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Don Lemon Tonight
Interview with Nicholas Kristof; Interview with Richard Williams
Aired May 05, 2014 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL WEIR, CNN TONIGHT HOST: Good evening. I'm Bill Weir. Thank you for checking in on CNN Tonight.
"I abducted your girls. And by Allah, I will sell them in the marketplace." Those are the words of the world's newest arch-villain. One of the leaders of a group that kidnapped nearly 300 girls just because they have the audacity to go to school. As he taunts our concern in a video tonight, we are asking who are these monsters and what are the chances they will see justice? What are the chances anyone can feel that hashtag hope and bring back our girls?
Nick Kristof is here as well as the man who led the insanely popular Kony 2012 campaign.
Meanwhile in Ukraine, pro Russian militias continue to drive that region closer to outright war. My CNN colleague ask this guy if he had any military experience to go along with those Nazi ski goggles and machine gun. "Bring me one of your Navy Seals, I'll show you military experience," he replied. So, no lack of testosterone over there. Bullets are flying, words aren't working, we'll get the latest as Putin's shenanigans are now leading to an actual body count.
And years before they're even born, Richard Williams decided that he would, A, have two have daughters, and B, turn them into tennis champions. Good plan. Venus and Serena are synonymous with athletic dominance, but you'll be stunned to hear the kind of violent racism that shaped the man who shaped their lives. He's here to share some stories in parenting tips that might just have you talking back at a T.V. That is later in the show.
But let us begin tonight with the global cry, filling both public squares and virtual ones. "Bring back our girls," they yelled today, from Milwaukee to Manhattan, London to Lagos. And now, this all started over two weeks ago in the upper right hand corner, the Northeast corner of Nigeria, biggest country, richest country in Africa. There are hundreds of different ethnic groups in this young democracy but, this one group up in the Northeast, an outfit not unlike the Taliban, has created hell on earth with attacks on schools and bombings on police stations and beer gardens.
Their official title is the Congregation of the People of Tradition for Proselytism and Jihad which doesn't exactly roll off the tongue so the locals have taken to calling them "Boko Haram" which roughly translated means "Western education is sinful." It was founded by a guy name Mohammed Yusuf in 2002 hoping to turn Nigeria into a pure Sharia state. And as he told the BBC, his followers reject all teaching that comes from the modern world. "Like rain. We believe it is a creation of God rather than an evaporation caused by the sun that condenses and then becomes rain. Like saying the world is a sphere. If it runs contrary to the teachings of Allah, we reject it."
These are flutter thirst (ph) with machine guns. He reportedly was well-educated the leader and drove a Mercedez before being killed by police. But he's found of group of these violent idiots willing to kill children just for learning that the earth is in fact round and also killing sane Muslim clerics who condemned them. They shot and burned 29 boys in a boarding school in February and pretty much shutdown the education system in their neighborhoods. But a couple of weeks ago, an official decided to reopen the Chibok School just for final exam. So 15, 16, 17-year old girls, Christian and Muslim were there overnight when they came. And trucks and jeeps on motorcycles and in uniforms, they told the girls they were soldiers and would protect them. But when they burned down the school, the girls got worried.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMINA SHAWOK, ESCAPED FROM SCHOOL ATTACKERS: We thought they were soldiers and they asked us to board a vehicle which was headed towards Zambia and my friends and I jumped from the vehicle and ran back home because we realized that they don't look innocent to us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEIR: That was brave and smart. Some jump from the vehicles, they grabbed passing tree branches, others ran away once the terrorists made camp. About 50 escaped, more than 270 are still captive. Some desperate parents even wanted to chase the terrorists, but only have bows and arrows. As the military police proved themselves equally powerless against the terrorists, anger against the government has boiled over, over there. And today, one of the three current leaders of the terrorist group put out a rumbling and repulsive 57-minute video scoffering at the world's concern and confirming the worst for the parents.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABUBAKAR SHEKAU, BOKO HARAM LEADER: I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by Allah. There is a market for selling humans. Allah says I should sell. He commands me to sell. I will sell women. I sell women.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEIR: Joining me now, New York Times Nick Kristof who has been reporting on this story has reported from that area with these girls who are taken. Good to see you again Nick.
NICHOLAS KRISTOF, NEW YORK TIMES COLUMNIST: Good to be back.
WEIR: These guys make the Taliban look sophisticated in a way.
KRISTOF: I mean it's tragic because they are both a reflection of the (inaudible) at the area and also a cause of it. And this kind of brutality, I mean, the victims here aren't just those 276 girls of course, it's all the other girls and boys who aren't going to be sent to school now anywhere in Northern Nigeria for fear of this kind of attack.
