The Daily Show - We Can’t Breathe
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
📺 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.
🚔 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
💡Systemic Injustice
💡Grand Jury
💡Police Accountability
💡Racial Bias
💡Resisting Arrest
💡Criminal Justice System
💡Chokehold
💡Asthma
💡Political Commentary
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.
Transcripts
>> Jon: WELCOME TO "THE DAILY SHOW"!
I'M JON STEWART!
MY GUEST TONIGHT ONE ANGELINA JOLIE, DIRECTOR OF THE NEW FILM,
IT'S GREAT "UNBROKEN".
BUT FIRST, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR YESTERDAY.
I BEGAN THE SHOW SOMEWHAT OVERWROUGHT BECAUSE NO ONE
INVOLVED IN THE DEATH OF ERIC GARNER WAS NEVER INDICTED.
AND I WANT TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I WAS WRONG.
>> THE PERSON WHO DID THE VIDEOGRAPHY OF THIS.
>> YES. >> THAT PERSON
WAS INDICTED BY A GRAND JURY IN STATEN ISLAND OVER GUN CHARGES.
>> Jon: GET IT? SOMEONE WAS INDICTED. THEY GOT
THE SHOOTER... OF THE VIDEO...
LET THAT BE A LESSON TO YOU KIDS OUT THERE.
PHOTOGRAPHING CRIME DOES NOT PAY.
BUT WHAT'S SO HARD TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS IS THAT FOR MONTHS
WE'VE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED WITH
DARREN WILSON AND MICHAEL BROWN IN FERGUSON, MISSOURI.
DID BROWN HAVE HIS HANDS UP?
DID HE NOT HAVE HIS HANDS UP?
WAS WILSON AFRAID FOR HIS LIFE WHEN HE KILLED BROWN?
REASONABLE PEOPLE -- AS WELL AS PLENTY OF (BLEEP)
ONES -- COULD -- OKAY, THEIR PICTURES DIDN'T COME
UP.
(LAUGHTER) -- COULD REACH DIFFERENT
CONCLUSIONS.
BUT IN THIS CASE THERE WAS NO AMBIGUITY.
EVEN WITH CLARITY THOUGH, PEOPLE CONTINUE TO BLAME
THIS DEATH ON ANYTHING BUT THE INJUSTICES OF A FLAWED SYSTEM.
>> WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND IS THAT MAN WAS
A BIG MAN.
>> HE'S A HUGE INDIVIDUAL.
>> GARNER OUTWEIGHED THE OFFICER BY PROBABLY 150 POUNDS.
>> Jon: HE IS GIGANTOR! HE IS A FLOAT IN A PARADE.
THEY HAD TO BRING HIM DOWN!
HE WAS THE ABOMINABLE BRO MAN!
OK YEAH, HE OUTWEIGHED "ONE" COP BY 150 POUNDS.
WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER FIVE COPS? OR MAYBE THAT'S JUST HOW MUCH
RACIAL PROGRESS AMERICA HAS MADE?
YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE BLACK PEOPLE WERE ONLY THREE-FIFTHS OF
A WHITE PERSON.
NOW, THEY'RE LIKE SIX!
UNLESS THERE'S SOME OTHER REASON HIS SIZE WAS RELEVANT?
>> IF HE HAD NOT HAD ASTHMA AND A HEART CONDITION AND WAS SO
OBESE, HE ALMOST DEFINITELY WOULD NOT HAVE DIED FROM THIS.
THE POLICE HAD NO REASON TO KNOW THAT HE WAS IN SERIOUS
CONDITION.
>> Jon: PLEASE...
ASTHMA, HEART DISEASE, OBESITY, YEAH, THOSE ARE SERIOUS
CONDITIONS BUT, COME ON!
COME ON, THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S REPORT SAYS THAT GARNER DIED
FROM "COMPRESSION OF THE NECK" AND "COMPRESSION OF THE CHEST."
THAT SOUNDS MORE LIKE DEATH BY CHOKING THAN DEATH BY CHOCOLATE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. THE NYPD PATROL GUIDE DEFINES A
A CHOKEHOLD AS ANY PRESSURE TO THE THROAT OR WINDPIPE
WHICH MAY PREVENT BREATHING OR INTAKE OF AIR. WELL,
LISTEN TO ONE EXPERT EXPLAIN WHY THIS CASE ISN'T THAT.
