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Oregon Values & Beliefs Center survey shows lingering political divide when it comes to social and racial justice

A majority of Oregonians polled say they support the Black Lives Matter movement, but residents are split on whether society is in a better place because of it.

Results of an Oregon Values & Beliefs Center survey conducted in February show about six in 10 Oregon residents polled (59%) support the Black Lives Matter movement. Among them, 36% showed strong support. Three in 10 said they oppose the movement and about one in 10, or 9%, were unsure.

According to the Oregon Values & Beliefs Center, support for the movement is higher among those with more education and income, with support being highest among Multnomah County residents.

Still, surveyors noted a lingering political divide among Oregonians on the perceptions of the social justice movement, with 87% of Democrats in support and 69% of Republicans opposed.

In 2020, the deaths of three different African Americans two at the hands of police catapulted the social justice movement into prominence. In February 2020, Ahmaud Arbery was murdered by three white men in Georgia who mistook him for a burglar while he jogged in the woods. The following month, Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old EMT, was shot and killed by police in Kentucky while sleeping in her home. In May 2020, the murder of George Floyd by police in Minnesota catalyzed the public into action. The high-profile cases forced a spotlight on policing, racism and bias in America, sparking nationwide protests and marches.

While Black Lives Matter marches and demonstrations took place in major cities, Portland saw sustained protests in 2020 that garnered international media attention and defined the city for much of that time. Downtown Portland saw sometimes violent clashes between protesters and local and federal police. Police drew scrutiny from the public and lawmakers for their repeated use of tear gas, pepper spray and munitions that left one man with a fractured skull.

Antifascist protesters drew strong criticism for demonstrations that ended in repeated damage to downtown businesses. Some Oregonians say that drowned out the overall message and overshadowed the need for police reform.

Robert Williams, who lives in Multnomah County, told OVBC that the ongoing protests may have hurt the message.

"Getting awareness of the issue is necessary. I believe the extended violence that accompanied actions was instigated by non-BLM agency," Williams said.

While a majority of those polled support Black Lives Matter, Oregonians are torn on the social impact of the justice movement.

OVBC polling shows 36% of Oregon residents think society is in a better place as a result of the social justice movement that followed George Floyd's death. Survey results show 38% think the country is worse off and 19% of those polled said we're in the same place as before Floyd's death and the ensuing calls for reform.

"I think that BLM educated so many white Americans, resulting in (two) major impacts," Susan Heath said. "Some whites responded with compassion and concern (and may or may not still be involved in the movement), while others responded with fear and bigotry and joined the white nationalist backlash."

Marla Cox, a Marion County resident, said the uprising and protests in the name of the Black Lives Matter movement was harmful, leaving society more divided.

"Black Lives Matters burned cities, rioted, looted and no one did anything about it," Cox wrote in a survey response, saying the Jan. 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol in 2021 "was nothing" compared to damage done in many American cities.

Cox later said by phone that the movement has sown racial division.

"It caused me to be aware of race all at once," Cox said. "It's damaged me. I don't like seeing color. I just want to see the person as the person. I want to go back to the way it was before. I'm Lakota and my uncle was Chickasaw. My mother was born on the reservation. My grandparents were born on the reservation. You look at what's inside people, that's what we should be looking at. Not the color of their skin."

Pollsters note a significant age gap in response to the question of societal impacts. Oregonians ages 75 and older are much more likely (48% versus 28%) than those ages 18 to 29 to think our culture is in a better place.

"Overall, Republicans tend to be more pessimistic on the issue, with 69% saying our culture is in a worse place, whereas 58% of Democrats think we're better off," OVBC noted in a summary of results, saying optimism on the issue tends to increase with higher income and education levels.

Mixed opinions in the latest study are consistent with a June 2021 survey of Oregonians, which found 19% felt the Black Lives Matter movement has a positive impact on their community, compared with 22% who said it was negative.

The OVBC surveys, which reports a 2% margin of error and strives for representative sample size and accuracy, shows a lingering divide in the state regarding social justice and the Black Lives Matter movement in particular.

That divide has proven deadly.

On Feb. 19, five people were shot and one woman was killed just before a social justice march kicked off in northeast Portland's Normandale Park. Brandy "June" Knightly, 60 was shot and killed by a man who lived nearby and emerged with a gun, yelling at demonstrators in the park before shooting Knightly in the head and seriously wounding at least four others.

The Normandale Park confrontation isn't the first time a demonstration in Portland has turned deadly.

Aaron "Jay" Danielson, 39, was shot and killed in August 2020, while part of a large caravan of vehicles and members of far-right group Patriot Prayer drove through the city rallying for then-President Donald Trump. The group was met with resistance from counter-protesters. The man suspected of shooting Danielson that night, Michael Forest Reinoehl, later told a freelance journalist that he shot Danielson in self defense, believing he was about to be stabbed. Reinoehl was later shot and killed by federal officers in Washington as the attempted to serve a warrant for his arrest.

Oregonians are also split on solutions to reducing implicit bias and racism. When asked about potential strategies to reduce inequality between Black and white people in Oregon, a slim margin felt just two of the strategies: limiting the scope of policing and redrawing school boundaries, were effective.

Of those surveyed, 54% said limiting the scope of policing to focus on serious and violent crimes would have either a lot or some impact on reducing inequality. Similarly, 52% said redrawing school boundaries to create more racially and ethnically diverse schools would help.

Among the respondents, Democrats were twice as likely as Republicans (70% versus 35%) to think limiting the scope of policing would help. Democrats are also significantly more likely than Republicans (68% versus 35%) to think redrawing school boundaries to diversify campuses would help. College graduates are more likely to favor redrawing school boundaries than those with less formal education.

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Oregonians support Black Lives Matter, but few think it has helped - Portland Tribune

Warwick Sen. Kendra Anderson has decided not to run for reelection but instead to endorse a leader of Black Lives Matter Rhode Island Political Action Committee to replace her, reported The Providence Journal. Harrison Tuttle, 23, was announced Tuesday to be her successor.

Anderson said when she first ran, she saw no meaningful climate legislation signed into law. Now that her advocacy played a significant role in the passing of crucial climate legislation within the past year, she is passing her baton to another worthy candidate, per Providence Journal. Anderson said she believes Tuttle to be a powerful advocate for racial and economic justice with the knowledge and experience to represent the district.

Tuttle was reported to have led a number of initiatives with BLM including protests outside the Providence Public Safety Complex as well as co-author an op-ed with the president of the local NAACP chapter.

More on Tuttle from Providence Journal:

Among Tuttles priorities: repeal of the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights.

While some Democrats back reform, the Black Lives Matter RI PAC backs outright repeal on grounds the law shields police officers from being held accountable for misconduct.

In his statement, he summed up his more recent political endeavors this way:

After the murder of George Floyd, Harrison took to the streets in peaceful protest. Wanting to make a positive change, he became heavily involved in political organizing through Black Lives Matter RI PAC, before becoming their executive director.

Tuttle said he was shocked and honored to be offered the opportunity to run, reported Providence Journal. On his platform he had built 10,000 green affordable homes, rose the minimum wage to $19 an hour, legalized marijuana and much more to support initiatives that especially help people of color.

Tuttle vowed to take his fight for economic, climate and racial justice to the State House, reported Providence Journal.

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Rhode Island Senator Gives Up Re-election bid, Puts Black Lives Matter Leader in the Race - The Root

TORONTO, March 31, 2022 /CNW/ - Created in collaboration with the Black Inmates and Friends Association, Toronto Black Farmers and Growers Collective, and Keep6ix, Black Lives Matter - Canada has established a re-entry support program at Wildseed Centre for Art and Activism. Launching on March 28, 2022, Earthseed Community Garden Program builds on established programming led by Toronto Black Farmers and Keep6ix. An abolitionist experiment, the program is grounded in commitments to Black food justice, equitable employment, community support, political education, and self-expression through art.

Black Lives Matter. Canada Logo (CNW Group/Black Lives Matter Canada)

"Through a combination of paid and volunteer opportunities, we are excited to extend our support, creating a space for land-based community engagement alongside formerly incarcerated Black people," said Jessica Kirk, Black Lives Matter - Canada's Executive Director.

Formerly incarcerated Black people face numerous barriers resulting from racism, stigma, violence, and trauma upon reentry. Through programming and access to trauma-informed support networks, Earthseed is working with formerly incarcerated Black people to build community for those returning from incarceration. Additionally, Earthseed's harvest will feed its neighbours, offering free access to a community fridge. Creating a space for formerly incarcerated Black people to find support and reconnect is a necessary step towards healing and building networks of collective care.

Jacqueline from Toronto Black Farmers and Growers Collective said, "The earth grows everything we need. Here, it provides empowerment through therapy, healing and nourishment to those tending to it with love and kindness. This supports us giving back to others in a humane, caring and humble way.

Richard Miller from Keep6ix stated that, "Providing support to formerly incarcerated Black people that is based in an ethic of love, mutual aid, and collective care, can help create systems that empower individuals to not only thrive professionally but to also work towards personal healing."

Story continues

Black Lives Matter - Canada is a national network that resources and supports grassroots Black liberation efforts from coast to coast to coast.

SOURCE Black Lives Matter Canada

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View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2022/31/c8542.html

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Black Lives Matter - Canada, Black Inmates and Friends Association, Keep6ix and the Toronto Black Farmers and Growers Collective launch 'Earthseed,' a...

The protest is being promoted by EDL founder Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, while anti-fascists organise a counter-demo.

Racists are coming to Bristol to hold an anti-Black Lives Matter (BLM) protest at the plinth where slave trader Edward Colstons statue used to stand.

On Saturday 9 April, Anne Marie Waters, anti-Muslim activist and leader of far-right party For Britain, will give a speech celebrating Colstons legacy and condemning BLM from the vacant plinth. For Britain are asking their supporters to arrive at 1pm.

A Bristol Against Hate counter-protest, advertised by flyers circulating on social media, which describes the anti-BLM protest as a disgusting event, will be meeting at the empty plinth on Colston Avenue from 11am on the day.

For Britains protest is being promoted by anti-Muslim hate preacher Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson. Yaxley-Lennon has used his channel on the encrypted messaging app Telegram, which has over 156,000 subscribers, to publicise the protest.

In January, a protest organised by Yaxley-Lennon in Telford against Muslim grooming gangs attracted around 800 supporters. Since then Yaxley-Lennon has publicly joined For Britain and emailed his supporters encouraging them to also join the party. It is unclear if Yaxley-Lennon, who recently missed a High Court appearance, will join the protest in April.

White identity and anti-vaccine campaigns have been at the heart of the far-rights recent activism. There has been a significant backlash against Black Lives Matter, which means that we have witnessed a return to explicitly racist ideas in British far-right networks.

Waters, a long-time associate of Yaxley-Lennon, once stood to become UKIP leader. After narrowly missing out on UKIP leadership, she split from the party to found For Britain. Since then, For Britain has attracted former British National Party (BNP) organisers, including Eddy Butler, an ex-activist from neo-Nazi terrorist organisation Combat 18, and ex-BNP councillor Julian Leppert, who were seen as modernisers in the BNP.

While For Britain are one of the more noteworthy far-right parties in the UK, they have struggled to make a name for themselves. Last May, For Britain stood 59 candidates in local elections and did poorly; only eight received votes greater than 5%, with nearly half of their candidates receiving less than 2%. Of the two council seats For Britain held prior to the elections, they lost their seat in Hartlepool and retained Lepperts seat in Epping Forest.

When asked by the Cable to explain why For Britain were making such a provocative visit to the city, Waters said: BLM claimed they tore down Colstons statue because of historic links to slavery, yet they are silent on the slavery that takes place in the world today. The reason is simple; todays slave traders arent white, and BLM are anti-white.

For Britain say they are also protesting over the disappearance of money raised to support a Bristol-based BLM group. The Cable asked Waters if they were concerned about the allegations that, prior to joining For Britain, Yaxley-Lennon misspent donations he recieved on cocaine and sex workers. Waters said: I expect no better than your approach. Journalism is of a shockingly low standard and you are the perfect example.

In September 2017, Waters organised a poorly-attended march and rally against Islam in the centre of Bristol. Since then, For Britain has set up a branch in the city which holds regular meetings, which are advertised on social media. They are not the only far-right group to be active in Bristol. Fascist party Patriotic Alternative (PA) were leafleting in the city in October, and in August 2021 Bristol residents supported a White Lives Matter social media campaign.

Hitting back against the accusation that BLM is anti-white, a spokesperson for Black Lives Matter UK told the Cable they were fighting for liberation for everyone.

We believe that racism and oppression are not contained in skin colour but structures of power and wealth, they said.

White people arent the problem, its the politicians and bosses who use race and culture wars to push poverty wages and cut benefits. They are the problem.

Buster Twotone, a spokesperson for Bristol Anti-Fascists, told the Cable: For Britain and Tommy Robinson are deliberately promoting the idea that Colston should be celebrated and historical statues are beyond criticism even though Colston made his money from the slave trade and his statue was paid for and erected by a business man and not the people of Bristol.

It is thought by some that by organising these demonstrations For Britain is hoping to rally a waning supporter base. Alex Roberts, presenter for anti-fascist podcast 12 Rules for What, said: Over the past couple of years For Britain has remained a marginal force on the British far right, despite attracting some experienced ex-BNP activists, a party that won a million votes at its peak.

Roberts added: Coming to Bristol to celebrate Colston after his statue was ripped down by the people of Bristol and the four citizens accused of pulling it down were acquitted by a randomly selected jury, appears to be a cynical attempt to rejuvenate For Britains declining prospects. Im sure Bristol will give these idiots a warm welcome.

The upcoming protest can be seen as part of a return to streets by the far-right. Julia Ebner, senior research fellow for the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a think-tank specialising in extremism, said: Over the last few months weve seen a revival of far-right street activism, especially since the end of the lockdowns. Groups like [Patriotic Alternative], Britain First and For Britain have stepped up their real-life recruitment and communication efforts by leafleting and staging protests.

Patriotic Alternative and Britain First have both targeted hotels housing migrants with unannounced protests. PA have been holding weekly events across the country, with their South West regional group holding a hike in the Mendips two weeks ago. Britain First have also been leafleting ahead of local election campaigns in south east London and Manchester.

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Ebner added: White identity and anti-vaccine campaigns have been at the heart of the far-rights recent activism. There has been a significant backlash against Black Lives Matter, which means that we have witnessed a return to explicitly racist ideas in British far-right networks. We saw the effects of this in the shocking extent of racist hate and harassment that targeted Black football players during the Euros.

The size of the anti-BLM protest in Bristol will depend largely on how heavily figurehead Yaxley-Lennon promotes the event. Without him, For Britain will struggle to mobilise dozens of supporters. If Yaxley-Lennon starts to mobilise hard, there could be hundreds or thousands of racists coming to Bristol and clashing with anti-fascists.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police told the Cable: Were in contact with the organisers and our aim is to facilitate the event while also balancing the needs of people who live, work and who are visiting the city. Proportionate plans will be in place to monitor the protest and to ensure it takes place safely and with minimal disruption to the wider community.

On Saturday 9 April, Bristol Against Hate will meet at 11am at the vacant Colston plinth. For Britain will try to give an anti-BLM speech from the plinth at 1pm.

