WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:01.280 Jesse Jackson Junior. 2 00:00:01.320 --> 00:00:05.280 Welcome forward to the Jesse Drackmons Junior Ship on La 3 00:00:05.400 --> 00:00:12.080 Top fifteen eighty. We're just one day in from the 4 00:00:12.679 --> 00:00:16.440 nast celebration of the birth of Martin Luther King Junior. 5 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:22.000 In this twoenty twenty six years it is. 6 00:00:22.039 --> 00:00:27.559 The birth of Jesus of Nazareth. His life was so 7 00:00:27.760 --> 00:00:31.079 profound that it changed the course of human history and 8 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:36.719 divided time between BC and Anno Dominie. We are in 9 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:41.719 year two zero two six Anno dominie measured against the 10 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:45.039 time of the life of Jesus of Nazareth and particularly 11 00:00:45.119 --> 00:00:49.280 his ministry, so critical and so important to the idea 12 00:00:49.320 --> 00:00:55.600 of civilized behavior. Martin Luther King Junior a significant and 13 00:00:55.640 --> 00:00:58.640 pivotal force, not only in the twentieth century, but a 14 00:00:58.679 --> 00:01:02.799 man who lived for only thirty nine years. Yesterday we 15 00:01:02.840 --> 00:01:07.879 commemorated nationally his birthday, having would have been ninety seven 16 00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:11.560 years old. In this particular context, and of course it's 17 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:16.239 not without controversy, every president since the inauguration of the 18 00:01:16.280 --> 00:01:19.799 holiday has issued a proclamation commemorating and celebrating the life 19 00:01:19.799 --> 00:01:23.959 of Martin Luther King Junior, and Donald Trump almost missed it. 20 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:28.200 He would have been the first president to not sign 21 00:01:28.439 --> 00:01:32.799 a proclamation honoring the life of Martin Luther King Junior. 22 00:01:32.840 --> 00:01:36.239 He subsequently did so when it was brought to the attention. 23 00:01:36.319 --> 00:01:42.359 I'm assuming through the media of his of his presidency 24 00:01:43.159 --> 00:01:46.480 to not sign a proclamation, but he did. Late last night, 25 00:01:46.840 --> 00:01:51.239 before the holiday officially ended, he signed the proclamation honoring 26 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:55.000 the life of Martin Luther King Junior. I think it's 27 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:59.000 fascinating in and of itself that the people around the 28 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:03.239 President of the United States do not have the President 29 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:07.439 of the United States prepared for a national and international 30 00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:11.960 gaff quite like the one that took place yesterday. But 31 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:14.840 it says a lot about the spirit energy of the 32 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:17.240 President of the United States, and it says even more 33 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:21.439 about the time that we find ourselves in. Our very 34 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:25.599 special guest today is Wendell L. Griffin, an Arkansas lawyer, jurist, 35 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:29.639 legal educator, business leader, ordained Baptist minister, and public speaker. 36 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:33.520 On April fifteenth, nineteen eighty five, Governor Bill Clinton appointed 37 00:02:33.560 --> 00:02:37.680 him Chairman of the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission, making Griffin 38 00:02:37.719 --> 00:02:40.360 the first person of color named to that state agency 39 00:02:40.400 --> 00:02:43.039 and the first to chair it. Griffin served in that 40 00:02:43.080 --> 00:02:46.840 position until February second, nineteen eighty seven, when he returned 41 00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:51.400 to his law practice with Wright Lindsay and Jennings. Governor 42 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:54.080 Jim Guy Tucker appointed Judge Griffin to the Court of 43 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:56.400 Appeals at the end of nineteen ninety five, and he 44 00:02:56.560 --> 00:02:59.759 entered the judicial service in nineteen ninety six. While on 45 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:03.159 the Cour of Appeals, Griffin also remained active in professional, 46 00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:07.000 civic and religious life, including service as president of the 47 00:03:07.000 --> 00:03:11.439 Pulaski County Bar Association, pastor of Emmanual Baptist Church of 48 00:03:11.520 --> 00:03:16.280 Little Rock, Arkansas, and parliamentarian of the National Baptist Convention USA. 49 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:19.639 He is the author of two books, The Fierce Urgency 50 00:03:19.800 --> 00:03:26.120 of Prophetic Hope and Parables Politics and Prophetic Faith. Judge Griffin, 51 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:28.039 Welcome