>> WELCOME, WELCOME,
WELCOME TO "LAST WEEK TONIGHT!"
I'M JOHN OLIVER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR JOINING US.
IT'S BEEN ANOTHER BUSY WEEK.
THE RUSSIAN INVASION OF UKRAINE
ENTERED ITS THIRD MONTH,
CONTINUES
TO MUSK EVERYTHING UP,
AND MADISON CAWTHORN,
CONGRESS' FRESHEST-FACED IDIOT,
BROUGHT A LOADED HANDGUN TO AN
AIRPORT AGAIN.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO FOCUS ON
THIS YEAR'S ELECTIONS.
A LOT OF GOVERNORS AND LOCAL
OFFICIALS ARE ON THE BALLOT THIS
YEAR, AND SOME HAVE BEEN TRYING
TO MAKE A SPLASH WITH BIG
STUNTS, LIKE RON DESANTIS,
GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA AND A MAN
WHO HAS WHAT I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE
AS "GREEN BOOK" VIBES.
WE'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT HIS
"DON'T SAY GAY" BILL, AND
DISNEY'S BELATED CONDEMNATION
OF IT.
WELL, LAST WEEK, DESANTIS TOOK
A BOLD STEP TO RETALIATE.
>> AS PROMISED, FLORIDA
REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS
SIGNING A LAW ENDING DISNEY'S
SELF-GOVERNMENT AND TAX BREAKS.
THE SELF-GOVERNMENT AT DISNEY IS
CALLED THE REEDY CREEK
IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT.
IT PROVIDES FIRE, EMS,
ELECTRICITY, AND OTHER FUNCTIONS
LIKE ANY OTHER GOVERNMENT WOULD.
>> YEAH, IT'S TRUE.
IN THE PART OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
WHERE DISNEY WORLD IS, THE
COMPANY TECHNICALLY FUNCTIONS
AS A SELF-CONTAINED GOVERNMENT,
PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES --
EXCEPT, CRUCIALLY, A MORGUE.
WHY?
BECAUSE NO ONE -- LOOK AT ME --
NO ONE HAS EVER DIED AT DISNEY.
AND NO ONE WILL EVER DIE AT
DISNEY.
DO YOU HEAR ME?
THERE IS NO FUCKING MORGUE AT
DISNEY.
NOD IF YOU UNDERSTAND ME.
VERY GOOD.
BUT THERE ARE PLENTY OF SIGNS
DESANTIS DIDN'T REALLY THINK
THIS THROUGH, WITH EXPERTS
POINTING OUT THE LAW MAY
ACTUALLY VIOLATE THE CONTRACT
CLAUSE OF THE FLORIDA
CONSTITUTION,
AND ALSO, THAT FLORIDA
STATE LAW REQUIRES THE COUNTY
ASSUMES A DISTRICT'S DEBT WHEN
IT'S DISSOLVED.
WHICH COULD MEAN
THAT ORANGE AND OSCEOLA
COUNTIES, WHERE THE DISTRICT IS,
INHERIT UPWARD OF A BILLION
DOLLARS IN BOND DEBT.
IT'S NO WONDER THERE ARE REAL
CONCERNS ABOUT ALL THE POTENTIAL
DISRUPTION.
THANKFULLY DESANTIS HAD SOME
>> WE'RE GONNA TAKE CARE OF ALL
THAT.
DON'T WORRY.
THIS IS ALL -- WE HAVE
EVERYTHING THOUGHT OUT.
DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU THAT
SOMEHOW DISNEY IS GONNA GET A
TAX CUT OUT OF THIS.
THEY'RE GOING TO PAY MORE TAXES
AS A RESULT OF THIS.
>> OKAY, THERE'S JUST
NOTHING MORE OFF-PUTTING THAN
SOMEONE STARTING A SENTENCE WITH
"DON'T WORRY."
HE SOUNDS LIKE A FRAT BOY TRYING
TO REASON WITH THE COPS AFTER A
NOISE COMPLAINT.
"DON'T WORRY, MAN, WE'RE GONNA
TAKE CARE OF ALL THAT.
WE'VE GOT EVERYTHING ALL THOUGHT
OUT.
YOU GUYS WANT A BEER?
YOU WANT TO HANG OUT?"
AND FOLLOWUP STATEMENTS FROM
DESANTIS'S OFFICE CONTINUED TO
BE VAGUE ON DETAILS, WITH ONE
SPOKESWOMAN ADMITTING,
THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE DOES NOT
HAVE A WRITTEN PLAN ON HOW THE
DISSOLUTION WILL PROCEED.
WHICH OF COURSE IT DOESN'T.
AND LOOK, DO I THINK IT'S BAD IF
DISNEY PAYS MORE TAXES?
NO!
I DON'T.
THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
I DON'T LOVE THAT IT MIGHT
HAPPEN NOT THROUGH MEANINGFUL
TAX REFORM, BUT ON THE WHIM OF
ONE RIGHT-WING DIPSHIT WHO'S
SCARED OF GAY PEOPLE AND DOESN'T
UNDERSTAND THE FIRST AMENDMENT,
BUT HEY, ENDS, MEANS, WHAT ARE
YOU GONNA DO?
BUT IT'S NOT JUST DESANTIS
ENGAGING IN HARMFUL STUNTS.
IN TEXAS, GREG ABBOTT'S BEEN
DOING THE SAME.
YOU MAY REMEMBER A FEW WEEKS
AGO, HE ANNOUNCED HE'D BE
SENDING CHARTER BUSES OF
MIGRANTS TO WASHINGTON DC.
BUT HE ALSO RECENTLY DECIDED TO
SUBJECT EVERY COMMERCIAL TRUCK
CROSSING THE BORDER TO STRICT
INSPECTIONS, CAUSING ABSOLUTE
CHAOS.
>> THESE TRUCKS ARE ALREADY
INSPECTED BY U.S. CUSTOMS AND
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION BUT
NOW PER GOVERNOR ABBOTT,
DPS IS ALSO CONDUCTING SAFETY
INSPECTIONS WITH THE STATED GOAL
OF STOPPING CASES OF HUMAN
SMUGGLING.
>> NORMALLY IT TAKES THESE
TRUCKS THAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME
ABOUT 30, 40 MINUTES TO CROSS
BUT EARLIER TODAY WE HEARD OF
ONE TRUCK DRIVER THAT SAT IN
LINE FOR 12 HOURS TRYING TO
BRING PRODUCT
INTO THE UNITED STATES.
>> WOW.
I'D SAY THERE IS NO GREATER HELL
THAN BEING POINTLESSLY STUCK IN
TRAFFIC FOR TWELVE HOURS BECAUSE
OF GREG ABBOTT EXCEPT THERE IS,
AND IT'S BEING STUCK IN TRAFFIC
FOR TWELVE HOURS WITH GREG
ABBOTT.
THAT'S A ROAD TRIP MOVIE NO ONE
WANTS TO SEE.
