Transcripts For KQED PBS NewsHour 20161025

Thinking about how do i meet tomorrows need and not thinking about my long term wellness. Woodruff all that and more on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by lincoln financial is committed to helping you take charge of your future. And with the ongoing support of these institutions this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. In the days other news the u. S. Director of National Intelligence voiced doubt that north korea will ever give up nuclear weapons. In a washington speed, James Clapper said quote they are under siege and they are very paranoid. The best we could probably hope for is some sort of a cap. The state department quickly disputed his statement, and insisted u. S. Policy is both unchanged and realistic. Our policy is to seek, to obtain a verifiable denuclearization of the korean peninsula. That is the policy. That is both the goal and what we want to see, and theres a way to do that. Woodruff president obama has repeatedly said the u. S. Will never accept a nucleararmed north korea. But the communist state has stepped up its nuclear and Ballistic Missiles tests in recent months. Militants in pakistan stormed a Police Academy overnight, killing at least 61 people. It happened in the southwestern city of quetta. Most of the dead were Police Cadets and recruits. More than 120 others were wounded, in one of the deadliest attacks on pakistans Security Forces in recent years. Cadets told of being hunted down. translated last night, we were getting ready to sleep when suddenly we heard sounds of gunfire, and the firing continued, volley after volley, two or three times. Then they entered the building and hurled grenades and kept firing. They looked under the beds, shone torches and fired on people under the beds. Woodruff the Islamic State group claimed responsibility, but so did a breakaway faction of the pakistani taliban. The death rate for migrants crossing the mediterranean has soared this year to three times last years rate. The u. N. Refugee agency blames smugglers using flimsy, inflatable rafts. It says the numbers trying to reach europe have fallen dramatically. But despite that, the number of deaths is on track to top last years total. At least 3,740 lives are reported lost, and we might see this figure rise in the next few days. And that is just short of the 3,771 deaths reported for the whole of 2015. This is by far the worst we ever have seen in the mediterranean. Woodruff meanwhile in northern france workers today began dismantling a makeshift camp in calais, known as the jungle. Some 6,300 migrants there are being relocated across france. Back in this country the pentagon ran into new flak over demands that California National guard troops return their enlistment bonuses. Audits have found nearly 10,000 iraq and Afghanistan War veterans were overpaid in an effort to fill the ranks. Today, House Speaker paul ryan insisted the National Guard suspend efforts to collect the bonuses until congress can act. A federal judge in San Francisco has approved a record settlement in volkswagens emissions cheating scandal. Its worth nearly 15 billion. Under the terms, the Company Agrees to buy back 475,000 v. W. s and audis or pay for repairs. So far, well over 330,000 owners have registered for the deal. And on wall street the Dow Jones Industrial average lost 53 points to close at 18,169. The nasdaq fell 26 and the s p 500 slipped eight. Still to come on the newshour bracing for a doubledigit hike in health care premiums, what people in other countries think of the u. S. Election, a water fight between iowas farmers and citydwellers, and much more. Woodruff two weeks and counting. With 14 days to go, the president ial battleground is narrowing, and one state is emerging as critical to the result. John yang begins our coverage. Reporter today the race for the white house seemed like a contest to be president of florida. Donald trump was spending his third day in that state, which he says is makeorbreak. That is a mustwin for you. Correct . I believe florida is a must win, and i think we are winning it i think we are winning it big. Reporter public polls show Hillary Clinton and trump in a close race in the state, which explains why they were just an hours drive apart. Clinton was making her case that trump is unfit to be president. The first thing the president of the United States does is to take an oath to protect, preserve and defend the constitution. And i have serious doubts whether donald trump understands what that means. In america we dont keep you in suspense about outcome of elections. Reporter trump seized on the Insurance Premium spike in president obamas health care program. Obamacare is just blowing up. Were going to repeal and replace obamacare, and i can say all of my employees are having a tremendous problem with obamacare. Reporter later, the manager of that trump club said most of the workers have Company Provided insurance not obamacare. Clintons Campaign Spokeswoman rejected trumps call to repeal the health care law. Reporter as trump continues to question the integrity of the election, the Justice Department said it be monitoring polling places around the country. But their oversight will be curtailed this year because of the 2013 Supreme Court decision striking down key provisions of the Voting Rights act. Meanwhile, clinton scored another major endorsement today from a cabinet secretary in a Republican Administration former secretary of state colin powell said hell be voting for her. For the pbs newshour, im john yang. Woodruff and late today, the Washington Post reported the Trump Campaign has ended its joint fundraising with the republican party. That could hurt the partys get outthevote efforts. The state and fate of the Health Insurance law, or obamacare, is front and center today. Thats because as the new enrollment season for coverage is about to begin, the administration announced premiums will rise by 25 on average for a benchmark midlevel plan through the federallyrun market. At the same time, choices are decreasing one in five consumers will have a single insurer to choose from. Its not a simple picture. Federal subsidies for most people getting coverage this way will increase. To help us understand more about it, and how this all plays into the campaign, im joined by two following this closely. Mary agnes carey covers the marketplace for Kaiser Health news, and reid wilson, covering the politics of it for the hill newspaper. We welcome you both. So mary agnes, to you first, how many people are affected by this . What of the population overall . Of all the people who buy Health Insurance, 5 buy on the exchanges. Most get our coverage through work and the Medicaid Program and the medicare program. So its about 20 Million People on the individual market, about twothirds of those get marketplace plans. Its important to them, of course, but you have to look at it in perspective with the overall numbers. Woodruff and these are people who live across the country . Across the country, all 50 states. The federal government is about in 38 states and the district of columbia are staterun plans. Woodruff the percentage of increase differs from state to state . All over the place. For example, in arizona you had 116 increase in premiums, 196, 422. These are before subsidies kick in. These are premiums for a 27yearold male. So we have to look at it from that perspective. Nebraska were talking about a 51 increase. Ohio a 2 increase. Massachusetts actually is 3 decrease. So its really depending on where you live. If you live in an urban area or a rural area, thats also going to affect the number of providers and the networks and that sort of thing. Woodruff is reid, this is already having an effect on the president ial. Campaign. We heard donald trump saying this is the end of obamacare. Its played a role in republican campaigns who are running for senate and house seats around the country. In new hampshire, senator kelly ayotte is already up with an ad attacking governor mag Maggie Hassan over governor hassans support for the Affordable Care act. Whats notable is the amounts of advertising specifically around the Affordable Care act is down significantly. Its almost as if Public Opinion on this matter has been baked in for the last six years since its been debated. And theres. There arent that many people who are willing to change their mind. Woodruff i know its complicated, mary agnes, but why has this happened . Its happened for a variety of reasons. Insurers may have gotten in early and underpriced their products to get more market share. Now they have to even that out. We likely have had a lot of sicker people get in first. Everyone knew that, the sickest people come first. They are the most expensive people. You also have an ability of some plans, managed costs, better than other plans. So now were going to hear more about these things called mirror networks and other tightening of costs. And also some federal programs to help insurers balance out the cost of these really sick people, two of them going away next year, and the other hasnt necessarily worked as intended, so its a combined effect. And different factors have a different effect depending on where you live. Woodruff so we talked to several people around the country affected by these rate increases. Lets begin with a woman named beth plame in maryland. I am beth blame. Im 64. I live in maryland. I am one of the small number of people who selfinsures and does not qualify for a subsidy, so my Insurance Premiums are very high, bordering on the unaffordable. Ive actually tracked my insurance even in the years before the Affordable Care act, and they were rising gradually, but after 2014, they were spiking dramatically. I started with a 548 premium, so i changed the plan, went down to a 411 premium with a higher deductible, and then next year i dont know what it will be. I cant change it again. Because this is the least expensive plan. I dont know what is going to be done because its such a complex issue. At this point you have to depend on the government to iron it out. So hopefully thats what theyll do. Woodruff mary agnes, how typical is she . Were hearing more and more from these people who dont qualify for a subsidy. Its roughly in the ballpark of 5 to 7 Million People who are buying on the individual market or in the exchanges. They dont qualify for the subsidy and its really difficult because while many people, Something Like 85 , are individuals on the exchange, can get that subsidy that can help lower the premium, there are folks that dont have that, and i receive an email this week from a Small Business person who said he felt like he had absolutely no hope for the Affordable Care act for him to be able to afford the premiums. Of course we have this requirement for coverage. Woodruff we just heard her say, she said, i wish. Its now up to the federal government to fix it. But whats the likelihood that can happen . The question depends on what happens in november two weeks from now on election day. If Hillary Clinton wins the presidency, democrats win the senate, and democrats win the house, well, theres a real good shot that the democrats will do something to repair the Affordable Care act on a wholesale basis, but taking back the house is a really steep hurdle for democrats, and weve seen republicans in control of the house vote to repeal the Affordable Care act 50plus times. This is the republicans in the house have been unwilling to even make technical corrections to the bill. So unless there is some massive sea change within the republican party, which i dont see happening, its going to be very difficult for even the smallest corrections to be made. Woodruff we also talked to sage mother with two children in greensboro, North Carolina, which is one of the states where so many insurers have pulled out. My name is natalie cunningham. Im 0 years old. I live in greensboro, North Carolina. I have coventry Health Insurance where i pay just 9 a month. The subsidy is 237. I recently found out that my insurer coventry is not going to be part of the market plates, obamacare, anymore. So now im at the point of, you know, okay, now im going to be switching to blue cross blue shield, but whether ill be able to afford it because i dont know how much the plans are going to go up, and they had already just about doubled at the end of 2015. Just going by what i can handle, because you want to pick between buying school shoes or, you know, paying extra money into the Health Insurance plan, as a mother sometimes you have to make those decisions and cut out the Health Insurance. Woodruff mary agnes, why are so many insurers pulling out . Sometimes they didnt make the moneyway wanted to make or they had a hard time managing the sicker folks who came in initially, but whats really interesting about this example it illustrates states where insurers are leaving the market, causing some problems. Shes from North Carolina. In about 230,000 people in North Carolina will have a change because two or three insurers are dropping out. Alabama and South Carolina theres one insurer state wide. One word of encouragement is her subsidy will increase as the plans increase in price. You mentioned this in your enter duction. For that benchmark plan, that will also increase. So she may find it not as unmanageable as she thinks. And, of course, for all of these consumers, getting on healthcare. Gov, you might be able to go to a plan in the same category, whether its a silver or a bronze or gold or platinum, and you might find something at a lower price that still works for you. Woodruff and thats going to take some time. This is a young woman who lives in brooklyn. She happens to be healthy. Shes looking for an affordable policy. Im laura brickman. Im a 27yearold who lives in brooklyn, new york. Im working as a freelance journalist doing video and print work. But because its freelance, i dont have an Insurance Plan through my employer. Im currently uninsured. To buy plan is frustrating because i feel that i dont use it personally, and the amount of money i would be spending on insurance is things i could divert to nonhealth care issues. Because i honestly dont have many Hillary Clinton expenses. So chances of me taking advantage of the plan are very low. I dont have any Chronic Health issues. The only thing i would use medical care for at this point is like a Major Medical emergency. Which has not happened fortunately. Woodruff so mary agnes, this reminds us, these tough choices for young people like her who know they do have to pay a fine if theyre not in the system. Right. Thats really important to remember. For next year its 695 or 2. 5 of income, whichever is greater. Even if you can afford to pay, that you still dont have Health Insurance and youre on the hook if something happens to you. So there are some things she can consider. Theres a catastrophic plan for people under 30. Theres another option. Again, you should really go to the marketplace and check it out to see if something works. Woodruff reid, before we wrap this up, talk about what it is that Hillary Clinton and donald trump have said they want to do to either fix or adjust the Affordable Care act . Well, neither have offered a lot of specifics on the matter. Donald trump has talked about allowing Insurance Plans to be purchased across state lines, which has been a staple of the republican policy for quite a long time. Hillary clinton, on the other hand, has talked about the positive aspects of the Affordable Care act, being able to stay on your parents Insurance Plan until youre 26, some of the other positives that are broadly favorable, broadly popular across the country. But whats clear is that the next president is going to have to deal with some kind of fix for the Affordable Care act. The question is what will they be able to get through what is likely to be a divided congress. Woodruff the idea of unwinding it completely, that donald trump talks about, how practical . Thats like republican being unlikely to go along be changes, unwinding the Affordable Care act is unlikely for the republican president , donald trump or whoever comes next, because there is a significant democratic presence in the senate and theyre able to block that. Christa this is a subject weve been talking about from the beginning of this campaign to right down to the end. Reid wilson, mary agnes carey, thank you both. Woodruff the president of the United States is often called the leader of the free world. And with just two weeks left in the campaign, it can be relativelysafely said that many eyes overseas are keeping close tabs on the race for the white house. Special correspondent Malcolm Brabant has been sampling opinion on his recent travels through europe, and sent us what he found. Shes playing chicken. Look, from everything i see, she has no respect for this person. Well, thats because hed rather have a puppet as a head of state. No puppet. No puppet. Youre the puppet. Reporter theres little doubt that the world is watching the battle between Hillary Clinton and donald trump with a combination of fascination and trepidation. In greece, the land that invented democracy, anti americanism during the financial crisis has been replaced with hostility towards germany. But in a nation that is europes frontier with the islamic world, leading foreign analyst thanos dokos is concerned about the possibility of a trump presidency. He will most likely be an isolationist president , which is never good news for the rest of the world. Reporter american led invasions of afghanistan and iraq divided europe. But one of george w. Bushs staunchest allies in the coalition of the willing, was danish Prime Minister anders fogh rasmussen. He went on to become nato secretary general. Hes dismissive of this novembers republican candidate. The american electorate have a choice between two very different candidates. One, who made a clear statement that he doesnt want the u. S. To be the worlds policeman. And another candidate who i know from four years of cooperation when she was secretary of state who has the will to lead the world. Reporter what do you think of her as a potential leader . Well, seen from a Foreign Policy perspective, i have full confidence that she will be engaged, she will take the lead. And thats necessary because we know from experience that if the United States retreats, or is perceived to retreat, it will leave behind a vacuum, and that vacuum will be filled by the bad guys. Reporter at the supposedly neutral United Nations in geneva, the high commissioner for human rights, zeid raad al hussein, has waded in with his take on the president ial contest. If donald trump is elected, on the basis of what he has said already, and unless that changes, i think its, without any doubt, that he would be dangerous, from an International Point of view. Reporter russias relations with the United States have descended towards cold war levels as a result of its aggression in ukraine and devastating attacks in syria on behalf of president assad. Not to mention american claims that russia hacked the Democratic Partys Computer System and accusations that moscow is interfering in the election. Donald trump has said he could do business with vladimir putin, who was making conciliatory noises during this appearance. translated the American People will make the choice they consider necessary. No matter what the result is we will work with any leader of the United States, whoever this president is, if, of course, the new u. S. Leader wishes to work with our country. Reporter but putin said he was troubled by american reaction to allegations that russia hacked Democratic Party emails. translated about a decade ago, they wouldnt mention russia at all, they would say it was not even worth talking about russia, because it is such a thirdrate Regional Power and not interesting at all. Now russia is problem number one in the entire election campaign. All they do is keep talking about us. Reporter but trump does have vocal european supporters like morten uhrskov. Uhrskov heads danish unity, one of several new right wing parties fighting for voters support. He dislikes trumps character, but supports his policies, despite the tycoons lack of Foreign Affairs experience. He has said things there i dont follow like putting in doubt whether the baltic countries should be defended. Of course they should. Naturally. Im a european, im concerned about russias Foreign Policy, actually. So yes, he has been incoherent but bottom line is stop endless wars and use more on defense. Reporter but isnt the key to being the commander in chief, the fact that youve got a character that is worthy of that position . And many people would say he doesnt actually have the character. You dont like his character, so how can you support him when hes supposed to be the leader of the free world . How could i support anyone other than trump and support clinton who wants to continue endless wars as i said. And may i remind you have congress, you have the Supreme Court, you have the best advisors in the whole wide world. Yes, i know hes inexperienced in Foreign Policy, but he will not be a dictator. Its ridiculous when i hear people say he can press the nuclear button, things like that. Its ridiculous. Reporter britain four months ago, as brexit supporters celebrated an unexpected victory. Trumps backers will be hoping that the u. S. Will deliver a similar surprise result. Without doubt, the most influential foreign right winger in trumps camp is nigel farage, former head of the u. K. Independence party, u. K. I. P. , who convinced british voters to leave the european union. Farage has played down trumps remarks about women. This is alpha male boasting. Its the kind of thing, if were being honest, that men do. And it will be like what happened in britain. Reporter greece is currently having a taste of an aggressive right wing party. Here one of its lawmakers lashed out at parliamentary opponent liana kanelli. Chain smoking kanelli has a reputation as one of greeces more colorful politicians, and she despairs of what america is becoming. I mean, what the hell is the personality of someone voting for him . And on the other hand, there must be lots of men, like clinton in the states, they would like to have a lady in their life like hilary. She can absorb any marital or other problem. Reporter theres a hoary old expression that when america sneezes, people on this side of the atlantic catch a cold. Many europeans feel that the world was made a more dangerous place after george w. Bushs military campaigns in afghanistan and iraq. Certainly the current refugee crisis is seen as a partial legacy of those wars, because of the large numbers of iraqis and afghans seeking asylum alongside syrians. Regardless of historys judgement on Barack Obamas presidency, theres a popular view that his administration has done much to improve Americas International reputation. But the coming election has generated levels of apprehension not experienced for decades. For the pbs newshour, im Malcolm Brabant in copenhagen. Woodruff youll probably be surprised to hear that hunger and homelessness is a growing problem for thousands of College Students across the country, particularly among those who are the first in their families to pursue a degree. This is forcing some universities to figure out new ways of keeping lowincome students in school. Jeffrey brown has the story from the university of california berkeley, as part of our weekly education series, making the grade. Oh, darn. These tortillas are not very good. Reporter every sunday night, Anthony Carrasco prepares the food hell eat for the week ahead. Setting himself a quota of one meal a day. I can skip breakfast, skip lunch, and even skip dinner. And ive just saved myself close to 30 or 40. I, like many folks, you know, come to college to get out of poverty. I really thought that was the end of the line when we got the admission letter. Unfortunately, it wasnt. Reporter anthony is a junior at the university of california berkeley, one of the nations leading public universities. And hes the first in his family to attend college. It was hard to get in, and now, hard to stay in. But maybe not for a reason many people have considered. We were expecting long nights in the libraries and tough exams, but what were really facing is, you know, just, you know, sleepless nights worried about rent and, really distracting lecture halls when you just cannot stop thinking about food. Reporter today, almost a third of all students entering two and fouryear colleges are first generation. Theyre more likely to be minorities and come from low income families. And, by the estimate of one advocacy group, more than half of them lack reliable access to food. And that contributes to their lower graduation rates. Many years ago i myself was a student here at berkeley. I was fortunate enough to have the means so i could concentrate on my studies, my grades, and yes, the fun side of college life. But more and more these days many students find they have to worry about more basic needs including food and shelter. A beautiful campus, worldclass academics and now, a new reality. Is there any stock on friday . Were going to restock on friday, so everything will be here on friday. Reporter a campus food pantry, where twice a month students can stock up on staples. The university of california system has worked hard to bring in firstgeneration, low income and what are called non traditional students such as veterans and those with families. But more work is required, to help these students survive and graduate. 25 bags today. Reporter ruben canedo is a first generation graduate from berkeley. Hes now a leading advocate for student food security, and oversees the campus food pantry. What were doing on our campus is making sure that campus becomes basicneed secure. You have the recession, you have the increasing cost of living, and students are caught in the middle of that. Reporter do you see students falling through the cracks . I mean, having to leave school . Absolutely, we definitely have students that said, you know what, at this moment, i cant do this. And they left. And it was not because of their academic challenges, it was because of the living cost of the area. They were saying, i cant afford my rent and i cant afford to eat. Therefore, i cant stay here. Reporter berkeley, sitting in the midst of the notoriously expensive San Francisco bay area, is among the most Costly College towns in the country. Financial aid can cover tuition and books, but sometimes its not enough for rent or food. And for some students there are barriers beyond money. Its like when you get here, youre also coming into a higher level of academia that, especially sometimes more nontraditional students are not used to. Reporter tejae dunnivant is another firstgeneration student and a mother of five. After serving in the army reserve, she decided to earn a degree. But shes struggled to catch up to her classmates. Youre reading all new material that youre not familiar at all with. And so, it takes a lot to be able to, you know, get that in. Reporter have you had, have you had times where you think you, you couldnt get by . You might have to drop out of school . Yes. When i dont understand exactly where to go to get the help. There are times like that. But now that im in my third year, i know where to go to get the help. Reporter tejae regularly meets advisors at berkeleys Educational Opportunities program, a campus resource for disadvantaged students. Whats going on hows the beginning of the semester been so far . It hasnt been bad. I feel like im doing better at keeping up. Reporter yuki burton is another berkeley graduate who now works to help those who followed. I have students who are living day by day, again, in that surviving model and thinking about how do i meet tomorrows need and not thinking about my long term wellness. Actually just earlier this morning a student who told me theyd been skipping meals, and they didnt realize that theyd been skipping meals until they verbalized it with me in a session. Reporter having talked to so many students and work with them, what separates those who make it from those who dont . Community and support. I think to some folks that sounds very trivial, right. Its not a concrete resource. But its really having a group of peers, of staff, of faculty who understand my story and who get it. That they dont have to over explain themselves. The person thats experiencing these things might be sitting next to you in class and you might not even realize. Reporter in her art class recently, Taylor Harvey told fellow students about her own plight. Taylor has worked since age 13 and spent parts of her youth in homeless shelters. Shes experienced tough times in college as well. Id stay in a homeless shelter, but thats pretty unsafe for a young woman to stay in a homeless shelter. There are a number of students who sleep in their cars because its cheaper, or, like, sleep in university buildings, libraries, places that close at night because its safer that way. Reporter taylor shares an apartment, for now, until School Closes for holiday breaks or her Financial Aid is spent. And shes now president of the new homeless students union, to push the university on this problem. We admit that we dont know what the solution will be. But we know what our end game is, and thats to eliminate student homelessness, and to help first generation College Students stay in college and graduate. Reporter this summer, the university of california system approved a new 3. 