Native Land Pod is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with Resent Choice Media.
Welcome, Welcome, Well come, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome.
Welcome home, Everybody, This is our mini pod. You know, our boy Andrew is out. He is on a field trip with Jackson and Caroline, my niece and nephew, and in his absence, we still need to talk about something that I know Andrew's doing regularly on his solo pods, which is to talk about organizing. And while we're not hitting that directly, Tiff, I think that it's really important for us to examine, to stretch, to hold ourselves accountable
in this moment around tools. We keep talking about so many people, not just we on this podcast, but folks on the ground, folks in the streets, folks at polls are saying that they're disappointed with democratic leadership.
Where are the Democrats? Where is the fight?
And then when we go to people we say well, where's your fight or what are you doing?
We find some of those things are lacking. So I thought what.
Was interesting is there is this letter and hopefully we can put it up for the guests who are viewing the podcast. But Congressman Jeffries who is the Democratic leader in the House, recently dropped a letter to Speaker Johnson, and he is challenging Speaker Johnson to a colloquy, which it would be on the House.
Floor, and it's basically a budget debate.
I don't at this point Speaker Johnson, Mike Johnson has not taken him up on that yet. But what I think is interesting is members on the House side tip and I don't know if you're hearing this, but a lot of members of Congress are saying Corey Booker's getting a lot of shine for a rule that works in his favor. On the Senate side, we can't fill a buster or debate for hours at a time, especially not for twenty four hours.
On the House side, we're not allowed to do that.
So this is to me Hakim's way of saying, I'm going to challenge you in the way that I can with the tools that we that we have. Because our rules on the House side are different than they are on the Senate side. They different in the streets, they different in orcs, they different at home. So how do people meet the moment tiff with the rules that they have to play.
I'm going to say because I might lose you in my a man corner, because I got some thoughts about this. So essentially, it sounds like Leader Jeffries is saying to the speaker, I'm challenging you to a verbal duel in which I'm pure basically, and he would whip Mike Johnson's ass all across that floor. You know, we remember Leader Jeffries that had a prominent role on during the impeachment hearings.
He has he's gifted as an orcer. But I am going to say, because this is a moment where I think we have to go hard or go home, right, And so we talked about Senator Booker meeting the moment, and I said on that that day that we talked about that on that podcast, I talked about how.
It made me feel hopeful.
And then one of my former colleagues, Aimon moy Deen, who is like just an exceptional reporter. He still hosts the show on that shitty network that shall not be be named, but he does have an amazing show. They just shout out to Aimen because he is he's a g you know, like he really is. He doesn't quote rap lyrics every five minutes, but he loves hip hop
and you know he's just a dope guy. So but this is these are the questions that came up after Senator Booker, and you know, god forbid we'd have actual journalists probing him. But Amon pointed out the questions that he thought the journalists in the room should have asked Senator Booker. One, why confirm another Trump nominee right after your speech?
Two? Why miss your committee's anti trust hearing on big tech? Three?
Why barely mentioned Gaza or my Mood Khalil will be tried in your home state? Why was he not mentioned? Mamu Khalil. Of course we talked about him. He is the Columbia student who was deported or detained by ice, kidnapped by ice. How do you justify voting with Trump, Republicans and establishment Democrats to send billions in weapons to Israel just days after your speech? I think these are
all legitimate questions. So when we talk about a leader, Jeffries, I think we have to start thinking again, tapping into our imagination and not participating in this system, this established system that still again is responsible for the murder of hundreds of Palestinian children and children all across this globe, if we really want to be honest, because even though the pro Palestinian protests exclude what's happening in the Congo,
exclude what's happening in Sudan and South Sudan, and there's there's and that's not a disc to the pro Palatinian pro Palaestinian protester.
That is a challenge to all of us.
So if in this moment we're saying, look, you know this, this entire system is about to break, then we have to hold everybody accountable and their role in it. If we're trying to have some truth and reconciliation, then there are some people on our side of the divide. I'm you know, I don't claim the Democrats, but I vote Democratic. There's some people on our side of the divide that we're going to have to start to challenge in question. So when I say meet the moment, I think for
me personally, trying again, I'm trying to believe. I don't necessarily know that this system can be saved. I don't know that it is worth saving. So a part of me feels like once it breaks, then there will be a moment to meet the only moment I'm trying to meet right now, which I think we share this, but you tell me if I'm wrong.
Is harm reduction for our people?
I think that still means, which still means there's something about the construct because if you're if you're if the movement is harm reduction, that means that there's something about the system that you think is worth saving.
For those who.
Didn't hear our last pod, Tiff talked about being willing to lay her physical body down in front of the Blacksnian the National Museum of African American History and Culture. So there are things about this system that are worth preserving and we're fighting for for us, and we probably want them expanded. So I think we have to start even being more nuanced in our approach with that language. Yeah, right,
Like I want to keep affirmative action. I actually like the bill HR forty that Congressman Conyer started introducing in nineteen eighty nine. I want to see that pass. I would like to see legislation make its way through the process and amended so that it is better for us. I would like to ensure that the Voting Rights Act that our fore bears fought for in nineteen.
Sixty five is here.
And has all of its pieces, not the gutted version from Shelby versus Holder in twenty thirteen. So I think that we have to And I'm saying this to you, Tip, but I'm saying it to myself too, because I'm.
Like, let it all go.
But I'm like that Greta letting it all go from two months ago, and I'm spiraling.
Right, So I'm like, is that really our truth?
Or is it that we're so frustrated with the most abusive parts of it?
And is that what we want to let go? Or do we think we would be.
Better served starting from scratch with veterans benefits, starting from scratch, with houselessness and housing affordability, starting from scratch with access to capital, starting from scratch with paying people a livabo wage. Is it better to start from scratch or is it better to build upon what we have, even if what we have is flawed?
Yeah?
Right, I don't know, Yeah, And I think that's that's more of a philosophical question, which I love and I want to try to answer that.
I think it is better to start from scratch.
I don't know if that's the board across the board, I'll tell you why I don't. I read more than I watch and so and a lot of reading it challenges my thoughts around democracy and around the political and economic system of capitalism. And so when I look at, you know, what is happening here in our country. You cannot have capitalism without racism. And so those two conjoined
twins fund and fuel the system. So I don't know that you can fix that system without those things, and so I don't know that I want to be a part of preserving it. And when I say I read a lot, I'm not just reading like you know, brainy, heady books like I love fiction. I love to read fiction. And one of my favorite books. If you know me and you have read talked about reading books with me, then you know The Poison What Bible is one of
my favorite books. And in that book I may have talked about it on the pod if I.
Did, forgive me for being redundant.
But in that book, it's about this white Christian family who goes to the Congo to teach the local savages and quotes how to live properly, and a part of that is about religion, and one of the chiefs there in the Congos is during the rain of Lamum, but one of the chiefs there is challenging this white pastor, saying nothing about your system makes sense to me.
So you're telling me, in America.
Y'all are okay with forty nine percent of the people being unhappy just because fifty one percent of the people voted for it, and that makes sense to you.
You're also telling me.
That this boy who is eighteen years old, who ain't lived none of the life I lived, you're telling me that his opinion counts just as much as mine a chief, And it really did kind of lift a veil off me, saying, Yeah, I've been so indoctrinated by how America does things that I think that's the only way. I read this book when I was like twenty years old, and it just opened my mind.
That there are other ways.
There are other systems, There are other rules of community that we functioned in before we were kidnapped and brought here and had the humanity beat out of us. We had a whole system that worked for us. So I don't know that this system is the thing to save, but that it doesn't mean that I'm gonna sit on my hands and watch it fall like I have no choice.
I'm not a proponent of this system. I am the system's hostage, and so as long as that exists, we have to try to live within this four hundred year nightmare as best we can. So I don't feel good about sitting back and letting people starve. I don't feel good about sitting back while people don't have clean drinking water. I don't feel good about sitting back while people are losing, like you said, with you know, the unhoused, or increase in crime or drug addiction, like all the things I'm
seeing just in my neighborhood. I feel like there's a role to play. And I know it's a lot of pressure on you, Angel, I really do. I know you don't complain and all of that, but I do feel like there are a lot of people looking to you right now to say, well, what do we do? And I think you have really met the moment, not by saying I have all the answers, but you know, let's at least try to figure something out. And I for all the people complaining and all, like, at least that
is happening. At least you are saying, let's put one flit in front of the next and figure out something. And what has emerged from that are other leaders. You know, other people have said, well, angel this might not be your wheelhouse, but I can do this, this and this, you know for sure, you know, Angela, I know this is in your wheelhouse, but you have your hands full.
