1 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: Good morning, peeps, and welcome to woke F Daily with 2 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 1: me your girl, Danielle Moody, recording from the Long Island Bunker. Folks, 3 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:23,040 Speaker 1: you know, I often say to you that you need 4 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: to take a break so that you do not have 5 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:29,480 Speaker 1: a breakdown. And with all of the compacted crises that 6 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 1: we are dealing with at this time and making the 7 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 1: march to mid terms, there never seems like the right 8 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: time to take a break, But I say that you 9 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 1: have to make that time. And so for me, dear 10 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 1: friends here on woke F, I am going to be 11 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: taking a much needed vacation so that I can rest 12 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: and recharge as we head into what I believe is 13 00:00:56,760 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: going to be one of the craziest falls we've ever 14 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:05,520 Speaker 1: seen in politics. So I am going to be headed 15 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:10,039 Speaker 1: out on vacation through Labor Day. And do not worry. 16 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:13,880 Speaker 1: Do not stress, because I have left you with eight 17 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: amazing episodes that we have recorded back in twenty twenty 18 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 1: one with some of the most thoughtful, engaging and insightful 19 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: commentary that looks at our politics, our spiritual nature, our 20 00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:35,960 Speaker 1: emotional well being, and a look inside frankly with some 21 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,880 Speaker 1: of the guests that we are bringing to all of you. 22 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:45,960 Speaker 1: These conversations have been heard by our amazing Patreon supporters 23 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:51,120 Speaker 1: who get video episodes every single day because of their 24 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: belief and financial support of woke F throughout the years, 25 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 1: and so I'm really excited to bring all of you 26 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: across all the platforms that you listen to woke F 27 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: daily on these episodes and these interviews that I think 28 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 1: will be enticing to all of you. They hit on 29 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:14,839 Speaker 1: all of the major topics that we consistently discuss here 30 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: on woke F, from racism to gender inequality, to police 31 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 1: misconduct to wealth inequality, which my God and the need 32 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,800 Speaker 1: and the need and the need upmost for spiritual connection 33 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: and wellness practices that allow us to successfully maneuver all 34 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: of the things that have been thrown at us over 35 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: the past couple of years. And so, friends, while I 36 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 1: will be out from the show, I will not be 37 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:48,200 Speaker 1: out of sight for the next several days, and so 38 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: you can continue to follow me on Instagram and on 39 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,320 Speaker 1: Twitter at D two cents, D E two c E 40 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: n TF. Of course, I will be dropping in with 41 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,560 Speaker 1: my two cents and you can check me out on TikTok, 42 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,000 Speaker 1: where I'm sure certain that I will drop a few 43 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: videos in the next couple of days, and there you 44 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: can find me at Danielle Moody Underscore. You know, friends, 45 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: I really hope that you take these last days of 46 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: summer as an opportunity to really enjoy, to really ground 47 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: in your friends, in your family, in the environment, in 48 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 1: the sunshine right because I believe that what is coming 49 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,800 Speaker 1: and what we talk about on woke f all the 50 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: time and what if, frankly is here is really daunting. 51 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 1: And if we don't make time and make space and 52 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: continue to tell ourselves that, oh, I'll take a vacation 53 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,800 Speaker 1: another week or another month and keep kicking the can 54 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: down the road of our wellness, we won't have the 55 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: strength that is necessary to deal with the weight of 56 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 1: what is being thrown at us by the opposition, those 57 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:09,280 Speaker 1: that oppose democracy, equity, justice, humanity, right, our environments, well being. 58 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: And so I encourage all of you that if you 59 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: do have the opportunity as we wind down the summer, 60 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: that you wind down in a way that makes you 61 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:22,880 Speaker 1: feel recharged, hopeful about the work that is ahead. Because 62 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,880 Speaker 1: there is work ahead, and there will always be work ahead. 63 00:04:25,920 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 1: I don't think that there will ever be a time 64 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:30,919 Speaker 1: that we put our protest signs down, that we take 65 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: off our marching shoes, that we stop doing the things 66 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 1: that make us a democracy, stop doing the things that 67 00:04:38,160 --> 00:04:42,240 Speaker 1: make us responsible citizens. But in order for us to 68 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: continue to break through all the obstacles that Republicans and 69 00:04:47,120 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 1: dissenters and white supremis put in our way, we need 70 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 1: we need to take a break, and that is absolutely okay. 71 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 1: And in order for me to be able to do that, 72 00:05:00,600 --> 00:05:04,320 Speaker 1: I just want to shout out and be ingratitude to 73 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:09,000 Speaker 1: the team at DCP, to Andrew, who you all know, 74 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 1: because you get wonderful audio quality and fantastic descriptions for 75 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,720 Speaker 1: giving me the opportunity and the space because I have 76 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,520 Speaker 1: such a great team to be able to take a break. 