BOYCOTTING the Academy Awards, Reparations, and Meritocracy
I'm not going this year.
Again.
This will be my 53rd consecutive year of boycotting the awards.
Now I haven't been invited so I doubt my opting out is having an impact.
No one in our company, to my knowledge is planning to go but I know were any of us invited and had the time and money to travel to LA for them we would be there.
We would think of it as a privilege to be asked.
So while it's obviously disappointing more African American performance and performances from actors of color or gender diversity were recognized, it's odd there's been an uproar over that exclusion and less so from the same Hollywood elite performers over the conversation about reparations that has been raised recently by Ta-Nehisi Coates
in the Atlantic.
In his article he movingly describes why we are long past due for reparations in our country. It's a moving and telling argument that tugs at your morality in our current world. It seems worthy of outrage and worthy of a movement that would be supported by prominent people of reputation in the African American community. the cause seems worthy of the word "boycott" with all of the symbolic populist outrage and history the word has come to connect with. Immediately when you say the word in America you are linking yourself with some of the most important social activism of our time. It's a galvinizing word.
But when it's used in relationship to the Oscars in describing the hurt, and disappointment some actors are feeling that members of their race were not included as the awards finalists,
it seems shallow.
It's just not deep enough to inspire "boycott".
The people who are doing the "boycotting " are not people who would be categorized as underprivileged by our industry standards. Presumably they have had notable roles in notable films with relatively wide releases. Will Smith is not starving for Instagram followers, although he lacks an nomination in 2016.
It's difficult to turn on the television on any night and not see Idris Elba in something wonderful. He has justifiably received opportunities to offer his talents in many projects of merit. Likewise, Michael B. Jordan, another snubbed contender for an award this year is in no danger of lacking opportunity, thanks to his memorable and deservedly praised work.
All of which is to state the most obvious point: The Academy Awards are not a meritocracy.
The Academy Awards may be the very definition of elitist. Why should we watch thinking they were governed by populist appeal or morals. Of course we watch hoping the best man or woman wins each year, but it's not news to say the Academy Awards is political. So's the race for President of the U.S.
It seems the Academy is going to make some changes to address all this , and now there's even been a press release that Chris Rock intends to joke about it at the awards show. Earth shaking. The thing is, you can be sure, because of that 'joking' it will one of the "most watched" Oscars of all time. People will tune in to see him diss the Academy for racism. Perversely, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is going to profit from its racism.
But none of the same outrage has gotten on the reparations bandwagon, although Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are being pummeled for think it's not a practical solution to the problem. Of course it doesn't matter if it's not practical. It's the right thing to do so we should do it.
Doing the right thing is rarely practical but in any organization just about any top leader will be able to tell you that there are dividends and yield within every company when a wrong is publicly and justly righted. It can change the culture of an organization. It can offer real hope to people who have lost hope that America could ever justly face up to it's past.
Now there are alot of challenges with the idea of reparations but there are alot of challenges
with alot of movements in our country. There are alot of folks who want to make abortions harder to get in our country. Seems tremendously unfair but after Roe vs.Wade they certainly had alot of challenges n front of them and they are prevailing by passing phony laws in huge states. If they can prevail with that cause, it's difficult to understand why the cause of reparations might not someday have a hashtag with just as many Hollywood names using as the Oscar boycott.
Again.
This will be my 53rd consecutive year of boycotting the awards.
Now I haven't been invited so I doubt my opting out is having an impact.
No one in our company, to my knowledge is planning to go but I know were any of us invited and had the time and money to travel to LA for them we would be there.
We would think of it as a privilege to be asked.
So while it's obviously disappointing more African American performance and performances from actors of color or gender diversity were recognized, it's odd there's been an uproar over that exclusion and less so from the same Hollywood elite performers over the conversation about reparations that has been raised recently by Ta-Nehisi Coates
in the Atlantic.
In his article he movingly describes why we are long past due for reparations in our country. It's a moving and telling argument that tugs at your morality in our current world. It seems worthy of outrage and worthy of a movement that would be supported by prominent people of reputation in the African American community. the cause seems worthy of the word "boycott" with all of the symbolic populist outrage and history the word has come to connect with. Immediately when you say the word in America you are linking yourself with some of the most important social activism of our time. It's a galvinizing word.
But when it's used in relationship to the Oscars in describing the hurt, and disappointment some actors are feeling that members of their race were not included as the awards finalists,
it seems shallow.
It's just not deep enough to inspire "boycott".
The people who are doing the "boycotting " are not people who would be categorized as underprivileged by our industry standards. Presumably they have had notable roles in notable films with relatively wide releases. Will Smith is not starving for Instagram followers, although he lacks an nomination in 2016.
It's difficult to turn on the television on any night and not see Idris Elba in something wonderful. He has justifiably received opportunities to offer his talents in many projects of merit. Likewise, Michael B. Jordan, another snubbed contender for an award this year is in no danger of lacking opportunity, thanks to his memorable and deservedly praised work.
All of which is to state the most obvious point: The Academy Awards are not a meritocracy.
The Academy Awards may be the very definition of elitist. Why should we watch thinking they were governed by populist appeal or morals. Of course we watch hoping the best man or woman wins each year, but it's not news to say the Academy Awards is political. So's the race for President of the U.S.
It seems the Academy is going to make some changes to address all this , and now there's even been a press release that Chris Rock intends to joke about it at the awards show. Earth shaking. The thing is, you can be sure, because of that 'joking' it will one of the "most watched" Oscars of all time. People will tune in to see him diss the Academy for racism. Perversely, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences is going to profit from its racism.
But none of the same outrage has gotten on the reparations bandwagon, although Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton are being pummeled for think it's not a practical solution to the problem. Of course it doesn't matter if it's not practical. It's the right thing to do so we should do it.
Doing the right thing is rarely practical but in any organization just about any top leader will be able to tell you that there are dividends and yield within every company when a wrong is publicly and justly righted. It can change the culture of an organization. It can offer real hope to people who have lost hope that America could ever justly face up to it's past.
Now there are alot of challenges with the idea of reparations but there are alot of challenges
with alot of movements in our country. There are alot of folks who want to make abortions harder to get in our country. Seems tremendously unfair but after Roe vs.Wade they certainly had alot of challenges n front of them and they are prevailing by passing phony laws in huge states. If they can prevail with that cause, it's difficult to understand why the cause of reparations might not someday have a hashtag with just as many Hollywood names using as the Oscar boycott.
posted by Unknown at 1:10 AM
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