sedrick outlined a different one.this sends a bad message, that this is a police state, not just police and that that's not a message that you want to send to the american people. what do you say to people who are afraid that they don't want military style weapons and equipment being used against them? >> well, to sedrick -- >> go ahead. >> to sedrick's point and to senator paul's point, law enforcement has evolved and very quickly post furg son and i think they are more aware that it's not just tactics, it's also optics and they've got to balance their response. remember, we call this military equipment, but a lot of it came into the use of the military after law enforcement had already been using it for years when our military in iraq started getting into situations in urban warfare. they were using it defensively not oeffensively. we have to be careful not calling it military equipment when it's very essence is protectative. every one of those armored vehicles were scarred with bullet marks, each one represents a c

>> i love sedrick. yes, we obviously see this differently. do think that gorka is drawn too much to militaristic solution. i wouldn't disagree with sedrick he probably has an overly simplistic view of how control works in the country. if you look at what he said, and i read the transcript, i honestly don't think he meant it to come across that he was subject gaiting the state department to some sort of lower level of interaction. i think he was trying to say the state department has a diplomatic role. they've got to speak in more diplomatic language. than the secretary of defense can afford to do. i just -- again, i think we're maybe making more out of this than we need to. >> okay. gentlemen, thank you both so much. we have some news from president trump. moments ago declaring the opoid epidemic in this country a national emergency. we'll talk to our chief medical correspondent dr. sanjay gupta on this, what this means for so many people desperately in need of help, next. >>> the opoid crisis is an emergency. i'm saying officially right now

sedrick alexander, this is a colossal, you know, public safety undertaking. cedric is the deputy mayor of rochester, new york, former police chief for dekalb county, georgia. good to see you. >> good to see you. >> you wrote on cnn.com you are anxious about rallies from extremist groups that are being planned. what makes you anxious about this one? >> what i think makes all of us anxious. none of us want to see a reen aboutment of what occurred last week in charlottesville. of course we have a president who's not sent a very clear message on where he stands on this whole piece about these groups that have demonstrated and articulated a great deal of hate. that's created a great deal of controversy this week back and forth between both sides. i think it's interesting to note, fredricka, that they're in boston. so far we have peaceful rallies. everyone has the right under the first amendment to free speech. as long as it's peaceful. law enforcement have a huge job in front of them. it's very important they keep their community safe and protesters safe, and very

. >> sedrick, jump cedric, i know something to contribute. >> a moment ago it was statemented by mr. bauer that the president has stated in the past that he do not want any affiliation with any group that promotes hate. that was true on the campaign trail but what needs to happen at this moment in american history particularly from the demonstration of violence we saw today, he should have made that clear to the american people today, not as running for president, but as president of the united states. >> can you see any reason why he wouldn't have done that? could it have been unintentional for this backlash to come because his remarks didn't hit the mark? >> well, you know what's at risk here quite frankly for the president and what the perception of the american people is, to be honest with you, he did not respond to it and he did not call this group out because many americans, as many of your guests have stated here today, very believe that is much of his base, and not just his base that you saw out in the street of charlottesville, but those who are at home hiding behind their t