Frank Surface and Dontrese Brown

00:33 Excellent. My name is Patrick Brown. I'm 48 years old. Today's date is Friday, October 9th 2020. I'm located in Richmond, Virginia name of my partner is Frank and this is our first introduction.

00:53 Okay, my name is Frank surface. I am 65 today's date is October 9th 2020. I'm in Amelia Courthouse at my home Courthouse, Virginia and dontrese is my partner and we just met.

01:53 Play Daughtry. Why did you want to do this interview today in sharing my story in in and what brought me here to Richmond and my purpose and passion in in in also understand from others and how we we are connected and how we have conversations and gas into where we can have a great empathetic conversations. And so why did the Frank why did you want to do this interview today?

02:35 Storycorps has always intrigued me and listened to it for years and years and up for the interesting thing is that I realized who it was so I could communicate with my youngest daughter better. She and I are opposite ends of almost any topic you want to bring up so sometimes we can be civil to one another and sometimes you can't but we were never certain topics come up for a while. So I wanted to be able to have a conversation to prove myself and maybe a Deal's a little bit about having Talla have a conversation with someone that didn't agree with me cuz of her not doing so good.

03:22 Excellent. I can't can we can we have Coke. Can we throw questions in here?

03:29 Okay, great. So, you know if you don't mind, how how how how how old is your youngest daughter?

03:37 She is the 21. Okay. So what are some of the the the topics that you all are similar to oil and vinegar with you on alphabetical order numeric?

04:00 Britain DNA testing cuz I'm not sure she's related to me. She and it's not like that. I don't understand. She's the fourth daughter. So, you know, you think I figured it out but I ate it's almost anything. She she is I am not as conservative as she thinks I am and but I think she's probably a little bit more liberal than us. Then I'm willing to accept that she is so it's it's it's it's like she doesn't want to listen.

04:43 And I'm not sure that I'm a good listener either to be honest. So just about any topic but I put politics and probably had the list and I I I think it's admirable that you are taking the responsibility to yourself to to to dive into some of these conversations and see if there's opportunities to improve those relationships in this conversation not allowed to do that. A lot of folks would be stuck in their ways, but I think it's it's it it it Demands a lot of respect that you're willing to step out of your comfort zone and engage in a conversation to your growth as well. So I appreciate that.

05:23 So what were you thinking about when when you were told you were going to speak to someone with with the seat it was described as opposing views. I don't I don't think I don't consider her views or necessarily. I don't know what your views are. But but the way it was presented it was someone with opposing views. I don't see it as opposition. I see it is different in and I think the rhetoric has to be adjusted a little bit so we can enter into conversation. So so how would you how to use what were you thinking coming into a conversation with someone with quote-unquote opposing views you excited me because I think our country I think we need to I think we need to listen. I think we need to be empathetic and I think we need to be compassionate but most importantly I think we need to start having those conversations.

06:23 Everything in NN really trying to listen and understand someone's point of you from their experience and not that it's either going to persuade me or you in the conversation, but at least there's an understanding of why I sit where I sit if it's in opposition or were in the same boat together and I think that will help us as we move as a country together understanding that it's okay to disagree. It's okay to be at opposite ends, but the most important thing is how we understand respect and appreciate where that other individuals coming from more importantly their experiences that they've had that spits them in that position.

07:16 So does that does that make sense?

07:22 Yeah, it's it's don't be offended but it sounds bad thing is I don't think you know when we have these conversations particularly when there's there's a different view politically or about the environment or about who should be president or you know, what should be done about the Affordable Care Act are big government or small government all that all the opposite that are that are out there. One thing that I've learned.

07:58 Is that I think particularly in the past few years. It seems to me that we have so many people and I think I fall into this pattern you can judge whether or not you fall into this pattern. I like to know if you do find this pattern, but we tend to We tend to listen to voices. We agree with more than two voices. We don't agree with

08:24 And oftentimes the voice as we agree with.

