Skip to main content

tv   Velshi  MSNBC  May 26, 2024 8:00am-9:00am PDT

8:00 am
a slow network is no network for business. that's why more choose comcast business. and now, we're introducing ultimate speed for business —our fastest plans yet. we're up to 12 times faster than verizon, at&t, and t-mobile. and existing customers could even get up to triple the speeds... at no additional cost. it's ultimate speed for ultimate business. don't miss out on our fastest speed plans yet! switch to comcast business and get started for $49.99 a month. plus, ask how to get up to an $800 prepaid card. call today! coming up and another hour of "velshi." the first criminal case against a former president is about to head to the jury. we are in uncharted territory here that in mere moments i will be joined by two of the most informed experts in america and they will help us understand that could be coming in this historic moment.
8:01 am
plus, what if i told you there was no legal principle more than anything or anyone else in the country that keeps real police reform from basically being possible at all? what if i told you a federal judge just called that widely it use legal doctrine and unconstitutional error? well, that happened this week and it got way too little attention so i will take my glasses off and talk to some lawyers about this stunning ruling and what it could mean in practical terms. then, a remarkable story about what happens when ordinary citizens stand up for their community. ali velshi himself rings us a story of two idaho moms who fought to save their local school district from a fiery take-over. another hour of "velshi" starts right now. good morning. you are watching "velshi" on
8:02 am
msnbc. i'm charles coleman jr. filling in for my friend and i like ali velshi and we have a lot to talk about if you want a seat for the hottest event in new york city you better make your way downtown to manhattan and get in line right now. after 20 days in court that featured more than 80 hours of testimony from 22 different witnesses, donald trump's hush money trial will soon come to a closed. less than 48 hours from now, closing arguments will begin in the first ever criminal trial of a former president while some people are spending memorial day weekend at a barbecue or the beach, others are camping out in line right now outside the courthouse at 100 center street for a chance to be in the room where it all happens. there are folks who have been in line literally since court has adjourned on thursday. on the other hand, donald trump the candidate spent his day off on the campaign trail but it didn't turn as well as he hoped.
8:03 am
last thursday, he held a modestly attended rally in the south bronx. yesterday, he was relentlessly booed during his appearance at the libertarian conference in washington, d.c. but you can tell that the gravity of this coming week is really weighing heavily on the former president 's mine because he has posted about the trial multiple times on truth social over the weekend tuesday, that will be the last opportunity attorneys on both sides will have to make their case to the jury. by wednesday of this week, they are expected to begin deliberation. let that sink in for a second because we are actually entering both historic and uncharted territory here. up until now, no group of americans has ever been charged with the task of determining the innocence or guilt of a former president in a court of law. this is all going down in less than six months from a crucial election in which the defendant is also a leading presidential
8:04 am
candidate. no big deal, right? well, this is anything but a small task but a bird in this case could be just days away. right now, i am joined by tim o'brien, senior executive of opinion at bloomberg and and msn see -- msnbc author as well as my friend susanne craig, a pulitzer prize-winning investigative reporter from "the new york times." and the author of the book lucky loser. you have spent a lot of time in court at 100 center street. you have an up close view as to how things have been going. the defense, they spend a lot of time cross-examining michael cohen during this trial and it seems like they may just be relying on the jury thinking that he is not credible. do you think that the defense has done enough to raise the
8:05 am
specter of a reasonable doubt given what the prosecution's case laid out for them? >> well, when i think what we are heading into with closing arguments, i think what the government has done is given jurors two paths. one is you can believe some of what michael cohen said despite all you heard i got the defense's case that he has lied on the stand in front of judges and like to banks analyst taxes. then there is also another path that i think they tried to outline for the jury. that is through the evidence. whether it is the documents or the cooperating witnesses that have come forward. i think that have provided two paths, but michael cohen is still crucial because he, you know, despite all the documentary evidence that has come forward, he is still the only witness to have key meetings that you have to buy
8:06 am
into that go to the criminal disguise of the documents to a guilty verdict. so it will be, can you still believe michael cohen or do you have to believe some of what he said? i think that is where the jury will have to come to a guilty verdict at the end but they will have a to believe some of what he said even though they have heard he is a liar. >> that is absolutely correct i tend to agree with you. we have talked about michael cohen being the one who connects donald trump to the activity. on some level, maybe not all of his credibility matters but enough of that connection to be created, that nexus to be believable, that will be important for the prosecution. tim, i want to talk you about the idea that donald trump's trajectory in terms of his move he's gone up and out and it had a lot of good days and a lot of bad days and days were the supreme court seems to delay the presidential immunity
8:07 am
decision. he has had days were aileen cannon has postponed the trial there. but he also has had days like last night where he give -- gets booed at the libertarian convention. he is having a week that could be really bad for him in terms of his verdict in this case. and what it could mean for him going forward. how do you think his team is preparing for what is ahead given the sort of roller coaster nature of everything he has been facing? >> i think his team will stay and -- that donald trump is being persecuted and is a big them. these are democrats and the far left and american institutions ganging up on him. unfairly. and weaponizing the government. that has been a constant theme in every instance in every court case.
