Voting Rights Under Pressure: How Redistricting Shifts Power and Why Voting Still Matters

Court rulings can change your life before you even realize what happened, and this episode of Thirsty Topics is not letting that pass quietly.

We start with the Supreme Court’s 2026 Louisiana redistricting decision and what it means for voting rights, racial gerrymandering, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and political representation. If you have ever wondered why people keep saying “your vote matters,” this conversation gives you a real-world reason: nobody fights this hard to control something that does not matter.

Then we move from policy to the street level, where a Florida parking spot argument ends in a fatal shooting. We talk through stand your ground laws, road rage, public anger, and why video evidence can completely change how a story is understood. This is not about chasing hot takes. It is about how quickly conflict can escalate when people are stressed, armed, and ready to prove a point.

We also make room for culture and everyday life, including LeBron James, legacy, leadership, and knowing when it may be time to move on. From there, we get into modern privacy concerns with Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, secret recordings, consent, and safety. We close with a viral bathroom debate that touches parenting, public safety, and common sense.

Watch, subscribe, share, and support Thirsty Topics. For bonus content, Thirsty Conversations, and the new documentary series Legacy Makers, visit elrodtvnetwork.com.

Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

Tired of surface-level inspiration? This raw, transformative documentary digs deep into turning pain into purpose. Mainstream platforms wouldn't touch these powerful stories of resilience, but you can access them now on elrodvnetwork.com.

Transcript

Welcome And A Quick Health Check

SPEAKER_00 1:17

Hello everyone. Welcome to this week's episode of Thirsty Topics. How are you doing, Wonder?

SPEAKER_01 1:23

I am great. A little tired, a little hot, but I'm great. What about you, Lawrence?

SPEAKER_00 1:29

I am great as well, too. Um, been doing a lot of things today on a very, very busy day, very hot outside, so I can't complain.

SPEAKER_01 1:39

Absolutely. I can't. I can't. It's not gonna do us any good. We we say that often, but it won't do a bit of good because everybody got something to complain about.

SPEAKER_00 1:47

That is true. That is true. I I I believe someone said a while ago, which is true, any day above ground is a good day.

SPEAKER_01 1:55

Oh, absolutely, absolutely. And I'm I'm grateful, you know, helped because I was dealing with um sciatica. I don't know if you've ever dealt with that, man. And I'm a natural, natural person, man. But I shout out to Curinol. I had not had any for like a couple of months. I started using uh uh like another form of uh turmeric, and I was used, I don't take medication, so I end up taking um some uh ibuprofen and I don't fool with medication, but it worked. But after a while it didn't work, and I'm like, I had to think like what was I using? I was exercising all the time, it was the turmeric, and I want to get that turmeric, and I promise you, 1,000 milligrams. I take two of them uh in the morning and two in the evening. I was I could do cartwheels. Well, not exactly, but you know, I could do cartwheels.

SPEAKER_00 2:46

Wait, that's a good thing, though.

SPEAKER_01 2:48

Yes, shout out to Curinol.

SPEAKER_00 2:52

Well, Wonder, I am going to let you start off the topics today.

SPEAKER_01 2:56

Oh my god. Okay, yes, sir, yes, sir, yeah. The the first hot topic that we're gonna talk about is um, and I'm sure our viewers have heard this, the U.S. Supreme Court's most significant uh and recent ruling on redistricting was this April of 2026. Decision in Louisiana versus I I believe it's called Kalesia, Kalacea, C-A-L-L-A-I-S. Uh, and what happened by it won six to three votes, and the justice struck down the Louisiana congressional map, narrowing the use of race as a primary factor in drawing electoral uh districts under the voting rights act. So the court ruling, the Supreme Court sided with plaintiffs who challenged the Louisiana

Supreme Court Redistricting And Voting Rights

SPEAKER_01 3:56

congressional map, which had been redrawn uh to include a second uh majority black district. The court determined the map was unconstitutional and racial gerrymander, writing the majority. Justice Samuel Alito clarified that while section two of the Voting Rights Act protect voters from intentional discrimination, it does not mandate the state's uh prioritize race to create majority slash minority districts if legitimate and non-racial redistricting uh reasons exist. My God. Now, the key takeaways strict scrutiny. The decision severely restricts the ability uh of states to explicitly use race as a dominant factor when configuring legislative and congressional district boundaries. Voter Rights Act interpretation. The court established that lower courts had misinterpreted rather section two of the Voting Rights Act. The justices ruled that states cannot be forced to draw maps primarily based on race to increase the number of minority held seats. Last thing, the midterm fallouts, the ruling's timing triggered immediate political and legal consequences ahead of the midterm election. It disrupted existing maps in Louisiana and prompted uh uh substantial uh legitimate legitimate regarding the use of previously previously blocked maps in other states like Alabama. And that was a lot impacting that. Your thoughts?

