Stacey Abrams: “We Are in the Midst of an Authoritarian Regime”

> >> NOW AUTOCRACY IS ON THE RISE AROUND THE WORLD, AND OUR NEXT GUESS SAYS IT'S HAPPENING IN THE UNITED STATES.

STACY ABRAMS RACKS SPEAKS WITH MICHEL MARTIN ABOUT WHAT SHE SAYS IS HAPPENING RIGHT HERE IN AMERICA AND WHAT CAN BE DONE TO STOP IT.

>> STACY ABRAMS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US ONCE AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

>> WE CALLED YOU SPECIFICALLY FOR AN ESSAY, PRETTY STRONGLY WORDED ESSAY, YOU PUBLISHED IN "TIME. "

"WE CAN STOP THE RISE OF AMERICAN AUTOCRACY. "

WHY NOW?

WHAT IS IT THAT TRIGGERED THIS PIECE NOW?

>> BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME.

WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT AS THOUGH IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S LOOMING.

IT'S CRITICAL WE UNDERSTAND IT'S ALREADY HAPPENING.

BUT IF WE WANT TO RECLAIM OUR COUNTRY, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE MOMENT WE'RE IN, AND WE'VE GOT TO START FIGHTING BACK IMMEDIATELY.

>> WHO'S THE WE?

>> THE WE IS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

ANYONE WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVES THAT DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE THE ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE FOR HOW WE LIVE TOGETHER IN THIS COUNTRY.

AUTOCRACY, AUTHORITARIANISM IS AN ALTERNATIVE.

UNDER THE PROPOSED REGIME OF THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION AND ITS SUPPORTERS IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, WE HAVE AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME WHERE WE'VE SEEN AN EXPANSION OF EXECUTIVE POWER, A SUBLIMATION OF COMPETING POWERS, BOTH CONGRESS AND THE COURTS.

BUT WE'VE ALSO SEEN ATTACKS ON THE MEDIA, ATTACKS ON COMMUNITIES.

WE'VE SEEN THE KIDNAPPINGS OF PEOPLE IN OUR COUNTRY, INCLUDING CITIZENS.

BUT WE'RE ALSO WATCHING THE MILITARY OCCUPATION OF OUR CITIES.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES.

AND THAT IS BEING LED BY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SPEARHEADED AND HELMED BY DONALD TRUMP.

>> THE REASON I ASK WHO THE WE IS, ONE OF THE POINTS YOU MAKE IN YOUR PIECE THAT IS HISTORICALLY, GOVERNMENTS THAT HAVE TAKEN ON AN AUTHORITARIAN CAST OR HAVE BECOME, YOU KNOW, TRUE AUTHORITARIANS ARE OFTEN VOTED IN.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> IT HAS TO BE SAID, THE REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS WERE VOTED IN.

THE PRESIDENT WAS VOTED IN.

WE COULD DISPUTE WHAT THE MARGINS ARE.

BUT THAT IS THE TRUTH OF IT.

SO DOES THAT SUGGEST THAT THERE IS A CRITICAL MASS OF PEOPLE WHO AGREE WITH WHAT HE'S DOING AND WITH WHAT THE REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS ARE SUPPORTING?

>> NOT AT ALL.

SO ONE OF THE FEATURES OF MOND-DAY AUTHORITARIANISM, WE ARE USED TO THINKING ABOUT AUTOCRATS RISING, DICTATORS RISING THROUGH COUP D'ETAT, MILITARY OVERTHROWS.

THE MODERN VERSION IS WINNING ELECTIONS.

ERDOGAN IN TURKEY.

MODENI INDIA.

PUTIN IN RUSSIA.

WE'VE FORGOTTEN THEY'VE BEEN ELECTED INTO THESE POSITIONS, AND THEY MAINTAIN ELECTIONS IN THOSE NATION STATES.

BOLSONARO.

MADURO.

MADURO HAS ELECTIONS.

VENEZUELA HAS ELECTIONS, BUT THERE IS NO QUESTION IT'S AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME, AND IT IS NAIVETE WE HOLD IN AMERICA THAT IT'S ONLY AUTHORITARIANISM IF WE DIDN'T VOTE THOSE PEOPLE INTO OFFICE.

THE QUESTION ISN'T WHAT DID WE VOTE THEM FOR, IT'S, WHAT ARE THEY DOING WITH THE POWER THEY HAVE NOW IN THE REASON THIS IS SO IMPORTANT THAT IS WE ARE NOT PROTECTED FROM AUTHORITARIANISM BECAUSE WE HAVE DEMOCRACY.

