Sherrilyn Ifill: There Is Bi-Partisan Support For Reforming Qualified Immunity

The president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Sherrilyn Ifill, joins Stephen to talk about the intent behind the phrase "defund the police," and why there is Congressional support from both sides of the aisle for making changes to qualified immunity laws. #StephenAtHome #SherrilynIfill #NAACP

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[Leelz]

Go Professor Ifill!!!! Signed, University of Maryland School of Law Alum.

[StevenBlea]

We should be able to call 911 and have them send out the right personnel, rather than having to remember a bunch of different numbers.

[calvinchann]

while police departments may say that they’re not social workers I’m sure they don’t want you to touch their budgets.

[pakababy]

Stephen, I don't like how her interview was just cut off without a smile and a thank you. Thank you Sherrilyn very much!

[damonhines]

Great conversation! Informed, rational discourse! Woohoohoooo! "Rationalize funding" maybe?

[paulabrown]

Maybe “Redistribute Police Funds”?
Best explication I’ve heard to help understand the term.

[kimberleybrown]

Another underlying problem with the police is that the military is the feeder school. The police need to have some kind of screening and retraining for the propensity to violence, or just stop hiring ex-military. We should also rotate police through desk, community, and street work, rather than specialize roles, leaving those in the streets to become increasingly fearful, burned out, and inured to violence. If we move community work out of their wheelhouse, then the police will become entirely an enforcement squad. Each individual officer should embody both the community and the enforcement roles if they are going to retain any form of good judgment.

[jenfnp]

Gwen would be so proud of you. I am glad you are helping us understand this complicated time.

[RCK]

If we elected leaders that believed all people are equal we wouldn't need to fight like this

[aweescotsdog]

The Juneteenth - with no “aka”

Juneteenth I’d never heard of before
It is a sorry tale
A celebration - true of course
But also it’s the nail

That was left in the crucified
When the others were long gone
An additional enslavement
Two and a half years long

The tardiness still lingers
It beats in the hearts of men
Who cannot see injustice
As it happens once again

In “random” stops got out of hand
Despite desperate pleas
With heavy-handed tactics
And uncontrolled “restraining” knees

So let us not forget again
The Juneteenth portmanteau
And let equality and love
Forevermore learn and grow


Note: I usually write a little “aka” subtitle in brackets - it is my motif of sorts. Hence the reason why I mention “no aka”. It’s also an indication that this is one of the very few of my pieces of “doggerel” that is not done for laughs - they are as rare as hens teeth.

I hope you have a wonderful Juneteenth.

Slàinte

... and love from Scotland

[laalaastl]

The way I see it, there are only 3 paths moving forward to get Qualified Immunity reform (QI):
1. Ask Trump to reconsider his unwillingness to sign any bill that includes QI reform (fat chance).
2. Accept Tim Scott's half-assed bill or the Democrats bill minus QI reform. Then hope either SCOTUS or a future session of Congress can rectify the omission.
3. Wait for what will hopefully be a regime change in November.

[luzmartinez]

Conversations that educate. Fantastic.

[reforestfertility]

I think we can tell this woman has a lot more to say I hope we'all get to actually hear. Thanks to Stephen for opening the floodgate -- just a nice doing of your part! Edit: Plus, i recall NAACP being talked up & about more in the 1970's, so good & timely to see them up on our radar again.

[MulrySquare]

Sherrilyn is great. So was her mother. Good seg.

[trishhunt]

An incredibly well-spoken, engaging, intelligent, knowledgeable woman. This was an excellent interview.

[daugpileproductions]

I think you should just have one number - 911. Then the 911 operator could dispatch the appropriate authority. More numbers will just add confusion on who to call. The operators already know to dispatch an ambulance if you are hurt, or the fire department if your house is on fire, etc etc. Also think if dispatching social workers that they may also want a police presence, but make the police be the back up, let the social worker take the lead and handle the paperwork. I'm really glad that this country is now having this long overdue conversation and I really want the conversation to result in positive action. Let's make the world better and safer for us all.

[Dan-ntyb]

Webster’s Dictionary...
from continuing to receive funds’.
For God’s sake people....CALL IT SOMETHING

[Augmuse]

We need to make Juneteenth a Federal Holiday starting next year. For this year perhaps an executive order would work. I think we should launch an education campaign about Juneteenth starting this minute. This is a day we should all reflect on how we approach a multiracial nation with equal rights for Everyone. Black lives matter.

[marjoriekelly]

Brilliant, clear and much needed explanation of what defunding the police means. Thank you.

[hazelgreen]

In addition to doing away with qualified immunity, the idea of licensing police should also be pursued: We are required to get drivers’ licenses to prove we won’t be a danger to others on the streets and lose them if we are - why doesn’t this philosophy also apply to those who are supposed to keep our streets safe???