forward to the Jesse Jackson Junior Show. 52 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:32.439 Congressman Jackson, it is good to be with you again, 53 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:35.400 and Happy New Year to you. Happy day after the 54 00:03:35.479 --> 00:03:36.800 King Holiday. How are you. 55 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:41.759 I'm so grateful and honored, deeply honored by your presence 56 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:43.120 on our show, and I can't think of a more 57 00:03:43.159 --> 00:03:47.000 appropriate guest to help contextualize what we are going through 58 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:51.599 in the Fierce Urgency of Prophetic Hope. Lord knows we 59 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:54.599 need prophetic hope at this hour. Clearly you were inspired 60 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:58.800 to really write, create, and think through a masterpiece. We 61 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:01.120 have about three minutes before we come forward, which means 62 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:02.719 the first break in our show. Will you share with 63 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:06.360 us during this time period, why the nation, why the country, 64 00:04:06.360 --> 00:04:09.120 maybe even the world needs a prophetic hope at this hour? 65 00:04:09.960 --> 00:04:13.439 We are in a time where hope seems to be 66 00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:17.079 almost difficult for people to imagine. People are dealing with 67 00:04:17.079 --> 00:04:19.000 trauma on so many levels. In the United States, we 68 00:04:19.079 --> 00:04:22.000 see the modern version of the twenty first entry version 69 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:26.839 of the KKK operating in IC. We see Washington, d C. 70 00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:32.279 Threatening to invade Greenland, already having invaded Venezuela, threatening to 71 00:04:32.360 --> 00:04:37.920 invade other countries. We see the ongoing genocide in Sudan, 72 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:42.720 in the Congo, in Gaza, we see all kinds of trauma, 73 00:04:42.839 --> 00:04:45.639 and people are finding difficult to believe in the notion 74 00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:51.360 of hope. So the issue of hope is almost People 75 00:04:51.480 --> 00:04:54.480 are almost breathless for it at the same time desperate 76 00:04:54.519 --> 00:04:54.839 for it. 77 00:04:55.480 --> 00:04:59.480 You know, Judge, I had the privilege yesterday of speaking 78 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:02.680 in Walking Hegan, Illinois, and I spoke from the subject matter. 79 00:05:02.959 --> 00:05:08.040 April fourth, nineteen sixty seven, when Doctor King delivered a 80 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:11.360 speech that quite frankly changed his ministry. It changed his 81 00:05:11.480 --> 00:05:15.920 relationship to the Baptist Convention. Joseph Jackson, the pastor and 82 00:05:15.959 --> 00:05:19.560 leader of that convention at that time, even changed the 83 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:23.720 entrance to his church from Kings to thirty first Streets. 84 00:05:23.800 --> 00:05:26.920 So I know you understand that the context, Doctor King, 85 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:28.839 I was told by my father, I believe, was to 86 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:31.600 speak at one of the conventions and a pastor a 87 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:33.920 shuffle began on the stage at the Baptist Convention. A 88 00:05:33.920 --> 00:05:38.319 pastor was knocked off the stage, broke his neck and died. Literally, 89 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:42.079 a fight broke out. Doctor King was an immensely unpopular 90 00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:46.839 man at that time and during that period. But in 91 00:05:46.959 --> 00:05:50.560 that Beyond Vietnam Vietnam speech, I chose yesterday as my 92 00:05:50.600 --> 00:05:56.839 subject matter beyond Venezuela. Beyond Venezuela. He spoke about Venezuela 93 00:05:56.920 --> 00:06:00.319 in the same speech, bringing an urgent currency to this 94 00:06:00.439 --> 00:06:02.319 to this moment, Judge Griffin. 95 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:05.480 He spoke about it. It was prescient. And I'm glad 96 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:08.839 you named your speech beyond Venezuela because and we can 97 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:12.920 talk about after the break. Because April four, nineteen sixty seven, 98 00:06:13.319 --> 00:06:18.439 is perhaps the most prelevant, relevant speech that King ever delivered. 99 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:21.040 For our time. We need to talk about that in 100 00:06:21.079 --> 00:06:23.759 detail because too many people are courting sixty three. We 101 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:25.079 need to be courting sixty seven. 102 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:28.959 I'm Jesse Jackson Jr. You're listening to the Jesse Jackson 103 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:32.240 Junior Show. We're going to have an exciting program in 104 00:06:32.279 --> 00:06:36.600 this first hour with Judge Wendell Griffin, Arkansas lawyer, jurist, 105 00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:40.199 legal educator, business leader, ordained Baptist minister and public speaker. 106 00:06:40.480 --> 00:06:41.600 Particularly honored that he's. 107 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:41.920 On our show. 108 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:46.480 I'm Jesse Jackson Junior. More on k BAA Talk fifteen eighty. Hey, 109 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:48.560 I'm Jesse Jackson Jr. Welcome forward to the show. Our 110 00:06:48.680 --> 00:06:52.360 very special guest is none other than Reverend doctor Wendell 111 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:56.639 Griffin and Arkansas lawyer, jurist, legal educator, business leader, ordained 112 00:06:56.639 --> 00:07:00.800 Baptist minister and public speaker. And just before the break 113 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:04.079 before we came forward, Judge Griffin and I were having 114 00:07:04.120 --> 00:07:09.240 a conversation about how immensely unpopular Martin Luther King Junior was. 115 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:13.399 On April fourth, nineteen sixty seven, he was thirty nine 116 00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:18.240 thirty nine, almost thirty eight years old, almost thirty nine 117 00:07:18.279 --> 00:07:22.600 years old. He'd be shot and killed a year from 118 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:26.600 the delivery of this speech. But this year was a 119 00:07:26.680 --> 00:07:30.120 year of great depression for Martin Luther King Junior. He 120 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:33.120 had received the Nobel Peace Prize. He had delivered in 121 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:36.720 nineteen sixty three a memorable speech at the Lincoln Memorial. 122 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:40.279 But there's a fight breaking out between Baptist preachers and 123 00:07:41.319 --> 00:07:44.120 young people he talks about it in the speech, who 124 00:07:44.279 --> 00:07:47.199 were disagreeing with a generation of people were saying the 125 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:51.000 Doctor King's tactics were not working. And I can't think 126 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:55.480 of anyone more important in this hour to share with 127 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:58.720 us the context of the fierce urgency of prophetic hope 128 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:01.800 and the prophetic hope admission that Doctor King was on 129 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:03.959 at that hour, Judge Griffin. 130 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:09.079 We forget. I like to remind people who have Doctor 131 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:14.839 King's picture in their church and church studies that oftentimes 132 00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:17.279 the people have the Doctor King's picture in their church 133 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:20.959 studies when predecessor passors out of congregation wouldn't have had 134 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:23.959 Doctor King in their town along in their pulpit. And 135 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:27.160 so we need to remember that Doctor King was ousted 136 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:30.160 from the National Baptist Convention USA Incorporated. As you mentioned, 137 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:32.799 he was let he was thrown out of the home 138 00:08:32.919 --> 00:08:36.440 of his father and his grandfathers on both sides, and 139 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:41.240 he literally was without a denominational home until the progess 140 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:44.639 of National Baptist Convention was organized. He and Gardner Taylor 141 00:08:44.679 --> 00:08:50.240 were thrown out. I say that because Doctor King called 142 00:08:50.720 --> 00:08:56.399 this nation to account for its racism, for its militarism, 143 00:08:56.519 --> 00:08:59.240 and for its gangs to capitalists. We call it gangs 144 00:08:59.240 --> 00:09:03.279 to capitalism now our word what he called it crass materialism. 