 I want to welcome you. I am Mark Hughes. I'm with the Racial Justice Alliance. I want to welcome you. Welcome all of you. We're going to go ahead and get started. We were due to start off at 4. We're waiting around for a little bit, trying to get some other folks to show up, but that's okay. My mother used to say, I'll go if I'm going to have to go by myself. So let's go. Here's what we're going to do is, we've got a few things happening this afternoon. Just to make everybody aware in the park, I want to let you know what this is. This is the filibuster rally. The filibuster rally. We came to call out, calling out to our elected folks, namely our senators. We're calling out to our senators, Senator Patrick Leahy, Senator Bernie Sanders. Hey, what we'd like you to do is we'd like you to speak up on this situation. We'd like you to say something about what's going on here. Now, you probably know, some of you probably received some of these e-mails. I'm going to just run a few numbers by you. Before I do that, I'll just tell you what you can expect. At the end of this, I want to let you know that we're actually going to open the mic up to the community. There's going to be some folks, there's a lot of folks with talent that come through this park all the time. Some of them are going to be showing up. So if you're still here, like after 5.30, hang out, cheer on these folks that are coming with all of this talent in the park. As you know that we're here to call out Bernie Sanders, to call out Patrick Leahy to say, hey, y'all, we need to do something about this situation. So here's what's going on. Our lives have faced such an an existential threat to our democracy. What we're looking at here is for those of you who recall, on Tuesday, how many people were watching on Tuesday and you saw S1 go before the United States Senate? How many people know what S1 is? Okay, I see some hands out there. I see some hands. So that S1, that is the most important voting rights bill since 1965. Many of us know that the Voting Rights Act was gunned in 2013 and we've never been the same since. But listen to this. In the wake of the Supreme Court gunning the Voting Rights Act of 1965, eight years ago, 28 bills, 28 bills with restrictive voting provisions have been enacted in 17 states just since the beginning of this year. At least 61 bills. 61 bills with restrictive voting provisions in 18 states are actively moving through legislatures and there are 31 of those that have already passed one chamber. So I don't know about you, but I think that's bad news. How many people think that's bad news? That's what I'm talking about. So overall, lawmakers have introduced at least 389 restrictive bills in 48 states. And just because Vermont and Maine are one of the two states that have it, it doesn't mean that we don't have an active role in calling out to our legislators and letting them know that we care about this situation. All these bills suppress the votes of folks who are black and brown, folks who are children, folks with disabilities, communities women and so forth. All of these bills are being introduced. Every single one of these bills are being introduced under one common theme, a big lie. So only S1 has the ability to roll back the racist and the oppressive voting laws. The For the People Act had a majority vote present in the Senate. But it was blocked. It was blocked by this antiquated racist Jim Crow rule called the filibuster. This is really what we're here to talk about today. We're here to talk about this racist antiquated Jim Crow backwards rule that allows somehow or another the minority to set the agenda and to set the tone in our legislature and that is not acceptable. The filibuster also threatens any hope for the implementation of any of the progressive policies that the vast majority of voters overwhelmingly are calling for. Any chance of seeing substantial gun control immigration reform climate policy racial environmental justice and more. What's going on right now is just insanity. The elimination of the filibuster is the only way to neutralize the assault on our democracy. So what we came over here to tell you tonight is that we are going to call on our legislators. You might ask you might say hey well what can we do about it in this little state in Vermont and what I came to tell you is is we have two of the most powerful collectively there probably the most powerful two voices in the United States Senate. Somebody say hey hey we have two of the most powerful voices in the United States Senate. The senior senator and the president pro temp as well as the chair of the appropriations committee is our own, our very own Patrick Lay. We also know that Bernie Sanders two time presidential candidate as well as the bedrock he's the bedrock of the progressive party, the United States progressive party we know he's also the chair of the budget committee so let me get this right. We got the chair of the budget committee and we got the chair of the appropriations committee so how on earth is it that collectively their voices are not calling out are not crying out to their 98 constituents across the legislature saying get rid of this filibuster get rid of this filibuster you say it, get rid of this filibuster get rid of this filibuster so what we came to do is we came to call them into accountability we came to ask Bernie and to ask Patrick to speak out publicly and to speak out loudly to call upon their folks to call upon their folks not only to remove this harmful rule but also watch this to call upon them to stay in Washington D.C. until it's done no summer break, you ain't coming home when it's all said and done you can come home but stay in D.C. until we get this filibuster done that's what we came to call them out to do and despite all the many moderate senators refusing publicly to demand this filibuster we believe that the collective power of these two senators is the key to getting this done how many people believe that how many people believe that somebody make some noise I know there's few of them but somebody if you believe that can you please put your hands together so here's what we're going to do we're going to have a few speakers come up about five or six speakers will come up you'll hear from them this afternoon on this particular topic I'll have some more details from you I do have an update because I have a note directly from senator sanders that I'd like to share with you I also have a comment from senator Leahy that I'll share with you to my knowledge I don't believe any of them are going to be here I do believe that there's a possibility that maybe one of Bernie staffers might be here so I'm going to put Tanya right now just as you're headed up this way but it's a little bit weird because I have a hard time seeing Tanya's last name I always want to say Volkowski or something like that is that close? is it Volkowski? so this is our very own representative from our Essex our freshman senator from Essex can you please give it up for my good friend representative Tanya Volkowski in order to move towards liberty and justice we need bold systemic change we need to expand voting access not suppress the vote we need to bold climate action grounded in environmental justice we need universal healthcare we need livable wages and paid family medical leave and we know we have a long way to go and that the people cannot continue to wait people are dying they're having their voting rights blocked losing their housing and obstructionists abuse the filibuster to ensure that it never gets better it is time to take away the tools that the Senate is using to block progress this is not a new tool the filibuster was used as an attempt to block the civil rights act it's changed over time and it's become easier to use and easier to abuse and it shows this tool has been implemented far more than ever in the last decade it was used more than three times as much as in the decade prior we need to fight to strengthen our democracy and not let voting rights continue to be eroded in Vermont this year we passed expansive voting access expansion in S-15 and we need to continue to fight for our democracy at the state and federal level this moment is an important one as we recover from a pandemic and face the many injustices that it revealed and exacerbated we need our government to act to make bold moves we are in desperate need of change instead we have the least productive Congress in history with Senator McConnell sitting in front of his self-proclaimed graveyard of bills using every tool at his disposal to block progress and hurt people enough is enough it is a convenient excuse as well for never moving forward with no policy agendas that we know the people want and it's time that this tool was no longer in their arsenal no more is this a tool to even force debate or build strong support with the end of the speaking filibuster the Senate can simply move on to something easier and block any progress that the minority is not interested in this is a tool meant to do nothing more than allow for obstructionists to block legislation and it is wielded against legislation that would help the people and the people cannot continue to wait for action we must stand together and demand that we fight for progress and the filibuster we have so far to go before each and every person has their needs met and truly has liberty and justice and it's time that we take every tool and excuse away from the ruling class to block progress we call on our federal delegation to stand up for the people and the filibuster and vocally demand that we move forward because the people cannot continue waiting give it up a freshman freshman Tanya Bohovsky thank you so much representative Bohovsky for coming up at the spur of the moment I was on vacation over the last several days and on Tuesday I just had enough and started writing you know it was I just want to just give a shout out to organizations like rights and democracy thank you so much for coming out they put great support in the racial justice alliance is over there yes give it up give it up so I want to before we move on I just want to just let you know we're going to take just a quick break as folks are still arriving my good friend Rajni Eddins is here and he's going to come to us with some spoken word right now he's going to come to us with some spoken word just to get folks kind of loosened up a little bit so we are so proud to have my good friend and brother Rajni Eddins can y'all hear me alright I want to share a piece with you because I know this is about the freedom of all people and the foundational freedom of black people is crucial for all people's freedom this is a piece in that spirit it's called beautiful sun kissed people so let me hear you say it say beautiful sun kissed people come on say it with some enthusiasm alright walking miracles unfolding parables ancient scrolls and oceans throes love be arose adorning your ears this morning will not bring morning nor a thorn in tears this forever moment is showing our fears people we are on the cusp of overthrowing overseers light years beyond hecklers and cheers no more tanning our eyes while Dr. Jekyll steers this love is sheer transparent and near as dears are closest relative here say beautiful sun kissed people no conversation on us being equal just entertaining the thought is evil we weed fool fully woven lost and found traded and stolen but look what the eye be holding say beautiful sun kissed people golden black and free and ebony mahogany and mocha bee chocolate hagan dies can't see rivers running melanin shallow mendy minor trend but most high got all intents and purposes and sovereign skin watches this here pomasins journey in and frolican some of breeze is talking with the autumn wind how winter just won't break our stride too much spring and step for us to hide our victory is justified so let's go solar rise with older ties our currency ain't tokenized we're close to those focused and wise whose feet arise on open skies we white supremacy eulogizing blessed ministry new horizon and desperate attempts at euphemizing our brilliance with futile lies still will never neutralize too many youths been euthanized fence sweet as prey to tooth decay but truthfully our roof away has truth to say adorns the night salutes the day say beautiful sun kiss people i relate to you so musically and all the joy it brings like lift every voice and sing tell earth in heaven ring ring with the harmonies of liberty let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies let it resound loud as the roar let it resound loud as the rolling sea sing a song full of the faith that the dark rest has taught us sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us facing the rising sun of our new day begun let us march on till victory is won let earth in heaven ring in sacred oath cause after all we are betrothed to wondrous wonders of untold great grand good fortune that broke the mold can't buy us off of moldy bread we more than crumbs inside our heads and crushes when our satisfied when banquets alone our owls divine we walk in gourmet grammar made deliciousness in every shade say sun kiss people say beautiful blessed bountiful sun kiss people I praise a path that plants our flag squarely an earth of self-made baskin a glorious newfound approach that predators cannot encroach that parasites and wayward folks at a mere glimpse will cough and choke see this radiance is brighter still than every sun that lights a hill it calls from something deep within and pours from vocal cords and pen say beautiful sun kiss people I'm nourished just to see you you furnish my living room with life abundant killing gloom you water every plant I'll have and flourish my gardens green and vast sing lullabies to my inner child and sooth all fears of foul defile you spray me with your sense of grace and lovingly embrace my face say I am you and we are race that founded every human trace say sun kiss people I wait with your poems on my tongue in my chest I hear your drum from my lips I hear your hum kiss me high your drunk as rum on you I am forever spun your melanin I never shun with you I am forever one has there been better never one say sun kiss people I bequeat these owes to you and your next of kin and children too and their children's children's children's view will yet still match your vibrant hue use supernatural sorcery to walk in temples gorgeously shaming cathedrals far and near make a white Christ pale in the mirror or it don't let nobody tell you shit unless they