WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:03.160 Hudson River Radio dot com. 2 00:00:03.480 --> 00:00:05.719 It beats listening to nothing, right, Oh. 3 00:00:05.639 --> 00:00:09.480 My goodness, Frank, Being Frank fright. 4 00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:15.279 Were the only way to be is Frank. Hello everyone, 5 00:00:15.400 --> 00:00:18.480 and welcome to Being Frank. We're the only way to be, 6 00:00:19.399 --> 00:00:22.160 is Frank. I'm your host, Franklebano, and i'd like to 7 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:24.519 thank you for joining us on what we like to 8 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:29.839 call the Intelligent Conversation podcast, where no conversations out of 9 00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:33.200 bounds and all points of view are welcome. You know, 10 00:00:33.240 --> 00:00:35.359 we record live to tape, and I give you the 11 00:00:35.439 --> 00:00:38.600 date so you have some relevance and context. It is 12 00:00:38.679 --> 00:00:43.719 the eighth of April. Like so many Americans over seventy million, 13 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:46.280 who did not support the re election of Donald J. 14 00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:49.640 Trump as the forty seventh President of the United States, 15 00:00:50.119 --> 00:00:53.240 I am appalled at his wanton destruction of our current 16 00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:57.840 version of government and constitution. It has proved more than 17 00:00:57.920 --> 00:01:01.600 frustrating to me. It's downright frightening. And I do what 18 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:04.319 I can to resist, writing in my blog Talk Frank 19 00:01:04.359 --> 00:01:07.439 and for Niak News and Views, as well as podcasting 20 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:10.840 here at Being Frank with our version of Intelligent Talk. 21 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:13.760 But I don't want to just talk about it. I 22 00:01:13.799 --> 00:01:16.359 want to do something to change it. I want to 23 00:01:16.439 --> 00:01:20.640 actively participate in winning our government of the people by 24 00:01:20.680 --> 00:01:24.159 the people back, and I want liberty and justice restored 25 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:27.920 for all. However, it's simply too much for anyone to 26 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:31.840 accomplish alone. Then I found out that I am not alone. 27 00:01:32.280 --> 00:01:35.640 There are indeed millions of other like minded Americans all 28 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:39.959 over the United States dedicated to a non violent revolution 29 00:01:40.519 --> 00:01:44.200 to return our country to some level of decency. They 30 00:01:44.200 --> 00:01:49.079 are mobilized nationally under the umbrella organization known as Indivisible, 31 00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:53.280 and we have an intensely active local chapter right here 32 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:56.799 in Rockland County. Just within the last few weeks, they 33 00:01:56.840 --> 00:02:01.799 have staged numerous well attended protests dents at various locations 34 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:05.120 throughout the county. Let me read you something from their website, 35 00:02:05.640 --> 00:02:11.080 Indivisible Rockland. We are residents of New York's seventeenth Congressional District, 36 00:02:11.560 --> 00:02:15.479 united in our commitment to defend democracy and oppose any 37 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:19.520 actions that undermine the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the 38 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:25.639 Constitution in their efforts to weaken institutions and erode democratic reforms. 39 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:29.759 We stand together to ensure that the current administration is 40 00:02:29.800 --> 00:02:35.840 held accountable upholding civil liberties and justice for everyone. Indivisibal 41 00:02:35.960 --> 00:02:40.120 Rockland is a community of activists led by a steering committee. 42 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:44.319 As of the fourteenth of February, the steering committee members 43 00:02:44.360 --> 00:02:49.120 are Bill Batson, Pascal, Jean Giles, Nelson Garcia de Leone, 44 00:02:49.319 --> 00:02:56.199 Latania Watkins, Debbie Stedge, Darcy Castellaro, Tracy Obenhawer. Four of 45 00:02:56.240 --> 00:02:59.960 them join us now. Let's meet Bill Batson, Pascal, Jan Giles, 46 00:03:00.520 --> 00:03:04.840 Nancy Garcia DeLeon and Tracy Openhauer. Welcome, guys, Thank you 47 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:07.599 for joining us this evening on this very important show. 48 00:03:08.520 --> 00:03:11.080 Hey Frank, thanks for having us. 49 00:03:11.240 --> 00:03:14.800 Thanks for having us, guys. Let's let's let's start with 50 00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:21.240 getting to know a little bit about each one of you. So, nelsons, 51 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:24.159 let's start with you. What what brought you here, Why 52 00:03:24.199 --> 00:03:26.479 are you here with us tonight, How did you become 53 00:03:26.520 --> 00:03:31.000 involved with h with the Indivisible rock Let's start with you. 54 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:33.560 Thank you so much for having us. 55 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:34.240 So. 56 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:39.680 I am a social worker, I am an immigrant. I 57 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:44.840 have family members who were born here, family members who 58 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:52.360 are documented, and also family members who essentially are part 59 00:03:52.439 --> 00:03:56.439 of the community. And so with everything that is going 60 00:03:56.479 --> 00:04:00.400 on after the Trump administration took office and even before 61 00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:03.599 then there were things here and there, whether it is 62 00:04:03.639 --> 00:04:07.080 at the federal level or at the state level, that 63 00:04:07.479 --> 00:04:11.120 is just not okay, and nobody else was doing something 64 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:15.159 about it. So what better way to get something done 65 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:19.079 than to grab a couple of friends who are like minded, 66 00:04:19.680 --> 00:04:24.759 people who have different struggles like mine to be able 67 00:04:24.759 --> 00:04:25.519 to do this work. 68 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:30.000 Excellent, Thank you, Tracy Europe. Next, would tell us a 69 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:32.839 little bit about yourself, your involvement here. What do you 70 00:04:32.839 --> 00:04:33.879 do with the organization? 71 00:04:35.160 --> 00:04:38.279 Yeah, sure, I'm probably the least exciting member of the group. 72 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:42.959 I'm just a general member of the public who met 73 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:46.160 Bill and Pascal. Over the past few years, just kind 74 00:04:46.199 --> 00:04:51.839 of volunteering to make graphics for events and meetings. I 75 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:56.000 got involved with the local Democratic Committee. But probably since 76 00:04:56.000 --> 00:05:00.079 twenty twenty, I've just been completely I mean, forget the 77 00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:04.199 first Trump administration. Twenty twenty. I just I had reached 78 00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:08.720 a boiling point and I'm disabled, so I it took 79 00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:11.319 me two years in twenty seventeen to learn to walk again, 80 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:13.680 So it wasn't until twenty twenty that I was really 81 00:05:13.720 --> 00:05:16.360 able to get out into the public and start to 82 00:05:16.360 --> 00:05:20.120 get involved. And so I've been quietly working behind the 83 00:05:20.120 --> 00:05:22.439 scenes for the past couple of years, and then this 84 00:05:22.519 --> 00:05:26.759 came along and I immediately raised my hand because having 85 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:29.439 worked with Pascal and Bill in the past, it was 86 00:05:29.480 --> 00:05:32.040 a no brainer for me. And then meeting the rest 87 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:36.519 of the crew Nelsy, it just was a perfect fit. 88 00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:39.439 And we're all kind of like minded, so we all 89 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:40.279 have the same goal. 90 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:44.519 Great. Thank you, Tracy, Bill bashing Eu roup. Next, please 91 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:47.399 tell us a little bit about yourself and your involvement here. 92 00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:55.279 I think COVID's an interesting parallel because Pascal and I 93 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:56.879 have known each other for a bit. But I think 94 00:05:58.279 --> 00:06:02.399 after the mur of George Floyd, we got involved in 95 00:06:02.480 --> 00:06:06.199 this thing called the Rockland People's Panel on Policing, and 96 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:10.879 for as devastating as that time was for our country, 97 00:06:11.000 --> 00:06:17.000 not only the isolation of COVID but the reality of 98 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:21.399 watching a man die for nine minutes on a videotape. 99 00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:26.439 As separate as we felt, we also had this enormous 100 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:29.319 need to come together, and we had this group where 101 00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:31.519 we met every week. I think it was like a 102 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:35.399 five o'clock every Wednesday for like a year, and it 103 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:39.639 created this intense bond and this real realization that even 104 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:42.000 though we were kind of, you know, physically alone, and 105 00:06:43.879 --> 00:06:47.120 divided because of the pandemic and the fear of illness, 106 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:51.759 we were able to combine and to create something really enormous. 107 00:06:51.839 --> 00:06:55.319 And you know, I think one of it's a tough 108 00:06:55.399 --> 00:06:59.920 lesson of politics in America that all that effort produced 109 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:03.600 not one single police reform. So I'm still scratching my 110 00:07:03.639 --> 00:07:07.639 head over that, you know. And now the country's actually 111 00:07:07.639 --> 00:07:10.560 gone in the opposite direction, which is more than a 112 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:15.240 head scratch. But I think there's just the urgency there 113 00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:19.160 and the notion that there are incredible people out there 114 00:07:19.519 --> 00:07:24.439 willing to work collectively, willing to work creatively, willing to 115 00:07:24.519 --> 00:07:28.600 be resilient, willing to persevere. And now we have a 116 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:32.000 bigger challenge. We have a bigger challenge. It's the biggest 117 00:07:32.040 --> 00:07:34.279 challenge any of us have ever faced in our lifetime. 