Josh Johnson’s ‘Daily Show’ response to SCOTUS’ Voting Rights Act ruling is a must-watch

The US Supreme Court continued its attack on the Voting Rights Act (VRA) on Wednesday, handing down a ruling on the 1965 civil rights law that will have a major impact on racial discrimination. Specifically, the court’s conservative majority ruled that Louisiana’s congressional map, which contains two black-majority districts, was an “unconstitutional racial gerrymander” and would be redrawn. 60 years old Act, as Guardian Describes it as having “served as a central bulwark for minority voters in largely Southern states, which have consistently resisted giving them equal political influence,” and for the rights of black voters to have “proportional electoral power.” After Wednesday’s decision this shield is gone.

The Daily ShowJosh Johnson responded to the decision in a segment on Thursday night’s show, and it’s a must-watch.

“Obviously, the Supreme Court did not immediately come out and say that states could be racist. Justice Palpatine is not that stupid, OK? He played it very smoothly,” he said, adding that Justice Samuel Alito said states violate the VRA only when “the evidence supports a strong finding that the state intentionally drew its districts to give minority voters fewer opportunities because of their race.”

“So just to be clear, for Alito, the map is not racist unless the person who created it comes across it and says, ‘Dude, I’m racist.'” Johnson said.

“It almost feels like we’re going in reverse, because the black-and-white TV people of the ’60s used to say, ‘Wow, this country is getting pretty racist. We should pass some laws.’ And the people who crippled that law are in 4K from now on,” he continued.

“We don’t need to pretend here,” Johnson concluded. “At the end of the day, we all know this decision wasn’t about moving on from the race. This is a Supreme Court majority giving Republicans victory. I know it. You know it, and Republicans certainly know it because their leader said it out loud.”

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