The Sunshine Bridge

EE: Welcome to The Sunshine Bridge, a show about community and sharing the different perspectives of Louisianians. I’m Elizabeth Eads.

I, probably like you, have been watching some of the war between Russia and Ukraine. It’s kind of hard to miss. And it’s a hard thing to watch.

This show is about sharing perspectives. It seemed like a good idea to see what other people in the area were thinking about it. So, for this episode and the next, I’m sharing the audio from a quick trip I made to the Mall of Louisiana.

One of the first people I spoke with was Beya. She was sitting at a table with a friend, and I asked her what her thoughts were on bigger companies like McDonald’s or Visa and Mastercard shutting off services in Russia. And here’s what she had to say:

Beya: I really do approve of like, big companies kind of shutting off from Russia, and that’s only limiting the resources, which I do approve of because what they’re doing is not right. At the same time, like we also need to be looking at what…like, for Russia to have such a large army and for them to not be able to get through Ukraine is kind of making me realize like what else are they…what else is going on? Like, nobody’s watching China. Nobody’s watching Taiwan. Nobody’s watching what else could be getting taken over and ambushed right now, so that’s also what I think we need to be paying attention to, but everybody’s so focused on the Russia and Ukraine topic. At the same time, I do have my prayers out going for Ukraine because there’s…now we live in a generation where it’s all online based, so we get the news ASAP, and we see it happening first hand, even though we’re not there. So I know Tiktok for sure…citizens of Ukraine, um…I know they’re posting Tiktoks…and there’s just pictures going around the situation too. I just think it’s just an ugly situation right now. But I do hope that eventually we do kind of send some troops out to go help because I know the Russian troops don’t even know what’s going on either. There’s some soldiers that don’t like, they just…they’re just told what to do, and they just do it. And they don’t even realize the whole big picture that Putin told them to go do.

EE: I asked her how she saw the U.S. affected:

Beya: It’s affecting us oil wise because Biden did stop oil drilling which has made…in certain specific locations, what has made that such a big problem with us, and not only that, but it’s also affecting many more countries. I know France and Italy, they’re at 10 or 8 dollars a gallon right now for gas. So it’s not only just affecting U.S., but it’s also affecting the others too. And I also think it might cause just a problem in our troops, like now we’re kind of having to prepare ourselves to deal with a big country that we might eventually have to step in.

EE: Her friend, Anner, was sitting next to her. Here are his thoughts:

Anner: Right now, like, I mean, everything’s terrible, honestly. But what I really feel sorry for like, you know, civilians on both ends of the country and Ukraine and in Russia. Because at the end of the day it’s not affecting the billionaires and the oligarchs. It’s not affecting anyone in this country necessarily to the extent that it really, you know, people think it does, but it’s just awful that essentially we’re at a point where we’re starving a country whose population, you know while there are billionaires are still, you know, pretty much like living their best lives, not worrying about it. And then in Ukraine, you know, you also have the civilians essentially, you know, being sieged out and starved and losing absolutely everything. And I mean, not to make it about myself or any other of my family, but my family’s very familiar with war. My parents are immigrants from El Salvador, and they escaped as refugees during the eighties, so it’s like one of those things like, where at the end of the day, all these big superpowers and everything, the only people they hurt are the civilians ‘cause the billionaires, all these people with the special interests, they’re going to be fine. And the way I see it, it’s just awful. It’s awful for the Ukrainians. It’s __ awful for the Russian citizens, and I just wish more people would have compassion not just for the Ukrainians but also for Russian citizens, ‘cause I mean, over 18,000 Russians have been arrested for protesting in a country, you know, where people are regularly assassinated for having the wrong opinion, and you know, that’s how I feel about that.

EE: Quick fact check: He gave the number “18,000 Russians arrested for protesting.” The latest count as of today, March 14, is near 15,000, which is according to OVDinfo.org, a protest monitoring group in Russia. So, he’s close, but it’s not 18,000. It’s 15,000. 18,000 isn’t a number that came out of thin air. It’s the number of fully automatic weapons given by Ukraine to its citizens to defend themselves against Russian invaders. And that is according to various sources, including CNN. Now getting back to Anner, when it comes to companies shutting down things in Russia, this is what he had to say about that:

Anner: I’ll put it this way: Like, you know, for example, companies like Coca-cola, you know, like McDonald’s, they say “I’m not going to do anything with Russia,” or like, Visa and Mastercard. It’s cool. But like I said, it’s only hurting the citizens. This is like, these billionaires are still fine. They still have all their money and all their trust funds and all these things, you know. And then you have companies like Shell, you know, pretty much like buying oil at a record level and like you know, pretty much gas prices are still going up, and they’re making more money than ever. So, I mean, it’s sounds great on paper for like, you know, propaganda and media, like, “Oh, we’re sticking it to Russia!” We’re not hurting anyone important. You’re not hurting anyone who makes the decisions. We’re hurting the citizens. And they’re the ones starving. These are people that lost everything. And that’s my opinion. I mean, but hey, power to them if they think that’s what going to help out, but I mean, Putin’s just going even crazier and crazier about it. The only thing we’re doing is just kicking the powder keg even harder. And I just wish you know, President Biden or just anyone in political power you know, would just sit down and like, “Hey, let’s find a mutual discourse to like, end this. Like, what can we mutually do so like, we don’t end up destroying the world in the process?” ‘Cause the only thing we’re doing is just showing China they can get away with it.

