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>>> PRODUCTION UNDERWRITING FOR RUCKUS HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE GENEROUS
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRED AND LOU HARTWIG AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU. >>> GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO RUCKUS, OUR WEEKLY FOOD FOR
THOUGHT FIED OVER THE NEWS OF THE DAY AND THE TRENDS OF THE TIMES.
I'M MIKE SHANIN JOINED BY THE RUCKETTES, KANSAS CITY STAR EDITORIAL WRITER, YAEL
ABOUHALKAH; URBAN LEAGUE CEO AND PRESIDENT GWEN GRANT; MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT, MARY
O'HALLORAN; AND *** COZAD, HEAD OF THE COZAD COMPANY, A LOBBYING FIRM.
>>> THE KANSAS CITY STAR IS TELLING THE CHARTER REVIEW COMMISSION TO SLOW DOWN AND DEAL
IN FACTS, AS IT CONSIDERS POTENTIAL CHANGES FOR THE CITY'S CHARTER, A KIND OF LOCAL
CONSTITUTION, IF YOU WILL. THE STAR CALLS THE PROCESS DISORGANIZED AND THE VARIOUS
PROPOSALS TO MODIFY COUNCIL ELECTIONS A MIXED BAG AT BEST, AND THE STAR SAYS, GWEN, OUR
GWEN, IN HER PRESENTATION TO THE COMMISSION, AND I QUOTE, BELITTLED THE QUALIFICATIONS OF
TWO WHITE FEMALE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. THIS OUGHT TO BE FUN.
BUT LET'S START WITH YAEL. DO YOU EXPECT THE COMMISSION TO HAVE ANYTHING READY FOR THE
NOVEMBER BALLOT WHEN IT FINISHES ITS REVIEW? >> NO.
I MEAN, BASICALLY, THEY HAVE DONE EXACTLY WHAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE.
IT IS BEING SLOWED DOWN. THEY ARE NOW GETTING SOME GOOD INFORMATION FROM THE UMKC
COOKINGHAM PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE THAT WE MENTIONED IN THE EDITORIAL.
THEY HAVE DECIDED THAT THEY WILL HAVE PUBLIC HEARINGS, WHICH THEY'RE ALWAYS SUPPOSED TO HAVE,
BUT THE FIRST ONE IS NEXT MONDAY, THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. THEY'RE STILL LISTENING TO MAKE
MAYORS TALK TO THEM. THEY'RE NOW LOOKING AT, SHOULD WE CHANGE THE DATE OF ELECTION,
WHICH IS AT LEAST SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. THE EDITORIAL WAS WRITTEN WHEN
THE FIRST THREE OR FOUR MEETINGS -- THEY HAD TOPICS TO DISCUSS, AND THEY KIND OF WENT
ALL OVER THE BOARD IN TALKING ABOUT THEM, AND THERE WAS REALLY NO ORGANIZED FASHION, AND TO SAY
SOMETHING NICE ABOUT MY VERY FINE COM COMPATRIOT GWEN GRANT,E SITS ON THE LOCAL CONTROL POLICE
THING, AND THEY ARE HOLDING MEETINGS THAT LOOK INTO THIS VERY CLOSELY.
I THINK THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE NOW DOING. THEY'RE GETTING GOOD FEEDBACK ON
SHOULD WE REALLY CHANGE AND GETTING A STRONGER MAYOR, SHOULD WE GO TO IN-DISTRICTS.
YESTERDAY SOME OF THE TESTIMONY PRESENTED WAS, HEY, IF YOU GET IN DISTRICT, YOU GET HIGHER
FEEDBACK. ONE CITY WITH A LOT OF IN-DISTRICT PEOPLE GOT LOW
TURNOUT, SO THE POINT IS, EVERY CITY IS DIFFERENT, AND WE REALLY HAVE TO FIND OUT WHAT'S RIGHT.
>> QUICKLY, WHEN IS THE COMMISSION SUPPOSED TO BE FINISHED WITH ITS WORK.
>> THEY'RE GOING TO CONTINUE MEETING IN AUGUST, AND AFTER THAT, SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER,
SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE, AND IF THEY GET WITH THE COUNCIL IT, MIGHT GO ON THE BALLOT NEXT
YEAR. WHETHER THIS WOULD EFFECT THE ELECTION, I'M NOT SURE.
>> GWEN, WHICH TWO OF THE WHITE FEMALE COUNCIL MEMBERS DID YOU BELITTLE?