WEIR: You talk to a father of one of these girls?
KRISTOF: Yeah.
WEIR: (Inaudible).
KRISTOF: A heartbroken dad, you know, because these girls are the best hope for the region in an area that has less than 50 percent female literacy. These are the brightest kids, the most ambitious kids, and the bravest kids because they knew that they were at risk going to school to take those exams, and yet they dream so much for an education, they went anyway. And now, the best and the brightest who should be becoming doctors and lawyers are being sold with for $12 each by Abubakar.
WEIR: You also spoke with Secretary John Kerry about this. Now, a year ago, he was warning us about human rights violations by the Nigerian military and there was some dicy stuffs going on ...
KRISTOF: Yeah.
WEIR: But does he have -- is there anything we can do and we being the royal American way (ph).
KRISTOF: You know, well, I mean, there's definitely stuff that we can do in the sense that, you know, and the media attention (ph) has to come from Nigeria. And the Nigerian government's reaction has been disgraceful. President Goodluck Jonathan has taken fulgurant (ph), even notices in Nigerian army hasn't done anything to go after this people. And the wife of the President apparently ordered the arrest of two of the protesters because she thought they were, you know, they were embarrassing the country. So, international pressure can indeed help get Nigeria to send troops to go after these people. It seems to me that we probably can in the international community help provide intelligence and satellite imagery that may help locate at least some of these girls.
WEIR: The State Department said today that -- in a briefing that they think a lot of these girls may be have already left the country, that they've been shipped across the borders. And what's troubling is when this guy says we're going to sell these girls at the marketplace, there is a huge marketplace. One group estimates there might be as many as 700,000 slaves just in Nigeria ...
KRISTOF: Yeah.
WEIR: ... and that whole port over there. So, it is very right for human trafficking. KRISTOF: I think we should be worry of kind of defeat this many (ph) or if they move across the border, if they move across border into Niger, that's an area where we can indeed help rescue them. If they move into Lake Rutherfords (ph), they've been taken into an island in Lake Chad. That's an area that you can fly over. And from the area, you can identify people who are on those little islands. There's not a lot of tree pepper (ph) there. So, what is lacking here is not -- it's the will, it's the will to search.
And you know, with the MH370, we had a major international effort to find a much smaller number of people who would pass away. I think if there were similar interest to these were a priority, we could make -- have much greater chance of finding these girls.
WEIR: I wonder if this video helps run this up. Let's take another -- we're not give too much, you know, of their message here but just a sample of what -- this is another -- one of three leaders of Boko Haram again talking about the western education school. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHEKAU: I abducted a girl at a western education schools and you are disturbed? I say western education should end. Western education should end. Girls, you should go and get married. I will repeat this, western education should fold up.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEIR: What is it about their virulent opposition to just education. Is it, well, is this a corrupted version of Islam? How did they wrap their heads around that?
KRISTOF: You know, it is a corrupt version of Islam, but in a sense, they're right. I mean, what is the most -- the greatest (inaudible) they're kind of extremism. I mean, it's not drowns (ph), it's education, and especially educated girls. The best weapons against Boko Haram is to get more girls in school, to get those educated women into the form of labor force, and that would really change Northern Nigeria. You know, that's why the Taliban shot Malala in the head and that's why the Afghan Taliban have been thrown (ph) (inaudible) girls that go to school there and that's why Boko Haram is kidnapping these girls. They're a threat to extremism.
WEIR: The ones that we got out of the Taliban out of Al Qaeda are just, you know, they're water off your back these days, nobody listens to Ayman al-Zawahiri's latest whatever. Do you think the freshness of this that this is a noble new group that's so offensive will cause that international scrutiny to come to fore (ph)?
KRISTOF: I mean I hope so. The -- I mean, I think, the way that would have an effect is by embarrassing President Goodluck Jonathan. And so far, the Nigerian authorities have been very focused on Boko Haram when it blows up people in the Capital Abuja. They haven't really cared about violence in the provinces in the north.
WEIR: So, it's out in the country.
KRISTOF: It's out in the country. It's low on their priorities and, you know, this is the case where the international community can actually begin to shine a light on that and perhaps make President Jonathan and the military change their priorities.
WEIR: And aside from having a really memorable name, Goodluck Jonathan, the President. What kind of a government is he running? Is it corrupt in any sense?
KRISTOF: It is fabulously corrupt. And one of the problems has been that the military -- I mean, this is a rich country. This is ...
WEIR: Yeah.
