My brother and i are calling for the removal of his statue on monument im new in richmond, virginia, because we believe the monument is an ongoing symbol of racism in the United States. Amy you will also speak with the former neonazi who founded the group life after hate, an organization that fights White Supremacy. It was recently stripped of its funding by the Trump Administration. Time went on and i became a respectful leader both locally and regionally, and then it grew to nationally and internationally. I started a band that was singing racist music that was used to recruit people. It was a powerful topic and itll for young people to adhere to. Amy after the funding was cut after urging from trump adviser who worksgorkas wife for the department of Homeland Security. Then we go to fargo, north dakota, to equip a man whose uncle to speak with a man whose uncle marched in charlottesville. All of that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. In charlottesville, virginia, mourners gathered wednesday for a Memorial Service for Heather Heyer, who was killed saturday when a 20yearold white supremacist named james alex fields plowed his car into a crowd of antifascist demonstrators. Heyer was a longtime antiracist activist who repeatedly championed civil rights issues on social media. This is heathers mother susan bro. Remember in your heart, if you are not outraged, youre not paying attention. And i want you to pay attention. Find what is wrong, dont ignore it. Dont look the other way. Make a point to look at it and said yourself, what can i do to make a difference . And that is how youre going to make my childs death worthwhile. I would rather have my child, but by golly, if i got to give her up, were going to make it count. [applause] amy the funeral came after charlottesville antiracist organizer tyler magill suffered a stroke on tuesday that friends say was brought on by injuries that the 46yearold sustained when a neonazi protester hit him with a burning torch last friday. Doctors say the stroke likely resulted from Blunt Force Trauma to magills neck. Meanwhile, two women injured in the terror attack that killed Heather Heyer filed suit against james alex fields, the driver of the car, along with white supremacist organizers behind the unite the right event. The pair were among 19 injured in the attack. Theyre seeking nearly 3. 5 million in damages. On wednesday night, 1000 people gathered for a candlelight vigil on the university of virginia campus to call for peace, later marching on the same route used by hundreds of neonazis and White Nationalists in their torchlight march last friday. In philadelphia, thousands of demonstrators marched against last weekends violence in a rally dubbed philly is charlottesville. And in berlin, germany, hundreds gathered at the Brandenburg Gate to protest against neonazi groups. This is one of the demonstrators. I am here because im against nazis. My grandfather fought against nazis and the second world war, and i think it is a disgrace the donald trump is not against nazis. Amy President Trump grew increasingly isolated wednesday for repeatedly blaming both sides for last weekends violence in charlottesville, as lawmakers, generals and prominent republicans separated their positions from trump by condemning White Nationalists and neonazis. In a statement, former president s george h. W. And george w. Bush said america must always reject racial bigotry, antisemitism, and hatred in all forms. Their statement came as President Trump disbanded a pair of Business Advisory councils wednesday as more ceos exited the groups in protest of trumps failure to fully condemn White Nationalists. After the heads of 3m and the Campbell SoupCompany Became the latest to resign wednesday, trump tweeted rather than putting pressure on the businesspeople of the Manufacturing Council strategy policy forum, i am ending both. Thank you all according to reports, President Trump knew at that point that the Business Leaders were all quitting the council. U. S. Military leaders also condemned white supremacist groups wednesday, with top generals of the air force, army, navy, marines, national guard, and u. S. Joint chiefs of staff all issuing statements against racial hatred. The condemnations came after it emerged that the leader of the Vanguard America neonazi hate group that rallied in charlottesville was a marine corps recruiter. The head of the department of veterans affairs, david shulkin, also spoke out wednesday. Out and imking giving my personal opinions as an american and as a Jewish American. For me in particular, i think in learning history, that we know staying silent on these issues is simply not acceptable. I am not going to in any way condone the behavior or the believes of the nazis are White Supremacists. This is an affront to american ideals. This is an affront to civilization. Amy fallout from President Trumps handling of the Charlottesville Violence came amid