Episode 3 Miriam's Big American Adventure

Miriam Margolyes is now six weeks and over 500 miles

into her Big American Adventure.

-DONALD TRUMP:

-We're going to build the wall.

We have no choice. We have no choice.

CHEERING

Build that wall. Build that wall. Build that wall! Build that wall!

I'm from the generation that has always looked up to America.

Build that wall! Build that wall!

They saved us in the War,

they're strong and handsome, they're democratic,

and, you know, I bought the American Dream,

same as everybody else.

So, we're going to build it.

-Who's going to pay for the wall?

-CROWD:

-Mexico!

100%.

And so when I learnt that they had chosen Mr Trump,

I had to find out what happened.

And I thought the way to try to understand it

is actually go there and talk to the people.

And I wanted to find out how divided

the United States of America really is.

76-year-old actress Miriam Margolyes

is on an epic two-month road trip

down the middle of Middle America.

She's over halfway through her journey

through the American heartland,

heading for the Deep South of New Orleans.

A former US resident,

Miriam's been discovering the America she doesn't know

and meeting people whose voices and votes

are changing the shape of the country.

The enormity of America does still surprise me.

It's a big old place.

It makes people very different in different places.

Miriam has arrived in Arkansas,

one of the states immortalised by the Hollywood western.

This is frontier territory -

a land claimed by and ruled by cowboys for 200 years.

Ooh, we're coming into a ranch.

Eek! That's fun.

Arkansas is home to the so-called Forgotten Americans

that turned to Trump in the last election.

Miriam is about to meet her first-ever cowboy.

What images come to mind when you think of cowboys?

A cowboy is a very clear image etched against the sun,

crinkly blue eyes, astride a horse,

one-handedly kissing a woman round the waist and...

Very sexy, very powerful, very confident in their own world.

-Hello.

-How are you?

-I'm Miriam.

-I'm Dan Eoff.

-Very pleased to meet you, sir.

-Well, nice to meet you.

-Oh, man!

-This is some Italian champagne...

-I've never had that before.

-..from Europe.

-From Europe?

-Europe.

-I saw that on Facebook, but I've never been to Europe.

-Come over.

-OK. What a lovely place. It's so peaceful.

-What are all these things?

-Oh, these are spurs.

The western spurs, like we use on horses.

My great-grandfather had them back in the early 1800s.

Time past. Yeah.

-AMERICAN ACCENT:

-Now, don't you put the flag on the ground.

-Oh, man! I didn't see that.

-That's Old Glory.

-Yes.

You got a man?

-A man?

-Are you married?

-No, I'm a lesbian.

-Are you sure?

-HE LAUGHS

-I am! Could you become one?

I like to feel the titties, I like to do all that.

Well, we all like titties, darling. That's something we share!

THEY LAUGH

We got really closely acquainted rather quickly, didn't we?

-So, you have met a Jew before?

-Yeah.

But you'd just never met a lesbian Jew before.

-Oh, my God!

-THEY LAUGH

-Are you Jewish?

-Of course I am. My name's Miriam.

-That's a Jewish name.

-Well, I mean, you know, I'm not educated.

-Yeah. Are you a Christian?

-Yes, I... Yes.

We've come from Chicago down here, so I've been in cities.

-This is really country here.

-Yes, it is.

-And I think people think differently in the country.

-They do.

-You could tell how we voted.

-Why do you think that is?

Why do you think that country people feel that Trump was their man?

-Because he's a city boy. He's not a country boy.

-No, but he's a...

-DOG SNEEZES

-Hey!

But he's an entrepreneur. He works. He works every day for a living.

-I mean, he's part of us.

-It's so funny that you say that

because, to me, he's absolutely the quintessential financier.

I don't understand what them words are.

Well, he's a man who makes money by buying and selling...

Yes, that's us.

That's us cow traders. That's us horse-traders.

-And do most of the folk round here think the way you think?

-Yeah.

Oh, in the heartland of the United States, yes.

The people that work... The people that work do.

Ooh, I like this.

Dan is just a complete charmer.

He's just totally naughty and fun and...

I know that he loves Trump and all that, but...

And I'm not going to change his mind,

but I want to find out a bit more about why.

Peggy's the wife, isn't she? I haven't met her yet.

I'm a bit nervous about her.

I've put some perfume on. I'm ready!

Thanks for letting us come and see you.

-So nice to meet you.

-I'm Miriam.

-Peggy.

-So nice. So nice.

-What a lovely house.

-Thank you.

I'm sure we don't share the same taste about everything,

-but I'm going to perch on this chair.

-You go ahead.

-You go right ahead.

-Nice and comfy.

My life and my world is completely different from yours.

I know that because, you know, I'm a city girl.

And I know that my politics are very different

from the politics that people will have around here.

I'm going to go out on a limb,

and I'd say nearly everyone voted for Mr Trump.

He knows what's going on. A lot of people don't like him,

they don't like his tweeting and stuff,

but he kind of tells it like it is.

What about the stuff about women -

when he talks about women in a slightly funny way?

You know, I have worked around men for 20-something years.

They're all like that.

-I don't like it in a president.

