CO-FOUNDER JOHN ROSENTHAL, ON THE MANY ROADBLOCKS THEY'VE BEEN FACING IN THEIR EFFORTS TO KEEP MASSACRES LIKE THOSE IN UVALDE AND BUFFALO FROM HAPPENING AT ALL.

>> Braude: IT WAS THE NUMBER HEARD 'ROUND THE REGION BACK IN 2015, AND FREQUENTLY REPEATED ON THIS SHOW, AND IN MANY OTHER SPACES SINCE- THE MEDIAN NET WEALTH OF BLACK AMERICANS LIVING IN BOSTON: JUST EIGHT DOLLARS, COMPARED WITH NEARLY 250,000 FOR WHITE HOUSEHOLDS.

THAT'S WHAT WAS PUBLISHED IN A FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF BOSTON REPORT, MAKING CLEAR THE INEQUALITY THAT HAS LONG PERSISTED IN A REGION TEEMING WITH OPPORTUNITY, FOR SOME.

NOW, LOCAL LEADERS ARE TAKING A MUCH DEEPER LOOK AT THIS DIVIDE, THE ROOT CAUSES, AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS NOT JUST IN BOSTON, BUT ACROSS THE STATE AND AMONG OTHER GROUPS.

I'M JOINED BY TWO OF THE PEOPLE BEHIND THAT EXPANDED EFFORT: NICOLE OBI, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF BLACK ECONOMIC COUNCIL OF MASSACHUSETTS.

AND PRABAL CHAKRABARTI, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF BOSTON.

WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU, GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH.

>> GREAT TO BE HERE.

>> Braude: NICOLE YOU ARE QUOTED IN THE GLOBE SAYING THAT THE STUDY IN 2015 KICKED OFF A RACIAL AWAKENING IN BOSTON, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME WHILE IN WAS A TON OF TALK ABOUT THIS, THERE WAS MUCH LESS ACTION THAN TALK.

DO YOU THINK THAT'S A FAIR CHARACTERIZATION?

>> I THINK THAT THE RESULTS ARE MIXED.

I THINK THAT THE AWAKENING WAS REAL.

I THINK SOME FOLKS USED THAT AS THE IMPETUS TO GET ABOUT MAKING CHANGE WHILE OTHERS WEREN'T NECESSARILY SURE WHAT TO DO AND THERE WERE SOME THAT DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO THEM AT ALL.

>> Braude: PRABBAL, I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW SMALL THE SAMPLE SIZE WAS TODAY.

I DON'T THINK YOU WERE INVOLVED IN THE ACTUAL RESEARCH BUT YOU WERE IN THE PRESENTATION.

DO YOU WORRY AT ALL THAT THE DIVIDE MAY NOT BE AS EGREGIOUS AS PORTRAYED BECAUSE THE SAMPLE SIZE WAS SO SMALL?

OR ARE YOU CONFIDENT IN THOSE 2015 NUMBERS?

>> THE ORIGINAL STUDY FOUND WHAT MANY NATIONAL STUDIES HAVE FOUND.

A REALLY STARK DIVIDE BETWEEN BLACKS AND WHITES IN TERMS OF WEALTH.

IF YOU FOCUS SORT OF ON THE ABSOLUTE NUMBER IT'S ON THE ORDER OF A COUPLE 100,000 SO WE'RE VERY CONFIDENT THAT THAT STEEP DIVIDE IS THERE AND THAT IT VERY LIKELY REMAINS, WITH A NEW STUDY WE HOPE TO SAY MORE NOT JUST ABOUT THE STEEPNESS OF THE DIVIDE BUT ABOUT SOME OF THE SOURCES AND A PARTICULAR POINT, A DIRECTION.

I THINK NICOLE IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

THIS STUDY WAS A FLAIR THAT WENT UP, THAT LAUNCHED MANY, MANY EFFORTS, MANY SORT OF SHIFTS, IF YOU WILL.

OUR HOPE IS THAT THIS NEW STUDY PROVIDES MORE OF A COMPASS, MORE OF A DIRECTION AS IT EXPANDS TO THE REGION, MASSACHUSETTS AS A WHOLE.

AND SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING ON THIS EFFORT.

>> PRABAL I WANT TO SAY WITH YOU FOR A SECOND.

I HAD A COUPLE OF LEADERS OF LATINO GROUPS HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT YOUR STUDY.

AND I WAS AMAZED THEN AS I EXPRESSED AND WAS AT THE TIME, IF WE CAN PUT UP THESE NUMBERS.

WHILE PRACTICALLY EVERYBODY WATCHING THESE SHOWS HAS INTERNALIZED AND MEMORIZED THE 250,000 VERSUS EIGHT NUMBER, ALMOST NO ONE SPOKE ABOUT 0 WEALTH DOLLARS FOR A DOMINICAN FAMILY.

A MERE 3,000 DOLLARS FOR A PUERTO RICAN FAMILY.

DO YOU HAVE ANY INCITE INTO WHY THOSE NUMBERS, BY THE WAY, IN THE FASTEST GROWING POPULATION, THE LATINO POPULATION IN BOSTON Y THEY WERE SECOND THOUGHTS IF THOUGHTS AT ALL?

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY THAT JUST REAL POWER OF THAT STUDY AND OF THIS NEW LOOK THAT WE'RE TAKING AT IT, IS REALLY BEING ABLE TO LOOK AT ETHNIC AND SUB ETHNIC GROUPS IN MUCH MORE DETAIL STVMENT INTERESTING YOU MENTION THOSE FIGURES.

THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF INFORMATION IS IN THAT STUDY THAT POINTED TO THE USE OF SORT OF AVAILABILITY OF SAVINGS PRODUCTS, RETIREMENT QUTS, HOME OWNERSHIP, THE ROLE OF DEBT, STUDENT LOANS AND CAR LOANS.

LOOKING AT THESE NUMBERS WITH A MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND EXPANDED EFFORT TO LOOK ACROSS THE REGION, WE DO HOPE TO SEE MORE ABOUT KEY DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS.

AND AGAIN, TO SAY MORE ABOUT THE SOURCES.

WEALTH IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT IN LATINO POPULATIONS, BLACK POPULATIONS, ASIAN POPULATIONS, CERTAIN SUB ETHNIC GROUPS WITHIN ASIAN STVMENT INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LABOR MARKET.

THE ABILITY TO BORROW FOR A STUDENT LOAN TO GET A HIGHER PAYING JOB.

>> Braude: LET ME BE CLEAR, I WASN'T FAULTING THE FEDERAL RESERVE, YOU PUT OUT THE NUMBERS.

I WAS FAULTING PEOPLE LIKE ME WHO CHOSE NOT TO FOCUS ON THOSE WHILE WE WERE FOCUSED PRETTY INTENTLY.

ONE OF THE OTHER GLOBE INTERVIEWS YOU DID, NICOLE, I HOPE YOU DON'T THINK I'M STALKING YOUR INTERVIEWS, BUT YOUR FIRST INTERVIEW WITH THE GLOBE AFTER YOU GOT THE JOB, YOU TALKED ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT OWNERSHIP WAS AND I LOOKED BACK AT THOSE HOME OWNERSHIP NUMBERS IN 2015.

WHITE FAMILIES ALMOST 80% HOME OWNERSHIP, BLACKS LESS THAN A THIRD, DOMINICANS, AGAIN, A FIFTH OR LESS.

SO WE DO KNOW EVEN WITHOUT THE NEW REEVERYONE THAT THE ABSENCE OF HOME OWNERSHIP IN FAMILIES OF COLOR IS A CENTRAL PILAR OF THIS INEQUITY, IS THAT NOT SO, NICOLE.

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY, THAT IS THE CASE.

AND THAT HAS THIS ROOTS IN SYSTEMIC RACISM AND RED LINING AND THESE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR GENERATIONS.

AND THAT'S THE RESULT OF IT.

THE SYSTEM HAS WORKED AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO WORK.

AND THAT IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT WORKS WELL.

>> Braude: YOU MENTIONED PRABBAL A MINUTE AGO STUDENT LOANS.

EYIANA PRESSLEY, THE CONGRESSWOMAN ON OUR RADIO SHOW TODAY, SHE HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT VERY TOPIC.

AND ABOUT INEQUITY, HERE IS THE CONGRESSWOMAN.

>> 20 YEARS AFTER BLACK BORROWERS TOOK OUT LOANS, THEY STILL OWE 95% OF THEIR LOAN.

WHITE BORROWERS OWE SIX PERCENT.

NOW, THAT'S NOT BECAUSE THOSE BLACK BORROWERS WERE NOT GAINFULLY EMPLOYED AND WEREN'T WORKING HARD AND TRYING.

IT'S ABOUT THE LAYERED GENERATION-- GENERATIONAL SORT OF POLICY VIOLENCE OF EVERYTHING FROM A WAGE GAP, THE RACIAL WEALTH GAP, AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS ADD UP.

SO THIS IS A RACIAL JUSTICE ISSUE.

>> Braude: PRABBAL, DO YOU AGREE WITH ITS CONGRESSWOMAN'S ANALYSIS.

>> I THINK CONGRESSWOMAN PRESSLEY IS ASKING ITS RIGHT QUESTION, I THINK STUDENT LOANS AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, KEY TO GETTING THE INFORMATION AND TRAINING, A HIGHER PAYING JOB, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE LABOR MARKET, I THINK IT IS A COMPLICATED QUESTION, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE MORE EXTENSIVE WORK WILL DO IS SHED MORE LIKE ON THE NATURE OF THE ISSUE AND ALSO POINT OF DIRECTION ON HOW TO ADDRESS NOT JUST THE ISSUE OF STUDENT LOANS BUT SORT OF THE UNDERLYING FACTOR, THE LACK OF ACCESS OF WEALTH TO DRIVE PEOPLE TO TAKE ON THOSE LOANS.

>> ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU, NICOLE.

