To be sure, I don’t watch any Hollywood awards shows, but of course this mornings news was buzzing over the Academy Awards, oh excuse me I meant to say Oscars, altercation last night. It wasn’t until a few minutes ago that I saw a video and now I understand.
The remarks by Chris Rock didn’t seem to be a big deal, but it doesn’t matter. Will Smith set an example that cannot stand and cannot be respected. Young black men get the wrong message, and the jails are full of young black men, and victims of black cultural violence fills the emergency rooms – and often graveyards.
If Black Lives Matter, the message has to be Will Smith is held accountable, by law enforcement and Hollywood, for his juvenile and violent behavior. The Academy, uh Oscars, should have escorted Will Smith out of the building immediately and sure as hell should not have allowed him back on stage for any reason.
Chris Rock is to be commended for being calm and thinking through how to handle the situation. Now he’s had time to do that and to rethink the need for him to set the right example by filing assault charges against Will Smith.
©2022 – Jim Casey
