May 3, 2024 • 34 mins
BIN News Anchors Rey Harris and Natasha Williams review the biggest news stories of the week with Host Ramses Ja .
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's been another busy news week and we like to
review the major stories of the week here on the
Black Information Network. Today, we are joined by Black Information
Network news anchors Natasha Williams and Ray Harris to discuss
this week's major stories. This is the Black Information Network
Daily Podcast, and I'm your host, ramses Jah. All right,
Natasha Williams, welcome back to the show. What's the latest
(00:23):
and greatest with you?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
You know, just chillaxon. We'd like to say, just chillaxon.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
I'm not mad at that. Ray Harris, man, talk to
me a little bit. Which been up to trying to
keep hope alive for the little people?
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Hey, I'm cool with that too. Man.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
All right, Well, speaking of the people, I don't know
if they're little, but their people. So let's get to
people what they came for. First up, the news of
the week. In Congress, the roof is metaphorically catching on fire,
as controversial Republican Marjorie Taylor Green has made an announcement
this week involving House Speaker Mike Johnson. Natasha, let's start
things off with you give us some details on this
(00:58):
news story, and then Ray will come to you.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yeah, Marjorie is on fire again. She has decided that
she is going to take that vote to try to
remove Ouse Speaker Johnson from office again. In part is
definitely about him giving going forward with the Democrats to
try to give aid to Ukraine and Taiwan. You know,
(01:23):
recently she was dead set against it and they had
talked her down, it looked like for a while, but
she is now with the help of another Republican, going
forward with that and she has a little support, but
the Democrats have said that they are not going to
allow it to happen, but she is moving forward with
her a little bit of support from the Republicans that
(01:46):
she has. She has always been just this little spark
plug that just keeps moving forward. But it's really interesting
because she has very little support, but for some reason,
I guess with the help of the former president, she
is moving forward. So it's going to be very interesting
to see though, with the support of the Democrats who
(02:07):
were trying to definitely keep things moving forward and keep
the votes moving forward, if she gets some movement on this.
So you know, stand by, as they like to say
in the game.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Absolutely ray, let's get your thoughts here as political pundits
say it probably won't fly based on the latest information
that's being released from Washington. But let me point out
something about this Republican from Georgia and miss Green, she's
only in her second term, and boy, she gathers some
(02:43):
headlines on upon headlines since she's been in her position.
I find that quite striking coming from her. She definitely
ruffles feathers, whether she's in the gallery listening to the
president's address the nation, or you know, she's cutting down
(03:07):
a fellow Republican. So it's quite interesting from her perspective
what she's doing. But if you look at the overall
scope of this situation, it reminds you of the Kevin
McCarthy situation. It's like looking in the mirror. He wanted
to go against some of the positions that the Republican has,
(03:30):
Republican leaders had, and now he's getting pushed back. He
got pushed back and eventually left office. Left that position
one of the most powerful positions in the country, third
in line for presidency, if I'm not mistaken, behind the
Vice president. So it is a very powerful, powerful position.
(03:54):
But current House Speaker Mike Johnson, he's in the bullseye
among his own, the Republicans.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
So you know, there's there's something that happened some months back.
If I'm not mistaken, this comes from Representative Ship Roy,
the Republican from Texas, and he was there's a speech
(04:25):
of him, or a recording of his speech rather where
he's asking for the Republicans to name one thing. His
fellow Republicans name one thing. I have my quote here, Okay,
it says I want my Republican colleagues to give me
one thing, one that I can go campaign on and
say we did one. Anybody sitting in the complex, if
(04:49):
you want to come down to the floor and come
explain to me one material, meaningful, significant thing the Republican
majority has done besides well, I guess it's not as
BA is the Democrats. So when I look at more
and this took place in it looks like it was
in November last year. So when I look and I
(05:11):
see more Republican in fighting, I feel bad for the
future prospects for this country, certainly the immediate future prospects
for this country.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Because.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
You know, in politics, one of the things that I've
learned and I've never I haven't served two terms and
Marjorie Taylor Green has one of the things that I
just know from politics in life is that you don't
always get everything that you want, and you should seldom
pick a hill to die on, because you could end
(05:47):
up dead on that hill, right and having to eat
your words.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
This whole game is about compromises.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
You give, you take, sometimes you take more, sometimes you
give more, right, And at the end of the day,
the name of the game is doing that. This is
the United States of America, and somehow, some way we've
always managed to get on the same page and make
something happen. And this Republican infighting and this specific individual
(06:17):
who's more known in the headlines for being disruptive and
combative than being an effective leader, you know, this just
kind of shows kind of the state of.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Affairs with respect.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
To that party, and her being one of the more
visible figures is not really doing Republicans any favor. You know,
there's a lot of Republican people that I know that
are very ashamed of their representation. Their values are bona
fide Republican values, but their representation doesn't reflect what it
(06:55):
is that they would hope. There's the class has gone,
the tact the the diplomacy, etc. Is out the window.
And then because of the Republican infighting, there's this additional
element where nothing gets done period with a Republican majority,
and so it's a really shameful thing to see. But
(07:16):
you know, I think I'm with you, Natasha. This is
just we just got to kind of wait and see.
So moving on, pro Palestine protests are intensifying around the
country as peaceful demonstrations became violent at UCLA, Columbia and
other universities. Ray give us the latest on the recent
protest at Columbia University, and then Natasha will come to
you for your thoughts on this protest and the one
(07:37):
at UCLA Ramses.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
This has been going on from coast to coast. Schools
have been the target and the launching point for students
to express their concerns about the war in Gaza. Now
let me point out all of these are not students.
(08:01):
Police have indicated and school officials also have indicated that
a lot of these people are coming onto the campus
of many of these universities and causing trouble. As some
of the peaceful protests have turned violent. It is unfortunate,
(08:22):
but students have mainly expressed their concerns about the war
and the many innocent people, women and children that are
being killed over there, and the famine that's all of
a sudden taking place as a result of no resources
getting into that region. So it's troublesome from that perspective,
(08:45):
but it's also a reflection of what happened back in
the sixties. If you remember, students protested and even civic
and community leaders, doctor King, you know, everybody said no
to the these wars back then. It's a reflection of that.
But what makes it different. It's turning to violence and
(09:09):
that's most concerning, and schools are battling with the issue
of trying to allow the students to protest. However, when
they get out of hands, start trespassing, breaking into buildings,
that's when the school officials have to resort to calling
to the calling in police and that creates, you know,
(09:31):
even more troublesome activity on the campus of each of
these schools where these protests are are taking place. So
it remains to be seen, but it's a you know,
kids coming to this country from other countries to get
(09:51):
a higher education and they're expressing their concerns, but they're
being overshadowed by people with other agendas joining these protests,
and that's causing you know, some bad publicity. You know,
a lot of emotion involved because there's a lot of
(10:13):
people that have died are being held hostage in Gaza.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Yeah, Natasha, let's get your thoughts here and.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Yeah, and it's gotten really really bad, like today at
UCLA they had to clear the area. The president recently
gave a speech and talked about it this morning. In fact,
it just it's reached a boiling point. I think the
outside agitators have really amplified it to a point that
(10:46):
it makes it so that the students, you know, have
been pushed into a corner. And I think some of
the professionals have come in and and kind of made
the students maybe do some things that they they probably
wouldn't have. I think the students definitely want to, you know,
let their voices be heard, and I think they should
be heard. You know, we have a you know, the
(11:09):
right to speech, free speech, but I think there is
a point where, you know, students who go to school
for four years should be allowed to graduate. They should
be allowed to walk across the stage and you know graduate.
I don't think that the disruptions that are going on
(11:30):
right now should interfere with graduation commencements and other things
that students have worked so hard for. And it's become
a thing now where so many of these protests and
demonstrations have have gone on so long and become so
drawn out that they are starting to interfere with other
(11:54):
students who have are not a part of this process,
and they've become dangerous and even just interfering with just
general college life. So I think that's now to the
point that they're interfering with so much that police are
becoming involved and the school administrators are becoming involved. So
it's just reached a point where, you know, it's become
(12:17):
too much. So it's more than just a protest, it's
more than just a statement. It's become a point where
it's going to become a problem for a lot more
than just the cause. And that's when everybody gets involved.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
All right, here we go.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
So, you know, I've shared with our listeners on the
show many times that I consider myself to be an activist.
This is this is my kind of party right here.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
Right.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Thing I think that people need to understand is that
the protesters are asking their universities to dibst from the
state of Israel. I've been to the protests at Arizona State,
which has also made national headlines. And I've been out
(13:22):
there with the signs and bullhorns and all the other
protesters and the organizations and everything like that, and you know,
I know how they're structured, very well organized, and i'd
imagine and because all of the information is shared with
other students on other campuses via discord, via you know,
these these other kind of social sites, with these file
(13:45):
sharing sites and so forth, the organization and the tactics
are are all very similar. Here's how to protest, Here's
how to deal with counter protesters, Here's how to deal
with agitators and people trying to provo. He you, here's
what we're going to do. Here's what we're not going
to do. Right, So it's all, you know, set up
(14:06):
to where it can be an effective protest. The thing
is that there are other people that know about these tactics.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Right.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
I'm going to make it very clear that on no campus, certainly,
at no protest that I've ever been to in my life,
has there been anything that has been anti Certainly not
anti Jewish, but anti really anything other than government institutions
(14:42):
or white supremacist institutions or you know, institutional racism or
that sort of thing.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
This is what protests are about. They're not about a people.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
However, there have been protests by neo Nazis, no counter
protests by neo Nazis and white supremacists. And you can
see that I there's no police presence, or you see
that the police are standing by and not engaging, right,
and then it calls in a question, well, why wouldn't
the police engage there. Well, they're probably not there because
they're actually walking in the neo Nazi protests or you know,
(15:16):
they got trained in Israel and so they feel more
connected with the nation state of Israel than the outcomes
that are shaping or really ending the lives of Palestine
and human.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Beings on the ground. Okay, bear that in mind.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
So another thing that I want to add here is
what President Joe Biden said. He says, we've all seen
the images and they put to test two fundamental American principles.
The first is the right to free speech and for
people to peacefully assemble and make their voices heard. The
second is the rule of law, both must be upheld. Okay,
so that's a quote from the president. One of the
(15:57):
things that I might lose some people here, that's okay,
I'm still your brother. But one of the things that
I've learned from protesters is that holding a sign and
walking in a circle with your other picketers that might
bring some attention to a cause. Shutting Down traffic absolutely
(16:19):
brings attention to a cause. And if it's that serious
and the lives are on the line and people are
dying every day, you might want to shut down traffic
because that will get people to listen. If you want
to go into a building and barricade yourself in a
building and you know that you run the risk of
getting arrested and kicked out of school, but it will
save someone's life, then you might actually take your chances there.
(16:45):
So I'm not mad at protesters themselves who take more
intense action and they know the risks, and these people
sign up for it, right. I have never been able
to do that because I've always been kind of They've
alway just wanted me to be.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Able to share the stories.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Right, So if I'm in jail or something like that,
I can't share what's going on on the radio, and
I have these platforms.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Other people don't. Last thing. I'll say.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
A friend of this show, his name is Amy Horwitz.
He's been on the show several times. He's a Jewish
conservative pundit. He's a friend of mine. I don't agree
with really anything that Amy has to say about any
topic ever, right, but I do believe he's a good man.
We just don't agree on really anything. Amy, someone that
(17:39):
I know, someone's been on this show, can serve in
this moment as an example of what a counter protester
looks like, so as to provoke the protesters on the campus.
