npr--2020-10-16--Remembering Baseball Hall Of Famer Joe Morgan

The second baseman , who died Oct. 11 , played 22 years in the majors , mostly with the Houston Astros and the Cincinnati Reds .
He later became a commentator for ESPN .
Originally broadcast in 1993 .
This is FRESH AIR .
I 'm Dave Davies .
Today , we remember one of baseball 's great second basemen , Joe Morgan .
He died Sunday at the age of 77 .
There are fewer second basemen in baseball 's Hall of Fame than players for any other position .
Morgan was inducted in 1990 after playing 22 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Houston Astros and the Cincinnati Reds .
As a second baseman , he was known for his defense , but he was also a skilled base stealer and a powerful hitter , especially for a man who was small in stature .
He was 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds .
Morgan was with the Reds teams of the '70s that included Pete Rose , Johnny Bench and Tony Perez , known as the Big Red Machine .
Morgan was voted the National League 's most valuable player in both 1975 and '76 , leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
After he retired from baseball , Morgan became a television commentator for ESPN for 21 seasons .
Terry Gross spoke to Morgan in 1993 after he 'd published his autobiography , `` Joe Morgan : A Life In Baseball . ''
She asked him why there are so few second basemen in the Hall of Fame .
JOE MORGAN : A second baseman 's main job is to play defense and make the double play .
Neither are very glamorous things in baseball because they look for people to hit home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of great things .
And normally , that does n't come from your second baseman because they 're usually small in frame and small in stature - quick feet .
Quickness is their main asset , not power .
And I added something to that .
I hit more home runs , I guess , than any second baseman that 's ever played that position .
So that made me a candidate for the Hall of Fame .
But the real reason is because their main jobs are defense , and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
TERRY GROSS : What did you like and not like about playing that position ?
MORGAN : You know what , I ca n't think of anything I did n't like .
I was very proud to have been a second baseman in that I think it takes a special type of person to play second base .
The rules have changed a little bit now , but when I first came into the league and when I played , there were no rules governing how a guy could come in and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt it was a - really kind of a test of your character and manhood to be able to stand there with your back to the runner , knowing that he 's going to try to break you in half .
And your first thoughts had to be make the double play first and then worry about my body .
And very few people can do that and do it well .
And that 's why I was always proud to be a second baseman .
And really , there were no negatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for me , as a second baseman .
I just love the position .
GROSS : What were your worst moments of impact ?
MORGAN : I had a few .
One - 1969 .
I was stretched out to receive a throw and Tommie Agee from the Mets hit me with a cross-body block , which is a football block - as I said , there were no rules then - and tore up my knee like a football - I had a football injury .
I had O'Donoghue 's triad , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - worst knee injury you can have .
It 's collateral ligament cartilage .
And they - just a lot of damage to your knee .
And they never figured I would be able to play second base again .
GROSS : You were considered one of the most complete players in the game because you had a great hitting record , stolen bases , great at second base - I mean , a real all-around player .
You got most valuable player twice .
Is that something that you consciously tried to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
MORGAN : Yes , it was .
I did not go out to be the best , but I wanted to be the most complete player in the game .
And I think I reached that goal in , you know , '75 , '76 , in that era .
Growing up in California , my father would take me to the minor league games , the Oakland Oaks .
We would see the players , and my father would say , well , he 's a good player .
He can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very well .
He can field , but he does n't hit .
And my father always impressed on me to try to be a complete player .
So I think I worked harder on my defense than I did any other part of the game .
Everyone loves to hit , and usually that 's where they channel their energies .
With me , I channeled my energies toward my weaknesses .
If I was a good hitter , which I was all during my minor league career , but I was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked very hard on my defense .
Then I worked very hard on my stolen bases .
I did everything to make myself a complete player .
I set - one year when I - my knee was torn up , I 'd sit behind home plate every single game and charted things about how a pitcher delivers the ball to the plate , how a catcher sets up for a pitch out , how everything happens defensively to stop you from stealing a base .
So that made me a much better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they could do by the time I got back on the field .
And so that helped me to be a complete player .
I used to work out every day from 3 o'clock until 5 making double plays and then go play a game .
I sacrificed some of my statistics that year because I was tired by the time the game started .
But I had a goal in mind , and I reached that goal at the end of that season when I thought I was a complete player , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by that time .
So I had to work hardest on my defense , and I was probably most proud of my defensive accomplishments .
GROSS : Let 's talk about your height .
You 're one of the comparatively shorter players ...
GROSS : When you first got to the majors and , you know , you were a rookie - and pitchers are always trying to take advantage of rookies - was it worse for you because you were short ?
MORGAN : I think it was a little bit because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( laughter ) charge the mound .
You know , I was a small guy and they were n't afraid of me .
And they felt , you know , probably they take liberties with you .
But as a rookie , when I came along , they tested every rookie - did n't matter - because they had Leo Durocher , Gene Mauch .
These type of individuals were managers , and they always wanted to test rookies .
And I remember my first game against Philadelphia .
Chris Short was pitching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my first game in the big leagues - and I went three for four , you know .
First opening day game , I went three for four .
We played them , like , three days later .
Next day , I came up to bat , first inning .
They started knocking me down , you know , throwing the ball behind ( laughter ) my neck and all that .
And as a rookie , you better not say anything - well , you 're better off not saying anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I do n't think it helps them .
Me , I just took it as part of the game and as something I had to prove to my - not only my teammates , but to the league , that Joe Morgan was here to stay .
And he was going to do whatever he had to do to get to the end of his goals .
GROSS : Now , you grew up near the old Oakland Park .
GROSS : Did you go there - were you in walking distance ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ MORGAN : Walked over .
It was a - I 've had - you know , I had a great childhood .
My parents always made sure that I was able to enjoy the fruits of being a child , you know ?
I did n't have to mature too quickly .
I was not expected to know everything at the age of 10 or 12 .
I could be a kid and enjoy , you know , just enjoy life .
We - I lived about , I 'd say , maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , everything looks bigger when you 're a little kid ( laughter ) , you know , so it may have been a little less .
But we walked to the stadium , to Oaks Ballpark , Oakland Oaks , where the team - the home team in the Pacific Coast League .
And my father and my oldest sister , Linda ( ph ) , we - I 'm the oldest , but she was next to me .
We would walk up .
We 'd eat dinner every night at home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch the game , come back home .
I mean , it was like , you know - as a kid , like I said , that 's the greatest thing could happen to you - to be able to go to the ballpark with your father every day that the team is in town and to enjoy it and learn about the game and be able to watch future major leaguers and great players that you want to emulate as you grow older .
And so I was able to go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was really a great experience that I will always treasure .
GROSS : So your father must 've been a big baseball fan , too .
MORGAN : Oh , yes , my father was a big sports fan .
We would go , also , to the San Francisco 49er games .
My father would take me each Sunday .
MORGAN : But we - my father was a baseball player .
He played , you know ?
But it was before the color line was broken .
And my father - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or four uncles .
Two of them they think were good enough to make it to the major leagues .
But , again , in those days - and they grew up in a small town in Bonham , Texas , which is , you know , not where you 're going to find all your major league scouts watching anyway .
But even in those days , you know , minorities were not - Blacks were not able to play in major leagues .
GROSS : So did he play in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he did .
He wanted - but not the the major league Black leagues .
He played in - what they did was - we were in Bonham , Texas .
There 's 20 little cities around there .
And they had leagues , you know , Negro Leagues .
And they 'd play at their , you know - they 'd have schedules , and they would play .
And I was kind of the bat boy at the beginning for my father 's team .
DAVIES : Terry Gross speaking with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He died Sunday at the age of 77 .
We 'll hear more of their interview after a break .
This is FRESH AIR .
DAVIES : Let 's get back to Terry 's 1993 interview with Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan .
He played 22 seasons , mostly with the Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds .
Morgan died Sunday at the age of 77 .
GROSS : When you were scouted and you got into the minors , you were in the Carolina League first .
You were playing in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you write about how you were so absorbed in baseball , it took you a while to actually ...
GROSS : ...
Realize what segregation meant , what it meant in your life then .
So what were some of the things you were up against that bothered you most during those days in the minors ?
MORGAN : Well , when I first started playing professional baseball - where I grew up in California , you know , as the old cliche goes , some of my best friends were white , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , green , whatever .
I mean , I just had friends .
And I did n't think in those terms .
And they did n't think that way either .
So I went to Durham .
And then we went on our first road trip I guess about a week after I 'd been there , maybe 10 days .
And so we were going to Winston-Salem .
And I drive - we were on the bus .
We drive to Winston-Salem .
We go to downtown hotel .
And everyone starts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get off .
And the bus driver , who was Black , says , hey , wait a minute .
You do n't get off here .
I said , what do you mean ?
I 'm , you know , with my team .
He said , no , we stay in a different section of town .
And , man , now that 's like , you know , what do you mean ?
This is - I 'm part of this team .
No , you 're over there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We go over to the Black community .
And we stayed there .
Was n't as - the accommodations were n't as nice .
I did n't have any air conditioning .
But the food was great .
So I had a great time as far as that .
And that night , you know , he - we 're separate rooms .
He said , let 's go .
It 's time to go to the stadium .
So we get in the bus .
Now we go back to pick up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We picked them up .
And we go to the stadium .
And we all get dressed .
And I walked out .
And all of a sudden , everything kind of became very clear .
And it was like a slap in the face .
It really woke me up .
I see a sign that says colored drinking fountain .
Then I see one that says white drinking fountain .
I go a few steps further , says white restrooms .
And then it says Black - I mean , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And now that - I thought that was bad , right ?
So then I walk around the fence to go into our side of the playing field .
And when I walked around to enter this field , the fans - there were a lot of fans in the right field stands .
And they started yelling , you know , clapping .
And I looked over and there were a lot of Black people there .
And they were clapping because they did n't see - there were n't any Black @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past , you know ?
And here I was there .
So they started clapping .
And I looked over .
And I was very - I got very upset because there was a screen there .
And it looked like they were in a cage , you know ?
It was - and , you know , again , this is my perception of what I saw .
You know , maybe it did n't feel that way to them .
Maybe it did n't look that way to other people .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It looked like they were in a cage .
And that disturbed me quite a bit .
And I felt like that I was being - I was helping to - helping this image to continue by playing in front of - you know , playing this game , I was as guilty as everyone else .
I was part of this , you know , thing that was , really , to me , just downgrading to Black people .
And I said that I was going to leave .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know , play and be a part of this .
So I left .
And I went and actually called and made reservations to go home .
And then I played the game .
I called - my reservations were to leave the next morning to go back to California .
GROSS : So you were going to leave the whole league ?
MORGAN : I was going to leave .
I said , you know , I 'm - I have more respect for my people than this , than to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a part of continuing to , you know , degrade the situation , just being a part - playing there , to me , was part of - I was a part of it .
So I was going to leave .
And after the game , I went back , packed my bags .
And I was leaving the next morning .
And the bus driver , of course , tried to talk me out of it .
And I said , no , it 's just something I have to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as I say in the book , it was no - nothing like thinking about what Jackie Robinson had to go through or other minorities had to go through to help make the country great .
The only thing that kept me there was having to face my father and tell him that I quit .
And so I decided to stay .
But I do n't think I ever got over , and I do n't think I ever will get over , the feeling I had the first day I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those people .
It was very devastating for me .
GROSS : So what was it like in 1990 when you were inducted into the Hall of Fame ?
MORGAN : You know , it 's something that I 've tried to describe in the book .
But I do n't think that I could ever do justice to it because I 'm not a poet .
I 'm not someone who can , you know , have great things to say with their words and their feelings .
I really - it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can have , you know , as far as I 'm concerned .
As a baseball player , I 'd won , you know , the most valuable player award .
I won world championships .
And I thought nothing could top that .
I thought , hey , this is like - I mean , the way I felt after our first world championship was like - I had this feeling that I was , like , in space or someplace .
I 'm , like , just floating around .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressures .
There 's no other problems in the world .
And I felt perfect , you know , for that first 20 minutes after we won the World Championship .
And when I went to the Hall of Fame for the induction , it started slowly because I went - I 'd never been to the Hall of Fame before .
I 'd never been up there to Cooperstown .
I went a day early .
I got a private tour of the Hall of Fame .
And I guess it started @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walk into a place and it 's like a mausoleum - it 's so quiet - it 's , like , unbelievable .
And you walk in .
And there are plaques with images of Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron , you know , Ty Cobb - all the greatest players who 've ever lived .
And then they show you the spot where yours is going .
You know , they 're going to have a picture of Joe Morgan there .
And , you know , you just start to - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know that 100 years from now , you know , whoever walks into the Hall of Fame will know that Joe Morgan was here .
They may not know who I was or care .
But they will know that I was somebody special because I played baseball .
And I have two daughters that are 2 years old .
And one of these days , they 'll bring their kids there and be able to see that .
So that was probably the most emotional day - as I am now - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my life .
It really was .
And to stand there , I guess , with all the greatest players in the world behind you who 've ever lived - like Ted Williams , Willie Mays , Stan Musial - and to have to talk about Joe Morgan was very difficult , because in my own mind , you know , I will never , I guess , be able to compare myself to Willie Mays or Stan Musial or Mickey Mantle because , to me , that 's when I was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were , like , not real .
They were superhuman people .
And that 's still a problem for me .
It really is .
And I think of myself as being - you know , I say that they left big , big footprints and I only left a small one .
But however small , when you go to the Hall of Fame , I 'm sitting right next to them .
GROSS : Joe Morgan , it 's been a pleasure to have you here .
GROSS : I thank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
MORGAN : Thank you very much .
I appreciate it .
DAVIES : Joe Morgan died Sunday at the age of 77 .
He spoke with Terry Gross in 1993 .
On Monday 's show historian H.W .
Brands considers the question of whether radical , direct action or gradual reforms are the best means of achieving social change .
He has a new book about two 19th century leaders ' approaches to ending slavery , fiery abolitionist John Brown and President Abraham Lincoln .
His book is `` The Zealot And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can join us .
DAVIES : FRESH AIR 's executive producer is Danny Miller .
Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham , with additional engineering support by Joyce Lieberman and Julian Herzfeld .
Our interviews and reviews are produced and edited by Amy Salit , Phyllis Myers , Sam Briger , Lauren Krenzel , Heidi Saman , Ann Marie Baldonado , Therese Madden , Thea Chaloner , Seth Kelley and Kayla Lattimore .
Our associate producer of digital media is Molly Seavey-Nesper .
Roberta Shorrock directs the show .
For Terry @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Remembering Baseball Hall Of Famer Joe Morgan
The second baseman, who died Oct. 11, played 22 years in the majors, mostly with the Houston Astros and the Cincinnati Reds. He later became a commentator for ESPN. Originally broadcast in 1993.
DAVE DAVIES, HOST:
This is FRESH AIR. I'm Dave Davies. Today, we remember one of baseball's great second basemen, Joe Morgan. He died Sunday at the age of 77. There are fewer second basemen in baseball's Hall of Fame than players for any other position. Morgan was inducted in 1990 after playing 22 years in the majors, mostly with the Houston Astros and the Cincinnati Reds. As a second baseman, he was known for his defense, but he was also a skilled base stealer and a powerful hitter, especially for a man who was small in stature. He was 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds. Morgan was with the Reds teams of the '70s that included Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Tony Perez, known as the Big Red Machine. Morgan was voted the National League's most valuable player in both 1975 and '76, leading the Reds to World Series championships both years. After he retired from baseball, Morgan became a television commentator for ESPN for 21 seasons. Terry Gross spoke to Morgan in 1993 after he'd published his autobiography, "Joe Morgan: A Life In Baseball." She asked him why there are so few second basemen in the Hall of Fame.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
JOE MORGAN: A second baseman's main job is to play defense and make the double play. Neither are very glamorous things in baseball because they look for people to hit home runs, drive-in runs, do a lot of great things. And normally, that doesn't come from your second baseman because they're usually small in frame and small in stature - quick feet. Quickness is their main asset, not power. And I added something to that. I hit more home runs, I guess, than any second baseman that's ever played that position. So that made me a candidate for the Hall of Fame. But the real reason is because their main jobs are defense, and they're not known for their offensive numbers.
TERRY GROSS: What did you like and not like about playing that position?
MORGAN: You know what, I can't think of anything I didn't like. I was very proud to have been a second baseman in that I think it takes a special type of person to play second base. The rules have changed a little bit now, but when I first came into the league and when I played, there were no rules governing how a guy could come in and knock you over. And I always felt it was a - really kind of a test of your character and manhood to be able to stand there with your back to the runner, knowing that he's going to try to break you in half. And your first thoughts had to be make the double play first and then worry about my body. And very few people can do that and do it well. And that's why I was always proud to be a second baseman. And really, there were no negatives as far as I'm concerned, for me, as a second baseman. I just love the position.
GROSS: What were your worst moments of impact?
MORGAN: I had a few. One - 1969. I was stretched out to receive a throw and Tommie Agee from the Mets hit me with a cross-body block, which is a football block - as I said, there were no rules then - and tore up my knee like a football - I had a football injury. I had O'Donoghue's triad, which is the worst you can have - worst knee injury you can have. It's collateral ligament cartilage. And they - just a lot of damage to your knee. And they never figured I would be able to play second base again.
GROSS: You were considered one of the most complete players in the game because you had a great hitting record, stolen bases, great at second base - I mean, a real all-around player. You got most valuable player twice. Is that something that you consciously tried to develop, to be an all-around player?
MORGAN: Yes, it was. I did not go out to be the best, but I wanted to be the most complete player in the game. And I think I reached that goal in, you know, '75, '76, in that era. Growing up in California, my father would take me to the minor league games, the Oakland Oaks. We would see the players, and my father would say, well, he's a good player. He can hit, but he doesn't field very well. He can field, but he doesn't hit. And my father always impressed on me to try to be a complete player. So I think I worked harder on my defense than I did any other part of the game. Everyone loves to hit, and usually that's where they channel their energies. With me, I channeled my energies toward my weaknesses. If I was a good hitter, which I was all during my minor league career, but I was not as good defensively, so I worked very hard on my defense. Then I worked very hard on my stolen bases. I did everything to make myself a complete player.
I set - one year when I - my knee was torn up, I'd sit behind home plate every single game and charted things about how a pitcher delivers the ball to the plate, how a catcher sets up for a pitch out, how everything happens defensively to stop you from stealing a base. So that made me a much better base stealer because I knew everything that they could do by the time I got back on the field. And so that helped me to be a complete player. I used to work out every day from 3 o'clock until 5 making double plays and then go play a game. I sacrificed some of my statistics that year because I was tired by the time the game started. But I had a goal in mind, and I reached that goal at the end of that season when I thought I was a complete player, and I was a good defensive player by that time. So I had to work hardest on my defense, and I was probably most proud of my defensive accomplishments.
GROSS: Let's talk about your height. You're one of the comparatively shorter players...
MORGAN: Right.
GROSS: ...From baseball - 5'7" I think?
MORGAN: Yes.
GROSS: When you first got to the majors and, you know, you were a rookie - and pitchers are always trying to take advantage of rookies - was it worse for you because you were short?
MORGAN: I think it was a little bit because they knew I wasn't going to (laughter) charge the mound. You know, I was a small guy and they weren't afraid of me. And they felt, you know, probably they take liberties with you. But as a rookie, when I came along, they tested every rookie - didn't matter - because they had Leo Durocher, Gene Mauch. These type of individuals were managers, and they always wanted to test rookies. And I remember my first game against Philadelphia. Chris Short was pitching. And opening day - it was my first game in the big leagues - and I went three for four, you know. First opening day game, I went three for four. We played them, like, three days later. Next day, I came up to bat, first inning. They started knocking me down, you know, throwing the ball behind (laughter) my neck and all that. And as a rookie, you better not say anything - well, you're better off not saying anything. Some people make waves, but I don't think it helps them. Me, I just took it as part of the game and as something I had to prove to my - not only my teammates, but to the league, that Joe Morgan was here to stay. And he was going to do whatever he had to do to get to the end of his goals.
GROSS: Now, you grew up near the old Oakland Park.
MORGAN: Yes.
GROSS: Did you go there - were you in walking distance? Could you just walk over there?
MORGAN: Walked over. It was a - I've had - you know, I had a great childhood. My parents always made sure that I was able to enjoy the fruits of being a child, you know? I didn't have to mature too quickly. I was not expected to know everything at the age of 10 or 12. I could be a kid and enjoy, you know, just enjoy life. We - I lived about, I'd say, maybe eight to 10 blocks. You know, everything looks bigger when you're a little kid (laughter), you know, so it may have been a little less. But we walked to the stadium, to Oaks Ballpark, Oakland Oaks, where the team - the home team in the Pacific Coast League.
And my father and my oldest sister, Linda (ph), we - I'm the oldest, but she was next to me. We would walk up. We'd eat dinner every night at home, walk up to the stadium, watch the game, come back home. I mean, it was like, you know - as a kid, like I said, that's the greatest thing could happen to you - to be able to go to the ballpark with your father every day that the team is in town and to enjoy it and learn about the game and be able to watch future major leaguers and great players that you want to emulate as you grow older. And so I was able to go to the game every day. And it was really a great experience that I will always treasure.
GROSS: So your father must've been a big baseball fan, too.
MORGAN: Oh, yes, my father was a big sports fan. We would go, also, to the San Francisco 49er games. My father would take me each Sunday.
GROSS: Couldn't walk there.
MORGAN: No, couldn't walk there.
(LAUGHTER)
MORGAN: But we - my father was a baseball player. He played, you know? But it was before the color line was broken. And my father - and I had, like, three or four uncles. Two of them they think were good enough to make it to the major leagues. But, again, in those days - and they grew up in a small town in Bonham, Texas, which is, you know, not where you're going to find all your major league scouts watching anyway. But even in those days, you know, minorities were not - Blacks were not able to play in major leagues.
GROSS: So did he play in the Black leagues?
MORGAN: Yes, he did. He wanted - but not the the major league Black leagues. He played in - what they did was - we were in Bonham, Texas. There's 20 little cities around there. And they had leagues, you know, Negro Leagues. And they'd play at their, you know - they'd have schedules, and they would play. And I was kind of the bat boy at the beginning for my father's team.
DAVIES: Terry Gross speaking with baseball's Joe Morgan in 1993. He died Sunday at the age of 77. We'll hear more of their interview after a break. This is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF GABRIEL MERVINE, ERIC GUNNISON, KEN WALKER, PAUL ROMAINE, PETER SOMMER AND STEVE KOVALCHECK'S "PEOPLE")
DAVIES: Let's get back to Terry's 1993 interview with Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan. He played 22 seasons, mostly with the Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds. Morgan died Sunday at the age of 77.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
GROSS: When you were scouted and you got into the minors, you were in the Carolina League first. You were playing in the segregated South.
MORGAN: Yeah.
GROSS: And you write about how you were so absorbed in baseball, it took you a while to actually...
MORGAN: Yeah.
GROSS: ...Realize what segregation meant, what it meant in your life then. So what were some of the things you were up against that bothered you most during those days in the minors?
MORGAN: Well, when I first started playing professional baseball - where I grew up in California, you know, as the old cliche goes, some of my best friends were white, some of my best friends were blue, green, whatever. I mean, I just had friends. And I didn't think in those terms. And they didn't think that way either. So I went to Durham. And then we went on our first road trip I guess about a week after I'd been there, maybe 10 days. And so we were going to Winston-Salem.
And I drive - we were on the bus. We drive to Winston-Salem. We go to downtown hotel. And everyone starts to get off. So I start to get off. And the bus driver, who was Black, says, hey, wait a minute. You don't get off here. I said, what do you mean? I'm, you know, with my team. He said, no, we stay in a different section of town. And, man, now that's like, you know, what do you mean? This is - I'm part of this team. No, you're over there.
So I sit back down. We go over to the Black community. And we stayed there. Wasn't as - the accommodations weren't as nice. I didn't have any air conditioning. But the food was great. So I had a great time as far as that. And that night, you know, he - we're separate rooms. He said, let's go. It's time to go to the stadium. So we get in the bus. Now we go back to pick up all my teammates at the hotel downtown. We picked them up. And we go to the stadium. And we all get dressed. And I walked out. And all of a sudden, everything kind of became very clear. And it was like a slap in the face. It really woke me up.
I see a sign that says colored drinking fountain. Then I see one that says white drinking fountain. I go a few steps further, says white restrooms. And then it says Black - I mean, it said colored in those days. And now that - I thought that was bad, right? So then I walk around the fence to go into our side of the playing field. And when I walked around to enter this field, the fans - there were a lot of fans in the right field stands. And they started yelling, you know, clapping. And I looked over and there were a lot of Black people there. And they were clapping because they didn't see - there weren't any Black people on the Durham team in the past, you know? And here I was there.
So they started clapping. And I looked over. And I was very - I got very upset because there was a screen there. And it looked like they were in a cage, you know? It was - and, you know, again, this is my perception of what I saw. You know, maybe it didn't feel that way to them. Maybe it didn't look that way to other people. But it looked that way to me. It looked like they were in a cage. And that disturbed me quite a bit.
And I felt like that I was being - I was helping to - helping this image to continue by playing in front of - you know, playing this game, I was as guilty as everyone else. I was part of this, you know, thing that was, really, to me, just downgrading to Black people. And I said that I was going to leave. I said, I can't, you know, play and be a part of this. So I left. And I went and actually called and made reservations to go home. And then I played the game. I called - my reservations were to leave the next morning to go back to California.
GROSS: So you were going to leave the whole league?
MORGAN: I was going to leave. I said, you know, I'm - I have more respect for my people than this, than to be a part of this and to be a part of continuing to, you know, degrade the situation, just being a part - playing there, to me, was part of - I was a part of it. So I was going to leave. And after the game, I went back, packed my bags. And I was leaving the next morning. And the bus driver, of course, tried to talk me out of it. And I said, no, it's just something I have to do.
And I guess, you know, as I say in the book, it was no - nothing like thinking about what Jackie Robinson had to go through or other minorities had to go through to help make the country great. The only thing that kept me there was having to face my father and tell him that I quit. And so I decided to stay. But I don't think I ever got over, and I don't think I ever will get over, the feeling I had the first day I walked around there and I saw all those people. It was very devastating for me.
GROSS: So what was it like in 1990 when you were inducted into the Hall of Fame?
MORGAN: You know, it's something that I've tried to describe in the book. But I don't think that I could ever do justice to it because I'm not a poet. I'm not someone who can, you know, have great things to say with their words and their feelings. I really - it was like this most special moment you can have, you know, as far as I'm concerned.
As a baseball player, I'd won, you know, the most valuable player award. I won world championships. And I thought nothing could top that. I thought, hey, this is like - I mean, the way I felt after our first world championship was like - I had this feeling that I was, like, in space or someplace. I'm, like, just floating around. There's nothing. There's no other pressures. There's no other problems in the world. And I felt perfect, you know, for that first 20 minutes after we won the World Championship.
And when I went to the Hall of Fame for the induction, it started slowly because I went - I'd never been to the Hall of Fame before. I'd never been up there to Cooperstown. I went a day early. I got a private tour of the Hall of Fame. And I guess it started to build up then. When you walk into a place and it's like a mausoleum - it's so quiet - it's, like, unbelievable. And you walk in. And there are plaques with images of Babe Ruth and Hank Aaron, you know, Ty Cobb - all the greatest players who've ever lived. And then they show you the spot where yours is going. You know, they're going to have a picture of Joe Morgan there.
And, you know, you just start to - it just starts to build up to know that 100 years from now, you know, whoever walks into the Hall of Fame will know that Joe Morgan was here. They may not know who I was or care. But they will know that I was somebody special because I played baseball. And I have two daughters that are 2 years old. And one of these days, they'll bring their kids there and be able to see that. So that was probably the most emotional day - as I am now - for me, you know, in my life. It really was.
And to stand there, I guess, with all the greatest players in the world behind you who've ever lived - like Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Stan Musial - and to have to talk about Joe Morgan was very difficult, because in my own mind, you know, I will never, I guess, be able to compare myself to Willie Mays or Stan Musial or Mickey Mantle because, to me, that's when I was a kid. Growing up, these people were, like, not real. They were superhuman people. And that's still a problem for me. It really is. And I think of myself as being - you know, I say that they left big, big footprints and I only left a small one. But however small, when you go to the Hall of Fame, I'm sitting right next to them.
GROSS: Joe Morgan, it's been a pleasure to have you here.
MORGAN: Oh (laughter).
GROSS: I thank you a lot for talking with us.
MORGAN: Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
DAVIES: Joe Morgan died Sunday at the age of 77. He spoke with Terry Gross in 1993. On Monday's show historian H.W. Brands considers the question of whether radical, direct action or gradual reforms are the best means of achieving social change. He has a new book about two 19th century leaders' approaches to ending slavery, fiery abolitionist John Brown and President Abraham Lincoln. His book is "The Zealot And The Emancipator." I hope you can join us.
(SOUNDBITE OF ERROLL GARNER'S "OUT OF NOWHERE")
DAVIES: FRESH AIR's executive producer is Danny Miller. Our technical director and engineer is Audrey Bentham, with additional engineering support by Joyce Lieberman and Julian Herzfeld. Our interviews and reviews are produced and edited by Amy Salit, Phyllis Myers, Sam Briger, Lauren Krenzel, Heidi Saman, Ann Marie Baldonado, Therese Madden, Thea Chaloner, Seth Kelley and Kayla Lattimore. Our associate producer of digital media is Molly Seavey-Nesper. Roberta Shorrock directs the show. For Terry Gross, I'm Dave Davies.
(SOUNDBITE OF ERROLL GARNER'S "OUT OF NOWHERE")
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NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.


npr--2020-10-17--Coronavirus World Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak

Coronavirus World Map : Tracking The Spread Of The Outbreak On Sept. 28 , the world marked a tragic milestone : 1 million deaths from COVID-19 .
That 's according to a tally maintained by Johns Hopkins University .
And public health experts believe the actual toll – the recorded deaths plus the unrecorded deaths – is much higher .
While the number of cases has slowed in many countries that were hit hard early on by coronavirus , the number of new cases continues to increase .
Since early July , new daily cases averaged over 200,000 worldwide .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January .
At over 7 million cases , the United States leads the world 's COVID-19 crisis .
In late spring and early summer , new COVID-19 cases were largely driven by cases in the Americas .
While the U.S. has consistently had the most new daily cases of coronavirus in the region , Brazil 's new daily cases increased rapidly between May and August .
However , in September , several countries that had previously flattened their curve saw a resurgence in cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , daily case counts have risen swiftly since June , without signs of slowing down .
Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time .
The first chart compares each continent to each other , while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region .
To compare country outbreaks , the chart below graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each country 's totals to date .
This type of visualization highlights a state 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In countries like Israel , which is seeing a second wave of case growth after an initial wave in April , the line forms a V-shape , as the initially bent curve spikes upwards again .
Click here to see the state-by-state breakdown of cases in the United States .
This story was originally published on @ @ @ @ @

Coronavirus world map: We've now passed the 600 million mark for infections
Editor's note: This page is no longer being updated. The last update was Sept. 5, 2022. For current data about COVID-19 cases and deaths around the world, Johns Hopkins University and Our World in Data are useful resources.
In late January 2020 only a few dozen COVID-19 infections had been identified outside of China. A year later, the world tallied its first 100 million cases. It took the globe just 7 more months to pass the 200 million mark— then another 5 months to hit 300 million, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. Now the virus has spread to every corner of the globe and has been blamed for more than 6 million deaths.
The United States, India and Brazil in that order have had the most COVID cases and the three nations collectively account for almost half of all recorded infections so far in the pandemic.
Explore the chart below to find a country-by-country breakdown of new and total cases since January 2020.
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Explore how the number of coronavirus cases have shifted in different parts of the world over time. The first chart compares each continent to each other, while the next charts highlight the number of cases in select countries by region.
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This story was originally published on March 30, 2020.


npr--2020-10-17--Coronavirus Maps: How Severe Is Your State's Outbreak?

Coronavirus Maps : How Severe Is Your State 's Outbreak ?
Nearly 8 million people in the U.S. have been infected with the coronavirus and more than 215,000 have died .
Tens of thousands of new cases are reported daily nationwide .
In the graphics below , explore the trends in your state .
View the data via a heat map ( immediately below ) , curve charts , a table of state-by-state trends over four weeks , or a map of total cases and deaths .
The map above shows the risk of infection in each state based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color-coded risk levels were developed by a consortium of researchers and public health experts .
The group advises states in the red category to issue stay-home orders .
Orange states may need to consider stay-home orders , along with increased testing and contact tracing .
Yellow states need to keep up social distancing and mask usage , and both yellow and green states should continue testing and contact tracing .
To compare state outbreaks , the chart above graphs trend lines for average new daily cases and deaths against each state 's totals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highlights a state 's daily growth or decline relative to the overall size of its outbreak .
When both new and total case and death counts grow quickly , the curves bend upward .
As new cases and deaths slow , the curves level or bend down .
In New York , the curve rose sharply before reaching over 170,000 total cases in April .
Since then , new cases have fallen from about 10,000 per day in mid-April to under 800 per day in late September .
Explore the map above to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country for both new confirmed cases and reported deaths from COVID-19 .
New York was the original epicenter of the pandemic in the U.S. As of mid August , California , Florida and Texas have surpassed New York for total cases to date , though New York still has the highest death total .
Click here to see a global map of confirmed cases and deaths .
To show trends , the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state , week over week for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shades of red have growing outbreaks ; those in shades of green , are declining .
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources , including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ; the World Health Organization ; national , state and local government health departments ; 1point3acres ; and local media reports .
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies .
This may result in occasional data discrepancies on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anomalies and updates its feeds .
State-by-state recovery data are unavailable at this time .
There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department 's website .
Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships .
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases and or update their methodologies .
For example , in early June , Michigan health authorities started including probable cases in its totals .
This resulted in a brief spike in the state 's daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reconcile the historical data .
On June 25 , New Jersey included 1,854 previously-unreported probable deaths in its totals , resulting in a spike in the state 's daily death numbers .
On Sept. 2 , Massachusetts changed its methodology for counting probable cases , which lowered its overall case and death numbers .
The JHU team maintains a list of such changes .
This story was originally published on March 16 , 2020 .
Elena Renken was a co-author on that version .
Sean McMinn contributed to and Carmel Wroth edited @ @ @

Tracking the coronavirus around the U.S.: See how your state is doing
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Note: This page was last updated on Feb. 1, 2023. It will no longer be updated. For current data on COVID cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Feb. 1, there have been more than 101 million confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. and more than 1 million people have died of COVID-19. In the graphics below, explore the trends in your state.
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The above charts show average new cases per 100,000 people for each state over the last 12 months.
Note: Actual cases may be substantially higher, since many who test positive with at-home tests don't report their cases.
For additional data about COVID-19 in the U.S, including cases and deaths, demographics, and hospitalizations, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
To show trends, the table below shows the change in average new cases per day in each state, week over week for the last 28 days. States marked in shades of red have growing outbreaks; those in shades of green, are declining.
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Methodology
The graphics on this page pull from data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University from several sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; the World Health Organization; national, state and local government health departments; 1point3acres; and local media reports.
The JHU team automates its data uploads and regularly checks them for anomalies. This may result in occasional data discrepancies on this page as the JHU team resolves anomalies and updates its feeds. There may be discrepancies between what you see here and what you see on your local health department's website. Figures shown do not include cases on cruise ships.
Fluctuations in the numbers may happen as health authorities review old cases, process testing backlogs or update their methodologies. The JHU team maintains a list of such changes.
This story was originally published on March 16, 2020. Elena Renken was a co-author on that version. Sean McMinn and Audrey Carlsen contributed to this story. Carmel Wroth edited this story.


npr--2020-10-17--My Breast Cancer Diagnosis Came In The Pandemic. I Wanted More Than A 'Virtual Hug'