>> WELL, IF MAKING STATEMENTS OF FACT WOULD BE CONSIDERED BELITTLING, THEN I'M SOMEWHAT
CONFUSED BY THAT MISCHARACTERIZATION OF MY COMMENTS.
BASICALLY WHAT I DID WAS MADE REFERENCE TO THE CREDENTIALS OF THE CANDIDATES IN THE FIFTH
DISTRICT ELECTIONS AT THAT TIME, AND THOSE CANDIDATES WERE IN THE RACE OF WESLEY FIELDS AND HOLLY
HOLIDAY VERSUS BECKY NACE, AND I WAS MAKING THOSE REFERENCES IN THE CONTEXT OF WHAT WE BELIEVE
TO BE COMPELLING EVIDENCE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE IN-DISTRICT REPRESENTATION AND HOW THE
MAJORITY VOTE THWARTS THE WILL OF THE MINORITY IN THESE CASES. SO IN THE RACE OF NACE VERSUS
FIELDS AND HOLIDAY, BOTH HOLLY HOLIDAY AND WESLEY FIELDS WERE ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY, KNOWN
IN THE COMMUNITY, PREFERRED BY THE IN-DISTRICT. THEY LOST AT LARGE TO A
CANDIDATE THAT WE FELT AT THAT TIME WAS LESS QUALIFIED BASED ON THEIR CREDENTIALS.
>> I DON'T WANT TO CUT YOUR CONVERSATION SHORT, BUT I ASSUME YOU WOULD SAY YOU DID NOT
BELITTLE THE TWO WOMEN. >> OF COURSE, NOT. I MADE STATEMENTS OF FACT.
THEIR CREDENTIALS, DID NOT MATCH UP -- LET ME FINISH. SO THE KEY PIECE WAS WITH THE --
AND I THINK THE ONE THAT MAYBE -- I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE -- WHOEVER WROTE THE
EDITORIAL. I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN YAEL ABOUHALKAH WHO WROTE THE
EDITORIAL, BUT THE POINT BEING IS THIS. IN THOSE RACES, THE PEOPLE IN
DISTRICT THAT THE IN-DISTRICT ELECTORATE PREFERRED HAD CREDENTIALS SUCH AS LAW DEGREES.
THEY HAD RELATIONSHIPS IN THE COMMUNITY. THE PEOPLE THAT WERE ELECTED AT
LARGE, THEY WON AT LARGE, LOSS IN DISTRICT WITH LESS QUALIFIED PEOPLE, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT
YOU COULD RUN A -- THAT IF THE SITUATION WERE REVERSED AND MICHAEL BROOKS, WHO LOST TO
REBECCA NACE AT THAT TIME, WHO WAS A VETERAN, WHO WAS THE PASTOR OF A PROMINENT AFRICAN
AMERICAN CHURCH, IF THAT SITUATION WERE REVERSED, WOULD THE WHITE ELECTORATE HAVE CHOSEN
A LESS QUALIFIED WHITE PERSON OVER -- I MEAN, A LESS QUALIFIED BLACK PERSON OVER A MORE
QUALIFIED WHITE PERSON? I THINK NOT. >> IF YOU HAD LEFT ANY TIME, I
WOULD HAVE ASKED THEM, BUT I CAN'T, BECAUSE TIME IS GONE FOR THIS SEGMENT.
>> THERE WE GO. >>> WHAT ONCE SEEMED LIKE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE MAY SOON
BECOME MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. CONSTRUCTION HAS FINALLY BEGUN ON THE CONTROVERSIAL
MISSION-GATEWAY DEVELOPMENT, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A WAL-MART, OTHER RETAIL STORES, AND 300
APARTMENTS. A MUCH GRANDEUR PLAN WAS UNVEILED IN 2005 BUT THE
RECESSION CAUSED DEVELOPERS TO SCALE THE COST BY ABOUT HALF TO $165 MILLION.
MISSION MAYOR, LAURA MCCONWELL, WHO HAS BACKED THE PROJECT ALL ALONG, SAYS THIS WILL BE A GREAT
ECONOMIC GENERATOR FOR THE CITY AND NORTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY. DO YOU THINK HER FAITH IN THE
PROJECT IS GOING TO PAY OFF, MARY? >> GEE, I DON'T KNOW.
WAL-MART'S ARE USUALLY PRETTY SUCCESSFUL NO MATTER WHERE THEY GO.
