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New Day Sunday

Tens Of Thousands March In Largest Protests So Far In The U.S.; White House: Trump Remains Confident In Defense Secretary Mark Esper; Tropical Storm Cristobal Heads For Louisiana Coast; Thousands Gather In Rome For Solidarity On Equality; Faith Leaders Grapple With How To Respond To Racial Crises; Athletes Turn Activism Into Action Amid Protests. Aired 7-8a ET

Aired June 07, 2020 - 07:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

[07:00:04]

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: If you've been reading some of the signs at these rallies and marches, you've seen defund the police or defund the law enforcement. Supporters of that ideology say that the solution to police brutality may just be eliminating some of the departments.

The mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey say he does not support it. He was booed after telling a group of demonstrators that he does not support abolishing the city police department.

PAUL: Some demonstrators say they're willing to risk catching coronavirus to protest George Floyd's death. Right now, the U.S. is about to surpass 110,000 deaths from coronavirus.

BLACKWELL: Now, as cities across the country are preparing for another day of protests. On the Gulf Coast, they're preparing for this. Tropical Storm Cristobal is now pushing towards the coast.

Some of the states, you see there in Louisiana and Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida as well, feeling some parts of them, those tropical storm force winds already. More to come.

PAUL: Going to start with this 12th night of nationwide protests.

CNN's Polo Sandoval is in New York. And he's been watching what's been happening overnight.

Do you see, Polo, some sort of shift in the atmosphere of these protests right now?

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: From the atmosphere to just the size of the crowd, Christi, if you some of the demonstrations from L.A. to here in New York, you saw those, the seas of people that we witnessed yesterday. They were powerful, they were passionate and by most accounts, they were peaceful demonstrations.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL (voice-over): The peaceful fight for change is continuing across America this weekend.

PROTESTERS: George Floyd! Say his name!

SANDOVAL: Twelfth day of people filling streets with renewed calls for reform after George Floyd's killing nearly two weeks ago.

PROTESTERS: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

SANDOVAL: Thousands in North Carolina paid their respects to George Floyd on Saturday. Floyd was born in North Carolina but died in Minneapolis after a police officer had a knee to his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

REV. BRIAN DAVIS, COUSIN OF GEORGE FLOYD: There's no way in the world that his life will not change the trajectory of racism from now on.

MAYOR JACOB FREY, MINNEAPOLIS: We can quite literally lead the way in our nation enacting more police reform than any other city in the entire country and we cannot fail.

SANDOVAL: At least tens of thousands, it's estimated, participated in a series of protests across Washington, D.C. on Saturday. Metropolitan D.C. spokesperson told CNN there were no arrests.

This is the view from space. A satellite image on the left the words "Black Lives Matter" now fill two entire city blocks in Washington, D.C. in what's being called Black Lives Matter Plaza which leads to the White House.

D.C. mayor joined crowds in the plaza as they called for action.

Large crowds attended mostly peaceful protest rallies in Philadelphia and Chicago. Massive crowds joined the spirited protests throughout Los Angeles too.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want people to help us carry this baton, stand by our sides, and we want to -- we want to take our allies and march towards the gates of racism and injustice. I don't think it stands a chance anymore.

SANDOVAL: Protesters also marched through a tunnel in L.A. Car horns honking in unity.

Protesters could also be seen dancing near Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta on Saturday night. Where they also chanted the song, this is America.

Players and staff of the Denver Broncos led a march for social justice through Denver. Protesters also outside the Denver Police Department District 6 last night. And protesters were seen blocking Interstate 35 in Austin, Texas. Authorities in Portland, Oregon and several other cities suspended the use of tear gas against protesters.

Tensions rose in Seattle last night where police launched flash bangs to scatter crowds, but overall, demonstrations have been largely peaceful and powerful in the United States. In Kentucky, balloons were released for Breonna Taylor, an EMT shot

times in her home by police executing a warrant to search for another person.

The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City filled with thousands more demonstrators fighting for the Black Lives Matter movement.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The system is not going to win. The people have a voice now. They're -- we're united. Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people don't have to stand for injustice anymore.

SANDOVAL: Protesters for New York City and Brooklyn streets late into the night despite the curfew here, rallying for justice in the name of George Floyd.

[07:05:05]

PROTESTERS: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: As we just noted, that curfew overnight was in place. However, police seem to be taking a more relaxed approach in terms of enforcing that. It could have something to do with the Manhattan district attorney's announcement on Friday that it will not prosecute protesters for some of the law level offenses like various -- unlawful assembly, for example, also disorderly conduct. As we've heard from authorities, Victor and Christi, they're trying to scale back on the legal interactions with demonstrators.

BLACKWELL: Yes, we're hearing that from other municipalities as well. Thank you so much, Polo.

PAUL: So, you've seen the images from the protests across the country, around the world as we showed you. Let's hear from some of the protesters themselves now.

BLACKWELL: Yes, a lot of them, young people, older people as well say that this movement feels different. We asked them the simple question. Why are you here?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm here because I think we all need to make a stand. We all need to do it collectively. And silence is not the way to go with it. I think we all have to be proactive in our own right, whether it's out here in the streets or spreading awareness or having hard conversations, I think it's a matter of taking a side and being proactive.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want them to be able to grow up in a world where they're not stopped, just because they're black. I want them to have a good education. I want them if they're sick to have to go to the hospital and get the best care that they can get. UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I felt the need to come out because my life

matters. I feel like we still need to march and still need to care even though we already showed our support. We need to keep on pushing until actual change is done.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PAUL: So, we're listening to them. But we're also paying very close attention to what is happening worldwide. We saw Ben Wedeman in Italy. But this is a global movement to take on racism and police brutality. We've seen solidarity rallies with the United States calling attention to issues within their own communities.

BLACKWELL: Yes, in London, more protests planned for today. The mayor there, Sadiq Khan, says that this morning, that George Floyd's brutal killing must lead to immediate and lasting change in countries, cities, police services and institutions everywhere. Now, in these peaceful protests yesterday, there was a chaotic moment here when mounted police officers charged their horses near Downing Street. One police officer fell off that horse. You see the horse kind of bolted into the chaos and was loose in the crowd for a period.

So according to a senior defense official, the White House wanted to have 10,000 active duty troops to crack down on protesters earlier this week in Washington and across other cities.

Secretary of Defense Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, pushed back on the use of active duty troops. I want to take you to the nation's capital with CNN's Sarah Westwood who is live for us there at the White House.

Sarah, what are you hearing from the White House and from the administration about what their plan was and what it is moving forward?

SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, Victor and Christi, this was earlier this week, the White House did in fact want to have 10,000 active duty troops on the streets of Washington, D.C. and other cities to crackdown on these protests, that earlier in the week. In some cities, we did see become destructive, in some cases, they spiraled out of control.

Two of the top defense officials in the country, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs, Mark Milley, as you mentioned, they pushed back on that idea. In fact, they did not support the use of active duty troops at all in the quelling of protests. They did not think that the threshold for such an extreme measure had been met by the protests that we did see.

Now, Esper did make about 1,600 active duty troops available to the Washington, D.C. area if needed. But they were not necessary. There were 5,000 National Guard troops throughout Washington, D.C. and so, those active duty troops were moved into the area, can start to go home, they started to go home on Thursday.

But, of course, Victor, and, Christi, this is all part of President Trump's law and order message. He advocated both publicly and privately for law enforcement to dominate the streets in cities across the country earlier this week.

BLACKWELL: Sarah, tell us about this new statement from the press secretary about the defense secretary.

WESTWOOD: Well, we know, Victor, that Esper has been a bit of shaky ground particularly after Wednesday when he took to the podium at the Pentagon and he said openly, breaking with President Trump, that he did not support the use of active duty troops to quell the protests around the country.

But White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany tells our colleague Kristen Holmes that the president still has full confidence in Esper.

[07:10:02]

She described him as instrumental in helping keep the peace over the past week. But on Wednesday, McEnany, she had a less than full- throated defense of Esper. She said that as of right now, he was still the defense secretary.

But, of course, sources tell CNN that there have been tensions between President Trump, Esper and even with his national security adviser, Robert O'Brien, as well. So, Esper on tenuous grounds there, Victor and Christi.

BLACKWELL: Thank you, Sarah Westwood at the White House.

Now, be sure to watch "STATE OF THE UNION" with Jake Tapper. He's joined by former secretary of state, General Colin Powell, Housing Secretary Ben Carson and California Representative Karen Bass. "STATE OF THE UNION" airs today at 9:00 Eastern, right here on CNN.

PAUL: Tomorrow, members of the Congressional Black Caucus are introducing a bill addressing police brutality and racial injustice.

BLACKWELL: The bill would include anti-lynching legislation, also measures to increase training and chokeholds and create a national police misconduct registry. Right now, the House is not scheduled to return until June 13th. Democratic leaders are open to bringing lawmakers back earlier to vote on the CBC proposal. It's unclear if there will be bipartisan support for any major legislation.

PAUL: Police equipped with full body armor, tank-like vehicles, they made that unprecedented show of force this week in the face of the protests across the country.

Joe Ested is a former police officer in Richmond, Virginia, and Radley Balko is a reporter for the "Washington Post". They've both been watching this very closely. He's also, by the way, Mr. Balko, the author of the book, "Rise of the Warrior Cop".

Gentlemen, thank you so much for being with us.

JOE ESTED, FORMER RICHMOND, VIRGINIA POLICE OFFICER: Thank you, Christi.

PAUL: Good to have you both. Absolutely.

So, Joe, when you look at what's happening right now and we talk about the militarization of police departments, how far do you think this might go?

ESTED: I think it's an overkill. I really believe that we're still not addressing the issue of police brutality. We have two communities that need the exact same thing. The community needs accountability and the police department needs accountability.

Like I described in my book, "Police Brutality Matters", I give recommendations on correcting police brutality. I think we're just on the wrong path the way it's being handled.

PAUL: Radley, I know in your book, you take us back to, you know, colonialism, comparing the revolutions of then to really at the end of the day what we're seeing now which is another revolution. And you talk about copying or having a battlefield mentality. How do we keep police safe and keep people safe and give everybody their freedom without militarizing the police?

RADLEY BALKO, OPINION JOURNALIST, WASHINGTON POST: Yeah. I don't think that it has to be an either/or type situation. For the book, I interviewed a lot of police chiefs, current and former.

One thing you see emerge over and over from the interviews, when you come to a protest, when the police approach a protest expecting violence, it becomes self-fulfilling. Police officers come in full riot gear. They come expecting there could be some sort of confrontation with the protesters.

And from the protesters' perspective, it also dehumanizes the police. The police come in uniform. The police officers have name tags, and they have eye color. Maybe they have -- do or don't have facial hair. They're people in the eyes of the protesters.

When you show up in the full-on riot gear from day one, you have -- you sort of became the nameless, faceless representation of everything the protesters are there to demonstrate against. You have to have the riot squad nearby in case things get out of control. But the police should approach this job -- these protests as (AUDIO GAP).

They shouldn't think of them as we're here to protect the city in case things get out of hand, because inevitably that ends up what's happening if both sides expect it.

PAUL: Yes, they're there to protect everybody. It's hard to feel that is what you're saying when you see the optics of what is there at some of these.

I wanted to ask you, Joe, because you have such a unique perspective here, you're a black men, you've been a police officer for many, many years and have been in the departments. What will it take to legitimize trust and cooperation between police departments and the communities that they serve?

ESTED: Well, I come from the community that's most affected by police brutality and that community has been crying out for accountability.

