 Welcome to Sister Power, I'm Sharon Thomas Yarbrough. Today marks five days until Election Day, 227,700 U.S. deaths from coronavirus. Record 75 million early ballots passed nationwide. Sister Power special guest Barbara Mitchell from Atlanta, Georgia. Hi there. Oh, Aloha. Dr. Deborah Butler that we affectionately call Dr. D. Right here with me and Honolulu and welcome back again, Shava Grant in San Antonio, Texas. Am I correct? Yeah. All right. Great, great, great. All right. Let's jump right into and discuss why American needs to be smart again and the power of our vote. Let's start with you, Barbara. What is your meaning of make America smart again? My meaning of make America smart again occurred to me, especially during this particular election, because I felt like America had gone backwards. And what can each of us do to just make America smart again? And of course, there's many areas and times in history when America has not been smart. And I know Dr. Butler has a whole list. And one of the things I wanted to point out is that it's history, and history is what it is. And one of the smartest things one can do is to know history, because if you know history, then you are less likely to repeat the bad parts of it. Dr. D, what makes America smart again to you? I can't argue that America was ever smart. You see, people were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. In America, the reason why America and the rest of the world is in so much chaos is because it's backwards. Things are being loved and people are being used. In America, how ridiculous is it that we have to pass laws for the equal treatment of people. What's more ridiculous is that there are people who vote against these laws. We shouldn't even have to have laws, let alone people voting against laws of equality. There's nothing smart about that. And yes, I'm going to go back to the 40s when domestically, Jim Crow was still in full force, especially throughout the South, which I was born in Mobile, Alabama, raised in the south. In the 50s, we reached a stalemate in Korea. The Korean War began on June 25, which is my birthday, which is why I remember it so well. But my birthday is June 25, 1961. But this began in 1950. But by July of 1950, the American troops had entered the war on South Korea's behalf. And then we have the 60s. In the 60s, we had the Cuban Missile Crisis. We had John F. Kennedy assassination, then a conflict in Vietnam that led to massive demonstration against the war. The war is never smart with all the blood that's being shed. There's nothing smart about that. And then we have the 17th, the Watergate, the oil embargo, and the Ron hostage crisis happened. There's nothing smart about any of that. And then that brings us to the 80s, despite the Beirut Barak, the Barak bombings in Beirut that killed like 240 something, United States troops, 40 times more than were killed in Benghazi. And despite the Iran contraband, I just want to say, Tom has pushed the deficit to over $1 trillion. There's nothing smart about that, people. A 74 increase in just four years, we have nothing, absolutely nothing to show for it. No new infrastructure, no new social programs, and virtually no CDC to protect us from the coronavirus epidemic. I have relatives I've lost through this epidemic, brothers and uncles, aunties, friends, and even my son is in prison, Hawaii sent their inmates to a private prison in Arizona. And one of his cell block made that today, but you won't hear that on the news. You won't hear that because they don't seem to understand that we love our family, even if they are inmates. I'm just saying all this to say that we have nothing to show for nothing how we have been gutted by Trump. And then on top of all of that, the United States has the highest prison rate, speaking of prison, the highest prison rate. There's nothing behind the developed world in education as a retired school teacher. I know a little bit about that. And America is in trillion dollars of debt. There is nothing smart about that. How can anyone argue that America is smart, because there's nothing at all smart about that. If you hire a man, if you hire a man. Go ahead. I'm sorry. I'm fired up too. I understand. I just feel you and I'm loving that you left and that you are giving to sister power viewers, but I want to move on and we'll come back and speak with you, Dr. D to our guest again who was here before two weeks ago, Shava Grant. What is your meaning of make America smart again. Yeah, I want to first start off by saying that I am very sorry for the loss that you suffered throughout all this. And I'm, I'm deeply sorry. I know, you know, the current administration clearly not my choice, but still, we're still America and we have to all take responsibility for where we put ourselves. And I know we're working to get out of that, but I'm really sorry for you and all the I know it's going to be the last couple months. For me, I think the word smart in itself, the very definition of smart is taking what you've got and making it better. Because it's not really, you can't really consider yourself smart. If you were taking something that is good, and it's been, you know, and making it better, or, or, you know, take it good. And we need to transform something that's good, right. So, for me, talking about making America smart again, there's an admission that put things in place that were smart. He was taking something in Champs and put presents and put things into