Voting for the Lesser of Two Evils

you know you're listening to me. I never thought I would have a podcast talk every week about a subject matter, reading a review on a book, or talking about something going on in the community. Well, hey, I appreciate you tuning in every week to listen to what I have to say. And what I got to say on this episode is I'm talking about community, and lately I've been really focused on that, blisting in a few book reviews.

But let me tell you something. We got a big election coming up and it's the call the mid term election, and that's the news every single day turning and channel, you know, and they're talking about this upcoming they're talking about that, what's that stake and what's important and that a major paradigm shift can happen if this party getting in or if this party loses or whatever. But I'm gonna give you my take on this upcoming election. And

let me say this. You know, this episode is called Voting for the Lesser of the Two Evils, and I'm gonna go into detail about the perspective in the black community and how we look at election. And they were a lot of people openly admit this, but some secretly won't just tell you this. But I'm gonna give you

some inside about how black people vote. Also on this episode, I'm releasing the Latino power graph scandal that happened out here in Los Angeles, where some city council members got together in a boardroom and was discussing some foul and slanderous and unthinkable words about black people and how to power graphic city council seat from a prominent black city council member. They were scheming, plotting, conniving, and trying to

tie to take control of that seat. And I was able to interview Tina Santy, a k A. Slossing Girl and get the inside scoop of the outrage that was taking place in Los Angeles. So enjoy this upcoming episode,

voting for the lesser of two evil. A big, big outrage has just taken place, where a big scandal where someone had to leave an absence because of some information that was leaked to the public on the audio tape where they was plotting and planning two subvert of a council seat and do a power graph and certain statements was made. But I got first hand knowledge someone that was down at the city council me when it was

demanding some resonations. While I got slast and girl Tina sample on the phone and she's gonna give us the inside scope of this big scandal that just took place. Talk to me, slast and girl talked to us about the outrage and what all the people that was upset about this audio tape that was lead give us some first hand knowledge about this old scandal. Yeah, the League, thank you so much for um, you know, centering my voice. I really do appreciate that. I think that's very important,

um you know, to center black voices and journalists. So thank you so much. Um Yea. As mentioned, news broke of of Elite Audio and revolving involving three of l a city council members UM. Those council members being Luri Martinez,

Gil Sadio and Kevin de ViOn UM. They were on tape, and the tape calots some very um just offensive remarks and language UM about the constituents that these council members served UM specifically though they were speaking about redistrict redistricting in Los Angeles and just you know, the tape just showed how um, you know, people are perceived through the lens of you know, race and identity, especially even in politics. You know, when we all should just be looked at

as people, as human beings. UM. And so this this audio was captured at the headquarters of the l A County Federation of Labor. Um. Ron Herrera was the president at the time. He has since resigned from his role as president of the federation. UM. These three council members went to go speak with Mr Herrera at the Labor Federation headquarters to discuss redistricting. UM. The federation had released an internal memo UM following the audio leak saying that

their premises had been bugged illegally. So it appears that somebody had planted and recording some kind of recording device and the premises at the Federation headquarters. And that's how the three council members plus the president were caught on on this audio. And um, since it was released, it just created a huge, uh, just firestorm all the way up here. People upset, Hey, people, people are upset, you know.

But I also want people to take a moment and you know, think to themselves that, hey, I wasn't caught on this audio. But you know, um, how do I treat you know, black and non uh and and other people of color in my everyday life? You know, So I'm gonna say that, you know, um, I'm understating that all of the outrage um isn't valid or real. I just know that as a black woman that has been forced to grow up marginalized in Los Angeles inner city,

the audio comes as no surprise. We can look around and see through the policies and the lip conditions of black people in Los Angeles, how people feel. You know that the type of thinking is embedded, woven into various institutions in Los Angeles, you know, Neuri Martinez, gil Cdeo,

Kevin de Leone. They're not the only gatekeepers or power brokers and institutions in Los Angeles, you know, and um, I think that this is a time for a lot of people to be having a person of reckoning with themselves, you know, about the way in which they hinder access and equity for black people, Indigenous Latino folks, or non white people in general. Well, I know, I know that some of the words that there was a fense of

my understanding. Uh, they was calling a black child monkey something to that effect, right or uh comparing him bouncing around in comparison saying uh, uh you know something to those you know, and then and then wanted the plot and plan to take a councilman's seat and what to do with that seat, trying to stare it away from you know, black people in the silence our voice, Um, I didn't hear specifically about the seat per se, but just in general, it was like Mark really Thomas had

a redistrict, Mark really Thomas c how should we address that, you know, to try to make this that seat more controlling seat for for their interest. I mean, you know, it was similar to something like that, and that's where they talk about the power grab. The power grab is, you know, how trying to strategize by undermining you know, another district to try to subvert the voice of the people live in that district by putting somebody else in power that speak to their interests and so forth. Yeah,

so definitely. UM. You know, a lot of black folks UM showed up to city hall UM to voice their UM concern I know specifically UM the U. There are various black people, but people that stood out specifically was the Young Black Democratic Club and the president UM speaking to the city Council and asking them when speaking specifically on the Latino leaders and their UM you know, actions or thoughts to try and undermine Black political power you

know in Los Angeles, right, you know, we're already being pushed out of this city and an alarming rates due to the you know, the cost of living, the gentrification and the lack of equity, you know, and so UM to hear things like that about trying to undermine us in the political process, it's it's very disheartening. But it's not surprising. No, it's not surprising because it's the failure of our leadership because this thing had been deteriorating for

quite some time. It didn't happen overnight. But we should not be surprised and I don't think you was. We should not be surprised when another group of people um one power and at any means that any costs. We shouldn't be surprised. We upset and we are outraged, but we need something lasting and sustainable because this, you know, it's just like we're talking generational wealth. We're talking about you know, because that's what this gentification is tied to,

you know, lack of generational wealth. We're not passing on nothing and ask somebody else coming over here and scooping it all up because they got the equity, the money, the resources. And then we got political people in political positions that are not able to sustain you know, that leadership, and then other people now in leadership having a majority, want to subvert it. Locked us out right. This is

a vicious cycle. Is I mean, any solutions, any anything that you can say that offers some type of insight to solutions to what we should be doing and focusing on right now the address this. UM well, you know, for me personally, UM, I had somebody in media. I I feel like I have a level of responsibility in terms of um, you know, like not fueling racial tensions

and promoting messages of you know unity. UM. You know, as somebody to grew up in South central UM, you know, I grew up in close proximity to the Latino community. You know. UM, these were our friends, UM, our neighbors, you know. UM. I even had a foster mother who was a Latino woman. You know who. Um. You know, memories are very fine in my mind. So, you know, going to college and being secluded in you know, white towns where you know, students of color, of black Latino

we had to lean on each other for support. You know. I have those kinds of experiences and those are at the forefront of my mind always. But coming back to Los Angeles after college has been very interesting space to be in, especially as somebody that focuses on UM, social justice issues and equity for black people. I'm seeing that folks that weren't able to educate themselves. Uh. In more broader context, a lot of UM POC folks just perpetuate,

you know, like white supremacy. Right. So it's like within that if you see a large portion of you know, people that you would like to align with, but you feel that they don't have the necessary understanding. Uh. You know, for a collaboration. You feel like that you're UM, You're

you're dropping the ball for your own people. Right. Okay, to be more clear, we just heard our Latino folks UM Council members on the recording focused on their community and what they could do to, you know, UM, increase their political power. But when Black people focus just on our communities, just on our advancement, just on our equity, we're always UM made to feel bad about this, you

know what I'm saying. So I think that the for me, I have you know, to UM things that I feel like we should be focused on for moving forward and and healing, but also making sure that we're moving in the right direction. I think that we do need to be working on our coalition efforts and making sure that you know, black and brown relations are you know lesson learned? This is listen, you hit it on the nail. Listen,

this is a lesson learned. We either we must focus on our agenda unapologetically and not care about what other people coaches think, because everybody, everybody is worried about their own and we want to sit up here and and and and include everybody and then lose and lose our power. We need to assert ourselves and we need to be unapologetically for our agenda because this is the kind of things that are gonna happen, and you're gonna lead a

door open for these kind of things these groups. Listen, when you call you said white SUPREMETI what is that about white agenda? White pro white? All right, we need our agenda to assert that and not be afraid to be unapologetically about Listen as each group. Democracy works in some sense, but it don't work. And if you have a family, ain't no democracy in that family. The reality is that you know, you you are the ruler of that house, and you gotta make decisions and you want

the best what takes place in that house. And that's the kind of you know, attitude we need to have as a community as black people. What I'm saying that don't mean you're stepping on no other culture, other races. It's just you trying to make sure the people that you're you know, love and cherish and want to see rise, rise up and be successful, so you know, and we gotta stop that. But yeah, if we include everybody, we're not gonna have you ain't gonna have no This is

what was revealed that we need to learn from. We listen and and we can get mad and pout and shout for another culture trying to what elevate themselves. No, you might not like it. You might not like it, but the reality is they are of self interest. At what point are we gonna be about our self interests

so that we can make sure gentrification don't happen? And if you the redish drinking happens, where it silence your voice, where the where the lack of resources, in the in the in the in the in the in the planning that takes place in our communities where you're not there to do nothing about it. They just popped up my house the other day, of pop the sign in my yard.

I ain't even ever say so, you know what I'm say because we the city, the city of Inglewood about you know, you gotta have this permit, don't you know? Don't park here certain time unless you got this permit. No stadium parking, you know, the so far stadium. I'm just saying, you know, I can't get a say so, you're just showing one, damn popping in. Don't decide walk without no notice and a split lot when you could have put it in the middle, but you're gonna put

it right by the driveway. I'm like, you know, yeah, I'm just saying that, ain't I mean, that's off topic, but it's just, you know, things happening you don't have, don't say so and not and not. You feel powerless, That's all I'm trying to say. You feel marginalized, you feel targeted, even though you might have good intentions. But man, you didn't give me no notice, You ain't give me no heads up, you ain't give me a say so

so anyway. But hey, Dave, I want to thank you Tana for dropping the first hand knowledge he was down there. You saw the outrage of the people. And this ain't just here. It's happening all over this country, and we

need to do something about it. We need to. We need to We need to elevate our voice and have an agenda and willing to stand firm and unapologetically about it, because you know, that's just you know, we have to assert ourselves and this anger, this outrage is in the community needs to have a direction that has lasting effect in that temporary That's all I had to say, So thank you. We need to support yes, absolutely, because that's how we assert our viewpoints and our power through the media.

All of this firestorm happens through the me you know what I'm saying, And anything that happens moving forward is going to you know, UM, the media is going to be the one that pushes that or shapes that or shares that, you know. And so if we don't have black media that have our interests and speak directly to our issues, then we're never going to be really have um our power be asserted. We might have the power, but in terms of like asserting it, a lot of it is is media. A lot of that is media.

The media is powerful. Powerful. Support black media from the community that's not exploiting issues for their own interests. You know. UM, we're for rooting in the community and we want to see the community move forward that you know, we're able we can do to support that. Yeah, tell us tell us how they can um support Sauson Girl media. Yes. So, UM, we have a platform called the Voice of Black Los Angeles and UM that is a newer platform we just

lost I just launched the website to that. UM, this is the platform that will be in more of a collaborative effort between black Los Angeles. UM. I still have my platform SOLS and grew you to listen to my podcast on Apple UM or Spotify, UM or interview people we talked about about history, race, culture, and check me out at UM the Voice of Black l a dot com. If anybody UM, any black writers or journalists looking for opportunities, please contact us UM It's the platform for you. So yes,

wonderful one. Thank you, Thank you were appreciate that you're letting the streets know on leach bookshelf bringing a world together with books, culture and community. Thank you, Tina. The word on the street is there's a lot of steak with this upcoming election, and I'm just gonna give my take on and I don't really dab into politics, but because we lose on both sides, that's how that's that's how I see it. You know, I'm not I'm not. I don't think the saving gracios politics. I'm not against

people voting. UM. I think you should pay attention attention to your local propositions and you know, policies that are coming up locally. I think you should pay attention and play closely to those issues because they directly affect you, and it's you know, you win one day in the next election, they're trying to lose on you know, it's just this whole thing where you have to be focused on.

I mean, life is hard enough as it is, and every single day, every single month, every single you know year, you have to focus on these politicians, these elections and you have to. I just don't you can vouch for their character and then you know truthfulness and what they stand for. It's insane. It's life is already difficult. That's why a lot of my people, I believe to an album and they vote based upon what's emotional, not what's best for their interests, because black people are just trying

to survive and live, you know. So this whole election, when black people go to the poll, I'm gonna say this is the majority of them vote for what we call the lesser of the two evils. That's how they see it. I'm only voting for the lesser of the two evil because I don't think no good, no real change is gonna happen because of a politician being in office.

Ain't no good it's gonna happen. We had Obama as the forty fourth president of the United States, and he was black, and there are a lot of black and he listen, I think that him winning was a great achievement, and I voted for him. I think it was a great achievement. Um, the fact that the black man won the White House. And I think that and I like to use that when I'm talking to youth and kids and shot at the myth of impossibility because most black

people we didn't think he was gonna win. We hoped he won, you know, but he won, and we was excited about that. But um, he didn't do anything specifically for black people. What I'm saying. He did things in general for um, the United States, and he'd done things for other specific groups, but he didn't do much directly say hey, I'm gonna do this specifically for black people, like affirmative action, see how to specifically target you know,

disenfranchised people. He didn't do anything directly. Now I'm not you know, I'm knocking him, But what I'm saying is, you know, when white politicians and presidents getting office, they have no problems nor ever doing things that directly benefit white America. And let's just keep it one hunted. You know what I'm saying, and I'm I can't fault I cannot fault white people for doing something to promote and

enrich their communities because they're looking out for themselves. Now, if that's if that's bad for a group of people to look out for themselves, then it's excuse me. But as black people, if you have children, you would look out for your children. You would want the best for your children. That don't mean stepping on other people, but it's looking out for your kids, and it's looking making

sure that they win. They're not trying to put down another group of kids or anything, but you're gonna look out for your own. Come on now. So anyway, when these politicians get in the office, and that's why I think black people should just be straight up independent. You should. We shouldn't be no party because we strengthen us being united and being you know, in a party that allows us to have flexibility and allow us to you know, use our voice in a way to get something done.