As far as like gas prices and everything go, I mean, it’s not like it’s only affecting the United States as fas as gas, but what I really think it’s affecting and like, just adding more hate to the fire of this administration. Whether I do or don’t support it, it doesn’t make a difference. It’s just giving more fuel for both sides to hate each other, and I feel like people just finding excuses to hate on each other. Because I mean, gas prices are already going up, and like Russia only produces 3% of all of the gas that comes to this country anyway. Only thing I hope that comes from it is that it motivates us to be energy independent in the long run, but I just wish like, both sides of the media wouldn’t scrutinize and like, weaponize these opinions to divide us even more. Because it’s already been bad enough. And like it’s just people are just instead of like, being united, are just becoming more divided. And it’s awful.

EE: After I spoke with Beya and Anner, I spoke with a woman who wanted to comment but who wanted to remain anonymous. And this is what she had to say:

Woman: I just think that the Bible is being fulfilled. These are the last and final days. It talks about wars and rumors of wars, and I think that’s what’s going on now, basically. But I think that…I guess it’s totally up to God. If He wants to stop this thing, He could stop this thing at any moment. And as far as the U.S. getting involved: No. I don’t think we should. I think we should support them, like he’s doing, the President is doing. But as far as getting involved: No.

EE: And companies getting involved? What’s your thoughts on that?

Woman: Companies? The U.S. companies? What? What companies?
EE: Yeah, so there’s different companies you know. Like, McDonald’s and everything is like, shutting down their stuff in Russia. And then Visa and Mastercard have shut down.

Woman: Yeah. I think they should…to bring him to his senses. You know, if that would happen. Don’t know if it will, but I think…that’s part of the sanctions, right? That they are shutting down everything. Yeah.

EE: Well, it’s not part of the government sanctions. This is just something that companies are taking upon themselves to do.

Woman: Well, yeah. Yeah. If it’s going to make him stop, yes. Don’t know if it will, but….

EE: Finally, in this segment, I spoke with Dixon. Here are the thoughts he wanted to share.

Dixon: First of all, my heart goes out to people in Ukraine, and like, this politics stuff. We have no idea what’s going on. All I can say is that the people of America are always carrying the burdens of other nations. See what I’m saying. There’s no reason for us to be suffering these gas prices. Things are already hard as it is. And I guess we’re in the situation where…I think the people should have a choice…because the top politicians who are making these decisions, they’re not suffering these gas prices. So, they are rich, they’re all wealthy and doing well, but what about this poor man who’s trying to feed his family and trying to go to work every day. Where does that leave him? You know? You can’t be at war trying to help somebody else and put your people in jeopardy. Just take it like a household, for instance. Like, your household. You wouldn’t put other people in jeopardy…I mean, help other people while your family is starving. So it’s politics, and I understand that we’re trying to help other nations, but I just think that we should, you know, make decisions where you could help but not cripple your own.

For the past 20, 30 years, America has been dealing with wars and wars and wars and wars and wars and wars, and other nations like China, they’re really…I think their economy is like Number 1? So, why we can’t use their strategy? You know, ‘cause how’re we going to help the future if we can’t help ourselves? So I think if people in the top positions to keep that into consideration….

I think there should be a vote instead of a few people just speaking for others. Hey, you know, I might be late on my rent. I might be on the verge of getting kicked out of my home. Me and my kids might be on the verge of getting homeless. So, I think it should be a vote instead of a few people making decisions for every single person in the nation.

My heart does go out to Ukraine. I don’t know what’s going on. I know the politicians, they tell us all kind of stuff. No one really knows what’s really going on behind closed doors. You know, it’s like a parent household. A wife and husband talk and then tell their kids what they want their kids to hear. See what I’m saying? So, that’s just my thoughts on it. I think it should be a voting thing. We should…we vote to elect presidents. We vote to elect everybody else. Why we can’t vote to have a decision on if we want to take part in the war? And if we are taking part of it, these are the things that could happen. We might have to suffer gas prices or increase our __. I heard rent is going up. I was looking in the news the other day…people in New York…. So, I just think we should, you know, instead of what? 20, 30 people making decisions for the whole nation. I think it should be a worldwide, I mean, nationwide vote. We vote for everything else. So why can’t we have a say on you know, what we want to do as far as help is concerned.

EE: What are your thoughts on companies, you know, these bigger companies stepping in to cut supplies off to Russia? Or to cut, you know…?
Dixon: Okay, where were those companies when they have starving kids here(laughs)? You know, where were those companies when people are dying every day? Starvation. Where are those companies when schools are getting shut down? Where were they? That’s what I don’t…I really don’t understand that? We trying to fix everybody else’s? We starving here. So, where are these companies when it comes down to helping your own? And your own country? Where are they? So all of a sudden, everybody’s running to Russia. Where were these funds when the country needed them? So, that’s what I think. I mean, it’s a good thing. But have that same approach when it’s dealing with your own country, your own nation. You can’t rob from your nation and help somebody else’s while your own is starving. We care about ourselves too. I hate to sound selfish, but you know. We have to have a fine line. I mean, you know, meet in the middle somewhere.

EE: Now, Dixon said China is the Number 1 economy, and it is the economy with the greatest GDP but only after the U.S. The United States is still Number 1by that measurement. China is Number 2.

To the people who gave their comments, the only places I made edits were where I couldn’t confirm a fact one way of another Everyone made interesting points, and all are worth listening to. And that’s the point of this show. The show’s new, and it’s still finding its shape, but I hope to foster some sense of open communication.

Before jumping into the next episode, a quick thank you to Arnav Srivistav who is the composer of the show music. This is The Sunshine Bridge. Okay, next episode. Keep listening.