SO WHY NOT MISSION? YOU KNOW, THIS PROJECT IS STRANGE, NOT SO MUCH STRANGE, AS
THE DEVELOPER IS FROM SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, AND HE CAME IN WITH THE AQUARIUM, WE'RE GOING TO
HAVE THIS GIANT AQUARIUM, AND A CONDO TOWER THAT'S GOING TO BE A 300 AND SOME MILLION DOLLAR
PROJECT. OF COURSE, THE ECONOMY HIT AND VARIOUS OTHER THINGS WENT WRONG,
AND THE ECONOMY TANKED. SO LAURA MCCONWELL. >> THE AQUARIUM TANKED.
>> VERY GOOD. BOY. SO WE HAVE FOR FIVE OR SIX
YEARS -- AS KEVIN -- OR COLLISON DESCRIBES IT, THIS WEED CHOKED COMMUNITY EYESORE TO DRIVE BY
EVERY DAY. I DROVE BY IT THIS MORNING. IT'S NO LONGER AN EYESORE.
THE BULLDOZERS ARE THERE AND MAKING PROGRESS. SURE, I MEAN, OF COURSE IT WILL
BE SUCCESSFUL. THIS HAS NOW BEEN PAIRED DOWN TO 300 APARTMENTS, LOTS OF TAXPAYER
DOLLARS. BY THE WAY, SOME LOVELY NEW TAXES TO SUPPORT WAL-MART.
>> YEAH, I MEAN, LET'S GET TO THE POINT OF THAT. >> I GOT THE POINT.
HERE'S THE POINT. >> WELL, YOU HAD FIVE MINUTES THERE.
>> STOP IT, YAEL. >> WELL, HURRY UP. >> WHEN YOU GO TO WAL-MART AFTER
THIS IS BUILT AND BUY A HOT DOG OR SOMETHING, IT WILL BE TAXED AT ONE HALF CENT GREATER THAN
THE CURRENT LID IN MISSION. I DON'T KNOW WHETHER --. >> BECAUSE A WAL-MART NEEDS
HELP. >> TO ANOTHER ONE OF THE STORES THERE, IT WILL BE ONE CENT.
PLUS THERE'S A TEMED US AMOUNT OF -- TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF TIFING AND CITY BONDS.
>> THIS WAL-MART, IF THE DESIGN PLAN IS FOLLOWED, IS NOT GOING TO LOOK LIKE THE TYPICAL
WAL-MART. >> FIRST OF ALL, THREE THINGS, HISTORY.
TEN YEARS AGO, MISSION DIDN'T WANT THE WAL-MART. EVERYONE HAS KIND OF FORGOTTEN
THAT NOW. THEY GOT DESPERATE AND WENT FOR WAL-MART.
THEY'RE STEALING THE WAL-MART FROM ROELAND PARK, SO THEY'RE SCREWING OVER ROELAND PARK, AND
SO NOW MISSION WILL HAVE A WAL-MART, BECAUSE WAL-MART GOT TO BUILD IN A, FINAL POINT,
TAXPAYER SUPPORTED DEVELOPMENT. WE KNOW WAL-MART DOESN'T NEED TAXPAYER SUPPORT TO GET IT DONE,
BUT THEY'RE GOING TO GET IT BECAUSE THEY COULD. THAT'S THE BAT ONLY LINE.
YOUR ACTUAL QUESTION IS, WILL IT BE A NICE SHOPPING CENTER FOR MISSION?
OBVIOUSLY IT WILL BE BETTER THAN WHAT WAS THERE BEFORE, THE LAST TEN YEARS, BUT IS IT REALLY A
BIG GAIN FOR AREA? >> NO, IT'S NOT. >> I REALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM
*** SOMETIME DURING THE PROGRAM. THERE HAS BEEN A BIG BATTLE OVER
THE WAL-MART MOVING A MILE OR SO FROM ROELAND PARK TO MISSION, BUT THAT'S THE RIGHT OF
WAL-MART, IS IT NOT? >> OH, WELL, SURE, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO DO IT.
YAEL JUST SAID IT. THEY DO IT BECAUSE THEY CAN. THE SAME REASON BILL CLINTON DID
MONICA LIEU WENT -- LEWINSKY, BECAUSE HE COULD. >> BUT THEY'RE CAPITALISTS.
>> I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT QUALIFIES AS CAPITALISM, GETTING TAX BREAKS.
>> THEY GO FOR THE BEST OPPORTUNITY. >> THEY'RE GOING -- LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE, THEY'RE GOING WHERE THEY GET THE VERY BEST DEAL THEY CAN POSSIBLY GET.
