In recent episodes of Rumble, Michael Moore has shared his ideas for an alternative to the American way of policing: The Department of Public Safety & Compassion. He's also shared his ideas for an alternative to our brutal and racist system of mass incarceration: The Department of Restorative Justice & Redemption. In this episode, Mike is joined by Desmond Cole, an award-winning journalist and activist who recently published his first book called “The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance & Power.” They discuss the intellectual underpinnings of the movement to defund the police and abolish the prison system, why white liberals should not fear these ideas, and how our society will be better off when we decide to treat each other differently. Plus, Mike shares an update on Darnella Frazier, the courageous teenager who filmed the execution of George Floyd. On Tuesday night her uncle was killed by Minneapolis police who were in the middle of a reckless car chase. Madness. Tragic.

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Larry Charles is one of the great comedic writers, producers and directors of our time. His credits include his pivotal role during the first seasons of Seinfeld, along with Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mad About You, The Arsenio Hall Show, among many others. He directed the original "Borat," one of the great works of satire of all time. He directed "Religulous," a bold, genius broadside against organized religion. His 2019 Netflix series, "Larry Charles' Dangerous World of Comedy," is an epic journey across the world where comedians live actual dangerous lives. He joins Mike to discuss the state of non-fiction and political satire, the meaning of cancel culture and political correctness, entertainment and propaganda, and how advertisers, censors and an insurance company must sign off on everything we see on TV. They also share some personal stories, including how they created a sitcom pilot together that was greenlit by a major network, but then never made it to air due to advertisers’ objections.

Michael is joined by The Intercept's Jon Schwarz to discuss the shockingly unshocking report this week that the Saudi operatives who murdered Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi had received State Department-approved paramilitary training. They also discuss the recent foolish attacks on Rep. Ilhan Omar, the meaning and background of the phrase "moral equivalence," the AP's cowardly firing of Emily Wilder over her college advocacy for Palestinian human rights, and lies we are being told about "worker shortages." Schwarz is a friend and former colleague of Mike’s, having worked on “Capitalism: A Love Story” and as the editor of MichaelMoore.com.

Saudi Operatives Who Killed Khashoggi Received Paramilitary Training in U.S.

America's prison system is brutal, stupid and inhumane. It makes us all less safe and has a terrible impact on other parts of our society such as health care, education, and even how we treat one another. "Reform" or band-aids will not make it better - it must be uprooted, abolished and replaced. Michael Moore recently proposed a "Department of Public Safety & Compassion" to replace the existing way we do policing. In this episode, he proposes a "Department of Restorative Justice & Redemption" to replace our existing Prison Industrial Complex. He is joined by Dan Berger, a scholar who has studied prison abolition for several years. They talk about the never-discussed constituency in America called "the criminalized majority," how cruel behavior in society is often taught by cruel institutions (like prisons) themselves, and what they would do if Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered. WHOA!

The private tax returns of America's wealthiest few individuals were just leaked to the non-profit journalists at ProPublica and they reveal an American plutocracy that has completely avoided paying personal taxes. We already knew that the wealthiest corporations were able to maneuver the tax code to their benefit, but the levels at which the ultra-wealthy are able to avoid taxes is maddening. And it is all LEGAL. Michael is joined by journalist and author Anand Giridharadas to discuss how they've been able to rig the system, why this is Exhibit A for why we need a wealth tax, and why so many working class Americans have been indoctrinated into supporting the rich and being against taxing them more.

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In Dallas, Texas last week, 18 year-old high school valedictorian Paxton Smith decided at the last minute to throw away her school-approved graduation speech to address a new Texas law signed Republican Governor Greg Abbott that would make all abortions illegal as early as six weeks into a pregnancy. Video of her 3-minute speech has gone viral and caused a rumble - so she joins Rumble with Michael Moore to explain how she summoned the courage to deliver that speech, how positive the reaction has been, whether she defines herself as "politically active, and the best advice she's received since going viral.

The billions of dollars that currently go to police departments across America are NOT contributing to the safety, health and well-being of our citizens. It's time to re-imagine how we think about "public safety" and "law and order." As police budgets continue to increase (despite calls to defund the police), Michael Moore shares a proposal for the creation of The Department of Public Safety & Compassion in every town in America. Rather than attempting to solve human problems by sending in men with badges and guns, we need to dismantle this anachronistic armed wing of the patriarchy and have a department that will serve and truly protect the public from the real dangers in our society: hunger, the lack of clean drinking water, mental health needs, insufficient healthcare, opioid addiction, inadequate public schools, etc. What if we had Public Safety officers whose sole job was to aid the homeless, the unemployed, the addicted, the mentally ill? Don’t they deserve to be protected? From us? Won’t every neighborhood be better off if those suffering in a society fueled by greed, racism and inequity were helped rather than jailed, abused and abandoned? Wouldn’t there in fact be less “crime” if we chose to attack the real crimes and the true criminals who’ve created these appalling conditions? Instead of a militarized police state, what if we built a compassionate state staffed by those with love in their hearts and the knowledge of how to provide the actual help people need when they call 911? Defund the police? De-police the police! Every neighborhood deserves better, much better. It’s the 21st century, folks. C’mon.

Michael is joined by writer, thinker, comedian and podcaster Baratunde Thurston for a conversation about the fragility of American democracy, the purposeful dumbing down of the citizenry, the lack of civic education in American schools and what we all must do about it. Michael also responds to listener emails about his conversation with "Exterminate All The Brutes" director Raoul Peck.

Filmmaker Raoul Peck has made one of the most audacious films to air on American television. The documentary series titled "Exterminate All The Brutes" tells the brutally honest history of colonialism, genocide and white supremacy, and dismantles the Eurocentric framework through which history is normally taught. He joins Michael Moore for a conversation on how this film got made, and what it has to say about the power of ignorance, the preservation of privilege and how the only way to upend all of this is for each of us to join the fight and never give up, no matter the consequences. Be sure to watch this profound and earth-shattering movie (now on HBO on demand and Max).

...and let Michael know what you think: [email protected]

The other book Raoul mentions in the episode:

Music in the episode:

"White Man" - Queen

How is it that the richest and most powerful country in the world can't provide even the most basic of human needs for its citizens? What has been holding America back when much poorer countries are able to provide a more stable social safety net? Heather McGhee, one of our most thoughtful economic and policy thinkers has a new book out explaining that racism -- specifically the fear by white Americans that any gains by Black Americans come at their expense -- has reliably turned the majority of white Americans AGAINST government programs that would help all Americans for fear that it would be beneficial to people of color. She joins Michael to discuss what we can do to overcome this decades-long propaganda campaign that has afflicted white America, and how the idea of a "solidarity dividend" can unite a multi-racial, cross-class coalition to take on concentrated wealth and power and build a better country.