145 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:09.480 We realize now too late, that doctor King was more 146 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:12.279 than a civil rights leader. He was a prophet. He 147 00:09:12.440 --> 00:09:15.559 was a preacher, as you mentioned, and he spoke prophetic truths, 148 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:20.159 and he was killed because his truth cut too deep 149 00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:23.960 and too close to the real, very own wrongs of 150 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:28.679 this society. We are now, We are now in wars 151 00:09:29.399 --> 00:09:33.120 in this country, and not the King begged this nation 152 00:09:33.279 --> 00:09:35.279 to end his military involvement in Southeast Asia. 153 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:38.559 You know, you know, Judge, when I reflect upon that 154 00:09:38.919 --> 00:09:41.559 in my own studies over the last couple of months, 155 00:09:41.559 --> 00:09:45.519 in preparation for this two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of 156 00:09:45.559 --> 00:09:49.960 this young nation July fourth, twenty twenty six, we will 157 00:09:49.960 --> 00:09:52.440 be celebrating the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the 158 00:09:52.440 --> 00:09:58.159 Declaration of Independence. Doctor King stands out as this prophetic 159 00:09:58.279 --> 00:10:04.480 voice raising questions about this new civilization that has entered 160 00:10:04.679 --> 00:10:08.360 the global sphere of contemplation. Not only a young nation, 161 00:10:08.519 --> 00:10:12.320 but it emerges as the most powerful nation, the most 162 00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:18.799 influential nation, against the backdrop of human civilization with significant 163 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:22.240 unfinished work in front of us. They talked about the 164 00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:29.480 value system, the value system of putting people over politics, 165 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:34.120 of putting people over things. We needed to move quickly, 166 00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:39.440 he said, from a thing oriented society to a to 167 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:44.399 a oriented society. Doc, we have a clip right here 168 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:48.559 that I'd like to play. We are living in a 169 00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:55.120 moral crisis, not symbolic, but so deep. Our humanity is 170 00:10:55.159 --> 00:10:58.799 at stake. There is a battle going on between good 171 00:10:58.840 --> 00:11:01.840 and evil, and the fear creature of this nation and 172 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:07.480 the world house hangs in the balance. That was Bernice King, 173 00:11:07.559 --> 00:11:12.519 Reverend doctor Bernice King, speaking just yesterday at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 174 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:15.879 Doctor Griffin, your thoughts. 175 00:11:16.679 --> 00:11:20.919 She speaks not only the truth her father spokes, but 176 00:11:21.080 --> 00:11:25.159 she speaks the truth that we know. Our children, our 177 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:27.879 young people, are speaking it. They We're hearing it all 178 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:31.159 across this country across the world. It is as real 179 00:11:31.559 --> 00:11:36.039 as the murder of people who are murdered or killed 180 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:40.279 by ice in confinement, but also the killing of Nicole 181 00:11:40.440 --> 00:11:44.960 Good Rene Good in Minneapolis. It is the murder of 182 00:11:45.240 --> 00:11:53.519 people who are literally killed because of their ancestry or 183 00:11:53.600 --> 00:11:57.600 because of their perceived ancestry. Because ice people are killing 184 00:11:57.759 --> 00:12:01.960 icees are killing folks and detaining folks based on appearance. 185 00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:06.799 They're profiling people, and being racially profiled now is a 186 00:12:06.840 --> 00:12:11.919 capital offense. We are seeing doctor King's concern about not 187 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:15.120 being a people, a personal in society, as he said 188 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:19.279 so clearly on April four, nineteen sixty seven, to being 189 00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:22.639 a thing or in society where we are more concerned 190 00:12:22.679 --> 00:12:28.360 about cryptocurrency than the currency of human beings in communication 191 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:31.919 with each other and in solidarity with each other. And 192 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:36.720 so we have this very big dichotomy, as Bernice King mentioned, 193 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:40.639 where literally we our souls are being split apart. 194 00:12:42.440 --> 00:12:45.000 I want to pick up on that because you know, 195 00:12:45.159 --> 00:12:49.759 I've heard thousands of sermons have been delivered about the 196 00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:54.200 fierce urgency of now. Rarely does anyone refer to in 197 00:12:54.279 --> 00:12:59.759 those sermons beyond Vietnam speech and or bring the connection 198 00:12:59.799 --> 00:13:04.159 to beyond Venezuela a time to speak. But really, doctor 199 00:13:04.200 --> 00:13:07.120 King's challenge is not only to the US government. What 200 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:09.639 makes him unpopular is that his challenge is to each 201 00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:12.480 and every one of us. And by that I mean 202 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:16.360 when he says a thing oriented society. I tried to 203 00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:20.919 break it down this way. We all want bananas, but 204 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:23.360 we don't want to have anything to do with Panamanian 205 00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:27.200 neighbors or Costa Rican neighbors. We don't have anything to 206 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:30.159 do with people living next door to us who actually 207 00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:35.279 come from lands that grow bananas. We all want lower 208 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:40.960 gas prices, but we're ignoring the Venezuelan and the immigrants 209 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:43.200 and the crisis that they're going through in their own country, 210 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:46.159 the people who stand on the largest oil reserves in 211 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:49.639 the nation. We wake up in the morning we hear 212 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:53.200 the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which in nineteen fifty four, 213 00:13:53.240 --> 00:13:55.720 when Brown versus the Board of Education was decided. If 214 00:13:55.759 --> 00:13:58.960 you google it, the Dow Jones Industrial average was at 215 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:03.000 four hundred and four. Right the power of Doctor King's death. 216 00:14:03.399 --> 00:14:07.159 In nineteen sixty eight, the Dow Jones Industrial average, the 217 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:11.080 industrial average, the measure of the American economy, was one 218 00:14:11.200 --> 00:14:15.360 thousand at the beginning of the Reagan administration, the Dow 219 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:19.679 Jones Industrial average was at seven thousand. At the end 220 00:14:19.720 --> 00:14:22.840 of the Barack Obama administration, the Dow Jones Industrial average 221 00:14:22.919 --> 00:14:28.159 was at nineteen thousand. It closed last Friday at forty 222 00:14:28.440 --> 00:14:33.240 nine thousand. And yet there is so much misery in 223 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:36.279 the land. People are not getting their snap benefits. There's 224 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:39.559 a great debate in this nation about health care, about housing, 225 00:14:40.200 --> 00:14:44.679 about affordability, about quality of life. And then I reflected 226 00:14:44.799 --> 00:14:47.919 upon in my remarks that what happens in this AI 227 00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:52.759 and robotic, profit driven economy for more and more efficiencies. 228 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:56.759 When Dow Jones is at sixty thousand and at eighty thousand, 229 00:14:57.080 --> 00:14:59.600 there is a tipping point when the economy itself no 230 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:03.519 longer needs the American people because it becomes so efficient 231 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:06.399 that it doesn't take care of the least of these. 232 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:11.159 I think you have tesched on what doctor King talked about. 233 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:16.519 You recall quite well that doctor King said that at 234 00:15:16.600 --> 00:15:21.080 some point, at some point, a nation that has a 235 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:25.240 true evvulution of values will have to regalize that when 236 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:30.600 his words, when machines and computers, profit motives, and property 237 00:15:30.679 --> 00:15:35.240 rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets 238 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:41.200 of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered. 239 00:15:42.279 --> 00:15:46.000 End quote. We not only have not conquered them, we 240 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:48.759 have multiplied them. What you refer to in the adult 241 00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:53.679 Jones indjustment edge has been an exponential increase in the 242 00:15:53.799 --> 00:15:58.799 taw couple with an exponential increase in the misery that 243 00:15:58.840 --> 00:16:03.399 our people are suffering. So we have exponential increase in 244 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:09.720 supposed wealth and exponential increase interposed hurt, and we cannot 245 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:13.159 recognize that the wealth is going to a smaller and 246 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:17.240 smaller number of people, and the hurt is expanded to 247 00:16:17.320 --> 00:16:20.600 a larger and wider and deeper the freedom so much 248 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:24.559 so that like a virus or a cancer, we are 249 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:29.440 becoming incapable of dealing with the problems. Our problems are 250 00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:34.559 now self made and multiplied. The triplets are now our couplets. 