>> John: HI THERE!
WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
STILL TAKING PLACE IN THIS BLANK
VOID THAT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE
THE INSIDE OF AN EGG, FROM THE
OFF-WHITE WALLS TO THE EERIE
SILENCE TO THE CREATURE IN THE
MIDDLE WHO RESEMBLES
AN UNBORN CHICKEN.
YOU'RE GETTING THE FULL EGG
EXPERIENCE RIGHT NOW.
AND LET'S DIVE STRAIGHT IN WITH
THE CORONAVIRUS, THE REASON
THAT WE'RE ALL GOOGLING
"FACE MASK DROPLETS" AND THEN
DOING IT AGAIN BUT WITH THE
SAFE SEARCH ON.
THIS WEEK SAW THE GRIM MILESTONE
OF 150,000 DEATHS IN THE U.S.,
WHICH YOU WOULD THINK WOULD
IMPEL PEOPLE HERE TO TAKE THE
VIRUS SERIOUSLY.
YET STORIES KEEP CROPPING UP OF
MASSIVE GATHERINGS, FROM AT
LEAST 43 PEOPLE TESTING POSITIVE
FOR CORONAVIRUS AFTER ATTENDING
A MICHIGAN HOUSE PARTY, TO MORE
THAN 700 PEOPLE ATTENDING A NEW
JERSEY AIRBNB PARTY, PROMPTING
THIS RESPONSE FROM THE GOVERNOR.
>> YES, IT'S HOT.
YES, IT'S SUMMER.
YES, WE ALL WANT, AND IN MANY
CASES, NEED, TO BLOW OFF SOME
STEAM, BUT THIS IS NO TIME FOR
ANYONE TO BE VYING FOR INDUCTION
INTO THE KNUCKLEHEAD HALL OF
FAME.
>> John: YEAH, AND FOR THE
RECORD, NEW JERSEY'S KNUCKLEHEAD
HALL OF FAME IS BENNIES;
THAT GABAGOOL FROM PHILLY WHO
THOUGHT HE COULD PUMP HIS OWN
GAS; CHRIS CHRISTIE;
CHRIS CHRISTIE AGAIN BECAUSE OF
THAT TIME HE SAT ON THE BEACH;
RALPH CIFARETTO; SLOW DRIVERS;
FAST DRIVERS; AND JARED KUSHNER.
YEAH!
JARED'S FROM JERSEY!
I KNOW HE LOOKS LIKE HE JUST
EMERGED FROM A VAT OF VASELINE
FULLY FORMED AS A SHINY HAUNTED
HATE MANNEQUIN, BUT HE'S
ACTUALLY FROM THE GARDEN STATE.
AND THAT WASN'T EVEN THE MOST
IRRITATING RECENT MASS
GATHERING.
>> THIS MORNING, THIS VIRAL
VIDEO FROM A CHAINSMOKERS
CONCERT IN THE HAMPTONS OVER THE
WEEKEND, WITH FANS SEEMINGLY
IGNORING ALL SOCIAL DISTANCING,
HAS NEW YORK'S GOVERNOR UP IN
ARMS.
>> John: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
IMAGINE RISKING YOUR LIFE TO SEE
THE CHAINSMOKERS.
ALTHOUGH IT AT LEAST ADDS A NEW
DIMENSION TO THEIR LYRICS, NOW
THAT "WE AIN'T EVER GETTING
OLDER" COULD REASONABLY BE
FOLLOWED BY "BECAUSE WE
CONTRACTED A DEADLY VIRUS AT OUR
STUPID CONCERT IN SOUTHAMPTON."
AND TO BE FAIR, THE EVENT
ORGANIZERS AND PERFORMERS SAY
THAT THEY FOLLOWED ALL CDC AND
STATE GUIDELINES.
AND THEY CERTAINLY DID THEIR
PART TO TRY AND DRIVE PEOPLE
AWAY.
>> THE CONCERT ALSO FEATURED A
PERFORMANCE BY GOLDMAN SACHS CEO
DAVID SOLOMON, WHO MOONLIGHTS AS
A DJ.
>> John: YES.
HE DOES.
HE APPARENTLY CALLS HIMSELF
"DJ D-SOL," AND ON SPOTIFY, HE
HAS NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT SEVEN
REMIXES OF THE R&B CLASSIC
"RESCUE ME," ALL OF WHICH ARE --
AND I SAY THIS AS RESPECTFULLY
AS POSSIBLE -- FUCKING GARBAGE.
AND WHILE I PERSONALLY DON'T
UNDERSTAND THE ATTRACTION IN
WATCHING DJ BUSINESS
BRUCE WILLIS HIT PLAY
ON AN iPHONE, IT IS CLEAR,
RECKLESSNESS IS ABOUNDING RIGHT
NOW, HEIGHTENING THE NEED FOR
STRONG LEADERSHIP.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE'RE GETTING
THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF THAT.
JUST A WEEK AFTER TRUMP WAS
GIVEN CREDIT FOR "SHIFTING HIS
RHETORIC" BY URGING AMERICANS TO
WEAR MASKS, HE DID SOMETHING
THAT, EVEN FOR HIM, WAS
SHOCKINGLY RECKLESS.
>> THE PRESIDENT AGAIN USED HIS
TWITTER ACCOUNT TO SPREAD
MISINFORMATION, TWEETING VIDEO
OF A DOCTOR DENOUNCING THE USE
OF MASKS AND PROMOTING
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE.
THAT DOCTOR, WHO WAS ONLY
LICENSED TO PRACTICE MEDICINE IN
TEXAS LAST NOVEMBER, HAS A
HISTORY OF OUTRAGEOUS
STATEMENTS, SUCH AS SAYING
HEALTH PROBLEMS CAN BE CAUSED BY
DEMONS.
>> John: YEAH!
THAT'S PRETTY UPSETTING COMING
FROM A DOCTOR.
YOU'D EXPECT THAT BULLSHIT FROM
SOME IDIOT WHO CLAIMS TO KNOW
ABOUT MEDICINE BUT DOESN'T HAVE
A MEDICAL LICENSE, LIKE YOUR
DIPSHIT UNCLE OR DR. PHIL.
BUT FROM A LICENSED MEDICAL
PROFESSIONAL, THAT IS WILDLY
IRRESPONSIBLE.
SHE'S ALSO REPORTEDLY CLAIMED
THAT ALIEN DNA IS BEING USED IN
MEDICAL TREATMENTS, THE
GOVERNMENT IS RUN BY REPTILIANS,
AND THAT SCIENTISTS ARE COOKING
UP A VACCINE TO PREVENT PEOPLE
FROM BECOMING RELIGIOUS.
WHICH, LOOK, WE ALREADY HAVE
THAT LAST ONE.
IT'S CALLED "KIRK CAMERON'S
SAVING CHRISTMAS."
POP THAT DVD IN AND 79 MINUTES
LATER YOU'LL BE CONVINCED NO GOD
WOULD LET THIS HAPPEN.
AND WHEN HER COMMENTS WERE
POINTED OUT TO THE PRESIDENT, HE
REFUSED TO BACK DOWN.
>> SHE WAS ON AIR ALONG WITH
MANY OTHER DOCTORS.
THEY WERE BIG FANS OF
HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, AND I
THOUGHT SHE WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE
IN THE SENSE THAT, FROM WHERE
SHE CAME --
I DON'T KNOW WHICH COUNTRY
SHE COMES FROM, BUT SHE SAID
THAT SHE'S HAD TREMENDOUS
SUCCESS WITH HUNDREDS OF
DIFFERENT PATIENTS.
AND I THOUGHT HER VOICE WAS AN
IMPORTANT VOICE, BUT I KNOW
NOTHING ABOUT HER.
>> John: WOW.
HE THINKS HER VOICE IS IMPORTANT
BUT ADMITS TO KNOWING NOTHING
ELSE ABOUT HER.
THAT IS NOT THE PHILOSOPHY YOU
WANT WHEN VETTING MEDICAL
EXPERTS.
IT'S BARELY A PHILOSOPHY YOU
WANT ON "THE VOICE."
SURE, THE JUDGES START BY
KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT THE
CONTESTANTS BESIDES THEIR VOICE,
BUT ONCE THEIR INTERESTS ARE
PIQUED, THEY KNOW TO TURN THE
FUCK AROUND TO INVESTIGATE.
AND DOWNPLAYING THE RISKS OF
THIS CAN HAVE DIRE CONSEQUENCES.
ON THURSDAY, HERMAN CAIN DIED,
ABOUT SIX WEEKS AFTER ATTENDING
A TRUMP RALLY IN TULSA WHERE HE
WAS PHOTOGRAPHED WITHOUT A MASK,
LATER TWEETING THAT "PEOPLE ARE
FED UP" OF BEING MADE TO WEAR
THEM.
AND THIS, SADLY, WON'T BE THE
LAST TIME WE SEE PEOPLE FIND OUT
THE HARD WAY HOW SERIOUS THIS
IS.
BECAUSE ON WEDNESDAY, YET
ANOTHER MEMBER OF CONGRESS
TESTED POSITIVE.
>> TEXAS CONGRESSMAN
LOUIE GOHMERT, SPOTTED ON
CAPITOL HILL JUST YESTERDAY
MASKLESS, WALKING NEAR
ATTORNEY GENERAL BILL BARR,
GETTING HIS DIAGNOSIS AT THE
WHITE HOUSE THIS MORNING.
BUT GOHMERT DIDN'T IMMEDIATELY
ISOLATE HIMSELF.
INSTEAD HE RETURNED TO HIS
CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE TO TELL HIS
STAFF IN PERSON.
>> John: WHAT?
IF THAT'S TRUE, IT'S ABSURD.
BECAUSE "I'M CARRYING A HIGHLY
INFECTIOUS DISEASE" IS NEVER
NEWS THAT NEEDS TO BE TOLD IN
PERSON, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE
ARE PLENTY OF BETTER WAYS TO DO
IT.
YOU COULD HIRE A SKYWRITER TO
WRITE "I'M POSI FOR CORONA."
YOU COULD MAKE A CUSTOM
CROSSWORD PUZZLE THAT SPELLS OUT
"YOUR BOSS HAS THE CORONA."
YOU COULD GO ON CAMEO AND GET
STEVE GUTTENBERG TO RECORD A
MESSAGE FOR THEM.
SERIOUSLY, HE'LL DO IT.
LOOK.
>> HEY, QUICK MESSAGE FOR
LOUIE GOHMERT'S STAFF:
YOUR BOSS HAS THE 'RONA.
OBVIOUSLY HE'D HAVE TO BE A
COMPLETE IDIOT TO TELL YOU THAT
IN PERSON, SO HE GOT ME,
STEVE GUTTENBERG, TO TELL YOU
INSTEAD.
>> STAY 6 FEET AWAY OR MORE FROM
HIM AND WEAR A MASK.
I WAS IN "POLICE ACADEMY"!
BYE!
>> John: BEST $150 I EVER SPENT.
NOW, GOHMERT INSISTS HE NOTIFIED
HIS STAFF BY PHONE, AND ONLY
THEN DID HE VISIT HIS OFFICE,
WEARING A MASK.
BUT SHOWING UP IN PERSON AT ALL
IS STILL THE LEVEL OF
CLUELESSNESS YOU'D KIND OF
EXPECT FROM A GUY WHO ALWAYS
LOOKS LIKE HE HASN'T YET
REALIZED HIS TOUPEE BLEW OFF.
AND THIS IS REPORTEDLY JUST THE
BEGINNING OF HIS STAFF'S
PROBLEMS WITH HIM.
>> THIS IS A LETTER FROM AN AIDE
TO LOUIE GOHMERT, POLITICO SAYS.
"THANK YOU FOR LETTING OUR
OFFICE KNOW LOUIE TESTED
POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS."
"WHEN YOU WRITE YOUR STORY, CAN
YOU INCLUDE THE FACT THAT LOUIE
REQUIRES FULL STAFF TO BE IN THE
OFFICE, INCLUDING THREE INTERNS,
SO THAT WE CAN BE AN EXAMPLE TO
AMERICA ON HOW TO OPEN UP
SAFELY.
WHEN PROBING THE OFFICE, YOU
MIGHT WANT TO ASK HOW OFTEN WERE
PEOPLE BERATED FOR WEARING
MASKS."
>> John: WOW.
AND WHILE GOHMERT DISPUTES THAT
CLAIM TOO, IT GOES WITHOUT
SAYING, NOBODY SHOULD BE BERATED
FOR WEARING A MASK.
UNLESS, OF COURSE, IT'S HANGING
BELOW THEIR CHIN, WHICH IS A BIT
LIKE PUTTING A DIAPER AROUND A
BABY'S ANKLES.
YOU CLEARLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND
HOW BUTTS WORK.
AND LOOK, THIS RECKLESS
INDIFFERENCE -- WHETHER IT'S
COMING FROM THESE IDIOTS, THIS
IDIOT, THAT IDIOT, THIS
ESPECIALLY IDIOTIC IDIOT,
OR THE MOST POWERFUL IDIOT
OF ALL -- IS COSTING PEOPLE
THEIR LIVES.
AND IT'S PAST TIME THAT WE START
PROTECTING EACH OTHER AND TAKING
THIS SERIOUSLY.
BECAUSE THANKS TO THESE GUYS,
THE KNUCKLEHEAD HALL OF FAME IS
GETTING PRETTY FUCKING CROWDED.
AND NOW THIS.
>> Announce>> Announcer: AND NON
EXTRA $150, STEVE GUTENBERG
RAINSTORMS NAMES FOR A
COWORKER'S NEW DOG.
>> LET'S SEE.
DAISY, DANIEL.
FRANK.
BINGO.
SPORT.
VIRGINIA WOOF.
BUMBLEBEE.
ALL, DR. WAGS-A-LOT.
BUT, YOU CAN NEVER GO WRONG WITH
BINGO.
>> Announcer: AND NOW, AW,
THANKS, STEVE.
>> John: MOVING ON.
OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS
HISTORY, A SUBJECT SO
FASCINATING, WE'RE SOMETIMES
WILLING TO DO CRAZY EXPERIMENTS
LIKE THIS:
>> SCIENTISTS WERE ABLE TO MIMIC
NESYAMUN'S VOICE BY RECREATING
HIS MOUTH AND VOCAL CORDS WITH A
3D PRINTER.
IT ALLOWED THEM TO PRODUCE A
SINGLE SOUND.
>> EH.
EH.
>> John: EXCELLENT.
FINALLY AN ANSWER TO THE
QUESTION THAT SCHOLARS HAVE
ASKED FOR AGES: WHAT WOULD AN
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN SOUND LIKE IF
HE ORGASMED WHILE TAKING
ANTIDEPRESSANTS?
BUT LOOK, SADLY, HISTORY ISN'T
ALWAYS FUN, WEIRD MUMMY
VENTRILOQUY.
IT CAN BE PAINFUL TOO, AS
AMERICA HAS RECENTLY BEEN
REMINDED, BECAUSE GEORGE FLOYD'S
MURDER HAS FORCED A HARD
NATIONAL CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS
COUNTRY'S PRESENT, WHICH IS
IMPOSSIBLE TO DO EFFECTIVELY
WITHOUT RE-EXAMINING ITS PAST.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S NOT A
CONVERSATION THAT ALL AMERICANS
ARE WELL-EQUIPPED TO HAVE,
BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME
EMBARRASSING GAPS IN MANY
PEOPLE'S KNOWLEDGE OF U.S.
HISTORY.
JUST LOOK WHAT HAPPENED A FEW
WEEKS BACK, WHEN THE PRESIDENT,
IN THE MIDST OF NATIONWIDE
BLACK LIVES MATTER PROTESTS,
ANNOUNCED PLANS TO HOLD A RALLY
IN TULSA ON JUNE 19TH, A
DECISION ASTONISHINGLY TONE-DEAF
FOR TWO KEY REASONS.
>> NEXT FRIDAY, JUNE 19TH, IS
JUNETEENTH, AN ANNUAL HOLIDAY
COMMEMORATING THE END OF SLAVERY
IN THE U.S.
