Transcripts For ALJAZAM America Tonight 20141222

From a low income family. They probably think that i am dangerous. And i have to live with that. America tonight sarah hoye gets real with black parents, their kids and what they need to do to stay after other americas streets. Do you fear for them . I dont want to raise my children to operate out of fear. What i want for raise them with is with awareness. And the struggle for opportunity. Why the law keeps people like sarah from saving for her own future. I want people to know that i am just like you. America tonights Sheila Macvicar on what this very able advocate did to change that. Good evening, and welcome to america tonight, the weekend edition. I am joie chen. Their motto motivation is is to protect and serve. Police tactics have put Law Enforcement across the country under scrutiny. You saw the fallout in ferguson and on staten a land, while those incidents remain disputed, a Justice Department investigation in to the Cleveland Police Department Found shocking evidence of police abuse. Now, that report came out just a week after a cleveland officer shot and killed 12yearold tamir rice. Who held only a fake weapon in his hand. In in depth look from america tonights christof in cleveland on the charges against the cops. When we got to this corner right here and everything changed for the worse. Reporter 29yearold gregory love says he was trying to make a right turn at this intersection, when a Cleveland City Police Officer stopped him. What happened . Next thing i know i look and the cop has his gun drawn on me. I am right here. Literally right here in the intersection and hes right there at the crosswalk path. He has his gun aimed at my vehicle and walking in stride over to my vehicle. He steps back he aimed the gun, he looks and he fires, boom reporter love was unarmed. Headed home after going to a concert in the city. And i got my arms up and i look down and i am like, oh, my god, you just shot me. The whole time he has the gun still aimed at me. Hes standing there with the gunned aimed at me so. Now i am thinking oh, my god, hes going kill me. Reporter in Court Documents the officer claims love was ba ledge rant and verbally threatening. This on line video appears to show at least one of loves hands up when the officer was at the drivers side. The bullet went through right side of loves chest. Why am i being handcuffed. Reporter after he was shot he says officers handcuffed him and charged him with making an illegal turn. Whats going through your mind at that point . I you want that i was going die in this interception. Reporter doctors told him he was lucky to be alive. Loves case is just one of dozens that the u. S. Justice department cited in the harsh treatment of the police force. Accusing them of a pattern of after th excessive force, careless i firing their weapons and failure to hold officers accountable. Most notably the killing of two unarmed citizens that some have dubbed the cleveland atrocity. It started with a car chase. More than 60 police cars went on a 22minute chase. In the end, police fired 137 shots in the the to the car. The to unarmed people inside died of multiple gunshots wounds, one of the pastors was Timothy Russell a dee can at his familys church. He was one move five brother, we were really close. Reporter i met with his sister michelle at the family church. When i fouled out that it was him, i was shocked. Everything that was being announced about the person that was fleeing from the police and was and ramming the police car was totally out of character for him. Reporter police say they believed that russell or his passenger Michelle Williams shot at police before leading them on the chase. It turned out they mistook the car begun firing for a gunshot. It seemed like the whole Police Department was chasing them. Car after car after car after car following this one couple. It was it was just crazy. Reporter you and your family have been pushing for justice for a while now . Yeah. Reporter al and with the redee release of the department of justice report. Do you feel Living Justice has been served at all . I feel like its a step in the right direction, they came back with a lot of findings. There are a lot of things that need to be cleaned up in the city of cleveland and the Police Department. Reporter the case shook this city with many calling the incident racially motivated. Michelle and her family launched a wrongful death suit and were rewarded 1. 5 million. He was a human being. He was a person. I dont think anybody deserves to be killed to be treated like that. They did not give them an opportunity to go through the legal system. I mean, whatever it was that they did, flying from the police, it did not warrant a death sentence. Reporter only one of the 13 officers who shot at williams and russell was criminally charged. He has yet to go to trial. Its a system that is set up to fail and not hold people accountable. Reporter a civil rights lawyer, who has filed many lawsuits against the police. Its been apparent to anybody who has interacted with the city over issues regarding police conduct, that there is a significant accountability problem. Reporter he worked as the citys legal director when, a decade ago the d. O. J. Civil rights decision found excessive force. The result then was a nonbinding agreement with the citys Police Department that lasted only a year. In my experience, the Cleveland Division of police has won of the most insular cultures that is hostile and resistent to change that would improve Police Community relations. Reporter not much has changed. In its report, the d. O. J. Stated that its clear, the reforms that were initiated in response to our 