Written by Frederick Douglass and spoken by his descendants that remind us that there is no other holiday more symbolic of american patriotism than the 4th of july. But today, its being celebrated as other symbols of this nations past are toppling down. Were seeing the removal of confederate statues by protesters and by state leadership, mississippi, stripping the confederate symbol from its flag. And even the statue outside new yorks famed Natural Museum of history. You know the statue of Theodore Roosevelt on horseback flanked by an indigenous man and an african man. Thats coming down, too. Which may explain why donald trump chose the most graddious symbol of u. S. Imperialism on earth to issue an on brand starspangled spectacle complete with fireworks and military plyovers. It was trump ad predict flyovers. It was trump ad predictable way of throwing red meat to his becaus base. Lets talk truth here. Mt. Rushmore isnt exactly the innocent ode to our Founding Fathers as described in our textbooks. Its high time we disrupt that false narrative that far too many people believe. The landmark famously or infamously depicts four of our americas celebrated president s on granite slope over the black hills of south dakota. Whats missing from those glossy brochures is that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson enslaved black people. And abraham lincoln, although he signed the emancipation proclamation, also approved the largest mass execution in u. S. History. The hanging of 38 dakota indians. And Teddy Roosevelt once wrote, quote, i dont go so as far to think that the only good indians are dead indians, but i believe nine out of ten are. These are the four men who are immortalized on a tourist trap that erases indigenous history. Their faces chiseled by the sculptor who was intensely entangled in the politics of the kkk, attending klan rallies and even serving on a few klan committees. And so choosing this spot built on sacred indigenous land that was seized illegally and at a time when america finally faces a reckoning over its ugly racial history, wasnt just a wink at White Supremacy. This was a rallying call. Ourniti nation is witnessing campaign to wipe out our history, defame our heroes, erase our values, and endoctrine ate our children. Angry bahammobs are trying to t down statues of our founders, deface our most sacred memorials and unleash a wave of Violent Crime in our cities. Trumps speech was an ugly and callus disregard of demands from social activities as well as health experts. Very few in the crowd last night were Wearing Masks. Perhaps taking their cue from south dakotas maskaverse republican governor nome. Heres what she said days before the event. We told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home. But those who want to come and join us, well be giving out free face masks if they choose to wear one. We wont be social distancing. But just before last nights event, we learned that Trump Campaign aide kimberly guilfole, the girlfriend of Donald Trumper j, tested positive for covid19. She traveled to south dakota with don jr. , and the white house claims that he tested negative. But the virus wasnt the only risk last night. Fireworks went off despite a decadelong ban on pyrotechnics at mt. Rushmore because of concerns over wildfires and groundwater pollution. A ban trump flippantly reversed back in january. What can burn . Its stone. You know, its stone. So nobody knew why, they just said environmental reasons. I called up our people, and within about 15 minutes, we got it approved. And youre going to have your first big fireworks display at mt. Rushmore. And so here we are celebrating the birth of a nation, independence for white men, at a site described as a native american activist as, quote, a symbol of White Supremacy. Trump choosing mt. Rushmore for a Campaign Stop is like when he chose the site of the 1921 massacre of americans for his jean teenth rally. The jab to black, brown, and Indigenous People that makes the shrinking maga voter feel as big as a 60foot face of a colonizing slave owner. Lets talk to truth. Jesse ross, friend and cohost of break dances with wolves, and sarah manning, director of communications for the indian collective. I should note that we were supposed to have ted neilson who was arrested last night, unfortunately, at the rally. So ill start with you, sarah. Youve been in touch with people on the ground. Can you please paint the picture for our viewers, what was it like there on the ground last night . Yeah. First of all, thank you so much for having me. Last night, it was a beautiful moment of lakota and Indigenous People standing to defend their treaty rights, their original homelands, the sacred black hills to the lakota people. Indian collective president , ceo tillson was on the ground among folks who wanted to take a stand and didnt want to stand for this moment of the United States president trying to rouse his base in an effort to just galvanize this growing White Supremacy that we see happening. So it was a really great moment of men, women, children of all ages, standing to defend their treaty rights and their rights as Indigenous People. Thanks for that. I do want to correct myself. Its nick neilson, president and ceo of the collective. We know hes arrested. Is he okay . What was the confrontation like . Yeah. Nick is okay. Hes actually still in custody right now and will stay there until monday. Him and