So I'm gonna lead this effort.
And so those things are happening, and I'm just I'm proud and privileged to be a part of that and plug in where I can. But I definitely understand people in the dizzying array of like what the fuck like every day?
Yeah, I mean it is, it is at WWTF every day, And I guess the thing that I'm wrestling with is trying to you know, listening to you and trying to hear my own intention and wondering like, is it my fear that makes me feel like treating America as a startup is not a good idea? Or is it the as in moment of like what doge is dozing?
You know?
Does that feel like that feels remarkably irresponsible? And then it's like the wild wild West out here? Yeah, but like there are there's progress that our forebears made that I don't want to get rid of there's you know, when I think about even when they when they brought up that cancer research funding could be hit given my mom's current situation or the number of people I'm talking to who just got a cancer diagnosis, I don't really want to start that over from scratch.
Just from time, like just from a time standpoint.
I want to make sure that people are good right now, for you know, the folks who are in an IVF process, or who are are struggling with being able to breathe and are on oxygen, or they're in dialysis or have high blood pressure and they need medication and access to prescription drugs or access to some type of holistic treatment. Completely dismantling our healthcare system in the middle of a health crisis sounds like a horrible idea to me.
I think that what I need.
To try to pull apart is like, when we're talking about the system, are we talking about the fruits of the system too, or is that fruit of a poisonous tree? Or are we saying this just this foundation is the thing that I want to disrupt, But I'm not trying to get rid of the fruits that have been beneficial to our people. Even if they're not where they need to be. We know that they are decent, we know
that they are good. Can we build on decent or we also saying, regardless of the crisis somebody may be in, if they need their snap benefits, if they need that veterans benefit because there's a mental health crisis happening, we still want to get rid of all that, like to the individual person, be damned. I don't know that I can.
It feels I'm like, I feel like the anxiety going like this in my chest. From that, I think.
Yes, I hear that.
I think that is a worthy anxiety because that does leave a lot of questions.
And what do we do?
I think the scary part is we are getting rid of all that. Know like we are, we are not they are, but it is eroding, and so as it is eroding, how do we protect ourselves? And we at least need to tap into our imagination to figure out repair. You know, if this is eroding with next if we.
If we frame this like we're not talking about dismantling all this, having nothing and then building from scratch. We're saying, as this falls apart over here, here are some other solutions that are better than what was over here anyway.
Yeah, I like that.
So it's like a transference of an abusive system to one that's actually supportive. It is a transition plan, Yeah, a transitional structure on bridge.
I don't know if this country. I truly believe that our idea of America no longer exists. I think we are a year from now, I think this country is going to look very different. Ten years from now, I think it will be unrecognizable. I think all empires fall and it's just our turn to fall. I don't see America surviving. I mean, the one thing that we have as a country is our military budget swallows everybody. If
you combine everybody's military, our military budget swallows that. However, with technology, I don't know if that matters as much. With AI and drones and how weaponry has advanced. All it takes is for somebody else to have two or three weapons that can overpower or if they knock us off our grid.
What does that look like? You know?
If there's it is something to me, we seriously do, and it's something to me that we are at gen Z and then the next generation is a I'm kind of looking like maybe gen Z is it like maybe, you know, maybe when by the time jen gets don't mean everybody is everybody's gonna die. But I'm saying, by the time jen A comes around, will that be a post apocalyptic society that has to build?
And if so, what does that look like?
And this gets into afro futurism, and you know, like what, really, how can we tap into our roots and our history to create a future that is more in alignment with our spirits and who we are as a people. We've been forced to participate in this system and I just don't know that it's worth saving. But I don't want people to misunderstand me and think we are not worth saving.
Like I like, we had Roland Martin on the show this week and he talked about, you know, going from micro to macro and it's like, yes, that counts, you know, and you have those infrastructures.
I'm a doom's there.
I'm getting deeper into doomsday, like if something goes down, what's the plan? And you all the way in Seattle, Angela like we need to figure out how do we get together and how do we survive?
Well, this is the thing, right, Like some of what there are people that are like, oh this say the people tour.
Ain't nobody trying to talk about politics. I'm like, we not either.
We trying to make sure we can survive, right, have an organizing plan in the event that they disrupt all the systems that we normally use to organize at least over the last you know, ten fifteen years. So that's just it, like we have a lot to do in a little bit of time.
THEO were like, why are you moving so quick?
We don't know hounderstand we have you don't see how.
Much theyke tore our party too, But like no, and with these tariffs, I mean, everything is going to increase. And so then you think about what are people going to do when you cannot afford to buy food? And so I think it is work. You know, we should have somebody on the podcast. Maybe John Boyd would be a good guess farmers, because what does it look like if we start to grow our own food? That's what I mean, like small steps. So if you can't afford to buy food anymore, what does it look like to
grow food? If you can't afford to buy eggs, what does it look like to.
Raise chickens humanely?
Because even the mass production of chicken, like the way our meat is killing us all the you know, so, how can you raise chickens humanly that are producing eggs you know that it's giving you protein. How can you grow vegetables that are not you know, marketed and covered in pesticides and coloring and all the things. I'm I'm open to those kinds of conversations. I would love to have John Boyd on and we talked about doing like
a doomsday episode. How what do we do if we wake up tomorrow and we're knocked off the grid.
Or if we literally mid podcasts and the power just go out?
Does everything?
I mean, that was kind of the plot on Zero Day on Netflix. But if I can't text you to say hey girl, are you okay? If I can't call an uber to get to the airport, which ain't even funny, You can't.
Use your phone, if the power is completely out, you ain't got no generator.
What are your survival skills?
If people are like, oh, well, I just want to be informed, let me go to Native lampod on YouTube.
YouTube is like hell with them?
They they they're they're being censored, you know, And and they're like, well, let me go to the iHeart app and they're like, uh, it's like the little scroll and it's like they can't even get a signal.
Yeah, what you're gonna do that?
Questions your young kids don't know lene about Ghostbusters.
That is funny.
But you know, as this trade war with China increase, I mean that is a for a legit threat.
You know, we have a lot of it is.
These are we are not making like people will say, oh my god, you worry so much. These are legitimate concerns. I worked on the Homeland Security Committee. We have been talking about this for ye years.
What is the takeway.
Donald Trump from the Homeland Security like for all your years on the hill, especially on Homeland Security. Shout out to Congressman Benny Thompson, friend of the Showy Boss and the former Boss, is there any takeaway that you have, Like is there hope?
Like you know, I was like, no, that My answer is not about to be hopeful.
I guess you're going to be what everybody's been saying. They've been saying America, you and danger girl. America. You've been in danger girl, like all the vulnerabilities on every side, from the grid to like even what you see what TSA, which now they're talking about defunding too. But the TSA when you're at the airport, well, now we take off our shoes if you don't have pre check, you know, we take off our shoes to go through the metal detectors.
Because somebody had a bomb in their shoe. Well, what happens with TSA and has long existed. Now we'round down a whole other road. But the short version is they only respond to a threat once it's already occurred. That means it's too late. They're not anticipating the next threat. Now they have these long ass machines that are super expensive that goes a lot slower and still don't detect everything they're supposed to detect because it could be operator error,
you know. So it's just there are so many threats, and I think home grown terrorism is to me the biggest threat because we saw what they were willing to do on January sixth. Now the January sixth insurrectionists are inside and sworn in to the government. These are your people, y'all. These are the people who have been appointed to positions where they should have a certain level past, a certain background check, background checks be damned right, So these are
now your people. The January sixth insurrectionists are now the Trump administration.
Cash Battel is running the FBI like that doesn't give you great concern. The Angry Internet's comments section is running the government like legit, crazy people. One thing about I think our homeland security that you talked about that really this is the thing that keeps me up at night. Political violence. We've talked about it on this show many times. It just takes enough people to say, I do not adhere to these rules. I don't want to stop at
stop signs anymore. I don't want to stop at stopwlights anymore.
There are anarchists who are actually in the government running the government, and then there are people outside the government who are followers, who are members of this cult, who can just decide right now, Donald Trump, a part of his executive word that you sent me on DC not only to recriminalize marijuana, but also to institute open carry in Washington, DC, where it is the home of our federal government, where you have dignitaries from all over the globe.
Do you know how hard.
It is to even get a gun permit in the nation's capital now Maryland and Virginia is something else. But in the nation's capital. There are over thirty something law enforcement agencies that exist in the nation's capital because it is that big a threat. And I wondered, you know, when I was when I'm there, I'm like, do.
I feel safer in DC?
Because it's not a big deal to be walking down the street and see a sniper on the roof, you know, like that means, oh, the President might be coming down this street late, Like we don't know, but it's just something. You do I feel safer or do I feel like it's a bigger target on me? Because I am here where the Pentagon is house, where Capital, this house, where White House's house. I have felt safer until this half witted, politically inept fool took office, and now I.
Feel not safe at all. I feel like it is a bigger target.
Even this week, I don't know if you saw, he was at the NRCC dinner, which is the campaign arm of the Republicans on Capitol Hill, and he's talking about all you guys should see all these heads of state kissing my ass.
They want to make a deal like your who talks like that?
Donald Trump?
You were talking to the whole globe. You were talking.
I just I'm telling you, Angela, I do not see this country surviving.
I don't.
I think it's a I think it's a series finale of The White Man's Be Dead.
You know, you off us in the last episode.
We are coming to her from the hereafter bringing beyond.
We are coming to you from the Pearlygates. I hope this is the Pearlygates, because I don't. I hope Heaven don't feel like this. Actually, no, I want to.
I want my spirit to be so elevated. I want to be in a completely different you.
Basically just want to feel high.
Yes, yes, but elevated in a way that my mind can't even comprehend.
You know that.
I'm gonna be honest too. That's another reason why I smoke, Like the stressors.
Okay, well the doors of the Weed Church.
Are not open. But the podcast is over because we are we off another team.
Okay.
I was trying to say, Oh, I just wanted to say the reason why I smoke is because the stressors of life. Now, I used to smoke, you know, every now and then. When I say every now and then, I mean like once or twice a week in this Trump administration. I just want you y'all to know your girl is smoky over here. I know one of those pers my.
Name is Tiffany, and people like, hi, Tiffany, that was this is uh we are w a not it's not as w.
A Listen, I I.
I right, not want to help though.
That's what I'm saying, because so many, so many people like prescription drugs, xanaxolo all of that stuff. Like I'm right, I'm I'm not judging anybody who takes it, and I'm not awakened baker, like I can't wake up and smoke. And if I ever did this show, how I trust me everybody would know.
Everybody would It Ain't like we'd be like, tiff.
Just sit there, this is there. She would be like this seriously.
It would be dead air Angel could be asking me a question and I would just I would have the thought, and then they and I'd be like no, no, no one wait.
And then the thought is gone already.
So in the heat of me for me to sleep, I yeah, I gotta take a hit, and I sleep. I'm comatos and I wake up at five in the morning like I could run a marathon, like I'm ready to go. But it is the thing that that stops my mind from focusing on all the things keeping me up at night.
It really is.
And I surmise that there are a lot of people I'm gonna say this and I don't know. We gotta go, But I just thought about this. I forget who was it. It was maybe one of the networks, and they did a special on moms who smoke. Okay, oh yeah, you saw you saw it? I girl, I was so damn offended. It was all these ain't no black mamas insight, And it's all these moms who are just talking about how much they love weed and they passed weed and blah
blah blah. And I just thought of all the black mothers who are sitting in jail because they needed to smoke, like they didn't have half the privilege of these women in this video, or the fact that it celebrate it because it's a bunch of white women in there who like to smoke. It was celebrated, But imagine doing a segment on fifteen black moms who were saying smoking weed helps me be a better mother, Like I have so much stress in my life, I gotta smoke sometimes just
to get through the day. Do you know child protective services will be at the homes of those women, But because they were white, privileged women, it was something to celebrate. I looked at it in discuss anyway. I just brought that up because I was talking about smoking, and now I'm upset and I gotta go smoke.
So thank you all for tuning in, y'all.
We sorry. This is definitely your ADHD episode. Welcome home, y'all if you joined Tiff on the high end of the spectrum, let her know. She'll be happy to know that she is not alone in this moment. So in all you're smoking, just make sure y'all are acting as well. We appreciate y'all. God bless you and your families. Welcome home. Until next I will see.
You this Welcome Home.
Nativeland Pod is the production of iHeartRadio in partnership with Recent Choice Media. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.