In the wake of the rulings in Ferguson and Staten Island and numerous other cases of mounting racial tension, comedian Jon Stewart is finding it difficult to find the comedy of the situation. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t know what to say. If comedy is tragedy plus time, I need more f*cking time. But I would really settle for less f*cking tragedy, to be honest with you,” stated Stewart on the Daily Show.
Stewart seemed befuddled and outraged by the Garner verdict in Staten Island, which showed an officer the victim put in a chokehold from behind, which goes against the protocol of behavior in the Staten Island Police Department. Stewart argues that the lack of a conviction against the officer suggests the ineptitude of on-body cameras for officers and an inherent lack of justice within the system.
“We are definitely not living in a post-racial society. And I can imagine there’s a lot of people out there wondering how much of a society we’re living in at all,” stated a clearly outraged and despondent Stewart.
Despite his clear frustration and shock at the situation, he still managed to slip a jab in at fast food giant Arby’s, snarking “Arby’s: You think pain and grief are hard to digest.”