>> John: HELLO THERE,
AND WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
AND LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO DO
SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT
TONIGHT.
OUR WHOLE SHOW IS ACTUALLY GOING
TO BE ABOUT ONE THING,
AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHAT,
AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW WHY.
BECAUSE ALL WEEK LONG,
PROTESTERS HAVE CONTINUED
TO FILL THE STREETS IN ALL
50 STATES IN THE WAKE OF
THE HORRIFIC MURDER OF
GEORGE FLOYD BY THE POLICE.
AND IN RESPONSE TO THOSE
PROTESTS -- WHICH HAVE BEEN
A STIRRING PUSH BACK AGAINST
INSTITUTIONAL RACISM AND
BRUTALITY -- IT'S BEEN FRANKLY
SICKENING TO SEE THEM MET WITH
THIS.
>> ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PEACEFUL
PROTESTS HAVE TOO OFTEN DEVOLVED
INTO STANDOFFS WITH HEAVILY
ARMED POLICE USING
MILITARY-STYLE TACTICS.
FLASH BANGS, TEAR GAS,
RUBBER BULLETS, HELICOPTERS,
ARMORED VEHICLES.
>> WE'RE OUT HERE PEACEFULLY
PROTESTING.
BUT THEY'RE ARMED LIKE THEY'RE
GOING TO WAR.
>> John: YEAH, THEY ARE.
AND LOOK, IF POLICE ARE TRYING
TO CONVINCE THE PUBLIC THEY'RE
NOT GUILTY OF DISPLAYING
EXCESSIVE FORCE, IT'S PROBABLY
NOT A GOOD IDEA TO REPEATEDLY
DISPLAY EXCESSIVE FORCE ON
NATIONAL TELEVISION, INCLUDING
IN THIS CITY, WHERE
MAYOR DE BLASIO PRAISED THEM FOR
THEIR "TREMENDOUS RESTRAINT,"
AND GOVERNOR CUOMO THREATENED TO
SEND IN THE NATIONAL GUARD.
AND I WILL SAY: HAVING RECENTLY
SAID THAT I COULDN'T WAIT TO GO
BACK TO HATING ANDREW CUOMO
AGAIN, I DIDN'T THINK THE
OPPORTUNITY WOULD COME QUITE
THIS SOON.
AND THESE PROTESTS HAVE RECEIVED
A GREAT DEAL OF SUPPORT, WITH
MASSIVE MARCHES TAKING PLACE
AROUND THE WORLD.
AND THE PROTESTORS' MESSAGE HAS
TAKEN MANY FORMS, FROM CHANTS,
TO SIGNS, TO A MAN WHO CALLED IN
TO AN L.A. POLICE COMMISSION
MEETING, HELD OVER ZOOM.
HE HAD BEEN GIVEN 30 SECONDS,
WHICH HE USED WITH MAXIMUM
EFFICIENCY TO DELIVER A MESSAGE
FOR POLICE CHIEF MICHEL MOORE:
>> I FIND IT DISGUSTING THAT
THE LAPD IS SLAUGHTERING
PEACEFUL PROTESTERS
ON THE STREET.
I HAD TWO FRIENDS GO TO THE
PROTESTS IN BEVERLY HILLS
A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, AND THE
PROTEST WAS PEACEFUL UNTIL THE
POLICE SHOWED UP WITH THEIR
EXCESSIVE, VIOLENT FORCE,
SHOOTING RUBBER BULLETS AND
THROWING TEAR GAS.
IS THIS WHAT YOU THINK IS
PROTECTING AND SERVING?
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S BULLSHIT.
FUCK YOU, MICHEL MOORE!
I REFUSE TO CALL YOU AN OFFICER
OR A CHIEF BECAUSE YOU DON'T
DESERVE THOSE TITLES.
YOU ARE A DISGRACE.
SUCK MY DICK AND CHOKE ON IT.
I YIELD MY TIME.
FUCK YOU!
>> John: IF THE PRESIDENT IS
TAKING NOTES, THAT IS WHAT
A PERFECT CALL LOOKS LIKE.
MY FAVORITE PART IS THAT, AFTER
HE'S FINISHED UNLOADING ON THAT
POLICE CHIEF, HE YIELDS HIS
TIME, REALIZES HE STILL HAS
A COUPLE OF SECONDS LEFT,
SO UN-YIELDS IT, AND THROWS
IN A BONUS "FUCK YOU."
NOW AS FOR THE PRESIDENT
HIMSELF,
HE INITIALLY HID FROM THE
PROTESTERS IN A BUNKER, LATER
CLAIMING HE WASN'T HIDING, HE
WAS ACTUALLY JUST "INSPECTING
IT," THEN HIS ATTORNEY GENERAL
HAD POLICE GAS PROTESTORS
OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE SO TRUMP
COULD HAVE AN INEXPLICABLE PHOTO
OP AT A NEARBY CHURCH, WHILE
HOLDING UP A BIBLE LIKE IT'S
THE TICKET FOR HIS SANDWICH
ORDER THAT WAS JUST CALLED.
HE ALSO, IN ANNOUNCING JOB
NUMBERS ON FRIDAY, INVOKED
GEORGE FLOYD'S NAME, SAYING,
"THIS WAS A GREAT DAY FOR HIM,"
WHICH IS UTTERLY FUCKING
DISGUSTING.
BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT GOING TO
FOCUS ON TRUMP TONIGHT.
NOR ARE WE -- UNLIKE SOME IN
CABLE NEWS -- GOING TO DWELL ON
THE INCIDENTS OF LOOTING THAT
OCCURRED, EXCEPT TO SAY: IF
YOU'VE SAID THE NAME "MACY'S"
MORE THAN YOU'VE SAID THE NAME
"BREONNA TAYLOR" THIS WEEK, YOU
CAN VERY MUCH FUCK OFF.
LIKEWISE, IF YOU'RE ASKING WHY
A SPONTANEOUS, DECENTRALIZED
PROTEST CAN'T CONTROL EVERY ONE
OF ITS PARTICIPANTS MORE THAN
YOU'RE ASKING THE SAME ABOUT
A TAXPAYER-FUNDED,
HEAVILY-REGIMENTED,
PAID WORKFORCE, YOU CAN ALSO,
IN THE WORDS OF THIS
GENERATION'S ROBERT FROST:
SUCK MY DICK AND CHOKE ON IT,
FUCK YOU.
INSTEAD, TONIGHT, LET'S TALK
ABOUT THE POLICE.
BECAUSE ALL WEEK, WE'VE SEEN
GRAPHIC VIDEOS -- WHICH ARE
GOING TO BE HARD TO WATCH --
OF THEM DRIVING DIRECTLY INTO
CROWDS, BEATING PEOPLE WITH
STICKS, AND SOMETIMES ASSAULTING
THE RIGHT TO ASSEMBLE, WITH
SHOCKING SPEED AND BARBARITY.
>> PREMATURELY SHOOTING PEOPLE?
PREMATURELY USING EXCESSIVE
FORCE?
GET YOUR SCARY ASS HOME
SOMEWHERE.
>> WHOA.
>> OH, NO.
>> WHAT THE FUCK?
WHAT THE FUCK?
>> John: IT'S GENUINELY
IMPOSSIBLE TO OVERSTATE HOW
ENRAGING THAT IS.
