America, America IS a Racist Country

Native Land Pod is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with Resent Choice Media.

America.

America is a racis country.

What's up, everybody?

Welcome to the second episode of Native Land Pod, where we break down all that's happening in politics, with a little bit of culture in there too. Welcome home, y'all, go home.

Welcome home, Sis.

What's up?

Ladies?

We are your host.

I'm Tiffany Cross here with angela Ryan Andrew gillim and as you know on Native Land Pod, we give it to you straight, no chaser.

What's going on y'all?

Everybody?

Every day?

Oh, I know one thing is going on all the way up and that's Native Land Pod.

We were one downloaded.

Podcast on Apple Podcasts.

How about that. It's not just news, it's not just politics. See, thank you over all overall, just had to brag on it.

I want to thank y'all seriously truly for making us the number one downloaded podcast. And I think why that's so important. Honestly, it shows that there is a gap between what is happening in in the atmosphere. This was content that people needed. We're here to inform, We're here to invite you all to be a part of the conversation, and so as people are left out, I think a lot of people literally felt welcomed home.

So thank you all, Tiffany just on that, I just just my goodness. Thank you to those of you all who has stuck with us, hung with us through the ins and outs, ups and down, tops and turvys. If this show with the three of us doesn't represent anything, let it represent the fact that your future will be greater than your ladder period.

I knew brother Gil was gonna give us a word that's not that's not gonna be the first of the.

Last that though. That's real, that's real. There's always we doubt that in the moment. You doubt that when you're going through and when times it's so hard and you can't even yeah, you can't even manifest the belief that life will get better.

Yeah.

And the truth is is just hang in there.

We have a dream that one day we'll stay at the number one spot. We're still there right now. And all we need you all to do and make sure that you are downloading the podcast download this week and make sure you give us a review. We are loving reading these reviews, not so much to these doug on Twitter comments. But we are loving the reviews, so.

Don't forget tell a friend, download it, leave a review, comment, and ride with us, because we riding with y'all. So on this episode, I want to give you guys a little preview what we're going.

To talk about.

We have to discuss Donald Trump dominating corn rows and white mountains, and by that.

I mean Iowa, New Hampshire.

We don't want to talk about Donald Trump, but he is the front runner of the Republican Party, so we do want to talk about what happen in Iowa and really just a GOP field as a whole. We're also going to get into some conversation around outreach.

The black voters. What is our ask and what should be our ask?

How about that?

But stay with us and until the end of the show, because as you all know, each episode, uh, myself and my co host were we got a testimony and we are each going to share what happened with us since.

Y'all last heard from us.

And so at the end of this episode, I am going to answer a question I've been asked a lot over the last year, and that is what exactly happened with me at MSNBC, So stick around because I got a testimony for y'all today. All right, Angela Andrew, what y'all want to do? Where should we kick it off? I kind of want to get into Iowa just to get it out the way, to be honest, get it out the way, get it out the way.

Well, I'll kick us off.

I just want to play this SoundBite from this full ass clown. See I already let a curse hoorse slip through. But this man is so ridiculous. The people who call themselves pro life, okay, uh.

This is their leader? Is this your king? Take a listen to this and we'll talk about it on the other side.

So if you want to save America from Brook and Joe Biden, you must go call this tomorrow for the first step, the first step.

We're gonna do it.

We gotta do it big.

You gotta get life.

You can't sit home if you're sick as a dog. Even if you vote and then pass away, it's worth it. If you're sick, if you're just a shinky cat, don't it. I don't think get up.

Get up.

Please miss me.

The next time you see a bunch of maga half witted folks holding up pro life signs.

You do realize these people are laughing at this man talking about the meaning that you have to die. He is dead serious, is he ain't joking?

He's like, sacrifice your life for me. This is the man who was behind an insurrection that like little lukewarm admonishing he gave to his followers on January sixth, twenty twenty one. This is the same man today and forevermore. He absolutely wants them to risk it off for him, off a dream. He's selling a dream that is all of the rest of our nightmare. And he really wants these folks to get out here and do this on behalf of their racism. We know exactly what it is. We're not confused.

He's a fraud.

I mean, even like with the wall, like Mexico's gonna pay for the wall, like his donors have been paying for this false effort that's not happening. His donors have been paying his legal fees. I mean, he is the biggest welfare recipient of these folks, and they keep.

Falling for it.

