once in a while get the middle finger or maybe some old lady threaten unitedthreaten us. >> how you doing welcome to temp. >> we've had ammo at us before. 762 a.m.mo at us. so it's like a donation. >> for the police in this town watkins combination of open carry and open confrontation remains an uneasy one but watkins isn't backing down any time soon. >> "america tonight's" sarah hoye. you know i know you were in stants island you were at ferguson you know knowledge plawrveg as well. do you know a relationship between community and the officers here? >> absolutely. texas is set up right so that it can deal with folks with these types of weapons because it's on the books. by law watkins and his group

are able to carry these long guns, these rifles. because of the situation, their relationship with police the law these guys, they are able to get away with it as long as you keep that distance. they are still work out that relationship, still making sure that everybody respects their boundaries. so as we move forward things play change a little bit but for now this is what you get. >> sarah you are not talking about the elephant in the room. these cop watchers are white. >> you said it joie not me. if this were replicated in brooklyn or oakland we may thought have the same outcome. however just the scenario i think it's been proven that people who are of color and walking arounds with guns have a tendency to get shot and even if they don't have a weapon they're shot as well. so there is a huge difference as to what's happening in arlington, texas than someplace else. >> let's look though at corey

watkins. other police watchdog groups or other advocates for open carry don't necessarily fall in line with him. >> reporter: absolutely. their group has their rules and they have their agenda into where they want to puch if you well. they went to the state house and got in the face of legislators and were trying opush for more open open-carry laws if you will. not everybody is ton same page. there is another group called open carry temp which doesn't necessarily share the views that corey's group has. but like with any type of movement not everybody is going to be on the same page. >> "america tonight's" sarah hoye, thanks. we return in a moment with a look at america answer bridges falling down? >> so i got to about the middle of the bridge, when i heard a clank. it was a very distinct sound of

metal breaking. >> our infrastructure crisis. tens of thousands of unsafe bridges, alone! fixing them is one of the president's priorities. will america get the job done? later this hour another item on the agenda. saving america's families with some advice from an old ally. "america tonight"'s sheila macvicar in france on how that nation and the rest of the world do a better job supporting new parents and why this is one list on which america is at the very bottom. >> you know how they say that everybody has a purpose in life? you you you you >> south of the 10 freeway, was

kind of a "no-man's land". >> you know, we're selling it for the blacks. i said, you go into these neighborhoods, there's no cops you can sell it where you want and when they start killing each other, nobody cares. >> i was going through like a million dollars worth of drugs just about every day. >> that's like gold! >> we can make a fortune! >> he was maybe the biggest guy in l.a. >> freeway rick was getting his dope from a very big operator. i think we're into something that's bigger than us. something we really can't deal with. >> they had been trafficking on behalf of the united states government. >> she could prove what she was saying. >> [rapping] crack in the system. >> [rapping] this is los angeles. >> every monday night, al jazeera america brings you controversial... >> we have to change those things in order to make our own lives better. >> entertaining... >> there was a lot of laughter. >> thought provoking... >> it doesn't change the world but it does influence the way people think. >> surprising... >> no edits! >> exclusive one on one interviews with the most interesting people of our time. >> every monday night, al jazeera america brings you

controversial... >> we have to change those

>> start with one issue education... gun control... the gap between rich and poor... job creation... climate change... tax policy... the economy... iran... healthcare... ad guests on all sides of the debate. >> this is a right we should all have... >> it's just the way it is... >> there's something seriously wrong... >> there's been acrimony... >> the conservative ideal... >> it's an urgent need... and a host willing to ask the tough questions >> how do you explain it to yourself? and you'll get... the inside story ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5 eastern only on al jazeera america >> this image of a collapsed overpass in cincinnati raised the alarm again this week over our nation's age ugh infrastructures. a worker on the structure died and the twisted steel and wreckage of monday's tragedy. it turns out that engineers already concluded it was a demolition mistake human error

not just another crumbling mistake, another reminder that america answer bridges overpasses put americans at risk. the state of the union address. >> modern ports stronger bridges, faster trains and the fastest internet. democrats and republicans used to agree on this. so let's set our sights higher than a single ole pipeline. let's pass a bipartisan infrastructure plan that could create 35 times as many jobs per year and make this country stronger for decades to come. let's do it, get it done. [applause] >> so how much work needs to be done? every day in this country, more than 200 million cars travel over bridges across the united states one in nine of the commuters on board are riding on bridges that engineers consider to be structurally distinguish.

