Rescuing Refugees, Assault in Montana, The Future of the NAACP

Coming up on today’s show:

• In 2017 alone, more than 59,000 migrants and refugees have risked their lives to reach Europe. Of those that have attempted the journey, an estimated 1,500 are feared drowned. Richard Hall, Beirut correspondent for PRI’s The World and The Global Post, is aboard the Save the Children’s Vos Hestia ship in the waters off of North Africa, and provides The Takeaway an update on the ongoing refugee crisis. 

• On Thursday, Montana holds a special election to fill the House seat vacated by Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. Republican Greg Gianforte is up against Democrat Rob Quist. Gianforte stirred some late election controversy after allegedly body slamming Guardian reporter Ben Jacobs on Wednesday. Takeaway Washington Correspondent Todd Zwillich examines the dynamics at play in The Treasure State, and Jacobs weighs in on the incident with Gianforte. 

• Last week, the NAACP voted to get rid of Cornell William Brooks, the organization’s president. The rise of Black Lives Matter and the demands of a younger generation who are seeking more tangible results in a volatile political and social climate is forcing the 108-year-old organization to re-examine its mission. Dr. Peniel Joseph, a professor at the University of Texas-Austin and founding director of the LBJ School’s Center for the Study of Race and Democracy, explains.

• Gun violence continues to disrupt life in Chicago. More than 1,000 people have been victims of shootings in 2017 alone. Trying to figure who picks up a gun and why is the subject of WBEZ’s series called “Every Other Hour.” The title refers to how often a person has been shot since last year. As part of this series, The Takeaway hears from “Reed,” a middle aged man who still carries a gun and sometimes uses it.

• Phoenix has seen dramatic successes in dealing with disconnected youth. Rebekah Sanders, a reporter for The Arizona Republic, brings The Takeaway the story of Felix Moran, who was arrested on a felony charge as a young man. Since getting out, he’s become a Youth Outreach Coordinator.

This episode is hosted by Todd Zwillich.