But honestly, I kind of feel like this whole GOP field, they're all garbage, you know, I wasn't surprised at what happened in Iowa, but we kind of talked about this last week. I do feel like when these reporters are on the ground in Iowa talking to these voters, not once did I hear anybody ask how do you account for the racist comments that you've heard from all of

Check this out. Listen to what she said.

Are you a racist party? Are you involved in a racist party?

No?

We're not a racist country, Brian. We've never been a racist country. Our goal is to make sure that today is better than yesterday. Are we perfect? No, But our goal is to always make sure we try and be more perfect if every day that we can. I know I faced racism when I was growing up, but I can tell you today is a lot better than it was then. Our goal is to lift up everybody, not go and divide people on race or gender, or party or anything else. We've had enough of that in America.

Want to be in America, lord hip.

Like what.

First of all, here's my house.

I just marvel at the privilege, the privilege, the privilege it must be to exempt yourself out of what is so many of ours every single day reality, multiple times a day, so much so it's baked into the case we don't even count anymore.

But Andrew, did she exempt herself? I don't think she did. First of all, let's there's three issues here. The first issue is she's the question was are you a racist party? She talks about not a racist country. She couldn't even answer that part for a reason.

The second was yah.

The second thing is we're not a racist country from when Nikki from it's founding from the sixties and the Montgomery bus boycotts and the voting rights protest or is it that racism ended right after you experienced racism? Because you're saying what you don't want your kids to experience, But what you're certainly not saying is that they have not experienced it. So what I think that Nikki or Nimrata, as Tif said, is masterful at talking out of both

If you're confused, Hey, Angela, we don't want to be talking to our kids about them being disadvantaged in any way, shape or form. I don't want to have to talk to my boys about what it means to have to demure themselves in dark spaces or as they encounter people who are not of color in authority, or how they may encounter our neighbors down the street after dawn or dust. And so Nikki or miss Haley former governor, we agree with you. We don't want to have to talk to

Yeah, you know, I think most of our listeners know that this. Of course, the country is a racist country. It was founded on racism. I think a lot of people want to believe this fairy tale about America that they were spoon fed and have a willful ignorance about the real origin of the United States of America. But we know our listeners know Nimrada is saying these things to a very specific audience. She is speaking to white America. She's saying, I know I'm brown, but I don't think

It ain't gonna happen like that.

I don't even need to waste my breath trying to convince somebody it's a racist country. History can tell you that we are trying to force America to fulfill the promise that so many other people think she's already fulfilled.

That's where the work is.

But this is why, and this is why I am dumbfounded. Which is why. What is the point to this right now? What value add does it have for us to litigate this this this this topic of where we racist?

What?

Why did the Civil War occur?

Why are these people know why?

I ain't gonna say everybody, but why are these people so terrified of the future that they're so willing to just grasp to the past as their greatest achievements? About that, but I got to I believe in a better future.

You know why?

Vice President Harris responded to this. Angel I didn't see it, but Angela, you saw it.

Yeah. Anna Navarro asks uh Kamala Harris about this uh statement by Nikki Haley, and she responds on the view, do you agree that America has never been a racist country?

You know, I first of all, and I think everyone agrees. We all agree the history of racism in America should never be the subject of a SoundBite or a question that is meant to elicit a one sentence answer. But there is no denying that we have in our history as a nation racism, and that racism has played a

You know what is most unfortunate to me and tiff and Andrew, I really want to hear your thoughts on this. I don't think that there's a politician running for national office who answers this question. Well, like if we can just not both sides this but just talk about it for what it is. I remember when President Obama was asked if he was the president of Black he said he wasn't the president of Black America. He's the President

I think.

So I'm always disappointed when I hear people because what the bottom line is, you're trying to make yourself palatable to white thricks, and to me, you leap frog over me and my interest when I'm the main person holding you down. So I will put this not just to Vice President Kamala Harrison, but to anybody who's talking inspire, be bold and speak of truth. We do, and we support you, and we want to help it make it easier for other people to speak their truth.

Andrew, you guys something else on this.

Well, I'll just say I'm sick of the question being asked, when do we live in a country where we don't even opposition the question of whether or not we have a racist founding history steeped in it and its vestiges every single day. And what I will argue is the reason Kamala Harris has to answer that way, and I agree with you, I think she got better. More direct towards the end is because of the vestiges of racism

I know, I want, I want some people to actually own their guilt. And here's the other part. It's not I don't think that we're trying to put white supremacy and racism at the feet of Nikki Hayley except for when she is benefiting from those things and boldly benefiting from those things.

Right.

But but what I am saying is, you don't get to not acknowledge us. There are other cultures, other groups where you do not garner their support if you don't acknowledge them. And I think that that's where we must be. We must be at the point where we say no if we have been impacted by discrimination in federal contracts

Twenty twelve, I don't know if we would have this problem if Barack Obama had won. That's oh, I'm telling you what to do. I was set in front of them, set in front of them what it might mean when you're not in control, and they assigned him attributes that he didn't.

Even attempt, didn't even he didn't trying to throw you.

Out your business. He didn't try to expand opportunities for us to get the same degrees you'd do at no cost, because we built this thing, as Angela says, for free, and there's so many other ways, and so his election, I'm don't know if we'd be dealing with this in quite the way we are right now if they hadn't seen it. Set in front of them.

Does somebody say during the Trumpet administration that Donald Trump was the president they thought Barack Obama would be. They thought the black president would have one, two, three baby mamas. They thought the black president would have countless indictments showing their own racism. They thought the black president would be inarticulate and wouldn't know how to hold himself on a global stage and up the ante and the steeds that

And by the way, in their quiet places, that's them, that's them.

Absolutely.

But here's the thing. And I'm not saying that I didn't want Barack Obama to win. What I'm saying is based on where we are right now. I don't know that he could. I don't know that he could. Like I think we as a people are getting more conscious, Like we're not going to moderate to fit in your box. We're not trying to make you feel comfortable in your stuff. We know now that a rising tide doesn't lift off boats, and as hard as hell, fight these waves without a

Honestly, because I am just tired of talking about playing in the snow. To be honestly, it's not a lot of daylight between any of these candidates. They're all the same. A week's at all of all the Republicans. I'm speaking specifically about the Republican base or the Republican pool of candidates. A week is an eternity in politics. We had a long time to dive into why these folks are garbage. To me, It's time to pay the bills with a quick commercial break, So don't go anywhere because we'll be

So that's a big umbrella. By voters of color.

They're referencing black voters, the members of the Api community, Asian American Pacific Islander, the Indigenous community, and of course the Latino community. I find this really interesting and I really want to throw this to you, Angela, because I think it's a really fair point that you make all the time about we uphold this party, and so I want to look at what does this outreach look like? What should this outreach look like, and what should our ass be.

Yeah, so, as I understand it, they've named this initiative power, Persuade, Organize, welcome, educate, and reach. They've committed five million more than they did last cycle. For us, a cycle is an election cycle. I know that sometimes we use terms on here that everybody doesn't necessarily know. I think that more I want to know, like the line items for this right. You know, there was some pushback that we got after Leonard and I did Joy Show and I talked about campaign consultants

That's real and Angela, my responses on the other side of that, which is thirty five million to win an election, how many millions, billions, trillions toward public policy that then benefits and expands opportunities the lives, livelihoods, and lifestyles of communities of color. Because look, I believe the Democrats will spend whatever is required to get the voters they need in order to win that they believe in another win.

Yeah, you know, I want to pick up on your point, Angela, because that it's interesting the way that white supremacy has framed the thinking of some black folks. I'm going to pull from my good brother Andrew Gillam. I'm gonna share a bit of a private conversation we had and it's really we have to encourage.

Encourage people.

I ain't gonna tell that at all this show, maybe next show, but we have to encourage people to tap into their imagination because I think Andrew, you've made the point before, like that's what they do. They capture our imagination. So if you can't envision a democracy that serves you, because when we say of the people, by the people, for the people, some people are okay with that as long as for the people doesn't include us. And no matter how they make us feel, this is our home.

You have all these pockets.

It's not just churches, barbershops, beauty salons and civil rights groups, you know, I mean, all those places have a role. But you do have to stretch yourself and think beyond that. And they would pay consultants big, huge contracts like twenty five to fifty thousand dollars a month who don't look like me, who are telling you how to talk to people who do look like me.

That makes zero sense.

Like to quote the great urban Philosopherdrick Lamar, sit down and be humble, like this is the area where you really don't know what you're talking about. And it's insulting. Like even in their their their effort to work for equality, it is still from a perspective of I know better than you or I'm okay with this as long as we don't get into areas that don't make me feel comfortable.

And that's a problem.

To Angela's point about contracts, consultants, all of that matters, even polsters, all of that matter. What do the people look like on your campaign? So you're telling me you're trying to reach out to these communities, but your campaign don't. Your campaign look more like Iowa, New Hampshire than it does Atlanta, Miami, La, Detroit, Chicago. That's not okay. So I got a challenge with it. I know Andrew's campaign look good, Angela was down there getting on it.

