We’re back! Boom!
Tonight’s guest, an old friend of the show, Judge Andrew Napolitano. He’s got his book out, Suicide Pact, which is really funnier than it sounds.
But, first! While we were all home last week, ridding the nation of its turkey scourge … they know what they did … the grand jury in Missouri was deciding that Ferguson police officer—now former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson—did nothing indictable when he shot unarmed, but large, Michael Brown.
The angry reaction to this decision was swift and sustained with protests breaking out throughout the country. But if those who took to the streets thought they were speaking out against systemic injustice, well, they could not have been more wrong.
(Shows clips of media reaction on cable news)
Right! Almost by definition! Ferguson, Missouri, is NOT Selma, Alabama! Of course, if Fox had been around for Selma, Alabama, the headline would probably have been “Relax: Selma isn’t slavery!”
So, this isn’t a civil rights thing. Although, I don’t know … the protests I saw seemed pretty civil rights-y. From those in Los Angeles to the NFL to the streets right here in New York.
(Clip of live CNN broadcast with people shouting “Fuck, CNN!”)
I feel you! But, I get what you are saying there. This is an isolated incident. Like the police shooting of Tamir Rice in Cleveland. Or Dante Parker in San Bernadino County. Or Kendrec McDade in Pasadena. Or Armond Bennett in New Orleans. Or John Crawford in … what time does Colbert start? It’s in like a half hour, right? Well, we’ll move on.
The point is, these shootings are clearly not a manifestation of systemic inequality and mistrust between African American community and the somehow always justified police American community. But, these are merely an unending bizarrely similar series of isolated incidents.
But if there is nothing to justify the anger and protests in these communities, why would so many individuals around the country spend their precious hard earned pre-Christmas sale stampeding time protesting a non-existent problem?
(Clips of reaction from Donald Trump, Rudy Giuliani and cable news)
Oh, that’s why they take to the streets! They were incited by “racial arsonists!” You know, I have a dream. That one day we can evolve as a people where arsonists no longer see race, but see really only the beautiful, consuming fire they are criminally compelled to light. When an arsonist can say, “Really, the only color I see orange.”
In the next segment, Jon Stewart went into the "heart of darkness," examining New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's controversial pig crate bill veto.
Finally, Jon Stewart interviewed Judge Andrew Napolitano about the erosion of our civil liberties: