The Daily Show - We Can’t Breathe

Comedy Central

5 Dec 201408:53

Summary

TLDRIn this 'The Daily Show' segment, Jon Stewart addresses the controversial case of Eric Garner, criticizing the lack of indictment for the police officers involved in his death. Stewart highlights the flawed system, using humor to underscore the inconsistencies in the public's understanding of the incident and the legal outcomes. He also discusses the racial and social implications, questioning the fairness of the criminal justice system and the role of the grand jury.

Takeaways

📹 The script begins with Jon Stewart apologizing for a previous episode where he was overwrought about the Eric Garner case and the lack of indictment for those involved.
🎥 Jon highlights the irony that the person who filmed Garner's death was indicted for gun charges, not for the death itself, emphasizing the value of capturing crime on video.
🤔 Stewart questions the public's understanding of the Garner case, pointing out the clear evidence of a chokehold and the medical examiner's report that contradicts some people's attempts to shift blame.
🚔 Jon mocks the argument that Garner's size and health conditions were the cause of his death, rather than the actions of the police officers involved.
👮 Stewart challenges the notion that Garner's resistance to arrest justifies the police's actions, using examples to show that not all resistance leads to deadly outcomes.
🤷‍♂️ Jon criticizes the lack of acknowledgment of a larger systemic issue, suggesting that the police's actions may be a by-product of a system applied with prejudice.
👨‍⚖️ Jon introduces Senator Rand Paul, who discusses the unintended consequences of high cigarette taxes and police enforcement, indirectly linking it to the Garner case.
🚬 Stewart sarcastically addresses the focus on cigarette taxes as a distraction from the core issue of police conduct and the criminal justice system.
🏛 Jon points out the discrepancy in the grand jury's high indictment rate in federal cases versus the recent failure to indict police officers in cases of unarmed citizens' deaths.
📖 Stewart suggests that the grand jury system may be influenced by the prosecutors' relationship with the police, hinting at a potential conflict of interest.
🎉 The script ends with a humorous note, as Jon jokes about the awkwardness of the relationship between prosecutors and police in the context of a Secret Santa exchange.

Q & A

What was Jon Stewart's initial reaction to the Eric Garner case?
-Jon Stewart began the show overwrought and apologized for being wrong about the indictment, clarifying that the person who filmed the incident was indicted on gun charges, not for the death of Eric Garner.
What was the main point of Jon Stewart's discussion about the Eric Garner incident?
-Jon Stewart argued that despite the clarity of the video evidence, people continued to blame Garner's death on anything but the injustices of a flawed system.
How did Jon Stewart describe the police's response to Eric Garner's size?
-Stewart sarcastically referred to Garner as 'Gigantor' and questioned the relevance of his size, pointing out that there were five other officers present and suggesting racial progress in America might be flawed.
What was Jon Stewart's stance on the medical examiner's report regarding Eric Garner's cause of death?
-Stewart disagreed with those who downplayed the police's role in Garner's death, citing the medical examiner's report that stated 'compression of the neck' and 'compression of the chest' as the causes, which he equated to death by choking.
What did Jon Stewart say about the NYPD Patrol Guide's definition of a chokehold?
-Stewart mentioned that the NYPD Patrol Guide defines a chokehold as any pressure to the throat or windpipe that may prevent breathing or intake of air, implying that the police's actions fit this definition.
What was Jon Stewart's response to the argument that Eric Garner's health conditions contributed to his death?
-Stewart dismissed this argument, emphasizing that the medical examiner's report attributed Garner's death to physical restraint by the police, not his health conditions.
What example did Jon Stewart use to illustrate that resisting arrest does not always lead to death?
-Stewart showed a video clip of a woman being arrested for being a nuisance on the beach, suggesting that not everyone who resists arrest faces a deadly outcome.
What did Jon Stewart suggest about the role of the prosecutor in grand jury decisions?
-Stewart suggested that grand juries almost always do what the prosecutor wants, implying that the lack of indictment in the Garner case might be due to the prosecutor's reluctance.
How did Jon Stewart react to the argument that the Eric Garner case was about individual circumstances rather than systemic issues?
-Stewart disagreed, arguing that the case is symptomatic of a larger issue within the system, which applies laws unequally and with prejudice.
What did Senator Rand Paul suggest as a 'bigger issue' related to the Eric Garner case?
-Senator Rand Paul suggested that the high tax on cigarettes, which he claimed drove the sale of cigarettes underground, was a contributing factor, although Jon Stewart found this argument irrelevant to the main issue.
What was Jon Stewart's view on the grand jury's decision not to indict in the Eric Garner case?
-Stewart criticized the grand jury's decision, noting the high indictment rate in federal cases and questioning the system that produced such a result.

Outlines

00:00

📺 Jon Stewart's Apology and Commentary on Police and Systemic Injustice

Jon Stewart opens 'The Daily Show' by apologizing for a previous episode where he was upset over the lack of indictment in Eric Garner's case, realizing he was mistaken as the person who filmed the incident was indicted on gun charges. Stewart then discusses the ongoing debate about the Ferguson incident involving Darren Wilson and Michael Brown, highlighting the ambiguity of the situation and the differing conclusions people have drawn. He criticizes the tendency to blame Garner's death on his health conditions rather than systemic flaws, pointing out that the medical examiner's report indicates 'compression of the neck' as the cause of death. Stewart also addresses the argument that Garner's size was relevant, questioning the logic behind it and suggesting it reflects racial progress issues. He ends by emphasizing the need to look beyond individual circumstances and consider the systemic issues at play.

05:01

🚔 Jon Stewart Discusses Police and Criminal Justice with Senator Rand Paul

In this segment, Jon Stewart continues his discussion on police conduct and the criminal justice system, using the example of a woman being arrested for being a nuisance to highlight the absurdity of certain charges. Stewart then welcomes Kentucky Senator Rand Paul to the show, who acknowledges that there are larger systemic issues at play beyond individual circumstances. Paul discusses the unintended consequences of high cigarette taxes and police directives to arrest people for selling loose cigarettes, which Stewart finds to be an irrelevant point to the case of Eric Garner. Stewart emphasizes the need to address the systemic issues, such as the relationship between prosecutors and police, which might influence the indictment process. He criticizes the high rate at which grand juries fail to indict police officers involved in the deaths of unarmed citizens and calls for a reevaluation of the criminal justice system's processes.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Indictment

Indictment refers to a formal accusation made against someone by a grand jury, typically in cases of serious crimes. In the video's theme, it is central to the discussion on the failure to indict police officers involved in controversial deaths, such as that of Eric Garner. The script mentions, '...the person who did the videography...was indicted by a grand jury in Staten Island over gun charges.'

💡Systemic Injustice

Systemic injustice denotes the unfairness or bias that is deeply embedded within a system, such as the criminal justice system. The video script criticizes the system for not holding police accountable, with Jon Stewart stating, '...people continue to blame this death on anything but the injustices of a flawed system.'

💡Grand Jury

A grand jury is a legal body that decides whether there is enough evidence to bring a person to trial for a felony. The script highlights the controversy surrounding grand juries, particularly in cases involving police and unarmed citizens, as Jon Stewart points out, '...a grand jury, which at least in federal cases has a 99% indictment rate, failed to indict an officer...'

💡Police Accountability

Police accountability is the concept that law enforcement officers should be held responsible for their actions, especially when they involve the use of excessive force or result in death. The video script discusses this in the context of the Eric Garner case, where Jon Stewart questions the lack of indictment, '...for months, we've been going back and forth about what really happened with Darren Wilson and Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.'

💡Racial Bias

Racial bias refers to a preference or prejudice for one race over another, often leading to discrimination or unequal treatment. In the script, Jon Stewart sarcastically addresses the issue of racial bias in the context of police actions, '...so, the cops have to use the N-word for it to be racism?'

💡Resisting Arrest

Resisting arrest is the act of opposing or struggling against being apprehended by law enforcement. The script uses this term to discuss the circumstances under which individuals like Michael Brown and Eric Garner died, with Jon Stewart saying, '...the police officer was dealing with a criminal who was resisting arrest.'

💡Criminal Justice System

The criminal justice system encompasses the set of institutions and processes involved in the administration of justice, including police, courts, and corrections. Jon Stewart critiques this system in the script, suggesting it needs improvement, '...the criminal justice system has two separate but equally important parts...'

💡Chokehold

A chokehold is a type of restraint or attack that restricts the flow of air through the throat or windpipe. The script discusses the controversial use of chokeholds by police, as Jon Stewart points out, '...the NYPD Patrol Guide defines a chokehold as any pressure to the throat or windpipe, which may prevent breathing or intake of air.'

💡Asthma

Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways, leading to difficulty breathing. In the script, Jon Stewart uses asthma as an example to challenge the idea that Eric Garner's death was solely due to his health conditions, '...if he had not had asthma and a heart condition and was so obese, he almost definitely would not have died from this.'

💡Political Commentary

Political commentary involves the analysis and critique of political events, policies, and actions, often with the intent to inform or persuade. The video script is an example of political commentary, as Jon Stewart uses humor and sarcasm to discuss serious issues like police conduct and the criminal justice system, '...please...asthma, heart disease, obesity, yeah, those are serious conditions but come on!'

Highlights

Jon Stewart's apology for his initial reaction to the Eric Garner case, acknowledging his mistake about the indictment.

The revelation that the person who filmed Eric Garner's death was indicted on gun charges, not for the filming itself.

Jon Stewart's critique of the public discourse surrounding the Michael Brown and Darren Wilson incident in Ferguson, emphasizing the lack of clarity despite available evidence.

Stewart's sarcastic commentary on the argument that Eric Garner's size was relevant to the incident, questioning the logic behind blaming the victim.

The discussion on the medical examiner's report indicating 'compression of the neck' and 'chest' as the cause of Garner's death, contradicting claims that his health conditions were the primary cause.

Jon Stewart's challenge to the NYPD's definition of a chokehold and the expert's explanation of what constitutes a legal chokehold in martial arts, contrasting it with the Garner case.

Stewart's rhetorical question about whether racism must be explicit to be recognized, highlighting the systemic issues in policing.

The introduction of Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who discusses the broader issues beyond individual circumstances in policing and criminal justice.

Senator Paul's argument about the unintended consequences of high cigarette taxes and police enforcement, suggesting a link to the Eric Garner incident.

Jon Stewart's critique of the grand jury system's failure to indict police officers in recent cases, questioning the integrity of the process.

Stewart's comparison of the grand jury's high indictment rate in federal cases to the recent non-indictments, pointing out the discrepancy.

The debate on the respect for the criminal justice system and its historical roots, with Stewart arguing for the need for improvement.

Jon Stewart's satirical take on the relationship between prosecutors and police, suggesting a conflict of interest in the grand jury process.

Stewart's closing remarks on the need to address the systemic issues in the criminal justice system rather than focusing on individual cases.