WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.200 --> 00:00:19.559 Thank you for listening to Pictures Media Radio. Welcome to Policy and Rights, 2 00:00:21.160 --> 00:01:04.439 the show about the government, policy and human rights. Welcome back to Policy 3 00:01:04.480 --> 00:01:07.599 and Right here in Depictions Media Radio, I'm your host, Michael Cloggs. 4 00:01:10.200 --> 00:01:15.680 According to the BBC, they have a new laser weapon they could be used 5 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:22.760 against drones in the UK on the front line. The project is called Dragonfire. 6 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:37.000 According to Grant Chaps of the Defense Ministry for the UK, the weapon 7 00:01:37.079 --> 00:01:44.959 could have huge ramifications for conflict in Europe. Dragonfire weapon is expected to be 8 00:01:45.079 --> 00:01:51.959 rolled out in twenty twenty seven, and mister Chaps said he wanted to speed 9 00:01:52.040 --> 00:01:57.200 up the production to make it as soon as possible. It follows a successful 10 00:01:57.239 --> 00:02:04.480 trial carried out against an aerial target for the first time in January. The 11 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:10.639 laser was originally expected to be operational by twenty thirty two, but new reforms 12 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:21.360 intended to speed up the government production of the weapons means it would now be 13 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:31.800 ready in five years earlier. Despite the Defense Secretary told reporters while on the 14 00:02:31.960 --> 00:02:42.039 visit to pourting Down Military Research Center near Salisbury that he wanted to speed up 15 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:47.719 the production even further. There are some people that are saying that he is 16 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:54.280 being overly optimistic and that the production of the weapons should be looked at a 17 00:02:54.280 --> 00:03:05.919 little bit closer. So it saying a very futuristic weapon and sounds more like 18 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:14.560 sci fi than real life, but it is real life, okay. And 19 00:03:15.879 --> 00:03:30.759 further UH news, as you know, Iran did attack Israel, and of 20 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:44.879 course there is the expected response to to such attack, and there is there 21 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:47.280 is a bit of a response. This is gonna sound a little jumbled, 22 00:03:47.439 --> 00:04:00.520 but just bear with me. Information from Israel UH were a war cabinet are 23 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:06.800 that they will be there will be in response to Iran's attack, but it 24 00:04:06.840 --> 00:04:15.120 will be carefully calibrated. Local media or reporting this summer saying that Israel will 25 00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:28.160 respond clearly and decisively, but wisely and not from the gut, which according 26 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:32.839 to this report is interesting even though we don't know precisely what Israel has decided, 27 00:04:33.319 --> 00:04:39.680 but they have started to single and shape a narrative before it happens. 28 00:04:42.360 --> 00:04:48.040 The question for Israel will be how severe they wish to respond. The response 29 00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:59.839 to be the first choice is does Israel attack iron itself or does it attack 30 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:09.879 one of Iran's supportive allies were malicious in the reason, so it REUS is 31 00:05:10.040 --> 00:05:16.360 carefully weighing out its options, but it will be clear there will be a 32 00:05:16.360 --> 00:05:29.759 a military response to the attacks. Okay, and well, nothing would be 33 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:39.319 complete without some sort of a Donald Trump story. So here we go, 34 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:58.600 and Donald Trump is a course on trial for paying someone to hush up about 35 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:06.560 or hide evidence for in a court case to make things kind of go his 36 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:14.519 way, which isn't really all that surprising considering who he is. Sorry for 37 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:23.560 the bias history is made in Manhattan on Monday as the first criminal trial on 38 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:31.000 a former or current US president as defendant. The day started with Donald Trump 39 00:06:31.240 --> 00:06:45.879 shutting shutting from his flat in the Trump Tower to the downtown courthouse, where 40 00:06:45.920 --> 00:06:51.759 he denied allegations he is facing. Scores of armed police were on hand as 41 00:06:51.879 --> 00:07:00.480 lawyers for each side were debated what evidence could be admitted, including a spects 42 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:11.319 of the infamous Access Hollywood tape, and began to whittle down to a pull 43 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:20.319 of New Yorkers who might be yours if I remember correctly. Donald Trump and 44 00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:27.399 his lawyers have argued that he can't get a fair trial in New York itself 45 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:36.040 and that the trial should be moved to a more neutral place. So there 46 00:07:36.040 --> 00:07:47.399 it is. From Donald Trump. Okay, So ongoing problem in the US 47 00:07:47.439 --> 00:07:55.800 and it is becoming more of a problem in Canada. Is is handguns and 48 00:07:57.480 --> 00:08:03.800 how to keep the handguns out of the hands of criminals and to keep criminal 49 00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:09.279 actions down. Well, in Canada, you don't have mass shootings in malls 50 00:08:09.319 --> 00:08:16.519 and things like that, but you do have is on the occasion of people 51 00:08:16.600 --> 00:08:24.639 taking pop shots, either at the RCNP or just trying to snipe at people. 52 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:33.360 In the US, as you know that there was recently a conviction in 53 00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:39.200 the state of Michigan where the parents of a school shooter were also sentenced to 54 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:52.600 up to fifteen years in prison for their involvement in what happened to the shooting, 55 00:08:52.200 --> 00:09:01.440 having the if nothing else, they had the guns on hand. This 56 00:09:01.639 --> 00:09:11.320 next satement that you're going to hear is come about Harris as she is having 57 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:18.320 a panel discussion about how to protect the children from gun violence, how to 58 00:09:18.440 --> 00:09:24.159 ensure that our kids can go to school, how to ensure that our kids 59 00:09:24.200 --> 00:09:30.919 can walk the streets without the threat of gun violence. I know within the 60 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:35.600 neighborhood in which we are actually broadcasting this from and recording this podcast, that 61 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:52.159 there have been several shootings, all gang related and any death that at the 62 00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:58.919 at the hands of a gun is a death that could have probably been prevented. 63 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:05.320 So how do we prevent them? And we're going to hear some of 64 00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:11.480 that in this next panel headed by Kamala Harris, So why don't we listen 65 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:18.720 to that, and then we'll get back to ending violence in Sudan and what 66 00:10:18.799 --> 00:10:28.360 it means for the Sudanese people to end the ongoing war civil war that's been 67 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:33.960 happening there and brings some rest to what is going on in that part of 68 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:46.480 Africa. So let's listen to Kamara Kamala Harris. First, good afternoon everyone. 69 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:50.720 My name is Rian Shafik and I'm a senior in the nursing program here 70 00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:56.320 at Southwest Career and Technical Academy on the campus. I'm involved in many clubs, 71 00:10:56.600 --> 00:11:01.360 most notably being that I'm the vice president of JOSA. I also competed 72 00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:05.600 and with the People, a civics based program which sparked my interest in learning 73 00:11:05.639 --> 00:11:09.720 more about the government. A few months ago, I received a terrifying call 74 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:15.320 from my older sister who attends you know v In a very shaky and quiet 75 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:20.000 voice, she told me that she and the entire college campus were going into 76 00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:24.000 a lockdown. There was an active shooter on the campus. My heart dropped 77 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:28.759 as I thought to myself, how could this be happening. My sister, 78 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.919 who was just a senior at our school a year ago, was hiding for 79 00:11:31.960 --> 00:11:37.360 her life in the recreation center of the locker room. Thankfully, my sister 80 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:41.799 ended up safe, but this situation really opened my eyes up to the issue 81 00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:46.399 of school safety. You hear about these situations all the time on the news, 82 00:11:46.759 --> 00:11:50.399 but you never know when it can happen to you. Issues like these 83 00:11:50.440 --> 00:11:54.799 are what Vice President Harris cares about and is here today to discuss. From 84 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:58.320 her earliest days in public service, Vice President Harris has been an avid advocate 85 00:11:58.360 --> 00:12:03.639 for change. She understands that the safety of our schools is not just a 86 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:09.000 political issue, it's a moral responsibility, because every child deserves to learn in 87 00:12:09.039 --> 00:12:15.159 an environment free from fear. Vice President Harris has worked tirelessly to close dangerous 88 00:12:15.159 --> 00:12:20.440 loopholes in our gun laws, advocating for universal background checks and the ban of 89 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:24.440 assault weapons. She knows that these measures are not about restricting freedoms, but 90 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:31.720 about safeguarding lives, and her impact goes beyond just advocating for legislation. She 91 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:37.399 understands the importance of engaging with communities traveling to schools like ours. She has 92 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:41.480 rallied students, parents, and educators alike to join the fight for safer schools. 93 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:46.480 She is fighting for a future where families like mine do not have to 94 00:12:46.519 --> 00:12:52.720 fear when their children eagerly go to further their education. Now allow me to 95 00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:58.159 introduce our moderators. She serves as the first ever executive director a Mom's Demand 96 00:12:58.200 --> 00:13:03.279 Action, where she is responsible for leading and growing the largest grassroots network in 97 00:13:03.320 --> 00:13:07.879 the gun violence prevention space. She has been with the organization since twenty nineteen, 98 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:11.840 leading its movement and as a lifelong organizer. She is passionate about movement 99 00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:18.480 building, uplifting and centering often marginalized voices, and empowering the next generation of 100 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:41.200 leaders. Please welcome to the stage. Angela Farrell Zabala, now our next 101 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:46.519 