>> joining us from colorado is

congressman ken buck. >> thank you. >> joining after questioning is emma and sean, i appreciate your time as well. i want to begin __ as the beginning freshman republican __ you expect this funding issue to be a contentious debate? d50 any possibility that funding could be stalled' >> i think it will be a contentious debate. i think what the president did was poorly designed. whether it ends up in some sort agency shut down, i hope not. i hope we can work through the

issue and make sure we defined the parts of the executive order that the present has issued. and move on, and make sure the other functions of the government are funded, the transition as smooth. >> the issue really is immigration. he expect both sides to come together on an immigration bill that would resend the executive order? >> tthat would be my hope. i'm not sure that that will happen in the next couple of mmonths. it is my guess that a guest worker program, beef up border security, and move forward in a way that the american people are satisfied. >> two congressional reporters joining us for questioning.

>> hi. as an incoming freshmen in congress, how much impact you think you can make? whitey think your fellow congressman elect a __ elected your class presidents? >> you have to stop asking me to questions at once __ i can never remember. about influence, right? i have been amazed at how open leadership and others have been in congress to the thoughts, and plans, that the incoming freshmen have. i say that because i think folks who have been there in washington, d.c. for while fear

is whether __ what the freshmen have heard. we've been on the campaign trail and interacting with the public. we've heard the concerns most recently __ and in an unvarnished way. as a result of that, there is a lot of input from the freshmen members of congress. i think that gives us more than just the one vote of influence. i have been very happy with the process of choosing committees and meeting the chairs the committee's and talking to them about future legislature. >> why do you think your fellow colleagues elected you as a representative? >> a concerns me __ a concerns me about their judgment. probably no one else wanted the job so they are willing to give it a go. >> did you run for the position? >> i did.

>> were you challenged? >> there may have been challenges beforehand. there was no one at the time. chairman mcmorris ran the meeting. i have contacted all the other freshmen and talk to them about my desire and plans. at that point, nobody stood up. i do not know if any rails was interested. >> with __ let's turn to emma. >> as a present of your freshmen class you are representing a new class coming in to have some diversity __ concerning that the republican party is trying to expand to

include women, men and women of color __ all of this is happening while the third ranking republican in the house is under some scrutiny for meetiing with a white supremacist organization in 2002. are you concerned about the mixed messaging of wanting to create a big tent and the possibility of seeing a member in leadership being involved in activities in the past that they've run against that? >> i think scalise is a great man. he has demonstrated over and over again that he is open to all americans who believe in strengthening this country. he has apologized for what happened. i think it was years ago. he has demonstrated through his career that that is not who he is.

i think the republican party will continue to be a party that welcomes all americans, who was a strong america __ both economically and as a world leader. >> he voted against mlk holiday. was that a mistake? >> you have to last even if that was a mistake. it is not something i think the american people will focus on. we at $18 trillion in debt. the american people send us to washington, d.c. to solve problems. i do not think the issue involving steve scalise will be an issue after we get sworn in on january 6. i think we will roll up our sleeves and get to work and produce legislature and __ that is what the american people will be focused on. >> congressman, i want to go back to what you're saying about immigration reform, and

the possibility passing different pieces __ doing a piecemill approach. what can congress due to address the undocumented immigrants living in this country? something that would have the effect of legalizing undocumented immigrants, without having to rely on the presidents executive order. >> i think the key is to deal with the immigration issue in a different way. i think we need to focus first on a guest worker program. i think we need to focus on border security. once we have fixed the immigration issue, or do with the problems that exist today

in the law and the enforcement in the law, then we can start to address what do we do with the folks who either came into this country illegally, or have overstayed their visas. if we reverse the order __ we are going to be dealing with an emotional situation, and the situation of trust with the american people. this president has not earned the trust of americans on the issue of immigration. he has failed to enforce laws in so many areas. in order to have an effective system, we have to enforce the laws. we have to ensure that people coming into this country understand that we enforce the law. once we do that, i think the issue of what to do with the folks who are here illegally is much less emotional. we can have a rational discussion on the subject.

>> if we do exactly what you outline, what you personally think we should do with those here in this country? >> i would be glad to answer that, and have a discussion about that once we accomplish that. as i said, i think people are suspicious that we're trying to create an amnesty program, and we passed laws about bird's security, but we never really secure the border. i am not going to address the issue of the people who are in this country illegally until we have a system in place that gives the american people's certainty in immigration area. >> congressman elect, you have been a long time favorite of tea party activists. this is a movement has for long

time pressed republican lawmakers to not compromise. what is your view on this? do you think it is okay for americans __ conservative americans __ to cover as with democrats on major issues? >> i think it is __ i think compromise as part of the legislature process. we need to compromise within the republican party, work together to achieve goals, and make sure we work with democrats to achieve goals on overall legislation. where i will not compromise is on the fiscal issues that have dragged this country down. i'm very concerned about our national debt. i'm very concerned about the

sense that the federal government can solve all problems. i'm going to washington, d.c. to reduce the size and scope of the federal government. so the role of the federal government is as intended in our constitution, and in the framework of our government. an absence, i will not compromise my core values. i'm absolutely willing to work with others on crafting legislation __ to make sure we have an immigration system that works, a way to protect her country's interests overseas, that we have a monetary system is effective. on and on, and think we have to work together. but, we cannot keep throwing money at problems, and hope that those problems get better. you may have heard a message from tea party groups that i've heard __ they've never told me,

ken, goat there and do not work with other people. >> your republican leader in the senate said that the u. s. will not default on the debt. one of the big issues that you will ffaith in february march will be whether or not to increase the debt limit. >> i think we have to make substantial progress on balancing the budget. if we do that, i will take a serious look at voting to increase the debt limit. i am not at all __ i do not believe that the consequences of failing to raise the debt limit are what the president and others in congress have said. i think we have a lot of room to cut our spending.

