The "What's Going On?" Podcast

Freedom and Conflict: Juneteenth and Middle East Tensions

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Join Thomas Corley, Keith Pickens, and Michael Miller on the What's Going On Podcast as they explore the significance of Juneteenth, its historical context, and personal experiences of celebrating this vital part of American history. The Fellas Conversation also delves into the conflict in the Middle East, emphasizing the importance of democracy and the role of participation among young people. Tune in for informative discussions and heartfelt insights.

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Join us as we delve into the significance of Juneteenth, its historical context and the personal experiences celebrating this vital part of American history. In our Make Me Wanna holler segment, the Fellows Conversation touches on Conflict in the Middle East. To wrap up our, save the Children, the Fellows emphasize the importance of democracy and the act of participation among young people. I'm Thomas Corley with Key Pickens and Michael Miller. This is the What's Going On podcast. Thank you for listening.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

What's going on, Keith?

Keith Pickens:

What's up TC

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

What's going on? Mike Miller.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Hey, tc. Hey Keith. How you guys doing?

Keith Pickens:

Going on, Mike. Everything's good.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

So fellas upon us is Juneteenth. Now I don't know a lot about Juneteenth, so I'm expecting us to figure it out together as if we were sitting in the barbershop. Explain to me, Lucy. Juneteenth. So Columbus 1492, right? That's what they say. Slavery began roughly, approximately. Well, it lasted approximately 400 years, right?

Keith Pickens:

Right, right. 400.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

So then slavery trade was 1692, right?

Keith Pickens:

Yes.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

16, 19.

Keith Pickens:

16. 16.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

16,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

16, 19. Yeah,

Keith Pickens:

We really in the barber shop, we ain't, we won't have our facts right.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

you're right.

Keith Pickens:

Go with it, my friend.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

So then you had the Native Americans enslaved into about 1715 or 1750,

Keith Pickens:

Mm.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

and then shortly after that, south America, they have independence.

Keith Pickens:

Okay.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

All right. That's what happened. The whole slave trade came to the Americas, both north and south.

Keith Pickens:

Absolutely

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

All right. And then politically, they finally got their, designation for freedom. I guess you say 1852. Now, the emancipation wasn't until 1863 here in the continents of the United States.

Keith Pickens:

correct.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

And then 1865 is when the last state, texas found out that they were free slaves or free people.

Keith Pickens:

Nice slow crawl to Texas two

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah. Now, the explanation they gave is that there were no union representation in Texas,

Keith Pickens:

Okay.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

so that's why the word didn't get out. That's what I read, so I don't know,

Keith Pickens:

i'm sure those were parts of it.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

Keith Pickens:

Two.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah. So Mike Miller, you had the opportunity to experience it here locally, a celebration for it. Tell us a little about your experience.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

It was wonderful. It was a celebration of American history. That's what Juneteenth It's American history, and this was a celebration of American history. I was in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and we like to go there and have fun'cause of the beach. If you've never been to the state of Michigan. Benton Harbor, St. Joe, south Haven, Muskegon, anywhere along the shoreline of Lake Michigan, you can't go wrong. So if you come in here to visit, come to visit. That's my pure Michigan plug there. So anyway, but, but the Benton Harbor, celebration was real. You know, it's, it's small town America, and that's exactly what it was.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah. Small town. You're right. Absolutely.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

They had a relatively big parade. It was about 50 entrance into the parade. It ended at the, park downtown where they had all the vendors and they had a, ceremony, you know, you know, what went on and, you know, the emancipation, two years after. Lincoln had, actually freed the slaves. It was great, man, I can't, I can't it justice. And that's what we focused on. It was a focus on the Juneteenth, celebration. It wasn't, anti-anything. Let's start with that. It wasn't

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

All right.

Keith Pickens:

Okay.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

was a focus on American history and that's what it is. American history, black history is American history and that's part of American history and that's a good part of American history. No reason not to celebrate that.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Was there any guest speakers,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

just locally, no. You know what they did have. They did have, boots on the ground.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Oh, no. Goodness.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yes they did. And I wanna say the guy that was there had something to do with the song that I remember.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Oh, okay.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

He had something to do with the song. Anyway, they had a, teaching people how to do the dance. And it was fun. That's all I can tell you.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Well, that's how we celebrate Black folks. Celebrate, you know, partying, little bit of,

Keith Pickens:

like?

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

servers.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

typical, hamburgers, hot dogs. they did have some vendors with some sweetss, a lot of sweets,

Keith Pickens:

Okay.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

I didn't see any, barbecue ribs or nothing like that, you know, no soul food, nothing like that. It wasn't, yeah, it wasn't quite that. of a celebration.

Keith Pickens:

Okay.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

There were several food trucks. the queues were there, the Kappas, the, I'm sorry, the queues, the AKAs the Deltas were all there.

Keith Pickens:

Mm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

They had their tables set up.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

showcasing. black Greek history, it was great. It was a really nice celebration. We stayed there.

Keith Pickens:

were there any politicians there? Local

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

other than the mayor of Ben Harbor. No other politicians were there? No,

Keith Pickens:

Okay.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Just the mayor. I didn't expect any of the politicians to show. Given the climate, you know what I mean? They gotta be careful with what they show. And I understand that, I understand what they're trying to do. But, the mayor was there, mayor Benton Harbor was there. He was cool. He read a nice proclamation.

Keith Pickens:

Okay.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

He read a really nice proclamation. And did a really good job. The guy with the, line dance, instruction did a good job. So it was, it was a good celebration. They had a lot of different vendors there and had a good time. Lot of different giveaways, you know, just different things. But again, it was small town America.

Keith Pickens:

Mm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Gotta remember that,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

City America. It was small town America,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

town celebration, but it was a lot of fun. So, you

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Can't go wrong that way.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Did they have any speakers, to remind people what it was all about?

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

That was the

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Proclamation, okay.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

He, first, read what Juneteenth was all about.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

two years after the end of the Civil War,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

you know, word finally reached Texas that the slaves were free.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Um. And I don't remember him giving a specific, reason why it took so long. but you know, it did, it did whatever it was. We were fi all of us, all of us, all of continuous United States, were all finally free people. That is what the focus of the Juneteenth celebration is, and that is part of American history. So you know, no matter what happens going forward, not gonna be able to take that away

Keith Pickens:

Well.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Well, was any one of you guys familiar with Juneteenth prior to, 2021?

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

a little bit.

Keith Pickens:

Yeah. I

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah, I was, but

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

I've never heard a phrase before.

Keith Pickens:

Yeah. I had heard the phrase before. I had some familiarity with it. I'd seen people wear and sell various t-shirts. Knew some friends who celebrated it. so yeah, I, I had, you know, I had knowledge of it. I, um, I. I'm happy that Biden thought enough of, uh, the holiday, I mean, enough of the day to make it a holiday because I understand Texas in particular, but there were other, cities and states that did make it, a local holiday. But it was

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

Keith Pickens:

Decided to make it a national holiday in 21. It's become more of a cause for celebration. In fact, Tiffany and I were supposed to go to my niece's house tomorrow for a Juneteenth celebration. but unfortunately last minute it got canceled. She sent out a notice with apologies that she had to cancel it. She had something similar last year. And so, you know, now that it's a national holiday, we, I think embrace it more. We celebrate it more, obviously. Uh, people who are able to take a day off work or get a day off work, whatever the situation is, you know, it gives you cost to really focus on it and celebrate it. I've got a couple of different thoughts about it. Not that I wanna make it anything negative. It's not, but it's just, you know, so it's a little suspect, considering that, it wasn't that the confederates or even some of the people in the union necessarily embraced emancipation. And so there's definitely no reason to make has in terms of spreading it west, for people. Unfortunately those people in Texas, had to suffer through it, you know, in additional. two and a half years. And at that point,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Huh.

Keith Pickens:

they were emancipated, they did, from what I understand, begin to celebrate it with regularity that very next year, which was, 1866

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

Keith Pickens:

And apparently in 1979 they made it a holiday in Texas it only took, um. You know, you do the math, uh, you know, what, 40 years for it to be embraced nationally. But, yeah, I think that it's worthy. Like Ma Mike said, it doesn't have to be anything negative. I think it's worthy of celebration. I think it's wonderful to acknowledge because even though, it came a little late, it came and we should all embrace it and acknowledge it. And acknowledge it as a part of our history.'cause to Mike's point. Black history is American history and even though there's, an individual trying to erase every facet and circumstance, and I hear whispers about potentially trying to do away with, Juneteenth, it's something that, people of the United States are now aware of and like Mike said, you can try, but you really can't take it away.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right,

Keith Pickens:

it's important.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

In Texas, a Confederate state where there was no large. Army President presence, slavery continued years after the Emancipation Proclamation and even after the 13th Amendment was passed by Congress on January 31st, 1865. many enslaved people in the state were not aware of the news. Finally, in June of 1865, major General Gordon Granger and the union troops landed in Galveston, Texas to tell the enslaved African Americans living there that the Civil War had ended and they were now free. So that was even after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Texas was like, we don't care what they say,

Keith Pickens:

Right,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

it is what it is. They can do everything they can to try and do away with it, but it's not gonna fly. It's part of American history and in my book, it's always gonna be part of American History if they wanna take it out of history books, then we'll just teach it ourselves. That's the bottom line.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right, the thing that amazes me though, when I was going through that, those dates, those years of things. The independence that took place in South America, and then how the Native Americans had all these treaties. They had 300 something plus treaties,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

with the United States because, I guess they were considered a sovereign state.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

And then, the article kind of went off also to say that, 15 of those treaties were broken by the United States. It just doesn't surprise me. But the fact that, they weren't enslaved as long as we were enslaved.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Hmm.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

I mean, so that was a eyeopening, because I kind of thought I was, because when I was thinking about doing this episode, I was like, wait a minute. The Native Americans, how come they weren't enslaved from day one when Christopher got here? But they were. They also were a tool. For, exploring the continent of the United States, the northern park, and then also, and then also, as far as the, fur trade and all that kind of stuff. So I guess that was a situation they were a part of. And they were able to escape a lot, according to what I was reading. So they couldn't hold them down.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

lay of the land.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

Keith Pickens:

Yeah.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

You can try if you want to,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

right.

Keith Pickens:

But I mean, for the most part, Tom, they, I mean, you know, to use phrase from a Malcolm, they were bamboozled in hoodwinked,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yep.

Keith Pickens:

They thought they were benefiting, but they were really being taken advantage of.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

Keith Pickens:

Even if they weren't physically enslaved, to an extent, they were mentally enslaved, right?

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

Keith Pickens:

Ran real deep.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

Keith Pickens:

It really ended up where, everything was taken from them,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right. And then sickness was part of it too, because the population wasn't growing. And I guess at that point, that's when they decided to go to another, continent and bring folks back.

Keith Pickens:

Okay.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

And hence that's where we come in

Keith Pickens:

right,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah. Yeah. So, uh, got this combination of doing, make me wanna holler and save the children because this unnecessary bombing of these places, man, just drives me crazy.

Keith Pickens:

Yeah.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

You've got Israel bombing in Iran. I mean, and the thing is, these bombs don't appear to be militarily. Strategically drops.

Keith Pickens:

Right.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

there you see apartment buildings come down, you're seeing neighborhoods being destroyed and that whole Gaza thing is nothing but a parking lot now

Keith Pickens:

Oh

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

And then there's no hollering and screaming for aid to get into Gaza that's being held back I mean, we're not screaming and yelling at Israel and neither are the other countries screaming and yelling, and I just can't understand that people are starving.

Keith Pickens:

Not that, not well. You may be more in tune than myself, Tom, but not that we know. Obviously, we know that we're not, because we typically embrace whatever they want to do. we're connected at the hip, and I don't mean that I. Uh, to come across in a negative way. But, if is Israel, if Israel is doing it, we're typically supporting it. And so the shame of it is nobody looks at the human aspect of it. Like you said, it's not that they're, taking on military zones or being strategic, killing people like me and you,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

Keith Pickens:

And

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

Keith Pickens:

it's just really sad. They're denying them, power, heating and cooling and obviously food where, they're being starved it's really just a sad situation, man. And I, and I think about the United States and how blessed we've been years. Obviously, not taking into account, Hawaii, but you know, in, our lifetime we haven't had to deal with the threat of war. To even imagine. Just going about your business, whether you're shopping or,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Can't comprehend it.

Keith Pickens:

How much fear can you imagine they're living in not knowing at any moment that their lives can be taken or their homes can be destroyed, or their children, can die from hunger it's really just a travesty, man. It's

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah. That

Keith Pickens:

Nobody is making any noise about it. Nobody is really doing anything to make it come to an end,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

Keith Pickens:

you

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

I'm fearful. That we are creating future terrorists or future people that are going to hate the United States, and they're gonna do what they can, whether they're, psychologically sound or unsound. They may have lost their parent or a family member or, disfigured themselves and they're just gonna take out that rage.

Keith Pickens:

Yeah.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

You know, Netanyahu seemed like he trying to just a total elimination,

Keith Pickens:

yeah.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

you know?

Keith Pickens:

and that's his game plan.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

Keith Pickens:

know, he's kind of taken a page outta Russia's playbook, in Ukraine. Just totally annihilate those folks. And, yeah, there's no compassion, man. the sad part. You know, I mean, war for intents and purposes, we've always had war,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

Keith Pickens:

but, the threat of, nuclear annihilation has kept it at bay from a

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yes.

Keith Pickens:

I understand, Israel's excuse in terms of being neighbors to Iran and worrying about them having, nuclear weapons, but to just totally devastate a city, without any, I guess when you look at strategy, they tried to bomb the scientists and the places where they're making these bombs. But even with that, without any regard for human life and the citizens.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

Keith Pickens:

And so, that's

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

Keith Pickens:

me, that's a make even gonna holler moment because

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

Keith Pickens:

It's unnecessary by all accounts, as far as I'm concerned.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

Keith Pickens:

It's gotta be a different

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

It gotta be,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

I'm

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

I read, when I was in the military, there was a book that Colin Powell, put out. It was basically, a military, guide book, I just happened to get a copy of it. I don't remember how I got a copy. But I read it. And one of the things in there that stuck with me is that. He said, and of course I'm paraphrasing, he said that, the wars we've had are wars where people are in uniform. The future wars we're going to have are the people are not gonna be in uniform. So you're not gonna know who the enemy is. And then the other thing is that it could actually take place on any street corner, basically just like a fight can break out, any part of the country. It could just break out.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

We just have no clue or who our true enemies will be in that future war. I thought that was interesting it stuck with me.

Keith Pickens:

Yeah.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

Keith Pickens:

I think that short of really trying to, keep a lid on that, the potential with this country being a melting pot has always been there. You know, when you look at, nine 11, when you look at the bombings that's caused devastation on what would be considered a small scale, many lives were lost. when you have people from other countries who have concerns. It's not as if we're natives, although we were born here, our forefathers were brought here. It puts you in a state where's your loyalty at the end of the day. You come here for opportunities and so forth and you come here, with a semblance of peace not having to worry about some of the things that the people you left behind have to worry about. Yet you still have a loyalty and allegiance to your native people. To that end, Tom, like you said. At any point, somebody can come up with a plan. To do major damage. I really think that because there's always gonna be, unbeknownst to the population, to the public, I really think that there are always plans being hatched, but it's just a

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

Keith Pickens:

you know, can the individuals pull'em off?

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

Keith Pickens:

they, can get beyond the radar of the FBI or the CIA or, whatever government agency is paying attention. But I

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

Keith Pickens:

is always gonna be out there. And even more so now, because, from a, from the standpoint of being on an island, you know, we've been so disrespectful of our allies that who's gonna wanna support us anyway? You know what I'm saying? Who's gonna wanna fight with us?

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Huh. Good God. What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. Say it again. Uhhuh. You hit it right on the head, Keith. Nobody's gonna side with us when we become isolationists, and where we're headed. We need to stay out of that Middle East thing. And I know the fascist in chief is doing his best. least he says he is to stay out of it. But at the same time, he turned around and told Iran, you need to, capitulate. You need to surrender now. Well, how you gonna tell somebody to surrender who you not at war with?

Keith Pickens:

Yeah.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

I didn't know we were at war with Iran. If the war is between Israel and Iran, then if Netanyahu told them to. unconditionally. That's something different.

Keith Pickens:

Exactly.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

no, our president told another country, you need to just surrender. Oh, we might bomb you too.

Keith Pickens:

Absolutely

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Whoa. That means that we're in it.

Keith Pickens:

how does he get that authority? How has he gotten any of the authority he's had,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right? It's in his head.

Keith Pickens:

It should

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Oh yeah. Congress is the person.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right now, it was a bill introduced in Congress that they're trying to stop him on that one. trying to say, Nope, before war, but you don't have to introduce a bill. It's already your responsibility,

Keith Pickens:

Absolutely.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

they wanna limit his power to declare a war.

Keith Pickens:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

again, Congress, if you had stepped up earlier to check him. You wouldn't be in this position now to have to introduce a bill to check him.

Keith Pickens:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

No, no, no. You already have that power. Just exercise that.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Why do we need to keep introducing more bills for a power that you already have? Uhuh? Just do it.

Keith Pickens:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

But no, they won't do it. So, you know, that's why we're in this situation now. And, since the world really does not respect Trump, they really don't. I said his name. I didn't mean to do that.

Keith Pickens:

Which they don't respect United States,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

I'm sorry, say again, Keith.

Keith Pickens:

means they don't respect us.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

correct, correct, correct. I had two friends recently that have traveled abroad and come back and they said the same thing when it was revealed that they were from the USA people came over them and started talking to them about, you know. What are you people doing? What's going, you know what, why aren't you guys stepping up?

Keith Pickens:

right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Um, know, and he, it got to the point where one friend, he wouldn't even let him know that he was from the us, you know what I mean? He wouldn't, but I mean, you can't help him when you talk.

Keith Pickens:

Right, right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

know? He wouldn't even, go out of his way to, you know, try not to say anything.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

you know, to not let anybody know that he was from the us. If they heard his accent,

Keith Pickens:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

would come over and start talking to him.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Not that they were blaming them, you know, but

Keith Pickens:

no, but.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

they was expressing their concern about what was going on in the us put it at that. So war is not good. At this point I think it's inevitable.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

I don't like it one bit. I don't think anybody does. and like you said, uh, like Tom said, the bomb's already here. They're not gonna come flying from overseas.

Keith Pickens:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

no, they're already here.

Keith Pickens:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

It's just a matter of, which sales will be activated at what time to do whatever needs to be done, to further their goals. There are always enemies of the us

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

people over there too. Don't get it twisted. Right. We have people over there too that can do the same thing, so

Keith Pickens:

Absolutely.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

get it twisted. Ah-huh. There you go. So, you know, that goes both ways. We'll see what happens. But I really do think war is inevitable at this point.'cause fascists always want war. That adds to even more confusion

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

and more devastation. Tom. Okay. You all said, um, I. Nobody seems to be saying anything about the bombings and the starvation,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

with gossip.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

For thanks for making that, taking it back to the man.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

yeah, it's not that nobody's saying anything. It's that we in the US aren't hearing it. Turn on your local news. What are you getting now? Local news, you not hearing. They, drowning out the voices. They're not getting the air time

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

the people that are saying something.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

If we're able to get, world coverage, you'll hear more people saying something.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

that's true, Mike. You're right, because there was a time that I was religiously watched the BBC,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

or now that I have access to Al Jazeer, I would watch that kind of stuff. But yeah, you're right. You're absolutely right. American media does not cover that stuff to the extent that it should.

Keith Pickens:

Absolutely.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

yeah. And the BBC doesn't hold back. They, tell it like it is. And then Al Ja.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

the same thing.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yep.

Keith Pickens:

Right, I don't know. It's good, good, good conversation though in terms of, you know, just current events with Juneteenth and it's always good to be aware of what's going on in the world and shame of what's going on in the world, more importantly. And just because a world leader doesn't mean that you can't have passion. And I just, you know, that part really gets to me that nobody seems to care. When you're advancing your political agenda, that's the only thing that matters and it's shameful.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Number one, no, none of us is as smart as all of us, so I'm gonna say that again.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Uh, please do.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

None of us is as smart as all of us. We all have skills. God gave us all different skills across the board and nobody can do everything. Great leaders put together the smartest people in the various fields and listen to what they have to say. And. Making a informed decision

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

the best people, right? Because none of us, as smart as all of us,

Keith Pickens:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

know, Keith has skills. I don't have, I have skills. Keith don't have, Tom has skills off the board

Keith Pickens:

Right,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

that none of us have. Tom know what he doing every time he step on the, on the plane, on, on, on, on the court. So none of us is as smart as all of us. Number two. Democracy is not a one-off. It's like a machine. It always is going to need maintenance. It's always going to need oil. It's up to each generation do the maintenance to our democracy to make sure that it continues.

Keith Pickens:

I like that Mike.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

It's the truth. Nothing is, is, um, I don't know how to say, is a one-off. We're a democracy now and we don't have to do anything else because the words in the constitution say we're a democracy. People aren't following those words.

Keith Pickens:

right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Democracy takes maintenance each generation has to step up and do their part to maintain it.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Otherwise, this is what will happen.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right. Otherwise your democracy will be gone. going forward, if we are able to get democracy back in a form that we appreciate, that we are familiar with, it's really gonna take maintenance. And in order to have that maintenance, we have to teach younger generations what the maintenance is. And that's something that I will say that. Our generation generations, not just ours,

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

but the last couple of generations in America, this has nothing to do with skin color or anything in America, did not teach what it takes to maintain democracy. When you don't do that, that's when fascism. Would creep in.'cause if you don't maintain democracy, somebody said, well, I can fix this for you. Somebody else will come in

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

you want, you got a problem, you want it fixed? Oh, well, I'll fix it for you. And they gonna fix it their way.

Keith Pickens:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

that's what has happened. Right. This pri, everybody was complaining, oh, democracy is messy. It's this, it's that. Well, yeah, it's supposed to, it's not supposed to be neat and tidy,

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

but it worked very well to, to what? American. American never stopped being great.

Keith Pickens:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

never stopped being great,

Keith Pickens:

That's true.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

right? It, it didn't stop being great. It, it might not been great for some people who lost power,

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

part of democracy. Just because you're not in power all the time, doesn't mean that you hated, you know what I mean? Doesn't mean that you won't be in power other times, but democracy means that everybody gets a seat at the table, everybody gets a chance,

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

you know, for a certain group of people, they didn't like that. Oh, no.

Keith Pickens:

Mm-hmm.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

this time around when they got in power, they made sure that, hmm, not gonna, we not gonna have it so that, you know, the rest of you can, get back in power. They don't like that. Democracy takes maintenance, freedom takes maintenance. It's up to each. Generation to continue to do that. And it's up to us to teach each generation, what it means and what you have to do to do that. If it means voting, vote,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Well, that's what I was,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

do it.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

what? Yeah, that's what I thought you were for. Referring to Mike, you were referring to either get involved in politics or be a citizen and vote.

Keith Pickens:

Yeah,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Just participate

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Participate.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Back. You know,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

participation.

Keith Pickens:

Yeah.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

If we don't participate in democracy, it's gone.

Keith Pickens:

I was

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

Keith Pickens:

to your point, it was very

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

I.

Keith Pickens:

said, there's very little I can add to it, but I agree with you by suggesting that we've also become complacent. Because with all of the freedoms that we have or we've had, there's a tendency to lean towards complacency, which means that when you're complacent, you don't wanna participate. what people

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm mm mm.

Keith Pickens:

I'm gonna simplify it, because it doesn't mean it always will be. Okay. And I'll say that

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

right,

Keith Pickens:

Just

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

right.

Keith Pickens:

it is today, it doesn't mean that it will always be when they came from England of the Tea Party,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Uh,

Keith Pickens:

a decision

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

going back

Keith Pickens:

different. No, but it's all pertinent and relevant

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Absolutely.

Keith Pickens:

They thought, for a mixing pot it was gonna work and was good for everybody. It's evolved from then to now how many liberties can you have, without having a semblance of control or being able to say, look, we have a constitution that should keep everything organized and in order, even if you have amendments or local laws or state laws, that kind of, or an offshoot, so to speak. But to Mike's point, just because. Things are going well. If you don't oil it, if you don't put oil in your car, or if you don't make adjustments, it's not gonna continue to run the same. Okay?

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

right.

Keith Pickens:

gotta be mindful that you've gotta take care of your business. So if democracy is what you're about, you have to understand what democracy is all about. Everybody has a voice. And to Mike's point. One year, two years, four years, eight years. It may not be that person you wanted to, govern things the way you feel they should be governed, but that's their prerogative. If you participate, perhaps you can get an opportunity to swing it back in the other direction so that. Your point of view can be heard and the types of things you believe in can be put into effect. Voting is essential. People have to be mindful and, as a country we get so complacent. And what happened is we allowed all of those representatives to be our voice, which they should be our, active voice. But that doesn't mean we should be silent,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Say that again, doc.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right,

Keith Pickens:

that doesn't mean we should be silent.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

Keith Pickens:

lay back and let somebody speak for you, they may not choose the words that

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm. Right.

Keith Pickens:

They may go off on a tangent in a totally different direction. And so to Mike's point, you put it in such a eloquent way, my friend, I really appreciate that. But the only thing that I could think about to sum it up was, you know, just because things are the way they are, don't mean they will be the way they always will be. So we

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm.

Keith Pickens:

active in terms of our participation and we can't sit on our hands and be complacent.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right, exactly. And it is up to the young.'cause we're in our sixties, our time. It's up to them. It's their world.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

people, if you're listening, it's your world.

Keith Pickens:

Absolutely.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

You have to step up and do this. This is the point we're talking about maintenance of democracy is now your responsibility. you're between. 21 and 40, it is your responsibility to step up and do what's necessary to maintain democracy, whatever that is, whatever that means to you. Voting, in local, events, whatever that is,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

You say, PTA school board,

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

CTA school board, all of it, right? You know, food banks, whatever that means,

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

do it. Just get involved and do it and continue on, and you do your part. Everybody does their little part and it all comes together.

Keith Pickens:

Absolutely.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

The rest of us in humanity would appreciate it.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yes.

Keith Pickens:

And I might add, even though there was a cutoff in terms of you saying, the responsibility has shifted you're absolutely right. That does not mean that the three of us or anybody in our category turns our head or steps away from being involved in trying to make a difference. But the energy that we'll

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

Keith Pickens:

The thought processes, the new thought

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

Keith Pickens:

we

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Mm-hmm.

Keith Pickens:

come from people that are much younger than us, but we still have a vested interest in making sure that, we maintain what we've always known, which is an act of democracy.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

All right.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

go.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yeah.

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Yes, sir.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

All right. Mike Miller. Keith Pickens,

Keith Pickens:

Yes sir.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

another great episode, gentlemen.

Keith Pickens:

good

michael-miller_1_06-18-2025_160605:

Thank you so much.

thomas-corley_1_06-18-2025_160605:

All right, you guys have a good one. Enjoy your Juneteenth.

To learn more about today's topics, become a subscriber, text us or become a supporter, go to the show description. That's all the time we've got this week. Thanks for listening. We'll be back next week with the What's Going On Podcast.