It requires Stewart to ignore the countless whites (often Jewish) who risked and gave their lives in the Civil Rights Movement. His claim that white America has never done anything in defense of black Americans (until BLM showed up, of course) requires him to ignore more than 300,000 white men who gave their lives to defeat the slaveholding Confederacy. There was something called a Civil War over it. Americans have been loudly debating it for centuries. Jon Stewart’s insistence that Americans had never robustly debated race before 2020 is also, well, deranged. And all white people just refuse to hear it. He apparently believes that all black people hold the same view. This is the same moral avatar who once said: “If black people kill black people every day, why not have a week and kill white people?” Stewart then hailed Angela Davis - a proud Communist, with a particular fondness for East Germany’s suppression of dissent - and warmly thanked her as “Angela.” But Stewart included not a single black voice of disagreement or nuance. His montage of “black voices” insisted that African-Americans are still granted only conditional citizenship, are still barred from owning property - “we don’t own anything!” - and ended with Sister Souljah - yes! - explaining that the thing that kills black people are not bullets, but white people. The most obvious solution - reparations - was, he implied, somehow, absurdly, taboo. He also suggested that nothing had been done by whites to support African-Americans from 1619 (yes, he went there) … till now.
He argued that no one in America had been prepared to have an honest discussion about race - until the “reckoning” of 2020. His opening monologue was intoned at times in a somber tone, as if he were delivering hard truths that only bigots could disagree with. On the race question, Stewart has decided to go way past even Robin DiAngelo, in his passionate anti-whiteness. After all, this was the man who had lacerated Crossfire for bringing too much heat and not enough light. I just assumed he wouldn’t demonize or curse at a guest he would moderate he would entertain counter-arguments he would defend fair play. But I didn’t want to leave them in the lurch, reassured myself that Stewart was a pro, and said I’d go ahead. And to be fair, they gave me the option of backing out at the last minute. I protested to the producers that I’d been ambushed. (I wouldn’t go on a show called “The Problem With Jews” or “The Problem With Black People” either.) At that point I should have climbed carefully off the stake, tamped down the flames, made a path through the kindling, and walked away. Surprise! As the show started, I also realized for the first time there was a live studio audience and that the episode was called “The Problem With White People” - a title I’d never have been a party to, if I’d known in advance. “I trust him to be fair.” I hadn’t had time to read the email invites, so I trusted the booker’s word.īut just before the taping, as I emerged blearily from Dishing, I found out, in fact, that there would be two other guests, and that it would, indeed, be a debate. It’s just you talking one-on-one with Jon, and he’d never do that.” I said I’d think about it - especially since they seemed desperate with just 24 hours till taping - and later I called to say sure, if it’s just Jon. And why on earth would I do that anyway? Why would I go on a show just to be called a racist?” “No, no, no,” she replied. I’m on deadline and can’t really focus on anything until the Dish is done tomorrow. Would I be able to get to New York tomorrow to do an interview with Jon Stewart on race? I literally laughed out loud. The phone rang and a frantic booker was on the line. I was busy walking my dog several weeks ago, on my lunchtime Thursday break, preoccupied with the piece I was trying to write in my head. … You have a responsibility to the public discourse, and you fail miserably,” - Jon Stewart to the hosts of CNN’s Crossfire, October 15, 2004.
#Struggle session lost episode pro#
But that’s like saying pro wrestling is a show about athletic competition.
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