Tony Soprano, Christopher Columbus, and the Patriarchy

There’s something deeply fitting about machismo-infused, far-right, patriarchalists favorably sharing the below meme featuring the fictional Tony Soprano. 

Today is known by many as Columbus Day and it has, once again, brought a high volume of absurd defensiveness and moral ambiguity. This meme (that I’ve seen several people of one particular sect share) serves as a good example of this “tough guy” persona backfiring into silliness.

I remember this scene. It’s not from the scene pictured, but rather from a scene where Tony berates his son for questioning the blatant racism and slaving of Christopher Columbus. His son is being taught history and Tony isn’t pleased. Carmela Soprano, Tony’s wife and ally in this ahistorical moral autonomy, even goes as far as saying that Columbus was a “victim” of his time. 

Why do I think it’s fitting for this particular brand of “macho theology bro” Christian to share this meme? Because they don’t understand this scene, this character, or this show. Not only that, they’re displaying a lot of the same worldliness, insecurity, and toxicity that Tony Soprano epitomized. In many ways, they are Tony, and that’s not a good thing. 

Now, I’m not saying all of this is self-conscious or that many of these men are even aware of the context behind the meme-portrayed scene. However, seeing the shock-jock, abrasive, law-heavy sect of Reformed patriarchalists react so positively to the character of Tony Soprano, and in particular this scene, struck me as incredibly appropriate. 

Perhaps they think Tony is a heroic, albeit flawed, figure? After all, he is the patriarchal head of his family and leads with firmness. He at least has the outward appearance of power. It’s hard to say. 

But Tony isn’t a hero; he’s a villain. 

Not only is he a villain who routinely forces his way with violence, but he’s also a racist, misogynist, and dedicated tribalist. His loyalty is only to his people and his own power. He degrades, mocks, and is openly prejudiced against others. His support of Columbus is only about Columbus being Italian, not history or truth. It’s about protecting his tribe and nothing else. 

On top of this, he’s a man who struggles with profound insecurity. Though a mob boss, he’s also in therapy. Now, I’m not opposed to therapy (not at all), but Tony also hides that he’s in therapy and feels a great deal of shame and insecurity because of his therapy. He doesn’t feel adequate, manly, or capable, and he frequently lashes out with hyper-aggressive violence to prove his “masculinity” and his power. He does this to prove himself to others, but also to prove his masculinity and power to himself. He does this to stay in power and to be seen as tough enough for his tribe. 

Tony Soprano is, among other things, a criticism of toxic masculinity and its frequent bedfellows; insecure performative gestures, and pragmatic ethics.

In a clear display of this sort of “tough guy” persona employing subjective and self-serving ethics, slavery is fine because Columbus is an Italian hero, or, to apply things to today, slavery isn’t a big deal because we have to react to those “woke” people. Either way, we are dealing with reactionary and autonomous ethics. Further, not only will we minimize and shrug off slavery, we will do so with faux-masculine aggression and caustic smugness.

Gotta be okay with owning the slaves in order to own the libs, amiright? 

So it makes a lot of sense that these sorts are on the same page as good ol’ Tony. Like Tony, their time is passing and there will be judgment. The Kingdom does not below to such men pretending at being powerful godfathers.

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day.