2004 memorandum agreement were not fully implemented. This time the agency examined 600 cases of use of force over the last three years. And found that justice six officers were suspended. Two years after the incident, the Russell Family is still grieving. But they hope the d. O. J. Report will send a signal that officers cant act with impunity. Cleveland mayor acknowledged some problems but said they are not deep rooted. We believe that we have a problem in the division of police. We dont think its a systemic failure, but we do believe that we have a problem. But at the same time, i dont want a policeman not to be able to go home because he was killed on the street because he didnt do something that he should have done. Reporter we wanted to sit down with the mayor, we emailed. We called, but nobody, not the mayor, not the police chief. And not the police union would talk to us. I did sit down with city counselor matt zone the chair of the Safety Committee which oversees the citys police force. This is a scathing report that came out. And in it, among other things, a pattern of practice and practice of unreasonable force. How do you react when you hear that . Many of their findings, i think, are justified. Reporter how does it even come this . How does the department get to the state where the d. O. J. Has to release a report like this . Thats such a broad question, and i can go in a million direction with his that. You need, i think, somebody who realizes and understands what best policing practices are. And make recommendations. Thats how any agency, whether you are in the private sector or Public Sector works best. Reporter but, like the mayor, zone says the problem is not widespread. I could say everything the d. O. J. Said is fine and our police were all bad. The mayor didnt do that. And hes not, nor this council, is ready to throw the police under the bus. The vast majority of our Police Officers are very good and they do great job. Reporter cleveland isnt the only city to come under scrutiny. The federal government has investigated at least 20 other local Police Departments that may have been accused of civil rights violations. In the wake of the report. Cleveland has to reach a consents decree with the federal government which calls for an independent monitor and series of reforms. The councilmember says his city is already implementing reforms. They want our Police Department to be more transparent and modernize our technology, the council saw it, reenactereenacted and approved legislation to arm all of our frontline Police Officers, a thousand of 1500 Police Officers will all have body cameras. Reporter zone said the police need to work on the relationship with the citys africanamerican residents. When i see a Police Officer, i feel good, i wave, i am like thats great. So there is a segment of our society that has mistrust. And its mainly people of color. Our black and brown population. And thats unfortunate. Reporter the d. O. J. Report describes an us against them mentality within the police force. Advocates doubt its been addressed problem earley. I think the problems within the police force exist because of a fundamental cultural problem within the department. A paramilitary culture in which everybody is watching everybody elses back. There has been too much go along and get along. And what they did was they created a system of accountability that is such a system only in appearance. These guys are shooting first and asking questions later. Reporter the officer that shot agreeingly love. Officer vincent montague, a sixyear vet reign was given a oneday suspension. Love was ultimate nined 100 for making an illegal turn. He says the entire incidents has left him with painful meant and physical scars. Sometimes they strike in pain, ill just take this. I will always have to live with the scars will always reminds me of that night. But i will go okay, though, im a survivor. I have to survive. I got children. You know, boys, you know, i got another child on the way. So i have to survive. You know. Do your thing. Reporter despite his experience, love says he will teach his boys to grow up respecting police. You outta move. Reporter but he hopes the d. O. J. Report will bring about a ceasefire between the police and the community. Christof putzel, al jazerra, cleveland. Well continue our look at crime, justice, and race after the break. With the tough words in the talk. If you speak to any or more black men, or black young men, they will usually have a story or two. Are you with that . Not okay with that. America tonight tonights sarah hoye with the frank truth for young black men and their parents having to deliver the message. A crisis on the border. Theryre vulnarable. These are refugees. Migrent kids flooding into the u. S. Were gonna go and see josue whos just been deported. Why are so many children fleeing . Your children will be a part of my group or killed. Fault lines, Al Jazeera Americas hard hitting. Today they will be arrested. Ground breaking. Theyre firing canisters of gas at us. Emmy Award Winning investigative series. Fault lines no refuge children at the border only on Al Jazeera America protestors are gathering. Theres an air of tension right now. The crowd chanting for democracy. This is another significant development. We have an exclusive story tonight, and we go live. Start with one issue education. Gun control. The gap between rich and poor. Job creation. Climate change. Tax policy. The economy. Iran. Healthcare. Ad guests on all sides of the debate. This is a right we should all have. Its just the way it is. Theres something seriously wrong. Theres been acrimony. The conservative ideal. Its an urgent need. And a host willing to ask the tough questions how do you explain it to yourself . And youll get. The inside story ray suarez hosts inside story weekdays at 5 eastern only on Al Jazeera America in light of the highprofile deadly encounters involving police and young black men, many families of color are finding themselves forced to sit down with their children for the talk. What they should do and should not do if they are ever confronted by Police Officer, americofficers. America tonighe with their story. Reporter another friday night. Another funeral. I came here to show my support because i have three grandsons, and i am afraid for their lives. Reporter inside mourners paid their respects to the family. An unarmed black man shot to death in a stairwell by new york city police. His death came on the heels of the deaths of michael brown, eric garner, and 12yearold tamir cries ryes in cleveland. All at the hands of police. Outside others voiced their frustrations. The deaths in the protests that followed put a spotlight on an intimate conversation happening in homes across america. A conversation about race. How are you doing, rim . Hi. Reporter but in black homes the conversation is about life and death. If you speak to any or most black men, or black young men, they will usually have a story or two. Reporter are you okay with that . Not okay with that. Reporter brooklyn natives of kim van and her husband of 14 years are the parents of four children, three boils and one girl. A bakery owner and private tutor. Talks about race started their day their sons were born. So with this most recent news especially here in new york city, all the frosts, all of the marching. Have you guys had to have any unique discussions or is this something that kind of was part of a longer conversation and this just added to it . I think the discussion about race has been an ongoing discussion. And i think goodness that we have had the discussion already. Because i feel like my sons are not completely shocked. By the news. For a country that prides itself on having justice distributedistributed among thet doesnt have justice when someone killed someone close my age and of my skin color, thats scary. I want to leave you with this point reporter reggie, an attorney and host of the podcast combat jack, says hes taught his sons thousand protect themselves. You know that they may be perceived a person way . I know they are perceived a certain way in certain instances. Reporter how does it make you feel ahea as dad . It makes fee feel that i have to do my best to protect my kids. I cant be with them, i cant chaperon them for every incidents but i can at least impart upon them some type of, whats the word, some type of practical mind set, practical body movement. Practical way of acting in the events that they have been stormed pie my sons have already been stopped by policemen all three of them. Since third grade at my school i have been the only black boy in my grade. I guess collectively my payments just told me to watch out and stay out of trouble and stuff. Because they kind of knew that i would be looked at in a certain way. And i think i havent really caught onto that until this year, when i was actually stopped by a Police Officer. I was just walking to my train and they said they stepped in front of me and said, excuse me, can we please check your back and i was like, yeah, sure and i opened my bag for them and everything was okay, but i was kind of in shock. Reporter how did that make you feel . I understood what my parents had told me, like before. It all clicked, it all made sense. I think there are two stages of learn, you know, you learn, you hear, you recite, you lex true to and there is a realization in the real world, okay, this is how i can apply what i have learned our kids are going through this realization stage that they are actually seeing what they have been instructed or what they have been taught for so many years. There is a fear there, that is i can just walk down the street and, you know, get shot and die and nothing will happen. And that, i think, is probably one of the most pressing things that i have had to deal with, you know this, year. As a 17yearold in america, you shouldnt have to think, to come to terms with the fact that if you get wrongfully killed, nothing will happen. And that person who kills you, wrongfully, will not be held accountable for their actions. Thats just terrible. Reporter the 17yearold traveled to washington with his school to attend the justice for all march in early december. I think its important that we voice our opinions and try to make a change by, you know, protesting here. And making some noise. As soon as i got off the bus in d. C. , i was surrounded by hundreds of people who were cause. You know, its so clear to me its my responsibility as a young person to stand up for what is right, especially as a young black person in america. Reporter you define it as your responsibility. Why your responsibility . My responsibility to speak up for myself. You know, and i speak not only on behalf of myself, but also for my younger brothers and i guess for every other young black man in america. Reporter two ivy league grads, four children accomplished in their own right, all facing the harsh reality that for them, race matters. Unfortunately, every day, every day experiences have to be, i think, sometimes met with caution for my sons. Reporter do you fear for them . I dont want to raise my children to operate out of fear. What i want to raise them with is with awareness. Reporter despite their awareness, some fear still remains. The recent protests in new york city, sparked a surge in Police Presence near the boys private school downtown. Do you feel