AS FOR TULSA, 99 YEARS AGO THIS
MONTH IN 1921, THE CITY
WITNESSED THE TULSA RACE
MASSACRE, ONE OF THE NATION'S
WORST OUTBREAKS OF RACIAL
VIOLENCE, RECENTLY PORTRAYED IN
HBO'S "WATCHMEN."
>> John: NOW, THE REASON THEY'RE
MENTIONING "WATCHMEN" THERE IS,
A LOT OF AMERICANS LEARNED ABOUT
THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE FOR THE
VERY FIRST TIME, NEARLY A
CENTURY AFTER IT HAPPENED, FROM
WATCHING THAT SHOW.
BASICALLY, THE NIGHT THAT
EPISODE AIRED, MANY WHITE
AMERICANS WENT, "HOLY SHIT!
I HAD NO IDEA THIS HAPPENED!"
WHILE MANY BLACK AMERICANS WENT,
"HOLY SHIT!
WHITE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO FREAK
THE FUCK OUT WHEN THEY FIND OUT
THIS HAPPENED!
DEBBIE AT WORK IS GOING TO WANT
TO HAVE A CONVERSATION."
THE COVERAGE OF THAT TRUMP RALLY
DIDN'T JUST INTRODUCE MANY
AMERICANS TO THAT MASSACRE, BUT
ALSO TO THE VERY CONCEPT OF
JUNETEENTH, THE DAY THAT
COMMEMORATES WHEN UNION TROOPS
INFORMED TEXAS THAT ENSLAVED
PEOPLE THAT MUST FINALLY BE
FREED,
TWO YEARS AFTER SLAVERY HAD BEEN
ABOLISHED, BY THE WAY.
A RECENT POLL SHOWED A SHOCKING
48% OF AMERICANS WERE EITHER
"NOT AT ALL" OR "NOT VERY AWARE"
OF JUNETEENTH.
WHICH IS NOT GOOD.
I MEAN, IT'D BE FINE IF NEARLY
HALF OF AMERICANS WERE UNAWARE
OF GROUNDHOG DAY, THE
MEANINGLESS DATE WHEN AN IDIOT
DRESSED LIKE GOTH WILLY WONKA
HOLDS UP A NON-CLAIRVOYANT
WOODCHUCK WHOSE
FACE SOMEHOW SCREAMS
"I HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO."
BUT JUNETEENTH ACTUALLY MEANS
SOMETHING.
AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF MANY GAPS
IN KNOWLEDGE THAT SOME ARE NOW
REALIZING THEY HAVE.
JUST WATCH JOY BEHAR TRY TO
EXPLAIN WHY STATUES OF
GEORGE WASHINGTON SHOULD BE LEFT
ALONE, AND IN DOING SO, ACTUALLY
LEARNING SOMETHING.
>> BUT GEORGE WASHINGTON,
BESIDES BEING A FOUNDING FATHER
AND A GREAT GENERAL AND SOMEBODY
WHO WAS SO INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS
UNION THAT WE HAVE, IN THIS
REPUBLIC, ALSO FREED HIS SLAVES.
SO IF YOU'RE GONNA TAKE SOMEBODY
DOWN, TAKE DOWN --
>> MMM.
>> THOMAS JEFFERSON, WHO
DIDN'T -- WHO DIDN'T FREE HIS
SLAVES.
NO?
SUNNY DISAGREES.
>> HE DIDN'T FREE HIS SLAVES.
>> HE DIDN'T.
>> HE ACTUALLY SPENT THE LAST
YEAR OF HIS LIFE --
>> OH.
>> RET -- LIKE, RELENTLESSLY
PURSUING SLAVES THAT TRIED TO
RUN AWAY.
HE WAS A HORRIBLE SLAVE OWNER.
>> John: YEAH, HE WAS.
AS USUAL, SUNNY HOSTIN IS VERY
RIGHT, AND MEGHAN McCAIN IS
VERY "THERE."
BECAUSE, WHILE WASHINGTON DID
PROMISE TO FREE HIS SLAVES IN
HIS WILL, IT SPECIFIED THEY
WOULDN'T GAIN THEIR FREEDOM
UNTIL HIS WIFE'S DEATH.
SO ONLY ONE PERSON WAS FREED
IMMEDIATELY AFTER WASHINGTON
DIED OUT OF OVER A HUNDRED.
ALSO, HE ACTUALLY BECAME A SLAVE
OWNER AT JUST 11 YEARS OLD --
A FACT SO HORRIFYING, IT'S HARD
TO KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.
AT THE VERY LEAST, THE STORY OF
HIM CHOPPING DOWN A CHERRY TREE
AS A CHILD AND ADMITTING IT TO
HIS FATHER BY SAYING "I CANNOT
TELL A LIE" GETS WAY LESS
CHARMING IF THE NEXT PART IS HIS
PARENTS SAYING, "THANK YOU FOR
BEING HONEST, GEORGE.
AS A REWARD, HERE ARE SOME HUMAN
BEINGS TO OWN."
AND THE THING IS, JOY BEHAR'S
VERSION OF HISTORY, WHILE NOT
ACCURATE, IS DEFINITELY MORE
PALATABLE, ESPECIALLY FOR WHITE
PEOPLE, AND SEEKING OUT
MISLEADINGLY COMFORTING VERSIONS
OF HISTORY IS A PATTERN WE'VE
SEEN AGAIN AND AGAIN THIS YEAR.
FROM THE NUMBER-ONE MOVIE ON
NETFLIX DURING THE PROTESTS
FOLLOWING GEORGE FLOYD'S MURDER
BEING "THE HELP" TO JUST LAST
WEEK, WHEN SENATOR TOM COTTON
SAID SCHOOLS SHOULD LOSE FEDERAL
FUNDING IF THEY TEACH A
CURRICULUM BASED ON
"THE NEW YORK TIMES'"
1619 PROJECT, WHICH BRINGS
SLAVERY INTO THE FOREFRONT OF
AMERICAN HISTORY.
AND PERHAPS THE MOST ABSURD
DISCONNECT WAS, IN THE WAKE OF
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH AT A
-- EULOGY FOR
JOHN LEWIS THIS WEEK, IN
WHICH OBAMA ADVOCATED FOR
ABOLISHING THE FILIBUSTER TO
PROTECT THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT,
TUCKER CARLSON HAD THIS TO SAY:
>> IMAGINE IF SOME GREASY
POLITICIAN SHOWED UP AT YOUR
LOVED ONE'S FUNERAL AND STARTED
THROWING AROUND STUPID PARTISAN
TALKING POINTS ABOUT SENATE
PROCEDURE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT?
YOU WOULD BE SHOCKED IF THAT
HAPPENED.
YOU WOULD PROBABLY WALK OUT.
DESECRATING A FUNERAL WITH
CAMPAIGN SLOGANS, WHAT KIND OF
PERSON WOULD DO THAT?
>> John: WEIGHT.
WHAT KIND OF PERSON
WOULD HONOR A FRIEND'S LEGACY BY
CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR
VOTING RIGHTS?
I CAN THINK OF ONE.
JOHN FUCKING LEWIS WOULD DO
THAT.
AND THE TRUTH IS, WITH SO MANY
PEOPLE MISUNDERSTANDING OUR
HISTORY, EITHER BY ACCIDENT OR
VERY MUCH ON PURPOSE, WE THOUGHT
TONIGHT IT MIGHT BE WORTH
TALKING ABOUT HOW THE HISTORY OF
RACE IN AMERICA IS CURRENTLY
TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS -- WHAT THE
GAPS ARE, WHY THEY'RE THERE, AND
HOW WE CAN FILL THEM.
AND LET'S START WITH THE FACT
THAT THERE ARE NO NATIONAL
STANDARDS FOR WHAT TOPICS OR
FIGURES STUDENTS MUST LEARN
ABOUT AT SCHOOL.
AND STATE STANDARDS VARY WIDELY.
WHEN CBS LOOKED INTO IT THIS
YEAR, IT FOUND "SEVEN STATES DO
NOT DIRECTLY MENTION SLAVERY IN
THEIR STATE STANDARDS," ONLY TWO
MENTION WHITE SUPREMACY, WHILE
16 LIST STATES' RIGHTS AS A
CAUSE OF THE CIVIL WAR.
AND WE ACTUALLY DID A WHOLE
21-MINUTE PIECE ABOUT WHAT'S
WRONG WITH THAT ARGUMENT, BUT
THIS CLIP EXPLAINS IT
SIGNIFICANTLY QUICKER.
>> THE ROOT OF THE CIVIL WAR IS
CLEAR.
>> WHAT CAUSED THE CIVIL WAR
WAS --
>> SLAVERY.
>> THE MAIN CAUSE AND WHY THE
SOUTH DECIDED TO SECEDE WAS --
>> SLAVERY.
>> SO, WHY DO OUR HISTORY
TEXTBOOKS GET IT SO WRONG?
>> Y'ALL DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH
THE UP THAT
Y'ALL ANCESTORS DID.
>> John: YEAH, THAT PRETTY MUCH
SUMS IT UP.
IT CAN BE HARD TO DEAL WITH WHAT
YOUR ANCESTORS DID -- TRUST ME,
I'M BRITISH.
ONE OF OUR MOST FAMOUS TOURIST
ATTRACTIONS IS A CASTLE WHERE WE
EXECUTED PEOPLE FOR CENTURIES
AND HAVE NOW FILLED WITH
STOLEN JEWELS, LIKE THE
KOH-I-NOOR DIAMOND -- WHICH,
ACCORDING TO THE TOWER'S
WEBSITE, WAS "PRESENTED TO
QUEEN VICTORIA."
AND THAT VERB IS DOING A LOT OF
HEAVY LIFTING THERE.
IT WAS "PRESENTED" IN PRETTY
MUCH THE SAME WAY THAT INDIA
WAS, INSOMUCH AS IT WAS PRESENT
AND BRITAIN FUCKING TOOK IT.
AND FOR ALL THE CURRENT
HAND-WRINGING ABOUT HOW ANY
CHANGES WOULD POLITICIZE U.S.
HISTORY, IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING
THAT THE TEACHING OF IT HAS
ALWAYS BEEN POLITICAL.
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, THE BATTLE
OVER HOW HISTORY WOULD BE TOLD
IN TEXTBOOKS WAS INTENSE.
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE SAYING
"HISTORY IS WRITTEN BY THE
WINNERS?
THE SOUTH SET OUT TO PROVE THAT
WRONG.
ONE ORGANIZATION, CALLED THE
UNITED DAUGHTERS OF THE
CONFEDERACY, CAMPAIGNED FOR
SCHOOLS TO ADOPT TEXTBOOKS THAT
WOULD "ACCORD FULL JUSTICE TO
THE SOUTH," TELLING LIBRARIANS
TO WRITE "UNJUST TO THE SOUTH"
ON THE ONES THAT DIDN'T.
WHICH IS CLEARLY ABSURD.
THAT'D BE LIKE A LIBRARIAN
WRITING "UNJUST TO VOLDEMORT" ON
"HARRY POTTERS" ONE THROUGH
SEVEN OR "UNJUST TO WHALE" ON
"MOBY DICK" OR "UNJUST TO
L. RON HUBBARD" ON LEAH REMINI'S
"TROUBLEMAKER: SURVIVING
HOLLYWOOD AND SCIENTOLOGY."
BUT THAT IMPULSE -- TO DOWNPLAY
THE HORRORS OF SLAVERY -- HAS
MARKED HOW SCHOOLCHILDREN HAVE
LEARNED ABOUT IT EVER SINCE.
A GEORGIA TEXTBOOK FROM THE
'50s CLAIMED, "THE MASTER OFTEN
HAD A BARBECUE OR A PICNIC FOR
HIS SLAVES.
THEN THEY HAD A GREAT FROLIC."
AND LOOK, EVERY EXCUSE FOR
SLAVERY IS SHITTY, BUT "WE GAVE
THEM SANDWICHES SOMETIMES" HAS
TO BE ONE OF THE SHITTIEST.
AND SOME WHO LEARNED HISTORY
FROM BOOKS LIKE THOSE COULDN'T
BELIEVE WHAT THEY WERE BEING
TOLD AT THE TIME -- JUST WATCH
THIS ALABAMA SCHOOLTEACHER
REVISIT HER FOURTH-GRADE
TEXTBOOK, "KNOW ALABAMA":
>> "SOME SLAVES WERE GOOD
WORKERS AND VERY OBEDIENT.
MANY TOOK PRIDE IN WHAT THEY DID
AND LOVED THEIR CABINS AND THE
PLANTATION AS IF THEY ACTUALLY
OWNED THEM.
OTHERS WERE LAZY, DISOBEDIENT,
AND SOMETIMES VICIOUS."
I WONDER WHAT KIND OF SLAVE I
WOULD HAVE BEEN.
I WONDER IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN
ONE OF THOSE LAZY SLAVES WHO
JUST WERE NOT WILLING TO WORK
FOR NOTHING OR DISOBEDIENT
BECAUSE I JUST DIDN'T WANT TO BE
A SLAVE.
>> John: YEAH.
THAT CONTEMPT IS FULLY MERITED
THERE.
BECAUSE AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE
IDEA THAT BEING A "LAZY" SLAVE
WAS A CHARACTER FLAW, AS OPPOSED
TO A FREQUENT ACT OF PROTEST
AGAINST A BRUTALLY UNJUST
SYSTEM, IS INFURIATING.
AND IT MAKES "KNOW ALABAMA"
SOUND LESS LIKE THE TITLE OF
THAT TEXTBOOK AND MORE LIKE
SOMETHING YOU'D YELL AT IT:
"NO, ALABAMA!
STOP THAT!
BAD TEXTBOOK!
NO!"
AND THOSE PASSAGES WERE IN THE
STANDARD ALABAMA HISTORY
TEXTBOOK INTO THE '70s.
SO PEOPLE WHO READ THEM AND MAY
HAVE BEEN SHAPED BY THEIR
CONTENT ARE NOW IN THEIR 50s,
DOING THINGS LIKE RUNNING
BUSINESSES OR HOLDING ELECTED
OFFICE.
AND WHILE NEWER TEXTBOOKS MAY
NOT BE QUITE THAT EGREGIOUS,
THERE ARE STILL PROBLEMS.
EARLIER THIS YEAR, ONE HISTORIAN
FLAGGED A PRETTY REMARKABLE
EUPHEMISM IN A CURRENT TEXAS
SCHOOLBOOK:
>> THIS IS A PICTURE, AND THE
CAPTION SAYS, "SOME U.S.
SETTLERS BROUGHT SLAVES TO TEXAS
TO HELP WORK THE FIELDS AND DO
CHORES."
AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T --
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD DESCRIBE
SLAVE LABOR AS CHORES.
>> John: YEAH, WE SHOULDN'T.
CALLING SLAVE LABOR "CHORES" IS
A EUPHEMISM ON PAR WITH CALLING
HITLER A "BEST-SELLING AUTHOR
WITH A SIDE HUSTLE," OR JFK'S
ASSASSINATION A "BAD HAIR DAY"
OR THIS "A COMEDY SHOW."
AND LOOK, STATE STANDARDS AND
TEXTBOOKS ARE JUST A BASELINE
HERE.
WHAT HAPPENS IN A CLASSROOM
LARGELY DEPENDS ON TEACHERS, WHO
HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT JOB, OFTEN
WORKING WITH SCANT RESOURCES,
MEANING THAT, AMONG OTHER
THINGS, THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO
GET UPDATED VERSIONS OF
TEXTBOOKS.
AND SOME WORK TO CORRECT POOR
MATERIALS.
BUT OTHERS CAN ACTUALLY MAKE
THINGS EVEN WORSE, WITH
TONE-DEAF ASSIGNMENTS AND
CLASSROOM EXERCISES THAT YOU MAY
BE FAMILIAR WITH FROM LOCAL NEWS
STORIES LIKE THESE:
>> THIS IS THE ACTIVITY IN
QUESTION.
IT ASKS STUDENTS TO CHOOSE TO BE
A SLAVE OR A SLAVE OWNER, AND
THEN TO WRITE A JOURNAL ENTRY
THAT DESCRIBES DAILY ACTIVITIES
BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR.
>> THE QUESTION ABOUT SLAVERY
READ, "YOU OWN A PLANTATION OR
FARM AND THEREFORE NEED MORE
WORKERS.
SET YOUR PRICE FOR A SLAVE.
THESE COULD BE WORTH A LOT.
>> THIS NORTH CAROLINA
GRANDMOTHER COULDN'T BELIEVE
THE ASSIGNMENT GIVEN TO HER
FOURTH GRADER.
>> AND THEN THIS GAME IS CALLED
"ESCAPING SLAVERY."
>> A SLAVERY-THEMED
MONOPOLY-LIKE GAME STUDENTS
PLAYED IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
CHILDREN WORKED IN SMALL GROUPS,
GOT THIS "FREEDOM PUNCH CARD."
IF THE GROUP RAN INTO TROUBLE,
THE CARD SAID THEY'D BE SEVERELY
PUNISHED AND SENT BACK TO THE
PLANTATION TO WORK AS A SLAVE.
>> WERE THEY GONNA HANG THEM?
WERE THEY GONNA KILL 'EM?
>> John: WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU
DOING THERE?
YOU CAN'T REDUCE A PERSON'S
FREEDOM FROM SLAVERY DOWN TO
WHAT IS BASICALLY A JIMMY JOHN'S
PUNCH CARD.
AND JUST IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD
FEEL LIKE TO BE A BLACK KID IN
THAT CLASSROOM -- OR, IF YOU
DON'T HAVE TO IMAGINE, REMEMBER.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE
HISTORY THAT HURTS HERE, IT'S
HOW YOU'RE BEING MADE TO FEEL
WHILE YOU LEARN IT.
AND THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH
STORIES LIKE THOSE TEND TO CROP
UP MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH
THE FACT THAT THE OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY OF SCHOOL TEACHERS ARE
WHITE AND MANY MAY'VE GREW UP
LEARNING THE SAME SKEWED VERSION
OF HISTORY THAT THEY'RE NOW
PASSING ON.
AND WHEN YOU TAKE ALL THIS
TOGETHER, WE'RE GIVING KIDS
INCOMPLETE EDUCATIONS IN
HISTORY, WHILE ALSO DOING REAL
HARM.
BECAUSE THOSE KIDS GROW UP.
JUST LISTEN TO THIS GUY FROM
TULSA EXPLAINING HOW HE FELT
WHEN HE FINALLY FOUND OUT ABOUT
THAT 1921 MASSACRE WHERE HE
LIVED.
>> WHEN I WENT TO OU IN 1998, I
WAS SITTING IN A CLASS OF
AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY.
AND THE PROFESSOR WAS TALKING
ABOUT THIS PLACE WHERE
BLACK PEOPLE HAD BUSINESSES AND
HAD MONEY AND HAD DOCTORS AND
LAWYERS.
AND HE SAID IT WAS IN TULSA.
AND I RAISED MY HAND, I SAID,
"NO, I'M FROM TULSA.
THAT'S NOT ACCURATE."
AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS
MASSACRE, RIOT.
I SAID, "MAN, WHAT ARE YOU
TALKING ABOUT?"
I SAID, "I WENT TO SCHOOL ON
GREENWOOD.
I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS EVER."
>> John: THAT'S TERRIBLE.
AND HIS SCHOOL REALLY LET
HIM DOWN THERE.
THINK OF THE EMOTIONAL WHIPLASH
THAT MAN WENT THROUGH.
HE FOUND OUT SOMETHING AMAZING
HAD ONCE EXISTED RIGHT WHERE HE
LIVED, SOMETHING HORRIBLE HAD
TAKEN IT AWAY, AND THAT THE
HISTORY HAD BEEN KEPT FROM HIM.
AND ALL OF THIS HAD HAPPENED
LESS THAN A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.
THE DINOSAURS DIED 65 MILLION
YEARS AGO, AND YOU'D STILL BE
FLOORED IF SOMEONE ONLY JUST
TOLD YOU ABOUT THEM.
"I'M SORRY, THERE WERE WHAT?
WHERE?
WHAT DO YOU MEAN, 'EVERYWHERE'?
AND THEY WERE HOW BIG?
SOME OF THEM COULD FLY?
WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM?
OH, NO!
HOW THE FUCK IS THIS THE FIRST
TIME SOMEONE'S MENTIONING THIS
TO ME?"
LOOK, IT'S PRETTY CLEAR WE NEED
TO UPGRADE THE WAY WE TEACH OUR
HISTORY.
AND WHILE I OBVIOUSLY DON'T HAVE
TIME TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT
HISTORY RIGHT NOW, IT MIGHT BE
WORTH GOING SLOWLY THROUGH THREE
BIG MISTAKES THAT MANY
HISTORIANS BELIEVE WE MAKE AND
SHOULD CORRECT IN SCHOOLS AND
BEYOND.
THE FIRST IS THAT WE DON'T FULLY
ACKNOWLEDGE THE HISTORY OF WHITE
SUPREMACY IN AMERICA, FROM ITS
FOUNDING TO THE PRESENT DAY.
AND I KNOW THAT ANYTIME SOMEONE
SUGGESTS TELLING CHILDREN
ANYTHING LESS THAN "JESUS WOULD
HAVE BEEN BEST FRIENDS WITH
ABRAHAM LINCOLN," THE PUSHBACK
IS FIERCE.
WATCH LAURA INGRAHAM TAKE ONE
SCHOOL BOARD'S DISCUSSION OF AN
ANTI-RACIST CURRICULUM AND SPIN
IT OUT INTO A DYSTOPIAN VISION
DESIGNED TO TERRIFY HER VIEWERS.
>> NOW, EVERY SUBJECT, EVERY
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY WILL BE
PERVERTED TO TURN YOUR KIDS INTO
MINI ILHAN OMARS.
THEY'RE GONNA LEARN THAT
CAPITALISM IS RACIST, HISTORY AS
CONVENTIONALLY TAUGHT IS RACIST,
LITERATURE -- MOST OF THAT'S
RACIST -- PATRIOTIC SONGS,
RACIST.
AND THE DECLARATION AND THE
CONSTITUTION, OF COURSE, THEY'RE
RACIST.
ARE YOU SENSING A THEME HERE?
>> John: NOW, LAURA INGRAHAM
MIGHT NOT SEEM LIKE SOMEONE
CAPABLE OF FOLLOWING ANYTHING,
APART FROM BLACK TEENAGERS
SIMPLY TRYING TO SHOP AT CVS,
BUT I THINK SHE HAS
PICKED UP ON A THEME THERE,
BECAUSE, SEEING AS SHE BROUGHT
UP THE CONSTITUTION, LET'S TALK
ABOUT IT.
THAT DOCUMENT IS A LOT OF
THINGS -- GENUINELY
REVOLUTIONARY AND THE FOUNDATION
OF AN IMPROBABLY LONG-LIVED
DEMOCRACY -- BUT IT IS INFUSED
WITH AND INEXTRICABLY LINKED TO
SLAVERY AND A LEGACY OF RACIAL
INEQUALITY.
FROM THE THREE-FIFTHS CLAUSE
THROUGH THE FUGITIVE SLAVE
CLAUSE, THE CONSTITUTION BOTH
CODIFIED SLAVERY AND MADE IT
HARDER FOR INDIVIDUALS TO ESCAPE
IT.
AND THE FACT THE CONSTITUTION
IS INFUSED WITH RACISM DOES NOT
MEAN IT'S CANCELED.
IT'S NOT A YOUTUBER WHO'S JUST
NOW REALIZING IT WAS WRONG TO DO
BLACKFACE FOR 14 YEARS.
AND IT DEFINITELY DOESN'T MEAN
THAT KIDS SHOULDN'T LEARN ABOUT
IT.
BUT THEY SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO SEE
IT AS AN IMPERFECT DOCUMENT WITH
IMPERFECT AUTHORS WHO BOTH
EXTOLLED THE IDEALS OF FREEDOM
FOR ALL WHILE AT THE SAME TIME
CODIFYING SLAVERY.
AND THAT IS POSSIBLE TO DO.
KIDS CAN UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS
CAN BE RACIST AND ALSO OTHER
THINGS.
THE CONSTITUTION CAN BE
REVOLUTIONARY AND ALSO RACIST.
MOVIES CAN BE ROMANTIC AND ALSO
RACIST.
CHILDREN'S BOOKS CAN BE CHARMING
AND ALSO RACIST.
BROADCASTERS CAN BE INCREDIBLY
SUCCESSFUL AND ALSO RACIST.
AND IF KIDS ARE TAUGHT AN
INCOMPLETE HISTORY, THEY EITHER
NEVER GET THE FULL STORY OR,
WHEN THEY DO, DON'T HAVE THE
FRAMEWORK TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE
PIECES FIT TOGETHER.
HERE'S ONE PROFESSOR, EXPLAINING
HOW HARD IT CAN BE FOR HIS
STUDENTS LEARNING THE WHOLE
TRUTH ABOUT THOMAS JEFFERSON.
>> WHAT THAT CHILD IS THEN GONNA
DO IS SAY, "WAIT A MINUTE, WHY
DIDN'T I KNOW THIS BEFORE?
I'VE BEEN RUNNING AROUND HERE
SINGING THOMAS JEFFERSON'S
PRAISES AND I DIDN'T REALIZE
THAT HE'S THE R. KELLY OF HIS
TIME."
>> SO WHILE IT MAY BE
UNCOMFORTABLE, HE SAYS YOU HAVE
TO BE HONEST.
>> I SWEAR OHIOANS SUFFER FROM
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD-ITIS,
RIGHT?
>> OH, YEAH.
>> YOU ASK THEM, "WHO WOULD HAVE
BEEN -- WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD?"
RIGHT?
IN CLASS, EVERY, EVERY WHITE
HAND GOES -- I MEAN, LOOK, IF
ALL Y'ALL WOULD HAVE BEEN DOWN
FOR THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD,
THIS WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN
UNDERGROUND, RIGHT?
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO NEED
FOR IT.
>> John: OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, IT
SAYS A LOT ABOUT JEFFERSON THAT,
IF YOU WENT BACK IN TIME,
EXPLAINED TO HIM WHO R. KELLY
WAS, AND TOLD HIM HE WAS BEING
COMPARED TO HIM, THE CHILD
PORNOGRAPHY CHARGES WOULD NOT BE
THE NUMBER ONE REASON HE'D BE
INSULTED BY THE COMPARISON.
BUT THAT PROFESSOR MAKES A GOOD
POINT.
THE LESS YOU KNOW ABOUT HISTORY,
THE EASIER IT IS TO IMAGINE
YOU'D ALWAYS BE ON THE RIGHT
SIDE OF IT, BECAUSE THE TRUTH
IS, THE HISTORY OF AMERICA IS A
HISTORY OF CHANGING AN AMERICA
THAT BADLY DOES NOT WANT TO BE
CHANGED.
THAT ACTUALLY BRINGS US TO THE
SECOND COMMON MISTAKE WE MAKE:
VIEWING AMERICAN HISTORY'S
PROGRESS AS IF IT WAS CONSTANTLY
AND INEVITABLY UPWARD.
TOO OFTEN, U.S. HISTORY IS
REDUCED DOWN TO, "THERE WAS
SLAVERY, THEN THERE WAS A
CIVIL WAR, THEN THERE WASN'T
SLAVERY ANYMORE, THEN THERE WAS
A CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, THEN
THERE WASN'T RACISM ANYMORE."
JUST A SMOOTH, STEADY UPWARD
ARC.
BUT THE MOMENTS ON EITHER SIDE
OF THOSE LANDMARK ERAS
COMPLICATE THE HELL OUT OF THAT
ARC, BECAUSE THEY WERE FILLED
WITH WHITE HOSTILITY AND UGLY
BACKSLIDING.
TAKE THE CENTURY BETWEEN
THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR AND THE
CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, WHICH IS OFTEN
GLOSSED OVER BUT SHOULD PROBABLY
BE TAUGHT A LOT MORE THOROUGHLY.
IT BEGINS WITH RECONSTRUCTION, A
DOZEN OR SO YEARS OF REAL
PROMISE, WHEN, VERY BASICALLY,
THE SOUTH WAS FORCED TO REDRAW
THEIR CONSTITUTIONS AND PERMIT
THE REGISTRATION OF BLACK
VOTERS.
THAT'S RIGHT, BLACK MEN
IN THE SOUTH WERE VOTING IN THE
1860s AND 1870s.
WHEN THEY FOUGHT FOR THE
VOTING RIGHTS ACT IN THE 1960s,
THEY WERE FIGHTING TO GET BACK
SOMETHING THEY'D ALREADY HAD.
THE EFFECTS OF RECONSTRUCTION
WERE ALMOST IMMEDIATE, WITH AN
ESTIMATED 2,000 BLACK MEN
SERVING IN ELECTIVE OFFICE
DURING THAT ERA, INCLUDING A
NUMBER IN CONGRESS.
AND JUST LOOK AT THESE GUYS.
A-PLUS ACHIEVEMENT, A-PLUS-PLUS
FACIAL HAIR.
AND SURE, YOU THINK YOU CAN GROW
YOUR MUSTACHE INTO YOUR BEARD --
TRY IT, YOU FUCKING CAN'T.
BUT IN RESPONSE TO THAT
PROGRESS, WHITE PEOPLE PUSHED
BACK AND PUSHED BACK HARD.
THE KKK WAS FOUNDED, 2,000 BLACK
PEOPLE WERE LYNCHED, AND BY
1877, THE SOUTH HAD REGAINED
LOCAL CONTROL.
HERE IS A CRAZY STORY YOU MIGHT
NOT KNOW:
IN 1898, THE MULTI-RACIAL CITY
GOVERNMENT IN WILMINGTON,
NORTH CAROLINA, BECAME THE
TARGET OF THE "ONLY COUP D'ETAT
EVER TO TAKE PLACE ON AMERICAN
SOIL," IN WHICH A MOB OF UP TO
2,000 ARMED WHITE MEN KILLED AT
LEAST 60 BLACK RESIDENTS AND
REPLACED THE CITY'S ALDERMEN
WITH WHITE SUPREMACISTS.
AND IF THIS IS THE FIRST TIME
YOU'RE LEARNING ABOUT THE ONLY
COUP ON AMERICAN SOIL, YOU'RE
NOT ALONE, BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED
THERE IS USUALLY EITHER NOT
TAUGHT AT ALL, OR, AS THE AUTHOR
OF A BOOK ON THAT MASSACRE
POINTS OUT, TAUGHT VERY, VERY
MISLEADINGLY.
>> HERE'S FROM A 1949 TEXTBOOK
QUOTE, "A NUMBER OF BLACKS WERE
JAILED FOR STARTING A RIOT AND A
NEW WHITE ADMINISTRATION TOOK
OVER WILMINGTON'S GOVERNMENT,"
END QUOTE.
>> John: YEAH.
THAT'S IT.
AND THAT IS NOT JUST DENYING
WHAT HAPPENED -- IT'S EVEN
WORSE.
IT'S PLACING THE BLAME FOR IT ON
THE VICTIMS.
TECHNICALLY, YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN
CALL IT A HISTORY BOOK SO MUCH
AS "A BOOK OF LIES BECAUSE WE
KIND OF FELT A BIT WEIRD ABOUT
THAT WHOLE VIOLENT RACIST COUP
THING."
AND WILMINGTON WASN'T EVEN THE
MIDPOINT OF THAT CENTURY OF
BACKSLIDING.
AND THE LAURA INGRAHAMS OF THE
WORLD WILL PROBABLY SAY, YEAH,
THAT'S ALL UGLY, BUT IN A SIGN
OF AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM, THE
CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT
ENDED ALL OF THAT WHEN
MARTIN LUTHER KING'S DREAM CAME
TRUE.
AND THAT IS THE VERSION THAT
MOST AMERICANS ARE TAUGHT IN
SCHOOL.
BUT IT LEAVES A LOT OUT.
IN FACT, TAKE THE MARCH ON
WASHINGTON.
THAT WASN'T ACTUALLY ITS FULL
NAME.
IT WAS CALLED THE
"MARCH ON WASHINGTON
FOR JOBS AND FREEDOM," AND THE
ECONOMIC JUSTICE PART OF IT WAS
FRONT AND CENTER.
KING ACTUALLY GREW MORE
OUTSPOKEN ABOUT THAT ISSUE IN
THE YEARS THAT FOLLOWED.
AND KING HIMSELF UNDERSTOOD WHY
IT WAS HARDER TO MAKE PROGRESS
ON THAT FRONT.
>> IT DIDN'T COST THE NATION ONE
PENNY TO INTEGRATE LUNCH
COUNTERS.
IT DIDN'T COST THE NATION ONE
PENNY TO GUARANTEE THE RIGHT TO
VOTE.
NOW WE ARE DEALING WITH ISSUES
THAT CANNOT BE SOLVED WITHOUT
THE NATION SPENDING BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS AND UNDERGOING A RADICAL
REDISTRIBUTION OF ECONOMIC
POWER.
>> John: YEAH, IT TURNS OUT THAT
MARTIN LUTHER KING HAD MORE THAN
ONE DREAM.
AND ONE OF THEM WAS ABOUT WEALTH
REDISTRIBUTION.
SO WHILE I KNOW IT'S EASY TO
DISTORT KING'S FULL LEGACY DOWN
TO THAT ONE SOARING SPEECH,
POINT TO THE CAST OF
"THIS IS US," AND SAY, "SEE?
WE DID IT, EVERYONE.
EVERYTHING IS FIXED NOW."
THE TRUTH IS, THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT WAS LONGER, MESSIER,
MORE RADICAL, AND, CRUCIALLY,
WAS THWARTED IN MORE OF ITS AIMS
THAN MANY OF US WERE TAUGHT IN
SCHOOL.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO THE FINAL
POINT, WHICH IS THAT WE DON'T
CONNECT THE DOTS TO THE PRESENT.
AND THOSE DOTS ARE VERY MUCH
THERE.
LOOK AT THE BLACK-WHITE WAGE AND
WEALTH GAPS.
THEY'RE BOTH LARGER NOW THAN
THEY WERE WHEN KING GAVE THAT
SPEECH.
AND OUR HOUSING AND EDUCATION
SYSTEMS, EVEN IN LIBERAL CITIES
LIKE NEW YORK AND L.A., ARE
STILL SHAMEFULLY SEGREGATED.
AND IF YOU DON'T TEACH HISTORY
PROPERLY, ALL YOU SEE IS THOSE
EFFECTS AND NOT THE CAUSES, WHEN
THE TRUTH IS, YOU CAN DRAW A
STRAIGHT LINE FROM THE
POST-CIVIL WAR RETURN OF
PLANTATION LAND TO ITS FORMER
CONFEDERATES THROUGH THE
MASSIVE TRANSFERS OF LAND
THROUGH THE HOMESTEAD ACT --
MOSTLY TO WHITE INDIVIDUALS --
THROUGH THE GROWTH OF THE
SUBURBS IN THE 20TH CENTURY,
WHERE RED-LINING KEPT BLACK
PEOPLE FROM MOVING INTO WHITE
NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY.
IN FACT, JUST LISTEN TO THIS
WOMAN IN LEVITTOWN,
PENNSYLVANIA, EXPLAIN
HER OBJECTIONS TO A BLACK FAMILY
MOVING TO TOWN IN 1957 WITH SOME
REAL HONESTY.
>> WE LIKED THE ADVANTAGES THAT
LEVITTOWN SEEMED TO OFFER IN
COMPARISON TO OTHER CITIES.
AND WE UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS
GOING TO BE ALL WHITE AND WE
WERE VERY HAPPY TO BUY A HOME
HERE.
>> DO YOU THINK A NEGRO FAMILY
MOVING HERE WILL AFFECT THE
COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE?
>> DEFINITELY.
THE WHOLE TROUBLE WITH THIS
INTEGRATION BUSINESS IS THAT, IN
THE END, IT PROBABLY WILL END UP
WITH -- WITH MIXING SOCIALLY.
AND YOU WILL HAVE -- WELL, I
THINK THEIR AIM IS MIXED
MARRIAGES AND BECOMING EQUAL
WITH THE WHITES.
>> John: WOW.
IT IS ALWAYS WEIRD TO HEAR
SOMEONE -- WHETHER OR NOT THEY
LOOK LIKE SUMMER CASUAL
BETTY CROCKER -- FRAME
"HUMAN BEINGS BEING TREATED
EQUALLY" AS A NEGATIVE.
IT'S LIKE HEARING SOMEONE SAY
"THE WHOLE TROUBLE WITH PUTTING
GRAHAM CRACKERS, CHOCOLATE BARS,
AND MARSHMALLOWS TOGETHER IS
THAT WE MIGHT END UP WITH
S'MORES."
YEAH, EXACTLY.
THAT'S A GOOD THING.
ONLY A FUCKING MONSTER WOULDN'T
WANT THAT.
AND IT MIGHT NOT SURPRISE YOU TO
SEE THAT SOMEONE WAS INCREDIBLY
RACIST IN THE 1950s.
BUT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE
WAY WE TEACH HISTORY IS THAT,
TOO OFTEN, IT SORT OF TRAILS OFF
AFTER THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
AND WHEN YOU SKIP OVER THE PAST
HALF-CENTURY OF HISTORY, YOU
DON'T GET TO SEE THE PROCESS BY
WHICH WHITE SUPREMACY, INSTEAD
OF DISAPPEARING, MERELY ADAPTED.
AND PERHAPS NOBODY MADE THAT
PROCESS CLEARER THAN
LEE ATWATER, A TOP
REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN STRATEGIST
WHO WORKED FOR, AMONG OTHERS,
RONALD REAGAN AND
GEORGE H.W. BUSH.
HERE HE IS SPELLING OUT THE
WHOLE GAME IN 1981 -- AND I'M
GOING TO WARN YOU, YOU'RE ABOUT
TO HEAR THE N-WORD A LOT.
>> YOU START OUT IN 1954 BY
SAYING, "NIGGER, NIGGER,
NIGGER."
BY 1968, YOU CAN'T SAY
"NIGGER" -- THAT HURTS YOU,
BACKFIRES.
SO YOU SAY STUFF LIKE, UH,
"FORCED BUSING," "STATES'
RIGHTS," AND ALL THAT STUFF, AND
YOU'RE GETTING SO ABSTRACT.
NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT CUTTING
TAXES, AND ALL THESE THINGS
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE TOTALLY
ECONOMIC THINGS, AND A BYPRODUCT
OF THEM IS, BLACKS GET HURT
WORSE THAN WHITES.
"WE WANT TO CUT THIS" IS MUCH
MORE ABSTRACT THAN EVEN THE
BUSING THING, UH, AND A HELL OF
A LOT MORE ABSTRACT THAN
"NIGGER, NIGGER."
>> John: HOLY SHIT.
OBVIOUSLY, HE'S A LITTLE TOO
COMFORTABLE WITH THAT WORD.
YOU TEND TO ONLY HEAR IT COME
OUT THAT SMOOTHLY IN EITHER
TARANTINO MOVIES OR ONLINE
FORUMS IN WHICH WHITE CHILDREN
PLAY VIDEO GAMES TOGETHER.
BUT THAT IS ACTUALLY A PRETTY
CONCISE HISTORY OF A CERTAIN
THREAD IN POLITICS FOR THE PAST
HALF-CENTURY, WHICH BRINGS US
ALL THE WAY UP TO THE PRESENT
DAY -- LITERALLY, THE PRESENT
WEDNESDAY, WHICH IS WHEN THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,
IN ANNOUNCING A ROLLBACK OF
AN OBAMA-ERA RULE UNDER THE
FAIR HOUSING ACT, SENT A TWEET
IN WHICH HE INFORMED ALL OF THE
PEOPLE LIVING THEIR SUBURBAN
LIFESTYLE DREAM THAT THEY WILL
NO LONGER BE BOTHERED OR
FINANCIALLY HURT BY HAVING
LOW-INCOME HOUSING BUILT IN
THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND THAT IS BASICALLY A CAMPAIGN
PROMISE CRAFTED BY LEE ATWATER
AND DESIGNED TO WIN OVER THIS
WOMAN WHO'S PROBABLY DEAD NOW.
AND WHAT'S NOTABLE THERE IS NOT
THAT TRUMP'S BEING RACIST --
WHICH IS NOT REMOTELY
SURPRISING.
IT'S HOW NEATLY HE FITS INTO A
SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT'S BEEN
BAKED INTO THIS COUNTRY FROM THE
BEGINNING AND WHICH WILL STILL
BE HERE WHEN HE IS GONE.
AND IF KIDS AREN'T TAUGHT THIS,
WHAT CHANCE DO THEY HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW?
AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU'D NEED TO
CALIBRATE THIS TO EACH AGE
GROUP.
NO ONE IS SUGGESTING PLAYING
THAT LEE ATWATER TAPE TO
THIRD-GRADERS.
BUT IT'S A BIT LIKE SEX ED: YOU
DON'T SKIP STRAIGHT AHEAD TO
EJACULATION -- WHICH, BY THE
WAY, IS A PRETTY GOOD SEX TIP
FOR ANYONE WITH A PENIS -- BUT
WE ALSO DON'T SPEND THE FIRST
SEMESTER OF SEX ED TEACHING KIDS
THAT WE WERE ALL DROPPED OUT OF
THE SKY BY FUCKING STORKS,
BECAUSE THEY'LL LATER HAVE TO
UN-LEARN THAT.
AND I KNOW THAT ADDRESSING
MISTAKES LIKE THESE WON'T BE
EASY.
THERE'LL BE BAD-FAITH CHARGES
THAT DOING SO IS POLITICAL --
ALTHOUGH, I'D ARGUE, NO MORE
POLITICAL THAN THE CHOICES WE'VE
MADE TO TEACH HISTORY THE WAY WE
DO NOW.
AND NO DOUBT SOME PARENTS
WILL INSTINCTIVELY RESIST THIS.
BACK IN 2010, WHEN TEXAS WAS
REVIEWING ITS STATE STANDARDS,
ONE PARENT MADE IT VERY CLEAR
THAT THE MAIN HISTORY HE WANTED
HIS KIDS TAUGHT WAS THAT OF
"AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM."
>> THE ONE THING I WANT MY KIDS
TO KNOW WHEN -- WHEN THEY
GET OUT OF SCHOOL ABOUT AMERICA
IS THAT THE WORST DAY IN AMERICA
BEATS THE BEST DAY IN ANY OTHER
COUNTRY.
THAT FEELS --
THAT FEELS PRETTY EASY.
IT SEEMS LIKE THERE BECOMES THIS
GREAT FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE
HISTORY OF AMERICA INSTEAD OF
SAYING -- OH, TAKE, FOR
INSTANCE, SLAVERY -- INSTEAD OF,
YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT IT IN A
POSITIVE LIGHT THAT AMERICANS
OVERCAME SOMETHING AS EVIL AS
SLAVERY AND THAT WE'RE STILL A
GREAT NATION TODAY SHOULD BE A
TESTAMENT TO THE KIND OF
AMERICAN SPIRIT THAT EXISTS IN
THIS COUNTRY.
>> John: OKAY, SO THERE'S A LOT
TO UNPACK THERE.
FIRST, YOUR WORST DAY IN AMERICA
REALLY DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ARE,
AND, IMPORTANTLY, WHEN YOU ARE.
THERE'S A REASON, FOR INSTANCE,
MARTY McFLY WAS WHITE.
BECAUSE BLACK PEOPLE DON'T
GENERALLY HANG AROUND WITH
JOHN C. CALHOUN LOOKALIKES WHO
ARE OBSESSED WITH GOING BACK TO
THE 1950s.
AND SECOND, "AMERICANS" DID NOT
OVERCOME SLAVERY.
"CERTAIN" AMERICANS OVERCAME
CERTAIN "OTHER" AMERICANS, AND
SLAVERY WAS "ENDED," BUT WHETHER
IT WAS "OVERCOME" IS VERY MUCH
ANOTHER MATTER.
AND, LOOK, WHILE I UNDERSTAND
ANY PARENT WANTING HIS KIDS TO
BE TAUGHT SOMETHING INSPIRING,
WHAT HE'S ESSENTIALLY ASKING FOR
THERE IS FOR HIS KIDS TO BE
MISINFORMED.
AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO SERVE
THEM WELL WHEN THEY GROW UP.
IT'S NOT GOING TO SERVE ANY OF
US WELL.
BECAUSE IGNORING THE HISTORY YOU
DON'T LIKE IS NOT A VICTIMLESS
ACT.
AND A HISTORY OF AMERICA THAT
IGNORES WHITE SUPREMACY IS A
WHITE SUPREMACIST'S HISTORY OF
AMERICA, WHICH MATTERS, BECAUSE,
WHILE IT MIGHT SEEM OBVIOUS,
HISTORY ISN'T OVER -- IT'S STILL
BEING WRITTEN.
AND YOU KNOW WHO UNDERSTOOD
THAT?
JOHN LEWIS.
HE IS SOMEONE WHO'S VERY MUCH
PART OF AMERICAN HISTORY, AND HE
KNEW THE IMPORTANCE OF DRAWING A
LINE FROM THE PAST THROUGH THE
PRESENT.
THAT MAY BE WHY ONE OF THE LAST
THINGS HE DID BEFORE HE DIED WAS
VISIT BLACK LIVES MATTER PLAZA
IN WASHINGTON.
HE EVEN WROTE AN OP-ED TO BE
PUBLISHED POSTHUMOUSLY, WHICH
SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO WHAT WE'VE
BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
JUST LISTEN TO THIS EXTRACT,
READ BY MORGAN FREEMAN:
>> YOU MUST ALSO STUDY AND LEARN
THE LESSONS OF HISTORY BECAUSE
HUMANITY HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN
THIS SOUL-WRENCHING, EXISTENTIAL
STRUGGLE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
PEOPLE ON EVERY CONTINENT HAVE
STOOD IN YOUR SHOES, THROUGH
DECADES AND CENTURIES BEFORE
YOU.
THE TRUTH DOES NOT CHANGE, AND
THAT IS WHY THE ANSWERS WORKED
OUT LONG AGO CAN HELP YOU FIND
SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGES OF
OUR TIME.
>> John: EXACTLY.
HISTORY, WHEN TAUGHT WELL, SHOWS
US HOW TO IMPROVE THE WORLD.
BUT HISTORY, WHEN TAUGHT POORLY,
FALSELY CLAIMS THERE'S NOTHING
TO IMPROVE.
SO WE HAVE TO TEACH IT BETTER
AND CONTINUE TO LEARN IT,
BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ALL
OF US TO LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF
HISTORY, WHETHER THEY ARE A CALL
TO ACTION, TRULY HORRIFIC, OR A
SAD MUMMY ORGASM.
>> EH.
>> John: STILL EXCELLENT.
THAT'S OUR SHOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
WE'RE OFF NEXT WEEK, BACK
AUGUST 16TH.
>> HI, STEVE GUTTENBERG AGAIN.
WANT TO GIVE YOU A FEW THINGS
YOU MIGHT WANT TO GOOGLE TO FILL
IN THOSE GAPS.
CLAUDETTE COLEMAN, SHE'S
AMAZING.
THERE'S A WHOLE HISTORY THERE.
JAMES BALDWIN.
THERE'S A GREAT DOCUMENTARY.
THE RED SUMMER OF 1919.
DAVID WALKER'S APPEAL.
THE BROWNSVILLE AFFAIR.
THE ATLANTA WASHER WOMEN STRIKE.
JUST GOOGLE THEM ALL.
THAT WILL BE 150 BOOKS.