place, making a, making a better building it from the ground up, and then canned it, canned it off shambles like they are right now. I feel like when we talk about making America smart again, we're talking about getting back to a place where we are actually building and not just adding to the deficit and adding to, you know, the pandemic is way out of hand. It's way out of hand. Other countries handle it so different. And we had the plans that were already in place to be able to handle this for a way it should have been handled because we knew this was coming. So when we talk about making America smart again, I, you know, I, I want to talk about getting in a new administration into place that we can start to build again what has been torn down over the last four years. Yeah, we have some pictures to show about the previous administration that, you know, we miss so dearly of course and, you know, and this picture says when America was great. So, I want to also would like to do something you want to add Barbara. Yes, I do because I totally agree with our Dr. Butler and all the things that she was saying, but I have this saying it's like okay, you know, all those things were not pretty, but we have to start somewhere and they say how do you need to bear one bite at a time. So that was kind of my thinking is that we need to start. First of all, we really have to hold our political people are accountable. Now, we're all hoping and well I shouldn't say all but our group I know is hoping that it is Biden and Harris, because then we have an opportunity. If that does not happen, I don't even want to think about what the bad part is, and my overall thinking about this really started with updating the entire public education system but that's a long story. I was like, what can we do now each day, each of us. And I thought, you know, just being kind, having good manners, good manners. Please, thank you, excuse me, I have never had anyone say to me thank you, please excuse me and I thought you know that's one down person. I never thought that several things that we can do to make us smart and to regain our respect around the world. And of course, we will be talking from all hopefully this on our next session about accountability because I think we have gone so far backwards, because things were not perfect, but there was, I thought, some degree of respect for truth. Even with voter suppression, it's like, when by any means possible, when did it come okay to win by cheating. And the thing that got me is, so many of them are okay with that. So those are the kinds of things that we have to think about, we have to think about what truth means. Each of us have to think really hard and creatively we all be in dumb down to some degree. You know, for example, if you want to take the phone, remember when we remembered all phone numbers now I remember three if that. So my thing is let's start where we can start to make a difference and reach who we can reach politically or otherwise to try to undo the bad that has been done just within the last four years. You're absolutely correct. The power of our vote. And I just want to put this question out to two ladies and I'd like to start with Shava. When I filled out my ballot, I voted for science, I voted for empathy, I voted for the environment. What, when you fill out your ballot, ladies, we'll start with Shava and then Dr. D and then Barbara. Tell me what your feelings were. You know, I really truly believe that we are in this place, because people don't feel like they are being heard. And I think that also there's a demographic that felt like they were always being heard and now that there are other people that are getting their treatment they feel like they are now they're now being suppressed. And I do think that a lot of and I know we talked about this last time but it is a lot of conversation that needs to be had across the table across races in every with, you know, every which direction with everyone we come in contact with, because it's the conversation is the only thing that's going to educate people, not talking at people or, you know, reposting you know information and all that stuff it's really the connection, because I think that there is a big group of people that felt the connection to this person is going to make sure that my voice is heard also because, because other people were now getting equal treatment so. Oh my goodness, I just forgot my trans out where was I going where we will come back let's hear what Dr. D had to say what you're saying makes a lot of sense of Shava. Well, when you filled out your ballot. Dr. D. Tell me what were you feeling at that time I said science and empathy. What are you doing. Actually, I would settle for just intelligence. A lot of so called intelligent people, I know do a lot of dumb stuff. They break things and hurt people they even end up in prison. Oh, presidents. Human beings, kings are typically considered to be intelligent but from time to time they perform acts that are questionable even evil. I would settle for intelligence because we don't even have that in the office right now. And the best way to prove and continue to improve your own intelligence is best found in the way that how you treat others when you live. People how you want to be treated, it makes for a better world and helps the world, a better place to live. So I voted for kindness respect consideration generosity. That's a good place to start considering what we have. You really not looking for a whole lot. You know, compared to what we have right now but when you have someone who hurts who lies and cheats and stills who murders remains bears false witness. It's purely is unjustly criticizing punishing or otherwise treating others as being inferior to themselves. No matter how intelligent they may think they are they may appear to be to some, or they may pretend to be. They're not intelligent and they're not smart and it makes America not smart. When you vote someone in like that, you can say you smart all day long but your actions speak louder than your words. So the bottom line to answer your question. I just settle for intelligence right now. All right, all right Barbara Mitchell. Well, I will add to everything that has been said, and the top of my list really is empathy, you know, and I am agreeing that you have to treat people with respect, and that is just null and void during this administration. The top of my list really was empathy, and that covers a lot of things and, you know, intelligence but I find that I guess I didn't think that I didn't think that were necessarily because so many people. They think they are and I don't know. I think that's why it was going back to education and teaching in the school. I don't think they understand the meaning of intelligent I don't think they understand the meaning of truth. Honestly, it's like none of that matters, you know, I don't think they know what that means anymore and that's what's really scary. People have convinced themselves that they're intelligent they've convinced many have convinced themselves that they're very Christian and they don't understand that that means love so it's all very confusing so I do think we have to have conversations and try to break it down in third grade English and I have this thing about the five Ws in one H to help someone understand who what why when and how you can take any scenario and ask yourself those questions and come up with an answer of what you really think about it and what it is it's very hard to rationalize around the truth and what is it should be but not during this last four years. Yeah, yeah, I just looked at one of my girlfriends on one of the thread. I was asked, you're going to lose friends over politics. She said, I'm going to lose friends over moral huge different your thoughts Shabba. I, I completely agree with that statement and. Yeah, I completely agree with that. It's definitely been a hard four years. You definitely seen people's true colors with I definitely would not wish this year again on anyone on ourselves let's hope that we can get out of this and never have to relive anything like this again. But I, I definitely agree with that and I think that, like I said, I think only conversations with the people around us are going to be what pushes the needle in the other direction I'm hoping, I mean we only have a few more days left. And so I'm really hoping that everyone has done what they can to touch the people that they know and that they love because there is very surprising the people that you would automatically assume have some sort of sense of girls and some sort of actually listening to what's going on and actually paying attention and, and making people be accountable for what they are actually saying. It's very surprising to see the people around that just, you know, do not don't just flat out don't do that so I would 100% agree with that is totally about morals. Yeah, it's all about moral and I'd love to say that from Shirley Chisholm, if they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair. I love that. And that's what we're doing. And Deborah, Dr. D and Shava will we have our purpose called earlier you were talking about when you leave the country we would travel that we're a laughing stock United States of America is a laughing stock with this administration, your view. Dr. The intelligence has a very little to do with IQ and far more to do with personal individual responsibility. The Bible says by their work you should know them 40% or more of all Americans think that Trump is doing a great job, even though this man has told Americans don't be afraid of COVID. Don't let it dominate your life as long as you can take your private helicopter like Trump from your home to a hospital to an even better hospital, you will do great, but the average American can't do that. It is no longer just embarrassing observe how stupid people that are not Americans see Americans as being who think this way. It's surprising that anyone in the country remains unconvinced that the world is flat. You can easily convince a third of all Americans that gravity is a hoax, despite Trump, the United States is still the world leader. And if I were to bite, oh, President Obama, President Trump, or if his cat poop on it, the whole world is going to know about it because it's going to make national news, and it doesn't really matter. People in other countries, yeah, they're laughing at Americans, they're laughing at Trump, they're laughing at pants, and they're referring to Trump as Lord of the lives and pants is Lord of the fly. Believe in that scientists, scholars, historians, economists stand and journalists have devoted their entire lives to deceiving you while a reality TV star with decades of fraud and exhaustively documented lying is your only beacon of truth and honesty. Just think about it on a personal level. If you were to hire a man to make your house great. And he has incompetent children. Still all of your money, give it to all his rich neighbors. Everybody gets it. Kill your family. Back over your mailbox, run down your house and then just blame everybody except himself. Would you have that man again. To make your house great. No, you wouldn't. But the Americans are considering hiring them again. Americans are considered foolish, arrogant, and people from other countries. They're laughing at America, because not just because of our gun culture and lifestyle and arrogance and foolishness. And then there are countries that countries to in the world that that envy the United States their countries and say that they either envy it, or they hate it. Yeah, Barbara, your thoughts, Barbara, your thoughts. Well, I just think with all of this, you know, we are, we are so aware of and that 40% is really what was scary to me. I can understand one, you know, person being off and even many of the Republicans but to have 40% of Americans. That is very troubling. And that's why we have to really think of how we can change that. I don't think we can change that mindset because to me, it's what's in your heart and no matter what anyone says, you vote for that person who represents something within you. Now you can lie all day and say that's not true, but that is true. There's parts of Trump that that 40% identifies with. We have to work in every way we can to try to reach, let's just say, Biden and Harris, and see what we can do to help them to be accountable, because there'll be a lot of chaos, but we're really going downhill if we don't change that. And I just think our voices to speak louder and hopefully we can figure out a way for them to reach all of the people as Charlotte was saying earlier, a lot of that group feels like they were left behind. And actually, and truthfully, a lot of them were a lot of us, I feel in many ways, I was, you know, I don't feel I definitely have not gotten fair treatments in reference to many whites, you know, my life, but I certainly think that America is worth saving because it's like we have a chance to make it better. And that's the thing, a lot of that 40% says well, and I think I've read something that Trump's niece said the other day it's like, well if he goes down and a lot of the people with them they want to burn the whole thing down. And that's just not something that is acceptable. Yeah, we have a chance to make it better. And we just have to try to find that way it starts with each of us. Shava, give us your views of the importance of activism and sparking change and how we can make America smart again. I think that individuals take responsibility for their own self and making a plan for themselves. If you don't plan and you don't put things into place, it's not going to happen, right. So, so saying to yourself that you are going to whatever it is that that is your is important to you that you are going to make sure that you make a difference in that category. It's not just what you need or for anything. And then outside of that just touching the people that are close to you in a way that in a very conversational way, where you are not also educating yourself on why other people feel the way that they do for a specific thing so that you can become a what more well rounded person and be able to have these conversations with people educate your on not only your views but just other views and empathy for other people. So I feel like that is it always starts with you first taking that responsibility for what you are doing and not doing and who are you are talking to and touching and not touching. Oh, all right. Well, Dr. D. I would say it well even though the United States is not smart is not a saint and it has a share of bad decent wars and bloodshed but it still rules the world. If only there was better leadership in America only God knows what America could do if it would do in terms of the success of this nation and better quality life for the Americans. So I would just, in conclusion, I would say for Americans to make it smart. Try being informed, not just opinionated. And until America can see that and understand that and believe that and receive that and accept that America will never be smart. All right, Barbara, any wisdom for people young and old who are fighting for social change. I think that all of the protesting that was done and there were some older but there was a lot of young that has made a lot of difference. Even our corporations are trying to figure out talking honestly with their employees to see what they were doing that with races, and they're able to have someone honest conversation. As far as I know that has never really happened. In fact, you thought you were going to get fired. Now they are openly wanting to discuss that they're actually doing surveys to see what their percentage of minorities are in their country so I think bringing attention to what is going on is really a plus. I think Schaller generation, I believe will be able to correct a lot of the mess that we've made, at least that's what we're hoping for. So we have to work together. We have to give them our wisdom and they have the energy to take it to the next level. Thank you. In closing, I want to thank Dr. D. I want to thank Shava. I want to thank Barbara Mitchell and we will continue this conversation. I just want to thank sister part viewers. Thank you for spending your time with sister power vote early vote safe vote now use your power and vote Aloha.