77 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:23,840 Speaker 1: So I hope that you all enjoy these next fantastic 78 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 1: episodes that we have. Do drop your thoughts in the 79 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:30,160 Speaker 1: comments section, do hit me up in the socials. Just 80 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 1: don't draw my attention to anything that is terrible because 81 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,279 Speaker 1: I'm taking a break from the news. But dear friends, 82 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,240 Speaker 1: I really do hope that you enjoy these next eight 83 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:44,880 Speaker 1: episodes and I will see you with brand new episodes 84 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 1: after Labor Day. Indisputable with Doctor Rasha Ricci is one 85 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: of the latest shows on the TYT network and also 86 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: the fastest growing news show in Amry. On his show, 87 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 1: Doctor Ricci plays no games regarding policy, delivering a heavy 88 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: dose of fact based truth and penetrating analysis on all 89 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: the top news stories focusing on racism, criminal and social justice, politics, 90 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:17,839 Speaker 1: police brutality, Karens, and much more. Listeners can also expect 91 00:06:17,920 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: interviews with fascinating guests, political leaders, commentators, and even fiery 92 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: debates with conservatives on a wide range of policy topics. 93 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:30,039 Speaker 1: In the Bullpen. It is an indisputable fact that you 94 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:33,760 Speaker 1: will love this show. Listen to Indisputable with Doctor Rashad 95 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 1: Ricci on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 96 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 1: If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe 97 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: so you never miss a new episode. Get a behind 98 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: the scenes look at Comedy Central's The Daily Show on 99 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 1: Beyond the Scenes, an original podcast from The Daily Show 100 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: with Trevor Noah. Every week, host Roy Wood Junior goes 101 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: deeper with the notable guests and spurts from the Emmy 102 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: Award winning series. Together, they use comedy to tackle current 103 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: topics from gentrification to gun laws, and take a closer 104 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: look at how and why these topics matter. Listen to 105 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:11,880 Speaker 1: Beyond the Scenes from the Daily Show with Trevor Noah 106 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get 107 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:22,440 Speaker 1: your podcast. New episodes every Tuesday. I am so excited 108 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 1: to be joined on Woka app daily by my friend 109 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: new author, but new author, Heaven McGee and chairwoman of 110 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,840 Speaker 1: Color of Change, which you guys are very familiar with. 111 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: The online civil rights organization that has been doing the 112 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 1: work has exposed so much about our broken criminal justice system, 113 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:54,200 Speaker 1: how GOP funds behind closed doors, our oppression and suppression, 114 00:07:54,560 --> 00:07:58,400 Speaker 1: and so how there I can't express to you that 115 00:07:58,520 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: when I received your book in the mail, the sum 116 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: of Us, what racism costs everyone, and how we can 117 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:13,840 Speaker 1: prosper together, I screamed. I literally gave out an audible scream. 118 00:08:13,880 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: And I want to tell the listeners why. Because I 119 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: was working with Heather four years no three years ago, 120 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: three or four years ago, when I was still doing 121 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,920 Speaker 1: PR and communications at a firm. Heather was a client, 122 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,840 Speaker 1: had a major viral moment and she's like, I got 123 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 1: to write a book, and now the book is in 124 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: my hand, and I cannot believe it. How are you feeling? 125 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:42,280 Speaker 1: How are you doing? And then I want to dive 126 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 1: into the book. Well, thank you for asking that I 127 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 1: am doing fine personally. I'm feeling good. I am healthy. 128 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,840 Speaker 1: My immediate circle is healthy. You know that's really ultimately 129 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:58,680 Speaker 1: all that matters in this day and age. But I am, 130 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:02,520 Speaker 1: you know, just getting my ducks in a row to 131 00:09:02,559 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 1: try to tell as many people as possible that racism 132 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:12,080 Speaker 1: is costing everybody and it's time to stop. Yeah, you know, 133 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,080 Speaker 1: I people people know, and I think I might have 134 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: said this to my producer, you know. I was like, Heather, 135 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:22,559 Speaker 1: is like, would be if I only had a good angel, 136 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: you would be that you would be that good angel 137 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:28,960 Speaker 1: because people know the hot shit that I say about 138 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:32,680 Speaker 1: white people, about white supremacy. And I'm like, so, Heather, 139 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: it would be like the good angel, Heather, it's the 140 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: person you want to talk to about how racism calls 141 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: you me. I'm like, bitch, stop being racist. So talking 142 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: to talk to talk to us about how how you 143 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 1: grounded this book, because this has been a journey. You 144 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:53,480 Speaker 1: have experienced a lot, and so I want folks to 145 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:56,719 Speaker 1: understand how you grounded this journey and came to this 146 00:09:57,640 --> 00:10:02,959 Speaker 1: recognition that racism isn't its harming the people who are 147 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 1: on the spear side of racism, meaning black people, marginalized