Comedian Steven Colbert testified before Congress last week about migrant farm workers and kicked up a whirlwind of controversy and complaints. Considering his comedic background, we think people need to lighten up.

Like most people, we laughed when Steven Colbert testified before Congress last week. But as soon as the testimony was over, a firestorm of controversy ensued, with many politicians and political pundits saying it was inappropriate for the popular comedian to testify.

It’s rather ironic that in this heated political season where incumbents are unpopular and all things Washington are down-right despised, Colbert would be considered unfit to testify because he is a Washington outsider with no experience or area of expertise. Yet, this entire election season has been filled with mediocre candidates who have nothing going for them other than being a Washington outsider. Colbert is clearly more intelligent than some of these candidates on the ballot this fall, even in character.

Once more, some of these candidates and politicians are saying crazy and outrageous things every day without being called out (do “death panels” ring a bell?). Yet, Mr. Colbert’s jokes were considered inappropriate? It was somehow an embarrassment?

It goes to show how out of touch politicians from both parties are when they can sit in front of Steven Colbert and not even crack a smile. Considering that Congress invited Elmo to testify back in 2002, having a Comedy Central star testify is probably not that big of a stretch.

But at the end of the day, many people failed to see through his political satire and look at the points he was trying to make. Before jumping to conclusions, one needs to sit down and YouTube his testimony. Then, they will gain a clear understanding of the points he was trying to make and why some politicians in particular were ticked off.

If nothing else, his high-level appearance brought attention to the issue of migrant farm workers, which is often overshadowed by heated border rhetoric.

This is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater editorial board.