safe seeing all that . It ticks me off. I think its excess. I have a small anxiety attack. Reporter they say whether they are on the street or in the classroom, people see color and a threat. What are some of the misconceptions people see when they see you guys . The mundane things would be we are good at sports, basketball, or track. We are thieves and just evil people. You know. Every time i get on the train, and i happen to be a little too close to somebody even though its really crowded, you know, always that person always have to clutch their bag closer, move it to the front so i dont steal whatever is in their bag. I think its ridiculous in that, you know, to zoo al jazerra assume that. I think they probably dont think i have a dad in the picture. They probably think i play basketball. They probably think i come from a low income family. They probably think i am dangerous. I have to live with that. I can try to change it but i have to live with that. I feel like very little hope is given to us. And i feel like if we embrace that i think we are just feeding in to this psychological cycle where we are lesser and we are black is not beautiful. And black is criminal. And i feel like its up to us to redefine ourselves. Race and racism in america is almost akin to a religion. People are going to believe what they want to believe. I hope that my boys have heard that they have to be excellent so that at the end of the day, regardless of what fool projects whatever type of bias on them that, their track record is undeniable. Reporter the family wants to see an end to scenes like this. And a future where their boys can define themselves. So where do we go from here . I dont know an answer for that. I feel like we have to live our lives. And we have to make something of our lives and once we are at the point that we want to be, then we can we can try to change whatever needs to be changed. Reporter sarah hoye, al jazerra, new york. When we return, we look at cops, communities, and cameras. How new mini cams worn by officers catch all the action and can keep cops in check. Back in the day, you get them, you throw them down, you do all this, and you might be a little you rough them up a little bit. You rough them up a little bit. But having that camera on me, when i grabbed him, and i remember, the camera, the camera, the camera. America tonight tonights michael in a town to get the nations first action rolling. Television icon norman lear we hoped we were delivering real characters. Creator of all in the family the jeffersons and good times talks race, comedy and American Culture today. Youre taking me to a place in this interview, i havent been before. I told you this would be your best interview. And it is. Its the current one. Every monday, join us for exclusive. Revealing. And surprising talks with the most interesting people of our time. Talk to al jazeera, only on Al Jazeera America in ferguson, staten island, cleveland and all the other cities where clashes between cops and their communities have ignited flash points over Excessive Police force, we wonder, what would have made a difference . Could video recordings later and questions about what really happened . President obama thinks so. He has laid out a multi000,000dollar plan for put body cameras on cops now one. Reporter nations Largest Police forces. The lapd says it will just do that. America tonight begins the look at cameras, cops, commune is in rialto, california. Reporter what you are about to see happens every day across the country. An officer in tense pursuit of a stolen vehicle. Two suspects inside, showing few signs they intends to vendor. Turn off the car and let me see your hands, both of you. Reporter the situation could escalate, if it does, it will all be captured by the officers body camera. This time, there is no trouble. But days later the body cam makes a difference, a rialto, california officer confront a wanderer accused of harassing pedestrians in nearby businesses and the officers extra eyes record the scuffle. Rialto p. D. , will be able to say the suspect threw the first punch. I think it protects me more than the public. There are a lot of stolen cars come through. Reporter we are on control with Corporal Gary cunningham along the alleys and roadways of rialto, population 100,000. And on the vanguard of Law Enforcements use of body cameras. Police here say they were the first force in the nation to deploy the cameras with uniformed Officers Department wide. Officer cunningham is old school. Can you say when they initially approached you had with this idea that you were reluctant. Reporter you were as embracing as you seem to be now . I thought they would use the camera to punish us more than to help us. But then you start wearing it and you start saying, wait a minute, because you go to a domestic and you have the girl crying and she has a big black eye saying, oh, did he this, and did he that. And you go to court and now shes changing her story. I didnt tell the officer that. I didnt say that. Oh, lets play the tape. Reporter does it personally keep you in lane . I had a trainee with me, and we went to a call, the guy did something and he ran inside the house and slammed the door in my face, so i kicked the door open and back in the day, you get them, you throw them down, do you all this, and they might be a dictionary reporter you rough them up a little bit is ma you are saying . Rough them up a little. But have the camera on me, when i grabbed him, and i remembered the camera, the camera, the camera. Reporter before implementing its program. The rialto p. D. Launched a yearlong stud any 2012. Randomly deploying wearable cameras to roughly half its 54 patrol officers at a