Oscar condemnations are misguided

Dann Gire's Jan. 22 article "How to fix Oscar's diversity problem," is not what I would have expected from a learned film critic. To begin with, his commentary that "Old white guys have been running Hollywood and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (and) old white male biases are deeply entrenched in Hollywood" is pointedly misguided and unfair.

These guys may be white in color, but they have a wealth of experience and a broad knowledge base by which to judge talent. Why must you assume they are racially prejudiced and given to "invisible bias."

Diversity of membership can be a healthy state in any organization but in reaching its goal, one should not unfairly rip apart those old guys making difficult but sound decisions about the artists before them.

Bigotry and disparaging the black actor/filmmaker has never been their purpose or intent. African-American actors have received, deservedly, lots of recognition through the years.

So there's been a dry spell - no one is purposely leaving them out, including the "old guys."

Finally, let me say that Will Smith was terrific in "Concussion," but so was Tom Hanks in "Bridge of Spies" and he wasn't nominated either.

Joseph Gordon Levitt in "Walk," another Oscar worthy performance, not nominated.

Black/white/old guys are not the issue. Judging who gets the Oscar necessarily involves some element of subjectivity. But these old guys are sincere in their judgment, a judgment based on a lifetime of observing and knowing a true artist - black or white, brown or pink.

Larry J. Powitz

Arlington Heights