Mexican "Best Director" seizes the moment hoping for a better goverment

 By Lucio R. for Borderland Beat

(Added information at bottom) 

Yes, I concede this has almost nothing to do with drug trafficking, although one may really stretch boundaries and link curbing organized crime to a better Mexican government, so to the BB purists.... somethings are too good not to acknowledge.

"Too good", is not the fact that Alejandro Gonzales Iñárritu made history in 2006 by becoming the first Mexican director to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director, that time for his drama Babel.

And "Too good", is not that on Sunday night at the Academy Awards in L.A. , Gonzales Iñárritu  won the award, thanks to the dark comedy Birdman, making it two years in a row that a Mexican-born director has taken home the Oscar. Birdman also won the  "Best Picture" award.  Sweeping the most prestigious awards of the night.

As delicious as the sweep was for Mexicans, and  those  long appreciative fans  of Mexican film-making, if that was the end of the story, I would not be writing this post.

What overshadowed the movement is what happened when Gonzales Iñárritu gave his acceptance speech.

A speech that no doubt left the administration of Enrique Peña Nieto livid.

The proud Mexican director, seized the moment giving  an eloquent, thoughtful speech.  With the attention of a global audience, Gonzales Iñárritu dedicated the Oscar to the people of Mexico and to Mexican immigrants in the United States.  He delivered these words;

"I pray that we can find and build a government that we deserve, and the ones that live in this country, who are a part of the latest generation of immigrants in this country, I just pray that they can be treated with the same dignity and respect as the ones who came before and built this incredible immigrant nation," said the director.

Ah, yes, nodded this child of immigrants, as I wiped away a few tears.

One dumb and inappropriate guffaw was made by Sean Penn, who announced the "Best Picture" award, the biggest moment of the evening, unfortunately Penn said;

         "Who gave this son of a bitch a green card?”

In the way of today, people took to social media to blast Penn, even "going there", bringing up ancient history of his abusing Madonna. 

And then, reacting to the director's speech,  thousands of Mexican tweeted the hashtag #ElGobiernoQueMerecemos, (the government we deserve).

Gonzales Iñárritu, who worked with Penn on '21 Grams', was gracious and witty , with his come back, facetiously saying;

      "Two Mexicans in a row, now that's suspicious!"

I find myself in the itchy position of defending Penn, yes it was stupid, but the guy was caught up in the moment and the foot jammed into his mouth, without the benefit of his brain being involved.  I give him a pass.  

Best director Gonzales Iñárritu gave him one, saying,"I thought it was hilarious".

"If there were  justice,  the first who would go to jail, are those who commit such crimes, and it’s those at the top......"

Later, the director gave greater clarity to his speech of Mexican deserving a better government:

"I think the level of dissatisfaction, injustice , corruption, impunity has reached intolerable levels," said the director, referring to his speech at the ceremony of the Oscars. 

"My frustration peaked, like with all Mexicans due to the level of impunity and corruption that prevails now as a generalized system ... the things that happen every day; every day there is news that is outrageous, right? 

“Because a government must serve a society, and not use that society, for personal gain" said the filmmaker. González Iñárritu said that the political class in general is backed by corrupt businessmen who weave alliances.

"Impunity is the lifeblood of corruption, because if there were  justice,  the first who would go to jail, are those who commit such crimes, and it’s those at the top. " 

Thank you to the reader who sent in the  director comments, made after the Oscars.