The U.S. Supreme Court continued its attack on the Voting Rights Act (VRA) on Wednesday, with a ruling on the 1965 civil rights law that will have major implications for racial discrimination. Specifically, the court’s conservative majority ruled that Louisiana’s congressional map, which has two Black-majority districts, was an “an unconstitutional racial gerrymander” and will be redrawn. The 60-year-old act, as the Guardian describes it, “has acted as a central shield for minority voters in largely southern states that have relentlessly resisted granting them equal political influence,” and has worked for Black voters’ rights to “proportionate electoral power.” After Wednesday’s ruling, this shield is gone.
The Daily Show‘s Josh Johnson responded to the ruling in a segment on Thursday night’s show, and it’s a must-watch.
“Obviously, the Supreme Court didn’t come right out and say that states can be racist. Justice Palpatine isn’t that dumb, alright? They played it much smoother,” he said, noting that Justice Samuel Alito said that states only violate the VRA when “evidence supports a strong inference that the State intentionally drew its districts to afford minority voters less opportunity because of their race.”
“So just to be clear, for Alito, the map is not racist unless the guy drawing it finishes it and goes, ‘Man, I’m racist.'” Johnson said.
“It almost feels like we’re going in reverse, because the people from the ’60s in black and white TV were like, ‘Wow, this country is being pretty racist. We should pass some legislation.’ And the people crippling that legislation are from now, in 4K,” he continued.
“We don’t have to pretend here,” Johnson concluded. “At the end of the day, we all know that this decision was not about moving on from race. This is a Supreme Court majority handing a win to Republicans. I know that. You know that, and the Republicans definitely know that because their leader said it out loud.”
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