ellisconversations's podcast

In this episode, the hosts discuss Project 2025 and its potential impact in a Donald Trump administration. Heritage Foundation and Trump   https://www.heritage.org/impact/trump-administration-embraces-heritage-foundation-policy-recommendations   Biden's Judicial Appointments https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/12/04/most-of-bidens-appointed-judges-to-date-are-women-racial-or-ethnic-minorities-a-first-for-any-president/   Trump bankruptcies   https://bankruptcy-toledo.com/fact-checking-donald-trump-has-filed-bankruptcy-six-times/     The Nation on the Heirtage Foundation Project 2025   https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/will-the-heritage-foundations-project-2025-turn-trumpism-into-a-governing-agenda/   Trump Administration people at Heritage   https://www.heritage.org/impact/four-trump-cabinet-members-now-call-heritage-home   Trump on baby Tiffany's body.   https://youtu.be/nqVgmwkX7oA     Platforms   Republican 2016 platform - https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/2016-republican-party-platform    Democrat 2020 platform - https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/2020-democratic-party-platform     Related episodes Voting is a Fundamental Right: Exercise It; You'll Make It Stronger     The Hands That Rock The Cradle: Donald Trump, the Supreme Court, and the Federalist Society.    

In this episode, the hosts begin a series of discussions on the historical significance of voting, efforts to prevent some groups from voting, and why you should exercise your right to vote even if you don't like the choices.  Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.    Southern Strategy   - In American politics, the Southern strategy was a Republican Party electoral strategy to increase political support among white voters in the South by appealing to racism against African Americans.   Voter ID by State https://ballotpedia.org/Voter_identification_laws_by_state   Student ID to Vote https://www.campusvoteproject.org/student-id-as-voter-id          

In this episode, the hosts discuss the history of invoking some form of States' Rights theory to limit the efforts of the federal government to expand or protect the rights of persons within the United States     Southern Manifesto https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Manifesto   Mississippi State Sovereign Commission https://web.archive.org/web/20191205182453/http://mshistorynow.mdah.state.ms.us/index.php?id=243 https://www.scencyclopedia.org/sce/entries/nullification/#:~:text=The%20crisis%2C%20which%20began%20as,and%20secede%20from%20the%20Union.   “Calhoun's justification of nullification and secession as constitutional rights of the state also went beyond traditional states' rights doctrine as they were based on an unprecedented notion of absolute state sovereignty. Most old states' righters, including James Madison, condemned nullification as an extraconstitutional and un-republican theory as it was not mentioned in the U.S. Constitution and because it subverted the cardinal principle of republican government, majority rule.”     https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Carolina_Declaration_of_Secession#:~:text=The%20South%20Carolina%20Declaration%20of,for%20seceding%20from%20the%20United   "A geographical line has been drawn across the Union, and all the States north of that line have united in the election of a man to the high office of President of the United States, whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery."   https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/setting-the-precedent-mendez-et-al-v-westminster-school-district-of-orange-county-et-al-and-the-us-courthouse-and-post-office.htm#:~:text=Mendez%2C%20et%20al.-,v.,school%20segregation%20across%20the%20state.   “Before Brown, et al., v. Board of Education., et al., made racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, there was Mendez, et al. v. Westminster School District of Orange County, et al. This 1946 class-action lawsuit challenged the constitutionality of separate schools for Mexican American students in Southern California and eventually helped end public school segregation across the state.”   https://mississippitoday.org/2024/01/14/on-this-day-in-1963-alabama-gov-georg-wallace-said-segregation-forever/ (Jan 14, 1963) “On the same portico of the Alabama Capitol in Montgomery where Jefferson Davis was sworn in as president of the Confederacy, Alabama Gov. George Wallace delivered his inaugural address, telling the crowd, “In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny, and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!”  Asa Carter, a member of the Ku Klux Klan, wrote his speech, which made national headlines and thrust Wallace into the national spotlight.”  https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety  “I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of ‘interposition' and ‘nullification' — one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.”  Simple Justice: The History of Brown v. Board of Education and Black America's Struggle for Equality

In this episode, the hosts discuss the controversy concerning the Resignation of Harvard president Claudine Gay.Is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion undermining merit or does it address a history of Discrimination, Exclusion, and Inequality.   Claudine Gay's Resignation The Claudine Gay Debacle Was Never about Merit Claudine Gay and the Limits of Social Engineering at Harvard Biden to Appeal to Black Voters in Campaign Trip to Charleston, SC

In this episode, the hosts discuss the leading role that Virginia has played in the racial divide in America's history.  Home to the Founding Fathers and Capital of the Confederacy, the state has been the crucible of the ideals which built this country and the ideas which would tear it apart.   Washington, DC History   https://washington.org/DC-information/washington-dc-history   Virginia 1619   https://time.com/5653369/august-1619-jamestown-history/   https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2019/02/06/virginia-is-birthplace-american-slavery-segregation-it-still-cant-escape-that-legacy/ https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Virginia_political_crisis.   https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/873    https://www.brookings.edu/articles/when-white-supremacy-came-to-virginia/   https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/an-act-concerning-servants-and-slaves-1705/   https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/10-facts-founding-fathers   https://www.monticello.org/exhibits-events/livestreams-videos-and-podcasts/enslaved-on-grounds-slavery-at-the-university-of-virginia/#:~:text=From%20Thomas%20Jefferson's%20founding%20of,nation's%20most%20prestigious%20public%20universities     Florida Episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/black-history-never-equal-never-protected-first-stop/id1485019282?i=1000623777868    Indiana Episode - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/black-history-never-equal-never-protected-up-north/id1485019282?i=1000627180421 

In this episode, the hosts discuss Justice O'Connor's role as the “swing vote” as the Court addressed major fault lines in our society on issues such as abortion, affirmative action, and gender equality.   Planned Parenthood v. Casey https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/505/833/   Grutter v. Bollinger https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/539/306/

In this episode, the hosts continue examining how specific states have addressed racial equality, Black history, and White Supremacy. In this episode, they travel outside the Deep South, and focus on the state of Indiana – Klan Capital and home of Sundown Towns.   LINKS IN THIS EPISODE Links for podcast Violence in Jacksonville Florida https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/26/us/jacksonville-florida-shooting-multiple-fatalities/index.html https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/30/us/politics/jacksonville-desantis-black-community.html Ax Handle Saturday https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ax_Handle_Saturday Indiana History links https://www.wboi.org/news/2020-09-17/sundown-towns-in-indiana-how-a-legacy-of-whites-only-towns-rose-and-continues-to-affect-today https://www.wrtv.com/longform/the-ku-klux-klan-ran-indiana-once-could-it-happen-again https://www.in.gov/history/for-educators/download-issues-of-the-indiana-historian/indiana-emigrants-to-liberia/being-black-in-indiana/#:~:text=The%20culmination%20of%20this%20prejudice,that%20money%20from%20fines%20be https://www.in.gov/history/about-indiana-history-and-trivia/explore-indiana-history-by-topic/indiana-documents-leading-to-statehood/constitution-of-1851/article-13-negroes-and-mulattoes/ https://www.in.gov/history/for-educators/all-resources-for-educators/resources/underground-railroad/gwen-crenshaw/the-colonization-movement/ https://www.tribstar.com/community/state-didnt-allow-slavery-but-had-other-laws/article_3ebadde5-f5cc-5903-bd0e-985df0f87162.html Rosedale, NY Racist attacks https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/21/nyregion/racist-video-rosedale-queens.html Other Related Episodes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/colorblind-remedies-for-color-conscious-wrongs/id1485019282?i=1000619289008 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-this-time-black-history-surviving-in-the/id1485019282?i=1000599386336  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/it-wasnt-only-tulsa/id1485019282?i=1000523721230 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stolen-history/id1485019282?i=1000462863417    Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Check out Unified Ground Check out BlackHistoryChatGPT

In this episode, the hosts begin a series of episodes examining how specific states have addressed the racial equality, Black history, and White Supremacy.  First stop: Florida.   LINKS IN THIS EPISODE Smithsonian Magazine https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/one-hundred-years-ago-four-day-race-riot-engulfed-washington-dc-180972666/   Florida Academic Standards 2023 https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/20653/urlt/6-4.pdf   Ron DeSantis and the State Where History Goes to Die https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/28/opinion/desantis-slavery-florida-curriculum-history.html?smid=nytcore-android-share Removing Relics of "The Lost Cause" | On the Media | WNYC Studios https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/removing-relics-lost-cause-on-the-media Lost Cause  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Cause_of_the_Confederacy   Other Related Episodes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/colorblind-remedies-for-color-conscious-wrongs/id1485019282?i=1000619289008 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-fire-this-time-black-history-surviving-in-the/id1485019282?i=1000599386336  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/it-wasnt-only-tulsa/id1485019282?i=1000523721230 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stolen-history/id1485019282?i=1000462863417    Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Check out Unified Ground Check out BlackHistoryChatGPT

Photo Credit : Encyclyopedia Britanica   In this program, the hosts discuss the Supreme Court's decision to forbid race-conscious affirmative action  approaches to achieve diversity n higher education.  The discussion contrasts Justice Roberts' pronouncement that decisions should be color-blind with Justice Jackson's reminder that the country has been far from colorblind and the effects are not just historical but real in the present because of the intergenerational transmission of inequality.  Moreover, the “self-evident” truth that all are created equal has not been applicable to Black Americans.   Ketanji Jackson Brown's dissenting opinion   OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST   Affirmative Action - How we got to now From Loving vs Virginia to Roe vs Wade: Who gets to decide which rights get protected for Americans The Hands That Rock The Cradle: Donald Trump, the Supreme Court, and the Federalist Society. Whose Constitution is it, Anyway?: Originalism vs. The Living Constitution     RELATED LINKS Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Check out Unified Ground Check out BlackHistoryChatGPT

Image Credit: Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States In this episode, the hosts discuss the Roberts Court's failure to adhere to precedent and the effect this is having on the public's confidence in the Supreme Court.  Respect for precedents and the application of the principle of stare desisis provide constancy and comfort and avoids the appearance that the Court is swayed by political consideration.  Simple assertions that a prior decision was wrongly decided are inadequate to justify undermining the expectations of parties before the Court and the public at large.    LINKS IN THIS EPISODE Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Check out Unified Ground Check out BlackHistoryChatGPT   https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/28/us/alito-supreme-court-abortion-leak.html  https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/04/28/alito-leaker-dobbs-wsj/       OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST From Loving vs Virginia to Roe vs Wade: Who gets to decide which rights get protected for Americans The Hands That Rock The Cradle: Donald Trump, the Supreme Court, and the Federalist Society. Whose Constitution is it, Anyway?: Originalism vs. The Living Constitution    

Photo credit: Afro.com EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss Black History and the historical use of book burning, book banning, and other methods to suppress inconvenient truths. False narratives flourish when voices remain silent are have been removed from the discussion. To download the transcript, CLICK HERE A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE Denying Black people education and banning books is part of historical pattern to control access to information to control the narrative This practice of banning and burning books has been used throughout history by people in power wishing to keep power ChatGPT disagress with the governor of Florida on the educational value of AP African American History LINKS IN THIS EPISODE Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Check out Unified Ground Check out BlackHistoryChatGPT   Current effort to ban books https://afro.com/10-banned-books-that-are-crucial-to-black-culture/ These 176 Books Were Banned in Duval County, Florida - PEN America Ruby Bridges speaks out on book bans: 'Surely we are better than this' (yahoo.com) Why Book Ban Efforts Are Spreading Across the U.S. - The New York Times (nytimes.com)   https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/social-sciences-and-law/social-reformers/nat-turner https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/turners-revolt-nat-1831/ Reconquista https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/spain-announces-it-will-expel-all-jews https://bennorton.com/the-other-1492/ The Politics of education and text books https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/01/12/us/texas-vs-california-history-textbooks.html     OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST Martin Luther King - Waiting on His Dream From Loving vs Virginia to Roe vs Wade: Who gets to decide which rights get protected for Americans    

