Environmental Racism: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

John Oliver discusses environmental racism, how both government and industry are failing people of color, and pandas.
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[@EliteCuttlefish]

Arguably more important than the impacts on lifespan are the impacts on 'healthspan'. Losing out on two years you would have otherwise lived is horrible, but if you have to spend an extra ten years in and out of care due to a build-up of health problems, all of a sudden you are looking at bills that directly and indirectly effect your family. One of the many examples of 'expensive to be poor.'

[@MrUrbanApollo]

You realize there were white districts right next to those black districts that have the exact same life expectancy rates right? Dude John Oliver has an agenda how have y’all not noticed this I’m Afro Latino and noticed this along time ago fuck this dude 🖕🏾

[@markpashia7067]

Also lead poisoning that destroys brain cells. The collective IQ loss and increased tendencies to violence are immense. But they just see it as more cheap prison labor and more beds filled in privatized prisons. The rank callousness is beyond the pale. Racism to the extreme.

[@jonstephenson5436]

Yes! This is something that nobody seems to factor into any decisions. People who eat healthy and exercise only live a few more years, so why do it!? Because it’s about the quality of those years as well. Such an overlooked point. People also missed this concept when it comes to COVID

[@Hagunemnon]

@@jonstephenson5436 THANK YOU. Yeah, you might not end up a Herman Cain Award recipient, but if you get COVID w/o even the baseline vaccine, you're in for a rough rest of your life with lungs like those of a 90 year-old chain smoker. I don't enjoy havin' to stay in the house all the damn time; I love to shop. Its not about living longer by staying home and away from people more, its about having what years I got left unmarred by having my lungs turned to hamburger by a disease. Course, I'm vaccinated and lookin' into getting the 2nd booster, so I wouldn't have near as rough a time or be near as likely to get long COVID, but fuckin' still.

[@joeybleu66]

its all part of the plan. a 30 year study just came out in the last 45 days. people in red states are less happy live shorter lives have more health problems. probably just a coincidence that people who live in crowded cities live longer than people who don't. blue states are decidedly more urban than most reds states. Texas is just too big to fit in a box. the poor are the most oppressed class in america, every effort is made by the corps to fleece them with quack cures, nostrums and other cons like industrial life insurance. because they are not very well educated unless they are self taught they fall for the infomercials at three a.m.

[@maargenbx1454]

The reporter was 100% correct in asking the man “why don’t you move”? So many idiots would watch the report and think the same thing. Asking the question gives the man a chance to answer it directly, give voice to his frustration and make his quandary clear. The question wasn’t an accusation, it was an opportunity.

[@SoulShatterz]

Makes me think of the Ben Shapiro talk where he just argued that rising water levels wasn't a problem cuz people would just sell their house and move. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iH3UiZ6Pp8mgoLs

[@UnboxingAlyss]

I was wondering this, actually. Was she clueless, or what she giving him a chance to lay it all out there who would ask out of genuine cluelessness.

[@maargenbx1454]

@@SoulShatterz Thanks so much for this link - at first I thought it was a link to a Ben Shapiro talk, which I overdose on in about three minutes so I was very, very wary. Turned out to be very helpful. Ben Shapiro makes me want to grab an axe too.

[@ryanbauer3680]

@@SoulShatterz Yeah, because Ben Shapiro is an idiot who only convinces people he's smart by talking fast.

[@Rudyelf1]

I will say that his answer wasn’t enough to convince me. People get up and walk thousands of miles for an opportunity. That is the immigrant mentality. Meanwhile this guy is waiting for someone to do something. Well, no one is coming buddy.

[@trollanonymously2434]

18:18 massive respect to this man for actually giving a fuck about who would buy his house if he were trying to move. We need more humans to think like this.

[@omgitsbenhayes]

It's a pretty big red flag when the resident is the only one demonstrating concern for fellow humans when given an economic opportunity.

[@JadedJassy21]

I noticed that too!

[@chiefsilverback]

That gentleman had morals sadly lacking by many these days.

[@TheAirBear2000]

It makes me think of that clip of Ben Shapiro arguing that if rising sea levels encroach on people's homes, they can always just sell and move. "Sell their houses to who, Ben?! Fucking Aquaman?!"

[@SeanLaMontagne]

Its tragic and heart breaking

[@Kiradoll]

I'm a black Memphian and the second Germantown popped up on the screen I knew John would have a joke about it. On a serious note, the Byhalia pipeline proposal was infuriating. Shoutout to local organizers, activists, and ordinary citizens who were instrumental in shutting it down.

[@Dot-Dot-Dash]

Years ago, when I worked as a HOSPICE nurse, I visited dying patients in "Cancer Alley" and also marched in a Protest about this problem! Shame on Louisiana government for never caring one bit!!! Sacrifice zones are indeed evil!!!!

[@laurie_guilbeau]

I live in Louisiana and I've heard of Cancer Alley. My public high school teacher warned us about it. Shame on that government official who said it's not true.

[@raykahn455]

Keep voting for good Christians and non science understanders and these problems will never change

[@mangos2888]

@@laurie_guilbeau I've never lived in Louisiana but did read about Cancer Alley in college...about 10 years ago. That politician is full of the environmental waste he's denying!

[@rumbletown1563]

Thank you for your service to Louisiana 🙏 We are one of the poorest overloooked areas of America! It’s cool that John Oliver is shedding light on the situation

[@jorgegonzalez-larramendi5491]

@@mangos2888 he is a demon

[@KiithNaabal]

18:20 "which poor family would I sell this death trap to...". This is a really good human! It's a shame that there aren't more like him.

[@natesmodelsdoodles5403]

And also a shame that his neighbourhood is actively poisoning him.

[@kpepperl319]

You want politicians to act? Force them to live in the same zip code they represent full time. Force their kids to go to the same schools... See how fast they clean up their act

[@donnavorce8856]

IF there was only some way to make it happen . . . it'd be glorious.

[@AMPProf]

Most do But it's up on the top of the hill! and shit don't roll up

[@filipinordabest]

You want politicians to act? Vote!

[@SomeOldGamers]

Want them to act? Make lying in a campaign a capital offense. Otherwise, they are just another stupid ape trying to satisfy their own needs.

[@GOLANX]

Cedric Richmond was the representative of cancer alley, voted for everything the Polluters asked for, is now a senior adviser to the Biden administration.

[@Infected_Gold]

Growing up in cancer alley the most baffling thing is whenever it got brought up in conversation there's always people who just laugh and either say it's not real or treat it like it isn't a problem. Louisiana is so full of people who would go out of their way to help their neighbor with any problem they might have, and then would take joy in being able to vote to make sure their neighbor's children starve as long as a rich asshole proposed it. Everyone there pretends to care about the environment to protect the cypress trees, but will at the same time say anyone who votes for a politician who is trying to deal with pollution in any form, including preventing erosion the thing they pretend to care about, is an evil commie who hates whites. I have family living in some of the worst parts of cancer alley who care more about pretending to be mad at school boards for making all the kids gay or hate whites, than they do ensuring their children's health or financial future.

[@wildfire9280]

This is the kind of stuff that makes you wish AVALANCHE was real.

[@eustatic3832]

Come home, we need ya

[@Infected_Gold]

@@eustatic3832 I'd love to work to make LA a better place, but between the government, the corporations, and a worrying amount of the people there it's a losing battle especially since I don't come from wealth. Too many people there thrive on and are proud of their own ignorance and kowtowing to the same people making their state worse. Half my family still living there would vote to have the same school their children go to torn down if it meant a minority wasn't getting a "handout" or if it meant someone already significantly wealthier than them got a little more money to spend on a 10th boat.

[@AMPProf]

God, Privacy & guns! No one is thinking bout that air in the back swamp

[@grmpEqweer]

Bad thought: tell them the pollution is making their children gay. This is absolutely a lie, and there's nothing wrong with being gay. But if it scares them that much, might as well spread that rumor.

[@taserdonut]

"When people aren't scripted, you can really learn what they believe and what they think." This is one of my favorite sentences now

[@trangender7588]

Dems are authoritarian race hustling 🐖🐖🐖. Bhutan is the happiest and healthiest country in the world...no democrats live there.

[@RelentlessOhiox]

But it's common sense?

[@FlynTie]

@@RelentlessOhiox If it were, PR departments & agencies would not exist.

[@AbhayPeshin]

Say the guy who does a scripted show! Lol the irony!

[@garym3839]

This coming from a show where someone is being scripted to tell you that somehow the environment, you know the thing without a sentient thought. Controlling other people on its land that do have sentient thought to stay there. Even though they have the freedom to leave the land that's keeping them there it's super racist powers #evenAmericansoilisracist

[@laalaa99stl]

The failure to notify West Calumet residents that they're living on dangerously poisoned land is especially outrageous. At the very least, legislation should be passed to ensure notification doesn't take 31 freaking years!

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

Gee! and I thought the notification about the high levels of radium, in the well water, in my area, coming 2 months late was bad.

[@nikkyboy1067]

What legislation can be written that will ensure companies don't own our lawmakers?

[@preetjitsingh328]

@@nikkyboy1067 can't via legislation. Can try WolfPAC and a constitutional amendment. But even then, corporations can still come in mid process to kill it.

[@ninianstorm6494]

@@nikkyboy1067 list of treason by all whom claim russia hack 2016: hillary and albright killed democracy proof list= obama and Smith-Mundt Act in 2012/2013 which legalized propaganda by US government to be used ON the US people jan 6 is false flag to frame trump for break glass similar to ukraine coup 2014 to oust current president by cia shoot at both guards/protesters or hide among protesters to shoot at guards kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGrVn6KbZp2kadU 1. wesley clark reveal 2000 to 2012 all rig for kill iraq to syria kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ7Ve4V-rMeJfZo 2.dnc kill 50 in vegas/portland, thugs attack with stand down cops san jose/charlotte, burn loot several months, sabotage afgan withdraw using russia bounty smear to give taliban equip kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6nSfWuqfbiUbck there is selective outrage from cia/media similar to ukraine 8 years bombing cuban missile crisis 2.0 kzbin.info/www/bejne/laGqnHmDndRpedE kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2aZZ6Ofm8mhi5Y kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4rQdKePgapsoZI usa lied about sending troops to fight isis enter syria, then it change to assad must go, they had turkey kill kurds so pelosi can stay in syria everyone remember nbc threaten follow jury with later to use thought police thugs? they gave protest t- shirts to san quan mayor puerto rico to lie about never receive hurricane maria aid destroy cali prop187 and create daca=south america stay cheaper than normal for outsource by throw away portion of their population for usa to take care of. we need to arrest all that hate withdraw from syria because they rig 2000 to 2012 kill iraq-syria but shameless blame russia! only then can we give all medicare, lower living cost inflation, wage regain value

[@ninianstorm6494]