THEY'RE PROTESTING EXCESSIVE
FORCE BY POLICE AND THE POLICE
JUST START PEPPER SPRAYING THEM
LIKE IT'S FUCKING SUNSCREEN.
AND THAT'S JUST ONE OF HUNDREDS
AND HUNDREDS OF VIDEOS.
AND WE'RE TAPING THIS SATURDAY
MORNING -- WHO KNOWS WHAT'LL
HAVE HAPPENED BY SUNDAY NIGHT?
MAYBE THEY'LL BE USING GRENADES,
EVEN AS "THE NEW YORK TIMES"
WEIGHS IN WITH AN OP-ED TITLED,
"WHY WE NEED TO BRING HITLER
BACK TO LIFE AS A ROBOT RIGHT
NOW."
THEY JUST THINK IT'S VALUABLE
YOU READ THAT POINT OF VIEW.
I MEAN, THEY DIDN'T, BUT THEY
THINK THAT YOU REALLY SHOULD.
AND LOOK, FOR ANY VIEWERS
SITTING AT HOME, SHOCKED BY
THE SCENES OF POLICE BRUTALITY,
I GET IT.
I'M WHITE, TOO.
BUT IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING,
THAT'S THE TIP OF A VERY LARGE
ICEBERG.
IT DIDN'T START THIS WEEK, OR
WITH THIS PRESIDENT, AND IT
ALWAYS DISPROPORTIONATELY FALLS
ON BLACK COMMUNITIES.
BECAUSE HERE ARE SOME HARD
FACTS: IN MINNEAPOLIS, WHERE
GEORGE FLOYD WAS MURDERED,
POLICE USE FORCE AGAINST
BLACK PEOPLE AT 7 TIMES THE RATE
OF WHITES.
BLACK AMERICANS ARE 2.5 TIMES
MORE LIKELY THAN WHITES TO BE
KILLED BY POLICE.
AND ABOUT ONE AND EVERY THOUSAND
BLACK MEN CAN EXPECT TO BE
KILLED BY POLICE.
IF YOU ARE BLACK IN AMERICA,
I CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE
HOW SCARED, ANGRY, AND EXHAUSTED
YOU MUST FEEL.
NOT ONLY THIS WEEK,
BUT CONSTANTLY.
MEDICAL GROUPS SAY POLICE
VIOLENCE AGAINST BLACK AND BROWN
AMERICANS IS JUST ONE OF MANY
PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL
FACTORS THAT MAKE RACISM
A SERIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
AND LOOK: CLEARLY, THE POLICE
ARE JUST ONE PART OF A MUCH
LARGER SYSTEM OF RACIAL
INEQUALITY.
BUT FOR TONIGHT, WE ARE GOING
TO FOCUS PRIMARILY ON THEM,
AND TRY TO ADDRESS THREE BASIC
QUESTIONS: HOW THE FUCK WE GOT
TO THIS POINT, WHAT THE
OBSTACLES TO REFORM HAVE BEEN,
AND WHAT WE CAN DO GOING
FORWARD.
AND LET'S START BY ACKNOWLEDGING
THE POLICE HAVE LONG ENJOYED
AN EXALTED ROLE IN AMERICAN
SOCIETY.
IN POP CULTURE, THEY'RE THE
HEROES OF BELOVED MOVIES AND
TV SHOWS LIKE, "CRANKY GUN
GRANDPA," AND "COCAINE COPS WHO
FUCK," AND "MANIC BIGOT AND HIS
ONE BLACK FRIEND."
AMERICA LOVES NOTHING MORE THAN
A RENEGADE COP WHO DOESN'T PLAY
BY THE RULES.
BUT, OF COURSE, THE REALITY OF
POLICING IS -- AND HAS ALWAYS
BEEN -- VERY DIFFERENT.
AND IT MIGHT BE WORTH GOING
THROUGH SOME OF THE HISTORY
HERE, BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND HOW DEEPLY POLICING
IN THIS COUNTRY IS ENTANGLED
WITH WHITE SUPREMACY.
AND I KNOW YOU MIGHT BE
THINKING: WELL, JOIN THE CLUB,
POLICING.
THIS IS AMERICA.
THE ONLY INSTITUTION NOT DEEPLY
ENTANGLED WITH THE HISTORY OF
WHITE SUPREMACY IS OLIVE GARDEN.
AND THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE IT'S
ALWAYS BEEN A POWERFUL SYMBOL OF
WHITE INFERIORITY.
BUT THE POLICE HAVE NOT JUST
BEEN INCIDENTALLY TAINTED BY
RACISM.
FOR MUCH OF U.S. HISTORY,
"LAW ENFORCEMENT" MEANT
ENFORCING LAWS THAT WERE
EXPLICITLY DESIGNED TO SUBJUGATE
BLACK PEOPLE.
SOME OF AMERICA'S FIRST
LAW ENFORCEMENT UNITS WERE
THE SLAVE PATROLS TASKED WITH
CAPTURING AND RETURNING PEOPLE
WHO'D ESCAPED FROM SLAVERY.
AND WHEN SLAVERY ENDED,
WHITE PEOPLE HAD NO INTENTION OF
LETTING THAT BE THE END
OF WHITE POWER.
AS ONE ALABAMA PLANTER SAID IN
THE WAKE OF EMANCIPATION:
"WE HAVE THE POWER TO PASS
STRINGENT POLICE LAWS TO GOVERN
THE NEGROES -- THIS IS A
BLESSING -- FOR THEY MUST BE
CONTROLLED IN SOME WAY OR WHITE
PEOPLE CANNOT LIVE AMONG THEM."
AND I KNOW THAT'S UNCOMFORTABLE
TO HEAR.
IT'S CERTAINLY UNCOMFORTABLE
FOR ME TO SAY.
BUT IF WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW
WE GOT HERE, IT'S IMPORTANT TO
REMEMBER THAT WE GOT HERE ON
PURPOSE.
NOW, FOR A CENTURY AFTER THAT,
POLICE IN THE SOUTH WERE
RESPONSIBLE FOR ENFORCING
SEGREGATION, WHILE ALLOWING --
AND SOMETIMES PARTICIPATING IN
-- LYNCHINGS AND ANTI-BLACK
TERRORISM.
AND AS BLACK PEOPLE MIGRATED
TO THE NORTH BY THE MILLIONS,
THEY WERE MET THERE, YET AGAIN,
BY BRUTALITY.
AND ALL OF THIS -- COUPLED WITH
THE CONTINUED DENIAL OF ECONOMIC
AND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES, NOT
ALWAYS PARTICULARLY SUBTLE, BY
THE WAY -- MEANT THAT, BY THE
SUMMER OF 1967, THERE WERE A
SERIES OF HIGH-PROFILE UPRISINGS
AGAINST RACIAL INJUSTICE ACROSS
THE UNITED STATES -- OR AS
WHITE PEOPLE ACTUALLY DESCRIBE
THAT EXACT TIME:
>> THE SUMMER OF 1967.
IT IS KNOWN AS THE
"SUMMER OF LOVE."
>> John: YEAH, IT IS.
AND THAT'S A PRETTY BIG
DISCONNECT.