NOW, ABBOTT CALLED THE SCHEME
OFF AFTER JUST EIGHT DAYS, WHICH
IS A GOOD THING, GIVEN THAT --
BY SOME ESTIMATES --
TEXAS LOST $4 BILLION FROM THE
DISRUPTIONS, WHILE FINDING NO
MIGRANTS, AND ZERO DRUGS,
WEAPONS OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF
CONTRABAND.
APPARENTLY, ALL ABBOTT'S
INSPECTIONS DID FIND WERE THINGS
LIKE OIL LEAKS AND FLAT TIRES.
MEANING HE CAUSED A HELLISH
TRAFFIC JAM ONLY TO DO THE WORK
OF THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE
JIFFY LUBE.
AND THEN THERE WAS L.A. COUNTY
SHERIFF ALEX VILLANUEVA.
SEEN HERE, LOOKING LIKE A POTATO
COWBOY.
HIS RE-ELECTION BID THIS YEAR
HAS BEEN OVERSHADOWED BY
CLAIMS IN THE L.A. TIMES THAT HE
DIRECTED A COVERUP OF AN
INCIDENT WHERE ONE OF HIS
DEPUTIES KNELT ON A DETAINEE'S
HEAD FOR THREE MINUTES.
IT'S A DAMNING STORY ABOUT ABUSE
OF POWER AND LACK OF
TRANSPARENCY, AND VILLANEUVA
TOOK SWIFT ACTION AGAINST THOSE
RESPONSIBLE...
FOR EVERYONE FINDING OUT ABOUT
IT.
>> THE SHERIFF SAYS THERE'S NOW
A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO
WHO RELEASED THE VIDEO TO THE
L.A. TIMES.
>> SO HERE, THE THREE
INDIVIDUALS THAT WE WANT TO KNOW
A LOT ABOUT.
>> HE POINTED OUT HIS POLITICAL
OPPONENT IN THE RACE FOR
SHERIFF, THE INSPECTOR GENERAL,
AND AN L.A. TIMES REPORTER.
>> THE MATTER IS UNDER
INVESTIGATION.
THIS IS STOLEN PROPERTY THAT WAS
REMOVED ILLEGALLY FROM PEOPLE
WHO HAD SOME INTENT, CRIMINAL
INTENT, AND IT'LL BE SUBJECT TO
INVESTIGATION.
>> OKAY, WHEN YOU'RE
ACCUSED OF BEING COMPLICIT IN A
TERRIBLE ACT, BEING MORE
CONCERNED ABOUT WHO SAID IT THAN
THE ACCUSATION DOESN'T EXACTLY
CONVEY INNOCENCE.
IF SOMEONE SAID, JOHN OLIVER
LIKES TO BE CALLED "BIG DADDY
ZAZU WITH THE LONG, LONG BEAK"
AROUND THE OFFICE.
AND MY RESPONSE WAS "WHO SAID
THAT?
WAS IT JOSEPH?
I'M GOING TO INVESTIGATE
JOSEPH," THAT WOULD BE MORE THAN
A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS.
BESIDES, THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN
BECAUSE BIG DADDY ZAZU RUNS A
TIGHT SHIP!
NOW, LEGALLY, I HAVE TO TELL YOU
VILLANUEVA DENIES ANY WRONGDOING
AND SAYS HE ONLY LEARNED OF THE
KNEELING INCIDENT
EIGHT MONTHS AFTER IT OCCURRED
AND IMMEDIATELY LAUNCHED AN
INVESTIGATION.
ALTHOUGH A FORMER TOP OFFICIAL
IN HIS DEPARTMENT HAS FILED A
CLAIM, SAYING SHE
WATCHED THE VIDEO WITH HIM AND
TWO OTHERS JUST FIVE DAYS AFTER
THE INCIDENT HAPPENED.
AND I WILL SAY THIS.
SWEEPING THINGS UNDER THE CARPET
DOES SEEM TO BE VILLANUEVA'S
STYLE.
BECAUSE DESPITE CAMPAIGNING FOUR
YEARS AGO AS A REFORMER, IN AN
INFAMOUSLY CORRUPT DEPARTMENT,
HIS RECORD SINCE THEN HASN'T
BEEN GREAT.
A 2019 I.G. REPORT FOUND THAT,
OVER JUST A TWO-MONTH PERIOD,
OFFICIALS WORKING UNDER HIM
CANCELED 45 ADMINISTRATIVE
INVESTIGATIONS INTO HIS
EMPLOYEES, SOME OF WHICH
INVOLVED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE,
CHILD ABUSE, AND SEXUAL
MISCONDUCT WITH AN INMATE.
AND HE'S NOT JUST BREAKING
PROMISES TO REFORM.
IT SEEMS HIS REELECTION BID IS
GOING TO INVOLVE GOING FULL
CULTURE-WAR.
>> I THINK 2022 IS GOING TO BE
A SPECIAL YEAR.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A
REFERENDUM ON A NATIONAL DISEASE
THAT'S GOING TO FINALLY SEE
A CURE COMING ALONG.
WOKEISM IS ON THE ROPES.
LET'S PUT IT OUT OF ITS MISERY.
>> THAT'S FUN!
YOU PROBABLY THOUGHT THAT THE
NATIONAL DISEASE HE WAS
REFERRING TO THERE
WAS THE LITERAL ONE THAT'S
KILLED ALMOST A MILLION
AMERICANS WERE TWO YEARS.
OR THE FIGURATIVE ONE THAT WAS
BTS FEVER.
YOONGI, MARRY ME.
I HAVE THE DOCUMENTS.
BUT INSTEAD, HE MEANT THE
BULLSHIT DISEASE THAT MEANS
YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE FUN
OF YOUR NEPHEW FOR BEING A
SOCIOLOGY MAJOR.
Y'KNOW, THE "REAL" TRAGEDY.
BUT PERHAPS VILLANUEVA'S PIECE
DE RESISTANCE IS A NEW CAMPAIGN
AD WHICH HONESTLY MIGHT BE ONE
OF THE DUMBEST THINGS I'VE EVER
SEEN.
I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU ALL THIRTY
SECONDS OF IT, BECAUSE I CAN'T
THINK OF ANY PART OF IT YOU
DON'T NEED TO SEE.
>> I FEAR FOR MY HOME'S FUTURE.
THE CALIFORNIA DREAM HAS TURNED
INTO A NIGHTMARE.
THE POLITICIANS HAVE LEFT US
DOWN.
LET'S STAND UP TO THE
CORRUPTION.
LET'S FIGHT FOR OURSELVES.
LET'S BRING THE DREAM BACK.
I AM ALEX VILLANUEVA AND I
APPROVE THIS MESSAGE.
>> OKAY, OBVIOUSLY,
THAT'S ALL IDIOTIC,
FROM THE 1990s ROLLERBLADER,
TO THE SONG CHOICE
FOR YOUR CALIFORNIA DREAM
AD BEING AVE MARIA AND NOT,
I DON'T KNOW,
CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'
TO THE FACT THAT
EVERYONE THERE IS HAVING AN
ABSOLUTE BALL, INCLUDING THE
PEOPLE EXPERIENCING A BREAK-IN.
