This is why 12 Years a Slave is such an important movie. For all the cries about the gloom of the past and heaviness of the Black Experience in America, attempting to feel the pain, anguish, struggle, and sacrifice of those who came before us should serve as motivation to keep pushing forward for equality and justice for all humanity. I remember going to Berlin, Germany when I was 17 years old and the Berlin Wall had only been torn down a few years prior. Most of the older German Citizens I encountered refused to talk about the atrocities of the Jewish Holocaust. They wanted to leave the past in the past and move forward. America is so similar when it comes to discussing the Black Holocaust which includes slavery and the racist system of injustice perpetuated in every facet of American culture and government. As an adolescent I thought the refusal to engage in such a discourse by my most hospitable German host was due to the shame of treating one group of people in such a grotesque manner. Now, I am convinced that an alternate shame also existed which exposed the silent Nazi Germany community and participants as a beastly, inhumane people. Its amazing what we call civilized when the good people so often refuse to stand up for the rights of their neighbors and fellow human beings. Even in America, we are no different as the oppressor in America is guilty of silence and participation. Teaching our entire history as a country should dull our arrogance of believing we are the divine righteous authority of the world and incite us to work ever the more towards homeland freedom to ultimately gain homeland security. Similarly, Black Children need to understand the totality of whats working against them so they can know how to make it all work for their good. 12 Years a Slave left me speechless to some extent, but created a great level of introspection and consideration. This movie is a must see as we attempt to shape our children into great world citizens who are completely appreciative of the plight of our past and present forefathers in the struggle against evil. Solomon Northrup makes me proud. Reading and hearing his story, first published in 1853, embodies me with greater courage to shape my story into one that uplifts the human race no matter how hard or how tough lifes obstacles may be.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Nov 2013 18:57:24 +0000
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