COMING UP ON IVORY TOWER -- HOW WEARING A MASK CAN BE A CRIME, LOCALS ENFORCING IMMIGRATION LAW •.AND WHETHER THE ISRAELI'S NEW PLAN FOR GAZA WILL WORK.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ GOOD TO HAVE YOU WITH US FOR IVORY TOWER..

I'M BARBARA FOUGHT, FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY.

THE PANELISTS JOINING ME TONIGHT ARE -- TARA ROSS, FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANIRBAN ACHARYA, FROM LE MOYNE COLLEGE CHAD SPARBER, FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY, AND BEN BAUGHMAN, FROM GANNON UNIVERSITY.

PANEL, I LEARNED A NEW TERM THIS WEEK - MASK HARASSMENT.

IT'S A NEW PROVISION IN THE PROPOSED STATE BUDGET MAKING IT A MISDEMEANOR TO WEAR A MASK WHILE COMMITTING A CRIME.

ITS GENESIS COMES FROM THE GOVERNOR'S CONCERN THAT PEOPLE HIDE THEIR FACES WHILE COMMITTING ANTISEMITIC ACTS.

TARA, IS THIS NEW CRIMINAL CHARGE NECESSARY IF A PERSON IS ALREADY ARRESTED FOR A CRIME?

>> NOT THAT I CAN SEE THAT IT IS.

DON'T GET ME WRONG.

WE ALL KNOW THAT ANTI-SEMITISM IS ON THE RISE, BUT I HAVE YET TO SEE ANY NUMBERS, ANY DATA THAT SAYS MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE COMMITTING THESE ANTI-SEMITIC ACTS ARE ACTUALLY WEARING MASKS.

WHERE YOU DO SEE MASKS BEING WORN ARE AT PROTESTS AGAINST THE WRAR IN GAZA.

AND MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE PURPOSELY WEAR MASKS BECAUSE THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE AFRAID THEY'LL LOSE THEIR JOBS.

SOME OF THEM ARE AFRAID THAT ICE WILL COME AFTER THEM.

AND THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A CLEAR CONNECTION BETWEEN WEARING THE MASK AND ACTUALLY COMMITTING AN ANTI-SEMITIC ACT AND THAT'S WHY I SAY I'M NOT SURE THIS IS NECESSARY.

>> SO, INITIALLY THE IDEA WAS THAT YOU KNOW, THE MASKS SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED FOR PROTESTS AND STUFF.

THERE WAS A HUGE IF YOU AROR AGAINST THAT BECAUSE AFTER ALL, IT'S A FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT.

YOU ARE PROTESTING.

YOU CAN WEAR A MASK.

THIS IS THE ONLY FOR CLASS A MISDEMEANOR AND ABOVE, SO IN CASE IF YOU ARE HARASSING SOMEONE OR TRYING TO BEAT SOMEONE UP, TRYING TO BE VIOLENT WITH SOMEONE, THAT'S WHEN THIS PARTICULAR MASK LAW KICKS IN; NOT FOR, YOU KNOW, NON-VIOLENT PROTESTS.

AND I DO THINK, YOU KNOW, SLAPPING ANOTHER MISDEMEANOR CHARGE TO A PERSON WHO IS BEING, YOU KNOW, HARASSING SOMEONE AND SO ON, I DON'T THINK IT IS THE UNJUST.

I THINK IT'S FAIR ENOUGH, RIGHT?

LIKE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IF IN SOME WAYS IT DISCOURAGES PEOPLE TO DO THAT.

BUT ON THE WHOLE, WEARING A MASK WEARING A MASK ON PROTEST, PEOPLE ARE WEARING MASKS AND WE DON'T KNOW WHO IS BEATING WHO UP IN THE STREETS.

THE POLICE OFFICERS SHOW THEIR FACES ALSO.

THERE IS A POINT THERE I DON'T THINK THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, YOU SHOULD-- I THINK IT'S FAIR.

>> THE GOVERNOR SAYS WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR IS-- SORRY, IS TO NOT HAVE SOMEONE BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH WEARING A MASK WHILE THEY'RE COMMITTING A CRIME AND THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR IS CRIME PREVENTION.

AND AS YOU SAID, ALL THIS LAW DOES IS ADD A MISDEMEANOR TO AN EXISTING CRIME SO DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT IT IS GOING TO WORK AS A PREVENTATIVE DEVICE.

PEOPLE SAY I WAS GOING TO COMMIT A CRIME WITH A MASK BUT NOW THAT I'M GETTING A EXTRA MISDEMEANOR, I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT.

THAT'S SILLY.

>> I AGREE WITH THAT.

>> BEN IDENTIFICATION IS IMPORTANT.

>> IT'S AN AGGRAVATING FACTOR.

IT'S A NO BREAKUPPER.

MANY STATES HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS LIKE RESIST, OBSTRUCT AND DELAY INVESTIGATION AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THIS IS DOING.

IF YOU ARE COMMITTING A CRIME, AND YOU ARE WEARING A MASK, YOU SHOULD GET THE ADDITION A CHARGE >> SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS ABOUT THIS CASE ARE SILLY SO YOU GOT SUPPORTERS THAT ARE CONTENDING MASK BANS ARE HELPFUL FOR QUICKLY IDENTIFYING CRIMINALS AND THEN YOU HAVE THE OPPONENTS WHO WILL SAY THAT NO, SUCH MEASURES ARE UNNECESSARY BECAUSE MASKS CAN'T FOOL FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE AND SO THE MASK BANS, AS YOU SAID, ARE AN IMPEDIMENT TO FREE SPEECH FOR PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PROTECT THEIR IDENTITIES OR HIDE THEIR IDENTITIES BUT THAT COUNTERARGUMENT IS CORRECTLY, TOO, BECAUSE IF THE MASKS CAN'T FOOL FACIAL IDENTIFICATION L IDENTIFICATION SOFTWARE, THEN THE PEOPLE ARE ALREADY YIEFABLE READILY.

AND SO THOSE MASKS DON'T AFFECT FREE SPEECH.

AND SO THE WHOLE THING STRIKES ME AS SILLY.

IT IS SILLY IF YOU LOOK AT IT AS BEING PREVENTATIVE.

I AGREE.

PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO GO, WELL NOW I CAN'T WEAR A MASK SO I'M NOT GOING TO COMMIT THE CRIME.

THEY'RE STILL GOING TO WEAR THE MASK AND COMMIT THE CRIME.

FROM AN INVESTIGATIVE STANDPOINT IT IS MORE EFFECTIVE AND QUICK TO GET SOMEBODY WHO IS COMMITTING A CRIME TO HIDE THEIR IDENTITY AND SHOW THE COURT THAT THE AGGRAVATING FACTOR IS THAT THEY DIDN'T JUST MAKE A MISTAKE, THEY DIDN'T JUST WALK IN AND ROB THE STORE WE WHIM.

THEY ALSO PREMEDITATED BY WEARING A MASK.

SO IT IS AN AGGRAVATING FACTOR.

I DO THINK IT'S A GOOD THING TO HAVE ON THE BOOKS AND IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE SAYING IF YOU WEAR A MASK, IT'S AGAINST THE LAW.

IT'S YOU ARE COMMITTING A CRIME AND TRYING TO HIDE YOUR IDENTITY SO FROM AN INVESTIGATIVE STANDPOINT, DEFINITELY NOT SILLY.

>> BUT THAT GETS BACK TO WHERE I STARTED.

IF THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF REINSTITUTING, BECAUSE WE DID HAVE THIS BAN FOR MANY YEARS IN NEW YORK, REINSTITUTING THIS MASK BAN, IF THE WHOLE PURPOSE IS TO PREVENT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE ACT OF COMMITTING A CRIME AND THE FOCUS IS ON ANTI-SEMITISM AND THAT HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF THE GOVERNOR, THAT HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF BOTH IN BOTH HOUSES OF THE ASSEMBLY.

SAYING THIS IS GOING TO PREVENT PEOPLE WHO ARE HARASSING JEWISH CITIZENS, WHO ARE PROTESTING AND COMMITTING CRIMES.

SO THAT HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF THIS THEN YOU GET BACK TO THE FACT THAT IS THIS REALLY GOING TO PREVENT ANTI-SEMITISM?

WHICH IS THE CONNECTION THAT HAS BEEN MADE BY THOSE WHO PROPOSE IT.

SO I AGREE WITH YOU.

IF WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT CRIME IN GENERAL.

IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE.

BUT THE WHOLE FOCUS IS ON THE ANTI-SEMITIC NATURE OF THESE CRIMES.