SPEAKER_00 6:12

Well, you know, the real sad part about this is you you're starting to see a new trend where instead of you know the ads and going out to the people trying to earn votes, they're trying to win elections through the court system. And you're starting to see this all across the United States. You know, everything from redistricting the maps to coming up with laws that make it more difficult to vote. And the real sad part about this, Wander, is that it's kind of flying below the radar. I don't think a lot of people are, you know, with all the craziness that's going on right now, I don't think people are really paying attention to what's going on. And even though it's really bad how they're doing this and what they're doing, I still believe that it's very important to get out and vote. Don't let anyone tell you that your vote is not important because one of the things that I point out is if your vote was not so important, they would not be fighting so hard and putting so much money in to try and change your vote and try and keep you from voting and make it difficult for you to voting. So that tells you how important your vote is. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

SPEAKER_01 7:22

Well, absolutely. Uh, and and and you just said a mouthful because for so long, I have always been an advocate uh for voting. And it's like when you don't use something, you lose it. And now we're really on the verge of losing our rights. And when you think about it, 1965 wasn't a long time because that really was the time that we really started voting. Because before that, they did all the crazy tactics. You had to take these exams, I forget the the polls, something, whatever. Uh, they had you had you taking these literary literary uh literacy tests, whatever, and all of these things. Uh, then when people were marching, you had dogs sicked on you, you had water hoses on you for your right to vote. And while people sat down, uh getting handouts, not caring, our life democracy was stepping right past us. And here it is in 2026. I say this often we're in 2026, and as you said, so many uh distractions to keep you from understanding what's happening. Because right now, all those people that uh did not vote, or the ones that voted uh in the last election for whom whomever they voted for, you look at the results that's happening. And so we're at a a time now that a lot of people are putting their lives on the line yet again, because you know history repeats itself. So now it's at a point now the desperation is happening so bad that all kinds of tactics are being thrown our way for us to be uh tired of all the nonsense. I don't want to see what's gonna. I don't when you wake up again, and it was said in a in a he in a in a conversation, and I I I looked, I went, What? Uh if we don't have voting in America in November, if if the voting stops in November, we could very well have another Trump in the White House. It could be one of his sons, and it was brought up in a conversation. I'm going like, what? So people are talking about that. If our voting, and I want to know what the what the people are saying, if you don't get out there and vote, or this voting is so uh detrimental to the ones that's trying to keep us from voting, will we have another Trump in the White House? Because now he'd be a king and he can appoint anyone to the White House. So people need to think about that. If this voting, we don't get a chance to vote in November, or if something happens, we no longer have a democracy, and the king can put one of his sons in the White House. And that's the talk. If it's not out in the open right now, that is the talk behind the scenes that he can now put his son in in the White House, one of his sons.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

Yeah, you know, I would say eight years ago, I would say that no, I don't believe that, but you know, it's been so crazy over the last few years. Think about it. You know, there's no such thing as as norms anymore. You know, one of the things that I would really, really encourage people to do, there's a movie short uh that came out a few years ago. It's called Otis's Dream. And basically what it does, it talks about um uh Otis Otis III, I think it is. No, the Otis I, because uh his son, I think, took over the church church, and then I think his uh grandson is now there. But basically it's called Otis's Dream. Uh it stars um uh this gentleman by the name of Christopher uh Greer, uh is actually a friend of mine, and it uh shows you a picture of what we had to go through just to vote, how difficult they made it to vote, the things that we had to overcome to vote. And I think that a lot of people, especially younger people, because they haven't been exposed to these stories and things, they don't realize how valuable that that vote really is. And I encourage people if you get a chance, watch that movie. It's definitely worth it. I mean, it's a short, so it's not very long, it's probably 10 or 15 minutes long. It's worth watching.

SPEAKER_01 11:55

Wow. Because you know, and what people don't understand, what happened in Louisiana, six congressional districts, and only one was majority black. Even though blacks represent and make up one-third of that state, the courts previously said that likely, uh likely violated the Voters' Rights Act of 1965 because black voting power may have been weakened. So now there would be no representation, and different states would be doing that. So this is how this can happen. So if people don't get out and vote, uh my one vote don't count. Maybe your one vote probably won't count now. Yeah, I pray that's not the case, but they are taking away votes to represent minorities, and we won't have, even though we go out there and vote, our vote is dead. You won't have anyone that you that look like us that would represent us in some of these states where it's been gerrymandered.

SPEAKER_00 12:57

Yeah, I agree, it's it's much difficult, but I guess I still have hope that our vote really does still count, regardless of what they're trying to do. I still see it.

