Plus give the cspan capitol tour continues. We are at our fifth up outside the statehouse in Richmond Virginia and joining us on the cspan bus is former Virginia Governor doug wilder who served from 19921994. Governor wilders the grandson of slaves the first africanamerican governor in the u. S. Since reconstruction. Governor wilder in your recent autobiography you write that you are product of the state, the good, the bad and the ugly. What did he mean by that . Well as you pointed out being the grandson of slaves one would never expect that person to be the governor of the state to occupy the same seat as Patrick Henry and thomas jefferson. So to the extent that those travails overcome it was a testament to show what the people of virginia had gone through in making sure that image didnt continue. I like to think and i would like to say we are the old union rather new union rather than the old union. Im a product of that and i represent what the people of virginia brought forth and continue to do. Host governor wilder as you well know visiting the new dominion have things change . Guest is yes, they have changed. The situation is eternal vigilance is the place of freedom or liberty. E of you can just address a situation today and think that its going to be gone. You have to nurture it. Like everything else. Its your freedom and is the thing that you have to work at. The unfortunate thing is thatt what did take place in charlottesville as now we look back, some of that could have been prevented in some of that could have been stopped and some of it could have been curtailed and yet it doesnt describe virginia nor does it describe charlottesville and the people of virginia didnt like how it ended up and getting to your question it means that we just cant go by what we used to do. We have got to use what we do to improve what we do and address it to the times of the day. One of the things i have always insisted we need to do more of q is to acquaint our people, all of our people with the history of america, with the history of virginia, with a history of all the other places so they can learn from what we have come from to know where we are and moreover to predictmore con conscientiously where we need to go. I dont think we do that in our schools and i dont think we teach enough of our history. We dont discuss it as i think we should because america is still is in search of itself. This theatre white used to speak when he wrote the books america in search of itself he would talk about every 30 years ago through this cycle of who we are sick people. I think we are there now. Host if you would like to talk with former Virginia Governor doug wilder 7488000 fu Virginia Governor he spoke about history. After serving as governor he ran for and became mayor of richmond when you talk about history b there is monument avenue down in richmond. What is said and what do you think should be done with it . I think monument avenue is monument avenue and when i was a kid i knew what it representative that i knew what it meant and i knew where i was not supposed to go and where i was not supposed to live. One of things that i saw on monument avenue and you hear the stories now about the monuments there but in the 70s, i mean in the 90s right after i became the governor or left the office of governor i wanted to make certain that monument avenue had the address metabolic american thats why worked as hard as i could to get monument avenue. Some people would say why do you want monument avenue and i said because thats where people show that they were here so the problems we have in our country today and the problems we have in our schools today it is ularly education its more important to improve the quality of education spending taxpayer dollars more wisely on the kinds of things that we need to do now than just talk about destroying and taking down. Surely there are going to be difficulties with what goes on. One of the things when i was elected to the state senate in 1970 i had no idea that carry me back to old virginia with the states on. If you remember the words to that song thats where this old dog has long to go. We shouldnt be having this as the state song of virginia. The first bill introduced was to get rid of the state song. D they said that will be the end of wilder. I had only been in office for two weeks but i knew the song because we learned it as kids in school. They stopped singing that song anywhere that i have ever heard in ultimately they came toam retire at as they announced the state song emeritus. Those are the kinds of things that education bring us. When people come to see it they are proud of it. She has a tennis racket in one hand and in the other she has a book and underneath these kids are looking up in adulation at him and what he is stressing. Its a very good friend of mine. Sports is one thing that stay in your books and get smart. Host did robert e. Lee remained on monument avenue . Ee guest that would the decision for people to make as to whether they see that robert e. Lee should remain on monument avenue. As you know that decision is being discussed and the mayor is a part of the commission to look at it. Questions, as to whether the city even owns that property or do they have the Authority Click should the state in the city get together and i think they will. I think reasonable minds will emerge and i dont think its a kneejerk solution. There again if you are speaking about extending millions of dollars at the time richmond schools need that money first and then you can talk aboutab other kinds of things like removing and getting rid of. Host lets begin with sherry and portsmouth virginia. You are on with former governor doug wilder. Caller its an honor to speak with you governor wilder. Guest thank you so much. Caller you are welcome. I wanted to ask you to comment on the fact that in two years we will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of one of the first africanamericans in jamestown arrived in what efforts are you part of in terms of that . We would hope that fort monroe would become a National Venue for conversations about race in america. We feel it slavery started and ended in america of virginia has an opportunity to teach america how to overcome the legends of slavery. You are talking about education. Maybe you can utilize and be a leader in terms terms of this work . Guest thank you very much and i will be a part of that. At the same time yorktown as a foundation. I will be working with that aspect of when the first africans came to america. As you know we will be celebrating in 2019 the battle in 1916 and women coming for the first time in africans coming for the first time and the first legislative body. Won the things i want to do is to continue to speak about whats did states do in africans were brought here . They were brought here as slaves. Slavery is was not made legal until some odd years later. Im very much interested in making certain that we have what we call the National Slavery museum at the african that fisher said 14 then broad streea owned by the commonwealth of virginia and hopefully, we saw what took place. One of the things slavery as such wasnt just practice in the south. We would show how the north h participated as well as profited from slavery. Many people dont know that and consequently i think it goes to the history we speak of and fort monroe is an excellent base to have the story to continue to be told. Hopefully i will continue with the role making certain we do the kinds of things to let the general public know whats going on with education and my know symposiums and going through the area and letting people know who we are in what we have in mind for that great. At the time to take place. Host jeff is calling in from temple hills maryland. Go ahead jeff, you were on with doug wilder. Caller governor wilder is a pleasure to speak to you. I followed you and virginia and among her many accomplishments i have always wanted to publicly thank you for what you did for our democracy. Guest thank you. Caller that was one of the most heartfelt acts that i haver se seen is a schoolteacher for many years. Guest you are very kind. Thank you. Caller ive seen kids lose opportunities and then regain them in some of them never get them. I always wanted to thank you for that and lastly i felt that what went on at uva back a couple of months ago ive got to be honest with you i could thought some of it was at that stage by the Trump Administration to shift the attention of the country but then what happened the next day out on the street was something different. It seems like we are always getting conflicting messages about what real White Supremacy is and all of us know its people Walking Around with torches and chanting and its policy and who gets what. I was just curious to know how you think we need to get that message out. Host we will leave it there. Governor wilder . Guest thank you very much for your knowledge meant for what took place. What a lot of people dont know is that there were three people, three young men that were involved. I did that for three young men. I did that for three young men that i felt were prosecuted for something that was a statute and the lot that had never been used. It was an antirights statute that had never been utilized before and i was very pleased that after i did that even those who were pursuing it through the courts, the courts in virginia and my view to the extent not that they had to because i hadd already done the pardoning but to the extent that they concurred with what i did i was very pleased. I do think there was some staging in charlottesville. A lot of the that takes place is staged and thats why its so important for us to educate ourr people as to who we are and where we are. When i was elected governor of virginia and campaigned throughr every city and every independent town, i took 60 days and i wouldnt come off the road. I wouldnt stay in a hotel. I went to every what i would call legal place to campaign. Some people dont know or may still not know that virginia has the smallest concentration of africanamerican voters of any Southern State. The numbers around 13 to 15 so for me to have been a lot said i had to have any numbers of persons and at designated africanamericans to vote for me. They couldnt vote for someone n they didnt know andw, consequently i went to them. S at i think thats a testament not to me that the people of virginia who have shown that they were going to break from the cycles of the past and rate from what people designated them to be and that is why we are new to avenge dominion and not the old dominion and the people of virginia dont accept what took place in charlottesville. Thats not virginia and as we have seen any number of outsiders came and that still continuing. Thats why its so important to come together to understand tha, this is our country and we will be a part of making it