08:32 Demonize or or somehow undermine or cause call names of people with the opposite voice and because of somebody we agree with Wii tennis, what's that agreement fall over on them as well. So if if I listen to talk radio or some political commentary this more conservative and and they they say something I agree with.

09:02 Didn't I say something that wouldn't that sell agree with about this person's wrong or this person is bad or this person's evil or something like that. I find I find that that that start shaping my opinion on that as well. And I don't want it to I don't want it to so I purposefully listen consciously listen to get input from both sides all the time so I can understand I listen to to to the MPR everyday and I still consider, you know that to be in in on some of the stories not all about some of the stories more of us about of a liberal Viewpoint like many newspapers are in the public media are and then they do a lot of really good story seems to have seems to be a little bit of left-leaning to me and then I watch and listen to other things that are more conservative to try to get and I hear that

10:02 The voices that both of them can't be telling the truth about the media sometimes about there's two medians are true stories are getting cold all the time while I mean, I think there's a complete delineation between you know, each each side and in an in and it's it's interesting to hear, you know, one side portray a vision and then the other side portray Vision that is completely opposite. I mean it is it is it is really difficult to deal with and to digest because you know, we all know there has to be some type of Middle Ground there and there doesn't seem to be any type of middle ground, but you don't back to your question about the voices that we agree with, you know, I don't like preaching to the choir for say all the time. I don't like to surround myself with

11:02 Tons of people that constantly

11:05 Believe everything that I believe but only talk about those things and so I to step outside of that group and make sure that I'm extending my my ear per say to those folks that may not be in that same conversation so that I can actually take a deeper look into why they're thinking the way that they're thinking and doing the things that they're doing and within the same with the the group that I am wet and then look and see if there is a commonality between the both because of you. When you look at the right and left each of us needs to go size are passionate about their beliefs

11:47 And so one of the things that that I like to look at is the passion behind them. That's a commonality between both groups. Right? And so now if if if you are really committed and passionate about those beliefs

12:04 Let's lead to an ear to understand where the other side is coming from.

12:10 And that's one of the things that I think is missing in and I know you you said I was a bit vague back in the earlier statement. But my point is we cannot get anywhere if we do not listen and that if we're not in bathetic to the individual that is in opposition of us we cannot get anywhere if we cannot have those conversations.

13:01 Excellent. So Frank, could you briefly describe in your own words your own personal political values?

13:10 Sure, I think it is.

13:17 Bored with the Declaration of Independence says where we have.

13:23 The pursuit of happiness is is to be protected by the government and and we all have rights that are god-given. They're not given test from the government are not given to us by individuals about organizations. They're given to us by God in the in the the role of the government is to protect those rights over my rights end where your rights begin there's a line there is fairly easy to Define and and I want to be to extend I can be totally responsible for myself. Am I if I'm successful if I fail, you know, I would appreciate a hand up but not a handout.

14:09 So, you know, I'm more of a small government. Let's let's take the tax money. We need and in not waste the rest of it and let's not let's not to feather the politicians band. Everybody else has small government and it didn't invade in our in our privacy and protects our rights as individuals and provides first safe.

14:33 So, how would you describe your personal political values?

14:45 I think you you had some some some some good points there and if we go back to do so, my political values is equality across the board. I think there needs I I think that that is probably primarily my value and when it comes to politics is equality across the board.

15:12 But I don't feel like we're getting that right you tied back to the Constitution and it says all men are created equal and we're not and so mighty mite my values are aligned with if this was written then it's it should be it should be held to that standard and it's not right. So I look for folks with in the political framework that are passionate about leveling that Plainfield and I don't mean to say leveling it did to bring it down or bring it up. I say leveling it to where everyone has the same opportunity as the next person sitting or standing next to them without question without hesitation in without any roadblocks within that.

16:07 That makes sense.

16:18 Yeah.

16:25 Excellent

16:31 We jumped right into it from the first question.

16:46 There we go.

16:54 He was saying that he said that he doesn't equal and he said we're not then after that. So that's the last part you heard.