Yeah.

Here's here's the Here's the thing though, that I want to flag TIF and Andrew to these points. There is if you were saying that they everything was summarily rejected, all your ideas were severely rejected, that is by design. That is, there is a stronghold of a good old boys network that exists not just in the Democratic Party operators, the same thing exists in the Republican Party and even worse right. But what I'm saying is some of these things have to be dismantled and disrupted for them to

Once same and then after they do that, produce the public policy. Yes, that's going to get us free. Yes, produce the evidence I want the receipts. The receipts are not your election. The receipts are the bills, the policies, the systems, the structures, the organizations, the entities that you dismantle that stand in the way of my liberation.

Because if I am only of value to you as I show up to vote, then you don't honor my life. I am of value because I am a child of God. I was produced here, I breathe, I love, I feel just like you. That is my value. And so when I start from a place of saying, hey, I understand the person who does not want to participate in the very system that has harmed them. I'm not saying don't vote. I'm showing up in first to say, I understand you.

Brother.

Ain't nobody asking you to believe in this white man's democracy. We asking you to believe in you happen to your imagination. And what does a government look like that services you, your family and protects the country and advances equality for everybody. I think that's an important point.

Because you paid for it. Because you paid for it, they work for you.

It doesn't require a whole bunch of imagination. I would just say, treat me like you would want to treat your your son or daughter, the things that the safeguards, the protections, the the opportunities that you want in place for them. I love it be imaginative enough to see me like you might see your own child or a member of your family, and you would do whatever you could.

All right, Welcome back to Native Land pod, welcome back home where we keep it a book, Give it to you straight, No chase there this one. I was reading the papers and I honestly thought about Andrew Gillham when I saw this story. Andrew, Florida Man. Florida Man is busy in your neck of the woods, and they wreak havoc on everybody else. Now there is a story that it might soon become illegal, literally illegal to call somebody racist, homophobic, misogynistic.

First of all, yes, in a state where Ron Dea Santis chief a spokesperson as CEO executive director of Florida Man Incorporated, Yeah, it could. But guess what. I don't think there's a snowballs chance in hell that free speech lawsuit wouldn't immediately ensue and stop this whole thing in its track. But more importantly, this is coming from Rond DeSantis and his party here in Florida, who basically invented the word the pejorative and negative a tone a connection

But this, this is from a state senator, Jason Broader. Jason Broder, I don't know if I'm pronouncing his name right, Broder, Well, listen, I'm saying his name because at some point, nobody knew who Ron DeSantis was, and now everybody does, so like, who knows where Jason can go introducing this kind of legislation. He will rally the uninformed, the ignorant, the racists, the angry, the misogynist and xenophobics, and they will rally behind this man and try to send him to the White House

I just you know, there's nothing new under the sun in the Sunshine State. And I think it's really really unfortunate, you know, seeing that they would work to pass a law that says that it is defamatory for you to call someone racist what if they are? Or sexist? What if they are? Or misogynists? What if they are? But it's more of we cannot handle the truth of what this country represents to so many people, and so we're gonna work our very best, our most diligent to silence you.

Of doing the campaign, A hit dog will.

Holler, Yes, it will.

They've been so offended by honest, a hit dog will holler. And they're hollering through their legislation, their proposals because we've come too close to the nose with this, with this stone. Yeah, we've come far too close to them.

The best quote you had on the campaign, I thought was on a debate stage. And when you say, I'm not saying he's the racist, but the racists thinking are racist. I thought that was such a brilliant line.

Andrew, that's what the party has become, that's what they have their candidates have become. Yeah, they don't want us to call them racist. But why is it that all the races seem to be organized behind you all who don't like diversity of women? What?

What?

What?

What?

Openly out louds?

Is it? Right?

They standing they standing down and standing by.

They know exactly what they're doing. You know exactly what they're doing. And then and there's no there's you talk about we give it straight, no chaser, they're giving it to it straight. There's no content.

It's not just politics though, like I mean, as we say, politics are everywhere.

Everywhere, are everywhere.

I'm shifting gears again. For those who don't know me and are getting to know me, I happen to be one of the country's most world renowned sports experts. People are always begging me for my sports expertise. It is no no, let's some football. I am happy to hear there is a new black head coach in the NFL and curious y'all's thoughts about it.