118 00:07:34.920 --> 00:07:37.680 But we also have the knowledge that we're not alone. 119 00:07:37.720 --> 00:07:39.800 And Frank you said that, I think that that's why 120 00:07:39.879 --> 00:07:42.720 people come to our meetings, because nobody wants to feel alone. 121 00:07:43.360 --> 00:07:46.560 And you can't accomplish anything alone. If history tells us 122 00:07:46.600 --> 00:07:48.480 one thing, great things do not happen. 123 00:07:48.600 --> 00:07:49.120 Doesn't matter. 124 00:07:49.160 --> 00:07:51.480 If at the end of the day we only remember 125 00:07:51.480 --> 00:07:57.439 one name of one person, it's really countless people who 126 00:07:57.480 --> 00:07:59.639 come together to make that person who they are and 127 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:03.240 to create the change that we need and we've needed 128 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:05.240 in history, and we need so much right now. So 129 00:08:05.279 --> 00:08:08.759 I feel blessed to know these folks and all the 130 00:08:08.759 --> 00:08:11.759 people have joined us, and I'm very happy that Indivisible 131 00:08:11.839 --> 00:08:15.480 persevered and is still around and can't wait to see 132 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:18.560 what's next. And maybe we even have some ideas for 133 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:20.319 some things to happen next. 134 00:08:20.600 --> 00:08:23.439 Yeah, we talk a little bit about all of that. 135 00:08:23.480 --> 00:08:25.160 I hope to you, and I think you raised a 136 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:28.240 great point because I know as an organization, and we'll 137 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:31.480 get to Pascal in just one minute, but I think 138 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:33.639 Bill raised something very important, and we're going to talk 139 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:37.960 about a little bit more detail about your zeitgeist, so 140 00:08:38.360 --> 00:08:40.799 your mindset, if you will, and I know it's based 141 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:44.759 on the teachings of nonviolence and Martin Luther King, And 142 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:47.159 as Bill said, you know, we tend to see that 143 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:50.360 the tip of the pyramid, but there's this massive amount 144 00:08:50.440 --> 00:08:55.120 of structure beneath that tip, so that you know, the 145 00:08:55.159 --> 00:08:58.200 sayings and the leadership of Martin Luther King is what 146 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:01.320 we all aim for. But there are many people that 147 00:09:01.399 --> 00:09:05.320 come together that form the pyramid that that MLK is 148 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:08.919 only the tip of a much larger thing, a much 149 00:09:09.000 --> 00:09:12.200 larger organization. I think that was a great point that 150 00:09:12.279 --> 00:09:15.279 Bill made there. Pascal Jean Giles, please tell us a 151 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:18.039 little bit about yourself, why you're here and you're involvement 152 00:09:18.080 --> 00:09:19.080 with Indivision. 153 00:09:19.320 --> 00:09:23.559 Thanks. So, I would say, you know, I guess I've 154 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:27.200 been a lifelong sort of civil servant to some degree. 155 00:09:28.039 --> 00:09:32.639 You know, my parents are you know there. I'm first 156 00:09:32.679 --> 00:09:37.919 generation Haitian American. My parents are not from here, my 157 00:09:37.919 --> 00:09:40.720 grandparents aren't from here, but they all came to this 158 00:09:40.919 --> 00:09:44.919 country in like the sixties and seventies. And so when 159 00:09:45.039 --> 00:09:47.919 I was really young, my mom and my dad were 160 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:52.159 part of the Haitian American Parents Association called KAPPA, and 161 00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:55.639 they were advocating for Haitian American students in both the 162 00:09:55.639 --> 00:09:57.919 East Ramical School District and the Naiax School District because 163 00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:01.200 that's where a lot of Haitian students were. So that, 164 00:10:01.879 --> 00:10:03.240 you know, when I was younger, I thought those meetings 165 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:05.039 were really boring and I'm like, oh, they're just sitting 166 00:10:05.080 --> 00:10:06.759 around and talking, and I didn't want to go to them. 167 00:10:06.759 --> 00:10:09.960 But as an adult, I realized how valuable being in 168 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:13.720 those spaces was because it really showed me that there 169 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:16.399 were these parents, these adults who were trying to make 170 00:10:16.440 --> 00:10:19.759 their community better for not just their kids, but for 171 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:23.799 everyone's kids. So, you know, that's sort of the the 172 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:25.919 thing I take with me and everything that I do 173 00:10:26.039 --> 00:10:28.200 in Rockland. I was you know, I started in my 174 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:30.120 hospital and I haven't really left. So I really love 175 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:35.000 this place. And that's why I'm part of Indivisible Rockland is. 176 00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:37.639 I just see that as an extension of being a 177 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:40.879 civil servant, caring about your community, loving where you're coming from, 178 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:43.799 and also recognizing that this place can be better for everyone. 