Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
It's the week of September seventh, twenty twenty five, and
this is what's on the People's news. A strike against
the Hilton Hotel as workers walk out. The Afghan community
in Houston support thousands killed in earthquake in Afghanistan. African
American attendance in higher education is decreasing. Texas Republicans, frustrated
(00:31):
that they haven't been able to put the Ten Commandments
in school now want to force your students to pray
the Lord's prayer. All that and more on the People's News.
I'm Steve Gallington. This is the People's News, and the
People's News starts now. Hundreds of hotel workers at Houston's
(00:54):
Hilton Downtown have walked off the job and are on strike.
They are strong vioking for better wages and work conditions.
Most that have been here for years now have not
seen a raise and have to work two or three
jobs while the company is making record profits. In twenty
twenty four, Houston broke records for the number of visitors
(01:15):
and hotel revenue. Yet hotel workers have not seen the
benefits of that boom and struggle to pay their bills.
This is the first Texas hotel strike in modern history.
Four hundred hourly and tipped workers represented by unite here
Local twenty three are demanding a living wage of twenty
three dollars an hour, safer working conditions, fair schedules and workloads,
(01:40):
and respect on the job. We talk to the union
president of unite here Local twenty three.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
My name is Francesca Garabayo. I'm the Texas chapter president
for unit here Local twenty three and an organizer. And
we're out here because we're all strike at the Hilton Days.
Stics and workers are out here fighting for living wage.
The the cost of living has continued to rise in Houston. Meanwhile,
(02:11):
you know, workers are living check to check working for
a billion dollar company like Hilton, who enjoyed, you know,
record profits over the last year. These workers are the
ones that make it happen for them. Yet you know,
they can't pay their bills and they can't put food
on the table for their families. The negotiations, I mean,
(02:31):
we're out here for a reason. They are not moving
fast enough for the workers. The offer that the proposals
that have been put on the table are not They have
not met the workers' demands, not even close so that's
why the workers have decided to take, you know, make
the ultimate sacrifice. These are workers that are already living
check to check as it is, so for them to
come out here it's a send a strong message to
(02:53):
the company that they're serious about what they're fighting for
and they're not going to back down until they get it.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Always when they have to situation about just a hire
chance to try to get by, Is that what's happening now?
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yes, of course there's there are temporary workers inside, but
you know, these those workers, you know, we have twenty
plus year employees that are out here striking. They've dedicated
most of their lives to this company. So it's kind
of hard to replace someone like that with someone with
(03:25):
just a few days you know, experience and a day notice.
So the quality of service is not going to be
the same, right, the level experience is not going to
be the same for the most part.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
So therefore the guest experience is not going to be
the same.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
So, you know, we know that the Hilton is you know,
starting to feel that pressure with.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
A couple more dollar in the World Cup coming, you
know that put does that add more pressure on the seven.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
I believe so I mean, I don't think any major
corporation wants in a labor dispute during a big event
that's going to put us on the world stage. Right,
Houston's our like a growing destination, you know, for tourism,
and and.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
The city likes to boast about it.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
They're like experiencing this boom, and you know, the city
is definitely profiting off of this. The World Cup is
going to be a whole other level of that. But meanwhile, again,
the workers are getting left behind. Our wages are way
too low for the this world class city that we
live in. And you know, for us to be as
big as we are, we're the fourth largest city in
the country, and you know, for our wages to be
(04:27):
this low and for workers to be struggling as they are,
it's it's unacceptable.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
It's ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
One of the workers on strike has worked here for
over twenty years.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
My name is Maria Cuevas. I come from the valley
from Bronsfield, Texas, and now I'm over here on Houston.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
And how is this right going? For you?
Speaker 7 (04:56):
To stay.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
Cost as positive? Asaki?
Speaker 4 (05:03):
Yeah, all, I'm.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
Sorry, she said, Oh, she said that she's here being pasitive.
You know, she's standing a unity with the workers and
she's ready to fight.
Speaker 7 (05:16):
We're all ready to.
Speaker 6 (05:17):
Fight along with you.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Along with you be in Houston.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
I can't. I'm working right here twenty years, twenty years
and living he's been like I live in Pasadena, but
almost like forty years.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Did you ever think that you would have to.
Speaker 7 (05:44):
Go on strike?
Speaker 5 (05:46):
I never thought. But his first time good experience for me.
So I can fight for my mys, for.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
My Texas State Representative Jean Wu was downtown to support
the strike.
Speaker 8 (06:06):
So this is a local twenty three, the union that
works at the Hilton Americas, and they are on strike
for better contracts and fair wages. And again, this is
a fight for all Americans. Their fight is everyone's fight
because everywhere around this country, people are working their asses off,
they're killing themselves just trying to survive. And you know,
(06:30):
the rich are getting insanely rich, and the people who
actually help them make the money, the people who actually
do the work, are suffering, are struggling, are not only
not moving ahead, but we're falling behind.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
And that's good and we can't take this anymore.
Speaker 8 (06:45):
And all people, if you work for a living, if
you if you consider yourself middle class. If you say,
like life is not fair right now, it's not fair
as an American, you should support this strike. You should
boycott this, Boycott this Hilton. Don't cross picket line, don't
cross picking lines here, don't cross picker lines anywhere. Avoid
all Hilton establishments until they go back to the negotiating table,
(07:08):
until they get fair contracts.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
This is a fight for everyone.
Speaker 8 (07:11):
So when it's your turn to get contracts and you're
on strike, you're fighting for it.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
We will support you and they'll support you. This is
all about.
Speaker 8 (07:20):
Working class Americans fighting for what is left of the
middle class, left of the American dream.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Either we fight for this now or it all dies.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I have to ask you, redisagree thing with you know,
one of the casualties now is kind of great.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
It's not gonna ride.
Speaker 8 (07:38):
So he hasn't said yet, but look, I think those
maps that they drew one are extremely illegal, are unconstitutional.
I think the courts have shown that they're willing to
protect the Voting Rights Act and they will stop these maps.
I am confident that they will stop these maps, and
(08:00):
if not, we will still fight back at the polls.
We will fight back every way we can. Just because
they think that these maps give them more favor.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Does a mean that it actually does, And that is
up to the people.
Speaker 8 (08:14):
And what we want is people all over this country,
all over the state, people who are tired of it,
People who are sick and tired of all this stuff
of not moving ahead, of working yourself to death and
making no progress. If you are tired of it, stand
up now, fight back now while you still can, Because
just like this redistricting stuff, their objective is to take
(08:36):
your power away peace by piece, and they are doing
it and they're gonna keep doing it until you speak
up and say no more. Right until the faster we
say no more, the faster we can go back and
change this country back to something that works for working
class people.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
The strike continues in front of the Hilton Hotel in
downtown Houston and in front of the Convention Center. They
are asking for support from the community and community leaders.
Hilton has not commented on the strike or negotiations. Over
twenty two hundred people have died in eastern Afghanistan after
two earthquakes hit the region on Friday. The mountainous area
(09:16):
adds to the difficulties of trying to get help into
the region. Friday's earthquake was of a magnitude of five
point four and struck at a depth of ten kilometers
or six point two miles, the German Research Center for
Geoscience has said. Just hours after Thursday's earthquake, Houston's Afghan
community has banned together to donate funds to help the
(09:38):
victims of the earthquake. The Taliban are still in charge
of the country and practice strict Islamic law, and the
citizens are mostly banned from receiving any type of funds
from the international community, but the UN and other humanitarian
groups are trying to get funds to the people in
the region. Richard talked with local Afghan community leader Nasir,
(10:00):
who is leading the drive for the funds to help.
Speaker 9 (10:03):
Yeah, the thing is like, be honest with you, I
am from same village, like I'm from province.
Speaker 6 (10:11):
We are.
Speaker 10 (10:13):
That's uh.
Speaker 9 (10:14):
The earthquake happened, and of course y historically effected on
our lives.
Speaker 7 (10:21):
And our friends and our community life.
Speaker 9 (10:24):
And you know that now it's almost around faster and
people are they're dead, and thousands of people are still injured.
And we just recently got the news that there are
still some earthquake shots going on, like you know, last
(10:45):
last night there was earth quick today that tonight was
also you know, we are not expecting this earthquake. This
is one of the biggest and one of and apecially
uh if you call that like a human life. You know,
like we lost amount of people, a lot of uh
(11:09):
and the majority was was uh ladies and children. Uh yeah,
and we are witness that one people there were eighteen
people in a family and only one person is alive
and seventeen people that and.
Speaker 6 (11:25):
This know, how hard is it? How hard is it
to get eight there when the Taliban has pretty much
put themselves off from the Asma community. But now we're
asking for help and.
Speaker 9 (11:48):
Okay, yeah, the thing is like right now. Unfortunately that
the artquic affected on the villages, uh, especially the dead villages.
Speaker 11 (12:01):
Uh, which was uh uh.
Speaker 9 (12:05):
You know, and the mountains. So it is very hard
that the ed will arrive on time. And uh you know,
like still there is a lot of social activities, some
big businessman's business owners.
Speaker 7 (12:23):
Everyone is working on it.
Speaker 9 (12:26):
Also, I know, like the Tealle pornameter is also trying
to help. But it is not easy because it is
one of the biggest mountains and spacial and kuna, which
is there is no roads, no no easy ways.
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Uh.
Speaker 9 (12:40):
Like they are providing aids through helicasters and.
Speaker 7 (12:44):
You know through like uh you know, from young Generation and.
Speaker 9 (12:49):
Plans, but it is very hard.
Speaker 6 (12:54):
How what are they asking for as far as you're mean,
how can people help your community right now?
Speaker 4 (13:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (13:03):
Right now my community not only in Houston, Texas, every
all who are in the United States and some other
European countries, different organizations, different nonprofits including US. You know,
there's a multiple go fund accounts, multiple we have zell
(13:24):
and case shafts. We have different people that we are collecting.
Speaker 7 (13:28):
Money and uh, you know, you know, like we.
Speaker 9 (13:33):
Have people from Virginia, California, Texas, Florida, you know a
lot of we have different platforms that we are collecting
donations and for shelter, for medicine, for clean waters and
blankets and still our company is going on uh and uh,
(13:58):
you know, like we are doing that one and we
are reaching out to our.
Speaker 11 (14:05):
Family Reconnection and we're asking them to purchase because the
people in Afghanistan they need us, they need our attentions
and they need you know, our help.
