CUNY TV's Bob Herbert's Op-Ed.TV

Latest Episodes:

Commissioner Steven Banks on Homelessness in NYC Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

If ever a problem seemed intractable, it’s homelessness. After many decades of trying to find solutions, there are still tens of thousands of homeless men, women and children here in New York City. But there are also many dedicated people who work day and night to bring shelter and badly-needed services to many thousands of homeless people who otherwise would have nowhere to turn. One of those dedicated individuals is Bob’s guest, Steven Banks, who has been leading, simultaneously, the city’s vast Human Resources Administration and the Department of Homeless Services, as the Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Social Services.

Vincent Southerland on Critical Race Theory Nov 18, 2021

Show notes

Critical race theory, a respected intellectual framework that has been around since the 1970s and is taught mostly in law schools, is freaking out a lot of people. Bob tries to bring some clarity and honesty to this situation by speaking with Vincent Southerland, an assistant professor of clinical law at the NYU School of Law, and the co-editor of the book "Race, Rights and Redemption: The Derrick Bell Lectures on the Law and Critical Race Theory."

Ashley Owen on Problem Gambling Nov 10, 2021

Show notes

Ads for websites like Draft Kings and FanDuel are seemingly everywhere. What does this inundation of gambling opportunities mean for the problem gambler? Are there ways to protect those who are vulnerable to this dangerous, sometimes heart-breaking addiction? Bob explores this subject with Ashley Owen, a team leader with the New York City Problem Gambling Resource Center.

Jocelyn McCalla on Haiti’s Humanitarian Crisis Oct 07, 2021

Show notes

Haiti can seem like a country that is cursed. It’s the poorest nation in our hemisphere and has long been beset by political instability, natural disasters, and stunning outbreaks of violence. Haitians fleeing their home country for one reason or another have contributed to a surge of migration into the United States, and that has created a political crisis for the Biden administration. Bob talks about all of this with guest Jocelyn McCalla, a longtime human rights activist with a special focus on Haiti.

Dr. Robert Kopp on Climate Change and Our Future Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

The latest news on the climate front has been ominous indeed. In addition to wildfires, historic flooding and life-threatening heat waves here and in other parts of the world, recent scientific reports are pointing to worse catastrophes to come. Lives are being lost and colossal levels of destruction are already under way. What can we do to mitigate future outcomes? Bob asks this of his guest, Dr. Robert Kopp, director of the Institute of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences at Rutgers University, and one of the lead authors of a key report from the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Zachary W. Carter on Crime and Policing Jul 06, 2021

Show notes

New York City experienced a crimewave in the 1970s, and again during the crack epidemic of the 1980s and early 90s. Now violent crime – specifically, homicide – is surging again. Why? And what do we need to do to avoid a repeat of the terrible, tragic days of the past? Bob asks this of his guest, Zachary W. Carter, a former U.S. attorney and former judge, who has also served as New York City’s Corporation Counsel.

Jacob Hacker on Threats to U.S. Democracy Jun 22, 2021

Show notes

Over one hundred eminent scholars recently signed a statement of concern that asserts, clearly and unequivocally, that “our entire democracy is now at risk.” One of these scholars joins Bob to explain this threat to the future of our nation. He is Jacob Hacker, a political science professor at Yale University and co-author of the book “LET THEM EAT TWEETS: How the Right Rules in an Age of Extreme Inequality.”

AnnMaura Connolly on the Benefits of National Service Jun 07, 2021

Show notes

Believe it or not, there’s one area of national policy on which Democrats and Republicans seem to agree, and that’s voluntary national service programs. These are programs in which men and women of all ages, but often young people, engage in activities that provide an endless variety of benefits to local communities.

Arva Rice on Vaccine Hesitancy and Access May 25, 2021

Show notes

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tragically disproportionate effect on America’s black communities, and yet, some members of the African-American and other communities of color, have been among those initially reluctant to take the vaccines that have been developed to combat the pandemic. Why is that? And what’s being done to reverse that reluctance? Bob talks about this with guest Arva Rice, president and CEO of the New York Urban League and a member of a task force that was formed in New York to spread the word about the safety and efficacy of the vaccines, and to make sure that they are widely accessible in communities of color.

Andrea Williams on Effa Manley and the Negro Leagues May 11, 2021

Show notes

The general, almost universal feeling now, is that it was a good thing when Jackie Robinson broke the Major League color barrier in 1947. However, there were unintended consequences, which have been mostly lost in the unforgiving haze of history.

Bob talks about those consequences with guest Andrea Williams, author of the new book, “Baseball’s Leading Lady: Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro Leagues.”