fertilize in soil to grow a rose regal and royal to don a rose upon a rose a red and black and green and gold so poetically bestowed it dignifies your inner throne sun kiss children marvelous miraculous magnificence outlandishly so unabashed unapologetic sass ultramagnetic blackness the right God on your epitaph but that's blasphemy surely right because we know true guys never die sun kiss children you kiss my eyes with all that sunshine you were plying I say I am in love for true because you are me and I am you from head to toe and all between I love these princess kings and queens I even find you in my dreams and when I wake I vow to breathe and breathe to vow with every vow and consonant I can't pronounce announce to cosmos all your feats build castles for your sweet retreats goose feather pillows black satin sheets a sacred lounge to rest your crown you've always been crying out sun kiss people have no doubt you're all I am what I'm about can't tell my story without your page hell every chapter be erased you saw my lines so seamlessly we vibe on higher frequency so let's not love in secrecy my sun kiss people we be as the king rise he's going to come back to us in a little while with something else in the meantime just a couple of announcements you probably noticed that I changed hats yup I'll let you know that there's some merch over here on this side if you want to rock a hat like me there's also some shirts like the one that Dan Fingers is wearing he's facing he's waving at you right now so just step over there and get I think they're charging for it but if you don't have any money they'll probably just give it to you just go over and see them same thing over at our table that's our table I'll tell you now if you go over there you got a shirt they're taking donations but nobody leaves without a shirt and rock it just a couple updates for you is that I just want to remind folks BIPOC folks that there is a part 3 of out of darkness part 3 of out of darkness is that the creative democracy has 266 Pine Street there in the soda plant building that's going to be on Thursday this upcoming Thursday so don't forget about that that is a dynamite dynamite documentary black and brown folks show up also want to just give a shout out for first Friday every first Friday we're getting together black and brown folks we're getting together that's I believe that's going to be at 20 Allen Street but they're teetering on a bowling trip but we're going to we're going to do something like that upcoming turning the curve on systemic racism let me tell you a little bit about turning the curve on systemic racism and the byline there is building back a healthier Vermont building back a healthier Vermont this turning the curve is really based on what we learned in this last legislative session it is also informed by a joint resolution that was passed by the legislature declaring racism as a public health emergency I don't know whether you knew about that or not but yes the legislature passed a joint resolution declaring racism a public health emergency so we will be pursuing that across the state with a series that we're calling turning the curve on systemic racism building back a healthier Vermont our first session will be July 8th it will be July 8th and I think that's going to be a 20 Allen Street stay tuned we'll keep you updated on that enough about the commercials what we're here to do is to let you know that this whole business about this filibuster is a farce somebody say farce somebody say farce somebody say farce again farce again yeah I knew some smart allies out there say farce again so here's what I came to tell you is that really keeping the Jim Crow filibuster in place it only serves to divide and silences making us less safe robbing us of our opportunities yet some senators they refuse to publicly demand the elimination of the filibuster as greedy and wealthy they continue to benefit at the exclusion of our voices the voices of the majority that's why we are here eliminating this rule will ensure that we all have a voice in this democracy and we are all afforded safety and access to opportunity that's rightfully ours so never in our lives have we faced such an existential threat to our democracy this is a national crisis folks this is a national crisis we are in right now we demand that our senators publicly and urgently call for the retirement of the filibuster now somebody say now now somebody say now now somebody say now now we demand that the senate majority take a stand return to Washington DC and stay there until this unfair racist Jim Crow filibuster rule is eliminated what do you think so bust that filibuster somebody say bust that filibuster bust that filibuster we want justice what do we want what do we want we want justice what do we want what do we want what do we want it to introduce to some of you and just remind some of the others of his existence a dear friend a brother in Christ with me in New Alpha Missionary Baptist Church and someone who's been a friend of my family since most of them were knee-high to coat models without further ado Mr. Roy V. Hill II I give honor to God as I come before you a thought that runs through my mind to fall Lord make me an instrument of your peace where there is hatred let me show love today we're talking because it's about you you and I here standing for the best in this country for the best in this human life you and I are here talking about the power within you to reach out to speak up to make a difference but we look at media and it reminds us that right now there is so much hate so much wickedness so much evil the pipeline for that comes out of unfortunately Washington some of the best minds who are there and they've been sustained by talking hids with expensive haircuts silk ties tailored suits and turning each other against each other talking to death that which is right that talk is wrong we can speak to those who we've sent to Washington and say you can stand and make a difference that's what you are about as a team, as a member of this human family in this place called Vermont in this place called America in this place called planet earth where we are one where we are one that recognition carries the day it'll carry the day for our children for our community for our country you know James Hugh Whitman is a professor at Yale University and in his recent book entitled Hitler's American Model he talks about why Hitler chose America for his manifesto because he says that America and its government was founded on a document that institutionalized that institutionalized racism by officially perpetrating slavery and setting the stage for a range of race-based legislation and policies and practices we're talking about one of those policies it's called filibuster for many of you you'll remember the sixties and in remembering the sixties you'll remember two prominent leaders of the filibuster Richard Russell Jr. and there's a building in Washington named after him in fact it is, the statue is there and of course they filibusted strongly against passage of civil rights legislation in this country together they filibusted for 60 days spouting evil for 60 days in the sixties spouting evil my undergrad was at an institution in Alabama some of my classmates went to