Speaker 6 (14:17):
Yeah, how hard is it going to be really good
supplies here. Sorry, how hard is it going to be
when people donate to get the suppliers from here to Afghanistan?
Speaker 9 (14:30):
Yeah, you know, like I know that is hard, but
not like impossible. But we have a lot of fulunts
in Afghanistan also, like you know which I told you,
we need our stilts work and will help many children
are engines, you know, people are sleeping onside. Winter is
coming and we cannot.
Speaker 6 (14:47):
Survive like this.
Speaker 7 (14:48):
So that reason we have to find out how we.
Speaker 9 (14:51):
Can take and we want to make sure we can
ceremoney legally where we want to make sure that the
money can use only for people who are by the
by the by the art quake, you know, like the
right people can get the benefits.
Speaker 6 (15:07):
So we have a lot of.
Speaker 9 (15:08):
Good volunteers from different nonprofits in Afghanistan. We will send
that money and also our social activities who are doing
volunteer jobs are there. No, we will try to send
the money to them with through different like maybe bank
transfer or maybe like Western Union or other platforms.
Speaker 11 (15:27):
But yeah, everything will be legal.
Speaker 6 (15:30):
Everything.
Speaker 9 (15:30):
We want to make sure that the money can use
and the right place with the right people.
Speaker 10 (15:35):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (15:35):
And what's the guarantee that it's all about government might
not take the funds and use it for their own Yeah,
you know.
Speaker 9 (15:46):
Like we we have all of the medical units who
are there, and we have peoples that we trust on.
Speaker 10 (15:52):
Them and.
Speaker 9 (15:54):
Because as we are living in America, you know, and
we we we know, and we want to make sure
that this money will be not used by Taliban. This
money will go directly uh to the families, and we
are from our volunteers in front.
Speaker 11 (16:12):
Will they have to ask like the proof meetings or
pictures to make.
Speaker 9 (16:18):
Sure the money is going to them. And also some
money will go directly to the hospitals you know, uh,
you know, like the people who are in the hospital
for every couy, so these can things. And also we
will buy like blankets, tents or food supplies, uh to make.
Speaker 11 (16:36):
Sure we will distribute it to the right people.
Speaker 9 (16:39):
So yeah, that's that's what we do.
Speaker 10 (16:41):
And also there's a lot of.
Speaker 9 (16:45):
Already and for the organization, they can they have a
strong and uh a neutral and what they have what
they call him like a system mechanism that they will
(17:05):
they want to make sure that they can spend the
money on victims and the families who needed yeah, I
know these international organizations they are making sure that the
fund will be used only for the families, not to
Talibans or other organizations were there.
Speaker 6 (17:26):
I heard reports out there, or the government there is
preventing some communities from getting help because of each other,
of each other violating the Taliban law.
Speaker 9 (17:44):
You know, because the thing is here. Our top priority
is saving lives and providing shelters for those who lock
their you know, we we I know the Taliban, I'd
be honest with you. I really don't know, and I
did not watch the news site, but I know there
(18:05):
is a lot of international peoples and there's a lot
of volunteers that are not working for Taliban's that they
want to make sure to spend the money on the people. No,
I don't know if there will be any problems, and
I believe that Taliban are They might think that, you know,
these people from other countries, not only from America, from
(18:26):
other countries in Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, you know, uh, London,
you know Joy, there's a lot of ads to their night.
There was a comes from So yeah, there's a lot
of things that everyone's they want to make sure that
(18:46):
the fund can use for the right place and other people.
Speaker 6 (18:52):
How can people here, Can you give a phone number
or or or email or how people can donate or
how people can get involved.
Speaker 9 (19:05):
Yes, sure, no, we have like a ZILL number for
that one. I can provide you that one three four six.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
And as.
Speaker 9 (19:22):
Yeah, that is the ZILL number that people can send
them money on this number and we can we can
make sure that the fund will go directly to the
families and victims.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
That was local Afghan community leader Nasir moan Hi. This
is Steve Gallington, producer and host of the People's News.
The People's News is people powered news. We are free
to report the unvarnished and unspun truth and challenge the
status quo of corporate propaganda and social media advertising disguised
(19:53):
as real news. Shiny new one hour episodes of The
People's News drop each Sunday on The People's News Podcast.
Thanks for listening. Months after targeting schools like Harvard with
anti Semitism allegations which have since been found false and
denying federal funds to the school, now the convicted felon's
(20:18):
criminal administration is saying that schools are using proxies for
race in admission, even though there is no proof of that.
In late July, Attorney General Pambondi warned in a memo
against using unlawful proxies for race, such as geography or
applicants essays on overcoming hardships in admissions. Soon after, the
(20:41):
US Education Department announced that it would require universities to
report new data on applicants broken down by race to
ensure race based preferences are not used. Universities have been
prohibited from using racial preferences in admission since the Supreme
Court struck down Affirmat of Action in twenty twenty three.
(21:03):
The Trump administration suggests that schools may be flouting the ban.
In the end, this results in fewer black students being
accepted to higher education. We talked to Dante King, author
of the new book Diagnosing Whiteness and Anti Blackness. He
spoke on what he sees is happening, what I see here.
Speaker 10 (21:23):
When I'm looking at this, especially when we look at
the memo that was issued by Pam Bondi in July,
the Attorney General, and they are targeting what they are
calling unlawful proxies for race. So go with me unlawful
proxies such as geography or applicant essays on overcoming hardships.
(21:48):
All right, So in their minds, they have ideas about
what they're projecting is associated with certain races based on
these what they're calling unlawful proxies. This is all about
them projecting racist ideas and trying to find various ways
based on their projections with not rooted in reality, to
(22:12):
try and limit the access to these institutions by black
and brown people. What is so interesting about this is
we know that by the numbers, there are more poor
white people in this country because there are more white
people in this country by the numbers. All right, So
(22:32):
if we're talking about the likelihood of people who would potentially,
you know, write more of these hardship essays, or you know,
if they're coming from environments where they're writing about how
they had to overcome situations such as poverty, et cetera,
(22:52):
the likelihood of that there are more white people doing
that is very likely and very high. So you know,
this is it's all about to me and I write
about this in my book Diagnosing Whiteness and Anti Blackness.
This is all about psychological projection. You've got the other guy,
Edward Bloom, going on record, he's the one who brought
who got behind those Asian students, and they were able
(23:15):
to bring that case that struck down affirmative action to
the Supreme Court in twenty twenty three. He says, I
suspect a goodly percentage are using illegal proxies because to
your point, black enrollment didn't fall in certain schools, and
so he's saying, I suspect the percentage are using illegal proxies.
This is all about suspicion. This is all about ideas,
(23:38):
psychological projection, ideas that are that are not rooted in reality.
And it is in alignment with what this country is
all about. The legacy of this country, which is targeting
black people using American institutions and the predominance of the
white race in community, using white institutions and manipulating institutions
(24:03):
to target black people. The legacy of this country is
anti black racism and white supremacy. And I think we
need to unpack this through both the historical and current
lens if we're ever to understand how these things have
been programmed and trained in over centuries.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
What did you say this but the predominant classes are
or still you know, the special major universities are still
being attacked by so called allowing more African Americans to
go to school there. And I'm talking about major universities
like Howard Howard, but like Harvard, Berkeley and those types
(24:46):
of schools. Those are the schools that are being attacked
by the time.
Speaker 10 (24:51):
Well, it's it's not and I'm not trying to you know,
assert or put forth any type of conspiracy theories. But
you know, one of the things that I thought about
over the last two years, especially when Trump was being
you know, before he ran for office, he decided to
(25:12):
run for office, and then they brought forth, you know,
they started bringing forth those investigations regarding you know, January
sixth and so the other things he's he's he was
prosecuted by you know, three top officials who happened to
be black, Alvin Bragg, Letitia James Fini uh Fannie uh
(25:35):
I forget her last name, Willis. And then you've got
you know, Joe Biden coming along and he appoints, for
the first time ever the first black female Supreme Court justice.
And if we go back in history and we look
at when Lyndon B. Johnson, Uh, you know, after he
(25:56):
after he was out of office, they they elected Nixon
right after him. And that we had to do with
a lot of white America who were very angry and
upset about the Civil Rights Build of nineteen sixty four,
the Voting Rights Act of nineteen sixty five, and the
Fair Housing Act of nineteen sixty eight. In mind, you
there's a Supreme Court ruling that actually upheld the Civil
(26:19):
Rights Act of eighteen sixty six, that said that racial
discrimination in housing was unjust because of the Civil Rights
Act of eighteen sixty six. And so you have all
of these things converging at that time. And then Lyndon B.
Johnson's for the first time ever appoints the first black
Supreme Court justice, which is Third Good Marshall. Wider America
lost its mind. And so we're seeing the same thing here.
(26:41):
And they don't want us at these Ivy League institutions,
and they are finding ways to ensure that black people
are not able to attend. Ever, they just do not
want a black presence at these Ivy League institutions because
they don't want another Finie Willis. They don't want another
Katanji Brown Jackson. They don't want another joy and read
(27:03):
we I mean, we have to look at this through
both the political and economic lands.
Speaker 6 (27:10):
What you likes also one of the strait the HBCU
schools and help more people attending the HBCU schools making
it as stronger.
Speaker 10 (27:21):
Well, you know what's very interesting you know about HBCUs,
and this is very unfortunate. I have you know, my
background is in human resources management, and I can say honestly,
I mean I've worked for some pretty national large corporations.
American institutions and degrees from HBCUs are not recognized the
(27:46):
same across this country. There are institutions just as well,
you know, geographically, just as well as you know, having
a certain brand, right that when they are looking at
or assessing one's qualifications for a position, they will look
(28:06):
and say, okay, this person went to a first rade school,
which is our Ivy League institutions, which are uh historically
white institutions. And then they will say, oh, this person
wished to a went to an ABC HBCU, and they're
almost saying it in ways that well, this is looked
upon as somewhat of an immigrant degree. It does not
(28:28):
hold the same weight, And so I think we have
to look at that too, because blackness in this country
is seen as something politically that is not that does
not hold the same value as things that are historically
white and or predominantly white.
Speaker 6 (28:46):
And I was going to say, but they still take
in our athletes, you know, right, well, except you don't.
