democracynow--2020-09-10--"This Is Climate Change": West Coast Fires Scorch Millions of Acres & Blot Out the Sun

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : We begin today ’ s show in California , where people in the Bay Area and across Northern California woke up Wednesday to dark orange skies as a blanket of smoke from the state ’ s massive climate change-fueled wildfires smothered the region .
The thick smoke blotted out so much sunlight , temperatures dropped well below forecasters ’ predictions , with meteorologists comparing the effect to a nuclear winter .
The unprecedented conditions came as the West Coast faces a fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , forced major evacuations and already burned two-and-a-half million acres in California alone .
That ’ s 20 times the land burned last year , and there are months left in California ’ s ever-growing fire season .
Winds from some of California ’ s more than 20 massive fires and from blazes as far away as Oregon and Washington blew into the Bay Area to create the conditions , which some described as “ apocalyptic.
” This is Oakland resident Carljuan Anderson .
AMY GOODMAN : The fires have also devastated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroyed hundreds of homes and even entire towns .
Oregon Governor Kate Brown said it could be the greatest loss of lives and property from fire in the state ’ s history .
This is a video posted on Twitter by reporter Christine Pitawanich with Oregon ’ s KGW News .
It shows downtown Stayton , about an hour south of Portland , just after noon Tuesday .
The sky is blood red .
AMY GOODMAN : Meanwhile , wildfires in the neighboring state of Washington have burned nearly 600,000 acres since Labor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come as a record-shattering heat wave , mass blackouts and the coronavirus pandemic roil the West .
The scientists are unflinching in their analysis : The climate crisis is here .
And it ’ s impacting farmworkers still forced to work the fields , incarcerated firefighters and other vulnerable communities first and hardest .
This is California Governor Gavin Newsom speaking Tuesday .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , for more , we ’ re joined by Leah Stokes , assistant professor of political science at the University of California , Santa Barbara , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She ’ s the author of Short Circuiting Policy : Interest Groups and the Battle Over Clean Energy and Climate Policy in the American States .
Can you describe what we are seeing , from California to Oregon to Washington ?
The media talks about it as bizarre and crazy .
Still there is not a lot of use of the word “ climate change.
” LEAH STOKES : That ’ s right , Amy .
It ’ s quite sad that your program and one newscaster at CBS News named Jeff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news stations that are willing to use the word “ climate change.
” Last month , during August , when the fires of course had already started , there were over 100 TV news segments on this on ABC , NBC and CBS .
This is according to Media Matters .
And of those more than 100 segments , I ’ m talking about five full segments — that ’ s it — that even mentioned the word “ climate change.
” And three of those five were done by one person , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wonderful meteorologist who actually cares about talking about climate change .
But the fact is that TV news is completely abdicating its responsibility when it comes to telling the truth of what the West is dealing with right now , which is , of course , not just these fires , but massive , unprecedented heat waves .
The fires that got really bad over the weekend were fueled in large part by unprecedented heat in counties like Los Angeles County , which set heat wave records of 121 degrees Fahrenheit , Ventura @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I mean , the temperatures were just unseen before in modern human history .
So , this is climate change .
It ’ s not rocket science .
And when will the media start calling it that ?
NERMEEN SHAIKH : Professor Stokes , could you also talk about what ’ s been pointed out ?
Because some think that the reason that people conclude that this is an effect of climate change is that now records are kept , whereas previously they weren ’ t .
But , in fact , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records have been kept .
And the worst fires have occurred — the 10 worst fires have occurred between the year 2000 and the present .
LEAH STOKES : Yes .
And unfortunately , that statistic , which is a really great one , is probably going out of date as we speak .
You know , as you mentioned at the top of the hour , we ’ re talking about two-and-a-half million acres that have already burned .
And that is , as Amy mentioned , 20 times what had burned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we know , because of research , that the fire season across the western United States has lengthened by two-and-a-half months .
So , we ’ re not really in fire seasons anymore ; we ’ re in fire season year-round .
And , you know , this isn ’ t a question of modern recordkeeping .
It ’ s a question of burning fossil fuels , which is what we ’ ve been doing , which has been heating up the planet and , as scientists tell us , have increased fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the kind of increase that we ’ re seeing as a result of climate change .
AMY GOODMAN : You know , I was talking with family last night , last night in New York , which was afternoon there , and they took me outside on Skype , and it was dark .
But , Professor Stokes , can you explain the colors that are being experienced , from pumpkin orange to purple to complete darkness ?
What exactly is causing all of this ?
And how do you think the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then talk about President Trump .
LEAH STOKES : Sure .
So , what happened with these giant wildfires is really unprecedented weather that we ’ ve never seen before .
There is a wonderful climate scientist , very active on Twitter , named Daniel Swain .
And what he has been talking about is how overwhelmed he is by even trying to track the amount of fires that are going on right now .
And these fires are creating their own weather .
They ’ re creating clouds and kind of tornado-like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is like a volcano eruption .
It ’ s pushing particulate matter way up into the stratosphere , way higher than even airplanes fly .
And that is like a volcanic eruption .
And so , what we ’ re dealing with here is particulate matter blocking out the sun .
And so , for example , people posted their solar panels and showed that they were getting zero solar radiation , no energy being produced , because the sun was not making its way to the ground .
This is what ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve had huge volcanic eruptions .
It ’ s really a disturbing effect , and I can understand why people are so freaked out .
In terms of the governor of California , it ’ s great to see him stepping up and using the words “ climate change ” very actively .
Others have pointed out , however , that he has approved fracking permits in the recent months during the pandemic , and there ’ s questions as to why California is not turning away more aggressively from oil and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it comes to our climate-denier-in-chief , Donald Trump , you know , he doesn ’ t even believe in climate change .
He doesn ’ t listen to scientists , whether that ’ s the coronavirus pandemic and lying about it and playing down the death toll or it ’ s climate change .
And so , really , we have zero leadership for this emergency from Washington , D.C. And it ’ s well past time that we have a president who can use the words “ climate change ” and who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NERMEEN SHAIKH : Professor Stokes , you mentioned earlier fossil fuel , of course , which is one of the leading causes of accelerated climate change .
And in your article in The Atlantic , “ How Can We Plan for the Future in California ?
” you write , quote , “ In an ironic twist , burning fossil fuels will become less reliable in our hotter world.
” Can you explain ?
LEAH STOKES : Sure .
So , these heat waves that we ’ ve been dealing with , really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And that ’ s because science has told us that we have , again , 500 % more risk for heat waves across the western United States , given the amount of climate change that we ’ ve already caused .
We have warmed the planet by one degree Celsius .
In certain parts of California , such as where I live , Santa Barbara , the warming is actually higher .
It ’ s two degrees Fahrenheit — sorry , two degrees Celsius , in Santa Barbara and in Ventura County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet are really more vulnerable to climate change , and they warm up faster .
And that is certainly parts of California .
So , what ’ s been happening is that the West , whether it ’ s Arizona , Nevada , California , they ’ ve been baked in a big regional heat wave over the last few weeks .
And that creates a big stress on our electricity system , because people in Phoenix need to turn on their air conditioning , people in Los Angeles need to turn that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And so that means that we don ’ t have as much electricity resources than we would have otherwise .
And so , there have been regional shortages , particularly in California , for electricity .
And a few weeks ago , the grid actually went into rolling blackouts .
And even this past week there have been shortages and some shutoffs in some areas .
Now , what happened a couple weeks ago is still being understood , but one of the factors is that several gas plants — these are fossil @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they went offline unexpectedly .
And what people pointed out is that when the temperature gets really high , just like if you ’ ve ever been in an airport when the temperature is really high and airplanes can ’ t take off — when the temperature gets very high , fossil plants can not produce the same amount of electricity .
