greetings and salutations i too am america it's more than a popular poem from langston hughes it's a plea for america to open her eyes and finally see black people as citizens worthy of protection and rights instead of a group to be trotted on from slave shackles whippings rape and government sanctioned family separations to reconstruction redlining restrictive covenants and police brutality make no mistake the path for blacks in america has been one of disrespect inhumanity high risk and a daily struggle to survive after 400 years of oppression blacks remain optimistic hopeful and filled with the desire to make this nation live up to its creed juneteenth is one of the most important american holidays that you probably never

heard of despite claims from president trump that he made this interesting expression of columbus saying in real time on his part. but know much like everything and circling the black experience in this country juneteenth was torn from the pages of history books used to sanitize the black experience for american consumption and white comparability juneteenth is black folks independence day it commemorates the ending of slavery in the united states it was on june 19th $1065.00 that union soldiers landed in galveston texas with news that the civil war had ended and the enslaved were finally free in 2020 this is day takes on a new meaning the past is repeating itself the lynchings vigilante justice and the disregard of black bodies and lives removing the images of from syrup and uncle bin from rice isn't enough the streets are calling out for freedom liberty an america

that finally treats black people as equals with protest and mounting calls for justice in the wake of the deaths of george floyd a model robbery briana taylor ryszard brooks and thousands of black americans the message the u.s. is clear water down legislation p.r. campaigns from top brands of multibillion dollar companies and going to cut it. at the intersection of race and accountability it's time we start watching the hawks if you want to what's going on in the city in the streets you want to. put yourself what you see see the prices joyce just stay and see your boys rolls royce mass graves suggests least systemic deception is to late show but she does so with some pretty tough job. growth over on the watch of the hawks i am di robot and i would be surprised and joining us now is a civil rights attorney and executive director of the rainbow push coalition the one and only robert partygoer am certain black historian brittany lee lewis thank

you both for coming on to bay and celebrating juneteenth with us here watching the hawks. very cute so much regrets how danger you think guys britney you know how you're going to do it britney is taking on a new meaning this year with a backdrop of civil unrest calls for systemic change could this be a watershed moment in civil rights history and what changes do you see coming down the pike. you know i mean i've certainly heard i certainly hope so you know i think it's such an important time and although the black community has been celebrating juneteenth for a very long time our abolition of the long calm i do think of this moment if it's simply going to be a watershed moment in history due to the fact that people have had enough we've seen more confederate statues thrown into oceans we've seen uprisings go on for weeks i do think this is going to be a moment i've also noticed that there are

a $1000000000.00 and it seems that are claiming that they are going to claim that there's going to be a peak holiday like you mentioned earlier we've seen a racialized in that brands have been using removed however i don't think that's going to be enough and i think that our community the black community is going to continue to push for more not some poor form and not the solution. and robert do you agree what do you think that this era in history how do you think it plays into. well you know this is kind of a kairos moment that we're stepping into because what we're saying goes america finally confronting the the racialized nature of their history for far too long we've had this sanitized johnny appleseed version the american history where america is always the good guy you know so the superhero movies are the heroes from campbell so what we're saying now we're starting to go brush back and peel back those layers and finally confronting the fact that america will built on the foundation the backbone of the genocide of the indians the subjugation of africans

of this country and juneteenth show juneteenth of the holiday which forces america to look like that the reason the president trumped so the him and most white people didn't know about the holiday is because they didn't want to go about the holiday they don't want to think about the civil war with regard to slavery meanwhile the confederate stages and federal monuments we've heard this live for years and generations are to look out this window and see the still see stone mountain where we say that the civil war was about states' rights it was about a different way of life no about slavery the corner towards. slavery the flag of the confederacy the battle flag of the order northern virginia army is about slavery in america is finally coming to terms with their own pastoral reality. couldn't agree more robert states and corporations are pushing to honor juneteenth as a holiday though it's been celebrated by black americans since 865 do you think this step is you know some good call it pandering or could there be more to whites

recognizing this long and hollow holiday and what what responsibility do you go to school do schools have to teaching the true history of slavery and the emancipation for black americans. or part or the issue is that the way that we teach black history in this country is a fairy tale we tell this very calm. story where you know more luther king abraham lincoln got together and decided to end slavery so they got on the underground railroad will frozen parts of harriet tubman that went down with so and then they gave the i have a brain speech later on that they broke obama for as they were thing before i left the way that we like you 3 in this country we take out we sanitize to give the disney channel version of black history we go through all the warts all the bruises all the bodies that were bermed the sentry long battle for the enforcement of the of the rights that we should have had as human beings that's where you get to this of this point of people not knowing their true history and i think the reason