By the way, those those athletes graduation is still low.
Speaker 10 (29:02):
Wow. And that's a great point. That is a great point.
What I've always said to that though, too, is that
white people are comfortable with diversity as long as they're
able to exploit that diversity, as long as they're able
to see themselves as superior over that diversity. So they're
(29:22):
fine with black people being the entertainment. We've always been
the entertainment. They're comfortable. We can sing, dance, we can
record music, we can hold concerts, we can host comedy shows,
we can be athletes. They're fine with us within that context.
You can be from the breakfast club to stephen A. Smith.
They're fine with us in positions of entertainment. But when
(29:43):
we step outside of that and we try to access
positions to hold real influence and power, they are not
fine with that at all, especially when that power compromise
their own ideas about themselves, in their standing. You know,
and I think we have to understand that this is
about uplifting and the resurgence of you know, employing white
(30:08):
inadequacy in white mediocrity across American institutions. You know, the
guy that is in the Trump administration, Dan Batty, he
talks about how American institutions need to be run by
competent white men. But what have we've seen. We've seen
Pete heck Seth in signal game. We've seen Donald Trump,
who is an admitted predator, who can't string five centences
(30:30):
to get coherent sentences together, who probably did not take
his own tests to write his own dissertation to get
out of college, who most likely didn't take his own SAPs.
What have we seen. We've seen grifters. We've seen grifters
be funnel through these institutions because they function on white
affirmative action systems and processes of white affirmative action and
(30:51):
practices of white sponsorship.
Speaker 6 (30:55):
So it puts it puts of the Americans in a
spot because if you're not accepted, if you're not accepted
in those those ivy LEA schools, or even even the
state fund the state schools when it's the same time
you're defunding h c c U schools or in those
(31:15):
kids to go if they're not an athlete or or
or or something to to to benefit that school.
Speaker 10 (31:23):
Well, let's be clear. These are people. I mean, over time,
we can just look back historically and watch what they've said.
For for the most part, especially those that make up
Donald Trump's followers, many of these people think don't don't
think highly of education at all. They want the educational
(31:47):
system defunded. They want these schools and institutions defunded. They
don't believe that they have value, and they really look
down or or are quite bitter in terms of the
sentimentality that is expressed or conveyed when you know you're
talking about someone, even a white person that went to
an Ivy League school. They think that, you know, those
(32:10):
individuals for the most part, are classes that you know, education.
The people believe that they are better because they have
gone to these schools, and particularly liberal people. They believe
that many of these institutions have turned liberal because of
philosophies that are taught at these schools. Many of them
have ethnic studies departments. Many of them teach history that's
(32:30):
very you know, his disciplines in history within the history
discipline that are very expansive. They don't just tell the
white narrative of you know, our country and the cherish
narratives that we hear about this country. And so they
want to dismantle those programs within these institutions, and they
(32:52):
want to dismantle some of these institutions. There's a lot
of ire and retribution that is felt where these institutions
are concerned. Some of these people that we're talking about
would rather not have education in this country. And so
where are we at?
Speaker 6 (33:11):
What do you tell a young young black students just
graduating in high school.
Speaker 10 (33:16):
Well, I don't know where we are. I mean, I
think we also have to contend with and deal with
the fact that education in this country has been a business.
But it's been sold as something that everyone should do
and once you do it, once you go through that process,
you will have access to opportunity. And yet we see
(33:38):
that that's not the case. We see that even while
many times there can be more jobs being produced to
the economy through the economy, that many people are still jobless.
Many people are in this country are still jobless, and
you want to know why because you're recruiting people internationally.
Even though those jobs reports talk about jobs that are
(34:00):
directly impacting the American economy, many of those jobs are
not located here. Many of them are located internationally, and
so we have to understand that people go into debt
trying to access this opportunity, and then most people don't
even find jobs. I'm not going to say most of
many don't find jobs in the disciplines that they study.
Many people go through that process, go through the educational
(34:23):
process expecting that they're going to be able to make
a livable wage to afford not only liveability, but to
also pay back their student loans. In many cases that
does not happen. So we have to think about, you know,
what is education set up to do in this country,
Who is it for and who really is able to
benefit from it in terms of exercising it to access opportunity.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
That was Dante King, author of the new book Diagnosing
Whiteness and Anti Blackness. The Texas GOP is nothing if
not consistent in the face of school shooting, in the
face of public school funding problems, What does the Texas
GOP do it gives seven hundred and fifty million dollars
(35:09):
away to white, wealthy urban parents to help them send
their kids to private schools. And they are going after
religion in schools, that we need to have the Ten
Commandments in schools. So Senate Bill ten was signed into
law by GOP Texas Governor Greg Abbott, but was blocked
(35:33):
by a federal judge, just like a similar bill in Louisiana. Now,
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxson is asking for public schools
to begin the school day with reciting the Christian Lord's Prayer.
Texas Republican lawmakers, in the face of school shootings, has
decided that we need to have time for prayer in
(35:55):
school and so they've already passed a bill that gives
students time to pray and read the Bible. But that's
not good enough for Ken Paxton. He wants to have
more Christianity in public schools. But what about those who
are practicing other religions, Jewish, Muslim, or atheist. What are
(36:15):
they to do or say when you are dedicating classroom
time to one religion. We talked again to Will Judy
with Houston Atheist about this situation.
Speaker 12 (36:25):
Man, there is so much to unpack with all of this.
I believe we talked about we pushed back hard and
trying to prevent it from getting passed in the first place,
which was called SB ten in the legislative session. But
it did pass and then was signed into law. But yeah,
the lawsuits immediately happened. A lot of friendly orgs in
(36:48):
my world were ready, and yeah, there was an injunction
I believe a federal course that did and said, well,
will you got to put a hold on this, and
I believe fourteen counties in the state of Texas, fourteen
school districts, I should say, the the people there were
in the lawsuit, whatever school district they were in, that's
(37:09):
where the uh, the halt was was was stated from
the federal court. So yeah, they're they're pissed, uh passed.
Speaker 10 (37:17):
It is pissed.
Speaker 12 (37:18):
And the pushback it's it's I expected it.
Speaker 10 (37:23):
But back in, back in.
Speaker 12 (37:27):
In the past, which was two years ago or so,
it would just be more subtle, it would it would
be insidious what they're doing. But this is just out
and out bullhorn and uh favoring Christianity above all other
religions and the more important, the most important part is
using the power of the state to impose religion generally
(37:52):
but specifically Christianity upon all of us. Uh, and which
is absolutely unconstitutional and Unamerica.
Speaker 7 (38:00):
In my opinion.
Speaker 6 (38:02):
Where do we go from here? As because you know,
you have a conjunction. It seems like the state, it
seems like the state is ignored, is going to ignore
this and try to get around it by pushing the
Lord's Prayer in public schools.
Speaker 12 (38:20):
Yeah, they they will do their best to ignore it.
They've kind of learned lessons and that they have friendly
people in courts and including the Supreme Court. And I
think by design they want this to go to the
Supreme Court because they think that they're going to overturn
precedent and just this is just another step and them
trying to establish athiocracy, which they will benefit from. But
(38:45):
where do we go from here? We're going to have
to endure this for a while. We are doing what
we can to push back in the courts. We cannot
count on the courts to save us, though so far
the guard rails have held and there has has been
some positive news. But they are going to keep trying.
Speaker 7 (39:06):
Uh.
Speaker 12 (39:06):
They being I don't know what to call them. Theocrats
in in Texas and and and the nation actually, but
we should just focus on Texas.
Speaker 10 (39:17):
What we can do.
Speaker 12 (39:20):
We just have to train ourselves to think, uh, to
play the long game.
Speaker 6 (39:26):
So we have to.
Speaker 12 (39:27):
Dilute out this crazy stuff in the Texas legislature. That
means electing people that are not Christian nationalists and also
just telling having conversations with friends and family about what
Christian nationalism is and just put out this moved by
(39:48):
Paxton to favor Christianity and use the state, the power
of the state, to impose it on us. That's this
is the definition of what Christian nationalism is in real time.
And and it's kind of a harder sell to convince
people that it's wrong because most normal people, regular people
(40:10):
just don't They don't see the big deal. Oh what
thou shalt not kill?
Speaker 10 (40:13):
What's wrong with that?
Speaker 12 (40:15):
But this is a no obvious infringement on the separation
at church and state, which is one of the founding
principles of this nation.
Speaker 6 (40:30):
One of the things. What are the people that are
atheis agnostic, Buddhists or down the line, what are they
supposed to do when they're when people are reciting these
commandments or the Lord's prayer.
Speaker 12 (40:51):
They should know that there are people fighting to reverse
this and to to make it better. To remove these
They're gonna have to endure it for a time. This
is not an overnight fix. So I hate to say it,
but yeah, they're just gonna have to endure it. Roll
(41:11):
their eyes. There are ways that you can kind of
contact legal. There are organizations that have legal teams that
you can plug into and ask for legal advice. I
don't know if there's much that can be done, but
it's nice at least just to reach out and say
you've tried. So the a c l U is doing
(41:32):
wonderful work. Freedom From Religion Foundation is doing great work.
American Atheist My organization I'm plugged into is doing great work.
American Humanists Association also, they all have strong legal teams
that can at least give some advice to people that
are aggrieved by this.
Speaker 6 (41:55):
And what do you say to people that are say
that this is a Christian nation and this is something
that that this nation was built upon Christianity, Christian Christian law,
Christian rules.
Speaker 12 (42:15):
Yeah, that's a that's a whole other show too. Uh,
it's a whole. It's a lot of unpacking to do,
but you just fill it down and it's absolutely There's
so many myths circulating around this nation and the Texas uh,
but that is one of the ones that is just
the most egregious. This is not a Christian nation. The
(42:36):
Founding fathers, uh, they did get some things absolutely right,
and one of them was creating a nation that had
a secular government. Because back in the day had years,
one hundred years to see what a theocracy, what a
state run religion does to a populace, and it's violence,
(42:58):
it's blood in the streets. They wanted no part of that.
And the concept of qualifying separating church and state to
having a secular government. So the United States Constitution it
is a real separate church and state. And to call
(43:19):
this a Christian nation since the day one, even before
day one, there was a lot of people pushing to
make this a Christian nation, to put God in Jesus
all over the constitution, and they, the Founding Fathers, pushed back.
