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Don’t want to be ‘woke’

To the Editor,

If you don’t know what “woke” means, listen up:

The online Urban Dictionary defines “woke” as an adjective, meaning “alert (or sensitive) to social issues and injustices. Especially racism (and sexism and/or homophobia.)”

It’s been revealed that in the upcoming movie, presently titled only “No Time to Die,” James Bond has retired from MI6, and the “007” code designation has passed to a black (and rumor has it, a lesbian) woman. Bond is apparently called out of retirement for one last mission.

This will apparently be the last 007 movie featuring the beloved Bond character, himself, presently portrayed by Daniel Craig. British actress Lashana Lynch is taking over as 007.

Very empowering. Very “woke.”

Inserting social or political messages into artistic endeavors has a long and storied (pun intended) history. Only in recent years, however, has an eye toward subtlety been tossed aside, in favor of heavy-handed, “woke,” Hollywood liberal sociopolitical agenda-pushing.

This often involves the altering of beloved characters and storylines, like James Bond. The newer editions of “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” have altered their focus, as well, becoming much more ethnic- and female-centric. There’s nothing wrong with that, but when it’s made a feature, an aspect-“Look how woke we are!” — it quickly gets old.

“Solo: A Star Wars Story” had a snarky, angry robot with a female voice, obsessed with “droid rights.” It wasn’t funny, nor even amusing; it was grating, and was apparently one of many aspects fans disliked.

James Bond, “Star Wars”, and now Disney’s “Little Mermaid”.

Yes, Disney is remaking “The Little Mermaid,” with an apparently all-black cast of actors, altering the appearance of the characters. Why? Well … because.

It’s “woke.”

Instead of rehashing a beloved movie with different paint on the characters, though, how about taking a story from oh, maybe … Africa?

I mean, if you want to be truly “woke,” lifting up and celebrating African culture, then do it. Surely there’s some story or character in ethnic African folklore that the Mouse could sanitize, and make sappy enough for its saccharine library. It worked for “Pocahontas,” “Mulan” and “Moana.”

It doesn’t matter if a beloved franchise is diminished, or destroyed — it must be made “woke.”

It’s not just Hollywood, either; Nike recently lost $4 billion in a bid to be more “woke,” hiring ever-popular agitator Colin “The Knee” Kaepernick as its spokesman.

As the saying goes: “Get woke, go broke.”Not everything needs to be political.

When “No Time to Die” and the new “Little Mermaid” crash and burn at the box office, poor decisions in casting and production will not be blamed. Doubtless, as with the unnecessary, all-female “Ghostbusters” remake, intolerance — that is, racism, sexism, possibly homophobia — will be deemed responsible.

It’s all about the guilt and shame.

Being “woke” means existing in a perpetual state of handwringing concern, over the thoughts and feelings of others. Of hair-trigger outrage and kneejerk offense, constantly scanning the horizon for the next reason to take pointless umbrage.

Myself, I wouldn’t want to live my life like that. Who would?

Rob Denham

Weirton

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