Kirstjen Nielsen’s Resignation is discussed this week, the legacy she leaves behind with the policy she oversaw and the false narrative being pushed by the Democratic Party. AG Bill Barr’s recent testimony, updates on the Mueller report and some notes about the Trump Budget. Julian Assanges arrest and what it could mean for journalism and the first amendment. Intersectionality continues to seep into Hollywood and Russell Wilson sets a deadline for his contract in a stat packed SPORTS!!

HERE is the link for our initial discussion on the child separation at the border.

The shipment is in for the 3XL shirts that were requested and they will be available and ready for shipping VERY soon. Interested parties will be contacted by us :), anyone else looking for SOS gear can reach out to ANYONE on the team to get it.

Politics comes in waves, and in the slow weeks we are always looking for new topics. If there is any subject, political or not, that you would like to hear out take on just let us know. Reach out to Offie and Don on their social media and you WILL hear back from them.

Our pods originate on SoundCloud but can be found ANYWHERE you can find a podcast. The pre shows are getting bigger and more popular and are generally around 12 on Saturdays, but we always keep the people in the loop. The video for this episode and all of our other can be found on our YouTube page.

A few weeks ago Colin and I talked about the NFL, Colin Kapernick and Eric Reid having finally reached a settlement in the lawsuit in which the two players were alleging the NFL had blacklisted them for protests they were carrying out before the game. I don’t need to get too deep into that because I’m sure everyone remembers the debacle over kneeling during the national anthem. 

In the time this controversy was capturing the media I heard no shortage of variations of arguments both in favor of and against Kaep specifically for the way he was choosing the carryout protests. We heard both that he was unamerican and a patriot. That he disrespects veterans and soldiers who fought for this country while also hearing from many that it was Kaepernicks very right to protest however he wanted that they were fighting for. 

We have talked about this situation numerous times especially the longer it went on and the longer I felt my view was not being represented enough in the argument. On episode 7  when Morgan was on for the first time, I went on a bit of a tear, as I’m prone to doing, and tried to explain really how I feel. But for some reason when we talked about the settlement I started to feel like I was not clear enough about how I felt. So I decided I would take this opportunity to re-explain myself. Not because I think the world or even our audience is starved for my opinion on Kaep, but because even though I haven’t met one, I know there is another person in this world that felt the same way I did during this entire controversy. 

Right off the top, I don’t see any disrespect in what Kaep did. Everyone who said it is correct, he is 100% entitled to his right to free speech and his right to his own opinion. I also tend to agree that there is a problem between unarmed black individuals and the police that are supposed to protect them. I don’t know exactly what that problem is, but that’s a whole separate issue in itself. Before I move on I would just like to note that I understand Kaep’s stance was on racial inequality in general, a cause which I fully support the fight for, and don’t mean to oversimplify his message. 

I don’t think it’s wrong at all for him to use his stature as an NFL athlete, and at the time starting Quartback, to bring light to a social issue he saw as detrimental to American society. As wrong as I think the comparisons are, Muhammad Ali’s name had floated around a lot, and I suppose in the loosest of terms I can understand the relation. But I will address that more soon. As an NFL athlete, everything Kaep does is done with that context and that power behind it – No matter what. To expect him to make his politics separate from that I feel is unreasonable and almost impossible. 

However, while he is on the field – or at any organized team activity – he is an employee of the NFL and is therefor subject to their terms of employment. If he is told to show up and play the game, he is faced with the same option I would be at my job; shut up, get paid, and find another way to express my views or to find another job that will allow me to do so. This separation of the two is not only hypocritical but directly contradictory to the message of equity being expressed. Muhammad Ali was stripped of his boxing title AND license for his refusal to commit to be drafted and abandon his beliefs. But for some reason the same was not to be expected of Kaep. 

Part of the reason I don’t agree with or support at all the comparison between Muhammad Ali and Colin Kaepernick is the personnel differences in the sports in which they competed respectively. Boxing is two men. One on one fighting until one wins. Football is about a roster of 53 men, 11 of which are on a field at once to represent their team. While Muhammad Ali was boxing, or doing ANYTHING, he was sure to represent only himself. The World Boxing Association was sure to emphasize this by stripping him of his title and then further solidified when every U.S. state systematically denied him a boxing license. Colin Kaepernick does not conduct himself this way. 

