While I love John Oliver, I had to stop writing about his lectures on Last Week Tonight. I would get so caught up in them and how he explained all of these important issues but all I could say was “please watch this.” But please watch this. Oliver devoted his entire Last Week Tonight episode to the Police. And when I say “devoted” I do not mean that he was trying to honor the police. At all. He did an in-depth analysis starting with the Civil War, moving through Jim Crow, the Civil Rights Movement, the militarization of police forces around the country, how Democrats and Republicans have spent decades becoming “law and order” politicians, and on and on. He explained why police unions are hindering progress on good policing measures and why police unions are why so few cops are even charged, let alone convicted, of the many violent crimes they commit. Here’s the full episode:
Oliver looked like he was already in tears at the end. The clip shown at the end is from a longer video that activist and writer Kimberly Jones did with David Jones Media last week. I realize not everyone has 30 minutes to watch LWT right now, but bookmark this page and watch the show, and then watch Kimberly Jones’ full speech.
There’s a lot of talk about how this moment in history will be taught in schools and colleges years from now. I agree. I think these two videos will hopefully be shown in those classes.
Screencaps from videos.
Bless this man and all his descendants!
TWT has been one of my favourite shows for years now. John Oliver explains things so well. He also has an episode on Black American women & maternal mortality. Due to quarantine we are home schooling & I have my two Teenage sons watch TWT Monday mornings as part of their socials curriculum.
Preach John Oliver!
That’s awesome to hear! Thank you for showing this to your children and discussing it with them. I hope more parents take the time to have these tough discussions with their children so we really can move forward as a society and not continuously repeat the mistakes from our past in the horrible ideas of “tradition” & “that’s how it’s always been”.
It has been one of my favourite shows as well, the team a LWT does a wonderful job on every story they take on. I have introduced my partner to this show, and I have seen a real change in the way he looks at things now.
I hope John gets the painting he is looking for.
WATCH THIS EPISODE!
I watched it last night as it aired and was just mesmerized throughout. It is the late 19th-21st century of US history brilliantly covered in one half hour.
And I just affixed a bunch of my Last Week Tonight Stamps to a pile of bills and letters this morning, including letters to my people in Congress advocating to save the USPS from Trump. Elizabeth Warren got Mr. NutterButter. I figured she would enjoy him.
@ LIGHTPURPLE-I just got my LWT stamps & realize I don’t really mail out a lot. But you’ve inspired me to write some letters about the USPS so the stamps won’t go to waste.
Thanks 💕💕
I just watched the Kimberly Jones video…and do not have words. She was spot ON! I don’t see how anyone can argue, debate or disagree with anything she said. The saddest part is how true her words were….I’m making donations to BLM as I type this.
I just watched the video with my 50 year old white retired military officer husband. At the end of it, he looked shellshocked and turned to me and said ‘I agree with her.’ I think a lot of people, if they watch with an open heart and mind, would agree.
My dear departed dad, who was Irish, used to say that when St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland, they all went and joined the police.
Kimberly Jones is awesomeness.
I don’t think this man has ever, EVER, said anything that I didn’t want to jump up and start clapping. He makes me feel like I can breath and that I’m not crazy or lost or overreacting.
I cried by the end.
TY so much for posting this. Olivers explain is radical…but right. Bless the Guy
Kimberley Jones’ video….wow. I have no words. So powerful.
I’ll second your wow.
Kimberly Jones gave me goosebumps. I am in awe of her; she is awesome in the purest sense of the word.
What happens to the little kids who say the want to be a police officer when they grow up? Do they turn into the pigs and snakes we see today, or do they just go and find another way to try to help people? Because the force as I see it doesn’t really protect or serve anyone but themselves.
anyone with any power who calls out the police brutality and war stance mentality is brave. i wouldn’t put it past some police to want to “Teach him a lesson”
the protesters on the front line are brave too! def not undermining their courage!
thank you for posting this
I watched it on YouTube using Amazon Fire TV and when I closed the App, 21 Bridges was recommended to me. The effect of that trailer right after…. was a thing. I want to support Chadwick but I’m not in the mood for this kind of police movie right now.