Trevor Noah of The Daily Show does almost eight minutes on the disparate treatment of refugees from different parts of the globe — and the result has the chilling effect more of a top-tier 60 Minutes expose than the typical comedy show content. Indignation, of course, has long been at the heart of comedy, but some issues are too dire to top with laughter. And on the refugee crisis caused by the Russian invasion, Noah doesn’t really try.
While Noah is heartened to see the Ukraine refugees being welcomed in Europe, he points out poignantly how different this treatment is from that received by refugees of other war-torn countries, like Syria.
It's great to see Ukraine's neighbors welcoming refugees with open arms. But it's worth taking a look at why refugees from Africa and the Middle East haven't received the same treatment. pic.twitter.com/1ebe5zqeqq
— The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) March 4, 2022
Noah uses a great deal of news coverage in his take, which has the effect of letting the atrocities and indignities speak for themselves. Then he points out that this could be a moment to learn something, perhaps at least that “refugee is not a synonym for brown people.” Noah notes that “maybe one day, you could be a refugee. I hope it doesn’t happen to you,” he says, “but it could.”
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