KRISTOF: Nigeria is a well off oil country. And they do have resources. They have a military. And they haven't give (ph) sentiment recent years after Boko Haram partly because of these bombings. But they have -- what they've done is to go out and round up every young man in areas where Boko Haram has support and kidnap those people, and in some cases, starve them or even kill them. And that just creates more support for Boko Haram rather than undermining it.
WEIR: Right. And when people protest the Jonathan regime, they were jailed ...
KRISTOF: And -- yeah.
WEIR: Even ...
KRISTOF: When people speak out for these girls ...
WEIR: Speak up to the girls.
KRISTOF: ... and they detain these women. I mean it's -- it is just a tragedy at so many levels, but hopefully, this maybe a turning point for Nigeria and perhaps lead to a little bit better governance.
WEIR: Nick Kristof, always great to get your insight, appreciate it.
We come back, he waged war against another terrorists accused of preying on children. Jason Russell, remember the Kony 2012 campaign? Does he think a hashtag can bring back our girls? And will join me exclusively next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WEIR: This is the first time a lot of Americans have heard of the terror group called Boko Haram, but they are vicious and dangerous and would be extremely hard to fight.
Joining me now via Skype, Jacob Zenn, an analyst for The Jamestown Foundation, expert on this group. Also Jason Russell who founded Invisible Children, find and arrest African Warlord Joseph Kony who was also accused of preying on kids and making them soldiers, horrible stuff. Both men join me exclusively. Guys, thanks for being with us. I will get to you just in a second Jason. We want to understand more -- or Jacob more about this group.
But Jason, we haven't seen you in a while since the incredible popularity of the Kony 2012 and sort of a public scrutiny that went after -- your Twitter Bio says "love stories, hate clothes as you've seen." How you doing? How goes the fight? Are you back doing the same stuff as you were with Kony 2012?
JASON RUSSELL, FOUNDER, CEO, INVISIBLE CHILDREN, INC.: Yeah. We're doing the same work. We've been doing it for 11 years and we're not stopping until every child soldiers returned home.
WEIR: Catch us up on that effort why you're still out there. And has there -- have you gotten any gratifying sense that you're getting close in catching him?
RUSSELL: So, since our Bio campaign Kony 2012, we've had amazing results. 93 percent reduction in LRA killings and we've had hundreds of LRA returned home. And there's an international man hunt, as you know, for Joseph Kony, his arrest. And a bill has been passed since Kony 2012 for $5 million for his arrest. And so, it's any day now and we are in hot pursuit and I'm ready to see international justice realized.
WEIR: Wow. So you take credit for decreasing the number of his crimes just based on what? All the scrutiny and being on the run?
RUSSELL: Well, our programs in Invisible Children are actually we have defection programs or we have dumped over a million flyers over the LRA region over three different countries. And 80 percent of those who come out of the LRA and escape sight that it is because of the defection flyers or our FM radio messaging that they return. And so, we get to bring them back, reunite them with their families after they've been through some sort of rehabilitation.
WEIR: Interesting. So Jacob, school us on this group compared to the Lord's Resistance Army in a different part of that continent. Are these guys much worse, much bigger, how do they compare?
JACOB ZENN, ANALYST, THE JAMESTOWN FOUNDATION: They are much different when you look at Boko Haram and the Lord's Resistant Army. Boko Haram is much more internationally connected including to various Al Qaeda factions and other Islamic groups around the world, whereas Joseph Kony's group is at least now mostly isolated in Central Africa or the Democratic Republic of Congo. Furthermore, it appears Boko Haram's membership is in several thousands of militants and it roams through Cameroon and Nigeria. And it has weaponry from the arsenals from Gaddafi in Libya. It has anti-aircraft missiles and other tanks even that are looted from Nigeria's armories. So it's certainly a more violent group with a superior ideology.
WEIR: Yeah. We saw that guy posing doing his video today in front of that armed personnel carrier. And how do they recruit? Are they at -- gunpoint the way they -- the Kony people do or how do they get this membership this big? ZENN: It appears that they use similar methods that other militias in West Africa and Central Africa have used. Including abducting young teenage boys and then forcing them into their group and brain washing them through violence. But they also benefit from some grassroots support, because there is a tradition of rejection of the Nigerian leaders and the Nigerian government there. And Boko Haram has been able to take Islamist ideology, rejection of Nigeria's central government and put it in a framework that has resonated amongst local people.
But hopefully, actions like the one that it took this past week in kidnaping more than 200 girls will make all local people realize that this is an extreme group that has not represent any faction, religion, or ideology that is accepted within Nigeria's mainstream.
WEIR: I know they've gone after a more moderate clerics, other Muslims, they have -- they're indiscriminate to who they kill that disagrees with them. How close are they to Al Qaeda?
ZENN: I believe they are very close to Al Qaeda. A report came out this week suggests that they received as much as $70 million from various Al Qaeda factions. I'm not sure if it's that much money, but it's very clear to me that when Osama bin Laden was alive in Pakistan, he was communicating and ordering money to be sent to Boko Haram in Nigeria through various Al Qaeda factions in the Maghreb region or Northwest Africa. And it was from that money and that ideological support that Boko Haram was able to turn itself from a more local group in Northeastern Nigeria into one that now has a transregional effect.
WEIR: Yeah. Jason, your video I think was so powerful to Kony 2012 because you are an amazing story teller.
RUSSELL: Yeah.
WEIR: You got this beautiful sun and it pushed so many emotional buttons. I don't know if we have a clip to remind people of that. When you watched -- when you see these folks holding up the signs of the, you know, "bring back our girls." What comes to your mind?
RUSSELL: Yeah.
WEIR: Can you add to that fight? Can you offer any advice to people who want to duplicate what you did? What are your lessons learned?
RUSSELL: Well, I think a hashtag is a tool. It's a powerful tool which had start a real conversation and that conversation should manifest into answers that the international community and everyone in between should be coming up with. We shouldn't allow any abductions happen of any children no matter where they are in the world. And I think these are dark complicated sad issues that people don't want to based or realize.
So it inspires me to wake up and see tens of thousands of people actually talking about these abductions in Nigeria. And, you know, we believe that it's not about what we start, it's how we finish this fight. And for Joseph Kony, he's been getting away with murder for almost 30 years and we don't think that's OK. We think that our generation needs to set an example as to what happens with the warlord or any group that tries to harm the invisible children of the world.
WEIR: Yeah. I followed a guy on Twitter, a Nigerian-American writer name Teju Cole who tweeted this week. "What can I do to help unless you're a Nigerian with constitutional rights to participate in Democratic process, almost nothing?" He does say, you know, we all can support Democratic process and education, but what do you tell people who want to take it beyond one hashtag and then forget about this until the next one comes along.
RUSSELL: Yeah. I mean, anyone can hear my voice if -- this has got to be more than just a two-day, two-week, two-year campaign. If you really want to see these girls be brought home, we have to continue to fight until they are all brought home, and it's challenging. The answers are difficult. And I would say that the ideology from that tweet is eroding. I think that we're living in an ever evolving globalized world. We're becoming more empathic. Our friends are actually in multiple nations now. And so, therefore, we have the right to protect each other when these girls who are teenagers or younger are being harmed. We have the right to do something. I don't buy the answer that there is no answer.
WEIR: Jason Russell, Jacob Zenn, thank you both being with me tonight.
ZENN: Thank you.
RUSSELL: Thank you for having me.
WEIR: Really appreciate it guys.
And we come back, let's shift to violence in Eastern Europe. Ukraine teeters on to brink (ph) its leader insisting Vladimir Putin wants to eliminate the country as we know it. Richard Haass of the Council on Foreign Relations tells me why the west is running out of time to stop it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WEIR: Russia's economy is tanking. Threats of new sanctions are hanging overhead, but anybody who's been hoping Vladimir Putin might put his proverbial shirt back on and back down in Ukraine. I'll might be very disappointed because his approve rating (ph) is through the roof.
As Ukrainian soldiers battle pro-Russian militants in the Eastern City of Slovyansk today, Russia accused Kiev of quote "continuing a war against the people of their own country." Residents report flying bullets and buildings set on blaze. Four people reportedly killed, nearly 30 injured in that city with each side blaming other for everything. Ukraine's defense minister says a military helicopter was shutdown in that area today, but pilots survived after crash into a river and were later rescued. And all the while, the west seems they can only threaten new shots at the Russian wallet (ph) with more and tougher sanctions. Joining me now is Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations. Good to see you.
RICHARD HAASS, PRESIDENT, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: Thanks Bill. It's been awhile.
WEIR: So, when you see the violence now in Odessa. In Odessa, four dead today, it's spreading. Do you worry that this is going to be a war in some shape?
HAASS: It is a war in some shape. It's actually something of a combination civil war. At the same time, it's a bit of a war in some shape because what the Russians are doing to intervene. You don't have to invade to intervene ...
WEIR: Yeah.
HAASS: ... and that's what we're seeing there.
WEIR: And talk to me about Putin. He doesn't care, does he? Ultimately, what's the west says -- I mean this -- is this a thumb in the eye or is this a level of ego giving his enormous wealth that we don't read a lot about and his popularity back in Moscow?