3 million fund to help students access food on and off campus. The difficult situations many students find themselves in have forced berkeley and other institutions to reask some basic questions. If we are a public institution, what does it mean to educate the public . What does it mean to educate californians, here . And what does it mean that education is an engine for social change . Reporter Fabrizio Mejia is the assistant vice chancellor for student equity and success. What it means for our institution, in particular, and the u. C. System, is that we have to invest in the programs that are going to welcome the students in, that are going to get them through, that are going to get them to succeed at the level that we say is required for everybody across the board. Reporter as more first generation students pursue degrees, universities will have to address the challenges these students bring with them. From berkeley, california, im Jeffrey Brown for the pbs newshour. Woodruff yesterday, Charlotte Television reporter steve crump accepted an apology from bryan eybers. The two men were involved in a confrontation last week during which ebers used the nword. Crump was on assignment in charleston reporting on hurricane recovery when he walked past ebers. What did you call me . What . What did you just call me . I call you sir. New york you did not call me sir. You called me the n word, right . I believe i did call you the n word. Youre a [bleeped] idiot. Youre ignorant. Woodruff the nword is one of the most contentious words in the english language, and special correspondent Charlayne Hunter gault explores its origins and use with Harvard Law School professor Randall Kennedy as part of our year long Race Matters Solutions series. Professor kennedy, thank you for joining us. Thank you. I dont have to tell you we are dealing with a very contentious word, but it wasnt always that way. So, take us back when it was more benign. Its like many words. It has a mysterious, it rises from the midst, so there are some early, so for instance, in 1619 when there are reports about the first blacks brought to british north america, they are referred to as nigguh s. Well, it doesnt seem that that was meant in a derogatory way, it seems merely descriptive. When did it become the kind of word that is so controversial today when it got to be really bad . Go back and take a look at what some black writers were saying in the 1820s, the 1830s, they make mention of how some white people would tell their children, if you dont behave, were going to put you in the nigger seat. If you dont behave we are going to make you sit with the niggers. Thats why we know that by then the word had become a slur. So why are people, you know, very successful, popular comedian like Larry Wilmore who addressed the president with the word at the white house correspondents dinner, of so mr. President , im going the keep it 100, you, barry, you did it, my nigger. But also a lot of the rappers and people. What dont they know . They are using it as almost a term of endearment. The reason, the principal claim to fame or actually infamy, of nigger, is a word that has been used to terrorize people, to put people down. But it has also been used in other ways. Its also been used as a way of putting a mirror up to racism. So dick gregory entitled his memoir nigger, an autobiography. So there are black writers who for a long period of time have done that. Richard pryor had a number of albums, that nigger is crazy, bicentennial nigger. Hes using nigger if you listen to Richard Pryor he is using nigger a lot. Is he using nigger to put black people down, no, hes using it ironically. Hes sometimes using it playfully, hes using it often as a mirror to shame racism. I dont want them hip white people coming up calling me no nigger and telling me no nigger jokes. I dont like it. And then youve got people who have the idea of taking nigger back. So you have some people who say, well, nigger has been used to take us down, so what we are going to do is grab this word and we are going to use it for our own purposes. But do they know the history of it . Well, one of the reasons i wrote a book about this was because i got the sense that there were, especially young people, who were using the word who did not have an understanding of the history behind the word. So i spent 40 pages talking about, just giving instance after instance after instance, of the way in which this word has been used to hurt black people. Hasnt it also been used against other ethnic groups, chinese, mormons, jews . Its the atomic bomb of racial slurs, and one of the it is the racial slur that has been used in other contexts. So, for instance, palestinians, the niggers of the middle east. The irish, the niggers of europe. This is a term that has been generalized around the world. If you want to put somebody down, analogize them to the nigger. Given the power of this particular word that we are discussing, the power of it to wound. What is the solution to that . I dont think there is a solution other than education. In the sense that i think people ought to know a