while congress dispute over the cost. >> all over the place. >> everything you got the whole bridge over the river fell down. there's cars all over the place. >> okay, where sir? >> i want to say over the mississippi, there's hundreds of cars. they're in the river bring everything you got! >> lindsay walls was 24 back in 2007. she was stuck in traffic. frustrated and anxious to get home after a long day. slowly approaching the i-35w bridge. >> so i got to about the middle of the bridge. when i heard a clank. it was a very distinct sound of metal breaking. >> and what did you see? >> my car was in an immediate free fall.

my car just went straight to the bottom and waits immediately full of water -- and it was immediately full of water . >> you remember sitting there and watching the waters rise around you? >> my car went in and the water came as quickly as it went in. when my car stopped moving, i started drowning. >> lindsay started reaching the surface of the water. that's when she saw the scale of the destruction. >> a construction worker saw me. and called me over to a section of the bridge that was santan incline that was climbable. so he took a broom that had fallen with the bridge as well and fished me out of the water told me to sit at the median, that's where i sat about 45 minutes. where i need to i come here. >> now seven years later a memorial has been erected honoring the victims of the

minnesota bridge collapse. 13 columns to remember 13 lives that were lost now overlooks the new i-35w bridge. land sai's name is etched here along with 135 others who survived. >> how did you get out of your car? >> the unanswered question, i don't know. so i've just chalked it up to whatever else -- i don't know. and i have to kind of accept that i don't know. and may never know. but i did. that's the part that matters. so -- >> reporter: a formal investigation into the collapse took mariner year. the national transportation safety board said the cause of the tragedy was a simple design flaw in the bridge's gusset plates. metal squares that connect one steel beam to another. at the time of the collapse the br was also listed as structurally distinguish. engineers ruled the bridge was

in need of critical maintenance but still safe enough to remain open. how many bridges in this country are distinguish deficient right now ? >> we have 50,000 that need greater maintenance rehabilitation replacement that's one in nine bridges. >> one in nine? >> that are structurally deficient. >> every four years they evaluate the straight of america's infrastructure. the most recent report card gave our nation a shocking d-plus. while our bridges were graded a c-plus. how have we allowed this to that happen hap in our country to get so many deficient bridges? >> like knowledge categories of infrastructure we've tended to take these things for granted. perhaps we think they can last forever, we can defer maintenance a little bit. but the reality the highway

trust fund, there's a highway trust fund that supports bridges roadways and transit systems. >> that federal highway trust fund sends $35 billion a year to all 50 states. for most it's the primary source of funding but the fund is not collecting enough revenue from taxes. it expires in may. with the deadline approaching president obama is calling on lawmakers to support more than $300 billion in additional funding. >> it's time four folks to stop run ugh around and saying what's wrong with america. roll up your sleeves and get to work and help america rebuild. that's what we should be doing. >> in the shadow of the nation's exam sits the frederick douglas bridge. designed to last 50 years it's a critical artery into washington d.c. and now 14 years overdue for replacement. what are the problems for this bridge?

>> it carries 77,000 cars per day in and out of the city. this is a critical way into capitol hill and downtown washington. it's showing series signs of age and wear and tear. i've read one news report that describe parts of the steel under parts of this bridge appear as it if had been gnawed by rats. >> gnawed by rats? >> that's a visual description. >> the state with worst safety is pennsylvania, one in six bridges considered be structurally deficient. be dan cessna with the department of transportation. >> there's not too many more years of russ rusting before you have a huge safety issue. >> it had a scare in 2008 when one of the rocker beams slipped. portions of the bridge were

closed for more than a year. >> if you took had out of being function 25% of the capacity would be lost. that would siferl affect severely affect the commuters in the region. >> set ago side $40 million to overhaul the birmingham bridge. >> the project is eligible for federal funds if there had been federal funds available perhaps we could have delivered the project sooner. the lack of federal funds if we had more state fudged we wouldn't be talking about the fact that we were getting ready to fix this bridge. >> while bridges could be fixed lindsay says her mental scars will last a lifetime. she credits art to help her cope. one of her items the back

brace. >> i have all the names of the 13 victims who passed away. and i also have some you know just numbers and things that are kind of important the you historical nature of it. i really just wanted to capture what i remembered. i remembered flames. i remembered tangled beams i remember you know the tastee truck on fire. the rubble. it's a very cathartic process for me to really put that memory in real visual form for myself. >> lindsay says she still deals with post-traumatic stress and survivor's guilt. but she says the biggest loss of all was to her faith. >> my world view now just comes with the assumption that things will fall down. i can see the cracks. i can see all of the things that are wrong with our infrastructure and our buildings, and all the different ways that we don't care for

stuff like that. so i don't trust that things will be safe. >> reporter: adam may, al jazeera. >> american society of civil engineers. this report, we are talk ugh about bridges but really concerns about crumbling infrastructure in the united states is across the board. what kinds of things? >> bridges is one of 16 categories we looked at in our 2013 report card. and we've been doing report cards by the way since 1998. but the categories include water systems, waste water systems dams. >> we are losing a lot of -- >> in the case of water drinking water the pipes in our systems are so old we have water main failures every two minutes in the united states, quarter million water main breaks in the united states every year. 84,000 dams in the united states that are over 50 years old. the waterway system that is an important system that runs along

the waterway system, moving grains and materials the backlog of projects just to get that system up to date goes to the year 2090. so in every category you look at there are challenges for united states. >> as you mentioned your organization has done a report card of sorts and the united states suffers a pretty bad grade here. >> d plus since 2009. a number of states have started to take action in the transportation space taking votes to invest more gas taxes to invest in infrastructure. >> that's the bottom line isn't it? realistically if you looked at all these categories all the infrastructure improvements whether they are for safety whether for economic conditions whatever it is it is a lot of money. >> it is, but the costs of not addressing this issue are even greater for the united states. >> okay but how much would it really cost to make all the improvements that would make it saver, that would make our country efficient, how much

would it cost? >> the report card estimates we are spending $250 billion a year at all levels of government and the private sector in the 16 categories of infrastructure we looked at that leaves a deficit of about $200 billion a year. that is a big number but if you are looking at more private investment coming in all levels of government of gdp of $16 twl trillion the platform that this occurs based on these infrastructure, probably is a doable situation. they haven't addressed these for years. same thing for washington. washington is an important player in the transportation space. there is a may 31st deadline, the highway trust fund goes bankrupt unless congress acts. these are so important just looking at roads bridges and mass transit systems the united

states if it does not make increased investments by the year 2020 is putting at risk a trillion dollars of gdp and trillions in jobs. >> thanks very much. >> thank you. >> from crumbling communities to crumbling relations with the police. next on "america tonight" we find out which racial group in america is most likely to die in a confrontation with an officer. >> when it comes right away you got to pull out a gun you got shut us right aways? >> why there's so much doubt that to law enforcement necessitate ef lives matter. that story on "america tonight." ahead this hour a scandal shamed and shunned. how a politician once seen as a contender for white house found his real calling as a leader of

a very different community. "america tonight's" adam may on new jersey's come back kid. k kid.

>> saturday. >> visibility was 3 to 5 nautical miles. >> weathering the storm. >> we want to show people how to replace property against the worst mother nature has to offer. >> experts forecast how to stay safe. >> i'm standing in a tropical windstorm. >> in extreme weather. >> oh my god. >> techknow's team of experts show you how the miracles of science... >> this is my selfie, what can you tell me about my future? >> can affect and surprise us. >> don't try this at home. >> "techknow" where technology meets humanity. saturday at 7:30 eastern. only on al jazeera america.

>> now, a snapshot of stories making headlines on "america tonight." after months of unrest following killing of michael brown only eight residents filed to be candidates in ferguson's upcoming election. three of ferguson's council seats are up for reelection. currently five of six councilmembers are white. shocking attack in tel aviv. left five people injured. it happened on morning commute. the palestinian suspect confessed, says he was inspired by last summer's conflict in gaza. federal grand jury has indicted a 20-year-old ohio man accused of planning an attack at the u.s. capital. christopher lee cornell attempting to kill u.s. foirnlings andofficials and employees.

from a destructive plot to support our nation's families. the president put childcare and paid parental leave at the front of the agenda. >> it's time we treat it like the economic priority it is for all of us. [applause] >> and that's why my plan will make quality childcare more available and more affordable for every middle class and low income family for every child in america. a tax slot for up to $3,000 per child per year. [applause] >> here's another example. today we're the only advanced country on earth that doesn't guarantee paid sick leave or paid maternity leave to our workers. 43 million workers have no paid sick lever.

