Episode Report Card Jacob Clifton: A+ | 6 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT Je Ne Regrette Rien
By Jacob Clifton | Season 4 | Episode 12 | Aired on 01.13.2013
STATE'S ATTY
Peter: "Geneva Pine, old gal. Thanks for doing this."
Geneva: "Doing what, exactly."
Peter: "Telling me I'm not racist."
Geneva: "Don't thank me yet."
Peter: "Well, okay. Like, how am I doing?"
Geneva: "In what arena?"
Peter: "In being a racist, for example."
Geneva: "Um."
Peter: "Wait, am I doing this wrong? Are you uncomfortable?"
Geneva: "This is already a shitshow and like I just sat down."
Peter, verbatim: "I need to self-evaluate. There will be no repercussions one way or another. None. So how am I doing on racial bias?"
Geneva: "Is this a trick? It feels like a fucking trick."
Peter: "Only because the entire world is set up this way. Trust me, I get it. I'm trapped by it too. I can pretend to be honest and level with you all day, but we still live in the world."
Geneva: "Like how white people say they don't see race, and ask why minorities keep bringing it up."
Peter: "Because really, doesn't that make you the racist."
Geneva: "Fine. Yes, you're racially biased."
Peter: "I am? That legitimately makes me feel HORRIBLE about myself. Maybe this was a bad idea. Tell me your proof so I can shoot it down."
Geneva: "You have fired five African-Americans and promoted two Caucasians."
Peter: "Coincidence! I win."
Geneva: "Yeah, see that's what I'm talking about."
Peter, verbatim: "Oh, wait. Wait. Geneva, I'm sorry. Let's start over. Tell me."
Geneva: "Ha! This is the worst. I actually feel sorry for you. We are both in this together, honestly. I had no idea literally speaking truth to power would feel so much like compassion."
Peter: "I had no idea asking for the onslaught of my abuses of power would make my tummy hurt like this!"
Geneva: "Cary Agos was not ready to be promoted to deputy. Matan Brody was, I was, together we had two decades more experience, but you promoted Cary because you liked him. You fired Wendy Scott-Carr, you demoted Dana Lodge."
Peter: "But there were reasons!"
Geneva: "There are always reasons. Legitimate ones. The difference is that they had reasons for staying. And your reasons matter more than theirs. Automatically, baked into the cake, your voice is louder."