John Oliver has made a career out of recapping the week in the news with a little snark, highlighting key issues that don’t always receive a ton of awareness. Following the tragic shootings in South Carolina earlier this week, the Last Week Tonight host acknowledged the sad occasion, then decided to discuss the Confederate flags that were left at full staff after the shootings occurred. Check out the passionate and clever discussion, below.
Following the shootings in South Carolina, there’s been an increase in people interested in the Confederate battle flag. The battle flag has frequently been a point of contention in society, with some factions seeing the slavery-oriented history of the flag as a red flag, pardon my pun, and other factions feeling it is a symbol of the south. Oliver doesn’t spend much time debating the issue, instead pointing out the ludicrousness of the Confederate battle flag flying at the South Carolina Capitol building, considering its historical roots and the events that occurred in the state this week.
Now might be a great time, out of respect not just for the events of this week but for the events of the past several centuries, to take that vote and lower the flag down to half-staff. When it’s at half-staff, why not keep lowering it all the way down? And once you’re holding it in your hands, take it off the flagpole completely, fold it — or don’t bother — put it in a box, label it 'Bad Flag,' and put it some place no one can see.
Every so often, the debate surrounding the Confederate flag picks up a ton of steam. The talking points are on front pages and lead news stories and then, at some point, people get bored with the story and the South keeps doing what it’s always done. Will this be the tipping point where real change actually happens? It’s certainly possible, given the level of anger right now and the fact that even some Republicans like Mitt Romney are calling for its removal. The basic pattern has played out so many times before, however, that it’s impossible to really guarantee change will happen. We’ll just have to wait and see.
If it doesn’t, however, expect John Oliver to continue to bring the subject up with his trademark balance of vicious barbs and goofy bewilderment. It’s a great subject matter for him to rant about, and the theme, complete with references to the past, never ceases to draw a crowd. Hate? Heritage? To John Oliver, there’s a lot of workable material within that debate, and he will continue exploiting it all the way to the bank and the social media pages of millennials around the country.
