I like to be in America!
Okay by me in America!
Everything free in America
For a small fee in America
Watching few days ago the 80th Academy Award ceremony, I remembered a movie that swept a bunch of Oscars almost 50 years ago. This edition was under the sign of multiculturalism like it would be a major turning point. Wow! Look at us! We are awarding a Spanish guy and a few French people, we are so universal! Helloooo! Before Woody Allen’s neurotic New Yorker, before New Jersey Sopranos, Brooklyn gangs and Harlem phobias, it was this musical about Puerto Rican immigrants based on a Broadway show, remember?
The supporting roles of Puerto Ricans were played by George Chakiris (of Greek origin) and Rita Moreno (of Puerto Rican origin) – awarded that year both with an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for their performances. For 1960 THIS was a big deal! But in 2008, I don’t find it anybody should make such fuss about who’s originally from where – what race or color. I think we got over this stage already. Decades ago. Imagine the Oscar all white audience in 1960. Not a trace of Afro-Americans, Latinos or anything else! In that conjuncture a movie about immigrants and not one, but two actors – most likely first generation in America – received the highest distinctions in the movie world.
3 years later, the first Afro-American was awarded by the Academy for a leading role: Mr. Poitier. Now it’s NORMALITY, stop making a fuss about it! It felt like someone is trying to explain a gay guy he has nothing against gay people, but the way he’s discussing about it is as uncomfortable as it would be if he would declare himself a homophobe!
Stop waving the tolerance flag! We got it already for Christ sake!
