
Tech Hub; Antisemitism; New Speaker
Season 20 Episode 18 | 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
Tech Hub; Antisemitism; New Speaker
The panelists discuss the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse Tech Hub. When will the parts be in place and can enough workers be found to outfit the new companies? Next they talk about the rise of antisemitism centered around college campuses. What can we attribute this rise in hated to? Finally, a look at the new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. What can we expect from him going forward?
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Ivory Tower is a local public television program presented by WCNY

Tech Hub; Antisemitism; New Speaker
Season 20 Episode 18 | 26m 46sVideo has Closed Captions
The panelists discuss the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse Tech Hub. When will the parts be in place and can enough workers be found to outfit the new companies? Next they talk about the rise of antisemitism centered around college campuses. What can we attribute this rise in hated to? Finally, a look at the new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson. What can we expect from him going forward?
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipAS A NEW TECH HUB IS UPSTATE ON THE WAY UP?
HOW DO WE EXPLAIN THE RISE IN ANTISEMITISM?
AND WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY KNOW ABOUT THE NEW SPEAKER?
WE'LL HAVE ANSWERS COMING UP NEXT ON IVORY TOWER.
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO IVORY TOWER THANK YOU FOR JOINING US I'M NINA MOORE OF COLGATE UNIVERSITY.
THE PROFESSORS JOINING ME AROUND THE TABLE TONIGHT ARE: TARA ROSS OF ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE LUKE PERRY OF UTICA UNIVERSITY BEN BAUGHMAN OF GANNON UNIVERSITY ANIRBAN ACHARIYA OF LEMOYNE COLLEGE IT'S OFFICIAL • THE SYRACUSE, ROCHESTER, AND BUFFALO REGION WAS DEISGNATED THIS WEEK AS ONE OF 31 NATIONALTECH HUBS FOR COMPUTER CHIPS.
IT'S A MOVE THAT COULD BRING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS • THOUSANDS OF JOBS • AND MAYBE EVEN REVIVE UPSTATE'S MANUFACTURING ECONOMY.
SO BEN, IS THIS A GAME CHANGER?
>> YES YES, IT IS A GAME CHANGER FOR US.
I THINK IT'S A GAME CHANGER FOR THE UNITED STATES AS WELL.
I DO CAUTION THOUGH THE PROBLEM IS WE ONLY SUPPLY ABOUT 10% OF THE MARKET AT THE MOMENT.
AND THERE ARE THREE REASONS FOR THAT.
1: IT COST MORE TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE THESE CHIPS HERE IN THE U.S.
IT COSTS MORE FOR THE WORKFORCE, ABOUT 30 TO 35% MORE.
AND IT TAKES LONGER TO BUILD THE FACTORY THAT'S ABOUT 10 FOOTBALL FIELDS IN SIZE.
>> 10 FOOTBALL FIELDS, IN TERMS OF SIZE.
SO WE HAVE TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
TARA, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LESSONS THAT WE CAN DRAW FROM SILICON VALLEY?
>> WELL, IN TERMS OF SORT OF THE PROs.
OBVIOUSLY, YOU ADDRESS, IT WILL BRING MORE JOBS.
THAT OF COURSE RESULTS IN MORE TAX REVENUE ONCE IT'S UP AND RUNNING AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU ALLUDED TO IS, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME FOR THIS TO ACTUALLY GET UP AND RUNNING.
SO NO ONE SHOULD BE THINKING THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE BENEFITS OF THIS, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.
WE ARE TALKING AT LEAST FIVE TO 10 YEARS, BEST CASE SCENARIO.
ONE OF THE OTHER THUNKS THAT YOU HAVE IS THE FACT THAT IN SILICON VALLEY, AS IT DEVELOPED, IT INCREASED CULTURAL DIVERSITY WHICH IS A POSITIVE BECAUSE NOT ONLY WILL YOU HAVE THE TRAINING OF PEOPLE IN THE AREA, BUT YOU WILL ALSO BE BRINGING IN PEOPLE WITH THOSE TECHNICAL SKILLS, PROBABLY FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
NOT JUST WITHIN THE UNITED STATES.
SO THAT'S A PRO.
BUT ONE OF THE CONS ALSO IS THAT EVEN THOUGH ONCE THOSE JOBS ARE CREATED AND THE FACILITY IS HERE, YOU ALSO DO HAVE QUITE A BIT OF OUTSOURCING OF JOBS BECAUSE THERE WEREN'T ENOUGH SKILLED PEOPLE TO ACTUAL DO ALL OF THE TECHNICAL JOBS RIGHT AWAY.
AND WHILE WE WILL BE TRAINING SOME PEOPLE, IT'S GOING TO TAKE TIME TO GET THOSE PEOPLE TO BE TRAINED TO THE LEVEL THAT OTHERS AROUND THE WORLD ARE.
>> RIGHT.
AND THERE IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE A REAL COLLABORATIVE APPROACH ON THE PART OF LOCAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN ORDER TO BRING THE WORKFORCE UP; PERHAPS EVEN CHANGING HOW THEY APPROACH THEIR CURRICULUM.
SO YOU TALKED ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF SILICON VALLEY.
BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU, LUKE, WHAT HAPPENED TO UTICA?
>> WELL, YOU MENTIONED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND LAST YEAR SUNY POLY IN UTICA HAD ITS COLLEGE OF NANOTECH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING MOVED TO ALBANY AGAINST THE WISHES OF LOCAL POLITICAL LEADERS AND THAT PUT UTICA AT A DISADVANTAGE.
YOU HAVE THESE PRIVATE-PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS THAT HELP CREATE THE ATTRACTIVENESS OF THESE HUBS AND UTICA WAS LEFT IN A DIFFICULT POSITION TO BE COMPETITIVE COMPARED TO THE OTHER CITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
>> HOW COULD THAT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED?
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT?
>> WELL, THE GOVERNOR COULD HAVE ACTED DIFFERENTLY.
THAT STARTED WITH THE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS AND GOVERNOR HOCHUL'S PRIORITY OF MOVING THAT FACILITY OUT OF OUR AREA, WHICH HURT US.
>> YEAH, BECAUSE IT SEEMS HERE THAT SYRACUSE, ROCHESTER AND BUFFALO HAD WORKED TOGETHER AND MY THOUGHTS WERE HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT AND HOW IS IT OR HOW WAS IT DECIDED IT WOULD BE THOSE CITIES OPPOSED TO SOME OTHERS.
ANIRBAN, WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS?
>> ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT "IVORY TOWER," IT FORCES ME TO LEARN THINGS I WOULD NOT NORMALLY PAY ATTENTION TO.
DIFFICULT SOME RESEARCH ON THIS.
THIS IS BASICALLY BASED ON THE APPLICATIONS ON DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY APPLIED TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, 31 SUCH HUBS AND WE WERE AWARDED THAT DESIGNATION.
BUT THIS IS NOT-- THIS IS THE BEGINNING.
THERE IS A SECOND PHASE OF APPLICATION THAT WILL HAPPEN FROM WHICH I THINK MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WOULD COME TOWARDS THIS REGION AND THAT'S MAINLY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS.
SO THERE IS A CONSORTIUM OF UNIVERSITIES THAT ARE WORKING WITH THIS AND I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT THING TO STRESS, THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE NEED TO, AS TARA YOU ARE POINTING OUT, WE NEED TO KIND OF SUPPLY THESE COMPANIES WITH RELIABLE SKILLED LABOR.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF UNIVERSITIES HERE AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS HERE THAT CAN USE THAT MONEY TO DEVELOP THE SKILLED WORKFORCE THAT STAYS HERE AND WORKS AROUND IN THIS AREA.
SO I THINK I'M HOPEFUL, BUT YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME TIMELINES AS TO YOU KNOW, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MICRON AND ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
THERE IS LIKE AN OLD COMPANY TTM TECHNOLOGIES THAT IS INVESTING HUGELY IN DEWITT ACTUALLY.
IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE TIMELINE.
WHEN IS MICRON STARTING.
WHO ARE THE CONTRACTORS CONTRACTED TO BUILD THINGS.
HOW WILL THE CLEAN WATER BE SUPPLIED?
THOSE DETAILS WILL BE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT AND WE ARE NOT GETTING THAT YET.
>> ONE TIMELINE DETAIL THAT WE DO HAVE WITH RESPECT TO MICRON IS EATS SORT OF SPREAD ACROSS 20 YEARS.
AND SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE PUTTED IN PLACE: A TECHNICAL WORKFORCE, BUT ALSO INFRASTRUCTURE JUST BASIC ROADS AND HIGHWAYS BECAUSE SENATOR SCHUMER SAID HE WANTS THIS TO BE THE TECH CORRIDOR.
BUT ON TOP OF THAT, THERE IS A HOUSING CRISIS AND THAT AS WELL.
YOU WERE GOING TO ADD OTHER THOUGHTS, BEN?
>> THE TIMELINE ISSUE THAT IS A REALLY IMPORTANT THING BECAUSE EVEN IN ARIZONA WITH THE COMPANY FROM TAIWAN THAT SUPPLIES TO APPLE, THEY CAN BUILD-- THEY'RE MUCH BIGGER IN TAIWAN, THE ACTUAL HUBS THAT BUILD IT, BUT THEY'VE ALREADY HAD TO PUSH IT BACK ANOTHER YEAR WHEN THEY PLAN ON OPENING IT BECAUSE OF JUST REGULATIONS AND THINGS THAT WE RUN INTO HERE IN AMERICA THAT ARE EITHER MORE STREAMLINED OR LESS REGULATED IN OTHER AREAS.
OR BOTH.
>> AND ALSO BRINGING IN WORKERS, ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY, THAT CAN DO THE JOB.
WELL, LET'S MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT TOPIC.
THE ALARMS WERE SOUNDED THIS WEEK OVER A SHARP RISE IN ANTISEMITISM FOLLOWING THE HAMAS ATTACKS IN GAZA THE ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE REPORTS A STAGGERING 388% INCREASE IN THE U.S. ALONE AS FOR COLLEGE CAMPUSES?
INSTEAD OF BEING A SAFE SPACE FOR JEWS, MANY CAMPUSES ARE BESIEGED WITH THREATS AGAINST JEWS.
TARA, HOW DO WE EXPLAIN THIS?
HOW DO WE EXPLAIN THIS IN THE U.S. AND ESPECIALLY ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES?
>> WELL, ONE OF THE ISSUES IS HOW WE DEFINE ANTI-SEMITISM.
AND SO BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE VERY FLUID.
I WENT TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE AND IF I MAY, I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY QUOTE WHAT THEY SAY.
"CERTAIN PERCEPTION OF JEWS WHICH MAY BE EXPRESSED AS HATRED TOWARDS JEWS, RHETORICAL OR PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF ANTI-SEMITISM DIRECTED TOWARD JEWISH OR NON-JEWISH INDIVIDUALS AND/OR THEIR PROPERTY THROUGH OR TOWARD JEWISH COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS AND RELIGIOUS FACILITIES."
SO JUST THE DEFINITION THERE PRETTY MUCH INCLUDES ALMOST ANYTHING YOU WOULD SAY THAT CRITIQUES ISRAEL, ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD SAY THAT CRITIQUES A JEWISH PERSON, THEIR PHILOSOPHY, THEIR RELIGION.
IT PRETTY MUCH INCLUDES EVERYTHING AND THAT'S ONE ISSUE IS THAT IT'S A PRETTY BROAD, PRETTY FLUID DEFINITION AND SO WE NEED TO SET OUT THE DIFFERENT SORT OF INDIVIDUALS.
THERE ARE PEOPLE CRITIQUING ISRAEL AND THEIR RESPONSE TO WHAT HAMAS DID.
SOME PEOPLE WOULD SAY THAT'S ANTI-SEMITISM.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING OUT THEIR HATE TOWARDS JEWS, ISRAEL, ET CETERA, WHICH IS SORT OF THE CLEAR ANTI-SEMITISM.
AND THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO JUST SIMPLY ARE TRYING TO DISCUSS WHAT IS GOING ON, BUT THAT'S ALSO BEING CALLED ANTI-SEMITISM SO THAT'S ONE OF THE FIRST ISSUES THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IS WHICH IS THE REAL ANTI-SEMITISM?
THE OTHER REASON I THINK IS THAT AS COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, OVER THE YEARS, HAVE FACED CRITICISM AND THIS IS BROADER THAN JUST THE JEWISH ISSUE.
