Dear America,
Once Upon a Time at the Oscars
this morning, how about we "hold the powerful accountable," right, Mark Ruffalo? ...just an actor who happened to have portrayed somebody of principle -- and a journalist, of all things, but not so much the main thing on the day...
So let's not dither while second guessing either the lighting, the staging, the approach, or the tone.
The thing is, Hollywood is good at story telling. It's what they do.
And second, Hollywood is pretty powerful, with pretty people to boot. Oh my, to the heights of influence, of persuasion, of indoctrination, of power we go. It's Oscar worthy, the level of polish, of sanctimony, of corruption against pure unadulterated substance.
Indeed.
Hollywood is good at story telling --- just not always the whole story (with some exceptions, of course).
Oh look, here's an exception now: A Girl in the River....Every year, more than 1,000 girls and women are the victims of religiously motivated honor killings in Pakistan, especially in rural areas. Eighteen-year-old Saba, who fell in love and eloped, was targeted by her father and uncle but survived to tell her story.
It's a US/Pakistan collaboration, with HBO carrying the water, so to speak. When Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy was accepting her Oscar last night, she made note that the Pakistani government was in the midst of writing into law new protections against such honor killings, and to that end, we must honor the means and applaud such courageous activism through film. (Honorable Mention goes to Tina Brown, too)
But let's get back to Spotlight guy, Mark Ruffalo...
The point was made, more than once, that on behalf of the greater good, staunch global investigative journalism is not dead, and deserves accolades for continuing to bring justice to the disenfranchised of all sorts. SO how about we do that right now.
First take: this thing called sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, perpetrated by priests worldwide, and the entire story back behind SPOTLIGHT... Here's another part of the story, not mentioned:
Here are some statistics that should be familiar to us all, but aren't, either because they're too mind-boggling to be absorbed easily, or because they're not publicized enough. One in three-to-four girls, and one in five-to-seven boys are sexually abused before they turn 18, an overwhelming incidence of which happens within the family. These statistics are well known among industry professionals, who are often quick to add, "and this is a notoriously underreported crime."
This is a piece of America Has an Incest Problem, from the Atlantic, two years ago. Stunning is the reality that nearly 30% of our entire population is affected by incest. The Atlantic goes on to include how this translates into well-documented consequences. (Please, don't be afraid -- read the entire post, and click the links.)
Sure, Spotlight did cast a laser beam on the horrific occurrences of abuse within what is considered the definition of sacred space -- church; and what about the intergalactic, celestial harmony of family? What could be more sacred than creating a safe space at home? What about this generation of abused children giving birth to another generation of abused children in some way, shape, or form? We suddenly realize we are no longer under a spotlight at all. In reality, it exposes a blind-spot.
How can the United States possibly realize its full potential when close to a third of the population has experienced psychic and/or physical trauma during the years they're developing neurologically and emotionally—forming their very identity, beliefs, and social patterns? Incest is a national nightmare, yet it doesn't have people outraged, horrified, and mobilized as they were following Katrina, Columbine, or 9/11.
Indeed.
shhhhshhhhshhhhshhhh
hush pretty baby
Second take; moving on to the first time Oscar winner, Leonardo DiCaprio, taking Best Actor for The Revenant, and his acceptance speech....
"Climate Change is Real...It is happening right now, it is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively and stop procrastinating. We need to support leaders around the world... who speak for all of humanity...[blah blah blah] politics of greed."
Let's take the Ryan Gosling stance against Russell Crowe, shall we? Let's agree to disagree.
Yes, it is happening right now; it's been happening since the beginning of time, you dim wit.
BUT, if you want to go there, let's discuss the reality of carbon footprints, in the general, and the movie industry, in the particular. Here's where we begin the story, at a place called Capitalism Magazine:
But first, it should be pointed out that movies and the entertainment industry in general are a recent phenomena. They are a by-product of the enormous wealth created by capitalism. Specifically, movies are an American creation. Not only is the technology and ingenuity of movie making distinctly American, but the concept of the “Hollywood ending” could only have been created in a benevolent and optimistic culture which in turn depends on the prosperity, wealth, and freedom of a capitalist culture. Twentieth century socialism gave the world Mao, Hitler, and Stalin. Capitalism and Hollywood gave the world Fred Astaire, Lucy and Mickey Mouse.Could anyone even one hundred years ago imagine that we would have a society with so much wealth that it could afford an entire “entertainment” industry? Would they have imagined that actors and musicians considered by most at that time to be rogues (I guess not much has changed) could make enormous fortunes plying their seemingly insignificant trades? You would think that those who make their living in the entertainment industry today would have the most profound gratitude for capitalism, technology, industrial civilization and those who make that civilization possible: the scientists and businessmen. Wouldn’t they understand that their profession could only exist in the most advanced, most sophisticated and wealthiest of societies?
isn't this fascinating!
It goes on, saying..."Imagine how much energy is used in the making of a film?"
And you know what, how about we edit ourselves right here and now. This girl isn't going to copy any more for you; read about Hollywood's Carbon Footprint, here, and everywhere [See also Emission Impossible], and make up your own mind....no doubt your conclusions will be similar to mine, for you people who read G are not just a pretty face, now are you....
The hypocrisy runs rich in Hollywood. Watching the Oscars was like watching a walking, prancing, singing and dancing, dolled up forum of award winning contradictions.
to know the truth.
EVERY truth
and
the whole truth
[love Gaga..Till It Happens to You]
Lady Gaga's performance was the highlight of the entire night. No doubt.
And yet, all of a sudden the truth about incest in America creeps into my head, making me wonder when will we discuss sexual abuse in all places -- church, no problem, let's talk about it -- college, no problem, let's sing a song about it...and what about home?
It just leads me to believe, Hollywood only loves you as long as you sit, stand, applause for THEIR agenda, THEIR ideology, THEIR side of the story, THEIR propaganda. and so on and so on, much the same way as liberalism, in general, performs.
Third take: this, from Caitlyn Jenner, a republican -- who says SHE gets more flack from being conservative than being transgender.
And now for an explanation, go here, @The Daily Signal, for Kim Holmes take, The Rise of Intolerant Liberals.
Here's a good part --
Finally, liberalism has become hostile to open inquiry. Liberal intellectuals used to love open-ended debates because they thought they could win people over with their intelligence and wit. No more. Today’s liberal intellectuals are much more interested in stifling debates than having them. After all, who needs debates when all the big questions have been answered by their ideology?
Indeed.
and also, along these lines...here's a shocker. PLEASE Read THIS WHOLE POST and THIS, both from The Patriot Post. [These are two must reads as we run up against Super Tuesday.]
and also, along these lines...here's a shocker. PLEASE Read THIS WHOLE POST and THIS, both from The Patriot Post. [These are two must reads as we run up against Super Tuesday.]
And now, in my final bow...
Fourth take: to this thing called racism in Hollywood.
The truth is, people of color are represented in close proportion to the 12.6% of the entire population in America; and not only that, once people of color are nominated -- a higher percentage, a whole 15%, goes on to win...go here for How Racially Skewed are the Oscars?
But really, given the data -- Hispanics and Asians prove to be the real demographics sight unseen. Where's the spotlight on that?
One of my favorite parts of the night was when Chris Rock was opining upon why the Oscars even split the categories of men and women...he's like...what? why do we do that, it's acting...it's not like track and field...and then runs with it...leaving what we thought was pure logic in a heap of dust with a laugh on top. He's got a point, does he not? Where are the feminists in Hollywood kicking and screaming for total equality? Equal pay, equal chances of award, the whole shebang.
Oh this thing called perspective, story, the big picture. It's highly entertaining, to say the least.
Sometimes it's all a masquerade -- as in last night's production, as in SOME of the truth IS well hidden.
And sometimes, sometimes this masquerade lights a fire under us to effect change, and speak up for the disenfranchised...
like me...
...just a girl who is, often times, the target, the minority in the Hollywood audience, who has to sit and watch such a spectacle of sanctimonious dribble when properly placed in direct view with the whole truth, with reality.
And on that note, one more day is in the can. boom.
Make it a Good Day, G
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