Assaulting Privilege

Next week, Nate Parker’s Birth of a Nation opens in theaters to a limited release. Two weeks ago, I brought the discussion about the controversy surrounding Parker and his film into a conversation about privilege to not only be limited to race, but also gender. As a reminder, when confronted about the issue of a rape conviction two-decades ago, Nate Parker — the representative and spokesperson for his film — displayed indications of toxic masculinity and male privilege. I inconclusively ended my blog with ambiguous feelings about whether it would be appropriate to support the film, a question about the relationship of the art and artist. However, I’m not here to discuss that. Today, I want to explore the privilege of race and the double standards that plague the accomplishments, credibility, and legacy (sometimes unfairly, sometimes not) of minorities, while unhindering that of the majority.

It is without a doubt that Birth of a Nation is going to suffer financially for the drama that surrounded the film leading up to opening day. The loads of bad press and columns condemning Parker is simultaneous damning of the film. As his first film as a director/writer/producer, Parker has no legacy to “redeem him” of his wrongs and justify his mistakes with the “important contributions he’s made to culture and society.” But Woody Allen does. So does Roman Polanski. And Donald Trump (?). The common denominator? All (rich) white men.

I imagine it to go something along the lines of this: “You were convicted of sexually assaulting someone? That’s okay. You made that film in some ago that I really liked and won a lot of awards.” Or in Donald Trump’s case — “you’re a misogynistic, racist, asshole? That’s okay. You have a lot of money and you’re going to make America great again.” But Parker? There is absolutely no mercy in exposing him and publicly shaming him for his reactions to a crime he may have or may have not committed.

I am not saying he is undeserving of this attention. I am saying that Woody Allen, Roman Polanski, Donald Trump, and the multitude of other white men in the media who get away with these things — they are equally deserving of this attention. Why are they still making movies that open to critical acclaim; why is Donald Trump being seriously considered as the next leader of the free world?

This isn’t necessarily an issue of diversity in Hollywood as it is an issue of inequality in the media and society. As consumers, we not only accept, but we also propagate this culture and standard of inequality that infects social justice and unfairly prosecutes hand-picked people on the basis of their skin color. And we do this by financially and artistically supporting their films, voting for them, and choosing to forget the important facts that define character — not race.