The RTWJ Podcast
Join best friends John and Marcus (JAM) as they share their fresh perspectives on news, society, and culture, as well as personal stories and experiences. As a podcast hosted by members of the LGBTQ community, the RTWJ Podcast is proud to offer a platform that incorporates inclusivity and advocacy for civil rights as part of its values. New episodes are released on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month. Subscribe to The RTWJ Podcast on your favorite podcast app or listen online at thertwjpodcast.buzzsprout.com. Follow us on Instagram @thertwjpodcast.
The RTWJ Podcast
The Normalization of the Unthinkable
In this episode, we unpack the growing political crisis in the U.S., sparked most recently by ICE raids right here in Southern California. As the situation continues to escalate, we share our personal reactions and growing concerns about the rise of authoritarianism, and how these national developments are showing up in our own communities. We draw connections between Trump’s upcoming military parade on Saturday, June 14, and similar displays in authoritarian regimes, talk through the breakdown of constitutional checks and balances, and highlight how escalation is being purposely used to justify a stronger military presence.
After this episode, we’re taking a break from recording through the end of June, with plans to return on Monday, July 14. Until then, you can find us on Instagram @thertwjpodcast, where we’ll continue sharing updates and staying engaged as we navigate what’s happening on the ground.
June 11, 2025
Hey everybody, welcome back to the RTWJ podcast.
Speaker 2:It is June 11th, right, correct? Yes, it's June 11th. And at this point, if you haven't seen where the world is right now, open your phone or something. I mean I don't know what to tell you at this point. I think we all pretty much everybody on the show is pretty aware and attuned to what's going on out there and we're a little behind in our release.
Speaker 2:We've been monitoring kind of the situation of the world right now and you know, especially since it's happening here in Southern California where we are, and this is our first recording since things kind of went down since last Friday and sorry, we don't have a great script or great opening to start with. I know this is kind of just dragging on, but we're processing right now. Honestly, I will just say even today, I guess, just to start things off, my office at work this afternoon we became aware of the risk of a protest nearby and we had to clear out for the day, and I'm still kind of processing that as well. That was something that just happened out of nowhere and it's the first time I've been through something like that and that's just. That's not something I've dealt with. So I'm still kind of trying to just wake up and, I guess, shake out of that right now. So sorry you guys, but just we're processing real time.
Speaker 1:On that note, you know, again, we apologize for the delay. You know we talked about on the show how we never we will always be here to, I guess, share as best as we can and to help support people and to help create a safe space for dialogue and for you know, truly a space to educate, inform and support. Because, as you know, here at the RTWJ podcast, from the beginning we've always mentioned that we are a show that protects civil liberties, a show that advocates for one's individual rights and a show that advocates for our democracy and the freedom to do what you choose things that are covered right First Amendment rights and so forth, do what you choose, things that are covered right First Amendment rights and so forth. And you know, in our personal lives you've talked about, you know how we are part of the LGBTQ plus community. We are part of community built on immigrants. We are part of a community that is built on minorities right, we are, in many aspects, these things that are being attacked, these statuses are being attacked right now. These groups that are being attacked, these statuses that are being attacked right now, these groups that are being marginalized and destroyed and affected. I will say that we are worried what this looks like. Moving forward. In our show, there is a direct attack on media and we've seen that media has been pressed to conform to the ideologies of what I'm calling this now the Trump regime. This isn't a presidency anymore, this is a regime, and we are concerned because we, as small as we may be quote we fall under that category and you know there are certain things.
Speaker 1:We have been very careful what we can say, so I'm going to just knock them out from the beginning. If you are protesting, you have a right to protest, but please, please, please, do your quote research to ensure that you're doing it, the quote right way, and that you are doing it quote effectively. So just be very careful. I will say that you have to take care of each other during these trying times, but we are not alone. You know. That's what we're going to talk about.
Speaker 1:Today is just kind of like what we are feeling, what is going on and what we can do going forward. You know, I don't know if we're going to take a pause at the moment we're still deciding on that but it looks like we will be taking a pause. We're going to move activity over to our Instagram page for the time being. You know, just look for us on Instagram RTWJ podcast. We're just trying to be mindful of ourselves and our families and you know it seems safer for us to engage via social media versus direct language. Of course we don't know, we haven't made the decision yet, but if we do make that decision we will make sure to let you guys know on social media.
Speaker 2:I'm going to say and we're literally just discussing this in real time I'm going to say prospectively, that might not be the right word We'll say let's get through the Independence Day holiday. Maybe let's get through that. So the second Monday of July, tentatively, we can say that we might be back, I think, between now and that day, because I think even that holiday is going to be very sensitive and we just don't know how things are looking. So if you're not aware of details right now, again, we are here in Southern California. Orange County is just south of LA County.
Speaker 2:So this is and we've had some activity here dealing with it ourselves right, this period is supposed to last potentially 60 days. We're only started Friday. It's day five or six of this. We have a long road ahead to figure out what this looks like. So I would say tentatively, let's get through the Independence Day holiday and then we can regroup from there and see if we can come back, maybe for you guys towards mid-July. Let's do that for now, just because there's just I think between now and Independence Day. It's going to be pretty active.
Speaker 1:Why are we doing this? Frankly, because there is no point to the show if we can't talk about the things that matter to us, and I feel like it would be such a bad, bad part on us if we start talking about disneyland and vacations and different topics that are quote lighthearted, because it does go against the heart and soul of the RTWJ podcast and what the focus of our show has been is to empower others, to give a voice to those that don't have a voice, and that's why we made, and we will make, this decision, because it wouldn't be reflective of our values here at the show my values, marcus's values and the values we stand for and what we did when we created this podcast, and I feel like it'll be counterproductive if we do that. So, moving forward, if we continue, it'll be a little more adjusted to the terminology we'll use, but our commitment remains the same. We stand with more minority groups, we stand with marginalized groups. We support people's right to protest, we support the right to be here and not be terrorized by militia organizations. We support most effectively which is crazy to say, we support the US Constitution, because it was created to help create a stable society free from tyranny, and it scares me that I have to say that we stand by the Constitution and at this very moment our Constitution is being violated and isn't being upheld. So we are extremely aware of that and concept of that and understanding of that.
Speaker 1:One of my favorite quotes that I've always looked at and I actually shared this quote the first day of the election and how we saw that happen it's a quote that says first they fascinate the fools, then they muzzle the intelligent, a tactic of power that we see in authoritarianism, government in places like North Korea. We see that how do you gain power? Right Is to draw in the masses, grab their attention and once that attention is secured, the voices of those who might challenge the power structures become suppressed. And I don't know about you, marcus, but that is terrifying to read because that is exactly what is happening right now.
Speaker 2:Absolutely right, absolutely right. And I have to say one thing direct, if I may I know we have to kind of just dance around things. I have to say this, I have to get this off my chest I am horrified at the fact that people are at businesses on the street, people that are not terrible criminals, right, people that just are trying to make a living, just trying to survive, right, and they are being hunted down in the streets of our cities. I have seen videos within a 20-mile radius of where we are right now of that happening. They are being hunted down like hunters in the wild and I, just last night, I had to stop with TikTok. I had to stop with social media, because all the videos just kept coming up.
Speaker 2:That is not. I don't know how people can approve of that. All right, we can debate the criminals that are here illegally, right, without status. We can debate who should. We can debate that all day. We can get into it all day. Hunting people in the streets is a level that I can't even talk about or process right now. That is absolutely horrifying and it is so upsetting to see it happen and the terror that people feel right now who are just trying to make it. They're just trying to make it. You know people. Oh, they should get their status, they should get everything fixed up. Oh, if only life was so easy, if there was a direct path for it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, if only it was guess what?
Speaker 2:and you think this president what? What path has he offered? None other than get out or we'll get you out. There's no path being offered. I just I don't know. I I'm at a loss for words with that right now. Just dealing with that and literally knowing even my office, where my building is, it was happening within probably a two-mile radius this past week that that was happening. It's just I was so close to it at the same time too. I'm just extremely disturbed by that. People that comment that that's the way to do it and that's the way to handle this. I'm sorry, I just think that is absolutely absurd.
Speaker 1:And I appreciate that term you used because it is true. People are being hunted down and we see it right Unmarked vehicles, badge numbers being hidden. What happened to the hey, no mask policy for protesters? Yet these immigration enforcement officers are wearing masks. They're not wearing masks to help prevent pollen contamination. They're not wearing masks because there might be tear gas in the air. Because they're collecting people, they're hunting them down, so tear gas is not in these immediate areas. They're wearing masks to what?
Speaker 2:Well, their president doesn't believe in pandemics, so it's not that they're doing it to hide their identities. To not be accountable the fact that a public servant that is paid for that.
Speaker 1:their intention, their goals are to protect the citizens of this very country that reside in these borders right To protect people that are within these borders. That's what law enforcement is right and, in many retrospect right. These people that are within these borders that's what law enforcement is right and in many retrospect right, these people that are here, paid for by tax dollars, that are part of public service, are now preventing and denying sharing their what are public servants? I mean, I've worked in public service capacities where I have to provide information.
Speaker 2:Sure.
Speaker 1:By law, I have to provide it. Sure, by law, I have to provide it, but they're not. But I think what the scariest part of all this is that we are truly entering the most dangerous part of the Trump regime and it's said over a lot of places and that's the normalization of what's happening. This is just being normalized. All these activities are just being normalized, like these are things that should happen or that should have happened. This is extremely chaotic. If you can't think of that Marcus was just talking about this a little while ago If you can't think about how chaotic this has played out right, not even six months in federal workers laid off, no structure of who's going to take over that work.
Speaker 1:No structure of where they're going to go. The economy collapses.
Speaker 2:Entering close if I can technically say it, a recession. I'm not even sure if we are right now. Maybe that's what we're masking in the meantime, that I don't know this is.
Speaker 1:You're telling me that a trump presidency isn't chaotic is beyond me, because this is extreme and utter chaos this weekend. On saturday okay, it's the 250th birthday of the US Army, right?
Speaker 2:It's June 14th, Just to clarify. June 14th.
Speaker 1:There's never been a military parade to showcase that let alone on a sitting president's birthday. You know what countries do that Regimes? Yeah, like North Korea. Yes, north Korea loves that. They do that Regimes yeah, like North Korea.
Speaker 2:Yes, North Korea loves that. They do that yes.
Speaker 1:How insane does that not look to anybody that we are participating in activities that are showcasing military vehicles, entities, whatever you want to call it, at the same time of a president's birthday?
Speaker 2:And what is the passive intention of a country doing that right, especially like North Korea right, a relatively small, isolated country to demonstrate some sense of power of force?
Speaker 1:That's why they do it. We know this country has force. We know this country has force. We know this country has power. One of the most the highest inflated military budgets of any industrialized nation in the world.
Speaker 2:We have it, we do, we do have it.
Speaker 1:What is the point of this?
Speaker 2:Because he's the leader now. So you have to associate that power, that passive association of power, with him. It's a reflect as commander in chief and you're going to any speech he makes on Saturday or any time close. You're going to hear a lot of commander in chief. I bet you, whatever bet you want to make, that you will hear him talk about himself as commander in chief, as that's in the backdrop, those images, he will talk about himself as commander chief, as that's in the backdrop, those images he will talk about himself.
Speaker 1:A parade has never happened with any sitting us president. Right back in history, dwight eisenhower once rejected hosting the military parade because it would make the us quote look weak. Because we believe this as much as he does, that a country that is truly powerful would not need to prove their strength through boastful displays.
Speaker 2:Again. That's what you said. These countries like north korea, these little isolated, you know, weak countries like like them, they do this. For that reason they have to show some little sense of strength. Oh, we're strong, look at us. They have to do it. For that reason, they have to show some little sense of strength. Oh, we're strong, look at us. They have to do it for that reason, just like you said, there's no need. We know that. There's the power here. We've got Camp Pendleton, you know, I think they're Marines, right?
Speaker 1:I'm sorry guys, I don't know yes they are.
Speaker 2:They're within 20 miles of where we're at right now. We We've got 29 palms. We have all these bases right here in California that we know they're here, we know we're good, but no, we're going to have a big parade for the first time like that.
Speaker 1:The president is a public figure, one who is elected to represent the people of this country. So there is no need for that in a democracy, because he is not a dictator. He is an elected official that works with Congress to create laws and so forth that best serve the American people. Right, that's what he's there for. So to have a parade is boastful in many ways, that's king.
Speaker 1:That's king, that's king status, that's dictator status, that's oh, I've done such a great job, let's have a military parade. Has he done a great job? He hasn't.
Speaker 2:Not what we're talking about. Are you kidding me?
Speaker 1:Cost of living is still extremely high. Things that he said he would do has not done a single thing. The fact that the president doesn't even receive daily briefings. I told marcus there's plenty of stuff that's going on that I think he would be able to receive daily briefings I would figure me and you that are not presidents or elected officials receive daily briefings at work about the work we do every day, sometimes every minute I mean CNN, ABC, their news sites don't just shut down for days at a time, because there's not information.
Speaker 1:There's always something that needs to be told, there's a story to be told somewhere about something, and the fact that all these people, all these people that are on his administration, on his regime, on his dictatorship, are people that are truly so hypocritical. Everything they've said they are going against. They've said before that if Biden ever militarized or called the National Guard against the state's request would be the end of democracy itself. Not exactly in that way, but the quote said that if he did that.
Speaker 1:It would be a really bad thing. What's happening now? Federalized City president Federalized the guard the first time since the civil rights movement of the 60s. Right Right. Trump said himself that if people were to protest at his quote military parade, they would be met with great force.
Speaker 1:Yes, they would be met with great force. Yes, a reporter asked white house press secretary, by the way, is an absolute unqualified person. Um, what did trump mean by that, or what did that mean? She said trump will. No, no, that's a stupid question. Trump will always support peaceful protests. When he just literally said that if you protest, no matter what kind of protest you do, because in his eyes, a protest is not peaceful, in his eyes, a protest is an act of defiance.
Speaker 2:Yes, exactly right.
Speaker 1:He is punishing everything and everyone that go against him. This isn't the thing about policy or procedure. Anybody that goes against him or his regime is being countered is being attacked and is being degraded Absolutely right, every single person. What was the point of trying to arrest Governor Gavin Newsom? He's a sitting governor. He was elected by the people of this state. We knew the fight would start here. We knew that the fight would come here, right, but I told Marcus the craziest thing about all this I'm not surprised this is happening. It baffles me that people are like oh, I didn't think it was gonna be this way. What do you mean? He clearly indicated that all of these things he's doing he was going to do. How did you not see this? How do we think this is appropriate? We are supposed to be the country that has changed the dynamics of living for human beings on planet Earth. We're supposed to be a country that has checks and balances, three different types of government that independently run off each other.
Speaker 2:I think you just hit it, though I think that's where some people, even I, was telling you right before we started recording that I thought the worst he was going to do is collapse the economy. I didn't think he would be as successful in this. I thought there would be some raids for sure. I did not expect to see hunters going up and down streets during the middle of the day. I didn't even see that. I'll be honest with you. Why? Because I still had some faith that there was checks and balances. But clearly even I was wrong, to the extent that that's present. I really thought something would check this. No, nothing's checking him. Even Governor Newsom's petition to stop the guard right now it still has to go through the courts. The immediate suspension wasn't granted. There is no check involved in this.
Speaker 1:Let's take a guess.
Speaker 2:If a suspension does happen, you think he'll listen to it or he'll find another loophole, like he's done with these other random acts and laws and privileges of the present. He'll find some other excuse of why he can still do it like he's been doing I have no other words but to say that, truly, our democracy is at threat.
Speaker 1:We are at a time that I only used to read about in history books, that I've only heard about in countries of authoritarianism like North Korea, and I am truly concerned and worried about the future because all of these things are being put into place to declare at some point, essentially quote martial law. I mean, everything is moving in that capacity.
Speaker 1:The fact that the media is putting these crazy images of this extreme chaos in Los Angeles, which it's not. There is not extreme chaos. It's a very limited area in very small areas, but they're using these images getting the flag with the black smoke behind police vehicles. Let's talk about Philadelphia, right, when the Eagles won. Let's talk about that stuff.
Speaker 2:Sure.
Speaker 1:Let's talk about when teams win. You know, when the Lakers won in LA, right, you, the Eagles, won, let's talk about that stuff. Sure, let's talk about when teams win. When the Lakers won in LA, right, that was a very chaotic environment. People went out, destroyed stuff. We've seen these kind of activities very isolated and so forth. This is being proportionally exaggerated. It's just being blown out of control.
