1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,309 [Music] 2 00:00:10,470 --> 00:00:06,309 country is very divided right now 3 00:00:11,830 --> 00:00:10,480 i think in my lifetime it seems like 4 00:00:13,030 --> 00:00:11,840 it's the most divided i don't know if 5 00:00:15,430 --> 00:00:13,040 you happen to 6 00:00:18,390 --> 00:00:15,440 agree with that but you know this 7 00:00:20,470 --> 00:00:18,400 dichotomy as far as the attitudes and 8 00:00:22,390 --> 00:00:20,480 in politics in california and new york 9 00:00:23,509 --> 00:00:22,400 versus a place like texas and florida i 10 00:00:25,910 --> 00:00:23,519 mean texas and florida 11 00:00:26,950 --> 00:00:25,920 are wide open arizona is mostly wide 12 00:00:31,589 --> 00:00:26,960 open 13 00:00:34,549 --> 00:00:31,599 um but you know the talk of secession 14 00:00:35,030 --> 00:00:34,559 yeah is like a real thing now yeah well 15 00:00:38,709 --> 00:00:35,040 yes 16 00:00:42,470 --> 00:00:38,719 uh uh one crazy thing 17 00:00:44,549 --> 00:00:42,480 it will never happen um it's thrown out 18 00:00:47,830 --> 00:00:44,559 there i think like 19 00:00:48,549 --> 00:00:47,840 you throw red meat out and look for 20 00:00:54,150 --> 00:00:48,559 people 21 00:00:56,549 --> 00:00:54,160 i think it's absurd and i doubt that 22 00:00:59,830 --> 00:00:56,559 this will go anywhere 23 00:01:02,549 --> 00:00:59,840 but but i sometimes wonder is it really 24 00:01:04,549 --> 00:01:02,559 absurd and here's why i asked that in in 25 00:01:07,750 --> 00:01:04,559 i'm asking an expert like you 26 00:01:13,030 --> 00:01:07,760 i mean did the founders ever 27 00:01:15,749 --> 00:01:13,040 envision that we would be this big 28 00:01:17,510 --> 00:01:15,759 they knew the population was growing 29 00:01:20,789 --> 00:01:17,520 rapidly that we were 30 00:01:23,670 --> 00:01:20,799 the colonies were overtaking 31 00:01:26,149 --> 00:01:23,680 the mother country franklin wrote about 32 00:01:29,270 --> 00:01:26,159 that a kind of demographic exercise 33 00:01:31,429 --> 00:01:29,280 that he put out so they knew they were 34 00:01:32,630 --> 00:01:31,439 growing very rapidly because the birth 35 00:01:36,149 --> 00:01:32,640 rate was high 36 00:01:38,950 --> 00:01:36,159 and the death rate was much much lower 37 00:01:40,230 --> 00:01:38,960 than in europe or other parts of the 38 00:01:44,950 --> 00:01:40,240 world 39 00:01:46,950 --> 00:01:44,960 i don't think they imagined 330 million 40 00:01:47,990 --> 00:01:46,960 but they definitely were counting on a 41 00:01:51,190 --> 00:01:48,000 big 42 00:01:54,389 --> 00:01:51,200 uptick in population not only 43 00:01:56,389 --> 00:01:54,399 the natural increase but very hefty 44 00:01:57,830 --> 00:01:56,399 rates of immigration 45 00:02:00,149 --> 00:01:57,840 well i look at there's talk about 46 00:02:01,749 --> 00:02:00,159 breaking up google right now 47 00:02:04,870 --> 00:02:01,759 breaking up facebook they're facing 48 00:02:06,389 --> 00:02:04,880 antitrust claims and so on and 49 00:02:08,070 --> 00:02:06,399 my attitude toward that is i think you 50 00:02:09,990 --> 00:02:08,080 know what that's probably a good 51 00:02:11,510 --> 00:02:10,000 thing to break up these companies and 52 00:02:14,550 --> 00:02:11,520 when a company gets too large 53 00:02:15,350 --> 00:02:14,560 the levels of bureaucracy and so on is 54 00:02:18,630 --> 00:02:15,360 just 55 00:02:20,229 --> 00:02:18,640 too much to manage if i was a owner of 56 00:02:21,910 --> 00:02:20,239 google stock 57 00:02:23,350 --> 00:02:21,920 i think i'd be in favor of a breakup 58 00:02:25,750 --> 00:02:23,360 because instead i'm going to own 59 00:02:27,589 --> 00:02:25,760 stock in 10 different companies each one 60 00:02:30,309 --> 00:02:27,599 of them is probably going to be 61 00:02:30,710 --> 00:02:30,319 more efficient than them together as a 62 00:02:31,830 --> 00:02:30,720 whole 63 00:02:33,670 --> 00:02:31,840 and i'll bet you and you know this 64 00:02:33,990 --> 00:02:33,680 happened with the breakup of ma bell 65 00:02:35,430 --> 00:02:34,000 right 66 00:02:37,110 --> 00:02:35,440 i mean it's broken up into multiple 67 00:02:40,229 --> 00:02:37,120 companies that ended up doing 68 00:02:41,110 --> 00:02:40,239 independently very well and one of the 69 00:02:44,309 --> 00:02:41,120 things we're 70 00:02:45,509 --> 00:02:44,319 after here is competition right every 71 00:02:48,550 --> 00:02:45,519 time a merger is 72 00:02:50,630 --> 00:02:48,560 announced the pr is that it 73 00:02:51,589 --> 00:02:50,640 will lead to greater efficiency and 74 00:02:54,630 --> 00:02:51,599 therefore 75 00:02:57,910 --> 00:02:54,640 lower price to the consumer 76 00:03:00,229 --> 00:02:57,920 uh a year later turns out i don't know 77 00:03:01,589 --> 00:03:00,239 about efficiency but the prices don't go 78 00:03:03,750 --> 00:03:01,599 down 79 00:03:05,030 --> 00:03:03,760 yeah so competition has been one of the 80 00:03:07,430 --> 00:03:05,040 keys yeah 81 00:03:08,949 --> 00:03:07,440 so so just as just as those companies 82 00:03:12,229 --> 00:03:08,959 have gotten too large 83 00:03:13,990 --> 00:03:12,239 i mean the idea of politicians in 84 00:03:17,030 --> 00:03:14,000 washington dc 85 00:03:18,070 --> 00:03:17,040 having to manage this country that 86 00:03:21,830 --> 00:03:18,080 stretches over 87 00:03:22,790 --> 00:03:21,840 six time zones and it's 340 million 88 00:03:25,589 --> 00:03:22,800 people 89 00:03:26,550 --> 00:03:25,599 and you've got such a divergence of 90 00:03:29,670 --> 00:03:26,560 views now 91 00:03:31,110 --> 00:03:29,680 between those in california oregon and 92 00:03:33,990 --> 00:03:31,120 washington 93 00:03:36,309 --> 00:03:34,000 versus those in texas and florida versus 94 00:03:39,670 --> 00:03:36,319 those in the northeast 95 00:03:45,350 --> 00:03:39,680 um why would this necessarily be a bad 96 00:03:48,949 --> 00:03:47,430 well if america broke in three we'd have 97 00:03:51,910 --> 00:03:48,959 three state departments three 98 00:03:55,030 --> 00:03:51,920 departments of agriculture we would have 99 00:03:57,589 --> 00:03:55,040 uh tax revenue problems uh 100 00:03:59,030 --> 00:03:57,599 i think it would be a disaster for for 101 00:04:02,070 --> 00:03:59,040 the seceding 102 00:04:05,750 --> 00:04:02,080 states if we count them 103 00:04:08,710 --> 00:04:05,760 as read today because 104 00:04:10,869 --> 00:04:08,720 wealth is concentrated on the two coasts 105 00:04:14,470 --> 00:04:10,879 and then in texas of course 106 00:04:18,469 --> 00:04:14,480 but the seceding states would be 107 00:04:21,110 --> 00:04:18,479 mostly rural um and i think incapable of 108 00:04:24,629 --> 00:04:21,120 competing on this global market 109 00:04:29,909 --> 00:04:28,150 did not anticipate the civil war um 110 00:04:32,870 --> 00:04:29,919 but they did think that governments 111 00:04:34,870 --> 00:04:32,880 should be close to the people 112 00:04:36,550 --> 00:04:34,880 yeah i i don't think this is going 113 00:04:38,390 --> 00:04:36,560 anywhere as i said 114 00:04:40,150 --> 00:04:38,400 yeah but it's it's the close to the 115 00:04:43,270 --> 00:04:40,160 people part that i'm kind of 116 00:04:45,430 --> 00:04:43,280 focused on because it's gotten a lot 117 00:04:47,270 --> 00:04:45,440 further away from the people i mean 118 00:04:50,550 --> 00:04:47,280 didn't the founders believe that local 119 00:04:52,870 --> 00:04:50,560 government was the best government 120 00:04:54,070 --> 00:04:52,880 uh depending on your point of view the 121 00:04:58,070 --> 00:04:54,080 federalists 122 00:05:01,749 --> 00:04:58,080 uh let's take hamilton as a leader there 123 00:05:03,870 --> 00:05:01,759 uh believed in more concentration of 124 00:05:05,270 --> 00:05:03,880 power in the federal government than the 125 00:05:07,350 --> 00:05:05,280 jeffersonians 126 00:05:09,270 --> 00:05:07,360 who thought that the power should reside 127 00:05:10,950 --> 00:05:09,280 in the states primarily 128 00:05:12,870 --> 00:05:10,960 and that's one reason the electoral 129 00:05:16,550 --> 00:05:12,880 college was invented 130 00:05:19,350 --> 00:05:16,560 because it would curb the 131 00:05:20,070 --> 00:05:19,360 democratic impulses centered in the 132 00:05:27,670 --> 00:05:20,080 states 133 00:05:28,390 --> 00:05:27,680 but but even hamilton being a federalist 134 00:05:30,070 --> 00:05:28,400 and and 135 00:05:31,590 --> 00:05:30,080 wanting more centralized powers than the 136 00:05:34,310 --> 00:05:31,600 others compared to the amount of 137 00:05:36,230 --> 00:05:34,320 centralized power there is today 138 00:05:38,230 --> 00:05:36,240 doesn't that go even far beyond even 139 00:05:41,350 --> 00:05:38,240 what hamilton had envisioned 140 00:05:44,390 --> 00:05:41,360 oh sure way way beyond but this is 141 00:05:47,430 --> 00:05:44,400 250 years later 275 142 00:05:49,029 --> 00:05:47,440 years later so how do you feel about 143 00:05:50,950 --> 00:05:49,039 some attempt to 144 00:05:52,790 --> 00:05:50,960 correct that are you familiar with uh 145 00:05:55,909 --> 00:05:52,800 mark levin's 146 00:05:59,830 --> 00:05:55,919 book the the um 147 00:06:02,390 --> 00:05:59,840 liberty amendments i'm not 148 00:06:03,510 --> 00:06:02,400 so i think it's a mark levin who's a big 149 00:06:04,950 --> 00:06:03,520 conservative 150 00:06:07,510 --> 00:06:04,960 thinker and he was in the reagan 151 00:06:10,150 --> 00:06:07,520 administration and so on and so he's a 152 00:06:11,430 --> 00:06:10,160 strict constitutionalist conservative 153 00:06:14,629 --> 00:06:11,440 however 154 00:06:18,230 --> 00:06:14,639 he actually is promoting the idea of 155 00:06:22,150 --> 00:06:18,240 10 new amendments to the constitution 156 00:06:23,909 --> 00:06:22,160 the idea being to help bring it back 157 00:06:25,749 --> 00:06:23,919 to what the original intent was because 158 00:06:26,309 --> 00:06:25,759 so many things have gone too far whether 159 00:06:27,990 --> 00:06:26,319 it be 160 00:06:29,590 --> 00:06:28,000 you know the commerce clause getting 161 00:06:32,950 --> 00:06:29,600 blown up or what have you 162 00:06:34,469 --> 00:06:32,960 that we we need a full correction to get 163 00:06:35,590 --> 00:06:34,479 it back to what the original intent of 164 00:06:37,909 --> 00:06:35,600 the founders 165 00:06:38,790 --> 00:06:37,919 were that essentially through a series 166 00:06:41,590 --> 00:06:38,800 of supreme court 167 00:06:42,950 --> 00:06:41,600 decisions etc etc that it's it's gotten 168 00:06:46,390 --> 00:06:42,960 away from its 169 00:06:47,749 --> 00:06:46,400 original uh intention kind of as you 170 00:06:49,510 --> 00:06:47,759 just pointed out that you know even 171 00:06:50,950 --> 00:06:49,520 hamilton wouldn't have envisioned 172 00:06:53,909 --> 00:06:50,960 the centralized government getting this 173 00:06:55,670 --> 00:06:53,919 big well i'd have to look at those 10 174 00:06:56,710 --> 00:06:55,680 amendments so that would be very 175 00:07:00,629 --> 00:06:56,720 interesting 176 00:07:03,189 --> 00:07:00,639 but every amendment requires both houses 177 00:07:04,550 --> 00:07:03,199 and and three quarters of the states to 178 00:07:06,790 --> 00:07:04,560 endorse it 179 00:07:08,070 --> 00:07:06,800 uh and if we were to say well let's 180 00:07:09,990 --> 00:07:08,080 start over again 181 00:07:11,350 --> 00:07:10,000 and ten new amendments sounds almost 182 00:07:14,469 --> 00:07:11,360 like we're 183 00:07:17,830 --> 00:07:14,479 he's asking to start over again uh 184 00:07:19,350 --> 00:07:17,840 we think they're just unified now 185 00:07:22,070 --> 00:07:19,360 try to start over again on the 186 00:07:25,589 --> 00:07:22,080 constitution then 187 00:07:27,990 --> 00:07:25,599 then i don't know this would be chaos 188 00:07:29,430 --> 00:07:28,000 take it to the highest level yeah one 189 00:07:29,830 --> 00:07:29,440 one humorous thing i was thinking about 190 00:07:32,309 --> 00:07:29,840 is 191 00:07:33,110 --> 00:07:32,319 if you were to break up into three 192 00:07:34,710 --> 00:07:33,120 countries 193 00:07:36,629 --> 00:07:34,720 so now you'd have three constitutional 194 00:07:37,110 --> 00:07:36,639 conventions theoretically i guess one of 195 00:07:39,350 --> 00:07:37,120 them could 196 00:07:40,870 --> 00:07:39,360 could say oh we love the constitution as 197 00:07:41,909 --> 00:07:40,880 it is so we're going to stick with it 198 00:07:44,869 --> 00:07:41,919 but 199 00:07:46,309 --> 00:07:44,879 if if california was drafting its 200 00:07:48,150 --> 00:07:46,319 constitution 201 00:07:50,390 --> 00:07:48,160 it would be quite different wouldn't it 202 00:07:51,909 --> 00:07:50,400 be about 203 00:07:53,430 --> 00:07:51,919 all the rights that people are entitled 204 00:07:55,990 --> 00:07:53,440 to you're entitled to 205 00:07:57,270 --> 00:07:56,000 health care you're entitled to a home 206 00:07:59,430 --> 00:07:57,280 you're entitled to 207 00:08:01,270 --> 00:07:59,440 a job would be all these things that 208 00:08:04,550 --> 00:08:01,280 government is required 209 00:08:05,990 --> 00:08:04,560 to provide for you yeah well california 210 00:08:07,830 --> 00:08:06,000 certainly would be different than let's 211 00:08:10,469 --> 00:08:07,840 say north dakota 212 00:08:12,950 --> 00:08:10,479 but we have in california have had for 213 00:08:14,390 --> 00:08:12,960 quite a long time the movement to split 214 00:08:17,350 --> 00:08:14,400 up california 215 00:08:18,629 --> 00:08:17,360 that were those in the northern rural 216 00:08:22,790 --> 00:08:18,639 mountainous 217 00:08:25,270 --> 00:08:22,800 areas have very little in common 218 00:08:26,550 --> 00:08:25,280 with the people in san diego los angeles 219 00:08:29,830 --> 00:08:26,560 and san francisco 220 00:08:32,630 --> 00:08:29,840 the coastal earth the coastal urbanites 221 00:08:33,509 --> 00:08:32,640 so we've always had that secession 222 00:08:35,509 --> 00:08:33,519 movement in 223 00:08:36,630 --> 00:08:35,519 california they wanted northern 224 00:08:38,870 --> 00:08:36,640 california 225 00:08:40,149 --> 00:08:38,880 to be called jefferson or something like 226 00:08:43,110 --> 00:08:40,159 that 227 00:08:44,149 --> 00:08:43,120 so from a constitutional perspective 228 00:08:49,829 --> 00:08:44,159 what would be 229 00:08:54,470 --> 00:08:52,829 is there a mechanism for a state to 230 00:08:57,590 --> 00:08:54,480 self-divide 231 00:08:57,990 --> 00:08:57,600 not that i know of it would have to take 232 00:09:02,310 --> 00:08:58,000 a 233 00:09:06,949 --> 00:09:02,320 of here 234 00:09:08,070 --> 00:09:06,959 lose social security they would lose 235 00:09:10,949 --> 00:09:08,080 medicare 236 00:09:12,790 --> 00:09:10,959 they would lose federal water rights at 237 00:09:14,790 --> 00:09:12,800 a cheap rate 238 00:09:17,590 --> 00:09:14,800 they would lose an awful lot and they 239 00:09:19,750 --> 00:09:17,600 couldn't produce the income to support 240 00:09:24,230 --> 00:09:19,760 such programs on their own 241 00:09:27,269 --> 00:09:24,240 so it's a pretty um 242 00:09:30,310 --> 00:09:27,279 much a splitter splitter group and uh 243 00:09:31,590 --> 00:09:30,320 not a very realistic idea and if a state 244 00:09:35,430 --> 00:09:31,600 wanted to secede 245 00:09:38,949 --> 00:09:35,440 from the united states there's no 246 00:09:43,190 --> 00:09:38,959 is there a process for that uh well 247 00:09:45,269 --> 00:09:43,200 i guess that takes us back to 1861. 248 00:09:48,630 --> 00:09:45,279 we would the federal government would 249 00:09:53,910 --> 00:09:51,110 so the the founders did not envision any 250 00:09:57,829 --> 00:09:53,920 process by which a state could decide 251 00:10:01,990 --> 00:09:57,839 on its own to leave the union 252 00:10:03,509 --> 00:10:02,000 no they didn't imagine this 253 00:10:05,590 --> 00:10:03,519 they knew that there were tensions 254 00:10:08,150 --> 00:10:05,600 between the northern states 255 00:10:09,990 --> 00:10:08,160 and the southern states and they managed 256 00:10:13,190 --> 00:10:10,000 to compromise on that 257 00:10:14,949 --> 00:10:13,200 hamilton got his financial economic 258 00:10:18,230 --> 00:10:14,959 program through 259 00:10:20,389 --> 00:10:18,240 the south got the nation's capital 260 00:10:22,069 --> 00:10:20,399 moving from philadelphia to the banks of 261 00:10:25,590 --> 00:10:22,079 the potomac 262 00:10:28,790 --> 00:10:27,030 so when we last spoke we talked a lot 263 00:10:30,710 --> 00:10:28,800 about what's going on in 264 00:10:31,990 --> 00:10:30,720 in the schools and you played a central 265 00:10:34,389 --> 00:10:32,000 role in 266 00:10:35,590 --> 00:10:34,399 in developing national history standards 267 00:10:37,350 --> 00:10:35,600 and 268 00:10:38,870 --> 00:10:37,360 received a lot of criticism from the 269 00:10:41,670 --> 00:10:38,880 right for 270 00:10:43,110 --> 00:10:41,680 things that you chose to include in 271 00:10:46,069 --> 00:10:43,120 there 272 00:10:46,550 --> 00:10:46,079 starting with that what is it that you 273 00:10:48,550 --> 00:10:46,560 saw 274 00:10:50,790 --> 00:10:48,560 when you were involved in that that was 275 00:10:52,630 --> 00:10:50,800 not being taught 276 00:10:55,430 --> 00:10:52,640 up in in our u.s history classes that 277 00:10:58,829 --> 00:10:55,440 you thought needed to be taught 278 00:11:02,470 --> 00:10:58,839 well um not me so much as 279 00:11:06,389 --> 00:11:02,480 the advisory council 280 00:11:10,069 --> 00:11:06,399 of the 100 of 31 organizations 281 00:11:13,190 --> 00:11:10,079 who were pulled under the big umbrella 282 00:11:17,430 --> 00:11:13,200 and hundreds and hundreds of teachers 283 00:11:20,470 --> 00:11:17,440 who participated in joining scholars 284 00:11:22,710 --> 00:11:20,480 to to answer the question you've just 285 00:11:23,910 --> 00:11:22,720 asked what's left out what do our kids 286 00:11:26,470 --> 00:11:23,920 need to know 287 00:11:27,509 --> 00:11:26,480 it was the biggest consensus building 288 00:11:30,870 --> 00:11:27,519 project 289 00:11:31,670 --> 00:11:30,880 in american education that we've ever 290 00:11:34,069 --> 00:11:31,680 had 291 00:11:35,670 --> 00:11:34,079 where teachers in the trenches and 292 00:11:38,470 --> 00:11:35,680 scholars in their 293 00:11:40,310 --> 00:11:38,480 ivory or not so ivory towers were 294 00:11:44,949 --> 00:11:40,320 reaching out to each other 295 00:11:48,870 --> 00:11:44,959 and say let's figure this out together 296 00:11:51,990 --> 00:11:48,880 let's not hand it to some group 297 00:11:52,470 --> 00:11:52,000 centered in washington or any other 298 00:11:54,629 --> 00:11:52,480 place 299 00:11:55,670 --> 00:11:54,639 let's do it together so it was an 300 00:11:58,870 --> 00:11:55,680 enormous 301 00:12:01,590 --> 00:11:58,880 consensus building project and 302 00:12:03,430 --> 00:12:01,600 well what was decided it took many many 303 00:12:06,470 --> 00:12:03,440 drafts 304 00:12:08,150 --> 00:12:06,480 but what was not part of the big blow up 305 00:12:11,509 --> 00:12:08,160 media blow up 306 00:12:14,870 --> 00:12:11,519 which was the thing most needed 307 00:12:18,150 --> 00:12:14,880 in k-12 education was world 308 00:12:21,030 --> 00:12:18,160 history world history was 309 00:12:23,509 --> 00:12:21,040 not taught very much and very well 310 00:12:26,710 --> 00:12:23,519 teachers were not prepared to teach it 311 00:12:29,750 --> 00:12:26,720 most states gave it a nod in texas 312 00:12:32,710 --> 00:12:29,760 the only course the kids would get 313 00:12:34,389 --> 00:12:32,720 on their way to college was called texas 314 00:12:36,949 --> 00:12:34,399 of the world 315 00:12:38,389 --> 00:12:36,959 which wasn't really world history at all 316 00:12:41,509 --> 00:12:38,399 it was about 317 00:12:43,910 --> 00:12:41,519 texas growing involvement in global 318 00:12:45,990 --> 00:12:43,920 economy and things like that 319 00:12:47,509 --> 00:12:46,000 but on all the flack came on the 320 00:12:50,310 --> 00:12:47,519 american side 321 00:12:52,389 --> 00:12:50,320 not a whisper on the contribution these 322 00:12:54,150 --> 00:12:52,399 standards made to world history 323 00:12:55,910 --> 00:12:54,160 which was very difficult really 324 00:12:57,030 --> 00:12:55,920 inventing what was not yet in the 325 00:13:00,069 --> 00:12:57,040 schools 326 00:13:02,870 --> 00:13:00,079 what was done in u.s history 327 00:13:03,509 --> 00:13:02,880 was mostly done in the schools attention 328 00:13:05,509 --> 00:13:03,519 to women 329 00:13:07,910 --> 00:13:05,519 attention african-americans native 330 00:13:11,110 --> 00:13:07,920 americans latino americans 331 00:13:15,590 --> 00:13:11,120 the poor working class stiffs 332 00:13:19,350 --> 00:13:18,069 and what do you say to those that say 333 00:13:21,829 --> 00:13:19,360 that now 334 00:13:22,870 --> 00:13:21,839 the role of slavery in the teaching of 335 00:13:26,949 --> 00:13:22,880 america's 336 00:13:29,590 --> 00:13:26,959 past is taken over 337 00:13:30,150 --> 00:13:29,600 talking about all the important elements 338 00:13:31,910 --> 00:13:30,160 of what 339 00:13:34,069 --> 00:13:31,920 america was breaking away from which was 340 00:13:35,670 --> 00:13:34,079 a monarchy and the idea that 341 00:13:37,829 --> 00:13:35,680 they all are born created equal you're 342 00:13:39,829 --> 00:13:37,839 not born into a class system and so on 343 00:13:42,310 --> 00:13:39,839 that there's a segment out there that 344 00:13:45,110 --> 00:13:42,320 seems to want to be dismissive of 345 00:13:46,870 --> 00:13:45,120 our founding because of slavery i think 346 00:13:50,470 --> 00:13:46,880 it's a very small 347 00:13:53,030 --> 00:13:50,480 um group i don't think this 348 00:13:54,230 --> 00:13:53,040 that slavery has overtaken the u.s 349 00:13:58,069 --> 00:13:54,240 curriculum 350 00:14:02,150 --> 00:13:58,079 in any but possibly a couple of 351 00:14:05,509 --> 00:14:02,160 uh outlier school districts 352 00:14:06,470 --> 00:14:05,519 it's been 20 years since the afrocentric 353 00:14:09,670 --> 00:14:06,480 idea 354 00:14:11,829 --> 00:14:09,680 took hold uh in some quarters 355 00:14:13,590 --> 00:14:11,839 and that was the idea that we start with 356 00:14:17,509 --> 00:14:13,600 africans in america and 357 00:14:19,269 --> 00:14:17,519 lead out from there the use of ebonics 358 00:14:22,389 --> 00:14:19,279 do you remember ebonics 359 00:14:23,910 --> 00:14:22,399 the use of of what would pass as kind of 360 00:14:26,550 --> 00:14:23,920 street language 361 00:14:28,870 --> 00:14:26,560 um in african-american communities and 362 00:14:31,750 --> 00:14:28,880 ebonics was being taught 363 00:14:33,189 --> 00:14:31,760 as a language in the oakland school 364 00:14:35,269 --> 00:14:33,199 schools for example 365 00:14:37,189 --> 00:14:35,279 for just a couple of years and the 366 00:14:40,310 --> 00:14:37,199 afrocentric 367 00:14:42,629 --> 00:14:40,320 approach to american history faded 368 00:14:44,389 --> 00:14:42,639 pretty quickly from the screen 369 00:14:47,350 --> 00:14:44,399 so i think it's wrong to say that 370 00:14:49,670 --> 00:14:47,360 slavery has overtaken 371 00:14:51,990 --> 00:14:49,680 the teaching of u.s history it's an 372 00:14:52,710 --> 00:14:52,000 essential part of u.s history without 373 00:14:55,910 --> 00:14:52,720 slavery 374 00:14:57,750 --> 00:14:55,920 we don't have american history but what 375 00:14:59,189 --> 00:14:57,760 about the 1619 project isn't that 376 00:15:01,030 --> 00:14:59,199 something that you would say is kind of 377 00:15:04,150 --> 00:15:01,040 trying to revert back to that and 378 00:15:05,350 --> 00:15:04,160 making that the center again well the 379 00:15:08,310 --> 00:15:05,360 1619 380 00:15:09,509 --> 00:15:08,320 project of the new york times is one 381 00:15:12,150 --> 00:15:09,519 piece of curriculum 382 00:15:13,030 --> 00:15:12,160 among thousands of pieces of curriculum 383 00:15:16,069 --> 00:15:13,040 out there 384 00:15:18,629 --> 00:15:16,079 the irish potato fam famine 385 00:15:19,910 --> 00:15:18,639 also gets its play in some states as a 386 00:15:21,590 --> 00:15:19,920 mandatory 387 00:15:24,790 --> 00:15:21,600 requirement as part of the u.s 388 00:15:28,470 --> 00:15:24,800 curriculum it may be one day 389 00:15:29,430 --> 00:15:28,480 the 1619 project yes does want to focus 390 00:15:32,550 --> 00:15:29,440 attention 391 00:15:35,030 --> 00:15:32,560 on slavery in its aftermath in america 392 00:15:35,910 --> 00:15:35,040 um but that's not to take over us 393 00:15:40,230 --> 00:15:35,920 history 394 00:15:42,230 --> 00:15:40,240 it's it's to call for a larger role 395 00:15:44,150 --> 00:15:42,240 of the study of slavery african 396 00:15:46,470 --> 00:15:44,160 americans and the struggle for freedom 397 00:15:50,230 --> 00:15:46,480 over four centuries 398 00:15:53,430 --> 00:15:50,240 so help people understand how to digest 399 00:15:57,030 --> 00:15:53,440 the fact that thomas jefferson who 400 00:15:59,269 --> 00:15:57,040 wrote that all men are created equal 401 00:16:01,590 --> 00:15:59,279 right they're all born equal you're not 402 00:16:04,069 --> 00:16:01,600 born into 403 00:16:06,949 --> 00:16:04,079 a particular family of privilege or what 404 00:16:11,189 --> 00:16:06,959 have you got god created all of us equal 405 00:16:13,509 --> 00:16:11,199 yet he owned slaves yes 406 00:16:15,749 --> 00:16:13,519 the founding fathers called it natural 407 00:16:18,550 --> 00:16:15,759 rights inalienable rights 408 00:16:20,389 --> 00:16:18,560 those that you didn't earn those that 409 00:16:23,749 --> 00:16:20,399 weren't gifted to you 410 00:16:27,749 --> 00:16:23,759 those rights that you were born with yes 411 00:16:29,509 --> 00:16:27,759 and about 20 of the population 412 00:16:31,189 --> 00:16:29,519 uh when the constitution when the 413 00:16:34,790 --> 00:16:31,199 declaration was written 414 00:16:37,670 --> 00:16:34,800 were african-americans and of that 20 415 00:16:40,230 --> 00:16:37,680 it very very low percentage who were 416 00:16:42,470 --> 00:16:40,240 free almost all of them were enslaved 417 00:16:43,430 --> 00:16:42,480 so how did the family fathers reconcile 418 00:16:48,389 --> 00:16:43,440 that 419 00:16:52,389 --> 00:16:50,470 what they believed in theory was not 420 00:16:55,749 --> 00:16:52,399 carried out in practice 421 00:16:57,509 --> 00:16:55,759 and some argued and still argue today 422 00:16:59,829 --> 00:16:57,519 that they didn't consider african 423 00:17:02,949 --> 00:16:59,839 americans to be part of the 424 00:17:05,189 --> 00:17:02,959 deal they were talking about white 425 00:17:07,909 --> 00:17:05,199 americans 426 00:17:09,510 --> 00:17:07,919 but that's that's not entirely true 427 00:17:12,870 --> 00:17:09,520 because there were certainly 428 00:17:13,669 --> 00:17:12,880 those at the time white founding father 429 00:17:15,909 --> 00:17:13,679 types 430 00:17:17,189 --> 00:17:15,919 who were busy freeing their slaves 431 00:17:19,829 --> 00:17:17,199 because they knew it 432 00:17:21,750 --> 00:17:19,839 ran against natural rights inalienal 433 00:17:26,069 --> 00:17:21,760 rights 434 00:17:29,350 --> 00:17:26,079 hamilton himself was one of those 435 00:17:33,110 --> 00:17:29,360 so when jefferson writes 436 00:17:35,909 --> 00:17:33,120 all men are created equal what's 437 00:17:36,950 --> 00:17:35,919 going through his head at the time that 438 00:17:40,710 --> 00:17:36,960 he writes that when 439 00:17:41,590 --> 00:17:40,720 he knows that um 440 00:17:43,990 --> 00:17:41,600 i mean they weren't writing the 441 00:17:46,470 --> 00:17:44,000 constitution at the time but but 442 00:17:47,190 --> 00:17:46,480 he knows that the direction is that 443 00:17:51,669 --> 00:17:47,200 everyone 444 00:17:54,710 --> 00:17:51,679 is supposed to be created by god equally 445 00:17:57,510 --> 00:17:54,720 well it's one of those 446 00:17:59,669 --> 00:17:57,520 contradictions that they felt they 447 00:18:02,710 --> 00:17:59,679 couldn't solve at the time 448 00:18:05,830 --> 00:18:02,720 washington left in his will 449 00:18:09,110 --> 00:18:05,840 freedom for all the slaves he had 450 00:18:11,909 --> 00:18:09,120 when he died or when martha agreed to it 451 00:18:12,950 --> 00:18:11,919 so he came aboard the abolitionist 452 00:18:14,470 --> 00:18:12,960 bandwagon 453 00:18:15,990 --> 00:18:14,480 and there were abolitionists in the 454 00:18:18,070 --> 00:18:16,000 revolutionary period 455 00:18:19,029 --> 00:18:18,080 they weren't their voice wasn't very 456 00:18:21,350 --> 00:18:19,039 loud 457 00:18:22,870 --> 00:18:21,360 but it continued to grow all the way up 458 00:18:25,110 --> 00:18:22,880 to the civil war 459 00:18:26,230 --> 00:18:25,120 and some heeded it washington was the 460 00:18:28,630 --> 00:18:26,240 founding father 461 00:18:29,430 --> 00:18:28,640 who heeded it the most benjamin franklin 462 00:18:33,029 --> 00:18:29,440 also 463 00:18:34,789 --> 00:18:33,039 uh he did own slaves but he never died 464 00:18:38,549 --> 00:18:34,799 with slaves on his hands 465 00:18:41,350 --> 00:18:38,559 neither ran away or they were freed 466 00:18:41,990 --> 00:18:41,360 so the idea was certainly in the air 467 00:18:45,190 --> 00:18:42,000 that natural 468 00:18:49,750 --> 00:18:45,200 rights did include african americans 469 00:18:53,029 --> 00:18:49,760 but when and how are we going to 470 00:18:56,150 --> 00:18:53,039 uh give freedom to what was about 500 471 00:18:59,669 --> 00:18:56,160 000 slaves out of two and a half million 472 00:19:03,029 --> 00:18:59,679 in say 1776 when 473 00:19:05,190 --> 00:19:03,039 and how and it would have been 474 00:19:07,190 --> 00:19:05,200 near impossible to put together this 475 00:19:08,549 --> 00:19:07,200 union of these 13 colonies under this 476 00:19:13,350 --> 00:19:08,559 new constitution 477 00:19:15,909 --> 00:19:13,360 if it included freeing all the slaves 478 00:19:17,350 --> 00:19:15,919 there were plans to do that they uh 479 00:19:20,950 --> 00:19:17,360 pennsylvania did it 480 00:19:23,990 --> 00:19:20,960 as a state in 1780 it was the first 481 00:19:27,029 --> 00:19:24,000 of the 13 colonies now states 482 00:19:30,390 --> 00:19:27,039 that created an emancipation 483 00:19:32,070 --> 00:19:30,400 act but it was called gradual abolition 484 00:19:33,510 --> 00:19:32,080 it didn't free all the slaves in 485 00:19:36,630 --> 00:19:33,520 pennsylvania at once 486 00:19:40,870 --> 00:19:36,640 he said those born into slavery 487 00:19:43,190 --> 00:19:40,880 of a slave woman after january 1st 1780 488 00:19:44,150 --> 00:19:43,200 would be free and they would be free 489 00:19:47,270 --> 00:19:44,160 after 490 00:19:48,870 --> 00:19:47,280 serving a certain number of years as an 491 00:19:51,350 --> 00:19:48,880 indentured servant was 492 00:19:52,150 --> 00:19:51,360 that was the first time as to any place 493 00:19:55,110 --> 00:19:52,160 in the western 494 00:19:55,669 --> 00:19:55,120 world that is that a political