Where Real Talk Includes Real Challenges.

Straight Talk – Race & Racism in America Part 4

Play episode

Cedric & Kojo are continuing the series of episodes focusing on racism in America.  They use this conversation to look at the Jacob Blake shooting, comments from leaders, and the roots of the issues we are still witnessing. As incidents of police brutality and the fruition of institutionalized racism continue to surface, it would seem impossible to deny the reality of what the country is facing. And yet many people, including some in high-profile positions, refuse to acknowledge the issues.


Disturbing views expressed publicly by sheriffs and politicians do not come from nowhere. These are individuals elected or endorsed by the public. What does this say about American society? We look at the infamous speech that David Beth made in response to the pursuit of a group of shoplifters, and the implications and explicit racism of his choice of words when referring to the suspects.

With so much doom and gloom, the light that is provided by progressive leaders and those who stand up against the wrongs of the past and present, is that much more impactful. We hear from a handful of public officials who weigh in on the plight in which we find ourselves. This episode is peppered with the sobering and inspiring perspective of Doc Rivers, who remains an important touchpoint for us here at The DäBU Podcast. Listen in with us today to hear it all, as we ask, ‘What Would You Do?’

Key Points From This Episode:
• Doc Rivers’ response to the clip of Jacob Blake’s shooting by police.
• A brief description of the events that were captured on video and reported afterward.
• Important initial points; the altercation and reports that Jacob Blake was trying to intervene.
• The use of deadly force and the laws around responding to armed persons.
• Social media claims and posts and the lack of evidence for much of these.
• Jacob Blake’s paralysis and weighing his future options. 
• A clip of Doc Rivers talking about what it means to be Black and still love America.
• Athletes using their platform to bring issues to light and start conversations.
• LeBron James’ voting initiative and Jared Kushner’s interesting response to it.
• The fear of Black people and the deep roots of this feeling in American culture. 
• Resisting arrest is dangerous but should not cost a life!
• The incident in which Kyle Rittenhouse shot three people at a protest.
• A disturbing clip of a Kenosha sheriff responding to a shoplifting incident and the use of the term ‘warehousing’
• The failure of David Beth to watch the readily available clips of Jacob Blake’s shooting. 
• Articulations of the racial problems facing the US by a number of leaders.
• The legacy of Thomas Cobb and the basis for the citizen’s arrest.
• Breonna Taylor’s death and the fabrication of evidence that has come to the surface.
• The failure to intervene; the huge issue of law enforcement misconduct.
• The entitlement problem and qualified immunity within the police force 
• A plea from Doc Rivers for police to live up to the constitution.
• Recapping what we covered today and the difficult realities we have been confronting.

Share this
Join the discussion

704 comments

More from this show

Subscribe

Recent posts