A Tearful Jimmy Fallon Delivers Emotional Monologue About Charlottesville

Jimmy Fallon delivers emotional monologue about the Charlottesville Protests

Since white supremacists took the the streets carrying torches last Friday night, then once again spilled into streets in the light of day Saturday, many of us have been in a state of suspended disbelief and shock. On the one hand, we knew they existed. On the other hand, we just can’t believe we’re seeing this with our own eyes — in plain sight — in 2017.

Vocally denouncing this type of blatant hate is so important. Many people shy away from “politics” for good reason — they may differ in beliefs from friends and family. They may fear losing a job. There are so many topics on the political spectrum that we may have varying beliefs about — and that’s okay. But racism is not politics. Racism, hate, and bigotry are a direct assault on humanity — and anyone who is an enemy of the violence and bile that bigotry brings, and the ignorance and hate it perpetuates, really needs to stand up right now and say… This is not okay. This is not who we are. This is not acceptable. I refuse to live in a country like this.

Jimmy Fallon did just that last night, and his words are important and should be heard.

“Even though The Tonight Show isn’t a political show, it’s my responsibility to stand up against intolerance and extremism as a human being,” Fallon starts. “What happened over the weekend in Charlottesville Virginia was just disgusting,” he says while wincing.

“I was watching the news like everyone else, and you’re seeing Nazi flags and torches and white supremacists, and I was sick to my stomach,” he said. “My daughters are in the next room playing and I’m thinking, ‘How can I explain to them that there’s so much hatred in this world?’ They’re 2 years old and 4 years old. They don’t know what hate is. They go to the playground and they have friends of all races and backgrounds, and they just play, and they laugh, and they have fun.”

How do we explain this kind of intolerance to our kids? It boggles the mind really. But Fallon explains that as kids grow up, they need people to look up to, to teach them what’s right and good. “They need parents and teachers, and they need leaders who appeal to the best in us.”

The amount of time it took for our president to denounce the events that happened was unbelievable, and this detail was not lost on Fallon. “The fact that it took the president two days to come out and clearly denounce racists and white supremacists is shameful,” he said. “And I think he finally spoke out because people everywhere stood up and said something.”

“It’s important for everyone, especially white people in this country, to speak out against this. Ignoring it is just as bad a supporting it.”