given time. The results were remarkable. The department saw an 88 decline in the number of complaints filed against officers. Whats more, officers use of force dropped by 60 . After we got the data and sat down and went, wow, look at these numbers, there is something to this. Reporter tony ferrare is chief of the rialto p. D. The program is his brainchild. I think we stepped out on a program that we thought was going to be dynamic. That we thought was really going to make a difference and i think that we have proven that we have done that. Reporter are you at all concerned about the publics right for privacy . I am. We do the best that we can to kind of train on circumstances that might take place. Are we perfect at it right now . No, we are not. Reporter but a routine traffic stop, middle of the day, fair game . Absolutely. Reporter Domestic Violence case, entering somebodi home, fair game . Yes. Reporter ferrare believes the law gives the Police Latitude to shoot the video. But also to restrict who gets to see it. These are things you dont want on youtube that you dont want just thrown out there. Thats kind of the bottom line. So if its evidence to a case, you are really not entitled to it unless you are the other party. Reporter this hightech docking station is a hub before and after every shift. The Rialto Police use a simple camera unit comprised of a battery pack which contains the onoff switch, the record and stop button and,. , the camera itself. Outfitted with a small lens, a microphone and a speaker. At the end of the officers shift, simply bring it over, plug it in and everything will be up load today internet. If i was going to make a traffic stop i turn it on, youll hear it beam, so now its recording. Reporter even if the officer is a little late hitting the switch, the camera records what takes place 30 seconds before. Corporal cunningham weaves his way through site streets where thieves are known to strip stolen vehicles for parts, moments later dispatch calls for backup. A fellow officers routine traffic stop has yielded two suspects with outstanding warrants, no matter how ordinary, every moment fraught with potential conflict. Slow down, man. And we have had to use force it would have all been on tape. Reporter body cameras are all the rage in Law Enforcement. So much so the number of cities considering to deploy them, seems to go daily. Programs are already in place at Police Departments from oakland to san diego. Dallas fort worth, to miami. Other cities making plans new york, washington , d. C. New york, philadelphia and according to experts, scores more. How body cameras fair in big cities like los angeles almost 40 times the size of rialto, may prove to be the ultimate test. Nearly 10,000 officers patrol this city with a long history of friction between the department and communities of color. Officials believe the cameras will help. This is commonly referred to as our skid row area. How are you . How are you . Good, sir. Reporter sergeant dan gomez was one of 32 officers involved in a 90day test program. They have liked the cameras so much, they didnt give them up when the test ended. I actually at the mission just across the street i went to one of their monthly meetings specifically to talk about the cameras torque let them know that in their community and to answer any questions that they might have. Reporter but less than five minutes in to his patrol gomez runs up against the resentment in his street. Everything good . Do we look good . I am trying to find out and help out. Find out from somebody [beep] here g get the [beep] out of my face. Reporter do you get a lot of that here . Unfortunately. Sometimes some people like the police, some people dont. But in the end, i know that i dont take it personal. They were not mad at me. Its the uniform. Reporter how is the camera going to help or hunter your efforts . So i think its part of investigations when allegations do come up, and we are able to then build a library of things that we are doing right and correct things that we are doing wrong, i think that again that helps with the transparency to the community. Reporter Steve Soboroff is president of the Police Commission. A civilian body that overseas the lapd. Once the tests of body cams ended he bypassed the city council to launch a 1. 3 Million Pilot Program to start rolling out cameras to the force permanently. I said i am not going to go and the city council for money and get in line and be 45th in line, for that kind of money i am going to calm some rich people and ask them if theyll help me trans formula and do it in 18 months instead of 18 years. Reporter but before the cameras can be deployed, the Police Commission has to decide thorny issues. How and when will cameras be used . When can they be curbe turned o . And significantly, how will officers be disciplined if they misuse them . The ramifications for misuse have to be consistent and have to be instant. An officer comes in and says i just forgot to turn it on today or i was too busy or i had a million other things going on, that is going to be a big problem on that officers record. Reporter and the ramifications that his will matter . I think its important it goes rides on their record. Most communities are not asking for body cameras. We are already under survey ends. Reporter kim is a long time residents of watts and a Community Organizer here in South Central los angeles. She told me shes not opposed to the cameras, but they simply wont solve the problem. Seems like what i am hearing from you is that the trust is just solo that seeing is not believing. I dont think seeing is not believing on our parts bein park seeing is not believing on the police parts. There