Quantcast
CultureMass
  • Home
  • Impact
  • Are You Entertained?
  • Life Unfiltered
  • Opinion
  • Best Of the Net
No Result
View All Result
CultureMass

Tina Fey Returns To SNL For Smackdown

Tina’s alma mater was a healthy, encouraging place for her. It was somewhere she felt at least relatively safe, and now that place is tarnished, unsafe for many people, but specifically Jewish people, people of color, and LGBTQIA people.

Frankie Reed by Frankie Reed
|
April 20, 2017
in TV
Tina Fey Returns To SNL For Smackdown
62
SHARES
132
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

If you haven’t seen the Weekend Update segment where Tina Fey discusses her alma mater University of Virginia in Charlottesville and the grotesque event held there, you need to watch it. You can find it on Saturday Night Live’s YouTube channel here.

Once you’ve seen it, there’s a lot to sift through apart from the obviously dark, albeit humorous message. Tina’s alma mater was a healthy, encouraging place for her. It was somewhere she felt at least relatively safe, and now that place is tarnished, unsafe for many people, but specifically Jewish people, people of color, and LGBTQIA people. This place is unsafe – and it’s not clear when it became so. I suspect it happened slowly, over time, bit by bit, as people pushed boundaries and became more and more open about their true feelings, much like in an abusive relationship.

In order to understand the full message, it’s necessary to call things what they are – the white nationalist, neo-Nazis who paraded boldly around Charlottesville’s UVA campus were not using their right to free speech. They were engaging in hate speech. They were not only threatening violence, they were violent. These people felt so convinced that they had a right to cause harm to other human beings that they forewent masks and let us see their faces. They feel as if they have the power to run people out of the country – any people they deem worthless, less than, or broken. People like your friends, neighbors, and family. Maybe even someone like you.

We’ve seen this before. It has happened several times around the world. For whatever reason, humans are bent on destroying those they fear or hate because we are offensive to them – they do not understand us and they don’t want to – they simply wish to cease our existence.

What’s worse, it has been such a gradual emergence that those who were ignoring it, or somehow not paying attention were caught off guard, unsure of what to do now that this intense hatred was out in the open. The police didn’t move when the violence started – they protected Nazis who caused harm to people who were peacefully protesting. What does that say about our police force? Can we trust them to change tactics and protect the peaceful and disband the destructive?

Here’s the thing – we can’t pretend this isn’t happening. This is a repeated pattern throughout history. But we are at the beginning of a new cycle. We can change it this time. It can be different. We will need to make difficult choices. We will need to speak up, to confront hate where it lives, even if it lives in the hearts of those we love. We need to educate ourselves, protect those around us, and be ready to support those who need us to speak out. If we do not, we become complicit with the hate around us.

Tina Fey’s bleak comedic speech was brave. It was bold. It speaks to the need for outspoken anti-hatred. And it also points to a chink in white nationalist, neo-Nazi armor. What does a powerful (or seemingly powerful) person or group fear? Loss of power. What makes something or someone lose power? A loss of fear. And what helps us lose fear? Laughter.

Tina Fey gave us a weapon to use against these despicable people. She gave us laughter. They are ridiculous for thinking they can divide us. They are exceptionally silly to believe that they are right to hate. And it’s utterly absurd to think that they can control us now.

Tags: Saturday Night LiveTina Fey
Previous Post

White People Ruin Everything, Including Ghost In The Shell

Next Post

Is Boss Baby A Morality Tale For Adults?

Frankie Reed

Frankie Reed

Frankie Reed has been writing about culture and entertainment since 2012. A degree in Communications and diploma in Acting have only furthered Frankie's passion for clear, concise discourse, integrity, and a kind spirit. If you need a safe space in which to tell your story, CultureMass and Frankie are here to listen.

Next Post
Is Boss Baby A Morality Tale For Adults?

Is Boss Baby A Morality Tale For Adults?

Discussion about this post

Recommended.

In New York, Intolerance Has Become Routine

In New York, Intolerance Has Become Routine

September 25, 2018
Catharsis: Watching American Horror Story: Coven, For The Very First Time

Catharsis: Watching American Horror Story: Coven, For The Very First Time

November 21, 2017
ADVERTISEMENT

Trending.

Malea Tjandrawidjaja Stole The Show And Our Hearts

Malea Tjandrawidjaja Stole The Show And Our Hearts

September 27, 2018
Knives Out Kills With Kindness

Knives Out Kills With Kindness

August 20, 2020
The “Freshman 15” Is A Myth

The “Freshman 15” Is A Myth

September 26, 2018
Inside Meghan Duggan and Gillian Apps Storybook Love

Inside Meghan Duggan and Gillian Apps Storybook Love

September 27, 2018
If You Want To Eat Clean And Green, Is The Future Halal?

If You Want To Eat Clean And Green, Is The Future Halal?

September 27, 2018

From Our Partner

CultureMass

We are independent thinkers fueled by the different cultures we encounter and the conversations of the people that inspire us.

CultureMass is part of CultureMass Media, LLC. © 2020 All rights reserved.

AdChoices
  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Advertise
  • Send us a tip
  • Contact Us
  • AdChoices

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

Newsletter

Enter your email to receive our official newsletter. The newsletter is completely free, we won’t send spam, we won’t share your personal information, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Impact
  • Are You Entertained?
  • Life Unfiltered
  • Opinion
  • Best Of the Net

© 2020 CultureMass is part of CultureMass Media, LLC. All rights reserved.

  • Login
  • Register
Lost Your password?
You don't have permission to register
LOGIN