Location that is home to not just one but 40 monuments but not only that, its north of the mason dixon line. And as the nation debates what should be done with statues, this area remains quiet. I speak of gettysburg, pennsylvania which i visited yesterday. 1863, 160,000 fought there. Robert e. Lee led his groups back to a tortuous trip back. 3 1 2 laters president Abraham Lincoln would deliver the g gettiesburg agress. Notwithstanding that several of the statues were erected not in close time to the era but amidst a more modern debate over civil rights in the 1960s and 1970s. For perspective, i spoke to Scott Hancock professor of history and jason marks acting officer for the gettysburg park. Professor thank you for being here. Weve agreeded to social distance and drop our masks for this statue. Tell me about the statue. This is the Mississippi State monument. Erected in 1953. Its one of 12 state monuments that goes up during the civil rights era, immediately thereafter. And there are other monuments in the confederacy and most of them are residential markers. Whats different about this, its a state monument like virginia and the others. So it has a more political message because of when it went up and some of the things that it has on it. The inscription says that these brave fighters fought for the right of cause. Which is what . Well, i would argue, any historian would argue that the cause was slavery. But when this monument went up theyre saying its much more about instruct to individual rights. And when speaking saying it was to protect the constitution rights of the south which everybody knew what he was talking about resisting federal orders that they had to desegregate. And it was maintaining that hierarchy in the south. What communication do you think was communicated with the erection of this statue . I think its very much about protecting and communicating this identity of how some white southerners, certainly not all, wanted to see their path. And that was a path that didnt have anything to do with slavery. Didnt have anything to do with black people. And the several thousand slaves here in the battlefield. And they actually started talking about erecting this monument in 1962. So its taken a while to get it in place. And when they wanted to put that encryption upon, actually the superintendent of the National Park at the time said you cant put that on there. The Mississippi Committee got a state Supreme Court judge to weigh in. It went back and forth for a while. The superintendent left not over this, i dont think. The new superintendent that came in was from mississippi, a white man, and he okayed it. We all learned back in the day that you and i are standing at the seminal battle of the civil war. The greatest bloodshed of any americans on any battlefield in the United States. Does the context matter to you . And what im asking is, do you apply the same frame of reference to whats behind you that you would to a statue of a confederate soldier in a town square . I think the context matters tremendously. So, those statues in town squares that arent situated on a battlefield and are not situated because of the consensus of people in those towns because its not like theyre talking to the black folks in those towns. For me, im all in favor of those coming down. For me, because it has an Educational Value i think are a bit different well, significantly different. It is about pointing to the battle. Thats what the statue is, taking charge. But what i would love to see the park service do is not let that statue communicate a oneway message. And that oneway message was, their cause was to maintain the institution of slavery. So whats good for me, its not so much about taking the statue down. Its educating visitor wise that statue went up. If i go to the Visitors Center im told that story. Yeah, yeah. You think there needs to be a different telling on the battlefield . Yeah, so the Visitors Center does a great job with this. The National Parks service is aware that the battlefield communicates a different message than a Visitors Center. The battlefield, theres no reference to slavery. Theres only a couple references to any black presence on the battlefield. Theres no reference that the army kidnapped freed black people when they came here. If you went to the Visitors Center you have no idea that the reason theres a battle here in the first place is because of slavery. Because of enslaved black men and women. I think they need to make the battlefield line up with what the Visitors Center does. Im curious as the nation is embroiled in what to do with icons of the confederacy, has there been controversy here at gettysburg . There has not. Blwhat do you think were seeing play all over . What youre see here at gettysburg is a time capsule, a window to the past. 165,000 soldiers fought each other on these surrounding grounds for three full days in 1863. They were here. The men from mississippi were here. The men from louisiana were here, so forth, all across the battlefield. So the tangible connection to the place and the men who fought here is unlike anywhere else. But what about the issue of some of