couple of things. They ought to know about the history of this word nigger, they ought to know that even if you are using the word without malevolence, even if you are attempting to use the word in an ironic way or a term of endearment, theres always the problem of mistake. So ive gotten hundreds of emails over the years from white kids who say the following, im running around with my black friends, and we are listening to rap, is it okay if i say nigger because we are shouting the lyrics of these rap songs . And i say to people often that it may very well be that youre with your friend. It may very well be that you have no bad intentions. But if you are out in public, and especially if you are white and you use this word, there is the problem of the person whos right next to you who doesnt know you at all, who doesnt know what your intentions are, who doesnt know about your friendship with your black buddy over here. But as soon as the word nigger comes out of your mouth, this person slaps you, or worse. Simple prudence, would dictate that you use this term very carefully, if ever. Some of these younger people using it are not using the full word. They are abbreviating it. There are some people who make a big distinction between the word nigga, which they say is okay and nigger. Now, in my view, thats important to know about that distinction because some people put a lot of weight on it. I dont. So how should people who find it so offensive, and understand the Hurt Associated with it, respond . What people should do is explain to their friends, to their neighbors, how they feel when they confront the word nigger, and why they feel the way they feel. So a number of years ago, i was in a book store talking about my book, nigger. And a man said to me, professor, ive heard all that you have to say and you know, all of your analysis about why it is that sometimes nigger should be tolerated. Ive heard it, but im going tell you something. When i heard the word nigger, i remember when that word was used by people who would not allow me to vote. And who put me at the back of and when i hear that word, the bus. And when i hear that word, thats what i think about. That was very powerful. Absolutely. That was very powerful and what i said to him was, sir, i understand. I understand why you dont want to hear this word. And i think people are going to have to talk with one another and share these ies and share these feelings. And i think thats the only way in which we are going to come to a higher, deeper understanding of why people have the feelings they have with respect to this, the infamous nword. Well, professor Randall Kennedy, im sure youre going to get some reactions to this, but thank you for joining us and being as honest as youve been. Thank you. Woodruff last week we aired a report about new and old technologies being used to help clean up water runoff in the nations heartland. Tonight a second report about water and the tensions between rural agriculture and urban areas over keeping it clean. From detroit public television, david biello reports, as part of the documentary, the ethanol effect. Reporter in des moines, iowa, adam mason is preparing dinner, washing vegetables with tap water. For a lot of folks its easy just to turn on the tap and trust that you have clean water. Theres nearly a half million iowans who are Drinking Water and who are vulnerable. Reporter vulnerable because of whats happening 150 miles away in storm lake, iowa. Storm lake is located in buena vista county, home to some of the richest farmland in the country. Corn is king here, grown mostly for animal feed and ethanol. Corn doesnt like to have its feet wet, and to keep the fields dry pipes have been installed to drain water off the fields. And with that water, goes the fertilizer. Fertilizer laden with nitrate. We have eight units here constructed in about 19901992 before they became operational. Reporter bill stowe is the chief executive officer of the Des Moines Water Works. So whats the big challenge with cleaning up the water around des moines . The challenge cleaning up the waters in the raccoon and des moines rivers, the rivers that we take from, theyre surface waters, going through 10,000 square miles of industrial agriculture upstream is the effects of that industrial agriculture on water quality. Were seeing water thats so dirty that we have to build facilities like this, which arguably is the Worlds Largest nitrate removal facility, to be able to clean up the water to deliver it safely to our customers here in central iowa. Reporter nitrate is a dangerous chemical in Drinking Water; it stops oxygen from entering the human blood stream. The nitrate removal facility is at capacity and aging, and it may soon be overwhelmed. The Des Moines Water Works wants to have the fertilizer runoff regulated as pollution under the federal clean water act, and has filed a lawsuit against three rural iowa counties claiming that the nitrate theyre removing is a result of runoff from fields upstream. This is not iowa nice. Reporter dale arends is a member of the board of supervisors in buena vista county. Hes named in the lawsuit. This would change agriculture if des moines water gets what they want. If they were able to come out here, and tell us, how much water we could remove from our soils. To make them farmable. You would turn central iowa back into a swamp, which is what it was 150 years ago. Reporter for the lawsuit to be successful, a court must first decide if the fertilizer rich water running off the fields comes from under the ground. If a Court Decides it is ground water, then bill stowe and the Des Moines Water Works have a valid case. If a Court Decides the runoff is storm water running off the surface of the fields, then Des Moines Water Works has no case. Doug gross is the Legal Council for the Agribusiness Association of iowa. This is like a prairie fire in iowa, and that we havent seen anything like this for a long time where one component of the state is really challenging. The most important industry in our state, and has been since the founding of the state of iowa, which is agriculture. Reporter around the country environmental activists are watching the lawsuit and big ag has raised a lot of money to help the counties fight it. Thats because iowa isnt the only state feeling the effects of agricultural pollution. In the great lakes, excess fertilizer spills into lake erie near toledo, where charter boat captain Paul Pacholski makes a living. Within 24 hours of the water coming out a drain tile, of a farm, it can be at the mouth of the lake erie. Its called the nutrient superhighway. Great for algae. Great for algae. Reporter that algae is toxic. It thrives on the fertilizer running off the farm fields. In 2014, a massive algal bloom shut down the city of toledos water supply for three days. Its also bad for pauls business. Do you want to go to an area that youve got to worry about your health afterwards or do you want to go to an area that is pristine and beautiful with the good clear water . Reporter some great lakes states have begun to take steps to control fertilizer runoff, and iowa has a voluntary program in place, called the iowa nutrient reduction strategy. Bill northey is iowas secretary of agriculture. Our nutrient reduction strategy started four years ago. The lawsuit started a year ago. So we were in process of engaging folks. Reporter so would you encourage Des Moines Water Works to just drop the suit . Id be very glad if the suit went away. And i think its a big distraction. I think its expensive. I think that money could be better spent on engaging producers and engaging urban areas on water quality. Its the ag folks that really are driving this problem. And in this state, we regulate, and some would argue overregulate cities and towns. But we leave unregulated industrial agriculture. And, of course, agriculture is the king of the block. Therefore, leave it alone and hopefully a voluntary system will bring in conservation practices that will improve water quality. We say, no pun intended, hogwash to that. Hasnt worked, wont work. They have forced themselves to spend over three quarters of a million dollars. They have forced us to spend over a million dollars, and nothing has really changed. Reporter dale arends isnt the only one raising his voice. He is set to receive a 500,000 bonus. A group called the Iowa Partnership for clean water is fighting the lawsuit like a political campaign, even running antistowe tv ads. The lawsuit could be tied up in court for years, maybe even a decade. That leaves the fate of adam mason and other customers of the Des Moines Water Works up in the air. Its no longer whether or not we have a water crisis. Everyone acknowledges were in a water crisis now. The question is how do we fix it and whos going to pay . Woodruff to learn about technologies farmers in the nebraska and iowa are using to reduce agricultural contaminants in water, visit pbs. Org newshour. On the newshour online right now, revisit a 2012 conversation between our own Margaret Warner and former Supreme Court Justice David souter, where they discussed what he then saw as the greatest threat to the republic. Heres an excerpt what i worry about is that when problems are not addressed, people will not know who is responsible. And when the problems get bad enough, as they might do, for example, with another serious terrorist attack, as they might do with another financial meltdown, some one person will come forward and say, give me total power, andly solve and i will solve this problem. That is how the Roman Republic fell. Saugus us augustus became emr because he promised that he would solve problems that were not being solved. If we know who is responsible, i have enough faith in the American People to demand performance from those responsible. If we dont know, we will stay away from the polls, we will not demand it. And this t day will come when somebody will come forward and we and the government will in effect say, take the ball, this what you have to do. That is the way democracy dies. Woodruff you can watch margarets entire conversation with Justice Souter on our website pbs. Org newshour. And thats the newshour for tonight. Plus our leading edge series explores bots. How computer programs are helping shape the discussion around the election. Im judy woodruff. Join us online and again here tomorrow evening. For all of us at the pbs newshour, thank you and good night. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by lincoln financial is committed to helping you take charge of your future. The ford foundation. Working with visionaries on the frontlines of social change worldwide. Carnegie corporation of new york. Supporting innovations in education, democratic engagement, and the advancement of International Peace and security. At carnegie. Org. And with the ongoing support of these institutions this program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Captioning sponsored by newshour productions, llc captioned by Media Access Group at wgbh access. Wgbh. Org this is bbc world news america. Funding of this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation. Newmans own foundation, giving all profits from newmans own to charity and pursuing the common good. Kovler foundation, pursuing solutions for americas neglected needs. And aruba tourism authority. Planning a vacation escape that is relaxing, inviting, and exciting is a lot easier than you think. You can find it here in aruba. Families, couples, and friends can all find their escape on the island with warm sunny days,