Racist Matt Damon, typical Liberal hypocrite

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The exchange between Damon and Brown was fascinating to say the least, and I did learn something.

Brown was not inferring that quality should be sacrificed for diversity. She was simply making a point about racial sensitivity. Damon took it to another level, and emboldened by his liberalism and sense of racial inclusiveness, felt justified in doing so.

I gather, the entirety of this exchange is one that many professional Black people have experienced, when they find themselves “the only one” in a room full of white colleagues. Many of people of color have felt the pressure of challenging the ways that whiteness is operating unnoticed, even as they are also saddled with the baggage of representing for our race/gender. When they demand, politely of course, that diversity take place on every level from the boardroom to the stage, frequently they are met with white defensiveness (hence Damon talking over/ lecturing Brown).

Predictably, the media and many of the commenters on this thread have decided take the golden carrot of "the best people should be decided based on merit" comment instead of actually trying to understand the other side's view. You have placed the discussion under the "affirmative action" argument and assume that black people want other blacks to advance under lower standards than others (anyone who understands how affirmative action works knows this view is highly inaccurate). Major props to Damon and BA for airing it. It forces those of us in the majority to see how this looks in action, whether we choose to accept it or not.

How I pity those who cannot empathize with your fellow man. I do hope those making judgment on you have empathy if you find yourself to be part of an underrepresented people.

Best response to this issue in eons.

+1

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Something like racism isn't a yes or no question, it's more of a continuum. Someone can be generally open-minded and aware, but still have areas of ignorance and bias. It's how, for instance, someone can have friends from a particular minority group but not want someone from that minority group to be their doctor because they think people from that group tend to be less intelligent. It's entirely possible that Matt Damon generally supports social justice/racial equality, but has a blind spot in this area that's a little more personal to him.

Also, there's a difference between a contest that tries to determine who is the best filmmaker, and then gives that filmmaker a script to direct as a prize, and a contest that tries to determine the best filmmaker to make that particular script. I think some of the disagreement described may have come from two different understandings of what the objective of the show is.

Totally agree with the bolded. It's more than a little simplistic to say "Racist Matt Damon". But let's face it-- we all grew up in a racist society and everyone is going to have, as the PP states, "blind spots." The question is: when you are confronted with your blind spots, will you be defensive, or take it as a learning opportunity?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The exchange between Damon and Brown was fascinating to say the least, and I did learn something.

Brown was not inferring that quality should be sacrificed for diversity. She was simply making a point about racial sensitivity. Damon took it to another level, and emboldened by his liberalism and sense of racial inclusiveness, felt justified in doing so.

I gather, the entirety of this exchange is one that many professional Black people have experienced, when they find themselves “the only one” in a room full of white colleagues. Many of people of color have felt the pressure of challenging the ways that whiteness is operating unnoticed, even as they are also saddled with the baggage of representing for our race/gender. When they demand, politely of course, that diversity take place on every level from the boardroom to the stage, frequently they are met with white defensiveness (hence Damon talking over/ lecturing Brown).

Predictably, the media and many of the commenters on this thread have decided take the golden carrot of "the best people should be decided based on merit" comment instead of actually trying to understand the other side's view. You have placed the discussion under the "affirmative action" argument and assume that black people want other blacks to advance under lower standards than others (anyone who understands how affirmative action works knows this view is highly inaccurate). Major props to Damon and BA for airing it. It forces those of us in the majority to see how this looks in action, whether we choose to accept it or not.

How I pity those who cannot empathize with your fellow man. I do hope those making judgment on you have empathy if you find yourself to be part of an underrepresented people.

Best response to this issue in eons.

+1

+2

Bravo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He totally interrupted her, and then talked over her when she tried to interrupt him back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFBkJSpUrY

If you honestly think a man would generally be just as sensitive to a female prostitute's point of view than a woman would, I think you're nuts.

But I guess I'm not really that surprised that the only black woman got talked over in a room filled with 7 mostly white guys and a white woman.

I don't think Damon is racist, but he definitely did a little whitesplaining soft shoe there.

I think PP above had a good point about the panelists perhaps being at cross purposes: Damon didn't want to have to change the rules of the contest to make it about picking the best directors FOR THIS SCRIPT, he wanted to pick the best directors, period. Whereas Brown was basically saying, given the script we have, we have to pick the best directors for this script who will be able to deal with sensitivity to racial and gender dynamics, and I don't think our best options are necessarily the teams of two white guys.

This is bull.

A Soldier's Story and Amistad were directed by Jewish white guys. You can be a good director regardless of what you look like. So women don't always need to direct movies about women and black directors don't need to limit their movies to stories about black people.

