PROFESSOR EDDIE GLODD HAS SOME
>>> THERE’S A GROUP OF PEOPLE
OUT THERE, AND I MEAN MUCH MORE
THAN HALF OF OUR COUNTRY, MUCH,
MUCH MORE, YOU’RE NOT ALLOWED TO
USE THE TERM SILENT MAJORITY ANY
MORE, YOU KNOW, YOU’RE NOT
ALLOWED BECAUSE THEY MAKE THAT
INTO A BIG DEAL.
BUT THERE’S A GROUP OF PEOPLE
OUT THERE, MASSIVE, MASSIVE
NUMBERS.
>> BUT YOU’RE NOT ALONE.
THE SILENT MAJORITY IS SILENT NO
MORE.
YOUR MOMENT IN THE SUN IS JUST T
BEGINNING.
THE STORY OF AMERICA HAS ALWAYS
BEEN WRITTEN BY EVERYDAY
CITIZENS WHO LOVE THEIR COUNTRY
SO MUCH.
THEY COULD NOT HELP BUT SPEAK
OUT.
I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY TO
DECLARE THE SILENT MAJORITY IS
STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS OFTEN
BROUGHT UP THAT PHRASE MADE
FAMOUS BY RICHARD NIXON.
THE SILENT MAJORITY.
TWEETING ABOUT IT RECENTLY OUT
OF THE BLUE, SEEMINGLY WITHOUT
ANY CONTEXT.
AND SOME OF THOSE TWEETS, AMID
THE HEIGHT OF THE RECENT
PROTESTS AGAINST RACISM.
PROFESSOR AT PRINCETON
UNIVERSITY EDDIE GLAUDE JR.
ADDRESSES THAT TERM "SILENT
MAJORITY" IN HIS NEW BOOK" BEGIN
AGAIN: JAMES BALDWIN’S AMERICA
AND ITS URGENT LESSONS FOR OUR
OWN."
EDDIE, YOU WRITE IN PART THIS.
IT IS NOT OUR TASK TO SAVE WHITE
PEOPLE.
THAT OLD IDEA HAS PROVIDED
COMFORT FOR FAR TOO MANY ACROSS
GENERATIONS WHO CONTINUED TO
HATE AND HARM.
IT WORKS LIKE A READY-MADE
ABSOLUTION.
WHITE PEOPLE WILL BE FORGIVEN
FOR THEIR SINS BECAUSE THAT’S
WHAT BLACK PEOPLE DO.
WE FORGIVE THEM.
AND THEY SIN AGAIN.
BALDWIN WAS RIGHT TO GIVE UP ON
THIS FOLLY.
WE HAVE TO GIVE UP THIS FOLLY,
TOO.
MUCH IS MADE TODAY OF THE
NECESSITY TO REACH OUT TO THE
DISAFFECTED TRUMP VOTER.
THIS IS THE LATEST DESCRIPTION
OF THE SILENT MAJORITY.
THE REAGAN DEMOCRAT OR THE
FORGOTTEN AMERICAN.
FOR THE MOST PART, WE ARE TOLD
THESE ARE THE HIGH
SCHOOL-EDUCATED WHITE PEOPLE
WORKING CLASS WHITE PEOPLE WHO
FEEL LEFT OUT OF AN INCREASINGLY
DIVERSE AMERICA.
BUT TO DIRECT OUR ATTENTION TO
THESE VOTERS, TO GIVE OUR ENERGY
OVER TO CONVINCING THEM TO
BELIEVE OTHERWISE, OFTEN TAKES
US AWAY FROM THE DIFFICULT TASK
OF BUILDING A BETTER WORLD.
IN SOME WAYS, THEY HOLD THE
COUNTRY HOSTAGE, AND WE
COMPROMISE TO APPEASE THEM.
BALDWIN CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT
THERE WERE SOME WHITE PEOPLE IN
AMERICA WHO REFUSED TO GIVE UP
THEIR COMMITMENTS TO THE VALUE
GAP.
FOR HIM, WE COULD NOT PREDICATE
OUR POLITICS ON CHANGING THEIR
MINDS AND SOULS.
THEY HAD TO DO THAT FOR
THEMSELVES.
OUR TASK THEN IS NOT TO SAVE
TRUMP VOTERS.
IT ISN’T TO CONVINCE THEM TO
GIVE UP THEIR VIEWS THAT WHITE
PEOPLE OUGHT TO MATTER MORE THAN
OTHERS.
OUR TASK IS TO BUILD A WORLD
WHERE SUCH A VIEW HAS NO PLACE
OR QUARTER TO BREATHE.
EDDIE, I COULDN’T AGREE MORE.
IT’S A FRUSTRATING CYCLE, BUT
HOW DO WE BEGIN AGAIN?
BECAUSE IT’S PROVEN TO BE VERY
DIFFICULT.
>> RIGHT, MIKA.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS AMAZING
CONVERSATION THAT WE’VE BEEN
HAVING ALL WEEK.
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT A CHOICE HAS
TO BE MADE.
WE HAVE TO DECIDE ONCE AND FOR
ALL WHETHER WE’RE GOING TO
DOUBLE DOWN ON OUR UGLY
COMMITMENTS WITH REGARDS TO
RACE.
WE’VE BEEN FIGHTING THE CIVIL
WAR FOR GENERATIONS.
AND THE SILENT MAJORITY IS JUST
THE LATEST PHRASE TO REFERENCE
THOSE DEEP UNDERLYING
CONTRADICTIONS THAT HAVE HAUNTED
AMERICAN DEMOCRACY.
SO WHEN WE THINK ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, REDEMPTION, LOST CAUSE,
SILENT MAJORITY, FORGOTTEN
AMERICANS, THESE ARE ALL
REFERENCES TO THIS IDEA THAT
AMERICA IS A WHITE NATION.
BALDWIN MADE A DISTINCTION, AND
I WANT TO BE CLEAR.
HE’S TALKING IN GENERALITY.
WHITE PEOPLE IS AN IDOLOGY, IT’S
A MORAL CHOICE.
THEY DON’T EXIST.
HE KNOWS THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE
WHO HAPPEN TO BE WHITE THAT HE
AND I DEEPLY LOVE.
BUT THOSE VISITED IN THIS IDEA
THAT WHITENESS ACCORDS YOU
ADVANTAGE.
THEY ARE COMMITTED TO AN IDEA
THAT DISTORTS AND DISFIGURES
DEMOCRACY.
LET ME SAY THIS REALLY QUICKLY.
WE ONLY HAVE A FINITE AMOUNT OF
CIVIC ENERGY.
AND IF WE SPEND THAT ENERGY
TRYING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE WHO
HOLD NOXIOUS VIEWS ABOUT BLACK
FOLK, WHO HOLD INSIDIOUS VIEWS
ABOUT RACE, WE THEN DON’T HAVE
THE ENERGY TO BUILD THE WORLD
WHERE THOSE VIEWS CANNOT
BREATHE.
AND I WANT TO SPEND THAT FINITE
ENERGY REALLY BUILDING A WORLD
WHERE YOU AND I AND JOE AND
EVERYONE ELSE, MY CHILD, MY SON,
THAT WE CAN BE OTHERWISE.
THAT WE CAN BE WHAT GOD PROMISED
US TO BE.
>> SO EDDIE, AS WE’VE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT THIS MORNING,
YOU’VE GOT A PRESIDENT WHO IS
STANDING IN THE WAY OF EXACTLY
WHAT YOU’VE DESCRIBED THERE.
HE’S NOT HIDING IT ANYMORE.
HE TWEETED A VIDEO WHERE THE
FIRST VOICE ON IT SHOUTED "WHITE
POWER."
HE YESTERDAY CALLED THE WORDS
BLACK LIVES MATTER A SYMBOL OF
HATE AS IT WAS BEING DISCUSSED
TO BE PAINTED ON FIFTH HEAVY BY
THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY.
HE WAS HOLDING UP, HE SAYS HE
WILL HOLD UP A MILITARY FUNDING
BILL UNLESS THEY ABANDON THE
IDEA OF CHANGING THE NAME OF A
BASE THAT’S NAMED FOR THE
CONFEDERATE GENERAL ROBERT E.
LEE.
SO WHAT DO YOU DO IN THESE NEXT
FOUR, SIX MONTHS OR PERHAPS EVEN
4 1/2 MORE YEARS ABOUT THAT
PROGRESS YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT
WHEN YOU HAVE THE LEADER OF THE
COUNTRY STANDING IN ITS WAY?
>> WELL, WE HAVE TO SPEAK THE
TRUTH.
WE HAVE TO EXPOSE THE LIES.
WE HAVE TO MAKE THE SUFFERING
SPEAK.
I THINK THIS IS WHAT DONALD
TRUMP IS DOING.
AND PARSCALE AND EVERYBODY ELSE.
WE TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGE OF
HAVING TO GET BLACK VOTERS OUT,
GET VOTERS OF COLOR OUT, IT’S A
TURNOUT GAME.
WHAT THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN
UNDERSTANDS IS WHEN WE LOOK AT
VOTING AMERICA, THAT A LARGE
PERCENTAGE OF WHITE AMERICANS
ARE NOT VOTING.
THAT THEY DON’T BELIEVE THAT THE
COUNTRY IS ACTUALLY SUPPORTING
THEM.
THAT HE BELIEVES THAT THE WAY TO
TURN THOSE DISAFFECTED WHITE
VOTERS OUT IS TO APPEAL TO THEIR
SENSE OF RESENTMENT, THEIR SENSE
OF VICTIMHOOD, THEIR GRIEVANCE.
HE’S GOING TO APPEAL TO THESE
BASE FEELINGS, THIS HATRED AND
UGLINESS.
SO WHAT WE HAVE TO DO IS FINALLY
MAKE A CHOICE THAT WE’RE GOING
TO BUILD A JUST AMERICA.
THAT WE’RE GOING TO END THE
CIVIL WAR THAT HAS BEEN GUIDING,
THAT HAS BEEN THE UNDERTOW OF
OUR POLITICS FOR GENERATIONS.
AND WE HAVE TO MAKE THAT CHOICE
STARK.
THERE’S NO MIDDLE GROUND,
WILLIE.
YOU HAVE TO SAY WE’RE GOING TO
FINALLY GIVE UP THIS RACE STUFF,
THIS RACISM STUFF OR WE’RE GOING
TO DOUBLE DOWN ON AN UGLY
AMERICA AND FOR ANOTHER
GENERATION WE’LL HAVE TO DEAL
WITH WHAT WE’VE BEEN DEALING
WITH.
>> I WANT TO BRING IN ONE OF
YOUR COLLEAGUES, PROFESSOR OF
AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDIES AT
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY AMANI
PERRY.
WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS
CONVERSATION SO FAR, AND THEN
YOU CAN TOSS A QUESTION TO THE
PROFESSOR.
>> SURE.
IT’S WONDERFUL TO HAVE A MOMENT
TO TALK ABOUT THIS EXTRAORDINARY
BOOK.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES
IT SO SPECIAL IS, IN THIS
MOMENT, IS THAT WE ARE IN A
SEASON IN WHICH WE ARE
AVOIDING -- LONG AVOIDED, LONG
DENIED TRUTHS ABOUT THIS NATION
AND THE IMPETUS BEHIND THE TITLE
IS TO TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY,
RIGHT?
IF ONE REFUSES ABDICATION OF
RESPONSIBILITY, ONE MUST BEGIN
AGAIN.
AND MY FEELING ABOUT THIS BOOK
IS THAT IT REALLY DEMANDS A KIND
OF HONESTY IN WORD AND DEED.
AND I WANTED TO ASK EDDIE TO
SPEAK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT THIS
CONCEPT OF THE THIRD FOUNDING AS
A BASIS FOR HOW WE BEGIN AGAIN
IN THIS PARTICULAR SEASON.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE IN A
SENSE IS WHAT I’M SEEKING FROM
YOU.
>> YEAH, YEAH, SO THANK YOU SO
MUCH, PROFESSOR PERRY.
IMANI HAS BEEN SUCH A WONDERFUL,
WONDERFUL PARTNER IN THIS
JOURNEY AROUND THIS BOOK.
YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE
SECOND FOUNDING WITH REGARDS TO
RECONSTRUCTION AND WHAT RADICAL
RECONSTRUCTION PROPONENTS DID.
THEY WENT BACK TO OUR FOUNDING
PRINCIPLES AND TRIED TO IN SOME
WAYS, LIVE UP TO OUR STATED
IDEALS BY EXPANDING CITIZENSHIP,
PASSING 13, 14th, 15th
AMENDMENTS, TRYING TO REACH FOR
MULTIRACIAL DEMOCRACY.
IN OUR MOMENT, WE HAVE TO TELL
THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT WE -- HOW
WE HAVE FAILED UP TO THIS POINT,
AND THEN WE HAVE TO ENGAGE IN A
KIND OF RECONCILIATION AND
REPAIR.
AND THAT REPAIR WILL INVOLVE A
SERIES OF POLICIES.
POLICIES TO ADDRESS THE
UNDERLYING INEQUALITY THAT HAS
BEEN A RESULT OF GENERATIONS OF
POLICY.
AND THAT’S GOING TO BE HARD WORK
IT SEEMS TO ME.
BUT IT SEEMS TO ME IF WE ALL
AGREE, NO MATTER OUR POLITICAL
POSITION ALONG THE IDEOLOGICAL
SPECTRUM, THAT THERE ARE BASIC
IDEALS THAT ANIMATE THE AMERICAN
PROJECT, THEN WE’LL IMPLEMENT
POLICIES, I BELIEVE, AFTER WE’VE
TOLD THE TRUTH, AFTER WE’VE
ENGAGED IN GENUINE
RECONCILIATION, WE CAN BEBEGIN
TO REPAIR THE COUNTRY AND USHER
IN A NEW AMERICA.
THAT’S REALLY IDEALISTIC, BUT
FOR THE SAKE OF FUTURE
GENERATIONS, FOR THE SAKE OF OUR
CURRENT WAY OF LIVING, WE NEED
TO DO THAT HARD WORK.
>> I LOVE THIS.
WE NEED TO HAVE LIKE A WEEKLY
PRINCETON FACULTY MEETING LIVE
ON OUR SHOW BECAUSE THIS WOULD
BE IT.
EDDIE, THANK YOU.
WE’LL CONTINUE OUR WEEK-LONG