1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:05,599 Speaker 1: What's going on? 2 00:00:05,759 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 2: Thank you so much for listening to this podcast. It 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,080 is heard live every day from noon to three on 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:11,919 WBT Radio in Charlotte. 5 00:00:11,960 --> 00:00:14,039 Speaker 1: And if you want exclusive. 6 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:16,800 Speaker 2: Content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, my 7 00:00:16,879 --> 00:00:19,239 daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, 8 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,640 go to dpeteclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the 9 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,160 subscribe button. Get every episode for free right to your 10 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:27,679 smartphone or tablet, And again, thank you so much for 11 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:33,000 your support. Quick reminder, Thursday, WBT takes over one oh 12 00:00:33,039 --> 00:00:37,679 seven point nine FM one hundred thousand watt FM stick 13 00:00:37,799 --> 00:00:44,560 will be simulcasting WBT. So uh, I'm anticipating a lot 14 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:47,560 of new voices you will be hearing on the call 15 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:51,600 in lines. I'm I'm just throwing that out there because 16 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:53,719 there's a good chunk of the population that doesn't even 17 00:00:53,719 --> 00:00:58,200 know AM radio exists. So yeah, they're younger kids, but yeah, 18 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:03,399 so they're gonna now they'll now be exposed. Okay, they 19 00:01:03,399 --> 00:01:07,439 will now hear WBT on one oh seven nine FM 20 00:01:07,519 --> 00:01:10,640 starting on Thursday. Looking forward to it. 21 00:01:10,719 --> 00:01:11,040 Speaker 1: Okay. 22 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 2: So WSOCTV reporting that Oscar Solarzano accused of stabbing a 23 00:01:17,400 --> 00:01:19,400 twenty four year old man in the chest on Friday 24 00:01:19,439 --> 00:01:22,599 near North Brevard Street and East twenty second Street on 25 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:25,519 the light rail train. Investigators say he was drunk. He 26 00:01:25,599 --> 00:01:30,200 was yelling at people, threatening behavior. The twenty four year 27 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,280 old victim told him to stop, shut up, sit down, 28 00:01:33,519 --> 00:01:36,680 leave people alone. In other words, to do the thing 29 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:42,040 that you would want somebody to do. If some drunk, 30 00:01:43,079 --> 00:01:47,040 homeless guy is screaming at you your teenage daughter riding 31 00:01:47,079 --> 00:01:49,719 the train, you know you would want some guy to 32 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:52,840 step in and say, dude, back off, sit down, you're 33 00:01:52,879 --> 00:01:57,959 annoying everybody. You're drunk, right, and so he then starts 34 00:01:57,959 --> 00:02:01,319 threatening the twenty four year old victim. The victim pushes 35 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:06,319 uh Solarzano away from him because he said he he 36 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,840 was in according to the DA that he had fear 37 00:02:09,879 --> 00:02:12,080 for his safety, so he pushes the guy off him. 38 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:16,680 Solarzano falls over a chair one of the seats. He 39 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:19,560 falls over it onto the ground, gets up, pulls out 40 00:02:19,560 --> 00:02:22,680 a knife and stabs the guy in the chest. He 41 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:28,400 is reportedly in critical but stable condition according to Homeland Security. 42 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:33,560 This guy, Solarzano, from Honduras, was deported in twenty eighteen. 43 00:02:34,039 --> 00:02:36,960 He was then arrested attempting to cross the border again 44 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:41,280 in twenty twenty one, and then he entered illegally a 45 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:44,199 for a third time, but we don't know when and 46 00:02:44,439 --> 00:02:49,680 at what location. Bill Malugin from Fox News. 47 00:02:51,159 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: He said. 48 00:02:53,080 --> 00:03:01,199 Speaker 2: Do Oscar Gerardo Solarzano, Garcia's full name. He was deported 49 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:04,360 by the Biden administration and illegally re entered the US 50 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:07,120 after that in an unknown time and location as a 51 00:03:07,159 --> 00:03:11,080 got away. He has prior convictions in the US for 52 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:14,000 robbery and illegal re entry. He has had prior arrests 53 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,680 in the US for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, 54 00:03:16,719 --> 00:03:20,560 resisting arrest, and false ID. He's now charged with attempted 55 00:03:20,599 --> 00:03:24,159 murder for the stabbing and Demmigration Customs Enforcement has placed 56 00:03:24,199 --> 00:03:28,400 a detainer on him with local law enforcement in Charlotte. 57 00:03:29,479 --> 00:03:35,759 Katz Interim CEO Brent Cagel released a statement saying we 58 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,919 are disappointed that a verbal altercation escalated to the point 59 00:03:38,919 --> 00:03:41,919 of a stabbing incident on the Blue Line train Friday evening. 60 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:46,520 Through close collaboration with Kat's private security team PSS, as 61 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:50,719 well as Charlotte Mclamurg Police, a suspect was apprehended swiftly 62 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:55,319 following the incident. Since August, KATS, together with our partners, 63 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,199 have taken a proactive and robust approach to keep employees 64 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:02,240 and passengers as safe as possible by deploying additional off 65 00:04:02,319 --> 00:04:07,319 duty CMPD officers, private security personnel, new technology, and safety 66 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:12,360 reporting tools. By the way, this attacker illegal criminal alien, 67 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:19,079 repeat offender, repeat enterer into the country illegally twice deported, 68 00:04:19,639 --> 00:04:23,759 also did not pay the fare, so a fair jumper. 69 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 1: Once again. 70 00:04:25,439 --> 00:04:28,720 Speaker 2: Violence has no place in our community, Cagle says, including 71 00:04:28,759 --> 00:04:32,240 on public transit. Individuals who believe public transit can be 72 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,639 used as an area to settle grievances through violent altercations 73 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:42,079 are not welcome on our system. Oh oh, well, that 74 00:04:42,199 --> 00:04:45,680 explains it. Why didn't we say this earlier? Now, this 75 00:04:45,759 --> 00:04:48,639 makes sense. Wait, you're not supposed to use the trains 76 00:04:49,319 --> 00:04:55,279 to settle our beefs oh man, We should have, man, 77 00:04:55,279 --> 00:04:57,639 we should have publicized that a long time ago. That 78 00:04:57,639 --> 00:05:02,519 would have that would have probably prevented all of the attacks. Right, 79 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:06,959 the bus attack that left a veteran paralyzed, the other 80 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:11,839 bus attack, the murder of Arena Zarutska, right, all of 81 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:15,439 the remember the guy that shot into the into the 82 00:05:15,439 --> 00:05:21,360 bus against the bus driver. Maybe we need more advertising 83 00:05:21,399 --> 00:05:27,279 for this cats. It's not for settling beefs something like that, 84 00:05:27,399 --> 00:05:29,800 like a big marketing campaign painted on the side of 85 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,160 the buses and everything, have signs. 86 00:05:32,079 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: Leave your beef at the door, something like that. 87 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:38,439 Speaker 2: We will continue to work with our partners at CMPD 88 00:05:38,519 --> 00:05:40,920 as well as our private security team to ensure everyone 89 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:44,399 rides appropriately on public transit. We will not compromise on 90 00:05:44,439 --> 00:05:50,240 the safety of our customers and employees. I got on 91 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:52,759 the text line here, which is seven oh four five 92 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:57,839 seven eleven ten text line driven by Liberty Buick GMC. 93 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: Was Yeah, Stan. 94 00:06:04,639 --> 00:06:07,319 Speaker 2: Pete, wouldn't it be interesting to discover that the illegal 95 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,519 immigrant who committed the recent stabbing was on the list 96 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,319 of criminals to be apprehended by border patrol when they 97 00:06:13,319 --> 00:06:15,639 were here in Charlotte, but may have been able to 98 00:06:15,759 --> 00:06:19,240 escape detection because of the anti ICE protesters who had 99 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:23,680 alerted him that federal agents were in the area. See 100 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:28,160 here's the thing when democrats and media, but I repeat myself, 101 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:31,079 when they were out there, you know, standing with immigrants, 102 00:06:31,839 --> 00:06:37,360 opposing ICE, opposing customs and border patrol opposing Charlotte's Web 103 00:06:37,399 --> 00:06:42,240 the operation, right, they think of what they were doing 104 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:49,040 only in terms of the peaceful you know, gardener or 105 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:53,879 or housekeeper or nanny. Right, and she's living in the shadows, 106 00:06:54,519 --> 00:06:56,600 and she's an illegal immigrant, but she came here for 107 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:58,920 a better life than all of that. Right, That's who 108 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:03,279 they pictured themselves protecting. That's the only image that they 109 00:07:03,319 --> 00:07:07,279 have in their minds. They don't realize, or they choose 110 00:07:07,319 --> 00:07:11,639 to ignore, that they are also protecting some pretty nasty 111 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:16,079 people because they are under your umbrella of whatever protection 112 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,879 you're providing. When you're sending out alerts to the neighborhood saying, oh, 113 00:07:19,879 --> 00:07:22,360 I see ice in the neighborhood. You know, bad guys 114 00:07:22,399 --> 00:07:28,839 also see that, and now they can evade capture. The 115 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:36,040 Charlotte Observer editorial board another rail stabbing in Charlotte. Did 116 00:07:36,079 --> 00:07:37,959 our leaders learn from the last? 117 00:07:38,279 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 3: No? 118 00:07:38,639 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: Okay, no, that's the answer to your headline question. 119 00:07:41,399 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 3: No. 120 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:45,720 Speaker 2: But they start their editorial who's to blame for the 121 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,319 latest stabbing on a Charlotte light rail train. As you 122 00:07:49,399 --> 00:07:53,199 might imagine, it's not difficult to find pointed fingers. So 123 00:07:53,279 --> 00:07:57,519 here's the Observer asking who's to blame and then sort 124 00:07:57,519 --> 00:08:01,759 of dismissing people's answer for who to blame? Okay, now, 125 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:05,120 the person to blame for the stabbing is the stabber, Okay, 126 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:11,759 it's it's the illegal immigrant, the illegal alien Salarzano. He's 127 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:16,920 to blame, but he was aided and debeted by a 128 00:08:16,959 --> 00:08:20,560 whole lot of other people. Right they are, they may 129 00:08:20,639 --> 00:08:24,040 share some blame, but I detect a sense of like, 130 00:08:24,079 --> 00:08:28,079 we shouldn't be casting blame at these people, and then 131 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:32,679 kind of like denigrating anybody who is assigning any modicum 132 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:36,240 of blame to anybody other than the attacker. Which is 133 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:41,720 interesting because the question of who's to blame this was 134 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:46,200 the guiding question for the. 135 00:08:46,279 --> 00:08:49,399 Speaker 1: Charlotte Observer for years. 136 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 2: The Charlotte Observer news department ordered and all of their 137 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:59,039 coverage around this question of who's to blame, Who's to blame, 138 00:08:59,399 --> 00:09:03,600 Who's to blame. I'd be surprised if they still aren't 139 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:09,159 doing that. Everything gets filtered through that lens Who's to 140 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:14,200 blame for this thing? US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wasted 141 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,840 little time assigning responsibility for the incident, and it was 142 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:21,720 into thirty three year old undocumented immigrant Oscar Solarzano of Honduras, 143 00:09:21,879 --> 00:09:24,440 who was arrested and charged with attempted first degree murder 144 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,879 and other offenses. No, Duffy wrote on Twitter, what is 145 00:09:28,919 --> 00:09:31,919 it going to take for Charlotte Mayer to remove violent 146 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:35,639 criminals off the streets and protect her constituents? The time 147 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:36,720 to act is now. 148 00:09:39,919 --> 00:09:40,720 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, are you. 149 00:09:40,799 --> 00:09:47,679 Speaker 2: Saying that elected leadership bears no responsibility for policies that 150 00:09:48,080 --> 00:09:52,440 allow criminals to constantly go through our catch and release 151 00:09:52,519 --> 00:09:56,679 turnstile criminal justice system. Of course they do, of course 152 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:58,639 they do. Look, I know also that the mayor doesn't 153 00:09:58,679 --> 00:10:00,840 have any direct authority over the court system. 154 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:01,159 Speaker 3: No. 155 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:06,039 Speaker 2: However, she has the bully pulpit. She has not utilized 156 00:10:06,039 --> 00:10:12,360 that against this catch and release turnstile system. So yeah, 157 00:10:12,399 --> 00:10:15,559 there's a little bit of blame to go around for her, absolutely, 158 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:18,519 But there are a lot of others too. I don't 159 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:20,759 want to restrict it just to the mayor. There's a 160 00:10:20,759 --> 00:10:23,320 lot of other people that are to blame. 161 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:24,519 Speaker 3: You know. 162 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 2: Stories are powerful. They help us make sense of things, 163 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:30,559 to understand experiences. Stories connect us to the people of 164 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:33,919 our past while transcending generations. They help us process the 165 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,399 meaning of life, and our stories are told through images 166 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:41,279 and videos. Preserve your stories with Creative Video started in 167 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,080 nineteen ninety seven and Mint Hill, North Carolina. It was 168 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:47,480 the first company to provide this valuable service, converting images, 169 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:51,720 photos and videos into high quality produced slide shows, videos 170 00:10:51,759 --> 00:10:55,399 and albums. The trusted, talented and dedicated team at Creative 171 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:57,519 Video will go over all of the details with you 172 00:10:57,639 --> 00:11:01,480 to create a perfect project. Satisfaction guaranteed. Drop them off 173 00:11:01,519 --> 00:11:03,240 in person or mail them. They'll be ready in a 174 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,200 week or two. Memorial videos for your loved ones, videos 175 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:11,120 for rehearsal, dinners, weddings, graduations, Christmas, family vacations, birthdays, or 176 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:14,960 just your family stories, all told through images. That's what 177 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,480 your photos and videos are. They are your life told 178 00:11:18,519 --> 00:11:21,000 through the eyes of everyone around you and all who 179 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:23,320 came before you, and they will tell others to come 180 00:11:23,519 --> 00:11:27,360 who you are. Visit creative video dot com. Let me 181 00:11:28,559 --> 00:11:31,480 get Richard on the program. Hello Richard, welcome to the show. 182 00:11:32,159 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 3: Hey, how you going? 183 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:33,639 Speaker 1: Hey good? 184 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:37,279 Speaker 3: This is so frustrating, I mean coming, I grew up 185 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:39,240 in the Bronx, was a cop in the Bronx, and. 186 00:11:39,679 --> 00:11:42,039 Speaker 1: I would have never guessed you came from the Bronx. 187 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,200 Let me tell you no, my dad's from the Bronx. 188 00:11:44,240 --> 00:11:45,960 I recognize that accent anywhere. 189 00:11:47,360 --> 00:11:52,600 Speaker 3: I'm very acquainted with the Boogeyman. Now, people in the 190 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:57,159 military that've seen action, they've seen the Boogeyman too. These 191 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:00,679 people in power, they live in a goblin the gook 192 00:12:01,159 --> 00:12:06,320 fantasy world of having a rail system that anybody, anybody 193 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,600 with a pulse, can get on, and the poor people 194 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:14,879 who are actually paying paying taxes become the collateral damage 195 00:12:15,279 --> 00:12:19,799 of these people who have never seen the Boogeyman. They 196 00:12:19,799 --> 00:12:24,879 don't understand the boogeyman is the guy with the knife. 197 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:28,840 They don't and he gets on, and there's nobody in 198 00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:34,360 government to protect the innocent girl who's coming from work 199 00:12:34,919 --> 00:12:37,399 or that guy who's coming from work, and they have 200 00:12:37,559 --> 00:12:39,639 to They don't have a choice, and. 201 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:41,639 Speaker 2: They don't have any means to will, and they don't 202 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:45,879 have any means to defend themselves, right because they're not 203 00:12:45,919 --> 00:12:48,000 allowed to carry, they're not allowed to conceal carry on 204 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,120 the train exactly. 205 00:12:50,679 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 3: So if the government is not capable of protecting you 206 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:59,519 on this rail system, then you have no choice but 207 00:12:59,639 --> 00:13:05,039 to save yourself. And that's the way we're going here. 208 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:08,320 So who do I blame. I blame everybody that keeps 209 00:13:08,440 --> 00:13:12,879 voting for these people who live in the fantasy world 210 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:16,759 and make these crazy policies and build a rail system 211 00:13:16,799 --> 00:13:18,200 that anybody can get onto. 212 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:20,879 Speaker 2: That's a fair point, Richard. I appreciate the call, sir, 213 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:24,759 good hear from you. Thank you also for your service too. 214 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:29,799 I got a message from Mark Garrison, the news director 215 00:13:29,799 --> 00:13:34,159 here at WBT. He finally got a response from CATS. 216 00:13:34,759 --> 00:13:38,840 He was asking Charlotte Area Transit whether security was on 217 00:13:38,879 --> 00:13:42,480 the train or not, and the response from CATS is 218 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:46,799 quote that is part of the ongoing investigation between cat's 219 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:51,559 Security and CMPD, as we shared over the weekend. CMPD 220 00:13:51,799 --> 00:13:55,519 and CAT security responded swiftly and the suspect was taken 221 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:57,320 into custody nearby. 222 00:13:58,840 --> 00:14:00,360 Speaker 1: End quote. 223 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:04,320 Speaker 2: Okay, so the question is was there any security or 224 00:14:04,399 --> 00:14:08,840 police on the train? And that's their response, which is 225 00:14:09,799 --> 00:14:13,240 obviously no. 226 00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:14,559 Speaker 1: No, there wasn't any security on the train. You know 227 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:15,200 how I know that. 228 00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:20,639 Speaker 2: Because there wasn't any security that intervened in the behavior 229 00:14:20,679 --> 00:14:24,039 of the suspect. The guy was drunk and walking all 230 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:28,120 around and accosting people, threatening people and all of this, 231 00:14:29,559 --> 00:14:33,799 and nobody intervened, prompting this citizen to have to intervene 232 00:14:34,519 --> 00:14:39,200 and get stabbed in the chest for his efforts. That's 233 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,159 how I know there's no security on there. Although actually, 234 00:14:42,159 --> 00:14:46,080 now that I'm seeing this man, that would be even 235 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:48,360 worse if there was security on the train, wouldn't it. 236 00:14:49,360 --> 00:14:52,919 That would be even worse, because then what's the point 237 00:14:53,639 --> 00:14:56,480 if you've actually got a security guard on the train. 238 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:00,279 And this happened, as we are told it happened, this. 239 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:02,919 Speaker 1: Argument and. 240 00:15:04,559 --> 00:15:07,639 Speaker 2: The physical nature of the argument as it escalates and 241 00:15:07,639 --> 00:15:11,039 gets out of control and like, and if there was 242 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:13,879 a security guard on the train, then that would be 243 00:15:14,399 --> 00:15:19,279 way worse, because that then makes you wonder, well, what's 244 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:21,399 the point of having security on the trains if they're 245 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:25,200 not even going to intervene in this stuff? See cats, 246 00:15:25,279 --> 00:15:27,799 This is like, this should be a pretty easy thing 247 00:15:27,879 --> 00:15:30,200 to decipher. Whether there was somebody on the train. Was 248 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:32,519 there a security guard on the train? Did anybody anybody 249 00:15:32,559 --> 00:15:35,120 in your employment say, hey, I saw the whole thing, 250 00:15:35,279 --> 00:15:38,480 let me give you a statement. No, probably not, or 251 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,759 else you probably would have already released that information, I 252 00:15:41,759 --> 00:15:45,399 would assume. So I'm guessing there wasn't security on the train, 253 00:15:45,720 --> 00:15:48,039 as indicated by the fact that they say they swiftly 254 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:51,320 responded and take and the guy was taken into custody nearby. 255 00:15:52,159 --> 00:15:55,919 Why nearby? Because he got off the train, which once 256 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:59,000 again I would think a security officer would have prevented 257 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:03,039 that from occurring, or would have arrested him immediately as 258 00:16:03,200 --> 00:16:08,120 he's running around drunk, yelling at people, and definitely after 259 00:16:08,159 --> 00:16:14,080 stabbing somebody, unless, of course, we're paying for ineffectual security 260 00:16:14,200 --> 00:16:15,320 on the trains, which that. 261 00:16:15,279 --> 00:16:15,879 Speaker 1: Would be worse. 262 00:16:15,919 --> 00:16:18,559 Speaker 2: Here's a great idea. How about making an escape to 263 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:22,080 a really special and secluded getaway in western North Carolina. 264 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:24,360 Just a quick drive up the mountain and Cabins of 265 00:16:24,399 --> 00:16:28,759 Asheville is your connection. 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Call or 281 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:23,440 text eight two eight three six seven seventy sixty eight 282 00:17:23,759 --> 00:17:25,880 or check out all there is to offer at Cabins 283 00:17:25,880 --> 00:17:29,440 of Aashville dot com and make memories that'll last a lifetime. 284 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:31,920 Speaker 1: So I think, really. 285 00:17:33,279 --> 00:17:36,839 Speaker 2: The scandal after the latest stabbing on a light rail 286 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:40,319 car in Charlotte, the Blue Line once again, just what 287 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,880 three and a half months after the murder of Arena Zarutzka, 288 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,319 I think the real scandal here is the Republicans who 289 00:17:45,359 --> 00:17:49,960 are noticing that there's a problem. That's really who's to 290 00:17:50,000 --> 00:17:53,839 blame for all of this attention? I think that's really 291 00:17:53,839 --> 00:17:58,440 the story. Who's to blame the Charlotte Observer editorial board. 292 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:03,720 Who's to blame for the latest stab Well, the mayor, 293 00:18:04,519 --> 00:18:11,720 the council, city manager, the county commissioners, county manager, Democrat voters, 294 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:19,720 the interim chief of cats PSS security firm, the courts, 295 00:18:19,799 --> 00:18:23,920 all the judges and magistrates, the sheriff definitely, Gary not 296 00:18:24,039 --> 00:18:29,880 my fault, McFadden. They all bear some responsibility here. People 297 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:33,039 who have been arguing against their policies. We do not 298 00:18:33,839 --> 00:18:36,519 bear any blame here. We have been saying, you guys 299 00:18:36,519 --> 00:18:42,720 are doing this wrong, your policies and your turnstile catch 300 00:18:42,759 --> 00:18:48,640 and release system at the courthouse. It's not making anybody safer. 301 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,440 In fact, it's doing the opposite. But the real problem here, 302 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,920 according to the Observer Editorial Board, is that Republicans have 303 00:18:56,079 --> 00:19:01,480 noticed that Democrat runs cities don't do a particularly good 304 00:19:01,599 --> 00:19:05,960 job of keeping their citizens safe. They prioritize different things 305 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:09,480 if they're not outright defunding the police departments and such, 306 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:15,599 they point out. Donald Trump quickly joined in a Saturday 307 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:20,240 statement issued by the White House included this from the 308 00:19:20,279 --> 00:19:24,680 President quote another stabbing by an illegal migrant in Charlotte. 309 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:28,279 What's going on in Charlotte. Democrats are destroying it like 310 00:19:28,319 --> 00:19:33,119 everything else. Peace by peace. A US Department of Homeland 311 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:37,880 Security statement Saturday confirmed that the attacker on the train 312 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:41,319 had prior arrests for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, 313 00:19:41,759 --> 00:19:46,079 destroying evidence, resisting arrest, and using a false ID. He 314 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:49,960 had been convicted of robbery and illegal re entry as well. 315 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:54,160 He's been deported twice. Don't know when he came in 316 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:57,400 the third time. Don't know if he's if he was 317 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:04,240 ever arrested after that third re entry. Mayor Lyles, for 318 00:20:04,279 --> 00:20:07,759 her part, did a bit of redirecting after reminding Charlotte 319 00:20:07,759 --> 00:20:11,400 tians that the city recently has quote invested heavily in 320 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:15,160 increasing security on our transit system and CMPD has been 321 00:20:15,200 --> 00:20:18,279 proactive in increasing its presence across our city. She noted 322 00:20:18,279 --> 00:20:20,480 that there are several aspects of public policy that are 323 00:20:20,519 --> 00:20:24,240 outside of the city's jurisdiction, including immigration policy and enforcement, 324 00:20:26,319 --> 00:20:28,119 and technically. 325 00:20:27,680 --> 00:20:28,279 Speaker 1: That is true. 326 00:20:28,319 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 2: However, the mayor has the bully pulpit. The mayor can 327 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,119 call out judges. They would be of her own political party, 328 00:20:36,319 --> 00:20:38,839 so that might explain why she has refused to do so. 329 00:20:40,279 --> 00:20:44,759 But that's one way that she could help is to 330 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:52,319 publicly name and shame judges the sheriff right for doing 331 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:57,400 things that undermine public safety. The editorial Board says, had 332 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:00,759 Lyles wanted to lean in on that. She also could 333 00:21:00,799 --> 00:21:05,119 have noted that Trump's reckless Operation Charlotte's Web might have 334 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:09,480 snagged more criminals like this attacker, but only had Border 335 00:21:09,519 --> 00:21:12,680 Patrol and ICE agents not spent their time haphazardly grabbing 336 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:19,400 non criminals off our city streets. Okay, let's run this through. 337 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:21,920 Let's game this one out, shall we. 338 00:21:23,079 --> 00:21:24,079 Speaker 1: Okay? All right? 339 00:21:25,519 --> 00:21:29,039 Speaker 2: Where would you have found this guy? He did not 340 00:21:29,160 --> 00:21:32,359 have a house. His address is listed as a roof 341 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:39,000 above a homeless center. So what would your coverage have 342 00:21:39,119 --> 00:21:43,400 looked like? What would your social media feeds have looked like? 343 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:48,880 Had Customs and Border Patrol agents raided a homeless shelter? 344 00:21:51,480 --> 00:21:53,960 Am I to believe that you would have no problem 345 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,039 with them doing that if they even were permitted to 346 00:21:58,079 --> 00:22:00,279 actually go on to the premises in the first place, 347 00:22:00,319 --> 00:22:01,519 which I don't believe they. 348 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:02,160 Speaker 1: Are allowed to do that. 349 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:08,799 Speaker 2: So you want me to believe that after witnessing the coverage, 350 00:22:08,839 --> 00:22:13,240 the tone of the coverage, the story selection that I 351 00:22:13,319 --> 00:22:16,960 saw during Operation Charlotte's Web, you expect me to believe 352 00:22:17,559 --> 00:22:20,920 that this kind of an operation where they would have 353 00:22:21,039 --> 00:22:24,200 like gone into a homeless center or hung around outside 354 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:27,759 of a homeless center waiting for this guy to come 355 00:22:27,799 --> 00:22:30,160 out so they could pick him up. You want me 356 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:33,000 to believe that you would have treated that as a 357 00:22:33,599 --> 00:22:37,680 completely appropriate op. I don't believe you. I do not 358 00:22:37,759 --> 00:22:42,640 believe you, observer, Sorry, I don't You guys would have lamented, 359 00:22:42,680 --> 00:22:46,319 Oh my gosh, these are most vulnerable people in the community. 360 00:22:46,319 --> 00:22:50,359 They're unhoused, they're experiencing unhousedness or whatever phrase you want 361 00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:54,000 to use, instead of saying homeless. Now, that's the way 362 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:55,400 you guys would have covered this. You would have had 363 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:59,480 protesters out at the homeless center, you know, creating a 364 00:22:59,559 --> 00:23:02,559 human wall around the doors or something to prevent anybody 365 00:23:02,599 --> 00:23:09,559 from getting deported. Ultimately, the editorial board says, Ultimately, the 366 00:23:09,599 --> 00:23:15,279 finger pointing avoids a larger truth about Friday's stabbing. The 367 00:23:15,319 --> 00:23:18,799 finger pointing avoids a larger truth. What's the larger truth? 368 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:22,680 Let's see, it was a crime committed on a transit 369 00:23:22,759 --> 00:23:27,240 system with persistent safety problems, in a city with continuing 370 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:32,519 crime issues, in a country that faces complicated challenges involving 371 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:40,000 illegal immigration. Yes, that is what Republicans have been saying 372 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:43,400 for darn near three decades. Yes, this is what we 373 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:46,319 have been saying you sound you guys are sounding kind 374 00:23:46,319 --> 00:23:51,119 of trumpion right there. That's the larger issue. This is 375 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:56,160 the larger truth that the transit system has persistent safety problems, 376 00:23:56,480 --> 00:24:03,079 the city has crime issues, the country faces complicated challenges 377 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:04,440 involving illegal immigration. 378 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: Yeah. 379 00:24:05,559 --> 00:24:09,559 Speaker 2: Yes, and the way you guys have the way you 380 00:24:09,559 --> 00:24:13,960 guys have been handling these challenges has been lacking, shall 381 00:24:14,000 --> 00:24:17,400 we say, they say? What we can best hope for 382 00:24:17,559 --> 00:24:21,599 moving forward is that there will be lessons learned. I'm 383 00:24:21,599 --> 00:24:24,240 not really sure what those lessons are, but they are 384 00:24:24,279 --> 00:24:28,359 actually more troubled by the response from the Cat's interim CEO, 385 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:31,799 Brent Kagel. All Right, if you're listening to this show, 386 00:24:31,839 --> 00:24:33,400 you know I try to keep up with all sorts 387 00:24:33,400 --> 00:24:35,440 of current events, and I know you do too, And 388 00:24:35,519 --> 00:24:38,960 you've probably heard me say get your news from multiple sources. 389 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:39,680 Speaker 1: Why. 390 00:24:40,079 --> 00:24:42,799 Speaker 2: Well, because it's how you detect media bias, which is 391 00:24:42,839 --> 00:24:45,960 why I've been so impressed with Ground News. It's an 392 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:49,400 app and it's a website and it combines news from 393 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:51,599 around the world in one place so you can compare 394 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,720 coverage and verify information. You can check it out at 395 00:24:54,839 --> 00:24:59,279 check dot ground dot news slash Pete I put the 396 00:24:59,319 --> 00:25:02,160 link in the pod cast description too. I started using 397 00:25:02,160 --> 00:25:05,079 ground News a few months ago and more recently chose 398 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:07,079 to work with them as an affiliate because it lets 399 00:25:07,079 --> 00:25:10,720 me see clearly how stories get covered and by whom. 400 00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:13,920 The blind spot feature shows you which stories get ignored 401 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:16,880 by the left and the right. See for yourself. Check 402 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:21,480 dot ground, dot news slash pete. Subscribe through that link 403 00:25:21,519 --> 00:25:24,400 and you'll get fifteen percent off any subscription. I use 404 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:27,559 the Vantage plan to get unlimited access to every feature. 405 00:25:27,799 --> 00:25:30,559 Your subscription then not only helps my podcast, but it 406 00:25:30,599 --> 00:25:33,720 also supports ground News as they make the media landscape 407 00:25:33,759 --> 00:25:38,240 more transparent. Got a message on the WBT text line 408 00:25:38,240 --> 00:25:41,799 from Robert who says a church I used to work 409 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:48,240 for told us that if ICE came looking for undocumented employees, 410 00:25:49,119 --> 00:25:53,279 to take the illegal aliens, to take them to the 411 00:25:53,319 --> 00:25:56,880 tunnel under the church and hide them. 412 00:25:57,319 --> 00:25:57,519 Speaker 1: Right. 413 00:25:58,079 --> 00:26:00,880 Speaker 2: See, this is what I mean the observed now making 414 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:04,640 these calls for you know you need to only be 415 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:08,200 going after the criminal illegal aliens. Those are the targeted 416 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:13,119 ones that we totally support you doing something about now right. 417 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:17,240 These are the same people that you know vilified the 418 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:20,720 two eighty seven g program, which simply identified people that 419 00:26:20,759 --> 00:26:23,240 came to the jail, so you already had to have 420 00:26:23,279 --> 00:26:27,119 done something to get yourself arrested. Then you get into 421 00:26:27,160 --> 00:26:30,599 the jail and the two eighty seven G program allows 422 00:26:30,759 --> 00:26:36,039 the jail to identify who you actually are, and then 423 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:39,039 if you are in the country illegally, then they could 424 00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:42,960 turn you over to ICE for deportation. But you guys 425 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:46,200 didn't want to do that. Gary McFadden ran a campaign 426 00:26:46,279 --> 00:26:49,000 in twenty eighteen, as did other sheriffs around the state. 427 00:26:50,039 --> 00:26:52,440 They ran a campaign saying they don't want to cooperate 428 00:26:52,480 --> 00:26:55,880 with ICE on this stuff. They scrapped their two eighty 429 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:59,359 seven G participation. They said they don't have to tell 430 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:01,319 ICE who who's in their jail. They're not going to 431 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:04,400 notify ICE to come get somebody who bails out. They're 432 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:08,680 not going to help. And everybody seemed to think that 433 00:27:08,839 --> 00:27:15,720 was a perfectly acceptable way to govern. But the editorial 434 00:27:15,759 --> 00:27:18,359 board at The Observer says we are more troubled by 435 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,799 the response from the Charlotte Area Transit Authority. While kat's 436 00:27:21,799 --> 00:27:25,480 interim CEO Brent Kagel noted that KATZ has taken substantial 437 00:27:25,519 --> 00:27:31,599 measures on safety since August, including deploying additional CMPD officers 438 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:36,640 and Private Security spokesperson Bret Baldick did not directly answer 439 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:40,240 observer questions Saturday about how many security staff were on 440 00:27:40,319 --> 00:27:42,880 board the Blue Line at the time of the stabbing, 441 00:27:43,519 --> 00:27:47,680 nor about system wide staffing levels. A similar lack of 442 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:53,880 transparency dogged Cats and the city after Arena Zurutzka's murder 443 00:27:53,960 --> 00:27:57,680 in August. It is quite simply not how you restore 444 00:27:57,839 --> 00:28:02,880 public trust. Well, well, that's because we already voted for 445 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:07,599 their sales tax you see. It doesn't now it's not 446 00:28:07,839 --> 00:28:10,960 They don't feel quite the same amount of pressure, you know, 447 00:28:11,599 --> 00:28:14,000 because in August they were looking at this referendum that 448 00:28:14,039 --> 00:28:17,799 they needed to pass to raise everybody's sales taxes. And 449 00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:22,720 now they won the tax increase. So now they'll just 450 00:28:22,799 --> 00:28:26,440 keep behaving in ways that you know, shut you out 451 00:28:26,480 --> 00:28:29,200 and are not transparent and all of that. It's almost like, 452 00:28:29,279 --> 00:28:32,680 maybe we shouldn't have rewarded them for their past performance 453 00:28:32,759 --> 00:28:38,559 with more revenue. But whatever, I lost that fight. They 454 00:28:38,599 --> 00:28:40,799 then conclude their peace because they've got to I mean, 455 00:28:40,799 --> 00:28:42,400 because it's got to be about Trump. 456 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:43,279 Speaker 1: This is the problem. 457 00:28:43,359 --> 00:28:48,440 Speaker 2: See, when when you allow Donald Trump to be the 458 00:28:48,559 --> 00:28:54,359 lens through which you view all things, right, You make 459 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:58,920 this story about something other than what it is. This 460 00:28:58,960 --> 00:29:06,000 is local failure, Okay, these are local policies, and you 461 00:29:06,079 --> 00:29:08,480 want to bring Trump into it because he tweeted something, 462 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:11,279 because that's how you view all of the stories is 463 00:29:11,319 --> 00:29:14,480 through Trump. And you know your audience in the observer, 464 00:29:15,319 --> 00:29:18,160 you know, subscriber base, what's left of it. You know 465 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:21,759 they want the anti Trump stuff. That's the only explanation 466 00:29:21,839 --> 00:29:25,279 I can figure out for why you would pull Trump 467 00:29:25,359 --> 00:29:28,720 into this issue just because he sent out a tweet saying, 468 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:32,279 what the hell is happening in Charlotte? Another light rail stabbing? 469 00:29:34,359 --> 00:29:37,400 They say, as for the Trump administration, we're under no 470 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:40,720 illusion that the stabbing will be a reminder of illegal 471 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:46,039 immigration's complexities, or that Solarzano, the suspect, will be a 472 00:29:46,079 --> 00:29:49,960 reminder of whom his administration should actually be targeting. They 473 00:29:50,000 --> 00:29:53,279 are actually targeting criminal illegal aliens. But here's the thing. 474 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:55,920 There are a lot of illegal aliens. There's like millions 475 00:29:55,960 --> 00:30:02,160 of them, literally millions of them. Okay, so yes, they 476 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:05,519 are targeting criminal illegal aliens, and if they find others, 477 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:09,079 then they're gonna get scooped up to That's what they're 478 00:30:09,079 --> 00:30:12,319 gonna do. That's what they're doing, and you guys are 479 00:30:12,319 --> 00:30:17,279 complaining about that too. Trump wants to deliver blame and 480 00:30:17,319 --> 00:30:20,200 he will do so at every opportunity in blue cities 481 00:30:20,319 --> 00:30:24,400 like Charlotte. But Charlotte Teans don't want or need blame 482 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:27,319 in the wake of this latest transit incident. We want 483 00:30:27,359 --> 00:30:32,440 accountability from all. Okay, how about y'all start with yourselves? 484 00:30:32,839 --> 00:30:35,799 Speaker 1: How about that? Why not start with yourselves? 485 00:30:35,799 --> 00:30:39,519 Speaker 2: How about y'all look in the mirror and think about 486 00:30:39,839 --> 00:30:44,039 what role you may have played in creating the environment 487 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:49,960 that we are now in. Right, surely the paper of record, right, 488 00:30:50,200 --> 00:30:54,319 the voice of the Charlotte community. Surely you guys have 489 00:30:54,440 --> 00:31:01,880 exerted influence in public debate about transit and about policing safety. Right, 490 00:31:02,039 --> 00:31:06,000 do y'all bear any responsibility? Do you have any accountability 491 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,720 for any roles you may have played? All right, that'll 492 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:12,400 do it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening. 493 00:31:12,519 --> 00:31:14,640 I could not do the show without your support and 494 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:17,400 the support of the businesses that advertise on the podcast, 495 00:31:17,759 --> 00:31:19,839 So if you'd like, please support them too and tell 496 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:21,599 them you heard it here. You can also become a 497 00:31:21,599 --> 00:31:25,680 patron at my Patreon page or go to dpetecleanershow dot 498 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:28,519 com again, thank you so much for listening, and don't 499 00:31:28,559 --> 00:31:30,799 break anything while I'm gone.