moderator, is a seventeen year old actress. She has starred in The Babysitters 102 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:50.600 Club and Marvel's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, earning a spot on 103 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:56.559 Forbes thirty Under thirty at just fifteen years old. Most recently, she has 104 00:13:56.600 --> 00:14:00.840 won season thirty two of Dancing with the Stars. Please give a warm welcome 105 00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:28.279 to Soci Gomez. And now and now it is my honor to introduce the 106 00:14:28.360 --> 00:15:01.039 first woman to be elected Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris. 107 00:15:03.559 --> 00:15:15.200 Good afternoon, everyone, Good afternoon. Hello everybody. Were you ready to 108 00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:22.440 go? Yes? All right, let's get this started. So I first 109 00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:28.480 want to thank Attorney General Ford who is here with us, and Representative Titus 110 00:15:28.679 --> 00:15:35.360 for joining us today. And thank you so much, Madame Vice President. 111 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:37.080 So good to see you again. Thank you, good to see you again. 112 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:41.000 It's great to be back. Yes, So I want to talk about 113 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:45.720 the fact that you travel around this country connecting with communities and young leaders, 114 00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:48.480 and in fact, just this past fall, you did the Fight for Our 115 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:54.840 Freedom's College Tour, where I hear you engage with over fifteen thousand students on 116 00:15:54.879 --> 00:16:00.759 college campuses across the country on the most urgent issues before us, in particular 117 00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:04.919 the fight for our most fundamental freedoms. One freedom that you're focused on is 118 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:10.080 the freedom to be safe from gun violence. And tragically, we know all 119 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:15.679 too well how important this issue is because our communities have faced firsthand right here 120 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:19.080 in Nevada. You've been a leader on so many issues throughout your career, 121 00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:23.240 including this one. So it's no surprise that you were named to oversee the 122 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:32.679 first ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. That deserves collapse. So 123 00:16:32.759 --> 00:16:36.720 my question is what can we do to end this senseless violence that is harming 124 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:40.799 our communities and what is the administration doing to lead this issue? Thank you 125 00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:44.080 and Angela, I want to thank you for your leadership, Mom's demand action, 126 00:16:44.679 --> 00:16:48.399 the work that you are there's students demand action, just the whole group. 127 00:16:48.279 --> 00:16:55.399 For years you all just show up and remind people of the real impact 128 00:16:55.399 --> 00:16:59.759 of gun violence in America on parents, on students, on children, And 129 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:03.159 thank you for your leadership. Sochie is so good to see you again, 130 00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:06.759 and thank you for being here and being a part of this and using your 131 00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:11.119 voice in such a courageous way. And it is wonderful to be back in 132 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:14.680 Nevada and here in Las Vegas. So thank you all for being here. 133 00:17:15.880 --> 00:17:22.359 So you know, I just actually met before I came on stage with three 134 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:33.039 students who survived the December shooting at UNLV and they're so courageous, These young 135 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:41.680 leaders and their stories sadly are the stories of so many young people in our 136 00:17:41.720 --> 00:17:47.319 country. And the stories that I heard continuously during the college tour, and 137 00:17:48.519 --> 00:17:55.039 their stories reflect a very tragic fact, which is that in America today, 138 00:17:55.799 --> 00:18:00.279 the number one cause of death of our children, the number one cause of 139 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:07.240 death of the children of America, is gun violence, not car accidents, 140 00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:14.960 not some form of cancer. Gun violence. Today in America, one in 141 00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:22.559 five people has a family member that was killed by gun violence. And you 142 00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:26.759 know, it doesn't have to be this way. It doesn't have to be 143 00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:33.000 this way. During the college tour, and it was universities, it was 144 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:37.839 colleges, it was state colleges, it was trade schools, college aged young 145 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:44.640 leaders, and I would ask in every room that I went, I would 146 00:18:44.640 --> 00:18:47.680 ask, please raise your hand, and I'd look at the students, the 147 00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:52.319 young people, please raise your hand if at any time between kindergarten and twelfth 148 00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:57.000 grade you had to endure an active shooter drill. In fact, I'll ask 149 00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:02.119 the students right now, anybody who's here, if at any point between kindergarten 150 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:07.279 and twelfth grade, did you have to endure an active shooter