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss why Martin Luther King should not be limited by a selection of words from the “I Have a Dream” speech delivered in 1963, and how he pointed out the failings of America,  confronted those in power, and challenged them to make that dream a reality.  A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE If you look at the "I Have a Dream "speech, and you don't look at that one line, but you look at what he said about the state of Black America and how black Americans were shackled in their own country, then you get a better sense of how he was confronting America and his treatment of a large segment of the population. A great starting point to understand that when Martin Luther King Jr. says non-violent, he's confronting a system of American apartheid that is making second-class citizens. America's a violent nation. It was born of violence. It was maintained by violence in the form of a civil war, and it's held together through violence. Martin Luther King was a revolutionary and his revolution wasn't premised on having more guns. To download the transcript, CLICK HERE LINKS IN THIS EPISODE MLK NBC Interview 11 months before his assassination https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xsbt3a7K-8 Letter From Birmingham Jail https://www.africa.upenn.edu/Articles_Gen/Letter_Birmingham.html Homestead Act of 1862 https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/civil_war/Homestead_Act.htm#:~:text=To%20help%20develop%20the%20American,western%20land%20to%20individual%20settlers https://www.aaihs.org/race-reconstruction/#:~:text=Since%20the%20Homestead%20Act%20was,and%20immigrant%20%E2%80%93%20profited%20from%20it. I Have A Dream Speech Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs I Have A Dream Speech Transcript https://www.npr.org/2010/01/18/122701268/i-have-a-dream-speech-in-its-entirety Frontline Transcript February 10, 1998 https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/race/etc/script.html Washington Post Story on passage of King Day https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/articles/solemn_senate_votes_for_national_holiday.html Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Check out Unified Ground Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST Affirmative Action: How We Got To Now John Lewis Voting Rights Act Role of Protest in Fostering Change  

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the actions and inactions of Donald Trump during the January, 6 2021 attack on the Capitol and why letting it go unpunished is not a positive option.  A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE Where we stand on the Trump's actions (or lack thereof) from the January 6th, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol. Leaders with fascist tendencies have a very good grasp on media and you cannot deny that Trump's skill with the media and communicating. People in authority cannot be excused from the consequences of their actions.  To download the transcript, CLICK HERE LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK Some things from the Nixon Tapes https://www.history.com/news/nixon-secret-tapes-quotes-scandal-watergate January 6th Committee Report https://www.govinfo.gov/committee/house-january6th?path=/browsecommittee/chamber/house/committee/january6th/collection/CRPT/congress/117  Full Committee Report https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-J6-REPORT/pdf/GPO-J6-REPORT.pdf Trump's Message to Crowd https://www.c-span.org/video/?507774-1/president-trump-claims-election-stolen-tells-protesters-leave-capitol Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Check out Unified Ground Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST Affirmative Action: How We Got To Now

Photo by Anthony Garand on Unsplash EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the Supreme Court's upcoming decisions on the Constitutionality of Affirmative Action and the power of state legislatures to draw Congressional district lines without judicial review. Originalists say let's figure out what the words used in the Constitution meant at the time. Proponents of a Living Constitution say let's figure out what makes sense today. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE What it means to be an originalist vs. a texualist All about independent state legislature theory before the Supreme Court, its texualist roots, and its potential damage to our democracy Affirmative action will likely end as we know it in 2023 at the hands of the real activist judges To download the transcript, CLICK HERE LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK INDEPENDENT STATE LEGISLATURE CASE Bipartisan Policy Center “Independent State Legislature Theory Undermines Elections Principles.” https://bipartisanpolicy.org/report/independent-state-legislature-theory/ SCOTUSblog.com “Court seems unwilling to embrace broad version of “independent state legislature” theory.” https://www.scotusblog.com/2022/12/court-seems-unwilling-to-embrace-broad-version-of-independent-state-legislature-theory/ NPR “Supreme Court to hear controversial election-law case.” https://www.npr.org/2022/12/07/1140465909/supreme-court-independent-state-legislature-theory AFFIRMATIVE ACTION CASES NPR “Can race play a role in college admissions? The Supreme Court hears the arguments.” https://www.npr.org/2022/10/31/1131789230/supreme-court-affirmative-action-harvard-unc SCOTUSblog.com “In cases challenging affirmative action, court will confront wide-ranging arguments on history, diversity, and the role of race in America.” Thomas Jefferson on whether the American Constitution is binding on those who were not born at the time it was signed and agreed to (1789) https://oll.libertyfund.org/quote/thomas-jefferson-on-whether-the-american-constitution-is-binding-on-those-who-were-not-born-at-the-time-it-was-signed-and-agreed-to-1789 Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Check out Unified Ground Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST Affirmative Action: How We Got To Now  

