Mass anger has been rightfully sparked over the deaths of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. These avoidable killings, caused by unsuitably trained police officers, are just the most recent in a long line of sustained police brutality. I don't know about you, but I'm getting pretty sick of seeing headlines saying that so and so was killed by police while in custody... or such and such a police officer was killed by angered so and so in retaliation... whether black, white or whatever. It's just all around BS.
I don't intend for this to be a politically driven article, but I'll include this excerpt from a debate with Bernie Sanders, who I believe has clear and excellent points.
It is shameful to have such embedded racial conflicts in a country that presents itself as one of the most well equipped, most diverse, most accepting of others and most advanced in the world.
I feel that as long as the pertinent departments of the US continue to ignore and resist the real and flagrantly obvious prejudices that infect the nation, America will never be number one.
The United States was built on the backs of immigrants. Even the colonials of the original 13 colonies hailed from Europe—Britain, France, the Netherlands, Jews, Christians—bringing with them many many different cultures, languages and beliefs.
Today, America is the home for even more people of immigrant backgrounds—Koreans, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mexicans, Indians (from India), Cubans, Filipinos, Iraqis, Dominicans, Canadians, Jamaicans, Brits, Germans, Polish, Peruvians, Russians, Pakistanis, Japanese—the list goes on and on and on. Over 41 million people of the United States' current population were born outside of the US.
Of all these diverse and hardworking people, why, for the love of God, does America seem to have a major problem with people of black skin?
From 1861 to 1865, half the country fought for the emancipation of slavery, not just in the north, but in the south as well, because they couldn't bear to be divided on such a straightforward issue. But still today, even the north has a race problem!
It's the racists, the xenophobes, the trigger-happy police officers, who are dragging the name of the US through the dirt. They ought to watch (and so should you) these following movies that depict, demonstrate and degrade racism and all its fugly features.
"12 Years a Slave"
"12 Years a Slave" is a 2013 period drama film directed by Steve McQueen. It is based on the 1853 slave narrative memoir "Twelve Years a Slave" by Solomon Northup, a New York State-born free African-American man who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. in 1841 and sold into slavery. Northup worked on plantations in the state of Louisiana for 12 years, as the movie title tells, before his release.
Gripping performances by an all-star cast—including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sarah Paulson and Brad Pitt—make this tale of slavery and freedom a tugging reminder that we got rid of slavery for a reason.
"42"
"42" is a 2013 biographical sports drama that tells the story of one of the most famous names in baseball. The number 42 is the jersey number worn by the first man of African-American descent allowed to play in the MLB, Jackie Robinson, a number which is now retired throughout the entire MLB. The man and the number are honored as representatives of change, acceptance, freedom, valor and perseverance.
The film stars Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson and Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey, with Alan Tudyk as racist Phillies manager Ben Chapman and Lucas Black as the white skinned Pee Wee Reese, famous for supporting his black teammate.
"American History X"
The non-linear narrative of "American History X" tells the story of two Venice, Los Angeles brothers who become involved in the neo-Nazi movement. The older brother, played by Edward Norton, serves a prison sentence for the murder of an African-American. While incarcerated, he befriends a man of black skin and consequently changes his beliefs, emerging as a reformed man. Can he save his younger brother from falling down the path of hatred and intolerance?
"A Time to Kill"
"A Time to Kill" is a 1996 American crime drama, based on author John Grisham's 1989 novel of the same name. With its own all-star cast of Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Matthew McConaughey and Kevin Spacey, with Kiefer and Donald Sutherland, "A Time to Kill" portrays the intense racism rooted in Mississippi.
The narrative drops the viewer right into events that lead to race crimes, a farce of a trial mired in racism and the reemergence of the infamous Ku Klux Klan. It is a story of race violence, but also reconciliation as McConaughey and Jackson work together to convince an all-white southern jury of a black man's motives for his crime of passion.
"Do the Right Thing"
"Do the Right Thing" is a 1989 American comedy-drama produced, written and directed by Spike Lee, who also plays the part of Mookie. The movie tells the story of a Brooklyn neighborhood's barely restrained racial tension, which culminates in tragedy on a hot summer's day.
With resulting events, almost exactly like those of a few days ago in Louisiana and Minnesota, a riot is sparked, which lays waste to black/white relations.
The film was a critical and commercial success, receiving numerous awards, including an Academy Award nomination for Lee for Best Original Screenplay and one for Best Supporting Actor for Danny Aiello's portrayal of Sal, the white Italian pizzeria owner. It is often listed among the greatest films of all time. That ought to be enough incentive for you to go see it.
"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner"
"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" is a 1967 American comedy-drama. It stars Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Katharine Houghton and Sidney Poitier, respectively as the white father, the white mother, their daughter and her new fiancé who is black. At the time of the movie's release, interracial marriage was still illegal in 17 US states.
This movie pits old hypocritical liberals against forward minded youngsters who value love above the color of skin.
It made a worldwide profit of $122 million. A funny, serious and continually relevant movie to open one's mind.
I'd like to leave you with this clip from The Daily Show. A lighthearted spin on these recent events, which have so far led to the avoidable deaths of at least six people. Trevor raises good, hard points that take a look at the very real problems of race and intolerance that currently grip the Divided States.