Not only is he just 1 of 53 men on a roster of one of the most, if not THE most, team focused professional sports, he was the Quarterback. The Quarterback is the undisputed leader of his team. Even with the General Manager and Head Coach, when it comes down to game time the QB is the one making the calls for audible, reading the coverage and making the passes. His job is to deny credit for victory and accept responsibility for loss. His job is to always show strength and leadership for his team. His job is to show an example of teamwork in order to try and receive that from his team. Colin Kaepernick acted independently in his decision to deny the will of his employer and expressed his personal opinion on a national stage provided by the NFL, all while taking a check from them and talking about inequality. This is not an example of ideal team work. 

At the end of the day Kaep’s position is subject to the will of his employers, those who hired him to lead a team of 53 men. Instead he acted independently on their time while taking their money, and ultimately the dispute is over whether or not he was black listed because of his views, and in my opinion, he wasn’t. If it’s me reading the signs, Kaep was an alright QB when he “lost his job”, definitely better than some of the scrubs that started in the time he was gone. But he also expressed to the other owners, General Managers and Head Coaches in the league that he couldn’t be trusted to act in the best interest of the team because in the end, his agenda reigned supreme; with expressions and demonstrations that were attracting a lot of controversial media attention, something a lot of teams may not have wanted. He was then actively involved in a lawsuit against the very organization he was requesting to play for. I see no shortage of reasons that teams may not have wanted to sign him. 

Again I don’t think he is totally wrong. He is, in a sense, using his stature as an athlete to bring attention to racial injustice in America. If for nothing other than to show this is more than just a criticism, I actually have an idea, or at least an opinion, on what may have been a better way to achieve the goal he was striving for while avoiding the proceeding consequences. To avoid conflict with the league but continue to express the full force behind his status as an athlete, Kaep should have called a press conference on a problem he held very dear to his heart. Not after practice or a game and not at any type of team or organization facility. Outside of city hall in San Francisco on a Tuesday after a game, for example. Use the position, while being separate from the organization. 

If Kaep felt that doing something during a game was necessary, so be it. I don’t agree and think that he should have been prepared for the possible backlash from the league and from the public, but he has the right to try. However because he is on this team of 53 I have spoken so much about, I don’t feel he should have done any type of on-field demonstration without the understanding, support, and blessing of every member of that team. If even one player on that team said they were not comfortable with his choice he should not have carried out these protests in the way he did. I cannot personally attest that his didn’t happen so I will gladly admit this statement is pure conjecture, but I stand firm in it until proven incorrect. 

My intent is not to make Colin Kaepernick look like a villain. I don’t believe he is. I believe he is an incredibly talented and intelligent man with intensely strong morals. I believe he did his due diligence to ensure he was not offending any active duty or veteran service members in the way he chose to protest. I do not, however, feel he did the same in regards to the fans of the NFL and in turn the people who give him his job. As I am living proof of, I do not disagree with the message that Kaep was and I assume still is fighting for. I have a problem with the fact that he openly disrespected a game and organization he continued to and would still like to draw a paycheck from. The inauthenticity I feel is obvious. It continues to shock me that this has gotten so far away from where it started – the sport. 

I think it’s important to note that the terms of the recent settlement have not been disclosed and this could mean any numbers of things. It could mean that either Kaep or the NFL got tired of the arguments and wanted it to be over. It could also mean that there was strong evidence on one side that made the other nervous enough about their chances to win that they accepted a settlement. I don’t assume one of these things over the other. I wouldn’t place blame on any one party involved either. I think one man made a decision that rippled through the media more than he could have imagined, partially fueled by President Trump. And it happened during a time where the culture is so extreme and so divisive that it promoted a reaction from a league that for some reason barely knows how to handle players who beat women, let alone a player who wants to be politically active. 

This theme seems to be carrying over many aspects of modern life. The media, the sports, the politics don’t seem to be able to keep up with the rapidly changing culture in this country. I think this is temporary. I think we are in a time of heightened division in this country and the last time we were this divided as a country, college students were shot at Kent State by the national guard. Sometimes it takes an event so shocking and culture shattering that it forces us to re-evaluate what we are doing. America is equipped to handle divisive events like this. We are made to handle it and come out on the other end stronger than ever.

On a jam packed episode 54, Don and Offie break down the complications of stomach ulcers and IBS, Bill Barrs letter on the Mueller report, what you can and can’t take from what we know from the report and what is still to come as well as WHAT the investigation was really about in the first place, Washington State raising the smoking age to 21, why and how the Democrats are running false narratives about the vote on the Green new deal, the recent updates about Jussie Smollet, more Democratic candidates and their platform issues, the idea of a wealth tax, and how much is a starting but not star D End worth in a retirement filled SPORTS!!

All of our podcasts start on our SoundCloud but after that can be found ANYWHERE you can find a podcast. Join us LIVE on Saturdays for the Pre-Shows on our FaceBook, but if you miss out you can find that as well as all of the rest of our videos on our YouTube. The full episode video will be up later this week. Questions and topic suggestions are ENCOURAGED!