about 15 other indigenous folks were arrested on the front lines yesterday. And it was really a peaceful event. They erected a road blockade, men, women, and children were there singing traditional songs. They had nick attempted to negotiate as you see here with some of the Police Officers, allowing the women and children and those who didnt want to get arrested to leave the site if thats what they wanted if thats what they chose to do. He was eventually taken into custody with about 12 to 15 other innerbelt brid indigenous folks and allies. Can you educate our viewers . A lot of people dont know the history of mt. Rushmore. There was a treaty between the Indigenous People and the United States government. Can you break that down for our viewers . Sure, absolutely. And even predating that treaty, the indigenous folks have sovereign right to this land as the first nations. Yes, the treaty was signed between the United States government and the lakota people and other indigenous nations, ensuring that that land would remain theirs. And treaties, according to the u. S. Constitution, are the supreme law of the land, according to the supremacy clause. Indigenous folks fighting for their treaty rights in essence are upholding the constitution. So for all those constitution lovers out there, treaties are the supreme law of the land. And the United States government eventually broke that treaty. Theyre violating their own laws. The lakota, dakota and people are people of crazy horse, these are people of great chiefs and defenders who defended their land and their right to live. These are people who are descendants of the modhi massacre where they go and pray in the black hills, they gather medicines in the black hills. These are lands sacred to them, whether or not the United States honored that treaty. The United States government attempted to pay off the lakota people with a million multimillion Dollar Settlement thats in the billions now that the lakota people have not accepted because theyre not ready they dont want to accept payment for their land. That land is still theirs. That land is still sacred. And i should note that the payment has escalated to what would be 1 billion right now, which punctuates how valuable the land is to you for intangible reasons that you just laid out. Thank you for that. Jessie, i want to turn to you. Handicap what you thought of the speech last night. When trump was seaing that, you know, theyre trying to erase our history and kind of revisionist history that he referenced, i had to ask myself is he talking about the Indigenous People, africanamericans . What history is trying to be erased . Tell me what you hear and how you found his remark last night. Well, first of all, congratulations on hosting. Its nice to see you in that chair. And sarah, good morning. Nice to see you, as well. Its such a you know, obviously this and as you pointed out dreamwood, north tulsa, the rallies being at these particular places, this is not coincidental. This man is a master showman. He is somebody who understands hot buttons and red meat and plays to that very, very egregiously. Its not enough that were going to flout every bit of science and do this rally without masks explicitly. Its not enough that were going to do this in sacred lands of lakota people and a place that has been marked by its been polluted, its been desecrated by putting these slaveowning, racist, horrible, horrible white men in 60foot statues on this wall. Its not enough that were going to utilize every bit of not even dog wisehistle, but expres racist rhetoric. Its not enough that he do this, but instead we have to do this on the day that symbolizes for a good portion of the United States that doesnt know better the notion, the spectacle of freedom. Of course we know that, you know, we understands speaking of dog whistles, we understand how smart dogs are at this time of year because theyre the only ones that are smart enough to get away from the fireworks. They know that it has nothing to do with freedom. We should be hiding from that language. We should be hiding from that rhetoric. You know, its a its a travesty that this happened, but its also amazing and im so thankful for nick tilson and the native americans who say were going to fight for something more than the illusion of freedom, for something more than fireworks. And in that regard, im thankful to the black lives matter activists who started this entire movement in recent times and said were also going to sacrifice for freedom. Were going to show how to be warriors just like these native people. And you know, that list goes down multigeneration allie, and its powerful. So the spectacle, yeah, its kind of what we expect from donald trump. Its a clown show, and you know, hopefully we send this clown back to the circus so maybe he can get eaten by a lion. You know, what im taking from it is the fact that we have so many people that are willing to sacrifice, to stand up to these spectacles and get to tangible change as opposed to just the symbols of change coming up in about 130 days at the election and get rid of this dude and start toward something of meaningful import. Thank you. Let me ask you both and jesse, ill start with you. I think a lot of people in this country dont really know the history, the violent and brutal history, of our Founding Fathers. Do you think if more people understood the history that they perhaps might understand some of the protests from the Indigenous People of this country and africanamericans in this country . Or do you think that people would continue to be indifferent because its not their lineage and not their heritage . Jesse, ill start with you and turn to you, sarah. History shows that what socalled white allies are largely only responsive and going to be involved to the degree that it affects them or that something is in vogue or fresh or or topical. I think thats changing. I truly believe thats changing. The reason why is what derek bell would call interest convergence. That they understand that, you know, folks are going to turn up. And folks have been turning up. And thats not going to stop. And thank goodness, thank goodness you know, people, looters got a bad name during the george floyd protests. But thank goodness for the looters, man. You have a place called target, you have a store called target, youre going to be a target. You know, these places have absolutely contributed to the oppression, these retail places have contributed to the oppression of our people. Theres overpolicing of brown and black bodies within retail spaces. I think that a good portion of the people, white people that otherwise would not be activated this time are realizing, no, this is going to affect me, this is going to affect my pocketbook, this is going to affect my community. So perhaps i should give a damn. I think thats going to be the difference in this new era. Let me quickly turn to sarah. Were running out of time. Sarah, quickly, any Closing Remarks . Sure, yeah. Indigenous visibility totally matters. According to a study in 2018 the reclaiming native truth project, approximately 40 of americans didnt even know that native americans existed. If they dont know that we exist, how can we address issues of Police Violence against native americans . The high rate of suicide and mortality on reservations . When schools dont when schools stop teaching about native americans after the 1800s. History does matter. Our history triggers the vast majority of americans. Were evidence of the crime as the late and great prolific poet john trudel would say. Its very, very hard for americans to look at our history. But were in a time of reckoning. Were in a time when young people zoomers and millennials, they want to know the truth. So its going to happen. Were in exciting times right now. And folks want to know more. America wants to know more. They dont want to believe in lies anymore. All right. I should note that what happens at mt. Rushmore is not unique. Weve seen at Standing Rock and the hamptons, situations like this. Thank you for being with me. The segment could have been a lot longer but were out of time. My friend jesse will be back in the next hour. I thank you, sarah manning, for joining me. Coming up, a former navy s. E. A. L. Has all the words for trump on this 4th of july. So keep it right here. 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Get a powerful and reliable internet and voice solution for only 29. 95 a month for three months. Call or go online today. My name is dan burkoff. Im a 2001 United StatesNaval Academy graduate. Im an exnavy s. E. A. L. Current ly an Emergency Room Physician and founder of veterans for responsible leadership. Months ago, donald trump learned that the russians were paying bounties for dead american soldiers in afghanistan. He chose to do nothing about it. Any commander in chief with a spine would be stomping the living [ bleep ] out of some russians right now. Diplomatically, economically, or, if necessary, with the sort of asymmetric warfare theyre using to send our kids home in body bags. Mr. Trump, youre either a coward who cant stand up to an exkgb goon, or youre complicit. Which is it . Wow. In a moment ill be speaking with dr. Dan barkoff about that bombshell New York Times report published over a week ago. Donald trump denies that he had any advanced knowledge of the alleged bounties. But as the ad for the Lincoln Project underscores, trump still hasnt told the American Public or the world how this administration plans to punish russia. Instead, he and the white house have reacted the way they normally do about these types of stories. From denying ever being told to calling it a hoax. Heres a doozy from the White House Press secretary. I would reask the question of whether it was in his material but asking maybe to defend why the president isnt necessarily reading it when there are these types of issues that arise. The president does read and also consumes intelligence verbally. This president , ill tell you, is the most informed person on planet earth when it comes to the threats that we face. Somehow a briefing of this magnitude got past the most informed person on planet earth. Officials tell the New York Times trump got a written briefing back in february on possible russian bounties. Meanwhile, nbc news reports that the white house learned of russian bounty intelligence in early 2019. Joining me now, msnbc contributor and Foreign Correspondent for the New York Times who has been covering this story. Dr. Dan barkoff, who you just saw in the commercial, founder of veterans for responsible leadership and my friend, naira hawk, former state Department Senior adviser and former white house senior director in the obama administration. Thank you guys for being here. Dr. Barkoff, i actually want to start with you. First of all, that ad is extraordinarily