Barring any last minute surprises, a couple of days from now Donald Trump will take to the stage of Saturday Night Live to engage in an evening of carefree hilarity. The program’s network and producers have so far shown no inclination to respect the millions of Americans who are offended by Trump’s undisguised bigotry, which to them is no laughing matter.
The opposition to Trump’s hosting gig has grown significantly with petition drives (here and here) that have gathered over 350,000 signatures. Nevertheless, NBC doesn’t seem to be the least bit dissuaded from permitting Trump to host their iconic comedy program even while Trump is the leading advocate for boycotting NBC/Telemundo’s Republican primary debate (the only GOP debate with a Latino sponsor).
The SNL controversy has been played out across the media spectrum including, of course, Fox News where the audacity of people protesting the repackaging of hate as comedy would not be tolerated. For example, this morning on Fox’s Outnumbered they did a segment about the protests that featured one of the hosts, Katie Pavlich, making a determined effort to outdo Trump’s own racism.
Pavlich: If these protesters spent just as much time protesting the illegal alien rapists and murderers who make their own community look bad, maybe Trump wouldn’t be saying the things that he is about their community.
Pavlich led off by regurgitating Trump’s repulsive insult to millions of peaceful, hard-working undocumented American residents, saying that they are rapists and murderers. Furthermore, she seems to believe that there are no Latino activists working every day on the issues related to crime and violence in their communities. And based on that ignorant assumption, Pavlich blames Latinos for the horrible lies that Trump tells about them. But she wasn’t finished.
Pavlich: (Con’t) So I suggest that if they don’t want that stereotype, if they don’t want the truth to be told about the fact that illegal immigration does bring with it a huge criminal element that we have to deal with in this country, they should spend there energies getting out the criminals in their own communities, then we can have a discussion about the people that remain here that haven’t committed those heinous crimes.
First of all, what Pavlich characterizes as both a stereotype and “the truth” is actually patently false. Studies have proven that immigrants are less likely to be criminals than the native-born. So maybe it is people like Pavlich that should stop shooting off their mouths until they rid their communities of criminal activity. Also, the notion that nobody can protest an injustice until every shred of any other bad behavior is eliminated, whether related to the protest or not, is just plain idiotic. Were that the standard, no one could ever protest anything.
So Pavlich made a compelling case for racists who want to distort the facts and spread fear and prejudice. And her co-hosts on the program unanimously agreed with her hate mongering. It was a nauseating display of unity for shameless bigots, but not surprising for Fox News. And when confronted with this sort of assault aimed at people exercising their constitutional right to protest, there is only one reasonable response, and it was made by these enlightened kids:
How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.
I’m done with SNL. This hispanic will not support a station that is allowing such an obvious racist and bigot to go on air and host their show! The SNL network can all go to hell!
Regarding those, “stupid petition drives”, Sir Richard Branson may have a strong disagreement: http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/the-power-of-petitions-to-drive-change.
sign all the petitions you want – your best bet is to convince people NOT to watch. Of Course this is Donald Trump we’re talking about – he is a master self promoter and he is fun to watch.
I have watched SNL ever since their first show in the 70’s. I will not be watching, though, for the Donald Trump show. It is the only, tiny way I can protest their booking such a dangerous and offensive person to host the show. But if enough other like-minded people boycott the show, it will tell NBC they goofed in the only language they understand–ratings. I hope they have the lowest ratings in the history of the show because of this atrocious choice of host.
Now that makes much more sense than an idiotic petition to silence people. We needed someone else from PA to make sense around here.
Do these people not understand what SNL does? Do they think Trump is going to come through this without being mocked and lampooned? On the 25th Anniversary SNL show, Chevy Chase dumped a bucket of popcorn on Trump’s head. Why is there any reason to think the current cast will treat him with any more respect?
Can someone explain the purpose of the petitions – are they to express your dissatisfaction with the network or are they to actually try and SILENCE someone? I usually assume the true purpose is to silence people with who you don’t agree – but I understand my interpretation is clouded by my complete contempt for your ideology and I will assume the worst. A non-propagandist explanation would be best. This is a genuine question – since I generally assume the worst and Mark insists I’m out to lunch with respect to your goals as a politically active group.
To add to my request – clearly the petitions themselves are clear – but what about the rank and file liberals?
If anyone’s perpetually offended it’s you, bub, not we.
I didn’t try. I succeeded. And I’ll outlast you every time.
Tag. You’re it. Told ya. I wasn’t kidding.
Twice now you’ve alluded to the notion that freedom of speech may be threatened. How has it come under threat?
Not exactly – what I’m suggesting is how you so-called “enlightened” leftists can accuse the right of being racist, intolerant, and so many other things – but then you seem to have no problem (in the extreme) being intolerant of views by others by actively trying to silence people with ridiculous petitions vs. just trying to convince people to make their own individual choice to just NOT watch as was stated by another poster here. It’s the typical hypocrisy of the left I’m pointing out. There is a BIG difference between people freely choosing not to watch and actively trying to silence other views. When those who disagree behave that way- you go from just respectfully disagreeing to becoming a danger to a free society. I’m not interested in just leaving you people believe there is some justification for that behavior – so I say something. And by now, you know how much I enjoy pointing out left wing hypocrisy.
Am I wrong Big Toe?
Always and forever, chump.
Yes.
Let me start with this–I recently viewed a description of snark which stated snark is perceived as either witty and sophisticated or asinine and sophomoric. You have the latter mastered, so there’s that.
Having said that, it seems to me that you’re unable or unwilling to differentiate between what’s free speech and what isn’t and what’s allowed when dissenting views are discussed. By your own admission, your interpretation is clouded by what you perceive is the progressive agenda. You assume you know things about the left but the views you state are influenced by what others on the right have erroneously told you.
Petitions are an expedient way for citizens to voice their displeasure or appreciation for a person or an issue, especially when not in a voting cycle. The idea of petitions is first referenced in the U.S. Constitution and is a sacrosanct form of voicing ones opinion. Calling them stupid or idiotic subverts another form of democracy, albeit not necessarily always in the political realm. In the Richard Branson link earlier, the poster didn’t seem to be advocating for any particular issue, just to inform that Branson had success with petitions and recommended their usefulness whether in the political setting or to influence the private sector.
Trump isn’t the target for the SNL petition–NBC is. And the petition is aimed at influencing NBC executives, not silencing them or Trump. Trump IS a racist, misogynist, xenophobe and a self serving egotistical bastard who talks on a fourth grade level and thinks because he’s rich, he’s always right. (It’s no wonder he attracts the constituents he does. There just like him). The left isn’t trying to shut him or NBC up but attempting get them to make the decision of keeping someone like Trump off their airways.
You are right; not watching would help influence future decisions. The number who have signed the petition is 350,000. Those of us who have signed would, if we could, show up at the doors to NBC. Imagine 350,000 protesters. Not only that, I would submit that for each person signing the petition, there are probably ten people for each of them that also have problems with NBC having a racist, misogynist, xenophobe etc. etc…. on their air. That’s 3.5 million people. That many people can affect their bottom line. And NBC is well aware of that. If they keep Trump on, they are calculating the losses they get as a result of the petition would be negated by the potential ratings.
We’re not trying to curb free speech, we’re trying to influence NBC to do the right thing. There’s nothing dangerous or hypocritical about that. It’s constitutional and it’s still their decision.
Well said, Bigtoe.
The right is always yammering about free speech when actually what they what is to suppress speech that they don’t like. If a conservative says something abhorrent, liberals are supposed to keep their mouths shut or be accused of hampering free speech. But free speech includes the right to respond to the speech of others.
Donald Trump’s free speech isn’t hampered if NBC rescinds the offer to host their show. Free speech is not a guarantee of access to every media platform. If it were, I would demand my access to SNL. Trump has no shortage of available options to speak, so anyone who contends that his rights are being hampered is just plain stupid.
And for the record, the Constitution’s reference to free speech rights only applies to the government, not private enterprises.
Well Bigtoe, that was long. And it’s amazing you don’t see how right I was in my post above, but not surprising as it would be a seismic shift in your beliefs.
Your 4th paragraph pretty much sums it up – you don’t think he and his message are of value or worthy of voicing – or maybe he is just a bad rich guy. Yes, he could be considered all those things you note, but who is the arbiter of that? You? Change.org? Or the viewers? Your target IS NBC AND TRUMP. You are trying to decide for the entire country who goes on the public airwaves (as you noted). That isn’t for you or the minions to which you belong to decide. The right thing is to let his ideas get out there and get rejected or accepted by people watching or tuning out. The petition is fine and bitching about him is fine too – but don’t delude yourself into believing it isn’t about silencing someone or punishing someone for allowing that person to present his ideas, no matter what grade level you think he appeals to. I don’t know how you can even think this isn’t about silencing certain messages. I admire the attempt though. I would state again – not watching NBC at the time he is on is the single, fairest way to decide if what he is selling should be on – not arbitrary or subjective opinions which you presented. You sound like your trying to convince yourself in all honesty.
Mark, you got that response to Bigtoe in while I was writing his response – you are amazing at justifying your ignorance. We know the 1st amendment is about protecting us from government overreach – but it doesn’t in any way mean you or any other private self appointed censor can regulate what we say on the public airwaves. You really do think the means don’t matter at all – just so your twisted ends are met and they are good in your eyes. As I’ve said before – you are without a doubt more dangerous to the people of this country than any ISIS nut. You won’t be happy until all ideas you find offensive are purged from society.
Wow, Steve. That’s even more deranged than your usual brain-dead, hostile, foolishness.
Although it’s kinda flattering that you think I’m powerful enough regulate the airwaves and more powerful than ISIS.