>> AND THE NICE MODERATE REPUBLICANS WHO CONTROL MISSION ARE GIVING THEM JUST TONS OF
BONDS AND TIFS, AND IT WILL BE LOVELY. >> YOU LOVE THOSE MODERATE
REPUBLICANS WHEN THEY WERE RUNNING THE KANSAS SENATE. >> IT WILL BE HIGH END
DEPARTMENTS, SO EVERYBODY CAN LIVE OVER THE STORE, IN THIS CASE THE WAL-MART WILL HAVE
UPPER CRUST RETIREES LIVING OVER THE WAL-MART. >> UPPER CRUST RETIREES HAVE
RIGHTS, TOO, MARY? >> DARN RIGHT. TAXPAYER DOLLARS SUPPORTING
THEIR RETIREMENT. >> HOW ABOUT MAYOR MCCONWELL? DOES SHE GET CREDIT FOR THIS?
>> MAYOR MCCONWELL IS A FINE LITTLE MAYOR. >> OH, LITTLE.
>> LITTLE LADY. >> LAURA MCCONWELL IS A KIND OF SUCCESSFUL MAYOR.
SHE DIDN'T GET HER DRIVEWAY TAX BECAUSE THE LITTLE BUSINESSES -- ACTUALLY, THEY MAKE MISSION A
CHARMING PLACE AND ARE GOING TO SUFFER FROM THIS DEVELOPMENT, AND I FEEL BAD ABOUT THAT.
BUT THEY THOUGHT THE DRIVEWAY TAX MAYOR MCCONWELL RIGHTLY BROUGHT UP, AND GUESS WHAT?
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPED IF THEY LEFT THE DRIVEWAY TAX, BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF NEW
ASPHALT COMING TO TOWN. >> MAYOR MCCONWELL IS A DELIGHTFUL LADY.
SHE SPEAKS TO ME WHEN SHE SEES ME IS THE SYLVESTER POWELL COMMUNITY CENTER.
>> SHE MIGHT NOT. >> I'LL APOLOGIZE. (INAUDIBLE).
>>> THERE IS A LOT OF CIVIC HOPE AND EVEN MORE TAXPAYER MONEY INVESTED IN THE FUTURE OF 18th
AND INVOO. TAXPAYER DOLLARS FUNDED THE AREA'S RESTORATION AND GAVE LIFE
TO THE *** BASEBALL LEAGUE AND AMERICAN JAZZ MUSEUMS AS WELL AS THE GEM THEATER AND BLUE ROOM.
NOW IT APPEARS TWO MORE PROJECTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE PUBLIC'S LARGESSE.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS OKAYING A HALF MILLION DOLLARS TO COMPLETE THE BUCK O'NEIL EDUCATION
CENTER, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO OPEN IN 2008 AND 140,000 TO HELP RENOVATE THE LONG CLOSED BOONE
THEATER. WE KNOW THE 18th AND VINE DISTRICT HAS NOT BEEN AS
SUCCESSFUL AS MANY THOUGHT AND HOPED IT WOULD. WILL THESE ME ADDITIONS HELP
THINGS IMPROVE DOWN THERE, GWEN? >> I THINK THEY WILL. I CERTAINLY COMMEND THE COUNCIL
ON MAKING THAT INVESTMENT. I THINK IT'S AN INVESTMENT THAT'S LONG OVERDUE.
I THINK TO GET THE 18th AND VINE HISTORIC JAZZ DISTRICT TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE, WE
CERTAINLY ARE GOING TO NEED MORE PUBLIC SUPPORT TO DO THAT, AND WE CERTAINLY POUR A LOT INTO THE
POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT, SO WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT OVER HERE
AS WELL. NOW, HOW IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN?
WHEN WE LOOK AT -- I THINK THE BUCK O'NEIL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CENTER IS MUCH FARTHER
ALONG IN ITS PROCESS THAN THE BOONE THEATER, SO I WANT TO SPEAK TO WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE.
THEIR EXPECTATION IS THAT BY 2014, THEY WILL HAVE TWO FLOORS READY TO BE OCCUPIED IN THAT
BUILDING, AND THEY'RE ALREADY GETTING A LOT OF INTEREST IN LEASING OFFICE SPACE THERE.
THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE -- THEY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD PLAN IN HOW THEY'RE GOING TO MOVE FORWARD,
AND YOU HAVE TO COMMEND ALI GATES AND BOB KINDRED FOR WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO KEEP THAT
PROGRESS GOING. >> YAEL, HAS THE DISTRICT LIVED UP TO ITS PROMISE TO THE ENTIRE
AREA DOWN THERE? >> NO. I MEAN, 1988 AND '9, WHEN I I WS
FIRST WRITING ABOUT THIS PROJECT, THERE WAS CERTAINLY HOPE THAT MORE PEOPLE WOULD GO
TO THE MUSEUMS AND MORE PEOPLE WOULD LIVE AROUND THERE, BUT IT HAS NOT BEEN AN UTTER FAILURE AT
ALL. I WANT TO QUICKLY SPEAK TO THAT. THERE ARE PEOPLE LIVING THERE.