them having been erected post civil rights era, almost sending maybe not even almost, sending a message . Sure. Thatless is a window for us as National Parks Service Employees to be able to educate the public, not just about those three days in july of 1863, but until various eras and decades throughout the history of the United States that led to some of these monuments being placed here in the first place. So some of these monuments have a lot to them. But thats endemic to when they would have been placed here throughout the 1900s. That, therefore, grounds to have them removed . We dont think so. In fact, all of these monuments here on the battlefield fall into one of two categories. They were either congressionally mandated so it was like a congressional mandate to remove them. Or they fall under a length of the history that theyve been here together, they are an intrinsic fabric of the battlefield as much as the battlefield is. So removing them isnt necessarily an option. They are here in perpetuity. So its our job, at that point, to educate the public about when those monuments would have been placed, at least those that certainly have an offensive view to them. For what its worth, i came away from gettysburg thinking the statues should remain. Robert e. Lee depicted in a statue adjacent to a battlefield where his troops perished. To me is not the same as a lee thats erected thousands of miles away in front of a building where decisions are made. Battlefield statuary doesnt honor but recognizes history. And im inclined to agree with her. Telling that history needs to include an explanation as to why some statues were built amidst a temporary debate. I like professor hancocks belief to add more markers. If the statue is to remain, i think it should, visitors should know it was not put up until 1963 and among the dedication speakers was george wallace. Heres something we should all agree. Visiting a National Treasure like gettysburg was a must. Im embarrassed, i hadnt been there since i was a kid. I want to know what you think. Go to my websit website smerconish. Com. Please answer get, should confederate battlefield monuments be left in place . What are your thoughts . Tweet me p. Go to my website. What do we have, kathryn. From facebook, no, and i am a direct relative of many confederates, put them in a museum of the history of civil war. Brooke, i think your no, you meant yes in response to the way we worded it. Make sure you look at the question the way we worded it on the website. I get what youre saying, i want them down. In the context of gettysburg, i disagree, looking at robert e. Lee, if theres anyplace its appropriate, its that place. I guess your argument is theres no place. Still to come, starting next month, baseball and basketball are finally coming back for covidshortened seasons. Without any fans in the stands. I want to ask bob costas if well watch if theres no fans in the stands. Plus, did you know that the meddling in the latest election was years in both countries. Plus, i spoke with susan rice, one of the women on joe biden vp list. And the need for National Service. And politico dubbed him the biden whispering. Senator chris coons is here to whisper about the presumptive nominee in a moment. Whether you know what day it is or not. Consistency is key when taking on acne. And an everyday cleanser . Thats breakouts worst enemy. Love, neutrogena®. 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Com i moderated an online gathering of the National Commission on military national and Public Service this week. Congress created the commission under the direction of former congressman joe heck to review the Selective Service process and increase participation in military, national and Public Service. The online event marked the release of their final report titled inspired to serve. My role included interviewing ambassador susan rice who surprised me with a bold suggestion. I wish we could have mandatory National Civilian service in this country so that every kid, between the ages of 18 and 21, spent six or 12 months in National Service, whether its laying broadband or building infrastructure, or r rehabilitating innercity schools and library. The reason i think service is so important, not only is it creating Economic Opportunity and training and skills for those who may not otherwise have them, but most importantly, its teaching to us understand and to know each other as americans, across different geographic, racial, socioeconomic lines, as part of one nation. And one community. Ambassador rice is not the only one thinking the time is right for a new National Service initiative, be it mandatory or voluntary. A week ago senator chris coons introduced Bipartisan Legislation to expand National Service programs. Joining me now is the democratic senator from former Vice President joe bidens home state of delaware. Senator chris coons who this week was dubbed by politico as the biden whisperer. Saying that senator coons is positioned to play a political role in bidens agenda if trump is defeated. Youre trying to get cory booker and trump on the same page. What are you do . Susan rice