43 million. think about at a. and that force he too many parents to make the gut wrenching choice between a paycheck and a sick kid at home. >> following up on his address the president took the leave ordering six weeks of paid parentsal time off. at least seven days off with pay when a baby arrives. compared to the rest of the world these big initiatives are just baby-steps. indeed it is shocking just how low america ranks. when we hear about "america tonight"'s sheila macvicar in paris. >> meet marin. mom, dad and big brother. >> you've just had your second baby. how much time will you be able to take off work? >> translator: in france you

can take off 16 weeks. six weeks before birth and ten weeks after the birth of the baby. i get paid just as if i was at work. >> reporter: paid maternity leave is just one of the benefits france and almost every other nation grants onew parents. xavier denis got paid off time too. 14 days to bond with his new baby. >> these are days that are really important in the the life of a couple. in the life of a dad. >> reporter: the international labor organization ranked parental leave benefits in 180 countries. never mind norway, 44 weeks paid or canada, 50 weeks paid, mexico and pakistan both guaranteed new moms 12 weeks at 100% of salary. the u.s. is dead last. in the company of papoa new

guinea. >> there is no legal obligation for an employer to provide paid parental leave. in 2013 a survey 50 bureau of labor statistics found that only 12% of workers had such coverage and in france that is simply unthinkable. to american ears, even more incredible, have baby number 3 and get even more time off and a host of other benefits. what france is saying to families is that in countries where the population is aging like the u.s., it's important to have babies for future economic good. and they do pay higher taxes to support social benefits like this. for women like caroline, the director of a town hall department in a city nors of paris and one of the survivor% of french women who work outside the home it means she doesn't have to choose between earning a wage and having a family. >> translator: it would be

inconceivable to go without pay at the moment you have a baby. if you are not paid you basically have to make a choice. either i continue to work and don't have a baby because i need to work, i need my salary because nothing is free in this life. >> reporter: we explained u.s. threw caroline and asked forher reaction. in one word: astonished. >> translator: it is incredible that the u.s., the richest country in the world the most powerful country in the world, can't manage this. we're talk bug the aring abouting about the future generation. it is important to giver parents the means to have children. they are the future. >> in a few weeks carey whrinl go backcarolyn backto her job.

sheila macvicar. al jazeera paris. >> 73% of more family friendly policies. after the break in a state known for its colorful political characters and shocking scandals, his story was still a stunner. but a decade later former new jersey governor jim mcgre rvetionvyreevyis at peace. >> i cannot change my past. >> his road back to public service. and before the end of this hour, a journey that began on a bridge of destiny ends 50 years later with a front row to history. history.

>> start with one issue education... gun control... the gap between rich and poor... job creation...

climate change... tax policy... the economy... you. >> new jersey has seen plenty of political figures get into trouble but even in a state used to scandal and shame the story of former governor jim mcgreevy was a shocker. and now ten years later he's

back if service and "america tonight's" adam may has the story. >> i was always, make maybe it was because i was gay. >> the formerly married governor of new jersey came out openly gay. >> my truth is that i'm a gay american. >> how nervous were you walk out to make that speech? >> it was just the most serene, wonderful feeling. it was as true and as honest and as thing a place as i have ever been in my life. >> reporter: ten years later mcgreevy is out of politics. his sexuality coupled with allegations that he gave his lover a lucrative state job and that his dreams of eventually running for president. >> people like ah don't resign,

do this do that. no i'm doing what i perceive to be the right thing. >> but you were really in some ways shunned by the gay community after that because they thought you were using your sexuality to cover up a constantly. was there any truth to that? >> no. but i said only in new jersey could people say that that was used to cover a political scandal. no the scandal was is that i was being sued by this person that i ought not to have had a relationship with, particularly considering the fact that i was as a married man this person was, had been on the government peril and i shouldapparel should ipayroll and this was enough of a mess. >> now you see openly gay people serving in congress, do you wish you had a crystal ball at times? >> two great daughters