march to stand up to stand like you're standing but they didn't come back because they were killed some of the names who are of people that didn't make Fox knows they didn't have a chance to stand and speak but you are standing you can speak for them you stand on their shoulders because their work in spite of the filibuster they eventually makes the folks like Hubert Humphries etc win a straight and the 65 64 laws were passed they were done so because people spoke up you can speak up you must because if you don't who will if you don't who will there are people around the country, USA there are people around the globe what's her name Malala she stood up she was hurt but she kept standing tall don't let her standing go in vain your children are coming and they're looking for role models in you they're looking for role models the adults in the community and when they can't find them or when they can't hear them they have nothing to stand for so they fall they fall for recreational drugs and some of them don't get up they fall for suicide and some of them don't get up but if you had stood up spoken up you would have were maybe they would not have fallen you are here you can make a difference speak up one person's voice can make all the difference in a way that you in a way that I are yet to realize but that pebble that you throw in the water in the lake starts a ripple that goes on and on and on we are that ripple Lord make me an instrument of your peace where there is hatred let me show love Lord make us hear this day hear in this state make us an instrument of peace where there is hatred let us this place this state show love let's get rid of that filibuster Amen a couple things to read to you so one is a a letter from Bernie Sanders and he was responding directly to me about an inquiry that I made on behalf of the alliance over the last couple days and also another one is from Senator Lay and that was also a response that came through John Tracy no relation to Max Tracy by the way yeah so after that, after I'll read these what I'm going to do is just to set your expectations and set others' expectations is I'm going to look to Celine Colburn to come after this is she still here did she get bored with us representative Colburn is here in the house she's got something to say so don't go anywhere she's got something to say up in here up in here that's what's happening now check this out this says thank you dear mark thank you for contacting me on eliminating the filibuster I have said before that I appreciate how Senate rules set the difference between the House of Representatives and the Senate however given the enormity of the issues we must tackle I believe now is the time to re-examine some of those rules I agree with you that we must end the filibuster that currently exists as soon as we can let me begin by saying filibuster which most often takes the form of excessive amendments or long speeches is a broad term used to refer to any action taken with the intention of blocking a vote that doesn't sound very good does it however there is an option in filibuster called cloture under the cloture rule the Senate can limit or in debate on a bill but only by a vote of three-fifths of the full Senate normally 60 votes in my view I do not see getting significant support from members of the minority party in the foreseeable future if raising the minimum wage expanding the voting rights act and taking action on many issues facing our country requires us to change Senate procedure then that is what we must do given the enormous crisis facing working families today we cannot allow a minority of the Senate to obstruct what the vast majority of the American people want and need please know that I will keep your message in mind as I continue pushing for bold progressive action thank you for contacting me and please feel free to stay in touch about this and any other subject of interest to you for up-to-date information blah blah blah blah blah blah Bernie Sanders United States Senator I also have a brief statement from Patrick Leahy and again this was communicated to me from from John Tracy and it's quoted and he reiterated because I because I made sure that I went back to him just clarifying and sure that these are in fact the senator's words he said they are he said this is what the senator says quote it is important to remember that both parties have used the filibuster to stop legislation they oppose in recent years democrats have used the filibuster to prevent harmful policies from being enacted that being said we can't let the filibuster be used as a tool for complete obstruction it is supposed to encourage bipartisan compromise not entrench partisan welfare the Senate must be a body that debates the Republican Party is blocking debate on critical initiatives including proposals to protect the right to vote I think we need to consider all options in order to push forward the American people's priorities that may involve reforming the filibuster Patrick Leahy, United States Senator so I just wanted to make sure that you had the most up-to-date communication that we are getting from the senators why are we here why are we here a saline's on standby but why are we here important to remember is that there is a big lie that's going on right now that's creating voter suppression and a false narrative of this whole critical race theory and threatening the democracy of this nation would you agree number two at least 61 bills with restrictive voting provisions in 18 states are moving through legislators and 31 of them are already halfway through would you agree the only hope that we have to address voter suppression in a rollback all of these laws is getting rid of the filibuster there is no reconciliation there is no bipartisan effort that's going to enable us to get after yes we do understand that yeah by the way the Department of Justice finally woke up over the last couple of days but still there is no hope on this side of the galaxy that we're going to get all of these laws rolled back that are depriving our folks of their vote and where that's taking us is on a trajectory to midterm election where the House and the Senate flips now do you think the Republicans are going to be sitting around talking about the filibuster whether they're going to get rid of it or not when the choice is in their hands the only hope we have right now on gun control immigration climate is to kill the filibuster the filibuster is a rule that's racist it's a Jim Crow relic it's far overdue for permanent eradication Dr. King in 1963 said the exactly same thing I was born in 1963 we've been waiting far too long for this to happen midterms 2024 all it is hanging the balance now just to be clear this is not just about race this is not even just this is not even partisan this is about the future of our democracy this is about the soul of this nation somebody need to say bust filibuster come on justice where do we want where do we want it it's got something to say she's on her way come on up Celine representative Collins jogging up to the stage she's got a bag full of notes with her thank you so much for coming we can make meaningful progress on racial justice on climate action on income inequality very survival of our democracy as flawed