EPISODE SUMMARY The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022: A new hope for Black communities that have been divided, deprived, and denied opportunities to accumulate wealth. In this episode, the hosts discuss various policies and practices which have adversely affected Black communities and hindered the ability to build wealth. Also in the podcast are reasons why provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 can help begin the process of repairing some of the damage by fostering a community-based approach to environmental issues. Finally, Jamil tells the audience about the new company he founded with his brother, Jelani, Unified Ground. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE Historically, wealth has systematically been removed from black communities. Often that wealth was removed in ways that left communities in less desirable land leading to climate change disproportionately affecting people of color. It's a great time to form partnerships that have the same goal of saving the planet and hopefully The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 will be a big step for focusing on that goal.  Unified Ground's goal is to enable these partnerships. Its mission is to build technology to connect existing organizations and businesses to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investments, with the goal to reduce the income and wealth gap and lift up communities of color. MORE ABOUT UNIFIED GROUND Vision Our vision is to close the income and wealth gap in vulnerable communities because a sustainable planet is not possible without an equitable society.   Climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable, low-income as well as Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities. We believe that strengthening the resource networks of these communities is an integral part of creating a sustainable planet. If communities can hold onto more resources, they will better address current climate emergencies and make sustainable choices.   Mission We are building the technology to connect existing networks of community organizations and businesses to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investments, with the goal to reduce the income and wealth gap and lift up communities of color.   Problem Demand for ESG investments, already a rapidly growing requirement for business, will increase as the markets make it a requirement for publicly traded companies. Social Impact funds have a continual need to find verifiably impactful community-based investments. Some states and municipalities across the US have aggressive goals to reduce carbon emissions. We can only achieve these goals with successful investments in vulnerable communities and communities of color. Historically, these customers have had trouble engaging successfully with communities and local vendors.   Why The Time is Now Climate Disasters are upon us - We are in the midst of another record season of fires, flood, drought, and hurricanes in the US. Climate Impact will be a business requirement - The 2022 IRA represents landmark climate legislation in the US.  The SEC will have public companies report on their environmental impact starting with 2023. In addition to 2022 IRA, many states and cities are moving forward with aggressive climate policies Business Stakeholders are putting the pressure on - Corporate boards and internal stakeholders are demanding goals and verifiable impact results.  Employees want to know their companies are not just committed to their climate and community impact goals, but making them a reality. Solution Unified Ground provides the services and technology platform to connect Environmental, Social, and Government investors with a network of community-based vendors and climate justice organizations. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will be a catalyst for Climate Technology and Environmental Justice. For more on Unified Ground check out our website To download the transcript, CLICK HERE LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Check out Unified Ground OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST Separate but Unequal The Hands That Rock The Cradle: Donald Trump, the Supreme Court, and the Federalist Society Justice Dismayed Stolen History Loving vs Virginia

Photo Credit: NYTimes.com  EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss how the Loving v. Virginia decision barred States from prohibiting marriages because of the race of the participants, and the historical problem of “letting the States decide” the reach of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Highlighting the sectional differences and views on issues such as race and gender, they point out that the results are predictable and that it is reasonable to infer intent to thwart consensus.  Beginning with the Founding Fathers, and the racial compromises in the Constitution, the podcast outlines the continuing role of race in compromises leading up to the Civil War and beyond. There are those who have suggested that the issues in  Roe v. Wade should have been left to the States and sending it back to the States would be a good idea. Given the hyper-partisanship in politics today, the hosts question the reasonableness of this belief.  Compromise is only effective when both sides literally have a compromise position. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE The conflict between the concept of originalism and equal protection. (7:49) We need to consider the real world as it exists now, when we compare the concept of originalism with the concept of a living constitution. (30:01) If you aspire to greatness, you have to look forward and not be mired in the past. Loving vs Viriginia teaches us that we can have a brighter future if we allow everyone to be treated equally, and not be dragged down by this notion that there are lesser groups in the body politic. (37:20) To download the transcript, CLICK HERE LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Loving Decision in Supreme Court Loving Decision in Virginia High Court Jefferson on Amending the Constitution and reverence to the Founders “Bleeding Kansas” at History.com 19th Amendment and State Resistance at History.com OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST John Lewis Voting Rights Act Voting Rights - Shelby to North Carolina to 2020

Photo credit: AP Images for Britannica.com EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, we're going to focus on one of the most talked about cases in Supreme Court history. On May 17 1954, in a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court held in Brown versus Board of Education, that in the field of public education, the doctrine of separate but equal had no place, and that separate educational facilities were inherently unequal. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE  In terms of what it meant to the health of the nation, Brown versus Board of Education was the most significant case in the history of the Supreme Court. Part of what's in the DNA of this country is aspirational. And what Brown did was having a goal of providing equality. It's certainly true that we have fallen short in some of the things that we profess as a nation. The difference between where we want to be and where we are, is the engine that drives change. Judge Ellis read excerpts from the Appendix to the Congressional Globe, described here from https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwcg.html  “The Globe, as it is usually called, contains the congressional debates of the 23rd through 42nd Congresses (1833-73). There are forty-six volumes in the series based on the table found in the Third Edition of Checklist of United States Public Documents 1789-1909, Volume 1B (pp. 1466-69). The Globe is the third of the four series of publications containing the debates of Congress. It was preceded by the Annals of Congress and the Register of Debates and succeeded by the Congressional Record. The first five volumes of the Globe (23rd Congress, 1st Session through 25th Congress, 1st Session, 1833-37) overlap with the Register of Debates. Initially the Globe contained a "condensed report" or abstract rather than a verbatim report of the debates and proceedings. With the 32nd Congress (1851), however, the Globe began to provide something approaching verbatim transcription. The contents of the appendix of each volume vary from Congress to Congress, but appendixes typically contain presidential messages, reports of the heads of departments and cabinet officers, texts of laws, and appropriations. Speeches not indexed or referenced on the pages reprinting the debates appear in the appendix as well.” More specifically, I read from the 33rd Congress, Second Session.[1855] The first page of the Appendix is  https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30790/m1/1/?q=thirty-third From the entry page you can jump to specific pages, and I read from page 234, Tennessee Senator https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30790/m1/248/?q=thirty-third And page 236, Indiana Senator https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30790/m1/250/?q=thirty-third To download the transcript, CLICK HERE LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Information from Legal Defense Fund Information from History.com Information from Britannica Encyclopedia Information from PBS.org Information from US Courts Information from The New Yorker, May 3, 2004 Did Brown Matter? Appendix to the Congressional Globe, described here from https://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwcg.html The first page of the Appendix is  https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30790/m1/1/?q=thirty-third Tennessee Senator https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30790/m1/248/?q=thirty-third Indiana Senator https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30790/m1/250/?q=thirty-third OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Gifted and Talented Programs, So Many Children Left Behind    

Photo above by Greg Nash, TheHill.com In this episode, the hosts discuss the unusual things said in opposition to Judge Jackson's appointment to the Supreme Court and how it fits a historical pattern of marginalizing Black women and downplaying their accomplishments to foster notions of inferiority. To download the transcript, CLICK HERE. Other episode of interest: Gifted and Talented Education, So Many Children Left Behind    

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the origins of Affirmative Action and the  conditions and attitudes which compelled governmental and private institutions to take steps to combat lack of progress in dismantling segregation in American life. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE To download the transcript, CLICK HERE LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST

In this episode, the hosts discuss the gifted and talented program, specialized schools, and charter schools in the NYC school system, and how they undermine - perhaps by design - the ability and the will to insure that every public school student receives an equal educational opportunity.