RESTAURANTS DON'T SURVIVE VERY LONG OVER THERE, AT LEAST MOST OF THEM DON'TS, WHICH IS
UNFORTUNATE. BUT TO HER POINT, GWEN'S POINT, THERE IS A REASON TO INVEST IN
18th AND VINE. THERE IS A REASON TO INVEST IN THE POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT BY
THE PUBLIC. WE WANT TO HAVE AREAS LIKE THIS SUCCEED.
IS IT GOING TO BE A LONG-TERM GOOD THAT 18th AND VINE IS STABLE AND DOESN'T FALL INTO THE
PITS? YES. WILL YOU HAVE TO INVEST PUBLIC
DOLLARS IN THAT? YES. >> MY WHOLE THING IN WATCHING
DOLLARS OVER TIME IS, WELL, LET'S NOT INVEST TOO MUCH. MY BEEF WITH THE POWER AND LIGHT
IS, I WISH THEY WOULD HAVE TOLD US IT WOULD COST $14 MILLION A YEAR.
>> ARE THEY CONTINUING SUB ADVERTISE TO THE -- SUB DISTO THE 18th -- SUBSIDIES TO THE
18th AND VINE? >> YES. ONE OF THE THING ABOUT RETAIL,
THEY HAVEN'T FOUND THE RIGHT NIX YET, AND I THINK PART OF THAT PROCESS WITH THE RESTAURANTS IS
THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, BECAUSE THEY COULD DO WELL.
THERE ARE BUSINESS, MINE PARTICULARLY AND OTHERS LOCATED THERE WOULD WELCOME HAVING
VIABLE RETAIL OUTLETS THERE FOR OUR CLIENTS. >> ***, I KNOW YOU'RE A JAZZ
FAN, AS AM I, AND THERE IS THE GEM THEATER THERE OR THE BLUE ROOM ACTUALLY WHERE MUSIC IS
PLAYED, THE JAZZ MUSEUM. DO YOU FREQUENT THE 18th AND VINE DISTRICT?
>> DON'T FREQUENT IT. I'VE BEEN THERE. I GO THERE ONCE IN A LONG WHILE.
>> WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE MORE PEOPLE AREN'T TRAVELING DOWN THERE TO HEAR JAZZ?
>> YOU'RE STILL DEALING WITH THE IMAGE OF THE INNER CITY. THEY PICK UP THE PAPERS.
THEY READ ABOUT SHOOTINGS. SUBURBANITES ARE NOT GETTING IN THEIR CAR AFTER DARK AND GOING
DOWN TO 18th AND VINE. I DON'T SAY IT WILL NEVER HAPPENED.
I SAY IT HASN'T HAPPENED. IT'S NOT LIKE IT NEVER -- I'VE BEEN DOWN THERE TO DINNER AFTER
DARK WITH FRIENDS OF MINE, BUT IT IS NOT LIKE THE POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT, WHICH IS RIGHT
ACROSS FROM THE SPRINT CENTER, WHICH IS RIGHT DOWNTOWN. >> (INAUDIBLE).
>> IF YOU COULD EVER GET PEOPLE WHO ARE FRIGHTENED ABOUT THE DISTRICT EXPOSED TO THE
DISTRICT. >> THAT'S RIGHT. >> THEY'D SEE THAT IT'S
PERFECTLY SAFE. AT LEAST THAT'S BEEN MY EXPERIENCE.
>> ABSOLUTELY. >> THEY NEED TO HAVE TRANSPORTATION.
>> WHAT THEY NEED TO DO IS GET THE *** RATE UNDER CONTROL IN THE INNER CITY.
>> THAT'S TRUE. >> THE NEXT THING THAT WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED IS THAT THERE
NEEDS TO BE HOUSING SURROUNDING THE DISTRICT FOR MIDDLE INCOME PEOPLE.
>> THERE YOU GO. >> THEY HAVE SURROUNDED THE DISTRICT WITH LOW INCOME
HOUSING, WHICH IS -- I'M ALWAYS FOR IT, BUT NOT ALWAYS IN SUCH ABUNDANCE AND NOT HAVING
MULTILAYER RESIDENTIAL PLAN. UNTIL YOU GET YOUNG PROFESSIONALS, YOUNG PEOPLE WHO
ARE MAKING A -- WHO ARE EMPLOYED AND MAKING A PRETTY GOOD LIVING TO COME DOWN AND WANT TO LIVE
THERE, GREAT IDEA. I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THE ARTS GOING IN.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER YESTERDAY THAT WAS FABULOUS ABOUT WHAT CAN HAPPEN
WHEN THE ARTS TAKE UP RESIDENCE IN A COMMUNITY AND START GIVING BACK?
>> I WANT TO CONCLUDE BY NOTING THERE WAS A PIECE BY THE AMERICAN JAZZ MUSEUM ON KCPT'S
LOCAL SHOW A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. RANDY MASON TALKED TO CAROL, THE DIRECTOR, AND I MUST SAY IT
SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS A LOT OF ACTIVITY TAKING PLACE THERE. >> A LOT OF ACTIVITY.
>> AND A LOT OF PLANS FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. >> RIGHT.
>>> ONE LEGACY OF THE GEORGE GEE ZIMMERMAN-TRAYVON MARTIN CASE IS DEBATE ABOUT THE VIABILITY OF
THE STAND YOUR GROUND LAW. WHILE IT WAS NOT USED IN ZIMMERMAN'S DEFENSE, IT WAS
OFTEN DISCUSSED BY ANALYSTS AND COMMENTATORS WHO FOLLOWED THE CASE.
ABOUT 30 STATES, INCLUDING MISSOURI AND KANSAS, HAVE STAND YOUR GROUND LAWS.
WHILE THEY MAY VARY FROM STATE TO STATE, THE LAWS GENERALLY JUSTIFY THE USE OF DEADLY FORCE
WHEN VICTIMS REASONABLY BELIEVE THEIR LIVES TO BE IN DANGER. IN MISSOURI, THE LAW IS AN
EXTENSION OF THE CASTLE DOCTRINE, THE RIGHT OF SELF-DEFENSE IN ONE'S HOME.
CRITICS SAY STAND YOUR GROUND LAWS DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD, CAUSING DEATHS, NOT SAVING
LIVES. SO ***, ANY SERIOUS TALK ABOUT REPEALING OR MODIFYING STAND
YOUR GROUND IN MISSOURI? >> NO, NONE AT ALL, AND THERE WON'T BE, AND I CAN'T IMAGINE
PARTICULARLY WHY THERE WOULDN'T BE. BUT THE COMMON LAW DOCTRINE WAS
THAT IF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLEE, YOU HAD TO TRY TO AVAIL YOURSELF OF THAT BEFORE YOU
COULD USE DEADLY FORCE. WHAT THE STAND YOUR GROUND LAW DOES IS CHANGE THAT AND SAY, NO,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO RUN AWAY. YOU'RE JUST BACK TO THE ONE TEST, THE ONE YOU MENTIONED, IF
YOU HAVE A REASONABLE APPREHENSION THAT YOU'RE ABOUT TO BE SUBJECTED TO DEATH OR
GREAT BODILY INJURY, THEN YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO DEFEND YOURSELF. NOW, IN FACT, ONCE YOU GET INTO
COURT, IF THE PROSECUTION DEPENDED ON THE IDEA THAT YOU HAD TO RUN AWAY, THE PROSECUTION
WAS IN DEEP TROUBLE. THE TEST FOR THE JURY HAS ALWAYS REALLY BEEN THE SAME.
DO YOU HAVE A REASONABLE BELIEF THAT THIS PERSON WANTS TO PUT YOU INTO A COMA OR KILL YOU?
AND IF YOU DO, THE JURY, THERE IS NO WAY THEY'RE GOING TO CONVICT YOU IF YOU DEFEND
YOURSELF. THERE NEVER HAS BEEN. STAND YOUR GROUND IS A PRACTICE
MATTER FOR A PROSECUTING ATTORNEY. IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY REAL
DIFFERENCE. I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANY CHANCE IT WILL BE CHANGED IN
MISSOURI AND IT CERTAINLY WON'T BE UNTIL SOMEBODY COMES UP WITH STATISTICS THAT SHOW THAT, HEY,
AFTER YOU PASS STAND YOUR GROUND, THE NUMBER OF MURDERS PER HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE
JUMPED SHARPLY. >> I LOOKED AROUND JUST BEFORE THE SHOW TO SEE IF I COULD FIND
STATISTICS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER STAND YOUR GROUND LAWS ARE PASSED, AND SOME STUDIES SAY
MURDERS INCREASE, AND SOME SAY THEY DECREASE, SO LIKE MANY OF THESE THINGS, YOU FIND
CONFLICTING --. >> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF THE CASE WHERE IT
DIDN'T WORK WELL, WHERE IT DIDN'T WORK OUT TO ANYBODY'S ADVANTAGE.