They can not operate .
And so , as we deal with more and more heat waves , our electricity system is going to become a lot less reliable .
AMY @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connection to the fossil fuel companies , one ?
And , two , the people who are fighting these fires ?
We have been dealing with this extensively on Democracy Now !
But , for example , the incarcerated firefighters who themselves are dealing with COVID , and then the farmworkers who are out in the fields being told they still have to be there ?
LEAH STOKES : Yes .
There are so many tragic parts of this story , and so many of the other ones that you touched on at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are very dark days that we are living in .
Unfortunately , what many people don ’ t know is that the CARES Act , which was the coronavirus stimulus bill that Mitch McConnell helped steward through Congress a few months ago , that was in large part a fossil fuel bailout .
We do not even know how much of our money , as people living in the United States , has gone towards fossil fuel companies , because the federal government refuses to tell us .
But we do know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a few women , including Antonia Juhasz , writing for Sierra magazine , and Alexis Goldstein , writing for Truthout , that a lot of money — we ’ re talking billions of dollars — is going to fossil fuel companies .
Alexis just reported , for example , that the Federal Reserve literally bought corporate bonds , corporate debt , of a number of fossil fuel companies .
So you and I now own corporate debt for ExxonMobil , Chevron , BP , Marathon Petroleum and the electric utility company Southern Company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been denying climate change for decades , and they ’ re not responsible corporate actors .
And yet , what has the Trump administration done ?
It has given them a lifeline and a handout , at a time when they were not doing well financially , not because of COVID , but because of their own bad decisions .
So , really , what we are living through right now is a massive fossil fuel bailout .
What the federal government is doing is not helping everyday Americans stay employed , pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
What they are doing is helping fossil fuel companies .
And that ’ s really wrong .
Amy , you also mentioned , of course , the prison labor problem when it comes to firefighting in California .
And that issue has been really compounded by the COVID crisis .
In Santa Barbara County , where I live , there is one prison , where pretty much 100 % of the people , about a thousand people who are in that prison , have had COVID .
In the early parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the worst outbreaks in the entire country .
And prisons across this country and across California have really been on the frontlines of COVID .
And so , one thing that Governor Newsom has done , in part to help people out in prisons , is early releases .
Unfortunately , that means that the firefighters who we rely on through prison labor , which is a problematic situation , we don ’ t have as many of them as a result , and so we don ’ t have the same amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a terrible policy in California that after people have been released from prison , they ’ re not allowed to work as firefighters for an actual living wage .
And so , the system that we have set up for fighting our fires is really unethical , not just exploiting people when they ’ re in prison , but , after we ’ ve trained them and given them skills , not letting them use those skills for pay .
And finally , the farmworkers .
You ’ re right .
Many undocumented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the frontlines of COVID , on the frontlines of the climate crisis .
And they are still out there working in the fields during a pandemic and during this absolutely horrendous air quality , which , of course , when you breathe in that bad air , it also makes it more likely that you ’ ll die of COVID .
AMY GOODMAN : We have 30 seconds .
The future , Leah Stokes , what needs to happen now ?
LEAH STOKES : We need to elect a new president .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ all his flaws , has come out with an absolutely unprecedented climate change plan , and he ’ s targeting 100 % clean electricity by 2035 .
So , if we could elect him to be the president and we could take back the Senate for the Democrats , we would actually have a chance to tackle the climate crisis .
AMY GOODMAN : Leah Stokes , I want to thank you for being with us , assistant professor of political science at University of California , Santa Barbara , researcher on climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ link to your piece in The Atlantic , headlined “ How Can We Plan for the Future in California ?
” Author of Short Circuiting Policy : Interest Groups and the Battle Over Clean Energy and Climate Policy in the American States .
When we come back , a new ad campaign targets African American and Latinx Americans to join in the vaccine trials .
What are many ’ s hesitation ?
We look back at medical experimentation in the United States .
Stay with us .
AMY GOODMAN : “ Summer Madness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The band ’ s co-founder , singer and composer Ronald Khalis Bell has passed away at the age of 68 .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: We begin today’s show in California, where people in the Bay Area and across Northern California woke up Wednesday to dark orange skies as a blanket of smoke from the state’s massive climate change-fueled wildfires smothered the region. The thick smoke blotted out so much sunlight, temperatures dropped well below forecasters’ predictions, with meteorologists comparing the effect to a nuclear winter.
The unprecedented conditions came as the West Coast faces a fire season that has killed at least seven people, forced major evacuations and already burned two-and-a-half million acres in California alone. That’s 20 times the land burned last year, and there are months left in California’s ever-growing fire season. Winds from some of California’s more than 20 massive fires and from blazes as far away as Oregon and Washington blew into the Bay Area to create the conditions, which some described as “apocalyptic.” This is Oakland resident Carljuan Anderson.
CARLJUAN ANDERSON: I was wondering what time it was, and then I looked outside. It looked like Doomsday. I mean, you could tell something is horribly going wrong. And as far as going to work and breathing in all this, this pollution is definitely not healthy for us in the Bay Area.
AMY GOODMAN: The fires have also devastated Oregon, where dozens of wildfires have destroyed hundreds of homes and even entire towns. Oregon Governor Kate Brown said it could be the greatest loss of lives and property from fire in the state’s history. This is a video posted on Twitter by reporter Christine Pitawanich with Oregon’s KGW News. It shows downtown Stayton, about an hour south of Portland, just after noon Tuesday. The sky is blood red.
CHRISTINE PITAWANICH: This right here is downtown Stayton. You can see the red hue, the red-orange glow in the sky. There’s ash that is falling visibly in front of — you know, when we were driving here, in front of the headlights of the car. But downtown, basically empty here, besides a few people, a few cars here, people walking around and cars. But the smell of smoke is heavy.
AMY GOODMAN: Meanwhile, wildfires in the neighboring state of Washington have burned nearly 600,000 acres since Labor Day. The fires devastating the West come as a record-shattering heat wave, mass blackouts and the coronavirus pandemic roil the West. The scientists are unflinching in their analysis: The climate crisis is here. And it’s impacting farmworkers still forced to work the fields, incarcerated firefighters and other vulnerable communities first and hardest. This is California Governor Gavin Newsom speaking Tuesday.
GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM: But I quite literally have no patience for climate change deniers. It simply follows — completely inconsistent, that point of view, with the reality on the ground, the facts as we are experiencing. You may not believe it intellectually, but your own eyes, your own experiences tell a different story.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, for more, we’re joined by Leah Stokes, assistant professor of political science at the University of California, Santa Barbara, a researcher on climate and energy policy. She’s the author of Short Circuiting Policy: Interest Groups and the Battle Over Clean Energy and Climate Policy in the American States.
Can you describe what we are seeing, from California to Oregon to Washington? The media talks about it as bizarre and crazy. Still there is not a lot of use of the word “climate change.”
LEAH STOKES: That’s right, Amy. It’s quite sad that your program and one newscaster at CBS News named Jeff Berardelli are pretty much the only TV news stations that are willing to use the word “climate change.” Last month, during August, when the fires of course had already started, there were over 100 TV news segments on this on ABC, NBC and CBS. This is according to Media Matters. And of those more than 100 segments, I’m talking about five full segments — that’s it — that even mentioned the word “climate change.” And three of those five were done by one person, Jeff Berardelli, who’s a wonderful meteorologist who actually cares about talking about climate change.
But the fact is that TV news is completely abdicating its responsibility when it comes to telling the truth of what the West is dealing with right now, which is, of course, not just these fires, but massive, unprecedented heat waves. The fires that got really bad over the weekend were fueled in large part by unprecedented heat in counties like Los Angeles County, which set heat wave records of 121 degrees Fahrenheit, Ventura County, Santa Barbara County, Inland. I mean, the temperatures were just unseen before in modern human history. So, this is climate change. It’s not rocket science. And when will the media start calling it that?