HAASS: It's about Putin and Putinism which really has two dimensions. One is his own continued rule. He's in for the long haul. And so long as this place well at home, and as you say it's playing well at home, the political game far outweighs the economic pain. And second of all, he has this goal to restore large elements of the Russian empire. And you saw elements over in Georgia. You're seeing it here in Eastern Ukraine. You've already seen it in Crimea and it's going to continue so long with the ratio of what he's getting as opposed to the cost at home is tilted in his favor.
WEIR: Should the people in Latvia be worried or ...
HAASS: I don't think ...
WEIR: ... or Moldova or this other countries?
HAASS: If you're in NATO, I would say no. Putin has many things, but he's not totally reckless. He is calculating. So I don't think that any country that's within the NATO orbit is threatened. But the countries on the outside, for example a country like Kazakhstan, Moldova, and others, one could see Putin begin to torment (ph) unrest in those countries and then try to exploit it.
And also, what's happening in Ukraine is a last term (ph). He might begin that process, but then the process takes on a dynamic of its own. So, you can't just say this is what Russia is doing. You do have separatist in Ukraine now, the process itself radicalize people and polarizes the population. Civil war breed civil war. And we're seeing that in Ukraine.
WEIR: What can Barack Obama do?
HAASS: A couple of things. One, you talk about sanctions obviously all of those, so it's going to be hard to get the Europeans on board, you can begin a process which is a long term one of reducing European energy independence on Russia by exporting things like oil and natural gas. Probably in the short run though, it's helping Ukraine become stronger. It's economic. It's political. It's military. We're not talking about tanks and planes. We're talking about basic police organization and training. What we're seeing is the Ukrainian police forces and military forces are borderline and competent.
WEIR: Yeah.
HAASS: Anything we can do to strengthen them with intelligence and training and relevant light arms would probably help.
WEIR: So we gives them night vision goggles and body armor -- I keep saying we, OK, why do I say we. If America gives these tools to these guys, will that escalate things you think from the Kremlin?
HAASS: Again, the Russians have things they can do but you've got to at some point decide you're going to help what you're going to do.
WEIR: Whose side are you on, yeah.
HAASS: And I think again, it's less equipment probably than training at this point. They are so un-united and so incompetent that Putin doesn't have to take those 40,000 troops and bring them in. He can get many of the benefits just by leading him impart.
WEIR: And when it comes to sanctions, aren't big American and European countries just doing business regardless. Does the sanction matter to Boeing or some other energy company?
HAASS: Well, the European companies in particular are continuing to do business. French Orange companies, Germany energy ...
WEIR: Yeah.
HAASS: ... the Brits have tremendous financial deposits. They're worried about the financial consequences of cutting Russia off. Financial sanctions are probably the best but we've got to be careful. We don't want to move into a situation where American companies pay a price while the European companies continue to move in.
And that's why Atlantic solidarity is so important here and that's why in order to become a priority, much more of a priority for this administration. You try to bring about transatlantic solidarity on dealing with this.
WEIR: And let me fit it to a story we don't talk a lot about but it's connected, Syria, right? Bashar Al Assad has cover from the Kremlin and this just happened, I guess it was last week. This is a tough video to watch folks. It's the latest alleged chemical attacks. It was -- this is chlorine instead of serine or whatever else, horrifically seen the barrel bombs and so forth. What's the next tipping point here? Where do you see this going?
HAASS: Quite possibly there's not a tipping point after three years, it's a slow motion crisis. It almost like climate change or something. Slow motion crises are the hardest things for democracy to deal with because there's not a dramatic single point with then you say we're going to do something. We might have had that a year ago with Syria and we let it pass but I would think what you really want to do is start arming those elements to the opposition you can live with.
And if someone like Assad continues to use certain weapons that we think ought to be prohibitive -- prohibited, we order them to about taking them out.
WEIR: And but I was talking with John Miller, NYPD counterterrorism guy who says that place is like a Jihadi, it's like the star wars cantina. Who knows who's in there when that wraps up could come in our way?
HAASS: Not only it can, it will. I would think in Europe that might be the number one security threat of this decade ...
WEIR: Syria.
HAASS: ... Syria people are coming out. It's basically terrorism 301. They're going to go to Europe, some will come here and some of the things we're seeing there we shouldn't think we're immune.
Those kinds of Boston marathon kind of attacks, that's sort of thing, I'm sorry to say it could become much more common place in this country.
WEIR: Lord, I hope you're wrong. Richard Haass, good to see you as always. I appreciate it.
HAASS: Thanks.
WEIR: Coming up, the father of two the biggest superstars in modern sports and a man who has battled racism in ways that will shock you. Richard Williams is here with thoughts on parenting, Donald Sterling, his daughters. You can't miss him, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WEIR: How did Venus and Serena Williams become two of the most dominant female athletes of our time?
Long story. But you can start with the moment Richard Williams saw a woman with a racket received a giant check on TV. That was the moment he decided his daughter should be tennis champions even though he didn't have daughters and knew nothing about tennis. Or you can go back to any of the moments of his youth when he was insulted and beaten by Klansmen and cops. A violent upbringing in the racist south made him an angry tough and determined man, but it also created the foundation of a sporting dynasty and he describes it all in his new book "Black and White; The way I see it". Richard Williams, welcome.
RICHARD WILLIAMS, TENNIS COACH: Thanks Bill. It's honor to be here.
WEIR: No, it's good to have you.
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
WEIR: I want to get your thoughts on the Sterling story, you know, racist in America. It's a big thing in your book but we got to understand where you're coming from first.
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
WEIR: And you are born to sharecroppers.
WILLIAMS: Yes, I was.
WEIR: Shreveport?
WILLIAMS: On a pro, a bonus you have (inaudible) but I hear (inaudible). You got to get cut off the front.
WEIR: They got it and there was no sharing involved.
WILLIAMS: No, they don't.
WEIR: Many said you made a million dollars but he kept his (inaudible) part.
WILLIAMS: (Inaudible).
WEIR: But your mother Julia, when she run into labor pains with you tried to go to the hospital in a mule cart in a driving rain, the mule broke its leg and tried to walk and lay in the road as cars drove by.
WILLIAMS: It was a time where (inaudible) came in to the world. It didn't look like no one could survive that time but my mom being the mom she was could survive anything and that's how I was born. I was born with a champion as a mom. My mother is (inaudible).
WEIR: She -- your father you write about would come in just enough to ...
WILLIAMS: Make baby ...
WEIR: ... make a baby and split.
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
WEIR: So there's no man in the house.
WILLIAMS: No.
WEIR: She would pick cotton and pull you on the sack, right?
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
WEIR: And so you learned -- I mean, it was basic, basic, basic and the racism you described. Just pick one. What was the worst moment for you? Was it the clan? Was it the cops?
WILLIAMS: I think the worst moment would be about the time I was maybe eight years old or seven years old (inaudible) in that time. I got jumped on by the Klu Klux Klansmen and I couldn't run and have been that at that age (inaudible) about to be whipped by three men but the little I could do were tried to kick and move about. That isn't happening. And when I see my dad looking on and it was not him. I would provide a no word and one of the Klan said I think this is something to him right there. My dad took on role and he was running so fast and that hit him taking the moment to look him I took out running. And what he taught me was that you have to be bit of everything.
WEIR: But you didn't just run you fought back a lot.
WILLIAMS: A little bit not too much. It's only so much you can do at a small age. That was the second time I got (inaudible) ...
WEIR: Yes. But you wrote about like stealing Klansmen's towel ...
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
WEIR: ... and putting make up on your hands to infiltrate for what? Were you going to wreck vengeance and you had a gun at one point ...
WILLIAMS: That's good ...
WEIR: ... you could have killed him.
WILLIAN: ... I was going to do that. I felt a lot of hatred toward me. And there was nothing I could do. In fact, I gotten beat up not long before then I'm at a sheriff department he took my three (inaudible) and I decided someone was going to pay that night. And I rode my bicycle - my bicycle I could ride that thing. I got a reputation no one can out run me. And no one can ride a bicycle faster.
So if I got ahead of the group of (inaudible) and they won't catch me not even an old truck. So when I went down at that night I actually went to hurt someone.
WEIR: Your mother later said I see prejudice in you.
WILLIAM: Yeah.
WEIR: You need to free you mind, free you heart, right?
WILLIAM: Yeah.
WEIR: Did you ever, do you still have some of that resentment deep down inside? WILLIAM: Well, what happened was Dr. Carter was a doctor on East Street in Shreveport Louisiana. And I though he hated me so I went to his mom Dr. Carter his (inaudible) so I am too. As you to say yes, see you don't have anything you dad doesn't happy. I don't have this is let go see Dr. Carter. They want to see Dr. Carter. And he told Dr. Carter he said, you know, how long has been.
You have to have me raise this boy here. And he and Dr. Carter raised me. And my mom taught me that hatred and prejudice is in the mind of people that wasn't going to do anything. So you see you're going to long ways in life. As you more than mean not to have prejudice. So my mom taught me not to be prejudice at all. By doing the process of not trying to be prejudiced and can beat and call them names that I was called during the old days, it was very difficult for me to overcome those things.
WEIR: Fast forward this it's amazing story you get to Chicago you find racism there, you make your way to Southern California, you start a business. You sit in there watching a TV. Did you really -- you see Virginia Ruzici.
WILLIAMS: Ruzici.
WEIR: Ruzici.
WILLIAMS: Virginia Ruzici.
WEIR: I got a $40,000 check. And you said I'm going to have daughters. You had stepdaughters I'm going to have daughters and their going to be incredible tennis players.
WILLIAMS: Yes, but everyone in my (inaudible) stepdaughter did it was decide to (inaudible). There was my daughter. My mom taught me that every one of my daughter and I raise all of them and did the best I could to help them with their mom. You see an attorney and (inaudible) is ...
WEIR: Yeah.
WILLIAMS: ... in the music world Venus and Serena. So we did -- I did the best I could do. But I believe and I could make two number one players. And that's what I start doing, writing a plan not before you make the mother to get pregnant.
WEIR: But that's I got to say a little selfish. I mean why not have the kids and see hey maybe they want to play soccer, maybe they want to.
WILLIAMS: Play baseball.
WEIR: Can play baseball. Why, why tennis was - you deliberately pick the whitest for you good.
WILLIAMS: Most of older men and you want to play (inaudible). But I thought I would raise them the same way my mom raised me. At anything my mom wanted me to do I was going to. And that's by raising the way they would too. My mom taught me that anything I could need to do. And I could be better than anyone else in the world if I prepared hard enough.
WEIR: Yes.
WILLIAMS: And that's what I did with them.
WEIR: So when we comeback self taught had to scare the gang members out of the courts in Compton. Now beat up in front of Venus when she's a little girl. I want to hear that and also talk about what you think of this Donald Sterling story and what happened at Indian Wells, a lot to talk about with Richard Williams stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WEIR: Between them, Venus and Serena Williams have won 15 Wimbledon titles, more Olympic gold medals than other any women in tennis. And back with me now their dad the guy who taught them everything they know about the game, Richard Williams. Good to have you back.
So your mom was pretty rough she would hit with a switch when she was trying to teach you your lessons, Right? And you're right about parenting this way.
Let's throw this quote up I don't have it in front of me I would have to read it off the screen. "I surely don't understand all these parents today who are always telling their kids how special they are, without them proving it. That's not faith, that's flattery."
We got another one here and is going to make some moms mad out there.
"I feel like we're way too soft on our kids. The way Venus and Serena were raised, they didn't have any choice but to be strong."
What was line -- what is your definition of abuse?
WILLIAMS: When you're going against a child and helping a child to dislike what they would like to do and punish them for something they do not deserve to have. Let me give you an example. I've seen a lot of kids in tennis. They're wrist would be broken or get beat up a lot of kids (inaudible) Venus are going to beaten (inaudible) no, as matter of fact I pay them.
WEIR: You pay them?
WILLIAMS: Because I want my kids to learn how much I love them. But the most important thing I think about abuse it commonly damage the kid forever. Long after our kids and our death and I don't what them with my kids.
WEIR: Now you moved your family even though you could afford to live elsewhere. You moved your family into the toughest crime (inaudible) and neighborhood in LA in Compton because you thought it would make them tougher ultimately. That people have a hard time with that.
WILLIAMS: Yes they would I would understand why let me give that how example here. If you take the roughest neighborhood what came out him out come (inaudible) Snoop Doggy dog, (inaudible) these are unbelievable (inaudible). Almost the greatest...
WEIR: The first two are rappers, yes.
WILLIAMS: ... athletes in the world. They came out of some type of ghetto including (inaudible). So this one I want to teach my kids. There's nothing free but you can work your way out of here. My kids has visited Beverly hills so much and almost every hill you can think out there is Hollywood hills and the whole all place but you have to work to get there, nothing is free and there was great work and education is better than the (inaudible).
WEIR: Let's look at them as kids here. I mean it's your daughters are now in their 30s but this is Serena and Venus at a younger age with their dad and coach.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAMS: Serena serve it to the end out corner and Venus is serving to the deuce (ph) corner. And you can see that Serena looked very good hopefully. They're going to serve about five or 10 more balls for you. And great serve.
SERENA WILLIAMS, AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYER, RICHARD WILLIAMS' DAUGHTER: Thank you daddy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEIR: You literally had to beat the gang members away from this court in Compton with a stick. But once you went and you started entering tournaments and entering what was really the Lily white world of Tennis. Did you sense resentment?
WILLIAMS: From who?
WEIR: From the other families? Yes the other players, the other coaches?
WILLIAMS: And let me say this to you also the gang members helped to (inaudible) to beat me up. These were the first one to sympathize and comeback to say, "We did it wrong."
WEIR: Really?
WILLIAMS: Yeah, even though we said it to you, we did it wrong. We want you guys to make it. And actually, it helped us to make it and that helped us a great deal. It's not in the book of people who are reading.
WEIR: Yeah.
WILLIAMS: So I think that that's what helped us a great deal, who are in it in the tennis world. I knew Venus is (inaudible) gone away because (inaudible). And they wanted to play and I watch them play junior tennis. And when they play I've seen a lot of white parents who will talk about I hate that girl (inaudible) they win all the time, why do they suppose to win? They were taught to win and everything to win, but more than a rocket and fast feet but in here they had a great head which is in the book and that's why I want people to read it.
WEIR: In 2001 you're in Indian Wells still sort of a notorious chapter where Venus is pulled because of injury right before a match against her sister and the place booed.
WILLIAMS: Yeah.
WEIR: And you heard a lot of racial slurs in that crowd and they haven't played since.
WILLIAMS: Yes. I did.
WEIR: I'm mean, sure playing people were booed because they're disappointed but do you really think a lot of that was racial?
WILLIAMS: Yes I did. I didn't have to think. I know what it was.
WEIR: You know?
WILLIAMS: Yes. And not only that, Venus had notified the WTA office that she was hurt. And had seen a doctor, the WTA should have announced what Venus had said to him. Hours ahead of time they did not. I'm not saying the WTA was (inaudible), they might have thought she might get better and want to play. But I thought it was very prejudice of the people that live at home caused (ph) millions of dollars that will boo a (inaudible) kid that's supposed to be in America.
WEIR: And let me ask you about Donald Sterling, his comments. Should he be forced to sell his team for what he said.
WILLIAMS: Well, actually he might, I think he's (inaudible) I might say (inaudible) and give it to me.
WEIR: Give to you? As a racial - as an olive branch to the black community he can give you a billion dollar price and that's a very generous of you.
WILLIAMS: It takes a person like Donald Sterling so this wasn't as far from his home. (inaudible) it takes place there...
WEIR: In the home
WILLIAMS: ... in the home. So he grew up with 77 years of disliking people because of the color of their skin. So yes I think he's fragile and he proved it.
WEIR: It's been wonderful talking to you. The book "Black and White: The Way See It". Amazing stories in there
WILLIAMS: Thank you. WEIR: And we'll keep rooting for your girls.
WILLIAMS: Please do.
WEIR: All right.
WILLIAMS: My pleasure.
WEIR: Richard Williams thank you, great to meet you. When we come back, the woman behind the mask. V. Stiviano setting a new fashion trend.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)'
WEIR: You know, the free market is an interesting thing no telling who the invisible hand might punish or blessed after one recorded racist friend.
You see, while Clippers owner Donald Sterling twist in the angry wins, the creator of the face visor just hit the jackpot. Amazing the ripple effect that comes from one rich guy's choice of lady friend. You see, for months the Tribeca Boutique saying she couldn't give these things away.
But then came a woman named V. Stiviano. Here she is for the ABC's Barbara Walters.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARBARA WALTERS, ABC'S "THE VIEW" SHOW HOST: Can you tell me what's your relationship with Donald Sterling is?
V. STIVIANO DONALD STERLING'S ALLEGED MISTRESS: I'm Mr. Sterling's right-hand arm man. I'm Mr. Sterling everything. I'm his confidant, his best friend, his silly rabbit.
WALTERS: His what?
V. STIVIANO: His Silly rabbit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEIR: Silly rabbit. Tricks are for kids. Free Bentleys and Ferraris and Range Rovers and apartments are for best friends of really rich men 50 years your senior. Now, that arrangement defined their relationship until V released a now infamous recording on Mr. Sterling's ideas on race relations which made her a paparazzi-bait extraordinaire and for some reason she decided to go daft punk.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love your sandals.
V. STIVIANO: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Where they from? V. STIVIANO: Banana Republic.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love Banana Republic, they make nice things.
V. STIVIANO: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why are you wearing the shield, why are holding a microphone?
V. STIVIANO: I don't know it's my job.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, then it's my job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WEIR: And now for just $30 think of how many other people can say that. Fashion forward beekeeper that's my job, gay welder that's my job, there's a million uses for this thing and you have the right figure you might even get mistaken for V.
But for the folks whose saying she can eat Chinese factory that supplies them it really doesn't mater who is buying business is up get this 600 percent. This was the last one they had in stock and I'm keeping it. Just in case my daughter grows up and becomes best friends with an 80 year old millionaire racist.
That's all for us tonight CNN Special Report with Don Lemon start's right now.