drill. I'd 151 00:19:07.319 --> 00:19:11.440 like the older adults and the press to look at what we're saying. The 152 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:15.839 number of hands that go up when I would talk with young people. I 153 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:21.559 talked with one particular younger student and on the subject of active shooter drills, 154 00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:26.640 and that students said to me, yeah, I am, that's why I 155 00:19:26.759 --> 00:19:30.640 don't like going to fifth period. And I said, why, sweetheart, 156 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:33.200 why don't you like going to fifth period? Well, because in that classroom, 157 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:42.480 there's no closet to hide in the idea that our children and our young 158 00:19:42.519 --> 00:19:49.359 people are sitting in a room where they are supposed to be enjoying the wonders 159 00:19:49.400 --> 00:19:56.240 of the world and exploring with enthusiasm all that there is to learn, and 160 00:19:56.319 --> 00:20:03.720 that any part of their mind is also concerned that someone might bust into the 161 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:11.319 classroom. So this issue is tragic on every level. I was just recently 162 00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:19.920 in Parkland, Florida, and I met with the parents and family members of 163 00:20:19.960 --> 00:20:26.839 the victims of that horrendous mass shooting. I also, they've they've preserved the 164 00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:30.559 school, the building where it happened. It's going to be destroyed soon, 165 00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:38.079 but they've they've preserved it in a way that it has stopped it a moment 166 00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:45.279 in time. And so I walked through the hallways and into the classrooms where 167 00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:53.480 that shooting took place, which was maintained. Is it basically a crime scene? 168 00:20:53.839 --> 00:21:02.799 And will I want to spare anybody here the image of what I saw, 169 00:21:02.880 --> 00:21:07.279 but I'm not going to because I think people have to understand the significance 170 00:21:07.319 --> 00:21:14.240 of this. It was a moment frozen in time. So there was blood 171 00:21:14.519 --> 00:21:22.759 in the hallways, there were sheets of homework that were spewn around the classrooms, 172 00:21:23.079 --> 00:21:33.519 chairs and desks that were upturned, there were backpacks. It happened Valentines 173 00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:45.279 and so Valentines wishes. This is what we're talking about, and it doesn't 174 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:52.759 have to be this way on this issue. We have within our grasp, 175 00:21:52.079 --> 00:21:57.039 within our means, things that we can do that can mitigate against, that 176 00:21:57.079 --> 00:22:02.279 can reduce the likelihood of these things happening. I don't need to tell Nevada 177 00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:08.880 this one October, the tragedy of that. But thankfully the leaders of Nevada 178 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:12.880 starting, I would say, with so many of our young leaders, moms 179 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:21.000 demand action, and others pushed for things like safe storage laws, saying we 180 00:22:21.079 --> 00:22:26.960 can put in place some smart rules to reduce the likelihood of gun violence. 181 00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:32.319 And let me just be clear, part of what I think has bogged this 182 00:22:32.440 --> 00:22:37.640 situation down and has not allowed for the kind of smart policy that we know 183 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:45.039 can happen is because people, some are pushed in a false choice which suggests 184 00:22:45.079 --> 00:22:48.240 you're either in favor of the Second Amendment or you want to take everyone's guns 185 00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:52.039 away. I'm in favor of the Second Amendment, and I believe we need 186 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:57.799 assault weapon bands, we need background checks, universal background checks, we need 187 00:22:57.880 --> 00:23:07.400 red flag laws. But you know, and then we'd one of the things 188 00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:11.440 that I announced last week that we're we've been very proud to do President Joe 189 00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:18.119 Biden and me and our administration is to close the gun show loophole. So 190 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:21.880 I was talking with my team about it and I said, you know, 191 00:23:21.920 --> 00:23:23.319 I've been working on this thing for a long time. They said, what 192 00:23:23.640 --> 00:23:27.680 are you talking about. Well, they found the press press clippings, cause 193 00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:30.720 back in two thousand and seven, I know half this room was not born. 194 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:37.160 Then back in two thousand and seven, when I was the elected Dea 195 00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:41.079 of San Francisco, I was out at the place called the Cow Palace in 196 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:48.559 San Francisco protesting the gun show loopholes. And we, so many of us, 197 00:23:48.599 --> 00:23:51.599 have been in this movement for a long time to close that loophole, 198 00:23:51.599 --> 00:23:57.480 which essentially is this gun dealers registered gun dealers are required to do background checks, 199 00:23:57.640 --> 00:24:04.400 that's right. But if a gun dealer is selling guns at a let's 200 00:24:04.440 --> 00:24:10.079 call it a flea market or a gun show, they bypass the requirement to 201 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:12.319 do background checks. And of course, where do you think the bad guys 202 00:24:12.359 --> 00:24:15.920 are going to go to get their guns? The place where nobody's going to 203 00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:21.880 check into their background, right, And so we have finally closed that loophole. 204 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:25.480 And I say that to say also that those of us who run this 205 00:24:25.519 --> 00:24:29.960 movement, we do see progress, and therefore we cannot give up. It's 206 00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:33.440 not right. We absolutely see progress. Before I ask the next question, 207 00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:40.319 I just want to honor survivors that are amongst us and those that have been 208 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:44.640 taken from us too soon. You are the heart and soul of this movement 209 00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:47.680 and why we get up and put one foot in front of the other and 210 00:24:47.720 --> 00:24:49.680 do this work every single day. So thank you so much, so, 211 00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:56.079 Madame Vice President. One important solution for gun violence prevention that doesn't get enough 212 00:24:56.440 --> 00:25:00.519 credit or attention, which you spoke about, is secure firearms store So Nevada 213 00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:06.599 has passed a few secure storage measures into law over the past several years, 214 00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:11.839 which shows how communities and advocates and state and local leaders can prevent a tragedy 215 00:25:11.880 --> 00:25:15.839 that can strike wing guns are not properly stored, whether it's a child that 216 00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:22.000 finds a firearm and hurts themselves or someone else or someone that may take this 217 00:25:22.119 --> 00:25:26.920 firearm or steal it to commit a crime. So why is secure storage so 218 00:25:26.039 --> 00:25:30.880 important for gun safety and gun violence prevention, especially when we are thinking about 219 00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:37.119 the young leaders here today. Secure storage is exactly what it suggests. It's 220 00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:47.039 about the responsibility that any gun owner should feel and have to secure that gun 221 00:25:47.200 --> 00:25:52.599 so that children, young people, those who don't have the authority to use 222 00:25:52.640 --> 00:25:57.079 the gun don't have access to it. It's just that basic. Put it 223 00:25:57.079 --> 00:26:07.799 in a lock box, because especially if a young person is just curious or 224 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:12.359 you know, wants to, you know, play with a gun, let's 225 00:26:12.440 --> 00:26:17.519 not make it too easy to get right. And that's what secure storage is 226 00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:22.359 about. You know, the numbers that I have seen suggest that as many 227 00:26:22.400 --> 00:26:30.599 as seventy five percent of school shootings resulted from a gun that was not secured. 228 00:26:32.359 --> 00:26:37.319 Tragically, as many as eighty percent of youth suicide the gun that was 229 00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:44.440 not secured. So I again plawed the leaders of Nevada for saying, hey, 230 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:48.480 you know, just I'm not saying I'm gonna take your gun. Just 231 00:26:49.039 --> 00:26:55.400 you got a gun, lock it up right. And also secure storage includes 232 00:26:55.640 --> 00:27:02.240 keeping ammunitions separate from the gun, because we also want to just make sure 233 00:27:02.279 --> 00:27:11.240 that there would have to be some level of thought and reflection that goes into 234 00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:15.400 anyone pulling a gun out and thinking about using it. Yes, thank you 235 00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:23.119 so much, Vice President, Madam Vice President, Gun violence and so many 236 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:29.480 other things in our lives cause trauma and impact our mental health. This is 237 00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:33.880 especially true for young people like me and I'm sure a lot of the students 238 00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:38.359 in this room. You know, our generation has grown up with active shooter 239 00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:44.200 drills and so much more. And I know this firsthand, sadly, sadly, 240 00:27:45.119 --> 00:27:48.440 and I know that you care about this and have brought attention to the 241 00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:52.880 issue. So I guess I want to want to know what is the administration 242 00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:59.599 doing to help address this and better help and support our mental health. Thank 243 00:27:59.599 --> 00:28:10.599 you so much. Yeah, we are talking about trauma and a profound amount 244 00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:18.400 of trauma that exists in our communities as a result of gun violence, whether 245 00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:22.960 it be the trauma that is associated with a child having to go to school 246 00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:29.279 and indre active shooter drills and always having on their mind at some point being 247 00:28:29.319 --> 00:28:33.079 nervous or concerned that their life might be endangered just by going to school. 248 00:28:36.359 --> 00:28:47.279 There's the trauma associated with parents who many will say a silent prayer when they 249 00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:52.519 drop their kids off at school that that child will come home at the end 250 00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:57.839 of the day safe. There is the trauma associated with everyday gun violence in 251 00:28:57.880 --> 00:29:07.319 America, which far too many communities are experiencing. And a lot of that 252 00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:12.039 trauma goes undiagnosed and untreated. And as I was, I do talk with 253 00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:18.200 many survivors of gun violence. You know, trauma is it's it's it's it's 254 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:26.440 a big wound that is invisible to the eye but can be very present. 