amy: today, noam chomsky, a belafonte, and more coming up. this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. on december 5, over 2300 people packed into the historic riverside church here in manhattan to celebrate the 20th anniversary of democracy now! democracy now! first went on the air on the eve of the 1996 new hampshire primary. the date was february 19, 1996. the show began as a radio show on nine radio stations. today, over 5000 episodes later, democracy now! airs on over 1400 public television and radio stations across the globe. among those who spoke at the celebration of democracy now! was noam chomsky, world-renowned political dissident, linguist, and author. he is professor emeritus at the massachusetts institute of technology and author of more than 100 books. courts for the young people you will, special word be facing problems that have never risen in the 200,000 years hard demandingy, problems. it's a burden that you can't ignore. and we'll all -- you, in particular, and all the rest of us -- will have to be in the

harry belafonte is one of the honorary cochairs.vil rights pioneer for sure, but harry belafonte ht for many years, ridiculing people who are black but not liberal. using the most horrible language to refer to conservative black americans. also harry belafonte has for years i think spoken of racial animosity by sadly calling america part of the villainy that brought us to 9/11. if you look for blame after 9/11, bin laden didn't come from out of nowhere. you see the hand of america's villainy. i am paraphrasing. villainy was the word he used to describe america after 9/11. this is the kind of agitation squad that we are always going to have out of the elite hollywood left. they feel somehow expurgated from there guilty for being successful or wealthy, i don't know what it is. they feel better after they did do a rally after like the one you'll see on saturday. they get it all out and then they move onto the next issue. >> sean: let me ask you about another issue that came up today. that is the president, now president, barack obama c

on saturday, the women's march on washington, scheduled speakers include gloria steinem, harry belafonte, cecelia richards. our live coverage picks up saturday at 10:00 a.m. eastern on c-span. >>> this weekend on american history tv on c-span3, saturday night at 9:00 eastern, santa clara university professor nancy unger looks at the role of gay bars in american history. >> many closeted gays go to their first gay bar. for example, san francisco's black cat. and in these bars san francisco cat. in these bars they find out that they are not the only one, and that will have lots of people who are atypical sexually, and when the war is over, they don't want to return to their small towns and their small town closets, and many settled instead of the cities with where they first experienced some self-acceptance. >> and then at 10:30, government policy makers and officials talk about the 1991 nunn/lugar act to destroy and disassemble the nuclear acts. >> what we found for the russians is that the nuclear complex was not an inheritance from hell. to them, it was the means for the revival of the

harry belafonte remembers the aftermath of one such meeting. >> i said to him, what troubles you, martin? he said, well, yeah, i just came from that meeting with the young people in newark. and they could make great justification for why they saw violence as an important tool to their liberation. and the pain they are experiencing and say there is another way. and -- when i left -- i felt that i had not convinced them, that i had not gotten to them in the way in which i would have loved to have gotten to them. awe one of the famed houses of wore shch in the country. completed with fund from rockefeller, it attracted wealthy and influential individuals from all walks of life. dr. king had preached here many times, however even with his tradition of liberalism riverside church in 1967 was not without de facto segregation. african-americans were not welcome at the front of the church. a childhood friend of ml was in the pews that night. they didn't want me sitting up here. i sit here or he and i both will leave. and that's how i used to get to sit where i wanted to when he spoke >> we all k

harry belafonte remembers. >> i believe very strongly that dr.derstood with great clarity what it was he was getting in once he cross pollinated our movement with the essence of the peace movement and the resistance to the war in vietnam. he was not just speaking philosophically toward the issues of peace but was also speaking very strongly to the issues of american political policy. ♪ >> it was that decision to speak out about war policy that made so many in the civil rights movement angry. why take on the vietnam war when the fight for civil rights was still to be won? and most importantly, why incur the wrath of president lyndon johnson, a man many considered to be the best civil rights president since lincoln and a man who had seemingly forged an important alliance with dr. king. >> one of the great tributes we can pay to president kennedy is try to enact some of the great policies that he tried to initiate. but i'm going to support them all, and you can count on that. and i'm going to do my best to get other men to do likewise, and i'll need

there's no place for progressives to write-in and harry belafonte and others. and this magazine becomes the key of freedom magazine in the country. but soon of course he is getting old he is disillusioned. there he is with my god mother esther and jack, my god father, he died some years ago. he's in their house. how do they know him? everywhere du bois went there was a circle. the idea a tenth of the black population would lead the race to freedom. he developed this notion at the beginning of the century. when he developed this notion there were 9 million african-americans, 90% in the south. of this 9 million less than 20,000 had a college degree. there were about 700 lawyers, 250 doctors, about 17,000 black educators or about 17,000 preachers, but preachers aren't necessarily educated. du bois once said preacher most unique ever produced, part hustler, part intellectual, part preacher, he's things to all people. very unique and spell bounding in many ways progressive individual, but he had this notion of talented tenth to lead the race and of course it did not

danny glover, oliver stone, sean penn and harry belafonte praised hugo chavez.but his picture is still on walls everywhere, and one of his flunk key -- 401(k)ies now presides. is some of the people who voted for it are mad they didn't get all the goodies they were supposed to get, and others are mad because since chavez took over, venezuela's economy has been in the tank. the news site the pan am posts latin america and its experiments with social justice. its editor, what's going on? >> people living through a nightmare of socialism. it's been -- we're seeing the outcomes now that's been building for more than ten years. there is a wave of corruption, crime, inflation. the people are leaving in droves. so -- john: why does that have to go with socialism? this was supposed to your everything. >> right. they have ruined incentive to be productive. they've violated property rights, they've confiscated property. so they have taken away the incentive for companies to be there. so if you can't keep the fruits of your labor, what incentive is there to build a producti

visit him there and how they shaped his life there like carole and daniel and nicholas, and harry belafonte and angela davis and all those people. so i set off, took me more than four years, might be reflection of my slow writing to get this book together and i got on the phone, very brazen-like and called everybody and said, perhaps you would like to help reminisce about. everybody to the left was happy to cooperate. nobody said i'm too busy or whatever. some of these people i met, i was able to interview or visit here in new york. people like david lemming, who unfortunately couldn't come tonight because he is now living in connecticut and he is traveling but david lemming and other people like that who spent a lot of time with baldwin at home. that is -- besides those, i was also interested in the everyday contacts he had with the people in saint-paul devans is not obviously place from new yorker in harlem to come live. it is very all-white, conservative, agrarian community that had never seen a plaquemines in their lives and they thought it was revolutionary. the police had a car parked

just two days ago i was with harry belafonte, he said to me in the midst of this time, he said it is time. he remembered back to what was said to him about the fact that when you have problems and terrific problems in the nation, this is the time when there's activism, and when there is a time that's right for change. we have to see what happens with what's going on now, but yes, there will be a change. people are going to rise up, there's a new wave of activism to change the dynamics happening. >> you mentioned your conversation with your nine-year-old. rosa flores at cnn has an interesting series about the disappearing front porch in chicago, children aren't allowed to sit outside because of the violence there. the book, at mama's knee, thank you for being with us this morning. >> thank you, victor. >> christi? >> good thoughts there. >>> listen to this one. voice activated cars, emotional intelligent robots. does that exist? we're going to show you the technology of tomorrow as thousands of tech companies flood las vegas for ces, the consumer electronics show. see me. see me. don'

veterans civil rights lieders, the march has named two honorary cochairs gloria steinem and harry belafontethe organizers say they are planning civil disobedience. they say they are working with local and federal officers to make sure everything runs smoothly. hoping for a big impact to come in the future. >> one thing is for sure. all eyes on dc on friday and saturday. thank you. >>> at our state capital a push to protect women's health services after inauguration day. actress lena dunham joined politicians at yesterday's planned parenthood rally. so far 29 legislators have introduced bills to protect the organization from any efforts to defund it. in the bay area, there's a push for classes to be canceled on friday. a group of teachers and students gathered outside oakland city hall yesterday. they want all local school districts, colleges and universities to shut down on friday to send a message to president-elect donald trump. >>> some of trump's cabinet picks could be in for rough confirmation hearings here. oklahoma attorney general scott pruitt is the nominee to lead the epa. he has

scheduled speakers include gloria steinem, harry belafonte and cecile richards. that starts at 10:00 eastern tomorrow. c-span 2 will be live with the 58 mg presidential and inaugural prayer service. president donald trump and vice president mike pence will attend that service at national cathedral here in washington, d.c. taking place after their inauguration. it begins saturday morning at 10:00 eastern. >> this weekend, c-span city's tour along with the comcast cable partners will explore the literary life and history of harrisburg, pennsylvania. on book tv on c-span 2 author of amiable scoundrel, talks about one of pennsylvania's most prominent political figures of the 19th century. >> people talk about the age the andrew jackson. but in many ways they should talk about the age of simon cameron. this is man whose political skills were undeniable and mab who built a political machine that lasted far beyond any of those constructed by his c contemporaryes. >> on american history tv on c-span 3 visit the site of the convention with a story on howard parker as he e

speakers include gloria steinem, harriet belafonte. you can watch live starting at 10:00 a.m.hours of nonfiction books and authors. here's what's coming up this weekend, saturday at at 1:30 p.m. eastern is the 35th annual key west literary seminar in key west florida. the seminar celebrates new voices in america from all over the world through conversations and panel discussions. the schedule includes joe klein on politics and literature, stephen carter on race, power, a mall. gail collins on women in politics, and a discussion on writing history with robert caro and historian renda white apple. and i p.m. eastern ambassador to russia omar, authors to that are still young muslim talks about the dangers of islamic extremism and what it means to be a good muslim in the world today. a a 9:00 p.m. eastern on afterwards fox news channel brett baer looks at the exchange of power from eisenhower to john f. kennedy in his latest book, three days in january, 20's and hauser's final mission. >> in this meeting we have great detail, eisenhower's and preston says to himself maybe the amer

a nice review by belafonte. tries to counter around jacobs cultural standing leaving us with the work of appreciation and adds that perhaps not weary enough. i love that. praising but pulling back. it's easy to come under jane's spell, so many people, i did. i try to bring balance to the story of jane jacobs, first by pointing out -- trying to look for what accounted the reverence. she was a woman in the man's world. she had no academic position, she had never graduated from college, she almost didn't graduate from high school. the years she did graduate, her mother asked, what's the highlight of your year, getting jane through high school, she said. [laughter] i think in the end what accounted for jane's hold on so many people basically comes down to her ideas and her words. tomorrow beginning to talk to another kind of a group where i will be talking about professional problems of doing biography and bringing up some questions and wasn't of them is what is a biographer to do when the first of jane's books, the

it is a nice review by belafonte.ne thing she says this may be right on the money, she says, robert kanigel rightly tries to capture some of the deification around jacobs cultural standards. leaving us with a work of weary appreciation.but then she adds, that perhaps this is quite where enough. i love that. praise me but then pulling back. it is easy to pump under james itself.so many people have, i did. and i tried to bring balance to the story of jane jacobs. first, by pointing out what, i'm trying to look at what accounted to the reverence. she had a lot going against it. she was a woman in a man's world. she was not rich for leisured. she was not beautiful, she did not have an imposing voice. she had no exulting academic position here should never graduate. she must did not graduate from high school. the year she did graduate, her mother was like whoa what was the highlight of your year to. she said getting jane through high school. i think in the end what accounted for james whole à they basically comes down to h

i am reminded of the words of my mentor and boss harry belafonte.hose who are working toward the liberation of our people are only subject to friendship and support. those who are being divisive are playing the enemy's game. and so our responsibility is to find our way. there's an entry point for all of us to be involved in this movement. so get involved. stay involved. and keep your eyes on the prize. know that those closest to the problem are also closest to the solution. trust them. stand with them in your actions. because i believe what fan i lou -- fannie lou haimer said when i liberate myself i liberate others and if you don't speak ain't nobody going to speak on behalf of you. and to those threatening us and if they hood, i say, don't let us dream, we will not let you sleep. we stand here on day one of the new administration refusing to let them sleep. not for one second. we will hold all our officials whether elected or appointed accountable. there are some in this country who say we should adjust, work with and adjust to hatred. but dr. mar

harry belafonte, ladonna harris, all of these great people.nking about the uses of a loong life, and o onef them is that you remember when things were worse. theememember the death of future with martin luther king, with jack kennedy, with bobby kennedy, with h malcolm x. without those deaths, nixon would not have been elected and there would not have been many of the waars we have had. now our great leaders by barack obama -- [cheering] and michelle obama. are still with us. and remember how much we feared they might not be and how much threat there was on their l liv. andd they are with us. and now our honored bernie sanders is still with us. [cheering] steinem: not only with us but he is focusing on economomic justice and achieviving free universal college education in my state o of new york. now hillary clinton is alive. [cheering] and definitely not in jail. who t td the wholole world, ththat women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's righghts. soso crucial when collectively violence against femes in the world has produc

harry belafonte, congressman john lewis and cory booker -- >> and the first mother who is the first ladye impact, because i thought his comments yesterday about his daughters -- >> were amazing. >> you know, and what he said about michelle obama in chicago. i mean -- >> all out. >> i really, i told, i was on the show and i told him i'm glad he did it because we do not hear, particularly black men, saying these kinds of things. you get just the opposite many times spirit change the dynamic and i pray people pick it up. >> what did you say? okay. so anyway, i was just getting instructions and then told once again to remind people we are simulcasting on c-span2, and people can get the book. they can order it -- >> "at mama's knee" -- >> it's on my list. >> did you click the button just now, congressman collects hello? [laughter] spearing she's selling book. on the madison shell. that is true. and it's funny, we're just talking about elijah cummings, and in studio i have three tv screens. i always see you guys and there's cummings talking about his position. >> caller: i joined elijah as a c

harry belafonte, and others, we may be the oldest marchers here today. life. one of them is, that you remember when things were worse. we remember the death of the future with martin luther king, with jack kennedy, with bobby kennedy, with malcolm x. without those deaths, for instance, nixon would not have been elected, and there would not have been many of the wars we have had. now our great leaders like barack obama -- [cheering] ms. steinem: and michelle obama -- [cheering] ms. steinem: are still with us. and remember how much we feared they might not be and how much threat there was, in fact, on their lives. and they are with us. and now, our honored bernie sanders is still with us. and not only with us, but he is focusing on economic justice and achieving for universal college education in my state of new york. and now, hillary clinton is alive. [cheering] ms. steinem: and definitely not in jail. [cheering] ms. steinem: she who told the whole world about women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights. so crucial when collectivel

scheduled speakers include gloria steinem, harry belafonte and cecelia richards. c-span will have live coverage at 10:00 eastern tomorrow. and while that's taking place, c-span2 will be live with the 58th presidential inaugural prayer service. president donald trump and vice president mike pence will attend that service at the national cathedral here in washington, d.c., taking place after their inauguration. it begins saturday morning at 10:00 eastern. >>> this weekend on american history tv on c-span3, saturday night at 9:00 eastern, santa clara university professor nancy unger looks at the role of gay bars in american history. >> many closeted gays go to their first gay bar. for example, san francisco's black cat. and in these bars they find out that they're not the only ones, there are lots of people who are atypical sexually. and when the war is over, they don't want to return to their small towns and their small town closets. many settle instead in the cities where they first experienced some self-acceptance. >> and then at 10:30, government policymakers and

among the speakers, gloria steinam, harry belafonte and cecile richards. c-span will have live coverage tomorrow morning at 10:00 eastern. and the 58th presidential inaugural prayer service. president donald trump and vice president mike pence will attend here in washington, d.c. the morning after the inauguration. it gets under way tomorrow morning at 10:00 eastern. >>> this weekend, c-span's city tours along with the comcast cable partners explore the literary life and history of harrisburg, pennsylvania. on book tv on c-span2, paul kahan talks about the life of one of pennsylvania's most prominent political figures of the 19th century. >> in many ways people should talk about the age of simon cameron. this is a man whose political skills were undeniable. and a man who built a political machine that lasted far beyond any of those constructed by his contemporaries. >> then on "american history tv" on c-span3, visit the site of the 1839 wig convention with historian howard parker as he explains the back room details and trickery that led to harrison becomi

scheduled speakers at the women's march on washington include gloria steinem, harry belafonte and cecile eastern time on c-span and c-span.org. >> we found public officials, people who really govern this country, not congress, not president but bureaucrats, thousands of's and regulations with the force of law and they don't think much of ordinary americans. >> benjamin ginsberg, professor of political science and chair of government study that john top and university talks about his book what washington gets wrong. the an elected officials who actually run government and deceptions about the american people. >> we elect congress, it makes the law, the president executes the law, the courts review the laws but that is not exactly how the system works. not sure what we think of as the law consists of will that regulations written by bureaucratic agencies by bureaucrats who are not elected by anyone, lost for decades. >> sunday on

on washington getting underway schedule for 10:00 with speakers including gloria steinem, harry belafonte and planned parenthood president. that will be on c-span and streamlined at c-span.org. we take you live to u.s. senate as we mention of votes this afternoon on the nominations of james mattis for defense secretary, and john kelly as homeland security secretary. live coverage here on c-span2. the presiding officer: the senate will come to order. the chaplain dr. barry black will lead the senate in prayer. the chaplain: let us pray. eternal father, our souls long for you, for we find strength and joy in your presence. increase our faith and teach us to trust you even during life's storms. today, we have witnessed the peaceful transition of power, and we're grateful for this great land. guide our lawmakers. may they find strength and joy in your presence. give them the wisdom to claim your promise that you will never leave or forsake them, and that nothing can separate them from your love. empower them to seek in every undertaking to know your will, daily claiming the promise of your wi