>> I WOULDN'T USE THE TERM CHOKEHOLD AS A MARTIAL ARTITS
STUDENT, I WOULDN'T USE THAT TERM.
(LAUGHTER) >> Jon: GO ON, SENSEI.
>> IF YOU GO FOR THE TRACHE OR WHAT'S CALLED AN AIR CHOKE OR
THE WINDPIPE, YOU CAN LITERALLY KILL SOMEBODY.
THAT'S ILLEGAL BY EVERY POLICE DEPARTMENT STANDARD.
SO THE DEFINITIONS, IT MAY SOUND TECHNICAL, BUT IT REALLY ISN'T
IN THIS CASE, IS IT?
>> Jon: NO, IT IS, MR. MIYAGI, RESPECTFULLY.
THAT'S WHAT LITERALLY HAPPENED!
FACTS ON, FACTS OFF.
ALRIGHT, SO WE'VE ESTABLISHED BUT INCREDIBLY FRAGILE, OUT OF
SHAPE MONSTER WEAKLING. AGAIN, THEY WOULD JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW
AGAINST ALL AVAILABLE CRIMINOLOGY STATISTICS THAT
EVERYONE IS EQUAL UNDER THE LAW.
>> PEOPLE SAY VERY CASUALLY THAT THIS WAS DONE OUT OF RACIAL
MOTIVES OR OUT OF VIOLATIONS OF CIVIL RIGHTS.
>> THERE'S NOT A HINT THERE THAT ANYONE USED ANY RACIAL EPITHET.
>> Jon: SO, THE COPS HAVE TO USE THE N-WORD FOR IT TO BE RACISM?
YOU'VE NEVER HEARD THE PHRASE A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND
EPITHETS? I DON'T KNOW THAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING THAT
THIS COP IS RACIST BUT IT SEEMS THE ESCALATION OF
THESE INCIDENTS MAY BE A BY-PRODUCT OF A SYSTEM
THAT'S APPLIED UNEQUALLY AND WITH PREJUDICE.
BECAUSE IF IT'S NOT THAT, WHAT IS IT?
>> IN THIS CASE, THE POLICE OFFICER WAS DEALING WITH A
CRIMINAL WHO WAS RESISTING ARREST.
MAYBE IF MR. BROWN HADN'T COMMITTED HIS CRIMES AND THIS
GENTLEMAN HADN'T RESISTED ARREST, THEY WOULDN'T BE
DEAD TODAY.
>> Jon: YEAH, OR IF THEY DIDN'T CHOKE HIM.
I MEAN, NOT EVERYONE WHO RESISTS ARREST -- YOU KNOW WHAT,
I THINK I CAN DO THIS.
THIS YOUR HONOR, MAY I APPROACH?
NOT THAT WE WERE HAVING A TRIAL, OBVIOUSLY.
THAT'S WHAT THE GRAND JURY WAS GOING TO TRY TO GET TO BE DONE.
BUT IF IT PLEASES THE COURT, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THAT
RESISTING ARREST DOESN'T ALWAYS LEAD TO THIS SORT OF THING.
HERE'S EVIDENCE, EXHIBIT A.
>> COME ON. >> GET OFF THE BEACH NOW.
>> GET THE (BLEEP) OFF MY ARM BEFORE -- GET THE (BLEEP) OFF.
GET OFF!
>> FOR BEING A NUISANCE. REALLY? I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW
THERE WAS A CHARGE FOR THAT.
>> I'M A (BLEEP) GOOD PERSON!
>> WATCH YOUR HEAD, WATCH YOUR HEAD.
>> Jon: YOU'RE TELLING ME SHE WAS LESS OF A MENACE TO SOCIETY
AT THAT TIME?
NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT SHE'S STRAIGHTENED HER LIFE OUT AND
HAS SHOWN US THAT SHE IS, AND I'M QUOTING HERE, A
(BLEEP) GOOD PERSON, BUT -- COME ON, PEOPLE, WON'T ANYONE ADMIT
THIS IS SYMPTOMATIC OF A LARGER ISSUE?