I'VE HONESTLY NEVER SEEN ANYONE
THIS HAPPY WHILE GETTING ROBBED,
AND I SAW GLENN CLOSE AT THE
OSCARS EIGHT TIMES.
PERHAPS THE WEIRDEST DECISION
COMES AT THE END, WHERE AN
INEXPLICABLY WET VILLANUEVA
WORKS A LOOK THAT
CAN BEST BE DESCRIBED AS "HIGH
SCHOOL COACH MINUTES BEFORE
BEING BUSTED FOR SPYING ON THE
GIRLS' LOCKER ROOM," AND
ANNOUNCES, "LET'S STAND UP TO
THE CORRUPTION, LET'S FIGHT FOR
OURSELVES," WHICH GIVEN THAT
HE'S THE ONE WHO'S BEEN IN
CHARGE THE LAST FOUR YEARS,
SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD SLOGAN
FOR ANYONE RUNNING AGAINST HIM.
BUT DEPRESSINGLY, IT SEEMS HE'S
GOING TO GET RE-ELECTED.
BULLYING A REPORTER MIGHT
ACTUALLY HELP HIM, JUST LIKE
DESANTIS AND ABBOTT'S HARMFUL
STUNTS ARE LIKELY TO HELP THEM.
BECAUSE THE NAME OF THE GAME IN
POLITICS THESE DAYS SEEMS TO BE
LESS "CAN YOU HELP THE MOST
PEOPLE?"
AND MORE "HOW MUCH CAN YOU HURT
THE PEOPLE YOUR SUPPORTERS HATE
THE MOST?"
EVEN IF ALL VOTERS GET IS
A MASSIVE LOGISTICAL HEADACHE,
A TWELVE HOUR TRAFFIC JAM,
AND THE MUST UNWATCHABLE
DEPICTION OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA SINCE LA LA LAND.
AND NOW THIS.
>> SHAQUILLE O'NEAL
CAN'T STOP EXPLAINING HOW TO
SAVE MONEY ON GAS.
>> THE AMOUNT OF GAS I WOULD
HAVE TO SPEND.
COST $80 TO FILL IT UP.
THEN YOU SAID.
>> WHEN IT GETS TO HAVE COME YOU
PUT $20.
BRING IT BACK TO FULL.
YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT WHEN IT GETS
EASIER YOU SPEND 80.
RIGHT?
WHEN HE GETS TO HAVE YOU PUT 20
AND THEN WHEN HE GETS BACK TO
HAVE YOU PUT 20.
>> STOP AND PUT 20.
>> I ALREADY PAID THE ADP WHEN I
GET TO HAVE.
WHEN I GET TO HAVE.
GOING TO HAVE 20.
IF YOU LET IT GET TO HAVE BY
WEDNESDAY.
>> IT WON'T GET TO HAVE.
BY WEDNESDAY IT'S GOING TO BE 40
AND FRIDAY WILL BE 40.
>> NOT 40, 20.
I MET HAVE COME I DON'T WANT TO
KEEP DRIVING.
SHUT IT OUT.
>> HALF OF 80 IS 40.
>> THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING.
GET TO HAVE, SPENT 20 AND FILL
IT BACK UP.
THAT'S MY POINT.
GET TO HAVE BEEN PUTTING 20 AND
IT WILL BRING INTO FULL.
IF I AM AT HALF AND BRING IT TO
20 AND GO DOWN AND I MET HALF
AND PUT 20.
>> SO THEN I WILL NEVER DRIVE MY
CAR AGAIN EVER.
>> YOUR COMPLAINING ABOUT THE
$80.
>> WE HAVE HEARD IT SO MANY
TIMES.
>> HOW MUCH GAS DO YOU THINK YOU
CAN GET FOR $20?
>> DON'T EVEN START.
DON'T EVEN START ABOUT HALF
FULL.
>> IF I HAD 20, JUST GOING TO
GIVE ME SOME CUSHION.
>> AIN'T NO CUSHION.
>> BE BACK TOMORROW.
CASE CLOSE.
SHUT THE HILL UP.
CASE CLOSE TO.
TRUST ME.
>> MOVING ON.
OUR MAIN STORY TONIGHT CONCERNS
POLLUTION.
IT'S THE THING PSAS HAVE BEEN
WARNING US ABOUT FOR MORE THAN
HALF A CENTURY.
>> BEFORE YOU TAKE ANOTHER
BREATH, THINK WHAT AIR POLLUTION
MAY BE DOING TO YOUR LUNGS.
HOLD IT NOW!
THINK, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO
ABOUT IT?
WELL, IF THERE ARE GROUPS IN
YOUR TOWN FIGHTING TO MAKE THE
AIR CLEAN, JOIN THEM.
OR WRITE TO
CLEAN AIR WASHINGTON D.C.
UH, BY THE WAY, HOLDING YOUR
BREATH IS NOT THE ANSWER.
>> FLAWLESS.
NOT A SINGLE FLAW.
THE ONLY THING I'D SAY IS,
YOU COULD HAVE HAD MORE FUN WITH
WHAT'S WRITTEN ON THE BALLS.
THAT'S IT.
YOU'RE ALREADY THE
FLIRTIEST WEIRDO 1960s PSAs
HAD TO OFFER!
SWING BIG!
YOU COULD HAVE GONE WITH,
"BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW THESE WERE
IN MY MOUTH"!
OR "THESE ARE KERMIT'S EYES"
OR "ROBERT KENNEDY WILL BE SHOT
ON JUNE 5, 1968"!
THE WORLD WAS YOUR OYSTER!
WE ALL SUFFER FROM EXPOSURE TO
POLLUTION IN THIS COUNTRY,
BUT SOME SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN
OTHERS, THANKS TO WHAT'S CALLED
ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM.
STUDIES HAVE FOUND THAT
BLACK AMERICANS ARE EXPOSED TO
38% MORE POLLUTED AIR, AND ARE
75% MORE LIKELY TO LIVE IN
COMMUNITIES THAT BORDER A PLANT
OR A FACTORY.
AND CRUCIALLY, THE DISPARITY IN
EXPOSURE PERSISTS EVEN WHEN
CONTROLLING FOR INCOME.
ONE STUDY FOUND THAT ON AVERAGE,
BLACK AMERICANS MAKING $200,000
WERE EXPOSED TO MORE AIR
POLLUTION THAN WHITE AMERICANS
MAKING $25,000.
PROVING YET AGAIN THAT RACISM IS
ONE OF THE FEW THINGS IN THIS
COUNTRY MORE POWERFUL THAN
MONEY.
IN FACT, I BELIEVE AMERICA'S
RACISM, BEEF,
VIRAL VIDEOS OF SOLDIERS
REUNITING WITH THEIR DOGS,
DJ KHALED'S P.R. TEAM,
AND THEN MONEY.
AND WHILE THE DECISIONS THAT
LEAD TO DISPARATE OUTCOMES CAN
BE SUBTLE, THEY CAN ALSO BE
INCREDIBLY FLAGRANT,
IN 2008, THERE WAS A MASSIVE
SPILL OF COAL ASH
HERE IN TENNESSEE, WITH TONS OF
TOXIC WASTE DUMPED INTO A
LARGELY WHITE COMMUNITY.
THE GOOD NEWS IS, THEY REMOVED
FOUR MILLION TONS OF IT.
THE BAD NEWS, IT WAS THEN DUMPED
300 MILES AWAY, IN THIS LARGELY
BLACK COMMUNITY CALLED
UNIONTOWN, WHERE RESIDENTS WERE
PRETTY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT HAD JUST
HAPPENED.
>> TAKING THAT FROM A WHITE
AREA.
THE WHITE PEOPLE DIDN'T WANT IT,
LET'S JUST KEEP IT 100.
IF THE WHITE FOLKS AIN'T WANT IT
WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S GOOD
ENOUGH FOR THE BLACKS?
>> YEAH, SHE'S RIGHT.
IT SEEMS WHEN WHITE PEOPLE
DON'T WANT SOMETHING ANYMORE,
THEY EITHER DUMP IT
ON MINORITY COMMUNITIES
OR SEW A HUMMINGBIRD ON IT
AND LIST IT ON ETSY AS
"HANDMADE VINTAGE."
LET'S KEEP IT 100 FOR A SECOND.
THAT IS GARBAGE.
THE FACT IS, BLACK NEIGHBORHOODS
IN PARTICULAR CAN GET TARGETED
WITH INCREDIBLE PRECISION, AND
THE STAKES COULDN'T BE HIGHER.
POLLUTION IS ONE OF THE DRIVING
FACTORS BEHIND CONDITIONS LIKE
HEART DISEASE, ASTHMA, AND EVEN
DEATH, WITH BLACK AMERICANS
NEARLY THREE TIMES AS LIKELY TO
DIE FROM EXPOSURE TO POLLUTION.
AND VAST DISPARITIES CAN EXIST
EVEN WITHIN THE SAME CITY,
AS THIS ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERT
BREAKS DOWN.
>> RIGHT NOW, THE ZIP CODE IS
THE MOST IMPORTANT PREDICTOR OF
HEALTH AND WELL BEING.
YOU TELL ME YOUR ZIP CODE, I CAN
TELL YOU HOW HEALTHY YOU ARE.
ALL ZIP CODES ARE NOT CREATED
EQUAL.
>> REALLY?
>> YES.
YOU CAN FIND ZIP CODES THAT ARE
ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER AND HAVE
A LIFE EXPECTANCY DISPARITY OF
10, 15 YEARS DEPENDING ON WHAT'S
IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHAT'S
NOT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> WOW, THAT'S GRIM.
"YOU CAN LIVE 15 FEWER YEARS
DEPENDING ON YOUR ZIP CODE" IS
THE WORST ZIP CODE NEWS SINCE
THE TIME THEY ADDED
THOSE FOUR BULLSHIT DIGITS AT
THE END.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE,
AND I'M NEVER GONNA LEARN THEM.
I KNOW MY FIVE DIGIT ZIP CODE,
MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, MY
BIRTHDAY, ONE OF MY CHILDREN'S
BIRTHDAYS, AND THAT IS THE END
OF MY NUMBERS.
I'M NOT LEARNING ANY MORE.
SO GIVEN JUST HOW AWFUL ITS
EFFECTS ARE, TONIGHT, LET'S LOOK
AT ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM.
HOW IT GOT THIS BAD, HOW
GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY CONTINUE
TO FAIL PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND
WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
AND THE FIRST MAJOR FACTOR TO
CONSIDER HERE IS HISTORY.
AS WE'VE DISCUSSED BEFORE ON
THIS COMEDY SHOW, IT WAS
EXPLICIT FEDERAL POLICY FOR
DECADES TO SEGREGATE HOUSING
BASED ON RACE THROUGH A PROCESS
KNOWN AS REDLINING.
BASICALLY, BLACK PEOPLE COULD
NOT GET GOVERNMENT-BACKED HOME
LOANS WHERE WHITE PEOPLE LIVED.
AND THE AREAS WHERE THEY COULD
LIVE WERE OFTEN ALSO ZONED FOR
INDUSTRIAL USES.
HERE'S HOW IT WORKED IN DALLAS.
>> SO, YOU CAN TAKE A REDLINING
MAP FROM THE '30s AND THE MAPS
FROM THE '40s AND OVERLAY THAT
ON A CURRENT INDUSTRIAL MAP OF
DALLAS.
AND THEY'LL SHOW YOU BLACK AND
BROWN FOLKS ARE FORCED TO LIVE
SIDE BY SIDE BY HEAVY INDUSTRY
IN A WAY THAT NOBODY ELSE IN
DALLAS IS FORCED TO LIVE.
>> THAT'S BASICALLY
THE SAME PARTS OF TOWN!
WHICH SEEMS PRETTY INTENTIONAL!
I KNOW SOME THINGS ARE JUST
WEIRD COINCIDENCES, LIKE HOW
JOHN ADAMS AND THOMAS JEFFERSON
DIED ON THE SAME DAY, OR HOW
GEORGE WASHINGTON HAD WOODEN
TEETH AND PATRICK HENRY DIED OF
ANAL SPLINTERS.
JUST A RANDOM, TRUE FACT THEY
DON'T TEACH YOU ABOUT IN HISTORY
CLASS.
BUT THIS,
THIS IS NO COINCIDENCE!
AND THAT MIGHT AT LEAST PARTLY
EXPLAIN WHY THE LIFE EXPECTANCY
HERE IN JOPEE, A PREDOMINANTLY
BLACK AREA WITH A LOT OF
INDUSTRIAL ZONING, IS JUST 71,
WHILE IN THE PREDOMINANTLY WHITE
HIGHLAND PARK, IT'S 84.
AND IT DEFINITELY HELPS EXPLAIN
WHY CERTAIN NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE
TO PUT UP WITH SHIT LIKE
"SHINGLE MOUNTAIN."
THAT'S THE WORK OF A COMPANY
NAMED BLUE STAR RECYCLING, WHICH
CLAIMED IT HAD A PLAN TO RECYCLE
ROOFING SHINGLES INTO ASPHALT.
SO IT STARTED DUMPING A
LITERAL MOUNTAIN OF THEM INTO A
LOT, RIGHT NEXT TO HOMES IN A
LARGELY BLACK AND LATINO
NEIGHBORHOOD.
>> LOOK AT IT, SHINGLE MOUNTAIN.
>> WOW.
>> THAT'S 100,000 TONS OF
SHINGLES.
>> 100,000 TONS OF SHINGLES?
>> EXACTLY.
>> WOW.
IT KIND OF SMELLS LIKE, LIKE
JUST RUBBER, LIKE RAW RUBBER.
>> IT DOES, IT SMELLS LIKE BURNT
PAVEMENT.