convenientityconvenientityserenityprayer is so much of my life, how i behave how i live my life. >> following his resignation mcgreevy began a spiritual quest, one that led him to seminary school, episcopal church and eventually dedicating himself to some of the society's most marginalized people. >> it wasn't until i was in seminary that i was up in harlem at a program and shoulder to shoulder every morning with people who had spent 15 years 18 years at sing sing, and i'm like this guy wants the same authentic as i want. that was really transformative to me. survivor% of the people behind bars are addicts 75% ever the

people behind bars addicts acknowledge that's an ton astonishingly large number. >> being adjusting to life outside prison. >> you can't think your way into new behaviors but we can behave our way into new thinking. >> there is such a terror that envelopes the ex offender. they go to a shelter. you have no prospect of a job. so when people walk into martins's place we named that after dr. king, it's totally different. >> you grew up not far from here. >> exactly. like literally. walks back here. >> this working class neighborhood where mcgreevy was born and raised, around 20

women to live when they get out of jail. >> i was incarcerated. i met jim. >> the former governor actually became her lawyer. >> you went to court and spoke for her? >> yes he represented me. >> castie iscassie is a classic case. she went to school acknowledge cosmetology. and -- blame me! >> this is why you want us to come over here. >> exactly. >> look at this look at this look add this. >> not only is ementor to our women, he is a mentor to our men. they come broken and really looking for change. >> a game! >> mcgreevy has taken the fight inside the prison system. percentagely acting as a

counselor to drug addicts. >> hey guys can you pull? get over here sit right here. can you just talk about the importance of treatment? >> it taught me how to live. it taught me how to be a woman. it taught me things that i wasn't taught in my household. >> what does the street teach you? chaos. >> streets just don't have love for us. we get mad love from jim the staff, everybody the staff here and it's just like, i'm not going to my light today without him nothing is possible. >> how do you relate to jim? i mean he's ivy league, former governor. a little different in your backgrounds. how do you relate to him? >> people are people. people are as they are and we take them as they come. >> he identifies with things acknowledge.demons are demons. >> come bow down, we are the

people of his pasture and the sheep. we say amen amen amen. >> in his mission to help prisoners jim mcgreevy has found an unlikely ally. >> on the issue of drug treatment i admire chris christie. >> yes, new jersey's republican governor chris christie has joined one this liberal democrat. >> chris always says that we have nothing in common except for one issue and i'll take that on the importance of treatment and the importance of changing the bias towards incarceration. on that one issue chris has spoken very courageously. >> 27% recidivism rate, far below the national average of 67%. >> we just have to get through this day. >> but this is just a small program. only 350 people have come through doors. >> we're talking about people.

>> on january 13th, governor christie announced plans to expand the martins's place model to five other places in new jersey. >> this is the best way to ensure that beyond the statistics that they become hopeful again. >> the point is, it can work. it is far less expensive than prison. it's enabling a person to be productsive american. >> why are we locking up so many people in this country? >> it may be course but it's convenient. we put people off the streets we get the people out of the way. it's contained. it's very, very expensive. you're talking about between 47 to $54 thousand a year to lock somebody in a maximum security jail cell. that's what somebody doesn't understand. judge, 12 years 15 years. well 15 years that's half a million dollars. that's half a million dollars that's not spent on prekindergarten education that's half a million dollars on one human being.

>> what happens when they get outs? >> half a million dollars and two-thirds likelihood they are going to be back in. >> hey every day is a blessing. everything good? god bless you! >> you all right with me! >> will you ever run for an office again? >> no. it's just -- adam not because i'm so good at it, but nobody else -- there's not a lot of people running to do prison reentry. so yeah, there's jim mcgreevy the come back story da da da. that's not what god wants me to do in my life. what he wants me to do in my life is being in jersey city on mlk working with people. that's what i need to do. >> nah nah nah i'm doing what the lord wants me to do. >> i can't knock that! >> exactly. thank you. >> adam may, al jazeera jersey

city, new jersey. >> and jim mcgreevy not looking back. ahead in our final segment this hour witnessing history and make it. >> he hit me in the back of my neck. the back of my shoulder. and it hurt. but i -- i didn't know what to do. >> her story and how it became a critical piece of the president's address.