revelations that the Trump Administration recently cut funds to organizations dedicated to fighting rightwing violence. One group, life after hate, which works to help White Nationalists and neonazis disengage from hate and violent extremism, was set to receive a grant under the dhss countering violent extremism program, approved by the obama administration. When trump dhs policy adviser Katharine Gorka released the final list of grantees in june, life after hate had been eliminated. Gorka is the wife of trump adviser Sebastian Gorka, who has been linked to a hungarian farright, naziallied group. Later in the broadcast, we will speak with the groups founder, life after hate founder, christian picciolini. Meanwhile, leaders of four congressional caucuses are demanding the white house fire senior aides Sebastian Gorka, steve bannon, and Stephen Miller over their white supremacist views. In a letter to President Trump, the congressional asianpacificamerican, hispanic, progressive and black caucuses wrote we are deeply concerned that their continued influence on u. S. Policy emboldens and tacitly approves the ideological extremism that leads White Supremacists to spread violence and hatred. The letter came as steve bannon, President Trumps chief strategist, granted an extraordinary interview with Robert Kuttner of the liberal magazine the american prospect. In an article titled, steve bannon, unrepentant, the former Breitbart News editor declared there is no military solution to the north Korean Nuclear crisis. And bannon said the u. S. Should engage in an economic war with china. Bannon said he is looking to neutralize rivals in the departments of defense, state, and treasury, and criticized the White Supremacists behind last week and violence in charlottesville, calling them at no nationalists and a collection of clowns. Bannon is the former head of Breitbart News, the site that is been described as an online haven for White Nationalists. It is not their weathervane a new his comments were on the record. The new site reported one Unnamed White House staffer said payments, collection infuriated him as saying i will put this in terms he will understand. This is deaf gone one level bad. The city of greensboro, North Carolina, has apologized for its role in a 1979 incident that saw american nazis and members of the ku klux klan open fire on antifascist protesters, killing five people and wounding 10 others. Tuesdays 71 vote by the Greensboro City Council acknowledges there were no Police Officers present to protect demonstrators against White Nationalist violence. All of the killers were later acquitted in state and federal criminal trials, though a civil case found some of the klansmen liable for one of the deaths. Attorney general Jeff Sessions joint commendation commendation. Despite making recess, slot is greater, including reportedly saying he thought the ku klux klan was ok until i found out they smoked pot. Meanwhile, sessions repeated his threats to withhold Justice Department grant the socalled sanctuary cities whose Police Officers refused to act as the factor Immigration Enforcement agents. Do far broader damage to the country than many understand at its root, at its root it is a rejection of our immigration of open a declaration borders. Amy in syria, the journalistic Monitoring Group air wars reports u. S. Led airstrikes on raqqa killed at least 29 civilians and wounded scores of others tuesday and wednesday. Among the dead were three children marwa, mariam, and Ahmad Mazen Shehab who were killed along with their mother. The latest civilian deaths came as displaced residents at a camp north of raqqa said extreme summer heat and a lack of resources was making life unbearable. This is yousef faddawi, who fled raqqa with his family. Once aet eight act as month, and 90 of the people are selling the packages in order to survive. In regards to health care, it is really bad. If someone is bit biased they scorpion, a snake or they might die. Theres no first eight here at all. Amy in the gaza strip suicide , a bomber detonated at the Border Crossing with egypt wednesday, killing a member of hamas and wounding several others. Palestinian authorities said the bomber was a member of isis, which would mark the first time the group has targeted hamas inside the israelicontrolled territory. The violence came as gazans continue to suffer under extreme shortages of electricity brought on by israeli cutbacks supported by hamass rival fateh party in the west bank. This is khan yunis resident muna abu nemr. There is no electricity. We barely get it for two hours and barely managed to charge our mobile phones. This is not a way to live. Electricity for eight hours, and now it is two hours. What can we do in two hours . Amy last month, the United Nations warned israels blockade and electricity cuts have made gaza unlivable for its more than 2 million residents. In washington, d. C. , trade representatives of the u. S. , canada and mexico opened talks wednesday to renegotiate nafta the north American Free trade agreement. The Trump Administration is pressing canada and mexico for concessions, claiming nafta is tilted against the United States. Meanwhile, thousands of indigenous activists, workers and campesinos marched in mexico city calling for an end to wednesday nafta. This is mexican farmers representative jose narro cespedes. Thentil now, the effects of treaty have been negative for the countrys Indigenous People and for Rural Community from a bubblegum for the sector dedicated to small agriculture. Amy after nafta went into effect in 1994, an estimated 2 million Agricultural Workers left mexicos rural areas for cities, as subsidized u. S. Corn and other staples flooded the mexican market. In the philippines, Police Killed 26 people in drug raids across the capital manila overnight, continuing what human Rights Groups are calling the bloodiest week yet of president Rodrigo Dutertes socalled war on drugs. The killings followed 32 more deaths the previous night during police raids in bulacan province. Authorities insisted those killed died in shootouts with police, but human Rights Groups say most of the dead were summarily executed by police. Filipino Security Forces and vigilantes have killed more than 7000 suspected drug users and dealers since duterte launched his campaign against drugs last year. And in sports news, Seattle Seahawks star Michael Bennett sat on the sidelines during the playing of the National Anthem sunday ahead of a preseason game against the los angeles chargers. Bennett said last weekends neonazi violence in charlottesville, virginia, inspired him to take a stand. I just want to be able to use the platform to be able to continue to speak on injustices first of all, i want people to understand i love the military. My father was in the military. I love hot dogs like any other american. I love football like any other american. I dont love sergei shen. I dont love riots. Gender. Love i just want people to have equality that they deserve. Amy to see our extended interview, go to democracynow. Org. Meanwhile, nba star lebron james took a jab at President Trump tuesday during a charitable fundraiser, calling trump the socalled president of the United States during a speech calling for healing after the weekends violence in charlottesville. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Momentum is growing across the country to remove confederate statues in the wake of saturdays deadly white supremacist and neonazi rally in charlottesville, virginia. At least 1500 symbols of the confederacy can be found in public spaces across the country. According to the southern poverty law center, most of them were built during the early decades of jim crow or in reaction to the civil rights movement. Not after the civil war. But now a number of the monuments are coming down. Underore, the city orders from the mayor has just removed all four of its confederate statues. In durham, North Carolina, protesters toppled a confederate statue after a College Student named Takiyah Thompson climbed up a ladder and looped a rope around the top of the confederate soldiers. She appeared on democracy now just before going to court on wednesday. Thend i did this because statute is a symbol of nationalism. It is a symbol of what nationalism. And the type im talking about is the type of White Nationalism that is sending me Death Threats on facebook. The type of White Nationalist that has killed a woman in a protest. Amy meanwhile, on wednesday, in brooklyn, new york, the visible Church Episcopal church removed two plaques honoring robert e. Lee. On monday a monument to confederate soldiers in gainesville, florida, was also removed. And several other confederate monuments are slated to be removed across the country. On wednesday, Virginia GovernorTerry Mcauliffe encouraged all local governments to remove confederate monuments, saying they have become flashpoints for hatred, division, and violence. And the calls for the removal of the statues are even coming from the descendants of the leaders of the confederacy. Today, an exclusive interview with two of the greatgreatgrandsons of confederate general Stonewall Jackson. Jack and Warren Christian have just written an open letter to the mayor of richmond calling for the removal of the Stonewall Jackson statue in richmond. They write our sense of justice leads us to believe that removing the stonewall statue and other monuments should be part of a larger project of actively mending the Racial Disparities that hundreds of years of White Supremacy have wrought. We hope other descendants of confederate generals will stand with us. Jack christian joins us from warnrn massachusetts, and christian is in raleigh, North Carolina. Jack and warren, welcome to democracy now it is great to have you both with us. Talk about why you have decided to speak out right now. Lets begin with jack christian. Think, i