Topic: Race War

Neil deGrasse Tyson argues that the primary motivation for the Apollo moon landings was the Cold War conflict with the Soviet Union, not a pure spirit of exploration. Once the U.S. "won" the race and realized Russia was no longer a threat in space, the economic and political will to continue manned lunar missions vanished.

Alicia Brooks of the Southern Poverty Law Center appeared on MSNBC with Chris Matthews to discuss Antifa's role in Charlottesville. The discussion highlights the SPLC's framing of Antifa as protectors against neo-fascism, while the hosts critique the organization's massive funding and the mention of an impending "race war."

Al Sharpton is criticized for claiming on MSNBC that a disproportionate number of "black and brown" service members die in Middle Eastern conflicts. Adam Curry cites a 2015 Congressional Research Service report to debunk this, noting that white service members account for the vast majority of casualties. The discussion also revisits racial statistics from the Vietnam War to challenge common historical narratives.

Historical analysis of the U.S. Civil War suggests the conflict was driven by the political power of counting slaves as constituents rather than purely moral grounds. Senator Bernie Sanders addressed a large crowd at Liberty University, claiming the United States was founded on racist principles, a statement that draws criticism regarding the original intent of religious freedom. Records of race riots dating back to the 1860s indicate a long-standing continuum of racial tension in American history.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio urged citizens to engage in nonviolent protests following the death of Eric Garner. Officer Daniel Pantaleo issued a statement expressing regret over the fatality, while observers questioned why a city mayor would actively encourage public demonstrations against his own administration's police force.