselves, I will be speaking.

And we will not let those furious, foolish persons rest. They will have to live with this dastardly legislative initiative. that does nothing but create havoc and harm to young sisters, young sisters. And I say that across ethnic, religious, racial lines, women intergenerational are going to be victimized by this vile law. And the women who voted for it, if there were, I'd like to ask them, what were you thinking? Representative, Congresswoman, we are so thankful that you could join us today. Sheila Jackson Lee joined us today on the higher learning podcast.

We will continue the fight. We will make sure that me as a man, I will continue to make sure that the women that I share my community with have complete freedom of choice with their bodies. It's something that's very deeply important to me. It should be deeply important to all men who want empowered women. to share their communities with. And we're happy that you had the time to come join us today on higher learning. I want to let you know that I've been so pleased to join you. I hope you see there's a little bit of passion in me at this time.

Just a little bit. Yeah. You know, because I just worry for those in their time of crisis that they have no one and they have now a law that probably, there's probably someone out there that doesn't even low the law exists. and they're in their crisis and they have to be subjected to the lack of access,

comfort and care. They have nothing. How dare we do that in this country? How dare we do it? So thank you for your fight and your push. And if you can use my words, it is simply shameless, shameful, cruel, and inhumane. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Bye, bye. Forgive me for being in the car. That's okay. That's okay. We're happy to have you.

All right. That gave me, I feel a little more hopeful now. She's great. She's powerful, sister. Yeah, no. She's fantastic. Taking the time to talk to us while she's also out there doing work to help citizens of another state. But yeah, she's got the passion.

So hopefully, hopefully, we'll have to keep monitoring this and see what happens in Texas and possibly in other states. Yeah, we just need like, you know, we're just going to need what she said was very important, but it also tells me that there's going to have to be a concerted effort to actually fight the spread of the law. Because it picks up other places, you know, a lot of people play with places have heartbeat laws like this. But the structure of this one is just particularly pernicious and we need to make sure that it doesn't. And I like what she said about how we came together when it came to voting. So it can be done. It's not that it can't.

So we can't be discouraged. We've done it before. We can do it again. Right. Okay. So look, this was an interesting tidbit that I got from the R Thought Warriors. My favorite place on the internet. Ooh, I love you.

Our Thought Warriors. Oh, sexy. Sexy Reddit. Okay. It's the sexiest Reddit. Did you know that? That R. Thought Warriors was voted to sexy as Reddit?

No, but I'm glad that you told me that. Are our numbers going up? Are we growing? Oh, the numbers are growing over at R Thought Warriors. It's cool. They were voted sexiest Reddit ever. So if you join there, your sexy goes up 10%. By the rest of it.

Reddit Awards? No, but just them like dim people. I did see some people that are uncomfortable with my use of the word of the N-word. This isn't the first time you've heard this. I know, but what am I supposed to do? Well, you said you were going to, when somewhat influential told you you should stop, you said you were going to stop. And I changed my mind after that.

You never said that. I know, because I didn't. You were so rebellious. Someone was giving you some, and we're not talking about the judge. to your guys just for that. It's not the judge. It's not the judge. It's not the judge.

It's not the judge. Somebody else told me. But you know how to decide it? I thought they told me all of that and I thought about it and I was going to do it. Then I thought, nigger, please. I'm joking. Please. Just joking.

Okay. So this was posted on our thought words, sexiest Reddit ever. There is a special safe. Safe Streets unit. That exists. right here in my, I guess, my live area, it's not my hometown, but it's the area that I live in here. Beverly Hills. Right. So this is a, it's a, it's a safe streets unit, okay? The unit is, is, it's tasked with keeping the streets safe. The unit made 106 arrests between March 2020 and July 2021.

100 and 60 arrests by the Beverly Hills Safe Streets unit. I want you to guess out of 106 arrests, how many of the people were black? Well, I know the answer. Well, you should have just played along. Now you ruined it. Do you want me to lie to the thought warriors? Whatever.

The answer is if I didn't know. Okay. If you didn't know, if you didn't know, how much would you guess? Honestly, if I didn't know at one of, I'd probably say like 60%, so I'd probably say about 70. So 105. 99%. 99%.

Even the fucking NFL doesn't pick niggas that good. Wow. Even their numbers are lower than that. The NBA, the NFL, even their numbers are lower. The FBI, excuse me, the Beverly Hills Police Department. is better at getting black guys than the goddamn NBA is. They killing it. The Safe Streets Unit is killing it.

