csmonitor--2020-09-02--Americans ask: Are protests a good reason to be openly armed?

The scenes have become commonplace in 2020 : People gathered at state Capitols with semiautomatic long guns strapped across their chests .
A couple near St. Louis emerging from their mansion brandishing firearms as Black Lives Matter demonstrators marched by the house .
Men roaming the streets with rifles during protests over racial inequality , punctuated by two people being killed in Wisconsin and another in Oregon over the weekend .
The coronavirus pandemic , protests against racism and police killings , a rancorous election and some people ’ s perception that cities are being overrun by violent mobs have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by some gun owners and widened the divide over firearms in the United States .
Americans are turning out more often and more visibly with guns , a sign of the tension engulfing the country .
Last week ’ s arrest of a 17-year-old accused of killing two people in Kenosha , Wisconsin , with a semiautomatic rifle is just the latest flashpoint .
Over the weekend , supporters of President Donald Trump streamed into Portland , Oregon , resulting in a clash with protesters that ended with a supporter of a right-wing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other gun-toting protesters have been denounced as radical vigilantes who benefit from a double-standard – that if they were Black gun owners brandishing their firearms , the police would use deadly force against them .
To others , they are patriots seeking to bring law and order to cities that have been overtaken by extremists .
“ I would have done the same thing , to be honest with you , ” Todd Scott , of Covington , Georgia , said of the teenager in Kenosha .
He ’ s viewed video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being chased by protesters and believes he was acting in self-defense .
Mr. Scott himself once used his gun to break up violence , becoming a bit of a local hero in 2015 after a gunman killed a clerk and a customer at the liquor store where he was picking up beer .
Mr. Scott fired on the suspect before he fled .
Kat Ellsworth , who heads the Liberal Gun Club chapter in Illinois and lives in Chicago , is appalled by those who have converged on protests and are openly carrying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been emboldened by Mr. Trump , who has made law and order a central part of his reelection bid .
The scenes of primarily white men openly carrying firearms on city streets or of those who have flocked to state Capitols to protest pandemic business restrictions are a demonstration , she believes , of white privilege .
She ’ s convinced that a group of Black gun owners with AR-15s in public would be dealt with much differently .
“ I view them as instigators and I view them as people looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ color , ” said Ms. Ellsworth , who is white .
The killings in Kenosha almost immediately opened a new front in the culture wars over guns .
Fox News ’ Tucker Carlson called the episode a result of authorities refusing to bring law and order to the city .
“ How shocked are we that 17-year-olds with rifles decided they had to maintain order when no one else would ?
” Mr. Carlson said .
Around the same time last week , Mark and Patricia McCloskey , who were seen outside their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rifle and a handgun , were given a prime-time slot at the Republican National Convention , where they defended their right to bear arms .
In the first half of this year , the turmoil has fueled unprecedented buying of firearms .
Every month so far has smashed last year ’ s numbers of background checks .
In a few instances , the number of background checks have soared past previous records set by a background check system that began in 1998 .
So far this year , nearly 23 million background checks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ checks were for firearm purchases .
Still , the gun industry estimates that 40 % of firearm purchases have been made by first-time buyers , or about 5 million people .
Ed Turner , a former police officer from metro Atlanta who now owns gun shops in Georgia , said he cringes seeing people openly carrying firearms .
If someone is truly worried about their own safety , he said , concealing the weapon is “ a much better approach than walking around like John Wayne.
” Among the people flocking to his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women , African Americans , and Latinos concerned about their personal safety and buying a firearm for the first time .
He considers their concerns justified amid calls to “ defund the police ” and protests that sometimes resulted in police stations being attacked .
“ I am stunned that that behavior is allowed to go on , ” he said .
Gun control activists have viewed the situation in Kenosha , as well as the other protests that have drawn people openly carrying firearms , as a direct result of Mr. Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is because of an extreme worldview that has been only encouraged at the highest levels of government and by the gun lobby that has condoned their presence there , ” said Nick Suplina , managing director of law and policy at Everytown for Gun Safety .
“ The presence of armed militia at these protests are not there merely to protect property but are there to intimidate protesters , to chill speech , and sometimes worse.
” This story was reported by The Associated Press .

The scenes have become commonplace in 2020: People gathered at state Capitols with semiautomatic long guns strapped across their chests. A couple near St. Louis emerging from their mansion brandishing firearms as Black Lives Matter demonstrators marched by the house. Men roaming the streets with rifles during protests over racial inequality, punctuated by two people being killed in Wisconsin and another in Oregon over the weekend.
The coronavirus pandemic, protests against racism and police killings, a rancorous election and some people’s perception that cities are being overrun by violent mobs have brought about a markedly more aggressive stance by some gun owners and widened the divide over firearms in the United States.
Americans are turning out more often and more visibly with guns, a sign of the tension engulfing the country.
Last week’s arrest of a 17-year-old accused of killing two people in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with a semiautomatic rifle is just the latest flashpoint. Over the weekend, supporters of President Donald Trump streamed into Portland, Oregon, resulting in a clash with protesters that ended with a supporter of a right-wing group fatally shot.
The white teenager and other gun-toting protesters have been denounced as radical vigilantes who benefit from a double-standard – that if they were Black gun owners brandishing their firearms, the police would use deadly force against them.
To others, they are patriots seeking to bring law and order to cities that have been overtaken by extremists.
“I would have done the same thing, to be honest with you,” Todd Scott, of Covington, Georgia, said of the teenager in Kenosha. He’s viewed video of the teen, Kyle Rittenhouse, being chased by protesters and believes he was acting in self-defense.
Mr. Scott himself once used his gun to break up violence, becoming a bit of a local hero in 2015 after a gunman killed a clerk and a customer at the liquor store where he was picking up beer. Mr. Scott fired on the suspect before he fled.
Kat Ellsworth, who heads the Liberal Gun Club chapter in Illinois and lives in Chicago, is appalled by those who have converged on protests and are openly carrying firearms. She believes those gun owners have been emboldened by Mr. Trump, who has made law and order a central part of his reelection bid.
The scenes of primarily white men openly carrying firearms on city streets or of those who have flocked to state Capitols to protest pandemic business restrictions are a demonstration, she believes, of white privilege. She’s convinced that a group of Black gun owners with AR-15s in public would be dealt with much differently.
“I view them as instigators and I view them as people looking for an excuse to shoot people of color,” said Ms. Ellsworth, who is white.
The killings in Kenosha almost immediately opened a new front in the culture wars over guns. Fox News’ Tucker Carlson called the episode a result of authorities refusing to bring law and order to the city.
“How shocked are we that 17-year-olds with rifles decided they had to maintain order when no one else would?” Mr. Carlson said.
Around the same time last week, Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who were seen outside their St. Louis home in June brandishing a rifle and a handgun, were given a prime-time slot at the Republican National Convention, where they defended their right to bear arms.
In the first half of this year, the turmoil has fueled unprecedented buying of firearms.
Every month so far has smashed last year’s numbers of background checks. In a few instances, the number of background checks have soared past previous records set by a background check system that began in 1998.
So far this year, nearly 23 million background checks have been conducted, though not all checks were for firearm purchases. Still, the gun industry estimates that 40% of firearm purchases have been made by first-time buyers, or about 5 million people.
Ed Turner, a former police officer from metro Atlanta who now owns gun shops in Georgia, said he cringes seeing people openly carrying firearms. If someone is truly worried about their own safety, he said, concealing the weapon is “a much better approach than walking around like John Wayne.”
Among the people flocking to his gun shops, he has seen mostly women, African Americans, and Latinos concerned about their personal safety and buying a firearm for the first time. He considers their concerns justified amid calls to “defund the police” and protests that sometimes resulted in police stations being attacked.
“I am stunned that that behavior is allowed to go on,” he said.
Gun control activists have viewed the situation in Kenosha, as well as the other protests that have drawn people openly carrying firearms, as a direct result of Mr. Trump’s firebrand rhetoric.
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“It is because of an extreme worldview that has been only encouraged at the highest levels of government and by the gun lobby that has condoned their presence there,” said Nick Suplina, managing director of law and policy at Everytown for Gun Safety. “The presence of armed militia at these protests are not there merely to protect property but are there to intimidate protesters, to chill speech, and sometimes worse.”
This story was reported by The Associated Press.


csmonitor--2020-09-02--How the US, Russia could hinder – or help – democracy in Belarus

Hindered by frayed ties with Europe , limited leverage , and doubts about President Donald Trump ’ s devotion to democracy in Belarus , the United States is gingerly trying to nudge the former Soviet state toward new elections without provoking Russia .
Current and former U.S. officials acknowledge the challenge of promoting change in Belarus , which faces protests over an Aug. 9 election that the opposition says was rigged to extend the 26-year reign of President Alexander Lukashenko .
Mr. Lukashenko , who denies fraud , has responded with a violent crackdown on the protests and shown no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by three Baltic states on Monday and the threat , by a senior U.S. State Department official on Tuesday , of impending U.S. sanctions .
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made no secret of his interest in Belarus , which is a conduit for Russian oil and gas to Europe and is vital to Moscow ’ s European defense strategy .
Russia has formed a police force to back Mr. Lukashenko if necessary and Mr. Putin has invited him to Moscow for talks .
Washington wants a way to bolster democracy in Belarus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun told Russian officials last week in Moscow – would further damage U.S.-Russian ties .
Mr. Biegun also visited Ukraine , which borders Belarus , and Vienna , home to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE ) , where he promoted the regional security group that includes Belarus , European nations , Russia , and the U.S. as a vehicle to find a solution .
“ This is not a contest between East and West , and certainly not a contest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said on Friday , calling for violence against protesters to stop , those “ unjustly detained ” to be freed and “ a truly free and fair election under independent observation.
” Experts said he has an uphill climb .
“ He has to work in the face of a lot of friction and unnecessary tension in U.S.-European relations and in the face of President Trump ’ s own apparent ambivalence about supporting democracy , ” said Dan Fried , the former top U.S. diplomat for Europe who is now at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican president , running against Democratic former vice president Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 U.S. election , has said little about Belarus , leaving some analysts with the impression he has scant interest .
“ I like seeing democracy , ” he told reporters on Aug. 18 .
“ It doesn ’ t seem like it ’ s too much democracy there.
” A senior U.S. official said the United States and European Union were closely coordinating to find a way that avoids overt Russian intervention and opens “ space ” for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lukashenko on transitioning from his rule .
“ We are not looking to impose a solution or suggest that we need to have a seat at the table , ” the official said on condition of anonymity .
A European diplomat , however , saw little chance for the United States and the EU to succeed via the OSCE because Belarus and Russia , as members of a group that operates by consensus , would be unlikely to go along .
While the OSCE is “ the right forum , ” Mr. Putin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possibly looking to buy time for a “ managed transition ” to another leader acceptable to Russia and the opposition , said the diplomat on condition of anonymity .
“ I don ’ t think anybody is naive enough to believe that the OSCE path is going to be easy , ” he said .
“ Everybody recognizes the complexity.
” Asked if Mr. Trump cared about Belarus , this diplomat paused and replied : “ Well , difficult for me to say .
I think the United States does ... [ care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have dispatched the deputy secretary ” to the region .
Belarusian protesters have been careful not to wave EU or U.S. flags , but have instead brandished red and white flags used in Belarus after the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union before Mr. Lukashenko restored the Soviet version of the flag .
Aware of the potential geopolitical risks , they have steered clear of being drawn into conversations about whether they want to exit Moscow ’ s orbit , saying they want strong relations with all countries .
Andrew Weiss , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. National Security Council and is now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank , said “ neither the U.S. nor the EU has much leverage over Mr. Lukashenko.
” “ That makes it very hard to push the Belarusian government to re-run a stolen election , ” he said .
“ Putin is a master at creating leverage , which is precisely why he indicated that Russia is potentially poised to come in militarily if requested , or even if not requested.
” This story was reported by Reuters .

Hindered by frayed ties with Europe, limited leverage, and doubts about President Donald Trump’s devotion to democracy in Belarus, the United States is gingerly trying to nudge the former Soviet state toward new elections without provoking Russia.
Current and former U.S. officials acknowledge the challenge of promoting change in Belarus, which faces protests over an Aug. 9 election that the opposition says was rigged to extend the 26-year reign of President Alexander Lukashenko.
Mr. Lukashenko, who denies fraud, has responded with a violent crackdown on the protests and shown no sign of backing down despite sanctions imposed by three Baltic states on Monday and the threat, by a senior U.S. State Department official on Tuesday, of impending U.S. sanctions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has made no secret of his interest in Belarus, which is a conduit for Russian oil and gas to Europe and is vital to Moscow’s European defense strategy. Russia has formed a police force to back Mr. Lukashenko if necessary and Mr. Putin has invited him to Moscow for talks.
Washington wants a way to bolster democracy in Belarus that avoids Russian intervention, something which – as U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun told Russian officials last week in Moscow – would further damage U.S.-Russian ties.
Mr. Biegun also visited Ukraine, which borders Belarus, and Vienna, home to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), where he promoted the regional security group that includes Belarus, European nations, Russia, and the U.S. as a vehicle to find a solution.
“This is not a contest between East and West, and certainly not a contest between Russia and the United States,” he said on Friday, calling for violence against protesters to stop, those “unjustly detained” to be freed and “a truly free and fair election under independent observation.”
Experts said he has an uphill climb.
“He has to work in the face of a lot of friction and unnecessary tension in U.S.-European relations and in the face of President Trump’s own apparent ambivalence about supporting democracy,” said Dan Fried, the former top U.S. diplomat for Europe who is now at the Atlantic Council think tank.
The Republican president, running against Democratic former vice president Joe Biden in the Nov. 3 U.S. election, has said little about Belarus, leaving some analysts with the impression he has scant interest.
“I like seeing democracy,” he told reporters on Aug. 18. “It doesn’t seem like it’s too much democracy there.”
Concerns about Russian intervention
A senior U.S. official said the United States and European Union were closely coordinating to find a way that avoids overt Russian intervention and opens “space” for a dialog between the opposition and Mr. Lukashenko on transitioning from his rule.
“We are not looking to impose a solution or suggest that we need to have a seat at the table,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
A European diplomat, however, saw little chance for the United States and the EU to succeed via the OSCE because Belarus and Russia, as members of a group that operates by consensus, would be unlikely to go along.
While the OSCE is “the right forum,” Mr. Putin is now sticking with Mr. Lukashenko, possibly looking to buy time for a “managed transition” to another leader acceptable to Russia and the opposition, said the diplomat on condition of anonymity.
Another European diplomat acknowledged the difficulty.
“I don’t think anybody is naive enough to believe that the OSCE path is going to be easy,” he said. “Everybody recognizes the complexity.”
Asked if Mr. Trump cared about Belarus, this diplomat paused and replied: “Well, difficult for me to say. I think the United States does ... [care] about Belarus – otherwise it would not have dispatched the deputy secretary” to the region.
Belarusian protesters have been careful not to wave EU or U.S. flags, but have instead brandished red and white flags used in Belarus after the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union before Mr. Lukashenko restored the Soviet version of the flag.
Aware of the potential geopolitical risks, they have steered clear of being drawn into conversations about whether they want to exit Moscow’s orbit, saying they want strong relations with all countries.
Andrew Weiss, who served on the staff of the U.S. National Security Council and is now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace think tank, said “neither the U.S. nor the EU has much leverage over Mr. Lukashenko.”
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“That makes it very hard to push the Belarusian government to re-run a stolen election,” he said. “Putin is a master at creating leverage, which is precisely why he indicated that Russia is potentially poised to come in militarily if requested, or even if not requested.”
This story was reported by Reuters.


csmonitor--2020-09-02--Migrants trying to reach Europe squeezed by pandemic and the sea