So Amy makes these videos, right, this is what he does.
He decides he's going to take He's in New York.
He decides he's going to take an American flag. Bear
in mind, America is funding Israel's war on the people
(18:04):
in Gossm, the war on Amas, but is manifested on
the human beings and the children in Gossam. Right, So
America's paying for this war and everyone knows this. So
Ami decides, you know what, I'm gonna take a flag
up to the school. It's just an American flag. I'm
gonna take a flag into the school and see how
violent these protesters are.
Speaker 4 (18:24):
Right.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
It takes this American flag, unrolls it and starts waving
it around at the school, right. And then you hear
him in this video and you see the audio on
the video, and he's like, hey.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Bro, it's an American flag. I'm an American, man, what's
the problem. What's the problem. I can be here, you
know what I'm saying. I can protest too, right, And
he gets in the mix of these protesters and they're like,
hey man, you got to get out of here. Hey man,
we're not here for that. Hey man, you gotta lead
blah blah blah.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
And then because Amy is a pro Israeli, he's an
Israel supporter and indeed an antagonist. With the police being
on the campus as well, you know, and the police,
again are trained by the State of Israel, you start
to see how easily a situation can get provoked. And
(19:12):
because the students are the ones making headlines, all you
need to see is peaceful protest turns violent. You never
get the why. And then all of a sudden, it
seems like these students, these protesters, these activists who are
trying to save lives are now somehow criminal, And that's
something that I have to say anytime I have a microphone.
(19:33):
Chris knows me, Tony knows me. You too know me.
Anytime I have to have a microphone in an audience,
I have to say the truth as I see it.
So I appreciate you letting me say that and share
that with him. Black Information Network News anchors Natasha Williams
and Ray Harris are here with us discussing.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
This week's major stories.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
All Right, next up. Talk show host Drew Barrymore came
under fire this week for comments during an interview on
her program with Vice President Kamala Harris. Natasha share with
our listeners more about this hilarious story, and then Ray,
we're gonna get your thoughts after that.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
It was just so bizarre. First off, I thought it
was I thought she sat way way way way way
way way way way way way way way too close
to the Vice president.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
I just think her show is just very, very different anyway.
That dog sits on the chair, So I don't like that.
You know, that's first, and then the president vice president
is there, and then she's like way up on top
of her, like all close and then that whole you know,
the Mamla thing, which you know, for those who don't know,
(20:48):
the Vice President's step children call her Mama La because
she's Kamala and they don't think step mom is a
good name for her, so they call her Mama La.
And it's their whole story to it because No as
Kamala's child of divorce and she doesn't like the whole
step mom thing, and you know, just it's a whole story.
(21:09):
But anyway, so she Drew makes some comment that you
should be the mama of the of the country because
we need a Mama La during these times, and it's
just so weird and crazy. But it was just very
very awkward, and I know what she was trying to do,
but just it came off as just being this very awkward, weird,
(21:30):
I'm trying to be too close to the Vice president
and saw it saved the world type situation. It was
just very very weird, and it just didn't work. It
did not work. It did not it didn't work for
me translate. Yeah, it just it was not what it
was intended to be. I know what she was trying
(21:52):
to do, but she just needed to back up off
of my sorority sister. I'm just sorry.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
We need to back up.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
She needs to just need to back up and just
have a commonversation and treat it the office with the
respect as it was. I didn't think she was prepared
for the interview anyway, and she asked her some really
crazy questions. I thought she should have asked her more
thoughtful questions that were pertaining to the vice president and
the role that she had and stay away from this
whole you know, family and things that were just not
(22:21):
where it should have been. It was just very bizarre.
I thought she tried to make it just too friendly
and too I'm just here talking to one of my
girlfriends and look at me, I got my leg under
my you know me. It was just too too strange,
too strange. She tried to treat it like she does
one of her Hollywood girlfriends, and it just wasn't what
it should have been.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Yeah, I'd go with that. It was definitely that right.
Let's get you to land here too.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Light's camera action, no script. That's what this was based on.
This is the real Drew Barrymore, and this is her
way of showing her fans and also her listeners of
her podcast, her personal side, and I think this was
based on other episodes that I've seen with her on it.
(23:16):
It just makes you wonder how far can you go,
how much interjection of your personal life can you bring
forward into that.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
I think that.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
It was a more intimate She wants to her show
to be intimate because she includes the dog and you know,
they're sitting real close to each other. And yeah, I
don't know when you I think if it was another
(23:56):
movie star or singer or something like that, it may
have been accepted a little bit more. But when you
have a powerful political figure, especially a political vice president
who happens to be black, it definitely she should have
(24:21):
taken on a different perspective in regards to that interview. Yeah,
that's what I think.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Yeah, one of the uh, well, first off, Natasha, I
today learned that you're an aka. So akas have a
special place in my heart. But you know, one of
the things that like I understand, and you know, she
got dragged, they did her dirty on social media, so
(24:48):
you know, you live and you learn, right. But one
of the things that I agree with you, Natasha, that
Drew barrymore she.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
I don't think that.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
She knows who Mammy is, right, so you know that
she I don't know that she could make connections like
how we would, right. I feel like she was being
very honest in her excitement about having the vice president there.
This is the most powerful woman ever and a kind
(25:27):
person who understands the plight of black women in general,
A kind person who was really tapped in during you know,
twenty twenty in the BLM protest, A kind person who
has done their best to center the voices, and you
know the perspectives of black people might end up doing
(25:49):
something very similar, which is really trying to lean into
a moment.
Speaker 4 (25:52):
Now we know that, Hey, hey, you put your brakes on.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Just treat me normal, then it's all good, right, You
don't need to you don't need to me.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
You could just treat me like how I deserve to
be treated. Right.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
But to people who've never found that line, they might
overstep it. They might, you know, not quite meet the standard.
