[The 90’s Election Specials raw: RNC #7]

Raw footage for The 90's election specials. Political satirist Stoney Burke speaks with Houston residents about the Republican National Convention and the 1992 presidential elections. Burke and videomaker Bob Hercules spend time in Freedmen's Town and at a National Abortion Rights Action League protest outside of the Houston Astrodome.

00:00Copy video clip URL This tape opens in the Houston neighborhood of Freedmen’s Town with an interview with Houston native Douglas Burkes about his thoughts on the Republican National Convention, the evolution of racism, and living in Freedmen’s Town. The audio levels are extremely low during this portion of the tape. Burkes labels the convention as a “gospel session” and states that is it a waste of taxpayer money. He also talks about quitting his job to sell drugs, and criticizes George Bush’s handling of the War on Drugs. Burkes also claims that law enforcement officials harass local residents.

11:13Copy video clip URL Burke and Burkes walk along the street. Burkes talks about the city of Houston and how it is pressuring the residents of Freedman’s Town to leave the area. Burkes also talks about the lack of gentrification in the area.

22:20Copy video clip URL Burke interviews several area children. Initially, the audio cannot be heard and cuts in and out throughout the interviews. Burke, The 90’s producer Joel Cohen, and camera operator Bob Hercules speak with one child in particular about his views on the convention and general politics.

31:30Copy video clip URL From inside a moving vehicle, Hercules gathers b-roll footage of the neighborhood. Primarily made up of dilapidated houses and uncultivated empty lots, Freedmen’s Town seems to be rather bleak. At one point, Hercules gets a shot of the Houston skyline towering over the area in the background. It’s an incredible shot that really sums up the character of Freedman’s Town. Hercules then gathers footage from the highway as the three venture back into the city.

38:53Copy video clip URL Back outside of the RNC, Burke begins to rant about the “incredible amount of overkill” at the convention. Burke tries to speak with a member of the Houston Police who declines to speak with him.

40:17Copy video clip URL The National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) holds a rally outside of the convention. Burke speaks with pro-choice supporters about their views. The audio is still extremely poor.

40:58Copy video clip URL Burke interviews a woman, Amanda, about her support for women’s rights. She comments on the importance of the issue in this election. Amanda calls herself a “life-long Democrat” and states that the Republican definition of “family values” is not tolerant or giving enough.

43:33Copy video clip URL Burke speaks with protester Mary Sulvas about her reasons for being at the NARAL protest. She talks about the the need for federal funding for poor women who choose to get an abortion. Hercules eventually asks Sulvas to describe the Republican point of view on the matter. She also talks about the notion of Republican family values and states that it is a code word for taking away the right to choose.

46:20Copy video clip URL Burke speaks with a family about their pro-choice views. When asked if they have talked about the issue of abortion with their daughter, they state that they have avoided getting into too many specifics, but have made their daughter aware of the need for women’s rights.

49:48Copy video clip URL Burke speaks with Phyllis Dunham, Director of the Texas Abortion Rights Action League. “What’s really important about this day is that most families in America are pro-choice and it’s been very disappointing to a lot of pro-choice families across this country, particularly Republican pro-choice families, to be hearing these speeches over across the way inside the dome acting as if the rest of us have no family values and we think that’s pretty ridiculous.” Burke, Hercules, and Dunham talk about the issue of abortion and its prevalence in the campaign. Dunham states that most of the country is pro-choice and emphasizes that abortion should be an individual right, something that corresponds with Republican ideals.

52:29Copy video clip URL Burke speaks with a woman wearing a Statue of Liberty costume about the Republican definition of family values. “They mean patriarchy.” Another woman states that the Republican Party is nostalgic in terms of family values.

54:59Copy video clip URL Burke speaks with a pro-choice supporter about his reasons for attending the protest. When asked what the issue of choice has to do with men, the man states that men and women are no different when it comes to views on privacy. He also describes the Republicans as divisive because of their negative innuendos throughout the campaign. Burke then continues to try to speak with a few other protesters at the convention. He speaks with a woman named Susan Stebbens and her friends before the tape cuts.

59:21Copy video clip URL Tape ends.

 

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