The Takeaway

Relationship Between Police and Media Grows Increasingly Tense

As the uprising for racial justice continues around the country, journalists in the United States are increasingly the targets of direct and hostile confrontations with law enforcement.

Why Are States Criminalizing Fossil Fuel Protests?

Some states have been quietly passing laws to criminalize fossil fuel protests amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.  

COVID19 Budget Cuts Prevent Many from Accessing Subsidized Summer Programs

New York City's budget proposal has $235 million worth of cuts to public summer programs. Many low income families could be affected without access to these programs. 

What Juneteenth Means At this Moment

Juneteenth commemorates the day when enslaved people in Texas learned about their emancipation, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Calls for Financial Transparency Grow as Money Pours Into Racial Justice Organizations

People have been donating to racial justice organizations as calls to give to these causes continue online. But not everyone eagerly donating may know exactly where that money is going.

Listeners Tell Us: Creating Joy in This Moment

What small things are you doing to create joy in this moment?

Postpartum Mental Health During a Global Pandemic

As the coronavirus pandemic continues, some experts worry about the impact it will have on the mental health of new parents, especially those who have recently experienced childbirth.

Delroy Lindo on Starring in Spike Lee's 'Da 5 Bloods' and Engaging with Today's Racial Justice Uprising

The Takeaway speaks with actor Delroy Lindo about his role in Spike Lee's 'Da 5 Bloods,' and how he’s getting involved in today’s racial justice uprising. 

Progress for LGBTQ+ Rights in the Supreme Court

On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision protecting LGBTQ-plus employees from discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

GBI: The Agency Investigating Police-Involved Killings in Georgia

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is looking into the killings of Ahmaud Arbery and Rayshard Brooks. The agency has a complicated history in Georgia.

Music Behind Bars: How BL Shirelle Helps Incarcerated People Craft Their Art

BL Shirelle's new album speaks of her 10 years in prison.

Deaths of Rayshard Brooks, Robert Fuller, and Malcolm Harsch Underscore Nationwide Anger with Law Enforcement

The killing of Rayshard Brooks in Georgia and the deaths of Robert Fuller and Malcolm Harsch in California underscore systemic issues that demonstrators are marching against nationwide.

Amid Civil Unrest, Police Fatally Shoot Latino Man

Two weeks ago, Sean Monterrosa was shot and killed by police in Vallejo, California.

"I'm Not OK": Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama on Racism and Sickness in Her State

Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama says it's time for her state to stop celebrating confederate leaders, and to really hear its Black constituents.

The Overlooked Reality of Police Violence Against Disabled Black Americans

Amidst national protests for racial justice the reality of police violence against disabled people—especially Black people—is rarely discussed.

Georgia’s Primary, George Floyd’s Funeral, and Congress’ Approach to Police Reform

As the coronavirus pandemic has created uncertainty for the upcoming general election, many Americans are reconsidering how they’ll cast their ballots. This week, many primary voters in Georgia were greeted by long lines and malfunctioning voting machines. The chaos surrounding Georgia’s recent election has raised questions about whether or not the same issues will reoccur in November. 

Also, George Floyd was laid to rest in Houston following weeks in which thousands of Americans took to the streets to decry police brutality in his name. Meanwhile, Congress is reckoning with how to respond to the protests and calls for police accountability. Two national reporters join Politics with Amy Walter to discuss the Justice in Policing Act of 2020, how Republicans are responding to calls for police accountability, and Georgia’s flawed elections. 

Guest Host:

Matt Katz, WNYC

Guests:

Nick Fandos, Congressional Correspondent for The New York Times

Laura Barron-Lopez, National Political Reporter at POLITICO 

Congressman James Clyburn on his Time in the Civil Rights Movement and Addressing Systemic Racism 

This week, Democrats introduced the Justice in Policing Act on Capitol Hill.  If passed, the bill would prohibit chokeholds, ban some no-knock warrants, track police misconduct at the national level, and make it easier to pursue legal and civil action against the police. The momentum for the bill stems from the uprisings against police brutality after George Floyd was brutally killed by police officers in Minneapolis. Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina reflects on his time in the civil rights movement and what he hopes to accomplish through the Justice in Policing Act. 

Guest:

James Clyburn, Congressman from South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District and Majority Whip

How “Defund the Police” has Become More Palatable to the Mainstream

The killing of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis has shifted the way Americans see policing. Recent polling from The Washington Post found that 69 percent of Americans found “the killing of Floyd represents a broader problem within law enforcement.” While many high-ranking members of the Democratic Party don’t support calls to defund the police entirely, the notion of some form of defunding is picking up traction. A conversation about the politics of defunding the police.

Guests:

Alex Vitale, Author of "End of Policing" and Professor of Sociology and Coordinator of The Policing and Social Justice Project at Brooklyn College

Andrea Ritchie, Researcher at the Interrupting Criminalization Initiative and author of "Invisible No More: Police Violence Against Black Women and Women of Color"

How Minneapolis Plans to Dismantle Their Police Department

Minneapolis has been in the national spotlight since George Floyd was killed by police on video. Although the events there sparked protests across the nation, the city is also a catalyst for change. One progressive city leader, Steve Fletcher, has been working on police reform since he took office in 2018. He was among nine members of the Minneapolis city council that recently announced their commitment to dismantling the city’s police department. 

Guest: 

Steve Fletcher, Minneapolis City Council, Ward 3

Does Objectivity in Journalism Exist?

Reporters of color have long disputed the notion of objectivity in journalism. 

Georgia Primaries Were a Mess. Will We See the Same Later This Year?

Communities of color were disproportionately affected by long lines and equipment malfunctions.

COVID-19 Cases Are on the Rise in Nearly Two Dozen States

While the world’s eyes have been turned to the uprising against racism and police violence, some parts of the country are seeing new upticks in confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Popular Police Reality Shows Canceled Amid Protests Against Police Brutality

The long-running show "Cops" and the highly-rated "Live PD" have both been canceled as calls for police reform intensify. 

The Value and the Toll of Documenting Police Brutality

As more and more deaths of Black people at the hands of police are caught on film, The Takeaway looks at the responsibility, legality, and consequences of documenting police brutality.

Is Camden, New Jersey the Prototype for National Police Reform?

The city disbanded its police department and replaced it with a new one in 2013. Seven years later, the department's reforms seem to be working.

The Uprising and Its Leadership: What Does it Look Like in This Moment?

How can leadership lead a social movement to victory?

Small Towns and Cities Protest Against Police Brutality Across the U.S.

 From Portland, Maine, to Carrollton, Texas, communities are coming together against racism like never before.

George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery: Where Do Their Cases Stand?

We check in on developments in response to nationwide protests.

White Parents Need to Talk to Their Kids About Race

Today, while more white parents might finally want to have conversations about race with their young children, they don’t necessarily know where to start. 

The Racial Justice Uprising in the U.S. is Taking Hold Overseas

Many foreign leaders have condemned the killing of George Floyd, but demonstrators outside of the U.S. are also attempting to call attention to racial injustice within their own borders.

Calls to Defund the Police Are Gaining Traction

As protests continue over the killing of black people by police, calls to defund police departments are gaining traction. 

What Are You Angry About Right Now?

We asked listeners what they’re angry about right now. Here’s what they said.

What Does Celebrating Pride Month Look Like at This Moment?

For members of the black LGBTQ+ community, this moment has been a reminder of the parallels between what we’re seeing today and the early days of the LGBTQ+ rights movement.

How a Legacy of Racist Policies and Police Brutality Contributed to the Mass Disenfranchisement of Black People

The death of George Floyd, an African American man, at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis has ignited protests and conversations surrounding the mistreatment of Black Americans at the hands of the state against the backdrop of a pandemic that is disproportionately affecting Black people. Americans in every state have taken to the streets to protest police brutality and chant "Black Lives Matter." A look at the history of Black disenfranchisement, failures in leadership and policy, and the role ongoing protests will play in the general election.  

Guests:

Adam Serwer, Staff Writer at The Atlantic covering politics

Elizabeth Hinton, incoming Professor of History, law and African-American studies at Yale and the author of “From the War on Poverty to the War on Crime: The Making of Mass Incarceration in America”

Carol Anderson, Charles Howard Candler Professor of African American Studies at Emory University and author of "White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide"

Mayors, Past and Present

Since George Floyd was killed by police officers in Minneapolis, demonstrations against police brutality have taken place across the United States. For mayors, listening to the protester's grievances and balancing them against the responsibility of engaging with police chiefs is a challenging task. 

A conversation with Michael Tubbs, the first Black Mayor of Stockton, California, about addressing police brutality at the local level and what he hopes will come from the protests.

Plus, a conversation with former San Antonio Mayor, Julián Castro. As a candidate for the Democratic nomination, Castro spoke often about the pattern of police brutality and how bias in the criminal justice system disproportionately impacts Black Americans. He reflects on his time as mayor, ending police brutality, and the future of the movement. 

Guests: 

Michael Tubbs, Mayor of Stockton, California

Julián Castro, former Mayor of San Antonio and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

How Demonstrations Across the U.S. have changed the Vice Presidential Selection Process

A national conversation about race and the lack of police accountability has shifted the trajectory of the VP selection process for the Biden campaign. With the disparities in health care that coronavirus has underscored and the brutal killing of George Floyd, the selection process faces heightened scrutiny. 

Guests: 

David Siders, National Political Correspondent at Politico