Original subtitles

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>> 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.

>> [SCREAMING]

>> WHAT THE FUCK?

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?

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]

>> 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.