Are they police officers or are they some like unit that they created of like civil servants who, you know, can arrest? No, it's a bunch of cops. Okay. The unit is known as the Rodale Drive Task Force. We set up last year, here it is, as in a significant increase in calls. for service in our business communities, according to the city, which is one of the richest municipalities

in the U.S. and less than 2% black. So I want you to look at those numbers, less than 2% black, but 99%. And what month and year did this start? Oh, March 2020 to July 2021. So COVID? Yeah, let me tell you what's going on in Beverly Hills.

People were getting no checks. If y'all don't know what's going on, in Beverly Hills. So when we first moved over here, we moved over here to this area. I go out and I take my walks. My walks is far, super long walks.

So I'd leave, go all the way up to Wilshire. Or sometimes I go all the way up to like fucking Melrose or whatever, walk all the way into Beverly Hills and walk back down, just going ham, right? Putting some tread on the motherfucking tires. All right. And I would look around and I'd be like,

yo, man. like it's a lot of black guys over here black people in Beverly Hills what's going on I was like I think it's as post-COVID this is post-COVID this is you know post-George Floyd stuff this is like this is like it's a lot of black people in Beverly Hills and what I didn't know I'm outside

of luxury stores correct you got to realize I moved here during the time I thought that was normal hell no I didn't know you got to realize I know I know nothing. I move here in September of 2020. I lived in Westwood.

I'd go to Rodeo and I was like, wow. Yeah, we're getting it. We are all here. Oh, like Lennox Mall. You know? It is exactly what it was. No exaggeration. And the crazy

thing about that is that if you weren't from around here, when you would see like five, six brothers together and they leave in Louis Vuitton, like when I was on the, when I was on a tour, us, if you see five, six brothers together and they leave Louverton or something like that, that's a good hint for you to go and see who they are because they're probably football players or rappers or something like that. This is a good hint for you to go see who they are. And so I'm looking

back and forth and I'm seeing no rappers and no basketball. I'm seeing a bunch of Craigs and Terrells and a bunch of little Jamies, big Tonys, big steves. I'm seeing a bunch of people from, And then it's a bunch of people stopping me. They go, oh, it's homie from TMZ. I'm like, okay, it normally doesn't happen in Beverly Hills, but whatever. So I think, to be honest with you, if we're being honest, we started to see after a while that the Beverly Hills Police Department started to crack down on some of that stuff.

They started to crack down on it, and they started to actually accost and arrest people who didn't have anything to do with that. A friend of mine who was the head shoe designer for Fashchi, you remember this very famous story. He had just come from, the store that he actually was a VP of and they stopped him. Was carrying the shoe, the very shoes he designed. He designed and they stopped them.

So I guess what I'm saying is that I think that this is a response to what Beverly Hills saw as the darkening of the city. But let me say something interesting about that, Rachel, is it took a while for them to crack down on this. And the only way that they started to crack down on the PPE stuff that was going on there is after complaints from people that were actually on the other end of those scams started to happen. Somebody like me could make a very, very strong argument that those scammers helped Beverly Hills. that those scammers that were scamming all summer long They kept the stores alive They kept those stores alive And that those same people took all of that stuff

You know damn fucking well That somebody walking into a store Paying for a Louis belt with six fucking EBT cars It's not on the level But they took it until the news started to expose it And then they scapegoated everybody else Who they had done business with Correct. They started putting signs outside of their doors that said, we no longer accept these cards. That's what they started to do. But it didn't slow people down from going. It didn't. But you say, this was... They stopped taking them, though. I'm saying that it didn't slow down... It didn't slow down black people, though, from going. Black people still are all up in Beverly Hills. Do you know, when remember that time we went and we hung out to Beverly Wilshire? We did that whole thing. We hung out to Beverly Wilshire. You know, at the front of the Beverly Wilshire, the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, it says,

we don't take EBT. I didn't see that. They say it. It says right there. It's from the Beverly Woods Hotel. One of the swankest hotels ever. We stayed at the veranda suite. We stayed on top of the roof with a tent on it.

It said, we don't take any EBT. But you know what? You say that they cracked down kind of late on it. No, they didn't. You said they started in March 2020. That's literally the start of COVID. No, that's the start of COVID. So the task force started.