17:13 Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's over my political values sit within the framework of an individual or or an individual standing by those to make sure that everyone has an equal opportunity number matter without question without hesitation anything of the such what you're saying. Are you saying that you said equal opportunity because what I hear from a lot of people they say if equal

17:49 Result

17:52 Inner so big in my life and in my view, there's a big difference between giving someone equal opportunity, which I totally agree. It's not many in in many many situations probably the majority situations. I think it's better now than it's been in a long time. But but are are you are you talking about equal opportunity or equal result?

18:19 Cuz there's a difference there. Well, yeah in order to have a result you have to have the opportunity. So I'm going to lean into it lean heavily into making sure that everyone has an equal opportunity to produce results. Okay.

18:37 Is it the picture the picture I have with that is I went to a presentation a few years ago. And and there were there was a fence it indoors like it was a cartoon that there were three three people standing beside the fence wanting to see the other side of the fence in the fence was 5 feet tall and one guy was really tall one guy was average height in one that was short and there were three blocks there. So each guy had a block. So what what they decided to do was it was best to take the block from the guy who didn't need it and give it to the guy who did well,

19:20 I think that's okay, but it's a short guy gets, you know, two blocks so he can stand out cuz he's got one of his own and then he gets one from the other but how he gets that block from the guy that doesn't mean it part that I think we're we get tripped up on you just go in and confiscated you'll give him the opportunity to to give it to him or do you reward him for give another the last two different ways to get that block from that granted too short guy needs two blocks and and the the guy has a block he doesn't need I got you but the reality is share and share alike. I think it's in a in a perfect Society. He would happily give it to the guy so he can have

20:04 But you know that the way is the way I think the way the government tends to work as it goes in and says you don't need to block you need to take it away from you know, you was forced to take it away from him and give it to somebody maybe didn't really even appreciate that equal opportunity totally with you on that. I've done a lot of work in in with the Civil Rights Act in employment situations. That's what I did for 20 years and I can tell you I could tell you some stories to make your socks roll up and down it it's it's so it's horrific what I'm saying? And and I think when when when the right people get involved it gets fixed it gets fixed.

21:05 I don't have Mom I have it.

21:34 Okay, but why did you want to do is read it as a stunt race is Relentless in his pursuit of helping others maximize their potential is commitment to transformational leadership and serving. The Youth of our communities is the driving force that inspires all those around him a remarkable communicator.

22:00 An influencer he Fosters a culture of Excellence through compelling vision of respect integrity and a power most recently. He led the historical movement to initiate to rename the boulevard to Arthur Ashe Boulevard for the city. So if you were if you were doing your epitaph

22:28 What part of this wood would would be most important to you think?

22:34 Serving the Youth of our communities. How do you do that?

22:40 You know, right right now I been involved in a lot of community efforts to help get back to those less fortunate to help Inspire those that have an opportunity to give o clock to another that needs locks to work with city council our community leaders to try to identify areas of improvement for City and are you education is extremely important a leveling the education of Plainfield is a tremendous factor for me. So I also led the initiative to to bring Cristo Rey Richmond High School to our city, which is a school that is specifically asset to serve a low-income families another matter the demographics and it has a work-study components of the students work one day a week. So we partner with a local businesses and organizations to provide.

23:40 Support for those students that have jobs. I'm tremendously in in involved in particularly the black communities from a low-income standpoint because that's where I come from. I I can easily say that I grew up in Gilpin Court Mosby Court because the areas in which I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky where exactly the same I know the struggle. I know the place. I know how hard it is to come out of those areas and I also realize some of the the systemic racism that is that is positioned us into some of those citizens situations of scenarios in so that those are some of this some of the things that that that I do. I'm also an educator at Randolph-Macon College. So I helped develop those students from a career development standpoint helping them identify their purpose and passion and then a line in that with the rapid.

24:40 Journeys are successful in doing something that they love once they get off campus.

24:48 Interested

24:51 So I'm going to split it. I'm going to read Frank bio now. Alright, Frank small business owner with eight part-time employees focused on employee sponsored events and Reporting Cutters of red tape and confusion. I've been dying to ask about Cutters of red tape a little bit about about what that means.

25:17 Well, we we help with employment benefit law compliance.

25:22 So you've heard a lot about the Affordable Care Act Right. Well, we help businesses comply with the Affordable Care Act and Arisa and several other the the main laws Cobra the laws that affect how benefits are administered to employees so they could be the problem with with small business is to a large degree. It's regulated the same as larger businesses and the employment law and benefit law aspect that employers have to deal with this extraordinary and there's no place where you can go and say, okay. Give me a checklist. I want to have to do it's just not it's just not out there. And so I did that for years for a a consulting company. I work for a consulting company for well over 10 years traveling around my main job was term

26:22 Hating people from employment not not the other kind of termination. So it's our business today that I can still walk in. And and when I walk in the door people will pull open a drawer and just empty the drawer into a box cuz they think you're going to be fired.

26:51 So so that that's what we do we help businesses deal with the the confusion and inbred tape of of primarily Affordable Care Act Cobra and Arisa are the three colors of red tape and confusion tie back to you as a person. So personally do you like to get rid of all the red tape all the confusion?

27:24 Well, I think yeah because it's such a it's such an extraordinary cost to businesses that they could be using the money to compensate employees to give more benefits or to expand the cost of doing the compliant parts.

27:46 But you had that in this is part of my issue with government. Okay. Is it like like this year for the Affordable Care Act for the reporting for 20/20 all the businesses have to turn in these forms what you've done for us a 2015 now, but this year they want to add add you've got to put the date of birth on the form for each employee, which is not that's not a huge deal. But they want to know the ZIP code that that employee lived in for every month out of this year.

28:19 What in the world is like the IRS tonari? No that so extraordinary this forms end up costing the employer and I probably $15 a piece.

28:37 One for $15 piece to get it done and get a files and all that in. So what does that benefit?

28:45 Write me not admit in a Memphis May cuz I'm the guy charging for the form but I would rather I would rather be doing something productive rather than just filling out checking boxes and stuff. Right? Right, right. It's so let me let me let me rephrase that a little bit more cuz I and I totally get it from a professional standpoint. But as an attribute to Frank the person do you carry that do same attributes to you as a person and within your personal life, are you one that cuts all the red tape eliminates all the confusion straight to the point those types of things I try to

29:23 A couple years. I helped out with the Boy Scout Troop down at Richmond in the country. So okay, there is there's a think it's Third Baptist Church. I forget the name of the church. Now that's damn right by the downtown Expressway and I have a Boy Scout Troop there and we had a had one kid that was literally inches away from getting his eagle and he aged out. So it was just not fair. I mean it comes from you know, the story, you know, a single single mom only child all the tough story. You want to imagine any age doubt. He's going to miss it by month. So yeah, we went to the lake to the Boy Scouts office over there and had a hearing and they were able to to get done and it made me feel really good to know he do that to scout.

30:20 Because it's not have it and it wasn't it wasn't because he was black it wasn't because I was only because come on it's a month to give me a break.

30:49 This is a good question. From what little I picked up from your story what has been the most influential person in your life. And what did you learn from?

31:02 Yeah, and it's a lie. I saw this question earlier and there's been there's been a handful of folks. But the most importantly is it has to be my mother you you describe the the perfect scenario of of my grown-up single parent. I don't know my dad all the negative characteristics NM descriptions. You can think of in the neighborhood I grew up guns drugs and violence. I was surrounded with she never let me doubt that I could get out, you know, folks ask me all the time when I go back when I go back home to to Kentucky to see some of my friends are grew up in louiville, you know, they're very excited to see me and you know, they say that they already best like, how did you get out? Like, how did you get out of of of this environment this keto

31:57 My mother

31:59 Never let me believe I had to stay.

32:03 And it was a simple as you don't you don't have to stay here. Like there are things bigger than this. She was a strong academic person. Although she didn't graduate high school nice little tidbit. When when the Thursday there's a little team building exercise call 3A two truths and a lie, and one of the things I throw in that conversation is that I graduated high-school with my mother and post it always say that that's alive but that's not true. Graduated high school in 1991. My mother was working at the same time to get her GED. So we officially broke with the high school at the same time. And then she went on to culinary school. She was really persistent. She loves to cook and just her determination no matter what kind of curve balls were thrown at us in terms of like being shut off being evicted.

33:03 Having to stay with other families. I mean you name it Frank it was it was a difficult upbringing but it was always full of love and compassion and just a determination from her to you know, she has so much pride in in me and in really wanted to to position me to do a lot of things and it and you know what I talked to the students at at at Randolph-Macon and students in in any way whatsoever. I tell them all the time if you haven't thanked your parents. Thank you parents. Thank you Guardian think you cared a great if you have them in your life because they are doing things behind the scenes that you have no idea about the sacrifices that they're making the position you so that you could be successful and you know some of the things that she did behind the scenes for me so that I could stay away from all the negativity to really focus on my schoolwork when there is no violence hanging all around.

34:03 Moving from location to location when she was in a position to do that so that I was in a better educational system with tremendous. So one of the things that she taught me was you you didn't like you have the ownership of your narrative your story you own that don't let anybody tell your story. Don't let anybody tell your narrative Olay body tell you what you should be doing you own that and you continue to own that as you move throughout life.

34:38 So Into You who has been the most influential person in your life and what did they teach you

34:56 What my mom

35:03 You know, I probably

35:07 And I can't get over your store.

35:15 Appreciate that Frank I do.

35:19 Say pecan.

35:28 What I see is the worst kind of discrimination.

35:32 Is

35:35 Small tender voice

35:40 Of low expectations

35:43 That's the worst.

35:46 And that's what I see so much. Love to hear your story.

36:01 Cuz if she did Laura expectations you wouldn't be there right now. So you actually the right.

36:07 And that's what I get upset about. That's what I get. That's that's where my daughter and I

36:14 Right. There is is that my mama and dad is the key to change in in and not just in in the black community but in the white community in the whole race relations thing is is to just let's look at the expectations with said expectation. Let's set criteria that aren't race-based spitter spitter that are goal-oriented that are measurable. Come on.

36:45 All right.

36:48 Charlie who influenced me the most is probably not a person to be honest with you.

36:57 I had a berry.

37:01 And continue to have a very tenuous relationship with my mom my dad passed away 25 years ago, and he only hug me one time.

37:14 So I think probably sports baseball particularly is probably a good thing that they've got me.

37:26 Recognize what I needed to do in the fact that my parents had zero expectations of me. And as soon as I graduated high school I moved out and I've been on my own ever since I started doing all the laundry when I was

37:45 Probably 10 years old. I made my own meals from that point on I do, you know I had to do you have any brothers or sisters? I had an older brother and a younger brother and they're both of my older brother passed away about the same time as my dad at in I didn't really have much when I was growing up had a good relationship with him a younger brother don't have a relationship with him now at all.

38:15 Oh and my mom is just Who stuff to deal with but but I think I think it was it was outside of family. It was is almost extra people that the impulse made that that I got into sports and at a young age playing baseball and then I start when I got out of school and start working at work my way through college paid my own way and been paying my own way ever since.

38:47 Where do you go to college? I just went to Community College 3 years to get a 2-year degree cuz I drove a truck pay bills and and and beyond my own.

39:04 On May 9th. Is there a little bit it comes and goes?

39:13 Alright, let me see.

39:19 Okay. Yeah, yeah.

39:25 Yeah sitting over here out of the way. That's it.

39:29 All right.

39:31 Yeah, so now it's going to sell a prank just now mean that Justice is inspiring to to see where you come from. Despite all the obstacles you had the face. I mean there isn't there were tons of opportunities for your expectations to be set low, there's tons of opportunities for you to just throw your hands up and give up but you did and so that's just as inspiring as you feel. My story is again, we both come from difficult upbringing in and now we're having conversations because we fought through those upbringings and those obstacles and the challenges throughout that to be able to have conversations. So when when I talk about having compassion and empathy and listening, these are the things that I'm talking about because you know, it is easier for me now to start to understand a bit more about spring because

40:31 I'm starting to understand a bit more about Frank and and we can we can align and some themes of the struggles of our upbringing to really have a a situation to where we are respecting and listening to each other. So I appreciate you sharing that no.

