Now that the Oscars are over, can we have a real discussion about the absence of fairness, the racism, stereotypes and bias that consumes the Hollywood movie industry? And to be honest, African Americans have a lot to complain about here in America over the past 400 years for sure, but they really are the last people who should complain about bias and exclusion from Hollywood movies, film and the movie industry.
By Ray Hanania
covering Chicago
City Hall
(1976-1992)
The debate over the Oscars really bothers me.
Although the lack of diversity is a genuine, real problem with the Academy Awards and the awarding of Oscars to the film industry, it’s being debated and discussed in such a selfish and narrow manner.
The issue isn’t just about African Americans who have been slighted, as Will Smith said when he started the debate this time around. (It’s come up in the same selfish manner in the past, many times.)
The bigger issue is about the absence of fairness when it comes to talent. Race is an issue. And Blacks are not the only ones suffering or slighted. So many other ethnic and racial groups are also excluded from the Academy Awards and more importantly from the movie industry as a whole.
There are “minorities” and there are “minority minorities.” That list includes Arabs.
Here’s my post at Tremr.com, a partner blog site where I often explore issues that are shared and explored in more depth here.
Now that the Oscars are over, how about a real substantive debate about the lack of diversity at the Oscars?
I’m not going to let the issue go without trying to force American society, and African Americans, to address the issue correctly. Chris Rock, Spike Lee, are you guys listening? Because you did a big disservice to the issue of civil rights by making it only about Blacks.
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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
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