251 00:16:34.759 --> 00:16:36.960 And we wake up every morning, we read the stock market, 252 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:39.559 we look at our iras, we ask ourselves the question, 253 00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:42.440 how are we doing? Is the economy better off today 254 00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:45.320 four years than it was four years ago? And we 255 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:49.600 keep going down this same road to the point doctor 256 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:52.000 King suggests at the end of the speech that we 257 00:16:52.039 --> 00:16:59.039 are looking at either nonviolent coexistence or absolute annihilation of 258 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:03.559 the idea of the species and the idea of civilization. 259 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:08.759 Very powerful and unpopular words for someone who peeped the 260 00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:14.400 direction of our economy, who peeped the direction of our politics. 261 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:18.079 And if you add to that the influence that the 262 00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:23.079 Constitution should have on directing the economy to humane priorities 263 00:17:23.640 --> 00:17:29.319 for the American people, you're right. It is simply suggestive 264 00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:32.559 of the fact that this is a system that is 265 00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:36.000 moving in a direction that needs more and more oil, 266 00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:41.279 more and more critical minerals, more and more reserves in 267 00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:44.319 order to consume and meet the needs of each of 268 00:17:44.440 --> 00:17:48.839 us who wakes up in the morning concerning concerned about ourselves, 269 00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:53.200 concerned about our homes, and concerned about our bottom lines. 270 00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:56.200 That the collective is completely lost. 271 00:17:56.519 --> 00:18:01.640 The line that doctor King said that haunts me to 272 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:06.720 this day, to this day, this is nineteen sixty seven 273 00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:11.759 he gave it. We're in twenty twenty six, so we're 274 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:16.400 literally almost fifty years away. And he said, a nation 275 00:18:17.079 --> 00:18:20.319 that continues year after year to spend more money on 276 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:24.400 military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching 277 00:18:24.519 --> 00:18:30.079 spiritual death. I wrote in The Fierce urgency of prophetic hope, 278 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:33.279 that we've continued to go over and over and over 279 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:37.319 our budgets in military defense and instead of social uplift 280 00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:41.279 year after year. Sooner or later, people who caught spiritual 281 00:18:41.319 --> 00:18:45.480 death find a way to kill themselves, and our society 282 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:52.920 has found a way to commit national suicide of our souls, 283 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:57.279 but also of our democracy. We're seeing the democracy imperiled, 284 00:18:57.359 --> 00:19:01.440 we're seeing our character imperiled, and we're seeing our sense 285 00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:06.279 of humanity imperial. The world now is aghast at the 286 00:19:06.359 --> 00:19:09.000 nation that has so much hubris. It does not realize 287 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:09.799 how horrible it is. 288 00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:11.839 Doc we only have about a minute and a half 289 00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:13.799 before we come forward. If you had to preach the 290 00:19:13.799 --> 00:19:16.400 eulogy of our system, what would it sound like. 291 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:22.559 It would sound like the nation that forgot its profit. 292 00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:29.680 We have learned the wrong lessons from the wrong profits. 293 00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:35.640 We've learned the lessons from the profits of greed, of racism, 294 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:39.759 of bigotry, and we have not learned the lessons from 295 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:44.160 the prophet of love, justice and democracy. And when you 296 00:19:44.200 --> 00:19:47.119 forget the nations of your lessons, of your prophets, you 297 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:50.599 commit the sins of your ancestors. We're doing that. 298 00:19:51.559 --> 00:19:54.039 I'm Jesse Jackson Jr. You're listening to the Jesse Jackson 299 00:19:54.119 --> 00:19:56.440 Junior Show. Our very special guest in this hour is 300 00:19:56.680 --> 00:20:01.519 Judge Wendell Griffin and Arkansas lawyer juris legal educator. In 301 00:20:01.599 --> 00:20:05.079 nineteen eighty five, appointed