I just got back from watching Selma. Here I my review. There are only spoiler alerts if you do not know history. First before I go into this, I am very well aware of the common sentiment in the black community regarding MLK. I have heard over and over again that integration has caused us more damage than good. I am very aware of people who believe that his work actually worked against us. Im aware. I saw a white couple walk out of the theater tonight. I personally believe it was because this movie did not paint Dr. king as the white apologist that their history books said that he was. In this film Dr. King asked who killed a young teen? And then answered that every white person who stood silent killed him. Every police officer who perpetrated violence killed him. This Dr. king called for an end to white supremacy. This Dr. king is the King they dont show you in history books so that our oppressors can throw him in our faces. They showed the real Dr. king and I believe people arent comfortable with reality. I needed to see this movie. I needed to at this point in my life. There were too many scenes that hit home. First the scene of the four little girls. That scene brought to mind the recent attempt at the Colorado Springs NAACP. When the police announced on the speaker This is an unlawful assembly, you have two minutes to disperse. My emotions burst. I heard those words in person within the past 12 months. The exact same words. The words which were ruled illegal by a Federal Court. Another part which hit home was the visual struggle between the elders and the youth. The youth not wanting to listen to the elders and the elders not wanting to listen to the youth. The same struggle is happening today. There is a divide. A divide which I fight to end. Then there was the struggle and hatred between black leaders. The back biting. The competition. I see hose struggles today. I see leaders who would talk badly about other leaders in this movement even though we are working towards a common goal. Finally, the part which made me shout in the theater and burst into tears. The part which broke me. There is a part where The police stood down. Never. Never have I seen this happen. Never have I seen them do this. Never have I looked into their eyes and have seen remorse. I have not seen this. I hope I may someday. I said in that theater. They have never done that for us. I have never seen this. They dont do this. We have not seen a victory in 2014. The desperation is becoming evident. To see police stand down would be nothing short of a miracle. This movie showed the struggle of a black person trying to vote in Selma. The tests they had to take, the hoops they had to jump through. This movie showed the importance of voting. There was also a scene regarding violence. When many wanted to retaliate. One man put it all down for them. If they retaliate will they be out gunned, how many black lives will be lost on the counter retaliation. He told them to stand down not because of his religious beliefs but because of their strategy. He had several strategies. Be dramatic. Disturb the peace Resist. Everyone knows that I believe in self defense and I dont incite violence. That was the hardest part of the movie to watch them be beaten down and to stand there. Not all of them stood there. Some of them defended themselves. Yes. That was beautiful. Short but beautiful. Go see this movie because it shows how dr. King wanted to give up. The hopelessness. He told them to disturb the peace, to resist. The put themselves in harms way. And a note to all of you who tell me to stop putting myself in harms way. His own friends told him to keep going. When the FBI told his team to tell him to stand down for his own protection. His friends refused to tell him that. They pushed him to keep going. The threat of death is always there. We wont hide from it. Lets not hide from it. I still will follow the ideologies of Malcolm and Huey over Dr. King. I wont stand there while they beat me like a dog. I wont be killed for the sake of peace. I am thankful that someone tried to show a better depiction of him.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 05:15:52 +0000
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