AND I HOPE THIS IS A DECENT ANALOGY.

WE ARE PR ALL STUNNED THAT SANDY HOOK PROVOKED NO ACTION AT ALL OF GUNS ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

IF I CAN ANALOGIZE, THESE 250 GRAND STATE DOLLARS IS INCREDIBLY STARK AND WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO YOUR FIRST THOUGHT T DIDN'T PROMOAK-- PROVOKE NEARLY THE AMOUNT OF RESPONSE AND ACTION THAT I THINK THE NUMBERS WEREN'TED DO YOU WORRY THAT NO MATTER IF THAT DIDN'T DO IT NO MATTER THIS 2.0 STUDY IS, WE WILL BE STUCK IN THE SAME MORAS.

>> I DO WORRY TO SOME DEGREE, JIM, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING AND THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN DECISION MAKING ROLES THAT ARE HELPING TO MOVE US FURTHER AND THAT THE NEXT STUDY WHICH WE'RE HAPPY TO BE A PART OF, AND WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET TO SOME OF THESE ROOT CAUSE ISSUES WILL BE HELPFUL IN MANY WAYS, AND MANY REALMS.

>> Braude: I HOPE IT IS.

NICOLE, PRABBAL, NICE TO MEET YOU, GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR WORK, WE'LL STAY IN TOUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU SO.

IN CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS THE STATE, THERE ARE LITERAL TURF WARS PLAYING OUT, WITH SOME BATTLING FOR GRASS FIELDS, AND OTHER PUSHING FOR ARTIFICIAL ALTERNATIVES.

AND AS LIZ NEISLOSS FOUND, SOME ARGUE THERE'S A LOT AT STAKE IN THE OUTCOME.

>> ARTIFICIAL TURF LETS THE GAMES GO ON NO MATTER THE WEATHER.

>> HAVING BEEN A COACH, ONCE IT STARTS RAINING, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO FIELDS MORE WHEN THEY'RE TURF.

>> THE CITY OF MALDEN, WANTS TO TURN THIS GRASS PARK TO TURF TO CREATE MORE SPACE FOR YOUTH SOCCER AND OTHER SPORTS.

NEIGHBORS SAY REPLACING GRASS WITH PLASTIC TURF WILL BRING ENVIRONMENTAL AND HEALTH HAZARDS, AND ROB THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF NATURAL GREEN SPACE.

>> THEY HAVEN'T LISTENED TO THE NEIGHBORS, AND INSTEAD THEY'VE ELEVATED THE ORGANIZED SPORTS VOICES OVER THE NEIGHBORS HERE.

>> THE PARK SITS ALONGSIDE THE SALEMWOOD SCHOOL IN AN AREA WHERE THE MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS ARE NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING.

THIS CREATES SCIENCE TEACHER KATZEE SULLIVAN SEES THE GRASS FIELDS A A VIETSAL RESOURCE FOR LEGAL STUDENTS >> THEY'RE LOSING GREENSPACE IN A VERY CONGESTED URBAN ENVIRONMENT.

THE PLACE WHERE THESE KIDS GET TO RUN FOR 20 MINUTES A DAY BEFORE SCHOOL, AFTER SCHOOL, AND MANY OF THEM GO HOME TO APARTMENTS AND THEY DON'T HAVE THAT.

THIS IS, THIS IS THEIR GREEN SPACE THAT THEY'RE TAKING AWAY FROM THEM.

>> TURF FIELDS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC GRASS BLADES WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF FILL MATERIAL, RESEARCH HAS FOUND TURF GRASS ITSELF CONTAINS FORMS OF P.F.A.s-- CHEMICALS THAT DON'T BREAK DOWN AND ACCUMULATE IN WATERWAYS AND THE FOOD CHAIN.

>> IF WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT HAZARDS AND A PARTICULAR MATERIAL, EVEN IF IT IS A VERY MINUTE AMOUNT OF CHEMICAL THAT'S THAT MAY BE PRESENT IN THAT MATERIAL.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN ENTIRE FOOTBALL FIELD THAT'S COVERED IN IT.

>> UNLIKE GRASS, PLASTIC TRAPS HEAT, RAISING TEMPERATURES ON THE FIELD AND IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND DESPITE CLAIMS IT CAN BE RECYCLED, RESEARCH SHOWS OLD TURF MOSTLY ENDS UP IN LANDFILLS.

>> WE'VE FOUND MANY CASES WHERE OLD TURF IS BEING DUMPED IN SOMETIMES IN THE WOODS OR THEY'RE BEING DUMPED ON LEASED LAND AND JUST KIND OF SITTING THERE WAITING.

>> CITY OFFICIALS DECLINED TO SPEAK ON CAMERA, AS DID THE HEAD OF THE CITY'S YOUTH SOCCER PROGRAM, WHO CALLS THE TURF VERSUS GRASS DEBATE ONE OF THE MOST CONTENTIOUS ISSUES IN THE CITY.

IT'S NOT JUST MALDEN.

>> SO YELLING QUESTIONS AT ME, THROWING PENCILS TO GET MY ATTENTION REALLY WON'T WORK.