255 00:29:26.640 --> 00:29:36.680 And we gotta help people find productive ways of healing. And so mental health 256 00:29:37.119 --> 00:29:42.000 is about recognizing that the body doesn't just start from the neck down. When 257 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:45.039 we talk about health care, it's also the health care we need from the 258 00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:51.559 neck up, and that's mental health care. And so the work that we've 259 00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:53.960 been doing as an administration is to deal with this on a number of levels. 260 00:29:55.000 --> 00:30:00.480 And one is that in our Bipartisan Safe Communities Act that we got past 261 00:30:00.599 --> 00:30:07.119 the first meaningful gun safety legislation in thirty years that President Biden and are proud 262 00:30:07.160 --> 00:30:11.119 that we could get passed with bipartisan support, which there is the plause. 263 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:19.519 And so part of what we did there is we put a billion dollars into 264 00:30:19.559 --> 00:30:27.359 getting resources to public and schools, to public schools to hire mental health counselors 265 00:30:27.400 --> 00:30:33.000 in public schools. But to the point of even just talking with the young 266 00:30:33.079 --> 00:30:37.480 leaders that I just spoke with from UNLV, we still have so much more 267 00:30:37.839 --> 00:30:42.079 work to do to make sure that mental health services are available to meet the 268 00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:48.160 demand. One of the things I love about gen Z, and I love 269 00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:56.039 many things about gen Z, your generation is willing to talk about mental health 270 00:30:56.880 --> 00:31:02.920 and the need for support. You know, older generations still kind of have 271 00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:07.279 a stigma about it. Younger generations are so much smarter on this subject, 272 00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:11.319 which is they want to talk about it. But when they talk about it, 273 00:31:11.400 --> 00:31:14.960 we those of us, we are in a position to do something about 274 00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:18.240 it. Got to make sure the resources are there for them. And so 275 00:31:18.319 --> 00:31:22.039 there's still a lot more work to be done. But it makes a difference 276 00:31:22.039 --> 00:31:27.240 because it is about healing. It's about creating safe spaces where people can talk 277 00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:33.880 about their fears and not feel that they're being judged, and that's very important. 278 00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:40.720 Everyone I believe has a right to feel and be safe, and there 279 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:44.039 are many ways we will get there, and one of them is to make 280 00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:47.920 sure people have the support they need to deal with the emotional impact of this. 281 00:31:48.759 --> 00:32:00.160 Yeah, that's yeah, Yes, Madam Vice President, you are and 282 00:32:00.279 --> 00:32:06.720 inspiration you know personally, I'm sure, like a lot of us here in 283 00:32:06.759 --> 00:32:10.680 this room, I look up to you. You know, this room is 284 00:32:10.680 --> 00:32:15.319 full of passionate young leaders and you have called on us to take charge. 285 00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:22.640 So I guess I we like to know what advice would you like to leave 286 00:32:22.720 --> 00:32:30.160 us with today? Oh? I got plenty of advice. How much here? 287 00:32:31.160 --> 00:32:36.640 Well, let me start a challenge that I would issue, and I 288 00:32:36.680 --> 00:32:39.279 did it. I started it during the college tour. But for all the 289 00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:45.680 young leaders here who are thinking about your life and your role of leadership as 290 00:32:45.720 --> 00:32:50.839 you go on in life, I'm going to challenge you to consider a profession 291 00:32:50.839 --> 00:32:55.240 in the mental health the mental health professions of which there are many, But 292 00:32:55.359 --> 00:33:00.279 do think about that because one of the most effective ways that we are offer 293 00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:05.480 mental health is to do it based on peer support, which is people who 294 00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:09.119 have gone through something are usually best equipped to help people who are going through 295 00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:14.480 that thing, and so I would challenge you that. Okay, so let's 296 00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:22.279 see it. Let me start with this, never allow yourself to be limited. 297 00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:32.119 There's limited ability to imagine who can do what? Do you understand what 298 00:33:32.119 --> 00:33:36.359 I'm saying. I see everybody not over there? You know what I'm saying. 299 00:33:37.160 --> 00:33:44.240 Don't ever a few life secrets. If you wait for the perfect time 300 00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:47.480 to do something, you'll never do it. Nobody like you has ever done 301 00:33:47.480 --> 00:33:53.559 that before. If you wait for all of your friends to say, hey, 302 00:33:53.720 --> 00:34:00.279 that's a great idea, start, don't you listen to that? Don't 303 00:34:00.279 --> 00:34:04.559 you ever listen to that. I like to say I eat no for breakfast. 304 00:34:06.559 --> 00:34:09.079 I don't hear no until maybe it's spoken the tenth time. I'm gonna 305 00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:17.840 use that now, Oh I eat no for breakfast. Remember your power right 306 00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:22.679 now. You know. There's something that's been happening in our country over the 307 00:34:22.760 --> 00:34:30.800 last several years that I think is so unfortunate and verified down, which is 308 00:34:30.800 --> 00:34:35.119 that some would suggest that the measure of your strength is based on who you 309 00:34:35.159 --> 00:34:42.840 beat down instead of understanding the true measure of an individual's strength, I believe 310 00:34:43.559 --> 00:34:52.400 is based on who you lift up. It's right, truly. And if 311 00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:58.679 you ever question your strength as an individual, see what happens when you help 312 00:34:58.840 --> 00:35:04.920 someone, just one person, with anything, and what that does for them. 313 00:35:05.079 --> 00:35:23.079 That's your strength, and it's a superpower. It's a superpower to have 314 00:35:23.639 --> 00:35:29.960 some level of concern and consideration for the well being of other people and then 315 00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:35.519 take it upon yourself to do something about that. More advice. Okay, 316 00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:42.159 yes, don't you ever let anybody tell you who you are. You tell 317 00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:52.800 them who you are. Right, piece of advice my mother gave me. 318 00:35:53.800 --> 00:35:57.519 You may be the first to do many things. Make sure you're not the 319 00:35:57.599 --> 00:36:02.880 last. If you're taking notes, y'all, I hope you're taking notes. 320 00:36:04.079 --> 00:36:10.079 So I think I'm gonna end that I can roll it. But you know, 321 00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:15.119 dream with ambition, I say to each one of you. Dream with 322 00:36:15.360 --> 00:36:22.119 ambition. Ambition is a good thing. It's good to believe that you can 323 00:36:22.239 --> 00:36:28.400 do something and then go for it. Go for it and know that you 324 00:36:28.519 --> 00:36:30.760 will have a community of people. Sometimes you don't see them, but you 325 00:36:30.840 --> 00:36:36.400 got to know it that will applaud you as you go out there and go 326 00:36:36.480 --> 00:36:43.800 for it. You know, and remember that there may be many times where 327 00:36:44.920 --> 00:36:47.159 you might be the only one in a room, be it a boardroom, 328 00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:54.440 a meeting room, who looks like you or who has had your life experience. 329 00:36:55.840 --> 00:37:00.480 But I want all the young people to look around this auditorium to know 330 00:37:01.400 --> 00:37:08.599 that we will all be in that room with you. So never feel alone 331 00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:15.440 in a way that allows the circumstance to make you feel small. Know that 332 00:37:15.519 --> 00:37:22.480 you have a community of people who applaud your ambition and want you to go 333 00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:29.039 out there and go for it. Okay, always remember that, cause our 334 00:37:29.119 --> 00:37:31.920 country will be the better for all that you guys do. So there we 335 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:36.079 go. That's it, then, nice. I appreciate you, Madame Vice 336 00:37:36.119 --> 00:37:39.400 President, Thank you so much for your leadership, and thank you for imparting 337 00:37:39.480 --> 00:37:44.519 such wisdom on these young students. I watch you all the time and follow 338 00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:47.039 you, and I see your passion for young leaders. You understand how important 339 00:37:47.079 --> 00:37:51.440 it is to pour into them because that is the strength of this country. 340 00:37:51.519 --> 00:37:54.159 That's right, so, and the future of our country starting right now. 341 00:37:55.480 --> 00:37:59.400 I'm with you. Thank you so much. I appreciate it, Thank you, 342 00:37:59.480 --> 00:38:08.000 so chi, thank you everybody for being here. Okay, violence, 343 00:38:08.800 --> 00:38:15.840 it's bubbling up more and more in our world. We see, of course, 344 00:38:15.840 --> 00:38:24.159 the massive invasion that is years in progress between Russia and Ukraine that we 345 00:38:24.199 --> 00:38:34.320 are seeing. We've seen from October till recently, mass destruction in Gaza and 346 00:38:34.760 --> 00:38:43.840 hostage taking. No sides between Israel and Hamasa are actually innocent. Both governments 347 00:38:44.760 --> 00:38:54.679 are guilty of what they're accusing the other. Of my opinion, how do 348 00:38:54.760 --> 00:39:02.519 we end the violence? We're gonna hear statements from doctor Tedros and the Secretary 349 00:39:02.599 --> 00:39:12.519 General of the UN, Antonio Guerres as they're talking about ending the civil war 350 00:39:12.840 --> 00:39:16.639 in Sudan and what it actually will mean for the people, how it could 351 00:39:16.679 --> 00:39:22.840 turn the country around, and in these people want just the average person just 352 00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:31.559 wants to be able to live a happy and abundant life. The politics is 353 00:39:31.599 --> 00:39:40.920 one thing, but in a lot of cases, the average everyday person isn't 354 00:39:40.920 --> 00:39:49.800 really part of that politics. If we look at our own country, that 355 00:39:51.000 --> 00:39:59.960 we live in a republic, that we hire representatives to make decisions for it, 356 00:40:00.239 --> 00:40:06.039 we don't get the vote on everyday policy. Thus the reason why we 357 00:40:06.119 --> 00:40:14.760 have protests, we have marches. So what happens when the protests or march 358 00:40:15.320 --> 00:40:22.199 turns completely violent and then erupts into civil war, And that's partly what we're 359 00:40:22.239 --> 00:40:34.639 looking at in Sudan and trying to end that violence is part of what doctor 360 00:40:34.679 --> 00:40:38.639 Tedros and mister Grey's are talking about. So why don't we listen to their 361 00:40:38.679 --> 00:40:51.880 statements and we'll be back with final thoughts. Jean, you have heard today 362 00:40:52.119 --> 00:41:00.280 about the catastrophic displacement, distraction, and hunger in Sudan, and the scale 363 00:41:00.320 --> 00:41:09.119 of this catastrophe far outstrips the international communities attention, the attention it deserves, 364 00:41:10.280 --> 00:41:15.679 and it makes me so sad. And it's personal for me because I have 365 00:41:15.800 --> 00:41:25.480 been all my life close to Sudan, but not only that, because I'm 366 00:41:25.519 --> 00:41:35.719 from that restive region. The sum of all of this is a profound health 367 00:41:35.760 --> 00:41:42.559 crisis, a crisis that could reverberate for generations. At least fifteen thousand people 368 00:41:42.599 --> 00:41:47.199 have been killed in the fighting and almost thirty thousand injured and more are dying 369 00:41:47.679 --> 00:41:57.559 from diss and malnutrition. Almost fifteen million people need health assistance. Acute and 370 00:41:57.639 --> 00:42:05.559 chronic malnutrition are rampant. The health system is under attack officially, who has 371 00:42:05.719 --> 00:42:08.880 verified sixty two attacks on healthcare? But this is just the tip of the 372 00:42:08.960 --> 00:42:15.159 ice because there is underreporting. Today, seventy percent of health facilities are not 373 00:42:15.239 --> 00:42:22.320 working in hard to reach areas. In many areas, pregnant women and newborn 374 00:42:22.400 --> 00:42:28.199 babies expressive no care, no vaccinations for children, no medication for patients with 375 00:42:28.320 --> 00:42:38.159 cancer, addets or care enough. Lack of scarcity, access and resources make 376 00:42:38.199 --> 00:42:45.880 our mission increasingly challenging. So for today we need three things to save lives. 377 00:42:45.360 --> 00:42:53.119 First, we need access across borders and humanitarian corridors. Access, especially 378 00:42:53.440 --> 00:43:01.079 through the addres crossing with child is vital. Second, we need attacks on 379 00:43:01.400 --> 00:43:08.159 health facilities to stop. And third we need funding. The health sector, 380 00:43:08.199 --> 00:43:14.000 of course has less than twelve percent of the funds, but we urge you 381 00:43:14.519 --> 00:43:22.880 to fully finance the UN and its agencies. And finally, the best solution 382 00:43:22.039 --> 00:43:28.639 is peace. Please, I think the focus should be that to end the 383 00:43:28.679 --> 00:43:47.239 war. And as excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I think France, Germany 384 00:43:47.280 --> 00:43:53.320 and European Union for organizing this vital conference when he has passed since the outbreak 385 00:43:53.320 --> 00:43:59.920 of Conflicce in Sudan, which unleash the catalog of horrors, a nightmare of 386 00:44:00.039 --> 00:44:06.760 bloodshed that has killed over fourteen thousand people and injured thirty three thousand more, 387 00:44:07.360 --> 00:44:12.239 A nightmare of sexual violence against women and girls, a nightmare of destruction, 388 00:44:12.360 --> 00:44:16.119 that has reduced homes, hospitals, schools, another vital infrastructure to rubble. 389 00:44:16.679 --> 00:44:22.760 A nightmare of hunger and displacement with over eight million people fleeing their homes, 390 00:44:22.360 --> 00:44:28.559 and the nightmare for Sudan's neighbors who are increasingly feeling the spillover effects of this 391 00:44:28.719 --> 00:44:35.440 deadly conflict. Today, alf of Sudan's people need emergency assistance. We cannot 392 00:44:35.559 --> 00:44:39.480 let these nightmare slide from view. When I was at Commission for Refugees, 393 00:44:39.920 --> 00:44:45.639 I witnessed the inspiring generosity of the Sudanese people who opened their doors and their 394 00:44:45.679 --> 00:44:52.119 hearts to those fleeing conflict and persecution from neighboring countries. Today we must summon 395 00:44:52.199 --> 00:44:57.440 that same spirit of giving to alleviate further suffering in Sudan and urgently scale up 396 00:44:57.480 --> 00:45:02.079 eight the two point seven billion the US dollars a humanitarian response plan for Sudan 397 00:45:02.800 --> 00:45:07.119 is only about six percent funded. At the same time, the one point 398 00:45:07.199 --> 00:45:13.840 four billion Regional Refugee Response Plan for the Sudan crisis is only about seven percent 399 00:45:13.960 --> 00:45:19.679 funded. I appeal to the generosity of donors to step up their contributions and 400 00:45:19.800 --> 00:45:24.440 support these life saving efforts. We also call on all parties to protect civilians 401 00:45:24.480 --> 00:45:31.280 and ensure full humanitarian access. We arge effective and coordinated international mediation efforts to 402 00:45:31.400 --> 00:45:37.440 stop the fighting, and we call for civilian groups, including those representing women 403 00:45:37.480 --> 00:45:43.159 and young people, to help lead an inclusive political process to get Sudan's democratic 404 00:45:43.199 --> 00:45:47.039 transition back on track. I pledge the full support of the United Nations. 405 00:45:49.039 --> 00:45:53.000 My personal enjoy, mister Ramtan La Mamre is totally engaged in these efforts. 406 00:45:53.599 --> 00:45:58.599 We will work shoulder to shoulder with all of you to end this nightmare. 407 00:45:59.159 --> 00:46:02.920 It's time to board the Sudanese people. It's time to silence the guns. 408 00:46:04.400 --> 00:46:14.760 It's time for beasting Sudan. Okay, final thoughts. We need to teach 409 00:46:15.559 --> 00:46:22.960 the children this one simple thing and it will help with the violence. If 410 00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:31.599 we teach our children that every life should be respected, every person is filled 411 00:46:31.639 --> 00:46:37.159 with love and goodness, and we don't need to fear each other. That 412 00:46:37.280 --> 00:46:43.079 we just need to learn to work with each other. That is okay to 413 00:46:43.159 --> 00:46:47.320 have a difference of opinion, It is okay to be have different abilities, 414 00:46:47.519 --> 00:46:52.679 it is okay to look different from each other. If we teach our children 415 00:46:52.760 --> 00:47:05.679 that, then maybe we can put down the guns. Maybe we can end 416 00:47:06.280 --> 00:47:10.079 some of the violence and be able to end some of the wars that are 417 00:47:10.079 --> 00:47:17.000 burning in our world right now. Thank you for listening to Policy and Rights 418 00:47:17.000 --> 00:47:22.639 are and Depictions Media Radio. I've been your host. Please follow so that 419 00:47:22.840 --> 00:47:30.480 you can hear more of our updates, more of how we're trying to change 420 00:47:31.199 --> 00:48:15.039 ourselves so that we can change the world. The show has been produced by 421 00:48:15.159 --> 00:48:22.960 Depictions Media. Please contact us at depictions dot media for more information.