10/18/22 10/18/22 [captioning made possible by democracy now!] amy: from new york, this is democracy now! >> there has been this traumatic history o black and indigenous women, with their interactions with the kansas city police department, what in which won had been violated, emotionally, physically, and so there is this

distrust amongst law-enforcement and people in our black community. america when a black black woman escaped from a white man she said held her captive for nearly a month she attempts to break up a story police had adamantly denied. police said the reports were completely unfounded. now they have arrested the woman's kidnapper and she says he killed several women. we will speak with a community activist as well as the founder of the black led independent kansas city defender newspaper, which helped raise the alarm. then with midterm elections three weeks away, and report links anti-chinese rhetoric the campaign trail. we will look at "rising against asian hate: one y in mar."

>> violence and as again our communy is notng new. itecomes infmed whenever there is some things that americans are like. amy: on the anniversary of the cuban missile crisis, the war ukraine, anti-nuclear protests call on world leaders to diffuse nuclear war. >> possibility of a nuclear weapon being detonated by accident by design is now zero. if it is not zero, it is inevitable. amy: all that and more, coming up. welcome to democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. the united nations is calling for armed action in haiti amid worsening violence and

instability as gangs continue to control much of the country. a week-long blockade of a key port in port-au-prince by gangs has led to a critical shortage of fuel, food, and water for millions of people and has hindered efforts to respond to a new outbreak of cholera in haiti. u.n. secretary-general antonio guterres addressed the crisis monday. >> absolutely nightmarish situation for the population, especially port-au-prince. i believe we need not only to strengthen the police, training, equipment, other measures, but in the present circumstances, we need action to allow humanitarian quarter to be established. amy: the united states and canada shipped military equipment to haiti over the weekend after the government of u.s.-backed prime minister ariel henry called for international involvement to combat gang activity. people have taken to streets in

response protesting foreign military aid and occupation, and demanding the resignation of henry. this is a protester in port-au-prince. >> note to the canadians. note to the americans. you are monsters. you are chaos. your behind the crime. you're giving arms to our brothers. amy: in the tigray region, soldiers have seized a key city amidst heavy fighting northwest of the capital. aid workers report thousands of civilians have began fleeing the fighting over the weekend amidst fears they could face mass killings and sexual violence. the united nations warned situation is spiraling out of control with civilians paying the horrific price. the head of the u.n. health organization, who is from tigray, warned their carpet bombing whole cities and says one million people aret risk of starvation after a 17 month

arcade left food and medicine in short supply. russia's military has launched a freswave of long-range attacks on ukraine's critical infrastructure, cutting off water and power to large parts of the country. authorities say at least two people were killed in today's attacks on kyiv, a day after russian drone attacks left five people dead in ukraine'capital ty. president volodymyr zelenskyy said 30% of ukraine's power stations have been destroyed by the latest attacks, causing massive blackouts. ukraine's culture minister says the orchestra conductor yuri kerpatenko was shot and killed in his home by russian soldiers in the russian-occupied city of kherson. the 46-year-old conductor reportedly refused to take part in a concert meant to show support for russia's annexation of the southern port city. an associated press investigation has found thousands of ukrainian children have been deported to russia or russian-occupied parts of ukraine since the invasion. the ap reports russian officials

have frequently lied to the children that they weren't wanted by their parents, used them for propaganda, and have given them russian families and citizenship. in russia, at least 13 people, including three children, were killed monday when a fighter jet crashed outside a nine-story apartment building across the sea of azov from ukraine. it caused a large residential building to erupt in flames. meanwhile, russia and ukraine have carried out another prisoner swap. on monday, russia released 108 craning women held as pows while ukraine leased 100 russians including dozens of sailors held since february. at the kremlin, a spokesperson for president vladimir putin said today the four territories of ukraine russia recently claimed to have annexed will

fall under the protection of russia's nuclear arsenal. russia's warning came as the united states and nato launched nuclear war games in the skies above belgium, the united kingdom, and the north sea. 14 countries are taking part in the exercise, named "steadfast noon," which involves long-range b52 bombers, surveillance and tanker aircraft, and the latest-generation fighter jets. russia's military is set to stage its own annual large-scale nuclear exercise called "thunder" along russia's northwestern coast. later in the broadcast, we will speak with norman solomon who says don't just worry about nuclear war, do something to help prevent it. nigeria's government says the death toll from historic flooding has topped 600, with more than 2.5 million people impacted and over 80,000 homes destroyed. the floods have also destroyed over 266,000 acres of farm land at a time of soaring prices and deep food insecurity. nigeria's flooding comes as much of east africa is experiencing a prolonged, deadly drought.

the british charity oxfam warned recently one person is likely to die of hunger every 36 seconds between now and the end of the year in the region. in georgia, more than 125,000 people cast ballots monday as early voting began three weeks ahead of november's general election. monday's record turnout was nearly double the number who cast ballots on the first day of voting four years ago. voters in some precincts reported lines of up to two hours. on monday evening, republican governor brian kemp faced off against democratic gubernatorial candidate stacey abrams for a debate in atlanta. it's a rematch of 2018's election when abrams fell just 55,000 votes shy of defeating kemp. her campaign has focused largely on voting rights and racial equity. >> let's be clear about ballot

access and voter access. ryan cap was the secretary of state and he has denied access to the right to vote. we know the right to vote is the only way we can make the changes we need in the state, the only way we can make changes in this country whether it is access to an abortion, the ability to take care our families. amy: ohio's top contenders for an open u.s. senate seat squared off monday night for their second and final debate. democratic congressmember tim ryan is challenging republican j.d. vance, a venture capitalist and author of the best-selling book "hillbilly elegy." vance won the republican nomination in may after right-wing tech billionaire peter thiel gave his campaign $10 million and after he won the endorsement of former president trump. on monday, vance's opponent, tim ryan, called out vance f a 2016 message in which he blasted trump, comparing him to adolph hitler. >> you are calling trump

america's hitler. then you kiss just -- >> not true. >> it is true. you said he is the greatest president of all time. amy: arizona gubernatorial candidate kari lake is the latest republican to uphold trump's lie that the 2020 election was stolen. lake also refused to say whether she would accept the results of her own election during a cnn interview sunday. >> my question is, will you accept the results of your election in november? >> i am going to win the election and i will except that result. >> if you lose, will you accept that? >> i'm going to win the election and i'm going to accept that result. amy: in new mexico, asylum seekers held at the troubled torrance county detention center say they're being targeted and retaliated against for speaking up about inhumane conditions and for participating in a hunger strike that was broken up last week. this is orlando de los santos, a 39-year-old asylum seeker from

the dominican republic who helped organize the hunger strike and now faces deportation. he has been detained at torrance, run by the private prison corporation corecivic, since july. lawyers and supporters are demanding immigration and customs and enforcement and medial he called his deportation, which is scheduled for today. >> most to participated have been deported. one of my friends was taken by force and chain. everyone is terrified because of the retaliation we've faced over the hunger strike stop ice and guards know we are willing to reveal the truth about what actually happens here and they want to silence us. they want to shut me up. amy: the supreme court on monday rejected an appeal in a case seeking to grant u.s. citizenship to people born in american samoa, a territory occupied by the united states. the court also refused to reconsider overturning a series of racist u.s. supreme court rulings, known as the insular cases, that have been used for

over a century to legally justify discrimination against people in american samoa, puerto rico, and other u.s.-occupied territories. american samoa is the only u.s.-occupied territory where people are not granted u.s. citizenship at birth. people may apply for citizenship only if they relocate to the u.s. mainland, an immigration process that can take years. it is not guaranteed. one of the plaintiffs, john fitisemanu, said in a statement -- "it's a punch in the gut. i was born on u.s. soil, have a u.s. passport and pay my taxes like everyone else. but because of a discriminatory federal law, i am not recognized as a u.s. citizen." and the white house said monday that president joe biden will host israel's president isaac herzog during an official visit next week. his planned trip will come less than a week before israel holds nationwide legislative elections on november 1. meanwhile, australia's government has reversed a decision by the conservative former prime minister scott morrison to recognize west jerusalem as the undivided

capital of israel, even though israel has illegally occupied east jerusalem since 1967. morrison's move came after president trump moved the u.s. embassy from tel aviv to jerusalem, sparking international protests. foreign minister penny wong spoke from canberra earlier today. >> today thatrevious and nonstandard position that jerusalem as a final -- should be resolved as part of any peace negotiations between israel and the palestian people is reverses the more since government recognition of west roussell as the capital of israel. amy: and those are some of the headlines. this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman in new york, joined by democracy now! co-host juan gonzález in new bnswick, new jersey. hi, juan. juan: hi, amy. welcome to all of our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. amy: happy belated birthday. juan: thanks, amy.

appreciate it. my big 75. amy: congratulations. a warning to our listeners and viewers, we begin today's show with a story that includes graphic details of sexual assault. on october 7, a 22-year-old black woman in excelsior springs, missouri, escaped from a white man who she says held her captive for nearly a month and raped her repeatedly. the woman fled and knocked on a neighbor's door for help after the man left the house with his son. >> about 7:30 a.m., i faintly heard a young female saying "help me." amy: lisa johnson was the first person to encounter the woman and to help rescue her. she said the woman was nearly naked as she pleaded for help. >> it was actually -- black

plastic post. short. it wasn't shorts, it was a dress. that's all she had on. and the duct tape around her neck and the caller. it was restricted. it was a metal collar, like a shock collar, a homemade one at that. her wrist were pretty messed up and her ankles. i asked what she needed. i did not really have to ask, i just started looking. the first thing i did was tell her i was calling the police. that kind of agitated her. she said if i called the police, he would kill both of us if he found out. e said he already killed her two friends she was with. amy: the woman who escaped said other black women were killed by her abductor. she has not spoken publicly and has not been named, but she helped break open a story that the kansas city police had

vehemently denied -- as community members raised alarm that black women and girls were being disappeared in september, possibly by serial killer, police responded by saying the reports were "completely unfounded." some of the concerns were raised in a now-viral video of bishop tony caldwell of eternal life church by the independent publication the kansas city defender. >> i am a lile upset right now. the reason i'm upset is because we have four young ladies that have been murdered within the last week here off 85th and prospect. we have a serial killer. ain't nobody saying nothing. the media is not covering it. we have three young ladies that are missing. ain't nobody saying a word. what is the problem? why can't we get some cooperation? where is our community leaders? where is our activists? where is our police department?

come on, now. we need to start knocking on doors. we need to start making sure this is -- we cannot continue to let this happen. am after that video went viral in september, the kansas city police department's spokesperson insisted there was o basis to support this rumor." but police have since arrested 39-year-old timothy haslett of excelsior springs, missouri, for kidnapping and torturing the woman who escaped. the kansas city defender has reported on his social media posts, saying they show the sexual predator was "a white supremacist who believed we are in a 'race war'." for more, we are joined in kansas city by two guests. ryan sorrell is the founder of the black-led independent newspaper the kansas city defender. and justice gatson is the executive director of reale justice network, a black women-led organization based in kansas city, missouri.

we welcome you both to democracy now! ryan, your black-led independent newspaper has been leading the charge on this as the police department adamantly denied there was any issue until this moment escaped with chains. can you take us through this story? and not only her story, but she said to the woman who helped her that her friends were killed. >> absolutely. i think this is one of the most horrific tragedies that i have ever come across in my lifetime. i know when we first reported this story, we received from numerous community members who are making these reports, testimonies. the police department referred to them as rumors largely because they come from the black community but we reported this

in mid-to-late september. rather than reaching out to us, gather more information about where we got this information from, rather than reaching out to the community to understand where these concerts were coming from, the police department three days after we reported this initially, you know, came out and literally said, unfounded rumors. as you mention, they said there is no basis to support these claims. to me and us and our community, the number one problem with how the police department handled the situation was that they called it completely unfounded without doing any type of investigation at all. much more like they were trying to give -- to silence our community voices than look after what was happening in our community and us as a testament to the anti-blackness that is prevalent in our police department that is currently under investigation for racism and discrimination.

