Oscars So White? C'mon, You're Missing the Point

I don't really watch the Oscars, even though I absolutely am a fan of movies and cinema in general. I'm just not much of an award show guy. I know people do take them seriously though, so they tend to get a lot of attention. This year they're getting a lot of negative attention. It seems the Oscars are really, really white. Like totally white. Minority actors, actresses, and directors are basically completely left out in the cold. Some are saying this is a sign of the racism in Hollywood. I think they are missing the larger point.

I'm not sure that the Academy actually got their nominees wrong, or that this is the sign of Hollywood's racism. In fact, I'd suggest that's not at all the issue. You don't get many minority nominees in a field that is extremely white. It's simple math, the law of averages, and the law of chances. How many minority actors or actresses get major casting assignments in Hollywood? How many minority directors get major assignments? I'd argue the issue isn't who got nominated for an awards show that reflects what went on last year, I'd argue the issue is who was even given the opportunity. If your not in the cast in the first place, you can't win an award for your work.

I know, I'm not sticking to the progressive script here, but that's because the argument being made is stupid. I really don't care all that much about the Oscars, I care about the opportunity for an African-American or other minority to get major acting roles. If you're arguing over who gets a gold statue, you're arguing over a symptom, not the illness. Hollywood could use an injection of diversity, not a lecture about who gets awards.