They wanted no part of that. So you fast forward
to now and again this has been part of the
conversation in America since before America, but now in Texas.
(43:46):
They they're kind of smart about it. They don't they
to put up the Ten Commandments in schools. They're not
pulling it a religious document. They're saying history and tradition,
which is absolutely yes. Uh, the nation's laws were founded
on Judeo Christian principles.
Speaker 10 (44:04):
Absolute bs.
Speaker 12 (44:08):
It's yeah. Again, it's just the whole of the show.
But it's been proven time and time again that this
country is not a Christian nation. This country is made
up of a lot of Christians, but and they're free
to worship as they wished as long as they don't
hurt people. But this is not the America United States.
(44:29):
America is not a Christian nation.
Speaker 1 (44:32):
That was will judy with Houston Atheists who is also
a member of American Atheists. Food not Bombs have been
serving the homeless for years now at the same location
in front of the Downtown Library in Houston. The harassment
by the city has also been going on for years.
A previous mayor issued an ordinance that only people that
(44:53):
are licensed can feed the homeless. That ordinance was taken
to court and fought. Then tickets are being handed out
to those that continued to feed the homeless at the
location on five hundred and fifty Mcinney Street. Each individual
was given a ticket for each time that they were
caught feeding the homeless. Hundreds of tickets were given out
until a federal court injunction stopped any more until the
(45:15):
case played out in court. Since then, the new mayor,
John Whitmire has made his intention known that he does
not want homeless people to be seen downtown or in
any area around the city. Since then, Food Not Bombs
has been faced with harassment and threat of arrest by
local police and the Metro Police Department. The most recent
(45:36):
was just last week when HPD and Metro Police detained
one of the volunteers. We talked to John Locke, who
is a volunteer with Food Not Bombs.
Speaker 13 (45:46):
Yeah, so, I mean a couple things are happening. What
happened the incidents that happened with us specifically was we
had EIGHTHPD officers that was looking for individual visual that
they said that got received food with us at our
food shares, And in that time, when speaking with one
(46:12):
of the volunteers HPD, they got into a bit of
an argument and we had it on video. HBD saying
you know right now is a arrestable offense, meaning sharing food,
and then we the volunteer kindly let the officers know
that we have an injunction by the federal courts and
(46:33):
that you know, they actually could not give us tickets,
and that it wasn't a restable offense. That officer left.
Those officers left right for a second and came back
and then spoke to the volunteer about you know, needing
to have respect on both sides between police officers and
(46:54):
volunteers and whatever. Anyways, they end up leaving, But come
fifty minutes later, Metro police came and and that I
think is the piece is going to relate a little
bit more to the change in the mayor's stance with
homelessness of wanting to push all the homeless out of
(47:15):
downtown and the east side of Houston. The Metro police
came about six officers deep and cleared anybody that was
sitting at the Metro stop, which is right front of
where we share food, and and you know, of course,
(47:39):
you know, we had a couple of volunteers that were
recording the officers as they're doing that. They didn't like
that very much and then began to ask one of
our volunteers for id and asking and asking the had
him down and that he was going to ride the
(48:01):
bus stop and then at that time arrested that individual volunteer.
And I think what the mayors having the Metro police
do is basically police all the bus stops and harassed
(48:23):
people that are sitting at the bus stops if they
appear to be homeless. And I said, our volunteer got arrested,
He got detained, and he used to tape like thirty minutes,
and Metro police stated that we couldnot protest or share
food at near any of the Metro stops and that
(48:45):
you cannot protest on Metro's property. This is very interesting.
They end up, like I said, releasing the volunteer and
giving him a trespassing ticket which just for him and
he was standing by the bus stop as he was
recording the officer. So m trespassing for being at the
(49:09):
bus stop and not having like a ticket or something,
even though you just pay for your your bus when
you get in. You know, uh, from what I know
and understand, very unfortunate. And I think, uh, this situation
is kind of showing what, you know, what we have
(49:31):
to look forward to in the future and now uh
is police harassing almost and arresting them and giving them tickets.
Speaker 6 (49:40):
This is especially this is especially new because the using HBD,
not HBD the Metro Police as as the power of
authority now instead of they said that the Houston Police Department,
because you I hope you guys. Are you guys challenging
this at all, because inspectigating anybody that's standing by a
(50:02):
bus stop can get discated, that can get a ticket exactly.
Speaker 13 (50:07):
I mean, yes, we will be challenging this, and individually,
our volunteer will be that was a TAM will be
challenging this. But you know, this I think can serve
as a good eye opener of what these policies and ordinances,
how they look in actuality and in actuality what we
(50:27):
have is just you know, a whole lot of police
harassing on house individuals and yeah, trying to push them
out and then using Metro. It is interesting. It's almost
like they're trying to avoid the issues they got with
HVD and and using excuse, oh, this is a different
(50:50):
police department, you know, because they're obviously not as informed
on on for amendment rights, constitutional rights as you know
as HVD is now informed about due to going through
the courts.
Speaker 6 (51:06):
Have you talked to anybody down at HP Metro hit
quarters about this?
Speaker 13 (51:12):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (51:12):
No, we have.
Speaker 13 (51:14):
I believe people have been trying getting touch in touch
with internal affairs.
Speaker 10 (51:20):
About this.
Speaker 6 (51:21):
That's Metro Police. It's a different, different division. That's a
totally different deal.
Speaker 13 (51:27):
Don't they They have their own internal affairs for Metro.
Speaker 6 (51:31):
I don't know.
Speaker 13 (51:33):
Well that that that was my information. I don't I
haven't spoke directly with their legal team.
Speaker 6 (51:40):
Yeah, because, uh, this seems like there's something that's going on,
like like Lake city wide, because I know in third
Ward they they they started trying to arrest people and
try to give tickets to people that were homeless that
for standing in and around bus stations. They made it
illegal on the East Side for you to be practically homeless.
(52:02):
I mean, uh you can get a ticket, uh for
just standing around. So and this is an attack, but
it seemed like that the council members are standing with
the with with the mayor on cleaning up the city
for the World.
Speaker 13 (52:15):
Cup, right right. I think there there's only two city
council members that that voted against the that the new ordinance.
Uh so, yeah, everybody was on board, and I was
very you know, pretty surprised, uh individuals that that voted
in support for that ordinance.
Speaker 6 (52:37):
Yeah, and this is something that's uh, these new ordinances
or every every neighborhood now is trying to pick up
on this ordinance that that they want their they want
the civility law. I think that's what it's called, right,
trying to stop people from from from uh for homelessness
in general. And I was surprised about the third ward
(52:58):
actually having something blaming the homeless for all the crime
rate which Sunday night.
Speaker 11 (53:03):
From bombs for anybody say anything about being.
Speaker 13 (53:12):
No, we haven't heard. We definitely haven't heard anything from
the mayor, uh you know, directly or indirectly to Food
Not Bombs. And I think they're probably not going to
say anything publicly until our court case which is in October,
the federal court case. They're kind of going to touch
anything we're doing. And to that federal court.
Speaker 6 (53:34):
Cases over with, and and Food Not Bombs are still
is still available to me, you know, people can still
volunteer at Food dot.
Speaker 13 (53:43):
Bombs absolutely Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday at seven fifteen
and we start sharing food at seven point thirty sharp.
Speaker 6 (53:54):
Pm and you got a Facebook page also.
Speaker 13 (53:58):
H yeah, we have.
Speaker 7 (54:00):
I believe the Instagram and Facebook are the same.
Speaker 13 (54:02):
Is through that bombs?
Speaker 1 (54:05):
That was John Locke with Food not Bombs. They serve Mondays, Wednesdays,
Fridays and Sundays at seven pm on five hundred and
fifty McKinney Street, Bring vegan meals or just your positive energy.
More information can be found out on their Facebook page.
The sound was kind of bad at the end of
that clip. Their Facebook page is Food Not Bomb's HTx.
(54:30):
There is a school of thought out there that says
to defeat corruption, criminality, and cruelty, we also need to
become corrupt, criminal and cruel to my very core, I
do not believe that to be the case, so I
look for inspiration from others. Let's take a listen to
(54:54):
what Martin Luther King said about fighting a illegal and
corrupt and criminal enemy. One of the things I constantly
return to during dark times in my personal and public
life is a collection of sermons written by Martin Luther
King Junior called Strength to Love, and specifically a sermon
(55:16):
on loving your enemies. I'm reading an excerpt from that
sermon to our most bitter opponents. We say we shall
match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to
endure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force.
Due to us what you will, and we shall continue
(55:39):
to love you. We cannot, in all good conscious obey
your unjust laws, because non cooperation with evil is as
much a moral obligation as cooperation with good. Throw us
in jail, and we shall still love you. Send your
hooded perpetrators of violence into our community at the midnight
hour and beat us and leave us half dead, and
(56:02):
we shall still love you. But be ye assured that
we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer.
One day we shall win freedom, but not only for ourselves.
We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that
we shall win you in the process, and our victory
(56:23):
will be a double victory. Love is the most durable
power in the world. Hi, this is Steve Gallington, producer
and host of The People's News. If you have a
story that needs to be told, come to us. We
accept fully produced audio written material. Or just give us
(56:43):
the idea and we will run with it. Shiny new
one hour episodes of the People's News drop each Sunday
on The People's News podcast hosted by spreaker dot com
and linked to my website Gallington dot com. The People's
News is a production of Steve Gallington and Richard Hannah
(57:05):
and is protected by copyright laws. All the information broadcast
on air and online, as well as published in both
print and or online, including articles, audio, clips, illustrations, graphics, photographs,
and videos, are protected by these copyright and other state
and federal intellectual property laws. Therefore, you may not use
our content in any prohibited way, including reproducing, publishing, transmitting, selling, rewriting, broadcasting,
(57:32):
or posting on the Internet without the expressed written permission
of The People's News. Prohibited use also includes publication of
our material in printed or electronic brochures, newsletters, or flyers,
as well as all website or email distribution. To obtain
permission to use copyrighted material, email Steve Gallington at Steve
(57:53):
at gallington dot com.
Speaker 13 (57:55):
Thank you
It's the week of September seventh, twenty twenty five, and
this is what's on the People's news. A strike against
the Hilton Hotel as workers walk out. The Afghan community
in Houston support thousands killed in earthquake in Afghanistan. African
American attendance in higher education is decreasing. Texas Republicans, frustrated
(00:31):
that they haven't been able to put the Ten Commandments
in school now want to force your students to pray
the Lord's prayer. All that and more on the People's News.