has been numerous incidents where we have very clear footage and still hasnt been prosecutions or everybody disciplinary actions taken against officers. What we need more is the state attorney general to step in and appoint a special prosecute feeder department of justice to hold Law Enforcement accountable in a real way and for local Law Enforcements to have independent Community Oversight bodies with investigative and sub powers so subpoena powers. Reporter tempers still simmer in the neighborhood where a unarmed black man was shot and killed by miss. Some eyewitnesses say he was shot in the back. Days late, he we were there when residents jeered at officers who were making an arrest in an unrelated case. The residents physically begin confronting the officers. There is an awful climate ute ought there when it comes to the trust between lawers force. And some of the more atrisk community as cross the nation today. How specifically do you think the use of these bodies cameras has affected the relationship between Law Enforcement and the public here . The body cameras arent a silver bullet. They are not going to solve every single issue out there. There is more to it. What i think this is, its a very good tool to start to earn back maybe some of the trust that an organization may have lost. Reporter the federal government is now considering whether it will fund thousands more body cameras for Police Across the nation. In the meantime, the technology will continue to be tested on the streets. Both by police and by the skeptical citizens whom they have sworn to protect and serve. You have a good one. Reporter michael, al jazerra, los angeles. When we return, helping her help herself. I would them that people with disabilities and different kind of disabilities and deficits have the right to live on their own. America tonights she look macvicar with a remarkable young who will not only change what you think it means to be disabled. Shes just changed the law. Real reporting that brings you the world. This is a pretty dangerous trip. Security in beirut is tight. More reporters. They dont have the resources to take the fight to al shabaab. More bureaus, more stories. This is where the typhoon came ashore. Giving you a real global perspective like no other can. Al jazeera, nairobi. On the turkeysyria border. Venezuela. Beijing. Kabul. Hong kong. Ukraine. The artic. Real reporting from around the world. This is what we do. Al Jazeera America. Theres more to finical news than the ups and downs of the dow. For instance, can fracking change what you pay for water each month . Have you thought about how Climate Change can effect your grocery bill . Could Rare Minerals in china effect your cell phone bill . Or, how a hospital in texas could drive up your health care premium. Ill make the connections from the news to your money real. Its tough to get congress to agree on much of anything. But it has just passed the able act with broad bipartisan support. Its a bill that will help people with disabilities save money for themselves something that a lawn actually prevented them from doing. Now millions of americans can make their own opportunity. America tonight Sheila Mick Vick or spoke to an advocate lead he go the charge. Reporter sarah wolf has defied expectations from an early age. She is born with down syndrome. What do you want people to know about you . I am a good person. I like to help people. I have a good heart. Reporter sarah has college credits, works at a law firm, is on several boards of directors and is a gifted public speaker. We treat sarah like Everything Else in the family. Well do the best that we can. Well weather the storm. Reporter her father, dennis wolfe, says the family decided from the start no to let sarah less a condition define her. You have to advocate for any child. If you dont get involved in that in the very beginning its not going to work for anybody. So you have my wife made that commitment, you know, she really did, she worked hard. It was ver. And but she got it done. Okay. Reporter her mothers persistence paid off. At the age of 18, sara became an advocate. As a senior in high school her and a girlfriend of hers, they basically started the first buddy walk. Reporter whats a buddy walk . A buddy walk is set up through the national down syndrome saturday and its to promote awareness for down syndrome and people with disabilities. My mom gave me that idea. And we thought that 50 people would come examine show up to show support. And we had over 800 people that reporter wow. It was great. I learned that i was an advocate do myself. And thats when i learned, huh, if i can do that for myself i can do it for other people. Good afternoon. I am sara. Reporter that year sara was recognized for her work. And along with Barbara Walters was honored by the national down syndrome society. That was my very first public speaking engagement in front of an audience. And i was not nervous. Being here today makes me realize how lucky i am. Reporter a lot of people would find that experience of standing enough front of a ballroom full of people completely intimidating. I dont know if people think that would be intimidating because i think that if you just, you know, just go up there and do your thing and they see you do it, they just, you know, its the coolest thing to see peoples reactions. Reporter how do people react . Just amazing. Like they just wow, shes a good speaker. You know. There was never a sense that sara was in any way unable to do something. She just did it. Hey, todd. Hey, sara, how are you. Reporter todd omalley is sara godfather and boss. After high school. Omalley offered sara her first job working at his law firm. She needed something to do. And it was just to me it was a natural to have her come down here. I have been here for 13 years. And yes, i do drink coffee for 13 years. Thats where it started. Shes not writing briefs, but shes filing, she goes from daytoday and helps a case manager with complex things, putting together settlement packages and everything. Reporter today sara not only works as a law clerk, but also in the advocacy officer of the arc of northeastern pennsylvania, a nonprofit helping people with disabilities. How are you . Good. Reporter Don Broderick is the executive director. She is a very talented young lady. And she has a wonderful still to be able to present to large groups of people. Appears tour effortless. Reporter but this woman, who has worked so hard to overcome limitations, is not blocked by limits imposed on her by federal regulations. Sara cant save more than 2,000. If she earns more than 700 a month, she will lose her disability benefits and her health insurance. So she cannot get a raise or work full time. Sara, like every other developmentally disabled person in the united states, is legally obliged to be poor. Good morning. My maim is sara wa fl. I am 31 years old, from pennsylvania. And half to have down syndrome. Reporter now, sara is on a mission. Testifying before a Senate Committee hearing in washington, d. C. In july. Sara was in a unique position to do what others could not. This is the fair and right thing to do persuade congress to pass legislation to address this longstanding disparity for people with disabilities. What doesnt the senators to know . The people listening to you, what was the message you wanted to tell them . I wanted to tell them that people with disabilities and different kind of disabilities and people with down syndrome have the right to live on their own. Reporter the bill known as the able act, short for achieving a better life experience, will allow people with disabilities and their families, to create tax except savings accounts. Something that they could not do before without losing government benefits. Especially health insurance. Sara is at the forefront of the lobbying effort. It really sent a message to society and to our government to congress that, people with disabilities in 2014 can work. Specifically, somebody like sara wolfe could work full time think take her pay check and deposit it in to this account without making herself ineligible for medicaid. Reporter the able act will help people like jerry, he is 55 years old, and works with sara at the arc of northeastern pennsylvania as a hands i man. At times he would make in excess of the 2,000 thats allowed for people to have. Rather than spends that money down to be able to get down to that 2,000dollar number, this would allow him to put money aside for his future needs, whatever they may be as he gets older. Reporter it would also mean more security for sara herself. Something which hit home last year when she lost her mother, her life long support and inspiration to cancer. What did she do that helped you get to the place where you are now . Everything. Everything. Helped me with schoolwork. Help me with life, helped me with everything basically. Its hard to talk about my mom, but i like talking about her because it challenges me to do better. Reporter she was really important . Yeah, very. Im not crying. [ laughter ] if this slaw passed what, difference will it make to your sisters life . I think it will make a huge difference in her life. And then also my life. I mean, one of my fears is, you know, with the passing of my mom, it really it really brings to light just how realistic the future, you know, could happen tomorrow in terms of i worry about the then the day that my dad is not around. You know. And financially, sara needs to be able to support herself. And its really hard to do that when you are pretty much linked to poverty. Reporter sara has traveled the country to raise awareness about the realities of living with down syndrome. In april, she started a change. Org petition to pass the able act. And went vial and has over 250,000 supporters. How many people do you think will benefit from this . I think, you know, millions of people with disabilities will benefit from this. The able act allows them to create this tool where they can actually funds their own dreams, aspirations and goals and make sure that they have and contribute to society in the ways that they wish. I want people to know that i am just like you. I can do whatever i put my mind to. Reporter Sheila Macvicar, al jazerra, moscow, pennsylvania. And we hear that sara was set to celebrate the passage of the able act by asking her boss for a raise. Now a look ahead to this week on america tonight when we look back at a very turbulent time in american history. The bridge, bloody sunday and some just those names bring back some of the most virk us days of the Civil Rights Movement a new movie hoping this week will focus some of highprofile figures during those days. On our program well immediate some of the ordinary people that made extraordinary sacrifices in that time to make change happen. They did everything they could to get the people to run back while they were beating them. A journey to selma. And a look at some of the stories you never heard or might not remember this tuesday on america tonight. Coming up at the top of the its a chilling and draconian sentence. It simply cannot stand. Its disgraceful. The only crime they really committed is journalism. They are truth seekers. All they really wanna do is find out whats happening, so they can tell people. Governments around the world all united to condemn this. As you can see, its still a very much volatile situation. The government is prepared to carry out mass array. If you want free press in the new democracy, let the journalists live. Finally this hour, when reality follows tv. All in the family. Sanford and sons, the jeffersons in their day the sitcoms were edge i and pushed subjects to the small screen. The been behind all of them producer nor lan lear tackled womens rice, sexuality and race. Now they are making their way back to. V. Adam may turned to the legendary producer for his insight on talk to al jazerra. Why did Jerry Falwell call you enemy number one . Because i was enemy number one of the American Family. I was the number one enemy of the American Family in our generation because i didnt accept god his way. And because the shows that i was doing dealt with subjects that he felt should not be dealt with. You have had a hands in 100 television shows. You have tackled issues of racism, homophobia, gender discrimination. Did you set out to be a trail tl blazer . I didnt think of if so much as being a trai trail blazer, is american life. You know, we were family of people, my family, other people that joined when we went in to television were all members of families. They read newspapers. What impacted them directly in their families was the fire milker what impacted them in the outer mill became that also. We were dealing with what was. But the issues that you talked about in these tv shows, many people never talked about publically on television before. And they became kind of a part of the fabric of our country. They impacted our culture. What did you realize that these shows were having such a big impact on us . Well, i realized that they were impacting the families because they were impacting the culture. It was just a question of what materials we were going to were we going to work with. Were we going it make up a story about the roast is ruined and the boss is coming to dinner. Or were we going to deal with something that took place because our kid came home from school crying and had some problem and we realized it was our fault or whatever. Lets start with all the family. The most suggestion successful, so Ground Breaking for its time. You said that archie bunkers character was based on your father. Did you view your father as racist . No, it wasnt based on my father so much as my father suggested elements of it. I was the lays quest white kid my father ever met. When i told him he was putting down a race of people to call his son lazy, thats not what he was doing, he would shout at me. And i was the dumbest white kid he had ever met. To that degree, when i read about to death is to part the british show, boom, my dad. But we would argue politically too. But not exactly the way archie did it. The take off point was my fathers i dont everything like using the word bigotry, just progress. He was he was concerned opinionated. And afraid about progress. Very opinionated. He knew everything. He had been everywhere where the grass grows green and new everything. Did that show open a dialogue and conversation in this country that hadnt happened before. You know what i learned every episode for people opened the conversation. Because i go through life hearing people tell me all the time, you know, and afterwards we talked. We talked, we talked. My father was like. Or wasnt like that. My uncle was. But people talked. And if a play is going to do anything after it has made people laugh, the best thing is having them talk. So we hoped we were delivering real characters. The way we knew them in life. What was it like to grow up in that kind of a household with someone that was so opinionated and obviously had a lot of words for you . Well, it wasnt easy, but i think its generally hard to be a human being. I dont care what the, you know, how one was born, it is hard to be a human being. Harder for many quite obviously across the globe. But hard in any event no matter the circumstance of birth, just to be a human being. Lets talk about your organization. You founded people for the american way 35 years ago. The Mission Statement says, among other things, that our america respected diversity, nurtured creatively and combats bigotry. Is america doing that today . I think with that we have our problems in america visavis race and gender and bigotry is alive and well in the human species. I think its been tamped down. We have only recently seen what can be done in the lgbt cause. I mean, civilization can take a giant leap forward as it just did. We need a few other giant leaps forward. Giant leaps of norman lear, hell talk to al jazerra and our adam may in a full interview monday at 9 30 p. M. Here on al jazerra america. And thats america tonight. If you would like to commend on any of the stories that you have seen tonight, you can log onto our website aljazerra. Com americatonight. And join the conversation with us on twitter or at our facebook page. Good night. Well have more of america tonight this week. Al Jazeera America presents somebodys telling lies. It looks nothing like him. Pan am flight 103 explodes december 21st, 1988 was the right man convicted . So many people, at such a high level, had the stake in almegrahis guilt the most definitive look at this shocking crime the major difficulty for the prosecution that there was no evidence Al Jazeera America presents lockerbie part two case closed Beji Caid Essebsi claims victory in the tunisian runoff. Opponents say its too early to say who won. Hello, welcome to al jazeera, live from dough ha. Im Elizabeth Parr arn am. Also ahead. New york ideas Police Department says its in a state of war after the killing of two officers. It is a disaster. This happened before riding out the slide. Gulf countries stand by their