is exactly right. We have 14 republicans and democrats led by roger wicker of mississippi including john cornyn of texas and so many others on both sides of the aisleal agreeing that double the size of americorps would give us a chance to have 150,000 younger americans fighting hunger, helping teachers and students, addressing some of our Critical Public Health issues. Were going to have to vaccinate 300 Million People in this country later this year and early next year, when and if we get a vaccine. As susan was just saying, the conversation you that facilitated, michael, focused on, National Service a great way to bring americans together, create opportunity and to give people a chance to give back to our nation. You and i have sons who are contemporaries. My heart breaks for the class of 2020, be they high school or college because so much of their future planning has now been disrupted. And i regard them, and the reason i wanted to call attention to this as this great untapped natural resource. If we can get them in the game, its a perfect marriage. Thats right. This is something that can help us meet a number of our current urgent crises. Weve got, as you know, a pandemic that hasnt gone away that continues to threaten and to impact families and communities all over america. We have a significant recession and a lot of job loss as a result. And we have the unaddressed challenges of racial inequalities in america. And if properly focused, locally led and prioritized, americorps could create avenues for addressing all three of those challenges at the same time. Lets talk about your fellow delawarean, is he laying low more out of consideration for Public Health issues . Or because he wants to follow the first rule of politics which is do no harm . You know, the president is saying hes staying sheltered so as not to make an addition aal gaffe . I disagree that hes laying low, he was out in lancaster near gettysburg and gave a riproaring speech. It was powerful. And its pretty instructive at the time when President Trump used tear gas and rubber bullets to clear Peaceful Protesters and march across Lafayette Square to wave a bible in front of st. Johns episcopal, former Vice President biden was invited to a church in wilmington, bethal ame, where he worry a mask and listened and prayed with community leaders. Joes been to a number of roundtables with Small Business owners in the philadelphia area. He went to visit with the family of george employed befofloyd be laid to rest. And i would agree that President Trump has hurt his own standing nationally and internationally in the ways hes both missed this moment. Said that protesters are terrorists who deserve retribution. Failed to speak to the pandemic in any meaningful way now in weeks. In fact, threatened to cut off funding for testing that caused the two republican senators of texas to say that would be a terrible mistake, as the numbers spike in texas. And hasnt called for a clear plan for how we get out of this recession, its amazing to me that the senate still has not taken up the heroes act passed by the house, now more than ten days ago, that would provide another critically needed round of stimulus for our country. I know the danger of living in front of a live microphone. I do it 16 hours a week. Im not running for anything. But, you know, theyre hanging on his every word. This is this weeks example. Roll the tape. A lot of people, you have unnecessarily, now we have over 120 million dead from covid. And the president then immediately, senator, tweeted about this saying how is the media letting him get away with it, so on and so forth . Is this not a sign of whats to come in the fall as we reemerge, we hope wee reemerge, where the president will attempt to portray him as not being grounded . Well, michael, he may attempt to. The reality is all of us elected know as you just referenced if youre in front of a mic, 10, 12, 15 hours a day, frankly with cell phones on tv being recorded all the time you make mine missteps and gaffes. Everybody knows that joe biden didnt think 120 Million People died he just misspoke. In the age of trump, where President Trump chooses to tweet out intentionally, 2 00 and 3 00 a. M. Rants that are not just factual, but error filled hateful comments for our country. For the minor missteps with facts and details that happen to all of us elected indicates that joe biden is less worthy of the service of the presidency when he is when trump is intentionally and repeatedly choosing to send out tweets as his official statements that are filled with errors and typos and that, frankly, show a heart that in too many ways and too many times seeks to divide us. And doesnt actually connect with and emphasize with the challenges that our nation faces. If thats whispering, whats shouting . Well, i enjoyed being an advocate for joe biden. Thank you, senator. Appreciate you being here. Thank you, michael. From facebook, what do we have . Hit me with it. Come out of the closet, joe. You know whats interesting, robert, a week ago, a week ago, tulsa was a week ago tonight. Tulsa was a week ago tonight. And the trump campaign, i think the p