THEY FACE CRITICISM ABOUT WHO THEY BRING TO CAMPUSES AS SPEAKERS, WHAT THOSE PHILOSOPHIES ARE OF THE SPEAKERS.
SCHOOLS HAVE BECOME VERY, VERY NERVOUS, FOR SOME VERY GOOD REASONS.
BUT WHAT THAT HAS ALSO MEANT IS THAT'S WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUS WHERE YOU DISCUSS DIFFERING IDEAS, YOU ARE CHALLENGED BY DIFFERING IDEAS, BUT YOU LEARN THAT YOU CAN DO THAT WITHOUT BEING VIOLENT, LEARN HOW TO CHANNEL YOUR DISCOMFORT WITH THAT, THAT IS ALSO BEING LOST AND I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE REASON THAT ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES, YOU ARE SEEING THIS RISE IN ANTI-SEMITISM.
I THINK YOUNG PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ALWAYS THE SPACE TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES, HENCE THE TEACHING AT SYRACUSE, AND SO THEY'RE TAKING IT OUT IN OTHER WAYS.
>> YES.
AND OTHER WAYS THAT ACCORDING TO THE A.D.L.
IS TIED TO VIOLENCE.
SO I BELIEVE THE A.D.L.
IS LOOKING BEYOND THE PUSHBACK, SORT OF THE HARSH RHETORIC, EQUATING ANTI-SEMITISM WITH ISRAEL BUT ARE POINTING TO ACTUAL VIOLENT ACTS SUCH AS BURNING A DORM ROOM.
AND NOT JUST PULLING DOWN, YOU KNOW, THE ISRAELI FLAG, BUT ALSO ASSAULTING JEWISH STUDENTS AND TO THE POINT THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FOLKS WHO ARE DOCUMENTING A RISE IN THE NUMBER OF JEWS WHO ARE PURCHASING GUNS.
SO THERE IS A VIOLENT ELEMENT, A PHYSICALLY VIOLENT ELEMENT TO IT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE, MOST HAVE TO DO WITH, YOU KNOW, DESECRATING JEWISH CEMETERIES AND NOT TO DISMISS THAT, BUT MOST ARE NOT VIOLENT.
AND YOUR THOUGHTS.
>> ANTI-SEMITISM VERY SIMPLY SPEAKING IS RACISM TOWARDS JEWS, RIGHT?
I SLIGHTLY DISAGREE WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT DEFINITION, WHICH I ALSO WENT THROUGH AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP.
IT DOESN'T EXPLICITLY SAY THAT CRITICIZING ISRAEL'S POLICIES IS ANTI-SEMITIC.
IT'S WHEN YOU ARE ATTACKING JEWS VERBALLY OR AS A GROUP AND ANTISEMITISM HAS BEEN IN THE DISCOURSES OF THE UNITED STATES AS POTENTLY AS ANTIBLACK RACISM HAS BEEN.
ONE MIGHT JUST REMIND OUR VIEWERS THAT ANN FRANK'S FATHER WAS WRITING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO GET A VISA AND OF COURSE THE NEW RESEARCH SHOWS HE WAS NOT DENIED THE VISA BUT STRAIGHTFORWARD JEWISH HOSTILITY AND FAST FORWARD A CENTURY, PEOPLE ARE SAYING EXPLICITLY HORRIBLE STUFF ABOUT JEWS.
WE SAW THE TREE OF LIFE MASSACRE.
SO THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN THERE.
THIS HAS BEEN EXACERBATED BY RHETORIC.
IT IS TERRIBLE TO ATTACK JEWS FOR A PARTICULAR POLICY OF A PARTICULAR COUNTRY.
AND HAVING SAID THAT, I ALSO DO THINK THAT THERE ARE SOMETIMES SOME BACK FED ACCUSATIONS OF ANTI-SEMITISM ESPECIALLY WHEN AND AGAIN, IMPORTANT PEOPLE, COMING OUT AND SAYING STUFF THAT OTHERS MIGHT SAY IS ANTI-SEMITIC BUT I THINK AS POLITICAL SCIENTISTS, SOCIAL SCIENTISTS WE MIGHT BE AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEPARATE A STATE'S POLICY FROM THE PEOPLE AND ONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO CRITICIZE A POLICY OF A PARTICULAR STATE OR PARTICULAR GOVERNMENT WITHOUT BEING TAINTED AS BEING AGAINST AN ENTIRE GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THE NATION.
I THINK THAT'S BAD ANALYSIS.
THAT'S BAD FAITH.
>> THAT'S BAD FAITH, BUT IF I COULD ASK YOU THIS, ANIRBAN, WHAT IF WE WERE TO REMOVE THE FACT THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE ISRAELI STATE VERSUS GAZA, HAMAS, PALESTINIANS AND THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY ALL THE SAME, BUT IF WE-- WHAT IF WE SEPARATED THOSE AND SIMPLY SAW ISRAEL FOR WHAT IT IS, WHICH IS A U.S.
ALLY, REGARDLESS OF THE ETHNICITY THAT POPULATES THE COUNTRY?
IT'S A U.S.
ALLY.
AND THE IDEA THAT THERE IS THIS UPROAR AGAINST SUPPORTING AN ALLY IS NOT AKIN TO THE REACTION TO SUPPORTING UKRAINE.
>> RIGHT.
I MEAN THERE IS A POINT THERE AND I MUST POINT OUT THAT, YES, ISRAEL IS OUR ALLY BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING JEWISH VOICE FOR PEACE THAT ARE COMING OUT, THOUSANDS OF JEWS, RABBIS, INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARS ARE COMING OUT AND SAYING YOU KNOW, YES, OUR ALLY BUT THAT SHOULD ACTUALLY HELP US TO TELL THE ALLIES TO NOT, YOU KNOW, INDISCRIMINATELY BOMBARD PLACES IN GAZA.
BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT TAKES AWAY FROM THE WORD OF ANTI-SEMITISM.
ANTI-SEMITISM HAS TO BE CONDEMNED AS A FORM OF RACISM AND ANYBODY PRACTICING IT SHOULD BE DISCARDED AND IS ON TRA SUZZED.
>> BUT LUKE, SHOULD WE BE TELLING ISRAEL HOW TO CONDUCT ITS MILITARY OPERATIONS?
>> WELL, ALL OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR ALLIES ARE COMPLICATED.
WE ARE PURSUING OUR STRATEGIC GOALS AND THEY'RE PURSUING THEIR STRATEGY YOU CAN GOALS AND THEY NEVER COMPLETELY ALIGN.
SO, YES, I THINK WE SHOULD.
WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE PURSUING OUR STRATEGIC INTERESTS.
I FEEL FOR COLLEGE ADMINISTRATORS HERE, I THINK FREE SPEECH IS IMPORTANT BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE ARE TITLE IX PROTECTIONS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION AND HARASSMENT AND THOSE HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO INCLUDE BOTH ANTI-SEMITISM AND ALABAMA PHOBIA.
>> WE CAN'T FORGET HOW EMOTIONAL THIS HAS BEEN WHICH CLOUDS CRITICAL THINKING AND ARTICULATING THING AND THE INCREMENTAL DEHUMANIZATION THAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THIS.
>> CRITICAL THINKING IS ALWAYS IMPORTANT.
SPEAKING OF CRITICAL THINKING... MIKE JOHNSON IS THE NEW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE • THIRD IN LINE TO THE PRESIDENT,WHICH MAKES HIM ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY YET, WE DON'T KNOW A WHOLE LOT ABOUT HIM • BESIDES THE FACT THAT HE'S REPUBLICAN • FROM LOUISIANA • ELECTED IN 2016 • AND POSSIBLY AN ELECTION DENIER BESIDES THESE FACTS, WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW AND WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT FROM SPEAKER JOHNSON?
>> HE IS A POP LIFT WITHOUT EXPERIENCE.
THAT DOES NOT TRANSLATE INTO GOOD GOVERNANCE.
WE HAVE SEEN THIS IN RELATION TO AID TO ISRAEL.
JOHNSON WANTS TO COUPLE THAT SPENDING CUTS.
SO HE PROPOSED DOING THAT WITH THE I.R.S.
BECAUSE HE WANTS TO TRY TO SAVE MONEY.
THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ANALYZED THAT AND SAID ACTUALLY THAT'S GOING TO ADD TO THE DEBT AND DEFICIT BY SEVERAL BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE IF YOU CUT THE I.R.S., THEY CAN'T BRING IN TAX REVENUE TO THE SAME DEGREE.
SO I THINK HE IS IN A TOUGH SPOT.
I THINK HE IS EITHER GOING TO HAVE TO DECOUPLE HIMSELF FROM POPULISM TO SOME DEGREE, WHICH WOULD ENDANGER HIM LIKE KEVIN McCARTHY OR WE ARE GOING TO SEE PERPETUAL DYSFUNCTION WITH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS THAT SENATE AND THE WHITE HOUSE.
>> ARE YOU HOPEFUL IT'S POSSIBLE, PERHAPS HE WILL CHANGE AND BE WILLING TO BUCK THE TIDE OF THE FAR RIGHT, EVEN THOUGH THAT FELLED KEVIN McCARTHY?
BUT THEY RAN OUT OF OPTIONS AND HE WAS THE LAST?
CAN WE BE AT ALL HOPEFUL THAT HE WILL PERHAPS CHANGE A BIT?
>> I THINK IT'S NOT EVEN UP TO HIM.
I THINK HIS ALLIES HAVE SAID THERE IS A GRACE PERIOD.
THAT IS THEIR TERMINOLOGY THAT HE WILL HAVE ROOM TO MANEUVER BUT THE WAY THE RULES WORK, ANY ONE PERSON CAN MOTION TO VACATE AND HE IS CONSTANTLY IN DANGER OF LOSING HIS POSITION.
>> YEAH, AND HE DID MAKE HIS POSITION CLEAR BEFORE TAKING IT, THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO WORK WITH THE DEMOCRATS, SO THEY WERE TOLD THAT, LOOK, CRAZY 8, I GOT TO WORK WITH-- I'VE GOT TO WORK WITH THE DEMOCRATS FOR SOME THINGS.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, HE DID VOTE AGAINST CERTIFYING THE ELECTION SO I MEAN THAT ANSWERS THE INITIAL QUESTION THAT WE STARTED WITH.
>> THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.
HE IS AN ELECTION DENIER.
HE SAID SOME CRAZY STUFF IN HIS LIFE AND, FOR EXAMPLE, REGARDING SCHOOL SHOOTING, HE SAYS HOW CAN A YOUNG PERSON GO INTO A SCHOOLHOUSE AND OPEN FIRE ON THEIR CLASSMATES?
AND HERE IS THE SOCIAL SIGH SCIENCE ANALYSIS.
BECAUSE WE HAVE TAUGHT A WHOLE GENERATION OF AMERICANS THAT THERE IS NOTHING RIGHT OR WRONG AND IT'S ABOUT SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST AND WE ALL EVOLVE FROM PRIMORDIAL SLIME.
WHY IS THAT LIFE OF SACRED VALUE?
NOBODY IS SACRED TO WHOM IT IS OWED.
NONE OF THIS SHOULD SURPRISE US.
HE IS BASICALLY SAYING TEACHING EVOLUTION LEADS TO MORE MASS SHOOTINGS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS CRAZY TALK IN MY BOOK.
HE IS AN ELECTION DENIER.
HE ALSO HAD PROMOTED CONVERSION THERAPY AND SAID EXTREMELY CRUEL THINGS ABOUT HOMOSEXUALS.
THE REASON I GAVE HIM AN F LAST WEEK.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER HE CAN SHED OFF THAT OLD SKIN FOR A NEW CEREMONY, BUT WE WILL SEE.
IF HE WANTS TO BECOME MORE MODERATE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS THE CRAZY 8, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO ALLOW HIM.
THEY WANT THAT KIND OF EXTREMIST RHETORIC THERE AND ALREADY SOME OF THE PROPOSALS WAS THAT IF THEY WANT TO FUND-- IF THE U.S.
WANTS TO FUND UKRAINE, THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE MONEY FROM THE I.R.S.
AND ALL KIND OF VERY EXTREMIST POLICIES.
