Comedian Sarah Silverman says 'patriotism is perverted'
Kelly Wright reports from Washington, D.C.
Comedian Sarah Silverman recently wrapped the first season of her variety series “I Love You America,” in which she tries to find common ground with people who have differing political opinions. Now she’s reflecting on what the experience has taught her with regards to patriotism and religion in America.
Speaking to Vice, the 47-year-old star’s Hulu show has tackled many topics during its 10-episode run on Hulu, giving her a unique insight into the nation. When asked how she viewed the concept of patriotism, she had some choice words to share.
“The right has perverted the meaning of being liberal, or being feminist. Even ‘social justice warrior’ is an insult. We pervert language so much. Patriotism has always been a bit owned by the right,” Silverman said.
“Patriotism is perverted. We’re not on the same page of what it means. To me, being patriotic is loving your country — being a citizen, having a voice, being e pluribus unum. How perverted it is to go from 'We are one' to 'We are number one,' which is such a childish idea,” she continued, arguing that Donald Trump falls into the category of “childish.”
Silverman accused the president of stopping his emotional growth at eight years old, while marveling at his ability to claim the presidency anyway.
Her comments weren’t just reserved for criticism of the American right. The star touched on religion as well, arguing that the right paints American muslims with a broad brush while the left does the same with Christianity.
“Like patriotism, religion can be sometimes used as a weapon, or to support someone’s own narrative or fears and prejudices. These Christian-fringe, Roy Moore, do-what-I-say- not-what-I-do people––they’re not very Jesus-like. I see them as fringe the way I see ISIS as fringe,” she said. “But when we look at the fringe as a whole, it’s dangerous. That’s why there’s the Muslim ban. They’re taking a tiny fraction of a people that’s loud and making it the entire people. That’s dangerous. The left often does that with the religious right. The religious right is not all of religion. The notion of religious freedom used to be this beautiful notion that all religions can come here and practice. What it’s become is legal homophobia—or racism.”
While Silverman’s comments seem to be playing both sides of the aisle, she makes no secret out of the fact that she herself tends to skew to the left-leaning philosophies of the world. As previously reported, she received some backlash after suggesting the military overthrow the president. Her series “I Love You America” can be viewed on Hulu.
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