#RolandMartinUnfiltered - KCMO Police Troubles & White Media’s Supremacist Hypocrisy, OPEC Cuts Oil Production, WeKinkfolk App

Starting point is 00:00:00 This is an iHeart Podcast. Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glott. And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports. This kind of star-studded a little bit, man.

Starting point is 00:00:48 We met them at their homes. We met them at their recording studios. Stories matter, and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Starting point is 00:01:05 You say you'd never give in to a meltdown. Never let kids' toys take over the house. And never fill your feed with kid photos. You'd never plan your life around their schedule. Never lick your thumb to clean their face. And you'd never let them leave the house looking like, uh, less than their best. You say you'd never put a pacifier in your mouth to clean it.

Starting point is 00:01:36 Never let them stay up too late. And never let them run wild through the grocery store. We have one aisle six. And aisle three. So when you say you'd never let them get into through the grocery store. We have one aisle six. And aisle three. So when you say you'd never let them get into a car without you there, no, it can happen. One in four hot car deaths happen when a kid gets into an unlocked car and can't get out.

Starting point is 00:01:57 Never happens. Before you leave the car, always stop, look, lock. Brought to you by NHTSA and the Ad Council. That's a... Yeah, I mean... Yeah, I know. Over there, that's a mirror. You see what's in the mirror?

Starting point is 00:07:08 No, I know. Thank you. Thank you. សូវបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបា� Thank you. សូវបានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានប់បានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបា� Thank you. The The The The The The The សូវបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបា� We'll be right back. at a crowd. Support this man, Black Media. He makes sure that our stories are told. Thank you for being the voice of Black America rolling. I love y'all.

Starting point is 00:08:08 All momentum we have now, we have to keep this going. The video looks phenomenal. See, there's a difference between Black Star Network and Black-owned media and something like CNN. You can't be Black-owned media

Starting point is 00:08:21 and be scape. It's time to be smart. Bring your eyeballs home. You dig? Today is Wednesday, October 5th, 2022, coming up on Roland Martin Unfiltered, streaming live on the Black Star Network from New York City. We will hear from the chair of the commission

Starting point is 00:08:54 that oversees the police department in Kansas City, Missouri, about allegations of discrimination in that department, as well as Department of Justice's investigation into that department. We'll be talking with Bishop Mark Tolbert right here on Roland Martin Unfiltered. Some white folks in Wisconsin are alleging that President Biden's student loan relief program is unconstitutional because it's helping black people. Did not tell y'all about white fear and money? Also, Fort Leavenworth history has made history.

Starting point is 00:09:32 Fort Leavenworth has made history by having its first black commander. Also, in our tech talk segment, a black IT guru creates a social media platform that celebrates black and brown culture, unity, and love. I'll talk to the creator of We Can Folk. Covering that and more right here on Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. Let's rolling.

Starting point is 00:10:07 Best belief he's knowing. Putting it down from sports to news to politics. With entertainment just for kicks. He's rolling. It's Uncle Roro, y'all. It's rolling, Martin. Yeah. Rolling with Roland now. Yeah, he's funky, he's fresh, he's real the best.

Starting point is 00:10:35 You know he's Roland Martin now. Martin. Two weeks ago, the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice announced their investigation into the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. There have been allegations of racism in that department based upon lawsuits filed by black police officers. We spent time in Kansas City this summer talking to residents who shared their concerns about the police department and how they do not have any control over their department. Now, after the DOJ's decision, we talked with the mayor of Kansas City. He expressed frustration that a governor-appointed board oversees the police department, even though residents pay for the department with their taxpayer dollars. It is a five-member commission. He is one of the five.

Starting point is 00:11:36 The other African-American on that commission is Bishop Mark Tolbert, the chair of the commission, and he joins us now on Roland Martin Unfiltered. Bishop Tolbert, glad to have you on the show. First and foremost, what is the commission's reaction to the Department of Justice coming in to examine the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department? Well, Roland, good evening, and it's good to be on your show. The commission is very concerned about the Department of Justice coming in, and the Department of Justice came into Kansas City in 2009 and did an investigation. And, you know, being black in Kansas City, growing up in Kansas City, I think all police departments across the country have had some issues with racism,

Starting point is 00:12:39 and I don't think Kansas City is any different. As now the chairman, I've been on the board since 2017. I finished out two years of former city councilman Alvin Brooks, who was on the police commission board. And then I was reappointed to do four more years or do four years of my own. So I've been on the board for a while now matriculating to the chairman. But keep in mind, it takes five or it takes three out of five votes to get anything done. So we are being very cooperative with the Department of Justice, giving them all the records, everything they need to see if there is documented racism in the Police Department of Kansas City. You said the DOJ came in in 2009. What did this department learn? What did they do?

Starting point is 00:13:48 What was decided? The fact that, what, 13 years later, they're having to come in again, it means they fixed the problems that they were looking into then because the report was that the things that they were looking at have been fixed based upon that Department ofGATION IN 2009. NOW THERE ARE ALLEGATIONS OF HIRING PRACTICES, DISCIPLINE, AND PROMOTIONS. AND SO AS OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH THE OTHER COMMISSIONERS HAVE BEEN, AS THE CHAIRMAN, I WANT THEM TO GIVE EVERY RECORD DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ASKS FOR, want them to give every record Department of Justice asked for because if it is the slightest hint of racism, we want to deal with it. On that particular point, Black officers have said that the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department is rampant with racism. Residents have complained about this very thing. Your assessment of this department and what must they do to fix their problems? Because clearly there is a major culture clash

Starting point is 00:15:23 between this police department and the black community in Kansas City. Well, Roland, after the death of George Floyd, as you know, as in many cities, there were marches. I was a part of the march with the public. And I stood around the fountains of the Kansas City Plaza with the public because I too was very affected by the death of George Floyd. So as I have been a part of the Board of Police Commissioners, there have been many things that the public doesn't see because they don't come to the monthly board meetings. But there are policies, there are different governance things that we go through to make sure that the policies change and that the policies

Starting point is 00:16:29 are more conducive to fair policing in the city of Kansas City, Missouri. Since I have been there- Like what? So what? What has changed? What has been pushed through? What has been done to improve this relationship between the police department and the black community? How has it improved?

Starting point is 00:17:07 Well, one of the things that used to be in place was any officer that had a complaint had to go through the ranks. Since I've been there, we have put two policies in place where any officer can go directly to the Office of Community Complaints, or they can send an email or letter directly to the Board of Police Commissioners. Before I got on the board, that was absolutely against policy and could get you fired if you went over your ranking officer to the Office of Community Complaints or to the board. So, and we have gotten letters from officers and dealt with things because of the change of those particular policies. So, you know, there have been things changed, but, you know, Roland, it's easier to turn a car than it is to turn a ship. And a police department is like turning a ship. But you talked about, again, where they can now go to.

Starting point is 00:18:08 Has your board, has your commission, have y'all done a survey, an assessment of black police officers, and frankly, the entire department, to get their thoughts and feelings on racism in the police department, on issues such as diversity, equity, inclusion. Has that happened? Yes, we actually participated with the Chamber of Commerce to do surveys throughout the department. And, you know, unfortunately, sometimes even when you do these surveys, people tell you a few things, but they don't tell you the real thing. And so as the now chairman of the board, I welcome the DOJ investigation because they will dig into things that even the board sometimes has a challenge getting to the core. But I'm confused.

Starting point is 00:19:12 How does the board have a challenge getting to the core when you literally are over the police department? And so if the board can't get to the core, who can? Who can citizens trust that this is going to actually get taken care of, if not the very individuals who are appointed to oversee the police department? Well, you know, Roland, when people talk about local control, there's a difference in local control and government control. So all of the board members live in the city of Kansas City. So, you know, we are all either in business or something in Kansas City. I get letters and calls from people in my community all of the time.

Starting point is 00:20:07 I raise these issues at the board meeting, sometimes in public, sometimes in closed session. The mayor and I talk regularly about issues. But keep in mind, it takes three of five votes to make permanent changes. And anytime you have a group of people, you've still got to get the majority to go along with you to make those changes. So you've got five members. You are one. The mayor is one. Both of you are African-American. You have three white members.

Starting point is 00:20:46 It's part of the problem that those three white members don't understand the realities or accept the realities of this police department. And they are unwilling to go along with you and the mayor on addressing these issues. Well, I wouldn't say that. I wouldn't say it like that. I would say everybody has a different perception. And so I can't change a person's perception. However, I can voice my opinion. The mayor voices his opinion. And then we have votes. And on occasion, we get the vote. And on occasion,

Starting point is 00:21:32 we are voted against as chairman and mayor. It is what it is. Well, it is what it is, but the problem is the residents aren't getting the answers that they actually need. Do you believe that this board should be abolished and that the authority over the Kansas City Police Department should be under the jurisdiction of the mayor and the city council? Taxpayers pay for this. And there are four people on this board who are appointed by the governor. One person elected by the residents. And so do you believe it is fair,

Starting point is 00:22:17 it is just for a four-member appointed committee to essentially oversee a police department that is funded by the taxpayers of Kansas City? Well, here's the challenge, Roland. Either way it goes, you're going to have a group of people who govern the police department. So you're either going to have a board that is appointed by the city council, and they're going to deal with the same issues we deal with, and they're going to have to take a vote, or you're going to have a board that is put in place by the governor. Now, of course, I'm sure you've heard of Tom Pendergrass and all of the guys back in the day with the mafia. One of the reasons that a board was appointed by the governor was because there was so much mafia interference that they could not get a real board of what

Starting point is 00:23:31 they felt was neutral people to govern the police department without it becoming tainted by either Republicans or Democrats or the mafia. And, of course, you've always got personal opinion. Personally, I'm a Democrat. But first of all, how long ago was that? How long ago was that? Oh, man, that was back in the, what, 1940s, somewhere in there. So it's been in place a long time. But don't you think, though, that if you're a taxpayer of the city,

Starting point is 00:24:12 that the people who are most accountable to you are the people who you also vote for, the elected officials? I mean, the reality is the four of you are not elected by the people. You're appointed by the governor. And so do you believe that when it comes to the control of the police department, it should fall under the jurisdiction of the Kansas City City Council versus a committee appointed by the governor? So my personal opinion is I would rather see the board of police commissioners appointed by the governor rather than a police department run politically. Now, if you look at the history of St. Louis.

Starting point is 00:24:57 No, no, no, no, no. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. OK. You said you would rather have the board appointed by the governor than one run politically.

Starting point is 00:25:08 But here's the problem. The governor doesn't live in Kansas City, correct? Correct. So why should the – and I've covered city hall. I've covered county government. And I can tell you right now, I have – I don't know of any other place, and, in fact, any other place where this is set up this way. And I've had folks on who've actually said there's no other city in Missouri

Starting point is 00:25:32 where the governor appoints a committee commission to oversee a local police department. If Republicans talk about local control, why in the world should the governor who elected statewide, why should he be in charge of who is in control of a commission that deals with Kansas City police? The governor of Kansas doesn't appoint anybody over a commission in Missouri, why shouldn't the Kansas City City Council be in charge of the very department that they vote to approve funds? The city council approves the funding of the police department, right? Yes. So the Kansas City Police Department approves the funding, but the Kansas City, I'm sorry, the Kansas City City Council approves the funding of its own police department, but the Kansas City City Council has no jurisdiction over the police department that it funds.

Starting point is 00:26:37 You actually believe that that's how it should work? Roland, if you look at St. Louis, St. Louis and Kansas City both had commissions that were appointed by the governor. So St. Louis took it to ballot, and in 2013, they put their police department under their mayor and their alderman. Well, five years later, they were trying to put it back under a commission. Because anytime you politicize a police department, you now have, I think Kansas City has six districts. So you have two city council per district and the mayor. So now they've got 13 or 14 bosses rather than five. So anytime you

Starting point is 00:27:29 expand how many people you got to answer to, you're opening up more chaos. Yeah, but again, no one elected you. So the truth of the matter is you and the three other members,

Starting point is 00:27:48 you are accountable to one person, the governor. But let me tell you this. Not taxpayers. Let me tell you. The way I got appointed by the governor was my state senator and some of the representatives, some of the other

Starting point is 00:28:11 clergy and business folks were polled by the governor's office and my name came up. I didn't apply for this. Yeah, but that's a select group of people. That's literally, okay, let me ask 20 people or 30 people or 50 people, hey, who do you think I should appoint? The point I'm still making is, why should the taxpayers of Kansas City be paying for a department that they literally have no control

Starting point is 00:28:49 over? So for instance, who hires the police chief? The board of police commissioners. Who pays for the police chief? The citizens of Kansas City, which I am a citizen. So the citizens of Kansas City, which I am a citizen. So the citizens of Kansas City, right, right, but you're one person. The citizens, right, but you're one person though. What I'm saying is, no, no, no, so you're one person, meaning five people, five individuals, five individuals are responsible

Starting point is 00:29:24 for overseeing a police department and you are not accountable to the residents. You literally have an audience of one. If you, if you, who can replace you? Just the governor, right? Oh yes. Yeah. So the only accountability on this commission is one person, the governor.