>>
EXCUSE ME.
>> BLESS YOU.
>>
>> BLESS YOU.
I BETTER GET YOU OUT AND BACK.
YEAH, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING
THROUGH.
>> YOU CAN FEEL IT GOING UP
YOUR NOSE.
>>
YEAH, YOU CAN FEEL IT.
>>
>> OKAY, LOOK, SNEEZING IN
RESPONSE TO 100,000 TONS OF
FIBERGLASS WASTE IS FINE A
COUPLE OF TIMES, BUT THERE'S A
POINT WHERE YOU'RE JUST
INTERRUPTING PEOPLE, AND IT'S
RUDE.
STILL, YOU CAN'T DENY IT'S
IMPRESSIVE THAT IT TOOK ALL OF
FIVE SECONDS FOR THAT MOUNTAIN
TO TURN SOLEDAD O'BRIEN INTO
A WOMAN AT THE BEGINNING OF AN
ALLERGY COMMERCIAL, WHEN SHE'S
STILL IN BLACK AND WHITE.
AND BLUE STAR'S OWNER,
CHRIS GANTER, DIDN'T SEEM THAT
CONCERNED ABOUT THE MESS HE
MADE.
BECAUSE WATCH WHAT HAPPENED WHEN
O'BRIEN STOPPED SNEEZING LONG
ENOUGH TO CALL HIM.
>> SO, LET ME ASK YOU
A QUESTION.
WHEN YOU THINK OF THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVE THERE ON SHINGLE MOUNTAIN,
LIKE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO
THEM?
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY
GROSS.
>> OH, THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD
AROUND THERE'S GROSS.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING AROUND THERE
IS AN INDUSTRIAL AREA.
I DIDN'T REALLY GO DOWN THERE
VERY OFTEN BECAUSE I DIDN'T LIKE
BEING DOWN IN THAT PART OF, PART
OF TOWN.
>> BUT DO YOU THINK THE PEOPLE
THERE, YOU KNOW, DO YOU FEEL
SORRY FOR THEM?
DO YOU FEEL LIKE, HEY, LISTEN,
THAT'S WHERE THEY LIVE, THEY GET
WHAT THEY GET?
>> OH, I MEAN, EVERYBODY KNEW
WHAT THE ZONING OF THE AREA WAS
WHEN THEY, WHEN THEY BOUGHT.
I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF LIKE, I
DON'T KNOW, BUYING RIGHT NEXT TO
THE NUCLEAR PLACE AND THEN
COMPLAINING LATER ABOUT IT.
IT'S AN INDUSTRIAL AREA AND
EVERY CITY HAS TO HAVE AN
INDUSTRIAL AREA.
JUST THE WAY IT IS.
>> YOU KNOW, PART OF ME
ALMOST APPRECIATES THAT LEVEL OF
UNAPOLOGETIC SHITTINESS.
NO EFFORTS TO SPIN OR DODGE IT,
JUST FLAT-OUT SAYING, "YEAH,
IT'S AN ICKY PART OF TOWN FULL
OF GROSS POORS WHO DESERVE TO
LIVE IN FILTH.
YOU GET ALL OF THAT FOR YOUR
NEWS REPORT?
I CAN SAY IT AGAIN SLOWER IF IT
HELPS."
WHAT GANTER CLEARLY DOESN'T
UNDERSTAND THERE IS THAT A LOT
OF PEOPLE DIDN'T CHOOSE TO LIVE
IN AN INDUSTRIAL AREA.
RACIST ZONING POLICIES
CHOSE FOR THEM.
AND WHILE HIS COMPANY EVENTUALLY
WENT BELLY-UP AND LOCAL
ACTIVISTS GOT THE CITY TO MOVE
THE SHINGLES, IT ONLY MOVED THEM
JUST ACROSS THE HIGHWAY TO
A MASSIVE LANDFILL ALLOWED BY
THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S ZONING.
BUT HISTORY AND ZONING ARE ONLY
PART OF THE STORY HERE.
BECAUSE IT'S ALSO ABOUT WHO HAS
THE POWER TO PUSH BACK.
AND POLLUTERS OFTEN ASSUME THAT
BLACK COMMUNITIES, IN
PARTICULAR, WON'T BE ABLE TO
STOP THEM.
TAKE THE BYHALIA PIPELINE,
A JOINT VENTURE BETWEEN
THESE TWO COMPANIES, WHO PLANNED
FOR THEIR OIL PIPELINE TO TAKE A
VERY DELIBERATE PATH THROUGH
MEMPHIS.
>> THE PATH BYHALIA PROPOSED
WINDS DOWN THROUGH SOUTH
MEMPHIS, CUTTING THROUGH SEVERAL
HISTORICALLY BLACK COMMUNITIES.
THERE IS A MORE DIRECT OPTION,
BUT THAT WOULD CUT THROUGH
PREDOMINANTLY WHITE, WEALTHIER
NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE NORTH.
>> YEAH, THAT DOES
SEEM ODD.
NORMALLY THE SHORTEST DISTANCE
BETWEEN TWO POINTS IS A STRAIGHT
LINE, NOT "THROUGH ANY BLACK
PEOPLE WHO HAPPEN TO BE STANDING
NEARBY."
ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY THE LEAST
SURPRISING THING THERE IS THAT
THE WHITE WEALTHY SUBURB IS
CALLED GERMANTOWN.
THAT'S THE NAME YOU GIVE YOUR
COMMUNITY WHEN "ARYANVILLE"
FEELS A LITTLE TOO OBVIOUS.
THE COMPANIES BEHIND THE
PIPELINE
INSIST THEY HAD GOOD REASONS
ACCORDING TO A LOCAL ACTIVIST --
A PIPELINE REP ONCE ACCIDENTALLY
SAID THE QUIET PART LOUD.
>> THERE WAS A COMMUNITY MEETING
THAT BYHALIA PIPELINE HELD, AND
THEY WERE ASKED BY ONE OF THE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY "WHY
DID YOU ALL CHOOSE THIS ROUTE?"
AND THERE'S USUALLY A PR ANSWER,
BUT INSTEAD, THE REPRESENTATIVE
WAS PRETTY CLEAR AND PLAIN.
WHAT DID HE SAY?
"WE BASICALLY CHOSE A POINT OF
LEAST RESISTANCE."
WHEN PEOPLE AREN'T SCRIPTED,
YOU CAN REALLY LEARN WHAT THEY
BELIEVE AND WHAT THEY THINK.
>> WOW.
YOU DON'T USUALLY GET A
CORPORATE PR LINE QUITE SO
HONEST.
THERE'S A REASON
APPLE'S SLOGAN IS "THINK
DIFFERENT" AND NOT
"WE MADE ALL THE PORTS DIFFERENT
AGAIN.
WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO?
NOTHING.
YOU'LL DO NOTHING.
YOU'LL BUY $100 OF NEW CORDS
THAT'LL LAST YOU UNTIL NEXT YEAR
WHEN WE INVENT SOME SHIT CALLED
USB-Q OR WHATEVER.
IT'S NOT EVEN ABOUT THE MONEY
FOR US ANYMORE,
IT'S ABOUT THE EROTIC RUSH OF
POWER."
NOW, I HAVE TO TELL YOU THE
PIPELINE COMPANY INSISTS THAT
REP'S ANSWER DIDN'T REFLECT THE
COMPANY'S VIEWS, AND THAT HE
SHOULD HAVE SAID THEY "LOOK FOR
ROUTES WITH THE LEAST COLLECTIVE
IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY."
AND THAT DEFINITELY DOES SOUND
BETTER THAN THE TRUTH.
BECAUSE THE FACT IS, LARGELY
MINORITY COMMUNITIES OFTEN ARE
SEEN AS THE PATH OF LEAST
RESISTANCE.
AND WHILE LOCAL ACTIVISTS HAVE
TRIED TO RESIST, AND FOR
DECADES, THEY'VE OFTEN DONE IT
ALONE, AS BIG ENVIRONMENTAL
GROUPS, HISTORICALLY, HAVEN'T
BEEN THE BEST ALLIES.
AS THIS CLIMATE JUSTICE ACTIVIST
POINTS OUT, THE PRIORITIES OF
THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT HAVE
TENDED TO LEAVE CERTAIN
COMMUNITIES OUT.
>> WE NEED TO REDEFINE
ENVIRONMENTALISM TO THINK MORE
INCLUSIVELY THAN THE TRADITIONAL
PERCEPTION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL
MOVEMENT, WHICH TENDS TO BE ON,
YOU KNOW, SAVING THE WHALES, OR
FLORA AND FAUNA.
I DID A TALK RECENTLY IN A
NATIONAL PARK AND WHEN IT WAS
BEING ADVERTISED, THERE WERE
PEOPLE WHO WERE PERPLEXED AND
PEOPLE WHO WERE ACTUALLY OPPOSED
TO HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
>> SHE'S RIGHT.
ENVIRONMENTALISM CLEARLY
SHOULDN'T JUST BE ABOUT
PROTECTING WILD SPACES,
HUMANS NEED PROTECTION, TOO.
AND I KNOW IT'S NOT THE MOST
POPULAR STANCE, BUT MAYBE
CONSERVATIONISTS COULD REDIRECT
SOME OF THE RESOURCES TO
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE THAT
THEY'VE BEEN COMPLETELY WASTING
ON PANDAS.
I MEAN SPECIFICALLY PANDAS.
WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME SAVING
THEM, AND WHY, EXACTLY?
THEY DON'T WANT TO BE HERE.
THEY DON'T FUCK EACH OTHER.
THEY SPEND MOST OF THEIR TIME
FALLING OFF SOMETHING.
WATCH VIDEOS.
THEY ARE CONSTANTLY FALLING DOW
DOWN.
IT'S TIME TO LEFT AND GO.
AND THE THING IS, AT LEAST WITH
SOMETHING LIKE SHINGLE MOUNTAIN,
YOU CAN SEE IT, SO YOU KNOW TO
FIGHT IT.
BUT SOMETIMES, POLLUTION CAN BE
INVISIBLE.
AND THOSE YOU'D EXPECT TO WARN
YOU ABOUT IT, CAN BE INCREDIBLY
SLOW TO DO SO, WHEN IT COMES TO
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
YOU'RE PROBABLY ALREADY FAMILIAR
WITH WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
RESIDENTS OF FLINT, MICHIGAN,
BUT THAT'S THE TIP OF THE
ICEBERG.
TAKE THE WEST CALUMET HOUSING
COMPLEX IN EAST CHICAGO,
INDIANA, A FEDERALLY ASSISTED
HOUSING COMMUNITY BUILT ON TOP
OF A FORMER LEAD SMELTER.
THE LEAD LEVELS THERE WERE
DANGEROUSLY OFF THE CHARTS.
HOW FAR OFF THE CHARTS?
I'LL LET THIS REPORTER
FILL YOU IN.
>> WELL, THE SAFE LEVEL IS
SUPPOSED TO BE 400 PARTS PER
MILLION.
WELL, THEY FOUND LEVELS OF 1,200
PARTS PER MILLION WHICH IS
ALREADY AN EMERGENCY LEVEL.
BUT IN SOME AREAS IN THE SOIL
UNDERNEATH THE GROUND, THEY HAVE
FOUND AREAS OF 45,000 PARTS PER
MILLION AND EVEN 90,000 PARTS
PER MILLION.
>> IT'S TRUE.
THEY FOUND LEAD MORE THAN 200
TIMES HIGHER THAN THE LEVEL
REQUIRING CLEANUP.
WHICH ISN'T GREAT WHEN THE PLACE
YOU FOUND IT IS "THE GROUND",
A THING NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO
AVOID, UNLESS YOU'RE WILLING TO
SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
PLAYING A VERY HIGH STAKES
VERSION OF
"THE FLOOR IS LAVA."
BUT WHAT'S EVEN WORSE IS, THE
GOVERNMENT KNEW THE AREA WAS
DANGEROUSLY TOXIC DECADES BEFORE
THEY TOLD ANYONE WHO LIVED
THERE.
TIME AND AGAIN, REGULATORS HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL
RESIDENTS, AND THEY JUST...
DIDN'T.
LIKE IN 1985, WHEN
THE EPA FIRST FOUND HIGH LEVELS
OF LEAD IN THE SOIL NEAR THE
HOUSING COMPLEX.
THEY DIDN'T NOTIFY RESIDENTS.
OR LATER, IN 1998, WHEN THE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES AND STATE HEALTH
OFFICIALS FOUND 30% OF CHILDREN
UNDER SIX IN THE HOUSING COMPLEX
HAD ELEVATED BLOOD LEAD LEVELS.
THEY DIDN'T NOTIFY RESIDENTS.
FLASH FORWARD TO 2009,
THE EPA DECLARED THE LAND WEST
CALUMET WAS ON A SUPERFUND SITE,
MAKING IT A PRIORITY FOR
CONTAMINATION CLEANUP.
AND STILL DIDN'T NOTIFY
RESIDENTS.
THEY DIDN'T
HAVE TO, BECAUSE -- FUN FACT --
FEDERAL LAW DOESN'T REQUIRE ITS
AGENCIES TO TELL TENANTS THAT A
UNIT IS LOCATED ON A SUPERFUND
SITE.
WHICH I TRULY CANNOT WRAP MY
HEAD AROUND.
THE WHOLE POINT OF SUPERFUND IS
TO OFFICIALLY CLASSIFY
SOMETHING IN THE GOVERNMENT
RECORD AS VERY DANGEROUS.
SO IT'S NOT GREAT TO DO THAT AND
THEN NOT TELL THE PEOPLE
ACTUALLY AT RISK.
THAT'S LIKE PUTTING A
"DO NOT LEAN OVER THE FENCE"
SIGN AT A BEAR EXHIBIT
AND HAVING IT FACE
THE BEAR SIDE.
SURE, THE INFORMATION IS
TECHNICALLY OUT THERE, BUT IT'S
NOT DOING MUCH TO IMPROVE PUBLIC
SAFETY.
ANYWAY, IN 2014,
THE EPA, THE DOJ, THE STATE OF
INDIANA, AND THE CORPORATIONS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE
CONTAMINATION AGREED ON A
REMEDIATION PLAN, BUT STILL
DIDN'T TELL RESIDENTS ABOUT THE
DANGER.
IN FACT, IT WAS ONLY IN 2016,
WHEN THE EPA FOUND THOSE LEAD
LEVELS IN THE SOIL HUNDREDS OF
TIMES THEIR MAXIMUM PERMITTED
LEVEL THAT THE CITY FINALLY
SENT A LETTER TO RESIDENTS
TELLING THEM ABOUT THE
CONTAMINATION.
THAT IS 31 YEARS AND EIGHT
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES LATER.
AND EVEN THEN, THE STEPS THE
GOVERNMENT TOOK WERE UTTERLY
PATHETIC.
>> ON MONDAY, THE EPA WILL BE
PASSING OUT FLYERS LIKE THESE
WHICH HAVE LOTS OF SAFETY TIPS
INCLUDING REMINDING FAMILIES NOT
TO LET THEIR CHILDREN PLAY IN
THE DIRT, PLAY IN THE GRASS, AND
TO REMOVE THEIR SHOES BEFORE
WALKING INTO THEIR HOMES.
>> I'VE BEEN TOLD TO JUST KEEP
YOUR CHILDREN OUT OF THE GRASS
AND OUT OF THE AREAS WHERE THE
MULCH IS.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT WHEN CHILDREN
PLAY?
THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.
>> SHE'S RIGHT.
KIDS WANT TO RUN AROUND AND
PLAY.
ALTHOUGH IN THE GOVERNMENT'S
DEFENSE, THEY DID PUT UP
THAT SIGN.
AND WE ALL KNOW, THERE'S NOTHING
CHILDREN RESPECT MORE THAN THE
AUTHORITY OF A FLIMSY SIGN.
"SORRY, FRIENDS.
NO FROLICKING,
HIJINKS OR TOMFOOLERY FOR US
TODAY.
AFTER ALL, THE SIGN
IS WATCHING US."
AND WHILE THE DETAILS IN THIS
EXAMPLE MAY BE EXTRAORDINARY,
IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT
70% OF HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES ON
THE SUPERFUND LIST ARE LOCATED
WITHIN ONE MILE OF FEDERALLY
ASSISTED HOUSING.
BUT LOOK, THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT
CLEANING POLLUTION THAT'S
ALREADY HAPPENED.
IT'S ABOUT DECIDING WHERE
INDUSTRIES WILL BE ALLOWED TO
POLLUTE GOING FORWARD.
AND WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT CHANGES,
OUR WHOLE SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY
SET UP SO THAT PLACES THAT HAVE
ALREADY BEEN POLLUTED GET WORSE
AND WORSE.
THERE'S EVEN A TERM,
"SACRIFICE ZONES", FOR AREAS OF
THE COUNTRY WHERE IT'S BOTH
GOVERNMENT POLICY AND INDUSTRY
PRACTICE TO CONCENTRATE
POLLUTERS.
BASICALLY, THE THINKING IS, IF
YOU'RE ZONED FOR INDUSTRY, AND A
COMPANY'S ALREADY THERE, WHAT'S
ONE MORE?
BUT PEOPLE LIVE IN
THOSE ZONES.
AND ONE SUCH AREA IN LOUISIANA
HAS EVEN COME TO BE KNOWN BY AN
INCREDIBLY BLEAK NAME.
>> MORE THAN 100 PETROCHEMICAL
PLANTS AND REFINERIES DOT THIS
CORRIDOR BETWEEN NEW ORLEANS AND
BATON ROUGE, OFTEN REFERRED TO
AS CANCER ALLEY.
RESERVE IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
OF IT, THE EPA SAYS THE CANCER
RISK HERE IS ALMOST 50 TIMES THE
NATIONAL AVERAGE.
>> THEY BUILT THIS MONSTROSITY
UP ON TOP OF US.
>> EVEN THE TOWN'S CEMETERY IS
SURROUNDED BY A REFINERY.
>> OKAY, FIRST, PUTTING AN
OIL REFINERY AROUND A CEMETERY
IS PRETTY ON-THE-NOSE.
BUT ALSO, LET'S NOT GLOSS OVER
THE TERM "CANCER ALLEY."
IT'S PRETTY UPSETTING TO LEARN
THAT THAT'S A NAME FOR AN ACTUAL
PLACE WHERE PEOPLE LIVE AND NOT
WHAT YOU'A SLANG TERM
FOR THE MARLBORO MAN'S
ASS CRACK.
IT'S NO WONDER RESIDENTS OF
CANCER ALLEY ARE ANGRY
INDUSTRIES HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO
MOVE IN RIGHT NEXT TO THEM.
AND YET, INFURIATINGLY, SOME
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TRY
TO DOWNPLAY THE RISKS.
>> I THINK CANCER ALLEY,
THE TERM CANCER ALLEY IS A MYTH
REALLY THAT NEEDS TO BE
DEBUNKED.
DATA THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE
TUMOR REGISTRY REPORTS THIS WAS
NOT CANCER ALLEY.
>> OH, OKAY, THEN.
BUT A FEW THINGS.
FIRST, A "TUMOR REGISTRY" MAY BE
ONE OF THE SADDEST THINGS I'VE
BROUGHT UP ON THIS SHOW, AND
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EVERYTHING
FROM BABY CRIB GRENADES TO
ORTHODONTIC BULLYING TO THE
ELDERLY BEING EATEN BY
ALLIGATORS.
ONE OF THOSE THINGS IS REAL,
BY THE WAY, AND YOU'LL NEVER
GUESS WHICH ONE.
MAINLY BECAUSE TWO OF THOSE ARE
REAL.
BUT SECOND, YOU SHOULD KNOW
THAT, SINCE THAT CLIP,
RESEARCHERS HAVE, IN FACT, FOUND
THAT TOXIC AIR POLLUTION "IS
LINKED TO HIGHER CANCER RATES
AMONG IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITIES
IN LOUISIANA," INCLUDING
THIS GUY'S PARISH.
AND WHILE LOCAL POLITICIANS AND
INDUSTRY WILL BE QUICK TO POINT
OUT THE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC AND
EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS THAT COME
WITH INDUSTRY, AS A LOCAL
ACTIVIST POINTS OUT, THAT'S
SOMETHING OF A DEVIL'S BARGAIN.
>> IF ISIS SHOWED UP AND THEY
SAY THEY WILL CREATE JOBS,
WOULD WE LET THEM IN?
>> EXACTLY.
FOR THE RECORD, THAT MAN IS A
RETIRED THREE-STAR GENERAL.
SO WHEN HE'S COMPARING SOMETHING
TO ISIS, HE'S REALLY COMPARING
SOMETHING TO ISIS.
AND AS RESIDENTS THERE WILL
POINT OUT, THEY ARE, IN MANY
WAYS, TRAPPED.
>> WHY HAVEN'T YOU MOVED?
>> WHY SHOULD I MOVE?
HOW CAN I MOVE?
I STRUGGLED ALL MY
LIFE TO BUILD THIS.
RIGHT NOW, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE,
WHO WOULD I ACTUALLY SELL THIS
HOUSE TO?
WHAT POOR, UNSUSPECTING FAMILY
WOULD I TRICK INTO MOVING INTO
THIS DEATH TRAP?
>> I KNOW THE REPORTER
IS JUST DOING HER JOB.
BUT THAT'S SUCH A RIDICULOUS
QUESTION THAT MAN WOULD HAVE
BEEN FULLY WITHIN HIS RIGHT TO
MAKE THE REST OF THAT INTERVIEW
THE MOST PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE
INTERACTION OF ALL TIME.
"WHY DON'T I MOVE?
HUH!
NOW THAT YOU MENTION IT,
I HADN'T EVEN CONSIDERED MOVING
AWAY FROM CANCER ALLEY!
SOUNDED SO NICE.
WHAT A GREAT IDEA!
HOLD ON, LET ME JUST THROW UP A
ZILLOW LISTING FOR 'DEATHTRAP'
AND I'LL SIT BACK AND WAIT FOR
A BIDDING WAR TO BEGIN."
AND WHEN YOU PUT ALL THIS
A HISTORY OF RACIST
ZONING, INEFFECTIVE REGULATION,
AND A GOVERNMENT THAT CONTINUES
TO PRIORITIZE THE PROFITS OF
INDUSTRY OVER THE HEALTH OF
PEOPLE, IT'S CLEAR WE HAVE
A MASSIVE PROBLEM.
AND THE GOOD NEWS IS,
THE CURRENT PRESIDENT SEEMS TO
AGREE WITH THAT.
>> THE UNRELENTING IMPACT OF
CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS EVERY
SINGLE, SOLITARY ONE OF US.
BUT TOO OFTEN THE BRUNT FALLS
DISPROPORTIONATELY
ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR,
EXACERBATING THE NEED FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE --
SORRY, THERE'S A BUG.
SPEAKING OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
>> I DON'T LOVE THAT A
RANDOM BUG UNDERMINED THE
GENUINELY IMPORTANT POINT HE WAS
MAKING THERE, BUT I WILL SAY
AT LEAST NOW BIDEN KNOWS
WHAT IT FEELS LIKE WHEN SOMEONE
CREEPS ON THE BACK OF HIS NECK.
THE FACT IS, THOUGH, BIDEN DID
MAKE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
A PILLAR OF HIS CAMPAIGN, AND
SINCE TAKING OFFICE, HE'S
PROMISED, AMONG OTHER THINGS,
TO FUNNEL FORTY PERCENT OF
RELEVANT CLIMATE INVESTMENTS TO
DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES,
AND TO ISSUE A YEARLY SCORECARD
THAT MEASURES PROGRESS.
WHICH SOUNDS GREAT.
UNFORTUNATELY, SO FAR,
HIS ADMINISTRATION STILL HASN'T
SET CLEAR GOALS TO ACCOMPLISH
THIS.
AND EVEN WORSE, IN FEBRUARY,
IT SAID THAT
"RACE WILL NOT BE A FACTOR IN
DECIDING WHERE TO FOCUS
EFFORTS,"
WHICH IS PRETTY INFURIATING.
AND THE ADMINISTRATION WILL
POINT OUT THAT THE
SUPREME COURT, IN ITS CURRENT
MAKEUP, IS LIKELY TO STRIKE DOWN
ANY EXPLICITLY RACE-BASED
POLICY.
WHICH MAY WELL BE TRUE.
BUT WE'RE IN A PRETTY FUCKING
BACKWARDS SITUATION WHEN ANY
SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM HAVE
TO BE RACE-BLIND, DESPITE THE
FACT THAT THE CAUSES OF IT ARE
SO DEMONSTRABLY NOT.
SO WHAT CAN WE DO?
WELL, AS YOU'VE SEEN AGAIN AND
AGAIN IN THE STORIES TONIGHT,
IT'S LOCAL ACTIVISTS ON THE
GROUND WHO'VE BEEN WORKING
TIRELESSLY TO FIGHT FOR THEIR
COMMUNITIES AND GAIN
CONCESSIONS.
AND THEY DESERVE MORE SUPPORT
FROM LARGER ENVIRONMENTALIST
GROUPS, EVEN AS THEY CONTINUE
LEADING THE WAY.
AT THE GOVERNMENT LEVEL, WE NEED
SIGNIFICANT ZONING REFORM TO
KEEP POLLUTERS AND RESIDENTS
SAFELY APART.
BECAUSE THE STATUS QUO IS JUST
NOT ACCEPTABLE.
BECAUSE WHEN THIS COUNTRY
DESIGNATES COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
AS "SACRIFICE ZONES", THE CLEAR
MESSAGE IS THAT THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVE IN THEM ARE EXPENDABLE.
THAT IT'S OKAY FOR THEIR
KIDS TO NOT BE ABLE TO PLAY
OUTSIDE AND FOR THEIR LIFESPANS
TO BE SHORTER.
AND UNLESS WE MAKE BIG STEPS TO
ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM AND
CALL IT WHAT IT IS, A BRUTAL
DIVIDE IS GOING TO STAY IN
PLACE, WHERE SOME ARE TREATED
LIKE THEY'RE WORTH PROTECTING,
AND OTHERS LIKE THEY CAN BE
SACRIFICED.
AND NOW THIS.
>> I KNOW PEOPLE ON
TV READ REJECTED LICENSE PLATES
OUT LOUD.
>> THE TEXAS DMV REJECTED
THOUSANDS OF PERSONALIZED
LICENSE PLATES.
SAYING NO WAY TO SOME STRANGER
ASKS FROM DRIVERS.
>> KNOW THAT SOMEONE ALREADY
TRIED FARTAGUS.
DENIED.
REQUEST.
HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?
THE DRIVER SAID HE'S INVOLVED IN
BREEDING SHEEP.
>> HIT MAN.
POOP.
BITE ME.
>> HOOKER USING ZEROS FOR THE
OH.
ONE PERSON REQUESTED A TAG THAT
SAID .
>> THAT'S FUN.
>> I FARTED?
THAT'S HILARIOUS.
>> LET'S SEE WHAT WE'VE GOT.
>> .
>> DR. POOP.
THAT'S A SUGGESTION.
I DON'T HAVE TO GO FURTHER THAN
THAT.
>> QUICKIE, SHAG, KISSED MY
.
WE HAVE COVERED THEM NICELY.
>> THAT'S OUR SHOW.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR WATCHING.
SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.
GOOD NIGHT.