communities, 148 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:12,439 Speaker 1: queer people, but it is also holding It is also 149 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:16,080 Speaker 1: hurting the person that is actually holding this sphere. So 150 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: talk to us about that. So I came at this 151 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:22,839 Speaker 1: from an economic standpoint in the sense that I spent 152 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 1: nearly twenty years trying to advance public policy solutions to 153 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:30,960 Speaker 1: inequality in our economy. Right, just the fact that you know, 154 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 1: there's too much month at the end of the paycheck, 155 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: and there has been for most families in this country 156 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: for the past forty to fifty years, and that we 157 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:43,800 Speaker 1: have I've grown up in the inequality era where everything 158 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 1: the cost of the basic are too the basic things 159 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:49,280 Speaker 1: are too high, good secure jobs with benefits are too 160 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: hard to find. Where we're just not investing at all 161 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: in our you know, the things that we need to 162 00:10:55,679 --> 00:10:58,720 Speaker 1: hold in common, our roads, our bridges, our schools. We're 163 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 1: not handling big things like the fact that we need 164 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:05,360 Speaker 1: universal childcare, universal healthcare. We're not dealing with a public 165 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: health system to prevent pandemics. We're basically, we can't seem 166 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:11,960 Speaker 1: to just get it together in what's about the greatest 167 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 1: country on earth, to just have nice things for our people. 168 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: And that's the way I opened the book. I say, 169 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:20,200 Speaker 1: have you ever wondered why we can't seem to have 170 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 1: nice things? And so I spent twenty years trying to 171 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: bring math and statistics and research and litigation into that 172 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: pursuit of nice things for more people, particularly for black people, 173 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: mind people who are particularly ill served by bad economic 174 00:11:36,840 --> 00:11:42,559 Speaker 1: policy decisions, but they also impact everybody who's struggling. And 175 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 1: I kept coming up against this sort of secret that 176 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: nobody was really talking about, which is that racism is 177 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:55,600 Speaker 1: always strengthening the hand that beats us every time we 178 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:59,240 Speaker 1: try to wage a fight, even for policies that would 179 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 1: impact everyone on and help everyone, like universal healthcare, like 180 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,600 Speaker 1: debt free college, like a fifteen dollars minimum wage, all 181 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:09,239 Speaker 1: of these things that are purely economic things. They have disparities, 182 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:13,160 Speaker 1: but it's white voters who keep supporting a party that 183 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: is opposed to all of these things that white people need. 184 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 1: And so it occurred to me that I was sort 185 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 1: of coming at this fight with the wrong tool, because 186 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: this really wasn't about dollars and cents and cold, rational 187 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:30,480 Speaker 1: economic self interest. This was really about deeper questions of 188 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 1: status and belonging. This is really about a sense of 189 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 1: threat that the white majority has about our presence and 190 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 1: our power, and that ultimately they're seeing the world through 191 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:44,559 Speaker 1: a zero sum prism that white people, the majority of 192 00:12:44,600 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 1: white people, see raise as a zero sum game where 193 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,480 Speaker 1: for us comes at their expense. We don't that way, 194 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: The facts don't bear it out. But that's a story 195 00:12:55,120 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: that they've been sold generation after generation. It's what they believe, 196 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:02,520 Speaker 1: and it is literally, you know, in the instance of 197 00:13:02,559 --> 00:13:07,680 Speaker 1: the pandemic killing us. And so I went on this journey. 198 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:11,440 Speaker 1: I left my amazing job running a think tank and 199 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 1: went on a three year journey across the country, when 200 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,720 Speaker 1: from California and Mississippi to Maine and back again, talking 201 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 1: to people, learning as much as I could, and that 202 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 1: led me to this book, The Some of Us. You know. 203 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 1: It's it's so interesting because one of the things that 204 00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:32,720 Speaker 1: I have been thinking about and talking to various folks 205 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:37,520 Speaker 1: about it is the idea that white people understand our 206 00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,800 Speaker 1: society from a scarcity model, right like there they do 207 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,640 Speaker 1: not exist in abundance, where we believe that there is 208 00:13:45,679 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 1: more than enough. We are the richest country. And yet 209 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 1: if Jane down the street has healthcare and Jerome needs healthcare, 210 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:56,960 Speaker 1: It's like, well, then Jane's like, well we need to 211 00:13:57,000 --> 00:13:59,520 Speaker 1: just throw out the entire healthcare system because Jerome can't 212 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:03,319 Speaker 1: have healthcare. That seems crazy right like in and and 213 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: the question that I have been asking folks is, Heather, 214 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: how do you how do you shift that that that 215 00:14:11,440 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: is something that is fundamental in their thinking, their belief 216 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 1: their their ideology, their system is the idea that there 217 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:21,920 Speaker 1: is not enough and that if other people have something 218 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,320 Speaker 1: that I had, then that means