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Professor Stokes, could you also talk about what’s been pointed out? Because some think that the reason that people conclude that this is an effect of climate change is that now records are kept, whereas previously they weren’t. But, in fact, in California, since 1932, fire records have been kept. And the worst fires have occurred — the 10 worst fires have occurred between the year 2000 and the present.
LEAH STOKES: Yes. And unfortunately, that statistic, which is a really great one, is probably going out of date as we speak. You know, as you mentioned at the top of the hour, we’re talking about two-and-a-half million acres that have already burned. And that is, as Amy mentioned, 20 times what had burned at this time last year. And we know, because of research, that the fire season across the western United States has lengthened by two-and-a-half months.
So, we’re not really in fire seasons anymore; we’re in fire season year-round. And, you know, this isn’t a question of modern recordkeeping. It’s a question of burning fossil fuels, which is what we’ve been doing, which has been heating up the planet and, as scientists tell us, have increased fire risk by 500%. That’s the kind of increase that we’re seeing as a result of climate change.
AMY GOODMAN: You know, I was talking with family last night, last night in New York, which was afternoon there, and they took me outside on Skype, and it was dark. But, Professor Stokes, can you explain the colors that are being experienced, from pumpkin orange to purple to complete darkness? What exactly is causing all of this? And how do you think the governor is dealing with it? And then talk about President Trump.
LEAH STOKES: Sure. So, what happened with these giant wildfires is really unprecedented weather that we’ve never seen before. There is a wonderful climate scientist, very active on Twitter, named Daniel Swain. And what he has been talking about is how overwhelmed he is by even trying to track the amount of fires that are going on right now.
And these fires are creating their own weather. They’re creating clouds and kind of tornado-like conditions. And what that is doing is like a volcano eruption. It’s pushing particulate matter way up into the stratosphere, way higher than even airplanes fly. And that is like a volcanic eruption. And so, what we’re dealing with here is particulate matter blocking out the sun. And so, for example, people posted their solar panels and showed that they were getting zero solar radiation, no energy being produced, because the sun was not making its way to the ground. This is what’s happened in the past when we’ve had huge volcanic eruptions. It’s really a disturbing effect, and I can understand why people are so freaked out.
In terms of the governor of California, it’s great to see him stepping up and using the words “climate change” very actively. Others have pointed out, however, that he has approved fracking permits in the recent months during the pandemic, and there’s questions as to why California is not turning away more aggressively from oil and gas extraction.
And then, when it comes to our climate-denier-in-chief, Donald Trump, you know, he doesn’t even believe in climate change. He doesn’t listen to scientists, whether that’s the coronavirus pandemic and lying about it and playing down the death toll or it’s climate change. And so, really, we have zero leadership for this emergency from Washington, D.C. And it’s well past time that we have a president who can use the words “climate change” and who can trust and believe in science.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Professor Stokes, you mentioned earlier fossil fuel, of course, which is one of the leading causes of accelerated climate change. And in your article in The Atlantic, “How Can We Plan for the Future in California?” you write, quote, “In an ironic twist, burning fossil fuels will become less reliable in our hotter world.” Can you explain?
LEAH STOKES: Sure. So, these heat waves that we’ve been dealing with, really all summer, they’re unprecedented. And that’s because science has told us that we have, again, 500% more risk for heat waves across the western United States, given the amount of climate change that we’ve already caused. We have warmed the planet by one degree Celsius. In certain parts of California, such as where I live, Santa Barbara, the warming is actually higher. It’s two degrees Fahrenheit — sorry, two degrees Celsius, in Santa Barbara and in Ventura County. So, certain parts of our planet are really more vulnerable to climate change, and they warm up faster. And that is certainly parts of California.
So, what’s been happening is that the West, whether it’s Arizona, Nevada, California, they’ve been baked in a big regional heat wave over the last few weeks. And that creates a big stress on our electricity system, because people in Phoenix need to turn on their air conditioning, people in Los Angeles need to turn that on — all across the region. And so that means that we don’t have as much electricity resources than we would have otherwise. And so, there have been regional shortages, particularly in California, for electricity. And a few weeks ago, the grid actually went into rolling blackouts. And even this past week there have been shortages and some shutoffs in some areas.
Now, what happened a couple weeks ago is still being understood, but one of the factors is that several gas plants — these are fossil gas plants that operate in California — they went offline unexpectedly. And what people pointed out is that when the temperature gets really high, just like if you’ve ever been in an airport when the temperature is really high and airplanes can’t take off — when the temperature gets very high, fossil plants cannot produce the same amount of electricity. They cannot operate. And so, as we deal with more and more heat waves, our electricity system is going to become a lot less reliable.
AMY GOODMAN: And President Trump’s connection to the fossil fuel companies, one? And, two, the people who are fighting these fires? We have been dealing with this extensively on Democracy Now! But, for example, the incarcerated firefighters who themselves are dealing with COVID, and then the farmworkers who are out in the fields being told they still have to be there?
LEAH STOKES: Yes. There are so many tragic parts of this story, and so many of the other ones that you touched on at the top of the hour. These are very dark days that we are living in.
Unfortunately, what many people don’t know is that the CARES Act, which was the coronavirus stimulus bill that Mitch McConnell helped steward through Congress a few months ago, that was in large part a fossil fuel bailout. We do not even know how much of our money, as people living in the United States, has gone towards fossil fuel companies, because the federal government refuses to tell us.
But we do know, thanks to the really dogged reporting of a few women, including Antonia Juhasz, writing for Sierra magazine, and Alexis Goldstein, writing for Truthout, that a lot of money — we’re talking billions of dollars — is going to fossil fuel companies. Alexis just reported, for example, that the Federal Reserve literally bought corporate bonds, corporate debt, of a number of fossil fuel companies. So you and I now own corporate debt for ExxonMobil, Chevron, BP, Marathon Petroleum and the electric utility company Southern Company. These are terrible corporations that have been denying climate change for decades, and they’re not responsible corporate actors. And yet, what has the Trump administration done? It has given them a lifeline and a handout, at a time when they were not doing well financially, not because of COVID, but because of their own bad decisions.
So, really, what we are living through right now is a massive fossil fuel bailout. What the federal government is doing is not helping everyday Americans stay employed, pay their rent, pay their electricity bills. What they are doing is helping fossil fuel companies. And that’s really wrong.
Amy, you also mentioned, of course, the prison labor problem when it comes to firefighting in California. And that issue has been really compounded by the COVID crisis. In Santa Barbara County, where I live, there is one prison, where pretty much 100% of the people, about a thousand people who are in that prison, have had COVID. In the early parts of the pandemic, this was one of the worst outbreaks in the entire country. And prisons across this country and across California have really been on the frontlines of COVID.
And so, one thing that Governor Newsom has done, in part to help people out in prisons, is early releases. Unfortunately, that means that the firefighters who we rely on through prison labor, which is a problematic situation, we don’t have as many of them as a result, and so we don’t have the same amount of firefighters. And we also have a terrible policy in California that after people have been released from prison, they’re not allowed to work as firefighters for an actual living wage. And so, the system that we have set up for fighting our fires is really unethical, not just exploiting people when they’re in prison, but, after we’ve trained them and given them skills, not letting them use those skills for pay.
And finally, the farmworkers. You’re right. Many undocumented Hispanic people living in this country are on the frontlines of COVID, on the frontlines of the climate crisis. And they are still out there working in the fields during a pandemic and during this absolutely horrendous air quality, which, of course, when you breathe in that bad air, it also makes it more likely that you’ll die of COVID.
AMY GOODMAN: We have 30 seconds. The future, Leah Stokes, what needs to happen now?
LEAH STOKES: We need to elect a new president. You know, Joe Biden, for all his flaws, has come out with an absolutely unprecedented climate change plan, and he’s targeting 100% clean electricity by 2035. So, if we could elect him to be the president and we could take back the Senate for the Democrats, we would actually have a chance to tackle the climate crisis.
AMY GOODMAN: Leah Stokes, I want to thank you for being with us, assistant professor of political science at University of California, Santa Barbara, researcher on climate and energy policy. We’ll link to your piece in The Atlantic, headlined “How Can We Plan for the Future in California?” Author of Short Circuiting Policy: Interest Groups and the Battle Over Clean Energy and Climate Policy in the American States.
When we come back, a new ad campaign targets African American and Latinx Americans to join in the vaccine trials. What are many’s hesitation? We look back at medical experimentation in the United States. Stay with us.
[break]
AMY GOODMAN: “Summer Madness” by Kool and the Gang. The band’s co-founder, singer and composer Ronald Khalis Bell has passed away at the age of 68.


democracynow--2020-09-10--Headlines for September 10, 2020

Headlines for September 10, 2020

President Donald Trump acknowledged Wednesday that he publicly downplayed the threat of COVID-19 for weeks as the coronavirus spread across the globe — even after he received briefings early this year about the severity of the looming pandemic .
Trump was responding to a reporter who asked if he misled the public in order to reduce panic .
President Donald Trump : “ Well , I think if you said in order to reduce panic , perhaps that ’ s so .
The fact is , I ’ m a cheerleader for this country .
I love our country .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be frightened .
I don ’ t want to create panic.
” Trump ’ s admission came hours after Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward published bombshell excerpts from his forthcoming book about Trump titled “ Rage , ” along with taped conversations with the president .
In a February 7 phone call , Trump told Woodward about what he learned about the novel coronavirus from Chinese President Xi Jinping .
President Donald Trump : “ It goes through air , Bob .
That ’ s always tougher than the touch .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have to touch things , right ?
But the air , you just breathe the air , and that ’ s how it ’ s passed .
And so that ’ s a very tricky one .
That ’ s a very delicate one .
It ’ s also more deadly than your — you know , your — even your strenuous flus .
… This is more deadly .
This is 5 per — you know , this is 5 % versus 1 % and less than 1 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ stuff.
” President Trump made those comments on February 7 .
The White House wouldn ’ t declare a national emergency until March 13 .
During the intervening weeks , Trump repeatedly and forcefully denied that coronavirus posed a significant threat to the American people .
For instance , on March 4 , Trump dismissed a World Health Organization finding that the global death rate from COVID-19 was 3.4 % .
Trump was speaking on Fox News .
President Donald Trump : “ Well , I think the 3.4 % is really a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just my hunch , and — but based on a lot of conversations with a lot of people that do this , because a lot of people will have this , and it ’ s very mild.
” Two weeks after those comments , on March 19 , Trump privately admitted in another call with Bob Woodward that he had publicly downplayed the severity of the pandemic .
Columbia University disease modelers report that if states had begun social distancing measures just one week earlier in March , 36,000 fewer people would have @ @

President Donald Trump acknowledged Wednesday that he publicly downplayed the threat of COVID-19 for weeks as the coronavirus spread across the globe — even after he received briefings early this year about the severity of the looming pandemic. Trump was responding to a reporter who asked if he misled the public in order to reduce panic.
President Donald Trump: “Well, I think if you said in order to reduce panic, perhaps that’s so. The fact is, I’m a cheerleader for this country. I love our country. And I don’t want people to be frightened. I don’t want to create panic.”
Trump’s admission came hours after Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward published bombshell excerpts from his forthcoming book about Trump titled “Rage,” along with taped conversations with the president. In a February 7 phone call, Trump told Woodward about what he learned about the novel coronavirus from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
President Donald Trump: “It goes through air, Bob. That’s always tougher than the touch. You know, the touch, you don’t have to touch things, right? But the air, you just breathe the air, and that’s how it’s passed. And so that’s a very tricky one. That’s a very delicate one. It’s also more deadly than your — you know, your — even your strenuous flus. … This is more deadly. This is 5 per — you know, this is 5% versus 1% and less than 1%. You know, so this is deadly stuff.”
President Trump made those comments on February 7. The White House wouldn’t declare a national emergency until March 13. During the intervening weeks, Trump repeatedly and forcefully denied that coronavirus posed a significant threat to the American people. For instance, on March 4, Trump dismissed a World Health Organization finding that the global death rate from COVID-19 was 3.4%. Trump was speaking on Fox News.
President Donald Trump: “Well, I think the 3.4% is really a false number. Now, this is just my hunch, and — but based on a lot of conversations with a lot of people that do this, because a lot of people will have this, and it’s very mild.”
Two weeks after those comments, on March 19, Trump privately admitted in another call with Bob Woodward that he had publicly downplayed the severity of the pandemic.
President Donald Trump: “I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down” —
Bob Woodward: “Yes.”
President Donald Trump: — “because I don’t want to create a panic.”
Columbia University disease modelers report that if states had begun social distancing measures just one week earlier in March, 36,000 fewer people would have died.


democracynow--2020-09-11--What Went Wrong with AstraZeneca's Vaccine Trial? CEO Only Shares Details with Investors

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , as we turn now to look at why AstraZeneca paused its Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial in the United Kingdom , widely considered one of the most promising trials , and what we know .
AstraZeneca only revealed initial details during a private phone call between the CEO and the investors , saying a woman in the trial developed severe neurological symptoms consistent with transverse myelitis , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This was first reported by the medical news site STAT .
For more , we ’ re joined by STAT senior writer Ed Silverman , whose column this week is headlined “ 'Everyone was left to guess what went wrong ' : An open letter to AstraZeneca ’ s CEO on transparency.
” Ed Silverman , thanks so much for joining us .
Tell us what you ’ re demanding of the CEO , and explain exactly what happened .
Many people heard AstraZeneca ’ s trial was halted , that it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but not understanding why and how serious myelitis is , whether or not it ’ s connected to this trial .
ED SILVERMAN : Well , there ’ s an issue here — first of all , again , thank you for having me .
There ’ s an issue here — several issues here .
The whole world is watching right now what is happening with vaccine development .
And normally when there is a halt in a clinical trial — which is a serious matter , typically — a company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to trial participants and to investors , if it ’ s considered what ’ s called material information , something that could materially affect the business operations .
And in this particular case , the company , on Tuesday — well , we reported on Tuesday that the company halted the trial .
And at that point , the company let out only a little bit of information , and only in response to calls from reporters .
On Wednesday morning , the company put out a rather bland general statement calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the same time , though , the CEO , as you mentioned , was on a private call with investor clients from JPMorgan .
So , that raised a whole bunch of issues in my mind , because , as I started to say , the whole world is watching this vaccine development right now .
And this is in the context of several debatable controversies , one of which is the extent to which the vaccine companies are being pushed to move faster than they should — rather , move faster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as possible .
But at the same time , the FDA is being bullied by the Trump administration , particularly in President Trump , to get a vaccine out there as quickly as possible .
And conveniently , he keeps talking about a vaccine before the election .
So , if you connect the dots , you look at the situation and say , “ OK , we ’ ve got a pandemic .
Most people want a vaccine as quickly as possible .
But is the FDA being pushed to authorize or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
” There are standards that are in place , no matter what , to have safety and effectiveness data .
Now , yes , we can ’ t wait years for that to emerge , but we also don ’ t want a vaccine before it ’ s time .
And that plays into yet another issue , which is trust .
The American people are already divided over vaccines generally – the anti-vaxxer crowd , as they ’ re called .