41:24 Okay, and so I can choose from this list or choose from my other list?

41:39 Okay, I'll change them to 3 then.

41:48 What I think we talked about the the last two in regards to sitting with the voices you agree with ask me anything.

41:58 Let me go with this one. Is there anything about you know, my beliefs that you don't agree with but still respect.

42:13 You haven't said anything that I disagree with. I think I think for the disagreement maybe is in the house. The what is that the part I said about.

42:31 Equal opportunity vs. Equal result to me. A lot of people would I would I would see a lot of people from the the left is answering that equal result.

42:46 And I can't get my head around to help you could think that so I would love for Somebody explain to me that that want to thank you, but you can't because you don't you don't believe that so I think I think the only thing that might be different and in part of this difference. Therese, I think would be you know, you you you live in the city you started the Louisville now you're in Richmond in my oldest daughter lives in Louisville. How about that? She's almost your age to think about that. She's she's 42 the difference in in viewpoints of in there was when our Founders were around and there it continues now, that's why we have the Electoral College.

43:46 Is the cause there's there's always been a different view in cities vs. Than in rural areas. And you seen the map to blue and red map where you know, the majority of the map the map is red. And then we part is it is is blue is or the city, but the reality is is that there's as many people in those cities as there are in all that red area. So I think that would be the only thing we might disagree with but if we honored if we agree if we agree on the lights, then we can figure out the house and the house Pala till my garden. Yeah, that's where I was this afternoon. That's why I'm dressed like this how I feel the garden and how you till your garden probably different with my garden a little bit bigger than a guardian have in the city.

44:40 My granddaughter's out there picking up rocks for me.

44:47 Okay, so

44:49 I want this question because I feel this I feel misunderstood. So do you ever feel misunderstood by people that that have the same beliefs as you or the espouse the same beliefs as you were on the same side of the aisle as you you feel misunderstood sometimes.

45:15 Do I feel misunderstood by people to have the same beliefs as me?

45:23 No, not those that have the same beliefs as me US those that ever those that have different beliefs than me. Yeah. I definitely feel misunderstood by those.

45:37 But why well, I think it's just

45:42 You know I said and this is so is that I was at a meeting down on the market and 25th to trying to do some we're trying to do some Community efforts with the local police in the East End area and we were having lunch today in your sports fan. I'm a sports fan. So during last one is a needs a good friend of mine. And he said so who's going to win the NBA scores tonight or the Lakers going to win the game tonight, which will give them the title and I said, yeah, they're probably going to wind up three games to one and he says so that means LeBron James is the greatest of all time and I'm the Michael Jordan and we sit here. I'm telling u m a n n

46:35 We have the same exact arguments every single time and I can't go anymore of explaining why Lebron will never pass Jordan, but he's already putting LeBron pass Jordan and it just like it is but it do to have my conversation today and I was sitting next to another gentleman who is in the Jordan camp and I said, I'm not having this conversation anymore because you know, we we agree to disagree and so that's just a high level of a playful conversation in regards to that but a lot of times when it comes to, you know, politically culturally what's happening to us as a nation a lot of times. I feel misunderstood predominately by by by post. It don't look like me by folks that aren't black because they they don't think they had yet to listen in.

47:35 Understand and be empathetic about about my positioning m in my experience and so a lot of times when we have Converse when I have conversations with those that I feel misunderstood is because

47:52 They tend to not want to share my experiences and why I am in a position of some of the things that they support or why I feel like there is systemic racism this purposely built into our culture into our system into our laws that marginalize us that put us lesser than and then even give me an examples of that from my own experiences. They still are not

48:24 Friday did they still don't understand and so that that's just an example of of that in a lot of time will have a great conversation in an in and I'll try to explain to them in position my my journey from my experiences in in in in some ways. We we we end up with an understanding sometimes we don't stay in hopefully when we walk away and we part ways that they start to think about the conversation that we that we've had and maybe somehow someway.

48:58 It may not influence their decision to to do anything differently, but maybe it it allows them to take a step back and understand before jumping into 222 making decisions or or not being apathetic about about a certain law any type of political thing or anything is going on in Indy today.

49:48 Okay. So what do you think needs to happen after this election? No matter who wins.

50:00 Star Wars again Frank, I'll go back to the uncomfortable conversations. I think we we all need to be transparent. I think we we we need to come together and in in I think we we need to lean on each other more. We need to respect each other more you need to appreciate each other more. I think that we also need to be really specific about our local and state elections. I think we need to be transparent in those conversations. And then I think we need to collectively come together and I say that from a a high-level generic standpoint because one of the things that I witness when we went through the renaming of the Arthur Ashe Plaza Boulevard to Arthur Ashe Boulevard, there was a sense of togetherness that I had never seen before there was a sense of compassion.

51:00 A sense of unity there was a sense of empowerment none the matter the color of the gender anything. It was a n a so it was such a movie.

51:15 Time that I know specifically the city of Richmond and in the state of Virginia, hopefully us as a nation are starting to feel like we can do things better if we do it together until my home is that after this election? No matter who is chosen. We begin to reach across the aisle. We began to be more compassionate about each other and working together with each other for better future. I mean, I mean, that's what I hope.

51:52 So let me slip it back to you and say yeah, I'll ask you the same thing. You know, how can we come together after I did a divisive election this year?

52:11 I think we need to whoever gets selected whether it's at the county level state-level National level, whatever. I think they need to do a better job of stating what the problem is rather than placing blame everywhere. If you if you if you if you if you look at it and doing a better job with the Watts and not the house, you know, if you if you say there's you know, my youngest daughter lives in Churchill and we put one of those ring doorbells on her house. So when when we did that, you know, we get all those notices. I don't know if you know what those are not neighborhood notices and stuff. Oh my gosh, you know, it's like

53:05 Two or three notices today about gunshots and then the videos get posted about the package thieves on the front porch. And and and then I heard today the murder rate in Richmond is up by 50% this year from from last year old shoots the first of the 1st Precinct Chief. I can't think of his name right now since I'm out of my mind right now. We have 29 homicides at 2929 murder.

53:44 49ers on Pace to blow who everything in and it was even more dramatic than the last person that was shot in September was shot right in front of the precinct.

54:09 Okay, It's not more important than than any anyting else. How how can that not be the highest level problem in when when forgive me for saying how how can there be the the the gang boss and stuff in Chicago? And that's not top of the news every night. I mean Chicago is like a stinking Wars up with how many people get shot there every weekend. So, you know, I think I think that's that's the issue is we need we need whoever it is. I would I would I would love it if we could just kick everybody out in DC and everybody out and all the government jobs and get fresh people in there that had one year to do something or we're going to kick him out again, you know how he's got to get up there and get to be millionaires in 2 years and then there were like fixtures. Come on. This is crazy. So I think I think

55:09 Going to get money out of Politics as you get the the politicians out of politics. So I just think that that we have that demand that the problems that are out there primarily, you know, the murder rate or the crime rate or whatever does the real issues that we have. I mean some of these cities or like they're both countries as far as that's another reason. I live out in the country. Is it safe for out here, you know, you can leave your keys in there. But but that's that's what I think needs to happen to somebody needs to step up and say hey, this is a problem. This is the real problem this affects all of us. So let's fix it. And as you said together

55:55 Yeah, and then I'll just add if I can't real quick. I don't think there's anything wrong with identifying the problem. I think that's that's what we should do. But I also think was more important is identifying what causes the problem because it's easy to to sit there and nnn in figure out what the problem is with in the city with her guns drugs, whatever and spend time solving that but we're not solving the root cause that are putting individuals in positions to commit those crimes back at the call center address that I'm with you. You need me you call me.