SPEAKER_01 13:05

I believe it, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:07

Yeah. So, like I said, no matter what's going on, please, please, please do not get so discouraged that you don't vote because that's the worst thing you can do.

SPEAKER_01 13:17

So that's what they want you to do.

SPEAKER_00 13:20

Yep, yeah. Well wonder, um, what is the next topic?

SPEAKER_01 13:27

Our next topic is uh I got that one. The next topic. Oh, the Florida. Oh my god. Just on the news today, you know, about the the young lady. Uh, there was an altercation. And see, this is another thing with the temperature rising with everybody, and it's really hot out there now. Well, she there's a video that's going viral where this woman uh was arguing with a man, a 62-year-old man, that this young lady, she was an uh African-American woman, and she got to arguing with a man over a parking spot. So we got to be careful about this road rage. And he got into the spot, but he kind of covered up, you know, how somebody put the over the line, they got that wheel over the line, but she still managed her way to get in there. But because of the temperature in the United States and and where everybody is, he did. She pulled out a gun and you know, she was telling the man what she was gonna do. She was on the phone. The man had walked away, but then he came back to her,

Florida Parking Spot Shooting And Road Rage

SPEAKER_01 14:30

and he was walking up on her, and all you can see is her with this gun, and she shoots the man and kills him. Now, this is in Florida where Trayvon Martin was, who was shot for a bag of Skittles. He had a bag of Skittles in his hand. So Florida is a stand your ground, and and if someone they feel that you're being if someone is threatening you or whatever, you have a right to carry a gun. Now, this is this goes to a whole different level. Everybody's got a gun. Everybody ends up with a gun, like like Florida. So she ends up killing the man, but and then she got out. She was not, they they let her go. So this story is gonna be an ongoing story, but she she she's not uh she was no longer, they did not hold her because she felt in the video showed the man was approaching her.

SPEAKER_00 15:25

You know, the thing, the thing too, Wanda, is um, I actually saw the video as well. And when I first heard the story, I'm like, come on, now why'd you have to kill the guy? I mean, seriously, but then when you look at the video, oh, I see why. Um, because for for people who haven't seen this, please see the video first before you pass judgment. Yes, but it's nothing like Trayvon Martin. The gentleman that killed Trayvon Martin, um, he followed him. Trayvon Martin was no threat. In this situation, the other driver walked up. I personally, I don't know why you would walk up on someone with a gun pointed at you, but yeah, but you know, she warned him several times please stop coming towards me. If you come towards me again, I'm gonna open fire, I'm gonna shoot. And for whatever reason, he didn't believe it. So it's, you know, I mean, for her sake, you know, thank goodness that there was video that captured it because otherwise it would have been his word, her word against, you know, what other people think or what the police think about. Right, right. It's good that there was a video that caught caught the encounter. It's always sad when when someone loses their life, but at the same token, too. I mean, come on, why are you walking up on someone with a gun? What did you expect was gonna happen? Again, I'm not saying that it's it's right or wrong, I'm not saying it's a good or bad thing, but come on now. I mean, seriously.

SPEAKER_01 16:58

And you know, we we have to be very, very, very careful. Um, you know, like I say, everything is alleged that we talk about on the show. So we're gonna just put that out of the way right now. We talk about things allegedly, this is what's going on. And the temperature and the atmosphere of the world right now, it's in an uproar. People are angry about this, they're angry about that, and and they they want to take um their frustrations out on what they think are the weaker people. But that's really crazy. And I because I just make this a personal story, I can remember it was some years ago, had been in church all day. And I remember going to Kentucky where my daughter was, she was at Western Kentucky, on my way up there after all these uh being at church all day. And I'm sitting back, I got my my my son, I got my goddaughter in the car, and we were in McDonald's and we were ordering the food and everything. And what happened? I I happened to I had stuff on my mind, stuff on my mind, right? And I look down, all of my clocks are 10, maybe 15 minutes past. So I'm always in a hurry. And I looked at my clock and it was fast. I'm like, I gotta get back to Nashville, right? So I'm blowing my horn. When this chick gets out the car, what the blank, blank, blank, blank, blank, blank, what man, miss you. And I bagged my car up and I run around her and went to the window. So I guess she was waiting. The people inside was training somebody. They heard the altercation outside, right? So I'm at the window, she slides through the thing and shows a gun. I'm still mad. You better, I didn't have nothing. And it was just dumb. But as I the lady they they just gave me some food and I drove off. And I could when I turned around, I could see the kids in the backseat of the cars. It was nonsense, it didn't make any sense. And I said, if I ever saw that girl again, because I had just left church, you hear me? And I was some stuff was on my mind already. I was angry, you know, angry about something else. What I said, road rage is real, and I prayed to God. And don't you know the next morning I got up watching the news, don't care where you are, Chicago, Nashville, open up the news, two girls at Kroger's fighting over a shopping car. One girl shot the other girl the next day. So it was a warning from me. It doesn't matter, I don't care. People blow a stop sign. I'm just being careful. So we have to be very, very careful. And to be in a state like Florida, stand your ground, everybody, and not just Florida, I think Texas too. Because I got some friends in Texas, and they all got guns. It's true, it's true. So yeah, so that this is crazy, it's not worth it. It's just not worth it.