>> AND MANY OF THIS STEMMED OUT OF THE SUBWAY SITUATION, RIGHT, WHERE IT BECAME THE NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY AND THIS IS ALSO PART OF THE BROADER DISCUSSION, WHICH WE WILL HAVE.

OUR BUDGET WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMING OUT ON APRIL 1.

AND WE HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATEDLY FOOLED.

THE BUDGET IS NOT-- STILL NOT OUT AND WE DON'T KNOW WHY AND THIS WAS PART OF THE NEGOTIATING TECHNIQUE, BUT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS.

AND IT WILL BE HAMMERED IN TERMS OF CRIME WHEN IT COMES TO THE ELECTION, BECAUSE ALTHOUGH CRIME RATES ARE DOWN, SO I THINK THIS WAS ONE OF THE WAYS TO KIND OF APPEASE THAT CROWD THAT SHE HAS BEEN TOUGH ON CRIME AND SO ON.

AND NOT ONLY AGAINST JEWISH PEOPLE, RIGHT.

IT HAS BEEN AGAINST ARABS AND PALESTINIANS, THE PALESTINIAN GUY WHO WAS, A KID WHO WAS STABBED BY HIS LANDLORD IS THE RECENT TRIAL THAT CAME OUT.

SO YOU KNOW, WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT ANTISEMITISM BUT I WANT TO PUT ON RECORD THAT WE SHOULD ADD ANTIARAB AND ANTI-MUSLIM HATRED THAT IS ALSO VERY PREVALENT BUT THAT'S BESIDE THE POINT HERE.

>> CHAD, THERE HAS BEEN SOME MURKINESS ABOUT WHATTINGS ANTI-SEMITIC BUT WHO IS GOING TO GET CHARGED FOR THE ORIGINAL INCIDENT AND THEN HAVE THE MASK CRIME PUT ON TOP OF THAT WHEN I READ THE ARTICLES ABOUT THIS AND LOOK AT THE RHETORIC, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF IT IS BEING FUELED BY EMOTIONAL APPEALS TO PUMP UP SUPPORT FOR THE OPPOSITION OPPOSED TO DATA DRIVEN KIND OF ANALYSIS.

I THINK THAT IF WE THINK ABOUT THE FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE, WE KNOW FROM TWO YEARS AGO THAT THAT SOFTWARE MISIDENTIFIES BLACK FACES AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE THAN IT DOES FOR WHITE FACES AND THOSE ARE THE SYSTEMS WE WOULD BE RELYING UPON IN THE ABSENCE OF THESE MASK BANS.

I CAN THINK OF COWARDLY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WEAR MASKS AND THEY'RE TERRORIZING MINORITIES IN GENERAL SO NO, I DON'T BUY THIS ARGUMENT THAT THE OPPOSITION IS PUTTING FORTH.

>> LET'S TURN TO AN ISSUE RELATED TO IMMIGRATION THAT AFFECTS LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS DRAMATICALLY EXPANDED A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS LOCAL POLICE AND SHERIFFS TO, IN EFFECT, HAVE THE POWERS OF IMMIGRATION OFFICERS.

ITS MEANT TO HAVE MORE OFFICERS DOING ENFORCEMENT (MAP) MORE THAN 600 LOCAL POLICE AND SHERIFF AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE--- OR HAVE ASKED TO PARTICIPATE AND SO ON THIS MAP YOU SEE, ALL THE STATES IN GREEN HAVE SOME LOCAL AGENCIES DOING IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT.

IN NEW YORK, SO FAR, THE BROOME COUNTY SHERIFF LAS AGREED, AS HAVE AGENCIES IN NASSAU AND RENSSELAER COUNTIES.

BEN, I'M REALLY INTERESTED BECAUSE OF YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT BACKGROUND.

DO YOU THINK THIS IS APPROPRIATE FOR LOCAL OFFICERS TO BE HELPING IN FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT?

SHOULD.

AT THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY LEVEL, IT'S AN ISSUE FOR ME.

BECAUSE THEY DON'T GET THE SAME TRAINING IN CIVIL LAW.

AND CIVIL LAW IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN CRIMINAL LAW SO I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT MUNICIPALITIES THAT DO NOT SERVE CIVIL PAPERWORK.

THEY'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH CIVIL LAW.

AND I THINK THAT BECOMES A LOT MORE COMPLICATED.

>> WHAT IF IT IS NOT THE WARRANT BUT THEY'RE ASKED TO JUST DETAIN SOMEBODY UNTIL ICE CAN GET THERE TO ARREST THEM.

WE KNOW THE ISSUE IN TOMPKINS COUNTY WHERE THAT BECAME, WHERE THE SHERIFF DID NOT HOLD THE PERSON AND PRESIDENT TRUMP HIMSELF LAMBASTED HIM FOR THAT.

>> YEAH, THE DUE PROCESS THING IS A STICKING POINT FOR ME.

PEOPLE CAN BE HELD FOR A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR CERTAIN INVESTIGATIONS, BUT AGAIN IF WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR PAPERWORK, NO-- ADMINISTRATIVE PAPERWORK, NO.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SAID IN THE GREEN ROOM AND POINTED OUT ACCURATELY.

THIS IS NOT ACTUALLY NEW.

THE PROGRAM THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IS CALLED 287G, IT'S EXISTED SINCE THE MID 90s.

AND IT'S ONE OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT INTERIOR ENFORCEMENT PROGRAMS.

THE DETENTION ONE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT IS SECURE COMMUNITIES, WHICH WAS OBAMA'S FAVORED INTERIOR ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM THAT LED THE TO THE DEPORTATION OF 400,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

THE ADVANTAGE FROM THAT FROM A SOCIAL SCIENTIST STANDPOINT IS THAT GIVES US INSIGHT INTO WHAT SOME OF THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF THESE KINDS OF POLICIES ARE.

ONE OF WHICH IS THAT WHEN LOCAL POLICE TURN THEIR ATTENTION TOWARD IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT, THINGS LIKE-- THINGS HAPPEN LIKE HISPANICS START TO UNDERREPORT VIOLENT AND PROPERTY CRIME.

>> THEY'RE SCARED TO REPORT.

>> BOTH FOR THEIR OWN AND THEIR COMMUNITY'S WELL-BEING.

AND SO IF YOU THINK THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE LOCAL POPULATION, THESE KINDS OF POLICIES SHOULD GIVE YOU PAUSE, I WOULD SAY.

>> YEAH, CHAD'S POINT CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED.

IT'S ALREADY A FACT THAT WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT UNDER REPORT CRIMES DUE TO FEAR OF RETRIBUTION; FEAR OF THE GOVERNMENT, CURMT CULTURALLY EVEN TO START WITH AND THEN YOU THROW THIS INTO THE MIX.

THAT CAN'T BE OVERSTATED.

>> THIS IS A FEDERALISM ISSUE HERE, RIGHT?

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS THE RIGHTS OVER IMMIGRATION BUT POLICE POWERS BELONG TO THE STATE.

IN THIS CASE WITH 287G AND OTHERS, IT'S ABOUT A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.

FEDERALISM.

SO IF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, THEY AGREE TO COOPERATE, THEN YOU KNOW, THEN THEY CAN HELP THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ENFORCE.

AND I WANT TO POINT THE SECURE COMMUNITIES ACT THING.

THIS WAS ACTUALLY A MUCH MORE EXPANSIVE PRESENCE OF ICE IN ACTUAL JAILS SO WHAT IT DOES IS ANYBODY WHO IS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY BASED ON THE SECURE COMMUNITIES ACT, THEIR FINGERPRINTS ARE SENT TO THE FBI DATABASE TO LOOK FOR OTHER CRIMES.

BUT THEIR INFORMATION IS SENT TO ICE IMMEDIATELY AND THAT HAS LED TO WAY MORE DEPORTATIONS.

PEOPLE DON'T KNOW BUT TRAIX IS MORE AND MORE THINKING THAT YOU ARE COMPELLED TO ACTUALLY INFORM THIS TO ICE BASED ON THE ACT.

THERE ARE SOME LEGAL ISSUES THERE.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, WHETHER THERE IS NO OBLIGATION ACCORDING TO THEISM GRACE I'M-- THE IMMIGRATION NATURALLATION ACT THERE IS NO OBLIGATION FOR IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS TO HELP OFFICIALS COMMAND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT POLICY.

THEY CAN DO SO BY CREATING A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT.

SO I THINK IT WILL PLAY OUT STATE BY STATE.

, BUT I CANNOT UNDER STATE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SECURE COMMUNITIES ACT WHICH HAVE BEEN VIOLENTLY, YOU KNOW, INCARCERATING TO MANY COMMUNITIES.

>> STRICT COMMUNITIES EXISTED FROM 2008 TO 2014 AND REPLACED BY SOMETHING ELSE THAT I THINK WAS EFFECTIVELY THE SAME, THEN IT WENT AWAY AND CAME BACK, WENT AWAY.

I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE IT IS NOW.

>> TARA, VOTERS WANTED PRESIDENT TRUMP TO ENFORCE IMMIGRATION AND DEPORT PERSONS.

SO SCNT THIS PROGRAM HELP-- ISN'T THIS PROGRAM HELPFUL.

I'M SURE THERE ARE PEOPLE IN FAVOR OF THIS.

>> THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS HERE.

MOST INDIVIDUALS, WHEN THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DEALING WITH IMMIGRATION, DID NOT THINK THAT THAT WOULD SHIFT THE FOCUS OF THEIR LOCAL POLICE, THEIR LOCAL SHERIFFS, ET CETERA.

AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK I'VE HEARD IN THE LAST, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, OF ANY MUNICIPALITY, YOU KNOW, STATE, FEDERAL WHATEVER SAYING WE HAVE ENOUGH POLICE AND SHERIFFS.

WE DON'T NEED-- WE ARE GOOD TO GO.

SO YOU ARE ADDING ONE MORE THING THAT IS NOW, THAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.

SO NO ONE WAS ENVISIONING THAT.

THAT IS THE FIRST PROBLEM HERE.

I THINK THE SECOND PROBLEM IS THAT NO ONE WHO SAYS OKAY, YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IMMIGRATION, WAS MANIES THINKING-- ALSO THINKING YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IMMIGRATION AND ELIMINATE DUE PROCESS.

NOW, YOU KNOW, OR AT LEAST MOST PEOPLE, I MEAN, SOY YOU THINK THAT'S THE OTHER PROBLEM FOR INDIVIDUALS.

>> EXACTLY.

AND I WILL TACK ON THERE THE MANDATE THAT WAS EXPRESSED VERBALLY TO THE VOTERS WERE TO DEPORT VIOLENT CRIMINALS.

THAT'S WHAT WAS SPECIFICALLY SAID.

WE ARE SEEING SOMETHING ELSE PLAY OUT WITH SOME OF THESE MEASURES THAT IS NOW TAKING PART.

>> TURNING TO WORLD NEWS THE SITUATION IN GADES IS CRITICAL.

FOR TWO MONTHS FOOD HAS BEEN BLOCKED AND ISRAEL HAS BEEN BOMBING AGAIN AND NOW PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAYS HE PLANS WHAT HE CALLS AN EXTENSIVE-- INTENSIVE ESCALATION OF THE WAUGH.

HE PROPOSES ISRAEL WILL TAKE OVER AND RULE GAZA AND RELOCATE PALESTINIANS IN THE SOUTH.

IS THIS A NEGOTIATING TACTIC HOPING THAT HAMAS WILL COME TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE.

>> I THINK IT'S A NEGOTIATING TACTIC IN THE SENSE THAT DONALD TRUMP IS THE ONLY GLOBAL LEADER THAT BENJAMIN NETANYAHU WILL LISTEN TO AND HE IS TRAVELING TO SAUDI ARABIA QATAR AND UAE, I THINK WELL MAY 13.

AND THAT VERY WELL TO TO LEAD TO INCREASED PRESSURE FOR A CEASE FIRE.

AND WHEN YOU ARE ENTERING INTO THOSE NEGOTIATIONS, YOU WANT TO BE IN A POSITION OF STRENGTH SO IT BEHOOVES ISRAEL TO BE IN ITS STRONGEST POSSIBLE POSITION RIGHT NOW.

BUT, YOU KNOW, MAKE NO MISTAKE.

I THINK ISRAEL'S GOAL IS THE SAME NOW AS IT HAS BEEN SINCE OCTOBER OF 2023, WHICH IS TO SEE THE RETURN OF ALL THE HOSTAGES AND TO DESTROY HAMAS.

SO TO KIND OF SAY THAT IS IT JUST A NEGOTIATING TACTIC, NO, I THINK THAT'S TOO DISMISSIVE.