Why we simply majority go just vote Democrat and then a small missentity go vote or blacks go vote Republican. I don't I don't understand that, and I don't think that's a good political strategy. And I think that the majority of black people when they do vote, they vote for the lesser of the two evils. That's how I hear it all the time. They're denied, but I hear it all the time because most black people don't really

think anything gonna happen when the politician get elected. When when black people went out and voted for buying anything, nothing was gonna really happen to benefit of us. But hey, when you with with with with with the with the back vote, voting the majority for biting, You's what I'm saying. Look what you got. You got a recession, you got the inflationhip, you got the highest food pricess, oh my god, the highest gas prices. You have a president that um

appears to have some cognitive issues. Let's just we keep it real. I mean, he's an old he's an elder. When you get older, sometimes these things happen. You get human's okay, he got it. But what what what I'm saying is he is um. Things are a lot harder today as a result of I'll vote to help put biting in in the White House. And when people when black people went and voted two years ago, they was voting for the lesson too. They think Bidens you was

the lesser the two evil over Trunk. That's why they you know, that's what it is. And then they changed the day just because um different politicians are running for office, and they're gonna change two years from now. When black people go vote, they're gonna go vote for the lesser

of the two evils. That's just the way it is. Listen, you asked a forty fifty million Black people just overnight, just you know, erase the oppression, the discrimination, the racism, and all the hardships that are afflicted on the majority of the Black community, the police brutality, the social injustice, and all the ailments that plague Black America and America in general. You asking for them just oh oh, I'm

just gonna overnight forget about all that. Could I speak real most all these things that we suffer from fast food um restaurants on every corner. Yeah, you know, then we got you know, marijuana shops on every corner. As though you know this recreational drug, marijuana weed. You know it's gonna bring nothing but progress in our communit. Let's keep it real. Drugs and devastated ourument, whether it be well, cocaine, crack, heroin, all of this is nothing but devastated the black community.

And then we got weed shops on every corner. How did they get their politicians? You know, how did all these fans food restaurants is killing everybody getting high blood pressure diabetes? How do they get there? Once again? Politicians? See all the you talk complaining about what's going on in schools and the lack of resources. How they get like that? Politicians? Why the money go in this direction and don't go over in this direction where this community

is underserved. Politicians, there ain't no great white hope, and there ain't no political hope. It ain't gonna come from We're not gonna change our reality until we come together and do for self and change our reality is our responsibility. We gotta stop this hand act with the hands out. Yeah, you can get some of them crumbs that you know that are available because you qualify, But real change is

not gonna come from the crumbs. Real change donna come when forty million black people pull their money together and work together collectively and make no excuses for their failures.

I guarantee change is gonna come then and then now your vote is more powerful because you're voting as a block and you make gonna force these politicians to what to do what you need to be done to get things done in the way that can benefit That's how the game is played, and we ain't playing it correctly because we we're trying to vote for just one party, as if this one party hasn't been devastating over the many decades and years. Most of these cities are ran

you know, I'm keeping it one well. Cit these cities are ran by you know, politicians, whether they Democratic, and I believe they're a majority in some Republicans. And all the problems is plaguing these cities, not not if a problem happened in your house, those in the authority are you know, with a problem resides he They don't take

responsibility for their favors their favors. And I'm saying that we need to vote independent, and we need to put money behind our vote because when we do vote, we're gonna vote for the lesser of the two evils, which is not saying much. And most people views about the political world is the fact that it's world of corruption, It's a world paid for play. It's a world where deals are made the only benefit the rich in the elite. So it's the less of the two evils, and that's

not saying much. And you still have another option, just don't vote. That's still a political strategy that many people you know us as a strategy and of staying you don't have to vote if you don't like the choices. But when people do vote, they are voting. You know, I'm talking both specific black people. They vote for the less of the two evils. But we need to stop really doing that because you ain't getting really nothing for

your vote, but more help. Thanks for listening to Eli's Bookshelf where topics on the Shelf, our books, culture and communities. Be sure to subscribe and leave a review. Check out my Instagram at Malik Books. See you next time.