if we do that, we will in fact avoid the catastrophic consequences that others talk about. >> do support the so_called baynard rule __ dollar to dollar cuts for spending increases? >> i think that is a minimum threshold that we have to meet. in real cuts, not cuts that happened 10 years from now or 15 years from now that another congress will inevitably change. i think we have to have cuts that happen now, and they will unfortunately hurt. but, the pain is caused by a history of irresponsible spending in the united states, and by the united states government >> if not could we please default? >> i hope that we do not. i hope that congress and the present act responsibly, and balance our budget, or at least moved substantially in that

direction. >> i want to ask you about compromise and bipartisanship __ we understand you've been selected to be part of the reform committee __ the committee that has been very partisan, and did not work particularly well with the democrats. there was a sense that in the 114 congress that the new chairman would want to take a different approach. are you familiar with the collaborative approach that he wants to take? or did you appreciate the very confrontational nature of the

tenure? >> i have had not had a chance to talk to him about his plans. i can say __ i think it __ a combative role is not the method. the legislative branch will perform certain oversight functions. it is essential. along with the media, it keeps the executive branch from becoming a monarchy. that we frankly do not want to live with in this country. i would imagine that eight or

10 years ago, when congress was doing with president bush, there was also some tension that existed between oversight functions and the bush demonstration. i think those are natural tensions. as much as possible, we had to keep those on a professional level, and not make it personal. the use of this president and his executive order, and other regulatory issues that are going on, i think a very important for congress to look into. >> speaking of tensions __ you have certainly not been shied to criticize the obama administration. even tweeting out recently saying that you lost your appetite after seeing the president walk into a pizza place where you were eating at.

now that republicans controlled both houses of congress __ do you think it is possible that congress can have a working relationship with the president? what you see another couple of __ or do you see a couple another years of gridlock? >> i think we will work closely with the present, and with democrats in congress. i want to clarify something __ you mentioned a tweet. i did not tweak that at all. i was sitting eating pizza, and we observed black suv after black suv come out. there were secret service agents and a dozen police officers all so that present

obama could have a photo opportunity with hispanic students. i find that offensive. i'm not suggesting that this president is the first to do that. wasting taxpayer dollars has a long history in this country, specifically in the executive branch. i find it offensive that we spend that much money for a photo opportunity while we continue to pile up that. that is why i'd __ i lost my appetite. i respect the president. i will do the things that congressman should do to interact with a person in the office of the present them. i think he has enacted a law of policies, and put this country

at risk in a number of areas, by will not at all this respect the office of the president. >> do you respect president obama? >> i think he has made a number of mistakes. if you are asking me __ do i respect to policy decisions? no. do i respect him as an individual? do i as a christian respect him and his family? absolutely. >> another committee that you've been selected to serve on is a judiciary committee. pairing out with your comments __ concerns about present obama's executive overreach __ do you think that republicans often consider impeaching the president? >> i do not.

>> you are a longtime district attorney, aalso a prosecutor. how do you think those jobs prepare you for life on capitol hill? >> i think __ while some would look at it and struggle to see the common skill sets, ip __ i think it has been great. the primary job of the district attorney is to get into the community and solve problems. we have reduce crime in my district over the years. we do that by working with commissioners, police departments, and creating programs to reduce crime.

by working with the community, i think the same skills are necessary in congress. i will not look at a party label when i sit down and talk to somebody about the need to vote yes or no on a piece of legislation. ideas so important to approach his job as problem solvers. i'm very excited by this job. i gave up my badge this morning. that is an emotional thing for someone who has had a badge for 25 years. i think it is very common __ there are a number of common skills that are involved in the district atty. and in legislating. >> i want to follow up with one of those problems and that is the budget.

if you look at where spending is, two thirds goes to medicare and medicaid. where do you cut? >> the same question is where do you spend. you spent everywhere and you need to cut everywhere. not targeting a certain group, but targeting the problem as a whole. the initial places that we will examine and that we need to examine are the discretionary side of the budget. but ultimately, we need to find a way to address the entitlements.

we need to make sure that we deal with the entitlement issue or we will never be able to balance the budget. recognizing that we have made promises to seniors, we have to keep those promises. the way to deal with the entitlement issue is that expectations of those entering the workforce is not that they will be able to retire at 60 or 65. as life expectancy increases, we need to make changes. >> so you would argue raising retirement age long_term? >> it would not balance social security or medicare.

we have to look at other areas, aand work across the aisle. i do have every answer at this point. it is one of the reasons than going to congress with an open mind. the only real goal is __ we have to make sure social security and health care are available to americans 40 or 50 years from now. >> republicans, now that they control both houses of congress, has said that they want to double down and tackle a reform of the nation's tax goal. do you think that is a viable goal? what would you hope to see out of the tax reform package? >> i think it is not only

viable, i think it is absolutely necessary. again, the key term is fairness __ that all americans recognize that what congress has proposed is fair. it cheats people at the lower end of the income scale fairly, as well as people to hide and of the income scale. i think it is necessary to flatten our tax code. we have to make sure that people have faith in our tax system, and that when they fill out the tax reform they are not missing an exemption. or that someone has not gone to congress to give them an unfair advantage. it is essential that __ as i

start to plan my expenditures for the year, i know how much money i will be paying at the end of the year because i know what the tax rate will be. the tax system is unfair. >> on tuesday, you will be sworn into the house of representatives. what will be going to your mind? >> wow. you should probably asking a question on wednesday. i am thrilled and honored. i think it is a challenging time to be a congressman. i think those challenges present great opportunities. i'm really honored that the people colorado have chosen me. >> ken buck, republican from colorado and rep. elect.

thank you for being with us. we continue the conversation was shone from the washington examiner and emma. what can we expect over the next two years? >> i'm looking for opportunities __ or instances, like the congressman elect said weather could be compromised. where we can see democrats and republicans were together. or will we see a stonewalling? i think that is the question everyone is asking, aand one

that no one has answered to. >> he ran as a conservative __ as a tea party favorite, did he ask your question on compromise? >> not specifically. i get the impression that gridlock has not been good for either party. particularly, the republican party. for many reasons, they have been taken more of a hit __ certainly the government shut down in 2013. weather was fair or not, was largely blamed on republicans. i think republicans are very wary to be seen as the party of no. as far as optics are concerned, i think they do not want to follow that path again. he said all the right things, which suggests that he understands that.

when we get the new congress, we will see what happens, it is a little too early to tell. >> there is a question __ ddoes the story have legs? you brought up the issue of steve scalise. he answered, but will we hear more of this? >> i think it will continue to be an issue for some members. i think it depends on if we get more information. they could depend on whether democrats see an opportunity to continue to make this a point, especially with republicans claiming to be a big tent party.

and democrats, their point of pride is being a party of diversity, and republicans being a party for old white men. if democrats see an opportunity to continue harp on this __ it could be seen in the next cycle. >> a quick follow_up on speaker baynard __ and compromising with democrats, working with the white house, and keeping his republican conscious at peace. >> that is the $64,000 question. i've always said that speaker baynard has the second most difficult job in washington, after the president. he has weathered a lot of storms. the tea party revolt within the house gop that some thought were coming never really came. he held control, and hold control now.

if anybody can do it, he can. >> for your questions and insight, thank you. i appreciate you being with us. happy new year. >> thank you. >> the 114th congress galas in on tuesday at 12 noon eastern. watch the house live on c_span, and the senate on c_span 2. track the gop as it leads on capitol hill, aand have your say as events unfold on tv, radio, and the web. >> tonight on q&a, the present and ceo of la raza.

on the state of hispanics in america, immigration reform, and her compelling personal story. >> i have the great privilege of experiencing the american dream here in this country. i was born in kansas. my parents came to this country in the early 50's. my parents came from mexico with no money and very little education. my dad had an eighth grade education, my mom a fifth grade education. they were seeking better opportunities for their children. they worked very hard, and sacrificed, as so many latinos and hispanics have done in this country. they wanted that better future for their children. they really taught us important values but have been our guide

for our lives. they taught us the importance of family, faith, community, hard work, sacrifice, honesty, integrity. all those were important values a patient with us. >> next, a group of authors discuss race relations in the u. s. while looking at events and ferguson, missouri, and talking about the personal experiences. this event occurred before the grand jury decision to not indict darren wilson in the killing of michael brown. it contains language that some may find offensive. [applause]

>> this is beautiful. what's up, brooklyn? give yourself a big round of applause. >> can i get a black power fist? >> wwhy __ white people, be careful. i was hearing a beautiful intro __ let's give it up for the brooklyn historical society. and raquel is backstage __ she was very glad to hear how her name is pronounced. raquel cepeda. what you think when people mispronounce it? >> it is really irritating.

it puts me in a box. i'm anti_cultural __ not multicultural. i'm very comfortable being american. that hyphen is putting me together, not pulling me apart. please, if we meet outside, or if you want me to sign my book, please do not change my name. and if you commie rachel, i will not even pay attention to you. >> you wrote a book called "some of my best friends are black." how is that working out? >> it is going great. i have three or four now. it is like a 400% increase from

zero. i'm doing better. >> how about latinos? >> one. she is right here. i dated a dominican girl 10 years ago. >> we are learning about each other in front of a live audience. all five of you __ we are so glad to have you. >> i want to apologize to c_span for the ship that __ should that we will say. >> the proposal we have for this evening __ we will moderate each other. that works well in american history.

we propose to address one topic __ ferguson. really light, you know, come to a solution three minutes from now. if you can notice on your chairs, there are cards. we have been looking at #'s on twitter. we will dip into that hat, and share the microphone to hear what you want to say. is that okay? so, you guys ready. >> all right, ferguson. >> ferguson. >> about to jump off again, possibly? >> a pre_declared state of emergency. >> and confirmed on fox.

>> so you know is true. assumption __ some shit is going down. >> in so far as fox news can be said __ a segment of white american society. it strikes me as __ when i saw it, i thought of new haven. bobby seal was on trial back in new haven. there were going to be to protest __ all the whites, and all the black panthers. the government of connecticut

were petrified when it turned into something like what we saw in ferguson in august. the governor of connecticut knew wisely that the way to set it off would be to send in __ wwhat they did was quietly assembled the national guard. they told no one. and they said go ahead with your demonstration. nothing happened. they have a demonstration, went home, and it was over. >> that is not what is happening here. >> the government in missouri is doing everything he can to precipitate what he has said. >> can i ask you to speak for all white people really quickly? >> done. >> i will relish this moment. if you just doing this for white people? iis this like, hey white people, i know you are nervous.

>> he is a politician. he is trying to cover all the bases. it's like the governor in connecticut did in 69, in case things go sideways. of course. he's saying that we have a minister of black councils, everything will be fine, but all you white people go by handguns just in case. that is the subtle message behind it. somebody got a hold of the budget appropriation of the ferguson police department __ it was like $50,000 in rubber bullets. they are preparing for all of this. we saw what happened last time. >> how are they going to miss all the white protesters when they unleash the military on the community?

>> i mean, they will just go at it. who knows what will happen. >> you sent me this link to the sean hannity show on fox. did you see it? >> it made my day worse. >> it was crazy. he was using the same terminology that i was hearing on the news after 9/11 about the terrorist situation. it was like all of this __ to scare people. then giuliani went on. situations like these are not situations. __ was going to be the legacy that he left behind.

it was very dismissive. a product for me this idea of this phrase that has been floating around a lot __ white privilege. >> why people have disadvantages __ advantages in the society. white people deny this. when you talk about the advantages that white people have, you have to divide them into categories. >> human privilege? >> yeah. >> maybe we should start saying that instead of white privilege. >> why people can walk around without the fear of getting shot in the face by the police every day. some people with the find that as white privilege. i would define that as

citizenship. it is the baseline of how we should be treated in a society. the word gets attached to this __ and we start thinking all the things that someone has, whether than focusing on the true problem. >> when he saw the white privilege, for me, it is not really about why people. it is just a reminder of what being born nonwhite is. it is an easier cooler sexier way to say it. >> it allows you to project resentment on white people without feeling bad about it. >> i think is a misnomer to say that if you are born white, you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth. we back basic rights.

we're both parents. when i had my son, i said, oh my god he is so cute. i had a baby with a haitian man. and i thought, i'm going to have to worry about him going to the store. my daughter was there, she saw me panic. i was really happy about him being born, by start panicking. my husband and i have this conversation __ i have to think about people not respecting him or loving him the way i love my neighbor's children. i have to think about him going to the store and not coming back. i have to teach him to question what he is being taught in school, but at the same time not go too far, because he could get shot in the face.

these are all the things that can lead to stress and resentment. so i think this whole idea was don't shoot. and what is going on in ferguson __ it is about human privilege, and people, black or white, being upset about we do not have. >> there is so much beauty in ferguson in terms of the creative response. i think the government playbook is the same __ arm up, apply force and disproportionate measures, reinforce the status quo. the response on the ground has been this black youth movement. a gender open movement. artist driven. it makes me feel old. watching some of these young people in ferguson response to

creatively and persistently __ whether pretending to be dead and lying in the street, new forms of creative protest that made the internet with art. they are very poignant. that is the twist. the state has not changed, but the people are changing. >> what is the difference between what happened with mike brown and trayvon martin, oscar grant in the response? >> there has been a little bit less co_opting by traditional organizations. you have new groups forming out of this __ hands up united. al sharpton is there, he is always there. i'm not here to necessarily do is die hard outside to.

his heart is in a good place most the time, but it is not his show __ it is not the reverend show anymore. we have poets, rappers from st. louis. they are starting newsletters. there is a startup product which tech companies used to launch their products. if you're interested in getting luxury car service __ sign up here __ these are like problems of the 5%. but, these young activists are using the same platform to build their mailing list for new movement. that is different. that is not spokesman ship_based leadership, it is not for the media. it's not like, let's go to obama and see what he thinks.

i think that is good. >> i'm sure that the hannity's of the world __ and everybody else that you pointed out on fox __ lou dobbs __ we always talk about the stupid shit that litman says on the daily. >> what do you think will happen with the grand jury? >> i think he will be acquitted. >> yeah. do we all agree? rraise your hand if you think note indictment. hands up. >> so there are people who think he will be indicted? >> a vast minority. >> not deserves indictment, but will be indicted.