THE STAND TO THE GROUND SITUATION IN FLORIDA, WHICH I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR
LEGISLATURE IS LIKE -- YES, I DO. IT'S AS BAD AS MISSOURI.
OF COURSE IT, WON'T BE REVEALED. THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OWNS BOTH THE -- BUT WHAT IT DID
FOR GUN OWNERS WAS TO RELEASE THEM FROM THE LIMITATIONS THAT THIS DOCTRINE USED TO HAVE, AND
THAT WAS, WHEN YOU'RE DEFENDING YOUR HOME OR PERHAPS YOUR AUTOMOBILE, YOU HAD A RIGHT NOT
TO FLEE, IN OTHER WORDS, BUT IN THIS CASE, A TEENAGER WHO WAS UNARMED, WAS SHOT AND KILLED AND
GOT AWAY WITH IT, THE MAN WHO DID IT GOT AWAY WITH IT BECAUSE HE SAW HIM AS A SUSPICIOUS --.
>> LIKE WE SAID IN THE INTRO, THE STAND YOUR GROUND LAW WAS NOT INVOKED IN THAT CASE.
>> BUT IT WAS INVOKED BY THE JURY. >> IT PLAYED A ROLE, WHETHER IT
WAS INVOKED OR NOT, AND I THINK THAT THE KEY THING HERE ABOUT STAND YOUR GROUND IS THAT ON A
NATIONAL LEVEL, WE NEED TO BE VERY CONCERNED, NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY, BECAUSE IF THERE ARE
TWO PEOPLE INVOLVED AND THERE'S NO WITNESS, HOW DO WE KNOW THAT SOMEONE WAS STANDING THEIR
GROUND OR DID THEY JUST FLATOUT KILL A PERSON. I THINK IT CREATES THE
OPPORTUNITY, ESPECIALLY AFTER THIS TRIAL, FOR PEOPLE TO BE -- THEY'RE LIKE, OH, I CAN JUST
CLAIM STAND YOUR GROUND. THE OTHER THING WE'RE LEARNING IS THAT THERE ARE DISPARITIES IN
HOW THIS LAW IS APPLIED WITH REGARD TO RACE. IN THOSE CASES WHERE BLACK
PEOPLE SAY, I STOOD MY GROUND, THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO BE CONVICTED THAN WHITES.
>> IS THERE STATISTIC CALL DATA TO BACK THAT UP OR IS THAT JUST OPINION?
>> DATA. >> THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE THAT JUST DEMONSTRATED MY CASE.
FIRST, THE JURY OF THAT CASE HAVING HEARD NOTHING ABOUT STAND YOUR GROUND, WHAT THEY CARED
ABOUT WAS, DID HE HAVE A FEAR OF GRAVE BODILY HARM OR DEATH, SO IT'S JUST WHAT I SAID.
THAT'S THE WAY IT ALWAYS PLAYS OUT IN COURT. THE SECOND THING IS, IF YOU'VE
GOT NO WITNESS, THEY COULD SAY, I RAN AWAY, AND HE CHASED ME, TOO.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A WITNESS, YOU JUST DON'T HAVE A WITNESS. YOU NEVER HAVE HAD A WITNESS.
STAND YOUR GROUND DOESN'T SUDDENLY GIVE YOU A WITNESS. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH
WHETHER THERE WAS A WITNESS TO THE *** OR THE SHOOTING, WHICH IT IS.
WHETHER THEY RAN AWAY OR DIDN'T RUN AWAY, STOOD THEIR GROUND, DIDN'T STAND THEIR GROUND, NO
WITNESS. >> IN THIS CASE, THEY WERE CLAIMING THAT THE VICTIM SHOULD
HAVE RUN AWAY, THAT HE MISBEHAVED BY WALKING DOWN THE STREET UNARMED ON HIS WAY HOME.
>> IT'S ALSO ALLEGED HE DID THE ATTACKING. >> YEAH, WHEN SOMEONE HAS A GUN
AND YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THEY'RE A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER.
>> NOW, IT IS TIME FOR ROASTS AND TOASTS FOR THE RUCKETTES. CELEBRATE OR EVISCERATE PEOPLE
AND EVENTS IN THE NEWS, AND WE START WITH YAEL. >> WELL, THIS IS A TOAST TO THE
KANSAS CITY WATER DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THEY'RE DEALING WITH A LOT RIGHT NOW.
THEY'RE INVESTIGATING THE DEATH OF A WORKER, AND THAT PROBE NEEDS TO BE FULL AND THOROUGH
AND TRANSPARENT. THEY'RE ALSO DEALING WITH TRYING TO PROVE THAT A
12 MILLION-DOLLAR NO-BID CONTRACT IS THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE TECHNOLOGY AND CUSTOMER
SERVICE. I PERSONALLY DON'T THINK THEY'VE TOTALLY PROVEN IT YET.
ANOTHER CHANCE IN TWO WEEKS, AND FINALLY, THEY MAY BE DEALING WITH AN AUDIT FROM THE STATE
AUDITOR. I HOPE THAT DOES OCCUR, BECAUSE IT COULD SHOW GOOD THINGS IN THE
DEPARTMENT F IT SHOWS BAD THINGS, LET'S GET THEM CORRECTED.
>>> A TOAST TO THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS. THE WEATHER IS HOT, AND THEY'RE
STILL EXCITING. THANK YOU. >>> A TOAST TO ATTORNEY GENERAL
ERIC HOLDER FOR HIS RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT PLEDGING THAT HIS DEPARTMENT WILL FULLY UTILIZE
THE REMAINING SECTIONS OF THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT TO PROTECT THE VOTING RIGHTS OF ALL AMERICAN
CITIZENS. HE STATED THAT HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES WILL USE -- ARE
DETERMINED TO USE EVERY TOOL AVAILABLE TO THEM TO STAND AGAINST DISCRIMINATION WHEREVER
IT IS FOUND. THIS IS COMMENDABLE BECAUSE, AS HE STATED, WE CANNOT ALLOW THE
SLOW UNRAVELING OF THE PROGRESS THAT SO MANY THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORY HAVE SACRIFICED SO MUCH
TO ACHIEVE. >>> AGAIN, SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SAY, BUT TAKE
YOUR TIME, MARY, BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING A LITTLE LONG. >> OH.
>> I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO DO, BUT GO AHEAD. >> WELL, I NEVER TIRE OF YOUR
NOT FUNNY INSULTS. ALREADY. HERE WE GO.
>> AREN'T THEY A LITTLE FUNNY? >> SOMETIMES, MIKE. >> A LITTLE FUNNY.
>> NOW WE'RE RUNNING SHORT ON TIME. >> HERE WE GO.
THE WORKERS RECOGNIZING COMMITTEE THAT PUT ON THREE DAYS OF EFFORT THAT WAS VERY
SUCCESSFUL, HIGHLY ORGANIZED EFFORT TO INFORM THE PEOPLE OF KANSAS CITY WHAT WAGE WORKERS,
LOW WAGE WORKERS IN THE FAST FOOD INDUSTRY AND THE RETAIL INDUSTRY ARE PUTTING UP WITH.
THEY CAN'T LIVE ON THE WAGES THEY GET, WHICH ARE MINIMUM WAGE, AND CAN'T GET FULL-TIME
WORK. GOOD WORK, JOBS WITH JUSTICE IN THE COMMUNITY, FAITH COMMUNITY,
AS WELL AS LABOR UNIONS IN THIS TOWN. WE STAND UP WITH ALL OF YOU.
>>> AND FINALLY, A MILD ROAST TO NEWS REPORTERS WHO, WHEN REFERRING TO SOMETHING AS A
TRAGEDY, FEEL COMPELLED TO ADD THE ADJECTIVE TERRIBLE, AS IN THE EARTHQUAKE WAS A TERRIBLE
TRAGEDY. TRAGEDY SYNONYMS INCLUDE APOCALYPSE, CALAMITY, CATACLYSM,
DEBACLE AND DISASTER. THERE IS REALLY NO NEED TO CALL A TRAGEDY TERRIBLE.
IT'S TERRIBLE BY DEFINITION, AND I DON'T KNOW OF ANY GOOD TRAGEDIES.
AND THAT IS RUCKUS FOR THIS WEEK. MARY, YOU LOOK QUIZZICAL.
DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO YOU? >> JUST RESPONDERRING YOUR WISDOM THERE.
>> WE'RE AWAY NEXT WEEK AND BACK ON THE 15th. NOW, ON BEHALF OF THE RUCKETTES
AND THE RUCKUS CREW, I'M MIKE SHANIN. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR WATCHING,
AND GOOD NIGHT. >>> PRODUCTION UNDERWRITING FOR RUCKUS HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN
PART BY THE GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRED AND LOU HARTWIG AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE
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