>> Jon: WELCOME TO THE DAILY
SHOW, MY NAME IS JON STEWART.
WE GOT A PROGRAM FOR YOU TONIGHT.
THIS IS-- THIS IS EXCITING, ANNA KENDRICK, OH SHE'S ONE
OF OUR FAVORITES, SHE IS SO GOOD. "INTO THE WOODS",
SHE IS GOING TO BE HERE, VERY TALENTED.
BUT FIRST, YOU MAY HAVE BEEN NOTICING THE
JUSTICE SYSTEM'S RECENT CONSISTENT FAILURE TO INDICT
POLICE OFFICERS WHO HAVE KILLED UNARMED BLACK MEN
HAS SPARKED PROTESTS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
THE DEMONSTRATIONS HAVE BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY
PEACEFUL.
WHICH MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT
THEM.
DIFFICULT, NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
>> WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO PROTEST, THEY GO ON THE
SIDEWALK AND MAKE NOISE AND HOLD SIGNS AN LET PEOPLE
KNOW YOU DISAGREE.
BUT WHEN YOU BLOCK TRAFFIC, THAT'S A FORM OF VIOLENCE.
>> Jon: YES!
THANK YOU, BLOCKING TRAFFIC IS A FORM OF VIOLENCE.
HOW DARE THESE MARCHERS PUT OUR STREETS IN SOME KIND
OF-- LET'S CALL IT A CHOKEHOLD OF TRAFFIC.
HOW DARE THEY!
WOULDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE STREETS BEING
BLACK, NOW, DOES IT?
YOU KNOW, IF YOU ARE THAT CONVINCED THAT IMPEDING
MANHATTAN DRIVERS IS A FORM OF VIOLENCE, WELL, I THINK IT'S
TIME TO INDICT THE NEW YORK MARATHON.
THE MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE, THE PUERTO RICAN DAY
PARADE, THE GAY PRIDE PARADE, THE ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE,
THE HALLOWEEN PARADE, THE GERMAN AMERICAN STEUBEN PARADE OR ANY
RANDOM POP-UP STREET FAIR SELLING MYSTERY MEATS AND
TUBE SOCKS, AND I HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO THE MOST
VIOLENT OF OFFENDERS.
PLEASE, THAT TREE IS LIKE A GLITTERING BERLIN WALL
PREVENTING ANY MOVEMENT FROM EAST TO WEST.
MR. CLAUS, TEAR DOWN THAT TREE.
(APPLAUSE) BUT IT'S ONE THING FOR
PROTESTORS, IT'S ONE THING FOR PROTESTORS TO DO
VIOLENCE TO OUR CITY STREETS AND TRAFFIC.
IT IS QUITE ANOTHER FOR THEM TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE
AGAINST CHRISTMAS ITSELF.
>> IT IS CREATING HAVOC.
AND WE'VE GOT TWO WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
DO YOU THINK THIS IS GOING TO HAVE SOME IMPACT-- I MEAN
WHO WANTS TO GO SHOPPING AT MACY'S WHEN THIS IS GOING ON.
>> Jon: PROTESTORS PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM SHOPPING AT MACY'S.
I HOPE THESE SHOPPERS SHALL OVERCOME.
NOW THAT'S-- YES, I CAN'T BUY-- YES, YES, BLACK FRIDAY
MATTERS.
IT DOES.
THE PROTESTS HAVE EVEN SPILLED OVER INTO
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.
>> ATHLETES DONNING T-SHIRTS EXPRESSING A DESIRE FOR
JUSTICE.
NOW LAST TIME I CHECKED, T-SHIRTS DON'T BLOCK
TRAFFIC.
THEY DON'T PREVENT FROM YOU SHOPPING AT MACY'S.
THEY SHOULD BE A PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE WAY TO EXPRESS
ONE'S FEELINGS ABOUT POLITICAL ISSUES.
>> I WONDERED TO MYSELF, WHAT IF LEBRON JAMES INSTEAD
HAD A SHIRT BE A BETTER FATHER TO YOUR DAD.
I MEAN BE A BETTER FATHER TO YOUR SON.
RAISE YOUR CHILDREN.
THOSE DIFFICULT ISSUES ARE NOT BEING DEALT WITH BY THE
BLACK COMMUNITY.
>> Jon: WELL, BE A BETTER FATHER.
LEBRON ACTUALLY LIVES THAT MESSAGE.
AND IF HE WANTS ADVICE ON SHIRTS I'M SURE HE WILL ASK
SOMEONE WHO WEARS ONE.
BUT POINT TAKEN.
POINT TAKEN-- NO, NOW-- WE HAVE TO RESPECT THE POINT.
I MEAN OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THESE TWO MEN HAS FIVE KIDS
IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS BY MULTIPLE BABY MOMMAS.
AND THE OTHER IS LEBRON JAMES.
BUT OBVIOUSLY, GERALDO ISN'T THE ONLY ONE UPSET ABOUT
THE T-SHIRT PROTESTS.
>> THE CLEVELAND POLICE UNION DEMANDS AN APOLOGY
FROM THE CLEVELAND BROWNS.
