Well, it’s been a month, but FX’s Snowfall is back to give us another pointed racial jab all the way from the 1980s. This time, it’s all of America that comes off as racist, not just cops. At least we can finally spare with the niceties.
The August 14 episode “Confessions” has our lead Franklin Saint (Damson Idris) doubting his partnership with CIA agent Reed aka Teddy McDonald (Carter Hudson). His father Alton (Kevin Carroll) reminds him how the FBI itself infiltrated his Black Panther group back in the day, so he, as a black man, can’t trust members of the government. Now, unlike the CIA cocaine conspiracy, the FBI did, in fact, target black nationalist groups like the Black Panthers, going so far as to label members domestic terrorists, but the arguments end there as the episode continues.
Growing wary, Franklin attempts to research about Teddy and the CIA through an old bookstore. There, the bookstore owner shows him a surprising amount of information regarding government conspiracies against black people including not just the Black Panthers but church groups and choirs as well. “When black folks organize,” she says “scares the hell out of the American government.” Franklin laughs in agreement. After all, from the season premiere, we know he believes black people, innocent or not, are victims of an unfair system.
Eventually, we hear from Franklin’s perspective of black people in America again, and just like before, it’s practically tailored for 2019 liberal audiences. Talking to Teddy personally, he slams not even the idea of America itself, claiming that it’s not the land of the free for black folks. You can even see the leftist scoff in his eye as he goes off on what Teddy says “makes America great.”
Franklin: That’s a lot of pressure to be a success.
Teddy: America loves a winner.
Franklin: Yeah. But what if America really was the land of the free, though? You know, free everything. Land, money, thought, opportunity. How would we measure success?
Teddy: America is the land of the free. You know? There's people fighting to make sure of that right this minute. You don't agree?
Franklin: White folks are fighting to keep what they got to get even more, and black folks are fighting to survive. And America don't give a fuck whether we make it or not.
Teddy: Yeah, obviously, your people got a raw deal. I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is that just because the playing field isn't level, it doesn't mean you don't have every opportunity.
Franklin: You really believe that?
Teddy: Yes, I do. It's what makes America great.
Franklin: See, what you don't realize, Reed, is there's two Americas, and we don't live in the same one.
Like the season premiere, this episode takes the absolute worst leaps in logic and tries to lecture us about them. If black nationalists were targeted in the 60s and 70s, that must mean the entire U.S. government is terrified of all black people. If black people are overrepresented in poverty levels, that must mean that America doesn’t care if black people die or not. And you’re somehow racist if you dare question that logic.
The truth is that America is great for people of all races and backgrounds. The only people who don’t agree sadly make shows like this.
