Never Give an Inch to Those Who Wish to Silence You

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If you haven’t watched comedian Dave Chappelle’s recent Saturday Night Live opening monologue, you should.

Dave is one of those rare individuals who navigates the world with a curious and open mind. One of those rare birds who thinks before he speaks, is measured in his responses and tries to see all sides of an issue, resulting in an incredibly clear perspective. I suppose that’s why he makes the big bucks.

There’s little surprise he’s compared to George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy. Men we consider prophets, poets and storytellers in addition to being funny as hell.

It’s not Dave’s crisp understanding of the world and its happenings that makes him so compelling. It’s how he articulates his opinions on said happenings. Every word has a purpose. Every pause provides an opportunity for reflection. You can’t help but lean in close when he speaks.

Not everyone likes what Dave has to say.

Dave touched on the most recent Kanye West and Kyrie Irving antisemitism controversies during his monologue. As usual he cracked jokes throughout his commentary. The Anti-Defamation League’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt had this response:

“We shouldn’t expect Dave Chappelle to serve as society’s moral compass, but [it’s] disturbing to see [SNL] not just normalize but popularize antisemitism. Why are Jewish sensitivities denied or diminished at almost every turn? Why does our trauma trigger applause?”

I’ll leave it to you to watch the video and formulate your own opinion. My opinion is Dave did what Dave does best — taking a complicated, multi-faceted series of events and providing thoughtful observations with a touch of brevity and humor. There was no malice. No ill-intent. Dave didn’t diminish or deny Jewish people. Saturday Night Live is not normalizing or popularizing antisemitism.

Dave champions speaking one’s mind and holding true to one’s ideas and beliefs. And he does so in front of the entire world for all to see (and criticize). If he can make his way through the muddiest of waters and remain strong, so can we.

Today it’s an inch, tomorrow it’s a yard

Power and its pursuit are what define our society in 2022. Various groups jockeying for influence over the masses. Republicans and Democrats. Fox News and CNN. Bears fans and Packer fans.

Part of this pursuit of power involves obliterating those who don’t share your worldview. It’s not about being better, it’s about reigning supreme. It’s not about countering bad ideas with good ideas, it’s about going scorched earth on ideas (and people) that aren’t aligned with yours. Winning doesn’t mean beating the other team, it means eradicating them from the history books.

Words and ideas, not bullets, are the weapons of mass destruction in this war for power.

Most tragically, this war isn’t only fought by those politicians and celebrities and sports icons who reside on Mount Olympus. It’s fought by you, by me, by our landlords, teachers, families and friends. And it’s tearing us apart.

Families are fragmented. Friendships are ruined, or have become shells of what they used to be. We walk on eggshells at work. We avoid each other on the sidewalk. Relationships between men and women have never been more contentious.

We are shamed into silence. And then we’re told “silence is violence.” We are bullied into compliance. And then we’re told we’re too nice, we don’t have what it takes to get ahead. We are coerced into accepting one set of ideas. And then we’re told we’re too close-minded, too dogmatic, too extreme.

Do not give one inch to those who wish to silence you. Those who wish to bully you, intimidate you, manipulate you into one particular viewpoint. Today they take an inch, tomorrow they take a yard.

Dare to hold a different opinion in the face of objection. Act in accordance with your beliefs and remain steadfast in those beliefs. Think before you speak, know what you mean, and mean what you say.

Follow Dave’s lead.