And now there is growing concern that if the administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get a vaccine out faster than it should be out , and is leaning on the FDA to do so , that will have another reason to not trust vaccines .
And stepping back , the issue there reflects on AstraZeneca , but also the pharmaceutical industry at large , which has already taken a severe hit with its reputation for the last several years over drug pricing .
So , instead of thinking of the greater good and instead of addressing , being concerned with these issues — because these are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s really — and it ’ s not just the United States .
The AstraZeneca CE acted as if it ’ s business as usual : “ Oh , we may have material information ” — or maybe they didn ’ t consider it material But in any event , he released a few more details , selectively , to the investor crowd .
And what were those details ?
He indicated that , as you said , the side effect that was discovered in this one trial participant is consistent with transverse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first sign of multiple sclerosis .
So , we need to know — AMY GOODMAN : Is it also similar to Guillain-Barré ?
ED SILVERMAN : Right .
And we need to know more information about that .
Other researchers need to know .
Other companies that are using the same vaccine technology or platform , they want to know what ’ s going on .
Does this affect them ?
Does this affect other people ’ s willingness and ability to enroll in one or more clinical trials by that company and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of implications here .
And again , as I said , he treated it as business as usual , thinking of the greater good , instead of trying to address concerns that can show up with lack of transparency , and therefore lack of trust .
AMY GOODMAN : So , Ed , we just have a minute , but poll just done says well over 60 % of the America population doesn ’ t trust the FDA to approve a safe vaccine , just as President Trump pushes to get this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about this — before the November election .
What do you think is the most important issue , as you ’ re demanding of the CEO of AstraZeneca , to go along a safe path ?
ED SILVERMAN : Well , I think the companies , not just AstraZeneca , have to continue to adhere to what they ’ ve already said in a public pledge released last week , to follow the usual rigorous standards for safety and effectiveness that the FDA pursues .
The FDA is not perfect — no agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gold standard .
And that is not just for the benefit of the drug companies , but presumably it ’ s a benefit for the public .
So , I think that that ’ s crucial here .
And unfortunately , President Trump is not respecting that .
And that ’ s why our own STAT/Harris poll found that 78 % of Americans believe that the vaccine approval is being — that politics is coming before science when it comes to the vaccine approval process .
AMY GOODMAN : Ed Silverman , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us , senior writer and columnist at StatNews.com .
We ’ re going to link to your latest piece , “ 'Everyone was left to guess what went wrong ' : An open letter to AstraZeneca ’ s CEO on transparency.
” That does it for our show .
Democracy Now !
produced by a remarkable team , led by our general manager , Julie Crosby : Renée Feltz , Mike Burke , Deena Guzder , Libby Rainey , Nermeen Shaikh , María Taracena , Carla Wills , Tami Woronoff , Charina Nadura @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Hamilton , Robby Karran , Hany Massoud and Adriano Contreras .
Also special thanks to Becca Staley , Miriam Barnard , Denis Moynihan .
I ’ m Amy Goodman .
Thanks so much for joining us .
Wear a mask .
Save lives .

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman, as we turn now to look at why AstraZeneca paused its Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial in the United Kingdom, widely considered one of the most promising trials, and what we know. AstraZeneca only revealed initial details during a private phone call between the CEO and the investors, saying a woman in the trial developed severe neurological symptoms consistent with transverse myelitis, or inflammation of the spinal cord. This was first reported by the medical news site STAT.
For more, we’re joined by STAT senior writer Ed Silverman, whose column this week is headlined “'Everyone was left to guess what went wrong': An open letter to AstraZeneca’s CEO on transparency.”
Ed Silverman, thanks so much for joining us. Tell us what you’re demanding of the CEO, and explain exactly what happened. Many people heard AstraZeneca’s trial was halted, that it’s doing with the University of Oxford, but not understanding why and how serious myelitis is, whether or not it’s connected to this trial.
ED SILVERMAN: Well, there’s an issue here — first of all, again, thank you for having me. There’s an issue here — several issues here. The whole world is watching right now what is happening with vaccine development. And normally when there is a halt in a clinical trial — which is a serious matter, typically — a company has to disclose certain developments to regulators, to trial participants and to investors, if it’s considered what’s called material information, something that could materially affect the business operations.
And in this particular case, the company, on Tuesday — well, we reported on Tuesday that the company halted the trial. And at that point, the company let out only a little bit of information, and only in response to calls from reporters. On Wednesday morning, the company put out a rather bland general statement calling this situation a routine matter. And at the same time, though, the CEO, as you mentioned, was on a private call with investor clients from JPMorgan.
So, that raised a whole bunch of issues in my mind, because, as I started to say, the whole world is watching this vaccine development right now. And this is in the context of several debatable controversies, one of which is the extent to which the vaccine companies are being pushed to move faster than they should — rather, move faster to get a vaccine out as quickly as possible. But at the same time, the FDA is being bullied by the Trump administration, particularly in President Trump, to get a vaccine out there as quickly as possible. And conveniently, he keeps talking about a vaccine before the election. So, if you connect the dots, you look at the situation and say, “OK, we’ve got a pandemic. Most people want a vaccine as quickly as possible. But is the FDA being pushed to authorize or approve a vaccine faster than it should?” There are standards that are in place, no matter what, to have safety and effectiveness data. Now, yes, we can’t wait years for that to emerge, but we also don’t want a vaccine before it’s time.
And that plays into yet another issue, which is trust. The American people are already divided over vaccines generally – the anti-vaxxer crowd, as they’re called. And now there is growing concern that if the administration, Trump in particular, is trying to get a vaccine out faster than it should be out, and is leaning on the FDA to do so, that will have another reason to not trust vaccines. And stepping back, the issue there reflects on AstraZeneca, but also the pharmaceutical industry at large, which has already taken a severe hit with its reputation for the last several years over drug pricing.
So, instead of thinking of the greater good and instead of addressing, being concerned with these issues — because these are all societal issues. And it’s really — and it’s not just the United States. The AstraZeneca CE acted as if it’s business as usual: “Oh, we may have material information” — or maybe they didn’t consider it material But in any event, he released a few more details, selectively, to the investor crowd. And what were those details? He indicated that, as you said, the side effect that was discovered in this one trial participant is consistent with transverse myelitis. And that could be a first sign of multiple sclerosis. So, we need to know —
AMY GOODMAN: Is it also similar to Guillain-Barré?
ED SILVERMAN: Right. And we need to know more information about that. Other researchers need to know. Other companies that are using the same vaccine technology or platform, they want to know what’s going on. Does this affect them? Does this affect other people’s willingness and ability to enroll in one or more clinical trials by that company and others? So, there are a lot of implications here. And again, as I said, he treated it as business as usual, thinking of the greater good, instead of trying to address concerns that can show up with lack of transparency, and therefore lack of trust.
AMY GOODMAN: So, Ed, we just have a minute, but poll just done says well over 60% of the America population doesn’t trust the FDA to approve a safe vaccine, just as President Trump pushes to get this done — he’s very open about this — before the November election. What do you think is the most important issue, as you’re demanding of the CEO of AstraZeneca, to go along a safe path?
ED SILVERMAN: Well, I think the companies, not just AstraZeneca, have to continue to adhere to what they’ve already said in a public pledge released last week, to follow the usual rigorous standards for safety and effectiveness that the FDA pursues. The FDA is not perfect — no agency is — but that’s a gold standard. And that is not just for the benefit of the drug companies, but presumably it’s a benefit for the public. So, I think that that’s crucial here.
And unfortunately, President Trump is not respecting that. And that’s why our own STAT/Harris poll found that 78% of Americans believe that the vaccine approval is being — that politics is coming before science when it comes to the vaccine approval process.
