WHO YOU CALLIN' BOY.....COTT?

     I have tremendous respect for Spike Lee as a filmmaker and a social spokesperson but I believe he is confused regarding the purpose of a boycott.  A boycott's purpose is to wage financial war against your oppressor.  A boycott attempts to harm the perpetrator of civil injustice by creating harm in the pocketbook of the offender.  This was the purpose of the Montgomery bus boycott.  This was the purpose of the lunch counter sit-ins at Woolworths.  The Civil Rights era architects understood much revenue was gained by the white man from black pockets.  If the black man refused to spend his money at specific white-run municipalities or white-owned businesses this would gain the attention of the white man and bring them to the bargaining table.  Many white men could do without the black man and black race but they did not want to do without their money.  It was not a sense of justice or fairness which brought many white man to the negotiation table.  Money and greed brought many white men to the table of brotherhood.
     Boycotting the Oscars does not harm the Oscars in a financial manner.  In fact it only serves to remove black folks from the awards ceremony.  Spike Lee is threatening to remove black people from an event which excludes black people.  He is doing there work for them.  Mr. Lee is playing right into their hands.  The Oscars ceremony does not want to recognize black folks and Spike Lee is removing black folks who might be recognized.  See how this can only make the racists within the Oscar organization smile?  Behind closed doors the racist Oscar members are laughing their asses off, "Spike Lee is threatening to keep black people from coming to the Oscars?  Tell Mr. Lee we support his actions!" And they laugh and laugh and laugh.
     If you want to get the white man's attention in this case it will not be accomplished financially.  Mr. Lee will have to play on their fears.  Mr. Lee should encourage every actor, actress, director, producer, musician and support player of color to converge on the Oscar ceremony on the night of the awards show.  Show up at the red carpet with the entire cast and crew of Straight Out of Compton.... bring along every single person of color who was ever snubbed and the Oscar winners of color.  Bring children of color to the ceremony.  Make the red carpet black, brown, red and yellow.  Crash the party peacefully with numbers....make them see you and hear you... just like the man with a dream.