My Breast Cancer Diagnosis Came In The Pandemic .
I Wanted More Than A 'Virtual Hug' '' You have breast cancer , '' my doctor announced , faceless behind her mask .
Silence .
In the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic .
Her eyes locked on mine and beamed as much compassion and kindness as she could muster .
`` I 'm so sorry , '' she said as we faced each other 6 feet apart in her office .
That was it .
The COVID-19 virtual hug : cold and sterile .
Punishing , despite the best intents .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ visit , the weight of this emotional disconnect became increasingly difficult to bear .
At a moment when I so desperately needed spontaneous physical connection and warmth — simple human love – there was none .
Just sad faces at a safe distance .
`` I 'm so sorry , '' they would all say .
That was it .
Distressed , my mind took me back to West Africa 's devastating Ebola outbreak of 2014 , resurrecting images I had desperately tried to suppress .
In an instant I was in Port @ @ @ @ @ @ @ managed a Partners in Health Ebola Treatment Unit , listening to the agonizing wails of our patients , alone in their beds with no one next to them to provide reassurance or comfort .
Back to the sick children , scared and alone , with whom I would spend time , uncomfortably crouched in my Ebola suit , carefully hugging them and singing muffled songs through my masks .
Back to the midnight palliative care rounds for the gravely ill , where I would just hold a hand , provide words of encouragement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our sickest patients as they approached the door of the otherworld .
Just so they would n't be alone .
And my mind took me to Detroit 's nursing homes and their vulnerable population , disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 .
This summer we at Doctors Without Borders provided much needed support .
With the outbreak not under control and facilities off limits to all visitors , residents faced an endless , harmful , solitary existence .
Grandparents died alone , with good-byes bid over Zoom .
Social distancing at all costs became a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Without Borders for six years and had my share of difficult and heartbreaking experiences .
I do n't work in easy places .
I work in war zones and countries with little to no health-care system to speak of .
I respond to refugee crises , natural disasters and disease outbreaks .
I have gotten used to danger .
I 've gotten used to falling asleep with worries of being infected with Ebola or being attacked by an armed group .
But what I never have gotten used to — and never accepted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those crowded Ebola treatment units in West Africa and then again in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018 .
The sorrow of families and friends who undoubtedly felt they were abandoning their loved ones .
The loneliness of dying alone .
The absurdity of dying on Zoom in an overcrowded New York city hospital – nurses would hold their iPad and people would say their goodbyes .
Not even in war do people have to face hardships alone .
The contagious nature of COVID-19 and Ebola managed to instill enough fear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of safety — less human .
At moments when we needed each other most , vital social connections were brutally banned .
In Sierra Leone , our clinical team remedied this by starting what may have been the first supportive care rounds , specifically for those patients who would clearly not recover , ensuring that these individuals always had someone with them at their most fragile moments .
Over time , organizations involved in the care of Ebola patients improved the design of Ebola treatment units so patients could be closer visually – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones .
Family visiting areas were installed at a safe distance right across patient rooms , where large plexiglass windows were installed .
The CUBE , a self-contained isolation room with transparent walls allows families to be right next to their sick loved ones .
We found a way to do it , and we knew it made a huge difference .
So how did we go so wrong that the COVID-19 response of the world 's richest country collapsed to the level of not being able to provide to the most basic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone in moments of sickness ?
It did n't have to be this way with COVID-19 .
With lessons of past outbreaks to guide us , with strong institutional and individual national expertise to lead us , with the experience of countries who fell to COVID-19 before us , we knew what could have been done to protect ourselves , prevent the spread of disease and the overload of our hospitals .
We knew what kind of preparations and precautions it would have taken to give that hug and hold that hand safely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I am home in Seattle , halfway around the world from Africa .
I now have become the patient , the one anxiously waiting alone on a gurney that will take me to the operating room .
I grieve the lack of physical connection .
It 's not words I need , it 's proximity .
It 's touch .
Back to that hug , that holding of the hand .
That reassurance of being next to one another .
It speaks a thousand words .
It goes a million miles .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Practice safe distancing .
Do your part so that we will be able to reach the point where we can again get that human bond that makes patients stronger and able to weather the storms .
Do your part so we can finally get back to normal .
It is long overdue .
Karin Huster was a field coordinator for Doctors Without Borders on its COVID-19 response in Hong Kong and in Detroit .
She is now back home in Seattle , working with USAID 's Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Republic of Congo 's ongoing Ebola outbreak .

My Breast Cancer Diagnosis Came In The Pandemic. I Wanted More Than A 'Virtual Hug'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Frank Huster for NPR Frank Huster for NPR
"You have breast cancer," my doctor announced, faceless behind her mask. Silence. In the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic. Her eyes locked on mine and beamed as much compassion and kindness as she could muster.
"I'm so sorry," she said as we faced each other 6 feet apart in her office.
That was it.
The COVID-19 virtual hug: cold and sterile. Punishing, despite the best intents.
As friends came to my home to visit, the weight of this emotional disconnect became increasingly difficult to bear. At a moment when I so desperately needed spontaneous physical connection and warmth — simple human love – there was none. Just sad faces at a safe distance.
"I'm so sorry," they would all say.
That was it.
Distressed, my mind took me back to West Africa's devastating Ebola outbreak of 2014, resurrecting images I had desperately tried to suppress. In an instant I was in Port Loko, Sierra Leone, where I managed a Partners in Health Ebola Treatment Unit, listening to the agonizing wails of our patients, alone in their beds with no one next to them to provide reassurance or comfort. Back to the sick children, scared and alone, with whom I would spend time, uncomfortably crouched in my Ebola suit, carefully hugging them and singing muffled songs through my masks. Back to the midnight palliative care rounds for the gravely ill, where I would just hold a hand, provide words of encouragement, give pain medication or stay with our sickest patients as they approached the door of the otherworld. Just so they wouldn't be alone.
toggle caption Anne-Sophie Delfosse for NPR
And my mind took me to Detroit's nursing homes and their vulnerable population, disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. This summer we at Doctors Without Borders provided much needed support. With the outbreak not under control and facilities off limits to all visitors, residents faced an endless, harmful, solitary existence. Grandparents died alone, with good-byes bid over Zoom. Social distancing at all costs became a thing.
I've worked for Doctors Without Borders for six years and had my share of difficult and heartbreaking experiences. I don't work in easy places. I work in war zones and countries with little to no health-care system to speak of. I respond to refugee crises, natural disasters and disease outbreaks. I have gotten used to danger. I've gotten used to falling asleep with worries of being infected with Ebola or being attacked by an armed group.
But what I never have gotten used to — and never accepted — was the loneliness. The loneliness of those crowded Ebola treatment units in West Africa and then again in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018. The sorrow of families and friends who undoubtedly felt they were abandoning their loved ones. The loneliness of dying alone. The absurdity of dying on Zoom in an overcrowded New York city hospital – nurses would hold their iPad and people would say their goodbyes.
Not even in war do people have to face hardships alone. The contagious nature of COVID-19 and Ebola managed to instill enough fear to make us — in the name of safety — less human. At moments when we needed each other most, vital social connections were brutally banned. In Sierra Leone, our clinical team remedied this by starting what may have been the first supportive care rounds, specifically for those patients who would clearly not recover, ensuring that these individuals always had someone with them at their most fragile moments.
Over time, organizations involved in the care of Ebola patients improved the design of Ebola treatment units so patients could be closer visually – but also physically — to their loved ones. Family visiting areas were installed at a safe distance right across patient rooms, where large plexiglass windows were installed. The CUBE, a self-contained isolation room with transparent walls allows families to be right next to their sick loved ones.
We found a way to do it, and we knew it made a huge difference.
So how did we go so wrong that the COVID-19 response of the world's richest country collapsed to the level of not being able to provide to the most basic human need – that of not being alone in moments of sickness?
It didn't have to be this way with COVID-19. With lessons of past outbreaks to guide us, with strong institutional and individual national expertise to lead us, with the experience of countries who fell to COVID-19 before us, we knew what could have been done to protect ourselves, prevent the spread of disease and the overload of our hospitals.
We knew what kind of preparations and precautions it would have taken to give that hug and hold that hand safely. To be together safely.
Today I am home in Seattle, halfway around the world from Africa. I now have become the patient, the one anxiously waiting alone on a gurney that will take me to the operating room. I grieve the lack of physical connection. It's not words I need, it's proximity. It's touch. Back to that hug, that holding of the hand. That reassurance of being next to one another. It speaks a thousand words. It goes a million miles.
So please, mask up. Wash hands. Practice safe distancing. Do your part so that we will be able to reach the point where we can again get that human bond that makes patients stronger and able to weather the storms.
Do your part so we can finally get back to normal. It is long overdue.
Karin Huster was a field coordinator for Doctors Without Borders on its COVID-19 response in Hong Kong and in Detroit. She is now back home in Seattle, working with USAID's Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance as a public health adviser and focusing on the Democratic Republic of Congo's ongoing Ebola outbreak.


npr--2020-10-17--Appalachian Town Must "Wait And Wait" As Pandemic Puts Plastics Plant On Hold

Appalachian Town Must `` Wait And Wait '' As Pandemic Puts Plastics Plant On Hold From his bar in Shadyside , Ohio , Matt Coffland has been counting on his town getting a new petrochemical plant since it was first planned , seven years ago .
He says the southeastern part of the state has long been neglected .
`` For us to get something like that , rightfully , I think we deserve it by now , '' he says .
The plant , to be built by Thailand-based oil and gas company PTT , would be a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an influx of close to ten thousand people at one point , '' Coffland says .
The ethane `` cracker , '' as it 's called , would turn natural gas from nearby wells into petrochemicals and plastics .
It 's part of a much-planned wave of petrochemical construction across Appalachia .
Oil and gas backers say a decade of fracking has unlocked enough gas in this region for four or five chemical plants like PTT 's .
But so far only one is under construction , a Shell plant near Pittsburgh , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. `` energy dominance . ''
Now , as the Ohio project has stalled amid the pandemic , some wonder if it will ever be built .
A final decision was due this summer .
But then came COVID-19 and PTT pushed it off .
In July , citing the pandemic , one of the project 's investors backed out .
That was a disappointment for John Haswell , superintendent of the Shadyside Local School District .
On one wall of his office are drawings for a brand new $ 30 million school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead , the company has said it will pay for the badly-needed building .
`` I would really love to get really busy on a building project , '' Haswell says .
But without a final decision , all he can do is `` sit , and wait and wait and wait . ''
Kathy Hipple , an analyst with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis , which works toward sustainable energy , says the pandemic has certainly hurt demand for petrochemical products .
But she points out that projects in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also been delayed or canceled in the past year .
She thinks the PTT decision is part of a larger downward trend for the industry .
`` We view this as a market signal that the project has possibly become far too risky for them to continue , '' she says .
Steve Lewandowski , a petrochemical analyst at research firm IHS Markit , thinks newly-built plants on the Gulf Coast and in China are creating an oversupply of plastics .
He believes demand will eventually rebound , but agrees that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for now .
`` If it was such a compelling case to build there , that cracker would have been approved , under construction , and then there probably would be another one on top of that , '' he says .
`` And it 's not . ''
Not everyone is sad to see the project on hold .
Amanda Petrucci lives just across the Ohio River in West Virginia .
She says her family has suffered from health problems , and she worries they 're linked to a nearby Superfund site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plant nearby had made her consider moving , so the delay came as a relief .
`` I feel like I can kind of , just , hang out here for a little bit longer and enjoy life here , '' she says .
Like others , she 'll have to wait and see what happens with the plant , whose future — like so many things right now — is up in the air .
This story was a collaboration with StateImpact Pennsylvania .

Appalachian Town Must 'Wait And Wait' As Pandemic Puts Plastics Plant On Hold
Enlarge this image toggle caption Reid Frazier/The Allegheny Front Reid Frazier/The Allegheny Front
From his bar in Shadyside, Ohio, Matt Coffland has been counting on his town getting a new petrochemical plant since it was first planned, seven years ago. He says the southeastern part of the state has long been neglected.
"For us to get something like that, rightfully, I think we deserve it by now," he says.
The plant, to be built by Thailand-based oil and gas company PTT, would be a major construction project.
"You're talking an influx of close to 10,000 people at one point," Coffland says.
The ethane "cracker," as it's called, would turn natural gas from nearby wells into petrochemicals and plastics. It's part of a much-planned wave of petrochemical construction across Appalachia.
Oil and gas backers say a decade of fracking has unlocked enough gas in this region for four or five chemical plants like PTT's. But so far only one is under construction, a Shell plant near Pittsburgh, which President Trump has visited to tout U.S. "energy dominance."
Now, as the Ohio project has stalled amid the pandemic, some wonder if it will ever be built.
A final decision was due this summer. But then came COVID-19 and PTT pushed it off. In July, citing the pandemic, one of the project's investors backed out.
That was a disappointment for John Haswell, superintendent of the Shadyside Local School District. On one wall of his office are drawings for a brand new $30 million school complex. If the PTT plant goes ahead, the company has said it will pay for the badly needed building.
"I would really love to get really busy on a building project," Haswell says. But without a final decision, all he can do is "sit, and wait and wait and wait."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Reid Frazier/The Allegheny Front Reid Frazier/The Allegheny Front
Kathy Hipple, an analyst with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, which works toward sustainable energy, says the pandemic has certainly hurt demand for petrochemical products.
But she points out that projects in West Virginia, Texas and Pennsylvania have also been delayed or canceled in the past year. She thinks the PTT decision is part of a larger downward trend for the industry.
"We view this as a market signal that the project has possibly become far too risky for them to continue," she says.
Steve Lewandowski, a petrochemical analyst at research firm IHS Markit, thinks newly-built plants on the Gulf Coast and in China are creating an oversupply of plastics. He believes demand will eventually rebound, but agrees that the Ohio project doesn't make financial sense for now.
"If it was such a compelling case to build there, that cracker would have been approved, under construction, and then there probably would be another one on top of that," he says. "And it's not."
Not everyone is sad to see the project on hold.
Amanda Petrucci lives just across the Ohio River in West Virginia. She says her family has suffered from health problems, and she worries they're linked to a nearby Superfund site. The prospect of a new petrochemical plant nearby had made her consider moving, so the delay came as a relief.
"I feel like I can kind of, just, hang out here for a little bit longer and enjoy life here," she says.
Like others, she'll have to wait and see what happens with the plant, whose future — like so many things right now — is up in the air.
This story was a collaboration with StateImpact Pennsylvania.


npr--2020-10-17--Analysis: Questionable 'N.Y. Post' Scoop Driven by Ex-Hannity Producer, Giuliani

It is a classic moment in the weeks before Election Day : a news outlet runs a front-page exclusive promising scandalous revelations about a big-ticket candidate .
This week , the New York Post published a story based on what it says are emails — `` smoking gun '' emails , it calls them — sent by a Ukrainian business executive to the son of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden .
The story fits snugly into a narrative from President Trump and his allies that Hunter Biden 's zealous pursuit of business ties abroad also compromised the former vice president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more by red flags than investigative rigor .
To start , the emails have not been verified as authentic .
They were said to have been extracted from a computer assumed — but not proven — to have belonged to the younger Biden .
They were said to have been given to the Post by Trump 's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani , who is known for making discredited claims about the Bidens .
The venue is also suspect .
The pro-Trump New York Post is owned by Rupert Murdoch , a steady supporter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Trump 's re-election prospects .
The lead reporter was a former producer for Sean Hannity , Trump 's best friend on his favorite news network , Fox News , also controlled by the Murdochs .
And the story asserted the existence of a meeting absent any documentation that it actually occurred .
( The Biden campaign says the tabloid never sought comment on the veracity of the claims . )
The context also screams for caution : U.S. officials say Russian disinformation campaigns have sought to keep Hunter Biden 's business dealings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the Washington Post , intelligence officials warned the White House last year that Russian operatives had sought to give misinformation to Giuliani to be used against the Bidens .
And NBC is now reporting that the FBI is investigating whether the material in the New York Post story originated in a foreign power 's disinformation campaign .
With all these warning signs , other news organizations , including NPR , have held back .
Reporters who shared the New York Post story on social media found themselves denounced by Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter blocked and Facebook restricted the spread of the story , rare moves that gave conservatives a chance for outrage regardless of the merits of the reporting .
The social media giants soon found themselves on the defensive .
All of which obscured the problems with the New York Post 's story itself , and those that followed .
So here are some quick highlights : From pillar to post , the tabloid asserted as fact things presumed to be true .
While the headline links the former vice president to his son @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up no proof .
It rests upon an email , supposedly from an Ukrainian businessman to the younger Biden , thanking him for `` an opportunity to meet your father . ''
Biden 's campaign spokesman , Andrew Bates , responded , `` We have reviewed Joe Biden 's official schedules from the time and no meeting , as alleged by the New York Post , ever took place . ''
There is some wiggle room in that denial .
But that 's not proof , either .
The New York Post nonetheless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there was a `` never-before-revealed meeting . ''
Second , let 's talk about the origin of those emails , working backward from the article 's account .
The New York Post secured them from a copy of a laptop 's hard drive given to the paper by Giuliani , after learning of their existence from former Trump campaign CEO and political advisor Steve Bannon .
The laptop had been taken to a repair shop in Delaware ; its owner appears to have reviewed its contents and given it to the FBI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that to Giuliani 's attorney .
The New York Post reported the computer repair specialist `` could n't positively identify the customer as Hunter Biden , but said the laptop bore a sticker from the Beau Biden Foundation , named after Hunter 's late brother . ''
So , it 's not clear who brought it in .
As it turns out , Bannon told a leading Dutch public broadcaster last month that he had a copy of Hunter Biden 's hard drive .
`` You 'll see .
Stand by .
Stand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now about Giuliani : Few advocates and surrogates have been more dogged on Trump 's behalf than the former New York City Mayor and U.S. Attorney .
Especially on the topic of Ukraine and the Bidens .
Giuliani has repeatedly amplified discredited claims , to the point that Fox News ' internal research team warned the network 's journalists against relying upon him .
Among the sources Giuliani turned to was a man whom the Trump administration 's Treasury Department has designated as a Russian agent .
Last month , Treasury officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukraine to spur unfounded corruption investigations and media coverage in hopes of damaging Biden and influencing the 2020 race .
Giuliani did not respond to a message seeking comment for this story .
This story would fit neatly within that rubric .
We do n't know whether those emails were somehow hacked and doctored , or completely fabricated .
( Even Murdoch 's Wall Street Journal acknowledged the point , writing `` assuming the emails turned up by the New York Post are real ... '' as it editorialized against Twitter and Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporter with the lead byline for a moment ?
Post deputy politics editor Emma-Jo Morris 's reports on Biden this past week constitute the sum total of her professional bylines .
( That is , other than some posts Morris wrote in the summer of 2015 as a college intern for the conservative Washington Free Beacon . )
Prior to joining the Post in early spring , Morris 's most prominent media job involved her three years and eight months as a producer for Hannity , the Fox News star who is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morris did not reply to requests for comment sent to her social media accounts .
She shared bylines with Gabrielle Fonrouge , a six-year veteran of the Post who earlier reported for NPR member station WSHU in Connecticut .
( One small note : Fonrouge 's byline came second .
Were they assigned alphabetically , it would have appeared first .
That suggests that Morris is the lead reporter on this project .
But , as with just about everything in this story , that 's not firm proof , either . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe Biden acted improperly in Ukraine .
Let us remember that Trump 's demand for investigations of the Bidens ' actions in Ukraine formed the foundation of the president 's impeachment by the House of Representatives last year .
Hannity actively sought to discredit those who offered damning testimony against the president .
The New York Post 's story and its ensuing allegations against Hunter Biden , based on the same cache of material , has propelled its corporate cousin as well .
As the days tick down toward Election Day , Fox @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting to unleash a fusillade against the former vice president across its most watched shows — like the grand finale of a fireworks display .
None of that sound and fury requires the rest of the press to accept those claims as true .
They should n't .
Not without additional reporting and verification .
The New York Post story could someday be proven accurate , or largely right .
Or perhaps what was published is a far cry from investigative journalism , but rather speculative partisan advocacy .
A totem of our @ @ @

Analysis: Questionable 'N.Y. Post' Scoop Driven By Ex-Hannity Producer And Giuliani
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff J Mitchell and Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Jeff J Mitchell and Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
It is a classic moment in the weeks before Election Day: a news outlet runs a front-page exclusive promising scandalous revelations about a big-ticket candidate.
This week, the New York Post published a story based on what it says are emails — "smoking gun" emails, it calls them — sent by a Ukrainian business executive to the son of Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden. The story fits snugly into a narrative from President Trump and his allies that Hunter Biden's zealous pursuit of business ties abroad also compromised the former vice president.
Yet this was a story marked more by red flags than investigative rigor.
To start, the emails have not been verified as authentic. They were said to have been extracted from a computer assumed — but not proven — to have belonged to the younger Biden. They were said to have been given to the Post by Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who is known for making discredited claims about the Bidens.
The venue is also suspect. The pro-Trump New York Post is owned by Rupert Murdoch, a steady supporter of the president despite recently casting doubt on Trump's reelection prospects. The lead reporter was a former producer for Sean Hannity, Trump's best friend on his favorite news network, Fox News, also controlled by the Murdochs. And the story asserted the existence of a meeting absent any documentation that it actually occurred. (The Biden campaign says the tabloid never sought comment on the veracity of the claims.)
The context also screams for caution: U.S. officials say Russian disinformation campaigns have sought to keep Hunter Biden's business dealings in Ukraine in the public eye. According to The Washington Post, intelligence officials warned the White House last year that Russian operatives had sought to give misinformation to Giuliani to be used against the Bidens. And NBC is now reporting that the FBI is investigating whether the material in the New York Post story originated in a foreign power's disinformation campaign.
With all these warning signs, other news organizations, including NPR, have held back. Reporters who shared the New York Post story on social media found themselves denounced by Democrats and even many of their peers. Twitter blocked and Facebook restricted the spread of the story, rare moves that gave conservatives a chance for outrage regardless of the merits of the reporting. The social media giants soon found themselves on the defensive.
All of which obscured the problems with the New York Post's story itself, and those that followed.
So here are some quick highlights:
From pillar to post, the tabloid asserted as fact things presumed to be true. While the headline links the former vice president to his son's business dealings, the story serves up no proof. It rests upon an email, supposedly from a Ukrainian businessman to the younger Biden, thanking him for "an opportunity to meet your father."
Biden's campaign spokesman, Andrew Bates, responded, "We have reviewed Joe Biden's official schedules from the time and no meeting, as alleged by the New York Post, ever took place." There is some wiggle room in that denial. But that's not proof, either. The New York Post nonetheless asserted, breathlessly, and assuredly, that there was a "never-before-revealed meeting."
Second, let's talk about the origin of those emails, working backward from the article's account. The New York Post secured them from a copy of a laptop's hard drive given to the paper by Giuliani, after learning of their existence from former Trump campaign CEO and political adviser Steve Bannon.
The laptop had been taken to a repair shop in Delaware; the shop's owner appears to have reviewed its contents and given it to the FBI, after making a copy and delivering that to Giuliani's attorney. The New York Post reported that the computer repair specialist "couldn't positively identify the customer as Hunter Biden, but said the laptop bore a sticker from the Beau Biden Foundation, named after Hunter's late brother."
So, it's not clear who brought it in.
As it turns out, Bannon told a leading Dutch public broadcaster last month that he had a copy of Hunter Biden's hard drive.
"You'll see. Stand by. Stand by," Bannon teased on camera.
Now about Giuliani: Few advocates and surrogates have been more dogged on Trump's behalf than the former New York City mayor and U.S. attorney.
Especially on the topic of Ukraine and the Bidens.
Giuliani has repeatedly amplified discredited claims, to the point that Fox News' internal research team warned the network's journalists against relying upon him. Among the sources Giuliani turned to was a man whom the Trump administration's Treasury Department has designated as a Russian agent. Last month, Treasury officials said Andrii Derkach has pushed disinformation in Ukraine to spur unfounded corruption investigations and media coverage in hopes of damaging Biden and influencing the 2020 race. Giuliani did not respond to a message seeking comment for this story.
This story would fit neatly within that rubric. We don't know whether those emails were somehow hacked and doctored, or completely fabricated. (Even Murdoch's Wall Street Journal acknowledged the point, writing "assuming the emails turned up by the New York Post are real..." as it editorialized against Twitter and Facebook.)
Shall we turn to the reporter with the lead byline for a moment?
Post deputy political editor Emma-Jo Morris' reports on Biden this past week constitute the sum total of her professional bylines. (That is, other than some posts Morris wrote in the summer of 2015 as a college intern for the conservative Washington Free Beacon.)
Prior to joining the Post in early spring, Morris' most prominent media job involved her three years and eight months as a producer for Hannity, the Fox News star who is one of the president's closest advisers. Morris did not reply to requests for comment sent to her social media accounts. She shared bylines with Gabrielle Fonrouge, a six-year veteran of the Post who earlier reported for NPR member station WSHU in Connecticut. (One small note: Fonrouge's byline came second. Were they assigned alphabetically, it would have appeared first. That suggests that Morris is the lead reporter on this project. But, as with just about everything in this story, that's not firm proof, either.)
On Fox, Hannity repeatedly has suggested Joe Biden acted improperly in Ukraine. Let us remember that Trump's demand for investigations of the Bidens' actions in Ukraine formed the foundation of the president's impeachment by the House of Representatives last year. Hannity actively sought to discredit those who offered damning testimony against the president.
The New York Post's story and its ensuing allegations against Hunter Biden, based on the same cache of material, has propelled its corporate cousin as well. As the days tick down toward Election Day, Fox News took inspiration from the tabloid's reporting to unleash a fusillade against the former vice president across its most watched shows — like the grand finale of a fireworks display.
None of that sound and fury requires the rest of the press to accept those claims as true. They shouldn't. Not without additional reporting and verification.
The New York Post story could someday be proven accurate, or largely right. Or perhaps what was published is a far cry from investigative journalism, but rather speculative partisan advocacy. A totem of our media moment.


npr--2020-10-17--Are Paramilitary Extremists Being Normalized? Look To Idaho For Answers

Are Paramilitary Extremists Being Normalized ?
Look To Idaho For Answers At first glance , the picturesque resort town of Sandpoint , Idaho , on the banks of Lake Pend Orielle can feel like an escape from all the troubles of 2020 .
That is , until you talk to frontline workers who deal with the public in this mostly rural , pristine region of forests and beauty near the Canadian border .
At Bonner General Health , Dr. Morgan Morton recounts a patient she had the other day who wanted to wait until after November to schedule a needed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do a COVID test , ' she said , and I said , 'what do you mean , why would you choose after November ? '
I was totally oblivious , '' Morton said .
Morton , who is head of the medical staff at the small hospital , said the patient told her that after the election all of this — the worldwide pandemic — is just going to go away .
`` And I was just like ... mind blown , '' Morton says .
It was the latest example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiracy theory to spread quickly through the evergreen forested mountains and small towns of the mostly conservative and libertarian Panhandle .
This past Spring , when Black Lives Matter protests began heating up in the Northwest , more false rumors took hold that Antifa agitators were coming to Sandpoint and nearby Coeur d'Alene to riot and loot businesses .
In videos on YouTube , that have not been taken down , unidentified , heavily armed men in fatigues boast of apparent security operations aimed at protecting the towns from being `` trashed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ What actually unfolded in Coeur d'Alene was a tense stretch of nights where armed vigilantes and Second Amendment supporters converged on the city 's quaint downtown .
It 's legal to openly carry in Idaho .
But even here , in one of the nation 's most conservative states , some were alarmed at what they saw as intimidation .
`` These were people in full camo fatigues , with AR-15s , multiple clips , '' said Shelby Rognstad , the mayor of Sandpoint .
`` These people looked like they were pulled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for war . ''
Rognstad says the paramilitary and other armed citizens quickly overwhelmed what he says was a small protest organized by a group of Sandpoint high school kids who wanted to demonstrate against systemic racism .
For some longtime locals , there was this sense of , here we go again .
The recent arrests of militia members in Michigan are echoing loudly in Idaho , a state that 's long been synonymous with violent , right wing extremism .
But after the fallout from the anti-government standoff at Ruby Ridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the infamous Aryan Nations , some longtime locals thought they 'd finally moved past the ugly past .
`` There are people with guns who come out from the hills whenever they 're whistled , '' says Mary Lou Reed .
Reed , a Democrat , represented this region in the state legislature in the 1990s .
That was during the standoff at nearby Ruby Ridge and when the Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler and other white supremacist groups were openly pledging to turn the panhandle into a white supremacist haven .
Reed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some of those same people are still around .
But far-right extremism today is more complicated .
Some of the extremist groups are not white nationalist , and in fact , have people of color as prominent members .
`` I think maybe it is more sophisticated and maybe it 's scarier , '' Reed says .
`` But it still involves separation and hatred and ugliness . ''
North Idaho , as it 's called locally , is one of the fastest growing regions of the country .
It 's also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far-right political movements , some that encourage Christians to flee cities for rural areas like this that are pro-gun and libertarian on issues such as homeschooling and vaccines .
Demographers say the region is experiencing its third wave of mostly white , conservative transplants moving from California : a trend that particularly gained notoriety in the 1990s , when Southern California police officers retired there after the Rodney King scandal .
Today , it 's not uncommon to hear commercial radio stations running ads for abortion therapy groups .
Trump 2020 flags flying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ n't Tread on Me '' banners are also a mainstay .
`` I 've been calling this now the South of the North , because I 've never seen so many Confederate flags ever here in my life , '' Shawn Keenan says .
When the armed far-right groups started showing up on Sherman Avenue in Coeur d'Alene in June , it stirred trauma for Keenan and his family .
Whether they knew it or not , Keenan says , they were on the same street where white power marches used to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All of those feelings of fear from the Aryan Nations parades back in the day came flooding right back , '' Keenan says .
That 's because in 1998 , Keenan 's aunt , a Native American , and his cousin , were shot at , run off the road and held at gun point by Aryan Nations security guards .
The Southern Poverty Law Center represented the Keenans in a federal case that would bankrupt the compound .
Coeur d'Alene went on to start a civil rights education center .
A human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that 's still around today .
People felt like they 'd gotten past it .
Keenan says they got complacent .
`` What we have now is this new iteration of hatred that 's kind of boiling up in our community , '' he says .
`` It 's frightening to see it again . ''
There were no reported injuries during that tense week last spring , or at other armed rallies and events in the region since .
Things have remained peaceful , if tense .
The Coeur d'Alene City Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement saying it was remaining neutral .
`` We realize , '' they wrote , `` that to some citizens the sight of heavily armed individuals is unnerving , yet to others it is reassuring . ''
In an email to NPR , Mayor Steve Widmyer added : `` I disagree with the position that those individuals in Coeur d'Alene are part of a militia .
They were individuals exercising their 2nd Amendment rights .
They followed all the laws that are afforded to them in the State of Idaho . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that occurred in other cities around the nation and noted that in his city , all sides were peaceful and local police were closely monitoring the situation for any illegal activity .
Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad says elected officials are in a tough spot .
The far right is well organized , he says , and large groups show up armed at public meetings in his town to protest things like proposed mask mandates .
`` I think that elected officials in general are timid to really take any kind of action or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these groups , '' Rognstadt said .
Some local businesses here are less timid though , and worried about their region 's already precarious reputation .
Signs from a local civil rights group `` Love Lives Here '' are posted prominently on some Main Street storefronts .
And partly in response to the controversy in June , a dozen large employers are forming a Human Rights Consortium .
`` In the absence of this , each employer is kind of on their own , '' said Jon Ness , CEO of Kootenai Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ together and there 's a safety in all of that . ''
Kootenai Health is this region 's largest hospital and employer , which says it 's been having trouble recruiting doctors and other staff lately , particularly people of color .
Ness said the call for action came mostly from his staff , after the death of George Floyd , who asked him what the hospital was doing to support human rights .
While still in its infancy , he said , the consortium expects to bring in civil rights speakers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , among other initiatives .
`` The important part is not what happened , the important conversation now is what is going to happen , '' Ness said .
Still , the consortium 's organizers realize that fighting hate today is an uphill battle .
In North Idaho anyway , it may be harder than back in the 1990s , when conspiracy theories did n't spread instantaneously online , nor did mainstream elected officials openly court far right groups .

Are Paramilitary Extremists Being Normalized? Look To Idaho For Answers
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kirk Siegler/NPR Kirk Siegler/NPR
At first glance, the picturesque resort town of Sandpoint, Idaho, on the banks of Lake Pend Orielle can feel like an escape from all the troubles of 2020.
That is, until you talk to frontline workers who deal with the public in this mostly rural, pristine region of forests and beauty near the Canadian border.
At Bonner General Health, Dr. Morgan Morton recounts a patient she had the other day who wanted to wait until after November to schedule a needed procedure.
" 'I don't want to do a COVID test,' she said, and I said, 'What do you mean? Why would you choose after November?' I was totally oblivious," Morton said.
Morton, who is head of the medical staff at the small hospital, said the patient told her that after the election, all of this — the worldwide pandemic — is just going to go away.
"And I was just like ... mind blown," Morton says.
It was the latest example of a widespread — and baseless — conspiracy theory to spread quickly through the evergreen forested mountains and small towns of the mostly conservative and libertarian Panhandle.
This past spring, when Black Lives Matter protests began heating up in the Northwest, more false rumors took hold that Antifa agitators were coming to Sandpoint and nearby Coeur d'Alene to riot and loot businesses.
In the videos on YouTube that have not been taken down, unidentified, heavily armed men in fatigues boast of apparent security operations aimed at protecting the towns from being "trashed."
Far-left agitators never showed up. What actually unfolded in Coeur d'Alene was a tense stretch of nights when armed vigilantes and Second Amendment supporters converged on the city's quaint downtown.
It's legal to openly carry guns in Idaho. But even here, in one of the nation's most conservative states, some were alarmed at what they saw as intimidation.
"These were people in full camo fatigues, with AR-15s, multiple clips," said Shelby Rognstad, the mayor of Sandpoint. "These people looked like they were pulled off the streets of Afghanistan and ready for war."
Rognstad says the paramilitary and other armed citizens quickly overwhelmed what he says was a small protest organized by a group of Sandpoint high school kids who wanted to demonstrate against systemic racism.
For some longtime locals, there was this sense of "here we go again."
Moved past an ugly past?
The recent arrests of militia members in Michigan are echoing loudly in Idaho, a state that has long been synonymous with violent right-wing extremism. But after the fallout from the 1992 anti-government standoff at Ruby Ridge cooled and a lawsuit broke up the infamous Aryan Nations, some longtime locals thought they had finally moved past the ugly past.
"There are people with guns who come out from the hills whenever they're whistled," says Mary Lou Reed.
Reed, a Democrat, represented this region in the state legislature in the 1990s. That was during the standoff at nearby Ruby Ridge, during which two civilians and a U.S. marshal were killed, and when the Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler and other white supremacist groups were openly pledging to turn the panhandle into a white supremacist haven.
Reed sees parallels in 2020. For one, some of those same people are still around. But far-right extremism today is more complicated. Some of the extremist groups are not white nationalist and, in fact, have people of color as prominent members.
"I think maybe it is more sophisticated and maybe it's scarier," Reed says. "But it still involves separation and hatred and ugliness."
North Idaho, as it's called locally, is one of the fastest-growing regions of the country. It's also one of the whitest and home to far-right political movements, some that encourage Christians to flee cities for rural areas like this that are pro-gun and libertarian on issues such as home schooling and vaccines.
Demographers say the region is experiencing its third wave of mostly white, conservative transplants moving from California: a trend that particularly gained notoriety in the 1990s, when Southern California police officers retired there after the 1991 Rodney King scandal, when Los Angeles officers were videotaped beating a Black man. Today, it's not uncommon to hear commercial radio stations running ads for abortion therapy groups. Trump 2020 flags flying in yards next to yellow "Don't Tread on Me" banners are also a mainstay.
"I've been calling this now the South of the North, because I've never seen so many Confederate flags ever here in my life," resident Shawn Keenan says.
When the armed far-right groups started showing up on Sherman Avenue in Coeur d'Alene in June, it stirred trauma for Keenan and his family. Whether they knew it or not, Keenan says, they were on the same street where white power marches used to be held every Fourth of July.
"All of those feelings of fear from the Aryan Nations parades back in the day came flooding right back," Keenan says.
That's because in 1998, Keenan's aunt, a Native American, and his cousin were shot at, run off the road and held at gunpoint by Aryan Nations security guards. The Southern Poverty Law Center represented the Keenans in a federal case that would bankrupt the compound.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kirk Siegler/NPR Kirk Siegler/NPR
Coeur d'Alene went on to start a civil rights education center. A human rights task force was formed with police that's still around today. People felt as if they had gotten past it.
But Keenan says they got complacent.
"What we have now is this new iteration of hatred that's kind of boiling up in our community," he says. "It's frightening to see it again."
There were no reported injuries during that tense week last spring or at other armed rallies and events in the region since. Things have remained peaceful, if tense.
The Coeur d'Alene City Council nodded to this when it put out a statement saying it was remaining neutral. "We realize," they wrote, "that to some citizens the sight of heavily armed individuals is unnerving, yet to others it is reassuring."
In an email to NPR, Mayor Steve Widmyer added: "I disagree with the position that those individuals in Coeur d'Alene are part of a militia. They were individuals exercising their 2nd Amendment rights. They followed all the laws that are afforded to them in the State of Idaho."
Widmyer pointed to violence and property damage that occurred in other cities across the nation and noted that in his city, all sides were peaceful and local police were closely monitoring the situation for any illegal activity.
A private push for civil rights
Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad says elected officials are in a tough spot.
The far-right is well-organized, he says, and large groups show up armed at public meetings in his town to protest things like proposed mask mandates.
"I think that elected officials in general are timid to really take any kind of action or any kind of stance that would challenge these groups," Rognstadt said.
Some local businesses here are less timid though and worried about their region's already precarious reputation. Signs from a local civil rights group "Love Lives Here" are posted prominently on some Main Street storefronts. And partly in response to the controversy in June, a dozen large employers are forming a Human Rights Consortium.
"In the absence of this, each employer is kind of on their own," said Jon Ness, CEO of Kootenai Health. "So it brings us all together and there's a safety in all of that."
Kootenai Health is this region's largest hospital and employer, which says that lately, it has been having trouble recruiting doctors and other staff, particularly people of color. Ness said the call for action came mostly from his staff, after the death of George Floyd, who asked him what the hospital was doing to support human rights.
While still in its infancy, he said, the consortium expects to bring in civil rights speakers and set uniform practices for more inclusive hiring, among other initiatives.
"The important part is not what happened, the important conversation now is what is going to happen," Ness said.
Still, the consortium's organizers realize that fighting hate today is an uphill battle. In North Idaho anyway, it may be harder than back in the 1990s, when conspiracy theories didn't spread instantaneously online, nor did mainstream elected officials openly court far-right groups.