-Well, he's just a person.

-God uses imperfect people.

-So, you don't...?

-That doesn't bother you?

-Does not bother me a bit.

People have gotten so politically correct.

You're not supposed to spank your kids, you know.

Our country was founded on people like Dan and me

that got up and went to work every day.

You know, they left England because

they didn't want people telling them what to do.

So, they come over here

and they make the best country in the whole world.

And then you have someone like Obama that says,

"We're going to make everybody even."

Well, that's not right.

If you don't get up and go to work every day,

why should you have all the benefits that I do?

You don't think that there could be any improvements?

Oh, there's always room for improvement,

and I think that's what Mr Trump's going to do.

I think he's going to improve our country,

because he's going to go back to the fact - America first.

You put your family first before you take care of anybody else.

Cool breeze coming through.

We all need dreams. We all need some hope.

I think that's part of why President Trump is so popular.

The people on the rough end - he's given them hope.

They feel that he's heard their voice.

He speaks to them in a way that they can understand

and he has allowed them to dream again.

Trump says, "Follow me

"and I will lead you to the promised land."

And they believe him.

In the local town of Clinton, Dan and Peggy run a shop

selling western-themed furniture and collectables.

A lot of their products are made in and imported from Mexico.

Miriam has offered to help out.

This is what you call a compendium of cowboy identity.

It's sort of set in the past, isn't it,

in a kind of vision of what it was?

Hello! So, what's my task?

Your task is to straighten up those boots.

Most of our men don't like the fancy boots.

-They are fancy, aren't they? Gosh! Where...?

-They come from Mexico.

So, what do you think about the wall, then?

-Do you think it's a good idea?

-I do.

I think it... I think you need...

It's just kind of like doors on your house.

It's to keep your family safe.

I feel like, once the wall is built,

manufacturing comes back to America more,

more people are working,

more people will be building second houses,

they'll come back and buy some more furniture.

-And all that will come because of the wall?

-Well, it could.

I just think that building a wall is going to cost a lot of money

for somebody that could be better spent.

Well, just think of all the people this is going to put to work.

But who's going to pay for it?

-Well, Mexico's going to pay for it. Don't you know that?

-But they won't.

-Donald Trump says...

-Yeah, but you know they won't.

-You know they're not going to pay for it.

-Well, I...

I think it's going to just cause more trouble

than it's going to solve. But I don't know. I may be wrong.

You know, I didn't realise this country was so divided

-until they elected him president.

-I didn't either.

And the liberals started riding and destroying cities and...

You know, we didn't like Obama,

but we didn't go out and destroy somebody's business

because he was president.

What is the America that you want? What would you like to see?

When you work and your word is good, you're rewarded for it.

I mean, you can make a living

and not have to send half your pay cheque to the government

to use on some ridiculous bill that they're passing.

The hand-outs. We do the work

and we share our work. We don't want that.

But do you think, sometimes, that people can fall on hard times,

things get difficult and that's why

-they need food stamps and a hand-out?

-No, no.

-I believe it's about choice.

-It is.

-Poverty is about choice.

But the message that he gives you is what?

What is it that he's saying to you

that makes you feel that he's the man for the job?

We tried everything else,

and I like to see a guy that gets rich

and then goes into government,

instead of a guy that goes into government and comes out rich.

-I like that.

-That's a good point. That's a good point right there.

We're going up to see the cattle that made America great.

Well, I think he could have warned me

that it was going to be a bit bumpy.

Look how fast he's going on this narrow road. Outrageous!

SHE LAUGHS

I'm an old lady. I shouldn't be doing this!

Well, I feel 80 now.

I've aged four years coming up this far!

Oh, now I see it, where we're going.

It's like a nice lookout point.

That's a wonderful view,

and a very nice, tidy little place awaits us.

You lucky sod. This is fantastic!

Somebody asked me one time, said, "What about selling the ranch?"

I said, "You wouldn't sell your children, would you?"

The ranch is our children.

We've cleaned it up. We nurse it every year.

I mean, you can't sell that.

This is your land and it's part of you always.

-It is part of me.

-And what breed are those cattle?

Those are Texas longhorns.

Can you call the cattle so that we can get them a bit closer?

Well, I can call them a little ways,

but, now, I think they might be scared of you.

They've never seen anybody from that part of the country!

-SHE LAUGHS

-But I'll try to.

Come on!

They are going, aren't they?

Sometimes, in life, you get...

..what, these days, are called wow moments.

And for me, I think this is a wow moment.

And I understand the connection to the land.

I understand why they love it so much.

They feel powerful here.

And if they feel that Mr Trump

means to let them reign on this land forever...

..I can understand why they support him.

Jeez!

Whoo! Come on!

-AMERICAN ACCENT:

-Don't you look at me like that!

This must really heal your heart.

-I love these old cows.

-Yeah, I can imagine that.

You know, we're just caretakers of this land while we're here,

and I want to share it.

My neighbours and relatives and Jesus Christ - they're all welcome.

I just have this feeling that Donald Trump

-doesn't want to share it.

-Oh, I think he does.

-Well, we'll see.

-Me and wife always didn't agree,

me and my mother always didn't agree,

-but we still loved each other.

-Yes, well,

I can love you and respect you.

I just don't agree with you. That's it.

It is remarkable,

but I don't know if I could actually live here.

It is lonely.

And if you can imagine a wall being built here

across everything you can see, cos that's what it would be like...

..it doesn't clop, as they say in Holland.

It doesn't... It doesn't fit.

I can't work it out.

Miriam's back on the road towards New Orleans.

20 miles on, still in Arkansas, there's a sign.

Blimey! That is horrible.

Very nasty sign to come to.

"Diversity is a code word for #whitegenocide."

What a horrible, pathetic,

silly, nasty sign.

Blimey!

Well, I'll have to go and find out

and see what kind of people the townspeople are like.

Very nasty.

Right.

I think that the Southern states are the front line.

That's where racism was rampant, encouraged,

and where it won for many, many years.

Much of the wealth in the South was built on slavery

and the cotton and tobacco plantations

the slaves were forced to work.

150 years on from the abolition of slavery,

Arkansas has one of the highest concentrations

of extreme race-hate groups in the US,

and the small Arkansas town of Harrison

has been dubbed the most racist town in America.

You can't judge a town on the basis of one sign.

I'm just surprised that people haven't taken it down.

But, you know, they believe in free speech in America.

But it's just like any other little town.

It's got ordinary shops and malls and restaurants.

I'm sure there are some racists here, lurking.

I'm aware of the fact that it has the reputation

of being the most racist town in America,

so I thought I'd like to go to the library

and see if they've got some information.

And here we are.

Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Harrison, Arkansas.

And there it is, with the famous

two eyes and the hood.

The Ku Klux Klan has a base just outside Harrison.

Miriam has asked to meet them and other alt-right groups in the area.

While she waits for them to respond, she's got a meeting with the mayor.

-Hello.

-Well, hello.

-Can I come in?

-Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.

-Thank you.

Thank you very much. I'm Miriam Margolyes.

-Miriam, Dan Sherrell.

-So, your town has been described

as the most racist town in America.

So, I'm hoping that you're not the most racist mayor in America.

-You think I am?

-I don't think you are...

-No, I'm not.

-..because you've got a sweet face.

Believe it or not,

is that some of the things that we face here in Harrison?

-Yes, we do.

-Why is that?

Well, it's from a group outside of our city.

I'll just put it bluntly - it's the KKK.

That's where that image comes from.

But you're going to find that 99.9% of the people

do not agree with their thinking whatsoever.

We're a very, very friendly town.

And is that one of the things that you, as the mayor,

feel that you want to make clear to people?

-Yes, ma'am.

-That it's not a racist town?

-Yes, ma'am.

Harrison is the greatest town in the world.

-You love it?

-I love it, you know,

and people here, we're hard-working people.

Most people go to church or, you know, are God-fearing people.

They raise their families and their own life here.

Do you think America is divided at the moment?

Yes, I do, but I don't...

You know, can you say the last election caused it?

No, it probably was coming anyway, believe it or not.

So, this is your main square?

This is the main square in town, yeah.

And a lot of things...

We've got a farmers' market going on down here.

I mean, I haven't seen much of it, but just driving in,

it's quite a sweet, pretty little town.

For the first half of the 20th century,

this part of Arkansas fought to keep racial segregation in place.

Do you remember segregation?

I cannot remember when a black person had to go

to this rest room and a white person had to go to this rest room.

I knew it was there, but I was not familiar with it.

-No.

-Did your parents bring you up to be inclusive? I mean...

My parents brought me up to be who I am,

and they taught me to be open, cos they were open.

Does it irritate you that people describe your town

as the most bigoted...

-..in America?

-Yeah, it does.

It irritates our town and it irritates me, too.

We have a man near here that has some affiliation

with the old Ku Klux Klan, so that's bad news.

But, honestly, I don't think that we're, by any means,

any more racist than the average town in this state or even up north.

I'm not sure that America is particularly

a United States at the moment. What do you feel about that?

No, we're very polarised right now,

and especially since President Obama came in.

Now, there will always be a small element of people

that are going to be continually oppressive

and antagonistic toward the African-Americans,

and it's just down deep in DNA, it looks like.

But that's going to change. We are coming together.

It's going to take a little more time,

but we're coming together.

We're all, to some extent, trapped by our history.

And to some extent, I think there are places where

the Civil War is still being fought

and Confederate flags are still flown,

but things are moving.

After talking to these people, I'm optimistic.

I don't know what I will feel when I talk to the KKK.

The spokeswoman for the KKK has sent an e-mail.

I felt that I ought to give the people who don't agree with me

a chance to speak, and they've turned it down.

Maybe they're afraid of me and my scintillating intellect.

I don't know what it is, but they don't want to speak,

they don't want to be heard,

they don't want to put their case on television.

Well, bugger 'em.

The town of Harrison is less than 1% black.

It hasn't always been that high.

In the 1970s, Kevin applied for a job as a ranger

in a local nature reserve. As a mixed-race man,

he's been a witness to the division in Harrison ever since.

I really actually did not know about its reputation,

but as I accepted the job, she was trying to say, "Now, wait, wait.

