The Coronavirus Pandemic Is Exacerbating Issues Facing The Black Community.
LEMON: The coronavirus pandemic exacerbating issues facing the black community in the U.S. Issues like basic access to healthcare. Economic security and fair policing. I want to bring in now CNN's Van Jones and Dr. Camara Jones, an epidemiologist and family physician. Thank you both. Good to see both of you again. Van, I can't wait to see you for our special on Friday coming. So, Van, I'm going to start with you. Another black man shot dead broad daylight, another video. A family seeking justice at the same time, black Americans are getting pummeled by the coronavirus. Again, how much of this -- how much more of this can we take all at once?</s>VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: You know, it's just horrible. You ask the question, what is it OK for us to do? What is it OK for a black man to do? You say, well, you know, we have poor underlying health conditions, it's our fault. You know, we should be in better health. OK, fine. Go jogging. Get in better health and then get killed. You say you have to wear a mask now. I have two teenage boys, they put on a mask, they take the mask off. I'm more afraid of somebody shooting them or arresting them for looking like quote and quote gang members than I'm afraid of this virus. What is it OK for us to do? What is allowed? We're crushed between police violence, vigilante violence. This virus. And anyway we move we feel trapped and nobody has an answer. You know, the last segment I just appreciate you, Don, for being able to hold that space. And for really starting this movement in the way you did. But is it very, very tough right now to be African-American in this situation.</s>LEMON: Yes. Dr. Jones. You know, you have seen that disturbing video as a mom, what goes through your mind when you see a young black man out there jogging? I mean, today it would have been his 26th birthday.</s>DR. CAMARA JONES, EPIDEMIOLOGIST AND FAMILY PHYSICIAN: Yes, he's just two years older than my son. And every time I see one of those videos then my first impulse is to call my son and say again, be careful. I worry about my husband going out in our neighborhood which is a predominantly white neighborhood at night to take the trash down to the street. And I say, well, let me do it. You know, it is our lives are not valued in this country. And our stories are not believed in this country. Our reality is not believed. Our voices are not heard. It's an invisibilization of our full humanity.</s>JONES: I was talking to a --</s>LEMON: That plus -- hang on the one second. Let me get this in and you are going to -- that plus the pandemic. What is the impact to the African-American community aside from the sheer exhaustion of having to deal with these things?</s>C. JONES: Well, I think that the impact is that we realize that our lives aren't valued by the meat packing plants. You know, our lives aren't valued or don't seem to be valued by these governors that are opening prematurely. That are essential roles have not been fully recognized or valued. Because we still don't have the PPE. We still don't have hazard pay. We still are not -- it's as if we are really, really, really seen as dispensable as animals. And what it reflects is white supremacist ideology. I'm just going to say one thing about that. White supremacist ideology is the idea that there's a hierarchy of human value with white folks at the top. And what we have in this country right now is that people at the top have said these are very fine people. These are good people. You know, encouraging people to bring out their -- I don't know if I want to say this. But I will just say that many of our leaders at the top are surrounding themselves with other people who have a vowed public white supremacist ideas. And so it's a signal to us that white supremacist flags has been waved is being heeded.</s>LEMON: Yes. Van, I have to run. But I'll give you the last word. Quickly please, you have been in the seat. You know how that works, can you.</s>JONES: Yes. I'll just say I was talking to a very prominent rapper today who said, he lives in a very wealthy neighborhood and he's afraid to leave his own house. He's spent all his money to live in a very wealthy neighborhood. But as an African-American young man he's afraid to leave his own house in that neighborhood for these reasons.</s>LEMON: Thank you both. We are going to talk more and make sure you watch next Friday, when Van and I will host another special on the color of covid. That will be here at 10:00 p.m. on Friday. So make sure you tune in. We'll be right back.