We always like to say we do believe by golly its time to do news again. Greetings and salutation. I too am america. Its more than a popular poem from Langston Hughes its a plea for america to open her eyes and finally see black people as citizens worthy of protection and rights instead of a group to be tried it on from slave shackles whipping rape and government sanctioned family separations to reconstruction redlining restrictive covenants and Police Brutality make no mistake the path for blacks in america has been one of disrespect inhumanity high risk and a daily struggle to survive after 400 years of oppression blacks remain optimistic hopeful and filled with the desire to make this nation live up to its creed juneteenth is one of the most important american holidays that you probably never heard of despite claims from President Trump that he made this. Interesting expression of columbus saying in real time on his part but know much like everything in circling the black experience in this country juneteenth was torn from the pages of history books used to sanitize the black experience for american consumption and white comparability juneteenth is black folks Independence Day it commemorates the ending of slavery in the United States it was on june 19th 1065. 00 that Union Soldiers landed in Galveston Texas with news that the civil war had ended and the enslaved were finally free in 2020 this is still called a takes on a new meaning the past is repeating itself the lynchings vigilante justice and the disregard of black bodies and lives removing the images of from syrup and uncle bin from rice isnt enough the streets are calling out for freedom liberty an america that finally treats black people as equals with protest and mounting calls for justice in the wake of the deaths of george cloyd a model robbery Briana Taylor ryszard brooks and thousands of black americans the message the u. S. Is clear water down legislation p. R. Campaigns from top brands of multibillion Dollar Companies and going to cut it. At the intersection of race and accountability its time we start watching the hawks if you want to build whats going on in the city in the streets you want to. Play so you wish to see the prizes joyce just state and see your boys rolls royce mass graves suggests least systemic deception is to late show but it sure does sound with some pretty tough job. Growth over on the watch of the hawks i am tired and i would be surprised and joining us now is civil rights attorney and executive director of the Rainbow Push Coalition the one and only robert partygoer am certain black historian Brittany Lee Lewis thank you both for coming on to bay and celebrating juneteenth with us here watching the hawks. Very cute some of those how danger you think guys britney you know how youre going to get britney you know you know is taking on a new meaning this year with a backdrop of civil unrest calls for systemic change could this be a watershed moment in civil rights history and what changes do you see coming down the pipe. You know i mean ive certainly heard i certainly hope so you know i think its such an important time and although the black community has been celebrating juneteenth for a very long time our abolition of the long calm i do think of this moment is typically going to be a watershed moment in history due to the fact that people have had enough weve seen more confederate statues thrown into oceans weve seen uprisings go on for weeks i do think this is going to be a good week moment ive also noticed that there are a 1000000000. 00 and its that are claiming that they are going to claim that this is going to be a peak holiday like you mentioned earlier weve seen a racialized is that brands have been using removed however i dont think thats going to be enough and i think that our community the black community is going to continue to push for more not some poor form and not an easy solution. And robert do you agree what do you think that this era in history how do you think it plays into. All i know this is kind of a kairos moment that were stepping into because what were saying goes america finally confronting the the racialized nature of their history for far too long weve had this sanitized Johnny Appleseed version the American History where america is always the good guy you know so the superhero movies are the heroes from campbell so what were saying now were starting to go brush back and peel back those layers and finally confronting the fact that america will built on the foundation the backbone of the genocide of the indians the subjugation of africans of this country and juneteenth show juneteenth of the holiday which forces america to look like that the reason the president tried so the him and most white people didnt know about the holiday is because they didnt want to go about the holiday they dont want to think about the civil war with regard to slavery we have all the confederate stages in federal monuments weve heard this live for years and generations are to look out this window and see the still see Stone Mountain where we say that the civil war was about states rights it was about a different way of life no about slavery the quarter tones about slavery the flag of the confederacy the battles like a little Northern Virginia army is about slavery in america is finally coming to terms with their own pastoral reality. I couldnt agree more Robert States and corporations are pushing to honor juneteenth as a holiday though its been celebrated by black americans since 865 do you think this step is you know some good call it pandering or could there be more to whites recognizing this long and hollow holiday and what what responsibility do you go to school do schools have to teaching the true history of slavery and the emancipation for black americans. Who are the issue is that the way that we teach black history in this country is a fairy tale we tell this very calm. Story where you know more luther king and Abraham Lincoln got together and decided to end slavery so they got on the underground railroad will frozen parts of Harriet Tubman with them and so they gave the i have a brain speech later on that they broke obama for as they were thing before i left the way that we like you 3 in this country we take out we sanitize to give the Disney Channel version of black history we go through all the warts all the bruises all the bodies that were bermed the sentry long battle for the enforcement of the of the rights that we should have had as human beings thats where you get to this of this point of people not knowing their true history and i think the reason juneteenth is a very genting make it a holiday celebrated by corporations and theres a bill now to make it a federal holiday is a convenient way to hopefully taking their eyes off the ball from juneteenth what they feel ordered by a Union General during the civil war there are going to be no other field order that i think of the americas try to avoid which assurance feelable a special field order number 50 number 15 was promised 40 acres of the mule to africanamericans and thats the conversation that is next going down below so juneteenth this nice to celebrate lets get to sherman thrilled order number 15 sounds like reparations might be on the horizon britney how does americas history impact present day struggles of black americans and how can the country reconcile its past with todays demonstrations meanwhile still move forward and do you think what do you think the progress looks like can it really be reached. Shore i mean i think the most important thing is going to go back to that conversation we had earlier about reparations i think the problem here is that most americans dont understand the connection between enslavement private property and capitalism you know we talk about capitalizing capitalism you know as if its the greatest thing its directly connected to democracy when actually its directly connected to our inflate meaning us imperialism just to get kind of a quick recap you know many of the same fortune 500 companies that are claiming that they want you recognized as. Federal holiday isle most of them got their start in the slave business so since enslaving humans and transporting them to a new continent was a risky and dangerous Business Insurance policies were purchased in those insurance all things were purchased through companies that exist today new york life i mean you know they sold those policies so i think its really important for us to continue to draw the connections between enslavement between private property and capitalism and to fight for the reparations that we deserve african beings that america has been insulated longer than theyve been 3 thats very important when you think about how we translate wealth in this country so i think yes the people are rising up the people have the power to make change we have not stopped i think were going to continue to see us pushing for new reforms just beyond defunding the police but reforms in terms of how we understand the u. S. As a as an entity i want to bring us there with you is how do you see politics i mean are do are there any politicians out there right now implementing reforms in their platforms in this Election Year that you say yes thats the kind of reforms were trying to get behind you see anyone out there actually making the correct moves that would bring the reconciliation that youre talking about. 0 7 i think its tough and im not this is a popular opinion i know people believe that electoral politics will eventually africanamerican liberation and having more black faces in high places will be enough i push against that narrative i do but we need you know our ancestors have fought and died for centuries for our right to vote so we should engage on the National Mall on the state and the local level the only really conversations that im interested in right now i would say would be coming from the you know the city council of minneapolis thats about to disband those things Police Department those are the type of changes that are truly revolutionary because reform is not enough we have seen reforms everything you know all the amendments to the constitution are reform is right for people slowing the language of progress slowly trying to get the next step in black freedom and liberation and i think were out of. Point where firms are reforms are not enough theyre not lasting and theyre not going to create sustainable stand make change. And robert network is netflix the c. E. O. Recently announced a 120000000. 00 donation to historically black colleges and universities people are donating in the millions to black civic organizations do you think this is just riding the wave or is this possibly an entryway to equity and accountability for big business. Well its all this a couple years ago with the need to move from it as these reckonings came and people had to confront their own their own biases and prejudices in their companies they tried to buy their way out of it buy their way into some good publicity the truth is the reason people are making these donations and so let no one dives into their own race of. A. B. C. Where the executives they are were told what picking caught it regards to some of the black anchors many of these corporations who are making these wonderful pledges the reason theyre doing it is still they dont have to confront the institutional systemic racism that they benefited from for year so instead of making your 120000000. 00 donation the black hole just a pipeline where producers are going to become executives that were black to creators can have their film on your platform. I want to see your eat your ego seeing statements let me find out how many people who are in your Diversity Inclusion division who what is your number of minority so contractors that youre working with so you have to get into the real so that their work is very easy to write a check were able to 1000000000 Dollar Company and then write it off as a charitable donation on your taxes or quite frankly i want to know what the changes youre making will to your corporation that will allow africanamericans to get their finally get their equal representation of that the company that you can buy your way out of you know show us and start doing rather than just trying to support cut checks i mean thats really what we want to see from everybody across the board robert thank you. So much Brittany Lewis thank you so much for starting this conversation off with us today always a pleasure. Thank you. All right as we go to break remember that you can also start watching the hawks on demand through the brand new portable t. V. App which is now available on all platforms yes all platforms you have no excuse not to get it so get out there and get it all right coming up we discuss the efforts to declare dream teams the federal holiday here in the United States you dont want to miss this is we celebrate juneteenth here im watching the whole. Join me every thursday on the alex salmond show and ill be speaking to us from the world of politics sports business im show business ill see you then. Speaking to west point graduate strong 6 were ending the era of endless wars 4 years ago on the campaign trail he said tensely the same thing twice and so did the goal for this president to make good on this promise why make the promise again if it cant be. Listening to national will the thought of you know when youve been able to molest that solicit it to prevent you. From or your morgue or your home or your car not. A bottle. Oh. Ya wash ashore shake your overdose lucifer mistletoe its just that im like i dont have time to stay with nobody it is not my achievement mr davies are 5 you have plans for conceive a lineage and get it out by the people themselves if alan would produce or even florek it with the idea of making a film like this he probably be branded as crazy. Now is the sentiment during the war the soviets were brave heroes resisting nazis thats going to change of course after the war but once the cold war begins. Little people think that hollywood is a free place but only with is strictly defined by only one side of the business and the other side is ideology. How would i define hollywood is they call it a dream manufacturer which i thinks true but i think equally its a problem and the fact. On july the 4th the United States of america celebrates its great day of independence the day that we as a country cut off our chains of oppression from Great Britain broke their imperial yoke in just a few weeks fireworks will be shot into the heavens and the red white and blue will be the featured colors of every barbecue and the us of a will take a day off from work and celebrate that but for our native brothers and sisters whose ancestors this countrys liberty was forcibly for us the panther disease and genocide or for black americans whose families incarceration and for servitude this country was built upon. The 4th of july is just another day on the calendar or worse a celebration of hypocrisy about the celebration of the 4th of july writer order an icon former slave Frederick Douglass once said i say with a sad sense of the disparity between us i am not included within the pale of glorious anniversary this 4th of july is yours not mine you may rejoice i must more fellow citizens above your National National tumultuous joy i hear the mournful wail of millions whose chains heavy and grievous yesterday are today rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach them. Enter juneteenth the celebration of black america is true independence from the bombs of cruelty and servitude but while every american knows the history and meaning behind the celebration of the 4th of july not every american especially those who were born here and share my skin color are taught the meaning or even aware of the celebration and importance of june team well one group looking to change all of that is Steve Williams the president of the National Juneteenth observation foundation who is out today petitioning the u. S. Congress and president out of states to declare juneteenth a True National holiday he joins us now from the capital thank you so much for joining us steve. Good afternoon thank you for march for having me. Everyone happy juneteenth to you sir you know as i stated earlier today you in the National JuneteenthObservance Foundation are making your case to the u. S. Government to declare juneteenth a National Holiday what has been the reaction from lawmakers so far in trying to make this case and get this declared a federal holiday. Well the reception has been great understand that this was 1st started by the reverend ronald. Some 25 years ago dr morris passed away in 2008 and passed a mammal to me so we just kept up. Its encouraged and the reception on capitol hill has been great they have recognized our efforts over the years away remembering that to get to america so i just want to thank my order directing. All the junk to pursue run into just the orders over the years and it looks like thats why. Steve 1st off i want to thank you for for your work because this is this is something that America Needs to know about juneteenth is something that shouldnt only be celebrated and recognized by africanamericans in this country what is the historical and contemporary significant directed oh im sorry go ahead though i said youre correct and i have a question for you what do you think is the historical significance of getting the u. S. To officially recognize juneteenth