Netflix released at spinoff show of the movie Dear White People. The show is set in chapters, and each chapter is a story about a different character and what they go through within the campus they live on.
Now for those opened minded people who haven't given this show a chance, take the time to really watch and listen to what happens within this season. It's an eye opener and one episode in particular really opened my eyes: Chapter 5, the story of Reggie.
*SPOILER ALERT*
Within this episode, Reggie's friends drag him out to have some fun and take his mind off of their revolution and Sam's, who is the main character of the show, new white boyfriend. The group of friends ends up at a party where there is a mix of white and black college students having fun and partying. This is where the drama started.
A debate started between two friends (Reggie and his white friend) about the N word. The debate turned into a fight and the police were called. Once they entered the party and broke the fight up, they pushed Reggie back a little more than they should and asked if he was a student here. He, along with a lot of other party goers said he was, but the cops didn't listen and asked him for ID. Reggie, upset at the idea that they were asking him and not the other character on the show, goes to walk away from them and a gun gets pulled on him. He carefully reaches for his ID, hands it to the cop. After he gets his ID back, the party clears pretty quickly.
Reggie walks out of the party and ignores everyone around him. His friends try talking to him, but he keeps walking. At the end of the episode, we see Reggie sitting up against his door crying at what just happened to him. Knowing that this could either happen to him or another friend of his again. The episode ends with that.
Watching that episode really woke me up. Although there were many other things in this world that happened that opened my eyes, this did more. This is what some minorities through every day of their lives; they make one wrong jump and the world explodes.
We hear the people in this country say that it's great; there is freedom, you do have your rights, and why would you fight for something you already have. Do we have it? Are we really free? A lot of people don't really see that this country is broken; it's broken and has never been fixed.
Within the show, the lead character, Sam, has a radio show called "Dear White People." Sam is a fearless girl who believes that a new revolution can begin and we can fix this messed up the world we live in, so now it's my time:
Dear White People: WAKE UP!
If you haven't yet, it's time you did. You don't see that we live in YOUR WORLD. This isn't ours. You wake up every morning and don't have to worry about what racial slur you'll hear today, what cop will pull a gun out on you next, You don't have to worry about being looked at and judged because of the color of your skin.
White Privilege? Isn't it a thing? You make one wrong step or one wrong move, it's just a warning for you, maybe they will help fix your ties, and send you on your way. You step the slightest bit out of line, don't worry about it, don't do it again. We step the slightest bit out of line and guns are pointed, we are judged, we get no warning, just one more second to breathe.
No, maybe that isn't how it always is. There are some great people out there, great white people, black people, Mexicans, gays, cops, military men and women who want to change the world, want to change this country and make it more peaceful, make it free, and to make it so anyone can walk out onto the streets and feel safe. Those are the people who are going to change this country, change this world. Those are the people who are going to Make America Great.
Within years we have had people who made this country slightly better each time. With just a sit on the bus, standing up and walking, not backing down, having a dream, and making it real. For years now we have had famous young men and woman come and fight not just to be equal with those around us, but fight for our country, for a better country. They were just small people, who made big differences, so why give up now, when change is starting to come.
Dear White People: Try To Understand
1.) Black lives matter- They don't matter more, they don't matter less, they just matter too.
2.) Our skin tone, either it be black, or light skinned isn't a weapon, don't be afraid of us.
3.) We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL MEN AND WOMAN are created equal. EQUAL. We want nothing more than to be equal to the men and woman within this country.
4.) We have pain, and our pain is what we want to be fixed
We aren't a country divided, but a country that needs to be united. If we can't stand together now, stand together with our fellow Americans, who are hurt, judged, and scared, when will we be able to?