>> IN NANTUCKET, THE PROPOSAL FOR TURF HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD.

>> AND IN MARTHA'S VINEYARD, THE BATTLE OVER THIS HIGH SCHOOL FIELD WENT ON FOR SEVEN YEARS BEFORE BEING VOTED DOWN LAST WEEK.

>> WE'VE HAD A BOARD OF HEALTH AGENT RESIGN BECAUSE OF CONCERNS FOR HER SAFETY, FEELING THREATENED RELATED TO THIS ISSUE.

A HOST OF OTHER, YOU KNOW, JUST KIND OF UGLY, UGLY EXAMPLES.

>> AND A GROWING NUMBER OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING SHARON, WAYLAND, AND CONCORD HAVE ISSUED MORATORIUMS ON NEW TURF FIELDS.

TURF OR NOT, MALDEN'S ROOSEVELT PARK NEEDS WORK; LEAD'S BEEN FOUND IN THE SOIL.

PLANS TO REMOVE IT ARE ON HOLD UNTIL THE FIELD IS REDONE.

LIZ NEISLOSS, GBH NEWS >> Braude: CONSTRUCTION ON THAT TURF FIELD IS SCHEDULED BEGIN IN MALDEN THIS FALL.

LOCAL RESIDENTS SAY THEY PLAN TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT.

FINALLY TONIGHT, IT'S BEEN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS SINCE MARCH FOR OUR LIVES CO-FOUNDER DAVID HOGG AND STOP HANDGUN VIOLENCE CO-FOUNDER JOHN ROSENTHAL JOINED ME IN THIS STUDIO.

AND SINCE THEN, AT LEAST 167 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED IN MASS SHOOTINGS, DEFINED AS FOUR OR MORE PEOPLE SHOT OR KILLED, INCLUDING 10 BLACK PEOPLE TARGETED AND MURDERED IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK, AND OF COURSE 21 PEOPLE IN UVALDE, TEXAS; 19 OF THEM, YOUNG KIDS.

SO I THINK IT'S WORTH A LOOK BACK AT WHAT AND WHO THESE ACTIVISTS FEEL IS RESPONSIBLE, AND THEIR HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

IT'S REALLY GOOD TO MEET YOU, JOHN, THANKS FOR BEING HERE.

PEOPLE SEE YOU, YOU ARE THIS CRUSADER, THIS CHARISMATIC ACTIVIST WHO IS FIGHTING FOR LEGISLATIVE AND OTHER CHANGE, ALSO A MASS SHOOTING SURVIVOR.

WHAT HAS THE LAST FOUR YEARS BEEN LIKE FOR YOU ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, DAVID?

CHAOTIC TO SATE LEAST.

I THINK IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OR SO AFTER EVERYTHING THAT HAD HAPPENED, MY FELLOW ACTIVIST AND I, YOU KNOW, AND OTHERS FROM PARKLAND JOINED TOGETHER WITH MANY OF THE PARENTS OF VICTIMS AS WELL TO GO AND LOBBY WASHINGTON AND ESPECIALLY STATE GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE COUNTRY TO CHANGE THINGS.

TO PUT IT BRIEFLY THE PAST FOUR YEARS NOW HAVE FEMENT LIKE 50 OR MORE.

WE HAVE SEEN SO MUCH CULTURAL CHANGE, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR GENERATION TURNING OUT AT SOME OF THE HIGHEST RATES IN AMERICAN HISTORY TO VOTE IN 2018, GETTING 10 SEATS IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND-- AND ALSO THE HIGHEST YOUTH VOTER RATE IN AMERICAN HISTORY IN 2020.

SO IT HAS BEEN VERY REWARDING IN SOME SENSES TO SEE THAT KIND OF CHANGE BUT ALSO VERY DEPRESSING TO SEE THE EFFECT, THE CHILLING EFFECT THE FILIBUSTER HAS HAD ON OUR DEMOCRACY.

>> Braude: CAN YOU SITE ANY LEGISLATIVE CHANGE THAT YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT IN THOSE FOUR YEARS.

>> YEAH, I MEAN WHEN WE STARTED THE CDC AND NIH WERE GETTING% ZERO DOLLARS IN FUNDING TO STUDY GUN VIOLENCE BECAUSE OF AT DICKY AMENDMENT WHICH STOPPED THE CDC FROM STUDYING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GUP LAWS, THAT IS ONE THING WE CHANGED, I WISH IT WAS MORE BUT WITH THAT WE HAVE ALSO SEEN MAJOR CHANGES AT THE STATE LEVEL WITH OVER 50 STATE GUN LAWS BEING CHANNED OR ENACTED SINCE PARKLAND.

>> EVEN IN FLORIDA, BY THE WAY.

>> EVEN FLORIDA.

>> Braude: YOU KNOW, JOHN, DID YOU NOT TELL ME AT ONE POINT STAYING IN CONGRESS FOR A SECOND, IT WOULD TAKE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS GETTING SHOT FOR THEM TO ACT?