And that's the start of the task force. The task force started a little bit before. for that, but I think a lot of the stopping of people is what I'm saying. The task force itself might have been, might have not been enacted because of that. But I think a lot of the stopping and the profiling has to do one with the fact that cops are erasic. And number two, that they were responding to what they thought, they thought they think that being, having black skin is probable cause. That's the main problem with policing. They think they were having, you think they were stopping them because they were scammers. I think they were stop. I think they were just stopping them because

it was a response to all these black folks there. There were a lot. It was a lot. And I think that's what it was too. You don't know who's a scammer and who's not when they're walking on the street. They were stopping them simply for being black. Well, you think all of them are scammers. You think you got the PC because they got the black skin, you know?

Hey, Bozeman. You know, that wake you up. Good boy. Now. And the task force is no longer there. No more task. force. But what I do want to do is I want somebody from the city of

Beverly Hills to come on the podcast and talk about these amazing numbers. That's impressive. 105 out of 106. I don't want to hear it. You think they just start sprinkling in some white people for fun. Like cops, y'all ever get bored, arresting niggas?

Y'all never think, you know what? Let's switch it up. Think about this. Think about this. Every single day you eat Popeyes and it's good. one day don't you just want to go hey let's just stop by this this other place from Kentucky and see what's up no cops don't you just wonder what would it be like just for

a change to beat the shit out of a white man listen what is what what what is bruising on white skin look cops you ever ask yourself these questions I don't want don't invite those people to come on first of all the task force is no longer in service also the city defended the task force even after getting the numbers that it was 105 out of 106 they still defended what they did and they didn't respond to any questions in regards to the statistics so i i mean like i have nothing to say they believe in what that they what they did

was right which is appalling yeah yeah appalling it's a word i keep using on this podcast all right uh hurricane ida made her way to the northeast and you know it was a very sad situation in new york city it was flooding everywhere 29 people dead uh up in new york city Normally you don't see storms have the staying power to sweep through and continue to make their way up there. The remnants of Hurricane Ida were still strong enough to really cause big problems in New York. So know that my home state was hit very hard, but I also want to make sure that we acknowledge that there are people up there in the New York area. A lot of people that I know that were affected by the storm as well. So climate change is a big deal.

Climate change is a big deal. and it's a real thing. And so we have to make sure, what's wrong? He looks so small. He got a haircut. He got a haircut. Bose, you look so cute. He got a haircut.

It looks so small. You got a haircut. Oh, it's so cute. How much does he weigh? He weighs about 95 pounds right now. Hey, buddy. Oh, my gosh. Hey, what a good best dog.

You know everybody has a dog voice, what's yours? Hey, buddy. Hey, little special dog. I love you, Mr. Doggily. Sometimes I call him Mr. Doggily. Everybody. Get off. Get off.

That is working. Get out. Kick you in the face. Dog abuse. Joe, by the time this comes out, we'll be rocking to some new drink. Certified lover boy. Certified lover boy. Like this is the big heavyweight battle.

Drake is dropping certified lover boy. It's coming out one week after Donda, not even a full week. Donda dropped on Sunday. Certified lover boy is coming out on Friday. He's got all kinds of people everywhere. Everywhere. Drake is doing his thing. Are you excited about the release of Certified Loverboy?

He talks about this. I've already ranked my excitement. on a scale from one to ten. I will say, you know, maybe it changed. Yeah, they started to announce some people that could possibly be on it. Some people have been confirmed like a Project Pat. Project Pat.

Project, Project, Thought Warriors. I would like to read something. I'd like to read something to you guys. I'd like to read something. Read it. Ballhead scally wag. Ballhead scally wag.

Ain't got no hair in back. Gelled. Weaved up. Your hair is messed up. If those are the types of lyrics that we're going to get from Project Pat, I don't want to hear it. Project Pat? You don't fuck with Project.

Googling and Googling. That ass is juicy. Good, Googling. If y'all don't fuck with Project Pat, you don't know me. No, listen, at college, I love Project Pat. I'm just making fun of it because lyrically, you know, he's not, you know, a top five. But being from the South.

Wait, wait, wait, wait. You're trying to say Project Pat can rap? I didn't say that. Don't do that. I stay on top five and you wouldn't put him in your top five. and you wouldn't put him in your top five either, so don't play with me like that. Well, it's a different top five.

