Arlene Thompson and Dana Ellis

00:00 ISO, Arlene and Dana. Thank you for being here once again, and for being a part of the one, small step program. I want to start us off by having you each read each other's files. I am so Dana. May you start by reading Arlene's file?

00:19 I am 67, a wife of 45 years mother of two. My son died in 2016. This has had a huge impact on my life, grandmother of three.

00:34 I saw all three come into this world. My grandchildren call me Nana and tell me I'm not really an old woman. Laugh out loud and grandmother is really how I defend myself. I'm also a retired RN I worked at in C ICU at UAB and help care for the first heart transplant.

00:59 Pace up there. Sorry, I consider myself a conservative, but not an extremist. I like to think that I can respectfully talk about any subject, but I do have deeply held convictions about some of those subjects. I can agree to disagree.

01:23 I'm a 67 year old white, female race. In the South. I'm retired.

01:29 But works for 42 years and as a registered nurse, I'm also US Army veteran nursecore. My life has been shaped by many things growing up in the sixties. I was acutely aware of the civil rights movement in the tragedies of Jim quote. As an Aryan. I have witnessed on a daily basis, the impact of poverty on health and well-being. I truly believe that we are a country of immense wealth and have the ability to solve all our problems.

01:58 Awesome. Thank you. Both. First question that I want to start off with is please take 5 minutes or less to tell your partner, your life story as best as you can. So if you could take the time now to fill in any gaps that you left out in the file that you read until your life story. So Dana if you're comfortable, who do you want to start us off with this question, I grew up in Tennessee. I'm one of five had four siblings.

02:32 As I said, I'm an army veteran on the Army, paid my way through nursing school. So I was on active duty for 4 years. I have a son, a grown son, who lives in California. One thing that shaped. My life is that my parents divorced when I was 4 years old. So back in the 50s, that was a pretty uncommon occurrence. So. So I do think that that had an impact on my life, I grew up in Tennessee. My father lived in Mississippi with, my parents were involved in healthcare my mother and nurse my father of position.

03:16 I've lived in Alabama. Now, forty years. I was recruited to uip in 1980. Thought I would be here for two years and then I'm still here. Deeply deeply enjoyed enjoyed and still enjoy being a parent to my son. I was 42 when he was born. So I don't have the fortune that are they enhance of having grandchildren yet, but retired in 2018 and have been in my retirement really active with three different groups. One is the League of Women Voters.

04:00 I currently am the President of the Birmingham League of Women. Voters group, Moms Demand Action for gun sense and currently the Alabama chapter later for that group. And I'm on the Coordinating Committee of the Poor People's campaign here in Alabama. All three of those organizations are non-partisan. I really believe in the ability of non partisan groups to accomplish great things.

04:30 I also believe that being non-partisan doesn't mean not being political political to me means trying to have an impact on the policies in the country. So while I am not affiliated with a particular party, I do believe that has an informed citizen. Do need to be involved in political work and that's about all I can think of to say about myself in Virginia.

05:05 And I've kind of complicated history there in my mother died. When I was two and I was raised by my father's not who was asked to raise him and his mother died eighteen months. So I have kind of a very extended family and buy a lot of legal parameters when I hear from them, but my grandmother raised me, she was 64 when I was born. So, I was raised in a household of elderly people, when they're very comfortable with the elderly and then grew up. Also, in the family had a lot of our friends in it and that can sew it to me to choose going into intended to be an RN. In the early age. I graduated from a three-year programme which didn't even exist anymore, but I consider is the best.

05:57 And then I was also recruited to UAB when I graduated from nursing school and came down and wanted to go straight into CSE you and there was not an opening for about eight months because it was such a high demand, place to work and actually works high-risk OB-GYN for a year and then went to see. I see you and I did not nurse actively for I think you said 40-something years, but I did not quite a while. I was charged for a while and then I do use of home nursing, home care, so,

06:37 My biggest calling after that, with my family and I have a daughter who is the mother of my two grandchildren, and my son passed away. As I said, not quite five years ago, in an automobile accident know, which, as I said in, my bio was wasn't still continues to be a great influence on how I deal with. My husband has early dementia. We just celebrate 45 years of marriage. May we have a home with their daughter and her husband. We are about to hang together.

07:15 So it's a zoo, but it's a happy zoo and has its own.

07:21 Challenges my granddaughter just graduated in 3 years from Millsaps College in Jackson with her business. Degree. Just got a really great job. My grandson's moved out working. And so the youngest is 13. That's my life. I'm grandmother and a mother and

07:40 Politically eyes. I see before I consider myself a conservative but not a extremist. I believe at a lot of like you said that in a week, we can accomplish things together. And as I said before, I can agree to disagree, this thing's I may not agree with you on, but I can list, I can respect your Viewpoint. You being a general

08:07 That's about it as it is. Now. I'm just

08:13 That retired now. And I am in a pushing forward.

08:18 Thank you both for sharing. The next question. I want to ask each of you is if you can say why you wanted to do this interview today and be a part of this project.

08:30 And Arlene, how about you start this time?

08:32 Okay.

08:35 I guess the few things that I have heard on the radio that the interviews were always intriguing to me and

08:42 I've always felt that if we can't talk to one another, we can accomplish anything and so I thought it was a marvelous idea to share opinion that you share feelings into. And as you said, you put this down somewhere, it's going to be preserved. So I found that appealing.

09:06 Similar to what Arlene said, you know, I've known him storycorps for years and have one small step since it Inception. I am concerned that currently I'm not, I don't think this has happened in the past as well. Don't get me wrong, but that we seem to be at a time when people talk at each other rather than to each other. And so I was really drawn to the one small step for Matt. Where there's an intentional pairing of people who might not share the same views, but are open to listening to everybody else and I think it's particularly its valuable at any time, but I think especially right now, in the setting of covid-19 are not interacting with many people outside of our own small world. That this is a supervisor

10:06 The way to get people to, to meet each other and have a chance to talk.

10:17 Think about your bios and your life story kind of where you stand put in politically. So can you each tell me what is your earliest memory of politics or your earliest memory out of having a strong conviction about a certain issue?

10:33 Anyone can start when they're ready?

10:39 Well, I think I was thinking about this question, when we got the packet and I think this is correct. I'm not positive.

10:48 But it's not the earliest, very early was the Civil Rights struggle. So I was born in 53. The years of, you know, the Civil Rights struggle went on for decades. But I remember specially in the 60s watching the the children being hosed on the streets of Birmingham watching the summer Massacre, when the people were beating on the bridge. So I would have been in 12 to 13, maybe and just was shocked and appalled and very disturbed by what I saw. I had the advantage when it growing up in Chattanooga.

11:35 I went to Catholic schools and our schools were integrated earlier than some of the public schools were. So it was particularly confusing to me because I was in school already with people of A different race. And I was I just remember being very disturbed and very moved by a human being being treated so poorly.

12:04 The earliest memory.

12:09 Add a reminder about that. Think about that. And

12:14 I don't really have a specific memory at that young age. I mean, I I remember being influenced hearing things, but I don't think when I was 10 or 12 13 long in there that I was really too.

12:29 I guess I was too busy in the backyard playing, but I heard him, but I didn't become very

12:37 Forward to me until I was really in high school and I do, remember your integration and the high schools and all the schools being desegregated and that did not seem to be as much of the same to me as the day that there was just this little mini Riot and up to that time. I don't guess I really thought about it because I just it didn't bother me that we were having the schools put together other than trying to decide our mascot.

13:10 I didn't bother me that we were all coming together, but there was some little mini, right? And not to tell you the truth. I can't remember what started it but I do and my favorite teacher in the entire world was saying at the top of steps pulling kids into her room, to get them out of The Fray and she was a black lady and I just she was my favorite teacher about change the style of that one and I can remember that I was impressed by her because she was just killing kids in there was no colors. It was just kids and I think maybe I started me thinking maybe that was a lie, Jack late age, but it looks.

13:51 What a wonderful story.

13:57 But the last question before I open it up to the both of you is, can you tell me about someone who has been kind this to you and your life? And it's not a particular person and maybe a particular moment in your life or your experience that kindness and that Grace?

14:17 I think my grandmother always comes to mind. She she had Thirty grandchildren and yet had the unique ability to make all of us. Feel like we were her favorite. It was awesome. And I can remember. She said she struggled with poor eyesight and she held it handled it with such remarkable Grace, but I think, what I think most about is that one of the phrases that she often said, was there, but for the grace of God go off. So she would not tolerate any negative discussion about an individual, or a group of people see what I always say, it's not our place to judge there, but for the grace of God go. I so I think her kindness

15:16 Change me. Like I said, she used to make us all feel like we were special when when I decided to go to nursing school, both of my parents at decision.

15:31 But for different reasons, my father had his reason why he thought I shouldn't go in my mother had hers and they were Polar Opposites. So I remember Nana saying to me, but obviously they don't know you. So you just need to do whatever you want to do and she stood in my corner while I went on with that. So she's who always think about

15:58 I would have to say, I can't really say a person. So I'm going to go with an event because I've had a lot of kindness in my life. But when my son died, my son is very big on the music saying he was drop self-taught Drummond.

16:13 I don't know, but your son but my son went to all the ages of every color of hair under the sun and piercings and tattoos. The first ones in.

16:27 One day, I woke up and realize that none of that change. My son, who's to my son. That being said, all of his friends were of the same ilk Hardrock and my son died.

16:49 The people that came and where the support for my broken heart and soul my family, where my son's friends, and they were the kids that that the world would probably look at I'm with askance. You know, it go look at them cuz they wore, it may be the last out they lived but they were the ones who came and it was 12 and 24 hours raised every sent. It took to bury my son, who died at 37.

17:22 I think that was the Catalyst because it came from a group of people that the world would have not.

17:29 Thought it would and I didn't steal my boys. So I have to get the microphone. No problem. I want to open a open it up to both of you to ask each other questions. I also want to thank you both for being so open and these opening questions and sharing a lot about yourself.

18:05 So yeah, is ask each other questions.

18:09 Arlene, your storytelling is great. The story you told about your son's friends, coming around you almost made me want to cry. I think it's really interesting that your son was a musician. Sell his mind. He's a baseball player. We have a lot in common. Probably not, I was 42 when he was born. So I was looking at the questions to help us. So I really liked this first question. If you're comfortable, it says, could you describe in your own words, your personal political values? What is she would you say are the most important to you?

19:00 Okay. I looked at that question.

19:07 I have to say that I'm not great political active like you're apart of groups. And you know, I really admire that I haven't been able to do any of that, but

19:20 That means it, I'm very conservative in My Views about abortion, even being a nurse. I'm very conservative in My Views about

19:34 The death sentence, things like that, but at the same time, I'm willing to listen on a lot of other things, not political. My political views, probably sending more about.

19:50 Progress that I feel needs to be done. I feel like that we're not making a lot of progress in there in our Congress and are send it. If you go to political to use. Is there a particular enzyme issues that you would Congress would?

20:09 Work more closely on or is it just the general?

20:13 General said we're just at a stalemate. We're just with me when we come to like you said before we come to a point where we're at each other.

20:27 And creating a showcase instead of going on at the American people want this because I said this yesterday to my granddaughter. I feel like the conservatives in one out. The really, really truly hard-nosed conservatives on this end and then they're really, really Liberals are on this end and they're just making all this brouhaha, but somewhere in the middle of all that is where the American people where they stand, and that's what you know, and so we need to stop. We need to make some accomplishments instead of blowing their horns about things. And I just want people to start talking to each other and and working through and then when they find something that they can't agree on, they have to say, okay will do this. We're going to we're going to put them to the side and come sit. We did agree on the work from there because then those will get out there. Was it eventually will Branch out to those other things and include them.