YOU DID SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT THROUGH-- AND MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WERE SHOT.

MAYBE IT LEAD TO ONE HUSBAND OF A SHOT CONGRESS PERSON BEING ELECTED TO THE SENATE.

BUT BEYOND THAT, IN SOME WAYS IT SEEMS TO HAVE HARDENED THEIR RESOLUTION AGAINST CHANGE.

WHAT NEXT HAS TO HAPPEN OTHER THAN GENERATIONAL CHANGE?

>> I, LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, THOUGHT SANDY HOOK MIGHT CHANGE THINGS.

YOU KNOW, 20 BABIES.

BUT OBVIOUSLY IT DIDN'T.

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE MADE A CHOICE.

THEY HAVE CHOSEN SPECIAL INTERESTS, BLOOD MONEY CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS OVER THE LIVES OF 100 OF US A DAY.

I MEAN SINCE I STARTED STOP HANDGUN VIOLENCE IN 1994, BASICALLY A MILLION PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM GUN VIOLENCE.

AND THERE IS NO BACKGROUND CHECK FOR GUN SALES IN AMERICA.

I MEAN WE ARE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF A MODEL FOR BAD PUBLIC POLICY IN THE WORLD.

AND THERE ARE REAL CONSEQUENCES.

TO THINK THAT CONGRESS WOULD CHOOSE, YOU KNOW, UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO GUNS WHEN 40,000 PEOPLE ARE DYING A YEAR, IT JUST AN INDICATION OF HOW BROKEN OUR SYSTEM IS.

AND WHEN PARKLAND HAPPENED AND DAVID AND EMMA AND THE ORGANIZERS CREATED THE MARCH FOR OUR LIVES I REALIZED THAT IS THE FUTURE.

BECAUSE ADULTS HAD FAILED THIS GENERATION.

OUR GENERATION HAS FAILED THE GENERATION THAT IS FOLLOWING.

AND THEY ARE NOT SAFE IN SCHOOLS.

THEY ARE NOT SAFE IN MOVIE THEATER, IN NIGHTCLUBS.

AND SHAME ON US FOR ALLOWING OUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, AND NOT HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

AND UNTIL WE GET TO THE POLLS AND VOTE THESE PEOPLE OUT, IT IS JUST GOING TO CONTINUE.

>> Braude: UNTIL THAT HAPPENS THERE IS A PRESIDENT WHO AS YOU NOALTED AS RECENTLY AS A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO ON YOUR TWITTER ACCOUNT HAS THE ABILITY TO DO THINGS.

HERE IS WHAT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HAD TO SAY ABOUT GUN ISSUES, AT LEAST PART OF WHAT HE HAD TO SAY AT THE STAIFT THE YOUNG.

>> I ASKED CONGRESS TO PASS MEASURES TO SHALL PASS UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS, WHY SHOULD ANYONE ON THE CHERISHED LIST BE ABLE TO PURCHASE A WEAPON, WHY?

BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS WITH HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES OVER A HUNDRED ROUNDS REPEAL THE LIABILITY SHIELD THAT MAKES GUN MANUFACTURERS THE ONLY INDUSTRY IN AMERICA THAT CAN'T BE SUED.

THESE LAWS DON'T ING FRINGE ON A SECOND AMENDMENT.

THEY SAVE LIVES.

>> Braude: SO CLEARLY I WOULD SAY TALKING THE TALK.

BUT OTHER THAN AND CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG HE DID SOMETHING ON EXECUTIVE ACTION ON GHOST GUNSZ, I BELIEVE.

YOU SUGGESTED THERE IS A LOT MORE HE CAN DO UNILATERALLY WITHOUT CONGRESS THAT HE IS NOT DOING.

WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS AND WHY ISN'T HE DOING THEM?

>> YEAH, THAT SAY GREAT QUESTION THAT I CONTINUE TO TALK WITH THE WHITE HOUSE ABOUT IN PRIVATE MEETINGS.

THE MAIN THING IS THAT WE TALK ABOUT CREATING ARE SOMETHING LIKE A NATIONAL OFFICE OF GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

WE HAVE SEEN SIMILAR OFFICES CREATED FOR THINGS LIKE CLIMATE, LABOR AND GENDER EQUITY BUT WE DON'T HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT FOR GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION.

THIS IS A CONGRESS THAT WE CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT WITH THE WHITE HOUSE ON BASICALLY A WEEKLY BASIS AT THIS POINT.

THE OTHER THING PRESIDENT BIDEN COULD DO UNILATERALLY IS WORK TO ENSURE THAT THE WHITE HOUSE BASICALLY COMES UP WITH A PLAN THAT SAYS WE HAVE A SET GOAL POST OF NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT PIECE MEAL LEGISLATION BUT A SET GOAL OF CUTTING GUN DEATHS IN HALF BY 2030 WHICH WE COULD DO BY IMPLEMENTING THIS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SO THAT THE IMRD IS THAT BIDEN COULD GO TO CONGRESSES AND SAY WE HAVE THIS PLAN, YOU CAN IMPLEMENT THIS PLAN AND SAVE LIVES TODAY INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE NEXT SHOOTING TO HAPPEN.

