Spike Lee urges Oscars viewers to vote in 2020: ‘Let’s all be in the right side of history’
Spike Lee used the very first Oscars acceptance speech of his career to praise his ancestors and encourage viewers to “mobilize” ahead of the 2020 presidential election.
“Four hundred years, our ancestors were stolen from all over Africa and brought to Jamestown, Va., enslaved,” Lee said as he stood onstage Sunday to accept the Academy Award for “Best Adapted Screenplay” for his film, “BlacKkKlansman.”
His grandmother “put me through Moorehouse College and NYU grad film [school]” by saving 50 years of Social Security checks, the 61-year-old director said.
“Before the world tonight, I give praise to our ancestors who helped build this country,” Lee — who is only the sixth black filmmaker to be nominated in the “Best Director” category — said.
The frequent critic of President Trump then encouraged Americans to be on the “right side of history” ahead of the next White House race.
“The 2020 presidential election is around the corner. Let’s all mobilize,” Lee said to cheers. “Let’s all be in the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate,” he exclaimed.
“Let’s do the right thing!” said Lee, a reference to the name of his 1989 film of the same name.
Lee has said in previous interviews that Trump is on the “wrong side of history,” calling the president a “man of hate” and “violence” who “can’t be trusted to make moral decisions.”
Lee received an honorary Oscar in 2016.
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