8:08 am
victimhood is a powerful message for the trump team. it is one of their main tethers to their voters. you are a victim, you have been vic demise, there are brown people and yellow people coming over the border to take advantage of you. there's a hetero government in washington suffocating your ability to live the life you want and i am in court and i am being persecuted for it. i do think, however, that messaging only goes so far. i think it is useful to remember how much disagreement i get dismissal -- dismissiveness there was of the january 6th insurrection before the congressional proceedings were aired on television. in a narrative that came into the public realm with evidence and testimony and it was incontrovertible about what occurred there. it was an insurrection. i think if you come out of this week's court case and there will be any other legal
8:09 am
proceeding i don't think prior to the election, so this is the only one, it is not the strongest of the cases in play, but the evidence that has been presented is damning. it is hard to believe that there wasn't a record keeping and it's hard to believe that he wasn't philandering behind his wife's back. it's hard to believe that he did not pay money to cover that appeared i think the stretch and this one will be whether that will amount to election interference and the ants -- accents to which he was an architect of all that. >> you know donald trump pretty much as well as anyone else. you have written the book on him even though sue's book will be released. lucky loser. >> i cannot wait to read it. >> we know a mistrial or hung jury or acquittal as far- reaching as that might seem will be a shot in the arm for donald trump and his campaign. he has not paid like someone who
8:10 am
really truly believes that he is ahead in the polls, at least feels like he's comfortably ahead in the polls. what does a conviction due? what does that do beyond the narrative. we know what the narrative will be from a victim place, but what does a conviction due to the mood and tone of donald trump and team trump afterwards? regardless of what they maybe sign outside. -- be staying outside? >> i think the voters that matter are moderate independent voters who haven't made their minds up yet. in six or seven swing states favor probably talking to million voters. come november. i think trump's conservative allies and critics have made up their mind about who he is and i don't know that a conviction turns them either way. but i think for a large scope
8:11 am
of moderate voters, who care about institutions and care about the rule of law and care about civil conduct and decency, a conviction matters and i think his team knows that. it was interesting to watch trump in the courtroom over the past few weeks. this associate himself from the proceedings. i know there has been a lot of speculation that he was sleeping, but on a number of occasions he was just closing his eyes, leaning back and pretending he wasn't there because there was a former star talking about sex with him in a hotel and of warmer attorney talking about drifting and bookkeeping fraud. and the former publisher of the national enquirer talk about weaponizing that publication against his enemies. it's like when a child his or her finger in your ear when you are correcting them when they
8:12 am
are doing something wrong. i can't hear you. i can't hear you. i got that feeling in the courtroom that he is trying to get as far from the facts being presented in front of them because it is embarrassing, demeaning, and much appears to be very true. >> picking up where we left off, i don't have a whole lot of time, sue, i have to ask you. everything tim just talked about , none of it said anything about election interference and that is the narrative that the d.a.'s office wanted to tie into. did they make the case in terms of really framing this the right way that the jury in public understands this is not necessarily about hush money, which isn't illegal, but the falsification of documents as an attempt to influence the election? is that clear? >> that's interesting because i sat through every day of it and i have to say, one of the things i felt the prosecution did an effective job was creating, setting the stage
8:13 am
for the election interference but we went through several witnesses. we had david pecker talking about how concerned donald trump was about certain stories not getting out and the catching and killing of stories and hope hicks came in and i thought her testimony was very powerful. just taking us right back into 2016. in the moments that head into the election when that "access hollywood" tape came out and how damaging that was to the campaign. that really set the table then for donald trump and michael cohen and nobody wanting the stories about stormy daniels and karen google and donald trump's relationship with them to come out. i thought when i looked back, i really was left with the idea that the election interference was a strong argument that the prosecution was able to put forward. whether or not we will be able
8:14 am
to get to a guilty verdict, because there are a lot of components to it, i don't know, but i thought they did a good job on that point. >> that was tim o'brien and susanne craig setting the table and getting us started on the second hour of "velshi." still ahead, why the rights of diversity is more dangerous and far-reaching than you think are plus, an important ruling that flew under the right of this week what you need to know about a federal judge's scathing rebuke of the notorious legal doctrine that is often used by police to avoid accountability for violence or abuse. then, the story of two women from opposite sides of the political divide coming together in a small act of courage to protect their community. i'm charles coleman jr. and there is more "velshi" after the break. ps remove odors 3x ban detergent alone.
8:15 am
it worked guys! ♪yeahhhh♪ downy rinse and refresh. (man) mm, hey, honey. ♪yeahhhh♪ looks like my to-do list grew. "paint the bathroom, give baxter a bath, get life insurance," hm. i have a few minutes. i can do that now. oh, that fast? remember that colonial penn ad? i called and i got information. they sent the simple form i need to apply. all i do is fill it out and send it back. well, that sounds too easy! (man) give a little information, check a few boxes, sign my name, done. they don't ask about your health? (man) no health questions. -physical exam? -don't need one. it's colonial penn guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance.
8:16 am
if you're between the ages of 50 and 85, your acceptance is guaranteed in most states, even if you're not in the best health. options start at $9.95 a month, 35 cents a day. once insured, your rate will never increase. a lifetime rate lock guarantees it. keep in mind, this is lifetime protection. as long as you pay your premiums, it's yours to keep. call for more information and the simple form you need to apply today. there's no obligation, and you'll receive a free beneficiary planner just for calling.
8:17 am
8:18 am
8:19 am
welcome back. it's time for some civil rights talk. last week, a mississippi judge wrote an opinion -- police reform is actually unlawful. this involves the case from 2020 were a police detective accused a man of murder. also the proof was a witness statement of a man under the influence of meth and detective thomas allegedly encourage that witness to select has been green him alina. green always maintained his innocence. the witness recanted the statement admitted that he gave a false statement thinking it would give him leniency for a separate crime. prosecutors dropped the charges but he had already spent nearly two years in jail. when he did, the conditions were horrific. the jail was infested with rodents and snake, he was fed
8:20 am
moldy food and often had to sleep on the floor and was surrounded by const violence and fighting. last year, green suit detective thomas along with the city of jack and hinds county where he was incarcerated, however, detective thomas filed a motion to dismiss the case invoking qualified immunity. that holds that officials including police officers cannot be sued for violating a person's constitutional rights unless they violate, quote, clearly established law. in practical terms, what that means is unless there is another case with identical fact on record, these officials cannot be held accountable. qualified immunity is used often to shield law enforcement from punishment engaging in violent and abusive acts, but now back to desmond green story. the judge called to shut down detective thomas's dismiss --
8:21 am
in doing so, he said her actions violated clearly established law and went on to say that the doctrine itself has, quote, no basis in law. he added that congress's intent to protect citizens from government abuse cannot be overridden by judges who think they know better. as a doctrine, that defies his basic visible qualified immunity is an unconstitutional error. it is past the time for the judiciary to correct this mistake. judge reeves's decision is an important first step in creating the type of accountability that is critical for changing the culture of policing in america. the on the other side of the break, i will speak with the president and executive director of the lawyers committee for civil rights on the law. don't go anywhere. there is more "velshi". we'll be right back. [sfx] water lapping.