@@dissonanceparadiddle list of treason by all whom claim russia hack 2016: hillary and albright killed democracy proof list= obama and Smith-Mundt Act in 2012/2013 which legalized propaganda by US government to be used ON the US people jan 6 is false flag to frame trump for break glass similar to ukraine coup 2014 to oust current president by cia shoot at both guards/protesters or hide among protesters to shoot at guards kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGrVn6KbZp2kadU 1. wesley clark reveal 2000 to 2012 all rig for kill iraq to syria kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ7Ve4V-rMeJfZo 2.dnc kill 50 in vegas/portland, thugs attack with stand down cops san jose/charlotte, burn loot several months, sabotage afgan withdraw using russia bounty smear to give taliban equip kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6nSfWuqfbiUbck there is selective outrage from cia/media similar to ukraine 8 years bombing cuban missile crisis 2.0 kzbin.info/www/bejne/laGqnHmDndRpedE kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2aZZ6Ofm8mhi5Y kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4rQdKePgapsoZI usa lied about sending troops to fight isis enter syria, then it change to assad must go, they had turkey kill kurds so pelosi can stay in syria everyone remember nbc threaten follow jury with later to use thought police thugs? they gave protest t- shirts to san quan mayor puerto rico to lie about never receive hurricane maria aid destroy cali prop187 and create daca=south america stay cheaper than normal for outsource by throw away portion of their population for usa to take care of. we need to arrest all that hate withdraw from syria because they rig 2000 to 2012 kill iraq-syria but shameless blame russia! only then can we give all medicare, lower living cost inflation, wage regain value

[@ashtea96]

I did this research ethics course thing once and they asked us to bring our own examples of ethical dilemmas or failures and in my research I found out that an old air force base once contaminated an entire neighborhood around it with waste from their labs and years later the residents nearby were all getting tumors and illnesses but no one was helping them in any way. And when i brought it up in my class, it made everyone else uncomfortable and they like quickly moved on from me and we didn't even discuss it. I knew I went to a university with a lot of like respect for the military bc we have a big ROTC but i was still shocked that no one else even seemed to care. I still try to look up the situation but it looks like they never got anywhere.

[@grumpycat2092]

Wow.. Why did they even asked if they dont want to hear the answers? Such hypocrites..

[@OGimouse1]

*New Mexico*

[@robbank8027]

Denver? The old airport that was turned into new residential housing. Let's build homes on toxic waste sites for yuppies. At least this isn't racist.

[@DavidLindes]

@@grumpycat2092 because they were expecting people to talk about that time when they were 5 and had hurt some small critter, and you were trying to decide whether to do the evil of killing it, or the evil of letting it live in pain [or some other thing with a hyper-localized impact, and personal decision-making, instead of something with a broader significance, and group decision making]. Not to excuse it, just to answer the question you raise.

[@4473021]

Brain-dead respect of the military as a whole rather than the individual members that actually served are a massive problem in this country. People will vote to continue increasing funding the military industrial complex against nonexistant enemies, but won't even fund their local fire department so that it doesn't need to be a freaking VOLUNTEER agency.

[@rochelle2758]

It's also worth mentioning that we export waste overseas to the Global South too. The problem, and the racism, need to be addressed globally, not just within any one country's borders.

[@KarlSnarks]

I recently saw a documentary on the history of environmentalism in the Netherlands, and the conclusion was basically that most of the issues fought for in the 60's/70's have now been "solved" by exporting dirty industry to overexploited nations.

[@Tigress_Lilly]

I mean it'd at least be a start to focus on our own racial issues that are still plaguing us. And show no signs of change. It honestly scares and disgusts me. To be trapped like that. Who would wanna buy a house out there 🤣

[@mohamedshidane9155]

its time for Western Liberals to admit Globalization was a mistake

[@roudyman777]

You are equating racism to socioeconomics. Stop spreading your hatred from one race to the other, Rochelle.

[@masterofalltrades_]

Well said. We need to talk about imperialism as well

[@EricaSwitzer]

Grew up in one of those towns. Dad died of cancer, mom just beat breast cancer last year but we’re still watching and I’ve got a host of ovarian cysts. Absolutely shameful to have grown up in those conditions and I fight like hell everyday to not go back.

[@Member00101]

I respect the old man at around the 18:30 mark that even though he has to go through hell, he still has the decency to think about others and not just trying to pass the problem on to someone else. It takes a lot to do that for sure.

[@donnavorce8856]

Man I wish I were wealthy. I'd buy that man's house, move him to somewhere he wanted to be, then tear down the house. I'm at poverty level myself however. But I don't have to live on a superfund site either. Damn the world has so many problems caused by people addicted to money power and prestige. It won't ever end either.

[@wanderlust3292]

@@cinemaparadiso5402 are you insane?

[@raeraeindahezze19]

001¹

[@diegorincon4673]

@@cinemaparadiso5402 you fool! This belief of inequality led to the genocide of 6-7 million innocent Jewish men, women and children! Equality is necessary because without it we will go down an evil path!

[@quesee08]

Like he said, who will buy a house in cancer alley?

[@SlightlyFizzled]

Whoever failed to notify the residents of that city for 31 years deserves a prison sentence for their dangerous, malicious incompetence.

[@RoonMian]

I don't care if anybody goes to prison for that but everyone who lived there needs to get a lot of money thrown at them.

[@mermaidismyname]

The problem is it's a lot of people who ignored it, and probably a lot of them assumed it was someone else's job to do it The bystander effect of "not my problem" is fucking pervasive in every area of life

[@donmiller2908]

Just another day in Whiteyville.

[@SlightlyFizzled]

@@mermaidismyname The bystander effect doesn't apply when it's your literal fucking job and you "accidentally" harm impoverished black families for 30+ years. It's the same reason we don't give the police the benefit of the bystander effect. An investigation needs to be made into who ultimately had the authority to issue warnings but chose not to.

[@mermaidismyname]

@@SlightlyFizzled my point is just that it wasn't one person that fucked up, as he said it was eight different government agencies. a fuck ton of people fucked up

[@5ubbak]

I'll be honest after the "Why don't you move?" question, I half-expected another British comedian to start destroying the set and yell "Just one small problem! Sell their houses to whom? Fucking Captain Pollution?"

[@Montesama314]

I just imagined him smacking the taste out of her mouth for asking that.

[@eenyee]

Fucking AQUAMAN??? LOL

[@Ismael-kc3ry]

Broooo HBomber fan, based

[@morganpartida6960]

Shadow, if women are oppressed, Simon

[@KaitlynHatch]

AQUAMAN! My brain went there toooooooo.

[@waymire01]

I lived this nightmare for 15 years in S. Louisiana. We fought, we even won several battles, but in the end those in power padding their pocketbooks approved an additional 16 major industrial sites in a single parish (what the rest of the US calls a county) in just five years. I still to this day have eye problems from a plant upwind who was dumping 700x the legal limit of pollutant into the air and it took the authorities nine months to shut it down, only to have it start back up again less than a year later under a new name. During the acute exposure I had bleeding sores in my eyes. In that same 15 years my daughter was diagnosed autistic at age 14, my son suffered kidney failure at age 23, and my husband was diagnosed with a brain tumor. It took losing everything we had to get out. Also Gen. Honore is a hero.. he never stops trying. I wish more people would listen. It used to be a big secret but there is no excuse these days, we have had plenty of expose's on the issues from all areas of the country... the fact is as long as it's happening to someone else, nobody cares.

[@andiwand6132]

Dont get me wrong, but may I ask if u and/or ur family is ethnic?

[@morrizun]

I was just going to mention the BR area and Cancer Alley. How the white population used to live close to the plants but when they realised it was bad for health, they moved out and didnt leave a choice for the rest of the population. You're more than right, its a shame that they know what they're doing to the community and just shrugging it off because money is all that matters. There's ways around it but its hard to find people that will fight for it. Louisiana industries are about as corrupt as they come and you, me, plus everyone else that's lived there knows how blatant it is and it has affected way too many families.

[@ErutaniaRose]

I agree with almost all of this--but Autism is a form of brain function that is divergent (aka Neurodivergent). It is not a disease caused or cured by pollution and it is usually genetic. The only official group to declare otherwise is "Autism speaks" and they are a literal hate group. So...yeah. Just remember autistic people are a result of natural selection and human development--and the only reason people think of them as lesser is due to capitalist interest in valuing people as commodities or potential capital--aka the inherent ableism of capitalism. If you have any doubts about their value here is a list of people from history and today who are/were Autistic or high suspected to be and are praised by society: Greta Thunberg Albert Einstein Michaelangelo Marie-Curie James Joyce Hans Christien Anderson Gary Numan Other than that, I am with you. Corporate interest is disgusting, and people and the environment should come first--not profit.

[@MountainMan7.62x39]

I'm sure you all got social security

[@kindlin]

@@andiwand6132 The assumption is they are. Why are you even asking? That area clear is fucked, whatever race they are.

[@bigbaddawg101]

Fun fact: The Dakota Access Pipeline was originally going to go across the northern part of Bismarck, ND, which is a predominantly white wealthy area of town, but it was shut down real quick and instead moved to north of the Standing Rock reservation.

[@roudyman777]

Racist

[@lalagrimm-stone3177]

Another fun fact, the standing rock fight is still alive. And there are new pipeline battles in other states that cut through more sacred sites. I urge everyone to keep standing rock in their minds even though it's not "newsworthy ” anymore because the fight is far from over and the pipeline companies are getting much more brazen now that they think they've won and the public has forgotten :(

[@pauld.b7129]

Another fun fact: TransCanada signed an agreement to have it actually cut across the northern part of the Rez. They were going to pay the tribe millions for the easement. Then the tribe demanded more money, so they chose a path north of the Rez but not on it. So the natives started the whole BS about "water is life" when they found out they weren't getting paid. The stories on that are buried. You'll have to scroll through pages of protest bullshit before you can find those facts.

[@SomeOldGamers]

North Dakota doesn't actually exist. It is just propaganda to make the number of stars an even 50.

[@bigbaddawg101]

@@SomeOldGamers It exists outside of reality. That's why we're 10 years behind the rest of the country.

[@haileybalmer9722]

It's important to note that this is also going on around Reservations. First we forced the indigenous people of this land to live only in the very worst parts, then we started mining the land around the areas we forced them to live. We poisoned the rivers around them, killing all of the animals. Then, when we couldn't force them to live there anymore, we paid them money to stay there and told them they're not really Indian if they move away. We are still poisoning their water. Flint is a horror show, but the southwestern tribes were the test run for poisoning an entire community's water. No one said anything, and so the people in charge in places like Flint knew they could get away with it. Speak up now. They're coming for your water next.

[@RevShifty]

Seriously. Flint is truly awful, but the still open uranium mines on indigenous land is still exponentially worse. And fewer people seem to care about the uranium exposure, the forced flooding, the forced takeover from an oil company, etc.

[@hello7032]

Yup, attempted mining ops in arizona, line 3 sucking out water from tribal lands(purposefully) and contaminating said water and numerous other examples.

[@Thylacine1]

Registered Native American here, no one FORCES us to live anywhere. Also important to note we were CONQUERED, those left alive were spared, so cut the sob story and trying to act like what happened in America is unique.

[@driftwisp2797]

@@Thylacine1 "Also important to note we were CONQUERED, those left alive were spared, so cut the sob story". Are you arguing that people should be grateful to be treated poorly because at least they're not the victims of genocide? Something doesn't have to be unique to make it terrible.

[@joseph-zoramcbride4029]

YES! YES! I first heard the term National Sacrifice zones in this context - Ward Churchill explaining the absolute hell in which Indians have been forced to subsist. Surrounded by uranium, bauxite, coal, and other resources that we've decided we can extract to the detriment of those who we've forced to live with the consequences. was a little disappointed he didn't mention that at all.

[@TheRhetoricGamer]

This really nails down the fallacy with the "color blind" rhetoric. A color blind solution cannot adequately fix a problem that is NOT color blind.

[@deliriumsd142]

Baby crib grenades references: The HBO late-night host gave his first example of raids-gone-wrong with news footage of a case where a 2-year-old child was disfigured by a flash-bang grenade thrown into their crib during a police raid. Elderly being eaten by alligators: Understaffing and inadequate training of nursing home staff have consequences. Oliver gives examples of residents who met tragic fates due to staff neglect, including one resident who slipped into a pond and was eaten by an alligator and another who froze to death on Christmas.

[@axdonat]

yes!! i did remember them correctly hahaaa

[@AntoDesormeaux]

Damn. What a jolly day to freeze to death

[@firstnamelastname7708]

Thanks! I remember the crib one, but not the alligator one.

[@leannereed2790]

I knew it!! You're my hero! 😁

[@deliriumsd142]

@@leannereed2790 Yay! I'm someone's hero!

[@Thehouseoffail]

Fun fact! Studies have shown that this is yet another reason why kids in those communities have lower test scores. Turns out it's hard to learn when you have lead poisoning, live near high levels of noise pollution, or breath in hidden chemicals. Did I say fun fact? I meant to say horrible. This is a horrible fact.

[@timothyschule3831]

Moving is an option

[@kingjamestres]

@@Snickerguy19 lol sometimes I wish I still had this level of ignorance but then I would be a child so maybe I don’t…

[@biltkeith4540]

@@kingjamestres I’d say it was worded incorrectly. The single parent households among the black community is staggering. If you can’t understand how that could impact a child’s development in versions ways, then you are a child.

[@keitoimon]

@@timothyschule3831 not if you can't afford the rent elsewhere

[@maargenbx1454]

@@timothyschule3831See, this is why I disagreed with Oliver that the reporter shouldn’t have asked “why don’t you move?” So many idiots would watch the report and think the same thing. Asking the question gave the man a chance to answer it directly, give voice to his frustration and make his quandary clear. The question wasn’t an accusation, it was an opportunity. Despite the answer, there’s still a glib non-thinker pretending it’s that easy. Are you suggesting that these areas be completely abandoned as residential zones? Where do you propose the people who are in the income bracket that landed them there move to? How about the homeowners, do you know people who can get another home without the proceeds from their current home? If those homes are sold to other people, how does that solve the problem? I seriously doubt you could move from wherever you are without a large amount of cash or credit on hand to finance your move, which is exactly what low middle class and poor people don’t have.

[@mahtosmith2976]

Where I live, which is an impoverished reservation along a major river in the US, it's no secret that our water is contaminated with heavy metals from when they built the dams and flooded their own mines. It's no secret that the infrastructure and funding that has been put in place is grossly inadequate. There are few who know about this and almost fewer who care. Thank you, John Oliver and co. I've been hearing/learning about this my whole life and it's honestly crazy to see it being talked about on a platform at this level.

[@mahtosmith2976]

@Elon Musk 🅥 Idk Elon, that seems pretty damn irrelevant to me.

[@ninianstorm6494]

@@mahtosmith2976 list of treason by all whom claim russia hack 2016: hillary and albright killed democracy proof list= obama and Smith-Mundt Act in 2012/2013 which legalized propaganda by US government to be used ON the US people jan 6 is false flag to frame trump for break glass similar to ukraine coup 2014 to oust current president by cia shoot at both guards/protesters or hide among protesters to shoot at guards kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGrVn6KbZp2kadU 1. wesley clark reveal 2000 to 2012 all rig for kill iraq to syria kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ7Ve4V-rMeJfZo 2.dnc kill 50 in vegas/portland, thugs attack with stand down cops san jose/charlotte, burn loot several months, sabotage afgan withdraw using russia bounty smear to give taliban equip kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6nSfWuqfbiUbck there is selective outrage from cia/media similar to ukraine 8 years bombing cuban missile crisis 2.0 kzbin.info/www/bejne/laGqnHmDndRpedE kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2aZZ6Ofm8mhi5Y kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4rQdKePgapsoZI usa lied about sending troops to fight isis enter syria, then it change to assad must go, they had turkey kill kurds so pelosi can stay in syria everyone remember nbc threaten follow jury with later to use thought police thugs? they gave protest t- shirts to san quan mayor puerto rico to lie about never receive hurricane maria aid destroy cali prop187 and create daca=south america stay cheaper than normal for outsource by throw away portion of their population for usa to take care of. we need to arrest all that hate withdraw from syria because they rig 2000 to 2012 kill iraq-syria but shameless blame russia! only then can we give all medicare, lower living cost inflation, wage regain value

[@voidbreather7405]

@@mahtosmith2976 Don't reply to bots, just report them.

[@mahtosmith2976]

@@voidbreather7405 I know he has a troll name, but it's hard to tell bots between people anymore

[@MrUrbanApollo]

As a POC I’ve lived in a community where both POC and whites have had polluted water. It’s not a race issue it’s a class issue.

[@AgFalcon84]

As an environmental scientist, I am utterly disgusted. I feel sick. Unfortunately, it's not just environmental policy that targets people of color. Transportation and infrastructure projects often treat communities of color as expendable. It is something that professionals in these fields need to be aware of and actively fight against.

[@offplanet740]

Yup. In my environmental racism class we discussed how the LA freeways are some of the biggest symbols of racism in CA.

[@Yooooo91]

Everything under this capitalistic umbrella targets people of color

[@kneegerman2076]

@@offplanet740 environmental racism class? Lmao they would teach any bs but not something useful, don't they?

[@Kingofthehillfacts]

We ain’t got no damn money to fight back. Generational wealth and the lack of empathy has solidified white people’s success and continues the systemic problem. Justify your moral any moral compass I ain’t replying.

[@shownig]

@@offplanet740 environment racism class? What kind of indoctrination campus do you attend?

[@semievilsquirrel]

That man who talked about selling his house has more decency and ethics than the government ever will.

[@randypullman1155]

ironically the government is owned and operated by africans...js

[@taint_misbehavin]

The government in a representative democracy is run by the people. Garbage in, garbage out.

[@delftblue]

Bless him

[@Halo-lg7rq]

Its the reverse of Ben Shapiro

[@WeaponizedStrumpet]

@@Halo-lg7rq "Sell their house to who, Ben? Fucking Aquaman?!"

[@ForeverMe543]

Regarding the "worst things said" like Cancer Alley: He talked about grenades in a baby crib during the Raids episode (the police threw a grenade into a house and it landed in a crib on the baby) and the elderly being eaten by alligators was in the Long-Term Care episode (an elder woman ended up in a lake of gators after escaping and slipping down a hill at night) So orthodontic bullying doesn't exist...yet Yes I rewatch LWT a lot

[@EpicScandinavian]

Could the push by many dentists for people to get their wisdom teeth removed be considered orthodontic bullying though?

[@ForeverMe543]

@@EpicScandinavian lol I dunno...perhaps children being bullied in school?? I had horrific dental work done and was bullied

[@dkaloger5720]

Technically not a grenade it was a flashbang ,edit: didn't mean to offend people sorry, got it a flashbang is a grenade

[@ninianstorm6494]

@@EpicScandinavian list of treason by all whom claim russia hack 2016: hillary and albright killed democracy proof list= obama and Smith-Mundt Act in 2012/2013 which legalized propaganda by US government to be used ON the US people jan 6 is false flag to frame trump for break glass similar to ukraine coup 2014 to oust current president by cia shoot at both guards/protesters or hide among protesters to shoot at guards kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGrVn6KbZp2kadU 1. wesley clark reveal 2000 to 2012 all rig for kill iraq to syria kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ7Ve4V-rMeJfZo 2.dnc kill 50 in vegas/portland, thugs attack with stand down cops san jose/charlotte, burn loot several months, sabotage afgan withdraw using russia bounty smear to give taliban equip kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6nSfWuqfbiUbck there is selective outrage from cia/media similar to ukraine 8 years bombing cuban missile crisis 2.0 kzbin.info/www/bejne/laGqnHmDndRpedE kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2aZZ6Ofm8mhi5Y kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4rQdKePgapsoZI usa lied about sending troops to fight isis enter syria, then it change to assad must go, they had turkey kill kurds so pelosi can stay in syria everyone remember nbc threaten follow jury with later to use thought police thugs? they gave protest t- shirts to san quan mayor puerto rico to lie about never receive hurricane maria aid destroy cali prop187 and create daca=south america stay cheaper than normal for outsource by throw away portion of their population for usa to take care of. we need to arrest all that hate withdraw from syria because they rig 2000 to 2012 kill iraq-syria but shameless blame russia! only then can we give all medicare, lower living cost inflation, wage regain value

[@ninianstorm6494]

@@ForeverMe543 list of treason by all whom claim russia hack 2016: hillary and albright killed democracy proof list= obama and Smith-Mundt Act in 2012/2013 which legalized propaganda by US government to be used ON the US people jan 6 is false flag to frame trump for break glass similar to ukraine coup 2014 to oust current president by cia shoot at both guards/protesters or hide among protesters to shoot at guards kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGrVn6KbZp2kadU 1. wesley clark reveal 2000 to 2012 all rig for kill iraq to syria kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ7Ve4V-rMeJfZo 2.dnc kill 50 in vegas/portland, thugs attack with stand down cops san jose/charlotte, burn loot several months, sabotage afgan withdraw using russia bounty smear to give taliban equip kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6nSfWuqfbiUbck there is selective outrage from cia/media similar to ukraine 8 years bombing cuban missile crisis 2.0 kzbin.info/www/bejne/laGqnHmDndRpedE kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2aZZ6Ofm8mhi5Y kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4rQdKePgapsoZI usa lied about sending troops to fight isis enter syria, then it change to assad must go, they had turkey kill kurds so pelosi can stay in syria everyone remember nbc threaten follow jury with later to use thought police thugs? they gave protest t- shirts to san quan mayor puerto rico to lie about never receive hurricane maria aid destroy cali prop187 and create daca=south america stay cheaper than normal for outsource by throw away portion of their population for usa to take care of. we need to arrest all that hate withdraw from syria because they rig 2000 to 2012 kill iraq-syria but shameless blame russia! only then can we give all medicare, lower living cost inflation, wage regain value

[@bayersbluebayoubioweapon8477]

Whenever I tell people about environmental problems like this they tell me it’s fake. I’m glad to hear it discussed at such a high level.

[@ZentaBon]

Move out of Texas

[@susanweber5089]

When I was in Mississippi for work, (solar), you couldn't talk to anyone about the Taylor oil spill bc they said it was fake.

[@YogGroove]

LOL. "High Level" .... There's no systemic analysis... only Woke Bullshit. Calling pollution of poor areas "Racism" doesn't help shit. It just makes useless lefties of the Professional Managerial Class feel better about their own insecurities. The guy in the clip had it right...... it's zip code privilege.

[@BLARG09]

Crazy right. I lived in adorable town Kellogg Idaho. It was a superfund site. It's so wide spread. Pollution has killed many towns.

[@bayersbluebayoubioweapon8477]

@@ZentaBon I live in Michigan

[@jeremy2875]

Surprised that he didn't bring up the Dakota access pipeline, where the original route to the North was rejected because it might contaminate drinking wells serving the mostly White population areas, so instead it was rerouted through tribal lands and directly under the tribal water source.

[@lalaurlalala]

Yeah how did they do this entire thing with no mention of indigenous peoples?

[@minuette1752]

@@lalaurlalala There is not near enough time, I am sure he has touched on it before though. It would take hours and hours to even begin to start how screwed up this country is when it comes to pollution. If we were to go to the worldwide problem and how it affects everyone in every country, it would be on a whole other level.

[@linebrunelle1004]

what? they screamed, yelled, held protests, and the fact that you don't know that shows that we don't pay attention to them.

[@thexalon]

Russel Honore is practically a legend in military circles, a guy with a really good reputation, who among other things was the person who probably did more than anyone else to recover the Gulf Coast from Hurricane Katrina.

[@marcusmoses574]

I really appreciate this episode, but I feel that I have to add to your coverage. You see, the EPA has a group in each region called Environmental Justice. They have been taking these fights on for the last 20 years. I would know because my wife, Althea M. Moses, was the Environmental Justice Coordinator for Region 7 EPA. She dedicated her life to fighting against corporate and local government exploitation of poor, Brown, and Black communities. She not only worked in her region (Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska), she was called in as a specialist to help mitigate the water crisis in Flint, MI with an emphasis on lead poisoning in children there. I think that you need to give kudos to these public servants because most of them are not doing it for a paycheck. Environmental Justice (which is called that because the original term "Environmental Racism" made White people feel uncomfortable and hurt) Coordinators are some of the least liked people. They fight on behalf of the vulnerable and weak, which makes them a target of the powerful corporations and their elected lackeys. And, often times, the people they are fighting for are angry at them because they aren't moving fast enough to resolve the problems they find. I really want to defend my wife because she truly gave her life for her work. She was well known nationally for her efforts, but she never displayed her awards or kudos. She died on February 17, 2022 from kidney failure and complications due to Pontine (brainstem) stroke. When her daughters and I cleaned out her office, we found two boxes of medals, plaques and awards that she had just stacked behind paperwork or left in boxes on the floor. Understand, the Environmental Justice Coordinators in the EPA are doing the work of defending the weak because they are called to the fight. I miss my wife terribly every day, but I know that the communities she served and their representatives are just as hurt, because they lost a great champion of their causes. We as a society need to help EJ Coordinators and their clients by, 1. Making clean environments for PEOPLE, not just the goddamn dolphins, 2. Recognizing how our neighborhoods are zoned and participating in public meetings to create fairness, 3. SAY IT OUT LOUD! Institutional racism is the primary cause of these injustices and to let pundits off the hook on this point does a great disservice to those who are in the fight. I'd like it if you could recognize these EJ coordinators in every region so that people can appreciate their efforts. Thanks for your time. PS, Yeah, I'm with you. Screw the pandas.

[@beckettstaubs-friedmann1550]

I’m sorry for your loss, she sounds like an amazing women. I hope to make an impact like her.

[@AshleyTennyson]

[@jb8705]

You are such a blessed man to have a wife with a caring soul . God Bless you & your daughters.

[@hadleytucker7451]

Im sorry for you loss, it sounds like you had an amazing wife.

[@marcusmoses574]

@@hadleytucker7451 Thank you. I did. I was definitely fighting above my weight class.

[@aggieschoonover4235]

These companies not only knowingly pollute; they declare bankruptcy when their toxicity becomes too apparent. They move out, rename themselves (so they can pollute elsewhere), and leave the sites for taxpayers to clean up.

[@grmpEqweer]

Yep!

[@khango6138]

You know in a just country, the executives of these companies would be found, tried, imprisoned, and executed. You know, instead of the thousands of wrongfully arrested and executed coloured men.

[@dunweyweydum]

Orphaned & abandoned O&G wells too.

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

Capitalism baby. Turn "externalities" in sweet sweet profits.

[@MisstressMourtisha]

FACTS

[@strngisle]

John Oliver is still talking about unpopular topics..after all these years..I appreciate the voice

[@fredfunn5413]

When Americans think about racism, they can only think of it in black and white. Environmental racism is far bigger than this. Internationally, people in the developing world have a fraction of the carbon footprint of people in rich countries on average, yet suffer most pollution. The rich world got rich by burning fossil fuels recklessly for centuries, and then turned around to slap a carbon quota on the developing world when living standard was just about to get better for the poor. Racism and hypocrisy is not just a problem for the privileged white people, but a fundamental and systemic problem with the West.

[@aster5031]

Correct 👏 👏 👏 👏

[@FreiWild1776]

yeah third world countries pollute a lot because they are savages and also they accept deals with the west to pollute because ooga booga warlord gets dollars so yeah also how braindead to be to watch johhny pepperoni

[@genocidehero9687]

I'm black and poor I got nothing to do with what you and your granddaddy did

[@roudyman777]

What does the amount of melanin in one's skin have to do with the socioeconomics of another country that you are purporting? Sounds like you are trying to be the victim and blame your own failures on someone else instead of taking initiative to live a better life for your own. Stop whining. Rich countries like China burn way more fossil fuels than the US and their air pollution affects poor communities like those on the West Coast of California on a daily basis. Would you dare calling the people of China racist? No Fred, because you are the internal racist yourself.

[@kenyapressley6706]

and with every developed country: usa, china, europe. all are deserving of environmental mandates

[@jess.summers]

There’s a big culture of 1) sweep everything under the rug 2) oh no, it makes me uncomfy to talk about sad things 3) oh no, if we address problems, we actually have to do hard work 4) people who love oppressing people 5) loving chaos and lack of progress 6) apathy and contradictions 7) idk somehow visceral patriotism on top of all this while also deeply hating and dehumanizing some Americans

[@thegamethemovie9605]

Amen. As a teacher that finally left the US due to many of the reasons on your list, it's so sad to hear from former colleagues about that #2 especially is on the rise recently. Uncomfortable history so whitewash it even more? Uncomfortable children and parents because they have lower grades - due entirely because they refuse to do the classwork, let alone homework? Mystifying.

[@onkelpappkov2666]

"You two, talk about your mutual grievances!" "This nazi raped and killed my daughter, carved a swastika into her, then said this is how he will end all black lives, calling black people subhumans. He is currently holding a butcher knife behind his back and has been stalking me for an hour." "Sounds harsh. And what about you? What does he do to you?" "This negro is making me uncomfortable by pointing out that I'm a knife wielding nazi. I keep telling him to shush but he keeps accusing me and I find it discomforting." "That is very concerning. Seems like you both have equally valid points and the only solution is to just let it go. Thank you for sharing your feelings. This has been a productive mediation."

[@patternrecon5271]

Wikipedia: Finland: Sexual violence: Perpetrators: wow. BBC Sweden 58% foreinger. Ukrainian 18 year old Germany. Taharrush gamea. Marocchinate. New years eve Colonge Germany. Rotherham scandal. Manchester scandal. Rochdale scandal. West Yorkshire scandal. Newcastle scandal. Oxford scandal. Bradford scandal. Telford scandal. Aylesbury scandal. Huddersfield scandal. Zabihullah Mohmand Montana. Fort McCoy Afghans. Somali sweden 9 years old. Skaf gang australia. Simon Mol. Oulu scandal. Tapanila somali. Glasgow grooming gang. Ross Parker. Kriss Donald. Lara Logan Egypt. Temar Bishop. Morocco beheading. Greece Ahmed Waqas. France: Ndiaga Dieye police attack Rambouillet police attack Orthodox priest wounded Lyon 2020 Nice stabbing Samuel Paty attack 2020 Paris stabbing attack Colombes police attack 2020 Romans-sur-isère knife attack Metz police stabbing 2020 Villejuif stabbing Paris police headquartes stabbing 2019 Lyon bombing 2018 Strasburg attack Asadollah Asadi 2018 Paris knife attack Carcassonne and Trèbes attack 2017 Marseille stabbing 2017 Levallois-Perret attack 2017 Notre Dame attack 2017 Orly airport attack 2017 Paris machete attack 2016 Normandy church attack Nice truck attack 2016 Magnanville stabbing 2016 Paris police station attack Valence car attack November 2015 Paris attacks 2015 Thalys train attack Charlie Hebdo attack

[@philippak7726]

don't forget: 8) accuse anyone of trying to change things of "making it political" as though it isn't already

[@jeffdroog]

Someone hasn't read a history text book.Thisnhas literally been the way for hundreds of years.People suck,and we haven't done anything to change the situation in honestly,hundreds of years.

[@Rhomega]

One of the first things I learned about playing SimCity decades ago was to never put residential zoning next to industrial.

[@gridcoregilry666]

environmental racism solved

[@lilpenguin092]

Some body out there needs to hit the "start new sim" button already lol

[@unlimitedblack]

If you check out Cities: Skylines, that game makes it PAINFULLY obvious that industrial zones are not okay for residential.

[@vdoggydogg3922]

at some point there needs to be industrial next to residential..really can't avoid it.

[@redgunnit]

@@vdoggydogg3922 Who told you that? Thomas Malthus?

[@beez1598]

I lived next to a superfund site, dioxin levels were 1,000 times above average in soil. “As long as you don’t eat the dirt there’s no risk” was what was said to us with a chuckle by the city. It was insulting.

[@onkelpappkov2666]

"Tee-hee, y'all get cancer, kek!" -Funny office people on funny day.

[@Ismael-kc3ry]

Holy shit dude, I’m glad you’re referring to that in the past tense. Hopefully you’re somewhere safer now.

[@terrab1ter4]

Corporations actually actively directed environmental movements to be concerned about things like 'whales, pandas, other endangered species', the 'sexy newsworthy issues'; As such, they created a public perception that there existed two spheres of habitation: the human sphere in which we live, and the 'wilderness', and the latter had to be preserved. This, however, came at a price: for now it was completely acceptable for companies to do whatever they wanted within the sphere considered 'human living', because there was no need to preserve nature etc within that - everyone, after all, was focused on saving an ever-shrinking 'wild nature'.

[@lld752]

Too simplistic. We have never preserved nature. We pollute everywhere. For example, Yellowstone isn't pristine. People have trashed it and pollute it and when a bear mauls a stupid tourist that "just wanted to pet a cub", they kill the bear. They should kill the tourist if preserving nature was really as important as you suggest we treat it. We don't. We have moved into wild areas, because everyone thinks they are entitled to live up in the mountains, then they get upset when a cougar kills their chihuahua or the forest catches on fire and their house burns down. Industries existed and housing was built around it. Companies used to build housing near the facility so employees could live close to their jobs. Later those workers didn't want to live nearby and the housing became cheap housing that poor people moved in to. It has been going on for over 100 years! This isn't something that happened in the last decade. People belong in cities. We have the technology to control and reduce our pollution and stop everyone's exposures, but people are unwilling to force industry to do the right things. We have idiots who fear that if we regulate industry too much, they'll move their operations to another country. That is when the government should sue any American company that has left the USA to avoid environmental regulations here and have robbed our people of employment. If our politicians weren't bought by industry, they'd do what is right for the people.

[@terrab1ter4]

@@lld752 I never said that we were successful in preserving nature. The entire idea of "preserving" some static ideal of something that is essentially dynamic is strange. All I was pointing out is that this mindset of "we have to preserve nature" hides the damage done in habitats considered "not nature" because humans live there. That mindset is relatively new, half a century tops; obviously, the environmental damage being done is far older than that

[@matthews852]

@@lld752 You’re correct. Killing the bear is absurd. It can be argued that the bears life is more important than some Midwestern tourist that dragged his mouth breathing family to Yellowstone.. the chance of anyone in his family making a mark on civilization is nil. Humans aren’t near as important as we think we are. At least not as it pertains to the health of the planet. And let’s face it, in the long run, that’s all that matters.

[@alvindurochermtl]

Corporations per se aren't the culprits, people are. I know at least a dozen self-proclaimed environmentalists who have 3-4 children. My wife and I have decided not to have children and because we have no kids we consume less and don't need a car. Even if we didn't recycle a single thing in our lifetime we would still be leaving behind far less carbon footprints and pollutants than these people and their kids and grandkids together.

[@azuman7]

Dude, what? Ask yourself this, who going to do Jack s about ANYTHING environmental? It is a matter of diverting attention, it is a matter of generalized apathy. This segment to address this very thing is going to lead to no long term effects, like most of Jojo segments, with a few exceptions

[@RDSyafriyar]

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” - James Baldwin

[@briantyson5548]

Just joined your subscribers 😀

[@therealzilch]

James Baldwin was a great voice.

[@radd696]

never heard that one, but definitely true .. thanks

[@wildzwaan]

Another apropos one of his: 'The future is like heaven. Everyone exalts it but no one wants to go there now.'

[@DTwoHS]

I feel like I'm watching a Ryan George video. The first part of the sentence doesn't even mean anything.

[@aaronmeyer3664]

Glad to see the statement "You can point at anything in america and ask: How is that racist? and get a comprehensive answer." still holds true.

[@theaxisofinsight]

"It's not about the money anymore. It's about the erotic rush of power." Apple should steal that mantra.

[@trangender7588]

I'm assuming you talking about the corporate media class.

[@FungiRy91]

They're used to stealing so it wouldn't be uncharacteristic for them

[@bunnypoop4508]

Thank God for Android 🙏 🕊 ♥

[@Noone-l6g]

What goes up, must come down

[@boblester8641]

What about lithium mining and Thacker pass

[@theresahudson1089]

S/o to them for discussing Cancer Alley. Everyone in south Louisiana knows about it (and refers to it as such), yet nobody wants to do anything to fix it.

[@Jane_1994]

"What poor, unexpecting family would I trick into moving into this death trap?" We need more people with this level of responsibility.

[@asukachan7899]

...in positions of power, yes, I agree.

[@bogusmcbogus2637]

@@asukachan7899 everywhere

[@thenotsoguitarguy9429]

Ultimately we need fewer people forced to bear this level of responsibility.

[@AMortalDefiant]

The sad thing is, we'll get less, because like this fine gentlemen, they are the ones forced into unwinnable situations; while those who have no qualms with exploiting others have more options open to them to succeed. Maybe I'm overly cynical, but that's how it appears to me.

[@rellie_90]

@@AMortalDefiant exactly! People like him never last because he’s not falling line.

[@maggieobrien9118]

The majority of my Environmental Studies major was about Environmental Justice and Racism. Had no idea it was even a thing until I went to college. Thank you for spreading awareness about it- wish I was still in school so I could write a paper about this video!

[@moos5221]

Why on earth is it allowed in the USA to mix living zones and industrial zones? There should be a clear separation between those two for obvious reasons. It's such an obvious rule to follow that breaching that rule can't be an accident but seems like a deliberate action to hurt a specific group of people.

[@chrisstyles5955]

You must not be from America. They'd have to care about us, to care if we're living amongst hazardous materials.

[@merlinious01]

Yeah, commercial and residential should mix, industrial should be separate

[@DwiteLoot]

When I played a game called Sim City 2000, you were a planner for a city. You were in charge of where to put zoning. The citizens would absolutely revolt if you kept industrial zoning too close to residential. If a game made before 2000 could figure it out, why can’t we? Money. And as pointed out in this video, racism.

[@lilpenguin092]

They need to play more Cities: Skylines lol

[@heathernks8]

I live in a large, poor, migrant community. The industrial zones are only 3.8 miles from the residential zones bc our city isn't that big. We are getting dangerously overcrowded with a 75 person wait list for 600 sq. feet of space at $1k a month. Also, most ppl here are so poor, they walk to work. We have a bus, but again: $1,000 a month in rent and electric!😳 *The plants need to be close to the homes so ppl can get to work.* 🤷‍♀️ It's a sad reality. The plants pay well, the landlords and electric co-op know this, so they price-gouge bc.. How & to whom can an immigrant complain? The whole system is corrupt.

[@haltopen12]

As someone who has actually lived in both Germantown and Collierville, what Jon said is completely accurate and indisputable.

[@davelambert6756]

As somebody who lives near FedEx HQ/TPC Southwind, I 100% agree. Right on target.

[@aadamhughes]

Im just amazed he even mention Memphis. Its cool to see (in a way).

[@dcamron46]

why did you put a fly on my screen...now my monitor's broken...

[@mikeriderart1121]

Similar event in Arizona. Groundwater was contaminated with TCE in Maricopa County. In wealthy Scottsdale, they cleaned it up. In East Phoenix poorer neighborhood, they stalled and kept doing studies on the statistically improbable high level of deaths from rare illnesses that are linked to TCE contamination.

[@OoohhForSure]

Motorola as well

[@mrsoready]

That is so fucked up.

[@sierra4766]

The man who didn't want to sell his home to an unsuspecting family broke my heart. He's just taking the bullet to protect someone else. So sad.

[@MegaChickenfish]

With all these examples of the pollution just being moved, I'm reminded of a documentary on pollution, recycling and the like that I watched in college with one particular quote that stuck with me. "We throw it away, *but where is "away?"* "

[@gamepapa1211]

"His company eventually went belly up" is perhaps the closest we can ever get to a happy ending in this whole sordid affair.

[@chazdomingo475]

Not so fast. His company went belly up. He 100% did not. He probably made out like a bandit on this deal and is living in some gated white community right now. Once you learn corporate law, you'll understand the wealthy are explicitly never held responsible.

[@far2ez539]

If his company didn't go belly up, the shingles would've been turned into asphalt for the road. Doesn't seem like much of a happy ending to me.

[@honeyLXIX]

sometimes that just means filing bankruptcy and doing it all over again

[@JohnDoe-bd5sz]

I wonder if Body Mass Index is also a factor in the life expectancy of people. If it does, maybe there are a few pointers in this clip as to why some people live short lives, besides the narrative of this clip

[@cc1k435]

@@JohnDoe-bd5sz Sure. Let's go for a morning run around the mountain of asphalt! 🙄

[@vampirebicth]

racism in america is like high fructose corn syrup. almost no one would buy a bottle of it themselves, but once you start looking for it, you realize it's in everything.

[@clifflee54]

Terrible analogy

[@d53njac]

Great analogy.

[@gorillaguerillaDK]

Very well put!

[@CribNotes]

Bullshit. This video exploits viewers who are not interested in thinking logically....or they can't.

[@JohnLumpp]

Spot on!

[@undrtakr900]

Thank for covering topics other media outlets won't cover.

[@specist]

These stories remind me of how I got lead poisoned as a child. Telling a kid not to play in dirt is almost impossible. Want to see how bad pollution is when companies don't give a shit, look up chat piles. These industries/companies should be held accountable!

[@deeznutz5825]

Literally just wrote a comment about that, I used to dig holes but my parents wouldn't let me dig near driveways because of the runoff, yet there are kids running around in places where the lead level can be measured as a percent.

[@jojol.2630]

Does the lead poisoning still affect you?

[@specist]

@@jojol.2630 The lead poisoning mainly affected my balance and nervous system. Mainly walking is a pain, having a cane helps with balance.

[@venusvirgofly]

Visited southern Puerto Rico yesterday. How the US government treats this beautiful island is disgusting. The evidence of hurricane Maria is everywhere. Mainlanders would not tolerate it. Free PR or make it a state.

[@naejimba]

I agree with this, there are a number of territories like this and most people in the US don't know anything about it. What should happen is THEY should get to choose whether to become independent or a state. It's their goddamned country, and if the US is going to have anything to do with it they deserve representation.

[@DunderHead.5000]

They could make it a state, we already Gitmo there.

[@terrystevens3998]

It will never be free when it comes to investment and capital so it should just become a state, asking for freedom is like asking a spouse for a divorce and not moving out, it can never be truly free so it is better for it to have representation

[@QS-si3cq]

Sounds like you are very uninformed. I worked for the federal gov and had meetings with people from PR who want to be a state. Their big issue? The large number of people there who don't want to be a state.

[@sandywaters1153]

@@DunderHead.5000 No Gitmo is in Cuba which is not a US territory!!

[@kjherrera1289]

I seen a tik tok of a girl speaking out about racist infrastructure and environmental racism. They were making fun of her and called her a stupid liberal. The world we live in

[@RevShifty]

It's hilarious to me how objective reality is somehow a liberal cause. It's like conservatives accidentally acknowledging they're either clueless or willfully ignorant.

[@gusmonster59]

Saw. You saw a tik tok. Good gosh learn a wee bit of grammar.

[@utezahn3174]

Well, name calling is much easier than to face and fix the truth.

[@Nowolf]

@@gusmonster59 AAVE

[@voxomnes9537]

@@Nowolf They're racist. Move on

[@dragonflies6793]

in the interview at 18:20, where he says "right now, in good conscience, who would I actually sell this house to? What poor, unsuspecting family would I trick into moving into this death trap?"...that broke me.

[@TheAlps36]

It just blew me away that someone, despite having his own life at risk, wouldn't even consider passing his problem onto someone else

[@olorin4317]

This one was more depressing than the Air Bud one.

[@ryanelliott6706]

Remember when this show spent 30 minutes on the idiot in the White House instead of on a 90s movies about a dog? Good times. I miss John’s TDS. When was the last time he even said the word “Biden.” 😂😂

[@Kholdaimon]

I don't know, the fact that there is a comedy franchise build on the story of a dog being stolen from an alcoholic man and then the alcoholic going to prison for it somehow is pretty fuckin' sad... The generally accepted disdain or outright hatred for people down-on-their-luck (the homeless, the poor, addicts) in the US is truly terrifying...

[@reuellucas7187]

@@Kholdaimon but there’s no rule against it though

[@glt918]

No shit it should be

[@harvey3rdman464]

@@Kholdaimon "Stolen"? Have you ever seen that movie?

[@nomore6167]

I can imagine the EPA's response: "What do you mean your kids want to play outside in the grass and dirt? Just buy them the latest tablet, mobile phone, and gaming console and they'll be happy to stay inside all day. Oh, but don't let them drink the water." I can also imagine local government officials: "Okay, okay, fine. Yes, we classify your neighborhood as an industrial zone, we allow corporations to store deadly chemicals and materials in your neighborhood, and if those chemicals leak and contaminate the area, then we'll wag our finger and tell the companies we're very disappointed in them. But really, if you get off your anti-industry, anti-progress horse and think about it, I think you would agree that you should be on your knees thanking us. That's how we're keeping your property taxes down. If we removed the industrial plants, the deadly chemicals, and the various pollutants, then the area would become much more attractive to outsiders and property values would go up, forcing us to raise your property taxes. You probably wouldn't be able to afford your houses at that point and you would get evicted. Please, don't force us to do something that will raise your property taxes and get you evicted."

[@ryusthered]

The sad part is... That is a true statement.

[@robertdascoli949]

Why should they drink water when they can drink Brando! It's what plants crave!

[@jsoo67]

@@robertdascoli949 plus I ain't see no plants grow out of no toilet.

[@uniraffesaur]

"you can't afford to live here if we make it up to the bare minimum standard of okay for human residence" Like, the answer to that problem isn't that you keep it unfit for human residence. You fix the problems with property values skyrocketing and continuing to box out more and more people.

[@IonOtter]

Whenever you are told "the water is safe to drink", or "there's no significant risk to living there," you need to load the water into tanker trucks, and spray it on the neighborhood streets of those telling you it's safe. Y'know, dust control, or just washing the streets. People like that sort of thing. And when you see a nice, new McMansion being built, collect topsoil from the "safe" neighborhood and dump it in an out-of-the-way pile at the construction site. They won't mind! Free topsoil for a construction site? SCORE! Six months to a year later, at the next meeting, where the talking heads repeat their claims that the water is safe, and the contamination is within "acceptable levels", you tell them what you did a year ago. Then watch how high they jump. The altitude they obtain will be your indicator of how "safe" the water and soil really is.

[@Fafnd]

But what if instead they just close the meeting and sprint for the door?

[@IonOtter]

@@Fafnd I'd say that's some pretty decent altitude! Next you'll want to see if anyone in respirators and Tyvek suits show up with Geiger counters.

[@UniqueornBacon]

Say you've redirected this totally safe water into their reservoirs and that it's where the drinking water at THEIR children's schools come from. You don't even have to do it, just say you did. But doing it is more fair.

[@ringo1692]

@@UniqueornBacon it wouldn't matter if you just said you did it or you actually did the amount of time you're gonna spend in jail will probably be about the same...

[@blueberryiswar]

@@ringo1692 Because cancer cuts that jailtime short?

[@dale-4543]

It's good to see Memphis representative Justin Pearson when this video was released vs now. He has always been an advocate for his constituents

[@sueware8377]

GREAT PRESENTATION, John...I learned a WHOLE bunch of new information with this one...I had NO idea about some of the things you mentioned...but I took notes, am going to call friends and tell them, and find out how we can get involved in helping to change this. It is SO blatant and so deliberate! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

[@goodguy...badrep.]

I love that John Oliver talks about what subjects that others want to hide.

[@RJ-zv9uj]

So he's PBS Frontline but funny!

[@Gardstyle35]

oliver always shows things one sided from the far leftist view, picking and choosing carefully to always fit that narrative.

[@ClaudioMichel]

@@Gardstyle35 Yeah, because 'Murica is so great.....

[@Gardstyle35]

@@ClaudioMichel not saying that but making everything about race is retarded. the same happens in europe with poor neighbourhoods- is that white on white racism? in a video about statues where he shows trump asking where does it stop (with jefferson etc..) his answer was "somewhere, somewhere does it stop" thats the same answer the communist gave in china during the culture revolution. when he talks about critical race theory and how parents are upset he only shows white parents even though its not just white parents and the % of black, asian latino parents against CRT is higher than that of whites. Painting a picture and we all know why they selected exactly those bits. america has alot of problems and f* up shit. But nontheless theres a reason why its the richest nation in the world and has more immigrants than the rest of the world.

[@ninianstorm6494]

@@RJ-zv9uj list of treason by all whom claim russia hack 2016: hillary and albright killed democracy proof list= obama and Smith-Mundt Act in 2012/2013 which legalized propaganda by US government to be used ON the US people jan 6 is false flag to frame trump for break glass similar to ukraine coup 2014 to oust current president by cia shoot at both guards/protesters or hide among protesters to shoot at guards kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGrVn6KbZp2kadU 1. wesley clark reveal 2000 to 2012 all rig for kill iraq to syria kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ7Ve4V-rMeJfZo 2.dnc kill 50 in vegas/portland, thugs attack with stand down cops san jose/charlotte, burn loot several months, sabotage afgan withdraw using russia bounty smear to give taliban equip kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6nSfWuqfbiUbck there is selective outrage from cia/media similar to ukraine 8 years bombing cuban missile crisis 2.0 kzbin.info/www/bejne/laGqnHmDndRpedE kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2aZZ6Ofm8mhi5Y kzbin.info/www/bejne/p4rQdKePgapsoZI usa lied about sending troops to fight isis enter syria, then it change to assad must go, they had turkey kill kurds so pelosi can stay in syria everyone remember nbc threaten follow jury with later to use thought police thugs? they gave protest t- shirts to san quan mayor puerto rico to lie about never receive hurricane maria aid destroy cali prop187 and create daca=south america stay cheaper than normal for outsource by throw away portion of their population for usa to take care of. we need to arrest all that hate withdraw from syria because they rig 2000 to 2012 kill iraq-syria but shameless blame russia! only then can we give all medicare, lower living cost inflation, wage regain value

[@transnaturalperspectivespo6133]

To separate the “natural environment” and society is impossible. It’s ALL the “environment”. That’s it! That’s all we got!

[@sandyallen1523]

Exactly. We only have one Mother Earth

[@jellyo1000]

This made me cry - my Ph.D. dissertation is on particulate matter pollution in the US and Robert Bullard's "You can tell me a zipcode and I'll tell you how healthy you are - all zipcodes are not created equal" hit home. I am researching the use of Citizen Science for local air monitoring, and would love if someone could put me in touch with John Oliver's team. I have data on air pollution disparities, and it is more grim than even published literature sometimes. Thanks!

[@SunlightHugger]

My family lived south of New Orleans for 15 years. When we all finally moved, our health improved. We thought it was just a mental thing, but let's be real... we were eating oil, drinking lead, and breathing gasoline.

[@jeffhodge7333]

Every city has an area called, "The other side of the tracks." It is the downwind side of railroad tracks. It is where the coal soot from trains would land. Land is always cheaper in those areas.

[@costeris35]

Is that where that expression comes from? I didn’t know that. That makes a lot of sense.

[@THMILLER]

John Oliver's show is a wealth of information and knowledge that should be standard viewing in every school in the USA.

[@jasonnewman2489]

I show it often in my science classes. I have gotten into minor trouble for some of his political stances when some students complain to parents :D

[@spork8655]

It would be a lot easier to show it in school if there was less swearing.

[@rachaeleotto3049]

I would love to show this to my environmental science students, but even a clean version could land me in the local, or even national news, for teaching critical race theory. Sad times we are living in. I hate it here.

[@mermaidismyname]

What is particularly nefarious about this is lead poisoning is very connected to violent irrational behavior and a higher likelihood to commit crime So there are probably a not insignificant number of POC in prison right now directly due to being poisoned with lead pollution

[@yohei72]

I was thinking the same thing - beyond all the other problems that come with pollution, it affects brain development and functioning, which obviously has implications for education, career, and crime.

[@grmpEqweer]

Yup.

[@ebonychan]

and then they use racist stereotypes that happen to correlate with lead poisoning symptoms as justification for more racist policies like funneling more cash into police departments, responding to a medical crisis with guns and prisons

[@baronvonlimbourgh1716]

They are called externalities, so that makes it ok.

[@grmpEqweer]

@@baronvonlimbourgh1716 ...So, allowing the externalizing of toxic byproduct, when it actually can be reprocessed or stored safely, is a hideous sort of corporate welfare. Just noting. ...I think it would be very fair to make all those chemical plants pay for all of the medical treatment of anyone within 50 miles of the plants.

[@chrisz7494]

John Oliver did a stupendous job on this. I'd like to see him cover circular economy next

[@AS8643]

He is always hitting the nail on the head

[@SeanLaMontagne]

The fact that man is just accepting his fate in refusing to trick some random family that might have children into moving into a death house That's that helplessness that makes people desperate in ways you couldn't imagine. Ever wonder how those "villains that almost have a good point" are created? Through origin stories like this.

[@AntoDesormeaux]

I'd watch that villain's movie

[@nishshah4472]

That man is a good man

[@mattinvic1]

The "untmely" death of Chadwick Boseman seems far more of an inevitably if viewed through the lens of environmental racism. The place he grew up, Anderson, S.C., has in it's 14 square miles 6 EPA Superfund sites none of which made the National Priority List for cleanup. "Industrial development in Anderson County began in earnest in the decades following the Civil War, and gradually replaced agriculture as the foundation of the county economy."

[@xenosbreed]

Meanwhile Tucker interviews people mad at wind turbines to generate energy are going up 2 miles away from their homes. Its, heartbreaking that people are living next to industrial waste and having literal garbage put into their water intentionally and it barely comes up in the news. I grew up poor, but I was still spared from stuff like this, and it really puts it into perspective that I still had privileges others didn't

[@ZennExile]

All poor people have been forced to live in the worst possible places since keeping people subject to authority poor to exploit labor was invented. What should break your heart is that we allow poor people to exist along side the wealthiest handful of people who have ever existed. But you've probably convinced yourself that poverty is a symptom of undesirable culture. Not the crime against humanity it actually represents in a modern society many thousands of times more productive than the agrarian alternatives it replaced. We went from almost no poor, to almost everyone is poor in 60 years. But it didn't break your heart until a politically driven message was delivered to you through media. What if I told you that YOU are the real problem because you exist and infect others with your selectively delusional perspective and the only solution to you existing, is you not existing? Would that offend you? Or would you be like, "nah that actually kinda checks out, I am bad for this world and humanity"? I mean, if it's the latter don't get it twisted gangster recognize gangster, but I have a feeling you have fully convinced yourself that the world is happening to you, rather than the reality that you are happening to it.

[@Gutlard]

Right. Put that trash mountain on the other side of town, so I have a nice view from the porch plx.

[@incharak1927]

@@ZennExile u really thought u ate?😂😂

[@naejimba]

You know, I hate the framing "privilege" as it implies that is what needs to change instead of viewing as it actually is, where there are people who are treated like shit and there is no excuse for it. To me it reeks of a PR spin to pit average people against one another taking the focus off the people who are the ones that are the problem and need to change. And look at the result... it worked. We went from something like Occupy Wallstreet almost overnight into the media changing that narrative to "white people bad." I just feel like framing it properly, where everyone has the same rights, and a threat to one person is a threat to all of us would unite people instead of pitting them against one another. The people who run this country do subtle manipulations like this.