Rarely do people get it right on the first try.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
Right.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
And I don't know that Drew Barrymore is this person
or isn't this person? But I can see that excitement,
and I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. Which
on social media and online people don't tend to do.
One of the things that did happen though, certainly in
recent years, and even going back to the Me Too movement,
is that there's been increased calls to center black women
(26:39):
and to celebrate black women. You know, we understand that
black women are the mothers to to, you know, to
borrow on her mama la sentiments, the mothers of humanity,
the mothers of our species.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
Right, so you.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Know there is an innate quality to to black women,
especially as they become older. I know this personally because
anytime I find myself around some black women who are
older than me, they immediately grab my head. Come here, baby,
let me see what you're doing with this hair right here,
and they get all in my hair and they call
(27:18):
me baby, and I feel it's home.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
It's home. I know that.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
And so when I hear other black people or other
non black people say, oh my god, a black woman
called me baby today and it made my weak, I
know that feeling. I've heard it more, I've grown up
with it, so it's it's still profound, but I get
how it can be more profound for non black people
because I've been all over the world. I've never known
(27:45):
a singular human being to have that consistent effect across
all races and cultures like a black woman does, especially
again the older Black women. I think that is the
most beautiful expression of humanity old black and I've said
it before, I'll say it again. I doubt on this
earth we'll ever get closer to God than that. For
(28:10):
our final story, we have an update on a story report.
It's to Black Information Network involving Black Kansas City Team
Ralph Yarl Ray bring us up to speed on the
latest developments rounding his case, and then Natasha will come
to you to close us out.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
First, let me inform our reviewers about a gentleman by
the name of Andrew Lester. He is a trial that's
set to begin October seventh. He faces charges of first
degree assault and first degree armed in criminal action. There's
no mention of any charges relating to attempted murder. Let
(28:49):
me explain why, Oh, Ralph Yarl, the Young Black Team
was in the neighborhood in Missouri and in he rang
the doorbell of mister Lester's home. The door was opened
(29:09):
and the teenager was met with gunfire, shot in the
head he fell to the ground and he was shot
again while he was on the ground, simply because he
went to the wrong door. This has happened. Cases like
(29:30):
this have happened all over the country where young black people,
whether it's male or female, have gone to the wrong
house and have been met with violence and even gunfire.
Another case that comes to mind is the Amarda Arbery
(29:54):
situation down in South Georgia. This is a carbon copy
of that. But this young man was going to pick
up some siblings and he went to the wrong house
and he was shot by Andrew Lester. Now, mister Lester
has claimed he's innocent and pled not guilty to the chargers.
(30:16):
He set to go to trial on October seventh, and
he's known, according to reports out over Missouri, he's known
for having access to dangerous weapons, and he's known for
his racial animosity toward people of color. So Ralph Arral
(30:38):
has survived. His family is suing suing mister Lester and
also his homeowners' association because they claimed that the homeowners
association knew of mister Lester's actions. By the grace of God,
this young man survived. He's having a long road to recover.
(31:06):
From this incident, but he's expected to make a full recovery.
Will he be the same No, no shameless blood. But
the Black Information Network will be following that from Gavel
to Gavel. Very interesting case.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
Natasha, why don't you bring us home?
Speaker 3 (31:26):
Well, it brings to mind a case that you guys
might remember too, a little different but kind of the same.
That poor woman who was caught in the middle of
that scam in Ohio where she was just picking up
what she thought was a package and the man decided
(31:46):
just to kill her. Do you remember the situation where
she was caught in the middle of a scam and
a man decided just to shoot her. You know, she
just happened to be picking up a package a uber driver,
you know, and it's, uh, just a mistake. She was
just doing her job. You know. We get caught in
these situations, you know, and people just decide to just
(32:07):
try to kill us. And uh, I feel bad for
this this young man. He was just basically at the
wrong house, and uh, this man decides to just shoot him,
you know, and hurt him, and uh and then say
he didn't do anything wrong. You know, this man should
be prosecuted. He should be found guilty. This child was
(32:33):
simply at a wrong house and he should have been
able to open the door and say, I'm here to
pick up my relatives, and the person should have said
there's no one here by that name, and the child
should have walked to the right house and just been like,
oh my bad, you know, and moved on. And that
should have been the end of the story. It shouldn't
have ended with gunfire and surgery after surgery, situation after situation.
(32:59):
You know, it shouldn't end it with lawsuits and parents
crying and you know, wondering what in the world's going on.
Why we shouldn't be talking about this right now, you know,
we shouldn't be having a discussion about why there are
people with guns shooting at kids for coming to the door.
But that's where we are, and that's what we'll continue
(33:19):
to do until people are convicted for doing the silliness
that they do or somebody coming to their door, until
they're held accountable for these types of things.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Well said, well, I'm grateful that we're going to watch
this one from gable to gavel, and so once this commences,
we're going to have a lot more to say about this.
But in the meantime. As always, I'd like to thank
you both very much for your time and your insight.
Once again, today's guests are Black Information Network news anchors
(33:56):
Natasha Williams and Ray Harris. This has been a production
of the Black Information Network. Today's show is produced by
Chris Thompson. Have some thoughts you'd like to share, use
the red microphone talkback feature on the iHeartRadio app. While
you're there, be sure to hit subscribe and download all
of our episodes. I'm your host, RAMSI's jah on all
social media, and I'll be hosting another episode of Civic
(34:19):
Cipher this weekend on a station near you. For stations,
show times, and podcast info, check Civiccipher dot com and
join us Monday as we share our news with our
voice from our perspective right here on the Black Information
Network Daily podcast
It's been another busy news week and we like to
review the major stories of the week here on the
Black Information Network. Today, we are joined by Black Information
Network news anchors Natasha Williams and Ray Harris to discuss
this week's major stories. This is the Black Information Network
Daily Podcast, and I'm your host, ramses Jah. All right,
Natasha Williams, welcome back to the show. What's the latest
(00:23):
and greatest with you?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (00:25):
You know, just chillaxon. We'd like to say, just chillaxon.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
I like that.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
I'm not mad at that. Ray Harris, man, talk to
me a little bit. Which been up to trying to
keep hope alive for the little people?
Speaker 4 (00:36):
Hey, I'm cool with that too. Man.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
All right, Well, speaking of the people, I don't know
if they're little, but their people. So let's get to
people what they came for. First up, the news of
the week. In Congress, the roof is metaphorically catching on fire,
as controversial Republican Marjorie Taylor Green has made an announcement
this week involving House Speaker Mike Johnson. Natasha, let's start
things off with you give us some details on this
(00:58):
news story, and then Ray will come to you.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Yeah, Marjorie is on fire again. She has decided that
she is going to take that vote to try to
remove Ouse Speaker Johnson from office again. In part is
definitely about him giving going forward with the Democrats to
try to give aid to Ukraine and Taiwan. You know,
(01:23):
recently she was dead set against it and they had
talked her down, it looked like for a while, but
she is now with the help of another Republican, going
forward with that and she has a little support, but
the Democrats have said that they are not going to
allow it to happen, but she is moving forward with
her a little bit of support from the Republicans that
(01:46):
she has. She has always been just this little spark
plug that just keeps moving forward. But it's really interesting
because she has very little support, but for some reason,
I guess with the help of the former president, she
is moving forward. So it's going to be very interesting
to see though, with the support of the Democrats who
(02:07):
were trying to definitely keep things moving forward and keep
the votes moving forward, if she gets some movement on this.
So you know, stand by, as they like to say
in the game.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Absolutely ray, let's get your thoughts here as political pundits
say it probably won't fly based on the latest information
that's being released from Washington. But let me point out
something about this Republican from Georgia and miss Green, she's
only in her second term, and boy, she gathers some
(02:43):
headlines on upon headlines since she's been in her position.
I find that quite striking coming from her. She definitely
ruffles feathers, whether she's in the gallery listening to the
president's address the nation, or you know, she's cutting down
(03:07):
a fellow Republican. So it's quite interesting from her perspective
what she's doing. But if you look at the overall
scope of this situation, it reminds you of the Kevin
McCarthy situation. It's like looking in the mirror. He wanted
to go against some of the positions that the Republican has,
(03:30):
Republican leaders had, and now he's getting pushed back. He
got pushed back and eventually left office. Left that position
one of the most powerful positions in the country, third
in line for presidency, if I'm not mistaken, behind the
Vice president. So it is a very powerful, powerful position.
(03:54):
But current House Speaker Mike Johnson, he's in the bullseye
among his own, the Republicans.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
So you know, there's there's something that happened some months back.
If I'm not mistaken, this comes from Representative Ship Roy,
the Republican from Texas, and he was there's a speech
(04:25):
of him, or a recording of his speech rather where
he's asking for the Republicans to name one thing. His
fellow Republicans name one thing. I have my quote here, Okay,
it says I want my Republican colleagues to give me
one thing, one that I can go campaign on and
say we did one. Anybody sitting in the complex, if
(04:49):
you want to come down to the floor and come
explain to me one material, meaningful, significant thing the Republican
majority has done besides well, I guess it's not as
BA is the Democrats. So when I look at more
and this took place in it looks like it was
in November last year. So when I look and I
(05:11):
see more Republican in fighting, I feel bad for the
future prospects for this country, certainly the immediate future prospects
for this country.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Because.
Speaker 1 (05:27):
You know, in politics, one of the things that I've
learned and I've never I haven't served two terms and
Marjorie Taylor Green has one of the things that I
just know from politics in life is that you don't
always get everything that you want, and you should seldom
pick a hill to die on, because you could end
(05:47):
up dead on that hill, right and having to eat
your words.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
This whole game is about compromises.
Speaker 1 (05:55):
You give, you take, sometimes you take more, sometimes you
give more, right, And at the end of the day,
the name of the game is doing that. This is
the United States of America, and somehow, some way we've
always managed to get on the same page and make
something happen. And this Republican infighting and this specific individual
(06:17):
who's more known in the headlines for being disruptive and
combative than being an effective leader, you know, this just
kind of shows kind of the state of.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Affairs with respect.
Speaker 1 (06:34):
To that party, and her being one of the more
visible figures is not really doing Republicans any favor. You know,
there's a lot of Republican people that I know that
are very ashamed of their representation. Their values are bona
fide Republican values, but their representation doesn't reflect what it
(06:55):
is that they would hope. There's the class has gone,
the tact the the diplomacy, etc. Is out the window.
And then because of the Republican infighting, there's this additional
element where nothing gets done period with a Republican majority,
and so it's a really shameful thing to see. But
(07:16):
you know, I think I'm with you, Natasha. This is
just we just got to kind of wait and see.
So moving on, pro Palestine protests are intensifying around the
country as peaceful demonstrations became violent at UCLA, Columbia and
other universities. Ray give us the latest on the recent
protest at Columbia University, and then Natasha will come to
you for your thoughts on this protest and the one
(07:37):
at UCLA Ramses.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
This has been going on from coast to coast. Schools
have been the target and the launching point for students
to express their concerns about the war in Gaza. Now
let me point out all of these are not students.
(08:01):
Police have indicated and school officials also have indicated that
a lot of these people are coming onto the campus
of many of these universities and causing trouble. As some
of the peaceful protests have turned violent. It is unfortunate,
(08:22):
but students have mainly expressed their concerns about the war
and the many innocent people, women and children that are
being killed over there, and the famine that's all of
a sudden taking place as a result of no resources
getting into that region. So it's troublesome from that perspective,
(08:45):
but it's also a reflection of what happened back in
the sixties. If you remember, students protested and even civic
and community leaders, doctor King, you know, everybody said no
to the these wars back then. It's a reflection of that.
But what makes it different. It's turning to violence and
(09:09):
that's most concerning, and schools are battling with the issue
of trying to allow the students to protest. However, when
they get out of hands, start trespassing, breaking into buildings,
that's when the school officials have to resort to calling
to the calling in police and that creates, you know,
(09:31):
even more troublesome activity on the campus of each of
these schools where these protests are are taking place. So
it remains to be seen, but it's a you know,
kids coming to this country from other countries to get
(09:51):
a higher education and they're expressing their concerns, but they're
being overshadowed by people with other agendas joining these protests,
and that's causing you know, some bad publicity. You know,
a lot of emotion involved because there's a lot of
(10:13):
people that have died are being held hostage in Gaza.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Yeah, Natasha, let's get your thoughts here and.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Yeah, and it's gotten really really bad, like today at
UCLA they had to clear the area. The president recently
gave a speech and talked about it this morning. In fact,
it just it's reached a boiling point. I think the
outside agitators have really amplified it to a point that
(10:46):
it makes it so that the students, you know, have
been pushed into a corner. And I think some of
the professionals have come in and and kind of made
the students maybe do some things that they they probably
wouldn't have. I think the students definitely want to, you know,
let their voices be heard, and I think they should
be heard. You know, we have a you know, the
(11:09):
right to speech, free speech, but I think there is
a point where, you know, students who go to school
for four years should be allowed to graduate. They should
be allowed to walk across the stage and you know graduate.
I don't think that the disruptions that are going on
(11:30):
right now should interfere with graduation commencements and other things
that students have worked so hard for. And it's become
a thing now where so many of these protests and
demonstrations have have gone on so long and become so
drawn out that they are starting to interfere with other
(11:54):
students who have are not a part of this process,
and they've become dangerous and even just interfering with just
general college life. So I think that's now to the
point that they're interfering with so much that police are
becoming involved and the school administrators are becoming involved. So
it's just reached a point where, you know, it's become
(12:17):
too much. So it's more than just a protest, it's
more than just a statement. It's become a point where
it's going to become a problem for a lot more
than just the cause. And that's when everybody gets involved.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
All right, here we go.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
So, you know, I've shared with our listeners on the
show many times that I consider myself to be an activist.
This is this is my kind of party right here.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
Right.
Speaker 1 (13:00):
Thing I think that people need to understand is that
the protesters are asking their universities to dibst from the
state of Israel. I've been to the protests at Arizona State,
which has also made national headlines. And I've been out
(13:22):
there with the signs and bullhorns and all the other
protesters and the organizations and everything like that, and you know,
I know how they're structured, very well organized, and i'd
imagine and because all of the information is shared with
other students on other campuses via discord, via you know,
these these other kind of social sites, with these file
(13:45):
sharing sites and so forth, the organization and the tactics
are are all very similar. Here's how to protest, Here's
how to deal with counter protesters, Here's how to deal
with agitators and people trying to provo. He you, here's
what we're going to do. Here's what we're not going
to do. Right, So it's all, you know, set up
(14:06):
to where it can be an effective protest. The thing
is that there are other people that know about these tactics.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
Right.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
I'm going to make it very clear that on no campus, certainly,
at no protest that I've ever been to in my life,
has there been anything that has been anti Certainly not
anti Jewish, but anti really anything other than government institutions
(14:42):
or white supremacist institutions or you know, institutional racism or
that sort of thing.
Speaker 4 (14:48):
This is what protests are about. They're not about a people.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
However, there have been protests by neo Nazis, no counter
protests by neo Nazis and white supremacists. And you can
see that I there's no police presence, or you see
that the police are standing by and not engaging, right,
and then it calls in a question, well, why wouldn't
the police engage there. Well, they're probably not there because
they're actually walking in the neo Nazi protests or you know,
(15:16):
they got trained in Israel and so they feel more
connected with the nation state of Israel than the outcomes
that are shaping or really ending the lives of Palestine
and human.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Beings on the ground. Okay, bear that in mind.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
So another thing that I want to add here is
what President Joe Biden said. He says, we've all seen
the images and they put to test two fundamental American principles.
The first is the right to free speech and for
people to peacefully assemble and make their voices heard. The
second is the rule of law, both must be upheld. Okay,
so that's a quote from the president. One of the
(15:57):
things that I might lose some people here, that's okay,
I'm still your brother. But one of the things that
I've learned from protesters is that holding a sign and
walking in a circle with your other picketers that might
bring some attention to a cause. Shutting Down traffic absolutely
(16:19):
brings attention to a cause. And if it's that serious
and the lives are on the line and people are
dying every day, you might want to shut down traffic
because that will get people to listen. If you want
to go into a building and barricade yourself in a
building and you know that you run the risk of
getting arrested and kicked out of school, but it will
save someone's life, then you might actually take your chances there.
(16:45):
So I'm not mad at protesters themselves who take more
intense action and they know the risks, and these people
sign up for it, right. I have never been able
to do that because I've always been kind of They've
alway just wanted me to be.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Able to share the stories.
Speaker 1 (17:02):
Right, So if I'm in jail or something like that,
I can't share what's going on on the radio, and
I have these platforms.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Other people don't. Last thing. I'll say.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
A friend of this show, his name is Amy Horwitz.
He's been on the show several times. He's a Jewish
conservative pundit. He's a friend of mine. I don't agree
with really anything that Amy has to say about any
topic ever, right, but I do believe he's a good man.
We just don't agree on really anything. Amy, someone that
(17:39):
I know, someone's been on this show, can serve in
this moment as an example of what a counter protester
looks like, so as to provoke the protesters on the campus.
So Amy makes these videos, right, this is what he does.
He decides he's going to take He's in New York.
He decides he's going to take an American flag. Bear
in mind, America is funding Israel's war on the people
(18:04):
in Gossm, the war on Amas, but is manifested on
the human beings and the children in Gossam. Right, So
America's paying for this war and everyone knows this. So
Ami decides, you know what, I'm gonna take a flag
up to the school. It's just an American flag. I'm
gonna take a flag into the school and see how
violent these protesters are.
Speaker 4 (18:24):
Right.
Speaker 1 (18:25):
It takes this American flag, unrolls it and starts waving
it around at the school, right. And then you hear
him in this video and you see the audio on
the video, and he's like, hey.
Speaker 4 (18:35):
Bro, it's an American flag. I'm an American, man, what's
the problem. What's the problem. I can be here, you
know what I'm saying. I can protest too, right, And
he gets in the mix of these protesters and they're like,
hey man, you got to get out of here. Hey man,
we're not here for that. Hey man, you gotta lead
blah blah blah.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
And then because Amy is a pro Israeli, he's an
Israel supporter and indeed an antagonist. With the police being
on the campus as well, you know, and the police,
again are trained by the State of Israel, you start
to see how easily a situation can get provoked. And
(19:12):
because the students are the ones making headlines, all you
need to see is peaceful protest turns violent. You never
get the why. And then all of a sudden, it
seems like these students, these protesters, these activists who are
trying to save lives are now somehow criminal, And that's
something that I have to say anytime I have a microphone.
(19:33):
Chris knows me, Tony knows me. You too know me.
Anytime I have to have a microphone in an audience,
I have to say the truth as I see it.
So I appreciate you letting me say that and share
that with him. Black Information Network News anchors Natasha Williams
and Ray Harris are here with us discussing.
Speaker 4 (19:50):
This week's major stories.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
All Right, next up. Talk show host Drew Barrymore came
under fire this week for comments during an interview on
her program with Vice President Kamala Harris. Natasha share with
our listeners more about this hilarious story, and then Ray,
we're gonna get your thoughts after that.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
It was just so bizarre. First off, I thought it
was I thought she sat way way way way way
way way way way way way way way too close
to the Vice president.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
I just think her show is just very, very different anyway.
That dog sits on the chair, So I don't like that.
You know, that's first, and then the president vice president
is there, and then she's like way up on top
of her, like all close and then that whole you know,
the Mamla thing, which you know, for those who don't know,
(20:48):
the Vice President's step children call her Mama La because
she's Kamala and they don't think step mom is a
good name for her, so they call her Mama La.
And it's their whole story to it because No as
Kamala's child of divorce and she doesn't like the whole
step mom thing, and you know, just it's a whole story.
(21:09):
But anyway, so she Drew makes some comment that you
should be the mama of the of the country because
we need a Mama La during these times, and it's
just so weird and crazy. But it was just very
very awkward, and I know what she was trying to do,
but just it came off as just being this very awkward, weird,
(21:30):
I'm trying to be too close to the Vice president
and saw it saved the world type situation. It was
just very very weird, and it just didn't work. It
did not work. It did not it didn't work for
me translate. Yeah, it just it was not what it
was intended to be. I know what she was trying
(21:52):
to do, but she just needed to back up off
of my sorority sister. I'm just sorry.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
We need to back up.
Speaker 3 (21:58):
She needs to just need to back up and just
have a commonversation and treat it the office with the
respect as it was. I didn't think she was prepared
for the interview anyway, and she asked her some really
crazy questions. I thought she should have asked her more
thoughtful questions that were pertaining to the vice president and
the role that she had and stay away from this
whole you know, family and things that were just not
(22:21):
where it should have been. It was just very bizarre.
I thought she tried to make it just too friendly
and too I'm just here talking to one of my
girlfriends and look at me, I got my leg under
my you know me. It was just too too strange,
too strange. She tried to treat it like she does
one of her Hollywood girlfriends, and it just wasn't what
it should have been.
Speaker 4 (22:43):
Yeah, I'd go with that. It was definitely that right.
Let's get you to land here too.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Light's camera action, no script. That's what this was based on.
This is the real Drew Barrymore, and this is her
way of showing her fans and also her listeners of
her podcast, her personal side, and I think this was
based on other episodes that I've seen with her on it.
(23:16):
It just makes you wonder how far can you go,
how much interjection of your personal life can you bring
forward into that.
Speaker 4 (23:29):
I think that.
Speaker 2 (23:32):
It was a more intimate She wants to her show
to be intimate because she includes the dog and you know,
they're sitting real close to each other. And yeah, I
don't know when you I think if it was another
(23:56):
movie star or singer or something like that, it may
have been accepted a little bit more. But when you
have a powerful political figure, especially a political vice president
who happens to be black, it definitely she should have
(24:21):
taken on a different perspective in regards to that interview. Yeah,
that's what I think.
Speaker 1 (24:26):
Yeah, one of the uh, well, first off, Natasha, I
today learned that you're an aka. So akas have a
special place in my heart. But you know, one of
the things that like I understand, and you know, she
got dragged, they did her dirty on social media, so
(24:48):
you know, you live and you learn, right. But one
of the things that I agree with you, Natasha, that
Drew barrymore she.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
I don't think that.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
She knows who Mammy is, right, so you know that
she I don't know that she could make connections like
how we would, right. I feel like she was being
very honest in her excitement about having the vice president there.
This is the most powerful woman ever and a kind
(25:27):
person who understands the plight of black women in general,
A kind person who was really tapped in during you know,
twenty twenty in the BLM protest, A kind person who
has done their best to center the voices, and you
know the perspectives of black people might end up doing
(25:49):
something very similar, which is really trying to lean into
a moment.
Speaker 4 (25:52):
Now we know that, Hey, hey, you put your brakes on.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Just treat me normal, then it's all good, right, You
don't need to you don't need to me.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
You could just treat me like how I deserve to
be treated. Right.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
But to people who've never found that line, they might
overstep it. They might, you know, not quite meet the standard.