I WILL BE HONEST, IF WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR THE NEXT SANDY HOOK OR PARKLAND OR AURORA OR LAS VEGAS OR SAN BERNARDINO OR ANY NUMBER OF COUNTLESS OTHER SHOOTINGS TO HAPPEN, WE ARE NEVER GOING TO END THIS ISSUE.

BECAUSE THERE IS NEVER GOING TO BE A RIGHT TIME TO ACT ON THIS.

BECAUSE THE RIGHT TIME IS NOW.

>> Braude.

>> SO JIM I HAVE HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE WHITE HOUSE TOO.

>> Braude: I KNOW YOU HAVE.

>> GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS NOT THEORETICAL.

URBAN MASSACHUSETTS HAS PROVEN THAT GUN LAW SAVES LIVE WAS BANG MOST GUNSZ AN IF EVERY STATE HAD THE SAME LOW FIRE ARM FATAL ITERATE AS MASSACHUSETTS, IF EVERY STRAIGHT HAD THE SAME COMPREHENSIVE GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION LAW WAS BANG MOST GUNS, 27,000 LIVES A YEAR WOULD BE SAVED WITHOUT BANNING ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR MILITARY STYLE ASSAULT WEAPONS AND LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION MAGAZINES.

AND HAVE I HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH IN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AND THE-- NOT IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BUT THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.

AND THEY SAY WE DON'T HAVE THE VOTES IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

>> Braude: WITH ALL DUE RESPECT IS THE FACT IMMUNE DEBATE.

THE FACTS ARE SORT OF LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE THERE ISN'T ANOTHER SIDE ANY MORE YET THERE ARE DENIERS HERE, NO REAL FACTS ON THE OTHER SIDE.

SO THERE ARE DENIERS, SO LET'S GO TO A PLACE WHERE SOMETHING HAS HAPPEN, JOHN WITH YOU FOR A SECOND.

OBVIOUSLY $73 MILLION SETTLEMENT WITH RECOMMENDINGTON RECENTLY, A WEEK OR SO AGO.

HALF OF THE ANALYSTS SAY THAT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING USING CONSUMER LAWS TO GET AROUND THIS FEDERAL SHIELD TO PROTECT GUN MANUFACTURERS.

THE OTHER HALF I READ SAY THIS SAY ONE AND DONE KIND OF THING IT IS A GREAT THING, THE GRUPT SEE DEAL, ET CETERA, SETS THIS A PART IT IS NOT GOING TO BE REPLICATED ELSEWHERE.

WHO IS RIGHT?

>> I THINK IT WILL BE REPLICATED AND I THINK IF YOU CAN GET TO DISCOVERY, THAT IS WHY RECOMMENDINGTON SETTLED.

BECAUSE THEY HAVE THOUGHT THEY HAD ABSOLUTE IMMUNITY, THAT THEY COULDN'T BE SUED.

SO THEY ACTUALLY, LIKE FOCUSED ON MARKETING GUNS TO POPULATIONS THAT, YOU KNOW, YOUNG BOYS.

MEN WHO-- .

>> Braude: WANT TO CELEBRATE YOUR MANHOOD OR SOME SUCH THING, KPTD REMEMBER THE EXACT WORDS.

>> BECAUSE THEY FIGURED THEY CAN'T BE SUED.

NOW I THINK THEY CAN BE SUED AND IT'S NOT STRICT.

THEY-- .

>> Braude: HOW DOES THAT CLANG-- IN ANTICIPATION OF POSSIBLY BEING SUED IF YOUR ANALYSIS IS RIGHT, JOHN, HOW DOES THAT CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR OF GUN MANUFACTURER?

>> BECAUSE THE LAST THING RECOMMENDINGTON WANTED WAS 20 PARENTS SHOWING PICTURES OF THEIR SIX AND SEVEN YEAR OLDS WHO WERE SHOT WITH THREE TO 11 ROUNDS AND HAD TO BE IDENTIFIED BY THEIR CLOTHING WITH A MILITARY STYLE WEAPON.

AND THAT ANYBODY CAN BUY THOSE AND 32 STATE WAS AN I.D.

OR A BACKGROUND CHECK IS THE REASON WHY THERE IS A MASS SHOOTING OF FOUR OR MORE PEOPLE EVERY DAY IN AMERICA.

AND CONGRESS HAS CHOSEN TO ALLOW IT WE NEED TO HOLD CONGRESS ACCOUNTABLE.

AND THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO HOLD CONGRESS ACCOUNTABLE, ULTIMATELY IS IF THE GUN INDUSTRY STARTS TO CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO BE SUED.

>> Braude: CAN WE GO BACK FROM CONGRESS TO STATE LEGISLATURES WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL AND HE HAS BEEN REALLY SUCCESSFUL IN THIS LEGISLATURE AND ALSO YOU ARE A MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENT, AT LEAST FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS WHILE YOU ARE IN SCHOOL.

I LOVE THIS BILL THAT IS PENDING.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS, IS IF YOU CAN'T SELL A WEAPON IN THE STATE THAN YOU CAN'T MANUFACTURE THAT WEAPON IN THE STATE.

I KNOW THAT DUBTS OCTOBER VEESESLY THAT DOESN'T CROSS BORDERS TO HELP YOU IN THE NEXT STATE OR THE NEXT STATE LIKE GOING NORTH TO NEW HAMPSHIRE.

THAT IS SUCH AN OBVIOUSLY GOOD IDEA TO ME, IS IT TO YOU I ASSUME.

>> YEAH, IT IS A SMALL STEP BUT HERE IS THE THING ABOUT ALL OF THESE THINGS.

WE CAN CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT PIECE MEAL LEGISLATION AND ST GREAT TO SEE THE WORK JOHN HAS DONE OVER THE PAST DECADES TO MAKE THESE THINGS POSSIBLE.

BUT THE REALITY IS IT IS GOING TO TAKE GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE DOING THIS IF WE ARE JUST FOCUSED AT THE STATE LEVEL AND WE DON'T ADDRESS THE FACT THAT THE FILL BUST CERTIFICATE EFFECTIVELY KILLING OUR CHILDREN BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ABLE TO ENACT COMON SCENS GUN LAWS EVEN WHEN WE ELECT A MAJORITY WHO SAYS THEY SUPPORT IT.

>> Braude: SO WHAT PIECE OF YOU BELIEVES THAT THIS CONGRESS OR THE NEXT CONGRESS OR THE NEXT CONGRESS IS GOING TO ALL OF A SUDDEN CONFRONT THIS FILIBUSTER ISSUE AND WON'T DO IT-- WE JUST SAW IT RECENTLY ON THINGS LIKE VOTING RIGHTS WHICH MAY END DEMOCRATIC CONTROL OF CONGRESS.

SO IF ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS THEIR OWN JOB, THEY ARE NOT EVEN WILLING TO PROTECT THEM IN A SENSE.

SO ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC THEY WILL CHANGE THEIR STRIPES OR NO.

>> OPTIMISM ISN'T A CHOICE WHEN KIDS ARE DYING, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE WORKING NO MATTER WHAT WE THINK THE FUTURE HOLDS IN THE FIRST PLACE BECAUSE I THINK THE FUTURE OF THIS ISSUE PROBABLY LOOKS A LOT MORE TO SOME OF THE AK TIJ-- TACTICS TO GET GAY MARRIAGE LEGALIZED GOING AT THE STATE LEVEL, STATE BY STATE, WITHOUTING TO CHANGE THE COURTS IN INJURE IS PRUDENCE USING STATES AS THE KIND OF LABORATORIES TO SEE WHAT CAN WE GET DONE THAT IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND GO TO CONGRESS AFTER WE HAVE PROVEN TO THEM THAT THIS IS POSSIBLE.

>> TRICKLE UP.

>> YOU BUY THAT?

>> YEAH, YES, I DO.

AND JIM, I WAS THE LEAD ADVOCATE FOR THAT GUN BILL.

>> THAT IS WHY I DIDN'T ASK YOU.

I FIGURED I WOULD START WITH HIM.

>> BUT THINK ABOUT THIS, IN MASSACHUSETTS WE BAN MILITARY STYLE ASSAULT WEAPONS INCLUDING COPYCAT WEAPONS THAT DON'T HAVE THE SAME NAME BUT DO THE SAME FUNCTION AND LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION MAGAZINES.

SO FROM A MORAL STANDPOINT HOW, YOU KNOW, IF OUR LEGISLATORS ARE WILLING TO BAN THESE WEAPONS TO MAKE US SAFER IN MASSACHUSETTS WHY IS IT OKAY TO DISTRIBUTE THEM?

IT WAS A MAID IN MASSACHUSETTS WEAPON USE AT PARKLAND, MADE IN MASSACHUSETTS ASSAULT WEAPON AT AURORA AND IN LAS VEGAS.

AND LAS VEGAS, EVEN I, A CYNIC THOUGHT 551 PEOPLE SHOT, 850 SENT TO THE HOSPITAL IN MINUTES WITH WOUNDS FROM ASSAULT WEAPONS AND CONGRESS DID NOTHING?

AT SOME POINT, ENOUGH PEOPLE WILL BE KILLED AND ONE PUBLIC PLACE THAT MIGHT LOCATE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORSES SPINE.

>> BUT AFTER THE THREE OF US OBVIOUSLY AGREES THIS IS A WONDERFUL PIECE OF LEGISLATION, ALBEIT LIMITED, IT IS EVEN MORE LIMITED BECAUSE A GUN COMPANY MOVES OUT OF STATE IF IT TURNS OUT THAT IS IN ITS FACE, SO AS YOU SAY ULTIMATELY IT HAS GOT-- YOU KNOW, DO YOU EVER GET DISCOURAGED?

I HAVE TO SAY, I HADN'T MET YOU UNTIL TONIGHT BUT EVEN IN THE TEN MINUTES HERE, YOU ARE RELENTLESS.

AND I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO SAY.

BECAUSE THERE ARE GOING TO BE MORE DEATHS, YOU GO HOME AT NIGHT AND YOU CLOSE THE DOOR AND YOU GOT TO DEAL WITH ALL OF THIS CRAP.

>> UH-HUH.

>> DO YOU HAVE DOUBT OR.

>> YEAH, I THINK THERE IS DOUBT, I WOULD BE LYING IF I SAID THERE WASN'T.

THE RET IS, THE THING THAT KEEPS ME HOPEFUL IS WE WILL OUTLIVE THESE PEOPLE, BOTTOMLINE.

>> YEAH.

>> WE HAVE THE MOST VALUABLE ASSET THAT ANYBODY IN POLITICS CAN HAVE ON OUR SIDE, THAT THE MAJORITY OF CONGRESS DO NOT, WHICH IS TIME.

>> Braude: PRETTY SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS YOU HAVE TO OUTLIVE THE OPPOSITION TO PREVAIL, ISN'T IT?

>> IT IS.

FRANKLY WHAT SCARES ME RIGHT NOW IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE IN A CRISIS OF OUR DEMOCRACY, OR WHAT LITTLE OF IT THAT WE HAVE LEFT, AND THE FACT THAT IN 2018, WHEN I WAS 17 YEARS OLD IN THE WAKE OF THE SHOOTING IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH I SAID YOU ARE THE ADULTS, WE ARE THE KIDS, YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING.

THOSE SAME ADULTS THEN SAID TO THOSE KIDS WELL, YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE 18, GO OUT AND VOTE AND WE DID AT ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES IN AMERICAN HIS TREEN AND THEN THE HIGHEST EVER IN IN 2020 ONLY TO SEE THE FILIBUSTER KILL ANY POSSIBILITY OF GETTING THESE MAJOR QUENGS PIECES OF LEGISLATION PASSED.

WHAT I FEAR IS IF WE CONTINUE TO TELL OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AND FUTURE GENERATIONS DEMOCRACY WORKS.

IT WORKS KEEP BELIEVING, KEEP VOTING AND THEN IT DOESN'T, THEY WILL LOOK FOR SOMETHING OTHER THAN DEMOCRACY.

>> Braude: JOHN ROSENTHAL, I HAVE KNOWN YOU FOR A LONG TIME, I HAVE KNOWN HIM FOR TEN MINUTES, MI TOLD YOU TWO SINCE HE MOVED TO TOWN HAVE DEVELOPED A BIT OF A RELATIONSHIP S THAT SO.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> Braude: I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE I'M INTERESTED.

>> SO YEAH, I MEAN DAVID AND I MET AND I WAS THINKING YOU KNOW, HE NEEDS TO KNOW THAT GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION IS NOT THEORETICAL.

THAT IT HAS BEEN PROVEN IN AN URBAN STATE.

AND THEN WHEN HE CAME TO MASSACHUSETTS, WE STARTED HANGING OUT AND I HAVE BEEN TEACHING HIM HOW TO SAIL AND HE IS AS PASSIONATE OF SAILOR AS AN ACTIVIST LIKE ME.

AND YOU KNOW, THERE IS ALL THIS INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY THAT I JUST WANT TO PASS ON.

I MEAN MARCH FOR OUR LIVES AND THE STUDENT MOVEMENT IS OUR GREATEST HOPE.

I MEAN STUDENT MOVEMENTS HAVE WORKED IN THE PAST, NOT TO MENTION ENDING A WAR.

AND I DO BELIEVE THAT MARCH FOR OUR LIVES MOVEMENT-- IS GOING TO END THIS YARR, BUT AND WE'LL DO IT WITH FACT--BASED OPTIMISM AND MASSACHUSETTS IS THAT MODEL IF WE JUST REPLICATE IT.

SO EVENTUALLY WE WILL.

BUT EVERY DAY THAT WE DON'T A HUNDRED MORE PEOPLE DIE AND 150 MORE PEOPLE ARE SHOT AND THERE'S A MASS SHOOTING OF FOUR OR MORE PEOPLE AND SHAME ON CONGRESS BUT WE WILL CHANGE CONGRESS.

>> Braude: AND THE MARCH FOR OUR LIVES MOVEMENT IS ONCE AGAIN GEARING UP TO TRY TO END THIS WAR WITH HUNDREDS OF EVENTS PLANNED ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

NEXT SATURDAY, JUNE 11th.

AND TOMORROW, WE'LL BE JOINED BY TWO OF THE ORGANIZERS: A BROOKLINE HIGH GRADUATE, AND ANOTHER PARKLAND SHOOTING SURVIVOR, ON WHY THEY'RE HOPING THIS TIME WILL BE DIFFERENT.

WE ALL HOPE SO, TOO.

THAT AND MORE, TOMORROW AT 7:00.

THANKS FOR WATCHING, AND STAY SAFE.