juneteenth is a very genting make it a holiday that is so worried about corporations that there's a bill now to make it a federal holiday is a convenient way of hopefully taking their eyes off the ball from the juneteenth what they feel ordered by a union general during the civil war there are going to be another field order that i think of the americas try to avoid which assurance feelable a special field order number 50 number 15 was promised 40 acres of the mule to african-americans and that's the conversation that is next going down below so juneteenth this nice to celebrate let's get to chairman steele order number 15 sounds like reparations might be on the horizon brittany how does america's history impact present day struggles of black americans and how can the country reconcile its past with today's demonstrations meanwhile still move forward and do you think what do you think the progress looks like can it really be reached. shore i mean i think the most important thing is going to go back to the conversations we had earlier about reparations i think the problem here is that most americans don't

understand the connection between enslavement private property and capitalism you know we talk about capitalizing capitalism you know as if it's the greatest thing it's directly connected to democracy when actually it's directly connected to our inflate meaning us imperialism just to get kind of a quick recap you know many of the same fortune 500 companies that are claiming that they want you recognized as. federal holiday isle most of them got their start in the slave business so since inflating humans and transporting them to a new continent was a risky and dangerous business insurance policies were purchased in those insurance also were purchased through companies that exist today new york life i mean you know they sold those policies so i think it's really important for us to continue to draw the connections between enslavement between private property and capitalism and to fight for the reparations that we deserve african beings in america has been inflamed longer than they've been 3 that's very important when you think about how we translate wealth in this country so i think yes the people are rising up the people have the power to make change we have not stopped i think we're going to

continue to see us pushing for new reforms just beyond the funding of police but reforms in terms of how we understand the u.s. . as a as an entity i want to bring us there with you is how do you see politics i mean are do are there any politicians out there right now implementing reforms in their platforms entering in this election year that you say yes that's the kind of reforms we're trying to get behind you see anyone out there actually making the correct moves that would bring the reconciliation that you're talking about. 0 7 i think it's tough and i'm not this is not a popular opinion i know people believe that electoral politics will eventually be african-american liberation and having more black faces in high places will be enough i push against that narrative i do but we need you know our ancestors have fought and died for centuries for our right to vote so we should engage on the national mall on the state and the local level the only really conversations that i'm interested in right now i would say would be coming from the you know the city

council of minneapolis that's about to disband the stadiums police department those are the type of changes that are truly revolutionary because reform is not enough we have seen reforms everything you know all the amendments to the constitution are reforms right for people slowing the language of progress slowly trying to get the next step in black freedom and liberation and i think we're out of. point where firms are reforms are not enough they're not lasting and they're not going to create sustainable systemic change. and robert net net flix the c.e.o. recently announced a $120000000.00 donation to historically black colleges and universities people are donating in the millions to black civic organizations do you think this is just riding the wave or is this possibly an entryway to equity and accountability for big business. well it's all this a couple years ago with the me too movement as these reckonings came in people had to confront their own 'd their own biases and prejudices in their companies they

tried to buy their way out of it by their way into some good publicity the truth is the reason people are making these donations and so little and dives into their own race is past. a.b.c. where the executives they are were told what picking caught it regards to some of the black anchors a many of these corporations who are making these wonderful pledges the reason they're doing it is so they don't have to confront the institutional systemic racism today benefited from per year so instead of making your $120000000.00 donation the black hole just a pipeline where black producers can become executives that were black to creators can have their film on your platform. let me see your your ego seeing statements let me find out how many people who are in your diversity inclusion division who what is your number of minority so contractors that you're working with so you have to get into the real some of that work is very easy to write a check when you're a multibillion dollar company and then write it off as a charitable donation on your taxes or quite frankly i want to know what changes

you're making will your corporation that will allow african-americans to get their finally get their equal representation that the company that you can buy your way out of you know show us and start doing rather than just trying to cut checks i mean that's really what we want to see from everybody across the board robert thank you so much brittney lee lewis thank you so much for starting this conversation off with us today always a pleasure. thank you. all right as we go to break remember that you can also start watching the hawks on demand to the brand new portable t.v. app which is now available on all platforms as all platforms you have no excuse not to get it so get out there and get it all right coming up we discuss the efforts to declared a federal holiday here that it states you don't. i want to miss this is we celebrate juneteenth here i'm watching the whole.

our culture is awash in lives dominated by streams of never ending electronic hallucinations that. fiction until they are indistinguishable we have become the most. society on politics as a species of endless and needless political theater politicians and celebrities are

to ruling parties are in reality one party to corporate and those who attempt this . breathless universe of fake news just signed to push through the cruelty and exploitation of the neo liberal are pushed so far to the margins of society including by a public broadcasting system that has sold its soul for corporate money that we might as well. squeaking against an avalanche. we must. take a live news anywhere you go to the elegant thank you needed on my next video library with a built in search engine. it's free interactive just our taxes. $8000.00 the present for videos uploaded every hour

so what are you waiting for. how to read out turn on the t.v. on the back the world of what's happened in the around me i see shows on the screen in last every day because the big news is near its steady state so you may be cool little to no christmas with the farm after the brick by brick pool is that they could. be up there in the store but i found that network that oh. i'm july the 4th the united states of america celebrates its great day of independence the bay that we as a country cut off our chains of oppression from great britain broke their imperial yoke and just appear weak fireworks will be shot into the heavens and the red white

and blue will be the featured colors of every barbecue and the us of a will take a day off from work and celebrate that but for our native brothers and sisters whose ancestors this country's liberty was forcibly for us the panther disease and genocide or for black americans whose families incarceration and for servitude this country was built upon. the 4th of july is just another day on the calendar or worse a celebration of hypocrisy about the celebration of the 4th of july writer order an icon former slave frederick douglass once said i say with a sad sense of the disparity between us i am not included within the pale of glorious anniversary this 4th of july is yours not mine you may rejoice i must more fellow citizens above your national national tumultuous joy i hear the mournful wail of millions whose chains heavy and grievous yesterday are today rendered more

intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them. enter juneteenth the celebration of black america is true independence from the bombs of cruelty and servitude but while every american knows the history and meaning behind the celebration of the 4th of july not every american especially those who were born here and share my skin color are taught the meaning or even aware of the celebration and importance of june team well one group looking to change all of that is steve williams the president of the national juneteenth observation foundation who is out today petitioning the u.s. congress and president out of states to declare juneteenth a true national holiday he joins us now from the capital thank you so much for joining us steve. good afternoon thank you so much for having me. everyone happy juneteenth to you sir you know as i stated earlier today you in the national juneteenth observations foundation are making your case to the u.s. government to declare juneteenth a national holiday what has been the reaction from lawmakers so far in trying to

make this case and get this declared a federal holiday. well the reception has been great understand that this was the 1st started by the reverend ronald. some 25 years ago dr maurice passed away in 2008 and passed a mammal to me so we just kept up. it's encouraged and the reception on capitol hill has been great they have recognized our efforts over the years away remembering that to get to america so i just want to thank my order to read. all the junk to pursue run into dust orders over the years and it looks like that's why . steve 1st off i want to thank you for for your work because this is this is something that america needs to know about juneteenth is something that should only be celebrated and recognized by african-americans in this country what is the historical and contemporary significant correct oh i'm sorry go ahead though i said

you're correct and i have a question for you what do you think is the historical significance of getting the u.s. to officially recognize juneteenth as a national holiday why is this so important. good reason why this is port news because it's balance it completes to cycle of the celebration of freedom as it . it was. black men in a revolutionary war and were. war that we were still slaves we were slaves fight new revolutionary war so that celebrates. the people the 4th of july. so that can be a combination as balance to all these freedom celebrations and distort reports is now america is really to take a step forward to be great to live up to its creed of acknowledging everybody by i think now some of the june. you know for many americans especially those of us who

grew up in white america like myself we were never taught about juneteenth in school or to understand and celebrate its importance this this needs to change why is the celebration of juneteenth so important to the fabric of us culture and why is it so important to teach white people why they need to pay attention to this holiday and why it's so important. it's important because it lets people know the just ignore me some out of contributions black people have made to the creation and the foundation of america to understand the struggle to understand that slavery actually ended it took place it was real it was it any of the other things which is being tried to be propagated now it's important for them to understand almost everything that you see everything that you touch in america has been the fact that and contributed to by black people during slavery specially after slavery. and how has the current political atmosphere at the protests the events of the past

few weeks affected positively or negatively your continued efforts to get juneteenth recognized as a federal holiday do you think those events helped or hurt. of course. awareness. and the thing that i say is that which is being aware being made aware it's you technology to something that we have been living with. all this time in america this is not new for us so technology made it more apparent made it aware to the forefront juneteenth it was is the exact perfect vehicle to bring america together under this particular distressed state perkins the state to show the good positive aspects of sides from all sides will be june 10th mentality with your reception of the search of the memmott with the year our white person who was understand what's going on in american a country it's made it changes your perspective about people and gives you

a chance to go out and meet and socialize people also seem to want to ask you one of the state what have been the steps involved in getting juneteenth recognizes a holiday you know you can walk people what you had walked people through what you had to do to get this you know potentially recognize it is there anything people can do to support your organization and support your efforts to to make this a federal holiday. well. given that like i said doc marsar did this out and we started out with the legislation back in 99 so. we it was a learning process and we had this cicely found out that we weren't going to get anything done until we went through and we until we went through and we got $39.00 states are more to recognize juneteenth because there was a moratorium it was a passed or not anymore our days so we had to do that we had to. go state by state and and get people juneteenth is there to get legislation passed in the states we

had to deal with senators we had to do a legislation. it was a constant battle back before and then the momentum picked up and we got our our petition going and we work with the different senators you know but slater believes and they got the message after 47 states to disagree on b.s. 19 corporations punched. well steve i want to thank you so much for the hard work that you guys are doing out there once again that was steve williams president of the national juneteenth observation from. me sure as we sit here today and celebrate in june what comes to your mind is as to how we should you know as to how this celebration has taken hold and what will and what will be like moving forward i think that the celebrations now are probably bigger and more bold than we've seen we're seeing 30 cities make proclamations across the country that have never recognized juneteenth before and i

think that to your point earlier we're going to see more schools actually educate people on what. i think one of the greatest things that's come out of this this year is that there will be more knowledge outside of the african-american community of why do this such an important holiday what it actually means and why is to be honest why a lot of black people celebrate juneteenth and don't celebrate the 4th of july you know that one of the biggest things is look i grew up in a multicultural suburb bug i i'd never even experienced juneteenth or even knew about it until i was in my early twenty's you know hanging out with my friend rob in chicago you know and that was like the 1st time i'd ever even been aware that this even existed and that broke my heart finding out that this important day this important celebration for black america is it's almost completely oblivious to white america times absolutely and it goes back to the white washing of american history where american history has been sanitized and dumbed down so much that a lot of the efforts of the black community a lot of the trouble strife and agony and pain that the black community has felt is

not within our history books at all it isn't it is a but but thankfully right donald trump now has made juneteenth aware for all of us . have to bring it up because that was like one of the most like just shake my head are you really kidding me you know political moments of the year now that we haven't had already many more but that was one of the worst he always found a way to top and so it's incredible right. it's truly truly blows my mind. and. you know i got to say you know i think the wall you finish it off to the extent that that's what's important you know closing out to bury it show you know what are your thoughts on that and what do you feel is the state of where we're at it this year juneteenth should be a catalyst the protests the uprisings the level of concern the communities have and people taking to the streets i feel like this is a time that america should finally listen to those that are in the streets it makes sense we've been protesting literally these same things since june 2965 so in 2020

my expectation is that america will finally wake up and basically take the wall from its eyes and say we need to advance these changes we need to start recognizing these people we need to ensure that our constitution recognizes african-americans as well and that we are continuing a white supremacist narrative and a white supremacist system that hurts people those perverts want to thank you so much regard that as our show for today remember everyone in this world we are not told that we are loved enough so i tell you all i love you. and i mean keep on watching all those hawks out there and have a great day and night everybody. was

new to national the star you know when you've been able to molest that solicit it was a propagandist you. heard from the regular morgue you're more your partner are going to be moving from our previous. bush or secular all but us lucifer mistletoe is just that i'm like i don't i'm just nobody it is not my achievement mr davies are 5 you have plans for conceive they need and get it out by the people themselves if gallo would producer even flirted

with the idea of making a film like this probably be branded as crazy. how was the sentiment during the war the soviets were brave heroes resisting nazis that's going to change of course after the war but once the cold war begins. little people think that hollywood is a free place but only what is strictly defined by one side of the business and the other side is ideology. how would i define hollywood is they call it the dream manufacture which i think's true but i think equally it's a propaganda fact. is you'll media a reflection of reality. in

the world transformed. what will make you feel safe. tyson nation community. are you going the right way or are you being led. by. what is true what's his face. in the world corrupt. did you need to descend. to join us in the depths. or i'm a going to shallowness. you

cannot be vulgar with me yet you like. hello everyone let's take a look at today's menu to see what we're serving up and eat the press really i like that read that right there c.n.n. to enjoy the ride the feds black suspects fighting with police and taking their weapons. we've got that can't be good advice and we'll have more contests c.e.o. is confronted on m.s.n. d.c.s. slanted coverage of the minneapolis riots it is not generally speaking on really have you started well let's hear it and talk with the man who put the top there on the hot seat doesn't matter about the war. it's about.