THE FUTURE OF THE AFGHANISTAN
>>> IT WOULD BE THE HONOR OF MY
LIFE TO REPRESENT THIS BOROUGH.
IT’S MY HOME.
AND I WOULD NOT BE HERE TODAY IF
IT WERE NOT FOR MY MOTHER AND
THE SOUTH BRONX IS FULL OF
MOTHERS LIKE MINE, WHO HAVE
SUFFERED AND STRUGGLED AND
SACRIFICED SO THAT HER BABY BOY
CAN HAVE A BETTER LIFE THAN SHE
DID.
AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT
THE ESSENTIAL WORKERS OF THIS
BOROUGH, TO REPRESENT THE
POWERFUL MOTHERS OF THIS
BOROUGH.
IT’S THE CULMINATION OF A DREAM.
>> OF COURSE, THE HISTORIC
NATURE OF THIS CAMPAIGN IS NOT
LOST ON ME.
GROWING UP POOR, BLACK AND GAY,
I NEVER IMAGINED SOMEONE LIKE ME
COULD RUN FOR CONGRESS, LET
ALONE BE THE LEADING CONTENDER
FOR THE NOMINATION IN THE GREAT
NEW YORK 17th CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT.
HAD I BEEN ABLE TO LOOK TO
SOMEONE QUITE LIKE MYSELF, IT
WOULD BE HAVE BEEN DIRECT
EVIDENCE OF THE FACT THAT THINGS
REALLY DO GET BETTER LATER IN
LIFE.
>> HISTORY COULD BE MADE THIS
NOVEMBER.
JOINING US NOW, TWO CANDIDATES
WHO MAY SOON BECOME THE FIRST
OPENLY GAY BLACK MEN ELECTED TO
CONGRESS.
RITCHIE TORRES IS RUNNING IN NEW
YORK’S 15th CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT AND MONDAIRE JONES IS
VYING FOR NEW YORK’S 17th.
BOTH JOIN US NOW.
RITCHIE, THOSE WERE EXTREMELY
POWERFUL WORDS ABOUT YOUR
MOTHER.
AND IT SEEMS THAT YOU’VE BEEN
SERVING SINCE YOU WERE 25,
ELECTED TO THE CITY COUNCIL BACK
IN 2013.
HOW MUCH DOES SHE DRIVE YOUR
DESIRE TO SERVE?
AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT YOU’VE
SERVED IN GOVERNMENT NOW FOR
MOST OF YOUR ADULT LIFE, WHAT DO
YOU LOVE ABOUT IT?
WHAT DO YOU HATE ABOUT IT?
>> WELL, BEFORE I WAS A CITY
COUNCILMEMBER AND BEFORE,
HOPEFULLY, I BECOME A CONGRESS
MEMBER, I WAS THE GREAT SON OF
MY MOTHER, WHO WORKED ON A
MINIMUM WAGE WHICH IN THE ’90s
WAS $4.25.
I WOULD NOT BE WHERE I AM TODAY
WITHOUT HER.
MY MOTHER IS THE MOTIVATION FOR
MY DESIRE TO REPRESENT THE SOUTH
BRONX.
YOU KNOW, THE SOUTH BRONX IS
KNOWN TO BE THE POOREST
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT IN
AMERICA BUT COVID-19 HAS SHOWN
THE SOUTH BRONX TO BE THE
ESSENTIAL CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT.
IT’S THE HOME OF THE ESSENTIAL
WORKERS WHO SUSTAIN OUR CITY AND
OUR COUNTRY.
AS I SAID ON PRIMARY NIGHT, THE
THOUGHT OF REPRESENTING THE
MOTHERS AND THE ESSENTIAL
WORKERS AND THE INCREDIBLE
PEOPLE OF THE SOUTH BRONX, IN MY
HOME THE BRONX, THAT’S THE
REALIZATION OF A PERSONAL DREAM
FOR ME.
>> MONDAIRE, WHAT WOULD YOU HOPE
TO ACCOMPLISH IF YOU GET TO
SERVE IN CONGRESS?
>> MY GOSH, YOU KNOW, I’VE SET
FORTH AN AMBITIOUS ARRAY OF
PROPOSALS.
NOT LEAST OF WHICH IS THE FACT
THAT I THINK THAT EVERYONE IN
THIS COUNTRY SHOULD HAVE QUALITY
HEALTH CARE.
AND THE RICHEST NATION OF THE
HISTORY OF THE WORLD, I THINK
EVERYONE SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO
THAT.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE HAVE TO BE
PROVIDING IMMEDIATE CASH
ASSISTANCE.
THE THOUGHT OF THIS ONE-TIME
$1,200 CHECK IS A SLAP IN THE
FACE FOR THE FOLKS IN MY
DISTRICT WHERE IT’S EXTREMELY
EXPENSIVE TO LIVE.
IT HAS TO BE A TOP PROO IRTIORIT
>> EDDIE GLAUDE HAS A QUESTION.
>> CONGRATULATIONS ON WHAT COULD
BE AN HISTORIC MOMENT IN
AMERICA’S POLITICS.
LET ME ASK YOU ABOUT POLICING.
WHAT IS YOUR POSITION AROUND
POLICING REFORM OR DEFUNDING THE
POLICE AND THE LIKE.
GIVE A SENSE OF THE POLICY.
FOLKS ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE
IDENTITY POLITICS BUT WHAT
SINGLES EACH OF YOU OUT AS A
REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR RELATIVE
DISTRICTS, AND PARTICULARLY WITH
REGARD TO THE QUESTION OF
POLICING.
>> FOR ME THE CENTRAL VALUE OF A
FAIR AND JUSTICEAND CORRECT JUST
SYSTEM IS ACCOUNTABILITY.
IF OFFICERS ARE NEVER HELD
ACCOUNTABLE FOR MISCONDUCT,
THERE WILL NEVER BE AN END TO
PRIS BRUTALITY.
THERE’S NO INCENTIVE FOR
DE-ESCALATION, THERE’S NO
INCENTIVE FOR RESTRAINT.
POLICE DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY CANNOT BE TRUSTED TO
POLICE THEMSELVES.
THERE HAS TO BE AN INDEPENDENT
SYSTEM FOR INVESTIGATING,
PUNISHING AND, IF NECESSARY,
PROSECUTING POLICE MISCONDUCT.
I ALSO THINK WE HAVE TO RETHINK
THE NOTION THAT THE POLICE THAT
ARE CALLING 911 IS THE ANSWER TO
EVERY PROBLEM.
WE SHOULD CIVILIANIZE OUR
RESPONSES TO PROBLEMS LIKE
HOMELESSNESS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE,
ADDICTION, AND EVEN VIOLENCE.
THERE ARE COMMUNITY-BASED
ALTERNATIVES THAT HAVE BEEN
EFFECTIVE AT REDUCING VIOLENCE
WITHOUT OVERCRIMINALIZING
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
>> WE NEED NATIONAL STANDARDS IN
POLICING.
AND IF YOU ARE A LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RECEIVING
FEDERAL DOLLARS, YOU SHOULD BE
REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY YOURSELF.
YOU SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO
PRACTICE DE-ESCALATION TACTICS.
OF COURSE, WE ALSO NEED TO PASS
A LAW THAT ELIMINATES QUALIFIED
IMMUNITY.
THIS IS A DOCTRINE CREATED BY
THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED
STATES THAT ALLOWS LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO EVADE
LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY,
EVEN WHEN IT IS CLEAR THEY HAVE
VIOLATED THE CONSTITUTIONAL
RIGHTS OF CIVILIANS.
WE MUST END WITH THAT.
WE HAVE TO THINK MORE BROADLY.
WE HAVE TO THINK OF SYSTEMIC
RACISM, WHICH DOES NOT HAVE TO
BE INTENTIONAL, IS EXTENDING
WELL BEYOND INTERACTIONS WITH
POLICE OFFICERS BUT ENDING MASS
INCARCERATION AS WE KNOW IT.
>> THANK YOU BOTH.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU BOTH.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING ON
THE SHOW THIS MORNING. >>> WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH