John Oliver Disagreed with Tucker Carlson, Called Him a Racist and Moron

Tucker Carlson’s crime of independent thinking got him a bashing from John Oliver and his fans. Oliver mostly skipped over the part where he explained why Carlson — who had issues with the Sesame Street special on race last week — was wrong and went straight to the searchable keywords. Oliver gave Carlson three options to respond to. He can check off a) that he’s racist, b) that he’s dumb, or c) both, which happened to be Oliver’s guess.

“It’s a children’s show. Got that, Bobby? America is a very bad place and it’s your fault,” Carlson said on Fox News. ”So no matter what happens, no matter what they do to you when you grow up, you have no right to complain.”

I’m sure many agreed with Carlson, and many despised what he said. That’s what makes American so great. We can disagree — at least that is what we thought.

Oliver stooped to a level familiar to most personalities in the entertainment and media circles. Instead of explaining his view, or offering to debate Carlson, he settled for the conversation stoppers: “racist” and “moron.”

There was a time when winning an argument was defined by proudly defending your perspective. That has since been replaced by belittling the opposition. Ensuring they are silenced, not heard.

If you disagree with groupthink, you may be called dumb, racist, or even, as Oliver suggested, both. Sadly, there are both racists and morons out there. But it’s not everyone who disagrees with those who wake up bothered and seeking power at all costs. It’s frightening that there are many who think this way. Especially in a country so divided. Is the half of the country that the mainstream media doesn’t concern itself with just not smart enough? Or do they just think differently? You’d be wrong for asking this. It’s against the rules. Just go with it, the media yells. 

I’ve made the point repeatedly at Outkick, I’m not here to tell you which side you should agree with, who you should vote, what cable news channel you should watch, or who to follow. My concern is you aren’t getting the choice. You are instead forced to go all-in, which social media demands, to matter.

In 2020, influencers have told you that those who disagree with them are not qualified to have an opinion. In the process, by design, they are making sure you are not qualified to have an opinion. They don’t want you questioning, they want you following. Oliver didn’t record that segment to give a different perspective. He aimed toward the viewers who long gave up their right to think independently for the right to fit in. 

This morning, social media saw Carlson was called a racist and a moron. Thus, he must be. If someone beloved online like Oliver said it, it must be true, right?

I encourage everyone looking to make a splash on the topic to go watch the Sesame Street special. Then decide what you think about it. That is the power you have. The power that has voluntarily been given up by too many. Perhaps, your conclusion may differ from both Carlson and Oliver. What is that considered?