And The Oscar Goes To

When this blog goes live on Monday, the Oscar winners will already be announced, the red carpets will all be rolled up and put away, and Hollywood will be finished celebrating another year well done in cinema.  Over the years, I’ve enjoyed watching the telecast to see who was wearing what and who would win the coveted trophy.  Now I watch it with an entirely different perspective.  Our society has elevated the community of “actors” to a status that is comical to me.  During all the red-carpet interviews, we see the nominees dripping in diamonds and fancy gowns. (The cost of the gown alone could feed a family for a year!) They are continuously lauded and celebrated for their “brave” performances and “risky” choices in portraying their characters on film.  We love to heap praise on these celebrities and thank them profusely for their courage and tenacity, blah, blah, blah.  In reality, we do the exact opposite to the real whistleblowers and nonconformists who fight for truth and justice for the underdogs everyday.  In the real world, this isn’t appreciated or celebrated at all.  In fact, those people who choose to risk their lives and stand up to authority are often labeled as “extremists” or “crazy” or even “dangerous.”  The media certainly doesn’t thank them for defying all odds to bring an issue to light that would have normally been covered up.  Most whistleblowers will lose their jobs and possibly face death threats for exposing the truth; they certainly don’t win Academy Awards for their bravery.  Why have we gotten so far from truth and justice and doing what is right?

In my opinion, our government leaders have played a huge part in this.  There is no accountability or personal responsibility anymore when it comes to our elected representatives.  We’ve all seen the scandals with congressman sending naked pics of themselves to women other than their wives, not paying their taxes and even taking money from lobbyists in exchange for voting a certain way on legislation.  The sad fact is that they don’t really try too hard to hide it anymore.  If they get caught with their pants down, there’s the inevitable press conference with their pitiful attempts at mea culpas and it’s quickly forgotten.  No harm done, right?  While some are forced to resign, we really don’t pay too much attention because we’re on to the next scandal.  There’s a 24-hour news cycle and it has to be filled up, not with actual news mind you, but the most salacious stuff we can think of.  Sex sells, price fixing doesn’t.  The bosses over at XYZ got caught falsifying tax documents: snore.  Rep. So-and-So voted on banking legislation that made him/her gobs of money: booooring!  Arnold Schwarzenegger fathered a child with his maid: WHAT?!  Kim Kardashian is having Kanye’s baby?!  Tiger Woods had an affair?!  Tell me everything; how could this happen? I need details!!  We demand it and TMZ and US Magazine are happy to oblige.  It would be comical if it weren’t completely true.Government officials and corporate CEOs must love our obsession with all things celebrity.  Kim Kardashian is pregnant with Kanye’s baby?  That means people won’t be watching them and the illegal activities they decided to embark on this week.

They know our culture is oblivious to real news and they use that to their advantage.  They can keep squashing the little guys who try to speak up about them because, really, no one cares.  It’s not as exciting as celebrity gossip and they know it.  Even if there is a whisper of negative press, the news cycle moves so fast that something else will come along and we’ll forget about it quickly — like a dog with a squirrel. (LOOK, SQUIRREL!)

We, my friends, are the Davids in this scenario, fighting the mighty Goliaths at every turn.  Big Pharma, corrupt CEOs and bought-out politicians are everywhere.  I know at times it seems like a huge fight and we’re losing the battle, but we’re making headway.  People are starting to listen and make informed choices about the food they eat, the medicines they take, and the planet they live on. Most importantly, we’re more informed about health and wellness when it comes to our children.  We  have to keep telling our stories of what happened to our kids, even when we think no one is listening.  Because the Goliaths are listening.  Our message is starting to resonate with people.  Our numbers are growing bigger and stronger.  A movement is taking hold.

While the glitz and glam of the Oscars is going on and the winners will be toasting each other with champagne and celebrating their big win, know that we, the whistleblowers, are in the trenches doing what is brave and risky and fighting for the truth about what happened to our children.  We won’t be receiving the Academy Award or get to wear expensive jewels and fancy dresses, but we’re making a difference — and we’re making the Goliaths VERY nervous. That means more to me than some silly statue any day.

~Savage

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