"I got to let you know - you will be the only black person

"in a 50-mile radius."

And I came to find out that there actually were death threats,

saying that, "Oh, we're going to kill him,"

or, you know, "He won't last long." Stuff like that.

No-one told me these things.

-I bet they didn't!

-No-one told me there were death threats against me.

I mean, did you meet people who were personally unpleasant to you?

There were times when I was introduced

that, you know, a person would not stick out their hand.

And there was one time my tyres were slashed.

But rather than be scared and run off,

I just kind of adopted it as an opportunity to say, you know,

"I could serve a purpose here.

"I can give them a chance to meet a black person."

You're not the blackest of black men that I've ever seen.

-That's right.

-Does that make a difference, do you think?

Oh, most definitely. In America, in general, it's...

You cannot deny that the darker your skin,

the harder it will be for you.

-REPORTER:

-Well, the latest figures show that hate crime

in America is skyrocketing.

-REPORTER:

-The rise of racially motivated attacks

has been a trend in the United States

since the 2016 presidential election.

Since Trump became president,

the number of hate groups in America has increased.

There's been a surge of memberships in some of these organisations,

and it tends to embarrass us to think that we haven't moved,

you know, forward as much as we hoped we had.

Do you think Trump has made the divisions worse?

-I respect the position of the presidency.

-Of course.

I do have to recognise, however, that, soon after his election,

it seemed to have given some people a little empowerment

in being able to speak opinions

that are less than accepting of others.

But it doesn't matter who brings it out.

Our concern is that this opinion has been in folks

who have joined these groups.

You know, it's not the best image that we, as Americans,

want to have with the rest of the world -

to see more and more... a divide amongst our people.

One of the local alt-right groups, the Kingdom Identity Ministries,

has been in touch. Their leader, Pastor Mike Hallimore,

is considering meeting Miriam.

"I look forward to speaking further with you in the future.

"In the meantime, I would be interested

"in the religious background of you, Miriam,

"and others involved in this production.

"Also, are any not of British/European

"ethnic/racial make-up?"

Can you believe it?!

"Sincerely, Mike."

We're on the way to a strange assignation

with this right-wing twit.

He doesn't like Jews -

he thinks that we are Satanic - and...

..so he wouldn't meet me.

He wouldn't consider it.

So, we have to do it a slightly different way.

A hotel boardroom has been hired. Miriam waits in the car.

My colleague, Nicola, and my director

are in the room with headsets.

And I can feed the questions to her.

I'm not there because they wouldn't speak to me, because I'm a Jew.

How do you think that makes me feel?

-Pastor, good afternoon.

-Hello. Where should we sit?

Come join us here.

I do feel nervous. I feel upset.

I mean, I read one of the pieces of literature that they put out,

and they want to kill Jews.

And not just Jews, but homosexuals.

-I'm a homosexual and I'm a Jew.

-SHE CHUCKLES

-So, shall we go for our first question?

-Sure.

Do you think America is united or divided?

Do you think America is united or divided?

Oh, it's definitely divided,

although I think it would be more united

if it were purely white Christian people.

A lot of the division comes because of the Jewish-owned media.

So, are the Jews the fount of all evil?

Are the Jews, then, the fount of all evil?

Well, Scripture says love of money

is the root of all evil, but...

..they certainly are behind what people believe is evil -

the banking system, you might say...pornography,

you might say...

So, how would he like America to change?

How would you like America to change?

Well, obviously, I'd like it to change

to be a godly country that enforces God's laws.

What would he do with the Jews

and the Afro-American people, if he could?

What would he do with them?

What would you do with the Jews and the Afro-Americans?

Well, I would send everyone back,

whether it's Africa for the blacks...

The Jews, I would gather them up

and put them on an island

where they couldn't do any harm, such as...

I know, in the past, Madagascar has been suggested.

And, of course, I would castrate the males

and have the females, you know,

with hysterectomies so they couldn't reproduce.

Miriam has decided she's not prepared to listen to any more.

I've had enough.

The crew are worried about what might happen

if she meets Pastor Mike. They send her back to the car.

I don't think there's any point in refuting what he says

because it's total bollocks from start to finish.

And to think that a grown-up is using the Bible

and quoting the Bible to purvey such...

..misguided, ridiculous concepts...

It was disgusting.

I'm glad I wasn't in the room with him, actually,

because I think I might have...

..behaved in an unseemly way.

That was a vision into hell, frankly.

But I've got to not let that poisonous invective,

that hateful non-Christian

blind me into what's good here.

I'm not going to let one bad apple infect the whole bunch.

Miriam's heading 180 miles south into Texas,

one of the most religious states in the country.

Here, almost 80% of adults are Christian.

America is a religious country - churches all over,

and millions of people do believe in God,

and I don't.

And I guess I have to get onto that wavelength

because if I'm to understand America,

I've got to widen my own perceptions.

Miriam's in Tyler City, East Texas,

to stay with devout Christian Dr Doug Flanders,

his wife Jennifer, and their 12 children.

-I think I'll just fart.

-SHE FARTS

That's better.

-Hello, hello! How are you?

-Hello. I'm Miriam Margolyes.

-Hi, Miriam. I'm Jennifer.

-Jennifer, hi.

-So good to meet you.

-And Doug Flanders.

-Doug, how do you do?

-Nice to meet you, Miriam.

-What a lovely house.

-Please come in.

-I farted just before I came in.

-JENNIFER LAUGHS

Well, I'm glad it was on the porch and not in the house.

I thought, "I'm not going to fart as soon as I come in."

So, I'm just looking at this.

"Whether then you eat or drink... do all to the glory of God."

We've had that in every house that we've, you know, ever owned.

That's kind of been our motto.

-Two people have suddenly appeared.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-These are two of our daughters.

-Hello. You've got 12 children.

-Yes.

-You've been busy!

-We have been busy. Yes, yes.

Gosh, you've got so many photographs.

I notice another homily.

"Children are a blessing from the Lord.

"Happy is the man whose quiver is full of them."

Did you know you were going to have lots of children?

Well, none of us know that,

but I knew I wanted lots of children.

In fact, when guys would ask me out,

I wanted to know their plans for family down the way

before I would accept a date, because, as a Christian,

I believe that the husband leads and the wife submits and...

-What?!

-Yes, I do, Miriam. I'm sorry. So, erm...

So, I just wanted to make that job as easy as I could.

Horses for courses, it's not for me.

I'm not going to submit to anybody,

man or woman, if I don't think it's a good thing.

And I'm not sure I like hierarchy in any way.

I like the rule of law, and that I will submit to.

It was important for me to learn how to cut hair

because I wanted to get married and have a lot of kids

and I knew it would save us money. I think, last calculation,

I think I've saved us about 38,000, if you count all the...

-We actually added it up at one point.

-Yes, added it up.

-I was brought up in a Jewish home...

-Right.

-..but I lost my faith.

Do you allow people to be doubters and to be like me...

-Absolutely.

-..who don't accept it?

-Absolutely.

-We're allowed?

You're allowed to do that. Yes, absolutely.

-It's expected.

-Oh, well, that's good.

-It's almost like...

-And supposing one of them was gay -

-how would you deal with that?

-Well, we'd love them the same as...

-Oh. So, that's not a sin?

-Well, it's a sin.

-THEY LAUGH

-There's, I mean...

Well, it would break my heart.

But not any more than it would break my heart for

one of my married sons to cheat on his wife.

So, you'd like to see America a completely Christian country?

We would like to see all 7.5 billion people on the planet come to Christ,

only because we believe God really exists

and that he wants to have a relationship with every person

of every race, and, you know, language across the planet.

It doesn't matter what we want,

because it's only God that can change hearts.

That's what we believe.

And I am also convinced that he can give you that faith

if that's something that you want, you know?

-Well, you know I don't want it because I'm happy the way I am.

-Yes.

Well, it's very comforting if you know you're right...

..and they know they're right.

They don't have any doubts at all,

and they've cemented that within their huge family.

This is James Michael Flanders, and he's the seventh grandkid.

-And your first.

-Yes, our first.

-My first. Oh, yeah.

-That's the important part.

-Dear God, thank you so much

for the blessing of James Michael.

I pray that, no matter what happens in this life,

the most important thing is that he comes to know you

and that he's receptive. Amen.

I just can't hold babies. It's just something I can't do.

-HE LAUGHS

-Aw.

-We can do half and half.

-I'd be just so terrified.

You can't miss out. You're too close.

-So sweet.

-Oh, look at that.

-Who can resist?

Oh, my goodness. Look at that. Got him all by yourself now.

You have to admit, that's sweeter than a puppy.

-Oh, I think it's very sweet.

-Oh, my goodness.

-It's just I'm a little bit alarmed.

-Oh, no. Look how beautiful.

I just think - get him educated properly,

and no sugar.

-THEY LAUGH

-There.

Doug and Jennifer follow a Christian movement

that believes all children are a blessing from God.

The more they have,

the more blessed they'll be.

We have a little sign that Jennifer made for me that just says,

"Do not disturb. Mom and Dad are at it again."

And we literally hang it...

We latch the latch, so they know immediately, like,

"Oh, don't knock on the door. Don't shout," you know.

-So, erm...

-HE LAUGHS

Blimey!

-I think we've shocked Miriam!

-Oh, definitely.

I am bereft of words.

Oh, well, there's nowt so queer as folk.

BOTH LAUGH

-Go over there in that corner.

-Do you want me to go...?

-Well, how am I going to...?

-OK.

-You've got to go right through. Go backwards more.

-OK.

-No, taut, taut.

-OK, OK!

Oh, you're just teaching me a whole new way to do things.

-We don't want it dipping.

-There we go. There we go.

-There.

-But that's the way to do it.

-I see that.

-I'm surprised I have to teach YOU that!

-I know!

Well, I'm used to not having a partner fold with me.

Do you think that it's absolutely essential to have children?

That procreation is a holy duty?

You may not like the word duty,

but that passage in First Corinthians

talking about not denying your spouse

definitely makes it clear that that is something that is expected,

both of husband and wife -

-that they have that intimacy together.