WE USHERED IN AUTHORITARIANISM USING DEMOCRACY, NOW IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT DEMOCRACY FROM THOSE WHO WOULD TAKE IT FROM US.

>> YOUR ARGUMENT IS - -WELL, YOU LAY OUT WHAT YOU CALL A TEN-STEP PROCESS.

AND YOU SAY THAT WE ARE AT ABOUT STEP NINE.

WELL, LET ME GO THROUGH THE STEPS.

YOU SAY YOU HAVE A FREE AND FAIR ELECTION BUT IT'S THE LAST TIME.

EXCEED THE LIMITS OF THEIR EXECUTIVE POWER.

NUMEROUS EXECUTIVE ORDERS CLAIMING AUTHORITY THAT THE PRESIDENT DOESN'T ACTUALLY HOLD.

THEY TAKE COMPETING VERSIONS OF POWER, CONGRESS AND THE COURTS, AND MAKE THEM COMPLICIT OR NEUTER THEM.

GO AFTER THE MEDIA.

OBVIOUS.

GUT THE GOVERNMENT.

FIRE THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO DO STUFF.

GO AFTER THE PEOPLE WHO DO THE GOOD WORK.

YOU SALAH FIRMS AND NONPROFITS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE SOMEONE TO BLAME.

IF THEY CAN PUSH THAT FORWARD, THEN WE'RE FIGHTING EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF FIGHTING FOR OUR COUNTRY.

THEY INCENTIVIZE PRIVATE VIOLENCE.

THAT'S WHERE YOU SAY WE'RE AT, STEP NINE.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT, INCENTIVIZE PRIVATE VIOLENCE WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT AND HOW DO YOU SEE THAT?

>> WELL, WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN MINNESOTA TO SPEAKER WIRTH MAN.

ONE OF THE WAYS PRIVATE VIOLENCE TAKES HOLD AS A MEANS OF CONTROL IS PEOPLE FEEL THREATENED.

THEY FEEL A CONSTANT SENSE THAT THEIR RIGHTS AND THEIR PHYSICAL BODIES ARE UNDER DURESS.

WHAT WE HAVE SEEN HAPPEN IS THAT WE HAVE A PRIVATE POLICE OPERATING IN THE UNITED STATES CALLED I. C. E. THEY GO AROUND MASKED.

THEY DO NOT OPERATE UNDER THE RULES THAT WE UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF DUE PROCESS.

THEY DO NOT HAVE TO REVEAL THEMSELVES.

THEY HAVE BLATANTLY OPPOSED ACTUALLY COMPLYING WITH EXISTING LAW.

WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SUMMONING UP NATIONAL GUARDSMEN.

WE HAVE A COURT IN CALIFORNIA SAYING, NO, YOU CANNOT USE THE THREAT OF EMERGENCY OR DECLARATION OF FALSE EMERGENCY TO JUSTIFY THIS OCCUPATION, AND WE ARE SEEING IT HAPPEN IN WASHINGTON, D. C. THE WAY PRIVATE VIOLENCE TAKES HOLD IN A TYRANNICAL, AUTHORITARIAN, AUTOCRATIC -- INSERT LANGUAGE HERE --THE WAY IT TAKES HOLD IS BECAUSE PEOPLE START TO BELIEVE THEY AREN'T PHYSICALLY SAFE, AND THEY BELIEVE IT IS OKAY TO RESPOND TO THAT LACK OF SAFETY.

BUT YOU ALSO SEE PEOPLE THINKING THAT VIOLENCE IS THE WAY TO RESPOND TO HARM.

AND THAT IS WHY WE SAW THE ASSASSINATION OF A SPEAKER, A STATE SPEAKER.

WE HAVE SEEN POLITICAL VIOLENCE RISE IN THIS COUNTRY.

WE'VE SEEN THREATS OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE RISE.

AND WE CAN'T SEE IT AS A SEPARATE PIECE.

THEY ARE OF A PIECE, AND THEY WORK TOGETHER.

AND THAT GOES TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT STEP NINE.

WHEN WE WERE WRITING THIS PIECE - -AND I'M SO PROUD TO BE WORKING WITH PROFESSOR KIM SHIPPEL FROM PRINCETON UNIVERSITY.

THE POINT OF THIS IS, THESE THINGS CAN HAPPEN SIMULTANEOUSLY.

WE ARE ACTUALLY WATCHING STEP TEN AS WELL.

WHEN TEXAS GERRYMANDERED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DECADE TO INTENTIONALLY STRIP PEOPLE OF COLOR OF THEIR VOTING POWER AND TO HAND POWER TO A POLITICAL PARTY, THAT WAS STEP TEN.

WHEN GEORGIA PURGED 471,000 VOTERS WITH VERY CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT EFFECT IT WOULD HAVE ON MINORITY VOTERS, THAT WAS STEP TEN.

WE ARE WATCHING THIS HAPPEN AROUND THE COUNTRY.

WHEN YOU INTERFERE WITH ELECTIONS, THE END OF DEMOCRACY DOESN'T MEAN THE END OF VOTING.

IT MEANS THE END OF VOTING ACTUALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

THAT IS WHAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW.

I WOULD ACTUALLY SAY WE'VE NOW HIT ALL OF THE TEN STEPS AND THE QUESTION IS HOW MUCH MORE WILL WE SEE?

BECAUSE THESE STEPS REPEAT.

THEY AMPLIFY.

AND THEY CAN HAPPEN SIMULTANEOUSLY.

>> STEP TEN IS, YOU MAKE SURE NO ONE EVER VOTES AGAIN.

NOW YOU HAVE THEM CAPTIVE.

NOW YOU'VE GOT THEM SCARED.

NOW YOU'VE GOT THEM POOR.

NOW YOU HAVE THE POWER.

THIS IS A VIOLENT COUNTRY, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF GUNS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO WEAPONS.

NOT TO QUIBBLE WITH YOU OR YOUR KIND OF STEPS HERE, BUT HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY THAT PARTICULAR FACET OF AMERICAN LIFE WITH WHAT YOU CALL THIS AUTHORITARIAN TAKEOVER, THIS AUTHORITARIAN PUSH?

>> SO --PART OF THE RESPONSIBILITY --YOU ASKED ME AT THE BEGINNING, WHO DID I MEAN BY WE?

WE IS THE PEOPLE.

BUT THEY, THE AUTHORITARIANS, ARE THE STATE.

AND THAT'S THE PLACE WHERE WE HAVE TO PUT RESPONSIBILITY.

VIOLENCE IS PART OF HUMAN NATURE.

AS YOU POINTED OUT, POLITICAL VIOLENCE HAS ALWAYS ATTENDED ANY POLITICAL SYSTEM.

IF YOU'RE READING THE BIBLE, VIOLENCE IS RIFE THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE.

THE DIFFERENCE IS WHO IS WIELDING VIOLENCE AS A TOOL FOR THE ACCRUAL OF POWER, AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT QUESTION UNDERSTAND AND IT WE IDENTIFY IT.

INCENTIVIZING PRIVATE VIOLENCE IS A STEP IN AUTHORITARIANISM BECAUSE IT'S WHEN THE STATE STARTS TO CO-OPT THE PEOPLE INTO DOING ITS WILL.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE US FIGHTING EACH OTHER, WE ARE NOT FIGHTING AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE TAKING OUR POWER FROM US.

I'M NOT DIMINISHING HOW HARMFUL IT IS AND HOW OFTEN WE SEE POLITICAL VIOLENCE HAPPENING.

BUT WHAT I AM SAYING IS THAT WHEN THE STATE SUBORNS THAT, WHEN THE STATE INVENTIVIZES THAT, WHEN THE STATE MIMICS THE KINDS OF BEHAVIORS THAT THE PEOPLE THEN START TO BELIEVE ARE NECESSARY TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, THEN THAT'S WHEN AUTHORITARIANISM HAS TO BE ROOTED OUT AND HAS TO BE NOTED AS THE CAUSE.

>> IT'S INTERESTING, BECAUSE SPEAKING OF VIOLENCE, THE U. S. ATTORNEY, THE NEWLY NAMED U. S. ATTORNEY IN WASHINGTON, D. C. , WHO BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT'S UNIQUE SORT OF LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND RELATIONSHIP TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALSO PROSECUTES LOCAL CRIMES IN D. C. , RECENTLY ISSUED A RULING THAT GUN CRIMES, YOU KNOW, CARRYING CONCEALED, ET CETERA, WOULD NOT BE PROSECUTED.

BUT THAT SHE HAS BROUGHT FELONY CHARGES AGAINST INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE PROTESTING.

LIKE THERE WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO THREW A SANDWICH AND WAS --WAS CHARGED WITH A FELONY.

THE GRAND JURY DECLINED TO INDICT.

IN FACT, THE GRAND JURIES OF D. C. HAVE REPEATEDLY REFUSED TO VALIDATE CHARGES IN SOME OF THESE CASES.

ESPECIALLY NOTEWORTHY GIVEN THAT THIS PRESIDENT REFUSED TO CALL IN THE NATIONAL GUARD FOR MANY HOURS WHEN HIS SUPPORTERS WERE VIOLENTLY ATTACKING THE CAPITOL.

BUT YET HIS APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVES HAVE, YOU KNOW, ISSUED FELONY CHARGES, OR TRIED TO CHARGE PEOPLE WITH FELONIES FOR THROWING A SANDWICH AT SOMEBODY.

>> AND THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCT.

THE REASON THEY WENT AFTER THE PERSON THROWING THE SANDWICH WAS BECAUSE THAT WAS SOMEONE WHO EXPRESSED DISSENT.

AND IN AN AUTHORITARIAN REGIME, YOU RESPOND TO DISSENT WITH OVERWHELMING FORCE.

A MAN THREW A SANDWICH AND FACED A FEDERAL GRAND JURY.

THE WEIGHT AND HEFT OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAME AFTER A MAN WHO IN A MOMENT OF PANIC AND ANGER THREW A SANDWICH.

AUTHORITARIANISM AMPLIFIES THE SMALLEST BEHAVIORS OF CITIZENSHIP AND TURNS THEM INTO CRIMES.

THAT'S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND.

BECAUSE IF YOU CAN GO TO JAIL FOR A SANDWICH, THEN HOW DARE YOU PROTEST IN THE STREETS?

HOW DARE YOU TAKE ACTION AGAINST?

HOW DARE YOU SUE?

IT'S WHY THEY DEFUNDED PUBLIC TELEVISION.

YOU DEFUND PUBLIC BROADCASTING BECAUSE PUBLIC BROADCASTING DARED TO TELL THE TRUTH.

INSTEAD OF JUST BEING ANGRY AND FIGHTING IN THE COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION, YOU STRIP PUBLIC BROADCASTING OF ITS ABILITY TO DO ITS JOB.

AND SO IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ACTUALLY LOOK AT THESE SMALL MOMENTS AND KNIT THEM TOGETHER.

THAT'S WHY THE TEN STEPS ARE SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WE NEED PEOPLE TO SEE NOT THESE INDIVIDUAL, DISTINCT MOMENTS BUT AS PART OF A PATTERN OF BEHAVIOR AND A COORDINATED ATTEMPT TO UNDERMINE THE DEMOCRACY OF OUR COUNTRY AND MAKE AUTHORITARIANISM SEEM NORMAL.

THAT IS NOT NORMAL.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN OPPOSITION PARTY IN THIS COUNTRY.

IN FACT, THE MARGINS IN THE CONGRESS ARE VERY, VERY NARROW.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF MOMENTS WHERE PEOPLE COULD HAVE STOPPED SOME OF THESE INITIATIVES, FOR EXAMPLE.

I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY YOU THINK IT THAT IS THEY'RE JUST -- IF THE SITUATION IS AS DIRE AS YOU DESCRIBE, WHY MORE PEOPLE AREN'T WILLING TO OBJECT OR SAY NO?

>> SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE IN POWER.

THE QUESTION ISN'T, ARE THEY VOTING AGAINST THEIR SELF-INTEREST?

IT'S, WHAT INTERESTS DO THEY HOLD?

IF YOU ARE SENATOR DAN SULLIVAN WHO WATCHES HIS COLLEAGUE, SENATOR LISA MURKOWSKI, GO TO THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE AND PLAY A RECORDING OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS, WHO ARE FACING A TYPHOON, A TSUNAMI, AND THAT TSUNAMI WARNING ONLY CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING, LISA MURKOWSKI VOTED NO, DAN SULLIVAN SAID, YES, IT'S TRUE THAT THIS WILL CAUSE THEM HARM, BUT I'LL FIX IT LATER.

BECAUSE HIS BEST INTEREST IN THAT MOMENT, HIS SELF-INTEREST WAS POWER.

