The war cabinet in israel, along with families and victims of the hostages there. And the wider arab world is reacting this morning to outrage to the explosion in a hospital complex in gaza. Weve seen scenes this morning, throughout the middle east, including the u. S. Embassy in beirut, lebanon, protests unfolding across the region as we await the president s remarks just moments ago. We want to get to nbcs chief correspondent Richard Engel. Richard, bring us up to date. Reporter good morning. There are now clashes and protests in cities all across the arab world. From baghdad to beirut to here in ramallah. They are reacting to the attack on a palestinian hospital in gaza city, and palestinian Officials Say that almost 500 people were killed in that incident. Israel denies any responsibility. It says it was a rocket attack that a palestinian rocket misfired, landed in a hospital where people were taking shelter. And causing all that damage. But people here, and in other cities dont ac
Presence and persistence and devotion to this very worthy and necessary and urgent, and i would say even medicinal, organization. At the beginning of this year, in january, United States lost one of its most innovative and exciting writers, baracka. Twice winner of the american book award, who is a strong supporter of the before Columbus Foundation. In fact, his last appearance here in San Francisco was at a fundraiser at yossis, not far from here to raise money for the before Columbus Foundation. So, in our embrace, of the arc and an panorama of american art and history i want to dedicate my portion of the program to the memory of a poet and writer, ameri baraka. We have quite a harvest this afternoon. And were honored by the presence of many of the most fertile writers. Who offer illumination and insight, and as i mentioned, a few moments ago, some very strong medicine, and some very ill times. So, before we get into that, id like to start with a gentleman, good friend, who cant be w
Borders open immigration yea or nay . You will get a copy of this on leaving. I will let introduce the panelists. That would be superfluous. I want to point out is not true as some people have suggested that we hired barack obama to the advance publicity person for this conference. That is not true. He did it on his own initiative but we are delighted that he was able to bring such focus to this important issue. I think it is an important debate and there are no easy answers i think. Alex nowesteh will start things off with a crisis of his broadside and Mark Krikorian will follow. The other panelists will comment on it and we will allow alex and mark to respond and open up to the audience so perhaps you will have something you would like to say as well. Thank you for that introduction. Thank you to hudson for putting together this great event for publishing the book, for the center of the Immigration Studies, for cosponsoring it and for all of you being here today. I believe american i
The book is about the migration experiences of three people, who become representative of the larger whole, which was, essentially the defection of 60 million africanamericans from the south to the north, to the midwest and the west, from 1915, world war i, until 1970, when the south began truly to change. I went to a movie last weekend and they handed me this as im going into the movie. Wont tell you what it was but i want to read it to you. Every day more migrants are coming into the cities to seek a better life for their children. The scale of this massive migration from the poor countryside to the burgeoning cities is unprecedented in human history. The migrants provide a constant and cheap source of labor for excountries booming cities and the thriving economy is built on the backs of those citizens. Do you have any idea what country that is . Well it could be almost any, it could be any country but im thinking the United States and southerners. But i wrote this book with the idea
The park so its been with me all this time. But i think when it comes to the actual writing of the book it probably started very likely after i had gotten out and then a reporter for the New York Times and started to talk to people in other parts of the country. I was the Chicago Bureau chief for the New York Times and i would be in chicago and cleveland and detroit in that began to hear there were similar experiences people head. Nobody talked about it as a migration experience. There was just talk about it as well i cant talk about it. This weekend we will have to go back to mississippi where theres a Family Reunion or a funeral i have to go to. We began to connect the dots and realize it was so much bigger than my connection to their experience in chicago with an national outpouring of people. Cspan give us a brief synopsis of what the book is about. Guest the book is about the migration experiences of three people who become representative of a larger whole which was essentially th