Speaker 2:But here's the purpose of that, the purpose of that is right of that is right.
Speaker 1:What is the?
Speaker 2:purpose. You manipulate it a little bit, people see it and eventually, people those that are out there, right, the agitators do it themselves. They eventually do it themselves and then it does actually grow. But it was created. So, for example, let's talk about friday, let's talk about LA, right? So there were demonstrations, there were people in the street, I think there were some fireworks, some little things. Right, trump goes in. He sends the National Guard, right? So, like you said, the media shows some of these images. He sees it. They look chaotic. He sends the Guard in. What is doing that? What is sending the Guard do? He sends the guard in. What is sending the guard do?
Speaker 2:Now, you actually are going to instigate people to actually act up because of that, but it's because he brought in that piece. He brought in that guard piece. That wasn't needed. People were protesting. Some people do throw a firework or do little things. They go into the street but he decided to make that move.
Speaker 2:Then he's bringing Marines. You're poking the bear, poking the bear, make that move. Then he's bringing Marines. Right, you're adding you're poking the bear, poking the bear, poking the bear. And guess what? People are going to respond to that? Because you keep poking them. It's him poking the bear that's doing it. So now, guess what? Now we have the guard. Right now it's Wednesday 11th. The guard fleet is going to double in size. Right, we're going to bring more Marines. We're just adding, adding, compounding. Guess what People are going to respond to it? Then the media is going to capture the images. He's just going to add we're just going to keep going in this terrible cycle, this revolving cycle that all started with him agitating people. So, in the end, it does turn real, but it's because it was created, not because people were originally being violent and crazy. He wants. This is the machine. He's playing the game to get people to act this way.
Speaker 1:It's, it's just never ending as we get ready to go, because you know it's a quick little thought we're going to share with you guys. Complacency will be our greatest demise, and what happens moving forward is that we continue to advocate and fight for what we believe in. If we don't, we will be muzzled, we will be shut down. There's a way to do things and we have to do them right. But I beg all of you who are on the right side of history, no matter what you believe in, that this is not normal.
Speaker 1:Not at all this, no matter what side you're on, it will affect you. I know I get it. Sometimes seeing things are intense. The media portrays these things right. We see attacks, we see stuff. We see smoke. We see stuff, we see smoke. We see fires. We see cars being burned. Yeah, of course it's going to rile all of us up, but just step back for a minute and think about what these things have caused, how our government has responded. We're a country where we're not supposed to use our police and military against the people of this country. Other regimes do that, dictatorships do that, right, but we're known to be different.
Speaker 2:They send their soldiers out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but we just did that. So if that doesn't sound alarming in your head, I don't know what to tell you, because at this point, that gives me enough knowledge to know that this regime is not one that is working for me or people that look like me. Please stay safe. If you're going to exercise your First Amendment right, please be mindful and do your research of everything you need to do to be safe.
Speaker 2:I'm going to say us to have an escape plan. Sorry to say, if we've seen it, some of these demonstrations go really bad, really fast because of agitation, and if things get bad, you need to know how to escape. Sadly, you need to know how to escape. Sadly, you need to know. I've seen some of the responses from the Guard and now we have Marines in the area too that are going to be out there this weekend especially. They will be out there. Just really be mindful, sad to say, even if you're just peacefully exercising your right, because we've seen it, we've seen the videos, we've seen how they respond. We've seen people get injured. We've seen the videos, We've seen how they respond. We've seen people get injured. We've seen reporters get injured out there because of things getting escalated really fast. So please be careful out there, be mindful at all times of your surroundings.
Speaker 1:Until next time for all of us here at the RTWJ podcast.
Speaker 2:I'm John, I'm Marcus. Make sure you're following us on Instagram. That's like what John said We'll be living there for a while at the RTWJ Podcast. We'll say tentatively that we'll be back the second Monday of July, but we'll keep you posted. We'll see how things are going and if anything changes, if you're following us on Instagram, you'll be first to know about them. So just make sure you're following us and you'll be first to know about them. So just make sure you're following us. Stay tuned, we'll keep you updated on our next release.
Speaker 1:But no matter what strength lies in your voice, and I guarantee you we will never be silenced. Take care, guys.