Well, I think that the most important thing to note is that for a league that has over seventy percent of its players looking like us, the coaching staff does not reflect the players. We know that the Rooney rule has now been in place for over twenty five years, but we've yet to see the real results from that, and so it's always uh the rule is the Rooney rule ensure that there would always be someone black interviewed for coaching positions, for leadership positions in the NFL, and

Yeah, I just want to say it's Jared Mayo. He's the new head coach of the New England Patriots. Good Lucky Tree, you're in Boston, brother, we are with you.

Before we come to you. Andrew.

I just Angela made such a good point. I want you out to hear from foreign players themselves. The Washington Post did a great piece talking to black NFL players on their thoughts on coaching in the NFL.

Take a listen.

I do think the words genius, guru, quarterback, whisperer are all phrases that they use to describe non African American coaches. It's as if we don't have the same IQ intelligence level as some of our other brothers. You can go out and catch the ball, you can throw the ball, but you can you lead.

I think that if owners would give black coaches more opportunities, not saying that you have to keep a guy for eight years, but you would if he won.

You're a minority coach, you got to win. It seems like when you have diversity, well you've taken responsibility and this topic is not a topic. But when you don't have it, it's a topic.

So powerful, very powerful. Andrew what you got.

You know the beauty of that. And we all know this to be the truth. Those gentlemen were not asking for them to throw out the merit book. They didn't say reduced to standards. They didn't say pay me more or even equal to what you pay the guy now.

All right, everybody, So we told you that this was home and you will always have a seat at the table. So it is your favorite part of the pod where we hear the questions from you all. And today's question first question is Angela.

And in the breakfast club, you said you hope there would be a push from the administration to meet people where they're at. But I don't see how they will listen without leverage. And I don't see how we have leverage if they know that black people are just gonna vote for them anyway. So how can we work with other people who, whether we think think it's good or bad, might actually threaten to not vote, or what other ways can we pushed to actually get leverage.

So I think that the most important thing here is something that we hear often tiff and Andrew. It is about what do we do with the folks who say they're not going to vote they feel like their leverage is in not voting, and what other things can we do to ensure that we have leverage. Well, I'm proud to say that Tiffany and I and some of our dear sisters utilize I think what is part of our

All right, the next question, Andrew, I would love to get your thoughts on it. Take a listen and Andrew, you can respond on the other side.

Hey, Native land Pod, I'd love to hear your thoughts on why many of our elected officials, both in the House and in the Senate, and even in state and local government for that matter, that are of advanced age and almost choosing to die in office.

Oh man, Well, first of all, I'm not going to be the one to sour on older politicians in office. I think what matters to me most in that consideration is what have they done for us lately? What have they done for me lately? Are they still producing so on and so forth, Because in that case, maybe what you need to do is go intern or go apply for a job and then help influence around that process.

I just I want to just real quick just say to the caller's point about older people dying in office, I do think there is something to be said that it is our responsibility to bring up the folks behind us. And so I know a lot of people hold on to their positions, but it's hard, right, you know, but there are younger people in place, and I think to Andrew's point, like get in the position, get out there and run, you know, like there are very few limitations

But I do think we have fairness to Donald Trump. His first job was our president. He ran many businesses into the ground prior into.

This first job in government was president of the United States.

That I'm talking.

About his business at his first jobs job in the government America, seventy five million Americans say yes, we will let you be president of the United States when you and the.

City council are we blame for that?

If seventy five million Americans?

So anyway, Yeah, As a former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, this comes up a lot, especially with our elders, and I think one of the things we don't just have a responsibility to bring up young folks. We have a responsibility to ensure that older folks can retire and step aside with dignity, and we don't always do that. I will never forget when Congressman Major Owens left office and retired, he went to be a Library

Fans and listen.

I want the viewers to note, we don't just answer questions that are nice and polite. If you disagree with us, if you have criticism, we want to hear from you. So dm us drop us a note, follow us on socials, drop your question and we would love to hear it. I want to play something we did hear from one viewer, an enthusiastic viewer who did like the show and had

Son to say, Mama Riah in the building, Mommy, what's the one thing you liked about Native Lampard?

It was very well organized, and you guys are articulate and good thinkers.

What is one thing you would change? Can I tell you this lady's normally deliver it and takes her time. She didn't even think about that, mind you. Shout out to my pastor, God Dad. It was a bishop in the Kojik church who had words I know about them. God Dad, and my father who thinks he is the father of me and Tiff and Andrew, Andrew's mama. We got dragged, so y'all we had well in our forties, well in our forties in trouble in time out, So we gonna limit the cussing on here. But sometimes law

And you need something to punctuate your point, and they have four letters to them, so brace yourself. Sometimes you might. My two co hosts can probably be a little more clean than I can. But sometimes you might hear from this center right here to say something to punctuate a point.

But the Lord going to.

Tell you who taught me the cuss words.

Exactly, Daddy, Daddy.

The Lord is still working on me. Also bear with me, all of us. All right, thank you so much for your questions. We again, we want more. What do you want to know? Send us your videos dm us on instag, Facebook and Twitter. But right now we're going to hear from our sponsors. But don't go away, because right after this break, I will be telling my story on what happened with me at MSNBC. All right, what happened with me at MSNBC. Before I get into this story, I

And that was the main question I got.

I still get when I'm walking through airports and people stop me, they always ask what happened with you at MSNBC. So I think it's important that you all know how we got here and why this platform is so important to all of us for different reasons. So I will start with MSNBC to say how I got to the network. So I used to appear on MSNBC all the time, and I was never paid. There are paid contributors and there are people who go on for free. Ellie Misstaal

So keep in mind when.

Y'all see on social media comments and people say, well they getting paid millions to get up there, and say whatever. No, very few people are paid contributors, and when it comes to people who look like us, even fewer people. So people were being paid to lie. I was spitting all my truth for free. But that's another testimony. So Enjoy made history by going Joy read who hosts The Readout, When she made history by going to prime time, first black woman in cable news to host a primetime show.

Wow.

So the president at the time was another white man, but his boss was a man by the name of Caesar Conde, and I got to show. Caesar Conde hired me. He was also a historic hire, a Latino man overseeing the entire news division of NBC Universals that was the Today Show everything. So I got the show after this

I had my intelligence questioned.

The central theme to them again, Trump, Capitol Hill, Minutia, and they wanted me to use the same recycled faces you see all the time. So I've really found the constant criticism debilitating at times, but mostly confusing. And let me tell you why, Because viewers seemed to love it. According to NBC's own research department, the Cross Connection, my show was averaging four point six million viewers a month. We had the most black viewers, second only the Revern

It?

Seems to me like there are some other shows that warrant your attention, not this one. We actually routinely beat Morning Joe in the ratings. This is something a lot of people don't know. People think millions of people watch more than Joe. This is public information. You can go on and watch maybe a few hundred thousand, maybe six hundred thousand, seven hundred thousand. Clearly we were getting more than that. So I'm getting more ratings than your favorite

Good one.

Joe my other colleague who I rock with, and you know we have no beef. But Ari Melburgh gets to quote rap lyrics. I had my script scrutinized. They didn't want me saying anything that sounded like an insult. When I would make a reference to something that was very specific to the black community, it was always a question, is this enough that people would understand most of your viewers are white, etc.

Etc.

It was exhausting, and I know a lot of my folks out there go through that every day, so I just want y'all to know I went through it too. But I held the line as best I could. And this is an important point that I want to make for me in behalf of my co host There is a burden to speak in the truth. It comes with a consequence, and when you find yourself as the messenger, there is a power structure in place that is not

Now, you probably knew about Joy Reid, the race lady who's been fixated on race hate for years now. But MSNBC has a new host, someone called Tiffany Cross.

Okay, So Tucker goes on to play several clips from my show, and pretty much anytime I said the word white people, he messed them together and was basically accusing me of trying to start a race war by comparing my commentary to what happened in Rwanda Kajohn O'll Tucker care so much about black lives? And then live on air, he began to direct his comments to the executive.

So you have to ask yourself, what does Comcast board think of?

This?

Comcast board is mostly white people. White people who, according to the channel they own, decided they wanted something, then they annexed it. White people who still, because they're white, white people who could quote turn to violence where they don't get their way white people are going crazy endangering their communities. So you have to ask yourself, why are they putting this on the air, Why are they allowing this. This is not a policy debate. These are open attacks on people, on Americans.

So after this, the network did not issue a statement the way they had for some of my white colleagues who had also been targeted by MAGA extremists. Instead, network executives spoke to me and instructed me that I could not respond to Tucker Carlson at all. Then they began to scrutinize my show, every little thing I wrote, every little thing I said before the show, after the show, after the show. It was always, here's all the things that you said, here's all the things.

That you did wrong.