by Governor Bill Clinton to chair 302 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:08.960 the Arkansas Workers' Compensation Commission, making Griffin the first person 303 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:12.000 of color name to that state agency and the first 304 00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:15.480 to chair it. We're having an honest conversation about the 305 00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:18.799 destiny of the United States. We've heard a brief eulogy 306 00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:21.960 of what it represents. There may be a way, there 307 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:25.039 may be a way to amend our way out of 308 00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:28.000 this problem. The right to healthcare of equal high quality 309 00:20:28.279 --> 00:20:31.799 as a constitutional right and a new government priority. The 310 00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:34.720 right to a clean, safe, and sustainable bull environment, and 311 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:36.880 the right to an education of equal high quality. And 312 00:20:36.920 --> 00:20:39.319 God knows we need the constitutional right to vote. I'm 313 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:41.400 Jesse Jackson Junior. More, but Judge Griffin and when come 314 00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:44.799 forward on the Jesse Jackson Junior Show. I'm Jesse Jackson Junior. 315 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:48.079 Welcome forward to the Jesse Jackson Junior Show. Judge Wendell Griffin. 316 00:20:48.119 --> 00:20:51.079 This is his second appearance on the Jesse Jackson Junior show. 317 00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:53.559 I'm trying to find room on our schedule to make 318 00:20:53.640 --> 00:20:56.839 him a regular contributor to the show. I'm so great 319 00:20:57.119 --> 00:21:01.599 he's he's spending this quality, immerseful time with us on 320 00:21:01.640 --> 00:21:04.480 the spirit energy of what's taking place in our nation. 321 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:05.960 Judge Griffin, welcome forward to the show. 322 00:21:06.599 --> 00:21:09.799 Thank you so much, and I thank you Congressmond Jackson 323 00:21:09.880 --> 00:21:13.920 for being the wonderfully tenacious host that you are and 324 00:21:14.039 --> 00:21:17.480 keeping it real because you have not chosen to give 325 00:21:17.559 --> 00:21:23.799 up the legacy of justice in favor of let me 326 00:21:23.880 --> 00:21:28.440 put it this way, in favor of the creed of 327 00:21:28.440 --> 00:21:31.160 the day, which is get man, and don't forget Aboutny 328 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:34.200 don't think of anybody else, you know, you think about 329 00:21:34.200 --> 00:21:35.480 all of us. Thank you, Judge. 330 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:38.079 I appreciate you very much, you know I am. I'm 331 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:41.000 after having studied for the last month or so in 332 00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:44.799 preparation for this hour beyond Vietnam speech. I think I'm 333 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:46.720 as depressed at this moment as I've been in a 334 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:51.000 very long time. I share Doctor King's depression that there 335 00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:54.960 is something profoundly wrong in our society. There's something profoundly 336 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:59.000 wrong with our system. The Constitution, the Declaration of Independence 337 00:21:59.039 --> 00:22:02.599 have guided the nation, albeit through its most difficult and 338 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:08.599 continuingly difficult periods. And I'm wondering if also in the 339 00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:12.440 Constitution is the possibility of our nation's salvation. In two 340 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:14.519 thousand and one, I wrote about this in my book 341 00:22:14.839 --> 00:22:19.359 A More Perfect Union. I advanced nine new individual rights 342 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:23.079 to be added to the Constitution that literally would direct 343 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:27.559 capitalism to new opportunities. If the first amendment is responsible 344 00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:33.160 for ABC, NBCCBS, the Internet, cell phones and billboards, newspapers, 345 00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:36.279 and all of the outdoor advertising, and literally the millions 346 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:40.079 of jobs that are created from the idea of free speech, 347 00:22:41.119 --> 00:22:45.279 then a carefully worded amendment to the Constitution of the 348 00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:48.359 United States, gearing teeing every American the right to healthcare 349 00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:51.400 of equal high quality could also be responsible for the 350 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:55.720 