He's from this. Oh, he's in your top five Southern rappers. Stop. No, he's not. He's in my top five. I love this nigga. But I had so much fun.

Googly-Mugally. I said, okay. Don't save her. She don't want to be. Oof, that's the best one. He got,

he got one. He got one. I don't want to go to county jail. No, mo, mo, that's the song. See what I'm saying.

The song is about, The song is about Project Pat. not one to go back to Connie Jail. You see what I'm saying? That's crazy. I'm now at a two. I'm glad to see what Drake could cook up with Project Pat. No, it'll be interesting here.

I just saw that and I immediately thought chicken head. This Drake Kanye West thing is so good. I wonder if you... Is it a thing? Hell yeah. Well, the only reason I ask is because I know people were saying that Kanye West was trying to push his album back to come out the same time, the exact same weekend or whenever,

the same release date as Drake's. But that didn't happen. So Kanye's has already come out. Right. Now Drake's is coming out. So what are we, what are we come? I mean, other than, it'll still be competitive.

They're going to be two totally different records. It'll still be competitive. But how do you compare to, this isn't like the time when it was Kanye West and 50. You know what I mean? There's two totally different types of music. Yeah, I'm going to be honest with you. That's my thing with Kanye is.

We don't really compare Kanye West and Drake. The only people that compare Kanye West and Drake, really it's Kanye West Drake can't compete with Kanye West and what Kanye West does and Kanye West can't really compete with Drake and what Drake does. Kanye West seeks out to make meaningful moving music

that doesn't seem to be Drake's aim. It's moving in a way, but it seems to be very aimed at pleasing Drake's fan base. And Drake makes bona fide number one top 10 radio hits. And Kanye West, to be honest with you, hasn't done that in a very, very long time. Kanye West, his rule over the radio, kind of ended in the late 2000s,

because even if you go back to some of these other songs, they don't really be radio hits. He flirted with commercial shit for a little while with Click and all of those records like that. And, you know, Watch the Throne, obviously had some hits on it, but, like, as far as Kanye solo stuff, he's a big, important artist.

So they're really in two completely different lanes. Couldn't agree more. But there's one person who doesn't think so. Kanye West. All right. Terry Cruz. Let me tell you what Terry Cruz said. Which time.

So this is what Terry Cruz says. Terry Cruz says the best thing, he tweeted this, he said the best thing about being uninvited to the cookout is that you never drank the Kool-Aid. This is what Terry Cruz just said to everybody. Terry Cruz looked at all of you niggers in the face. Terry Cruz looked at all of you niggers in your faces. So you know what Terry Cruz said?

I don't want to be one of y'all. I don't want to come to your fucking cookout. Because y'all drank the Kool-Aid at the cookout. And whatever the Kool-Aid has in it, I don't want to be a part of it. I have something to say about this. Number one, if you don't want to come to the cookout, you big, swole white man's nigger, then you know what you do? Just don't come. Just don't come.

We don't need you to tell us that you don't fuck with us. Terry, we know. Yeah. Yeah. News flash. Hold on. Wait a minute. News flash.

Terry Cruz doesn't fuck with us. You think? Yeah. Secondly, we don't want to. drink Kool-A with you. And I'll tell you why we don't want to drink Kool-A with Terry Cruz. It's because there ain't going to be no sugar in it. Here's the thing. When you will go over to your white homeboys' house and their mamas would make Kool-A, this is how you could tell the differences in culture. When we would make Kool-Aid in my house, all right, we will make

Kool-A in my house and you could literally stand a spoon up in the Kool-A. You could, the Kool-A was so sweet that you would ask yourself, should I be doing this? This can't be good. That's how sweet the Kool-Aid was. But when you would go over to your white friend's house and you would drink the Kool-Aid, you would look at them like, how do you live this way? Your wife friends had Kool-A? Yeah, my white friends had Kool-A.

