Jon Stewart was back on the set of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" last night after a vacation, finally giving him the chance to address the protests and riots in Ferguson while also taking on Fox News for its portrayal of the unrest.
Various anchors and guests on the conservative-leaning news network blamed the media for causing the chaos and protests that have surrounded the death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown at the hands of a police officer. Many on the network went on to say that "race" wasn't a factor in the Ferguson story at all, with one guest going so far as to say that the only people talking about race were obviously racists. Stewart can scarcely believe Fox anchors are more outraged over media coverage of Ferguson rather than the actual killing of an unarmed teen.
Fox attempts to pretend as if the issue of race inequality in America don't exist, but Stewart doesn't let them off easy. Instead, he puts the problems black Americans face in terms that maybe Fox News can better understand. After showing various clips of angry Fox News anchors outraged over the downplaying of the religious elements of Christmas and one woman's anger over being unable to find a public nativity scene, Stewart had this to say:
"You were furious that America's 11-month-long celebration of Christmas wasn't enough," Stewart said. "But now, if you can, just imagine that instead of having to suffer the indignity of a Festivus pole blocking something you could've just set up in your own yard anyway... imagine, that instead of that, on a pretty consistent basis, you can't get a f@$king cab even though you're a neurosurgeon because you're black."
Fox also attempted to criticize the media and black leaders for not covering black-on-black gang violence in Chicago but flocking to protests in Ferguson. Stewart matter-of-factly points out that gang violence has, in fact, been addressed. Black civil rights activists like Al Sharpton have frequently traveled to Chicago and even announced an anti-violence summit of civil rights leaders in the city.
"You see, you being ignorant of those attempts doesn't mean the issue itself is being ignored," Stewart said. "In the same way that when it snows where you live doesn't mean the world isn't getting hotter."
You can watch the whole 10 minute clip below for even more.