Starting point is 00:29:59 Is this commission, is it a paid commission or are y'all operating as volunteers? That's a very good question. No, no, no, no, seriously. No, no, no. I'm only asking the question because there are people who don't who aren't familiar who are familiar that the board of police commissioners get a hundred dollars every two weeks and that's to take care of lunch and gas and, you know, those kind of things. So it is strictly volunteer. And I give more time to this board than I ever dreamed

Starting point is 00:30:33 I would be giving to this board. And because... And so your city council members, are those paid positions? Oh, those are paid positions. Yeah. They make $46,000.

Starting point is 00:30:48 So here's my whole point. But here's my point. The taxpayers pay city council members. They pay the mayor. If they're paid to handle the business of the police department. I'm sorry, of the city. They should do it. Now, who controls, who oversees the fire department? The city.

Starting point is 00:31:17 The mayor. The city council, right? Yeah. Who oversees the water department? The city. Who oversees the parks department? Burl, and I think you're missing the point. The point is, is that. No, no, no, no, no, no. The bishop, the point I'm establishing is the city council oversees every department that taxpayers pay for except one, police. That makes no sense.

Starting point is 00:31:52 If they are qualified, if they are elected to oversee everything else, why not the police department? In fact, of the commission, of your five members, do any of you have any law enforcement experience? I'm just asking a basic question. Do any of you, of the five of you, have any law enforcement expertise? But do any of the city council people have any expertise with law enforcement? But they're elected. The people are choosing their representative. It's called representative politics.

Starting point is 00:32:33 I understand, but here's my point, Roland, is that I have a very non-biased view. When you're elected by the people, most of the time, you're either a Republican or a Democrat. I was not appointed. No, actually, actually, Bishop, actually, Bishop, actually, Bishop, in most cities, city elections are nonpartisan. Are city elections in Kansas City partisan? Do you run as a Democrat or Republican, or do you run nonpartisan, meaning no party? Well, they run nonpartisan, but people usually know based upon how they're

Starting point is 00:33:14 campaigning. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, Bishop. No, no, no, Bishop. Either the election is nonpartisan or it's partisan. So you can't tell me you're nonpartisan, but a council member runs nonpartisan, but you're calling them partisan. That's like me calling you a Baptist when you're not Baptist. See, I didn't have to raise money to get elected. So I don't owe anybody any favors. I'm very non-biological in my approach. But, no, no, no,

Starting point is 00:33:52 no, no, no, but you, but you do, you were appointed for a reason, and the governor picked you. I'm just, okay, let me ask you this question. You're a resident of Kansas City, right? Absolutely. Pastor, charter... Would you be in...

Starting point is 00:34:10 What city council district do you live in? I live in the 3rd district. Well, I'm sorry. I lived in the 3rd district for 23 years. I now live in the 5th district. Okay. So you live in the third district and then you got the fifth district. Okay. So here's my question, Bishop. Got it. Here's my question. Would you be in favor of the governor appointing

Starting point is 00:34:41 your city council representative? See, Roland, you know a lot about politics. You know a lot about... I do. And you know a lot about people in leadership. And I'm going to tell you, it's hard to get anything done at City Hall, even with the politicians that you elect. And you and I know that very well.

Starting point is 00:35:14 Now, Congressman Cleaver, he gets a lot of things done. That's why he was a councilman. Okay. All right. Would you be in favor of the governor or the president of the United States picking your congressman? Absolutely not. Okay, would you be in favor of the governor or the mayor picking your council member. But see, Roland, the point is, is not about... Bishop is either yes or no.

Starting point is 00:35:54 The point is, is that... Bishop is either yes or no. Have they picked somebody that's going to represent your community? Bishop, Bishop, dang what I asked you. Would you be in favor of the mayor or the governor picking your city council member? Yes or no? Under the right circumstances, yes. OK, so now I'm confused. So I'm confused.

Starting point is 00:36:28 So you don't support the president or the governor picking your member of Congress, but you're waffling on who could pick your city council member, but then you got the governor picking the group over the board.

Starting point is 00:36:44 Okay, I'll ask it another way. Should the city council be over the fire department? But, Roland, let me make a point. Is that that system is out of my control. What I am glad of is that I am on this. What is? That's the system of how Missouri does their politics. What I am grateful about is. But can't the law be changed? Didn't you say St. Louis used a ballot initiative and they changed it? So it's actually not out of your control. As a voter, you can actually change it. In fact, as a bishop of a prominent church and as a national leader, you could literally support a return to local control. So it's actually not out of your control,

Starting point is 00:37:33 Bishop. I don't know about that. I have one vote and one voice. No, no, no, no, Bishop. No, you don't. How large is your church? About 1,200 members. How large is the church? You're the first presiding bishop of an international body of churches, correct? Yes, but we're in all 50 states and about 40 countries. So we've got a couple of million people. And my point is, you ain't, my point is, my point is, you ain't just one man with one voice. You ain't going to never hear me say that, Bishop. No, full well, I've got 300,000 views a day and I've got 4 million folks. No, it's not. And what I'm saying is I just fundamentally

Starting point is 00:38:27 believe, I just fundamentally believe, Bishop, that if the taxpayers, perfect example, I'm just going to go ahead and say it. Who runs your church? The denomination or you do? Who runs your budget? Who's over your ministries but but brolin but see that's a different subject the the here's no bishop it's about control bishop it's about control bishop it's accountability bishop here's how i look at it. The state of Missouri has a system. I have been chosen to work in the system to try to make change and that we do equality in promotions, in hiring, in all of those kind of things.

Starting point is 00:39:32 So if the system was changed, I wouldn't have a problem with that. I have been appointed. Hold up, Bishop. But you hold up. Now, Bishop, Bishop, see, this is where you and I digress. You said if the system is changed, I would have no problem with it. But when I asked you, should it be under the council and not the commission? You say you support it under the commission.

Starting point is 00:40:00 So when you say if it changes, well, obviously if it changes, you're going to go with whatever it is. I'm asking you, what is fair and just to the taxpayers? I'm going to use your church as an example. Is it fair for your members to tithe, but somebody else control your church budget. I don't think for a second, Bishop, you would be happy if a state bishop or a regional bishop or an international bishop had the authority to control your budget, even though you're the bishop of that church. I don't think for a second you would

Starting point is 00:40:46 say, well, I'm going to go ahead and go with those rules. Am I truthful or not? But you know, there are some organizations that run like that. So, you know. I ain't say some organizations. I'm talking about your church. No, Bishop. I'm talking about your church and your tithers.

Starting point is 00:41:08 Your tithers and your givers in your church is the same as the taxpayers of Kansas City. You and I both know that. Well, that's debatable because we feed... No, Bishop, when the money comes...

Starting point is 00:41:23 Bishop, when the money coming out your pocket, your church members, they want to see how their money is being spent. You know, when you stand at podium, you say, here are your ties at work. Now, one time when you say, well, somebody else controlling your ties. That's true. That's true. That's true. Okay. true. That's true. Okay. Well, look, go ahead.

Starting point is 00:41:49 I'll give you the final comment. Go ahead. This is not a system that you or I are going to change today. So what we've got to figure out is how do we at least try to get the best for our community while the system is this way? You know, they've been trying to. No, I go ahead. OK.

Starting point is 00:42:12 You know, I mean, there have been well, this has been all. Bishop. Yes, sir. Yes, Bishop is real simple. I believe that you can operate within the existing system, but also work like hell to get rid of it. And I just fundamentally believe, I fundamentally believe whether it is a church, whether it's an organization,

Starting point is 00:42:41 whether for me, the national body of Alpha Phi Alpha does not control the purse strings of a local chapter. Yes, there are rules that we abide by. big government that Republicans in Missouri would get out of the business of Kansas City, Missouri, and let the residents of Kansas City control their own police department as opposed to being appointed by a governor. I don't care whether this is Missouri. I'm from Texas. I live in Virginia.

Starting point is 00:43:20 It doesn't matter. I believe that those who are paying for something should have a say-so in how it's being run. Amen. Bishop Mark Tolbert, I appreciate you coming on the show, talking with us. We look forward to the DOJ investigation and seeing what they uncover. You're certainly welcome back on the show anytime. Good. And we'll come talk about what they uncover and how we fix it.

Starting point is 00:43:52 Indeed. Thanks a lot, sir. Thank you. Going to a break. When I come back, I'll be joined by my panel right here on Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. When we invest in ourselves. I know a lot of cops and they get asked all the time. Have you ever had to shoot your gun?

Starting point is 00:44:25 Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multibillion-dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated,

Starting point is 00:45:08 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st, and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Ad-free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lott. And this is Season 2 of the War on Dr Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glod. And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. Yes, sir.

Starting point is 00:45:30 We are back. In a big way. In a very big way. Real people, real perspectives. This is kind of star-studded a little bit, man. We got Ricky Williams,

Starting point is 00:45:38 NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner. It's just a compassionate choice to allow players all reasonable means to care for themselves. Music stars Marcus King, John Osborne from Brothers Osborne. We have this misunderstanding

Starting point is 00:45:51 of what this quote-unquote drug thing is. Benny the Butcher. Brent Smith from Shinedown. Got B-Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Corvette. MMA fighter Liz Caramouch. What we're doing now isn't working, and we need to change things. Stories matter, and it brings a face to them.

Starting point is 00:46:10 It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad-free with exclusive content, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. You say you'd never give in to a meltdown.

Starting point is 00:46:39 Never let kids' toys take over the house. And never fill your feed with kid photos. You'd never plan your life around their schedule. Never lick your thumb to clean their face. And you'd never let them leave the house looking like less than their best. You say you'd never put a pacifier in your mouth to clean it. Never let them stay up too late.

Starting point is 00:47:10 And never let them run wild through the grocery store. So when you say you'd never let them get into a car without you there, no, it can happen. One in four hot car deaths happen when a kid gets into an unlocked car and can't get out. Never happens.

Starting point is 00:47:29 Before you leave the car, always stop, look, lock. Brought to you by NHTSA and the Ad Council. Our glow. Our vision. Our vibe. We all shine. Together, we are black beyond measure we are in sunny south dallas the election is coming up it's super important that folks know

Starting point is 00:47:55 who they are voting for but more importantly what they are voting for y'all we got the free shirts and free lunch right over here. Freedom is our birthright. No matter what we're up against, we're sending a message in Dallas, in Texas, and in the country. We won't black down. That's what this bus tour is all about. The housing cost is one of the most capitalized areas

Starting point is 00:48:17 that we have found. People who are marginalized, that are brown and black, we are suffering the most. And I think that we have the biggest vote and the biggest impact in this election. I'm voting for affordable housing, for sure. We should not be paying the cost of a utility failure because our elected officials are too proud to say we need help. I know that we can bring out our people to vote.

Starting point is 00:48:44 It's a part of our birthright. It's a part of our people to vote. It's a part of our birthright. It's a part of our heritage. And surely it's a part of our present and part of our future. That's right. That's what's up. And we won't black down. Forward that message to five friends, because in that message, it's got links to how to get registered, how to check your registration status.

Starting point is 00:49:03 Like I said, 2.30, we'll start rendezvousing right here on the street. I am voting to let our voice be heard in the rural communities that, hey, we are people too. There are things that we need. Free shirts, free food, and lots of power. We are in Longview, Texas, where black voters matter, 365. Whatever type of oppression a white supremacist throws our way, we will not black down. We are in relentless pursuit of liberation of our people.

Starting point is 00:49:48 Freedom is liberation for black bodies and black communities to make economic change through political power. Freedom is choice. We won't black down. We won't black down. We won't black down. We won't black down. We won't black down. We won't black down. We won't black down. When we invest in ourselves, we all shine. Together, we are Black Beyond Measure.

Starting point is 00:50:13 Hey, what's up, everybody? It's Godfrey, the funniest dude on the planet. Hey, I'm Taj. I'm Coco. And I'm Lele. And we're SWB. What's up, y'all? It's Ryan Destiny.

Starting point is 00:50:24 And you're watching Roland Martin Unfiltered. All right, fam, I want to bring in my panel right now. I want to certainly get their thoughts to that conversation. A. Scott Bolden, former chair, National Bar Association, Political Action Committee, lawyer in D.C., Robert Petillo, executive director, Rainbow Push Coalition, Peach Tree Street Project, Monique Presley, legal analyst, host of Make It Make Sense with Monique Presley.

Starting point is 00:51:01 So we've got the Wednesdayinsley legal panner. The gang is back. Glad to have all three of you here. Let's see who wants to kick this thing off. Their thoughts on my interview with Bishop Tolbert and this idea of who should be in control of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Who wants to go first? Who's not named Scott? My first name is Alan, so I'll go first if you don't mind. I listened to that long.

Starting point is 00:51:31 Go ahead, Monique. Monique, go first. Oh, that's wrong. Okay. Go on, Monique. Ladies first. I agree. So we're back to the shenanigans. Yeah. I was kind of looking forward to the whole racial discrimination in the police department part of what is happening there. But where autonomy to determine the manner in which a commission is seated is concerned. I believe that that is up to the constituents of that community. And so whether it is elected or appointed is a determination that should be made by them. When you say the people, meaning those in Kansas City, not how they have it currently set up,

Starting point is 00:52:26 where it's a statewide referendum, where voters in other cities are determining who controls the Kansas City Police Department. Right. Absolutely. And obviously, I mean, the concern for me, the concern is simple. If you're the people who are running a particular area, whether it's a municipality entire state does and the same for for the country um that i i think but you got all the lawyers tonight we're all back together i think and there's scott disagreeing with me but i think that there could be um representation challenges for it being done a different way. I'm trying to work my way to fashioning a legal argument about it, but, yeah, I'm not quite ready. I'm ready.

Starting point is 00:53:35 Scott, I'll let you go second. Go. Okay. So, Rowan, I certainly appreciate what you're saying. I thought the bishop was an alpha, but then I guess he wasn't because he just didn't have the right answers for you. But the reason the governor does- That sound like a capital. No, but he's certainly not capital. But here's the deal. The reason the governor is involved is because they wanted to take the local politics out of it. So they went with the governor. Now,

Starting point is 00:54:03 the governor is an elected official and the people in Kansas City vote on the governor. So the bishop's answer should have been, well, the people have voted. They voted for the governor and the governor appointed me and I live in this community. And so therefore, you do have local representation. The people who pay taxes in the state do have representation because they vote on the governor and the governor appointed me. That being said, the reality is, is that because of the local political influence and infighting, they believed or whenever they did this, believe that if you put it in the state, it has more independence and more effectiveness than if you let the city council or the mayor appoint people. I'm not endorsing either way. It would be ideal that the taxpayers who pay for that commission

Starting point is 00:54:53 and are running a bad department that needs to get better, but it doesn't seem like that department's getting better even with the governor's appointment of these five commissioners. And so I think DOJ coming in and not only cleaning it up, but issuing a report and compliance requirements and what have you is what it needs. But the last part of the equation is who's going to implement it and make sure that the department stays in compliance? Because the current commissioners don't seem to be very effective,

Starting point is 00:55:23 and the governor's appointments don't seem to be very effective, and the governor's appointments don't seem to be very effective. Well, Robert, that is the whole point right there. When you have appointees by the governor, they only are responsible to him. Guess what? If the city council is over the police department and they are not doing the job, you can throw them the hell out. The taxpayers of Kansas City do not have any authority over throwing out folk if they believe that a commission is not doing their job. They can throw the governor out.

Starting point is 00:55:57 They can throw the governor out. What's the problem? Robert, not Scott. Scott, you had your shot. Robert? Well, Roland, I think this both highlights the importance of the federal oversight over police reform that we have to have on the national level. We've been able to push through, it seems like, every other piece of legislation,

Starting point is 00:56:14 whether it's trillions of infrastructure funding, billions of dollars for Ukraine, up and down the line. But we have to have some kind of federal guidelines, because right now, it's not just state to state, it's city to city, sometimes neighborhood to neighborhood, who is governing criminal justice reform and what measures will be taken on a state and local level. In this situation, you have a question of local politics influencing who is over police reform, and therefore you kick it to the governor. Now you have a question, well, we can't trust the governor either on police reform, so we're taking away the franchise from the local communities. We need to be able to create a consecrated and discreet system

Starting point is 00:56:50 where across the country, no matter what jurisdiction you're in, you know that you have the same civil and political rights and you will be treated the same by law enforcement. That has to happen on the federal level. So this conversation we can have in almost every municipality in the country over who's in charge of police reform. But the one thing that's not happening is police departments are not being reformed. And we have to take this as a serious issue, not just an election year football to be kicked back and forth. We actually need to do something about it because it's a life or death issue for many communities in the country. Well, and look, here's the whole deal here.

Starting point is 00:57:24 And let me be abundantly clear. I am absolutely against these idiots in Texas, the legislature, who oh, you can't tear down Confederate monuments in your city with our approval. Again, Republicans only believe in local control when they're the ones who are in control. I just fundamentally believe that taxpayers of Kansas City should be the ones who are responsible and they should have elected officials

Starting point is 00:58:04 overseeing their dollars, period. Not a single one of us wants there to be some conservator overseeing our money, overseeing our resources. We want to have autonomy over our money, and that's what should be happening in Kansas City. And Kansas City is the only police department in the entire state of Missouri that is under this existing system, that to me is fundamentally flawed. Simple as that. So that's why the residents there are arguing and fighting for local control and to be able to control. And in fact, we've had the previous folks on.

Starting point is 00:58:40 The legislature is literally trying to pass a bill that's going to require, y'all going to love this one, that will require the residents to spend more of their money on the police department. And then guess what? It now gets cut. You can't spend money in other departments. So how in the hell should the Missouri legislature be telling Kansas City how to spend its money? I'm sorry. That's foul. That's not right, and it's unjust. But wait a minute. They have those cities

Starting point is 00:59:11 that the state legislature is telling how to spend money or not spend money. They have elected officials in the state legislature. One vote. No, no, no. See, Scott? Hold on. No, Scott. No, no, no, no, no. No, Scott. Here's why you're... No, Scott. No, Scott. No, Scott. No, Scott. No, Scott. Scott. They have representatives who have votes, but majority wins. Why should people, why should people who are not from Kansas City, who do not live in Kansas City, get to tell Kansas City how the hell to spend their money. When Kansas City doesn't give a tip. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, Scott. This is the only police department. Scott, Scott, no, Scott, listen, Scott, listen. This is the only city in the entire state that is being treated like this. That is by design.

Starting point is 01:00:04 This is about controlling this city's police department and that is fundamentally unfair to the people who pay for it. Well, if the local authorities can't control their police department and it's underperforming and discriminating against black people, then you got to do something. And if you take it to the state, it takes out the local control of it because they haven't earned a right to control their police department wherever they spend their dollars. They need to clean up the department

Starting point is 01:00:33 and the governor of the state might give it back to them. Now, yeah. Well, how in the hell are you going? No, no, no. First of all, the governor can't give it back, Scott, because it has to be given back by referendum and voted on by the whole state.

Starting point is 01:00:48 And they gave it to the governor. Are you not understanding? Are you not understanding what I'm talking about? Which means that Kansas City residents have to campaign across the whole state in order to get the police department back that they pay for. That's stupid. That's just dumb. Why did they give up control in the first place? They gave up the control because the police department was bad and underperforming when

Starting point is 01:01:15 the locals had control of it. In the 1940s. Yeah, well, okay. 80 years ago, Scott. 80 years ago. My God. Seriously. And the DOJ is still behind. Seriously. 80 years ago Scott 80 years ago my god seriously 80 years ago

Starting point is 01:01:29 you're like whoa they gave it up they gave it up 80 years ago and DOJ is still investigating 80 years later Scott the DOJ no they're not Scott there was no Scott there was no DOJ investigation 80 years ago.

Starting point is 01:01:49 So please, can you stick with the actual facts and follow the data here? Scott, not 80 years later, Scott. You want to get back to them local controls. Scott, it makes no sense. Actually, it does make sense. And I guarantee you you wouldn't want Robert or Monique in control of your money. And you sure wouldn't be saying, well, sure, if they went ahead and voted, go right ahead. No, you want to be in control of your own stuff.

Starting point is 01:02:19 I've got to go to a break. Folks, when we come back, we're going to talk about it. Robert, you don't want to buy control of your money. All right, y'all. got to go to a break. Folks, when we come back, we're going to talk about Robert King. You don't want to buy control of your money. All right, y'all. We're going to talk about Fort Leavenworth getting a black commander. We got also, we're going to talk about these white folks out of Wisconsin who are

Starting point is 01:02:37 filing a lawsuit against President Biden saying this student loan debt relief is unfair because he's helping black people. I told y'all why fear is real. Download the Black Star Network app, Apple phone, Android phone, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TV. Join our Bring the Funk fan club.

Starting point is 01:02:58 See your check and money order at the PO Box 57196, Washington, D.C., 20037-0196. Cash App, Dollar Sign, RM.M. Unfiltered. PayPal, R. Martin Unfiltered. Venmo is R.M. Unfiltered. Zelle, Roland at RolandSMartin.com. Roland at RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. And, of course, get my book, White Fear, The Brown of America. It's making white folks lose their minds.

Starting point is 01:03:18 That's why I'm here in New York City doing a lot of different media interviews. Get it from Ben Bella Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, Bat Bookstop, Chapters, Books A Million, Target. Download it from Audible or order it from your favorite black bookstore. We'll be right back. When we invest in ourselves, we're investing in what's next for all of us. Growing, creating, making moves that move us all forward. Together, we are black beyond measure. On the next Get Wealthy, financial therapy, what it is and why it may be exactly what you need.

Starting point is 01:03:59 So when you think about financial therapy, what we're talking about is how do we learn to live with our money in a way that is congruent with our values, that we understand our emotions about money, we understand our beliefs and our behaviors. That's right here only on Black Star Network. When we invest in ourselves, our glow, our vision, our vibe, we all shine. Together, we are Black Beyond Measure.

Starting point is 01:04:40 When you talk about Blackness and what happens in black culture, you're about covering these things that matter to us, speaking to our issues and concerns. This is a genuine people-powered movement. There's a lot of stuff that we're not getting. You get it. And you spread the word. We wish to plead our own cause to long have others spoken for us. We cannot tell our own story if we can't pay for it. This is about covering us. Invest in black-owned media. Your dollars matter. We don't have to keep asking

Starting point is 01:05:14 them to cover our stuff. So please support us in what we do, folks. We want to hit 2,000 people, $50 this month, raise $100,000. We're behind $100,000. So we want to hit that. Y'all money makes this possible. Checks and money orders go to P.O. Box 57196, Washington, D.C., 20037-0196. The Cash app is Dollar Sign RM Unfiltered. PayPal is R. Martin Unfiltered. Venmo is RM Unfiltered. Zelle is Roland at RolandSMartin.com. You want me to do something crazy, but...

Starting point is 01:05:46 I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution. But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi-billion

Starting point is 01:06:17 dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Add free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lott.

Starting point is 01:06:57 And this is season two of the War on Drugs podcast. Yes, sir. We are back. In a big way. In a very big way. Real people, real perspectives. This is kind of star-studded a little bit, man. We got Ricky Williams, NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner. It's just a compassionate choice to allow players all reasonable means to care for themselves.

Starting point is 01:07:16 Music stars Marcus King, John Osborne from Brothers Osborne. We have this misunderstanding of what this quote-unquote drug thing is. Benny the Butcher. Brent Smith from Shinedown. We got Be Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Corvette. MMA fighter Liz Karamush. What we're doing now isn't

Starting point is 01:07:37 working and we need to change things. Stories matter and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the it really does it makes it real listen to new episodes of the war on drugs podcast season two on the iheart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast and to hear episodes one week early and ad free with exclusive content subscribe to lava for good plus on apple podcast you say you'd never give in to a meltdown never let kids toys take over the house

Starting point is 01:08:12 and never fill your feed with kid photos you'd never plan your life around their schedule. Never lick your thumb to clean their face. And you'd never let them leave the house looking like less than their best. You'd say you'd never put a pacifier in your mouth to clean it. Never let them stay up too late. And never let them run wild through the grocery store. We have one aisle six and aisle three. So when you say you'd never let them get into a car without you there,

Starting point is 01:08:51 no, it can happen. One in four hot car deaths happen when a kid gets into an unlocked car and can't get out. Never happens. Before you leave the car, always stop, look, lock. Brought to you by NHTSAizza and the ad council i don't know what to do i'd rather just sit here hi this is shirley ralph and you are watching roland martin unfiltered i mean could it be any other way really it's roland martin A couple weeks ago, the Kansas City Defender posted a video on an Instagram page

Starting point is 01:09:31 from an individual, an African-American in Kansas City, alleging that there was a serial killer in the city. I saw the post and reposted it on my page. Got lots of reaction from people. The Kansas City Police Department came out and said that the story simply was not true. The question is, what's going on there when it comes to crime? What happened in this case here? Joining us right now is Ryan Sorrell. He is the editor, the founder and editor of the Kansas City Defender. Ryan, glad to have you on the show. Let's be clear. Is there an actual serial

Starting point is 01:10:12 killer and the individual that made the claim, were his claims vetted and why did you post it? Absolutely. I think those are all great questions. Just to start off, we as a black news outlet have very high journalistic standards. We value integrity, accuracy, truthfulness. And so those, of course, we vet information before we post anything on any of our platforms. And so with that post specifically, it came from a local bishop. That local bishop

Starting point is 01:10:45 previously, in the case of a man, a previous serial killer named Terry Blair, that same local bishop had actually informed the community. He was one of the people who was informing the community that there was a serial killer named Terry Blair before the police department informed the community. So he also had a history of making accurate claims in this regard, specifically in the Kansas City area. So that was part of the reason that we posted it. And we also posted it because he wasn't the only person in our city and in our community who was making these claims. And we also, in our reporting, said that these haven't been necessarily fully verified claims. And once we get more information, we'll continue to update the public. But at the same time, for us, it's

Starting point is 01:11:31 incredibly important that we, as people who know, I was just watching the previous segment here, we know how corrupt the Kansas City Police Department is. We know that the Kansas City Police Department does not have black people specifically in their best interest. We know that the Kansas City Police Department does not have black people specifically in their best interest. We know that the Kansas City Police Department is ranked 495th worst police—495th out of 500. So, it's a top-five worst police department in the country. And we also know that the Kansas City Police Department is currently under federal investigation for racism and discrimination.

Starting point is 01:12:00 So, that's not necessarily the people that we would want to look to, to be what we would want to call the arbiters of truth as it relates to the safety of black people in our community. So all those compounding factors, when we posted that information, once again, we said we're still trying to verify this information. But because we don't really have the necessary resources in our community to be able to, you know, have an organization that truly does look out for the safety of our citizens. We posted the information and said that we would definitely provide updates because we did not want to fearmonger. We did not want to spread misinformation. We said those things specifically. So that was the reason that we posted it. But here's the problem with that. And I understand what you just laid out with regards to the police department.

Starting point is 01:12:48 I understand all of that. The problem is when we as media, when we go with something, the public has to trust that we have it nailed down, that it is indeed factual. And then what happens is when we post it, other people see it and then repost it and then believing that as an institution, you did vet it, you did disseminate it, and you did check it out. The reality is this. When I saw the post again, listen to what you just described, repost it. Well, if it's not true, that's why it got deleted. And so now your credibility and integrity comes on the line.

Starting point is 01:13:35 And I get trying to get it confirmed. But when you say there's a serial killer, that is a different statement of alarm to the community than homicides that may happen that could be based upon domestic violence or whatever. A serial killer, just that statement alone, means something totally different. And so I take it that you've come under criticism for it. And so do you not factor that in because folks have to trust? And so when you run something that you admit you have it nailed down, it then calls into question the next time you report something because folks can then say, well, I don't know if I can trust you on this one because you really weren't locked down on the last one.

Starting point is 01:14:23 Have you talked about that and considered that? Absolutely. And I think that people who, you know, make criticisms, I think there are legitimate criticisms. I think there are also illegitimate criticisms that have been made. We'll get to that as it relates to white media outlets in our city that have attempted to take aim at our platform. We, as a black news outlet, as a radical black news outlet that's attempting to reimagine what black local news can look like, we understand that there are going to be challenges that we undergo, that we won't do everything right the first time. We're happy to take

Starting point is 01:15:00 accountability where it's necessary. So I 100 percent agree with what you said. I also think at the same time, after we did delete the post, because once again, we did not want to spread misinformation, we also provided an update as soon as we possibly could. And all of the responses that we received, because the number one thing, you know, for people outside of Kansas City or outside of Missouri, of course, people's opinions matter. I don't want anybody to spread misinformation. But at the end of the day, for our platform, the number one thing of most importance is do the people in our community, do the people that live in Kansas City that have to face

Starting point is 01:15:39 these dangers and these issues of safety, are they happy with how we handled the situation? That's really the only people's opinions that our platform and people in our organization really are concerned with. And everyone and all the feedback that we got from black people, specifically in Kansas City, was they were very happy with how we handled the situation. They said, once again, of course, it's never good to be putting information that is not fully verified out there. But a lot of people were even happy with that. And they said, even if we didn't know necessarily that is true, we still felt safer at the fact that you all informed us with information as you could. And then as soon as you got additional information, you let us in the

Starting point is 01:16:22 community know and that you all also take accountability for the entire situation. So for how the people in Kansas City specifically and our city are responding to how we handle the situation, I think it has been a very positive response. And so to me, that's really what we're concerned with and we've gotten great feedback. Monique, you wanted to comment before we went to the break with regard to KCPD. Because I think Scott was just extrapolating

Starting point is 01:16:56 a little bit. And I wanted to say, because I'm wearing the shirt, that Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter Fund, was texting me about it and saying that they are, because I'm into action items, they are going to be on the ground in St. Louis on Friday in support of and in solidarity with the people of Kansas City. And this is not about a whole bunch of different accountability measures. This is about the things that are stated in Amendment 4. You guys can go and read it, and this is requiring an entire state dictating and requiring the budgetary items of a smaller area. And I don't believe that that is right. I know Roland's already said he doesn't believe that is right. Cliff and Black Voters Matter Fund will be on the ground in support

Starting point is 01:17:50 of them as the statewide referendum or the voting item is coming up. So I just wanted to share that because you can go to blackvotersmatterfund.org and find out ways that you can support if you're there in the area or even if you're not, because it does matter. And the fact that it's only happening in one area does matter. And we can't have any autonomy or liberty or freedom if we don't control our own funds. And that's what the power of the vote in a particular area is supposed to be able to do for you. Ryan, the thing that you're talking about that I heard there as well, it boils down to this, that the people of a city have to believe and trust that their police department is looking after their best interests, the phrase to protect and serve. And there are people who simply believe that the Kansas City Police Department does not look after their own Black officers

Starting point is 01:18:50 and aren't looking after the interests of Black residents. Yeah, I mean, I think it's been proven time and time again for since the inception truly of the Kansas City Police Department. I mean, just last year was the first time in the existence of the Kansas City Police Department that a white police officer has been charged with the murder of a black man. And that was in the case of Cameron Lamb, where police officer Eric DeValconeer murdered an unarmed black man, and they actually framed him, and they planted evidence. And this was proven throughout the trial. Lee Merritt was one of the people that was leading the trial,

Starting point is 01:19:30 and this was proven throughout the trial that the Kansas City Police Department actually planted a weapon on the scene and tried to frame Cameron Lamb. And this was proven in the actual courtroom. And at that same exact time, during that same exact case, the Kansas City police chief at the time, Police Chief Rick Smith, said that every single one of his officers would have handled that situation in the exact same way. And so to know that what they actually did was plant a weapon and frame an unarmed black man in our city and say that he had a weapon when he didn't and that every single one of the police officers on the police force would have handled that situation. Similarly,

Starting point is 01:20:10 to me, that tells me all we need to know about the Kansas City Police Department. Another situation that I like to provide example of frequently, because it's not talked about enough in Kansas City, is what happened to Malcolm Johnson. And Malcolm Johnson was murdered in a gas station here in Kansas City. And the police, the official police report that all of the white news outlets across our city reported as being true, the official police report said that Malcolm Johnson was armed and that he was engaged in a shootout with the Kansas City Police Department. It wasn't proven until about a month and a half later, when employees of that gas station actually leaked surveillance footage to local clergy members, that we found out that not

Starting point is 01:20:50 only was Malcolm Johnson unarmed, but that he was actually on the ground, being held on the ground by three police officers, and that one of the police officers accidentally shot the other police officer and then murdered Malcolm Johnson. And once again, in the official police report, they said that he was armed and that he was engaged in a shootout, when in reality, he did not even have a weapon in the first place, and he was actually being held on the ground by three police officers. And they had lied about the entire situation. And once again, this is a situation where not only did the police lie, but the white

Starting point is 01:21:22 media outlets in our city compounded that lie and spread it as truth. So go ahead. No, Roland, if I may, but if the media, if the media, black or white, goes with what the police say, then I presume under journalistic standards, they have an obligation to correct it if they got it wrong or the police reported it wrong or if the truth came out, if you will. I understood your piece that you wrote about media racism was that the white media outlets trusted the police. You know, in my business of criminal defense, you, you, you know, you got a thousand stories with the police and you only got one story if you're the defendant and you got, and you've been treated badly by the police. So they tend to go with what the police say. But, but didn't those media outlets correct themselves when the truth came out or are you

Starting point is 01:22:21 arguing that they never did correct it or print what was accurate when it was found out like four to six weeks later? I'm arguing that they did not provide reparations for the harm that they caused because I think that there's a difference between saying, oh, now we have an update now that new footage has come out. I think that that's completely different than apologizing, than saying that we have caused harm to this man's family, than saying that we continue to trust without questioning at all. They completely parrot exactly what police say in official police reports, and they report those facts. They report those official police reports as facts. But if they have a credible source...

Starting point is 01:23:05 If I can finish, what you said earlier about standard journalistic practice, my question as it relates to journalism as who was in the room when standard journalistic practices were created? And I can assure you there were no black people in the room when standard journalistic practices were created.

Starting point is 01:23:22 Actually, that's not true. Actually, Ryan, I gotta stop you Actually, that's not true. Actually, Ryan, I got to stop you there because that's not true. As somebody who's been in the black press, no, no, no, no. You've had journalistic practices established by the Chicago Defender, the Pittsburgh Courier, Ida B. Wells Barnett, the Atlanta Daily World, Charlotta Bass in Sacramento, Ebony, Jet. That's not true.

Starting point is 01:23:53 There are basic and fundamental things. When Emmett Till was lynched and murdered, that was reporting that was done. And in fact, the tri-state defender was very much involved in locating some of the witnesses and sneaking them back into Mississippi. The black press was there covering the Little Rock Nine in there. So no, I simply, as somebody who's run three black newspapers, who's been news editor of a national black magazine,

Starting point is 01:24:20 editor of a national black website, blackamericaweb.com, who's been 13 years on Tom Joyner, black-owned, 11 years at TV One, Black-owned. That simply isn't true. The reality is this here. We do have standards. We in Black-owned media have standards. They are, and the trust, but what I'm saying is

Starting point is 01:24:36 our responsibility is the same. Our audience need to trust that when we report something, we have verified it. And all I'm simply saying to you as somebody who spent more years in the black. OK, I'm not arguing at all that there is no such thing as journalistic standards. That's not what my argument is at all. And because I study, number one, I study the Chicago defender.

Starting point is 01:25:03 That's that's why we're called the Kansas City, was because we were inspired by the Chicago Defender. I understand absolutely that there are journalistic practices, but there's a difference between journalistic practices, for instance, black press journalistic practices, and there's a difference between those and what we would call something like standard journalistic practices, because with standard journalistic practices, you're often told you should not have a bias. But the legacy of the black press, specifically the Chicago Defender, was that the Chicago Defender took. No, you're not. You're the Chicago Defender. No, no, you're describing. No, no, no. You're describing what you're describing is what have called what first of all, what you're describing is what have called what first of all what you're describing is what is called objective journalism which actually did in in wesley lowry but wesley lowry has talked about this here objective journalism did not even come into mainstream media to the 1930s and 40s you're absolutely right in terms of how black persons operated as advocates. But even in our role as advocates, we still operated based upon truth. I need to bring in Robert. Robert, would you comment or question real quick before I give Ryan the last comment? Go.

Starting point is 01:26:16 Well, my my main question would be that since the first two stories have mainly been about criminal justice issues in Kansas City and we're less than five weeks out from the midterm elections. What political issues or ballot initiatives or work is being done there that you think people should know about, or what officials are actually standing up and fighting back against these abuses of criminal justice? I think the main point should be, how do we make the types of systemic changes needed to stop these abuses from happening going forward? Yeah, I think that's an excellent question. What I would reiterate, I think the woman who spoke before me uplifted the campaign that's taking place right now to say no against Amendment 4. This is an incredibly important amendment that we at the Chicago Defender, we just published a story on this today that you can see on our website. Once again, what Amendment 4 is doing is, again, once again, the state is exercising and seizing control over our city budget here in

Starting point is 01:27:18 Kansas City, specifically over our police city budget. And so it's telling us right now, our city has a state required minimum. The state tells us that at a minimum, we have to spend at least 20 percent of our city budget on the police department. And so what Amendment 4 does is everybody throughout the state tells Kansas City specifically, if this amendment is passed, that we will have to increase that minimum from 20 percent to 25 percent of our city budget will have to be spent on our Kansas City Police Department, which, once again, we know is a racist, discriminatory, corrupt institution. So that is right now one of the biggest campaigns that we are working on.

Starting point is 01:27:58 And I would highly recommend for people, once again, to look into what Black Voters Matter is working on. There's also a new organization here called Decarcerate KC. Decarcerate KC is doing amazing work as it relates to fighting back against that amendment. And there are also numerous organizations—I also work with the Urban League here in Kansas City—but there are numerous on-the-ground, grassroots and civil rights organizations that continue to call out the racism in our police department and that continue to actually work and campaign for structural changes here in our city. So I hope people will go to our website and look at that most recent piece that we published.

Starting point is 01:28:35 And once again, I thank you for the opportunity to speak here today. All right, Ryan, I certainly appreciate it. Thanks a lot and good luck there in Kansas City. Appreciate it. Thanks a lot, and good luck there in Kansas City. Appreciate it. All right, folks, we come back. I'm going to talk about Wisconsin. Ooh, white folks are so upset at President Biden over student loan relief, and these folks are saying, how dare he help out black people? They literally are targeting black people in their lawsuit.

Starting point is 01:29:03 We'll discuss that next with our panel. You two, what y'all doing? We should easily be at 11, 12, 13, 1,400 likes. So when I get back, I should be seeing at least up to 1,200. Now, it's almost 3,000 of y'all on there right now. So hit the doggone like button. Hell, we should have 3,000 likes. I don't understand what's going on.

Starting point is 01:29:21 Hit the like button, please. That helps us with the YouTube algorithm as it's being shared in their system, which also drives revenue. So, y'all, hit the like button, please. It ain't that hard. Click, move on. Click, comment. That's all you got to do.

Starting point is 01:29:36 All right, folks, don't forget. Download the Blackstar Network app, Apple phone, Android phone, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xbox One, Samsung Smart TV. You can also join our Bring the Funk fan club. Your dollars make it possible for us to do what we do. Check your money order to PO Box 57196. Washington, D.C., 20037-0196. Cash app, dollar sign, RM Unfiltered.

Starting point is 01:29:59 Pay pedals, RM Martin Unfiltered. Venmo is RM Unfiltered. Zelle is Roland at RolandSMartin.com. Roland at RolandMartinUnfiltered.com. We'll be right back. When we invest in ourselves, we all shine. Together, we are black beyond measure. I've always said this.

Starting point is 01:30:22 Rather than to continue to fight for a fair piece of the pie and an equal slice of the pie, I want my hand on a knife that cuts the pie. And to that extent, who bakes the pie and who puts it in? And that's one of the things that got me involved in going into politics in the first instance. I'm tired of people making decisions for me. Right. And mine. I want to be a part of that decision making process. And luckily, it has paid off in terms of seeing the

Starting point is 01:30:53 progress that many people in America have made, particularly people of color. One thing bothers me now that we seem to be losing that. Right. Saying that we've got to be more concerned with other people than those people who who were here we built America. When we invest in ourselves, we're investing in what's next for all of us. Growing. Creating. Making moves. That move us all forward.

Starting point is 01:31:39 Together, we are Black Beyond Measure. Hello, I'm Bishop T.D.J. Hi, how's it doing? It's your favorite funny girl, Amanda Seals. Hi, I'm Anthony Brown from Anthony Brown and Group Therapy. What up? Lana Wells. we are black beyond measure. Naysha Hutton, the Shia Hutton, was last seen in Ada, Oklahoma, on September 16th. The 14-year-old is 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighs 120 pounds with black hair. She may have died red, brown eyes and a nose piercing. Anyone with information about Nashaya Hutton should call the Ada, Oklahoma Police Department at 580-332-4466, 580-332-4466.

Starting point is 01:32:45 All right, now y'all know my book is called White Fear, 4 4 6 6 5 8 0 3 3 2 4 4 6 6. All right. Now y'all know my book is called white fear. How the brownie of America is making white folks lose their minds. I told y'all that they talking about, they scared about money and resources. Well, a group out of Wisconsin is suing president Joe Biden under the guise that his student loan debt relief plan is really about helping black people. Y'all, I'm not lying. The president of the Brown

Starting point is 01:33:18 County Taxpayer Association, Richard Heidel. This is what he said. Student loan debt relief takes from one group of people and arbitrarily distributes the spoils to another group. The plan amounts to nothing more than a modern-day version of King George III's Stamp Act, where there was massive taxing and spending without the participation of the people's representatives. The group argues the plan violates the 14th

Starting point is 01:33:49 Amendment's Equal Protection Clause because it uses federal dollars to advance racial equity even though the average white high school dropout earns more wealth than the average black college graduate according to the Duke Center for Social Equality. We contacted the Brown County Taxpayers Association. To see if someone will appear on the show, we haven't heard back from them. So where shall I begin? Here's what I find to be interesting, Robert.

Starting point is 01:34:20 Yesterday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Alabama voting case. In it, Supreme Court Justice Kataji Brown Jackson quoted extensively the 14th Amendment that she made clear was about helping black people. Don't you find it funny that these fools would try to quote the 14th Amendment saying the student loan debt relief plan is in violation of an amendment that was specifically passed to help black people? Well, Rowan, this takes you back to if you study apartheid South Africa towards the end, when they knew that a no longer could politically control the country. What they did was entrench themselves in the judiciary, the former colonial rulers.

Starting point is 01:35:13 And from there, they were able to dictate the economy, dictate public policy through the court system, through the bureaucratic state. This is where we are now seeing the new fight, the new battle of the civil rights movement in the second half of the 21st century going. Because Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell have spent so much work stacking the court over the courts of the last decade, we're seeing many federal appeals courts that are nearly whole panels of MAGA judges. We're seeing the Supreme Court that has a 6-3 majority of MAGA judges. And they made it clear with the Dobbs decision that every single thing that was fought for and created in the 1960s and 70s, what we traditionally consider to be the civil rights

Starting point is 01:35:49 movement, will be overturned in the next two to three years. They simply need a case in controversy. I think while we've been on this show, a federal court overturned the DACA program of President Obama, putting in jeopardy the citizenship standing of millions of young children who were brought here under that program. We're also looking at affirmative action, which will probably be overturned in the next session of the Supreme Court. Voting rights, what's left of the voting rights that more than likely will be going out of the window. We're seeing the consolidation of the Heller decision, expanding that so that any sort of gun legislation will more than likely be overturned. So we need to understand the playing

Starting point is 01:36:30 field that we are on. And the reason these groups are fighting through the judiciary is they know they can't win elections. Republicans have won one popular vote this century. They know they can't control the Senate. They have 41 million more Americans being represented by the 50 Democratic senators than the 50 Republican senators. And we got a Hershey Walker and Dr. Oz. They know that they're not getting. I know a lot of cops and they get asked all the time. Have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes, but there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution.

Starting point is 01:37:11 But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi-billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated,

Starting point is 01:37:44 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st, and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Add free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Lott. And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast. Yes, sir.

Starting point is 01:38:06 We are back. In a big way. In a very big way. Real people, real perspectives. This is kind of star-studded a little bit, man. We got Ricky Williams, NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner. It's just a compassionate choice to allow players all reasonable means to care for themselves. Music stars Marcus King, John Osborne from Brothers Osborne.

Starting point is 01:38:26 We have this misunderstanding of what this quote-unquote drug thing is. Benny the Butcher. Brent Smith from Shinedown. We got B-Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Corvette. MMA fighter Liz Caramouch. What we're doing now isn't working, and we need to change things.

Starting point is 01:38:44 Stories matter, and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad-free with exclusive content, subscribe to Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts.

Starting point is 01:39:11 You say you'd never give in to a meltdown. Never let kids' toys take over the house. And never fill your feed with kid photos. You'd never plan your life around their schedule. Never lick your thumb to clean their face. And you'd never let them leave the house looking like less than their best. You say you'd never put a pacifier in your mouth to clean it. Never let them stay up too late.

Starting point is 01:39:46 And never let them run wild through the grocery store. So when you say you'd never let them get into a car without you there, no, it can happen. One in four hot car deaths happen when a kid gets into an unlocked car and can't get out. Never happens. Before you leave the car, always stop, look, lock. Brought to you by NHTSA and the Ad Council. A majority back there, and they know they're not getting the White House back. So this is

Starting point is 01:40:15 going to be continued fight in the judiciary in front of MAGA judges, and we have to be prepared for that battle. You know, Monique, I'm just curious. Do these people realize that white people get to also get student debt relief? I mean, first of all, what they claim is because the Biden administration has said that this is going to help close the wealth gap, they're like, oh, there you go. It's race. Right. They do know for sure. They know that people other than black people are going to get this help, but they also know that this is an equitable solution. And when you start talking about equity, it leads to everything that you just said, that they absolutely do not want. They want no leveling of playing fields whatsoever, and they want no ladders given in order for the people who are not even at ground level to be able to get up to it. And so the fact that others will also benefit, that the majority of Americans, not just the minority, would benefit matters not at all, because these are

Starting point is 01:41:46 equitable solutions. And I'm so glad that you mentioned Justice Jackson and what was said yesterday. I pray that people are listening to the Supreme Court hearings, but if you can just catch the clips or catch that three minutes of magic where she explained what originalist theory is about and what founders really did intend and what they were thinking and how those are knowable things and how they wanted to assure equity for freed men that matters. It was good stuff. And I don't know how many days it was that Clarence Thomas was on the court before he actually spoke, like uttered any words, never mind a question. But I am thankful that with this nominee turned justice, we, we, we've had, uh, these white folks sue over affirmative action.

Starting point is 01:42:49 Right now, you've got these folks suing, holding up the money for black farmers. Look, now forget the fact that $5 billion was allocated for black and other minority farmers and that white farmers got nearly all of the $25 billion under Donald Trump. I just keep trying to tell black folk, be prepared for this continuing, because at the end of the day, you're going to see more of these battles in these fights because they do not want to give up the money. They don't want to give up the money. They don't want to give up the power, and they are going to count on

Starting point is 01:43:27 conservative federal judges agreeing with them. Yep, another reason for our people to come out in major numbers and vote. But this lawsuit is dead on arrival, because the executive order is race neutral. White folks,

Starting point is 01:43:44 black folks, yellow folks, brown folks all benefit from it. And unless you can show a racial imperative or requirement in the executive order, then you simply have no case. What I thought, and I think I'm looking for this lawsuit, is that there's also whether they attacked it under the APA Act. That is that the power to do this is in Congress or through one of the agencies, and that the president usurped the power of the Department of Education here when the agency should go through an administrative process, an administrative judge or judges ought to rule on this, not the president. But the president has

Starting point is 01:44:25 lots of powers under the executive order. But what's more outrageous about this is that the plaintiffs come out and say that the student loan forgiveness program has a disparate impact, positive impact on black folks. And therefore it's unconstitutional. That's like saying that Dred Scott was right, that black people were three-fifths of a human being and this executive order makes them whole, right? So I don't know where they filed it,

Starting point is 01:45:01 but if they filed in federal court, it ought to be subject of a motion to dismiss because it fails on its face for those reasons and those reasons alone. I got one last question, too, Roland, before you go to somebody else. What is that background you're in today? I mean, it looks like a bedroom and candles, real romantical-like. Is that you? Is that what's back there? Okay, first of all,

Starting point is 01:45:25 first of all, was somebody with a plain-ass white wall really? Yeah. I mean, at least get you a at least get you a at least get you a at least get you a LED light

Starting point is 01:45:41 to balance some colors for that damn one. Because your color ain't enough. That's first. That's first. Second of all, let me help you out. I said at the outset, I'm in New York City. I do my show often from hotel rooms.

Starting point is 01:45:58 And so, that's the background and when you utilize LED lights, be quiet. I'm going to teach you something right now because you don't know what you're talking about. So what we do when we travel, we take advantage of LED lighting to provide color against bland backdrops.

Starting point is 01:46:17 Now that I've educated you on what we do in broadcasting, that's what we do because this ain't what we do in broadcasting. That's what we do, because this ain't what you do. Now you can be quiet and learn that blandness only works with cappers, but Alex does understand- What about the bed? What about the bed and the candlelight? What about the bed and the candlelight?

Starting point is 01:46:37 Well, of course it's a damn bed. I'm in a damn hotel room. What the hell you think is behind- It's real romantical, brother. Real romantical. Well, guess what? You Kappas ain't as smooth as us Alphas. Now,

Starting point is 01:46:52 let me go to a break when I come back. More about Enroll and Mart Unfiltered. See what happens when I gotta keep educating these damn Kappas? They ain't got no flow. They got no swagger. None whatsoever. They wouldn't even have the ingenuity to create this type of setting.

Starting point is 01:47:10 And see, Scott's so basic, he don't even realize. So, hold up. Let me do this here. Hold up. Let me do this here. Hold up. Let me do this here. Hold up.

Starting point is 01:47:19 Let me do this here. Since your little ass. Let me do this here. Let me change the color to red so maybe your ass can shut the hell up. Let me finish the rest of my show. We'll be back on Roland Martin Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. Martin! Martin!

Starting point is 01:47:44 When we invest in ourselves, our glow, our vision, our vibe, we all shine. Together, we are Black Beyond Measure. It's about us. Let's go!

Starting point is 01:48:06 We are in sunny South Dallas. The election is coming up. It's super important that folks know who they are voting for, but more importantly, what they are voting for. Y'all, we got the free shirts and free lunch right over here. Freedom is our birthright. No matter what we're up against, we're sending a message in Dallas, in Texas, and in the country.

Starting point is 01:48:25 We won't black down. That's what this bus tour is all about. The housing cost is one of the most capitalized areas that we have found. People who are marginalized, that are brown and black, we are suffering the most. And I think that we have the biggest vote and the biggest impact in this election.

Starting point is 01:48:44 I'm voting for affordable housing, for sure. We should not be paying the cost of a utility failure because our elected officials are too proud to say, we need help. I know that we can bring out our people to vote. It's a part of our birthright. It's a part of our heritage. And surely it's a part of our prison, a part of our future.

Starting point is 01:49:05 That's right. That's what's up. And we won't black down. Forward that message to five friends, because in that message, it's got links to how to get registered, how to check your registration status. Like I said, 2.30, we'll start

Starting point is 01:49:21 rendezvousing right here on this street. I am voting to let our voice be heard in the rural communities that, hey, we are people, too. There are things that we need. Free shirts, free food, and lots of power. We are in Longview, Texas, where black voters matter, 365. Whatever type of oppression a white supremacist throws our way, we will not black down. We are in relentless pursuit of liberation of our people.

Starting point is 01:49:54 Freedom is liberation for black bodies and black communities to make economic change through political power. Freedom is choice. We won't black down. We won't black down. We won't black down. We won't black down. We won't black down. We won't black down.

Starting point is 01:50:23 When we invest in ourselves, we shine together we are black beyond measure hatred on the streets a horrific scene white nationalists rally that descended into deadly violence white people are losing their damn minds there's an angry pro-trump mob storm to the U.S. Capitol. We're about to see the rise of what I call white minority resistance. We have seen white folks in this country who simply cannot tolerate black folks voting. I think what we're seeing is the inevitable result of violent denial. This is part of American history.

Starting point is 01:51:03 Every time that people of color have made progress, whether real or symbolic, there has been what Carol Anderson at Emory University calls white rage as a backlash. This is the rise of the Proud Boys and the Boogaloo Boys. America, there's going to be more of this. Here's all the Proud Boys guys. This country is getting increasingly racist in its behaviors and its attitudes because of the fear of white people. The fear that they're taking our jobs, they're taking our resources, they're taking our women. This is white fear.

Starting point is 01:51:33 What's up, y'all? I'm Will Packer. Hello, I'm Bishop T.D.J. What up? Lana Well, and you are watching White People. White People. White People. White People.

Starting point is 01:51:41 White People. White People. White People. White People. White People. White People. White People. White People. What's up, y'all? I'm Will Packer. Hello, I'm Bishop T.D.J. What up? Lana Well, and you are watching Rolling Martin Unfiltered. All right, fam.

Starting point is 01:52:06 OPEC, the organization of the petroleum exporting companies, announced today they're going to be slashing oil output by 2 million barrels. That could mean a dramatic spike in gas prices in the final month before Election Day. It will represent about two, of course, this will be the largest slowdown since the beginning of the pandemic. It represents about 2% of the world's supply. Now, during today's news conference at the White House, CNBC's Hadley Gamble asked Saudi Arabia's energy minister

Starting point is 01:52:41 if the decision to cut oil production was a power play by Saudi Arabia. It wasn't at the White House. It was in the news conference. Go ahead and play it. Your Royal Highness, I want to kick off by asking you specifically a question that I asked to Vladimir Putin a year ago. Are you using energy as a weapon? It was a question that he denied. But there are people in Washington and in the White House who right now are looking at the cuts that OPEC Plus is making, and they are saying that this is an aggressive move by OPEC. And they're very, very curious to understand why this organization that they call a cartel is moving against the United States and Europe. And Mr. Secretary General, to follow on to that, when I spoke to you just a couple of months ago, you said you had an open door policy to European policymakers. Have they

Starting point is 01:53:30 entered that door? Are you having those conversations with them? Because I have to tell you, there is a huge narrative coming from the West right now that OPEC, as you say, a band of brothers, but as they would say, a cartel, is attempting to hold the world hostage, Just as Vladimir Putin has done when it comes to energy prices. Thank you Jones Question which I you know, I take pleasure of answering had the With a quick not a big answer show me me where is the act of belligerence, period. Secretary General. Your Royal Highness, back to your question. Yes, I did say we have an open door.

Starting point is 01:54:19 We have an open door. I'm waiting for someone to knock on that door. That's all I can say. And you're still not getting anyone knocking on that door because a lot of folks would say that by this action, by these cuts, you are endangering global energy markets. You are endangering the global economy. What's the response there, sir? If you permit me, Royal Alliance, we are not endangering the energy markets.

Starting point is 01:54:42 We are providing security, stability to the energy markets. We are providing security, stability to the energy markets. At a price. Everything has a price. Energy security has a price as well. All right, then, Robert. So the White House was not happy by this decision. They aggressively tried to get Saudi Arabia, sorry, get OPEC not to do this. Some people are saying, all right, Saudi Arabia, y'all want to make this move along with the other OPEC nations? Fine. Y'all ain't going to get no weapons y'all been asking for the United States. Look, gas is now the average gas, but according to AAA is $3.83. If all of a sudden, because of this decision, gas goes up to $4.55,

Starting point is 01:55:27 this could impact in a serious way the election November 9th. What do you think the American response should be? Should we say, fine, y'all raise the gas prices, we're going to hit you somewhere else? Well, let's look at what OPEC Plus is, as opposed to simply OPEC. OPEC is generally the Middle Eastern and Southern South American nations, which were the original aspects. But then in the mid part of the last decade, they allowed Russia and other Central European nations to join OPEC. What Putin has been doing in the last seven months of the war in Ukraine is using petroleum and hydrocarbons as a political tool to avert Western sanctions. We saw the bombing of the Nord Stream 1 pipeline last week to cut off gas flows into Germany and into Europe. We've seen the shutting down of Turk Stream,

Starting point is 01:56:17 as well as the discontinuation of Nord Stream 2. European nations have been stockpiling hydrocarbons to get them through the winter. A big portion of that was, one, getting liquefied natural gas from the United States of America, as well as getting petroleum from Middle Eastern nations. Now, what more than likely happened is Russia decided to pull a power move as part of OPEC Plus and negotiate to have the rising of these energy prices. The United States has already gone to Venezuela and made them an offer to reduce U.S. sanctions that were put in place by the Trump regime against Maduro when they were attempting to replace him with Juan Guaido during the last administration,

Starting point is 01:56:55 reducing those sanctions in order to allow Venezuela to make up that stopgap. Remember, 60% of U.S. petroleum actually comes from Canada. So what we're talking about is something that won't directly affect America, but will affect other nations, creating a market speculation flow that will raise prices here. What has to happen going forward is, one, doubling down our investment in green energy. We've been held hostage by Middle Eastern petrol states for the last 60 years. When Republicans stand up and say we are against the Green New Deal, we're against electric cars, et cetera, what they're really saying is our funders are Exxon, Chevron, BP, and Mobil, and they've told us to be against this technology. The United States can be completely energy independent by switching to green technology by 2035. We've already seen

Starting point is 01:57:40 every major automaker in the United States say that they will have a completely green fleet before the end of the decade. As long as we continue to fight these fights in the Middle East, fight these wars over foreign oil, have an entire energy economy dependent on countries that don't like us, we're going to be going existential crisis to crisis. I think the Biden administration needs to come out strongly on this and say that we will no longer cowtown to Middle Eastern madmen and simply say we're going to be redoubling our efforts. We've already passed the biggest investment in climate change in the nation's history and the Skinning Bill, that better bill. Well, we need to push through the rest of the energy agenda, get more charging stations,

Starting point is 01:58:19 get more battery technology, more subsidies for the purchase of electric vehicles so we can simply tell the Saudis and the rest of the OPEC cartel, figure out your stuff somewhere else. But until we're able to do that, we'll continue fighting these battles year after year and be at the whims of these cartels in Central and the Middle East and in Central and South America. But the problem we have, Monique, is very simple. Look, you're from Galveston, Texas. Galveston, Houston is significant when it comes to the petrochemical industry.

Starting point is 01:58:48 The reality is when gas prices go up, oil companies rake in record profits. When the price of oil, West Texas crude, goes down, then they are not making enough money. One of the reasons they are fighting green technology, because guess what? They ain't going to be making the same level of money. America, it comes down to the money. One of the reasons they are fighting green technology, because guess what? They ain't going to be making the same level of money. America, it comes down to the money. And so the reason folks have been fighting green technology is because they simply want to keep the checks flowing just as they are. And they don't want any stoppage in that. Absolutely. Absolutely. And what is happening? I mean, you could see in the interview just kind of the laissez-faire just attitude of APEC Plus. And it's because they know that it's a hijacking. I mean, they know that it really is a carjacking, it's a stick-up. And I believe that in terms of the way that the United States views it

Starting point is 01:59:47 and the United States views the oil industry, it's going to be the same as what happened with coal. And are we going to wait until we are solutionless, or will we embrace all of the things that Robert said and kind of see the writing on the wall and do something about it? And then the other thing, I interviewed a couple of weeks ago Secretary of Energy Granholm, and she was talking about, you know, how all of the solutions, frankly, are costly. Like what President Biden did in order to bring the prices down and releasing the reserves,

Starting point is 02:00:20 that's not sustainable. It might have to happen again so that the middle class and so the poor people who are trying to get to work don't suffer at the hands of what APEC is doing. But none of those solutions are sustainable. The only thing that we really have is the long game that Robert described. But unfortunately, Scott, America doesn't believe the long game. America likes the short-term memory. It's sort of like the stock market. Hey, let's see that stock price go up based on the quarterly earnings every three months.

Starting point is 02:00:52 Unfortunately, that's how we look at it when it comes to technology. China's playing the long game. We're not. Yeah, no, no, I agree with the panelists. But there is one question I would raise. If the U.S. is self-reliant and produces more oil for itself than what it gets from OPEC or what it gets from Western Europe or what it gets from Ukraine, if that's the case, then there is an argument to be made that while this is going to hurt Western Europe and those countries that rely on Russia and Saudi Arabia, America should be less affected by it, although they'll probably have to release more and more of their reserve. And if they do that to keep prices down, the Democrats may have a chance in the midterms.

Starting point is 02:01:39 Any reaction from you or the panel about that argument? We're not so-reliant. Go ahead, Monique. Hold on. Monique, go, then Robert. I was just answering the first part, the premise of self-reliance. We are not self-reliant. It's not a sustainable future where all of the oil that we need for all purposes comes from us.

Starting point is 02:02:08 Do we have reserves in the millions? Yes. But like I said, that, too, is not sustainable. So kicking it to council Petito. Smarter than all of it. We produce a lot that we rely on. Yes, a lot. More than ever before.

Starting point is 02:02:24 Hold on. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Yes, a lot. More than ever before. Hold on. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Can't nobody hear me over talking. Robert, go. Well, Scott, remember that in the U.S. we don't have a nationalized energy market, so the corporations that pump this oil are able to trade and sell that oil on the international market. Americans are exceedingly spoiled when it comes to fuel prices. I think anybody who travels knows this, that it's three plus dollars a gallon here in the United States of America.

Starting point is 02:02:49 Right now in Western Europe, gas is about $10 a liter. In Japan, you're looking at something like $12 to $16 a liter for gasoline. And when it comes to these international markets, what the U.S. producers are saying is, look, in 2020, y'all weren't going to where we were losing money. In 2021, y'all weren't going to where we were losing money. Now y'all want to go somewhere, so I can double, triple, or quadruple the price on the international market. So even if we produced as much oil as Saudi Arabia did right now, we would still be at the whims of the international commodity market. And as you said, China, their big thing is they import almost 80 percent of their hydrocarbon energy, which is why they have a national mandate to go completely green by the year 2035. Right now, they know that the national security issue, all of their oil

Starting point is 02:03:37 comes through the Straits of Hormuz, where the United States has a base in Diego Garcia and also a forces station there in Kuwait. It comes through the Straits of Malacca, where the United States has forces in the Philippines and also in Guadalcanal. It comes through the Straits of Singapore, where the United States also has a military presence. Then it comes to the Straits of Taiwan, where we have the military presence in Japan and Osaka and also in South Korea. So in their strategic defense model, they know they have to get off of the fossil fuel to be able to have economic stability at a military presence going forward. That's actually what ended up killing Japan and Germany in World War II. It wasn't the allies. They both ran out of gas. But the United

Starting point is 02:04:15 States right now, until and unless we are willing to get off of this drug of hydrocarbons, we will continue to always have to fight wars in Saudi Arabia, in Iran, in Iraq, in Venezuela in order to get that. And we have to push back against that fossil fuel energy lobbying apparatus because we could have been off of this 20 years ago when Al Gore was talking about it. We've continued to kick the can down the road and that's why we're still at the whims of dictators around the globe. Did you really quote Al Gore? My man. All right. Because it's Al Gore's internet. But Roland, if I could, I just want to say that there is a program available. If you go to whitehouse.gov or if you go to the energy department's division under the WhiteHouse.gov umbrella. There are programs

Starting point is 02:05:07 available for used vehicles, for used electric vehicles with government subsidy for you to be able to afford them. And they are not nearly as expensive as people think they are. So I'm, again, solution-oriented. The solution for you and your house for where things are going right now, if you're about to get another vehicle, if your baby's on the last leg, think it through. Because for the same money with subsidy that you would have to get on a car that you're then going to have to pay $100 plus in gas in order to get your kids to school and get to work. There are other options available. All right, folks, time for Tech Talk. I know a lot of cops, and they get asked all the time, have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. Across the country, cops called this taser the revolution.

Starting point is 02:06:12 But not everyone was convinced it was that simple. Cops believed everything that taser told them. From Lava for Good and the team that brought you Bone Valley comes a story about what happened when a multi-billion dollar company dedicated itself to one visionary mission. This is Absolute Season One, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. It's really, really, really bad. Listen to new episodes of Absolute Season One, Taser Incorporated, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Starting point is 02:06:49 Binge episodes 1, 2, and 3 on May 21st and episodes 4, 5, and 6 on June 4th. Add free at Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcasts. I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glott. And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast. We are back. In a big way. In a very big way.

Starting point is 02:07:09 Real people, real perspectives. This kind of starts that a little bit, man. We got Ricky Williams, NFL player, Heisman Trophy winner. It's just a compassionate choice to allow players all reasonable means to care for themselves. Music stars Marcus King, John Osborne from Brothers Osborne. We have this misunderstanding of what this quote-unquote drug man. Benny the Butcher.

Starting point is 02:07:33 Brent Smith from Shinedown. We got B-Real from Cypress Hill. NHL enforcer Riley Cote. Marine Corvette. MMA fighter Liz Karamush. What we're doing now isn't working, and we need to change things. Stories matter and it brings a face to them.

Starting point is 02:07:47 It makes it real. It really does. It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And to hear episodes one week early and ad-free with exclusive content, subscribe to

Starting point is 02:08:03 Lava for Good Plus on Apple Podcast you say you'd never give in to a meltdown never let kids toys take over the house and never fill your feed with kid photos you'd never plan your feed with kid photos.

Starting point is 02:08:28 You'd never plan your life around their schedule, never lick your thumb to clean their face, and you'd never let them leave the house looking like less than their best. You'd say you'd never put a pacifier in your mouth to clean it, never let them stay up too late. And never let them run wild through the grocery store. So when you say you'd never let them get into a car without you there, no, it can happen.

Starting point is 02:09:02 One in four hot car deaths happen when a kid gets into an unlocked car and can't get out. Never happens. Before you leave the car, always stop, look, lock. Brought to you by NHTSA and the Ad Council. All right, folks, time for our Tech Talk segment. My next guest felt there was a void in cyberspace primarily for people of color. So Ernest Manning Jr. used his marketing and management background and created what he calls the Black Facebook. It's called We Can Folk, a digital platform where businesses and people of diverse backgrounds can come together on common ground. He joins us now

Starting point is 02:09:55 from Las Vegas. Ernest, glad to have you here. So We Can Folk, really? When did you kick it off and how did you start? Oh, wow, hey, thanks a lot, Roland. I actually kicked We Kid Kinfolk off back in 2020, in November of 2020. Matter of fact, I did it on my mother's birthday. And I basically started it because we have a void that's missing within social media.

Starting point is 02:10:23 And I wanted to be that person to come and fill that void because we were having a lot of issues where a lot of friends of mine, they were actually being shadow banned and, you know, silenced on social media for support and honoring their black, their black culture. And that's what we Kenfolk is. We're about black culture. We're trying to promote black culture togetherness and promote black love. love. So that's one of the reasons why I wanted to start it. I wanted to give us something that we can have. And I always tell people, it's cool to be on other platforms, but you need to have something that you can come home to. And that's what we kinfolk is. It's a coming home piece for all of our people.

Starting point is 02:11:03 And in terms of users, how have you been able to get folks interested? How many users do you have? Is there a charge? Is it free? It's very free. Everything on the platform is free. Because we have advertising, because we have users,

Starting point is 02:11:19 of course you can go on there, you can advertise, you can buy advertisement space to get your word out because, like I said, it's for businesses, it's for influencers, it's for a lot of different things. You can get on there. Everything that you do on Facebook, you can do on We Can Folk. And the only difference is you have a specific, your people there that are waiting for you to come there and support them. If you get on the platform, you'll see there are so many people on there with so much positivity they have a lot going on there are a lot of black businesses on there that are promoting themselves so it's free we have thousands of users um close to 40 000 now we're still growing we're utilizing other platforms to actually get um the

Starting point is 02:12:02 word out you know we're doing we're different things. We're sending out emails. We're just trying, you know, we're basically the shitless circuit right now. We're just going around doing our best to get the word out to our people so that they can see. Because once the people found out about it, they love it. They love what it's about. They love the black love that we have going. That's one of our sayings.

Starting point is 02:12:22 Of course, we're always promoting black love, black unity, a cohesive mindset of what we're trying to do. We know we need to come together, peace, and so that's what we're trying to create. All right, questions from our panel. Scott, you go first. What's the investment base for We Can Folk? Is this privately owned?

Starting point is 02:12:48 Are there investors in it? Do you want to grow? Do you want to expand beyond black folks, although you don't have to? What's the structure, and how can folks like me participate from an investor standpoint, if at all? Right. Currently, it's 100% owned by myself. I haven't had any investors because, you know, once again, it's just getting started. I didn't start the investor piece yet. I just basically wanted to get it going. I wanted to get a good grassroot going. I wanted to get movement with it. And then once I get movement and I get people that are actually joining the

Starting point is 02:13:25 platform, then of course, that'll be the next phase is to start the investment phase, start getting people coming in to help it out, make it a bigger platform and get it more reach to the people. So currently, yeah, there is 100% owned by myself. I haven't had any investors yet, but I'm at that stage now to where I'm starting to look for investors, starting to get people like yourself that can actually help and help move the platform forward because it's something that's needed for our community, something that can help us bring out. Once again, I continue to say it's a cohesiveness that we need in our community, in our culture, to bring ourselves together.

Starting point is 02:14:03 There are a lot of black businesses out there that aren't able to reach a specific audience because of. So we make that possible. Not only, but it's not only for, it's for Black culture. We don't turn anybody down. We're not here. We're all about love. So we're here. If you love Black culture, then We Can Folk is a place for you. We're here to promote black culture, give black influences, black creators a chance to express themselves. So eventually, yes, there will come a time to where, you know, investors will be asked to come in. But right now, I'm not at that stage, but very soon. Thank you. Monet, good luck with it. Thank you. Yes, congratulations. And as it relates to Scott's question, I'm just going to add a suggestion. He's really great at assisting

Starting point is 02:14:59 people in scaling businesses. And the one thing that I can share with you is you're always thinking about scaling before you scale. So every time you say you're not ready, it's not now I'm saying no, right, right, right now, get the plan together. Uh, and there are those of us who are rooting for you, who would be happy to assist with that. Actually, pastor Keon Henderson. I don't know if you know that name, look him up on Instagram. He and his wife, Shani Henderson are offering a free program, I believe. I don't know if it's free. I might have just added that part on how to best scale your business.

Starting point is 02:15:29 So go sign up. And good luck. I definitely appreciate that. And let me rephrase that. We're always ready for investors. So thank you. I definitely appreciate it. I'm looking to work with anyone that's looking to work with us because that's what we're planning to do is move the platform to the next level.

Starting point is 02:15:52 So, and of course, that's a part, that's the next level for us is actually investments and getting our users more gadgets and gadgets for the platform so that it can be a fun space for them just like all the other platforms are. So definitely, yes, yes. Oh, you're a quick re-languager. I love it. I want to go back to my question now. He got a different answer. No, no, no, no. On the robbery.

Starting point is 02:16:13 You're ready for your brother. No, no. See, Scott's trying to Shark Tank you. He's about to buy the whole business for about $10,000. I watch Shark Tank, too. I know Scott. That's what Scott's trying to do. Let me get 10% of the company for a bean pie.

Starting point is 02:16:31 I got you, Scott. I can't practice law forever, right? You're going to see me Shark Tanking you. I'm trying to get out of the game. I love it. I love it. Come on. We welcome you aboard, Chuck.

Starting point is 02:16:52 One of the things that I've noticed from the social media platforms that have kind of worked, so to say, is they had some kind of disruptive technology. When Instagram started, you know, we were just doing Facebook and Twitter where it was text. And they were the first ones to really introduce photographs as being the major aspects of social media, which kind of created meme culture. You know, Vine was created with a six-second short-form video that people weren't doing. When TikTok came, there was a state-run company, the Chinese government backing it, that allowed these viral dance challenges to become kind of the gravamon of what the app was based off of. What is the kind of disruptive technology that this will be that will get people, if it's just like Facebook, then why not just use Facebook? What's the disruptive technology that changes this app from other social media platforms?

Starting point is 02:17:33 Great question. I appreciate that. It's not so much as a disruptive technology because, as we all know, that comes with a great budget that we don't have here at We Can Folk. We Can Folk is about family, friends, and culture. We're pushing family, friends, and culture. Yeah, you can get all of those things on Facebook, but at the same time on Facebook, I've been there. I've seen it firsthand to where when I'm promoting my business or my love for my culture, I love my people.

Starting point is 02:18:02 That's why I'm doing this. I want to give them something for that. So when they're on Facebook and they're put in jail for 30 days for showing their love for their people, that's to me, that to me is a problem. So that's where I come in. That's where we, it's all true. I mean, look, Facebook, look, it's a hundred percent true because Facebook has been throttling us. I've got 1.3 million followers on Facebook. They've been purposely not sending my users live notifications. In fact, so you look at, you know, we've had almost 3,000 people on my, so I've got 903,000 subscribers on my YouTube channel, and we've almost had 3,000 people watching today.

Starting point is 02:18:47 Right now on my Facebook channel, Facebook page, where I have 1.3 million people, it's 96 watching. That's a travesty. They are purposely suppressing black content. That's absolutely true. That's exactly what they're doing. And that's the reason why we can focus here. We're not no different than Facebook. We just want you to know that we want you to reach your people. That's why when we can focus, we don't have algorithms. We don't have suppression. If you have a million followers, you reach one million

Starting point is 02:19:20 followers. That's the difference between us. So when we talk about technology, I can't, I can, I'm a small fish in a big pond. I cannot compete with Facebook. But what I can do is allow our users and our members to be able to utilize their research, their God-given talent to bring people on board and to utilize that to better serve their purposes. So that to me is the great technology is that we're allowing people to reach all of their personnel, all of their members, all of their followers, and have a better engagement. You have a much better engagement on Weekend Folk. And as we grow, our technology is going to grow.

Starting point is 02:20:05 I have a lot of ideas that I'm going to implement once I'm able to fund those ideals. But right now, we're just making sure that we get our people the engagement that they're looking for within a good platform, a social media platform. All right, then. Well, look, Ernest, we certainly appreciate it. Good luck. We can, folks. Thanks a lot. Hey, thanks a lot, Roland. I definitely appreciate it. You guys can download us on the App Store. We can, folks. We're on the Google Play Store as well as the App Store. Thanks a lot, Roland. I definitely appreciate this.

Starting point is 02:20:33 Thank you very much. 186 years after the first Buffalo soldier, the home of the first six all-black military regiments, gets a black commander. Fort Leavenworth swore in its first black commanding general on Tuesday. Lieutenant General Milford Beagle becomes the first African-American commanding general of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center. Beagle served in Iraq and Afghanistan as an advisor in NATO as commanding general of the United States Army Training Center at Fort Jackson as deputy commanding general for support of the 10th Mountain Division and as commander of the 193rd Infantry Brigade. Folks, we have some in memoriams. Sad news, the writer of a soldier's story, the Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Charles Fuller is now an ancestor. Fuller, a native of Philadelphia and an Army veteran,

Starting point is 02:21:25 produced black stories with a level of complexity and authenticity made for black audiences. He made sure what people saw on stage reflected those who came to see his plays. We used to argue this for night after night years ago. Why don't black people come to see the plays? Well, my argument was always, if you're doing a play that they wanna come and see, they'll come and see it. Sometimes we tend to forget that theater generally is a reflection of the people on the stage for the people in the seats.

Starting point is 02:22:00 And we want so much to be compared to European theater that we forget that maybe the people in the seats don't care about that. You know, that maybe what they want is something different. He was best known for a Pulitzer Prize-winning play, A Soldier's Play, a 1944 base drama that followed a black captain as he investigated the murder of a black sergeant at his segregated Army base. Fuller gained numerous accolades, one being a Best Picture Oscar nomination in 1985 for the movie A Soldier's Story. New artists have gotten to experience his work when A Soldier's Play went back to Broadway in 2020, winning Tony for Best Revival of a Play.

Starting point is 02:22:48 He leaves us with other fantastic works like Zoo Man and the Sign, The Perfect Party and the Brownsville Raid. Charles Fuller, D.F.E.H. of 83 years old. Tiffany Jackson, the former National Freshman of the Year. She passed away from a long battle with breast cancer at the age of 37. Jackson was drafted in 2007 by the WNBA, New York Liberty. She also played for the Tulsa Shock and Los Angeles Sparks. She was a player with the University of Texas basketball team. She was just hired in April as the head basketball coach at Wiley College in Texas. President Herman felt had

Starting point is 02:23:25 released this statement about her death. We were extremely sad at the passing of Coach Jackson. She was an incredible light for our students and an amazing member of the Wiley College family. Her dedication to Wiley College was evident in her interaction with the students in her community. She will be sorely missed. We are praying for her family and friends and Jackson's incredible career. She won the National Freshman of the Year Award by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association in 2004, was a three-time All-Big 12 selection at the University of Texas. She's the only longhorn player to reach 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, 300 steals, and 150 blocks in her career. Tiffany Jackson, an ancestor, folks, she was just 37 years old. Man, we'll talk about

Starting point is 02:24:09 a sad story there. Folks, that is it for us. Let me thank Scott, Monique, and Robert as well. Folks, here's the deal. Let me give you an update on what's going on. Robert, I'm going to be in your state tomorrow. We're going to be broadcasting. We're going to be broadcasting from Georgia, folks. Let me tell you, so I'm going to be doing the show live. I'm going to be moderating a panel talking to brothers

Starting point is 02:24:37 about this year's election. We're going to Swainsboro, Georgia. Robert, you been there? Down there. Take your gun with you. I can't hear Robert. Huh? I'll tell you, I've been to all 159

Starting point is 02:24:56 counties. You'll have fun down there. Well, we'll just have you riding shotgun in the car. So, folks, we'll be in Swainsboro, Georgia tomorrow at the Swainsboro City Auditorium, 532 West Church Street, Swainsboro, Georgia. So we'll be broadcasting. That boy ain't got no sense. I'm just trying to tell y'all. We'll be broadcasting the show there.

Starting point is 02:25:20 I'll stop first in the morning, 11 to 12 at the DeKalb County Mobile Food Pantry. I'll be joined by Commissioner Larry Johnson. That's at the First Baptist Church of Gresham in Atlanta. So we look forward to that. So I'll stop there first when I land at 11 o'clock and then we'll

Starting point is 02:25:39 venture to Swainsboro, Georgia. And again, we'll broadcast Roller Martin Unfiltered from 6 to 7.30. And from 7.30 to again, we'll broadcast Roland Martin Unfiltered from 6 to 7.30. And from 7.30 to 9, we'll have our panel discussion with brothers. What do brothers want in this election?

Starting point is 02:25:53 I'll be talking with them in Swainsboro. Sisters, y'all invited too. Just letting y'all know what the panel discussion is going to be. Friday, that's tomorrow in Georgia.

Starting point is 02:26:03 Friday, I'm going to be in Houston, Texas, with the folks at Black Voters Matter. Monique, you're working on that. Tell people what was going on. Guys, we want college students. If you've got a college ID, come 5 to 7 p.m. Central to TSU. We will be at the Jordan and Leland School of Public Affairs live Roland Martin unfiltered voting show

Starting point is 02:26:34 powered by Black Voters Matter Fund. And me, Monique Presley. Make it make sense with Monique Presley. Come meet us there. Free food, voter registration, free merch, DJ, and all the rolling you can stand. That's what we got for you. Meet us. Okay, but you didn't tell who are the invited folks who also other folks are going to be there, other dignitaries, when they can come out, we're going to be talking to them, interviewing them. So come on, you got 30 seconds. Go. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, Latasha Brown, Cliff Albright will be coming by way of mobile.

Starting point is 02:27:11 We've got an all-star panel coming. We've got people who are in charge in the state of Texas, the mayor. We got everybody. They're coming. You'll see them. You'll enjoy. Y'all pray for her. She's going to work on that delivery because that was like a struggle pitch right there. So, all right. Again, Georgia. I'm in Swainsboro, Georgia. Even Scott was like, damn, that was the best she can do.

Starting point is 02:27:40 Okay. Swainsboro, Georgia. I'm going to see y'all tomorrow in Swainsboro, Georgia. I'm going to see y'all tomorrow in Swainsboro, Georgia. And so beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern, Houston, 5 p.m. Central, 6 p.m. We're going to be at Texas Southern University, Barbara Jordan, Mickey Leland, School of Public Policy. Cannot wait to be in my hometown. Turkey Leg Hut, y'all bring me.

Starting point is 02:28:03 Y'all know what I like. All right, Turkey Leg Hut with the Dirty Rice and Alfredo. Bring that by the joint. Alright, y'all. I'm going to see you at TSU again on Friday in H-Town and Sunday. I'm speaking to the East St. Louis NAACP.

Starting point is 02:28:19 It's a crazy travel schedule. Let me thank everybody at SiriusXM, The Breakfast Club, AURN, my goodness, who else did I talk to? I've been on the book, I've been on the media tour here in New York City, and so my man Sway,

Starting point is 02:28:35 Bevy, Angela Yee, Charlamagne, DJ Envy, thanks a lot. Let me thank Bilal, Clay Kane, and Dean, I'll be doing them later. I'll be doing Karen Hunter later as well. So we've had some fantastic media interviews. WPIX, thank you very much as well for interviewing them. So we have some fantastic interviews. Get your copy of the book, y'all. Let's move. I want to hit 50,000 copies sold.

Starting point is 02:29:06 I want to hit 50,000 copies sold of Roland Martin Unfiltered. So get your copy. Not Roland Unfiltered. Get your copy of White Fear, How the Browns of America Think White People Lose Their Mind. It's available at Ben Bella Books. Thank you for being the publisher. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, Bookshop, Chapters, Books A Million, Target.

Starting point is 02:29:28 You can also, of course, download the book on Audible. And don't forget, you can also, of course, order from your favorite black bookstore. Please support our black bookstores. Trust me, it matters as well. So get your copy of White Fear. Y'all know I break it down the way it needs to be broken down. Again, thank you so very much

Starting point is 02:29:54 to the panel. Glad to have our legal panel back. And Scott, seriously, if you want to have some swagger, if you want to have some swagger, Scott, again, so you ain't smooth like I am with it because, you know, I got the lavender going, and I can always just change it to the blue. See, you ain't got it like that.

Starting point is 02:30:15 I mean, I know it's rough. I know it's rough. I know it's rough. You ain't got it like that. No, no, we ain't going to do that. And so I'll go ahead and show some love to the Lynx and I'll go ahead and change the green. Yeah, that little bland-ass white wall

Starting point is 02:30:29 you got ain't doing nothing. That white wall ain't got nothing. Ain't no color. So, this background for the Lynx and the AKs, alright, let me do this here for the Deltas. I'm gonna do this for the Deltas. This ain't for the Kappas. That's the Deltas.

Starting point is 02:30:46 See, Scott, you ain't got it like me. Oh, God. See, you can't do that. Scott, you can't. Turn around. That wall just white. That wall just white. That wall just white. Scott looks like he's doing a TED talk.

Starting point is 02:31:02 It works for me. Scott. Scott. Yeah, it looks like his's doing a TED talk. It works for me. Scott. Yeah, it looks like his hand. It looks like you're doing a TED talk. Scott looks like he's about to do a booking photo. Scott doing a booking photo. All you need is a sign with some numbers underneath it. Where's my sign?

Starting point is 02:31:21 Here's my phone. See? See? You ain't able. It's my fault. See? It's my fault. See? You ain't... See? You ain't able. Bro, let's go. Y'all, ain't no show like this. Let's go.

Starting point is 02:31:31 Because, hey. Hey. Hey, it's 826. Y'all, this is what happens when you got a show that has color on the screen. We got... CNN can't do this. MSNBC ain't... They can't do this. MSNBC ain't, they can't handle this.

Starting point is 02:31:45 Anybody else in America, I think you love yourself more than I love myself. I mean, you just love yourself. Do you kiss yourself in the morning when you wake up? I imagine that sometimes. Stop it. Let's go. Why do you imagine that? You know what?

Starting point is 02:32:00 You know what? You know what? You know what? I'm going to go ahead and do this here. No, no, no. No, no. I'm going to go ahead and do this here. No, no, no. No, no. I'm going to go ahead and do this here. If all y'all who don't want me to cuss, y'all should go ahead and turn it down right now. So

Starting point is 02:32:13 Saturday night, I saw Jennifer Lewis. I saw Jennifer Lewis. Matter of fact, you know what? I'm just going to do this right here. Carol, I need y'all to pull this up real quick. Pull this up real quick, Carol. I wish I can play it here.

Starting point is 02:32:30 I want y'all to pull this up real quick. It's 830. We're going to end the show. See, this is not 830. It's 827. Shut up. This is how right here an alpha shuts it down. Carol, let me know when y'all got it ready.

Starting point is 02:32:46 Look and group me. I'll put in the link. So since we talked about do I kiss myself, I saw Jennifer Lewis, Monique, at the CBC dinner on Saturday, and she fell out laughing when I saw her, and I said, this motherfucker. She hollered. She hollered laughing when I told her that.

Starting point is 02:33:10 So since Scott asked, made this whole point about how do I feel about myself, I'm going to let Jennifer Lewis talk for me and take us home. I said you love yourself too much. That's what I said. You can't even pull it up. All right, y'all, I sent them the... Now, calm down. Hey, Scott, calm down.

Starting point is 02:33:34 We got this. I sent them the clip, y'all. Y'all gonna love this. This is classic Jennifer Lewis. That's why I love her dearly. I cannot wait for our one-on-one. Y'all got it? It's 8.30.

Starting point is 02:33:50 We got to go. You got to play it tomorrow. Hey, shut up. It's 8.28. It's 8.28. I cannot wait. This is a perfect way. Luckily, I sent it.

Starting point is 02:34:01 So, Carol, y'all got it? No. Y'all. We got to go. Just click the link. Click the link. This is why I led with free food. This right here is a neat.

Starting point is 02:34:18 Say it again, Monique. What? I said, this is why I led with free food. Students ain't going to be waiting around through all this. Really? We all got to go. All right. Here's the whole.

Starting point is 02:34:28 Hey, hey, hey. First of all, both of y'all be quiet. I'm going to end the show. I'm going to say holler right now. I'm going to let Jennifer Lewis close my show out. So, Scott, this is really how Uncle Ro-Ro-Roll, unlike you, cap us. Go ahead. Break it down, Jennifer.

Starting point is 02:34:46 Go on, player. Audio, audio. He can't cut audio. Yo, where the audio? Start it over, start it over, start the clip over. You're late with the audio. I know what she says. Now, hold on. Hold on.

Starting point is 02:35:09 Start the clip over. Turn the audio up. Go. Every morning, spit it out. I go like this in the mirror. And I lean forward and I pause. And I say these words. Pretty bitch. And I say these words pretty bitch Perfect. I know a lot of cops. They get asked all the time,

Starting point is 02:36:25 have you ever had to shoot your gun? Sometimes the answer is yes. But there's a company dedicated to a future where the answer will always be no. This is Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated. I get right back there and it's bad. Listen to Absolute Season 1, Taser Incorporated on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Starting point is 02:36:51 I'm Clayton English. I'm Greg Glott. And this is Season 2 of the War on Drugs podcast. Last year, a lot of the problems of the drug war. This year, a lot of the biggest names in music and sports. This kind of starts that a little bit, man. We met them at their homes. We met them at their recording studios. Stories matter, and it brings a face to them. It makes it real. It really does.

Starting point is 02:37:13 It makes it real. Listen to new episodes of the War on Drugs podcast season two on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You say you'd never give in to a meltdown. Never let kids' toys take over the house. And never fill your feed with kid photos. You'd never plan your life around their schedule. Never lick your thumb to clean their face.

Starting point is 02:37:43 And you'd never let them leave the house looking like less than their best. You'd say you'd never put a pacifier in your mouth to clean it. Never let them stay up too late. And never let them run wild through the grocery store.

Starting point is 02:38:03 So when you say you'd never let them get into a car without you there, no, it can happen. One in four hot car deaths happen when a kid gets into an unlocked car and can't get out. Never happens before you leave the car. Always stop.

Starting point is 02:38:18 Look, lock brought to you by NHTSA and the ad council. This is an I heart podcast.

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#RolandMartinUnfiltered - KCMO Police Troubles & White Media’s Supremacist Hypocrisy, OPEC Cuts Oil Production, WeKinkfolk App

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