Both Will and Chris, should not have done that
I hope this post finds you well.
I saw the slap. You know, the Will Smith slap. I’m sure you did too. I didn’t see it while watching the awards. I saw the video the next day when everyone was talking about it. There were plenty of sites showing the video. The videos were shortened to emphasize the slap. Seeing just a few seconds does not tell the whole story.
Chris Rock pointed to Jada and Will sitting in the front row and said, “I love you, G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see it”. This was in reference to Jada’s hair. She is bald.
Certainly, there was an insult directed at Jada, followed by a slap from Will to Chris, on stage for all to see. What is the real issue here? In this case, Chris has the right to free speech, right? Don’t you agree? Will should not have slapped Chris. Agree?
Will Smith issued a press release, apologizing to the Academy, although, not to Chris. Later, Jada Smith posted on Instagram, saying we need to heal. Quote: “This is the season for healing and I’m here for it.” Which is a good idea in this case.
Doing some research, I discovered that Jada Smith has a medical condition called alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes her hair to fall out. So, she didn’t choose to be bald, and I think it was not very nice for Chris to joke about it. I can see why Will felt the need to defend her. But was violence justified? Of course not.
Our founders of the U.S. Constitution granted us the first amendment, the freedom of speech. I ask, is an insult an act of free speech? I think Chris went too far. Jokes that are insults are designed to incite some kind of reaction. Usually, retaliation can be the result from an insult. It turns out the comedian Chris Rock had joked to Jada before at the 2016 Academy Awards. It seems this joking to Jada, was not a onetime event. I believe the joke/insult was the last straw that caused Will Smith to act out.
Maybe Will should have stood up and chastised Chris Rock or simply spoke about her condition and explained it was not nice, instead of committing violence. Who knows, maybe he had spoken to Chris before.
Chris should not have insulted Jada and Will should not have slapped Chris. I think they are both in the wrong but clearly there is a story to be told here. Only they, Will & Jada Smith and Chris Rock know to whole story. Maybe someday they will tell all.
What do you think? Comments are welcomed.
There is a web site that discusses freedom of speech, The contents I copied are below. I’m not too sure if this is legal, but there is great info here. Check the first bullet in the Freedom of speech does not include the right: section, I set the text to bold. Maybe Chris Rock incited Will to act out. What do you think? The web site is uscourts.gov, What Does Free Speech Mean? | United States Courts (uscourts.gov).
What Does Free Speech Mean?
Among other cherished values, the First Amendment protects freedom of speech. The U.S. Supreme Court often has struggled to determine what exactly constitutes protected speech. The following are examples of speech, both direct (words) and symbolic (actions), that the Court has decided are either entitled to First Amendment protections, or not.
The First Amendment states, in relevant part, that:
“Congress shall make no law…abridging freedom of speech.”
Freedom of speech includes the right:
Not to speak (specifically, the right not to salute the flag).
West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943).
Of students to wear black armbands to school to protest a war (“Students do not shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate.”).
Tinker v. Des Moines, 393 U.S. 503 (1969).
To use certain offensive words and phrases to convey political messages.
Cohen v. California, 403 U.S. 15 (1971).
To contribute money (under certain circumstances) to political campaigns.
Buckley v. Valeo, 424 U.S. 1 (1976).
To advertise commercial products and professional services (with some restrictions).
Virginia Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Consumer Council, 425 U.S. 748 (1976); Bates v. State Bar of Arizona, 433 U.S. 350 (1977).
To engage in symbolic speech, (e.g., burning the flag in protest).
Texas v. Johnson, 491 U.S. 397 (1989); United States v. Eichman, 496 U.S. 310 (1990).
Freedom of speech does not include the right:
To incite imminent lawless action.
Brandenburg v. Ohio, 395 U.S. 444 (1969).
To make or distribute obscene materials.
Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 476 (1957).
To burn draft cards as an anti-war protest.
United States v. O’Brien, 391 U.S. 367 (1968).
To permit students to print articles in a school newspaper over the objections of the school administration.
Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier, 484 U.S. 260 (1988).
Of students to make an obscene speech at a school-sponsored event.
Bethel School District #43 v. Fraser, 478 U.S. 675 (1986).
Of students to advocate illegal drug use at a school-sponsored event.
Morse v. Frederick, _ U.S. _ (2007).
Disclaimer: These resources are created by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts for use in educational activities only. They may not reflect the current state of the law, and are not intended to provide legal advice, guidance on litigation, or commentary on legislation.
3/31/2022 Update:
Thinking about this some more, I want to understand the overlap between a joke and an insult. When is a joke an insult and when is an insult meant to be a joke?
A person can insult someone and purposely imply it was a joke.
A person can insult someone and mistakenly make a joke.
A person can make a joke and mistakenly insult someone.
A person can make a joke and purposely insult someone.
I chose #3. That Chris Rock made a joke and mistakenly insulted Jada and Will Smith. This is what I think happened. How about you?
From the Collins online dictionary: Joke definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary (collinsdictionary.com).
Joke:
- A joke is something that is said or done to make you laugh, such as a funny story.
- If you joke, you tell funny stories or say amusing things.
- A joke is something untrue that you tell another person in order to amuse yourself.
- If you joke, you tell someone something that is not true in order to amuse yourself.
- If you say that something or someone is a joke, you think they are ridiculous and do not deserve respect.
Insult:
- To treat or speak to with scorn, insolence, or great disrespect: subject to treatment, a remark, etc. that hurts or is meant to hurt the feelings or pride.
- To behave arrogantly.