8:22 am
♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [sfx] water splashing.
8:23 am
♪ ♪ [sfx] ambient / laughing. ♪ ♪ sup? -who are you? i'm your inner [sfx] child. get in.hing. listen, what you really need in life is some freakin' torque. what? horsepower keeps you going, but torque gets you going. what happened to my inner child craving love and acceptance? how about you love and accept this? p-p-p-p-powershot! when can i drive? you already are! the dodge hornet r/t... the totally torqued-out crossover.
8:24 am
welcome back. joining me now is damien jewett, president and executive director of lawyers' committee for civil rights under law. i'm going to take the glasses off and talk once double rights attorney to another. talk to me about your reaction to judge reeves's decision around qualified immunity at least in this case and out of mississippi. >> it's good to be with you today. my reaction simply was finally. finally a judge is telling the truth from the bench, not just about the facts of a particular case, putting them in context for everyone to understand. devolution on this case and the seat had to be planted somewhere. we will see what happens on appeal. it starts with the federal district court. >> now that we are here, one of the concerns i have and many people will be wondering, where do things go? do you expect to see an appeal?
8:25 am
and what is that path looking like going for a particularly within the circuit that this is house? >> definitely we expect to see an appeal that will happen at any time. it's not the kind of case that will settle because the prevailing law has been on the side of police officers. this officer or what ever reason can appeal. i grew up in louisiana within the fifth circuit. probably the most conservative circuit court in the entire country. so, these judges on that circuit certainly will not likely be favorable to these kinds of claims but they have to be forced to wrestle with it and reckon with it in this case is probably bound for the u.s. supreme court. >> i don't want to necessarily tip your hand, but if you are thinking strategy and talk about the fact that the fifth circuit is not necessarily the most friendly, and we know this in terms of a case like this,
8:26 am
going the way that many think it should around abolishing the notion of qualified immunity. if you are strategically planning to bring additional cases, do you wait or do you just try and ride this out all the way to the supreme court and see if there is a possibility you may get some language that can be helpful in terms of bringing additional cases? >> civil rights lawyers, we have been trained to be strategic if not rest was. -- not being reckless. forcing a circuit split meeting pushing the issue in various jurisdictions but it starts with people whose rights have been violated and a day in court. as much as we need to say this case to play out, i don't think that should stop anyone else from arguing the same type of theory. that qualified immunity doesn't apply and/or qualified immunity
8:27 am
itself is unconstitutional. >> when we talk about culture change in policing, there is this conversation that accountability in and of itself is not going to take place if qualified immunity exists. can you explain for our audience why this is such an important and central question in the overall conversation around policing in america. >> there are two levels here. one, with qualified immunity, the courts have found that the judges have -- don't have to get to the underlying merits of the claim. people who have been wrong in this case by police, don't even get their day in court. qualified immunity bars that from happening but there is another more sinister piece which is this. because of this notion of a clearly established right, narrow and essentially if another case hasn't been decided on the same or similar circumstances or even not
8:28 am
decided in that particular jury distant or circuit, the courts have found that it's not established and there is a reasonable officer would have known that they were violating the rights for the law gets stuck and get stuck in place. the law does not evolve and so instances like what happened here in mississippi, unless a judge does what judge reeves did, these rights don't become clearly established to the point where they can be used in favor of litigants in the future and holding the police officers accountable. >> such an important conversation. let's hope that this judgment and opinion by judge reeves is not altogether shortly. thank you, damon hewitt, for joining me today. phil ahead, ali velshi brings us the remarkable story of two women who fought to protect their community by putting aside their political differences. you don't want to miss this. there's more vlc. i'm charles coleman jr. and we will be right back.
