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Jimmy Fallon Tears Up As He Condemns White Supremacist Rally In Charlottesville — 'Ignoring It Is Just As Bad As Supporting It'

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Source: Image via YouTube/Tonight Show

Aug. 15 2017, Updated 6:50 p.m. ET

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Jimmy Fallon opened his monologue last night on The Tonight Show by addressing the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, over the weekend. He called it "disgusting" and said it was his “responsibility to stand up against intolerance and extremism as a human being.”

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Fallon said the news of the rally made him "sick to my stomach." He explained that he was with his daughters, ages two and four, over the weekend. “I’m thinking, ‘How can I explain to them that there is so much hatred in this world?’ ” he continued. “They don’t know what hate is. They just play and they laugh and they have fun. But, as kids grow up, they need people to look up to.”

The comedian then criticized the president for his inability to call out racism in this country. “The fact that it took the president two days to come out and clearly denounce racists and white supremacists is shameful,” Fallon said. “And I think he finally spoke out because people everywhere stood up and said something."

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Fallon emphasized the need for white people to speak out against racism. “It’s important for everyone, especially white people in this country, to speak out against this. Ignoring it is just as bad as supporting it,” he said. “We all need to stand against what is wrong, acknowledge that racism exists and stand up for what is right and civil and kind. We cannot do this. We can’t go backward."

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Fallon's statement echoed other late night hosts, Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert, who also called Donald Trump out for not denouncing white supremacy in his statements on Saturday.

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A lot of people criticized Fallon for having Trump on his show during the 2016 election, but it appears he's making up for that by holding the president accountable for his wrongdoings.

What do you think about Jimmy's monologue? Let us know in the comments section. 

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