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The
Academy Awards
What do They Communicate?
Paul Murano
(03/06/07)
 It was
stated that over a billion people tuned in to see the
Academy Awards last week. That is a hefty chunk of the
human race. It probably means many from third world
countries as well as Muslim lands, including nations
propagandized into thinking we are the great satan. tuned
in to see a glimpse of America.
This event, perhaps more than the Superbowl or anything
else, answers the question, “What is America ?”
to many inquisitive peoples across the globe. Many
know it’s what their cultures may evolve into, given
America’s influence in the modern world. Well then,
what did we communicate? What message did we send?
First off, they saw beautiful people. Let’s
face it, beautiful people are dispersed across the globe
but Hollywood has a knack for skillfully displaying
them. The world also got to see some talented
people who are good at their craft, whether it be in
front of the camera or behind it, and they were
entertained with humor throughout Hollywood’s
four-hour marathon reality TV show. It displayed an
entertainment industry second to none in its making and
distributing of movies around the globe.
Is that it? Not exactly. There were a few other things
communicated that perhaps made much more of an impact on
the world looking in. One message they heard was
that America’s top priority and number one value is
global warming. There is nothing more important nor
more alarming, it seemed, than the world’s
temperature rising one degree each century. To those
watching who are living through ethnic cleansing and
genocide, who are literally starving to death because of
unjust regimes and civil wars, to the millions still
living under repressive totalitarian states, the unjustly
imprisoned, the tortured, the countless children and
adults used as sex slaves, those dying of deadly
diseases, those who live in abusive situations whether it
be sexually, physically, or verbally with no visible way
out, to those suffering from serious addiction, mental
illness, severe depression, loneliness, hopelessness and
despair; and last but certainly not least, those living
in their mother’s wombs in our very dangerous
abortion age - to all these people and/or those who
care for them it must have seemed insulting that the
richest and most powerful country in the world focuses
their energy and resources on the weather and what it may
or may not do to some people down the road.
Then there was Ellen wearing her masculine pants suit as
the cameras focused in on her “partner” in the
audience. Not to mention Melissa Ethridge not only
giving her girlfriend a big voluptuous kiss as the camera
took a close-up shot, but also at the podium thanked her
“wonderful wife” for all her support, as the
world watched.
Lastly, its hard to ignore the collegin lips, fake
breasts, face lifts, hairpieces, implants, straightened
noses, fake tans, and highly competitive egos that were
displayed en mass to the world’s population.
So what was communicated to our fellow human beings
across the globe about what we value and stand for?
After watching they must think we’re a country
filled with rich lesbians, routinely undergoing plastic
surgery, paranoid about the environment, and mourning
that Al Gore is not president. They may be thinking
that if freedom, democracy and affluence results in a
people going in and out of rehab after their numerous
divorces or addictions to drugs, sex or both; a people
comprised of women “married” to wives
while countless others kill their children before birth
out of convenience; if what they see along with the
Oscars is the exportation of The Jerry Springer Show, The
Sopranos, our multi-million dollar pornography business,
the sagas of Brittany and Anna Nicole - it should
be no shock that the entire world isn’t on board
with us yet. Perhaps many aren’t willing to
redefine the concepts of tolerance and diversity to
include social and moral chaos, the breakdown of the
family and community, and the inordinate and abusive
focus on self.
The next time we wonder why people a-cross the
globe who don’t share these val-ues resist our
influence and fear our exported culture, maybe we should
think a little more about the image we send to them of
America through our most powerful media.
Paul Murano teaches theology and philosophy at
Assumption College and Northshore Community College. He
is also the producer of Paying Attention! Radio Program
on WCAP. You can E-mail Paul at PJDM@aol.com
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The March 2007 Edition
of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2007, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 12,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
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