What A Day - DREAM On

Episode Date: June 19, 2020

The Supreme Court ruled that Trump can’ t immediately end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA, because his administration’s reasons for ending it are not sufficient. We explain what comes next. Today is Juneteenth, a day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. We discuss the day’s significance and why this year’s Juneteenth feels different than others. And in headlines: Seattle’s largest labor group votes to expel the police union, California’s mask law, and a high-tech new ring for the NBA.

It's Friday, June 19th. I'm Akilah Hughes. And I'm Gideon Resnick. And this is What A Day, the official companion podcast to Kim Kardashian's new show on Spotify. Yeah, I mean, we know it hasn't come out yet. But when it does, you're pretty much not going to understand it unless you listen to our show first. It's true. Kim is a character in the Watt Extended Universe.

We invented her. On today's show, the meaning of Juneteenth and how the country is marking the holiday this year, then some headlines. But first, the latest. That was a home is here chant on the steps of the Supreme Court on Thursday. I teared up when I saw this on Twitter. I don't know about you, Gideon, but man, it's good stuff. Heartwarming. But that is big news. Yeah. In the last 24 hours, the Supreme Court's decision on DACA or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals took over every bit of media that any of us were taking in. It's the executive order from President Obama's administration that President Trump has tried to sabotage at every single turn.

While this ruling doesn't indefinitely protect the almost 700,000 DREAMers from deportation, it is still an important decision by a court that has been at odds with the Trump administration this week. So let's get into the ruling itself. Yeah, let's do it. So at the moment, what SCOTUS is saying is kind of simple. This administration can't just immediately end this program, at the very least, given the reasons that they presented. It was a 5-4 decision with Chief Justice John Roberts joining the liberal members of the court and writing the majority opinion on it. Now, he spoke to why they made this determination, and it hinged not on DACA itself, but the way in which the Trump administration actually went about trying to end it. More on that in a second. But Roberts wrote,

quote, we do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies. We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action. So Roberts is saying that the justifications the Trump administration provided for ending DACA were just not sufficient. But he did leave open the possibility that the administration could try to provide better reasons in the future. You know, I love the incompetence of Donald Trump being the reason why he never gets anything he wants. But yeah, let's talk about the Trump administration and how they got here. You know, they kind of set themselves up for failure. That's exactly right. So way back in the age old times of 2017, the Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security put out this

memo to end the DACA program. And that memo, which was written by the acting DHS Secretary Elaine Duke, didn't articulate why the administration was against DACA on policy grounds. Instead, it simply tried to say that the Obama action was unlawful and an executive branch overreach. They had too much power and they didn't use it lawfully. This was based on a rationale from Jeff Sessions, the then Attorney General. And there's a good New York Times story that has some of the reporting on the background here and how Elaine Duke may have written such a narrow memo because she actually disagreed with the administration on ending DACA in the first place. Anyways, this was the gamble, that courts would agree with the Trump administration that DACA was

unlawful as an executive order, but the courts just didn't agree. Instead, some of the lower courts said the Trump administration's move was, quote, arbitrary and capricious. And on its face, it's also kind of confusing to see the administration argue about the limits of executive power when Trump and his legal team have said it is very broad in other contexts and seem to use it willy nilly otherwise. Yeah. Long story short, after years of fighting for their rights and worrying about their future, here we are with a brief reprieve for hundreds of thousands of dreamers. Yeah, that raises the question, though, you know, where does it all go from here? Congress has been trying and failing on immigration for a really long time now. And Trump is already trying to use this ruling as a campaign issue to get reelected and get more of

his dudes on the court. Yes, that is 100% right. So what this means in practical terms is that the Trump administration is going to have to decide in the immediate future, do they want to stop trying to end the program and just let it be or come up with some other justification that the courts will accept? If they pursue that latter option, it's probably a months long process. So it's likely that the immediate threat for dreamers is over until November's election. Which brings us to presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who responded to this news yesterday saying that he wants to send a DACA bill to Congress on his first day in office. And that's going to have to be the move here, right? Currently, this functions like a stopgap measure, and it needs renewal every two

years with no pathway to citizenship. Enshrining the protections in law is what advocates are really looking for. Right. And it's important to note that outside of DACA, this administration is still pursuing ways to screw over immigrants, especially under the pretense of this pandemic. Oh, yes. So reportedly, there's talk of adding some permanence to some of Trump's temporary immigration policies that have been implemented or discussed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, there was the extension of a coronavirus border rule last month that has blocked tens of thousands seeking asylum at the southern border. And there's talk of another order on the way that would include

possible restrictions on skilled worker H-1B visas following that April one that targeted green cards. And then additionally, the Trump administration has been getting bipartisan pushes to make backlogged naturalization ceremonies easier amidst the pandemic. We have thousands and thousands of people waiting to become citizens and COVID-19 has posed a lot of logistical challenges there. So a lot more to come on DACA and immigration that we'll be following in the future. But let's shift gears to something more immediate. Today is Juneteenth. It is. If you don't know, Juneteenth isn't new. It's been an official holiday in Texas. But the cliff notes here are that when the Civil War ended, people didn't have cell phones.

So even though the Civil War had pretty much been over everywhere else in America, it wasn't until June 19th, 1865, that word got to enslaved people in Texas that the war had ended and the Confederacy would be remembered forever as a failed attempt to continue chattel slavery in America. And so the celebrations are in the spirit of recognizing that none of us are free until we are all free, which feels especially relevant these days. Donald Trump probably thinks you're just hearing about this. He told the Wall Street Journal that he made Juneteenth famous, that's a direct quote, in an interview this week, which is clearly insane. If you are hearing about it for the first time, remember, history in America is incredibly whitewashed.

That it is. So now that the holiday is actually getting the recognition that it's due, we have a lot of stuff that is planned for the weekend throughout the country. Let's go through some of it. All right. So across the country today and this weekend, there are huge protests and they're planned to continue putting pressure on states and localities to, at the very least, reform police and to end the oppression that Black people face in this country and every

single sector of society. Loads of companies, including Nike and Twitter, unions and states, are marking the day, many for the first time this year. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which runs ports all along the West Coast, is shutting ports down to observe the holiday and protest police violence. Governor Cuomo in New York is working to make Juneteenth a paid holiday for all state employees next year. It's super wild that it took all of the horrific events of the past few weeks to highlight the ignorance most places have about our history, but it's really, really beautiful that people are just finally waking up. I say it all the time, but for old time's sake, it looks like protest works. And in celebration, here's some great Black thinkers, abolitionists, radical organizers, and prolific writers in their own words.

We are sick and tired of being sick and tired. We don't hate the motherfucking white people. We hate the oppressor, whether he be white, black, brown, or yellow. The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in a period of moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. There comes a time when silence is betrayal. It is a terrible thing for an entire people to surrender to the notion that one-ninth of its population is beneath them.

And until that moment, until the moment comes, when we, the Americans, we, the American people, are able to accept the fact that I have to accept, for example, that my ancestors are both white and black, that on that continent we are trying to forge a new identity for which we need each other, and that I am not a ward of America.

I am not an object of missionary charity. I am one of the people who built the country. Until this moment, there is scarcely any hope for the American dream. What are you without racism? Are you any good? Are you still strong? Are you still smart? Are you still like yourself? I mean, these are the questions.

If you can only be tall because somebody's on their knees, then you have a serious problem. And my feeling is white people have a very, very serious problem, and they should start thinking about what they can do about it. Take me out of it. A nice gathering like today is not enough. You have to go back and reach out to your neighbors who don't speak to you. And you have to reach out to your friends who think they are making it good

and get them to understand that they, as well as you and I cannot be free in America or anywhere else where there is capitalism and imperialism until, until, until, until we can get people to recognize that they themselves have to make the struggle and have to make the fight for freedom every day, in the year, every year, until they win it. Thank you. That was Fannie Lou Hamer, Fred Hampton, Martin Luther King Jr., James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, and Ella Baker. To learn more about Juneteenth, head over to Crooked's YouTube channel, where political director Shaniqua McClendon has a deeper dive into its history and how to celebrate America's true Independence Day. That's youtube.com slash Crooked Media. true Independence Day. That's youtube.com slash cricket media. It's Friday, WOD Squad, and today we're doing a temp check for the gamers. All right, the Strong's World Video Game Hall of Fame announced its 2020 inductees, and the honorees are Bejeweled, Centipede, King's Quest, and Minecraft.

Games that were nominated but didn't make the cut include GoldenEye 007, Guitar Hero, and Super Smash Bros. Melee. So Giddy, based on this info alone and no prior knowledge of Hall of Fame video games, did they get it right this year? They absolutely did not get it right. I am so sorry to the strong organization. Goldeneye, Guitar Hero, Super Smash Bros. Melee. I mean, maybe it's just like an age thing of the games that I played when I was younger, but like those are some pretty defining games right

there. Yeah, that's true. That's true. I mean, look, they didn't make the cut this time. But that doesn't mean in the future they can't make the cut, Gideon. I don't know how this organization, this shadowy organization works. I don't want to cast aspersions. But you know, I don't know if there could be like future nominations for the same game. But I have some suspicions about the fact that, you know, we have at least two classics there, if not three. Guitar Hero, I feel like, is, like, one of the most innovative games to have existed. Right. It's, like, one of the only games that has a different kind of controller that people weren't, like, immediately turned off by. Like, usually if you have to buy some extra crap, people are like, I'm not playing this.

