Sarah Silverman's podcast, which covers social issues including racism, homophobia and foregrounds the hypocrisy of traditional "American" values against the humanity of Americans, received a caller on her Friday podcast with a heartbreaking story.
The caller detailed her brother, who became a police officer in San Jose, who shot and killed somebody in the line of duty. Her brother lived a secret life as a gay man before passing away, a secret he kept from his family until after his death.
The caller said her brother did everything he could to be "masculine," which lead him to the lifestyle of being a cop and killing someone while in uniform.
Silverman's reaction was emotional and passionate.
Silverman drew a direct line from the caller's brother killing someone to his repression of himself.
"This is what happens when you grow up in an environment that does not accept people for who they are, that has this notion of what a man is supposed to be and what a woman is supposed to be."
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"And it's all bulls**t. It's all just made up, half religious-based f**king stupid bulls**t," she continued.
"He squelches this huge, potentially beautiful part of himself, and that's what happens. Jesus said it....if you do not bring forth what is within you, what is within you will destroy you."
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Silverman's assessment could apply to a wide swath of things happening in America--a country where acceptance and love are wildly varied based on cultural standards that don't match.
She leaves us with a powerful thought:
"Un-dealt-with shame is a powder keg."
A sign that anyone carrying shame about something about themselves should seek help as soon as they can.
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