![]() In the end, the bill passed, and billions of dollars were made available for victims through the next 10 years. He also blitzed the media to draw attention to the issue. In 2019, with funding running out for first responders who got sick after working near ground zero, Stewart testified before Congress and tore lawmakers a new one for not helping those who had shown such bravery. Perhaps it was his frustration at not seeing tangible change arise from his comedy alone that inspired him to try his hand at more traditional activism on behalf of 9/11 first responders. I thought he was being humble, but when I pressed him, he ticked off topics he had addressed in his comedy - from media sensationalism to big money in politics - yet he had seen no real movement for the better. When I interviewed him in 2011 for “The Muslims Are Coming!” - a comedy documentary I co-directed - Stewart said his comedy had resulted in no impact on the issues he wanted to see changed. Stewart has clearly set out to make a show that is not just funny but that also intentionally pushes for change. "We support our troops, unless they actually need support," Stewart said as he featured veterans who said the government had turned its back on them after they’d risked their lives for the country. military veterans who became gravely ill from breathing toxins emanating from “burn pits” the military set up outside their overseas bases to burn everything from garbage to human feces. Staff writer Miles J.The first episode gave us a taste of what we can expect. Trust me, what you’re going to do will matter. “You are the glue, foundation, and everything. “You are going to be those people,” Stewart said. In his closing remarks, Stewart said the government system is “incentivized to be adversarial to the people” and propped up by hundreds of dedicated legislative aides. “They’ll always look for little ways to back off of doing the right thing or something that might cost some extra money.” “They will do almost anything, to not have to do almost anything,” Stewart said about members of Congress. Stewart also said it was a struggle to convince Congress to pass laws supporting veterans. “If we can’t do it for them, what chance do the rest of us have?” he said. He added that the United States is often "performative in its patriotism," saying that "there is nothing that we won’t do for our fighting men and women" except take care of their needs.Ī nation’s capacity to care for its servicemen is the “lowest hanging fruit” and a marker of its ability to provide for the welfare of the general population, according to Stewart. Stewart also drew a distinction between supporting military service members and supporting the actions they are ordered to carry out in fulfilling their duty. “What I do suggest is, I care deeply,” he added. “I always really shy away from the types of labels that are reductive,” Stewart said. “Once you begin to recognize that, you become even more certain that the decisions that are made that affect lives and their families’ lives are sometimes made frivolously - and without concern for the cost to that human capital,” he said.īut despite Stewart’s advocacy for first responders and veterans, he said he would not label himself a “patriot.” He said his trips to the hospital helped him understand that “the value of this country - in terms of its military, in terms of all of it - is in its human capital.” Stewart said he vocally opposed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan on “The Daily Show” and began visiting injured troops at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. “When I found out the struggles that they were having based on this selfless giving that they had done, I tried to turn that fury into something positive.” “I was so appreciative of everything that they were giving and so devastated by what we were all feeling,” Stewart said. Stewart said he was inspired to advocate for first responders while living in lower Manhattan, where he witnessed the work of emergency workers and volunteers firsthand during the 9/11 attacks. Army, moderated the discussion with Stewart. Duggan, who both previously served in the U.S. Capitol to speak with lawmakers in person. ![]() Stewart has often urged Congress to pass legislation improving health care access and boosting funding for veterans and 9/11 first responders, frequently traveling to the U.S. ![]() Jon Stewart, a comedian and former longtime host of “The Daily Show,” advocated for increased support for veterans and first responders at a Harvard Institute of Politics forum Friday afternoon. ![]()
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