>>> WE ARE BACK FROM BEAUTIFUL
PUEBLO, COLORADO.
THE THIRD LOCATION ON THE VELSHI
ACROSS AMERICA 2020 TOUR.
THIS ELECTION YEAR IS DEFINED BY
A HAND FULL OF TOPICS AND
THEMES, ONE OF WHICH IS THE
INMEASURABLE RACIAL STRIFE.
MILLIONS OF AMERICANS OF ALL
STRIPES HAVE TAKEN TO THE
STREETS TO FIGHT FOR JUSTICE
PEOPLE OF COLOR SO RIGHTLY
DESERVE.
THIS MOMENT IS FELT IN PUEBLO,
AS WELL.
TO THAT END I ASKED MY VOTERS
HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THE RECENT
PROTESTS THEY SEEN IN PERSON AND
COVERAGE BY THE MEDIA AND AS YOU
CAN IMAGINE, THEIR ANSWERS WERE
VARIED.
>> I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE
FRIGHTENED BY WHAT THEY SEE ON
TELEVISION.
I MEAN, THAT’S WHAT I’M HEARING
FROM PEOPLE.
THEY’RE AFRAID TO DRIVE TO
DENVER.
THEY ARE AFRAID THE ROAD MIGHT
BE BLOCKED AND THEY MIGHT FIND
THEMSELVES IN A FREIGHTENING
AND DANGEROUS SITUATION.
I THINK PEOPLE ARE UNITED BEHIND
THE IDEA THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE
EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW
FOR EVERYBODY.
WHAT HAPPENED TO BREONNA TAYLOR
WAS HORRIFIC AND A TRAGEDY AND
THINGS LIKE THAT SHOULD NEVER
HAPPEN BUT PART OF THAT COMES
FROM HOW MUCH POWER WE GIVE
GOVERNMENT, AND THE MORE WE
RESTRAIN GOVERNMENT AND THE
SMALLER WE MAKE OUR GOVERNMENT,
THE LESS LIKELY IT IS FOR THINGS
LIKE THAT TO HAPPEN.
SO I THINK REPUBLICANS AND
DEMOCRATS CAN FIND SOME COMMON
GROUND AND MAKE SOME CRIMINAL
JUSTICE REFORM BUT I THINK THAT
YOU LOSE A LOT OF GROUND WHEN
YOU SMASH STORE WINDOWS AND YOU
GRAFFITI PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND
MAKE PEOPLE FRIGHTENED BY
SURROUNDING THEIR CAR AND
BANGING ON IT AND BAD THINGS
HAPPEN AND PEOPLE BECOME MORE
POLARIZED AND THAT’S NOT GOOD
FOR ANYBODY AND REALLY BAD FOR
THE NATION.
>> I WOULD SAY THE QUESTION OF
HOW SMALL YOU MAKE GOVERNMENT IS
AN INTERESTING ONE BECAUSE
ULTIMATELY, THE FOLKS WHO WANT
TO DEFUND THE POLICE BELIEVE IN
SMALL GOVERNMENT.
THAT’S THE ULTIMATE.
I TAKE IT YOU DON’T WANT TO GO
THAT FAR.
>> NO, I DON’T WANT TO DEFUND
THE POLICE BUT WE NEED TO REFORM
THE LAWS THAT ALLOW THINGS LIKE
NO KNOCK RAIDS.
ONLY WHEN THERE IS IMMINENT
THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY SHOULD A
NO KNOCK RAID BE EXECUTED.
A NO KNOCK RAID FOR A DRUG
WARRANT, NOT SO MUCH.
>> ACTUALLY, I DO AGREE IN PART.
I THINK THERE IS SUCH THING AS A
RIGHT SIZING OF YOUR POLICE
FUNCTION.
WHAT I’VE NOTICED OVER THE YEARS
IS THAT WHEN WE MOVED AWAY FROM
THE DRAFT, IT SEEPMS WE’VE GROWN
THIS LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNCTION AS
A RESULT AND WE’VE MILITARIZED
THIS LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNCTION.
IT CONFUSING TO ME WE STILL HAVE
A PROGRAM 1033 WHERE THE
OBSOLETE EQUIPMENT WE USE IN
SERVICE IS BEING HANDED DOWN BY
GRANT TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
FUNCTION.
I WOULD AGREE THAT WE NEED TO
RIGHT SIZE THAT FUNCTION.
IT NEAT
IT NEEDS TO BE BACK TO A PEACE
FUNCTION.
WE’RE AMERICANS AND WE’RE
RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTRY THAT
WE HAVE DECIDED THAT THE RIGHT
ANSWER IS TO MILITARIZE A POLICE
FUNCTION AGAINST AMERICANS AND
RESIDENTS OF THIS COUNTRY IS
OUTRAGEOUS TO ME.
I BELIEVE IN A PERSON’S RIGHT TO
PROTEST.
I’M NOT GOING TO GET CAUGHT UP
IN WHETHER OR NOT SOMETHING WAS
BROKEN.
I PAID FOR IT ANYWAY AS A
TAXPAYER, I PAY FOR IT TO BE
FIXED AND I PAY FOR IT TO BE
POLICED.
WE ALL DO.
>> THANK YOU.
>> UH-HUH.
>> JESSICA, WHAT DO YOU THINK
ABOUT THE STATE OF THINGS IN THE
COUNTRY RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF
THESE PROTESTS?
>> IT VERY SCARY, I HAVE A
10-YEAR-OLD SON WHO WATCHES THE
NEWS.
THE DECISIVENESS IN THIS
COUNTRY, THE HATE TOWARDS
AMERICA, THE WANTING TO REWRITE
HISTORY.
IT’S VERY SAD.
AND I APPRECIATE AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR SERVICE AND OPERATION
DESERT STORM IS NEAR AND DEAR TO
MY HEART.
I WAS 13 YEARS OLD AND RIDICULED
FOR WEARING A YELLOW RIBBON FROM
1990 UNTIL THE SOLDIERS CAME
HOME.
I HAVE AN IMMENSE SENSE OF
PATRIOTISM AND PRIDE FOR MY
COUNTRY AND WATCHING IT BURN AND
JUST THE VIOLENCE, IT’S
UNACCEPTABLE AND IT SCARS ME FOR
THE FUTURE OF MY SON.
>> THANK YOU.
>> IAN?
>> FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY
BLACK LIVES MATTER WITHOUT A
DOUBT.
BROWN LIVES MATTER, TOO.
I COME FROM A COMMUNITY WHERE
POLICE ABUSE IS REAL.
I SAW VIOLENCE TO PEOPLE IN MY
FAMILY, TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
GUNS PULLED UNNECESSARILY ON
PEOPLE.
THE DRUG WAR CLEARLY NEEDS TO
CHANGE.
CRIMINALIZING PEOPLE’S EMOTIONAL
ADDICTIONS DOES NOT HELP
ANYBODY.
I THINK REFORMING THE POLICE IS
ONLY THE FIRST STEP.
IT’S ONLY STOPPING PEOPLE FROM
ENTERING THIS SYSTEM BUT WE HAVE
PRIVATE PRISONS THAT NEED
REFORMED.
WE SHOULD BE OWNING THOSE AS
PEOPLE.
I THINK ONCE YOU GET OUT OF
PRISON, THE DISCRIMINATION YOU
FACE IN JOBS AND IN HOUSING IS
VERY REAL.
SOMEONE IS ALWAYS A CRIMINAL
FOREVER.
THAT SEEMS SO UNAMERICAN IF YOU
PAY YOUR TIME, YOU SHOULD PAY
YOUR TIME.
I’VE BEEN INVOLVED INNED A
VOICING A GROUP IN DENVER CALLED
THE STAR PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE
TAKEN THE POLICE OUT OF
RESPONSE.
PEOPLE CALL 911, THEYRE
RESPONSE FROM MENTAL HEALTH AND
PARAMEDICS.
SOMEONE IS HAVING A MENTAL
CRISIS AND END UP DEAD.
TO ME, THAT’S COMPLETELY WRONG.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REFORMING THE
POLICE, DEFUNDING THE POLICE, MY
COMMUNITY 40% OF OUR RESOURCES
ARE GOING TO PUTTING PEOPLE IN
JAIL AND LONG TERM MAKE THEM
CHECK A BOX THAT WILL KEEP THEM
FROM LIVING A BETTER FUTURE AND
I’M JUST NOT OKAY WITH THAT.
DO I WANT RAPIST TAKEN OFF THE
STREET?
HECK YEAH.
DO I WANT MURDERERS TO BE FOUND?
YES, I DO.
I WOULD RATHER THE POLICE WOULD
BE FOCUSSING ON THOSE THAN
CRIMINALIZING PEOPLE FOR PETTY
OFFENSES.
>> YOUR THOUGHTS?
>> I WILL ECHO IN BLACK LIVES
MATTER.
WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY IN THE
U.S. OF DISCRIMINATION AND
RACISM AND IT’S GOT TO END AT
SOME POINT.
YOU LOOK AT COLIN KAEPERNICK AND
HIM BEING BLACKBALLED FROM
FOOTBALL AND EVERYONE IS JUMPING
ON THE BAND WAGON SAYING WE
SHOULD HAVE LISTEN TO HIM.
THERE ARE PROTESTS FOR DECADES.
WE LOOK AT JOHN LEWIS, THE
HONORABLE JOHN LEWIS AND BEFORE
THAT.
WE PROTESTED.
IT’S WHAT THIS COUNTRY IS
FOUNDED ON IS PROTESTING.
PEACEFUL AND NOT PEACEFUL.
THE BOSTON TEA PARTY WAS NOT
PEACEFUL.
THERE WAS PROPERTY DESTRUCTION.
AND SO HERE WE ARE TODAY FEELING
AS IF WHITE SOCIETY AND OF
COURSE I’M A WHITE WOMAN BUT I’M
STANDING WITH THE PROTESTERS.
I’M STANDING WITH MY BLACK
BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
BLACK LIVES MATTER.
PROTESTING, COMING TO THE TABLE,
TALKING, WE HAVE TO START NOW TO
FINISH WHAT THE CONSTITUTION
SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED 235 YEARS
AGO AND IT DIDN’T.
>> BRIDGET, YOU’RE IN A UNIQUE
POSITION.
YOU WENT FROM BEING
UNDOCUMENTED, WHICH SOME PEOPLE
THINK IS ILLEGAL IN THIS COUNTRY
TO BEING A LAWYER, GETTING
EDUCATED IN THIS COUNTRY AND
BECOMING A LAWYER.
I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT LAW
AND ORDER MEANS TO YOU.
>> LAW AND ORDER, YOU KNOW, LAWS
HAVE TO BE JUST.
THERE IS A -- I THINK THAT’S THE
BIGGEST ONE, RIGHT?
UNJUST LAW ISN’T A LAW.
SO I DON’T BELIEVE IN THAT.
IN TERMS OF THIS WHOLE IDEA
ABOUT ME BEING UNDOCUMENTED AND
ME BEING HERE ILLEGALLY.
WHO IS THE ONE MAKING THAT LAW
AND DETERMINING THAT?
COLORADO USED TO BE PART OF
MEXICO WHICH IS WHERE I WAS BORN
AND IT WAS SOMEBODY ELSE THAT
DECIDED THAT AT SOME POINT THAT
MEANT YOU ARE NOW ILLEGAL IN
THIS COUNTRY.
BUT THIS WHOLE IDEA OF BLACK
LIVES MATTER AND THESE PROTESTS,
IT IS LAWFUL TO HAVE A PROTEST.
AND I WOULD INVITE THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE SCARED ABOUT WHAT THESE
PROTESTS ARE AND WHAT THEY MEAN
TO COME OUT TO A PROTEST.
I DON’T KNOW OR REMEMBER THE
EXACT NUMBER BUT I KNOW OVER 90%
OF THESE PROTESTS HAVE BEEN
PEACEFUL.
YOU CAN’T BASE YOUR ENTIRE
OPINION BASED ON A 30-SECOND
NEWS CLIP OR ONE BAD THING THAT
HAPPENED.
OBVIOUSLY, THAT’S WHAT THE NEWS
OUTLETS ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON.
BY IN LARGE THAT’S NOT WHAT THEY
ARE ABOUT.
IF PEOPLE COME OUT AND LISTEN TO
OTHER’S EXPERIENCES AND WHY THEY
ARE ACTUALLY THERE, I THINK IT
WOULD CHANGE A LOT FOF MINDS AND
WE COULD COME TO A PLACE TO
AGREE A LOT MORE.