Pops and Son Conversations

Politicking With Pops And Son

• Rob Malloy and Javan Anderson

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Politics can feel like noise until you realize the decisions shaping your block are made in rooms most of us never enter. We pull that door open and walk through what really moves change: local elections, the roles nobody explains, and the everyday actions that turn your vote into visible results on your street.

We start by naming the discomfort around politics in Black communities and where it comes from—history, broken promises, and real barriers. Then we shift to power you can use: how city councils decide budgets, how mayors set priorities, why judges and sheriffs matter for safety and justice, and what your school board puts in front of your kids. We tackle groupthink head-on and share a simple framework to research candidates beyond slogans: track donors, read voting records, and follow incumbents year-round instead of only on election week.

We also get practical about suppression and confusion. From ID rules to changing early-vote sites, precision protects your ballot. We clear up felony myths—many people can vote once they’re off parole or probation—and show why outreach to returning citizens is a game changer. And we’re straight about the system’s design: inequity was built in, which is why opting out only cements it. Play the long game, lean into coalition, and choose the races that hit closest to home. Presidents sign; legislatures write; courts interpret. Locally, councils legislate and sheriffs and judges shape enforcement. When you align your vote with these levers, you stop waiting for change to trickle down and start pushing it up.

If you’re ready to move from apathy to action, this conversation gives you a clear map: learn the roles, research with intention, talk to your neighbors, and stay present after the count. If it’s on your block, it’s on your ballot. Subscribe, share this episode with someone who says “my vote doesn’t matter,” and leave a review with the one local office you’ll research this week.

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Please follow Pops and Son Conversations on the website, popsandsonconversations.com, and social media @popsandsonconversations

SPEAKER_02:

Welcome to another episode of Pops and Son Conversations. And of course, it is your favorite Silfox Rob Malloy.

SPEAKER_01:

And it is me, Son Take Three Times.

SPEAKER_02:

All right. Jay, how you feeling, man?

SPEAKER_01:

I'm feeling good, Pops. How you feeling?

SPEAKER_02:

I'm feeling good. Look, we are fresh from uh election day. And uh, you know, it's kind of one of those things where you don't want to talk about it, but you have to talk about it. So we've dedicated this particular episode, and we're gonna call this one Jay. How about what do you think about this? Politicking with Pops and Son.

SPEAKER_00:

I like it. You feel it, man? I like that. I feel it.

SPEAKER_02:

All right, that was straight off the dome. So we're gonna be a little creative on this one. Now, you know, having these conversations about politics historically has been taboo. And I believe it goes back to, you know, history of dealing with the voting, the rights, and does voting even make a difference and things like that. So, Jay, we're gonna navigate through this thing because uh obviously this goes back beyond us and it's way, way bigger than us, man. It's a whole community, it's a whole uh world that we have to deal with uh because politics is real.

SPEAKER_01:

For sure. I mean, it's it's real, it's something very serious. And as I get older, I kind of, you know, I understand just how important it is. I remember me being younger. I didn't really, you know, I wasn't too, too into it.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

