It’s 2016. Isn’t it about time a black person won an Academy Award?

Well, okay, black people have won Academy Awards.* But shouldn’t black people be nominated every time the awards are held? And don’t say, “Leave us alone, we picked a black guy already,” because that makes you sound like the 2016 Democrats.

Charlotte Rampling, who’s nominated this year for her role in a movie you haven’t seen, made the mistake of saying the #OscarsSoWhite boycott campaign is racist. Sure, it’s literally true that demanding concessions based on race is racist, but that doesn’t mean she should say it.

And now one of her fellow Caucasian actors has shocked the world by uttering another forbidden truth. As Christopher Rosen at Entertainment Weekly reports:

In an interview with Nick Robinson for BBC Radio 4, Caine was asked about “the argument going on in Hollywood at the moment, that not enough black actors – in fact, none – have been nominated for this year’s Oscars.”

“Yeah, but there’s loads of black actors,” Caine responded. “You can’t vote for an actor because he’s black. You can’t just say, ‘I’m going to vote for him. He’s not very good, but he’s black. I’ll vote for him.’ You have to give a good performance.”

Caine is absolutely right, of course. #OscarsSoWhite is demanding that Academy voters base their nominations on color, not talent. It’s ridiculous and irrational, because racism is ridiculous and irrational.

But in the Orwellian hellscape that is 2016, refusing to divide people by race is “racist.”

Michael Caine's response to #OscarsSoWhite is only slightly less galling than Charlotte Rampling's https://t.co/sTs1XSbf3D — Salon.com (@Salon) January 22, 2016

Massively disappointed in Charlotte Rampling and Michael Caine. — Kelly Sue DeConnick (@kellysue) January 22, 2016

Sigh. I see the point about #OscarsSoWhite has completely flown over Michael Caine's head. — Danni-Wan Blakenobi (@abradacabla) January 22, 2016

Michael Caine, good god. I'm glad these white actors are finally showing their true feelings (or lack of) about POC. — Jenifer (@_vanessaives) January 22, 2016

What is white privilege: Michael Caine tells black actors to be patient #OscarsSoWhite https://t.co/yt7NHX30bw — Yukio Strachan (@boldandworthy) January 22, 2016

So glad racism experts Charlotte Rampling, Michael Caine & Nicole from 8th grade homeroom are here to tell PoC how 2 feel abt #OscarsSoWhite — Shaunna Murphy (@ShaunnaLMurphy) January 22, 2016

Ugh Michael Caine. I liked you. Why you do dis https://t.co/jCJOPWTTyV — Andray (@AndrayDomise) January 22, 2016

Etc.

Have any of this year’s nominees apologized yet? Sure, they may have worked hard to get where they are, and they may believe they deserve the praise they’re given, but shouldn’t they feel guilty just for being born? Shouldn’t they apologize for things they didn’t do? How dare they be so… so… white?!?

I made this suggestion last year, when the #OscarsSoWhite nonsense first took off:

A lot of people are saying #OscarsSoWhite. Maybe if they added an Academy Award for Best Black Person? Boom, solved. — Jim Treacher ✘ (@jtLOL) January 15, 2015

So far, they haven’t listened. Come on, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences: Do the right thing.

*Not Kevin Hart, but maybe next year.