[speaker001:] Yeah, I think, um, this is a tough subject because, uh, when you come from two different parts of the country, uh, the political views are really different. I, uh, I, I guess I've had to discuss a number of what might be considered controversial issues,
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] I guess like, like they're nothing, I guess, nothing is as awful as abortion but like gun control and, uh, day care an things like that, and there are some very different views, uh, of the people connected with the program which I thought was really interesting, you know.
[speaker002:] Well, now you, you say two different parts of the country what, are, are, are you referring to yourself or,
[speaker001:] Yeah, well being in, in Baltimore see, Maryland is, um, is sort of, um, is prob-, as, as a hub of liberalism [LAUGHTER],
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] you know, compared to the country, uh, you know, very, uh, in, in many ways, uh, very liberal very somewhat to New England though Pennsylvania and New York, uh, I, aren't actually as liberal, Maryland is a very liberal, uh, state so, so, where here we have, um, we have gun control laws we probably have some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation and most people in Maryland vote for that, you know.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] So, it really is a different, um,
[speaker002:] Uh, well, of course, you talk gun controls down here in Texas and you're asking to be lynched.
[speaker001:] Yeah, that's, that's right talk to, I had to talk about gun control with somebody and I talked with a woman who actually, you know, h-, had just purchased a gun that day,
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] and was going target shooting, you know, and it was very different it was a whole,
[speaker002:] [Throat clearing].
[speaker001:] different view. It's really, um, this has opened my eyes to thinking, you know, at one time I just sat here and thought, well, how can anybody believe that because I'd really never met people that did, and now, I talk to people that do. So that's, it's really interesting.
[speaker002:] Well, it's very true, now I'm a, uh, New Yorker by birth.
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] Although I claim Florida as my home now, uh, I have two sons living down there but I also have two sons living elsewhere,
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] one in Tennessee, one in Mississippi. But I lived in Te-, in Florida for ten years and I kind of like it down there, but they had a gun control law which went a little bit too far.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] I think uh, [breathing] well in your words,
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] they were a little bit too liberal. [breathing]
[speaker001:] Yeah, isn't it funny. [LAUGHTER]
[speaker002:] I mean they p- they I believe if I'm correct I believe they permitted their carrying concealed weapons.
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] [inhaling] But
[speaker001:] Uh.
[speaker002:] they uh sh- quickly did away with it.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] I think in the next session they they uh modified it [breathing] but it's still legal to own [breathing] or possess weapons in uh uh Florida.
[speaker001:] Yeah well you can possess 'em here too but [breathing] They have to be they're registered and Uh, like
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] uh the the Brady Bill that's
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] currently being discussed nationally and whatever is very well supported here, in gun control avenues, and um.
[speaker002:] The
[speaker001:] [lipsmack]
[speaker002:] the one week uh seven day the delay
[speaker001:] You have the seven day waiting period.
[speaker002:] Uh huh.
[speaker001:] Yeah
[speaker002:] Well
[speaker001:] that's
[speaker002:] I don't
[speaker001:] uh that's
[speaker002:] mind that too much I'm I'm with the N R A myself.
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] And uh, uh Really the only objection we have [breathing] Is uh you you give a little and next thing you know somebody's trying to take more.
[speaker001:] Yeah that's true that's very true That's and that's the
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] way I guess most of the um the
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] political organizations work you know the same I know the abortion issue with right to life and right to choose
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] and and both of them
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] are both want the extent of extremes so that they don't give anything for a balance
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] you know there's there's always that difficulty
[speaker002:] [lipsmack]
[speaker001:] [lipsmack]
[speaker002:] Well
[speaker001:] [breathing]
[speaker002:] then tell me do you consider yourself a liberal? [breathing]
[speaker001:] Um I would say I'm probably liberal yeah
[speaker002:] Well let
[speaker001:] yeah
[speaker002:] me ask you this then.
[speaker001:] Sure
[speaker002:] How is your what is your feeling about uh uh expressing yourself by burning the American flag?
[speaker001:] Well I'll tell you. I I think you know if they if they didn't give as much coverage to these idiots that burn the flag, it would never happen do you know what I mean?
[speaker002:] Huh.
[speaker001:] It's only because they make a big stink over it. But I I guess actually I believe that if somebody wants to burn the flag I guess that's their opportunity They're they're they're right in the sense of freedom of speech But I- I would never
[speaker002:] Well now wait a minute the- there
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] you just said it.
[speaker001:] [lipsmack]
[speaker002:] It's their right by freedom of speech? What does speech have to do with
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] burning a flag?
[speaker001:] [breathing] Well it's free-
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] that they I think the idea of freedom of speech goes back to and I uh uh the the [breathing] the whole aspect
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] of being able to display your uh your
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] ideas you know the what the country stands on America stands on is that they can do that [breathing] Uh, though I would never even consider
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] it in a million years to do it myself I I [breathing] I think uh {D you
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] know } but I I still what the stan- flag stands for I guess to me is
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] that if somebody wants to voice their opinion or display their opinion openly and if that is a a way that they can [breathing] show
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] their opinion [breathing] then they should be allowed [lipsmack] uh
[speaker002:] Now uh Well I I still
[speaker001:] Unless
[speaker002:] go
[speaker001:] the
[speaker002:] back
[speaker001:] burn
[speaker002:] to...
[speaker001:] unless the actual fire hinders somebody's health and well-being you know but I I think that's I
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] guess that's I thin- that's my opinion Yeah I guess you feel differently.
[speaker002:] Then would you condone the burning of the capitol building?
[speaker001:] Uh,
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] no but I think that's that's uh it's that's taxpayer's money. [breathing] If somebody
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] buys their own flag and and burns it that's fine but that that's [breathing] you know that's destruction and of uh public
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] property and whatever.
[speaker002:] Uh, then you don't draw a line between public property and uh uh uh what a public uh symbol.
[speaker001:] No
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] I don't know I guess the symbolism oh I think what America stands for is the right to be able to disagree with the government.
[speaker002:] Uh yeah
[speaker001:] Uh I
[speaker002:] but
[speaker001:] think that's
[speaker002:] here
[speaker001:] what's
[speaker002:] again
[speaker001:] made
[speaker002:] I go
[speaker001:] democracy
[speaker002:] back to the second amendment You can disagree
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] by s- b- freedom of speech
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] which,
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] has nothing to do with action.
[speaker001:] Well
[speaker002:] Now
[speaker001:] that's that's
[speaker002:] I
[speaker001:] true
[speaker002:] am
[speaker001:] Yeah
[speaker002:] I
[speaker001:] [breathing] But
[speaker002:] am
[speaker001:] I think I I
[speaker002:] adamantly
[speaker001:] g-
[speaker002:] against that.
[speaker001:] Yeah [breathing] I I d- I guess
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] the idea you know they always keep saying like the framers. [breathing] Um. [lipsmack] there uh one of the Republican the appointees for the jud- the judicial bench [breathing] and
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] they always talk about they feel that this person believes in the framing of the constitution [breathing] what
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] the original framers the ideals the original framers set down.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] And Um I believe that the idea of burning
[speaker002:] huh.
[speaker001:] the flag is is in
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] my understanding of how it was framed is that you this coun- the thing about this country is that you can disagree with its government and you can display
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] that.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] Uh, I Yeah, I g- [breathing] and and so that as a freedom of expression and speech and
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] whatever I I think that that's viable. [lipsmack] Um as long as it's your flag and and you've made your your point. I think. Yeah Because, realistically, like for you for you you don't think it's right [breathing]
[speaker002:] No.
[speaker001:] And I would never do it. I I love this country too much, and that symbol means a lot to me.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] Um. But
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] I guess it's just one of those things where if they if that's what's something it's a need for them you know.
[speaker002:] Well here again we uh even though you uh physically you agree with me
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] you
[speaker001:] Yes.
[speaker002:] you wouldn't do it yourself.
[speaker001:] No.
[speaker002:] Nevertheless you maintain that it's it is the right of of any citizen
[speaker001:] Right.
[speaker002:] to burn the symbol of their country.
[speaker001:] Yeah. Uh huh.
[speaker002:] Uh, um so long as it's their possession. Ok, you're you're that's [breathing] fine up to there except that uh, [breathing] th- what that flag symbolizes is uh uh is this country,
[speaker001:] Uh huh.
[speaker002:] and I used to know as a Boy Scout but all I remember was the red in the flag represented the blood that was shed to to create this country,
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] and to maintain it. And, to me that's uh uh black eye to every man that ever p- uh carried a weapon or killed for his country.
[speaker001:] I agree there too. I agree with you there too. I I the um I I it's I find it you know personally disgusting But
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] I don't think that I don't think that uh we
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] have a right to stop somebody from that you know the same I don't know I guess I get I get uh all
[speaker002:] It's
[speaker001:] mixed up inside. [breathing] when,
[speaker002:] It's very easy to do.
[speaker001:] Yeah it g- when it's uh it's an emotional issue, [breathing] and you sit and you try and think
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] about it logically and and and you know you try to say to yourself [breathing] now emotionally this is a disgusting thing, uh but logically um
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] even you know for instance, the pro life pro choice movement, uh you know [breathing] I don't know anybody that actually supports abortion, but they
[speaker002:] Uh
[speaker001:] would vote pro choice.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] because you know That's just a disgusting thing you know somebody [breathing] an abortion means it's somebody's in trouble and that it's an awful thing,
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] you know
[speaker002:] Well
[speaker001:] but
[speaker002:] I think it should be permitted under certain circus-
[speaker001:] Yeah.
[speaker002:] circumstances.
[speaker001:] [lipsmack] but
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] it that's uh that's what I mean, see, mo- but but realistically when you think of it it just sounds like such an awful thing, and it evokes an emotional response. I think [breathing] that's the hardest thing, I don't know if I could ever be a judge, because
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] some
[speaker002:] Huh.
[speaker001:] things
[speaker002:] Well
[speaker001:] emotionally
[speaker002:] tell me
[speaker001:] just
[speaker002:] has
[speaker001:] aren't
[speaker002:] it
[speaker001:] you know
[speaker002:] ever been decided when when is a uh fetus a human?
[speaker001:] No, no [breathing]
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] I think the um [lipsmack] sometimes I guess what did I read recently the um th- the uh Christian uh point
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] is is always the point of well it's at conception but then um a friend of mine's a doctor and argues with others that conception is a biblical term. And there's no concept of conception in medicine or biology.
[speaker002:] Huh.
[speaker001:] [lipsmack] so then that so that throws out that idea makes it a religious discussion then. So it's I
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] don't know. It's very it's it's uh you know It's a it's a topsy-turvy world and it's really something how um political
[speaker002:] [breathing]
[speaker001:] ideas and viewpoints within one country can vary so much and also within um [lipsmack]
[speaker002:] Or
[speaker001:] within
[speaker002:] they
[speaker001:] a,
[speaker002:] on their o- within the own uh [breathing] society,
[speaker001:] Yeah
[speaker002:] it can
[speaker001:] and
[speaker002:] vary.
[speaker001:] how Yeah how it'll sway from one e- one extreme to another.
[speaker002:] Uh-huh.
[speaker001:] [lipsmack] Uh I think that uh you know I I just read something I think in TIME magazine uh about um protest