Matthew McConaughey, there is no ‘centrist’ side of racism
By: Shamontiel L. Vaughn
Tags: White Privilege, Maga, Politics, Matthew McConaughey, Racism

Matthew McConaughey, there is no ‘centrist’ side of racism

Photo credit: Markus Spiske/Unsplash

There’s nothing that makes me want to be silent more than someone asking me to speak on an issue in which I have no experience. If I see I’m headed toward an issue that I’m not savvy in, pull over. I’ll sit in the passenger seat and sit next to the expert on the driver’s side.

There is a reason you’ll find very few articles from me regarding homophobia and the LGBTQ+ community; I’d rather read about someone from that group talk about their experiences instead of me writing about it (unless someone is picking on my relatives). You won’t see too much from me regarding xenophobia, although I’m reading all about it from Asian writers. I can’t tell you a whole about manhood, and when I do speak on it, I usually use lots of real-life examples to make my points. I can’t chat too much about parenthood other than to talk about my own parents; I don’t want to be a mom. I’ll occasionally write about money, but my checking account and investments are nothing to brag about.

Do I have strong opinions on all of the above? Yes — from listening to others navigating the steering wheel. Now switch places with me when we get on the topic of black womanhood; I can navigate that trail without even humoring the idea of turning on a GPS. When I end up in a neighborhood I don’t know, I ask for directions and observe those who can teach me what it’s like on that road. I may agree. I may not agree. But what I won’t do is act like I know all the ins and outs of a group I’m not a part of. And I wish actors like Matthew McConaughey would do the same.

Photo credit: Malcolm Garret/Pexels

I listened to his interview from a few days ago with one of my favorite comedians Russell Brand, and I winced through almost all of it. It was the kind of out-of-touch argument that only men who are of a certain race, privilege, tax bracket and lack of experience can have — and shoot off tone deaf, arrogant, ignorant responses like it’s a machine gun full of drivel. I cannot blame McConaughey’s answers on all straight, white men. The ones who are in my own social circle somehow “get it.” But for the life of me, I’m sick and tired of those who don’t.

During the interview, Brand asked McConaughey how he felt about Liberals criticizing Trump supporters and the divide between those who have a pro-Brexit style mentality versus those who do not. Although I am not part of the population that believes actors (and athletes) should not speak up about politics, there are moments when I (also an “ordinary working person”) hope that when they do, they are better informed.

While social media has zoomed in on McConaughey’s response to Brand by wagging a finger at anti-Trumpers, one of the more curious parts of the interview wasn’t that for me. It was that he didn’t seem to have an understanding of American history altogether — nor that elections are not like trying to sell a purse.

“When you say, ‘Hey, we want to get out the vote. We want people to be able to go vote. We’re going to do a campaign to let people vote,’ I’m like OK!” McConaughey said during the interview. “I’m like, ‘100 percent. Yes, everyone. Is there anyone who would say ‘no’ to that?’”

Yes, McConaughey, yes, there are. There are all of those people who voted in the 2016 election, helped former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton win the popular vote and still lost the electoral college votes. There’s also the Supreme Court decision between Al Gore and George Bush. There is a genuine skepticism of the electoral process in itself. It doesn’t make me stop voting, but it does make me (grudgingly) understand why people are so irate about redlining, voter suppression and politics in general.

McConaughey went on, “That’s universal. You have 100 percent of the audience going ‘I’m in. That’s a constitutional right as an American. I’m in! Yes!’”

You’re right. It is a constitutional right for everyone — once the 15th and 19th Amendments were set into place, but please continue.

“And then they can’t help themselves,” McConaughey said, in reference to Liberals. “At the very end, they go, ‘So, we don’t let those criminal bastards go back in office. Whoa! You’re like, ‘No, don’t say the last part. … from a sales point of view, don’t tag that ‘gotcha’ on the end.’”

And that’s where he loses me altogether. People’s lives are not a marketing campaign to “sell” a candidate. You don’t get a commission at the end and an Employee of the Month certificate. For non-rich voters, their presidential choice is a matter of life, death and affording basic life expenses.

Telling the left to “understand the science” is the ultimate irony when the president of the last four years is responsible for 14.63 million COVID-19 infections and 281K deaths — from ignoring scientists. Telling a segment of Hollywood to not speak up about social justice and political issues that are not a matter of opinion — and have a mountain of court cases to confirm these facts— is questionable. Just as job applicants are asked to check off a box about their criminal past, so should politicians. And if there are a whopping list of concerning background choices for that candidate, those should make a voter pause before filling in the ballot bubble.

“Losing 50 percent” of an audience who would rather say someone is “playing the race card” instead of pointing out racism won’t matter much. Losing 50 percent of an audience who can shrug off grabbing people “by the pussy” won’t result in progression regarding sexism. Losing 50 percent of an audience who will call coronavirus “China Virus” will more than likely not result in them easing up on xenophobia. Losing 50 percent of an audience who was completely opposed to Merrick Garland being a Supreme Court justice but supported Amy Coney Barrett won’t change the votes. Losing 50 percent of an audience who will ramble on about “Antifa” but suddenly be hard of hearing about Heather Heyer and Martin Gugino won’t change the narrative either.

These two audiences are pretty set in their ways on topics that simply do not have a middle ground. Asking someone to be “aggressively centrist” in this past presidential election is like asking someone to be sorta pregnant, a peace-making assassin, a nonviolent KKK member, an agnostic churchgoer or a slow-driving race car driver.

The issues that came up from 2016 to 2020 are pretty straightforward. However, there is only one group who can easily be a “centrist” on these issues. Who? The ones who are never affected directly. And this is where some of Hollywood (and beyond) make the difference — they are the McConaugheys of the election.

When a particular -ism or phobia bypasses a more privileged group, some of them can still sit, listen and learn, and then speak out about something they don’t approve of regardless of whether it affects them. Others are so self-absorbed that they cannot possibly be bothered and want the issue to just go away. I would hate to be in the latter group; it’s why I speak less and listen more regarding the topics mentioned at the beginning of this post. Whether I’ve been through an issue directly, what I won’t do is tell someone else, “Since this has absolutely nothing to do with my day-to-day life, don’t say this. Be a centrist instead, so I don’t feel uncomfortable.” I prefer people who are OK with being uncomfortable in the passenger seat. If they listen close enough, they will become better drivers.