Moonlight, Oscar's Controversial Win

By now, I'm sure you have all heard about Moonlight's win for Best Picture that took place for most, in the most, epic way possible. But there are a couple things to really look at and think about, as a Black Creative. I'll start here, did you really think Moonlight deserves to win?

First, I have to congratulate the creatives behind this piece of artwork. We too often refuse to acknowledge the creatives in the art when we hold personal gripes with it, even though the individuals in & behind the scenes don't have too much to do with how the end product comes out. So congrats to the men that played this intricate role that is Chiron & to the humanization of the drug dealer role, played by Oscar winner Mahershala Ali. They deserve all the praise that they are receiving because as artists, it is hard to put yourself into your art and even scarier when you don't know how people will receive you. Now back to my problems with it.

I found it strange that just one year after the Oscar's White Out, one month after Donald Trump steps foot into the most prestigious house in the world and a little less than one month since he inacted his Travel Ban, that not only does the first Muslim actor win an Oscar for Best Supporting Cast but Barry Jenkins also wins for Best Adapted Screenplay & Moonlight wins for Best Picture over LaLa Land, the great white hope, in dramatic fashion. And this seems strange to no one? We all just feel this sweeping of awards is well deserved? Well I disagree. This has the disgusting aftertaste reminiscent from when I was a loud crying, small child and my parents shoved a pacifier in my mouth, just to shut me up. Yes, I said it, this feels like "Affirmative Action", "White guilt" & any and every other idiom we could use to describe being unrightfully given acknowledgement by the "system" , just to appease the Black masses & keeps us from complaining at least for the next year. When will we realize that all of these minor moments are no more than bacon treats placed inside a doggy bowl? Or will we continue to chase recognition from a culture that doesn't understand our own?