Salt of The Streets gear is ALWAYS available and can be ordered through either of the boys or our SOS social media. Any custom items or sizes should be ordered very soon as a new order will be going out this week for unique items and sizing. We have LOTS of Ts available now for just $20. If you rate and review us wherever you listen and then send us a screenshot we will give you $5 OFF YOUR FIRST SHIRT!

Want some FREE gear? Listen through to the end of the episode and tell Don where he gets his closing line from and the shirt is YOURS! Don is awaiting a correct guess…

After a weekend off with the family, on Episode 53 of Salt of the Streets Don and Offie go over the role of social media in political discourse, Andrew Yang among other Democratic Candidates as well as some of the big issues of this election like reparations, medicare for all, UBI, expansion of the supreme court, and the electoral college, the Mueller Investigation is completed , even BIGGER baseball contracts and whether or not NCAA athletes should be paid in a PACKED SPORTS!!

Our show is hosted and there for originates on our SoundCloud but can be found anywhere you can find a podcast, and the video version of our pre-show and full episode videos are available on our YouTube page. Check them out and let us know what you think, we love hearing from and speaking with the fans to help share some of their thoughts and opinions. All are welcome at Salt of the Streets.

Want some Salt of The Streets gear? T-shirts are available for salt at ANYtime. Want a FREE T-shirt? Listen to the whole episode and tell us where the closing line is from and you get a FREE SIGNED Salt of The Streets T. Guesses are always allowed.

The bigotry resolution on the house last week and the uproar around it really only made sense if you pay close attention to politics. On its face there is only good things about portions of the government expressing formally that they will not stand for bigotry (except maybe that there are bigger fish to be frying). The problem Salt of The Streets had was the refusal by portions of Congress to treat Ilhan Omar the same that they did Steve King. For her to be hung out to dry and stripped of committee assignments because minority members of Congress were personally offended by things that she had said, the same has happened with Steve King.

Hate and bigotry in all forms is wrong, that is a fact and a moral most people hold true. No one form of hate is any worse than another, and racism is racism no matter the color of the person expressing it. The definition of racism is “prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior”, but in some groups in this country and political climate there is a contrary belief. There is a theory that only a “more dominant” race can be racist, other than that it’s just prejudice. What’s the difference?

There are portions of America, and probably the world, that still are unable to (or choose not to) understand that not all Muslims are terrorists. Those same people, I think, would be irreparably offended if anyone were unable to make the distinction between a white person and a member of the KKK. I am a HUGE comedy fan and am particularly into dark humor. I appreciate all types of jokes. But the progression of real actual stereotypes and sheer racist ideologies is genuinely surprising to me in this time of growing intersectionality.

I’m not sure how anyone gets to a place of hate like that. I can’t even begin to imagine all the different scenarios that any given citizen of the United States could be subjected to, but even taking into account I may have no idea what someone else has experienced, I am still confused. Confused as to what someone could experience that could sour their view of an entire race. How someone could get to a point where they are unable to separate the acts of an individual from a particular group they may belong to.

When it comes to conflation of the religion of Islam and terrorism as a whole, one event commonly used as an argument is 9/11. I was 7 years old when the Twin Towers were struck, but I have no lack of appreciation for the magnitude and important of that event now that I am an adult. I understand very well the circumstances around the attacks and the proceeding wars in the Middle East. It is incredibly difficult for me to understand how grown adults who have been shot at and lost friends and allies at the hands of radical Islamic extremists are able to separate the individuals they fought from the religion they belong to, but citizens from the country are not.

One of my biggest problems with modern day progressives or the new breed of intersectional thinkers is that they want equity not equality, and go about it in very divisive ways. The use of an “oppression hierarchy” has becomes regular and is used to devalue the struggles of what are perceived to be “those in power”, and that at its core is counter to the stated goal. I’m not saying racist and prejudice things don’t happen, because they do and when they happen they should be identified. I am saying that lowering or raising the value of someone or their experiences because of their race or some other immutable property about them is nothing but divisive. They slander the other side as hate and fear mongers and claim to be the only ones looking out for the well being of the country, and the only ones who stand against hate.

One of my biggest problems with the base of our President is that they cause the same divisiveness as the left but claim it is out of self preservation. They have been convinced by a President and pundits who have no qualms about using derogatory and slanderous rhetoric to try and scare and bully people into agreeing with them. They lie and claim to be the only source of truth to try and convince people they are the only ones that can be trusted. The pundits will parrot the talking points of the President even if he is speaking in support of the dictatorial leader of another country. Their allegiance is only to the ideals they hold, not to this country.  They will claim to be the only ones with everyone’s best interest at heart, and the only ones who stand against hate.

Hate is driven and progressed by people on BOTH sides of these modern political debates. Hate is progressed by anyone in either party that refuses to look at any person, action or piece of legislation on the facts, merits, and value it serves or harm it causes to the American people. It is driven by anyone who has never and will never vote outside of party lines. It is driven by anyone who will not call out racism and bigotry in their own ranks. It is driven by citizens who do not address prejudice among their own family and friends. Hate is progressed by those among us that will share an article without reading it and share information they don’t know to be true.

We can agree that it was wrong for Ilhan Omar to say what she said AND for racists posters of her to be made. We can say that we support the police AND all of the people who were senselessly murdered by police AND the families who receive no justice. We can say that illegal immigration is bad AND that maybe a wall isn’t the best way to fight it. We can agree that the color of your skin or the area you live in should not dictate your future in this country or the opportunities you are given.

Doing what’s right doesn’t always feel good. The truth hurts, a lot of the time. But it’s facing and accepting that truth that allows us to grow and continue on with our lives with new knowledge and experience. It was Ben Shapiro of all people that said “my facts don’t care about your feelings” and as shitty as it sounds I think that might be the answer. Accepting facts that may or may not make us uncomfortable, and working from there. Understanding that our political views are sometimes nothing more than opinions, and that’s okay. It’s okay to not be correct and it’s okay to be uncomfortable with it. It’s what you do with that feeling that matters. If you deal with it, and move on operating on this new found truth you are apt to grow and help those around you grow. If you fight the reality that is progressing around you, you will drive further the very hate you hope to be fighting. It is only through projected and reciprocated honesty to ourselves and those around us that our country will survive this era of divisiveness and political strife in one piece, instead of unsustainable fragments of a once beautiful country.

After our best pre-show yet, we kept it going with EPISODE 52!

Episode 52 brings discussion of the importance of not working too much, Washington State House Bill 1638 which would remove the personal exemption for vaccines for children, Jay Inslee should not run for President, the anti-bigotry resolution passed in the House of Representatives, Why there might still be hope for the Democratic Party, deep and dark listener questions that Offie brightens up and elaborates greatly on, Poker table etiquette, The Shop on HBO, and a dive into the Seahawks in a money packed SPORTS!!

We had some great topics this week from one of the OG listeners and they were AWESOME. Topics and questions from listeners are our favorite ones. If you have ANYTHING that you want to know more about or just want our opinion on both political and not, feel free to send us questions on any of our social media.

Here is when we first talked about HB 1638.

Our PR breaking pre-show can be found on our Facebook or our YouTube page with ALL the rest of our videos. The full show video will be up later this week. Our podcasts start on SoundCloud but can be found anywhere you can get a podcast.

Want a FREE Salt of The Streets T-shirt? Listen for the line that Don uses to end the show and tell us where it’s from! The first person to guess it correctly wins a free T-shirt. Want to buy one? Reach out to us on ANY social media to get one. If you leave us a review wherever you listen, screenshot it and send it to us we will give you $5 OFF!

On episode 51 Don and Offie go over the Michael Cohen hearing along with the new and continued allegations raised during the testimony, as well as whether or not he CAN be believed, Don rephrases some of his comments on the fan letter last week, both narratives in the current political unrest in Venezuela, Alex Jones on JRE is a gift to everyone, the summit in Vietnam and the products of it (or lack there of), why the ISIS brides are really a matter of opinion in patriotism, R. Kelly, Zac Efron as Ted Bundy, and a DESTROYED Cowboys D line on a urine fueled SPORTS!!

Our favorite topics are the ones we get from our fans. The whole reason we started this show was to provide people with the information we felt like they deserved. So if there is something you want to know about, but don’t feel you have the time to learn about it then ASK US. Let us do the work for you. Reach out to us on ANY of our social media and we will get back to you.

HERE is the episode a few weeks ago where we discussed Venezuela.

Our podcasts originate from our SoundCloud but can be found anywhere you can listen to a podcast including Apple Podcasts. The pre shows are LIVE on our Facebook every week before we record the show and then can be found on our YouTube along with the full episode video and ALL of our other videos.

Want a FREE Salt of The Streets T-shirt? Listen for the line that Don uses to end the show and tell us where it’s from! The first person to guess it correctly wins a free T-shirt. Want to buy one? Reach out to us on ANY social media to get one. If you leave us a review wherever you listen, screenshot it and send it to us we will give you $5 OFF!