Migrants are increasingly crossing a treacherous part of the Atlantic Ocean to reach the Canary Islands , a Spanish archipelago near West Africa , in what has become one of the most dangerous routes to European territory .
About 4,000 people have survived the perilous journey this year .
More than 250 others have died or gone missing , according to the International Organization for Migration .
That ’ s already more than the number of people who perished trying to cross the Western Mediterranean in all of last year .
In the week that The Associated Press spent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , at least 20 bodies were recovered .
The increase in traffic to the Canaries comes after the European Union funded Morocco in 2019 to stop migrants from reaching southern Spain via the Mediterranean Sea .
While arrivals to mainland Spain decreased by 50 % compared to the same period last year , landings in the Canary Islands have increased by 550 % .
In August alone there were more than 850 arrivals by sea to the Canaries , according to an AP tally of numbers released by Spain ’ s Interior Ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hawa Diabaté was fleeing her native Ivory Coast by boat with her 2-year-old daughter , Noura , to what she believed was continental Europe .
The only person who wasn ’ t crying on the boat was Noura .
Unlike the 60 adults on board , only Noura was oblivious to the risks of crossing the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean in an overcrowded rubber dinghy .
As the waves quickly got bigger and people more nervous , Noura told her mother , “ Be quiet , mama !
Boza , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diabaté recalled .
The expression is used by sub-Saharan migrants to celebrate a successful crossing .
After several hours in the ocean , it was finally “ Boza.
” Spain ’ s Maritime Rescue Service brought them to safety on one of the Canary Islands .
Arrivals this year are still low compared to the 30,000 migrants who reached the islands in 2006 .
But they are at their highest in over a decade since Spain stemmed the flow of sea arrivals to just a few hundred a year through deals with West @ @ @ @ @ @ @ migration back to the Canaries has raised alarms at the highest levels of the Spanish government .
Spain ’ s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez ’ s first trip abroad following the pandemic lockdown was to Mauritania , one of the main departure points .
Most recently , the interior ministry announced a donation of 1.5 million euros in border surveillance equipment to six West African countries .
But human rights organizations say those arriving to Spanish shores are only a fraction of those departing .
“ We are only seeing the tip of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the United Nations High Commissioners for Refugees ’ representative in Spain , who recently visited the archipelago .
“ They are taking impossible routes.
” It can take one to 10 days to reach the Spanish islands , with the closest departure point being in Tarfaya , Morocco ( 62 miles ) and the furthest recorded this year in Barra , in The Gambia ( more than 1,000 miles ) .
It is common for migrants to run out of food , water , and fuel after only a few days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ were spotted inside a wooden boat by a Spanish plane 92 miles from the island of Gran Canaria and towed back to port .
At nightfall , workers pulled the bloated corpses , one by one , out of the boat with a crane .
The next day , police collected what was left behind as evidence : a wallet , a dozen cellphones , windbreakers , and waterproof boots .
Less than 24 hours later , another migrant boat was rescued and brought to the island with 12 people and four dead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survivors had witnessed their comrades die along the way .
“ They almost didn ’ t speak , ” said José Antonio Rodríguez , who heads the regional Red Cross immediate response teams .
“ They were in a state of shock.
” One of the 12 rescued died before he could reach a hospital .
Human rights organizations aren ’ t just concerned with the high number of deaths .
“ There ’ s been a change in profile , ” said Ms. Muller , the UNHCR representative in Spain .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from the Ivory Coast , more women , more children , more profiles that would be in need of international protection.
” The Interior Ministry of Spain denied requests by the Associated Press to share nationalities of recent arrivals to the Canary Islands , claiming the information could impact international relations with the countries of origin .
But UNHCR estimates that around 35 % of those arriving by boat come from Mali – the nation at war with Islamic extremists where a coup d ’ état recently toppled president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women and 12 % under 18 , Ms. Muller said .
Kassim Diallo fled Mali after his father was killed in an extremist attack targeting an army base near his village in Sokolo in late January .
On Feb. 29 , the 21-year-old got aboard a rubber boat in Laayoune in the Western Sahara with 35 other men , women , and children .
After nearly 20 hours in the water , his group was rescued and brought to the island of Fuerteventura .
“ It is not normal .
A human being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how else can we do it ?
” said Mr. Diallo .
Like most of those who crossed by boat to the archipelago this year , Mr. Diallo has been stuck on the islands for months .
Although forced return flights to Mauritania have been halted by the pandemic , the Spanish government has also forbidden newly arrived migrants from going to the mainland , even after travel restrictions were lifted for nationals and tourists .
Only a few groups , mainly women and children , have been transferred on an ad-hoc basis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people from leaving the Canaries has turned the islands into an open-air prison , ” said Txema Santana , who represents the local office of the Spanish Commission to Help Refugees .
This story was reported by The Associated Press .
This story was funded in part by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting .
Editor ’ s note : As a public service , the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage .
It ’ s free .

Migrants are increasingly crossing a treacherous part of the Atlantic Ocean to reach the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago near West Africa, in what has become one of the most dangerous routes to European territory.
About 4,000 people have survived the perilous journey this year. More than 250 others have died or gone missing, according to the International Organization for Migration. That’s already more than the number of people who perished trying to cross the Western Mediterranean in all of last year.
In the week that The Associated Press spent in the Canary Islands to report this story, at least 20 bodies were recovered.
The increase in traffic to the Canaries comes after the European Union funded Morocco in 2019 to stop migrants from reaching southern Spain via the Mediterranean Sea. While arrivals to mainland Spain decreased by 50% compared to the same period last year, landings in the Canary Islands have increased by 550%. In August alone there were more than 850 arrivals by sea to the Canaries, according to an AP tally of numbers released by Spain’s Interior Ministry and reports by local media and NGOs.
Hawa Diabaté was fleeing her native Ivory Coast by boat with her 2-year-old daughter, Noura, to what she believed was continental Europe. The only person who wasn’t crying on the boat was Noura.
Unlike the 60 adults on board, only Noura was oblivious to the risks of crossing the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean in an overcrowded rubber dinghy.
As the waves quickly got bigger and people more nervous, Noura told her mother, “Be quiet, mama! Boza, mama! Boza!”, Ms. Diabaté recalled. The expression is used by sub-Saharan migrants to celebrate a successful crossing.
After several hours in the ocean, it was finally “Boza.” Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service brought them to safety on one of the Canary Islands.
Arrivals this year are still low compared to the 30,000 migrants who reached the islands in 2006. But they are at their highest in over a decade since Spain stemmed the flow of sea arrivals to just a few hundred a year through deals with West African countries.
The striking shift in migration back to the Canaries has raised alarms at the highest levels of the Spanish government. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s first trip abroad following the pandemic lockdown was to Mauritania, one of the main departure points. Most recently, the interior ministry announced a donation of 1.5 million euros in border surveillance equipment to six West African countries.
But human rights organizations say those arriving to Spanish shores are only a fraction of those departing.
“We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg,” said Sophie Muller, the United Nations High Commissioners for Refugees’ representative in Spain, who recently visited the archipelago. “They are taking impossible routes.”
It can take one to 10 days to reach the Spanish islands, with the closest departure point being in Tarfaya, Morocco (62 miles) and the furthest recorded this year in Barra, in The Gambia (more than 1,000 miles). It is common for migrants to run out of food, water, and fuel after only a few days.
On August 19, 15 lifeless Malians were spotted inside a wooden boat by a Spanish plane 92 miles from the island of Gran Canaria and towed back to port. At nightfall, workers pulled the bloated corpses, one by one, out of the boat with a crane. The next day, police collected what was left behind as evidence: a wallet, a dozen cellphones, windbreakers, and waterproof boots.
Less than 24 hours later, another migrant boat was rescued and brought to the island with 12 people and four dead, as the AP watched. The survivors had witnessed their comrades die along the way.
“They almost didn’t speak,” said José Antonio Rodríguez, who heads the regional Red Cross immediate response teams. “They were in a state of shock.”
One of the 12 rescued died before he could reach a hospital.
Human rights organizations aren’t just concerned with the high number of deaths.
“There’s been a change in profile,” said Ms. Muller, the UNHCR representative in Spain. “We see more arrivals from the Sahel, from the Ivory Coast, more women, more children, more profiles that would be in need of international protection.”
The Interior Ministry of Spain denied requests by the Associated Press to share nationalities of recent arrivals to the Canary Islands, claiming the information could impact international relations with the countries of origin. But UNHCR estimates that around 35% of those arriving by boat come from Mali – the nation at war with Islamic extremists where a coup d’état recently toppled president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. Around 20% of arrivals are women and 12% under 18, Ms. Muller said.
Kassim Diallo fled Mali after his father was killed in an extremist attack targeting an army base near his village in Sokolo in late January.
On Feb. 29, the 21-year-old got aboard a rubber boat in Laayoune in the Western Sahara with 35 other men, women, and children. After nearly 20 hours in the water, his group was rescued and brought to the island of Fuerteventura.
“It is not normal. A human being shouldn’t do this. But how else can we do it?” said Mr. Diallo.
Like most of those who crossed by boat to the archipelago this year, Mr. Diallo has been stuck on the islands for months. Although forced return flights to Mauritania have been halted by the pandemic, the Spanish government has also forbidden newly arrived migrants from going to the mainland, even after travel restrictions were lifted for nationals and tourists. Only a few groups, mainly women and children, have been transferred on an ad-hoc basis via the Red Cross.
“Blocking people from leaving the Canaries has turned the islands into an open-air prison,” said Txema Santana, who represents the local office of the Spanish Commission to Help Refugees.
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empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
This story was reported by The Associated Press. This story was funded in part by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
Editor’s note: As a public service, the Monitor has removed the paywall for all our coronavirus coverage. It’s free.


csmonitor--2020-09-03--Who is Jehoshaphat and why is he jumping?

Where does the expression “ jumpin ’ Jehoshaphat !
” come from ?
A reader wrote in to ask , and I had a lovely time trying to figure it out .
No one is sure how Jehoshaphat ’ s name ended up in this interjection , or why he ’ s jumping , but there are several interesting possibilities .
This mild oath first appeared in a novel from 1866 , when a cowboy-backwoodsman used it to convey his surprise and admiration at how far a horse ( and its beautiful rider ) had jumped : “ By the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she air sure enuf !
” It later became a favorite saying of cartoon cowboy Yosemite Sam , the adversary of Bugs Bunny .
Jumpin ’ Jehoshaphat !
( and just plain Jehoshaphat ! )
originated in the United States during the 19th-century craze for “ minced oaths , ” pseudo-swearwords that replaced profane or blasphemous words with inoffensive ones .
These not-quite oaths could be quite poetic : They rhymed ( holy moly ! )
, used alliteration ( jumpin ’ Jupiter ! )
, and were fun to say ( gee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follows suit .
The Jehoshaphat in question is the biblical king of Judah .
It might seem odd to refer to him as “ jumping , ” since he is best known for standing still .
In 2 Chronicles , Judah is threatened with invasion , and Jehoshaphat and his people pray to God for help .
The Lord tells them , “ the battle is not yours but God ’ s ... take your position , stand still , and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf ” ( 20:15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Judeans emerge victorious .
One might not expect the steadfast Jehoshaphat to begin leaping around , so jumpin ’ Jehoshaphat !
might carry extra force , meaning something like “ I ’ m as surprised as if King Jehoshaphat started jumping !
” Looked at another way , though , Jehoshaphat and jumping go hand in hand .
The king appoints men to sing and to praise God as the soldiers march to meet their enemies .
Such prayer may well have involved leaping and dancing , since leaping is associated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the Bible .
In the Song of Solomon , the beloved comes “ leaping upon the mountains , bounding over the hills ” ( 2:8 ) ; David uses the metaphor of jumping to credit God for his success : “ by my God I can leap over a wall ” ( Psalm 18:29 ) .
And Christ Jesus tells his followers that if the world curses them , they should “ rejoice ... and leap for joy ” for their “ reward is great in heaven ” ( Luke 6:23 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New Testament uses for rejoice is agalliao , which comes from roots that mean literally “ much ” and “ jump.
” If I had to choose the expression ’ s most likely origin , I ’ d say that 19th-century Americans were trying out different words for mild oaths , and that jumpin ’ Jehoshaphat !
was both appropriately biblical and fun to say .

