Sam Houston, White Slurs & The Problem With Police | Unsubscribe Podcast 245

Cody, a guest, detailed his unexpected entry into social media. Previously working a union job climbing utility poles in Colorado, he started making random TikTok videos in February 2020 to connect with his younger brother. His content quickly gained traction, leading to overnight success and a new career path, highlighting how virality can emerge from unexpected origins.

I was climbing poles up in the mountain in Colorado for those of you that don't know where I'm from... I made a Tik Tok account and it just kind of blew up overnight. Um, when was this 2020? Yeah, February of 2020.

Cody recounted being "swatted" five times, three at his skate shop and twice at his home. He described the terrifying scenario of armed police potentially kicking in his door, leading to a deadly confrontation, and emphasized the critical need for content creators to inform local law enforcement about their public profile. The hosts criticized the lack of severe legal penalties for swatting, arguing it should be considered attempted murder.

You've been swatted how many times? Five times... If I'm streaming and I hear somebody kick down my front door, the very first thing I'm doing... is grabbing a rifle... if the SWAT team is there and they see somebody coming up the stairs with the firearm, I'm dead now... I would almost say federal. It needs to be attempted murder.

The hosts discussed "broken window policing," where proactive enforcement in areas with visible signs of crime (e.g., broken windows, graffiti) prevents more serious offenses. They contrasted this with what they termed "reactionary" policing, which they believe has become prevalent due to political pressures following events like the George Floyd protests, leading to officers being hesitant to patrol high-crime, often minority, neighborhoods. This, in their view, results in increased crime rates.

Broken window policing is where you go to a a place where there's broken windows everywhere... that's where the crime is. So, we're going to go over there and police that area... George Floyd is still affecting uh policing. It's effective policing for the next 20 years, dude.

The hosts shared multiple anecdotes of road rage incidents and attempted carjackings, emphasizing the importance of carrying firearms for self-defense. They highlighted that criminals often target "soft targets" and that displaying a willingness to defend oneself can deter attackers. They also discussed the need for content creators to protect their families' privacy by not featuring them in videos, to prevent them from becoming identifiable targets.

I grab my firearm... I see him running back to the driver's seat. He gets in and he starts chasing... I always tell my woman these days, I'm like, 'Carry your gun. Carry your gun.' Cuz no matter if you're at a [__] gas station... they prey on soft targets.