state legislators legislatures across the country are efforts to roll back of the people the issues that led me to work in politics was reproductive justice I was active in the reproductive justice movement before I became elected and did that kind of work and there is a reason that so many state legislatures are able to pass draconian restrictive laws limiting access to reproductive health care even as a majority of residents support access and choice in these matters and it's because of gerrymandering which has created districts that allow outsized power to conservative lawmakers white supremacist lawmakers and we are going to see so much more of this in the coming year as legislatures across the country are required to react to the 2020 census data and draw new lines for voting districts and I just want to be really really clear that yes we have passed some great voting laws in Vermont unlike many states in the rest of the country but we are not immune to this issue here the redistricting process in Vermont is going to be largely controlled by moderate Democrats and Republicans and if we want to ensure that progressives and progressive Democrats remain in power and have a voice and are able to be a voice of the people we are going to be need to be involved and watch this process closely in Vermont we also need federal protections against gerrymandering and against the racist laws that are designed plain and simple to prevent BIPOC folks to prevent folks living in poverty or with disabilities from having equal access to the voting booth as Mark said almost 400 bills have been introduced this past year over 60 have seen movement in state legislatures 28 laws have already been enacted restricting access to the voting booth state legislatures are still debating and still moving more of these laws the laws contain provisions such as limiting the ability to vote by mail making in person voting more difficult with harsh identification requirements voter roll purges limiting polling place availability and you can guess where polling place ability remains and where it is taken away these provisions are designed to silence the voices of BIPOC Americans first and foremost Republicans know they cannot win on the merits of their policies or arguments anymore and they can only hold on to power by limiting people's access to the vote we need the kind of federal protections in S1 the for the people act these include campaign finance reforms such as the elimination of secret corporate money into candidates in expansion of protections for voting access more democratic registration processes guaranteed early voting periods and most importantly I think putting independent commissions rather than elected officials in charge of redistricting efforts this is a fight that underpins everything we want to achieve in the political process as a progressive movement for equal rights for racial justice for criminal justice reform for a healthy planet and so much more so please please join me in speaking out calling on our Vermont Senators to do the same talking to your neighbors about this issue and let us end once and for all the white supremacist power grab that this filibuster is empowering damn bro I'm presenting to Selina Colburn Selina Colburn Selina you've been in there for what what about four is this your fourth fifth term fifth term fifth year I was going to say you wasn't old enough to be in there five terms ago yeah hey I want to I want to just spend a little bit time with you before we bring up sister Zariah Hightower who snuck up on us she's right here with us our very own but I just want to get you to think about a couple things here real quick because many people here I know because I know I'm one of them we're sitting around we're like yeah we're good to go you know we're in Vermont we're all set you know we got this 80% vaccination thing going on everything's good to go you know we've got you know we've got I mean our governor is Republican but he's like the coolest Republican I know so I mean you know I voted for him and yeah we all get along here you know and everything's fine and you know we've got a majority in our house the Democrats in our Senate as well everything's hunky dory we're the first day to abolish slavery I know we'll come back to that but the thing is is that you know this little state right here we are a part of the United States of America okay it's one of the things that we have to remember one of the things I don't care how comfortable you get at the end of the day how many people felt it when our president of the United States was Trump that's because we are a part of the United States of America and when these policies are passed when we have voter voting registration voting privileges being stolen from our brothers and sisters in the south and across the Midwest that tips the balance of power and at the end of the day the federal policy we feel at the end of the day it impacts us you know we are not a different country but now let me just flip that on his head for a minute as Zariah gets ready to come is that here's the other thing even though we're a small state we are a state and because we are a state we have power as a state but here's the thing and I told you about it a little while ago we've got two of the most powerful senators in the United States in the United States Senate we've got think about that with their voices if Bernie and Patrick get together and say anything I'd like to see somebody say that it's not a done deal and at least try me give it a shot and let us see what happens but what I've seen up until now with this filibuster thing is they have not stood together on this they have not communicated together on this in uniform saying we collectively as a state of our mind as a delegation we vehemently oppose this racist Jim Crow rule they have not done it we need to call them into accountability and call them into accountability to do so further we need to tell them to tell Chuck Schumer and all that arrested again to stay in DC stay in DC until you get this figured out we don't need you back in Vermont they don't need you in other places across the state we don't need a delegation from the rules committee in Georgia what we need is we need all of our senators under the dome in DC working this thing out and coming to a decision on what they're going to do about the filibuster yeah that's what we need so enough about telling me about coming home from Independence Day because we are headed towards a new Jim Crow so I think I got that off my chest let me introduce somebody to you I am so proud and pleased to introduce not just a one of our own city council members but the first and only black women in our city council also a good friend, a person who have a deep respect for and just give it up for my good friend Zeraya we in one and two minutes which is not a lot of time and now he's telling me five so I'm apparently supposed to make up the other three and a half eight and a half moved to Vermont over five years ago now and a lot of you don't know but I came from Oklahoma and in Oklahoma there is one county that is purple and the rest are red so that was the context that I came from and the worst curse that Vermont gave me was to learn more about the Democratic Party and not just to take the Democratic Party for a given which was a hard lesson for me to learn and I feel like the more that I learn about how our government works I used to think it was just a numbers game we just have to get enough numbers in the house we just have to get enough numbers in the senate we just have to get enough numbers to win the presidency and it would be fine and I mean we're not all the way there yet but we're pretty damn close yet here we are we're not fine we're not even a little bit fine and I think that is upsetting because at least as a politician I feel like I'm starting to get a little bit of an inside scoop and I feel like the problem with our parties is that ultimately a lot of the people in the house not all of them most of the people in the house and most of the people in the senate they still see more in common with the people across the aisle than they see with you or with me they look at each other and they say these rules have worked for us we know the rules the rules are putting us in power we're going to stick to these rules and the rules don't work for us but that doesn't matter because they're like oh it would be uncomfortable for me I would have to be a new regime a new something else and I think that's where the filibuster is and where so many other policies are is well I don't really want to give this up because I know how to find success in this regime and that sucks because it doesn't work for most of us it doesn't work for the 99% it doesn't work for those of us who aren't at those houses those of us who aren't in Washington DC and therefore I just feel like that is the new expectation that we have to have is going to all of the parties not just the Republican not just the but also the Democrats and saying stop looking at the Republicans and seeing yourselves in them and saying oh I identify with that oh maybe at some point I'll be in that situation again oh actually I kind of understand why you would know identify with us we're the ones who voted you into power we're the ones that it's not working for change change the fucking rules the rules are made to work for us and they're not working that is all I have to say thank you Zariah Zariah Hightower city consular first black woman that's what's up and there's going to be some more black women raise your hands black women I see some sisters back there you going to run for city consul yeah I see you back there sister alright we got Rod Liettens coming back at you we just got another piece he's looking through the book right now and I know he's got something for us Rodney can you come with spoken word for us on deck we've got pastor pastor the reverend doctor pastor Christopher Von Cockwell my pastor sitting right over here I'm going to be over chat with him I'm not going to be rude but right now we've got Rod Liettens coming back thank you I want to share a piece with you in honor and the spirit of recognizing all of our humanity in honoring that we're not truly free to all of us are free all of us have access all of us have opportunity and resources and so thankful to see all of you here for that purpose this is called why we still need black history money don't be so fearful of being racist that it deludes your common sense are so fearful of racism existing you become a hypocrite I wrote this on the off chance there would be some black people who love themselves enough to listen in the audience are some white people who know black folk exist in more than convenient moments are just some human folk who love truth and have enough sense to care about their roots the librarian asked me why do you think we still need black history month for the same reason that texas calls slavery unpaid internship because the evil of ignorance and racism must be vigilantly opposed with truth love and sincere inclusion because it was once negro history weak and for the children who daily see themselves through the lens of stereotypes and those who only know television as relationship to black people and people of color for my daughters who are growing and will not be choked out by the diminishing of our value for the legacy of our people that makes American ideals a sought for reality rather than a cliche monality for you for your spirit and your conscience so it doesn't putrify in the delusion of denial and fear made religion people must not become history our story is a part of your story the beauty, wonder triumphs and trials need to be known sung from the hilltops and mountain peaks resounding in the valleys and grass flames echoing down the alleyways and boulevards because black, red, brown, yellow are the colors of my true love's air and the universe because beauty and truth will not be contained because these are our ancestors we owe them a debt of gratitude because love will not be silenced because teaching white supremacy is poison we are all still recovering conditioned to tolerate it in small doses the human family must heal soon this sickness will be vomited and all that will remain will be you beautiful, healthy, free-minded Jew think of it as your chance to celebrate the human family in preparation for making every day our celebration Dr. Yeti! If that was for me, I'd be okay but give it up for Rajni, okay? That's what I'm talking about and now I just want to just turn in for a moment and just focus a little bit more on from a perspective from the man of God I specifically invited my pastor here he's interested to hear his thoughts on the whole matter so this is unrehearsed so here we go pastor I was a little boy in Mississippi I had a history team that shared these words with me we hold these truths to be evident that all men are created equally boy was that some bull crap we all know that all men are not created equally and it's not always just a race thing it's also an economic thing and when you have those who are rich those who are privileged take advantage of those who are less fortunate those who are LGBTQ T Latino or come from anywhere south of Texas or anyone whose skin tone is a little darker than a tan when you see these people and don't respect them we have a problem so we as communities we have our little local elections and we send these individuals to Washington to represent us but we find them not always representing us they represent now parties that we're not invited to they represent parties of exclusion they represent parties that want to make the rich richer and relocate the poor to poor areas gentrification is real folks and what happens is I get in the office and to ensure that I stay in the office I talk to people that like me and those that don't like me that I don't represent and then I move into their neighborhoods and I take their neighborhoods and I say we'll put up affordable housing but only 25 of them can move back in next week in 2003 a man went to work with my brother worked with my brother he worked with my brother worked pulled out his shotgun and killed several people murdered them since 2003 at that time that was the largest workplace murder in the country sad to say that numbers have increased and they say we don't need gun control then this thing also that says talk about life liberty and the pursuit of happiness until you've had a loved one murdered until you've had someone snuffed out by gun violence then you'll realize that there really needs to be some conversation there needs to be something said and debate the subject talk about it argue about it present your facts and after presenting your facts if you can show me where my brother had the right to die and not have the pursuit of happiness I'll agree with you but you know like I know that's a ball-faced lie we're dealing with situations these are real life situations and people are suffering people are hurting allow them to carry on the argument if you have a good argument then present it don't kill it don't stop it don't present it but whatever you do write your congressman call your congressman we've got two of the most powerful men in this nation that need to stand up just like you stood up with fair wages he needs to stand up and talk about doing away with his filibuster we need to be able to carry on intelligent informative conversations that are not formed in back rooms but on senate floors thank you very much for being with us today and we pray that God will continue to bless each and every one of you thank you pastor Von Cockrell we've got one other speaker tonight but before we get on to that I just want to give you a moment, give you an opportunity to do something because by now you're probably sitting there you're going wow it's a pretty compelling case so what do I do so what we have on the table is not just shirts but there's some QR codes over there and there is one particular QR code that's right in the center of that page can you hold that up as a matter of fact why don't you just go out there some of y'all grab a clipboard just go out there since folks won't come to you go to them and y'all get your smart phone out I know you got one get your smart phone out scan that center there are multiple codes on that sheet if you want to get on our list there's a code you can scan if you want to offer a donation there's a code you can scan if you want to hear more about the turning the curve on systemic racism building back a healthier Vermont there's a code you can scan we even have one on there that is about the abolished slavery which is going to be one of the events that we're going to be having really soon because we want you to know PR2 I think representative Selena Colburn remembers PR2 but PR2 is a constitutional amendment where we're ensuring that we have language in our constitution that says slavery and indentured servitude are prohibited under all circumstances why because there are two loopholes that currently exist and all you have to do is read for about 30 seconds into your constitution and you'll see that yourself so you can scan and you can get additional information about that and more so for all of you guys who have come I want to thank you but before we go I would do much to give you the opportunity to scan these QR codes, get some information what you're going to come up with is when you scan this one that's in the center of the page what you're going to find is it's going to take you to a place where all you got to do is fill in this form and when you fill the form in it'll take you over to a form letter that automatically goes to the both of the senators okay? so this is your opportunity to do something for those of you who've come here and haven't done anything yet this is your opportunity scan the code fill out the brief form it's just asking you for your name your email address and so forth fill that out on your phone hit press, Bernie and Senator Leahy will each get an email and they will know that you are serious about this further, what you can do is when you receive communication on that on your back email that'll give you the opportunity also to pass that on to each one to each one so pass it along and let other folks know about it so now, I think our last before we go to our last speaker I just want to encourage you, encourage you tonight we are going to we're going to stay after this so if you're not on our mailing list I'm going to come back and close this out right at the end but we have one final speaker and that is a gentleman by the name of Reverend Arnold Thomas, he is here with us from his Good Shepherd Church there nestled in the hills, nestled in the hills of Good Jericho, this is my brother, he is also a member of the steering committee of the racial justice alliance this brother has been on the beat for many many years here in Vermont our own my friend, Reverend Arnold Thomas so we're out to bust the filibuster let's say it aloud, bust the book and you know when we bust the filibuster we're not only busting the filibuster we're busting a nightmare a nightmare that has haunted us since and even before the inception of this nation a nightmare that continues to rob black and brown and LGBTQ and non-binary Americans of their full privilege and rights to participate in the fullness of their citizenship in this country we are not only busting the filibuster we are busting a nightmare and allowing a long awaited dream to come true so when you say that you're going to bust the filibuster be careful of what you wish for because in truth in reality we need to realize that the civil war never really came to an end the civil war continues when we look at the states in this nation that are enacting voter suppression laws you will realize that those states number far more than the states that seceded from the union in the civil war the civil war has not ended on a new face it has moved from civil war to Jim Crow and the Jim Crow continues to this day when the Declaration of Independence said that all men are created equal we know what they were really talking about they weren't even talking about all white men they certainly weren't even talking about all white women they were talking about a few privileged white males with property and many who hold the purse strings of many of the conservative right-wing pro-Trump followers want to hold on to that privilege and deny a growing majority of people of color from assuming the privilege that they want to protect so when we say bust the filibuster we are putting forth a scenario a scenario that could promote and aggravate not only insurrection but even possibly another civil war let me put it plainly and as I say this I want you to know that I'm hoping and praying that this does not come true we should continue to hope and pray that this scenario does not realize itself but we need to also prepare ourselves for the real possibility that it will one of the main reasons you have this resistance to busting the filibuster is that if the filibuster were destroyed and if the federal government enacted a four of the people law that allowed more equitable fair voting rights for all then you would place a situation, a scenario that allowed federal law to come up against state law state law state rights versus federal rights now when Wallace George Wallace stood in front of the University of Alabama to prevent black people from integrating that university Kennedy federalized the state national guard confronted George Wallace and said get out or consider yourself a traitor and Wallace made a few comments and stepped aside the same scenario has the real possibility of presenting itself again the states that are in the process or have already enacted