The ratings didn't lie, but according to them, people must just be tuning in to criticize me, because that's all they had was criticism. Never thanks for doing a good job, never thanks for bringing so many new viewers to the network. They assigned more oversight, more executives, which meant more battles for me to discuss topics that were relevant to an emerging audience that I was bringing to the network, much

Ron is the country there.

Let's cast rate Florida.

Here's the problem, Ron, the stupid, Ronda Santis, whatever you want to call Florida man. He is so problematic. The people there passed Amendment for which gave returning citizens those formerly incarcerated the rights to vote.

He instituted a poll tax.

He has done everything he can to keep black and brown people from the ballot. He traffics in stupidity and ignorance, and I just think they are a problem for the rest of the country.

Let's get them.

Out of there.

So after that show, this was four days before midterms, and one day before my show was going to air, we had booked an exclusive sit down with Stacy Abrams, who, as you all know, was in the fight for her life running for governor at that time. That morning, I got a call from the president of the network saying they would not be renewing my contract, which was up in a month, and that my viewers would not even be given the courtesy or respect of me being able

There was a fierce.

Backlash from the audience, and I was never given an official reason for why they canceled my show, but it was pretty obvious that I had drawn the ire of white conservatives, which even made some white liberals uncomfortable.

So I had to go.

Never mind that millions of people found my voice to reflect the ears. They weren't the viewers who MSNBC seemed to care about.

But I gotta say.

What happened next truly surprised me, despite me not saying anything at the time other than to issue a very politely worded and gracious statement mostly for my viewers, a statement in which did not attack the network at all or say anything bad about them. The network began attacking me. They planted hit pieces in the press. The president of the network began a bizarre, unhinged tour where she was

That just doesn't happen. So it was bizarre.

It was humiliating at the time, to be quite honest, But thank god, I was surrounded in sisterhood.

And so.

I fought as much as I could. But I was not trying to go back to the network, but I fought to say, hey, what happened here was not okay. I want you all to know I am good. I am mission driven. My life's mission has always been through work and live in service to the equality and liberation of black folks, and I think when that happens, everyone benefits from that. When black folks are free, we all get free. We are very communal people, and that's why

The work continues.

If my mission was to be famous, if my mission was to be a celebrity, if my mission was to host a cable news show, well then my mission dies. That ain't never been my mission, will never be my mission, and so when your mission driven, just keep that in mind. Here we are, the work continues. I am thrilled to

Angela, who held my hand.

We were in Atlanta together, we were still speaking together, we were out doing you know, voter drive work, eating, strategizing, and so when you have friends who ride with you in the thick of it, it really just softens the blow and it inspires me to be that person for someone else, because angel is always that person in our friend group. So thank you, my sister Angela. Thank you my brother Andrew, because you you were dealing with your own life and posted about me on social media, which

You know, Tiff is the nicer one of the two of us, and I want to just say that three of us, most times. I want to just say that it is so disappointing how this was handled. I do want to shout out joy read Joyanne Reader der sister who puts it all all on the line all the time for what is righteous, and she did the same thing with you because because it was the right thing to do. And shame on you. To the other black hosts on that network who said nothing, I see you,

We're naming names.

I'm not gonna name all the names, but there was a very senior Obama administration official who got involved. And what I noticed or learned from Antelo's people are loyal to power. People are loyal to those who they think can do something for them. So when you have the option, when you have the choice to do what's righteous or to do what serves you, do what serves the community, or do what serves the greater good, or serve yourself.

Didn't have to come because we've always been See there's a distinction. We don't have to come at all. We've been here. We can welcome you home because we at home the rest of y'all. You can come on back. We're gonna let you come back. But let me just say this last point that Andrew, I want you to weigh in. You can be high and mighty. I'm still gonna go low, low, low to the flow. Tiffany deserves an apology, right and this is an opportunity for the

First of all, a man a man, A man a man, Ditto to all of that. Ifany, you are one of the hardest working on SMATE professional people. I know this is my first time hearing the extent of your story, but I didn't need to hear it to be with you, and just says a reminder to all of us. There were other African tribes who co created with white slave traders to sell other blacks into slavery. And I say that to they were few and far between. Let that be known they were. The minority are very very small.

The week, right back at you.

And I have a question for you, Andrew, because one thing that happened after all this happened, so even members of the Congressional Black Caucus, we're calling like, hey, what happened here?

We don't like it.

They were calling Comcast and reaching out. I had introduced a project to the network, the Culture Is. It was something that Joy read and I hosted. It was supposed to be a special it aired. We won our time spot that night. We trend it on Twitter that night and it was for black women, and then there was iterations after that we were intentional about. We said, hey, we think the Asian Americans should have one, the Latino

But Andrew to.

Justify it, I mean, you got to have a strong mental state, you know, to say, you know what, I expect this. And Andrew, you gave me such words of wisdom that I try to adopt every day. I'm having trouble adopting it because I do have expectations. But Andrew, you said to me, Tiffany, you are expecting a hyena to act like a lion when the hyena only knows how to be a hyena.

That's it. So you can't blame them. We get mad at them but they're only doing what they know how to do, and what a shame.

Yeah, they need to learn how to do something else.

Well, all I'm just saying is that is a release for us. We held them at a regard. They don't know what it means to perform at that level. They were faking it the whole time, and we're just being turned on to the trick. We're just learning that they were flogging that they weren't ever in this thing quite the same way they were takers. You were the provider and you're the lion. You and the Pride caught the meal. They were just eating on it.

That's it.

Yeah, And all I have to say and that we have to know this to free ourselves from it. Now, to your point, Angela, we wanted I'm calling you higher. I need you. If you're in my circle, you're my friend. I expect when the battle comes, you're going to show up as part of the Pride. I have that expectation. But the problem is is that it took crisis for all of us for God to show us that the hyena was a hyena and we didn't have the power to remove them from our lives before. So he did it.

Yeah, I just I want to do one more thing because I shouted out some people that should be ashamed of themselves. I want to shout out some folks that I want to send some love to because they showed up for you too, Joe Tika and that dog gone win with black women and all of the women who signed to that letter. Joe taka Edie Right, I'm saying it like she's everybody's sister. She's our sister who we love. Check her name. She's standing on them credentials ten toes down.

Thank you Angela for that, and thank you to the Machetes as well on everybody who supported, because I felt your love support, even people I didn't meet who were just like, I'm praying for you. I'm mad about it. Who just stuck with me and was able to see immediately through like oh wow, this network, this big network trying to take this little black woman out.

And she is little. She got she talked Ben that she is really little. I don't know if y'all know, tiffanin't but five to two on a good day. Yeah, maybe, but my attitude six's one.

That's what you're supposed to be. You fun size, but don't cross me.

Not fun sized.

Okay, it's that time for call to action. Who's gonna go first?

I go first because mine isn't really a call to action. But I want y'all to look at this. So this week, my whole year was made because the best basketball team ever in college basketball. To me, they were everything in the nineties for me, My childhood got together. There was a reunion after thirty two years. It was the Fab five University of Michigan boys basketball team, men's basketball, black shoes,

And since angelin shouting out Jalen, I'm gonna just shout out Jalen too, who was also very supportive when I was going through what I was going through, posting being physically there. So we love you, Jalen Rose. Shout out to you and all the rest of the Fab five crew, who I actually learned about later in life despite being a world renowned sports expert. All right, Andrew, what's your call to action?

Hang on in there. The reason we have to be different on this platform is because so many people out there are looking and living by other folks's highlight reels, and they're never exposed to those valleys traveling about those people who they admire and respect and want to be just like. But the truth is we all got valleys. Those days you just want to pull the covers up over your head and not get up again. But see it through. See it through some of them, you know,

Yeah, y'all become the Fab five. Show up with five.

They have set the example. Also, resist the urge, resist the urge to assassinate character just because you disagree with us, right, or we don't like when we disagree, We're not tearing each other down. There is a way to disagree and not be disagreeable. Right. We are at a critical time in this country. I would ask you all to think long and hard about having difficult conversations and leaning into those and let us figure out a way to get to agreement on the end goal, which I think we

I'll pick up on that.

And my call to action is to be mission driven. Uh, don't get caught up in things that are fleeting, but decide what your mission is, the mission that serves you and the greater good, and focus on that mission. If your mission driven, it makes everything else seem a lot smaller.

So that's our call to action for the week.

Welcome home, all.

Right, Before we end the show, I want to remind everyone, please, please please, We'll keep saying this. Leave us a review and subscribe to Native Land Pod. We're available on all platforms and YouTube. New episodes drop every Thursday. You can also follow us on social media. We are Angela Rye, Tiffany Cross, and Andrew Gillim. Welcome home, y'all. There are two hundred and ninety one days.

Until election day.

Native Land Pod is a production of iHeartRadio and partnership with Reason Choice Media. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows.