It’s NICOLE SANDLER, back in to guest host another edition of the BradCast. This weekend is the 4th of July holiday, but this year many of us are looking at it in a different way, seeing the rest of American history that’s not usually remembered or recognized on “Independence Day.” [Audio link to full show is posted below.]
I opened the show with a bit of wishful-thinking humor– an “apology” from Donald J. Trump for his mishandling of the coronavirus crisis. It’s courtesy of Liz Plank and The Recount. Just click here to watch the magic.
My guest today is REP. ERIC SWALWELL of California’s 15th District, who has a new book, Endgame: Inside the Impeachment of Donald J. Trump. Since he’s working from home, we even got a quick visit from his daughter who they call Cricket!
At the end, I shared a missive that I found on, of all places, Facebook. Typical of the venue, I have no idea who wrote it. But it’s one of the few items I copied and pasted and shared. It’s for white people who still don’t understand why “all lives matter” is not a reasonable response to Black Lives Matter. This is the part of American history and Independence Day I think we need to spend a little more time on this 4th of July.
400 years ago white people brought black people over here and enslaved them. And sold them. And treated them as less than human. For 250 years. While white men built the country and created its laws and its systems of government. While 10, 15 generations of white families got to grow and flourish and make choices that could make their lives better.
And then 150 years ago white people “freed” black people from slavery. But then angry white people created laws that made it impossible for them to vote. Or to own land. Or to have the same rights as white people. And even erected monuments glorifying people who actively had fought to keep them enslaved. All while another 5, 10 generations of white families got to grow and accumulate wealth and gain land and get an education.
And then 60 years ago we made it “legal” for black people to vote, and to be “free” from discrimination. But angry white people still fought to keep schools segregated. And closed off neighborhoods to white people only. And made it harder for black people to get bank loans, or get quality education or health care, or to (gasp) marry a white person. All while another 2-3 generations of white families got to grow and pass their wealth down to their children and their children’s children.
And then we entered an age where we had the technology to make PUBLIC the things that were already happening in private– the beatings, the stop and frisk laws, the unequal distribution of justice, the police brutality (police began in America as slave patrols designed to catch runaway slaves).
And only now, after 400+ years and 20+ generations of a white head start, are we STARTING to truly have a dialogue about what it means to be black.
White privilege doesn’t mean you haven’t suffered or fought or worked hard. It doesn’t mean white people are responsible for the sins of our ancestors. It doesn’t mean you can’t be proud of who you are. But it DOES mean that we need to acknowledge that the system our ancestors created is built FOR white people. It DOES mean that we aren’t disadvantaged because of the color of our skin and it DOES mean that we owe it to our neighbors– of all colors– to acknowledge that and work to make our world more equitable.
BLACK LIVES MATTER
Download MP3 or listen online below…
The BradCast with Brad Friedman 7/3/2020Eric Swalwell on Impeachment Revisited, More: ‘BradCast’ 7/3/2020 | Guest host Nicole Sandler with the CA Congressman on his new book, 'Endgame', and a different look at the 4th of July... · · · · · Eric Swalwell on Impeachment Revisited, More: ‘BradCast’ 7/3/2020 | Guest host Nicole Sandler with the CA Congressman on his new book, 'Endgame', and a different look at the 4th of July...0:00 0:00
Slightly more unredacted… June 19, 2020 America Reads The mueller Reporthttps://www.cnn.com/2020/06/19/...ort/index.html
Nicole said she was posting (to the BradCast) a video of tRump apologizing for many wrongs. It was made by Recount.com ?
I can’t find it. Please teach me how to locate it…
Thanks
You’re right Rouanna! She did promise to post the link! I’ll try to get it from her and update with a link here when I do!
The link to the apology is right there in the post! “I opened the show with a bit of wishful-thinking humor– an “apology” from Donald J. Trump for his mishandling of the coronavirus crisis. It’s courtesy of Liz Plank and The Recount. Just click here to watch the magic.”