Mission Accomplished

February is Black History Month, and we recently celebrated Martin Luther King Day, a national holiday designed to honor its namesake, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Just for the youngsters, Dr. King was a non-violent protester who helped lead rallies and protests in order to help achieve equality through a “colorblind” society.  His dream was for a society in which people would be judged on the content of their character rather than their skin color.

Along the way many Americans have proven to be eager to attain those same goals of peace and love and unity.

Blacks traditionally marched through the streets of South Carolina on MLK Day each year to have the offensive Confederate flag removed to alleviate pent-up pain from the Civil War.

Over the last several years we were torn by another campaign to stop the use of “the ‘N’ word.”  This word is so offensive that it can’t even be uttered.  However, if you are black, you are free to use it with impunity.

If challenged over its use, blacks simply explain how non-blacks would not understand the pain it inflicts, recalling the days of slavery from pre-1870 time.

In fact, even the mention of slavery is becoming more offensive by the minute.  It seems that the word “slavery” has been documented to cause apoplexy in the overly-tender sensibilities of the African-American community, and pandering politicians.

This is purely symbolic, similar to the use of the phrase “slaving away” to describe over-working, or “slave driver” to describe a mean, overly enthusiastic boss.  Those phrases are verboten in public, and viewed as insensitive by those easily offended in today’s society.

To preclude any further animosity, pain, and suffering from the use and/or recollection of American history concerning blacks and their unique culture, ardent efforts have been made to better help us creep closer to Dr. King’s goal of colorblindness.

Following a June 2015 shooting of a traditionally black church in South Carolina by a white man, calls were made to remove all evidence to the Confederate flag, once and for all.

Later that year, the South Carolina governor agreed this erasure of history was appropriate, and officially ordered the prohibition of the display of this banner on public property.  Success achieved.

But on MLK Day, the throngs of marchers normally protesting the South Carolina flag are now without a cause.  I realize tradition begins somewhere; I guess it also ends somewhere, too.

And on the fifteenth of January 2016, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, announced its latest round of nominees for honoring cinematic achievements.

Excluded from this prestigious list of nominations was any reference to black actors, black actresses, or black subject matter.  This, too, has caused a surprising kerfuffle among cinema-industry blacks.

It seems as though there is one notable black film entitled “Straight Outta Compton.”  The gist of this film is the birth and growth of the hip hop movement in Compton, California.

For music novices, this featured group is named NWA.  The WA part is an abbreviation of ‘with attitudes.’  The N part is the oh so-offensive “N-word.”

Racist director Spike Lee, and overly thin-skinned Jada Pinckett Smith, publicly announced their displeasure at the racial imbalance of the nominees.  No word yet on their feelings of the racial disparity within the National Basketball Association and the National Football League.

Although I haven’t seen this cinematic masterpiece I surmise this movie is laden with liberally salted use of the N-word.  I can only hope was stopped by the Oscar’s folks the instant the first time it was spoken.

Congratulations!  Mission accomplished.