>> i think you will walk. thee problem is __ nothing to happen that they justified the shooting of michael brown, but anytime there is a sliver of uncertainty, it goes the cops way. that is what will happen in. so, the question is, what do we do with that information once it comes out. >> send the governor cupcakes. what i would like to see the governor do is show up, open mic, like the british prime minister, and take it. physically hear the people. it seems like he is so tone deaf.

but, so little of what you need is the knowledge of being heard. i think, if you were to say in the room like this, and take it for like five hours. and here people. it would be great press for him. >> i do not think he cares. he comes off to me like a slightly less evil version of giuliani. on the positive side __ i see a new political movement happening. i see what you're talking about a day __ libertarians and liberals coming together. where i come from __ harlem __ but my parents are from the dominican republic __ there are dozens of political parties. that is what is happening. i think we need to stop looking at things in boxes.

as americans, we obsessed with cramming ourselves in these boxes. on the positive side, we are seeing alliances. we're seeing rand paul __ he was saying some stuff that i could rock with. >> what are they asking for via ferguson? >> stop shooting black and brown men. >> there is that. you see, there is a perverse relationship between how the government is funded and the implementation of fines. the stop and first attitude __ we get paid for it.

cameras on police. probably seven other things, but i cannot remember. >> they also called garner __ staten island. equipping please bear with cameras. >> we do not have footage of ferguson. >> they may problem back to us are coming out is representation. they're saying, it is a small town, majority black, but white police, we need more representation. to me, that is a false approach to take. they are not questioning the underlying premise. i used to live in one of these inner ring suburbs of birmingham, alabama. the way cities work is you have a broad tax base.

you have old people who were paying taxes, but not using the school. you have young people paying taxes, but not using eldercare. you have a broad and tax base, and not everyone is taking advantage of the services. in little towns and suburbs, you have no industry. , you may have sales tax but your primary tax base is income tax. meanwhile, everyone in the suburb is there for one reason __ to exploit your most expensive service __ a completely untenable situation. the only way that works is very

wealthy places. where there are exorbitant property taxes. it does not work for anyone else, not even for middle_class white people. that is why even the suburbs have to expand and sprawl. these places like ferguson __ it is an untenable model. yet, but people coming in saying we need to run ferguson. once black people are running ferguson __ using white people do not care about ferguson __ wait until it has a black mayor and that counsel. once it is an all black city, the tax base will shrink even more. yeah, you have but police __ no more darren wilson, that is great.

but essentially, with rich white people have designed a game that is great. and more black people are saying we need to win that game. it does not make sense. the city states that we have organized are the problem. to say the black people need to take charge of ferguson is of misdiagnosis. >> and it cannot just be any blackbody, __ there are people that are not the right people. >> right. >> you went to the system of money and borders, disenfranchise people. there's another thing that i have not heard talked about enough about ferguson __ police

and the training, or lack thereof. there is a very protective wall that protects the police officers. they can do very much wrong because they have guns and badges. a friend of mine drew a map, saying, a cop who had a bad day can get away with a lot. it is like their perception of your threats, and their mood, determines your life. that is a really flipped up equation. a bad set of math. there's a social psychologist

out of ucla __ i try to promote his work as much as i can __ he says racism is in the brain. cops are racists. but, not explicitly __ that is out of fashion. yyou cannot walk around shouting those things anymore. the greatest predictor as to whether a cop will shoot __ it is not the essence of racism, but their sense of masculinity.

iif you challenge them in any way, they have to to you down. they do not know how to carry themselves as grown men. >> that's why at least in my communities, where i grew up, many of my friends were victimized by the cops. the things that we were always taught to look out for were black and latino cops because of the history of being emasculated. and, the sense that as a community, we have not dealt with our ptsd. we carry in our memory ptsd. i've heard a lot of boys became cop and i heard them, i will f. somebody if they look at me wrong.

i have had to be careful more so with people who look like me and my family members. so there's a lot of things from the bottom that we're not dealing with not only in the penal system and with cops but also just in our community that we have to deal with. and i think that's at the core at the bottom is pmptmp sd. i think that's even correlated to black on black crime. how are you going to stop commiting acts of violence on other people when you don't like what you see in the mirror? how are you going to come together? how are you going to start liking other people when you don't like what you see in the mirror. a lot of that is how we're not talking about race and thank god we're here and these kind of things in our society a little more openly without being afraid.

>> this video went viral cop pulls the guy over. guy hops out of his car totally like what's up officer friendly? like it's a tuesday. >> he didn't get the talk. >> what's up and i need to see your driver's license. hands up and he shoots him in the gas station because just because he reached into his car. you asked me for my drivers license. and but the tape kept rolling for the next hour. a few days later it was audio recorded his officer explaining to his boss what happened.

and if you watch the video literally the guy pops out what's going on? sure. and the cops' description was he lunged at me. so terrifying and dangerous. the question is was that cop lying or was that his actual perception of what this every day black dude was doing hopping out of the car? and that just speaks to what that guy's perception of the experience was. and what was equally fascinating the same week there was the incident that black actress in l.a. was detained by the police because there was a report that there was lewd bafere in her car. she goes on facebook and posts this huge statement of my rights were violated it was so horrible it was disgusting and just this diatribe. and all these leaders come out and get behind her and racial

profiling the way black women are treated and then the l.a.p.d. releases the tape and the officer is totally civil, totally playing by the book, there was a call about a disturbance i have to investigate. i don't want to be doing this but show me your id. at one point he said to the boyfriend if she just showed me i would be gone but she is like a spoiled brat. do you know who i am? and she's on the phone with her dad. >> rule never one never say that >> my daddy wants to talk to you. she tries to put her daddy on the phone with the police officer. in that instance her perception was that she was going to be the next trayvon martin and was the next victim. ma'am i need to see your id. and so people these eent counters are so fraught and so loaded at every instance

whereas i've never had an encounter with the police like that with my life. i run a red light the cop gives me a fict and i leave. >> i don't drive my husband does i get tense especially out of new york i start to shake and i'm always afraid something is going to happen to my daughter or my son. if any of us step out of line. >> it's not an unreasonable expectation. i heard a story. i grew up in a family of three. my mother my oldest sister and me. my father wasn't really in the picture. he didn't live with us and he was killed when i was young. a handful of memories of this guy. my sister was in the car with -- with my father. a cop rolled up. this is washington, d.c., 1976. and the cops rolled up. they decide they're going full force. he was doing something they didn't like and talking back to them. they grabbed him out of the

car, beat the crap out of him, take him away and leave my 7-year-old sister in the car alone for hours. until a random lady on the street rolls up and convinces my sister to roll the window down are you ok? she remembers something about her address and she is able to get home to my mother who is livid obviously at the time. so your concern about your small child isn't totally misplaced. >> to protect and serve. that's what they do. >> and you know not to belabor this but you just brought up another memory when i was actually in labor with my daughter i was living in the bronx and we took a cab to the lenox hill. and the cops just stopped us out of the blue. when they opened the door they wanted to prove that i was in labor even toe though my stomach was out to here. please don't touch her. get the f. out of the car. and basically i had to get out fall on my knees on my stomach

and get them to stop. without telling them who i am, they didn't care. they don't care. white cops. because of the board i knew to write names and to know where they have their badges covered and the license plate to their vehicle was turned down. and i was really young so i really wasn't thinking about what next? i was thinking about now. so finally they took my overnight bag and searched it for drugs and just threw it at my husband at the time and said have a nice night. when i got to the hospital i almost lost her because of the stress. so that is what we live in day in and day out and it doesn't matter what you do. and that's what i think people are getting fed up with. and i think that people of all backgrounds and all races should be fed up with as our country and your grandchildren are becoming more and more

nonwhite. by 2043 it's over. >> we're still going to have a lot of the money in 2043. >> is that a promise or a threat? >> it's just a fact. we have a lot of money so it's going to take a while to -- >> that's true. >> with those voter i.d. laws. >> the thing about the police is that there is a phenomenal arrogance. it's a cultural problem in the police department. i have a friend who is a cop and he explained to me a lot about how it works. the nypd was notoriously corrupt all the frank serp coyears up through the 1990's. so many cops were on the pay roll and so but when bill brad and ray kelly came in under july ni, as bad as they were

for the racial element of policing in terms of the corruption they went in and arrested the top corrupt people and marched them out and took away their badges and said anyone else does this you're fired. and of course there's still some corruption in the police department but that lacks the systemic deep corruption was largely rooted out because the leadership said no tolerance. if the leadership of the nypd said tomorrow anyone who commits a civil rights violation is suspended without pay for the first one and fired for the second one, it would end. rather quickly. because it's -- whether it's steroids in baseball or corruption in politics, when there's a cultural change at the top that says this is not tolerated things do change, especially in a paramilitary type of organization like the nypd. >> i think yes and -- >> yes and.

>> and if it's paired with the training because i think we also expect. like we make broad statements that are not backed up by our intrinsic behavior and like i don't see color but we do. like i see it. and i don't want to but i am trained by the same stimulus that has trained the rest of us. so i am also racist. right? against me. because i've been conditioned. >> don't do that to yourself. >> and i don't want to. and i look in the mirror and i am like, you could be so much more handsome. but there's a level about your point. there's like a mass therapy. we skipped some steps. we've got great words in america. really beautiful florid language about equality and the rights of men and women now too -- congratulations ladies -- from time to time you get heard. and but our nature and our socialization and our habits have been built up across

generations. and the statement from the top of the police force things won't be tolerated needs to be supported with some psychological retraining efforts beyond conflict resolution and diversity training. our heads are messed up. we've been really psychologically violated all of us whether you're the oppressor or the oppressed and that's going to take some doing. i thought about this. i made a chart. i like charts -- that you're not going to see. and because i got frustrated with our own impatience. like we expect so much in so little time in the great sweep of just american history. and like several hundred years of legal disenfranchisement, and then like extra legal but supported and basically social acceptable version. 300 years, 400 years. so we're 50, 60 years post that and we still have a deficit. we have a deficit of good will, a deficit of equality. so we've got to project out to

maybe the year 2300 we can talk about things like post racial inequality and opportunity. it takes time. >> i was researching my book i came across i think in time magazine. >> perfect segue. >> which was the headline about why there were no black executives on the boards of fortune 500 companies. it was why are there no blacks in the board room? and in 19 2 -- because we're 50 years out. when i think about sort of my own life in relation to america's racial history i'm actually not -- i'm just poor white trash. my great grandparents were southern louisiana share croppers so there you go. and my grand father got to leave the farm and worked and got some v.a. benefits after

world war ii and we built up and built up. and now i'm this middle class white guy in 2014 who kind of gets to do whatever i want. i'm not rich but kind of i chose not to be rich because i chose to do something that doesn't pay me any money but i could have chosen to make money. and so but that process start to finish was about 80 years. so if it takes 80 years to go from share cropping to upper middle class total freedom and opportunity and privilege as some people would say, it takes 80 years if you're a white man. so we're only like you say 50 years out from the end of legal apartheid. where should we be? gauge yourself on that spectrum. and since my family is also incredibly lucky and we worked hard and did everything right since 1968 black people have been kind of unlucky in a lot of things and we continue to do many things wrong that retard

