If they were white, would the outcome be the same? Historically, and in most Hollywood films, if a white man were to defend a white woman’s honor, he was seen as a hero. Here, we are looking at an awards ceremony that is historically racist. We see a black man defend the honor of his wife and although he gets a lot of support from those within his community, he is labeled as violent and a criminal by spectators. Black women are known for not being defended or protected enough in America. As spectators, it is not our position to sit in judgement as that should be left to the party involved. Structural racism is complex and as an ally, it is our duty to listen and learn. This isn’t about legality, this isn’t even about the slap. There’s so much more going on than that.