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Far-right to hold anti-Black Lives Matter rally in Bristol celebrating Colston's legacy - The Bristol Cable

Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behavior at last nights Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are a part of the job, but a joke about Jadas medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness. Will Smith

I had no intention on responding to the Will Smith slaps Chris Rock incident. Enough people have already chimed in on social media after the slap heard round the world.

I did not feel a need to add to the overwhelming number of articles written. However, two things changed my mind. First, was the over the top remarks and headlines which would have made you think Will Smith pulled out an Uzi and sprayed the crowd. Second, the people who decided that their outrage at Smith was more important than the feelings of Jada Pinkett Smith.

Let me tell you a personal story. Years ago I learned in the most visceral way the power of words. I spoke about this incident in my TEDx talk entitled, What I Learned From a Lynching Survivor About Anger. Words matter.

I was at a staff meeting when a top executive of the company asked us for honest feedback about fixing the issue of low morale. He had made some suggestions and asked us what we thought. I responded that I did not think his suggestions would work. This White man I only say his race because it is an important part of the story, responded to my remark immediately with a blood red face and said Well, thats how its going to be boy!

Needless to say, I was shocked. I asked, What did you just say? and he said it again, even more angrily, with increased venom in his voice than the first time. I had to be held back by co-workers. I was emotionally distraught at this unprovoked verbal attack. I reported it to human resources. He offered to issue an apology. I refused to talk to him. He said what he meant, and he meant what he said. No apology would have changed my feelings of hopelessness in that moment. I knew all too well the restraints on Black men who are disrespected regularly.

In that moment, I felt the rage Will Smith felt. Disrespect is disrespect, no matter who it comes from. That does not necessarily justify his actions, but it puts it into perspective. For Black men in this country, we are never fully allowed to be angry. We have to keep our emotions in check.

No one else is held to such lofty standards. The nation itself is not held to such lofty standards. When America is disrespected on the international level, it has used massive doses of violence to retaliate.

For all of the people who claim Smith attacked Rock and this is somehow making Black people look bad, I have a message. Keep my name out of your mouth. When one Black man does something it has nothing to do with the rest of us. He did it. Not we did it.

The host of Today Craig Melvin claimed Will Smiths Oscar slap aided this long-held perception that men of color cant control their rage and anger. He went on to say, If youre rearing a boy, especially in this country, you spend so much time talking to our kids about keeping your hands to yourself, controlling your emotions and then theres also this long-held perception in this country that men of color, especially, cant control their rage and their anger, and to see someone whos been that beloved for decades it was troubling on so many levels.

Melvin was castigated on Twitter for his remarks because he feeds into this narrative that one Black person is a representative of every Black person.

America has a bad habit of making the actions of one Black person somehow mean all of us are responsible. I have written about this group guilt we feel before. Whenever one Black person does something negative it becomes a conversation about the flaws of all Black people and our so-called culture. This never happens when one White person does something bad. The White community is never held responsible for the negative actions of one White person.

ESPN talking head (I could just as easily say yelling head) Stephen A. Smith, went on Twitter to say, You cannot do that S$&@!! Especially as a BLACK MAN, in that position, to ANOTHER BLACK MAN (@chrisrock) on THAT STAGE.

If this was one White man slapping another White man, I would guess that their race would not be mentioned.

These are some of the headlines I read about the incident.

Judd Apatow Deletes Tweet Stating Will Smith Could Have Killed Chris Rock After Backlash

Celebrities Condemn Will Smith for Chris Rock Slap at Oscars: Pure Rage and Violence

Howard Stern: Will Smith And Donald Trump Are The Same Guy

Comedians react with horror at Will Smiths Oscar slap

Will Smith punches Chris Rock on live TV over Jada Pinkett-Smith joke

Furious Oscars bosses hold secret crisis talks over stripping Will Smith of Best Actor gong after Chris Rock slap

Jeanine Pirro Says Oscars Are Not the Hood, Calls for Will Smith to Be Charged

We should make something perfectly clear. Will Smith did not punch Chris Rock. He slapped Chris Rock, after Rock unnecessarily insulted his wife. Rock did something similar at the Oscars in 2016.