ONE OF THE BROWNS PLAYERS ANDREW HAWKINS WALKED ONTO
THE FIELD ON SUNDAY WEARING THIS T-SHIRT.
IT CALLED FOR JUSTICE FOR TAMIR RICE.
THE POLICE UNION SAYS THE TEAM SHOULD STICK TO WHAT IT
KNOWS BEST AND THAT WOULD BE FOOTBALL.
>> Jon: WAIT.
STICK TO WHAT THEY KNOW BEST FOOTBALL?
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CLEVELAND BROWNS,
RIGHT?
I MEAN-- (LAUGHTER)
RANDOM CHEAP SHOT AT THE CLEVELAND BROWNS.
LOOK, IT'S NOT AS IF THERE ISN'T A CONVERSATION
WARRANTED ABOUT THE CLEVELAND POLICE DEPARTMENT
BY T-SHIRT OR OTHERWISE.
>> CLEVELAND'S POLICE FORCE HAS BEEN UNDER FEDERAL
INVESTIGATION SINCE 2013.
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT EXAMINED OVER 600 CASES
>> THE CLEVELAND DIVISION OF PUBLIC POLICE
ENGAGES IN A PATTERN AND PRACTICE OF USING EXCESSIVE
FORCE.
>> Jon: WELL, I GUESS THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS WHEN
FOOTBALL PLAYERS USE EXCESSIVE FORCE, THEY GET
PENALIZED.
AND IF THAT-- 15 YARDS, AM I WRONG?
(LAUGHTER) AND IF THAT FOOTBALL
PLAYER DISRESPECTED THE OFFICER WHO SHOT AND KILLED
TAMIR RICE, A 12-YEAR-OLD HOLD A BB GUN WITHIN 2
SECONDS OF ROLLING UP ON HIM, YOU SHOULD HEAR WHAT THIS
OFFICER'S FORMER EMPLOYER SAID ABOUT HIM.
>> AT HIS PREVIOUS JOB THE INDEPENDENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT,
OFFICER LOEHMANN'S PERSONNEL
RECORDS SHOW HE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FIRED.
HIS SUPERVISOR DESCRIBING AN EMOTIONAL MELTDOWN.
>> ADDING THAT HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SUBSTANTIALLY
COPE OR MAKE GOOD DECISIONS DURING OR RESULTING FROM ANY
OTHER STRESSFUL SITUATION.
>> BUT THE CLEVELAND POLICE NEVER ASKED TO SEE LOEHMANN'S
PERSONNEL RECORDS.
>> Jon: EVEN WITHOUT READING HIS RECORD, THEY SHOULD HAVE
REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG WHEN THEY MET HIM.
>> THESE BABIES CAN GO OFF.
>> Jon: SO WHY SHOULDN'T-- WHY SHOULDN'T THE CLEVELAND
BROWNS OR ANY OTHER CLEVELAND CITIZEN TALK ABOUT
A HUGE AND ULTIMATELY FATAL DEPARTMENTAL SCREW UP?
>> THE CLEVELAND POLICE UNION HEADS ARGUED ATHLETES
HAD NO BUSINESS WEIGHING IN AT ALL SAYING QUOTE IT IS
PRETTY PATHETIC WHEN ATHLETES THINK THEY KNOW THE LAW.
>> Jon: I GET WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM.
DUMB OLD FOOTBALL PLAYER.
I CATCH A BALL WHILE WEARING A SHELL ON MY HEAD!
I MEAN SERIOUSLY.
WHAT MAKES THIS GUY THINK HE'S GOT AN OPINION WORTH
SHARING ON THIS COMPLICATED ISSUE?
AND THAT HE, THE FOOTBALL PLAYER, SHOULDN'T APOLOGIZE.
>> MY MOMMA'S TAUGHT ME MY ENTIRE LIFE TO RESPECT LAW
ENFORCEMENT.
I HAVE FAMILY, CLOSE FRIENDS WHO ARE INCREDIBLE POLICE
OFFICERS.
AND I TELL THEM ALL THE TIME HOW THEY ARE MUCH BRAVER
THAN ME FOR IT. UNFORTUNATELY, MY MOM ALSO TAUGHT ME THAT
JUST AS THERE ARE GOOD POLICE OFFICERS, THERE ARE
SOME NOT SO GOOD POLICE OFFICERS THAT WOULD ASSUME
THE WORST OF ME WITHOUT KNOWING ANYTHING ABOUT ME,
FOR REASONS I CAN'T CONTROL.
TO ME JUSTICE MEANS THAT THE INNOCENT SHOULD BE FOUND
INNOCENT.
IT MEANS THAT THOSE WHO DO WRONG SHOULD GET THEIR DUE
PUNISHMENT.
ULTIMATELY, IT MEANS FAIR TREATMENT.
SO A CALL FOR JUSTICE SHOULDN'T OFFEND OR
DISRESPECT ANYBODY.
A CALL FOR JUSTICE SHOULDN'T WARRANT AN APOLOGY.
(APPLAUSE) >> Jon: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK.