Jon Stewart is one of the few that can break down race issue that others can absorb
Jon Stewart outdid himself on this one. He first used Fox News coverage to show how misguided and tone deaf coverage of Ferguson Missouri police officer Darren Wilson’s execution of unarmed teenager Michael Brown was. He showed how Fox news actually lied to their audience.
As an example Fox News excoriated Al Sharpton’s visit to Ferguson (albeit at the request of the parents) while they claim he did nothing for the gang killings in Chicago. Jon Stewart showed video that pointed out that Al Sharpton was in fact in Chicago and leads an anti-violence group of national civil rights leaders that have met 3 times in the last 13 months.
Jon Stewart also ridiculed a rather silly statement from Sean Hannity who claimed if he had a gun he would simply inform the cop that stopped him. Even more ridiculous Sean Hannity said if the gun was on his person he would raise up his shirt to show the cop. Of course every thinking American knows if a Black or Brown man attempted that he would likely be shot. The cop would get away with it since all he had to claim is that he, the cop, felt his life was threatened. Stewart attempts to school on a few realities.
“Do you not understand that life in this country is inherently different for White people and Black people,” Jon Stewart said. “… Here is the problem with everything that is going on in this conversation. This isn’t all about just one man killed in one town. It is about how people of color no matter their socio-economic standing face obstacles in this country with surprising grace.”
The ending of the Jon Stewart piece was the coup de grace. He got to the issue in a necessarily serious manner.
“Imagine that instead of that on a pretty consistent basis,” Jon Stewart said. “You can’t get a fucking cab even though you are a neurosurgeon because you’re Black. I guarantee you that every person of color in this country has faced an indignity from the ridiculous to the grotesque to the sometimes fatal at some point in there, I am going to say last couple of hours because of their skin color.
Quick story. So we live in New York City, a Liberal bastion. Recently we sent a correspondent and a producer to a building in this Liberal bastion where we were going to tape an interview. The producer, White, dressed in only what could be described as homeless elf attire and a pretty strong five o’clock from the previous week shadow, strode confidently into the building preceding our humble correspondent, a gentleman of color dressed resplendidly in a tailored suit. Who do you think was stopped? Let me give you a hint. The Black guy. And that shit happens all the times, all of it.
Race is there and it is a constant. You are tired of hearing about it? Imagine how fucking exhausting it is living it.”
Thank you Jon Stewart. You get it. It is important that someone like you who looks like you continue to preach said truths.