AND IT HONESTLY MAKES ME
SLIGHTLY WORRY THAT WHAT'S
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WILL BE
REMEMBERED BY WHITE HISTORIANS
AS "THE SUMMER OF CHROMATICA."
AND LOOK, THINGS DID NOT IMPROVE
FROM THE '60s ONWARD.
NIXON PLEDGED FEALTY TO
LAW AND ORDER AND STARTED THE
WAR ON DRUGS, WHICH REAGAN LATER
TURBO-CHARGED, AND, BY THE TIME
WE GOT TO THE '90s, A SCHOOL OF
THOUGHT CALLED "BROKEN WINDOWS"
OR "ZERO TOLERANCE" POLICING HAD
STARTED TO TAKE ROOT, WHICH HELD
THAT, IF MINOR CRIMES ARE LEFT
UNATTENDED, IT WILL LEAD TO MORE
SERIOUS CRIMES.
THEREFORE, POLICE HAD BETTER
CRACK DOWN ON THOSE MINOR
OFFENSES.
THAT FUELED THE SATURATION OF
POLICE IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR, AND GAVE WAY TO
POLICIES LIKE STOP-AND-FRISK,
WHICH ESSENTIALLY ALLOWED
POLICE OFFICERS TO SEARCH PEOPLE
AT RANDOM.
AT THAT POLICY'S PEAK, IN 2011,
OF THE NEARLY 700,000 STOPS
RECORDED IN NEW YORK,
THE VAST MAJORITY WERE OF BLACK
AND LATINO PEOPLE.
OR, TO PUT THAT ANOTHER WAY,
THOSE POLICIES, TOO OFTEN,
BASICALLY AMOUNTED TO THIS
FUCKING BULLSHIT, JUST UNDER
A DIFFERENT NAME.
AND THAT SORT OF AGGRESSIVE
POLICING WAS ACCOMPANIED BY
CONSTANT CALLS TO INCREASE
THE NUMBER OF POLICE OFFICERS
ON THE STREETS.
AND LET'S BE CLEAR: DEMOCRATS
WERE VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN THAT,
FROM BIG-CITY MAYORS ALL THE WAY
ON UP TO THIS GUY:
>> AN INITIATIVE TO PUT 100,000
MORE POLICE OFFICERS ON THE
STREET.
>> MORE PRISONS, MORE
PREVENTION, 100,000 MORE POLICE.
>> 100,000 NEW POLICE IN
COMMUNITIES OF ALL SIZES.
>> WE NEED TO FINISH THE JOB OF
PUTTING 100,000 MORE POLICE ON
OUR STREETS.
>> LAST FALL, CONGRESS SUPPORTED
MY PLAN TO HIRE, IN ADDITION TO
THE 100,000 COMMUNITY POLICE
WE'VE ALREADY FUNDED, 50,000
MORE, CONCENTRATED IN HIGH-CRIME
NEIGHBORHOODS.
>> John: YEAH, THANKS VERY MUCH,
CONGRESS.
100,000 POLICE OFFICERS ISN'T
COOL.
YOU KNOW WHAT'S COOL?
MASSIVELY EXPANDING A BROKEN
INSTITUTION TO SCORE CHEAP
POLITICAL POINTS.
AND IF YOU CAN DO THAT WHILE
PLAYING THE SAXOPHONE, WELL,
THAT JUST GETS EVEN COOLER.
AND ALL THE WHILE, AS WE WERE
CONTINUING TO BOOST FUNDING FOR
POLICE AND GIVE THEM MORE
AUTHORITY, WE WERE
SIMULTANEOUSLY SLASHING SPENDING
ON KEY SOCIAL SERVICES.
THAT MEANT THAT, IN MANY
COMMUNITIES, THE POLICE WERE
THE ONLY ONES LEFT TO HANDLE
ALMOST ANY ISSUE PEOPLE HAD.
WHICH IS A REAL PROBLEM, AS THIS
FORMER DALLAS POLICE CHIEF
READILY ADMITS.
>> WE'RE ASKING COPS TO DO TOO
MUCH IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE ARE.
WE'RE JUST ASKING US TO DO
TOO MUCH.
EVERY SOCIETAL FAILURE, WE PUT
IT OFF ON THE COPS TO SOLVE.
NOT ENOUGH MENTAL HEALTH
FUNDING, "LET THE COP HANDLE
IT."
NOT ENOUGH DRUG ADDICTION
FUNDING, "LET'S GIVE IT TO THE
COPS."
HERE IN DALLAS, WE GOT A LOOSE
DOG PROBLEM.
"LET'S HAVE THE COPS CHASE LOOSE
DOGS."
>> John: AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
HE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WE ARE ASKING POLICE TO DO FAR
TOO MUCH.
THEY HAVE A MASSIVE ARRAY OF
COMPLICATED DUTIES THAT, IN MANY
CASES, THEY JUST AREN'T EQUIPPED
TO HANDLE -- MAKING THEM VERY
MUCH THE JARED KUSHNERS OF LOCAL
OFFICIALS.
WITHOUT, OF COURSE,
THE EXPRESSION, COMPLEXION,
AND GENERAL DEMEANOR OF
A HAUNTED BABY.
SO WHILE WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE
ANGRY AT THE POLICE RIGHT NOW,
LET'S ALSO BE ANGRY AT
THE SERIES OF CHOICES THAT
LEFT THEM AS ESSENTIALLY
THE ONLY PUBLIC RESOURCE
IN SOME COMMUNITIES.
AND ON TOP OF ALL OF THAT, WE'VE
MADE THOSE BAD CHOICES EVEN MORE
DANGEROUS IN RECENT YEARS
BY NEEDLESSLY ARMING POLICE
TO THE FUCKING TEETH.
AS WE DISCUSSED SIX YEARS AGO,
WE'VE ISSUED THE POLICE LITERAL
MILITARY GRADE EQUIPMENT, SOME
OF WHICH YOU HAVE SEEN USED TO
CONTROL AND INTIMIDATE
PROTESTORS THIS WEEK.
AND IT'S FRANKLY NOT JUST THE
HARDWARE THAT'S A PROBLEM HERE.
BECAUSE A WHOLE SUB-INDUSTRY OF
POLICE TRAINING HAS ALSO CROPPED
UP TO REINFORCE THE MESSAGE THAT
COPS ARE AT WAR.
AND PERHAPS NO ONE TAKES THAT
IDEA FURTHER THAN THIS GUY.
>> ONCE YOU'VE MADE THE DECISION
TO TAKE A HUMAN LIFE, YOU'RE A
TRANSFORMED CREATURE, YOU'RE A
PREDATOR.
WHAT DOES A PREDATOR DO?
THEY KILL.
ONLY A KILLER CAN HUNT A KILLER.
ARE YOU EMOTIONALLY,
SPIRITUALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY
PREPARED TO SNUFF OUT A HUMAN
LIFE IN DEFENSE OF INNOCENT
LIVES?
IF YOU CAN'T MAKE THAT DECISION,
YOU NEED TO FIND ANOTHER JOB.
>> John: WOW.
THE PROBLEM WITH TELLING SOMEONE
THEY'RE A PREDATOR IS THAT IT
PRIMES THEM TO SEE THE REST OF
THE WORLD AS POTENTIAL PREY.
OF COURSE COPS WHO WENT THROUGH
THIS TRAINING COULD WIND UP ON
EDGE.
YOU WOULDN'T TRAIN A BARBER BY
SAYING, "HERE ARE YOUR SCISSORS,
SNIP LIKE THIS, AND OH, YEAH,
THIS IS HOW TO PUNCTURE
THE CAROTID ARTERY.
NOW, YOU WON'T NEED TO USE THIS
99% OF THE TIME, BUT IF YOU
DON'T THINK YOU CAN MAKE THAT
DECISION, YOU NEED TO FIND
ANOTHER JOB."
THAT GROSS MAN IS ACTUALLY
CALLED DAVE GROSSMAN, AND HE
CALLS HIMSELF AN EXPERT IN
"KILLOLOGY," A TERM HE INVENTED,
AND DEFINES AS THE SCHOLARLY
STUDY OF THE DESTRUCTIVE ACT,
JUST AS SEXOLOGY IS THE
SCHOLARLY STUDY OF THE
PROCREATIVE ACT.
WHICH: UGH.
AND ALSO: I'M PRETTY SURE THE
FIRST LESSON IN SEXOLOGY IS
"NEVER CALL SEX THE PROCREATIVE
ACT, IF YOU WANT ANYONE TO
PROCREATIVELY ACT WITH YOU EVER
AGAIN."
AND AS BATSHIT AS GROSSMAN IS,
HE'S BY NO MEANS A FRINGE FIGURE
IN POLICE CULTURE.
HE'S ON THE ROAD GIVING
TRAININGS 200 DAYS A YEAR.
THE OFFICER WHO SHOT
PHILANDO CASTILE HAD TAKEN
A CLASS BASED ON GROSSMAN'S
THEORIES.
AND WHEN, IN THE WAKE OF THAT
SHOOTING, THE MINNEAPOLIS MAYOR
BANNED OFFICERS FROM
PARTICIPATING IN WARRIOR-STYLE
TRAINING, THE HEAD OF
THE POLICE UNION THERE,
BOB KROLL, ANNOUNCED PLANS
TO DEFY THAT DECISION.
>> IF THEY DEEM THAT THIS
TRAINING IS IN VIOLATION AND
THEY'RE ON THEIR OWN TIME AND
THEY WANT TO ATTEND IT, I'M
GONNA ENCOURAGE OFFICERS TO
DO IT.
I MYSELF WILL BE THE FIRST ONE
TO DO IT.
IF I WOULD BE DISCIPLINED,
IT WOULD NEVER BE UPHELD.
>> John: I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW
WHAT'S MORE ALARMING THERE: HIS
DETERMINATION TO TRAIN POLICE
OFFICERS TO BE PREDATORS, HIS
AIR OF CASUAL IMPUNITY, OR THE
FACT THAT HE HAS A SIGN IN HIS
OFFICE THAT SAYS "LET ME DROP
"EVERYTHING" AND WORK ON YOUR
PROBLEM."
WHICH IS ALWAYS THE OFFICE DECOR
CHOICE OF A GRADE-A ASSHOLE, BUT
ESPECIALLY IF IT'S SOMEONE WHOSE
ACTUAL JOB IS TO WORK ON OTHER
PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS.
AND THAT CONFIDENCE THAT HE'S
ABOVE PUNISHMENT ACTUALLY BRINGS
US TO THE SECOND POINT WE WANT
TO LOOK AT TONIGHT: WHAT THE
MAJOR OBSTACLES TO REFORM HAVE
BEEN.
BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIGGEST
ISSUES IS POLICE UNIONS.
EVEN IN CITIES WHERE THE MAYOR
AND POLICE CHIEF SAY ALL THE
RIGHT THINGS, IT'S IMPORTANT
TO KNOW THAT THE UNION CAN STOP
WHATEVER THEY ARE PROPOSING
DEAD IN ITS TRACKS.
AND UNIONS CAN MAKE IT
INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT
TO DISCIPLINE OFFICERS,
EVEN FOR EGREGIOUS MISCONDUCT.
TAKE WHAT HAPPENED IN
MINNEAPOLIS, WITH TWO OFFICERS
WHO BELONG TO OUR FRIEND BOB'S
UNION.
>> TWO MINNEAPOLIS POLICE
OFFICERS ARE ON PAID LEAVE FOR
ALLEGEDLY DECORATING A CHRISTMAS
TREE AT THE 4TH PRECINCT WITH
A BUNCH OF ITEMS THAT ARE VIEWED
AS RACIST.
BAGS OF HOT TAKI CHIPS, A CUP
FROM POPEYES FRIED CHICKEN,
MENTHOL CIGARETTES AND CANS OF
MALT LIQUOR, AMONG OTHER THINGS.
>> John: HOLY SHIT.
THAT IS NOT JUST DISGUSTING, IT
IS ALSO ARGUABLY THE MOST RACIST
THING TO HAPPEN TO CHRISTMAS
SINCE PEOPLE DECIDED THIS CHILD
BORN IN THE MIDDLE EAST WAS
WHITE.
AND NOT ONLY DOES THAT INCIDENT
RAISE SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT
THOSE OFFICERS, IT ALSO
IMPLICATES THE ENTIRE PRECINCT,
BECAUSE THEY PRESUMABLY THOUGHT
NONE OF THEIR COWORKERS WOULD
HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WHAT THEY
DID.
AND TO HIS CREDIT,
WHEN THAT STORY BROKE,
THE MAYOR OF MINNEAPOLIS
ANNOUNCED THE OFFICERS
RESPONSIBLE WOULD
BE FIRED BY THE END OF THE DAY
ONLY TO ALMOST HAVE TO
IMMEDIATELY WALK THAT STATEMENT
BACK, SAYING THERE WAS A PROCESS
THEY WERE REQUIRED TO GO THROUGH
BY LAW.
WE ACTUALLY CHECKED.
DESPITE THE FACT IT'S NOW BEEN A
YEAR AND A HALF SINCE THAT
HAPPENED, ONE OF THOSE OFFICERS'
CASES IS STILL UNDER
ARBITRATION.
AND, LOOK, I GET UNIONS FIGHTING
FOR THEIR WORKERS -- THAT IS
WHAT THEY DO.
BUT POLICE UNIONS TAKE THAT
TO A DANGEROUS EXTREME,
AND NEGOTIATE LANGUAGE INTO
CONTRACTS THAT MAKES REMOVING
A PROBLEM OFFICER INCREDIBLY
DIFFICULT.
A "WASHINGTON POST" ANALYSIS OF
SOME OF THE NATION'S LARGEST
POLICE DEPARTMENTS FOUND THAT
THEY'D FIRED AT LEAST 1881
OFFICERS FOR MISCONDUCT, BUT
WERE FORCED TO REINSTATE MORE
THAN 450 OF THEM -- ALMOST 25%
-- AFTER APPEALS REQUIRED BY
THEIR UNION CONTRACTS.
AND POLICE UNIONS CAN ALSO
OPPOSE EVEN THE MOST BASIC,
COMMON-SENSE REFORM.
A FEW YEARS BACK, THE CLEVELAND
POLICE STARTED BEING REQUIRED
TO FILE A REPORT EVERY TIME THEY
UNHOLSTERED AND POINTED THEIR
GUN AT SOMEONE, AND THEIR UNION
HEAD WAS ABSOLUTELY FURIOUS.
>> I'M AFRAID THAT OFFICERS ARE
GONNA BE HESITANT TO PULL THEIR
GUN IN AN APPROPRIATE SITUATION
BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANNA DO THE
PAPERWORK THAT'S GONNA BE
ASSOCIATED WITH HAVING TO PULL
YOUR GUN.
>> John: OKAY, FIRST:
THE IDEA THAT THE RISK OF
PAPERWORK IS A GREATER DETERRENT
TO POLICE OFFICERS DRAWING THEIR
GUN THAN THE RISK OF KILLING
SOMEONE IS LEGITIMATELY
TERRIFYING.
AND IT'S HARD TO TAKE THAT GLIB
DISMISSAL FROM ANYONE, LET ALONE
SOMEONE WHO LOOKS LIKE A BOILED
MR. POTATO HEAD, OR AN ANGRY EGG
WITH A MUSTACHE.
AND I KNOW THOSE COMPARISONS
PROBABLY MAKE HIM MAD, BUT
WHAT'S HE GONNA DO, SHOOT ME?
I DON'T THINK SO!
THINK OF THE PAPERWORK INVOLVED.
AND THAT ATTITUDE IS
PARTICULARLY HARD TO TAKE,
CONSIDERING THAT JUST SIX MONTHS
PREVIOUSLY, TAMIR RICE HAD BEEN
KILLED BY A CLEVELAND POLICE
OFFICER.
AND WHEN FACED WITH
ACCOUNTABILITY THEY DON'T LIKE,
UNIONS WILL OFTEN ISSUE THE
ULTIMATE THREAT: TO SIMPLY PULL
BACK AND LET CRIME RISE.
FOR INSTANCE, LISTEN TO HOW
THE HEAD OF NEW YORK CITY'S
LARGEST POLICE UNION REACTED
WHEN A JUDGE RECOMMENDED FIRING
THE OFFICER WHOSE CHOKEHOLD LED
TO THE DEATH OF ERIC GARNER.
>> THE CRIMINAL ADVOCATES HAVE
GOTTEN WHAT THEY WANT.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS FROZEN.
THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAN'T STOP
THE KILLERS, THEY CAN'T STOP
THE CRIMINALS, THEY CAN'T
EFFECTIVELY DO THEIR JOB.
I'M SORRY TO SAY THAT WE HAVE TO
TELL OUR POLICE OFFICERS, "TAKE
IT A STEP SLOWER."
>> John: "TAKE IT A STEP
SLOWER."
HE JUST BASICALLY THREATENED
INACTION AGAINST "THE KILLERS"
AS A BARGAINING CHIP.
AND BESIDES THAT BEING MORALLY
REPREHENSIBLE, IT'S A TOOL MOST
LABOR UNIONS SIMPLY DON'T HAVE
AT THEIR DISPOSAL.
WHEN THE UNIONS REPRESENTING TV
WRITERS FIGHT FOR THEIR MEMBERS,
THE WORST THING THEY CAN
THREATEN THE PUBLIC WITH IS
FEWER EPISODES OF "BULL," OR
"THE BLACKLIST," OR THIS SHOW.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT A COMPELLING
ARGUMENT.
AND THAT WASN'T EVEN AN EMPTY
THREAT, BECAUSE FOLLOWING THAT
STATEMENT, POLICING DID SLOW
DOWN IN NEW YORK FOR A BIT
LAST YEAR.
THERE WAS AN 11% DROP IN
FELONY ARRESTS, AN 18% DROP
IN MISDEMEANOR ARRESTS, AND
A 32% DROP IN MOVING VIOLATIONS.
BUT THE THING IS: IF YOU LIVED
IN NEW YORK THEN, YOU PROBABLY
DON'T REMEMBER IT AS THE TIME
THAT THE CITY DEVOLVED INTO
CHAOS.
BECAUSE IT DIDN'T.
PEOPLE STILL WENT ABOUT THEIR
LIVES, SUBWAYS WERE STILL AS
DELAYED AS THEY USUALLY WERE,
AND RATS STILL DRAGGED SLICES OF
PIZZA UP STAIRS TO FEED THEIR
RAT FAMILIES AFTER A HARD DAY OF
RAT WORK.
MAKING YOU WONDER WHETHER ALL
THOSE ARRESTS WERE REALLY
IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY
AT ALL.
NOW, ONE GOOD WAY TO ATTEMPT TO
GET REFORMS PAST A UNION'S
RESISTANCE IS IF THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT STEPS IN, WHICH IT
ACTUALLY CAN.
IT HAS THE POWER TO INVESTIGATE
POLICE DEPARTMENTS FOR A PATTERN
OF CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, AND
ENTER WHAT IS CALLED A "CONSENT
DECREE," IN WHICH THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AGREES TO MAKE
INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES THAT
ARE THEN OVERSEEN BY
A FEDERAL COURT.
THAT CAN BE A POWERFUL TOOL
TO FORCE CHANGE.
IN FACT, THAT PAPERWORK
REQUIREMENT IN CLEVELAND THAT
PISSED OFF THIS EGG?
THAT CAME FROM A CONSENT DECREE.
THE PROBLEM IS, HOW OR EVEN
WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT DOES THAT
DEPENDS ON WHO IS RUNNING IT.
AND RIGHT NOW, IT'S THIS WILDLY
UNSUCCESSFUL BIBLE SALESMAN.
AND HE CLEARLY HAS NO INTEREST
IN POLICE REFORM.
IN GEORGE W. BUSH'S FIRST TERM,
HIS JUSTICE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED
12 SUCH INVESTIGATIONS INTO
POLICE DEPARTMENTS.
IN OBAMA'S FIRST TERM, IT WAS
15.
TRUMP'S D.O.J. HAS LAUNCHED JUST
A SINGLE INVESTIGATION, AND HAS
ENTERED ZERO CONSENT DECREES.
MEANWHILE, TRUMP HIMSELF HAS
MADE IT PRETTY CLEAR WHERE
HE STANDS ON THE POLICE USE OF
FORCE.
HE NOT ONLY ROLLED BACK OBAMA'S
RESTRICTIONS ON GIVING THE
POLICE MILITARY EQUIPMENT,
JUST LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAID TO
AN AUDIENCE FILLED WITH
LAW ENFORCEMENT.
>> PLEASE DON'T BE TOO NICE.
LIKE WHEN YOU GUYS PUT SOMEBODY
IN THE CAR AND YOU'RE PROTECTING
THEIR HEAD, YOU KNOW, THE WAY
YOU PUT YOUR HAND OVER IT.
LIKE, DON'T HIT THEIR HEAD, AND
THEY'VE JUST KILLED SOMEBODY.
DON'T HIT THEIR HEAD.
I SAID, YOU CAN TAKE THE HAND
AWAY, OKAY?
>> John: WOW.
YOU KNOW, IT'S BAD ENOUGH WHEN
IT'S JUST A BUNCH OF RANDOM
SHITHEADS CHEERING ON TRUMP'S
LAWLESS RHETORIC,
IT'S A LOT MORE
ALARMING WHEN THE APPLAUSE IS
COMING FROM THE PEOPLE WHOSE
SOLE JOB IS TO SEE LAWLESSNESS
AND STOP IT.
SO IF THE UNIONS WON'T ACT, AND
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WON'T
ACT, WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO,
AS A CIVILIAN, TO GET
ACCOUNTABILITY IF THE POLICE
VIOLATED YOUR RIGHTS?
WELL, YOU COULD TRY AND SUE THE
CITY, OR THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICER
IN QUESTION.
AND IN HIGH-PROFILE CASES
ESPECIALLY, THEY CAN BE
INCENTIVIZED TO SETTLE FOR
ASTONISHING AMOUNTS.
IN FACT, OVER A PERIOD OF
FIVE YEARS, THE TEN CITIES WITH
THE LARGEST POLICE DEPARTMENTS
PAID OUT A BILLION DOLLARS IN
SETTLEMENTS AND COURT JUDGMENTS.
AND LISTEN, I'M NO COMPTROLLER.
BELIEVE ME -- I WISH I WERE.
A HARD-TO-EXPLAIN, LETHALLY
BORING, ELECTED ACCOUNTANT WHOSE
TITLE INEXPLICABLY TOOK A REAL
WORD AND STUCK AN "MP" IN THE
MIDDLE OF IT?
COME ON!
THAT'S MY DREAM JOMPB.
BUT EVEN I CAN TELL YOU:
IF YOU'RE SPENDING A BILLION
DOLLARS ON MISCONDUCT
SETTLEMENTS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO
SERIOUSLY EXAMINE WHAT CONDUCT
LOOKS LIKE.
AND IF A CITY DOESN'T FEEL IT
HAS TO SETTLE WITH YOU, YOU'RE
IN REAL TROUBLE, BECAUSE CIVIL
SUITS AGAINST COPS ARE NEARLY
IMPOSSIBLE TO WIN.
JUST LISTEN TO A DEFENSE
ATTORNEY EXPLAIN ONE REASON IT
WAS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT FOR
MICHAEL BROWN'S FAMILY TO SUE
THE FERGUSON OFFICER WHO KILLED
HIM.
>> CIVILLY, SURE, THEY COULD GO
AFTER HIM CIVILLY.
THE PROBLEM IS HE HAS QUALIFIED
IMMUNITY.
HE'S GONNA SAY THAT "I WAS
ACTING WITHIN THE SCOPE OF MY
EMPLOYMENT, THIS IS WHAT I WAS
DOING."
>> John: YEAH, AND HE'S RIGHT
ABOUT THAT.
POLICE OFFICERS ARE OFTEN
PROTECTED FROM CONSEQUENCES
DUE TO SOMETHING CALLED
QUALIFIED IMMUNITY.
WHICH SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING YOU
GET FROM A HORRIFYING CHEAT CODE
IN "GRAND THEFT AUTO."
"GUESS WHAT?
I TURNED ON QUALIFIED IMMUNITY
AND NOW MY CAR RUNS ON
PROSTITUTES!"
BUT IT'S ACTUALLY WORTH TAKING A
MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT THAT TERM.
VERY BASICALLY, QUALIFIED
IMMUNITY MEANS THAT A PUBLIC
OFFICIAL IS IMMUNE FROM
LAWSUITS, UNLESS THEIR EXACT
CONDUCT HAS ALREADY BEEN RULED
UNCONSTITUTIONAL IN A PREVIOUS
CASE.
AND I DO MEAN EXACT.
BECAUSE SMALL, TINY VARIATIONS
THROWN OUT.
THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.
FOR INSTANCE, ONE CASE WAS
THROWN OUT BECAUSE OF THE
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNLEASHING
A POLICE DOG TO BITE A
MOTIONLESS SUSPECT IN A BUSHY
RAVINE, AND UNLEASHING A POLICE
DOG TO BITE A COMPLIANT SUSPECT
IN A CANAL IN THE WOODS.
WHICH I TOTALLY GET -- THOSE ARE
TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT KINDS
OF OUTDOOR HOLES.
AND THEN THERE WAS THIS CASE:
>> A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT HAS
RULED SEATTLE POLICE USED
EXCESSIVE FORCE WHEN THEY
TASERED A PREGNANT WOMAN DURING
A TRAFFIC STOP IN 2004.
SHE WAS SHOCKED THREE TIMES WITH
A STUN GUN FOR REFUSING TO SIGN
A SPEEDING TICKET.
ALTHOUGH THE RULING WAS IN
BROOKS' FAVOR, THE OFFICER WHO
FIRED THE TASER WAS GIVEN
IMMUNITY BECAUSE THE LAW ON STUN
GUN USE WAS NOT CLEAR YET.
>> John: THAT IS ABSOLUTELY
RIDICULOUS.
THE METHOD THE OFFICER USED TO
ASSAULT THAT WOMAN CLEARLY
SHOULDN'T MATTER.
IT'S LIKE IF JEFFREY DAHMER WAS
DECLARED INNOCENT BECAUSE
HE COOKED HIS VICTIMS
IN AN INSTANT POT.
THE CRIME IS THE KILLING, NOT
WHAT FUCKING APPLIANCE HE USED.
NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS, THERE'S
A CHANCE THE SUPREME COURT WILL
SOON DECIDE TO RECONSIDER
QUALIFIED IMMUNITY.
THERE'S ACTUALLY A BILL IN
CONGRESS RIGHT NOW TO ABOLISH
IT.
ALTHOUGH, EVEN IF IT PASSES,
IT MAY HAVE TO WAIT FOR
A NEW PRESIDENT TO SIGN IT.
AND WE MAY NOT GET ONE OF THOSE
ANYWHERE FROM THE NEXT FOUR
YEARS TO NEVER.
BUT WHILE ENDING QUALIFIED
IMMUNITY WOULD BE GREAT, THAT
ALONE ISN'T GONNA BE NEARLY
ENOUGH.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO OUR FINAL
POINT: WHAT DO WE DO NOW?
THERE ARE A LOT OF SUGGESTIONS
TO LOOK AT HERE.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOME PROMINENT
DEMOCRATS HAVE BEEN SPITBALLING
IDEAS THAT ARE EMBARRASSINGLY
SMALL, PERHAPS NONE MORE
RIDICULOUS THAN THIS:
>> AND THE IDEA THAT OF INSTEAD
OF STANDING THERE AND TEACHING
A COP WHEN THERE'S AN UNARMED
PERSON COMIN' AT 'EM WITH A
KNIFE OR SOMETHING, TO SHOOT 'EM
IN THE LEG INSTEAD OF THE HEART
IS A VERY DIFFERENT THING.
THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT
THINGS THAT CAN CHANGE.
>> John: WOW.
THAT LACK OF IMAGINATION IS
NOT PARTICULARLY INSPIRING,
BUT ALSO: NOT PARTICULARLY
SURPRISING COMING FROM
JOE BIDEN, WHO IS TRULY THE
"GETTING SHOT IN THE LEG INSTEAD
OF THE HEART" CANDIDATE
RIGHT NOW.
AND WHILE THAT'S OBVIOUSLY
ABSURD, THE INSTINCT BIDEN JUST
DISPLAYED --
THAT THE KEY QUESTION IS NOT IF
AN OFFICER SHOULD SHOOT SOMEONE,
BUT WHERE -- IS SHARED BY MANY
POLITICIANS.
IN NEW YORK, BILL DE BLASIO HAS
BALKED AT MAKING IT ILLEGAL FOR
POLICE TO USE CHOKEHOLDS,
DESPITE THE FACT THAT
A CHOKEHOLD IS PRECISELY WHAT
LED TO THE DEATH OF ERIC GARNER.
BUT THE FACT IS, THE INCREMENTAL
REFORMS WE'VE TRIED -- LIKE THE
WIDER USE OF BODY CAMERAS, AND
IMPLICIT BIAS AND USE-OF-FORCE
TRAINING -- ARE NOT, ON THEIR
OWN, GOING TO CUT IT.
AND I'M NOT SAYING WE SHOULDN'T
STILL TRY THEM, BUT IN MANY
CASES, YOU'RE CONTENDING WITH
AN ENTRENCHED POLICE CULTURE
RESISTANT TO ANY EFFORT TO
COMPEL REFORM.
THAT IS WHY MANY ARE ADVOCATING
THAT WE RETHINK POLICE FROM
THE GROUND UP.
ONE SMALL EXAMPLE OF THIS IS
CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY, WHICH,
TEN YEARS AGO WAS POLICED
BY A DEEPLY TROUBLED,
CORRUPTION-RIDDEN FORCE.
BUT IN 2013, THEY DISSOLVED
THEIR CITY POLICE FORCE
ENTIRELY, WITH OFFICERS HAVING
TO REAPPLY FOR THEIR JOBS.
AND IN DOING THAT, THEY'VE BEEN
ABLE TO MEANINGFULLY SHIFT THE
CULTURE, WHILE ALSO INSTITUTING
POLICY CHANGES THAT HAVE LED TO
BOTH A DROP IN EXCESSIVE-FORCE
COMPLAINTS, AND SOME REBUILDING
OF COMMUNITY TRUST.
AND LOOK, I'M NOT SAYING THAT
IT'S BEEN EASY, PERFECT, OR EVEN
THAT IT WOULD WORK EVERYWHERE.
BUT IT SHOULD EXPAND OUR IDEA OF
WHAT'S POSSIBLE.
ONE EVEN BROADER IDEA THAT'S
GAINING MOMENTUM RIGHT NOW IS
DEFUNDING THE POLICE -- A PHRASE
THAT, ON ITS FACE, MAY SOUND
ALARMING TO SOME.
IN FACT, JUST WATCH THIS
PROFESSIONAL ALARMIST BE
ALARMED, ON HIS VERY BAD FACE:
>> DEFUND THE POLICE.
NO MORE COPS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE FIGHTING
FOR.
THAT SEEMS LIKE A FRINGE
POSITION, BUT IN THE DEMOCRATIC
PARTY, IT ISN'T ANYMORE.
IF YOU LIVE IN A GATED
COMMUNITY, IT MIGHT SOUND
LIKE A GOOD IDEA.
YOU'VE GOT YOUR OWN POLICE
FORCE.
YOU HAVE NO PLANS TO REPLACE
THEM WITH RAPID RESPONSE
SOCIAL WORKERS.
SO YOU'RE SET NO MATTER WHAT
HAPPENS.
THERE AREN'T GOING TO BE ANY
RAPES ON YOUR STREET.
BUT WHAT ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE?
WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN TO THEM?
>> John: OKAY, FIRST OF ALL --
IN ALL SINCERITY -- TUCKER, YOU
SEEM NERVOUS.
THIS IS A DIFFICULT MOMENT, AND
I REALLY HOPE YOU'RE TAKING TIME
FOR YOURSELF, WHETHER IT'S
THROUGH MEDITATION, YOGA, OR
JUST KIDDING, FUCK YOU FOREVER,
TUCKER CARLSON, YOU SENTIENT
POLO MALLET!
SECOND: GIVEN THE SHOCKINGLY
LOW NUMBER OF RAPE CASES THAT
ACTUALLY RESULT IN CHARGES,
MUCH LESS CONVICTIONS, I REALLY
WOULDN'T BE HOLDING THAT UP AS
PROOF THAT OUR CURRENT SYSTEM IS
WORKING WELL.
AND FINALLY: DEFUNDING THE
POLICE ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT MEAN
THAT WE ELIMINATE ALL COPS AND
JUST SUCCUMB TO "THE PURGE."
INSTEAD, IT'S ABOUT MOVING AWAY
FROM A NARROW CONCEPTION OF
"PUBLIC SAFETY" THAT RELIES ON
POLICING AND PUNISHMENT, AND
INVESTING IN A COMMUNITY'S
ACTUAL "SAFETY NET" -- THINGS
LIKE STABLE HOUSING,
MENTAL-HEALTH SERVICES, AND
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS.
THE CONCEPT IS THAT THE ROLE OF
THE POLICE CAN THEN
SIGNIFICANTLY SHRINK, BECAUSE
THEY ARE NOT RESPONDING TO THE
HOMELESS, OR TO MENTAL-HEALTH
CALLS, OR ARRESTING CHILDREN IN
SCHOOLS, OR ANY OTHER SITUATION
WHERE THE BEST SOLUTION ISN'T
SOMEONE SHOWING UP WITH A GUN.
THAT IS THE IDEA BEHIND "DEFUND
THE POLICE," IF YOU ACTUALLY
LISTEN TO IT.
WHICH SUGGESTS TUCKER CARLSON
HAS THE EXACT LEVEL OF
UNDERSTANDING ABOUT
THE BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT
THAT YOU'D EXPECT FROM A MAN WHO
ALWAYS LOOKS LIKE HE JUST SAW
HIS FIRST BLACK BARBIE AND FEELS
CONFUSED, BUT MOSTLY SCARED.
AND LOOK, AS WE KNOW, MANY
POLICE WILL LIKELY RESIST ANY
REDISTRIBUTION, HARD.
POLICE UNIONS OFTEN PAINT
THEMSELVES AS ESSENTIAL,
AND EVERYTHING ELSE AS SOMEHOW
FRIVOLOUS.
IN FACT, REMEMBER BOB KROLL?
WHEN MINNEAPOLIS ASKED HIS UNION
TO ACCEPT A PAY FREEZE DUE TO
COVID-19, HERE IS HOW HE
REACTED:
>> THE FIRST THING WE SAID WAS,
OKAY, LET'S SEE THE BUDGET,
LET'S SEE THE CITY BUDGET.
AND GUYS, THEY'RE PISSING AWAY
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
TO PROJECTS.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE GIVING
$15,000 A YEAR TO THE
TRANSGENDER COORDINATOR
FOR THE CITY.
>> John: ALL RIGHT.
SO, LET'S SET ASIDE
THAT TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ARE
OFTEN HARASSED -- AND MORE THAN
HALF REPORT SPECIFICALLY BEING
MISTREATED BY THE POLICE.
AND INSTEAD, CONSIDER THAT
THE BUDGET FOR THE MINNEAPOLIS
POLICE DEPARTMENT IS
$193 MILLION, MEANING THAT
$15,000 AMOUNTS TO 0.008% OF
THEIR ANNUAL BUDGET.
AND IF THAT'S PISSING MONEY
AWAY, THE CITY SHOULD SEE A
FUCKING UROLOGIST.