[@ZennExile]

@@incharak1927 no matter how clean you are, we can still smell you, and anything you even sit near, from 50 feet away, once a month. You should change your kitty's name to Thanos.

[@TigerNightmare]

When friends were helping me decide where to move on separate occasions in separate cities on opposite ends of the country, they both warned me against certain zip codes, the east side of town, numbered streets, and anywhere near a street named Martin Luther King, Jr. And while it was true that these areas were run down and had problems with violent drug crime, the place I ended up moving to is currently undergoing extreme gentrification. My landlords are asking new tenants to pay double what my original rent was. And it's not like the neighborhood and the amenities they offer has changed in any significant way, let alone for the better. They just want to rent relatively small, cheap places to rich people, so someone like me would have to either live in the bad neighborhoods or leave town entirely. If you're rich, why would you want to live in a one bedroom, and if you're not rich, why would you pay extra to live in a one bedroom for the cost of renting an entire house somewhere else? Where do they expect people to live?

[@JoseFlores-xh5cj]

So now affording rent in a non-dangerous area is considered "rich" this days? I swear everybody wants to be a professional victim no matter how much BS comes out of their mouth

[@lostbutfreesoul]

The answer to this problem can be found here - Housing Crisis. I am not talking about the bubble that burst, though it did not help, but a while bunch of regulations created in the 1980's with the intent to... you guessed it... keep poor black people from moving into certain neighborhoods after Red-lining became illegal. By preventing certain type of houses from being constructed, such as mid-sized multi-family dwellings preferred by more "urban types," they figured they could keep the broken systems in place. They believed they could keep out the 'undesirables' by over-pricing the markets, pushing them to look elsewhere... have they succeeded? Heard of the term 'Not in my back yard?' That movement which created this problem is still fighting to keep it going... and winning, sadly.

[@TigerNightmare]

@@JoseFlores-xh5cj You can pretend all you want that affordable housing and gentrification aren't evergreen issues that have been around since before we were born. It doesn't change the fact that it happens or that this greed is shortsighted and causes problems for the entire region. Why would anyone work at Target for $10 an hour, $20,800 before taxes, when their rent is $1,800 a month/$21,600 a year? Are you suggesting people commute for an hour to work at Target? What about small businesses that pay minimum wage? They couldn't raise their wages if they wanted to because they have to pay the exorbitant cost of operating within the area like everyone else. These things kill cities. People are perpetually moving to the next place that has cheaper rents and thriving job markets until the same thing happens. It is unsustainable.

[@alex-qd6of]

@@lostbutfreesoul why do you assume the markets are overpriced for racist reasons, rather than because landlords and developers want to make as much money as they can?

[@The_R-n-I_Guy]

Nobody in power cares about those of us who don't have the money to help fund their campaign. If the people with donation checks want something, to hell with the poor

[@Cre80s]

The ultimate point here is that these toxic industries shouldn't be just away from "certain neighborhoods" but ANYWHERE!! No land needs to be trashed and poisoned like this, at all, ANYWHERE. If we can't exist without industries that are doomed to be so toxic, then we're all beyond fucked.

[@robcampbell3387]

100%. If your business model revolves around decimating the environment and ruining the health of residents then you shouldn't be in business.

[@tanyawade5197]

Truly!

[@michaelmiller5566]

There are sacrifices for industrialization. If there were no pollutants then you wouldn't have a phone to watch this...

[@Nobushido]

Yet all your food and belongings have contributed to the problem… unless of course you are a libertarian growing your own in the middle of nowhere.

[@Nobushido]

@@michaelmiller5566 yup, more “activists” need to hear this. They’ve done nothing but consume from the system they whine about. It’s always someone else’s problem.

[@COYG365]

“You can point at anything in America and ask, how is it racist?” John Oliver some time in the past

[@infl8urshoes]

I found a related appalling note - the U.S. Superfund has an official "Non Priority List (NPL)" that includes sites that have been on there for decades without any date by which they will be cleaned up. IMHO, every site meeting Superfund criteria must immediately be assigned a date within the ensuing 10 years when the cleanup will be COMPLETED. I think there's a hope that people will simply forget the site was declared toxic and ignore what leeches into the soil and nearby water in the meantime.

[@SicilianAmericanDreams]

In Portland Oregon we have a superfund site here our River that goes through the city is filled with toxic runoff from factories and poisoned fish that you can't eat and it's been a SF site for over 10 years now easily. They haven't even started any cleanup

[@franklewis6943]

"NPL" is an acronym for "National Priority List", not "Non Priority List".

[@ronkirk5099]

I was raised in So Cal during the 50's & 60's when air pollution there from cars (gasoline was still leaded and diesel was high sulfur) and industry was the worst in the country. In this case, air pollution was an equal opportunity killer and it affected everyone no matter where you lived in the valley. Long term studies have shown that children who lived in those conditions have 10-15% less lung function as adults than the population at large to say nothing of the IQ points shaved off by the lead we breathed. The Clean Air and Clean Water Acts alone have probably saved millions of Americans even if the results have been uneven and unfairly applied.

[@tigerlily1118]

Too bad the Supreme Court just repealed The Clean Water Act..... 😰

[@lincolnsand5127]

@@tigerlily1118 What? The SCOTUS has not struck down the Clean Water Act. I have no idea where you got that from. In fact, it got strengthened recently in County of Maui v. Hawaii Wildlife Fund (en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_of_Maui_v._Hawaii_Wildlife_Fund). Your comment is spreading misinformation.

[@joeybleu66]

true but socialism is very expensive. its hard wired right into your state constitution takes i think a 2/3 majority to change it. 13.3% personal income tax, how much sales tax and other regulatory ways of fleecing the citizens. its too expensive for the middle class they are leaving. Cali has had a population decline for 10 years. your weather is atrocious. but cali alone counted for four of the eight million votes Biden won by. just saying

[@marcinmarszaek3813]

You know, I really fell like at this point, whenever John is talking about literally anything, he can just add at the end of his monologue: "And of course, the black and latino people get twice the worst of it". But on a sidenote" puting a F*&(ing oil refinery arounf local cementary is just the most grimm yet the most honest representation of american thinking you can get today.

[@defundthepolice2007]

It’s not even just oil refineries. It’s also petrochemical refineries that pump out phosphates and other cancer causing chemicals.

[@RickKasten]

O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties, for cemeteries in low-income, high-minority population communities surrounded by oil refineries! O America, may God shed his grace on thee!

[@RevShifty]

Except that as bad as those communities get it, the 'red' communities are likely getting it even worse, without even the pretext of caring or desire to fix it coming from outside their communities. I'm not trying to diminish what black and brown Americans are experiencing at every level, I just don't want to see the indigenous communities ignored in conversations like this. And as bad as some black and brown communities absolutely have it, they're still not living next to open uranium mines or having their communities destroyed/massively damaged with nearly the same frequency.

[@marcinmarszaek3813]

@@RickKasten That sound's like some sort of Wall Street Adam Smith's prayer. Truly an american piece of culture

[@robocook01]

I know this is a bit off topic but: The richest and poorest zip codes in Canada are divided by one street in Vancouver, BC. On the west side of the street you have the financial/commercial district with big shiny buildings, clean sidewalks, streetside cafes and boutiques and on the east you have skid row, filled with decaying shuttered buildings, trash and needles strewn all over the sidewalks and the addicted homeless overdosing in broad daylight. Literally, the width of one road, 10 metres(30 ft) separates the richest from the poorest people in the country. It's completely insane. 😩

[@ForeverMe543]

The Baltimore Back River was only JUST classified as dangerously hazardous. My parents have told me it has been unsafe since they lived in Baltimore (they are 60). When we drive to my grandfathers (not white) it smells like death even with the car windows up.

[@MrUrbanApollo]

You know poor white people live in the same area.... I’m tired of white liberals ignoring other white folk because they wanna speak for us POC. We’re all the fucking same....

[@edwinwilkes4015]

Oh thank God he's not white! I would've thought you were fully racist instead of just a little racist

[@arizjones]

Black people have been in control of government in Baltimore for decades. So you are saying they are racist against themselves?

[@MatthewFrazierr]

Why did you put “not white”

[@bengaliinplatforms1268]

@@MatthewFrazierr To virtue signal, poor white people have none of these problems you see, because of white supremacy you see.

[@scottleespence752]

There is currently a situation here in Oakland, California where a marijuana grow operation has installed 10 diesel generators to power their lights. The operation is in a predominantly black neighborhood and has significantly affected the air quality.

[@lanafonseca5565]

Gotta get that weed bro

[@RM_VFX]

It's ironic that they voted for the chronic.

[@bradleybrown8399]

@@RM_VFX not everyone did.

[@izdotcarter]

Im an oakland resident. Which neighbourhood?

[@monicacurtis3986]

As someone who grew up in a Germantown (Wisconsin), I can say that statement is scarily accurate. I definitely made the right call moving.

[@tigerlily1118]

That's why I moved out of that state. Milwaukee and the southeastern part of the state is super segregated and supremely racist.

[@B_Cleric_Time]

As someone who grew up in Germantown, Philadelphia his joke couldn't have been further from the truth lmao

[@MaddTheSane]

@Tommy Taffy You first.

[@HLBear]

Justin Pearson is a State Rep in Tennessee now (2023) and isbdoing a fantastic job fighting for Memphis. Go Justin!!

[@TheRoonie222]

Ok, story time. I used to work for a private environmental consulting firm (picture the people that go contaminated sites and do all the testing for the property owners to stay in compliance with the local government). There was a gas station on the top of a hill. It was one of the most contaminated sites we had. I'm talking benzene levels around a thousand times higher than the legal limit in places. Directly adjacent and downhill from the site was a set of apartments. I remember helping drill the monitoring wells for the site. I was relatively new at the job so I still had some hope for the world. I was there with one of the PM's and I remember looking at the soil, with gasoline coating it, then looking back towards the apartments, and asking him, "should we tell them about it?" He said we'd ask our boss at the end of the day. So we do. Our boss says, "why would we tell the residents?" "Because there is a high chance that the soil they are living on is very contaminated." "Yes, but we are representing the clients, and if we inform the residents that's a law suit for the clients. Just give the information to the state." To my knowledge the residents of that apartment complex still don't know. I left that job in 2020. I'm pretty sure the reports for the state are public record and I'm not sure what I can say but I'll say if you live in Maryland in a town with a name similar to "Stonetown", next to a "on the move Pegasus" gas station near/on "Atlanta" Avenue, you might want to request those reports from the MDE.

[@seannahunt1613]

I know people who live around there. It's near a retirement community. Thanks for leaving the clues.

[@joeypeterson9198]

Why don’t YOU tell the residents if you think they don’t know?

[@dinof.8290]

That story sucked

[@Lucas-fl6py]

i can't believe this... are you referring to the one with the address number 30900/2? next to that curve in the road??

[@TheRoonie222]

@@Lucas-fl6py :) I love Greek food.

[@Hotshot2k4]

Environmentalism AND anti-racism within one political issue? I can't imagine anything exciting conservative lawmakers more than striking down any and all attempts at addressing this issue.

