White outrage about Will Smith's slap is rooted in anti-Blackness. It's inequality in plain sight.

[Duncan Grant]

84. A public relations piece intended to trivialize what millions saw with their own two eyes.

(Italics are pull quotes from the article, followed by my words.)

“It would seem that there’s a layer of hyper-violence that’s being projected on to Smith simply because he is a Black man who was defending his Black wife.”

Or it could be a serious transgression of social mores. You know, the rule of law stuff. Trivial, I know, but we should make an effort not to initiate criminal assault just because we’re pissed off. Kid stuff, right?

“Anyone who has been following these shows can see that Smith is being held up to much stricter standards than white men who have behaved just as badly or even worse in those settings.”

How did I miss all those white movie stars assaulting presenters and screaming expletives at them in front of an international audience? That didn’t happen, right? This is a public relations lie. Will Smith is no victim.

“The world is so used to seeing Black women as unworthy of being protected and fought for that it can’t see any merit to Smith’s actions or the emotions that spurred them.”

There’s no context that excuses violence against another at an awards show. It’s shameful to suggest there’s something chivalrous about Will Smith’s actions. There’s nothing meritorious about his conduct at the Academy Awards.