But we all got that stupid plastic controller with the whammy we did it we all did it every night of college and it was also like uh one of the first times you could see i feel like people doing like videos of themselves gaming on youtube because they were like you know can i master raining Blood or can I master like whatever on expert mode? Anyway, I'm upset. But what would you like to see in Strong's Hall of Fame if you had it your way? I mean, so I did go to their website and I was making sure that my choices

weren't already on there. Sonic the Hedgehog is in so like fine, I'll allow it. That is absolutely has to be in there. But I think that, you know, maybe I'm biased because I'm playing Animal Crossing right now. But this is not the first iteration of Animal Crossing. There was New Leaf. There were other ones before that. There's Pocket Camp on your phone. And I think that, you know, it definitely deserves a place alongside The Sims in terms of like games where

all of the other characters talk in gibberish and you build your entire town and world. I just, I think it's such a great experience. And so that would definitely have to be in there. And I mean, look, I know that this is a newer game and it's also like, it's more of an like indie darling, but I love Ori and the Blind Forest. And I think that like, it kind of revolutionized games that are like beautiful to watch while you're also watching people play versus just being fun to play. The music is very relaxing. It's unlike anything anyone's ever played,

and I'm very excited to start playing the sequel this weekend. You're making the case that I'm making that Strong as a Hall of Fame should be dismantled and... We're starting our own Hall of Fame. I'm in. Because these choices, this conversation that we've had

is much better than anything they could come up with. I'm sorry to the Strongs. Yeah, I guess it's the WOD Hall of Game. We're doing it. It's going to happen. Well, just like that, we checked our temps. We'll check in with you all again next week. Have a great Juneteenth and a good weekend.

Let's wrap up with some headlines. Headlines. The largest labor group in Seattle voted to expel the city's police union. Members of the King County Labor Council came to the decision on Wednesday night, saying the police guild failed to address racism within its ranks. This all comes after weeks of tension between the Seattle PD and protesters. More of the recent protests have been focused on the police union itself, especially after officers excessively tear-gassed peaceful demonstrators.

Earlier this week, the city council voted unanimously to ban police from using tear gas and other devices to control crowds. Now, with the union booted out of the labor council, supporters hope that local elected officials will feel some pressure to hold police more accountable. California's days of hot breath have only just begun. The state's governor, Gavin Newsom, issued a statewide mask order yesterday which requires people to cover up while in public or high-risk settings. This order comes as many counties have begun reopening restaurants and non-essential businesses. Newsom says the action was needed because too many people have been going out maskless.

Reminder to those folks that the pandemic isn't over just because they're serving Bloomin' Onions again at Outback Steakhouse, okay? California saw over 4,000 new cases of COVID-19 yesterday, the highest single-day increase the state has seen. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts is taking the opposite approach, telling local counties they won't receive federal funds if they require masks inside government offices. Some county officials in Nebraska have already scrapped their plans for mask requirements because of the news. Don't listen to Pete. That's all I'm going to say. Pete seems stupid. Yeah. The NBA sent players a health and safety manual detailing the policies that will keep

them safe once they head to Disney's sports compound to resume the season. Now, it's 113 pages, so it should help pass the time if any of these guys end up being bored in quarantine. We've already discussed some of these policies on the show, but the book reveals some interesting new details. For example, the league will allow athletes to play cards in their hotels, but they'll have to throw away each deck after one use. Hot tip for these guys. If you're down in poker, simply rip up your cards to shreds and scream that they were contaminated. Another part of the manual that stood out was the technology. Not only will players be required to wear Disney magic bands at all times, which will let them enter their rooms, pass through security checkpoints, and more,

they'll also have the option of wearing Aura smart rings. This new piece of medical tech, which is publicly available, can apparently predict COVID-19 up to three days early and with 90% accuracy. I'm imagining a ring pop that is also a nasal swab. I mean, that sounds horrible. Chinese citizens are saying no to imported salmon after a recent coronavirus outbreak in Beijing was linked to traces of the virus found on a cutting board used for salmon. That discovery led health officials to discourage people from eating salmon. Their advice was widely followed,

with grocery stores pulling salmon from shelves and importers destroying and returning salmon shipments. Heartbreaking to imagine the effect these actions have on Chinese bears. Officials have since walked back their early statements saying that the salmon didn't cause the outbreak, and there's no evidence that salmon can host COVID-19. But demand has not rebounded. Officials in China have frequently tried to deflect blame for coronavirus spread, so blaming an outbreak on imported fish seems right on target. While we're at it, salmon is also responsible for my credit score, split ends, and everything I wore from 2007 to 2015. It's an evil fish, that one.

Yeah, and those are the headlines. That's all for today. If you like the show show make sure you subscribe leave a review tell us your favorite ring pop and tell your friends to listen and if you're into reading and not just long books of basketball rules like me what a day is also a nightly newsletter check it out and subscribe at crooked.com subscribe i'm akilah hughes i'm gideon resnick and have a good june team we're celebrating every year now, so get used to it. What a Day is a product of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Charlotte Landis. Sonia Tun is our assistant producer.

Our head writer is John Milstein, and our senior producer is Katie Long. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka.