Astor Torres

Social Movements

Weekly discussion 10

"White people's choice awards': Oscars host Chris Rock Condemns Hollywood's lack of diversity."

Democracy Now talks about how actor Chris Rock brought up the issue of lack of diversity in Hollywood. Through his comedy style, Rock was able to bring attention to the issue. I didn't see the video until days later after it aired, I thought that Rock's actions were hilarious. Rock started off by saying that he was at the white people's choice awards. He later mentioned how back in the 60s no one was protesting the awards because they had real things to worry about such as lynching or getting raped. Rock said some pretty powerful and deep meaning stuff. "This year, the Oscars, are going to be a little different… it's just going to be black people that were shot by the cops on their way to the movies." I think that Rock got away with saying all these stuff because he possesses resource mobilization in the form of money and social capital (material). Rock went on to finish saying everything he wanted without getting interrupted. http://www.democracynow.org/2016/2/29/white_peoples_choice_awards_oscars_host

 

"Earth day: as Paris deal is signed, Gulf coast residents demand end to drilling—entirely"

            Democracy now looks at how 6 years after the oil spill, Gulf coast communities demand the oil drilling be stopped completely. Protestor are shown to laying on the ground motionless. This news report exercises human resource mobilization in the form of volunteers. The movement is called keep it in the ground. Political opportunity occurred when the oil spill took place and since then the keep it in the ground movement has grown. This protest came about after 60 countries signed the Paris climate agreement to slow down climate change, and the protestors feel that this agreement is not addressing the actual issue. "Experts say the cuts promised in the deal are insufficient to avert dangerous global warming" said Antonia Juhasz. http://www.democracynow.org/2016/4/22/earthday_as_paris_deal_is_signed