I'm Steve Gallington. This is the People's News, and the
People's News starts now. Hundreds of hotel workers at Houston's
(00:54):
Hilton Downtown have walked off the job and are on strike.
They are strong vioking for better wages and work conditions.
Most that have been here for years now have not
seen a raise and have to work two or three
jobs while the company is making record profits. In twenty
twenty four, Houston broke records for the number of visitors
(01:15):
and hotel revenue. Yet hotel workers have not seen the
benefits of that boom and struggle to pay their bills.
This is the first Texas hotel strike in modern history.
Four hundred hourly and tipped workers represented by unite here
Local twenty three are demanding a living wage of twenty
three dollars an hour, safer working conditions, fair schedules and workloads,
(01:40):
and respect on the job. We talk to the union
president of unite here Local twenty three.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
My name is Francesca Garabayo. I'm the Texas chapter president
for unit here Local twenty three and an organizer. And
we're out here because we're all strike at the Hilton Days.
Stics and workers are out here fighting for living wage.
The the cost of living has continued to rise in Houston. Meanwhile,
(02:11):
you know, workers are living check to check working for
a billion dollar company like Hilton, who enjoyed, you know,
record profits over the last year. These workers are the
ones that make it happen for them. Yet you know,
they can't pay their bills and they can't put food
on the table for their families. The negotiations, I mean,
(02:31):
we're out here for a reason. They are not moving
fast enough for the workers. The offer that the proposals
that have been put on the table are not They have
not met the workers' demands, not even close so that's
why the workers have decided to take, you know, make
the ultimate sacrifice. These are workers that are already living
check to check as it is, so for them to
come out here it's a send a strong message to
(02:53):
the company that they're serious about what they're fighting for
and they're not going to back down until they get it.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Always when they have to situation about just a hire
chance to try to get by, Is that what's happening now?
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Yes, of course there's there are temporary workers inside, but
you know, these those workers, you know, we have twenty
plus year employees that are out here striking. They've dedicated
most of their lives to this company. So it's kind
of hard to replace someone like that with someone with
(03:25):
just a few days you know, experience and a day notice.
So the quality of service is not going to be
the same, right, the level experience is not going to
be the same for the most part.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
So therefore the guest experience is not going to be
the same.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
So, you know, we know that the Hilton is you know,
starting to feel that pressure with.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
A couple more dollar in the World Cup coming, you
know that put does that add more pressure on the seven.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
I believe so I mean, I don't think any major
corporation wants in a labor dispute during a big event
that's going to put us on the world stage. Right,
Houston's our like a growing destination, you know, for tourism,
and and.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
The city likes to boast about it.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
They're like experiencing this boom, and you know, the city
is definitely profiting off of this. The World Cup is
going to be a whole other level of that. But meanwhile, again,
the workers are getting left behind. Our wages are way
too low for the this world class city that we
live in. And you know, for us to be as
big as we are, we're the fourth largest city in
the country, and you know, for our wages to be
(04:27):
this low and for workers to be struggling as they are,
it's it's unacceptable.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
It's ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
One of the workers on strike has worked here for
over twenty years.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
My name is Maria Cuevas. I come from the valley
from Bronsfield, Texas, and now I'm over here on Houston.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
And how is this right going? For you?
Speaker 7 (04:56):
To stay.
Speaker 5 (05:00):
Cost as positive? Asaki?
Speaker 4 (05:03):
Yeah, all, I'm.
Speaker 5 (05:08):
Sorry, she said, Oh, she said that she's here being pasitive.
You know, she's standing a unity with the workers and
she's ready to fight.
Speaker 7 (05:16):
We're all ready to.
Speaker 6 (05:17):
Fight along with you.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Along with you be in Houston.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
I can't. I'm working right here twenty years, twenty years
and living he's been like I live in Pasadena, but
almost like forty years.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Did you ever think that you would have to.
Speaker 7 (05:44):
Go on strike?
Speaker 5 (05:46):
I never thought. But his first time good experience for me.
So I can fight for my mys, for.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
My Texas State Representative Jean Wu was downtown to support
the strike.
Speaker 8 (06:06):
So this is a local twenty three, the union that
works at the Hilton Americas, and they are on strike
for better contracts and fair wages. And again, this is
a fight for all Americans. Their fight is everyone's fight
because everywhere around this country, people are working their asses off,
they're killing themselves just trying to survive. And you know,
(06:30):
the rich are getting insanely rich, and the people who
actually help them make the money, the people who actually
do the work, are suffering, are struggling, are not only
not moving ahead, but we're falling behind.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
And that's good and we can't take this anymore.
Speaker 8 (06:45):
And all people, if you work for a living, if
you if you consider yourself middle class. If you say,
like life is not fair right now, it's not fair
as an American, you should support this strike. You should
boycott this, Boycott this Hilton. Don't cross picket line, don't
cross picking lines here, don't cross picker lines anywhere. Avoid
all Hilton establishments until they go back to the negotiating table,
(07:08):
until they get fair contracts.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
This is a fight for everyone.
Speaker 8 (07:11):
So when it's your turn to get contracts and you're
on strike, you're fighting for it.
Speaker 4 (07:16):
We will support you and they'll support you. This is
all about.
Speaker 8 (07:20):
Working class Americans fighting for what is left of the
middle class, left of the American dream.
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Either we fight for this now or it all dies.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
I have to ask you, redisagree thing with you know,
one of the casualties now is kind of great.
Speaker 6 (07:37):
It's not gonna ride.
Speaker 8 (07:38):
So he hasn't said yet, but look, I think those
maps that they drew one are extremely illegal, are unconstitutional.
I think the courts have shown that they're willing to
protect the Voting Rights Act and they will stop these maps.
I am confident that they will stop these maps, and
(08:00):
if not, we will still fight back at the polls.
We will fight back every way we can. Just because
they think that these maps give them more favor.
Speaker 4 (08:11):
Does a mean that it actually does, And that is
up to the people.
Speaker 8 (08:14):
And what we want is people all over this country,
all over the state, people who are tired of it,
People who are sick and tired of all this stuff
of not moving ahead, of working yourself to death and
making no progress. If you are tired of it, stand
up now, fight back now while you still can, Because
just like this redistricting stuff, their objective is to take
(08:36):
your power away peace by piece, and they are doing
it and they're gonna keep doing it until you speak
up and say no more. Right until the faster we
say no more, the faster we can go back and
change this country back to something that works for working
class people.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
The strike continues in front of the Hilton Hotel in
downtown Houston and in front of the Convention Center. They
are asking for support from the community and community leaders.
Hilton has not commented on the strike or negotiations. Over
twenty two hundred people have died in eastern Afghanistan after
two earthquakes hit the region on Friday. The mountainous area
(09:16):
adds to the difficulties of trying to get help into
the region. Friday's earthquake was of a magnitude of five
point four and struck at a depth of ten kilometers
or six point two miles, the German Research Center for
Geoscience has said. Just hours after Thursday's earthquake, Houston's Afghan
community has banned together to donate funds to help the
(09:38):
victims of the earthquake. The Taliban are still in charge
of the country and practice strict Islamic law, and the
citizens are mostly banned from receiving any type of funds
from the international community, but the UN and other humanitarian
groups are trying to get funds to the people in
the region. Richard talked with local Afghan community leader Nasir,
(10:00):
who is leading the drive for the funds to help.
Speaker 9 (10:03):
Yeah, the thing is like, be honest with you, I
am from same village, like I'm from province.
Speaker 6 (10:11):
We are.
Speaker 10 (10:13):
That's uh.
Speaker 9 (10:14):
The earthquake happened, and of course y historically effected on
our lives.
Speaker 7 (10:21):
And our friends and our community life.
Speaker 9 (10:24):
And you know that now it's almost around faster and
people are they're dead, and thousands of people are still injured.
And we just recently got the news that there are
still some earthquake shots going on, like you know, last
(10:45):
last night there was earth quick today that tonight was
also you know, we are not expecting this earthquake. This
is one of the biggest and one of and apecially
uh if you call that like a human life. You know,
like we lost amount of people, a lot of uh
(11:09):
and the majority was was uh ladies and children. Uh yeah,
and we are witness that one people there were eighteen
people in a family and only one person is alive
and seventeen people that and.
Speaker 6 (11:25):
This know, how hard is it? How hard is it
to get eight there when the Taliban has pretty much
put themselves off from the Asma community. But now we're
asking for help and.
Speaker 9 (11:48):
Okay, yeah, the thing is like right now. Unfortunately that
the artquic affected on the villages, uh, especially the dead villages.
Speaker 11 (12:01):
Uh, which was uh uh.
Speaker 9 (12:05):
You know, and the mountains. So it is very hard
that the ed will arrive on time. And uh you know,
like still there is a lot of social activities, some
big businessman's business owners.
Speaker 7 (12:23):
Everyone is working on it.
Speaker 9 (12:26):
Also, I know, like the Tealle pornameter is also trying
to help. But it is not easy because it is
one of the biggest mountains and spacial and kuna, which
is there is no roads, no no easy ways.
Speaker 6 (12:39):
Uh.
Speaker 9 (12:40):
Like they are providing aids through helicasters and.
Speaker 7 (12:44):
You know through like uh you know, from young Generation and.
Speaker 9 (12:49):
Plans, but it is very hard.
Speaker 6 (12:54):
How what are they asking for as far as you're mean,
how can people help your community right now?
Speaker 4 (13:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (13:03):
Right now my community not only in Houston, Texas, every
all who are in the United States and some other
European countries, different organizations, different nonprofits including US. You know,
there's a multiple go fund accounts, multiple we have zell
(13:24):
and case shafts. We have different people that we are collecting.
Speaker 7 (13:28):
Money and uh, you know, you know, like we.
Speaker 9 (13:33):
Have people from Virginia, California, Texas, Florida, you know a
lot of we have different platforms that we are collecting
donations and for shelter, for medicine, for clean waters and
blankets and still our company is going on uh and uh,
(13:58):
you know, like we are doing that one and we
are reaching out to our.
Speaker 11 (14:05):
Family Reconnection and we're asking them to purchase because the
people in Afghanistan they need us, they need our attentions
and they need you know, our help.