Rarely do people get it right on the first try.
Speaker 4 (26:14):
Right.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
And I don't know that Drew Barrymore is this person
or isn't this person? But I can see that excitement,
and I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. Which
on social media and online people don't tend to do.
One of the things that did happen though, certainly in
recent years, and even going back to the Me Too movement,
is that there's been increased calls to center black women
(26:39):
and to celebrate black women. You know, we understand that
black women are the mothers to to, you know, to
borrow on her mama la sentiments, the mothers of humanity,
the mothers of our species.
Speaker 4 (26:56):
Right, so you.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
Know there is an innate quality to to black women,
especially as they become older. I know this personally because
anytime I find myself around some black women who are
older than me, they immediately grab my head. Come here, baby,
let me see what you're doing with this hair right here,
and they get all in my hair and they call
(27:18):
me baby, and I feel it's home.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
It's home. I know that.
Speaker 1 (27:23):
And so when I hear other black people or other
non black people say, oh my god, a black woman
called me baby today and it made my weak, I
know that feeling. I've heard it more, I've grown up
with it, so it's it's still profound, but I get
how it can be more profound for non black people
because I've been all over the world. I've never known
(27:45):
a singular human being to have that consistent effect across
all races and cultures like a black woman does, especially
again the older Black women. I think that is the
most beautiful expression of humanity old black and I've said
it before, I'll say it again. I doubt on this
earth we'll ever get closer to God than that. For
(28:10):
our final story, we have an update on a story report.
It's to Black Information Network involving Black Kansas City Team
Ralph Yarl Ray bring us up to speed on the
latest developments rounding his case, and then Natasha will come
to you to close us out.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
First, let me inform our reviewers about a gentleman by
the name of Andrew Lester. He is a trial that's
set to begin October seventh. He faces charges of first
degree assault and first degree armed in criminal action. There's
no mention of any charges relating to attempted murder. Let
(28:49):
me explain why, Oh, Ralph Yarl, the Young Black Team
was in the neighborhood in Missouri and in he rang
the doorbell of mister Lester's home. The door was opened
(29:09):
and the teenager was met with gunfire, shot in the
head he fell to the ground and he was shot
again while he was on the ground, simply because he
went to the wrong door. This has happened. Cases like
(29:30):
this have happened all over the country where young black people,
whether it's male or female, have gone to the wrong
house and have been met with violence and even gunfire.
Another case that comes to mind is the Amarda Arbery
(29:54):
situation down in South Georgia. This is a carbon copy
of that. But this young man was going to pick
up some siblings and he went to the wrong house
and he was shot by Andrew Lester. Now, mister Lester
has claimed he's innocent and pled not guilty to the chargers.
(30:16):
He set to go to trial on October seventh, and
he's known, according to reports out over Missouri, he's known
for having access to dangerous weapons, and he's known for
his racial animosity toward people of color. So Ralph Arral
(30:38):
has survived. His family is suing suing mister Lester and
also his homeowners' association because they claimed that the homeowners
association knew of mister Lester's actions. By the grace of God,
this young man survived. He's having a long road to recover.
(31:06):
From this incident, but he's expected to make a full recovery.
Will he be the same No, no shameless blood. But
the Black Information Network will be following that from Gavel
to Gavel. Very interesting case.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
Natasha, why don't you bring us home?
Speaker 3 (31:26):
Well, it brings to mind a case that you guys
might remember too, a little different but kind of the same.
That poor woman who was caught in the middle of
that scam in Ohio where she was just picking up
what she thought was a package and the man decided
(31:46):
just to kill her. Do you remember the situation where
she was caught in the middle of a scam and
a man decided just to shoot her. You know, she
just happened to be picking up a package a uber driver,
you know, and it's, uh, just a mistake. She was
just doing her job. You know. We get caught in
these situations, you know, and people just decide to just
(32:07):
try to kill us. And uh, I feel bad for
this this young man. He was just basically at the
wrong house, and uh, this man decides to just shoot him,
you know, and hurt him, and uh and then say
he didn't do anything wrong. You know, this man should
be prosecuted. He should be found guilty. This child was
(32:33):
simply at a wrong house and he should have been
able to open the door and say, I'm here to
pick up my relatives, and the person should have said
there's no one here by that name, and the child
should have walked to the right house and just been like,
oh my bad, you know, and moved on. And that
should have been the end of the story. It shouldn't
have ended with gunfire and surgery after surgery, situation after situation.
(32:59):
You know, it shouldn't end it with lawsuits and parents
crying and you know, wondering what in the world's going on.
Why we shouldn't be talking about this right now, you know,
we shouldn't be having a discussion about why there are
people with guns shooting at kids for coming to the door.
But that's where we are, and that's what we'll continue
(33:19):
to do until people are convicted for doing the silliness
that they do or somebody coming to their door, until
they're held accountable for these types of things.
Speaker 1 (33:35):
Well said, well, I'm grateful that we're going to watch
this one from gable to gavel, and so once this commences,
we're going to have a lot more to say about this.
But in the meantime. As always, I'd like to thank
you both very much for your time and your insight.
Once again, today's guests are Black Information Network news anchors
(33:56):
Natasha Williams and Ray Harris. This has been a production
of the Black Information Network. Today's show is produced by
Chris Thompson. Have some thoughts you'd like to share, use
the red microphone talkback feature on the iHeartRadio app. While
you're there, be sure to hit subscribe and download all
of our episodes. I'm your host, RAMSI's jah on all
social media, and I'll be hosting another episode of Civic
(34:19):
Cipher this weekend on a station near you. For stations,
show times, and podcast info, check Civiccipher dot com and
join us Monday as we share our news with our
voice from our perspective right here on the Black Information
Network Daily podcast
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