8:29 am
with usps ground advantage®. ♪♪ (avo) kate made progress with her mental health... ...but her medication caused unintentional movements in her face, hands, and feet called tardive dyskinesia, or td. so her doctor prescribed austedo xr— a once-daily td treatment for adults. ♪ as you go with austedo ♪ austedo xr significantly reduced kate's td movements. some people saw a response as early as 2 weeks. with austedo xr, kate can stay on her mental health meds— (kate) oh, hi buddy! (avo) austedo xr can cause depression, suicidal thoughts, or actions in patients with huntington's disease. pay close attention to and call your doctor if you become depressed, have sudden changes in mood, or have suicidal thoughts. don't take if you have liver problems, are taking reserpine, tetrabenazine, or valbenazine. austedo xr may cause irregular or fast heartbeat, or abnormal movements. seek help for fever, stiff muscles, problems thinking,
8:30 am
or sweating. common side effects include inflammation of the nose and throat, insomnia and sleepiness. ♪ as you go with austedo ♪ ask your doctor for austedo xr. ♪ austedo xr ♪ i won't let my moderate to severe plaque psoriasis symptoms define me. emerge as you. with tremfya®, most people saw 90% clearer skin at 4 months and the majority stayed clearer, at 5 years. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. emerge as you. emerge tremfyant®. ask you doctor about tremfya®. ( ♪♪ ) ( ♪ ♪ ) start your day with nature made. the #1 pharmacist recommended vitamin and supplement brand. let's get the rest of these plants in.
8:31 am
organic soil from miracle-gro has grown me the best garden i have ever had. good soil, and you get good results. this soil will blow you away. it's the martha stewart of soil. everybody wants super straight, super white teeth. they want that hollywood white smile. new sensodyne clinical white provides 2 shades whiter teeth and 24/7 sensitivity protection. i think it's a great product. it's going to help a lot of patients. ♪ [suspenseful music] trains. [whoosh] ♪ trains that use the power of dell ai and intel. clearing the way, [rumble] [whoosh] so you arrive exactly where you belong. alice loves the scent of gain so much, she wished there was a way to make it last longer. say hello to your fairy godmother alice, and long-lasting gain scent beads. part of the irresistible scent collection from gain.
8:32 am
in august of 2022, conservative on the west bonner school board and idaho voted to resend the english language arts curriculum just two weeks before the school year was set the start. they cited concerns that the curriculum was a form of, quote, liberal indoctrination, sexual grooming and critical race. , end quote.
8:33 am
where republicans outnumber democrats and the population is under 50,000, residents didn't pay much attention to their school board until that summer. david was, a parent and candy turner, a retired teacher, were active members of the community and they started getting calls from friends asking if they heard what was happening with the school curriculum. they were horrified they were faced with the question, who was on the school board and how did they end up there? what they found is what appeared to be a foreign take- over of the district keith rutledge and susan brown, the two word members who dana and candy identified as the most anti-public education won their seats by tiny margins. they barely even help campaigns. just yard signs around the county. under their leadership, the school week was shortened to four days and anti-trans policies that were passed and
8:34 am
been teachers from calling students by their preferred pronouns are required to use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their genders assigned at birth and restricted trans-students from participating in sports. 31% of teachers, counselors and education leaders that the district. dana and candy together with concerned residents darted attending to these meetings were once attended by a handful of spectators but when they had -- 100 people started showing up regularly. they realized there was only one way to fix their school district and recall rutledge and brown. together with other residents, they form the west bonner county school district recall replace be built. data and candy open their houses to hundreds of people to spread the word about the recall effort. their activism was met with threats. militia members showed up at school board meetings and
8:35 am
people with cameras were following dana and candy but they continue to push what they thought was right. ine end, 1200 people voted in the recall and one year after the decision to resend the ela curriculum, keith rutledge and susan brown were recalled. dana and candy never saw themselves becoming this politically active for their acts of courage it took them outside their comfort zones and help save a school district are right take-over. candy turner and dana douglas join me now. dana is the chairwoman and candy is the treasurer of the west bonner county school district rebuilds. welcome to both of you and thank you for being with us. i hope we told that story as accurately as we can. it is important, dana, because you identify as a conservative republican and candy, you and -- identify as an independent. neither of you consider yourself to be particularly political before this. candy, what caused you to take a strong stance?
8:36 am
>> i see people coming into our district and our community that were not for public education or our children. >> dana, what about you? >> the same thing. i was a volunteer for over 30 years and hours will district and when people started contacting me and saying, hey, there is some weird stuff going on. i have spent too many years and knowing how the school work, i was like, okay. we need to figure out what's going on here and do the best for our kids. >> candy, part of this for you was politics aside, maintaining the strength of the public education system idaho has some of the worst funded public schools in the nation. and you were dealing -- your issue was less politics than why are you people interested in
8:37 am
less investment in public education or less investment in what is supposed to happen to public education. >> will, nobody understands how idaho funds education. they have tripped up they only find one third of it from the state and they expect local school districts to fund one third and one third comes from federal government but people do not understand that. they think that the state fully funds education. so, if you don't pass a levy here, you lose one third of your profits and that way you cannot find any of your projects that need to be funded. >> the issue is that i certainly would not have known that in many of my viewers wouldn't, but people in your own community may not know that. dana, i meeting this recall ever, you helped many people in the community become active
8:38 am
citizens. they become more informed about politics and that helps democracy. democracy depends on citizens being informed and that is the role of the two of you play. >> i am proud to say, i looked it up, the day of the recall, we had over 125 people registered to vote. that was a special election in august, not the normal time. i felt very proud about that and proud to talk to people about having that jumped up doing the right thing and getting out and voting and how important it is to be an active citizen and always casting your ballot. don't take it for granted. little local elections matter and that is what really affects your life on a daily basis. >> which is ironic, candy, because they actually, for most people, matter more than their state legislative or
8:39 am
presidential elections but we turn out for the big one because of all the media coverage. what you need happens in your community. >> right. people don't understand that you might not make a difference in your state elections or national elections, but you do make a big difference in your local elections and you have to get out and vote. you have to vote -- no one it is asking to vote a certain way, we just want people to vote and make it. >> outstanding. you hit the nail on the head. thank you for what you posted and thank you for not letting politics guide your civic engagement letting civic engagement drive your decisions. >> thank you. >> thank you. though ctte still ahead, why that rights crusade against
8:40 am
diversity and inclusion initiatives is causing even more damage than you might think. i'm charles coleman jr. filling in for ali velshi and that is what we've got coming up after a short break. to relieve pain right where it hurts. and did we mention, it really, really sticks? salonpas, it's good medicine. (wife) saving for retirement was tough enough. (husband) and navigating markets can be, challenging at times.? (fisher investments) i understand. that's why at fisher investments, we keep a disciplined approach with your portfolio, helping you through the market's ups and downs. (husband) what about communication? (fisher investments) we check in regularly to keep you informed. (wife) which means you'll help us stay on track? (fisher investments) yes. as a fiduciary, we always put your interests first. because we do better when you do better. at fishestments, we're clearly different. a test or approve a medication. we didn't have to worry about any of those things
8:41 am
thanks to the donations. and our family is forever grateful because it's completely changed our lives. sometimes jonah wrestles with falling asleep... ...so he takes zzzquil. the world's #1 sleep aid brand. and wakes up feeling like himself. get the rest to be your best with non-habit forming zzzquil. ♪ ♪
8:42 am
8:43 am
when you put in the effort, but it starts to frizz... you skipped a step. tresemmé silk serum. use before styling for three days of weightlessly smooth hair that frizz can't beat. new tresemmé keratin smooth collection.
8:44 am
the republican crusade against diversity, equity, and inclusion or dei for short, continues with the latest casualty being the entire state of north carolina's public university system. the university of north carolina's order of governors moved to eliminate dei initiatives across all 17 of its campuses. this move follows a growing number of schools and state legislatures gutting programs intended to boost representation for historically underrepresented groups. now, at least 10 states have already passed anti-dei legislation yet for all of the republican hysteria surrounding
8:45 am
dei, the numbers show that actually once again, today's gop is out of step with public opinion. seven in 10 americans support dei training for public employees and six 5% support dei training for drivers sector employees and that's according to a university of massachusetts pole. media coverage of dei tends to link the culture wars playing out between conservatives and liberals. quick sound bites and rhetorical mudslinging makes it harder to know what exactly dei is and what will happen if it is taken away. there is this pervasive belief, for example, that dei is just about hiring practices when in reality it provides a range of opportunities and support services beyond human resources to talented people from underserved communities. while coverage of dei often focuses on people of color and
8:46 am
lgbtq+ groups, they target all underrepresented groups including veterans and people with disabilities and some of the biggest beneficiaries of dei, white women. so, why do conservatives have such a problem with the right- wing hysteria about dei is partly centered on white anxieties about the country's changing demographics. tony florez, the president of the colleges and universities tells nbc news that the elephant in the room is comical, racism. saying, maybe what is under hurting all of this is the unfounded fair that some of the folks who have been historically monopolizing the positions of power are tearful they will lose that. i need to make room for the populations that are emerging. so just what are the real role -- real world consequences of scrapping dei? while the fallout will take years to manifest, research provides a glimpse. including a report by hanover
8:47 am
research finding that 50 percent of survey college students feel singled out by their identity. that prevents a sense of belonging. this is especially the case for first-generation minority students. research has shown having a sense of belonging results in higher grade point averages and improvement to health and better long-term health outcomes. another survey found 59% of students would be reconsidering and rolling at a university that lacked dei initiatives like scholarships that targeted underserved communities. finding that underscores a major problem without these initiatives higher education becomes much less accessible for people of color. that means much less diversity of professionals and medicine, systemic biases have been prevalent and the consequences can be extremely dire. the research consistently shows
8:48 am
that black individuals experience disproportionately worse outcomes when they are treated by a less diverse medical workforce. the problem is especially acute in the area of black maternal help. this is a report from the centers for disease control and prevention i found black women are three to four times more likely to die from pregnancy related causes than white women. this disparity is the result of systemic biases and healthcare which dei initiatives aim to address but the benefits of diversity extend far beyond specific graphics. a diverse medical workforce has been linked to improved health outcomes for all patients, not just black populations. while students lose when dei initiatives are eliminated, exposure to diverse perspective images everyone's understanding of the world and fosters apathy and cultural awareness. this is meant of dei threatens to advance us towards a more
8:49 am
inclusive and notable society. that is not something we should be fighting against. that is a setback for all americans. joining me now for this very important -- important -- (jen) so we partner with verizon. their solution for us? a private 5g network. (ella) we now get more control of production, efficiencies, and greater agility. (marquis) with a custom private 5g network. our customers get what they want, when they want it. (jen) now we're even smarter and ready for what's next. (vo) achieve enterprise intelligence. it's your vision, it's your verizon.
8:50 am
i'm jonathan lawson, here to tell you about life insurance through the colonial penn program. if you're age 50 to 85 and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three p's. what are the three p's? the three p's of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price. a price you can afford, a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54. what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65 and take medications. what's my price? also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80. what's my price? $9.95 a month for you too. if you're age 50 to 85, call now about the #1 most popular whole life insurance plan available through the colonial penn program. options start at $9.95 a month.
8:51 am
no medical exam, no health questions. your acceptance is guaranteed. and this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate-lock, so your rate can never go up for any reason. so call now for free information, and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. and it's yours free just for calling, so call now for free information.