that they are taking 219 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: it away. How do you adjust that framing, especially now 220 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:34,000 Speaker 1: in this very hyper racialized place that we are in, 221 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:38,800 Speaker 1: um and hyperpartisan place that we are in. How do 222 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,720 Speaker 1: we how do we move that needle? Well, everything we 223 00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: believe comes from a story we've been told. And they 224 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: didn't get that idea about the zero sum, you know, 225 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: out of thin air. It is a story that is 226 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 1: aggressively marketed and sold to white people's a story that 227 00:14:56,800 --> 00:15:01,720 Speaker 1: was created with the foundation of this country to justify 228 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:05,360 Speaker 1: an economic model based on stolen land and stolen people 229 00:15:05,400 --> 00:15:10,400 Speaker 1: and stolen labor. And you know, very much at that time, 230 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:13,200 Speaker 1: there was something true about the zero sum right. The 231 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: white slaveholding elite that was the most profited from settler 232 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: colonialism and slavery was saying, you know you, I will 233 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: profit at your expense and I will leave you nothing 234 00:15:25,400 --> 00:15:28,520 Speaker 1: you have. You people of color, can gain nothing from 235 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 1: your labor. I will take it all, right, And so 236 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:37,040 Speaker 1: they needed to sell to a white majority. You know, 237 00:15:37,080 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: the idea that liberation for people of color was going 238 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 1: to take money out of their pockets, right, And I 239 00:15:45,160 --> 00:15:50,520 Speaker 1: think today the economic bargain of that is no longer true. 240 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: That we're all actually worse off because of these policies, 241 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: that white people are still supporting this sort of national 242 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: stinginess that we have. And so what I've decided that 243 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:04,360 Speaker 1: we need to tell a new story. I need to 244 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 1: tell a new story of mutual benefit. The parable at 245 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: the heart of my book, and it's represented on the cover, 246 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 1: is the story of what happened to towns across America, 247 00:16:16,280 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: not just in the American South, when in the first 248 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:25,960 Speaker 1: part of the twentieth century, governments, federal governments and local 249 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: governments would spend millions of tax dollars making these grand 250 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:35,960 Speaker 1: resort style public swimming pools in the hearts of their towns. 251 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:39,400 Speaker 1: And it was sort of this like very small scale 252 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:43,080 Speaker 1: but real kind of symbol of like a government commitment 253 00:16:43,120 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: to just a good quality of life. Right like in 254 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 1: the summer, you and your family can just swim, you know, 255 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: you can drop your kids off at the pool and 256 00:16:50,440 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: it's you know, they didn't have air conditioning, right, It 257 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,840 Speaker 1: was actually sort of important. It was kind of a 258 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:57,440 Speaker 1: literal melting pot for people to get to know each 259 00:16:57,440 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 1: other and get married and form relationships and all of that. 260 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 1: And for many of these pools it was segregated. It 261 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:07,720 Speaker 1: was whites only, right. They belief inferiority, Black danger. All 262 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 1: of that was you know, so strong that we couldn't 263 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: swim in the pool too. And when the civil rights 264 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:18,439 Speaker 1: movement came along and m courts started to say that 265 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:22,119 Speaker 1: it was unconstitutional to collect black people's tax dollars tax 266 00:17:22,119 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 1: dollars and not let them swim in these public pools, 267 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: so many towns across the country drained their public pools 268 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: rather than folks swim. And it feels to me like 269 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:36,240 Speaker 1: that it's just a perfect metaphor for where we are 270 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:40,359 Speaker 1: as a country now. We are all sitting in the 271 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:44,159 Speaker 1: drained pool, you know, with nothing, with nothing left for ourselves. 272 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:48,400 Speaker 1: And it's interesting, Danielle, because you know, the Trumpism, all 273 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:52,719 Speaker 1: of that actually recognizes a piece of that right, like 274 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 1: it speaks to everybody. Right. The white people knew they 275 00:17:55,640 --> 00:17:59,160 Speaker 1: lost a pool, right, like they weren't missing the point. 276 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:04,880 Speaker 1: But when Trump's talks about make America great again, he 277 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,520 Speaker 1: is saying, there was a time when you had it 278 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:13,639 Speaker 1: on easy street. Roman did give you free stuff, and 279 00:18:13,800 --> 00:18:17,199 Speaker 1: there was a fence around it. It was and I have, 280 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 1: you know, a section of the book where I just 281 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:21,440 Speaker 1: start listing all the free stuff that white people got 282 00:18:21,480 --> 00:18:24,119 Speaker 1: for free from the government, from the Homestead Act on 283 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 1: through right. It really is important for us to recognize 284 00:18:28,880 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 1: that white people are not stupid. They know that there 285 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: was a time when the government was on their side 286 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:37,920 Speaker 1: and the life was easier and that low and behold. 287 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 1: Around the same time that black and brown people started 288 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:44,360 Speaker 1: asking for rights, it all went away. But that's not 289 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 1: because black people and brown people started asking for their rights. 