21:24 I think that's interesting. It's interesting that you brought up kind of the stalemate in Congress because that's probably one of the area's bothering me the most. And I think you made a excellent point, the majority of Americans. I firmly believe. I hope I'm not wrong are actually in the middle and so issues, like gun safety. I think their poll after poll after poll says that there are things that we can do to make things more safe and our elected officials aren't doing that voting rights right now is is a concern of mine, you know in Alabama.

22:13 We we have so much less opportunity to vote, then some other states that have early voting and we can voting in that kind of thing. That I know, I know that is that was changed, would have more people, casting a ballot and I and so there's a Voting Rights Act Bill currently. That's his style make. So like you you and I agree that this thing of of the people were elected and they were paying

22:47 Aren't doing the work and it's very frustrating. Was there one of the questions that you wanted to ask me. Did you have your own? We don't have to stick with these?

23:02 Where,

23:05 Do you think?

23:07 That being a military.

23:10 Veteran has influence your political views in question. Maybe, maybe one of the, you know, one of my concerns like I talked about is poverty and how it affects so many people in our nation in when I was in the military.

23:31 Initially worked as a staff nurse, but then the last two years, I was a pediatric nurse practitioner and what was really? So gratifying is that

23:45 If a child I was taking care of needed a prescription filled. I didn't have any concern that that family wouldn't be able to afford it because the cuz they were in the military, of course, meds were free. And it was such a wonderful time in my life. And then when I got out of the military and back into civilian medical experience and saw once again, people who had to choose between filling their medications and paying their rent or buying their groceries. It was just hard for me to swallow. So that's probably the biggest way that building being in the military had an effect on me. It was at the tail end of the Vietnam War and I met a lot of really fine people in my ears and it

24:45 Probably, I spent, you know, I'm going up in Tennessee. I can College in Tennessee. And then I was in South Carolina, Colorado, and Maryland, so I had an opportunity to travel some and I think that opened my eyes as well cuz I met people from different parts of the country and and it just expanded expanded my thought so. And I think as a veteran, I'm particularly disturbed by the state of what's going on right now, you know, I came out of retirement.

25:20 To help with vaccinations, so I was down at UAB on January 6th.

25:29 Vaccinating when we vaccinate a thousand people that day, but whenever we had a break, we were looking at what was happening in the capital. And now we know that a portion of the folks who?

25:46 Acted in a domestic terrorist kind of way on that day or military veterans, really brought my heart because that's not the essence of the military that I know that would take up arms against police officers. It just broke my heart.

26:06 My husband is a Vietnam veteran and so

26:13 You know, I think that's what they're saying that. You see a lot of.

26:18 Cliches about Vietnam, veteran sister all old alcoholics, no drugs. And so, and I do feel that it has been treated. Well, I think you're right, a lot of issues because well, part of that, you know, when to hold them, things called that sings into. The fact that all the veterans, most of them. A lot of letters that are age that I find, that's why I never would have thought that I've been carrying this much about social security and Veterans Benefits.

27:18 Adulting.

27:31 Do you think that?

27:37 Being being that there. Were you where you at the Veterans Day?

27:44 The things that day or you actually, it might be at Margaret Cameron Spain, Auditorium on that day.

27:52 That was a bad. Yeah, my husband. I said watch that too. And it was so he said that the people that were there. You wouldn't expect that.

28:08 Tell me. What do you mean by that? Could be.

28:23 Part of their complaint in it that they feel like they've been neglected. I don't know. Yeah, it's hard to talk to somebody. My take on it without having to talk to my other was there which isn't fair, right? Is that in Morse coming out about this that people were Ed?

28:49 They were disappointed in the results of the election and they were fed inaccurate information about that. So they believed that the election had been stolen. Now. It may be that for some subsets of people, their own particular issues, like Veterans Affairs, or whatever, also drove them to be there.

29:11 But my take watching, it was that simply a poor loser.

29:20 Can a lot of fears that somehow the election was stolen, which, you know, there were 60 court cases and it wasn't, you know, there. There's no no proof of that. So I just was my mouth dropped open. I was so glad that we were busy that day at the vaccination clinic, cuz cuz I probably would have been glued to the television. And I wanted to be doing something positive into me. What was positive is getting shots in arms and people so that we could end the pandemic. So,

29:57 But I feel, I really, I'm angry at the people that did it, but I also feel sorry for them because I think they were fed.

30:06 I'm just information that caused them to do that.

30:14 I'm trying to look these questions, see what we can push forward here. So.

30:23 I don't have any.

30:28 Hard-and-fast beliefs about,

30:33 Voting ticket for the person I sent him the same issues and while I am like you, I wasn't there. I don't know.

30:56 It doesn't bother me sometimes to say well, I don't know what motivated these people would I can still go forward. I think a lot of people are stuck with that though. They're stuck in.

31:12 And, you know, talking this way. I'm answering the question cuz some people stuck in been placing blame. But at the same time, I realized it does have to be assigned. It has been it sometime. I feel like, you know, this is another one of things. I think we have to move Beyond. We have to go. It happened. We have to deal with it. And there has to be a certain level of forgiveness, even by the people, that didn't really bad things. You still have to be, there has to be a certain level of forgiveness. Cuz if we don't again, we can't move forward. That's not. I'm not saying Absolution Methodist have to be a certain amount of forgiveness of wrongdoing, that wrong thing. That's wrong word.

31:56 Being subjective to Fallas. It's not always like what you say and in the people that are confused. The people that are misled the way to reach them is not to bash the back of the head again. Yeah. I'm kind of at a place where people, you know, we're all adults. So we have to be held accountable for our actions. Whatever thing I do. I did it. So, I have to be accountable. And so, I think the the value

32:40 The value in the investigations is to hold people accountable, but also see.

32:49 What's said it and hold the people who fed the lot accountable as well? I don't want just the people.

32:58 I don't know if I'm making any sense. If you, if you hit a police officer, you need to be held accountable for what you did. End of sentence. But if part of the reason you were worked up, is somebody over here was telling lies and pulling strings that person needs to be held accountable as well. That makes sense. So I do, I wish we could put it behind us, but I don't think we can until we fully understood what happened. Cuz the only way to prevent something like that in the future is to really understand what happened here.

33:37 But it's a dark with a heart block on on, on our country. And so I just don't ever want to see that happen again. I remember years ago. I took my son to DC when he was nine. And as we were walking towards the capital, I just stopped in my tracks and he said, what's the matter and there were

34:04 People standing on the steps officers standing on the steps with machine guns. Well, I guess with automatic rifles. Probably and I sell my God, and my little nine year old looked up at me and said, Mom, we're at War because he remember 9/11, but I haven't been to DC for years, and I was used to free and easy access. So, I would like us to know exactly what happened to hold everybody accountable, and then to put systems in place, that would prevent that going forward. And for me, I think the most important thing is to figure out ways to stop disinformation, you know, too, because it's affecting us in so many ways that affected, the people that thought the election had been stolen, when the facts are, it was not. And it's affecting us now with

35:04 Because people don't want to believe the science. So maybe that's a good place to go since we're in the middle of, you know, another surge now in covid. 1 is a questions they have here is what's it been like living through the pandemic for you. How how have you coped with everything that's going on?

35:30 I live in a household that looks and I'm interest. My husband was a corpsman also, so we

35:43 Germs and viruses in the little background stuff, and it doesn't bother me to put a mask on, and I'm not going to die from CO2, and my oldest granddaughter is very

36:08 Borderline conspiracy theorist.

36:17 Condition. Because, you know, we're very proactive, we're wearing masks, we do get all that beginning accountant. No, that's that's this is what happens this trying to explain and sometimes it gets done. Sometimes it doesn't, and that's very frustrating. And then with all the stuff, I guess you tell him we're close to my oldest granddaughter. She's been my rock since my son passed away, but we talked about things like that all the time, even with that being the medical mask on.

37:00 If I signed out ten years now, that that didn't help anything. What did it bother me to wear mask? And if I find out 10 years from now, that that save lives and

37:11 So, when the world shut down, I felt very isolated. But I felt like as a 68 miles of 68. Now. I just had a birthday as a 67 year-old. And as a nurse that I needed to follow all of the Titans. You know, the last thing I wanted was to do something stupid, wind up getting admitted to you. I'd be in heaven to look at all my former colleagues. And say, I didn't know the rules very well, could have had a bad. So so it was an attempt time. It was a scary time and

38:08 I think one of the things that helped me the most to get past that part of, it was when I had the opportunity to come out of retirement and help with vaccination. Cuz then, I felt like I was doing something positive. I was, you know, helping and I know that I'm not clinically competent right now to get at the bedside with all the equipment that I've not, you know, I knew I couldn't help in that way. So being able to give vaccinations felt like I was contributing. I think, one of the harder things for me to is because my son lives that far away, it was 17 months before I could see him.

38:53 Oh, wow. Is he was determined will number one. I wouldn't have traveled before the vaccine anyway, and I listened to the advice, but he was very determined cuz he knows that his dad. And I are both in our sixties, which means we're at high risk, and even if I had tried to go see him, he wouldn't have, let me so, but I finally got to see him in May after all of us for fully vaccinated. And so, so that was good. So the pandemics been interesting, but I've also enjoyed, it's been a good thing to not be rushing as much as before. I've read more, listen to music. So there's been some good things about it. I think right now, how are you feeling about what we're seeing about Rising cases in Alabama?

39:50 I'm going to answer that in just a second. I'm going to see if my airpods will work. I am I'm very concerned about the rise in cases like this. We got an email yesterday from and I won't say the name who got the e-mail yesterday from a local dog grooming service and it's not that big of a dog and the first email was well that they're going to have clothes and some Services because three of the employees work. And yet, people are blind to that what they're saying, you know, they're just continuing on this before. Like I said, it's very concerning to me.

40:50 I would like more information in there. I told him not getting all the information. I would like to have about 10 months in the expanse. People. You know, we don't say that like we used to sound like maybe these are. I don't know what they need to come up with something that's more reference to young people. But I'm astounded astounded by the things. I see people willing to accept and will not listen to science will not listen to, you know, if you don't listen to Partition fat, if you don't want to listen to the Mayo fat, but listen to deal with it, and it's, it's just scary.

41:41 I'm really worried about Healthcare staff cuz they have barely recovered from the first wave. And now they're heading right back into it. I read an article today that several nurses have just decided, they can't do it anymore in there quitting. And I, I can kind of understand that. You know, do you have any ideas I've struggled.

42:11 About, I don't want to shame people that haven't gotten back to mated up till now because I'm sure there's a myriad of reasons.

42:20 But that's the only thing that's going to get this under control is for people to get vaccinated and I've been trying to think of what what are good ways to talk to people. Do you have any ideas about that? I'm inside? But I thought the same thing because I know you can't you can't show them into it. You can't and we live in the south so we know the I hate to say this, but I have to the Good Ol Boy. Mentality is just what it is and

42:52 They're, you know, that they just do their heels in the 7th. But I'm of the same Canyon there has to be something. I tried. I tried sometimes it so, you know, I give you chewed and, you know, if nothing else protect your children, but it's just like

43:10 The overriding thing I hear is people say, when it's the government doing this. It's the government doing that. It's how we move beyond that.

43:21 I do understand people having lost faith in the government causes government has

43:27 Has has.

43:31 I don't know what word to use area said that they have.

43:36 There's a rest feet and I just think back about with him.

43:51 H-E-B even my father's mother had TV and I was using Centrum. Just think about that. When that came around, people didn't argue about what they did. What had to be done. Maybe we've lost the fear of death. I don't know. That's an interesting thought, man. We have a lot in common. My father had to be excellent in, yeah, one of the thoughts and actually Senator tuberville said this, the other day is the vaccine was a remarkable accomplishment of the Trump Administration. It was a fabulous thing that they got done until I guess. I'm a little surprised.

44:39 That people who have their heels dug, in course, maybe maybe that's my fault. Maybe I'm assuming they're all Trump supporters. And that doesn't, that's not necessarily trade. It was just a remarkable remarkable thing that that is menstration was able to get done, and I would have hoped that it meant that people would be more willing to line up to take it and he took it. So I don't

45:18 I have a hard time understanding and I have yet to have someone explain to me what I'm going to do.