Where does the expression “jumpin’ Jehoshaphat!” come from? A reader wrote in to ask, and I had a lovely time trying to figure it out. No one is sure how Jehoshaphat’s name ended up in this interjection, or why he’s jumping, but there are several interesting possibilities.
This mild oath first appeared in a novel from 1866, when a cowboy-backwoodsman used it to convey his surprise and admiration at how far a horse (and its beautiful rider) had jumped: “By the jumpin’ Geehosofat, what a gurl she air sure enuf!” It later became a favorite saying of cartoon cowboy Yosemite Sam, the adversary of Bugs Bunny.
Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat! (and just plain Jehoshaphat!) originated in the United States during the 19th-century craze for “minced oaths,” pseudo-swearwords that replaced profane or blasphemous words with inoffensive ones. These not-quite oaths could be quite poetic: They rhymed (holy moly!), used alliteration (jumpin’ Jupiter!), and were fun to say (gee willikers!). Jumpin’ Jehoshaphat follows suit.
The Jehoshaphat in question is the biblical king of Judah. It might seem odd to refer to him as “jumping,” since he is best known for standing still. In 2 Chronicles, Judah is threatened with invasion, and Jehoshaphat and his people pray to God for help. The Lord tells them, “the battle is not yours but God’s ... take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord on your behalf” (20:15, 17 New Revised Standard Version). The Judeans emerge victorious. One might not expect the steadfast Jehoshaphat to begin leaping around, so jumpin’ Jehoshaphat! might carry extra force, meaning something like “I’m as surprised as if King Jehoshaphat started jumping!”
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Looked at another way, though, Jehoshaphat and jumping go hand in hand. The king appoints men to sing and to praise God as the soldiers march to meet their enemies. Such prayer may well have involved leaping and dancing, since leaping is associated with joy and the praise of God across the Bible. In the Song of Solomon, the beloved comes “leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills” (2:8); David uses the metaphor of jumping to credit God for his success: “by my God I can leap over a wall” (Psalm 18:29). And Christ Jesus tells his followers that if the world curses them, they should “rejoice ... and leap for joy” for their “reward is great in heaven” (Luke 6:23). One of the Greek words the New Testament uses for rejoice is agalliao, which comes from roots that mean literally “much” and “jump.”
If I had to choose the expression’s most likely origin, I’d say that 19th-century Americans were trying out different words for mild oaths, and that jumpin’ Jehoshaphat! was both appropriately biblical and fun to say.


csmonitor--2020-09-03--To the Russian manor born: Public gets a rare chance to walk historic halls

“ You can ’ t just call this a ‘ restored estate , ’ ” says Vadim Razumov , a blogger and photographer who documents pre-Revolutionary noble estates in Russia .
“ He didn ’ t build a fence around it , but opened it for people to come and experience a piece of history .
...
In Europe there are places like this , old castles and estates that have found a new public purpose , but this is a whole new thing in Russia.
” Mr. Vasiliev decided to fix that .
Working from archival materials like letters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the palace in its heyday – and making a lot of educated guesses – he has restored dozens of rooms , corridors , and the grand staircase to their former appearance .
Moreover , he has opened it up to the Russian public , thousands of whom have been coming during the past couple of years , mainly in day trips from Moscow , some 100 miles to the east .
Before investment banker Sergei Vasiliev bought it , the Kurakin palace was just one of the thousands of abandoned aristocratic estates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ palace had served as a psychiatric institution during the Soviet era , it was a far cry from its former 19th-century glory .
A huge , glittering aristocratic palace , surrounded by rambling gardens , quiet forests , and well-stocked fishing ponds was once a fairly common sight in the Russian countryside , at least in czarist times .
Always nearby would be the impoverished villages of peasants who toiled on the land , provided servants for the great house , and soldiers for the czar ’ s army .
But a century @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the owners of these extravagant estates fled , leaving their lavish homes to be burned , swallowed up by the forests , or used as stables or storehouses for collective farms .
One of those was the estate of the Kurakin family , who lived in a lavish , sprawling palace at Stepanovskoye-Volosovo for almost 200 years before that last members of the clan were evicted by the Bolsheviks in 1918 .
The main building was used as a mental health facility for much of the Soviet period , gradually decaying until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But then a very wealthy Russian investment banker , Sergei Vasiliev , took an unusual interest .
He spent years navigating the murky legal environment with the aim of purchasing the ruined estate and , once he acquired title , began pouring in millions of dollars of his own money to restore the palace and its grounds to its former 19th-century glory .
Today , though he and his family often live there , he has opened it up to the Russian public , thousands of whom have been coming over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day trips from Moscow .
Notes in the visitors ’ book express appreciation , wonder , curiosity , and none of the old Soviet-era hostility to the idea of a magnificent , privately owned palace that ’ s stuffed with valuable art works .
“ You can ’ t just call this a ‘ restored estate , ’ ” says Vadim Razumov , a blogger and photographer who documents the condition of some 80,000 pre-Revolutionary noble estates in Russia .
“ What Sergei Vasiliev did was to restore it as a living estate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a way of life .
He didn ’ t build a fence around it , but opened it for people to come and experience a piece of history .
...
In Europe there are places like this , old castles and estates that have found a new public purpose , but this is a whole new thing in Russia.
” The Soviet regime turned a few czarist palaces into museums or art galleries , so that people could come and view the extreme luxury in which their former masters had lived and , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own .
It was not an unpopular aspect of Soviet life .
But in the economic and political turmoil that followed the USSR ’ s collapse , almost no one gave much thought to the thousands of decaying manorial estates whose remains still dot the Russian countryside .
Only recently has it even occurred to anyone to try counting them .
A recent effort by culture officials in Tver region , which lies between Moscow and St. Petersburg , found that of the 1,230 noble estates that had existed in the province @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in any shape to be registered as worthy of state protection .
Of those , just eight are in “ satisfactory technical condition.
” Officials in Tver say they have no funds for reviving any of these objects , and the only hope is to attract private investors .
And the positive example they cite is the Kurakin estate .
The Kurakin family produced several leading diplomatic lights during the 18th and 19th centuries .
But if the name sounds vaguely familiar even to those not well versed in Russian diplomatic history , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy , who was fond of fictionalizing the preeminent aristocratic families of his world by slightly altering their name .
A notable character in War & Peace is the roguish Anatole Kuragin , who wreaks a great deal of mischief in Russian high society along with his sister , the beautiful but calculating Helena Kuragina .
That ’ s a fun fact that actually draws visitors to the restored estate today .
Photos from a decade ago show the former palace a dilapidated and thoroughly-looted wreck , with fire-scarred walls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and an earthen ramp where the grand entrance had been .
Mr. Vasiliev , working from archival materials like letters and diaries of people who attended parties at the palace in its heyday – and making a lot of educated guesses – has restored dozens of rooms , corridors , and the grand staircase to their former appearance .
“ I have no aristocratic roots .
I was a regular Soviet guy , who graduated in 1990 as an aeronautical engineer , ” says Mr. Vasiliev .
“ I became a successful investment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the global crisis of 2008 , when it seemed like you could put money into anything and it would grow .
That ’ s when I got the idea to rebuild this place .
But even after the crisis , when things were tougher , I didn ’ t put it on pause .
A project like this lasts a lifetime .
Once you begin , you can ’ t stop.
” He and his family have scoured antique shops and flea markets in Europe to find compatible furniture , knick-knacks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ works adorning the walls are copies of ones that might have hung there , including a complete set of lithographs painstakingly re-acquired from a 19th century list found an old archive .
The grounds , including an apothecary garden , ponds , gazebos and quiet forest paths , have all been brought back and , on a summer weekend , are full of curious tourists .
The rebirth is n't confined to the estate grounds , says Mr. Razumov .
“ The surrounding villages are coming to life , because it provides jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ future we might see hotels , restaurants and other services flourishing all around.
” Olga Murashova , from the neighboring village of Dorozhaeva , says many local people have found work in the restoration project , and she herself earns good money giving guided tours of the estate to visitors who wish it .
“ You can ’ t believe what it was like around here before , ” she says .
“ Mud , desolation , everything overgrown with weeds and brush .
The only inhabitants were moles .
There wasn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , are people happy about what Sergei Anatolyevich [ Vasiliev ] has done here ?
Of course we are.
” “ I had originally thought of this as a country retreat for my family , but my ideas changed as the project developed , ” says Mr. Vasiliev .
“ I learned the history of the place , and the family that had occupied it .
And as I delved into that , I got drawn into the parade of Russian history that they were so closely connected with .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet – and it took years to restore .
As I worked at it , I came to the realization that you just can ’ t close something like this off , it needs to be open to people , ” he says .
“ It ’ s not that the state ordered me to do anything , I just knew that it ’ s something bigger than a piece of family property.
” That ’ s not a common attitude among Russia ’ s new rich , but it may be creeping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , old gems of architecture have long since been restored , almost exclusively for commercial purposes , and that process has changed the outward appearance of even many smaller provincial towns over the past couple decades .
But the fate of decaying pre-Revolutionary countryside manors is more troublesome : They tend to be bottomless money-pits , with minimal commercial potential .
“ There are plenty of examples in Europe , where you can buy a ruin and take your time deciding how , or whether , to restore it , ” says Dmitry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Russia ’ s Ministry of Culture .
“ In Russia , the state still places too many conditions on new owners , and requires them to restore the property within 5 years .
But not everyone is Sergei Vasiliev.
” Still , he says , in the past few years there has been a growing trend to purchase and renovate old houses , not just of the grand residences of the aristocracy but also homes of the merchant and rich farmer classes in czarist Russia .
“ People are becoming aware of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the fact that they still have utility .
When they ’ re fixed up , they still make great homes , ” he says .
“ And the larger society doesn ’ t reject the idea of such property anymore .
People have accepted the principle that an owner is someone who bears responsibility for these objects , even while the public regards them as its own general heritage.
” As for Mr. Vasiliev , he plans to carry on restoring the estate , to extend its farmlands and perhaps revitalize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to thrive here , such as linen , cheese , bricks , and beer that was sold as far away as Moscow .
“ I am not interested in profit , but I ’ d like the estate to become self-sufficient , ” he says .
“ I ’ ve looked at some European examples , so I know it ’ s possible .
I don ’ t want the state to give me anything .
“ But , well , they could improve the local infrastructure , ” he adds .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the only bridge giving access to the estate was built by inmates of the mental hospital after World War II .
Yes , I wish the government would fix the roads .
”

