We all remember Tina Fey’s SNL interpretation of Sarah Palin during the 2008 election season. The combination of Fey’s comedic timing and her ability to master the memorable accent, speech patterns, and mannerisms of the Alaskan governor proved consequential in criticizing everything from Palin’s stance on foreign policy to her infamous interview with Katie Couric.
Now, we have Alec Baldwin’s critical and spot-on impersonation of Donald Trump to dominate our newsfeed and conversation come Sunday morning. Satire news has re-shaped our political atmosphere, even sparking outrage from President Trump himself as well as other key political figures of our time. Ratings and reactions suggest that SNL and other forms of satire news and media are having an actual influence on how people think and even vote in some cases, entangling the worlds of entertainment and politics to create a hybrid that is both unpredictable and unrecognizable.
The comment thread on any number of SNL’s political parodies highlights our undeniable divide while welcoming a heated political debate on whether Trump will sink or swim in his new position. While Trump is trying to adjust to life in Washington, SNL and other forms of media have to start embracing their role in reshaping and criticizing the political process. To go even further, all of us need to start using our voice to defend the truth, and hold the government accountable for their actions moving forward. This is isn’t about party lines, this isn’t about Hillary, and it isn’t even about Trump; this is about effective communication and protecting our first amendment rights for all people.
“Yes, this is real life. This is really happening.” Alec Baldwin boldly asserted as he took the stage in the first SNL sketch of 2017. Yes, Donald Trump is the President, and for many American’s this is an episode of The Twilight Zone that won’t end with Rod Sterling bringing us back to reality.
In the past, times of great political uncertainty have meant that hard-hitting honest journalism was praised as a source of serious truth, but, as Trump wages his war on the media, they too must take this opportunity to rethink their place while they still have the freedom to do so. This is not normal, nothing about Trump’s presidency thus far has been normal, and we can expect a lot more of that going forward. Trump must (but will never) understand the media’s role in using critical analysis is to help his administration understand public opinion; his ego has grown too large to use constructive criticism to his advantage in trying to prioritize bipartisanship and internal unity. He see’s his critics as his enemy and the opposition as a threat - a dangerous assertion of arrogance for such a powerful world leader. Not being able to interact with the opposition effectively poses a huge domestic threat, and has the serious ability to ruin peaceful foreign relationships that took decades (if not longer) to acquire. With that in mind, the media, including satirical entertainment, has a huge job in assuring people everywhere that the popular majority is not going to normalize these antics, and must then be available to openly criticize and even mock the lack of leadership on display.
One thing you learn in any introduction journalism course is that there is no “mainstream media”, at least not anymore. Facebook and Twitter have become tools for the average American to use their political voice and become an active part of the debate. The argument that the conversation is above you, or that your message can’t be received, is a thing of the past. Using social media to your advantage might not have any immediate or direct effect on policy, but, in large numbers, we are able to broaden our sphere of influence and rally for change.
The media is your friend – and these outlets for communication can be effective if used properly. ‘Properly’ means that you do your research and, if you decide to take on the role of ‘citizen journalist’, that you can differentiate between fact and fiction and use your voice to spread truth. While your Facebook post probably won’t be featured for the world to see, you have the power to influence your closest friends and relatives to take a stand, to think more critically, and to defend the truth. You are not powerless and your first job in resisting the Trump Administration is to protect the freedom of the press at all costs. Limiting what can and cannot be said should be an immediate warning sign, on either side of the aisle.
This is about being active; if you seek change but never make an effort to fight for it, even in the smallest of ways, you limit all of us in our ability to enact change moving forward. Use your voice, do your research, and defend our core democratic values to create a future that works for everyone, not just a select few with power.
One day, Trump will leave the oval office and another will come to take his place. With this strong of a divide, democracy is fragile, and it is easy for someone like Trump to abuse his power and embolden the party lines that keep us from working together effectively. Other democratic nations have been through similar periods of uncertainty, and history has already written their stories, counted their losses, and watched them fall.
This is your chance to give future historians something new to write about; we can become a bystander to the harsh reality of fascism or we can be the popular majority that stood up for what is right. This is your chance to write the history that generations ahead will review the same way we study the rise and fall of democratic countries like Greece and Germany. We fight hard now so future generations see that we stood up to our oppressors, and that America will always be a place where we celebrate and accept everyone.