Um, but now, you know, I I I'll click on articles and I'll read. You know, I I I'm seeing what's going on, you know what I'm saying, in DC and things like that, and how people are voting and how votes are being, you know, just just how cutthroated is. Like voting is so serious that, you know, these people that's running for these elections are doing what they gotta do for these votes. You know what I'm saying? So with that being said, it's it gets uh it gets serious. So that's just to go to go on to say, like you, you people may feel like their vote doesn't matter, but if it didn't matter, then these politicians wouldn't be going so hard to get these votes.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, you know, historically in our community, our black community, obviously, you know, uh the the right to vote for black folks, man, doesn't date back too far, you know, and it's kind of scary because you think about um the systems and the uh systemic situations that we've gone through in our communities for some of the simple things. And, you know, not only voting, but you know, being able to uh you know get loans and and being able to, you know, buy land and and just different things like that. You know, all of this boils down uh to the vote. So I think that our culture as uh as black folks, people of color have really come a long way. But my my biggest concern has been the generations afterwards thinking that the vote doesn't count. And so, you know, sometimes we have to break it down uh to really look at the local politics of this thing. You know, you know, what what is uh uh a city councilman, you know, what what does your mayor do for you? What is all these people talking about, district one and and all this stuff? And um, you know, even your your governor and and senator, you know, people don't really think about that for some reason, or it's not as popular. You know, they start talking about, you know, who's the president, vice president, and you know, folks get mad because it may not go their way, but there's some changes that can be made locally. So, Jay, for you, you know, how important has it been pushed and and actually where did it come from when you had a better understanding of how to cast a vote or or you know what voting means on a local level?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, you know, I'll be honest, I'm I'm still learning right now. I'm I'm still learning. I'm uh I'm one of those people that I have to do a lot of research, I have to analyze things, and I I like to go um past the surface. So um, and then I'm I'm I'm not like a crowd person. You know, I think a lot of times we get that group think feeling like, oh, this is like people telling you who you should vote vote for, whether um, as opposed to you kind of forming your own independent thought process and not letting anybody influence your important vote. So um, yeah, for me, it's it's really all about taking the time to understand because yeah, your vote matters, but it um the accuracy matters too. Like you want to vote for things that are um true to you and things that you want to see. I mean, because at the end of the day, that's that's really really what it's all about. No difference in when we would, you know, we'd be in school and you had to vote for what what you were having for lunch. Y'all want pizza or y'all want chicken? Like, you know, at the end of the day, if you really want to pizza, you you're not gonna vote for chicken because you you're gonna get something that you didn't, you know what I'm saying, you didn't vote for. So um uh I I think that just kind of understanding and it it could be it seems daunting. You know what I'm saying? It seems daunting for a lot of people, I think, and that's why they don't wanna they don't wanna get into it, but you know, it's it's really not that hard. Just it's it's a few Google searches and just kind of understand like, you know, what what the field is, what these people are standing for, and and what you know different policies they enforce, and then you just make make your make your move from there.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah. Uh and you know, when I when I hear you say that, you know, it does bring up some some concerns because a lot of times people don't follow these candidates until it's time to vote. Right. So throughout the year, uh throughout the different seasons, you know, you don't really know what these people are doing, what they're standing for. They just kind of pop up, you know, just like on the ballots, they pop up. But, you know, a lot of times these politicians, man, they've they've been in the game for a while. And and it's almost like a chess match because, you know, at one point they're this position, and then, you know, they may be running for another position. Uh if they're an incumbent, meaning that they've been at that position for a good minute, you know, they stick around. And that's because people aren't really following who these individuals are. They're not even really concerned, you know, and um, that's something that we really have to work on in our community. You know, the kind of culture versus campaign. Like we know about the movements, right? We talk about the movements. Uh, when something's going on, we feel like it's a social injustice and things like that. We may stand for that particular culture or that particular incident, but we really have to start looking more so at the campaigns and see what who's standing behind what. As much as I love and understand and respect demonstrations, I feel like we really have to start looking at beyond the policies, like who really makes the decisions, what is the influences?

SPEAKER_00:

Right.

SPEAKER_02:

You know, and and even really understanding what what lobbying means. Like we've heard lobbying for decades, right? So, you know, what does that really mean? And when we deal with that, that's actually individuals that have a vested interest in a certain agenda. How are they gonna be able to get that done? We're in we're in America, so what do you mean we're in a capitalistic corporation, if you will, right? So money will always talk. Money's gonna talk, money is gonna be one of the heaviest influences uh that that we have, you know, in America. So we have to really look at that. So, you know, no disrespect, but you know, I understand when the hood is is is feeling some type of way and things like that, but but but we really have to go beyond that. You know, you we could actually have some positions or have some positioning, you know, within our own community. And we just kind of start with you know, uh with our peers, either getting in position or putting the pressure on those that are in position. And I think that'll go uh way further because I know that the people mistrust the system.

SPEAKER_01:

