In the news today there is a topic that is odd to me. The Academy Award nominations were recently announced and there is a building furor over the fact that there were no nominations for black actors or actresses. Spike Lee (director), Jada Pinkett-Smith (actress) and now Snoop Dogg (musician/actor) have announced they will be boycotting the Academy Awards by not attending or watching the show.

Here is what I don’t understand: when did the awarding for performance become about proper representation of any demographic? The best film performances and contributions this year might just not be black. Or, perhaps the superior movies or roles for people of color were just not there in 2015? I guess it could be that there were deserving black candidates who were overlooked. Yes, it’s possible.

But if we step back, let us remember that the awarding of an Oscar does not solve world hunger. Not one homeless person will be housed. No war will be averted. Not one fewer inner city murders. The drug war will rage on unfazed. The most that can be said is that someone will make more money. Getting nominated or winning the Oscar will dramatically increase the winner’s bottom line.

Against this backdrop, the protestors seem very self-serving. Ridiculous.