[@oioi3008]

🤡

[@espo6970]

The Shingle Mountain can be seen on Google maps and its not in a black community or any community, it's in an industrial area 1 mile east from a neighborhood that has asphalt shingles on all of their roofs and asphalt driveways in front of all the homes and the roads they drive on and the parking lots they park on are all asphalt. I also google mapped the pipeline, if it ran straight it would've cut right through the city but but going south under the city where they ran the pipeline is farmland where theres no homes, buildings, sewerlines, water mains, electral lines, sidewalks in the way, also no trees in the way so no roots so that would be the path of least resistance, around the city and through the farmlands makes sense to me.

[@mitchellblake1475]

McConnell would get an erection so fast it'd cause a sonic boom

[@Gobackto4chan]

You called it. There’s already an “alternative expert” in the comments downplaying it.

[@TheCowardRobertFord]

All you need is add guns and the trifecta is complete

[@pibyte]

Nothing better to start off the week than with a fresh video of John Oliver telling us how f****d we are.

[@Marijuanifornia]

The 1942 USDA film *Hemp For Victory* shows you how to change everything, but shitwits like John Oliver won't talk about it, so we end up with a world that is entirely fucked.

[@ngonzales3781]

Yea hes the real expert. Hes not just a terrible comedian, hes also an opinion from Twitter! :)

[@Onigirli]

@@ngonzales3781 Hatewatching is an illness

[@Fr3nchee]

I learned that in the UK (where I live) the rich areas are usually on the west side of cities because smog was usually blown east by the wind. So the rich moved west and the poor could only afford the east side. That's why the east side of cities are often still lagging behind to this day.

[@dthaysjr]

The thumbnail just said "Environmental Racism" and I thought - that is the stuff that the right makes fun of the left for. Then I watched it... huh... didn't know this is actually a real thing. Good job John, once again teaching us about real problems that actually matter.

[@corrupt1user]

It's not, it's CLASSISM. The rich have always dumped on the poor, Racism is just a diversion tactic to avoid talking about class.

[@benvoliothefirst]

Welcome, and in case you haven't realized it yet, the right is the devil.

[@Leopoldshark]

I would enjoy a 20 minute piece of the unequal conservation priorities of white bears (polar, half of pandas), while ignoring brown and black bears.

[@corrupt1user]

@@Leopoldshark Because polar bears are currently "vulnerable" whereas Black and Brown are both "least concern"?

[@jamesticknor1134]

It's because he really means "disparate racial impact". The left really needs to work on their terminology and slogans. I thought the same thing initially. Before watching it, I played a little game I often do with media titles that don't make sense to me. The game basically goes: How can this title possibly make sense? And I literally think about how it could make sense. Point being, it's not you; it's the poor messaging. This is probably the biggest edge conservatives have over us nowadays. Bill Maher isn't wrong when he harps on this.

[@VGaming559]

The same thing happened here in South Africa. Apartheid govt built black townships south west of heavy pollutant industries in johannesburg. This is because south westerly winds would blow all the pollution south west to those townships like Soweto. Their surbubs were all built east or north of johannesburg..

[@emmacoleman4644]

I learned the term 'slow violence' for it here in SA

[@MountainMan7.62x39]

It's unfortunate it didn't turn out the way it was supposed to

[@VGaming559]

@@MountainMan7.62x39 what do you mean?

[@eustatic3832]

SASOL (south African chemical company) operates a massive toxic ethylene cracker in the African American town of Mossville, LA. Which does not exist anymore. I think Louisiana is part of the Global South.

[@guess30629]

Thank you John Oliver and his team for keeping real stories like this alive instead of being kicked down the road as was clearly done with these poor people

[@danalaniz7314]

Another amazingly deep and relevant story. I was involved in the whole fiasco with trying to remediate the lead contamination in West Dallas when I worked for the City of Dallas. The soil in the federal housing project across the street from one of the largest lead smelters has to be removed twice and I'm not sure the issue was really solved.

[@Junksaint]

Slavery to segregation to the "drug wars" to industrial pollution redlining, but sure, keep saying there are no long-term ramifications of racism in America.

[@RevShifty]

Anyone who says something that stupid has immediately shown that their opinions (about anything, really) are worthless. You have to ignore decades of politics at every level, all detailed local ad regional history, the regular outcries and fights for better, etc at so many different points and levels that you simply can't know enough to have a valid opinion. Or you know it all and just play along and pretend it isn't valid for power, which turns ignorance into straight malice. Either way, it's an immediate sign that you can (and should) ignore everything they say

[@tylerhackner9731]

I love how hilarious yet still powerfully impactful this show is

[@harvey3rdman464]

@Mrs Blume Not with _that_ attitude, citizen.

[@oioi3008]

"Powerfully impactful" lmao

[@jaylahallen4326]

@@oioi3008 in only 12 hours this show received over 1 million views. That means at least 1 million people received some sort of awareness on environmental racism. I would say that is pretty impactful.

[@harvey3rdman464]

@@jaylahallen4326 Not to ignorant dolts and trolls. They only thrive on attention. Their mothers abandoned them or their fathers fucked them and take it out on everybody else. They can't help it. We should just pity them.

[@oioi3008]

@@jaylahallen4326 yeah its super powerfully impactful. I may even say super powerfully impactfully good

[@Secretfire21]

Ben Shapiro: there's no reason why these people shouldn't be able to sell their houses and move. (Through the wall): sell these houses to who Ben?! Fucking Radioactive man?!

[@anythingoriginal]

Sometimes you have to take a loss in life to truly move forward.

[@philw6056]

Sell the houses for peanuts to real estate companies. They demand that something has to be done. After something has been done, they sell the properties but this time on market value because the area has been environmentally and racially cleaned.

[@route99]

@@anythingoriginal Who are they in good conscience going to sell to? Another poor family to take those incredible risks? Homes are people's wealth in this country. So for you to just blithely suggest that poor families take a massive hit to their only source of wealth and just "move on" is the kind of privilege Florida school children can learn about because it will make the whites sad. What a privileged, buffoonish comment.

[@munkqiking7207]

@@anythingoriginal Guess so. Even when that house is all your already disenfranchised behind has left. But hey, let the corporations and racist lawmakers win again. What harm could that do, right?

[@ThomasFromTN]

@@anythingoriginal Your "let them eat cake" mentality marks you as precisely the person most despicable. Far more despicable than those who openly espouse embracing racist perspectives...because you have spun your perspective in your mind as one that - someone not taking a moment of somber reflection might not immediately deconstruct as inhumane and barbaric.

[@AnnieE2013]

Thank you, thank you, thank you for talking about East Chicago, IN!! Those of us who live in NW Indiana were 100% not surprised by the contamination or the lack of government response. We're literally just used to this crap.

[@FishCakeIce]

When I was in college, I did a project about the racial disparity of solar panel distribution, which might sound like the most boring and unimportant topic ever, but if you're watching John Oliver, I assume you're intelligent enough to understand the nuance of economic power disparity that can cause and patient enough to read my whole comment. Even when adjusted for home ownership and income, predominantly black and brown communities still deployed solar panels at lower rates than predominantly white, East Asian, and equally mixed communities. We found it was because, based on someone's zipcode, there were less government-subsidized solar panel deployment programs (basically the government pays you to put up solar panels or gives you a good loan) and the loans in the area were a lot less favorable (higher interest rates, lower loan amount). It's important because not only is solar panel deployment an indicator for other racial, economic, and environmental inequalities, solar panels provide quite a bit of benefit to the homeowner and community at large (cheaper electricity, less high-pollution energy production, increased value of home, increased value of community, boost in other clean environment programs, etc.)!

[@dutchguy7299]

How about planning, saving, etc.. is that a white thing? if black areas didnt receive subsidiaries, then thats disgusting of course.

[@vodkaboy]

very interesting thanks for sharing

[@shoesncheese]

I grew up in Memphis and you're pretty much correct about Germantown. My wife grew up in a very poor neighborhood in Central Illinois with a higher cancer rate than some surrounding counties. My wife had childhood cancer, both of her parents die of cancer. And, this is true, Chicago shipped its human waste to the area to be used as fertilizer for area farms. If you visit, don't drink the water.

[@LoneCourier2281]

I-uh, always drink the water in Memphis

[@RevShifty]

I have a friend from rural WV, in an area used to dispose of chemical waste. Mostly from the manufacture of things like teflon, kevlar, and similar unfriendly materials. She has three generations of various cancers, kidney issues, and 'mild' birth defects on both side of her family, and the whole area was effected similarly. There are a lot of similar stories dotting the rural South and Midwest. Because they're sparsely populated, the state governments don't give a damn, and no one cares about poor people, certain kinds of large business see the land and people as expendable.

[@wilsoncastleman656]

I grew up in Germantown and while it's true Memphis has a lot of problems water is not one of them. The aquifer that supplies the region is known to produce some of the cleanest water in the country.

[@LoneCourier2281]

@@wilsoncastleman656 this, Memphis has the best water

[@lynnerose7891]

Ppl who say I drink the water in MEMPHIS-and I’m a native of the city-he’s talking about NO DRINKING WATER IN CHICAGO.

[@prentisjackson1601]

I lived in Louisiana more than half of my adult life in the north east region, I never knew until the late 1990s that cancer alley even existed. The only reason that I found out is because of a good friend of mine who I met in the military lived not too far from there and that’s how I found out cancer alley existed because I had to pass through there to get to his home.

[@joeybleu66]

love canal remember that? i just learned about cancer alley today. the business of america is business. PAC rules now. we were fools to allow that. PACs own politicians. we vote for them but they dont work for us and they sure dont represent us right now. Big pharma has more lobbyists in DC than any other group. no wonder USA drugs are so outrageously expensive.

[@neosubzero2880]

I lived there til I was 21, and never knew it was called cancer alley til now.

[@eesguidetothegalaxy3907]

I work at a High School Roseland/Pullman neighborhoods in Chicago. Look up the behavioral issues of a child that might be affected by lead poisoning. Then look up and see Roseland is in the top 10 neighborhoods affected by this crisis. Now look up Koch brothers and "pet coke" and see another issue for my school. I think I might show your monologue to my students and then have them research the same items and see what they think... On a side note, been following you since the Daily Show, love your courage to engage audiences on a reasoned, researched, fact based, not afraid people will switch channels when confronted with the need to "think," attitude you have. TV is dying, streaming is only a prop to the future of things like snapchat or virtual reality. You're a smart, important, ethical person. Look beyond cable and find some other mediums to explore. Just my advice.

[@maxwortel8986]

When the writers of batman give you a fictional place called "crime alley" But real life gives you "cancer alley" Yikes

[@scottmcgee5446]

Funny enough, I've lived in south Louisiana all my life. Hell, there's a town here named Norco. New Orleans Oil Refinery COmpany The town was built around the plant for it's employees at the time. That's how most towns in and around the south were establish. Is by the nearest industry at the time. Now it's just a way of life for us. That man from Reserve is right. You just can't pickup and move. Not everyone has those kinds of funds or ability. When hurricane Isaac hit, New York and several other northern states asked why don't we move. "If you know you're gonna get hit by storms every year, why stay?" Then they got hit by hurricane Sandy, and they still stayed, but they got a taste of what it's like to not be able to move at the drop of a hat. Some things are still easier said than done.