The Slap | The Bayat Beat [027]

Somehow a singular violent act has taken the world by storm and sparked political discourse about the thresholds of acceptable violence, but the hypocrisy is apparent. While "The Slap" was an unnecessary violent outburst it is minuscule in comparison to the violence these institutions produce and promote. Remember when the Oscars booed an Indigenous woman (and that same woman was almost assaulted by John Wayne), when they booed Michael Moore for being against the Iraq War, or literally anytime they gave an award to a rapist or pedophile? Worse things have happened at the Oscars than two men who have known each other for 35 years having a disagreement. People saying "violence is never the answer" have never been slapped before and are blind to history and the violence these institutions produce. From Hollywood being at the forefront of spreading Islamophobia and anti-Blackness, to workers being forced to work 80+ hours a week with no end in sight, to the culturally imposed beauty standards, the discussion should be about how to fix the systemic issues not to create new ones.