A toast to American decency

Let us briefly pause in our ritualized outrage to raise a glass to these recent, rare examples of selflessness

A gracious moment.
(Image credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

This is the editor's letter in the current issue of The Week magazine:

At a time when so many people are behaving abominably, let us briefly pause in our ritualized outrage to raise a toast to some rare examples of selflessness and decency. Here's to Jordan Horowitz, the La La Land producer who'd just given his acceptance speech for winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards last weekend when a commotion erupted on stage. As everyone else milled around, paralyzed with confusion and embarrassment, and millions of viewers said, "Whaaaat?" Horowitz took control. He announced that a mistake had been made, and that Moonlight, not his film, had actually won the Oscar — and held the Best Picture card up to the camera to prove it. Horowitz then beckoned Moonlight's team up to the stage, handed over the precious statue, and embraced fellow director Barry Jenkins with genuine warmth. Horowitz's grace under pressure turned a horrible moment into something admirable. "Much respect to that dude," Jenkins later tweeted.

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William Falk

William Falk is editor-in-chief of The Week, and has held that role since the magazine's first issue in 2001. He has previously been a reporter, columnist, and editor at the Gannett Westchester Newspapers and at Newsday, where he was part of two reporting teams that won Pulitzer Prizes.