There's been a huge change in the type of content that I create over the past year. When I started my YouTube channel, I focused on weird news stories and commentary.
After doing stand-up for the better part of a decade, this seemed like a good fit for me and my personality. I could find obscure, odd stories in the news and attempt add a humorous spin on them. I rarely discussed current events or topics that were political in nature, not that I didn't care about politics, but I held a mindset that I didn't want to get into the "political realm."
As a comedian, I just wanted to be funny and not polarizing. When you dive into politics, you immediately split the room. I wanted people from all walks of life and on the political spectrum to enjoy what I was trying to do. I've always been a bit "radical" politically, but I never told political jokes as a stand-up comedian. I thought it would box me into only telling certain types of jokes, and limit any potential audience.
However, over the past year and a half a lot has changed. We now have a convicted felon as president, for the first time ever in US history. The president is attacking countries that have resources he wants, and his entire administration is espousing right-wing extremist views. They're insider trading on current events.
I got to the point that I couldn't keep my mouth shut, and I don't really care anymore if that's polarizing.
I've always been of the mindset that both Republicans and Democrats are corrupt, being funded by millions in corporate special interests. However, that's no longer entirely true. While politicians are always going to follow the money, there is a deep divide between one party that wants universal healthcare and equal rights, versus another that 100% doesn't.
Trump's MAGA movement has brainwashed millions of people into a cult-like subculture that is extremely dangerous. Right wing media outlets have sold their souls. They've convinced millions of people that they're in danger from people that don't look like them, who don't have the same gender identity, or practice the same religion as they do. They've convinced their audience that they need to attack groups of already disenfranchised people.
The US president is posting about wiping out entire civilizations, amongst other war crimes... They've convinced millions of people that illegal voting is happening, despite having no evidence. They've convinced millions that science doesn't matter, that vaccines aren't saving lives, and that taking care of the environment is for the weak-minded.
They've managed to convince their base that, in a country built by immigrants, that immigrants are the enemy. They're violating constitutional rights on a daily basis, and no one is doing anything to stop them.
Every day of this presidency is worse than the last, and people voted for this. I felt like I had two choices... I could either just roll along with it and hope that it gets better on it's own, or I could take an active role in voicing my opinions and calling out the disgusting behavior as well as hypocrisy of our government.
I didn't want to be passive at a time like this. I felt like I had an obligation to speak up, and speak out against this administration's dive into fascist territory. We have a duty to speak out against tyranny and corruption.
Maybe I won't make a difference. Maybe I won't be popular. I don't care. I know that I'm on the right side of history, and I won't stand by in silence while our freedoms are stripped from us.
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