You're asking Crash supporters to acknowledge that Brokeback lost a few votes to homophobia... fine, I do. But you have no idea how many. How about this: How many votes did Crash lose to racists? It's a really pointless argument because it's unquantifiable, as the Oscars have always been. We don't know why the Academy chose Crash over Brokeback any more than we know why Dances with Wolves beat GoodFellas (or why any number of other close races turned out the way they did). I just really don't like the 'poor loser' approach being adopted by Brokeback fans... I understand and appreciate the fact that this was a movie near and dear to your hearts. It's also a movie that many who did not support it for Best Picture still enjoyed and respected. But by continuing to shove this anger and hatred in people's faces, you really are only tarnishing the way that people will remember the film and making yourselves---and not the film's important message---the story. To me, that's a bigger injustice to Ennis and Jack than the Academy's decision to support another film, which it has the prerogative to do.

The argument will go on---of that, I am certain. But I hope people will choose their words and allegations more responsibly and carefully in the future. In the heat of the moment, it is easy to get carried away with our passions. But one's argument loses effect when it cannot be substantiated.

• Submit under the comments section a 1 paragraph argument for why your nominated candidate deserves to win. I'll post the best examples along with my own final predictions in the days before the actual ceremony... maybe you can even convince me or other prognosticators to re-think the way we're leaning!