There’s an old saying, “You have to start somewhere.” This motto is especially true when it comes to race relations in this country.

For example, what started off as disagreement regarding seating arrangements on public transportation transformed into an entire civil rights movement, the results of which proved that America truly was a place “where all men were created equal.”

Formally, a lot has changed in this country, but nonetheless there is always room for improvement. There are some battles worth fighting and others that shouldn’t even be considered. Recently, a lot of time and effort have been wasted on criticisms of controversial television shows, movies and plays. Shows like “Mind of Mencia” and “Chappelle’s Show” have received a lot of complaints for sending the “wrong message” about racism and cultural tolerance. At the University, there was disapproval over a play called “N*gger Wetb*ck Ch*nk.” These performances, which you may agree or disagree with, are not worth the attention they are being given. We as minorities need to focus on things that really matter and “not sweat the small stuff.”

A few weeks ago, “N*gger Wetb*ck Ch*nk” tried to deliver a comical approach to the negative aspects of being a minority in America. Mainly, it discussed the untrue nature of stereotypes, both positive and negative, of blacks, Latinos and Asian Americans. In addition, it taught people the origins and meaning of the derogatory names given to each ethnic group, and the play portrayed some oppressive racial experiences exclusive to minorities. Though the play was comical in nature, there was a definite positive message that resonated throughout the performance.

The performers and directors of “N*W*C” hosted a question and answer forum after the performance to answer any questions or concerns that the audience might have had. The complaints ranged from disapproval of the color of clothing the actors wore to the amount of attention that was given to one ethnic group’s stereotypes vs. another’s. The entire discussion was ridiculous and excessive.

First, it is impossible for anyone to correctly represent the achievements or contributions of one minority group in a two-hour play, let alone three. There are a lot of accomplishments that each ethnic group has made to America, that’s why we have entire programs of study devoted to teaching the different contributions made by minorities in this country (i.e. African American Studies, Latino American Studies, Asian American Studies, etc). Second, every person has a different opinion on what is an important contribution made by their ethnic group. In regards to black history, some might say the civil rights movement is the most important, others might say the contribution slaves made to the early American economy, and others still may argue that our African roots which influence our culture are the most important. We shouldn’t criticize them for what color shoes they wore but rather applaud them for their effort.

In the end, “N*W*C” is a play, just like “Mind of Mencia” and “Chappelle’s Show” are television programs. These performances do not make the rules or write the history of racial tolerance in this country. Nor are they even very influential. It’s entertainment, nothing more.

If you don’t like it, then don’t watch it. There are much more prevalent issues for minorities to rally behind. The fact that Barack Obama is the only black person in the Senate is an issue to be concerned about. Less time should be spent disapproving of Carlos Mencia’s unfunny comedy skits and more time should be focused on getting more minorities to vote. The fact that inner-city schools are consistently degrading in quality and has led to three times as many black and Latino males going to jail than to college is another problem to focus on.

How to improve the quality of public education is a topic worth discussing. Arguing about the influence gangster rap has on young children is not. I’ll tell you who has more influence than 50 Cent or Lil’ Wayne: parents and teachers.

Debating issues like these only distract and divide us, making it harder to tackle bigger, more important problems. I understand that “you have to start somewhere,” but starting somewhere doesn’t mean you have to start small.

Editor’s note: “N*gger Wetb*ck Ch*nk” was sponsored by The Daily Illini at the request of its parent company, Illini Media.