We from the South. Like, we go over there and it would be like, I'm not, I didn't come over here to drink red water. I came over here to taste the sugar, to taste the cold sugar. goodness. And that was a way to let you know that, hey, culturally, they're a little different from us. Culturally, they like this Kool-A because they're all drinking it. They're all sitting around like, oh my God, mama, pour me another glass. Woo-hoo! And you're like, I can't drink

this. And I can't eat this gumbo either because it got hot dogs in it. Yeah, that's some Louisiana stuff. Like, I can't, I can't, I can't drink this. I can't eat the gumbo over here. Y'all put Frank's in the gumbo. So Terry Cruz, I want you to make sure that you listen. Bro, we don't need you to tell you, we don't need you to tell us that you're happy, that you're not invited to

wherever to cook out or whatever the party is. We don't even need to hear that from you. Nicka, we know. We know you don't fuck with us. And the reason why we know you don't fuck with us is because every single opportunity there is to shit on us, you take it. It's like one of those white. friends that you have and they go, I'm not racist, but I tell you what, I can't stand the way

black guys play basketball. I'm like, well, what are you talking about? Like if every opportunity, if you're not homophobic, but you take every opportunity to talk down on LGBT culture, guess what, you're homophobic? If you're not racist, but you take every single opportunity to nitpick with black culture, guess what? You're racist. I just wish Terry Cruz would just chill in his spot and enjoy it. You like to make your pecks dance for the white people. You're their court jester. You know, you see nothing wrong with what they do.

Man, come grab you by your dick. You still love them. You hate us. We ain't do that to you. So my thing is just be you. Stop fucking with us. I actually think he is being himself. I think at this point, he is committed to being justice.

He has picked his lane, and this is the lane that he's traveling in. And within that lane includes these type of tweets. What he tweeted, I know he thought that was so deep and profound. It was neither. Not even close. I think he thought it was clever. It was not. This is who Terry Cruz is at this point.

I think he now has to commit to this where, and we just have to know, every couple of months, we going to get one of these Terry Cruz tweets. This is who he is. This is him. And like you said, we know, we accept it, we move on. And guess what we're not going to do? Unless it's just something wild, we're not going to talk about it anymore on this podcast. How about that?

Because now this is who he is. It's like talking about Candace Owens. It's like when people want to message me, like, did you see what Candace Owen said? Did you see this? We know who she is. We know what she's going to do. And one of us in a month or this month is going to have a front row seat to it. You still doing that?

Rachel. You make a good point. You make a good point. But I just can't, I just can't quit Terry Cruz. Quit him as in, you still keeping a seat open for him at the table? No.

Quit him. Like, it's the same stuff. This is who he is. I don't want to, I just don't want to highlight his ignorance. He's not funny. He's not saying anything thought-provoking that makes me say, huh?

Well, I never saw it from that way. No. No. You know why it bothers me, though? And this is the last thing I'll say about it. This is why it bothers me in all seriousness. And it's not right to call a black man those names. I just called him.

But, you know, I get caught up sometimes. But let me tell you why it bothers you. You know what the cookout is? The cookout is an expression of cultural love. The cookout is saying it, the cookout is saying, hey, we're safe. We feel safe around you. That's what the cookout really is. See, people take the cookout thing and think it means being cool

or think it means being this. Do you know what a lot of these expressions when we talk about them as black people are? They're about the one thing that's not afforded to black people in this country. That's safety. Sometimes we think if people dance the way we dance and if people like the same music that we like

and if people go to the same places that we go, that in a way they won't harm us. That we're free from harm from those people. So you see somebody that watches, that watches, I don't know, the real housewives or whatever somebody would be coming, get invited to the cookout for, somebody that listens to rap or somebody that can really

dance, you think, hey, they love our culture, they're not going to call the cops on us. Hey, they love our culture. Hey, they love our culture. They're not going to kill us. Hey, they love our culture. They're not going to go tell the manager on us. Hey, they're accepting of a part of us, so they might accept the whole of us, right? And so and even though a lot of times that we do that, it's misguided and it's something that we shouldn't do,

what it really is, is an expression that we feel safe with you. Like, we feel safe. with you. We feel safe that you can party with us, that you can eat with us, that you can come around and be around us, that you won't harm us or do any things I just mentioned, right? That's what like the cookout means. The cookout means that you can come in and kick in with us and we don't have to worry about like what's going to happen when you leave or while you're still there. And if I was Terry Cruz and I heard black people, black Twitter, black people anywhere

saying that they don't feel safe with me, that they don't feel included when I'm around. That would bother me fundamentally. Fundamentally, I would look at that as, hey, these are my people. Do I have 100% agreements with them? No, nobody can have 100% agreements with black people because black people are not a monolith. They're black people all over the place

that have all different types of views and thoughts and things like that, right? But if you have people saying, hey, bro, we feel like there's a little something off. as a black man and if you care about your identity as a black man not in its proximity to whiteness or as it's compared to whiteness if you care about that yeah why wouldn't that bother you right like why wouldn't it bother you that the people that experience so much oneness that are trying to find their oneness don't feel one with you so to me everything else that you can say about coming to the cookout, not coming to the cookout.

Obviously, it's not very, like I said before, it's not surprising that he doesn't want to come. The question is, don't you want to be invited? Don't you want to be a part of us? Don't you want to feel as if there's something that connects us all? As humans, of course, but as black people, certainly. Well, that's why you're you and he's him. He does not feel that way.

We lost one. Did we? Okay. Mailback. Mel back. I'm going to be very polite to the mailback people. Guys, please. Could you please play the mailback song? I'm so nice to you guys. Play it, please. If you don't mind, if that's okay. If that's okay, could you play the mailback song, if that's all right? Mailback time. Time to read your letters and then we'll reply to them. Oh, it's mailback time. Write us with your queries and will chime in actually.

No, no, no. People get mad at it. Oh, very, you're so rude, blah, blah, blah. No. Hey, hey, Donald. Donald Beecham Jr. Could you please go ahead and read those mailbacks for me, baby?

All right, go, let's go. From Elsa, what were your main college essays about? That's a good question. Uh-huh. My law school essay was about being a substitute teacher. and the impact that my kids had on my life for a year.

My college essay was about coming into my own as a black woman being in a predominantly, coming from a predominantly white school my entire life. And how I didn't have any diversity, but I was there one form of diversity. I was like what I read about. Interesting. Oh, that sounds very interesting right there.

That's why I got it to a good school. Shout out to the University of Texas at Austin. Hook him. One of mine was about how Star Wars is actually a space western. And the other one was about the transformative nature of story. And how I came from a very fixed point in a community that has very fixed lines and from a place that had all of these definitions. and the way that I was able and the strongest way that I was able

to erase definitions to expound, expand and release myself was through story, was through pretending to be somebody else and watching other people to pretend to be somebody else and that's why I feel like it's the world's most important ministry.

That one really got to people because they don't think that little blacks can write like that. That sounds very interesting. Right. All right. Next one. Come on.

All right. From, If you had to matchmake two celebrities to create a super baby, who would they be? Let's do you genics. Rachel. I get to you, fans already thought about this. I got to think about this.

You probably have thought about this before. Of course. Of course. Exactly. See? Of course. I mean, this is problematic, but I already have the couple. Exactly.

Who's your couple? Who do you think Serena and LeBron? Oh, so you're going sports. Of course. Yeah, no. Wouldn't you want to mix it up, like a Kanye? No, no. I don't want to, no, not at all.

Okay, I don't think, I think we can all agree he's a genius. He might be a trouble genius, but he's a genius. Let's just be, let's just be for real. Okay, go ahead. You know what? I'm going to stick with Kanye because I like the way you're reacting to it. Kanye and. Hillary Clinton.

No, no, no, no. Kanye and Simone Biles What? What? What? I chose somebody who is masterful in the way

that she is as an athlete. She is the all time, the greatest. And then I chose a genius who is a genius in his own regard with his art in his artistry. If you combine them together, the baby's either going to come out with both or one of those things.

Interesting. All right, thank you. Interesting. I rest my case. Okay. Next question. Let's go. From Tassie or Casey,

do you have an alter ego in what is his or her name? I do have an alter ego. An alter negro, y'all. He almost said he has an alter negro. I got that. Is that its name? No. No.

That's not his name. Do you know, do you have one, Rachel? Big Rache. Big Rache. Mine is Joshua. Just Josh? Joshua. Hold on for a second.

Hold on for a second. Are you going to play a recording of Joshua? No, no, no, no, no. No, no, no. No, I'm going to call Ian real quick. Oh, shout out to Ian, a faithful thought warrior. Yeah, Ian loves it. Let's call it Ian real quick.

See if I. Man, what's good, boy. Ian, what's up, bro? You're on the podcast, man. Yeah, what's good. What's good. Okay, so there's a question that just popped up. And the question from my mailbag is, do you have an alter ego?

And what is his or her name? Can you think of the name that I shout out when it's time to get crazy? Joshua Play a proof crew But why? Because Joshua is like when I get super hyped up And I can't control my energy And I want to just destroy and go nuts

Joshua is his name And like and Ian knows because like I'd go places And I'd like and sometimes we'd be somewhere And I would just grab someone and shake them Or hit them or knock them like a cup off the fucking counter or like really like we might be driving and I would mash

on the gas real hard and go super fast and I would Joshua just why just why and then and then that's who he was like that's my alter ego and like one time my like Gibral when I was a kid I completely destroyed

his room and made an obstacle course out of it and and like when they asked later on what was going on I told him that like Joshua did it And everybody was concerned But Ian knows Ian knows Ian you fuck with Joshua

Yes or no Yeah Yeah because he can get into it All right bro Ian sounds scared of Joshua I just want to point that up Ian is not scared of Joshua And Ian are tight

Joshua is Ian has been Me and Ian used to be roommates So Ian has spent more time with Joshua Than the rest of my friends Wow are you taking this alter ego too far I just learned that Ian can sing and I would like to move for him to replace the current mailbag song with his own version.

Oh, let me tell you something right now. Let me tell you something right now. We should actually do that. We should have the thought warriors get together and have us, have them send us their version of the mailbag song, right? You guys, thought warriors, this is such a great idea. Thought warriors, record your own version of the mailbag song and send it to us. And then we're going to play your version.

is Rachel, you're such. Fucking, I got the smartest co-host in the world. And then we're going to play those songs. Ian can't sing it, though. When I tell you Ian's voice is the greatest voice you've ever heard before in your life, Ian sings like a fucking angel. And I'm sorry, why can't he enter the competition? He's a thought for you.

Because this is about me now. I've spent years and years listening to him saying it's my time. It's my time. It's my time. Okay. But yeah, record your own mailback song. Donnie, can you, you have the bandwidth to handle? Everybody's sending in their mailback songs.

Which should they send them in, Donnie? Where? Is Donny V. At Spotify.com. So if you want to send Donny anything, the mailback song, your nudes, whatever you want, send them right there to Donnie. Donnie and his new wife. Donnie and his new wife are freaks.

And they would love to get up close with you guys. Next week we're going to be like Donnie is no longer with us on the podcast. Donnie is calling Donnie is out. All right. Bozeman, I'm not playing ball with you. Get away from me, okay?

I'm working. That's okay, Boseman. One more question. Are we done? That we're done. Unexpected ally of the week? Unexpected ally of the week. Do you have one?

I do. I do not have one. I would like to preface this by saying the key word is unexpected. It does not mean that I think this person is ally, a friend or any thing like that. It's just something, they did something unexpected. I'm going to go with Ann Coulter.

Oh, wow. That is a good one. Yeah. Did you see what she said? Yeah. So for those of you don't know, she tweeted out and it went viral because she basically said that Biden had the balls to do what President Trump could not because he brought our troops home.

Trump said he was going to do it. He never did. She even tweeted out a series of tweets where he said he was going to. going to do certain things, or not certain things, bring the troops home. He never did. She said Biden had the balls to do it. That's not something you'd expect to hear from Ann Coulter, unexpected ally of the week. Good for you.

Good for Ann, I guess. Just the week. The week. Her time is up as a Friday. Still making my decisions on what the right move in Afghanistan was and how it affected the people of Afghanistan. So, you know, but I get it, though. And culture, a lot of people are on that.

This has nothing to do with what I think about, though. It's just the fact that that was unexpected. It was unexpected. That's the reason why we have it. Unexpected ally of the week. All right. Go LSU, bit game Saturday against UCLA. We'll both be there.

Go Tiger Nation. I love you so much. Freaky little tigers. We're the freaky little tigers. We're the freaky little tigers. LSU the freaky little tigers. We wear a freaky little... All right, just to bring this podcast full circle,

make sure that you take time this weekend to do something for yourself, for your mind, for your peace, into yourself, spend time with family, friends, or maybe you just do it alone. Take some time. We have this extra day this week. I cannot have this.

Thought warriors. Have a fun and safe weekend. We love you guys. Make sure you submit your... What is it? Mailback. Make sure you should. make sure you submit your mailbag songs to Donnie's email address.

We'll give it to you next week as well. We can't wait to hear from you guys. And we will see you guys on Tuesday. Bye bye.