179 00:10:44.679 --> 00:10:46.759 So that's that's what brought me here. 180 00:10:47.799 --> 00:10:50.120 I just wanted to mention one thing that, you know, 181 00:10:50.200 --> 00:10:54.000 the rest of the crew we come from a why 182 00:10:54.159 --> 00:10:58.240 ranch of socio economic backgrounds. We some of us are homeowners, 183 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:02.080 some of us are renters, some of those carriage student loans, 184 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:07.440 private loans. We some of us have navigated government assistant, 185 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:14.080 We have faced hardship, We have deal with private insurance, 186 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:20.840 government insurance, and everything in between. We have seen and 187 00:11:20.879 --> 00:11:25.399 we have experience these things that we are trying to change, 188 00:11:25.720 --> 00:11:28.240 and so I just wanted to mention that because some 189 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:30.600 of our members are not here today. 190 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:33.879 Yeah, if you are the modern day middle class, really. 191 00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:36.679 You know, I'm going to talk about membership and who 192 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:40.320 are the members, not only in terms of the steering committee, 193 00:11:40.320 --> 00:11:43.159 but in general, who are people? Who are the people 194 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:46.480 becoming involved? But before we even get to that, let's 195 00:11:46.519 --> 00:11:51.399 talk about Indivisible as an organization, as a national organization. 196 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:53.879 And guys, it's an open discussion. I don't have to 197 00:11:53.879 --> 00:11:56.399 call on any one person. Anybody wants to take the 198 00:11:56.480 --> 00:12:00.000 lead on any particular topic or question, please feel free 199 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:02.720 to do so. But let's talk a little bit about 200 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:07.720 Indivisible itself. I mean, it's a word. We understand the word. 201 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:11.600 But as an organization, where did it come from? What 202 00:12:11.720 --> 00:12:14.480 is the umbrella organization about? Before we get into the 203 00:12:14.519 --> 00:12:20.080 actual Rockland organization anyone, So it was born. 204 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:26.039 It was initiated in twenty sixteen after the election of 205 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:33.279 Donald Trump, and the movement has been going strong since then. 206 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:38.600 Yeah, they started out. It was a couple, married couple. 207 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:41.000 They had as a husband and wife, a husband and. 208 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:45.960 Wife they had put I'm forgetting their names at the moment, 209 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:48.480 so anyone can chime in and help me out. But 210 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:51.279 they had published this guide on I believe it was 211 00:12:51.320 --> 00:12:53.960 Twitter or something where it was just like how to effectively, 212 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:58.200 you know, hold your elected's accountable, resist the Trump administration changes, 213 00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:01.759 just this whole individual and it just got shared around 214 00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:03.919 and shared around and shared around that so many people 215 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:08.279 started really taking this to the next level. And so 216 00:13:08.600 --> 00:13:10.159 leon Ezra, that's thank you, Elsie. 217 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:17.480 They yes, yeah, love good love quick. 218 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:22.480 Goes through with it, and you know, they just they 219 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:25.440 started this movement just you know, just like everyone else 220 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:27.720 who really wants to get just people. 221 00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:32.039 Just two people started this gigantic. Now it's a national 222 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:38.080 There are what would you call them, not clubs with chapters, chapters. 223 00:13:38.120 --> 00:13:40.559 Thank you, thank you guys. That's part of being frank, 224 00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:44.600 getting things terrible stuff. At one point, Yes, yet there 225 00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:48.159 are chapters all over the country. How many do we know? 226 00:13:48.200 --> 00:13:51.559 How many total members in the in the organization? Does 227 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:55.159 anybody have that number? By any chance? I don't know, 228 00:13:55.639 --> 00:13:57.279 not off the top of our heads. 229 00:13:57.720 --> 00:13:59.600 I think the last time we were on a call, 230 00:14:00.039 --> 00:14:01.960 when we were on the Schumer call, I want to say, 231 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:04.120 there was twenty five hundred. 232 00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:09.960 Close to Yeah, that was like all the chapter leads. Yeah, still, 233 00:14:09.960 --> 00:14:11.919 and that was across the country. They had a lot 234 00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:13.759 of chapter leads. I think it was about that much. 235 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:17.279 All right, Well, okay, let let's talk about then the 236 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:21.360 Rockland chapter. How did that all come about? And tell 237 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:23.159 us a little bit about it. Also, I want to 238 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:25.759 know a little bit about your mission statement. You know, 239 00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:29.120 what do you guys really about, Yes, of course, just just. 240 00:14:28.840 --> 00:14:32.559 Just a point of I don't know, continuity, or just 241 00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:34.799 to bring up the fact that many of us talked 242 00:14:34.840 --> 00:14:36.440 about COVID and how it affected. 243 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:37.600 Us the last time. 244 00:14:37.720 --> 00:14:39.919 Because I'm a student of the civil rights movement, a 245 00:14:39.919 --> 00:14:43.639 student of protest. I've worked for labor unions, for housing organizers, 246 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:49.279 for community groups, and when when the protests were going 247 00:14:49.320 --> 00:14:52.440 on for George Floyd, there was a moment where almost 248 00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:57.559 every city of any substantial size had to protest going 249 00:14:57.559 --> 00:14:59.360 on for a period of time, and it was the 250 00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:02.080 first time in a America because normally, you know, protests 251 00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:05.159 would be around big cities, college towns, the East coast, 252 00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:08.759 the West coast. But Floyd kind of changed that whole dynamic. 253 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:13.159 I think that the hands off day on April fifth, 254 00:15:13.320 --> 00:15:17.399 you know, everybody is so you know, cautious and apprehensive 255 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:20.320 about information and you never really know if you're getting 256 00:15:20.360 --> 00:15:24.159 the best information, but just in my own Facebook feed, 257 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:29.120 the small towns like ten thousand people in Rochester, New York. 258 00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:32.759 I mean, so there is a kind of protest movement 259 00:15:32.799 --> 00:15:37.120 that's really not being I don't think reported and comprehended 260 00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:39.679 that's going on, and I don't know if it's you know, 261 00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:42.840 certainly there's a loose affiliation around and indivisible and we'll 262 00:15:42.840 --> 00:15:46.039 talk about you know, our mission and our code of conduct, 263 00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:49.120 but there is something happening here. 264 00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:57.240 That will let's develop that. Then what do you think 265 00:15:57.720 --> 00:16:01.519 it is? You know, their turn grounds, well all those things. 266 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:07.879 What is driving this force in this opposition? Can we 267 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:13.240 Is there a way to describe it? Pascal? 268 00:16:11.960 --> 00:16:16.759 You yeah, I mean, so you know in terms like 269 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:20.159 before I guess I go any further. I do want 270 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:22.720 to say our roots didn't just start as Indivisible Rockland. 271 00:16:22.759 --> 00:16:25.399 Before it was Indivisible Rockland, it was Rockland United, which 272 00:16:25.480 --> 00:16:28.200 was the first iteration of the chapter in twenty sixteen. 273 00:16:29.639 --> 00:16:31.840 I know a lot of those members were sort of 274 00:16:31.919 --> 00:16:34.919 burnt out, a little bit exhausted, so they handed the 275 00:16:34.919 --> 00:16:37.799 reins over to us, and so we decided, you know, 276 00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:39.120 if we were going to do this as a group, 277 00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:42.240 we would have to sort of re organize ourselves. But 278 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:46.159 I will say I don't think that the groundswell has 279 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:49.039 I think it ebbs and it flows. There's one thing 280 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:51.000 I've seen just being part of a lot of this 281 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:54.000 stuff since I was a kid, is that there you know, 282 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:56.159 there are times when people feel like, Okay, things are 283 00:16:56.159 --> 00:16:57.759 in a better place, so we can rest. And then 284 00:16:57.759 --> 00:17:00.399 there are times are like, you know, we're really concerned 285 00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:03.320 about certain freedoms and democracy and things like that. So 286 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:05.319 you know, in twenty sixteen there was a high apex 287 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:07.960 of that where people were really scared about all the 288 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:11.279 things that Trump could and did do. And then you know, 289 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:14.000 the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris came and 290 00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:16.240 so people were like, all right, maybe, you know, maybe 291 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:18.720 things will be back to normal. We'll have issues to 292 00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:21.240 deal with, but it won't be the existential crisis of 293 00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:25.680 will this democracy stand? And I think with Trump's second 294 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:29.359 term now you're really seeing everyone is like there, you know, 295 00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:34.359 he is actively making a choice to destroy our democracy 296 00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:36.759 and are we going to let him? And so that's 297 00:17:36.799 --> 00:17:39.680 why we're getting so many people to really show up 298 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:42.039 at these rallies and come to our meetings and come 299 00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:45.720 to our events because people are feeling helpless and they 300 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:49.400 need a place to go where there's like minded people 301 00:17:49.480 --> 00:17:54.079 and where there's action involved. So I think, you know, 302 00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:56.200 with a lot of the stuff that's happening like this 303 00:17:56.279 --> 00:17:58.960 is where people are, people want to see some action. 304 00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:02.200 And I think there's a fear that if we don't 305 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:05.039 do something, we will and when we just sort of 306 00:18:05.160 --> 00:18:07.279 roll over like this is how democracies die. 307 00:18:08.279 --> 00:18:11.720 Well, you know, I'm sure that there's a fine line 308 00:18:11.799 --> 00:18:14.519 between action and violence, and I know that's an important 309 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:17.400 point that's made when you go to your website and 310 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:21.440 it's a theme that's repeated that it can only be 311 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:27.839 successful through nonviolent revolution. And I know that's important. But 312 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:32.680 how do you and again forgive me, sometimes it just 313 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:34.599 play the devil's advocate in order to be able to 314 00:18:34.640 --> 00:18:40.319 answer a question, how do you promote action, real action, 315 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:44.960 and yet at the same time avoid confrontation. Sometimes that 316 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:48.759 can lead to if not even physical violence, but sometimes 317 00:18:49.640 --> 00:18:53.720 there are different levels of emotional violence, etc. So how 318 00:18:53.759 --> 00:18:58.440 as an organization can you move things forward aggressively yet 319 00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:01.599 at the same time main respectful to the tenets of 320 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:04.839 non violence? Anyone I would say that. 321 00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:10.480 We uh there's a I don't remember the woman who 322 00:19:10.519 --> 00:19:13.839 said it, but there's a phrase that says, the revolution 323 00:19:14.039 --> 00:19:17.559 you make determines what comes after. And I think that 324 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:22.799 we're all driven by community and by trying to figure 325 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:25.559 out a way that I mean, what really is offensive 326 00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:28.640 to most people. I mean, obviously there's a tremendous amount 327 00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:33.200 of concern for the lack of democracy because it is 328 00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:39.799 really the dividing line between chaos and community. Actually that 329 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:44.359 was doctor King's last book was called you know, you 330 00:19:44.359 --> 00:19:48.960 know what's next, chaos or community? But we and we 331 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:51.279 need that. But when we first the first action that 332 00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:56.359 we organized as a committee was a silent march on 333 00:19:56.480 --> 00:20:01.319 Martin Luther King's birthday to show communities that we knew 334 00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:04.799 were being threatened with rhetoric that we would be there 335 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:08.480 for them. So, you know, that's where we come from. 336 00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:10.000 And and and. 337 00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:14.519 What I think is true is that most people respond 338 00:20:14.519 --> 00:20:17.400 to that. I mean, most people were members of families 339 00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:21.000 we have. You know, some of us have children, some 340 00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:24.079 of us we all have parents. We all have family 341 00:20:24.119 --> 00:20:27.920 members that we care about, and and that's what's that's 342 00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:30.119 what's being threatened. So when you go after an immigrant, 343 00:20:30.119 --> 00:20:32.240 you're going after somebody's family member. When you're going after 344 00:20:32.680 --> 00:20:36.240 you know, a trans youth, you're going after somebody's you know, child, 345 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:40.119 when you're going after you know, a woman, you're going 346 00:20:40.119 --> 00:20:42.960 after you know, somebody's mother, when you're you know, when 347 00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:45.200 you're going after somebody in the black community, you're going 348 00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:49.039 after a member of your church. And and so by 349 00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:52.240 caring for other people and kind of worrying about other people, 350 00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:55.680 we defined ourselves in that first act. So and and 351 00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:58.319 and we're also being very careful because we've been through it. 352 00:20:58.359 --> 00:21:00.920 I mean, part of the US and here is that 353 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:03.599 you know, this is not our first rodeo, and we've 354 00:21:03.640 --> 00:21:07.839 seen the kind of rancor well, actually, I would honestly 355 00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:10.880 say that what's really informing us is the other side, 356 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:14.400 because who on earth I would want I want to 357 00:21:14.440 --> 00:21:17.400 elect somebody to office, or I want to hold a 358 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:21.319 person in office accountable. I don't want to storm the 359 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:25.599 capital with with with you know, bear spray. I mean, 360 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:27.400 who on earth wants to do that? And when you 361 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:30.920 see what happens and what that leads to, I mean 362 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:33.839 they got the government that they made, you know, they 363 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:37.079 wanted to storm a capital and now they have a 364 00:21:37.160 --> 00:21:42.480 violent government. So we want to surround the Capitol and 365 00:21:42.519 --> 00:21:46.680 hold hands in pray, because that's the kind of government 366 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:47.079 we want. 367 00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:52.559 Let's talk a little bit about Rockland Indivisible, Rockland as 368 00:21:52.559 --> 00:21:56.640 an organization, okay too. I think people are curious, you know, 369 00:21:56.680 --> 00:22:01.680 the hear it as a title? Is or is everyone 370 00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:05.640 involved with it? Are you all volunteers? Are there paid positions? 371 00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:09.079 What about a budget? I mean, these are all logistical things, 372 00:22:09.079 --> 00:22:11.920 and I'm sure you know questions that people might have. 373 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:15.359 We could call something of an organization, but how is 374 00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:19.799 it organized? Is there an operating budget? How are you funded? 375 00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:23.759 Are people paid? How many volunteers do you have? Let's 376 00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:25.720 let's do a few nuts and bolts things. 377 00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:31.480 Contrary to popular belief, we are not paid protesters. If 378 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:34.279 someone can direct me to where I'm supposed to pick 379 00:22:34.359 --> 00:22:37.720 up my paid protester check quote unquote, please let me 380 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:39.240 know because. 381 00:22:38.880 --> 00:22:42.359 I make sure that make because we. 382 00:22:42.359 --> 00:22:45.000 Slap together two pennys in a dream most of the time. 383 00:22:47.079 --> 00:22:48.599 So is every everyone? Tracy? 384 00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:49.799 What's the head? 385 00:22:50.559 --> 00:22:50.880 Tracy? 386 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:52.319 Yeah? 387 00:22:52.440 --> 00:22:53.920 I was just going to say we are all one 388 00:22:53.960 --> 00:22:59.119 hundred volunteers. The first three major events we did, we 389 00:22:59.200 --> 00:23:04.160 bootstrapped together. We're our own money. You know, we were 390 00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:06.519 very lucky to have an event this past week that 391 00:23:06.599 --> 00:23:09.920 allowed us to do some fundraising that will hopefully allow 392 00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:12.319 us to be able to raise money in the future 393 00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:15.839 for bigger and better events. I think we were lucky, 394 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:18.359 and I'll just kind of tap back to the Rockland 395 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:21.920 United people. We were lucky to get a platform that existed, 396 00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:24.920 so we had a mailing list that existed. We had 397 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:29.240 a Facebook that we created, but we took over their Instagram. 398 00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:32.119 I also created a Blue Sky, so we were lucky 399 00:23:32.119 --> 00:23:34.559 to have about a twelve hundred person mailing list. We've 400 00:23:34.599 --> 00:23:36.920 since grown that. We're like a two thousand person mailing 401 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:40.559