The Oscars 'Diversity & Inclusion Standards' Do Nothing To Inspire Future Generations

The Oscars announced Tuesday that they plan on enforcing a new plan for Best Picture by 2024: Diversity and Inclusion Standards. Their very own version of college's affirmative action will destroy not only the standards of our minority communities, but our innovation.

"Parasite," "The Green Book," "The Shape of Water." The standards are high. They should be. Winning an Oscar is supposed to be hard work and ultimately a reward for being at the top of the game. That standard dies in 2024.

Now the host of the award insists we put a producer on the stage for no reason other than the color of their skin. Is that an accomplishment? It shouldn't be. As a black man I have witnessed a sea of white men on the stage for Best Picture, but I have a different takeaway. If we want to be up on that stage, lowering the standard won't help us.

Raising our own standards will.

Just six years ago, "12 Years A Slave" won Best Picture and was directed by Steve McQueen. A black man. I felt inspired. What he accomplished was hard work, but most importantly he was deserving. Being deserving is the only way we can inspire the next generation. Not by forcing our way on the stage with a quota.

What's the mission?

The Oscars wants to leave an impression they care about black people or any other group perceived by the media as "marginalized." We shouldn't be fooled. Success in the United States today doesn't care if we are black, blue or yellow. We win awards or get signed into the NBA based on production. Again, not a quota.

Imagine the NBA feeling uncomfortable with a lack of white men in the league and enforcing a quota over the head of a Daryl Morey. It would be perceived as a joke. A complete undermining of the black community and doing nothing to push those who are on the outside looking in. And ultimately putting players on the floor who shouldn't be there.

That's what The Oscars just accomplished. By 2024, there will be a group of minorities in our country standing on a stage uncertain if they earned their way onto that stage. Inspiring no one.

Not like the generation coming behind them won't know about the quota. They'll question these Oscar "nominees" and leave doubt in the minds of younger generations. Anyone ever doubted the accomplishment of Prince winning a Grammy in 1985 for "I feel For You"? Lenny Kravitz used Prince's real award as an inspiration to build his own career.

The Oscars forcing this bologna on America should land like Hillary Clinton's attempt at the Mannequin challenge. Phony. Disingenuous. Counter-productive. Our minority community should instead ask the real questions, like why Hollywood crams inclusion down our throats but rarely hires minorities themselves.

Written by
Gary Sheffield Jr is the son of should-be MLB Hall of Famer, Gary Sheffield. He covers basketball and baseball for OutKick.com, chats with the Purple and Gold faithful on LakersNation, and shitposts on Twitter. You can follow him at GarySheffieldJr