Jewish World Review March 31, 2002/ 18 Nisan, 5762

Marianne M. Jennings

Marianne M. Jennings
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Oscars' subtle bigotry was embarrassing


http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com | Halle Berry was very good in The Flintstones. Very Victoria's Secret, purring like a kitten, and the perfect contrast to John Goodman's Fred. She's a B movie actress who logged a torrid love scene and apparently a good performance that landed her an Oscar, an achievement second in history, according to her acceptance speech, only to the Emancipation Proclamation and the discovery of penicillin. Her Oscar acceptance performance was right up there with those youthful thespians who play Ado Annie in junior high productions of Oklahoma. Ms. Berry's overacting topped Julia Roberts' yammering, sending a drifting uneasiness through the Kodak Theater with Academy members thinking, "Should have voted for Maggie Smith and a little British class."

This year's Academy Awards were a slap in the face to every black in America. Condescension was transparent. A Marlon Brando snub was called for and instead we suffered through sycophants kneeling at the golden altar of Oscar, symbol of Hollywood decadence, socialism and now racial stratification.

Ms. Berry and Denzel Washington's wins, coupled with Sidney Poitier's longevity award, were Hollywood racial pandering. Mr. Poitier had already won an Oscar in 1963 for The Lilies of the Field, but everyone behaved as if the honorary award, bestowed on the likes of film festival Robert Redford, was magnanimous. Stale and offensive Whoopi Goldberg only added to the descent into mediocrity designed to remedy discrimination. Even with writers, there's not an eloquent voice in Hollywood. Ms. Goldberg has performed better on Hollywood Squares.

This year's Oscars' subtle bigotry was embarrassing. Coupled with Ms. Julia Roberts' affected affection, the event set us back 50 years. Smug moguls ginned up the the "Free at last" theme. This year's Emmys should witness best actor awards for Nickelodeon's Kenan & Kel or the Power Ranger in the black uniform.

Racial sensitivity has moved into outright parody. During the 2002 Winter Olympics, when Vonetta Flowers won a gold medal as part of the U.S. women's bobsled team, commentators' tongues twisted as they documented history. The correct description is, "Ms. Flowers is the first black to win a gold medal in the Winter Olympics." Instead, however, the commentators could not bring themselves to say "black," and relied on the politically correct term, "African American." Their conclusion: Ms. Flowers is the first African American woman from any country to win a gold medal. Political correctness found the journalists practicing linguistic jingoism. British African Americans? German African Americans?

Academics, journalists and artificial Hollywood continue the racial divide as they perpetuate the myth of deprivation. A study released last week by the Institute of Medicine, an advisory body to Congress, asserts that race is the cause of differences in access to and quality of medical care. According to the study, blacks and Hispanics receive lesser quality health care even when they have the same levels of insurance. Ergo, and the study labels the findings a "various serious moral issue," doctors and other health care providers are racist.

The study does not address the following: whether those involved sought health care in a timely fashion or waited too long, whether those involved followed doctors' orders once they had entered the health care system (in fact, the study confirms doctors' experience that minority patients do not engage in follow-up care) and whether language is a barrier to effective treatment.

Study recommendations require substantial federal funds: more doctors speaking Spanish; more racial sensitivity from doctors; more training for hospital staff on minority culture; more minority doctors. A non-racial fix never crossed the researcher's minds. Bigots conducting the study fail to acknowledge that, with information about health, health care and health care systems, minorities could function effectively and equally in the same systems that have assimilated immigrants for nearly 100 years.

The arrogant liberal mind assumes that minorities can never solve problems or break down barriers without the assistance of government, programs, affirmative action and give-away Oscars. President Bush's characterization of such programs as soft bigotry is wrong. These condescending programs are racism institutionalized. They guarantee a lesser place in society as they demand dependence on feigned benevolence and discourage self-reliance.

Oscar assumed that without giveaways and special recognition, "people of color," as Ms. Berry describes herself, would never achieve. Mr. Poitier's career is proof that they are wrong. Ironically, Ms. Berry's longwinded lecture on racial barriers ensures that the racial divide continues. Wouldn't it have been lovely for Ms. Berry to recognize her own merit and simply say, "Thank you." She couldn't because Hollywood made certain it preempted her win and her night to preserve the racial divide.


JWR contributor Marianne M. Jennings is a professor of legal and ethical studies at Arizona State University. Send your comments by clicking here.

Up

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03/08/02: Botoxic faces
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01/03/02: The year that was
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04/11/00: The monsters we're raising with the ergo proposition
04/05/00: Endowing the Hooters Chair for Literature Appreciation
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03/14/00: The volunteerism of conscription and pomp
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08/10/99: Ruining the finest health care system in the world
08/03/99: Nihilism and politics: ethics on the lam
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07/20/99: "Why me?" How about "Why us?"
07/13/99: Bunk, junk & juries
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06/30/99: That intellectually embarrassing Second Amendment
06/24/99: Patricia Ireland eat your heart out --- but check out the recipe in 'women's mags' first
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06/17/99: True courage is more than just admitting troubles

© 2002, Marianne M. Jennings