290 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,040 Speaker 1: We didn't take the poll. It's not like we like 291 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,560 Speaker 1: picked up the pool. Neighborhood were like, you can't come right. 292 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:58,840 Speaker 1: It was that powerful elites closed the pool for everyone, 293 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 1: and then gin end up resentment by the white majority 294 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 1: that had lost the pool, right or lost their union job, 295 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: lost because we shipped them overseas, not because you know, 296 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:10,960 Speaker 1: a black person on the line took the job, right, 297 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:16,359 Speaker 1: or you know, we started to stop investing. Right, the 298 00:19:16,400 --> 00:19:20,359 Speaker 1: tax our tax revenue as a country per capita peaked 299 00:19:20,359 --> 00:19:24,119 Speaker 1: in nineteen sixty five. Right, we just stopped investing in 300 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:26,960 Speaker 1: things like free college. Right, we all know, right, college, 301 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:31,840 Speaker 1: state schools, universities used to be virtually free. Yeah, impel 302 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 1: grant and it would pay for your living costs. And 303 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,959 Speaker 1: you had tuition free college and debt free college in 304 00:19:37,000 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: the nineteen forties, fifty sixties, seventies. And then once the 305 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 1: student population began to be more diverse, suddenly the white 306 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:46,159 Speaker 1: power structure was like, you know, well we don't need 307 00:19:46,200 --> 00:19:48,720 Speaker 1: to invest in this, we need to build prisons instead. Right, 308 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:50,679 Speaker 1: So white people were still trying to go to college. 309 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 1: Suddenly are paying you tens of thousands of dollars in 310 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:57,960 Speaker 1: tuition every year, just like we are. And what I 311 00:19:58,160 --> 00:20:02,639 Speaker 1: found in the book was that when there were places 312 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 1: where people were able to come together in collective action 313 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:11,120 Speaker 1: across lines of race, we could. I started to see 314 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,919 Speaker 1: what I began to call these solidarity dividends, which are 315 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:17,240 Speaker 1: these gains that we can get if we come together 316 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 1: across race to do things for our mutual benefit, and 317 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:24,280 Speaker 1: that we can have those, whether it's cleaner air, or 318 00:20:24,359 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 1: higher wages, or better funded schools, or an actual universal 319 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 1: healthcare system or universal childcare. But we have to we 320 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 1: and by we, I mean Americans and specifically white Americans, 321 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 1: need to let go of this zero sum approach to 322 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:42,480 Speaker 1: the world. You know, I think that I've always looked 323 00:20:42,520 --> 00:20:49,200 Speaker 1: at the fact that racism and racial discrimination is white 324 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:51,880 Speaker 1: people cutting off their nose to spite their face. Right, 325 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 1: like the country could be rich, air could be deeper if, 326 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:59,479 Speaker 1: in fact, we recognize that all people's participation at the 327 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:03,480 Speaker 1: fullest extent that they can participate, matters, and it makes 328 00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:07,239 Speaker 1: us all whole right and better. And there is but 329 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:09,680 Speaker 1: there is this this feeling that in order and it 330 00:21:10,240 --> 00:21:12,960 Speaker 1: is it is it is our capitalistic structure. It is 331 00:21:12,960 --> 00:21:15,439 Speaker 1: the idea that in the belief that there must be 332 00:21:15,480 --> 00:21:19,760 Speaker 1: a bottom right, there must be a suffering class right 333 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:22,840 Speaker 1: for us to stand on in order to build up 334 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:26,400 Speaker 1: what it is that what we perceive as our own 335 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:29,800 Speaker 1: personal kingdoms. There must be a struggle class. And so 336 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:36,840 Speaker 1: how how do you how do we right have conversations 337 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:39,920 Speaker 1: that are not getting letting white people off the hook 338 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: for their racism, but that is telling them that they 339 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:46,080 Speaker 1: are a part of a farce, They are a part, 340 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:50,439 Speaker 1: they are actors in a lie, right um, and that 341 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: they have been duped. I mean, listen, everybody wants to 342 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:57,800 Speaker 1: be the hero in their own story, you know. And 343 00:21:57,800 --> 00:22:02,480 Speaker 1: and part of the issue here is that in order 344 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: to justify the current racial order, no, in order to 345 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 1: justify racial injustice, in order to justify white privilege, there's 346 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 1: a whole set of facts you need to pretend not 347 00:22:18,920 --> 00:22:22,880 Speaker 1: to know. You need to dismiss, you need to reject. 348 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:25,080 Speaker 1: There's a whole sort of other world you need to 349 00:22:25,160 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: live in in order to justify the current racial order. 350 00:22:29,800 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 1: And I talked to some people who are psychologists, who 351 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 1: like you know, work in these issues, and they're like, 352 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: that's actually like an exhausting mental hijinks to do, right yep, 353 00:22:40,400 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 1: I said, I said yesterday, I said, white supremacy is exhausting. 354 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 1: I am I am tired, do you know what I'm saying? Like, 355 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: I am tired, I am both. I am both underwhelmed 356 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 1: and overwhelmed. And I like to remind people to always 357 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:01,000 Speaker 1: say the lie of white supremacy right, because you know, 358 00:23:01,119 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 1: I mean, white supremacy suggest that people are actually supreme 359 00:23:04,240 --> 00:23:06,640 Speaker 1: when they are white, that they are actually superior. Of course, 360 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:08,119 Speaker 1: we know that that's a lie, but we want to 361 00:23:08,119 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: make sure as we start to use that phrase more 362 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,800 Speaker 1: often that we're making sure that right, we're not talking 363 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: about us a social order that puts white people at 364 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:20,280 Speaker 1: at the top of it, you know, by violence and impression. 365 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:24,280 Speaker 1: You know, we're that's that's not necessarily all that's communicated 366 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,239 Speaker 1: when we keep saying white supremacy. I think we keep 367 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 1: saying white supremacy. It's like, yeah, white people are supreme, 368 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 1: White people are supretty people's right, right, right, That's a 369 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: that's a bit of a tangent. But I do think 370 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:41,680 Speaker 1: you're you're exactly right. And for example, I went to Mississippi, 371 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:44,360 Speaker 1: to Canta, Mississippi and talk to a bunch of workers 372 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 1: at a Nissan Auto factory that had just the plant. 373 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:52,399 Speaker 1: The eligible workers that the plant had just voted no 374 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:55,919 Speaker 1: to join in the UAW the United Auto Workers to 375 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:58,760 Speaker 1: becoming a unionized car manufacturer. And I grew up in 376 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:02,680 Speaker 1: the Midwest where like the UAW jobs, the manufacturing jobs 377 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:07,080 Speaker 1: were like the best jobs, sought after jobs. Yeah, so 378 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 1: it's like, why would you give that up if you could? Right, Like, 379 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:14,080 Speaker 1: you know, it was all in place. And so I 380 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:17,439 Speaker 1: talked to workers, white black pro union against the union, 381 00:24:17,920 --> 00:24:23,040 Speaker 1: and what they said was that ultimately, particularly in the South, 382 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:28,399 Speaker 1: union had become sort of a dog whistle for black people, 383 00:24:28,640 --> 00:24:32,160 Speaker 1: for lazy black people who needed the union to kind 384 00:24:32,200 --> 00:24:34,920 Speaker 1: of compensate for some flaw in their character. Right, this 385 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:37,879 Speaker 1: white guy named Joey said, you know, the white mentality 386 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,040 Speaker 1: is if blacks are for it, I'm against it. I 387 00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:42,520 Speaker 1: ain't voting yes because the blacks are voting yes. Right, 388 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 1: And of course that meant that nobody had job security, 389 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 1: you know, good healthcare, benefits of retirement, pension, right, wage increases, 390 00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:53,440 Speaker 1: you know, safety improvements, all the things that they knew 391 00:24:53,440 --> 00:24:57,520 Speaker 1: that everybody wanted. But at the same time, I remember, 392 00:24:57,560 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 1: after the first day that I was down there talking people, 393 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 1: so many of the workers were talking about the way 394 00:25:03,359 --> 00:25:05,920 Speaker 1: it was actually better to be white. At the plan. 395 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 1: You had what they called the cushier jobs, right, the 396 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:11,879 Speaker 1: jobs where you could go straight from the plant to 397 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,119 Speaker 1: the happy hour and not had to take a shower, right, 398 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:16,080 Speaker 1: because you didn't actually work that hard and get up 399 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: work up a sweat, right. I thought that was like 400 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:21,479 Speaker 1: a beautiful reminder of the difference, you know, And you 401 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:23,280 Speaker 1: know it was that the white folks would have those 402 00:25:23,359 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 1: kinds of jobs and the black people were stuck, you know, 403 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 1: on the assembly line moving parts. And you know, I 404 00:25:30,359 --> 00:25:31,800 Speaker 1: went home to my hotel at the end of that 405 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:33,480 Speaker 1: first day and I was like, well, maybe I was wrong, 406 00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 1: Maybe it's not in the white self interests to have 407 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 1: solidarity with black people if you're getting these little perks, right. 408 00:25:39,560 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: But then I had to remind myself that nobody had 409 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:46,639 Speaker 1: a good pension, right, and nobody had job security, right that, Like, 410 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,560 Speaker 1: that's the thing when we talk about white privilege and 411 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,560 Speaker 1: white advantage. It's not that it doesn't exist, of course 412 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,680 Speaker 1: it does, but there's some other level that we could 413 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 1: all be at in a system where there wasn't this 414 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:03,480 Speaker 1: like yawn and chasm at the bottom. Right. And I 415 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:05,680 Speaker 1: also think the other thing about white privilege is that 416 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:08,600 Speaker 1: most of the things we're talking about, like the privilege 417 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:11,680 Speaker 1: of thinking that your vote is going to count the 418 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:15,960 Speaker 1: privilege of, you know, not being afraid of the police, right, 419 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,280 Speaker 1: the privilege of being able to have your name on 420 00:26:19,280 --> 00:26:22,560 Speaker 1: a resume and have it, you know, not be discriminated against. 421 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:28,520 Speaker 1: All of that our privileges we want everybody to have. Yeah, right, 422 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 1: It's not like it's not like we racial justice advocates 423 00:26:32,480 --> 00:26:34,560 Speaker 1: are like, we don't want white people to have freedom 424 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:36,159 Speaker 1: from the police. It's like we want us all to 425 00:26:36,200 --> 00:26:39,200 Speaker 1: be free. And so we're not actually, you know, in 426 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:43,720 Speaker 1: that zero sum ourselves. We don't want to communicate a 427 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:47,119 Speaker 1: deep story about a zero sum ourselves when we're talking 428 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:50,320 Speaker 1: about the advantages of racism to whiteness. Basically, we want 429 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:52,360 Speaker 1: to make sure when we're out here, we're not selling 430 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:55,879 Speaker 1: racism to whiteness quiet as it's kept right, keeping you 431 00:26:55,920 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: out of jail, it's keeping food on your table. Oh good, 432 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:13,960 Speaker 1: you know Jesus. So, yeah, we don't want to do that. No, no, no, 433 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:17,199 Speaker 1: we don't. Um. You know, one of the things with 434 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:19,399 Speaker 1: a couple of minutes that we have left that I 435 00:27:19,440 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 1: want to shift gears to talk about is what were 436 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:27,840 Speaker 1: your feelings on one six right, Like, I'm going through 437 00:27:27,880 --> 00:27:31,359 Speaker 1: this with everybody that comes on to the show, because 438 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 1: I think that it has. It has colored the books 439 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:38,280 Speaker 1: and the way people are are framing the books that 440 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:40,840 Speaker 1: they that they wrote before this, that are that have 441 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:44,440 Speaker 1: come out um the way that it has colored their 442 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,800 Speaker 1: perception of our democracy and what is broken and what 443 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:53,160 Speaker 1: needs to be fixed. But for you, we're while watching 444 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:57,159 Speaker 1: it happened and unfold live and what were you thinking 445 00:27:57,200 --> 00:28:00,640 Speaker 1: in that moment? And and now the weeks the week following, 446 00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:06,639 Speaker 1: so I had been so immersed in the research for 447 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 1: this book and in my journey to write this book 448 00:28:08,600 --> 00:28:14,000 Speaker 1: and the conversations that it wasn't surprising to me. And 449 00:28:14,040 --> 00:28:17,159 Speaker 1: I think that's the lesson. It is only a surprise. 450 00:28:17,400 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 1: It can only catch us flat footed and unaware and 451 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,800 Speaker 1: with our guard down and in the you know, the 452 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 1: instance of the actual Capitol police m outnumbered. Right if 453 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 1: we do not know the history, and I'm not talking 454 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:35,679 Speaker 1: about ancient history, I'm talking about fifty years ago, one 455 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:39,600 Speaker 1: hundred years ago, right when my great grandmother who I 456 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:43,240 Speaker 1: just saw, you know, was alive. Right, I really think 457 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:48,959 Speaker 1: it's important. So emotionally in the moment, I both felt 458 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:53,360 Speaker 1: like this is dangerous and scary, and it wasn't until 459 00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 1: I really thought about what would have happened had they 460 00:28:57,000 --> 00:28:59,880 Speaker 1: actually been able to get their hands on some of 461 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: our leaders right where I really felt fear and anguish, 462 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:13,120 Speaker 1: But I was not surprised. I wasn't surprised because I 463 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:19,480 Speaker 1: know that in Colfax, Louisiana, a white mob during reconstruction 464 00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 1: surrounded the courthouse where the election results were to be 465 00:29:24,640 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: certified because a pro a pro reconstruction governor had been 466 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:35,520 Speaker 1: had been elected, and black people defended the courthouse, and 467 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:39,560 Speaker 1: the white mob killed a hundred black people and then 468 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:43,280 Speaker 1: burned the courthouse to the ground, burned the edifice of 469 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:46,000 Speaker 1: their own government to the ground, rather than submit to 470 00:29:46,040 --> 00:29:50,360 Speaker 1: a multiracial democracy. And you knew that history and didn't 471 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:53,360 Speaker 1: deny that history like Republicans try to do all the time, 472 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 1: then you would have seen this coming. That would you 473 00:29:56,080 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 1: would have seen that when the person with the biggest 474 00:29:57,960 --> 00:30:01,960 Speaker 1: megaphone in the entire world said this election was a fraud, 475 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:03,920 Speaker 1: it was stolen for you, and I need you to 476 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:08,200 Speaker 1: stand back and stand by that, he was inciting people 477 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 1: to do just that, and they did. There were pipe bombs, right, 478 00:30:13,560 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 1: they would have blown up folks. They would have brought 479 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:21,360 Speaker 1: Mike Pence out and strung him up ye, And so 480 00:30:23,680 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 1: that's what I felt. I felt like, this is you 481 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:29,520 Speaker 1: know that the past is not even the past, right. 482 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: But I also felt like, I'm not going to let 483 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 1: this steal what just happened the day before either, which 484 00:30:36,920 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 1: was also history rhyming and in fact singing when you 485 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 1: had the heir to doctor Martin Luther King's you know seat, 486 00:30:46,760 --> 00:30:51,920 Speaker 1: be part of the anti racist majority movement in Georgia 487 00:30:52,400 --> 00:30:56,320 Speaker 1: that basically saved this country right by putting the Democrats 488 00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 1: in charge of the Senate in the middle of this pandemic, 489 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 1: you know, it changed history. And and I do think 490 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:06,959 Speaker 1: that there that is you know, that's America. Right. She 491 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:09,120 Speaker 1: breaks your heart, she puts it back together again, she 492 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 1: breaks her heart, she puts it back together again. Right. 493 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:16,200 Speaker 1: There are so many of us who have this commitment 494 00:31:16,280 --> 00:31:20,520 Speaker 1: to this vision of a real new world, right, of 495 00:31:20,560 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 1: a new world where we are all truly, truly equal 496 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 1: and truly free. And we're actually the fact that there 497 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 1: are so many of us who are from you know, 498 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:33,440 Speaker 1: every single walk of life on the planet is a 499 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 1: beautiful thing, and we wouldn't trade it for anything, you know, 500 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:41,280 Speaker 1: because it helps reveal our common humanity. And you know 501 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 1: that was Amanda Gorman, our national youth poet laureate. You 502 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 1: know whats so beautifully right? She too is America and 503 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:54,080 Speaker 1: so I you know, you hold this tension and that's 504 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:58,040 Speaker 1: why ultimately this some of us is hopeful. All the country, 505 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:01,800 Speaker 1: I talk to people white, black, brown, everything in between 506 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 1: who both had lost so much because of this uniquely 507 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 1: American mix of racism and greed, had lost so much, 508 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:13,080 Speaker 1: their homes, their dreams, have shot at a better job. 509 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:16,680 Speaker 1: And then there were so many people who had overcome 510 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 1: and had locked arms and linked arms with people who 511 00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 1: were different than them and had taken on big, entrenched 512 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:29,720 Speaker 1: powers and had won. And you know that's our story too. Yeah, yeah, 513 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 1: and you know you're you're absolutely right. There there are 514 00:32:32,360 --> 00:32:34,720 Speaker 1: days and and the folks that listen to Wika f 515 00:32:35,080 --> 00:32:38,040 Speaker 1: know that there are there are many days where I 516 00:32:38,080 --> 00:32:40,840 Speaker 1: am done with America, where I am where I have 517 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:47,040 Speaker 1: exhausted my ability to be hopeful, Yeah, my ability to 518 00:32:47,040 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 1: to for America to show me that it is better 519 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: than what it shows itself to be. But then, yes, 520 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:57,040 Speaker 1: there are those moments. There are the Reverend Warnocks, there 521 00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:01,280 Speaker 1: are the triumph of Georgians to to save our democracy. 522 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:04,800 Speaker 1: There are the Amanda Gorman's. There are the Stacey Abrams 523 00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:08,000 Speaker 1: and the little you know, like there are um the 524 00:33:08,080 --> 00:33:10,880 Speaker 1: people that remind me like, no, this is why you 525 00:33:10,920 --> 00:33:13,560 Speaker 1: continue the work. This is this is why you do 526 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 1: it because of what makes America unique is the possibility 527 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:22,080 Speaker 1: of it is the possibility of the thing. Um, and 528 00:33:22,160 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 1: that is why people come. That's right. And don't let 529 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 1: them expel you from this country. Right, Your people, you know, 530 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:33,760 Speaker 1: have built this country and we too are America, right, 531 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:35,479 Speaker 1: So don't you know, I mean that's the thing that 532 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:41,160 Speaker 1: I am. You know, I just think it's very important. Right. 533 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 1: Their vision is that America is for whites only, right, 534 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:49,000 Speaker 1: like you know, and and that is and that has 535 00:33:49,040 --> 00:33:51,959 Speaker 1: never been true. It has always been a lie. It 536 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,479 Speaker 1: has always been a lie and a fool's lie. And 537 00:33:56,000 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 1: just imagine America without black people, come on, you know, idea. 538 00:34:00,640 --> 00:34:02,440 Speaker 1: I would love it. I would love I would love 539 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:05,320 Speaker 1: for them to last a day. I'd love to see 540 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:08,160 Speaker 1: it without indigenous people, I mean right, like, I mean literally, 541 00:34:08,200 --> 00:34:10,600 Speaker 1: they would not they would not have last. They'd all 542 00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:17,400 Speaker 1: have gone the way of Jamestown, you know, yeah, Roanok, 543 00:34:17,520 --> 00:34:20,160 Speaker 1: sorry a Roanoke, the lost colony, you know, I mean, 544 00:34:20,200 --> 00:34:26,319 Speaker 1: I just I think that we have to reclaim the 545 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:31,440 Speaker 1: idea of this country as ours and as something that 546 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 1: we are willing to share, and we want to invest in, 547 00:34:36,719 --> 00:34:40,240 Speaker 1: and we want to invest in our people without prejudice broadly, 548 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:46,400 Speaker 1: and and I offer this book as an invitation to 549 00:34:47,320 --> 00:34:49,200 Speaker 1: anyone who wants to join us on that. But we're 550 00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:52,719 Speaker 1: gonna get there. You know, we're gonna get there. You 551 00:34:52,760 --> 00:34:55,360 Speaker 1: can either ride with us or you can be left behind. 552 00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:57,480 Speaker 1: But that's where we're going. You know, it's a beautiful 553 00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 1: place where we're going. Heather McGee, I could talk to 554 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:04,840 Speaker 1: you all day and the next time I want to 555 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:09,160 Speaker 1: do it over cocktails. Friends. The book is the some 556 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:13,200 Speaker 1: of us, what racism costs everyone, and how we can 557 00:35:13,320 --> 00:35:16,920 Speaker 1: prosper together. Pick it up, buy it, Buy it for 558 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:20,000 Speaker 1: all of your people. Heather is one of the most 559 00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:25,239 Speaker 1: thoughtful UM experts and just thought leaders that I have 560 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 1: the pleasure of knowing. And I'm just I'm so proud 561 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:33,799 Speaker 1: of you. Congratulation, congratulation. I'm so proud of you. I 562 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:36,080 Speaker 1: love your voice, keep it up, keep me on your 563 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 1: shoulder sometimes, but I love your I Okay, keep the 564 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:45,000 Speaker 1: good Heather. On this side, they're real me on this 565 00:35:45,239 --> 00:35:53,640 Speaker 1: side as always, dear friends. Power to the people and 566 00:35:53,719 --> 00:35:57,800 Speaker 1: to all the people. Power, get woke and stay woke 567 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:04,360 Speaker 1: as fuck. See after Labor Day. Get a behind the 568 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: scenes look at Comedy Central's The Daily Show on Beyond 569 00:36:07,440 --> 00:36:09,960 Speaker 1: the Scenes, an original podcast from The Daily Show with 570 00:36:10,000 --> 00:36:13,000 Speaker 1: Trevor Noah. Every week, host Roy Wood Junior goes deeper 571 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:15,400 Speaker 1: with the notable guests and experts from the Emmy Award 572 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:18,720 Speaker 1: winning series. Together, they use comedy to tackle current topics 573 00:36:18,760 --> 00:36:21,359 Speaker 1: from gentrification to gun laws, and take a closer look 574 00:36:21,400 --> 00:36:24,080 Speaker 1: at how and why these topics matter. Listen to Beyond 575 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:26,239 Speaker 1: the Scenes from The Daily Show with Trevor Noah on 576 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:29,800 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. 577 00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:33,640 Speaker 1: New episodes every Tuesday.