once these new revelations came out, i reached out to the police department to see if they would update her statementr if ty still maintain their initial position that our reports were completely unfounded. they said they do feel, regardless of these new revelations, they said they still maintain their position that what we reported was completely unfounded. we think this is a larger conversation even beyond this specific situation. we think this speaks to the silencing of the violence, silencing of black community at large here in kansas city and this is something that has been happening since the inceptionf the kansas city police department. we know this is not the first time this has happened. juan: ryan, i am wondering if you could elaborate on that, the legacy of inflicting balance on the black community? and at times police officers themselves implicated. >> absolutely.

our police department is under federal investigation at this very moment. it was launched a little over a month ago. even this past year, there have been multiple cases where the police department has been indicted for corruption, for instance, a situation last year where the very first police officer kansas city police department history was finally indicted for the murder of an unarmed black man. it was the case of cameron lam. in that case, it was proven in the courtroom the kansas city police department planted evidence. planted a gun and said it was from cameron lam. in another instance, a man named malcolm johnson was murdered in the gas station and the police report said he was armed and was engaged in a shootout with the police department. it wasn't until weeks later when employees of the gas station leased surveillanc footage that showed not only was malcolm johnson unarmed the entire time,

he was being held down by three police officers. one of the police officers axilla shot another police officer and then murdered malcolm. this pattern was taking place in our city with the police department lets us know we have no expectation any longer that they have the capability to be able to provide safety for people in our community's. that is why people like you'll hear from justice gatson, the black women who are creating public safety infrastructure at we can create for ourselves and our community so we don't have to rely on the police department that we know is clearly and blatantly anti-black , currently being investigated for these things. juan: you mentioned justice gatson. i would like to bring you into the conversation. welcome to democracy now! could you talk about excelsior springs neiborhood where timothy haslett lived and

prospect avenue, the area where the 22-year-old black who escaped his house was from? >> yeah, sure. excelsior springs is like a subu of kansas city. so down on ospect area, that would be considered in the city of kansas city. so you will have to dve out of the city into excelsior springs. so it is a smaller community, quieter community. quite frankly, i could see an easier space to get away with something li this. so, yeah, that is the community, that is the landscape. this woman was snatched off of

the streets in the city and driven to the suburbs and forced to stay there for nearly a month , be the subject of sexual violence and abuse. amy: justice, this isn't a police department when asked about it by ryan's newspaper, when asked -- when ryan himself as the black led newspaper, the kansas city defender combat these accusations that women and girls were disappearing, it wasn't just they were investigating and dragged their feet, this was then adamantly denying this and not even taking it back -- though they did and died this man who is now believed is a white supremacist, this incredibly brave woman saving herself, escaping in chains when he he was taking his cages go. what about her referring to

other women that he killed? >> that is something that we are unclear about. we don't have that evidence. i believe he i trust survivorbut we don't kn. there have been no reports fr the police about anydditional women being found. we just don't know yet about that part. amy: the overall story and how the white press took the police at its word -- they set the agenda by saying thiis completely unfounded as opposed to investigating. >> i mean, that is what they do. they take -- the police do know real investigation. i was a journalistic integrity is lacking and has been posted to something 'm always calling

the media out here about because they do kind of just take the word of the cops. that is what they ran with. our community is ignored oftentimes cannot listen to. i am not surprised women are silenced, marginalized genders are silenced. because that is happened. just the disrespect, the tone. it is atrocious. the very way they talk to us is unreal. that disrespect has been since forever. i've heard stories growing up. i got to experience my own situation with police. i told one of your producers the other day about being teen year old and having the police pull a gun on me and friends walking down that prospect avenue that this happened on.

this is very -- it speaks to the trauma and our communies. it touches us in real ways because we see it. we g stopped and the cars along with the men who get stopped and see that trauma. we women are the ones who take up all of the pieces of everything that is happening. th has bn historic. it has been ongoing what i will speak to his -- i mean, honestly, that people who come forward, but police did not believe. bishop caldwell, who quite honestly, n a good aracte and i would consider him, you know,o be somebodyo not trust. so i am thinking that is probab what hapned. buthere were other voices speaking out that should have been listened to. let's beeal. even before this, tmy was

