Last week on SNL, comedian Pete Davidson made a joke in poor taste at the expense of then congressional candidate, now Congressman-elect Lt. Com. Dan Crenshaw (TX-2), who lost his eye to an I.E.D. in Afghanistan during his third combat tour. The joke was widely condemned for it’s mocking of a veteran for his war wounds, and for the general lack of self awareness that the joke carried.
Crenshaw responded, class act that he is, by tweeting:
Good rule in life: I try hard not to offend; I try harder not to be offended. That being said, I hope @nbcsnl recognizes that vets don’t deserve to see their wounds used as punchlines for bad jokes.
Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) November 4, 2018
But that wasn’t the end of it. Unlike most recent controversy, where apologies are never given, or when they are, never accepted. In this instance, there was reconciliation, and it was heartwarming.
Lt. Com. Crenshaw went on Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” this Saturday to accept Davidson’s apology, and give an important message about forgiveness.
In the clip, his resounding words are:
“There are a lot of lessons to learn here. Not just that the left and right can still agree on some things, but also this. Americans can forgive one another. We can remember what brings us together as a country and still see the good in each other”
He led his important message with a lighthearted “roast” of a picture of Davidson, where it was clear they were both in on the joke. A moment like this is rare in American political life right now. One person accepting they were wrong and issuing a heartfelt apology, the other graciously accepting, while both share a laugh.
It was a rare uniting moment, and one that shows what we can be if we resist the urge to name call or devolve into hateful rhetoric, and instead focus on what unites us as Americans. It is always good to elevate virtue when we see it. In this case, Crenshaw brought out the best in the situation, and provided a good example for the American people. He acted exactly the way a public official should carry himself; funny, honorable, and forgiving. The people of Texas’ 2nd district are lucky to have him representing them in the House.
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