For sure. Yeah, there's there's a there's definitely um mistrust um in the system. I think a lot of a lot of people, especially in our community, black men, they see uh there's kind of like an emotional detachment there. You know, they see even even when you mention things like politics, it's it's almost, you know, people are just instantly averse to just even wanting to discuss anything like that. It's almost like it's not my problem, it's it's their problem, it's not ours. You know what I'm saying? Um and and and it has something to do with the past, the history, like you mentioned before. There have been some letdowns, there's been some disillusionment that has happened. Um so I think there has to be a conversation around the importance, especially for the youth. There has to be a re-envisionment of you know the importance of the ballot, even of just you know, just black men, you know, we we kind of have to stand there on the and and have that conversation, like on a daily basis. Like we we should start having these conversations with our brothers, like, hey man, did you see, you know what I'm saying? Did you see what's going on? And even if it's news talk or if it's just, you know, how somebody, because at the end of the day, you also gotta understand in your community, it's important to know how your the the emotion of your community, how how you feel and where you're placed as an individual there. Because like I said, going back to that that school lunch analogy, you know, you talk to your homie, you like, hey man, what you what you gonna what you gonna vote for? A chicken, a pizza. Like that might not, you know, change what you're voting for, but it gives you a better understanding of what your like where your community is headed or how they feel. And like I said, it may not change, but it kind of gives you a better understanding. It's just it's just research on making a better, casting a better vote. But um, yeah, you know, I I I definitely feel for the the detachment there. And I think my generation, we, you know, we we a lot of us are just like, man, like what's what's the point? It's gonna happen. No matter what I do, you know, it's it's out of my hands. It's it's it's gonna go how it's gonna go. And I'm gonna just focus on me, the individual. But that's that's such um a destructive way of thinking, because you can't do, you can't, you can't win alone. You know what I'm saying? You you can't win you can't win alone. It's gonna take the community overall um to have a better environment for everybody. And just thinking on the individual level is just it's just selfish.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, yeah. Just getting back to you know, having those conversations and really getting back to building the community. And uh, I mean, realistically, there's there's so many different communities right now. So, you know, you have uh uh a certain demographic that may not be really interested in in politics. They may just be interested in you know what's going on in their own household. And then you have some that may take it upon themselves to the the re the rebuilding of the community or the sustainability of the community. And you know, then you have some that are deep, knee deep in it. Like they know that it's gonna take uh more than a village, it's gonna take uh communities, it's gonna take networks, it's gonna take leverage and everything that you have. And uh, man, it's just so important that we that we do that. But I think that historically we have been uh hushed when it comes to talking about politics. And I I really don't know what that's about. Uh, you know, your granddad, my dad, Bamie, baby boomer, you know, in the 80s. You know, these these folks have been in, you know, several wars, you know, Vietnam and like that. So, you know, to be able to vote is really important to them. Um, but it also goes beyond that because they know that the system is flawed. I mean, we got to be real about it. The system is flawed. Um, you know, if it wasn't, then we wouldn't be going through what we're going through now in such a divide, um, you know, with the administration and and uh, you know, the the house and and everything. So uh if that wasn't the case, then we wouldn't be dealing, you know, with all of that. So, you know, we we really have to continue to have these conversations. I'm glad that we're actually having this conversation on our podcast because it's not something uh we've done it before some time ago, uh, but you know, we really never dug in or did a deep dive like this. And so I kind of want to pivot a little bit. Jay, you said something earlier about black man and the ballot and uh and the disconnection, uh, the disconnection and the voting and the politics part. Um I I do want to, you know, mention, you know, historically the disconnection, you know, black man went from, you know, the right to vote to feeling like it doesn't matter, like you mentioned, you know. So obviously that's some uh that's some trauma disguised as as apathy because I feel like it's still our duty to do something. So you if you do not vote, what what is your alternative for change? You know what I mean? Like you can't just go around here saying, hey, don't vote, it's not gonna make a difference. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02:

