On Monday, Derrick Clifton, who must be Beyonce’s biggest fan, used his disdain of her failure to capture Album of the Year to claim Beck won the award because, “American music is still undeniably white.” It is an argument not based in truth, and shows just how insane a person can be when someone they love is slighted in an event that in reality, means very little.
Forgetting the fact that unlike Beyonce, Beck writes every song, produces his own albums, and plays multiple instruments, Clifton went out of his way to discredit Beck’s talents. Those facts mean nothing to Clifton because even if an “artist” lip syncs, doesn’t write all of her songs, and fails to play an instrument, that performer should win because of her race, even when that performer already has sold a copious amount of records, has millions in her bank, and is one of the most beloved celebrities in America. Beck on the other hand probably makes as much in a year as Beyoncé does in a week, and is virtually ignored in pop culture. Instead of being happy for Beck, Clifton slings mud, and makes wild accusations he is incapable of proving.
Clifton even went after the nominations of Sam Smith and Iggy Azalea because they dared to be nominated in genres that were, “pioneered by black creativity,” and attacked the Grammy’s for relegating rap awards to the pre show ceremony, as a sign of racism; and he does so by leaving out the fact that heavy metal awards were handed out during the same pre event ceremony. In Clifton’s eyes that is probably warranted because heavy metal is racist, due to the lack of black heavy metal bands in America.
The writer has used his bias towards Beyoncé to make unfounded claims that anyone who believes Beck was more deserving of the award wears white hoods and burns crosses on their front yards. Award shows are a matter of taste. The artists, movies, and shows that get nominated receive the recognition based solely on enough people finding value in the form of art. To claim racism, or any other biases prevent certain people from winning awards is pure hyperbole. Clifton did not interview anyone who voted for Beck, nor did he get a quote along the lines of, “I didn’t vote for Beyoncé because she is black.” With the article Clifton paints every voter with the same brush, and casts every person who felt Beck was more deserving of the award as a racist.
This article, even though it makes insane claims that can’t be proven, is not shocking considering who published it. After the Academy Award nominees were announced, Mic shamelessly bemoaned the lack of diversity in the nominations by claiming “it’s mighty clear that the Oscars is the whitest old boys club there is.” In their world you should be awarded not for your talents, or your work, you should be applauded for being a certain race. To the writers and editors of Mic, art must be diminished for the cause of diversity, and if a white male records a great album, or produces a revolutionary film, their race should disqualify them.
Racism is an abhorrent sickness in our society, but that disease is demeaned when race cards are pulled when their is no evidence of prejudice. Racism exists in criminal justice, it exists in law enforcement and many other facets of society, but that does not mean bigotry is at the root of everything, no matter what progressives will tell you.
Clifton is yet another social justice warrior who wants every straight white male to be ashamed of their genetics. They want white males to condemn their parents for not having children with a minority, and they want every white person to apologize for colonization, the genocide of Native Americans, and anything else white individuals have done in the past, or will in the future. And they want every single white person to feel guilty when a white person is awarded something.
I’m sorry Derrick Clifton, I was born a straight white male, and I don’t feel guilt for something I can’t control. I will also condemn the race baiting click bait that your publication is known for, because I live in a world where claims of racism must be proven, not made up.
