'SNL': Michael Che 'Weekend Update' Joke on Israel Blasted as Anti-Semitic
02/21/2021 10:37 pm EST
Netanyahu
Che's defenders argued that accusations of anti-Semitism are often used to defend the actions of Netanyahu specifically, but that they do not apply here. The Israeli Prime Minister is highly controversial for policy-based reasons, but not for his religion.
Facts
Many critics of Netanyahu wondered how it could be called anti-Semitic to be concerned about the disparate treatment of another minority group. They pointed out that the lack of vaccines for Palestinians is a verifiable fact, not a conspiracy theory.
Anti-Che, Anti-Netanyahu
Many commenters said that they are no fans of Michael Che, but nor did they think this joke was over the line. They argued that the joke was not anti-Semitic, but more likely anti-Apartheid.
Older Jokes
While they were debating the intent behind his Israel joke, many critics brought up other recent jokes Che has made, arguing that they were over the line as well. Whether they disliked this weekend's joke or not, most people acknowledged that Che's humor is controversial at best.
Reporting
Many users backed up their arguments about Che's jokes with links to in-depth articles about the situation for Palestinians. They argued that Che's critics were simply not well-informed enough to contextualize his joke.
Platform
Along the same lines, many users praised Che for making his joke about Israel, figuring that he knew he would come under fire for it. They saw this as an important issue to shine a light on, which comedy is often the best tool for.
Double Standard
Finally, many users argued that the people who are criticizing Che are, in some cases, supporters of even more dubious figures — including far-right conspiracy theorists. They argued that Che's joke was harmless, and that debating it would only give oxygen to the arguments of real anti-Semites.
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