The concept of opening up restored old mansions to the public is familiar in the West, but in Russia, it is a new idea. One Russian banker is running with it, and giving Russians a chance to experience history.
“You can’t just call this a ‘restored estate,’” says Vadim Razumov, a blogger and photographer who documents pre-Revolutionary noble estates in Russia. “He didn’t build a fence around it, but opened it for people to come and experience a piece of history. ... In Europe there are places like this, old castles and estates that have found a new public purpose, but this is a whole new thing in Russia.”
Mr. Vasiliev decided to fix that. Working from archival materials like letters and diaries of people who attended parties at the palace in its heyday – and making a lot of educated guesses – he has restored dozens of rooms, corridors, and the grand staircase to their former appearance. Moreover, he has opened it up to the Russian public, thousands of whom have been coming during the past couple of years, mainly in day trips from Moscow, some 100 miles to the east.
Before investment banker Sergei Vasiliev bought it, the Kurakin palace was just one of the thousands of abandoned aristocratic estates decaying in Russia. Though the 32,000-square-foot palace had served as a psychiatric institution during the Soviet era, it was a far cry from its former 19th-century glory.
A huge, glittering aristocratic palace, surrounded by rambling gardens, quiet forests, and well-stocked fishing ponds was once a fairly common sight in the Russian countryside, at least in czarist times. Always nearby would be the impoverished villages of peasants who toiled on the land, provided servants for the great house, and soldiers for the czar’s army.
But a century ago, amid revolution and civil war, the owners of these extravagant estates fled, leaving their lavish homes to be burned, swallowed up by the forests, or used as stables or storehouses for collective farms.
One of those was the estate of the Kurakin family, who lived in a lavish, sprawling palace at Stepanovskoye-Volosovo for almost 200 years before that last members of the clan were evicted by the Bolsheviks in 1918. The main building was used as a mental health facility for much of the Soviet period, gradually decaying until its main wing burned down in 2005.
Why We Wrote This The concept of opening up restored old mansions to the public is familiar in the West, but in Russia, it is a new idea. One Russian banker is running with it, and giving Russians a chance to experience history.
But then a very wealthy Russian investment banker, Sergei Vasiliev, took an unusual interest.
Fred Weir View caption Hide caption During Russia's czarist era, guests would climb the grand staircase in the palace of Stepanovskoye-Volosovo to reach the upper-level halls, where lavish balls were held.
He spent years navigating the murky legal environment with the aim of purchasing the ruined estate and, once he acquired title, began pouring in millions of dollars of his own money to restore the palace and its grounds to its former 19th-century glory. Today, though he and his family often live there, he has opened it up to the Russian public, thousands of whom have been coming over the past couple of years, mainly in day trips from Moscow. Notes in the visitors’ book express appreciation, wonder, curiosity, and none of the old Soviet-era hostility to the idea of a magnificent, privately owned palace that’s stuffed with valuable art works.
“You can’t just call this a ‘restored estate,’” says Vadim Razumov, a blogger and photographer who documents the condition of some 80,000 pre-Revolutionary noble estates in Russia.
“What Sergei Vasiliev did was to restore it as a living estate that produces its own food and generates a way of life. He didn’t build a fence around it, but opened it for people to come and experience a piece of history. ... In Europe there are places like this, old castles and estates that have found a new public purpose, but this is a whole new thing in Russia.”
The Kurakin estate
The Soviet regime turned a few czarist palaces into museums or art galleries, so that people could come and view the extreme luxury in which their former masters had lived and, at least symbolically, regard it as their own. It was not an unpopular aspect of Soviet life. But in the economic and political turmoil that followed the USSR’s collapse, almost no one gave much thought to the thousands of decaying manorial estates whose remains still dot the Russian countryside.
Fred Weir View caption Hide caption Sergei Vasiliev, the Russian investment banker who has spent many years and a huge fortune restoring the former princely Kurakin family estate, stands with his wife Margarita in front of the palace on July 24, 2020.
Only recently has it even occurred to anyone to try counting them. A recent effort by culture officials in Tver region, which lies between Moscow and St. Petersburg, found that of the 1,230 noble estates that had existed in the province in 1918, only 133 are still in any shape to be registered as worthy of state protection. Of those, just eight are in “satisfactory technical condition.” Officials in Tver say they have no funds for reviving any of these objects, and the only hope is to attract private investors. And the positive example they cite is the Kurakin estate.
The Kurakin family produced several leading diplomatic lights during the 18th and 19th centuries. But if the name sounds vaguely familiar even to those not well versed in Russian diplomatic history, it may be thanks to the great Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy, who was fond of fictionalizing the preeminent aristocratic families of his world by slightly altering their name. A notable character in War & Peace is the roguish Anatole Kuragin, who wreaks a great deal of mischief in Russian high society along with his sister, the beautiful but calculating Helena Kuragina. That’s a fun fact that actually draws visitors to the restored estate today.
Photos from a decade ago show the former palace a dilapidated and thoroughly-looted wreck, with fire-scarred walls, weeds growing from the floors, and an earthen ramp where the grand entrance had been. Mr. Vasiliev, working from archival materials like letters and diaries of people who attended parties at the palace in its heyday – and making a lot of educated guesses – has restored dozens of rooms, corridors, and the grand staircase to their former appearance.
“I have no aristocratic roots. I was a regular Soviet guy, who graduated in 1990 as an aeronautical engineer,” says Mr. Vasiliev. “I became a successful investment banker and there was a time, before the global crisis of 2008, when it seemed like you could put money into anything and it would grow. That’s when I got the idea to rebuild this place. But even after the crisis, when things were tougher, I didn’t put it on pause. A project like this lasts a lifetime. Once you begin, you can’t stop.”
Fred Weir View caption Hide caption The restored fishing and boating pond from the czarist-era estate features a decorative Chinese-style pavilion on one shore. The restored grounds of the palace include an apothecary garden, ponds, gazebos and quiet forest paths.
He and his family have scoured antique shops and flea markets in Europe to find compatible furniture, knick-knacks, drapes, and carpets. The art works adorning the walls are copies of ones that might have hung there, including a complete set of lithographs painstakingly re-acquired from a 19th century list found an old archive. The grounds, including an apothecary garden, ponds, gazebos and quiet forest paths, have all been brought back and, on a summer weekend, are full of curious tourists.
The rebirth isn't confined to the estate grounds, says Mr. Razumov. “The surrounding villages are coming to life, because it provides jobs. Tourists are coming, and in future we might see hotels, restaurants and other services flourishing all around.”
Olga Murashova, from the neighboring village of Dorozhaeva, says many local people have found work in the restoration project, and she herself earns good money giving guided tours of the estate to visitors who wish it.
“You can’t believe what it was like around here before,” she says. “Mud, desolation, everything overgrown with weeds and brush. The only inhabitants were moles. There wasn’t much work to be found. So, are people happy about what Sergei Anatolyevich [Vasiliev] has done here? Of course we are.”
“Bigger than a piece of family property”
“I had originally thought of this as a country retreat for my family, but my ideas changed as the project developed,” says Mr. Vasiliev. “I learned the history of the place, and the family that had occupied it. And as I delved into that, I got drawn into the parade of Russian history that they were so closely connected with.
“The palace is huge – about 32,000 square feet – and it took years to restore. As I worked at it, I came to the realization that you just can’t close something like this off, it needs to be open to people,” he says. “It’s not that the state ordered me to do anything, I just knew that it’s something bigger than a piece of family property.”
That’s not a common attitude among Russia’s new rich, but it may be creeping up on them. In Russian cities, old gems of architecture have long since been restored, almost exclusively for commercial purposes, and that process has changed the outward appearance of even many smaller provincial towns over the past couple decades. But the fate of decaying pre-Revolutionary countryside manors is more troublesome: They tend to be bottomless money-pits, with minimal commercial potential.
“There are plenty of examples in Europe, where you can buy a ruin and take your time deciding how, or whether, to restore it,” says Dmitry Oynas, an adviser on property issues for Russia’s Ministry of Culture. “In Russia, the state still places too many conditions on new owners, and requires them to restore the property within 5 years. But not everyone is Sergei Vasiliev.”
Still, he says, in the past few years there has been a growing trend to purchase and renovate old houses, not just of the grand residences of the aristocracy but also homes of the merchant and rich farmer classes in czarist Russia.
“People are becoming aware of the tourist potential of these old structures, and the fact that they still have utility. When they’re fixed up, they still make great homes,” he says. “And the larger society doesn’t reject the idea of such property anymore. People have accepted the principle that an owner is someone who bears responsibility for these objects, even while the public regards them as its own general heritage.”
As for Mr. Vasiliev, he plans to carry on restoring the estate, to extend its farmlands and perhaps revitalize some of the craft industries that used to thrive here, such as linen, cheese, bricks, and beer that was sold as far away as Moscow.
Get stories that
empower and uplift daily. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads.
“I am not interested in profit, but I’d like the estate to become self-sufficient,” he says. “I’ve looked at some European examples, so I know it’s possible. I don’t want the state to give me anything.
“But, well, they could improve the local infrastructure,” he adds. “The roads leading here are terrible, and the only bridge giving access to the estate was built by inmates of the mental hospital after World War II. Yes, I wish the government would fix the roads.”


csmonitor--2020-09-03--In Kenosha, Biden tries to thread the needle on protests and violence

“ Biden ’ s been forceful about rejecting violence in all forms – and that ’ s good , and it ’ s different from Trump , ” says Rita Kirk , a professor and political communications expert at Southern Methodist University .
“ What he hasn ’ t done is distinguish his plan of action.
” Polls show Mr. Biden holds a seven-point lead on average nationwide .
But the Biden campaign is clearly concerned about the potential for this issue to fracture the Democrat ’ s coalition of suburban moderates , minorities , and urban progressives .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law and order ” candidate , Mr. Biden is trying to thread a political needle by denouncing looting and violence without undermining his bona fides as a champion for racial justice and systemic change .
It remains to be seen whether Mr. Biden ’ s visit will reassure moderate voters who have been jarred by months of sporadic unrest , and who could ultimately tip the election in critical battleground states like Wisconsin .
Former Vice President Joe Biden took a strong stance this week against protest-related violence in cities from Portland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where he paid a visit Thursday , meeting with Jacob Blake ’ s family and other members of the community , two days after President Donald Trump came to survey the damage and express his support for law enforcement .
Former Vice President Joe Biden took a strong stance this week against protest-related violence in cities from Portland , Oregon , to Kenosha , Wisconsin – where he paid a visit Thursday , two days after President Donald Trump came to survey the damage and express his support for law enforcement .
Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blake , who was shot in the back by a white police officer on August 23 , sparking a spate of arson and destruction .
He also spoke to members of the community , on issues ranging from racism to mental health and drug addiction .
It remains to be seen whether his visit will reassure moderate white voters who have been jarred by months of sporadic unrest , and who could ultimately tip the election in critical battleground states like Wisconsin .
Polls show Mr. Biden holds a seven-point lead on average @ @ @ @ @ @ @ battleground states .
A Fox News poll released Wednesday has Mr. Biden ahead in Wisconsin , 49 % to 41 % .
Still , a national poll released this week by Selzer and Company shows that while voters see Mr. Biden in a slightly better light than Mr. Trump , the Democrat ’ s unfavorability rating ticked up from 42 % in March to 48 % in August .
And the Biden campaign is clearly concerned about the potential for this issue to fracture his party ’ s coalition of suburban moderates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump casts himself as the “ law and order ” candidate , Mr. Biden is trying to thread a political needle by denouncing looting and violence without undermining his bona fides as a champion for racial justice and systemic change .
In Kenosha , where the community is still reeling from Mr. Blake ’ s shooting and the damage that followed , Mr. Biden ’ s own supporters offer a range of views .
Some Democrats say they ’ ve been frustrated by the inability of certain mayors and other officials to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relieved Mr. Biden has drawn a bright line .
At the same time , some younger progressives say they don ’ t think he ’ s focusing enough on the root causes .
Many Black voters here say they are looking for a clearer sense of what Mr. Biden would actually do as president to address the issue .
“ Before they even hit the White House , we want something on paper , ” says Justin Blake , Jacob Blake ’ s uncle , at a gathering Tuesday on the street corner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Brother Biden , Sister Harris – take out a pen and show us where you stand.
” On Tuesday , President Trump toured Kenosha ’ s damaged buildings – blaming “ domestic terror ” for the “ anti-American ” violence – and held a roundtable discussion with Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and others at a local high school .
In anticipation of the president ’ s arrival , hundreds of Trump supporters lined the streets , some waiting in lawn chairs , others surveying the local damage themselves .
The scene was tense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , where Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter activists yelled at each another in the street , sometimes just inches apart .
After confronting a woman in a red “ Keep America Great ” hat chanting “ All Lives Matter , ” Angela Whitfield walks away shaking her head .
Ms. Whitfield , who lives in Chicago and has family in Kenosha , says she will “ hold her nose ” and vote for Mr. Biden in November because she dislikes Mr. Trump so much .
But she wishes Mr. Biden would simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to satisfy all sides .
“ He should just come out for what he believes in and let the chips fall where they may , ” says Ms. Whitfield , a charter bus driver who is now unemployed due to COVID-19 .
“ At least Trump does that.
” Other Biden supporters – primarily white voters – argue the former vice president has made his position clear .
They point approvingly to Mr. Biden ’ s speech in Pittsburgh on Monday , where he disavowed rioting and looting as “ lawlessness , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Mr. Trump has not denounced violence perpetrated by right-wing agitators .
Wendy , who declines to give her last name , holds a sign that simply reads : “ Biden denounced all violence.
” “ That ’ s really all you have to know about it , ” she says .
“ He ’ s the only candidate in this race who has done that.
” Farther down Sheridan Road , past dozens of charred cars , Mark Stevens sits atop a three-wheeled bike with a T-shirt that says , “ Don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Clinton.
” Just a few yards away is a makeshift memorial to Anthony Huber , one of two protesters whom authorities charge were fatally shot by Kyle Rittenhouse , a 17-year old from Illinois , during a skirmish .
On the night of the worst violence , Mr. Stevens recounts , his son used an orange plastic bucket filled with water to try to douse cars that had been set on fire until the police told him to go inside .
He says he ’ s glad Mr. Biden has taken a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s come out very forcefully .
Whether you ’ re on the right side , the left side , liberal or conservative , all this has to stop , ” says Mr. Stevens .
“ He said very strongly , this is wrong.
” Still , Marilyn Gunderson , a lifelong Democrat who couldn ’ t understand why some of her relatives were voting for “ that nut ” Donald Trump in 2016 , now says she won ’ t be voting for Mr. Biden in the fall .
She criticizes local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as nearby Chicago for being unable or unwilling to tamp down the unrest .
“ They should have got help here right away , and that boy wouldn ’ t have shot those people , ” she says , referring to Mr. Rittenhouse .
At the same time , Arcadia Schmidt wishes Mr. Biden wouldn ’ t condemn the violence at all .
The Milwaukee college student , who ’ s been in Kenosha for much of the past week , says violence isn ’ t just limited to protests .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not invest in marginalized communities , she says , adding that property isn ’ t worth more than human lives – a point that was echoed in a weekend rally in Kenosha .
Ms. Schmidt , who identifies herself as affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America , says it seems like Mr. Biden is not “ in full support of the protests.
” “ I don ’ t think it ’ s his place to say [ violence is ] wrong or not – and I think if he does it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she says .
“ People don ’ t have any other options .
If you ’ ve taken away everything , what else can they do ?
” Some Kenoshans say Mr. Biden actually faces less of a balancing act than it seems – because the majority of his supporters , outside the extremes , share the same basic goals : They want progress on racial justice , and they are opposed to violence .
“ Just stand on the truth , ” says state Sen. Lena Taylor , who has represented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ And then you can stand firmly.
” Mr. Biden won the crowded Democratic primary in large part because of resounding support from Black voters in South Carolina , many of whom viewed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders , a Democratic Socialist , as too far to the left .
He has resisted calls to defund the police – a rallying cry of progressive activists – although he has suggested withholding federal dollars from police departments who violate new national standards .
He also says he would provide $ 300 million for departments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more diverse officers .
The Biden campaign is directing $ 45 million into a new TV ad campaign that features excerpts of Mr. Biden ’ s Pittsburgh speech calling for the prosecution of rioters and looters , and hitting back at Mr. Trump .
“ His failure to call on his own supporters to stop acting as an armed militia in this country shows how weak he is , ” the former vice president says .
“ Biden ’ s been forceful about rejecting violence in all forms – and that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Trump , ” says Rita Kirk , a professor and political communications expert at Southern Methodist University .
“ What he hasn ’ t done is distinguish his plan of action.
” Indeed , while Mr. Biden has proposed various reforms on policing and to combat systemic racism , his plans haven ’ t seemed to reach many young voters in Kenosha .
“ I have not even seen Biden ’ s response , but a response is not what we need , ” says Gabi Taylor .
“ Change the laws.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ community activist with the group ComForce MKE in Milwaukee , watched Mr. Biden ’ s speech on Monday and said it disappointed him – particularly when Mr. Biden referenced his past record as a reason to trust him .
“ I was like , ‘ Really , Biden ?
’ ” says Mr. Mayes , noting Mr. Biden ’ s role in passing the 1994 crime bill , which is seen as a key contributor to mass incarceration of Black Americans .
“ You have to be careful when you reference your history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mr. Mayes says he ’ ll vote for Mr. Biden in November , because the current president “ has got to go.
” Likewise , Yvonne , who lives across the street from where Mr. Blake was shot and watched at the window with the person who filmed the viral video of the incident , was unimpressed with Mr. Biden ’ s comments in Pittsburgh .
“ It ’ s nothing to make us trip over each other on our ways to polls , ” says Yvonne , who declines to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll vote for him , ” she adds , throwing up her hands , “ cause I ’ m a Democrat .
”