voter suppression laws if the four of the people act is passed will be confronting a federal law in which Biden or whoever the president is has the power to recognize the state national guard and confront the governor and the legislation of each of those states and say what side are you on are you going to be a pro-Trump supporter or are you going to be an American citizen and if you're going to be a pro-Trump supporter ladies and gentlemen people of all walks of life for monitors here today if you're going to be a pro-Trump supporter you have the makings of another civil war in which the federal and state governments are at war with each other now I'm praying now I'm praying that this does not happen because many of those states that have enacted or in the process of enacting these voter suppression laws have a growing number of populations of color that I think will prevent that from overflowing into a civil war Texas already has more people of color than whites Hawaii definitely has more people of color than whites and that trend is flowing throughout the South and will gradually work itself north so that by the time 2045 comes around we will be a predominantly people of color nation now a small minority of people in power do not want that to happen and they are pulling out all their guns all their strongest ammunition to prevent that from happening but the inevitability is going to happen the inevitability is that this nation will truly evolve into a nation where all people will have the right to exercise their citizenship as Americans and we need to be prepared to stand up and to travel that road regardless of the resistance that we will face I represent and Reverend Cockwell represents faith communities that talk about bringing the realm of God into the real world and that realm of God does not favor any one faith tradition it doesn't favor any partisan or sect it is a realm of God in which all people must participate and all people must take an active role in making that dream a reality but in making our dream a reality we have to bust the filibuster we have to bust this nightmare that we have lived with since the inception and before the inception of this nation and by busting that filibuster our dream will finally come true thank you you Reverend Arnold Thomas yes, we love you that is a brother we are coming to a close we made a commitment we said we were going to start at 4 we're going to end at 5.30 we're closing down on 5.30 right now I do want to just offer some thank yous to a few folks of course I want to offer thanks for everyone who came and was able to speak please reach back out to me so we can circle back around with you and make sure that we recognize you in other ways special shout out to Rajni Eddins great friend and just wonderful poet please give it up for Rajni one more time please pastor I love you I'm glad you're here I'm always glad to have you near me you can't go wrong when the man of God is near you so I just want to give a special shout out also to Ryan thank you so much, where are you hugging Tanya over there oh yeah I got some music for you too where is Selena Selena still here stay around to the end God bless you and just yeah Roy B. Hill Roy B. Hill Roy B. Hill I love you my brother who did I miss and me of course me I'm here and so I just I want to encourage you all though because this is not hopeless I think when I woke up on vacation a few days ago and I said we should just do this it was because it was out of hopelessness out of frustration just out of confusion and honestly fear that I decided that we would that we would do something like this in fact I think I could say the same story about justice for all when we started that organization in 2014 in the wake of Michael Brown so sometimes what we have to do saints is that it's important that what we do is yeah we process that which we're seeing that we're experiencing we take it in we recognize the fact that we're dealing with fear we're dealing with uncertainty we're dealing with just what feels like hopelessness but one thing I can I can guarantee you your failure in is if you do nothing the only exception is it could be if it's regarding systemic racism in your life because you will benefit however the thing is when we're talking about something like this this is something that we can do it makes sense to these senators it makes sense that we turn to them because they are in position watch this we put them in position we put them in position to handle this matter we elected Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy and it is okay for us to tell them to do their job and it is not unreasonable it is not unreasonable for us to expect that in a dire situation like this when we see that voting rights are being thrown out the window across the nation jeopardized the democracy of this nation and placing in peril every single one of us it is a reasonable expectation that we ask them to speak out publicly on this matter that they hold one another accountable and that they hold their colleagues accountable on this matter that they're yes I do agree there should be a debate this is the matter upon which a debate should be occurring bust the filibuster so what you can do as you go home whether you scan that code or not you can pick the phone up you can talk to your neighbors you can tell them to pick the phone up you can call your representative both of them are in all three of them are in the state right now you can reach out to them you can ask them why they're not doing this you can reach out to other elected officials and ask them to put pressure on them as well because collectively we win this right here is honestly this is the secret the secret is that there's only one one percent there's only one one percent and this particular racist rule that's being used is being used to take our voices from us so that our will so that the policies that we want most like clean water policies that we want most like decent immigration like reasonable gun control laws those kinds of policies so if they take our voices from us nationally if they take our voices from us then those policies they don't have to consider they don't have to take they don't have to take into account what the majority actually wants that's what they're trying to do have a nice day sir so here's the deal here's the deal it's up to you the power is in your hands still just like it was from the beginning this is a country of the people for the people and by the people the power is in your hands so again I want to thank you all for coming out tonight special shout out to the right to democracy give it up I think black perspectives here I'm not sure if they are here just give them a shout out anyway give them a shout out give it up for my team over here at racial justice alliance they figured out how to get that 10 up it was crazy it was ridiculous and yeah I just want to wish you all a good evening thank you all for coming out that is it I think that's a wrap make sure you stop by get some additional information on some of the things that they're doing they got a bunch of stuff that's going on I want to really lift those folks up and also want to lift the folks up at the alliance stay tuned we got a lot of stuff coming at you okay good night y'all