For the second consecutive year, there's been a lot of talk about the lack of minority nominees at the Oscars. On a recent episode of Fox & Friends, Clueless actress and Fox News contributor, Stacey Dash, had this to say about the controversy and calls for boycott:
"I think it's ludicrous, because we have to make up our minds. Either we want to have segregation or integration. If we don't want segregation, then we need to get rid of channels like BET and the BET Awards and the Image Awards, where you're only awarded if you're black. If it were the otherw ay around, we would be up in arms. It's a double standard."
Donald Trump later appeared on the show and had this to say about the matter:
"I saw somebody on your show today say, 'Well, what do we do with BET? The whites don't get any nominations, and I thought it was an amazing interview, actually I've never even thought of it from that standpoint. I mean, I've watched over the years where African Americans have in fact received Academy Awards and have in fact been represented. And this is not one of those years, but over the years I've seen numerous black actors and African American actors receive awards and I think that's great. This doesn't happen to be one of those years. ... It's a difficult situation."
I hate to say it, but both Ms. Dash and Mr. Trump sound pretty clueless on the matter. Let's back up for a moment here. Blacks were brought into this country as slaves, have been a minority since that time, and continue to fight an uphill battle to attain equal rights, Why do you think we annually celebrate Black History Month (ironically, during the shortest month of the year)? To recognize, remember, and respect. It's there for us to recognize the continued hardships and uphill struggles many blacks experience in modern-day America. It's there for us to remember the mistakes of our past in enslaving a group of people based on the color of their skin. It's there for us to show respect to the many African-Americans who have made a significant difference in moving this country forward through the years. Why don't we then celebrate White History Month? Because, whether we want to admit it or not, every month could be called White History Month without the official label. Why is there a need for BET (Black Entertainment Television)? The Oscar nominees, and just about every other channel on television, should explain why - it's mostly WET (White Entertainment Television), but without the label. Why did anti-police brutality activists decide to label their movement Black Lives Matter and get offended when others responded by saying, "All Lives Matter"? Because many African-Americans feel like they're still being seen and treated as 3/5 of a person. They've reached their Howard Beale moment, decided to finally raise their arms and angrily yell, "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take this anymore!"
Stacey Dash, Donald Trump, and others like them shouldn't be asking the questions, "Why the complaints about the Oscars? Do whites complain about not getting any nominations at the BET awards?" they should be asking, "Why did we equate the Oscars to BET? Does that just prove minority winners have been so few and far between through the years, we might as well call the ceremony the White Entertainment Television awards show? If this is the case, what can we do to help shift the trend?"
Minorities, like every demographic, seek a voice, seek respect, seek equality. When they feel invisible, pushed to the curb, disrespected, they're bound to reach a point where their quiet protests turn loud, and they finally demand attention. Once blacks feel they've fully attained equality in the entertainment world, they'll feel less need for BET. Once blacks feel they're seen as equals in the eyes of the law (and police officers), they'll feel less need for the Black Lives Matter movement. However, they've yet to reach that point, still feel their lives don't matter to a number of people in this country, feel they're continuing to fight segregation, and it's about damn time the rest of us stand up and join their cause, for if one demographic lacks a voice, respect, and equality in this country, as far as I'm concerned, we all do. Otherwise, of what meaning are the words, "Land of the free, home of the brave"?
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/donald-trump-weighs-in-on-oscars-boycott-whites-dont-get-bets-w162113
"I think it's ludicrous, because we have to make up our minds. Either we want to have segregation or integration. If we don't want segregation, then we need to get rid of channels like BET and the BET Awards and the Image Awards, where you're only awarded if you're black. If it were the otherw ay around, we would be up in arms. It's a double standard."
Donald Trump later appeared on the show and had this to say about the matter:
"I saw somebody on your show today say, 'Well, what do we do with BET? The whites don't get any nominations, and I thought it was an amazing interview, actually I've never even thought of it from that standpoint. I mean, I've watched over the years where African Americans have in fact received Academy Awards and have in fact been represented. And this is not one of those years, but over the years I've seen numerous black actors and African American actors receive awards and I think that's great. This doesn't happen to be one of those years. ... It's a difficult situation."
I hate to say it, but both Ms. Dash and Mr. Trump sound pretty clueless on the matter. Let's back up for a moment here. Blacks were brought into this country as slaves, have been a minority since that time, and continue to fight an uphill battle to attain equal rights, Why do you think we annually celebrate Black History Month (ironically, during the shortest month of the year)? To recognize, remember, and respect. It's there for us to recognize the continued hardships and uphill struggles many blacks experience in modern-day America. It's there for us to remember the mistakes of our past in enslaving a group of people based on the color of their skin. It's there for us to show respect to the many African-Americans who have made a significant difference in moving this country forward through the years. Why don't we then celebrate White History Month? Because, whether we want to admit it or not, every month could be called White History Month without the official label. Why is there a need for BET (Black Entertainment Television)? The Oscar nominees, and just about every other channel on television, should explain why - it's mostly WET (White Entertainment Television), but without the label. Why did anti-police brutality activists decide to label their movement Black Lives Matter and get offended when others responded by saying, "All Lives Matter"? Because many African-Americans feel like they're still being seen and treated as 3/5 of a person. They've reached their Howard Beale moment, decided to finally raise their arms and angrily yell, "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take this anymore!"
Stacey Dash, Donald Trump, and others like them shouldn't be asking the questions, "Why the complaints about the Oscars? Do whites complain about not getting any nominations at the BET awards?" they should be asking, "Why did we equate the Oscars to BET? Does that just prove minority winners have been so few and far between through the years, we might as well call the ceremony the White Entertainment Television awards show? If this is the case, what can we do to help shift the trend?"
Minorities, like every demographic, seek a voice, seek respect, seek equality. When they feel invisible, pushed to the curb, disrespected, they're bound to reach a point where their quiet protests turn loud, and they finally demand attention. Once blacks feel they've fully attained equality in the entertainment world, they'll feel less need for BET. Once blacks feel they're seen as equals in the eyes of the law (and police officers), they'll feel less need for the Black Lives Matter movement. However, they've yet to reach that point, still feel their lives don't matter to a number of people in this country, feel they're continuing to fight segregation, and it's about damn time the rest of us stand up and join their cause, for if one demographic lacks a voice, respect, and equality in this country, as far as I'm concerned, we all do. Otherwise, of what meaning are the words, "Land of the free, home of the brave"?
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/donald-trump-weighs-in-on-oscars-boycott-whites-dont-get-bets-w162113
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