SO, YOU KNOW... >> BUT SPEAKING OF CHANGING SKIN, THIS IS WHAT SURPRISED ME AND DOING A LITTLE BIT OF READING ON HIS BACKGROUND IS THAT HE IS RAISING A BLACK SON.
AND DURING THE GEORGE FLOYD UPROAR, HE SPOKE OUT AGAINST IT AND HE SAID THAT HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HIS BLACK SON HAS A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE THAN HIS WHITE SON AND FOLKS ON THE RIGHT JUST LAMBASTED HIM FOR THAT.
DOES THAT POTENTIALLY LEND TO HIS SENSITIVITY IN CERTAIN AREAS THAT ARE NOT QUITE AS OUT THERE IN WAYS THAT HE SUGGESTED, HAVING A BLACK SON AND REALIZING WHAT GOES WITH THAT?
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW TO RESPOND TO THAT.
ONLY TO SAY HAVING A BLACK SON, OKAY, SURE.
BUT WHEN DOES IT TRANSLATE TO ACTUAL POLICY THAT HELPS BLACK PEOPLE ON THE GROUND?
WHAT HAS HE DONE ABOUT THAT?
I'M NOT VERY SURE ABOUT THAT.
>> IT DOES GIVE PERSPECTIVE BEYOND THE MEDIA BITES THAT ARE THE NEGATIVE ONES THAT WE ARE HEARING ABOUT.
HE ALSO, HIS FATHER WAS A FIREFIGHTER THAT GOT INJURED TO THE POINT WHERE HE COULDN'T WORK ANYMORE WHEN HE WAS ONLY 12, WHEN HIS FATHER WAS DISABLED.
>> THAT HAD TO HAVE HAD APRIL IMPACT.
>> WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT A ONE DIMENSIONAL PERSON THAT IS DEFINED BY A FEW LINES.
>> TARA.
>> I'M SIMPLY GOING TO SAY I'M WAITING TO SEE, FOR ALL OF WHAT EVERYONE HAS SAID.
CLEARLY HE HAS A BACKGROUND THAT SHOULD GIVE HIM A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF EMPATHY TO THE WORKING CLASS, TO YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OF COLOR.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HE IS ALLIED TO A CERTAIN EXTENT TO THE CRAZY 8.
I'M JUST GOING TO WAIT AND SEE HOW HE WALKS THAT FINE LINE HE IS GOING TO HAVE TO WALK.
>> LET'S WAIT AND SEE AND THEN WE WILL GIVE HIM A GRADE.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TO GIVE GRADES TO OTHERSES.
IT'S TIME FOR OUR Fs AND As.
WE'LL START WITH YOU, TARA.
>> MY F GOES TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, INCLUDING MYSELF.
WE ARE NOT EXPRESSING MORE CONCERN AND OUTRAGE OVER THE CURRENT ISSUES IN THE PHARMACY INDUSTRY.
THIS WEEK PHARMACISTS HELD A THREE-DAY PHARMA-GEDDON AND MOST OF US DIDN'T NOTICE.
THE OVERWORK AT CVS, WALGREEN'S AND RITE AID WILL ONLY GET WORSE IF WE DON'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW.
>> MY F GOES TO A NEW RECORD HIGH IN HOMELESSNESS AMONG NEW YORK CITY SCHOOL CHILDREN.
THIS NEGATIVELY IMPACTS OVER 119,000 KIDS EVERY DAY.
>> AND NEXT WE ARE GOING TO BEN.
>> MY F IS GOING TO THE NEW JERSEY COPS THAT DECIDED TO SMOKE POT WHILE THEY WERE OFF DUTY.
FIVE OF THEM WERE FIRED BECAUSE OF STATE LAW, THEY CAN'T CARRY A GUN WHEN THEY'RE USING DRUGS.
>> THEY SMOKED, BUT DID THEY INHALE?
>> I LIKE THAT.
MY F GOES TO THE HEAD CRIME COMMITTED BY AN ILLINOIS MAN JOSEPH SCUBA WHO STABBED A SIX-YEAR-OLD MUSLIM BOY TO DEATH AND ATTACKED HER MOTHER AFTER SHE ASKED HIM TO PRAY FOR PEACE.
WE MUST BE REMINDED THAT ISLAM PHOBIA LIKE ANTI-SEMITISM IS ALSO ON THE RISE IN THE U.S. >> PERHAPS NEXT TIME AROUND WE SHOULD HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT AND HOW IT TIES INTO THOUGHTS ABOUT THE TWO STATE SOLUTION.
AND SO NOW WE ARE GOING TO SWITCH TO TALK ABOUT AS BEGINNING WITH TARA.
>> MY A GOES TO IRVIN MAGIC JOHNSON, RECENTLY HE ACQUIRED PART OWNERSHIP OF THE ATLANTA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY.
IT IS THE ONLY REMAINING BLACK OWNED INSURANCE COMPANY.
AND WAS FOUNDED BY ALONZO HERNDON IN 1905.
HERNDON HIMSELF WAS A FORMER SLAVE.
ONE OF THE THINGS JOHNSON PLANS TO DO IS TO REVITALIZE THE COMPANY SO THAT IT CAN ONCE AGAIN BE AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF BUSINESS IN ATLANTA.
>> LUKE.
>> MY A GOES TO RUNNERS IN THIS WEEKEND'S NEW YORK CITY MARATHON.
PARTICULARLY THE APPROXIMATELY 500 PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO WILL BE PARTICIPATING, INCLUDING THOSE WHO ARE BLIND.
>> AND NEXT I BELIEVE WE ARE TURNING TO YOU, BEN?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
YES, SO I'M GIVING AN A TO MARCELLE LABROON WHO SOLD HESS SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING SITE TO AN AMERICAN COMPANY AND HAS BUILT ALMOST 99 HOMES FOR THE HOMELESS AND PROVIDED JOBS, SKILLS AND PUTTING IT TOGETHER, A COMMUNITY THAT IS GOING TO BE SUSTAINABLE AND REDUCE HOMELESSNESS.
>> AND TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS BACKGROUND?
>> SO HE HAD A SOCIAL MONITORING-- SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING COMPANY.
HE IS IN CANADA AND HE TOLD IT TO AN AMERICAN COMPANY.
AND MADE MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS DOING THAT.
AND HE HAS PUT $4 MILLION INTO THIS COMPANY THAT IS CALLED 12 NEIGHBORHOOD.COM.
AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS BUILDING TINY HOMES THAT ARE FOR THE HOMELESS THERE BECAUSE THEY HAD 1600 PEOPLE THAT WERE HOMELESS JUST LAST YEAR ALONE.
AND SO OUT OF THOSE 1600, THEY HAD HAVE HOUSED THE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS AND HAVE SHIRT PRINTING COMPANIES AND COFFEE COMPANIES ALREADY FLOURISHING IN THAT COMMUNITY.
>> THAT IS UNCREDIBLE.
I ASK BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO KEEP COMING BACK TO THE HOUSING SHORTAGE.
AND SO NOW FOR YOUR A.
>> MY A GOES TO THOUSANDS OF NON-VIOLENT PROTESTORS THAT SHUT DOWN GRAND CENTRAL LAST FRIDAY DEMANDING CEASE FIRE BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS.
HUNDRED OF JEWS AND THEIR ALLIES WERE GETTING ARRESTED IN THAT, IN WHAT IS LIKELY THE BIGGEST MASS CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE NYC HAS SEEN IN TWO DECADES.
MY FAVORITE BANNER.
MOURN THE DEAD AND FIGHT LIKE HELL FOR THE LIVING.
>> AND IF COULD I JUST THROW IN AN A FOR MY STUDENTS WHO TALKED ABOUT THE VERY DIFFICULT ISSUE OF THE MIDDLE EAST WAR, TO SEE THEM TALK ABOUT IT IN SUCH A REASONED AND DELIBERATE WAY WAS REALLY IMPRESSIVE.
SO AN A TO MY STUDENTS AND FOR ME FOR BEING THEIR INSTRUCTOR.
THAT IS IT FOR US TONIGHT HERE IN THE STUDIO BUT WE WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION WITH YOU.
WRITE TO THE ADDRESS ON YOUR SCREEN, AND IF YOU WANT TO WATCH THE SHOW AGAIN OR SHARE IT WITH OTHERS, GO TO WCNY.ORG.
I'M NINA MOORE FOR ALL OF US HERE AT IVORY TOWER • GOOD NIGHT.
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