45:30 Nobody should have to tell you what to do. That's right. And I gave you the chance. You should use it. That's right, but they have to do it at something that isn't an issue. Nobody's telling you, you have to say we should do this. We should take Emmett. Take the vaccine. We should be put my ass back on, wish you didn't follow and then you got other people.

46:05 Some of the same stage and just different portions of the of the political Arena saying, we'll know, we're not going to do that when the past that Med that you can't tell us. We have to wear masks again paper. You're not Talkin at your showcase in cuz it's an election year.

46:28 At Whitehall that I hear people bragging and you can't go back in time and just take time to learn the game. And I think your point about the needs of the people is another place that we can find common ground because I do think that right now we have people without access to healthcare. We have people without access to good paying jobs. We have people without access to Quality education and all of our elected officials to be working on those.

47:28 Making sure that people have help here. Making sure that people have access to Quality education. That should be the focus. Not these silly things off to the side and it is disappointing. And it makes me understand, I've always voted and I always will but it makes me understand why people give up and don't vote because they don't think people will listen to him. As being that I believe is that if everybody who votes, then we'll get people listening to us, you know, but it's hard in this state since it is so difficult to vote, but but

48:10 I guess I get that. I just I get the sense that you were exactly, right. They're not listening to the people and and if you don't vote, if you choose not to, if you take that.

48:25 Well, it doesn't make any difference. You can't take that mindset, because if you don't vote, then when something happens, you don't like you can't say, I would like to vote and can't because they can't get to the since we only have one day of voting. You know, I used to encourage the staff that worked with me to who are scheduled for election day to go ahead and do an absentee vote before hand, because you get into the hospital. You might have every intention of leaving to vote and something happens. And you can't, you can't get away. There are people who choose not to both their people who would like to vote, but our current system makes it difficult for them to do that. So,

49:15 Have you stayed? Well throughout this, nobody in your family has had covid. She was in Jackson at the first part and then came home for what you're learning. But we hadn't had a couple scares, but nobody's also, my husband's mother is 94 and lives by herself in Kentucky. And so every four to five weeks, I have to go to Kentucky, to take care of her to her bills Nutrishop in this at 9. So that's been concerned that I was masking up and I was going to the store when I came back, she wasn't hugging me. That's where we had more information. Let you know. I'm not going to hug you.

50:15 You know, so that's been another thing. We said we are, but this and all that, that issues been there. And so that's kind of back and forth to Kentucky. What was the interesting? My 50th High School reunions was last week in 10 minutes left. And at the last minute, I decided not to go because I thought, you know, I'm not sure that the people will mask appropriately and everything, and I wondered whether I had made the right decision. Will lo, and behold, I found out yesterday that one of the people that did show up, who was unvaccinated.

50:52 I was diagnosed with covid 48 hours after the reunions. And now, five of them are positive. That I'm really glad. I didn't, you know, I made even even some of the folks who had tested positive are vaccinated. So they're unlikely to have a bad course course, but I was thinking of you little scary person. You should have gone on. But I'm really glad now that I didn't have you because I have you known people for this.

51:30 In-N-Out of others who are, who have long covid.

51:36 So, it's not touched my own. My niece, had it early. And for about 6 months afterwards. She had intermittent tachycardia, but she's better now, so I don't think she's going to have really long term. We've not lost an immediate family member, but I have had friends who have died as a result of. How do you feel about the long-term future? What do you think? What are your opinions on that the long-term? Cuz he people? What do you think? We're going to stay there? And that's why I'm scared for the school, children going back and not having to wear masks and stuff. Is we have no idea what we could be doing to those kids, but I don't think we have enough data yet. You know, we just don't, we don't know yet.

52:34 And in office that aren't protecting the kids, I feel like you're failing. The kids.