In this episode, the hosts discuss sociological and psychological factors which sustain our biases.  Topics include Confirmation Bias; tolerance of Hate Speech; support for False Equivalents; and the Dunning-Kruger, or Lake Wobegon Effect. Confirmation Bias https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias  Take an Implicit bias test https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html   ACLU debate on free speech https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/06/us/aclu-free-speech.html?smid=url-share  Jay Smooth - Floss and racial discourse https://nonprofitaf.com/2016/08/flossing-and-the-dental-hygiene-paradigm-of-race-discourse/  If you think we're one of the top podcasts you know tell your friends! If you enjoyed the show and you want to reach us just send an email to ellisconversations@gmail.com. If you want to leave a comment for us head on over to our blog at ellisconversations.tumblr.com  Top law podcast: https://blog.feedspot.com/law_podcasts/   

In this episode, the hosts discuss the new legislative “ad campaign” attacking the teaching of Critical Race Theory, which seeks to honestly analyze the impact of law, race, and history on American institutions. These new legal initiatives seek to outlaw curricula which make students feel uncomfortable. This may raise questions whether schools can even teach about the newest federal holiday, Juneteenth.   1619 Project https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/1619-america-slavery.html  Slate article on laws https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/06/florida-critical-race-theory-ban-what-it-tells-us-about-anti-anti-racism.html  Text of Oklahoma law http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf_pdf/2021-22%20ENR/hB/HB1775%20ENR.PDF  NYT article on support for BLM https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/22/opinion/blm-movement-protests-support.html   Code Switch on Support for BLM https://www.npr.org/2021/06/08/1004467239/the-racial-reckoning-that-wasnt     

Repost of our episode on Stolen History America has historically had a short attention span when it comes to racial inequality.  There has been a tendency to get riled up over episodes of intolerable racism, but (1) allowing the righteous indignation to fade over time, and (2) ignoring the common, everyday denials of human dignity and equality.  Jim Crow and white supremacy have a large, extended family. Sometimes they have come on horses in the dark of night. Sometimes they have worn suits and sat in large government or corporate buildings.  Too often, “outrageous” racial incidents begin to shape the narrative and define the limits of tolerance, allowing other forms of racism to recede from the discussion. So, yes, let's remember Tulsa, but it wasn't just Tulsa   In this episode, the hosts explore how historical incidents of violence against Black communities, (such as the Tulsa and Rosewood massacres) are lost, minimized, or sanitized when the narrative is controlled by persons who place less value on the lives of people in those communities. For more information on some of the massacres in podcast here are some resources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_racial_violence_in_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosewood_massacre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocoee_massacre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_race_riot https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colfax_massacre  

In this episode, the hosts discuss the nation's history of medical experimentation, false beliefs about racial differences, and racial disparities in health care which have negatively impacted Black communities and led to significant gaps in life outcomes. Incorporating algorithms into the equation would insure that past inequalities persist into our future. Harriet Washington video interview about Medical Apartheid on Olbios https://olbios.org/medical-apartheid/  2003 NYT Article re Sims https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/28/health/scholars-argue-over-legacy-of-surgeon-who-was-lionized-then-vilified.html    Sims Statue being removed from Central Park https://time.com/5243443/nyc-statue-marion-sims/  2017 WAPO Article re birth control pill https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/05/09/guinea-pigs-or-pioneers-how-puerto-rican-women-were-used-to-test-the-birth-control-pill/    2019 History.com article on birth control pill https://www.history.com/news/birth-control-pill-history-puerto-rico-enovid  2016 TIME article about Margaret Sanger, race, and eugenics https://time.com/4081760/margaret-sanger-history-eugenics/ 2016 paper on racial bias in pain assessment https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/113/16/4296.full.pdf  Letter from NY Department of Health to UHGI re Optum Algorithm https://dfs.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2019/10/20191025160637.pdf  NY Times Opinion on Maragret Sanger https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/17/opinion/planned-parenthood-margaret-sanger.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage  NFL's Concussion Settlement Will Look at Racial Bias in Payouts - The New York Times (nytimes.com) https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/09/sports/football/nfl-concussions-settlement-race.html  Doctors and Stereo types https://www.thecut.com/2017/11/too-many-doctors-still-believe-dangerous-racial-stereotypes.html 

In this episode, the hosts continue their discussion on the pitfalls at the intersection of technology and justice, including the use of facial recognition software which doesn't recognize Black faces and the story of a teacher lauded by human observers but targeted for termination by a still undisclosed algorithm. Algorithmic Justice League https://www.ajl.org/  Coded Bias (Available for free until 4/21) - https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/videos/coded-bias-full-film/  Amazon identifies lawmakers as criminals - https://www.aclu.org/blog/privacy-technology/surveillance-technologies/amazons-face-recognition-falsely-matched-28  Facial recognition accuracy by race, sex, and age https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/01/25/amazon-facial-identification-software-used-by-police-falls-short-tests-accuracy-bias-new-research-finds/  https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/12/19/federal-study-confirms-racial-bias-many-facial-recognition-systems-casts-doubt-their-expanding-use/  Clearview AI - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/18/technology/clearview-privacy-facial-recognition.html  Virginia bill on Facial recognition - https://trackbill.com/bill/virginia-house-bill-2031-facial-recognition-technology-authorization-of-use-by-local-law-enforcement-agencies-etc/2024427/  https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/virginia-lawmakers-ban-police-facial-recognition-76753765  Amazon Algo eliminate all women from job search https://slate.com/business/2018/10/amazon-artificial-intelligence-hiring-discrimination-women.html  Houston school district case https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/houston-district-settles-lawsuit-with-teachers-union-over-value-added-scores/2017/10 

In this episode, the hosts begin the discussion on the increasing use of mathematical algorithms to crunch Big Data to predict future outcomes. This data, however, includes societal biases and embed our flawed past into our future lives. Today: Criminal Justice and the self-fulfilling prophecy of who is a risk to society. Pro Publica Article on Risk Assessment of arrestees https://www.propublica.org/article/machine-bias-risk-assessments-in-criminal-sentencing  Interview of Jack Maple I Government Technology about COMSTAT https://www.govtech.com/magazines/gt/Jack-Maple-Betting-on-Intelligence.html Times article about Newark's problem with racial profiling https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/27/us/politics/cory-booker-2020-criminal-justice.html  Justice Tech Download (Great Newsletter) https://www.justicetech.download/  Coded Bias https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/videos/coded-bias-full-film/  Weapons of math destruction by Cathy O'Neil

In this episode, the hosts discuss the HR 1: For the People Act of 2021 and its provisions to make voting safe , simple, and secure for all citizens. At the same time, efforts in more than forty states to place even more roadblocks on exercising the franchise highlight the need for Congressional action.   https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1/

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss philosophies about the interplay of loyalty to “constituents” and  the role of conscience for elected officials. In the context of impeachment, they ask whether senators appropriately followed their oaths both as senators and as impeachment jurors to support and defend the Constitution – and the Nation. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE To download the transcript, CLICK HERE LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Brandenburd v. Ohio History of Senatorial Oath Oath of federal employees Duty imposed by impeachment oath https://takecareblog.com/blog/impeachment-trials-and-the-senator-s-oath-of-impartial-justice OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST    

In this episode, the hosts discuss the stark contrast between the preparation for the Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020 and that for the Insurrection on January 6, 2021. This difference has its historical roots in unfounded racial fears about Black anger and demands for equal justice. Challenges to the presumed social order are cause for alarm and justification for forceful response. Protest Law Tracker https://www.icnl.org/usprotestlawtracker/ FBI Covert Action to Destroy Black Panther Party https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=479831 Southern Congress members object to object to prospect of civil rights act in 1960 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-CRECB-1960-pt10/pdf/GPO-CRECB-1960-pt10-2.pdf Proud Boys and Black Lives Matter activists clashed in a Florida suburb. Only one side was charged. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/florida-protest-bill-unequal-treatment/2021/02/01/415d1b02-6240-11eb-9061-07abcc1f9229_story.html

A short discussion on debate around upcoming COVID release bill https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/economy/news/2019/06/20/471209/1-9-trillion/ https://ellisconversations.tumblr.com/post/629606248894038016/the-tyranny-of-compromise Be sure to check out the previouse full episode on the Tyranny of Compromise where the hosts discuss how parties misuse power to pervert the mechanism of compromise. Rather than reaching a result that is in the best interests of the persons affected, one side chooses to capitulate to unreasonable or immoral demands. The true tragedy of Congress is not simply that it often fails to act but that, when it does, principles are sacrificed on the altar of political expediency.

Retired Federal Magistrate Judge the Honorable Ronald Ellis on President Biden's executive orders this week. Tune into Ellis Conversations to hear more conversation on the intersection of law, history, and race. Next episode we tackle the capital riots and their historical context with other flash points in history. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsCJcCSzu0I https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/biden-to-sign-executive-actions-on-equity/2021/01/26/3ffbcff6-5f8e-11eb-9430-e7c77b5b0297_story.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/26/business/biden-private-prisons-justice-department.html

Photo Credit: Getty Images There is no Negro problem. There is no Southern problem. There is no Northern problem. There is only an American problem. And we're here tonight, as Americans, not as Democrats or Republicans were met here as Americans to solve that problem. -Lyndon B. Johnson EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the imperative to move quickly on the proposed John Lewis Voting Rights Act. Those dedicated to limiting the number of eligible voters and devising obstacles to voting have historically found effective ways to press their agenda whenever legal restraints are not in place. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE We need to push our representatives to pass voting rights legislation at the national level.  At a local level, we must vote for candidates that push to protect and expand voting rights. (0:21) The significant changes to voting rights in 2011. (20:45) Weighing the pros and cons of voter IDs and the last minute changes that happen in elections (26:36) Report by Leadership Conference Education Fund on Polling place closures. Report of Committee on House Administration, Subcommittee on Elections, about justification and scope of 2019 bill passed by House. “Hours after Shelby County, Texas revived a previously blocked voter ID law. Within days, Alabama announced it would move to enforce a photo ID law it had previously refused to submit to the Department of Justice for preclearance.” https://cha.house.gov/sites/democrats.cha.house.gov/files/documents/Voting%20Rights%20and%20Election%20Administration%20in%20America_ONLINE_11-18-2019.pdf Lyndon address to joint session of Congress re 1965 VRA following “Bloody Sunday.” Includes video of address plus text. One of Johnson's finest moments. “So it was at Lexington and Concord. So it was a century ago at Appomattox. So it was last week in Selma, Alabama.” NY Times article re extension of VRA July 2006. “Despite the progress these states have made in upholding the right to vote, it is clear the problems still exist,” said Senator Barack Obama, Democrat of Illinois. “South Carolinians, you have come a long way,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, a Republican from that state, which is among those covered by the law. “But we, just like every other part of this country, still have a long way to go.” To download the transcript, CLICK HERE LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST The Voting Rights Act Voting Rights Before the VRA

In this episode, the hosts discuss the divergent realities that challenge the Biden administration. Alternate “facts” and false equivalents create a toxic atmosphere of “us versus them” which imperils any attempt to find common ground. The process of change requires an embrace of a more selfless approach and a rejection of transactional analyses which focus on personal gain. https://apnews.com/article/62652c2d9fd24145b5a1ff82b1c26036  https://www.npr.org/2020/11/18/935734198/trump-hasnt-conceded-georgia-neither-did-stacey-abrams-what-changed   