-But just a second,

you don't mean that you can't say no to your husband, do you?

I don't mean that, but I mean that you oughtn't to say no

on a regular basis.

Like, if you are continually pushing your husband away,

that's not good for the marriage.

Don't marginalise something that is extremely important to your husband.

-Sex is important.

-Yes.

And I think that it's wonderful and fun.

-Yes.

-I mean, I'm speaking from memory

because my partner and I, we don't have the sort of sex

-we used to when we were young.

-Yes.

-But we love each other and we cuddle and that sort of thing.

-Yes.

-But I can't quite tie it up with a religious duty.

-Mm.

I think it comes out of the love.

Doug and Jennifer are among a rising number of parents

who have removed their children from mainstream education.

Over 1.5 million American children are currently being home-schooled,

the majority Christians who think their religious beliefs

are being ignored.

Do you believe in creationism?

I definitely believe in creationism, yes.

So, you don't count any of the science

that says that the Earth is, you know,

billions of years old or whatever?

-I don't.

-You just ignore that? You think it's wrong?

It's not that I want them to never know that

that theory is out there, although I...

Theory is really too strong a word.

I really think there's not enough evidence to even call it a theory.

I think it's still a hypothesis.

And this idea that monkeys turned into people -

that is science fiction.

I totally reject that, and I worry about it

because I think that it's turning back knowledge.

They are a real-life Walton family.

They've instilled in them a sense of love,

a great security, great affection.

You can't fault it.

And I've tried, but I can't.

I just wish that they would teach them

the realities of evolution.

My principle allegiance is to the human race,

and I'm just always a bit nervous

about people belonging to lots of different teams

-and feeling their team is better than the other team.

-Oh.

That's why I was very distressed

when Mr Trump said, "America first. America first."

I think that also may be like when you're on the aeroplane,

they tell the parents to put the mask on yourself

before you try to put it on the child,

because if you pass out before you get it,

neither one of you will make it.

Right now, America has a lot of inner problems.

We have become a very divided nation.

Do you feel that - that it's a divided nation?

Yes, I do. I think that there is a big division.

Some viewpoints are being squeezed out,

where people do not even want to hear them. They...

You know, if you believe, as we do,

we're told in the classroom to just sit down and be quiet

because you don't have anything to contribute,

because you've proven that you're ignorant,

because you believe there's a God, and we've moved beyond that.

We need to get back to a place

where we can discuss those issues respectfully.

Do you feel, from being with us, that we're narrow-minded?

No, I don't. I think you're uni-minded,

because your inspiration

and your certainty comes from your belief in Jesus and God.

Yes.

And I respect it from afar.

-Yes.

-I just think it's totally bananas.

-You know?

-Yes.

-I just think it's wrong.

Have I made you cry?

I didn't mean to make you cry, cos that's horrible of me.

-Well, it's...

-I'm just sad because I know that...

Because I'm blinded and I don't see the truth?

-Yeah.

-You know, goodness, I believe in,

and I can see that you're good

and I totally acknowledge and respect that.

Whatever goodness you see in our life is because of God,

not anything else, Miriam.

Well, I respect it as a faith,

but it's not my faith, and you have to just...

-You know? Without Christ, I'm OK.

-I know.

I fell in love with the whole family.

And it just shows how extraordinary life is -

that you can meet people...

..with whom you have very little in common...

..and yet feel completely delighted by them.

But we're in this very strange country.

America is an extraordinary country,

full of the most ridiculous conundrums

and places where reason seems to have gone out the window.

And I can't keep up with America.

It's, it's defeating me. It's puzzling me.

It's puzzling the shit out of me, actually.

On her way through the south of Texas,

Miriam's stopping off in the city of Beaumont.

Here, at the same time Texas voted for Trump to be president,

Beaumont voted for their new sheriff.

Her name is Zena,

and she's Texas's first-ever black female sheriff.

I don't know what she's going to be like,

but I know she was elected, just like Trump was elected.

And she's completely different, apparently,

from the man who was in her job before, for 20 years.

-THUNDER RUMBLES

-Ooh, storms.

Storms ahead, perhaps.

A political science graduate,

Zena served for 17 years in the local sheriff's office

before standing for election as sheriff herself.

Her aim? To unite the community.

-Hi! Come on in.

-So pleased to meet you.

-I'm a hugger. Can I hug you?

-No, not the first time.

-OK.

I never let people come too near the first time.

-OK.

-And then, after that, they can't get me away.

-All right, so let's hurry up and get to the second time, OK?

-OK!

-Come on in.

-Thank you.

-Come on into my office.

-So, this is your kingdom in here?

This is the sheriff's department. Come on in.

-Nice and comfy.

-Yeah.

-So, you're a black woman sheriff.

-Yes.

And one of those feels very odd, and that's the sheriff bit.

Yes. I didn't do it because I wanted to be the first.

I did it because I wanted to be a good cop

and change some things that I saw going on in the community.

-Did you have much opposition?

-Yes.

They shot at my campaign headquarters in the primary.

Some person drove by, I was standing outside,

and yelled the N word and shot at me.

And so I still understand that we live in the South

and there are people that would be opposed

-to me running for this office.

-My God!

So, you and Trump came together, did you?

-Isn't that crazy?

-It is a bit!

-And I think one of the reasons

that happened is I think people were ready for change, and we both represent change.

In my case, I think it's a good thing.

In his case, you know, that's another story.

But I think people were looking for something different.

And what are you going to give them that's different?

My big thing is, you know, diversity,

trying to change the image of sheriff's offices, you know.

Traditionally, you see cowboys in cowboy hats and boots,

and the good-old-boy system.

And so I've gone out and hired more minorities.

We can't change the system unless people who look like us

are part of the system.

I think people are culturally separate in our country right now.

You know, we pretend to be 2017, and, you know, we're progressive,

you know, but our country is racially still very divided.

The African-American population is about 47%, 48%, I believe.

What's happening, though, is kind of the white flight.

You've got Caucasians leaving our community

to go to the outlying areas that are specifically white.

Those people, I would consider, like, the Trump supporters,

who are afraid that all the minority groups

are going to get together and take over.

So, the fact that you've been elected

-is a kind of change over of power, isn't it?

-Absolutely.

You know, America is great, and so when I hear people say,

"Let's make America great again," I ask people, "What does that mean?

"Does it mean that, you know, you want to go back to slavery?"

Because even in all its flaws, in 2017,

I'm a black sheriff, we've had a black president.

I believe we're on the right path.

What time period in our country's history

was America better than it is now?

And I ask that question to some older white people

and they're almost embarrassed to answer that,

because what that means to me is you want to go back to a period

when minorities were quiet and uneducated...

-Yeah.

-..or picking cotton. What else could that mean?

Well, she's really something.

Her desire is for unity.

You know, the United States of Beaumont

is what she's after, and I think she's going to get it.

To help stop divisions in the community,

Beaumont is hosting an LGBT event.

The President, however, has just announced that

he wants transgender people removed from certain institutions.

-REPORTER:

-Donald Trump recently announced that transgender people

will not be able to serve in the US Armed Forces in any capacity.

If you had asked me, in the middle of 2016,

to do a television interview

to identify myself as a transgender woman,

to make myself that public,

I would have been like, "Yeah, this is a good thing."

I'm a lot more wary now of doing that

because we're being attacked

and they're going on a little witch-hunt.

They're looking for people like me,

and I don't want to be as public any more as I used to,

because that runs a personal danger for me.

It's shameful that because they're not in the category

that people want to put them in, that they are...

..the victims of violence and horrible remarks.

We just recently heard how there's a transgender phase-out -

that's how it's being referred to -

a phase-out programme for the military.

We're literally talking about people trying to erase us

from one institution at a time, one system at a time.

To erase us from public. That's very strong language

when you're just trying to be a human being.

If people are frightened to go outside

because they don't fit into a gender category,

you know something is wrong and it has to change.

Right now, with the Trump administration

and with all these very backwards policies,

it's important now, more than ever, to speak up.

Can I say something?

As a law-enforcement officer in this community

and a leader in this community,

when I hear you talk about being afraid to be visible,

I'm going to tell you guys - you're not alone.

And I'm not just talking about from a cop perspective.

-I'm black, if y'all hadn't noticed.

-LAUGHTER

-OK?

-Oh, and you're a woman, too.

-Yeah!

LAUGHTER

And so, while we laugh and make light of it,

what I do know is we've got to start

embarrassing these people in our community

and we've got to start making them accountable for the things that they say and do.

I'm 100% with them,

and I think that the fact that the sheriff is here,

supportive, wants to do things...

I think Beaumont is an example to this nation.

I would just so love it if, one day, we never did have to say,

"I'm gender fluid or I'm man or woman or gay or

"on the way or trans or whatever..."

You know? I want to pull down those barriers, if possible.

These people are helping and trying and working

to mend their damaged community.

They are showing America how to become one society,

and I think that Zena

should stand for president.

I've told her that, and I hope she will.

Yield. Don't ask me to yield! I never yield!

After nearly two months and over 1,000 miles,

Miriam is heading through the state of Louisiana

to her final destination -

the city of New Orleans.

Look! Ha-ha! New Orleans!

-AMERICAN ACCENT:

-I's here, baby! Get ready!

Oh, gosh!

New Orleans is the end of the line,

not just for me, but for the end of America,

because it is the coast. Margate's a bit the same.

You get all kinds of weirdos landing up by the sea.

But I'm looking forward to it. I like odd types.

New Orleans has always had a hugely diverse population,

but it was here, in 2005,

where Hurricane Katrina destroyed the city

that the divisions between rich and poor in America

were brought to the world's attention.

Many in the poorest neighbourhoods were left stranded,

waiting for days for any rescue attempt to be put into place.

-REPORTER:

-It's the stuff of disaster movies -

a scene reminiscent of the Civil War.

So many poor, black homes either flooded or destroyed

that more whites now live in New Orleans than blacks.

It's been through a hell of a battering

when the hurricane came,

and things didn't go right for a long time.

So, I'm quite interested to see how it's recovered

from that grim period.

Thank you.

Oh!

That's nice.

Well, I've certainly got a bit of luxury,

which is what I wanted at the end of the trip.

-Oh, hello. Thank you.

-Yes, ma'am.

The gap between rich and poor in America is shocking.

It's a country of contrasts,

and the contrasts are sharper down the middle

because the poor here are very poor and the rich are oil-rich.

Despite nearly 80% of the city being affected by hurricane flooding,

the historical French Quarter survived largely unscathed.

A pharmacy museum.

That's fabulous!

What we're looking at right here is

the original artefacts from this building,

which, believe it or not, came from the privy.

-The loo? From the loo?

-From the loo. The outdoor loo.

That's what we call it in England, the loo.

I've been travelling down the middle of America,

-and I haven't seen anything old. It's all been new.

-Yeah.

It feels so different than the rest of America, don't you think?

-Yes, I do.

-Yeah. It's the French and the Spanish influence,

and, of course, the African, indigenous Caribbean,

all right here in these few blocks.

Does everybody get on here or is there prejudice?

Oh, of course there is, but there are a lot of things

that are just sort of like universal equalisers,

like Carnival, and the whole city can come together,

which is really amazing.

-Is it fun to live here?

-Oh, absolutely!

I think it's magic to live here.

This feels like a civilised place, and it's seen everything.

It's had hurricanes, it's had flooding,

it's had horrible racial-prejudice divides,

and it's come out beautiful,

sophisticated, and I just love it.

"Caramel Curves - New Orleans all-female biker gang."

They're a whole different breed of women.

They look fun.

Oh, God!

The Caramel Curves came together after Hurricane Katrina.

They were co-founded by nail bar owner Coco.

-That's it. Thank you, sir.

-All right?

-Hi!

-Are you Coco?

-Yes, ma'am, I am.

-Very nice to meet you.

-Thanks for letting us come.

-Same here, honey.

-So, this is your place?

-Yes, this is my little humble abode.

-Now, tell me, is this right about the girl biker gang?

-Yes.

That would be us.

It's an all-female club.

You have to have a vagina and a motorbike.

-Well, I've got one of those.

-THEY LAUGH

I don't think I could show my bosoms off

-like you're showing your bosoms.

-Yes.

I've got 'em, make no mistake. They're there.

-We just need to cut this right here.

-They're under wraps slightly.

Yeah, no, I got something, we can push them up with tape.

-Cut this right here. You're in.

-I'm not having you cut my top.

-It sounds huge fun.

-It is.

And it's women being out there and brave

and not being told what to do.

Right. It's your own time,

your own moment, where you get to be free.

-How are you doing?

-Hello. Oh, my God!

-Nice to meet you.

-I'm Miriam.

-I'm Quiet Storm with the Caramel Curves.

-Quiet Storm?

-Yes.

Come to present you with this helmet that you can borrow tonight?

-I've never worn a helmet, so I don't...

-Really?

-No.

Darling, I'm a white middle-class girl.

-I don't know anything.

-THEY LAUGH

Just push it down. Now I can't see anything.

-Oh, now I can.

-You're good.

Now we just need to put you on one of the motorbikes.

You look like a bikie,

and I just look like a delivery girl!

I think they are amazing women of great courage,

and what we say in Yiddish - "koach".

It means they've got balls, they've got strength,

and I wish I'd met them when I was younger,

but I'm too short and I'm too old and I'm too scared.

I'm just too scared, really. I'm going to follow them.

New Orleans is a place where black people...

..have come into their own,

and showed the world how strong they are.

And these women just want to be free and independent.

There have been moments during the journey

when freedom and independence and hopefulness

were rather at the bottom of the pile.

Here, these girls are giving light at the end of the tunnel.

You are one hell of a wild bunch!

You've still got to raise your shirt up and show your tits.

-Oh, I can do that any time!

-LAUGHTER

-I don't mind doing that!

-You is a hot girl!

I think you're wonderful. I mean that with all my heart.

-You give me hope.

-Thank you.

-Not just for me, but for America.

And it lifts my heart, and lifts my tits, as well.

-LAUGHTER

-Bye-bye. God bless. Bye-bye.

I am at the end of my trip

and I think the effect on me personally has been very chastening.

I feel that I was too quick to judgment,

too intolerant, too confrontational.

In a way, all the things that you could say about Mr Trump.

I was a sort of mini, mini Trump.

A Trumpess.

-A Trumpette.

-SHE LAUGHS

But I think that is wrong,

and I believe that I have become more able

to see the other person's point of view.

You can salute across the chasm that divides you.

Miriam has decided that, despite the weather,

she wants her last view of America to be from the Mississippi.

I feel very fond of America, but very worried about it.

It is divided. And as long as that chap in Washington is there,

I'm not sure it's going to meld together again.

So, I'm just a little bit anxious as I leave this great nation,

but the positives are always the people,

and they are fabulous.

They're varied and courageous and funny and brave and daring.

They have intelligence and compassion.

People that just make me happy, give me hope.

And I need it at the moment because, really,

America is in a tangle and I want it to sort itself out.

But there is a hope, there is a future.

They are a strong, decent nation.

I should be president!