I am not going to condone Smiths act, but neither will I condone Rocks joke. I am amazed at how many people lining up to defend Rocks joke. Yeah I guess a joke can be funny as long as you are not the butt of the joke. The pained look on her face after Rocks joke tells you how deep that joke cut. Jada Pinkett Smith has alopecia. She has struggled with this auto-immune condition for years. She, like many Black women in this country deal with issues related to their hair. These issues need to be contextualized.

People of African descent have hair that is naturally curly. We came over from Africa with this type of hair. We were not ashamed of or self-conscious about our hair when we arrived. White people in this country told us that there was something wrong with our hair. They claimed they had good hair and we had bad hair.

The standard of beauty in this country still celebrates the look of White people. Look at the so-called supermodels, most of whom have always been White. Their long, straight hair is the standard of beauty. Everyone receives this message. The fact that a handful of Black women have overcome this standard and been put into that stratosphere of supermodels does not change the rule. Take a look at the hair of Black women that America claims are beautiful and you would be hard pressed to find a Black woman flaunting her natural hair style.

So when Chris Rock digs into the psyche of Jada Pinkett Smith by insulting her hair, it is problematic. I do not see all of these outraged people coming to her defense. She was an innocent bystander. Will Smith felt the need, justified or not, to protect his wife from this verbal attack. Smith has apologized, Rock has not.

For all those people calling for Smith to be charged because of this incident, I want to address how you responded.

Jeanine Pirro said Oscars Are Not the Hood You talk about criminal privilege. You talk about celebrity privilege, that guy has it. He wasnt walked out of the Oscars. He could have been taken out in cuffs.

Howard Stern said What you saw on TV was a guy with real issues. Thats crazy, thats crazy when you cant contain yourself.

Judd Apatow Tweeted, He could have killed him. Thats pure out of control rage and violence.

Where was this outrage from these people when police were beating the living daylights out of peaceful Black Lives Matter protestors around the country in 2020? Why was that not called pure out of control rage and violence also? These double standards really are sad. Pirro using purely racist language about the hood should be condemned.

Apatow claiming a slap could have killed Rock was so outrageous, he had to delete the tweet. Some have said White people need to stay out of this. People have every right to respond. By the same token, they need to be called out for these outrageous takes. Chris Rock had no desire to press charges. Im sure he knows he crossed a line disrespecting Jada Pinkett Smith.

Very few people came to the defense of Jada Pinkett Smith and spoke about her husband simply defending her honor. For most of American history Black women have been disrespected. During the centuries of slavery and decades of Jim Crow segregation, any man could sexually assault a Black woman or girl any time they chose to. No laws or law enforcement protected Black women.

On the other hand, there were consequences, usually death, for any Black man who tried to defend his wife, daughter or mother from the disrespect and sexual assaults. Black men were forced to sit back and accept that they had no power to defend their loved ones. By the same token, White men would beat, kill, and lynch Black men and boys who even looked at a White woman or girl the wrong way. Nothing was more sacrosanct than the honor of White females.

Emmett Till was murdered because a White woman, Carolyn Bryant, accused him of flirting with her. The two men who kidnapped and murdered Till were acquitted by an all-white, all-male jury. They later confessed to Look Magazine.

This is one of the things Bryants brother-in-law J. W. Milam said in the confession:

I never hurt a nigger in my life. I like nggers in their place I know how to work em. But I just decided it was time a few people got put on notice. As long as I live and can do anything about it, nggers are gonna stay in their place. Nggers aint gonna vote where I live. If they did, theyd control the government. They aint gonna go to school with my kids. And when a nigger gets close to mentioning sex with a white woman, hes tired o livin. Im likely to kll him.

Violence to protect the honor of White women has been the order of the day in this country for centuries. When Will Smith uses a slap to defend his wife, the world goes crazy. Comedian Tiffany Haddish had a different take on the slap.

When I saw a Black man stand up for his wife. That meant so much to me. As a woman, who has been unprotected, for someone to say, Keep my wifes name out your mouth, leave my wife alone, thats what your husband is supposed to do, right? Protect you. That meant the world to me. And maybe the world might not like how it went down, but for me, it was the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen because it made me believe that there are still men out there that love and care about their women, their wives.

Haddish was able to see the events at the Oscars from the perspective of a Black woman who values that protection from Black men. Many others saw it differently.

During the Civil Rights Movement, Whites applauded the non-violent movement led by Dr. King. At the same, time they refused to be outraged by the violence imposed upon those innocent Black people. Black people are always supposed to be non-violent or not accepted. When Malcolm X and the Black Panther Party for Self Defense, talked about Black people defending themselves from racist violence, they became public enemy number one.

The double standard when it comes to violence is nauseating. We hear people talking about black-on-black crime but those same people are silent about white-on-white crime. American movies are full of violence. Multiple, very violent American movies have won awards at the Oscars over the years.

The 1972 film, The Godfather, was nominated for 11 awards and won three, including Best picture and Best Actor for Marlon Brando. Its sequel, The Godfather: Part II received another 11 nominations and won six Oscars including best film and Robert De Niros Best Supporting Actor award. These graphically violent films are loved by Americans. Hollywood spends billions of dollars a year producing violent films.

Here is a short list of beloved American films full of violence: Goodfellas, Str Wrs, Pyscho, Raging Bull, Bonny and Clyde, The Godfather: Part II, Taxi Driver, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Unforgiven, Pulp Fiction, The Deer Hunter, Rders of the Lost rk, Avengers: Endgame, Avatar, Iron Man, and Transformers.

American criminals, actually White criminals, are celebrated by Hollywood. How many movies have been made about the Mafia? How many films have been produced about Al Capone, Pretty Boy Floyd, John Dllngr, Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, and Bonnie and Clyde? What do they all have in common? Two things, they were all violent criminals, and America loves making movies about them.

How quickly we forget that Denzel Washington, who consoled Will Smith after the slap, won a best actor Oscar for the most violent role he ever played, in the film Training Day in 2001. How quickly we forget the degrading role Halle Berry won her best actress role in Monsters Ball in 2002. Black men and women are constantly celebrated by Hollywood and the American public for playing criminals, prostitutes and violent thugs all the time. No one seems to be outraged over the fact that Black actors and actresses are forced to play these degrading roles in order to make a career in Hollywood.

After all of the fake outrage over the slap heard round the world dies down, we will still as a nation deal with the consequences of American violence that is celebrated and sanctioned. We will ignore the millions of Vietnamese, Cambodian and Laotians killed by our military in Vietnam.

We will ignore the missiles fired from American military drones in Syria, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, and other places. We will ignore the fact that in President Bidens latest budget he is allocating $813 billion for military spending in fiscal year 2023. How about the $782 billion spent in fiscal year 2022?

One slap viewed by millions is no reason for this nation to once again attack the manhood of Black men. One slap is no reason to ignore the sanctity of Black men protecting the honor of their wives. One slap will not make us forget the constant violence imposed on a marginalized community based simply on the color of their skin. One slap will not make the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery disappear from our consciousness. One slap will not define the millions of Black men in this country. One slap will not define Will Smith.

I think those are two men who had a real disagreement, and its up to them, not to the Academy, not to any of us. Its up to those two guys to work it out. I want to know more and what provoked it and all that. But, I did think that Wills speech was coming from that great place, that heartfelt place. He meant every word of what he said. Sd Gns, Former Academy president

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Reggie Jackson: My problem with how the American public reacted to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock - Milwaukee Independent