It's been a disappointing couple of days for those of us who believe in social justice. Doubly so because putative "allies" like Patton Oswalt simply don't know how to check their damn privilege. Can you believe this?
My fellow progressives and liberals: In 2015, how 'bout way less outrage & "I can't even" and WAY more laughing & counter-punching?
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) January 12, 2015
This response says it better than I ever could (not that I would ever dare to say anything, as it's not my place to interject my opinion into this fight; I need to just sit here and listen and watch and learn):
White straight cis male @pattonoswalt would really appreciate it if y'all would just TONE IT DOWN.He's trying 2 sleep pic.twitter.com/IyjqcplA6A — Ijeoma Oluo (@IjeomaOluo) January 12, 2015
Preach.
Now, I understand that sometimes Patton Oswalt gets frustrated when the voiceless speak up. But he needs to tamp that anger down. That's his privilege rearing its ugly head: a straight, white, cis male never feels uncomfortable telling the oppressed to shut up. And it's almost more frustrating that he couches his complaints in the language of humor. That he thinks it's "funny" to tell the marginalized they must remain voiceless is a real horror show. No, Patton, progressive websites like "Salon" have not "become Fox News," as you so callously suggested. That's a horrible thing to say. Salon punches up. Fox News punches down. There's a big difference. And if you can't see that, well, maybe you're part of the problem.
Today he made another critical faux pas. On the surface, this joke seems like it wouldn't be too problematic. After all, he's making fun of a conservative Re-thug-lican from Texas:
"They won't be laughing about me being head of NASA when I bring back all that delicious cheese from the moon." -- Ted Cruz
— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) January 13, 2015
But, as I noted on Twitter, this is a really horrible display of anti-intersectionality:
wow a white comedian making fun of a hispanic man’s intellect #smdh #privilege #ThisIsAFunAndNotDumbWayToArgue pic.twitter.com/DGaWE55R2F
— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) January 13, 2015
I mean, look, say what you will about Ted Cruz—and I have my problems with his positions, don't get me wrong—but he's undeniably a smart guy, having graduated from Harvard and Princeton. But here is Oswalt, playing on tropes about the dumb Hispanic, the moron who is too stupid to know that the moon isn't made out of cheese. What's next, a day laborer crack?
Oh, I'm sure some will say that we should just lighten up. That we should "learn to take a joke." That we should "shove our feelings inside so as not to make white people uncomfortable." That crap doesn't fly with me. Humor's no excuse. Patton Oswalt says he wants to "fight conservatives with satire." But if he doesn't understand the limits he should be imposing on his own sense of humor, then maybe he's just not an ally that we warriors of social justice need.