Dear Editor,

The Oscars for 2022 will be remembered by people generally and black people specifically for two main things.

The first, was Will Smith becoming the fifth black person to win an Oscar in the best actor category. The second, was Will Smith slapping Chris Rock after Rock delivered a joke seemly at the expense of Jada Pinkett Smith.

The sound of the slap at the Oscars reverberated around the world, almost drowning out the rumble of guns and bombs in Ukraine. The incident has been unpacked by pundits seeking to provide us with context and motivation for the actions of these two high-profile African Americans.

Emerging from all the rhetoric surrounding the slap is the notion of toxic masculinity, especially in the black community. Had the slap occurred at the club or at some other place where black people go to let off steam, one can only speculate about what might have transpired between the Chris Rock posse and the Will Smith posse. Gang wars have started because of such thoughtless acts by black people.

No one can be annoyed at Will Smith for wanting to stand up for his wife, whose face registered discomfort at the alopecia-related joke delivered by Chris Rock. The sting in the joke laid in the bald head sported by Demi Moore in the movie G I Jane. The joke implied that Jada Pinkett Smith’s bald head qualified her to star in a sequel to G I Jane.

It can equally be argued that Chris Rock’s joke was not that mean-spirited and was initially greeted with laughter by Will Smith. The discomfort on the face of Jada Pinkett Smith, however, quickly wiped the mirth away from Will Smith’s face and propelled him in the direction of Chris Rock with a loaded palm.

Comedian Bill Maher, known for his politically incorrect commentaries on politics and life, added a dimension to the discussion that perhaps put the slap in its proper context. Maher reminded his audience on his Real Time with Bill Maher show that Jada Pinkett Smith is lucky to be dealing with alopecia, which is a condition that only causes hair loss.

The mildness of the joke, coupled with the non-life threatening nature of alopecia give credence to the conclusion that Will Smith overreacted to the joke and acted in a very improper fashion.

Will Smith was right to want to stand up for his wife, notwithstanding her entanglement and his admission to GQ magazine that both he and his wife did not practice monogamy. Walking up to Chris Rock and slapping him, however, displayed a lack of decorum and judgement on the part of Will Smith.

On the positive side, Will Smith delivering a slap down to Chris Rock before the entire world should serve as a reminder to black people that there is a time and a place where sitting and doing nothing is not an option. Even though this was not one of those situations that required prompt and decisive action, the great slap at the 2022 Oscars should serve as a reminder to black men that sometimes you have to stand up, walk up, and slap down your enemies.

Lenrod Nzulu Baraka

rodneynimrod2@gmail.com