[07:15:01]

Once we start seeing accountability, then you'll start seeing a change. I emphasize when I'm speaking with the community as well as high school kids, allow the police department to earn your respect, earn your trust.

We need a bad cop bill. We need accountability. I named the recommendations in my book, "Police Brutality Matters", I give a detailed outline on what's needed to correct the problem with police brutality. Time and time again, we've been here before, we've been here protesting police brutality. We haven't figured out exactly the problem is or the solution to the problem. We definitely need accountability and legislation to implement that accountability, because the police department has not figured that out yet.

PAUL: So, Radley, I wanted to ask you, because I have a friend who said to me, why is the onus, based on what he was saying, what Joe was saying, why is the onus on the black community to take the fear away from police? Isn't that their job? To that you say what?

BALKO: It shouldn't be on the black community. I mean, I think the black community has been disproportionately the target of the police brutality. I think they've been a target of the police mindset that they're basically at war with these communities that they're supposed to be serving.

It shouldn't be. I think it's up to the police and it's actually up to the rest of us white people and people who haven't been targeted by police to care enough about these issues to hold the police accountable.

PAUL: Radley Balko, Joe Ested, author of "Police Brutality Matters" -- thank you both so much. We appreciate your voices in this and grateful for the two of you. Thank you.

ESTED: Thank you, Christi.

BLACKWELL: So people along Louisiana's coast are preparing for Tropical Storm Cristobal to make landfall sometime later this afternoon or this evening, where they're already feeling the effects of this tropical storm.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:21:16]

PAUL: So the folks on coast the Louisiana are already feeling rain from this tropical storm Cristobal that you see.

BLACKWELL: Yesterday, the storms spawned a tornado you see here in the center of your screen. This is near downtown Orlando, a few hundred miles from the storm's projected landfall. Three homes were damaged. No reports of injuries.

CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar is with us.

So, the tropical storm is already being felt across several states.

ALLISON CHINCHAR, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yeah. There were seven tornado reports across the state of Florida just yesterday. More are possible again today.

But let's take a look at where the storm is right now. Sustained winds about 50 miles per hour, gusting to 65 miles per hour. It's still continuing to move north towards the Gulf Coast.

We do anticipate landfall, still to be late this afternoon or early this evening along the Louisiana coastline before it continues to push farther inland. Now, with that said, the impacts aren't just going to be for the cone. They're going to spread out. You have tropical storm warnings that extend outside of that cone.

More importantly, the potential for more severe storms as we mentioned is still possible today, not only for Florida but also Louisiana, Alabama, as well as Mississippi where you could see tornadoes or additional waterspouts.

Here's a look at the storm as it pushes up to the north taking with it a tremendous amount of rain. Not just along the coastal regions but stretching out. Cities like Atlanta, Savannah, Birmingham could end up getting decent amounts of rain out of this.

But the heaviest will be closer to the coastline, cities like Jacksonville, Panama City, Biloxi and New Orleans looking at tremendous apartments of rain of 4 to 6 inches. Some could even see as much as a foot before this system pushes out.

Storm surge is also going to be a concern. Again, look at how far away, Tampa nowhere near the cone but they have the potential for one to three feet of storm surge.

Then the long-term concern, where does the storm go? It doesn't die once makes it landfall. It's going to take all of that moisture and push it inland.

So, states like Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, even Wisconsin and Minnesota are likely going to get some rain. Not just an inch, but potentially 3 to 5 inches of rain as the system slides to the north, guys. So, again, this is going to impact for multiple states.

PAUL: Oh, my goodness. Allison Chinchar, thank you so much for the heads up.

BLACKWELL: And there have been evacuation orders issued for towns and parishes along the Louisiana's gulf coast.

PAUL: CNN national correspondent Natasha Chen is in New Orleans right now. So, this is what so different, you know, Natasha, about this hurricane

season. People there know what to do. But do they know what to do if a tropical storm comes ashore and they have to deal with the pandemic?

NATASHA CHEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right, that is the question. Right now, there are places that have set up shelters in case people need that throughout this storm. But there is an added challenge because during COVID-19, people are asked to prepare emergency bags that might include things they normally don't bring, like face coverings and hand sanitizer and wipes if they have them, and remembering to stay socially distant from the next family that might be in that shelter.

Right now, conditions are pretty calm. But in the next half hour, we're told we might be expecting a heavy band of rain with one or two independence of rainfall and right here on the street behind us, usually a streetcar that runs, that is currently on pause because of the impending storm.

Now, right now the National Weather Service also says that within today and tomorrow, there could be places in this region getting in excess of 10 inches of rain. So, flooding is a real issue. There are parishes that have issued evacuation orders in preparation for that.

[07:25:03]

These following communities, St. John the Baptist, Plaquemines, Lafourche, Terrebonne and Jefferson Parishes, they've all issued in some form evacuation orders that are either voluntary or mandatory, depending on the location. And one of the spots that gets hit during severe weather is Grand Isle, the town on a barrier island. They could be getting 2 to 4 feet of storm surge later today.

In other areas, really the concern is flooding. And the National Weather Service warns that could be life-threatening. They're warning people to maybe move their cars to higher ground, to be prepared for that. The good news is we're hearing from locals that they are not seeing the high river levels that they had to deal with last year. So, that's in their favor.

Christi and Victor, back to you.

BLACKWELL: Natasha Chen, thanks so much from New Orleans for us.

Still ahead, what role can faith leaders play to address injustice in their communities. A pastor joins us to explain the strategies he says can be learned from responding to national hazards and climate change. Plus, his message that's targeted to white Christians.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:30:21]

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: There are thousands of people gathering together in Rome right now in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. BLACKWELL: Demonstrators an 8-minute, more than that, moment of

silence a moment ago.

CNN senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman is there.

Not silent anymore. Tell us what you're seeing and hearing there, Ben.

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, the demonstration is officially over. It ended about half an hour ago. What we saw was thousands of people here in Rome's Casa del Popolo coming out to express their support for the black lives movement.

What we saw was initially a very small turnout. But it ended up that the piazza was as full as it could be of people because, of course, of the need of social distancing. In fact, if we pan the camera down, they marked with tape trying to keep people one meter apart.

But there were so many people in this piazza that it ended up sort of social distancing falling apart. What was interesting is that it was very many young Italians were here as well as some American expats as well coming out. Now, recently, this piazza has seen a variety of demonstrations by fascists or far right wing movements but in terms of turnout, this was much larger and shows you that the younger generation here in Italy seems to be much more politically aware and concerned with what's happening in the United States.

And this was just one of a variety of demonstrations that happened over the weekend here in Italy. There are more such events plan in the coming weeks -- Victor, Christi.

BLACKWELL: Ben Wedeman for us there in Rome -- Ben, thank you so much.

You know, there are a lot of people looking to faith leaders for a message of hope and guidance during times of crisis. Our next guest says that churches need to do more to prepare for and respond to racial crises in the communities and congregations. He explores how to do that. He lays out a plan in his new book, "There's A Storm Coming: How the American Church Can Lead Through Times of Racial Crisis".

With me now is author and pastor, Reverend Dorrell Briscoe.

Pastor, good to see you again.

REV. HAROLD DORRELL BRISCOE, PASTOR, AUTHOR: Great to see you, sir.

BLACKWELL: So, let's start here, we talked a lot about the sectors of criminal justice and housing and education and health care and how they can contribute to fixing this breach or closing it. You say and your book takes a narrow focus on the church and their communities. Sit the scope for us first.

BRISCOE: Absolutely. My book is called there's a storm coming. I grew up in Florida. If you grow up in Florida, you know that when someone says there's a storm coming, that means there's a hurricane in the Atlantic or the Gulf, and you've got to take proactive measures to be prepared. Well, it's the same thing with the church. There are storms that are hitting our country. They're creating an enormous of shock, division, rage, injustice, racism and so the church needs to be prepared by working for justice, by collaborating with community stakeholders and preparing for this crisis to be in a better position to respond to and lead from the crises.

BLACKWELL: So, you've got four steps here, and you've got what's called your institutional mitigation of racial violence, tragedies, let's put it up, because it starts with the realization. You've got to get congregations and I understand from the conversations between our producers and you that -- our conversations actually on social media, that this is geared toward white congregations specific live starting with realization.

What's that phase look like?

BRISCOE: Fantastic. Yes, great question. Realization is simply becoming aware. It's an education process where white pastors, faith leaders take proactive steps to learn about America's historical record on race, about systemic inequalities that are affecting us today and to listen to the experience of black people. When they do that, I truly believe they'll be informed in their leadership when it comes to these crises.

BLACKWELL: And we've seen people hold up the signs that say we all bleed red. Or you speak to allies and say color doesn't matter. You write that colorblindness is not the right approach. Why?

BRISCOE: Absolutely. Colorblindness is an ideology that essentially says, you know, I don't see color.

[7:35:04]

And let me tell you, that does a disservice, because if you don't see my color, you don't understand the lived experience that my color brings me in this country. So, instead, I think Austin Channing Brown talks about this in her book, it's important to be color conscience to celebrate the rich tapestry of colors and diversity that got us here on this earth.

BLACKWELL: Next step is readiness.

BRISCOE: Absolutely. That's where we become aware. That's where we start to learn from other community stakeholders, listen to them and begin to do the work of justice in our communities. That's when we get our boots on the ground, we designate a certain portion of our budget to fund organizations that are working for justice for black people, but we've got to get ready and realize that our social political climate changed drastically over the last 12 years. We've got to get ready for these storms.

BLACKWELL: How do you get buy-in for this? We've got beyond realization, I've explained what the problem is, but when you start talking budgets and this is going to cost this congregation or my family, then you're talking a different commitment. How do you get people to buy in?

BRISCOE: Well, hopefully, you can echo the words of Jesus who say we need to count the cost. We've got to realize that when it comes to freedom and equality, that's never easy. But the reality is, I'm encouraged by a lot of white faith leaders, a lot of white Christians. I'm seeing a groundswell of support across America where they're waking up and realizing, it's not about us getting along, it's about working for the flourishing of black people in the country.

BLACKWELL: Responsiveness, what's that look like?

BRISCOE: That's very important. Too often when it comes to racialized crises, what we're experiencing right now with the death of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, too oftentimes faith leaders are length silent or indifferent. And I think it is vital to use our platform and our pulpit speak out and speak up against injustice in America with moral clarity, with decisiveness.

We need to engage in truth telling. We got to tell the truth about America's historical record on race and not be afraid to offend people and communicate with grace and truth. It's very important.

BLACKWELL: And renewal.

BRISCOE: Renewal. You know, when it comes to hurricanes, I worked in public policy before ministry. That's where the framework comes from.

You don't try to bounce back from the storm. You want to go forward and learn, you want to learn about your capacity as an organization. It's the same thing with the church.

What can we learn from these crises? What needs to change in our context, in our community? That's important. We have to look at them as catalytic events, that can truly change us and help us change our communities.

BLACKWELL: Which is why when I look at this model, it's just coming to me now when you say this, we don't want to bounce back, we bounce forward. This is cyclical. It's not linear. You take that renewal element and add it to the next chapter of the realization.

Pastor Dorrell, good to see you again. The book is, "There's a Storm Coming: How the American Church Can Lead Through Times of Racial Crisis" -- thanks so much for being with us this morning.

BRISCOE: Thank you for having me.

BLACKWELL: All right. Christi?

PAUL: We have a segment, I feel like I just went to church.

BLACKWEL: Well, amen.

(LAUGHTER)

PAUL: It's Sunday morning. BLACKWELL: Yes.

PAUL: I love it.

Listen, how we speak to our kids can be a real key to seeing change here as well. Well, guess what, former WNBA player and Olympian, Lisa Leslie, she believes that same thing and she's with us next. Stay close.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[07:43:18]

BLACKWELL: You've seen the tweets and heard the sound bites from current and former athletes talking about racism and police brutality since the death of George Floyd. Michael Jordan, he's donating $100 million, the Jordan brand at least, Nike, over the next 10 years to organizations helping to fight against racial inequality.

PAUL: Former WNBA basketball player and four-time Olympic gold medalist Lisa Leslie just wrote an opinion piece for "The Players Tribune" today.

In part, she said, quote, I've had white friends say I'm sorry this is happening to you. I appreciate what's in your heart. But it's not just happening to me. As long as you think it's not only happening to me, that's the problem. It's happening to all of us. It's injustice, and your silence is confirmation.

Lisa Leslie joining us now.

Very -- very true words there being said.

And, Lisa, I want to ask you. What do you say to your white friends who come to you? And, you know, there -- I think there's a lot of confusion on the parts of white people who want to do the right thing and say the right thing and sometimes they do it but then they told they said it wrong or they phrased it wrong.

How do we get beyond that and have these real conversations that are so needed?

LISA LESLIE, FORMER WNBA PLAYER: You know, thanks for having me this morning. And I try to address all of my friends, everybody that's nonblack. First off, I say thank you and I appreciate all of them who've reached out and sent me text messages who just -- even put in Black Lives Matter with a heart, because I know that their heart is in a good place.

And I do believe that the 88 percent of non-blacks in the U.S., there's a very small percentage who really don't get what -- why we say "Black Lives Matter".

[07:45:07]

So, what I say to all of those people out there, I'm interested in what types of conversations are you having with your children. Because this is -- let me just phrase it this way, it's just like being in an abusive relationship. If you have a daughter who comes home and says she's in an abusive relationship, you see that she has scars on her neck, she's been beaten and you -- she comes home and you say, it's not that bad, right? It's not that bad.

You're telling us as African Americans, as black people here in our country, who've been beaten down for so many years, who -- there's systemic racism in place for us not to succeed and then you look and go, I don't get it, it's not that bad. You have to be able to understand and see that we are being abused. And if you can't see that America is abusing us, then I try to explain it to them just like that. And then people are like, I got it. I understand.

We're tired of being in an abused relationship. We don't you as other Americans to stand by. We want you to join us and help us change this for our country because we know that it's not right.

BLACKWELL: Lisa, this was just published, your letter to America. And I've been reading it during the commercial breaks, with "The Players Tribune". And it starts out with what I interpret as really a lot of pain and things that maybe you have felt when you write: You want us to love you on the grand stage of the Olympics, but you give us no peace or justice at home.

I want you just to back up a minute and tell us why you decided to go beyond the tweets that we're seeing from other athletes and former athletes and really kind of explain the story and how you have been impacted in this piece.

LESLIE: Well, you know, Victor, for me, I started writing, I believe, it was like May 29th when all of this began. And there's so much pain and anger.

Listen, I have a black husband and a black son and black daughter, of course. But when I look at what's happening in America, my husband served our country, my husband graduated from the Air Force Academy, he served in Desert Storm, Desert Shield. My grandfather, his father, my aunt was in the Air Force, and I have a daughter who's also in the Air Force right now. When they are in uniform serving our country, they are under the protection of the flag, they're representing the USA.

But my husband and my daughter and my family outside of uniform, to anyone else is just black people. My husband could get pulled over and be in a situation where he could lose his life. He's fought for our country and our freedom.

And so, it -- there's no way for me not to be affected personally because my husband walks out the door every day. In fact, my husband is a part of the essential workers. He's a pilot. He flies 767 for UPS.

He went out every day, even on his time of vacation to make sure that there were masks flown across this country and ventilators, but he still has to drive home from the airport. And so, there's always that thought and the possibility of him not making it home just because of the color of his skin.

And then I'll go even further. Listen, our people, all the black people that are here in America, we are the descendants of the African who were stolen. Think about it, which means that we're the strongest people because they took us and they did an evaluation by teeth, by feet, by body to make sure they had the strongest Africans they could have. As descendants of those people, we are bigger, we are stronger naturally.

My son is 5'2" and he's 10. Right now, people look at him and go, he's so cute, he's so adorable. What happens when he's 17 and he's 6'8"?

Now he comes from being cute and adorable, made straight A's since he's been in kindergarten, he goes from cute and adorable to a threat just because of the color of his skin and size.

America, I'm begging you, we have to change the way we look through the lens of America. We have to change the stereotypes that we create for each other, and we have to change the systemic racism.

And yes, everybody can say, well, you guys got to go vote. You guys got to, you know, do it for yourselves. We're not asking for any handouts. We're just asking for an equal playing field.

PAUL: So, really quickly, we only have a couple seconds left, but I listened to you talk about your children and you're speaking to every mom out there. What are your conversations that you're having with your kids? What conversations should we be having with ours?

LESLIE: Well, you know what I say? I'm curious to hear the -- you guys have had a lot of black people on. We're looking for a lot of black leaders.

I would like to hear from the others. What are you guys telling your children?

This is not a new conversation for us. And I write about it in "The Player Tribune" piece, the fact that I've had to have this conversation with my son since he was 7. Ever since 45 has been in office, we've had these difficult conversations about racism, about injustice.

We, the black community, had -- already had these conversations and talks over and over.

[07:50:01]

The question I want to know, what is the other 88 percent talking about? What are you sharing?

I think Sesame Street did a great job this week in putting out something that at but how do we change this? We got to -- I would like to hear the conversations that are in other people's houses. How are you going to change your children's ideas for this next generation, so we can live cohesively? This is our country too. We represented -- I was on that Olympic

stage, listening to the American -- our flag being raised and anthem and very proud to wear red, white and blue, but, you guys, we need justice as well. We need to change the narrative for our children that are watching all of us.

BLACKWELL: Yes, part of that --

PAUL: And we have to get these kids together.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

PAUL: These kids have to play together and know each other together as part of it.

BLACKWELL: Part of that -- so sorry this is happening to you philosophy, what are you telling your children.

Lisa Leslie, fascinating conversation. And I tweeted out the piece. It's on the "The Players Tribune" -- thank you so much for writing it and thank you so much for your time this morning.

LESLIE: Thank you so much for having me. God bless America.

BLACKWELL: Indeed.

PAUL: God bless America. Thank you.

So protesters across the country, they've got their signs, their banners, and guess what, they have instruments too.

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[07:55:40]

PAUL: Well, the push for equality and an end to police brutality weren't the only messages as thousands of people were in New York -- New York City yesterday.

BLACKWELL: Yes, protesters making music, singing, dancing, hear the drums there as well, the horns. A celebration there, carnival-like atmosphere, togetherness, approaching Washington Square Park.

PAUL: See the singing, the dancing, in downtown Atlanta as well. You recognize that, the electric slide, on full display. That says the march passed Centennial Olympic Park there.

I know the steps, Victor. And I know you do too.

BLACKWELL: I was just asking. You mentioned that it breaks out, I'd just never seen you do the electric slide.

PAUL: I know.

BLACKWELL: All right. Thanks so much for starting your morning with us.

"Unconscious Bias", what is it and how does it affect us? This conversation continues throughout the day and this evening with Frederica Whitfield, a special conference "Unconscious Bias: Facing the Realities of Racism". It's live tonight at 10:00 Eastern.

PAUL: We hope you make good memories today.

"INSIDE POLITICS" with Dana Bash is up next.

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