Speaker 6 (14:17):
Yeah, how hard is it going to be really good
supplies here. Sorry, how hard is it going to be
when people donate to get the suppliers from here to Afghanistan?
Speaker 9 (14:30):
Yeah, you know, like I know that is hard, but
not like impossible. But we have a lot of fulunts
in Afghanistan also, like you know which I told you,
we need our stilts work and will help many children
are engines, you know, people are sleeping onside. Winter is
coming and we cannot.
Speaker 6 (14:47):
Survive like this.
Speaker 7 (14:48):
So that reason we have to find out how we.
Speaker 9 (14:51):
Can take and we want to make sure we can
ceremoney legally where we want to make sure that the
money can use only for people who are by the
by the by the art quake, you know, like the
right people can get the benefits.
Speaker 6 (15:07):
So we have a lot of.
Speaker 9 (15:08):
Good volunteers from different nonprofits in Afghanistan. We will send
that money and also our social activities who are doing
volunteer jobs are there. No, we will try to send
the money to them with through different like maybe bank
transfer or maybe like Western Union or other platforms.
Speaker 11 (15:27):
But yeah, everything will be legal.
Speaker 6 (15:30):
Everything.
Speaker 9 (15:30):
We want to make sure that the money can use
and the right place with the right people.
Speaker 10 (15:35):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (15:35):
And what's the guarantee that it's all about government might
not take the funds and use it for their own Yeah,
you know.
Speaker 9 (15:46):
Like we we have all of the medical units who
are there, and we have peoples that we trust on.
Speaker 10 (15:52):
Them and.
Speaker 9 (15:54):
Because as we are living in America, you know, and
we we we know, and we want to make sure
that this money will be not used by Taliban. This
money will go directly uh to the families, and we
are from our volunteers in front.
Speaker 11 (16:12):
Will they have to ask like the proof meetings or
pictures to make.
Speaker 9 (16:18):
Sure the money is going to them. And also some
money will go directly to the hospitals you know, uh,
you know, like the people who are in the hospital
for every couy, so these can things. And also we
will buy like blankets, tents or food supplies, uh to make.
Speaker 11 (16:36):
Sure we will distribute it to the right people.
Speaker 9 (16:39):
So yeah, that's that's what we do.
Speaker 10 (16:41):
And also there's a lot of.
Speaker 9 (16:45):
Already and for the organization, they can they have a
strong and uh a neutral and what they have what
they call him like a system mechanism that they will
(17:05):
they want to make sure that they can spend the
money on victims and the families who needed yeah, I
know these international organizations they are making sure that the
fund will be used only for the families, not to
Talibans or other organizations were there.
Speaker 6 (17:26):
I heard reports out there, or the government there is
preventing some communities from getting help because of each other,
of each other violating the Taliban law.
Speaker 9 (17:44):
You know, because the thing is here. Our top priority
is saving lives and providing shelters for those who lock
their you know, we we I know the Taliban, I'd
be honest with you. I really don't know, and I
did not watch the news site, but I know there
(18:05):
is a lot of international peoples and there's a lot
of volunteers that are not working for Taliban's that they
want to make sure to spend the money on the people. No,
I don't know if there will be any problems, and
I believe that Taliban are They might think that, you know,
these people from other countries, not only from America, from
(18:26):
other countries in Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, you know, uh, London,
you know Joy, there's a lot of ads to their night.
There was a comes from So yeah, there's a lot
of things that everyone's they want to make sure that
(18:46):
the fund can use for the right place and other people.
Speaker 6 (18:52):
How can people here, Can you give a phone number
or or or email or how people can donate or
how people can get involved.
Speaker 9 (19:05):
Yes, sure, no, we have like a ZILL number for
that one. I can provide you that one three four six.
Speaker 6 (19:19):
And as.
Speaker 9 (19:22):
Yeah, that is the ZILL number that people can send
them money on this number and we can we can
make sure that the fund will go directly to the
families and victims.
Speaker 1 (19:31):
That was local Afghan community leader Nasir moan Hi. This
is Steve Gallington, producer and host of the People's News.
The People's News is people powered news. We are free
to report the unvarnished and unspun truth and challenge the
status quo of corporate propaganda and social media advertising disguised
(19:53):
as real news. Shiny new one hour episodes of The
People's News drop each Sunday on The People's News Podcast.
Thanks for listening. Months after targeting schools like Harvard with
anti Semitism allegations which have since been found false and
denying federal funds to the school, now the convicted felon's
(20:18):
criminal administration is saying that schools are using proxies for
race in admission, even though there is no proof of that.
In late July, Attorney General Pambondi warned in a memo
against using unlawful proxies for race, such as geography or
applicants essays on overcoming hardships in admissions. Soon after, the
(20:41):
US Education Department announced that it would require universities to
report new data on applicants broken down by race to
ensure race based preferences are not used. Universities have been
prohibited from using racial preferences in admission since the Supreme
Court struck down Affirmat of Action in twenty twenty three.
(21:03):
The Trump administration suggests that schools may be flouting the ban.
In the end, this results in fewer black students being
accepted to higher education. We talked to Dante King, author
of the new book Diagnosing Whiteness and Anti Blackness. He
spoke on what he sees is happening, what I see here.
Speaker 10 (21:23):
When I'm looking at this, especially when we look at
the memo that was issued by Pam Bondi in July,
the Attorney General, and they are targeting what they are
calling unlawful proxies for race. So go with me unlawful
proxies such as geography or applicant essays on overcoming hardships.
(21:48):
All right, So in their minds, they have ideas about
what they're projecting is associated with certain races based on
these what they're calling unlawful proxies. This is all about
them projecting racist ideas and trying to find various ways
based on their projections with not rooted in reality, to
(22:12):
try and limit the access to these institutions by black
and brown people. What is so interesting about this is
we know that by the numbers, there are more poor
white people in this country because there are more white
people in this country by the numbers. All right, So
(22:32):
if we're talking about the likelihood of people who would potentially,
you know, write more of these hardship essays, or you know,
if they're coming from environments where they're writing about how
they had to overcome situations such as poverty, et cetera,
(22:52):
the likelihood of that there are more white people doing
that is very likely and very high. So you know,
this is it's all about to me and I write
about this in my book Diagnosing Whiteness and Anti Blackness.
This is all about psychological projection. You've got the other guy,
Edward Bloom, going on record, he's the one who brought
who got behind those Asian students, and they were able
(23:15):
to bring that case that struck down affirmative action to
the Supreme Court in twenty twenty three. He says, I
suspect a goodly percentage are using illegal proxies because to
your point, black enrollment didn't fall in certain schools, and
so he's saying, I suspect the percentage are using illegal proxies.
This is all about suspicion. This is all about ideas,
(23:38):
psychological projection, ideas that are that are not rooted in reality.
And it is in alignment with what this country is
all about. The legacy of this country, which is targeting
black people using American institutions and the predominance of the
white race in community, using white institutions and manipulating institutions
(24:03):
to target black people. The legacy of this country is
anti black racism and white supremacy. And I think we
need to unpack this through both the historical and current
lens if we're ever to understand how these things have
been programmed and trained in over centuries.
Speaker 6 (24:22):
What did you say this but the predominant classes are
or still you know, the special major universities are still
being attacked by so called allowing more African Americans to
go to school there. And I'm talking about major universities
like Howard Howard, but like Harvard, Berkeley and those types
(24:46):
of schools. Those are the schools that are being attacked
by the time.
Speaker 10 (24:51):
Well, it's it's not and I'm not trying to you know,
assert or put forth any type of conspiracy theories. But
you know, one of the things that I thought about
over the last two years, especially when Trump was being
you know, before he ran for office, he decided to
(25:12):
run for office, and then they brought forth, you know,
they started bringing forth those investigations regarding you know, January
sixth and so the other things he's he's he was
prosecuted by you know, three top officials who happened to
be black, Alvin Bragg, Letitia James Fini uh Fannie uh
(25:35):
I forget her last name, Willis. And then you've got
you know, Joe Biden coming along and he appoints, for
the first time ever the first black female Supreme Court justice.
And if we go back in history and we look
at when Lyndon B. Johnson, Uh, you know, after he
(25:56):
after he was out of office, they they elected Nixon
right after him. And that we had to do with
a lot of white America who were very angry and
upset about the Civil Rights Build of nineteen sixty four,
the Voting Rights Act of nineteen sixty five, and the
Fair Housing Act of nineteen sixty eight. In mind, you
there's a Supreme Court ruling that actually upheld the Civil
(26:19):
Rights Act of eighteen sixty six, that said that racial
discrimination in housing was unjust because of the Civil Rights
Act of eighteen sixty six. And so you have all
of these things converging at that time. And then Lyndon B.
Johnson's for the first time ever appoints the first black
Supreme Court justice, which is Third Good Marshall. Wider America
lost its mind. And so we're seeing the same thing here.
(26:41):
And they don't want us at these Ivy League institutions,
and they are finding ways to ensure that black people
are not able to attend. Ever, they just do not
want a black presence at these Ivy League institutions because
they don't want another Finie Willis. They don't want another
Katanji Brown Jackson. They don't want another joy and read
(27:03):
we I mean, we have to look at this through
both the political and economic lands.
Speaker 6 (27:10):
What you likes also one of the strait the HBCU
schools and help more people attending the HBCU schools making
it as stronger.
Speaker 10 (27:21):
Well, you know what's very interesting you know about HBCUs,
and this is very unfortunate. I have you know, my
background is in human resources management, and I can say honestly,
I mean I've worked for some pretty national large corporations.
American institutions and degrees from HBCUs are not recognized the
(27:46):
same across this country. There are institutions just as well,
you know, geographically, just as well as you know, having
a certain brand, right that when they are looking at
or assessing one's qualifications for a position, they will look
(28:06):
and say, okay, this person went to a first rade school,
which is our Ivy League institutions, which are uh historically
white institutions. And then they will say, oh, this person
wished to a went to an ABC HBCU, and they're
almost saying it in ways that well, this is looked
upon as somewhat of an immigrant degree. It does not
(28:28):
hold the same weight, And so I think we have
to look at that too, because blackness in this country
is seen as something politically that is not that does
not hold the same value as things that are historically
white and or predominantly white.
Speaker 6 (28:46):
And I was going to say, but they still take
in our athletes, you know, right, well, except you don't.