HIS SELF-INTEREST WAS BASICALLY BECOMING COMPLICIT AND NOT OFFENDING THE AUTHORITARIAN LEADER IN THIS CASE DONALD TRUMP.

WE HAVE TO STOP THINKING THAT SELF-INTEREST IS ONE THING.

IF THE INTEREST YOU HAVE IS POWER, THEN SUBLIMATING YOURSELF TO THIS CURRENT AUTHORITARIAN REGIME FEELS LIKE NOT JUST SURVIVAL, BUT IT GETS YOU A TICKET TO THE DANCE.

AND SO WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE WHO ARE ELECTED TO REPRESENT US WILL NOT DO SO UNLESS WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, AND NOT JUST AT THE BALLOT BOX DURING MIDTERMS, BUT EVERY SINGLE DAY.

BUT HERE'S THE OTHER PIECE.

HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE DOES NOT MEAN THEY WILL BE BETTER.

THERE HAVE BEEN PROTESTS IN AUTHORITARIAN NATIONS SINCE THE MOMENT THOSE AUTOCRATS CAME TO POWER.

THAT IS WHY THE URJENS IS NOW.

WE HAVE NOT FULLY FALLEN.

WE ARE IN AN AUTHORITARIAN MOMENT BUT WE ARE NOT SO FAR IN WE CAN'T FIND OUR WAY OUT.

WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE WHERE WE ARE.

WE HAVE TO THEN ACTIVATE OURSELVES TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

THAT'S TO YOUR POINT OF WHO'S VOTING FOR THIS, WHO'S SUPPORTING IT?

THERE'S A REASON REPUBLICANS STOPPED HAVING TOWN HALL MEETINGS, BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

THEY KNOW PEOPLE AREN'T HAPPY.

WHEN WE SEE SEE THE ECONOMY COLLAPSE BECAUSE OF RISING INFLATION, RISING UNEMPLOYMENT, SLOWING ECONOMIC GROWTH, THE REASON THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS TRYING TO REMOVE A MEMBER OF THE FEDERAL BOARD OF RESERVE GOVERNORS IS BECAUSE HE NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO MANUFACTURE AN ANSWER AS TO WHY THE ECONOMY IS NOT DOING AS IT SHOULD.

SO WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE, WE HAVE TO ACTIVATE.

AND MOST FUNDAMENTALLY, WE HAVE TO RECLAIM OUR RIGHTS AS CITIZENS TO A COUNTRY THAT WORKS FOR ALL OF US.

AND ULTIMATELY, THAT'S WHAT I WANT.

I'M NOT HERE JUST TO HARANGUE THE AUTHORITARIANS.

I'M HERE TO CALL INTO ACTION THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY.

AND EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK YOU BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY, IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOUR RIGHT TO MAKE YOUR OWN CHOICES, IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOUR OWN FREEDOM AND YOUR OWN POWER, THEN WE'VE GOT TO STOP THOSE WHO WOULD TAKE THOSE THINGS FROM US RIGHT NOW.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE DEMOCRATS IN THIS MOMENT?

WHAT'S THEIR ROLE?

AND ARE THEY FULFILLING IT?

>> WE ARE IN A MOMENT WHERE WE ARE LOOKING FOR LEADERS.

BUT I ACTUALLY BELIEVE WHAT WE NEED IS LEADERSHIP.

LEADERS ANOINT INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR US.

THIS IS A MOMENT WHERE WE ALL HAVE TO OWN FOR OURSELVES THE ROLE WE CAN PLAY.

I AM A VERY PROUD DEMOCRAT.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT I'M PART OF A VERY LARGE PARTY THAT HAS MULTIPLE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

WE ARE THE MINORITY PARTY, WHICH MEANS WE DO NOT HAVE THE NORMAL LOVERS OF POWER.

BUT DEMOCRATS HAVE TO STILL SHOW THAT WE CAN DELIVER.

AND THAT MEANS THAT WHEN AUTHORITARIAN BEHAVIORS IMPACT OUR PEOPLE, WE'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

WHEN PEOPLE START GOING HUNGRY, WE'VE GOT TO BE THERE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO FOOD.

WHEN PEOPLE CAN'T GET WHAT THEY NEED, WE'VE GOT TO HELP THEM FIND SOLUTIONS.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM, BUT WE CANNOT BEMOAN OUR FATES AND HOLD OUR HEAD IN OUR HANDS.

WE'VE GOT TO DO THE WORK.

WHAT I WOULD SAY TO DEMOCRATS IS, NO, WE MAY NOT HOLD THE MAJORITY, BUT WE ARE WATCHING ACROSS THE COUNTRY - -CALIFORNIA, OREGON, AND WASHINGTON HAVE SAID WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE PUBLIC HELD TO OUR PEOPLE.

ALSO DOWN IN SMUL COMMUNITIES, THEY'RE DOING COMMUNITY GARDENS BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE USDA FOOD THEY RELIED ON IS NO LONGER COMING.

WE HAVE, TO AS DEMOCRATS AT EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, SHOW THAT WE UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM THAT, WE SEE THE PAIN THAT WE'RE WILLING TO DO SOMETHING TO MITIGATE IT.

WE CAN'T SOLVE IT UNTIL WE HAVE POWER AGAIN, BUT WE CAN USE THE POWER WE DO HAVE.

BECAUSE BEFORE WE HAD POWER, BEFORE WE HAD MONEY, WE HAD EACH OTHER, AND DEMOCRATS ARE BEST WHEN WE WERE DOING THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE.

>> AND BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, I'LL TELL YOU ONE PEOPLE SAY TO ME.

MAYBE THEY SAY THE SAME THING TO YOU.

"I DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE NEWS ANYMORE, IT'S TOO DEPRESSING. "

SO PEOPLE SAY THAT.

THEY SAY, "IT'S JUST TOO DEPRESSING, I HAVE TO FOCUS ON MY HOUSE, MY FAMILY, MY GARDEN," WHATEVER.

I'M CURIOUS IF PEOPLE SAY THAT TO YOU.

IF THEY DO, WHAT DO YOU SAY?

>> THEY DO.

MY POINT IS, DO YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN THAT GARDEN?

OR DO YOU WANT SOMEONE WHO CAN SAY THEY WANT YOUR GARDEN FOR THEMSELVES AND YOU CAN'T CALL THE POLICE BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER ANSWER TO YOU.

YOU CAN'T CALL YOUR CITY COUNCILMEMBER BECAUSE THEY NO LONGER GET TO MAKE DECISIONS.

YOU CAN'T GO TO YOUR JOB BECAUSE THEY'VE DECIDED YOUR JOB IS OBSOLETE BECAUSE THEY'VE DECIDED THE WORK YOU DO IS NO LONGER VALUABLE TO THE REGIME.

OUR INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM IS YOKED TO OUR NATIONAL BELIEF IN FREEDOM.

IF WE DO NOT HAVE IT AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, WE CANNOT ENJOY IT AT A LOCAL LEVEL.

AUTHORITARIANS WANT TO TAKE WHAT WE HAVE, THEY WANT TO TAKE WHAT WE KNOW.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THEY WANT TO TAKE OUR WILL TO WANT MORE.

WE CAN FIGHT BACK.

>> AND HOW COME YOU AREN'T DISCOURAGED?

WHAT KEEPS YOU GOING?

>> MY GRANDFATHER, MY MOTHER'S FATHER, WAS BORN 25 YEARS AFTER THE END OF SLAVERY.

WITHIN TWO GENERATIONS, HIS GRANDDAUGHTER BECAME THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN IN AMERICAN HISTORY TO BE NOMINATED TO BE GOVERNOR OF A STATE.

THAT ARC OF HISTORY TELLS ME THAT WE CAN HOLD THIS COUNTRY.

THAT EVEN THOSE WHO WERE TRAMPLED UPON DID WHAT THEY COULD TO PRESERVE OUR NATION.

IT IS NOT THAT WE DON'T GET TO BE DEPRESSED, BUT WE DON'T GET TO ALLOW DEPRESSION TO STEAL OUR FUTURES FROM US.

THEY WANT US TO FEEL BROKEN.

THEY WANT US TO FEEL BEATEN.

I WAS RAISED IN A FAMILY THAT HAS OVERCOME SO MANY ODDS.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT DESPITE HOW LITTLE THEIR CITIZENSHIP WAS VALUED, THAT BELONGED TO THEM, AND THEY WERE GOING TO USE IT TO ITS FULLEST EXTENT.

I AM HERE BECAUSE --AND I AM -- I'M ENGAGED BECAUSE I WANT THE FULL MEASURE OF MY CITIZENSHIP TO BE MADE REAL.

>> STACEY ABRAMS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SPEAKING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

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