Ibram Kendi took his book tour to Comedy Central’s The Daily Show on Monday night and in the least shocking development ever, called his critics racist for not agreeing with his redefinition of the word racist. Meanwhile, new temp host D.L. Hughley flat out lied that slavery is not being taught in Florida schools.
Hughley began by lamenting, “So, I think when it comes to racism, I think that a lot of people believe that if they are not actively saying the N-word or doing or saying bigoted things, that means they’re not racist. But in our children, we can see the potential of things that we hope we can realize but probably never will. So that is an angle I think that is probably substantive.”
Also appearing was Kendi’s co-author Nic Stone, who declared, ‘I get so many kids who are asking, “Well, what do I do, how do I help, what do I change, how can I get into this fight and do something about it?’ And so creating a text like How to Be a (Young) Antiracist, we're giving them information where they are learning these definitions, they're learning what racism actually is.”
After Hughley asked for that new definition, Stone continued, “racism is a system of ideas -- you have racist ideas and basically, they are made to keep inequities going, right?”
On this definition, Kendi added, “Because one of the things that happens is, people who have historically been racist refuse to define that term because it allows them to exonerate themselves.”
Or maybe that definition is wrong. Simply looking at statistics, seeing a difference, and then claiming racism is junk science. But being wrong isn’t enough for Kendi, he has to call anyone who calls him out on his reductionism and politicized language a racist.
Later in the interview, Hughley claimed, “The thing that is so frustrating for me is our stories tend to start in the middle. Like, we were something before this and it’s just like, even what is going on in Florida, you don't even want us learn our history. Like, there was a time when enslaved people couldn't learn and now it is illegal for us to learn about enslaved people.”
That is complete fake news, but what does one expect from the “comedian” who said John McCain’s Republican Party looked like a bunch of Nazis?
This segment was sponsored by Hyundai.
Here is a transcript for the January 30 show:
Comedy Central The Daily Show
1/30/2023
11:26 PM ET
D.L. HUGHLEY: So How to Be a (Young) Antiracist, that means you're already banned in Florida. So, it’s funny when we talk about race because we live in a country that the Congress and Senate voted for Juneteenth bill, but we're the same nation that doesn't want to talk about slavery. They will have Martin Luther King and Robert E. Lee Day on the same days. So, I think when it comes to racism, I think that a lot of people believe that if they are not actively saying the N-word or doing or saying bigoted things, that means they’re not racist.
But in our children, we can see the potential of things that we hope we can realize but probably never will. So that is an angle I think that is probably substantive.
NIC STONE: Yeah, I think when it comes to children -- I have two of my own -- and it's important for me that they enter a world that they feel empowered to change, which is why we wrote this book, right? So Dr. Kendi wrote his memoir years ago and I latched onto it, slid into his DMs and asked if I could do a young readers' version because it is important that young people have the tools.
I get so many kids who are asking, “Well, what do I do, how do I help, what do I change, how can I get into this fight and do something about it?” And so creating a text like How to Be a (Young) Antiracist, we're giving them information where they are learning these definitions, they're learning what racism actually is.
HUGHLEY: Give me an example of what racism actually is.
STONE: So racism is a system of ideas -- you have racist ideas—
HUGHLEY: Sure.
STONE:-- and basically, they are made to keep inequities going, right?
HUGHLEY: Right.
STONE: So the whole purpose of a book like How to Be a (Young) Antiracist is to give young people terms that we can all agree on, that we know what we are standing against.
HUGHLEY: Like what?
STONE: Like racism. Having a term and definition for racism helps them see, “okay, this is what we are trying to fight.
IBRAM KENDI: Because one of the things that happens is, people who have historically been racist refuse to define that term.
HUGHLEY: Of course.
KENDI: Because it allows them to exonerate themselves—
HUGHLEY: Right.
KENDI: Consistently and constantly. And even young people, therefore, don't know what it is, so they can't even assess themselves and guide themselves.
…
HUGHLEY: The thing that is so frustrating for me is our stories tend to start in the middle. Like, we were something before this and it’s just like, even what is going on in Florida, you don't even want us learn our history. Like, there was a time when enslaved people couldn't learn and now it is illegal for us to learn about enslaved people. So--
KENDI: Yeah, you know, you spitting.