SPEAKER_00 20:53

And the crazy thing about it is I get it. Everyone gets mad every so often. I do too. We're all human. But we shouldn't be so quick to pull the gun out. The gun is actually supposed to be for protection, not okay, I'm pissed off at you, so I'm gonna shoot you. That's not why you're supposed to have the gun, okay? Right, right. Self-defense. And I just hope that the temperature in this country, and it goes back to something that you said earlier, is the temperature in this country is incredibly high, where it doesn't take much for people to want to fight, want to shoot. And it's like, wow, is it really that serious? And it doesn't have to be about anything really important either.

SPEAKER_01 21:33

Yeah, you know, you know, one thing I could say, it was kind of back in March, I think it was, and I went to an event in central Wisconsin. I was the only black person in there. I had my rock t-shirt on, and they, you know, it was a it was like a little tournament. They started drinking beer by nine o'clock in the morning. So by the time the evening came, and the the people that I was with, we were right next to somebody. So the guy said he had his shirt on, and I don't know what he was, but he had his hat on with the cross on and everything. And he said, Let me ask you something. What is R O C Studio? So that was my opportunity to explain what my platform was Rockwish to our community. I I I interviewed individuals of the organization making a difference. It was like EF Huddon, because I think the whole day, because this was like six in the evening now, because we came at nine. So I was the only African-American, about 600 people up in there. I didn't hold my head down, I wasn't afraid. I was with you know, other Caucasian people there, so I felt safe with them, but I was just myself. And I had a teachable moment when I was able to talk about my organization. And he said, Well, you talk about uh uh I said, I don't do I don't get too deep on religion or politics because that could be a sticky thing. I talk about the good what people are doing, and before the man gave me a hug. The man gave me a hug. So yeah, so it's about not what you do, but it's how you do it and how you approach it, you know. Because we we are supposed to be the ones that's leading by example, right? So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 23:15

Tough tough situation. That was a great moment there. That was a really great moment.

SPEAKER_01 23:19

Yeah, it was.

SPEAKER_00 23:21

It was well, depending on uh if you like or dislike the next person we're gonna discuss. Well, LeBron James has officially informed the Los Angeles Lakers that he will not be returning for the next season. So the 41 year old superstar who turns 42 in December is seeking another championship ring to close out his historic career, and multiple reports indicate that the Golden State Warriors are. Actively preparing to pursue them. Other potential landing spots making headlines include a return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Don't know how that's going to work out. Also, a reunion in Miami or a completely new chapter with teams like the San Antonio Spurs. So this is interesting. Now, I don't know how much you pay attention to basketball here.

SPEAKER_01 24:19

Yeah, I'm not.

SPEAKER_00 24:21

Well, I'm quite sure you know who LeBron James is, right?

SPEAKER_01 24:24

Yes, I know who, yes, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_00 24:25

Okay. Well, I know that a lot of people, some people love him, some people hate him. There's really no middle ground for whatever reason when it comes to LeBron James. I actually think he's a great guy. He's a great, he's a great ball player, okay. No question about it. But what I also like about him too is the things he does off the courts, the school that he built, how he helps people, how he helps the parents of the children and goldstein, and all the other philanthropic philanthropy stuff, philanthropy stuff that he does as well, too. So I think that makes him a whole entire person. He's not just a ball player, and also he's a businessman as well, too. So what do you think, uh Wanda? What are your thoughts?

SPEAKER_01 25:08

Well, I'm like you. If it's true, uh this will be an end of an era. It'll be an end of an era. And and love him, I hate him, as you said. I don't know that much about him, but what I've seen, as you said, have been all positive things. I think everybody has somebody that's not gonna like you for whatever reason, uh whatever. But uh

LeBron’s Next Move And Knowing When To Pivot

SPEAKER_01 25:32

24 seasons, you know, that that's that's really unheard of. When you think about that, that that's just really unheard of. So I'm just gonna be excited where wherever uh it it leaves him, like you said, Los Angeles, or whether he goes to the Spurs or any of those people. But the real conversation though, uh, is in sports, just like life, there comes a season when you have to know when to move on. And I'm in the process of that right now with my rebranding. So, you know, it's sometime, and you don't want to be broken down. And that's what's wrong with some preachers. They they go just oh, look at past up there. You got to know, you got to know when to let go, you know. Sometimes God has fired you, and some folks are still on the job, right? So I I think it's a good uh it it's it's whatever his whatever his wishes are, whatever his desires are, it's gonna be great. You know, it's gonna be great because he's already done some great things, and he's only 41 years old, so he still got some living to do.

SPEAKER_00 26:35

Yeah, that's true. And it's crazy to say this out loud, but 41 is young, but in basketball years very old. Okay. And one of the things that some players do, not all, some players hang around a little bit too long in the league, and people start remembering when you left the league as opposed to all the great things you've done over your career.

SPEAKER_01 27:00

Yeah, so yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:02

So you know, you have to be careful about that. Not saying that will or will not happen with them, but that is something to consider. And yeah, yeah, being that I am a Chicago Bulls fan, and I know I'm going to get a lot of flack for saying this, but I'm gonna say it anyway. It would be kind of nice if he came to the Bulls. You know, he could come there, he can teach the young, young ones, bring them on board, bring them up to speed, and everything. Again, I know it's a long shot, but I'm just throwing it out there.

SPEAKER_01 27:29

Yeah, that would be nice because I mean the Bulls can definitely use a few good men on the on their team. They really could. But I overall, I like a style like LeBron's and you know, and the thing about it is sports, just like life, you just got to know when your season is up, uh, either on a team or moving to your next chapter, maybe coaching, you know, who knows? Like you say, with the school, who's to say that he won't build a school of LeBron's that's true.

SPEAKER_00 28:04

That's true. And what's nice about LeBron James is that he has options to consider. Now, some people are probably gonna say, well, the Lakers wasn't gonna re sign him. We don't know that. You know, we don't know that. I would just say that I wish him luck, you know, whether he stays with the Lakers or whether he moves on to another team. But just putting it out there, you know, hey, how many teams?

SPEAKER_01 28:32

How many teams has he has he been on? He started with who?

SPEAKER_00 28:36

I want to say he started with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Cavaliers, yeah, yeah. He went to Miami and then he came to the Lakers.

SPEAKER_01 28:43

Okay, I I remember as in the Heat, yeah. Because was that the Heat and the Um, no, that was probably a long time ago. Anyway, I just remember Michael Jordan. And I remember my pastor, uh, when I was in Nashville, uh, Bishop Walker talked about um uh he was telling people like to hold on and how Michael Jackson had the flu. He won with the flu. I'm like, oh my god, he really went back there, you know. And they they wanted to put him out. He was like, I think they fell out about that, didn't they?

SPEAKER_00 29:11

Yeah, it's Michael Jordan, not Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson never believed.

SPEAKER_01 29:14

I guess Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan. See, what do I know? Michael Jordan. Thank you for correcting me.

SPEAKER_00 29:20

Okay, because I know some people will be like, Michael Jordan. Okay, so I mean Michael, Michael Jackson. So yeah, that's okay. But uh again, I know it's a long, long shot, but it would be kind of cool for him to at least have that conversation. So who knows? Maybe maybe your video would get to his people and uh like, hey, let's talk about the Bulls. Uh, because I'm quite sure they'll pay for him.

SPEAKER_01 29:44

Oh, yeah, absolutely, absolutely. Oh my god. Oh, we would Chicago would lose his mind, man. Uh and so we're not gonna talk about the Bears thing yet, but yeah, we would lose our we would lose our minds to get him to come here and uh just enhance some of the other players because they got some pretty good players on there. They just need you your team, just need that, like with Scottie Pippin, it was that was a that was a really good team. Yeah, I can't really remember all, but yeah, good deal.

SPEAKER_00 30:16

But I would like to pose two questions to our listeners and our viewers. One, where do you think LeBron should go? That's the first one. Number two, where would you like him to go? I'm kind of curious to see what people say about that.

SPEAKER_01 30:34

And you know what? Just the way you said it, where would you like them to go? So the ones that don't like him, you know where they're gonna tell them to go.

SPEAKER_00 30:40

Huh?

SPEAKER_01 30:42

Yeah, I like the way you put that. What the viewers or the listeners would uh would would say about that. But I'm I'm happy for him either way, because like I said, I don't I don't dislike him at all, you know, but I just saw all the good things that he's doing.

SPEAKER_00 31:01

Would you like to see him come to Chicago?

SPEAKER_01 31:03

Oh, I would love it. Yeah, no doubt. I would love him. I don't know if that was an option though, but I would love it. Oh my God. And I think even even the people that didn't like him here, uh they they would change that, man, you're talking about putting together a team like that, yes, it would be good.

SPEAKER_00 31:21

Yeah, one of the things that we've struggled with, in my opinion, over the years is since we've got out of the the Michael Jordan area, we haven't had a true, to me, a true leader of the team. We've had leaders, but not to the type of caliber of, let's say, a Michael Jordan. And I'm not talking really specifically on talent, but as far as being able to pull everyone together and get the best of everyone, where everyone's working cohesively and winning games.

SPEAKER_01 31:53

Well, you know, everybody can't be in the penthouse. So, and I think that that that's what uh I think any any situation where you where somebody saw it that was as great as Michael Jordan, that was some hard shoes to feel. Literally, Nikes. That's a hard shoe to feel. So, yeah, you know, and I guess the that energy went to another team somewhere. So, yeah, I think that it would definitely be a comeback for for the Bulls, a real great comeback.

SPEAKER_00 32:29

Well, I tell you, we will be talking about it once uh he does land somewhere, so just a matter of time.

SPEAKER_01 32:35

Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right.

SPEAKER_00 32:39

Well, this next topic is to me very disturbing. But there is incidents going on where women are increasingly being targeted in a disturbing culture recording train using meta, right-band smart glasses. Now, if people haven't heard about these glasses, they they're they're regular glasses, but there's a camera built in the glasses. So the way you know it's one of these glasses is you know, you have the camera here and there's a light that that comes on. But what people are doing is they'll put a little sticker over it. And I probably wouldn't have even noticed it myself, but you clearly see the sticker if you're paying attention, and you know you're being recorded. Now that you know they said, you know, what these glasses are and how they're used. But what people are doing, and this actually on social media as well, too, is you have guys walking around, they'll try and strike up a conversation, and you know, they'll look at the woman or even look at certain parts of the woman and then put it on social media. I mean, it's very sick, it's very invasive. And to me, I would say in substance that's very illegal, you can get arrested for them. Yeah. But it's very, very troubling. Um basically what they're doing is uh the harassers and pickup artists use the hidden cameras to film conversations, later posting footage on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram from viewers, engagement, or control. So there are also some real-world impacts to this, like for example, blackmail attempts. In some report instances, where wearers have approached women to get their phone numbers and then sent the secret recording of the

Smart Glasses, Secret Recording, And Consent

SPEAKER_00 34:39

internet interaction and demand money to keep it off the internet.

SPEAKER_01 34:47

Well, you know what? Let me get to the back part of that. I don't care what you got on me. You ain't getting a Quaker. And I mean that. I will be exposed, I will just, man, and you know who I really respected when I get off the topic was uh David Letterman. Everybody thought, remember the night that uh he exposed that these people were trying to blackmail him, and everybody thought it was part of his monologue. So I'm laughing. I said he's not laughing, he's serious. He explained, yeah, he they didn't get a damn out of David Letterman. And you know what? We we are living in a time where privacy matters. I just went to uh a baseball game for kids this past weekend, and the people that I was with, they went to the the men's bathroom, but I didn't have to go, and so this lady was waiting, and so the guys couldn't get in. I said, Well, you go ahead and use a woman's bathroom because if I gotta go, I gotta go. As long as I got somebody watching the bathroom for me. If I gotta go, because the toilet doesn't discriminate male or female, you know. And so the lady said, Oh no, my grandson is in there. And I'm like, Well, I didn't see him at the time. I said, Well, it's probably a good thing he was smart enough to lock that door because we're out of the park. We're in the park. Well, when the kid came out, he looked to be maybe four or five years old. So he was smart enough to lock that bathroom door, and there was more than one stall in there. The very next day, Sunday, because this happened last Saturday, the very next day, Sunday, a a young boy was molested in the bathroom. And I would tell people all the time be careful about sending your kids to the bathrooms alone. So for women in these Ray-Ban glasses, this is really not just women, because you know, even though it was a woman they did that too, this is sickening. And you talk about the privacy, that that's sickening, and especially for women, and it's a growing fear, it's a growing fear. Even in the hotels, there's a thing out. You go to your hotel, you get a deck of cards, and if your your card doesn't go directly to that window or that mirror, and it's a space between the mirror and that card, that means there's a two-way mirror in your hotel room. Wow, this is it's a real issue. This is a real issue, man. Oh my god, thank you for the warning, ladies, gentlemen, take heed. Go ahead. I don't want to dominate because I go crazy.

SPEAKER_00 37:31

No, but you're right. And and even though it's been happening overwhelmingly to women, this could happen to men too. So you definitely need to be aware of that. And then the other thing to be aware of we don't talk about too is be careful who's looking at your kids. Absolutely. Because they could easily try to pull this nonsense with your child. And I would say if someone tries to talk to you and they're wearing glasses, to me, it's not being overly cautious, it's not being um you know hyper worried or anything about that. You're just watching out for your safety because literally, it literally you will know instantly if it's a recorded glass. Because again, if you see some glasses, because most people, they're not gonna have a sticker on their glass. So if you see that sticker.

SPEAKER_01 38:24

When you say a sticker, what do you mean a sticker?

SPEAKER_00 38:26

Well, what it is is that when you have these recorded glasses, there's a light where the camera is right at the corner.

SPEAKER_01 38:34

So let me Oh, they cover the light up.

SPEAKER_00 38:37

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 38:40

So somebody got a band-aid on their glasses.

SPEAKER_00 38:43

So basically, there's like a light right in the corner. So what they do is they'll put something over that light so you don't notice you're being recorded. But if you pay attention, you're gonna go, why do you have a sticker right at that corner of your glasses? They're recording their glasses that are recording.

SPEAKER_01 39:02

So and you think about it, all these videos that you see in Walmart and places like that, how somebody's dressed a certain way, they're in a bank. I've seen all kinds of videos that people have been recorded and they don't even know they're recorded, and yet they're on social media. That's true, it's about consent. What about consent?

SPEAKER_00 39:27

That's true, because again, there's a lot of states where you will be arrested for doing that.

SPEAKER_01 39:33

Yeah, some states are privacy acts.

SPEAKER_00 39:36

So I'm not saying to go out and be scared about going places, but just be aware.

SPEAKER_01 39:43

But what happens when we go deeper with AL, I uh AI, facial recognition?

SPEAKER_00 39:50

That's a whole different topic, ain't that a whole different animal.

SPEAKER_01 39:55

Okay, all right. So yeah, we're we're running out of time, yeah. I see. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:01

Well, actually, our conversation, especially when we talk about bathrooms, leads us into the last topic, which is to me gonna be a hot one. Um a Mississippi man was fired from his job as an independent contractor realtor after calling the police on a father who brought his young DARTs into an empty woman's bathroom at an Alabama picture gas station. The confrontation went viral on TikTok, sparking a nationwide debate. Now, people haven't heard of this story. What happened is there was a a father and he had two young children with him. I mean, I mean, they're probably like maybe two or four. I mean, they were young, young kids. So they needed to use the bathroom. So he took them into the women's bathroom. Of course, he made sure Noah was in there, and he brought him in there to have them use the bathroom. And then as he was washing the hands, he was getting ready to you know open the door, let him out. And there was this guy just going ballistic, why are you in the women's bathroom? You know, you shouldn't be in here. And he actually called the police on this guy. So the police got there, and the police didn't arrest him. I mean, they they understood, okay, you got young kids, because you can take your kids into a male or female bathroom because you're not gonna let them go in by himself, or at least I wouldn't. I wouldn't know. And what was so interesting, too, is the woman who works there didn't see an issue. Okay, the police didn't see an issue. Anyone who has children, you've been in that situation where you've got a very, very young child that easy you bath. Now, I have a son, so he can go into the male bathroom with me. But if I had a daughter, I would be a little leery having my daughter in even a men's bathroom with other men or a woman's bathroom with other women. So either way, I would lock that door after I

Kids, Bathrooms, And Public Safety Realities

SPEAKER_00 42:13

go in there with them. Yeah. And if it happens to be a woman, because it is my daughter, because I may not want her to go into a men's, I'm gonna make sure it's empty and I will lock the door. Yeah, I don't see a problem. Some people see a big issue. Some people say, no, what's what's the problem? What do you think, Wanda? I'm I'm really curious to hear what you think about this.

SPEAKER_01 42:35

Oh my God, there's so many different things because that goes right back into what I was saying this past weekend, seeing this little young kid go to the bathroom. Somebody taught him well, because he locked that public door, and the men were outside. And I I definitely think that you know it varies. And if I because I've given my testimony again, but this time my grandson was a little bit older, but he went to a bathroom in an area where I wasn't familiar with. I'm just getting him, and I haven't had kids in a long time, and I'm like, what's taking him so long? So I'm with a group of people eating lunch, eating dinner, right? And they're looking at me being kind of concerned because they're used to sitting in their kids in the bathroom. No, this is an area that I'm not used to. My grandson was about he had to be about 13. It took him a long time to come back. So I went in there and I did a Bruce Lee. I kicked, I kicked. Hey, are you in there? And I did see a guy on at the urine. I went back. Are you in there? Call us down. I sure did. Make sure you you need to come up. He's on his phone, not even realizing the danger that he's in, and the embarrassment. Because I I I felt embarrassed, but I but I'll do it again. I'll do it again. And then, even for me, there are times if I have to go to the bathroom, the women's line long. You I guess somebody watching my back. Hey, watch this back, you know, and and then because women's lines are always longer. Then one other funny one. I was at Walmart and I was with one of my students. I had a cleaning business uh in Nashville, and so we were stopping in Nashville to pick up some items. And so I told him, and what he wanted me to cash his check. No, he wasn't gonna cash his check. So I said, I gotta go to the bathroom. So I went to the bathroom, I looked up and I saw men and women. Well, I went in the bathroom, but all I heard was, oh hey, how you doing? And I said, I'm in the man's bathroom. I swear I walked out like this. I had to go to a bathroom. I I saw the signs, but I went in there. Then I heard this guy say, Hey, what's up? I was totally embarrassed. I was in the man's bathroom. So we have and I think now with the transgenders, whatever, they have family bathrooms, they have men, and they have women. You can have a family bathroom. Come on.

SPEAKER_00 45:02

That's true. Now, I understand your grandson was 13, but do you agree with the father for taking his children into the women's bathroom?

SPEAKER_01 45:13

I absolutely agree with him. There's no way you wait. They and like I said, they have the bathroom with the tables for the change in tables and stuff like that. You change a baby with. Oh, absolutely. I I would go if I have to go, I gotta go. You have to do what you have to do with the situation that uh that that you're faced with. Yeah, and there's no way to work. I would send my two year old or my four year old into the bathroom alone. They still learn how to potty train.

SPEAKER_00 45:42

Well, but the other thing too is is that me personally, I would not let my two year old, I mean, I have a son, but if I had a two year old daughter, there's no way in hell. I'm going to let my two-year daughter go into any, even if it's a women's bathroom by herself. Yeah. Again, I'm going to make sure nobody's in there because I don't want to freak anyone out. But yeah, I'm going to go in with her and make sure she's good. Okay. That's just being a parent. Now, there's some people that are going to go, no, that's not right, whatever. And nine times out of ten, there are people that don't have kids.

SPEAKER_01 46:16

Well, no, I know some people with kids, and I've been out with them and they let the kid go. I'm like, you're going to let them go to the bathroom by himself, oh, he can go. He's used to it. He can go. Because this incident that happened uh Sunday, that was reported Sunday, I think it happened over the weekend. But what happened, it was a split second. He was in the bathroom. In the stall, went in the stall where the child was. So all it takes is a quick second. It doesn't take a long time. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I wouldn't do it.

SPEAKER_00 46:46

That's true. That's true. Please don't let your kids go to the bathroom by themselves if they're under 10 years old. Actually, if they're if they're under 12 or even 13. You know.

SPEAKER_01 46:58

Go, go, go in pairs, you know, because people nowadays, man, they, you know, you just don't know. You gotta I went to this, it was a Mexican restaurant, had throw a few back. I gotta go to the bathroom. So I go in the bathroom, and this is tall man with this hat. What it was, it was a statue. Now, why would you have, and I'm gonna go call the restaurant out. Why would you the first thing you open the door and it's this tall man with this sombrero or whatever though, like he's peeing? Why would you have that the first thing you walk into a women's bathroom? Wow. And I thought I made, I thought I made a mistake. And I guess they got a joke, it's probably a camera laughing at people. I don't know. But it's it's real crazy. A really tall man with a hat. Look like he's peeing when you first open the door. I just don't I don't get it. But some of my viewers will know which restaurant this was Mexican restaurant. I got good food.

SPEAKER_00 47:59

I guess somebody's got a sick sense of humor there.

SPEAKER_01 48:02

Very sick sense of humor, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:07

Wow, I am really stunned at how fast this hour went.

SPEAKER_01 48:11

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 48:13

But we had some great conversations and uh just want to let everyone know to continue to watch us and support us. And also, if you want to see some bonus content, uh come over to lrodtvnetwork.com where you can see thirsty topics, you can see thirsty conversations. I also have a new documentary series that's on there as well, too, Legacymakers. And then there's also some more new shows that will be coming very shortly. So definitely make sure that you support us by watching us, listening to us, or even coming to our streaming channel. Again, thank you all for your support. We really, really appreciate it, and we do not take it for granted.

SPEAKER_01 48:55

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 48:56

I'm Laura Telrock.

SPEAKER_01 48:58

And I'm Wander P. You can follow me on all social media platforms as well, Rock TV.

SPEAKER_00 49:04

Take care, everyone. Enjoy the rest of your day.

SPEAKER_01 49:07

Yeah, happy 4th of July.

SPEAKER_00 49:09

Happy 4th of July. Bye.