So uh so you know what do you what do you think is the uh the end goal for for those thinking that it's not gonna make a difference at all?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, that's that's a tough one. You know, I've I've spoken to people like that, and it's it's hard um because the the points that they give you, the reasoning behind it, they it it feels hollow. Right? It it feels hollow, but at the same time, like they'll say something like, um, you know, I've I voted in the past and you know, and and nothing changed, or um, like you said, uh my my vote doesn't matter. I think like that's it's it's just it's just the same rhetoric. You know, it's it's very typical. Like my vote doesn't matter, um, you know, and they feel disillusioned. But then on the flip side, you'll have you'll hear complaints about the state, you know, the state of the of the economy, the state of the community. You want to complain about, you know, potholes in the road and missing street lights and different things like that that are going on in your environment, but um you haven't, you you, you're not voting, you're not you're not a voter, you're not registered. So consequently, um, you know, what what can you say? You really can't say much. Um if you're not voting, you you don't have that luxury to to also go on and complain about what's going on. You're not in the conversation, you've removed yourself um, you know, from the conversation. So to those people, I would say just kind of think about, you know, just go outside and look around. You know, every everybody's environment looks different. Everybody's state of living is different. Go outside, look around. If you think that your environment and your state of living is is good, you want to stay with that status quo, and that's okay with you, you know, the people that you see around you, um, uh the condition that they're in, um, you know, just just how your neighborhood looks. If you if you are okay with that, um then by all means, you know, just just keep doing what you're doing. But if if you want to see change, then what you what you should do is like you said, start looking around and trying to follow some of these people that are actively campaigning to to uh make things make things better, not just for uh the environment, but you know, just for for the community, for you for people that look like us. You know what I'm saying? Like they're there. I think that a lot of people are misinformed or um uh they're they're missing some pieces and they and they think that uh or they don't understand that there there are there's things there are actions being taken, right? There are actions being taken, there are um different laws that are that are being that are being written, but you have to do your part as well. Like it's it's it's it's the system. Yeah, the system, like you said, like the system is rigged and everything, but you know, even even if it's rigged, like you still kind of have to to play the game to even get some type of outcome. Because it's also rigged to where you not doing anything, you not participating at all, is um, you know, just playing into the cars of the people that that understand the game and understand how it works.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, that's a really good point. You know, um it's anticipated uh for certain communities not to do anything. Like they're not even worried about, you know, certain areas and communities even participating. And that's historically, you know, numbers represent that uh that uh statement. You know, but when we talk about representation, you know, I do I do think we have some issues uh when it comes to that. Number one, really not knowing who is representing us, you know, so it's important to know who your, you know, your local officials are. Like even on your sheriff, like you got to think about that, Jay. Like how many communities, how many of our communities know who the sheriff is and and willing to go and learn more about uh the sheriff, you know, because obviously there's uh certain campaigns, uh, there's certain events that you can look up in your own community to you know figure out what the heck is going on with the sheriff. Like you don't want to just meet the sheriff and the deputies when they're knocking on your door, right? That don't want to be that don't want to be your first time being introduced to your local sheriffs, right? But at the same time, as important as that is, you know, we have an opportunity to vote for our local sheriff. Now, I would like to ask that to uh you know, to our community. Like when is the last time you voted for your local sheriff? Do you know who your local sheriff is? Do you know who the candidates are? And that's one thing that I that I do uh appreciate about here in Atlanta is uh there is representation. Like we understand that there are some issues that may not be most beneficial to certain communities. Um and so there's people that decide to step up. And so that's why they campaign so hard. Picture this, Jay. Like, where else have you seen so many black people out here with signs telling uh telling you, hey, vote for this candidate, believe in this candidate, we support this candidate. I have never seen it so prevalent in any other area that I've lived. What has been your experience in comparison?

SPEAKER_01:

In comparison, especially where I come from. Um, there's there's there's nothing like it. Um, you know, people out there with their signs kind of raising awareness. Um, yeah, that I I I can't, you know, where I come from, there's the it looks a lot different. The the demographic is is completely different. So definitely I don't see a lot of black people out there uh raising awareness or or um holding their signs up. So being here in Atlanta, yeah, it's it's it's been really cool just to see how involved people are and how how important, like you could tell how important people are really taking it.

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, yeah, that uh no doubt about that. And another thing, you know, when you talk about systemic barriers, uh, you know, the ID laws, the voter suppression, uh, you know, that's still going on, obviously. Even with with what we're dealing with now, we're actually taking the balloting away, which is wild to me. That's a wild conversation, man, to just think that uh the attempt is there to take away the entire voting process. Uh one thing that I do remember learning uh when I went to um I'm trying to think. Oh, okay. You you were there. Uh you remember the event that we went to with uh with that group um uh uh of the ladies uh with Dr. Cynthia and uh and and the other ladies. Uh one of the representatives, she was talking about like the felony um situation, like the the whole disfranchisement situation, and and people really learning uh what the restrictions are or things like that, man. And I remember the young lady, I I I wish I would have made sure that I had her name, so I'm gonna have to follow up on that. But she was just talking about how a lot of times people that that may have felonies, uh it's a misconception that they can't vote. But in all actuality, you know, if you're not on parole, if you're not on probation or anything like that, you can you can vote. So people with a felony can actually vote as long as you know they don't have quote unquote, you know, paperwork. So parole, uh, you know, or uh any type of um thing like that. And I thought that was really important because I didn't know. I didn't know to be able to share that. Like, you know, you know, you never know who got you know something going on, but that's just information because you know, three to six degrees of separation. Everybody knows someone that has had some issues, you know, with the law. But being able to share that type of information, man, is a game changer because I know that there's gotta be some folks out there that's like, you know what, I don't have a perfect past. I've dealt with the law before. And so I don't even vote because I know my they're not gonna let me vote. Right. And I don't think that there's any heavy campaigning um with that um as well. So I think that's something that we have to pay a little bit more attention to, um, you know, to that community to make sure that they understand they do have some rights and uh they can get involved. So yeah, yeah. So, you know, another thing that I definitely wanted to make sure that we understood is, you know, when it comes to the whole government and the justice and and the control, uh, you know, what the quote unquote the system, you know, really means. Because there are some rules, regulations, and laws that we don't necessarily know because we're not in that field. Like it's almost like not knowing your rights until afterwards. An attorney telling you, well, you know what, you did have the right to remain silent. You didn't have to say this, you didn't have to do that. So, you know, when it comes to these, this, you know, this politics type thing, man, we have to really, really understand that, yeah, the the system isn't really broken. It was built on, you know, inequality and it's working as design. So that's why, like you said, playing the game, playing the system, you know, so you you take color out of it, you take race out of it. You can even take uh uh your social status or your financial status out of it. Like you can do that. Uh you can still play the game, but just you know, understand that, you know, the long game is really knowing and having that information.

SPEAKER_01:

Right. Information is power. And I think that for anybody listening that's kind of, you know, maybe on the fence, hopefully we've, you know, we've given you uh some gems that will uh help you make uh better decisions as far as whether you want to vote or not. Like, of course, it's your right, you know, that was fought for. So it's still your right, whether you want to or not. But at the same time, I think that the the beginning, the starter point is doing your research and coming to an understanding of the true power that you holding and that you're able to cast with that vote what you can change. Start talking. Like, don't be afraid to have the conversation or ask about, ask somebody that you might know that knows a little bit more than you. Like, hey, like, you know, what is this candidate about? You know what I mean? That's that's the conversation that we got to start having.

SPEAKER_02:

Oh man, I agree. Look, man, we uh we we definitely uh ran it up on this one. You know, last thing I think that we need to make sure that the message is is I don't think people really understand um, you know, what what the roles and responsibilities of each individual position has. Like, you know, the president, uh governor, the mayors, they don't necessarily make the laws, they approve the laws that are created by the Congress, you know, of the state and uh the national level. So you also have that city council on the city level, you know, and how important, you know, these things are and how important it is to uh elect the right judges. I talked about the sheriff earlier, but also the judges, man. The judges have to be elected too, man. People forget about that. And uh that's what it's it's really about. So we have to work uh, you know, on our community, continue to give the messaging, and really just encourage people to learn more um versus just letting it be passed down about don't worry about it, or this this doesn't affect us directly. And uh and I think that'll be true effective uh community change and outreach. So um, yeah, man, we we might have to do this again, man. And we're not gonna wait until next November, right?

SPEAKER_01:

No, I I think I definitely think, I definitely think we should because um with us, you know, just kind of being a resource, you know, I think we should go a little bit more in depth and give some names and let these people, you know, maybe even talk about, you know, um, you know, some of the different policies and things like that, or or or you know, just kind of what's going on in the culture right now. I definitely think we should drop those those gems off too.

SPEAKER_02:

That's for sure. So look, uh I want to give a big shout out to our Fulton County Sheriff, man. I love Fulton County. Like I've been in Fulton County for a handful of years now. I love everything that's going on. Um, the the the uh sheriff, all the representative has have been full throttle in making sure that there's true representation, especially with people of color, and uh that the system that's in place is uh at least being uh you know checked and balanced. So, you know, with that being said, uh hey, we appreciate you guys always giving us some great feedback. Again, we'll revisit, we'll spend the block on the politicking with pops and sun. But for now, check out the previous episodes if you haven't. But we'll see you on the next episode with Pops and the Sun conversation, signing off your favorite silver fox, Rob Malloy.

SPEAKER_01:

Three times checking out we're gone.

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Javan Anderson

Co-host
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Rob Malloy

Co-host