body 495 00:19:58,950 --> 00:19:55,679 actually 496 00:20:00,549 --> 00:19:58,960 took the dive and passed a gradual 497 00:20:01,830 --> 00:20:00,559 abolition act the northern states 498 00:20:04,710 --> 00:20:01,840 followed in line 499 00:20:05,510 --> 00:20:04,720 up through 1804 when new york was the 500 00:20:07,669 --> 00:20:05,520 latest 501 00:20:08,630 --> 00:20:07,679 of the states to do that did it spread 502 00:20:11,750 --> 00:20:08,640 to the south 503 00:20:14,630 --> 00:20:11,760 no but it did spread to individual 504 00:20:16,070 --> 00:20:14,640 slave owners of freeing for example some 505 00:20:18,630 --> 00:20:16,080 ten thousand 506 00:20:20,870 --> 00:20:18,640 enslaved men and women in virginia by 507 00:20:23,190 --> 00:20:20,880 eighteen hundred 508 00:20:24,870 --> 00:20:23,200 so but it was certainly the center of 509 00:20:25,990 --> 00:20:24,880 much debate because you have the 510 00:20:28,710 --> 00:20:26,000 infamous 511 00:20:29,669 --> 00:20:28,720 compromise of counting uh african 512 00:20:31,350 --> 00:20:29,679 americans or 513 00:20:32,870 --> 00:20:31,360 africans at the time i guess as 514 00:20:35,110 --> 00:20:32,880 three-fifths 515 00:20:35,909 --> 00:20:35,120 and kind of the irony of that a lot of 516 00:20:38,710 --> 00:20:35,919 people don't 517 00:20:40,390 --> 00:20:38,720 focus on so much it was the south that 518 00:20:43,669 --> 00:20:40,400 wanted them to be counted 519 00:20:43,990 --> 00:20:43,679 fully yes it was the north that didn't 520 00:20:45,430 --> 00:20:44,000 want 521 00:20:46,830 --> 00:20:45,440 them counted as fully because it would 522 00:20:49,270 --> 00:20:46,840 have given way way too much 523 00:20:51,990 --> 00:20:49,280 representation yes to the south 524 00:20:53,750 --> 00:20:52,000 yes exactly and and is is that also 525 00:20:57,029 --> 00:20:53,760 because 526 00:20:58,870 --> 00:20:57,039 the north essentially opposed slavery so 527 00:21:00,630 --> 00:20:58,880 they felt if we give too much power to 528 00:21:02,549 --> 00:21:00,640 the south it'll be very difficult to 529 00:21:04,710 --> 00:21:02,559 ever abolish it 530 00:21:06,789 --> 00:21:04,720 well they did talk about this what they 531 00:21:10,149 --> 00:21:06,799 call the slave power 532 00:21:12,950 --> 00:21:10,159 the power of the south south based on 533 00:21:14,549 --> 00:21:12,960 slavery and the greater representation 534 00:21:18,070 --> 00:21:14,559 gave in congress 535 00:21:21,110 --> 00:21:18,080 so word was around actually the 536 00:21:22,630 --> 00:21:21,120 two published plans for gradual 537 00:21:25,110 --> 00:21:22,640 abolition of slavery 538 00:21:26,870 --> 00:21:25,120 were both written by virginians and 539 00:21:29,830 --> 00:21:26,880 friends of jefferson 540 00:21:30,710 --> 00:21:29,840 and this is in the 1790s they weren't 541 00:21:34,470 --> 00:21:30,720 published 542 00:21:36,470 --> 00:21:34,480 as you can imagine in richmond virginia 543 00:21:38,789 --> 00:21:36,480 these gradual abolition plans they were 544 00:21:40,630 --> 00:21:38,799 published in philadelphia 545 00:21:43,110 --> 00:21:40,640 which was the center of quaker 546 00:21:45,510 --> 00:21:43,120 abolitionism 547 00:21:47,430 --> 00:21:45,520 so of of the founders that most of us 548 00:21:51,830 --> 00:21:47,440 think about say the top 549 00:21:54,950 --> 00:21:51,840 20 or so how many of them own slaves 550 00:21:55,270 --> 00:21:54,960 well the first four president no adams 551 00:21:58,230 --> 00:21:55,280 was 552 00:21:59,750 --> 00:21:58,240 of the exception other than adams four 553 00:22:03,190 --> 00:21:59,760 out of the first five pres 554 00:22:06,789 --> 00:22:03,200 presidents were slave owners um 555 00:22:08,230 --> 00:22:06,799 so slavery is rooted in the south for 556 00:22:11,430 --> 00:22:08,240 sure 557 00:22:11,669 --> 00:22:11,440 but the argument of slave owners was let 558 00:22:15,510 --> 00:22:11,679 us 559 00:22:18,310 --> 00:22:15,520 alone and it will die out gradually 560 00:22:19,110 --> 00:22:18,320 because more people die than are born of 561 00:22:21,510 --> 00:22:19,120 slavery 562 00:22:22,950 --> 00:22:21,520 well that was certainly true all over 563 00:22:25,510 --> 00:22:22,960 the caribbean 564 00:22:26,950 --> 00:22:25,520 take jamaica british colony for example 565 00:22:30,630 --> 00:22:26,960 two deaths 566 00:22:32,470 --> 00:22:30,640 for every live birth you couldn't 567 00:22:33,750 --> 00:22:32,480 keep a slave economy going without 568 00:22:36,390 --> 00:22:33,760 importing slaves 569 00:22:38,310 --> 00:22:36,400 the south said we agreed to stop the 570 00:22:41,669 --> 00:22:38,320 slave trade in 20 years 571 00:22:43,510 --> 00:22:41,679 1808 right and there 572 00:22:45,270 --> 00:22:43,520 the numbers will go down because there 573 00:22:47,990 --> 00:22:45,280 will be more deaths 574 00:22:50,630 --> 00:22:48,000 than births and then came along the 575 00:22:52,390 --> 00:22:50,640 first federal census of 1790 576 00:22:55,110 --> 00:22:52,400 and they looked at the numbers and they 577 00:22:57,590 --> 00:22:55,120 said oh my god we got it wrong 578 00:22:58,710 --> 00:22:57,600 they're more births than deaths slavery 579 00:23:01,990 --> 00:22:58,720 is growing 580 00:23:05,990 --> 00:23:02,000 500 000 roughly 1776 581 00:23:07,510 --> 00:23:06,000 800 000 in 1800 it's growing leaked by 582 00:23:09,350 --> 00:23:07,520 leaps and bounds 583 00:23:11,510 --> 00:23:09,360 oh now we have a different problem on 584 00:23:14,390 --> 00:23:11,520 our hands 585 00:23:14,789 --> 00:23:14,400 and where else had slavery at the time 586 00:23:24,710 --> 00:23:14,799 the 587 00:23:27,830 --> 00:23:24,720 how about europe 588 00:23:30,870 --> 00:23:27,840 well england which was 589 00:23:34,149 --> 00:23:30,880 leading the slave trade with its 590 00:23:37,830 --> 00:23:34,159 merchant ships their slave ships did 591 00:23:39,750 --> 00:23:37,840 in effect abolish slavery in 1772 592 00:23:42,950 --> 00:23:39,760 not in their colonies not in jamaica and 593 00:23:46,549 --> 00:23:42,960 bermud bermuda and antigua and barbados 594 00:23:49,110 --> 00:23:46,559 but the high court said 595 00:23:51,430 --> 00:23:49,120 if you plant your foot on english soil 596 00:23:55,110 --> 00:23:51,440 you cannot be a slave 597 00:23:57,350 --> 00:23:55,120 but it took until 1833 for england to 598 00:24:01,590 --> 00:23:57,360 abolish slavery in its colonies 599 00:24:04,630 --> 00:24:01,600 well it took us till 1865. 600 00:24:06,630 --> 00:24:04,640 but yes slavery was rooted all over not 601 00:24:08,630 --> 00:24:06,640 just the caribbean but all over south 602 00:24:11,590 --> 00:24:08,640 america there's no such thing as a 603 00:24:12,230 --> 00:24:11,600 colony without slaves and the largest of 604 00:24:15,430 --> 00:24:12,240 all was 605 00:24:18,230 --> 00:24:17,110 there's a very controversial statement i 606 00:24:20,070 --> 00:24:18,240 think it's already been totally 607 00:24:22,710 --> 00:24:20,080 discredited but i'll let you 608 00:24:23,350 --> 00:24:22,720 address it that came from the 1619 609 00:24:25,029 --> 00:24:23,360 project 610 00:24:27,909 --> 00:24:25,039 and i think they've since retracted it 611 00:24:29,990 --> 00:24:27,919 but it says one of the primary reasons 612 00:24:31,430 --> 00:24:30,000 the colonists decided to declare their 613 00:24:33,190 --> 00:24:31,440 independence from britain 614 00:24:36,310 --> 00:24:33,200 was because they wanted to protect the 615 00:24:40,269 --> 00:24:36,320 institution of slavery 616 00:24:41,990 --> 00:24:40,279 well that is um let's say a 617 00:24:45,430 --> 00:24:42,000 misrepresentation 618 00:24:48,470 --> 00:24:45,440 or we could go farther and say 619 00:24:51,350 --> 00:24:48,480 that's not true 620 00:24:52,789 --> 00:24:51,360 what is true is that when the 621 00:24:57,230 --> 00:24:52,799 revolutionary war 622 00:24:58,390 --> 00:24:57,240 moved from north to south in late 623 00:25:00,230 --> 00:24:58,400 1779-1780 624 00:25:01,990 --> 00:25:00,240 and the rest of the american revolution 625 00:25:02,789 --> 00:25:02,000 the war for independence was fought on 626 00:25:05,750 --> 00:25:02,799 the south 627 00:25:08,549 --> 00:25:05,760 and at that point georgia and south 628 00:25:11,909 --> 00:25:08,559 carolina planters particularly 629 00:25:16,230 --> 00:25:11,919 preferred protecting slavery um 630 00:25:21,500 --> 00:25:16,240 to winning the war and so south carolina 631 00:25:25,510 --> 00:25:23,190 [Music] 632 00:25:26,830 --> 00:25:25,520 heavy in numbers and supporting the 633 00:25:29,669 --> 00:25:26,840 british 634 00:25:30,310 --> 00:25:29,679 yes that much is true i'm very sorry 635 00:25:34,390 --> 00:25:30,320 about this 636 00:25:39,190 --> 00:25:34,400 um i think i squelched it 637 00:25:41,350 --> 00:25:39,200 okay so to a very very limited extent 638 00:25:42,390 --> 00:25:41,360 uh they could squeeze out of that 639 00:25:45,990 --> 00:25:42,400 statement of 640 00:25:49,990 --> 00:25:46,000 kernel of truth but it it doesn't work 641 00:25:53,830 --> 00:25:50,000 well for 1776. 642 00:25:57,110 --> 00:25:53,840 and what what do you think if you're 643 00:26:00,149 --> 00:25:57,120 teaching a class what what what is 644 00:26:01,990 --> 00:26:00,159 what is the the greatness of america's 645 00:26:03,669 --> 00:26:02,000 founding what's the most important thing 646 00:26:06,149 --> 00:26:03,679 for people to 647 00:26:08,870 --> 00:26:06,159 to know and understand about it and that 648 00:26:11,029 --> 00:26:08,880 that made it so great 649 00:26:13,350 --> 00:26:11,039 well a representative government a 650 00:26:16,789 --> 00:26:13,360 representative democracy 651 00:26:19,830 --> 00:26:16,799 um and eventually 652 00:26:23,029 --> 00:26:19,840 freedom though that takes time but one 653 00:26:25,350 --> 00:26:23,039 category of unfreedom of that they were 654 00:26:28,070 --> 00:26:25,360 able to grapple with 655 00:26:29,830 --> 00:26:28,080 very quickly was indentured servitude 656 00:26:32,630 --> 00:26:29,840 where you came over as an immigrant 657 00:26:33,430 --> 00:26:32,640 and you served five to seven years in a 658 00:26:36,789 --> 00:26:33,440 kind of 659 00:26:39,590 --> 00:26:36,799 semi slavery but the great idea was a 660 00:26:43,750 --> 00:26:39,600 representative democracy 661 00:26:46,149 --> 00:26:43,760 where we the people political authority 662 00:26:49,510 --> 00:26:46,159 is not vested in the king and is not 663 00:26:51,590 --> 00:26:49,520 invested in an aristocracy 664 00:26:53,430 --> 00:26:51,600 the ultimate authority is invested in 665 00:26:55,110 --> 00:26:53,440 the people 666 00:26:56,950 --> 00:26:55,120 you're not born you're not born into it 667 00:27:00,630 --> 00:26:56,960 you're not subjects of 668 00:27:02,230 --> 00:27:00,640 anyone all are equal yes although there 669 00:27:05,029 --> 00:27:02,240 are limitations on it 670 00:27:06,549 --> 00:27:05,039 in many states you had to own property a 671 00:27:09,590 --> 00:27:06,559 certain amount of property 672 00:27:10,870 --> 00:27:09,600 to vote but even without the votes you 673 00:27:14,870 --> 00:27:10,880 were entitled 674 00:27:15,830 --> 00:27:14,880 uh to the privileges of citizenship in 675 00:27:17,909 --> 00:27:15,840 many ways 676 00:27:19,029 --> 00:27:17,919 it would take a long time to gradually 677 00:27:22,310 --> 00:27:19,039 get rid of the 678 00:27:24,549 --> 00:27:22,320 property causes that were observed in 679 00:27:28,389 --> 00:27:24,559 many states 680 00:27:30,470 --> 00:27:28,399 and were there many if any examples of 681 00:27:33,110 --> 00:27:30,480 successful republics around the world at 682 00:27:38,710 --> 00:27:35,590 there was nowhere in the world with the 683 00:27:41,750 --> 00:27:38,720 with a written constitution 684 00:27:43,669 --> 00:27:41,760 england had its magna carta it had its 685 00:27:46,070 --> 00:27:43,679 common law traditions 686 00:27:48,630 --> 00:27:46,080 but a written constitution on piece of 687 00:27:51,909 --> 00:27:48,640 paper that you could pick up and say 688 00:27:55,269 --> 00:27:51,919 these are my rights that's new 689 00:27:58,310 --> 00:27:55,279 in the world it's in europe 690 00:27:59,750 --> 00:27:58,320 it it was a matter of amazement when 691 00:28:03,110 --> 00:27:59,760 they looked at this 692 00:28:06,549 --> 00:28:03,120 the idea that these basic fundamental 693 00:28:08,149 --> 00:28:06,559 core rights you could put down on paper 694 00:28:11,669 --> 00:28:08,159 and say 695 00:28:12,870 --> 00:28:11,679 there it is this is this is a promissory 696 00:28:14,789 --> 00:28:12,880 note 697 00:28:16,549 --> 00:28:14,799 and not just that wouldn't you say that 698 00:28:18,230 --> 00:28:16,559 the way they structured it 699 00:28:20,630 --> 00:28:18,240 with the three different branches and 700 00:28:22,230 --> 00:28:20,640 even within congress having two houses 701 00:28:24,070 --> 00:28:22,240 and so on i mean 702 00:28:25,510 --> 00:28:24,080 there's a lot of brilliance in that 703 00:28:28,789 --> 00:28:25,520 correct 704 00:28:31,029 --> 00:28:28,799 yeah they were trying to balance um in 705 00:28:32,389 --> 00:28:31,039 england they said we're very proud that 706 00:28:34,230 --> 00:28:32,399 we split the 707 00:28:35,909 --> 00:28:34,240 power up among the monarchy the 708 00:28:38,549 --> 00:28:35,919 aristocracy and the 709 00:28:39,269 --> 00:28:38,559 and the houses of parliament and america 710 00:28:43,110 --> 00:28:39,279 said 711 00:28:46,710 --> 00:28:43,120 no monarchy thank you no um 712 00:28:49,110 --> 00:28:46,720 people born into an aristocracy uh 713 00:28:50,149 --> 00:28:49,120 and control the house of florence we'll 714 00:28:53,590 --> 00:28:50,159 just go 715 00:28:55,990 --> 00:28:53,600 with the third part of the tripod of the 716 00:28:59,510 --> 00:28:56,000 people part the representative 717 00:29:01,510 --> 00:28:59,520 the democracy part hamilton 718 00:29:03,510 --> 00:29:01,520 stood for three hours and said we should 719 00:29:05,669 --> 00:29:03,520 have a king 720 00:29:08,789 --> 00:29:05,679 now you won't find that in music when 721 00:29:11,590 --> 00:29:08,799 maybe there's a touch of a musical 722 00:29:12,470 --> 00:29:11,600 so he leaned toward he was afraid of the 723 00:29:14,870 --> 00:29:12,480 people 724 00:29:16,789 --> 00:29:14,880 you know he said in one memorable phrase 725 00:29:20,470 --> 00:29:16,799 he said the people sir 726 00:29:22,149 --> 00:29:20,480 are a great beast watch out for them 727 00:29:23,990 --> 00:29:22,159 give them all the power they'll be at 728 00:29:25,110 --> 00:29:24,000 your throats isn't that a really 729 00:29:27,269 --> 00:29:25,120 important background 730 00:29:29,029 --> 00:29:27,279 understanding as there's people out 731 00:29:31,990 --> 00:29:29,039 there seeking some type of 732 00:29:33,430 --> 00:29:32,000 more utopian society where we all would 733 00:29:34,870 --> 00:29:33,440 love that to be the case but the 734 00:29:38,310 --> 00:29:34,880 recognition that 735 00:29:42,070 --> 00:29:38,320 human nature is inherently selfish 736 00:29:46,230 --> 00:29:42,080 that people power is corrupting 737 00:29:48,389 --> 00:29:46,240 and we need to really guard against 738 00:29:50,549 --> 00:29:48,399 people usurping power because the the 739 00:29:53,990 --> 00:29:50,559 founders recognized 740 00:29:57,110 --> 00:29:54,000 human nature yes that's right and they 741 00:30:01,830 --> 00:29:57,120 tried to um put up some fences 742 00:30:04,230 --> 00:30:01,840 uh to prevent that and 743 00:30:06,389 --> 00:30:04,240 one of them was the electoral college 744 00:30:09,590 --> 00:30:06,399 that was meant to curb 745 00:30:13,029 --> 00:30:09,600 um the aspirations of 746 00:30:14,630 --> 00:30:13,039 a mass of ordinary people and that's why 747 00:30:17,029 --> 00:30:14,640 the jeffersonians thought 748 00:30:18,389 --> 00:30:17,039 more power to the states less power to a 749 00:30:20,470 --> 00:30:18,399 federal government 750 00:30:22,789 --> 00:30:20,480 when those whiskey rebels in western 751 00:30:27,110 --> 00:30:22,799 pennsylvania refused to pay 752 00:30:30,149 --> 00:30:27,120 a tax on the whiskey they were producing 753 00:30:32,070 --> 00:30:30,159 washington had hamilton march west with 754 00:30:34,149 --> 00:30:32,080 a larger army 755 00:30:35,350 --> 00:30:34,159 than washington ever commanded during 756 00:30:38,870 --> 00:30:35,360 the revolution 757 00:30:43,590 --> 00:30:38,880 to put down those corn growing 758 00:30:46,389 --> 00:30:43,600 whiskey producing tax resisting 759 00:30:47,590 --> 00:30:46,399 western farmers that was the display of 760 00:30:49,669 --> 00:30:47,600 federal power 761 00:30:52,549 --> 00:30:49,679 that those of the jeffersonian 762 00:30:54,230 --> 00:30:52,559 persuasion were afraid of 763 00:30:55,590 --> 00:30:54,240 so yeah the electoral college is 764 00:30:56,310 --> 00:30:55,600 something i'd never really given that 765 00:30:58,230 --> 00:30:56,320 much 766 00:31:00,549 --> 00:30:58,240 thought to before but as we see it 767 00:31:02,630 --> 00:31:00,559 playing out literally as we speak 768 00:31:04,310 --> 00:31:02,640 with challenges in front of the united 769 00:31:07,190 --> 00:31:04,320 states supreme court 770 00:31:08,230 --> 00:31:07,200 and state legislators sending the 771 00:31:10,870 --> 00:31:08,240 delegates to some 772 00:31:13,669 --> 00:31:10,880 it seems as if the founders even 773 00:31:17,029 --> 00:31:13,679 anticipated that there could be 774 00:31:19,029 --> 00:31:17,039 accusations of fraud in balloting or not 775 00:31:22,070 --> 00:31:19,039 just accusations but actual 776 00:31:23,909 --> 00:31:22,080 fraud in in balloting and 777 00:31:26,310 --> 00:31:23,919 it seems to kind of put in checks and 778 00:31:29,430 --> 00:31:26,320 balances into the electoral 779 00:31:30,950 --> 00:31:29,440 college system that would create 780 00:31:34,230 --> 00:31:30,960 mechanisms 781 00:31:36,630 --> 00:31:34,240 for assuring that no matter what happens 782 00:31:38,389 --> 00:31:36,640 you have a properly elected president 783 00:31:41,029 --> 00:31:38,399 through the college 784 00:31:42,149 --> 00:31:41,039 yes um i think they were not so 785 00:31:46,230 --> 00:31:42,159 concerned about 786 00:31:48,789 --> 00:31:46,240 electoral fraud and ballot stealing or 787 00:31:50,070 --> 00:31:48,799 things of that sort what they were 788 00:31:51,750 --> 00:31:50,080 worried about 789 00:31:54,470 --> 00:31:51,760 was that people with a lot of money 790 00:31:57,990 --> 00:31:54,480 let's say a merchant who has 791 00:32:01,350 --> 00:31:58,000 30 employees and says as 792 00:32:05,190 --> 00:32:01,360 as mckinley said to uh 793 00:32:08,549 --> 00:32:05,200 um when you go to the poll 794 00:32:12,070 --> 00:32:08,559 vote for my guy not the other guy 795 00:32:16,070 --> 00:32:12,080 so buying or pressuring 796 00:32:17,029 --> 00:32:16,080 of those uh who owe something to you by 797 00:32:21,110 --> 00:32:17,039 way 798 00:32:24,549 --> 00:32:21,120 of your status as landlord or employee 799 00:32:25,990 --> 00:32:24,559 um you you don't have a free vote you're 800 00:32:27,909 --> 00:32:26,000 really beholden 801 00:32:29,110 --> 00:32:27,919 to those above you they were more 802 00:32:32,230 --> 00:32:29,120 worried about that 803 00:32:33,990 --> 00:32:32,240 there were secret ballots in most states 804 00:32:35,350 --> 00:32:34,000 but they opened it up and say we should 805 00:32:37,029 --> 00:32:35,360 have an open ballot 806 00:32:38,549 --> 00:32:37,039 where you can choose you could drop 807 00:32:40,710 --> 00:32:38,559 beans in a you know 808 00:32:41,990 --> 00:32:40,720 a white bean or a brown bean in a 809 00:32:44,470 --> 00:32:42,000 different box 810 00:32:47,190 --> 00:32:44,480 in front of everybody so you show your 811 00:32:49,669 --> 00:32:47,200 you're an independent voter 812 00:32:51,269 --> 00:32:49,679 not beholden to others who have a who 813 00:32:54,149 --> 00:32:51,279 have a grip on you 814 00:32:54,710 --> 00:32:54,159 and and that opened up for fraud right 815 00:32:57,029 --> 00:32:54,720 because 816 00:32:58,710 --> 00:32:57,039 am i right that someone could be 817 00:32:59,190 --> 00:32:58,720 standing there watching who you voted 818 00:33:01,909 --> 00:32:59,200 for 819 00:33:03,830 --> 00:33:01,919 and they give you five bucks if you've 820 00:33:07,110 --> 00:33:03,840 if you voted the right way 821 00:33:09,350 --> 00:33:07,120 yeah well we know we know about you 822 00:33:10,230 --> 00:33:09,360 fast forward into the 19th century and 823 00:33:13,110 --> 00:33:10,240 we know the 824 00:33:15,110 --> 00:33:13,120 ward bosses and the people that are 825 00:33:16,870 --> 00:33:15,120 immigrants who get naturalized and say 826 00:33:18,149 --> 00:33:16,880 there's a turkey waiting for you on 827 00:33:21,430 --> 00:33:18,159 thanksgiving day 828 00:33:22,149 --> 00:33:21,440 if you vote the right way so yeah sure 829 00:33:26,420 --> 00:33:22,159 we have 830 00:33:28,230 --> 00:33:26,430 i'm sorry about this 831 00:33:31,269 --> 00:33:28,240 [Music] 832 00:33:34,549 --> 00:33:31,279 okay um yeah so there 833 00:33:35,029 --> 00:33:34,559 there's a a thread of that but i would 834 00:33:37,350 --> 00:33:35,039 say 835 00:33:38,070 --> 00:33:37,360 in the 20th century our elections have 836 00:33:42,789 --> 00:33:38,080 gotten 837 00:33:45,830 --> 00:33:42,799 cleaner and cleaner we have the founders 838 00:33:50,830 --> 00:33:45,840 sorry finish the point yeah oh well that 839 00:33:54,710 --> 00:33:50,840 that uh we have a more sturdy muscular 840 00:33:57,830 --> 00:33:54,720 um uh electoral 841 00:33:58,549 --> 00:33:57,840 management system if we can call call it 842 00:34:01,190 --> 00:33:58,559 that 843 00:34:03,029 --> 00:34:01,200 than we had a hundred years ago what 844 00:34:07,990 --> 00:34:03,039 would the founders say about 845 00:34:13,589 --> 00:34:11,030 well the post office was 846 00:34:14,550 --> 00:34:13,599 brand new franklin was the first 847 00:34:18,389 --> 00:34:14,560 postmaster 848 00:34:21,030 --> 00:34:18,399 general and but most people 849 00:34:22,149 --> 00:34:21,040 didn't have money to send a letter 850 00:34:25,430 --> 00:34:22,159 anywhere 851 00:34:27,030 --> 00:34:25,440 so this is pretty much new new ground 852 00:34:32,629 --> 00:34:27,040 i don't think we can look back to the 853 00:34:35,990 --> 00:34:34,230 going back to some of the more 854 00:34:37,190 --> 00:34:36,000 controversial parts of the founding that 855 00:34:40,310 --> 00:34:37,200 is 856 00:34:45,589 --> 00:34:40,320 all men are created equal but 857 00:34:51,829 --> 00:34:50,069 yes except for one state new jersey 858 00:34:53,270 --> 00:34:51,839 because each state had to write its own 859 00:34:56,550 --> 00:34:53,280 state constitution 860 00:35:00,630 --> 00:34:56,560 once they cut loose from english law 861 00:35:03,910 --> 00:35:00,640 new jersey's constitution of 1776 862 00:35:07,910 --> 00:35:03,920 avoided masculine pronouns 863 00:35:09,829 --> 00:35:07,920 so the women voted from 1776 for just 864 00:35:12,150 --> 00:35:09,839 over a quarter century 865 00:35:14,310 --> 00:35:12,160 uh doesn't make its way into the into 866 00:35:17,589 --> 00:35:14,320 the history books very often 867 00:35:18,310 --> 00:35:17,599 then they were disenfranchised and it 868 00:35:22,230 --> 00:35:18,320 took 869 00:35:23,750 --> 00:35:22,240 until the 19th amendment 1820 to get the 870 00:35:27,270 --> 00:35:23,760 vote back 871 00:35:28,470 --> 00:35:27,280 but it was an example and the the notion 872 00:35:31,510 --> 00:35:28,480 was in the air 873 00:35:33,589 --> 00:35:31,520 the debate question for harvard uh 874 00:35:35,430 --> 00:35:33,599 every graduating class had a debate 875 00:35:37,750 --> 00:35:35,440 question was 876 00:35:38,630 --> 00:35:37,760 should women have a greater authority in 877 00:35:45,510 --> 00:35:38,640 running 878 00:35:47,109 --> 00:35:45,520 so the idea was in the air um but new 879 00:35:49,270 --> 00:35:47,119 jersey was the only one 880 00:35:50,390 --> 00:35:49,280 that actually went for it so when they 881 00:35:52,390 --> 00:35:50,400 write that all men 882 00:35:53,829 --> 00:35:52,400 are created equal you're saying that 883 00:35:57,030 --> 00:35:53,839 they meant 884 00:35:58,790 --> 00:35:57,040 males men wasn't a generic term to apply 885 00:36:01,349 --> 00:35:58,800 to everyone 886 00:36:03,109 --> 00:36:01,359 well as to inalienable rights they did 887 00:36:06,630 --> 00:36:03,119 they did mean everyone 888 00:36:08,950 --> 00:36:06,640 excluding for many of the founding 889 00:36:13,109 --> 00:36:08,960 fathers african-americans 890 00:36:15,750 --> 00:36:13,119 but women yes were were part of 891 00:36:17,190 --> 00:36:15,760 inheriting some of the privileges of 892 00:36:21,589 --> 00:36:17,200 freedom 893 00:36:27,349 --> 00:36:25,030 when when a couple divorces who gets the 894 00:36:30,150 --> 00:36:27,359 kids one of many states 895 00:36:31,829 --> 00:36:30,160 until the 19th century the father got 896 00:36:33,829 --> 00:36:31,839 the kids and the woman would have to go 897 00:36:34,870 --> 00:36:33,839 to court to sue for custody of the 898 00:36:36,870 --> 00:36:34,880 children 899 00:36:39,510 --> 00:36:36,880 so all this is part of an evolving 900 00:36:43,430 --> 00:36:41,510 but certainly so you're saying that 901 00:36:44,150 --> 00:36:43,440 women were included as far as being 902 00:36:48,230 --> 00:36:44,160 created 903 00:36:52,230 --> 00:36:48,240 equal but then what was their rationale 904 00:36:55,030 --> 00:36:52,240 for women not being able to vote 905 00:36:56,390 --> 00:36:55,040 well you go back to the abigail adams 906 00:36:59,829 --> 00:36:56,400 john adams 907 00:37:02,150 --> 00:36:59,839 uh discussion by letter because she's in 908 00:37:05,750 --> 00:37:02,160 braintree and he's in philadelphia 909 00:37:06,710 --> 00:37:05,760 and the memorable phrase was remember 910 00:37:09,670 --> 00:37:06,720 the ladies 911 00:37:10,870 --> 00:37:09,680 and if you read down there she she said 912 00:37:14,470 --> 00:37:10,880 remember the ladies 913 00:37:17,829 --> 00:37:14,480 we should be part uh we should not be 914 00:37:20,390 --> 00:37:17,839 um the vassals she said 915 00:37:21,589 --> 00:37:20,400 of our husbands or our fathers or 916 00:37:25,109 --> 00:37:21,599 brothers vassal 917 00:37:25,990 --> 00:37:25,119 is another word for slave and that if 918 00:37:27,990 --> 00:37:26,000 you don't do 919 00:37:29,109 --> 00:37:28,000 something about it while you're writing 920 00:37:33,030 --> 00:37:29,119 all these 921 00:37:37,109 --> 00:37:33,040 then we will do 922 00:37:39,430 --> 00:37:37,119 what the women did in ancient greece 923 00:37:41,589 --> 00:37:39,440 and anyone who understood their 924 00:37:44,069 --> 00:37:41,599 classical literature 925 00:37:45,510 --> 00:37:44,079 knew that she was saying we'll keep you 926 00:37:47,510 --> 00:37:45,520 out of the bedroom 927 00:37:50,550 --> 00:37:47,520 if you don't give us if you don't give 928 00:37:53,750 --> 00:37:50,560 us a a fair shake 929 00:37:57,510 --> 00:37:53,760 she didn't spell it out in in terms of 930 00:38:00,550 --> 00:37:57,520 um every detail but she was very very 931 00:38:04,390 --> 00:38:00,560 clear that men had too much power over 932 00:38:06,630 --> 00:38:04,400 women and they ought to let up it was 933 00:38:09,670 --> 00:38:06,640 legal to beat a woman 934 00:38:12,150 --> 00:38:09,680 only criminal criminality came at the 935 00:38:15,910 --> 00:38:12,160 point of death 936 00:38:19,430 --> 00:38:15,920 what was an old old expression about 937 00:38:21,349 --> 00:38:19,440 a man could beat a woman um 938 00:38:23,910 --> 00:38:21,359 oh i can't remember the expression with 939 00:38:27,109 --> 00:38:23,920 anything that wasn't larger than a 940 00:38:28,790 --> 00:38:27,119 uh with a large finger so anyway the 941 00:38:30,950 --> 00:38:28,800 abigail adams john adams 942 00:38:32,150 --> 00:38:30,960 uh discussion by letter was just 943 00:38:35,430 --> 00:38:32,160 wonderful and i 944 00:38:36,630 --> 00:38:35,440 have teachers uh use this in the schools 945 00:38:39,190 --> 00:38:36,640 the great effect 946 00:38:42,790 --> 00:38:39,200 a little girl stand up and cheer the guy 947 00:38:46,310 --> 00:38:44,790 well i mean you know look times were 948 00:38:50,310 --> 00:38:46,320 very very different 949 00:38:53,589 --> 00:38:50,320 than we're talking about now almost 250 950 00:38:55,030 --> 00:38:53,599 years ago and i know in 951 00:38:57,349 --> 00:38:55,040 last time we spoke you talked about the 952 00:38:58,470 --> 00:38:57,359 statues and not wanting to take the 953 00:39:01,030 --> 00:38:58,480 statues down i mean 954 00:39:02,550 --> 00:39:01,040 if you try to hold everyone up to the 955 00:39:04,790 --> 00:39:02,560 perfections of 956 00:39:07,510 --> 00:39:04,800 whatever our standards are today versus 957 00:39:08,630 --> 00:39:07,520 were there 250 years ago it's 958 00:39:10,390 --> 00:39:08,640 never going to compute you're going to 959 00:39:11,270 --> 00:39:10,400 throw you're going to throw the baby out 960 00:39:11,910 --> 00:39:11,280 with the bath water you're going to 961 00:39:14,950 --> 00:39:11,920 throw them all 962 00:39:17,670 --> 00:39:14,960 out because they didn't believe in 963 00:39:18,230 --> 00:39:17,680 women being able to vote for instance 964 00:39:21,349 --> 00:39:18,240 yeah 965 00:39:24,390 --> 00:39:21,359 i think the statue removal 966 00:39:26,470 --> 00:39:24,400 business has gone much too far 967 00:39:28,630 --> 00:39:26,480 it would be one thing to rename the 968 00:39:31,109 --> 00:39:28,640 pettis bridge 969 00:39:32,390 --> 00:39:31,119 in alabama he was the leader of the ku 970 00:39:35,990 --> 00:39:32,400 klux klan 971 00:39:38,230 --> 00:39:36,000 it's quite a different thing to say 972 00:39:41,190 --> 00:39:38,240 the statue outside thomas jefferson high 973 00:39:43,030 --> 00:39:41,200 school in san francisco has got to go 974 00:39:45,670 --> 00:39:43,040 teachers had a wonderful opportunity 975 00:39:47,589 --> 00:39:45,680 there that statue is a teaching moment 976 00:39:48,710 --> 00:39:47,599 take the class outside let's talk 977 00:39:51,270 --> 00:39:48,720 jefferson 978 00:39:52,470 --> 00:39:51,280 here's the man in bronze let's talk 979 00:39:55,829 --> 00:39:52,480 about him what did he do 980 00:39:57,190 --> 00:39:55,839 what that you admire what did he do that 981 00:40:00,470 --> 00:39:57,200 you don't admire 982 00:40:03,030 --> 00:40:00,480 you can't teach to a vacant space 983 00:40:05,190 --> 00:40:03,040 that was once occupied by something 984 00:40:08,470 --> 00:40:05,200 something that gives you this 985 00:40:11,270 --> 00:40:08,480 so contextualize problematize 986 00:40:13,109 --> 00:40:11,280 make this into a learning opportunity 987 00:40:15,349 --> 00:40:13,119 what are we going to do with washington 988 00:40:15,990 --> 00:40:15,359 and lee college what are we going to do 989 00:40:18,550 --> 00:40:16,000 with the 990 00:40:19,829 --> 00:40:18,560 jefferson hospital in philadelphia one 991 00:40:23,030 --> 00:40:19,839 of the great teaching 992 00:40:24,150 --> 00:40:23,040 hospitals well and not just to have 993 00:40:27,670 --> 00:40:24,160 something to teach to 994 00:40:31,510 --> 00:40:27,680 but i mean is it okay 995 00:40:33,430 --> 00:40:31,520 for us to look up to george washington 996 00:40:34,710 --> 00:40:33,440 and thomas jefferson considering that 997 00:40:36,829 --> 00:40:34,720 they were slave owners 998 00:40:39,349 --> 00:40:36,839 can we still say that they're american 999 00:40:45,829 --> 00:40:39,359 heroes absolutely 1000 00:40:50,550 --> 00:40:48,150 faultless people there's a wonderful 1001 00:40:54,309 --> 00:40:50,560 biography about washington and 1002 00:40:56,630 --> 00:40:54,319 slavery called imperfect god 1003 00:40:58,390 --> 00:40:56,640 of washington and slavery in the early 1004 00:41:01,430 --> 00:40:58,400 republic 1005 00:41:02,230 --> 00:41:01,440 so they still belong in the pantheon but 1006 00:41:04,630 --> 00:41:02,240 let's 1007 00:41:05,670 --> 00:41:04,640 put some other people small heroes in 1008 00:41:08,790 --> 00:41:05,680 the pantheon 1009 00:41:13,109 --> 00:41:08,800 and let's not be afraid of looking at 1010 00:41:17,670 --> 00:41:15,670 yeah i i like to draw a very current 1011 00:41:19,990 --> 00:41:17,680 comparison 1012 00:41:21,270 --> 00:41:20,000 to barack obama who is held in very high 1013 00:41:24,550 --> 00:41:21,280 esteem by many 1014 00:41:25,910 --> 00:41:24,560 for many good reasons but he opposed gay 1015 00:41:29,430 --> 00:41:25,920 marriage 1016 00:41:31,910 --> 00:41:29,440 today among the left you're a homophobe 1017 00:41:34,710 --> 00:41:31,920 if you opposed gay marriage but he was 1018 00:41:35,589 --> 00:41:34,720 elected president opposed to gay 1019 00:41:38,710 --> 00:41:35,599 marriage 1020 00:41:40,309 --> 00:41:38,720 so you know you you're going to 1021 00:41:42,069 --> 00:41:40,319 you're going to toss out every one of 1022 00:41:42,470 --> 00:41:42,079 our former presidents you're going to 1023 00:41:45,589 --> 00:41:42,480 find 1024 00:41:46,950 --> 00:41:45,599 something some view that today would not 1025 00:41:50,470 --> 00:41:46,960 hold muster 1026 00:41:54,230 --> 00:41:50,480 i agree with you and i don't think uh 1027 00:41:57,349 --> 00:41:54,240 teachers are too happy about this um 1028 00:42:00,870 --> 00:41:58,790 where are you gonna draw the line you 1029 00:42:03,270 --> 00:42:00,880 better you take the amount of 1030 00:42:04,550 --> 00:42:03,280 energy that's going into removing 1031 00:42:07,430 --> 00:42:04,560 statues 1032 00:42:08,630 --> 00:42:07,440 and reposition that energy on solving 1033 00:42:12,470 --> 00:42:08,640 some of the economic 1034 00:42:16,069 --> 00:42:12,480 problems and social problems we have 1035 00:42:18,069 --> 00:42:16,079 this is misplaced energy of 1036 00:42:20,790 --> 00:42:18,079 not all of it because some there are 1037 00:42:24,230 --> 00:42:20,800 some cases of really egregious 1038 00:42:25,990 --> 00:42:24,240 uh statues and and 1039 00:42:27,910 --> 00:42:26,000 if you leave it up you should at least 1040 00:42:30,870 --> 00:42:27,920 put a plaque there saying 1041 00:42:32,069 --> 00:42:30,880 when was this statue erected who was 1042 00:42:38,390 --> 00:42:32,079 behind 1043 00:42:41,430 --> 00:42:38,400 civil war said i don't want any statues 1044 00:42:44,950 --> 00:42:41,440 erected to me and they weren't 1045 00:42:47,750 --> 00:42:44,960 when were they elected in 1046 00:42:48,390 --> 00:42:47,760 a generation later when the ku klux klan 1047 00:42:51,349 --> 00:42:48,400 was 1048 00:42:54,069 --> 00:42:51,359 of riding high that's when the the lee 1049 00:42:57,990 --> 00:42:54,079 statues went up 1050 00:43:00,190 --> 00:42:58,000 so i would not take the the statute down 1051 00:43:02,230 --> 00:43:00,200 i would put up a black a plaque 1052 00:43:04,950 --> 00:43:02,240 contextualizing how it got there in the 1053 00:43:12,230 --> 00:43:08,230 is there a better constitution 1054 00:43:14,390 --> 00:43:12,240 in the world than america's 1055 00:43:16,950 --> 00:43:14,400 what most constitutions in the world 1056 00:43:18,630 --> 00:43:16,960 have borrowed from ours 1057 00:43:20,069 --> 00:43:18,640 i mean that was one of our greatest 1058 00:43:24,230 --> 00:43:20,079 exports 1059 00:43:27,510 --> 00:43:24,240 and uh not that i know of no 1060 00:43:29,910 --> 00:43:27,520 and franklin when it was asked at the uh 1061 00:43:31,109 --> 00:43:29,920 constitutional convention whether he was 1062 00:43:33,349 --> 00:43:31,119 40s 1063 00:43:36,390 --> 00:43:33,359 he says yeah i'm for it if you can 1064 00:43:41,270 --> 00:43:39,589 so not without flaws but so it's okay 1065 00:43:44,470 --> 00:43:41,280 for teachers to teach 1066 00:43:47,510 --> 00:43:44,480 children in school to be 1067 00:43:50,309 --> 00:43:47,520 proud of america's founding to admire 1068 00:43:51,990 --> 00:43:50,319 the founders to recognize that what they 1069 00:43:54,390 --> 00:43:52,000 drew was one of the greatest 1070 00:43:56,550 --> 00:43:54,400 governing instruments and the history of 1071 00:44:01,990 --> 00:43:56,560 man 1072 00:44:04,870 --> 00:44:02,000 absolutely and the right the hard right 1073 00:44:06,309 --> 00:44:04,880 really has very little confidence in 1074 00:44:09,030 --> 00:44:06,319 young minds 1075 00:44:11,829 --> 00:44:09,040 they say if you teach them all this 1076 00:44:13,990 --> 00:44:11,839 stuff about slavery and mccarthyism 1077 00:44:15,670 --> 00:44:14,000 they're not going to even want to be an 1078 00:44:17,030 --> 00:44:15,680 american anymore they're not going to be 1079 00:44:19,030 --> 00:44:17,040 a patriot 1080 00:44:20,790 --> 00:44:19,040 and when i was involved in debates over 1081 00:44:22,069 --> 00:44:20,800 the national history standards and that 1082 00:44:23,589 --> 00:44:22,079 was thrown at me i 1083 00:44:25,910 --> 00:44:23,599 i would say well you know i've been 1084 00:44:27,910 --> 00:44:25,920 teaching at ucla for a long time 1085 00:44:30,390 --> 00:44:27,920 and i talk a lot about the dispossession 1086 00:44:31,030 --> 00:44:30,400 of indian lands in the 17th and 18th 1087 00:44:33,910 --> 00:44:31,040 century 1088 00:44:36,069 --> 00:44:33,920 or slavery things like this i never had 1089 00:44:38,790 --> 00:44:36,079 a student i taught thousands of them 1090 00:44:41,030 --> 00:44:38,800 i never had one who came to me and said 1091 00:44:43,109 --> 00:44:41,040 i'm giving up my citizenship i want to 1092 00:44:44,150 --> 00:44:43,119 live in sri lanka or i want to live in 1093 00:44:46,710 --> 00:44:44,160 bosnia 1094 00:44:48,630 --> 00:44:46,720 i never had one like that they say why 1095 00:44:52,309 --> 00:44:48,640 didn't i learn about this 1096 00:44:53,270 --> 00:44:52,319 earlier i i i i could be a better 1097 00:44:55,670 --> 00:44:53,280 citizen 1098 00:44:57,190 --> 00:44:55,680 because i know some of the sad parts of 1099 00:45:01,430 --> 00:44:57,200 our past and how 1100 00:45:02,870 --> 00:45:01,440 we can create a more perfect union 1101 00:45:04,710 --> 00:45:02,880 yeah and and in each one of those 1102 00:45:06,550 --> 00:45:04,720 circumstances we were able to move 1103 00:45:08,069 --> 00:45:06,560 past them in part because of our 1104 00:45:10,309 --> 00:45:08,079 constitutional framework whether it 1105 00:45:12,790 --> 00:45:10,319 required an amendment or what have you 1106 00:45:14,710 --> 00:45:12,800 and we've continued to essentially 1107 00:45:17,030 --> 00:45:14,720 become better and better 1108 00:45:19,109 --> 00:45:17,040 i think so i think the path forward has 1109 00:45:21,589 --> 00:45:19,119 been rock strewn 1110 00:45:23,829 --> 00:45:21,599 and sometimes we stumble over it and 1111 00:45:28,790 --> 00:45:23,839 even take a step backward 1112 00:45:34,710 --> 00:45:32,550 i think is clear i mean some say we 1113 00:45:37,270 --> 00:45:34,720 haven't made any progress yep 1114 00:45:38,150 --> 00:45:37,280 we're back where we were 100 years ago 1115 00:45:41,990 --> 00:45:38,160 50 years ago 1116 00:45:43,829 --> 00:45:42,000 25 years ago i don't buy that 1117 00:45:46,069 --> 00:45:43,839 last question what what is your thoughts 1118 00:45:48,069 --> 00:45:46,079 about the fact that right now they're 1119 00:45:49,589 --> 00:45:48,079 not putting history in the schools up 1120 00:45:52,550 --> 00:45:49,599 there with reading writing and 1121 00:45:54,069 --> 00:45:52,560 arithmetic is that a big mistake i do 1122 00:45:55,349 --> 00:45:54,079 think it's a big mistake 1123 00:45:57,670 --> 00:45:55,359 how do you read you have to read 1124 00:46:00,069 --> 00:45:57,680 something why not read history 1125 00:46:01,829 --> 00:46:00,079 you're gaining literacy skills at the 1126 00:46:04,790 --> 00:46:01,839 same time you're learning about 1127 00:46:07,030 --> 00:46:04,800 your past and america's place in the 1128 00:46:09,430 --> 00:46:07,040 world and world history itself 1129 00:46:10,630 --> 00:46:09,440 so i yeah i think it's a big mistake so 1130 00:46:13,750 --> 00:46:10,640 fifth grade 1131 00:46:14,950 --> 00:46:13,760 uh which in most states is where u.s 1132 00:46:17,589 --> 00:46:14,960 history began 1133 00:46:19,670 --> 00:46:17,599 has been dropped from the curriculum why 1134 00:46:22,710 --> 00:46:19,680 to drive up the scores 1135 00:46:24,870 --> 00:46:22,720 on reading and math put all the focus 1136 00:46:26,309 --> 00:46:24,880 there and by the way is that just a 1137 00:46:26,950 --> 00:46:26,319 california thing are you saying this is 1138 00:46:30,150 --> 00:46:26,960 happening 1139 00:46:33,190 --> 00:46:30,160 u.s wide this dropping of fifth grade um 1140 00:46:36,150 --> 00:46:33,200 if each state has its own framework 1141 00:46:37,750 --> 00:46:36,160 but in many states yes they taught us 1142 00:46:39,270 --> 00:46:37,760 history for the first time in fifth 1143 00:46:41,190 --> 00:46:39,280 grade fourth grade you did your state 1144 00:46:43,349 --> 00:46:41,200 history fifth grade you do 1145 00:46:44,630 --> 00:46:43,359 u.s history for the first time a lot of 1146 00:46:47,270 --> 00:46:44,640 states uh 1147 00:46:48,550 --> 00:46:47,280 or school districts i should say have 1148 00:46:50,630 --> 00:46:48,560 dropped it 1149 00:46:51,950 --> 00:46:50,640 they want they want more fed they want 1150 00:46:54,950 --> 00:46:51,960 more federal dollars 1151 00:46:58,309 --> 00:46:54,960 unfortunately um 1152 00:47:01,109 --> 00:46:58,319 and those are based somewhat on raising 1153 00:47:01,589 --> 00:47:01,119 the scores on these standardized tests 1154 00:47:08,550 --> 00:47:01,599 in 1155 00:47:09,670 --> 00:47:08,560 is that some teachers are afraid to 1156 00:47:10,550 --> 00:47:09,680 teach history because they're going to 1157 00:47:13,910 --> 00:47:10,560 get blow back 1158 00:47:16,550 --> 00:47:13,920 from one side or another we're such a 1159 00:47:19,589 --> 00:47:16,560 heavy politicized environment 1160 00:47:21,910 --> 00:47:19,599 that as you know 1161 00:47:22,870 --> 00:47:21,920 people debate what the facts are and how 1162 00:47:26,390 --> 00:47:22,880 those facts are 1163 00:47:28,390 --> 00:47:26,400 presented and teachers don't want to get 1164 00:47:31,270 --> 00:47:28,400 lambasted from 1165 00:47:33,190 --> 00:47:31,280 from parents for teaching their children 1166 00:47:35,109 --> 00:47:33,200 something that they don't agree with 1167 00:47:36,470 --> 00:47:35,119 well that blowback is very very 1168 00:47:39,990 --> 00:47:36,480 unfortunate 1169 00:47:41,990 --> 00:47:40,000 and i feel for these teachers we we were 1170 00:47:44,069 --> 00:47:42,000 very protected in a way 1171 00:47:46,069 --> 00:47:44,079 at the university no parent ever called 1172 00:47:47,670 --> 00:47:46,079 me up and said i looked at you reading 1173 00:47:49,670 --> 00:47:47,680 this i don't like it at all 1174 00:47:51,109 --> 00:47:49,680 i don't want my kids even taking their 1175 00:47:55,829 --> 00:47:51,119 classes 1176 00:47:59,750 --> 00:47:55,839 we were we were not alone you might say 1177 00:48:02,549 --> 00:47:59,760 the local people were part of this toxic 1178 00:48:04,630 --> 00:48:02,559 atmosphere they knew where to go to 1179 00:48:07,510 --> 00:48:04,640 stand outside someone's house 1180 00:48:08,470 --> 00:48:07,520 and shout sheldon yell or at pta 1181 00:48:10,390 --> 00:48:08,480 conferences 1182 00:48:11,910 --> 00:48:10,400 it's really a very very unfortunate 1183 00:48:14,710 --> 00:48:11,920 because these teachers 1184 00:48:16,710 --> 00:48:14,720 you know are not well paid relatively to 1185 00:48:18,069 --> 00:48:16,720 a lot of other people in america they're 1186 00:48:20,790 --> 00:48:18,079 well-meaning 1187 00:48:21,990 --> 00:48:20,800 they're they love to be with kids they 1188 00:48:24,390 --> 00:48:22,000 love to teach 1189 00:48:25,349 --> 00:48:24,400 and you know high percentage of them do 1190 00:48:27,829 --> 00:48:25,359 a good job 1191 00:48:30,549 --> 00:48:27,839 it's very unfortunate well you know when 1192 00:48:31,910 --> 00:48:30,559 you have government intervening 1193 00:48:35,190 --> 00:48:31,920 we talked about this a little bit the 1194 00:48:38,470 --> 00:48:35,200 last time whether there should even be 1195 00:48:40,230 --> 00:48:38,480 public schools the government teaching 1196 00:48:42,150 --> 00:48:40,240 our children 1197 00:48:43,510 --> 00:48:42,160 something just doesn't strike me as 1198 00:48:44,950 --> 00:48:43,520 right about that that sounds somewhat 1199 00:48:45,750 --> 00:48:44,960 authoritarian the idea that the 1200 00:48:47,270 --> 00:48:45,760 government 1201 00:48:48,870 --> 00:48:47,280 teaches our children you know i know 1202 00:48:49,910 --> 00:48:48,880 it's more at a local level but when 1203 00:48:52,950 --> 00:48:49,920 you've got trump 1204 00:48:53,990 --> 00:48:52,960 you know starting the 1776 commission 1205 00:48:56,710 --> 00:48:54,000 about 1206 00:48:58,230 --> 00:48:56,720 making sure the kids learn our history 1207 00:49:00,549 --> 00:48:58,240 in school 1208 00:49:02,390 --> 00:49:00,559 that's inherently political because 1209 00:49:05,109 --> 00:49:02,400 trump is a very divisive 1210 00:49:05,910 --> 00:49:05,119 person i mean i happen to be on the side 1211 00:49:08,309 --> 00:49:05,920 of 1212 00:49:10,309 --> 00:49:08,319 wanting to make sure that our children 1213 00:49:12,470 --> 00:49:10,319 learn our history properly and 1214 00:49:13,349 --> 00:49:12,480 and and have admiration for the founding 1215 00:49:15,670 --> 00:49:13,359 and how unique 1216 00:49:17,190 --> 00:49:15,680 it was so the idea that we would move 1217 00:49:19,109 --> 00:49:17,200 more toward that is a good thing but 1218 00:49:20,390 --> 00:49:19,119 you know as soon as you have it coming 1219 00:49:24,710 --> 00:49:20,400 from trump then 1220 00:49:28,390 --> 00:49:24,720 boom now you've got it totally polarized 1221 00:49:31,670 --> 00:49:28,400 well when you see a federal government 1222 00:49:32,790 --> 00:49:31,680 dictating to the schools what books 1223 00:49:36,230 --> 00:49:32,800 should be read 1224 00:49:37,910 --> 00:49:36,240 how they should be taught you know 1225 00:49:39,349 --> 00:49:37,920 you're in or very close to an 1226 00:49:43,829 --> 00:49:39,359 authoritarian 1227 00:49:45,109 --> 00:49:43,839 autocratic government in a democratic 1228 00:49:48,230 --> 00:49:45,119 society 1229 00:49:50,150 --> 00:49:48,240 you'll you'll know it by the freedom of 1230 00:49:53,430 --> 00:49:50,160 teachers to close the door 1231 00:49:55,829 --> 00:49:53,440 teach to the kids choose from a great 1232 00:49:59,109 --> 00:49:55,839 mass of curricular materials 1233 00:50:01,190 --> 00:49:59,119 uh and listen to your local school board 1234 00:50:03,430 --> 00:50:01,200 yep so it's very dangerous it's very 1235 00:50:04,230 --> 00:50:03,440 troubling and these teachers are under a 1236 00:50:06,549 --> 00:50:04,240 lot of 1237 00:50:08,470 --> 00:50:06,559 a pressured house very unfortunate but 1238 00:50:09,430 --> 00:50:08,480 why even have these national history 1239 00:50:11,829 --> 00:50:09,440 standards 1240 00:50:13,990 --> 00:50:11,839 to begin with i mean do you support that 1241 00:50:15,430 --> 00:50:14,000 yes because they were never mandatory 1242 00:50:17,910 --> 00:50:15,440 they were voluntary 1243 00:50:18,790 --> 00:50:17,920 we were setting lamplights along the 1244 00:50:20,950 --> 00:50:18,800 road 1245 00:50:23,109 --> 00:50:20,960 and it was as they say a massive 1246 00:50:23,910 --> 00:50:23,119 consensus building project between 1247 00:50:26,390 --> 00:50:23,920 teachers 1248 00:50:27,190 --> 00:50:26,400 and all these organizations representing 1249 00:50:29,670 --> 00:50:27,200 teachers 1250 00:50:30,470 --> 00:50:29,680 and the collaborate collaboration with 1251 00:50:33,910 --> 00:50:30,480 with the 1252 00:50:36,950 --> 00:50:33,920 publishing academic scholars um 1253 00:50:38,549 --> 00:50:36,960 so yeah but they were voluntary it was 1254 00:50:41,750 --> 00:50:38,559 never from the 1255 00:50:44,230 --> 00:50:41,760 very get-go fought to be mandatory 1256 00:50:44,790 --> 00:50:44,240 they're out there if you want to look at 1257 00:50:48,230 --> 00:50:44,800 them 1258 00:50:49,670 --> 00:50:48,240 good if you derive some new teaching 1259 00:50:52,870 --> 00:50:49,680 ideas from them 1260 00:50:55,990 --> 00:50:52,880 better if you aren't just 1261 00:50:59,349 --> 00:50:56,000 interested in them toss them in the 1262 00:51:02,069 --> 00:50:59,359 waste paper basket if you want 1263 00:51:04,069 --> 00:51:02,079 okay we'll let it go with that how about 1264 00:51:04,549 --> 00:51:04,079 just one parting word we started talking 1265 00:51:09,510 --> 00:51:04,559 about 1266 00:51:12,309 --> 00:51:09,520 uh states looking to secede and so on 1267 00:51:13,589 --> 00:51:12,319 what is your parting message to to 1268 00:51:20,829 --> 00:51:13,599 america right now 1269 00:51:26,069 --> 00:51:24,870 well i don't have any answers i haven't 1270 00:51:29,190 --> 00:51:26,079 read any answers 1271 00:51:32,309 --> 00:51:29,200 about how to unify america when this 1272 00:51:34,069 --> 00:51:32,319 polarization has reached this point 1273 00:51:35,430 --> 00:51:34,079 you would think that leadership at the 1274 00:51:37,750 --> 00:51:35,440 top 1275 00:51:39,430 --> 00:51:37,760 would have some effect and at least 1276 00:51:42,069 --> 00:51:39,440 that's a beginning 1277 00:51:43,030 --> 00:51:42,079 i i think what we need is some fireside 1278 00:51:46,150 --> 00:51:43,040 chats 1279 00:51:47,589 --> 00:51:46,160 of the sort that fdr did over radio 1280 00:51:49,349 --> 00:51:47,599 where he tried to speak out to the 1281 00:51:50,390 --> 00:51:49,359 american people and talk about the 1282 00:51:52,950 --> 00:51:50,400 problems 1283 00:51:55,109 --> 00:51:52,960 uh to talk about what was needed in the 1284 00:51:58,470 --> 00:51:55,119 democracy to 1285 00:52:00,309 --> 00:51:58,480 to deal with them so uh all i can say is 1286 00:52:01,030 --> 00:52:00,319 that we have to begin with a message 1287 00:52:03,829 --> 00:52:01,040 from the top 1288 00:52:05,510 --> 00:52:03,839 a unified message a message about the 1289 00:52:08,069 --> 00:52:05,520 need for compromise 1290 00:52:09,349 --> 00:52:08,079 a need to talk to each other respect 1291 00:52:12,230 --> 00:52:09,359 each other 1292 00:52:13,349 --> 00:52:12,240 has to start somewhere thank you again 1293 00:52:15,430 --> 00:52:13,359 to professor nash 1294 00:52:17,109 --> 00:52:15,440 thank you again professor for your 1295 00:52:19,109 --> 00:52:17,119 patience and dealing with our glitch on 1296 00:52:21,030 --> 00:52:19,119 the first interview 1297 00:52:22,390 --> 00:52:21,040 thank you to our producer michael parker 1298 00:52:24,230 --> 00:52:22,400 thank you all for listening we'll be 1299 00:52:25,190 --> 00:52:24,240 back with another episode of the hidden 1300 00:52:26,950 --> 00:52:25,200 truth show 1301 00:52:31,670 --> 00:52:26,960 next week 1302 00:52:34,870 --> 00:52:33,109 thank you for listening to the truth 1303 00:52:38,470 --> 00:52:34,880 show with jim breslow 1304 00:52:40,630 --> 00:52:38,480 you can find us at hiddentruthshow.com 1305 00:52:43,430 --> 00:52:40,640 follow us on facebook twitter and 1306 00:52:45,109 --> 00:52:43,440 instagram that hit the truth show 1307 00:52:47,430 --> 00:52:45,119 join us again next week for another