an america for americans. Host a lot of people are on Search Engines looking up doug wilder and Allen Iversen or we are going to take this call from mohit lathem new york. You are on the air. Caller can you hear me . Host please go ahead. We are listening. Caller can you hear me sir . Host im sorry we are moving on. That caller is gone and we are moving onto in vero beach florida. Hi charlotte. Caller how are you . Host please go ahead. We are listening. Caller its very good to see you and me this morning. This is the first time seeing you governor wilder and i love to have hear what you have to say. I blame a lot of our chaos on history books that havent changed. The emphasis has not been put on both sides of history and the truth and what has happened in our country. Thats so important. An you cant go forward if you dont know what you did in the past. You will keep making the same mistake so i love what youre doing and i encourage very much that is where we belong. So thank you. I guest will thank you very much. I really do think you for that. A we are going through some very difficult times in America Today but we have gone through moree difficult times before and as dr. King would say we will overcome. Host governor wilder did you get more done as governor or mayor . Guest well you know i used to say that both jobs were very difficult jobs but when you were the mayor of people are closer to you. Th they will tell you what they dont like and thats where the rubber meets the road. Who picks up your trash . Who puts out the fires . Who is called to respond to crimes and who is responsible for your schools . Who was responsible for your safety . Thats local government so the years i had as governor helped me greatly to become mayor and i was the first strong mayor that they had had in 60 years. I thought that we needed a strong mayor in the government and i worked to get that done. I wasnt looking to run but asas it turned out i ended up being there and i dont regret it at all. Both are very difficult jobs. Local government is really tough. Host at the age of 85, 86 is there another elected office for you . Guest yes, im going to run for cover and find someplace where it can be covered. Im very much interested in the Wilder School of governmentat where i teach. The school is named for me and t had done symposiums. We are putting one on november the second. There are questions that people want to ask and debate whether they are national or local and i had a conversation earlier with one of the persons here and i can tell you that we ignore people more often than we should we dont listen to the people. We need to involve people and thats why i think a symposium and listen to people because we are paying far more for government and getting less and people are saying why do we need so much government . S i think its so important for that to take place on my job is to further educate and further explain and further involve and listen to the people. Host randy in williamsburg virginia we are listing for your question or comment. Caller yes, Good Morning America and good morning governor wilder. Its your neighbor here randy and im going to the board g meeting this morning in hopes of convincing them that my mobile trailer will add value to their academics improving the learning environment, the activities and some background knowledge for the kids and abyei. So i hope to convince dr. Staples who i have been working in and around hisision r division over the last 15 years to help make it in the schoolslu especially since i have already worked in 22 of them and im, believe that was because of your insight into health, education and safety and one more note, thank you for removing the battle flag from the Virginia National guard fighter jets. I think that was a wonderful step. Guest thank you. Lets explain that to the people as to what that meant. E virgin their virginia air National Guard when i was governor had a patch that the war on their sleeves and it was a confederate insignia for the virginia air National Guard. I had no idea that it was used and the surgeon came in to see me about and matter and he brought that with him and he showed it to me. A i said this is not our National Guard and he said yes it is. Im in the National Guard. I said well i think i know how we can handle that and i called the adjutant general and asked whether was the case and he said it was. I told the adjutant general to remove it and he did and there was never any fuss or in thet argument or anything about it at all. It was done and thank you for recognizing that and the number of people that have said since it was the right thing to do. In host charles and bristol virginia. Hi charles. Caller good morning. Host please go ahead. Call co i met you governor and a campaign of 89 in virginia and you came to colville. Guest yes indeed, yes i do remember. Yes i yes i did and when you say in 2017 that wilder had southwest virginia particular in the coalfields people would think you are crazy and i did but only because people like yourselves who gave me the opportunity too come and visit, to be heard and to listen to me and to hear what it was i was speaking of. I cant thank you enough randy for what you did. Thank you so much for what you did as it relates to providing that opportunity for me. Host governor do you agree that virginia is basically three or four different states in the Hampton Roads area in Northern Virginia and bristol . Guest no, i think its a state that has any number of persons who have come from other parts of the country from the northeastern part of the country and Northern Virginia who have never known how the people of t southwest virginia but then people in southwest virginia maa not know the same thing. People in virginia are closer to five state capitals more so than richmond so i think travel being what it is now we are one state but we have different ideologies and different expressions. We may speak differently, we may talk differently and we may even dress differently but we are one people and we are one state and one america. Host 2. 8 Unemployment Rate currently in virginia and 8. 4 million people. Scott is in wichita falls, texas. Caller good morning how are you doing sir . Guest how do you do . Caller im doing great. I wanted to say i used to live in stanton virginia back in the day when you were governor and im very pleased to see virginia now. It wasnt such a great place but then when i lived there with a lot of racial profiling going on host go ahead, governor. Guest i would say im beginning to see we lost a former president at James Madison university not too long ago and i went to stanton and those areas and the previous caller called from the southwest this was pretty much the northern part of the state or the northwestern part of the state and the question that was asked earlier relative to dip in parts of virginia, they are different parts and people have different ways of expressing themselves and ways of living and yet i think what we are finding is that virginia is pretty much a bellwether state. Its considered a midatlantic state in the Southern State and i think the ideology here i think youll find more independent voters than party voters and the party dictate doesnt necessarily produce the same as one time and that may be good. Host Norfolk Virginia is next and this is richard. Hi richard, go ahead. Caller yes, governor i worked with you 25 years ago to get the one gun per month bill passed. I am sure you remember that. Guest do i remember . Just te caller i thought at the time well its just the beginning and we are going to finally win this battle but in the meantime we are killing well over 30,000 people a year in this country and heaven knows how many are being wounded andut damaged, their lives ruined. It seems as though, apparently we have over 300 million guns that are out there. Im wondering is there any kind of hope that we can reduce this carnage that goes on in this country, because its impossible. Host we got the point richard. Governor wilder . Guest let me say this to you richard, thank you for your help in that regard and virginia is through the polls were showing well over 65 of people favor that. What we were talking about is not taking guns away from anybody, not taking handguns away or not taking any kinds of guns away but limiting the numbers of guns you canpurcha purchase. Purchasing one gun a month. If you had a son who is old enough to purchase a gun come it passed and it was a law until a few years ago and it wasthe defeated in the senate by one vote and it was signed by the governor. The governor and the government had supported the law when he was in the senate but he said that the measure came to him he would have very little choice but to sign it, which he did. Un unfortunately its going to have a very tough time coming back but for those people who recognize the polar operations of handguns is big money, and dig, big money. Im not speaking of controllin anybodys rights to own guns. I own a gun. I dont use it but i would be less than honest if i didnt say that. We do need to control the proliferation. Its just amazing numbers ofth guns that are out there in the neighborhoods. Where do they come from and who profits from them and then who suffers . Rginia . Mr. Wilder i have always thought it was time. I think the reason it has not governors is aia strong governor constitutionally. Not only do you have line item the no authority as a a and then in addition to that you make up a 4,000 appointment. During your term which means you were there to terms out of the 8,000 many of those will be there longer than the government would be there so theure would legislature would not so easilyp change it. The people of virginia would like to see it changed and that the proposal will show that. It resides in the government so that his eightyear period wouldnt be such that it would control us and strangle us. There might be some narrative there. I would like to see a change, because it takes you at least a couple years to know what you are doing in that position and by the time you get to know what youre doing it is time for you to go, so i would like to see the change. Former governor of virginia joins us on the cspan bus. Thanks for your time. George Washington University holds a conference on Cyber Security issues facing the government and private sector live at 9 a. M. On cspan three. Cspan. Org or the cspan radio at a the Washington Post reports health and Human Services secretary tom price has apologized for his private charter flights and says he will repay taxpayers 52,000 house and Senate Investigators are pressing him and other members to expose the extent to which theyd used on commercial flights to travel across the u. S. And overseas. The revelations about the troops on the literary and private aircraft come at the same officials proposed dramatic cuts in the agencies that oversee a