BUT GUYS LIKE BOB ROLLING HIS
EYES AT ANYTHING
TRANSGENDER-RELATED IS EXACTLY
WHY IT'S TIME FOR OUR
CONVERSATION TO GO BEYOND
"HOW SHOULD THE POLICE DO THEIR
JOBS?"
TO "WHAT, REALLY, DO WE WANT
THE ROLE OF THE POLICE TO BE?"
AND TOO MANY STILL SEEM TO THINK
THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE OF A FEW
BAD ACTORS.
IN FACT, JUST LISTEN TO ONE
OFFICER UNSUCCESSFULLY TO TRY TO
MAKE THAT ARGUMENT TO SOME
PROTESTORS JUST THIS WEEK.
>> ONE BAD HAMBURGER AT
McDONALD'S DOES NOT MAKE
McDONALD'S BAD.
>> WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN?
>> John: YEAH, THAT
PROTESTOR'S RIGHT:
WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN?
BECAUSE ONE BAD HAMBURGER SHOULD
MEAN A HEALTH INSPECTION.
A FEW BAD HAMBURGERS MIGHT MEAN
THAT McDONALD'S IS GETTING SHUT
DOWN.
AND BAD HAMBURGERS REGULARLY
KILLING PEOPLE ON THE STREET
WOULD MEAN THAT WE'D ALL MAYBE
CONSIDER GOING FUCKING VEGAN.
THIS CLEARLY ISN'T ABOUT
INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS; IT'S ABOUT
A STRUCTURE, BUILT ON SYSTEMIC
RACISM THAT THIS COUNTRY CREATED
INTENTIONALLY AND NOW NEEDS TO
DISMANTLE INTENTIONALLY.
AND REPLACE WITH ONE THAT TAKES
INTO THE ACCOUNT THE NEEDS OF
THE PEOPLE THAT IT ACTUALLY
SERVES.
AND THIS IS GOING TO TAKE
SUSTAINED PRESSURE AND
ATTENTION OVER A LONG PERIOD OF
TIME FROM ALL OF US.
BLACK COMMUNITIES HAVE HAD TO BE
PERPETUAL ACTIVISTS WHILE ALSO
ROUTINELY BEING DISENFRANCHISED.
IT'S LONG PAST TIME THE REST OF
US JOINED TO MAKE SURE THEIR
VOICES ARE HEARD.
AND ACTED UPON.
BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE FAR TOO
EASY FOR NOTHING TO MEANINGFULLY
CHANGE HERE.
THAT IS WHAT HAS ALWAYS HAPPENED
BEFORE.
AFTER THE UNREST IN THE LATE
'60S, A COMMISSION WAS SET UP TO
INVESTIGATE AND ISSUE ADVICE.
MANY OF ITS CONCLUSIONS RESEMBLE
IDEAS -- LIKE POLICE
DEMILITARIZATION AND BROAD
REINVESTMENT IN MARGINALIZED
COMMUNITIES -- THAT ARE STILL
BEING PUSHED TODAY.
TESTIFYING BEFORE THAT
COMMISSION WAS
THE SOCIAL SCIENTIST
KENNETH CLARK, MADE THIS
OBSERVATION, WHICH REMAINS
DEPRESSINGLY TRUE.
HE SAID, "I READ THE REPORT OF
THE 1919 RIOT IN CHICAGO, AND IT
IS AS IF I WERE READING THE
REPORT OF THE INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE OF THE HARLEM RIOT OF
1935, THE REPORT OF THE
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE OF THE
HARLEM RIOT OF 1943, THE REPORT
OF THE McCONE COMMISSION OF THE
WATTS RIOT OF 1965.
I MUST AGAIN IN CANDOR SAY TO
YOU, IT IS A KIND OF "ALICE IN
WONDERLAND" WITH THE SAME MOVING
PICTURE RESHOWN OVER AND OVER
AGAIN, THE SAME ANALYSIS, THE
SAME RECOMMENDATIONS AND THE
SAME INACTION."
WE'RE IN THE SAME SHIT NOW THAT
WE WERE IN BACK THEN.
AND IF YOU ARE NOT DIRECTLY
IMPACTED BY IT, IT IS TEMPTING
TO LOOK FOR A REASON TO FEEL
BETTER ABOUT THE WORLD.
TO LOOK AT SOME COPS KNEELING
AND THINK, "OH, WELL, WE JUST
NEED MORE OF THAT!"
BUT WE NEED SO MUCH MORE THAN
THAT.
BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A FIRMLY
ENTRENCHED SYSTEM, IN WHICH
THE ROOTS OF WHITE SUPREMACY RUN
ALL GRAB A FUCKING SHOVEL.
TO DO ANYTHING LESS WOULD BE
ABSOLUTELY UNFORGIVABLE.
AND ACTUALLY, TO THAT POINT,
THERE IS ONE PERSON I SAW THIS
WEEK WHOSE WORDS HAVE BEEN
ECHOING AROUND MY HEAD.
AND YOU'VE BEEN LISTENING TO ME
TALK FOR A WHILE NOW, SO NOW I'M
GOING TO GIVE HER THE LAST WORD
TONIGHT:
>> SO, WHEN THEY SAY, "WHY DO
YOU BURN DOWN THE COMMUNITY?
WHY DO YOU BURN DOWN YOUR OWN
NEIGHBORHOOD?"
IT'S NOT OURS!
WE DON'T OWN ANYTHING!
WE DON'T OWN ANYTHING.
THERE IS -- TREVOR NOAH SAID IT
SO BEAUTIFULLY LAST NIGHT --
THERE'S A SOCIAL CONTRACT THAT
WE ALL HAVE, THAT IF YOU STEAL
OR IF I STEAL, THEN THE PERSON
WHO IS THE AUTHORITY COMES IN
AND THEY FIX THE SITUATION.
BUT THE PERSON WHO FIXES THE
SITUATION IS KILLING US.
SO THE SOCIAL CONTRACT IS
BROKEN.
AND IF THE SOCIAL CONTRACT IS
BROKEN, WHY THE FUCK DO I GIVE
A SHIT ABOUT BURNING THE FUCKING
FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, ABOUT
BURNING A FUCKING TARGET?
YOU BROKE THE CONTRACT WHEN YOU
KILLED US IN THE STREETS AND
DIDN'T GIVE A FUCK!
YOU BROKE THE CONTRACT
FOR 400 YEARS.
WE PLAYED YOUR GAME AND BUILT
YOUR WEALTH.
YOU BROKE THE CONTRACT WHEN WE
BUILT OUR WEALTH, AGAIN, ON OUR
OWN BY OUR BOOTSTRAPS IN TULSA
AND YOU DROPPED BOMBS ON US.
WHEN WE BUILT IT IN ROSEWOOD AND
YOU CAME IN AND YOU SLAUGHTERED
US.
YOU BROKE THE CONTRACT,
SO FUCK YOUR TARGET.
FUCK YOUR HALL OF FAME.
AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED,
THEY CAN BURN THIS BITCH
TO THE GROUND AND IT STILL
WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH.
AND THEY ARE LUCKY THAT WHAT
BLACK PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR IS
EQUALITY AND NOT REVENGE.
>> John: THAT'S OUR SHOW.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
GOOD NIGHT.