>> QUITE HONESTLY, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW.

I'M SPEECHLESS, DESPONDENT.

EVERY MORNING I WAKE UP TO PICTURES OF DEAD CHILDREN, KILLED BY ISRAELI BOMBS AND WOMEN KILLED BY ISRAELI BOMBS AND WE JUST KEEP PRETENDING THIS IS APPARENTLY WAR THAT ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO FIGHT TO DEFEND THEMSELVES BY VIOLATING ALL KINDS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.

LIKE BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IS AN INTERNATIONAL FUGITIVE BY I CG.

IC GO HAS SAYS THEY'RE AN OCCUPYING POWER AND OBLIGATION TO END THIS UNLAWFUL PRESENCE AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, JEWISH SCHOLARS, EVERYBODY IS CALLING THIS A GENOCIDE.

HAPPENING RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR EYES AND WE KEEP PRETENDING AS IF ISRAEL IS DOING THIS TO SAVE THEMSELVES AND IT'S A TACTIC.

NO, IT'S ISRAEL'S WISH IS TO COMPLETELY ANNIHILATE GAZA OR AND DRIVE OUT ALL THE PALESTINIANS AGAINST ALL INTERNATIONAL LAW, BUT MIGHT WE BE REMINDED ISRAEL EXISTS BECAUSE OF THAT INTERNATIONAL LAW THAT IT WANTS TO ITSELF UNDERMINE, RIGHT?

AND IT IS THROWING AWAY THE CEASE FIRE.

IF YOU LOOK AT ANY BROAD INTERNATIONAL MEDIA, THEY WILL SAY YES ISRAEL UMENT UNILATERALLY WALKED OUT OF THE CEASE FIRE.

IF THERE NO, SIR PERMANENT CEASE FIRE, THERE WILL NOT BE ANY DEAL AND ASK OUR VIEWERS TO GO AND READ JEREMY SKRAHILL'S EXCELLENT INTERVIEW WITH THE HAMAS COMMANDER THAT CAME OUT IN THE DROP SITE NEWS.

I DON'T LIKE HAMAS EITHER.

THEY'RE A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION IN MANY WAYS, BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING AND HOW CEASE FIRES WORK.

AND WHAT YOU SEE IS THAT AT THIS MOMENT, THAT ISRAEL IS INTRANSIGENT.

IT DOESN'T WANT TO WALK ON THE PATH OF THE CEASE FIRE, BUT YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IDEA OF DESTROYING HAMAS, IT WILL-- HAMAS CANNOT BE DESTROYED ANYMORE THAN A MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE LIBERATION LIKE IN SOUTH AFRICA, IN INDIA AND OTHER PLACES COULD HAVE BEEN DESTROYED.

SO WHAT ISRAEL IS DOING IS UNCONSCIONABLE AND THE WESTERN MEDIA SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF IT.

>> TARA, DO YOU THINK THE PLAN WILL HELP GET THE HOSTAGES BACK.

>> I THINK IT WILL SIMPLY BECAUSE HAMAS WILL HAVE TO CHOICE.

BUT MY QUESTION IS WILL HAMAS ACTUALLY GIVE THEM OVER OR WILL THE HOSTAGES COME BACK BECAUSE IN ESSENCE, YOU KNOW, MOST OF THE HAMAS FIGHTERS ARE DEAD AND THIS IS WHAT IS LEFT OF THE HOSTAGES.

>> AND I THINK SOME FACTS NEED TO BE OUTLINED, TOO, FOR CONTEXT.

THAT HAVE YOU THREE SEPARATE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS ALL BACKED BY IRAN.

HEZBOLLAH HAS BEEN EFFECTIVELY NEUTRALIZED FOR THE MOST PART BY ISRAEL.

HAMAS IS STILL AN ISSUE, OBVIOUSLY, IN GAZA.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THE HUTHIS THAT SPARKED THIS CONVERSATION THAT WE ARE HAVING ABOUT ISRAEL GOING BACK INTO THE GAZA.

ALL THREE OF THESE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS ARE BACKED BY IRAN, FOLLOWING SORDS FROM IRAN, GETTING SUPPLIES BY IRAN.

AND THAT IS WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM.

SO TO TRY TO MAKE ISRAEL THE BAD GUYS BECAUSE THEY'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM THREE TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IS NOT AN ACCURATE DEPICTION WHAT IS OCCURRING.

>> YEAH THIS KIND OF WE ARE HEARING AGAIN AND AGAIN.

THIS IS JUST SO MIND BLOWINGLY USELESS THING TO SAY.

YOU ARE DOING THIS FOR-- YOU CANNOT VIOLATE INTERNATIONAL LAW FOR YOUR OWN SECURITY.

THIS IS JUST-- I DON'T KNOW.

HAVE I NOTHING TO SAY AFTER THIS.

>> LET ME PIVOT AND SAY THAT I THINK BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IS MISCALCULATING THAT ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS THAT IF YOU CUT OFF HAMAS' HEAD, TWO MORE WILL GROW IN ITS PLACE AND SOLVE IS THE SHORT RUN PROBLEM OF ELIMINATING HAMAS BUT NOT WINNING THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF PEOPLE LIKE ANIRBAN, AND I THINK THERE IS A REAL CONCERN THAT IN THE LONG RUN, THERE WILL BE MORE TERRORISTS.

>> AND I'M MATTERLESS, BUT HUNDREDS OF COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.

ISRAEL IS PROPPED UP BY WESTERN FORCES AND PEOPLE WILL SEE THROUGH THIS.

THE JEWISH PEOPLE ARE MARCHING THE STREETS AND YOU KNOW, WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE.

>> WELL, IT'S TIME TO SEE WHAT IS IN THE GRADEBOOK TONIGHT SO TARA, GIVE US YOUR F. >> MY F GOES TO THE U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS FOR-PROFIT, ICE.

ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF AGO AGENTS IN OKLAHOMA WENT TO A HOUSES, RAIDED THE HOUSE, BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, IN THE EVENING, AND THERE THEY FOUND A FAMILY WHO HAD JUST MOVED INTO THE HOUSE FROM MARYLAND.

AND THEY-- IT WAS A MOTHER AND HER DAUGHTERS.

THEY FORCED MOTHER ON AND THE DAUGHTERS OUT OF THE HOUSE IN THE RAIN IN THEIR UNDERWEAR.

WHEN THEY KEPT ASKING QUESTIONS, THEY REALLY WEREN'T GIVEN ANY INFORMATION.

AND THEN WHEN THE ISIS AGENTS LEFT, THEY TOOK THE FAMILY'S MONEY, THEY TOOK THEIR ELECTRONIC DEVICES AND BASICALLY JUST LEFT THEM THERE AND SAID OH YOU MIGHT GET YOUR ITEMS BACK IN TWO OR THREE WEEKS.

NEVER ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THEY A.

HAD THE WRONG PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE THEY WERE AFTER HAD MOVED.

AND B: THE FACT THAT THEY HAD BASICALLY LEFT THAT FAMILY DESTITUTE.

>> ANIRBAN, YOUR F. >> MY F GOES TO THE A.I.

GENERATED IMAGE OF THE U.S. PRESIDENT IN CATHOLIC PAPAL ATTIRE.

WHICH THE PRESIDENT DENIES WAS POSTED BY HIM.

WHOEVER WAS BEHIND THIS, WE DO FORGIVE THEIR CRUDE IMBECILITY BUT MUST ECHO THE CATHOLIC CONFERENCE IN SAYING THERE IS NOTHING CLEVER OR FUN BETHIS IMAGE.

WE JUST BURIED OUR BELOVED POPE FRANCIS AND THE CARDINALS ARE ABOUT TO ENTER A SOLEMN CONCLAVE TO ELECT A NEW SUCCESSOR OF ST. PETER.

DO NOT MOCK US.

>> CHAD.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LATEST NEWS IS BECAUSE WE ARE FILMING ON THURSDAY BUT ASIA IS GETTING SCARIER.

CHINA HAS BEEN RAMPING UP MILITARY DRILLS GETTING READY FOR AN INVASION OF TAIWAN AND IN SOUTH ASIA, INDIA LAUNCHED THE BIGGEST AERIAL ATTACK AGAINST PAKISTAN IN 50 YEARS IS ON STENSBLY RESPONDING TO THE POSSIBLE INVOLVEMENT IN A TERRORIST ATTACK LAST MONTH.

A LOT OF BIOLOGICAL RANSZ AMONG NUCLEAR POWERS AND SHIFTING STRATEGIC ALLIANCES AND SHRINKING U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT.

THESE ARE THE KINDS OF GEOPOLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS THAT WORRY ME MOST.

>> AND BEN.

>> MY F IS GOING TO A SMART PHONE CULTURE WITH AN ENTITLEMENT IT CAN IT MIND SET.

WE DON'T NEED TO HEAR THE NOTIFICATIONS OF YOU LIKING SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS WHILE YOU ARE USING THE PUBLIC RESTROOM.

NOR SHOULD WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO PARTIAL VIDEO CLIPS AS YOU SCROLL THROUGH YOUR FEED.

NOR DO WE MEADE TO HEAR YOUR CANDY CRUSH GAMING PROGRESS.

THINK OF OTHERS AND RESPECT THOSE AROUND YOU.

USE HEADPHONES OR TURN IT DOWN.

THIS ENTITLEMENT IT CAN IT MENTALLY SETS US UP FOR FAILURE AND BEING VULNERABLE TO THE THREAT OF UNMET EXPECTATIONS.

>> LET'S HEAR WHO HAS DONE WELL THIS WEEK.

TARA, YOUR A.

>> TO THE HUMAN RUNNERS IN A RECENT MARATHON IN BEIJING, CHINA.

NOW THE HUMAN RUNNERS WERE COMPETING AGAINST ONE ANOTHER AND HUMANOID ROBOTS.

THE ROBOTS CRASHED OR COLLAPSED OR HAD OTHER MECHANICAL MISS HAPS.

THE BEST ROBOT COMPLETED THE RACE IN TWO HOURS AND 40 MINUTES.

THE HUMAN WINNER COMPLETED THE RACE IN ONE HOUR AND 10 MINUTES.

>> ANIRBAN YOUR A.

>> TO THE U.S. MAN WHO DELIBERATELY INJECTED HIMSELF WITH SNAKE VENOM, SOME 700 TIMES FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES AND NOW THE SCIENTISTS WHO HAVE CREATED AN UNPARALLELED ANTI-VENOM FROM THE BLOOD.

ANTIBODIES FOUND IN HIS BLOOD HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO PROTECT AGAINST FATAL DOSES FROM A WIDE RANGE OF SPECIES IN ANIMAL TESTS.

THIS IS QUITE A HISTORIC MOMENT.

THIS IS QUITE A HISTORIC MOMENT.

>> CHAD, YOUR A.

>> MY A GOES TO COLGATE PROFESSOR CAROLINA CASTILLA WITH SPECIALTIES RELATED TO GENDER, HOUSEHOLD DECISION MAKING AND BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS.

SHE PASSED AWAY LAST MONTH AT THE AGE OF 47 FOLLOWING A SHORT BATTLE WITH AN AGGRESSIVE CANCER.

NO ONE WAS MORE EAGER TO KNOCK ME DOWN A PEG WHEN MY EGO WOULD GET TOO LARGE AND NO ONE WAS MORE EAGER TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO ALL THE TIME.

SHE WAS MY FRIEND.

I LOVE HER AND I MISS HER.

>> AND WE SEND OUR CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY.

BEN.

>> MY A IS GOING TO A FEW GANNON CYBER GRADUATE STUDENTS.

THEIR PROJECTS TRIANGULATE RFID THEIR PROJECTS TRIANGULATE RFID SIGNAL IN REAL TIME TO COMBAT SKIMMING THREATS.

THERE IS CURRENTLY NOTHING LIKE THIS ON THE MARKET.

IN ADDITION TO THIS, THE SOLUTION IS AN IDEA FOR PROTECTING BANKS, GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS AND OTHERS FROM SKIMMING THREATS.

>> SOUNDS GOOD.

THAT'S OUR DISCUSSION FOR TONIGHT AND AS WE CLOSE, I'M SURE YOU KNOW THAT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR PUBLIC MEDIA IS FACING SIGNIFICANT CUTS AND THAT PUTS PROGRAMS LIKE "THE IVORY TOWER" AT RISK.

WE HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 23 YEARS.

WE ARE THE STATION'S LONGEST RUNNING SHOW SO TONIGHT WE ARE ASKING TO ARE YOUR HELP IN PROTECTING WCNY'S PROGRAMMING.

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE AT WCNY.ORG/PROTECT AND THANK YOU FROM ALL OF US AT "THE IVORY TOWER."

GOOD NIGHT.

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