that progress. >> i think that people nonwhite people in america should do what they're doing in the caribbean what 14 nations are doing, which is getting together, having conversations and suing their former colonizers. and even though we all know that nobody is going to win and they may not win and it's fine the good that comes out of it is conversation and dialogue. and when i actually read in that in the papers that they were talking about ptsd i just couldn't believe it because i hadn't seen before i

that's why we're so racially ambiguous, if you will. so we have to start looking at ourselves not only as an insular community. start seeing what other people are doing and start that dialogue and start talking i think in numbers. right? we're more powerful. was that a little new agey? >> for those who wrote things down on cards, if you could

send them to the aisle we have a short -- >> peacefully. send them we'll collect them and bring them up here and try to dive in to some of what you've been asking. >> talking about taylor swift. >> we ripped hard. >> i don't want to talk about taylor swift. >> ok. that's too easy. >> so steph. yes? so you tweeted i feel what's missing from the national race conversation is the traumatic paranoia experienced by the offender and the offended. we touched on that lail bit but i appreciate you tweeting that in. because i also like the idea of chasing victimness and especially on the conservative side we're victims too. but not in the way you think.

like offenders are also victims of the smings. did you come across any of that? >> call white people victims because to me ridiculous. >> but what is the version of the offender? >> what i say is that we are all products of the same system. and therefore we are damaged in different ways for people of color there's this ptsd, this feeling of infear yort that are sune through the culture and everything else. to be white and a product of that society is kind of like growing up next to a led paint factory. you're kind of a little dense and you can't really see. you're a little slow. and you know it's amazing to me because i've now sort of gone through the looking glass y i'm no expert or genius about things about race but i have a level of awares in and i was listening to this podcast a few weeks ago and very innocent,

smart, political commentators and one of them mentioned that she had read that an editorial by a black film maker that there was this renaissance of black film and tv in the early 90's with the hughes brothers and living color and it died off and turned into malcolm and eddie and seinfeld and it's only now with the return of these films that black people are getting back to the cult rl, having a cultural voice again. and they were totally shocked by this. is that true? and -- >> and then you said data. >> and i was like, i don't fault them for that because four years ago i would have said the same thing. but having studied media and advertising and culture and everything i have for doing my book i understand it. i see it. but i look back and i'm like wow, you don't see that? how can you not see that? but they don't. and so -- and like with the

what was the parity in the dear white people thing, these white people having these black faced ghetto parties at fraternities and college campuses and black people are on twitter they're trying to auched us. no, they really are that stupid. they really. and >> they actually don't know better. >> and i know because they're my people and i come from that place. >> but can we just send you to talk to them? >> and -- >> the ambassador of reasonableness and decency. >> and there's a fear of approaching this issue. like even -- i love my wife, she as lovely person. >> but. >> but. every time -- >> very, very careful. >> it got to be funny because i wrote a book that was inspired by the fact that obama we had a black president but i didn't actually know any black people. and i thought that's weird. we've gotten to this jumpingtur where we've accepted a black

president but i don't know any black people. so everywhere i would go and introduce myself at parties thalled make people very uncomfortable and would start a conversation. and my wife whenever she would introduce me at parties and try to explain this is my husband tanner and he's writing a book about racial integration. and she would never say about i was writing a book about not knowing any black people. i see that and i single out my wife. all my friends do that. they've read my book and like my book but when it comes to their turn, they seize up and clench up and having a difficult time with it. and what they don't realize or why people in general don't realize is the first phase of the dealing with race, you either get -- you go one or two ways you become bill o'reilly and get angry and defensive.

what are they asking for? we've done enough already. and white people don't have it so great. you get that mode or you get in the hard core you make a you tube video where you complain about how being white is so terrible. which all the while taking advantage about everything about being white. and so white people don't approach it because they don't want to go there because they're -- a very uncomfortable place to be with the anger and defile or with the guilt. if you go deep and long enough you get through that and you get to the other side and talking about racism is like talking about whether or not you like this beer. and you get used to it and comfortable. and all that white guilt and anxiety is gone. and it's so -- >> is this the white promised land? >> it kind of is. >> imagery back here. i have been to the promised land white people. it's going to be ok. >> honestly, like when you --

>> but the white promised land only blacks exist. >> it's true. >> i saw dear white people. it was off the hook. i loved it. i especially loved your beautiful face. you're like the hottest thing. and i wrote it down. there were three mentions of latinos in passing. and so many of the experiences that i saw being played out from both sides that i really identified with and i just felt like invisible kind of sort of not not really. >> we're so obsessed with each other we forget about you. >> we have to have a conversation. i thought barack obama being president was going to open a dialogue that wasn't so binary. i remember when he was running, i would go on an airplane and people would stot me especially older white people. we've got to get him in. right? and i was like yeah, yeah. and my daughter was saying who is that white lady? >> but i was excited because i thought we were going to start

having these conversations. but we haven't. it's like being where just everything is black and white. and that's not how this world works. we're living in gray. the promised land is gray. >> it's both. in terms of the racial dynamics you're absolutely right. there's totally multiracial multiethnic dynamic all along the spectrum of race that needs to be dealt with. it is also true that we have some chips to settle that maybe doesn't involve others. >> but doesn't involve fist to cuffs. >> right. so that is why it takes such primesy. it shouldn't be a conversation but it defines the continuum rightly or wrongly. >> but latinos being latinos are black and white. so you're stairing at the solution. but you're pretending like you don't see anything. >> thank you for being here.

>> thank you for having me. >> right. >> thank you. >> so we have a pile of beautiful and somewhat ill legible thoughts here. should have stuck to the twitter plan. this is a question that no names on these so apologies for the lack of citation. do you think there's an overall anxiety about the changing demographic within the u.s. and the emerging powers of india and china? i ask because rules are changing so fast to allow certain powers to amass so much influence that they don't care any more. so you mentioned the demographic 2040, somewhere by 2060 safely say that we'll have some changes here. but also the global nature of stuff shifting power and where innovation is happening, where capitol is happening, where people are getting educated in different ways. what's the anxiety? >> we should be very ampingeshs

because we're sending to war and following behind what everybody else is doing. i think scandinavia is going to rule the world. >> i'm going to call you on that one. >> i think so because they're like investing in their children. >> because they're a racially homogeneous society. >> no. because they're vikings. it's that d.n.a. and they're spending a lot of money on technology schools. and the crime rates are very low. but you're right maybe because it's people looks like -- >> i don't think it's going to be scandinavia. i think they're too small. but i do think -- i agree on us wasting time and whether it's sending our kids off to war or making a binary conversation. >> it's our inability to deal with our internal demographic problems that leaves us vulnerable. >> because other people are getting together slowly but more surely we are building like we need immigration.

we need it to stay young technically america will be like italy. right? italy is old. physically old. >> their population, the young people can't support the old people because they stopped having sex or something too long ago and the pyramid is inverted. and then they got super anti-foreigner and barred the gates and have no new blood coming in. and to stay in the u.s. through all this drama is that by force or by lure people kept showing up. and now we're threatening that and that's internally but i think with respect to what's happening around the world we're risking sending amazing talent and amazing ideas away saying like your brilliance isn't welcomed here because we have this short gain view that we have to maintain some idea of what america is even if it's just black and white. >> i think that my read on where we're going to be in 2042 is i don't think it's going to quite go the way that people think it is going to go because

there's still -- think about it. in 2042 white people will only be half. that's a lot of white people. that's still a lot of white people. >> but we can contain them. >> right. >> we'll build more suburbs. >> no. because, a, white people still have a whole lot of money. all the valuable downtown real estate chicago manhattan, white people own all of it. we have a lot. and you also have, so white people are only going to be 50% but what percentage of mixed race are going to be assimilated and more identifying with the power holding majority than minority populations today? what i think is going to happen is the whiletness is going to split in two. you'll have two kinds. one the kind of old school who really hang everything on being white and are scared and nervous and retreating further and further into idaho and west virginia and they can't deal. >> mountains. >> yeah. they're going to go to the mountains and be hill people. then you have other white people like myself who are like whatever. you know? i don't see integration as any

kind of threat. if my son marries someone who is a different race and i have a mixed race grandchild i don't really care because i'm already in the upper middle class and this is historicically true. people are petrified of immigrants taking over. upper middle class white people tend to be more tolerant and accepting because you can't threaten us. we'll be ok. and like i know that my kids are going to have access to the social and cultural and financial capital to remain if power regardless of how many people associate with. >> but you're assuming stability. you're assuming that this imbalance can persist for another 30 years. and i think at some point the system itself breaks. >> it is going to break. that's what i'm saying you're going to have a break which is you have one portion of white people who are going to break off and go off to idaho and be lonely and sad and you're going to have one group that's going to partner with the more assimilated and educated branch

o of white people to be a new beige majority that will be part people of color and part white people. and then a rump faction of every immigrant group and racial group and are going to be don't want to assimilate and are going to be part. >> we have so many quotes tonight. >> should we keep it going? >> it's up to you. >> i don't necessarily agree with that even though if race is a social construct maybe even before let's say beige or latinos become the next white. >> i mean more cultural barriers. >> so i guess the next white man is the black man. >> how so? >> because you're talking about assimulation. and out of all the groups that are immigrants, what's happening is that immigrant groups are selectively accult rating more and more so.

they're taking what they like about the old country where their parents came from and about being american and fusing that together. so there's no such thing as assimilating to what? to what? we have to kind of redefine all of that. >> gold standard of assimulation is not going to be that any more. but there are still a lot of white people with a lot of money and job openings. to the extent that you want access to those industries and that you have to conform a little bit that way even if you don't go as far as just a few years ago where they angelo sized their names. that's why i say beige is the new white. >> i definitely disagree but we'll save it for a future forum. we've got on twitter. is jazz toilet in the house? riffing on the toilet. how do i have a meaningful

conversation about race? thanks for using the hash tag. with a white liberal friend with a black friend -- do you want to clarify that? [inaudible] >> so they think that gives them license to be ignorant. like a racism insurance card. because they lean back on that friend as an exscuse? they think they know everything because they have one person in their lives. is that it? ok. >> tell them a never to say that. and b that it's just not true. i mean i don't know your particular friend. >> and it ain't you. an amazing costume.