By the way, those those athletes graduation is still low.
Speaker 10 (29:02):
Wow. And that's a great point. That is a great point.
What I've always said to that though, too, is that
white people are comfortable with diversity as long as they're
able to exploit that diversity, as long as they're able
to see themselves as superior over that diversity. So they're
(29:22):
fine with black people being the entertainment. We've always been
the entertainment. They're comfortable. We can sing, dance, we can
record music, we can hold concerts, we can host comedy shows,
we can be athletes. They're fine with us within that context.
You can be from the breakfast club to stephen A. Smith.
They're fine with us in positions of entertainment. But when
(29:43):
we step outside of that and we try to access
positions to hold real influence and power, they are not
fine with that at all, especially when that power compromise
their own ideas about themselves, in their standing. You know,
and I think we have to understand that this is
about uplifting and the resurgence of you know, employing white
(30:08):
inadequacy in white mediocrity across American institutions. You know, the
guy that is in the Trump administration, Dan Batty, he
talks about how American institutions need to be run by
competent white men. But what have we've seen. We've seen
Pete heck Seth in signal game. We've seen Donald Trump,
who is an admitted predator, who can't string five centences
(30:30):
to get coherent sentences together, who probably did not take
his own tests to write his own dissertation to get
out of college, who most likely didn't take his own SAPs.
What have we seen. We've seen grifters. We've seen grifters
be funnel through these institutions because they function on white
affirmative action systems and processes of white affirmative action and
(30:51):
practices of white sponsorship.
Speaker 6 (30:55):
So it puts it puts of the Americans in a
spot because if you're not accepted, if you're not accepted
in those those ivy LEA schools, or even even the
state fund the state schools when it's the same time
you're defunding h c c U schools or in those
(31:15):
kids to go if they're not an athlete or or
or or something to to to benefit that school.
Speaker 10 (31:23):
Well, let's be clear. These are people. I mean, over time,
we can just look back historically and watch what they've said.
For for the most part, especially those that make up
Donald Trump's followers, many of these people think don't don't
think highly of education at all. They want the educational
(31:47):
system defunded. They want these schools and institutions defunded. They
don't believe that they have value, and they really look
down or or are quite bitter in terms of the
sentimentality that is expressed or conveyed when you know you're
talking about someone, even a white person that went to
an Ivy League school. They think that, you know, those
(32:10):
individuals for the most part, are classes that you know, education.
The people believe that they are better because they have
gone to these schools, and particularly liberal people. They believe
that many of these institutions have turned liberal because of
philosophies that are taught at these schools. Many of them
have ethnic studies departments. Many of them teach history that's
(32:30):
very you know, his disciplines in history within the history
discipline that are very expansive. They don't just tell the
white narrative of you know, our country and the cherish
narratives that we hear about this country. And so they
want to dismantle those programs within these institutions, and they
(32:52):
want to dismantle some of these institutions. There's a lot
of ire and retribution that is felt where these institutions
are concerned. Some of these people that we're talking about
would rather not have education in this country. And so
where are we at?
Speaker 6 (33:11):
What do you tell a young young black students just
graduating in high school.
Speaker 10 (33:16):
Well, I don't know where we are. I mean, I
think we also have to contend with and deal with
the fact that education in this country has been a business.
But it's been sold as something that everyone should do
and once you do it, once you go through that process,
you will have access to opportunity. And yet we see
(33:38):
that that's not the case. We see that even while
many times there can be more jobs being produced to
the economy through the economy, that many people are still jobless.
Many people are in this country are still jobless, and
you want to know why because you're recruiting people internationally.
Even though those jobs reports talk about jobs that are
(34:00):
directly impacting the American economy, many of those jobs are
not located here. Many of them are located internationally, and
so we have to understand that people go into debt
trying to access this opportunity, and then most people don't
even find jobs. I'm not going to say most of
many don't find jobs in the disciplines that they study.
Many people go through that process, go through the educational
(34:23):
process expecting that they're going to be able to make
a livable wage to afford not only liveability, but to
also pay back their student loans. In many cases that
does not happen. So we have to think about, you know,
what is education set up to do in this country,
Who is it for and who really is able to
benefit from it in terms of exercising it to access opportunity.
Speaker 1 (34:46):
That was Dante King, author of the new book Diagnosing
Whiteness and Anti Blackness. The Texas GOP is nothing if
not consistent in the face of school shooting, in the
face of public school funding problems, What does the Texas
GOP do it gives seven hundred and fifty million dollars
(35:09):
away to white, wealthy urban parents to help them send
their kids to private schools. And they are going after
religion in schools, that we need to have the Ten
Commandments in schools. So Senate Bill ten was signed into
law by GOP Texas Governor Greg Abbott, but was blocked
(35:33):
by a federal judge, just like a similar bill in Louisiana. Now,
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxson is asking for public schools
to begin the school day with reciting the Christian Lord's Prayer.
Texas Republican lawmakers, in the face of school shootings, has
decided that we need to have time for prayer in
(35:55):
school and so they've already passed a bill that gives
students time to pray and read the Bible. But that's
not good enough for Ken Paxton. He wants to have
more Christianity in public schools. But what about those who
are practicing other religions, Jewish, Muslim, or atheist. What are
(36:15):
they to do or say when you are dedicating classroom
time to one religion. We talked again to Will Judy
with Houston Atheist about this situation.
Speaker 12 (36:25):
Man, there is so much to unpack with all of this.
I believe we talked about we pushed back hard and
trying to prevent it from getting passed in the first place,
which was called SB ten in the legislative session. But
it did pass and then was signed into law. But yeah,
the lawsuits immediately happened. A lot of friendly orgs in
(36:48):
my world were ready, and yeah, there was an injunction
I believe a federal course that did and said, well,
will you got to put a hold on this, and
I believe fourteen counties in the state of Texas, fourteen
school districts, I should say, the the people there were
in the lawsuit, whatever school district they were in, that's
(37:09):
where the uh, the halt was was was stated from
the federal court. So yeah, they're they're pissed, uh passed.
Speaker 10 (37:17):
It is pissed.
Speaker 12 (37:18):
And the pushback it's it's I expected it.
Speaker 10 (37:23):
But back in, back in.
Speaker 12 (37:27):
In the past, which was two years ago or so,
it would just be more subtle, it would it would
be insidious what they're doing. But this is just out
and out bullhorn and uh favoring Christianity above all other
religions and the more important, the most important part is
using the power of the state to impose religion generally
(37:52):
but specifically Christianity upon all of us. Uh, and which
is absolutely unconstitutional and Unamerica.
Speaker 7 (38:00):
In my opinion.
Speaker 6 (38:02):
Where do we go from here? As because you know,
you have a conjunction. It seems like the state, it
seems like the state is ignored, is going to ignore
this and try to get around it by pushing the
Lord's Prayer in public schools.
Speaker 12 (38:20):
Yeah, they they will do their best to ignore it.
They've kind of learned lessons and that they have friendly
people in courts and including the Supreme Court. And I
think by design they want this to go to the
Supreme Court because they think that they're going to overturn
precedent and just this is just another step and them
trying to establish athiocracy, which they will benefit from. But
(38:45):
where do we go from here? We're going to have
to endure this for a while. We are doing what
we can to push back in the courts. We cannot
count on the courts to save us, though so far
the guard rails have held and there has has been
some positive news. But they are going to keep trying.
Speaker 7 (39:06):
Uh.
Speaker 12 (39:06):
They being I don't know what to call them. Theocrats
in in Texas and and and the nation actually, but
we should just focus on Texas.
Speaker 10 (39:17):
What we can do.
Speaker 12 (39:20):
We just have to train ourselves to think, uh, to
play the long game.
Speaker 6 (39:26):
So we have to.
Speaker 12 (39:27):
Dilute out this crazy stuff in the Texas legislature. That
means electing people that are not Christian nationalists and also
just telling having conversations with friends and family about what
Christian nationalism is and just put out this moved by
(39:48):
Paxton to favor Christianity and use the state, the power
of the state, to impose it on us. That's this
is the definition of what Christian nationalism is in real time.
And and it's kind of a harder sell to convince
people that it's wrong because most normal people, regular people
(40:10):
just don't They don't see the big deal. Oh what
thou shalt not kill?
Speaker 10 (40:13):
What's wrong with that?
Speaker 12 (40:15):
But this is a no obvious infringement on the separation
at church and state, which is one of the founding
principles of this nation.
Speaker 6 (40:30):
One of the things. What are the people that are
atheis agnostic, Buddhists or down the line, what are they
supposed to do when they're when people are reciting these
commandments or the Lord's prayer.
Speaker 12 (40:51):
They should know that there are people fighting to reverse
this and to to make it better. To remove these
They're gonna have to endure it for a time. This
is not an overnight fix. So I hate to say it,
but yeah, they're just gonna have to endure it. Roll
(41:11):
their eyes. There are ways that you can kind of
contact legal. There are organizations that have legal teams that
you can plug into and ask for legal advice. I
don't know if there's much that can be done, but
it's nice at least just to reach out and say
you've tried. So the a c l U is doing
(41:32):
wonderful work. Freedom From Religion Foundation is doing great work.
American Atheist My organization I'm plugged into is doing great work.
American Humanists Association also, they all have strong legal teams
that can at least give some advice to people that
are aggrieved by this.
Speaker 6 (41:55):
And what do you say to people that are say
that this is a Christian nation and this is something
that that this nation was built upon Christianity, Christian Christian law,
Christian rules.
Speaker 12 (42:15):
Yeah, that's a that's a whole other show too. Uh,
it's a whole. It's a lot of unpacking to do,
but you just fill it down and it's absolutely There's
so many myths circulating around this nation and the Texas uh,
but that is one of the ones that is just
the most egregious. This is not a Christian nation. The
(42:36):
Founding fathers, uh, they did get some things absolutely right,
and one of them was creating a nation that had
a secular government. Because back in the day had years,
one hundred years to see what a theocracy, what a
state run religion does to a populace, and it's violence,
(42:58):
it's blood in the streets. They wanted no part of that.
And the concept of qualifying separating church and state to
having a secular government. So the United States Constitution it
is a real separate church and state. And to call
(43:19):
this a Christian nation since the day one, even before
day one, there was a lot of people pushing to
make this a Christian nation, to put God in Jesus
all over the constitution, and they, the Founding Fathers, pushed back.