Give me a break, it's not about just being "a good director" -- it's about being able to tell the story from an authentic place of personal experience and perspective. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but there are a lot of movies out there that a lot of folks think are "great", but the people who are the subject of the story -- think suck -- the perspective is off, the viewpoint is skewed and it comes off as just another stereotypical piece of mess. Blind Side is a good example. That story was so way off from the "real" story it is shameful.
Give people a chance to tell their own story -- share their viewpoints.

I only saw this movie on a plane so admiteddly wasn't paying much attention but can you elaborate? I did read Michal Lewis' book because for one thing I love Michael Lewis' style and for the other, I'm a born and raised NY Giants fan and a book about LT's evolution of the o-line was going to be right up my ally. I clearly loved the book and Oher and family never had any issue with it from all the pieces I watched with him during his college and then draft into pro career. But I didn't intensely watch the movie so the parts I saw seemed to line up pretty closely with Lewis' narrative (as he worked with them directly as subjects). What did they veer away from?

See the link below. The bottom line is very often according to hollywood the saviour and the hero in black people's lives is some white person. It's the White Shadow syndrome. Black folk don't do well until white folk come along and show them the way.
http://www.npr.org/sections/monkeysee/2011/02/08/133590180/beyond-the-blind-side-michael-oher-rewrites-his-own-story

Oh yes, I am familiar with the concept and its prevalence in hollywood for sure. Its just that since I liked this book so much I was more wondering about it specifically, with regard to this concept and if the movie veered off the truth in big ways in order to conform to that concept more so than the facts, since I had my headphones in and out for much of it anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He totally interrupted her, and then talked over her when she tried to interrupt him back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFBkJSpUrY

If you honestly think a man would generally be just as sensitive to a female prostitute's point of view than a woman would, I think you're nuts.

But I guess I'm not really that surprised that the only black woman got talked over in a room filled with 7 mostly white guys and a white woman.

I don't think Damon is racist, but he definitely did a little whitesplaining soft shoe there.

I think PP above had a good point about the panelists perhaps being at cross purposes: Damon didn't want to have to change the rules of the contest to make it about picking the best directors FOR THIS SCRIPT, he wanted to pick the best directors, period. Whereas Brown was basically saying, given the script we have, we have to pick the best directors for this script who will be able to deal with sensitivity to racial and gender dynamics, and I don't think our best options are necessarily the teams of two white guys.

This is bull.

A Soldier's Story and Amistad were directed by Jewish white guys. You can be a good director regardless of what you look like. So women don't always need to direct movies about women and black directors don't need to limit their movies to stories about black people.

Give me a break, it's not about just being "a good director" -- it's about being able to tell the story from an authentic place of personal experience and perspective. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but there are a lot of movies out there that a lot of folks think are "great", but the people who are the subject of the story -- think suck -- the perspective is off, the viewpoint is skewed and it comes off as just another stereotypical piece of mess. Blind Side is a good example. That story was so way off from the "real" story it is shameful.
Give people a chance to tell their own story -- share their viewpoints.

I only saw this movie on a plane so admiteddly wasn't paying much attention but can you elaborate? I did read Michal Lewis' book because for one thing I love Michael Lewis' style and for the other, I'm a born and raised NY Giants fan and a book about LT's evolution of the o-line was going to be right up my ally. I clearly loved the book and Oher and family never had any issue with it from all the pieces I watched with him during his college and then draft into pro career. But I didn't intensely watch the movie so the parts I saw seemed to line up pretty closely with Lewis' narrative (as he worked with them directly as subjects). What did they veer away from?

See the link below. The bottom line is very often according to hollywood the saviour and the hero in black people's lives is some white person. It's the White Shadow syndrome. Black folk don't do well until white folk come along and show them the way.
http://www.npr.org/sections/monkeysee/2011/02/08/133590180/beyond-the-blind-side-michael-oher-rewrites-his-own-story

Oh yes, I am familiar with the concept and its prevalence in hollywood for sure. Its just that since I liked this book so much I was more wondering about it specifically, with regard to this concept and if the movie veered off the truth in big ways in order to conform to that concept more so than the facts, since I had my headphones in and out for much of it anyway.

Sorry, posted before reading the whole NPR article, I see more now, I should have watched the movie and will probably do so now. It was more with the way the narrative was presented- and the fact that while he didn't have play calling football experience, he wasn't totally clueless, etc. Michael Lewis does a better job of parsing all that truth out I am sure than hollywood did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whitesplaining and mansplaining. And I ordinarily like Matt Damon.

This. He really comes off as douche here.

[Anonymous]

I'm sure he got into Harvard because he was the best possible student for the slot and not because he is a thick ankled townie from Southie.