>> so now that we've fully digested the president's state of the union agenda, a thought

about the issues he took on and why what did he put on the plate might leave his opponents a little political indigestion. >> i have no more campaigns to run. my only agenda -- [applause] >> i know because i won both of them. >> oh, snap! mr. president! did he really go there? oh yeah, he did. >> i know because i won both of them. >> six years of being leader of the free world will change a man. from that erst white are wonky guy to the podium, and late at that. >> the president of the united states. >> yes the talking heads saw what you did there sir. the morning after rights called you you out for being mocking boastful evening cocky with your critics.

you say things presidents don't say. >> condemn acknowledge people who are lesbian gay transsexual bisexual or transgender. >> used those words during a state of the union address even if just for a minute. and after years of dodging that socialist robin hood tag you did offer up a little wealth redistribution scheme. >> allow the wealthest to pay for the accumulated wealth. >> our friends in the digital world want olittle more though. in our #deer podus projects, students already drowning in debt, asked the president for more help.

others wanted him to make four year college affordable for all. >> everyone in college who still refuses to raise the minimum wage i say this, if you can truly work full time and support a family for less than $15,000 a year try its. >> the irony is for all his swagger the president and his rapt audience knows most of his agenda is do am with the new republican-run congress. no matter how friendly everyone looks at the joint session. so why bother? why bait the opponents, already ifng to pounce on the president's agenda, in part, he's putting out markers for his party ahead of his party's presidential election and staking his claim what issues, what images he wants to be remembered for. as he reaches the second half of his final term in the white house. fest mr. obama as he considers his legacy and looks to the

nations as well. just last week in fact he had the crit liquids acclaimed movie selma screened at the whowd white house and we couldn't take our eyes off the frail figure in the audience for state of the union address. >> there she was now 103 years old a slender frame seated in the packed upper gallery silent but the crowd rivetting. this night the president didn't call her by name. but he didn't forget her place in history. >> and on the 50th anniversary of the march from selma to montgomery on the 50th contemporary anniversary of the passage of the voting rights acts acknowledge. >> amelia boynton robinson was in the front of the line in the march that became known as bloody sunday. she told us about its when we

visited her selma home just a few weeks ago. >> i remember very much that day. dr. king was to have planned but it was told that they were going to kill everybody who would be there. and they didn't let him come. but i do remember, from the beginning to the end. >> but aemmel amelia did come, joining people who walks peacefully across the edmond peddis bridge. >> he hit me in the back ever my neck the back of my shoulder. and it hurt, but i didn't know what to do. i had no idea what i should do. then the second hit felt felled me and i fell to the ground. >> even then, though, the

torture didn't end. an officer pumped tear gas into her eyes and mouth. >> and somebody came and set to the state trooper there's somebody dead over there. and he said, "somebody's dead? if anybody's dead, we are going to let the buzz arts eat them." >> that image of amelia boynton lying unconscious in the arms of a fellow master planner. a loam woman who became an international symbol of racial injustice and the terror in the jim crow south. that moment began a change that led amelia boynton tot to be another president's guest at the signing of the voting rights act. and it brought her to the silt versilverscreen in the oscar nominatemovie selma.

but it was this moment when she sat silent, focused on the words of a man she says she views as religion that amelia boynton robinson gave usual faith. >> amelia boynton robinson, unforgettable prm that's our show. thursday on the program may not be the one think questions about racial injustice and whether native lives matters. that story coming up thursday on "america tonight." if you would like to comment on anything you've seen tonight log on to our website aljazeera.com/americatonight. and join the conversation on twitter or our facebook page. we'll have more of "america tonight," tomorrow. >> hundreds of days in

detention. >> al jazeera rejects all the charges and demands immediate release. >> thousands calling for their freedom. >> it's a clear violation of their human rights. >> we have strongly urged the government to release those journalists. >> journalism is not a crime. >> a state of the union full of swagger but was its real ink? two key members ever congress join us. and the deadly fight to keep mountain gorillas from extinction. i'mi'm antonio mora. those stories and more straight ahead. >> the shadow of crises has passed. >> president obama provided democrats with a