Comedian Sarah Silverman is facing backlash after she appeared to offer an olive branch to QAnon conspiracy theorists in the wake of the Capitol riot, which left five people dead. Days after a mob of President Donald Trump‘s supporters stormed the Capitol building amid the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election, Silverman issued a tweet calling for Americans to “move forward together.”
Shared Sunday, Silverman in the post said, “any MAGA or Q conspiracy defectors can come sit next to me in the school cafeteria” and seemed to express sympathy, writing that she imagines “it’s really scary to lose the friends and sense of community.” She also said, “you’re [sic] past doesn’t have to define you.” She ended the tweet with a call for unity, writing, “let’s move forward together.”
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Silverman’s remarks echo those of numerous GOP lawmakers, who have called for “unity” and condemned Democratic efforts to remove the president from office, formally introducing an article of impeachment Monday charging him with “incitement of insurrection.” Reacting to the impeachment bill, Sen. Lindsey Graham said, “impeachment would be a major step backward” when stating “it is past time for all of us to try to heal our country and move forward.” Sen. Ted Cruz, in a statement released just a day after the riot, said “we must come together and put this anger and division behind us.”
Just as many are condemning the calls for unity in the wake of a violent riot, Silverman’s statement seeking to “move forward together” prompted backlash. While some seemed to agree with the sentiment or suggested that it may have been meant to be sarcastic, the comedian’s tweet racked up dozens of replies from those condemning it. Scroll down to see what people are saying.
Sarah, I love you so much. Especially your trust in humanity. Unfortunately, from what I’ve seen in my life, there are sometimes legitimately just evil people out there that can’t be redeemed no matter what you do. Please be careful.
— 💫Saint Jimmy💫 (@RocketYonder) January 10, 2021
Not until they own up to their ignorance
— Tom Ferruolo (@TFerruolo) January 10, 2021
I just returned from five weeks in Augusta, Georgia where I knocked on 1000 doors to help flip the Senate blue. I am exhausted physically and emotionally, do not have the bandwidth to talk to Trump cult followers. I will leave it to others to do that part.
— M Michelle (@mmLittleItaly) January 10, 2021
Sarah they think you’re part of a satanic pedophile cult that abducts children and eats them. I might rethink the lunch invitation.
— Kelly Burke ☘️ (@kelbelle10) January 11, 2021
I respect Sarah Silverman’s position here but… wow, this is a hard one to move on with. I don’t think I am ready yet. https://t.co/3JJOOhpDxj
— justin barrera (@FarmerPaco) January 11, 2021
You are not obligated to do this. If you can show compassion, more power to you, but you’re not weak for ejecting and excluding vile people either. Remember that. https://t.co/YSrnR28G5M
— 真礼w1ngz , 🇬🇧-Boo (@mareiw1ngz) January 11, 2021
Kumbaya! Nice, but their past does define them unless they disavow their past transgressions and truly want to move forward. FYI from what I am seeing the majority are just fine with insurrection and sedition.
— ConniS (@ConniS24110490) January 10, 2021
White supremacy is giving an endless amount of chances to white supremacists to do better next time
— Jake and The Derg WON Georgia 🎨⚖️💛🐝 (@JakeReif) January 10, 2021
Ill readily go along with this sentiment once we all acknowledge that the Big Lie about Trump winning this election was a lie, all who participated in this terror attack are punished and there’s an apology. Then we can begin to heal
— Feliatrix (@Feliatrix) January 10, 2021
I would hope you would require a shared reality before doing that. The problem with these people isn’t that they are evil, it’s that they are brainwashed into believing things that just aren’t true. They are also susceptible to influence by conspiracy theories. Need deprogramming
— Jeffrey Levy (@jeffreymlevy) January 11, 2021
Watch whiteness work https://t.co/wCISLbtnFe
— BJvG (@BJvGalen) January 10, 2021
I can’t be friends and move forward with people who literally want me dead. https://t.co/uh8Lc1pjG8
— MVH (@123itsmeMary) January 11, 2021
Really? I’m sure they’ll be happy to wear their “Camp Auschwitz” or “6MWNE” shirts brunch if with you. What do you think this is? High school counseling?
— Evan L. (@evanlee96) January 11, 2021
Sorry Sarah, I disagree.
— Doctor Skeptismo (@DoctorSkeptismo) January 11, 2021
These are the same people who say black and brown people are not their equals.
That are totally ok with putting brown children in cages.
Sitting next to them at the cafeteria is not in the menu for me.
Not until they show me they learned something.