8:52 am
joining me now for this very important discussion on dei is the political analyst and democratic strategies and friend of the show as well as
8:53 am
dominic whitehead, vice president of campaigns at the naacp p. you have done so many of these conversations about dei. can you talk about and share what some of the biggest misconceptions people have about what it is and what isn't? >> i think one of the biggest misconceptions is many people believe dei is a free ride because you are a minority background and have access to think not based on merit or your talent but because you were born a certain race. that is incorrect and has always been incorrect and there is no evidence to showcase that it could go any other direction. what we know is those diverse candidates are often candidates who have more credentialing than their white counterparts meeting they have elevated education, longer resumes and they built themselves up to be competitive. with that being said, we also have to recognize that dei is not new. despite those in the post
8:54 am
george floyd era have brought this up recently. it is something that has been in place for over 40 plus years. to your argument, a lot of it was driven by seeing america change in terms of the amount of people from various backgrounds but acknowledging we can only remain competitive as a nation if our work hours and education systems and those already reaching the highest heights of our government are reflected on the people in the society in which we live. >> there has been a lot of talk about dei in the larger sense of society and how it functions, but, dominic, can you speak in a specific way, what the implications are when you have pacific feels like engineering, s.t.e.m., medicine, law, for temple, where dei is eliminated. what is the practical effect of what that looks like? >> that's a great question and pretty much what was said. the impacts are we know in this
8:55 am
country today black and brown folks are the majority overall and we look at any sector whether it is engineering, law, medicine, representation israel and representation as needed overall. when you see the impacts as you said in your opening segment, we note that black women are impacted hugely when it comes to all things healthcare and the reproductive this space, et cetera. having folks to represent test that look like us is critically important overall when it comes to dei. representation should look like all sectors and what the country looks like when it comes to representation. >> what are the things that makes it hard to process is that as we talked about in the opening, this is not consistent with where the majority of americans lie in how they feel about dei yet that narrative has been distorted and a lot of
8:56 am
these attacks have gained momentum. what is it that you think is enabling or giving power to those fighting against it in the face of what seems to be a very different sentiment from the public? >> grievance politics rain supreme. i think the reverse racism argument has taken off and unsavory ways across the country. in over 30 states we have seen bills introduced are passed into legislation that eliminate dei and that should be frustrating. we are not talking about only red states but purple states and it has been introduced in blue states as well. regardless of where you live this is something you could be facing and the implications in some of these fields, the ramifications are heavy. i think because of what we saw during the trump administration before the push having a first black president in barack obama
8:57 am
has initiated and pushed certain individuals to eliminate spaces where black and brown people actually sir. we have seen this over time. the erosion of accessibility for african americans and people of immigrant backgrounds. and any erasure of the humanity and where they represent. i think we should all be working were digitally to fight against that because that not to be who we are as america. we see way too many politicians, particularly those on the right, fighting tooth and nail that the places of whiteness are held supreme and those who look like us are not allowed entry into them. i think in large part we have seen what was known as the racial reckoning that was in. quite frankly, there are far too many intervals in the private sector who so initiatives come out of that racial reckoning that were dead set on having a reversal immediately after they were put in place. this is what those
8:58 am
ramifications are. >> i think many people saw this was, if you will, as a trend correct itself and i don't know that we anticipated that the correcting would be a student or a swift as it has been. but, i want us to focus if we can on practical solutions if i am somewhat at home watching this and i want to get engaged despite, what are your marching orders for people who really want to take action and push against this pushback that we were talking about and don't know where to start. >> that's a great question. first and foremost, marching orders, all things related to november this election cycle will. we think about everything that is happening with dei and the attacks across this country it starts at the ballot box. down ballot there is a lot of talk in what's happening with dei and what we are seeing on education and race, that is all down ballot school board races
8:59 am
and their all district attorney races and city council races happening at the local level. the second piece, engaging black voters across the country this year to engage them in this election cycle and go to the website and sign up or volunteer. that's the best way to get involved. then we can fight back and become advocates and get people involved immobilizer on the issues. >> there is research that shows diverse teams lead to better outcomes in a number of fields. i've got 60 seconds left. what do you think about rolling back dei and how that affects america's overall ability to innovate? and to progress? >> absolutely. great question. if america wants to be left in show, the first thing they want to do is eliminate dei. we note different cultures and experiences and values and
9:00 am
virtues shape what the future looks like and shapes the future now. i think we absolutely need to have those voices in the room. when we do not, we have to ensure that we continue to be on an even playing field and fight for that number one spot and stand were america is. that is not possible my we do not provide for inclusion efforts across this country. >> thank you both. enjoy your holiday we can pick that will do it for me. i have been in the chair for ali velshi today and yesterday and i want to thank him and his amazing team for making my job look easier than it really is. thank you for watching "velshi." i'm charles coleman jr.. ali velshi will be back next weekend and you can catch up every saturday and sunday morning from 10:00 a.m.

35 Views

info Stream Only

Uploaded by TV Archive on