AMY GOODMAN: Ed Silverman, I want to thank you for being with us, senior writer and columnist at StatNews.com. We’re going to link to your latest piece, “'Everyone was left to guess what went wrong': An open letter to AstraZeneca’s CEO on transparency.”
That does it for our show. Democracy Now! produced by a remarkable team, led by our general manager, Julie Crosby: Renée Feltz, Mike Burke, Deena Guzder, Libby Rainey, Nermeen Shaikh, María Taracena, Carla Wills, Tami Woronoff, Charina Nadura, Sam Alcoff, Tey-Marie Astudillo, John Hamilton, Robby Karran, Hany Massoud and Adriano Contreras. Also special thanks to Becca Staley, Miriam Barnard, Denis Moynihan. I’m Amy Goodman. Thanks so much for joining us. Wear a mask. Save lives.


democracynow--2020-09-11--Barbara Smith: The U.S. "Functions with White Supremacy as Its Engine." Here's How We Dismantle It

This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now !
The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , as we turn now from the cost of the so-called war on terror abroad to look at how the U.S. government is targeting Black Lives Matter protesters while downplaying the threat of white supremacist violence at home .
Since the police killing of George Floyd in May sparked a nationwide uprising against police brutality , armed white supremacists have taken to the streets of U.S. cities in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After the police shooting of unarmed Black father Jake Blake in Kenosha , Wisconsin , 17-year-old white Trump-supporting vigilante gunman Kyle Rittenhouse shot and killed two antiracist protesters in Kenosha last month .
But President Trump has refused to criticize Rittenhouse .
Just this week , Donald Trump Jr. said of the self-proclaimed vigilante , quote , “ We all do stupid things at 17.
” On Wednesday , a Department of Homeland Security whistleblower accused the agency ’ s leadership of instructing analysts to downplay the violent threat posed by white supremacists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Homeland Security Department ’ s intelligence branch , says he had been ordered to alter the text of assessments to make the threat of white supremacy , quote , “ appear less severe.
” Earlier this year , DHS drafted a document stating , quote , “ white supremacist extremists will remain the most persistent and lethal threat in the Homeland through 2021.
” That ’ s not a Black Lives Matter manual ; again , that is DHS ’ s own words .
But in newer versions of the document @ @ @ @ @ @ @ removed .
Murphy also claims leaders at DHS pressured analysts to change assessments to match up to comments made by President Trump attacking anti-fascist groups .
This comes as The Intercept reports in many states protesters who took part in the massive Black Lives Matter demonstrations are being charged with felonies , and even terrorism .
Well , for more , we ’ re joined by a guest who ’ s proposing a Marshall Plan to eradicate white supremacy in the United States .
She calls it the Hamer-Baker Plan , for Fannie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Smith joins us now from Albany , New York , an author , activist , independent scholar , founder of the Combahee River Collective and of Kitchen Table : Women of Color Press .
Her latest book , Ain ’ t Gon na Let Nobody Turn Me Around : Forty Years of Movement Building with Barbara Smith .
Her recent piece for The Nation headlined “ How to Dismantle White Supremacy.
” Barbara Smith , welcome back to Democracy Now !
As we talk about terrorism , talk about what we see in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , thank you so much .
It ’ s great to be with you again , Amy .
I actually was talking about something a bit different from what you just so very clearly framed in your introduction .
I ’ m not just talking about white supremacist groups or organized white supremacy .
What I ’ m talking about is a system that actually dictates and shapes every aspect of life in the United States , from where your kids go to school and what kind of education they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing you have , what your healthcare looks like , how often or much more often you die from COVID-19 .
I ’ m talking about the entire system .
And I think that , of course , if we eradicate white supremacy and make that our priority and our goal , of course we ’ re going to get rid of the most extreme manifestations of white supremacy , which is organized white supremacist groups , violent terrorist groups .
But I ’ m talking about something even , I think , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk about that larger picture , and talk about the plan that you see needs to be put in place in this country .
BARBARA SMITH : Well , I started writing about white supremacy earlier this summer , after George Floyd was lynched .
I was so full of rage and pain , because I ’ ve been dealing with this ever since Emmett Till was lynched in 1955 .
I was 8 years old when that happened , so , of course , I could not fully understand what had actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in my family , who were all from the Deep South — I grew up in Cleveland , Ohio , because they were part of the Great Migration — I just knew they were very , very upset about someone named Emmett Till , and that this person was also a child , like my twin sister Beverly and me .
So , as I said , I ’ ve been dealing with this for quite a long time , 1955 until the spring of 2020 and beyond .
So , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got to write.
” I ’ m a writer .
I just thought , “ I ’ ve got to write about this.
” What motivated me was the fact that when people were talking about these issues , either in print or in media , visual media , etc.
, that they never really talked about white supremacy .
They would talk about race relations .
They would talk about implicit bias .
They would talk about needing to reform and change the culture of policing .
All well and good , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this mess comes from .
And that ’ s what I wanted to write about .
In that first article , which appeared in The Boston Globe — it was an op-ed in The Boston Globe — I proposed : What would it be like if we had a Marshall Plan , or a plan on the scale of the space race , to eradicate white supremacy ?
And when I was in contact then with my editor at The Nation , they suggested , “ Why don ’ t you spin that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where the second article evolved from .
AMY GOODMAN : And talk about Fannie Lou Hamer and Ella Baker , why you ’ ve named this plan after them .
BARBARA SMITH : Well , as I say when people ask me , it ’ s because I idolize them .
And they are supreme examples of what being freedom fighters , principled , fearless — or at least courageous .
There ’ s a difference between being fearless and being courageous .
Courageous is actually better , because everyone should have some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And , of course , Fannie Lou Hamer paid a huge price for wanting to do something as seemingly ordinary as vote .
But in the Jim Crow South of that era , Black people , virtually none of them were allowed to vote .
She paid a permanent price because of the beating that she received .
And I just found out yesterday , if you can believe it , after all these years , that she actually was blinded in one eye .
She is known for having worked with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kinds of antiracist organizing during that Jim Crow era , and then , of course , speaking out so powerfully at the 1964 Democratic convention about what went on in Mississippi , and asking the very , very , very relevant question : “ Is this America ?
” And then , Ella Baker , of course , she was a person — among so many other things , she worked for all of the major civil rights organizations at some time .
So she had experience across organizations .
She also was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous organizing in the Jim Crow South , in little towns , in rural areas .
But she is probably best known for the person who inspired and made possible the founding of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee , which is SNCC .
I actually had the great , great pleasure and honor of meeting Fannie Lou Hamer when I was a teenager in Cleveland in 1965 and was very involved in the civil rights movement as a young person .
AMY GOODMAN : Barbara Smith , can you talk about why you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think that term means , should be at the center of this plan ?
BARBARA SMITH : Well , as you know , Amy , you can ’ t talk about race in the United States without talking about class , and you can ’ t talk about class without talking about race .
Racism , white supremacy , capitalism are absolutely intertwined .
You know , it ’ s like a vine that has wrapped itself around a tree or another plant .
What can you do to separate them ?
Very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We have and live under a system of racialized capitalism , where the worst consequences of capitalism fall upon those who have the least amount of white skin privilege — in other words , people of color .
And that ’ s why we see such disproportionate economic results and consequences of that system .
The fact that Black families have about 10 % of the wealth , median wealth , of white families just says it all .
AMY GOODMAN : I want to go back to 1968 , to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that could have launched the U.S. into a massive program to end white supremacy , but didn ’ t .
Why do you think that didn ’ t happen during the civil rights movement ?
And what do you think is necessary to make this sort of national shift now ?
BARBARA SMITH : Again , getting into the Wayback Machine of my memory and of my life , I remember when the Kerner Commission report came out .
I remember buying my paperback copy .
It was a best-selling book .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you know , like , read paperbacks .
You didn ’ t have the internet or all these other means of communication .
So , the pocketbook , as they called them , the paperback book , that was the format .
And this was a big , thick , but small size , report done by a government bipartisan commission to explain — to investigate , explain , analyze why there had been so many urban insurrections , rebellions — I never call them “ riots , ” the other people can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why there had been so many urban insurrections during that period of the late 1960s .
And they came up with the incredibly insightful conclusion that it was white racism .
And I would say that the reason that it was not addressed at that time is because — and this may sound , you know , like , pessimistic , but it ’ s not ; it ’ s just something for us to think about — this country functions with white supremacy as its engine , an engine that runs so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education .
All these disparities that we see , it would take quite a bit to say , “ I think , you know , we need to get rid of that.
” And that ’ s where we are now .
Do we have the political will to actually eradicate white supremacy , or do we just want to kind of nip around the edges of it and do cosmetic things ?
You know ?
Taking down the Confederate statues , very , very important , very glad that ’ s happening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get to the material conditions of people who live under this system , nor does it address the incredible violent racism that results in people like a Jacob Blake being shot seven times in front of his tiny children at point-blank range .
AMY GOODMAN : And as you speak , Barbara , it just so happens that in these seconds — people will hear it at different times , but at this time , 8:46 , the first plane hit the first tower of the World Trade Center 19 years ago .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , about taking on terrorism , taking on white supremacy .
You say it can ’ t be divorced from misogyny and heteropatriarchy .
BARBARA SMITH : Right .
Well , that ’ s , you know , certainly from my long years of commitment to fighting for women ’ s rights and women ’ s freedom , and also being an out lesbian since the 1970s .
You know , like how on businesses they say things like “ Serving you since 1942 , ” or whatever , well , if there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to explain that aspect of my life , it would be “ Out lesbian since 1975.
” So , that ’ s a long time , and that was not very long after Stonewall , so I ’ ve been involved in thinking about , organizing around , writing about issues of sexuality and gender , and sexuality and gender oppression , for decades , long before it was popular , long before it was considered to be cute .
And I just approach everything that I work on and think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think about the issues of — the issue of white supremacy , it ’ s absolutely entwined — again , much like racial capitalism — it ’ s entwined with patriarchy and with homophobia and transphobia .
So , you can ’ t really address one without the other .
I mean , just like for a thought experiment , what would our country be like if we decided , miraculously decided , as a nation , to get rid of white supremacy in every possible way that we could , and left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , homophobia , discrimination against people based upon gender and sexuality , if we left that intact ?
What would we have accomplished , if we do not look at all those vectors of oppression , all those roadblocks to freedom ?
And there are many other things , you know , that we can talk about , too .
We have to look at our international situation .
We have to look at our relationship to the rest of the world .
We export white supremacy .
Your previous guest was talking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States ’ ongoing so-called foreign policy , which is really war policy , and that , I think he said , there were only 11 years in the entire history of the country when we weren ’ t involved in warfare .
What does that say about what kind of nation we are ?
And so much of that has been racialized .
And particularly , you know , I would say , since World War II , the skirmishes , and not — I mean , they ’ re bigger than skirmishes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ engages in just always seems to be against populations of people of color .
We could talk about disability — AMY GOODMAN : Barbara , before we go , since we just have 30 seconds , I want to ask — AMY GOODMAN : — if you see echoes of the Hamer-Baker Plan in the Democratic Party platform , or what ’ s being put forth , in the role you see activists should play in the November election ?
BARBARA SMITH : I haven ’ t read the platform , but from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming from a different place , because as — I talked about nipping around the edges of the problem .
I think that even if they ’ re bold initiatives , you have to have the consciousness .
You have to acknowledge and admit that white supremacy exists , in order to fight it .
And , see , that ’ s the difference .
There may very well be things in that platform that will help with our racial — our situation of vast racial inequality .
But is the purpose of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of white supremacy ?
That ’ s the difference , and that ’ s why I proposed the Hamer-Baker Plan .
AMY GOODMAN : Well , we ’ re going to link to that plan at democracynow.org .
Barbara Smith , author , activist and independent scholar .
Her piece in The Nation , “ How to Dismantle White Supremacy.
” When we come back , as global deaths from COVID-19 start to near 1 million , we look at the race to develop a vaccine and the issue of transparency .
Back @ @ @ @

This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now! The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman, as we turn now from the cost of the so-called war on terror abroad to look at how the U.S. government is targeting Black Lives Matter protesters while downplaying the threat of white supremacist violence at home.
Since the police killing of George Floyd in May sparked a nationwide uprising against police brutality, armed white supremacists have taken to the streets of U.S. cities in response to Black Lives Matter protests. After the police shooting of unarmed Black father Jake Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, 17-year-old white Trump-supporting vigilante gunman Kyle Rittenhouse shot and killed two antiracist protesters in Kenosha last month. But President Trump has refused to criticize Rittenhouse. Just this week, Donald Trump Jr. said of the self-proclaimed vigilante, quote, “We all do stupid things at 17.”
On Wednesday, a Department of Homeland Security whistleblower accused the agency’s leadership of instructing analysts to downplay the violent threat posed by white supremacists. Brian Murphy, the former head of the Homeland Security Department’s intelligence branch, says he had been ordered to alter the text of assessments to make the threat of white supremacy, quote, “appear less severe.” Earlier this year, DHS drafted a document stating, quote, “white supremacist extremists will remain the most persistent and lethal threat in the Homeland through 2021.” That’s not a Black Lives Matter manual; again, that is DHS’s own words. But in newer versions of the document, the reference to white supremacists was removed. Murphy also claims leaders at DHS pressured analysts to change assessments to match up to comments made by President Trump attacking anti-fascist groups.
This comes as The Intercept reports in many states protesters who took part in the massive Black Lives Matter demonstrations are being charged with felonies, and even terrorism.
Well, for more, we’re joined by a guest who’s proposing a Marshall Plan to eradicate white supremacy in the United States. She calls it the Hamer-Baker Plan, for Fannie Lou Hamer and Ella Baker. Barbara Smith joins us now from Albany, New York, an author, activist, independent scholar, founder of the Combahee River Collective and of Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press. Her latest book, Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around: Forty Years of Movement Building with Barbara Smith. Her recent piece for The Nation headlined “How to Dismantle White Supremacy.”
Barbara Smith, welcome back to Democracy Now! As we talk about terrorism, talk about what we see in the United States.
BARBARA SMITH: Well, thank you so much. It’s great to be with you again, Amy.
I actually was talking about something a bit different from what you just so very clearly framed in your introduction. I’m not just talking about white supremacist groups or organized white supremacy. What I’m talking about is a system that actually dictates and shapes every aspect of life in the United States, from where your kids go to school and what kind of education they’re able to get, what kind of housing you have, what your healthcare looks like, how often or much more often you die from COVID-19. I’m talking about the entire system. And I think that, of course, if we eradicate white supremacy and make that our priority and our goal, of course we’re going to get rid of the most extreme manifestations of white supremacy, which is organized white supremacist groups, violent terrorist groups. But I’m talking about something even, I think, larger.
AMY GOODMAN: So, talk about that larger picture, and talk about the plan that you see needs to be put in place in this country.
BARBARA SMITH: Well, I started writing about white supremacy earlier this summer, after George Floyd was lynched. I was so full of rage and pain, because I’ve been dealing with this ever since Emmett Till was lynched in 1955. I was 8 years old when that happened, so, of course, I could not fully understand what had actually transpired. I just knew that the people in my family, who were all from the Deep South — I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, because they were part of the Great Migration — I just knew they were very, very upset about someone named Emmett Till, and that this person was also a child, like my twin sister Beverly and me. So, as I said, I’ve been dealing with this for quite a long time, 1955 until the spring of 2020 and beyond. So, I just thought, “I’ve got to write.” I’m a writer. I just thought, “I’ve got to write about this.”
What motivated me was the fact that when people were talking about these issues, either in print or in media, visual media, etc., that they never really talked about white supremacy. They would talk about race relations. They would talk about implicit bias. They would talk about needing to reform and change the culture of policing. All well and good, but they never talked about where all this mess comes from. And that’s what I wanted to write about.
In that first article, which appeared in The Boston Globe — it was an op-ed in The Boston Globe — I proposed: What would it be like if we had a Marshall Plan, or a plan on the scale of the space race, to eradicate white supremacy? And when I was in contact then with my editor at The Nation, they suggested, “Why don’t you spin that out?” And that’s where the second article evolved from.
AMY GOODMAN: And talk about Fannie Lou Hamer and Ella Baker, why you’ve named this plan after them.
BARBARA SMITH: Well, as I say when people ask me, it’s because I idolize them. And they are supreme examples of what being freedom fighters, principled, fearless — or at least courageous. There’s a difference between being fearless and being courageous. Courageous is actually better, because everyone should have some fear about what might actually harm them.
And, of course, Fannie Lou Hamer paid a huge price for wanting to do something as seemingly ordinary as vote. But in the Jim Crow South of that era, Black people, virtually none of them were allowed to vote. She paid a permanent price because of the beating that she received. And I just found out yesterday, if you can believe it, after all these years, that she actually was blinded in one eye. She is known for having worked with SNCC, doing voter organizing and other kinds of antiracist organizing during that Jim Crow era, and then, of course, speaking out so powerfully at the 1964 Democratic convention about what went on in Mississippi, and asking the very, very, very relevant question: “Is this America?”
And then, Ella Baker, of course, she was a person — among so many other things, she worked for all of the major civil rights organizations at some time. So she had experience across organizations. She also was doing that grassroots, very, very dangerous organizing in the Jim Crow South, in little towns, in rural areas. But she is probably best known for the person who inspired and made possible the founding of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, which is SNCC.
I actually had the great, great pleasure and honor of meeting Fannie Lou Hamer when I was a teenager in Cleveland in 1965 and was very involved in the civil rights movement as a young person.
AMY GOODMAN: Barbara Smith, can you talk about why you feel racial capitalism, and what you think that term means, should be at the center of this plan?
BARBARA SMITH: Well, as you know, Amy, you can’t talk about race in the United States without talking about class, and you can’t talk about class without talking about race. Racism, white supremacy, capitalism are absolutely intertwined. You know, it’s like a vine that has wrapped itself around a tree or another plant. What can you do to separate them? Very, very, very difficult to do.
We have and live under a system of racialized capitalism, where the worst consequences of capitalism fall upon those who have the least amount of white skin privilege — in other words, people of color. And that’s why we see such disproportionate economic results and consequences of that system. The fact that Black families have about 10% of the wealth, median wealth, of white families just says it all.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to go back to 1968, to the Kerner Commission, which offered a moment that could have launched the U.S. into a massive program to end white supremacy, but didn’t. Why do you think that didn’t happen during the civil rights movement? And what do you think is necessary to make this sort of national shift now?
BARBARA SMITH: Again, getting into the Wayback Machine of my memory and of my life, I remember when the Kerner Commission report came out. I remember buying my paperback copy. It was a best-selling book. And that’s when people had — you know, like, read paperbacks. You didn’t have the internet or all these other means of communication. So, the pocketbook, as they called them, the paperback book, that was the format.
And this was a big, thick, but small size, report done by a government bipartisan commission to explain — to investigate, explain, analyze why there had been so many urban insurrections, rebellions — I never call them “riots,” the other people can call them “riots” — but why there had been so many urban insurrections during that period of the late 1960s. And they came up with the incredibly insightful conclusion that it was white racism.
And I would say that the reason that it was not addressed at that time is because — and this may sound, you know, like, pessimistic, but it’s not; it’s just something for us to think about — this country functions with white supremacy as its engine, an engine that runs so many aspects — banking, healthcare, education. All these disparities that we see, it would take quite a bit to say, “I think, you know, we need to get rid of that.”
And that’s where we are now. Do we have the political will to actually eradicate white supremacy, or do we just want to kind of nip around the edges of it and do cosmetic things? You know? Taking down the Confederate statues, very, very important, very glad that’s happening, but it doesn’t necessarily get to the material conditions of people who live under this system, nor does it address the incredible violent racism that results in people like a Jacob Blake being shot seven times in front of his tiny children at point-blank range.
AMY GOODMAN: And as you speak, Barbara, it just so happens that in these seconds — people will hear it at different times, but at this time, 8:46, the first plane hit the first tower of the World Trade Center 19 years ago. I wanted to ask you about intersectionality, about taking on terrorism, taking on white supremacy. You say it can’t be divorced from misogyny and heteropatriarchy.
BARBARA SMITH: Right. Well, that’s, you know, certainly from my long years of commitment to fighting for women’s rights and women’s freedom, and also being an out lesbian since the 1970s. You know, like how on businesses they say things like “Serving you since 1942,” or whatever, well, if there was a little sign, you know, to explain that aspect of my life, it would be “Out lesbian since 1975.” So, that’s a long time, and that was not very long after Stonewall, so I’ve been involved in thinking about, organizing around, writing about issues of sexuality and gender, and sexuality and gender oppression, for decades, long before it was popular, long before it was considered to be cute. And I just approach everything that I work on and think about in that way.
And when you think about the issues of — the issue of white supremacy, it’s absolutely entwined — again, much like racial capitalism — it’s entwined with patriarchy and with homophobia and transphobia. So, you can’t really address one without the other. I mean, just like for a thought experiment, what would our country be like if we decided, miraculously decided, as a nation, to get rid of white supremacy in every possible way that we could, and left violence against women, rape, transphobia, homophobia, discrimination against people based upon gender and sexuality, if we left that intact? What would we have accomplished, if we do not look at all those vectors of oppression, all those roadblocks to freedom?
And there are many other things, you know, that we can talk about, too. We have to look at our international situation. We have to look at our relationship to the rest of the world. We export white supremacy. Your previous guest was talking about the incredible repercussions of the United States’ ongoing so-called foreign policy, which is really war policy, and that, I think he said, there were only 11 years in the entire history of the country when we weren’t involved in warfare. What does that say about what kind of nation we are? And so much of that has been racialized. And particularly, you know, I would say, since World War II, the skirmishes, and not — I mean, they’re bigger than skirmishes — the military adventures that this nation engages in just always seems to be against populations of people of color. We could talk about disability —
AMY GOODMAN: Barbara, before we go, since we just have 30 seconds, I want to ask —
BARBARA SMITH: Yes. I’m sorry.
AMY GOODMAN: — if you see echoes of the Hamer-Baker Plan in the Democratic Party platform, or what’s being put forth, in the role you see activists should play in the November election?
BARBARA SMITH: I haven’t read the platform, but from what I gather, it’s coming from a different place, because as — I talked about nipping around the edges of the problem. I think that even if they’re bold initiatives, you have to have the consciousness. You have to acknowledge and admit that white supremacy exists, in order to fight it. And, see, that’s the difference. There may very well be things in that platform that will help with our racial — our situation of vast racial inequality. But is the purpose of those initiatives to address that bedrock system of white supremacy? That’s the difference, and that’s why I proposed the Hamer-Baker Plan.
AMY GOODMAN: Well, we’re going to link to that plan at democracynow.org. Barbara Smith, author, activist and independent scholar. Her piece in The Nation, “How to Dismantle White Supremacy.”
When we come back, as global deaths from COVID-19 start to near 1 million, we look at the race to develop a vaccine and the issue of transparency. Back in 30 seconds.