Transcripts For LINKTV Democracy Now 20170425

Generation. In all, senator Bernie Sanders has emerged as one of the countrys most popular politicians. Now former sanders supporters have launched a movement to draft bernie for a Peoples Party. Theyre urging them to start a new Progressive Party and run for president again in 2020. We will speak with professor cornel west, whose new piece and the guardian is headlined a book of the democrats delivered one thing in the pasast 100 days disappointment. From thenick brana Bernie Sanders campaign. Then we speak to Omar Barghouti, cofounder of the boycott, the investment transactions committee. Last month, Israeli Police were accused of dirty tricks when they arrested him, seizing his passport, preventing him from leaving israel. The investigation included a travel ban that came a few weeks before he was scheduled to travel to the u. S. To receive the on the peace award, jointly with ralph nader is a money at Yale University. After pupublic out cry, the ban was lifted. Awawardhome except the for r 2017, i dedicate this to e wrote posted in listeners on Hunger Strike prisoners in Hunger Strike for refugees yearning to return home to with the to reunite land and homeland. And you go first, we look at last nighthts s double executin arkansnsas. All ofof that anand more coming. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Arkansas carried out a double execution monday night, marking the first time in nearly 17 years that any state has killed two people on ththe same day. At 7 20 p. M. Arkansas time 52yearold Jack Harold Jones , was pronounced dead in the Death Chamber at the cummings unit state prison. Infirmary workers had spent more than 45 minutes unsuccessfully trying to put a central line into his neck. According to a court filing, during jones execution, he was moving his lips and gulping for air, which suggests he continued to be conscious during the lethal injection. The controversial sedative midazolam is admdministered as part of a cocktail of execution drugs to make prisoners unconscious, but its repeatedly failed to do so during other executions, leading to painful deaths. Ahead of monday night, jones lawyers had argued his medical condition was likely to reduce the sedatives effectiveness, leading to an unconstitutionally painful death, but this argument was rejected by a court. Before being killed, jones gave a long final statement in which he apologized to the daughter of Mary Phillips. Jones has admitted to raping and killing Mary Phillips in 1995. His final words were im sorry. Lawyers for the second man, Marcel Williams, filed a lastminute appeal for a stay of execution following jones killing, arguing williams could also experience a botched, painful death. A District Court judge initially granted a temporary stay of williams execution, but then allowed the execution to go forward. Williams was pronounced dead at 10 33 p. M. He had been convicted and sentenced to death for the 1994 kidnap, rape, and murder of stacy errickson. Monday nights executions came after legal challenges reached the u. S. Supreme court, which rejected a stay for williams. The only justice to dissent in this ruling was Justice Sonia sotomayor. The last double execution carried out in the United States was in 2000 in texas. Arkansas carried out its first execution in 16 years on thursday, killing ledell lee, and plans to execute a fourth man, kenneth williams, this coming thursday. The state had initially planned to execute eight people within 11 days this month, an unprecedented rate of executions in modern u. S. History. Well have more on arkansas executions after headlines with guardian reporter Ed Pilkington, who is in arkansas. President trump has walked back from demands that a government funding bill allocate 1. 4 billion for border wall construction. The government faceses the loomg possibility of a government shutdownwn if a funding dedeal s not reached by the end of this week. On the campaign trail, trump had promised mexico woululd pay for trumps expanded border wall. This is white house Spokesman Sean Spicer answering questions on monday. Look, they are currently negotiating. We feel very confident that they understand the president s priorities and bill come to an agreement by the end of friday. I think the president has made clear initially, we needed to get the funding going. There are several mechanisms to make sure that happens. That funding will happen in due time. That is a promise in the campaign would pay for the wall. Now we having the discussion amy President Trump is expected to unveil his proposed tax overhaul wednesday, which will reportedly include a plan to slash the Corporate Tax rate from 35 to a mere 15 . If passed, the tax cut could significantly reduce government revenue fofor key public p prog. Democrats have vowed not to work with trump on a tax plplan until hehe release his tax returns. Another top fox news, sean hannity, is facing accusations of unwanted sexual advances. Former fox news guest Debbie Schlussel has accused hannity of inviting her back to his hotel room, and that, after she rejected his advance, he called me and yelled at me. And i kind of knew i wouldnt be back on his show. While schlussel l says she doet think the incident qualifies as Sexual Harassment, she says she thought hannity was weird and creepy. The accusations come after foxs bill oreilly was ousted last week amid revelations he and fox paid more than 13 million to settle five Sexual Harassment claims. Meanwhile, new York Magazine reports seven black employees at fox are planning to join a Racial Discrimination lawsuit accusing foxs longtime comptroller of spewing racist insults for years. The employees also accuse the comptroller judy slater of forcing black women workers to arm wrestle their white coworkers. In a letter to the network, the workers lawyers write forcing a black woman employee to fight for the amusement and pleasure of her white superiors is horrifying. This highly offensive and humiliating act is reminiscent of jim crow era battle royals. The state department is facing criticism after using taxpayer money to promote President Trumps private, forprofit florida resort maralago. On a state department website, a promotional article offers a inside look at the winter white house. That is maralago. The Watchdog Group american oversight says it will file an ethics complaint with the state department and the office of government ethics. Oregon democratic senator ron wyden criticized the promotion, tweeting yes, i am curious statedept. Why are taxpayer promoting the president s private country club . President obama delivered his first postpresidency speech monday night, speaking to a group of students in chicago. Without ever once uttering trumps name, obama encouraged Civic Engagement and expressed concern about increasing political polarization. The u. S. Treasury department has imposed sanctions on 271 officials with syrias scientific studies and research center, which the u. S. Sayays is linked to the Syrian Governments alleged chemical weapons program. The sanctions are in response to a chemical weapons attack, allegedly carried out by the Syrian Government, which killed 86 civiliaians, including dozens of children, in early april. The Syrian Government has denied carrying out the attack and has instead blamed the antigovernment rebels. In los angeles, tens of thousands of people marched to the turkish consulate monday to commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the armenian genocide. Every year, because theyre not accepting the genocide, the government of turkey, especially now is a dictator, ok . He is not accepting. They have to accept. This is a genocide that happen. Amy the turkish government continues to deny the genocide, which saw an estimated 1. 5 million armenians exterminated through direct killing, starvation, torture, and forced death marches. In the congo, the United Nations says a video appears to show the killing of two u. N. Investigators who went missing more than a month ago. The government, which had been accused of complicity in their disappearance, screened the video monday and said it shows the killings were carried out by an antigovernment militia. The u. N. Investigators went missing in the kasai region, where at least 17 mass graves have been unearthed over the last month amid ongoing fighting between rebels and government forces. In m mexico, a dutch ship operad by w women on waves s spent thte weekend in International Waters off the coast of guerrero over the weekend providing free safe abortions. Outside the capital mexico city abortion is illegal except in , limited cases, such as rape, forcing women to seek dangerous clandestine abortions. This is women on waves director rebecca gompertsts. Inwe are here with the ship mexico to raise awareness to the violations of womens rights here in guerrero where abortion is still very restrictive will stop we can take out women to to National Waters where thehe mexican jurisdiction does not apply anymore, and provide medill abortions to women and international water. United states,e new orleans has removed four confederate monuments, including one whose original inscription celebrated White Supremacy in the south. H. The government workers who removed the statueues wore masks anand bullet proof vests for protection and were guarded by Police Snipers during the job. White nationalists had staged a series of protests in the lead up to the memorials removals. A car belonging to one of the workers had also been set on fire. And in southwestern pennsylvania, residents and activists have launched ongoing 24hour treesits to try to block the construction of sunocos mariner east two pipeline, which would carry fracked gas from the marcellus shale in ohio across pennsylvania to an export facility on the east coast. Multiple residents and activists are currently suspended in trees in huntingdon cocounty in n effs to prevent workers from clearcutting the forest to make way for the pipeline. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. I am amy goodman and boston. Juan and im juan gonzalez. Welcome to all of our liststenes and viewers from around the country and around the world. Arkansas carried out a double execution monday night, marking the first time in nearly 17 years that any state has killed two people on the same day. At 7 20 p. M. Local time,e, 52yearold Jack Harold Jones was pronounced dead in the Death Chamber at the cummings unit state prison. Infirmary workers had spent more than 45 minutes unsuccessfully trying to put a central line into his neck. According to a court filing, during jones execution, he was was moving his lips and gulping for air, which suggests he continued to be conscious during the lethal injection. The controversial sedative midazolam is administered as part of a cocktail of execution drugs to make prisoners unconscious, but its repeatedly failed to do so during other executions, leading to painful deaths. Ahead of monday night, jones lawyers had argued his medical condition was likely to reduce the sedatives effectiveness, leading to an unconstitutionally painful death, but this argument was rejected by a court. Befofore beingng killed, jones e a long final statement in which he apologized to the daughter of Mary Phillips. Jones has admitted to raping and killing Mary Phillips in 1995. His final words were im sorry. Lawyers for the second man, Marcel Williams, filed a lastminute appeal for a stay of execution following jones killing, arguing williams could also experience a botched, painful death. A District Court judge initially granted a temporary stay of williams execution, but then allowed the execution to go forward. Williams was pronounced dead at 10 33 p. M. He had been convicted and sentenced to death for the 1994 kidnap, rape, and murder of stacy errickson. Amy monday nights executions came after legal challenges reached the u. S. Supreme court, which rejected a stay for williams. The only justice to dissent in this ruling was Justice Sonia sotomayor. The last double execution carried out in the u. S. Was in 2000 in texas. Arkansas carried out its first execution in 16 years and thursday, killing ledell lee, and plans to execute a fourth man, kenneth williams, this coming thursday. The state had initially planned execute eight people within 11 days this month, an unprecedented rate of executions in modern u. S. History. They wanted to perform these executions before the end of the month when midazolam would expire. For more, were joined via video stream by the guardian reporter Ed Pilkington, who has been following the executions closely with local reporters on the ground. Welcome back to democracy now you have a witness statement on the execution . Can you explain . There were two what the witness saw . We spoke with a reporter for arkansas times. He was in the Death Chamber for the second execution last night of Marcel Williams. I thinkesting account, really important part of it, there are two things, really, one, because of the court stated that happened for Marcel Williams while the judge while the judge considered what happened to the first prisoner to die, mr. Jones, Marcel Williams was kept strapped to the gurney the entire time. We dont quite know where that began, probably Something Like 8 00 p. M. Last night. 10 33. Pronounced at or maybe longer than two and half hours, this 400 count prisoner was kept strapped to a gurney, which i think is fairly disturbing in itself. The other thing that came out of our eyewitness report is that there is a misissing half an ho. The media the three media vanesses work kept in a while the delay wawas happening, the court proceedings. There was a little window they can look out the backup. They saw Marcel Williams being taken out to the bathroom, then walked back. He was brought back in about 9 29. The execution began at 10 16. We dont know anything about what happened in that period. I think that is importantnt and wiwill ctitinue to be e importa, becacause of t the secrecy the h penalty states have imposed on the entire process of execution. The media witnesses were only allowed to see when the curtain was opened and the execution began. They were not allowed to see the crucial period in which i v lives were trying to be found. That is the problem with jack jones execution earlier the evening. The state admitted they tried to find an iv line and the prisoners neck and failed. This is precisely because of problems that have come up time and again. A gruesome execution and oklahoma with a man right for 43 minutes on the gurney. That was due to an iv line that cannot be found. In arizona, the woods execution where they stuck him 15 times and ejected him 15 different times because they tried to find a vein. I think were starting g to see the same problem emerge again, secrecy, the fact the public cannotot see what is being done when prisoners are being killed, leadining to problems in the process. Juan Ed Pilkington, what arere ththe requiremements in tetermse publics s ability to view thisr the witnesses, at least, who are there who are permitted to see the execution being able to witness the entire process . That is the problem. Like so much with the Death Penalty, it is down to each individual state. But theres something in common, and that is all of the Death Penalty states come all nine or so of them that are still actively trying to pursue the Death Penalty, have taken the same line, which is, we should let the public know as little as ohsible so they dontt latest the members of the Execution Team. Maybe that is understandable. The executioners could face harassment. Who wont let us know manufactures the drugsgs they ue or werere they gotot them frfrod that is s problematic becacausee dont know whether these drugs they have try that in the past. Now theyre fighting over how much the public can see in the process. In arkansas, they went to extraordinary lengths to make our job difficult as reporters and i am one of them and to start with, they would not allow as l laptops and t the mea room where we were watching if we were not in the Death Chamber. This is just the visiting room. We are nowhere near the Death Chamber. Towere not allow laptops start with. They consented on it in the end, but we were not allowed telephones in the room. In the end, they only allowed reporters to take in and pencils, supplied to them by the Prison Services. Something like a reporter would carry in their own notebook that would do something subservient or something. The whole process is like being a battle between the media, which is the eyes and ears of the public, and the prison service, that after all, is can do, which is to kill one of their own citizens. Amy i want to ask you, Ed Pilkington about the Deputy Nicholas general named braun a who admitted the Execution Team had tried to place a central line in jones neck but the attempt was unsuccessful. Talk about the significance of this and what happened next, that leading to the lawyers for the next man, Marcel Williams, trying to get a stay on his execution so he would not be tortured as he was killed. When i saw that in the court filing coming from the state itself, i was astonished. They were trying to rebut the case made by the lawyers for the second prisoner to be executed, Marcel Williams. That the first execution had been botched. That is essentially what was going on. In order to rebut that argument, the state said, no, everything was fine. Look, we tried to find an iv line in jack jones neck and we failed. Then we went on. We decided not to use a third iv line, we would just use two. They made that argument as though that show the whole process had been a succecess. Which i found rather astonishing when i read it in the court filing. Then we went on to the Marcel Williams execution, the second one. We dont know, as i say, what happened in half an hour when they were trying to find an iv line. We know nothing about that at all. What we do know from the guardians work with the arkansas times reporter in the room for us, jason rosenberg, that Marcel Williams, once he was sedated with midazolam remember, it is a sedative, nott an anesthetic. It is not used in operations to put people under before surgery. It is just used to relax them. It is entirely inappropriate medicine for use in surgeries. You might, therefore, say inappropriate for use in executions. They gave him the midazolam. He relaxed. He started to breathe heavily. Our reporter saw him rise upup d countlessback arched times. He lost how many times she lost count how many times. This was about five or six minutes. Compared to meme of the e really botched executions, which was 43 minutes with clayton market. It suggests, may be the prisoner was expressising difficulty. Again, wilill we evever find out anything more about that . There is no indication thahat arkansasas carried out in n offl inquiry into what happened. Often it takes momonths, ifif at all, to see the internalal resus of their own inquiries. The w whole process is shroududn secrecy, and makes it very difficult for the media and for the public to assess exactly what happened. Juan Ed Pilkington, youre the chief reportrter the guardian. Could you tell us, what is the response in britain and in europe in general to this continuing obsession in the United States with executions . Been veryt has widespread coverage, and quite a lot of anger and dismay. It comes at a time when the world had been thinking the Death Penalty was receding, was on the wane in the u. S. Last year, there only 20 executions. It had been going steadily down. Suddenly, the republican governor in arkansas decided he needs for his own reasons all to do with the supplies of medicines, nothing else can do for his own reasons he needs to execute eight prisoners in 11 days. And the whole thing is back in europe and britain are incensed agagain. Your we are talking about it all over again. Amy finally, Ed Pilkington, what happens next . For people to understand who are watching this around the globe, the reason theyre called thesee dodoubleheader executions now n arkansas, the attempt to to kill , some were stopped in the killing, aikman and 11 days, with the hit that deadline by the in of the month when one of the execution drugs, midazolam, expires by the end of the month. So who is who is on the list next to be killed . Well, no one were execution coming up this thursday in arkansas. And then the battle continues. You have to say the Death Penalty states are waging a losing battle here because the Drug Companies are now absolutely in unison. They do not want their drugs, which are designed and manufactured to save lives, they do not want those drugs used to kill people. They are all saying it as well as distribution companies. They are making it incredibly difficult for Prison Services to find the drugs. As a result, the Prison Services are doing momore and more extree things with more and more botched executions. It feels to me like the whole thing is falling apart. Amy Ed Pilkington, thank you for being with us, chief reporter for the guardian u. S. After what they call a doubleheader, a double execution in arkansas last night. It hasnt happened in this country since 2000. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. When we come back, donald trump is approachingngis 100th d day s president , but there are a group of people calling for a thirdparty and pushing Bernie Sanders to run. Stay with us. [music break] amy this is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. Juan as donald trump approaches his 100th day as president on saturdrday, his approval ratatis are the lowest any president has had at this stage in generations. A recent poll by nbc news and the wall street journal found just 40 of americans approve of his Job Performance so far. Trump took to twitter to call the poll totally wrong. This comes as s former president ial candidate senator Bernie Sanders has emerged as one the countrys most popular politicians. The hill reports a harvardharris poll shows 57 of registered voters view him favorably. Out of a field of 16 Trump Administration officials or congressional leaders who were included in the survey, sanders was the only one who was viewed favorably by a majority of those polled. Sanders has drawn massive crowds at stops on his recent speaking tour with new Democratic National Committee Head tom perez as they push to reform the Democratic Party. On sunday, sanders spoke to face face the nation about how the Democratic Party needs to change. Sen. Sanders the model of the Democratic Party is failing. Never republican president who ran as a candidate, the most unpopular candidate in modern history. Republicans control the house, the senate, two thirds of governorors chairirs in the last eight years, haveve picked up ne legislative seats. Clearly, the Democratic Party has to change. In my view, it has to become a grassroots party, a party which makes decisions from the bottom on. Amy meanwhile some former , sanders supporters have launched a movement to draft bernie for a Peoples Party, urging him to start a new Progressive Party and run for president in 2020. Well, for more, we are joined by two guests. Nick brana is the former Outreach Coordinator for the Bernie Sanders campaign. He has joined with former bernie staffers and volunteers to launch the campaign. We are also joined by dr. Cornel west, professor of the praractie of public philosophy at harvard university. He served on the Democratic Partys Platform Committee during the 2016 election. Now he, too has joined the , movement to draft sanders. His new piece in the guardian is headlined, the democrats delivered one thing in the past 100 days disappointment. In it he writes the distinctive feature of these bleak times is the lack of Institutional Capacity on the left the absence of a Political Party that swings free of wall street and speaks to the dire circumstances of poor and working people. As the first 100 days of the plutocratic and militaristic Trump Administration draw to a close, one truth has been Crystal Clear the Democratic Party lacks the vision, discipline and leadership to guide progressives in these turbulent times. Professor west and nick brana, welcome to democracy now professor west, this is a point where donald trump is at his Lowest Popularity rarating of ay president in u. S. History at this point as we come on the 100 days of his presidency. Talk about why y you are focused on gettingng Bernie Sanders to run, not as a democrat he is going around the country with the head of the dnc right now but for thirdparty . I was blessed to spend some time on inside of the Democratic Party looking at the ways in which we could come up with some vision. And i was convinced the Democratic Party was milquetoast. It lacks imagination, does not have enough courage, too tied to big money. When brother nick gave me a call and said that he and the others had been coming together looking for a a way of breaking the duopoly and trying to allow for poor and working peoples voices to be heard, i said, count me in. That is why appreciate my brother that is working, trying to get bernie and the others to jump on board. Juan cornel, the history is had a thames. Mostly, the thirdparty candidates on the right have gotten significant support, but on the left, we have seen examples o of ralph nader, jill stein and others the past, some of which you were involved in. Why du think would be different this time it Bernie Sanders to take that step . The Democratic Party is in a crisis that is quite unique. I think we have some like Bernie Sanders, host of others behind him who are hungry and thirsty, especially the Younger Generation, especially the Younger Generation, then that is why i think brother nick klinger crucial role here among the others is what excites me because i am desperate. As a progressive, real progressive, not neoliberals sterest neoliberal interest, im desperate. Were celebrating the anniversary of Ella Fitzgerald born a hundred years ago. The Younger Generation built on that kind d of freedom. Juan what about those young people who were supporting Bernie Sanders that came out in armies across the country . Here he is going around with tom to reformng people the Democratic Party. What is the debate among the former sanders supporters that you what you are wing represents . There is an amazing hunger for this, especially among young people. Of millennials, people under 29 who actually wanted a major independent choice under this election. The majority of americans wanted is as welcome and still do, 57 . Those are staggering numbers in favor of any party. We have reached the point where to address what you were saying earlier, is that what we are trying to do at draft bernie for a Peoples Party, the group we founded to get bernie to start a new party, is fundamentally different than what the Green Party Ralph Nader try to do in a successfulws model in our own history of starting a major party that can displace an existing establishment party. And that is pulling politicians who have built a large following within an old regime party, getting them to show the limits of that party and what it is able to do, and then having them come out, start their own parties. Ththat is exactly what lincoln d whens did in the 1850s they started the Republican Party. That is how the republican and democratic parties began, is when they actually reached the limits of what people were willing to tolerate, particularly with the formation of the republicann party, displays the weight over and then having approved a proslavevery platform in the 1850s. And coming out, taking that base and forming a new party, that is what we are trying to do here with sanders. Sanders has tens of billions of followers. If bernie starts of party, that party begins with tens of millions of followers. In my view, bernie already built the party. He did it during the primary. That coalition he brought together . That is the party. It is just about formalizing a. Amy professor cornell west, some i say the republicacan pary is in disarray, thahat this is a perfect time for a strong democratic candidate. Like Bernie Sanders to run. Holes show, includining i think even one fox one, the incredible popularity of Bernie Sanders in won the could have actual president ial race if you were running against donald. So why not push for him to be within the Democratic Party . There is no doubt that donald trump devastated the republican establishment for a few weeks. As soon as he moved to the white house, he e brought it back. You brought back wall street, brought back the billionaires, militaryindustrial l complex. What has happened, consolidation of a far, far right wing lets be honest, donald trump is a gangster in character. He is a neil fascist in the making. He is very dangerous. We do support a Multiracial Coalition against d donald trum, but at the same time, the Democratic Party refuses to engage in selfexamination, in soulsearching, was to do the same thing over and over again and keep the personnel and leadership. Therefore, the last thing we need is another neoliberal technocratic centrist running for the Democratic Party when the Republican Party is in trouble, therefore, we have to have a Bernie Sanders figure or. Ernie himself somebody there are number of people thinking seriously about this. Not just on the national, but state and local levels to say, you know what . Poor and working people need to be put at the center and we need a critique of militarism. Job and all these bombs killing innocent people with no serious accountability. That cannot ststand. Gleefully,est roseau the defining feature this time as we do not have an opposition party. We do not have an actual institution which progressives can build, grow our. Looking at the lessons of the movements that have come before us, for example, the occupy movement. The occupy movement was equitably and consciousness in the u. S. , but it did not succeed in formalizing that power into institution stop when we see all womensenergy in the march, march for science, climate march, there is this incredible awakening, progressive awakening, but i think our task now is to put that into an institution in where we can actually build strength. At the point or Something Like that could really break the twoparty system. Juan i would like to ask, you raise the issue of other people also considering a thirdparty approach. Becomesy, the question a Political Party is not just at the top. It is at the local and state councils andthe city the state legislatures. How do you break the hammerlock of the duopoly of these parties that when it comes to candidates , they mobililize their forces n every county and every town to assure their candidate is victorious . How do you build a structure . When you unleash the energy of everyday people, it is hard to know exactly who is there. I think we have gained a significant slice of the Democratic Party on the local and regional levels. Because they are critical of National Leadership. They know how lethargic National Leadership has been. They know how tied to big money they are. You have a number of local folk who say the own thing in town are democrats. If the Peoples Party came in, oh, my god. Get it spilling over a not just the local, but the regional and national level. That is what is exciting about with brother and and the others are doing. Im just proud to be a small part of this do development. Juan nick brana, the other big segment of the Democratic Party, the organized labor unions. How these are the response of organized labor and their enormous financial cloud and organizational strength . Some of the labor unions try to start their own party. The labour party back in the 1990s. One of the think i think lessons to learn from that is that they did not try to run candidates themselves, rather, they said we are going to stay kind of within the Democratic Party model. I think we need to learn from that lesson as well and say, no, this is the full party that is going to run candidates at every level. If bernie were to do this, i west is right, people would switch affiliations a acrs the board. You would have an amazing transition. One of the reasons we decided to do this was we looked we have looked over the past few months at bernie. Tonie is working furiously change the Democratic Party. Unfortunately, what we have seen is the Democratic Party is still losing supporters. That is incredible. The most popular polyps vision politician in the country cannot stem the tide. He compared it to the titanic bernie compared it to the titanic recently, sinking ship. He is right. Once you realize that people continue to leave the Democratic Party come easy that his role is not necessarily as being able to bring people into the party. None of us can do that. People recognize the party does not represent them. Rather, he is slowing the dissolution of the party. If bernie were instead the momentum is towards an independent alternative him and that the people are leaving the Democratic Party, even with bernie there. If bernie were to switch sides, go with the populist progressive currents, the party would collapse. That is something that would allow a genuine opposition party, progressive populist party, to arise. Right now the Democratic Party is blocking Something Like that from emerging. Amy so, what is Bernie Sanders response to this . Also, professor west . What does he say about starting a thirdparty, or even running for president on the democratic ticket in 2020 . Thats right. This is something were trying to convince reactively, to show him now is the time to do this, now is when people are ready tens and lanes of people, the following you have built. You can actually bring this into a new party at the time. And that is why i am really excited to make an announcement on democracy now and to announce that dr. West and i would like to invite Bernie Sanders to a town hall at which we can discuss this issueue and other issues facing the progressssive movement. I think it is time for the Progressive Movement to discuss this question openly, amy, about whether it is time to have an independent alternative. When we started when we started this process six months theafter donald trump won election, i dont think if you would have asked progressives, in six months times, the Party Establishment is going to voting forrez and be trumps nominees and opposing overwhelmingly things like singlepayer health care, i dont think progressives would have said, you know what . That is how i think reforming the Democratic Party should be going. Dr. West and i come im happy to have you dr. West, in inviting bernie to that town hall so we can discuss this issue about where the movement should go. Theresfessor west, been some interesting controversy. I want to ask about senator sanders support of omaha nebraska mayoral candidate heath mello ar. While serving in the nebraska legislature, heath mello sponsored antichoice legislation. He was endorsed by the nebraska right to life group in 2010. In an article for rewire, wrote can you respond to this . Theres no doubt when youre talking about social issues, White Supremacy, homophobia these are not marginal issues. At the same time, class issues, Economic Justice them also militarism, imperial policy Israeli Occupation and so forth. These are all integral elements that constitute a progressive viewpoint and therefore we ought to be critical of those who want to pull back on one set of issues and be strong on another. Same is true with the identity politics. We could talk about racism and sexism all we want, but if we dont have a critique of wall street and militarism and the way in which class formation is so fundamental and increasing wealth inequality, then we have to be critical of each other. But it is also true that all of us in some sense are going to fall on their faces, we just want to bounce back. Amy we want to thank you both for being with us, professor professort, now a back at harvard university. I feel like we switched places. Youre in new york and im here in boston. I will be speaking at harvard sites center this morning. And thank you to nick brana, part of the draft bernie for Peoples Party. We will continue to follow your movement at democracynow. Org. Stay with us. [music break] amy borders promises by haya zaatry. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with juan gonzalez. Juan more than 1000 palestinian prisoners have entered their ninth day on a massive Hunger Strike inside israeli jails. In an oped publisished in thee new york times, a strike leader wrote israel has established a dual legal regime, a form of judicial apartheid, that provides virtual impunity for israelis who commit crimes against palestinians, while criminalizing palestinian presence and resistance. Israels courts are a charade of justice, clearly instruments of colonial, military occupation. He has since been moved to solitary confinement. To talk more about the Hunger Strike and the other issues, we will be joint and a moment by the palestinian activist Omar Barghouti, who is come to the u. S. Were he just received the 2017 gandhi peace award for his work as cofounder of the boycott, divestment, and sanction movement. He dedicated the prize to palestinians on Hunger Strike. Awardi humbly accept the for 2017, i dedicate this to the heroic palestinianan Political Prisoners on Hunger Strike in israels apartheid dungeons and to every Palestinian Refugee your earning to return home to palestine to reunite with the land andnd the homeland. Amy that is Omar Barghouti speaking at Yale University. He almost did not make it to the award ceremony. Last month, Israeli Police arrested him over alleged tax evasion, seizing his passport and for bidding him from leaving the country. Ms. Really Court Temporarily lifted the travel ban because of tremendous outcry ash at least, people thought it was because of that. Omar barghouti joins us now, what could be his last trip to the United States. Welcome to democracy now can you explain what has happened to you, what you had so much trouble coming back into the United States . You are both in israeli citizen and a number can citizen, a u. S. Citizen . No, im neither a u. S. Citizen nor an israeli citizen. As a refugee,an, the son of refugees, i permanent residence in israel and a citizen of jordan. Latestt talk about the phase of israels repression against me because i am under a gag order. So i will have to skip the details on that. But we have to put it in context. About a year ago, israel established a trusting unit, which openly aimed at turning hsing the reputation of palestinian, international, israeli Human Rights Defenders who are involved in the struggle for palestinian rights to the bds movement. Phase ofatest repression comes in that context. And in the context of a mccarthyite war launched by israel for more than three years now against the bds movement worldwide. Juan you are one of the founders of the movement, and also a member of the national committee, the bnc, part of the Largest Coalition in the palestinian could you talk about the importance of the bnc and its role right now . Committee is a Largest Coalition in palestinian society. It is leading the global bds movement. Its as the overall strategies, the objectives, of the movement, but this is a decentralized movement. The bnc represents trade unions, womens unions, refugee networks and so forth. It agrees on the three basic demands in the bds call that came out in 2005, ending israel occupation, ending racial determination which meets the u. N. Definition of apartheid and refugees to return. It does not take any position on the political outcome, one state, tuesday. We stick to the human rights agenda, rather than the political outcome the palestinians my determined as part of exercising selfdetermination. Juan could you share for as, for our listeners and viewers, some of your own experiences that have sort of sealed for you your commitment to this cause . Well, i think we saw, especially after the 2004 decision by the International Court of justice against israels wall built in the occupied territories as illegal, that the world failed to move israel to account on just this one crime. Let alone, its denial of refugee rights, apartheid system, its occupation. My colleagues and i thought we cannot live forever just waiting for the International Community under the u. S. To act to bring crimes. O account for groups getting together to take measures to isolate israel and eventually impose sanctions on it, as was done against south africa. I was moved with a lot of personal experience of repression under israels regime of occupation and apartheid. , can you barghouti talk about the m major Hunger Strike that is involving hundreds of palestinian prisoners right now . Where is it taking place, and its significance . The Hunger Strike by palestinian prisoners, most of them are Political Prisoners, suffering from a very inhumane condition and what i call israels apartheid dungeons for prisons and detention centers, are asking for their basasic rights u under International Law as prisoners. Theyre being denied those rights. Theyre being punished twice,e, not just with very l long prison terms without the lack of due process, the lack of any semblance of justice in israels apartheid prison system and court system, there also denend a sick rights like visitation righghts. Their parents when they come to visit are being humiliated. Many prisoners are tortured and suffer from very inhumane conditions. Torture is prevalent in israeli detention system, including against hundreds of palestinian children. Prisoners are striking, going on this very extreme form of resistance, in order to show e world that they are lacking those basic rights and they demand is basic rights. They refuse to live in such conditions. Your viewm watching now that President Trump is here and the white house and Benjamin Netanyahu is a Prime Minister of israel, what your expectations are of the new American Administration . I understand President Trump will be meeting on may 3 with the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, what you expect from that meeting . I think we consider the israeli ever they came into power in 2015 as the most racist in history, dropping the mask that was covered israels regime of occupation such as coloninialism and apartheid, the Trump Administration has also dropped the mask of u. S. A administration, which was always in bed with israels system of occupation and apartheid. Now it is in your face. The repression were seeing increasingly in the u. S. And the repression and denial of rights were seeing by the Israeli Government are coming together enjoying ways to connect our struggles. So we are facing very difficult times, facing in israeli kennedy on steroids because of the Trump Administration. At the same time, israraels rit to his own government is being used i the Trump Administration as a model for ethnic profiling, for walls like the one with mexico, and various sorts of racial policies. Israel is now a model for the u. S. Administration. That is dangerous for everyone. Amy Omar Barghouti, you werere honored at Yale University along with ralph nader with the gandhi peace prize. You alsos back spoke last night. Was there any trouble . We have sort of israels mccarthyism reaching the college. At the very last minute, less than 24 hours before the event last night. The administrations denied the students the right to open the event to the public. It was restricted to the Columbia University community. It was a very strange move. The reasons were even stranger. They cited an article in some thatight wing rag saying this is a controversial speaker and that it might cause a lot of controversy on campus. As if there is any speaker who has anything to say that is not controversial. The establishment, including the academic establishment in this country, are falling under pressure b by the isisrael lobby that are reay trying to sell mccarthyism and repression and various institutions to prevent palestinian voices from speaking out and to rent Many Americans p prevent Many Americans for joining the struggle and palestine as well as electing a two domestic struggles for racial rights, economic rights, and other forms of justice. Juan i want to ask you again about the bds movement, israels response to the movement. What are they doing in terms of fighting back against it and also theyre building a database , israeli citizens, who are supportive of the movement . Since 2014, israel decided its former strategy for fighting bds, the propaganda our brain israel strategy, was failing, so they adopted a new strategy that is based on using Intelligence Services to spy on bds activists and try to tarnish our reputations. It is happening in this country as well as u. S. Congress and countries like france, britain, and so on. They have gone from a propaganda war to a fullfledged legal and intelligence war on the movement. What you mentioned is absolutely important. Recently, israel passed some antibds ban that would not allow any supporter of bds reaven supporters of partial boycott against israels illegal settlement in the occupied territory from entering the country. They are establishing in these like less of israelis who support any form of boycott against institutions to bring about justice and bring about palestinian rights. This mccarthyism is no longer just a metaphor. It is truly happening, as israel defends into the abyss and as people in the mainstream are warning there are signs of fascism taking over in israel. Amy do o you think, Omar Barghouti what would you like to see come out of this meeting next week on may 3 between Mahmoud Abbas and President Trump . Amonghink im not alone palestinians who have very little hope that anything can come out of this. First, palestinian officials who are currently leading do not have a democratic mandate to compromise on any palestinian rights as they are doing. So they are not opposing palestinian rights under International Law, not opposing Palestinian Refugees to return to actually live without apartheid or occupation. Theyre asking for a very mall small subset. Theyre heeding the dictates coming from israeli and u. S. Administrations. I have very little hope. This is very weak leadership without any democratic mandate. We do not expect much coming out of it. We rely more on society, civil society, popular resistance, and International Solidarity with it. Amy Omar Barghouti, take you for being with us palestinian , Human Rights Defender and cofounder of the boycott, divestment, and sanctions national committee, or bnc. Israel placed a travel ban on Omar Barghouti as part of its crackdown on bds. After he won a temper suspension of the ban barghouti came to the , u. S. And received the gandhi peace award. That does it for our show. Were on a nationwide speaking tour. I will be speaking this morning at 11 00 at harvard science 3 30. At yale at go to democracynow. Org for more. Democracy now is looking for feedback from people who appreciate the closed captioning. Email your comments to outreach democracynow. Org or mail them to democracy now p. O. Box 693 new york, new york 10013. [captioning made possible by democracy now ] earth trek is dede posble e the genero suppo o of sho inns, with westn unit states. H servicg over 2 destitions worla ear trek sies. Ss