52:39 By not saying, that's where man says, protecting. Let's take this sickness air and the side of caution and it's really unfortunate to the last minute times some kind of looking at

53:01 Questions, I guess it's, there's one that do you feel misunderstood by people who have different beliefs than you do and if so,

53:14 And I'll start by answering that I'm pretty fortunate that most folks, in. My immediate family. We have similar. We had similar beliefs for a number of years. My sister and I agreed not to discuss politics because we were kind of on opposite ends and we didn't want to argue when we were together and we have a good close relationship and I remember feeling a little frustrated during that but now

53:45 She knew she actually she actually feels very similar to me, the events of the last four years made her realize that.

53:56 She's not a republican anymore. And so, so for me, I'm I'm not involved in such a way where I have to deal with people who hit misunderstand, what I believe. What about you? Do you ever feel misunderstood by other people? People who think? Because I do have not, because I do have some conservative views, the world that always get uses were ignorant, having my own opinion. And I'm not just a pet in my opinions are based on Research that based on their not. I'm just not pulling them out of the air. I hate to have someone to hear that, and I do have that.

54:49 But but maybe that's made me more willing to say, I'm not going to say someone else. Say that someone else.

55:02 My granddaughter, like, you end up bringing her back in it, but she's the best. She and I had the best thing. She's very local.

55:15 That we talked about everything and

55:21 I'm very blessed that I have, you know, I don't agree with everything. That fact I disagree with very strong, but we can talk about the things and express your opinions and agree to disagree. But at the same time, if if I have something else to say or she wants to say something, we do have come to that agreement. We can stay that we can say it so that each age to be able to stay but I will listen. I will listen and I will, I'll give I will give you the do respect you. If you have the right to have your opinion heard, you have the right to have it that the respect to have one. Listen to what you say. They don't have to agree with you, but they shouldn't shout you down.

56:21 Criticize you down for your opinion and I can try and change it, but they need to try and change it with Grace flies with honey, but we're never going to agree. We have finite Minds. We're never going to all great. We just have to we have to be at the pinion that we have to work together for the best of the best of everyone. And that means somebody has to compromise.

56:54 What are your hopes for the community and our community, as we continue to navigate this time? What if you can come up your hopes? What would that be? You mean the Birmingham Community or are the, are the United States in general? Whichever way you think of community?

57:13 You know, some of them were so as of judgement.

57:30 And that includes me and I want us to see each other as

57:48 Another human being who has walked and places. Maybe we wouldn't want to walk and has made it to a beautiful.

58:00 Except the dignity and the worth of every human being. We would, we would make so much progress, and I was thinking, even before you brought up your son, that I was reflecting back to the story, you had talked before about how valuable.

58:21 That whole experience was in learning not to judge people. That's exactly right. We don't know. We don't know if he knows how to tell my children and my grandchildren when my son was about.

58:39 1112, we had a Neighbor Next Door, they played together when we were in there if they want it. When one has them. But his family was a typical.

58:50 I think kind of fan and they use the particular word that we don't use and I won't say, but at the dinner table one night, he said that word and not not derogatory documents and I try not to be mean to him. I said, we don't use that word and explain to him. You know, why? And he he may have gone next door when you said he never again in my presence and he's never again. Use that word in my presence because we took time to talk about it and I didn't write him and it didn't try to approach those things with a child was easier, but then they were when it stopped.

59:50 You know, it's your own boundaries. You are staying to him that he had to change the way he thought you were staying in my presence. You can't do this, but that that's part of it that we have started that with a little things, you know, maybe we're trying to do the big things and we need to actually say we need to address the small things in life.

01:00:15 It would be beneficial to us as well as we wrap up. How are you feeling about this experience, more of a disagreement? That's not what it, but maybe a diversion.

01:00:36 That matter is, we all, we all want the same things. We do. We all want that.

01:00:54 Well, thank you so much. It has been a real Delight to meet you and to learn to learn more about you. So I hope everything continues to go well with your family and y'all have no issues with and thank you for taking the time. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Openness. You know, I'm grateful that even though I expected it to be someone so much for the route that we were here together in this area special to me as well. Okay, Francesca. See you back on screen, okay.