Comedian Stephen Colbert’s testimony before Congress has been a minor news story throughout the weekend. But what did Colbert’s appearance say about the way political conversation happens today?
There has been plenty of discussion on Colbert’s appearance before the House Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law Subcommittee hearing on Protecting America's Harvest. Some say it was inappropriate, others say he embarrassed himself , while some just say that the committee was “displeased” with his appearance. All of these standard responses are pretty generic after politicians have egg on their faces, but we really should be grateful for what Colbert did.
The “Colbert Report” (in the show both “T’s” are silent), is where Colbert’s spoofs other talk shows on cable, more specifically Bill O’Reily’s show. When Mr. Colbert appeared before the congressional hearing he stayed in character, while giving his testimony about illegal immigrant farm workers.
Why we should be grateful, is that Colbert gave us a clear understanding of how many on the Left view people on the Right. He made a clear minimization of the positions of many, boiling those positions down to the point where every position was a joke. The response of the crowd in the chamber showed that people were very clearly happily responding to a negative stereotype being reinforced.
This isn’t new, think of the lyrics to Archie Bunker’s them song, “we could sure use a guy like Herbert Hoover.” This is the way that many on the Left would like to stereotype the Right. However, was there any serious person in the 1970’s who was clamoring for a Hoover-like administration? Archie Bunker was a glimpse of the way many on the Left viewed the Right. Likewise, Steven Colbert has become the Archie Bunker of our times. So now the Right is reminded of the way many on the Left look at yous positions.
It is pretty difficult to have a productive conversation with someone who would only see your position as a joke.
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