“Biden’s been forceful about rejecting violence in all forms – and that’s good, and it’s different from Trump,” says Rita Kirk, a professor and political communications expert at Southern Methodist University. “What he hasn’t done is distinguish his plan of action.”
Polls show Mr. Biden holds a seven-point lead on average nationwide. But the Biden campaign is clearly concerned about the potential for this issue to fracture the Democrat’s coalition of suburban moderates, minorities, and urban progressives. As President Trump casts himself as the “law and order” candidate, Mr. Biden is trying to thread a political needle by denouncing looting and violence without undermining his bona fides as a champion for racial justice and systemic change.
Joe Biden’s supporters express a range of concerns – from longtime Democrats frustrated by recurring violence to younger progressives more focused on root causes. Satisfying them all may not be easy.
It remains to be seen whether Mr. Biden’s visit will reassure moderate voters who have been jarred by months of sporadic unrest, and who could ultimately tip the election in critical battleground states like Wisconsin.
Former Vice President Joe Biden took a strong stance this week against protest-related violence in cities from Portland, Oregon, to Kenosha, Wisconsin – where he paid a visit Thursday, meeting with Jacob Blake’s family and other members of the community, two days after President Donald Trump came to survey the damage and express his support for law enforcement.
Former Vice President Joe Biden took a strong stance this week against protest-related violence in cities from Portland, Oregon, to Kenosha, Wisconsin – where he paid a visit Thursday, two days after President Donald Trump came to survey the damage and express his support for law enforcement.
Mr. Biden met with the family of Jacob Blake, who was shot in the back by a white police officer on August 23, sparking a spate of arson and destruction. He also spoke to members of the community, on issues ranging from racism to mental health and drug addiction.
It remains to be seen whether his visit will reassure moderate white voters who have been jarred by months of sporadic unrest, and who could ultimately tip the election in critical battleground states like Wisconsin.
Why We Wrote This Joe Biden’s supporters express a range of concerns – from longtime Democrats frustrated by recurring violence to younger progressives more focused on root causes. Satisfying them all may not be easy.
Polls show Mr. Biden holds a seven-point lead on average nationwide, and also leads in most battleground states. A Fox News poll released Wednesday has Mr. Biden ahead in Wisconsin, 49% to 41%. Still, a national poll released this week by Selzer and Company shows that while voters see Mr. Biden in a slightly better light than Mr. Trump, the Democrat’s unfavorability rating ticked up from 42% in March to 48% in August.
And the Biden campaign is clearly concerned about the potential for this issue to fracture his party’s coalition of suburban moderates, minorities, and urban progressives. As President Trump casts himself as the “law and order” candidate, Mr. Biden is trying to thread a political needle by denouncing looting and violence without undermining his bona fides as a champion for racial justice and systemic change.
In Kenosha, where the community is still reeling from Mr. Blake’s shooting and the damage that followed, Mr. Biden’s own supporters offer a range of views. Some Democrats say they’ve been frustrated by the inability of certain mayors and other officials to tamp down the violence, and are relieved Mr. Biden has drawn a bright line. At the same time, some younger progressives say they don’t think he’s focusing enough on the root causes.
Many Black voters here say they are looking for a clearer sense of what Mr. Biden would actually do as president to address the issue.
“Before they even hit the White House, we want something on paper,” says Justin Blake, Jacob Blake’s uncle, at a gathering Tuesday on the street corner where Mr. Blake was shot. “Brother Biden, Sister Harris – take out a pen and show us where you stand.”
Evan Vucci/AP View caption Hide caption President Donald Trump tours some of the devastation in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. Many businesses were burned in the unrest that followed after a police officer shot Jacob Blake in the back on Aug. 23.
A tense scene at the courthouse
On Tuesday, President Trump toured Kenosha’s damaged buildings – blaming “domestic terror” for the “anti-American” violence – and held a roundtable discussion with Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and others at a local high school.
In anticipation of the president’s arrival, hundreds of Trump supporters lined the streets, some waiting in lawn chairs, others surveying the local damage themselves. The scene was tense in front of the Kenosha County Courthouse, where Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter activists yelled at each other in the street, sometimes just inches apart.
After confronting a woman in a red “Keep America Great” hat chanting “All Lives Matter,” Angela Whitfield walks away shaking her head. Ms. Whitfield, who lives in Chicago and has family in Kenosha, says she will “hold her nose” and vote for Mr. Biden in November because she dislikes Mr. Trump so much. But she wishes Mr. Biden would simply say what he thinks, instead of trying to satisfy all sides.
“He should just come out for what he believes in and let the chips fall where they may,” says Ms. Whitfield, a charter bus driver who is now unemployed due to COVID-19. “At least Trump does that.”
Ann Hermes/Staff View caption Hide caption Lamar Whitfield (l.), CEO and Founder of the NoMore Foundation out of Chicago, and Angela Whitfield (c.) speak to Trump supporters at a protest as President Trump visits Kenosha, Wisconsin, on September 1, 2020.
Other Biden supporters – primarily white voters – argue the former vice president has made his position clear. They point approvingly to Mr. Biden’s speech in Pittsburgh on Monday, where he disavowed rioting and looting as “lawlessness, plain and simple.” They also note that Mr. Trump has not denounced violence perpetrated by right-wing agitators.
Wendy, who declines to give her last name, holds a sign that simply reads: “Biden denounced all violence.” “That’s really all you have to know about it,” she says. “He’s the only candidate in this race who has done that.”
Farther down Sheridan Road, past dozens of charred cars, Mark Stevens sits atop a three-wheeled bike with a T-shirt that says, “Don’t blame me, I voted for Clinton.” Just a few yards away is a makeshift memorial to Anthony Huber, one of two protesters whom authorities charge were fatally shot by Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year old from Illinois, during a skirmish.
On the night of the worst violence, Mr. Stevens recounts, his son used an orange plastic bucket filled with water to try to douse cars that had been set on fire until the police told him to go inside. He says he’s glad Mr. Biden has taken a strong stance.
“I think he’s come out very forcefully. Whether you’re on the right side, the left side, liberal or conservative, all this has to stop,” says Mr. Stevens. “He said very strongly, this is wrong.”
Still, Marilyn Gunderson, a lifelong Democrat who couldn’t understand why some of her relatives were voting for “that nut” Donald Trump in 2016, now says she won’t be voting for Mr. Biden in the fall. She criticizes local and state Democrats in Wisconsin as well as nearby Chicago for being unable or unwilling to tamp down the unrest.
“They should have got help here right away, and that boy wouldn’t have shot those people,” she says, referring to Mr. Rittenhouse.
At the same time, Arcadia Schmidt wishes Mr. Biden wouldn’t condemn the violence at all. The Milwaukee college student, who’s been in Kenosha for much of the past week, says violence isn’t just limited to protests. It’s also a form of violence to not invest in marginalized communities, she says, adding that property isn’t worth more than human lives – a point that was echoed in a weekend rally in Kenosha.
Ms. Schmidt, who identifies herself as affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America, says it seems like Mr. Biden is not “in full support of the protests.”
“I don’t think it’s his place to say [violence is] wrong or not – and I think if he does it’s just going to alienate people,” she says. “People don’t have any other options. If you’ve taken away everything, what else can they do?”
“Just stand on the truth”
Some Kenoshans say Mr. Biden actually faces less of a balancing act than it seems – because the majority of his supporters, outside the extremes, share the same basic goals: They want progress on racial justice, and they are opposed to violence.
Ann Hermes/Staff View caption Hide caption Democratic state Sen. Lena Taylor, from Milwaukee, attends a community event hosted by Jacob Blake's family on Sept. 1, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. She says former Vice President Joe Biden can appeal to a wide range of supporters if he just stands firmly "on the truth."
“Just stand on the truth,” says state Sen. Lena Taylor, who has represented Wisconsin’s 4th district since 2005. “And then you can stand firmly.”
Mr. Biden won the crowded Democratic primary in large part because of resounding support from Black voters in South Carolina, many of whom viewed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Democratic Socialist, as too far to the left. He has resisted calls to defund the police – a rallying cry of progressive activists – although he has suggested withholding federal dollars from police departments who violate new national standards. He also says he would provide $300 million for departments to invest in body cameras and recruit more diverse officers.
The Biden campaign is directing $45 million into a new TV ad campaign that features excerpts of Mr. Biden’s Pittsburgh speech calling for the prosecution of rioters and looters, and hitting back at Mr. Trump. “His failure to call on his own supporters to stop acting as an armed militia in this country shows how weak he is,” the former vice president says.
“Biden’s been forceful about rejecting violence in all forms – and that’s good, and it’s different from Trump,” says Rita Kirk, a professor and political communications expert at Southern Methodist University. “What he hasn’t done is distinguish his plan of action.”
Indeed, while Mr. Biden has proposed various reforms on policing and to combat systemic racism, his plans haven’t seemed to reach many young voters in Kenosha.
“I have not even seen Biden’s response, but a response is not what we need,” says Gabi Taylor. “Change the laws.”
Her friend Vaun Mayes, a community activist with the group ComForce MKE in Milwaukee, watched Mr. Biden’s speech on Monday and said it disappointed him – particularly when Mr. Biden referenced his past record as a reason to trust him.
“I was like, ‘Really, Biden?’” says Mr. Mayes, noting Mr. Biden’s role in passing the 1994 crime bill, which is seen as a key contributor to mass incarceration of Black Americans. “You have to be careful when you reference your history as some sort of badge.”
Nevertheless, Mr. Mayes says he’ll vote for Mr. Biden in November, because the current president “has got to go.”
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Likewise, Yvonne, who lives across the street from where Mr. Blake was shot and watched at the window with the person who filmed the viral video of the incident, was unimpressed with Mr. Biden’s comments in Pittsburgh.
“It’s nothing to make us trip over each other on our ways to polls,” says Yvonne, who declines to give her last name. “But I’ll vote for him,” she adds, throwing up her hands, “cause I’m a Democrat.”


csmonitor--2020-09-03--Labor leader: Trump has ‘changed the rules, all right’

In the year since the Monitor ’ s last breakfast with Richard Trumka , president of the AFL-CIO , the world has changed dramatically .
Unemployment a year ago was 3.7 % ; in July , the latest figure available , it was 10.2 % .
A year ago , few Americans had heard the word “ coronavirus.
” Today , it remains the nation ’ s abiding challenge – keeping many children out of classrooms and adults away from workplaces , or risking their health to do work that must be done in person , or out of work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two months away .
Mr. Trumka , questioned by reporters via Zoom at our annual pre-Labor Day get-together , spoke about the 2020 presidential race , the teachers ’ and police unions , and his own future at the nation ’ s largest trade union federation .
Here are excerpts , lightly edited for clarity : Can Democratic nominee Joe Biden win back enough of the traditionally Democratic blue-collar workers who handed President Donald Trump the election four years ago in Wisconsin , Michigan , and Pennsylvania ?
“ First of all , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Donald Trump never has and probably never will – that if you want to restore the economy , first , you have to defeat the pandemic and to defeat the pandemic , you have to keep workers safe.… [ Biden ] would bring back inspectors and enforcement of OSHA [ Occupational Safety and Health Administration ] .
“ Workers back in 2016 did n't think that either the economy or the political system was working for them .
They were looking for someone who was going to change the rules to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump said , I ’ m going to change the rules on trade .
I ’ m going to change the rules on manufacturing .
I ’ m going to change the rules so that you can get ahead .
After almost four years , he ’ s changed the rules , all right .
But not to the benefit of working people.
” What can teachers ’ unions do to help schools reopen and get kids back in classrooms so the parents can really go back to work ?
Look , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back in the classroom .
That 's what they do and that 's what they love .
Teachers are fiercely protective of their students and the community where they do business .
Right now , most school districts , many school districts do n't have the resources necessary to be able to put kids back in the classroom safely so that they protect the students and protect the professional staff .
“ The HEROES Act , by the way , if it were passed , would provide that aid to those schools and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back to school more quickly.
” What about the International Union of Police Associations , which endorsed President Trump ?
Should the AFL-CIO discontinue its affiliation with IUPA ?
“ People have told me that you ought to disaffiliate the police union… .
Let 's assume I did that .
They 're gone .
Now what ?
“ Nothing changes .
The harder thing , quite frankly , is for us to engage them and get them to change their culture .
And that 's what we 've started doing .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with systemic racism .
And one of the subcommittees on that task force is dealing with the police officers and corrections officers .
Because remember this : Many , many , many – most – officers are good , good citizens and are trying to do what 's right .
“ There are bad cops , and those bad cops need to be weeded out .
And we need to help our members get the tools to weed those bad cops out and have police forces providing the type of safety that every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that process.
” Your third four-year term as AFL-CIO president ends in about a year .
Will you run for reelection ?
If you decide not to , is the next AFL-CIO president a woman ?
“ Well , regardless of what I do the next time , I hope that the next president of the AFL-CIO is a woman .
”

In the year since the Monitor’s last breakfast with Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, the world has changed dramatically. Unemployment a year ago was 3.7%; in July, the latest figure available, it was 10.2%.
A year ago, few Americans had heard the word “coronavirus.” Today, it remains the nation’s abiding challenge – keeping many children out of classrooms and adults away from workplaces, or risking their health to do work that must be done in person, or out of work altogether.
And the presidential election is two months away.
Mr. Trumka, questioned by reporters via Zoom at our annual pre-Labor Day get-together, spoke about the 2020 presidential race, the teachers’ and police unions, and his own future at the nation’s largest trade union federation. Here are excerpts, lightly edited for clarity:
Can Democratic nominee Joe Biden win back enough of the traditionally Democratic blue-collar workers who handed President Donald Trump the election four years ago in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania?
“First of all, I think that Joe Biden knows something that Donald Trump never has and probably never will – that if you want to restore the economy, first, you have to defeat the pandemic and to defeat the pandemic, you have to keep workers safe.… [Biden] would bring back inspectors and enforcement of OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration].
“Workers back in 2016 didn't think that either the economy or the political system was working for them. They were looking for someone who was going to change the rules to make the system work for them.
“Donald Trump said, I’m going to change the rules on trade. I’m going to change the rules on manufacturing. I’m going to change the rules so that you can get ahead. After almost four years, he’s changed the rules, all right. But not to the benefit of working people.”
What can teachers’ unions do to help schools reopen and get kids back in classrooms so the parents can really go back to work?
Look, every teacher out there wants to get back in the classroom. That's what they do and that's what they love. Teachers are fiercely protective of their students and the community where they do business. Right now, most school districts, many school districts don't have the resources necessary to be able to put kids back in the classroom safely so that they protect the students and protect the professional staff.
“The HEROES Act, by the way, if it were passed, would provide that aid to those schools and it would have helped us get kids back to school more quickly.”
What about the International Union of Police Associations, which endorsed President Trump? Should the AFL-CIO discontinue its affiliation with IUPA?
“People have told me that you ought to disaffiliate the police union…. Let's assume I did that. They're gone. Now what?
“Nothing changes. The harder thing, quite frankly, is for us to engage them and get them to change their culture. And that's what we've started doing.
“I set up a task force to deal with systemic racism. And one of the subcommittees on that task force is dealing with the police officers and corrections officers. Because remember this: Many, many, many – most – officers are good, good citizens and are trying to do what's right.
“There are bad cops, and those bad cops need to be weeded out. And we need to help our members get the tools to weed those bad cops out and have police forces providing the type of safety that every community wants. So we've started that process.”
Your third four-year term as AFL-CIO president ends in about a year. Will you run for reelection?
“Well, we’ll see, won’t we?”
If you decide not to, is the next AFL-CIO president a woman?
“Well, regardless of what I do the next time, I hope that the next president of the AFL-CIO is a woman.”