murdered in kansas city, a black transgender wan, 29 years old. nobody has done a thing it. there was another black woman murdered in kansas city and we believe we know who kille her, and nobody hasone anything about it. this is ongoing. we have cases bacin the 1990's where black women have been murdered. not to mention the precious case, where the little girl was abducted. eliza washington. the policeould not figure out. when we actually did have a serial killer along prospect, the police did not figure that out. it was the community figured that out. we know for a long time we have been keeping ourselves safe and that police, we have not been able to trust them. they have not shown thate can

trust them. they won't even come to us appropriately or listen to our concerns or complaints when we say something is happening to us in our community. juan: justice, i'm wondering if you can -- you mentioned to the police. there was a recent arrest of a kansas city detectiveho was charged with assaulting and abusing black women for over a decade and faces six counts of deprivation of civil rights. can u talk about that ce? >> i can, actually. a friend of mine who runs the midwest innocence project, her client le mike mcintyre, while she was assisting him on his case, she met his mother and from there she tells stories about what was happening with black women in the community. it defitely bothered and angered her. we are actually having an event

today about it. that police officer sexually abused women in the community. they would say they would plant drugs on them, put a case on them. this is mething i have grown up hearing. this is something i have been exposed to so i know it has happened and it does happen. th has been -- there is some advocacy around supporting the victims of this police officer, as well as holding him accountable. amy: this is kansas city detective roger gillespie? >> yes. amy: i want to end with ryan sorrell, these reports of the man who has been arrested in this particular case, not clear how many women are his victims, women and girls, but this whole

issue of him being a white supremacist, posting -- you posting that has was a white supremacist who believes we are in a race war, posted the race war started a long time ago, wake up, you dum d, posting that breonna taylor should die. talk about this. absolutely. that is all part of it. this is a case of racial terrorism, sex crimes against lack women specifically and so i think the fact that he is a white supremacist is not surprising in the least. we do know that he said we are in a race war, said that black people are lesser human beings. he said when he start acting

like humans, then he will start treating us like humans. it is very unsympathetic to us this man timothy haslett, jr. is a wiser premises. once again, just to go back to what justice said, this conversation i think is much larger than this specific situation, this horrific situation. i think it is very unfortunate -- this is what i have been telling a lot of people -- truly unfortunate requires such a horrific tragedy to take place in order -- and for us to have to expose how the police department operates, how the police operate. i do want to reiterate as well even now after it was clear the white media outlets help silenced the black community in this case, even as recently as just yesterday evening and today , the white news outlets in our city continue to print exactly

and parroting exactly what the police are saying. it looks like already they have not learned anything at all from the situation was that they continue to believe the police over the community and continue to silence the community. i think once again, the practices for a lot of these white owned news outlets. we want to continue to uplift the conversation around the work women like justice are doing for black women and continue to uplift the conversation around how media outlets are complicit and how these crimes and these horrific acts of violence were allowed to continue to take place even after they were reported. we want to continue those conversations as well. thank you all so much. amy: ryan sorrell, thank you for being with us, founder and

black-led independent newspaper executive of black-led independent newspaper the kansas city defender. and justice gatson is the executive director of reale justice network. next up, we will look at a new film "rising against asian hate: one day in march." stay with us. ♪♪ [music break]

amy: this is featured at the film would look at in this segment. this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman with juan gonzalez. with the midterm elections three weeks away, a new report warns candidates and elected officials not to use inflammatory rhetoric that contributes to hate-fueled attacks. the group stop asian americans and pacific islanders hate, or stop aapi hate, documented a

trend of reported hate incidents on asian americans when politicians used inflammatory language like blaming china for the covid-19 pandemic, the economic downturn, and national security concerns. the report called "the blame game" finds more than 20% of americans believe asian americans are at least partly responsible for covid-19. this is nearly double from last year. on monday, pbs explored the issue and a new documentary called "rising against asian hate: one day in march." >> breaking tonight, people shot and eight killed. >> massage parlor. >> that was my mother. all of the victims were asian. >> during the time where asian americans are being targeted. >> maybe that is question you should ask china. >> racism toward nations could lead to. >> our goal is to make sure people don't think our community is invisible anymore. amy: "rising against asian hate" focuses in part on the march 2021 attack in which eight

people were shot and killed by a gunman tgeting asian-owned spas in atlanta. six of the people killed were women of asian descent. the film features robert peterson, son of the late yong yue, who was one of eight people ot andilled. i rember callingheri's office ting to intify th men. i don't thinsome of em belied it wamy mher wn i wacalling. there reike, yea thesere asiawomen. i'm like, s, my moer is asn. brother called me to get an update. have heard anything? what is going on? at that moment i just got off the phone with the medical examiner. she told m yes, they did have a bodyowntown of a woman named

ng ae yue. that was my mother. gback to the [bep] >> violence and bias again our community is nothing new. it becomes inflamed whenever there is something that amicans d'tike outsia. wther it world w ii anpearl harror wheer it isncreasedompetion ding the 198's,r whetr it is 11, americans are suffering and they feel pain andear i think it is acutely manifesting the symptoms of asian hate. amy: that's a clip

from "rising against asian hate," which premiered monday on pbs. the film also explores what some say are difficulties in documenting hate crimes against asian-americans. >> revead prosecuting hate crimesnd at asian aricans presen unique challges coared tother rgeted oups. >>e know wt it means geared towar community bla rkers inhe jewish community. ofoursasian amicans new we don't have one symbol [indiscernible] got to really look and did to fi evidence for that motive. amy: for more, we are joined by gina kim, executive producer of the new documentary "rising against asian hate: one day in march." part of that pbs initiative called "exploring hate."

welcome to democracy now! talk about the significance of this film coming out now as the political rhetoric escalates leading into the midterm elections in three weeks. >> thank you, amy. i think it is important for us to remember at the height of the pandemic, scrolling through our phones and send one horrific attack after another on elderly asian americans being brutalized, innocent women being attacked senselessly. we felt it was -- the hate crimes against asian-americans increased by over 300 sent in those two years. as we are entering the midterms, i think a lot of people have footten this issue is one of the most pressing issues in this country. hate crimes, when crimes against asian-americans are increasing by over 300%, that is startling, that is shocking.

we felt we had to document and found it and make sure people recognize this is an issue we need to confront as a nation. juan: gina, your film talks about some of the recent examples and going back to the anti-japanese hysteria during world war ii, but even further back. most americans are not aware the first really racist immigration laws, the chinese exclusion act come happen in the 1880's and their work massacres of chinese-americans. can you talk about some of that history that most of us have not been taught in school? >> i wasn't taught that in school. i grew up in a small time outside of philadelphia and have not heard it. the asian exclusion act. chinese -- people from china are

not allowed to be citizens of this country until 1947, i believe. that is recent. that is not a long time in our history. these are things we are not learning in schools. i learned thiss an adult. i learned interment camps later and lie. this is an issue of a country we don't learn our history. that is why it was important for us to document this film for each generation, for my sense generation. we see that is changing and more and more stories are being heard. but without telling our stories, history will be repeated. we will make these mistakes again so we want to make sure we brought this to people's attention d brought this to light. amy: gina, the film is narrated by sandra oh. take us back to that date in march when eight people were

killed, was it, six of them women, seven of them asian american? the atlanta police even then were saying was not a hate crime. ultimately, one of them was thrown out, i think, the press spokesperson because he was seen on social media wearing an anti-asian t-shirt. talk about how this well-known massacre actually unfolded. >> you know, as i mentioned before, we were cigna ramping up the rhetoric calling the pen that it does pandemic chinese flu. when it haened, i don't think a lot of people were necessarily surprised. devastated but not surprised. some saw cing. the perpetrar who kiedhese eiteople says was becse of his sexl addictn.

well when went to the first spa and brully murded four ople, then dre 45inutes the nexspa where hkilled additiol four pple. heassed manyifferentpas d bars a other businesses and he targeted asian owned businesses and he targeted asian women. as we know, the stereotypes of asian american women in this country is troubling was the asian women are often thought of hyper sexualized or denier so the fact he targeted asian women leaves no doubt the intersection of rape and gender -- racend gend is ther itas tubling ihink asi americ communi was ver oubled t polic and easily smiss th, that it was not a hate crime post of right, the spokesperson for the sriffs county sd robert long, t shooter,as havina baday anthen later hoste cna

viru t-shirtonis facebk page. for a loof asian-americans, they remember that day. it was remarkable how many people remember where they were that day when they heard about the eight people that were killed, including six women of asian descent. juan: i'm wondering your thoughts, many video taped incidents of individual violence against asian-americans in the past few years. it is also not just white americans, but many black and latino youth coming from communities who themselves are discriminated against yet they are also not participating in this kind of violence. your thought of this issue of attacks coming at times from members of the black or latino community as well? >> is a complicated issue. as you know, the history of this

mistrust between black and asian community's nothing that is changing. what we found in our film is there's been a lot of solidarity, a lot of coming together in the community to say this is not acceptable, we can't let this go on. it is complicated. we did not have an opportunity in this hour to go into it but you are right. not all the attacks are perpetrated by white people. when we talk about -- when you talk about the report earlier from stop aapi hate group that said perpetrators of asian hate incidents are repeating the rhetoric of politicians when they are attacking people and calling -- telling out kung flu in china virus and blaming china for the economic issues the country is facing and

the security concerns, national security concerns. that trickles down. words matter. words have consequences. they are also dangerous. we do feel we are bringing this to light to talk about it and have black and brown and asian communities come together and discuss these issues is one step in helping to stop what is happening. amy: gina kim, and you for being with us, executive producer of the new film "rising against asian hate: one day in march," which premiered this week on pbs. next up, as nuclear parts ratchet up tensions in the war in ukraine, we speak to norman solomon of rootsaction. he says don't just worry about nuclear war, do something to prevent it. back in 30 seconds. ♪♪ [music break]

amy: this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman with juan gonzalez. as we reported in headlines, a spokesperson for president vladimir putin said today the four territories of ukraine russia recently claimed to have annexed will fall under the protection of russia's nuclear arsenal. russia's warning came as the united states and nato launched nuclear war games in the skies above belgium, the united kingdom, and the north sea.

russia's military is set to stage its own annual large-scale nuclear exercise called "thunder" along russia's northwestern coast. this comes as anti-nuclear activists gathered in front of dozens of cities and front of congressional offices across the united states come at the u.n., and elsewhere to demanleaders defuse nuclear w. the protests coincided with the 60th anniversary of the cuban missile crisis. for more, we're joined by norman solomon executive , director of the institute for public accuracy, a cofounder of rootsaction. work. his latest piece for common dreams is titled "don't just worry about nuclear war -- do something to help prevent it." take us back 60 years. talk about what unfolded over a month and make that a connection to what we're seeing today, norm. >> back in 1962, for 13 days, the world was on a precipice of

nuclear war. their nuclear missiles that have been put in cuba from then soviet union. and because khrushchev and kennedy come the leaders of the two governments, were willing to back down from a confrontation, that is why we are able to even be here right now. after that confrontation, john kennedy said it was essential for the survival of the world not back the leader of another nuclear power into a corner. and yet what we see now this year is the u.s. policy is exactly the opposite. as you alluded to in the latest news, what we're seeing now is an escalation of a game of nuclear chicken. there's only one way to win, truly when a game of nuclear chicken, and that is -- with the united states government and the russian government are doing is going ahead to exacerbate and escalate

a game of nuclear chicken that is not called again. what is at stake, according to the latest scientific studies, about 99% of humanity come if there's a thermonuclear war, then we can expect only 1% -- because of nuclear winter -- only 1% of the human beings on this planet to survive. so when we see and hear all the rhetoric and the posturing going on from both sides, then we see how on autopilot this insanity is. insanity from both sides. and of course, and we should certainly make clear, that what the russian government is doing in ukraine is reprehensible, there is no justification for it, this is an ongoing war crime for russia in ukraine, and they are making -- the kremlin is making nuclear threats that are completely reckless. at the same time, there are

things the u.s. government can and should do that would reduce the chance of nuclear war, not only end this escalation danger, but actually reduce it was to treaties at the u.s. unilaterally, the second president bush pulled out of the treaty in -- in 2002. donald trump in 2019 pulled out of the intermediate-range nuclear forces treaty. both of those treaties were very important to reduce the chances of nuclear war, including and especially in europe. i would sum up that what we are seeing this week is further escalation of the war games, the war games the united states has led beginning yesterday through nato is completely responsible. the annual -- why do it now? this is the worst time to do it.