>> JOINING ME NOW IS KENTUCKY SENATOR RAND PAUL.
>> I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING BIGGER THAN JUST THE INDIVIDUAL
CIRCUMSTANCES.
>> Jon: THANK YOU!
RAND PAUL!
YOU KNOW, HERE IS A REPUBLICAN WHO HAS BEEN MAKING AN EFFORT TO
REACH OUT TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY.
HE'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT VOTING RIGHTS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
SO THIS IS,THIS IS A START.
GIVE IT TO US STRAIGHT.
WHAT IS THE LARGER ISSUE HERE?
>> SOME POLITICIAN PUT A TAX OF $5.85 ON A PACK OF CIGARETTES,
SO THEY'VE DRIVEN CIGARETTES UNDERGROUND BY MAKING THEM SO
EXPENSIVE.
BUT THEN SOME POLITICIAN ALSO HAD TO DIRECT THE POLICE TO SAY,
HEY, WE WANT YOU ARRESTING PEOPLE FOR SELLING A LOOSE
CIGARETTE.
>> Jon: WHAT THE (BLEEP) ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
WELL, I GUESS NOW WE KNOW WHAT IT TAKES FOR A SENATOR FROM
KENTUCKY TO ADMIT CIGARETTES CAN KILL.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY!
I APPRECIATE THE PURITY OF YOUR ANTI-TAX DOGMA, BUT THE
CIGARETTE TAX IS TRULY THE LEAST SALIENT ASPECT OF THIS CASE!
IT'S LIKE SAYING, YOU KNOW THE PROBLEM WITH THE HINDENBURG,
GOVERNMENT PARKING REGULATIONS.
THAT'S IT!
YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT BIG BROTHER OVER YOUR SHOULDER GOING,
EVERYBODY'S GOT TO DOCK!
(LAUGHTER) HONESTLY, ERIC GARNER COULD HAVE
BEEN OUT THERE WITH MIX TAPES OR A A SQUEEGEE OR A
SNOWCONE AND THE SAME KIND OF (BLEEP) COULD HAVE HAPPENED.
FOR THE SECOND TIME IN TEN DAYS, A GRAND JURY, WHICH AT
LEAST IN FEDERAL CASES HAS A 99% INDICTMENT RATE,
FAILED TO INDICT AN OFFICER WHO CAUSED THE DEATH OF AN UNARMED
CITIZEN. THEY DIDN'T INDICT HIM FOR ANYTHING.
NOT MURDER, NOT MANSLAUGHTER, NOT EVEN RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT
WHICH IS LIKE ONE DEGREE ABOVE A PARTY FOUL.
AND FOR SOME REASON TO QUESTION A SYSTEM PRODUCING THAT RESULT
IS SOMEHOW OFFENSIVE.
>> THIS PROCESS HAS TAKEN PLACE.
IT'S OUR CONSTITUTION.
IT'S THE LAWS WE LIVE BY.
GET OVER IT.
>> THEY ARE TEARING DOWN RESPECT FOR A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
THAT GOES BACK TO ENGLAND IN THE 11th CENTURY.
>> Jon: SO DOES WITCH BURNING AND (BLEEP) WHERE WE DRINK.
BUT WE'VE CONTINUED TO IMPROVE UPON THOSE PROCESSES!
YOU KNOW, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SYSTEM HAS TWO SEPARATE BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT PARTS -- THE
POLICE WHO INVESTIGATE CRIMES AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS WHO
PROSECUTE!
(LAUGHTER) OKAY.
I GOT THAT FROM TV.
GRAND JURIES ALMOST ALWAYS DO WHAT THE PROSECUTOR WANTS.
SO MAYBE WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHEN IT COMES TO THE POLICE IF
PROSECUTORS REALLY DON'T WANT TO INDICT THEM BECAUSE THEY WORK
WITH THEM AND THEY NEED THEM AND THEY'RE ON THE SAME SHOW WITH
THEM, THEY'RE COLLEAGUES, AND THAT MAKES FOR A VERY
UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION.
HEY, BEFORE I TRY AND SEND YOU TO PRISON, THERE'S SOMETHING I
GOTTA ASK YOU -- THIS YEAR, ARE YOU MY SECRET SANTA?
(LAUGHTER) WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
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