creation the construction of hundreds, if not thousands, of hospitals 351 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:58.960 in urban areas and rural areas. It could create tens 352 00:22:58.960 --> 00:23:03.200 of thousands, hundreds of thousands of doctors and nurses and 353 00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:05.920 share in a value to create a society where we 354 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:10.079 have the longest longevity as people by making sure people 355 00:23:10.119 --> 00:23:13.519 can live and they can thrive. That the same constitution 356 00:23:13.640 --> 00:23:18.200 could build public schools of equal high quality. Knowing no disparities, 357 00:23:18.240 --> 00:23:23.680 and therefore the pool of athletes, for example, would be 358 00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:25.839 so great when we see an NFL game or a 359 00:23:25.880 --> 00:23:28.960 baseball game, when all of these schools have coaches and 360 00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:33.960 teachers of equal high quality and fields and children during 361 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:37.200 the formative years of their lives are exposed to the 362 00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:40.920 great opportunities that are America, we would have a huge 363 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:43.319 pool to choose from to determine who plays for the 364 00:23:43.400 --> 00:23:47.039 Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers, the LA Rams. We 365 00:23:47.079 --> 00:23:53.160 would change the nature of us working together again, guided 366 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:55.559 by the Constitution of the United States. I'm going to 367 00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:57.759 close on this quick point. Tavis Smiley once shared with 368 00:23:57.799 --> 00:24:01.440 me that he was at a forum for Michael Milkin 369 00:24:01.599 --> 00:24:06.000 and Michael Milkin Foundation, and the question was raised after 370 00:24:06.039 --> 00:24:08.720 they had met for several days with hundreds of people 371 00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:12.799 to discuss the best education ideas. And mister Milkin pulled 372 00:24:12.839 --> 00:24:14.920 all of the people into a big auditorium and he said, listen, 373 00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:17.000 I've heard everyone's idea, but is there anyone in here 374 00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:19.799 who has a grand idea that would solve all things 375 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:23.559 for us? And Tavis said the quiet in the room 376 00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:25.640 was ominous. No one raised his hand. He said, he 377 00:24:25.680 --> 00:24:27.640 thought for a moment, Let me try some of this, 378 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:28.480 Jesse Jr. 379 00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:29.839 Let me Jesse. 380 00:24:32.039 --> 00:24:35.319 Tavis raised his hand and he said, and then he 381 00:24:35.359 --> 00:24:37.559 looked around. Michael Milkin looked around and said, well, Tavis, 382 00:24:37.559 --> 00:24:40.880 what's your great idea? He said, what if we amended 383 00:24:40.920 --> 00:24:45.079 the Constitution and all Americans enjoyed the right to a 384 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:48.240 public education of equal high quality, setting in motion the 385 00:24:48.279 --> 00:24:52.799 construction of tens of thousands of new, highly competitive public 386 00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:56.599 schools across our country, putting people to work. He said, 387 00:24:56.640 --> 00:25:03.160 The entire room was quiet, It was ominous for everyone 388 00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:06.240 for that moment had an insight in what was possible. 389 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:09.759 But of course the difficulty of mending the Constitution makes 390 00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:12.240 it even more difficult. In other words, towards doctor King's 391 00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:15.880 Better Society and World House Judge. 392 00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:21.160 We are not accidentally dysfunctional. We are systematically dysfunctional. And 393 00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:24.720 your suggestion of a men in the Constitution points to 394 00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:28.400 that we could if we would, if we had the 395 00:25:28.440 --> 00:25:31.440 moral will, if we had the courage, if we had 396 00:25:31.480 --> 00:25:35.440 the moral Canada, we could do exactly what you suggest 397 00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:38.640 we could produce. We could amend the Constitution so that 398 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:45.079 we would value education and liberation over incarceration. We could 399 00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:50.559 value not only the performing art in athletics, but also 400 00:25:50.599 --> 00:25:55.640 the performing arts in drama and theater. We met value. 401 00:25:56.319 --> 00:26:01.759