After completing one year of discussions about history, societal realities, and legal frameworks, the hosts reflect on next steps. Pack the Court?  End the filibuster? If you get the power to establish reforms without the need for the other side, is there reason to be cautious when the changes are beneficial to the whole? Majority rule sounds a lot better when you're not in the minority.   https://www.npr.org/podcasts/512646501/innovation-hub - Can you reinvent the Supreme Court https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2018/06/04/senate-obstructionism-handed-judicial-vacancies-to-trump/ https://www.npr.org/2020/07/30/897345000/obama-suggests-eliminating-the-senates-filibuster

EPISODE SUMMARY In 2016, Donald Trump promised to cede his Constitutional duty to appoint Supreme Court justices to the Federalist Society.  In this episode, the hosts discuss the influence and motivation of this organization, whose origin and rise is explored in the 2019 PBS Frontline episode “Supreme Revenge.” A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE Knowing the background of The Federalist Society and how that plays into this landscape. References to several cases, such as Brown vs. Board of Education, Bolling vs. Sharpe, and Lucy vs. Adams The unequal balance of state and federal levels. Transcript coming soon. LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/supreme-revenge/  https://www.npr.org/2018/06/28/624416666/what-is-the-federalist-society-and-how-does-it-affect-supreme-court- https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/magazine/wp/2019/01/02/feature/conquerors-of-the-courts/  OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST Brown vs. Board of Education  

“I like to think most of my dissents will be the law someday,” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg told a lecture audience in 2015. In this episode, the hosts discuss the important role of reasoned dissents at the Supreme Court. Justice Ginsburg continued and refined a tradition championed by Justices Thurgood Marshall and John Marshall Harlan of pointing out the failure of majority opinions to accurately reflect the real-world truths underlying the cases before them. These dissenters understood that the Constitution, like society, continues to evolve, and that putting the truth out there, can foster this progress.

Photo Credit: Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division, public domain EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss how parties misuse power to pervert the mechanism of compromise. Rather than reaching a result that is in the best interests of the persons affected, one side chooses to capitulate to unreasonable or immoral demands. The true tragedy of Congress is not simply that it often fails to act but that, when it does, principles are sacrificed on the altar of political expediency. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE Some great compromises throughout history starting with the constitution Slavery, bondage and the 1877 Compromise The debate on COVID relief and bargaining other people's money To download the transcript, CLICK HERE LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn Colfax Massacre 1876 Campaign  Hamburg Massacre  Compromise of 1877.  OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST Climate Justice (TBD) The Role of Government's Representatives

In this episode, the hosts discuss how Black women face dual challenges at the intersection of race and gender bias in our society, particularly when they seek positions of power and influence. In politics, the opponent often foregoes the complexity of actual issues in favor of the simplicity of caricatures, buzz-words, or one-dimensional labels.   Different language used for men and women https://hbr.org/2018/05/the-different-words-we-use-to-describe-male-and-female-leaders   Women in the modern Civil Rights Movement https://nmaahc.si.edu/sites/default/files/images/black_women_civil_rights_movement_5.pdf   Michelle Obama labeled angry Black woman https://time.com/4606458/michelle-obama-angry-black-woman-label-oprah/   Ida B. Wells Biography https://www.biography.com/activist/ida-b-wells   Overcoming the angry Black woman stereotype https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2019/05/31/overcoming-the-angry-black-woman-stereotype/#586d83541fce   This short segment talks about the 19th Amendment being a white project. Black women were disadvantaged even as the country was celebrating a victory for democracy.  https://www.npr.org/2020/08/26/904730251/yes-women-could-vote-after-the-19th-amendment-but-not-all-women-or-men   Barbara Jordan Nixon Impeachment speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrqVBclJVco   Shirley Chisholm Biographies: https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/shirley-chisholm https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/unbought-and-unbossed-when-black-woman-ran-for-the-white-house-180958699/   Kamala Harris' voting record https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/kamala_harris/412678

Photo by AP Photo EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss ideas attributed to Clarence Thomas in a recent book. The topics run the gamut from the efficacy of affirmative action and voting rights to the possibility of capitalism and the Second Amendment being the keys to Black liberation and empowerment. Does Thomas have an unrecognized Black nationalist plan to overcome white supremacy?  A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE If we had let the free market work, wealth would've been easier for Blacks to create. You can't cherry pick examples of success with Black athletes, for example, and apply it to the whole to say that the "system" is working. Looking back at historic systemic racism Transcript coming soon LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/supreme-court-justice-most-say OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST TBD

In this episode, the hosts explore the dynamics of narrative control, how forces within our system use power and influence to redirect discussions about social issues. We wind up talking more about how we protest than why we're protesting. This process limits our ability to effect change and allows injustice and intolerance to persist in the chaos created. Letter from Birmingham Jail - https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/letter-birmingham-jail Harper's Open Letter - https://harpers.org/a-letter-on-justice-and-open-debate/ Reaction to Harper's Letter https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/10/arts/open-letter-debate.html https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2020/07/harpers-letter-free-speech/614080/  

La MaMa presents La MaMa LiveTalks, conversations with artists, activists and thought leaders from around the country and around the world who join in discussions about art and life in times of crisis.  The hosts of Ellis Conversations, Jamil Ellis and his father, retired Federal Magistrate Judge Ronald Ellis, discuss their podcast on the historical role of law in shaping the societal structures which act as barriers to attaining the American dream.  They discuss why “legal” is not a synonym for “moral” and why law, a prime actor in creating the problems, can and should be a part of the solution.    They are joined by CEO and founder of VoteAmerica, Debra Cleaver, as they discuss their recent episode on efforts to remove barriers to voting in America, ranging from the recent Wisconsin primary to the district court decision in the Florida felon enfranchisement case to the importance of vote by mail programs for the 2020 Elections. Join them for a lively discussion as they discuss their latest episode on voting as well as some highlights from the series which has been increasingly relevant as the country grapples with race relations in 2020.   

In this episode, the hosts discuss the role of protest in fostering change and the limits of using courts to address systemic problems. They also explore how the success of protests often depend on the ability to rally popular support for the cause while avoiding attempts to redirect the narrative. Letter from Birmingham Jail https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/letter-birmingham-jail Clergy letter to King https://swap.stanford.edu/20141218230016/http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/kingweb/popular_requests/frequentdocs/clergy.pdf

In this episode, the hosts are joined by Debra Cleaver, Founder and CEO of VoteAmerica. The conversation includes a discussion of efforts to remove barriers to voting in America, ranging from the recent Wisconsin primary to the district court decision in the Florida felon enfranchisement case to the importance of vote by mail programs for the 2020 Elections.

In this episode, the hosts discuss the efforts in Florida to restore the right to vote for more than one million former felons even after the citizens there voted to amend the state's constitution to achieve that result. They also explore other collateral effects of having a felony record, including the inability to serve on juries or in the military, get licensed for certain jobs, or receive government assistance; restrictions on housing and adoption; and prohibition of owning a firearm.  Even if you are a permanent resident, you may be deported. These burdens often last a lifetime and disproportionately affect poor and minority individuals caught in the system.   https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/criminal-disenfranchisement-laws-across-united-states   https://nysba.org/app/uploads/2020/02/BaerCollateralConsequences-WEB.pdf   https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/florida-public-schools-fail-to-teach-black-history-and-the-horrors-of-slavery-11297743   https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/buzz/2018/12/13/ron-desantis-says-amendment-4-should-be-delayed-until-he-signs-bill-from-lawmakers/   https://www.wlrn.org/post/felons-might-have-pay-hundreds-millions-being-able-vote-florida#stream/0   https://www.themarshallproject.org/2018/08/20/jim-crow-s-lasting-legacy-at-the-ballot-box

In this episode, the hosts discuss the perils of exercising the right to trial. Public defenders don't exist everywhere, and where they do, they are overworked and underfunded. Prosecutors fail to disclose evidence helpful to defendants and use peremptory challenges to affect jury composition. Jury verdicts are rarely overturned. Ninety-five percent of the 11-14 million persons arrested each year in the U.S. plead guilty, and this may be the rational choice. Some Related Links: https://www.drugwarfacts.org/node/235#overlay=table/total_arrests - Stats on arrests across the country. https://wtkr.com/2018/12/22/one-innocent-man-gets-six-years-for-murder-the-other-life/ https://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/harmless_error_new_study_claims_prosecutorial_misconduct_rampant https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/04/supreme-court-ramos-v-louisiana-juries-opinion.html - We recorded this podcast before the Supreme court made a decision effecting Split jury verdicts in Louisiana and Oregon

In this episode, the hosts discuss the country's legacy of racial terror as embodied in lynchings of Blacks by white supremacist groups such as the KKK; how these efforts were designed to maintain racial apartheid by force and intimidation; and how they are related to the use of the criminal justice system and capital punishment statutes in efforts to legally lynch the Scottsboro Boys and the Groveland Boys. Equal Justice Initiative - Lynching in America - https://eji.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/lynching-in-america-3d-ed-080219.pdf Groveland Boys (PBS - Free) - https://www.pbs.org/video/the-groveland-four-uid8r2/ Scottsboro Boys ($) - https://www.amazon.com/Trials-Scottsboro-Boys/dp/B07F26V4XC/ref=sr_1_3?crid=39WLGM6EXMUQE&dchild=1&keywords=scottsboro+boys+an+american+tragedy&qid=1586636092&sprefix=scottsobo%2Caps%2C152&sr=8-3  Lafourche Country (where Judge Ellis grew up) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lafourche_Parish,_Louisiana    

In this episode, the hosts discuss the perils of a monetary bail system in a society where as many as three-fourths of families are living paycheck-to-paycheck. The lack of accumulated wealth exacerbates the racial disparities in the criminal legal system and impairs the ability of accused persons to defend themselves when charged with crimes. Recent efforts by New York and other states seek to address these issues.

In this episode, the hosts discuss why general protocols and algorithms aimed at COVID-19 have the potential to negatively impact healthcare outcomes in uninsured and under-insured communities of color. Myths about Black physical characteristics persist, even among medical students: Black skin is thicker; Blacks are more tolerant of pain; Blacks have stronger immune systems.  As medical triage becomes necessary, what false beliefs will misinform those making decisions at the policy level and on the front lines? Urban League Article - https://nul.org/news/coronavirus-crisis-highlights-racial-disparity-healthcare-and-economy 1918 Epidemic Article - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2862340/ Medical Student survey article - https://www.statnews.com/2016/04/04/medical-students-beliefs-race-pain/      

In this episode, the hosts discuss the critical role which subjective observations play during initial encounters with law enforcement.  Combined with legal rules which allow officers to “tailor” testimony, this subjectivity has had negative impacts on groups perceived as suspects, and caused tensions between police and minority communities. A violent first encounter for a young black man -https://twitter.com/TheVelvetRope__/status/1235391987332702208

In this episode, the hosts begin a series of discussions on the Criminal Justice System. This introduction looks at the historical, philosophical, and societal factors which combine to tip the scales at multiple stages. From arrest to post-conviction, poor and minority individuals find it hard to avoid being dragged in – and even harder to escape. Link to introductory story of arrest of 6 year old - https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida/2020/02/25/body-camera-video-shows-6-year-old-orlando-girl-arrested-at-school/ MLK - Letter for a Birmingham Jail -https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/letter-birmingham-jail

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, the hosts discuss the aftermath of the Supreme Court's Shelby County case (which gutted Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act) and what policies and practices pose a present and future danger to the fundamental right to vote - voter roll purges, voter ID laws, false narratives of voter fraud. A FEW KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE   To download the transcript, CLICK HERE LINKS IN THIS EPISODE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE FEEDBACK Follow Ellis Conversations on Twitter Follow Judge Ronald Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on Twitter Follow Jamil Ellis on LinkedIn OTHER EPISODES OF INTEREST The Voting Rights Act