that is why rootsaction.org is launching today a campaign where people around the country are contacting their senators, the representatives and saying, speak out against this wargame madness that the united states is enabling through nato and insist on genuine diplomacy to richard cease fire. this is what we need from constituents. i would sum this up by silence equals death. we know this from aids activism going back decades. right now that is global debt. silence and passivity, which is what the u.s. mass media are encouraging, the political bipartisan establishment is encouraging in the united states we're are supposed to sit back and watch while these responsible 535 people in congress say virtually nothing about the need to cancel these nuclear workings. juan: i wanted to ask you about

where the democratic leadership is on this issue. as you mentioned, it was the republican presidents george bush and donald trump who pulled out of prior treaties that were at least limiting or reducing nuclear weapons, but there has been virtual silence from even supposed pro-peace members of congress on where we are heading right now. of course, there are some in the third world we this is a european war, just like world war i and world war ii were european wars drew the rest of the world into their conflicts. i'm wondering where your sense of the progressives are in the democratic party right now? >> a europeanar that is threatening people all over the globe. the democratic party leadership is not providing leadership. there simply going along with this on autopilot headed toward the precipice, really, of nuclear annihilation globally.

both parties are led by people and are populated in congress by people who are checked out. they are part of this mentality that we go along to get along with the militant complex. there are billions and billions of dollars being made every month and profits are these major contractors. we used to say in the vietnam war, or is profitable, invest most of now we can is profitable. these aerospace corporations are making he killings in preparation for on the side. -- omnicide. we have a fish stick republican party they should be defeated in the midterms. the same time we have to be clear the democratic party like the republican party is led by people who are leading us toward a nuclear precipice. it is especially injurious because we have a democrat in the white house. that is why we are launching

this campaign to tell every member of congress from constituents we want you to demand an end to these war games and have genuine negotiation and that demand should also be negotiate directed at the white house. it is ridiculous for the white house to give a pass to democrats in congress. there 70 democrats including in the leadership of the progressive caucus that will not speak out against this rush toward nuclear chicken game from escalating that game by the white house. this is just irresponsible. remember senator wayne morse in 1964. he was a democrat in the senate and he called out the madness from a democrat in the oval office. where are the senators and representatives in congress willing and able to do that even if the president is in their own party? this is a suicidal approach, making everybody -- escalating

the risk. we started off by talking about the cuban missile crisis. informed experts say this is at least as dangerous as that crisis in 1962. regularly much more dangerous spread over a longer period of time. just because they are a member of the progressive caucus, doesn't change the fact there silence is deadly. i would urge all constituents, not only go to rootsaction.org and message within one minute your senators and representatives about the need to call off these word games and have genuine diplomacy, but then call them up was that i am sorry to say that in all most all incidences, you will find your senators and representatives in the current mindset will say, oh, no, we cannot interfere with nato. well, this is a kind of madness -- amy: norm, what do you say to those who say it is putin who is threatening nuclear war?

you president biden speaking in a democratic fundraiser saying we are facing armageddon. wrote a piece with dan ellsberg to avoid armageddon, don't modernize missiles, eliminate them. what do you say to those who say it is not in the u.s. control because putin is the one threatening this? >> well, absolutely what putin is irresponsible and extremely dangerous. that does not change the fact that the united states is also in a game of nuclear chicken. that is reflected in these nato nuclear war games going on right now. this is not a zero-sum game where we gain propaganda, the other side loses or vice versa. there are concrete steps, specific real-world steps that the united states government could take today to reduce the chances of nuclear war that clearly is in the interest of everybody in this country. in the world. we could take icbm off

hairtrigger alert. we could reinstate treaties that push and trump pulled u.s. out of unilaterally. this is up to us to do. amy: we want to thank you for being with us, norman solomon with the institute for public accuracy and rootsaction.org. we will link to your piece "don't just worry about nuclear war -- do something to help