Funny how "diversity" is only upsetting when you're not being helped by it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He totally interrupted her, and then talked over her when she tried to interrupt him back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njFBkJSpUrY

If you honestly think a man would generally be just as sensitive to a female prostitute's point of view than a woman would, I think you're nuts.

But I guess I'm not really that surprised that the only black woman got talked over in a room filled with 7 mostly white guys and a white woman.

I don't think Damon is racist, but he definitely did a little whitesplaining soft shoe there.

I think PP above had a good point about the panelists perhaps being at cross purposes: Damon didn't want to have to change the rules of the contest to make it about picking the best directors FOR THIS SCRIPT, he wanted to pick the best directors, period. Whereas Brown was basically saying, given the script we have, we have to pick the best directors for this script who will be able to deal with sensitivity to racial and gender dynamics, and I don't think our best options are necessarily the teams of two white guys.

This is bull.

A Soldier's Story and Amistad were directed by Jewish white guys. You can be a good director regardless of what you look like. So women don't always need to direct movies about women and black directors don't need to limit their movies to stories about black people.

Give me a break, it's not about just being "a good director" -- it's about being able to tell the story from an authentic place of personal experience and perspective. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but there are a lot of movies out there that a lot of folks think are "great", but the people who are the subject of the story -- think suck -- the perspective is off, the viewpoint is skewed and it comes off as just another stereotypical piece of mess. Blind Side is a good example. That story was so way off from the "real" story it is shameful.
Give people a chance to tell their own story -- share their viewpoints.

Yes, Blindside was a stupid movie. For that matter, Forrest Gump was a stupid, over-rated movie. There are many stupid movies made by anyone of any color/race/gender/sex/sexuality.

Effie Brown's point was a superficial one at best. None of the directors being considered for this particular project were current or former prostitutes or pimps. So none of them are particularly "authentic." Being Asian or being female vs. being a white male doesn't give you any more perspective on this specific human condition--a white pimp and a black prostitute. Being a white male doesn't make Damon's rebuttal any less valid.

Seriously, one of Effie Brown's "biggest" movies is "But I'm a Cheerleader," about a white, lesbian cheerleader. She's not white. Was she ever a cheerleader? (Who really gives an F' is she's a lesbian.) But she still made a movie where she doesn't meet two of of three.

And truly, I just think the OP must be getting a hard on and the "typical liberal hypocrite" thread getting so much play, b/c I've seen this phrase inserted into so many DCUM discussions probably by the same simpleton.

[Anonymous]

I dont think he's a racist. He's married to a mexican woman and has mixed children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The exchange between Damon and Brown was fascinating to say the least, and I did learn something.

Brown was not inferring that quality should be sacrificed for diversity. She was simply making a point about racial sensitivity. Damon took it to another level, and emboldened by his liberalism and sense of racial inclusiveness, felt justified in doing so.

I gather, the entirety of this exchange is one that many professional Black people have experienced, when they find themselves “the only one” in a room full of white colleagues. Many of people of color have felt the pressure of challenging the ways that whiteness is operating unnoticed, even as they are also saddled with the baggage of representing for our race/gender. When they demand, politely of course, that diversity take place on every level from the boardroom to the stage, frequently they are met with white defensiveness (hence Damon talking over/ lecturing Brown).

Predictably, the media and many of the commenters on this thread have decided take the golden carrot of "the best people should be decided based on merit" comment instead of actually trying to understand the other side's view. You have placed the discussion under the "affirmative action" argument and assume that black people want other blacks to advance under lower standards than others (anyone who understands how affirmative action works knows this view is highly inaccurate). Major props to Damon and BA for airing it. It forces those of us in the majority to see how this looks in action, whether we choose to accept it or not.

How I pity those who cannot empathize with your fellow man. I do hope those making judgment on you have empathy if you find yourself to be part of an underrepresented people.

Best response to this issue in eons.

+1

+2

Excellent!

[Anonymous]

Just b/c Effie Brown is black doesn't mean her point was meaningful. She said something pretty insipid based on her own biases and prejudices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just b/c Effie Brown is black doesn't mean her point was meaningful. She said something pretty insipid based on her own biases and prejudices.

So says the troll.

[Anonymous]

Kristen and Leo's interpretation of the script -- avoiding "slut shaming" -- sounded better. Damon instead chose a guy who begged off from the first moment of the interview, citing problems with the script but failing to explain what those problems were. IMHO, I don't think Damon cared for K&L's calling out the script's flaws.

No wonder people see diversity issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I dont think he's a racist. He's married to a mexican woman and has mixed children.

jeb is as well but that doesn't stop him from supporting economic policies that would terrorize people of color.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I dont think he's a racist. He's married to a mexican woman and has mixed children.

jeb is as well but that doesn't stop him from supporting economic policies that would terrorize people of color.

+1!