They wanted no part of that. So you fast forward
to now and again this has been part of the
conversation in America since before America, but now in Texas.
(43:46):
They they're kind of smart about it. They don't they
to put up the Ten Commandments in schools. They're not
pulling it a religious document. They're saying history and tradition,
which is absolutely yes. Uh, the nation's laws were founded
on Judeo Christian principles.
Speaker 10 (44:04):
Absolute bs.
Speaker 12 (44:08):
It's yeah. Again, it's just the whole of the show.
But it's been proven time and time again that this
country is not a Christian nation. This country is made
up of a lot of Christians, but and they're free
to worship as they wished as long as they don't
hurt people. But this is not the America United States.
(44:29):
America is not a Christian nation.
Speaker 1 (44:32):
That was will judy with Houston Atheists who is also
a member of American Atheists. Food not Bombs have been
serving the homeless for years now at the same location
in front of the Downtown Library in Houston. The harassment
by the city has also been going on for years.
A previous mayor issued an ordinance that only people that
(44:53):
are licensed can feed the homeless. That ordinance was taken
to court and fought. Then tickets are being handed out
to those that continued to feed the homeless at the
location on five hundred and fifty Mcinney Street. Each individual
was given a ticket for each time that they were
caught feeding the homeless. Hundreds of tickets were given out
until a federal court injunction stopped any more until the
(45:15):
case played out in court. Since then, the new mayor,
John Whitmire has made his intention known that he does
not want homeless people to be seen downtown or in
any area around the city. Since then, Food Not Bombs
has been faced with harassment and threat of arrest by
local police and the Metro Police Department. The most recent
(45:36):
was just last week when HPD and Metro Police detained
one of the volunteers. We talked to John Locke, who
is a volunteer with Food Not Bombs.
Speaker 13 (45:46):
Yeah, so, I mean a couple things are happening. What
happened the incidents that happened with us specifically was we
had EIGHTHPD officers that was looking for individual visual that
they said that got received food with us at our
food shares, And in that time, when speaking with one
(46:12):
of the volunteers HPD, they got into a bit of
an argument and we had it on video. HBD saying
you know right now is a arrestable offense, meaning sharing food,
and then we the volunteer kindly let the officers know
that we have an injunction by the federal courts and
(46:33):
that you know, they actually could not give us tickets,
and that it wasn't a restable offense. That officer left.
Those officers left right for a second and came back
and then spoke to the volunteer about you know, needing
to have respect on both sides between police officers and
(46:54):
volunteers and whatever. Anyways, they end up leaving, But come
fifty minutes later, Metro police came and and that I
think is the piece is going to relate a little
bit more to the change in the mayor's stance with
homelessness of wanting to push all the homeless out of
(47:15):
downtown and the east side of Houston. The Metro police
came about six officers deep and cleared anybody that was
sitting at the Metro stop, which is right front of
where we share food, and and you know, of course,
(47:39):
you know, we had a couple of volunteers that were
recording the officers as they're doing that. They didn't like
that very much and then began to ask one of
our volunteers for id and asking and asking the had
him down and that he was going to ride the
(48:01):
bus stop and then at that time arrested that individual volunteer.
And I think what the mayors having the Metro police
do is basically police all the bus stops and harassed
(48:23):
people that are sitting at the bus stops if they
appear to be homeless. And I said, our volunteer got arrested,
He got detained, and he used to tape like thirty minutes,
and Metro police stated that we couldnot protest or share
food at near any of the Metro stops and that
(48:45):
you cannot protest on Metro's property. This is very interesting.
They end up, like I said, releasing the volunteer and
giving him a trespassing ticket which just for him and
he was standing by the bus stop as he was
recording the officer. So m trespassing for being at the
(49:09):
bus stop and not having like a ticket or something,
even though you just pay for your your bus when
you get in. You know, uh, from what I know
and understand, very unfortunate. And I think, uh, this situation
is kind of showing what, you know, what we have
(49:31):
to look forward to in the future and now uh
is police harassing almost and arresting them and giving them tickets.
Speaker 6 (49:40):
This is especially this is especially new because the using HBD,
not HBD the Metro Police as as the power of
authority now instead of they said that the Houston Police Department,
because you I hope you guys. Are you guys challenging
this at all, because inspectigating anybody that's standing by a
(50:02):
bus stop can get discated, that can get a ticket exactly.
Speaker 13 (50:07):
I mean, yes, we will be challenging this, and individually,
our volunteer will be that was a TAM will be
challenging this. But you know, this I think can serve
as a good eye opener of what these policies and ordinances,
how they look in actuality and in actuality what we
(50:27):
have is just you know, a whole lot of police
harassing on house individuals and yeah, trying to push them
out and then using Metro. It is interesting. It's almost
like they're trying to avoid the issues they got with
HVD and and using excuse, oh, this is a different
(50:50):
police department, you know, because they're obviously not as informed
on on for amendment rights, constitutional rights as you know
as HVD is now informed about due to going through
the courts.
Speaker 6 (51:06):
Have you talked to anybody down at HP Metro hit
quarters about this?
Speaker 13 (51:12):
Uh?
Speaker 2 (51:12):
No, we have.
Speaker 13 (51:14):
I believe people have been trying getting touch in touch
with internal affairs.
Speaker 10 (51:20):
About this.
Speaker 6 (51:21):
That's Metro Police. It's a different, different division. That's a
totally different deal.
Speaker 13 (51:27):
Don't they They have their own internal affairs for Metro.
Speaker 6 (51:31):
I don't know.
Speaker 13 (51:33):
Well that that that was my information. I don't I
haven't spoke directly with their legal team.
Speaker 6 (51:40):
Yeah, because, uh, this seems like there's something that's going on,
like like Lake city wide, because I know in third
Ward they they they started trying to arrest people and
try to give tickets to people that were homeless that
for standing in and around bus stations. They made it
illegal on the East Side for you to be practically homeless.
(52:02):
I mean, uh you can get a ticket, uh for
just standing around. So and this is an attack, but
it seemed like that the council members are standing with
the with with the mayor on cleaning up the city
for the World.
Speaker 13 (52:15):
Cup, right right. I think there there's only two city
council members that that voted against the that the new ordinance.
Uh so, yeah, everybody was on board, and I was
very you know, pretty surprised, uh individuals that that voted
in support for that ordinance.
Speaker 6 (52:37):
Yeah, and this is something that's uh, these new ordinances
or every every neighborhood now is trying to pick up
on this ordinance that that they want their they want
the civility law. I think that's what it's called, right,
trying to stop people from from from uh for homelessness
in general. And I was surprised about the third ward
(52:58):
actually having something blaming the homeless for all the crime
rate which Sunday night.
Speaker 11 (53:03):
From bombs for anybody say anything about being.
Speaker 13 (53:12):
No, we haven't heard. We definitely haven't heard anything from
the mayor, uh you know, directly or indirectly to Food
Not Bombs. And I think they're probably not going to
say anything publicly until our court case which is in October,
the federal court case. They're kind of going to touch
anything we're doing. And to that federal court.
Speaker 6 (53:34):
Cases over with, and and Food Not Bombs are still
is still available to me, you know, people can still
volunteer at Food dot.
Speaker 13 (53:43):
Bombs absolutely Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday at seven fifteen
and we start sharing food at seven point thirty sharp.
Speaker 6 (53:54):
Pm and you got a Facebook page also.
Speaker 13 (53:58):
H yeah, we have.
Speaker 7 (54:00):
I believe the Instagram and Facebook are the same.
Speaker 13 (54:02):
Is through that bombs?
Speaker 1 (54:05):
That was John Locke with Food not Bombs. They serve Mondays, Wednesdays,
Fridays and Sundays at seven pm on five hundred and
fifty McKinney Street, Bring vegan meals or just your positive energy.
More information can be found out on their Facebook page.
The sound was kind of bad at the end of
that clip. Their Facebook page is Food Not Bomb's HTx.
(54:30):
There is a school of thought out there that says
to defeat corruption, criminality, and cruelty, we also need to
become corrupt, criminal and cruel to my very core, I
do not believe that to be the case, so I
look for inspiration from others. Let's take a listen to
(54:54):
what Martin Luther King said about fighting a illegal and
corrupt and criminal enemy. One of the things I constantly
return to during dark times in my personal and public
life is a collection of sermons written by Martin Luther
King Junior called Strength to Love, and specifically a sermon
(55:16):
on loving your enemies. I'm reading an excerpt from that
sermon to our most bitter opponents. We say we shall
match your capacity to inflict suffering by our capacity to
endure suffering. We shall meet your physical force with soul force.
Due to us what you will, and we shall continue
(55:39):
to love you. We cannot, in all good conscious obey
your unjust laws, because non cooperation with evil is as
much a moral obligation as cooperation with good. Throw us
in jail, and we shall still love you. Send your
hooded perpetrators of violence into our community at the midnight
hour and beat us and leave us half dead, and
(56:02):
we shall still love you. But be ye assured that
we will wear you down by our capacity to suffer.
One day we shall win freedom, but not only for ourselves.
We shall so appeal to your heart and conscience that
we shall win you in the process, and our victory
(56:23):
will be a double victory. Love is the most durable
power in the world. Hi, this is Steve Gallington, producer
and host of The People's News. If you have a
story that needs to be told, come to us. We
accept fully produced audio written material. Or just give us
(56:43):
the idea and we will run with it. Shiny new
one hour episodes of the People's News drop each Sunday
on The People's News podcast hosted by spreaker dot com
and linked to my website Gallington dot com. The People's
News is a production of Steve Gallington and Richard Hannah
(57:05):
and is protected by copyright laws. All the information broadcast
on air and online, as well as published in both
print and or online, including articles, audio, clips, illustrations, graphics, photographs,
and videos, are protected by these copyright and other state
and federal intellectual property laws. Therefore, you may not use
our content in any prohibited way, including reproducing, publishing, transmitting, selling, rewriting, broadcasting,
(57:32):
or posting on the Internet without the expressed written permission
of The People's News. Prohibited use also includes publication of
our material in printed or electronic brochures, newsletters, or flyers,
as well as all website or email distribution. To obtain
permission to use copyrighted material, email Steve Gallington at Steve
(57:53):
at gallington dot com.
Speaker 13 (57:55):
Thank you
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